Would You Choose to Live Forever?

Scientists have made a discovery that could lead to a revolutionary drug that actually reverses ageing. Age-reversing pill that Nasa wants to give to astronauts on Mars will begin human trials within six months. The drug could assist damaged DNA to miraculously repair and even by protecting astronauts from solar radiation. A scientist’s team developed the drug after discovering a key signaling process in DNA repair and cell ageing. Therefore, during trials on mice, the researcher team found that the drug directly repaired DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age. However, the cells of the old mice were indistinguishable from the young mice after just one week of treatment,' said lead author Professor David Sinclair and his colleague Dr Lindsay Wu were winners in NASA's iTech competition in December 2016.

Hence, it is expected that human trials of the pill will begin within six months. This is the closest we’re to a safe and effective anti-ageing drug that's possibly only 3 to 5 years away from being on the market if the trials gets successful,' said Professor Sinclair. Moreover, the work has drawn the attention of Nasa, which is bearing in mind the big challenge of keeping its astronauts healthy during a four-year mission to Mars. Even thus on short missions, astronauts experience faster ageing from cosmic radiation, suffering from muscle softness, memory loss and other symptoms when they return. Although on a massive challenge of Mars trip, the situation would be far worse: 5% of the astronauts' cells would die and their chances of cancer would approach 100 per cent.

The Anti-Ageing Drug Trials

A team of researchers of University of New South Wales, experiments in mice, recommended a treatment is possible for DNA damage from ageing and radiation. So, it is so hopeful it has attracted the attention of Nasa scientists in their mission to reach Mars. Whereas our cells can naturally repair DNA damage, such as damage caused by the sun and their ability deteriorations with age. Moreover, the experts recognized that the call signaling molecule NAD+, which is naturally present in every cell in the body, has a crucial role in protein interactions that control DNA repair. Hence, treating mice with an NAD+ 'booster' called NMN improved their cells' ability to repair DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age. So, it is expected that human trials of NMN therapy will start within 6 months.

Furthermore, Dr Wu Said, we came in with a solution for a biological problem and it won the competition out of 300 entries. Cosmic radiation is not only an issue for astronauts, and all exposed to it aboard aircraft, with a London-Singapore-Melbourne flight roughly equivalent in radiation to a chest x-ray. Nevertheless in theory, the anti-ageing pill could mitigate any effects of DNA damage for recurrent flyers. Further, the other group that could benefit from this work is survivors of childhood cancers. Because 96% of childhood cancer survivors suffer a chronic illness by age 45, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancers unrelated to the original cancer.  So, keeping in mind all of this adds up to the fact they have accelerated ageing, which is devastating, Dr Wu, said. So, it’d be great indeed to do something about that, and we have faith in we can with this molecule.  Source: Charismatic Planet

 

Major Asthma Breakthrough as Scientists Discovers Root Cause of the Condition and says a New Treatment is less than Five Years Away

Well, good news for Asthma patients, because scientists have claimed to found the root cause of asthma, a breakthrough which could pave the way for a new treatment within 5 years. As you know, millions of asthma sufferers are able to regulate their symptoms with inhalers, but a minority about 5% of patients does not respond to any treatment. At the moment scientists have found a protein within the airways which they have faith in triggers all asthma attacks. Unusually, a drug already exists which they think could deactivate the protein, raising hopefulness for a treatment which may be effective for any asthma patient. 

The team, which is led by Cardiff University, has already revealed that the drug works in mice and in human tissue samples in the laboratory. They’ve now designed the first clinical trials, which could start in coming two years. Professor Daniela Riccardi said (Lead Investigator): “Our findings are extremely electrifying.” Though, the discovery came quite by chance when Professor Riccardi, “formerly a bones specialist”, switched from the study of osteoporosis to the study of the lungs 5 years ago. She realized that a protein that triggers the progress of calcium within bones also plays a role in the airways. Moreover, tests revealed that asthmatics had far higher levels of the protein and it is called calcium sensing receptor or CaSR than healthy people. Therefore, when an asthmatic breathes in triggers due to dust, smoke, or pollen, the CaSR molecules cause the speedy increase of calcium within the cells of the lung tissue. 

