Sources:MSNBC Healthsite
Date: 4th May 2008.
Right now, 23-year-old Laura Brown has at least six lip glosses on her. They’re in her backpack, her purse, her pocket, her makeup bag — and just in case, she keeps a couple of spares at her desk and in her bathroom.
Brown, who lives in College Station, Texas, assumes she takes very good care of her lips. She spends enough money on them, anyway. (A tube of her go-to brand, Mac, can cost as much as $20.) And she’s always gooping something on her lips. That’s got to be enough of a barrier between her skin and the sun. Right?
But some dermatologists say that slathering on shiny lip glosses can actually increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Of course, wearing any lip product without SPF doesn’t exactly shield the thin skin from sun damage. But the slick, shiny nature of the gloss could be making the sun’s UV rays hit harder, some experts say.
“These lip glosses can make more of the light rays penetrate directly through the skin instead of getting reflected off of the skin’s surface,” says Dr. Christine Brown, a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. (You're covered, however, if you wear lip gloss with SPF.)
At worst, say some dermatologists, the resulting sun damage can lead to potentially fatal forms of skin cancer. An estimated 3,500 new cases of skin cancer of the lips are diagnosed each year, and 90 percent of those cancers are squamous cell carcinoma. While that form of cancer isn't usually particularly serious, it can be more aggressive on the lips than on other parts of the skin. If left untreated, it can cause disfigurement, and in very few cases, it can spread to other organs and become deadly.
But the less serious effects may grab a lip gloss junkie’s attention more quickly: All that sun exposure could be slowly building gross, non-cancerous disfigurements on your lips. One such effect is actinic keratosis, a small, scaly patch of skin that can morph into a wart-like bump if left untreated. Sun exposure can also cause small brown spots that look like freckles on the lips. The spots are noncancerous but could cause people to whisper, "Hey, you've got food on your lips".
Sun damage can also cause premature aging, making the already thin skin on your lips even thinner, which can lead to rips and tears. Ultraviolet light zaps skin of much of its elasticity, leaving the skin lax. That lack of elasticity can prevent the upper and lower lips from lining up properly, which can cause pools of saliva to collect at the corners of the mouth.
It's the moisture in lip gloss that's to blame, says Dr. Bruce Robinson, a Manhattan dermatologist. Your lips are equipped with a protective outer layer, but the hydration of a lip gloss "kind of smooshes that down," Robinson says. Once that outer layer is effectively squashed, it's easier for UV rays to penetrate deeper into the skin.
"Instead of having to travel through that thicker layer, it's more condensed," Robinson says. "So the UV rays reach are reaching deeper layers of epidermis and dermis because you don't have this forcefield."
Sun's laser focus on lipsApart from the extra hydration, the “super shine” and “ultra shine” of the glosses could be damaging as well.
“Take a magnifying glass and put it over your lips,” Robinson says. When you apply lip gloss and go out in the sun, “that’s essentially what you’re doing.”
But no studies have confirmed the lip gloss-skin cancer link, and not all dermatologists agree that it poses a risk.
“The only way I could see it is if you’re thinking you’re protected, and you stay out in the sun longer, that may increase your risk,” says Robin Ashinoff, a dermatologist in Hackensack, N.J.
That's what happened to Sherry Duplar, a fair-skinned, horseback-riding redhead who spends as much time as possible outdoors. She always applied lip balm or gloss, and figured that was enough.
“I didn’t realize, back then, that our lips were so susceptible,” says Duplar, who’s 59 and lives in Mesquite, Texas.
But about 12 years ago, Duplar’s lips were cracked and chapped, and constantly peeling, and nothing she did would heal them. She’d developed actinic cheilitis, a precancerous condition that's sometimes known as "farmer's lip" or "sailor's lip." It often leads to squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer.
Since then, she’s had three laser treatments, to deconstruct the affected skin cells. The treatments which leave her lips raw, swelled up and oozing, for as many as three weeks. “It was nasty,” Duplar says.
Now she slathers on lip balm boasting 50 SPF before she goes out in the sun, which makes her dermatologist, the lip gloss-bashing Brown, much happier. Brown wishes women would abandon their lip glosses for lip balm with an SPF of at least 30. But for those who balk at tossing all their lip gloss, Robinson offers a compromise: find a lip gloss infused with SPF, which also protects the lips from ultraviolet light.
Protect your lips from the sun
— Extreme measure: Ditch your lip gloss and wear lipstick instead. Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco will award you extra points if you mix your lipstick with zinc oxide.
— Next best thing: Layer a lip balm with SPF 30 under your gloss, such as Chapstick Ultra 30.
— Better than nothing: Wear a lip gloss with SPF. The sunscreen provides protection against the sun’s damaging UV rays. But it’s not the best option, dermatologists say, especially because it’s hard to find a lip gloss with more protection than SPF 15
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Appendix can protect Good Bacteria
Sources:Journal of Theoretical Biology R. Randal Bollinger, Andrew S. Barbas, Errol L. Bush, Shu S. Lin and William Parker, 9 October 2007.
