Archive for May, 2011

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), often known as ‘spastic colon’, is actually a functional colon condition. When diarrhea could be the major symptom, the specific situation is called ‘IBS-D’. When bowel obstruction predominates, it really is labeled as ‘IBS-C’ and once the two indicators alternate, the illness is named ‘IBS-A’. It can be also characterized by stomach soreness, bloating as well as a transform in digestive tract behavior without having acquiring a particular regular lead to. It may well be triggered by means of a tense lifestyle function, sickness or just the onset of maturation. Individually customized diets for IBS plans may well assist to manage indicators and signs or symptoms.

An irregular diet plan, obtaining excessively large meals or perhaps skipping meals altogether, could worsen indicators or signs. Encouraged diet plans for IBS contain 3 meals as well as 3 appetizers per day. Other basic best guidance is usually to boost fiber and liquid consumption.

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  • Begin the day with a healthful breakfast time.
  • Try to eat quite a few meals.
  • Try to eat little by little and in addition and make meals soothing in addition to pleasant.

Fiber material, often known as ‘roughage, could possibly be possibly soluble and even insoluble. Soluble fiber is quickly fermented inside the digestive tract to supply fumes and metabolically active byproducts. Insoluble fiber is in fact metabolically inert and absorbs water while it passes through the digestive tract as well as can make defecation much less problematic.

The key substance consumption must be drinking water, even though weak green tea and fruit drinks might occasionally be drunk. Caffeine as well as fizzy refreshments can magnify signs and alcohol needs to be reduced.

A survey was performed in people who had been diagnosed with IBS. The individuals were asked to supply lists of those food items identified as useful with their indicators and meals they avoided.

The prime ‘helpful’ food items were identified as fish, berry, veggies, rice, brown breads and yogurt.

The ‘most avoided’ (all as part of normal diets for IBS)food items were greasy or hot and spicy food items, cheese and other dairy products, onions and leeks, bran along with pulses (beans, lentils, and so on.). There have been some things that appeared on both directories – lemon or lime, cereals, dairy and booze.

If extreme flatulence can be a difficulty, then items from the ‘windy’ meals are discouraged. As an illustration, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, legumes (like cooked beans), cabbage together with cauliflower. Carbonated drinks may additionally exacerbate signs or symptoms. Consuming oats could reduce bloating indicators. Certain sorts of sugar (lactose, fructose, sorbitol) can worsen signs. Lactose is located in milk together with other dairy goods. Remember that lowering your usage of milk may also get rid of calcium so make certain this will be incorporated in the diet, possibly with yogurt. Forty percent of individuals involved with in a research study of glucose intolerance obtained alleviation of discomfort by getting rid of the particular sugar which was determined as aggravating the problem.

So you finally bit the bullet and had gastric bypass surgery…

Or maybe you opted for the lap band…

Everything went really well with the surgery and now you’re back home and on your way to your new life and brand new you.

You started to lose weight almost immediately and you couldn’t be happier with the results.

You knew you’d have some side effects but you really didn’t expect anything you couldn’t handle.

But you never expected:

  • Heartburn
  • Bloating
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Difficulty in swallowing because your esophagus no longer functions properly
  • Inability to empty your stomach
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation

None of these symptoms is pleasant. And what’s even worse is that they can last from days to weeks on end.

You knew you needed to take off the weight but it’s beginning to feel like it might not have been worth it.

They warned you about possible side effects but one they may not have mentioned what could be causing one or several of your symptoms.

Your problems could be a result of Gastrointestinal or G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy.

Exactly What Does That Mean?

It means that your body is suffering from nutritional deficiencies caused by the lack of certain nutrients and vitamins. The bypass surgery or lap band procedure may have stopped your body from taking in too much food, but it also substantially reduced the amount of nutrients and vitamins you’re getting from your food.

You no longer take in enough food with the nutrition your body needs. When that happens, the body begins to break down. One of the many issues you can develop due to what is basically malnutrition is G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy. The nerves; specifically the vagus nerve, is damaged by the lack of nutrition and it begins to malfunction. That means difficulty in digesting food, difficulty in swallowing, and inability to eliminate waste properly…

Basically an inability of the digestive system to do anything it was designed to do.

