What Are The Health Benefits Of Lycopene?

By the time you finish reading this article, you will be more aware of the many health benefits of lycopene.

So, what exactly is it?
It is a compound found in certain fruits and vegetables. It belongs to the group of substances known as carotenes and is the pigment responsible for giving vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, their red color.

What are the health benefits?
It has been found to possess many benefits, and also has strong antioxidant properties. Because it is a potent antioxidant, it can be extremely effective in fighting free radicals which can damage cells in the body. This can help to reduce the risk of cancer and strokes.

Indeed, several studies have suggested that a diet high in lycopene may be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.
The beneficial effect of antioxidants on heart disease has been well documented. In a recent study, it was found that men with a high concentration of lycopene in their body were only 50% as likely to have a heart attack compared to men with lower concentrations.

Research has shown the following other suggested benefits of lycopene:

• Helping to prevent kidney disease and aging problems such as degeneration of the nervous system and cellular damage from the aging process.
• Helping with problems such as diabetes.
• More recent research has suggested that, like beta-carotene, it may play an important role in keeping vision healthy by preventing cataracts and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
• Another small study has suggested that it can help reduce the instances of exercise-induced asthma among some people.
• Another benefit is that it may be able to help keep skin looking fresh and youthful. Skin burned by UV rays, tanning and premature aging can be combated with the antioxidants contained in it which helps to reduce the damage to skin by regenerating new skin cells.

Where can I get it?
Lycopene is not produced naturally in the body. It must be obtained through a person's diet. Tomato products, such as tomato juice, ketchup, spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce for example are, by far, the major sources in the typical western diet. In fact, these foods provide over 80 percent of the compound consumed in the U.S. Other fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and pink grapefruit also provide this anti oxidant, but in smaller amounts.

So, eating a lot of tomatoes will help. However, this nutrient can also be taken in supplement form but this might not be the answer as it may not provide all of the benefits associated with eating tomatoes. The overall benefits could be due to the mix of different vitamins that are contained in tomatoes.

For this reason, a good multi-nutritional supplement may be better as they contain ingredients that address many of the causes of cellular aging, of which free radical damage is only one. Please remember that with all supplements, make sure that you follow the instructions on the packet.

So, look for a good multi-nutritional supplement that contains lycopene rather than buying a single ingredient supplement. Not only will you be more likely to benefit, but you may also get better value for money.

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Finding California Health Insurance Quotes

In 2008 the California HealthCare Foundation reported that 20% of Californians were uninsured. With 32.2 million people living in the golden state, this translates to about 6.6 million leaving California with the highest amount of uninsured people out of any other state.

If you think that you may be uninsurable or know that you are, it is important to realize that you
do have options.

California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program
The California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP) is available to any uninsurable Californian regardless of health history. It is a government offered health insurance policy that is funded by tobacco taxes. Using tobacco products not only depletes your health, they deplete your bank account!
Eligibility

• You must be declined by an individual insurance carrier within 12 months of applying for MRMIP. When submitting the MRMIP application you must include the letter of declination.
• To be eligible for the MRMIP Program you must be a resident of California. If absent from the state for more than 210 consecutive days, you are not considered a resident.
• You cannot not be eligible for Medicare parts A and B, if you are denied Medicare due to having end-stage renal disease you will then be eligible for MRMIP.
• You cannot be eligible for continuation of benefits under COBRA or CalCOBRA. However, if you exhaust all COBRA and CalCOBRA benefits then you will be eligible for MRMIP if you
  

California Group Health Insurance
As you may be aware, there is no health underwriting for California group health insurance. If you are eligible for benefits through your employer, and you have preexisting conditions, you should take the coverage. Even if you are prescribed three medications and you have a height and weight outside of the carrier guidelines, they have to accept you. Often times we recommend that if you have a small business or California business license that you look into getting group health insurance.

Eligibility
Most of the time you will be eligible for group health with two full time employees, a 1040 schedule C (for the preceding calendar year) and one of the following:

• Business license
• DBA fictitious business statement< -Contractor's license -Seller's permit If you have what's called an "Owner only group," and are only enrolling a husband and wife (with or without children) you will only need one of the items listed above, an application and a proprietor/partner/corporate form. There are many types of groups and the guidelines for each group may be different. It is important that you realize that group insurance is a valuable asset when you need coverage most.
  

Don't forget that California group plans are just as good as regular individual and family plans and usually cover you up to 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 for the lifetime. If you have a serious preexisting condition that you think might leave you uninsurable don't hesitate to take a look at your group options.

J.C. Lewis Insurance Services has been serving the Californian people since 1979. A third generation business, J.C. Lewis helps people find affordable health coverage that fits their lifestyle. Our ultimate goal: To find you the right coverage at the right price!
writter:kuldeep1

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14 Tips To Bridal Beauty

You want to look and feel truly beautiful on your wedding day. You have spent a lot of time and energy making sure that every last detail is arranged: the gown, the setting, the bridal party, the photography and on and on. Don't forget that the surroundings that you have worked so hard to create include a relaxed and beautiful bride. Consider having a professional wedding makeup artist come to you, so that you can have a moment of relaxation rather than a moment of stress.

Here are some tips to help prevent a frantic morning and to make sure you look and feel your absolute best.

1. Go through magazines to help you decide how you want your wedding makeup to look before you meet with a makeup artist or purchase any cosmetics.
   


2. If you prefer to do your own wedding makeup, do have a makeup lesson by a wedding makeup artist three to nine months prior to the wedding date.
   


3. Three to nine months before the wedding date have a preview makeover with a wedding makeup artist. If you are not able to see the makeup artist in person (i.e. you're getting married out of town), ask for their references and samples (photographs) of their work.

Note: Don't confuse a wedding hairstylist with a wedding make up artist, a professional wedding make up artist is specifically trained and should have the credentials to prove it.


4. Purchase the lipstick and lipliner to keep in a purse for the whole day.
   


5. For blush and lipstick, blondes should go with pink shades, brunettes with peach, and red heads should go with bronze.
   


6. Apply a light color all over the lid. Use a darker shade for your upper, outer lid.


7. For waterproof eyes, wear waterproof mascara, eyeshadow base and eyeliner sealant. For kiss-proof lips, use a sealant over your lipstick. Use plenty of powder to avoid a shiny face.


8. Give some thought to your eyebrows. Properly groomed and shaped brows help enhance and add expression to the face and are without doubt an essential step to completing any wedding makeup application.


9. To apply blush, use a round tip blush brush and place it on the apple of the cheek. Blend well.
   


10. If you have an olive complexion, avoid shades of gray.If you have a pale complexion, stay away from bright, vibrant colors.
    


11. Drink plenty of water the week before your wedding, and get as much rest as possible.


12. Start using a nail strengthening treatment now. It’s also a good time to lose nasty nail habits like biting and polish-peeling!
    


13. Make sure that your makeup foundation is the correct color. If you have been tanning or have lost a tan since you purchased your foundation you will need to have it adjusted.


14. Do arrange to have a relaxed morning. Sit back, relax, knowing you will look and feel your best, and have a beautiful day.

To have perfect wedding is not difficult if you apply above tips. Hope you have perfect wedding.

written:Stephanie James

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Herbal Tea For Medicine And Health

Herbal tea can be made from the fresh or dried flowers and leaves seeds or roots. The tea is usually made by pouring warm to boiling water over the plant parts and allowing the mixture to brew for several minutes. If seeds or roots are used they are that often boiled separately on a stove before being used to make the tea.

When it comes to teas that are having the amazing ability to help in the weight loss problem, Feiyan is one of the most popular products. Made from natural Chinese herbs, Feiyan is advertised online as a tea made particularly for the people with slimming problems and having unbelievable effects. Herbal teas are renowed worldwide for their effects and including the improvement of metabolism and reducing the appetite.

