Purple Medical Blog

HOW THROWING IN SPORTS CAN INJURE THE SHOULDER A VIDEO SOME TIPS TO PROTECT THE SHOULDER AND DOES YOUR SHOULDER HURT? MAYBE IT'S YOUR ROTATOR CUFF

2008-07-27T01:24:00.017-05:00

HOW THROWING IN SPORTS CAN INJURE THE SHOULDER A VIDEO SOME TIPS TO PROTECT THE SHOULDER AND DOES YOUR SHOULDER HURT? MAYBE IT'S YOUR ROTATOR CUFF

Watch this video as an orthropedic surgeon talks about the right and wrong way to throw. The rotator cuff helps to lift and rotate the arm. Here you can see how throwing incorrectly leads to shoulder pain and shoulder injury. James Levine is the leader of the Metropolitan Opera.He probably only throws his baton but he has a problem that is the nemesis of many a pitcher. Just ask Kerry Wood, the sometime Chicago Cubs pitcher. They both have been diagnosed with a torn shoulder rotator cuff.

Avoid Shoulder Injury When Throwing Click the Arrow

Does It Hurt When You Reach for Your Wallet

You don't have to be throwing to injure your shoulder. Does it hurt to lift your arm or reach for your wallet,literally? What is a rotator cuff anyway? If an engineer were to try to improve the architecture of the human shoulder, they would probably design something more solid to support the upper shoulder. As it is, the upper shoulder depends for stability largely on 4 muscles and their tendons which together form the "rotator cuff". A tendon is a length of tissue that anchors the muscle to a bony support. The rotator cuff helps to lift and rotate the arm.

Baseball Players and Their Shoulder Injuries In Levine's case he fell on stage in Boston tearing his rotator cuff. Most likely his arm was extended as he fell, a classic pattern for people with torn rotator cuffs. Wood also fits a pattern. Pitchers, swimmers and tennis players all have a propensity for rotator cuff injuries as do people who do repetitive lifting and who lift their arm high up in the air. What they have in common is repetitive stress on the shoulder..

Shoulder Pain: Diagnosis and Treatment of a Rotator Cuff Injury

Since it is an injury to a muscle or related tendon, x rays generally don't reveal much about the rotator cuff. More useful is an MRI or an ultrasound. Treatment depends on the nature of the injury. Sometimes exercise and physical therapy are prescribed for strengthening and sometimes surgery is needed.

Look at

Click Here for How They Diagnose Rotator Cuff Shoulder and New Treatments

Taking Care of Your Shoulder

What causes Pain in My Shoulder?

COULD YOU PLAY YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS VIDEO COMPUTER GAME RELIEVE STRESS INCREASE SELF ESTEEM CHANGE TO POSITIVE THINKING WORKS IN TELEMARKETERS

2008-07-26T20:39:00.060-05:00

COULD YOU PLAY YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS VIDEO COMPUTER GAME RELIEVE STRESS INCREASE SELF ESTEEM CHANGE TO POSITIVE THINKING WORKS IN TELEMARKETERS

Through Repetitive Playing the Mind is Trained to Focus on Positive Aspects

Are those people laughing at you? We make split second snap judgements about what others think of us. Much of that is due to thought conditioning and our self perception and self esteem. Mark Baldwin, a McGill psychology professor developed a video computer game designed to change the automatic negative response and build self confidence and self esteem. He has research to confirm that his Mindhabits video game works to relieve stress and change negative thinking. Baldwin and colleagues knew that stress was often a reaction to social threat, insecure thoughts like "Are they laughing at me? "So we thought, OK, can we design a video game that will help people practice positive patterns of thought"? The idea is that through repetitive playing on the video game, the mind is trained to focus on the positive aspects of life.

Research on Telemarketers! (Talk about Stress) Find the Face Change Your Life

"We needed to find a group that was very stressed and, you know, I always hang up on telemarketers frankly, personally, so they're dealing with a lot of rejection all day long. But after playing the game five minutes a day for a week, something incredible happened. The level of cortisol, or the stress hormone, in their bodies had dropped by 17 percent. Even more remarkable is the employees playing the game were rated as more self-confident and then moreover they actually made more sales". "We wanted to see if specific patterns of social information processing might contribute to stress; if these patterns could be changed with the help of specially-designed computer games; and if the development of new habits of thought might lead to lowered stress levels in day-to-day life".

Speaking about the computer games for stress. "Our starting point is past research showing that insecurity feelings and daily stress arise, in large part, from anxieties about whether one will be liked, accepted, and respected by one's peers and significant others. Sometimes people are aware of these concerns, but often social insecurities of this type influence people's thoughts and feelings "automatically", without a lot of deliberate thought and sometimes even entirely outside of their awareness. All they experience are negative reactions to the self or to social situations".

