Posts
What bothers me so much about products like these is that you can get all the nutritional benefits (and so much more) that these items claim to offer - with none of the scary, synthetic, Frankenfood ingredients - from a normal balanced clean-food diet of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, lean proteins, and whole grains. There is absolutely no reason for these disgusting creations to even exist, yet the world spends literally billions of dollars a year on putting artificial, chemical-laden fluff into our systems.
Watch what you eat. Diet products are not the miracle you think they are.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
16 diet foods to be aware of...and avoid!
Olivia Palermo at The Host screening
Olivia Palermo wears a black leather shift dress and black shoes with feathered ankle straps at The Host screening in New York- vote on celebrity fashion, style and red carpet looks in GLAMOUR.COM’s Dos and Don’tsContinue reading...
Lindsay Lohan catches a flight out of Los Angeles
She really is packing it all in before she goes off to rehab, isn’t she? We snapped a sunkissed Lindsay Lohan battling through crowds of paps and reporters to catch a flight out of LA yesterdayContinue reading...
so i guess i'm not 'anorexic' anymore
my bmi is 17.5...up from around 10...raise the roof!
recovery can be done x
Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.Vanessa Hudgens on the street in LA
Vanessa Hudgens wears a navy dress with a floral print on the street in LA DELETE>>NY - vote on celebrity fashion, style and red carpet looks in GLAMOUR.COM’s Dos and Don’tsContinue reading...
I am so fat and I never stick to it, OK today I am starting AGAIN.
Amy's tofu Scramble Breakfast, frozen ready to eat and I am out the door. Less than 500 calories and am praying the rest of the day will go the same.
Drug-Resistant 'Superbug' May Spread Among Patients, Study Finds
People with cystic fibrosis are of special concern
By Robert Preidt
HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Drug-resistant bacteria that cause lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis can be passed indirectly from person to person, a new study finds.
Between 3 percent and 10 percent of cystic fibrosis patients in the United States and Europe are infected with multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium abscessus, and the numbers are rising. The difficult-to-treat infection causes progressive lung damage.
In this study, researchers conducted DNA tracking of a multi-drug resistant M. abscessus outbreak that occurred among 31 cystic fibrosis patients at a British treatment center between 2007 and 2011.
Despite tight infection-control measures, patient-to-patient transmission was common, according to the study, published online March 29 in the journal The Lancet.
The researchers were unable to pinpoint the exact method of cross-infection between the patients. They said it likely occurred through contamination of things such as hair, clothing and bedding, or when bacteria were released into the air during procedures such as lung function tests.
The findings will have a major effect on how cystic fibrosis patients are cared for in hospitals and raise questions about the effectiveness of current infection-control measures and the risk of multi-drug resistant M. abscessus cross infection in other groups of patients, said Dr. Andres Floto, of the University of Cambridge, and colleagues.
How do our brains process pain?
Posted June 06, 2013, 2:00 am 
DEAR DOCTOR K:
Let’s say I stub my toe. How does my brain know where it hurts and how bad?
DEAR READER:
Pain serves as the body’s warning system. It alerts you to an injury or when something, such as an infection, has gone wrong inside your body. Pain can also help in healing. It tells you to avoid touching a wound or using a joint that’s damaged. But in order to respond appropriately, your brain must identify the location and severity of your pain.
Pain that stems from injury to body tissue is known as nociceptive pain. Examples include burns, sprains, broken bones and inflammation from an infection or arthritis. Pain from such injury is triggered by damage to little structures called nociceptors that are part of the nerve endings in the injured area. A pain-sensitive area of the body such as your fingertip or tongue has thousands of nociceptors in a tiny fraction of a square inch.
If you suffer a papercut, for example, the nociceptors in the nerve endings in the skin of your fingers are stimulated by the injury. They send a pain signal that starts at the point of the injury and travels up the nerve to the spinal cord. Then the pain signal travels up another nerve in the spinal cord to various parts of the brain. (I’ve put an illustration of the pain pathway below.)
When you bang your finger, the signal starts at the very tips of the nerve cells, travels to and up the spinal cord, and into a part of the brain called the thalamus. The thalamus sends the signals out to several parts of the brain including those that control touch, emotion, physical reaction, and memory.
Pain signals are carried by two types of nerve fibers, A-delta and C fibers. The A-delta fiber caries the first, sharp pain. The C fiber conveys the dull, throbbing pain that follows. To get to the brain, the signals travel through the spinal cord through a dense array of nerve cells known as the dorsal horn, where the gate-control action takes place, either conveying or inhibiting pain signals.
