RPM Campaigns Blog

Archive for March, 2010

BIOFLAVONOIDS

Plants containing flavonoids (from the Latin, flavus, yellow) were originally valued as dye plants. Today we appreciate them because we know they are anti-inflammatory, antihepatotoxic, anti-tumor, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, antiallergic, antiulcer, analgesic, and strengthening to the entire circulatory system, from capillaries to heart.

Flavonoids have an estrogenic effect, scientifically established as 1/50,000th the activity of estradiol. Bioflavonoids in foods are essential to our ability to absorb ascorbic acid. No wonder plants exceptionally rich in flavonoids are such important allies for post-menopausal women.

Regular use of bioflavonoid-rich herbs helps:

restore vaginal lubrication decrease or end hot flashes improve pelvic tone improve liver activity strengthen the bladder lower risk of stroke & heart attack reduce water build-up in tissues reduce muscle cramping ease sore joints improve resistance to infection

The richest source of bioflavonoids is the inner skin of citrus fruits. “Peel Power” is a lovely way to start the day.

Buckwheat greens, Buckweizen, Sarrasin (Fagopyrum esculentum) are an exceptional source of bioflavonoids. Grow them at home, like alfalfa sprouts, or buy them dried and made into tablets. (Kasha, the grain of buckwheat, does not contain bioflavonoids.) The wild equivalent is the leaves of yellow dock (Rumex crispus) or any knotweed (Polygonum).

Elder, Holunder, Sureau (Sambucus nigra and other species) are rich in bioflavonoids. I use the berries in jelly and wine, and the flowers for tinctures and wines.

Hawthorn, Weissdorn, Aub

Iron is a vital component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen to the various tissues of the body. Life and iron are inseparable: with the sole exception of lactic acid bacteria, all living organisms require iron as an essential element for growth and multiplication. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem in the world.

Free ionic iron hardly exists in the body. All the intracellular iron is either in hemoglobin or in the iron-storage protein ferritin.

ABSORPTION

Iron is rather unique in that nature regulates its absorption, because there is no mechanism that enables excretion of excess iron1 The precise mechanisms and control of iron absorption are not clear.

The duodenum is the main site of iron absorption. Small intestinal iron absorption is by a process of diffusion. The amount of iron absorbed is 1%-5% of the dietary iron in a normal man, studied using a radioactive isotope.

Because of the multiplicity of factors affecting iron absorption, it is not possible to make a valid estimate of iron absorption from a meal. The absorption varies with foods, being higher with a rice-based diet and lower with millets. Germination and baking increase absorption, while it is reduced with tannins, tea, tamarind, phytate and cereals. Food analysis reveals considerable tannin in cereals, pulses, soybeans, and condiments like tamarind, turmeric and chillies. Absorption from soybean is enhanced when taken with meat or vitamins. Prolonged warming of meals decreases their vitamin C content, and hence, iron absorption. The amino acid cysteine enhances iron absorption from vegetables, animal foods, and iron salts.

Iron in meat and liver is better absorbed than that in eggs and leafy vegetables. With animal foods, the mean iron absorption ranges from 7% from ferritin to 22% from veal muscle, with intermediate values of 11 % from fish and 13% from liver. Animal protein in beef, pork, chicken or fish (but not egg and milk) increases absorption of non-heme iron from vegetable sources. On a rice-based diet, iron absorption increases with the addition of 40 g fish.

Iron absorption on a cereal diet is decreased because phosphate and phytates precipitate ionised iron. Soya protein is a major inhibitory factor of iron absorption due to its phytate content.4Fiber in wheat and maize decreases iron absorption. Tea and coffee form insoluble iron tannate that is not absorbed. Coconut milk, used extensively in cooking in Thailand and southern India, inhibits iron absorption.

Iron absorption increases with iron-deficiency anemia, low plasma iron, increased red blood cell activity in the bone marrow, pancreatic deficiency, and in women. Increased iron absorption occurs in normal persons during menstruation, pregnancy, puberty, and after blood loss. Iron absorption is increased if iron body stores are depleted.

Inorganic ferrous and ferric salts are both absorbed, but ferrous iron is absorbed better. There is no difference in the absorption of the inexpensive ferrous sulphate and the more expensive slow-release iron tablets. Hemoglobin iron is absorbed intact as heme, even at neutral pH, and is not affected by dietary phosphate or phytate.

Gastric acidity maintains the solubility of inorganic iron, which aids the formation of small molecu les with ascorbic acid, citrate, fructose, and amino acids. Citrate and ascorbate, being soluble, are more easily absorbed, while tannate (from tannic acid in tea), phytate and phosphate are not so readily absorbed.

