HEART ATTACK

culled pic

Heart attack, also called myocardial infarction is a silent killer. A recent study showed that it affects more than 3 million people in the United States alone yearly. 

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CRANBERRIES

Cranberries are not only delicious! They are also healthy and nutritious. The health benefits of consuming cranberries are numerous. They include:

• WEIGHT LOSS DIET PLAN: Their very low calorie content makes them good choices as part of weight loss diet plans. The high fibre content of cranberries is also thought to block Leptin, the "obesity hormone" thereby enhancing weight loss. 
• ANTIBIOTIC AGAINST UTIs: Cranberries contain Proanthocyanidins (PACs) that reduces the binding of certain bacteria to the walls of the urinary tract thereby reducing their ability to cause infections. People with Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) have reported an alleviation of symptoms in as little as one week of regular cranberry consumption.
• ANTICANCER/ANTITUMOR: A research published by the US National library of medicine and National institute of health further validates the claim that cranberries posses anticancer properties. According to the report, Proanthocyanidin oligomers, flavonol and anthocyanin glycosides and triterpenoids are all likely contributors to the observed anticancer properties and may act in a complementary fashion to limit carcinogenesis.

Cranberries have also been found to be helpful in the management of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Their high antioxidant properties also help in the elimination of free radicals from the body.

HIGH POTENCY CANNABIS DAMAGES KEY BRAIN STRUCTURE

Researchers found the use of high-potency cannabis damaged the corpus callosum of the brain - a structure that aids communication between the right and left hemispheres.

Researchers have previously linked the use of high-potency, "skunk-like" cannabis to increased risk for psychosis - an effect that has been attributed to alterations in brain structure. Now, a new study finds frequent use of the drug damages a key part of the brain that aids communication between the right and left hemispheres, independent of psychosis.

Senior researcher Dr. Paola Dazzan, of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London in the UK, and colleagues publish their findings in the journal Psychological Science.

In the US, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug. Skunk is a more potent form of cannabis, typically stronger in smell and containing higher levels of the main active ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Studies have increasingly associated the use of skunk cannabis with increased risk of psychosis - a term used to describe hallucinations and delusions that arise from some mental disorders, such as schizophrenia. Another study by King's College published earlier this year, for example, linked high-potency skunk use to a fivefold greater psychosis risk.

For this latest study, Dr. Dazzan and colleagues investigated how the high-potency drug affects brain structure. They note that gaining a better understanding of this association is important, particularly since levels of THC in skunk-like cannabis have been increasing in recent years, and this ingredient itself has been linked to increased psychosis risk.

Heavy users of high-potency cannabis showed greatest brain damage

To reach their findings, the team enrolled 54 individuals with first-episode psychosis and 43 healthy participants. Using the Cannabis Experience Questionnaire, information was gathered on subjects' past use of cannabis, stimulants and other recreational drugs.

Each participant underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique known as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which allowed the researchers to closely analyze their brain structure.

Specifically, the team assessed the corpus callosum - a white matter structure that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain, allowing communication between the two. The team notes that this brain region has lots of cannabinoid receptors, which THC targets.

The researchers found that participants who had a history of frequent high-potency skunk use demonstrated much higher mean-diffusivity (MD) in the corpus callosum - a marker of white matter damage - than low-potency users and those who used the drug occasionally. What is more, this association was found in subjects both with and without psychosis.

Commenting on the results, Dr. Dazzan says:

"We found that frequent use of high-potency cannabis significantly affects the structure of white matter fibers in the brain, whether you have psychosis or not. This reflects a sliding scale where the more cannabis you smoke and the higher the potency, the worse the damage will be."

Based on the findings of this study and others showing how cannabis may damage the brain, Dr. Dazzan says there is an "urgent need" to educate health professionals, policymakers and the general public about the health risks that may arise with cannabis use.

Medical News Today recently reported on a study suggesting marijuana users are at greater risk of stroke caused by intracranial arterial stenosis - the narrowing of an artery inside the brain.

source: Medicalnewstoday.com

HIV/AIDS- STOP THE DISCRIMINATION!

Sandy (not real name) had been working in a government organization for sometime. In fact, she got retained after her one year mandatory National Youth service corps deployment to the same organization. She is a bright and intelligent worker, who has contributed a lot to the development of that organization. Sandy is HIV positive. She found out about her status while she was in the university studying microbiology.

BIZARRE MEDICAL CONDITIONS- FISH ODOUR SYNDROME

culled pic

Fish odour syndrome, also known as trimethylaminuria is a metabolic disorder where the body cannot breakdown trimethylamine found in foods like fish and eggs as a result of the deficiency of an enzyme called Flavin containing monooxygenase 3(FMO3). This enzyme breaks down trimethylamine into trimethylamine oxide, an odourless metabolite. An accumulation of trimethylamine in the body leads to its release in sweat, urine, reproductive fluids and breath and the result is a strong fishy odour.