"To make a long story short, whereas people with lower self-esteem tended to show a pronounced attentional bias toward threat, this tendency was essentially removed if they first played the find-the-smile game. This suggests that attentional habits can indeed be trained by practicing the ability to orient toward positive and away from negative social feedback" such as with this video game! The findings were published in the October,2007 issue of the American Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Playing social-intelligence game reduces stress hormone by 17 percent

AVOIDING PREMATURE WRINKLES VIDEO WITH ADVICE ABOUT AVOIDING WRINKLES PREVENTING SKIN DAMAGE AND PROTECTING YOUR SKIN

2008-07-26T15:12:00.007-05:00

AVOIDING PREMATURE WRINKLES VIDEO WITH ADVICE ABOUT AVOIDING WRINKLES PREVENTING SKIN DAMAGE AND PROTECTING YOUR SKIN

How to Avoid Skin Damage and Premature Wrinkles

Regardless of skin creams, Botox or dermal fillers if you expose your skin to heavy Sun you can expect premature wrinkles. In this video a dermatologist gives advice about how to protect your skin from skin damage including wrinkle formation. Sun exposure is one of the big factors in premature wrinkle formation. Doctors suspect there is a link between UVA exposure and longer-term skin damage, including wrinkles, basal and squamous cell cancers and melanoma. The Sun's UVB rays cause short-term sunburn and skin cancer. UVA rays (among other factors) cause wrinkling and may have some role in development of skin cancer.

What are Factors in Wrinkle Formation?

So UVB rays cause short-term sunburn and skin cancer. UVA rays cause wrinkling and may have some role in development of skin cancer. The skin specialist in this video discusses a relatively recent ingredient in sunblocks available in the United States called Mexoryl, ecamsule, that has been available in Europe for some time. Mexoryl combined with other sun blocks does a better job of protecting the skin. A 5% ecamsule containing sunscreen can prevent early changes leading to photoaging in humans. A broad spectrum sunscreen with ecamsule, avobenzone and octocrylene significantly reduces the skin damage associated with UV exposure in human subjects.

The dermatologist also talks about which sunscreen to apply, how much sunscreen to apply,what the difference in SPF is and even when to apply it. She also talks about ways to reverse skin damage. She talks about retinols, she says Retin A has been shown to stimulate collagen production. She also discusses treatment for sunburn.

Click Flax Oil and the Skin Benefits

Did You Know About Dermal Fillers and Botox for Wrinkle Removal?

Video About Protecting the Skin and Skin Damage Click the arrow

Videos about Health and Fitness

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

VIDEO ABOUT NEW CANCER DRUG TAKING FOOT OFF THE PEDAL THAT DRIVES PROSTATE CANCER FORWARD ABIRATERONE STUDY MAY POINT TO NEW TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE C

2008-07-26T02:40:00.000-05:00

VIDEO ABOUT NEW CANCER DRUG TAKING FOOT OFF THE PEDAL THAT DRIVES PROSTATE CANCER FORWARD ABIRATERONE STUDY MAY POINT TO NEW TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER

Could Abiraterone Take the Foot Off the Pedal that Drives Prostate Cancer Forward?

A VIDEO ABOUT THE NEW CANCER DRUG TESTOSTERONE IS THE MALE HORMONE

Testosterone manufacture is accelerated by an enzyme called 17α-hydroxylase/C17,20 lyase. An enzyme is a chemical which speeds up a chemical reaction. In preclinical and clinical studies, abiraterone has shown that it can block the enzyme, resulting in blocking of testosterone production. By blocking the enzyme that is involved in testosterone manufacturing you can slow down the prostate cancer.

PSA is a common blood test for prostate problems. In general, men over 50 and some younger will get PSA testing as part of a physical exam at their doctor. "70%-80% of the patients in the abiraterone study saw a reduction in PSA levels and the data also demonstrated that abiraterone delayed disease progression by a median of 400 days".

Watch Video About A Possible Breakthrough CB7630 abiraterone in Treating Prostate Cancer Click the arrow

The trial was conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital in England. "De Bono said that the Royal Marsden patients in the study have been monitored for up to two-and-a-half years and with continued use of abiraterone they were able to control their disease with few side-effects".

"21 chemotherapy-naive men with prostate cancer resistant to multiple hormonal therapies experienced significant tumour shrinkage and reduction in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels when treated with abiraterone, also known as CB7630. PSA is a common blood test for prostate problems". In general,men over 50 and some younger will get PSA testing as part of a physical exam at their doctor. "70%-80% of the patients in the abiraterone study saw a reduction in PSA levels and the data also demonstrated that abiraterone delayed disease progression by a median of 400 days".

"John Neate, chief executive of The United Kingdom’s Prostate Cancer Charity said “this is an exciting development which has been eagerly anticipated”. He noted that advanced prostate cancer is very difficult to treat as, after a period of time, it stops responding to conventional ways of controlling testosterone, essential to the cancer’s continued growth. Mr Neate concluded by saying that “we look forward to the results of the larger trials already underway or being planned for this drug to prove its potential effectiveness for the thousands of men diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer every year”.