The appendix most likely is there to protect us from bad germs by creating and protecting good germs, say scientists from Duke University Medical Center, USA. Most doctors and scientists have believed that the appendix was a redundant organ - serving no purpose at all. You can read about this latest study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.After assessing several experiments and observations, the scientists believe that the good bacteria in the appendix that help our digestion can survive a bout of diarrhea that cleans out our gut, and appear to repopulate the gut.
The appendix is located near to where the large and small intestines meet; it is a slender pouch about two to four inches long. Its exact function has been a topic of debate by doctors - however, we have known that it contains immune system tissue. Different microbes that help the digestive system break down foods inhabit the gut. The gut rewards these microbes by feeding them and keeping them safe.
The scientists believe that the immune system cells located in the appendix have the function of protecting the good bacteria. William Parker, Ph.D., and team have been observing the interplay of these bacteria in the intestines. They have documented the existence in the bowel of a biofilm - it is a thin and delicate layer of microbes, mucous and immune system molecules living together on the lining of the gut n the appendix.
The authors explain their studies have indicated that the immune system protects and nourishes the colonies of microbes living in the biofilm. By protecting these good microbes, the harmful microbes have no place to locate. We have also shown that biofilms are most pronounced in the appendix and their prevalence decreases moving away from it." Parker said "Diseases causing severe diarrhea are endemic in countries without modern health and sanitation practices, which often results in the entire contents of the bowels, including the biofilms, being flushed from the body." Because of the location of the appendix, it would be fairly difficult for anything to enter it as the bowels are emptied. Parker adds "Once the bowel contents have left the body, the good bacteria hidden away in the appendix can emerge and repopulate the lining of the intestine before more harmful bacteria can take up residence.
The function of the appendix seems related to the massive amount of bacteria populating the human digestive system, according to the study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. There are more bacteria than human cells in the typical body. Most of it is good and helps digest food.
But sometimes the flora of bacteria in the intestines die or are purged. Diseases such as cholera or amoebic dysentery would clear the gut of useful bacteria. The appendix's job is to reboot the digestive system in that case.The appendix "acts as a good safe house for bacteria.
Even though the appendix seems to have a function, people should still have them removed when they are inflamed because it could turn deadly. About 300 to 400 Americans die of appendicitis each year.
The appendix most likely is there to protect us from bad germs by creating and protecting good germs, say scientists from Duke University Medical Center, USA. Most doctors and scientists have believed that the appendix was a redundant organ - serving no purpose at all. You can read about this latest study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.After assessing several experiments and observations, the scientists believe that the good bacteria in the appendix that help our digestion can survive a bout of diarrhea that cleans out our gut, and appear to repopulate the gut.
The appendix is located near to where the large and small intestines meet; it is a slender pouch about two to four inches long. Its exact function has been a topic of debate by doctors - however, we have known that it contains immune system tissue. Different microbes that help the digestive system break down foods inhabit the gut. The gut rewards these microbes by feeding them and keeping them safe.
The scientists believe that the immune system cells located in the appendix have the function of protecting the good bacteria. William Parker, Ph.D., and team have been observing the interplay of these bacteria in the intestines. They have documented the existence in the bowel of a biofilm - it is a thin and delicate layer of microbes, mucous and immune system molecules living together on the lining of the gut n the appendix.
The authors explain their studies have indicated that the immune system protects and nourishes the colonies of microbes living in the biofilm. By protecting these good microbes, the harmful microbes have no place to locate. We have also shown that biofilms are most pronounced in the appendix and their prevalence decreases moving away from it." Parker said "Diseases causing severe diarrhea are endemic in countries without modern health and sanitation practices, which often results in the entire contents of the bowels, including the biofilms, being flushed from the body." Because of the location of the appendix, it would be fairly difficult for anything to enter it as the bowels are emptied. Parker adds "Once the bowel contents have left the body, the good bacteria hidden away in the appendix can emerge and repopulate the lining of the intestine before more harmful bacteria can take up residence.
The function of the appendix seems related to the massive amount of bacteria populating the human digestive system, according to the study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. There are more bacteria than human cells in the typical body. Most of it is good and helps digest food.
But sometimes the flora of bacteria in the intestines die or are purged. Diseases such as cholera or amoebic dysentery would clear the gut of useful bacteria. The appendix's job is to reboot the digestive system in that case.The appendix "acts as a good safe house for bacteria.
Even though the appendix seems to have a function, people should still have them removed when they are inflamed because it could turn deadly. About 300 to 400 Americans die of appendicitis each year.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
EATING IN CANCER
Sources: DR ALBERT LIM KOK HOOI, Consultant oncologist. Fit 4 Life. Sunday 19 August, 2007.
WHAT SHOULD A PATIENT UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENT EAT? IT'S BASICALLY GOOD, CLEAN WHOLESOME FOOD BASED ON GOOD CLEAN WHOLESOME SCIENCE?
I write this piece to keep a promise I made toa patient dying of advance cancer. Despite receiving optimal chemotherapy n supportive care, his cancer progressed n he became weaker with time. This was made worse by the diet he was on, which was contrary to the advice given by his doctors n dietitians.
