Saturday, 23 June 2018
Thursday, 21 June 2018
Yoga for Environment @2018
Few basic Yoga poses that can help you get started:
1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
This pose teaches one to stand with majestic steadiness like a mountain. The word ‘Tada’ means a mountain, that’s where the name comes from. It involves the major groups of muscles and improves focus and concentration. It is the starting position for all the other poses.
Stand with your heels slightly apart and hang your arms besides the torso. Gently lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Balance your body weight on your feet. Lift your ankles and firm your thigh muscles while rotating them inwards. As you inhale, elongate your torso and when you exhale release your shoulder blades away from your head. Broaden your collarbone and elongate your neck. Your ears, shoulders, hips and ankles should all be in one line. You can check your alignment by standing against the wall initially. You can even raise your hands and stretch them. Breathe easy.
This pose teaches one to stand with majestic steadiness like a mountain. The word ‘Tada’ means a mountain, that’s where the name comes from. It involves the major groups of muscles and improves focus and concentration. It is the starting position for all the other poses.
Stand with your heels slightly apart and hang your arms besides the torso. Gently lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Balance your body weight on your feet. Lift your ankles and firm your thigh muscles while rotating them inwards. As you inhale, elongate your torso and when you exhale release your shoulder blades away from your head. Broaden your collarbone and elongate your neck. Your ears, shoulders, hips and ankles should all be in one line. You can check your alignment by standing against the wall initially. You can even raise your hands and stretch them. Breathe easy.
Yoga poses: This pose teaches one to stand with majestic steadiness like a mountain
2. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
This pose gives you a sense of grounding. It improves your balance and strengthens your legs and back. It replicates the steady stance of a tree. Place your right foot high up on your left thigh. The sole of the foot should be flat and placed firmly. Keep your left leg straight and find your balance. While inhaling, raise your arms over your head and bring your palms together. Ensure that your spine is straight and take a few deep breaths. Slowly exhale, bring your hands down and release your right leg. Back in the standing position repeat the same with the other leg.
This pose gives you a sense of grounding. It improves your balance and strengthens your legs and back. It replicates the steady stance of a tree. Place your right foot high up on your left thigh. The sole of the foot should be flat and placed firmly. Keep your left leg straight and find your balance. While inhaling, raise your arms over your head and bring your palms together. Ensure that your spine is straight and take a few deep breaths. Slowly exhale, bring your hands down and release your right leg. Back in the standing position repeat the same with the other leg.
Yoga poses: This pose gives you a sense of grounding
3. Adho Mukho Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
This pose stretches hamstrings, chest and lengthens the spine, providing additional blood flow to the head. It is will leave you feeling energized. Sit on your heels, stretch your arms forward on the mat and lower your head. Form a table, like pushing your hands, strengthening your legs and slowly raising your hips. Press your heels down, let your head hand freely and tighten your waist.
This pose stretches hamstrings, chest and lengthens the spine, providing additional blood flow to the head. It is will leave you feeling energized. Sit on your heels, stretch your arms forward on the mat and lower your head. Form a table, like pushing your hands, strengthening your legs and slowly raising your hips. Press your heels down, let your head hand freely and tighten your waist.
Yoga poses: This pose stretches hamstrings, chest and lengthens the spine
4. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
It stretches the legs and torso, mobilizes the hips and promotes deep breathing, leaving one with enlivening effects. Stand with your feet wide apart. Stretch your right foot out (90 degrees) while keeping the leg closer to the torso. Keep your feet pressed against the ground and balance your weight equally on both feet. Inhale and as you exhale bend your right arm and make it touch the ground while your left arm goes up. Keep your waist straight. Ensure that your body is bent sideways and not forward or backwards. Stretch as much as you can while taking long, deep breaths. Repeat on the other side
It stretches the legs and torso, mobilizes the hips and promotes deep breathing, leaving one with enlivening effects. Stand with your feet wide apart. Stretch your right foot out (90 degrees) while keeping the leg closer to the torso. Keep your feet pressed against the ground and balance your weight equally on both feet. Inhale and as you exhale bend your right arm and make it touch the ground while your left arm goes up. Keep your waist straight. Ensure that your body is bent sideways and not forward or backwards. Stretch as much as you can while taking long, deep breaths. Repeat on the other side
Yoga poses: It stretches the legs and torso, mobilizes the hips and promotes deep breathing
5. Kursiasana (Chair Pose)
An intensely powerful pose, this one strengthens the muscles of the legs and arms. It builds your willpower and has an energizing effect on the body and mind. Stand straight with your feet slightly apart. Stretch your arms but don’t bend your elbow. Inhale and bend your knees, pushing your pelvis down like you are sitting on chair. Keep your hands parallel to the ground and back straight. Take deep breaths. Bend gradually but make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
An intensely powerful pose, this one strengthens the muscles of the legs and arms. It builds your willpower and has an energizing effect on the body and mind. Stand straight with your feet slightly apart. Stretch your arms but don’t bend your elbow. Inhale and bend your knees, pushing your pelvis down like you are sitting on chair. Keep your hands parallel to the ground and back straight. Take deep breaths. Bend gradually but make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
Yoga Poses: An intensely powerful pose, this one strengthens the muscles of the legs and arms
6. Naukasana (Boat Pose)
It tightens the abdominal muscles and strengthens shoulders and upper back. It leaves the practitioner with a sense of stability. Lie back on the mat with your feet together and hands by your side. Take a deep breath and while exhaling gently lift your chest and feet off the ground. Stretch your hands in the direction of your feet. Your eyes, fingers and toes should be in one line. Hold till you feel some tension in your navel area as your abdominal muscles begin to contract. As you exhale, come back to the ground and relax.
It tightens the abdominal muscles and strengthens shoulders and upper back. It leaves the practitioner with a sense of stability. Lie back on the mat with your feet together and hands by your side. Take a deep breath and while exhaling gently lift your chest and feet off the ground. Stretch your hands in the direction of your feet. Your eyes, fingers and toes should be in one line. Hold till you feel some tension in your navel area as your abdominal muscles begin to contract. As you exhale, come back to the ground and relax.
Yoga poses: It tightens the abdominal muscles and strengthens shoulders and upper back
7. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
This one will strengthen the lower back muscles while cushioning the spine, triceps and opens the chest to promote the inhalations. It also makes the spine flexible.
Lie on your stomach with your feet together and toes flat. Place your hands downwards below your shoulders on the mat, lift your waist and raise your head while inhaling in. Pull your torso back with the support of your hands. Keep your elbows straight and make sure you put equal pressure on both palms. Tilt your head back and make sure your shoulders are away from your ears. Exhale while coming back to the ground.
This one will strengthen the lower back muscles while cushioning the spine, triceps and opens the chest to promote the inhalations. It also makes the spine flexible.
Lie on your stomach with your feet together and toes flat. Place your hands downwards below your shoulders on the mat, lift your waist and raise your head while inhaling in. Pull your torso back with the support of your hands. Keep your elbows straight and make sure you put equal pressure on both palms. Tilt your head back and make sure your shoulders are away from your ears. Exhale while coming back to the ground.
