"True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice."
--Gichin Funakoshi
Karate can also be described as a martial art, or fighting method, involving a variety of techniques, including blocks, strikes, evasions, throws, and joint manipulations. Karate practice is divided into three aspects: kihon (basics), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring).
The word karate is a combination of two Japanese characters: kara, meaning empty, and te, meaning hand; thus, karate means "empty hand." Adding the suffix "-do" (pronounced "doe"), meaning "way," i.e., karate-do, implies karate as a total way of life that goes well beyond the self-defense applications. In traditional karate-do, we always keep in mind that the true opponent is oneself.
Shotokan founder Gichin Funakoshi has said that "mind and technique become one in true karate." We strive to make our physical techniques pure expressions of our mind's intention, and to improve our mind's focus by understanding the essence of the physical techniques. By polishing our karate practice we are polishing our own spirit or our own mentality. For example, eliminating weak and indecisive movements in our karate helps to eliminate weakness and indecision in our minds--and vice versa.
It is in this sense that karate becomes a way of life, as we try to become very strong but happy and peaceful people. As Tsutomu Ohshima, chief instructor or shihan of Shotokan Karate of America, has put it, "We must be strong enough to express our true minds to any opponent, anytime, in any circumstance. We must be calm enough to express ourselves humbly."
Copyright ©1998 Shotokan Karate of America. All rights reserved.
PROTEOGLYCAN /pro·teo·gly·can/ (pro″te-o-gli´kan) any of a group of polysaccharide-protein conjugates present in connective tissue and cartilage, consisting of a polypeptide backbone to which many glycosaminoglycan chains are covalently linked; they form the ground substance in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue and also have lubricant and support functions.
(Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers। © 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc। All rights reserved.)
Proteoglycans are glycoproteins that are heavily glycosylated. They have a core protein with one or more covalently attached glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain(s). The chains are long, linear carbohydrate polymers that are negatively charged under physiological conditions, due to the occurrence of sulfate and uronic acid groups. Proteoglycans occur in the connective tissue.
Researchers from the University of Leeds, UK, the Charite University Medical School and the Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin, Germany, have discovered a new driving force behind cancer growth.
Their studies have identified how 'junk' DNA promotes the growth of cancer cells in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Professor Constanze Bonifer (University of Leeds) and Dr Stephan Mathas (Charite, MDC) who co-led the study suspect that these pieces of 'junk' DNA, called 'long terminal repeats', can play a role in other forms of cancer as well. The work is published in Nature Medicine.*
The researchers uncovered the process by which this 'junk DNA' is made active, promoting cancer growth.
"We have shown this is the case in Hodgkin's lymphoma, but the exact same mechanism could be involved in the development of other forms of blood cancer," said Prof. Bonifer. "This would have implications for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of these diseases."
'Long terminal repeats' (LTRs) are a form of 'junk DNA' - genetic material that has accumulated in the human genome over millions of years. Although LTRs originate from viruses and are potentially harmful, they are usually made inactive when embryos are developing in the womb.
If this process of inactivation doesn't work, then the LTRs could activate cancer genes, a possibility that was suggested in previous animal studies. This latest research has now demonstrated for the first time that these 'rogue' active LTRs can drive the growth of cancer in humans.
The work focused on cancerous cells of Hodgkin's lymphoma (the Hodgkin-/Reed Sternberg cells) that originate from white blood cells (antibody-producing B cells). Unusually, this type of lymphoma cell does not contain a so-called 'growth factor receptor' that normally controls the growth of other B-cells.
They found that the lymphoma cells' growth was dependent on a receptor that normally regulates the growth of other immune cells, but it is not usually found in B-cells. However in this case, the Hodgkin-/Reed Sternberg cells 'hijacked' this receptor for their own purposes by activating some of the 'junk DNA'. In fact the lymphoma cells activated hundreds, if not thousands, of LTRs all over the genome, not just one.
Hodgkin-/Reed Sternberg cells may not be the only cells that use this method to subvert normal controls of cell growth. The researchers found evidence of the same LTRs activating the same growth receptor in anaplastic large cell lymphoma, another blood cancer.