Vitamin C reduces ferric iron to ferrous iron which. remains soluble even at neutral pH and is better absorbed. Even when the diet is poor in iron, vitamin C supplement with each meal enhances iron absorption.? Vitamin C taken in divided doses with each meal will increase iron absorption to a greater extent than a single large dose with breakfast.

Calcium inhibits iron absorption. Radio-iron absorption tests in human volunteers show decreased absorption with cimetidine and antacids.

BLOOD LEVELS

PLASMA IRON :- Normal plasma iron level is 60-160 micrograms per 100 ml (10.74-28.6 micromol/l); the total plasma iron-binding capacity (TIBC) is 280-400 microgram per 100 ml (50.1-71.6 micromol/l), of which about one-third is normally saturated.

The iron-binding proteins are transferrin (siderophilin), lactoferrin (found in milk, tears, saliva, bile, seminal secretions, and cervical mucus), and desferrioxamine (a fungal product). Mucosal transferrin binds iron in the lumen of the gut to transport it across the brush border of the intestinal mucosa. Plasma transferrin transports protein and binds two atoms of iron; its half-life is eight days, but varies widely because iron deficiency itself is a stimulus to transferrin formation.

STORAGE

The total body iron is 3-5 g (54-90 mmol), the bulk of which is in hemoglobin. The sites of storage are the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, where iron is stored as ferritin or hemosiderin.

Ferritin, derived from the reticuloendothelial tissue of the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, is a spherical storage iron protein which binds up to 4000 atoms of iron per molecule. It has 24 subunits arranged in a cluster like a raspberry, and contains 20% iron. Ferritin represents the soluble, readily mobilizable fraction of storage iron; its estimation, by radioimmunoassay, helps in diagnosing iron deficiency or overload. This estimation is less expensive than that of serum iron and TIBC. The normal values range from 12 to 250 micrograms per litre; values less than 10 micrograms per litre denote iron deficiency.

One microgram per litre of serum is equivalent to 80 mg (1.4 mmol) storage iron. Storage iron is about 980 mg (17.5 mmol) in normal men and 450 mg (8 mmol) in women. In iron overload, the values are higher; in acute liver cell damage, too, release of ferritin gives abnormally high values.

The structure of hemosiderin is not well understood, but it is believed to be a degradation product of ferritin. Hemosiderin iron is not readily released.

Desferrioxamine is a chelating agent that binds iron and excretes it in the urine. The urinary excretion of iron is thus easily measured, and this method is utilized to estimate iron stores. Injection of desferrioxamine in patients with decreased iron stores results in diminished urinary iron excretion.

Transferrin is a glycoprotein synthesized mainly by the liver. It can bind two ferric iron molecules and is responsible for the total iron-binding capacity of the serum, which is 250-370 micrograms per 100 ml.

EXCRETION

Absorbed iron is tenaciously bound to protein. The little excretion that occurs, as with shedding of the inner lining of the digestive tract (desquamation of the epithelium of the mucous membrane), cannot be correctly assessed. Iron passed in stool is mostly unabsorbed dietary iron; some iron is also -lost through the bile. Desquamation of the skin increases iron loss with sweating in the hot, humid climate of the tropics. The urinary loss of iron is negligible.

IRON Loss IN WOMEN

A woman loses additional iron during her reproductive life: (i) during each menstrual cycle 30-60 ml of blood is lost, which involves a monthly loss of 15-30 mg (269-537 micromol) iron; (ii) during pregnancy the fetus, placenta, and loss during parturition drain the mother of over 500 mg (9 mmol) iron, which would require an increase in the daily absorption by 2 mg (36 micromol); and (iii) during lactation, there is an additional daily loss of 1.5 mg (27 micromol) iron. Owing to such losses, women–even in Western countries-have low iron stores.

DEFICIENCY

Anemia are the most common and widespread nutrition problems. A vast majority of cases are due to iron deficiency. On a global basis, 2.15 billion persons are anemic or iron-deficient.

Iron is also utilized by the brain. Iron uptake is maximum during rapid brain growth in the fetus 15 Iron-deficient infants are below par in mental and physical development. Iron intervention can reverse these development delays.

A post-cricoid web is often associated with iron deficiency; when followed up, some of these developed cancer in that region. Lowered levels of intestinal disaccharidases occur with iron deficiency anemia; this’ is corrected by oral iron supplement.

Serum ferritin radioimmunoassay is the most reliable test for iron-deficiency anemia. Little additional information is gained from other noninvasive tests.

