Thursday, December 15, 2011

Top 5 Natural Fat burning foods for Daily Life

Nowadays weight loss is still one of the major problems all around the world. Because some people may take tablet by themselves without consulting the doctor, or some may be not interested in taking the medicine routinely. Some may say for weight loss, we have to do Physical exercise and diet. Yes, of course, probably it’s right. The people who want to lose their weight in a natural way. Here you can find an excellent solution and Keep in mind, its loss only your fat, and not your weight. Simultaneously, you have to do the physical exercise.

Eggs

Egg is one of the fat burning and breakfast food for the daily life of working people, because they don’t have time to eat a healthy food. Even for taking some food also, they will watch the time and eat. The people who are worrying for their fat can eat eggs over their daily life, because it contains the capability to emulsify fat and provide energy to your body.


Seafood

Some may ask a question like “How seafood will burn fat! Is this possible… “Yes, seafood is helpful for weight loss, because it reduce the level of a hormone is called Leptin, it works as a very slow metabolism rate in the body.


Ginger

Ginger is one of the best medicines for all disease; generally people may take ginger in your food for your daily life. Medically it has been proved that the ginger is a fat burning food, because it widens the blood vessels in the body and also increase metabolism.


Soybean

Soybean is one of best solution for fat loss, because it contains a chemical called lecithin which will helps for fat loss in your body, and break down the existing fats.


Onion

Onion plays an important role for fat loss and deserves a regular place in your diet. Onion controls cholesterol, purify the blood, and best for counteracting allergic reactions, because one chopped raw onion contains only 62 calories, and one raw medium onion contains just 42 calories.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Cholesterol Lowering Drink For Healthy Life

Bad cholesterol it shouldn’t be stacked; because it is dangerous to health. Still, business was not easy to lower cholesterol. In addition to reducing the intake of foods containing fat and exercise, several types of drinks such as Lemon juice, Grape juice, Soy milk, Garlic juice are also effective for lowering cholesterol.

Lemon juice: Reduce Cholesterol

This drink is good and helpful for maintaining a healthy heart and lower cholesterol. According to the American Dietetic Association, lemon contains limonoids that cause a sour taste in citrus helpful for lowering cholesterol. In the liver, cholesterol is made from a material called apolipoprotein B and triglycerides and the solution for reducing the cholesterol is limonoids.

Lemon contains vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, so it reduces the cholesterol completely from the body. In the Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences, reported that vitamin C than lemons after utilization for 30 days to lower cholesterol significantly.

Grape juice: Increase HDL

Research conducted in 2004 by Dr. Jane Freedman of Boston University Medical School showed that drinking grape juice in 14 consecutive days would raise High Density Lipoprotein(HDL) and total cholesterol gets into lower levels.

Soy milk

Soy milk contains protein, which is helpful for reducing the total cholesterol from your body.Plain soy milk is very nutritive; and it's an excellent source of high quality proteins, isoflavones and B-vitamins; free of the milk sugar (lactose) and is a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant.

Garlic Juice

Studies at Munich University, Germany, found that adding garlic to the diet is helpful for cholesterol shed about 10% in four months. Eating fresh garlic is often a trouble for many people because of poor taste and aroma sting. Garlic can dikreasikan with delicious fruit, the juice is rich in benefits, in order to more easily get into our bodies.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

5 Best Upper Body Workouts for Women

Biceps Curl

Biceps Curl is the most important exercise in toning up your front arms. Hold your body in a wide-legged position with your arms at your sides, the workout can be felt through your center and front arms.

Bow and Arrow

This workout targets all the muscles present in the upper, middle back, shoulder and arms. Since this version involves a side lunge, it strengthens your entire middle and lower body also.


X Raise

X Raise is one of the best workouts for shoulder and upper back. During this workout, your core muscles work hard to keep the rest of the body still as you move your arms.


Push Up

Push Ups is one of the best workouts that targets your body overall. The major effect of this workout would be on your chest, shoulders, arms and core. Place your feet widely to keep your body stable and it will be easier to press upward.

Dip

Dip is another upper-body move that targets the triceps, shoulders and chest muscles. The exerciser's hands support his entire body weight. The palms should be placed on the floor on either side of your hips. Lift your butt off the floor until its level with your hips and parallel to the floor. Bend your elbows to lower your butt and then straighten them back.

Fitness Getaways

Lower Body Workouts for your Butt

Most of us may not be happy about the shape and size of our butt. Some think that they're too small, too big and so on. The right combination of cardio and weight training exercises can make much difference to your butt depending on your body type. Lets have a look at the best workouts to strengthen your butt and thighs.

Squats: Squats are the best exercises to for your butt and thighs and help us build strength for our daily activities. Squat is considered as the vital exercise for increasing the size of legs and buttocks.

Lunges: Lunges are one of the challenging exercises that can be effective for a lot of muscles at the same time. We can workout the glutes and hamstrings with the front leg and the quads and calves with the back leg.

Step Ups: Step ups are the best exercises for the glutes. You need to place one foot on a step and push through the heel to lift your body up. The height should be as such so that your knee makes a 90-degree angle.

Hip Extensions: Hip Extensions targets gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the body. This exercise works on more muscle groups. A dumbbell behind the knee or ankle weights can add more intensity to this workout.

