Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Deer Antler Velvet Sales On The Rise - Is It Reliable?

Deer antler velvet is gaining popularity as a performance enhancer. The roots of this medicine are traced back to ancient Chinese medicine. This is available in the markets in the form of spray in different dosages. The antler velvet is considered to have IGF-1, which is known as the Insulin-like growth factor. This growth factor regulates the human growth hormone in our body and hence helps the athletes in their performance. Many athletes say that this medicine has improved their aerobic capacity.
This is considered to be a treasure of health benefits, which are becoming familiar to the western world slowly. It is extensively used for various health related issues. The substance is rich in various nutrients and minerals like protein, phosphorus, calcium, amino acids, collagen, proline, uronic acids, lipids, proteoglycans, and glutamic acid. This is one of the richest source of essential acids and others that are preserved in the form of a powdered substance.
Deer Antler Velvet is acquired during the process of growing new antlers. Deer shed their antlers every year and grow new ones. During the growth process, a velvety cover forms, and is rich in nutrients. This velvet supplies all the essential nutrients for the growth of the antlers. This is shed by the deer completely after the growth of the antlers. This antler velvet is collected by the pharmaceutical companies and made into a spray or powdered form of medicine fit for human use.
The uses of deer antler velvet are many. They are used in the field of medicine and research. Some of the acclaimed uses are as follows-
· Antler velvet is known to have tremendous anti-aging properties. The insulin like substance present in this helps the regeneration of HGH or human growth hormone. It is known to strengthen the bones, and help in tissue renewal. It is also known to prevent stress, cancer and many more. When your tissues are repaired faster and cell regeneration is rapid, you will age slowly. The stress and strain does not show on your skin. Thus it is considered as one of the best medicines for anti-aging. This also helps in the treatment of some skin diseases like eczema.
· The substance called glucosamine sulphate in the velvet is one of the major ingredients used in the treatment of arthritis. The glycosaminoglycans and chondroitin sulphate present in this help in treating rheumatism and other muscular disorders.
It is also a well known energy booster and sexual enhancer. Enhanced strength and vitality are common with the intake of this substance. Many athletes are using this in the place of steroids. Natural substances do not have any adverse side effects. So this is considered to be a reliable product.




Dercums Disease - Symptoms And Treatment

Dercums disease, otherwise known as Adiposis Dolorosa
, is distinguishable by the growths of benign, fatty tumours termed lipomas. Typically, these tumours are soft and painful to the touch. Very rarely, there are occasions when the lipoma lumps linked with this particular disease grow fairly large, and may even reach a point where some weigh anything up to 5 kilograms when removed.
Although Dercums disease can affect both men and women in all age groups, it is more frequently seen in women between the ages of 40 and 60. For reasons as yet unexplained, these tumours do not generally affect the face or hands, but they most often grow just beneath the skin of the arms, legs and trunk.
Also a mystery is the actual cause of the disease, other than the possibility, following extensive research, that there may be a hereditary factor involved in the disease, particularly the fact that it appears to be easily passed from mother to daughter, even over several generations.
There also appears to be a distinct relationship between Dercums disease and the beginnings of obesity. Why this should be the case is not clear, but the informed opinion suggests that the restricted movement resulting from the pain, leading to a lack of exercise, may be a contributory factor. The pain resulting from these fatty tumours pressing on nerves can be excruciating and incapacitating, even when resting or sleeping. Menstruation in women can be a time of increased pain and discomfort, whilst most sufferers will typically feel generally weak.
A range of other symptoms may arise that may appear totally unconnected to the existence of lipomas. Depression, forgetfulness, confusion and an inability to sustain concentration are just some of the symptoms that Dercums disease sufferers may display. Other frequent symptoms can include stiffness, headaches, numbness, sensitive skin, an inclination to bruise easily, and many admit to feeling persistently hot.
In the main, diagnosis of Dercums disease depends upon a detailed discussion with the patient. Various tests may be carried out to rule out other possible conditions, but there are no specific tests for the disease. Blood tests, for example, may point to an overactive immune system, which, when associated with the reported symptoms may help to support a definite diagnosis.
Typical treatment involves the reduction of the painful symptoms via anaesthetic and analgesic medications. In some instances, the surgical removal of lipomas may be the chosen option, although there is a chance that these lipomas will reappear.
Drugs and surgery however are not the preferred option for all, and many patients are now turning to natural lipoma treatment alternatives.




Are Resveratrol Supplements Good For Weight Loss?

Resveratrol definitely performs the role of a supplement by providing a natural aid and medicine for people worried about weight loss. It helps in easy cut down of the extra fat for a healthy life. Many people claim resveratrol as a way to get rid of many of their health problems.
Resveratrol supplements are very effective in reducing the excess weight. A recent study on weight loss reveals that this supplement reduces the weight by 400% when you compare it with other weight reducing options like exercises and diet.
Resveratrol supplements are present naturally in many substances especially in red grapes. They are found in berries and peanuts too. It is a very good anti-oxidant which increases metabolism and reduces appetite. It helps to control the insulin level and body temperature.
It is a main ingredient in wines, especially red wines. Hence, many doctors suggest that you drink wine moderately. This reduces the heart problems, prolongs your life and reduces weight. However, consuming wine more than the moderate amounts, leads to an adverse effects due to its alcohol content. By reducing the weight, it helps you live longer.
Apart from wines, consuming pure resveratrol gives you a better effect. Resveratrol comes in 100-500 mg capsules and are easily available in the market. This definitely helps in reducing weight. It is a potential fighter against cancer and heart diseases.
Resveratrol energizes the cell functioning which in turn, reduces the digestion time which is normally 4 hours per meal. Due to the intake of resveratrol, one could increase the cell activity that helps in pushing out of impurities and wastes from our body. This results in fat loss. Once your unwanted fat is lost, your body weight becomes normal, your activities are well on time, and cells rejuvenate.
Resveratrol's role in weight loss is better proven by French Paradox. The French people consume a lot of fat in their food than Americans. Yet they are leaner and healthier than Americans. The level of heart disease is also much lower in France than US, the reason being intake of red wine by French.
Another important point to bear in your mind is, when you look for resveratrol supplements, check their labels carefully. Always go for the branded ones since there are few products of resveratrol with impure additives giving you ineffective results.Avoid buying resveratrol in combination with any other chemical ingredient. Rans-resveratrol is completely natural and hence it's good for your system. Apart from red grapes, there are also other supplements like Muscadine grapes and another quality one called Perfect resgrape, which are rich in resveratrol.




Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Basic Treatments for IBD

When it comes to treatment for IBD there are 5 basic classes. The basic classes include the following: aminosalicylates, antibiotics, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biologics. Aminosalicylates include drugs such as sulfasazaline and mesalamine. Antibiotics include drugs such as metronidazole and ciprofloxacin. Corticosteroids include drugs such as prednisone and prednisolone. Immunomodulators include drugs such as azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine. Biologics include drugs such as remicade, humira, and cimzia.
Generally doctors will start off using the less powerful drugs such as the aminosalicylates, then work their way up through the different classes depending on how a person's body and disease responds to the treatment. The thought behind this is that there is no use in using some of the stronger drugs if it isn't necessary.
However, there is a new school of thought out there, especially for people who have moderate to severe forms of the disease. That thought is to start off with the strongest drugs such as the biologics. The thinking process behind this is that you can kick the disease into remission quicker by doing this. There have also been studies done that have shown that those who have moderate to severe forms of the disease will actually respond better to the lower classes of drugs when started out almost immediately on the biologics.
When taking biologics people will normally take another class of drugs that become a maintenance drug. The immunomodulators are very commonly the class of drugs used as the maintenance drugs. Both of these drugs will lower a person's immune system, making a person more prone to things like the common cold.
Corticosteroids will often be used for short periods of time. The are most often used when a person is flaring. They help to reduce the inflammation.There are different forms of the drugs to help those with Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis. Those with Ulcerative Colitis will most often use enema forms of this class of drugs. While taking them, a person must taper off them, and not stop them suddenly.
Antibiotics and aminosalicylates are generally used for those who mild forms of the disease. They usually have few if any side effects. If caught soon enough, the disease can be treated very effectively with these two classes of drugs.
Those are the basic treatments for treating those with IBD. One should always consider the potential side effects, and consult with a doctor before starting any treatment or before modifying their treatment.




Does Scoliosis Surgery Correct Your Rib Hump?

The number one concern cosmetically for a person with scoliosis is the rib deformity that often accompanies a thoracic idiopathic scoliosis. The cause of this ribcage deformity is secondary to the spinal deformation. The reason ribcage deformity occurs is based on several biomechanical reasons. The main reason is that the spine and ribs are connected via joints, muscles, and ligaments so therefore changes in the spine will cause abnormal forces in the ribs leading to rib deformation. Scoliosis is a three dimensional deformity and is not merely a curved spine as opposed to a straight spine. The classic thoracic scoliosis with rib hump in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis occurs at a ratio of approximately seventy to eighty percent of cases leading to surgical intervention. Thoracolumbar and lumbar scoliosis curvatures most often do not exhibit enough abnormal forces upon the ribcage to create the cosmetic rib hump associated with primary structural thoracic curves.
The shape and size of the rib hump will vary depending on where the apex is and how many vertebral segments are involved with the overall thoracic curvature. Midlevel to lower apex locations from T8 through T10 will often cause a more noticeable rib hump deformity compared to thoracic apex locations that reside higher in the spine. In addition mid to lower apex locations often encompass more vertebrae in total that create the thoracic curvature thereby causing a more noticeable hump. It could be theoreticized that if scoliosis did not cause ribcage deformity that the attention placed on this condition would be substantially less and the rate of surgical intervention would drop significantly. There are only two symptoms that present with surgical level scoliosis, an increase in pain frequency as an adult, not pain intensity, and mild decreases in respiratory volume with scoliosis curvature greater than 60 degrees with anteriority.. So the so called "need" for surgery wouldn't be worth the potential risks. This being said the number reason patients and parents proceed is the rib hump deformity and its ability to create self image problems and the potential socioeconomic ramifications of not having a "normal" body form.
So does scoliosis fusion surgery correct the rib hump? The surgery itself without thoracoplasty where ribs are removed, will generally decrease ribcage deformity on an average of 30% often leading to a dissatisfaction in post surgery patients whose sole anticipation post surgery is cosmetic improvement. When thoracoplasty is performed in combination with posterior spinal fusion rib hump correction averages are 70% with patient satisfaction rates going up significantly. so why wouldn't all patients and surgeons agree to perform concomitant thoracoplasties to ensure rib hump reduction? The complications from surgeries performing both posterior spinal fusion and thoracoplasty are significantly higher and the rate of pulmonary deficiencies rises to levels equal to that of infused severe scoliosis curvatures which would defeat the entire argument to fuse because of potential pulmonary compromise if moderate 45-55 degree curves progress to severe levels at or near 80 degrees. Scoliosis Surgery with and without thoracoplasty is common practice in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and individuals considering this procedure need to understand the outcome and potential risks associated with achieving desired cosmetic improvement.