Up ‘cell periscope’ and away!

We are so used to the wonders of technology these days that we are almost blasé about it, but if you had told me that a periscope might be a diagnostic tool I would have said you were kidding. Not so, because the world’s smallest version of the periscope is now being used to look at cells and other micro-organisms from several sides at once.

The magnification involved here is phenomenal and scientists from Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education (who have invented it) are justly proud of their achievement. Standard laboratory microscopes can only see cells from above and this new 3D view is a major breakthrough. This ‘periscope’ is truly microscopic in size, with the walls being about the width of a human hair and – another breakthrough – they are inexpensive to produce, unlike other, more complex methods for 3D microscopy and could mean the end of the traditional laboratory microscope.

So far, the researchers have used the mirrored wells to examine how protozoa swim and cells divide as this method is particularly well suited for studying dynamic processes within cells because it can follow them in three dimensions.

Eggs are not the villains

We’ve always been told that eggs are bad for our heart, and especially for raising cholesterol levels. But now researchers have reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that they can reduce high blood pressure, another risk to heart health. Boiled and fried eggs act as a natural ACE inhibitor, which reduces blood pressure levels – and fried eggs are the more powerful of the two. This new study follows recent papers that suggested healthy people can eat eggs without increasing their heart disease risk, and just to celebrate I am off to have egg and chips!

Feast on Feta!

Eating native is not just a pleasure, it can also help your holiday health. Feta cheese made from raw milk has natural anti-food-poisoning properties. When in Greece that Greek salad has more health benefits than you thought!

Calcium and decreased digestive cancer risks

Women who have a higher calcium intake than the average may be reducing their risk of colorectal and other digestive cancers. A seven year review of a large clinical database in the US by the National Cancer Institute has made this link and its findings also apply to men, but not in such a significant way as for women.

The total cancer risk decreased in women as their calcium intake increased, but that was not the case in men who got no overall benefit. For digestive cancers – particularly colon cancer – the increased calcium seemed to protect both men and women equally.

The recommended daily amount of calcium for adults over the age of 50 is 1,200 mg in order to protect bone health and a recent addition in the USA has been a guideline to add three cups of fat-free or low-fat dairy products to the daily diet. The benefit appears to be the same whether the calcium is from food or from supplements.

Astrological health profiles – Virgo

Virgo 24 August – 23 September

Virgoans have a strongly self-critical nature, and you are rarely are satisfied with your achievements. This can lead to a number of potential health problems and you need to watch out for:

* Excessive worrying and anxiety which can lead to high stress levels

* Your stomach reflects your mood and you can have digestive problems, particularly when upset

* Constipation and diarrhoea are particularly common

You can see that one of the first places to start is to make a conscious effort to be kinder and less critical of yourself. Stress affects every area of your life, including your physical, mental and emotional health and being overly critical and judgemental of yourself is setting yourself up for trouble.

No one is perfect, so try to tackle your worry through counselling, calming practices such as yoga and meditation and never, ever eatwhen you are upset. Don’t ratchet up your anxiety levels through over use of stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine but drink some calming green tea instead.

Black garlic boosts immune system

Sounds like something from a voodoo ritual, but if you like the health benefits of garlic, but not so keen on the taste then this new strain might be just the thing for you. Black garlic is just aged natural white garlic which in its 30 day fermentation process turns black and changes its texture, taste, odour and flavour.

Black Garlic has almost double the natural antioxidant of white raw garlic and the fermentation process gives it a sweet and sour flavour much like a fruit – the texture is different too, being almost jelly-like and with a slight liquorice flavour.

During the fermentation process the powerful antibiotic and anti-fungal compound naturally occurring in garlic called allicin turns into a new chemical compound called S-allylcysteine which is more easily absorbed by the body and is not found in white garlic.

You can get this new health boost in several ways including whole garlic bulbs, peeled and prepared cloves, juice and black garlic paste. For more information visit www.blackgarlic.co.uk

Male infertility can pose increased testicular cancer risk

Testicular germ cell cancer is the most common cancer among young men living in industrialized countries. The rate of increase has almost doubled from 1972-2002, and has been accompanied by a decline in semen quality and male fertility during the same period.

Many factors have been cited, including environmental pollutants, and this new research linking infertility and testicular cancer comes from a study of men who have come with their partners to get treatment for their infertility.