One-Legged Deadlifts: Deadlift workouts are much important for shaping your butt . This one legged version adds more intensity and builds your stabilizer muscles and keeps your body balanced.
Fitness Getaways

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Protein in Soy Better than Milk for Improving Cholesterol Health


A new study has revealed that supplements of soy protein are much better than milk protein in terms of improving blood levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and thus the overall lipid profile in healthy individuals.

The study, which has been published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, investigated the effect of soy and milk protein supplementation on lipids compared with carbohydrate among healthy adults.

Numerous research studies have demonstrated that soy protein reduces LDL ('the bad') cholesterol and increases HDL ('the good') cholesterol, supporting the soy protein heart health and cholesterol-lowering claim that is approved in 12 countries around the globe.

"Research has shown that lowering blood lipids reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke." "The results of this study reveal that soy protein supplementation intake can help lower blood lipids, thus helping to reduce the risk of CHD in healthy individuals."

In this study, total cholesterol reduction as well as the total/HDL cholesterol ratio reduction was statistically significant with soy protein supplementation compared with carbohydrate.

Compared with milk protein, soy protein supplementation significantly increased HDL and significantly reduced total/HDL cholesterol ratio as well as lowered LDL cholesterol.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Research Suggests, Premature Babies at Risk of Ill Health in Later Life


Young adults who were born prematurely show multiple biological signs of risks to future health, research from Imperial College London has found. The scientists, reporting their findings October 19 in the journal Pediatric Research, say that the research indicates that urgent work is now needed to monitor preterm babies into adulthood to improve the detection of early signs of disease.

The study of 48 volunteers aged 18-27 found that those who were born at 33 weeks of gestation or less had higher blood pressure, more fat tissue despite having a normal Body Mass Index, and more fat in their muscle and liver. These traits are linked to heart and circulatory disease and type 2 diabetes. The differences in fat around the abdomen were most marked in men.

The number of preterm babies born each year is rising, and in developed countries, around 2 per cent of babies are born before 33 weeks of gestation.

"This was only a small study but the differences we found were quite striking," said Professor Neena Modi, the lead investigator in the study from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London. "The results suggest that we need to monitor the health of premature babies beyond infancy and childhood. Preterm men and women might be at greater risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy revealed differences in the chemical makeup of their urine, with preterm subjects producing more metabolites associated with inflammation, which is in keeping with the higher blood pressure and greater fat found in the preterm subjects.

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Kinesiologists Design Tiny Treadmill to Help Balance Baby Steps in Down Syndrome Infants

Kinesiologsts developed a tiny treadmill to help infants with Down syndrome learn to balance themselves earlier. Typically, these children learn how to walk at 24 to 28 months, later than the 12 months for those without Down syndrome. The treadmill exercise, used about 8 minutes a day, helps to reinforce the underlying pattern of coordination in the legs. This repetition helps build core muscles and support the drive to stand up. After the babies take eight to 10 steps without help, they are outfitted with light reflecting markers. The information from these markers is recorded on cameras, revealing gait, speed and width of their steps. Researchers show walking is occurring six months sooner with the treadmill.

Down syndrome affects one in every 800 babies. It's a genetic condition that causes delays in intellectual and physical development. Researchers have now developed a treadmill for Down syndrome babies to help them walk earlier than ever before.

The treadmill training helps babies with Down learn to balance earlier. Signe Newcomb helps her daughter Lauren use the treadmill at home for eight minutes every day. "She likes to stand more and is building her core muscle strength," Newcomb said.

“Basically, we know how long their step is, how wide they walk and how fast they walk," Rosa Angulobarroso, a research scientist at the University of Michigan, said.

Studies show the babies learn to walk six months earlier than kids without treadmill training, and the quality of their walking is much better. It doesn't sound like much, but it can mean a world of difference.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Study Proposes, People Learn While They Sleep

People may be learning while they're sleeping -- an unconscious form of memory that is still not well understood, according to a study by Michigan State University researchers.

"We speculate that we may be investigating a separate form of memory, distinct from traditional memory systems," said Kimberly Fenn, assistant professor of psychology and lead researcher on the project. "There is substantial evidence that during sleep, your brain is processing information without your awareness and this ability may contribute to memory in a waking state."

In the study of more than 250 people, Fenn and Zach Hambrick, associate professor of psychology, suggest people derive vastly different effects from this "sleep memory" ability, with some memories improving dramatically and others not at all. This ability is a new, previously undefined form of memory.

"This is the first step to investigate whether or not this potential new memory construct is related to outcomes such as classroom learning," Fenn said.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Why Women Need Fitness Training?

Fitness is definitely needed for both men and women to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But when it comes to losing weight, both these genders have different requirements. Both men and women should not follow the same workout strategy because their body type is different.

Women can also go for strenuous types of workouts although their training requirement is different. Hence its important for women to undergo fitness training for weight loss purposes and also to lead a healthy lifestyle and body. Fitness training shapes your body and provides an excellent physique which makes you look more attractive than others and improves your confidence.

Apart from including cardiovascular exercises, their training should also include other types of exercises for muscles and abs. Fitness training should also be followed regularly by women in order to achieve their desired weight and to be fit. You will definitely experience tiredness on your muscle during the first time of your training and it means that your workout is effective. This would be the beginning of a new life for you and so start your fitness training and find the changes on your body.

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Cancer Smart Bomb Discovered from Crocus Flower


Scientists from the UK have figured out a way to turn chemicals found in the crocus flower which blooms throughout the UK into a ‘smart bomb’ of sorts when it comes to a new cancer medication. This new treatment may potentially create a drug that is capable of targeting cancerous tumors, such as associated with breast, colon, lung and prostate, without causing any side effects.

