Acne Treatment – Homemade

 

Posted June 29, 2009

By Kirkland Kipnis

When most people think of homemade acne treatments, they think of things like cocoa butter, shea butter, aloe vera and so on. But these types of remedies are temporary. You see. It’s like taking a pain medication for a backache. The pain may dissipate but the reason for the pain is still there. Same for homemade acne treatments. You may clear up the problem temporarily, but the cause is likely to still be there.

 That likely cause is usually your diet. Most people don’t think of diet when it comes to their skin problems. But it is the most likely reason for your acne problems. In fact, there are many acne programs that focus only on what you are putting into your body, OR, your DIET. But for now let us focus on your use of drinking water to help clear up your skin.

 Water is oh so important when it comes to having clear skin. The only way your body can get water is if you intake it. Whether it be from drinking or from food. Your body relies on water to do all of its functions. Your body knows how much to use, store and then eventually get rid of. So if you don’t drink a lot of water, your body will store more and you will sweat and urinate less. But that can lead to problems because then your body is using the same old water over and over. Therefore that water can be considered to be dirty. Hence, if the water your body is using is dirty, your sweat pores will clog and produce acne. So drinking water is one of the most important things you can do in r fight against acne. You also need water if you have acne scars.

 If you aren’t getting sufficient water (1 oz / per body weight a day) the process of rebuilding the scar tissue you have is much slower. So realize that diet plays a very significant role in how clear your skin is and how fast you get rid of your scars.

Aside from drinking the proper amount of water everyday, you need to make sure you aren’t sabotaging your skin by eating the wrong foods. For example, let’s talk about milk. Specifically cow’s milk. About 80% of humans are allergic to milk or dairy and don’t even know it. The traditional allergy symptoms like hives don’t show up. But acne will. Now milk does other things to the body that aren’t good for you as well. But for the purposes of this article, we won’t get into that. Just know that cutting cow’s milk out of your diet can go a long way toward clearing up your skin.

 The good news is that the myth about chocolate causing acne is not likely to be true. In fact chocolate makes the brain raise its serotonin levels which in turn releases stress. And stress oftentimes leads to pimples. Just make sure it isn’t milk chocolate you are chowing down on.
Make sure to visit my blog Acne System for helpful tips and advice on what foods to avoid in order to help get rid of acne, treating acne scars, and much, much more.

Source: Kirkland Kipnis

How to Use Insulin Pens: video 6:16 min.

Source: postcare.com on YouTube

Uploaded by postcarecom on Nov 8, 2007

http://www.PreOp.com

This program will demonstrate the use of insulin pens.
The goal is to inject the insulin into the subcutaneous tissue between the top layer of the skin, the dermis and the underlying muscle layer.
Insulin pens are devices that can provide an easy way to carry and give insulin when away from home. Also, for people who are not comfortable working with syringes and bottles to draw up and measure individual doses, the pens provide a convenient and accurate alternative.
There are two types of insulin pens: * those that are completely disposable after providing a single dose of insulin * and those that use disposable cartridges to provide multiple doses. * If you use more than one type of insulin, you must use a separate pen for each type. The basic method of use is similar for both pens and there are four main steps to be learned.

An insulin pen has three components. * A base which contains the mechanism for measuring the correct dose. * A holder for the cartridge of insulin * and a cap, which is removed and replaced by the needle prior to the injection.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to remove the cap, separate the base from the cartridge holder by unscrewing it.
Rewind the base dose regulating mechanism back to zero and put down the base.

Pick up the cartridge holder. Shake out the used cartridge.
Check that the new cartridge contains the correct insulin and insert it, metal end first, into the holder.
Screw the cartridge holder back onto the base. * Keep a record of all your injections and also record when you begin a new cartridge. * Subtract the total insulin used in previous injections from the total of 150 units in each cartridge to be sure you have enough insulin left for the next dose.

Clean the end of the cartridge holder and the projecting cartridge with an alcohol swab.
Remove the seal from the end of the new needle unit. Don’t touch the exposed needle or allow it to touch any other object.
Screw the needle unit onto the end of the cartridge holder.
Pull the outer shield off the needle. Do not throw it away. You will need it later to remove the needle unit from the pen.

Pull the inner shield off the needle and discard it. Hold the pen upright and tap the cartridge holder to enable air bubbles to escape through the needle.

Dial the dose knob so that #1 is in the dose scale window and prime the pen according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Hold the needle upright. Press in the injection button at the end of the unit and check that insulin comes out of the tip of the needle. If no insulin is seen, continue to dial up one unit at a time and press the injection button until insulin is seen. A new cartridge may take 4-6 units before insulin flows.

Dial in your dose of insulin in addition to the units needed to produce the insulin flow. For example, if it took 4 units to start the insulin flow and your insulin dose is 20, the total in the dose scale window will be 24. * Choose and clean the injection site as usual.

Pinch the skin and insert the needle through the skin at a 90Ë? angle. Press the injection button at the end of the needle and wait 5 seconds for the injection to be completed before removing the needle from the skin. * The needle must be removed from the pen immediately after the injection is finished.

Place the outer needle shield that you had saved on the counter top with the opening facing up.
Without holding onto the shield, insert the pen needle carefully into the shield and push down firmly. Grip the shield and unscrew the needle from the pen.

Dispose of the shielded needle into the puncture proof container that you have reserved for your needles. Store all pens that are in use at room temperature.

Symptoms of Autism

Symptoms of Autism and Supplements That May Help Reduce Them
Posted June 25, 2009

By Donna Mason

The complications caused by autism are often the main concern of parents with autistic children. And parents and experts alike do not how to deal with these autism symptoms. Perhaps this has something to do with how people view autism.

To a large number of people, autism is caused by a brain effect, a mental disorder caused by genetics. Since parts of the brain of an autistic child in inflamed, certain body functions are affected. Certain body parts do not function well, as demonstrated by the leaky gut symptom that most autistic patients suffer from. Their development is not normal, which is evident from their poor motor, communication, and social skills. Their immune system is also affected, as can be seen from their generally poor health.

Children who suffer from autism do not respond to pain normally, since their pain receptors are blocked. Besides these, they also have poor sleeping habits. These symptoms do not only hinder the lives of children with autism; they also affect the lives of people around them. This is why parents and doctors are constantly on the look for the right treatments and medications that can cure these symptoms.

The Autism Research Institute and their DAN (Defeat Autism Now) protocol are right on the spot—it cures the symptoms of autism by addressing specific problem areas with dietary supplements rather than using generalized medications. Most of the mainstream medications deal with autism merely as a mental ailment rather than a physical one. Therefore, while these medications treat the damages done by the ailment to the brain, it does nothing for the other physical limitations and deficiencies. This is why the DAN protocol promotes the use of supplements to provide autism patients with the necessary nutrients.

Autistic children cannot always absorb the nutrients from the food they take in, due to their poor digestive capacity and abnormal metabolism, so they do not always get sufficient vitamins even with the right diet. Particular supplements treat problematic autism symptoms. These supplements are usually listed in detail by the DAN Protocol, since those who follow this movement adhere strictly to its rules as it aims to completely cure autism using natural treatments rather than those aimed to treat it as a mental disorder.

For instance, melatonin, according to experts, helps autism patients with their sleeping problems, although it is a general prescription for everyone with sleeping problems rather than specialized one. Other particular supplements that can treat symptoms of autism include probiotics and enzymes, which help in the regularization of one’s digestive function.

Colostrum can strengthen one’s immune system, while fatty acids can help in the improvement of their physical and mental development. Supplements can also generally cure the symptoms that are connected with mental development. The deficiencies could be an effect of autism, but they could also be the cause. Nonetheless, it has been said that improvements in these areas can boost the development of a person with autism. Many may view this with skepticism, but supplements are beneficial anyway, regardless if one takes them with the aim to cure autism or to boost one’s health.