Phase I Clinical Trial of a Selective Inhibitor of CYP17, Abiraterone Acetate, Confirms That Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Commonly Remains Hormone Driven

VIDEO ABOUT THE SIGMA DP1 DIGITAL CAMERA ONE GIANT STEP FOR COMPACT CAMERA SENSORS BUT WHERES THE OTHER STUFF

2008-07-25T23:20:00.037-05:00

VIDEO ABOUT THE SIGMA DP1 DIGITAL CAMERA ONE GIANT STEP FOR COMPACT CAMERA SENSORS BUT WHERES THE OTHER STUFF

A Compact Camera That Has A New Kind of High Visual Impact Sensor That's The Size of an SLR Sensor

It's a new unique compact digital camera with aspirations to deliver the kind of quality photographs seen only in SLR cameras till now. But the way David Pogue at the NY Times tells it the developers of the new Sigma DP1 may have to go back to the drawing board. Sigma has introduced the DP1, the world’s first compact camera with an S.L.R. sized sensor inside. According to Pogue, the DP1 takes beautiful pictures. The big sensor delivers high quality images even in low light! At the core of the Sigma DP1 is the revolutionary Foveon X3® direct image sensor,the world's first image sensor that directly captures color using three layers of pixels. Foveon direct image sensors are a new type of image sensor that incorporates three pixels at every pixel location on the image sensor. So what's the problem?

So called consumer and some prosumer digital cameras tend to have smaller light sensors. As Pogue points out, "The best overall predictor of image quality in a digital camera is the size of the sensor inside. Big digital camera sensors absorb more light, so you get better color and sharper low-light images. Small sensors pack too many light-absorbing pixels into too little space, so heat builds up, creating digital “noise” (random speckles) in your photos". The Sigma DP1 is designed with a large light sensor. So far so good.

A Video Shows The Pros and Cons of the Sigma DP1

The problem is in what the Sigma DP1 doesn't have. Things that most digital camera afficanados appreciate such as a zoom and image stabilization. For example, in low light situations the shutter stays open longer. Inevitably the longer the shutter is open the more likely movement will introduce blurs. So forget about not using a tripod in low light.

Watch this Video Demonstrating the Pros and Cons of the Sigma DP1 Click the arrow

Big Sensor a Small Step for Cameras

Wonder About How to Choose a High Definition Camcorder? See Actual HD Videos Here and Read More

TAKING FOOT OFF THE PEDAL THAT DRIVES PROSTATE CANCER FORWARD ABIRATERONE STUDY MAY POINT TO NEW TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER

2008-07-25T21:35:00.050-05:00

TAKING FOOT OFF THE PEDAL THAT DRIVES PROSTATE CANCER FORWARD ABIRATERONE STUDY MAY POINT TO NEW TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER

Could Abiraterone Take the Foot Off the Pedal that Drives Prostate Cancer Forward?

Possibly an enormous breakthrough, could abiraterone be a new effective treatment for what was drug resistant prostate cancer? Dr. Johan DeBono, a lead researcher described it this way. The drug, abiraterone "takes the foot off the pedal of the accelerator that drives the cancer forward". As you can see in this video about the prostate cancer study, scientists are testing the drug called abiraterone or CB7630 against prostate cancer. Scientists believe that testosterone levels stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. As you know testosterone is the male sex hormone.

Testosterone manufacture is accelerated by an enzyme called 17α-hydroxylase/C17,20 lyase. An enzyme is a chemical which speeds up a chemical reaction. In preclinical and clinical studies, abiraterone has shown that it can block the enzyme, resulting in blocking of testosterone production. By blocking the enzyme that is involved in testosterone manufacturing you can slow down the prostate cancer.

PSA is a common blood test for prostate problems. In general, men over 50 and some younger will get PSA testing as part of a physical exam at their doctor. "70%-80% of the patients in the abiraterone study saw a reduction in PSA levels and the data also demonstrated that abiraterone delayed disease progression by a median of 400 days".

Watch Video About A Possible Breakthrough CB7630 abiraterone in Treating Prostate Cancer Click the arrow

The trial was conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital in England. "De Bono said that the Royal Marsden patients in the study have been monitored for up to two-and-a-half years and with continued use of abiraterone they were able to control their disease with few side-effects".

"21 chemotherapy-naive men with prostate cancer resistant to multiple hormonal therapies experienced significant tumour shrinkage and reduction in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels when treated with abiraterone, also known as CB7630. PSA is a common blood test for prostate problems". In general,men over 50 and some younger will get PSA testing as part of a physical exam at their doctor. "70%-80% of the patients in the abiraterone study saw a reduction in PSA levels and the data also demonstrated that abiraterone delayed disease progression by a median of 400 days".

"John Neate, chief executive of The United Kingdom’s Prostate Cancer Charity said “this is an exciting development which has been eagerly anticipated”. He noted that advanced prostate cancer is very difficult to treat as, after a period of time, it stops responding to conventional ways of controlling testosterone, essential to the cancer’s continued growth. Mr Neate concluded by saying that “we look forward to the results of the larger trials already underway or being planned for this drug to prove its potential effectiveness for the thousands of men diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer every year”.

