Thursday, 16 February 2012

cholestrol problems

Understanding Cholesterol -- Diagnosis and Treatment

How Are Cholesterol Problems Diagnosed?

A blood test to determine your blood cholesterol (also called 'total cholesterol') level is now a routine part of most physical checkups. In fact, it is now recommended that all people over the age of 20 have their cholesterol checked every five years. In addition to checking your total cholesterol, your doctor will probably check your HDL cholesterol.

In most instances, your doctor will also check your LDL cholesterol, which is a better indicator of heart disease than total cholesterol. You will need to fast overnight before getting an LDL cholesterol test. Your triglycerides are measured whenever your LDL cholesterol is checked.

Inside Your Cholesterol Numbers:

Total cholesterol below 200 is considered "desirable."
Total cholesterol levels between 200 and 239 are considered borderline-high.
A total level of 240 or more is high.
HDL levels should be above 40. The American College of Cardiology recommends that women have an HDL level above 45.
LDL ("bad") cholesterol should ideally be below 100, but less than 130 is still considered desirable for most people. However, if you have other risk factors for heart disease, meaning that you have diabetes or already have heart disease, then your LDL should be below 100.
LDL levels between 130 and 159 are considered borderline-high risk.
An LDL above 159 is high and puts you at an increased risk for developing heart disease.
LDL greater than 190 is considered very high.
Your fasting triglyceride level should be below 200.
Optimum cholesterol levels are different for everyone, depending on how many risk factors they have for heart disease (like smoking, diabetes, obesity, and a fatty diet).

What Are the Treatments for Cholesterol Problems?

Advice from your doctor about managing cholesterol is likely to echo that of nutritionists and most alternative practitioners: Adopt a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, increase your fiber intake, lose weight, exercise regularly, and if you smoke -- quit.

Diet. It is recommended that people with heart disease should reduce saturated fat intake to less than 7% of total calories, though this is extremely difficult to achieve.

People also should be wary of trans fat found in processed foods like chips, cookies, and some margarines. Diets high in trans fats are associated with increased risk of heart disease. And trans fats accelerate atherosclerosis. Look for labels that list partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil and avoid them.

Note that products that say "low cholesterol" or "no cholesterol" may not be that healthy because they could be loaded with saturated fats.

Garlic is a food item that has been shown in studies to reduce LDL cholesterol, but not other forms of cholesterol. Talk to your health care provider before using garlic or garlic supplements to lower cholesterol.

http://www.webmd.com

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

10-negative-effects-of-sugar-on-your-health

1. Sugar cause sudden increase in glucose level.

Uneven sugar level in your blood often cause mood changes, sudden tiredness, constant headache and the desire to eat even more sugar. Slowly it becomes a habit and new dose of sugar cause only temporary relief, however after few hours sugar deficiency and hunger become even stronger. On the other hand, those who don’t overuse sugar feel stronger and more vital.

2. Sugar increases the risk of obese, diabetes and heart diseases

International researches showed that there is a correlation between usage of glycolic products including sugar and obesity or diabetes. Such products also increase the risk ofheart diseases. Newest researches found some evidences that glycemic products can be biased with various cancer forms.

3. Sugar cause immune system disorders.

When experimenting with animals it was discovered that sugar block immune reactions. Further research is needed but it is now known that bacteria and yeast need sugar to grow. In the presence of imbalance between these materials (bacteria and sugar) human immune system can become weaker. As a result people tend to ill a lot more.

4. Large doses of sugar cause chromium deficiency in the body.

People who constantly consume large amounts of sugar or other refined carbohydrates do not get enough chromium which is mainly responsible for regulating sugar level in the blood. Chromium can be found in many animal or vegetative products and also in the seafood products. Refined carbohydrates take chromium away from these products.

5. Sugar cause aging.

Negative effects on your skin can be attributed to sugar. Certain parts of sugar molecules when entering into blood join with the proteins – this is called glycolisis. As a consequence new structures are formed which reduce body tissue integrity. To put it simply, the more sugar is in your blood the faster you become older. Well not you, your body does.

6. Sugar cause dental decay.

This aspect of sugar on your teeth is often omitted. Sugar is one of the most caries producing foods in the world. To test that, you can throw a tooth into a glass of coca cola, eventually you will see that sugar don’t whiten and strengthen your teeth.

7. Sugar cause dental disease, later it can develop into heart disease.

It was proved that chronic periodontal infections stimulate coronary artery disease. Dental problems often lead to heart disease.

8. Sugar effects on your kids’ health and learning abilities.

Many parents notice that sugar has effect on their children behavior. Kids react to raw sugar and sweeteners more or less the same so difference between sugar and sweeteners research haven’t shown noticeable difference.
Now a little bit about kids’ cognitive abilities. In 1979-1983 period New York Schoolsparticipated in the interesting experiment. All food products with sugar, artificial sweeteners and dyes where removed from pupil’s breakfast and lunch. The results where shockingly positive. Overall grades have increased by about 15,7 percent while test group achieved only 1,7% improvement.

