Bioactive Compound in Broccoli Has Anti-Prostate Cancer Effects

Bioactive Compound in Broccoli Has Anti-Prostate Cancer Effects

10 Harmful Health Effects Caused by Excessive Sugar Consumption

Foods taste sweet because they contain sugars which can be naturally occurring or added. What’s the main difference between the two?

Naturally occurring sugars are the sugars found in whole foods, for instance, fruit, milk, vegetables, and some grains. Fructose and lactose in fruit and milk products, respectively, are naturally occurring sugars. On the other hand, sugars and syrups added to foods during preparation or processing, or added at the table are known as added sugars.

Added sugars function to enhance the flavor and texture of foods, to increase shelf life, and to make the foods palatable.

Americans consume at the average of 22 teaspoons of added sugars every day which is equivalent to 88 g of sugar or nearly 352 calories. The major sources of added sugars are regular sodas, cakes, candy, pies, cookies, energy drinks, and fruit drinks (fruit ade and fruit punch); dairy desserts and milk products (ice cream, sweetened milk and yogurt); and other grains (cinnamon toast, granola bar, and honey-nut waffles).

No matter what types of sugars are used, whether they are the natural sweetener like honey or raw sugar, a refined product like table sugar, or manufactured sugar like high-fructose corn syrup, all added sugars can pose health risks. Added sugar, especially taken in excess, can have harmful effects on metabolism and contribute to the development of many diseases.

The followings are 10 disturbing reasons why added sugars are considered detrimental to health.

Empty Calories and Tooth Decay

As you have probably heard many times before, added sugars like sucrose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) only provide you calories without the essential nutrients, for which they are called empty calories.  They are purely energy source and lacking proteins, essential fats, vitamin or minerals.

Eating sugars that make up 10-20 percent of calories or more can pose health issues besides contributing to nutrient deficiencies.

Acting as digestible energy sources that help to feed harmful bacteria in the mouth, sugars cause tooth decay.

Overloads You Liver

In order to understand why excessive added sugar intakes are harmful, it would be better for you to understand what they are made of.

Sugars are composed of equal parts of glucose and fructose. In the digestive tract, sugars are broken down into two simple sugars, glucose and fructose, before entering the bloodstream.

Glucose is found in and metabolized by every cell in your body. Conversely, fructose is only available for the body from your diet and solely metabolized by the liver.

Eating moderate amounts of fructose such as from fruit in a healthy person or you just finished an exercise won’t pose harmful effects as it will be turned into glycogen and subsequently stored in your liver. By contrast, eating a lot of fructose will overload the liver if the liver is full of glycogen, forcing the organ to turn the fructose into fat.

When large amounts of sugar taken repeatedly, this process will eventually lead to fatty liver and metabolic syndrome.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Taking excess fructose can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which in the end can lodge in the liver. After turned into fat in the liver, fructose is shipped out as VLDL cholesterol particles. However, some of the fats stay behind and can lodge in the liver.

This eventually leads to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is strongly associated with metabolic diseases. Studies have found that people with fatty liver consume up to 2-3 times as much fructose as the average person.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin, a very important hormone in the body, through a cascade of reactions that allows glucose (blood sugar) to enter cells from the bloodstream by the help of GLUT4 transporters and tells the cells to start burning glucose instead of fat.

However, taking too much sugar may overload the blood with glucose over time which is highly toxic and can cause complications in diabetes, including neuropathy and blindness.

The higher glucose in the blood the higher insulin are produced and secreted by the pancreas. As cells only allow the entrance certain amount of glucose for its optimal energy generating activities, too much insulin will eventually make the cells resist the docking of extra insulin to their receptors. This leads to, insulin resistance, meaning cells (insulin receptors) repel insulin.

Many studies have found that high sugar consumption is associated with insulin resistance which is thought to be a leading cause of many diseases, including metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes.

Type II Diabetes

Chronically high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) and insulin resistance cause the pancreas to produce higher levels of insulin that result in high insulin levels in your blood (hyperinsulinemia).

As insulin resistance becomes progressively worse, the pancreas that produces insulin at high capacity eventually becomes exhausted which cause the pancreas to produce less insulin, thus make the blood glucose levels remains high. This condition is diagnosed with type II diabetes.

Given that excess sugar intake can cause insulin resistant, it is no big wonder to see that people who excessively drink sugar-sweetened beverages have a higher risk of Type II diabetes.

Cancer

Scientists believe that insulin and IGF-1 play some roles as important growth factors, via a cascade of reactions that enhance tumor cell proliferation. By that, they also believe that hyperinsulinemia (constantly elevated insulin levels, a consequent of excess sugar consumption) can contribute to cancer.

Moreover, the metabolic issues associated with excess sugar consumption are a known factor of inflammation which is due to elevated free radical levels, another potential cause of cancer. Many studies have shown that people who consume a lot of sugar are at a much higher risk of cancer.

Although fructose and glucose have the same calorific value, in the body, the two sugars are metabolized differently. Fructose is thought to cause seven times as much cell damage as does glucose because it binds to cellular proteins seven times faster. In addition, it releases 100 times the number of reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide, which kills everything in sight.

Fat-Promoting Effects

Not all foods are created equal as different foods can have different effects on our brains and the hormones that control food intake.

Studies show that fructose doesn’t have the similar satiety effect as glucose. In one study, participants were asked to drink either a fructose-sweetened drink or a glucose-sweetened drink. Afterward, the fructose drinkers were found to have much less activity in the satiety centers of the brain and felt hungrier.

Another study has shown that fructose didn’t lower the hunger hormone ghrelin nearly as much as glucose did. As the calories from fructose in HFCS aren’t as fulfilling, this can translate into an increased sugar intake, thus increased calorie intake.

Highly Addictive

Similar to street drugs, sugar causes a release of dopamine in the reward center of the brain. Therefore, many people are susceptible to its addictive potential.

Exposures to sugar and many junk foods can cause massive dopamine release, much more than we compared to that of foods found in nature, thereby people who are susceptible to addiction can become strongly addicted to sugar and other junk foods.

The best advice for those addicted to sugary foods is not ‘take them in moderation’, as the workable solution to addiction is abstinence.

Obesity

The way sugar affects hormones and the brain is a recipe for disastrous fat gain that leads to decreased satiety and can get people addicted that results in you losing control over food consumption.

Many studies have shown a strong statistical association between sugar consumption and obesity. This applies to all age groups.

Raises Cholesterol (Oxysterol)

There is mounting evidence that sugar, not fat, can be one of the leading causes of heart disease via the harmful effects of fructose that lead to metabolic problems.

Excessive fructose intake (consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages) is associated with all major risk factors for heart disease, including raised triglycerides, small, dense LDL and oxidized LDL (due to oxidized cholesterol, also known as oxysterol, which is caused by elevated free radical levels), raise blood glucose and insulin levels and increased abdominal obesity that can happen as little as 10 weeks.

Furthermore, many observational studies have shown a strong statistical association between sugar consumption and the risk of heart disease.

10 Harmful Health Effects Caused by Excessive Sugar Consumption

The Effects of Stress

Stress, which is defined as “a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism” effects millions of people every day. Stress can be caused by physical, mental, or emotional stimuli (1).

Physical stress is caused by things such as the burden of recent injury or illness that make performing normal, daily activities extremely difficult or performing hard labor that is physically taxing and that demands more of you than you are physically able to do.

Mental stress is a kind of stress that is often experienced by students who are overburdened by their course load or on the job when you under pressure to meet a deadline or to do extensive research. Emotional stress, which is perhaps the most common form of stress, can be caused by negative relationships, harassment on the job, the death or illness of a loved one, fighting with someone close to you, the depression associated with a loss or illness, divorce, or a wide number of other factors.

Although some degree of stress, whether physical, mental, or emotional may be unavoidable and a part of normal life, most people today are suffering from harmful overloads of stress that are too great in both duration and frequency and the effects of stress are not only interfering with our overall health, but stress is actually killing us. When the body is exposed to stress, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. Because the body reacts to stress with the “fight or flight” response, the body prepares for this regardless of whether the danger, or stress, is a physical or emotional one. When these hormones kick in, non-essential systems in the body are slowed down or switched off including the digestive system, the immune system, and the reproductive system. Because of this, the effects of stress affect literally every part of the body and mind.

Some of the effects of stress include:

• Headaches


• Pain and tension in the back, neck, and shoulders


• Restlessness, Insomnia, and other sleep disorders


• Problems with memory and concentration


• High blood pressure


• Chest pains


• Rapid or irregular heartbeat


• Nausea


• Indigestion


• Diarrhea or constipation


• Frequent illnesses


• Skin Outbreaks


• Heart Disease


• Diabetes


• Loss of Appetite


• Weight Gain


• Migraines


• Ulcers


• Chronic Pain


• Irritable bowel syndrome


• Autoimmune diseases


• Infertility

As you can see, the effects of stress are numerous and can be quite serious. The effects of stress affect your ability to sleep and other basic functions that your body needs to maintain itself physically as well as mentally and emotionally. You can minimize the negative effects of stress in your life by learning ways to reduce and manage stress, finding ways to relax through meditation and exercise such as Tai Chi, utilizing aromatherapy sprays on your bed linens or in your bath to help you relax, and finding ways to constructively deal with the stress in your life that you cannot eliminate (2). The effects of stress can ruin your health, but you do not have to let it get the best of you; you can beat stress for a healthy and more peaceful you!

