Hello to all my blogger-friends out there. I wish to inform each and every one of you here and I am really very sorry that most of the links have been inadvertently omitted and can no longer be retrieve as a result of the revisions made earlier in my page. Towards this unforeseen matter, please let me know who among of you here has made an ex-links with this site, so I can institute corrective measures and will necessarily add your links as soon as possible. Again, I am seeking your wholehearted understanding as such thing is beyond my control. Anyway, I am looking forward to the magnanimity of your inner-self and trusting to hear from you guys anytime soon. God Bless, more power and kudos to all…
To All My Blogger-Friends
April 30, 2010 by ·
Obesity Associated With Increased Risk Of Fibromyalgia
April 30, 2010 by ·
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found an association between the level of leisure time physical exercise and a future risk of developing fibromyalgia. The research team also identified BMI as an independent risk factor for fibromyalgia. Details of the study appear in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain lasting more than 3 months, and tender point sites in the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. Associated features often include unexplained fatigue, sleep disturbances, headache, cognitive difficulty, and mood disturbances. The prevalence of FM increases with age and is considerably higher among women than men. Although the etiology of FM is poorly understood, many authors have suggested that a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system involving deficiencies in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system contributes to the development of FM by altering pain perception and endogenous pain inhibition.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, FM has been linked to stressful or traumatic events, such as car accidents, repetitive injuries, illness, certain diseases, or FM can occur spontaneously. Some scientists speculate that a gene or genes might be involved in fibromyalgia that could make a person react strongly to things that other people would not find painful.
Longitudinal studies have shown that physical exercise is associated with less musculoskeletal pain and stiff or painful joints among aging women. The Norwegian researchers, led by Paul Mork, D.Phil., proposed that first, there is an association between levels of leisure time physical exercise and future risk of FM and, second, being overweight/obese may represent an independent risk factor for future development of FM. Data for the study was collected from the Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study, the first part conducted in 1984 (HUNT 1) and the second in 1995 (HUNT 2). During the 11 years between HUNT 1 and HUNT 2, 380 cases of incident FM were reported among 15,990 women who provided information on relevant variables at both surveys and who reported no FM or physical impairment at HUNT 1.
“Women who reported exercising 4 times per week had a 29% lower risk of FM compared with inactive women,” says Dr. Mork. “Similar results were found in the analysis of the summary score combining information on frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise; women with the highest exercise level had a somewhat lower risk than inactive women. The study further shows that a high BMI (i.e., being overweight or obese) is a strong and independent risk factor for future development of FM. Moreover, the higher relative risks for the combined effect of being overweight/obese and inactive, relative to being overweight/obese alone, point to a further disadvantage for overweight women who do not exercise.”
While the causal relationship between obesity and FM remains unknown, there are some etiologic factors in common. Studies suggest that proinflammatory cytokines play a role in FM and the relationship between FM and obesity. Other studies point to dysregulation of the HPA axis, which has been observed in both FM and obesity. Finally, increased sympathetic tonus and reduced sympathetic reactivity, as recorded by heart rate variability, has been observed in patients with FM as well as in overweight and obese subjects. Dr. Mork concludes, “These findings, together with the current study, indicate that regular physical exercise, and thereby improved physical fitness, may serve as a buffer against the perpetuation of musculoskeletal symptoms that eventually lead to the development of FM.” PhysOrg
Comfort & Appearance
April 29, 2010 by ·
We all know that summer is almost here, and so be careful out there in the sun. This month of May is skin cancer awareness month, a perfect time to learn more about skin cancers. While the exact relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer is still being studied, experts suggest that you protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation. And one way of doing it is through protective clothing, however, though it may protect your skin, but not all fabrics offer equal protection. In general, fabrics that is thick, dark, and tightly woven offer good protection. Choice of fiber, weave and finish also plays an important role. Particularly in case of multi-layer apparel concepts and constructions, the protective fabrics employed must harmonize not only in their protective function but also in comfort and appearance.
Justin Bieber’s Mom Knocked Down By Fans
April 28, 2010 by ·
Hundreds of frenzied teenagers mobbed 16-year-old pop star Justin Bieber and knocked down his mother as he arrived in New Zealand, stealing his hat as he was rushed through the airport to escape the fans.
The heartthrob Canadian singer tweeted his 2.1 million fans Wednesday to report: “Finally got to New Zealand last night. The airport was crazy. Not happy that someone stole my hat and knocked down my mama. Come on people.”
The star’s mother, Pattie Mallette, tweeted that she was “OK” after being pushed over by rampaging fans at Auckland Airport late Tuesday. “Thanks for all ur support!! I’m ok thank you!!!,” she wrote.
It was his mother’s posting of videos of Bieber singing on YouTube that first caught the attention of the music industry. His song “Baby” became a top-ten hit on iTunes earlier this year, and his popularity has grown to teen idol status.
Before arriving at the airport, the blond-haired singer had told fans that he wanted to sign autographs and have pictures taken. But police and security had to shut the opportunity down because fans were pushing.
The frenzy followed similar scenes in Sydney, Australia, earlier in the week, where police canceled a Bieber concert after surging crowds crushed some fans. The most serious injury was a fractured kneecap.
