A Gene for Depression?

Your DNA provides powerful clues to understanding disease, but genes aren’t destiny-- particularly when it comes to mental illness.

Researchers report that a particular gene may increase the risk of depression, but only in combination with an added, nongenetic factor--a stressful life event.

The scientists found that people with one form of a protein that ferries serotonin, a mood-related neurotransmitter, are especially prone to depression when faced with traumatic events, such as being diagnosed with a medical illness or being a victim of childhood abuse. The version of the gene that these individuals carry prevents nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin, which leads to feelings of sadness and negative mood and may make it harder for them to recover emotionally from a crisis.

The results confirm earlier work that had linked the serotonin-transporter gene to depression under stressful circumstances, a connection that subsequent studies had questioned. The current analysis includes a broader range of study date, however, and appears to confirm the association.

To your Health, Leigh


This article is from: Time Magazine, Jan 17, 2011, Lab Report by Alice Park

I’ve heard garlic is good for you, but what exactly does it do?

Are there any specific health benefits that come from eating a lot of garlic?

Ethnobotanist James Duke, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts in medicinal plants, places garlic among the best all-around plant medicines in the world. According to Dr. Duke’s seminal book, The Green Pharmacy, garlic is effective for alleviating conditions ranging from high cholesterol and high blood pressure to yeast infections and clotting disorders. Garlic compounds have the potential to help treat more than 200 ailments, Dr. Duke says. It’s the best overall plant for stimulating the immune system, the best anti-clotting herb, one of the best anti-fungals, and potentially useful for preventing heart disease and cancer.

How long has garlic been in the human medicine cabinet and what were its uses through the ages? Cultures throughout the world have recognized garlic’s healing abilities. The first-century Roman scholar Pliny the Elder cited uses for it from treating snakebites to dealing with dizziness and intestinal parasites. In China, records show garlic was used as early as the sixth century to treat conditions such as colds and digestive ailments.

For specific information on how much garlic is recommended for a particular condition, check out the articles at The Herb Companion, or read about garlic in The Green Pharmacy, a welcome addition to any home library.

Note: Because garlic is a powerful anti-coagulant (prevents blood clotting), don’t take it in large amounts if you have a clotting disorder, and consult with your health care practitioner if you take anti-coagulants, such as Coumadin, or therapeutic doses of aspirin. Stop using garlic two weeks before any scheduled surgery.

Even if garlic wasn’t healthy for you, my diet would still be full of the stuff considering that great aroma and flavor are part of what makes life worth living. Eat your garlic for health and enjoyment!

To you health and wealth, Leigh
Based on an article by K C Compton
Mother Earth News, 5-31-2011
Photo Credit: Fotolia

Cancer Drug Woes! Femara goes Generic, What Now?

If you have been getting Femara from the Novartis Oncology Patient Assistance Program you have probably received a letter letting you know that it will no longer be available through their PAP program.



Their reasoning is that there is now a generic alternative available in the marketplace. Letrozole



I called my oncologist and they confirmed this is the case.



In the letter Novartis recommended checking with the following programs to see if they could help with cost coverage:



Rx Outreach, a generic Patient Assistance Program - http://www.rxoutreach.org/ or 1-877-837-9896
Cancer Care - http://www.cancercare.org/ or 1-800-813-HOPE
Partnership for Prescription Assistance - http://www.pparx.org/ or 1-888-477-2669



My oncologist office told me they have had some success at Cancer Care with help for other medications and suggested I start there.



I went to my local Walmart pharmacy to find out how much the generic will cost and was shocked to find out that the cost was $446.42 for a 30 day supply. Femara was only (ha, ha) $564.00. I do not see a great savings with the generic.



I will let everyone know as I do more research and see where I can find help or the lowest prices.



Since the Protocols say you have to take Femara for 5 years I guess the drug companies feel they have a captive group to force paying the high prices.



Bookmark and come back for more info.



To your health (can’t say “and wealth” at these prices)
Leigh



PS: If you have any information that would help my readers please let us know. Thanks.

New Cancer Radiation Burn Relief! Sunburn Relief!

Are you having Radiation treatments and have red, blistered or irritated skin?
Do you sunburn when you go out to the beach or your child’s baseball game? This New Product May be just what you need!

I was talking to my best friend yesterday. She lives in Florida, had gone to the beach and had gotten serious sunburn on her head and face. She could not touch her forehead, it was so seriously burned.

A good friend of ours had recently gone through a series of radiation treatments for breast cancer. She had gotten severe Radiation burns and was given a new product to try on her burns
It immediately gave her relief and helped heal her blistered skin. She gave my friend some to try on her sunburn.

According to both of them this is the best product around for Radiation Burns and Severe Sunburn.

