Most Evil Popes in the History of Mankind

Have safe sex with Condoms Cause Gonorrhoea Would soon become Untreatable - CDC cautions

Rising Untreatable "Super bug" Gonorrhoea Spreading Globally

     Gonorrhoea known commonly as “the clap” or “the drip” is the second most common bacteria sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK after Chlamydia, with almost 35,000 cases reported in England in 2014, And about 78 million people catch gonorrhoea every year. Anyone who is sexually active is at risk and any kind of sex, including anal and oral sex, can pass it along.

It was once easily treated with a quick dose of antibiotics but, like all bacterial infections, strains have evolved that can evade the mechanisms used by antibiotics “Gonorrhoea is a very smart bud” said Teodora Wi, a human reproduction specialist at the Geneva-based UN health agency. “Every time you introduce a new type of antibiotic to treat it, this bug develops resistance to it.”

   But the new antibiotic resistant strain developed through a mistreatment of gonorrhoea bacteria left in the throat after oral sex. Gonorrhoea in the throat often looks like strep throat, so doctors prescribe standard antibiotics, which then mix with the bacteria creating antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea. Both of the current antibiotics used to treat gonorrhoea- Ceftriaxone and Azithromycin are becoming increasingly ineffective against the new strain.

“To date, three extensively drug resistant gonococcal strains with high-level resistance to ceftriaxone (super-bugs) have also been reported- in France, Japan and Spain” Wi and colleagues wrote in their report.

 

U.S. authorities have had some success against gonorrhoea by using both Ceftriaxone and azithromycin- but it’s unclear how long such a regimen will deter the super gonorrhoea.

The WHO reports urges countries to encourage the development of new drugs and a vaccine against gonorrhoea and urges better surveillance and treatment in the meantime.

     Three new drugs are in the development pipeline, solithromycin, which has completed a phase III Trial, and two other drugs which have completed phase II trials, but it is unclear how long it will take these drugs to reach the pharmaceutical market and whether they will prove to be stronger than the super-bug

Before Then, health experts recommend safe sex with condoms, communication with partners, frequent testing, and old boring standby, abstinence.

   According to the CDC, symptoms in men include:

• A burning sensation when urinating
• A white, Yellow or green discharge from the penis
• Painful or swollen testicles

Most women with gonorrhoea do not have any symptoms. But they can include:

• Painful or burning sensation when urinating
• Increased Vaginal discharge
• Vaginal bleeding between periods

“You can get gonorrhoea by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has gonorrhoea. A pregnant woman with gonorrhoea can give the infection to her baby during childbirth.” CDC cautions

Need to Know about Lactose Intolerance in Children

Three days ago I was invited to provide a health orientation at an Elementary school about the kind of foods which should be given to children and knowing the food they can tolerate but surprisingly people aren't aware of Food intolerance especially in this part of the world. which is getting quite common in today’s children and it can be difficult to know whether your infant or child is having symptoms of lactose intolerance or whether he or she may have a milk allergy.

For many Kids, an ice cream Sunday or cool glass of milk at lunch means an afternoon of cramps, gas and diarrhea.

What is Lactose?

Lactose is a sugar found in foods that many children love-milk and dairy products, such as frozen yoghurt, some breads, cereals and frozen canned foods. Lactose is broken down by the lactase enzyme located in small intestine. When we eat lactose, lactase breaks lactose down into two simple sugars: glucose and Galactose. The body absorbs these simple sugars into our intestine. When there is a decrease or loss of the lactase enzyme, we cannot break down or absorb lactose. The unabsorbed lactose can lead to symptoms which is called intolerance.

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is a condition caused by lack of an enzyme called lactase. Inadequate amounts of lactase cause the body to be unable to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products. The disorder affects some populations more than others: African-American, Jewish, Mexican Americans e.t.c. it is least common among people with a northern European Heritage.

What Causes Lactose Intolerance?

Injuries or Diseases at the small intestine which can reduce the amount of enzymes produced which is the usual cause of intolerance in children. But, most causes of Lactose intolerance develop over a period of many years in adolescents and adults.

Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Children?

Symptoms that are observed depend on the amount of Lactose that’s consumed, the time (30 minutes and 2 hours) of consumption of a diary product. Here are symptoms you should look out for:

• ·         Cramps
• ·         Painful gas
• ·         Bloating
• ·         Gas
• ·         Diarrhoea
• ·         Malnourishment
• ·         Gradual growth
• ·         Watery eyes
• ·         Coughing
• ·         Vomiting
• ·         Stools

How is Lactose Intolerance Diagnosed?

The most common diagnostic tests are used to measure the absorption in the Digestive system include:

Lactose Tolerance Test- 

This test measures the absorption of Lactose in digestive system. After Fasting, the patient drinks a Liquid that contains lactose. The diarrhoea stools are then tested for the next 24 hours.

Undigested lactose fermented by bacteria in the colon creates lactic acid and other fatty acids, which can be detected in a stool sample, along with glucose as a result of unabsorbed lactose.

Hydrogen breath Test- 

The patient drinks a lactose- heavy beverage. The breath is then analysed at regular intervals to measure the amount of hydrogen. Undigested Lactose in the colon is fermented by bacteria, resulting in the production of various gases, including hydrogen. When high levels of hydrogen are present in the breath improper digestion of lactose is diagnosed.

Stool Acidity test- 

This test used in infants and young children measures the amount of acid in the stool. Lactic acid and glucose, produced by undigested lactose,  and other fatty acids can be detected in a stool sample.

How is Lactose intolerance treated?

Treatment of Lactose intolerance depends on the extent of your child’s symptoms. Some children with lactose intolerance may be able to small amounts of dairy products without having symptoms.

·         

        Your paediatrician may recommend an over-the-counter Lactase enzyme supplement to alleviate the symptoms.

·         

        If the symptoms are severe, your paediatrician may refer your child to registered dietitian. Since dairy is a good source of calcium and vitamin D..  which all kids need while a dietitian can suggest other foods to provide those nutrients.

Finding levels of Lactose intolerance

The committee of Nutrition for the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends slowly introducing the dairy products to Judge the Child’s level of tolerance.

• ·         Some children are able to tolerate one glass of milk, but get symptoms with a second one
• ·         Some can’t tolerate milk but can tolerate yoghurt while some can tolerate hard cheese.
• ·         Keep a record of your child’s tolerance by first eliminating and slowly reintroducing specific dairy products and observing the change in symptoms.
• ·         Based on this record, you can monitor his diary intake and make sure he does not miss out on his nutrients.

Scorpion Venom used in The Treatment of Cancer Cells

           In the development of new drugs taking something from nature and modifying it has been successful tactic employed by medicinal chemists for years. Now with the use of venom, researchers are turning once- discarded drug candidates into usable drugs.

            Venom is a form of toxin secreted by some animals (e.g. scorpion, bee, snake e.tc) for the purpose of defending or causing harm to another. Off course we all know that venom can harm and kill human. However in low doses, venom will not affect normal cells while it may affect cancer cells, since cancer cells are most sensitive to e.g. modulation of various channels much needed for the very fast cellular division. Once such substance with anti-cancer potential is the cardiac glycoside Bufalin extracted from toad skin which is inhibiting a relevant ion channel for cancer cells i.e. the sodium- potassium exchange channel.

       Scorpion venom has been gaining interest as a source of new drugs, it contains a mixture of biological chemicals called peptides. Some of which are known to trigger cell death by forming proes in biological membranes.. cell death can be useful if we are able to target say tumor cells to auto-destruct.

         Investigation carried out by specialist of the Faculty of chemistry at the university of Colima (UCOL), who have identified peptides(amino acids molecules) that destroy cancer cells in vitro.

 This toxins can have very potent effects. For instance one particular small peptide known as TsAP-1, isolated from the Brazillian yellow scorpion (Tityus serrulatus) has both anti-microbial and anti cancerproperties.

            

      Laura Leticia ValdezVelazquez, Head of research, said that when the toxin, derived from scorpion venom, invades channels in the cells with this disease it produces cellular damage until killing them.