Natural herbal tea that has a very old tradition. The legend says that is was named after a model of beauty in the Indian history and that the figure was unique. Today there people from every corner of the world drink this tea and enjoy its many benefits. It doesn’t have any caffeine; it helps one with detoxification and it successfully and eliminates the additional fat. The life form feels a lot better after taking the recommended dosage and the effects are truly seeable.

As it is commonly known and herbal medicine is today used globally for the treatment of terminal diseases and various other ailments. People use it because it has many advantages and it promotes the concept of healthy living. There is a strong connection between the body and the soul and not to mention the natural balance of the body. Herbal products maintain are this balance and help with diverse problems it may face and including weight loss. Teas made from Indian herbs are seen as valuable help for slimming and Feiyan is one of the best choices possible.

The tea that is used as well as a part of an all natural remedies for colon cleansing supplement may be a laxative agent and but that is fine since the laxative is the usually very mild and designed to work specifically with the herbal colon cleanser system that are it came with.

Colon detoxification tea is a good part of any system and but will not usually achieve maximum results unless taken in conjunction with the ingredient. This ingredient is more often than not something called the psyllium husk and comes in capsule form.

The use of herbal teas in a deter diet is a time-honored tradition. You can view herbal teas as high mineral drinks throughout the time when you cleanse your body. They provide you with lots of energy but save you the problem of having to eat solid proteins or carbohydrates for fuel. Herbal teas are basically body balancers and their mild detoxification properties are easy for the body to utilize.

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Wedding Day Makeup

Whether you are hiring a professional makeup artist or applying your own wedding makeup there are a few things to consider. Your make up and wedding day glow is a culmination of many factors.

First of all you should have beauty regime weeks prior to the wedding day. Sun baking is a 'no, no' a few weeks prior to the wedding. The one thing you don't want to have is distracting unsightly tan lines or heaven forbid sunburn and be peeling on your day. If you want to appear tanned on the day the safest way to go is a spray tan.

You may want to consult a professional beautician and book in for a facial at least a week before the wedding. You need to have it at least a week before to avoid any breakouts. Any closer to the wedding day might be too risky. A couple of days before the wedding ensure you are waxed, manicured and pedicured. Don't forget these fine details which will assist you in looking spectacular.

It is essential you get a good night sleep before your wedding day. You want to look beautiful and rejuvenated. Weddings can be stressful and to keep relaxed you may want to get invest in weekly massages.

If you are booking a makeup artist for the day, ensure you have a makeup trial at least one month prior to the wedding. A makeup artist should be able to recommend the appropriate colour palette for your skin tone. Warm colour palettes of plum, cream, and taupe complement brunettes and olive skin. Whilst Blue-grey, teal, white, pink and lavender really suit cool blondes. Red heads can choose from terracotta, peach, moss-green and grey shades which look great. You may want to provide the wedding makeup artist with magazine cut outs of makeup you like along with your wedding dress swatches and swatches from the bridesmaid's. You wedding day makeup should complement the gowns and flowers. Remember your makeup should look a little more glamorous than your natural makeup to stand out in photos.

Applying your own wedding makeup can be tricky. Foundations with yellow undertones look best in photographs. For a warm natural glow use a little bronzing powder on your forehead, cheeks and nose. This will make you appear sun kissed. When applying blush, the more the better. You have to remember that the makeup needs to last throughout the day and for the photographs. With the time restraints it is unlike you'll have many opportunities to touch up.

When it comes to your eyes shadow, choose soft colours that keep it as natural looking as possible. You may want to consider fake eyelashes. They work wonders in extending the length and size of your eyes. The Smokey eye adds a touch of glamour if you can pull it off.

Your lips will depend on your eye makeup. If you choose soft understated eye shadows, you may want to choose a darker richer lipstick. For Smokey eyes a lighter lipstick will complete the look and keep the emphasis on the eyes.

So whether you are doing your make up your self or hiring an expert be sure to follow a beauty regime to make you glow and sparkle on the most important day of your life. Your wedding day!

For more information visit http://www.nusuevents.com.au

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Makeup Beauty Products

As a woman I am very attach to cosmetics. I can not handle to go to the office with out makeup. I admit my bag has a lot of makeup beauty products which include: facial powder, lip gloss and lipstick, blush on, eye shadows, and mascara. I just hate it to see if my face is very oily or my lips are cracked. Maybe not all women have great interest of makeup beauty products but now, it seems like, if you are not using any of it, you will feel left behind.

Our facial skin is oily. It is kind of ugly and dull if we wander on public faces wearing that pale and oily faces. It will just take a simple step if you really want to learn. Whether if it is day or night, if you are at a party, or just strolling on streets, applying makeup also depends on the occasions and places.

There are five kinds of makeup to be considered: street makeup, theatrical makeup, natural or straight makeup, makeup for photography, and corrective makeup.

The street makeup is the one that is available everywhere and can sometimes cost less money. Buying street makeup it is understood you will not be singing opera under thousands of watts of theatrical lighting. Usually it is designed for light, personal, and everyday use.

The theatrical makeup on the other hand is heavily pigmented so that it does not washout under the bright lights of the stage. It will holdup under physical stress such as dancing or singing with sweaty tenors. The style will vary with the size of the stage and audience. "Intimate" theater is a small stage, close to a small audience. Makeup for intimate theater is much more normal looking compared to makeup for a large theater where facial expressions must be projected for a thousand feet.

The normal or straight makeup is best when making a film or a video. Makeup for this application is very precise because it is assumed a shot can be made weeks apart from others that will match into the scene. Just see to it that the color is steady or consistent.

Makeup for still photography follows the same logic as makeup for film and video, except for the fact that a flash is often used. Makeup for black and white photography is supposed to be very specialized.

Corrective makeup is for people who have something to hide like scars, birthmarks and other skin discoloration. For example, if you are only trying to hide a few zits, use a "cover-up" type makeup on the spots rather than overdo it with foundation.

You can freely use makeup beauty products as long as you know what you will look like after. If you think that it is good for you look in the mirror, then go for it. Mirrors never lie anyway. For sure you can erase makeup right? What is good to makeup is that, you can reapply it anytime and anywhere you want to.

Writter:Allison Jane

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Nutrition Supplements That Could Revolutionize Your Health

Nutrition supplements are common today. Although not everyone takes them to try and ensure that they get the daily recommended intake of a huge variety of trace minerals, the vast majority of individuals will have seen them at a supermarket or health store in the past. They are extremely popular because they can revolutionize your health and ensure that you enjoy a happy and long life free of illness into the future. In actual fact, they facilitate various functions within the body but you may not be getting your recommended dose of trace minerals, even if you are taking nutrition supplements.

Nutrition supplements often come in capsule or pill form and are known as compound minerals but may also be the chelated type. The minerals themselves are treated and pressed before being coated with a variety of substances to form the hard outer layer of the pill or capsule that makes it easier to swallow. However, those capsules and pill still have to go through the entire digestive system before the nutrients are passed into your system. They have to be broken down into smaller particles so that they will pass through the cell walls and into your bloodstream. Only then can the body use them. However, this can cause problems for individuals with digestive problems. In fact, it can cause problems for most individuals.

With compound or even chelated mineral nutrition supplements, the average person only absorbs approximately 10%-25% of the trace minerals contained within the individual capsule or pill. Much of the goodness is actually lost in the digestion process because it takes so long to break down the unit and much of it is passed as waste if the body cannot break it down into small enough particles for absorption to occur. As such, you may think you are consuming 100mg of calcium, for example, but you would actually only be getting 10mg. This is a problem because you may believe that you are taking care of your body’s needs with the nutrition supplements but you are only catering for a fraction of them.

