health control news

20 Things About Sleep

2006-09-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

1 Chronic snoring can be treated by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, a surgical procedure that tightens the tissues of the soft palate and throat. Possible side effects include changes in voice frequency.

2 Another option involves injecting the palate with a chemical to harden the soft tissue. This is called a snoroplasty, derived from the Greek word plastos, meaning molded, and somewhat lamely from the English word snore, meaning snore.

3 Baaaa'd idea: A 2002 study by Oxford University researchers concluded, brilliantly, that the traditional practice of counting sheep is an ineffective cure for insomnia. The mental activity is so boring that other problems and concerns inevitably surface.

4 Mattresses have an average life span of 8 to 10 years. They grow some nasty stuff in that time; one study links mattress bacteria to sudden infant death syndrome.

5 An adult bedbug can survive up to one year without feeding.

6 In 2004 Americans filled more than 35 million prescriptions for sleeping pills.The number of adults aged 20 to 44 taking pills to help them fall asleep has doubled in the last four years.

7 More than 100,000 car crashes in the United States each year result from drowsiness. Drivers talking on cell phones increase the rate by 6 percent, so don't call someone if you get tired.

8 Disco isn't dead, it's on the dashboard: In 2008 Volvo plans to unveil a system that will monitor a driver's eyes and head, along with the movement of the steering wheel. If a driver seems to be nodding off, interior lights will start to flash.

9 A six-year study of a million adults showed that people who get only six to seven hours of sleep a night have a lower death rate than those who get eight hours. Maybe it's those late nights watching QVC.

10 In 1964 17-year-old Randy Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours and 12 minutes, the world's record. He then slept for 15 hours—not a record, but not bad.

11 Let's sleep on it first: In a gesture of integration with the European Union, Spain has launched a campaign to eliminate the tradition of siestas, or afternoon naps.

12 Thanks in part to their afternoon naps, Spaniards sleep an average of 40 minutes less per night than other Europeans. Spain also has the highest rate of workplace accidents in the EU and the third lowest productivity rate.

13 Who knew it was that easy? A Muslim couple in India is being forced to split up after the husband uttered the word talaq, the Arabic word for divorce, three times in his sleep. According to Muslim law, the "triple talaq" is an actual divorce.

14 The idea that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker is a myth. Given the things sleepwalkers get up to do, like climbing roofs and fixing insanely large sandwiches, it is probably more risky not to wake them.

15 Whales and dolphins can literally fall half asleep. Their brain hemispheres alternate sleeping, so the animals can continue to surface and breathe.

16 Dreaming is connected to bursts of electrical activity that blow through the brain stem every 90 minutes during REM sleep. Over a lifetime, an average person spends more than six years dreaming, clocking more than 136,000 in all.

17 But nobody knows why we dream.

18 Hey, be glad she doesn't have a telethon: More than 5 million American children suffer from nocturnal enuresis, better known as bed-wetting. Actress Suzanne Somers used to be one of them, according to her autobiography.

19 Somniphobia is the fear of sleep.

20 So far, there are no known celebrity somniphobes.

via www.discover.com

The best means from depression

2006-08-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

Researchers compared the effectiveness of St John's wort to anti-depressant drug paroxetine in treating moderate and severe depression.

The team found half of those with the condition improved when given the herb, compared with a third using the drug, the British Medical Journal reported.

UK experts said the study of 244 people should be treated with caution.

The study also found patients on paroxetine - also known as Seroxat - suffered more side effects.

We would not advise anyone to use St John's wort without consulting their GP

Depression Alliance spokeswoman

In both cases the most common side effect was stomach upsets, the study by Karlsruhe-based Dr Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals and the Institute for Medical Research Management and Biometrics in Nurnberg found.

Report co-author Dr Meinhard Kieser said: "Our results support the use of St John's wort as an alternative to standard anti-depressants in moderate to severe depression, especially as it is well tolerated."

The herb is not recommended for use by the UK's National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) because of uncertainty about what constitutes an appropriate dose, and its potential side effects when mixed with other drugs.

However its guidelines do acknowledge there is some evidence to suggest St John's wort could benefit people with mild or moderate depression.

Folk medicine

Previous studies have produced mixed results about whether it is effective in treating more serious forms of depression.

The herb, which is extracted from bright yellow star-shaped flowers, has been used for centuries as a folk medicine for anxiety and stress.

In the UK it is often found on sale in health food shops, and people with depression are known to use it.

