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Originally posted by billyjoe
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Billie GREAT . I know a few people who had bad reactions to the cholesterol drugs! -
Oh great! Now there is a Cleveland connection to Ebola!
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/us/ebola-outbreak-texas.html?emc=edit_th_20141016&nl=todaysheadlines &nlid=47075250
With New Ebola Case Confirmed, U.S. Vows Vigilance
"...The nurse, Amber Joy Vinson, 29, was on the medical team that cared for the Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan after he was admitted to the hospital on Sept. 28 and put in isolation. Ms. Vinson should not have traveled on a commercial flight, the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said after learning that she was a passenger on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 on Monday, flying from Cleveland to Dallas-Fort Worth.
Officials at Kent State University in Ohio, where Ms. Vinson studied nursing and her mother and two other relatives work, asked the three family members to stay off campus for three weeks, “out of an abundance of caution.” Frontier Airlines said it had put the two pilots and four flight attendants who had worked on Flight 1143 on paid leave..."Comment
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Originally posted by riverbabe View Post
River although acquiring Ebola is very remote .......RIGHT NOW! People are nervous! Friend of mine who goes on several cruises each year is now considering cancelling his cruise in Jan 2015 !
Perhaps SHORTING Cruise Lines and Air Lines could prove profitable.
River Stay Healthy, because if you don't have your health and family, what is all the rest worth?Comment
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DIET SODA NOT GOOD!
This article was on the web from "Blue Heron Health News".
" Here’s an easy way to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease – by 50%.
Just drink less of this popular refreshment (and most people think this drink is healthy!).
Really. That’s all you have to do. How neat is that?
A 10 year-long study, which looked at 60,000 postmenopausal women, concluded that diet sodas sweetened with aspartame sweetener have devastating effects on cardiovascular and overall health.
A research group from Iowa University observed drinking habits of 59,614 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study.
The average age of study participants was 62.8 and none had a prior history of cardiovascular disease.
According to follow up studies, a primary cardiovascular event occurred in 8.5% of women who consumed two or more diet beverages per day, compared to 6.9% in the 5- to 7-drinks per week group;
6.7% in the 1-to 4-drinks per week group; and 7.2% in the 0-to 3-per month group.
The connection between diet drinks and heart disease persisted after researchers adjusted for other cardiovascular risk factors and co-morbidities.
Researchers concluded that those who consume more than two diet beverages per day are 30% more likely to suffer from heart disease and 50% more likely to die from cardiovascular-related conditions than those who never consume diet drinks.
What is with this dangerous aspartame sweetener in diet sodas?
Aspartame is a neurotoxin, made of genetically engineered bacteria. It is not made of natural sugars, but artificially created lab chemicals.
The problem is that when aspartame is used in diet sodas it breaks down into dangerous chemicals including methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid.
A large number of side effects have been linked to the use of aspartame in diet drinks including nausea, severe headaches, insomnia, memory decline, allergies, seizures, blurred vision, and the list is goes on…
Another study linked regular consumption of diet sodas to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity in study participants.
Hopefully, the results of this study will serve as an eye-opener to most people who chose a diet beverage for health reasons, such as to avoid sugar.
Luckily, there are plenty of healthy beverage options available, such as hot and iced tea, mineral water, almond milk and so on…
Even regular soda drinks are healthier than diet ones, of course only when consumed in moderation. But water is best – so leave the rest."Comment
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Yesterday, 12/3, was National PKU Awareness Day. My granddaughter Emily (age 15) has PKU. PKU is "phenylketoneuria".
Number of babies born with PKU = 1 in 10,000
Number of "silent carriers" of PKU gene = 1 in 50
Odds of two silent carriers having a baby together = 1 in 2500
Odds of carriers having a baby with PKU = 1 in 4
The following post on Facebook by my daughter yesterday was a copy of a letter I wrote to her in January 2013, and a follow-up by my daughter with a BMRN rep. (see below) that explains where we are now.
What is PKU? My Mom wrote this letter in January 2013 to explain Emily's PKU:
As you know, proteins are long strings of amino acids (polymers, like plastics). Phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr) are both amino acids. When proteins are digested the Phe is converted to Tyr with the help of an enzyme "phenylalanine hydroxylase" also known as "phenylalanine lyase" (PAL). The enzyme enables a reaction where a hydroxyl (OH) group is added to the Phe to form Tyr.
People inherit a gene for the enzyme PAL from each of their parents. If they inherit a PAL gene from one parent that has a mutation, and that PAL doesn't work, it's okay because they almost always inherit a normal gene from the other parent that codes for a normal PAL that does all the conversion work. In Emily's case she inherited a mutated gene from each of her parents. They are different mutations but they each produce a defective PAL at the "active site" of the enzyme. Therefore, Emily can't convert Phe to Tyr because neither of her PALs work. This means that, unless Emily's protein intake is carefully controlled, the unconverted Phe builds up to high levels (in her blood and brain), causes retardation, and early death. Some of the Phe is excreted in the urine, hence "phenylketoneuria", PKU. (In the very early '60s when I was a newly minted med tech, a PKU test became available and from then on all newborns have been tested. That's how Emily's was found.) So Emily is a strict "vegetarian" and survives by eating a specially-formulated "medical food" made by Abbott Labs (ABT).