A similar situation occurred at a mall in Long Island, New York, in November. Bieber’s free concert was canceled at the 11th hour when hundreds of fans stampeded after a reported sighting of the teen star.
In New Zealand, a mob of mainly teen girls screamed their welcome and swarmed toward Bieber at the airport. Escorted by security, police and minders, Bieber quickly left the airport out a side door.
A waiting black SUV whisked him away, leaving some fans sobbing with disappointment.
After Bieber’s departure, teen Tory Shaffett said she was having trouble breathing.
“Oh my god, he was so amazing and beautiful. I can’t believe I saw him,” she told reporters.
Bieber bungy jumped off Auckland Harbor Bridge on Wednesday and posted footage on his Twitter account.
Later Wednesday, Bieber wore an All Blacks rugby jersey and played drums at a music lesson with a dozen teens at Strathallan High School for girls, before belting out half a dozen songs at an impromptu concert in front of 500 students.
He sang “One Time,” “Never Let You Go,” “You Smile,” “That Should Be Me, Baby” and “Favorite Girl” to his teenage girl audience. He also had a request for their next music lesson.
“The next song you need to learn is ‘One’ by Metallica. You guys keep rocking out,” The “Stuff” news website quoted Bieber telling the students, aged from 11 to 17. “I’ll definitely be back,” he added. Huffington Post
Green Tea May Help Fight Glaucoma, Other Eye Diseases
April 22, 2010 by ·
Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea — renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties — do penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their new report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases. It appears in ACS’ bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Chi Pui Pang and colleagues point out that so-called green tea “catechins” have been among a number of antioxidants thought capable of protecting the eye. Those include vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Until now, however, nobody knew if the catechins in green tea actually passed from the stomach and gastrointestinal tract into the tissues of the eye.
Pang and his colleagues resolved that uncertainty in experiments with laboratory rats that drank green tea. Analysis of eye tissues showed beyond a doubt that eye structures absorbed significant amounts of individual catechins. The retina, for example, absorbed the highest levels of gallocatechin, while the aqueous humor tended to absorb epigallocatechin. The effects of green tea catechins in reducing harmful oxidative stress in the eye lasted for up to 20 hours. “Our results indicate that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress,” the report concludes. redOrbit
Association Of Fiber And Colorectal Cancer Risk Differs Depending On Dietary Assessment Method
April 21, 2010 by ·
Previous studies have examined the issue of dietary fiber and risk of colorectal cancer, but the results have been inconsistent, particularly in studies that used food-frequency questionnaires (FFQs).
In this study, Christina Dahm Ph.D., and Kay-Tee Khaw, MBBChir., of the University of Cambridge in the UK, and colleagues used data obtained from both food diaries and food frequency questionnaires to estimate fiber intake. Their prospective, case-control study was nested within seven UK cohort studies and included 579 patients who developed colorectal cancer more than 1 year after they began keeping the food diaries. These case patients’ fiber intake was compared with that of 1,996 control subjects who did not develop colorectal cancer. Case and control subjects were matched for sex, age, and date of diary completion.
The researchers found that participants who had higher intakes of fiber, ascertained by food diaries, were less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those with lower intakes. For individuals who consumed an average of 24 grams per day of dietary fiber, the odds of developing colorectal cancer were 30% lower than for those who consumed an average 10 grams per day. The difference was statistically significant and consistent even after the researchers took into account other risk factors for colorectal cancer, such as age, physical activity, and intakes of alcohol and red meats.
However, when the researchers performed the same analysis using data obtained from the food frequency questionnaires, they found no statistically significant association between fiber intake and the risk of colorectal cancer.
“These findings strengthen existing evidence that supports recommendations to increase dietary fiber intake in populations to reduce colorectal cancer incidence,” the authors write. They suggest that “the fact that we found no association using…the FFQ may explain the lack of convincing evidence relating fiber intake to a substantial reduction in colorectal cancer risk in some previous studies that relied on FFQs.”
In an accompanying editorial, Ross Prentice, Ph.D., of the Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, notes that accurate measurement of dietary components remains a major challenge in studies of diet and cancer risk. He calls for the development of biological markers to measure intake more accurately. “The explicit use of biomarkers to correct nutritional epidemiology associations for systematic and random measurement error in dietary assessment seems a logical next step in the nutritional epidemiology research agenda,” he writes. PhysOrg
Significant Stress
April 20, 2010 by ·
Sleep problems can cause significant stress in the body and contribute to ill health, as well as mental and emotional issues. Sleeping disorders may vary in severity, and one of the primary reasons for interrupted sleep is the need to go to the bathroom during the night. Also, even a minimal amount of light in the bedroom at night can not only lead to a chronic lack of sleep but can also diminish the effectiveness of the body’s immune system, disrupt melatonin levels and potentially increases risk of developing cancer. One of the best ways to improve your sleep at night is to move more during the day and if possible have a sleep aids with you, and do whatever you can to get your bedroom as dark as possible, such as using room-darkening curtains and finding the right mattress and pillow are among of the obvious steps towards the right direction.