TREATMENT: There is no known treatment for this disorder. People who have avoided foods like fish, eggs, red meat and beans have found significant improvement in their condition. 

BIZZARE MEDICAL CONDITIONS- PUPULA DUPLEX

culled pic

Pupula Duplex is a medical condition in which sufferers have 2 irises and 2 pupils in the same eye. Basically, it looks like they have 2 eyes in one eyeball. This medical condition is so rare that there has been no known documented cases of any sufferers.

culled pic

ESSENTIAL WONDER

Add a few drops of an essential oil such as Lavender into your bath water after a stressfull and tiring day and notice how refreshed, relaxed and revigorated you are the next day- I've tried it, it works!

FIGHTING ACNE - NATURAL REMEDY

Acne, blackheads and spots can be problematic and bothersome. It takes more time and effort to cover up skin blemishes with makeup, most of which actually increase breakouts by clogging up pores. There are a number of non medical/prescription products that can help fight acne, reduce breakouts and eliminate spots. They include:

• MASKS: Invest in good masks. The body shop makes really effective mud masks and sea weed masks. It is usually applied to face, left on for about 15 minutes and rinsed off.

• TEA TREE OIL: Its natural astringent properties helps to unclog skin pores and clear skin blemishes. It can be applied after the mask and used every night as a routine for as long as possible.

• BAKING SODA + TOOTHPASTE: Yes, you heard right. These 2 components, when mixed together, act as spot zingers! baking soda also has antibacterial properties that kill bacteria on facial skin. You can apply these on the day you are not using facial masks. Mix equal parts of both and apply to the face. Leave on for about 45 minutes and rinse off.

• EXFOLIATING SCRUBS: Scrubs  help to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin to expose new skin. Scrubs can be used during bath. Apply a generous amount to the face, massage gently and rinse off. The skin feels smooth and soft immediately.

ALCOHOLISM DRUG COULD HELP CURE HIV, STUDY FINDS

A drug used to treat alcoholism - called disulfiram - could bring us closer to a cure for HIV, according to the results of a new study led by researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

culled pic

Researchers found disulfiram - a drug used to treat alcoholism - activated latent HIV in cells of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy for the virus.

Study leader Prof. Sharon Lewin, of The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at Melbourne, and colleagues publish their findings in The Lancet HIV.

Disulfiram (brand name Antabuse) is a drug given to individuals with an alcohol use disorder to discourage them from drinking. It works by blocking an enzyme called dehydrogenase, which plays a role in metabolizing alcohol intake.

Inhibiting dehydrogenase causes acute sensitivity to alcohol; if patients consume alcohol while taking disulfiram, they will experience a number of unpleasant side effects, including headaches, nausea, chest pain, vomiting, weakness, blurred vision, sweating and mental confusion.

But as well as helping to treat alcoholism, Prof. Lewin and colleagues found the drug could lead to a cure for one of the world's most serious and challenging diseases:HIV

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the primary treatment for HIV, involving a combination of at least three antiretroviral drugs that slow disease progression. While the treatment has led to reductions in HIV death rates worldwide, it is not a cure.

ART is unable to eliminate HIV from patients completely; the virus can lay dormant in cells, hiding from immune system attack.

But in their phase 2 clinical trial, the researchers found disulfiram helped "wake up" dormant HIV cells, allowing them to be destroyed - a "shock-and-kill" approach that researchers believe is key to curing the virus.

Disulfiram 'could be the game changer we need'

Numerous studies have investigated such an approach. In September, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study that suggested a class of drugs being tested for the treatment of cancer could reawaken dormant HIV cells

For their study - conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of California-San Francisco - the team gave disulfiram to 30 HIV-positive patients in the US and Australia who were receiving ART.However, Prof. Lewin and colleagues note that to date, the drugs trialed to reawaken latent HIV have produced toxic side effects - a major barrier to moving the shock-and-kill approach forward.

Disulfiram was administered daily for 3 days. Patients received 500 mg of the drug on the first day, 1,000 mg on the second day and 2,000 mg on the third day.

The researchers found that the 2,000 mg dose activated dormant HIV in patients' cells without producing any toxic side effects.

"The dosage of disulfiram we used provided more of a 'tickle' than a 'kick' to the virus, but this could be enough," says Prof. Lewin. "Even though the drug was only given for 3 days, we saw a clear increase in virus in plasma, which was very encouraging."

Prof. Lewin adds:

"This trial clearly demonstrates that disulfiram is not toxic and is safe to use, and could quite possibly be the game changer we need."

First study author Dr. Julian Elliott, head of clinical research in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Monash University and Alfred Hospital in Australia, notes that waking dormant HIV is only the first step to eliminating it; they now need to find a way to destroy it.