The researchers, led by Professor Laurence Patterson, have found a way around the toxic nature of the chemical when it comes to healthy tissue in the body and determined a way to focus the toxicity towards the cancerous tumor. By attaching a chemical 'tail' to the colchicine molecule, the researchers have been able to deactivate the toxic properties until it reaches the targeted cancer. Cancer tumors contain an enzyme called MMP and this enzyme effectively removes the ‘tail’ and activates the colchicine. Once activated, the colchicine goes into action breaking up the blood vessels that feed the tumor and essential starve it. Because the drug is activated in the tumor, it does not affect outside tissue and no side effects have been noted.

In mice testing, all mice have responded to the treatment and in as many as half of the studies, the mice appeared cured of the cancer. The drug is effective toward cancers that produce tumors and the researchers have tested breast, colon, lung, prostate and sarcoma tumors at this point.

The researchers hope that if the clinical trials prove successful, a new drug could be available within the next six to seven years.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Orange Corn holds Guarantee for Reducing Blindness and Child Death

Decreasing or increasing the function of a newly discovered gene in corn may increase vitamin A content and have significant implications for reducing childhood blindness and mortality rates, according to a Purdue University-led study.

Torbert Rocheford, the Patterson Endowed Chair of Translational Genomics and professor of agronomy at Purdue, led the study that made findings in yellow and particularly orange corn, a type he said likely originated in the Caribbean and is popular in some Asian and South American countries as well as in northern Italy.

The orange color comes from relatively higher levels of carotenoids, one of which is beta-carotene. Humans convert beta-carotene, which also is abundant in carrots, into vitamin A during digestion.

Between 250,000 and 500,000 children -- mostly in Africa and Southeast Asia -- go blind each year because of vitamin A deficiency, according to the World Health Organization. Half of those children will die within a year of going blind. Rocheford said increasing beta-carotene levels in cereal grains, such as corn, is an economical approach to addressing these deficiencies in developing countries.

Through a process known as hydroxylation, beta-carotene is converted into other carotenoids that can cut the amount of pro-vitamin A that is created through digestion in half, or eliminate it altogether.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Choose the Best Residential Weight Loss Programs



Residential weight loss programs allow you to spotlight on yourself and losing weight, along with educating the healthy habits that will aid you keep the weight loss. Unfortunately, the price of a residential weight loss program makes it complex for many people to listen. However, if you have the money, this can be a big way to jump-start your diet. Find the fit camp that's right for you.



Ask about the food supplied. Diverse weight loss programs offer different types of diets. For example, you may see that few camps will have you following a firm vegan diet and lets you to eat as much as you want, few another camp offers a limited range of foods, but controls how much you eat. Some short-period weight loss centers supply only liquid diet.



Focus at the activity offerings. Learning exercise is going to be another big division of a weight loss program. If you like to spend more time there, you need to search one or more activities you like.



Find an effective weight loss camp with people like you. Evaluate the fee per day. To exactly compare the cost, you should calculate it on a single basis, because the duration of the program varies.



Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Effective Fat Burning Workouts for all Ages

Weight Gain nightmare always starts from belly, while weight loss success also starts there. There is a scientific saying that "fat people gain belly fat first". It's always easier to attack an enemy's weak point and the same thing applies here too. Your abdomen should be your first target to lose weight.



There are three categories of fat in our body:



1. Blood fat

2. Subcutaneous fat

3. Omentum fat



Omentum fat is the reason for the increasing waistline because it's closer to the stomach and other organs. Since its closer, the excess fat is always supplied to Omentum fat. Apart from changing our body shape, it also affects our stomach, lungs, heart and other organs. That is the reason that most of the health professionals advice us to manage our middle section. Omentum fat starts reducing once we start losing weight.



Aerobic exercise and sit-ups would be the best combination to get rid of Omentum fat. Sit-ups helps to reduce your abdominal muscles and produce a sexy stomach. Some might think that in order to reduce weight, we need to do fat burning workouts. So the perfect approach would be a combination of sit-ups + aerobic exercise. Sit-ups strengthens your abdominal muscles, increases flexibility and improve your posture. Aerobic exercise is one of the best fat burning

workouts that burns lots of calories and reduces fat. Some other fat burning workouts are:



Table Tennis: The swing motion of racket is driven by the waist and abdominal muscles, which burns 192 calories every 30 minutes.



Yoga: Yoga posture shapes your back and abdominal muscles, burns 200 calories every 30 minutes.



Taekwondo: Taekwondo kicks helps you shed waist and abdominal fat, burns 312 calories every 30 minutes.



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New Device to Cut down Dialysis Risk



Johns Hopkins University graduate students have invented a device to reduce the risk of infection, clotting and narrowing of the blood vessels in patients who need blood-cleansing dialysis because of kidney failure.



The device, designed to be implanted under the skin in a patient's leg, would give a technician easy access to the patient's bloodstream and could be easily opened and closed at the beginning and end of a dialysis procedure.



The students learned about the need for such a device last year while accompanying physicians on hospital rounds as part of their academic program. They watched as one doctor performed a procedure to open a narrowed blood vessel at a kidney patient's dialysis access site. They learned that this narrowing was a common complication facing kidney patients.