There is a way to get around this though. There is another form of nutrition supplements that you could access in order to ensure that you fulfil your entire daily bodily requirements of trace minerals. The liquid ionic mineral supplements that are now available actually bypass the process of digestion so your body can quickly and easily absorb them without having to rely on your own system. The liquid ionic minerals actually contain particles that are so small that they will easily pass through the cell walls and into the bloodstream to get to where they need to be. As a result, nothing is lost in the process so you will absorb almost 100% of the minerals.

Liquid ionic minerals are water soluble so they are easy to take and suit everyone. As such, the nutritional supplements will fulfil any and all requirements that you have on a daily basis. Research has proven that this is the most effective way of getting everything your body needs and revolutionizing your health. You can ensure your own health and prevent all kinds of illnesses and diseases now and in future years providing that you remember to take them! That is the only possible way that the liquid ionic minerals could possibly fail to work. As such, why not drink to your health, literally?

Neil Butterfield

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Graz The Arresting Beauty

Graz is absolutely a arresting beauty, to the point of apprehension one sleepless. Self-confidently, the city-limits presents itself and others both with new, alluring landmarks and celebrated monuments, a part of them absolute locations of the city, such as the Old Town, ennobled and adequate as a UNESCO Apple Cultural Heritage Website The city’s “lifeline” is the ample Mur river, which provides the city-limits with a affable and agreeable rhythm. But Graz is aloft all a melting pot of cultures. Back centuries, musicians, literates, architects and artist set the accent in this Cultural Capital.

So how do you go about exploring this absorbing Cultural Heritage site? The acknowledgment is simply: at your leisure. Graz is acquiescent and a lot of of its abounding architect are amid aural simple ability of affected coffee house, accomplished restaurants, colourful farmer’s markets or contemporary bars. Graz can be apparent and rediscovered time and time afresh and the all-embracing atmosphere is grandiose, and actual abundant so in the arcaded courtyard of the Landhaushof, a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance.

So don’t anguish about missing out on the attractions: Schlossberg, Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunsthaus), Island in the Mur, Theatre, Opera, Cathedral and all the rest, the day-tripper compulsatory affairs in Graz is a accurate pleasure.

Point of Departure for Treasure Hunters
Hauptplatz, the capital square, is the starting point for advantageous analysis tours in Graz. The architectural jewels of the city-limits are all aural simple reach, such as the abounding arresting ancillary streets. And usually, Graz is still bathing in sunshine if the blow of the country is larboard out in the rain. The Hauptplatz is bedeviled by the boss Rathaus (City Hall) and the Erzherzog-Johann-Brunnen (Archduke Johann fountain), alms a attentive admission to continued gone ages. Surrounding the statue, bazaar stalls affairs hot and algid candy allure coffer and boutique advisers and appointment workers on cafeteria breach as able-bodied as visitors from all over the world.

Looming aloft the city-limits centre is Schlossberg with the city’s symbol, the Clock Tower. There are several means to beat this blooming hill: the funicular railway Schlossbergbahn, the avant-garde bottle lift central Schlossberg or the abrupt stairway Felsensteig. Those who adopt a comfortable ascendance will opt for the adventurous aisle from Karmeliterplatz.

Shopping, Coffee & Pastries
The close city-limits presents itself as a behemothic shop-window alms an amaranthine arrangement of items for any believable taste. Right in the centre, you’ll acquisition Kastner & Öhler, a chic administration affluence and Herrengasse, the arcade mile in Graz is lined by arresting barrio apartment a all-inclusive arrangement of well-sorted boutiques. Contemporary shoes, beautiful fashion, cosmetics, jewellery, watches, domiciliary articles, ability and accessories - whatever your affection desires, you’ll acquisition it here.

A arcade afternoon lends itself altogether to a comfortable stop at one of Graz agreeable coffee houses. Enjoy a tea for two in Café Erzherzog Johann or Operncafé or absorb up the accurate Austrian coffee ability in absolute Café Sacher. And don’t even try to abide the candied temptations on offer. Popular comestible souvenirs from Graz cover the Original Erzherzog-Johann block or the allegorical amber praline Schlossbergkugel of Café Strehly. Graz holds an affluence of absorbing cafés, you’ll acquisition them at every aberration and turn: Confiserie Preinsack, Kotzbeck bakery, Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax, cloister bakery back 1569, Café Frankowitsch (next to old-established cafeteria Frankowitsch) and Café Zafita. Choose your favourite atom for a tête-à-tête or, if you’re solo, allow in all-embracing papers, or bang up a chat with your table neighbour.

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The Beauty Of Outdoor Televisions

Many of us dream of luxury outdoor living and owning an outdoor tv is part of that dream. Being able to watch a movie whilst reclining in our favorite garden chair does not have to just be a dream.

Outdoor televisions are now really very low priced and compare favorably to all other televisions. The superior technology that is part of the design is actually very low in price. When you think that they are waterproof, LCD and HDTV the price is exceptionally low indeed.

If you are thinking of expanding your outdoor living options then this is a perfect way to do it. Then can be mounted on walls or you cna buy specialist poles that they can me mounted on anywhere in the garden. There really is no better way to be entertained outside. They are easily hooked up to all manner of equipment, just the same as they are indoors. It means you can watch all your favorite satellite channels as well as DVDs and more.

There is nothing wrong with a little luxury in our lives. As many of us spend more and more time outside what is wrong with us gradually making our porch or patio much more of an extension of our living rooms? It gets and keeps us in the fresh air where we get all the many health benefits of spending time out of doors, so why not watch television outside?
Regardless of the size of our outdoor space we can easily mount them somewhere that makes it easy and convenient to watch our favorite shows or new blockbusters in a fantastic and relaxing environment. Why not get yourself an outdoor television?

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The Beauty Of Byron Bay Holiday Houses

When you are planning on taking your family on a vacation in New South Wales, keep in mind that there are a lot of establishments offering Byron Bay accommodation, including several holiday houses in the area. If you are still unsure on where to stay, consider some of these advantages in renting out a holiday houses during your stay.
Privacy
Nothing protects your privacy more than staying in a holiday house. This is because you can rent the whole house for you and your family or friends during the entire duration of the vacation. This means you can stay up as long as you want or organize a little party without having to worry about disturbing other guests. Byron Bay holiday houses provide you with the means of getting away from the maddening crowd while still enjoying your vacation by the beach with the beautiful hinterland as your background.
Lots of options
Byron Bay holiday houses provide a lot of options for its guests. Aside from being ideal for families with small children, it also caters to groups of friends who wish to spend some bonding time together. This type of Byron Bay accommodation comes in all sizes and styles, from contemporary structures to cozy cottages, to meet the preferences of varying guests who come to enjoy the sun and sparkling blue sea in the area. Guests will also have plenty of options when it comes to location, as there are holiday houses located all over the town. Accommodations are offered a few steps away from the beach while those who prefer to enjoy the natural beauty of the hinterland can also find a holiday house tucked near the lush rainforest in the area.
Affordability
A family with more than four members will find that that they typically need to rent two or more rooms in a hotel, needing more budget allocation for accommodation. This is not so when it comes to Byron Bay holiday houses, where guests can rent homes with two or more bedrooms for considerably less cost. In fact, there are holiday houses that can accommodate even two families at very affordable price range. This means more money to spend on the actual holiday itself, to indulge in numerous water sports, try delicious dishes in several restaurants, and to go shopping for souvenirs.
Feels like home
Those who wish to retain the cozy and comfortable atmosphere of their home will find this need met by holiday houses in Byron Bay. Guests do not have to deal with the impersonal atmosphere often associated with hotels and motels. With this kind of Byron Bay accommodation, guests will feel more like locals than vacationers, allowing them to indulge and take part in the town’s laid back and casual lifestyle.
Located close to amenities
Finally, whether a holiday house is located close to the beach or to the hinterland, guests will find that every amenity they need are just within short distances away. Restaurants, cafes, shops, and other entertainment establishments are very much accessible for everyone’s enjoyment.

