Monthly Archives: March 2008

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Posted in Health Risks

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Asian Bird Flu Virus | H5N1

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | 4 Comments

The Deadly Asian Bird Flu H5N1 Virus

How You Can Protect Yourself Against the Coming Lethal Avian Influenza A Pandemic

The last bird flu pandemic occurred almost 40 years ago and another one is overdue as this global modern equivalent to the Black Death of the Dark Ages comes around once every three to four decades.

The outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu, and the (officially reported to WHO) deaths of more than 200* people from this virus, mainly in South-East Asia, could become a global health crisis if we do not take precautions now.

Can health authorities control the H5N1 strain of bird flu pandemic like they did for the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) H3N2 virus outbreak? Or will it claim the lives of tens of millions of people worldwide? Only time will tell.

Should We Be Concerned About the highly pathogenic H5N1 Virus?

On September 29, 2005, David Nabarro, the newly-appointed Senior United Nations System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza, warned the world that an outbreak of bird flu pandemic could kill anywhere between 5 million and 150 million people.

Many scientists believe it is only a matter of time until the next bird flu pandemic occurs. The severity of the next flu pandemic cannot be predicted, but modeling studies suggest that the impact of a pandemic on the United States could be substantial. In the absence of any control measures (vaccination or drugs), it has been estimated that in the United States alone, a “medium-level” pandemic could cause 89,000 to 207,000 deaths, 314,000 to 734,000 hospitalizations, 18 to 42 million outpatient visits and another 20 to 47 million people to be sick. Between 15% and 35% of the U.S. population could be affected by an influenza pandemic, and the economic impact could range between $71.3 and $166.5 billion – just for the U.S. alone.

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	Expected deaths	Expected hospitalizations
Global	2-50 million	6.4-28.1 million
High-income countries	280,000-650,000	1.5-5.2 million
UK	A minimum of 50,000	A minimum of 80,000
USA	89,000-207,000	314,000-734,000

Unlike normal flu which starts during the cold season, this new influenza virus can start at anytime and we have little preexisting natural immunity against the H5N1 virus. If it is able to spread from human to human, the bird flu pandemic could result in potentially high rates of illness and death worldwide – according to the www.cdc.gov website.

If the disease is misdiagnosed, deliberately under-reported or worse, carriers of the virus do not follow strict quarantine procedures, the disease could spread like wildfire – much like how the recent SARS epidemic had spread throughout the world by just a few carriers.

What Is The Status of the Spread of the H5N1 Virus?

The H5N1 virus has afflicted more than 60 countries since it began ravaging Asian poultry stocks in 2003, forcing the slaughter of hundreds of millions of birds worldwide.

Experts fear bird flu may mutate into a form that spreads easily among humans, potentially sparking a pandemic. So far, most human cases have been linked to contact with infected birds.

Since the first human cases were reported in 2003, at least 241* people have died from the H5N1 virus around the world, the WHO said. Indonesia is the world’s worst-hit country, with 107 deaths as of 30 April 2008.

Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO

30 April 2008

Country	2003		2004		2005		2006		2007		2008		Total
Country	C	D	C	D	C	D	C	D	C	D	C	D	Cases	Deaths
Azerbaijan	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	5	0	0	0	0	8	5
Cambodia	0	0	0	0	4	4	2	2	1	1	0	0	7	7
China	1	1	0	0	8	5	13	8	5	3	3	3	30	20
Djibouti	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Egypt	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	10	25	9	7	3	50	22
Indonesia	0	0	0	0	20	13	55	45	42	37	16	13	133	108
Iraq	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	0	0	0	0	3	2
Lao PDR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	0	2	2
Myanmar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Nigeria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1
Pakistan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	3	2
Thailand	0	0	17	12	5	2	3	3	0	0	0	0	25	17
Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	4	0	0	0	0	12	4
Viet Nam	3	3	29	20	61	19	0	0	8	5	5	5	106	52
Total	4	4	46	32	98	43	115	79	86	60	31	24	382	241

C = Cases

D = Deaths

Total number of cases includes number of deaths.
* WHO reports only laboratory-confirmed cases. Bird Flu cases in rural / remote areas may not be reported.
All dates refer to onset of illness.

Source:

To view source website, please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL:http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/

Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines remain the only countries in the region where the H5N1 bird flu virus, either in birds or humans, has not been detected.

Latest Updates on the Spread of the H5N1 Bird Flu Virus:

13 March 2008 – Hong Kong ordered more than half a million primary and kindergarten students to stay home from school for two weeks starting Thursday after three schoolchildren died amid recent outbreaks of the killer flu. Officials say five of his classmates are sick and hospitalized, while 30 others are displaying similar flu-like symptoms. WHO said that it is not the H5N1 or SARS virus. However, other sources say that at least one of the three children died of the H3N2 strain. Whatever “it” is, this is a flu that kills.

The new flu outbreak in Hong Kong raised memories of the deadly H3N2 virus also called the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which surfaced in southern China in November 2002 and later killed 299 people in Hong Kong. That disease ground this bustling financial capital to a halt as locals avoided going out, while the government was criticized for not responding quickly enough.

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18 March 2008: The bird flu virus, widespread in Indonesia, could mutate and cause a human influenza pandemic, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Bird flu has hit 31 out of 33 provinces of Indonesia with an endemic virus in Java, Sumatra, Bali and southern Sulawesi and sporadic outbreaks reported in other areas.

Despite major control efforts, Indonesia has failed to contain the spread of bird flu in poultry in the country where about 20 percent of 1.4 billion chickens are scattered in around 30 million backyards, FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said.

“We have also observed that new H5N1 avian influenza virus strains have recently emerged, creating the possibility that vaccines currently in use may not be fully protecting poultry against the disease” —– (Reuters)

To view source website, please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL:http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL1880246820080318

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28 March 2008: Chickens are no more the root cause behind bird flu outbreaks, but it is ducks, rice and people are the most significant factors in the spread of avian influenza in Thailand and Vietnam, says a new study by a UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAO estimates that approximately 90 per cent of the world’s more than 1 billion domestic ducks are in Asia, with about 75 per cent in China and Vietnam.

Please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL to view source:

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Ducks–rice-root-cause-of-bird-flu–Study/289579/
April 2, 2008 (Bloomberg) — Bird Flu Crosses Species Barrier to Spread Among Dogs (Update1) A bird flu virus that killed dogs in South Korea can spread from one dog to another, showing that the disease is capable of crossing species and causing widespread sickness in mammals, a study found.

What Does History Tell Us About Previous Flu Pandemics?

Three flu pandemics have occurred in the last century:

1918 to 1919 (Spanish flu): The two mutations in the H1N1 avian flu virus infected 20-40% of the world population and killed at least 50 million people in 1918-1919. 675,000 deaths from the bird flu occurred in the U.S. alone. Many people died from this virus very quickly. Some people who felt well in the morning became sick by noon, and were dead by nightfall. Those who did not succumb to the disease within the first few days often died of complications from the bird flu (such as pneumonia) caused by bacteria. More soldiers involved in World War I died from the H1N1 avian flu virus than from actual combat.
1957 to 1958 (Asian flu): The H2N2 Influenza A virus, originated in February, 1957, in Kweichow province of China. The new strain, H2N2, spread from China into the rest of Asia, the Middle East and Europe, reaching the Americas in June, killing 70,000 Americans. One to two million died from the Asian flu worldwide.
1968 to 1969 (Hong Kong flu): The H3N2 flu virus killed more than 700,000 people worldwide. American troops returning from the Vietnam War brought the virus to the USA resulting in 34,000 Americans dying from the H3N2 flu virus.

A Narrow Escape: The SARS Epidemic of 2003

2003 to 2004 (Fujian Flu): aka Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – SARS (though not considered a pandemic due to its limited impact) affected more than 8,000 people between November 2002 and July 2003 in what the WHO deemed a “global threat” — nearly 800* of those who contracted the H3N2 virus, died from it. Hong Kong, China and Vietnam were the hardest hit. There have since been scattered cases of the illness, but no widespread outbreaks.

For Cases and Fatalities of the 2003-2004 SARS Epidemic, check the following website:

To view source website, please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL:http://www.who.int/csr/sarscountry/2003_04_23/en/

“Pandemics don’t happen suddenly, they have an early phase, mature phase, outbreak phase. The virus changes step by step, it takes a long cooking time,” leading bird flu expert and microbiologist Yi Guan said. Although experts have warned of an H5N1 pandemic for years now, the virus remains largely a bird disease. Since late 2003, it has infected only 376 people, although its substantial killing power has left 238 of them dead.”If proper surveillance is in place for animals and humans, yes, we can stop pandemic influenza forever. Not just for H5N1, it may also work for other subtypes of viruses,” he said in an interview over the weekend. —– (Reuters, Mar 29, 2008)

Bird Flu Video

Watch this excellent video on YouTube by courtesy of the non-profit Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) which features compelling arguments by Michael Greger, M.D. (author of the book: “Bird Flu – A Virus of Our Own Hatching“) who says that the next bird flu pandemic could start in crowded, cruel and contaminated chicken factory farms. Also visit Michael Greger‘s excellent website:- http://birdflubook.com/

Who Is At Risk of the Killer Influenza Each Year?

According to the CDC, every year in the United States, on average:

5% to 20% of the population gets the normal human strains of flu; (worldwide: 500 million reported flu cases annually);
more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and;
about 36,000 people die from flu (worldwide: 500,000 deaths from flu annually).

Some people, such as older people (65 years and above), young children, and people with certain health conditions [such as lung disease (eg. asthma), diabetes, or heart disease], are at high risk for serious flu complications.

Note: “Flu” defined by CDC here refers to people who suffer from seasonal influenza and pneumonia.

Symptoms of the Bird Flu

Symptoms are similar to that of influenza – high fever, headache, cough, sore throat, runny nose and, in the young, diarrhea and vomiting. This makes it difficult to determine if it is a “seasonal” flu or a bird flu – unless a blood test is done using a virus diagnostic kit.

Tamiflu – Its Effectiveness and the Side Effects

Countries have been stockpiling flu vaccines. For most countries, Tamiflu is to be the front line drug of choice to battle the anticipated bird flu virus. However, for many countries, especially poorer ones, they would not have enough drugs like Tamiflu to treat all who need it if a pandemic arises. Even if there is adequate supplies, certain regions of the country may experience temporary shortages of anti-viral vaccines due to an unexpected surge of bird flu cases or the virus had mutated.

Based on experiences of Tamiflu treatment in Indonesia & Vietnam in 2007, there is:

55 percent survival rate if Tamiflu is given within four days of the onset of the flu;
35 percent survival rate if given Tamiflu within six days; and
18 percent survival rate for those given Tamiflu later than 6 days after the onset of the illness.

The high fatality ratio based on the Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO (see table above) at a time when there is no bird flu pandemic is not very re-assuring to many people.

Tamiflu: Side Effects Observed During Clinical Practice

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post marketing use of TAMIFLU. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to TAMIFLU exposure.

Body as a Whole: Swelling of the face or tongue, allergy, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions

Dermatologic: Dermatitis, rash, eczema, urticaria, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis

Digestive: Hepatitis, liver function tests abnormal

Cardiac: Arrhythmia

Gastrointestinal disorders: Gastrointestinal bleeding, hemorrhagic colitis

Neurologic: Seizure

Metabolic: Aggravation of diabetes

Psychiatric: Delirium, including symptoms such as altered level of consciousness, confusion, abnormal behavior, delusions, hallucinations, agitation, anxiety, nightmares

Source:

To view source website, please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL:http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/oseltamiv_ad.htm

Health Authorities in Australia issued warning reports of delirium and other abnormal behavior, with some cases resulting in death from Tamiflu (The Age, Australia, 5 Mar 2008).

Please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL to view source:http://news.theage.com.au/drug-regulator-keeps-watch-on-flu-drug/20080305-1x3r.html

to Review Tamiflu reports of abnormal behavior and other brain effects in more than 1,800 children who had taken the flu medicine Tamiflu since its approval in 1999, including 55 in the USA. (USA Today, 1 Dec 2007)

To view source website, please copy and paste this link onto your web browser URL:http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-11-25-tamiflu-brain_N.htm

How You Can Protect Yourself and Your Family During A Pandemic

Getting ready for a pandemic starts now – and there’s a lot you can do.

Stay healthy
Keep yourself in shape. Eat nutritious foods, don’t smoke, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. And get a flu shot every fall, so you’re protected against ordinary “seasonal” flu.

Learn how to avoid spreading disease
Practice “respiratory etiquette.” Start developing habits that will help you avoid getting – or spreading – infectious disease s. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue – or the upper part of your sleeve – when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the tissue afterward. Wash your hands thoroughly – and frequently. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based, waterless hand cleaner.

Develop a family emergency plan
Know how you’ll get in touch with each other – and where you’ll gather as a family – in an emergency. Know where you’ll go, and what you’ll do. Keep a list of emergency phone numbers in a handy place. Know what routes you will use if you have to evacuate. Store emergency numbers in your cell phones under “ICE” (“In Case of Emergency”), so someone else can call your emergency numbers if you’re not able to. Use more than one entry (“ICE-1,” “ICE-2,” etc.) if you have more than one emergency number.

Create an emergency kit
Make sure your kit has everything you’ll need to get by if you have to remain at home for a period of time – up to two weeks, if possible. Be sure to include:

A supply of drinking water (one gallon per person per day) and nonperishable food.
Basic equipment like a flashlight, battery-operated radio, and a supply of batteries. Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Personal care products – soap, toiletries, waterless hand cleaner, extra glasses or contact lenses, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, tissues and toilet paper, and any special items for infants or people with special health needs.
A good first aid kit.
Kitchen utensils and dish washing supplies.
Extra clothing and bedding.
Critical miscellaneous items – notebook & pen, whistle, money & credit cards, extra car keys, medical and insurance information, and copies of other important documents.
Games, reading material, and other entertainment items – for children and adults. You might need to stay home for a while during a pandemic.

What We Would Do:

For those of us who have survived the worst of the SARS, we know that the best way protect ourselves is to build up our immune system. During the height of the SARS epidemic, we were making weekly business presentations to a big room full of people while the man on the street were staying at home for fear of contacting the virus. Apart from nutritious, unprocessed foods, the following Unicity products can help you in building up your immune system:

Immunizen^TM

This supplement boosts the immune system with a patented form of Intact^® colostrum and other ingredients that supply key immunoglobulins, antibodies, inhibitors, protein compounds, growth factors, and enzymes. Immunizen^TM supports the body’s immune cells especially macrophages in digesting foreign material, promotes “friendly” intestinal bacteria, protects the body with antioxidants, and helps the body make better use of iron.

Bio C^TM

For daily antioxidant protection, Bio-C^TM provides four selected forms of high potency vitamin C, ascorbic acid and ascorbic salts with ascorbyl palmitate, a fat soluble form of vitamin C that remains active in your body for about 24 hours, along with bioflavonoids to promote absorption.

Phytopath^TM

This supplement contains substantial amounts of some of the best antioxidant substances available. Grape seed and maritime bark extracts support the skin, eyes and metabolic systems; beta carotene helps protect cells; vitamin E reduces free radical damage in the heart and other organs; and vitamin C strengthens connective tissue.

Salmon Omega 3 (Omega Life-3)

This supplement’s beneficial omega-3 fatty acids strengthen and protect the cardiovascular system and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Unicity’s Salmon Omega-3 Oil is derived from one of the well known sources for high quality pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements. Each capsule provides 800 mg of EPA and 400 mg of DHA!.

CoQ10 – Advanced Formula

Provided in a special gelcap with vitamin E for additional support, CoQ10 Advanced Formula nourishes heart muscle tissue, supports the heart’s energy production and provides the body protection from viruses.

LifePath™ Chewies

A variety of antioxidants for children, LifePath Chewies contain health enhancing ingredients such as bioflavonoids, bee pollen, milk thistle, ginkgo biloba, grape seed extract, rutin, bilberry, indole concentrate and quercetin. These nutrients combine to provide nourishment to the circulatory system and fortify the body’s health. Taken together with Immunizen, it strengthens the children’s immunity system.

Start Building Your Immunity from the Deadly Flu now. Don’t wait till the Pandemic strikes. It will be too late by then. Also, based on our experiences of the SARS epidemic, company stocks of such products are usually depleted during an epidemic. Prevention is better than Cure. Don’t be a Death Statistic.

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Posted in Health Risks

Tagged bio-c, bird flu virus, flu deaths, immunizen, influenza, omegalife-3, pandemic, phytopath, salmon omega, tamiflu

Statins | Side Effects 2008

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | 7 Comments

Statins | Side Effects 2008

Here are links to more reputable and reliable 2008 articles by the News Media, Government and Institutions on the Side Effects of Statins and Diabetes Drugs.

As a matter of policy, we do not repeat the same story from different websites unless the news report offers significantly new information, reliable on Statins and related drugs side effects. We also do not run stories that appear to be paid editorial advertisements or endorsements.