To address these problems, the students developed an access port that can be implanted in the leg beneath the skin, reducing the risk of infection. The Hemova Port's two valves can be opened by a dialysis technician with a syringe from outside the skin. The technician can similarly close the valves when the procedure is over, an approach that helps avoid infection and clotting. The device also includes a simple cleaning system, serving as yet another way to deter infections.



Currently, most dialysis access sites are in the arm or the heart. The Hemova device instead is sutured to the leg's femoral vein, avoiding the unnaturally high blood flows that cause vessel narrowing when dialysis machines are connected to veins and arteries in the arm.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Cooking with Oil is Healthiest or Not





Almost everyone uses oil in some sort of meal. Although there are a variety of types to choose from, depending on the food and flavor of your dish, most oils can come with an additional fatty side and are not necessarily healthy for your body. Also, due to each oil having a different smoking temperature, to reap the benefits some oils are best used in salads. Below are a list of popular oils and the ones you should stay away from.



Canola oil: This oil is made from the seeds of genetically modified rapeseed. Initially designed for routine use of herbicides during production, Canola generally won’t be labeled organic. The high level of monounsaturated fats found in its base helps to reduce “unhealthy” LDL cholesterol and instead increase “healthy” HDL cholesterol.



Olive oil: By mechanically pressing olives this oil is produced in large quantities. It offers great protection against heart disease by raising HDL cholesterol. Olive oil should not be used for cooking because it has a low smoking temperature, which means it can alter the flavor of the food.



Peanut oil: Unfortunately many brands are chemically processed, but if you are interested, expeller-pressed brands can be found at specialty stores and online. The high smoke point makes it great for frying and the nutty taste leaves a delicate flavor in many dishes. Peanut oil is also high in monounsaturated fats like olive oil.



Sesame oil: This oil is high in polyunsaturated fats and Vitamin E. Although it is used primarily for cooking it can also be used for skin and hair care. Sesame oil also contains two powerful antioxidants, sesamol and sesamin.



Ghee: This Indian staple is used in many dishes and makes a great alternative to other oils. The clarified butter is a wonderful source of beta-carotene and vitamins A, D, E, and K.



Coconut oil: people tend to rave over the benefits of Coconut oil and it’s for good reason. By stimulating the thyroid gland, the oil helps to lower cholesterol, making it essential for preventing disease and slowing the way our body’s age. Coconut oil has 40% of lauric acid, human body takes this acid and fights bacterial and viral infections in infants and also can help strengthen the immune system in adults.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Researchers Discover New Drug to Treat Diabetes-Related Vision Loss


A team of engineers and scientists at the University of British Columbia has developed a device that can be implanted behind the eye for controlled and on-demand release of drugs to treat retinal damage caused by diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss among patients with diabetes. The disease is caused by the unwanted growth of capillary cells in the retina, which in its advanced stages can result in blindness.

The lead authors are recent PhD mechanical engineering graduate Fatemeh Nazly Pirmoradi, and Mechanical Engineering Assoc. Prof. Mu Chiao, who studies nanoscience and microelectromechanical systems for biological applications. The co-authors are Prof. Helen Burt and research scientist John Jackson at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences researched,

A current treatment for diabetic retinopathy is laser therapy, which has side effects, among them laser burns or the loss of peripheral or night vision. Anti-cancer drugs may also used to treat the disease. However, these compounds clear quickly from the bloodstream so high dosages are required, thus exposing other tissues to toxicity.

Key to UBC's innovation is the ability to trigger the drug delivery system through an external magnetic field. The team accomplished this by sealing the reservoir of the implantable device -- which is no larger than the head of a pin -- with an elastic magnetic polydimethylsiloxane (silicone) membrane. A magnetic field causes the membrane to deform and discharge a specific amount of the drug, much like squeezing water out of a flexible bottle.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Thyroid Hormone Controls the Eye‘s Visual Pigments



Thyroid hormone is crucially involved in controlling which visual pigment is produced in the cones. Previously, it was assumed that the colour sensitivity of the cones is fixed in the adult retina.

Children born with a thyroid hormone deficiency have serious defects of physiological and mental development, hence newborns are routinely checked for thyroid hormone deficiency, and hormone substitution therapy is given when indicated.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt/M., together with colleagues at the University of Frankfurt and universities in Vienna, have now been able to show that in mature cones of mice and rats the production of visual pigment is regulated by thyroid hormone. It is assumed that this mechanism exists in all mammals, including humans. If so, the adult-onset of thyroid hormone deficiency would affect colour vision.

Studies in mice have shown that thyroid hormone also plays an important role in the development of the eye and particularly the cone visual cells. In the retina of the eye, the cones are the visual cells responsible for colour vision. Most mammals have two spectral cone types containing either of two visual pigments (opsins), one sensitive to shortwave light (UV/blue opsin), and the other to middle-to-longwave light (green opsin). Cones express a thyroid hormone receptor. Its activation by the hormone suppresses the synthesis of UV/blue opsin and activates the production of green opsin.

Friday, July 15, 2011

6 Nutrients for Veg-Eaters

B12 Complex



A deficiency in B12 can also cause depression, mood issues, vision problems, low blood pressure, and dementia amongst a host of other issues. According to Vegetarian Savvy, besides animal products, many fortified vegan foods and supplements contain this crucial vitamin. Vegetarians can also get their fill from raw cow's milk or organic milk, organic cheese, and organic eggs.

