Health Care

By: Peter Kent

Scientists Have Discovered Two Cancer Drugs Capable of Reversing, Preventing Diabetes

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recently reported the results of a study that successfully reversed and prevented type 1 diabetes with the administration of two cancer treatments. The drugs, known as imatinib (Gleevec) and sunitinib (Sutent), are normally used to treat a variety of cancers including gastrointestinal stomach tumors (GIST).

During the study, researchers found that 80 percent of the time type 1 diabetes entered into remission among test mice and "worked permanently in 80 percent of those that go into remission," according to news reports on the study. Additionally, researchers found that by administering the two cancer treatments "before the onset of autoimmune diabetes, prevented development" of the condition.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, is considered a breakthrough for type 1 diabetes patients who have very few effective drugs available to them, according to experts at the UCSF Diabetes Center. Science Daily reported that research is expected to continue on the cancer treatments and the associated findings until a safe and efficient clinical trial for humans can be adequately developed.

Diabetes Types 1 and 2

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are unique and have distinct characteristics in their makeup. Additionally, medications for either condition are markedly different and cannot be taken for the opposite condition as severe health risks may occur.

According to a Science Daily news article, "type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune response that destroys insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas," whereas the Mayo Clinic described type 2 diabetes as "a chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar (glucose)."

Both conditions are, however, preceded by pre-diabetes, which is when "blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes," according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), which is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

Individuals with pre-diabetes are able to reduce their risk of either condition by participating in physical activity as well as weight loss. However, it is still important for individuals at risk for pre-diabetes and diabetes to not only speak with their physician on the disease, but to also know the signs and symptoms of diabetes, which include the following as described by the NDIC:

* blurry eyesight
* dry, itchy skin
* slow-healing sores
* unexplained weight loss
* urinating often
* excessively thirsty and hungry
* feeling tired
* losing feeling in the feet or experiencing a tingling sensation in the feet

Prescription Drugs For Diabetes

Currently, there are an array of diabetes drugs flooding the market, and, several of those may have severe side effects that are often overlooked by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is severely understaffed and underfunded according to a Reader’s Digest magazine news article, and by physicians as well as negligent patients.

An example of one such drug that has made waves of controversy for its allegedly dangerous side effects, but still exists on shelves, is that of Avandia. Avandia, also known as rosiglitazone, is a type 2 diabetes drug that has been linked to both an increased risk of heart disease and bone fractures among patients, according to a 2007 article in The New England Journal of Medicine and a Swiss study.

While the drug has been allegedly linked to hazardous side effects, the FDA has done little to prevent these potential Avandia dangers from occurring. Because of this it may be necessary for a victim of the drug’s risks to contact a pharmaceutical attorney regarding the development of an Avandia lawsuit, which may offer monetary compensation as a reward for the side effects that a victim incurred.

Peter Kent is the best-selling author of 50 books and hundreds of articles for magazines and newspapers. He manages Legalview.com, a website hosting a variety of information on legal issues, including Avandia

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

by Amy Cheung

The chronic form of bronchitis, known as chronic bronchitis is unquestionably an extremely irritating and even incapacitating condition to suffer from. The shortness of each breath, the coughing up of mucus, along with trouble falling asleep serve as relentless indications that a patient is suffering from this disease. In the last stages of the illness the person involved may observe hyperventilation or labored breathing, hypoxemia or blood oxygen deficiency along with failure of the right portion of the heart. So, is there a treatment for this condition?

Regrettably, there is no specific cure for this condition to this day. But, there are techniques to curb the physical manifestations and slow down the progression of the disease. Through suitable medical treatment supplemented by the necessary way-of-life changes, a person with this condition has more improved chances of enjoying life to the fullest and extending his/her lifespan. Some of these modes of treatment are listed in the sections that follow.

Common Medical Treatments for Chronic Bronchitis

Bronchodilators: Administered through an inhaler, bronchodilators act to expand the airways in the lungs to help the patient to breathe more easily.

Mucolytics: These medications allows mucous to thin out and quicker to cough up.

Oxygen therapy: This condition obstructs the breathing of oxygen into the lungs. Oxygen therapy is sometimes used to boost oxygen content in the body to average levels.