The consequences of such widespread LTR activation are currently still unclear, according to the study's authors. Such processes could potentially activate other genes involved in tumour development. It could also affect the stability of chromosomes of lymphoma cells, a factor that may explain why Hodgkin-/Reed Sternberg cells gain many chromosomal abnormalities over time and become more and more malignant.
Notes:
*De-repression of an endogenous long terminal repeat activates the CSF1R proto-oncogene in human lymphoma Björn Lamprecht1,2,10, Korden Walter3,10, Stephan Kreher1,2,10, Raman Kumar4, Michael Hummel5, Dido Lenze5, Karl Köchert1,2, Mohamed Amine Bouhlel3, Julia Richter6, Eric Soler7, Ralph Stadhouders7, Korinna Jöhrens5, Kathrin D. Wurster1,2, David Callen4, Michael F. Harte8, Maciej Giefing6,9, Rachael Barlow3, Harald Stein5, Ioannis Anagnostopoulos5, Martin Janz1,2, Peter N. Cockerill3, Reiner Siebert6, Bernd Dörken1,2, Constanze Bonifer3, and Stephan Mathas1,2 1Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125 Berlin, Germany; 2Hematology, Oncology and Tumorimmunology, Charité University Medical School, CVK, 13353 Berlin, Germany; 3Section of Experimental Haematology, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; 4Breast Cancer Genetics Group, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide and Hanson Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia; 5Institute of Pathology, Charité University Medical School, CBF, 12200 Berlin, Germany; 6Institute of Human Genetics, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel & University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany; 7Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, 3015 GE Rotterdam; 8Cytopia Research Pty Ltd, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia; 9Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479 Poznan, Poland. 10These authors contributed equally to this work.
1. There are about 1,300 new cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma each year in the UK, including 150 in children.
2. LTR fragments were originally formed by infection with retroviruses, a type of virus that can integrate their own genetic material into a host gene. The human genome contains thousands of these LTR fragments.
3. The receptor that was observed to control cell growth in Hodgkin-/Reed Sternberg cells is known as CSF1R (the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor).
4. One of the UK's largest medical and bioscience research bases, the University of Leeds is an acknowledged world leader in bioengineering, cancer, cardiovascular, epidemiology, genetic, musculoskeletal and psychiatric research. Treatments developed in Leeds are transforming the lives of people worldwide with conditions such as diabetes, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. The University is one of the UK's leading research institutions with a vision of securing a place among the top 50 by 2015.
5. This work was supported in part by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB/TRR54), the Wilhelm Sander-Stiftung, the Deutsche Krebshilfe, the KinderKrebsInitiative Buchholz/Holm-Seppensen, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, Cancer Research UK and Yorkshire Cancer Research.
Source:
Paula Gould
University of Leeds
Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a term used to describe a yellowish tinge to the skin and sclerae (the white part of the eye) that is caused by hyperbilirubinemia (an excess of bilirubin in the blood). Body fluids may also be yellow. The color of the skin and sclerae varies depending on levels of bilirubin; mildly elevated levels display yellow skin and sclerae, while highly elevated levels display brown.
Bilirubin (bil-ih-ROO-bin) is a yellow colored substance that is responsible for the yellowing of the skin and sclerae. Bilirubin is a waste product that remains in the bloodstream after the iron is removed from the hemoglobin, which is released from the degradation of erythrocytes (cells that contain hemoglobin and can carry oxygen to the body). When there is an excess of bilirubin it may leak out into surrounding tissues, saturating them with this yellow substance.
Bilirubin that is circulating freely in the blood is called unconjugated bilirubin. One of the liver's functions is to filter out waste, such as bilirubin, from the blood. Once it is in the liver, other chemicals latch on to the bilirubin, creating a substance called conjugated bilirubin, which is secreted in bile (a digestive juice released by the liver) and then excreted. Bilirubin is what gives feces its brown color.
The modern English word "jaundice" is derived from the middle French word jaunisse. Jaun means "yellow" and -isse means "-ness"; hence the middle French word jaunisse, which means "yellowness".
According to MediLexicon's medical dictionary, jaundice is:
"A yellowish staining of the integument, sclerae, deeper tissues, and excretions with bile pigments, resulting from increased levels in the plasma."
There are three main types of jaundice:
- Hepatocellular jaundice - a type of jaundice that occurs as a result of liver disease or injury.
