Friday, July 3, 2009
New Weapons in Fight Against TB?
FRIDAY, July 3 -- Extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis might someday meet its match in two drugs now used to treat Parkinson's disease, suggests a new study.

Researchers, led by a team from the University of California, San Diego, report in the July 3 issue of PLoS Computational Biology that commercially available entacapone and tolcapone have the potential to treat the difficult-to-kill strain of TB.

The discovery was made after a computational analysis that found the chemical structure of the two Parkinson's drugs might work to thwart the TB enzyme InhA, which previous research had determined to be a prime target in treating the disease. A subsequent lab experiment found that the active ingredient in the two drugs inhibited the M. tuberculosis bacterium without being deadly to its host cells.

"We have computational and experimental data to support this [drug] repositioning," principle investigator Philip E. Bourne, a professor of pharmacology at the university's Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, said in a university news release. "Here we have drugs that are known to be safe and with suitable binding properties which can be further optimized to treat a completely different condition."

Read more at: http://www.drugs.com/news/new-weapons-fight-against-tb-18640.html
posted by Healthy Life @ 9:03 PM  
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Targeting Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Researchers have identified a key molecular player in a type of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The discovery may lead to better methods of early detection and treatment for this leading cause of blindness.
Photo of grey blotch obscuring view of 2 children.
A scene as it might look to a person with age-related macular degeneration. Photo courtesy of NIH's National Eye Institute.

AMD gradually destroys sharp, central vision as a person ages. You need central vision to see objects clearly and for common tasks such as reading and driving. AMD comes in 2 forms: dry and wet. Although the dry form is much more common, the wet form leads to significantly more vision loss.

Wet AMD is caused by abnormal blood vessels growing in the layer of the eye named the choroid, which lies beneath the light-sensitive retina. This blood vessel growth is known as choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The new blood vessels tend to be very fragile and often leak blood and fluid. As they grow under the macula in the center of the retina, they raise the macula and damage it, eventually destroying your ability to see fine detail. An early symptom of wet AMD is that straight lines appear wavy. No current treatments can cure wet AMD, but treatment can help slow vision loss and, in some cases, improve sight.

A team of researchers led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati at the University of Kentucky searched for molecular markers of CNV. Supported by NIH’s National Eye Institute (NEI) and several other sources, they examined specimens of CNV tissue taken from patients with wet AMD.

In the June 14, 2009, online edition of Nature, the team reported finding a protein called CCR3 on the surface of blood vessels in the tissue samples. CCR3, best known for its role in inflammation, isn’t normally found on blood vessels. Using cultured choroid cells, the researchers found that blocking CCR3 prevented choroid cells from forming tubes, an important step in forming blood vessels.

The scientists then looked at CNV that they induced in mice using a laser. When they blocked CCR3 in the eye, the researchers found that CNV was suppressed. They next compared this approach with a current wet AMD treatment. Blocking CCR3 proved more effective in the mice, reducing CNV by about 68%, as opposed to 57% for the current therapy. The CCR3 treatment also proved less toxic to the mouse retinas.

Another problem with current methods is that researchers can’t detect CNV in the choroid before it has advanced into the retina. Therefore, the scientists studied the ability of small antibody fragments that bind to CCR3 to detect CNV before it appears in the retina. They attached the antibodies to tiny nanocrystals called quantum dots and injected them into mice. Using this CCR3 tracking method, they were able to spot CNV in the choroid that current methods couldn’t detect until it appeared in the retina.

"With CCR3, we have for the first time found a unique molecular signature for the disease,” Ambati says. Eventually, CCR3 might prove a safe and effective target to detect and treat CNV early, before vision is lost.

—by Harrison Wein, Ph.D.
Related Links:

* Age-Related Macular Degeneration:
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp

source: http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/june2009/06292009nei.htm
posted by Healthy Life @ 8:03 AM  
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Providing Babies with Teething Pain Relief
Teething and the pain that comes with it is normal. Often, teething pain only causes slight discomfort in your baby which is not a reason for concern. However, if your baby becomes irritable, unable to eat, or restless at night due to teething pain, it is time to provide some teething pain relief. Here are some tips that can help you and your baby overcome teething pain:

1. Provide your baby with chilled teething toys or food.

Chill child-grade and safe teething toys for your baby to chew on. The coolness of the toys can soothe your baby's gums and make teething pain more bearable. Alternatively, you can also provide him with chilled or cold food like frozen bagels or ice pops. Aside from being edible, chilled foods also provide the necessary coolness to alleviate teething pain. Another option you might consider is letting your child chew on a chilled, clean, and lint-free washcloth. The coolness of the washcloth can provide relief from teething pain while absorbing your baby's excess drool.