    “Centruroides tecomanus species is one of the most poisonous scorpion found in colima and we have identified a highly selective group of peptides, which indicates that they could specifically bind to cancer cells and cause their deaths” she indicates.”

        Diluted venom from blue scorpions from cuba, has been used to fight cancer for long time now by tens of thousands of patients. Though still in research phase, many patients report that tumors have disappeared upon taking the venom.

      

Mechanism of action

Kills cancer cells by ion modulation: 

A major anticancer action of scorpion venom is based on Chlorotoxin (CTX). This peptide found in the venom blocks small-conductance chloride channels that are highly relevant in some cancers for migration and invasion of healthy cells. It has been shown that chlorotoxin has the ability to interact with chloride channels in membrane protein in e.g glioma cells preventing trans-membrane chlorides fluxes .

Inhibits Metastasis:

Chlorotoxin can also bind to MMP-2 (Matrix metalloproteinase), a surface protein over-expressed in highly invasive tumours. the MMP proteins are involves in the breakdown of extracellular matrix in normal physiological processes such as embryonic development, reproduction and tissue remodelling, as well as in disease processes such as arthritis and metastasis.

Although the research is at a primary stage, this indicates the use of venom from scorpions used against cancer. Experts have been observing in Labortory animals that the presence of such toxins releases dopamine, and often effective drugs have been discovered but not commerialised due to delivery of the drugs.

Reference:

Chlorotoxin: a helpful natural scorpion peptide to diagnose glioma and fight tumour invasion

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25826056

Chlorotoxin is a small 36 amino- acid peptide identified from the venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus, Initially, Chlorotoxin was used as pharmacological tool to characterize chloride channels.

Basic Ideas About Your Sleeping Position

SLEEPING POSITIONS

The moment you lie on your beds, we fix on a preferred sleeping position we aren’t most times aware of it but putting thought into it we change our “usual position”. For something so simple (even babies do easily), sleep isn’t such an easy thing. Both too little and too much dozing has been linked to a host of Health problems, From Obesity and heart disease to dementia and diabetes. And sleeping position can play a role in snoring, aches and pain, heartburn and even wrinkles! It might be time to switch things up at Bedtime.

There are 3 curves on the body that you should pay attention to

Your lower back, Middle back and near your Neck. Try to maintain these natural curves when you sleep

“Eighty Percent of the population will have back problems at some point in [their] lives often times caused or aggravated by the way they sleep,” Dr Hooman Melamed, an orthopaedic spine surgeon at the DISC Sports & Spine centre

Here is a list of sleep Position you can be aware of and there health consequence:

Side Sleeping:

This position is the most common and for some good reason, it can have a whole lot of health Benefits. If you snore or have breathing problems, sleeping on your side is the best choice for opening your airways so you can breathe better at night, says Sleep specialist W. Christopher Winter, MD Medical doctor of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Centre. Pregnant women in particular should consider sleeping in this position on their left side to ease flow of blood to the mom’s heart.

But sleeping on your side have its Disadvantages “ever slept on your side and woken up with a numb arm?” occurring as a result the weight you’re putting on your arm, or another numb body part, is putting intense pressure on your blood vessels. There can be so much crushing pressure that you lose blood circulation and you wake up to roll over, explains clinical psychologist Micheal Breus, PhD, a board-certified sleep specialist and author of GOOD NIGHT: The sleep Doctor’s 4-week Program to better sleep and Better Health. Another if you have frequent indigestion at night changing your sleep position is advisable.

Back Sleeping/The soldier:

Sleeping on your back makes your weight evenly distributed across your skeletal frame. No turning and tossing due to poor blood flow. Sleeping on your back with your knees supported upward with pillows could take some pressure off your spine and relieve pain. Sleeping with your face out in the air is a winner in reducing wrinkles. People with Heart Failure, certain respiratory Diseases, Glaucoma or Gastro-esophageal reflux Disease(GERD) may benefit from taking this position.

