Cancer Prevention Update!!!

This is a very informative article that lists many daily practices that have an effect on the disease of Cancer. It is an update from Johns Hopkins.

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY..


1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it w ith the foods it needs to multiply..

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12.. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc..) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger,

unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that cont ain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

These are some tips that we can use in our everyday life to help us in the fight against this deadly disease.

How to Identify Shingles.

Shingles is a disease caused by the virus Varicella Zoster. It presents itself as a painful blistering rash along skin areas of underlying superficial nerves (ex. along the rib margins). This is the same virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. People who have had chickenpox in their lifetime have a chance of developing shingles usually at an elderly age. It is not clear how this virus is reactivated in our body, but its reactivation has been associated with emotional stress and other stressful situations like immune deficiency, or cancer therapy. Usually, people that suffer from shingles are elderly (60 years or older).

The disease symptoms start as a painful or burning sensation on the skin over the affected areas that may persist for up to a week before the formation of blisters occurs. The blisters eventually pop and secrete their fluid content, resulting in crusting and healing. The healing process can take up to one month from the beginning of the disease process. Shingles is contagious for people who haven't had chickenpox in their lifetime, but they do not get shingles upon exposure. Instead, they develop chickenpox.

Antiviral therapy is mainly used in the treatment of shingles (ex. Famvir, Valtrex, Zovirax). Also, steroids may be used and analgesic medications in order to control pain. The use of cold compresses over affected areas may provide some relief as well as calamine lotion, and Domeboro solution which may help in drying out the blisters, but always consult with your physician first before trying anything. A vaccine for shingles named Zostavax is currently available for some adults age 60 and older that have had chickenpox previously and meet the criteria for its use. It has shown to decrease the incidence of shingles and post herpetic neuralgia in these patients. Shingles usually heal well without complications, but in some cases, the blisters may become infected and cause cellulitis in which antibiotic therapy may be necessary.

Canker Sore Prevention & Therapy.

Canker sores are one of the most common painful mouth lesions. Canker sores appear as shallow ulcer like lesions in the mouth and can be caused by various factors. Some people may tend to have canker sores more often than others, but the exact cause of these lesions is still unknown. Canker sores are divided into simple and complex types.

Simple canker sores are ones that people normally get a few times throughout the year and are usually acute. They can be caused by various factors including food, stress, dentures, braces, and other causes that may irritate the mouth mucosa upon contact. Certain citrus fruits or juices like oranges, lemons, pineapples, strawberries, and tomatoes can cause canker sores. Sometimes daily life stress can even lead to the development of canker sores. The wrong choice of tooth brush with hard bristles can also irritate the gums and lead to canker sores. Old people who have dentures that don’t fit right can also get canker sores on the gums due to irritating contact, as well as people who have braces.

Complex canker sores are more chronic and arise in people with underlying diseases. These diseases can range from vitamin deficiencies, gastrointestinal diseases, and even immune deficiencies. Some of the vitamin deficiencies that can cause canker sores include vitamin B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, folic acid deficiency, and zinc deficiency. Zinc is an essential mineral that strengthens the immune system. Gastrointestinal diseases that alter normal absorption of vitamins and nutrients through the intestines can cause canker sores as well, like Crohn’s disease and Celiac sprue.

Canker sores can resolve on their own without any treatment in about a week, but due to their painful nature, most people prefer to seek treatment. There are some non-prescription treatment options to treat canker sores depending on their cause. A good practice it first to rinse the mouth with some hydrogen peroxide. After that, you can apply an oral anesthetic liquid or gel like Anbesol with a q-tip on the canker sore to relieve pain. Some other OTC products offer a disc shaped tablet that you can apply directly to the sore, which coats it to prevent further irritation and promotes quicker healing. In the case of braces, there are wax sticks that can be molded into a ball and placed on the sharp edge causing the irritation. Prescription remedies for canker sores include a combination of mouth washes that include ingredients such as Lidocaine, Maalox, and Benadryl.