Helpful Lifestyle Changes for Chronic Bronchitics

Quit Smoking: Smoking cigarettes is among the leading triggers of this condition, and smoking even when one already has the condition will certainly aggravate its symptoms and can trigger an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis.

Proper Exercise: Occasionally, doctors will suggest an exercise program known as pulmonary rehabilitation to those suffering from chronic bronchitis. This program involves teaching the patient specific exercises that aim to strengthen breathing muscles allow the patient to breathe easier.

Eat Healthy: The fundamental minerals and vitamins will fortify your immune system to protect against the infections that chronic bronchitics seem susceptible to.

Other Useful Tips

Avoid Polluted Air: Air pollutants such as fumes, dust and 2nd hand smoke can aggravate the lungs to worsen the illness.

Get Vaccines: Since this illness the condition}}} can make a person more predisposed to infections, getting pneumonia and flue shots can be excellent precautions to undertake.

In spite of the fact that there is still no recognized cure for chronic bronchitis, an inflicted person can still seek medical care to ease the symptoms and to guard against any further problems arising from the disease. The best recourse an individual can undertake if one is experiencing this condition is to quit cigarette smoking , start a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest. Those that strictly adhere to this routine will observe a reduction in the symptoms of their chronic bronchitis, and will have stayed on the right path to stopping the bronchitis from further developing into emphysema and a range of other conditions.

About the Author

To grab a copy of Amy's Free Chronic Bronchitis eBook, and read more articles related to {a target="_new" href=" http://www.chronicbronchitishelp.com/chronic-bronchitis-cures/"} Cure Chronic Bronchitis, please click here to visit her chronic bronchitis website.

By: Dr. Rajesh Nair

According to Ayurveda, a holistic alternative medical science, the main cause of diabetes are fat, urine, and Kapha buildups due to foods, liquids, lifestyle, stress and others.

It generally believes that any disease caused is due to doshic imbalance. The doshas are the three humors that govern the human body, they are vata, pitta and kapha. It includes diabetes in the prameha category, which are a list of urinary disorders especially characterized by profuse urination with several abnormal qualities.

Classical Ayurvedic therapy for madhumeha (diabetes) begins with an assessment of the dosha imbalance. In all types of pramehas , kapha is vitiated, but in madhumeha, vata is often aggravated as well. Therefore, therapies will be directed at both vata and kapha simultaneously to restore the balance of the doshas.

By determining the causal imbalances at the basis of a disorder, an Ayurveda evaluation strikes the root causes of diabetes which are Overeating and consequent obesity, Excessive intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, Overloading of proteins and fats which get converted into sugar if taken in excess, Excessive tension, worry, anxiety & grief, Hereditary factors.

Common ayurveda remedies include :

a) Diet restrictions -Avoid foods that increase kapha dosha like potatoes, rice, sugar, fatty foods and avoiding alcohol.

b) Exercise - Regular physical exercise is a must for diabetics. Practising yogic asanas like 'Halasan', 'Paschimottanasan" are found effective.

c) Panchakarma Therapy - The greatest benefit of Panchakarma is that it reduces the insulin resistance in the tissues in diabetics which is the primary goal in treating the diabetes.

i.e., Ayurveda also addresses the diet modification by eliminating sugar and simple carbohydrates, and emphasizing complex carbohydrates. Protein is limited, as excessive intake can damage the kidneys. Fat is also limited because there is often a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes, making fat digestion difficult. Since many diabetics have autoantibodies, Panchakarma is typically used for this cleansing the same. This begins with herbal massages and an herbal steam sauna, followed by fasting to cleanse the body. This is followed by an herbal purge for the liver, pancreas, and spleen. Colon therapy is next, first to cleanse the digestive tract and then to reconstitute the system.
Ayurvedic management of Diabetes depends on the strength of patient and type of diabetes he/she has. But some generalized management are mentioned below.

If the patient has sufficient strength panchakarma treatment can be started with snehana followed by vamana and virechana. Virechana can be repeated frequently. Dhanwantharam Gritham is apt for snehanam. Pizhichil is good for a week. Takradhara can also yield good results. Internal medicines that can be used are katakakhadiradi kashayam, aragvadhadi kashayam, nisadi kashayam, mehari dravakam and Nisha katakadi qwath. Apart from these ayaskriti and lodhrasavam are good.