Phase I Clinical Trial of a Selective Inhibitor of CYP17, Abiraterone Acetate, Confirms That Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Commonly Remains Hormone Driven

CAN YOU TREAT CORONARY ARTERY BLOCKAGE WITHOUT SURGERY AND A VIDEO ILLUSTRATING ANGIOPLASTY

2008-07-25T19:44:00.007-05:00

CAN YOU TREAT CORONARY ARTERY BLOCKAGE WITHOUT SURGERY AND A VIDEO ILLUSTRATING ANGIOPLASTY

Can Doctors Use Only Medicine to Treat a Coronary Artery Blockage Watch a Video that Shows How Coronary Angioplasty is Done

The heart is a muscle and like all muscles the heart needs it's own blood supply. The heart gets oxygen and nutrition through it's own blood vessels called coronary arteries. The coronary arteries can become narrowed or blocked by deposits called plaque. Coronary artery plaque is made up of fat and cholesterol that builds up on the inside of the artery walls. This condition is called atherosclerosis . If the coronary artery blockage is not too severe, an angioplasty procedure can be used to open the artery. Angioplasty is used sometimes to open a blockage but not always. Factors involved in deciding to use angioplasty include how stable the heart disease is and how many coronary arteries have blockage. Sometimes just using medications may be sufficient to treat the coronary artery blockage. Read

Can You Treat Coronary Artery Blockage With Medicine

This Video Explains and Illustrates Coronary Angioplasty Click the Arrow to Start

HOW THEY DO CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

The first heart angioplasty was done in the late 1970s. Angioplasty involves the use of a balloon catheter which is a small, hollow, flexible tube that has a balloon near the end of it.The doctor makes a small incision, usually near the groin, and inserts a catheter into an artery. Then x-rays are used to look at your heart and arteries. Dye is injected to highlight blood flow through the arteries. This helps reveal any blockages in the vessels leading to the heart. The balloon catheter is moved into or near the blockage, and the balloon on the end is inflated. This opens the blocked vessel and restores proper blood flow to the heart.

Omega 3 and the Heart

In some cases, a device called a stent is also placed at the site of narrowing or blockage in order to keep the artery open. A common type of stent is made of self-expanding, stainless steel mesh. Rarely, a special device with a small, diamond tip is used to drill through the hard plaque and calcium that are causing the blockage. This is called rotational atherectomy.

MAYBE ITS SOCIAL PRESSURE BUT MORE MEN ARE GETTING NOSE JOBS LIPOSUCTION BOTOX WRINKLE REMOVAL AND TUMMY TUCKS

2008-07-24T12:56:00.036-05:00

MAYBE ITS SOCIAL PRESSURE BUT MORE MEN ARE GETTING NOSE JOBS LIPOSUCTION BOTOX WRINKLE REMOVAL AND TUMMY TUCKS

I've written before that the number of men opting for cosmetic procedures such as liposuction or Botox or dermal filler for wrinkles or for more intense plastic surgery such as nose jobs or tummy tucks is increasing. As I have also written before cosmetic surgery is still surgery and the same cautions and caveats apply. Many of these men, like their female counterparts are succumbing to a real or imagined social pressure. Or it may be something as simple as this 42 year old property consultant in London said "I just wanted to look good in my clothes".

What is liposuction Anyway? The Pros and Cons

Liposuction and SmartLipo are fat removal procedures to remove some body fat and improve general appearance. Botox are injections of botulinum toxin that tempoarily paralyze facial muscles and smooth out wrinkles. GFX radio ablation is a wrinkle smoothing method that uses radiowaves instead of chemicals. Dermal fillers with names like Restylane, Artefill, Juvederm or Evolence are also used to fill in and smooth wrinkle appearance. "According to the latest figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, more and more men are opting to have cosmetic surgery. In 2007 the number of men choosing to have tummy tucks, a procedure most often associated with women, rose by 61% - although the total figure, of 90, is still relatively small.

Wrinkles Which is Better Botox or Dermal Filler

"Liposuction for men also increased by 18% to 582. It is now the second most popular form of cosmetic surgery for men, after rhinoplasty (nose jobs).After a lengthy consultation, it was decided that - with a body mass index of 30 - it was safe for the consultant, Jamie to undergo the five-hour combined procedure, costing £7,000". "I'm sure if most blokes were honest, we all want to look good and if you can afford to take advantage of things on the market such as cosmetic surgery, why not"?

I wanted to look good in my clothes

VIDEO RESHAPE EYE WITH NIGHT CONTACT LENS THAT COULD RESTORE 20 20 VISION EVEN WHEN YOU ARENT WEARING THEM

2008-07-24T11:25:00.005-05:00

VIDEO RESHAPE EYE WITH NIGHT CONTACT LENS THAT COULD RESTORE 20 20 VISION EVEN WHEN YOU ARENT WEARING THEM

Could wearing contact lenses at night change your life during the day?

Those Chinese are pretty inventive! Apparently not only did the Chinese invent gunpowder and noodles, their work created the impetus for a method to correct vision by shaping the eye using night time contact lenses called Orthokeratology or OrthoK. OrthoK vision correction reshapes the eye temporarily by wearing contact lenses at night but the effect lasts during the day. Eye shaping works by flattening the cornea, to refocus the light rays onto the retina. After the OrthoK lenses are taken out in the morning, the eye slowly returns to its myopic nearsighted state. At least two brands of night contacts have FDA approval for overnight corneal reshaping: Corneal Refractive Therapy from Paragon Vision Sciences, and Bausch & Lomb's Vision Shaping Treatment. The person wears the lenses overnight while sleeping and removes them upon wakening. During the day, nearsightedness is corrected or greatly reduced.

How Does Contact Lens Eye Shaping Work?

The night contact lenses apply slight pressure to the center of the cornea, causing it to temporarily flatten. The flattened cornea redirects light onto the back surface of the eye (the retina) at an angle that can compensate for nearsightedness. Since the cornea is elastic, it gradually regains its shape throughout the day (causing nearsightedness to return). Usually, patients must wear the lens every night to maintain corrected vision.