But Professor Philip Cowen, a member of the British Association of Psychopharmacology, said the German study should not alter professional thinking in the UK.

"I would not expect this to alter what doctors do in the UK - the problems highlighted in the Nice guidance still stand."

The problem with the herb was that it was difficult to get a standardised dose, he said. Until that was achieved he could not see it being accepted as a treatment for depression.

A spokeswoman for the Depression Alliance said: "There is evidence it can be used to treat mild to moderate depression but the problem with St John's wort is that it is not regulated. You just don't know what you are getting.

"We would not advise anyone to use St John's wort without consulting their GP."

But she added: "I think it would be good if Nice and the regulatory body had a look at this report."

OF /bbc

The most tasty, but terrible food

2006-08-14T02:27:00.000-07:00

The smoked fish, now still a crackling potato, chips, crackers. All these tasty products contain carcinogens. How to secure itself?

- About that roast meat "is rich" with carcinogens, it is known for a long time. Now the "black" list has replenished with so popular potato chips. Leaves, all roast to eat dangerously?

- Third of all cases of a cancer, anyhow, are bound by that we eat. From it to not get to anywhere. It is proved, for example, that alimentary carcinogens - one of the reasons of a carcinoma of the stomach and an intestine. Certainly, are especially harmful roast products. By the way, not only by way of an oncology. They irritate mucous an esophagus, raise an aerogenesis, lead to a heartburn and excessive allocation of an acid. "Meat" carcinogens are formed during cooking of Adepses.

Source of carcinogens in a crackling potato, chips and crackers other. These are carbohydrates. At warming from them the substance acrylamide is allocated. It causes oncologic diseases, amazes nervous system, leads to sterility. The first the alarm was hammered by the Swedish scientists. They have found out lots of carcinogen in roast and baked products.

Results have rechecked and experts from the British Agency of standardization of food stuffs have confirmed. In some products the level of carcinogen almost in 1300 times exceeded admissible. It is a lot of it or a little? If to a laboratory mousy to enter that quantity acrylamide which contains in 3-4 standard packs of potato chips with probability of 50 % at it the tumour will develop.

- And how correctly to prepare, that it was formed less carcinogens?

- Is better the utensils from stainless steel in which it is possible to prepare without Adepses and at the raised pressure approaches. Products turn out not boiled and not roast, and, more likely. Such way is considered the most useful to health. However, not all like taste of the prepared dishes.

Microwaves - too an output. High-pitched radiation does not do with nutrition anything, except for heating a water containing in it. During roasting it is necessary to overturn slices of nutrition is more often. If it to do every minute carcinogens in them will be on 75-90 % less, than in the same slices which you overturned in five minutes. It speaks that on a surface of prepared nutrition “ zones of an overheat ” are not formed. Carcinogens "are afraid" some marinade., by the way, one more reason in favour of more careful pickling a shish kebab - marinade also kills it of microbes. Also do not forget to change oil on which fry. It can be used only once.

- And whether there are antidotes from carcinogens?

- Their influence on an organism depends on how the liver works, you at present accept what medicines. Some antibiotics, for example, popular erythromycin, the hypnagogues containing Fenobarbitalum, steroid contraceptives aggravate effect of carcinogen. And here the medicine Verapamilum, on the contrary, protects an organism.

Green and black tea, sea kale, infusions from spiraea , meadowsweet, roots of a burdock or a dandelion are useful. They clear an organism of dangerous products. A fine preventive agent is juice of a grapefruit. This drink contains special substances. They brake work of the hepatic enzymes transforming harmful substances in the present carcinogen. For reliable protection it is enough to drink since morning a glass of juice. However remember, that the grapefruit changes medical action of medicines. Extra care is necessary for keeping to the hypertensive patients accepting medicines Verapamilum and Nifedipinum.

OF / AMN

THREE methods of improvement of YOUR fastness to stresses.

2006-08-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

1. Self-esteem

Day-to-day hassles do have a detrimental effect on our physical and emotional wellbeing. However, researchers have found that the negative effects of these are less for people with high self-esteem and good support systems.

In general, good self-esteem helps us bear up to the negative effects of day-to-day stress. Also, having support from other people goes a long way to alleviate the hold of stress - on both our moods and psychological wellbeing.

2. Realistic appraisals

Effectively coping with life's problems and failures requires realistic expectations. Psychologists call these expectations and judgements appraisals. Life events (such as traffic bottlenecks or the boss's gruff voice) aren't a problem unless we appraise them as such. So if these appraisals are realistic, we'll be better able to react to the events of day-to-day life. Appraisals are a product of our belief system. If we hold unrealistic, inflexible beliefs then the appraisals we make may not be the most appropriate for the situation.