There are different types of dogworms your k9 can get: heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. As a dog owner, you should educated yourself so that you can identify the warning signs–early.

Early detection is vital because each kind of dogworm will demand a different type of medical care. Sometimes the signs of a dogworm infestation can be difficult to identify. Other times the signs (like diarrhea, vomiting, or weight loss) are much easier to identify. That said, it’s a good idea to have your dog checked over regularly.

Important Note: You should know that some types of dogworms can be transmitted to humans. To promote good hygiene, it is vital for pet owners to wash their hands and clothes regularly after playing outside with their dog-especially before mealtimes.

2 Familiar Dogworms -Which Do You Want to Overcome?

Whipworms

Canines contract whipworms by consuming their eggs. Those eggs live in the dog’s colon and are not noticeable to the naked eye. Once infected, the worms fasten themselves to the puppy’s intestinal walls and feed off them, causing intestinal bleeding.

Common symptoms can include anemia, weight loss, flatulence, diarrhea (with blood or mucus in the stool) and lack of energy.

Prevention & Treatment: You can medicate your dog’s whipworms effectively with fenbendazole (whose brand names are Panacur or Safe-Guard). You can administer the medical care for 3-5 consecutive days for the majority of parasites. Then, consult with your vet to see if a 2nd round of treatment is recommended.

Roundworms

There are 2 types of roundworms: Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine. They are one of the most popular types of dogworms. An infestation of round worms, mostly found in puppies, leads to a pot-bellied appearance.

Causes: Sometimes puppies may become infected before birth, through the mother’s uterus or through her milk. Puppies can also contract roundworms by consuming another infected animal or infected soil.

Roundworm eggs nest in soil. And when a puppy swallows the infected soil, the roundworm eggs will hatch in his intestines. Those worms can in turn bring forth more worms.

Early Detection: Roundworm Symptoms consist of pot-bellied appearance, diarrhea, vomiting, dull coat and weight loss. Look for warning signs of Roundworms in your dog’s stool or vomit. They have a spaghetti-like outline and can reach almost 7 inches in length.

Prevention & Treatment: Puppies between 2 & 12 weeks old should be dewormed every 2 weeks. Puppies between twelve weeks and 6 months old should be dewormed once a month. Puppies older than 6 months of age are less susceptible to roundworms. Even so, continue to have your dog examined at least yearly (or more often if he’s considered “high risk”).

NOTE: You will need a veterinarian’s prescription to buy deworming products.

When facing the diagnosis of prostate cancer, for most patients, the overwhelming focus is on eradicating the disease. However once the cancer has been successfully treated, the side-effects of treatment can have a major impact on quality of life.

I have seen many patients following a prostatectomy who are very distressed by their inability to resume normal sexual intercourse. Yet frequently, at the time of diagnosis, these patients did not view impotence as a major concern when they made their choice of treatment.

It would seem that we need to do more to understand patients and their preferences when they are choosing treatment for prostate cancer and offer them a wider range of options to meet their needs.

Radical prostatectomy, which involves the complete removal of the prostate, is the treatment of choice for 30-50% per cent of patients with organ confined prostate cancer. Its appeal lies in the degree of certainty it offers in terms of removing the disease in one strike.

A traditional radical prostatectomy is undertaken using wide margins around the prostate, damaging the nerves which control the blood supply to the penis. This has been understood to be the safest way of eradicating cancer but causes impotency.

Specialised urological surgeons have been carrying out nerve-sparing prostatectomies for over 10 years. The task of safely removing all cancer cells without harming the hair-thin adjacent nerves demands a very high level of technical skill.

It is hard to measure outcomes in a very precise way – several different assessments of sexual function are used and the outcome for each patient will depend on a range of factors, not all related to the surgery itself.

Not surprisingly then, the reported outcomes from treatments vary widely. For example, following bracytherapy, rates of impotency are reported at between 14 and 61 per cent. Some of the widest variations occur in rates reported following prostatectomy. Impotency is reported in 26 to 100 per cent of patients and intact function from 9 to 86 per cent.

This makes it all the more important for each hospital unit to carefully measure and audit its own results.

Improvements in the techniques of specialist surgeons who undertake a large number of prostatectomies mean we are getting closer to obtaining the perfect result for patients – cure, continence and potency.

Although there are other factors which play their part in the recovery of erections (neurogenic, vascular and psychosexual), the results show patients do have better results following nerve-sparing surgery compared with non nerve-sparing.