Pain signals are carried by two types of nerve fibers. The A-delta fibers carry the first, sharp pain you feel. The C fibers carry the dull, throbbing pain that follows.
Nerve fibers throughout the body connect to the spinal cord. (If the pain is in your head, nerve fibers connect directly to your brain.) In the spinal cord, incoming messages can be amplified, dampened or blocked altogether.
Pain signals reach different parts of the brain. Some signals reach the part of the brain that controls spatial awareness. It tells us where in the body a pain signal is coming from. Other signals travel to the part of the brain that generates and controls emotion. Pain signals also reach the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls sleep and temperature regulation.
The pain we feel can be modified by chemical signals in the spinal cord and in the brain. We know about some of them, but there are probably others that we haven’t discovered yet. Indeed, little more than 100 years ago we didn’t really know anything about how we felt pain. Human beings have been on Earth for 40,000 years, yet all we knew until 100 years ago was that sometimes we hurt.
Scientific research has taught us many things about how we feel pain, and some of that understanding has translated into new treatments. Still, we have a great deal more to learn, particularly about chronic pain — and how to better relieve the suffering of so many people who live with it.
window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({appId: "199616670120169", status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true});}; (function() { var e = document.createElement("script"); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js"; document.getElementById("fb-root").appendChild(e);}());Shopping Around Brings Steep Prescription Drug Savings, Report Finds
Prices varied four-fold between pharmacies, and there are ways shoppers can save big bucks, experts say
By Robert Preidt
HealthDay ReporterTHURSDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Prescription drug prices at U.S. pharmacies can vary widely, and failing to shop around could result in people overpaying by as much as $100 or more a month on average, depending on the drug, a new study finds.
Researchers at Consumer Reports called more than 200 pharmacies across the United States to get retail prices (out-of-pocket costs) for a one-month supply of five popular medicines that have recently gone generic.
The medicines were: the diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone); the antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram); the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin); the blood thinner Plavix (clopidogrel); and the asthma drug Singulair (montelukast).
For a one-month supply of these drugs, there was a $749 difference between the highest- and lowest-priced stores -- a more than four-fold difference, according to the study in the May issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
Overall, Costco outlets had the lowest retail prices and CVS had the highest, the report found. Among the specific findings:
A month's supply of generic Lipitor cost $17 at Costco, compared with $150 at CVS. Prices at Rite Aid and Target were also high.A month's supply of generic Lexapro cost $7 at Costco and $126 at CVS. On average, Rite Aid, Walgreens and grocery store pharmacies also charged higher prices.A month's supply of generic Plavix cost $12 at HealthWarehouse.com and $15 at Costco, compared with $180 at CVS.Different business approaches are one reason for the wide price variations, according to Lisa Gill, prescription drugs editor at Consumer Reports.
"It really comes down to a store's business model. For example, big box stores tend to use their pharmacies as a way to get consumers through the door with the expectation that they'll buy other things," she explained in a Consumer Reports news release.
If you want to get the best deals, shop around and always request the lowest price, Gill advised.
"A consumer can't assume that the price of their prescription medications is set in stone," she said. "One of the big takeaways is that you have to ask for the best price and see if your pharmacist will work with you. Especially for the independent pharmacies, if they want to retain your business and loyalty, they will help you get the best price," she said.
Other ways to save money include:
Using generic drugs, which contain the same active ingredients as brand name drugs.Getting refills for 90 days, not 30 days. Most pharmacies offer price reductions on a three-month supply of a medicine.Look for other discounts. All chain and big-box pharmacies offer discount generic drug programs, with some selling hundreds of generic drugs for $4 a month or $10 for a three-month supply.Try shopping in rural areas. The study found that some grocery store pharmacies and independent drug stores had higher prices in cities than in rural locations. For example, a 30-day supply of generic Actos cost $203 at a pharmacy in Raleigh, N.C., compared with $37 at a pharmacy in a rural area of the state.Blood Test Might Spot Pancreatic Cancer Early, Study Finds
Title: Blood Test Might Spot Pancreatic Cancer Early, Study Finds
Category: Health News
Created: 3/29/2013 10:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM
Category: Health News
Created: 3/29/2013 10:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM
Weight-Loss Surgery May Help Moderately Obese, Too
It reduces symptoms of type 2 diabetes, studies found, but surgical risks exist
By Serena Gordon
HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, June 4 (HealthDay News) -- For the extremely obese, the benefits of weight-loss surgery generally outweigh the risks of the procedure. Now, new research suggests that the same might be true for less-obese people as well.