1. http://www.stress.org/stress-effects/


2. http://blogs.naturalnews.com/natural-products-relieving-stress-anxiety-insomnia/

The Effects of Stress

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

The prevalence of disease and illness is increasing worldwide, and the causes of this have yet to be fully understood. Sleep deprivation can negatively impact an individual physically and mentally. Lack of sleep, also known as sleep deprivation, decreases the ability for the body to function properly which in return can reduce workflow productivity, and overall well-being (Thomas, et.al, 2000). Sleep deprivation can be one of the leading causes of accidents such as friendly fire within the military, vehicle accidents, and even failures found within work situations. Long periods without sleep is usually greater than 40 hours, which commonly happens during work training periods, especially those in the military or civilians in emergency work situations.

Research on sleep has increased over the past two decades, demonstrating how important sleep truly is. There are some individuals that strive on just a few hours of sleep, but don’t be intrigued as these are rare cases. Long term side effects are prevalent in humans that spend long periods of time without sleep. It is clear that sleep is a vital step, especially for babies, for growth and development within the stages of life. The four stages of sleep each have a significant importance for humans, where stage 4, past the REM period, is stated as the most important. Below, you will find how sleep deprivation can impact individuals that spend a short or long period without sleep.

Psychopathology

Sleep deprivation can lead to a temporary change in mood and cognition, as well as several studies observing it within psychiatric disorders (Kahn-Greene, et. al,  2007). However, there is no clear amount in which sleep deprivation is linked to the clinical symptoms of psychopathology in individuals. In a study done by Kahn-Greene, et.al, (2007), participants had an increased amount of self-reported psychopathology symptoms after no sleep for two nights. However, these symptoms had a little effect on behavioral dysregulation or thought disorder. The findings of this study suggest that the loss of sleep can disrupt regions of the brain that involves affective regulation, therefore, serving as a model of how brain dysfunction is connected to psychopathology.

Cardiovascular, Inflammatory, & Metabolic Implications

Sleep curtailment has increased among Americans overs the past few decades, causing it to be associated with the risk of diabetes and obesity (Knutson, et.al, 2007). In today’s society, more than around 30% of men and women, from the age of 30 and 64 years old, report less than six hours of sleep every night (Knutson, et.al, 2007). In a study done by Knutson, et.al, (2007), evidence done from laboratory studies show that there is an adverse reaction from loss of sleep on glucose regulation. This increases the risk between the duration of sleep loss and any existing diabetic condition.

Research is increasing each day on how sleep loss can be linked to cardiovascular risks such as blood pressure, hormonal regulation, cardiac morbidity, and glucose metabolism. In a combination of many self-reported sleep loss complaints, several conclusions were found: short periods of sleep deprivation causes an increase in coronary heart disease, glucose tolerance damage, and an increased risk of diabetes for women (Mullington, et.al, 2009). Within the first stages of sleeping, anabolic hormones, for instance, growth hormone levels reach their maximum. When sleep deprivation is present, this sleep associated growth hormone is either diminished or decreased.

Alertness & Cognitive Performance

Two functions are decreased when sleep deprived are cognitive performance and alertness (Thomas, et.al, 2000). Over the past hundred years, the effects of long-term sleep deprivation in humans have been examined. Decreased amounts of alertness are found in both long term, and short-term sleep loss in individuals. Cognitive performance, with or without the inclusion of lack of alertness, is decreased as well in both long, and short term sleep deprivation (Thomas, et. al, 2000). Therefore, task performances such as decision-making, judgment, logical reasoning, memory, communication, and creative thinking are impaired. These effects can begin as early as the first night of sleep loss, and become worse as time goes on.

Thomas, et. al, (2000), conducted a study that examined the global and regional changes in brain activity that is caused by sleep deprivation. The researchers used a time series design on 17 male volunteers from 21 to 29 years of age. Several types of instruments were used to analyze the subjects and their decreased sleep patterns over several days. The following results were found that just losing one night of sleep decreases waking regional brain activity that mediates alertness and high-order cognitive processes. The impairments following the loss of sleep for one night suggest that just one night of adequate sleep will restore and sustain normal behavior and brain activity. Thus, the findings from this study show that sleep is a necessity for humans to have normal brain functioning. As well the stressing the importance of such for productivity at work, safety, and overall well-being (Thomas, et. al, 2000).

Visual Impairments

Loss of sleep can cause a disruption of the retinal image formation, therefore causing the perceived images to become dim, including double vision. Impairments of visual perception may occur from there. Usually, when loss of sleep affects vision, it starts with tunnel vision and can cause problems with the center of vision as well if the period of sleep loss is long (Orzel-Gryglewska, 2010). When In a sleep deprived state, visual processing speeds reduce and this reflects the decreased amount of functional neural circuits that are found in this state (Kong, et. al, 2014). Interestingly, when sleep loss exceeds over 72 hours, there is no significant increase in auditory errors.  However, after 24 hours of sleep deprivation, other parts of the body are affected, such as the decrease of being able to tell smells apart (Orzel- Gryglewska, 2010).

After just one night of losing sleep, being able to perceive stimuli within the peripheral and central areas of the visual field are disruption, and this is increased if driving (Orzel-Gryglewska, 2010). However, driving while sleep deprived is also age-dependent. Driving that is long and monotonous can cause vision to become narrower, whereas severe drowsiness causes a disruption within the entire visual field. Restricting sleep can risk driving safety, showing a correlation in the amount of time and quality of sleep a driver receives and the amount of road accidents (Orzel-Gryglewska, 2010).

During one study, participants that had sleep loss had increased driving errors in a driving simulator than those that didn’t have any. Several variables impact the way sleep deprivation causes driving impairments: age, time of day, the amount of sleep loss, and type of vehicle. Age is a large factor in how drowsiness and sleep deprivation related accidents. This is also determined by the time of day the accident occurred. Drivers that are under the age of 25 tend to cause twice as many road-related accidents when sleep deprived than the majority of driver age groups.  Whereas, older drivers tend to drive during the day with sleep deficiency, and younger drivers cause more accidents at night when sleep deprived (Orzel-Gryglewska, 2010).

How Does this Affect REM Sleep?

REM, rapid eye movement, is a stage of sleep where dreams occur, promoting the encoding of previous memories (Van Heugten- Van, et. al, 2013). Researchers have recently proposed that sleep loss plays a large role in the introduction of dissociative symptoms. Dreamlike mentation can cause implications that invade the waking state, failures in memory, and lead to these dissociative symptoms as well. Through most recent studies, it is clear that the hypotheses that sleep deprivation increased excessive or out of the phase REM activity that causes underlying dissociative symptoms.

Conclusion

Sleep deprivation in both short and long term periods take a toll on your health, mentally and physically. It is clear that sleep plays a large role in growth and development for humans, without it consequences add up each day. It is extremely important to recognize the symptoms of sleep deprivations, which can be a huge factor in sleep disorders. Sleep deprivation affects the relationships around you, your overall well-being, and the safety of others. With the help of research, education, and risk assessments, the implications from sleep deprivation will improve.

Website: http://www.submindtools.com

References

Kahn-Greene, E. T., Killgore, D. B., Kamimori, G. H., Balkin, T. J., & Killgore, W. D. (2007). The effects of sleep deprivation on symptoms of psychopathology in healthy adults. Sleep medicine, 8(3), 215-221.

Knutson, K. L., Spiegel, K., Penev, P., & Van Cauter, E. (2007). The metabolic consequences of sleep deprivation. Sleep medicine reviews, 11(3), 163-178.

Kong, D., Asplund, C. L., & Chee, M. W. L. (2014). Sleep deprivation reduces the rate of rapid picture processing. NeuroImage,91, 169-76. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.01.037

Mullington, J. M., Haack, M., Toth, M., Serrador, J. M., & Meier-Ewert, H. K. (2009). Cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic consequences of sleep deprivation. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 51(4), 294-302.

Thomas, M., Sing, H., Belenky, G., Holcomb, H., Mayberg, H., Dannals, R., … & Redmond, D. (2000). Neural basis of alertness and cognitive performance impairments during sleepiness. I. Effects of 24 h of sleep deprivation on waking human regional brain activity. Journal of sleep research, 9(4), 335-352.

Orzel-Gryglewska, J. (2010). CONSEQUENCES OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 23(1), 95-114. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218398743?accountid=458

Van Heugten-van, d. K., Merckelbach, H., & Lynn, S. J. (2013). Dissociative symptoms and REM sleep. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36(6), 630-1; discussion 634-59. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X13001453

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

A Quick Look at the Mental Side Effects of Alcoholism

People are no longer stranger to the idea of alcoholism – the problem has been portrayed in movies several times and some can be witnessed at home, too. The depiction of the typical drunkard in TV programs or movies demonstrates the common effects of alcoholism to a person. The incoherent mumbling, the sudden shift to becoming a chatterbox, and the inability to walk straight – these are just what appears on the outside. There are bigger and more serious effects on the mental health of a person.