This page on Statins Side Effects 2008 is updated almost daily or when there are significant news-breaking Statins side effects 2008 articles posted on the Internet, so subscribe to our RSS or bookmark us for regular updates:

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Cholesterol Pill Taken by Thousands Causes Cancer. A pill intended to lower cholesterol levels has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing data from a trial which found a “larger percentage” of patients treated with the drug Inegy died of cancer. The FDA is expected to issue its conclusions within six months.
Inegy combines the widely-used statin drug simvastatin with a new medication called ezetimibe. Ezetimibe works in a different way from statins. Statins block cholesterol made in the liver, while ezetimibe blocks the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. —– (The Daily Mail August 22, 2008)

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Statins May Spur Dementia. Statin drugs, which are used to lower cholesterol, may adversely affect a particular group of brain cells important to the health of aging brains, according to researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center. —– (Newsmax, 25 July 2008)

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FDA warns GlaxoSmithKline for not reporting safety studies of diabetes pill Avandia. Avandia received a black box warning, the most serious a drug can carry, last November. The labeling alerts doctors and patients that the drug could increase the risk of heart attacks, though the evidence is inconclusive.Sales of Avandia fell 22 percent last year to $2.4 billion for the year amid safety concerns. —– (International Herald Tribune, 8 April 2008)

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Statins May Reduce Effectiveness of Rituxan® in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Statins, or cholesterol-lowering drugs, have demonstrated anticancer activity in some patients with cancer. These drugs are being evaluated for cancer prevention and treatment for certain types of cancer. —– (Cancer Consultants, 1 April 2008)

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Doctors wary after cholesterol drug flop. The study was closely watched because Zetia and Vytorin have racked up $5 billion in sales despite limited proof of benefit. Some doctors noted that hormone pills for menopausal women and torcetrapib, a promising cholesterol drug Pfizer Inc. recently abandoned, also lowered cholesterol but were found in big studies to raise heart risks, not lower them. Many doctors have prescribed Vytorin without trying older, proven medications first, as guidelines advise.—– (Associated Press, March 30, 2008)

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Drugs companies Merck and Schering-Plough ‘suppressed Ezetrol trial results’. A heavily promoted heart drug endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) may be worthless, according to a newly published trial. The new trial was designed to compare the effects of simvastatin alone with simvastatin plus Ezetrol in slowing the progression of coronary artery disease in patients with familial hyper-cholesterolaemia – a condition in which a tendency to high cholesterol levels is inherited. The result was that adding Ezetrol did nothing to slow the progress of the disease. Plaque build-up on the artery walls was the same in patients who took the combination as it was in those who took simvastatin alone. Earlier studies have shown that plaque build-up is a good proxy for death rates. The more plaque, the more deaths. So most cardiologists will conclude that prescribing Ezetrol is unlikely to prolong the lives of their patients. —– (The Times, UK, March 31, 2008)

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Takeda says to drop development of cholesterol drug. The move had been expected after U.S. authorities recommended late last year that Takeda Pharmaceutical halt higher dose trials of the drug, known as TAK-475, on safety concerns, (because it couldn’t prove its effectiveness or safety advantage over existing drugs) and company executives said little to dispel worries about its development prospects.It has since filed applications with U.S. authorities seeking approval for the other two — SYR-322, which belongs to a new class of diabetes treatments, and TAK-390MR, a successor to heartburn and ulcer drug Prevacid. TAK-475 is a squalene synthase inhibitor, a type of cholesterol-lowering drug that has not yet been brought to market. Had it been approved, it would have competed against Merck & Co. Inc’s and Schering-Plough Corp’s Zetia and Vytorin. —– (Reuters, Mar 28, 2008)

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Merck, Schering Call on Doctors to Boost Vytorin Use. It’s unlikely they will listen. The Vytorin combination pill, costing about $100 a month, is five times more expensive than generic simvastatin. The Enhance study was designed to persuade doctors and insurers that Vytorin is worth the extra expense. The study’s failure may be used by insurers to encourage the use of simvastatin instead. —– (Bloomberg, March 27 2008)

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How to monitor statin side effects. What other drugs am I taking? – Niacin, Lopid, antibiotics, such as Biaxin? What am I drinking? – Alcohol, Grapefruit juice? Am I diabetic or more than 30 pounds above my recommended weight? —– (Daily Herald / U.S. News & World Report, 10 Mar 2008)

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FDA Warns on Red Yeast Rice. Red yeast rice, a popular cholesterol-lowering dietary supplement could carry some serious health risks. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that some brands of supplements may contain a prescription medication (known as Red Yeast Rice – lovastatin) that could be harmful to your health. Lovastatin can also cause severe muscle problems that could result in kidney damage.
This risk is especially true if higher doses of lovastatin are taken or if lovastatin is combined with other medications that can also create greater susceptibility to muscle problems. Lovastatin can also interact dangerously with medications such as the antidepressant Nefazodone, certain antibiotics, drugs used to treat fungus infections, drugs used to treat HIV infections, as well as other cholesterol-lowering drugs.
The FDA has ordered the makers of the red yeast rice products in question to stop marketing the supplements. Consumers are also being advised to stop taking a red yeast rice supplement if it’s one of these three types: Red Yeast Rice sold by Swanson Health Products Inc. and manufactured by Nature’s Value Inc. and Kabco Inc., Red Yeast Rice/Policosanol Complex also sold by Swanson Health Products Inc. and manufactured by Nature’s Value Inc. and Kabco Inc., and Cholestrix, sold by Sunburst Biorganics.—– (News Inferno, March 07, 2008)

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GAO to Investigate Approval By FDA of 2 Popular Drugs. The Government Accountability Office will look into whether the Food and Drug Administration‘s drug-review process cleared two popular medications without sufficient proof of their safety or effectiveness, a senator said yesterday. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) requested the GAO investigation after recent studies suggested that the diabetes pill Avandia and the cholesterol drug Vytorin may not lower the risk of heart attack and artery-clogging plaque, as assumed by millions of patients and doctors. . —– (Washington Post, March 5, 2008)

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Statins awful side effects. I have listened to Statin-injured people who will never be able to trust a physician again and that’s a shame because physicians are also victims of statin propaganda. The stories of real people being hurt by the drugs they are prescribed by their well-meaning physicians contain narratives too compelling to ignore. – Alan Cassels is a pharmaceutical policy researcher at the University of Victoria and a frequent commentator on prescription drug issues. —– (Common Ground, 4-Mar-2008)

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Nonprescription Heart Medicine: Too Risky? “The elderly fare even worse and are more susceptible to problems” related to side-effects from statins and are less likely to take them correctly, University of Kentucky College of Medicine professor Thomas F. Whayne Jr says. “OTC statin availability to patients at high risk for adherence problems has the potential for significant harm that may remain undetected until appropriate management may be too late.” —— (UK News, 3-Mar-2008)

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The Failure of Cardiovascular Medication. February is American Heart Month. It is ironic that in February of 2008 several high profile human cardiovascular drug experiments have turned into disasters for Big Pharma. These findings are sure to shake the misguided consumer confidence in drugs as a mainstay of preventive cardiovascular health. Hanging in the balance are billions of dollars of fraudulent drug sales based on the flimsy argument that changing numbers (blood sugar, cholesterol, or blood pressure) with the use of toxic drugs is somehow the same as actually being healthy. Baby boomers are the target market, a group that had no trouble rebelling in the 60s and 70s. How long will it take them this time to open their eyes to the drug-induced death march of Big Pharma? —– (American Chronicle, March 03, 2008)

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Tendon complications, though rare, linked to statins. The results showed that of the 4,597 side effects associated with statins, about two percent were attributed to tendon complications. Symptoms usually occurred within 8 months of beginning statin therapy. Most patients had tendonitis, but some also suffered ruptured tendons. The most common tendon affected was the Achilles tendon, with pain, swelling, warmth, and stiffness as the most common symptoms. Seventeen of the patients had symptoms severe enough to warrant hospitalization. The researchers were able to link the tendon problems to statin use based on the fact that the symptoms appeared after the Statins were started, they improved when the statins were stopped and they recurred in all of the patients who restarted the therapy. —– (EurekAlert, 28-Feb-2008)

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Alternatives to the ‘utter folly’ of statins. First there’s the tiny problem of them blocking Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), low tissue levels of which have indisputably been linked to heart disease. Then there’s the problem of them increasing our risk of depression, which doubles an otherwise-healthy person’s heart attack risk. Statins do effectively block cholesterol, but severely lowering cholesterol can create problems all its own. Sufficient circulating cholesterol is what keeps our cell membranes from becoming too porous, which is not exactly trivial, given that when our cells become porous our bodies release cortisol in response to what is perceived as an emergency—and high cortisol levels of course increase inflammation and damage our blood vessels. And finally, by taking hostage the most basic of tools we have for keeping high insulin levels and inflammation and obesity and heart disease at bay, Statins can have a profound muscle-weakening effect. —– (Vue Weekly, February 28, 2008)

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Anti-cholesterol drugs may damage cellular power station. Certain cholesterol-reducing drugs appear to damage mitochondria, the tiny power stations inside living cells. That’s just one of several startling results uncovered by a survey that tested the biochemical effects of nearly 2500 drugs and natural products on muscle cells to assess how their mitochondria reacted to the chemicals. —– (Chemistry World, 25 February 2008)

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Randone Trasylol Litigation to Be Profiled on CBS’ “60 Minutes” Trasylol is not the first dangerous and defective medication manufactured and marketed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Bayer also marketed the drug Baycol, a statin drug used to lower cholesterol, which was tied to more than thirty deaths before it was withdrawn from the market, and Factor 9, a blood clotting medication used by millions of hemophiliacs who developed HIV and AIDS from untested Factor 9. —– (WebWire, February 16, 2008)

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Statins And Memory Loss In Women. Dr Orli Etingin, vice chairman of medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and founder director of the Iris Cantor Women’s Health Center, also in New York described the effect in one patient in particular, a woman in her 40s who was unable to concentrate or remember words. They ran tests and found nothing, but when she stopped taking Lipitor, her symptoms disappeared, and when she started taking Lipitor again, they came back.—– (Medical News Today, 15 Feb 2008)

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Depression Added As Possible Side Effect For Vytorin, Zetia. In letters to the drugs’ co-marketers, Schering-Plough Corp. (SGP) and Merck & Co. (MRK), the FDA said depression would be added to the section of the drugs’ package insert concerning adverse reactions in post-marketing experience. The new language also will be included in a section of the patient package inserts listing possible side effects of the drugs. Vytorin is a combination of Zetia and Simvastatin. Simvastatin is available generically and is marketed by Merck under the brand Zocor. —– (CNN Money, February 14, 2008)

‘Sensible’ assumptions put public at risk. Without proper medical research, prescription drugs can do more harm than good.….Vytorin, Zetia, Zocor, Vioxx —– (Globe and Mail Canada, February 14, 2008)

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Well, Well, Well. Think of your heart this Valentine’s Day. (Statins side effects)—– (Vue Weekly, Edmonton, February 14, 2008)

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The NHS has spent £74m on a new heart pill that the makers knew didn’t work. How COULD this happen? Marketed in the UK under the brand name Inegy, it contained a regular statin called simvastatin, plus ezetrol. —– (Daily Mail, 12th February 2008)

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Can a (Cholesterol lowering) Drug That Helps Hearts. Be Harmful to the Brain? —– (Wall Street Journal, 12 Feb 2008)

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Lowering LDL Cholesterol Without Drugs. Beyond statins, try exercise, diet, and a supplement or two. —– (US News & World Report, February 6, 2008)

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Cholesterol skeptics have their day. For decades, renegade scientists have said that cholesterol-lowering drugs are ineffective for most users. Now, they say, a Big Pharma-sponsored study vindicates their claims.—– (Fortune / CNN Money, 5 Feburary 2008)

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Nevada firm sues cholesterol drug makers of Vytorin and Zetia —– (CNN Money, February 04, 2008)

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Schumer criticizes high cost of cholesterol drug—–(Press & Sun-Bulletin, January 31, 2008)

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Researcher Admits Leaking Diabetes Study: Avandia——(NY Times / Associated Press, January 31, 2008)

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Drugs reduce the wrong cholesterol —– (Blue Ridge Now, 30 January 2008)

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Pharmacy professor questions Vytorin use —– (Gainesville Sun, 26 January 2008)

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Will Cholesterol Pills Save Your Life? —– (New York Times, 29 January 2008)

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Nexavar significantly boosts hypertension risk: study. Nexavar is a cancer drug (not a statin) but will affect your heart health —– (Reuters, 21 January 2008)

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Patients raise fresh doubt over safety of cholesterol treatment —– (Camden New Journal, 19 January 2008)

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Fears over drug used in Norfolk (Simvastatin) —– (Norwich Evening News, 18 January 2008)

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Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good? —– (Business Week, 17 January 2008)

In the Real World, a Slew of Side Effects from Statins —– (Business Week, 17 January 2008)

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The Truth About Statins —– (CBS Evening News, 17 January 2008)

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Study Raises Questions About Effectiveness Of Cholesterol Drugs by doctors —– (NY1 News, 15 January 2008)

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Cholesterol Drugs Tied to Birth Defects —– (OnlineNews / US National Institutes of Health, 16 January 2008)

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Study sees no Alzheimer’s protection from Statins —– (Reuters UK, 16 January 2008)

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Study Deals Setback to Cholesterol Drug – Vytorin and its sister drug, Zetia —– (Wall Street Journal, 15 January 2008)

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What you should know about Vytorin and Zetia —– (USA Today, 15 January 2008)

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Statins Star Rises, But Zetia? —– (LawyersandSettlements.com. January 11, 2008)

For News Reports on Statins Side Effects prior to 2008, please click on this link

Statin-free supplement? Not quite (Red Yeast Rice – Lovastatin) —– (Lost Angeles Times, January 14, 2008)

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US Congress Probes Celebrity Drug Ad Endorsements. Lawmakers Concerned That ‘Dr.’ Jarvik Lipitor Ads May Be Misleading Viewers —– (ABC News, 10 January 2008)

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SUPERDRUG’ DEATH LINK? Inquest blames cholesterol pills for psychic disturbances —– (Camden New Journal, 10 January 2008)

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Lipitor doesn’t improve bone health after menopause —– (Reuters Health, January 8, 2008)

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Pay careful attention to Manufacturers’ Prescription Instructions to Doctors (that are included in all statin drugs’ packaging containers) (click on this link to view the manufacturers’ side effects warnings). Those listed in their Side Effects warnings on these Prescribing Instructions usually represent known side effects (if they are new drugs). When adverse drug reactions are reported from users of the drug, FDA will issue supplementary “Dear Doctor” letters and Black Box sticker warnings of adverse drug reactions (These are serious warnings to doctors by FDA indicating some patients have had life-threatening experiences taking the medication) . At this stage, the risk of the stated side effects are expected to be higher and there may be a possibility of other (unknown) side effects emerging. Your health is at risk if you continue to take such drugs after such FDA warnings had been issued. Get a second medical opinion if your regular doctor continues to ask you to take such drugs – preferably from a doctor who is more opened to alternative treatments.

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Looking for a safer, natural, clinically proven alternative to Statin drugs?

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Posted in Health - Statin Drugs

Tagged anti-cholesterol, statin drugs, statins side effects

Drug Deaths | 2008

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | 1 Comment

Drug Deaths | 2008 Latest News

Here are the latest news about drug deaths – deaths in 2008 due to ingestion of prescription medication. Prescription Drugs normally considered “safe” by the medical community may have some serious side effects and sometimes cause deaths.

As a matter of policy, we do not repeat the same story from various websites twice to avoid information overload unless the story offers significantly new information on the drug deaths which may be of interest to our readers.

We do not cover deaths due to consumption of narcotic drugs or substance abuse in this page.

Stay informed of side effects on approved medicines and medical procedures. Do not rely solely on your doctors’ advice when taking drug prescriptions. Do your own research, inform prescription drug users and help avoid drug deaths.

Links to news and institutional reports at this site (below) will keep you informed of the latest drug deaths (other than statins and other cholesterol drugs which are covered in another page on this site). This page will be updated almost daily or when there are news-breaking articles posted on the Internet, so use our RSS feed or bookmark us for regular updates.

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Ex-Drug Sales Rep Tells All. Former Eli Lilly Rep Says He Wined and Dined Doctors to Make a Sale. During their five-week training class, Ahari claims that instructors teach sales tactics, including how to exceed spending limits for important clients, being generous with free samples to leverage sales, using friendships and personal gifts to foster a “quid pro quo” relationship, and how to exploit sexual tension. —– (ABC News, 12 March 2008)

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Sanofi diet drug misses mark in heart study. Sanofi-Aventis SA’s weight-loss drug Rimonabant failed to slow heart disease by a key measure in obese patients with fat around the middle, and it significantly raised the risk of anxiety and depression, U.S. researchers said. More than 40 percent of patients who took the drug, sold as Acomplia in Europe, developed psychiatric problems, and one committed suicide, the researchers told an American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago. Rimonabant is not available in the United States after an expert panel last year recommended against its approval because of concerns over psychiatric risks. —– (Reuters, Apr 1, 2008)

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Drug Makers Near Old Goal: A Legal Shield For years. Johnson & Johnson obscured evidence that its popular Ortho Evra birth control patch delivered much more estrogen than standard birth control pills, potentially increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes, according to internal company documents. More than 3,000 women and their families have sued Johnson & Johnson, asserting that users of the Ortho Evra patch suffered heart attacks, strokes and, in 40 cases, death. From 2002 to 2006, the food and drug agency received reports of at least 50 deaths associated with the drug. —– (New York Times, April 6, 2008)

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Death by Rx (Rx is the symbol for prescription drugs). Instead of cocaine, heroin or methamphetamines — the drugs you were warned about in health class or public service advertisements — these deaths are blamed on drugs produced in corporate pharmaceutical laboratories, marketed to doctors and, in theory, given to people in pain. They are diazepam, alprazalom or opioids, known by other names such as Valium, Xanax, Lortab and OxyContin.While celebrity deaths like Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith draw momentary attention to the problem, they don’t reflect how widespread the epidemic has become.—– (News Journal Online, March 31, 2008)

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10 Deadliest Drugs. Approved by the FDA—but are your meds safe? Critics claim tragic failures like the approval of the painkiller Vioxx, which may have caused up to 100,000 heart attack and stroke deaths, are a direct result of prioritizing speed over safety reviews. So what can you do in the meantime to minimize risk from medications? The first thing is to be an informed consumer and be sure that the drugs you take are necessary and have not been flagged as potentially problematic. For example, the mild opioid drugs Darvon and Darvocet have been found to be no more effective than aspirin—and they can cause heart damage.
Rank – Drug – Type – Deaths 1998-2005
1 – Oxycodone – Prescription opioid painkiller* – 5548
2 – Fentanyl – Prescription opioid painkiller* – 3545
3 – Clozapine – Antipsychotic – 3277
4 – Morphine – Prescription opioid painkiller* – 1616
5 – Acetaminophen – Over-the-counter painkiller – 1393
6 – Methadone - Prescription opioid painkiller*/addiction medication – 1258
7 – Infliximab - Immune-system modulating drug – 1228
8 – Interferon beta – Immune-system modulating drug – 1178
9 – Risperidone – Antipsychotic – 1093
10- Etanercept – Immune-system modulating drug – 1034
Source: Moore TJ et al., Serious Adverse Drug Events Reported to the Food and Drug Administration, 1998-2005, Archives of Internal Medicine, Sept. 10., 2007; 167 (16): 1752-1759 —– (WXii, 24 March 20008)

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FDA Looking At Diabetic Foot Drug and HIV Drugs. The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it’s conducting a safety review of Regranex, a Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) becaplermin gel approved to treat diabetic foot and leg ulcers after a study suggested the product might increase the risk of cancer-related deaths. The study showed patients who were prescribed Regranex three or more times had an increase in the number of cancer-related deaths compared to those not receiving the product.