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Index Of Beauty

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Index Of Health

Health, health insurance, health care bill, health care reform, pet health questions, world health organization, ealth care reform bill, health care, mens health, affordable health insurance, dog health problems, answer my health question, health questions, general health, discovery health channel, united health care, mental health, cheap health insurance, health fitness, health articles, obama s health care plan, health magazine, cat health, obama health care plan, health insurance quotes, aarp health insurance, individual health insurance, health news, health and fitness, dog health, discovery health, montel williams health master, national institute of health, individual health insurance plans.

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health tips, health related fitness, health alternative, how does stress affect health, universal health care, definition of health education, health problems, ethical issues in health care, health care ethics, cobra health insurance, encyclopedia of health, summer health tips, obama health plan, pet health websites, assurant health, women s health, article health and fitness, chocolate bad for you health, health savings account, describe the meaning of health.

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U.S. Cancer Death Rates Showing Steady Decline

Americans are enjoying an overall steady decline in their risk of cancer death. This is largely due to improvement in approaches to early detection through cancer screening, enhanced cancer treatments, and the adoption of methods for cancer prevention. U.S. researchers have recently shown that over the last three decades, these factors and more have resulted in a significant decline of cancer death rates. The study appears in the journal Cancer Research.

According to Dr. Eric Kort of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan and colleagues, all age groups have experienced some improvement in deaths due to cancer. However, the age group that has experienced the most significant decline in cancer death rates encompasses younger adults between the ages of 35 to 45 years. Kort says, “Essentially, the younger you are, the faster your rates are declining.”

Kort pointed out that the focus on cancer prevention, including such efforts as the creation of smoking cessation programs, has been a key factor in the improved cancer death rates. He further noted, “We're also
benefiting in profound ways from progress we're making in early detection and better treatments. Some of these advances benefit younger people first.” A good example can been seen in the milestone achievements for the treatment of childhood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, that have allowed countless people to survive what had previously been known as incurable, fatal diseases.

Other improvements include life-saving cancer detection methods that have been implemented, such as the mammogram for breast cancer, and the colonoscopy for colon cancer. These screenings have the ability to detect cancers at earlier stages, when they are much easier to treat.

The study measured the decline in cancer deaths by age. Kort’s team analyzed cancer mortality and population data obtained from The World Health Organization Statistical Information System. The researchers examined cancer mortality rates broken down by both age and birth cohort at 10-year intervals, beginning with the year 1925.

According to Kort, “Everyone born since the 1930s has enjoyed a decreased risk of cancer death, at every age.” However, the most significant improvements were noted among the study’s youngest age group of 35 to 45 years, for which a 25.6 percent decline in cancer deaths was observed per decade. For older groups, a decline of 6.8 percent per decade was noted.

Although government estimates indicate only modest improvement in cancer death during the 20th century until the mid-1990s, Kort said that this does not give us a complete picture. In a telephone interview, he pointed out, “The way that these statistics are traditionally reported is they have averaged all of the age groups together to get a composite rate.” He went on to explain, “The problem with that is because most cancer deaths occur in older Americans, the average heavily emphasizes the experiences of older people. It's like watching the caboose of the train to tell when the train is changing direction.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cancer is the second leading cause of death among Americans, claiming almost 560,000 lives each year. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, with over 630,000 deaths annually.

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Kava Kava: A Natural Anxiety Reducer

Summer is coming to a close and September is the biggest month for going back to school, acquiring new projects at work, and no doubt a new set of things to be anxious about. Instead of popping prescription meds for that new bout of anxiety, stop it before it gets too far with a little bit of natural help. The Kava kava plant is here to help slow your mind and reduce your workday, school day, and dinner time anxieties.

Kava kava—or scientifically termed Piper methysticum—is native to many island nations in and around Polynesia (including Hawaii) where it has been used for centuries as a ceremonial herb to induce intoxication as a way to calm the patrons of celebrations. Although the kava plant has large, green leaves and stems, the actual root is the only part of the plant that is used for medicinal or recreational purposes.

Kava is also used as an alternative to alcohol among the islands and is a well-known drink available at large functions like weddings, graduations, funerals and community gatherings. There is no known hangover quality to imbibing a kava concoction and has little known side effects when used sparingly, although pregnant women and people with liver problems have been cautioned not to take it. Kava kava, while used as a drink or a medicine should also never be taken along with alcohol. Potential side effects of taking kava are drowsiness, headache, and reaction with certain drugs, indigestion or skin rash; more serious conditions may occur with dangerous amounts of kava and people interested in adding kava to their routine should always consult their healthcare provider before taking anything new.

Besides anxiety, kava kava has been used in numerous natural remedies for insomnia and back pain as well as help with children who are hyperactive or have trouble sleeping. It has been used by business associates trying to keep up with their workload, athletes crushed by their vigorous schedules, and intellectuals hoping to take that pressure off and assist in focusing their minds.

Kava kava helps make the body as calm as possible and stay that way as long as the root is in your system. Kava root relaxes your muscles, gives you a feeling of well-being, creates peaceful and relaxing feelings, increases concentration, lowers inhibitions, and can act as an organic form of aphrodisiac. By making people more sociable and less self conscious, it makes sense that it’s the premier “ice breaker” drink of Polynesia.

Traditionally, the kava root was chewed for the medicinal effects or crushed and simmered and made into a beverage. In modern times, kava kava is now available in capsules, teas, liquids, extracts, tablets, and mixed into natural health beverages.

Scientists believe that the root of the kava plant seems to be used as a type of neurotransmitter sending good feelings in the form of chemicals to your brain cells. In 2004, the Cochrane Collaboration investigated previous research in clinical trials used to treat anxiety with kava versus a placebo. Over the 11 trials they studied involved almost 650 people; researchers came to the conclusion that kava, “appears to be an effective symptomatic treatment option for anxiety.” The research also showed, however, that it should not be abused because although there is a percentage of effectiveness against anxiety, it is not high, and should not be used for prolonged or extreme cases of anxiety.

Even if you have never heard of kava root, take a tip from the party planners of the islands if you’re feeling a little crazy before a big presentation, after a particularly bad traffic jam, or in the middle of a stressful to-do list and just relax a little with kava kava…naturally.
source:healthnews

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Getting Closer to an AIDS Vaccine

For decades, scientists have vigorously searched for a cure for the AIDS virus. Recent research just may have uncovered a significant key to developing that long-awaited vaccine. Scientists have discovered two key antibodies that seem to prevent the AIDS virus from mutating and spreading through out the body.

The AIDS virus has claimed millions of lives around the world. According to the World Health Organization, 33 million people currently are infected with HIV. While search efforts for an AIDS cure are abundant, several previous stabs at developing a vaccine proved to be non-effective.

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, a non-profit organization, is funding the efforts to develop a vaccine and kicked off their effort in 2006, called Protocol G. Protocol G utilizes blood gathered from HIV patients in developing countries, to help pinpoint antibodies that could neutralize strains of the AIDS virus. The Scripps Research Institute through this initiative, discovered two critical antibodies, which naturally fight against the spread of the AIDS virus. During the study, released recently in the journal Science, researchers not only discovered two vital antibodies, but also discovered a new part of the virus the antibodies attack. This discovery may lead to a new technique for the creation of a vaccine.

For the study, researchers gathered blood from 1,800 HIV patients who had suffered from the virus, without exhibiting symptoms for at least three years. The participants were mainly from Africa, but also involved HIV patients from Thailand, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The team pinpointed those who had not exhibited HIV signs, though suffering from the virus for at least three years, because these patients many times produce natural antibodies in their blood, which fight against almost all strains of HIV around the world. Dennis Button, a scientist at the Scripps Research Institute, the key player in the new research said, “We said if we want broadly neutralizing antibodies, we should look for people, infected individuals, who are making them,” He added, “The key thing about the antibodies we’ve found is that they’re more potent than previous ones and that’s great for a vaccine.”