- Hemolytic jaundice - a type of jaundice that occurs as a result of hemolysis (an accelerated breakdown of erythrocytes - red blood cells) leading to an increase in production of bilirubin.
- Obstructive jaundice - a type of jaundice that occurs as a result of an obstruction in the bile duct (a system of tubes that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine), which prevents bilirubin from leaving the liver.
What causes jaundice?
Jaundice most often occurs as a result of an underlying disorder that either causes tissues to become over-saturated with bilirubin or prevents the liver from disposing of bilirubin.Some underlying conditions that may cause jaundice are:
- Acute inflammation of the liver - may impair the ability of the liver to conjugate and secrete bilirubin, resulting in a buildup of bilirubin.
- Inflammation of the bile duct - may prevent the secretion of bile and removal of bilirubin, causing jaundice.
- Obstruction of the bile duct - prevents the liver from disposing of bilirubin, which results in hyperbilirubinemia.
- Hemolytic anemia - Production of bilirubin increases when large quantities of erythrocytes are broken down.
- Gilbert's syndrome - an inherited condition that impairs the ability of enzymes (biomolecules that provoke chemical reactions between substances) to process the excretion of bile.
- Cholestasis-a condition in which the flow of bile from the liver is interrupted. The bile containing conjugated bilirubin remains in the liver instead of being excreted.
- Crigler-Najjar syndrome - an inherited condition that impairs the specific enzyme responsible for processing bilirubin, resulting in an excess of bilirubin.
- Dubin-Johnson syndrome - an inherited form of chronic jaundice that prevents conjugated bilirubin from being secreted out of the liver's cells.
- Pseudojaundice - a harmless form of jaundice in which the yellowing of the skin results from an excess of beta-carotene, not from an excess of bilirubin; usually from eating lots of carrots, pumpkin, or melon.
What are the signs and symptoms of jaundice?
The most pervasive sign of jaundice is a yellow tinge to the skin and sclerae (whites of the eyes). This usually starts at the head and spreads down the body.Other symptoms of jaundice include:
- Pruritis (itchiness)
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain - typically indicates a blockage of the bile duct.
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Paler than usual stools
- Dark urine
How is jaundice diagnosed?
Doctors will most likely diagnose jaundice based on the patient's history and a physical exam, paying close attention to the abdomen. Doctors will be feeling for masses (tumors) in the abdomen and/or checking the firmness of the liver; a firm liver indicates cirrhosis, while a rock-hard liver indicates cancer।The severity of jaundice is determined by several tests, the first of which is a liver function test to find out whether or not the liver is functioning properly.
If the cause of your symptoms cannot be identified, your doctor may require blood tests to check levels of bilirubin and evaluate the composition of the blood. Some of these tests include:
- Bilirubin tests - a high level of unconjugated bilirubin relative to levels of conjugated bilirubin indicate hemolysis (accelerated break down of erythrocytes)
- Full blood count (FBC), or complete blood count (CBC) - measures levels of erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells), and thrombocytes (platelets).
- Hepatitis A, B, and C tests
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - uses magnetic signals to create image "slices" of the soft tissues of the human body. MRIs can also be manipulated in such a way that the cause and location of a bile duct obstruction can be identified.
- Abdominal ultrasonography (ultrasound) - uses high frequency sound waves to create a two-dimensional image of the soft tissues inside the human body. It is especially useful in identifying gallstones, although tumors and dilated bile ducts may also show.
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan, or computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan - uses a thin X-ray beam to create image "slices" of soft tissues in the body. It is especially useful in identifying tumors and dilated bile ducts.
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - the patient swallows an endoscope (a tube) that reaches down to the bile duct. An x-ray contrast solution is then secreted to reveal the contrast-filled bile duct in an x-ray. This imaging test is the most useful in identifying the cause and location of a bile duct obstruction.
What are the treatment options for jaundice?
Treatment of jaundice typically requires a diagnosis of the specific cause in order to select suitable treatment options. Treatment would target the specific cause, rather than the jaundice itself.Anemia-induced jaundice may be treated by increasing the amount of iron in the blood; either by taking iron-supplements or eating more iron-rich foods.
Hepatitis-induced jaundice may be treated with anti-viral or steroid medications.
Obstruction-induced jaundice may be treated via surgery to remove the obstruction.
