Another Medical Breakthrough on the way... This time for the Heart!!

Hi guys..


Check out this article taken from reuters.com... Amazing what medical technology can do... 

Stem cell team aims for spare heart parts in five years

By Tan Ee Lyn

HONG KONG | Thu Aug 18, 2011 2:39am EDT

(Reuters) - Stem cell researchers in Hong Kong and the United States are trying to grow spare parts for the human heart that may be ready for tests on people within five years, they said on Thursday.

Scientists have already made basic heart muscle from stem cells, but the Hong Kong-led team wants to refine it so it can replace any part damaged in heart attacks, and to recreate the natural pacemaker, where the heartbeat originates.

"When you get a heart attack, there is a small time window for a cure when the damage is still small. You can cure with a patch, a small tissue, so you won't progress to late stage heart failure," said team leader Ronald Li, director of the University of Hong Kong's Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Consortium.

"We have the muscle strip now, but we want it to mimic what we see in the native heart better, (and) that requires engineering," Li told Reuters in an interview.

An organ or section of tissue grown from a person's stem cells can, in general, be surgically implanted only in that same person.

"There are many different types of heart cells. If cells that are responsible for electricity aren't going right, you get arrhythmias or heart rhythm disturbances. There are heart muscle cells that do mechanical heart pumping that work all the time."

The team will use approved human embryonic stem cell lines to build these human heart muscle strips, as well as the native pacemaker for people with arrhythmia, or irregular heart beat.

The team plans first to transplant these muscle strips and pacemakers into pigs, and, if successful, to move to human clinical trials where they will transplant parts of the heart that are grown using the patients' own stem cells in about five years.

"The question is whether we can put it in the heart to integrate with the recipient organ. Even if it becomes integrated, will it last?" Li said.

He added that the team chose to use pigs because porcine hearts were anatomically and functionally more similar to human hearts.

"I am hoping that at the end of the five years, we will have a number of blueprints for designing different prototypes that can be tested," he said.

Stem cells are the body's source of all cells and tissues. They can generate all the cell types of the organ from which they originate. Because of their ability to generate different types of cells, to multiply and self-renew, scientists hope to harness stem cells to treat a variety of diseases and disorders, including cancer, diabetes and injuries.

As well as the Hong Kong experts, the team will include scientists from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in the United States.

(Editing by Daniel Magnowski)

We All Brush Our Teeth... Are We Doing It Right??.. Find Out...:)

Hi Guys,


Today I am gonna share with you some pointers about brushing and choice of toothpaste.. Have you ever gone to the personal hygiene isle in a shopping mall and stood there wondering which toothpaste to buy?? or are you the kind who has one type or brand in main... goes.. picks it up and leave??.. Either way you should read this article...:)


As opposed to popular believe, firstly there is no 1 toothpaste which is far more superior than the other (unless it's meant for special use like sensitive teeth etc.). This fact is true for general toothpaste as long as it fulfills basic criterias.

These 10 facts below will assist you in choosing the right paste from now on:- 

1. Fluoride that mattersQuantity and quality of fluoride that all matter in making a toothpaste highly effective. Whatever improvised ingredients might the manufacturers say offering in their toothpastes, you need to check the existence of fluoride. You are free to check whether your paste contains ingredients for breath freshening, tartar control, and teeth whitening, but Academy of General Dentistry says one must brush her/his teeth twice daily using fluoride toothpaste in order to help stop tooth decay by at least 40 percent. “Even in areas where there is water fluoridation, the added fluoride in toothpaste has been shown to be very beneficial,” adds Caryn Loftis-Solie, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA).


2. Whitening toothpastes work better
Up to certain extent, whitening toothpastes work better. However, they can’t be compared with the professional whitening treatments to brighten your smile, as these products do not contain bleach in general. “Whitening toothpastes—like all toothpastes—contain mild abrasives to help remove surface stains on your teeth,” says Dr. Clifford Whall, PhD, director of the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance Program. “The shape of the particles used in whitening products, though, is modified to clean those stains away better, so you’ll see a noticeable difference in how your teeth look.”


3. Brushing technique is more important than the toothpaste brand
How you brush your teeth that really matter than what you use. Even if you have best quality paste and brush at your disposal, you can’t achieve noticeable improvement at your dental front, until you follow permitted ways of brushing. “To do it properly, you need to position the brush at a 45 degree angle so that you get some of the bristles in between the tooth and the gums,” says Dr. Whall. “Move the brush in small circles in those areas, and then continue on to the rest of the teeth. This process should take about one to two minutes to complete.”

4. American Dental Association gives approval after suitably examining effectiveness
Check if your about-to-buy product contains requisite seal of approval from the ADA. Cheap local products generally do not receive such approval owing to non-compliance of safety-standard norms. These non-approved products may jeopardise your dental health. “You should always look for the ADA Seal when choosing a toothpaste,” adds Dr. Whall. “Only those products have the scientific data to back up their claims and have been proven to meet our criteria for safety and effectiveness.”