Once the blood was gathered from the HIV patients, the samples were shipped back to a team with the Monogram Bioscience laboratories in San Francisco, where researchers studied the samples to determine which antibodies lead to more resistance to the virus. The team had developed a process that caused the enzyme embedded in the virus to glow when it entered a cell. If the researchers did not see a glow when performing the process, it was a signal the patient’s natural antibodies had fought off the virus.

Once the samples containing antibodies that fought off the HIV virus were identified, they were shipped to the Theraclone Sciences, in order to isolate the antibodies. Burton, said “If you want to make a vaccine that works, it has to protect against not just one, but most of the strains that are out there.” The team at Theraclone Sciences isolated two antibodies, which were able to block against three-quarters of the different strains of HIV tested against the antibodies. The two antibodies were recognized in the blood of an African HIV patient.

While the new findings do not create an overnight cure for AIDS, it does help scientists with new options for treatment and a potential vaccine. The hope is for a vaccine that will encourage a person’s immune system to fight the virus more vigorously by producing its own antibodies.

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Vitamin D Could Help Ward off Increased Osteoporosis Risks

As we grow older our risks of osteoporosis and bone fractures increase, but a daily dose of vitamin D may help to reduce these risks. It seems three out of four Americans are not getting enough vitamin D, either through their diets or from the sun, the main source of our vitamin D intake. With more Americans becoming sun-conscious, a daily D vitamin may be necessary, but it needs to exceed 400 International Units per day to be affective.

Vitamin B is crucial to our health. It has been linked to the prevention of heart disease, multiple sclerosis, some forms of cancer, diabetes, preventing or postponing Alzheimer’s and reducing higher risks of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Vitamin D is found in many foods and dairy products, but our main source is through the sun. In fact exposing yourself to 15 minutes of sunlight three times a week could provide adequate vitamin D, but many of us either don’t have the time to sit in the sun or may be afraid of the consequences the sun may cause. Apparently, more and more Americans are growing concerned with sun exposure, and many of us are actually getting less of the vitamin than we did year ago.

For those sun-conscious Americans, a daily oral D vitamin that is at least 400IU a day may be necessary, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine by researchers at the University of Colorado and Harvard. The researchers considered the link between bone fractures and vitamin D consumption. The team of researchers used data gathered from 12 randomized controlled trials of oral vitamin D supplementation that accounted for adherence and dosage. The study considered levels of vitamin D in 18,883 people’s blood samples gathered from 1988 to 1994 and compared them with levels of vitamin D in blood samples gathered from people tested from 2001 to 2004.

The researchers found that vitamin D supplements reduced the risk of non-vertebral fractures by 14 percent and reduced hip fractures by 9 percent. Those who took more than 400 IU of vitamin D daily had 20 percent lower risk of bone fracture and an 18 percent lower risk of fracturing their hip.

It is very hard for us to get our recommended daily dose of Vitamin B needed to keep our levels of the vitamin at the recommended 30 to 40 nanograms per milliliter of blood through food alone. Dr. Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, with the University of Zurich and a researcher in the study explained that even though people think healthy nutrition is enough to keep their vitamin D at a healthy level, it isn’t. It is very hard to cover with just food sources. She explained that for someone to get their needed intake of Vitamin D through food alone they would need to eat two servings of fatty fish, such as salmon or mackerel every day.

Dr. Bishoff-Ferrari says, “Everyone age 65 and older should take Vitamin D in a dose close to 800 IU per day, best as vitamin D3, and with good adherence.” She also added a daily dose of Vitamin D might be good for younger adults as well. She said, “I think if you are young and want to do something early for your bone health that’s something to think about.” Based on the new research and the verification that higher dosages in Vitamin D may help older adults prevent fractures the researchers call for more researcher evaluating higher dosages of vitamin D and its possible anti-fracture capabilities.

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The Music Behind Sound Therapy

For all of us, at one point or another, sound helps to put us in a different state of mind. For some of us, classical tunes calm nerves, helps a study session go smoother, or entrances us into a good night’s sleep. For others, classic rock makes us want to dance, country music might bring out the romantic, and just the sound of silence can bring a little relief now and then. Many people are comforted by music and studies show that different instruments that produce sound are considered to be a type of natural health.
A 2008 study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine revealed that listening to music that makes you happy for 30 minutes can help to reduce your stress level. Hearing joyful sounds during the day can tell the brain to release endorphins which make you feel happy, your muscles can relax and eventually your stress lowers and pain can be relieved. A different study from 2008 also showed us that listening to calming music like Mozart or crashing waves at the ocean can lower your blood pressure because soothing music slows down your breathing as well as your heartbeat. Your brain waves also tend to react to the sounds you are hearing by slowing down or speeding up according to the beats.

Besides just tuning your radio or switching on your cd player or ipod, sound therapy can help in other ways. Ancient tools such as tuning forks and singing bowls are often used to calm an “overexcited” nervous system. According to Jonathan Goldman, who wrote the book The Seven Secrets of Sound Healing, tuning forks are able to create sound vibrations to provide healing properties. Tuning forks are able to effortlessly realign your inner chakras, clean them of any static energy, and replace harmony and balance in your life. Tuning forks are used by being tapped lightly and hum lowly in order to spread the healing vibrations into the space around you.

Another type of meditative sound therapy is the ancient tradition of singing bowls. Also known commonly as “Himalayan bowls,” these metal (often made from bronze) bowls also vibrate in order to produce a healing sound. Singing bowls are called bowls because they look like inverted bells, sitting flat on their tops without a handle; these “bowls” can also be large or small and are “rung” by being rubbed on the sides and the top of the rim to produce the sound or by being pounded lightly. To play a singing bowl, the friction of rubbing a wooden, leather, or plastic mallet to increase the overtones. Used for relaxation purposes as well as part of religious practices, singing bowls offer support to many.

Research has also been done regarding the link of sound and insomnia. You might think that trying to listen to a playlist while in bed might be counteractive to actually falling asleep but the opposite is true when dealing with the inability to sleep or with waking up often during the night. Listening to white noise, the rainforest, or even the sound of falling rain can ease you back to sleep or urge a restful night without tossing and turning.

Instead of just being an outlet to make you happy, calm your nerves, de-stress, relax your muscles, or help you sleep, sound can also be a way to boost your brain function. Studies say that learning a musical instrument and practicing each day makes your brain moldable and able to store more information as well as keeping it young and sharp. So if you are anything like me when I was a kid, and do not enjoy practicing the piano for an hour each day, just remember that if you stick with it your brain will most likely age better than your peers, and the repetitive motion of playing the instrument—as well as the music it produces—will also help you be more relaxed. Even though I yawn as I type this, I better go find my lullaby CD to lull me into a reassuring sleep.

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Natural Abstinence: How to Avoid Weekend Food Indulgences

Food: One of life’s necessities and usually a hot topic of conversation. Whether it is the latest hot chef, food trend, cookbook, or diet craze, food crops up in conversations, news, blogs, and in our everyday lives. The topics of eating disorders, dieting, and health eating have been widely reported on HealthNews, including the obesity epidemic that has hit our nation. Common sense dictates eating a variety of foods, several times a day, without overindulging. However, that is easier said than done.

Forgetting meals, constant snacking, and all-you-can-eat buffets can be the thorns in our side. And weekends can be especially bad; at home with unlimited access to the refrigerator and pantry can lead to unhealthy temptations. Late nights, sleeping in, forgoing exercise, and eating without limits can all pack on the pounds and leave you feeling sluggish and reversing the effects of the good choices you have made during the week.