Yoga poses: This one will strengthen the lower back muscles while cushioning the spine
8. Paschimottanasana
This asana helps in improving the flexibility of the hamstrings and hips and lengthens the spine. Sit up with your back straight and toes pointing outwards. Breathe in and raise your hands over your head and stretch. Now, while breathing out bring your hands down and bend then forward to touch your legs. Place your hands wherever they reach, hold your toes if you can but don’t force yourself. Breathe in and elongate your spine. While breathing out, keep your navel close to your knees.
This asana helps in improving the flexibility of the hamstrings and hips and lengthens the spine. Sit up with your back straight and toes pointing outwards. Breathe in and raise your hands over your head and stretch. Now, while breathing out bring your hands down and bend then forward to touch your legs. Place your hands wherever they reach, hold your toes if you can but don’t force yourself. Breathe in and elongate your spine. While breathing out, keep your navel close to your knees.
Yoga poses: This asana helps in improving the flexibility of the hamstrings and hips
9. Child's Pose
This restful posture helps let go and surrender. It restores vitality physically, mentally and emotionally. Insert the pose between challenging poses, and practice with closed eyes, listening to the sound of your breath. Bend your knees and sit on your heels. Keep your hips on your heels. Lower your head on the mat and bring your hands forward by your side. Press your thighs against your chest and breathe lightly.
This restful posture helps let go and surrender. It restores vitality physically, mentally and emotionally. Insert the pose between challenging poses, and practice with closed eyes, listening to the sound of your breath. Bend your knees and sit on your heels. Keep your hips on your heels. Lower your head on the mat and bring your hands forward by your side. Press your thighs against your chest and breathe lightly.
Yoga poses: This restful posture helps let go and surrender
10. Sukhasna
Sukhasna is a comfortable position for pranayama and meditation. It gives the practitioner a centering effect. All the other asnas are done to eventually make the body feel comfortable to be able to sit in this position for meditation. This asna takes the yoga practice beyond its physical dimension and helps you get in touch with your spiritual side. Sit comfortably on the mat with crossed legs (left leg tugged inside the right thigh and right leg tugged inside the left thigh). Keep spine straight. Place your hands on your knees. You can use the Jnana mudra or Chin mudra. Relax your body and breathe gently.
Sukhasna is a comfortable position for pranayama and meditation. It gives the practitioner a centering effect. All the other asnas are done to eventually make the body feel comfortable to be able to sit in this position for meditation. This asna takes the yoga practice beyond its physical dimension and helps you get in touch with your spiritual side. Sit comfortably on the mat with crossed legs (left leg tugged inside the right thigh and right leg tugged inside the left thigh). Keep spine straight. Place your hands on your knees. You can use the Jnana mudra or Chin mudra. Relax your body and breathe gently.
Yoga poses: Sukhasna is a comfortable position for pranayama
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The Summer Solistice
The summer solstice is Thursday: 6 things to know about the longest day of the year
The summer solstice is upon us: June 21 will be the longest day of 2018 for anyone living north of the equator. If pagan rituals are your thing, this is probably a big moment for you. If not, the solstice is still pretty neat.
Technically speaking, the summer solstice occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer, or 23.5° north latitude. In 2018, this will occur at exactly 6:07 am Eastern on Thursday the 21st. So set your alarm, or feel free to sleep right through it.
Below is a short scientific guide to the longest day of the year. (Though not, as we’ll see, the longest day in Earth’s history — that happened back in 1912.)
1) Why do we have a summer solstice, anyway?
Okay, most people know this one. Earth orbits around the sun on a tilted axis. (Probably because our planet collided with some other massive object billions of years ago, back when it was still being formed.)
So between March and September, Earth’s Northern Hemisphere gets more exposure to direct sunlight over the course of a day. The rest of the year, the Southern Hemisphere gets more. It’s why we have seasons.
In the Northern Hemisphere, “peak” sunlight usually occurs on June 20, 21, or 22 of any given year. That’s the summer solstice. By contrast, the Southern Hemisphere reaches peak sunlight on December 21, 22, or 23 and the north hits peak darkness — that’s our winter solstice.
2) How many hours of sunlight will I get on Thursday?
That depends on where you live. The further north you are, the more sunlight you’ll see during the solstice. Alaska-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider created this terrific guide:
3) Is this the longest day in Earth’s entire history?
Probably not, although it’s close. And the reason why is quite interesting. Joseph Stromberg did a fantastic deep dive into this topic for Vox a few years back, but here’s the two-minute version.
Ever since the Earth has had liquid oceans and a moon, its rotation has been gradually slowing over time due to tidal friction. That means — over very, very long periods of time — the days have been getting steadily longer. About 4.5 billion years ago, it took the Earth just six hours to complete one rotation. About 350 million years ago, it took 23 hours. Today, of course, it takes about 24 hours. And the days will gradually get longer still.
Given that, you’d think 2018 would be the longest day in all of history. But while it’s certainly up there, it doesn’t quite take top honors.
That’s because tidal friction isn’t the only thing affecting Earth’s rotation; there are a few countervailing factors. The melting of glacial ice, which has been occurring since the end of the last ice age 12,000 years ago (and is now ramping up because of global warming), is actually speeding up Earth’s rotation very slightly, shortening the days by a few fractions of a millisecond. Likewise, geologic activity in the planet’s core, earthquakes, ocean currents, and seasonal wind changes can also speed up or slow down Earth’s rotation.
When you put all these factors together, scientists have estimated that the longest day in Earth’s history (so far) likely occurred back in 1912. That year’s summer solstice was the longest period of daylight the Northern Hemisphere has ever seen (and, conversely, the 1912 winter solstice was the longest night we’ve ever seen).
Eventually, the effects of tidal friction should overcome all those other factors, and Earth’s days will get longer and longer as its rotation keeps slowing (forcing timekeepers to add leap seconds to the calendar periodically). Which means that in the future, there will be plenty of summer solstices that set new records as the “longest day in Earth’s history.”
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Monday, 18 June 2018
Big Bottles Up A Baby's Weight
Newborns make most parents nervous initially. One of the primary anxieties is whether the baby is getting enough at each feeding to steadily gain weight over the fir0st few months of life. Whether you are nursing or bottle feeding, there's definite relief at your infant well-checks when the doctor reports growth and added weight. That said, if you use bottles to feed your baby, you might want to be careful. Steady increases in weight are desirable, not big jumps from one visit to the next. And new research suggests that using larger bottles might cause a little too much weight gain.