Before the advent of gastric bypass surgery and lap band procedures, most people who developed G.I. Autonomic neuropathy or other types of neuropathy were diabetics, alcoholics or they live in countries where malnutrition was common.

Now gastric bypass surgery has brought on a whole new subset of patients who suffer from G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy.

The Nutrients You Probably Lack

G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy is usually caused by deficiencies in:

  • Vitamin B1 or Thiamine
  • Vitamin B3
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin E

Many of the symptoms caused by your G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy can be lessened and possibly even controlled by a healthy diet and management of whatever underlying condition you have that could be contributing to your neuropathy.

What If You’re Not a Gastric Bypass Patient But You Have These Symptoms

What if you haven’t had gastric bypass or lap band surgery but you still have the symptoms we talked about above? If you have

  • A history of alcohol abuse
  • Hepatitis C
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Celiac Disease

And you’re having the problems we discussed above contact your doctor immediately. Ask him to test to make sure that you are indeed suffering from nerve damage that could be linked to any of these causes. Once that diagnosis has been made, ask them about treatment options.

Treatment Options

A highly skilled medical professional well versed in diagnosing and treating nerve damage is your best place to start for treatment of your G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy. An excellent place to start is with a neuropathy clinician.

They have had great success in treating patients with your symptoms using a multipronged approach that includes:

  • Care and correction for your muscular and skeletal systems
  • Treatment for any underlying medical problems
  • Nutrition education and diet planning
  • A step by step exercise regimen
  • Medication as needed or necessary

If you have a confirmed diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Autonomic Neuropathy or think you may have it, you don’t have to just live with it. In fact, just living with it could be downright dangerous due to intestinal blockages, continued malnutrition, etc. You may also contact us today for information on how G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy can be treated, your suffering lessened and exactly how to find a neuropathy clinician in your area.

Millions of people suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis. For those who have failed medical management with antihistamines and other over-the-counter or prescription medications, surgical treatment may be necessary to improve the natural drainage of the sinuses. The technical aspects of surgery have advanced her medically over the last several years.

Sinus surgery started out many years ago as a surgery which needed several days of recovery and often required packing to be placed into the nose. Today, the latest technology allows for sinus surgery to be performed on an awake patient in an office setting without the need for packing. The technology is called a balloon sinuplasty and has shown to be effective at long-term followup.

For patients who suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis, the first step to determining if surgery is necessary is to obtain imaging of the sinuses with a CT scan. If there is an anatomic obstruction to the natural flow of the sinuses, surgery may be needed to open the sinus drainage pathways. In some patients, the nasal anatomy needs to be improved.

For patients with favorable anatomy, the balloon sinuplasty technique can be used. The technique uses balloons similar to those used in heart surgery which are placed through the nose into the natural openings of the sinuses. The balloon is then inflated and the opening is widened. This can be used to open the maxillary, frontal, and sphenoid sinuses. The ethmoid sinuses must be dealt with in other ways.

For patients with nasal polyps or who require the middle part of the inside of the nose call the nasal septum to be straightened, balloon sinuplasty can still be undertaken but is often performed with more than local anesthesia. For patients with more favorable anatomy, anesthesia can be provided in an office setting while the patient is awake inside of the nose and the balloon sinuplasty technique can be undertaken. This allows the patient to minimize the risk from general anesthesia and allows the patient to drive to and from the procedure as long as no other medications are given.

To determine if you are an appropriate candidate for awake sinus surgery, consultation with an ear, nose, and throat doctor who performs the procedure is necessary. The same technique can be performed using general anesthesia or with other procedures that may be necessary to completely address chronic rhinosinusitis in certain patients. As with all surgeries, there are risks inherent to this surgery and specific to each patient.