2. Massage your baby's gums.

Teething pain is often triggered by the unequal pressure caused by the new tooth. To neutralize the imbalance, you can gently massage your baby's gums with your finger. Not only does the pressure brought by your finger relieves teething pain but it also improves blood circulation in the gums to ease the new tooth into coming out.

3. Use infant pain gels.

If you need to go out during the day, an infant pain gel is a convenient way to stop teething pain temporarily. Similar to a topical anesthesia, an infant pain gel numbs your baby's gums for a period of time to block pain signals. Infant pain gels are also useful at night to ensure a good night's sleep for you and your baby.

4. Raid your pantry for homemade teething pain relief.

You may not know it but your cupboard and pantry can have the safest remedies for teething pain. Massaging a bit of clove oil on your baby's gums can temporarily alleviate teething pain. Cloves and clove oils have numbing and warming properties that can effectively put teething pain in check. Another option is to let your baby chew or suck on natural licorice sticks. Instead of warming the gums like clove, licorice cools your baby's mouth and gums while slightly mumbing it to soothe pain caused by teething.

5. Administer infant pain relievers.

If your child experiences teething pain due to excessive soreness in the gums, you might want to consult a pediatrician. He or she can prescribed infant-grade pain relievers for your baby's teething pain. Pay attention to instructions and stick to the precribed dosage when giving your baby infant pain relievers.

When your baby cries due to teething pain, remember to keep calm. Your baby can sense if your agitated or tense and might follow the same route. Help your baby calm down by cooing and providing relief from teething pain. Talk to your baby's doctor about other ways you can relieve your baby's teething pain.
posted by Healthy Life @ 8:40 PM  
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Get a Flat Stomach

Do you know that you can get a flat stomach by maintaining your blood sugar level? This is a fact because excess sugar in the body is not good for your body since they cause fat to get stored in your stomach. Thus, it is important to stabilize the level of sugar in the blood to aid you in achieving a flat tummy. This article below will show you how to stabilize the blood sugar level in your body.

The primary thing to do in order to stabilize the sugar level in your body is to avoid eating foods that contain too much saturated fat. Most of the processed foods like hamburgers, margarine, butters and alcoholic beverages should be cut off if you are really serious about getting your stomach flattened.

You should start eating more of foods like vegetables, fruits, berries, whole grains and wheat. Also, your meals should contain more of lean proteins like lean beef, chicken eggs and fish. These food substances have minimal capacity to cause fats to store in your stomach.

Another thing you need to do so as to stabilize the sugar level in your blood is to eat more frequently. Do not try to skip meals, especially breakfasts. The more food you take, the more the level of metabolism in your body will increase. As this happens, fats will burn in your body. So, ensure that you eat more. However, you should note that the kinds of foods you eat must be those that are free from saturated fats.

The third thing you must do to get rid of excess level of sugar in your body is to do cardiovascular exercises. There are exercises that help your body's metabolism to rev up. They will include activities like dancing, walking, jogging, and other types of routine workouts. Moreover, you can also add strength-training exercises to flex and strengthen the muscles around your stomach.

posted by Healthy Life @ 10:04 AM  
Monday, June 8, 2009
Chiropractic Therapy and Healthy Living

Chiropractors offer to help you lead a pain free life for certain types of pain. So it is possible you may consider visiting a chiropractor only when you are faced with a situation that needs a remedy which you believe a chiropractor can deliver.

However chiropractic therapy is not just about helping you get rid of pains. It is a holistic approach that aims to help you lead a healthier life. Therefore if you are not currently suffering from a pain but would still like to explore how you can improve the your overall well being then you should consider visiting a chiropractor.

There are simple chiropractic exercises that can take as little as three minutes a day which will give you a straighter spine and generally better health. There is an inherent advantage in practicing prevention as against looking for a cure. Though as an individual we may think we lead a healthy life but there are millions who suffer from problems and we too may suffer a disorder later in our lives. In light of that it is best to have some beneficial routines that prevent problems, as part of our daily lives.

The chiropractic exercises strengthen core muscle groups and improve the spinal column. These exercises are for all age groups from children to old adults. The exercises don't just have the direct effect on the part of the body that is exercised such as muscle groups and the spine. They also help relieve stress and improve the general feeling of well being. It has also been reported that chiropractic exercises help reduce obesity amongst children. Undertaking these exercises costs nothing and helps you lead a healthy life.