Separately, the FDA said it was also looking at HIV drugs, Ziagen, by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (BMY) Videx to see if the drugs increase the risk for heart attacks. The FDA said an analysis from a recently published study about heart attack risk is “incomplete,” but is currently evaluating the “overall risks and benefits” of the drugs. —–(CNN Money, March 27, 2008)

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Study finds 98% of child drug trials lack independent safety checks. The team found that children experienced adverse effects caused by the drugs in a third of the trials – nearly 37%. In 11%, side-effects were moderate or severe and even sometimes life-threatening. Deaths were highest in trials involving premature babies – who are often very sick. There were also deaths in trials of drugs for infectious diseases, neurology, and respiratory and kidney problems. —– (The Guardian, UK, March 19 2008)

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Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) Result in More than 770,000 Injuries and Deaths Each Year and Cost up to $5.6 Million per Hospital, Depending on Size. —– (Business Wire, March 19, 2008)

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FDA calls Medtronic drug pump warning Class I. Medtronic Inc said on Wednesday that U.S. regulators classified its move to inform physicians about an increase in the rate of inflammatory mass cases in patients receiving drugs through the company’s implantable infusion pumps as a Class I recall. The Food and Drug Administration defines a Class I recall as a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause injury or death. —– (Reuters, Mar 19, 2008)

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Data shows more deaths with Medtronic’s AneuRx: FDA. “We now calculate, based on the latest information supplied by Medtronic, a mortality rate associated with the initial surgery of 2.3 (percent) instead of the 1.5 (percent) originally calculated for the AneuRx patients,” the FDA said. AneuRx is a stent graft system, which treats artery bulges in the abdomen. Medtronic spokesman Daniel Beach added the deaths cited by the FDA were 13 out of 931 patients the agency studied. Other factors affecting death rates besides the device, including “poor follow-up, patients refusing treatment, and an elderly patient population,” he added. The agency earlier warned of other serious complications in patients receiving the product, including rupture. —– (Reuters, Mar 18, 2008)

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UPDATE 3-US says UCB cough medicine overdose can kill. U.S. health officials warned parents and doctors about Tussionex, the prescription cough medicine, saying it may have fatal side effects if used inappropriately. The FDA said it had received numerous reports of health problems and deaths among children and adults who took Tussionex, which contains the narcotic pain reliever Hydrocodone. Too much hydrocodone can cause life-threatening breathing problems. —– (Reuters, 11 Mar 2008)

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Risks of Anemia Drugs for Patients With Cancer to Get More Scrutiny. On Thursday an advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration will consider placing further restrictions on use of the medicines — Amgen’s anemia drugs Epogen and Aranesp, and the Johnson & Johnson drug Procrit. All the drugs are synthetic forms of a human hormone called erythropoietin, or Epo, that spurs production of red blood cells. Dr. Anagnostou’s 1990 study was one of the first to suggest a different role for Epo. He was trying to figure out why Epogen caused high blood pressure in some patients. So he put endothelial cells, the type that line blood vessels, into a lab dish and exposed them to Epo. To his surprise the cells were stimulated to proliferate. He commented in his paper that this could possibly spur the formation of blood vessels that would nourish tumors. —– (New York Times, 12 Mar 2008)

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FDA Chief in Very Hot Water with Congress. It now appears that the FDA Chief Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D. has committed perjury before Congress. Unlike Roger Clemens, who also seems to be putting his foot in his mouth before Congress, von Eschenbach´s actions appeared to have allowed unnecessary deaths to Americans –hardly the mission of the FDA. —– (American Chronicle, March 9, 2008)

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Baby’s death puts focus on over-the-counter drugs. After exhausting traditional home remedies to soothe their colicky baby, a Washington state couple tried what they thought was the next best thing: over-the-counter drugs. The couple say they only wanted to help Thomas, who suffered from colic and acid reflux. After searching the Internet for dosing information, they gave their baby small amounts of Benadryl, an antihistamine; Zantac, which reduces stomach acid; and Unisom, a sleeping aid, all diluted in water. —– (Union-Tribune San Diego, March 9, 2008)

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Watchdog voices dismay at failure to police industry. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) could not be prosecuted for concealing results which proved the antidepressant Seroxat caused children to become suicidal because the law only obliges companies to hand over safety data from trials when drugs are being licensed. That loophole will now be closed. Seroxat is licensed for adults but not for children, even though doctors were prescribing it for up to 8,000 under-18s by 2003. Doctors can prescribe unlicensed drugs on their own responsibility. —– (The Guardian UK, March 07, 2008)

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Drug Company Rapped Over Teen Deaths. Glaxosmithkline submitted information about the drug Seroxat to British regulators in May 2003 – and regulators say they are still “concerned” that GSK could have submitted the information earlier. The information showed the drug Seroxat was ineffective in young people under the age of 18 – and that there was also an increased risk of suicidal behavior. —– (Staff Nurse, March 7th 2008)

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Drug regulator keeps watch on flu drug. Australia’s drug regulator will monitor the safety of the flu drug Tamiflu in the wake of label updates warning of possible delirium and abnormal behavior. US regulators and the pharmaceutical company Roche have warned doctors of psychiatric events, some of which resulted in death, in patients taking the medication. Tamiflu and another drug, Relenza, are used widely to treat influenza A and B viruses in the early stage of infection. Governments worldwide have also been stockpiling both drugs as a first line of defense in case the bird flu virus sparks a human influenza pandemic. —– (The Age, Australia, March 5, 2008)

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FDA requests more safety data on asthma drugs. The drugs, known as long-acting beta agonists, include Glaxo’s Advair and Serevent, Novartis AG’s Foradil, and AstraZeneca Plc’s Symbicort. They are used to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions. Concerns about the class of drugs date back to 2005, when the FDA asked makers to add new warnings that the medicines may increase the risk of asthma-related deaths. Other manufacturers include Mylan Inc, which sells Perforomist, and Sepracor Inc, maker of Brovana —– (Reuters, March 5, 2008)

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Flood of drugs, little oversight. Three patients had become ill after taking the blood-thinning drug Heparin. One had developed the same reaction during a dialysis treatment in November. Minutes after dialysis needles punctured their veins, the boys’ lips and eyelids swelled. Their blood pressure dropped, and their heartbeats raced at dangerous levels. A close look at the FDA‘s resources and inspection record paints a picture of an agency struggling to keep pace. Although its officials insist the agency inspects every foreign plant sending medical products to the U.S., the agency’s own data make it appear unlikely. —– (Chicago Tribune, March 2, 2008)

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Savient Updates on Deaths From Trials. Savient Updates on Patient Deaths, Safety Results From Trial With Experimental Drug Puricase. Puricase is intended for use in gout patients who have already failed a prior treatment. The condition, caused by excessive amounts of uric acid, is a severe form of arthritis and causes sudden pain and swelling in joints. —– (CNN Money, February 29, 2008)

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Rezulin suit disruptive, Pfizer tells US high court. Rezulin, a withdrawn diabetes drug first approved in 1996, was pulled from the market in March 2000 after about 100 people who took the medicine (Rezulin) needed liver transplants or died from acute liver failure. —– (Reuters, Feb 25, 2008)

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Controversial sleeping pill faces regulator’s scrutiny. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is looking at whether the controversial sleeping pill Stilnox should be reclassified as drug of abuse. There have been allegations that Stilnox is linked to people sleepwalking to their deaths. The National Drugs and Poisons Committee is meeting in Sydney this week to consider bringing Stilnox into line with more addictive drugs, such as morphine. —– (ABC News, 19 February , 2008)

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Deadly Combinations. The drugs that are killing the most people right now didn’t originate on the street, but with a prescription. Statewide (Florida), prescription drug overdoses caused 1,720 deaths in 2006, up about 40 percent from just three years earlier. In 2007, the state was on a pace of about 2,000 deaths. Prescription opioid painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs mentioned causing these deaths include – Methadone, Xanax, Valium, OxyContin, Oxycodone, Fentanyl —– (St Petersburg Times, February 17, 2008)

China doesn’t check plants that make U.S. drugs. This week, a Chinese factory was identified as the source of an ingredient linked to a potentially deadly allergic reaction in a blood thinner sold by Deerfield-based Baxter International Inc. Waunakee, Wis.-based Scientific Protein Laboratories owns the factory outside of Shanghai and supplies the active ingredient, derived from an enzyme in pig intestines, in the thinner known as Heparin. Baxter processes, sterilizes and packages the drug for U.S. distribution. Concerns over inspection standards in China’s drug industry are particularly acute at a time when the country has emerged as the top supplier of active ingredients in pharmaceuticals. China also is making a big push into production of generic drugs, a market India has dominated. —– (Chicago Tribune, February 16, 2008)

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Researcher: FDA Was Too Slow On Trasylol. Tells 60 Minutes He Estimates 22,000 Lives Could Have Been Saved. —– (CBS News, 16 Feb 2008)

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Study: GSK vaccine may increase risk of convulsion, death. GlaxoSmithKline’s rotavirus vaccine, called Rotarix, is associated with an increased risk of convulsions and pneumonia-related deaths in children taking it, according to a review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. —– (Triangle Business Journal, February 15, 2008)

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Pain-relief patch recalled due to potentially fatal leak. “Fentanyl (Gel) is a potent opioid analgesic with high desirability as a drug of abuse,” the study concluded. The synthetic opioid is considered several times more potent than heroin. —– (National Post, February 15, 2008)

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Baxter Halts Heparin Production Amid Reactions – an injectable blood thinner.—–(CNN Money, 11 Feb 2008)

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Oxycodone linked to two deaths. Oxycodone is a Schedule II narcotic prescribed as a painkiller for moderate to severe ongoing pain. —–(Courier News, February 11, 2008)

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Methadone Deaths Gain Attention Of Medical Examiners (used to treat heroin addiction). —– (MSNBC, 9 Feb 2008)

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FDA warns of deaths in kids treated with Botox. —– The nine most terrifying words. 100,000 people a year in this country die from pharmaceutical side effects. —– (The Oregonian February 06, 2008)

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GPs have got Britain ‘hooked on painkillers‘· Inquiry slams mis-prescribing of drugs · Doctors ‘ignoring official guidelines’. —– (The Observer, UK, February 10 2008)

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FDA says 23 deaths linked to unapproved drug : injectable anti-gout drug – Colchicine —– (Reuters India, 7 Feb 2008)

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Deaths Halt Part of Large Diabetes Trial : Avandia (rosiglitazone) linked to higher risk of heart attack —— (Washington Post, 6 Feburary 2008)

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Study: Heart attacks, deaths rise after Plavix stopped. —–(Dallas Morning News, February 5, 2008)

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Drug experts tackle trouble with medication names —– (Newsday, 4 February 2008)

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Anti-fungal tablet linked to liver deaths —– (Herald Sun Australia, February 04, 2008)

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Daiichi Sankyo Co.’s drug Injectafer should be sold in the U.S. as a backup treatment for iron deficiency anemia, a panel of U.S. advisers recommended, even though regulators had expressed concern about safety risks. —– (Bloomberg, 2 Feburary 2008)

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More money, less health—–(Baltimore Sun, 29 January 2008)

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Drug-name mix-ups hurt patients, getting worse. The top 10 drugs sold in the United States in 2006 all made the mix-up list—–(Reuters, 29 January 2008)

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Coroner warns against flu drug overdose (Guaifenesin, Dextromethorphan, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine). The first one is an expectorant found in cough syrup and the others are decongestants usually found in caplets to cure the flu.—–(OttawaCitizen.com, Canada, 29 January 2008)

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Ambien Linked to 6 UK Fatalities, Possible Suspect in Heath Ledger Death (sleeping pill trade name Zolpidem in the United States & Stilnoct in UK) —–(News Inferno, UK, 28 January 2008)

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Two Women Die After Receiving Cervical Cancer Vaccine - marketed under the name Gardasil, in Germany and Austria, respectively—–(FoxNews, 25 January 2008)

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UPDATE 1-US group wants Botox warning after 16 death reports—–(Reuters, 24 January 2008)

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Is Your Doctor Prescribing Placebos?—–(Time, 3 January 2008)

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Prescription drug deaths double in a decade—–(Telegraph UK, 24 October 2007)

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Watch this interesting video Big Bucks, Big Pharma – Marketing Disease, Pushing Drugs:

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Four ways . . . you can prevent colon cancer

Posted in Health - Drug Deaths

Tagged drug deaths, drug side effects, fatal overdose. prescription deaths, Health

Cancer | Risk, Symptoms, Cures 2008

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | Leave a comment

Cancer | Risk Factors, Symptoms & Treatment 2008

Here are the latest news about Cancer - reported by news media in 2008. It will give a quick up-to-date reference guide on this dreaded and expensive disease which affects one in three persons worldwide.

Topics covered in this page on Cancer are:

Risk Factors
Symptoms
How to Avoid it
Remedies and Treatment (especially natural healing alternatives)
Drug Warnings

As a matter of policy, we do not repeat the same story from various websites twice to avoid information overload unless the story offers significantly new information on the cancer research which are of interest to our readers. We also read the article and select the ones that is of more significance and relevance to the topics outlined above and from the more reliable online sources.

The Links to news and institutional reports in this page(below) will keep you informed of the latest developments in cancer research on the risk factors, symptoms, remedies and treatment (especially natural healing alternatives), drug warnings etc. This page will be updated almost daily or when there are news-breaking articles posted on the Internet by major news media, so please do use our RSS feed or bookmark us for regular updates.

