Stroke Prevention

You all know that one way to avoid a stroke is to make sure the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are properly alkalized and to get plenty of peaceful rest, relaxation and exercise.

But, you may be in the presence of a person one day who has just experienced a stroke which was not recognized. There are some things that you can do that can mean life or death.

These ideas have been circulating on the Internet and I have added a few clarifications and will send
it to you to send on to your family and friends.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.

So, please read this story and steps to take about STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, Ingrid, a friend stumbled and took a little fall. She assured everyone that she was fine.
People offered to call the paramedics. She said that
she just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

So, they got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital after the party.
At 6:00 p.m., several hours later, Ingrid died. She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ.

Had anyone there known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.
Some don't die. Some end up in a helpless, hopeless
condition instead.

Some neurologists say that if they can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours of the stroke, they can totally reverse the effects of a stroke.

Apparently the key is timing--getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medical cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

The first three letters of "stroke" are STR.
Read and learn these three steps.

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness can spell disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to
recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

It is possible for a bystander to recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S * Ask the individual to SMILE. (Is the smile crooked or on one side of the face.)

T * Ask the person to TALK or to SPEAK and repeat A SIMPLE SENTENCE (i.e. It is sunny out today.
See if they can do it.)

R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS at the same time.

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked' or if it goes to one side or the other, that is also a possible indication of a stroke.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the events and the symptoms to the dispatcher.

In love and Light,

Robert O. Young, Ph.D., D.Sc.

Southerners rank poorly on prospects for long life

Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn.
08-27-07
Aug. 26--Not only do Hawaiians enjoy the sun, sand and waves -- they also can expect to live longer than residents of the other 49 states, according to a 2007 longevity report.

Geriatrician Thomas Perls created a longevity survey for eons.com, a Web site geared toward people 50 and older. This year the more than 450,000 survey respondents who reported being over 50 became part of a state-by-state report.

The report found that Hawaiians over 50, with a calculated longevity of 91.98 years, responded with the most healthful habits and therefore the highest projected lifespan, while West Virginians -- with a bad attitude on aging, a generally low amount of exercise per week and the highest consumption of carbohydrates -- came in with the lowest calculated longevity of 89.52.

Respondents in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama came in somewhere in between: Georgia, whose residents have a projected lifespan of 90.52 years, ranked 26th among states; Tennessee (90.09) ranked 29th; and Alabama (90.06) was 40th.

Both Tennessee and Alabama ranked in the top 10 for highest frequency of heart attack, according to the survey. And Alabama residents ranked fourth in the category of "least likely to engage in brain activity," based on the number of respondents who said they never engage in brain activities that are new and challenging.

The only category in which Tennessee ranked first was in "worst attitude on aging," indicating the state had the greatest number of respondents who checked "I am dreading my older years," as opposed to "I feel I am aging well and that my older years will be fulfilling ones."

Some Tennesseans begged to differ.

"Oh, my outlook's favorable," said Jim Bardoner, 59, a physician who lives on Signal Mountain. "My mother used to say that the golden years weren't so golden and aging wasn't for sissies, but I don't have a problem with getting old. ... I'm surprised that we would be number one (in pessimism) because we're becoming one of the (states) where people come to retire."

Other indicators included in the study were frequency of flossing, sunscreen use, likelihood of screening for cancer, education level and number of hours spent at work, all of which determine longevity, Dr. Perls said.

"There are some things in there that are surprising to people," he said, noting that the vast majority of those responding to the survey were baby boomers, many of whom are caring for aging parents.

"They are really staring the issues of aging square in the face, and I think they're very much looking for ways to age well," he said.

The study also found that respondents in Hawaii had the most amount of exercise, whereas Tennessee ranked 10th for the number of respondents who answered that they exercise zero days per week.

Dr. Perls said the good news for those with unhealthy habits is that, particularly for baby boomers, plenty of time remains to make a change.

"For those who have gotten a bit overweight, developed some high blood pressure, maybe they are smoking and maybe they're not exercising ... they also have the opportunity to not go to the point of no return and ... reverse all of this and make them live to a much older age in much better health," he said.

Baby boomers today have more knowledge on how to age well than previous generations, said retired real estate agent Pat O'Brien, 61.

"We were given more of a road map in life than my parents ever knew," the North Chattanooga resident said. "They thought good eating was overcooked vegetables and lots of red meat and potatoes."

Dr. Bonnie Callen, an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee and an expert in elderly nutrition, said the indicators used in the longevity study -- such as consumption of red meat and carbohydrates -- are not just determinants of longevity but of quality of life.

"Nutrition plays such a vital part in aging well," Dr. Callen said.

For Mrs. O'Brien, attitude is everything.

"When I was 20, I really thought people in their 50s were old. Once I got to be (in my) 50s to 60s, like I am now, now I don't know when (old age) comes," she said. "Now I can't even say I think it's going to happen in my 80s."