How Long Does The Vision Correction Between Lens Wearing Last?

The effect of overnight OK lenses on corneal shape is temporary, and wears off over a few days if the lenses are not worn. To maintain the optical effect, lenses must be re-inserted and worn every night (or in some cases, every 2nd or 3rd night).

When is Orthokeratology Used, Astigmatism and the Importance of Disinfection?

The lenses are used for the temporary correction of nearsightedness. They can be used by patients with or without vision distortion (astigmatism). They are usually worn overnight as part of a corneal refractive therapy program. When the lenses are removed each morning, they must be cleaned using a chemical disinfection system.

Watch a Video About Night Time Contact Lens to Shape Eye and Correct Vision Click the arrow

Following doctor's instructions about how to wear and how to clean the night time lenses is very important. "Orthokeratology has occasionally had severe side-effects. These may occur due to the patient's failure to follow appropriate hygiene, and the use of tap water to rinse or store. Complications may also be due to relative corneal hypoxia (lack of oxygen) with prolonged or overnight contact lens wear in lenses made from the wrong material. The use of high or hyper oxygen-permeable materials significantly reduces hypoxia, and these are the materials that are normally used in orthokeratology".

Report of Problem Acanthamoeba Keratitis and Overnight Orthokeratology

What is Orthokeratology

The contact lenses that could restore 20/20 vision

FDA Permit for Paragon Z CRT® (tisilfocon A) Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses for Corneal Refractive Therapy Commercial Video About Corneal Refractive Therapy Click the arrow

Read the Memo Director of a Pittsburgh University Cancer Center Issues Warning about Cellphone Use Especially by Children

2008-07-23T23:48:00.036-05:00

Read the Memo Director of a Pittsburgh University Cancer Center Issues Warning about Cellphone Use Especially by Children

Why did the Director of a Pittsburgh University Cancer Center Issue a Memo Warning about Cellphone Use?

Here is the text of the memo from the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and University of Pittsburgh Cancer Centers issued as an advisory to about 3,000 faculty and staff about the possible health risks associated with cellular phone use. The Cancer Institute director advised special caution for children using cellphones. The memo said a child's developing organs "are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure".

Why was He More Worried about Cellphone Use in Children?

"Recently I have become aware of the growing body of literature linking long-term cell phone use to possible adverse health effects including cancer," Dr. Ronald Herberman said in the memorandum. "Although the evidence is still controversial, I am convinced that there are sufficient data to warrant issuing an advisory to share some precautionary advice on cell phone use."

"Ronald B. Herberman, MD, the first director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, is an internationally recognized tumor immunologist who has made major discoveries in his field and has fostered the application of this information to novel approaches to cancer therapy".

The advisory suggests certain measures to limit exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the devices, such as shortening the length of conversations or keeping the phones away from the head by text messaging or using headsets or speaker phone options. It also recommends that children not use cell phones except in emergencies.

The Memo's Text

MEMORANDUM TO: UPCI Faculty and Staff
FROM: Ronald B. Herberman, MD
SUBJECT: Important Precautionary Advice Regarding Cell Phone Use

Recently I have become aware of the growing body of literature linking long-term cell phone use to possible adverse health effects including cancer. Although the evidence is still controversial, I am convinced that there are sufficient data to warrant issuing an advisory to share some precautionary advice on cell phone use. An international expert panel of pathologists, oncologists and public health specialists, recently declared that electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones should be considered a potential human health risk. To date, a number of countries including France, Germany and India have issued recommendations that exposure to electromagnetic fields should be limited. In addition, Toronto’s Department of Public Health is advising teenagers and young children to limit their use of cell phones, to avoid potential health risks. More definitive data that cover the health effects from prolonged cell phone use have been compiled by the World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, publication has been delayed for two years. In anticipation of release of the WHO report, the following prudent and simple precautions, intended to promote precautionary efforts to reduce exposures to cell phone electromagnetic radiation, have been reviewed by UPCI experts in neuro-oncology, epidemiology, neurosurgery and the Center for Environmental Oncology

Practical Advice to Limit Exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted from Cell Phones 1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields. 1 The Case for Precaution in the Use of Cell Phones Advice from University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Based on Advice from an International Expert Panel, available at www.preventingcancernow.org 2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a hands-free ear piece attachment may also reduce exposures.

3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone’s electromagnetic fields. 4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.

5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from your rather than through you.

Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum

6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes, as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure. For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones. 7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure. 8. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna. 9. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, limiting the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body. 10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body). SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.

Ronald B. Herberman, MD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

Cancer chief sees cell phone risks

VIDEO HOW ORTHOKERATOLOGY ORTHOK WORKS CONTACT LENS THAT COULD RESTORE 20 20 VISION EVEN WHEN YOU ARENT WEARING THEM

2008-07-23T09:32:00.076-05:00

VIDEO HOW ORTHOKERATOLOGY ORTHOK WORKS NIGHT CONTACT LENS THAT COULD RESTORE 20 20 VISION EVEN WHEN YOU ARENT WEARING THEM

Could wearing contact lenses at night change your life during the day?

How Does Contact Lens Eye Shaping Work?