9. Sugar and Stress

While in stressful situation body releases stress hormone cortisol. This hormone also makes himself more prevalent when sugar levels in blood decrease. For example when you eat a piece of cake, the sugar levels sharply increase after a while it decrease sharply also. At the time stress hormones are activated. They quickly pump more sugar and energy into the body. The problem is that those useful hormones can cause anxiety, irritation and sudden change of mood.

10. Sugar obtrudes important nutrients.

Scientists warn that people who consume lots of sugar don’t have important nutrients in they ration, especially vitamins A, C, B12, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Sadly enough, kids fall into this category and they are those who need these nutrient the most.

Now when we know so much about sugar we can improve our life by choosing foods more carefully. Not all products containing sugar are sweet so you can’t tell by the taste. When buying premade or canned food products closely read description tags. Even dietary foodcan contain much sugar.

http://www.healthgolb.com

Monday, 13 February 2012

blood sugar

http://www.ehow.com/about_4762364_blood-sugar-measurement.html

If you have or are at risk for diabetes, then you need to measure your blood sugar levels on a regular basis. This is the primary way you can tell if you have diabetes, and how well it is being controlled through lifestyle habits and/or medication. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, in order to fully manage your condition, you must test your blood sugar levels and understand what the numbers mean.

cancer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer

Cancer /ˈkænsər/ (

listen), known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a broad group of various diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream. Not all tumors are cancerous. Benign tumors do not grow uncontrollably, do not invade neighboring tissues, and do not spread throughout the body.

Determining what causes cancer is complex. Many things are known to increase the risk of cancer, including tobacco use, certain infections, radiation, lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity, and environmental pollutants.^[1] These can directly damage genes or combine with existing genetic faults within cells to cause the disease.^[2] Approximately five to ten percent of cancers are entirely hereditary.

Cancer can be detected in a number of ways, including the presence of certain signs and symptoms, screening tests, or medical imaging. Once a possible cancer is detected it is diagnosed by microscopic examination of a tissue sample. Cancer is usually treated withchemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. The chances of surviving the disease vary greatly by the type and location of the cancer and the extent of disease at the start of treatment. While cancer can affect people of all ages, and a few types of cancer are more common in children, the risk of developing cancer generally increases with age. In 2007, cancer caused about 13% ofall human deaths worldwide (7.9 million). Rates are rising as more people live to an old age and as mass lifestyle changes occur in the developing world.

Sunday, 12 February 2012

heart diseases

http://www.wikinvest.com/concept/Cardiac_Disease

Cardiac Disease

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bulls

bears

Heart Disease Risk May Be Tied to Y Chromosome

New York Times Feb 9 Comment

Men’s higher risk for heart disease may result in part from genetic variants on the one chromosome unique to men, researchers have found.

Screening Kids For Cholesterol Can Raise Awareness And Anxiety

NPR Feb 7 Comment

New federal guidelines say every child should be screened for high cholesterol once between the ages of 9 and 11 and again between 17 and 21. The testing aims to find kids with extremely high cholesterol caused by a genetic condition. But the...

Share Heart-Healthy Tips With Your Valentine, Says Healthyroads, During February's American Heart Month

Globe Newswire Feb 7 Comment

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What images come to mind when you think of February? If you thought of Valentine's Day and chocolate hearts, you're probably not alone. But did you know that February is also American Heart Month? Heart

Top Research Highlighted in Fight Against Heart Disease and Stroke

Globe Newswire Feb 6 Comment

DALLAS, Feb. 6, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has been compiling an annual list of the major advances in heart disease and stroke research since 1996. This year, the association again compiled two

Billboards Slather On The Guilt With Anti-Cheese Campaign

NPR Feb 2 Comment

A sensational new billboard in Albany, N.Y., wants to scare people away from cheese. Its creator, a physician turned health activist, says Americans should abandon cheese altogether to prevent obesity.

American Heart Association's Go Red for Women(R) Movement and Elizabeth Banks Ask Women to Uncover the Truth About Heart Disease

Globe Newswire Feb 2 Comment

DALLAS, Feb. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emmy-nominated actress Elizabeth Banks and the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women® movement are teaming up to share the truth that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. More women die of

The American Heart Association's Go Red Por Tu Corazon and Chef Hamlet Garcia Raise Awareness Among Latinas About Heart Disease

Globe Newswire Feb 2 Comment

'Million Hearts' Initiative Aims at Stroke, Too

MedPage Today Feb 2 Comment

Photo Release -- EHE International Features 2012 Red Dress Campaign to Highlight Heart Health Awareness Month

Globe Newswire Feb 1 Comment

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The women of EHE International, the leader in preventive healthcare since 1913, are at it again in their red dresses to raise awareness for heart disease. This year, the ladies in red are joined for the

Why obesity may not be all bad

Sydney Morning Herald Jan 31 Comment

It's well known that being fat can be a fast track to diabetes and heart disease.