Some of the routine exercises involve massages for which you will need the services of a trained chiropractic masseur. This may cost you some money. But you will likely get benefits that far outweigh the cost.

Like all exercises you should consult a professional before starting a chiropractic exercise regimen. You should be easily able to find a chiropractor and set up a consultation. Some chiropractors offer a free initial consultation.

posted by Healthy Life @ 9:10 PM  
Thursday, June 4, 2009
How to Stop Pulling Hair Out For Good

It was last year when I was urgently looking for a way to stop pulling hair out for good. It was not for me though. My daughter was having problems stopping her hair pulling habits, and I had to make her stop immediately.

Unknown to me back then, this hair pulling disorder has affected more than a million other people around the world. There was still no cure for it except for antidepressants such as Prozac used to curb ones urge to pull out hair. But that was still no permanent cure - you only stop whilst still under medication.

Another option that most sufferers turn to is to seek help from a professional psychiatrist learned in the field of hair pulling. And although therapy sessions may work for some, not all find any benefits out of them. In fact, most people reject the idea of going for therapy in fear of being found out by family and friends and risking embarrassment.

A more popular option is to attend sharing groups where members suffering from the same condition meet up and encourage each other to move on with their lives. Participants also share ways to avoid being stigmatized by the public and more importantly how to limit or even stop pulling hair out.

When my daughter Jenna was having troubles with her habit of pulling out hair, I rejected the idea of taking antidepressants. I did not want her to be over-reliant on them for the rest of her life. Plus, I wanted her habit to stop completely.

We went through a home-based treatment program that my office mate recommended to me that does not use any medication nor therapy sessions to attend. It was purely a self-help program that implants techniques to be more aware and stop pulling hair out...to the point of eliminating your hair pulling disorder totally from your life.

posted by Healthy Life @ 9:46 AM  
Thursday, May 28, 2009
BPH Treatment - Be on Your Way to a Freer Lifestyle

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, more commonly known as enlarged prostate, is a health condition that effects an estimated fifty percent of all men over the age of sixty. Because it is such a common ailment, there is a large selection of treatments available to manage the symptoms. With a little research you should be able to find a treatment that is harmonious to your needs. A few ideas are listed in this article to give you a place to start and hopefully point you in the right direction.

The most common method for BPH treatment is medication. It's simple, non-invasive, evades the necessity for anesthesia, and completely eliminates the need for recovery. But, for all it's advantages, it has its share of disadvantages as well. When medicine is a continuous investment it can get very costly. It only masks the symptoms instead of fixes them. Your symptoms will reappear once you stop taking the medication because when you stop taking it, it stops working. This is the first line of treatment doctors will use. It is also the only form of treatment for milder cases.

Surgery is another form of treatment. When symptoms have not improved after non-surgical BPH treatments, surgery may be considered. There are choices in types of surgeries performed, but the overall goal is to remove large amounts of prostate tissue that interfere with urination. With this method, a hospital stay between one and two days should be expected, anesthesia will be used, recovery time will be needed , bleeding may occur for up to six weeks, a catheter may be needed for up to two weeks, and it is not uncommon for the symptoms to reappear after five years. But, the success rate is very high and can completely give you freedom from urinating related complications. Consult your urologist to find out what he or she offers.

A sort of middle ground between the two previously mentioned forms of treatment would be non-surgical BPH treatment. Again, there are a number of choices available with their own advantages and disadvantages. But, the overall goal is to remove enlarged prostate tissue without interfering with the healthy tissue and is performed on an outpatient basis. Recovery time is shortened with usually no hospital stay because it is a non-surgical treatment. Local anesthesia may still be necessary, but the actual time needed for treatment may be as short as thirty minutes. Although for a shorter time, a catheter will probably still be needed afterward. With symptoms reappearing after five years, results may not be permanent, as with surgery. However, success rates are also high with complete freedom from the unfavorable symptoms.

As with any medical procedure individual results will vary. For your BPH treatment consult with your urologist to learn what options are available to you. To determine which avenue will bring you to your ideal outcome, do some personal research. You could be on your way to a freer lifestyle.

posted by Healthy Life @ 9:46 AM  
About Me
Archives
Archives
Sidebar Section






Sidebar Section






Helpful Site Links
Health Living Notice

Data are for Information purpose only. Under NO way or circumstances we will be responsible for any misconduct on your parts. Always get a consultation from a registered Health GDP or Doctor before following any point mentioned in this data. It’s for your safety of Health. Please note that any external links which we refer are for information purpose only and do not imply any approval from the organization or authority to which we refer.






Free Blogger Templates
 
© -- Healthy Living