The study, which took place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that using larger sized bottles to feed young babies may be associated with excess weight by the time they are just a few months old. The subjects were 386 infants being fed formula exclusively. Forty-one percent of the group were black, 35 percent were Hispanic, and 23 percent were white. Nearly two-thirds came from homes with household incomes under $20,000, and the majority of parents had received no education beyond a high school diploma. Between birth and six months old, the scientists kept track of the infants' length and weight measurements. They also noted the size of the bottles with which they were fed, ranging anywhere from two ounces to 10 ounces. Approximately 45 percent were offered formula in bottles that could hold six ounces of liquid or more. Of the 298 children who attended all of the checkup appointments to provide a complete assessment of their length and weight by the six-month mark, those drinking from the six-ounce or greater bottles were an average of a half-pound heavier than their peers drinking from smaller bottles at the age of six months. In general, the average weight of the infants was 7.1 pounds at birth, 11.7 pounds at two months, and 17.6 pounds at six months.
Beginning at just two months old, the babies who were drinking from larger bottles started typically weighing more than their counterparts fed from smaller bottles. By the age of two months, babies drinking from smaller bottles had an average weight of 11.2 pounds, versus those drinking from larger bottles, who had an average weight of 11.9 pounds. And at six months old, those numbers increased to an average weight of 17.2 pounds in small-bottle drinkers versus 18.1 pounds in large-bottle drinkers. These differences might not sound like much, but they represent a problem that often snowballs into overeating and obesity as they grow older.
The study did have certain flaws, including the fact that the investigators failed to monitor actual intake of formula, concentrating only on the amount that a bottle could provide. Another issue is not determining whether the children were fed with a range of bottle sizes or offered with more than one bottle at a feeding. In most cases, however, it is much easier to simply use a larger bottle to feed the baby rather than refill it with more formula. Also, few people would go from using larger bottles to smaller ones as a baby grows, so it stands to reason that they would either go from smaller bottles to larger ones over time or use the larger ones throughout the period of time during which the child drinks from bottles.
Overfeeding an infant due to the use of larger bottles is actually perfectly in line with findings from research on adults. For instance, a 2012 study at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois showed that people often opt for larger portion sizes because it makes them feel important to do so, and this "bigger is better" mentality may very well extend to how they feed their infants. In the same way, it's likely that we see the larger bottle and fill it up a little higher, then offer it to the baby multiple times until it is all finished. But this behavior is not helping the child to develop essential cues relating to feelings of satiety while eating, which can lead to a lifetime of overeating and obesity.
While the best way to avoid this problem is by breastfeeding, which also offers substantial health benefits, if you are bottle feeding your baby, you must make a conscious effort not to overfeed. Save the larger bottles for when your child gets bigger and needs more formula to be satisfied. Invest in a few small bottles to ensure you are feeding the size and weight-appropriate amount. And resist the temptation to entice your little one to finish a bottle if he or she has pulled away--these are very important signals to respect.
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The study, which took place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that using larger sized bottles to feed young babies may be associated with excess weight by the time they are just a few months old. The subjects were 386 infants being fed formula exclusively. Forty-one percent of the group were black, 35 percent were Hispanic, and 23 percent were white. Nearly two-thirds came from homes with household incomes under $20,000, and the majority of parents had received no education beyond a high school diploma. Between birth and six months old, the scientists kept track of the infants' length and weight measurements. They also noted the size of the bottles with which they were fed, ranging anywhere from two ounces to 10 ounces. Approximately 45 percent were offered formula in bottles that could hold six ounces of liquid or more. Of the 298 children who attended all of the checkup appointments to provide a complete assessment of their length and weight by the six-month mark, those drinking from the six-ounce or greater bottles were an average of a half-pound heavier than their peers drinking from smaller bottles at the age of six months. In general, the average weight of the infants was 7.1 pounds at birth, 11.7 pounds at two months, and 17.6 pounds at six months.
Beginning at just two months old, the babies who were drinking from larger bottles started typically weighing more than their counterparts fed from smaller bottles. By the age of two months, babies drinking from smaller bottles had an average weight of 11.2 pounds, versus those drinking from larger bottles, who had an average weight of 11.9 pounds. And at six months old, those numbers increased to an average weight of 17.2 pounds in small-bottle drinkers versus 18.1 pounds in large-bottle drinkers. These differences might not sound like much, but they represent a problem that often snowballs into overeating and obesity as they grow older.
The study did have certain flaws, including the fact that the investigators failed to monitor actual intake of formula, concentrating only on the amount that a bottle could provide. Another issue is not determining whether the children were fed with a range of bottle sizes or offered with more than one bottle at a feeding. In most cases, however, it is much easier to simply use a larger bottle to feed the baby rather than refill it with more formula. Also, few people would go from using larger bottles to smaller ones as a baby grows, so it stands to reason that they would either go from smaller bottles to larger ones over time or use the larger ones throughout the period of time during which the child drinks from bottles.
Overfeeding an infant due to the use of larger bottles is actually perfectly in line with findings from research on adults. For instance, a 2012 study at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois showed that people often opt for larger portion sizes because it makes them feel important to do so, and this "bigger is better" mentality may very well extend to how they feed their infants. In the same way, it's likely that we see the larger bottle and fill it up a little higher, then offer it to the baby multiple times until it is all finished. But this behavior is not helping the child to develop essential cues relating to feelings of satiety while eating, which can lead to a lifetime of overeating and obesity.
While the best way to avoid this problem is by breastfeeding, which also offers substantial health benefits, if you are bottle feeding your baby, you must make a conscious effort not to overfeed. Save the larger bottles for when your child gets bigger and needs more formula to be satisfied. Invest in a few small bottles to ensure you are feeding the size and weight-appropriate amount. And resist the temptation to entice your little one to finish a bottle if he or she has pulled away--these are very important signals to respect.
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Soothing & Healing Benefits of Marshmallow Root
When you think of the name marshmallow root, your mind is probably conjuring up images of fluffy sugary treats perfect for s'mores and hot cocoa. In fact, you may find it hard to believe that anything responsible for this sugary treat could actually be good for you. However, there's not much room for doubt about a plant's healing capabilities when its Greek name, Althea, literally means "to heal."
While our current form of commercially available marshmallows no longer contains any actual marshmallow root, it originally did. But our ancestors knew there was much more to this plant than the potential for a fluffy white snack food. Even the Greek physician Hippocrates claimed that the marshmallow root was of great use to effectively heal wounds.
In ancient times, the marshmallow root was used to treat a variety of ailments and conditions. It was used for healing bruises and burns and to help soothe muscle aches, sprains, and inflammation. It was also believed to have immune boosting properties. During the Middle Ages, the sap of the plant was commonly used in tea form to help soothe colds and sore throats.
Today, marshmallow root is still being used for many of these conditions, in addition to some new ones as well. Its highest medicinal acclaim is as a demulcent. A demulcent is an agent that forms a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane. For this reason, it is often used to help relieve sore throats and reduce dry coughing. This soothing effect can help the inflamed and irritated tissues of not only the respiratory organs, but also of the digestive tract and urinary organs. The relief it can provide in the intestinal tract is one of the reasons you'll find it as a key ingredient in Jon Barron's herbal colon detoxifier.
The root is also said to help increase the secretion and flow of urine, and it is considered to be a good diuretic. For this reason, it can aid in the passage of kidney stones, while also minimizing discomfort. Marshmallow root is also used in combination with other diuretic herbs for kidney treatments which assist in the release of gravel and stones. It works very well for urinary problems and is an essential ingredient for any natural kidney care formula such as Jon Barron's KGP Flush.
