Alpha-tocotrienol, a natural form of vitamin E, can trigger production of a protein in the brain that clears toxins from nerve cells, preventing those cells from dying after a stroke. But this is just one of three mechanisms identified so far that this form of vitamin E uses to protect your brain cells following a stroke.
That means that this natural substance might be more potent than drugs targeting single mechanisms for preventing stroke damage.
According to Eurekalert:
“… [R]esearchers previously reported that the tocotrienol form of vitamin E protects the brain after a stroke by blocking an enzyme from releasing toxic fatty acids and inhibiting activity of a gene that can lead to neuron death.”
“Intention” means a directed thought to perform a determined action. Such intentional thoughts, targeted to an end, can affect inanimate objects and practically all living things from unicellular organisms to human beings. The mechanism appears to be the emission of light particles (biophotons).
All living organisms emit a stream of photons, as a mean of making direct instantaneous nonlocal signals from one part of the body to another, and to the outside world. Direct intention manifests itself as an electric and magnetic energy producing an ordered flux of photons.
According to an article reported in Green Med Info:
“Our intentions seem to operate as highly coherent frequencies capable of changing the molecular structure of matter … Cases of spontaneous cures or of remote healing of extremely ill patients represent instances of an exceedingly great intention to control diseases menacing our lives.”
“Intention” means a directed thought to perform a determined action. Such intentional thoughts, targeted to an end, can affect inanimate objects and practically all living things from unicellular organisms to human beings. The mechanism appears to be the emission of light particles (biophotons).
All living organisms emit a stream of photons, as a mean of making direct instantaneous nonlocal signals from one part of the body to another, and to the outside world. Direct intention manifests itself as an electric and magnetic energy producing an ordered flux of photons.
According to an article reported in Green Med Info:
“Our intentions seem to operate as highly coherent frequencies capable of changing the molecular structure of matter … Cases of spontaneous cures or of remote healing of extremely ill patients represent instances of an exceedingly great intention to control diseases menacing our lives.”
It turns out that some of the elevated radiation readings in the U.S. are not the result of events in Japan at all — they are the result of mismanagement of nuclear power plants that are leaking various toxic substances into ground water all across the nation.
A pilot study that exposed older veterans with stroke to yoga has produced “exciting” results.
For eight weeks, the veterans participated in a twice weekly hour-long group yoga class with modified poses. Their balance improved by 34 percent according to one measure, and they also showed a measurable gain in confidence.
According to Eurekalert:
“Statistics concerning strokes and falls are grim, with studies showing that strokes can quadruple the risk of falling and greatly increase the risk of breaking a hip after a fall. An estimated 80 percent of people who have strokes will also have some degree of impaired balance.”
American concern with dental hygiene has taken a disturbing turn — many people are bleaching their teeth until they damage them. Dentists are calling this addiction to whitening “bleachorexia”.
Overuse of bleaching agents, leaves teeth eroded and extremely unhealthy, even if they are a brilliant white shade.
ABC News reports:
“Carbamide peroxide, the whitening agent in most bleaches, can irritate the gums, causing them to recede, making the teeth brittle, chalky and so thin as to be translucent at the edges when the product is overused.”
A number of studies have shown that the reduced form of Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) may be more effective than the oxidized form (ubiquinone).
One such study showed that ubiquinol had significant decelerating effects on aging problems in middle-aged mice. The mice were given either ubiquinol for ubiquinone 6 or 14 months, then the conditions of their livers, hearts, brains and kidneys were examined.
According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:
“Stringent evaluation of the resulting data revealed that [ubiquinol] has a stronger impact on gene expression than [ubiquinone], primarily due to differences in the bioavailability. Indeed, [ubiquinol] supplementation was more effective … to increase levels of CoQ(10) in the liver”.
Little is known about what causes a longstanding aneurysm to rupture. But new research indicates that certain everyday activities and emotional states can increase the likelihood of an aneurysm erupting. ABC News has collected a list of eight activities or states most associated with a rupture — all of them tied to a sudden spike in blood pressure.
Here are a few of them:
Drinking Soda
Caffeine is most likely the culprit behind the 3.4 increased risk of rupture caused by soda.