For those who are mildly or moderately obese, weight-loss surgery can improve type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol more effectively than conventional diabetes management and lifestyle changes, new research suggests.
"We're seeing a pattern in these studies. There's a definite impact on the diabetes after surgery. Some people don't respond so well, but most do," said Dr. Bruce Wolfe, a professor of surgery and co-director of bariatric surgery at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland.
But, he added, "We need longer-term studies to identify who's the right candidate for surgery, and we need a number of years of follow-up and a fairly large study population to see if the diabetes improvements after surgery prevent the heart disease, blindness and kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes."
Results of the two new studies, as well as an accompanying editorial written by Wolfe and colleagues, are in the June 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement calculated with height and weight that's used to estimate the amount of body fat someone has. A BMI of 18 to 24.9 is considered normal weight while 25 to 29.9 is overweight, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mild to moderate obesity is between 30 and 39.9, and 40 and above is morbidly (or extremely) obese.
Normally, weight-loss surgeries are done on people who have a BMI of 40 or above. The surgery is also done on people who have a BMI of 35 or more if they have heart disease risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or sleep apnea, according to Wolfe.
The first study was a review of previous research on non-morbidly obese people with type 2 diabetes. The authors searched the medical literature and among other related studies, found three randomized controlled clinical trials that compared weight-loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery) to nonsurgical treatments, such as diabetes medications and lifestyle changes.
Weight-loss surgeries -- including gastric bypass and gastric banding -- were associated with a greater weight loss than nonsurgical treatments. Weight-loss surgeries led to as much as 32 to 53 pounds more weight loss and also to greater improvements in blood sugar levels.
"I think we found some promising results for the lower BMI patients with diabetes. There were better results in terms of controlling glucose [blood sugar] and weight loss over one to two years. That we have a way to provide some sort of successful treatment is exciting. But, we don't yet know how sustainable these changes are. We need longer and larger studies," said Dr. Melinda Maggard-Gibbons, lead review author, and an associate professor with RAND Health in Santa Monica, Calif.
Reader Question: Why Doesn't My Whitening Toothpaste Whiten Anymore?
Teeth whitening has always been super interesting to me. (Did you guys check out the last line I test drove?) Like, why can some people get sparkling white smiles despite sipping red wine every night, and then some people can whiten their teeth monthly and only have a so-so smile? So, when a friend recently asked me why her whitening toothpaste didn't whiten her teeth anymore, I had to investigate.
First, a little background. There are three layers of your teeth that affect their color: the inner dentin layer, the outer enamel layer and a layer called pellicle that forms a film over your teeth just seconds after you clean 'em; pellicle's job is to protect your pearlies from acidic compounds and continuous deposition of calcium phosphate. Phew, got it?
So, when you brush with whitening toothpaste, you're just scrubbing away that surface stain layer -- the pellicle film -- that sits on top. That's the whitening you see from whitening paste.
Anyway, if that surface stain layer hangs on teeth too long (i.e. you're not brushing regularly), the film starts to seep into your enamel, which is porous. So, trying to get deep stains out with a whitening toothpaste is essentially a waste of time, since those toothpastes JUST remove the outer film, not anything that's seeped into the enamel. Instead, you need to use a whitening treatment or hit up the dentist for a quality job. These treatments do actually seep into the enamel and cause an oxidation reaction to break down deep stains. (You know that foamy weirdness that happens with white strips? That's the oxidation.)
So, question answered. Interesting, right?
RELATED LINKS:
Image Credit: Devon Jarvis
Sophia Sassoon at a launch in Essex
Browse through Glamour's extensive daily celebrity photo gallery online today. Check out what your favourite celebrity has been up to!Continue reading...
Health Highlights: June 3, 2013
A frozen berry and pomegranate seed mix sold by Costco has been linked to an outbreak of acute hepatitis A that has sickened at least 30 people in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and California, federal health officials say.
The first victims became ill on April 29 and the most recent case was May 17, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention news release issued Friday. The CDC believes there will be more cases, USA Today reported.
A product called The Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend Frozen Berry Mix appears to be linked to the outbreak, officials said. Costco has removed the product from it shelves and notified all customers who purchased it since late February.
It's not yet known if the product was sold at other stores or markets, health officials said. But they noted that frozen berry blends are often used to make smoothies, frozen bar drinks and other types of drinks and desserts. They are concerned that smaller businesses might have bought bulk amounts of the frozen berry mix at Costco and used it in other products, USA Today reported.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)