The regular consumption of alcohol alters the chemistry of the brain. The amount of alcohol that is not processed by the liver is sent back to the bloodstream, reaching other parts of the body including the brain. Technically speaking, alcohol alters the chemical messengers of the brain called the neurotransmitters. When the neurotransmitter levels are altered, signals controlling the body and its behavior are disrupted as well.

The mental effects of alcoholism can be summarized into four: poor cognitive or learning skills, loss of memory, emotional instability, and poor judgment. Read on to know more about these mental side effects and to understand why an immediate trip to the alcohol rehab centers is deemed necessary.

Cognitive Impairment or Poor Learning Skills

Cognitive impairment is a common effect of alcoholism. The persistent and serious changes to the brain chemistry make learning difficult for alcoholics. Most alcoholics also suffer thiamine deficiency. This nutrient is essential to the health of the brain tissues.

The lack of thiamine due to alcoholism may develop an even more serious disorder called Wernicke Syndrome. This refers to encephalopathy which is characterized by severe mental confusion, poor muscle coordination, and paralysis of the eye nerves. Another mental side effect is the development of Korsakoff’s psychosis. This is a debilitating condition that is linked to persistent learning difficulty.

Poor Judgment and Emotional Impacts

The excessive ingestion of alcohol has an impact on the cerebral cortex of the brain. This brain segment is responsible for processing thoughts which is an important step in making decisions. An alcohol person loses control of the thought processing and may eventually lose his or her inhibitions. The problem in the cerebral cortex is the reason behind a person’s talkativeness when intoxicated. The emotional effects of excessive alcohol intake include bouts of crying, hysteria, anger, and other erratic behaviors.

Here’s the tricky part about alcoholism. Excessive alcohol can actually spike a person’s dopamine level which makes him or her feel great. This encourages a person to drink more. The more a person drinks, the faster the brain chemicals are altered. When the dopamine level subsides, the person experiences the opposite. He or she may start feeling depressed.

Cognitive Decline or Complete Loss of Memory

Chronic alcoholism may completely destroy the brain cells as well as the circuits and synapses of the brain. A long-term alcoholic is likely to experience brain deficits even after sobriety. The cognitive decline may begin with memory slips. However, it may also lead far-reaching aftermath of complete memory loss which may require round-the-clock custodial care.

As per studies related to the cognitive effects of alcoholism to the human brain, women are more prone to mental side effects than men. The vulnerability of the human brain can also manifest in the condition called frontal lobe deficits. The frontal lobe is mainly responsible for brain functions such learning and memory.

How to Address these Mental Side Effects

As with any other form of addiction, addressing problems related to alcoholism require an effective treatment, commitment to sobriety, and several follow-ups. Most of the time, people who have been affected with alcoholism for a long time have already had suffered mental and physical deterioration. Treatments may offer improvement of condition, but it is expected of the alcohol-dependent individual to go through the process of detoxification, withdrawal, as well as psychological conditioning.

It is also recommended that a person consults an addiction recovery specialist when addressing the problem of alcoholism. An abrupt abstinence can do more harm than good. Therefore, having an expert to guide you throughout the journey to recovery is immensely helpful. Making improvements – no matter how little is a good indication that a treatment is working well.

References:

1. http://patient.info/health/alcohol-and-sensible-drinking


2. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-2/186-196.htm

A Quick Look at the Mental Side Effects of Alcoholism

Impact of Antibiotics on The Gut Microbiota and Its Detrimental Effects on Health

The development of antibiotics for treating bacterial infections has indeed lengthened human lifespan. However, excessive and inappropriate use of these useful drugs may cause serious long-term consequences, which not only affect our individual health but may even cause permanent changes particularly to the gut microbiota of our descendants for generations.

Maintaining a proper balance of healthy gut microbiota is crucial as it plays an essential role in metabolism, detoxification, nutrition, development, pathogen resistance, and regulation of immune responses.

Microbiota has been used by scientists to replace the term microflora, which refers to symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms comprise bacteria, fungi, and archaea.

They colonize human body including on the surface of the skin, in the saliva and mucosa, the vagina, and in the gastrointestinal tract.

Disharmony

Studies have shown that antibiotics may be associated with disharmony or imbalance of gut microbiota, which in turn impacts its activity that leads to the development of various diseases.

One study found that a single intravenous dose of antibiotic demonstrated a significant change in the variety bacterial strains of fecal bacteria and caused the emergence of Clostridium difficile. Gut overwhelmed by C. difficile colonization may lead to serious complications such as severe diarrhea and colitis.

Another study demonstrated that a short course of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin  treatment influenced the abundance of roughly one-third of  genetically distinct types of bacterial population in the gut, decreasing diversity, the richness, and evenness of the community.  The study also found that much of the bacteria recovered by four weeks after the end of treatment, but there were several species failed to recover within 6 months. The result suggests that a short course antibiotics may cause prolonged changes in the diversity of gut microbiota.

Most of the cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) are presumedly related to distinct changes in the diversity of the gut microbiota. Changes in the gut microbiota ecosystem allow pathogens such as C. difficile to proliferate. Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and Klebsiella oxytoca are also identified as potential causes of AAD.

A recent study demonstrated that salmonella was able to flourish in the gut after antibiotic treatment because of the increased availability of oxidized sugars. The study suggests antibiotics increase the availability of nutrients in the gut, enabling growth of pathogens.

Dysbiosis

Antibiotic treatment is also associated with gut inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease. Antibiotic use in the first year of life is associated asthma, eczema, and rhinoconjunctivitis. Antibiotic use during pregnancy and early life have been associated with increased risk of food allergies. The risk increases with the increasing number of antibiotic courses.

Another study showed that antibiotic use in early life increases the risk of overweight in later life. Fecal microbiota composition in infancy may predict whether a child will be overweight or normal weight at age seven.

The most crucial step towards reducing antibiotic use is preventing the need for them in the first place. Asking doctor to determine that the condition is bacterial in origin is a good start. Besides that, ask whether the condition requires antibiotics or it is self-limiting.

Lifestyle 

There are few key steps you may adopt in taking care of your own health, which may help deterring many diseases including infectious ones: consuming whole foods diet to reduce the likelihood, frequency, and severity of infections; washing hands thoroughly before meals and using bathroom to reduce exposures to infectious germs; avoiding using germicidal detergent as it increases likelihood of proliferation of germicidal-resistant bacteria; taking supplemental nutrients including herbal medicine that may shorten the duration of infections, provide symptom relief, and improve immunity; consuming fermented foods, fermentable fiber, and supplemental probiotics and prebiotics to support gut microbiota diversity.

Further Readings:

1. Establishment of intestinal microbiota during early life: a longitudinal, explorative study of a large cohort of Danish infants


2. Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease


3. Antibiotics and Human Gut Microbiome: Dysbiosis and Accumulation of Resistance

Impact of Antibiotics on The Gut Microbiota and Its Detrimental Effects on Health

10 Surprising Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar You Should Know

10 Surprising Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar You Should Know

Top 5 Adverse Health Effects of Gaming

Entertaining and extremely addictive – these are just two of the best descriptions for online gaming. While many individuals tend to resort to video gaming to distress and to get away from the stressors of everyday work and studies, they likewise tend to expose their bodies to risks of adverse health impacts. Staying in front of the screen for long periods and getting comfortable with such sedentary lifestyle, certainly, have impacts on your health. Get to know these effects before it is too late.

Migraines or Extreme Recurring Headaches

The extreme concentration needed when playing online games puts massive strains on the two eyes, which could result to migraines. Migraines usually begin in one spot and slowly spread. This type of headache also gets more painful as it progresses. Gamers who experience this also complain of extreme pain to the point of vomiting and tend to be extra sensitive to noise and light.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This condition has been associated with long use of computers. The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happens when the main nerve in the wrist gets pressed and squeezed for a long time. Using the computer mouse for a long time can cause swelling and irritation in the carpal tunnel – the area in the wrist where the main nerve is housed. The excessive use of video games joysticks or controllers is also one of the usual causes.

Sleep-related Disorders

One of the immediate effects of excessive online or video gaming is the occurrence of sleep-related disorders. These include, but not limited to, sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, parasomnia, and nocturnal myoclonus. When a person plays video games too much, there is an over-stimulation of the brain which causes these sleep disturbances. In addition, the obsession in video games prompts people to stay up all night and sacrifice the rest they need.

Poor Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene becomes a second priority when people are more inclined to spend their time in front of their screen to play. Individuals who are addicted to aiming typically forget to take care of themselves. Due to such obsession, they rarely have time to shower, wash their faces, brush their hair, etc. Some even can go for days without changing their clothes or shaving.

Poor Eating Habits

As with the personal hygiene, eating also becomes less of a priority for addictive gamers. These individuals do not take the time to eat healthy, balanced meals. Junk foods, sugary drinks, or anything that can be even while playing would suffice. In worse cases, some completely ditch their meals.