Medication-induced jaundice is treated by selecting an alternative medication and by discontinuing medications that caused jaundice.
What complications could occur from jaundice?
The symptom pruritis (itching) can sometimes be so intense that patients scratch their skin raw, have insomnia, or even commit suicide.Most complications that arise are a result of the underlying cause of jaundice, not from jaundice itself. For example, jaundice caused by a bile duct obstruction may lead to uncontrolled bleeding due to a deficiency of vitamins needed for normal blood clotting.
How can jaundice be prevented?
Jaundice is related to the function of the liver, so it is essential that you maintain this vital organ's health by eating a balanced diet, exercising at least 30 minutes five times a week, and refraining from exceeding recommended amounts of alcohol.Written by Caroline Gillott
Copyright: Medical News Today
Herbal medicine -- also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine -- refers to using a plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long tradition of use outside of conventional medicine. It is becoming more mainstream as improvements in analysis and quality control along with advances in clinical research show the value of herbal medicine in the treating and preventing disease.
What is the history of herbal medicine?
Plants had been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. Ancient Chinese and Egyptian papyrus writings describe medicinal uses for plants. Indigenous cultures (such as African and Native American) used herbs in their healing rituals, while others developed traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine) in which herbal therapies were used. Researchers found that people in different parts of the world tended to use the same or similar plants for the same purposes.
In the early 19th century, when chemical analysis first became available, scientists began to extract and modify the active ingredients from plants. Later, chemists began making their own version of plant compounds, and over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in favor of drugs.
Recently, the World Health Organization estimated that 80% of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some part of their primary health care. In Germany, about 600 - 700 plant-based medicines are available and are prescribed by some 70% of German physicians. In the last 20 years in the United States, public dissatisfaction with the cost of prescription medications, combined with an interest in returning to natural or organic remedies, has led to an increase in herbal medicine use.
How do herbs work?
In many cases, scientists aren' t sure what specific ingredient in a particular herb works to treat a condition or illness. Whole herbs contain many ingredients, and they may work together to produce a beneficial effect. Many factors determine how effective an herb will be. For example, the type of environment (climate, bugs, soil quality) in which a plant grew will affect it, as will how and when it was harvested and processed.
How are herbs used?
The use of herbal supplements has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Herbal supplements are classified as dietary supplements by the U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. That means herbal supplements -- unlike prescription drugs -- can be sold without being tested to prove that they are safe and effective. However, herbal supplements must be made according to good manufacturing practices.
The most commonly used herbal supplements in the U.S. include echinacea (Echinacea purpurea and related species), St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), garlic (Allium sativum), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), ginseng (Panax ginseng, or Asian ginseng; and Panax quinquefolius, or American ginseng), goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), ginger (Zingiber officinale), evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), and milk thistle (Silybum marianum).
Often, herbs may be used together because the combination is more effective and may have fewer side effects. Health care providers must take many factors into account when recommending herbs, including the species and variety of the plant, the plant's habitat, how it was stored and processed, and whether or not there are contaminants (including heavy metals and pesticides).
What is herbal medicine good for?
Herbal medicine is used to treat many conditions, such as asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, and irritable bowel syndrome, among others. Herbal supplements are best taken under the guidance of a trained health care provider. Be sure to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbs. Some common herbs and their uses are discussed below.
- Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) has been used in traditional medicine to treat circulatory disorders and enhance memory. Although not all studies agree, ginkgo may be especially effective in treating dementia (including Alzheimer's disease) and intermittent claudication (poor circulation in the legs). It also shows promise for enhancing memory in older adults. Laboratory studies have shown that ginkgo improves blood circulation by dilating blood vessels and reducing the stickiness of blood platelets. By the same token, this means ginkgo may also increase the effect of some blood-thinning medications, including aspirin. People taking blood-thinning medications should ask their doctor before using ginkgo.
- Kava kava (Piper methysticum) is said to elevate mood, well-being, and contentment, and produce a feeling of relaxation. Several studies have found that kava may be useful in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, and related nervous disorders. However, there is serious concern that kava may cause liver damage. It's not clear whether the kava itself caused liver damage in a few people or whether it was taking kava in combination with other drugs or herbs. It's also not clear whether kava is dangerous at previously recommended doses, or only at higher doses. Some countries have taken kava off the market. It remains available in the United States, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a consumer advisory in March of 2002 regarding the "rare" but potential risk of liver failure associated with kava-containing products.
- Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is used by more than 2 million men in the United States for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. A number of studies suggest that the herb is effective for treating symptoms, including too-frequent urination, having trouble starting or maintaining urination, and needing to urinate during the night. But a well-conducted study published in the February 9, 2006 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine found that saw palmetto was no better than placebo in relieving the signs and symptoms of BPH.
- St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is well known for its antidepressant effects. In general, most studies have shown that St. John's wort may be an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, and has fewer side effects than most other prescription antidepressants. But the herb interacts with a wide variety of medications, including birth control pills, so it is important to take it only under the guidance of a health care provider.
- Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a popular alternative to commonly prescribed medications for sleep problems because it is considered to be both safe and gentle. Some studies bear this out, although not all have found valerian to be effective. Unlike many prescription sleeping pills, valerian may have fewer side effects such as morning drowsiness.
- Echinacea preparations (from Echinacea purpurea and other Echinacea species) may improve the body's natural immunity. Echinacea is one of the most commonly used herbal products, but studies are mixed as to whether it can help prevent or treat colds. A meta-analysis of 14 clinical studies examining the effect of echinacea on the incidence and duration of the common cold found that echinacea supplements decreased the odds of getting a cold by 58%. It also shortened the duration of a cold by 1.4 days.
Buying standardized herbal supplements helps ensure you will get the right dose and the effects similar to human clinical trials. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about which herbal supplements are the best choice for your health concerns.
Is there anything I should watch out for?
Used correctly, herbs can help treat a variety of conditions and in some cases may have fewer side effects than some conventional medications. But because they are unregulated, herbal products are often mislabeled and may contain additives and contaminants that aren' t listed on the label. Some herbs may cause allergic reactions or interact with conventional drugs, and some are toxic if used improperly or at high doses. Taking herbs on your own increases your risk, so it is important to consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal medicines. Some examples of adverse reactions from certain popular herbs are described below.
- St. John's wort can cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun's ultraviolet rays, and may cause an allergic reaction, stomach upset, fatigue, and restlessness. Clinical studies have found that St. John's wort also interferes with the effectiveness of many drugs, including the blood thinner warfarin (Couamdin), protease inhibitors for HIV, birth control pills, certain asthma drugs, and many other medications. In addition, St. John's wort should not be taken with prescribed antidepressant medication. The FDA has issued a public health advisory concerning many of these interactions.
- Kava kava has been linked to liver toxicity. Kava has been taken off the market in several countries because of liver toxicity.
- Valerian may cause sleepiness, and in some people it may even have the unexpected effect of overstimulating instead of sedating.
- Garlic, ginkgo, feverfew, and ginger, among other herbs, may increase the risk of bleeding.
- Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) may increase the risk of seizures in people who have seizure disorders.
Some herbal supplements, especially those imported from Asian countries, may contain high levels of heavy metals, including lead, mercury, and cadmium. It is important to purchase herbal supplements from reputable manufacturers to ensure quality. Talk to your health care provider for more information.
Who is using herbal medicine?
Nearly one-third of Americans use herbs. Unfortunately, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that nearly 70% of people taking herbal medicines (most of whom were well educated and had a higher-than-average income) were reluctant tell their doctors that they used complementary and alternative medicine. Many herbs can interact with prescription medications and cause unwanted or dangerous reactions. Be sure to consult your doctor before trying any herbal products.
How is herbal medicine sold in stores?
The herbs available in most stores come in several different forms: teas, syrups, oils, liquid extracts, tinctures, and dry extracts (pills or capsules). Teas can be made from dried herbs left to soak for a few minutes in hot water, or by boiling herbs in water and then straining the liquid. Syrups, made from concentrated extracts and added to sweet-tasting preparations, are often used for sore throats and coughs. Oils are extracted from plants and often used as rubs for massage, either by themselves or as part of an ointment or cream. Tinctures and liquid extracts are made of active herbal ingredients dissolved in a liquid (usually water, alcohol, or glycerol). Tinctures are typically a 1:5 or 1:10 concentration, meaning that one part of the herb is prepared with five to ten parts (by weight) of the liquid. Liquid extracts are more concentrated than tinctures and are typically a 1:1 concentration. A dry extract form is the most concentrated form of an herbal product (typically 2:1 - 8:1) and is sold as a tablet, capsule, or lozenge.