As Parkinson’s disease really affects movement and motor functions, that is the main place to look for signs and symptoms of the disease. It really affects the motor function of the body, and there are four motor symptoms that are considered the most important ones to look for in relation to this disease. Firstly, tremor, is the most popular of all symptoms as well as the most common. Usually when the body is at rest, the limbs will begin to tremor and disappears when the person moves on their own or sleeps. It usually affects the distal part of the limb and appears in just one place, like the arm or leg, spreading more later. Usually it is about four to six hertz per second. This is usually always present for patients and for the small percent that don’t have it, they acquire it later upon disease onset.

Another motor that is important is Bradykinesia, which means slowness of movement, and has to do with slowing the motions of the patient. It is seen in the early stages of the disease and can be noticed when people are trying to do daily things like sew or write or dress themselves but they cannot seem to do it at a normal speed or pace. Of all the symptoms this is the one that interferes most with peoples’ lives at the early stages of the disease because it hinders their ability to get things done and to perform ordinary and everyday instances. Furthermore, it is not an equally applied event either, as sometimes the patient can’t walk at all but can ride a bicycle, as it affects various parts of the bodies in different ways and at different times.

Rigidity is the increased muscle tone which causes stiffness and resistance to limb movement. The patient might experience some joint pain and aches and be unable to move their body or their muscles easily as it will all feel stuck and fastened together. This might cause problems for them when they try to go for a walk or to pick up something or if they sit in one place for too long they will always have this rigid sense of being fastened down and trapped and aching in their bodies.

Other symptoms include things like slowed speed and a difficulty to work the motor functions and say things with ease. Speech becomes slurred and slow and it is harder to get thoughts out verbally. Also, depression might follow as well as apathy and a disdain for life at having to live it so difficultly, like someone trapped in a body that is working against them. Drowsiness might occur as well as urinary incontinence.

There is no known cause for the disease, although some people think that it occurs when people are exposed to certain pesticides. Treatments today help manage the motor functioning systems by using dopamine and levodopa, but as the disease progress the drugs fail to work. There are other kinds of medications available, as well, as well as therapies and rehab.

Not that long ago, being insulin dependent meant carrying around a syringe and a vial of insulin to deliver your insulin injections, while making sure to keep the insulin dose refrigerated. There are now a variety of methods for insulin delivery on the market, and some promising new developments on the horizon.

These include:

1) Insulin pens. Most types of insulin are now available in convenient prefilled pens. Some pens are entirely disposable when empty, and others use a replaceable insulin cartridge, usually containing 300 units. There is a dial on one end to set your desired dose. The pens offer discreet, push button insulin delivery. Some claim the injections are more comfortable than from a needle that has already been dulled by insertion into a vial. Many people prefer to use a pen if they are caring for a diabetic child or pet.

2) Insulin pumps. Insulin pumps are a device about the size of a pager that adhere to the skin and are worn 24/7. Pumps contain an insulin reservoir, a battery powered pump, and a programmable computer chip that allows the user to control insulin dosing.

The pump is attached to a thin plastic tube called a cannula, which is inserted just under the skin to deliver insulin subcutaneously and continuously. Pump technology is constantly being improved upon. The newer pumps are smaller, and can “communicate” and interact with a continuous blood glucose monitor and computer software for state of the art blood sugar control.

3) Insulin jet injectors. Jet injectors deliver a fine jet of high pressure medication directly through the skin. The main advantage is that that the delivery system requires no needles. The major disadvantage is that many diabetics find the force required for the insulin to permeate the skin is painful, and may cause bruising. Jet injectors have been on the market since 1979, but have yet to become popular.

4) Insulin patch. The FDA has just approved a new insulin delivery patch. The new device, Finesse, is a small plastic patch-pen roughly 2 inches long and an inch wide that is attached to the skin like a bandage. It can be worn under your clothes, and remains attached during routine activities like sleeping, exercising and even showering.

Patients use a syringe to pre-fill the patch-pen with a three-day supply of insulin, and simply push two buttons to dispense a dose of fast-acting insulin when needed. The insulin is delivered in seconds through a miniature, flexible plastic tube inserted painlessly into the skin. The manufacturer, Calibra is also working on a patch-pen that would deliver a.05 unit insulin dose for children.