In addition, marshmallow root includes factors that combine with and eliminate toxins, helping the body to cleanse. This makes marshmallow an excellent herb to add to other formulas to help neutralize toxins that are the causative factors of everything from inflammation to arthritis. For this reason, it is often used to help fight infections.
Even more, marshmallow root holds promise in helping to relieve asthma symptoms and helping with blood sugar management for diabetes patients.
This herb has helpful topical applications as well, including:
While our current form of commercially available marshmallows no longer contains any actual marshmallow root, it originally did. But our ancestors knew there was much more to this plant than the potential for a fluffy white snack food. Even the Greek physician Hippocrates claimed that the marshmallow root was of great use to effectively heal wounds.
In ancient times, the marshmallow root was used to treat a variety of ailments and conditions. It was used for healing bruises and burns and to help soothe muscle aches, sprains, and inflammation. It was also believed to have immune boosting properties. During the Middle Ages, the sap of the plant was commonly used in tea form to help soothe colds and sore throats.
Today, marshmallow root is still being used for many of these conditions, in addition to some new ones as well. Its highest medicinal acclaim is as a demulcent. A demulcent is an agent that forms a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane. For this reason, it is often used to help relieve sore throats and reduce dry coughing. This soothing effect can help the inflamed and irritated tissues of not only the respiratory organs, but also of the digestive tract and urinary organs. The relief it can provide in the intestinal tract is one of the reasons you'll find it as a key ingredient in Jon Barron's herbal colon detoxifier.
The root is also said to help increase the secretion and flow of urine, and it is considered to be a good diuretic. For this reason, it can aid in the passage of kidney stones, while also minimizing discomfort. Marshmallow root is also used in combination with other diuretic herbs for kidney treatments which assist in the release of gravel and stones. It works very well for urinary problems and is an essential ingredient for any natural kidney care formula such as Jon Barron's KGP Flush.
In addition, marshmallow root includes factors that combine with and eliminate toxins, helping the body to cleanse. This makes marshmallow an excellent herb to add to other formulas to help neutralize toxins that are the causative factors of everything from inflammation to arthritis. For this reason, it is often used to help fight infections.
Even more, marshmallow root holds promise in helping to relieve asthma symptoms and helping with blood sugar management for diabetes patients.
This herb has helpful topical applications as well, including:
- Insect bites
- Abscesses
- Skin ulcers
- Burns
- Chapped lips
- Hair detangler
When used by herbalists, marshmallow root is often in the form of a tea or a cold infusion (essentially, a tea made with cold water). The infusion is then used to treat common ailments in a variety of ways, from mouth and skin washes to home remedies for heartburn, ulcers, colds, flu, and urinary infections.
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Final Thoughts: Does Healing Energy Work?
"As you will note, I have avoided making specific recommendations concerning the use of healing energy. That was deliberate, because there are so many enhanced products, patches, pendants, and supplements now that it’s impossible to evaluate them all. I’d rather arm you with information that you can use to evaluate a product or device on your own and make a reasoned assessment. Ultimately, the only relevant question is, “Does it work for you?” If it works for you, then it doesn’t matter what I tell you, or for that matter, what your doctor tells you.
And just a note on the placebo effect, which is what most medical researchers ascribe to healing energy devices and techniques. If it comes down to it, which would you rather use—a placebo that costs you pennies and that convinced your mind to heal your body of cancer or a chemotherapy drug, backed by volumes of clinical testing, that costs you thousands of dollars and that in your case didn’t work, made you feel terrible in the process, and ultimately killed you? With one, you’d be a sucker that was healed; with the other, a dead rational being. An interesting choice, yes? Amazingly, I know many in the medical community who would choose the latter—at least for you."
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And just a note on the placebo effect, which is what most medical researchers ascribe to healing energy devices and techniques. If it comes down to it, which would you rather use—a placebo that costs you pennies and that convinced your mind to heal your body of cancer or a chemotherapy drug, backed by volumes of clinical testing, that costs you thousands of dollars and that in your case didn’t work, made you feel terrible in the process, and ultimately killed you? With one, you’d be a sucker that was healed; with the other, a dead rational being. An interesting choice, yes? Amazingly, I know many in the medical community who would choose the latter—at least for you."
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Carpal Tunnel Relief Through Electroacupuncture
To put it bluntly, carpal tunnel syndrome stinks. It may not be a dangerous or deadly condition, but the chronic pain and limited functionality it causes in your hand can lead to a lot of frustration and curtailing of daily activities in many cases. But now there is some good news for carpal tunnel sufferers. New research suggests that electroacupuncture may be a safe, effective form of treatment.
The study, which was conducted at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, found that sessions of electroacupuncture improve symptoms in patients with mild to moderate cases of carpal tunnel syndrome when used in combination with splinting. The subjects were 181 men and women with a mean age of 51 who had all been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the median nerve going through the wrist becomes compressed, causing weakness, numbness, and pain.
They were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated with nighttime splinting only, which involves wearing a brace to immobilize the wrist and prevent it from flexing. The second group was treated with nighttime splinting in addition to 13 sessions of electroacupuncture. The trial lasted for a period of 17 weeks, and 174 of the participants stuck with it through its completion. The volunteers who were provided with electroacupuncture reported that their symptoms lessened in severity and they were experiencing less disability as well as greater function and more dexterity compared to those who were only using splinting.
Unfortunately, this method of testing based on the subjects acknowledging improvements or lack thereof is not really quantifiable and is very subjective. We gain no knowledge as to what extent the participants in either group could better perform daily activities or experience a greater level of functionality. There was also no sham treatment used as a control, leaving open the question of whether a placebo effect occurred at least to some degree.
That being said, the results showed notable improvements in the participants receiving electroacupuncture versus their counterparts who simply used splinting. If the volunteers were reporting fewer symptoms and a greater ability to do more with the affected hand, then we have to consider the electroacupuncture successful even if we can't measure it precisely. And it makes sense that it could be effective since carpal tunnel is a chronic condition, and in Chinese medicine, electroacupuncture is considered to be particularly useful for treating issues of chronic pain.
Electroacupuncture uses the same principles as traditional acupuncture involving the insertion of needles in very specific points on the body to alter qi (chi) and treat a range of problems, but it differs in that the needles deliver a low voltage dose of electricity to enhance the effect. It is not recommended for women who may be pregnant and anyone with seizures, epilepsy, bleeding disorders, or heart problems. However, it is generally a very safe procedure with low risk of adverse effects, and the complications that it may produce are typically very minor including bruising and occasionally dizziness.
These mild potential side effects are likely worth the risk to diminish the discomfort and loss of function that are usually hallmarks of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially since they are often aggravated on a regular basis by performing repetitive everyday tasks such as using a computer keyboard and writing. Electroacupuncture also presents a safer, more appealing option than some of the other medical treatments that may be suggested.
