Stirton.net » Diseases

Can It Help Alleviate Chronic Heart Failure

stirton — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 03:31:54 +0000

Soft thoughts and deep breaths may improve the quality of life for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), a condition in which the heart can’t pump out all the blood it needs to.
The evidence comes from a study of 28 people with CHF conducted at the University of California by researchers, Ohio State University and Harvard.

People who completed 15-minute biofeedback sessions – during which they were shown readings of their skin temperatures and told to increase them by imagining warm hands and relaxing situations – had better blood flow than did people who quietly rested for that time. The biofeedback group also had a much lower breathing rate than their fellow subjects — meaning they overcame breathlessness, a distressing attendant of CHF .

Lead study author DNSc, of the University College of Nursing in Columbus, says that relaxation in general may be a good way to improve heart failure symptoms. “There is some evidence that it may be beneficial,” she notes, “but we don’t have all the answers yet.” According to doctor, one thing we do know is that biofeedback treatments are only used (and are only effective) in conjunction with medical therapies.

Perspective on Diabetes

stirton — Sat, 29 May 2010 07:19:08 +0000

Diabetes has been increasing at an alarming rate in this country. Why is that, and what could be done about it?

Diabetes is a condition in which the Islet cells in the pancreas do not produce sufficient insulin to control the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, and the sugar level rises, with adverse consequences for many organs and systems in the body.

Type I diabetes is a condition in which practically no insulin is produced, and the person is totally dependent on insulin injections.

Type II diabetes is the more common type in which some insulin is produced, and there is considerable resistance to the utilization of the insulin, so that drugs are often used to stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin or to increase the effectiveness of the insulin.

There are many nutritional and lifestyle approaches that can accomplish the same thing for type II diabetes in a safer, more cost-effective way.

Type II diabetes was once called “maturity onset” diabetes, because most people did not get it until age 40, (in contrast to type I diabetes, which can occur at any age, often due to a sudden event, maybe due to an infectious or autoimmune cause, which destroys the insulin-producing islet cells). We are now finding an astounding increase in type II diabetes in young adults, teenagers and children. Why is this happening?

It may help to understand this phenomenon if we recognize the causes. It all starts with the resistance of muscles cells and other cells to the effects of insulin, thereby preventing the uptake of glucose into the cells for energy use, thereby calling for the pancreatic islet cells to put out more insulin, which in turn forces glucose into metabolic pathways that turn it into fat.

What causes this insulin resistance? We do know it is associated with lack of exercise, too high intake of processed carbohydrates (refined starches, sugar and alcohol) and increased body weight. Children and adults have been increasingly eating more of the foods that contribute to insulin resistance; they have been exercising less and they have been continuing to gain weight. This weight gain in children is now being described as an epidemic.

This stage of insulin resistance, which long precedes the actual development of diabetes and continues through the condition of diabetes, causes many problems aside from diabetes itself. The high levels of insulin are associated with high risk for heart attacks, arterioscleroses and other inflammatory conditions. Also, it probably will be shown to contribute to a host of other chronic and degenerative diseases.

Besides insulin resistance causing problems, diabetes itself causes destruction of small arteries in eyes, kidneys and feet when blood sugar is not strictly controlled. High blood sugar also causes cross-linking of proteins, which results in free radical production, oxidative stress and resultant premature aging and many degenerative diseases.

The major concern in the prevention of diabetes and its associated chronic conditions is the prevention and reversal of insulin resistance.

The following measures can do just that:

* Exercise
* Wise choice of macronutrients (proportions of carbohydrates, fats and proteins)
* Micronutrient supplementation (vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc.)

Both aerobic conditioning and strength training are effective in improving insulin sensitivity and gllycemic (blood sugar) control.

Moderating the balance between the macronutrients is important as well as choosing the right kinds and sources of these macronutrients. The 40/30/30 percentage of calories balance among carbohydrate/fat/protein is best for most diabetics (the “Zone-favorable” diet), and the 60/20/20 or 50/25/25 may be better for some groups of people with borderline or actual kidney failure, because the high protein can make kidney failure worse.

The types of these macronutrients may be as important than the proportions among them. It is important to get carbohydrates mostly from vegetables, beans and whole grains, some whole fruits from the temperate zone, but not fruit juices), and to avoid alcohol and foods with added sugar like desserts and soft drinks, etc.

Fats are best obtained from cold-pressed olive oil, cold-water fish and flax seeds. It is of utmost importance to avoid trans fatty acids from hydrogenated oils, present in almost all margarines and shortenings and many processed foods. These fats make cell membranes resistant to insulin’s effects. The omega-3 fatty acids in flax oil and fish oil are very helpful for improving insulin sensitivity for cell membranes.

