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Alternative Medicine in the News
May 2010 edition 73
published weekly
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Bananas and Raisins: Home Remedies Help Lower Heart Rate
The heart rate, also known as pulse rate, is the number of times the
heart beats every minute. The normal heart rate for an adult is between
60 and 100 beats a minute, according to the University of Virginia
Health System, although athletes can have a rate as low as 40 beats per
minute. The heart rate is important because it measures the rhythm of
the heart as well as the strength of the blood flow. A high heart rate
otherwise known as tachycardia (or more than 100 beats per minute
consistently in an adult) can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney
disease as well as to produce symptoms such as sweating, nausea or
vomiting. Common foods, such as raisins and bananas, can lower heart
rate, as well as yoga and exercise.
Checking Heart Rate
A
person can check their pulse by placing two fingers on the arteries on
the wrist or the neck. Count the number of heart beats in 10 seconds
and multiply the total by 6. Do not use the thumb, as there is a blood
vessel in the thumb that can confuse readings.
Exercise Lowers Heart Rate
The
best way to reduce heart rate over time is to exercise. Aerobic
exercise and a slower resting heart rate are attained when the heart is
strong. The heart is a muscle that can become stronger and work more
efficiently when exercised, like any other muscle in the body. As the
heart works more efficiently, it pumps blood better - so less beats are
needed to circulate blood throughout the body.
Yoga Lowers Heart Rate
Yoga,
meditation and other relaxation techniques can lower heart rate,
according to Columbia University`s Department of Cardiac Surgery. For
beginners, start with an audio tape or video tape. Any type of stretch
or relaxation exercises lower the heart rate. Vigorous exercise, even
strenuous yoga, can be stimulating and will not lower the heart rate.
Coffee Raises Heart Rate
Drinking
coffee or consuming other caffeinated foods like tea or chocolate can
increase heart rate. Eliminating coffee will allow the heart rate to
stabilize.
Bananas Lower Heart Rate
Bananas are an excellent
source of potassium and potassium is needed to maintain a low heart
rate, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. Symptoms of low
potassium include muscle cramps and lack of energy, which can lead to
an irregular heartbeat. Bananas contain 400 mg of potassium in 96
calories. This is 11 percent of the daily requirement. Bananas have
less than 1 mg of sodium, which makes them a valuable food for people
on reduced sodium diets as well.
Raisins Lower Heart Rate
Raisins
are also high in potassium and contain over 1000 mg of potassium, which
is a third of the daily requirement. Raisins also have a low sodium
content: 60 mg per serving.
Alcohol Raises Heart Rate
Alcohol raises the heart rate and should be avoided.
http://www.weightlossforall.com/pot...
http://www.americanheart.org/presen...
http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/healt...
http://www.healthsystem.virginia.ed...
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More Reasons to Avoid Fast Food at All Costs
Most people are aware of the many health issues associated with the
regular consumption of fast food. It's now common knowledge that the
meats at such restaurants are some of the poorest quality and are unfit
for human consumption. This apparently applies not only to the meats
but also to the so-called "cheeses" as well. According to an article at
Sweetliberty.org, a very popular pizza franchise has been spraying the
cheeses used on their pizza with Silicon, which is a toxic
cancer causing chemical. Some of those pizzas have even been sold to
local districts for use in their school lunch program.
A year
ago the author wrote a Natural News article titled `Why You Should
Avoid Fast Food at All Costs` which covered some of the major reasons
why most of the food sold in fast food restaurants are of such poor
quality and not fit for human consumption. But what has recently come
to the author`s attention is even more disturbing.
Silicon on your Pizza from Sweetliberty.org
Polydimethylsiloxane
is a substance that is primarily used in manufacturing as a de-foaming
agent for commercial boilers. It is not approved for use as a food
additive; yet, a major pizza restaurant chain is using this
silicone-based chemical as a stabilizer for cheese on its patented
pizza products.
In order to preserve their frozen pizzas, this
major chain of pizza restaurants claims that their silicon emulsifier
is a necessary preservative. Although the package does not list the
formula in the ingredients list, it does list "other additives" under
the guise of Patent # 4894245.