Iron



The daily recommendation is 18 mg of iron a day. Iron intake requirements are 1.8 times higher for vegetarians because nonheme iron is not absorbed as well as heme iron. You can find it in pumpkin seeds, tofu, and sun dried tomatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds.

Iodine



Iodine is necessary for the production of a thyroid hormone. A deficiency in iodine can lead to the enlargement of the thyroid gland as well as mental retardation in unborn babies. Iodine can be found in a number of foods including eggs, milk, some breads, iodine salt, ice cream, nori, soy milk, soy sauce, and yogurt.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids



An imbalance in the body's fats with a shortage of essential fatty acids is linked to cancer, asthma, depression, accelerated aging, diabetes, and ADHD to name a few. An adult needs 1.4 to 4.6 grams of Omega 3 per day. Omega 3 can be found in hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, and algae (spirulina, blue-green algae, and chlorella).

Zinc



Zinc is crucial for growth and immune function. Men require 11 mg/day and women need 8 mg/day). Get zinc from whole grains, beans, yogurt, shiitake mushrooms, and sesame seeds.

Protein


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Alzheimer's Prevention in your Pantry


Alzheimer's, the degenerative brain disorder that disrupts memory, thought and behavior, is devastating to both patients and loved ones. According to the Alzheimer's Association, one in eight Americans over the age of 65 suffers from the disease. Now Tel Aviv University has discovered that an everyday spice in your kitchen cupboard could hold the key to Alzheimer's prevention.

An extract found in cinnamon bark, called CEppt, contains properties that can inhibit the development of the disease, according to Prof. Michael Ovadia of the Department of Zoology at Tel Aviv University. After discovering that the cinnamon extract had antiviral properties, Prof. Ovadia empirically tested these properties in both laboratory and animal Alzheimer's models.

The researchers isolated CEppt by grinding cinnamon and extracting the substance into an aqueous buffer solution. They then introduced this solution into the drinking water of mice that had been genetically altered to develop an aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease.

After four months, the researchers discovered that development of the disease had slowed remarkably and the animals' activity levels and longevity were comparable to that of their healthy counterparts.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Vaccine Supports Immune Targeting of Brain Tumors

An experimental vaccine developed by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute targets overactive antigens in highly aggressive brain tumors and improves length of survival in newly diagnosed patients, according to new data that was presented in a poster session at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and aggressive type of tumor originating in the brain, typically live only 12 to 15 months after diagnosis even with standard treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

ICT-107 is a product of the biotechnology company ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. Keith L. Certain rights in the dendritic cell vaccine technology and corresponding intellectual property have been exclusively licensed by Cedars-Sinai to ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, including subsequently developed versions of the vaccine investigated in this clinical study.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Foods for Healthy and Glowing Skin

You cannot just imagine keeping your skin healthy and glowing by using expensive lotions, creams, moisturizers or sunscreens, but essentially by eating right. You can found out by making tiny alterations to your diet and adding these foods to keep your skin healthy & glowing.

Berries

Berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and plum have antioxidant properties. These antioxidants prevent skin damage and when skin cells are protected from damage and disintegration, they look youthful and younger for longer.

Spinach & Carrots

Carrots & spinach are excellent sources of vitamin A, which is a required nutrient for healthy skin. You should eat these vegetables for a healthy body and skin. You can have them raw, in salads or cooked with omelets and other dishes.

Green Tea

This drink contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been proven to reduce the damage of sunburns and overexposure to ultraviolet light, which, in turn, reduces the risk of skin cancer.

Almonds

Essential fatty acids found in nuts and seeds help to keep the skin soft and supple. Almonds are amazingly healthy and full of Vitamin E which gives the skin that glory look. Vitamin E also helps in repairing skin tissues and maintaining skin moisture.

Water

Last, but certainly not the least, is water. Good hydration is our skin’s best friend. Water both hydrates the skin and moves toxins out and nutrients in. Also, if you are properly hydrated, you sweat more which, in turn, helps keep your skin clean and clear.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Babies Perform Sophisticated Analyses of Physical World


Over the past two decades, scientists have shown that babies only a few months old have a solid grasp on basic rules of the physical world. They understand that objects can't wink in and out of existence, and that objects can't "teleport" from one spot to another.

Now, an international team of researchers co-led by MIT's Josh Tenenbaum has found that infants can use that knowledge to form surprisingly sophisticated expectations of how novel situations will unfold.

Furthermore, the scientists developed a computational model of infant cognition that accurately predicts infants' surprise at events that violate their conception of the physical world.

Infant cognition by studying babies at ages 3-, 6- and 12-months (and other key stages through the first two years of life) to map out what they know about the physical and social world.

Elizabeth Spelke, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, demonstrated that infants' level of surprise can be measured by how long they look at something: The more unexpected the event, the longer they watch.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Cancer Benefits in Old Therapy-New Study



Cancer patients who used a 5000-year-old combination of gentle exercise and meditation experienced significantly higher well being levels, improved cognitive functioning and less inflammation compared to a control group, new University of Sydney research has found.

Dr Byeongsang Oh, a clinical senior lecturer at the Sydney Medical School who led the study, said the reduced inflammation in patients who practiced medical Qigong, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, was particularly significant.