It is important to note that these effects are experienced by those who are highly addicted to gaming. People who are playing games professionally, testing games for a living, and developing games as a career usually know when to draw the line. If you are experiencing any of these effects or know someone who does, it is imperative that you seek professional and medical help immediately.

References:

1. http://www.video-game-addiction.org/physical-consequences.html


2. http://www.video-game-addiction.org/video-game-addiction-articles/increased-media-consumption-among-teens-contributing-to-poor-health.htm

Top 5 Adverse Health Effects of Gaming

New inhaler protects lungs against effects of air pollution

An inhaler that protects the lungs against air pollution has been developed by scientists and could help the many millions of people affected by toxic air to avoid its worst effects.

The inhaler delivers a molecule, first found in bacteria in the Egyptian desert, which stabilises water on the surface of the lung cells to form a protective layer. It is expected to be available as an inexpensive, over-the-counter product.

Outdoor air pollution is a global health crisis that kills over 3 million people a year and it has long been linked to lung and heart disease and strokes. But research is also uncovering new impacts on health, including degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, mental illness and, this week, diabetes.

The impact of air pollution costs $ 5tn a year, according to a World Bank report published last week. In the UK, at least 40,000 people a year die prematurely from air pollution, with a cross-party committee of MPs calling it a “public health emergency”.

But the government’s plans to tackle the issue were heavily criticised this week, just as alerts were issued for extreme air pollution across much of northern England. A day later, it was announced that more ambitious plans for London from Mayor Sadiq Khan were overwhelmingly backed by the public.

Vehicles are a key contributor to air pollution but, a year after the VW emissions scandal broke, most new diesel cars still emit far more toxic nitrogen oxides on the road than the official lab-based limit.

Action to clean up air is urgently needed across the world, but cutting emissions for vehicles and other sources will take years, meaning ways to reduce the harm in the meantime could be vital. The new inhaler has been developed by German medical devices company Bitop and is based on a molecule called ectoine, discovered in the 1980s in a desert bacterium which uses the compound to conserve water in 60C heat.

“It is quite an inert molecule that does one main thing, which is bind water, which stabilises cell membrane tissues against physical or chemical damage,” said Dr Andreas Bilstein, at Bitop. “It supports the natural barrier.”

When inhaled, this helps prevent the damage caused by air pollution particles that can lead to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer, Bilstein said: “Damage cannot occur as strongly and there is less inflammatory response, and so disease progression is reduced. The perfect situation is that the patient inhales in the morning and evening at home.”

The inhaler has been tested in three small groups of patients particularly at risk from air pollution, due to asthma, COPD and bronchitis, with the positive results due to be published soon, Bilstein said.

Ectoine does not interact with cell receptors, so it is classed as a medical device rather than a drug. This means large clinical trials are not required for official approval and the inhaler could be on sale soon, at an estimated cost of £17 a month, after Bitop selects a marketing partner. A version of the product for use in nebulisers will be available this year in Germany and Poland, while an ectoine-based nasal spray for allergy relief is already available.

Bilstein said the inhaler could be useful around the world, as particulate air pollution is not just a European problem: “Especially in Asia – China in particular – the demand for such a product is even higher. I was in New York last week, and the air was also not very clean.”

The protective effect of ectoine was discovered by Prof Jean Krutmann and colleagues at the Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, while investigating whether the molecule could protect skin against sun damage. Bitop funded a series of studies, now published in prominent scientific journals.

“The point that it can prevent the lung inflammation induced by ultrafine particles is established – there is no more doubt,” Krutmann said. Antioxidants can also provide some protection but there has been controversy over the effectiveness of such food supplements, he said: “Personally, I think it is much better to eat lots of vegetables and fruit rather than taking any supplements.”

Dr Richard Russell, a consultant respiratory physician in the NHS and medical advisor to the British Lung Foundation, who was not involved in the research, said the inhaler was both credible and promising: “Ectoine is a beautifully elegant molecule and it clearly works by helping water to stabilise, giving you a film of water in times of stress.”

“The work that has been published thus far, in credible, internationally recognised journals, show that this stuff has positive properties, protecting against triggered inflammation,” he told the Guardian. Russell, who also lectures at Imperial College and Oxford University, said it might also be useful for the treatment of asthma, COPD and other lung diseases, not only prevention. “It could potentially do so much more. It is actually quite exciting and there is clearly a lot more to come from this story.”

Krutmann said slashing air pollution remained paramount. “It is very nice to be able to protect people against the detrimental effects, but this should not be used as an argument that we can now stop working on reducing particulate [air pollution]. The best thing is that we have clean air because then we don’t need any prophylactic treatment. But on the other hand we have to be realistic and in many countries you cannot just switch traffic overnight to electric cars and do other drastic things.”

“It will take many more years, especially in countries like China, and I think there is an ethical need to provide something to the general population to protect them,” he said.

New inhaler protects lungs against effects of air pollution

10 Side Effects of Green Tea You Should Know

10 Side Effects of Green Tea You Should Know

Kids, sport, concussion, and the long lasting effects of minor brain injury | Pankaj Sah

Head knocks in childhood are by no means uncommon, yet they may have lasting negative effects. New research has found a link between concussion in childhood and adverse medical and social outcomes as an adult.

Researchers from the United Kingdom, United States and Sweden looked at data from the entire Swedish population born between 1973 and 1982 – some 1.1 million people – to analyse the effect of experiencing a traumatic brain injury in the first 25 years of life.

Compared to those who had sustained no injury, people who had experienced at least one traumatic brain injury in childhood – around 9% of those studied – were, as adults, more likely to die early or be treated for a psychiatric illness and receive a disability pension, and less likely to have completed secondary schooling.

At first glance, the findings seem unsurprising: common sense suggests, for example, that a child who has sustained severe brain damage in a car accident would encounter more educational obstacles than a child who hasn’t.

Accordingly, the study found that the more severe the brain injury, the worse the outcomes in adulthood (this was also the case for repeated brain injuries). But the research also found a significant link between concussion – the mildest and most common form of brain injury – and subsequent problems.

In the study, concussions comprised more than 75% of the childhood brain injuries recorded. The researchers found being exposed to a concussion, or mild brain injury, was associated with a 18%–52% increased risk of negative outcomes, including early death, low educational attainment, and being on welfare. The most marked increase in risk was found for psychiatric inpatient hospitalisation and the disability pension.

Traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain is damaged by external force such as a fall, car accident, assault or being struck by an object such as might occur during sport. It’s usually classified according to its severity, or based on the anatomy of the injury. Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury can result in irreversible structural damage to the brain, and in some cases death.

A concussion, on the mild end of the brain injury spectrum, results when force causes the brain to twist upon itself or strike the skull. Bruising and cell damage can occur, but any structural damage from the injury cannot be picked up by MRI or CT imaging, which can make diagnosis difficult. Using specialised imaging methods such as functional MRI (fMRI), however, changes in patterns of brain activity are apparent soon after a concussion.

Research shows even a seemingly innocuous knock that wouldn’t qualify as a concussion can trigger changes in brain physiology and affect the functioning of neurons. There is some evidence that repeated concussions could be associated with the development in later life of a neurodegenerative disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy. More long-term research is needed to determine how permanent or reversible brain changes following a single concussion are.

The new study found an association between the age at first head injury and subsequent health and social outcomes. Children who were older, and particularly those who were older than 15, were substantially more likely to have problems in adulthood.

Although the study findings are yet to be replicated, the authors suggest heightened neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to adapt and change its networks and behaviour – in younger years may be protective in the long term.

While there are still many unknowns when it comes to concussion, the latest findings point to the importance of minimising head trauma in childhood. Because children have weaker necks and torsos than adults, less force is needed to cause a brain injury. For toddlers and preschoolers, the study’s authors suggest improved parental supervision is key, as falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury for young children.

In older children, reducing the incidence of sports-related concussions may be trickier. Wearing hard helmets in sports generally reduces the risk of severe head injuries such as skull fractures and bleeding inside the skull, but is ineffective against the rotational forces – forces that cause the head to turn rapidly and the brain to twist on itself, as can occur with whiplash for example – that can cause concussion. There’s also no evidence that the soft headgear worn in some Australian football codes can protect against brain injury.

Many concussions occur without noticeable signs such as disorientation or slurred speech, and for that reason go undiagnosed. The danger of an unrecognised concussion on the sporting field – which predisposes a player to subsequent concussion – is that it increases the risk of lasting damage. The lack of awareness about the symptoms, treatment and management of concussion is an unrecognised public health problem.

The health benefits of sport are well established and should be supported. However, the nature of contact sports means that head knocks are sometimes unavoidable.

Given Australia’s strong sporting culture, the solution might not be to change the fundamental rules of these sports or prevent children from playing them. Rather, by investing in research and improving awareness at the grassroots level, we can improve the diagnosis and management of concussive episodes in kids.