Stomach sleeping/freefall position:

Sleeping in this position can cause the tongue to fall inwards to block the breathing tube, they are prone to snoring and this position isn’t advisable for people with apnoea, using pillow as support isn’t preferable especially if there is neck pain.
Stomach sleeping/free fall position:

This form of sleeping if you’re a back sleeper who snores and you can ‘t switch to sleeping on your side, laying on your stomach eases breathing.

But this sleeping position isn’t advisable because it doesn’t support the natural curve of your spine, leading to your spine over arching placing pressure on the joints and muscles that leads to pain numbness and tingling.

REGARDLESS OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS!


If you sleep on your side back and stomach and you are comfortable in that position, experimenting on other positions won’t do any harm, or when you feel uncomfortable in your usual position. Unless a Doctor specifically recommends switching, it’s probably best to keep doing what feels right

Suprising benefits of Aloe Vera

 Aloe Vera is really a medicinal herb that was cultivated by humans for years and years. I will share to you three very valuable medicinal uses of Aloe Vera used for years to come and/or pass the data on to others. Aloe Vera is really a succulent, soft plant which includes many pointy leaves that happen to be thickest in the bottom, then work their far to a very sharp point. There are also many little shiny white teeth on both sides in the leaf just like a serrated blade. The first on the medicinal uses of Aloe Vera that I'm going to share together with you is the most commonly known, burn/wound/sunburn application. If you ever possess sunburn, a normal burn or perhaps a minor wound…applying the sap from the inside in the aloe vera leaf can be extremely soothing indeed as well as provide healing and rejuvenating results. Other medicinal uses of Aloe Vera include one study that showed Aloe Vera traces were accountable for lowering the blood glucose levels of diabetics. People can eat Aloe Vera yoghurt or drink it in special herbals. Finally, the last with the medicinal uses of Aloe Vera that I will give out today. Aloe Vera extracts have already been used to treat ulcerative olitis and contains successfully reduced the redness. There are many other medicinal uses of Aloe Vera that I might go on about for pages…from creams, ointments, soaps, yogurts, sunscreen, sunburn relief and healing etc. No wonder people happen to be cultivating this very helpful herb for hundreds of years. Which one with the medicinal uses of natural aloe-Vera would you benefit most from? It could never hurt to possess one around!

Brighten Your Skin Using Natural Remedies

               Hydroquinone, the most common ingredient in skin lightening creams has been linked to cancer and ironically ochronosis, also known as skin darkening. Yikes!  Dark and dull skin (The dark patches) are in fact Hyper pigmentation, a sign of sun damage caused by an increased melanin production, which happens when the skin is trying to protect itself from over exposure to UV ray, environmental pollution, a medical condition and the only way to truly reduce dark patches is to ex-foliate regularly: Removing surface layers of damaged skin with lighten dark spots over time as new skin replaces damaged skin. And you can save yourselves time and money by using natural remedies that will effectively brighten and lighten your skin complexion.

1.     Yoghurt

         Yoghurt, a by-product of milk, has many nutrients that are good for the skin. It also contains lactic acid that has bleaching properties. When applied externally helps to clear the skin and moisturises it.

Simply spread some fresh yoghurt onto your face and let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse off as usual. As an alternative you can also try mixing yoghurt with a tablespoon of honey or lemon for best results.

    

2.     Lemon 

           A natural exfoliator, comes into play in this skin lightening remedies. After cleansing, slice open a lemon hold one half by the rind and rub the juicy side all over your face, being careful to avoid your eyes. The alpha-hydroxyl acids (AHAs) in the lemon encourage ex-foliation by sloughing away the outer layer of the dead skin cells, improving circulation and stimulating new cell growth. The fruit acid dissolves the old skin cells and making room for the new. Leave the juice on for five minutes or less, if the stinging is too much then rinse off. This treatment is even more effective in a steamy bathroom or sauna.