Cancer | Risk Factors, Symptoms and Treatment 2008 links:

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Eggs Reduce Breast Cancer Risk. A US study of more than 3,000 women has found that the risk of developing breast cancer was 24 percent lower among women with the highest intake of choline, a nutrient found in egg yolk. —– (Keep the Doctor Away, 04 April 2008)

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Sausages link to bowel cancer risk. According to a study by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), eating 1.8oz (50g) of processed meat a day – the equivalent of one sausage or three rashers of bacon – raises the likelihood of developing one of the deadliest forms of the cancer by 20 per cent. —– (The Press, 4th April 2008)

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The researchers also looked at other chemicals that belong to the same chemical group as hair dyes. They noted that one chemical — ortho-toluidine, which is used in making dyes, pigments and rubber chemicals — is classified as carcinogenic to humans. These dyes contain chemicals that, when mixed with peroxide, cause a chemical reaction that produces the dye. Dark hair dyes have the highest concentration of coloring agents, Dr. Robert Baan, of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, in Lyon, France group noted. The researchers found that the use of these dyes was linked to a small but discernible increased risk of bladder cancer. “Bladder cancer is not rare, but it’s not common,” Dr. Michael J. Thun, head of epidemiological research at the American Cancer Society said. —– (US News & World Report / HealthDay News, March 26, 2008)

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108 women given flawed breast cancer tests have died. On the eve of a public inquiry into the faulty tests, the provincial government revealed that 108 patients whose tests were misread have since died, though it may never be known how many of them, if any, passed away as a result of missing out on treatment. Another 275 breast cancer patients who are still living were given mistaken test results. —– (CTV Canada, Mar. 18 2008)

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Some of the warning signs of oral cancer. The foundation suggests you see a doctor if you have any of these warning signs of oral cancer:

Mouth sores, which may be painless, that do not heal within two weeks. Often they mimic canker sores.
Lumps in the mouth, cheek, tongue or neck.
Persistent earaches.
Persistent hoarseness, numbness or difficulty in swallowing or speaking.
White or red patches in the mouth.
Loose teeth or dentures, which can signal changes in the jaw.—– (Chicago Tribune, March 18, 2008)

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Eat less meat:
Know the symptoms: In the early stages, there may be no symptoms. But later on, according to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, symptoms can include rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, narrower stools, stomach discomfort such as cramps, diarrhea or constipation, unexplained weight loss, constant fatigue and vomiting.
Get screened: —– (Indystar, March 18, 2008)

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New Drug for Brain Cancer Too Dangerous for Pediatric Patients. A cutting-edge drug for brain cancers may place pediatric patients at risk for bone damage and stunted growth, an animal study suggests. The new red flag concerns a signal transduction inhibitor (STI) medication known as “HhAntag“, a drug developed to treat medulloblastoma brain tumors by short-circuiting tumor growth on the molecular level. The fear is that a therapy proven safe and highly successful among adults may pose a unique set of risks to young patients. —– (Washington Post, 10 Mar 2008)

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Study: Long Legs Identified as Cancer Risk. They found that the tallest one-quarter of individuals in the study were 30 percent more likely to have melanoma than shorter women. “We found this risk greater among women less than 50 years of age,” said study leader Dr. Catherine Olsen, who collaborated with researchers in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Italy. Other studies have suggested that taller women are also more likely to develop breast and colon cancer. —– (Fox News,March 07, 2008)

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Cancer fears delay adding folic acid to bread. One of the trials, in the United States, is looking at the effect of folic acid on bowel cancer. Another is assessing data from trials in a number of countries investigating the effect of folic acid on heart disease and cancer. Among the 8,000 people over 65 affected, there is an increased risk of bowel cancer because a liver flooded with folic acid will release it into the blood undigested. Excess levels of folic acid in the blood have been linked to bowel cancer. —— (Telegraph UK, 4-Mar-2008)

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Scientists Find Cancer Culprits in Cigarette Smoke. Hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants cause lung cells to become malignant. Cigarette smoking, which causes more than 400,000 deaths a year in the United States (about one in five of all deaths) is the leading preventable cause of premature death in the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking causes 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths in men and about 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including 43 that are know to cause cancer, according to a U.S. Surgeon General report released in 2000. —– (US News & World Report, Feb. 28, 2008)

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End ‘drastic’ postrate cancer surgery call. Many non-aggressive cancers like postrate cancer are slow growing and may have no effect on a patient for 15 years or more. On the other hand, radical treatments such as removal of the prostate gland or radiotherapy can have serious life-long side effects, including impotence and urinary incontinence. —– (The Press Association, Feb 25, 2008)

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Drug for anemic cancer patients raises risks: study. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that using erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or ESAs, to treat anemia may increase the risk of blood clots and death for patients with cancer. —– (MarketWatch SF, Feb. 26, 2008)

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Obesity And Carbs Linked To Esophageal Cancer, Study Suggests. Obesity is a risk factor for many types of cancer, and a diet that includes a high percentage of calories from refined carbohydrates is a common contributor to obesity. Cases of esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) in the U.S. have risen in recent decades from 300,000 cases in 1973 to 2.1 million in 2001 at age-adjusted rates. A new study shows that these rates in the U.S. closely mirrored trends of increased carbohydrate intake and obesity from 1973-2001. —– (ScienceDaily, Feb. 25, 2008)

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GlaxoSmithKline cancer drug, Tykerb, to be approved in Europe this month. Tykerb is used for advanced breast cancer treatment. Tykerb Side Effects —– (CNN Money, Feb. 24, 2008)

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French judges probe firms over vaccinations. French authorities have opened a formal investigation into two managers from drugs groups GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur over a vaccination campaign in the 1990s, a judicial source said late on Thursday.The investigations follow allegations that the companies failed to fully disclose side effects from an anti-hepatitis B drug used in a vaccination campaign between 1994 and 1998. —– (Reuters, Feb 1, 2008)

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Experts Speak Out: FDA Ruling on Avastin. But despite this, the study found that the women with breast cancer on Genentech’s Avastin didn’t live significantly longer than those on Taxol, and they experienced more bad side effects, such as high blood pressure, blood clots and bowel perforation. Moreover, six deaths were linked to Avastin‘s toxicity. —– (ABC News, Feb. 22, 2008)

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Cancer Drug Ruling Will Have Wide Impact. Genentech made its case for Food and Drug Administration approval of Avastin using a widely debated measure of drug effectiveness that focuses on tumor growth, not patient survival. Genentech’s Vice President David Schenkein points out that FDA has already approved two drugs for breast cancer based on slowed disease progression: GlaxoSmithKline’s Tykerb and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Ixempra. But those drugs were approved for patients who had already failed to respond to other therapies. Genentech wants Avastin approved as a first-in-line treatment for breast cancer. —– (Associated Press, Feb 19, 2008)

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Cancer deaths rise again after a 2-year decline. Rate still down, but more are dying as population ages. U.S. cancer deaths rose by more than 5,000 in 2005, a somewhat disappointing reversal of a two-year downward trend, the American Cancer Society said in a report issued Wednesday. The group counted 559,312 people, about 34,000 of them in Texas, who died from cancer. —– (Associated Press, 20 Feb 2008)

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DNA repair gene linked to cancer. British scientists screened 136 DNA repair genes before homing in on the gene BRIP1. A defect in the gene is believed to account for 16% of meninigiomas, a malignancy that accounts for more than 30% of the 7,500 brain tumors diagnosed each year in the UK. The same gene is also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. —–(Associated Press, 21 Feb 2008)

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Clueless on STDs, Throat Cancer, and Oral Sex. People seem clueless that sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and human papillomavirus can take hold in parts of the oral cavity during sex with infected partners and that the oral contact can infect the genitals, too. HPV is a particularly scurrilous threat, since it incubates silently in the back of the mouth and (Oral Sex) is now linked to a dangerous form of throat cancer in both men and women similar to the one that arises in the cervix. —– (US News & World Report, February 19, 2008)

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Making Cancer Screening Pay Off for You. The study, published online yesterday in the Lancet Oncology, found that people without insurance and those on Medicaid were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer (stage III or IV) than those with private insurance. This was especially true for cancers that are more easily detected through screening, like breast, colorectal, melanoma, and lung cancer. Regardless of insurance status, blacks and Hispanics were also found to have a higher risk of being diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Play it safe. Don’t let lack of money stop you from getting recommended screenings. Some organizations provide cancer screenings either free or for a minimal charge. —– (US News & World Report, February 19, 2008)

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‘Cancer link’ to heavy mobile use. Those who had used the phone against one side of the head for several hours a day were 50% more likely to have developed a salivary gland tumor. —– (BBC News, 18 February 2008)

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Bayer, Onyx Stop Nexavar Test on Lung-Cancer Patients (Update3). Bayer AG, Germany’s biggest drugmaker, and Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. stopped a study of the Nexavar cancer drug against lung tumors because the product failed to help patients live longer than standard treatment. —– (Bloomberg, Feb. 18, 2008)

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Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.said it has decided, together with Merck KGaA,to discontinue joint development of Merck’s cancer drug EMD72000, also known as matuzumab. The Tokyo-based drug maker said in a statement that matuzumab couldn’t meet its predefined clinical goals in phase-2 testing in colorectal, gastric and non-small cell lung cancer patients.—– (Market Watch, Feb. 18, 2008)

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Bosses less likely to have cancer: Managers are less likely to have cancer, while shop assistants have a greater chance of suffering back pain and nurses have a higher rate of heart disease, according to a new Australian study. —–(AFP, 18 Feb 2008)

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Cancer’s new scare. HIV and Aids -related cancers are on the rise and is disastrous as it complicates the treatment of both diseases. —– (East African Nation Media, February 18, 2008)

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Physical job activity may cut prostate cancer risk. Working in a job that requires a continuous level of high physical effort may decrease the likelihood of a man developing prostate cancer, researchers report. —– (Reuters Health, Feb 19, 2008)

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We’re Losing Another Winnable War: The Fight Against Childhood Cancer. Approximately 13,425 children in this age group are diagnosed annually with pediatric cancer and about 2,250 children will die each year from the disease. While the prevalence of childhood cancer increased by 27.1 percent between 1975 and 2002, the death rates declined for leukemias by 3.0% and all other cancers combined by 1.3% per year, from1990 to 2004. We are doing a better at prolonging life, but not preventing the disease. —– (Huffington Post, February 16, 2008)

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Low-fat diet cuts ovarian cancer risk by 40%. The American Cancer Society said ovarian cancer ranks as the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women and is expected to kill about 15,000 American women this year. It said about two-thirds of women who develop ovarian cancer are 55 or older and it is a bit more common in whites than blacks. —– (Canada.com / Reuters, 14 Feb 2008)

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Some cancers spur divorce risk: study. The risk of divorce increases if one partner suffers from testicular or cervical cancer, but other types have no effect on whether a couple stays together. The reason could be because both diseases affect intimacy and result in decreased sexual activity, said Astri Syse of the Norwegian Cancer Registry, who led the study. —– (Reuters, 14 Feb 2008)

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Obesity is on its way to being deadlier than smoking as a cause of cancer. Being obese is currently associated with about 14 percent of cancer deaths in men and 20 percent in women, compared with about 30 percent each for smoking, Dr. Walter C. Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health, told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. —– (Associated Press, 13 Feb 2008)

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Daily Stress May Raise Women’s Risk of Cervical Cancer. High levels of daily stress could explain why some women infected with malignancy-linked types of human papillomavirus (HPV) develop cervical cancer, a new study suggests.
“Gardasil, a vaccine that protects against several cancer-causing HPV sub-types, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, the vaccine works best when given to girls before they become sexually active and is not effective in women already infected.” (We disagree with this statement about Gardasil and will monitor developments on this drug). —– (Washington Post, February 15, 2008)

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Taking multivitamins will reduce cancer risk. Micronutrient inadequacies are widespread in the population, and a multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplement is inexpensive. A solution is to encourage MVM supplementation, particularly in those groups with widespread deficiencies such as the poor, teenagers, the obese and the elderly, in addition to urging people to eating a more balanced diet. —– (Telegraph UK, 15 Feb 2008)

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Which Men Are Likely To Have Persistent Prostate Cancer? “For some, however, an elevated PSA level after treatment indicates the cancer is still around or has come back. Our new study shows how we can use biopsy information prior to treatment to help us predict which patients are most likely to still have disease after treatment. With this knowledge, we can better tailor treatment.”. —– (Science Daily, Feb. 15, 2008)

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Despite Risks, Vitamins Popular With Cancer Patients. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle reviewed 32 studies conducted between 1999 and 2006. The investigators found that 64 percent to 81 percent of cancer survivors overall reported taking extra vitamins or minerals (excluding multivitamins). In the general population, only 50 percent of American adults reported taking dietary supplements. —– (New York Times, February 6, 2008)

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How to fight diabetes:

Posted in Health - Cancer

Tagged cancer, cancer cures, cancer remedies, cancer risk, cancer symptoms

Diabetes | Risk Factors

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | 1 Comment

Diabetes | Risk Factors, Symptoms and Treatment 2008

These are reputable links to 2008 Press reports and Studies on the Risk Factors of Diabetes. It will also feature articles on how you can reduce your risk of Diabetes. Diabetes and Heart Diseases share similar risk factors, so lowering your risk on diabetes, can also also have beneficial health effects to heart diseases like heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure etc.

Topics covered in this page on Diabetes are:

Risk Factors
Symptoms
How to Avoid it
Remedies and Treatment (especially natural healing alternatives)
Drug Warnings

As a matter of policy, we do not repeat the same story from various websites twice to avoid information overload unless the story offers significantly new information on the diabetes research which are of interest to our readers. We also read the article and select the ones that is of more significance and relevance to the topics outlined above and from the more reliable online sources.

The Links to news and institutional reports in this page(below) will keep you informed of the latest developments in diabetes research on the risk factors, symptoms, remedies and treatment (especially natural healing alternatives), drug warnings etc. This page will be updated almost daily or when there are news-breaking articles posted on the Internet by major news media, so please do use our RSS feed or bookmark us for regular updates.

Diabetes | Risk Factors, Symptoms and Treatment 2008 links:

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Looking For A Link Between Sleep Apnea & Diabetes. Imagine trying to hold your breath for 30 seconds at a time, every other minute, for the next 8 hours. That’s exactly what happens during the night to some people who have sleep apnea. It’s a condition that’s costing some 12-million Americans a good night’s sleep, and sleep apnea might do more than that. Some doctors say sleep apnea can play a role in everything from high blood pressure to heart problems. Now, there may be a link to diabetes. “We do not know whether sleep apnea actually causes diabetes. What we do know is that patients with sleep apnea have an increased insulin resistance, which is a hallmark of patients with diabetes,” says Magalang. —– (Medical News Today, 03 Apr 2008

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Maternal periodontal disease may lead to gestational diabetes mellitus. Recent study results suggest that pregnant women with periodontal disease may be more susceptible to gestational diabetes mellitus, compared with pregnant women with healthy gums. However, these findings were not statistically significant. —– (Endocrine Today, April 4, 2008)

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Reduced Lung Capacity Accelerates With Diabetes. People who have diabetes encounter a faster loss of lung capacity than those who do not have diabetes, a finding that may have implications for the potential use of inhaled insulin, according to a study appearing in the April issue of Diabetes Care.The lung research, part of a larger investigation known as the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, confirmed previous suggestions that the lung is a target organ for diabetic injury and that lung abnormalities accelerate once diabetes takes hold. This could be because high blood sugar levels stiffen the lung tissue, or because the fat tissue in the chest and abdomen may confine the lungs more in people with diabetes, explained the researchers. —– (PR Newswire-US Newswire, March 27 2008)

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Counting calories alone isn’t enough. Without insulin, sugar stays in the blood and accumulates (this is called diabetes). Thus, insulin provides a valuable service to the body. But as with most things in life, too much insulin is a bad thing.

The release of insulin is directly proportional to the body’s perceived sugar challenge. If
This is where the distinction between simple carbs and complex carbs comes into play. Simple carbs (processed foods loaded with table sugar — soda, candy, pastries, etc.) are digested quickly and easily, and the sugar enters the bloodstream in high concentrations, causing a big insulin response.

Complex carbs (vegetables, fruits and whole grains) are digested slowly, in a time-release fashion, and the glucose they contain enters the bloodstream gradually, which dampens the insulin response. The presence of fiber in complex carbs helps slow the process. This means, as a rule of thumb when choosing healthy carbs, choose those with fiber — the more the better. —– (Courier Journal, Louisville, March 27, 2008)

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Antidepressants raise risk of Type 2 diabetes. People with histories of depression had a 30-per-cent higher risk of developing diabetes versus those with no histories of the illness. By analyzing the medical data of 2,400 people, she discovered that approximately 10 per cent of the patients were taking two medications at the same time, doubling their risk of developing diabetes, compared to those taking one medication. The medications in question were tricyclic antidepressants, known as TCAs, and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs. Brown said TCAs are among the “older” medications used to treat depression, under brand names such as Elavil and Aventyl. —– (Edmonton Journal, 24 March 2008)

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For patients with type 1 diabetes, increased levels of uric acid in the blood may be an early sign of diabetic kidney disease–appearing before any significant change in urine albumin level, the standard screening test, reports a study in the May 2008 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The results raise the possibility that treatments to reduce uric acid might slow the decline of renal function in patients with diabetes. —– (ScienceDaily, Mar. 21, 2008)

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U.S. Diabetes Population Doubled in Past Decade with Continued Growth Fueled by 77 Million “Pre-Diabetic” Patient Population, According to Study by GfK Market Measures’ Roper Global Diabetes Group. —– (Business Wire, March 20, 2008)

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Eli Lilly, the drug maker, could and should have warned physicians as early as 1998 about the link between Zyprexa, its best-selling schizophrenia medicine, and diabetes, an expert witness told jurors Friday in a lawsuit that claims that Zyprexa has caused many mentally ill people to develop diabetes.Instead, Lilly hid Zyprexa’s risks from doctors to protect the drug’s sales, according to the witness, Dr. John Gueriguian. Lilly waited until 2007 to add strong warnings to Zyprexa’s label to reflect the drug’s tendency to cause severe weight gain and blood sugar changes. Dr. Gueriguian is a specialist on diabetes and was a medical reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration for 20 years before retiring in 1998. At the F.D.A., he recommended against the approval of Rezulin, a diabetes drug that was later withdrawn for causing severe liver damage in patients. —– (New York Times, March 8, 2008)

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Alkermes says partner may exit inhaled insulin. Alkermes Inc. said Friday that partner Eli Lilly & Co. is considering pulling out of an agreement to develop an inhaled formulation of the diabetes drug insulin, a move that would make it the third major drug maker to abandon development of a non-injected version of the life-sustaining hormone. Many doctors were reportedly leery of prescribing the product because of lingering concerns about the potential long-term impact of insulin on the lungs. Others worried that the product wouldn’t work as predictably as injected insulin. Insulin can be dangerous if taken at the wrong dosages. —– (MarketWatch, March 7, 2008)

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Maternal Diabetes Causes Damage To Offspring’s Beta Cell Functions. The link between a woman’s maternal diabetes and her child’s increased risk for diabetic complications is one step closer to being understood. According to recent research performed at the University if Louisville, there are many functional and metabolic changes that occur in such a child’s pancreatic β cells, which could help explain this increased risk. They conclude that maternal diabetes can cause many disturbances in the metabolic and other functions of the pancreatic β cells of the offspring. These disturbances could contribute to later development of type 2 diabetes, and could hold many clues to the link between gestational diabetes and type II diabetes in humans. —– (Medical News Today, March 07, 2008)

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21 million Americans have diabetes.
More than 6 million Americans don’t know they have diabetes.
Another 54 million Americans are pre-diabetic.
Diabetes kills 73,000 Americans a year.
More than 60% of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes.
If present trends continue, one in three Americans, and 1 in 2 minorities, born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. About 4,110 people are diagnosed with diabetes every day. $174 billion: The estimated economic cost of diabetes in 2007. Medical expenditures alone were $116 billion.