When she was born, we researched PKU and found out that doctors at McGill University in Montreal had isolated normal PAL (from plants I think) and got a patent on it. They licensed the patent to our favorite orphan-drug maker, BioMarin (BMRN) in Marin County near San Francisco. However, throughout all these years of trying, they (BMRN) kept running into immune responses (allergies) to the PAL so it couldn't be used for humans. A couple of years ago they attached PAL to an inert polymer called polyethylene glycol (PEG), and now have "PEG-PAL". But they still ran into those pesky immune responses. But but but! They now are pretty sure they have solved the problem! (see end of this story below).
In the long meantime, it was discovered in Sweden that the normal PAL enzyme requires a "co-factor" to activate it. BMRN also licensed this technology and calls the co-factor "KUVAN". Now comes the fun biochemistry. Picture the PAL enzyme as a 3-D protein polymer that (because of interactions between the side groups, like OH, on the amino acids) is all folded up in a specific way. When the "active site" is hidden in the folding, the PAL is "inactive." But when the co-factor (KUVAN) attaches at a specific site on inactive PAL, it changes the 3-D configuration of the folding so that the "active site" is now exposed and the "activated" PAL can do its work. (The vitamins we eat work much the same way because they are also co-factors that activate their specific molecules).
KUVAN is now FDA-approved because of clinical trials that showed high levels of the co-factor alone produced improvement in the Phe levels of some PKU patients, presumably because their PAL mutations were at the "co-factor" site. Emily participated in this study, but dropped out because she was way too young to keep taking the foul-tasting liquid and it didn't change her Phe levels anyway. Not surprising -- her mutations are at the "active site" not the co-factor site. BUT, while she was taking it even short-term, there was an amazing side-effect! Her personality changed! She became more alert, began to do much better in school, became a cheerful optimist and no longer let the bullies bother her one bit. This amazing side-effect was also seen in other participants whose Phe levels were not improved. So BMRN sat up and took notice. They designed a double-blind clinical study to see if the personality-improvement effect was real. This was the study Emily just participated in (eleven 11 pills a day, psychological/cognitive testing and blood tests monthly). It went so well that halfway through they began to give the "placebo" controls KUVAN too. The KUVAN regimen costs $4,000 per month, but BMRN is giving one month free for time to find out if insurance companies will cover this "off-label" use. Cross all fingers please.
Now, back to PEG-PAL. This is the normal enzyme that would substitute for Emily's defective one. The newest clinical study at BMRN. They have noticed all Jamie Lee Curtiss' commercials for ACTIVIA!!! What if they gave PAL-genetically-engineered normal gut bacteria in yogurt??? AHA! Would it prevent those pesky immune responses? That is the newest clinical trial. They are only taking kids and adults over 16, so Emily might not be able to participate, but her doctor is trying to get her in anyway. If this approach works, Emily will have the best McDonald's hamburgers and ice cream Sweet 16 Birthday party ever!!! Please God!!!
The BMRN follow-up from yesterday: "Update since written: PEG-PAL is in Phase 3 for FDA approval as an injectable (for adults only). Once the drug is approved by the FDA, the "yogurt" can be made. In the interim, insurance has granted KUVAN for non-responsive individuals as it does affect mood, anxiety and depression."
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River I hope the PEG-PAL Drug passes the FDA process......God bless you and your daughter.........Keep the faith!Originally posted by riverbabe View PostComment
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Trouble with Blood Pressure ? You may wish to try this after consulting with your Doctor.
If we told you that one small vegetable could prevent over a million deaths a year in the US alone, you’d likely think we were off our rockers.
The truth is, though, that this little red root has the power to drop blood pressure by almost 10 points (systolic) within the first 15 minutes of drinking its fresh juice.
Study after study have extolled its virtues, and a new one out of Melbourne, Australia, have once again proven its effectiveness.
Scientists at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne have proven once again that beet juice is one powerful weapon in the war on high blood pressure.
They looked at men and women who either added 12 ounces of beet juice (mixed with 4 ounces of apple juice) or drank a placebo. They found what dozens of other researchers have already shown…that the beet juice group had significantly lower blood pressure after the 3-week study.
Beet juice is packed with antioxidants- more so than many other fruits, vegetables, or roots. However, it can be really strong when taken alone and is almost always mixed with juice from other fruits and vegetables, such as apples, blueberries, and/or carrots.
If you have a juicer, wash these ingredients and run them through it in the morning, twice a week:
– 1 large, red apple (any variety, but Red Delicious is great),
– 4 stalks of celery
– ½ fresh beet, peeled
– 3 medium carrots
– 1 cup fresh spinach
The carrots and apple help to temper the sting of the beet juice without adding too many calories.
The celery and spinach help to temper the color…beet and carrot juice both stain and can deposit pigment in the skin. Too much carrot juice will turn your palms orange and too much beet juice will flush your cheeks.
