Hot Weather risks

Hot weather risks While most enjoy the summer sun, high temperatures can pose a signficant risk to health.

What are the risks?

Dehydration: One of the biggest dangers of a heat wave is the increased risk of dehydration. This is the loss of water from the body, and with it important blood salts like potassium and sodium which play a vital role in the function of organs such as the kidneys, brain and heart. It can lead to confusion, lethargy and problems with breathing and heart rate.

Heat stroke or exhaustion: Under normal circumstances the sweat we produce when we get hot keeps us cool when it evaporates from the surface of our skin. However, on extremely hot days, or when we over-exert ourselves, this system can fail, and body temperature can start to climb to dangerous levels. This leads to heat stroke or exhaustion. This can cause headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps, but it can also be life-threatening. It is particularly dangerous because symptoms can come on very rapidly, and - unless you are watching for the signs - very little warning.

Sunburn: A sun tan may look nice, but it is actually a sign of damage to the skin. Not only is sunburn painful, it can accelerate the ageing process, and increase the risk of skin cancer, including the potentially fatal form, melanoma.

What is the best way to avoid problems?

Drink lots of liquids: As you will be losing more fluid than normal, it is important to top up your supplies. The best way to keep yourself hydrated is to drink water, and to sip it, rather than gulp it down. On an average day, a person weighing 58kg (128lb) should drink eight average-sized glasses of water. As a general rule, for every 2lbs (0.9kg) of body weight, you need one fluid ounce (28.4ml) of water. In very hot weather, consumption should be increased. However, drinking excessive amounts can bring problems of its own. You might think a cold beer is exactly what the doctor ordered, but in fact, alcohol dehydrates the body, and consumption should be kept to a minimum. If you can't face drinking lots of water, non-carbonated soft drinks, such as fruit juice, are a reasonable alternative.

Modify your diet: Avoid hot, heavy food. Salt pills are available to replace minerals lost in the sweat. However, most diets contain more than enough salt, and so this is unlikely to be necessary.

Stay out of the sun: The best place to be on a blistering day is in the shade. If you must sunbathe, then ensure that it is for short periods, and that you use sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15. If you start to feel queasy or ill then get out of direct sunlight as quickly as possible. The sun is at its most dangerous between 11am and 3pm.

Be sensible about exercise: Do not exercise vigorously during the hottest times of the day. Instead, run, jog or exercise closer to sunrise or sunset. Take things slowly and adapt to the pace of life in the sun. If you feel breathless or your heart is pounding, stop what you are doing and try to cool your body down, for example, by taking a cool shower. Rest if you feel faint or dizzy.

Keep cool: Wear light, loose-fitting clothing, such as cotton, so sweat can evaporate. Dark, heavy clothes absorb heat, but remember that some thin materials do not provide a sufficient barrier to the sun's dangerous UV rays. It is also a good idea to wear a wide-brimmed sunhat, preferably with vents. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Ventilate your home: Keep windows open all day and all night and use fans. This is particularly important at night, when the body cools down. Avoid heat traps: Try to avoid anywhere where shelter is minimal, and ventilation poor. Parked cars can be a particular hazard. If you can, try to stay in an air-conditioned environment. If you have no alternative, but to travel in a hot, stuffy environment - for instance on the Tube - then make sure you carry a bottle of water with you. If you face a long journey, it may be wise to plan breaks to go above ground for some fresh air. Take special care of the vulnerable: Those most at risk from the sun include children under four, people over 65 whose bodies adapt more slowly to the change in temperature, overweight people whose bodies tend to retain heat more and people who are ill. Babies are particularly vulnerable to heat as their sweat glands are not well-developed. It is important not to wrap them up in blankets or heavy clothing when it is hot - but it is equally important to ensure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.

Vit-C SLOWS GROWTH OF CANCER

An injection of a high dose of vitamin C may be able to hold back the advance of cancers, US scientists claim.

The vitamin may start a destructive chain reaction within the cancer cell, they add.

The jab halved the size of brain, ovarian and pancreatic tumours in mice, reported the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

However, Cancer Research UK said other studies suggested large vitamin C doses may interfere with cancer treatment.

This is encouraging work but it's at a very early stage because it involves cells grown in the lab and mice

Dr Alison Ross
Cancer Research UK

Earlier research by the team at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland had suggested that the vitamin, also called ascorbate, could kill cancer cells in the laboratory.

After these successful tests in mice, they are now suggesting that the treatment be considered for human use at similar levels.

The dose they employed - up to four grams per kilo of bodyweight - was far greater than any that could be achieved using diet or vitamin pills, as the digestive system does not absorb more than a fixed amount taken orally.