For more information on Supplements for Autism, please visit Autism-Supplements.com where you will find a Supplement Guide for Autism.

Source: Donna Mason

Fela

Posted June 26, 2009

Fela Kuti was not only a genius musician but also a advocate for social change in his native Nigeria and wanted to bring social change to the whole African continent. Many people around the world say his message and musical genius was quite similar the American born musical genius, James Brown. The name of this song is “Teacher Don’t Teach Me No Nonsense”.

FoodSpook

Source: ZUNICARDSTV on YouTube

Daddy Will You Buy Me Some Diabetes?

 

 

 

Posted on June 25, 2009

By Christine Steendahl

The rate of childhood obesity is on the rise. Unhealthy habits have led to overweight children having obesity-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and elevated blood pressure. These diseases were previously seen only in adults.

Obesity is a threat to the health of children in many ways. Obesity impacts multiple systems of the body including: * Cardiovascular system * Pulmonary system * Gastrointestinal system * Orthopedic system Over 12 million children in the United States suffer with childhood obesity. This is an alarming statistic and a frightening one for parents.

The incidences of childhood obesity increased 100 percent over the last ten years. The reasons for obesity are a societal as well as physical. There are two major forces that have created this phenomenon of overweight children in our society. The first major impact on the weight of our children is the amount of fast food that is eaten on a daily basis. The fast food industry has changed the American diet into a junk food melee that lacks healthful options. Fast food consumption combined with the sedentary lifestyles of kids who play expensive video games rather than playing outside contributes to the high incident of overweight children. These activities contribute directly to the causes of obesity in children and to unhealthy parents.

Children need at least 90 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Parents need at least 30-45 minutes of exercise. Children need a nutritious diet for adequate growth and development. Unfortunately, fast food does not provide the nutrients that children need.

Healthy eating is almost a lost art for the normal family. Take out menus and fast food has become the normal way to get the family fed. These lifestyle choices lead to obesity, high blood pressure and a myriad of other health issues for not only adults but for our children.

A summary of the basic problems with the eating habits of a nation are summed up by Eric Schlosser in his book “Fast Food Nation” “A generation ago, three-quarters of the money used to buy food in the United States was spent to prepare meals at home. Today half of the money used to buy food is spent at restaurants — mainly at fast food restaurants”. A hamburger and french fries is the quintessential American meal … thanks to the promotional efforts of the fast food chains. The typical American now consumes approximately three hamburgers and four orders of french fries every week.”

These facts reveal the problem. Some ways to correct this problem are in the hands of adults. Some short-terminterim solutions are offered below: * Focus the family’s diet on healthy foods. * Encourage an increase in physical activity. * Have a wide variety of healthy snacks on hand for snacking. * Prepare a nutritious meal plan for the family. Parents can take more proactive steps to prevent childhood obesity by preparing and serving nutritious meals at home.

Taking the family on a hike or a bike ride after supper is a fun option for the whole family. Let children decide on some activities. Kids can get involved in their own health improvement by making physical activity an after school priority. The goal is to follow healthy lifestyle suggestions as close as possible. Make baby steps until you can achieve the goal of good eating habits for the whole family.

It is hard to change entrenched bad eating habits. The rules will always get broken some of the time – allow for flexibility. The problems that keep us from doing all the right things is usually lack of time. No one has enough of it.

For healthy recipes for children check out http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com

Source: Christine Steendahl

Michael Pollan: Authors @ Google – video 59:14 min.

Michael Pollan visits Google’s Mountain View headquarters to discuss his book, “In Defense of Food.” This talk took place on March 4, 2008 as part of the Authors@Google series. This talk gives some real insight on how our nutrition is affected by the marketing strategies of the food industry.

Source: AtGoogleTalks, on YouTube

Can Cinnamon Treat Diabetes?

 

 

 

The Effect Of Cinnamon On Blood Sugar (Glucose) Levels And Its Ability To Help Control Diabetes
Posted June 23, 2009

By John Bradstreet

What is the Cause of Diabetes? In type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar levels occur when glucose is prevented, to a significant degree, from entering cells of the body, notably liver, muscle, and fat cells. This is caused by a “short circuit” in the insulin signaling pathway, a cascade of highly specific chemical reactions that allow insulin to fulfill its role as the facilitator of glucose transport through the cell walls.

Insulin is produced by the pancreas in response to elevated blood glucose levels; once it enters the blood, it signals the body’s cells to take up the excess glucose until normal levels are restored. When insulin molecules bind to the insulin receptors on cell walls, tiny molecular “gates” open up and allow glucose molecules to pass through. If this system is impaired, the gates don’t respond adequately to the insulin signal, thus preventing the glucose from entering the cell. This condition, which is a common consequence of obesity, is called insulin resistance, and it’s both a harbinger and a symptom of diabetes.

With insulin resistance, glucose levels in the blood remain high, a very dangerous condition in the long run. The pancreas tries to compensate by making more insulin, but this works only for so long. Eventually, the pancreas becomes overburdened and starts making less insulin. That’s when things go from bad to worse.

One of the most exciting recent discoveries in health is cinnamon and its effects on blood sugar (glucose) levels. The positive effect of cinnamon on blood sugar were discovered by accident at the USDA testing center in Maryland where scientists were testing the effects of various foods on blood sugar (glucose) levels. They were surprised when good ol’ apple pie actually helped lower glucose levels.

Although cinnamon bark and cinnamon flowers are used medicinally, Chinese cinnamon, or Cinnamomum aromaticum, is the form used for diabetes. Specifically, hydroxychalcone may work on insulin receptors to increase insulin sensitivity and help promote glucose uptake into cells and tissues and promote glycogen (the storage form of glucose) synthesis.

Several Studies Confirm the Positive Effects of Cinnamon In a December 2003 Diabetes Care study, cinnamon was found to improve glucose and lipids in people with diabetes. Sixty patients with type 2 who were taking a sulfonylurea (glyburide) were given one of three doses of cinnamon (1, 3 or 6 grams per day) or a placebo for 40 days. Fasting blood glucose declined by 18 to 29 percent after 40 days in all three cinnamon treated groups. Specifically, 1 gram per day decreased glucose from 209 to 157 mg/dl, 3 grams per day decreased glucose from 205 to 169 mg/dl and 6 grams per day decreased glucose from 234 to 166 mg/dl. Patients then went without any cinnamon for 20 additional days, but their fasting glucose was still lower than at baseline for the previously cinnamon-treated groups, indicating that cinnamon had a sustained benefit. Furthermore, total cholesterol decreased by 12 to 26 percent, triglycerides decreased by 23 to 30 percent, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol also declined from 7 to 27 percent.

Another study was done by the University of Hannover in Hannover, Germany and published in a recent issue of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. This was the first study evaluating the effect of a water-soluble cinnamon extract on glycemic control and the lipid profile of Western patients with type 2 diabetes. The results further add to a growing body of clinical evidence demonstrating supplementation with a water-soluble cinnamon extract may play an important role in managing blood sugar levels and improving insulin function.

Cinnamon is not Advised Benefiting from this discovery may not be as simple as increasing cinnamon intake in your diet. Cinnamon contains volatile oils and when taken consistently in high doses may be toxic. This is why high quality supplements are recommended.

In conclusion, cinnamon reduced serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Because cinnamon would not contribute to caloric intake, those who have type 2 diabetes or those who have elevated glucose, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, or total cholesterol levels may benefit from the regular inclusion of cinnamon in their daily diet. In addition, cinnamon may be beneficial for the remainder of the population to prevent and control elevated glucose and blood lipid levels.

World Vitamins Online provides it’s readers with pertinent information on vitamins and health supplements, how they work, and why. We feel that a well informed consumer will be one that benefits from this knowledge and will be able to make better decisions about their health and the health of their families.