"Well meaning" relatives n friends told him to follow a low sugar diet. He was also to assiduously avoid all meat n dairy products. Some types of fish n al most all seafood were prohibited as they would supposedly aggravate cancer. Alcohol was a "no no".
As his cancer progressed, more food taboos were imposed on him. He was reduced to a miseable, malnourished shell of his formerself. He finally realised all this non-medical advice was hogwash n balderdash. It was too late. A day before he died he made me promise to write an article to dispel all the superstitions n misconceptions surrounding the unholy connection of food n cancer. He would have had a better quality life in the months before his death had he indulged in his favourite food n drinks.
The beliefs about how food cud aggravate cancer could be amusing if not for the harm they cause. I heard all these stories 30 yrs ago I even hear them today. Sometimes i feel disorientated in time. Am I living in the middle ages? Or have I missed some new revolutionary finding on food n cancer?
Some patients try to 'starve' the cancer. They go on an ultra-low calorie diet. Their weight drops. They became cachectic, almost skeletal. In that severe protein-calorie malnourished state, they will not be able to undergo any form of possible surgery, radiotherapy n chemotherapy.
So.....my advice is to do all the opposite. Cancer itself is a catabolic as causes the body to go into a negative calorie-protein balance. Treatments like surgery, radiotherapy chemotherapy are also catabolic bcoz they destroy not only cancer cells but also the surrounding healthy cells around it in that targeted area (cancer area). So what the patient undergoing cancer treatment needs is to load up on proteins calories n moderate amounts of vitamins n minerals. Calorie dense n protein dense foods help alot. They help replenish the healthy cells that have been destructed in the body after such treatments therefore keeping them healthy n not weakly even after the treament. Such food that can be consumed are like fried rice (more calories n less volume) and the latter could be red meat (beef & lamb)
Do not take pills containing massive (perhaps 10 times the daily recommended requirement) amounts of vitamins A, C E, n selenium, which are all powerful antioxidants. U see radiotherapy n chemotherapy kills cancer cells via the action of their free radicals in the cells. It activates the free radicals to destroy the cancer cells. By taking the pills it gives the body powerful antioxidants that wud destroy the free radicals of cells including the cancer cells, therefore rendering the treatment inefficient in destroying the cells.
A tablet or 2 of a multivitamin-multimineral is sufficient. Read the lable on the bottle. In this length matters. Look for the label that list almost everything from A (Vitamin A) to Z (Vitamin Z).
Hahahaha......when I ask my patients to consume food like cockles, prawns n crabs (these foods are rich in minerals like iodine, calcium, magnesium n zinc although they may also increase yur cholesterol level), they look at me as if I lost my mind. I could just as well have ask them to slit them into their radial arteries!
Many Malaysians are caught up in a time warp. We know wat diet should a cancer patient folow n we known all this for yrs.
Firstly, the diet is one that he can physically tolerate. Loading up anorexic patients with fruits n vegetables (99% of which will be waste material bound for the sewer tmw) is not practicable.
Secondly the diet, must provide him with lots of proteins n calories and a moderate amounts of vitmins and minerals .
Thirdly, it should be strictly free of pathogens. Patients undergoing cancer treatment may be immunocompromised n easily fall prey to infection. Hence avoid uncooked foods.
Finally n most importantly food should give pleasure. Cancer n the cancer treatment rob the victim of so much that is life affirming. Do give him a break n allow him to indulge in one of the last pleasures available to him/her: glorious food.
Prof Jonathan Waxman, a pioneer in food/cancer research said " A cancer could not care less of what we eat" . I couldn't agree more. he wrote againts the diets n herbal remedies used to treat cancer in an article in a Brittish Medical Journal published last year.
What about the connection between food and the rest of us who do not have cancer? What food shall we take to prevent cancer? What should we avoid? What about the cancer survivor? What food shall him/her take to prevent a recurrence?
Well basically, there is no food has been consistently n unequivocally hown to prevent cancer or to prevent a recurrence of cancer. Which food causes cancer has not been clearly determined. There are no strong recommendations on food n cancer prevetion by any authority.
Culture, tradition n political correctness are fine during "open houses", marriage ceremonies n funerary rites. Not so when a cancer patient is battlting his/her disease n coping with the side effect of the treatment. The nexus of food n cancer is an old story. Take yur pick: science or superstition??
WHAT SHOULD A PATIENT UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENT EAT? IT'S BASICALLY GOOD, CLEAN WHOLESOME FOOD BASED ON GOOD CLEAN WHOLESOME SCIENCE?
I write this piece to keep a promise I made toa patient dying of advance cancer. Despite receiving optimal chemotherapy n supportive care, his cancer progressed n he became weaker with time. This was made worse by the diet he was on, which was contrary to the advice given by his doctors n dietitians.
"Well meaning" relatives n friends told him to follow a low sugar diet. He was also to assiduously avoid all meat n dairy products. Some types of fish n al most all seafood were prohibited as they would supposedly aggravate cancer. Alcohol was a "no no".
As his cancer progressed, more food taboos were imposed on him. He was reduced to a miseable, malnourished shell of his formerself. He finally realised all this non-medical advice was hogwash n balderdash. It was too late. A day before he died he made me promise to write an article to dispel all the superstitions n misconceptions surrounding the unholy connection of food n cancer. He would have had a better quality life in the months before his death had he indulged in his favourite food n drinks.