A review of the United States
Patent Office website confirms this story, first reported on page 5 of
the February, 2006 issue of Pete Hardin`s "Milkweed":
"A
silicone emulsifier (Dow Corning FG-10) is mixed with water to form a
0.05% emulsifier solution. This solution is sprayed on the frozen
cheese granules at a rate of 1.75 parts of solution per 100 parts by
weight of cheese."
This is what some children may be eating when
buying pizza for lunch from their school cafeteria. Silicon is not
approved for use as a food additive and even if it were is this
something that you want your kids to ingest on a regular basis? Silicon
is the same chemical currently being used in breast implants.
When
this silicon-based chemical (polydimethylsiloxane) is heated in excess
of 150 degrees centigrade (302 degrees Fahrenheit) it breaks down into
formaldehyde which is a known cancer causing carcinogen. Exposure to
formaldehyde vapors have been known to damage the eyes, nose, and
throat at levels as low as 1 part per million parts of air (1 "ppm").
Low-level exposure can cause teariness, redness, and burning of the
eyes, as well as sneezing and coughing, and sore throat.
Repeated
exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to asthma and may increase
your chances of contracting pneumonia or bronchitis. Formaldehyde`s
long-term effects on the lungs are not fully understood but may cause
permanent damage.
The destructive and deadly chemicals that are
being added to foods today and passed off as necessary ingredients are
truly shocking. This is made even more shocking when they`re being
served to children in schools without the slightest regard for both the
short and long term health effects to their growing bodies and minds.
If this does not convince people to avoid fast food at all costs, then
the author does not know what will.
Sources
http://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/...
http://www.themilkweed.com/Feature_...
http://www.health-report.co.uk/form...
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Children's temper tantrums to be reclassified as disorders
Proposed changes to the U.S. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)
could include reclassifying childhood temper tantrums, teenage angst,
and binge eating as psychiatric disorders. If accepted, the proposals
could equal billions of dollars in new revenue for pharmaceutical
companies.
The DSM is often referred to as the "bible" of the
psychiatric profession. The handbook exerts significant influence on
the American healthcare system, affecting everything from insurance
companies and medical providers to universities and prisons. Even the
legal system lends credence to its provisions.
It is precisely
because of its wide scope of influence that many condemn the DSM. The
manual is known for categorizing character traits and emotions as
mental conditions for which medical treatment, typically drugs with
highly dangerous side effects, is advised.
According to Christopher Lane, author of a 2007 critique of DSM called Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness
and professor at Northwestern University, responded to the American
Psychiatric Association's (APA) proposal by saying, "The organization
is clearly opening another Pandora's box here, as well as paving the
way for the medication of even greater numbers of children and
teenagers cycling through emotional stages as part of normal
development."
He is right, considering the fact that if binge
eating is reclassified as a psychiatric disorder, millions of Americans
could instantly be declared as mentally ill. Though provisions would be
included to exclude those who merely overeat, the ramifications of
associating eating disorders with mental illness at all would likely
include a massive increase in the number of people taking psychotropic
drugs.
The APA panel is also suggesting adding a new condition
category to DSM called "risk syndromes". People who are suspected to
potentially be at risk for developing a mental disorder but do not yet
have one would be deemed as having "psychosis risk syndrome". This
category would include teenagers who exhibit "excessive suspicion,
delusions and disorganized speech or behavior," for example.
The
APA made it clear that its goal with the revisions is to diagnose
people as early as possible with mental disorders, even before they
actually have them, in order to get them on treatment.
"Given
the severity of psychotic disorders, and evidence that early treatment
may mitigate its long-term consequences, we believed that it was
important to begin to recognize these conditions as early as possible,"
explained Dr. William Carpenter of the APA's psychotic disorders work
group.
Sources for this story include:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/201...
Share353Buzz up!
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Terminal cancer patients spend final days suffering from radiation therapy that does nothing
A new analysis just published in the journal Cancer concludes
that a significant proportion of terminally ill cancer patients spend
most of their final days and weeks subjected to grueling radiation
therapy (radiotherapy). What makes this extra heartbreaking and
downright outrageous is that irradiating dying cancer patients does
absolutely nothing for the vast majority -- except to cause more
end-of-life suffering and to keep countless people in the hospital,
instead of allowing them to die at home.