A Shock
Simply being startled is enough to increase the risk of rupture by 23.3 times
Getting Worked Up
Anger was the only emotional trigger of significance, yielding a 6.3 times increased rupture risk.
Blowing Your Nose
This increased the risk of rupture 2.4-fold.
For the rest of the list, you can click on the link below.
A placebo is a sham medical treatment that contains no active ingredients — but your belief in it alone may still be beneficial to your health. The placebo effect works best on conditions that are emotional and subjective.
A recent study suggests that the placebo effect may be at work in many headache treatments. The placebo effect can change your heartbeat, blood pressure, digestion and many other factors that you don’t control.
CNN reports:
“… [W]hen you go to a practitioner of alternative medicine, you’re likely to get someone who offers you more face time and greater sense of reassurance about a therapy than a regular doctor. The positive relationship you form with him or her may have a placebo effect in itself.”
Why is hemp illegal? The reasons are in this film, and they’re very likely not what you think. Learn the facts about a plant with infinite non-intoxicating uses.
Other than a few national holidays, most American workers only get two or three weeks off each year. This is much less than what people in many other countries receive, and even that amount of vacation often comes with strings attached.
A typical German might get six weeks of vacation each year, and it’s normal for Germans to take three consecutive weeks off in August. One big reason for the difference is that paid time off is mandated by law in many parts of the world.
CNN reports:
“Germany is among more than two dozen industrialized countries … that require employers to offer four weeks or more of paid vacation to their workers … But employers in the United States are not obligated under federal law to offer any paid vacation, so about a quarter of all American workers don’t have access to it … That makes the U.S. the only advanced nation in the world that doesn’t guarantee its workers annual leave”.
Human sewage used as fertilizer on farms is being blamed for a breakout of parasites across Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Water “biosolids” strategy, which turns human waste into fertilizer, may be behind the spread of the stomach bugs Blastocystis hominis and Dientamoeba fragilis, which are usually found in dirty water in Third World countries.
The parasites cause cramps, distended abdomens, diarrhoea, weight loss and fatigue.
According to the Telegraph:
“Confidential microbiology tests … detected D. fragilis in one in five samples of primary wastewater … Switzerland and Austria have banned the use of sewerage sludge as fertilizer, while in Sweden and parts of Germany, supermarkets do not stock products treated with biosolids.”
Every human being serves as a home to thousands of different species of microbes. But scientists are now reporting that there are just three distinct microbial ecosystems in the guts of people they have studied.
The three “enterotypes” showed no particular link to ethnic background, sex, weight, health or age. One possibility is that the intestines of infants are simply randomly colonized by different pioneering species of microbes, which alter the gut so that only certain species can follow them.
The New York Times reports:
“Whatever the cause of the different enterotypes, they may end up having discrete effects on people’s health. Gut microbes aid in food digestion and synthesize vitamins … Enterotype 1 produces more enzymes for making vitamin B7 (also known as biotin), for example, and Enterotype 2 more enzymes for vitamin B1 (thiamine).”
Hypnosis sessions have been used for more than two centuries to treat a host of medical problems, particularly pain management and anxiety. It is now available to patients at some of the most respected medical institutions in the U.S.
Researchers believe that by helping patients feel in better control of their symptoms, hypnosis can reduce the need for medication and lower costs. One study found that patients who received hypnosis during surgery needed less medication, and also had fewer complications.
According to the New York Times:
“If you have a medical condition for which conventional medicine is not working, or you’d like to try a gentle mind-body alternative, hypnosis may be worth considering … [H]ypnosis with tape or CD at home may be a practical alternative.”
A new study shows that surgeons who drink the day before they perform a surgery commit more than twice as many mistakes in the operating room than those who don’t. According to Reuters and MSNBC, a study showed that the errors occur even when there is no detectable alcohol level in their blood. The studies were carried out in Ireland with volunteer students who performed virtual reality surgeries for the test.
“At 9 a.,m., hung-over study participants made about 19 errors on average, while those who hadn’t been drinking made only eight. This difference hadn’t been seen before the night out, and faded over the day,” Reuters said.
The take-home message is “abstinence from alcohol the night before operating may be a sensible consideration for practicing surgeons,” Reuters said.