—– (Daily News, Mar. 5, 2008)

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Tea could help combat diabetes. Drinking black tea could help prevent diabetes, according to new findings by scientists at Dundee University. —– (BBC News, 2 March 2008)

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Marker for Diabetes Might Miss Early Vision Complication. Fasting blood sugar levels are typically used to diagnose diabetes, however, a common complication of the disease that can lead to blindness begins at blood sugar levels below what is considered diabetic, Australian researchers report. Retinopathy is a vascular condition where the small blood vessels in the eye become damaged; other complications of diabetes include heart, kidney and circulatory problems.—– (US News & World Report, 29 Feb 2008)

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Diabetes Risk for Children and Obese People. Well-preserved insulin resistance does not accelerate onset of type 1 diabetes. The incidences of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing at an alarming rate. For type 2 diabetes, the explanation has been increased insulin resistance associated with the worldwide epidemic of obesity. Most dramatic has been a surge of type 2 diabetes in children, a condition rarely seen 20 years ago. This recent development has led to occasional difficulty determining whether a child with new-onset diabetes has type 1 or type 2 disease. As approximately 30% of children are overweight, it is expected that 30% of children with new-onset type 1 diabetes will be overweight. The presence of low titer antibodies in many of these children also contributes to this diagnostic dilemma. The “Accelerator Hypothesis” of Wilkin, et al. postulates that the presence of obesity results in early appearance of type 1 diabetes due to insulin resistance which, in turn, results in over-stimulation of the beta cells and consequent early auto-immune destruction of beta cells in individuals genetically predisposed to develop type 1 diabetes. Thus, the insulin resistance associated with obesity is associated with a younger age of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children at risk for the later development of autoimmune diabetes. —– (Endocrine Today, February 29, 2008)

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Diabulimia—a Young Diabetics’ Eating Disorder. The price of thinness is especially high for this group: The Diabetes Care study found that women with type 1 diabetes who intentionally forgo their insulin medication have a threefold increased risk of premature death and higher rates of complications—including kidney dysfunction and foot problems—than those who don’t. —– (US News & World Report, February 27, 2008)

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Embryo defects may give predisposition to diabetes. Study suggests that abnormal organ development before birth could predispose certain individuals to autoimmune disease. Faustman’s team noticed before that mice and humans with type 1 diabetes are also more likely to experience hearing loss and Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease affecting the salivary glands.—– (NewScientist, 26 February 2008)

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Cure Diabetes with Weight Loss, Not Drugs, Expert Says. According to leading weight loss expert, Dr. Kent Sasse, some of the most common and effective treatments for diabetes actually cause more weight gain. Insulin, the primary treatment for diabetes, is known to cause weight gain in diabetic patients, in part because insulin acts on the fat storage cells to block the breakdown and promote more storage of these fats. —– (PRNewswire, Feb. 25. 2008)

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Vaccines are Likely to Cause Insulin Dependent Diabetes in Over 2% of Children With a Strong Family History of Insulin Dependent Diabetes, New Data Indicates. Vaccines are particularly toxic to those with a strong family history of diabetes. For example, the hemophilus vaccine which had been proven to cause diabetes in approximately 1 in every 2,000 immunized children in the general public has now been linked to causing diabetes in 1 in every 50 immunized children (2%) who have a sibling with insulin dependent diabetes. The new data is published in the Open Pediatric Medicine Journal. An accompanying article in the same journal links the hepatitis B vaccine to insulin dependent diabetes. —– (Sun Herald, 25 Feb 2008)

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Half a million people ‘unaware’ they have diabetes. Researchers led by Dr Tim Holt from the University of Warwick surveyed over 3.6 million electronic patient records in 480 GP surgeries across the UK. —– (In The News UK, 25 Feb 2008)

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‘Normal life’ with diabetes. These former patients had lost their legs below the knee due to complications from diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Forty-five per cent of the patients were still alive, 39% had died, mostly from heart conditions, and the status of 16% was unknown. —– (Toronto Sun, February 23, 2008)

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The Loneliness of Diabetes. People don’t realize that everything affects your blood sugar. If I had cancer, all of my friends would be around caring for me, at least by asking how I am. But because I look great and exercise, am a wife, mother and president of the PTSA, attend church functions and socialize, people don’t remember or know that I have a disease that affects every minute of my life. —– (Diabetes Health, 23 February 2008)

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Peripheral Vascular Disease: Selecting The Right Shoes-Diabetes. This article provides very useful information on how to select and use the right kind of shoes for diabetics – crucial to avoid chronic complications that can lead to painful, debilitating, or life-threatening conditions. —– (American Chronicle, February 23, 2008)

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Nation’s Spreading Waistline Means Diabetes Health Crisis. “Of the children born in America in 2000, one in three will develop diabetes in their lifetime.” “From the time you wake up today to when you wake up tomorrow, there will be almost 4,000 new cases of diabetes diagnosed”. “There will be over 600 deaths, over 200 amputations, over 100 cases of kidney failure.” says Ann Albright, Director of the Division of Diabetes Translation for the CDC. —– (Wayne Independent, Feb 22, 2008)

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Study: Diabetes test may be inaccurate for some patients. “These results suggest that the nearly 200,000 diabetic hemodialysis patients in the United States who use this test may not be receiving optimal care for their blood sugar,” said Dr. Barry Freedman, the senior author of the study and a professor of internal medicine and nephrology at the medical center. —– (Winston-Salem Journal, February 20, 2008)

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Woodhaven senior’s teammates help her manage juvenile diabetes. She was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, a devastating blow for a solid athlete at Woodhaven High School. (Key Lesson: Even young people with a healthy lifestyle can get diabetes). —– (Freep, February 17, 2008)

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Diabetes-induced dry skin. As a diabetic, if your blood glucose is high, your body loses fluid, hastening the dry skin process. Dry skin can become itchy and can crack, causing you to scratch; breaks in the skin allow germs to enter and thus cause infection. If your blood glucose is elevated, it feeds the germs and makes these infections worse.—– (Tenerife News Online, 14 Feb 2008)

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Diabetes and Depression Can Be a Fatal Mix. People with depression and diabetes were also more likely to have three or more heart disease risk factors, such as smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle, compared to people with diabetes alone. —– (Toronto Daily News, 15 Feb 2008)

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Brown rice lowers risk of diabetes. —– (The Times of India, 13 Feb 2008)

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Study: Cinnamon Helps Lower Blood Sugar. —– (MSNBC, Feb. 8, 2008)

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Aggressive diabetes treatment linked to heart attacks, strokes. Experts stunned after higher death rate found among patients. —–(Toronto Star, Feb 08, 2008)

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Diabetes Symptom Checker. Find out in minutes with this simple online questionnaire if you are at risk of getting Diabetes. —– (NHS UK, 5 Feb 2008)

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Pumping iron beats diabetes —– (Sunday Mail, Adelaide, 6 February 2008)

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Red meat, diet soda linked to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes —– (Food Consumer, Feb 4, 2008)

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Cutting Caffeine Could Help Control Diabetes —–(Voice of America VoA News
04 February 2008)

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Diabetes costs more than wars, Katrina —– (USA Today, February 3, 2008)

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Diabetes drug and conflicts of interest. Popular diabetes drug—Rosiglitazone, sold under the brand name Avandia —– (Science News Online, 2 February 2008)

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Large breasts at 20 linked to Diabetes in middle aged women—–(Scotsman,
30 January 2008)

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Diabetes Risk Factors (High Blood Sugar, Hyperglycemia, Diabetes Mellitus) and diabetes drugs side effects —– (Canada.com)

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Neighborhood linked to diabetes risk factor—–(Reuters Health, 4 January 2008)

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Our Important News Archives on Diabetes Risk factors in 2007 and earlier:

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New genetic risk factors for diabetes found. Scientists scanned DNA of 32,000 people in 5 countries—–(MSNBC / Associated Press, 27 April 2007)

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Job burn-out ‘ups diabetes risk’ People who suffer from job burn-out may be prone to developing type 2 diabetes, research suggests—–(BBC News, 24 February 2007)

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Sleep Length May Sway Diabetes Risk—–(FoxNews, March 16, 2006)

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Obesity In Middle Age Raises Heart Disease, Diabetes Risk In Older Age—–(Science Daily, January 12, 2006)

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Adult weight is prime risk factor for diabetes—–(NewScientist, 06 July 2005 )

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Saturated and trans fats, a risk factor for diabetes? Diets high in saturated and trans fats could be a major risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes, say Canadian researchers.—–(Food USA, 29 June 2005)

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CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) Risk Factors Predict Type 2 Diabetes—–(American Diabetes Association, January 1, 2005)

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Eating at Fast-food Restaurants More than Twice Per Week is Associated with More Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance in Otherwise Healthy Young Adults—–(NIH National Institute of Health, 30 December 2004)

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Hyperinsulinemia suspected risk factor: large study links colorectal cancer with diabetes—–(OB/GYN News 15 September 2004)

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Got short thighs? Your diabetes risk may be high—–(ABC Science Online, 8 March 2003)

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Risk Factors for CVD:

Posted in Health - Diabetes (CKD)

Tagged blood sugar levels, diabetes risk factors, heart diseases, insulin

Heart Disease Risk

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | Leave a comment

Heart Disease Risk Factors, Symptoms and Treatment 2008

Heart Disease is the number killer in the world and the risk is rising every year due to growing affluence leading to unhealthy lifestyles resulting in obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, high blood sugar level etc.

These recent collection of reputable news articles links will give you a quick reference guide to the latest thinking of the heart disease risk factors as well as how you can reduce your risk of heart diseases (CVD) like heart attacks, stroke, etc as well as diabetes.

Topics covered in this page on Heart Diseases are:

Risk Factors
Symptoms
How to Avoid it
Remedies and Treatment (especially natural healing alternatives)
Drug Warnings

As a matter of policy, we do not repeat the same story from various websites twice to avoid information overload unless the story offers significantly new information on the heart diseases research which are of interest to our readers. We also read the article and select the ones that is of more significance and relevance to the topics outlined above and from the more reliable online sources.

The Links to news and institutional reports in this page(below) will keep you informed of the latest developments in heart disease research on the risk factors, symptoms, remedies and treatment (especially natural healing alternatives), drug warnings etc. This page will be updated almost daily or when there are news-breaking articles posted on the Internet by major news media, so please do use our RSS feed or bookmark us for regular updates.

Heart Disease | Risk Factors, Symptoms and Treatment 2008 links:

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Antipsychotic Drug Boosts Risk of Heart Disease, Diabetes. French study in rats finds Olanzapine changes metabolism in weeks. Use of the antipsychotic medication olanzapine may put a person at an increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, new findings show. —– (US News & World Today, 7 April 2008)

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Two Coronary Stents Implanted at the Same Time Increase Clotting Risk, Study Finds. Heart patients who have two coronary stents used during an emergency procedure have more than four times the chance than other patients of having a clot inside one of the stents block blood flow to the heart. —– (US News & World Report, March 30, 2008)

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Premature Delivery Linked to High Cholesterol in Moms Later. “Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were elevated in women who’d had a preterm birth, before 34 weeks,” said study author Janet Catov, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.She did note that “very early in pregnancy, women with preterm birth have elevated lipids, which may be exacerbated in pregnancy.”
Another recent study found that women with very low levels of cholesterol were also at risk of preterm birth, but Catov said this study showed that women on the very high end of cholesterol levels also went on to give birth prematurely. —– (US Today & World News, 28 March 2008)

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FDA Enters Stent Safety Debate. Proposed Guidelines for New Drug-Coated Stents Stress Patient Issues. After balloon angioplasty unclogs arteries, mesh tubes called stents are used to prop the arteries open. Newer stents are coated with chemicals that prevent reclogging. But these drug-eluting stents slow healing, adding a small but serious risk of deadly blood clots. Every year, about a million Americans undergo procedures to treat blocked arteries near the heart. About 650,000 of these patients receive drug-eluting stents.—– (WebMD Medical News, March 26, 2008)

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Angioplasty’s golden era may be fading. The research suggests angioplasty is used too often, and in many cases, the modest benefits don’t justify the procedure’s cost, which ranges from $10,000 to $12,000. The topic will be debated at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology starting this weekend in Chicago.”Angioplasty isn’t going to make you live any longer. It won’t decrease the risk of a heart attack. But it will decrease the likelihood of your having symptoms,” Michael Rich, a cardiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis says. —– (USA TODAY, 24 March 2008)

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CVD increases with age. It occurs earlier and more frequently in males.
Persons with hypertension developed CVD at a greater rate than those who are not hyper-tensive.
Elevated blood cholesterol level is associated with an increased risk of CVD.
Tobacco smoking is associated with an increased occurrence of CVD.
Habitual use of alcohol is associated with increased incidence of CVD.
Increased physical activity is associated with a decrease in the development of CVD.
An increase in thyroid function is associated with a decrease in the development of CVD.
A high blood hemoglobin or hematocrit level are associated with an increased rate of the development of CVD.
An increase in body weight predisposes to CVD.
There is an increased rate of the development of CVD in people with diabetes mellitus.
There is higher incidence of CVD in people with gout.

—–(MARIN COUNTY’S NEWS MONTHLY April, 2008)

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Which of these women is most at risk of a heart attack? (1) The couch potato (2) The junk-food addict (3) The healthy-eating gym bunny. 5 GUARANTEED WAYS TO SLASH YOUR RISK. —– (Mirror UK, 6 March 2008)

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Is Eye Disease Linked To Stroke? Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the leading cause of sight loss in the UK, more than doubles the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke, The Daily Express reports. As their condition worsens, “people become five times more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack and 10 times more at risk of a deadly stroke”, the newspaper says. Some of the sources say that this study raises the possibility that drugs to treat the condition may be to blame, although experts dispute this. ARMD is the late stage of age-related maculopathy (ARM), a disorder that affects the macula, which is a small but vital part of the retina at the back of the eye. —— (Medical News Today, 3-Mar-2008)

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Study shows cholesterol-lowering power of dietitian visits. Worried about your cholesterol? You may want to schedule a few appointments with a registered dietitian, to get some sound advice about how to shape up your eating habits, according to a new national study led by University of Michigan Health System researchers. Not only are you likely to lower your cholesterol levels, you may be able to avoid having to take cholesterol medication, or having to increase your dose if you’re already taking one. And you’ll probably lose weight in the process, which also helps your heart. “Although some patients may already be eating a relatively healthy diet, medical nutrition therapy can increase patient’s knowledge of ‘cardioprotective foods’ and assist them in individualizing the guidelines to fit their preferences and lifestyle,” says Weintraub. A significant number of patients reduced the fat in their diets to less than 30 percent of calories, as recommended for a heart health. Many participants also lost weight and/or increased the number of days each week on which they exercised for 30 minutes or more. —– (EurekAlert, 4-Mar-2008)

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Big risks for little hearts: Many of today’s kids face. University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center expert says kids whose parents or grandparents had heart attacks or diabetes before their 60s, and kids who are overweight, face highest risk. After about the age of 2, too much fat, too little exercise, and too many extra pounds can cause kids’ blood vessels to respond abnormally, leading to higher blood pressure and deposits of plaque, and setting the stage for later problems. —– (PR-Net, 03 March 2008)

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Meat, diet soda linked to heart disease: study. Eating two or more servings of meat a day increases the risk of suffering from a cluster of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome by 25 percent compared to those who had only two servings of meat a week, Lots of meat, fried foods and diet soda add up to heart disease, the researchers said, and the conclusions add to a swelling body of evidence linking fast food with unhealthy lifestyles. —– (Reuters, Jan 22, 2008)

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Finnish study supports sterols’ safety. The consumption of nonesterified plant sterol-enriched food is safe, suggests a new study from Finland that adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the ingredients. —– (Food Production Daily, 18-Feb-2008)

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Statins: Are these cholesterol-lowering drugs right for you? Should you be on a statin? These cholesterol-lowering drugs have benefits and risks. Find out whether your risk factors for heart disease make you a good candidate for statin therapy. —– (Mayo Clinic, 15 Feb 2008)

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A heart to heart on oat benefits. Most studies point to beta-glucan — the soluble fiber in oat bran that gives cooked oats their gluey texture — as the likely active agent in cholesterol reduction. Part of the mechanism has to do with bile, a cholesterol-rich fluid that helps the body digest fats. Beta-glucan increases the excretion of bile from the gall bladder into the small intestine. This, in turn, stimulates the body to produce more bile — pulling cholesterol out of the blood to do so. —– (Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb 2008)

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Heart Disease Myths Busted. Six Common Myths You Should Know To Protect Your Heart. —– (ABC News, 6 Feb 2008)

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Children May Have Cholesterol Problems, Too —– (Fox Business / PR Newswire, 5 Feb 2008)

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Feeding Our Heart! —– (HealthNewsDigest.com, Feb 4, 2008)

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Posted in Health - Heart Diseases (CVD)

Tagged heart disease risk

Supplements | Heart Disease

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 | 1 Comment

What You Need to Know About Supplements to Fend Off Heart Disease

Think of heart disease as partly a vitamin/mineral ‘deficiency disease’ of global proportions.
To best stave off heart disease, along with a nutrient-rich diet, it’s necessary to take extra amounts of certain supplements, notably vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene and coenzyme Q-10.
It’s no longer smart to think that food can give you all the vitamins and minerals you need to fend off heart disease.
You can’t rely on the government-sanctioned recommended modest doses of vitamins and minerals (RDAs and the like) to maximally combat heart disease, although sometimes even small amounts can reverse some risk factors for heart disease.
Know that you are probably deficient even in the minimal recommended requirements for vitamins and minerals. Nearly all people are. Thus, you are flirting dangerously with heart disease.
One of the main ways vitamins and minerals combat heart disease is by boosting antioxidant activity, helping crush free radicals that contribute to artery-clogging plaque and damaged vessels. Another way is by suppressing levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is linked to heart disease.
Contrary to what you sometimes hear, vitamins and minerals in heart disease-preventative doses are remarkably safe and free of side effects.
Most supplements are cheap, especially compared with the enormity of good they do and the possible money they save in doctors’ bills.
Numerous vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals in supplements work together to protect against heart disease. There is no one anti-heart disease miracle. A number of studies show that antioxidants work better in combination than individually.