The nerve-sparing techniques I have developed during the past 6 years, undertaking over 700 procedures, mean that 73 per cent of my patients who have had ‘high quality’ nerve-sparing prostatectomy’s have “good” erectile recovery (defined as being able to have an erection sufficiently rigid for vaginal penetration).

Achieving this is dependant upon extremely good technique throughout the whole procedure. Key elements include control of the dorsal vein complex after apical dissection of the prostate, accurate dissection of Denonvillier’s fascia, a three stage dissection of the neurovascular bundle (NVB), avoidance of energy, avoidance of traction and careful placement of anastomotic sutures.

However, despite the progress which has been made in recent years in nerve-sparing surgery, studies suggest that up to 73 per cent did not continue their treatment.

In many cases, the effectiveness of the treatment was below the expectations of the patients. This was cited as one of the main reasons for giving up on the treatment along with loss of interest in sex.

The Birmingham Prostate Clinic have established a dedicated Erection Clinic to recognise the needs of these patients and address some of the problems which have been identified. By combining established erectile dysfunction treatments with the right specialist support, we see patients return to more effective erectile function over time as they recover from surgery.

Medication alone is not sufficient to overcome all potential problems. Men need to have individually-tailored care and support to ensure they keep up with their treatment and effectively address the psycho-sexual factors which they face as they recover from surgery and return to normal life.

Ayurveda considers diabetes a kapha disorder of low agni (digestive fire) and offers a variety of treatments, including the following that can be undertaken with the guidance of a qualified practitioner: Take turmeric daily to control blood sugar (you can take it alone or in combination with ground bay leaf and aloe vera gel); follow a pacifying diet by avoiding too many sweets; and participate in a supervised pancha kanna program. Consult your doctor before starting a new regimen; diabetes must be carefully monitored.

Bodywork and Somatic Practices

Reflexology, polarity therapy, and Oriental bodywork therapies can be helpful in balancing energy and reducing stress.

Herbal Therapy

Garlic can aid in stabilizing blood sugar. Ask your healthcare provider if garlic capsules are right for you.

Many herbs are known to affect blood sugar levels, which in turn can cause significant variation in the need for insulin. Such variation could ultimately result in insulin shock or diabetic coma. Therefore, persons with known diabetic conditions should take precautions and try herbal preparations only under close medical supervision.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Acupuncture can be used to help control stress, which in turn impacts the patient’s blood sugar level. Acupuncture also can be used to fortify overall immunity and strengthen organs that may otherwise be compromised by diabetes. Usually the practitioner works on points associated with the bladder, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and related organs and meridians.

Acupressure Acupressure may be used to control diabetes-related symptoms, such as fatigue, cramps, and menstrual problems. In addition, applying pressure to Bladder points 18, 19, 20, and 23 can help stimulate liver and pancreas functioning, making the body better able to cope with the disease.

Chinese Herbal Therapy Ginseng has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and is often used to treat diabetes. Major Four Herbs Formula and Rehmannia Six Combination also may be used, but a full diagnosis is needed.

Yoga and Meditation

Yoga, mediation, and breathing exercises can improve blood circulation and enhance digestion, therefore helping you cope with diabetes. Establish a daily routine of at least four poses, such as the Chest-Knee, Sun Salutation, Peacock, Locust, and Leg Lift. Yogic exercises can also be helpful; see a trained therapist for instructions on yogic exercises.

Cancer is a result of many related diseases that begin in cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells. New cells are needed to keep the body in good health by replacing died cells. Sometimes, new cells form when old cells do not die off when they should. These uncontrolled cells form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors are not cancer. Cells in benign tumors do not invade other parts of the body. They can often be removed without problems and, in most cases do not come back.

Malignant tumors are cancer. As they multiply without control or order, cancer cells in malignant tumors invade and destroy the nearby tissue. They can also break away from the malignant tumor and spread all the body trough the lymphatic system.

Prostate cancer occurs when cancer cells in malignant tumors invade prostate.

This cancer illness can be attacked by many working methods. Treatment for prostate cancer may vary according to the stage of the cancer. It may include surgical removal, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal manipulation, biological therapy.

There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Depending on factors like type and location of the cancer, size of the tumor, whether the disease has spread, the patient’s age and general health, the doctors may use one or, sometimes, a combination of the above methods.

Curing prostate cancer is possible, and the treatment is more effective if cancer is detected in the early stages. For early diagnose a routine tests are necessary to be performed yearly: an urine test, a digital rectum examination or PSA tests.

At the same time, when men experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine, they must go and ask a medical advice. Other symptoms for prostate health concerns include urgent needs to urinate, the need to wake up several times a night to do this or dribbling of urine after and even before urinating.