Health news blog

A. L-AsparaginaseL-Asparaginase can result in fatty metamorphosis.Liver enzyme abnormalities may be reversible while continuing therapy.Stop therapy for grade 3 or greater liver toxicity; resume at grade 2.B. 6-Mercaptopurine and 6-Thioguanine6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) or 6-thioguanine (6-TG) can resultin cholestasis.Stop if toxicity is grade 3 or greater.Rule out viral hepatitis, Gilbert disease, or tumor effect.If drugs are the cause of liver toxicity, restart at 50% dose when the toxicity decreases to grade 2.If grade 3 or greater toxicity persists, it may be necessary to perform a liver biopsy to determine the histologic extent of the disease and whether 6-MP/6-TG can be restarted.C. MethotrexateMethotrexate can result in fibrosis and cirrhosis.1. There does not appear to be a need to modify the dosage in patients with preexisting liver damage, other than to consider whether the patient can tolerate the potential additional hepatic dysfunction induced by methotrexate.Stop if toxicity is grade 3 or greater.Rule out viral hepatitis, Gilbert disease, or drug effect.If the drug is the cause of liver toxicity, restart at 50% dose when toxicity decreases to grade 2.If grade 3 or greater toxicity persists, it may be necessary to perform a liver biopsy to determine the histologic extent of the disease and whether methotrexate can be restarted.D. Carmustine and lomustineBCNU and CCNU can result in increased liver enzymes.Stop if toxicity is grade 3 or greater.Rule out viral hepatitis or tumor effect.If drugs are the cause, restart at 50% dose when the toxicity decreases to grade 1.If grade 3 or greater toxicity persists, it may be necessary to perform a liver biopsy to determine the histologic extent of the disease and whether BCNU/CCNU can be restarted.*37\168\2*

The specific goals of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the treatment of binge-eating disorder are to:• Normalize your eating schedule• Increase your awareness of what and why you are eating• Train you to eat “forbidden” foods occasionally and in moderation• Break your pattern of all-or-nothing, perfectionistic thinking in relation to food• Improve your self-esteem and body image• Develop alternative ways to deal with emotional distressI have been studying the problems of obesity and binge eating for almost 25 years. In that time, I have found that the most efficient way to accomplish the goals of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is through a concept known as Mindful Eating. Before we begin your treatment program, I will explain how mindful eating can help you change your eating patterns forever.*62\358\8*

Few of us have escaped the nagging headache that can accompany a cold or other infection. Headache is only one of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with infections, but head pain may be so severe that medical attention for the headache itself becomes necessary.     The exact mechanism by which an infection throughout the body and the accompanying fever cause headache is not fully understood. It is likely that the head pain is due to either or both the inflammation of sensitive structures or the dilation of the blood vessels that invariably occurs when the body temperature goes up.     Blood vessel dilation develops automatically during fever and is nature’s way of cooling the body by transferring some blood from internal regions to the skin, where it is exposed to air and thus cooled. The headache due to fever may resemble migraine because both are related to blood vessel dilation. The pain is often pounding, frequently hurts behind the eyes, and is aggravated by a sudden change in position, particularly bending over.     A headache that comes as part of a generalized infection and fever may be successfully treated by reducing the fever with medications like aspirin and acetaminophen or by resorting to a variety of home remedies such as cool baths or alcohol rubs. Aspirin and acetaminophen, of course, have both pain-relieving and temperature-lowering properties. Aspirin is best in this situation, however, because it has an ability to reduce inflammation which acetaminophen lacks.
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Most men in our community are destined to develop receding hair lines. This is entirely genetically determined, and is not related to vitamin deficiency. Most people don’t realize that balding generally starts in the late teens or early twenties, rather than in middle age. It is not uncommon to hear boys in late teenage life complaining that their hair is thinning and they may blame this on shampoos, diet and various other irrelevant factors. There are many clinics in Australia promoting cures for baldness. Unfortunately, many naive young men have parted with thousands of dollars for nothing more than wishful thinking. It is advisable to thoroughly investigate the claims of so-called ‘professionals’ before parting with your money, and if possible speak to men who have already undergone the treatments. If such ‘cures’ really work, their promoters should not be averse to you doing this.There is no real preventative measure for this genetic process. Although many hair care products promise thicker hair, there is no special shampoo, tonic or vitamin preparation that will alter the process.A great deal of interest has recently focused around a new preparation called Minoxidil (Rogaine). This product does decrease hair fall and stimulate hair growth, although this usually takes one to two years. It is a very expensive preparation, but at the same time is the only one currently available which at least shows some definite benefit. Minoxidil appears to be safe, with no known side effects.
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• The relief of anxiety may greatly lessen pain.     Anxiety is a normal and universal emotion. As with depression, the distinction of abnormal anxiety in patients with physical illness is poorly defined. The clinical features and signs of anxiety are numerous. Patients with cancer may have fears relating to the uncertainty of the future, to bodily dysfunction, unrelieved pain or other symptoms, or it may be the fear of death itself. Panic attacks can occur which consist of sudden, unpredictable attacks of intense fear and physical discomfort, usually lasting 15 to 20 minutes.     Normal anxiety-Anxiety occurs normally in response to the stress and crises associated with cancer and its treatment. These episodes settle with time and general supportive care.     Adjustment disorder-reactive anxiety. Anxiety lasting longer than expected (more than 7 to 14 days) or exceeding the level regarded as normal and adaptive, may be classified as an adjustment disorder. Reactive anxiety follows a defined incident or stress and depressive symptoms frequently coexist.     Organic anxiety syndromes-In patients with cancer, anxiety can occur secondary to other medical problems.     Anxiety disorders-Generalised anxiety, panic disorders and various phobias may be precipitated or aggravated by cancer or its treatment. These patients have more severe and disabling symptoms which appear inappropriate and out of proportion to the medical situation. A generalised anxiety disorder is characterised by chronic unrealistic worries with autonomic hyperactivity, apprehension and hypervigilance.     Treatment-Patients with normal anxiety responses simply require good supportive care. Temporary use of a hypnotic at night and an anxiolytic by day is appropriate if the symptoms are severe. Brief supportive psychotherapy is frequently beneficial. Behavioural techniques including distraction, relaxation therapy and stress management techniques will help some patients. If significant depression is present, an antidepressant should be considered.     Benzodiazepines are the drugs used most frequently to treat anxiety. Drugs with short and intermediate half-lives (alprazolam, lorazepam, oxazepam) are preferred to longer acting drugs such as diazepam. Lorazepam has the advantage that it can be given sublingually. Midazolam can be given subcutaneously and can be included in a subcutaneous infusion with morphine.*80\55\2*