Irrational beliefs often include 'musts' and 'shoulds', with an emphasis on perfection. 'I must be liked by everyone in my life,' 'I should worry about anything that might be the least bit dangerous,' and 'I must be competent and perfect all the time' are all irrational beliefs. They're difficult - if not impossible - to achieve.

Is it possible to put an alternative interpretation in the place of an irrational judgement? Suppose someone treats you rudely. You may be tempted to think that that person is horrible and deserves to be punished, or even 'everyone dislikes me.' An alternative interpretation could be 'that person was just in a bad mood,' or 'I wonder what's happening with that person for them to behave so rudely?' We have the choice how to frame our perceptions.

In addition to these 'primary appraisals', it's important to develop 'secondary appraisals' after the fact (when we ask ourselves if there's anything we can do about a life event we've appraised as stressful). If we feel helpless to change things, or incompetent when facing challenges, then we're less likely to come up with a suitable coping response.

3. Self-efficacy

Psychologists have theorised that people have different levels of 'self-efficacy': a confident view that the responses we make to life challenges have a meaningful effect. People with strong self-efficacy face problems with energy and a 'try, try again' spirit. But how does this quality develop, and why do some appear to have a higher level of self-efficacy than others?

Self-efficacy comes from life experiences and from people who serve as significant models. It's built up over the years by responding to challenges with action, flexibility and persistence. Research suggests that we can increase the self-efficacy we bring to bear on our own lives by:
Living a life of goals. We can't develop self-efficacy unless we succeed at things, and we can't succeed if we don't have goals. Set goals for your life, and give yourself credit when you achieve them.
Setting reasonable goals. Aim to set challenging levels, but also realistic enough to actually reach them.
Finding good role models. A model or mentor doesn't have to be someone you actually know, but they should be inspirational figures who demonstrate mastery.
Talking to yourself positively. Instead of belittling yourself for the tiniest faults, build yourself up for the smallest successes.
Remembering that it all takes energy and effort to succeed. Athletes know that you have to want to win and put in hours of training to make the mark; everyday life also needs that push to succeed.

Successful coping responses to problems and threats

Making constructive use of the network of people around you is a coping skill often forgotten by people under pressure. Are there people you can really count on to listen to you when you need to talk? Can you speak with them frankly, without necessarily worrying about what you say? And are there people in your life you can count on, to support you in major decisions?

The number of people you can count on to be there for you is important. It's been shown that people with a good social support system are less depressed and anxious - and more optimistic about their lives - than those with a poor social support system. Other studies have shown that those with a good support system are more successful at overcoming depression, maintaining self-esteem, and overcoming loneliness.

There's also some evidence that people boasting a good support system are likely to suffer fewer health complaints. The mere task of building your own support system is a coping skill, because it requires personal effort. Taking action - instead of passively waiting for things to get better - actually gives us an increased feeling of competence and self-esteem.
Relaxation

Relaxation doesn't just happen - surprisingly, it's a skill you can practice. For further information and an audio relaxation tool, check the relaxation section.
Talking ourselves through challenges

It's only human to talk to yourself, silently or out loud. We can use this ability to coach ourselves through difficult challenges. Although you probably do this to some extent already, there are three techniques which may help you do this more effectively:
Prepare for the challenge - by talking to ourselves confidently before an event, we can increase our feelings of control over situations. Think in terms of how you'll cope - and what you'll gain from the experience, even if it's certain to be stressful. Phrases such as: 'It may not be enjoyable, but I can handle it,' and 'I'm anxious about this, but that's only natural' would be good examples of preparing ahead of time.
Confront the challenge - during the actual event, don't be too hard on yourself - build yourself up by tackling the challenge head-on and talking yourself through things. 'This is tough, but I'll survive,' and 'I'm getting stressed - I need to relax and stick to my original plan' might be ways of dealing with the situation. Remember not to be too hard on yourself; nobody's perfect!
Reflect on what you've learned - it's natural to notice your mistakes. Be sure to take time to think about what actually happened and ask yourself how you can improve, without being too critical of yourself. Visualise yourself as you were coping and getting through the situation - appreciate what you did right, and don't be too harsh while correcting what went wrong. 'I survived - and it wasn't as bad as I thought!' might be an excellent reflection after a very trying task!