This article was co-authored by Donna Lu, science writer at the Queensland Brain Institute, and was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Kids, sport, concussion, and the long lasting effects of minor brain injury | Pankaj Sah

FDA issues warnings about Cipro side effects and other antibiotics

The FDA warns about Cipro side effects.  The FDA has issued a warning about the use of the common antibiotics Cipro and other in the class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. Drugs on the current FDA-approved list that are not newly labeled include: levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ciprofloxacin extended-release tablets, moxifloxacin (Avelox), ofloxacin and gemifloxacin (Factive). The FDA safety review revealed that both oral and the injected fluoroquinolones could cause, “disabling and potentially permanent, serious side effects that can occur together,” involving nerves, the nervous system, muscles, joints, and tendons. They recommend that the use of fluoroquinolones be reserved for those who have no other treatment options.

Boxed Warnings issued on fluoroquinolones

On Tuesday, July 26, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued strong warnings about use of these fluoroquinolones antibiotics, including what is called a “Boxed Warning.” These warnings are revisions on the label including in the drug’s packaging, and lists Warnings and Precautions. This Medication Guide is required to be given to any patients who have been prescribed the medications.

Cipro Side Effects – and other fluoroquinolones

The side effects from cipro, and others in this class of antibiotics, can occur within hours, or take weeks to show up and could become permanent. Edward Cox, M.D., director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, commented, “Fluoroquinolones have risks and benefits that should be considered very carefully.”

The FDA states, “serious side effects associated with fluoroquinolones generally outweigh the benefits for patients with acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) who have other treatment options.”

Past warnings for fluoroquinolones

The first time a Boxed Warning was added to the fluoroquinolones antibiotics label was in July 2008, when the FDA noted an increase in risk for both tendinitis and tendon rupture. In 2011, the FDA added myasthenia gravis as a risk factor, and in 2013, irreversible peripheral neuropathy was added, leading to the 2016 warning of permanent damage to nerves and the nervous system.

Natural antibiotic alternatives

Research has shown that many natural substances act as antibiotics. Natural antibiotics include garlic, turmeric, colloidal silver, and even chicken soup. Ask your health care provider to recommend a safer natural antibiotic.

Sources include:

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm500325.htm

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm513183.htm

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/local-news/investigations/fda-issues-updated-label-warnings-for-levaquin-cipro-antibiotics

http://www.naturalnews.com/029600_neti_pot_sinus_infections.html

FDA issues warnings about Cipro side effects and other antibiotics

The Harmful Effects of Natural Meals Additives

Organic meals additives are mainly employed to protect processed foods, so they can final longer and maintain their flavor, colour, or texture. They avert or slow down the food’s oxidative deterioration. There are also additives that aid maintain food’s nutritional worth so it does not dissipate as time passes by. Foods additives, especially the organic assortment may sound wonderful but are they actually excellent for you?

The use of meals additives is closely monitored by the United States Meals and Drug Administration (FDA). This implies that they are subject to scrutiny and they undergo thorough safety assessments. Aside from the FDA, they are also scrutinized by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Organic food additives are usually risk-free to eat and not truly a issue. Even so, if you are not mindful, you might come to feel the hazardous results of organic food additives.

Intolerances and Allergy symptoms to Organic Food Additives

About 5% of the common population is delicate to at least one particular food additive. For some people, their intolerance or allergy is just a mild inconvenience. For others, however, it can be lifestyle threatening. There is a big difference amongst intolerances and allergy symptoms. True food allergic reactions involve a robust immune response that influences quite a few organs. Intolerances, on the other hand, can make you quite sick, but they will not cause any lifestyle threatening reaction, such as anaphylaxis.

So if you taught that getting organic is usually the safer alternative, think once again. There are a lot of doggy non-organic substances – this kind of as carrageenan, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and food colorings – , allowed in organic processed meals to increase shelf-existence, texture, and taste.

Danger of Cancer

The chance of cancer is perhaps the most intense of all harmful effects of some of these foods additives allowed in organic foods. Even even though the FDA considers these additives to be risk-free, other organizations feel otherwise.

Take carrageenan for instance. Even though it might come from a natural supply, a red seaweed, studies have proven that it has destructive properties to the digestive system and immune response. It can lead to inflammation, gut irritation, and even cancer

Even though natural foods goods carry a lower threat of cancer since they are significantly less very likely to be contaminated by pesticides, herbicides, and other cancer-causing compounds, they are nonetheless not entirely secure.

If you do not want to experience any wellness troubles or problems, you far better stick with fresh complete foods. As cliché as it may possibly sound, you are greater off with fresh fruits, greens, seeds, nuts, and lean organic meats.

As much as feasible, stay away from organic and non-organic food additives, notably meals dyes, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, saccharin, potassium bromate, monosodium glutamate, olean, sulfites, sodium nitrate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and substantial fructose corn syrup.

References: Livestrong.com, Far better Overall health Channel, and American Cancer Society.

If you are interested in detoxing, clean eating, shedding bodyweight, and altering your way of life without having feeling hungry and counting calories, click right here

Really don’t neglect to download my Free of charge Book “Amy’s Residence Kitchen”, packed with my family’s preferred healthier, clean and delicious recipes. Or connect with me on Facebook or Google+

The Harmful Effects of Natural Meals Additives

Uk launches greatest research of mobile phone effects on children"s brains

The Department of Health has commissioned the world’s largest review into the results of mobile phones’ radio waves on childrens’ brains, 9 years after a government examine mentioned youngsters need to only use mobile phones when “definitely needed”.

The Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (Scamp) will examine about 2,500 schoolchildren at the ages of eleven and twelve, gather information about how they use the phones and how a lot time they spend on them, and assess them two years later on on mental functions this kind of as memory and interest, which carry on to develop into the teenage many years.

Whilst no research has ever proven harmful effects from the lower-energy radio waves, recognized as “non-ionizing radiation”, created by mobile phones, nearly all have targeted on grownups.

The last tips on childrens’ use of mobile phones came in the Stewart report in January 2005, in which Sir William Stewart advised that as a precaution youngsters under eight should not use mobile phones at all, and that older kids ought to use it for texting rather than voice calls.

Considering that then ownership of mobile phones has continued to rise: an estimated 70% of 11- to 12-12 months-olds in the United kingdom now personal a mobile telephone, increasing to 90% by age 14.

The Scamp study will be led by Dr Mireille Toledano, of the faculty of medicine at Imperial College, who has written papers on investigations into claims of cancer hyperlinks between reduced-energy emissions from mobile phones and from power lines.

The Scamp research was commissioned by the Department of Health by means of the Investigation Initiative on Well being and Mobile Telecommunications, which is funded jointly by the government and mobile telephone operators.

Toledano stated: “This suggestions to mother and father is based on the precautionary principle, offered in the absence of offered evidence, and not simply because we have proof of any hazardous effects.

“As mobile phones are a new and widespread technological innovation central to our lives, carrying out the Scamp study is important in buy to offer the proof base with which to inform policy and via which parents and their kids can make informed life selections.

“By assessing the young children in yr seven and once again in year nine we will be able to see how their cognitive capabilities produce in relation to altering use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies.”

The study will by its nature contain some examination of the impact of Wi-Fi capability, given that a lot of children now use smartphones – which have a tendency to have higher SAR (distinct absorption charge) values, a measure of how considerably electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the entire body for the duration of use, than older mobile phones.

But even that image is complex simply because older phones tend only to use GSM technological innovation, which emits far more radiation than the 3G technological innovation of newer phones.

Current Uk overall health guidelines, based mostly on the 2005 Stewart report, say young children underneath 16 should be encouraged only to use mobile phones for crucial calls, and in which possible to use a hands-cost-free kit or to send text messages. When they do have to make calls, they are advised to maintain them brief.

Regardless of there currently being no convincing evidence that mobile phones impact adult wellness, authorities have hypothesized that youngsters could be much more vulnerable to any results due to their developing nervous methods and thinner skulls, which absorb greater levels of radio energy.

Professor Patrick Haggard, deputy director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London and chairman of the Scamp steering committee, said it was crucial to have a properly-funded, huge-scale review. “It has taken a long time to get to this. A longitudinal examine, which seems to be at a lot folks, is much better but a lot more expensive and tough to set up.”

A whole lot of earlier scientific studies had been too tiny to rule out chance effects, he stated. “It truly is good that the Uk is major in this. I hope that the public, dad and mom and little ones are prepared to give generously of their time.”

The World Well being Organisation (WHO) has ranked forward-hunting scientific studies of the results of mobile phones on children and adolescents as a “highest priority research want”, but to date there are only two scientific studies, both in Europe, focusing on childhood cancers and mobile phone use. One particular has reported no association and the other is ongoing.

Co-investigator Professor Paul Elliott, director of the MRC-PHE Centre for Setting and Wellness at Imperial University, stated: “Scientific proof accessible to date is reassuring and displays no association in between exposure to radio frequency waves from mobile mobile phone use and brain cancer in grownups in the brief phrase (much less than 10 many years of use). But the proof obtainable regarding lengthy term heavy use and children’s use is restricted and significantly less clear.”

