In spring of 2011, the National College Health Assessment was sent to a random sample of UMBC undergraduate students. The findings suggested that although UMBC students are generally healthy, they do have some major areas of concern.
The study, which is circulated every other year, revealed that the top seven factors negatively influencing students' academic performance at UMBC are, in the order of magnitude, stress, sleep difficulties, anxiety, internet use/computer games, cold/flu/sore throat, work and depression.
The study not only accesses students' health behaviors and beliefs, but also measures students' perceptions. The assessment found that most students think their peers practice risky behaviors more than they actually do. UMBC students perceived that about 92 percent of the UMBC student population drinks alcohol while only 52.4 percent actually drinks. As for cigarettes, the assessment found that UMBC students perceive that about 82.8 percent of students smoke while only 12.6 percent smokes.
The assessment is used by the Office of Health Education, which is part of the University Health Services, and allows them "to be purposeful with campus programs and outreach," says Alison H. Rorbach, the Assistant Director of Health Education.
Last year, in an effort to alleviate sleep difficulties, one of the top issues at UMBC, the Office of Health Education spearheaded a sleep campaign with ResLife. They also hold various other campus- wide events and programs pertaining to topics such as alcohol and other drugs, healthy relationships, stress management and relaxation, nutrition and exercise, safe sex habits, eating disorders and sexual assault. Furthermore, they employ the use of Peer Health Educators, who are trained undergrads, that go to residential halls and classrooms and carry out health education presentations.
The assessment also brought to light that UMBC students have higher stress than their reference groups, which are the various other colleges that also distributed the survey.
"However," says Rorbach, "our levels for alcohol and marijuana usage are much lower than the reference groups which is a good thing."
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the Office of Health Education will be hosting an event on Commons Main Street called Luvapalooza. The event will take place on Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Students will be able to learn about healthy relationships, safe dating, and safe sex, and other aspects of relationship awareness. Students will also be able to take part in fun activities, games and craft making.
The Office of Health Education is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. and is available to all UMBC students, faculty, and staff by appointment or walk-in. Those interested in becoming a peer health educator or simply learning about the countless services that they provide can contact Pritma (Mickey) Arora, the Health Education Coordinator.
2012年2月6日星期一
How to cure the common cold
Last week, I wrote that off-road fever was about to grip the Parker area. And grip it did. 240 screaming vehicles flew 425 miles across the desert floor, kicking dust into the atmosphere and giving us the excitement (and a great sunset!) to go with it. I covered the race from KLPZ’s Parker studio, helping the rest of the KLPZ team compile several different sources of race info into one live broadcast. By the end, I was exhausted, and I thought it was this fatigue that explained my sore throat by the evening’s end.
But then my wife Melissa arrived home, telling me that she’d come down with a head cold. This made it extremely likely that I was coming down with it too. Agh. Good thing I’d already found the cure for the common cold.
That’s right: several years ago I came upon the cure for the cold, and here’s a hint: it’s not Airborne.
Airborne is the big-selling common cold remedy, despite the fact that no clinical trial has ever proven it to work. What is it, exactly? Well it’s just a collection of vitamins, herbs and minerals, packaged and marketed cleverly enough to convince people that it works (it’s formulated by a former teacher, for the love of God, the logic of which evidently appeals to the masses). I’ve lost count of the number of people who swear that it worked for them.
What’s actually happening is that they are simply speculating that their colds would have been longer without Airborne. Colds are self-limiting and last only a finite period of time, so one may feel that the product they are using when it goes away deserves the credit for ending it. That would be an error in thinking. Most people are just so happy to be better that they don’t care anymore, until the next time someone gets a cold and they tell them to load up on Airborne. Anyway, a special magical formula Airborne is not, and I wanted something that’s actually been documented to work in clinical trials.
Well, it turns out that it does. George Eby is the world’s leading expert on the use of zinc (hold on, not just any zinc) to reduce the severity and strength of the common cold. Zinc helps to sustain all life on earth. It’s a metal, and a food additive. You may be aware of using zinc to treat the common cold; there are several such products available at the drug store and – because everyone gets colds and everyone hates them – they sell. But they don’t sell primarily because they work; they sell merely because people think they may work, and they don’t believe anything more likely to work is available.
The formulation of zinc used in most cold products is Zinc Gluconate (a compound two parts gluconate, one part zinc). I walked around the pharmacy the other day looking for a zinc product in the cold and flu aisle not based on Zinc Gluconate; I couldn’t find one. The problem is that the ability of Zinc Gluconate to help is disputed by science. A 2000 systematic review by the Cochrane Library referred to the evidence of benefit as inconclusive. The Harvard Family Health Guide stated in 2001 that one study suggested that “zinc lozenges have little, if any, beneficial effect on the treatment of the common cold.”
So much for zinc in its ability to cure the cold, right? Eby decided not. He decided to try other formulations, and performed a study in 1984 using Zinc Acetate which showed that – bingo! – it reduced the duration of colds by 7 days. Not only that, but a British Medical Survey study supported his conclusions in 1987. Finally, a cure for the common cold!
Now, being the smart man Eby is, he immediately patented this precise formulation of positive-ion Zinc Acetate. And, being a scientist rather than a businessman, he had no idea how to market it in the way Airborne (“created by a teacher”) did. The result is that almost nobody knows that his scientifically sound product exists.
When I first read about it, I ordered a big bottle of it from Eby’s website. When I caught my next cold, I followed the directions and noticed that my cold was going away after only about 48 hours of my first symptoms. And ever since, I’ve hit Eby’s zinc every time I’ve caught a cold, meaning that I haven’t missed a day of work due to a cold in years.
But then my wife Melissa arrived home, telling me that she’d come down with a head cold. This made it extremely likely that I was coming down with it too. Agh. Good thing I’d already found the cure for the common cold.
That’s right: several years ago I came upon the cure for the cold, and here’s a hint: it’s not Airborne.
Airborne is the big-selling common cold remedy, despite the fact that no clinical trial has ever proven it to work. What is it, exactly? Well it’s just a collection of vitamins, herbs and minerals, packaged and marketed cleverly enough to convince people that it works (it’s formulated by a former teacher, for the love of God, the logic of which evidently appeals to the masses). I’ve lost count of the number of people who swear that it worked for them.
What’s actually happening is that they are simply speculating that their colds would have been longer without Airborne. Colds are self-limiting and last only a finite period of time, so one may feel that the product they are using when it goes away deserves the credit for ending it. That would be an error in thinking. Most people are just so happy to be better that they don’t care anymore, until the next time someone gets a cold and they tell them to load up on Airborne. Anyway, a special magical formula Airborne is not, and I wanted something that’s actually been documented to work in clinical trials.
Well, it turns out that it does. George Eby is the world’s leading expert on the use of zinc (hold on, not just any zinc) to reduce the severity and strength of the common cold. Zinc helps to sustain all life on earth. It’s a metal, and a food additive. You may be aware of using zinc to treat the common cold; there are several such products available at the drug store and – because everyone gets colds and everyone hates them – they sell. But they don’t sell primarily because they work; they sell merely because people think they may work, and they don’t believe anything more likely to work is available.