3.     Honey

         Honey helps to bleach skin while also acting as a moisturising agent. Dry skin is a common factor that contributes to uneven skin tone. Honey also has antibacterial properties that can help fade age spots and acne scars. Apply Pure honey to your face and just don’t give into the temptation to lick it all off. Leave the honey on for as much as 20 minutes the rinse off with lukewarm water. This remedy will help remove dead skin cells, making your skin appear brighter and fresher than before.

4.    Orange

        The most important ingredient in skin care is Vitamin C, which you can get in abundance form oranges. Plus, Oranges have bleaching property that can lighten your skin tone. It has been found that regular consumption of fresh orange juice can greatly improve the overall texture of your skin as well as its suppleness. Grind dried Orange peels into powder mix with Yoghurt and apply to your face and neck to get brilliant skin brightening results. You can also mix a tsp of honey to lighten pigmentation marks and to help unveil soft shining skin tone. It should be done twice a week.

5.     Aloe Vera

         Aloe Vera can alleviate hyper pigmentation and restore your skin’s original colour. Also the cooling effect of aloe Vera helps regenerate new cells and rebuilds damaged tissue, which is important for healthy skin. This simple remedy using aloe Vera can lighten dark spots and improve your overall skin complexion. By rubbing the inside of the plant (the gel part) on your face, you will make your skin feel brighter and refreshed.

6.     Tomatoes

 Remember when our mothers endlessly emphasized on the benefits of tomatoes for skin? because tomatoes can actually whiten and moisturise your skin naturally. They make your skin glow and appear fairer than ever before. Consuming one raw tomato on . Apply the mask every two days once and watch the magic happen!daily basis, you can also make a mask out of freshly crushed tomatoes with yoghurt.

With regular use, these remedies can improve skin texture as well as reduce brown spots and wrinkles but only if you continue to protect your skin from the sun. Avoid Prolonged use of Chemical bases Cosmetic product. Oh, and keep a hat handy for sunny days. With a bigger brim than mine! 

Helping Children Overcome Obesity

          Ten Year old Helen, a pupil of Haviborah Secondary school in my community is obese, and her mom says the fight over her weight started when she was a toddler. Her mom who is slim and tall reveals how she has tried to curb Helen ravenous eating habits but to no avail.

       She said my Husband and I are not fat although my mother was a bit on the fat side. I’m not very knowledgeable in that area of genes and DNA, but I know that my daughter’s challenges with obesity are because she finds it hard to control what she eats. I’m really pained about her weight.

       “I couldn’t allow my daughter to starve. But I knew I had to do something. So, she tried getting a nutritionist, someone has to monitor her food intake. After sometime the man gave up on her, I have decided to leave the matter, hoping that she would lose the body fat as she grows older,” she said

      Obesity is a condition where a person has excess fat that has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on your health, thus parent should balance the calories their child eats and drinks with the calories used through physical activity and normal growth.

Getting  your child involved in Physical activity has a great deal of effect on your Child obesity but, most children feel tired and misinterpret your caring nature for hate or punishment, making it difficult to control her weight.

Then try making their favourite meals healthier and focus on reducing calorie-rich temptation is the best measure.

Avoid using food as a comfort measure: this is one mistake parent make. Whenever a parent wants his or her child to do something or behave in a certain way, they offer the child food. That attitude is wrong especially to Obese Children.

            A Lot of Fruits and vegetables should be incorporated into the diet of children to avoid weight. During meal time provide plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grain products for your child. Also include Low-Fat or non-fat milk or dairy Products, Fish and Beans for protein. Beans is extremely rich in protein, encourage your child to love beans. When serving their meals, serve reasonable sized portions.

According to experts, cooking at home allows one to choose healthy ingredients and control portion sizes.

Children also enjoy fizzing and sweet drinks, they don’t enjoy drinking water but encourage your child to drink lots of water and limit sugar sweetened beverages

Another note to parents with obese children should put a limit to their children’s television viewing time. There is a direct relationship between the amounts of time spent watching T.V and degree of weight gain, this habit is also common with adults. You can sit in front of a T.V and finish a packet of biscuit quickly. T.V Viewing can directly cause obesity through replacing your physical activities.