Matador Network has assembled a list of 14 natural items everyone should have on hand for first aid. Here are a few:
Echinacea: It helps support a healthy immune system, and has antibacterial and antibiotic properties. If you start to feel an illness coming on, dosing yourself with a tincture of echinacea is a good way to help you stay healthy.
Goldenseal: Goldenseal is a powerful antibacterial, antibiotic, and antiparasitical potion. In powdered form, it can be applied to open cuts to help them from getting infected.
All Heal: All-Heal, Self- Heal and Heal-All are all common names of a plant which can be used as an antibiotic, antiseptic, astringent.
Ginger: Both ginger and peppermint can soothe stomach upsets with remarkable speed.
Arnica: Used externally, it is wonderful for removing bruises, bringing down puffiness or swelling, and easing deep aches. Internally, it can be used to alleviate headaches and help your body recover from trauma.
To see the rest of the list, you can click on the link below.
Law scholar Elizabeth Warren is an outspoken critic of America’s credit economy, which she has linked to the continuing rise in bankruptcy among the middle-class.
What’s the truth about radiation risks? Yahoo News assembles a list of radiation exposures that you face, and attempts to separate fact from fiction:
1. Radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster. An earthquake and tsunami has left officials struggling to contain radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. If you live in the U.S., there’s little need for alarm — although minimal levels of radiation have been found in several U.S. states, the amount is so low that it poses no threat.
2. Full-body airport scanners. These machines use backscatter X-rays, a form of ionizing radiation. One recent study suggested that airport travelers would have to be scanned more than 50 times to get the same dose as that of one dental X-ray.
3. Airplane travel. Flying in an airplane exposes you to natural radiation. The amount is still very small.
4. Cell phones and wireless devices. Mobile phones and laptops use microwaves. This may be a real problem — holding a cell phone next to your head has been found to affect brain activity.
5. Mammograms. These X-ray tests use ionizing radiation to image the breast. One mammogram is comparable to four chest X-rays.
6. X-rays and CT scans. These could be a problem — the more radiation exposure you have, the more the health risks rise.
7. Radon. This naturally radioactive gas is found in the basements of many homes. It triggers about 20,000 cases of lung cancer a year in nonsmokers.
Through a series of experiments, researchers found that out-of-work Americans face discrimination that is unrelated to their skills. When all else was equal, unemployed applicants were viewed as less competent, warm and hireable.
This was true even of applicants who said that they had voluntarily left a position.
According to Medical News Today:
“Researchers have long known of the existence of a bias against the unemployed … In fact, economists have determined that the longer individuals remain unemployed, the lower their chances of finding work. But until now, the situation has been attributed to legitimate concerns over the unemployed worker’s skills set or a lack of persistence in looking for work.”
A new technology gets rid of forehead wrinkles, at least temporarily, by freezing the nerves. If the technique is approved by the FDA, it could provide an alternative to treatments like Botox and Dysport — injectable forms of Botulinum toxin.
The freezing procedure involves the use of small needles to chill the temporal branch of the frontal nerve. This interrupts the nerve signal and relaxes the muscles.
According to Yahoo News:
“Although the nerve quickly returns to normal body temperature, the cold temporarily ‘injures’ the nerve, allowing the signal to remain interrupted for some period of time after the patient leaves the office. The technique does not permanently damage the nerve”.
When a coffee is sold as organic, what exactly does that mean? Coffee that is labeled and sold as an organic food in the United States must abide by U.S. standards for the organic coffee production. This includes crops that have been harvested without synthetic pesticides for at least three years, and the regulations also specify crop rotation methods to protect the soil from erosion.
For decaffeinated coffee, conventional coffees a harsh chemical method; organic coffee is actually decaffeinated through the Swiss Water Method.
According to Flavored Coffee:
“Generally, when you are looking to purchase the organic coffee for your home consumption, then try to know about the organic labels which guarantee the coffee product with 95 percent organic certified ingredients … Finally if you are looking for an awesome taste and flavor without the harmful additives or chemicals, then wholeheartedly you can select the organic way.”
Two recent price comparisons found that prices for many common articles at Target are lower than those at the number one retailer, Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has in the past typically maintained a 2 to 4 percent price advantage over Target, but they now appear to have slipped behind.
