Scientists find safer way to make human stem cells.

According to a Reuters article dated March 26, 2009 – U.S. researchers have found a safer way to coax human skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells.

What does this mean? Well the researchers feel this is taking a step closer to their potential in using stem cells as treatment for diseases.

A team at the University of Wisconsin has published their findings regarding the so-called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells.

In theory these iPS cells harness the unique qualities to create new treatments for a variety of medical conditions. According to the Reuters article, Induced pluripotent stem cells promise many of the possible therapeutic benefits of embryonic stem cells without the ethics controversy because, unlike embryonic stem cells, they can be created without destroying a human embryo.

In the future we can hope to see several methods come out for creating iPS cells, then scientists can start to look for the ones that provide the most consistent results. But for now it looks that President Barack Obama’s move to lift the Bush administration’s restriction on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research is the only move.

Lets keep up the good work guys and gals. I can’t wait to follow this story further as it develops.

Lack of technology or what?

In a recent article I read that a mere 1.5 percent of hospitals nationwide are using some kind of electronic health record system.

Now I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing? I understand not wanting too much of your personal information out on some kind of database for just anyone to access. But really people all of your information is out there, what would this change.

Recently I found out that most companies could easily obtain a credit report regarding any of their customers if they can show that you owe them some kind of money. Just like collection agencies can look at your credit report. And that holds tons of personal information, social security numbers, all you’re past addresses, etc. And not only that these people don’t care who you are and they don’t care about your information.

You wonder why there is such a problem with identity theft – all of our information is right there for whoever wants it.

Back on the subject of hospitals though – is it good or bad? On the other side it could be beneficial if you are in an accident that they can pull up some kind of record on you anywhere.

“The federal stimulus package recently signed into law contains $19 billion for hospitals to adopt the technology and incentives for doctors to use it, with the hope that getting data online will improve patient care and save time and money.”

Right now larger hospitals in urban areas and teaching hospitals are the ones most likely to have electronic records but recently announced wal-mart in their sams club locations will begin selling medical record software. I guess we’ll have to follow this to see if this will be a good addition or a bad move.

Aromatherapy

Who doesn’t love aromatherapy? Only those who’ve never used it of course! BUT, if you’re anything like me, you can appreciate and enjoy the pleasant aroma of a scented candle, a floral spray or perhaps a sensual scented oil massage.

But did you know that scents and oils could actually be beneficial to your health and well being?

I didn’t until I stumbled across a book on aromatherapy some time ago. I was so fascinated and intrigued by what I read that I just had to learn more.

What I discovered was that true aromatherapy isn’t just the “smell good” stuff you can buy at your local grocery or drug store. It’s actually considered to be a form of holistic alternative medicine.

So what is aromatherapy? It’s a technique that uses the body’s sense of smell to help boost your mood, relieve stress, energize and encourage better health. It’s also used to treat certain emotional and physical conditions.

Did you know the pure essential oils are the main ingredient in true aromatherapy? Synthetic or chemically produced scents don’t carry the health benefits of essential oils.

Essential oils are the pure “essence” of a plant and when used properly will provide both psychological and physical benefits.

For example, peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils are mentally stimulating. They can help you to maintain a clear focus. Try mixing this combination in water and then letting it steep in a pot over the stove, filling the whole house with the beautiful aroma. You’ll love the tingly sensation throughout your body.

Lavender and chamomile have the opposite effect. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, these two refreshing scents will help you relax. For example, a nighttime massage with this combination and you’re off to la la land…

Are you feeling tired or lethargic? Try lemon and rosemary essential oils to revitalize your body.

My absolute favorites are aromatherapy bath salts, added to your warm bath water to help you relax. But whether your looking for something to perk ya up or relax ya before bed there is something natural and pleasant in your local selection of aromas.

Would you like 50,000 chemicals with that?

Many different chemicals are used in food processing and preservation that we know. But here’s a scary fact from a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) scientist, Dr. James Pirkle: "If you gave a sample of blood or urine to us, we could find all sorts of things you didn't think you had. We are regularly, every day, exposed to 50,000 chemicals." Only a fraction of these chemicals, which were being bombarded with each day have been studied for their effects on humans. And there have been no studies at all showing the consequences of using these agents in combination with each other.

Scared yet?

Well don't be scared be aware and be proactive. I believe whole-heartedly that if people are aware they are more likely to make a change. I mean how can you be asked to change if you don't have a reason to.

Now bombarded with all of these toxins what's a girl to do? DETOX.

Detoxification is a natural health-preserving strategy, which helps remove harmful toxins from the cells and tissues, restoring their normal functions. Detoxing doesn't have to be negative as if your being sent away as they show with addicts on t.v.. In today’s world our body’s detoxification system is overloaded and unable to function like it did in the past. Certain people seem to have better coping abilities and rarely become sick despite the unimaginable stress on their system. Then there are others whose body had surrendered to the attacks and are not able to fight sufficiently.

The Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemon Cleanse and the Maple Syrup Diet, is a dieting program created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941 and made popular by Peter Glickman through his book Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days. This is the most popular cleanse/detoxification process today, mostly because of Glickman’s book.

Burroughs states that his Master Cleanse is a detoxification program that aids in the removal of harmful toxins from within the body, as well as a reducing diet for loss of weight, and a cure for ulcers and "every kind of disease," resulting in "the correction of all disorders."