         Childhood Obesity is a complex health challenge that is due to several factors, some of which are genetic, lack of activity, improper food choices or a combination of two or more of these factors. Sadly Overweight children are at a high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults, placing them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes later in life. Children need about 60 minutes of physical activities a day and it does not have to happen all at once.

Encourage your child to join in sports and other moderately intense activities like jumping rope, playing soccer, swimming and dancing.

  

Children grow at different rate at different times so it is not always easy to tell if a child is overweight, Body Mass Index uses height and weight measurement to estimate how much body fat a child has and can be used to screen for weight and obesity problems from the age of two. However BMI may be a good indicator, it may not be a perfect measure of body fat and can be misleading in some situation. 

"Childhood Obesity isn't some simple discrete issue. There's no one because we can pinpoint. There's no one program we can find to make it go away. Rather, it's is an issue  that touches on every aspect of how we live and how we work - Former First Lady, United States, Michelle Obama"

Episodes of Back pain and remedies

So It is fortunate that episodes of back pain heal with time. However, back pain can be a temporary but recurrent pain that is indeed a very uncomfortable occurrence. It has a way of interfering with your daily routine, aside making you very uncomfortable. It is important to identify the causes of back pain and know the remedies to help deal with it.

POOR POSTURE

This is one of the major causes of upper and lower back pain. This pain usually occurs along with neck pain or shoulder pain. Poor posture puts on strain on sensitized muscles and soft tissues leading to increased tension in the muscles which most times results in pain.

Remedy: 

The simple remedy for this is to correct your sitting and standing posture to help alleviate some of the muscle tension causing you back pain. Avoid slouching or hunching your back when sitting. Also try to do exercises that strengthen your core muscles, buttock muscles, check muscles, neck muscles, rear-shoulder muscles and back extensions (exercises like bridges, back extensions, side-lying stretches, planks etc.), this will help improve your posture.

When standing, balance your weight evenly on both feet (don’t lean on one leg), keep your shoulders and back relaxed, pull in your abdomen, keep your feet apart and straight but knees relaxed, and try not to tilt your head forward, backward or sideways.

STRENUOUS PHYSICAL WORK AND EXERCISE

Jobs that involve lifting, pushing, pulling or twisting with the low back can cause injury and back pain. These jobs especially affect the lower back and cause lower back pain.

Also, there are some physical exercises that contribute to back pains. Exercises like the ‘touch-your-toes’ hamstring stretch, hurdler’s stretch, leg raises, sit-ups, crunches and high impact aerobic exercises.

Remedy: 

For physically strenuous jobs, try to avoid heavy lifting, pushing, pulling or twisting your low back as much as you can. If you must do heavy lifting try to bend your legs and keep your back straight when lifting something heavy. Also, you should often do exercises to stretch and strengthen your core, back, neck, shoulder and buttock muscles.

For strenuous exercises, avoid strenuous physical exercises like the ones mentioned above and swap them for more back-friendly exercises like side-lying stretches, reverse curl-ups, swimming, walking etc.

MENTALLY STRESSFUL WORK

Mentally stressful work tends to cause stress and anxiety which are two of the most common causes of back pain. Stress and anxiety drastically increase muscle tension, which in turn increases pain. The back contains a variety of muscles that tense during stress and anxiety, which increases pain and leads to a mild or severe back pain in the upper and lower back.

In addition to this, anxiety and stress also cause changes in behaviors that lead to back pain. These include changes in posture (there is a tendency to slouch more, hunch your back etc.), inactivity (there is the tendency of decreased healthy physical activity and mobility) and hypersensitivity (stress and anxiety tends to make you more sensitive to physical sensations which makes them feel more severe and harder to ignore).

Remedy: 

Stretching your muscles regularly, watching your posture, occasional massages, exercising and being mobile can help reduce stress or anxiety-related pains in your back. But for a more permanent treatment, you should learn ways to cope with stress and anxiety. This can be done by identifying your stressors and what triggers your stress and anxiety, then finding ways to avoid it if you can or accept and adapt to it if you can’t. Taking breaks can also help, relaxation and meditation exercises also included. Try to eat a balanced diet, sleep well and limit caffeine or alcohol.