According to analysts, Target caught up with Wal-Mart on making its supply chain more efficient so it could bring down prices on items people frequently buy. Wal-Mart still dominates Target on prices for groceries, however.
CNN Money reports:
“Target’s prices in January were about 2.8 percent lower than Wal-Mart’s. Among the goods … compared, cheaper health and beauty items, and particularly smoking cessation gum, helped Target beat Wal-Mart. But in groceries and household goods … Wal-Mart still boasted better prices than its rival.”
Researchers have found new ways of gaining a natural mental pick-me-up. According to USA Today, these include:
Take a walk
Walking not only enhances energy levels, but the daily exercise will help you sleep better resulting in improved alertness throughout the day.
Have a smart snack
Eating a snack that combines complex carbohydrates and protein offers an increase to energy within the body.
Change gears
If you have been doing a certain activity all day like office work or driving, take the time to switch it up. A tiresome brain becomes stimulated by focusing on something different.
To see their other suggestions, you can click on the link below.
The Lupus Research Institute has announced that the first safe and effective treatment for lupus in a half century has been approved by the FDA. The drug, Benlysta, stems from the scientific discovery of a new immune system molecule, BLyS, which revealed a critical new pathway that can be manipulated to treat lupus.
“This is a moment of enormous relief for people with lupus, and a landmark achievement for the nation’s scientists, doctors and industry investigators searching for new answers to lupus,” said Margaret G. Dowd, president of the Lupus Research Institute, an organization uniquely dedicated to pioneering discovery through novel research in lupus.
“Benlysta’s winding path to FDA approval is a triumph for the dedicated pursuit of innovative science and smart trial design in achieving solid results in the complex autoimmune disease of lupus.”
When you look at the science, it turns out your grandmother wasn’t so far off on some of those home remedies she used to talk about. For example, it’s really true that olives can help stave off motion sickness – but only if you eat them when the first symptoms appear. That’s because olives contain tannin, which works to eliminate the saliva that triggers nausea.
It’s also absolutely true that oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties, and that a finely ground paste of it can help soothe eczema. The neutralizing powers of yogurt and other probiotics also can help get rid of bad breath.
Gargle salt water for a sore throat, take a spoonful of sugar for hiccups, and chew on a pencil for a headache – they all have a scientific reason why they work.
And, although there are no studies to back up putting Vapor Rub on toenail fungus, enough people have reported success with the remedy to warrant giving it a try.
Many people love the flavor of tropical fruits like coconut and mangoes. But did you know that, aside from tasting good, they also have healthy benefits that in some instances could be lifesaving?
For example, five of the most outstanding fruits that can change your life are coconut, mangosteen, avocado, mango, and longan. With coconuts, the juice – or water inside – not only is sterile, but has the same electrolytic balance as human blood, which enabled medics in the Pacific Theater in World War II to use it as an emergency substitute for plasma.
Scientists believe an anti-oxidant in mangosteens can cause cell death in cancer; and avocadoes, mangoes, and longan berries are rich with vitamins and nutrients that can help prevent common birth defects as well as cancer.
A new study finds that acupressure, an ancient form of medicine, may be effective in helping to treat people with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).
In acupressure, fingertips are used to stimulate particular points on a person’s body, similar to those stimulated with needles in standard acupuncture treatments. The results of the study indicated a link between the acupressure treatments and enhanced cognitive function in study subjects with mild TBI.
Science Daily reports:
“The acupressure treatment type used in the study is called Jin Shin … According to practitioners, Jin Shin acupressure points are found along ‘meridians’ running through the body that are associated with specific energy pathways. It is believed that each point is tied to the health of specific body organs, as well as the entire body and brain”.
Bacteria in your gut may be doing more than helping to digest food — it could also be exerting some level of control over the metabolic functions of your other organs.
Researchers exposed germ-free mice to bedding that had previously been used by conventional mice with normal gut bacteria. The new bacteria triggered a number of processes in their livers. Statistical modeling determined that the levels of glucose, glycogen and triglycerides in the liver were strongly associated with a single family of bacteria called Coriobacteriaceae.
Eurekalert reports:
“Another important finding in the paper … is that gut colonization strongly stimulated the expression and activity of the cytochrome P450 3A11, an essential enzyme in drug-detoxification pathways.”