Note: do not follow these diets if they conflict with instructions from your medical practitioner.Plan OneThe Common-Sense Approach: For People who are Overweight or Normal Weight for their Height and Build.Your aims:1 to cut down the Candida’s food2 to build up the immune systemRemember: your loss is also the Candida’s lossCUT OUT OR RESTRICT:• Bread: one wholemeal slice daily• All food and drinks containing sugar• All refined cereal products such as white bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, cakes• Sweets, chocolate, ice cream, soft drinks• Alcohol• Foods containing yeast such as cheese, particularly blue cheese, and vinegar• Citrus fruits or drinks containing citric acid• Any vitamin preparations containing yeast, particularly brewer’s yeast.(You can use brewer’s yeast powder or tablets to help you determine whether or not you have a Candida problem. Take it for three or four days and if you have not developed an itchy rectum, bloated or uncomfortable abdomen, diarrhoea, rashes or insomnia, then it is unlikely you have a Candida overgrowth.)EAT:• Lots of vegetables, particularly green vegetables, salads and garlic• Fish, meat, poultry• Plain live yoghurt, cottage cheese• Lentils, peas, chick peas, beans, nuts, seeds, buckwheat, and all whole grains• Rice, oats, barley and millet• Peeled fruit (the bloom on the skin of fruit is fungus), limited to two pieces per day*72\326\8*

Nitric oxide is a molecule derived from the amino acid arginine that has been discovered in recent years to have myriad functions in the human body. More than 10,000 articles have been published in peer-reviewed medical journals in the past ten years on nitric oxide, which acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, a targeted chemical in the immune system, and a messenger molecule throughout the body. Altered nitric oxide function has been implicated in diseases ranging from cancer to AIDS to heart disease and hypertension.Nitric oxide is released by the endothelial cells lining the arteries and arterioles. Although its effects are short-lived, nitric oxide is one of the most powerful vasodilators known. By relaxing the smooth muscles and thus increasing the diameter of the blood vessels, nitric oxide is a principal regulator of blood pressure. It is also a player in atherosclerosis, the stiffening and narrowing of arterial walls, as it protects the arteries by preventing the adhesion of platelets and white blood cells. Conversely, arteries that have been damaged by atherosclerosis have impaired synthesis of nitric oxide. In addition, nitric oxide has powerful antioxidant activity. Therefore, this substance plays multiple roles in hypertension.*14/313/5*

SUCKLE stands for the soul quality of adaptability. In positive Honeysuckle state the person is adaptable to change in circumstances, change in conditions and does not find himself stuck up in the memories of the past when the present calls for action due to change of circumstances. Not that he washes his hands clear of his past life or his past experiences. He remembers them alright, and makes use of his past experiences for the benefit of the future—he does not repeat the mistakes for which he suffered; he does not trust the “friends” who betrayed him and does not ignore those who were sincere to him. He has a rational mind. He understands that “change’ is the very essence of life. It is only the dead who do not face any change except decay. They adapt themselves to the present-day changed circumstances and keep on moving towards then destiny guided by their Higher Self.*120\308\8*