The beliefs about how food cud aggravate cancer could be amusing if not for the harm they cause. I heard all these stories 30 yrs ago I even hear them today. Sometimes i feel disorientated in time. Am I living in the middle ages? Or have I missed some new revolutionary finding on food n cancer?
Some patients try to 'starve' the cancer. They go on an ultra-low calorie diet. Their weight drops. They became cachectic, almost skeletal. In that severe protein-calorie malnourished state, they will not be able to undergo any form of possible surgery, radiotherapy n chemotherapy.
So.....my advice is to do all the opposite. Cancer itself is a catabolic as causes the body to go into a negative calorie-protein balance. Treatments like surgery, radiotherapy chemotherapy are also catabolic bcoz they destroy not only cancer cells but also the surrounding healthy cells around it in that targeted area (cancer area). So what the patient undergoing cancer treatment needs is to load up on proteins calories n moderate amounts of vitamins n minerals. Calorie dense n protein dense foods help alot. They help replenish the healthy cells that have been destructed in the body after such treatments therefore keeping them healthy n not weakly even after the treament. Such food that can be consumed are like fried rice (more calories n less volume) and the latter could be red meat (beef & lamb)
Do not take pills containing massive (perhaps 10 times the daily recommended requirement) amounts of vitamins A, C E, n selenium, which are all powerful antioxidants. U see radiotherapy n chemotherapy kills cancer cells via the action of their free radicals in the cells. It activates the free radicals to destroy the cancer cells. By taking the pills it gives the body powerful antioxidants that wud destroy the free radicals of cells including the cancer cells, therefore rendering the treatment inefficient in destroying the cells.
A tablet or 2 of a multivitamin-multimineral is sufficient. Read the lable on the bottle. In this length matters. Look for the label that list almost everything from A (Vitamin A) to Z (Vitamin Z).
Hahahaha......when I ask my patients to consume food like cockles, prawns n crabs (these foods are rich in minerals like iodine, calcium, magnesium n zinc although they may also increase yur cholesterol level), they look at me as if I lost my mind. I could just as well have ask them to slit them into their radial arteries!
Many Malaysians are caught up in a time warp. We know wat diet should a cancer patient folow n we known all this for yrs.
Firstly, the diet is one that he can physically tolerate. Loading up anorexic patients with fruits n vegetables (99% of which will be waste material bound for the sewer tmw) is not practicable.
Secondly the diet, must provide him with lots of proteins n calories and a moderate amounts of vitmins and minerals .
Thirdly, it should be strictly free of pathogens. Patients undergoing cancer treatment may be immunocompromised n easily fall prey to infection. Hence avoid uncooked foods.
Finally n most importantly food should give pleasure. Cancer n the cancer treatment rob the victim of so much that is life affirming. Do give him a break n allow him to indulge in one of the last pleasures available to him/her: glorious food.
Prof Jonathan Waxman, a pioneer in food/cancer research said " A cancer could not care less of what we eat" . I couldn't agree more. he wrote againts the diets n herbal remedies used to treat cancer in an article in a Brittish Medical Journal published last year.
What about the connection between food and the rest of us who do not have cancer? What food shall we take to prevent cancer? What should we avoid? What about the cancer survivor? What food shall him/her take to prevent a recurrence?
Well basically, there is no food has been consistently n unequivocally hown to prevent cancer or to prevent a recurrence of cancer. Which food causes cancer has not been clearly determined. There are no strong recommendations on food n cancer prevetion by any authority.
Culture, tradition n political correctness are fine during "open houses", marriage ceremonies n funerary rites. Not so when a cancer patient is battlting his/her disease n coping with the side effect of the treatment. The nexus of food n cancer is an old story. Take yur pick: science or superstition??
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
MEAT IN THE HOT SEAT!!!
- Sources: Diet & Nutrition, Fit for Life, Star Paper, 8 July 2007.
- Sources: National Cancer Institute
Recent research shows that cooking meat at high temperatures or overcooking them over long periods of time produces cancer causing chemicals.
When we eat meat or fish, we are eating the muscle tissue n some collagen that makes up the connective tissue ( the more the collagen the tougher the meat), and fats as well. By cooking the meat, it turns the tissue pleasently firm n juicy by altering protein inside the muscles so it gets more compact n squezees out the water.
By cooking the meat directly in high temperatures (ranging from 140 to 150 degrees F), the water immediately gushes out n the protein bunches up even faster n pratically causing the tissues to shrivel.What has been tender and juicy is on its way to becoming a shoe leather. Ruining a piece of meat isn't the only thing u need to worry about if u are cooking at temperatures. With heat, the amino acids, building blocks of protein wud react with creatine which is a compound found in the muscle tissues. The reaction would produce heterocyclic amines. They are produce in tiny amounts, measured in billionths of grams. But lab n animal experiments show that these compounds have potent cancer causing properties.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified several of them as possible carcinogens. Carcinogens are substance, radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the facilitation of its propagation. This may be due to ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Carcinogens may increase the risk of getting cancer by altering cellular metabolism or damaging DNA directly in cells, which interferes with biological processes, and induces the uncontrolled, malignant division, ultimately leading to the formation of tumors. Usually DNA damage, if too severe to repair, leads to programmed cell death.