5. All toothpastes contain common thickening, foaming, and adhesive elements
You will be surprised to know that all toothpastes contain very common thickening, foaming, and adhesive elements in spite of claiming to be entirely different from each other. Ingredients like detergent and seaweed are very common in all most all categories of fluoride toothpastes. Seaweed colloids, mineral colloids together with natural gums constitute common thickening agents of the toothpastes, advocates ADA. Sodium lauryl sulfate is in widespread use in toothpastes to create foaming action. ADA certifies these elements as absolutely safe and effective.

6. Pea-size amount of toothpaste is ideal
Opposing to what you believe, you actually require a very small amount of paste to clean your teeth effectively. A brush full of toothpaste merely helps you making your teeth pearl white. E. Jane Crocker, RHD, president of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association, says, “All you need is a pea-size amount of toothpaste—yes, I mean the little green vegetable!” It has been proved that a small amount of paste can only work effectively in removing one’s plaque and food debris.


7. Pastes and gels both work alike
You need not to bother about pastes or gels. They both work alike. Only thing, you can choose them as per your personal choice. There’s really no tricks work behind formulating paste or gel toothpastes. “Other than flavor, texture and how it makes a person feel, there aren’t any major differences among the various forms,” contends Crocker. “I think it comes down to personal preference, which might come through trial and error. I encourage my patients to use whichever product encourages them to brush.”

8. Organic toothpastes function even better
Most people consider organic toothpastes as inferior to the regular ones. The conception is not correct. Experts say, organic toothpastes with fluoride even work better. “Natural and organic toothpastes that include fluoride in their ingredients are as effective as regular toothpastes with fluoride,” says Crocker. These products also help you avoid artificial preservatives, dyes, and sweeteners.

9. Change brands of toothpaste and brush regularly (VERY COMMONLY DONE)
Staying within the purview of the above stated facts, you are advised not to continue with the same brands of toothpaste together with toothbrush for a prolonged period of time. Rotating paste and brush at regular interval helps avoiding perilous effects of any particular brand. It also gives you opportunity to get exposed to any improved model that come to market from time to time.

10. Use special toothpastes suiting special needs
Special needs such as brushing kids’, smokers’, and dentures teeth require special kind of toothpastes. Children often fail to spit out fluoride pastes while washing; they, hence, should be encouraged to use non-fluoride pastes. Fluoride pastes if not washed adequately may develop permanent stains. Smokers require toothpaste that can remove the stains of nicotine. Similarly, you may require special kind of toothpastes to suit your varied requirements.


Well guys... That's all for now... till our next post adios..

Benefits of Barley

Hi guys,
Barley, whose Latin name is "hordeum vulgare" , has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. Since ancient times, barley has been used for healing purposes and has been known to the Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Athletes in Greece and Rome in those days were known to eat barley bread to give them strength.

BARLEY water was always a regular drink when we were still living at home. Whenever we had to go for a medical exam that included a urine test, my mum would make us drink barley water a day before it to make sure we got a positive result!

Better yet, regular intake of it helps prevent heart disease.It's high in fibre which feeds the friendly bacteria in the colon and helps speed up the transit of fecal matter in it. In this way it helps prevent haemorrhoids and colon cancer. The propionic acid and beta glucan from barley's insoluble fibre also help lower cholesterol and prevent the formation of gallstones.

Eating barley regularly is a preventive step against heart disease as, besides the fibre content, it is also high in niacin, a B vitamin good for lowering cholesterol.

Diabetics should eat more barley as the fibre will prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high. It also provides relief from constipation or diarrhoea for those suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Barley is rich in selenium which prevents cancer and relieves symptoms of asthma and arthritis. It is a good source of manganese, copper and phosphorous.

Well that's all for today guys.. till our next post.. adios..

BEWARE OF LEFTOVER ONIONS - LEFT OVER ONIONS IS POISONOUS

Hi guys,


We all use onions practically in our everyday cooking.. For some of us who do not have all the time to cook, we tend to cut our onions, garlic etc and store it for easy usage but doing this for onions is infact not good... read this article to find out why:- 

I have used an onion which has been left in the fridge, and sometimes I don't use a whole one at one time, so save the other half for later.
Now with this info, I have changed my mind....will buy smaller onions in the future.
I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Mullins is huge, and is owned by 11 brothers and sisters in the Mullins family. My friend, Jeanne, is the CEO.

Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.
The guy who gave us our tour is named Ed. He's one of the brothers Ed is a chemistry expert and is involved in developing most of the sauce formula.  He's even developed sauce formula for McDonald's.