"Patients who practiced medical Qigong experienced significant improvements in quality of life, including greater physical, functional, social and emotional well being, and enhanced cognitive functioning, while the control group deteriorated in all of these areas," Dr Oh says.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Hips Take Walking in Stride, Ankles Put Best Foot Forward in Run



In a first-of-its-kind study comparing human walking and running motions -- and whether the hips, knees or ankles are the most important power sources for these motions -- researchers at North Carolina State University show that the hips generate more of the power when people walk, but the ankles generate more of the power when humans run. Knees provide approximately one-fifth or less of walking or running power.

A long history of previous studies has focused on the bio mechanics of human locomotion from a whole-body or individual limbs perspective. The study shows that, overall, hip generate more power when people walk. That is, until humans get to the point at which they're speed walking -- walking so fast that it feels more comfortable to run -- at 2 meters per second. Hips generate 44 percent of the power when people walk at a rate of 2 meters per second, with ankles contributing 39 percent of the power.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Curcumin Compound inhibits Effectiveness of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment



Curcumin, the compound that gives curry powder its yellow/orange color, may inhibit the adverse effects of nicotine in patients with head and neck cancer who continue to smoke.

A primary reason that head and neck cancer treatments fail is the tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that a compound derived from the Indian spice curcumin can help cells overcome that resistance.

"This work opens the possibility of using lower, less toxic doses of cisplatin to achieve an equivalent or enhanced tumors kill. Typically, when cells become resistant to cisplatin, we have to give increasingly higher doses. But this drug is so toxic that patients who survive treatment often experience long-term side effects from the treatment," says senior study author Thomas Carey, Ph.D., professor of otolaryngology and pharmacology.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Prevent Lower Back Injuries


Most of us have suffered through at least one bout of low back pain in the course of our lifetime. The occurrence is alarmingly quite high, affecting approximately 60-80% of the adult population. In fact, physicians report that low back pain is so prevalent; it is second in medical visits to the common cold. The majority of LBP can be classified as mechanical; including problems affecting the many joints, discs, ligaments and muscles of the spine.

Include a proper warm-up
The benefits of injecting a warm-up prior to engaging in vigorous exercise are numerous. This preparatory exercise or movement helps protect against injury by improving the flexibility of the muscles. In general, the warm-up activity should last approximately 5-15 minutes with the focus on raising the total body temperature and muscles.

Build a strong core
There is an abundance of research to support the incorporation of a core specific programme into a regular training regime in order to prevent lower back injuries. Exercises specifically designed to challenge and activate the local stabilizers as well as the spinal extensors (erector spinae) are critical in preventing episodes of lower back pain.

Stay active
Maintaining a regular fitness regime will help in the prevention of lower back injuries. As exercise will strengthen and balance the muscles that assist in maintaining upright posture, performing them regularly is essential.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Kennadee-Three open-heart surgeries free from bleak prognosis



When Shawna Albright was pregnant with her daughter Kennadee, doctors told her and her husband Don that the baby would not survive because of her complex heart defects. Two referrals and two echocardiograms later, doctors said there was no way the baby would survive her complex heart defects.

A referral to pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Frank Hanley, MD, at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, where Hanley repairs congenital heart defects that other doctors won’t touch.

In May 2010, Shawna delivered baby Kennadee, Hanley soon realized the tiny girl was one of the most complex patients he had ever seen. Some infants have serious defects inside the heart; others have a hard-to-repair malformation of the artery leading to the lungs. Kennadee’s case was even worse. “Kennadee had the ‘10 out of 10’ pulmonary artery problem, but inside her heart she also had a complex defect that is a 9 or 10 out of 10 on the cardiac side of things,” Hanley said. “It would take three open-heart surgeries to achieve a complete repair,” he said.

Kennadee’s first two operations repaired her blood vessel problem. Her first surgery, a four-hour operation at age 2 weeks, allowed more blood to be pushed through these little vessels, prompting them to grow. It was a key step to prepare her for surgery number two.

The second operation, in September 2010 when Kennadee was 4 months old, was a marathon repair that Hanley, its pioneering inventor, has performed more than 500 times. The long, arduous procedure takes such stamina, focus and experience that very few surgeons attempt it.

So, in her third surgery in March 2011, in a re-plumbing of Kennadee’s heart, Hanley performed an eight-hour “double switch” procedure on the then-10-month-old.

“Without these surgeries, the prognosis for her long-term survival would be close to zero,” Hanley said. “Now, all of her cardiac and lung physiology is completely normal.” And now, Kennadee is looking good, feeling good, playing peek-a-boo and planning to celebrate her first birthday on May 21, an event that once seemed unimaginable.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Soft Drinks Increases Stroke Risk


In a study of 2564 people of varying ethnic backgrounds, researchers at Columbia University in New York and the Miller School of Medicine in Miami found a significant correlation between diet soda consumption and the risk of stroke.

Started in 1993, Researchers divided people into seven groups: those who drank less than one soda of any type per month, those with moderate soda consumption (up to six per week), daily regular soda consumption (one or more daily), moderate diet soda only, daily diet soda only, moderate diet soda and sometimes regular soda, and daily diet soda with any regular soda consumption.

After considering all the other factors studied, researchers concluded that regular diet soda drinkers had a 48% increased chance of having a stroke, while those who drank diet soda every day had a 61% increased risk of stroke over those who drank other types of soda.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Holiday Hidden Eggs



Easter Sunday is quickly approaching, and children from all over are anticipating belly-filling festivities staged just about everywhere, from egg hunts in Grandma's backyard to an egg roll on the White House lawn.