The additional calcium makes the cells contract, making the airways spasm, triggering an asthma attack. Thus, for the first time we’ve found a link between airways inflammation, which can be caused by environmental triggers - such as allergens, cigarette smoke and car fumes – and airways twitchiness in allergic asthma. It makes the cells much more sensitive to the asthma triggers and which then make an attack much more likely. Because, the drug already exists that can disable the CaSR protein, meaning it could be obtainable to patients as soon as clinical trials are complete. The medication called a “calcilytic” was developed some where fifteen years ago to knock out the same protein in osteoporosis.

Though the drug was believed to be safe, and it was not effective for osteoporosis patients. However, initials tests in mice and human tissue showed encouraging results as an asthma treatment. Nevertheless, the team, which included scientists from King’s College London and the Mayo Clinic in the United States, believe to use the drug in a nebuliser, in which it is turned into a mist and breathed straight into the lungs.  A few courses of treatment would be adequate to stop asthma attacks from recurring, they believed. The doubtful it might also have a role in tackling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease “COPD” and chronic bronchitis, for which there is presently no effective treatment. 

Furthermore, Prof Riccardi said: ‘If we can prove that “calcilytics” are safe when administered directly to the lung in people, then in 5 years we could be in a very good position to treat patients and potentially stop asthma from happening in the first place. Dr Samantha Walker, director of research at Asthma United Kingdom, who supported in fund the research, added: This is without an enormously exciting discovery, which will enables us, for the first time, to tackle the underlying causes of asthma symptoms. Only 5% people with asthma don’t respond to existing treatments so research breakthroughs could be life changing for hundreds of thousands of people. 

Moreover, if this research proves effective we may be just a few years away from a new treatment for asthma, and we instantly need further investment to take it further through clinical trials. Asthma research is chronically underfunded; there’ve only been a handful of new treatments progressed in the last 50 years so the significance of investment in research like this is absolutely indispensable.’ Source: Dailymail

 

Anaemia is much more susceptible condition in women than men

Iron-deficiency (dietary) anaemia is by far the most common type and women are much more susceptible to the condition than men. In fact in one recent study, 10% of all women between the ages of 15 and 44 were said to be on the threshold of this condition, due to excessive blood (and iron) loss during menstruation. A loss of iron in the blood produces a whole range of non-specific symptoms tiredness, breathlessness, giddiness, pallor, weakness in the limbs and often an overwhelming lethargy because it depletes the amount of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment in red blood corpuscles. Hemoglobin is responsible for unnourishing and regenerating every cell in the body and for producing the characteristic “redness” of the blood. Many cases of anaemia present two important diagnostic clues. These’re nails that are spoon-shaped and curl up or downwards and a lack of color either beneath the nail or in the normally richly supplied conjunctive tissue inside the lower eyelid. Although iron deficiency anaemia is often caused by menstrual blood loss (one of the drawbacks of the IUD is a heightened risk of anaemia in some women due to an excessively heavy menstrual flow), but it may also be caused by other types of external or internal bleeding, such as a silent and slow bleeding peptic ulcer. 

If you suspect you have anaemia or are feeling excessively tired, you should see your doctor. You should not dose yourself with iron supplements because if you do have the condition, commercial iron bolstered multivitamin pills will not contain enough iron to rectify the balance. If you do not have the condition, too much iron can be as bad for you as too little as it interferes with the absorption of other essential minerals principally zinc. For this reason, iron supplements are no longer automatically given as a routine part of ante-natal practice during pregnancy. If you want to safeguard yourself against iron-deficiency anaemia, incorporate a dark green leafy vegetable, such as broccoli, into your diet together with a helping of liver, kidney or heart each week. Eating a vitamin C rich fruit or vegetable with your meals will also help as this vitamin has been shown to aid iron absorption in the body.