"This is a very important step as we have demonstrated we can wake up the sleeping virus with a safe medicine that is easily taken orally once a day," he adds. "Now we need to work out how to get rid of the infected cell. A kick-start to the immune system might help. We have an enormous amount still to learn about how to ultimately eradicate this very smart virus."

MNT recently reported that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved a single-tablet drug called Genvoya for the treatment of HIV.

culled from medicalnewstoday.com

DANDRUFF

culled pic

Dandruff, can be a source of worry and discomfort to those affected. It is usually caused by an accumulation of dead skin cells on the scalp. Contrary to popular belief, it is rarely contagious. It can be caused by a variety of things- from plain dryness of the scalp (common dandruff) to fungal infections of the scalp (seborrhoeic dermatitis, malassezia, scalp eczema, etc.) .
Many of you may already know the common medical treatment for dandruff e.g the use of anti dandruff shampoos like Head & Shoulders, Nizoral shampoo, Selsun Blue and the use of steroids prescribed by dermatologists in some cases. I want to focus more on the non medical management of dandruff.
There are a number of easily accessible products that help eliminate dandruff. They include:

• SHEA BUTTER: Shea butter, applied after a vigorous hair wash, during blow drying helps to nourish the scalp and discourage the accumulation of dead skin cells (dandruff)

• COCONUT OIL: Heat a generous amount to a warm temperature. Apply generously to the scalp after washing. Cover hair with a shower cap for 10 minutes and rinse off.

• ALOE VERA: When applied, aloe vera soothes the scalp and relieves the itch and irritation caused by dandruff.
• TEA TREE OIL: This is particularly effective for over-active scalps. Apart from its soothing effects, its astringent properties helps to unclog scalp pores and in the process, eliminate dandruff.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: THE STORY OF WILBERFORCE NONSO PAUL NZEDEBE AND NWOGO ENUJIOFOR

Being a past victim of domestic violence myself, I can tell you first hand that the experience causes physical, mental, psychological and emotional damage to its victims. It takes years of rehabilitation and support from friends and family to overcome its effects. I pray the relevant authorities bring this criminal to book and use him as a scapegoat for other domestic abusers. 

Here is how stelladimokokorkus.com is reporting it:

Nonso Paul Nzedebe and Nwogo Enujiofor got married last year, December 2014, Nwogo has been enduring all kinds of abuse in her marriage thinking her husband will change once she gives birth, she gave birth through CS but the maltreatment worsened.

Nwogo reported the last fight to the police, they (police) summoned her hubby but hubby convinced them that all was well and promised to be of a good behaviour only for Nwogo to go home and her hubby chopped off the lobes of her ears with plier.

The couple have a 3 month old baby. 

BODY ODOURS

Do you experience body odour or know someone who does? It is a very challenging situation to find oneself in. It is also a huge turn off in any relationship. The causes of body odour are varied and include:

• Bad Hygiene Practices: It is important to maintain a good personal hygiene. Clothes should always be kept clean and dry. Body hairs (armpit and groin) should be kept at the lowest possible level as they attract and trap bacteria. Antiperspirants, body sprays and perfumes should also be used except in allergies.
• Underlying Diseases: Bad body odours may be due to underlying medical conditions. It has been postulated that metabolic disorders can lead to bad body odours. Always seek medical advice if you feel your bad body odour may be due to a medical condition.
• Accumulation of toxins in the liver: Toxins which are not eliminated from the body can cause mouth and body odours. Invest in some detoxifiers. GNC makes a variety of good detoxifiers. It is recommended to detoxify at least once in six months.

NATURAL REMEDY FOR MILD BURNS ( FIRST DEGREE)

culled pic

Ever wondered what to do after having a mild burn from touching a hot surface? Well, wonder no more. The first step is to prevent your burn from developing a blister. 

• Apply some salt on the surface of the burn to prevent blisters from surfacing. It's not magic, just plain science. Salt prevents the development of a blister by balancing out the membrane concentrations. The high concentration of salt on the skin surface prevents body fluids from gathering under the skin after a burn. However, don't expect anything to happen if you apply salt when blisters have already surfaced.
• Next step is to apply a cold compress to reduce the temperature of the skin and calm the immune responses.
• Apply honey, if you have some. Honey is great for burns on unbroken skin surfaces.

For more severe burns, do not hesitate to visit the ER.

THE MANY WONDERS OF ALOE VERA

culled pic

The medical and cosmetic benefits of aloe vera can never be underestimated. It can be applied to the hair as a conditioner, to the skin to nourish and protect it as well as eliminate blemishes and cause healing to chapped, damaged skin. It can also be ingested raw as an antioxidant, cleanser and stool softener. I personally love the “fruit of the earth” aloe vera gel which is 100% pure aloe extract. I use it for my hair and skin.

With Aloe Vera, you can never go wrong. How do you use Aloe vera? Please share.