Meanwhile, the epidemiological evidence that frequent meat eaters stand a greater chance of getting several forms of cancer, continues to grow. In 2007, studies were published that a link high meat consumption to breast n kidney cancer. Late 200, Harvard researches reported that high intake of red meat (beef, lamb, pork) may be risk factor for oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer among pre-menopausal women.
Another study conducted by researchers from NCI's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics found a link between individuals with stomach cancer and the consumption of cooked meats. The researchers assessed the diets and cooking habits of 176 people diagnosed with stomach cancer and 503 people without cancer. The researchers found that those who ate their beef medium-well or well-done had more than three times the risk of stomach cancer than those who ate their beef rare or medium-rare. They also found that people who ate beef four or more times a week had more than twice the risk of stomach cancer than those consuming beef less frequently. Additional studies have shown that an increased risk of developing colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancer is associated with high intakes of well-done, fried, or barbequed meats.
Four factors influence HCA formation: type of food, cooking method, temperature, and time. Any burned protein may contain heterocyclic amines, but the amounts in eggs n tofu are small compared to those in meat derived from muscles tissue bcoz muscle tissue is well supplied with creatine. Although many epidemiological fingers point at red meat as the prime suspect but when we consider about heterocyclic amines, fish n chickens area also in the suspects list as well. Eventhough they are healthier choices than red meat but that's principally only bcoz of the amount n type of fat they contain but the amount of heterocyclic amines arent considered. Basically speaking chicken, fish, beef n pork, they are all meat products n all of them have these cancer properties when overcooked.
The most important to the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCA) is temperature. Frying, broiling, and barbecuing produce the largest amounts of HCAs because the meats are cooked at very high temperatures. One study conducted by researchers showed a threefold increase in the content of HCAs when the cooking temperature was increased from 200° to 250°C (392° to 482°F). And the HCAs are concentrated in the outer few millimeters of a piece of meat closest to the heat source. Griling (especially by charcoal method) is double trouble bcoz it also exposes meat to the cancer causing chemicals called polycyclic aromatic compounds contained in the smoke wafting from burning charcoal. Oven roasting and baking are done at lower temperatures, so lower levels of HCAs are likely to form, however, gravy made from meat drippings does contain substantial amounts of HCAs. Stewing, boiling, or poaching are done at or below 100°C (212°F) n produce less HCAs.
Time for the meat to be cooked is also a important factor in HCA formation. Recent experiments conducted show that meat fried for 10 mins at about 450 degrees F contains over twice the amount of heterocyclic amines as meat fried at temperature for just 4 mins. Even by cooking the food for long time using lower temperatures (by baking or roasting meat) would also increase the amount of HCAs eventhough the increase isn't as steep as with food cooked at higher temperatures over long periods.
For a safer consumption of meat products, there are some techniques u can follow. Cook the meat at lower temperatures n for shorter periods of time as it would reduce the the amount of HCAs in it. Here are some tips from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) n other sources that make meat a bit safer to eat.
- Cook the meat in smaller pieces as they chemically u guys know they cook more quickly n cook it in lower temperatures.
- Make sure leaner meat is choosen. Less fat shud reduce the flames n therefore the smoke that contains the cancer causing agents.
- Warm up the food b4 cooking it. By warming it up, the time needed for the meat to be cooked would be less. It is suggested that wrapping steaks n chops an putting them in warm water for 30 mins to 60 mins. BUT if u do this, cook the meat immediately bcoz bacteria grow quickly on warm meat.
- Best tip precook in the microwave. Meats that are partially cooked in the microwave oven before cooking by other methods also have lower levels of HCAs. Studies have shown that microwaving meat prior to cooking helps to decrease mutagens by removing the precursors. Meats that were microwaved for 2 minutes prior to cooking had a 90-percent decrease in HCA content. In addition, if the liquid that forms during microwaving is poured off before further cooking, the final quantity of HCAs is reduced. (Usually if u cook meat it produce drippings. Dont make a gravy out of it as it contains high levels of HCAs. So its best the drippings be removed)
- Frequent flipping when cooking meat. Frequent flipping means neither side has time to absorp or lose too much heat. So the meat cooks faster n the outer layer ends up less overdone-and presumably with fewer HCAs.
Marinading meat is often suggested as one way to cut down on the formation of HCAs, therefore safer for the meat to be consumed. The thinking is that the marinade will keep the meat moist and its temperature down. In addition, some marinades imbue meat with antioxidants that offset the HCAs. But when marinades haven been put to the test in studies, the results are mixed. For example, in an experiment it is found that marinating chicken decreased one type of HCAs but increased another.
Another study found that while teriyaki n turmeric-garlic sauces decreased HCA in a grilled steak, BBQ sauce increase them. So I think marinading meat isn't a good choice.