The study found that the men who had male factor infertility were nearly three times as likely to develop cancer as those free from the condition though the researchers are keen to stress that the absolute risk of developing testicular cancer remained low in this study and the link has yet to be confirmed but that compared with what would be expected among the general population, men with male factor infertility showed a trend toward an increased risk of testicular cancer.

If a man is undergoing fertility treatment this could be an early warning to watch for any physical signs of testicular cancer though it cannot be diagnosed on symptoms alone, so it is important to also see a doctor if you are concerned.

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless lump on a testicle. In some cases the lump is uncomfortable, but severe pain is rare. Sometimes the testicle may be enlarged or swollen without a lump. Men with testicular cancer may also have a heavy or aching feeling in the lower belly or scrotum. Each normal testicle has an epididymis, which feels like a small bump on the upper or middle outer side of the testis. Normal testicles also contain blood vessels, supporting tissues, and tubes that conduct sperm. These can feel bumpy and are sometimes confused with cancer if doing a simple self-examination.

If you have any doubts, ask your doctor.

Foods to avoid with kidney disease

Anyone with kidney disease must avoid foods that have a high level of phosphorus such as such as certain meats, dairy products, whole grains, potatoes and nuts because their kidneys have difficulty in processing and expelling it. The risks are not small; a high level of phosphorus in such patients can lead to heart disease, bone disease, and even death.

That’s all very well if you know which foods contain it, as most patients do, but new research from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland has discovered that a great deal of processed and fast food actually contains phosphorus additives which can be just as dangerous. Apparently it has become an increasingly common practice by food manufacturers to include phosphorus additives, such as sodium phosphate or pyrophosphate, to processed foods. The reasons are the usual commercial ones; to improve the flavour and extend the shelf life, particularly in meats, cheeses, baked goods, and drinks.

The law requires labels to state calorie, fat, and sodium content but not phosphorus which makes it impossible for kidney disease patients to know how much phosphorus they are eating. One ‘culprit’ is chicken from fast food chains or restaurants although chicken is listed as a ‘safe’ food for dialysis patients.

Although this is primarily of concern to those with severe or moderate kidney disease, it also affects the population as a whole. Previous research has found that high phosphorus diets appear to lower bone density and increase fracture risk because they decrease the level of calcium in your blood.

Phosphorus is already abundant in naturally-occurring foods and these are some of the highest sources that you might want to limit in your diet:

* Milk and milk products

* Whole grains, including bread, crackers, cereal, rice and pasta

* Dried beans, peas and lentils

* Potatoes

* Organ meats, including liver, tongue, kidney, heart and giblets

* Nuts and seeds, including peanut butter and other nut butters

* Chocolate and other sweets made with milk, such as caramels

* Cola soft drinks

Synthetic bone breakthrough

Australian researchers at Queensland University of Technology have developed a synthetic biomaterial that encourages the body to create bone. This breakthrough could be the answer to successful bone grafts and treating bone disease because the new material interacts with blood and activates the initial stages of bone healing.

When you break a bone your body responds immediately by attracting blood clots and specialized cells to the site. The necessary proteins, hormones and other cells are immediately dispatched to create new bone, but sometimes the body cannot carry out this natural process if the break is too great, or a tumour has been removed which leaves too great a gap for the body to fill. There are already bone grafts or synthetic materials being used but they have their limitations.

The new biomaterial encourages the body’s natural clotting process, and promotes bone growth. The difference lies in its surface structure, which is coated by a special arrangement of polymers that attract the right proteins to the damaged bone. Some polymers attract proteins and others repel them and the Australian team believe that they have got the right balance so that the new material induces the proteins and hormones needed for the initial inflammatory response that starts the bone regeneration process.

It is hoped to run a patient trial later this year and that this will be a significant move in treating the many patients who are not able to have bone grafts or other treatments to deal with their fractures.

Homoeopathy – A Presidential Pedigree?

We tend to think of homoeopathy as a European invention, which in fact it was, but historically there has been a great interest in it in the USA. Abraham Lincoln, before he was elected president, was a lawyer and he was given the job of preparing a state legislative proposal to charter a homeopathic medical college in Chicago, against the concerted wishes of the American Medical Association, which had its headquarters there. In fact he was successful and when in office he was known to be a regular user of homoeopathic medicines and many of his advisers were powerful advocates for homoeopathy, Major General George BrintonMcClellan who commanded the Union army during the Civil War. In fact the Confederates were also users of homoeopathic medicines, including General Robert E. Lee himself.

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