Many doctors will offer steroid shots to the area to provide temporary relief by reducing the swelling that is compressing the nerve. The downside of this is that steroid injections are associated with such complications as nerve damage, bone death, joint infection, and rupture of tendons. Plus it only gives patients short-term relief since it addresses symptoms instead of the cause. If the carpal tunnel is not improving despite the use of a splint and steroid injections, surgery will typically be recommended next. The procedure--one of the most common operations in the United States--involves cutting tissue within the wrist to relieve the pinched nerve, but comes with its own set of risks including adverse reaction to anesthesia, infections, nerve damage, continued pain and stiffness, and loss of wrist strength. In addition, the results may not be permanent and the carpal tunnel syndrome can still recur.
So if this condition has been plaguing you, it is probably in your best interest to give electroacupuncture a try. It has been shown to improve symptoms in other chronic conditions. A 2016 study at Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana in Iztapalapa, Mexico found electroacupuncture to improve the health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. Just contact an organization like the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to find an affiliated practitioner in your area. And of course, you also have the option of using an herbal deep tissue oil that can, in a few seconds, help relieve the inflammation that presents the underlying cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
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The study, which was conducted at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, found that sessions of electroacupuncture improve symptoms in patients with mild to moderate cases of carpal tunnel syndrome when used in combination with splinting. The subjects were 181 men and women with a mean age of 51 who had all been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the median nerve going through the wrist becomes compressed, causing weakness, numbness, and pain.
They were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated with nighttime splinting only, which involves wearing a brace to immobilize the wrist and prevent it from flexing. The second group was treated with nighttime splinting in addition to 13 sessions of electroacupuncture. The trial lasted for a period of 17 weeks, and 174 of the participants stuck with it through its completion. The volunteers who were provided with electroacupuncture reported that their symptoms lessened in severity and they were experiencing less disability as well as greater function and more dexterity compared to those who were only using splinting.
Unfortunately, this method of testing based on the subjects acknowledging improvements or lack thereof is not really quantifiable and is very subjective. We gain no knowledge as to what extent the participants in either group could better perform daily activities or experience a greater level of functionality. There was also no sham treatment used as a control, leaving open the question of whether a placebo effect occurred at least to some degree.
That being said, the results showed notable improvements in the participants receiving electroacupuncture versus their counterparts who simply used splinting. If the volunteers were reporting fewer symptoms and a greater ability to do more with the affected hand, then we have to consider the electroacupuncture successful even if we can't measure it precisely. And it makes sense that it could be effective since carpal tunnel is a chronic condition, and in Chinese medicine, electroacupuncture is considered to be particularly useful for treating issues of chronic pain.
Electroacupuncture uses the same principles as traditional acupuncture involving the insertion of needles in very specific points on the body to alter qi (chi) and treat a range of problems, but it differs in that the needles deliver a low voltage dose of electricity to enhance the effect. It is not recommended for women who may be pregnant and anyone with seizures, epilepsy, bleeding disorders, or heart problems. However, it is generally a very safe procedure with low risk of adverse effects, and the complications that it may produce are typically very minor including bruising and occasionally dizziness.
These mild potential side effects are likely worth the risk to diminish the discomfort and loss of function that are usually hallmarks of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially since they are often aggravated on a regular basis by performing repetitive everyday tasks such as using a computer keyboard and writing. Electroacupuncture also presents a safer, more appealing option than some of the other medical treatments that may be suggested.
Many doctors will offer steroid shots to the area to provide temporary relief by reducing the swelling that is compressing the nerve. The downside of this is that steroid injections are associated with such complications as nerve damage, bone death, joint infection, and rupture of tendons. Plus it only gives patients short-term relief since it addresses symptoms instead of the cause. If the carpal tunnel is not improving despite the use of a splint and steroid injections, surgery will typically be recommended next. The procedure--one of the most common operations in the United States--involves cutting tissue within the wrist to relieve the pinched nerve, but comes with its own set of risks including adverse reaction to anesthesia, infections, nerve damage, continued pain and stiffness, and loss of wrist strength. In addition, the results may not be permanent and the carpal tunnel syndrome can still recur.
So if this condition has been plaguing you, it is probably in your best interest to give electroacupuncture a try. It has been shown to improve symptoms in other chronic conditions. A 2016 study at Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana in Iztapalapa, Mexico found electroacupuncture to improve the health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. Just contact an organization like the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to find an affiliated practitioner in your area. And of course, you also have the option of using an herbal deep tissue oil that can, in a few seconds, help relieve the inflammation that presents the underlying cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
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New Health Tech: Using Drones For Organ Delivery
Drones are big business these days. The FAA projects that 2.5 million of the unmanned aircraft will be sold in the US by the end of the year, with profits topping $8 billion. By 2020, projections show seven million in circulation, with commensurate revenues. More than half of those drones belong to home hobbyists who enjoy flying the things for fun. The rest are owned by industry and the government.
In spite of burgeoning sales, drones remain a controversial technology. Many argue that they're unsafe and can be used for unethical purposes. They can cause plane accidents, run wild and hit pedestrians, be used for unsavory purposes such as drug delivery, become illegal spying machines, be used to efficiently commit murder. On the other hand, they can be employed for positive purposes, particularly in the realm of healthcare.
To prove that point, the United Arab Emirates initiated an annual contest in 2015 dubbed ‘Drones for Good,' with a $1 million cash prize for the best drone proposal. The contest literature states, "The UAE Drones for Good Award is dedicated to transforming the innovative technologies behind civilian drones into practical, realizable solutions for improving people's lives today." Of the 800 entrants from 57 countries the first year, 20 finalists were chosen. Their ideas included health-related applications such as guide-drones for blind people, anti-malarial drones to target mosquitos, and drones for delivering organs to people in need of transplants.
The organ-delivery idea, developed by four engineering grad students at the University of A Coruna in Spain, grew out of the fact that getting donor organs to people in need in a timely fashion is a real problem, because organs don't remain viable for more than a few hours. They must be transplanted soon after harvesting, or they become useless. For instance, a donor heart only lasts from four to six hours, meaning that if the donor and recipient aren't in the same hospital, delivery by current methods usually isn't fast enough. Even if the recipient and donor are in the same city, it may be impossible to get donor organs from one hospital to another fast enough when traffic isn't moving. This has proven to be problematic particularly in places like India, where overcrowding in cities can lead to stopped traffic that lasts for hours.
The organ-delivery scheme didn't win the million-dollar prize, but it piqued the interest of the Chinese company Ehang, which saw the commercial potential and drew up fast plans to manufacture medical transport drones. Shortly thereafter, the US company Lung Biotechnology (a subsidiary of United Therapeutics), ordered 1000 of the things to be put in use over the next 15 years, pending FAA approval. The plan is for Lung Technology to grow transplantable organs in pigs, and then to use the drones to deliver them.