Fifty-year-old Tony Swornitsky, of Acworth, Ga., who volunteers at the Tennessee Aquarium and works as a plant manager for an international hardware company, said, "You're as young or as old as you feel.

"I really don't think about it," he said. "I'm actually a grandfather, and I really try not to think about it."

E-mail Emily Bregel at ebregel@timesfreepress.com
ON THE WEB Find the study at: http://www.eons.com/about/release/pr_20070523_1
-----
To see more of the Chattanooga Times/Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesfreepress.com.
Copyright (c) 2007, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.


more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

When 'Good' Cholesterol Goes Bad

(HealthDay News) -- It looks like HDL, the "good" cholesterol that supposedly protects against cardiovascular disease, might have a harmful side.

New research suggests that some people's HDL is more protective for their hearts than others, and that certain proteins in HDL can exacerbate vessel damage, particularly in people with heart disease.

But there's good news, too, as scientists uncover a new means by which HDL boosts cardiovascular health.

The findings were to be reported Wednesday at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in Boston.

So far, the cholesterol story has been a relatively simple one in which "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol formed plaques that eventually blocked arteries, while "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol worked to carry away those deposits, explained Dr. Jay Heinecke, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle.

"But in the last few years there has been growing evidence that HDL does other things," he said. "In particular, it may be inhibiting inflammation."

Inflammation is the major villain in the new picture. Arteries are not only blocked because of the gradual growth of plaque. Instead, there comes a moment when plaque ruptures, causing a clot to form and block blood flow, Heinecke said. Proteins called proteases play a major role in these ruptures.

"What we found in HDL is a whole series of proteins that inhibit proteases," Heinecke said, describing what he called the most detailed analysis to date of HDL's protein composition. "So, part of [HDL's] protective effect is to prevent rupture."

The Seattle analysis also found a lot of previously unrecognized HDL proteins, including 22 that play roles in cholesterol metabolism.

One finding of particular significance is that HDL protein composition can be different in people who have heart disease and those who do not -- meaning that some of the supposedly "good" HDL proteins are really bad.

"With LDL cholesterol it's simple -- the lower the better," Heinecke said. "With HDL, it's much more complicated. The protein composition of people with and without heart disease is different."

So, measuring blood levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol is not as predictive of cardiac risk, as has been assumed, Heinecke stressed. "Protein composition [in HDL cholesterol] may be a better handle on whether someone is at risk," he added.

Animal studies have found "dysfunctional" HDL cholesterol, which works against coronary health, Heinecke said. "It is proposed that the same thing is going on in humans," he noted.

The finding of dysfunctional HDL proteins helps explain why a major pharmaceutical company ended work on an HDL-boosting drug when it was found to actually increase deaths and heart problems in a human trial.

A better understanding of the protein components of HDL could lead to more accurate tests for heart disease, Heinecke said. "Most people who have heart attacks have normal levels of HDL, so the composition of the HDL may tell who is vulnerable," he said.

Future cardiac therapy may include LDL-lowering statins and new drugs aimed at the damaging components of HDL cholesterol, Heinecke said.

More information
There's more on HDL and LDL cholesterol at the American Heart Association.

New Strategy Stretches Bird Flu Vaccine

(HealthDay News) -- A new way to boost production of bird flu vaccine to help contain any future pandemic is detailed in a study in this week's issue of The Lancet.

The strategy involves combining vaccine with an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant. Using the adjuvant stretches the supply of vaccine.

Belgian researchers tested four antigen doses given with or without the oil-water adjuvant in eight groups of 50 volunteers, aged 18 to 60. The results showed that all the adjuvanted vaccine doses produced much stronger immune responses than the non-adjuvanted vaccine doses.

People who received the adjuvanted vaccine produced up to six times as many bird flu virus antibodies, compared to same dose of a non-adjuvanted vaccine, according to lead researcher Dr. Geert Leroux-Roels, director of the Centre for Vaccinology, Ghent University and Hospital.

The adjuvanted vaccines did cause more injection site symptoms and general symptoms, most of which were mild to moderate and temporary.

The researchers wrote that the adjuvanted vaccine "represents significant antigen sparing that could increase the number of recipients of the pandemic influenza vaccine."

More information
The World Health Organization has more about bird flu.

U.S. Hispanics Focus of Free Cholesterol Checks

(HealthDay News) -- Free cholesterol screenings and heart health education sessions are part of the national 2007 Summer Heart Health Campaign, launched this month by the National Alliance for Hispanic Health.

While it's a national campaign, it will focus on four major cities: Chicago, Miami, New York and Houston.

"We're bringing free cholesterol screenings to these communities so we can provide people with access to information critical to leading a healthy life," Dr. Jane L. Delgado, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, said in a prepared statement.

"Both locally, and nationally, this summer's heart health campaign can help achieve an immediate increase in cholesterol screening rates and awareness, and that's an achievement that can save lives," she said.