The above health advice comes from Jean Carper’s book: “The Miracle Heart – Preventing and Curing Heart Disease With Diet and Supplements“. Jean is one of America’s best-known and authorities of health and nutrition. She is the author of 16 books, including the bestselling books “Food – Your Miracle Miracle” and “The Food Pharmacy”

Jean serves on the board of the American Aging Association, and on the advisory board of the American Botanical Council, the most reliable source of information on medicinal herbals.

She is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, and a recipient of their distinguished achievement award.

Posted in Health - Staying Healthy

Tagged heart disease, supplements, vitamins and minerals

Paraway Plus

Posted on Saturday, March 22, 2008 | 2 Comments

Paraway™ Plus

Featuring a proprietary blend of the highest-quality herbal ingredients, this supplement helps the body eliminate harmful parasitic organisms and promotes a healthy, clean, and pro-biotic digestive tract.*

Paraway Plus™ 120 Capsules – Item# 15704 - US$41.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy Paraway Plus™ directly from Uncity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

Unicity Science – Paraway Plus™

Paraway Plus™ is a unique and comprehensive product designed to help your body eliminate parasites and other unwanted organisms.* It contains a proprietary blend of the finest herbal ingredients recognized for their cleansing properties. Paraway Plus™ provides the benefits of Black Walnut hull, Pumpkin seed, Clove bud, Sage leaf, Garlic bulb, Gentian root, Knotweed, Male Fern root, Hyssop leaf, Fenugreek seed, Chamomile flower, Black Pepper fruit, Peppermint leaf, Thyme leaf, Fennel seed, Diatomaceous Earth and Chlorophyll.

What is a parasite?

• A parasite is any organism that lives in, with, or off another organism.
• Humans can play “host” to over 100 kinds of parasites.
• Parasites can be transmitted by contact…in air and in water.
• Parasites can infect virtually every part of the human body.
• The World Health Organization estimates that one quarter of the world’s population suffers from chronic intestinal parasite infections.

Classic symptoms of parasite infections include: allergies, anemia, bloating, chronic fatigue, constipation, depressed immune function, diarrhea, eczema, enlarged lymph glands, excessive hunger, fever, flu symptoms, gas, grinding the teeth at night, hives, irritable bowel syndrome, irritability, jaundice, joint and muscle aches or pains, nervousness, rashes, reddened eyes, sleep disturbances, weight gain, and weight loss. Humans frequently pick up parasites from their dogs and cats. If you make the effort to cleanse your own system, but fail to simultaneously address that of your dog or cat, you are setting yourself up for possible re-infestation. It is always a prudent idea to put your pets on a parasite cleanse along with you.

To stay free of parasites, you will have to take this product periodically to eliminate them. Taking Paraway Plus™ and colon-cleansing supplements such as LiFiber® and Nature’s Tea® twice a year is a good plan.*

Research Brief

Infestations of negative internal organisms are on the increase because of changes in our lifestyles that have occurred over the last few decades. International travel is now commonplace. If you are not a traveler, the world and its parasites will come to you, brought by imported produce and travelers from countries where sanitation is sub-standard. Eating out in restaurants frequently and the close contact of day care centers contribute to the spread of negative internal organisms.

These parasites actually get their nutrition directly from the cells of the body. They can literally attach themselves anywhere and suck nutrition out of the cells. Some of these parasites are significantly more dangerous because they can travel to places in the body where they can do a lot more damage than an organism living exclusively in the digestive tract. As if it wasn’t bad enough to have an uninvited guest living in your body, the parasites eat your nutrients before you do! They get the best nutrients, and you get the scraps and leftovers. They grow healthy and fat, yet your organs and skin starve for nutrition.

What’s more, they can remain in your body for 10, 20 or even 30 years. To illustrate the longevity of negative internal organisms in the human body, consider this example. In 1979, a British study reported on 600 former prisoners from World War II. These men had been stationed in the Far East. Thirty years after the war, 15% were still infected with an organism called Strongyloides that they had contracted during the war. This means you could have eaten meat 10 years ago that was contaminated and still be hosting the tapeworms or other negative internal organisms that were in that meat.

“Unicity’s detoxification products should be in the hands of every man, woman, and child on the planet.”
Ann Louise Gittleman, Certified Nutrition Specialist, author of more than a dozen best-selling books on health and nutrition, including “Guess What Came to Dinner?” and “Parasites: The Plague of Our Times” Read a Preview of Gittleman’s well researched book here.

FAQs on Paraway Plus™

Q: How often should I use Paraway Plus™?
A: It is recommended to use the Paraway Plus™ at least two times each year. It may be used more if you travel extensively or if you feel that you may have been exposed to negative internal organisms.

Q: Can I use this on my pets, or should I get something from their vet?
A: While Paraway Plus™ is safe to use in domestic animals, it is always suggested to consult with your Veterinarian before giving your pet anything.

PARAWAY TESTIMONIALS:

“For as long as I can remember I have had joint aches and pains. In fact, my mother used to say everyone had aches and pains, you just have to live with it. Since being on the Paraway Pack, I am pain free.” - Pat.

“I started with the Paraway Pack as the beginning of my healing process. I had been involved in a serious accident and after 4 surgeries and living in chronic pain, I was desperate. My doctor who specializes in pain management finally convinced me to take long-acting pain medication (Morphine) after using short-acting pain relievers. I wanted to have some quality of life back. You can only imagine what my internal organs were like during the 5 years of chemicals, no exercise and block up bowels. As soon as I started using the Paraway Pack, I experienced increased energy, my swallowing and breathing improved and my constipation was gone. I started to see things coming out of me that had been lodged in the intestinal walls and polluting my entire system (not a pretty sight). This cleanse is essential to all of us who are beginning to address any health issue, and in general to keep all the organs working properly. By continuing on Unicity products, I have been able to get completely off all pain medications! Unicity Associates who shared the products with me have given me my life back.” - Sharon

“I have been off writing this testimony, as it is not something lady like that everyone talks about. I am a 59 year-old woman who has suffered from constipation since I was 16 years old. I have been through four pregnancies with the resulting horrible hemorrhoids that stay long after the children are grown! I did not know how to alleviate constipation or get rid of it without laxatives, which are deadly and addictive. The constant feeling of being tired, back pain, bloating from not having a bowel movement for 3-5 days, headaches and the dread of the day when I would eventually have to pass all the back up in my colon that had been collecting, was not a healthy way to live. I tried to relieve my constipation with foods like prunes, greens and other calciferous items. I even tried the Metamucil’s of the world. Few people realize that they can have internal hemorrhaging, anal tears which lead to fissures, and heart attacks from straining on the toilet. Many people picked up by ambulance for a heart attack call are found on the bathroom floor. I was so bad that I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and neck while I would strain to pass what felt like a tree stump! My mother had a colostomy due to bowel problems, so I was desperate for help! Enter Unicity! I did two months of Paraway Pack as a colon cleanse because I had numerous animals all my life. I never anticipated the wonderful results; a normal colon with normal bowel habits! I visibly passed roundworms, tapeworms, and what looked like a grub worm. I have continued with the LiFiber and the Nature’s Tea daily and have not had another bout with constipation since, which has now been eight months. I am sending this testimonial with the hope that I can help others with these Unicity products as they have helped me.” - Arlene

“I was anxious to start the Paraway Pack because I have a condition called Diverticulitis. Well, it worked wonders. With consistent use of LiFiber and Nature’s Tea I no longer have the problem. As a side benefit, I got my weight under control and I get compliments on my skin.” - Evelyn

“After having 3 beautiful daughters and nursing them for good health, I decided it was time to do a cleanse with the Paraway Pack. I’ve owned pets, frequented sushi bars, and traveled internationally, so I suspected I might have a few unwanted guests. I began using the Paraway Pack, but in the beginning
did not experience anything unusual. Six weeks passed and still nothing too moving. However, in the 7th week, within an hour of waking up on morning; I had 5 enormous bowel movements. I passed something that looked like a Jellyfish approximately 6 inches long and 2 to 3 inches across. I continued on the program for one more month to make sure no eggs were left behind. Now I use the Paraway Pack twice a year, spring and fall. I would certainly recommend everyone do the same to ensure good health and maximum absorption when they take their daily Unicity supplements.” – Debbie

References
Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. Physician’s Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines. Medical Economics Company, Inc. 1998.

The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Facts and Comparisons, a Wolters Kluwer Company. 1998-1999.

Blumenthal M. The Complete German Commission E Monographs, Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. 1998.

Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physicians Guide to Herbal Medicine. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.

2001 Parasites and Parasitological Resources. Ohio State University, College of Biological Sciences.http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~parasite/home.html

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

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Tagged body cleanse, eliminate parasites, parasites, paraway plus, remove parasites

Animal Disease Threat

Posted on Saturday, March 22, 2008 | Leave a comment

Animal Disease Threat

There are many animal diseases that can make us very sick, if not threaten our lives. We can easily pick up many dangerous, life-threatening animal diseases right in our own backyard, even in our homes and of course, from public places. If we are not vigilant, we can get infected with animal diseases from the very pets we know, we care and we love.

Dangerous organisms that can transmit animal diseases are called zoonosis. According to the PAHO publication, any disease and/or infection which is naturally “transmissible from vertebrate animals to man” is classified as a zoonosis.

Here are the major examples of Deadly Animal Diseases or zoonosis that can threaten our health:

Bacteria

Every year millions of people get sick because of food borne zoonoses such as Salmonellosis and Campylobacteriosis which cause fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, malaise and nausea. Other bacterial zoonoses are: anthrax, brucellosis, E. coli, leptospirosis, plague, shigellosis and tularaemia.

Parasites

Cysticercosis/Taeniasis caused by a parasite which lives in swine and can cause epilepsy, headache and many other symptoms. In Latin America for example, 100 out of 100,000 inhabitants suffer from this disease (estimation). Other parasitical zoonoses are echinococcosis/hydatidosis, toxoplasmosis and trematodosis.

Elderly people are most vulnerable to to zoonosis. They usually pick them up from a household pet. People infected by the toxoplasma parasite will suffer from swollen glands and muscle aches.

Worms live inside the intestines of most animals. When these animals excrete, the worms and its eggs are also expelled from infected animals. These worm-infested feces will subsequently infect the gardens and homes.

The most common worms transmitted this way are the Roundworm and the Hookworm. There was a case of a person who was exposed to Roundworm larvae and subsequently got blinded as the roundworm had damaged the retina of that person’s eye. The Hookworm larvae can inflict painful inflamation as it crawls just below a person’s skin surface.

Ringworm, a skin and scalp disease, is caused by fungi. People get it by touching an infected animal. Ringworm can infect cats, dogs, horses and other animals. In humans, ringworm may produce ring-shaped, reddish, itchy rash.

Viruses

Rabies which is a viral disease of carnivores and bats mainly transmissible to humans by bites. Almost all persons severely exposed to rabid animals will die if not treated. An estimated number of 55,000 persons, mainly children, die of rabies in the world every year. Dogs are responsible for most human deaths from rabies. Other viral zoonoses are avian influenza (bird flu), crimean-congo haemorrhagic fever, ebola and rift valley fever.

If you are bitten by a rabid animal, immediately wash the wound with soap and water, let the wound bleed, and get medical help at once.

Cat-Scratch Disease (CSD) may cause fever, fatigue, headache and swollen lymph glands. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the area immediately with soap and running water.

You can also get Animal Diseases from other pets:

Psittacosis or “parrot fever” from parakeets and cockatoos.

Salmonellosis or Salmonella bacterium from contaminated food and pets particularly reptiles, baby chicks and ducklings.

Mycobacterium, an infectious germ which can infect you – through cuts and scrapes on your hands and feet – when you come into contact with fish and aquarium water.

How to Avoid Getting Infected by Animal Diseases:

Keeping pet areas clean with a strong disinfectant daily
Avoid “rough play” with your pet as it could lead to scratches on your skin
Keep a tight leash on over-friendly pets which may accidentally scratch or nip other people especially children
Do not allow pets to lick your open wounds
Wear rubber gloves when handling pet wastes
Pick up pet wastes when you take pets for a walk
Wash hands immediately and thoroughly with running water and soap (whenever you come into contact with pets and their wastes).
Ensure your pets are parasite and disease free by taking them to the vet regularly. Ticks and fleas are major carriers of disease.
Areas where pets come into contact e.g. furniture, beds and carpets should be cleaned and disinfected regularly and thoroughly.
If possible, keep pets away from kitchen and dining areas where food are laid out. Do not touch or feed your pet while you are eating. Pets have a habit of licking their fur and other parts to keep themselves clean. The parasites in your pet’s mouths may not affect them, but they can be disastrous to humans.
Some people are allergic to pet dander. So the whole house should be vacuumed cleaned thoroughly – meaning every nook and cranny where pet dander can accumulate for example walls and ledges. Elderly people are susceptable to respiratory complications if pet dander gets into their respiratory system e.g. the lungs. Being a pet owner carries a heavy responsibility. Pet owners must not only take good care of their pet(s) but also ensure that people living in the household and in the community are safe from the threat of animal disease. Pets are not toys. Pets are living things with all of the attendant problems that come with living things.
Take natural health supplements that can kill or expel parasites in your body like Unicity’s highly effective Paraway Plus™. Your pets may benefit from Paraway Plus™ too.

Posted in Health Risks

Tagged animal diseases, parasites, pet care, staying healthy, virus, zoonosis

PhytoPath

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 | Leave a comment

PhytoPath^®

This supplement contains substantial amounts of some of the best antioxidant substances available. Grape seed and maritime bark extracts support the skin, eyes, and metabolic systems; beta carotene helps protect cells; vitamin E reduces free radical damage in the heart and other organs; and vitamin C strengthens connective tissue. Additional ingredients include green tea, quercitin, citrus bioflavonoids, and extracts of pomegranate, apricot, nectarine, and prune skin.

PhytoPath^® Item #14785 90 Capsules US$54.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy PhytoPath™ directly from Uncity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

Do you get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet? If you’re like most adults, you do not. PhytoPath can help by supplying a spectrum of natural plant compounds as well as vitamins, botanicals, and specialty nutrients that provide antioxidant protection against free radical damage.

Ingredients include Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs) from Grape Seed and Maritime Bark Extract to support the skin, eyes, and metabolic systems; Betatene, natural beta carotene with mixed carotenoids to help protect cells and provide an important form of vitamin A; natural vitamin E to generate antioxidant protection for the heart and other organs; N-acetyl-cysteine, a building block to glutathione in the body; vitamin C, which plays a role in supporting connective tissue, bones, teeth, blood vessels, and immune function; and additional botanical concentrates, such as green tea, quercitin, citrus bioflavonoids, and extracts of pomegranate, apricot, nectarine, and prune skin.*

What PhytoPath^® will do for you:

Antioxidant is a classification of several vitamin-rich organic substances, including bioflavonoids, phytonutrients, and the carotenoids that add color to fruits and vegetables. At the molecular and cellular levels, antioxidants deactivate free radicals, which are damaged molecules that seek to repair themselves by stealing materials from our body’s healthy cells. Free radicals are the natural byproducts of many processes within and among cells, and they are also created by exposure to various environmental factors–such as air pollution, pesticides, food additives, and radiation–and the effects of aging, stress, and illness. We all need a nutritional shield and defense against the hazards of everyday living. Free radicals are believed to play a role in many different health problems. Free radicals can cause damage to cell walls, certain cell structures, and genetic material within cells. Over time, this damage can become irreversible.*

Research Brief

Free radicals are reactive molecules that “steal” electrons away from other molecules. Cells generate these radicals as a natural consequence of metabolic processes. The most common radicals produced in the human body are superoxide, an oxygen-centered radical with limited reactivity, and hydroxyl, a highly reactive oxygen-centered radical that attacks all molecules in the human body. These radicals cause damage to the molecular components of cells, particularly the lipids that make up the cell membrane. They can also cause damage to the molecular structure of DNA. The body can also be exposed to free radicals generated in the environment.

Fortunately, natural antioxidant systems have evolved in the body that help minimize the potential damage caused by free radicals. These antioxidant systems neutralize free radicals by donating their electrons to the radicals, thus eliminating the need for molecules important in cellular structure and function to become involved.

Many of these antioxidant systems are augmented by food-derived antioxidants, such as vitamins E and C, beta-carotene, bioflavonoids, and indoles, as well as various minerals, such as zinc, copper, and magnesium. These dietary components act either directly in the body as antioxidants or function as key components of the cell’s natural antioxidant defenses.*

FAQs on PhytoPath^®

Q: Why is PhytoPath a better product than any other pycnogenol product?
A: PhytoPath contains not only grape seed extract but it also contains maritime bark extract along with vitamin A, vitamin C, green tea extract, polyphenols, and other specialty nutrients with antioxidant effects.

Q: What is a polyphenol?
A: Polyphenols are antioxidants that are plant substances, such as anthocyananins, flavonoids, and poranthocyanidins.