Currently, no organization or agency regulates the manufacture or certifies the labeling of herbal preparations. This means you can't be sure that the amount of the herb contained in the bottle, or even from dose to dose, is the same as what is stated on the label. Some herbal preparations are standardized, meaning that the preparation is guaranteed to contain a specific amount of the active ingredients of the herb. However, it is still important to ask companies making standardized herbal products about their product's guarantee. It is important to talk to your doctor or an expert in herbal medicine about the recommended doses of any herbal products.
Are there experts in herbal medicine?
Herbalists, chiropractors, naturopathic physicians, pharmacists, medical doctors, and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine all may use herbs to treat illness. Naturopathic physicians believe that the body is continually striving for balance and that natural therapies can support this process. They are trained in 4-year, postgraduate institutions that combine courses in conventional medical science (such as pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, and surgery) with clinical training in herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, and lifestyle counseling.
How can I find a qualified herbalist in my area?
For additional information, or to locate an experienced herbalist in your area, contact the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) at site at
What is the future of herbal medicine?
In some countries in Europe -- unlike the U.S. -- herbs are classified as drugs and are regulated. The German Commission E, an expert medical panel, actively researches their safety and effectiveness.
While still not widely accepted, herbal medicine is being taught more in medical schools and pharmacy schools. More health care providers are learning about the positive and potentially negative effects of using herbal medicines to help treat health conditions. Some health care providers, including doctors and pharmacists, are trained in herbal medicine. They can help people create treatment plans that use herbs, conventional medications and lifestyle changes to promote health.
Swimming is good exercise (that's obvious). Swimming is a lifetime sport that benefits the body and the whole person! But what is it that makes swimming good, specifically? That depends on what you are trying to accomplish.
Swimming is a healthy activity that can be continued for a lifetime - and the health benefits swimming offers for a lifetime are worth the effort it takes to get to the pool.
Why do you swim? For the health benefits to your heart and lungs? For the chance to be with some of your friends at the pool? Because, in your case, running everyday hurts? Because you like the feeling of floating and sliding through the water? Or is it something else?If you are looking for a break from the heat of the summer, then a dip in the water is exactly what you need; swimming is a way for you to cool off. It fills a wonderful recreational need for individuals and families, from beach and pool fun to water parks.
Maybe you are a runner, training on a regular basis, and want to find an activity that keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off of your body. Perhaps you have been doing some other form of land exercise, and now an injury prevents you from putting weight on a knee or ankle. Swimming can help you. Kicking workouts, water aerobics, pool running, or a regular swimming workout can all give you a great exercise session without the weight of your body pounding you with each move.
Regular swimming builds endurance, muscle strength and cardio-vascular fitness. It can serve as a cross-training element to your regular workouts. Before a land workout, you can use the pool for a warm-up session. Swimming with increasing effort to gradually increase your heart rate and stimulate your muscle activity is easily accomplished in the water. After a land workout, swimming a few laps can help you cool-down, move blood through your muscles to help them recover, and help you relax as you glide through the water.
Swimming does burn calories at a rate of about 3 calories a mile per pound of bodyweight. If you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim one mile (1,760 yards or 1,609 meters), then you will be using about 900 calories in one hour. However, many swimmers do not swim that quickly, and many cannot swim for that distance or duration.
Spending time in a group workout, whether water aerobics or a master's swim practice, is a great social outlet. Exchanging stories, challenging each other, and sharing in the hard work make swimming with others a rewarding experience.
There are other psychological benefit to swimming, if you allow it to occur. Relax and swim with a very low effort. Let your mind wander, focusing on nothing but the rhythm of your stroke. This form of meditation can help you gain a feeling of well-being, leaving your water session refreshed and ready to go on with the rest of your day. Many swimmers find an in-direct benefit form swimming. They develop life skills such as sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and an increased sense of self-worth through their participation in the sport. Swimmers seem to do better in school, in general terms, than non-swimmers as a group.