To learn more on this subject and for additional links on this topic at bottom of page please visit us at http://worldvitaminsonline.com/cinnamoncinnulinpf60capules.aspx Or subscribe to our blog for our latest post at http://worldvitaminsonline.blogspot.com/

Source John Bradstreet

Message from FoodSpook

Dear Audience,

I’m on a well deserved vacation (at least in my mind…). Shall return sometime before 6/26. Happy Father’s Day to all you gentlemen who have begat!

FoodSpook

Diabetes and Your Mood Swings

 

 

 

Can Diabetes Trigger Mood Swings?
Posted June 16, 2009

By Sutiyo Na

People who suffer from diabetes have many challenges to deal with. Diabetes is disease that influences not only the sufferer but also those around him, as well as his relatives and friends. It is an autoimmune disease that spoils insulin-producing cells and can affect everyone not considering gender or age. But is there any relation between diabetes and mood swings? And how can this be controlled?

Knowing diabetes and your emotions Diabetes is characterized by the body’s inability to produce insulin. Insulin is a substance that occur naturally in the body. It regulates the absorption of sugar by the cells. If the body does not obtain sufficient supply of insulin, sugar that is exist in the system is collected in the urine and the blood. This then leads to abnormal thirst, hunger and frequent urination. The problem here is that these reactions of the body have effect on normal cellular functions.

Someone who has diabetes will frequently experience frequent and strong mood swings. They could, for instance, lose their temper, lash out, become introverted or express positive emotions in a very unusual and chaotic manner. Outbursts among people who have diabetes can also become fairly common. The problem here is that they may not even be aware of these outbursts and may in fact even have no memory of it. When confronted, they could even react with anxiety or guilt.

Occasionally, emotions can be expressed as melancholy, wherein the person suffering from diabetes shows extreme sadness. This indicate strong emotions can be very unpredictable, something that can often surprise and offend family members and close associates.

Mood swings and diabetic men Based on research in 2006 indicated that other than diabetes-associated disorders such as impotence, men also have to contend with mood swings. This is particularly true as the man advances in age, when his levels of testosterone begin to decline. Combined with the rise and fall of blood sugar levels associated in Type 2 diabetes, it would not be uncommon for the person to experience fluctuations in moods as well. Other than that, there is also a propensity for men and women alike to feel anxiety, anger, remorse and guilt as a effect of their condition.

This is particularly true if the type of diabetes they have is adult-onset, one that could have been prevented by changes in their lifestyle. Mood swings in people who suffer from diabetes are also influenced by other factors. Knowing that the disease is something they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives can dampen their spirits, causing them to feel apprehension and depression.

Managing mood swings associated to diabetes It’s a must for diabetics to regularly test their blood sugar levels. The results often hold the first clue as to what may be causing their mood swings. Changes in the diet, along with the proper medications must be maintained to ensure that the person’s health is at its optimum and that any instability in his temperament are controlled. Getting education about the disease is also important so he or she will really understand what to anticipate and what to act.

It might be difficult to cure diabetes but mood swings linked with it don’t have to be difficult to control. With the right care, control of sugar intake, diet, exercise and medication, people who suffer from diabetes can still live a normal, happy life and get success in his career.

Get more related articles on dealing with mood swings, take a look at : http://www.moodswingsadvice.info and resource for diabetes treatment, visit : http://www.diabetes-guide.co.cc

Source: Sutiyo Na

Marion Nestle, Politics and the Food Industry in America – video 58:40 min.

Posted June 13, 2009

Marion Nestle lectures on how the food industry and politics have designed a campaign to confuse the American public about what is good food. It takes some patience to watch this video (58 min.) but you will find it very informative. It will give you some great insights on how supermarkets really work. Marion Nestle is the author of the best selling book, “Food Politics”. She has many other publications concerning politics, food and our health.

FoodSpook

Source: uctelevision on YouTube

Ayurveda, A Holistic Treatment for Diabetes

 

 

 

Sweet Treatment For Diabetes From Ayurveda
June 12, 2009

By Dr. Rajesh Nair

According to Ayurveda, a holistic alternative medical science, the main cause of diabetes are fat, urine, and Kapha buildups due to foods, liquids, lifestyle, stress and others. It generally believes that any disease caused is due to doshic imbalance. The doshas are the three humors that govern the human body, they are vata, pitta and kapha. It includes diabetes in the prameha category, which are a list of urinary disorders especially characterized by profuse urination with several abnormal qualities. Classical Ayurvedic therapy for madhumeha (diabetes) begins with an assessment of the dosha imbalance. In all types of pramehas , kapha is vitiated, but in madhumeha, vata is often aggravated as well. Therefore, therapies will be directed at both vata and kapha simultaneously to restore the balance of the doshas. By determining the causal imbalances at the basis of a disorder, an Ayurveda evaluation strikes the root causes of diabetes which are Overeating and consequent obesity, Excessive intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, Overloading of proteins and fats which get converted into sugar if taken in excess, Excessive tension, worry, anxiety & grief, Hereditary factors. Common ayurveda remedies include : a) Diet restrictions -Avoid foods that increase kapha dosha like potatoes, rice, sugar, fatty foods and avoiding alcohol. b) Exercise – Regular physical exercise is a must for diabetics. Practising yogic asanas like ‘Halasan’, ‘Paschimottanasan” are found effective. c) Panchakarma Therapy – The greatest benefit of Panchakarma is that it reduces the insulin resistance in the tissues in diabetics which is the primary goal in treating the diabetes. i.e., Ayurveda also addresses the diet modification by eliminating sugar and simple carbohydrates, and emphasizing complex carbohydrates. Protein is limited, as excessive intake can damage the kidneys. Fat is also limited because there is often a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes, making fat digestion difficult. Since many diabetics have autoantibodies, Panchakarma is typically used for this cleansing the same. This begins with herbal massages and an herbal steam sauna, followed by fasting to cleanse the body. This is followed by an herbal purge for the liver, pancreas, and spleen. Colon therapy is next, first to cleanse the digestive tract and then to reconstitute the system. Ayurvedic management of Diabetes depends on the strength of patient and type of diabetes he/she has. But some generalized management are mentioned below. If the patient has sufficient strength panchakarma treatment can be started with snehana followed by vamana and virechana. Virechana can be repeated frequently. Dhanwantharam Gritham is apt for snehanam. Pizhichil is good for a week. Takradhara can also yield good results. Internal medicines that can be used are katakakhadiradi kashayam, aragvadhadi kashayam, nisadi kashayam, mehari dravakam and Nisha katakadi qwath. Apart from these ayaskriti and lodhrasavam are good. Mehasamhari gulika, brihantmehantaka gulika, niruryadi gulika, svetagaunjadi gulika, haldi (turmeric), amalaki (gooseberry) choorna, nyagrodadhi churna,Brihat triphala churna, Madhumegha karpagm, nisosiradi tailam,or eladi tailam can be added to the kashayams as the case may be. Shilajit, vasntakusumakara rasa, nag bhasma, vanga bhasma, and chandraprabha vati can be used favorably. Hyponidd tablets, Diabecon tablets, Mehanil tablets, Glucova, Nishakatakadi qwath tablet can be used on regular basis. Sugar in any form like rice, especially from fresh grains, potato, banana, and other such cereals and fruits are to be avoided. Fat intake should also be avoided. Tamarid and salt intake should be minimal. All bitter things are of help in general. Vegetables like bitter gourd, drumstick, patola(sponge gourd), okra (ladies finger) are good. So is neem (Azadirachta indica) and bilva (Aegle marmelos). It is also advised to decrease all food intakes by three quarters of normal. Wheat, barely and all millets are good. Some cases recover fully just with exclusively meat diet. Don’t use polished grains as bryan is good for diabetes. Shadangapaniyam or water boiled with ekanayakam (Salacia reticulate) is excellent to quench thirst in diabetics. Exercise within limits is advisable, yogic exercise, particularly matsyendra asanam is useful. Sleep during daytime, sex, not resting after food intake and excessive labour is to be avoided.