The thing is, the pig organ-growing facility doesn't exist at present. There's also the fact that the FAA needs to approve the drones once they're ready, and the Food and Drug Administration needs to approve the non-existent pig-organ harvesting operation, which explains the 15-year timetable. They might need even more time given the probability that there will be some controversy about whether it's okay to use pig parts in humans or to breed pigs specifically for that purpose by injecting pig embryos with human stem cells. Such concerns don't seem to be deterring the entrepreneurs, however.
According to the Ehang company, "[We plan] to station the MOTH rotorcrafts outside of the organ manufacturing facilities, and to use preprogrammed flight plans to hospitals and recharging pads within the MOTH radius so that the manufactured organs can be delivered within their post-production window of viability."
The drones are specially fitted for carrying organs, with a weight under 44 pounds and flight speed averaging around 56 miles per hour. They also have an ultra-lightweight cooling mechanism to ensure that organs are kept beneath 39 degrees Fahrenheit, which is essential. Most cooling methods, including ice, would add too much weight, but the fancy engineering required plus the sophisticated navigation system drive up the price-tag. The cost for two drones plus a base station, piloting consoles, 45 containers for carrying organs, staff training, and sanitation supplies using ultraviolet radiation, will be around $2.7 million.
While Ehang and Lung Biotechnology hash out their plans, other groups are sponsoring contests to find useful ways to put drones to healthcare work, with one offering $117,000 for a design that will offer "a solution to transport urgent, medical content to people and places that are traditionally difficult to reach." It's estimated that about two billion people across the globe can't get needed medical products because they live in remote areas, and that leads to the death of at least three million children under age five annually.
Some companies have already started using drones to drop medical supplies to rural areas. For instance, the California start-up Zipline International is instituting plans to deliver blood to transfusion clinics across Rwanda. In Haiti, Doctors Without Borders ran a test delivering dummy TB samples by drone. And in the US, the first FAA-approved drone delivery of medical supplies happened last year in rural Virginia. Matthew Sweeney, who is the CEO of the drone company involved said, "In this area, we had 3,000 people camping out for medical care in cars, blocking single-lane roads on the way to the medical clinic. In circumstances with traffic congestion like this, or over rugged terrain, or in emergency scenarios like Katrina, drone delivery provides the fastest and most reliable method of delivery of emergency supplies."
Stepping back from Sweeney's comments, one might wonder at a world where on the one hand, technology has advanced to a place where drones will be flying supplies to exactly the right spot, while on the other hand, 3000 people in a community are so desperate for medical care that they're car camping to get help. The takeaway here might be that healthcare gravitates to where the money is, and right now, drones seem poised to be the next big (profitable) thing--not to undervalue their potential usefulness in crisis situations. On the other hand, it should be noted that some of the areas that are initially being targeted for medical service by drones--Rwanda, Haiti, etc.--are among the poorest and most remote areas on the planet. Such is the paradox of technology.
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In spite of burgeoning sales, drones remain a controversial technology. Many argue that they're unsafe and can be used for unethical purposes. They can cause plane accidents, run wild and hit pedestrians, be used for unsavory purposes such as drug delivery, become illegal spying machines, be used to efficiently commit murder. On the other hand, they can be employed for positive purposes, particularly in the realm of healthcare.
To prove that point, the United Arab Emirates initiated an annual contest in 2015 dubbed ‘Drones for Good,' with a $1 million cash prize for the best drone proposal. The contest literature states, "The UAE Drones for Good Award is dedicated to transforming the innovative technologies behind civilian drones into practical, realizable solutions for improving people's lives today." Of the 800 entrants from 57 countries the first year, 20 finalists were chosen. Their ideas included health-related applications such as guide-drones for blind people, anti-malarial drones to target mosquitos, and drones for delivering organs to people in need of transplants.
The organ-delivery idea, developed by four engineering grad students at the University of A Coruna in Spain, grew out of the fact that getting donor organs to people in need in a timely fashion is a real problem, because organs don't remain viable for more than a few hours. They must be transplanted soon after harvesting, or they become useless. For instance, a donor heart only lasts from four to six hours, meaning that if the donor and recipient aren't in the same hospital, delivery by current methods usually isn't fast enough. Even if the recipient and donor are in the same city, it may be impossible to get donor organs from one hospital to another fast enough when traffic isn't moving. This has proven to be problematic particularly in places like India, where overcrowding in cities can lead to stopped traffic that lasts for hours.
The organ-delivery scheme didn't win the million-dollar prize, but it piqued the interest of the Chinese company Ehang, which saw the commercial potential and drew up fast plans to manufacture medical transport drones. Shortly thereafter, the US company Lung Biotechnology (a subsidiary of United Therapeutics), ordered 1000 of the things to be put in use over the next 15 years, pending FAA approval. The plan is for Lung Technology to grow transplantable organs in pigs, and then to use the drones to deliver them.
The thing is, the pig organ-growing facility doesn't exist at present. There's also the fact that the FAA needs to approve the drones once they're ready, and the Food and Drug Administration needs to approve the non-existent pig-organ harvesting operation, which explains the 15-year timetable. They might need even more time given the probability that there will be some controversy about whether it's okay to use pig parts in humans or to breed pigs specifically for that purpose by injecting pig embryos with human stem cells. Such concerns don't seem to be deterring the entrepreneurs, however.
According to the Ehang company, "[We plan] to station the MOTH rotorcrafts outside of the organ manufacturing facilities, and to use preprogrammed flight plans to hospitals and recharging pads within the MOTH radius so that the manufactured organs can be delivered within their post-production window of viability."
The drones are specially fitted for carrying organs, with a weight under 44 pounds and flight speed averaging around 56 miles per hour. They also have an ultra-lightweight cooling mechanism to ensure that organs are kept beneath 39 degrees Fahrenheit, which is essential. Most cooling methods, including ice, would add too much weight, but the fancy engineering required plus the sophisticated navigation system drive up the price-tag. The cost for two drones plus a base station, piloting consoles, 45 containers for carrying organs, staff training, and sanitation supplies using ultraviolet radiation, will be around $2.7 million.
While Ehang and Lung Biotechnology hash out their plans, other groups are sponsoring contests to find useful ways to put drones to healthcare work, with one offering $117,000 for a design that will offer "a solution to transport urgent, medical content to people and places that are traditionally difficult to reach." It's estimated that about two billion people across the globe can't get needed medical products because they live in remote areas, and that leads to the death of at least three million children under age five annually.
Some companies have already started using drones to drop medical supplies to rural areas. For instance, the California start-up Zipline International is instituting plans to deliver blood to transfusion clinics across Rwanda. In Haiti, Doctors Without Borders ran a test delivering dummy TB samples by drone. And in the US, the first FAA-approved drone delivery of medical supplies happened last year in rural Virginia. Matthew Sweeney, who is the CEO of the drone company involved said, "In this area, we had 3,000 people camping out for medical care in cars, blocking single-lane roads on the way to the medical clinic. In circumstances with traffic congestion like this, or over rugged terrain, or in emergency scenarios like Katrina, drone delivery provides the fastest and most reliable method of delivery of emergency supplies."