Another study, named Cosmos, which has a United kingdom arm funded by the Department of Health, is currently investigating the attainable lengthy-term wellness results of mobile phones on 290,000 adult users over a time period of twenty to 30 many years. The most recent examine on this topic was carried out in Australia from 2006-7 with 250 participants, and published in 2010. It found no statistical impact.

Toledano said: “Scamp will complement this other research by focusing on the ongoing advancement of cognitive functions in the brain for the duration of adolescence.

“Cognition is primarily how we feel how we make selections and how we approach and recall information. It is linked to intelligence and educational achievement and kinds the building blocks of the modern and creative potential of each personal and consequently society as a complete.”

Youngsters volunteering for the review will undertake classroom-based mostly computerised tasks developed to measure cognitive abilities that underpin functions this kind of as memory and attention. Collectively with their dad and mom, they will also response concerns about their use of mobile phones and other gadgets, wellbeing and life style.

Toledano additional: “Taking element in Scamp is a wonderful chance for colleges to bring ‘live’ science into their classrooms, display young children how we conduct wellness investigation and, above all, for colleges, pupils and dad and mom to make a real contribution to the well being of present and long term generations.”

Uk launches greatest research of mobile phone effects on children"s brains

Uk launches biggest research of mobile mobile phone effects on children"s brains

The Department of Well being has commissioned the world’s biggest study into the effects of mobile phones’ radio waves on childrens’ brains, nine many years following a government study said children must only use mobile phones when “totally essential”.

The Review of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (Scamp) will examine about 2,500 schoolchildren at the ages of 11 and 12, acquire data about how they use the phones and how a lot time they invest on them, and assess them two many years later on on psychological functions such as memory and consideration, which carry on to produce into the teenage years.

Even though no review has ever shown damaging effects from the minimal-power radio waves, known as “non-ionizing radiation”, produced by mobile phones, almost all have targeted on grownups.

The final suggestions on childrens’ use of mobile phones came in the Stewart report in January 2005, in which Sir William Stewart suggested that as a precaution kids under eight ought to not use mobile phones at all, and that older youngsters must use it for texting rather than voice calls.

Since then ownership of mobile phones has continued to rise: an estimated 70% of eleven- to 12-12 months-olds in the Uk now own a mobile phone, increasing to 90% by age 14.

The Scamp examine will be led by Dr Mireille Toledano, of the faculty of medication at Imperial College, who has written papers on investigations into claims of cancer back links among minimal-energy emissions from mobile phones and from power lines.

The Scamp review was commissioned by the Department of Overall health through the Analysis Initiative on Well being and Mobile Telecommunications, which is funded jointly by the government and mobile mobile phone operators.

Toledano stated: “This guidance to mother and father is based mostly on the precautionary principle, provided in the absence of obtainable evidence, and not simply because we have proof of any damaging results.

“As mobile phones are a new and widespread technological innovation central to our lives, carrying out the Scamp examine is important in order to offer the evidence base with which to inform policy and by way of which parents and their kids can make informed lifestyle options.

“By assessing the youngsters in yr 7 and yet again in 12 months 9 we will be in a position to see how their cognitive abilities create in relation to changing use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies.”

The study will by its nature include some examination of the impact of Wi-Fi capability, offered that several young children now use smartphones – which have a tendency to have larger SAR (specific absorption charge) values, a measure of how a lot electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the body during use, than older mobile phones.

But even that picture is challenging since older phones have a tendency only to use GSM technologies, which emits a lot more radiation than the 3G engineering of newer phones.

Recent Uk health tips, based on the 2005 Stewart report, say kids beneath 16 ought to be encouraged only to use mobile phones for vital calls, and the place attainable to use a hands-free of charge kit or to send text messages. When they do have to make calls, they are suggested to maintain them brief.

Regardless of there becoming no convincing proof that mobile phones impact grownup well being, authorities have hypothesized that young children could be far more vulnerable to any results due to their developing nervous techniques and thinner skulls, which soak up larger ranges of radio power.

Professor Patrick Haggard, deputy director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University University London and chairman of the Scamp steering committee, explained it was crucial to have a properly-funded, large-scale review. “It has taken a extended time to get to this. A longitudinal research, which seems to be at a whole lot men and women, is far better but a lot more high-priced and difficult to set up.”

A great deal of earlier scientific studies were also modest to rule out likelihood effects, he mentioned. “It truly is great that the Uk is leading in this. I hope that the public, parents and kids are ready to give generously of their time.”

The Globe Well being Organisation (WHO) has ranked forward-hunting studies of the effects of mobile phones on children and adolescents as a “highest priority analysis want”, but to date there are only two research, each in Europe, focusing on childhood cancers and mobile mobile phone use. 1 has reported no association and the other is ongoing.

Co-investigator Professor Paul Elliott, director of the MRC-PHE Centre for Atmosphere and Health at Imperial School, explained: “Scientific proof offered to date is reassuring and shows no association amongst publicity to radio frequency waves from mobile phone use and brain cancer in grownups in the quick term (significantly less than 10 years of use). But the evidence obtainable concerning lengthy term heavy use and children’s use is constrained and less clear.”

Another examine, called Cosmos, which has a United kingdom arm funded by the Department of Health, is at present investigating the attainable extended-phrase health results of mobile phones on 290,000 adult users in excess of a period of twenty to 30 years. The most current research on this topic was carried out in Australia from 2006-7 with 250 participants, and published in 2010. It found no statistical result.

Toledano said: “Scamp will complement this other investigation by focusing on the ongoing growth of cognitive functions in the brain for the duration of adolescence.

“Cognition is essentially how we believe how we make selections and how we method and recall data. It is linked to intelligence and educational achievement and kinds the constructing blocks of the progressive and imaginative likely of each and every personal and for that reason society as a whole.”

Youngsters volunteering for the review will undertake classroom-primarily based computerised tasks made to measure cognitive skills that underpin functions this kind of as memory and consideration. Collectively with their parents, they will also reply concerns about their use of mobile phones and other devices, wellbeing and way of life.

Toledano additional: “Taking part in Scamp is a amazing possibility for schools to deliver ‘live’ science into their classrooms, demonstrate youngsters how we perform overall health research and, over all, for colleges, pupils and mothers and fathers to make a real contribution to the wellness of recent and future generations.”

Uk launches biggest research of mobile mobile phone effects on children"s brains

Claudia Louch: "No 1 understands the long-term effects of Botox"

Versions, presenters and actors rely on the skin expert Claudia Rouch to help their complexions look display-prepared. And her secret is completely all-natural

BY Kate Finnigan |
04 Might 2014

If you are a fan of all-natural beauty, accustomed to its softly-softly, pamper-pamper technique, all dimmed lights, tinkling music and wafts of aromatherapy, you could need to toughen up prior to an appointment with the organic holistic skin specialist and nutritionist Claudia Louch. It truly is not that the 52-year-previous, German-born practitioner lacks understanding or sensitivity and all these items we assume go hand-in-hand with the natural-elegance world. She has these qualities in bucketloads. But she’s not overseeing a yoga camp both.

Her medicinal and skincare goods may possibly be 100 per cent organic, her ethos might be holistic and her procedures non-invasive, but, let us be clear, there’s practically nothing wishy-washy about her technique. It is scientific, rooted in testing and examination. If you join her three,000-plus client record, her 6-robust crew will usher you about with all the starchy bustle of the standard healthcare establishment.

With its thick beige carpets and tasteful drapes the Claudia Louch All-natural Skin Clinic in Harley Street surely seems the element. It shares a creating with physicians who offer typical cosmetic remedies. You may well guess this by the faces of the clientele and personnel getting into their suites: faces that in all their sculpted perfection declare “operate”. If this is your bag do not venture up to the clinic on the prime floor: you will locate nothing there for you. Although about 85 per cent of Louch’s skincare sufferers come to her with healthcare difficulties, a developing amount are looking for cosmetic solutions also, people – higher-profile versions, actors and presenters, though she won’t name names – who have previously experimented with Botox and fillers. “The usual route,” as Louch puts it. “But they have been disillusioned. They have irritations, difficulties on the injection side, or they just do not want to search frozen any longer.”

Louch herself is well preserved, trim and blonde, with a headmistressy authority, wry sense of humour and a pragmatic world view. “I will in no way do Botox or fillers – never ever, by no means,” she declares in her lightly accented English. “I suggest, if I genuinely desired, if I woke up and imagined, ‘I can’t bear it anymore,’ I may well have a face-lift if I could discover someone really great. But most of us can age fairly gracefully. Your face is what you are. We have numerous patients in their sixties and seventies who have lines but they are lovely and well groomed, beautiful even.”