Dr Rajesh Nair is the consultant of world’s largest online ayurvedic store http://www.ayurvedaforall.com.

Source: Dr. Rajesh Nair

Self-Care for Individuals With Diabetes

 

 

 

Posted June 9, 2009

By Brenda Williams

A proactive attitude towards your diabetes treatment is crucial in preventing complications. Diabetics can’t just delegate their care to their health care provider. They have to be constantly involved. While everyone should have an annual physical, eye exam, and dental exam, this is especially important for diabetics. You also need to inform the dentist and eye doctor that you are diabetic so they can be alert to the special problems that accompany diabetes.

Since high blood sugar levels weaken your immune system, you are more vulnerable to infections, flu and pneumonia. It is there important to do as much as possible to prevent these. Make sure your vaccinations for flu, tetanus, and pneumonia are current.

Diabetics need to take particularly good care of their feet. Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet as well as reduce the flow of blood to your feet. That means you can injure a foot and not even be aware of it. It also means that the injuries will be more difficult to heal. So you need to check your feet daily for blisters, cuts, bruises, cracking, redness, and swelling. You also need to keep your feet clean and dry. Wash your feet daily using gentle motions, a soft washcloth and a mild soap. Gently dry your feet giving careful attention to your toes.

If your skin is dry, apply a moisturizer. Change socks daily and avoid bulky socks or sock with tight elastic bands. Buy comfortable, safe shoes. They should have soft leather tops and flexible soles. Shoes with low heels and closed toes are safer and provide more comfort. Diabetics need to be very particular about shoe fit. It is recommended that you shop for shoes late in the afternoon or evening. Then you will be trying them on at the time of day when your feet are most likely to swell. Your shoes should be large enough to accommodate normal swelling.

Diabetics should positively not smoke. People who have diabetes and smoke are increasing their risk of heart attack, stroke, nerve damage and kidney infections. In spite of that, it is estimated that 25% of Americans who are diabetic do smoke.

Diabetics also need to monitor their blood pressure. They are more vulnerable to developing high blood pressure than people who do not have diabetes. This is especially true of Blacks and Hispanics. High blood pressure causes from 35% to 75% of all complications that can accompany diabetes.

Individuals with diabetes also need to learn to manage stress. When we’re under stress we tend not to eat properly or get the right amount of sleep. The lifestyle practices that accompany stress are very detrimental to diabetics. Also, if the stress is excessive or lasts for a long time, our bodies produce hormones that block the effect of insulin. The result is a rise in blood sugar. So it is important to employ stress-reduction techniques such as maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. Also look for ways to lighten the stress. This could mean evaluating your daily commitments to see what could be eliminated or reduced; avoiding or limiting time with people who cause you stress, and if work is the problem, seeking out ways to lighten your load. There are also stress-busting practices such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing and relaxation that you can learn to do and apply in stressful situations.

Source: Brenda Williams

Gill Scott-Heron, “Winter in America”

Posted June 8, 2009

I had the priviledge of seeing the poet Gill Scott-Heron live on several occassions during the 1970′s and 1980′s. His performances are electric. I still remember them. His music is a hybrid of poetry and social commentary about the issues of the day performed by master jazz-fusion musicians in his group. This post is purely for entertainment. Gill passed on in 2011. R.I.P.You will be missed.
FoodSpook

Source: sirnoze on YouTube

Diabetes and Sexual Problems: Topics A to Z

Posted June 7, 2009

 

 

Search   Email to a friend   Print this page   PDF Version * (446 KB) Also see: Erectile Dysfunction Nerve Disease and Bladder Control Urinary Incontinence in Men Urinary Incontinence in Women Urinary Tract Infections in Adults