Q: What are Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs)?
A: A powerful blend of botanical extracts (grape seed and maritime bark extract) called oligomeric proanthocyanidins. They support the skin and eyes and the metabolic systems in the body.

Q: The PhytoPath contains green tea extract. Does caffeine occur naturally in the green tea?
A: Yes, the Green tea contains a small amount of naturally occurring caffeine.

Q: How much of the naturally occurring caffeine is found in the PhytoPath?
A: Each capsule can contain approximately 6 mgs.

References
Blumenthal M. The Complete German Commission E Monographs, Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council, Austin, TX. 1998.

Brandi ML. Flavonoids: biochemical effects and therapeutic applications. Bone and Mineral. 1992; 19:S3-S14.

Frankel EN., et al. Principal phenolic phytochemicals in selected California wines and their antioxidant activity in inhibiting oxidation of human low-density lipoproteins. J Agric Food Chem. 1995; 43:890-894.

Havsteen B. Flavonoids, a class of natural products of high pharmacological potency. Biochem Phar. 1983; 32; 7:1141-1148.

Jt Bu-Tian, et al. Green tea consumption and the risk of pancreatic and colorectal cancers. Int J Canc. 1997; 70:255-258.

Levine M. Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: Evidence for a rec-ommended dietary allowance. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1996; 93:3704-3709.

Meydani M, et al. The effect of long-term dietary supplementation with antioxidants. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1998; 20854:352-360.

Miller AL. Antioxidant flavonoids: Structure, function and clinical usage. Alt Med Rev. 1996; 1; 2:103-111.

Moore AS., et al. Biochemistry and health significance of vitamin E. J of Adv Med. 1996; 9; 1:11-29.

Papas AM. Determinants of antioxidant status in humans. Lipids. 1996; 31:S77-S82.

Physician’s Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines. Gruenwald J, Brendler ., Jaenicke C, eds; First ed., Medical Economics Company, Inc., Montvale, NJ. 1998.

Snodderly DM. Evidence for protection against age-related macular degeneration by carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins.Am J Clin Nutri. 1995; 1448S-1461S.

Snow J. Herbal Monograph: Camelilia sinensis (l) Kuntze (Theaceae). Protoc J Bot Med. 1995; 47-51.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Tagged antioxidant, phytopath, Unicity

OmegaLife-3

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 | 1 Comment

OmegaLife-3 ™

The safest way to get omega-3s in your diet is from high quality, pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements. These brands refine fish oil through a complex molecular distillation process to filter out any impurities, which is standard in Unicity‘s new OmegaLife-3™ supplements. OmegaLife-3™ provides 800 mg of EPA and 400 mg of DHA! It also helps maintain healthy cardiovascular function by promoting healthy triglyceride levels, vascular tone, and blood pressure. OmegaLife-3™ also helps promote healthy brain function and contains orange oil for a pleasant taste.

OmegaLife-3 package photo OmegaLife-3™: Item# 22776 60 SoftGels US$18.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy OmegaLife3™ directly from Uncity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

OmegaLife INGREDIENTS

Vitamin E (asnatural d-alpha tocopheryl acetate), fish oil, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Docosahexaenoic acid, gelatin, glycerin purified water, and orange oil.

Fish oil can play an important role in the maintenance of your good health and well-being.

OmegaLife-3™

Molecularly distilled to ensure exceptionally pure oil.
• Includes vitamin E to protect oil from oxidative rancidity
• Includes orange oil to prevent fishy after-taste
• Formulated to deliver higher levels of EPA and DHA than other fish oil products.
• Supportive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• One serving of OmegaLife-3™ (salmon omega) provides 800 milligrams of EPA and 400 milligrams of DHA omega-3 fatty acids (see nutrition information for total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol content).*

Research Brief

Fish and fish oil (salmon omega) receive increasing amounts of media attention as scientific evidence continues to provide information on their potential health benefits, the most notable being their ability to support normal heart function. In fact, the heart-health benefits of fish oil are so compelling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that, “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”

In addition to its profound heart-health benefits, fish oil also plays a fundamental role in the development and maintenance of brain and nervous functions such as preservation of memory and mental clarity.*

In 2002 the FDA approved supplementation of DHA in infant formula. DHA is potentially important in fetal and infant neural development, in that DHA and arachidonic acid have been shown to be incorporated into brain and retinal cell membranes—particularly during the third trimester and early infant life. Clinical research also suggests that salmon omega fish oil can help support proper brain function. Fish oil like salmon omega supports the eyes and helps maintain early development of vision.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

OmegaLife-3 was formulated to:

• Lower triglycerides by inhibiting lipogenesis and stimulating fatty acid oxidation in the liver*
• Supports regular heart beats
• Helps to maintain normal blood flow*
• Maintain a healthy blood pressure*
• Help stabilize support vitality and general feelings of well-being*
• Support the immune system
• Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease*

UNICITY SCIENCE – OmegaLife-3

Fish oil (salmon omega) contains essential fatty acids known as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The two main omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been shown to influence important biological functions.

DHA is the predominant structural fatty acid in the central nervous system and in the retina of the eyes. Thus, the availability of DHA is crucial for fetal and brain development and is also important for the maintenance of brain functions in adult life. DHA also helps to maintain brain fluidity and may help in the maintenance of cognitive functions. Some studies suggest that adequate DHA supports vision.*

EPA supports the synthesis of important compounds in the body. EPA is the precursor of thromboxane and leukotriene, compounds involved in supporting healthy circulation. They also promote healthy blood vessels.*

Q. Who May Benefit From Supplementing with Fish Oils?
A. Anybody that needs support for a healthy heart and circulation. Pregnant and nursing mothers (Speak with your doctor to see if this product is right for you before use.)

Q. How much fish oil can I take?
A. The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends 650 mg of EPA and DHA per day. Individuals with a known risk of heart disease should take approximately 1000 mg per day. The American Heart Association recommends fish oil capsules for patients with severely high triglycerides. One serving of OmegaLife-3 contains 2000 mg of fish oil with 400 mg DHA and mg 800 EPA.

Note: It is also important to note that an increased adiposity (excess body fat) may reduce the blood level of these fatty acids. Thus, such individuals may need more salmon omega fish oil, even without risk of heart diseases. Read and follow all instructions on the product label.

Q. How Can I Trust the Quality of Fish Oils?
A. The most concern people have is the risk of fish oil contamination with pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and heavy metals such as mercury.
These pollutants are genuinely hazardous to health; hence the government has set limits of their levels in foods and supplements, to ensure safety of the public. At Unicity, safety is our flagship and we will not consider buying fish oils that do not meet the specifications set by the government. Every fish oil batch used in our product is tested and must meet our stringent specifications.

Q. Is Unicity Fish Oil Different From The Competitor?
A. Yes, Unicity salmon omega fish oil is better that the competitors’ because:
• Our fish oil is molecularly distilled to ensure the highest purity oil
• While most competitors use 18/12 fish oil, Unicity uses the higher quality 40/20 oil to deliver more of the EFA in less soft gels. The higher the concentration of EPA & DHA, the more beneficial and costlier the product becomes.
• Our fish oil can be guaranteed fresh because we went the extra mile of adding vitamin E to preserve freshness and help protect the oils against oxidative rancidity
• Some people do not like the “fishy burp,” which is one reason why some people do not take fish oil
• Our fish oils are routine tested to ensure that they are safe from pollutants
• You get more value for your money because of the higher percentage of the essential fatty acids in the oil. The higher the concentration of EPA & DHA, the more beneficial and costlier the product becomes.
• Fewer capsules are required to meet increased needs.

Q. I get my omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed oil…do I need to take fish oil?
A. Flaxseed provides alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is an omega-3 fatty acid that can be converted to EPA and DHA through a series of metabolic processes. However, humans have a limited capability to efficiently process this conversion. EPA and DHA from fish oil are directly incorporated into neuronal membranes to enhance their integrity and support neuronal functions.

<Q. Is There Any Risk Associated With Taking Fish Oils?
A. Fish oil may result in blood thinning, therefore may increase the risk of bleeding, easy bruising and nosebleeds in people who are on blood thinning medications. Fish oil should also be stopped before surgery. Speak to your doctor before use if you have a medical condition.

Q. What’s the best way to get fish oil in my diet?
A. Studies have shown that many fish can contain high levels of mercury and other toxins from our polluted oceans. The health risks of these toxins can outweigh the potential benefits of omega-3 fish oil. Currently, it appears that the safest way to get omega-3s in your diet is from high quality, pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements. The highest quality brands available today refine fish oil through a complex molecular distillation process to filter out any impurities.

References
SanGiovanni JP, Parra-Cabrera S, Colditz GA, Berkey CS, Dwyer JT. Meta-analysis of dietary essential fatty acids and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids as they relate to visual resolution acuity in healthy preterm infants. Pediatrics 2000;105:1292-8.

Koo WW. Efficacy and safety of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid addition to infant formulas: can one buy better vision and intelligence? J Am Coll Nutr 2003;22:101-7.

Stoll AL, Severus WE, Freeman MP, et al. Omega 3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder: a preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1999;56:407-412.

Foran Melanson S, Lee Lewandrowski E, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB. Measurement of organocholorines in commercial over-the-counter fish oil preparations: implications for dietary and therapeutic recommendations for omega 3 fatty acid and a review of the literature. Arch Path Lab Med 2005;129:74-77.

Locke CA, Stoll AL: Omega-3 fatty acids in major depression. World Rev Nutr Diet 2001, 89:173-185.

Zanarini MC, Frankenburg FR. Omega-3 fatty acid treatment of women with borderline personality disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Am J Psychiatry 2003; 160: 167–69.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Tagged omegalife-3, salmon omega 3, Unicity

Immunizen

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 | 1 Comment

Immunizen®

This supplement boosts the immune system with a patented form of Intact colostrum and other ingredients that supply key immunoglobulins, antibodies, inhibitors, protein compounds, growth factors, and enzymes. Immunizen supports the body’s immune cells-especially macrophages-in digesting foreign material, promotes “friendly” intestinal bacteria, protects the body with antioxidants, and helps the body make better use of iron.

Immunizen® Item # 18401 (10 Day Supply) 60 capsules US$28.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy Immunizen directly from Uncity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

Unicity Science: Immunizen®

How do our bodies protect themselves in a world full of harmful organisms? The answer is the immune system, the complex network within our bodies that provides defense at the cellular level against invading organisms.The human immune system relies on cellular organisms, such as T-cells and macrophages, and immunoregulatory chemicals, such as interferon and interleukin, to protect us from invading organisms.

To help support the immune system through supplementation, Immunizen contains cutting-edge ingredients that provide a food source in the intestinal tract for “friendly” bacteria crucial to immune function and support the body’s immune cells–especially macrophages–in digesting foreign material in the bloodstream.

This supplement’s patented form of Intact® colostrum and other ingredients supply key immunoglob-ulins, antibodies, inhibitors, protein compounds, growth factors, and enzymes. The health benefits of Immunizen include protecting the body with antioxidants and helping the body make better use of iron.*

Nutrition plays a key role in maintaining our immune defenses, so Unicity has developed a cutting-edge supplement designed to fortify the body’s natural resistance.*

What’s inside Immunizen® :

The human immune system relies on cellular organisms, such as T-cells and macrophages, and immunoregulatory chemicals, such as interferon and interleukin. Before pharmaceutical antibiotics in the 1930s and ’40s, doctors helped people keep healthy through the use of natural substances that stimulated the body’s own defense organisms and chemicals. Many of these substances can be introduced to the body through the diet.

To help support the immune system through supplementation, Immunizen contains arabinogalactan, colostrum, lactoferrin, and 1,3 1,6 beta glucan. These ingredients have a beneficial impact on the health and strength of the body’s natural defenses.*

Arabinogalactan, a soluble fiber that is one of the most active compounds in echinacea, is a carbohydrate found in various plants.

Intact colostrum is derived from the pre-milk liquid of the bovine mammary gland during the first 24 to 48 hours after giving birth. Our patented, low-heat processing preserves nutrients and active ingredients to provide the highest concentration of fresh proteins, antibodies, and growth factors.* Donor cows are raised free of pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.

Lactoferrin, a protein that supports the immune system, is found in some of the body’s most important fluids, such as milk, saliva, tears, mucous, and white blood cells.*

1,3 1,6 beta glucan is a large-chain sugar molecule isolated from the cell walls of baker’s yeast, shiitake and maitake mushrooms, and oat and barley bran.

What Immunizen will do for you:

Arabinogalactan acts as a food source in the intestinal tract for “friendly” bacteria, which are important for maintaining a healthy immune system. It also aids the body’s immune cells, especially macrophages, which digest foreign material in the bloodstream.*

Colostrum is known to have key immunoglobulins, antibodies, inhibitors, protein compounds, growth factors, and enzymes.*

Lactoferrin acts as an antioxidant, helps the body make better use of iron, and contributes to the body’s primary defense system.*

The health benefits of 1,3 1,6 beta glucan have been widely studied and acknowledged since the 1950s.*

Research Brief

The immune system is the body’s network of defenses. The first line of defense consists of the skin, membranes, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and kidneys. But when those barriers and filters don’t fully protect us, the body relies on certain blood cells and proteins.

White blood cells patrol the bloodstream performing a variety of immune functions, such as releasing antibodies and cleaning the blood. Antibodies are proteins that circulate in the blood and tissues to strengthen the body’s defenses and help the white blood cells perform their tasks. Lymphocytes are special cells that “remember” how to defend the body, which is what allows vaccines to work. The term cellular immunity describes the role of the white blood cells, and the term humoral immunity describes the role of antibodies. The two systems work together closely and help trigger each other’s actions.

The complex human immune system is highly responsive to diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Factors such as sleep deprivation and day-to-day stress can weaken our defenses. Many natural food sources provide substances that can help trigger and strengthen both cellular and humoral immune activity.*

FAQs on Immunizen^®

Q: How do nutritional supplements help the immune system?
A: Like all body systems and organs, the immune system is profoundly affected by diet. The nutrients contained in Immunizen help stimulate the production and activity of white blood cells. Also, powerful antioxidants help protect the body from free radical damage.*

Q: Does the processing that colostrum undergoes affect this important ingredient’s nutritional efficacy?
A: No, the colostrum contained in Immunizen undergoes a patent-pending, low-heat process that preserves nutrients and active ingredients.*

Q: Can you take this product daily?
A: It is recommended to take this product only as needed.

Q: How much lactose is in Immunizen?
A: The Immunizen formula contains five-percent lactose, which is a very small amount. However, if you are overly sensitive to lactose, you may not be able to consume this product.

Q: Immunizen contains beta glucan, which is derived from baker’s yeast. Can a person who is sensitive to yeast consume this product?
A: The beta glucan contained in Immunizen is isolated from the cell walls of yeast. The finished product does not contain any other components or byproducts of yeast, so it should present no problem for those who are sensitive to yeast.*

References

Egert D. et al. Studies on antigen specificity of immunoreactive arabinogalactan proteins extracted form Baptisia tinctoria and Echinacea purpurea. Planta Med, 1992, 58:163–65.

Hauer J. et al. Mechanism of stimulation of human natural killer cytotoxicity by arabinogalactan from Larix occidentalis. Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1993, 36:237–44.

Kelly G.S. Larch Arabinogalactan: Clinical relevance of a novel immune-enhancing polysaccharide. Alt Med Rev, 1999, 4(2):96–103.

Mattsby-Baltzer I. et al. Lactoferrin or a fragment thereof inhibits the endotoxin-induced interleukin-6 response in human monocytic cells. Pediatr Res, 1996, 40:257–62.

Mero A. et al. Effects of bovine colostrums supplementation on serum IGF-I, IgG, hormone, and saliva IgA during training. Amer Phys Soc. 1997:1144–51.

Pakkanen R. et al. G rowth factors and antimicrobial factors of bovine colostrums. Int. Dairy J, 1997, 7:285–97.

Tomita M. et al. Host defensive effects of orally administered bovine lactoferrin.Adv lactoferrin Res, 1998, 22:189–97.

Yamauchi K. et al. Effects of orally administered bovine lactoferrin on the immune system of healthy volunteers. Adv lactoferrin Res, 1993, 32:261–65.

Zimecki M. et al. Immunostimulatory activity of lactoferrin and maturation of CD4-, CD8- murine thymocytes. Immunol Lett, 1991, 30:119–23.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Tagged immunity, immunizen, Unicity

Bio-C

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 | Leave a comment

Bio-C™

For daily antioxidant protection, Bio-C provides four select forms of high-potency vitamin C, along with bioflavonoids to promote absorption.*

Bio-C Item No: 0954 60 Capsules US$20.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy Bio-C directly from Unicity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

Unicity Science – Bio-C™

The human body does not produce vitamin C, so all of this important nutrient’s requirements must be obtained through our diets, which are frequently deficient in vitamins. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, environmental pollutants and food-processing techniques can impact the level of vitamin C in your body. In addition, vitamin C is not stored in the body, so it must be replaced daily.

Vitamin C benefits many systems in our bodies, particularly the cardiovascular system. It is integral to the production of collagen molecules that provide the stability necessary for proper cardiovascular function. Bio-C provides a balance of high-potency vitamin C formulated with four select forms of this important antioxidant nutrient plus bioflavonoids to promote absorption.* Formulated to assure disintegration and dissolution to meet and exceed all standards, Bio-C does not contain sugar, starch, salt or preservatives.

Research Brief

Vitamin C is widely touted for benefiting the immune system, but it also offers significant benefits for cardiovascular function.First, it aids in the production of collagen and elastin, which are the reinforcement rods of the body.