One thing swimming is not good for is losing a lot of weight. The on-line Merck Manual explains that swimming is not the best way to lose weight due to the cooling effects of being in the water. While you do use a lot of calories swimming, once you get out of the pool much of that calorie burning stops. Doing land based exercise like running or cycling may use about the same amount of calorie per hour as swimming, but once you stop exercising the land-based workout usually leads to continued increase in calorie use for as long as 18 hours after the workout. Why? Because when you are in the pool you don't heat up as much as you do on land, and your body does not have to work to cool you down as much once the exercise session concludes. Swimming does exercise almost the entire body - heart, lungs, and muscles - with very little joint strain. It is great for general fitness, just not a great way to drop excess pounds.
And I didn't mention the neat things chlorine and sun can do for the texture and color of your hair...
Swim On!
Mat
An obese person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. If a person's bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese.
People become obese for several reasons, including:
1. Consuming too many calories.
People are eating much more than they used to. This used to be the case just in developed nations - however, the trend has spread worldwide. Despite billions of dollars being spent on public awareness campaigns that attempt to encourage people to eat healthily, the majority of us continue to overeat. In 1980 14% of the adult population of the USA was obese; by 2000 the figure reached 31% (The Obesity Society).
In the USA, the consumption of calories increased from 1,542 per day for women in 1971 to 1,877 per day in 2004. The figures for men were 2,450 in 1971 and 2,618 in 2004. Most people would expect this increase in calories to consist of fat - not so! Most of the increased food consumption has consisted of carbohydrates (sugars). Increased consumption of sweetened drinks has contributed significantly to the raised carbohydrate intake of most young American adults over the last three decades. The consumption of fast-foods has tripled over the same period.
Various other factors also may have contributed to America's increased calorie and carbohydrate intake:
* In 1984 the Reagan administration freed up advertising on sweets and fast foods for children - regulations had previously set limits.
* Agricultural policies in most of the developed world have led to much cheaper foods.
* The US Farm Bill meant that the source of processed foods came from subsidized wheat, corn and rice. Corn, wheat and rice became much cheaper than fruit and vegetables.
2. Leading a sedentary lifestyle.
With the arrival of televisions, computers, video games, remote controls, washing machines, dish washers and other modern convenience devices, the majority of people are leading a much more sedentary lifestyle compared to their parents and grandparents. Some decades ago shopping consisted of walking down the road to the high street where one could find the grocers, bakers, banks, etc. As large out-of-town supermarkets and shopping malls started to appear, people moved from using their feet to driving their cars to get their provisions. In some countries, such as the USA, dependence on the car has become so strong that many people will drive even if their destination is only half-a-mile away.
The less you move around the fewer calories you burn. However, this is not only a question of calories. Physical activity has an effect on how your hormones work, and hormones have an effect on how your body deals with food. Several studies have shown that physical activity has a beneficial effect on your insulin levels - keeping them stable. Unstable insulin levels are closely associated with weight gain.
3. Not sleeping enough.
If you do not sleep enough your risk of becoming obese doubles, according to research carried out at Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick. The risk applies to both adults and children. Professor Francesco Cappuccio and team reviewed evidence in over 28,000 children and 15,000 adults. Their evidence clearly showed that sleep deprivation significantly increased obesity risk in both groups.
Professor Cappuccio said, "The 'epidemic' of obesity is paralleled by a 'silent epidemic' of reduced sleep duration with short sleep duration linked to increased risk of obesity both in adults and in children. These trends are detectable in adults as well as in children as young as 5 years."
Professor Cappuccio explains that sleep deprivation may lead to obesity through increased appetite as a result of hormonal changes. If you do not sleep enough you produce Ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite. Lack of sleep also results in your body producing less Leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite.
4. Endocrine disruptors, such as some foods that interfere with lipid metabolism.
A team from the University of Barcelona (UB) led by Dr Juan Carlos Laguna published a study in the journal Hepatology that provides clues to the molecular mechanism through which fructose (a type of sugar) in beverages may alter lipid energy metabolism and cause fatty liver and metabolic syndrome.
Fructose is mainly metabolized in the liver, the target organ of the metabolic alterations caused by the consumption of this sugar. In this study, rats receiving fructose-containing beverages presented a pathology similar to metabolic syndrome, which in the short term causes lipid accumulation (hypertriglyceridemia) and fatty liver, and eventually leads to hypertension, resistance to insulin, diabetes and obesity.