Vital Signs: Screenings: Take Blood Pressure in Both Arms, Study Says

New York Times Jan 29 Comment

Differences in blood pressure readings between a patient's right and left arms could be a sign of vascular disease and a greater risk of dying from heart disease.

Fried food not to blame for heart attacks, study shows

Sydney Morning Herald Jan 26 Comment

LONDON: Regularly eating fried food does not cause heart attacks, provided that olive oil or sunflower oil is used in the cooking, researchers say.

Suggest other news sources for this topic

This article describes a concept which could impact a variety of companies, countries or industries. To see what companies and articles reference this concept page, click here.

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Sean Hinton

In modern times, cardiac disease has emerged as the leading cause of death worldwide, particularly in developed countries. The World Health Organization reported that 16.7 million deaths in 2003 (29.2% of total global deaths) were caused by some form of cardiovascular disease. Though the rate of cardiac disease is highest in developed countries, developing countries are seeing an increase in the occurrence of cardiac disease, as well as a corresponding rise in the number of heart-related deaths. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2010, cardiac disease will surpass AIDS as the leading cause of death in developing countries.

As the largest cause of death worldwide, cardiac disease has spawned the development of an entire industry dedicated to its treatment. There are a wide range of both drug treatments and surgical procedures that are used to either prevent or treat cardiac disease. Additionally, food and beverage manufacturers have responded to concerns about cholesterol intake by producing and marketing a wide range of low-cholesterol foods. In spite of this, people still maintain relatively poor diets and engage in activities that increase their risk of developing cardiac disease. This is likely due to the fact that heart problems develop years after exposure to risk factors, decreasing the urgency of taking preventive measures. As such, the demand for pharmaceutical and surgical treatments has remained strong and is unlikely to ebb in the near future.

Which companies are involved in the treatment of cardiac disease?

Pharmaceutical companies

Pfizer (PFE) produces Lipitor, one of a class of drugs known as statins, which are used to lower cholesterol. Lipitor is currently the best-selling drug in the world, bringing in $12.2 billion in 2005. Pfizer also produces Norvasc, an antihypertensive drug, though its patent expired in 2007.
AstraZeneca (AZN) makes Crestor, another statin aimed at lowering cholesterol levels and preventing cardiac disease.
Merck (MRK) sells Zocor and Vytorin (which it co-produces with Schering-Plough (SGP)), two other leading brands of cholesterol-lowering statins. Vytorin is a combination of the main ingredients in Zocor and another drug called Zetiaand works to prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Merck's patent for Zocor expired in June of 2006, allowing Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA) and Ranbaxy Laboratories to produce generic versions. However, Merck has drastically cut prices on Zocor, minimizing its loss of sales volume to competitors. Merck also produces the antihypertensive Cozaar.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) and Sanofi-Aventis SA (SNY) produce and market the drug Plavix, which is used to prevent the aggregation of platelets, a potential source of arterial blockage. Plavix is often used in patients with a history of cardiovascular problems and can help prevent future strokes, heart attacks, etc.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) makes Coreg, used to treat mild to moderate congestive heart failure.

Medical device manufacturers

Boston Scientific (BSX) is a leading producer of both traditional coronary stents and newer, drug-eluting stents. These are used in angioplasty, a procedure to mechanically widen constricted blood vessels, decreasing the risk of heart attacks and other cardiac diseases. BSX also makes pacemakers, which help to regulate heartbeats.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON (JNJ) and Medtronic (MDT) also offer stents and other devices used in the surgical treatment of vascular blockages or constriction, as well as pacemakers.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) also manufactures medical devices used in the treatment of cardiac disease. In recentclinical trials, its new Xience V drug-eluting stent was shown to be safer and more effective than competitors' products, which could benefit Abbott in terms of market share and revenue.
Medtronic (MDT) and St. Jude Medical (STJ) are medical device companies with leading marketshares in ICDs, pacemakers, and other cardiac devices.
Edwards Lifesciences (EW) is a device company that only sells devices to treat advanced cardiovascular disease, holding over forty percent of the 2007 replacement heart valve market.

Worldwide Market for Cardiovascular Drugs is Large

Cardiovascular drugs comprised the largest pharmaceutical drug category in 2006 worldwide.

Pharmaceuticals World Market of Top 5 Therapeutic Classes (2006) ^[1]

	Value ($bn)*	% of Total	Growth vs. 2005**
Cardiovascular	100.8	17%	7%
Central nervous system	99.9	16%	8%
Alimentary tract and metabolic	73.6	12%	9%
Anti-infectives (bacterial,viral and fungal) excluding vaccines	61.4	10%	3%
Respiratory	40.1	7%	6%

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