When mainstream
medicine runs out of treatments to try for long-term cancer control,
so-called palliative radiotherapy is often ordered for end-stage cancer
patients. The rationale? It's supposed to control cancer-related pain
and other symptoms by reducing the number of cancer cells. That, in
theory, can relieve pressure and bleeding and give patients a better
quality of life in their final months and days.
Unfortunately,
it doesn't work. Finally, in their new paper, Germany researchers have
documented just how dismal the results of palliative radiotherapy
really are.
Stephan Gripp, MD, of the University Hospital in
Dusseldorf, Germany, and his colleagues investigated the treatment of
terminally ill cancer patients who were referred for palliative
radiotherapy at the University Hospital between December 2003 and July
2004. In all, they studied 33 of these patients, all of whom died
within 30 days of receiving radiation therapy.
Bottom line: for
most patients, the treatments were not effective and patients who were
close to death and wanted to die in their own homes were instead kept
in the hospital so they could be irradiated. And they often ended up
dying in the hospital while suffering greatly from the effects of the
radiation treatment.
The Cancer study found that
radiotherapy was delivered to 91 percent of dying cancer patients and
half of those patients spent more than 60 percent of their remaining
lifespan on radiotherapy. In fact, only 58 percent of patients
completed radiotherapy, primarily because they died. The therapy
did not reduce pain in the vast majority. In fact, it increased pain
and suffering in more than half of the patients.
Moreover,
the researchers reported that many doctors who ordered palliative
radiotherapy overestimated how long their patients had to live. Among
cancer patients who died within one month, about one in five of their
physicians had predicted more than six months survival. The German
research team suggested that "excessive radiotherapy in end-stage
cancer patients may reflect overoptimistic prognoses and unrealistic
concerns about radiation damage."
"Radiation oncologists have
fallen short in accurately determining the life span of terminally ill
cancer patients. This has resulted in unduly prolonged radiation
therapy regimens that often go uncompleted due to death or withdrawal
from treatment," Dr. Gripp said in a statement to the media.
For more information:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/...
http://www.naturalnews.com/radiatio...
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Curcumin and black pepper combine to stop breast cancer tumor cells
Natural chemicals found in the spices turmeric and black pepper appear
to stop the growth of breast tumors, according to a study conducted by
researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
and published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
Researchers
applied a solution containing both curcumin, found in turmeric, and
piperine, which makes black pepper spicy, to breast cancer cells in a
laboratory, using concentrations 20 times higher than those found in
the human diet. They found that the solution hampered the ability of
stem cells to propagate but did not affect the differentiation of
normal breast cells.
"This shows that these compounds are not toxic to normal breast tissue," lead author Madhuri Kakarala said.
Cancer
stem cells are the cells in tumors that allow it to keep growing
without limit. Current chemotherapy treatments are unable to affect
stem cells, which is part of the reason that cancers can spread and
recur even in those undergoing treatment.
"If we can limit the number of stem cells, we can limit the number of cells with potential to form tumors," Kakarala said.
The
researchers found that the piperine appeared to make the curcumin more
effective. They also found that the solution affected cancer stem cells
regardless of whether the tumors were estrogen-sensitive or not. This
is an especially significant finding because the cancer-preventive
drugs tamoxifen or raloxifene, which can have highly toxic side
effects, do not affect estrogen-independent tumors.
"The concept
that dietary compounds can help is attractive, and curcumin and
piperine appear to have very low toxicity," Karkala said.
Previous
studies have linked a diet high in turmeric to a lower risk of breast,
colon, prostate and lung cancers. Black pepper and piperine have both
also been shown to suppress the development of colon and lung tumors in
animal tests.