Prevention of canker sores may be the best step in their treatment. Depending on the cause, some good practices can help reduce the recurrence of canker sores. Try to avoid eating an excess of irritating foods. Choose a tooth brush that is right for you with soft bristles. Try to exercise regularly to promote good mental health and relieve daily stress. Finally, it is very important to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and to take daily vitamins to supplement the shortage in your food.

Prescription Discounts for Uninsured People

Health insurance has become a big obstacle for many families these days. Due to hard economic times and many people losing their jobs, several families have been unfortunately left without any health or prescription insurance. This has led many people to become less willing to seek medical advice unless it was a life threatening event and less compliant in taking their maintenance medications. People with diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension for example, may not feel anything while discontinuing their medications, but the complications of theses silent diseases can be fatal. This article will give you some insight on how to seek medical help at a discounted rate and how to find different prescription discount options.

Normally, people who have insurance usually pay premiums from $150 - $700 per month. When they go to see their primary care physician, they have to pay the visit fee $15 - $25 or even $35 for a specialist. That’s not all, if the physician orders some tests, they have to pay some of the cost until the meet their deductible. So if you don’t get sick, you happily donated your monthly premium to the insurance company, and if you get sick, you paid even more for the services. Like you shop around for bargains on items, you could also shop around for doctors. Many doctors prefer to have cash paying patients than to chase down insurance companies for months in order to get paid for their services. One good way to start is by finding a local physician and speaking with their office financial manager. Explain that you don’t have insurance coverage and ask if they have a discount for uninsured patients. Always ask for a dollar amount and get the name of the person you spoke with. Most of the time, you will be surprised that the price is much cheaper than you expected or even less than half your monthly premium. In fact, I’ve seen visit charges in the $60 range. Getting established with one physician is also a wise decision, which not only builds a close relationship with your physician, but also saves you the repetition of unnecessary tests.

Prescription costs have been forcing many people on a limited budget to become less compliant with their therapy. Some people will just pay the cost regardless because they have no choice and others will simply not buy their prescriptions. There are many programs offered by pharmacies that provide maintenance medications at a discounted rate or even for free. Also, there are prescription discount cards and coupons that are available to save money on prescription costs.



Some pharmacies like CVS have a prescription discount program (Health Savings Pass) for maintenance medications, where you pay a $10 yearly enrollment fee and receive a 90 day supply of some generic medications for $9.99. Other pharmacies like Wal-Mart offer a 30 day supply on some generics for a $4 co pay with no enrollment fee. Publix pharmacy offers many generic antibiotics for free, and has recently started a free medication program for diabetic patients. So calling your local pharmacies and asking about prescription discounts for uninsured people would be a good start.

Another way of getting prescription discounts is by checking with the county you are living in if they have a prescription discount card. Also, some other prescription discount cards can be found online, and some prescription discount cards may be state specific. The last money saving option is to contact the manufacturer of the medication you are taking via customer service phone or through their website and see if they have any prescription discount coupons on their brands or co pay assistance programs for uninsured patients. Using these money saving options can significantly help you cut down on your medical expenses and prescription costs.

Diarrhea & Electrolyte Hydration

Diarrhea is characterized by frequent loose stools or liquid bowel movements. Diarrhea can be acute (less then 14 days) or chronic (more than 2 weeks), and is also divided into three types.



Infectious Diarrhea is the most common type of acute diarrhea. Depending on the type of infectious agent, some of these diarrheas may present with just loose watery stools or even fever and bloody stools. This type of diarrhea is associated with infection by some strains of Escherichia Coli (Traveler's Diarrhea), Campylobacter (causing reactive arthritis), Shigella (food & water transmission), Salmonella (raw eggs, dairy products, pet turtles), Yersinia (joint pain & rash), E. Coli 0H157 (undercooked beef & unpasteurized milk), and Rotavirus (most common cause of infectious diarrhea).

Secretory Diarrhea is the second type of diarrhea. It presents with large volumes of stool usually more than one liter and it's usually caused by the effects of hormones. This type of diarrhea is associated with conditions like carcinoid syndrome, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, VIP secreting pancreatic adenomas, and the use of irritative laxatives like phenolphthalein.