Current clinical evidence suggests that the lack of adequate amounts of vitamin C over a period of years results in a breakdown of the collagen and elastin structure of the blood vessel walls. This breakdown leads to tiny, microscopic cracks or fissures in the walls. Cholesterol globules, surrounded by sticky lipoprotein (a) molecules, lodge in these cracks forming a sort of natural “plaster cast” to prevent blood leakage. This natural repair system eventually overshoots and the buildup of atherosclerotic deposits results. These fat deposits in the arteries of the heart can cause heart attacks and strokes.

Bio-C: FAQs

Q: There are so many different types of vitamin C. Which one is the most easily assimilated and absorbed by the body?
A: A composition of different forms of vitamin C helps optimize your body’s usage of this nutrient. Ascorbic acid and ascorbic salts are very important along with ascorbyl palmitate, a fat-soluble form of vitamin C that remains active in the body for about 24 hours and is very well absorbed. Bio-C contains all of these, along with citrus bioflavonoids, which work with vitamin C to increase its biological efficacy in your body.

Q: My multivitamin contains vitamin C. Why do I need to take Bio-C in addition to a multivitamin?
A: Most multivitamins offer a number of beneficial nutrients. To provide the variety and quantity of vitamin C offered in Bio-C, a multivitamin would be too large to swallow easily. Multivitamins are beneficial, but you can enhance your nutritional program by also including Bio-C.

Q: If I take Bio-C and a multivitamin, will I be consuming too much vitamin C?
A: No. This important nutrient is water-soluble, so your body can naturally eliminate excess supplies. Because of its water-soluble nature, vitamin C must be replaced in your body daily.

Q: In addition to increasing my vitamin C intake through supplements, what are some food sources from which I can obtain beneficial amounts of this nutrient?
A: Many fruits – including oranges, cantaloupe, kiwi, blueberries, strawberries and honeydew melon – are good sources of vitamin C. Red and green bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes also contain vitamin C.

References
Liu J.F.; Lee Y.W. Vitamin C supplementation restores the impaired vitamin E status of guinea pigs fed oxidized frying oil. School of Nutrition and Health Science, Taipei Medical College, Taipei Taiwan, R.O.C., J. Nutr., 1998 Jan., 128:1, 116-22

Wen Y.; Cooke T.; Feely J. The effect of pharmacological supplementation with vitamin C on low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol., 1997 July, 44:1, 94-7

Johnston C.S.; Thompson L.L. Vitamin C status of an outpatient population. Department of Family Resources and Human Development, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-2502, USA, J. Am. Coll. Nutr., 1998 Aug., 17:4, 366-70

Gustafsson U.; Wang F.H.; Axelson M.; Kallner A.; Sahlin S.; Einarsson K. The effect of vitamin C in high doses on plasma and biliary lipid composition in patients with cholesterol gallstones: prolongation of the nucleation time. Department of Surgery, Danderyd Hospital, Sweden, Eur. J. Clin. Invest,May, 27:5, 387-91

Cunningham J.J. The glucose/insulin system and vitamin C: implications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Department of Nutrition, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003-1420, USA, Am. Coll. Nutr.,8 April, 17:2, 105-8

Maramag C.; Menon M.; Balaji K.C.; Reddy P.G.; Laxmanan S. Effect of vitamin C on prostate cancer cells in vitro: effect on cell number, viability and DNA synthesis. Division of Urologic and Transplantation Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655, USA, Prostate, 1997 Aug., 32:3, 188-95

Girodon F.; Blache D.; Monget A.L.; Lombart M.; Brunet Lecompte P.; Arnaud J.; Richard M.J.; Galan P. Effect of a two-year supplementation with low doses of antioxidant vitamins and/or minerals in elderly subjects on levels of nutrients and antioxidant defense parameters. Laboratoire de Biochimie des Lipoproteines, Universite de Bourgogne, Dijon, France J. Am. Coll. Nutr., 1997 Aug., 16:4, 357-65 50-81-7

Simon JA, Hudes ES, Tice JA. Relation of serum ascorbic acid to mortality among US adults. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Jun;20(#):255-63.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Tagged bio-c, multivitamins, Unicity, vitamin c

LifePath Chewies

Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 5 Comments

LifePath™ Chewies | Antioxidants for Children

These tasty, naturally flavored and colored chewies give your child a rich source of bioflavonoids and powerful proanthocyanidins to help fight free-radical damage.

LifePath™ Chewies Item# 13610 30 Chewables US$18.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy LifePath Chewies directly from Uncity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

Unicity Science: LifePath™ Chewies

Your child will love Unicity’s delicious LifePath Chewies. You will have a hard time keeping this popular product in stock! These naturally colored red and purple gumdrop supplements burst with a great citrus taste. You will have peace of mind knowing that while your child is enjoying the taste, their health is also benefiting with these unique, delicious drops.*

LifePath® Chewies contain the following health-enriching ingredients:

Grapeseed Extract a rich source of proanthocyanidins, is a powerful antioxidant.*
Bioflavonoids nourish the integrity and strength of capillaries and cells.*
EnriDole 3-C® works to further enhance nutrition and complements the activity of antioxidants.* It contains a proprietary extraction of indole-3-carbinol, sulforaphane, ascorbigen and other members of the indole family.
Bee Pollen is naturally high in many nutrients and helps the body maintain energy and a feeling of well-being.*
Ginkgo biloba nutritionally supports both the circulatory and nervous systems. – Also includes Rutin, Bilberry, Quercetin and Milk Thistle.*

Research Brief
Traditionally, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been directed at all healthy Americans across a wide age range (i.e., two years of age and older). However, nutrient needs and risk for developing chronic diseases differ substantially with age. Recognition that children are not little adults has led to increased support for separate dietary guidelines for children in recent years. Before dietary recommendations are made for children, there should be firm evidence of benefit and lack of harm. “One-size-fits-all” dietary guidance to “choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol” does not appear to meet these criteria. There is no scientific evidence demonstrating that consuming this diet beginning in childhood lowers blood cholesterol levels or risk of coronary heart disease in adulthood. Further, dietary fat restrictions may compromise children’s nutrient intake and growth.

Adequate calcium intake is especially important for children to optimize their peak bone mass, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis in later years. Unfortunately, few children meet their dietary recommendations for calcium, largely because of their low intake of milk and other dairy foods. Therefore, dietary guidelines for children should include recommendations to increase intake of calcium-rich foods.

FAQs
Q: Should my child take this in addition to his regular once a day multivitamin, or should I give him this instead?
A: LifePath Chewies should be used in addition to the Children’s Core Health for Life.

Q: I know this product is made to taste good for children, but will it introduce additional sugar into my child’s diet?
A: The LifePath Chewies do contain sugar from corn syrup and sucrose.

References
Pandya DP. Oxidant injury in coronary heart disease (Part-I). Compr Ther.2001 Winter;27(4):284-92.

Chernoff R. Nutrition and health promotion in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001 Oct;56 Spec No 2(2):47-53.

Sen CK. Antioxidants in exercise nutrition. Sports Med. 2001;31(13):891-908.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

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Tagged children's antioxidants, lifepath chewies, Unicity

CoQ10 – Advanced Formula

Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008 | Leave a comment

CoQ10 – Advanced Formula

A high potency, advanced formulation specifically designed to provide maximum CoQ10 absorption and bioavailability.*

Co-enzyme Q10 is an antioxidant nutrient found naturally in every cell of the body, but levels decrease with age. CoQ10 is critical in the production of energy (ATP) in the mitochondria of living cells. It also helps cell membrane walls stay healthy and strong by preventing free radical damage.

CoQ10 – Advanced Formula: Item# 23623 30 softgels US$32.95

Another Quality Product from Unicity International Inc.

Buy CoQ10 – Advanced Formula directly from Unicity International’s secure online e-store now! (click here)

Recommended Use

Unicity introduces a new, high-potency advanced formulation—specifically designed to provide maximum CoQ10 absorption and bioavailability.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a compound found naturally in the energy-producing center of the cell known as the mitochondria. Scientists believe that CoQ10 is essential for generating 95 percent of the total energy required by the human body.

Without sufficient CoQ10, none of the systems in the body can function optimally because they simply do not have enough fuel to do their job. The systems most sensitive to deficiencies are those with high-energy needs such as the cardiovascular and immune systems.

In clinical studies, new CoQ10 Advanced Formula is 783% better absorbed than regular dry formula CoQ10 after 36 hours. What’s more, CoQ10 Advanced Formula has been proven to be 454% more bioavailable than ordinary dry formula CoQ10 after just 28 days usage.

Absorption: The movement of CoQ10 into the bloodstream. Bioavailability: The amount of CoQ10 available for use by cells.

CoQ10 Advance Formula contains a proprietary blend of pure CoQ10 and three top-quality lipids—essential ingredients that enable effective absorption, bioavailability, and prevent CoQ10 crystallization—a major flaw in other brands of CoQ10.

In addition to the finest grade of CoQ10, Unicity’s CoQ10 Advanced Formula also includes Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), flaxseed oil, and monoglyceride, a premium quality soy-based lipid specially integrated to prevent CoQ10 crystallization.

Enhances the Immune System

Increases the immune system’s effectiveness in clearing harmful bacteria from the bloodstream.
Helps the body to make antibodies.
Aids the immune system in resisting and subduing many different viruses.

Fights Side Effects of Statin Medications

Scientists now suspect that CoQ10 deficiency may contribute to the development of muscle damage in persons taking statin medications.

Boosts Heart Health

Insufficient levels of CoQ10 have been linked to many primary cardiovascular health problems.
Research has shown that when given CoQ10, aged heart muscle cells performed as well as younger cardiac cells.
CoQ10 supports heart health and naturally assists the body to increase energy production in cells to sustain healthy levels, and also inhibits blood clot formation.

Powerful Antioxidant

CoQ10 is an antioxidant which protects cells from free radicals, which can damage important parts of cells and may play a role in the development of cancer and other age-related diseases.
CoQ10 helps the body neutralize free radicals and reduces or even prevents free radical damage.
CoQ10 has been shown to assist the body to naturally prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Features & Benefits:

· Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a compound found naturally in the energy-producing center of the cell known as the mitochondria.

· Scientists believe that CoQ10 is essential for generating 95% of the total energy required by the human body

· Specifically designed to provide maximum CoQ10 absorption and bioavailability

· Contains a proprietary blend of pure CoQ10 and three top-quality lipids – essential ingredients that enable effective absorption, bioavailability and prevent CoQ10 crystallization – a major flaw in other brands of CoQ10

· Also includes Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), flaxseed oil and monoglyceride, a premium quality soy based lipid specially integrated to prevent CoQ10 crystallization

· Supplies 30 mg of CoQ10 which helps maintain healthy immune and cardiovascular systems

· Gelcap offers optimal absorption

· Supports the circulatory system

·Improved CoQ10 product with three times more strength than before.

FAQs on Unicity’s CoQ10 Advanced Formula

Q. Why is it so important to shorten the absorption time of this CoQ10 supplement?

A. Fat-soluble compounds are absorbed early in the digestive tract. If these compounds are not available for speedy absorption, they will not get into the body.

Q. As an antioxidant, how does CoQ10 compare to vitamins C and E?

A. CoQ10 is a very efficient electron-carrier. This is the compound’s primary responsibility as part of the electron-transport-chain in the mitochondria.

Q. Is there such a thing as taking too many antioxidants?

A. No. Your body is constantly bombarded by free-radicals and oxidizing particles. A large amount of antioxidants ensures that little damage is done to healthy tissue.

Ingredients:

CoenzymeQ10, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), flaxseed oil (organic, monoglyceride (Soy)

Caution: Do not take while on blood thinning medication without medical advice

Recommended Use: Take 1 gelcap daily with food

Size: 30 Gelcaps / Bottle

Product Code: 23623

Tagged Co-enzyme Q10, CoQ10, Unicity

Non-Stick Cookware

Posted on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | 1 Comment

Chemical Used in Non-Stick Cookware Continues to Prove Its Toxicity.

More evidence seems to be mounting in the ongoing Perflurooctanoic Acid (PFOA) debate. PFOA is used in the production of Teflon and other non-stick surfaces and is found in the packaging of candy bars, microwave popcorn, fast food packaging like french fry and pizza boxes, bakery items, drinks, paper plates, and a host of “stain resistant” products such as carpets. Other well-known brand names containing PFOA include Stainmaster, Scotchgard, SilverStone, Fluron, Supra, Excalibur, Greblon, Xylon, Duracote, Resistal, Autograph and T-Fal.

According to DuPont Corporation, PFOA is only used in the manufacturing process and should not be found in the final products. However, the report notes that the chemical is found in the bloodstream of 95% of American men, women, and children.

It has been implicated by some research to cause increased instances of cancer in the pancreas, liver, testicles, and mammary glands. Also increased were instances of miscarriage, weight loss, thyroid problems, weaker immune systems, and low organ weights.

http://teamrich.wordpress.com – Non-Stick Cookware

Posted in Health Risks

Tagged cancer, non-stick cookware, telfon

10,000 BC | Movie

Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 | Leave a comment

10,000 BC | Movie Review

My 12 year old son made an understatement when he said that the movie 10,ooo BC was boring. It is also scientifically and historically inaccurate and downright misleading as it is not really about the 10,000 BC era that we know of (even by Hollywood’s lax standards). It makes the 1966 movie “One Million Years BC” look like a National Geographic documentary.

The creator said that 10,000 BC was not meant to be a documentary. Well thank you very much, Mr Roland Emmerich! Why not put a sign on the movie posters saying “Warning: This movie was meant for kids who want to get an “F” in geography, history and science!” Well, let’s hope he doesn’t make yet another Ice Age movie, for at least another 10,000 years.

10,000 BC is an illogical mix of Apocalypto, Atlantean, African folklore with tame wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, big flightless birds and anti-slavery dreadlock gladiators. You have glacier-bound mountains set in close proximity to deserts and jungles. Wow, is it a theme park?

The 10,000 BC movie’s draggy story line, dull dialog and dumb action sequences won’t cut it even as a fantasy movie set in a planet far, far away from earth. Cloverfield movie looks like a cinematic work of art in comparison to 10,000 BC.

After Roland Emmerich‘s impressive “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Independence Day“, this is a real letdown. The CGI and special effects looks like a decade old compared to what we are used to seeing in recent movies. Sci-fi fans looking to experience the panoramic vistas of a prehistoric Ice Age (circa 10,000 BC) will be sorely disappointed.

If your family haven’t seen 10,000 BC, take them to see the other age appropriate movies.

Suitable for Children
Though there are lots of violence in 10,000 BC, most of it is bloodless and therefore won’t upset younger kids. The lack of energy of the movie makes the intense action scenes look boring even for kids. As can be expected in films about prehistoric times, there are some scenes in the film about paganism – the worship of men claiming to be gods, the veneration of dead “fathers” and the seeking guidance of the “great mother”.

While it is commendable that the movie producers are promoting the “anti-slavery” theme – such basic human rights, unfortunately, did not exist until the last two centuries. There is a very good 2006 movie titled “Amazing Grace” which chronicles the efforts of William Wilberforce who was instrumental in getting the English Parliament to pass the Slave Trade Act in 1807 and the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. In spite of the enactment of similar laws worldwide, slavery still exists in many parts of the world today. In some nations, like in Africa, people prefer to be slaves rather than face starvation and certain death as freemen. As long as there are bad and/or corrupt governments, such conditions will continue to exist right into the modern era – and we are not even talking about “white slavery”.

Watch streaming video from YouTube on 10,000 BC movie trailer:

Please visit our new movie review blog: goingtomovies for the latest movie reviews and the most anticipated movies for 2008 and beyond.

http://teamrich.wordpress.com – 10,000 BC | movie

Posted in Movies with Values

Tagged 10000 BC, family movies

Germ Infested Foods

Posted on Saturday, March 8, 2008 | Leave a comment

Germ Infested Foods

How safe are foods from Restaurants? Not so, if you are unlucky enough to get service from an hygienic restaurant employee who dishes out some really mean germ infested foods.

Germ Infested Foods from Restaurants are usually the Result of Employees / Business Owners failure to follow proper food handling procedures such as:

not washing their hands properly after going to the toilet or after handling items which may have bacteria
being sick and still being asked to handle food
failure to keep food equipment clean
improper refrigeration or cooking of food
improper disposal of waste products and rubbish
poor vermin control
lax management controls or sometimes, even irresponsible business practices.

Because of this, you could be consuming germ infested foods like in the following instances:

Nice Slice of Lemon with your Drink (watch video)

Refreshing Drinks with Ice Cubes (watch video)

Healthy Salads can make you sick (watch video)

Get Germ Infested Foods even from Well Known Restaurants! (You Must Watch this Video by Health Inspections which catches unhygenic workers preparing food and drinks for customers)

Hope you are not hungry: Amazing Restaurant Violations (watch video)

Chicken-Out on Chicken Wings (watch video)

Safer with your Favorite Restaurants (watch video)

Check out your kids’ School Cafeteria (watch video)

We have featured only those stories that have recent accompanying videos. We are sure there are many other violations of the Food Safety Procedures in restaurants across the world. So the next time you go to your favorite restaurant, be sure to check out their kitchen and the way employees handle the food.

If you do come across food safety violations from the restaurants you visit, do report it to the local health authorities and warn your friends about them. Vote with your stomach and your feet, take your business elsewhere.

Public places like restaurants are not the only places you can pick up nasty germs through your foods. Many more people also get sick from eating food prepared in their own homes than in restaurants. Check out our earlier story on “The Top 22 Germ Infested Places“. Even if you have read it before, you may want to revisit it to view some of the new shocking videos, statistics etc featured with the story.

Bon Appétit!