How Long Does The Vision Correction Between Lens Wearing Last?

When is Orthokeratology Used, Astigmatism and the Importance of Disinfection?

Report of Problem Acanthamoeba Keratitis and Overnight Orthokeratology

What is Orthokeratology

The contact lenses that could restore 20/20 vision

FDA Permit for Paragon Z CRT® (tisilfocon A) Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses for Corneal Refractive Therapy Commercial Video About Corneal Refractive Therapy Click the arrow

VIDEO THE MEANING OF AN ABNORMAL PAP SMEAR AND RISK FACTORS CERVICAL CANCER AND CONNECTION TO HPV HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS

2008-07-23T08:20:00.004-05:00

VIDEO THE MEANING OF ABNORMAL PAP SMEAR AND RISK FACTORS CERVICAL CANCER AND CONNECTION TO HPV HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS

Why are Pap smears such a wonderful test?

The best screening test for cervical cancer in women is probably underutilized. The Pap smear CERVICAL CANCER test is an especially great test because it can pick up pre-cancerous cells in the cervix. These precancerous cells can then be dealt with in a timely fashion. An abnormal pap smear can be caused by a false positive or a confounding factor such as infection. But an abnormal pap smear needs to be followed up. The cervix is the "neck" of the woman's uterus aka the womb. By getting regular pap smears a woman increases the chances of finding precancerous cells and getting rid of the risk before the cancer can spread.

Video About Abnormal Pap SMEARS Click the arrow

Video About Abnormal Pap SMEARS Click the arrow

Why do some women avoid a pap smear?

Some (many?) women avoid getting the pap smear test because of the embarrassment or perceived potential discomfort. But if you look at it on a risk reward ratio the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of getting the test. There is little if any downside and a tremendous upside. Not having a pap smear can literally be the mistake of a person's life. If you don't like or have confidence in a health care provider than go elsewhere for the pap smear but get a pap smear!

What are some risk factors for cancer of the cervix in women?

Women who are at increased risk of developing cervical cancer include:

women with many sexual partners, or whose partners have had many partners

women who smoke are about twice as likely to develop the disease as non-smokers

women who had sexual intercourse at a younger age have a higher risk

Pap Smears: What They Are and What the Results Mean

The Pap Test from Women's Health Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the development of cervical neoplasia are strongly associated. Human papilloma viruses are a group of more than 100 different viruses.

About 40 types of HPV are spread during sex.

Some types of HPVs can cause cervical cancer when not treated.

HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.

About 75 percent of sexually active people will get HPV sometime in their life.

Most women with untreated HPV do NOT get cervical cancer.

Some HPVs cause genital warts but these HPVs do not cause cervical cancer.

Since HPV rarely causes symptoms, most people don't know they have the infection.

Most women never know they have HPV. It usually stays hidden and doesn't cause symptoms like warts. When HPV doesn't go away on its own, it can cause changes in the cells of the cervix. Pap tests usually find these changes.

The Pelvic Exam and Pap Smear

Can Cervical Cancer Be Prevented

HEALTH MAP DISCOVER WHAT DISEASE ARE PLAGUING YOUR FAVORITE VACATION SPOT BEFORE YOUR NEXT FLIGHT AN INTERNET MAP OF CURRENT GLOBAL INFECTIOUS DISEASE

2008-07-23T00:11:00.021-05:00

HEALTH MAP DISCOVER WHAT DISEASE ARE PLAGUING YOUR FAVORITE VACATION SPOT BEFORE YOUR NEXT FLIGHT AN INTERNET MAP OF CURRENT GLOBAL INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAKS

Is there TB in Tibet? Dengue Fever in Detroit?

"Now you can satisfy your morbid curiosity and discover what diseases are plaguing your favorite vacation spot before hopping the next flight. Instead of stumbling through a host of blogs and news sites, visit HealthMap created by Boston epidemiologist Clark Freifeld and research software developer John Brownstein to track disease outbreaks around the world".

"The site gathers epidemiological data and news about disease from the International Society for Infectious Diseases, the World Health Organization and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control and places it on a map, updated hourly. A fourth source of information is Google News, because "the media reports on disease outbreaks earlier than traditional sources" such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brownstein said". HealthMap brings together disparate data sources to achieve a unified and comprehensive view of the current global state of infectious diseases and their effect on human and animal health. The zoom and scrolling features let you pinpoint the latest outbreaks of over 50 diseases (human and animal). Pick a disease or a location listed on at the left of the screen and then click on the map to read the original article or report.

HealthMap Global Disease Alert Map

Before Traveling, You May Want a Checkup

VIDEO THE MEANING OF ABNORMAL PAP SMEAR BEST TEST AND RISK FACTORS CERVICAL CANCER AND CONNECTION TO HPV HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS

2008-07-22T22:04:00.012-05:00

VIDEO THE MEANING OF ABNORMAL PAP SMEAR BEST TEST AND RISK FACTORS CERVICAL CANCER AND CONNECTION TO HPV HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS

Why are Pap smears such a wonderful test?

Why do some women avoid a pap smear?

What are some risk factors for cancer of the cervix in women?