Poorly balanced diets and the lack of physical exercise are key factors in the increase of obesity and other metabolic diseases in modern societies. In epidemiological studies in humans, the effect of the intake of fructose-sweetened beverages also seems to be more intense in women. (From - "New Data On Fructose-Sweetened Beverages And Hepatic Metabolism").
Although there appears to be a consensus on the negative effects of fructose-sweetened beverages there is still some debate over the effects of fructose versus high fructose corn syrup - two studies of note are:
"AMA Finds High Fructose Syrup Unlikely To Be More Harmful To Health Than Other Caloric Sweeteners" and "Fructose Sweetened Drinks Increase Nonfasting Triglycerides In Obese Adults".
5. Lower rates of smoking (smoking suppresses appetite).
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) "Not everyone gains weight when they stop smoking. Among people who do, the average weight gain is between 6 and 8 pounds. Roughly 10 percent of people who stop smoking gain a large amount of weight - 30 pounds or more."
6. Medications that make patients put on weight.
According to an article in Annals of Pharmacotherapy, some medications cause weight gain. "Clinically significant weight gain is associated with some commonly prescribed medicines. There is wide interindividual variation in response and variation of the degree of weight gain within drug classes. Where possible, alternative therapy should be selected, especially for individuals predisposed to overweight and obesity." (The Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Vol. 39, No. 12, pp. 2046-2054. DOI 10.1345/aph.1G33)
For the nation's 25 million Type 2 diabetics, and an estimated 57 million pre-diabetics, achieving healthy blood sugar levels and maintaining them is a daily battle. Today, NaturEra, one of the nation's dietary supplements leaders, is announcing for the first time in the U.S. the availability of its Sugar Crush and Sugar Crush Daily products specially formulated and clinically proven to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels overall*. NaturEra's Sugar Crush products have been designed to be a preventative measure for at-risk patients and are backed by clinical research conducted in Israel, that has been accepted for review by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), two of the most prestigious diabetes organizations in the country.
"When using both Sugar Crush & Sugar Crush Daily together, type 2 diabetics see dramatic results within 10 days in helping them maintain healthy blood sugar levels,*" said Dr. Mishel Weshler, a co-author of the Israeli study and a diabetic implant specialist at Weshler & Weshler Clinic in Nazareth Illit, Israel.
"We are excited to be bringing these critical products that are 100 percent all natural, 98 percent organic and completely effective to the U.S. market to explicitly help people manage their blood sugar levels," said Oren Cohen, NaturEra's CEO. "These products have been in use for more than three years in markets around the globe. We are proud that two leading organizations have chosen to review our clinical findings because as we've come to learn, in the case of the ADA, only about 10-15 percent of the thousands of studies submitted to the organization are selected for review and consideration."
Sugar Crush and Sugar Crush Daily were developed by researchers in Israel and are comprised of unique and proprietary blends of herbals/botanicals known for their medicinal value. By combining the art of blending these herbal ingredients with today's science and technology, NaturEra has created one-of-a-kind products that are clinically proven to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels*. The products are convenient to take as NaturEra recommends consuming 2.5ml of each with a 6 oz. glass of water at particular times of the day, primarily before meals and at bedtime. For best results, the two products should be used in conjunction with one another.
Sugar Crush and Sugar Crush Daily, because they are imported, are more carefully scrutinized than other dietary supplements produced domestically. All NaturEra products are produced to the highest standards and have received a "Free of Sale Certificate" from the Ministry of Health from the country of origin, further indicating they are safe for use. The "Free of Sale Certificate" indicates that a product has been in use without report of interactions with medicines or side effects. A complete listing of Sugar Crush's ingredients is available on the web site at http://www.NaturEraStore.com. Being from Israel, the products are also certified as Kosher.
Sugar Crush and Sugar Crush Daily are initially available at the http://www.NaturEraStore.com web site where consumers can view additional information about each product. The two products come nicely packaged in bottles that are measured to last approximately one month with complete usage instructions included. Sugar Crush and Sugar Crush Daily have a suggested MSRP of $75 per one month's servings which works out to be approximately $1.25 per serving.
Source
NaturEra