And if u guys are soooooooooo lazy to cook at home n u want to eat in a restaurant. Might as well u pick fast food restaurants rather that a non fast food restaurants. One study has evaluated the content of HCAs in fast food restaurants. After evaluating five kinds of meat products from various fast food restaurant chains, the study concluded that there were low levels of HCAs found in fast food meat products due to factors such as cooking temperature and time(which is shorter). The study suggested that greater exposure to HCAs stems from home cooking and cooking in non-fast-food restaurants where food may be cooked to order (takes longer time) and where a larger amount of meat is consumed.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Migraine link to Heart Diseases
Sources: Harvard health letters, Fit For Life, Sunday STAR ,29 July 2007
A Migraine can cause excruciating head pain that pulses or throbs, nausea n also sensitivity to light sound.
Add heartache to the list, suggest researches from Harvard affliated Brigham N Womens hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Their 15 yr study of mor than 20,000 men showed that those who had migraines were more likely to have developed cardiovascular diseases compared to men who didnt have migraines.
These results supports the investigators earlier findings of a link between migraine n cardiovascular diseases in men. The increase in risk was biggest for heart attack for heart attack at 42%. This isn't as bad as it sounds. Migraine upped the ante form 3.6 heart attacks per yr among 10,000 men who did not have migraine to 4.9 per yr among 10,000 migraine sufferers. Besides that other complications such as any cardiovascular event like non fatal stroke or heart attack n even dying from cardiovascular disease also increased.
This study n its predecessors shows an association between migraine n cardiovascular diseases n the note is that the even there is a link, it is not describe as a cause n effect relationship. No one yet knows how the two might have been linked. There is even no evidence or scientific proof that migraine is the trigger for heart attack or stroke.
So my advice.....if u have prolonged n persistant migraines, then its wise u seek medical attention immediately as it may be a growing evidence that u r suffering a certain heart disease (regarding the fact that its not cause n effect relationship as I mentioned it earlier). You cant change whether u have migraines. Instead pay more attention to risk factors that u can modify, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise n diet.
A Migraine can cause excruciating head pain that pulses or throbs, nausea n also sensitivity to light sound.
Add heartache to the list, suggest researches from Harvard affliated Brigham N Womens hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Their 15 yr study of mor than 20,000 men showed that those who had migraines were more likely to have developed cardiovascular diseases compared to men who didnt have migraines.
These results supports the investigators earlier findings of a link between migraine n cardiovascular diseases in men. The increase in risk was biggest for heart attack for heart attack at 42%. This isn't as bad as it sounds. Migraine upped the ante form 3.6 heart attacks per yr among 10,000 men who did not have migraine to 4.9 per yr among 10,000 migraine sufferers. Besides that other complications such as any cardiovascular event like non fatal stroke or heart attack n even dying from cardiovascular disease also increased.
This study n its predecessors shows an association between migraine n cardiovascular diseases n the note is that the even there is a link, it is not describe as a cause n effect relationship. No one yet knows how the two might have been linked. There is even no evidence or scientific proof that migraine is the trigger for heart attack or stroke.
So my advice.....if u have prolonged n persistant migraines, then its wise u seek medical attention immediately as it may be a growing evidence that u r suffering a certain heart disease (regarding the fact that its not cause n effect relationship as I mentioned it earlier). You cant change whether u have migraines. Instead pay more attention to risk factors that u can modify, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise n diet.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Help, There's Blood!!
Main source: Dr Nor Ashkin Mokhtar (consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist). Star Newspaper (8 July 2007)
For a woman, bleeding is an ordinary occurence every month. However there are times when vaginal bleeding can be abnormal n cause for concern.
The presence of unexpected blood, whether or in large or small amounts...can be frightening for them. But the good news is wud be it's not necessarily due to a serious condition. But then again its better to have any abnormal vaginal bleeding checked out by the doctor.
Basically irregular vaginal bleeding can be a little or even a lot. It can range from spotting of small amounts of blood between the menstrual periods to heavy periods that wud soak up pad after pad. Yet most women experience some irregular bleeding at some point. Sometimes bleeding a couple of days passing the usual lengths of their menstrual periods or they spot a bit of blood during the periods. So my question is....When is irregular bleeding really abnormal?? Here are some clues:
For a woman, bleeding is an ordinary occurence every month. However there are times when vaginal bleeding can be abnormal n cause for concern.
The presence of unexpected blood, whether or in large or small amounts...can be frightening for them. But the good news is wud be it's not necessarily due to a serious condition. But then again its better to have any abnormal vaginal bleeding checked out by the doctor.
Basically irregular vaginal bleeding can be a little or even a lot. It can range from spotting of small amounts of blood between the menstrual periods to heavy periods that wud soak up pad after pad. Yet most women experience some irregular bleeding at some point. Sometimes bleeding a couple of days passing the usual lengths of their menstrual periods or they spot a bit of blood during the periods. So my question is....When is irregular bleeding really abnormal?? Here are some clues:
- Bleeding at the time when they are not expecting their menstrual period
- Having a menstrual flow that is lighter or heavier than what is normal for them
- Bleeding at an unexpected time in life such as age before 10yrs for young girls, when woman are pregnant or even after menopause
The common conditions of irregular vaginal bleeding between periods can be:
- the experience of extreme physical or emotional stress by women at sometime of their life
- the usage of contraceptives such a intrauterine device (IUD) or hormonal birth control pills or implants.