Exercise

The benefits of regular activity are well-documented - for both our physical and mental health. Exercise is a useful skill for coping with stress, reducing anxiety, and also seems to enhance our sense of internal control and self-efficacy.

Exercise programmes seem to have a positive effect on people's self-concept and mood, and these benefits come from the knowledge that we're doing good things to take care of ourselves, as well as feeling better physically. However, it's possible to exercise too much and if you're new to exercise, or haven't been active for quite a while, be sure to speak with a qualified fitness coach or your GP before beginning your new fitness regime.

Good luck developing your own coping techniques, as well as searching out alternative ways of approaching daily problems and hassles.

OF / BBC

Honey 'could help fight cancer'

2006-08-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

A team from the University of Zagreb, in Croatia, found a range of honey-bee products stopped tumours growing or spreading in tests on mice.

Writing in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, they say human cancer sufferers may also see benefits.

But they said the products should be considered for use along with, not instead of, chemotherapy treatment.

Tumour growth

The researchers looked at the potential benefits of bee venom and honey.

There is no doubt that honey has beneficial properties and can be very good for you

Dr Emma Croager, Cancer Research UK
They also examined compounds found in propolis, or bee glue, a resin-like substance which is used in the hive to varnish over rubbish in the hive - a bit like brushing the dirt under the carpet.

And they also looked at royal jelly, produced by the hypopharyngeal glands in the head of the worker bee - used as food for young larvae,

Tumours were generated in the mice via the injection of cancer cells, and each bee product was given to different mice before, at the same time, or afterwards.

It was found that giving honey orally appeared to inhibit the development of tumours when it was given before the injection of cancer cells - although if given afterwards, it appeared to fuel the development of secondary cancers.

Injecting the mice with royal jelly at the same time as they were injected with tumour cells significantly reduced the spread of the cancer.

And injecting bee venom into the tumour appeared to lead to it shrinking.

When propolis or caffeic acid, a chemical found in propolis, were injected, researchers saw significantly reduced subcutaneous tumour growth and an increase in the survival time of mice.

The researchers say it is not yet clear how bee products affect cancer cells.

But they suggest they may cause apoptosis (cell suicide) or have direct effects which are toxic to the cells, or which help the immune system fight the development of tumours.

The research team, led by Dr Nada Orsolic, said their study indicated honey-bee products could be a useful tool in the control of tumour growth in research.

They added: "The intake of honey-bee products may be advantageous with respect to cancer and metastasis [secondary cancers] prevention.

"Further animal and clinical research utilising these substances is suggested."

Dr Emma Croager, a science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "There is no doubt that honey has beneficial properties and can be very good for you.

"However, this work is preliminary and careful large-scale studies in people are needed to confirm if eating honey can protect us from cancer."

OF /BBC

Whether win nutritional supplements a cancer?

2006-08-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

Diet changes or nutritional supplements, such as vitamins, antioxidants, retinol or garlic, do not alter the course of disease in patients with cancer or precancerous conditions, according to the findings of one of two studies published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

However, antibiotic treatment to eradicate Helicobacter pylori, a common bacterial infection associated with stomach ulcers and cancer, slows the growth of precancerous stomach tissue, the authors of the second paper report.

Dr. Steven Thomas and associates at the University of Bristol in the UK conducted a review of clinical trials that focused on the effects of nutritional supplements in patients with cancer or precancerous tissue. They excluded studies used to treat complications, as well as studies that used synthetic retinoids, vitamin analogues, herbal supplements, and polysaccharide K.

The final analysis included 25 trials on nutritional studies in people with cancer and 34 trials in people with precancerous conditions. The quality of the trials was generally low, the authors note.

Overall, Thomas and his team found little evidence to support claims that nutritional supplements had any effect, either beneficial or harmful.

Thomas's group cautions that "we should not maintain the notion that nutritional interventions can be promoted because at least they will do no harm."

On the other hand, "encouraging a healthy diet is certainly important." Many cancer patients and those with precancerous conditions will live a long time, and if they have a poor diet, they could eventually die of diet-related diseases. But physicians should not make this a priority for patients undergoing cancer treatments.

They also advise doctors to let patients know about the lack of evidence of any benefit of diet supplements.
In the second paper, Dr. Mitchell Gail from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and investigators in the U.S. and in China report the results of a study to reduce the high prevalence of advanced precancerous stomach conditions in patients in Shandong Province, China.
/Of yahoo.com