The formulation of zinc used in most cold products is Zinc Gluconate (a compound two parts gluconate, one part zinc). I walked around the pharmacy the other day looking for a zinc product in the cold and flu aisle not based on Zinc Gluconate; I couldn’t find one. The problem is that the ability of Zinc Gluconate to help is disputed by science. A 2000 systematic review by the Cochrane Library referred to the evidence of benefit as inconclusive. The Harvard Family Health Guide stated in 2001 that one study suggested that “zinc lozenges have little, if any, beneficial effect on the treatment of the common cold.”
So much for zinc in its ability to cure the cold, right? Eby decided not. He decided to try other formulations, and performed a study in 1984 using Zinc Acetate which showed that – bingo! – it reduced the duration of colds by 7 days. Not only that, but a British Medical Survey study supported his conclusions in 1987. Finally, a cure for the common cold!
Now, being the smart man Eby is, he immediately patented this precise formulation of positive-ion Zinc Acetate. And, being a scientist rather than a businessman, he had no idea how to market it in the way Airborne (“created by a teacher”) did. The result is that almost nobody knows that his scientifically sound product exists.
When I first read about it, I ordered a big bottle of it from Eby’s website. When I caught my next cold, I followed the directions and noticed that my cold was going away after only about 48 hours of my first symptoms. And ever since, I’ve hit Eby’s zinc every time I’ve caught a cold, meaning that I haven’t missed a day of work due to a cold in years.
2012年1月29日星期日
Tony Vagneur: Saddle Sore
It's always been about staying warm in the winter, I reckon. We don't think about it much what with thermostats, natural gas, electricity and solar energy taking care of us, almost behind our backs, but it is a concern.
In the summer of 1879, a total of 23 men arrived in Aspen, at various times and from over Hunter's (Independence) and Taylor passes. A lot of prospecting occurred, but also a lot of time was spent preparing a winter camp and collecting firewood. They knew it would get cold. Ironically, only two stayed through the early winter; irrational fear of the Utes thinned them out, it seems.
In those days, wood was the only fuel of choice, until the coal mines at Marion began to make coke for processing ore. Such coke was an excellent heating fuel for homes and businesses, but the expense kept such use to a minimum. No doubt, some of that same, smoky bituminous coal that was being coked got freighted to Aspen by mule team, but until the railroads arrived, wood remained the main source of heat.
Almost every house had a coal or wood bin, either attached to the house or located in a shed or carriage house along the alley. Depending on when you lived in Aspen, your coal storage might have been filled by Judge William R. Shaw's father, or by the judge himself. Other coal dealers were Ed Teideman, who kept a ready stash in the West End and who also ran a general store on what is now the Hyman Avenue mall. Pat Hemann, proprietor of the gravel pit alongside Stillwater, delivered coal in the winter, and United Lumber and Mercantile, a long-ago Aspen institution, could be counted on to supply the necessary fossil fuel.
It takes a lot of work, and money, to heat an entire house with coal or wood, and since the beginning in Aspen, frugal folks saw the sense in closing off portions of their houses during the winter months. They quickly learned to live around the kitchen stove during the day and to make a mad dash for the bed covers at night. The comfort zone of indoor bathrooms, if there were any, always seemed to be kept at a level just above freezing.
Unlike heating systems of today, coal (or wood) stoves needed to be manually stoked or replenished on a regular basis to keep the fire alive. During long winter nights, such stoves would generally be allowed to burn themselves cold, making early morning a rush to get the stove burning again.
Some of the fancier homes had thermostatically-controlled basement coal furnaces which generated steam heat, distributed throughout by the ever entrancing, always hissing heat radiators. The Red Brick School was warmed by such a system and it was always a thought, as the registers hissed and clanged into action, that perhaps an explosion might let us out of school for a day or two. It should be noted that directly inside the door of the “old” Red Onion, there was a working heat register, coveted by beer-addled raconteurs on cold nights.
Even at age 85, my great-aunt Mary Stapleton, severely stooped with age and genetics, who lived in a Bleeker Street Victorian with her two sisters and one brother, had a great knack for heating river rocks in the oven of their coal cook stove, to be wrapped in a towel and gently placed under the blankets at the foot of a freezing bed. The trick was to wait until the coal stove had died down enough that the rocks didn't overheat and split apart, making them worthless. She would walk the precious cargo the entire length of the large house, one large gem at a time, from the kitchen to the huge north bedroom, being very careful not to drop them or burn herself.
In the summer of 1879, a total of 23 men arrived in Aspen, at various times and from over Hunter's (Independence) and Taylor passes. A lot of prospecting occurred, but also a lot of time was spent preparing a winter camp and collecting firewood. They knew it would get cold. Ironically, only two stayed through the early winter; irrational fear of the Utes thinned them out, it seems.
In those days, wood was the only fuel of choice, until the coal mines at Marion began to make coke for processing ore. Such coke was an excellent heating fuel for homes and businesses, but the expense kept such use to a minimum. No doubt, some of that same, smoky bituminous coal that was being coked got freighted to Aspen by mule team, but until the railroads arrived, wood remained the main source of heat.
Almost every house had a coal or wood bin, either attached to the house or located in a shed or carriage house along the alley. Depending on when you lived in Aspen, your coal storage might have been filled by Judge William R. Shaw's father, or by the judge himself. Other coal dealers were Ed Teideman, who kept a ready stash in the West End and who also ran a general store on what is now the Hyman Avenue mall. Pat Hemann, proprietor of the gravel pit alongside Stillwater, delivered coal in the winter, and United Lumber and Mercantile, a long-ago Aspen institution, could be counted on to supply the necessary fossil fuel.
It takes a lot of work, and money, to heat an entire house with coal or wood, and since the beginning in Aspen, frugal folks saw the sense in closing off portions of their houses during the winter months. They quickly learned to live around the kitchen stove during the day and to make a mad dash for the bed covers at night. The comfort zone of indoor bathrooms, if there were any, always seemed to be kept at a level just above freezing.
Unlike heating systems of today, coal (or wood) stoves needed to be manually stoked or replenished on a regular basis to keep the fire alive. During long winter nights, such stoves would generally be allowed to burn themselves cold, making early morning a rush to get the stove burning again.
Some of the fancier homes had thermostatically-controlled basement coal furnaces which generated steam heat, distributed throughout by the ever entrancing, always hissing heat radiators. The Red Brick School was warmed by such a system and it was always a thought, as the registers hissed and clanged into action, that perhaps an explosion might let us out of school for a day or two. It should be noted that directly inside the door of the “old” Red Onion, there was a working heat register, coveted by beer-addled raconteurs on cold nights.
Even at age 85, my great-aunt Mary Stapleton, severely stooped with age and genetics, who lived in a Bleeker Street Victorian with her two sisters and one brother, had a great knack for heating river rocks in the oven of their coal cook stove, to be wrapped in a towel and gently placed under the blankets at the foot of a freezing bed. The trick was to wait until the coal stove had died down enough that the rocks didn't overheat and split apart, making them worthless. She would walk the precious cargo the entire length of the large house, one large gem at a time, from the kitchen to the huge north bedroom, being very careful not to drop them or burn herself.