Osmotic Diarrhea is the third type of diarrhea. It is usually caused by undigested food in the intestines. The undigested food acts a solute causing the intestine to secrete fluid into the lumen, because it is unable to absorb undigested food. Some examples of such solutes are lactate and some carbohydrates such as fructose and sorbitol. This type of diarrhea usually occurs after a meal and improves with fasting. Lactase deficiency is the most common cause of osmotic diarrhea.

Depending on the type of diarrhea, the management can range from supportive measures to intravenous fluids and antibiotics. In the case of simple diarrhea that is not bloody, the main concern should be to avoid dehydration by maintaining proper hydration and controlling fluid loss. When we lose fluids from our body, we also lose electrolytes. So water or juice isn't our best choice for hydration. On the other hand, a better choice would be either Gatorade, Pedialyte, or Ricelyte because they contain electrolytes. Also, a person should avoid eating foods that are fried or have a high fat content, and instead eat a more bland diet like mashed potatoes, soup broth, rice, toast, crackers, etc. Besides dietary measures, there is an OTC product that can be used to control diarrhea called Imodium. Imodium works by decreasing the frequency of bowl movements, giving more time for the intestines to absorb water out of the fecal matter. However, Imodium should not be used by people who present with fever, bloody stool, infections with invasive organisms that penetrate the intestinal wall (E. Coli O157:H7, Shigella or Salmonella), or that have a tendency to develop severe rebound constipation. Also people taking certain medications or who have certain health conditions (ex. Diabetes, Hypertension) should always consult with their doctor before taking any OTC medications.

Relieving Nasal Congestion.

Nasal congestion, also know as a stuffy nose, occurs when the blood vessels lining the nasal passages become swollen and inflamed. This process can be due to many factors like allergens, viruses, infections, medications, certain body positions (being upside down) or even increased blood supply like in pregnancy.

Symptoms of congestion are basically the inability to breath through the nose and may be accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the face. This occurs when the swollen blood vessels in the nose tend to narrow the space where air is inhaled. With a narrowed space and increased suction while trying to inhale, a negative pressure system is created that causes the nasal flaps to collapse and further obstruct breathing. Also, the blood vessels that line the passages that connect the sinuses to the nasal cavity can become inflamed and block the sinuses from draining into the nasal cavity. This caused fluid to accumulate in the sinuses, causing the facial pressure, and sometimes leading to a sinus infection.

The treatment of congestion is primarily aimed at decreasing the swelling of blood vessels in the nasal mucosa in order to provide more space for airflow. Decongestants such as Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), Phenylephrine, Afrin, and Nasal Saline solution are some of the common over the counter remedies used. They act by constricting blood vessels.

Sudafed is an OTC oral decongestant that is very effective in treating nasal and sinus congestion. It comes in regular strength, 12 hour, and 24 hour dosing. One drawback to Sudafed is that it can make it hard for a person to fall asleep. This is were the regular strength or 12 hour dose can be taken in the earlier part of the day so their effect would wear out by the evening. Also, people with high blood pressure should not use pseudoephedrine because it can increase their blood pressure.

Afrin which is a nasal spray decongestant acts locally on the nasal blood vessels to relieve congestion. Its main drawback is that it can only be used for 3 days, because if it’s used longer it can cause rebound congestion.

Nasal Saline is a great natural remedy, especially for someone who doesn’t want to take medications or if certain conditions prohibit them from using decongestant medications. It is safe to use in people with high blood pressure as well as pregnant women because it has a local effect in the nose and not a systemic effect like the other decongestants.

In case of congestion due to an allergic origin, there are combination therapies using an antihistamine to help with the allergic reaction as well. Such products include Claritin-D and Zyrtec-D. One important side effect to bear in mind with antihistamine therapy is drowsiness. The only non-drowsy antihistamine available is Claritin. Concerning effectiveness, Zyrtec-D used to be by prescription only before it recently was released as an OTC. People with glaucoma, asthma, and prostate problems should not use antihistamines because they can make the condition worse.