Whether you decide to only eat maple syrup for days or find another alternative it is important to cleanse what needs to be cleansed. Not all cleansing is considered equal and not all people need to cleanse. Some like stated above have no problems and their bodies can combat toxins better than say someone else. Know your body and always seek medical advice before starting or stopping any kind of health regiment.

Yuk! Healthy not so tasty?

It doesn’t always have to taste good to be good. And it doesn’t. Food marketed as “healthier” doesn’t always taste good, I mean when put next to a cheeseburger ya its gonna taste like dog food. Supplements, for example a very close friend of mine takes oils every morning to improve brain functioning – they’ve got to be the most disgusting things ever but their “good for ya”. 

Most people don’t see how bad things can be – fast food, fruit juice (filled to the brim with high fructose corn syrup), candy bars, and more – it taste good so how can it be bad. I have heard from time to time the age old “everything is good in moderation” – but most aren’t moderate and time and time again the easier fix is the worst. 

In the book “Eat this, not that” you can find many of your favorite meals or cravings “heathier” alternative – usually half the sugar or have the caleries. Its simple to make the easier choice, but its smarter to make the better choice. Take care of your bodies as always.  

True Beauty: in the mirror or in the heart?

Recently I caught an episode of True Beauty on ABC. True Beauty is a reality type show where they have “collected” in a way 12 beautiful contestants and pits all 12 against one another in competition to win a place in PEOPLE magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People issue. The contestants are made up of body builders, models, the occasional stripper, and male chip-n-dale. What really roped me in though is the catch, and yes with reality TV there is always a catch. What the contestants don’t know is that the judges have secret cameras and spy’s and their not being judged solely on their “outer” beauty, meaning their looks, the judges are also looking at their “inner” beauty. I love the line host Vanessa Minnillo uses at the end of every episode as she sends the loser home, “True beauty comes from within.” This show is rather played and according to many just not good. Washington Post says ABC’s scraping the bottom of the reality-television bucket Monday night when it aired "True Beauty." To some extent the only thing this show does do is provide a good message, and it succeeds if only in that mission. Beauty is inside as well as outside, so take care of your body.

Is Dieting Ever Healthy?

In today’s pop culture day and age it is impossible to be seen as “healthy”. Healthy is not a word used to describe a young woman’s appearance. Words like “sexy”, “sophisticated”, “beautiful”, “skinny”, “fat”, and of course the oh so popular “unattractive”, but not once would you comment on a woman’s healthiness as a criteria for her attractiveness. A group of young boys wouldn’t be ogling a woman’s “healthy body” they’d be off giggling about her “sexy but-tay”.

Even the magazines put this stereotyped woman on their cover. She’s skinny, and sexy, and without a care of what she eats. She doesn’t work out, she doesn’t drive the carpool or pack the lunches in the morning. She is the ideal, living her life without a care while the rest of us stress our lives out trying to achieve “her”.

So in this chase for the essence of sexiness, most women in one point of their lives or another will do the drastic DIET. Whether it’s to loose weight, built muscle (come on ladies you love those abs), one thing I don’t hear often enough is that you’re dieting for “health reasons”.

But that’s the question, can dieting ever be healthy?

In a recent article I read “Healthy Eating: Tips for a Healthy Diet”, the author says this “Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible”.

Now isn’t that what you want in life, to feel great, have more energy and be healthy. Why yes I say it is.

Now in another fascinating article, this one from WebMD, experts around the country chimed in with their best diet tips, here are a few:

• ·      Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages
  
• ·      Best Diet Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
  
• ·      Best Diet Tip No. 9: Spice it up.
  
• ·      Best Diet Tip No. 14: Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress.
  

What I love is tip #2. Dieting isn’t always about taking out your favorite foods, no more pizza – no more ice cream. Sometimes it can be about adding more fruits and veggies and just less sweets.

There are many many types of diets. For instance there is the gluten-free diet, one that I am personally familiar with (my mom has a gluten intolerance). Basically avoiding grains, like wheat, rye or barley. These grains contain the protein “gluten”. And to people with gluten intolerance “gluten” is like a poison. It causes numerous intestinal problems and the antibodies are unable to defend against the protein.

In most cases this diet is strictly for health purposes, a person with gluten intolerance is made sick by gluten therefore they remove it from their diet, and poof all better. But as I was made aware of in a recent U.S. News article, gluten-free diets are become a fad diet more so than they are being used to treat a health issue.

So can dieting ever be healthy? Yes I believe it can. I believe research into healthy diets is necessary, don’t just stop eating (that cant be healthy but I know a numerous amount of girls will do anything to loose weight), and be aware of your own body. When it comes down to it, what you do affects you – you cant do a diet just because the magazines say it’s the best way to drop 15 pounds if that diet is unhealthy for your body, and know every body is different. Listen to your body and I believe everything will be fine.

For more info on healthy eating, I recommend reading, “Eat right for your type” by Dr. Peter D’Adamo. It gives insight into the different “healthy” diets for each person’s individual blood types.

And as a side note if you do diet make sure you are getting your right needs fulfilled. Cutting carbs and proteins is very unhealthy. Everyone should be taking supplements to gain the nutrients missing but especially with diets. Don’t just assume you do not need these nutrients.