Keep in mind that Ed is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you.  Ed said that all commercially- made Mayo is completely safe.
"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated, there is no harm in refrigerating it but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the quaint essential picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade Mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the onions, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.
He explained, onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!)
Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy
you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.
So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I (the author) am going to be very careful about my onions from now on. For some reason, I see a lot of credibility coming from a chemist and a company that produces millions of pounds of mayonnaise every year.'
Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut onions and try to use it to cook the next day ,it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates Toxic bacteria which may cause Adverse Stomach infections because of excess Bile secretions and even Food poisoning.




Well guys.. that's all for now... till our next post.. adios..

Cucumber's Are Not Just Healthy....but........(A Must Read Guys)

Hi Guys,


Today i read a little bit more about cucumbers and oh my god.... I came across super fantastic facts about it that made me go... "Holy ******" I mean i never new any of these... This is one super fruit guys..


I will share with u guys all these details and you can see it for yourselves...

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5 Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingernails while you clean

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!


So, what you think guys.. Amazing eh??


Well that's all for now.. till our next post.. adios..

Bad Breath Buster!!!

Hi guys,


Today i am gonna give you a simple recipe to battle breath issues... We gotta face facts, no one loves to have bad breath or be around anyone who has it... try this.. it works.. 

Make a Juice with this combination - Apples, Tomato and Carrots - Use Green Apples for better effect. Consume this in the morning and have a fresh smelling breath all day.. 


This juice also has many other health benefits due to its combination.. Try this guys.. It's all good.. 


That's all for now... till our next post.. adios.. 

A New Medical Breakthrough for Breast Cancer Being Developed

Hi Guys,

Below is an article about a medical breakthrough that will be amazing for all women. Read on and lets all hope that one day this will be available to aid those battling with breast cancer:- 

Breast cancer gel shrinks tumours... and without tablets' unpleasant side-effects

By PAT HAGAN

Last updated at 11:27 PM on 5th August 2011

A breast cancer gel is being developed to shrink tumours in a development that could revolutionise treatment of the disease.

The treatment is rubbed on to the skin daily and has far fewer unpleasant side-effects than the tablet tamoxifen  – the most commonly used drug in Britain.

But it contains the same active ingredient, and concentrates it in the breast rather than dispersing it around the entire body like pills do.

Researcher Professor Seema Khan, who is testing the gel in the U.S., said: We think it may be a very good solution for women who are reluctant to take tamoxifen.

‘Delivery through the skin means there will be very little drug circulating through the bloodstream and the body.’

If the trials are successful then the treatment – called afimoxifene – could be available to British patients in  the next three to four years. 

Around 130 UK women  are diagnosed with breast  cancer every day – or 48,000  a year.

Many of them are prescribed tamoxifen to shrink their tumours before surgery or to lower the risk of the cancer returning afterwards.

The drug blocks the receptors in the breast that accept the hormone oestrogen, which is responsible for causing many types of the disease.

Recent studies show that women who take tam- oxifen for five years have far better long-term survival prospects.

Tamoxifen was developed in the UK in the 1960s and has been credited with helping reduce breast cancer deaths by 30 per cent.

But up to half of women on the drug quit before the  five years are up because  of unpleasant side-effects, which commonly include  nausea, hot flushes and weight gain.

The medicine has also been linked in rare cases to blood clots that can cause strokes and womb cancer. And it can  adversely interact with  other cancer drugs and the blood-thinning treatment warfarin.

Many women are reluctant to take Tamoxifen due to the unpleasant side effects

Tamoxifen is taken orally then broken down by the liver and circulated around the body before it reaches the breast tissue.

However afimoxifene is applied to the skin over the tumour, where it seeps into the affected cells and stays. 

Professor Khan, of Northwestern University near Chicago, said: ‘It is a way to minimise exposure to the rest of the body and concentrate the drug where it is needed.’

It is hoped afimoxifene will encourage more women to stay on the treatment for longer and so boost their chances of survival.

The current trial was set up after a study in France on 55 women showed rubbing the active ingredient of tamoxifen on the skin was just as good as tablets at slowing cancer-  tissue growth.

Women on the gel therapy had up to nine times less potentially toxic medicine in their bloodstream too.

Volunteers on the U.S. programme will either take tamoxifen tablets or use the gel for six weeks before their scheduled cancer surgery to see how much their tumours shrink by.

UK cancer charities gave  the research a cautious  welcome.  

Dr Susie Jennings of Breakthrough Breast  Cancer said: ‘It’s exciting to see alternative methods of delivering treatment being explored.

‘But it will be some time before we know if it could be used safely and effectively.’

And Dr Kat Arney of Cancer Research UK said ‘It’s not clear whether this gel can deliver the benefits of the drug with fewer side effects.
‘We’ll have to wait and see what the trial results show.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2023007/Breast-cancer-gel-shrinks-tumours--tablets-unpleasant-effects.html#ixzz1UcrmmU8N 

That's all for now guys.. till our next post.. adios..