Finally, you should always check with your physician before taking any OTC medications to make sure that it is safe for you to take them, especially if you are pregnant. Also, many of the OTC medications can interact with other medications that a person may be on, so you could also check with your pharmacist for any possible interactions.

Identifying Syphilis.

Primary Syphilis is a disease caused by the bacteria Treponema Pallidum. It is transmitted through sexual intercourse and in the first stage of Syphilis. It presents itself as a painless ulcer-like lesion (chancre) on the male or female genital organs and it is very contagious. The chancre is like a pool filled with a bunch of Treponemas having a party in it, and it is the actual site where the infecting bacteria actually penetrated the individual. In the male it can be found on the shaft of the male genital or on the scrotum. While in the female, its can be found externally on the labia or internally on the vaginal wall or even the cervix. That is why a person should be very careful when having unprotected intercourse, because the lesion may not always be visible in the female partner.

The chancre usually appears 2 – 3 weeks after having intercourse with an infected partner. Most of the time people are embarrassed to go see a physician since the lesion is not painful and they anticipate that it will go away on its own. This is were some people make a big mistake because the chancre actually does go away on its own after 4 – 6 weeks, but now the infected individual goes into a latent period until Secondary Syphilis shows up.

Primary Syphilis has a good prognosis in an immune competent individual. It can be treated with Penicillin in an intramuscular injection, and the person can be cured. It is also very important that the infected individual notifies all his partners and have them seek treatment as well in order to eliminate the spread of disease. A good preventive measure to consider is the use of condoms during intercourse.

Reducing Burn Pain

Burns are common skin injuries that are caused from exposure to heat, sunlight, friction, chemicals, electricity, and radiation. They are divided into different degrees based on the depth of injury the cause to the skin layers.

First degree burns are the simplest type, because they only affect the outermost layer of our skin known as the Epidermis. They usually present as redness with little pain depending on the degree of exposure. A good example of this type of burn is a non blistering sunburn or a friction burn.

Second degree burns are more severe than first degree burns because the injury penetrates deeper into the second layer of skin known as the dermis. They present with redness, heat, pain, and blistering which is an important differentiating factor from first degree burns. Even though these burns blister, they rarely leave any scarring.

Third Degree burns are very severe because injury penetrates deeper into the dermis and subcutaneous tissue where hair follicles are embedded. This type of burn presents with complete loss of the outer layer of skin, damage to the full thickness of the dermis, loss of hair, and are painless due to nerve damage. This type of burn requires professional medical attention. It usually leaves scarring and may require a skin graft.

Fourth Degree burns are even more complicated and involve deeper tissues like tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

The proper management of treating burns is aimed at preventing infection, reducing pain, and promoting quick healing. As long as the skin is intact like in first degree burns, the chance of infection is rare. While in the case of second degree burns, the first thing to do is not pop the blister. Inside the blister is a sterile environment, and the skin that is under the blister is not ready to be exposed yet. So the longer you can maintain the blister the quicker that area will heal with less complication. In the case where a blister may get punctured and seep out its contents, do not peel off the flap of skin because is serves as a protective layer for the maturing skin under it. As an additional precaution to a punctured blister, you can apply a topical antibiotic (Neosporin, Polysporin) and a band aid on top to prevent exposure and contamination.

Reducing pain is another important factor in the management of burns. The approach varies depending on the size of the burn. In the case of sunburn, an oatmeal bath is recommended to soothe the skin. Then topical agents containing aloe and lidocaine (ex. Solarcaine) may be applied afterwards to keep the skin hydrated and numb the pain. An uncommon method to reducing burning pain in as fast as 15 minutes is the topical application of three colored toothpaste (ex. Aquafresh). This should only be tried at the time of the burn, if the burn has intact skin on it, and if it isn’t infected.

It usually takes about a week for the skin to heal and keeping the new skin moist will quicken it maturation and reduce scarring. Applying vitamin E oil on healing new skin is a good way, as long as one is not allergic to it. Another moisturizing agent that can be used is aloe.