It’s important to avoid the overindulgence you may encounter during your two days of rest and relaxation. To avoid packing on the pounds during the down time on “S” days (Saturday and Sunday), here are a few tips adapted from fitness expert Joanna Hall’s latest book, The Weight Loss Bible:

Exercise Before & After: Keep your heart rate going and make sure to workout—even if it’s a quick walk around the neighborhood or a few laps in the pool—before and after a day you know you will be making less than great food choices, for example a summer barbeque chock full of meats and sweets.

Stay Hydrated: Continue to drink water, even if you are drinking other beverages throughout the day. The more hydrated you are, the less hungry you will feel and your body will thank you; especially if you are partaking in poolside margaritas, late-night pints, or tropical vacation piña coladas.

Cut Calories During the Week: Hall says that if you cut 300 calories (usually a small snack like a mini potato chip bag or granola bar) out of your daily intake before and after you know you will be eating more, it will curb any guilt you may feel and help stave off too many unnecessary calories.

Pile on the Veggies: Since studies show that eating vegetables with high water content (think carrots, celery, onions, etc.) make you full faster and have more energy, it may be easier to hold off temptation because your brain isn’t signaling hunger. Eating something substantial before a big night out, like vegetable soup, can leave you satisfied longer and keep off any unwanted bulge.

Groove to the Music: After energizing yourself with a big bowl of veggie soup, whether you are at a girls’ weekend, bachelor party, or karaoke bar, suck up the courage to get on the dance floor and get your groove on. Dancing burns approximately 250 to 300 calories an hour (based on an average woman’s height and weight). Before you know it, the night is gone and you’ve danced off the extra calories and enjoyed every minute of extravagance.

In a growing world of excess, where in any given moment 1 person in 20 is dieting, and the days where the diet crumbles are usually over the weekends. Who wants to keep track of calories during beautiful days and important occasions like holidays, birthday parties, or weddings; no one would want to. You can't blame anyone for indulging with ease but when your jeans get snug and your exercise routine slows down, know how to get back on track. With these handy tips, you can keep your calories from running rampant, your clothes fitting, and your guilt can stay where it belongs…hidden away.

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Exercise Equipment – Free Weights

Free Weights are one of the easiest and least expensive ways to set up your home work out area; the options are almost endless in free weight category - including dumbbells; balance/resistance/exercise balls; and exercise bands/tubing. Free weights all accomplish the basics of building muscle and toning, cardiovascular, and weight loss, but each have their own twist.

Dumbbells are specifically designed to build muscle, whether it’s a dumbbell in each hand for bicep and triceps work, lunges, pectoral flys, or an Olympic bar for chest, back, shoulder work, and much more; the purpose is balance and targeted muscle building. Working with dumbbells requires a bench for optimal strength training. Dumbbells are far from basic and have graduated to sophisticated. They are found in colorful neoprene, metal, hex shapes, adjustable, and vary in price and design.

• Adjustable Dumbbells work well for the serious minded weight lifter. Increasing weight at various intervals during a workout stresses the muscle and produces growth. Adjustables come in all different styles, models, and price ranges. Power Block, Bowflex Dumbells, and Bayou Adjustable Dumbells are major contenders in the adjustable field. They are compact, take up very little space, and have more than one model to choose from, with price ranges that vary. The basic adjustable dumbbell - that consists of a metal rod/Olympic bar with interchangeable weight plates (normally held in place by a metal spring) - is in a lower price range (figure $0.20 per pound), but also takes up more space and is more time consuming in changing up the weights.

• Aerobic dumbbells are specifically for an aerobic workout that is designed to tone muscle and burn calories (lighter weights at faster reps). To increase or decrease dumbbell weight, individual dumbbells need to be purchased.

• Pro dumbbells are the kind you will find in gyms and workout clubs. They are individually sized and perfect for weight lifting and aerobic value lifting, if you have a club membership, or if price and space is not a limitation.

Balance/Resistance/Exercise Balls accomplish balance and weight training also, much the same as dumbbells except they build a stronger core value (abdominal/trunk). Depending on the weight and size of the ball, they can also be used to balance the torso while sit-ups and back extensions are performed while seated on the ball. A Balance ball may also be used in place of a bench. Two hands are required to move the ball through a routine. Performing a series of set demands balance and torso strength.

Exercise bands/Tubing give variable resistance for all strength levels and offer strong competition for dumbbells. This type of strength training and aerobic value workout has a few pluses that exercise balls and dumbbells can’t compete with - a set of bands is easily stored in a small area and can be taken on trips without a problem.

While some exercise machines claim the same status as those listed above – free weights – there are differences in the actual physical strength required and the way the exercise is performed. The free weights listed here demand focus on the lift and the lowering/release of the weight and one has to maintain balance to perform the lift correctly. Machines allow the user to push their torso into it or relax into it rather than forcing core strengthening like free weights do.

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Oral Contraceptives May Limit Lean Muscle Gain

Unveiled almost 50 years ago, “the pill” continues to be the most popular and one of the most effective forms of reversible birth control ever invented. Since their introduction in 1960, oral contraceptives (OCs) have been changed to include less hormones, resulting in fewer side effects. Today’s OCs even provide health benefits. Studies show that the incidence of ovarian cancer, endometrial cancers, benign cysts of the ovaries and breasts and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) decreases with pill use. OCs also reduce the odds of getting colorectal cancer. But despite these advantages, young women who are trying to build muscle mass may want to choose another form of contraception.

Researchers from the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Texas A&M University in College Station, as well as the Human Energy Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, have found that OCs actually limit muscle gain from strength training in women under 35. The research involved 73 relatively healthy women aged 18 to 31. Of these, 34 used OCs and 39 did not. Both groups participated in a whole-body resistance exercise program consisting of 13 exercises performed three times per week for 10 weeks. At each session, they completed three sets of six to 10 repetitions of each exercise at 75 percent of maximum strength. The women were encouraged to eat enough protein to promote muscle growth.

According to lead researcher Chang Woock Lee and colleagues, there were significant differences in muscle growth between the two groups. Lean muscle mass increased by just 2.1 percent in the OC users, compared to 3.5 percent growth in non-OC users. However, other muscle responses such as strength gains and arm/leg circumferences were similar in both groups. “We were surprised at the magnitude of differences in muscle gains between the two groups, with the non-OC women gaining more than 60 percent greater muscle mass than their OC counterpart,” the researchers acknowledged.

Tests on the women showed that OC users had significantly lower levels of three muscle-building hormones—DHEA, DHEAS, and IGF-1—and elevated levels of one muscle-breaking hormone—cortisol. Lee said these findings “could help explain” why OC users showed diminished muscle gains from resistance exercise training, but that “vigorous future studies with more stringent control and clever design will be definitely needed to confirm the results and/or elucidate the underlying mechanism conclusively.”

“The factors that explain the differences in the magnitude of the responses to resistance exercise training between individuals are largely unknown,” Lee said. “Numerous health and performance benefits including improved exercise/athletic performance, body composition, esthetic beauty, and self-image can be attained from the increased muscle mass and strength associated with resistance exercise training. OC users may not be able to fully enjoy those benefits while experiencing impaired exercise performance and difficulties achieving athletic goals due to diminished muscle responses they get from resistance exercise training.”

Past research has shown that the pill lowers the levels of these hormones in users, but this was the first study to show the implications for active women and trained female athletes, who often use OCs to control their menstrual cycle. “I think the implications are that so many women are taking BCP (birth control pills), and if they are active or competing, and want to achieve the highest level of performance, they need to consider whether birth control is a negative influence on that,” said senior investigator Dr. Steven Riechman, also of Texas A&M.