Home : Diabetes A-Z List of Topics and Titles : Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes     Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes Diabetes and Sexual Problems What sexual problems can occur in men with diabetes? What sexual problems can occur in women with diabetes? Diabetes and Urologic Problems Who is at risk for developing sexual and urologic problems of diabetes? Can diabetes-related sexual and urologic problems be prevented? Points to Remember Hope through Research For More Information Troublesome bladder symptoms and changes in sexual function are common health problems as people age. Having diabetes can mean early onset and increased severity of these problems. Sexual and urologic complications of diabetes occur because of the damage diabetes can cause to blood vessels and nerves. Men may have difficulty with erections or ejaculation. Women may have problems with sexual response and vaginal lubrication. Urinary tract infections and bladder problems occur more often in people with diabetes. People who keep their diabetes under control can lower their risk of the early onset of these sexual and urologic problems. Diabetes and Sexual Problems Both men and women with diabetes can develop sexual problems because of damage to nerves and small blood vessels. When a person wants to lift an arm or take a step, the brain sends nerve signals to the appropriate muscles. Nerve signals also control internal organs like the heart and bladder, but people do not have the same kind of conscious control over them as they do over their arms and legs. The nerves that control internal organs are called autonomic nerves, which signal the body to digest food and circulate blood without a person having to think about it. The body’s response to sexual stimuli is also involuntary, governed by autonomic nerve signals that increase blood flow to the genitals and cause smooth muscle tissue to relax. Damage to these autonomic nerves can hinder normal function. Reduced blood flow resulting from damage to blood vessels can also contribute to sexual dysfunction. [Top] What sexual problems can occur in men with diabetes? Erectile Dysfunction Erectile dysfunction is a consistent inability to have an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. The condition includes the total inability to have an erection and the inability to sustain an erection. Estimates of the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes vary widely, ranging from 20 to 75 percent. Men who have diabetes are two to three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than men who do not have diabetes. Among men with erectile dysfunction, those with diabetes may experience the problem as much as 10 to 15 years earlier than men without diabetes. Research suggests that erectile dysfunction may be an early marker of diabetes, particularly in men ages 45 and younger. In addition to diabetes, other major causes of erectile dysfunction include high blood pressure, kidney disease, alcohol abuse, and blood vessel disease. Erectile dysfunction may also occur because of the side effects of medications, psychological factors, smoking, and hormonal deficiencies. Men who experience erectile dysfunction should consider talking with a health care provider. The health care provider may ask about the patient’s medical history, the type and frequency of sexual problems, medications, smoking and drinking habits, and other health conditions. A physical exam and laboratory tests may help pinpoint causes of sexual problems. The health care provider will check blood glucose control and hormone levels and may ask the patient to do a test at home that checks for erections that occur during sleep. The health care provider may also ask whether the patient is depressed or has recently experienced upsetting changes in his life. Treatments for erectile dysfunction caused by nerve damage, also called neuropathy, vary widely and range from oral pills, a vacuum pump, pellets placed in the urethra, and shots directly into the penis, to surgery. All of these methods have advantages and disadvantages. Psychological counseling to reduce anxiety or address other issues may be necessary. Surgery to implant a device to aid in erection or to repair arteries is usually used as a treatment after all others fail. Retrograde Ejaculation Retrograde ejaculation is a condition in which part or all of a man’s semen goes into the bladder instead of out the tip of the penis during ejaculation. Retrograde ejaculation occurs when internal muscles, called sphincters, do not function normally. A sphincter automatically opens or closes a passage in the body. With retrograde ejaculation, semen enters the bladder, mixes with urine, and leaves the body during urination without harming the bladder. A man experiencing retrograde ejaculation may notice that little semen is discharged during ejaculation or may become aware of the condition if fertility problems arise. Analysis of a urine sample after ejaculation will reveal the presence of semen. Poor blood glucose control and the resulting nerve damage can cause retrograde ejaculation. Other causes include prostate surgery and some medications. For additional information about erectile dysfunction, see the fact sheet Erectile Dysfunction, available from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse at 1–800–891–5390. Retrograde ejaculation caused by diabetes or surgery may be helped with a medication that strengthens the muscle tone of the sphincter in the bladder. A urologist experienced in infertility treatments may assist with techniques to promote fertility, such as collecting sperm from the urine and then using the sperm for artificial insemination. [Top] What sexual problems can occur in women with diabetes? Many women with diabetes experience sexual problems. Although research about sexual problems in women with diabetes is limited, one study found 27 percent of women with type 1 diabetes experienced sexual dysfunction. Another study found 18 percent of women with type 1 diabetes and 42 percent of women with type 2 diabetes experienced sexual dysfunction. Sexual problems may include decreased vaginal lubrication, resulting in vaginal dryness uncomfortable or painful sexual intercourse decreased or no desire for sexual activity decreased or absent sexual response Decreased or absent sexual response can include the inability to become or remain aroused, reduced or no sensation in the genital area, and the constant or occasional inability to reach orgasm. Causes of sexual problems in women with diabetes include nerve damage, reduced blood flow to genital and vaginal tissues, and hormonal changes. Other possible causes include some medications, alcohol abuse, smoking, psychological problems such as anxiety or depression, gynecologic infections, other diseases, and conditions relating to pregnancy or menopause. Women who experience sexual problems or notice a change in sexual response should consider talking with a health care provider. The health care provider will ask about the patient’s medical history, any gynecologic conditions or infections, the type and frequency of sexual problems, medications, smoking and drinking habits, and other health conditions. The health care provider may ask whether the patient might be pregnant or has reached menopause and whether she is depressed or has recently experienced upsetting changes in her life. A physical exam and laboratory tests may also help pinpoint causes of sexual problems. The health care provider will also talk with the patient about blood glucose control. Prescription or over-the-counter vaginal lubricants may be useful for women experiencing vaginal dryness. Techniques to treat decreased sexual response include changes in position and stimulation during sexual relations. Psychological counseling may be helpful. Kegel exercises that help strengthen the pelvic muscles may improve sexual response. Studies of drug treatments are under way. [Top] Diabetes and Urologic Problems Urologic problems that affect men and women with diabetes include bladder problems and urinary tract infections. The urinary tract. Bladder Problems Many events or conditions can damage nerves that control bladder function, including diabetes and other diseases, injuries, and infections. More than half of men and women with diabetes have bladder dysfunction because of damage to nerves that control bladder function. Bladder dysfunction can have a profound effect on a person’s quality of life. Common bladder problems in men and women with diabetes include the following: Overactive bladder.Damaged nerves may send signals to the bladder at the wrong time, causing its muscles to squeeze without warning. The symptoms of overactive bladder include urinary frequency—urination eight or more times a day or two or more times a night urinary urgency—the sudden, strong need to urinate immediately urge incontinence—leakage of urine that follows a sudden, strong urge to urinate Poor control of sphincter muscles. Sphincter muscles surround the urethra—the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body—and keep it closed to hold urine in the bladder. If the nerves to the sphincter muscles are damaged, the muscles may become loose and allow leakage or stay tight when a person is trying to release urine. Urine retention. For some people, nerve damage keeps their bladder muscles from getting the message that it is time to urinate or makes the muscles too weak to completely empty the bladder. If the bladder becomes too full, urine may back up and the increasing pressure may damage the kidneys. If urine remains in the body too long, an infection can develop in the kidneys or bladder. Urine retention may also lead to overflow incontinence—leakage of urine when the bladder is full and does not empty properly. Diagnosis of bladder problems may involve checking both bladder function and the appearance of the bladder’s interior. Tests may include x rays, urodynamic testing to evaluate bladder function, and cystoscopy, a test that uses a device called a cystoscope to view the inside of the bladder. Treatment of bladder problems due to nerve damage depends on the specific problem. If the main problem is urine retention, treatment may involve medication to promote better bladder emptying and a practice called timed voiding—urinating on a schedule—to promote more efficient urination. Sometimes people need to periodically insert a thin tube called a catheter through the urethra into the bladder to drain the urine. Learning how to tell when the bladder is full and how to massage the lower abdomen to fully empty the bladder can help as well. If urinary leakage is the main problem, medications, strengthening muscles with Kegel exercises, or surgery can help. Treatment for the urinary urgency and frequency of overactive bladder may involve medications, timed voiding, Kegel exercises, and surgery in some cases. Urinary Tract Infections Infections can occur when bacteria, usually from the digestive system, reach the urinary tract. If bacteria are growing in the urethra, the infection is called urethritis. The bacteria may travel up the urinary tract and cause a bladder infection, called cystitis. An untreated infection may go farther into the body and cause pyelonephritis, a kidney infection. Some people have chronic or recurrent urinary tract infections. Symptoms of urinary tract infections can include a frequent urge to urinate pain or burning in the bladder or urethra during urination cloudy or reddish urine in women, pressure above the pubic bone in men, a feeling of fullness in the rectum If the infection is in the kidneys, a person may have nausea, feel pain in the back or side, and have a fever. Frequent urination can be a sign of high blood glucose, so results from recent blood glucose monitoring should be evaluated. The health care provider will ask for a urine sample, which will be analyzed for bacteria and pus. Additional tests may be done if the patient has frequent urinary tract infections. An ultrasound exam provides images from the echo patterns of sound waves bounced back from internal organs. An intravenous pyelogram uses a special dye to enhance x-ray images of the urinary tract. Cystoscopy might be performed. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent more serious infections. To clear up a urinary tract infection, the health care provider will probably prescribe antibiotic treatment based on the type of bacteria in the urine. Kidney infections are more serious and may require several weeks of antibiotic treatment. Drinking plenty of fluids will help prevent another infection. The following publications, available from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse at www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov or by calling 1–800–891–5390, provide additional information about urologic problems: Bladder Control for Women Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy Imaging of the Urinary Tract Nerve Disease and Bladder Control Pyelonephritis (Kidney Infection) in Adults Urinary Incontinence in Men Urinary Tract Infections in Adults Urodynamic Testing What I need to know about Urinary Tract Infections Your Kidneys and How They Work Your Urinary System and How It Works [Top] Who is at risk for developing sexual and urologic problems of diabetes? Risk factors are conditions that increase the chances of getting a particular disease. The more risk factors people have, the greater their chances of developing that disease or condition. Diabetic neuropathy and related sexual and urologic problems appear to be more common in people who have poor blood glucose control have high levels of blood cholesterol have high blood pressure are overweight are older than 40 smoke are physically inactive [Top] Can diabetes-related sexual and urologic problems be prevented? People with diabetes can lower their risk of sexual and urologic problems by keeping their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels close to the target numbers their health care provider recommends. Being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight can also help prevent the long-term complications of diabetes. For those who smoke, quitting will lower the risk of developing sexual and urologic problems due to nerve damage and also lower the risk for other health problems related to diabetes, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. For additional information about preventing diabetes complications, see the Prevent Diabetes Problems Series, available from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse at 1–800–860–8747. The series is also available at www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications. [Top] Points to Remember The nerve damage of diabetes may cause sexual or urologic problems. Sexual problems in men with diabetes include erectile dysfunction retrograde ejaculation Sexual problems in women with diabetes include decreased vaginal lubrication and uncomfortable or painful intercourse decreased or no sexual desire decreased or absent sexual response Urologic problems in men and women with diabetes include bladder problems related to nerve damage, such as overactive bladder, poor control of sphincter muscles, and urine retention urinary tract infections Controlling diabetes through diet, physical activity, and medications as needed can help prevent sexual and urologic problems. Treatment is available for sexual and urologic problems. [Top] Hope through Research The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) was established by Congress in 1950 as one of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIDDK conducts and supports research on diabetes, glucose metabolism, and related conditions. NIDDK-supported research on the sexual and urologic complications of diabetes includes research conducted as part of the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) study. The EDIC is an observational follow-up study of people who originally participated in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT). The DCCT showed that intensive blood glucose control can reduce the risk of complications of type 1 diabetes. EDIC study results suggest that tight glucose control can delay the onset of erectile dysfunction in men with type 1 diabetes. A recent study focused on urinary incontinence in women at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes who participated in the NIDDK-sponsored Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). The women had pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Women who were in the DPP group that used a lifestyle change approach to diabetes prevention and lost 5 to 7 percent of their weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity were compared with those in other DPP groups who received standard education and maintained a stable weight. The women in the lifestyle intervention group had fewer problems with urinary incontinence than women in the other groups. This finding adds to other results of the DPP study that indicate the value of lifestyle changes for preventing or delaying the development of type 2 diabetes. Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. For information about current studies, visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov. The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any specific commercial product or company. Trade, proprietary, or company names appearing in this document are used only because they are considered necessary in the context of the information provided. If a product is not mentioned, the omission does not mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory. [Top] For More Information American Diabetes Association 1701 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, VA 22311 Phone: 1–800–DIABETES (342–2383) Email: AskADA@diabetes.org Internet: www.diabetes.org American Urological Association Foundation 1000 Corporate Boulevard Linthicum, MD 21090 Phone: 1–866–RING–AUA (746–4282) or 410–689–3700 Fax: 410–689–3800 Email: patienteducation@auafoundation.org Internet: www.auafoundation.org www.UrologyHealth.org Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International 120 Wall Street New York, NY 10005–4001 Phone: 1–800–533–CURE (2873) Fax: 212–785–9595 Email: info@jdrf.org Internet: www.jdrf.org National Diabetes Education Program 1 Diabetes Way Bethesda, MD 20814–9692 Phone: 1–888–693–NDEP (6337) TTY: 1–866–569–1162 Fax: 703–738–4929 Email: ndep@mail.nih.gov Internet: www.ndep.nih.gov National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse 3 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892–3580 Phone: 1–800–891–5390 TTY: 1–866–569–1162 Fax: 703–738–4929 Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov Internet: www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse collects resource information about diabetes for the NIDDK Reference Collection. This database provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health information and health education resources. You may view the results of the automatic search on sexual and urologic problems of diabetes. If you wish to perform your own search of the database, go to NIDDK Reference Collection. This publication may contain information about medications. When prepared, this publication included the most current information available. For updates or for questions about any medications, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration toll-free at 1–888–INFO–FDA (463–6332) or visit www.fda.gov. Consult your doctor for more information. [Top] National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 1 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892–3560 Phone: 1–800–860–8747 TTY: 1–866–569–1162 Fax: 703–738–4929 Email: ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov Internet: www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1978, the Clearinghouse provides information about diabetes to people with diabetes and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about diabetes. Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This publication was originally reviewed by Jeanette S. Brown, M.D., Women’s Continence Center, University of California at San Francisco; Kevin T. McVary, M.D., Department of Urology, Northwestern University; and Hunter Wessells, M.D., Department of Urology, University of Washington. This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired. NIH Publication No. 09–5135 December 2008 [Top]