The mice were bred to have malfunctioning immune systems, then injected with human cancer cells, which as a result, grew quickly into large tumours. The vitamin was then injected into their abdominal cavity.

Tumour growth and weight fell by between 41% and 53%, and while in untreated mice, the disease spread rapidly to involve other body parts, no such spread was seen in the vitamin C-treated animals.

The researchers wrote: "These pre-clinical data provide the first firm basis for advancing pharmacologic ascorbate in cancer treatment in humans."

Peroxide bomb

The treatment works because a tumour cell is chemically different to a healthy cell.

The vitamin C reacts with this chemical make-up, producing enough hydrogen peroxide to kill the cell, while leaving healthy cells unscathed.

However, Dr Alison Ross, from Cancer Research UK said that much more work would have to be done to see if vitamin C could be a viable treatment.

"This is encouraging work but it's at a very early stage because it involves cells grown in the lab and mice.

"There is currently no evidence from clinical trials in humans that injecting or consuming vitamin C is an effective way to treat cancer.

"Some research even suggests that high doses of antioxidants can make cancer treatment less effective, reducing the benefits of radiotherapy and chemotherapy."

BROCCOLI HEALS

Broccoli may undo diabetes damage


Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.

A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane.

It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.

Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have previously been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes

Professor Paul Thornalley
University of Warwick

People with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes; both are linked to damaged blood vessels.

The Warwick team, whose work is reported in the journal Diabetes, tested the effects of sulforaphane on blood vessel cells damaged by high glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), which are associated with diabetes.

They recorded a 73% reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

Hyperglycaemia can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and such high levels can damage human cells.

The researchers also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2, which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.

Countering vascular disease

Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said: "Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes.

"In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will."

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at the charity Diabetes UK, stressed that research carried out on cells in the lab was a long way from the real life situation.

However, he said: "It is encouraging to see that Professor Thornalley and his team have identified a potentially important substance that may protect and repair blood vessels from the damaging effects of diabetes.

"It also may help add some scientific weight to the argument that eating broccoli is good for you."




Broccoli chemical's cancer check


Scientists have been looking at why vegetables like broccoli could protect against cancer.

A chemical in vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage can boost DNA repair in cells and may stop them becoming cancerous, a study says.
Another chemical in soy also performs the same role, the Georgetown University team said.

Although a link has already been found between eating these foods and a reduced cancer risk, this research shows how that might happen.

The research is published in the British Journal of Cancer.

It is now clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced by compounds in the things we eat

Professor Eliot Rosen, Georgetown University

Vegetables such as broccoli were found to contain a compound called I3C.

And a chemical called genistein found in soy beans.

The repair proteins, regulated by genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2, are important for preventing damaged genetic information being passed on to the next generation of cells.

If people have a faulty BRCA gene they are at a higher risk of developing some forms of cancer, including breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.

Low amounts of the BRCA proteins are seen in cancer cells, so the scientists propose higher levels might prevent cancer developing.

Researchers suggest the ability of I3C and genistein to boost the amount of BRCA proteins could explain their protective effects.

'Clear process'

Professor Eliot Rosen, who led the research, said: "Studies that monitor people's diets and their health have found links between certain types of food and cancer risk.

"However, before we can say a food protects against cancer, we have to understand how it does this at a molecular level."

He added: "It is now clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced by compounds in the things we eat.

"Our findings suggest a clear molecular process that would explain the connection between diet and cancer prevention."

Professor John Toy, medical director of Cancer Research UK, which owns the British Journal of Cancer, said: "Diet's role in cancer prevention is complex.

"This research explores an interesting hypothesis as to how certain components of diet can affect cancer risk.

"The evidence is building that these chemical compounds act on some of the genes inside cells that help prevent cancer developing."

But he added: "We still don't know if this is exactly how these chemicals might act in every day life."

However he said it had been established that eating a balanced diet, which was high in fibre plus plenty of fruit and vegetables, lowered the risks of developing many forms of cancer.

COURTESY BBC Health -Medical notes.

Description of Osteopathic Treatment

What Is Osteopathic Treatment?

Osteopathic treatment is a form of manual medicine first applied by Dr. Still and further developed by the osteopathic profession. It is used by DOs and properly trained MDs to treat structural restrictions (somatic dysfunction) and improve the level of health in their patients.

Osteopathic treatment has gone by various names: Osteopathic Adjustment, Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy, Osteopathic Manual Treatment, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, Osteopathic Manual Medicine, etc

The level a treatment takes place on depends on a number of factors, among them, the level of skill, perception and experience of the physician. Some treatments are aimed primary at joints, others at membranes or fluids; still others at even deeper levels.