Other experts say these findings are no reason for women to stop taking birth control pills. “It’s just one small, a very small, group of women. If you think of how many women actually are on the pill, how significant is the difference in terms of patients noticing anything or even an actual health effect?” said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “This might make a difference for a high-performance athlete in a competition, but, for your normal patients who have a healthy exercise routine, this might not make a difference.”

“I don’t disagree with the statistical significance, but the clinical significance is very questionable,” said Dr. Amanda Weiss-Kelly, director of pediatric sports medicine at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, part of University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. “The difference didn’t translate into improvement in performance,” she added.

The study findings were presented at the 122nd annual meeting of the American Physiological Society, which is also participating in the scientific conference “Experimental Biology 2009” being held in New Orleans.

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Muscles: How ToTurning Energy into Motion

Most of us take our muscles for granted, not realizing how crucial they are to us. Muscles are the body’s engine, and energy is the fuel. It would be impossible for us to do anything without them, including expressing ourselves. We convey ideas through spoken words using the muscles of the mouth, tongue and larynx, through written words using the muscles of the fingers, or through body language using skeletal muscles.

The human body contains more than 630 muscles. Approximately 35-45% of body mass is muscle tissue. Muscles are long- lasting, self-healing and grow stronger with use. There are three unique kinds of muscle:

• Cardiac muscle, which is found only in your heart. It contracts involuntarily; it is automatically controlled by the nervous system.
• Smooth muscle is found in blood vessels, the digestive system, bladder, airways, and the uterus in a female. It also contracts involuntarily.
• Skeletal muscle is the kind we can see and feel. They attach to the skeleton and come in pairs; one muscle to move in one direction and another to move back the other way. Skeletal muscles contract voluntarily, you have to think about contracting them and the nervous system tells them to respond.

The combination of muscles and bones make up the musculoskeletal system. Together, the skeletal muscles work with bones to give the body its power and strength.

In most cases, skeletal muscle is attached to one end of a bone, stretches across a joint, and then attaches again to another bone. Tendons serve as connector pieces between muscle and bone; when a muscle is contracted, the tendon and bone move along with it.

Skeletal muscles come in a variety of sizes and shapes depending on their job. The muscles in your back, near the spine, are some of the biggest and most powerful. These muscles have the difficult job of keeping the body upright and providing the power to lift and push.

Your face also has plenty of muscles, over 30 as a matter of fact. Facial muscles don’t all attach directly to bone like those in the rest of the body. Many of them attach under the skin, which allows for more control. Contracting your facial muscles ever so slightly can create different looks like happiness, sadness, surprise, and frowning. Eye muscles are the busiest muscles in the body, moving more than 100,000 times a day!

The tongue is a muscle that’s attached only at one end. The tongue is made of a group of muscles that work together, allowing you to talk and help you chew food. It takes 72 different muscles interacting with one another to produce human speech.

The largest muscle in the body is in the buttocks and is called the gluteus maximus.

There are many problems which can affect muscles, causing pain and/or weakness. Some of the most common and least severe muscle disorders include:

• Sprain: A stretched or torn ligament. Wrist and ankle sprains are common and can be caused by falling or twisting.
• Strain: A stretched or torn muscle or tendon. Strains can happen suddenly or develop over time. Hamstring and back muscle strains are most common and are usually caused by twisting or pulling of the tissues. Many people suffer strains from playing sports.
• Muscle cramps: Sudden, involuntary contractions or spasms in the muscle, also called charley horse. Muscle cramps often occur after exercise or at night and can be caused by dehydration, strain or overuse of a muscle, lack of minerals in your diet, or insufficient blood supply to your muscles.
• Tendinitis: Inflammation of a tendon, usually occurring in the elbows, knees, shoulders, hips, heels or wrists. Certain diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can cause tendinitis, but it is most commonly caused by injuries and overuse.

There are also many more serious muscle disorders such as cancers, diseases of the nerves that affect the muscles, and genetic diseases.

The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” comes to mind when considering muscles. Use your muscles and strengthen them, you will need them to carry out everyday tasks and prevent you from falling and breaking bones as you grow older.

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Stem Cells Used For Prostate Regeneration

Stem cells can generate into many types of cells in the body. In a recent study Genentech scientists in San Francisco say they have grown entire prostates in mice using only a single adult stem cell. The success of the study was made possible by identification of a genetic signature which distinguished stem cells from other cells. The information has not been confirmed in humans, but understanding normal cells should help with the understanding of how prostate cancer develops.

Some scientists consider that stem cells in normal tissues produce cancer. Study co-author Leisa Johnson, a senior scientist with Genentech said that has not been proven. Stem cells have several surface markers, but they are also on other cells, making identification difficult. The study authors found a new marker, CD117, combined with previously known prostate stem cell cancer markers. This allowed identification of a single, normal prostate stem cell. That cell was able to generate a functional prostate and was capable of renewing itself. This holds the promise of treatments and even cures for many diseases.

Johnson explained that it is important to define a normal cell compartment that can generate a tissue. Once that knowledge is available it would be able to identify the compartment that goes awry if cancer initiates. What is resistant, what is regenerating a tumor, is the same cell responsible for generation of normal tissue?

According to Paul Sanberg, professor of neurosurgery and director of the University of South Florida Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair in Tampa “It’s another step showing that stem cells can be a root case of cancer, so it gives targets for treatment.”

Wei-Qiang Gao, Ph.D. also of Genentech said that same kind of cells carrying the same CD117 marker can be found in humans. According to Gao and colleagues two different research teams recently reported growing mouse mammary glands from a single stem cell. The finds add to this “hallmark advancement in the stem-cell research field.” Researchers grew their transplant cells in gel in the lab, and when the gels were placed inside the kidneys of immune-deficient mice, they grew into functional prostrate tissue.

There were 97 single cell transplants, and 14 developed functioning prostates. This may seem like a low percentage of success, but since it is the first attempt it is an extremely significant process.

Stem cells have had scientists extremely interested in recent years because of the potential to grow specific cells to replace damage or diseased tissue. The interest has also generated a lot of public controversy because the biggest focus has been on embryonic cells. Embryonic cells are “pluripotent” and can become any tissue in the body. There are “unipotent” adult stem cells which are already programmed to divide into specific cells. These were the cells used in this research. Isolating “unipotent” cells and getting them to regenerate into the desired tissue has been a major hurdle. Future medical research will show whether tailor made transplants can be grown from a patient’s own cells by using the findings of this study.

The prostate is a small gland located just below the bladder that helps make seminal fluid and expel semen. Prostate cancer is one of the most prominent cancers in developed countries. Even if non-cancerous prostates cause many medical problems for the aging male population.

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Circumcision Doesn’t Reduce Male-to-Female Transmission of HIV

In recent years, the male foreskin—a double-folded tube of skin and mucous membrane that covers the head of the penis—has taken center stage in the battle against HIV. The foreskin is rich in Langerhans cells, immune cells that are particularly easy for the virus to access. Following infection, these cells not only serve as reservoirs for replicating the virus, but also transport it to nearby lymph nodes where HIV spreads to other immune cells. Studies have shown that removal of the foreskin can reduce a man’s risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection by 50 to 65 percent, findings that prompted large-scale circumcision campaigns in countries with high infection rates, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where heterosexual sex is primarily responsible for the HIV epidemic. Studies had also suggested that circumcision could reduce the rate of male-to-female transmission of the virus, but that turns out not to be the case.

A Ugandan study, led by Dr. Maria J. Wawer of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, was stopped early after it became apparent that male circumcision offered no protection to female partners. The study involved 922 uncircumcised, HIV-infected men between 15 and 49 years of age who were randomly chosen to either be circumcised or remain uncircumcised. The HIV-free female partners of the male participants were also enrolled in the study, 90 in the circumcised group and 70 in the uncircumcised group, and their HIV status was evaluated after 6, 12 and 24 months. All participants were intensively schooled in HIV prevention and provided free condoms.