Source: Natinal Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, (NDIC)

Free Diabetes Supplies

 

 

 

Posted June 5, 2009

By Roger Thompson

The average person with diabetes spends more than $13,000 in medical care annually while the typical person without diabetes only spends approximately $3,000 per year on health care. While this cost sounds high, the toll of uncontrolled blood glucose levels and associated complications is a lot higher.

Think of all the prescriptions, lab work, and doctor’s visits as a form of preventive maintenance. Free diabetes supplies are provided to those who cannot afford to purchase them. There are also some insurance companies that provide these services. In fact, the majority of diabetes service companies are affiliated with health insurance companies, which is why you can get free diabetes supplies.

So, how do you get free diabetes supplies? Most companies that focus on providing health services and supplies for diabetics give out free supplies and will even ship them at no extra cost. However, you need to be covered by health insurance. Once you are covered, you will have to find a medical supply company that has either free or low cost diabetes supplies. Most of these places will deliver your supplies directly to your home for free.

Testing is important for diabetics because carefully monitoring blood glucose can give valuable information, helping to obtain great control which can seriously delay the progression of long term diabetic complications. Blood glucose is easy to monitor at home, using thumb prick blood tests. Many people who test this way daily do not actually understand how serious and important it is for them to do so.

Frequent monitoring can answer a lot of questions about diet and exercise, and what is happening over a long term period. Not only can monitoring blood glucose allow the diabetic control of his or her day to day – It can also indicate changes over time and help predict long term complications.

Health experts say that the ultimate goal of diabetics should be to get their blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible. However, if you have any medical conditions that affect your ability to control your glucose level, then these levels may be a bit higher. Therefore, it is important that you always have reliable blood glucose monitors, meters and other equipment so that you can check your present blood sugar levels.

Of course, this can be very costly because you have to pay for blood glucose monitors and test strips. It is actually these test strips that can leave a big hole in your pocket, which is why free diabetes supplies are very much appreciated by many diabetics. You should know that free diabetes supplies are safe to use as long as they have not expired because if they are expired they can be dangerous because they may not detect your glucose levels accurately.

Even if you decide to purchase large quantities of your supplies they will still cost you a lot of money, which is why it is advantageous to try to get them for free if you can.

Source: Roger Thompson

Plant Genetics by Rachael Moeller Gorman

 

 

 

Shoot the Messenger

Proto
Posted June 3, 2009

It all started with petunias. In the mid-1980s, Richard Jorgensen and Carolyn Napoli were working as plant geneticists for an Oakland biotechnology startup that specialized in boosting agricultural yields—increasing frost tolerance with a sort of antifreeze bacteria called Frostban and quickening the ripening of fruits, among other advances. Yet if such improvements were apt to delight farmers, they didn’t always impress potential investors. So the researchers decided to try something more obviously spectacular: creating an extraordinary flower. They chose petunias (Petunia hybrida) because of the plant’s large, colorful blooms and because even then, early in the history of genetic research, scientists had developed sound methods for introducing genes into petunia cells.

In the laboratory, petunias can be grown from single cells, so Jorgensen and Napoli inserted into leaf cells a gene known to produce large amounts of the protein responsible for the flower’s purple pigment. They nurtured the cells into full-grown plants, then transplanted them into soil in a greenhouse. But when the blooms appeared, they were white, not vividly violet. Adding a purple pigment gene had somehow caused the plants to make less of the hue. After ruling out an experimental mishap, they realized an unknown process must be at work.

During the next several years, Jorgensen, Napoli and other plant researchers began to unravel the mysteries of a phenomenon they dubbed co-suppression, a form of gene silencing. But remarkable as it may now seem, the discovery had little impact outside the world of plant research until 1998, when a small team of scientists published a paper detailing a similar type of co-suppression they had discovered in a tiny worm. Interest in this type of gene silencing grew exponentially, and today, 20 years later, the same mechanism that drained the color from petunias is being tested in numerous human clinical trials. It appears capable of remarkable things.

Now known as RNA interference, or RNAi, the mechanism has already transformed the way geneticists figure out the function of genes, sparking “a revolution in our understanding of basic biology,” says Judy Lieberman, a biomedical researcher at Harvard Medical School. But the real excitement involves what RNAi could do outside the laboratory, potentially spawning a vast pharmacopoeia that could selectively eliminate harmful proteins produced by wayward genes in difficult-to-treat diseases.