When taken in moderation with other healthy vegetables that also provide some bulk, you are practically insulating your body from most every disease by drinking beet juice.Comment
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WARNING please consult with your physician before considering any of these health tips, because they may conflict with any medications you are currently taking!
A Tea To Lower Blood Pressure?
Blue Heron health wants their articles posted on social media so here is one of them!
"The tea I’m telling you about today is one of the most powerful natural things I’ve ever heard of to lower blood pressure.
In fact, two studies proved it as effective as blood pressure medications, without any side effects.
What’s more, this tea is very delicious and although it’s not as well known as many other teas, you should be able to get it in your local health foods store, wherever you are.
You might want to have a hibiscus bush in your garden – it’s not only decorative, but also useful! A new study has proven that a cup of hibiscus tea three times a day keeps blood pressure medications away.
In a study conducted in 2004 in Mexico, a team of scientists chose 75 patients with high blood pressure. Half were prescribed the blood pressure drug Captopril, while the other group drank hibiscus tea brewed from crushed, dried hibiscus flowers.
After four weeks, the blood pressure readings of all the patients were measured. The modest tea surprised the researchers by showing the same effect from drinking hibiscus as taking Captopril medication – both showed an 11 percent fall in blood pressure.
Another study compared hibiscus with a different blood pressure medication. Doctors looked at 193 participants who took part in the study and were prescribed either 10 milligrams of Lisinopril or 250 milligrams hibiscus capsule.
After four weeks, the medication caused a 15 percent reduction while hibiscus capsules followed closely behind with 12 percent reduction in blood pressure.
Hibiscus has anti-diuretic properties – that is, it can help relax the arteries. It is a natural ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme) inhibitor – it slows down the release of hormones that cause blood vessels to constrict. Hibiscus is also good for improving immunity and has many natural antioxidants.
So you can reap the benefits from hibiscus by either drinking the tea or taking capsules. Be aware, however, that just like medications, hibiscus is not a permanent cure. As soon as the study participants stopped using it daily, their blood pressure began to rise again.
A more permanent way to lower blood pressure is to do these 3 easy blood pressure exercises. Unlike hibiscus or other remedies, these exercises tackle the underlying cause of high blood pressure; therefore, delivering permanent results."
BEET Juice can also lower blood pressure ....Look Here http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-hi...blood-pressure
Many may not like the taste of beet juice , but if you have Gold's Borscht a beet soup it may have similar effects. I like the UNSALTED Golds Borscht which tastes excellent cold with a table spoon of sour cream placed on top . It makes an excellent choice on a hot summer day. Gold's also makes a salted and Russian version of the Borscht. All are available at many super markets .
Article from WSJ about Gold's Borscht http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014...06000546981170Last edited by Phoenix7; 12-09-2014, 09:09 AM.Comment
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Hi Phoenix, I can see why they want them posted (and then probably with a link to their site), but there are likely many sites that want that and the result would be very tedious. On our site, that is. Also, I have a dim view of these articles in general. Your disclaimer about consulting a physician is nice, but the article is still a bit strange. It might as well have been titled:Originally posted by Phoenix7 View Post
Hibiscus tea possibly dangerous to people with low blood pressure
While not factually incorrect, the article has the blithe 'this is so healthy' tone that can be so misleading.
I would suggest that future posts on health issues add something from personal experience with whatever is being advocated, and do not just pass on information found elsewhere on the web. A personal interest might add something for other readers of this forum. And when you find news that you just want to pass on anyway, do some research pro and contra first. It is more work than cutting and pasting, but you might learn something. And decide not to post the article after all (and make me happy).
Just a suggestion.
Regards,
KarelMy Investopedia portfolio
(You need to have a (free) Investopedia or Facebook login, sorry!)Comment
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What's in those supplements? Buyer beware. GNC, Walmart, Walgreens, Target tested. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/0...e-supplements/Comment
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River Thanx for the link......I do buy GNC Lecithin Granules ......they appear to be ok? My DAD would sprinkle the granules on his cereal and other foods he ate ...claimed it was good for the brain.......my dad passed away at 98 still with a clear mind!Originally posted by riverbabe View PostComment
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I've thought of making my own herbal pills but many can be deadly in the wrong dosage such as digitalis made from foxglove seeds. I used to have lots of foxglove in the garden. It can get almost weedlike. Eventually it dies out if not cared for. They had a segment on TV, maybe it was 60 minutes, showing a native in the middle of a jungle in South American that made his own pills using jungle plants. Many of them actually worked for what ailed the natives. Some others that can be grown in Ohio or grow wild are: bone set, ginger, gensing, coriander, dill, various types of basil, oregano.
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Celiac Disease and the Ubiquitous Gluten-Free Diet
The Stock Gumshoe invites his friend the "doc Gumshoe" to write about gluten-free.
Tim - Retired Problem SolverComment
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Mimo, I'm shocked by the number of people in my area with celiac disease including a next door neighbor. Only 1000 live in my town.
----------------billyComment
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