2011年12月29日星期四
After Christmas, all well bred children write thank you notes
There is no such thing as the common cold. Each one is different and rather interesting. Right now I have a headache and a sore throat. I am hot and I am cold. I wonder how many days this will last. I have heard seven to 10 days is the usual run.
I hope you are faring better down there in Arizona as the New Year 2012 swiftly approaches. It was good talking with you on Christmas Day from Pittsburgh. That was a wonderful day watching James, 11, and Carmen, 8, rip open their Christmas gifts.
I do believe their parents will be sitting them down to write thank you letters. I tell the grandkids that all well mannered children write thank you notes.
My flights out to Pittsburgh and back were a piece of cake. Everything on time. When I flew out of Grand Forks on Dec. 20, the pilot said we were cleared and No. 1 for takeoff. It kind of amused me because there wasn’t another plane on the runway.
And I tell you one thing, Shirley. If there’s anything you don’t want to watch, it is the loading of bags into the belly of the plane. They give them a heave ho and a toss. Yikes. Somehow, everything gets through and I presume mostly OK.
All in all, it is great flying out of our new airport terminal here in Grand Forks. And Delta Airlines personnel were courteous and sympathetic as they changed my return flight from Denver earlier in December because of a death in the family.
Snow has been scarce around here. So, instead of snow sculptures this week during Winter Fest at Turtle River Sate Park, they made clay sculptures Wednesday. Today’s schedule out there includes a winter scavenger hunt.
The Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji has been advertising great conditions. They make snow daily!
And here in Grand Forks, avid tennis players have been on the outdoor courts this week. Christmas Day found UND tennis player Callie Ronkowski doing what she most loves — playing tennis. The temperature was almost 50 degrees. Callie and her dad, Keith Ronkowski, were able to spend the morning on the court at the entrance to Lincoln Park Golf Course.
That is where Callie, a Red River High School standout, got her start with lessons from Tim Wynne. She played on six state champion tennis teams and was state individual champion for two year with Tim Wynne as her coach. She now plays at UND for Tim’s brother, Tom Wynne.
Oh, and I should tell you, Shirley, that Callie wore a fur cap for her Christmas Day tennis match.
The UND basketball team has its work cut out for it as they play Kansas on the last day of the year. The women hoopsters are spending the New Year weekend on the road, too. Tonight they play Idaho at tournament in Montana.
Love from your sister, Marilyn, with a red nose and bleary eyes on the west bank of the frozen Red River of the North.
I hope you are faring better down there in Arizona as the New Year 2012 swiftly approaches. It was good talking with you on Christmas Day from Pittsburgh. That was a wonderful day watching James, 11, and Carmen, 8, rip open their Christmas gifts.
I do believe their parents will be sitting them down to write thank you letters. I tell the grandkids that all well mannered children write thank you notes.
My flights out to Pittsburgh and back were a piece of cake. Everything on time. When I flew out of Grand Forks on Dec. 20, the pilot said we were cleared and No. 1 for takeoff. It kind of amused me because there wasn’t another plane on the runway.
And I tell you one thing, Shirley. If there’s anything you don’t want to watch, it is the loading of bags into the belly of the plane. They give them a heave ho and a toss. Yikes. Somehow, everything gets through and I presume mostly OK.
All in all, it is great flying out of our new airport terminal here in Grand Forks. And Delta Airlines personnel were courteous and sympathetic as they changed my return flight from Denver earlier in December because of a death in the family.
Snow has been scarce around here. So, instead of snow sculptures this week during Winter Fest at Turtle River Sate Park, they made clay sculptures Wednesday. Today’s schedule out there includes a winter scavenger hunt.
The Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji has been advertising great conditions. They make snow daily!
And here in Grand Forks, avid tennis players have been on the outdoor courts this week. Christmas Day found UND tennis player Callie Ronkowski doing what she most loves — playing tennis. The temperature was almost 50 degrees. Callie and her dad, Keith Ronkowski, were able to spend the morning on the court at the entrance to Lincoln Park Golf Course.
That is where Callie, a Red River High School standout, got her start with lessons from Tim Wynne. She played on six state champion tennis teams and was state individual champion for two year with Tim Wynne as her coach. She now plays at UND for Tim’s brother, Tom Wynne.
Oh, and I should tell you, Shirley, that Callie wore a fur cap for her Christmas Day tennis match.
The UND basketball team has its work cut out for it as they play Kansas on the last day of the year. The women hoopsters are spending the New Year weekend on the road, too. Tonight they play Idaho at tournament in Montana.
Love from your sister, Marilyn, with a red nose and bleary eyes on the west bank of the frozen Red River of the North.
2011年12月20日星期二
Can chicken soup help with a cold?
Going as far back as the 12th century, Jewish scholars have touted the effectiveness of chicken soup for a variety of ailments, including the common cold. Even today, when you're in bed with a cold, someone has either reminded you of its goodness or brought you a piping hot bowl. Are the wonders of chicken soup just cultural myths passed down from generation to generation, or can soup really cure a cold?
Chicken soup is made from a stock or broth and a variety of veggies. In a stock, the chicken bones are cooked for a few hours. This gives enough time for zinc, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium to seep into the liquid stock. These same minerals won't be in a broth since a broth is typically made from the meat only. Don't count out the nutritional goodness of broth though; it's still brimming with minerals. Of course both soups and stocks are made from a variety of veggies including celery, onion, carrots, leeks, parsnips and turnips -- all of their minerals seep into the liquid too.
There are numerous theories of how chicken soup helps ward off the sniffles. One study found that sipping hot chicken soup helped clear stuffy noses, but the study found it was effective only for a few minutes and that it wasn't any more effective than sipping hot water.
A few scientific studies showed that zinc can help shorten the duration of a cold. However, you need to start taking more zinc within 24 hours from the first symptoms. Many of these studies were done with lozenges or zinc supplements, so it's difficult to say if chicken soup has enough zinc to be effective.
Other theories claim that chicken soup helps keep you hydrated and soothes a sore throat. And a recent study from the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup may contain anti-inflammatory substances that could help alleviate a cold.
Chicken soup is also a comfort food typically given to children when they're sick. A warming bowl of the soup may provide emotional and psychological well-being to both adults and kids.
Bottom Line: For centuries, chicken soup has been the go-to cold fighter. Although the evidence isn't terribly strong, numerous studies show that chicken soup may help fight a cold. If you're a believer, then who am I to dispel the myth of chicken soup?
Chicken soup is made from a stock or broth and a variety of veggies. In a stock, the chicken bones are cooked for a few hours. This gives enough time for zinc, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium to seep into the liquid stock. These same minerals won't be in a broth since a broth is typically made from the meat only. Don't count out the nutritional goodness of broth though; it's still brimming with minerals. Of course both soups and stocks are made from a variety of veggies including celery, onion, carrots, leeks, parsnips and turnips -- all of their minerals seep into the liquid too.