It is called: RADIADERM

Radiaderm is a 2 Step Treatment.

The first step is the cooling gel that cools and hydrates the skin to relieve discomfort and irritation and helps to promote healing. The gel is a water-based gel designed to quickly draw the heat out of a burn by acting as a heat exchanger. Heat energy is spread over the whole gel surface and at the outer surface of the gel, the heat is released into the air.

The second step is the Soothing Lotion that protects, moisturizes and helps promote healing. Also includes a sunscreen. The lotion helps to rejuvenate damaged skin stressed by radiation. It can also be included in your daily skincare routine.

The Cooling Gel and Soothing Lotion contain Lactokine™ Fluid, a milk-based skin rejuvenator that has been used in personal care products for over 15 years. Lactokine helps build the skin’s defense and protects against inflammation and helps stressed skin recover faster.

The Radiaderm™ Advanced Skincare System with Lactokine™ is listed in most national drug databanks with the National Drug Code Number NDC 59898-130-30 and may be eligible for reimbursement through insurance.

You can go to their web site at http://www.radiaderm.com/ to get all the information about this new product.

You can order online at http://www.radiaderm.com/ and Get free ground shipping!
Order Toll-free at 1-800 -693-1171or Contact your radiation center or hospital pharmacy.

To your Health, Leigh



Medical Disclaimer: All information on this site is of a general nature and is furnished for your knowledge and understanding only. This information is not to be taken as medical or other health advice pertaining to your specific health and medical condition.

Scoping Out Colon Cancer!

It’s not likely to make anyone’s bucket list, but a colonoscopy could save you from needing to do everything on that list anytime soon.

A new study confirms that regular colonoscopy screening, which involves inserting a scope through the rectum and into the intestines to detect and sometimes remove growths, can lower the risk of colon cancer by 77%. That number changes depending on the exact site of tumors: risk is reduced just 56% if the growth is on the right side of the intestines (which is harder to reach with the scope), but that is still a big improvement over people who did not get routine screenings.

Common wisdom calls for a colonoscopy once every 10 years for anyone over age 50, but that advice has been questioned by recent studies suggesting that the invasive and relatively expensive procedure does not find more tumors than less expensive tests that analyze fecal blood or use a shorter scope. The reason for the varying results may be operator skill; proper preparation and thorough execution of the test could improve its effectiveness.

For patients, it may be worth seeking out such skilled physicians, since colonoscopy is one of the few screening tools that can both detect precancerous growths and remove them, preventing cancer in a single procedure.

This information is from Time Magazine Jan 17, 2011, Lab Report by Alice Park.

If you are over 50 please discuss with your doctor scheduling a colonoscopic screening for your health and life.

To your Health, Leigh

Use Music to Soothe Cancer Treatments

Listening to music can be good therapy for people undergoing cancer treatment, according to recent research. The American Cancer Society reports that music therapy can help reduce pain and relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Studies also have shown that listening to music can slow your heart and breathing rate, reduce blood pressure, improve mood and even help you sleep better.

Here are some easy ways to get your musical "dose":

Bring an iPod or CD player with a headset to medical appointments. Listen to classical music, instrumental arrangements or anything you find soothing in the waiting room or during chemo infusions.

Tune your car radio to easy-listening stations. Or, listen to favorite CDs while driving to or from the clinic or hospital. Avoid jarring tunes and downbeat news stations.

If you play a musical instrument, carve out time for personal jam sessions.

Sing along to your favorite tunes-don't by shy!

this article was in the Healthmonitor Magazine, Feb/Mar 2011.

Check for this magazine at your doctors office, they have some great articles.

Good health and wealth to all,

Leigh

Jennie-O Turkey Burger Recall, Does it effect you?

On April 2, 2011, Jennie-O Turkey Store, owned by Hormel, issued a recall of 55, 000 pounds of frozen ground turkey burgers that may be contaminated with Salmonella, according to US Dept of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service. The recall pertains to packages of “All Natural Turkey Burgers with seasonings Lean White Meat” with a “use by” date of December 23, 2011.

The ground turkey, which comes in four pound boxes containing 12 patties, is sold exclusively at Sam’s Club. Consumers who have purchased the product should not consume it and return it to a Sam’s Club for a full refund, Jennie-O said.

If you are a cancer patient and on chemotherapy, or have any other immune weakness for an illness or age, infants and the elderly, Salmonella infections can be life-threatening. Salmonella's is caused by consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella and is one of the most common bacterial food borne illnesses. The most common symptoms of the Salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever (according the FSIS). Additional symptoms may be chills, vomiting and nausea that can last up to 7 days.

Be sure to check your Turkey Burger Packages NOW!

To your Health, Leigh