PREGNANCY

During a healthy pregnancy, women usually gain between 25 to 35 pounds which the spine has to support. This can lead to lower back pain for most women during pregnancy. Also, the weight of the baby and uterus puts pressure on blood vessels and nerves in the pelvis and back, which in turn increases pain and leads to back pain. In addition to these, posture changes, hormone changes, muscle separation and stress during pregnancy can also contribute to back pain during pregnancy.

Remedy: 

The good thing is that the back pain experienced during pregnancy gradually eases before birth, however things like safe exercises for pregnant women, applying heat and cold compress to your

back at intervals, working on improving your posture during pregnancy, avoiding high-heeled shoes, and not sleeping on your back can help treat and alleviate the back pain.

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE

A sedentary lifestyle tends to cause increased stiffness and weakened muscles which can cause or worsen back pain. Being sedentary keeps you inactive and makes you miss out on the benefits of regular physical activity which helps to nourish spinal discs, soft tissues and ligaments.

Remedy: 

Perform regular strengthening exercises, stretching and low-impact aerobic exercises for the muscle of the back and abdomen to help provide better support for your spine. Move around more and engage in healthy physical activities.

The Health Benefits and side effects of Vinca Plant

The Health Benefits and Side effects of Vinca

            Vinca plant also known as periwinkle with a scientific name Catharanthus roseus is a very common plant that is known to be a native of West Indies and is comfortably grown in Asia, West African, Southern Europe and North America. Surprisingly it is an endangered plant in the wild because of slashes and burn cultivation.

            This plant is mainly used in Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ayurveda for its anti-tumor effects. This herb contains 2 types of active compound such alkaloids and tannins, and about 150 alkaloids are isolated chemically, and particularly an interesting group of about 20 bisindole alkaloids which contains those having anti-neoplastic activity, including leurocristine (vincristine) and vincaleukoblastine (vinblastine) which have some health importance.

Uses

             Vinca is mainly used against certain types of cancer such as Leukaemia and Lymphoma and Hodgkin Disease. It has a marked cytotoxic effect and makes it effective against growing cancers either alone or in combination with other drugs in chemotherapy.

             Despite serious safety concerns, periwinkle is used for brain health (increasing blood circulation in the brain, supporting brain metabolism, increasing mental productivity, preventing memory problems).

            It is also used for treating diarrhoea, throat aliments, tonsillitis, chest pain, intestinal pain and swelling (inflammation) and water retention (edema). It is also used for promoting wound healing, improving the way the immune system defends the body.

How to use:

          Vinca alkaloid extracts are available as tinctures which must be used only under medical supervision because the doses are highly specific and can be dangerous if taken excess.

Side effect

          Vinca generally causes side effects such as vomiting, headache, nausea, bleeding and fatigue.

Toxicity

Periwinkle is potentially toxic and has been known to cause dyspnea.

         The related Vinca minor has been declared “unsafe” for human consumption by the FDA.

References:

•        Evans, W.C. Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy, 16^th ed; Elsevier, New York, 2009.
•       Duke J.A. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Boca Raton, FL; CRC Press, 1985.

Disclaimer: The topic provided on this blog is for information purpose only and is meant to supplement, and not to replace advice from your doctor or Health provider. This information does not cover all Side effects and method of use. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop or change a treatment that is right for you  

Is It True?, High Sugar Level can Cause Acne

       One thing to know is that sugar is a very dangerous to our health, if taken in the wrong way. It can rob your body of minerals, lower your immune system and can be very addictive. Acne as you may well know has different causes.

        But sugar effects on acne is indirect, sugar by itself do not have a direct major effect on acne. It combines with different kinds of fats increasing the acne inflammation.

       Acne blemishes as a result of clogged pores. Sometimes the clogged pores may not be inflamed. The clogged pores that are inflamed happen with pimples, pustules, papules, nodules and cysts.