A second, rarer, type of anaemia is known as pernicious anaemia and is caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12 or more commonly, an inability to absorb it from the diet. As B12 is found only in foods of animal origin (meat, fish, milk etc.), strict vegetarians, or vegans, should always take additional B12. Supplements are now available in synthetic vegetable form. An inability to absorb the vitamin is hereditary and seems to occur most often in middle age, particularly among those who are blue eyed and white or fair hair. Once diagnosed, the condition can be remedied by giving regular doses of the vitamin through injection directly into the bloodstream.   Source: Charismatic Planet

Glaucoma is an Eye Affliction Caused by Disturbance of Fluid Balance in Eyeball.

Glaucoma is an eye affliction caused by a disturbance of the fluid balance with the eyeball and a consequent increase of pressure inside the eye. If allowed to persist, glaucoma may damage vision by pressing against the optic nerve. One of the main symptoms of glaucoma is a tunnel vision. Well, in other words, an increasingly restricted field of vision, even though you can still focus perfectly well. Other warning signs and symptoms which may or may not be present are headaches and seeing auras or haloes around bright objects. Because glaucoma is an age associated defect it is rarely seen in people under 35 and because it ca be absolutely symptomless in the  early stages by the time it is diagnosed medially, the process has often gone so far that the sufferer can be classified as blind for health insurance purposes. You should have an eye test at about the age of 45 to check that you have not got it. This is particularly important if there is a history of it in your family. Once detected glaucoma can never be cured but it can be controlled in one of three ways; medically through prescription of certain drugs, surgically, in order to release pressure inside the eye, or through the use of prescription eye drops which use a drug called pilocarpine to constrict the pupil, so making the wearing of glasses unnecessary.  Source: Charismatic Planet

Acne Can be an Embarrasing Problem

This guidelines is intended to give you a basic understanding of the way in which your body functions and occasionally, malfunctions. It is also designed to help you to relieve some of the more common aches and pains by giving simple and practical notes on self-help. It is not, however, intended to replace your doctor. No amounts of medical knowledge gleaned from reading books can replace the deep understanding that a qualified doctor gains from years of training and experience. So use this advice for interest and for reference and if any doubt, consult your doctor.

Acne Can be an Embarrassing Problem and Difficult to Treat

In the normal course of events, sebum, made in the sebaceous glands deep down in the skin, travel up the hair follicle to emerge through a fine pore on the surface. There, it emulsifies with sweat to fulfill its vital double role of lubricating and protecting the skin. Therefore if the sebum hardens and becomes trapped just beneath the surface of the skin, or if the dead epidermal cells stick together and clog the opening of the pore a small pimple or blackhead will appear.

Acne Can be an Embarrassing Problem and Difficult to Treat

If the blockage occurs deeper down, inflammation and primary bacterial infection combine to produce a much larger and angrier spot. Both are acne. The more severe inflammatory types of acne are thought to be caused by the male hormone, androgen, circulating in the bloodstream and causing the sebaceous glands to secrete grease. Nothing is demonstrably “wrong” in a hormonal sense. Some people are simply more sensitive to the hormone than others. This sensitivity will depend on familial inheritance and skin type.

Although diet has no direct causal link with acne, an imbalanced diet can certainly aggravate it, so too can stress overzealous self-treatment and squeezing. The first rule is to leave your skin alone. If you are a habitual picker or squeezer, cut the fingernails short and watch your skin improve. Wash your skin twice daily with an antiseptic or medicated soap, use topical creams and lotions sparingly and remember that there’s absolutely no virtue in fanaticism. Dirt and oil on top of the skin have nothing to do with any but the smallest of pimples it is the oil trapped beneath that is to blame.

If you’ve persistent or severe acne, or are distressed about the condition, see your doctor. Acne can be treated often extremely effectively with a course of antibiotics, prescribed over a period of months or even years. It works by counteracting the effects of the problem, not by curing it. It may be as many as three months before a noticeable improvement in the condition of the skin can be seen.

Topical acne treatments range from mild antiseptic lotions (astringents) to stronger more abrasive chemical solutions that “strip” off the dead layer of skin cells to unblock the pore and free the sebum. Lotions containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinoic acid (vitamin A) are probably the most effective. However while they can be valuable in treating superficial non-inflammatory acne, they’ll not help more severe types and may even aggravate them. In addition if these lotions are used too often or applied over enthusiastically, they may produce redness, dryness and excessive irritation Cis Retinoic acid (at present only available in the USA), taken orally as a course of tablets, works by cutting down sebaceous activity and can be very effective. Its disadvantage, however, is that it tends to dry up the skin. Common side effects are chapped lips and general flaking and dryness.