According to the National Confectioners Association, Easter is second only to Halloween in holiday confectionery sales, estimating that U.S. Candy might come in small packages covered in spring pastels, but a glance at the nutritional information reveals the potential danger. A 17-gram Reese's Peanut Butter Egg is 90 calories, a 42-gram package of marshmallow Peeps totals 140 calories, and one-quarter of a 5-ounce Palmer hollow milk chocolate bunny contains 180 calories.

Doctors, dietitians and exercise gurus agree that little kids -- and some big ones, too -- can indulge their cravings if they follow basic limitations.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Your Babies Development


If you are a mother to a newborn baby, or soon to be a mother, you probably have many questions about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to do so. Learn some useful tips here on breastfeeding that will help you through in providing this most important and best nutrition for your baby.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious problems including miscarriage, complications during labor, premature birth and stillbirth. Pregnant women who smoke are strongly advised to stop smoking for the health of both mother and baby. Many women who quit smoking during pregnancy go on to stay smoke-free after their baby is born. Seek help from your health care professional if you find it difficult to quit smoking.

The first year of your child’s development is one of the most dynamic and interesting periods. The magnitude of changes that occur is huge and intense. However, each baby has his own pace so it is important to recognize your baby’s development so you can encourage him and help where you can. Every stage of your child’s development should be supported and encouraged to enhance his mental capacity.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Garden your way to be Energetic



Tending your garden can make you feel energetic and happier, say experts.

Besides feeling younger, energetic and happier, gardeners are also more likely to be organized and optimistic than non-gardeners, say experts.

A regular spot of gardening gives the over-50s more of a "zest for life" than those who don't have an inclination for it, reported citing researchers.

Researchers from two universities in Texas analyzed about 300 people over 50, dividing them into gardeners and non- gardeners. They found that 71 per cent of gardeners said they did not "feel old" compared with 57 per cent of non-gardeners.

The gardeners also felt more energetic, got more exercise and were shown to be more mentally active. There were also higher scores for "life satisfaction" among gardeners while they were also more likely to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Excess Fructose May lead to Diabetes, Obesity and Other Health Conditions



More and more people have become aware of the dangers of excessive fructose in diet. Dietary fructose is present primarily in added dietary sugars, honey, and fruit. Americans most frequently ingest fructose from sucrose, a disaccharide containing 50% fructose and 50% glucose bonded together, and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a mixture of free fructose and free glucose, usually in a 55/45 proportion.

With the introduction of HFCS in the 1970s, an increased intake of fructose has occurred and obesity rates have risen simultaneously. There is also increasing evidence that fructose may play a role in hypertension and renal disease. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Nakagawa recommend that low protein diets include an attempt to restrict added sugars containing fructose.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Secrets to have healthy diet


It is environment-friendly, health friendly, and free of chemicals, but what makes best argument for switching to organic, wholesome ingredients is the pure taste that no non-organic can compete with.

This is what the health experts have to say, "Organic foods are just the right solution to reduce an individual's toxin burden of pesticides and food additives, besides increasing their nutrient intake." But that's not all today, the health experts are also talking about holistic diet- a diet regime that takes into account your body's natural state. Holistic diet talks about food that is fresh, mild and triggers our taste buds for health benefits. Says Dr Vaidehi Nawathe.

Holistic diet is also about the way it is prepared, stored, consumed. Whatever may be the food choice, it should be practical, fresh at the same time healthy. Right method of cooking and eating with proper frame of mind with a balance between increasing life demands and adequate mental - physical exercises have a positive impact on health."

Friday, March 11, 2011

Coffee Drinking Reduces Stroke Risk in Women



Drinking more than a cup of coffee a day was associated with a 22 percent to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with those who drank less.

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. "Therefore, even small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public health consequences," said Susanna Larsson, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a researcher in the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

Potential ways that coffee drinking might reduce the risk of stroke include weakening subclinical inflammation, reducing oxidative stress and improving insulin sensitivity, Larsson said.

"Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy. In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, liver cancer and possibly stroke."

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Diet of processed food linked to lower IQ


A predominantly processed food diet at the age of three is directly associated with a lower IQ at the age of eight and a half, compared to children who eat a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, according to an Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), which is tracking the health of around 14,000 children.

The scientists who carried out the study emphasized however that they could not say for certain that processed foods are the cause of lower IQs as other factors such as social class and educational upbringing may be implicated.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Aging, interrupted


The current pace of population aging is without parallel in human history but surprisingly little is known about the human aging process, because life spans of eight decades or more make it difficult to study. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have replicated premature aging related disease.

The team report that they have successfully generated induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from skin cells obtained from patients with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome—who age eight to 10 times faster than the rest of us—and differentiated them into smooth muscle cells displaying the telltale signs of vascular aging.

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome is caused by a single point mutation in the gene encoding lamin A, which forms a protein scaffold on the inner edge of the nucleus that helps maintain chromatin structure and organize nuclear processes such as RNA and DNA synthesis. The mutation creates an alternative splice site that leads to the production of a truncated version of the protein known as progerin. Unlike the full-length protein, progerin does not properly integrate into the nuclear lamina, which disrupts the nuclear scaffold and causes a host of problems.