      Pimples are small skin lesions or inflammations of the skin, they develop when sebaceous glands (oil glands) become clogged and infected, leading to swollen red lesions filled with pus. The clogged pores usually contain dead cells that encourage growth of undesirable bacteria including Propionibacterium acnes this slow growing bacterium are linked to acne.

How does sugar cause acne?  

        Since all acne is hormonal to some extent and because of genetics acne prone skin is sensitive to androgens, thereby increasing sebum production and skin cell growth.

     

When you eat something sugary or skip a meal, your blood sugar will spike when sugars get digested then can cause the pancreas to produce more insulin and insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) which maintains the blood glucose level but excess of it will in turn, trigger a release of androgen hormones.

      The excess of androgens means that our skin will produce too much sebum, which will then lead to clogged pores, blackheads and white heads which can then lead to further acne inflammation.

     “Sugar is bad for inflammation very bad”. This Study Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows just how bad. In this study they took 29 young healthy men and gave them either 1 or 2 12 oz cans of soda. After 3 weeks here’s what happened to their C reactive protein (CRP) levels, where CRP is one of the best measures of inflammation.

• ·        1 can per day, inflammation levels went up by 87%
• ·        2 cans per day, up to 105%

           And this is shocking since people drink much more than 2 cups per day.

     

         To decrease the presence of acne – is to make some changes to your meal. Studies from the American Journal of Nutrition suggests you may have fewer breakouts if you add more whole grain and beans and veggies and cut back on pasta, white rice, white beard and sugar.

The Beneficial Property of Beans in Our body

The beneficial effect of beans in our body

      I have always enjoyed eating beans; I even participated in a little study of it. Till it hit me two days ago by a friend who replied to my little write up on reducing cholesterol levels using seeds… “Beans could also do wonders on cleaning the veins” which is true!, not many people know the powerful effect of beans in improving your health.

      Beans which is also referred to as large seeds may be a bad rap for making people gassy and I would get to the science of why it gives us gas, Beans contains Oligosaccharides which the human body is unable to properly digest, but are digested by bacteria present in the large intestine thus the by-product is the flatulence-causing gases, but leaving it out of your diet can be a bad joke.

     Beans contains significant amount of fibre and an excellent source of protein that can help keep away hunger, they also contain other nutrients like potassium, folic acid, zinc and iron. Interchanging your meat diet with a protein diet in a week would remove some saturated fats present in your vessels reducing chances of a heart disease. Following stories on Fitteam

“Beans contain a wide range of cancer fighting plant chemicals, specifically isoflavones and phytosterols which are associated with reducing cancer risk”.

They are different types of beans like the navy beans, Garbanzo beans, soy beans, Lentils, Red kidney beans, Pinto Beans, black beans even the African honey Beans

Effect of Beans in Controlling Cholesterol

Beans provide the body with soluble fibre which is important in controlling blood cholesterol levels. Beans contain saponins and phytosterols, which lower cholesterol.

Beneficial Effect in Reducing Constipation

The fibre present in the beans is at a desirable effect for weight loss. And high dietaryfibre also means that you get the bulk effect need for good bowel function and fewer problems with constipation.

Effect of Beans in Managing Diabetes

Because of the complex carbohydrates and protein present in it, it provides a slow and steady source of glucose which helps to stabilise blood sugar level lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Effect of Beans on Body Building

Soy Beans is known to be the only beans with all the essential amino acids thus making it a good muscle building meat.

Anti-Ageing Power of Beans

Some beans like the Red Kidney beans contain anti-oxidants and omega-3. Since omega 3 have been linked to better cognitive outcomes in older adults. Plus the thiamine present prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

Disadvantages of Beans

Although these kinds of beans are healthy to the body some do contain toxins and some causes allergy to your body. Fava beans for example have toxins that affect people who lack an enzyme called G6PD and interact with your medication raise blood pressure. People who have a condition called Favism. Favism can cause anemia through the destruction of red blood cells. 

Other examples like the red Kidney Beans contain toxin lectin which is present in its raw and uncooked state, which causes nausea vomiting and stomach pain. If it isn’t properly cooked.