Women who are at increased risk of developing cervical cancer include:

women with many sexual partners, or whose partners have had many partners

women who smoke are about twice as likely to develop the disease as non-smokers

women who had sexual intercourse at a younger age have a higher risk

Pap Smears: What They Are and What the Results Mean

About 40 types of HPV are spread during sex.

Some types of HPVs can cause cervical cancer when not treated.

HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.

About 75 percent of sexually active people will get HPV sometime in their life.

Most women with untreated HPV do NOT get cervical cancer.

Some HPVs cause genital warts but these HPVs do not cause cervical cancer.

The Pelvic Exam and Pap Smear

Can Cervical Cancer Be Prevented

HARVARD DOCTOR VIDEO TALKS ABOUT TREATING HIGH CHOLESTEROL IN CHILDREN AND THE CONTROVERSY ON ADVICE FOR KIDS WITH ELEVATED CHOLESTEROL

2008-07-21T19:48:00.031-05:00

HARVARD DOCTOR VIDEO TALKS ABOUT TREATING HIGH CHOLESTEROL IN CHILDREN AND THE CONTROVERSY ON ADVICE FOR KIDS WITH ELEVATED CHOLESTEROL

A Video Talks About Kids and Cholesterol Do you Know What Familial Hypercholesterolemia Is?

The topic of cholesterol in children is a hot button topic though not on the same level as the possible role of vaccines in autism. Nevertheless, the pediatric doctor group, American Academy of Pediatrics came out with new recommendations for treating children with cholesterol and it was like throwing a match onto a kerosene soaked rag. The flames of controversy erupted with one doctor saying he felt embarrassed for the Academy of Pediatrics. He was referring to the suggestion by the nation’s leading pediatric group "that certain high-risk children as young as 8 may also be put on statin therapy, the statins are the most powerful and widely used cholesterol lowering medicine just like Mom, Dad and Grandpa". In the video below a Harvard doctor clarifies the situation about kids and cholesterol.

Do You Understand Coronary Artery Blockage? Click This "But the doctors who wrote the guidelines say they have been largely misunderstood. They say that far from leading to widespread use of statin drugs by children, the guidelines target the small percentage of children with genetic cholesterol problems or those with several worrisome risk factors, like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes".

Have you ever heard of familial hypercholesterolemia? Imagine if you will, a person with high cholesterol. Very high cholesterol. Recommendations for the "bad" LDL cholesterol vary but generally 100 or less is satisfactory. Now imagine a person with an LDL of 500 or 1000. Finally, imagine they are just twelve years old! That's the situation that confronts people who have a genetic problem with cholesterol disposal called Familial Hypercholesterolemia. Their bodies don't have the full mechanism for dealing with cholesterol LDL and as a result they are at very increased risk of heart attacks. Maybe the Academy of Pediatrics had those children in mind when it suggested some kids could use high powered cholesterol drugs called statins.

Read Purple Medical High Cholesterol and Methods to Lower It Watch this video by a doctor at Harvard Medical School who discusses high cholesterol in children and what to do about it. He say exercise and diet are still the choice for most children.

Video by Harvard Doctor Cholesterol in Children Click the arrow

Video Report on Cholesterol in Children Click the arrow

Palpitations Over Pills for Kids

FASHION MAVEN VERSACE TO OBAMA LOSE THE TIE

2008-07-19T16:52:00.023-05:00

FASHION MAVEN VERSACE TO OBAMA LOSE THE TIE

Versace to Obama Lose the Tie

Fashion Czarina Echoes What British Medical Association Told Doctors

In case you are on the ropes as to who to vote for in the U.S Presidential election this may swing your swing vote. This has no obvious connection with medicine, not obvious to me anyway. Actually there is a medical "tie in". The British Medical Association has recommended in the past that doctors stop wearing ties too! Because ties are " often worn and seldom cleaned, ties are, in the words of the report, "colonized by pathogens." (see link below) Anyway, I thought it was an interesting story. "Donatella Versace sparked something of an international incident when, on the opening day of Milan men's fashion week, she dedicated her spring/summer 2009 collection to the presidential candidate Barack Obama. She called the Democrat “the man of the moment” and said that her new collection was designed for “a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscle to show he has power”. Versace went on to offer the aspiring US president, Obama, some sartorial advice: Versace said about Obama's outfit, “I'd get rid of the tie and jazz up the shirt.”

Things Must Be Slow in the Fashion World

"In the world of menswear that rarely takes place - although this week there were a few notable exceptions. Prada produced a dress for men; Fendi took the Cuban heel a step farther with a wedge; Alexander McQueen spent three months creating a smoke motif; and Emporio Armani delved into kite surfing, with an ode to the wetsuit".

Physician Wash Thy Hands Talks About Recommendation Against Ties

Versace and Barack Obama: Clothes Fit for a President?

Videos about Health and Fitness

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON OMEGA 3 A NEUROSCIENTIST AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT THE VALUE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS FOR THINKING

2008-07-19T13:24:00.034-05:00

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON OMEGA 3 A NEUROSCIENTIST AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT THE VALUE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS FOR THINKING

Food is Like a Pharmaceutical Compound that Affects the Brain

Food is like a "pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain," expounds a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science who has spent years studying the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the brain. "Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function". And he thinks Omega 3 is good for our thinking! If you peruse Purple Medical Blog or enter the term Omega 3 in the search box here on PMB you will see that scientists think Omega 3 fatty acids such as from tuna or salmon may have a panoply of benefits. For example, read Dr. Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science who has spent years studying the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the brain. He writes about the possible benefits of Omega 3 and other food substances in a review in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience.