- Refusal of breastfeeding
- woman being menopausal and on hormone therapy
The conditions above can be a common cause as to why bleeding occurs between periods n if the bleeding isn't to heavy, then its kind of normal n woman shouldn't get to alarmed yet as necessary precautions can be taken to prevent this. BUT if the the bleeding is too frequent n to heavilly, then the common conditions that I mentioned above may not support to this. It may indicate to other more serious conditions. The abnormal vaginal bleeding can be due to the non-cancerous conditions like such as infections of the vagina, cervix, uterus fallopion tubes or ovaries. These infections are most commonly introduced by sexually transmitted diseases (STD).
It can be also due to cancerous conditions such as possibility of tumuors, polypeptides or formations of fibroids. These growths can occur in the vaginal parts, cervix, uterus or fallopion tubes. The bleeding can also be from the hormonal imbalances in the body.
In cases related to pregnant woman, they should be aware that abnormal vaginal bleeding can indicate a problem with the unborn baby. A sudden heavy period may disguise what is actually a miscarriage during an early pregnancy. If heavy bleeding is sustained after 12th week of pregnancy, it may be due to an infection such as ectopic pregnancy (where the foetus is planted outside the uterus) or a miscarriage.
But if women experience heavy bleeding in the 1st few weeks after giving birth or after a therapeutic abortion, it may be due to the products of conception are still in the uterus or the uterus hasn't contracted to its pre-pregnancy size.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding among young girls aging below 10, could be the sign of sexual abuse.
Blood turning up at unexpected times can be scary but dont get panic. Do make a record of when n how much n how often irregular bleeding occurs b4 seeing the family physician or the gynaecologist. Be open minded n tell everything of what u have or u know to them. Even when u suspect of having pregnancy or u are, then go to the doctor immediately if u have vaginal bleeding.
If the doctor has ruled out all the normal causes of common conditions (as i mentioned above) of vaginal bleeding then he/she would conduct few test to see what is wrong. Such test like pelvic exam, Pap smear (a medical screening method, primarily designed to detect premalignant and malignant processes in the ectocervix. It may also detect infections and abnormalities in the endocervix and endometrium. Done by obtaining samples from the outer opening or os of the cervix using an Aylesbury spatula and an endocervical brush), and laboratory test and ultra sound or pregnancy test, endometrial biopsy n hysteroscopy. Hysteroscopy is the inspection of the uterine cavity by endoscopy. It allows for the diagnosis of intrauterine pathology and serves as a method for surgical intervention (operative hysteroscopy).
This inspection is done by an endoscopic device known as hysteroscope. The hysteroscope has an optical system usually now connected to a video system, a light bearing system with fiberoptics, and a channel for delivery of a distention medium. The uterine cavity is a potential cavity, for inspection it needs to be distended. Thus during hysteroscopy either fluid (saline, sorbitol, or a dextrane solution) or CO2 gas is introduced to expand the cavity. After cervical dilation, the hysteroscope is guided into the uterine cavity and an inspection is performed. If abnormalities are found, an operative hysteroscope also has a channel to allow specialized instruments to enter the cavity and perform surgery. Typically hysteroscopic intervention is done under anesthesia, but a diagnostic procedure can be performed without anesthesia with instruments of smaller caliber.
The treatment for vaginal bleeding is depending to the conditions for the bleeding to occur. If the bleeding is related to a medical condition (infection for instance) or a physical condition (such as an IUD) then it can be relieved by treating the underlying condition. If the abnormal bleeding isn't related to underlying diseases or conditions, then it may be treatable with hormone pills.
At the same time, anemia also shud be monitored as well since the loss of blood during bleeding can lead to massive iron loss in the body.The doctor wud prescribe iron supplements incase this happens.
Its better to see a doctor immediately incase something out of ordinary happens.
Brain Eating Critters
It sounds like science fiction but it’s true: A killer amoeba living in lakes enters the body through the nose and attacks the brain where it feeds until you die. This is the so called brain eating amoeba in which u only can see them in the X files series.
Naegleria fowleri (also known as the brain eating amoeba) is a free living amoeba typically found in warm fresh water, from 25–35 degrees Celsius (77–95 degrees Fahrenheit) in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. It belongs to a group called the Percolozoa or Heterolobosea.
N. fowleri can invade and attack the human nervous system; although this occurs rarely, such an infection will nearly always result in the death of the victim.
In humans, N. fowleri can invade the central nervous system via the nose, more specifically the olfactory mucosa and nasal tissues. The penetration initially results in significant necrosis of and hemorrhaging in the olfactory bulbs. From there, amoebae climb along olfactory nerve fibers through the floor of the cranium via the cribriform plate and into the brain. It then becomes pathogenic, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM or PAME). PAM is a syndrome affecting the central nervous system, characterized by changes in olfactory perception (taste and smell), followed by vomiting, nausea, fever, headache, and the rapid onset of coma and death in two weeks.
PAM usually occurs in healthy children or young adults with no prior history of immune compromise who have recently been exposed to bodies of fresh water.