Every knee patient should have an X ray, a photographic image of inside the body. X rays are important for several reasons. First, they help to rule out other conditions such as tumors or fractures. In fact, there are several reported cases of people being treated for knee problems who in reality had tumors that went undiagnosed because they had never been X rayed. Second, because X rays provide a good view of large bones, they are excellent for diagnosing alignment problems and detailing later stages of arthritis. If the joint spaces are abnormally small, that is, if the bones are too close together, it’s a good indication that the articular cartilage is worn away and the patient is arthritic.In order for an X ray to be useful, however, it must be taken correctly, and that’s easier said than done. Many of the X rays I see are incomplete, especially those that are taken in an emergency room. Very often, they show only one or at most two views of the knee, and that simply does not offer enough information to make an intelligent diagnosis. A good set of knee X rays should include several views of the knee in various positions, extended and flexed, from the front, side, and back. In addition, in the case of an older person who might be arthritic, the X ray should be taken standing up. If the patient is sitting or lying down, the joint spaces could look normal, and only when the person is standing will the joint spaces narrow.If you are getting an X ray and the technician only takes one or two views, I think it’s a sign that something is not being done correctly. In many cases—especially if the X ray is being done in a hectic emergency room—the technician may be cutting corners or he simply may not know the right way to X ray a knee. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Ask to see an orthopedist, or at the very least say, “If you’re concerned enough to order an X ray of my knee, I want it read by a radiologist or an orthopedist.” In reality, the orthopedist is quite often more informed than a radiologist who does not have a primary interest in orthopedic radiology.X rays are good for looking at bones, but they are unable to provide a good view of soft tissue, such as ligaments and muscles. If your doctor feels that your problem is not bone related and she is unable to diagnose it with a thorough physical examination, she may order additional tests.In a bone scan, a radioactive material is injected into the bloodstream and the patient is placed on a board in a scanner—a long narrow tube—and must lie still for about 30 minutes as the scanner “picks up” the radioactive material at the appropriate sites. Some of the newer scanning machines are open and slowly move over the patient. As the radioactive material travels through the blood, the physician can scan the phases of the blood flow. From this test, the physician can see how the blood pools in any particular area as contrasted to normal values. Changes in the normal values may be indicative of infection, avascular necrosis, or some bone tumors.*14\185\2*

Please believe it. You do have diabetes. And you will have diabetes for the rest of your life.Your doctor has measured your blood glucose levels and has found they are above the normal range for healthy adults of your age.An above-normal blood glucose level is a sure sign your body is not functioning properly. This particular defect in function has been labeled by medical experts as Type II, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.This condition is also called adult-onset diabetes, maturity-onset diabetes, or NIDDM (for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus).There is another type of diabetes mellitus called Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes, juvenile diabetes, youth-onset diabetes, or IDDM. There is also a disease called diabetes insipidus, which has no relationship to the kind of diabetes you have.No doubt you would like to know more about the defect in function within your body that has led to your having diabetes.Here, in brief, is what is wrong.Your body’s cells use glucose (sugar) as fuel to maintain life and to function. Just as your car requires petrol to work, your body’s cells require glucose in order to function. When your car’s petrol tank is empty your car doesn’t move. And without glucose, your body’s cells can’t work and the organs can’t operate.You provide glucose for your body by eating food. Most of the food you eat is processed in your digestive tract and converted into glucose – whether that food starts out as carbohydrate, protein or fat.This conversion of glucose happens during digestion and at different speeds, depending on whether the food is simple carbohydrate, complex carbohydrate, protein or fat. A simple carbohydrate is converted to glucose quickly. A complex carbohydrate takes longer, a protein even longer. (Fat does not convert to glucose, but is converted to “fuel” your fat stores.)Glucose exits the digestive tract and then enters the bloodstream, where it is carried, along with other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, to all of the cells in your body.For the glucose to leave the bloodstream and enter the cells, where it is burned as fuel, your body needs a substance called insulin. Insulin is a protein hormone made by special cells in the pancreas. When you have the proper balance of insulin and glucose, everything in your body works well.Some people with type II diabetes don’t produce enough insulin. Others produce enough insulin but, for a number of reasons, this insulin doesn’t work effectively to allow the glucose circulating in the bloodstream to enter the cells where it can be used as fuel.Either of these two insulin situations results in a log jam of glucose in the blood. This is what your doctor looks for when he or she measures your blood glucose levels.A quick fix for this problem would be to stop eating, thereby cutting out the addition of more glucose to the already above-normal levels in your blood. But, as you know, cutting out all food is not a practical solution to an ongoing problem such as diabetes.A short-term, medically supervised fast may be recommended for some people with diabetes, but long-term fasts are out of the question.The solution to the lack of balance between insulin and glucose requires a more practical and sophisticated approach – one that includes meal planning, exercise, monitoring of blood glucose levels and the use of anti-diabetes medications if necessary.*3/210/5*