Unlike gene therapy, which attempts—with limited results—to cure disease by replacing defective genes with properly functioning ones, RNAi allows researchers to tap a pathway that primitive organisms use to turn off invading viruses. Because the workings of the mechanism are natural to the cell, RNAi is theoretically much easier to implement than gene therapy, less invasive (because you’re not actually altering a person’s DNA) and has fewer potential side effects. What’s more, if there are problems, it can be washed from a person’s system.

If RNAi works as researchers hope, it might curb cancer genes; inflammatory genes associated with Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease, among others; and even genes that cause high cholesterol. Already, there are clinical trials of treatments for AIDS, acute renal failure, respiratory syncytial virus and the wet form of age-related macular degeneration.

Not that there aren’t some very real obstacles, such as simply being able to get a drug carrying an RNAi molecule to the right place in the body and avoiding a massive immune system attack against foreign genetic material. Yet while the hype is huge, the research so far is convincing.

Although known to researchers for decades, RNA had always been considered a mere servant to the more fundamental DNA. Though both kinds of nucleic acid are made of strings of nucleotides, the building blocks of the genetic code that determines every individual’s unique makeup, RNA generally has just one strand of code, while DNA has two. Encapsulated in the cell’s nucleus, DNA holds an organism’s entire archive of genes. To tap that archive, the organism creates RNA, a complementary string of nucleotides that is a copy of a section of DNA code. Exiting the nucleus, the RNA—in this capacity, called messenger RNA, or mRNA—enters the cytoplasm, where the code is translated into proteins.

By the 1990s, scientists had begun to suspect that RNA might play another important role. Craig Mello, at the University of Massachusetts, and Andrew Fire, then at the Carnegie Institution of Washington and now at Stanford University, were intrigued by studies of worms showing that injected RNA could sometimes interfere with the normal protein production coded by a particular gene. So they decided to inject two forms of RNA into Caenorhabditis elegans, a millimeter-long worm often used as a simple model of human disease. The first form was the better-known single-stranded RNA, while the second was a double-stranded cousin (dsRNA) found naturally only in viruses, in which the second strand contains the complementary code sequence of the first (both strands differ somewhat in structure from DNA).

Mello and Fire used this method to introduce extra copies of certain genes into the worm and then tested whether its behavior and appearance had changed. They hypothesized that the genes they had injected would be turned off. In fact, protein production associated with the genes carried by the double-stranded RNA was almost nil. The shutdown was powerfully specific, much more so than that elicited by the single-stranded RNA. It affected only those genes targeted, and it was easy to elicit. They called the effect RNA interference.

Mello and Fire described their worm experiments in the journal Nature, detailing research for which they were awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. But it was only later that they and other researchers discovered how RNAi shuts down protein production. It turns out that double-stranded RNA attaches to a cell enzyme called Dicer, which chops the dsRNA (which the cell thinks came from an invading virus) into little pieces. A complex that contains the enzyme Argonaute 2 attaches to the dsRNA. Argonaute 2 splits those pieces into two single strands; one strand remains bound to the complex and eventually finds its corresponding messenger RNA. That mRNA, without this interference, would deliver the genetic code for the gene in question to the cytoplasm’s protein-making machinery, and the protein coded by the gene would be produced. Instead, Argonaute 2 cleaves the mRNA, rendering it useless. Even tiny amounts of dsRNA are enough to slam the door almost completely on protein production.

RNAi also works in fruit flies, plants, zebrafish and other lower organisms, but for several years that seemed to be as far as it went—no one could get RNAi to work in higher organisms. Double-stranded RNA injected into mammals appeared to turn off all genes. But everything finally changed in 2001 with the publication of a paper in Nature by Thomas Tuschl, a co-founder of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Mass. He knew that most RNAi experiments used long strands of dsRNA that strung together hundreds of nucleotides. But Tuschl and others had had success with shorter strands, especially in the fruit fly, so he decided to try that approach in mammalian cells.

Eventually it worked. Tuschl found that to trigger RNAi in a mammal’s cell, the physical structure of the double-stranded RNA molecule—known as small interfering RNA, or siRNA—must be precisely constructed. It had to be short, just 21 nucleotides in length, with an overhang of two nucleotides on one or both ends. Using such a molecule in mammals, Tuschl was able to switch off specific genes. “This made what had been an interesting biologic phenomenon in worms relevant to all of us in the medical profession,” says Johannes Fruehauf, vice president of research at Cequent Pharmaceuticals, another RNAi company in Cambridge. “Suddenly there was the prospect of using this process to make a drug.”

Many drugs try to deactivate disease-causing proteins. For example, scientists have engineered small molecules that bind to the active part of a cancer-causing protein and disable it. But only a relatively small number of proteins, probably no more than a few thousand, are treatable by these “small molecule” drugs. Other proteins tend to be inaccessible, with chemical structures not easily targeted. In contrast, with RNAi it’s theoretically possible to design a drug that could turn off any of the 30,000 or so human genes—each of which normally codes for a different protein. “RNAi opens up the possibility that the whole universe of genes becomes ‘druggable,’” says Harvard Medical School’s Lieberman.

There’s another potential advantage. Because many drugs are designed to knock out or alter a particular protein, researchers have to consider the target’s physical structure and model a drug that fits it perfectly. Even then, there’s a chance the drug could react with other, similar proteins. With RNAi, protein targeting becomes both simpler and more precise. Suppose a researcher wants to eliminate production of a protein associated with a particular gene. He could systematically test 21-nucleotide sections of that gene with corresponding dsRNA until he finds one that effectively silences the gene. “This gives you a ready-made drug,” says John J. Rossi of the Beckman Research Institute in Duarte, Calif. “It’s very easy to design siRNA for virtually any gene of interest. And with the whole genome now sequenced, we can identify a target instantaneously.”

A final advantage is that rather than attacking a problem protein, RNAi addresses disease at a fundamental level, turning off the gene that codes for production of that protein. “With RNAi, you’re preventing the protein from even being made, versus trying to mop up the protein’s activity,” says Akshay Vaishnaw, vice president of clinical research at Alnylam.

In 2002 Lieberman began a study attempting to cure HIV in a petri dish of human cells. First, she targeted a protein called CD4, a receptor on the outer membrane of human immune cells, to which the HIV virus attaches itself and into which it inserts its genetic material. Lieberman used siRNA to silence the gene that coded for CD4 and found that without CD4 receptors to bind to, the HIV virus was four times less able to enter a cell. This could halt the spread of the virus.

Next, Lieberman tried a different tack, targeting the virus itself. Using RNAi, she turned off a pivotal HIV gene, called gag, that codes for proteins essential to the virus’s structure. She found that this sharply reduced the amount of HIV in the cells, apparently because new copies of the virus could not be made without the gag gene. Finally, to see whether siRNA could treat infection as well as prevent it, she infected the cells with HIV and then dosed them with siRNA. That worked too.

But treating cells in a petri dish is a far cry from achieving the effect in humans. To see what was possible in a living creature, Lieberman moved on to mice. Because overabundance of a protein called Fas is often involved in liver disease, she designed siRNA for the gene that makes that protein and was able to protect mice with hepatitis from liver failure—the first time siRNA had alleviated disease in an animal.

However, the extraordinary measures she had to employ—injecting a dose of siRNA equal to one-fifth of the mouse’s blood volume at high pressure—would never work in humans. But the following year, a group from Alnylam managed to inject siRNA into a mouse at a normal pressure and volume to silence a gene called apoB, which causes high LDL cholesterol. The researchers altered the siRNA slightly, chemically stabilizing the strands and attaching them to a molecule of cholesterol to make it easier for them to pass into cells. This approach also kept the siRNA from being quickly degraded by enzymes—normally a problem—and the treatment had the desired effect, entering the liver and slowing production of LDL. Alnylam followed up with a 2006 study in primates that also reduced cholesterol.