Stepping back from Sweeney's comments, one might wonder at a world where on the one hand, technology has advanced to a place where drones will be flying supplies to exactly the right spot, while on the other hand, 3000 people in a community are so desperate for medical care that they're car camping to get help. The takeaway here might be that healthcare gravitates to where the money is, and right now, drones seem poised to be the next big (profitable) thing--not to undervalue their potential usefulness in crisis situations. On the other hand, it should be noted that some of the areas that are initially being targeted for medical service by drones--Rwanda, Haiti, etc.--are among the poorest and most remote areas on the planet. Such is the paradox of technology.
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The Natural Health Benefits of Poke Root
If you live anywhere from Maine to Texas, you may have been introduced to the poke root as a highly poisonous berry that should never be touched. In fact, before using the leaves, herbalists boil them three times, discarding the water in-between to create a dish that is referred to as "poke salad" or "polk salad." This dish gained some popularity when Elvis Presley covered the song "Polk Salad Annie," a song about the dish and the poor, rural, Southern girl who prepared it.
This plant actually goes by many names, most commonly pokeweed or nightshade. As a perennial, it can grow up to ten feet tall during the summer and then die back to its root each winter. Juice from the berries was once used to make ink and dye, and it is still used by the food industry to make red food coloring.
Besides being the subject of Southern rock songs, poke root has many other benefits and has been used by Native Americans for a myriad of conditions including as a heart stimulant, for rheumatism, arthritis, dysentery, and cancer.
The plant contains a protein called "pokeweed antiviral protein," or PAP for short that may have anti-tumor effects. It is currently being studied for its anti-cancer properties, and some studies have shown that certain formulations of PAP may be useful against some types of cancer cells that depend on hormones to grow such as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Also, according to one animal study, PAP demonstrated anti-cancer effects in rodents. Another study found that PAP, when combined with an immunotherapy drug called TP-3, holds promise as a potential treatment for advanced osteosarcomas and some soft tissue sarcomas. And some studies have found that poke may actually inhibit the expression of some cancer genes.
Maybe even more notable are the studies of the herb for use as a possible anti-HIV treatment. The plant may have certain properties that both help strengthen the immune system by interacting with the proliferating T-cells and by inhibiting production of HIV viral proteins.
Much like yellow dock root, poke root is also a powerful blood purifier and lymph cleanser, inciting and increasing the action of lymph glands throughout the entire body. In fact, you'll find it as an ingredient in Jon Barron's Blood Support formula.
The herb is especially known as an effective treatment for pain and swelling from rheumatoid arthritis. As a topical treatment, it has also been used to treat skin ulcers, sore and infected breasts, skin rashes, fungal infections like ringworm, acne, and scabies.
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This plant actually goes by many names, most commonly pokeweed or nightshade. As a perennial, it can grow up to ten feet tall during the summer and then die back to its root each winter. Juice from the berries was once used to make ink and dye, and it is still used by the food industry to make red food coloring.
Besides being the subject of Southern rock songs, poke root has many other benefits and has been used by Native Americans for a myriad of conditions including as a heart stimulant, for rheumatism, arthritis, dysentery, and cancer.
The plant contains a protein called "pokeweed antiviral protein," or PAP for short that may have anti-tumor effects. It is currently being studied for its anti-cancer properties, and some studies have shown that certain formulations of PAP may be useful against some types of cancer cells that depend on hormones to grow such as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Also, according to one animal study, PAP demonstrated anti-cancer effects in rodents. Another study found that PAP, when combined with an immunotherapy drug called TP-3, holds promise as a potential treatment for advanced osteosarcomas and some soft tissue sarcomas. And some studies have found that poke may actually inhibit the expression of some cancer genes.
Maybe even more notable are the studies of the herb for use as a possible anti-HIV treatment. The plant may have certain properties that both help strengthen the immune system by interacting with the proliferating T-cells and by inhibiting production of HIV viral proteins.
Much like yellow dock root, poke root is also a powerful blood purifier and lymph cleanser, inciting and increasing the action of lymph glands throughout the entire body. In fact, you'll find it as an ingredient in Jon Barron's Blood Support formula.
The herb is especially known as an effective treatment for pain and swelling from rheumatoid arthritis. As a topical treatment, it has also been used to treat skin ulcers, sore and infected breasts, skin rashes, fungal infections like ringworm, acne, and scabies.
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Your Thoughts & The Immune System
"For years stress and/or depression have been suspected of somehow increasing the risk of contracting numerous infectious diseases. In addition, there is mounting evidence that increased levels of stress and depression also correlate with an increased incidence of cancer. And finally, there is a strong statistical link between stress and depression and death itself. As a result, a relatively new field of research, psychoneuroimmunology, is dedicated to unlocking the connection between thoughts (i.e., our nervous systems) and the immune system.
Psychoneuroimmunology researchers have discovered several links between our thoughts and the immune system. For one, we know that when we are stressed, our bodies produce more of the stress hormone adrenaline. While it is true that adrenaline helps to mobilize the body's energy reserves, it also causes a decrease in available antibodies and a reduction in both the number and strength of lymphocytes. We have also learned that the brain is directly wired to the organs of the immune system (the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow) and that stress and depression affect their performance.
Most interesting of all is the connection between the neuropeptides produced by brain cells and the rest of the body. In much the same way that the immune system uses interleukins to communicate with itself, the brain uses the hormone-like neuropeptides to communicate with itself and the rest of the body, including the immune system. The cells of the immune system carry receptors for the various neuropeptides produced by the brain. When we are happy, for example, the brain produces one kind of neuropeptide and the cells of the immune system have specific receptors for these 'up' chemicals. Once received, these neuropeptides cause the immune system to strengthen and build. Correspondingly, when we are depressed, we produce a different set of neuropeptides and immune cells also have receptors for these 'down' communicators, whose net effect on the immune system is to shut it down.
Incidentally, this is by no means a one-way communication. The cells of the brain have receptor sites for the interleukins and interferons produced by the lymphocytes of the immune system. And it turns out that some macrophages and activated lymphocytes are capable of producing their own neuropeptides—to communicate directly with the brain in its own language. Basically, through the same two systems (the nervous system and the circulatory system) that our minds use to interact with our immune systems, our minds also connect with every organ and cell in our bodies, affecting the performance, functioning, and growth of our bones and bone marrow, glands, heart (everything from heart rate to the heart tissue itself), the walls of our veins and arteries, the functioning of individual cells, and even the very structure of our DNA. The entire body is created and run by the brain, with equal feedback from the organs and cells themselves, again through both the direct wired connections of the nervous system and the neuropeptides traveling through the circulatory system."
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Psychoneuroimmunology researchers have discovered several links between our thoughts and the immune system. For one, we know that when we are stressed, our bodies produce more of the stress hormone adrenaline. While it is true that adrenaline helps to mobilize the body's energy reserves, it also causes a decrease in available antibodies and a reduction in both the number and strength of lymphocytes. We have also learned that the brain is directly wired to the organs of the immune system (the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow) and that stress and depression affect their performance.