Benefits of Ginger in Herbal Remedies.

Ginger is known mostly as a culinary herb, but its benefits are of a broader spectrum than just taste. The medicinal effects of Ginger are so potent that Ginger has been used for its health benefits for many years. Most spices are usually grown above the soil, but the part that has the most medicinal value in Ginger grows underground. Ginger can be found in various forms such as dried ginger and powdered ginger, but for the medicinal effects, fresh Ginger is the best.

Ginger has a protective effect in the lungs that helps stimulate the secretion of mucus, quieting your cough and soothing any irritation in the throat. It can also boost your immune system because it contains Vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium. Ginger also contains antiviral, antitoxic, and antifungal properties that help in the prevention and treatment against the common cold. The warming effects of Ginger make it a natural decongestant as well as an antihistamine, making it the perfect remedy for colds. It also has an inhibitory effect on the replication of Herpes Simplex Virus which causes the common cold sore.
Ginger is also very helpful in the treatment of allergies because it acts like an antihistamine. It also has anti inflammatory properties and can be used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and various other muscular disorders. The chemical components of the root are capable of inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are responsible for causing inflammation. Thus the root has proven to be a highly effective form of treatment, in some cases, even more so than the NSAID's that are traditionally prescribed.
Ginger has also been proven to treat nausea, especially nausea from motion sickness, morning sickness, and as a side effect of chemotherapy. Ginger contains special enzymes responsible for catalyzing the proteins in your food, thus aiding in digestion and the prevention of cramps as wells as helping to relieve constipation. Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots. Recent studies show that ginger might also have a role in lowering LDL cholesterol because the spice can help reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed in the gut. Another beneficial effect of Ginger is eliminating bad breath.
Ginger has many other beneficial effects. Ginger's cineole content may help contribute to stress relief by acting as a mood enhancer. It also helps in the relief of migraine headaches and may help in preventing cancer.
Ginger can be consumed as a liquid when prepared as a tea, or in food as an additional ingredient. Ginger is excellent in many dishes and is perfect when combined with garlic. Ginger doesn't only spice up your food it can also help to put some extra spice in your intimate life too. It improves blood flow to sexual organs.


Don't attempt to consume any products containing Ginger if you have any allergies to it, if you are pregnant, or if you are on any medication that might have an interaction with Ginger before consulting with your physician or your pharmacist.

Monitoring High Blood Pressure.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a silent disease that can cause extensive damage to many organ systems if left untreated. It is defined as a systolic blood pressure of more than 140 and/or a diastolic blood pressure of more than 90. It in not diagnosed based on one abnormal reading, but on 3 measurements over a period of time. It is divided into Primary (Essential) hypertension, and Secondary hypertension.

Primary hypertension is the more common form of high blood pressure. It is linked to many causative factors such as a family history of high blood pressure, heart disease, high sodium diet, smoking, obesity, and advanced age. It is usually doesn’t present with any symptoms until complications develop. It can affect many organs including the brain causing possible stroke and dementia. It can affect the heart causing left ventricular enlargement due to the high pressure gradient that the heart must work against. It can affect the kidneys causing renal artery stenosis, protein to leak into the urine and chronic kidney disease.

Secondary hypertension is due to an identifiable organic cause resulting in high blood pressure. It can be the result of kidney disease since the kidneys help in regulating our blood pressure, the use of oral contraceptives, in some heart conditions (Aortic Coarctation), and some endocrine disorders like Conn’s syndrome, Cushing’s disease, and Pheochromocytoma.