In the future, medical treatment of the more severe types of acne may involve regulating the hormone levels responsible for producing the condition, either by prescribing an anti-androgen, usually cyproterone acetate, or additional oestrogen, depending on the patient. While effective in combating and protecting again acne, the drug is at present being combined with an oestrogen for a contraceptive effective. Risk factors on ovulation and pregnancy have still to be assessed. 

 Source: CP

The Increase Popularity of Herbs & Health

The increase in the popularity of herbs as medicinal remedies is less obvious but it seems to have come partly from a general dissatisfaction with synthesized drugs, as well as plastics, artificial and chemicals manufactured articles of all kinds, which are being rejected in favor of substances naturally grown and shaped by hand into the artifact required. 

Herbal based remedies of old using parts of plants fresh or dried in simple infusions, poultices or decoctions, have been found to have great health benefits but, though their method of application is simple, their prescribing is not, since they’ve to be tailored not only to a given malady, but to the person concerned. The combinations which can be achieved for this are infinite. Furthermore complication have to be added; for instance, numerous parts of a herb have different effects because the times of the year for collection affect the content of the herb; the quantity used is also of major importance, and there’re at least 7000 medicinal herbs used by European races; so however herbs undoubtedly have marvelous potential for curing illness, home cures should only be undertaken for minor ailments. 

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The medicinal application of herbs can be traced as far back as Chinese herbal written approximately five thousand years ago, and there’re Egyptian papyri from 2,800 BC listing such herbs as mint, marjoram and juniper, for medicinal use. More of the learning and practice of the Egyptians were absorbed by Greek physicians, one of the best known of whom is dioscorides, as army doctor who lived during the time of Nero in the first century A.D. His list of 400 healing plants, described and detailed in four books, is perhaps the most famous material medical of all, and continued to be a standard reference for European medicine for the next 1,500 years. 

Plants were the only source of help from health improvement for hundreds of years, and doctors were almost completely reliant on them although some, notably Hippocrates, did stress that hygiene and diet were of major importance. Medical science had perforce to be botanists and often gardeners as well, and in time medical knowledge came to be the perquisite of the European religious orders, as it had been that of the priests in the time of Egyptian pharaohs. For several centuries it remained in the hands chiefly of the monastic houses, where there was always a physic garden containing the herbs required by the prevailing medical encumbent.

Most of the herbs now grown in Britain culinary and domestic as well as medicinal resulted from the Roman invasion. In the same way, herbs were introduced in the 16^th century from Europe to North America, to be grafted on to the use already in existence of the herbs of the North American Indians who had a considerable and long standing tradition of herbal cures from the plants native to their own continent.  

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Medicine while still based on plants, became more and more sophisticated as knowledge accumulated, particularly with the introduction of printing, which meant that information could be passed on exactly, instead of wrongly, by hearsay, and thus provided a bigger and bigger base from which to work. The Doctrine of Signatures became fashionable the theory of which was that plants which looked like the symptoms of an illness would cure it lungwort or pulmonaria is a case in point, since it was used for lung conditions, because its white spotted leaves were thought to bear some resemblance to diseased lungs. 

As the science of the 19^th century advanced in analytical skills, it became increasingly possible to tie down results to specific plants and the chemicals therein, until a pure chemical could be prescribed for a particular symptom. The use of a whole leaf, flower or the complete plant itself, fell into disuse and with this a whole galaxy of other chemicals which, it has now been found, were equally necessary to be cure. 

There seems no good reason why herbs should not be used at home to cure many minor ills, in the same way that aspirin are useful for headaches, toothache, etc., and the day may not be far away when a book of standard prescriptions using herbs is universally available. One will need to grow the plants and prepare the drink or poultice oneself, but neither is time-consuming and certainly likely to be less expensive and just as, if not more efficacious than the manufactured kind available from chemist.

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