There are numerous theories of how chicken soup helps ward off the sniffles. One study found that sipping hot chicken soup helped clear stuffy noses, but the study found it was effective only for a few minutes and that it wasn't any more effective than sipping hot water.
A few scientific studies showed that zinc can help shorten the duration of a cold. However, you need to start taking more zinc within 24 hours from the first symptoms. Many of these studies were done with lozenges or zinc supplements, so it's difficult to say if chicken soup has enough zinc to be effective.
Other theories claim that chicken soup helps keep you hydrated and soothes a sore throat. And a recent study from the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup may contain anti-inflammatory substances that could help alleviate a cold.
Chicken soup is also a comfort food typically given to children when they're sick. A warming bowl of the soup may provide emotional and psychological well-being to both adults and kids.
Bottom Line: For centuries, chicken soup has been the go-to cold fighter. Although the evidence isn't terribly strong, numerous studies show that chicken soup may help fight a cold. If you're a believer, then who am I to dispel the myth of chicken soup?
2011年12月12日星期一
The flu, it's genetic too
Certain people exposed to the influenza virus will remain healthy, while others will be less lucky and become very sick and out of commission for several days.
A recent study suggested that these different responses are due to the distinct expression of certain genes involved in defending the body from the influenza virus.
From the end of November to the beginning of March, the cold and low humidity create the perfect breeding ground for the flu to be transmitted. The word "influenza" also comes from the term influenza di freddo (the influence of cold), an Italian expression used in the 18th century to illustrate the predominance of this infection during cold seasons.
It's the droplets caused by coughing and sneezing that are the primary flu-causing agents; a simple cough can create up to 100,000 viral particles and this number can reach two million during a sneeze. The flu is therefore very contagious, infecting between 5-15% of the population each year.
Infection in the cells of the respiratory tract caused by the flu generally causes a number of clinical symptoms, the most common being runny nose, sore throat, fever and general malaise. This response to the virus can vary considerably from one person to another. So, while many people are knocked out for days by the flu, between 30-50% of people are much more tolerant and only present with moderate symptoms. It is therefore likely that these individuals are better able to control infection and eliminate the virus from their system.
To better understand this phenomenon, a group of American researchers examined the expression of many genes in people infected by the flu virus. The H3N2 virus, which is responsible for the seasonal flu, was given nasally to 17 volunteers in good health and blood tests were taken every eight hours for five days following infection. These blood samples were then analyzed.
Of the 17 people infected, nine became sick while the others presented with no symptoms, despite receiving a similar quantity of the virus. The researchers observed that the different responses are directly linked to the spectacular differences in the expression of many genes. In sick people, it is the genes involved in the production of inflammatory compounds and stress response that are primarily active, though they are suppressed in the resistant individual. In these people, the genes activated unleash an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response instead.
These two "molecular signatures" are so distinct that it is possible to determine if the person will be sick or not only hours after infection.
Even if other studies are needed to better understand these different genetic expressions, these observations could eventually aid in the development of diagnostic tools able to determine the severity of a flu as soon as it appears, a move that could lead to early intervention in the most serious cases.
A recent study suggested that these different responses are due to the distinct expression of certain genes involved in defending the body from the influenza virus.
From the end of November to the beginning of March, the cold and low humidity create the perfect breeding ground for the flu to be transmitted. The word "influenza" also comes from the term influenza di freddo (the influence of cold), an Italian expression used in the 18th century to illustrate the predominance of this infection during cold seasons.
It's the droplets caused by coughing and sneezing that are the primary flu-causing agents; a simple cough can create up to 100,000 viral particles and this number can reach two million during a sneeze. The flu is therefore very contagious, infecting between 5-15% of the population each year.
Infection in the cells of the respiratory tract caused by the flu generally causes a number of clinical symptoms, the most common being runny nose, sore throat, fever and general malaise. This response to the virus can vary considerably from one person to another. So, while many people are knocked out for days by the flu, between 30-50% of people are much more tolerant and only present with moderate symptoms. It is therefore likely that these individuals are better able to control infection and eliminate the virus from their system.
To better understand this phenomenon, a group of American researchers examined the expression of many genes in people infected by the flu virus. The H3N2 virus, which is responsible for the seasonal flu, was given nasally to 17 volunteers in good health and blood tests were taken every eight hours for five days following infection. These blood samples were then analyzed.
Of the 17 people infected, nine became sick while the others presented with no symptoms, despite receiving a similar quantity of the virus. The researchers observed that the different responses are directly linked to the spectacular differences in the expression of many genes. In sick people, it is the genes involved in the production of inflammatory compounds and stress response that are primarily active, though they are suppressed in the resistant individual. In these people, the genes activated unleash an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response instead.
These two "molecular signatures" are so distinct that it is possible to determine if the person will be sick or not only hours after infection.
Even if other studies are needed to better understand these different genetic expressions, these observations could eventually aid in the development of diagnostic tools able to determine the severity of a flu as soon as it appears, a move that could lead to early intervention in the most serious cases.
2011年11月23日星期三
Cold comfort for psoriasis sufferers
For many psoriasis sufferers, winter brings not only shorter days and colder temperatures but also worsening symptoms.
"About 70 percent of psoriasis patients will experience exacerbated symptoms at this time of year," says Bai Yanping, a skin problem specialist at Beijing's China-Japan Friendship Hospital.
Dry air, colder temperatures and reduced exposure to sunlight can all worsen symptoms, Bai explains.
Psoriasis is caused by a mix of environmental and genetics factors and can appear suddenly or gradually. In many cases, psoriasis goes away and then reoccurs.
Most people with the irritation have thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches on the elbows, knees and trunk, but it can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp.
Psoriasis sufferers, particularly young people, can also experience anxiety when they suffer from attacks, which makes the situation worse.
"Stress can worsen the situation, and create a vicious circle," Bai says.
"The itchiness almost kills me. I know I shouldn't scratch the sores, but I can't help it," says Zhao Jinsheng, a 50-something Beijinger who has psoriasis all over his body.
"Even if you offered me 1 million yuan ($157,131) you could not stop me scratching."
Although the ultimate cause of the disease is still unknown, doctors believe psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and probably occurs when the body's immune system mistakes healthy cells for dangerous ones.
"When the disease attacks, the produce of cytokine will be abnormally stimulated, causing inflammation and the rapid production of certain skin cells, as well as the dilation of blood vessels," Bai says.
"As a result, the skin will become red and thick."
Ultraviolet light can slow the growth of the skin cells, and ultraviolet therapy is used in the treatment of psoriasis, Bai says.
Sunlight also causes the body to produce vitamin D naturally, which is good for psoriasis sufferers, and is better than a vitamin D supplement.
"The best way to combat psoriasis is make your body as healthy as possible," Bai says. "Having a balanced diet, doing exercise and staying in good mood are our most effective defense against the disease."