The best way to treat high blood pressure is by preventing its possible complications. The first step is by properly monitoring your blood pressure. The best time to take your blood pressure is before you get out of bed in the morning. When the person awakes, they should take their blood pressure while still lying horizontally in bed before they stand up. This reading would be very accurate because the body is at complete rest. Many times people walk into pharmacies and measure their blood pressure on the automatic machines and get fluctuating readings. This is due to the body being active (walking, running, stress) and suddenly sitting to measure the blood pressure. It is advised to place the arm in the cuff and sit for a few minutes to relax before taking the reading. Another good tip is to write down the time when the readings were taken and if there were any associated symptom at the time (headache, visual disturbances, etc.). Taking up to three measurements in a day is optimal and can help in choosing the proper therapy. Another important factor is choosing the right blood pressure monitor. There are many brands out there but key factors to bear in mind when choosing are having a backlit screen (easy to see without turning on the lights in the morning), automatic inflate (so you don’t need to exert any energy while measuring), irregular heartbeat detection (doesn’t diagnose an arrhythmia but brings it to your attention), and a proper sized cuff.

Treatment of Primary hypertension usually starts from lifestyle modifications depending on the severity. Weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking and reducing salt intake are the most common starting points to natural treatment. In more advanced cases where the natural approach isn’t enough, different prescription regimens are used. These medications include Diuretics, B-blockers, Calcium Channel-blockers, ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor-blockers or a combination in some cases.

The main goal of all therapy is to achieve a healthy blood pressure level and avoid the complications of high blood pressure. This can be possibly achieved by regularly monitoring your blood pressure, eating accordingly, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking your medications regularly.

Influenza "Flu" Treatment

Choosing the right antiviral treatment may be confusing and understanding how some of the available antivirals used for treating flu work can help in deciding. Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) and Relenza (Zanamivir) belong to a class of antiviral medications known as Viral Neuraminidase inhibitors and are some of the current available flu medications.

Viral Neuraminidase is an enzyme that helps the virus in many ways. After a virus is inhaled, neuraminidase helps the virus penetrate into the cells that line our respiratory tract and cause disease. It promotes the release of virions from infected cells thereby facilitating the spread of the virus to other healthy cells. It also prevents inactivation of the virus by our respiratory mucus. It alters other functions of cells and the immune response causing damage to our cells.

Neuraminidase inhibitors like Tamiflu and Relenza selectively inhibit viral neuraminidase of influenza A, B, and H1N1 Influenza A “Swine Influenza”, while sparing the human neuraminidase which is important for our body’s normal function. These medications are used as a prophylaxis to prevent influenza or to shorten the duration of influenza if taken within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms. Tamiflu comes in an oral capsule and in an oral suspension form, while Relenza comes in an oral inhalation dosage form. An advantage of Relenza is that due to its mode of administration, by inhaling the powder into the lungs, it provides a high drug concentration at the site of infection, which may increase its antiviral effects and lower the chances of resistance. Other good practices in the treatment of viral flu are to maintain good hydration, and refrain from physical activity in order to decrease stress on the immune system.

There are some contraindications & precautions associated with taking these medications so always consult with your physician to see which therapy would work best for you.

Curing Ringworm "Skin Fungus"

Ringworm is a fungal infection also known as Tinea Corporis. It is a fungal infection of the skin that can evolve anywhere on the body except for the palms, soles, and groin area.

Ringworm usually presents as a rash. The rash may appear as a patch and have a circular shape. The lesion has raised borders and has a tendency to be scaly. Sometimes it may also appear as if its color in the center is fading. Another important factor to help in identifying Ringworm is that the affected skin doesn’t tan when exposed to sunlight like the regular skin around it.

The treatment of Ringworm is achieved by using topical antifungal preparations and by taking preventive measures to avoid it spread. Over the counter medications like Lotrimin, Lamisil, and Clotrimazole can be used to effectively treat Ringworm. In resistant cases prescription creams like nystatin, ketoconazole, and econazole may be used. An alternative to topical management is fluconazole which comes in an oral tablet preparation and is also by prescription.

Prevention is the best way to avoid Ringworm infection. Ringworm is transmitted by contact so personal hygiene is very important in preventing spread. Besides contact with affected people, pet cats are also a common source of infection. People should avoid sharing towels (fungus loves a moist environment) especially at pools. Sharing clothes or even bedding with a person who has an active infection may increase the risk of transmission. Washing the clothes and bedding frequently while the person is being treated is also a good practice.