After two years, 18 percent of the women in the circumcised group had become infected with HIV, compared with 12 percent in the uncircumcised group. Cumulative probability of HIV infection at 24 months was 22 percent among women in the circumcised group and 13 percent among those in the uncircumcised group. The majority of the infections in the circumcised group occurred within the six months following the procedure. The researchers said the infections were caused because some of the men had intercourse before their circumcision wounds had healed, exposing their female partners to HIV-infected blood in the vagina.

The researchers said though they were disappointed with the outcome of the study, circumcision campaigns are still valid. “The efficacy of male circumcision for prevention of HIV in uninfected men is clear, and reductions in male acquisition of HIV attributable to circumcision are likely to reduce women's exposure to HIV-infected men. Male circumcision programs are thus likely to confer an overall benefit to women," the researchers concluded.

In an editorial accompanying the study, Dr Jared M. Baeton, from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues stressed the importance of circumcision programs for men at risk of HIV, and argued for more effort being focused on people in relationships where one partner is HIV-infected and the other is not. “Prevention services for this population, including HIV testing for couples, facilitated disclosure of HIV seropositivity, and ongoing counseling services, should be a public health priority,” they write. “Such services should be incorporated into male circumcision programs, thereby providing further protection to HIV uninfected women.”

An estimated 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says circumcision has the potential to dramatically reduce the toll of the virus, averting an estimated 5.7 million new infections and three million deaths over the next 20 years in sub-Saharan Africa alone.

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Genetic Traits Link to Bipolar Disorder

Two genes in the brain that control the activity of the nerve cells may play a big role in a person's risk for developing bipolar disorder, which is marked by dramatic swings from being depressed to manic behavior and affects between one and three percent of the population worldwide. While identifying these genes is important, it is not expected that it will lead to a genetic test for the risk of bipolar disorder. It could, however, help unravel the mystery of how it arises and could lead to better treatments

A team of international scientists examined the genomes of approximately 10,956 people that were mainly from the United States and Britain. This was including 4,387 people with the disorder, also often known as manic-depression.

The scientists found that the people with the disorder were more likely to have certain variants of the ANK3 and CACNA1C genes. The proteins that these two genes make help govern the flow of calcium ions and sodium in and out of neurons in the brain, which in turn influences the activity of the nerve cells.

The person who helped lead the study, Nick Craddock of Britain's Cardiff University, said, "The key importance of this is that it gives us a clear idea of the sorts of chemicals and mechanisms in the brain that are involved in bipolar disorder. Over a number of years, that will help researchers to develop better approaches to diagnosis and treatment."

Because this disorder has a history of running in families, scientists have been trying to pinpoint the genes that are involved in bipolar disorder. This study was the largest genetic analysis of it kind on bipolar disorder.

This disorder of the brain can cause extreme shifts in mood, energy and general ability to function. Bipolar disorder is marked by high periods of elation or irritability which is followed by periods of sadness and hopelessness that could last for months.

The researchers stated that proper function of neurons in the brain depends on a delicate balance between of calcium and sodium. Our brains operate on how quickly sodium and calcium are moving in and out of cells and the amount that goes in and out. The findings of this study suggest that this disorder may stem at least in part from malfunctions in the flow of these ions, which are the chemicals that are electrically charged.

There is a need for much better treatment for this disorder. Lithium, which is the most common treatment, only helps about two-thirds of those with bipolar disorder and can cause mild shakiness, drowsiness, and weight gain.

The research was funded in part by the U.S government's National Institutes of Health. The director of the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Thomas Insel, said that the findings may help solve the puzzle that is bipolar disorder. "It's not going to tell us the whole story -- it doesn't give you the whole puzzle -- but it's something to build on."

Craddock said that identifying the two gene variants will probably not be helpful in determining a person's risk for bipolar disorder because many people who do not have this disorder will have the same genes.

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Rituxan + Chemo Helps Fight Leukemia

Patients with relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) can benefit from a combination of treatment through fludarabine and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy along with Rituxan, a drug sold by Genetech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. The combination treatment has proven to raise the survival rate for patients with CLL and warded off the progression of the cancer.

Recently, a study called REACH—the second to evaluate the success of combination treatment with Rituxan and chemotherapy as a fight against CLL—showed great success. According to the American Cancer Society, CLL is the most common form of adult leukemia and will affect around 15,000 people this year. Leukemia, which means "white blood," is a broad term that represents a range of diseases. It is a cancer that attacks a patient’s blood and bone marrow where blood cells are made.

Rituxan is approved for several uses. Its initial purpose was to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which it was approved to treat in 1997. Since then it has been approved for other uses including rheumatoid arthritis. During the study REACH, researchers evaluated 552 random study patients that were previously unsuccessfully treated for CLL. REACH compared the results from patients treated with the combination treatment of Rituxan and chemotherapy, and those only treated with chemotherapy, to see which group reached greater results at increasing progression free survival. Based on the study, those patients treated with the combination of Rituxan and chemotherapy improved their progression free survival rates more than those patients treated with only chemotherapy.

Based on the successful results of REACH, the makers of Rituxan hope to gain approval from the FDA for another treatment option for CLL. The President of Research and Development with Biogen Inc, Cecil Pickett stated “REACH results are promising, and pending confirmation of the results by independent review, we look forward to submitting an application to the FDA for Rituxan’s potential approval in this indication.”

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Medicare to Cease Payment for Hospital Error

It’s official—starting tomorrow, Wednesday October 8th, Medicare will no longer pay hospitals for additional care for patients who acquire “reasonably preventable” conditions while hospitalized. Institutions also will be banned from charging the patients directly, meaning the hospitals must absorb the costs for their own mistakes. Officials say the new rule will not save much money at first, perhaps $21 million a year, but as the conditions are expanded and more insurers follow their lead, the savings could become substantial. However, the most important benefit could come if hospitals are persuaded to work harder to prevent errors and improve the quality of care for their patients.

The rule, proposed over a year ago, covers 10 conditions for which Medicare will no longer reimburse hospitals for. They include: injuries from falls, severe bedsores, urinary tract and vascular infections that result from improper use of catheters, poor blood sugar control, and infections after certain surgeries. In addition, the rule covers three “never events”: incompatible blood transfusions, objects left in the body during surgery and air embolisms. Medicare reports that in 2007 more than 250,000 people had a serious bedsore while hospitalized, for which the hospitals were paid approximately $43,000 for each case.

This move could mark the beginning of a growing trend, as many private insurance companies intend to follow suit. And many states are considering or have implemented a similar policy for Medicaid patients. In the past year, at least four state Medicaid programs announced that they will not pay hospitals for as many as 28 “never events,” and several large insurers, including Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and WellPoint plans in seven states, have issued similar rules. Under a law passed in 2005, Medicare-participating hospitals are required to report on 42 quality measures. At least 20 states have also passed laws requiring hospitals to report clearly preventable medical errors caused by hospital workers or preventable infections publicly.

So far, the policy only focuses on hospitals, not doctors. If a surgeon leaves an object in a patient and has to perform a second operation to retrieve it, the hospital will not be paid for the second procedure but the surgeon will be. However, Medicare intends to add conditions to the no-pay list in 2009 which may begin to address this inequity.

In another development, federal officials last week approved a new company to begin inspections as part of its hospital accreditation program—DNV Healthcare. DNV becomes the first new accreditor in more than 30 years, according to the Houston-based company. Until recently, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has effectively held a monopoly on the hospital reviews, which are a requirement in order to participate in Medicare. “We’re ready to go,” said DNV’s President, Yehuda Dror. “Our role is to be a leader in hospital accreditation, not just to offer another option.”

Patients can go to www.medicare.gov for Medicare’s hospital quality data.

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