For average psoriasis sufferers, a short and mild-temperature shower is beneficial, while for those with more serious symptoms, a bath with prescribed traditional Chinese medicine is advised, Bai says.
"About 70 percent of psoriasis patients will experience exacerbated symptoms at this time of year," says Bai Yanping, a skin problem specialist at Beijing's China-Japan Friendship Hospital.
Dry air, colder temperatures and reduced exposure to sunlight can all worsen symptoms, Bai explains.
Psoriasis is caused by a mix of environmental and genetics factors and can appear suddenly or gradually. In many cases, psoriasis goes away and then reoccurs.
Most people with the irritation have thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches on the elbows, knees and trunk, but it can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp.
Psoriasis sufferers, particularly young people, can also experience anxiety when they suffer from attacks, which makes the situation worse.
"Stress can worsen the situation, and create a vicious circle," Bai says.
"The itchiness almost kills me. I know I shouldn't scratch the sores, but I can't help it," says Zhao Jinsheng, a 50-something Beijinger who has psoriasis all over his body.
"Even if you offered me 1 million yuan ($157,131) you could not stop me scratching."
Although the ultimate cause of the disease is still unknown, doctors believe psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and probably occurs when the body's immune system mistakes healthy cells for dangerous ones.
"When the disease attacks, the produce of cytokine will be abnormally stimulated, causing inflammation and the rapid production of certain skin cells, as well as the dilation of blood vessels," Bai says.
"As a result, the skin will become red and thick."
Ultraviolet light can slow the growth of the skin cells, and ultraviolet therapy is used in the treatment of psoriasis, Bai says.
Sunlight also causes the body to produce vitamin D naturally, which is good for psoriasis sufferers, and is better than a vitamin D supplement.
"The best way to combat psoriasis is make your body as healthy as possible," Bai says. "Having a balanced diet, doing exercise and staying in good mood are our most effective defense against the disease."
For average psoriasis sufferers, a short and mild-temperature shower is beneficial, while for those with more serious symptoms, a bath with prescribed traditional Chinese medicine is advised, Bai says.
2011年11月15日星期二
Virus takes memories from cellist but leaves music
Herpesviral encephalitis is caused by the same virus that causes cold sores. It is a rare infection and occurs when this virus travels along nerves to the brain. In the case of PM, the virus wiped out large sections of his medial temporal lobes which have been linked to memories of events and facts. PM was left with no memory of personal or professional events he had done and the only people he recognized were his brother and a care worker.
Doctors began testing PM’s abilities after they discovered that he was able to identify musical scales and recall music that was played for him.
Neurologist Carsten Finke from Charite University Hospital in Berlin decided to take these tests further. Working with a team of professional musicians, Finke designed a series of tests that were designed to look at just how PM’s musical memory worked.
One test, PM was presented with a piece of music that was composed before he was struck with illness. He was then played a similar piece composed after his illness. When he was asked which piece he knew better, 93 percent of the time he chose the older piece.
In addition to amnesia, PM has had difficulty learning new things. For example, he is unable to remember the layout of his home or which medications he is supposed to take on a daily basis. However, in another test the doctors conducted, PM was able to identify pieces of music that were played to him earlier in the day 77 percent of the time.
Doctors are hoping this case will help to better understand how memories are stored in the brain. In the case of PM, they are also hoping to use music to help in his rehabilitation. They plan to try using musical notes and connect them to different people and tasks.
Doctors began testing PM’s abilities after they discovered that he was able to identify musical scales and recall music that was played for him.
Neurologist Carsten Finke from Charite University Hospital in Berlin decided to take these tests further. Working with a team of professional musicians, Finke designed a series of tests that were designed to look at just how PM’s musical memory worked.
One test, PM was presented with a piece of music that was composed before he was struck with illness. He was then played a similar piece composed after his illness. When he was asked which piece he knew better, 93 percent of the time he chose the older piece.
In addition to amnesia, PM has had difficulty learning new things. For example, he is unable to remember the layout of his home or which medications he is supposed to take on a daily basis. However, in another test the doctors conducted, PM was able to identify pieces of music that were played to him earlier in the day 77 percent of the time.
Doctors are hoping this case will help to better understand how memories are stored in the brain. In the case of PM, they are also hoping to use music to help in his rehabilitation. They plan to try using musical notes and connect them to different people and tasks.
2011年10月31日星期一
The Arrival of Cold Weather is a Reminder that Flu Season is Near
The cold weather unfortunately signifies that flu season is forthcoming. While reported cases of the influenza in Davidsonville are sporadic to date, children and adults are nevertheless taking steps to protect themselves from getting this miserable virus.
In fact, this past week some 300 doses of the Flumist were administered to students at Davidsonville Elementary as part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools and the Anne Arundel County Department of Health’s free seasonal flu vaccinations program offered to children 5 to 11 years old in the public elementary schools.
Often preferred by school-age children, the FluMist is a nasal spray that is a safe and easy way to receive the seasonal vaccine. This year’s Flumist offers protection against three flu strains including H1N1.
Flu season typically begins in late October and runs through early April.
Jackie Wharton, Davidsonville Elementary’s school nurse, says that so far, no cases of the flu have been reported at the school. However that did not deter parents from signing their children up to receive the Flumist.
“Turnout for the Flumist was tremendous,” said Wharton. “Approximately 50 percent of our students received the vaccine this year. This percentage ranks among the highest in Anne Arundel County.”
Amy Swank, a mother of two children at Davidsonville Elementary and a certified registered nurse anesthetist, is a firm believer in the Flumist.
“Having my children receive the Flumist is one thing I can do to hopefully prevent them from getting the flu,” said Swank. “It’s less traumatic than the shot, helps to stimulate antibodies in the nose as well as the blood and is conveniently offered for free at the school.”
Kim Akers, a mother and teacher at Davidsonville is also a strong proponent of the Flumist and choose to have her son Joshua receive the nasal mist this year.
“Joshua receives the Flumist every year,” said Akers. “Josh doesn't mind receiving the mist like he would the shot and the convenience of having it offered at the school is a bonus.”
Jen Selby has two children at Davidsonville Elementary as well. Luckily her boys have never gotten the flu and she hopes to keep it this way.
“I worry about them getting the flu,” said Selby. “Having them receive the Flumist is an important step in protecting them against the virus.”
Dr. Kevin Clark, a pediatrician at Davidsonville Pediatrics, mentions that his practice has diagnosed four cases of the flu this season; two in their Davidsonville office and two at the Crofton location.
Clark says that many times people mislabel the flu for the common cold.
“The flu is a respiratory infection similar to a cold but much worse,” mentions Clark. “It comes on very sudden and basically feels like you have been hit by a truck.”
According to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene signs of a cold include slight aches and pains, mild fatigue and weakness, stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, mild chest discomfort, moderate coughing and typically no fever or headache.
The flu on the other hand presents symptoms such as a high fever, prominent headache, severe aches and pains, fatigue and weakness that can last up to two-three weeks, extreme exhaustion, sore throat, severe chest discomfort and a cough.