Progerin accumulates mainly in smooth muscle cells found within the walls of arterial blood vessels, and vascular smooth muscle cells degeneration is one of the hallmarks of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome-associated arteriosclerosis. In fact, vascular smooth muscle cell senescence also plays a role in advanced arteriosclerosis within the normal aging population.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Fetal surgery is more effective than operating after birth


Part of the spinal cord and spinal nerves, usually encased in a sac, protrude through an opening in the back and is exposed to the amniotic fluid. The brainstem (hindbrain) descends, or herniates, into the spinal canal in the neck and blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. This can cause a damaging buildup of fluid in the brain called hydrocephalus.

Babies who undergo an operation to repair the birth defect spina bifida while still in the womb develop better and experience fewer neurologic complications than babies who have corrective surgery after birth, according to findings from a major multicenter trial led by UCSF researchers. The study is the first to systematically evaluate the best treatment for myelomeningocele, the most serious form of spina bifida, in which the bones of the spine do not fully form.

The eight-year trial, which was stopped early because results were so positive, shows that prenatal surgery greatly reduces the need to divert fluid away from the brain; improves mental development and motor function; and increases the likelihood that a child will one day walk unassisted. This is the first time a randomized clinical trial has clearly demonstrated that surgery before birth can improve the outcome for patients.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Importance of Salt


Salt is essential to human life and the functioning of the human body, which is why we could never live without it. This is also why in the days of antiquity, salt could be worth more than gold, since you can't preserve meats with gold, but could easily do so with salt. This was of extreme importance in the days when we lived without refrigeration and modern preservatives.

Here are some of important functions of salt in the body:

• Salt is a strong anti-stress element for the body.
• Salt is used for extracting excess acidity from inside the cells, particularly brain cells.
• Salt is used for clearing the lungs of mucous plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis sufferers.
• Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.

Quantity of Salt:

Based on the requirements of a human body, an average adult requires an intake of 4.2g salt per day. The minimum requirement is 1.5g. Pro-salt campaigners argue that any healthy body will process just the right amount of salt it needs and the kidneys will dispose of any surplus.

Excess Salt:

Studies have indicated that too much salt consumption is linked to health problems, such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and osteoporosis. If you suffer from hypertension you would benefit from consuming less salt. Very young children, very elderly people, as well as people with kidney disease cannot excrete sodium and regulate body fluid efficiently.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Fat Fighting Food


Every one knows that diet and exercise together helps in losing weight. Instead of helping us lose weight, starvation encourages fat build up by slowing down our metabolism. Instead of beating the urge to eat, you can use it to your advantage by eating fat fighting foods. Here are some foods that might increase your fat fighting ability:

Almonds:These nuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which can accelerate your metabolism of fats. Also, almonds have high fiber content, protein and the good type of fat which satisfies your appetite very soon therefore you are less likely to have cravings and overeat.

Eggs:Eggs are packed with a variety of nutrients including protein, zinc, iron and vitamins A, D, E and B12, but contain just 85 calories each. Eating eggs for breakfast makes you feel fuller for longer so that you eat less at your next few meals.

Tomatoes:Tomatoes contain oligo fructose, a fiber that helps sustain the effects of Cholecystokinin (CCK) in your stomach. Tomatoes are also packed with vitamin C which helps in the production of carnitine. Research has shown that carnitine can help speed the body's fat-burning capacity by up to one-third.

Pomegranate:Pomegranate seeds are loaded with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants. They're low in calories and high in fiber, so they satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your diet.

Cinnamon:One teaspoon of cinnamon a day with food can help metabolize sugar up to twenty times better than food not eaten with cinnamon. This result in less sugar in your bloodstream which means less fat stored.

Lentils:Lentils are a bona fide belly flattener. They are high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels.

Yogurt:Eating calcium-rich fat-free yogurt can boost your body's fat-burning mechanism, speed weight loss and trim your tummy. According to the researchers, meeting our daily calcium needs helps us burn fat more efficiently whereas not getting enough calcium triggers the release of calcitriol, a hormone that causes us to store fat.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Spices to be Healthy


All the natural healing has alternative methods, especially including healing foods. Spices can be used for cooking, drinking as a tea, or used as a compress. Most spices have natural healing abilities. Cinnamon for example has been shown to lower glucose levels in your body. Eat just a half teaspoon a day to improve your health. Check out what healing properties other spices have.

Allspice -- has been used to relieve the pain of arthritis when used in a compress. It also settles the digestive system. If you're having problems with diarrhea or flatulence give allspice a try.

Basil -- can be used on skin infections and insect bites. Basil is high in vitamin A., vitamin C, phosphorus and calcium. It is also a source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Basil tea can also soothe a headache and calm the nerves.

Bay Leaf -- Compresses made from bay leaf can be used to relieve the pain of a sprained joint. They also help relieve arthritic pain, and if applied to the chest can't relieve the congestive cough of bronchitis. When taken internally bay leaf relieves an upset stomach and colic in babies. It promotes good digestion and stimulates the appetite.

Black pepper -- has been used as a preventative medicine for many diseases. East Indians take a mixture of black pepper and honey every morning as a preventative for many common illnesses. Black pepper has been known to asthma, boils, colic, cough, diarrhea, fever, gas, hemorrhoids, indigestion, chronic rheumatism, obesity, phlegm, sinus congestion, skin diseases, sore throat, and worms.

Turmeric -- is used externally to heal wounds, relieve pain, and as a compress to break up chest congestion. Internally turmeric acts as a strong anti-inflammatory. It is one of the best spices to use for such conditions as multiple sclerosis. It is good in the treatment of hepatitis, where a blood purifier is needed. It helps inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcers, colic, and yeast infections.