Sources for this story include: health.usnews.com; timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
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MalariX now on sale
Homeopathic anti-malarial medicine now available
 We are happy to announce that our excellent malaria medicine is now registered with the Kenyan Pharma and Poisons Board and is available though tel: +254710620323 sales@abhalight.org - Healthy U outlets
Elixir, Village Market ABC Pharmacy
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Homeopathy for Sports and Exercise Injuries
Homeopathy is extremely straightforward, safe, and user-friendly as long as a few rules are observed:
Carefully select the remedy that best matches most or all of your symptoms.
For first aid, if a remedy doesn't work within two to six hours, try something different or seek professional advice. Discontinue taking any homeopathic medicine once you feel either better or worse.
Do not eat or drink immediately before or after taking a homeopathic medicine. Wait at least five minutes.
Store remedies out of sunlight, away from electronic equipment, microwaves, cell phones, and computers. Properly stored homeopathic medicines will last indefinitely.
Homeopathy has an extremely small carbon footprint. It is
ecologically sound, environmentally friendly, and will not harm
wildlife.
Homeopathic treatment is extremely forgiving, with
an excellent safety profile. The following homeopathic medicines have
proven track records for being remarkably helpful in preventing and
treating injuries.
Arnica montana (leopard's bane). Arnica is the sine qua non
for all forms of trauma, including soft tissue injuries, falls, blows,
bruises, contusions, sprains, strains, broken bones, overexertion,
mental stress, shock, and PTSD. Arnica is an essential addition to any
sports first aid kit. Arnica can be helpful at the time of acute injury
or even years later for injuries that have failed to completely heal.
Ruta graveolens (garden rue).
Ruta is highly effective in cases of injured or bruised bones, joints,
and tendons that present sore, aching pains and restlessness. Ruta has
special affinity for the flexor tendons of the ankles and wrists. It is
helpful in cartilage injuries and bruises of the periosteum. Ruta is helpful insciatic pain that is worse when lying down at night and for persistent lameness and weakness after sprains or strains.
Symphytum (comfrey). Symphytum is particularly helpful in injuries to bones, cartilages, and periosteum when there is excessive
pain. It is good for old painful injuries that have failed to heal
properly. It is useful in fractures and broken bones where there is a
pricking or stitching sensation that remains after the wound is healed.
Symphytum is known for its ability to help heal nonunion of fractures.
Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort).
Hypericum is one of the best medicines for injured nerves, especially
in sensitive areas like the fingers, toes, and under the nails. It is
useful in crush injuries, painful lacerations, and when intolerable,
violent, shooting, and sharp pains are present. It is helpful in cases
of brain and spinal cord injury. Hypericum can be used when wounds feel
tenderer than they look. It can also be helpful post-operatively for
nerve injuries or after tooth extractions.
Rhus toxicodendron (poison oak).
Rhus tox is helpful in cases where there is pain and stiffness of
muscles and joints known as the "rusty gate" phenomenon. Rhus tox is
helpful in strains and sprains caused by over-lifting or overexertion.
One
of its characteristics is rheumatism that is worse in cold, wet, rainy
weather. The pains are typically worse at night, and the person cannot
find a comfortable position in which to rest.
Rhus
tox helps in cases where muscles twitch excessively and where there is
a sensation of crawling or numbness of the affected parts. Rhus tox may
help cases of sciatica that are better by warmth and from continued exercise.
Bryonia alba (wild hops).
Bryonia patients want to be left alone. They don't want to be touched.
They have severe pain with red, hot swollen joints or muscles. The
affected structures feel worse with any motion, and the person is
inclined to keep the injured areas absolutely still. Every little
motion is met with stitching, tearing pains.
Bryonia
is helpful in cases of bursitis when the entire joint capsule is
involved and is intensely painful with even the least motion. Bryonia
is helpful in cases of sciatica that are improved by lying quietly on
the painful side. It is helpful in cases when knees are stiff and painful and worse from the least motion.
If
simple first aid measures are not enough to bring about rapid
resolution of symptoms and smooth healing, then consultation with a
specialist may be necessary.
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Medical Disclaimer:
The information contained within does not take the place of medical diagnosis or
prescription. See your health care provider in case of sickness.
Editorial Disclaimer: Publication of these articles are to promote food for thought. The opinions expressed in these articles may not be the opinion of editors.
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