Mehasamhari gulika, brihantmehantaka gulika, niruryadi gulika, svetagaunjadi gulika, haldi (turmeric), amalaki (gooseberry) choorna, nyagrodadhi churna,Brihat triphala churna, Madhumegha karpagm, nisosiradi tailam,or eladi tailam can be added to the kashayams as the case may be. Shilajit, vasntakusumakara rasa, nag bhasma, vanga bhasma, and chandraprabha vati can be used favorably.

Hyponidd tablets, Diabecon tablets, Mehanil tablets, Glucova, Nishakatakadi qwath tablet can be used on regular basis.

Sugar in any form like rice, especially from fresh grains, potato, banana, and other such cereals and fruits are to be avoided. Fat intake should also be avoided. Tamarid and salt intake should be minimal. All bitter things are of help in general. Vegetables like bitter gourd, drumstick, patola(sponge gourd), okra (ladies finger) are good. So is neem (Azadirachta indica) and bilva (Aegle marmelos). It is also advised to decrease all food intakes by three quarters of normal. Wheat, barely and all millets are good. Some cases recover fully just with exclusively meat diet. Don't use polished grains as bryan is good for diabetes.

Shadangapaniyam or water boiled with ekanayakam (Salacia reticulate) is excellent to quench thirst in diabetics. Exercise within limits is advisable, yogic exercise, particularly matsyendra asanam is useful.

Sleep during daytime, sex, not resting after food intake and excessive labour is to be avoided.

About the Author
Dr Rajesh Nair is the consultant of world's largest online ayurvedic store http://www.ayurvedaforall.com. Please check his favourite Ayurveda medicines and ayurveda treatment.

By:Marybeth Crane

"My toes are hurting every time I put on a pair of shoes! Even my Crocs hurt! I've noticed some little red spots on my toes that seem to be growing. What's going on? I've tried to scrub them off but they hurt! I even tried some pads but they just made my shoes hurt more! Help!"

Sounds like she may have corns! Corns: such a simple name for a relatively complex problem. Corns can be extremely painful and actually are caused by several different foot ailments, so finding the root cause can take some detective work.

What is a corn?

The name "corn" came from the appearance of a bump that looks like a corn kernel on or between your toes. Corns are actually your body's defense against the rubbing of your shoes. They are layers of compacted, dead skin cells that your body makes to protect itself. Corns can be "soft" or "hard". Soft corns are usually seen in between the toes and hard corns are on the tops or tips of your toes.

What causes a corn?

These annoying bumps are caused by repeated friction and pressure from skin rubbing against a bone or against an irregularity in a shoe like a seam. Either your toes are crooked or the shoe just does not fit properly. The friction can cause significant pain from pressure points which makes wearing shoes very uncomfortable.

Why do my corns hurt even without shoes?

If you have pain in a corn, even when you do not have shoes on, you have most likely developed bursitis which is inflammation of the joint under the corn. Bursitis is often treated with an injection of anti-inflammatory into the inflamed area. This type of pain should be evaluated by your podiatrist, because the other reason for pain without shoes is an infection in or around the corn. Toe infections can become serious and may even lead to amputation in some patients. Don't ignore your toe pain!

How are corns treated?

The pain from corns often may be relieved by felt, foam or silicone padding on the affected areas. A good moisturizing cream can also help. Your podiatrist can scrape or "debride" the corn to reduce the thickness, but remember never to cut corns with any instrument at home, and never apply home remedies or "corn remover patches". These invite infection and can make your corns a foot emergency!

There are only two permanent treatments for corns:

1. Surgically correct crooked toes also known as hammertoes. Or 2. Find the culprit shoe and stop wearing it!

Don't ignore your toe pain from corns! Relief is simply a visit to the podiatrist away!

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Dr Marybeth Crane is a board certified podiatric foot and ankle surgeon with helpful tips to make your feet last a lifetime! For more foot and ankle health information and doctor-approved foot care products including safe pedicure instrument sets, visit her website or peruse her blog.