Protein is best from plant sources, especially dried beans, soybean products, fish and whey supplements.

Large amounts of fiber in vegetables and beans help in the moderation of the glycemic response to foods.

Supplementing with micronutrients can help improve insulin sensitivity and protect against many of the damages caused by diabetes, especially from free radicals and oxidative stress. The antioxidants are the most important for this protection.

The following are some of these supplements:

Vitamin C 1000 to 3000mg/day
Vitamin E 400-800 unilts/day
B-complex including 100mg of B-6, 100mg of niacin, plus 200mg of nicinamide/day
Vitamin B-12 1000mcg/day
Folic acid 1000mcg/day
Magnesium 200-600mg/day
Chromium 300mcg/day
Selenium 300mcg/day
Zinc 40mg + Copper 2mg/day
Manganese 10-50mg/dayVanadium 100mcg/day
Fiber supplements such as guar gum, oat extract, oat bran, psyllium, pea fiber, pectin.
Inositol 1000-3000mg/day
L-Carnitine 400-2000mg/day
alph-lipoic acid 500-1000mg/day
Coenzyme Q-10 100mg/day
Essential fatty acids — fish oil 5 grams/day (always include Vitamin E)
Fenugriik 3 tsp seeds/day

Epilepcy. A Simple Guide to Seizures

stirton — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:51:00 +0000

Do you know the difference between Partial and Generalized seizures? Why is a Tonic-Clonic seizure different than a Myclonic seizure? Find out in this guide to common seizure types.

While there are many different seizure types, many patients are unfamiliar with types other than the particular seizures they may have. Even then, sometimes the seizures are not fully understood. The following is a guide to help everyone, patient, relative, and the curious, understand seizures.

There are two main categories of seizures, Partial and Generalized.
Partial Seizures are centered in only one part of the brain.
Generalized Seizures involve the entire brain.

Common Partial Seizures:

Simple Partial Seizures – are seizures that occur while an individual is awake. The symptoms depend on which part of the brain is involved, but may include twitching, numbness, dizziness, nausea, or disruptions to senses. The individual remains fully aware of what is happening. These seizures can sometimes progress to other types of seizures and are sometimes described as a warning or “aura”.

Complex Partial Seizures – are seizures which actually change the individual’s awareness of their surroundings so he or she will not remember the seizure, however, onlookers may believe that the person is aware of the attack because the individual is awake. Symptoms may include strange behavior such as lip smacking, drunken behavior, or picking at clothing. These behaviors are called automatisms.

Secondary Generalized Seizures – are seizures that begin as partial seizures, that is, in only one area of the brain, but the activity spreads to become a generalized seizure.

Common Generalized Seizures:

Absence Seizures – are seizures characterized by staring or blinking spells. Formerly called Petit Mal or “Small Illness”, these seizures have been renamed as they really are a small absence of consciousness. The seizure is seen as the individual stopping and starring or perhaps blinking, then resuming activity. Onlookers may thing that the person was simply daydreaming. These seizures are most common in children, but can be seen in adults, especially if accompanying other types of seizures.

Myclonic Seizures – are seizures, which manifest themselves in short, jerky movements in various parts of the body. These jerks can be quite forceful and actually can pull muscles.

Atonic Seizures – also called “Drop Attacks”, these seizures are characterized by an individual falling limply to the ground. If this type of seizure occurs frequently, safety of surroundings may be a consideration to avoid serious injury.

Tonic-Clonic Seizures – formerly known as Grand Mal or “Large Illness”, these are the violent seizures most people think of when they hear about epilepsy. This seizure is really two phases: the Tonic Phase during which the muscles contract and the body stiffens, causing the individual to fall to the ground. During the Clonic phase, the victim jerks uncontrollably with convulsions. Air maybe forced out of the lungs causing a cry from the person, and the lips may turn blue. The individual loses consciousness and, when first coming-to, can be disoriented and exhausted, and will need time to recover.

Tonic Seizures – are seizures during which the individual will stiffen and drop to the ground, as with the Tonic-Clonic Seizure, but will not convulse. As with the Tonic-Clonic seizure, the episode will most likely not be remembered.

What to do in case of a seizure:If you are witness to an individual having a seizure, it is important to remember not to panic. DO NOT PLACE ANYTHING IN THE MOUTH. It is a myth that they will bite their own tongue off and swallow it. Also, do not try to restrain the victim, but try to cushion a fall and move sharp edged objects out of the way. Do not give the victim anything to drink until they are fully conscious. Be supportive and stay with the person until they have recovered. It is unnecessary to call for an ambulance unless the seizure has lasted more than five minutes.