5) Inhaled insulin. The FDA approved the first insulin inhaler, Exubera, in 2006. It was a short-acting insulin delivered to the lungs through a device similar to an asthma inhaler. But it never achieved market success, and was discontinued a year later.

But research on inhaled insulin continued, and two new forms are poised to hit the market. One is an inhaler, AFREZZA, which is awaiting FDA approval. The other is a spray which is absorbed through the mouth, called Oral-Lyn. Oral-Lyn is in Phase 111 clinical trials in Europe and North America.

Despite some obvious advantages to the new insulin delivery methods, tried and true syringes remain the most popular way to deliver injections with most insulin dependent diabetics, who no longer consider them a big deal.

Insulin pens, pumps, and jet injectors are all more costly than insulin syringes, and not always covered by medical insurance. Not all types of insulin are available in insulin pens, and you can’t mix insulin types in a pen.

Insulin pumps can kink or otherwise malfunction, posing the danger of inaccurate insulin dosing, and are just too “high tech” for some diabetics. Many diabetics remain skeptical of devices like inhalers and sprays after Exubera’s spectacular lack of success.

Still, with the advances being made in insulin pumps, and the pending introduction of an improved inhaled insulin and the insulin patch, the world of insulin therapy is definitely changing – and most would say for the better.

A short time ago, I was at an appointment and in their reception area was a stack of magazines. I saw a picture of Kelly Ripa and there was a sub-title, “15 Things You Don’t Know About Her”… I’m always intrigued by learning things ‘I don’t know about’, so I picked up the SELF magazine. I laughed that it was a 4 year old issue back from Feb. 2007, but regardless, I was still interested in checking it out and wasting some time in the reception area before by appointment.

Sometimes, when I read a magazine article I don’t start with the beginning of the story, (bad, I know) but, I skim through the pages of the article and see what catches my eye. This time, I never even made it to the Kelly Rippa article because something else caught my eye. I saw some percentages. For the heck of it, I was curious to what this “other” article was about. The stats were on the same page as a picture of a nude model standing in the woods semi-covered up with a sleeping bag. She looked like a nature loving, pretty girl with a normal body… not too heavy and not too skinny.

Here were the stats from SELF’s poll:

83% feel worse about their body after swimsuit shopping.

79% believe life would be better if they were only thinner.

78% say that their weight dictates their mood for the day.

74% have said no to an invitation because they felt bad about their body.

72% say negative body thoughts interfere with their enjoyment of sex.

This is something that MANY people’s attitude can suffer from, but guess what? If you are working or studying in an “artistic” field such as the “appearance-oriented” fashion industry… it’s even more likely that you can develop a body image disorder such as “Body Dysmorphic Disorder” which is a skewed view of how they look. About 20% of the industry may have it… I’d bet more! Researchers believe that those people that have that special artistic eye can turn that talent on themselves and become more critical of their bodies.

As I read this article, I thought to myself how true this is especially about models and related industry professionals. I wish that I could encourage models to overcome it, but when their image that they are being hired to project is usually under such an objective microscope… the news isn’t so great that models can just “overcome it” easily.

So, after I read this article… I thought about adding this topic to my research. My point of this discussion is just as a reminder to the modeling industry that things can often be distorted when it comes to what you’re projecting, so try and be easy on yourself. Expect critique from others, but don’t let it RULE you. Take critique respectfully from a business perspective, but stay aware that it can take its toll on your self-esteem and body image. Fight the urge for perfection. We want a healthy image both physically and emotionally… and you don’t have to be perfect. Honestly.

An exciting development for HIV-positive patients who are co-infected with hepatitis C just recently occurred: Two new medications, boceprevir and telaprevir, were recommended to be approved by the FDA for treating hepatitis C. While this is a new development, several uncertainties remain for those co-infected with HIV and HCV (an acronym for the hepatitis C virus). Both boceprevir and telaprevir are HCV protease inhibitors, and while they are potent, interaction with anti-HIV medications is cause for concern. Both drugs were approved based on studies done on mono-infected patients; that is, patients who were infected with hepatitis C only.