Louch’s main concern is with the toxins we liberally swallow, apply or inject for medicinal and cosmetic reasons. She was a consultant on the 2007 documentary How Toxic Are You? on Channel 4, and portion of her education was at a huge pharmaceutical organization. “We know that Botox is a toxin, that men and women have reactions and if it is not administered effectively it can cause lots of issues, but there is no data on the extended-term result,” she says, sitting behind a mahogany desk in her office, sporting a white lab coat more than a fitted blue dress. “We do not know what happens in 10, 15 years’ time. But the toxin does accumulate within you in some form. So what will come about? I understand why some people do it, due to the fact of insecurity and stress. I have a amount of actors coming here saying, ‘But I have to have it or I won’t get that role…’”

She sees the exact same stress amid her nutrition individuals – Louch is a properly-known excess weight-reduction professional and was the nutritionist for the BBC Two series The Supersizers. “I had a consumer just final week, an American model, who desires to break into the United kingdom market. Her agent has informed her she has to be 48kg to 50kg, which is skeletal. I explained, ‘No way. You can not be that size, you’ll die! Or at least be really unwell. Tell them they are off their head!’”

Will the model find another professional to assist her? “Almost certainly, but it is absolutely irresponsible. If you are genuinely tall, you are not able to have a BMI [body mass index] of 16, which is what she would have been at that excess weight. 18.5 and below is anorexic.”

It is not just professionals dealing with physique-image stress. Louch is seeing a “expanding number” of younger women, brought to her by concerned mothers. “Boarding-college women particularly come in saying, ‘My buddies weigh 2st significantly less than I do and I want to be the exact same.’ They have created consuming disorders – both bulimia or they’ve stopped eating altogether. I have a clinical psychologist operating here since it is a quite delicate matter. These ladies do not realise you can’t be that skinny, or at least remain that skinny, due to the fact it signifies not consuming. And if you will not consume you die. It is as basic as that.”

Louch’s clinic has been set up to provide substitute remedies to these issues and far more. Two thirds of individuals come to her with an array of dermatological conditions. Rosacea, urticaria, acne, psoriasis and eczema are on the increase, specifically among individuals in their thirties and forties. “I see a good deal of adult eczema – they’ve never ever had it prior to and out of the blue it flares up in a significant way: rosacea in females and men, and also adult acne, particularly in girls who are 30-plus.”

She believes escalating tension levels are contributing to the issue. “If you are very stressed you generate a lot more cortisol, a steroid hormone that affects other hormones and brings about a complete cascade in your entire body. Acne is hormone driven. And when you’re stressed you have a tendency to consume worse food – takeaways, sugar. I have seen a rise in the amount of alcohol men and women drink. Possibly you want to chill out and have a glass of wine, but that is sugar.”

Louch also has a controversial theory on chicken. Yes, chicken. “When folks have eczema or urticaria, quite typically you can’t just appear at the allergy symptoms. You have to seem at amounts of histamine [the chemical released in the body as part of an allergic reaction and also contained in specific foods]. You can have an allergy to histamine or have also significantly histamine in your physique. In the United kingdom I would say about 90 per cent of diet programs are based mostly on chicken – a foods extremely large in histamine. Why? Simply because the animals are so distressed in the batteries and typically the way they are killed – electrocuted – implies they are in a lot of discomfort before they die. It all increases histamine.” She is seeing a lot more and more clientele with skin conditions and diet programs higher in chicken and has drawn her personal conclusions. “I have no quantitative information, we have produced no trials, but I inform them to stop eating chicken and less tinned food – also high in histamine – and they improve.”

She does not consume chicken herself, not even organic. “Properly, what does organic genuinely mean? I did a piece for King’s School London a number of years in the past about natural farmers in the United kingdom and I was surprised how many chemicals they are even now permitted to use. Fewer pesticides but they are still there. It is often better to have natural since the animals are taken care of much better, but still…”

Some of Louch’s sufferers suffer from circumstances so severe “you would not know about them. These are not individuals you see on the street. They do not go out.” (You can, nonetheless, see some of her patients’ brave prior to-and-following shots on her web site.) There is usually no hiding or disguising a skin situation and Louch admits that many people arrive at the clinic in distress. “They are desperate. They have typically been to every person else. It’s generally: GP, NHS dermatologist, personal dermatologist, then us. We are the last resort, we are quite mindful of that.

“A couple of months back I had a bride. Nicely, she was supposed to be acquiring married, but she had eczema so negative she could not even believe about it. I see youthful women with this kind of negative psoriasis they do not want to go to school. There is a great deal of emotional distress and you have to give them hope. Not false hope – I am not making miracles. I try my ideal but I cannot cure everyone. But then we have a good deal of good results stories.”

Louch has a degree in phytomedicine (plant-based mostly medicine) from the University of Westminster and a masters in Drug Discovery from King’s School London. When she was attending a program in superior dermatology at King’s a single lecturer stated: “Dermatology sufferers in no way get greater and they by no means die.” This, in her viewpoint, sums up all that is incorrect with the standard mindset and is why she has “created it [her] mission” to help these individuals. Standard practitioners, she says, are not usually interested in the leads to of the problem. “But that is the key. They are quite restricted in what they are allowed to prescribe. They are giving you what the pharmaceuticals give them. And then they frequently will not do skin tests or blood tests for hormonal or allergic issues.”

Louch will take a more holistic strategy. “History is crucial, genetics are critical, diet is important. Your skin isn’t going to just break out for no explanation. It truly is an indication that there is anything going on inside the physique.”

Regardless of whether you are a healthcare or cosmetic patient, your problem will be assessed on an individual basis, to create a bespoke treatment. At your very first consultation (at £185, Louch does not come inexpensive) you will be tested by a Skin Analyser, a fusion of microscopy and software that assesses the skin’s dryness, oiliness, elasticity and level of irritation. Following an in-depth interview about your signs and symptoms, historical past and life-style, you will be sent to a lab for blood tests. Primarily based on all of this, she will then situation you with your bespoke bundle of remedies – no wholesale medicines or items, only phytomedicines and one hundred per cent organic skincare formulated and made by Louch’s laboratory. You will acquire a combine of internals (tonics, drops, vitamins and other supplements) and externals (lotions, cleansers, exfoliants and toners, containing large-efficiency plant and mineral extracts and no synthetic preservatives).

Claudia Louch exhibits a client the benefits of exams employing the Skin Analyser

Louch can also suggest each therapeutic and cosmetic phytomedical facials and entire body therapies from an amazing menu, performed on website by a crew of therapists, to treat distinct problems and the typical-or-backyard indicators of ageing (which all appears far significantly less urgent as soon as you have considered what some of her individuals are dealing with). Lately, in response to becoming “pestered” by clientele, she has produced her own make-up selection, which involves foundation and mascara.

In her twenties Louch herself suffered from a skin issue and failed to uncover any conventional treatment that worked. Exhausted by what sounds like a glamorous occupation in luxury travel, she had created eczema on her encounter and legs “in a main bad way”. Steroids and antibiotic cream suppressed the outbreaks but only temporarily.

At residence in Germany she found a Heilpraktiker, a practitioner who functions with plant-primarily based treatments. She was prescribed an array of internals and externals and her situation enhanced. “I imagined there is an substitute and I would really like to investigate that.”

Louch had been interested in medicine although expanding up but was not seen as sufficiently academic to do a degree. Her curiosity was piqued once more by the Heilpraktiker and, having had sufficient of her travelling life style, she enrolled at the University of Westminster for one of the few degree courses in plant-primarily based medication. In 2007, numerous qualifications in skincare and nutrition later on, she started seeing individuals at the Hale Clinic and in 2009 set up on her own.

She is now in demand throughout the world, with requests to open a spa in Switzerland, and clinics in Dubai and Qatar. “The dilemma is, it’s only me. If I dilute myself I am going to drop sufferers. They can be extremely grumpy if they will not get appointments and then they will be worse!” She would like to hire an individual else but it seems that there are no other Claudia Louchs. Like her medicines, she is anything of a special combine. Till she can devise a cloning formula she remains philosophical. “If you see also a lot of people you get rid of the sensitivity and vitality to deal with them,” she says.

“It is critical to give individuals that hour of time to really recognize what they are concerned about. If you shed that… what is the level?”

Eat your way to great skin by Claudia Louch

•Eat seasonal, regional fruit and greens. I steer clear of things flown in from distant countries. Stick to apples and pears in the winter. You do not need mango, pineapple or grapes.

•Follow a low-unwanted fat, lower-sugar diet. Green veggies are low in sugar. A small bit of wholemeal bread is fine.

•Grill, bake, steam, boil but do not fry meals. Even the best added-virgin olive oil gets a trans fat on heating.

•Reduce the sum of chicken in your diet regime. Chicken is higher in histamine and can result in and exacerbate skin circumstances such as eczema, acne and urticaria.

•People with negative skin are often advised to eat nuts, avocados and seeds. Rubbish. They are calorie bombs. Ten nuts is 500 calories, the equivalent of a chocolate bar. It may be non-saturated fat but it nevertheless gets stored and accumulates. Substitute with apples and vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber and peppers.

•Eat white fish and one steak a week – beef is crucial for your iron stability.

claudialouch.com

Claudia Louch: "No 1 understands the long-term effects of Botox"

The tablets with no side effects

Shortly after moving into a dementia care home last yr, Jeannette Williams produced a exceptional discovery: the iPad. At the age of 74, she had lost her husband, her property and a lot of her freedom, but the touch-display tablet has provided her a new lease of lifestyle. As an alternative of being caught in front of the tv, she can now go through news, perform video games, listen to music and view videos. Best of all, it has rekindled her passion for pottery.