Yet this success hasn’t really solved the biggest problem of using RNAi to treat human disease. Delivery is the elephant in the room, and progress has been slow. In addition to Alnylam’s cholesterol work, Lieberman is developing an approach using antibodies, while Rossi at the Beckman Research Institute is trying to attach siRNA to a molecule called an aptamer that can bind to various parts of a cell. But none of these has been tested in people yet.

Until the delivery issue is sorted out, researchers say, they’re left to pluck the low-hanging fruit, targeting tissues to which siRNA can be applied directly rather than depending on systemic delivery through the bloodstream. For example, three years ago, Acuity (now called OPKO Health) began the first clinical trial of an siRNA for the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers injected siRNA for the gene that codes for the protein VEGF directly into the back of the eye. VEGF causes leaky blood vessels to grow in the eye, damaging the macula—the part of the retina with the most vision cells—and harming the ability to see fine detail. In these small trials, the siRNA proved effective in reducing expression of VEGF. Now, in a larger Phase III trial (the first for an RNAi therapeutic), the siRNA drug is being compared with another AMD drug already on the market.

The lung, reached via inhaled drugs, is also an easy target. Alnylam is conducting a clinical trial that attempts to silence a gene important for the replication of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The company’s main drug, ALN-RSV01, was found to be safe and well tolerated in Phase I trials, and it’s now in Phase II trials to test how well it knocks down the virus in the upper respiratory tract.

For RNAi to live up to its hype, however, researchers will have to find a way to go beyond direct delivery. There are other issues too, not least the worry that siRNAs could trigger a damaging immune response in humans. And what would happen if someone took RNAi drugs for a lifetime, a requirement for many diseases such as HIV or hepatitis? Still, hopes are high. “All of us developing RNAi-based drugs think that this will add a whole new class to our arsenal,” says Fruehauf of Cequent Pharmaceuticals.

Rossi hopes his HIV treatment will be one of those. He has just recruited the first of five patients for a small trial. The patient has lymphoma and AIDS, and as part of the treatment for lymphoma, he’ll receive a blood stem-cell transplant. But before the transplanted cells go into the patient, Rossi will add an anti-HIV siRNA, which “we hope will make the other drugs the patient is on more potent. That could let us lower the dosage of those drugs, or enable patients to go on drug holidays.”

Rossi will follow the patients in his trial indefinitely to monitor whether siRNA continues to combat the virus. But he also thinks RNAi will benefit AIDS patients in another major way. Because HIV mutates rapidly, drugs that were once effective eventually lose potency. RNAi could offer an important answer to this persistent problem. “You could just make a new RNA that would counter the resistance mutation,” he says. “It would be so easy to change the drug. We might even be able to develop an injectable once-a-month treatment using siRNA that would take the place of conventional drugs.”

Source: Rachael Moeller Gorman in “Proto” magazine

Michael Pollan: The Omnivore’s Next Dilemma: video 17:32 min.

Source:Uploaded by TEDtalksDirector on Feb 7, 2008 to YouTube

http://www.ted.com What if human consciousness isn’t the end-all and be-all of Darwinism? What if we are all just pawns in corn’s clever strategy game to rule the Earth? Author Michael Pollan asks us to see the world from a plant’s-eye view.

Mariam Makeba-Soweto Blues

To my readers,
I hope you don’t mind if I post some music videos at various times by artists that are timeless and revered all around the world. This video is by the lengendary Mariam Makeba. She is not with us now but her music will here for all time. This video of course is not about diabetes or any other medical conditions. It is strickly for our entertainment and to give kudos to a great entertainer!

FoodSpook

Source: Duncanzibar on YouTube

Healthy Feet in Old Age: video: 3:51 min.

Source: NHSChoices on YouTube

As you get older you might not be able to look after your feet as well you used to. A podiatric surgeon describes the problems that bad foot care can cause and where to get help with foot care.

When Your Child is Diagnosed With Diabetes

 

 

 

 

Home About Diabetes and Pre-diabetes Resources for Health, Education, and Business Professionals Awareness Campaigns Partnerships About NDEP What’s New? Publications Catalog Contact Us Site Map Search NIDDK When Your Child Is Diagnosed with DIABETES:
PARENTS’ QUESTIONS for the Health Care Team
Parents of children with diabetes often have concerns about the disease, its impact on their family, and how to keep their children safe and healthy. Use these questions to talk with your child‘s health care team and learn about your child‘s diabetes care needs at diagnosis and later on as well. To find out more about possible answers, use the links under each set of questions.

What are the different types of diabetes?

Which type of diabetes does our child have?

Will it ever go away?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/WhatIs/WhatIs.htm

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_FS.htm

www.jdrf.org

What does this mean for other members of our family?

Does it mean our other children will get diabetes too?

What about other family members?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_FS.htm#Identifying

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/prev/prevention.htm

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth.htm
(See Tips for Kids: Lower Your Risk for type 2 Diabetes)

What are my child’s treatment goals?

How can we help our child meet these goals?

How often will our child need to visit you each year?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_FS.htm#Treatment
(See Treatment Goals and Family Support)

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/4_Steps.pdf*

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth.htm
(See Tip Sheets for Kids with Type 2 Diabetes)

What other health care team members can help care for our child’s diabetes?

How do we contact them?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_FS.htm (See Visiting the Health Care Team)

How can we work together as a family to help our child?

How can we help our child check blood glucose, take insulin, eat healthy foods, be more active, and learn about diabetes?

Who can help us work together as a family?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_FS.htm (See Helping Children Manage Diabetes)

What emotional issues might our child and family face?

Will diabetes affect the way our child behaves?

When do we start letting our child manage his/her own diabetes care?

Who can help us cope with these issues?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth.htm (See Tips for Teens with type 2 Diabetes: Dealing with the Ups and Downs of Diabetes)

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_FS.htm#Transition (See Transition to Independence )

www.ndep.nih.gov/resources/SchoolNurseNews.htm (See Understanding Emotional & Psychological Considerations of Children with Diabetes: Tips for School Nurses)

www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/living-with-diabetes/age-related-issues.jsp

www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/living-with-diabetes/reactions.jsp

Should we tell friends and family about our child’s diabetes?

www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/living-with-diabetes/friends-family.jsp

Who can help us if we don’t have medical insurance?

www.insurekidsnow.gov/questions.asp

www.usgovinfo.about.com/od/medicarehealthinsurance/a/schip.htm

What resources are there to help our child in school?

www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/Youth_NDEPSchoolGuide.pdf*
www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth_fs.htm#diabetes (See Diabetes at School)
www.diabetesinchildren.com

What research is going on?

Three large nation-wide studies are under way.

The TODAY study wants to find the best ways to care for type 2 diabetes in children and teens and has begun in 13 medical sites. To find out if you can join go to www.TODAYstudy.org.

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet is a group of studies looking at ways to prevent or to treat type 1 diabetes early. To find out if you can join go to www.diabetestrialnet.org/public.html or call1- 800- HALT- DM1(1-800-425-8361).

The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study will help us learn about how type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ, what medical problems arise, the health care children receive, and how diabetes shapes their daily lives. www.searchfordiabetes.org

A lot of other research is going on. To find studies in your area, talk to your health care team and visit the JDRF and ADA (links below).

Additional Resources for Parents and Children

National Diabetes Education Program
www.ndep.nih.gov or call 1-800-438-5383

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF)
www.jdrf.org or call 1-800-223-1138

Children with Diabetes
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com

American Diabetes Association ( ADA )
www.diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383)

*PDF files require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader application for viewing.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

August 2006 Reviewed by Janet Silverstein, M.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida

NDEP Home | About Diabetes | Resources for Health, Education, and Business Professionals
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Source: NDEP, (National Diabetes Education Program)

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