In those who were just infected with hepatitis C, adding boceprevir and telaprevir to the standard 48-week HCV treatment raised cure rates from the normal average of 40 to 45 percent to a much higher 65 to 80 percent. This is a remarkable jump. However, for those who also have HIV, the picture isn’t quite as clear. Normally, the cure rates using the standard program are lower in co-infected patients. Tests on both of these drugs in co-infected patients are ongoing and won’t be complete until mid- to late-2012. Preliminary results for one of the drugs-telaprevir–are promising though. 70 percent of those co-infected who received telaprevir in addition to the normal HCV treatment had undetectable HCV levels

Results are still inconclusive, of course, since more testing is yet to be done. The side effects of boceprevir and telaprevir, which are normally rash and anemia, could be more pronounced in co-infected HIV-HCV patients; further testing will conclude whether or not these side effects occur and their severity in the co-infected patients. Drug interactivity must also be looked at. There may be interactions between the antiretroviral medication that HIV-positive patients take and HCV medications-especially telaprevir.

The new drugs have renewed interest in getting HIV-positive people tested for HCV in the immediate future so treatment can commence quickly. HIV and HCV have things in common in that they’re both spread through unprotected sexual contact, the sharing of needles, and other such exchanges of bodily fluids. The co-infected have a possible additional avenue to explore for their HCV treatments; however, any such talk of an effective cure is still years away. After all, more testing needs to be done on these drugs if they have any chance at winning FDA approval. Researchers may be on the cusp of finding something that can cure HCV in patients who are co-infected with HIV.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (or APA) are a type of protein produced by white blood cells. Antibodies serve to protect us from foreign particles, such as bacteria and viruses. Sometimes when the immune system is activated and starts producing these antibodies, it may come to an abnormality, causing it to keep producing them even after the infection has been removed. That way, the antibodies will continue to attack the healthy cells in the body, causing damage and triggering other autoimmune disease.

After we look at some basic facts

Antiphospholipid antibodies – types and tests

Antiphospholipid antibodies cause the narrowing of blood vessels and blood clotting (or thrombosis). Antiphospholipid binds to phospholipid (fat derivates, lipids containing phosphorus, composed of fatty acids and a simple molecule).

There are a few kinds of antiphospholipid antibodies, which are measured in order to make a diagnosis:

Lupus anticoagulant – antibodies against phospholipids that prevent blood clotting. These are measured directly from the plasma, by Russell viper venom time (RVVT) and the Kaolin cephalin clotting test.

Anticardiolipin antibody – antibodies often directed against cardiolipin and found in several diseases; measured by a procedure called ELISA.

Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein 1 – predictors of arterial thrombosis. This test is used if the first two tests (for lupus anticoagulants or anticardiolipin antibodies) were negative.

Sometimes anti-prothrombin and antimitochondrial antibodies are measured as well.

Antiphospholipid antibodies – treatments
High levels of these antibodies are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). Usually tests need to be repeated several times before the full diagnosis is given, because sometimes they can show false negative results (especially during the thrombosis). Most people, who test positively on the antiphospholipid antibodies tests, do not require any special treatment.

Antiphospholipid antibodies – who should get treatment?
However, patients who have an IgG anticardiolipin antibody of a moderate to high quantity are considered high risk and should get treatment. IgG anticardiolipin antibody is an important predictor of thrombosis and pregnancy complications.

Treatments used, include:

Aspirin is most commonly prescribed in low doses to all patients that require treatment and is recommended to be taken during pregnancy.

Anticoagulation therapy with Coumadin, for patients with thrombosis.
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Antimalarials (e.g. hydroxychloroquin), for patients with lupus. They also have antiplatelet effects.

Heparin is used before a surgery, biopsy, during pregnancy and six weeks after the childbirth.

Corticosteroids are administered from the second trimester during pregnancy, in moderate doses.

Antiphospholipid antibodies can be found even in healthy people; and it is not completely known why these antibodies are produced in most cases. Sometimes they may be triggered by an infection of certain drugs. Presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the blood does not mean a person is going to develop an illness, provided a healthy life style.