“Through my operate, I meet great, intriguing, once- independent individuals who, via no fault of their personal, have lost touch with hobbies and interests, entry to understanding and choice-making expertise,” he says. “They are bored and depressed, staring into space whilst an huge Television blares out Jeremy Kyle. Touch-screen technologies has massive likely to reconnect them. With an iPad, you can look up someone’s favourite song on YouTube or discover their childhood residence on Street See. That’s a enormous, positive shift in power.”

Prof Dominic Upton, director of wellness psychology study at the University of Worcester, agrees. In 2011, his examine on the high quality of daily life for people with dementia in eleven care properties identified that tablets helped residents reminisce about constructive occasions in their lives, create much better relationships with personnel and deal with sensible issues this kind of as producing menu alternatives.

A single of the most heartening findings was the way in which the engineering bridged the age gap. “I was amazed by how a lot the iPads enhanced interaction between residents and their carers, several of whom were younger and inexperienced,” says Prof Upton. “Also, grandchildren would come to pay a visit to and say, ‘This is how BBC iPlayer works’ or they would check out YouTube together. The engineering has fantastic likely to carry generations collectively.”

With help from her carers, Mrs Williams has bought her personal iPad. Tablets need not be prohibitively costly: Tesco’s Hudl costs about £120, and ex-show iPads sell for about £250. Even now, it’s critical to know when to depart the iPad alone, says Lloyd-Yeates. “Sometimes individuals just want human connection, not gizmos.”

Check out aliveactivities.org and memoryappsfordementia.org

To discover how companies can become a lot more dementia-friendly observe the Alzheimer’s Society’s new video at youtube.com/watch?v=Fz8ACEu7Lho

The tablets with no side effects

The Effects Of Childhood Bullying Can Last A Lifetime

A new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry finds what other folks had hinted at but not fairly arrived at: That the results of childhood bullying can final not only by way of adolescence and youthful adulthood, but also through middle age. Earlier research had shown the damaging psychological and social results of bullying to be evident into a person’s 20s, but the new analysis tracked the psychological overall health and cognitive function of after-bullied kids till they have been 50. And the results of bullying – particularly of severe bullying – affected a person’s nicely-being in a fantastic number of ways. All the more reason, the authors urge, to take bullying just as critically as we would any other form of childhood abuse.

“Our review shows that the results of bullying are nonetheless noticeable virtually 4 decades later on,” explained research writer Ryu Takizawa of the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London. “The effect of bullying is persistent and pervasive, with overall health, social and economic consequences lasting well into adulthood.”

The examine tracked over 7,700 youngsters whose households were element of the British National Kid Development Study, also identified as the 1958 Birth Cohort Study, which captures data from all the children born inside of 1 week in 1958 in England, Scotland, and Wales. The dad and mom offered data about the children, which includes any experiences with bullying, when they had been 7 and 11 years old.

Above a quarter of the kids in the research – 28% – had been bullied sometimes, and 15% bullied frequently, which the authors say is about what it is right now.

The youngsters had been followed as they aged, and asked about their psychological wellness, social relationships, top quality of life, and specialist and economic scenarios.

It turned out that on practically each measure, men and women who’d been bullied as young children had a lot more troubles across lifestyle. Being bullied both sometimes or frequently was linked to higher psychological distress at age 23 and age 50 – and becoming bullied often as a child was connected with higher risk for depression, anxiousness, and suicidality at age 45. It was also linked to poorer cognitive function at age 50, which is a disturbing obtaining in itself. The authors propose it could mirror the recognized hyperlink in between childhood maltreatment and cognitive function or it could be a sign of early aging, both of which have been indicated by preceding research.

The team also found that regular childhood bullying was linked to lower educational ranges, a greater likelihood of being unemployed, and possessing a decrease salary at age 50. Folks who had been bullied as kids had been also much less likely to dwell with a spouse or partner at that age, less capable to get in touch with on pals in the case of sickness, and even significantly less probably to have met up with buddies in the recent past. Folks who had been bullied as kids have been also not only less satisfied with their lives in the present, but they anticipated becoming significantly less pleased in the potential, in contrast to non-bullied counterparts.

The benefits held strong even after the researchers managed for possibly confounding factors like childhood IQ, the family’s socioeconomic standing, and lower parental involvement.

The query of why the results of childhood bulling span the better portion of a lifetime is not totally clear, but there are theories. The authors suggest that it could be that bullying creates a cycle of victimization that continues during life and impacts virtually every single realm of lifestyle. Or it could be that the anxiety of currently being bullied “embeds” itself into the very genes, affecting the hormones and brain chemical substances that govern the anxiety response, mood, and sensitivity to one’s surroundings.

The following stage will be to discover out what variables in life might lessen or amplify the lingering results of bullying. “40 years is a extended time,” says senior writer Louise Arseneault, “so there will no doubt be added experiences throughout the program of these young people’s lives which may possibly both shield them against the results of bullying, or make issues worse. Our next stage is to investigate what these are.”

But in the meantime, early intervention is crucial. The benefits, the authors say, are robust evidence that we want to consider bullying even much more critically, considering that it is no diverse from any other form of little one abuse. ”We want to move away from any perception that bullying is just an inevitable portion of expanding-up,” explained Arseneault. “Teachers, mother and father and policy-makers should be aware that what takes place in the school playground can have extended-phrase repercussions for children.” And it will be a joint undertaking. Public and school programs can do their components, but teaching our children from the earliest age to deal with peers with kindness and respect will be an equally essential component of the procedure.

For far more details on anti-bullying applications please see StopBullying.gov, StopBullyingNow.com, or stopbullyingnowfoundation.org, or pacer.org.

Follow me @alicewalton or find me on Facebook.

The Effects Of Childhood Bullying Can Last A Lifetime

Anxiety Triggered by Reading Xanax Side Effects

Xanax (Alprazolam), the popular prescription utilised for nervousness ailments, panic attacks and is even prescribed for chemotherapy related nausea has a list of side results a mile long. In reality, I’m a quite calm and down to earth individual but I’ll admit just reading through the listing manufactured me really feel a minor panicky!  Are you saying there are people who truly take this things, I ask after reading through the possible side effects.

Regardless of the harmful side effects, this small pill enjoys great acceptance and continually finds itself on the prime 3 of all psychiatric classified prescriptions with over 47,792,000 reported prescriptions in 2011 polls. It is also the # 4 prescription drug searched for on Google.

What are the achievable side results of alprazolam (Xanax)?

Get emergency healthcare aid if you have any of these signs of an allergic response: hives challenging breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Quit using alprazolam and get in touch with your medical professional at as soon as if you have a severe side result this kind of as:

• depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting your self, uncommon danger-taking conduct, decreased inhibitions, no dread of danger


• confusion, hyperactivity, agitation, hostility, hallucinations


• feeling like you may pass out


• urinating less than normal or not at all


• chest pain, pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest


• uncontrolled muscle movements, tremor, seizure (convulsions) or


• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Significantly less serious side results may possibly include:

• drowsiness, dizziness, feeling tired or irritable


• blurred vision, headache, memory troubles, trouble concentrating


• rest difficulties (insomnia)


• swelling in your hands or feet


• muscle weakness, lack of balance or coordination, slurred speech


• upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea


• enhanced sweating, dry mouth, stuffy nose or


• appetite or weight alterations, loss of curiosity in sex.

Natural Treatments for Anxiousness: Normal Anxiety Relief with Alternative Remedies

CNS Depression and Impaired Overall performance
Simply because of its CNS depressant effects, individuals acquiring Xanax ought to be cautioned
towards engaging in hazardous occupations or pursuits requiring complete mental alertness such as working machinery or driving a motor car. For the identical explanation, patients should be cautioned about the simultaneous ingestion of alcohol and other CNS depressant drugs during treatment method with Xanax.

Risk of Fetal Harm
Benzodiazepines can potentially trigger fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. If Xanax is employed throughout pregnancy, or if the patient gets to be pregnant whilst taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the likely hazard to the fetus

This is not a full listing of side effects and other folks might arise. Call your medical professional for medical suggestions about side effects. You may possibly report side results to FDA at one-800-FDA-1088. So apparently Pfizer drug organization ran out of area with the record of side results and had to forward you on to further sources so the record could go on!

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Xanax can be addictive if taken in huge quantities or utilized for a prolonged period. Even people who get the medicine precisely as their prescribed can grow to be addicted to it. If you would like to know more Xanax facts or require assist finding a rehab center near you. http://drugabuse.com/library/xanax-abuse/

Attempt an all all-natural remedy Peace and Calming or Stress Away with definitely no side effects.

Sources:

http://www.rxlists.com

http://www.google.com/trends/topcharts#vm=chart&ampcid=medicines&ampgeo=US&ampdate=2013&ampcat=nature_and_science

Visit 10TopHealthSecrets.com for Healthy Residing Suggestions and all Organic Remedies

Anxiety Triggered by Reading Xanax Side Effects