Clark says that the best lines of defense against getting the virus is good hand hygiene along with keeping your hands out of your eyes, mouth and nose and receiving either the flu shot or mist.
“Wash your hands for 30 seconds with warm, soapy water, and do not wait too long to receive either the flu shot or mist. Full immunity takes up to two to four weeks," explained Clark.
Clark says that the Flumist is recommended for anyone between the ages of two and 49 years of age and is not suggested for individuals with underlying or chronic conditions.
“Talk to your doctor about the best option for you,” said Clark.
Of course, not all individuals will escape the nasty virus. Clark says that if you do get the flu, it’s important for both adults and children to remain hydrated, eat a bland diet and see the doctor within the first 48 hours.
In fact, this past week some 300 doses of the Flumist were administered to students at Davidsonville Elementary as part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools and the Anne Arundel County Department of Health’s free seasonal flu vaccinations program offered to children 5 to 11 years old in the public elementary schools.
Often preferred by school-age children, the FluMist is a nasal spray that is a safe and easy way to receive the seasonal vaccine. This year’s Flumist offers protection against three flu strains including H1N1.
Flu season typically begins in late October and runs through early April.
Jackie Wharton, Davidsonville Elementary’s school nurse, says that so far, no cases of the flu have been reported at the school. However that did not deter parents from signing their children up to receive the Flumist.
“Turnout for the Flumist was tremendous,” said Wharton. “Approximately 50 percent of our students received the vaccine this year. This percentage ranks among the highest in Anne Arundel County.”
Amy Swank, a mother of two children at Davidsonville Elementary and a certified registered nurse anesthetist, is a firm believer in the Flumist.
“Having my children receive the Flumist is one thing I can do to hopefully prevent them from getting the flu,” said Swank. “It’s less traumatic than the shot, helps to stimulate antibodies in the nose as well as the blood and is conveniently offered for free at the school.”
Kim Akers, a mother and teacher at Davidsonville is also a strong proponent of the Flumist and choose to have her son Joshua receive the nasal mist this year.
“Joshua receives the Flumist every year,” said Akers. “Josh doesn't mind receiving the mist like he would the shot and the convenience of having it offered at the school is a bonus.”
Jen Selby has two children at Davidsonville Elementary as well. Luckily her boys have never gotten the flu and she hopes to keep it this way.
“I worry about them getting the flu,” said Selby. “Having them receive the Flumist is an important step in protecting them against the virus.”
Dr. Kevin Clark, a pediatrician at Davidsonville Pediatrics, mentions that his practice has diagnosed four cases of the flu this season; two in their Davidsonville office and two at the Crofton location.
Clark says that many times people mislabel the flu for the common cold.
“The flu is a respiratory infection similar to a cold but much worse,” mentions Clark. “It comes on very sudden and basically feels like you have been hit by a truck.”
According to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene signs of a cold include slight aches and pains, mild fatigue and weakness, stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, mild chest discomfort, moderate coughing and typically no fever or headache.
The flu on the other hand presents symptoms such as a high fever, prominent headache, severe aches and pains, fatigue and weakness that can last up to two-three weeks, extreme exhaustion, sore throat, severe chest discomfort and a cough.
Clark says that the best lines of defense against getting the virus is good hand hygiene along with keeping your hands out of your eyes, mouth and nose and receiving either the flu shot or mist.
“Wash your hands for 30 seconds with warm, soapy water, and do not wait too long to receive either the flu shot or mist. Full immunity takes up to two to four weeks," explained Clark.
Clark says that the Flumist is recommended for anyone between the ages of two and 49 years of age and is not suggested for individuals with underlying or chronic conditions.
“Talk to your doctor about the best option for you,” said Clark.
Of course, not all individuals will escape the nasty virus. Clark says that if you do get the flu, it’s important for both adults and children to remain hydrated, eat a bland diet and see the doctor within the first 48 hours.
2011年10月9日星期日
Cause of death for Lehi High student still undetermined
When David Darby received a phone call from his son Camryn at school on Sept. 23, stating that he wasn't feeling well, he could have never imagined his son would die less than 24 hours later and that two weeks later, he still wouldn't know why his healthy 15-year-old died.
"I received the phone call around noon," Darby recalled. Camryn wasn't feeling well and had a sore throat. Darby drove to Lehi High School to pick up his son.
As the afternoon progressed Camryn began to feel more uncomfortable; he had a severe sore throat and fluctuated between hot flashes and cold chills.
"I told Camryn, if it gets to the point where you feel like you need to go to the doctor, let me know," Darby said.
Moments later Camryn told his dad that he felt it was time to see a doctor. They drove to an Instacare where doctors looked in Camryn's throat and discovered his right tonsil was swollen. They swabbed for a strep test and sent them home with a prescription.
"We grabbed dinner really quick so he could take his pill," Darby said, "then headed for home to put him in a warm bath to try and help with his cold chills."
After the bath Darby gave his son the advice all parents give: rest. Camryn fell asleep on the couch.
At 3 a.m. the next day, Darby awakened to the sound of Camryn snoring loudly.
"It was odd, he has never snored in his life," Darby said. "I woke him up and made him sit up. I told him to just try to watch some TV."
Darby woke a few hours later to find his son on the couch, unresponsive and not breathing. He phoned 911 and started CPR.
Paramedics arrived and worked on Camryn for about 40 minutes before confirming that he had indeed died and determined the time of death was more than an hour before his dad discovered him.
"He was still warm when I found him, so I assumed he had stopped breathing only minutes earlier. It was the worst day of life when I realized he was gone and there wasn't anything I could do."
Darby has met with doctors who confirmed strep test results are negative. He has spoken with the medical examiner who marked the death as "pending due to medical condition," but in a conversation on Friday, he learned the medical examiner found nothing out of the ordinary. They are now awaiting a toxicology report, but Darby is certain it will turn up nothing as well.
"It's one thing to lose your child in a car crash, at least you have the 'why,' but Camryn was a healthy boy. I'm afraid we are going to be left without answers to his death."
Camryn Darby was only 15 years old. He was very outgoing and popular.
"When my nephew moved here and started school, Camryn was the first to approach him and make him feel welcome," Dolores Rodriguez said. "They became best friends. Camryn was such a great kid and a friend to everyone."
After hearing the sad news, the Rodriguez family made it their mission to post fliers around town, sharing Camryn's story and asking for donations in behalf of the Darby family.
"We wished we could do more but we know this is one way to help since the family isn't prepared to pay for funeral expenses right now," Rodriguez said.
Darby stated that Camryn did love his friends but most of all, he had an immense love for his mom, Tierra Skanes.
The family is accepting donations through a fund at Mountain America Bank under Camryn Darby.
"I received the phone call around noon," Darby recalled. Camryn wasn't feeling well and had a sore throat. Darby drove to Lehi High School to pick up his son.
As the afternoon progressed Camryn began to feel more uncomfortable; he had a severe sore throat and fluctuated between hot flashes and cold chills.