The presence of these proteins is now pinpointed as one of the main potential factors in many autoimmune conditions, but as we mentioned some news in the field are offering hope to people crippled by autiimmunity. I am talking about a holistic protocll known as the Norton protocol.

Just when you are ready for a big day, cold sores would start to appear on your face, ruining the whole mood of the moment. Yes, it can be really discomforting. They can be really uncomfortable and upsetting.

These Herpes Virus appear in groups. They take the form of fluid-filled blisters which usually appear red and swollen. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus 1. The common areas where they usually appear include the nose and lips. They are painful and uncomfortable.

Cold sores on lips are usually mistaken for canker cores. The difference is noticeable. Canker sores usually appear alone. They are large yellow-filled blisters surrounded by red halos. They are caused by bacterial infection. On the other hand are smaller in size and are caused by a virus.

These different home remedies can be utilized on how to get rid of a cold sore. Simple and available, these uncomplicated ways can help solve your problems when it comes to herpes virus or fever blisters:

Lysine-rich substances can speed up the healing process of the cold sores. These can shorten the duration of the sore formation, making it appear for only 5 to 7 days instead of the usual 7 to 10 days.

• Vitamin C supplements combat the different microorganisms which causes infection on the skin. Vitamin C speeds up the healing process on any skin condition.

Witch hazel can minimize and soothe the discomfort on the sore. It also dries up the blisters during the healing period.

Moisturizer application during the early appearance of these infection can save you from the pain and discomfort. For these infection on lips, good hygiene such as frequent cleansing of the mouth with mild oral wash can help.

Cold compress can save you from the discomfort during the early appearance of the sores. The cold temperature soothes and numbs the skin on the affected area.

• Heat compress during the later stage of these infection can speed up the healing process. It increases the blood flow to the area making it easy for circulation to pass through.

Vitamin E supplements protect the integrity and healthy appearance of the skin. Regular intake of Vitamin E supplements is a simple way on how to get rid of these infection.

Cold sores on lips and nasal areas can be painful and uneasy. In some cases where medications are not available, home remedies are the next best option when it comes to getting rid of cold sores.

According to epidemiologists, 33 million adults worldwide are affected with HIV/AIDS. Another 2.6 million children have been affected with the disease and approximately 16 million children have been orphaned because their parents or guardians died due to AIDS. The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized HIV/AIDS as an epidemic that must be eradicated for human survival. An enormous amount of HIV/AIDS research is currently being conducted with scientists looking at all angles and possibilities for a cure as well as a vaccine. One area of particular interest is innate immunity and HIV. Understanding how the body reacts to the disease in its early stages is crucial for developing a vaccine that will prevent infection.

Traditionally, vaccines work by introducing a weak form of a virus into the body to stimulate an immune response. Through this interaction, the body learns how to destroy the disease. This provides the immune system with the tools it needs to fight off infection from similar pathogens. For example, a person who receives the flu vaccine will develop the antibodies needed to destroy the flu virus should they become infected with it at a later date. Studies into innate immunity and HIV aim to find a way to trigger a similar reaction in the body without the person becoming infected with HIV.

It has been found the body does contain some innate barriers that prevent HIV infection. For example, HIV is primarily transmitted through heterosexual activity. The genitals contain both physical barriers such as low pH and epithelial integrity as well as secreted components that work against infection and transmission of the disease. However, the body also contains factors that increase the propagation of the disease once infection has taken place. It has been found that small semen cationic peptides called SEVI intensifies HIV infection when placed under conditions similar to those found in sexual transmission. These are the types of things that must be accounted for when studying innate immunity and HIV for clues on developing a vaccine.

As important as this research is in the fight against AIDS it is particularly tricky to study. This is because the immune responses associated with infection are only active for up to seven days after infection. Therefore, quick identification of the newly infected is important and somewhat difficult to do. Another thing that negatively impacts the study of innate immunity and HIV is the disease’s ability to mutate to avoid detection by the immune system. Despite these challenges, organic research continues to be done and hopefully will lead to a breakthrough in the fight against HIV/AIDS.