Most interesting of all is the connection between the neuropeptides produced by brain cells and the rest of the body. In much the same way that the immune system uses interleukins to communicate with itself, the brain uses the hormone-like neuropeptides to communicate with itself and the rest of the body, including the immune system. The cells of the immune system carry receptors for the various neuropeptides produced by the brain. When we are happy, for example, the brain produces one kind of neuropeptide and the cells of the immune system have specific receptors for these 'up' chemicals. Once received, these neuropeptides cause the immune system to strengthen and build. Correspondingly, when we are depressed, we produce a different set of neuropeptides and immune cells also have receptors for these 'down' communicators, whose net effect on the immune system is to shut it down.
Incidentally, this is by no means a one-way communication. The cells of the brain have receptor sites for the interleukins and interferons produced by the lymphocytes of the immune system. And it turns out that some macrophages and activated lymphocytes are capable of producing their own neuropeptides—to communicate directly with the brain in its own language. Basically, through the same two systems (the nervous system and the circulatory system) that our minds use to interact with our immune systems, our minds also connect with every organ and cell in our bodies, affecting the performance, functioning, and growth of our bones and bone marrow, glands, heart (everything from heart rate to the heart tissue itself), the walls of our veins and arteries, the functioning of individual cells, and even the very structure of our DNA. The entire body is created and run by the brain, with equal feedback from the organs and cells themselves, again through both the direct wired connections of the nervous system and the neuropeptides traveling through the circulatory system."
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A New Place to Check for Melanoma
Most of us are at least relatively good about making an effort to protect ourselves from skin cancer these days. We apply and reapply the sunblock when we're spending time outdoors, move into the shade after time in the direct sunlight, and wear hats and sunglasses to safeguard our eyes. Even if we don't self-check our skin all the time, we try to make it to the dermatologist for full-body exams and keep an eye on any new or suspicious moles. But chances are good there is one part of the body you are not examining for skin cancer--the soles of your feet. After all, who would ever think that it could develop in an area that almost never sees the sun? Well, according to new research, it is not only possible to get melanoma on the bottoms of your feet, but potentially very dangerous--and for a reason no one ever told you about before.
The study, which took place at the Shinshu University School of Medicine in Matsumoto, Japan, found that melanoma may develop on the soles of the feet due to stress and pressure rather than exposure to sunlight. And unfortunately, since few of us think to check the soles of our feet for irregularities, the melanoma is often in an advanced stage by the time it is discovered. The study subjects were 123 adult patients treated at Shinshu University Hospital between January 1990 and December 2014.
Each of the participants had received a diagnosis of melanoma on the soles of their feet. Their mean age was 73.5 years old. The scientists analyzed their medical records to obtain information about the cancer these individuals developed. To determine the portions of the sole most at risk, the researchers charted the locations of the melanomas. The findings showed that the vast majority develop in the parts of the sole that bear the brunt of the pressure placed on the feet from walking, such as the heel and ball of the foot, and the side of the arch. In contrast, only a handful developed in the arch itself since that is an area that bears little pressure.
To make matters worse, by the time the melanoma was diagnosed, the cancer was frequently quite advanced. Approximately one-third of the subjects--a total of 40 individuals--were found to have a melanoma one millimeter or less in thickness, which is considered stage I. The remaining two-thirds of volunteers had thicker melanomas, indicating a later stage as well as a higher risk of metastasizing.
While melanoma is fairly uncommon, comprising just one percent of all skin cancers--and even more rare on the soles of the feet--it is the most deadly form of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is expected to cause over 10,000 deaths in the U.S. this year alone, and it is actually one of the more common types of cancer found in young adults.
The current research is limited by the small number of patients included in the population sample and lack of diversity. In addition, its findings are actually not in line with the present collection of knowledge about melanoma elsewhere on the body. An association between melanoma and areas that are subject to pressure or chronic inflammation has never been made before, but that does not mean it isn't true. Another form of skin cancer, squamous cell, has been linked with these types of issues; so it's certainly possible that pressure and inflammation may similarly influence both cancers. And the soles of the feet absorb a considerable amount of pressure--as much as four times your weight when running--making them unique on your body and potentially impacted in a different way than other body parts.
Ultimately, just as it is in your best interest to perform self-checks of your skin or visit a dermatologist for examinations, it couldn't hurt to include the soles of your feet. Keep an eye out for spots or moles that are asymmetric, have jagged borders, are uneven in color, are wider than six millimeters, or experience a change in shape, color, or size. Any wound on the foot that is slow to heal or bleeds for a prolonged period may also signal a problem. Don't hesitate to make an appointment with your doctor if anything on the soles of your feet seems unusual to you.
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The study, which took place at the Shinshu University School of Medicine in Matsumoto, Japan, found that melanoma may develop on the soles of the feet due to stress and pressure rather than exposure to sunlight. And unfortunately, since few of us think to check the soles of our feet for irregularities, the melanoma is often in an advanced stage by the time it is discovered. The study subjects were 123 adult patients treated at Shinshu University Hospital between January 1990 and December 2014.
Each of the participants had received a diagnosis of melanoma on the soles of their feet. Their mean age was 73.5 years old. The scientists analyzed their medical records to obtain information about the cancer these individuals developed. To determine the portions of the sole most at risk, the researchers charted the locations of the melanomas. The findings showed that the vast majority develop in the parts of the sole that bear the brunt of the pressure placed on the feet from walking, such as the heel and ball of the foot, and the side of the arch. In contrast, only a handful developed in the arch itself since that is an area that bears little pressure.
To make matters worse, by the time the melanoma was diagnosed, the cancer was frequently quite advanced. Approximately one-third of the subjects--a total of 40 individuals--were found to have a melanoma one millimeter or less in thickness, which is considered stage I. The remaining two-thirds of volunteers had thicker melanomas, indicating a later stage as well as a higher risk of metastasizing.
While melanoma is fairly uncommon, comprising just one percent of all skin cancers--and even more rare on the soles of the feet--it is the most deadly form of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is expected to cause over 10,000 deaths in the U.S. this year alone, and it is actually one of the more common types of cancer found in young adults.
The current research is limited by the small number of patients included in the population sample and lack of diversity. In addition, its findings are actually not in line with the present collection of knowledge about melanoma elsewhere on the body. An association between melanoma and areas that are subject to pressure or chronic inflammation has never been made before, but that does not mean it isn't true. Another form of skin cancer, squamous cell, has been linked with these types of issues; so it's certainly possible that pressure and inflammation may similarly influence both cancers. And the soles of the feet absorb a considerable amount of pressure--as much as four times your weight when running--making them unique on your body and potentially impacted in a different way than other body parts.
Ultimately, just as it is in your best interest to perform self-checks of your skin or visit a dermatologist for examinations, it couldn't hurt to include the soles of your feet. Keep an eye out for spots or moles that are asymmetric, have jagged borders, are uneven in color, are wider than six millimeters, or experience a change in shape, color, or size. Any wound on the foot that is slow to heal or bleeds for a prolonged period may also signal a problem. Don't hesitate to make an appointment with your doctor if anything on the soles of your feet seems unusual to you.
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