Amphotericin B is currently the most effective known pharmacologic treatment for N. fowleri, but the prognosis remains bleak for those that contract PAM, as only eight patients have survived (3% survival rate) in a clinical setting. Timely diagnosis remains a very significant impediment to the successful treatment of infection, as most cases have only been appreciated post-mortem.
Detection: N. fowleri can be grown in several kinds of liquid axenic media or on non-nutrient agar plates coated with bacteria. Detection in water is performed by centrifuging a water sample with Escherichia coli added, and then applying the pellet to a non-nutrient agar plate. After several days the plate is microscopically inspected and Naegleria cysts are identified by their morphology. Final confirmation of the species' identity can be performed by various molecular or biochemical methods. Confirmation of Naegleria presence can be done by so called flagellation test, when amoeba is exposed to hypotonic environment (distilled water). Naegleria in contrast to other amoebae differentiates within two hours into flagellar state. Pathogenicity can be further confirmed by exposition to high temperature (42°C), where is Naegleria fowleri as pathogenic species of Naegleria able to grow in contrast to Naegleria gruberi etc.
Naegleria lives almost everywhere in lakes, hot springs, even dirty swimming pools, grazing off algae and bacteria in the sediment.
People become infected when they wade through shallow water and stir up the bottom. If someone allows water to shoot up the nose — say, by doing a somersault in chest-deep water — the amoeba can latch onto the olfactory nerve.
The amoeba destroys tissue as it makes its way up into the brain, where it continues the damage, “basically feeding on the brain cells.
People who are infected tend to complain of a stiff neck, headaches and fevers. In the later stages, they’ll show signs of brain damage such as hallucinations and behavioral changes, he said.
Once infected, most people have little chance of survival. Some drugs have stopped the amoeba in lab experiments, but people who have been attacked rarely survive.
So far this brain eating amoeba has killed 23 people in USA from 1995 to 2004. From its inital exposure, it wud be fatal within 2 weeks. Scientist are still baffled as to why this brain eating amoeba infects frequently among children especially young boys with comparism to that of young girls.
Naegleria fowleri (also known as the brain eating amoeba) is a free living amoeba typically found in warm fresh water, from 25–35 degrees Celsius (77–95 degrees Fahrenheit) in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. It belongs to a group called the Percolozoa or Heterolobosea.
N. fowleri can invade and attack the human nervous system; although this occurs rarely, such an infection will nearly always result in the death of the victim.
In humans, N. fowleri can invade the central nervous system via the nose, more specifically the olfactory mucosa and nasal tissues. The penetration initially results in significant necrosis of and hemorrhaging in the olfactory bulbs. From there, amoebae climb along olfactory nerve fibers through the floor of the cranium via the cribriform plate and into the brain. It then becomes pathogenic, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM or PAME). PAM is a syndrome affecting the central nervous system, characterized by changes in olfactory perception (taste and smell), followed by vomiting, nausea, fever, headache, and the rapid onset of coma and death in two weeks.
PAM usually occurs in healthy children or young adults with no prior history of immune compromise who have recently been exposed to bodies of fresh water.
Amphotericin B is currently the most effective known pharmacologic treatment for N. fowleri, but the prognosis remains bleak for those that contract PAM, as only eight patients have survived (3% survival rate) in a clinical setting. Timely diagnosis remains a very significant impediment to the successful treatment of infection, as most cases have only been appreciated post-mortem.
Detection: N. fowleri can be grown in several kinds of liquid axenic media or on non-nutrient agar plates coated with bacteria. Detection in water is performed by centrifuging a water sample with Escherichia coli added, and then applying the pellet to a non-nutrient agar plate. After several days the plate is microscopically inspected and Naegleria cysts are identified by their morphology. Final confirmation of the species' identity can be performed by various molecular or biochemical methods. Confirmation of Naegleria presence can be done by so called flagellation test, when amoeba is exposed to hypotonic environment (distilled water). Naegleria in contrast to other amoebae differentiates within two hours into flagellar state. Pathogenicity can be further confirmed by exposition to high temperature (42°C), where is Naegleria fowleri as pathogenic species of Naegleria able to grow in contrast to Naegleria gruberi etc.
Naegleria lives almost everywhere in lakes, hot springs, even dirty swimming pools, grazing off algae and bacteria in the sediment.
People become infected when they wade through shallow water and stir up the bottom. If someone allows water to shoot up the nose — say, by doing a somersault in chest-deep water — the amoeba can latch onto the olfactory nerve.
The amoeba destroys tissue as it makes its way up into the brain, where it continues the damage, “basically feeding on the brain cells.
People who are infected tend to complain of a stiff neck, headaches and fevers. In the later stages, they’ll show signs of brain damage such as hallucinations and behavioral changes, he said.
Once infected, most people have little chance of survival. Some drugs have stopped the amoeba in lab experiments, but people who have been attacked rarely survive.
So far this brain eating amoeba has killed 23 people in USA from 1995 to 2004. From its inital exposure, it wud be fatal within 2 weeks. Scientist are still baffled as to why this brain eating amoeba infects frequently among children especially young boys with comparism to that of young girls.
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