"I told Camryn, if it gets to the point where you feel like you need to go to the doctor, let me know," Darby said.
Moments later Camryn told his dad that he felt it was time to see a doctor. They drove to an Instacare where doctors looked in Camryn's throat and discovered his right tonsil was swollen. They swabbed for a strep test and sent them home with a prescription.
"We grabbed dinner really quick so he could take his pill," Darby said, "then headed for home to put him in a warm bath to try and help with his cold chills."
After the bath Darby gave his son the advice all parents give: rest. Camryn fell asleep on the couch.
At 3 a.m. the next day, Darby awakened to the sound of Camryn snoring loudly.
"It was odd, he has never snored in his life," Darby said. "I woke him up and made him sit up. I told him to just try to watch some TV."
Darby woke a few hours later to find his son on the couch, unresponsive and not breathing. He phoned 911 and started CPR.
Paramedics arrived and worked on Camryn for about 40 minutes before confirming that he had indeed died and determined the time of death was more than an hour before his dad discovered him.
"He was still warm when I found him, so I assumed he had stopped breathing only minutes earlier. It was the worst day of life when I realized he was gone and there wasn't anything I could do."
Darby has met with doctors who confirmed strep test results are negative. He has spoken with the medical examiner who marked the death as "pending due to medical condition," but in a conversation on Friday, he learned the medical examiner found nothing out of the ordinary. They are now awaiting a toxicology report, but Darby is certain it will turn up nothing as well.
"It's one thing to lose your child in a car crash, at least you have the 'why,' but Camryn was a healthy boy. I'm afraid we are going to be left without answers to his death."
Camryn Darby was only 15 years old. He was very outgoing and popular.
"When my nephew moved here and started school, Camryn was the first to approach him and make him feel welcome," Dolores Rodriguez said. "They became best friends. Camryn was such a great kid and a friend to everyone."
After hearing the sad news, the Rodriguez family made it their mission to post fliers around town, sharing Camryn's story and asking for donations in behalf of the Darby family.
"We wished we could do more but we know this is one way to help since the family isn't prepared to pay for funeral expenses right now," Rodriguez said.
Darby stated that Camryn did love his friends but most of all, he had an immense love for his mom, Tierra Skanes.
The family is accepting donations through a fund at Mountain America Bank under Camryn Darby.
2011年9月25日星期日
New Hope Available for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Sufferers
Having been undiagnosed and a medical enigma for most of my adult life, I was eager to visit Abby’s Health & Nutrition in Carrollwood to listen to Pam Ross last week.
Ross is a physician’s assistant who specialized in successfully treating chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in patients for the last three years. She was on a speaking tour discussing her findings.
These syndromes, once misunderstood and oftentimes ignored, have only recently been recognized by the medical community as legitimate illnesses.
Ross has created a treatment in the form of a natural supplement called Virasyl with ingredients scientifically validated over 10 years of university and clinical research.
“Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are real,” said Ross. “These patients were being shunned. They were treated different than any other patient. They were referred to psychiatry and told, 'Sorry, it’s all in your head.' No. These issues need to be addressed and taken care of.”
To hear those words from the mouth of a physician’s assistant was a validation that I had been seeking for over 15 years.
My story started like many other sufferers. I remember waking up one morning in 1996 feeling like someone had taken a bat and beaten me repeatedly until there wasn’t a bone, tendon or muscle that didn’t ache. Getting out of bed did not feel like an option, but as a working mom to her precocious two year old, staying in bed wasn’t either.
Fast forward 15 years. My baby is graduating high school, and the flu I thought I woke up with has lasted her lifetime.
I personally identify with every patient who was considered to be a hypochondriac and told his ailment was psychosomatic, that he needed to see a psychiatrist because “people like him need special doctors he can talk to.”
I completely relate to the passage of years without answers, being so filled with hope, going for yet another blood test, MRI, ultrasound and x-ray from every “ist” and “ologist” on your insurance and several quacks not on any plan and having that hope dashed when results came back normal.
I understand the definition of “going back to square one,” and I know what it’s like to be treated with harsh chemicals - Buspar for a Persistent Anxiety Disorder that you do not have and Prozac for a depression that you are not in.
I know, firsthand, the overwhelming frustration of knowing something was wrong with you, feeling just 50 percent, looking perfectly healthy on the outside and not knowing what was happening on the inside, wondering if your friends and even your family really believed you because ‘You looked fine,’ feeling with every year without answers, you were slowly losing your mind.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia presents itself in a number of ways. Sufferers often have a laundry list of symptoms like anxiety, problems sleeping, irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, flu-like symptoms, low grade fever or chills, neck pain, shortness of breath, unexplained chest pain, skin rashes, night sweats, headaches, TMJ, chemical sensitivities, depression, acid reflux, canker sores, thinking and memory issues called fibro fog, on top of chronic fatigue and widespread muscle and joint pain.
Because doctors could not understand it, it was easier to chemically medicate a potential problem than to deal with the real underlying one. But putting chemicals in the body of a fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers doesn’t make sense. With the medicine treatment advertised regularly on TV, the side effects often sound worse than living with the chronic illness.
Ross has taken years of listening to her clinic patients’ needs to create a natural antiviral supplement called Virasyl that is at the very heart of what preventing what might be the cause of the illness, a stealthy, insidious virus.
“It may be from a ‘hidden’ chronic viral infection,” explained Ross. “Everyone has had a virus - whether it be chicken pox or a cold sore. Once you are exposed, it is with you for life. It hides in the tissues and comes out to replicate during times of stress or when the immune system is overwhelmed with other antigens or under physical or emotional stress.”
Ross said that stressors like losing a job, a car accident – stress or trauma cause the same response. Blood diverts to the heart and brain away from the GI tract.
Ross is a physician’s assistant who specialized in successfully treating chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in patients for the last three years. She was on a speaking tour discussing her findings.
These syndromes, once misunderstood and oftentimes ignored, have only recently been recognized by the medical community as legitimate illnesses.
Ross has created a treatment in the form of a natural supplement called Virasyl with ingredients scientifically validated over 10 years of university and clinical research.
“Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are real,” said Ross. “These patients were being shunned. They were treated different than any other patient. They were referred to psychiatry and told, 'Sorry, it’s all in your head.' No. These issues need to be addressed and taken care of.”
To hear those words from the mouth of a physician’s assistant was a validation that I had been seeking for over 15 years.
My story started like many other sufferers. I remember waking up one morning in 1996 feeling like someone had taken a bat and beaten me repeatedly until there wasn’t a bone, tendon or muscle that didn’t ache. Getting out of bed did not feel like an option, but as a working mom to her precocious two year old, staying in bed wasn’t either.
Fast forward 15 years. My baby is graduating high school, and the flu I thought I woke up with has lasted her lifetime.
I personally identify with every patient who was considered to be a hypochondriac and told his ailment was psychosomatic, that he needed to see a psychiatrist because “people like him need special doctors he can talk to.”