"Omega-3 fatty acids — found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit — provide many benefits, including improving learning and memory and helping to fight against such mental disorders as depression and mood disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia, said Gómez-Pinilla, a member of UCLA's Brain Research Institute and Brain Injury Research Center. Synapses in the brain connect neurons and provide critical functions; much learning and memory occurs at the synapses, Gómez-Pinilla said. "Omega-3 fatty acids support synaptic plasticity and seem to positively affect the expression of several molecules related to learning and memory that are found on synapses," Gómez-Pinilla said. "Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal brain function.

Omega 3 in Fish Not the Same as Omega 3 in Plants

Omega 3 are so called Omega 3 fatty acids which are found in fish oil and flax oil among others. These essential fats are both examples of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs. It seems that scientists are creating an inexhaustible litany of claimed benefits of Omega 3 with the strongest evidence so far being for omega 3 from fish oil and benefits to the heart. Omega 3 can lower triglycerides. Some research points to Omega 3 benefits for eye retinopathy and bipolar disorder among others.

"Scientists are learning which omega-3 fatty acids seem to be especially important. One is docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, which is abundant in salmon. DHA, which reduces oxidative stress and enhances synaptic plasticity and learning and memory, is the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in cell membranes in the brain."The brain and the body are deficient in the machinery to make DHA; it has to come through our diet," said Gómez-Pinilla, who was born and raised in salmon-rich Chile and eats salmon three times a week, along with a balanced diet. "Omega-3 fatty acids are essential.""

The most clear cut benefits of Omega 3 oils seem to be to the heart. Omega 3 lowers serum triglycerides and may help the heart rhythm. "Individuals who have higher dietary intake of foods with omega-3 fatty acids and higher fish consumption have a reduced risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration, while those with higher serum levels of vitamin D may have a reduced risk of the early stages of the disease, according to two reports in the May, 2007 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals".

Video about types of Omega 3 Click the arrow to start

The American Heart Association recommends that most adult people, (pregnant women,children excepted because of mercury content in fish) eat "fatty" fish such as salmon, tuna and others because of the putative cardioprotective (heart) effect. Note that not all fish are created equal and fried fish may be bad for you because of the type of fish fried as well as the frying process that may impart a lot of unhealthy fats to the fish. On the other hand, sometimes fried fish is pretty tasty!

Click Purple Medical here Flax Seed Oil Contains Omega 3 Flax Oil May Help the Skin

A professor of neurosurgery and physiology writes about scientists learning how what you eat affects your brain — and those of your kids

"It's important to maintain an appropriate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 (another essential fatty acid) in the diet as these two substances work together to promote health. These essential fats are both examples of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation and most omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. An inappropriate balance of these essential fatty acids contributes to the development of disease while a proper balance helps maintain and even improve health. A healthy diet should consist of roughly two to four times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids" way out of whack.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs when the macula, the area at the back of the retina that produces the sharpest vision, deteriorates over time. There are 2 types of macular degeneration in the eye, the so called dry type which most people have and the so called wet type where there is neovascularization ,the formation of new blood vessels. Research has begun to identify potentially modifiable risk factors and nutrient-based treatments.

"The Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group assessed 4,519 individuals who were age 60 to 80 when they enrolled in 1992 through 1998. At that time, photographs were taken of their retinas to determine if they had AMD, and if so, to which of four stages the condition had progressed.The participants also completed a food frequency questionnaire that measured how often they consumed foods rich in certain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids commonly found in tuna, salmon and other fish.

"A total of 1,115 participants did not have any symptoms of AMD at the beginning of the study, and were compared with those who did, including 658 individuals with neovascular (severe) AMD.“Dietary total omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake was inversely associated with neovascular AMD, as was docosahexaenoic acid,” or DHA, a fatty acid that previous evidence suggests affects the retina, the authors write. “Higher fish consumption, both total and broiled/baked, was also inversely associated with neovascular AMD.” Eating more than two medium (4-ounce) servings of fish per week or more than one medium serving of broiled or baked fish was associated with the lowest risk for advanced AMD.

Some other claims about the benefits of omega 3

Click for More About Omega 3 Benefits for the Heart and Maybe Eye and Brain Too

Videos about Health and Fitness

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

IT MAY LOOK LIKE A CHEESE GRATER BUT A DRY SKIN AND CALLOUS REMOVER GETS A GOOD REVIEW FROM A BEAUTY SITE

2008-07-19T01:38:00.000-05:00

IT MAY LOOK LIKE A CHEESE GRATER BUT A DRY SKIN AND CALLOUS REMOVER GETS A GOOD REVIEW FROM A BEAUTY SITE

At the 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic, She reviews her experience with something called the PedEgg™. This PedEgg device which she says looks "like a hand held cheese grater" and I gather is aimed at women and according to the manufacturer is supposed to "gently remove callouses and dead skin to give your feet the incredible baby soft look and feel that everybody loves". The 15 Minute Fanatic says she tried it and it works.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic

Videos about Health and Fitness

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com