The Alliance said that U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies found that, among racial/ethnic groups in the United States, Hispanics were least likely to have been screened for high cholesterol within the previous five years. The studies found that between one-third and one-half of Hispanics had not been screened.

As part of the campaign, the Alliance will also conduct a survey on Hispanic health issues. The results will be released in November at a meeting of leaders in Hispanic cardiology.

"The more we can understand the health challenges Hispanic communities face, the better equipped our doctors and other professionals in the health care system will be to provide appropriate care and advice to our patients," Dr. Jack Lewin, CEO of the American College of Cardiology, said in a prepared statement.

More information
You can find out more about the cholesterol screenings by going to the National Alliance for Hispanic Health Web site.

Health Tip: How You Get Tetanus

(HealthDay News) -- Tetanus is a nervous system disorder that leads to severe and painful muscle spasms. It's caused by a bacterium that is commonly found in soil, dust and animal waste.

The bacteria enter the body through an open cut or sore, says the Directors of Health Promotion and Education. Most often it's contracted from a deep puncture wound caused by a sharp object like a knife or a nail.

A tetanus vaccine is commonly given to children, combined with inoculations against diphtheria and pertussis vaccines, in a multi-shot vaccine called DTP.

Another way to prevent tetanus is to thoroughly clean any wound -- especially a deep puncture -- with antiseptic. Discuss any significant wound with your doctor to see if an antibiotic may be needed.

Weight Gain May Be Rooted in Liver Enzyme Defect

(HealthDay News) --A genetic defect in the liver explains why some people become obese while others remain thin, a new study suggests.

The defect may prevent some people's liver enzymes from burning fat effectively and may actually cause people to eat more in an effort to create enough energy for their bodies, according to researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia. The finding could lead to a genetic test that would identify people at risk of becoming overweight.

"Results of this study help explain the interaction between genes and diet that underlies diet-induced obesity," senior author Mark Friedman said in a prepared statement. "They also point to a way to identify individuals at risk for dietary obesity, perhaps even during childhood before the development of unhealthy eating habits," he said.

Cells burn fat to provide energy for the body. This process, known as fat oxidation, takes place inside mitochondria, the cells' power plants for generating energy. If the ability to oxidize fat is impaired, the body's capacity to make energy is reduced. This leads to increased hunger and overeating, as the body tries to increase the amount of energy available to meet its needs.

Paradoxically, this means people and animals with the genetic inclination to become obese will actually consume more food despite their weight gain. The effect is not noticeable when people and animals are on a low-fat diet -- it is the presence of excess fat in the diet that triggers the problems with oxidation and fat storage, the researchers said.

Friedman's team compared weight gain in rats that were genetically inclined toward obesity with rats that were not. When both groups were fed low-fat diets, the rats all weighed the same, although the obesity-prone rats struggled to burn the same amount of fat. But, when the researchers switched the rats to a high-fat diet, the rats that were genetically inclined toward obesity ate more and gained 36 percent more weight than the slender rats.

The reduction in fat burning capacity is tied to a lack of two liver enzymes -- CD36 and acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase, the researchers said. CD36 is responsible for transferring fat into liver cells while the second enzyme begins the oxidation process. A third enzyme, CPT1A, which is responsible for transporting fat into mitochondria, is also less available in obesity-prone rats.

The increasing numbers of obese and overweight people are often thought to be a result of a diet high in calories and carbohydrates. The new study results, available in the August issue of Metabolism, suggest a genetic impact on oxidation at the cellular level as a culprit in weight gain.
"The present findings point to fat oxidation in the liver as a target for the development of drugs that suppress appetite and promote weight loss in obese individuals," Friedman said.

More information
Learn more about obesity from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hormones Might Help Treat Colon Cancer

(HealthDay News) -- Hormone deficiency is a prime cause of colon cancer, which means that it may be possible to treat the disease with hormone replacement therapy, a new study suggests.

In experiments with mice, a team at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, focused on GCC (guanylyl cyclase C), a protein receptor on the surface of intestinal epithelial cells. They looked specifically at two hormones, guanylin and uroguanylin, which regulate the growth of intestinal epithelial cells.

Reporting in the Aug. 1 issue of Gastroenterology, the researchers found that GCC helped suppress colon tumor formation in mice.

Study author Dr. Scott Waldman, professor and chair of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics at Jefferson Medical College, noted that early in colon cancer development, the hormones guanylin and uroguanylin are "lost" and not expressed. This disrupts the activity of GCC.

The study finding "converts colon cancer from a genetic disease, which is the way we've all thought about it, to a disease of hormone insufficiency," Waldman said in a prepared statement.

"Not only does this give a new paradigm in how we think about the disease, but it give us a new paradigm for treating the disease -- that is, by hormone replacement therapy," he said.

More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about colorectal cancer risk.