I completely relate to the passage of years without answers, being so filled with hope, going for yet another blood test, MRI, ultrasound and x-ray from every “ist” and “ologist” on your insurance and several quacks not on any plan and having that hope dashed when results came back normal.
I understand the definition of “going back to square one,” and I know what it’s like to be treated with harsh chemicals - Buspar for a Persistent Anxiety Disorder that you do not have and Prozac for a depression that you are not in.
I know, firsthand, the overwhelming frustration of knowing something was wrong with you, feeling just 50 percent, looking perfectly healthy on the outside and not knowing what was happening on the inside, wondering if your friends and even your family really believed you because ‘You looked fine,’ feeling with every year without answers, you were slowly losing your mind.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia presents itself in a number of ways. Sufferers often have a laundry list of symptoms like anxiety, problems sleeping, irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, flu-like symptoms, low grade fever or chills, neck pain, shortness of breath, unexplained chest pain, skin rashes, night sweats, headaches, TMJ, chemical sensitivities, depression, acid reflux, canker sores, thinking and memory issues called fibro fog, on top of chronic fatigue and widespread muscle and joint pain.
Because doctors could not understand it, it was easier to chemically medicate a potential problem than to deal with the real underlying one. But putting chemicals in the body of a fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers doesn’t make sense. With the medicine treatment advertised regularly on TV, the side effects often sound worse than living with the chronic illness.
Ross has taken years of listening to her clinic patients’ needs to create a natural antiviral supplement called Virasyl that is at the very heart of what preventing what might be the cause of the illness, a stealthy, insidious virus.
“It may be from a ‘hidden’ chronic viral infection,” explained Ross. “Everyone has had a virus - whether it be chicken pox or a cold sore. Once you are exposed, it is with you for life. It hides in the tissues and comes out to replicate during times of stress or when the immune system is overwhelmed with other antigens or under physical or emotional stress.”
Ross said that stressors like losing a job, a car accident – stress or trauma cause the same response. Blood diverts to the heart and brain away from the GI tract.
2011年8月18日星期四
Afexa Announces Results of a Clinical Trial of DilexaponanTM for Cholesterol Management
This open label and proof of concept study explored the safety and optimum dosing range for Dilexaponan in 39 patients with elevated total cholesterol levels. The study was led by principal investigator Dr. Richard Lewanczuk, Professor, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Alberta, in collaboration with Dr. Jay Udani, Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA, CEO, Medicus Research LLC.
The results, awaiting final peer review, demonstrated that patients taking Dilexaponan had favourable changes in multiple cholesterol measures. All Dilexaponan doses tested (0.333, 1, and 2 g/day) were equally effective in significantly reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol after a two month treatment duration versus baseline (p<0.05). There were also significant and positive time-dependent decreases in the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol compared to baseline (p<0.05) for each dose tested. Dilexaponan was generally well tolerated.
Dr. Lewanczuk said, "The results of this pilot study are encouraging and indicate the potential of Dilexaponan to aid in the management of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. There is a pressing need to provide patients with additional safe and effective options for modulating LDL and HDL cholesterol levels."
The Company is currently exploring the potential for Dilexaponan development as a botanical drug in the U.S. and as an NHP (Natural Health Product) in Canada. Dr. Jacqueline Shan, Afexa's Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer said, "We are pleased with the outcome of this trial and the data confirm the positive findings of earlier pre-clinical studies. A subsequent clinical study to further explore Dilexaponan in this population is planned to initiate by the end of this fiscal year."
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 44% of U.S. adults have unhealthy total cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher. While therapeutic options are available to lower LDL levels, in nearly two thirds of affected adults, this condition is not effectively managed. Cholesterol plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease and is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Favourably modulating cholesterol, including reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol, is known to be one of the most effective strategies for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
The trial received authorization from Health Canada and all required Health Research Ethics Board.
Afexa Life Sciences Inc., founded in 1992, strives to deliver the most trusted health brand on the planet through pioneering evidence-based natural medicines that empower people to achieve their health potential. The Company's patented ChemBioPrint discovery and standardization technology enables the development of effective and safe medicines from complex natural sources, while ensuring reliable health benefits and batch-to-batch consistency. COLD-FX, a ChemBioPrint product, is the Company's flagship product and Canada's leading over-the-counter (OTC) cold and flu remedy. It is officially indicated in Canada to help reduce the frequency, severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms by boosting the immune system. COLD-FX products have product licenses (NPN) and are supported by scientific evidence, including randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. The Company recently licensed and launched COLDSORE-FX in Canada. The Company also has a range of polymolecular drugs at various clinical and pre-clinical development stages. This product pipeline includes COLD-FX pediatric, AFX-2 for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Dilexaponan for cholesterol management, HT-1001 for Oxidative Stress and a product for blood glucose management.
The results, awaiting final peer review, demonstrated that patients taking Dilexaponan had favourable changes in multiple cholesterol measures. All Dilexaponan doses tested (0.333, 1, and 2 g/day) were equally effective in significantly reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol after a two month treatment duration versus baseline (p<0.05). There were also significant and positive time-dependent decreases in the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol compared to baseline (p<0.05) for each dose tested. Dilexaponan was generally well tolerated.
Dr. Lewanczuk said, "The results of this pilot study are encouraging and indicate the potential of Dilexaponan to aid in the management of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. There is a pressing need to provide patients with additional safe and effective options for modulating LDL and HDL cholesterol levels."
The Company is currently exploring the potential for Dilexaponan development as a botanical drug in the U.S. and as an NHP (Natural Health Product) in Canada. Dr. Jacqueline Shan, Afexa's Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer said, "We are pleased with the outcome of this trial and the data confirm the positive findings of earlier pre-clinical studies. A subsequent clinical study to further explore Dilexaponan in this population is planned to initiate by the end of this fiscal year."
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 44% of U.S. adults have unhealthy total cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher. While therapeutic options are available to lower LDL levels, in nearly two thirds of affected adults, this condition is not effectively managed. Cholesterol plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease and is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Favourably modulating cholesterol, including reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol, is known to be one of the most effective strategies for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
The trial received authorization from Health Canada and all required Health Research Ethics Board.
Afexa Life Sciences Inc., founded in 1992, strives to deliver the most trusted health brand on the planet through pioneering evidence-based natural medicines that empower people to achieve their health potential. The Company's patented ChemBioPrint discovery and standardization technology enables the development of effective and safe medicines from complex natural sources, while ensuring reliable health benefits and batch-to-batch consistency. COLD-FX, a ChemBioPrint product, is the Company's flagship product and Canada's leading over-the-counter (OTC) cold and flu remedy. It is officially indicated in Canada to help reduce the frequency, severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms by boosting the immune system. COLD-FX products have product licenses (NPN) and are supported by scientific evidence, including randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. The Company recently licensed and launched COLDSORE-FX in Canada. The Company also has a range of polymolecular drugs at various clinical and pre-clinical development stages. This product pipeline includes COLD-FX pediatric, AFX-2 for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Dilexaponan for cholesterol management, HT-1001 for Oxidative Stress and a product for blood glucose management.
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