What makes a certain form of manual medicine osteopathic is not just the technique, but also the way in which it is applied, that is, according to osteopathic philosophy.

How does it work?

Osteopathic treatment works by engaging the innate forces of the body to do the work and preferably, to do it in a fashion in which the body is already trying to treat. By applying seemingly innocuous forces in a very precise manner, the bodies self-treatment can be enhanced to release strains and patterns imprinted on the body from trauma and stresses of life.

Self Treatment Patterns

There have always been a number of methods used to classify osteopathic treatment. The easiest way to understand these approaches is to look at the way in which the body treats itself.
For sake of simplicity, we use a classic model dealing with motion of one bone with respect to another, though it is truly much more complicated than this.

Indirect (Exaggeration of the problem)

In an indirect approach the pathologic position of the disturbed areas is exaggerated until a change occurs.

Direct

In a direct approach the pathologic position of the disturbed areas is reduced or taken directly towards their “normal” position until a change occurs.

Disengagement

Disengaging forces applied to altered anatomy.
In disengagement the disturbed areas are separated and the tension adjusted until a change occur

Opposite Physiological Motion

Forces applied appear opposite to a physiologic approach
In this approach one part is positioned as if an indirect approach and the other as if a direct approach.

Molding

Molding is useful for treating “warped” bones such as the thin bones of the head deformed from physical trauma. The forces essentially remold the shape of the bone.
Other There are a number of other approaches, which affect the body on deeper levels that are very uncommonn or too complex to discuss here.

Involved Forces
The above treatment methods can be applied with different types of forces
High velocity
Low velocity
Muscle energy
Balanced tension
Observation/Augmentation

These can be forces that are applied externally or they can be patient generated forces (the body always treats itself).
Tissue Levels
In addition, an individual treatment approach can be applied to different tissues or different levels of function of the body.
Bones
Connective tissue
Muscles
Ligaments
Membranes
Organs
Fluid
Potency
Embryologic matrix
Energetic

Treatment Techniques

Commonly used treatment techniques are as follows:
HVLA
Direct
Indirect

High velocity low amplitude treatment uses forces quickly applied to a discrete area. This is familiar to many people as thrusting or “popping”technique. This is most commonly performed as a direct technique.

Muscle Energy--Muscle energy uses the force of patients voluntarily directed muscle contractions to treat. It is usually direct, but can be an indirect approach.

Counterstrain -uses tender points (discrete tender areas that are caused by structural problems) to locate a problem and the body is positioned in such a fashion to relieve then tenderness at this point and held until the body fixes it. It is a form of indirect technique.

Fascial and Myofascial Release-Fascial release is a very old osteopathic technique, which can use direct or indirect forces to treat fascial restrictions.

Balanced Tension-This technique balances the tension of or across a givem level to set up a condition where the body is less affected by the pathology and can treat itself. Can be applied to all connective tissues. most commonly it a applied to ligaments, membranes, and articulations.

Fluid -This balances the tension on the level of the fluid, which can develop physiologic restrictions. Remember the fluid contains electrolytes and proteins, which alter the characteristics of a fluid.

Potency-This balances the tension on the level of the potency, a level deeper than the cerebrospinal fluid.

Lateral Fluctuation-This sets up a wave in the fluid that fluctuates back and forth from one side of the body to another until it reduces in magnitude and sets up a change in the body.

CV4/EV4A CV4 is a technique that brings the fluid towards the midline of the body to institute a change. An EV4 brings about a change by allowing the fluid to go away from the midline and towards the periphery. They are useful under different circumstances

Observation-It would not seem that observing something would have any effect on it, but when a trained practitioner observes the body in the correct manner and at the proper level, he/she can augment the self-healing forces allowing the body to fix itself.

Percussion-The use of percussion was pioneered by Robert Fulford, DO and developed over many years of practice. This involves using a Foredom percussor over precise areas of the body at just the right speed (and correct length of time) to help the body treat itself.

Biodynamics is an approach put together by James, Jealous DO using the later writings of the founder of Cranial Osteopathy, W. G. Sutherland, DO.

Embryologic matrix technique is another new approach based on the ideas of W.G. Sutherland, DO and principles of embryology. It utilizes the matrix of embryologic development of the body (which the body uses to treat itself) to augment self-corrective forces.

Other There are numerous other approaches that were not mentioned, but most fall in the categories already mentioned.

All this being said, it is a misnomer to think that there are discrete structural “lesions” or problems in the body. Any problem anywhere in the body affects the whole and is a whole body problem. That is, the body is structurally one unit and becomes dysfunctional as a whole unit, not individual parts. As such, treatment is approached with this idea in mind and the treatment technique must be appropriately applied.