Smoking Increases Risk Of Psoriasis, Study Shows

Source:Science Daily

This study is the largest prospective assessment of multiple markers of smoking status, duration, and intensity in relation to the risk of psoriasis. Using data from the Nurses Health Study II (NHS II), an ongoing longitudinal study of 116,608 female registered nurses from 15 states between the ages of 25 and 42 years at baseline who completed and returned an initial questionnaire in 1989, the researchers documented 887 incident cases of psoriasis during the 14 years of follow-up. Lifetime smoking exposure was measured in pack-years, equal to smoking 20 cigarettes per day for one year.

Compared with women who never smoked, the risk of psoriasis was 37% higher among past smokers and 78% higher among current smokers. Pack-years were associated with a graded increase in the risk for psoriasis. Compared with never smokers; the risk was 20% higher for 1-10 pack-years, 60% higher for 11-20 pack-years, and more than two times higher for +21 pack-years. The significant trends persisted with smoking duration in both current and past smokers.

Furthermore, exposure to passive smoke during pregnancy or childhood was associated with an increased risk of psoriasis. The risk of psoriasis among former smokers decreases nearly to that of never smokers 20 years after cessation.

Investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Harvard School of Public Health, all in Boston, USA, and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada, have published the results in The American Journal of Medicine.*

Writing in the article, Hyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH, states, "These findings, along with well-established hazardous health effects of smoking, provide clear incentives for smoking cessation in those at risk for and suffering from psoriasis. Beyond the potential effect on psoriasis, smoking cessation would lead to a better overall clinical outcome in psoriasis patients, who often suffer co-morbidities related to smoking."

The study is "Smoking and the Risk of Psoriasis in Women: Nurses' Health Study II" by Arathi R. Setty, MD, MPH, Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, and Hyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH. It appears in The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 120, Issue 11 (November 2007).

Health Benefits of Vegetarianism

It was only recently that smoking only recently became recognized as a health and environmental hazard. As a result of research and education on a habit once believed to be not only harmless but stylish, most major U.S. cities have banned smoking of cigarettes, cigars or pipes in all public places. Smoking has also been outlawed in government offices and completely eliminated from all domestic U.S. air flights. Now, another, even more devastating problem is under scrutiny.

Its threat to health and the environment is being realized based on overwhelming evidence amassed by recognized authorities over the past fifty years. Recently a group of eminent doctors called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), themselves members of the American Medical Association (AMA), have gathered to change the U.S. consciousness on human nutrition, particularly among the medical community. The PCRM is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., consisting of doctors and lay persons working together for compassionate and effective medical practice, research and health promotion. Founded in 1985, the PCRM is supported by over 3,000 physicians and 50,000 lay persons PCRM president Newal D. Barnard, M.D., is a popular speaker and the author of The Power of Your Plate.

As stated by the PCRM in their 1991 literature, "A vegetarian diet has been advocated by everyone from philosophers, such as Plato and Nietzsche, to political leaders, such as Benjamin Franklin and Gandhi, to modern pop icons such as Paul McCartney and Bob Marley. Science is also on the side of vegetarian foods. A multitude of studies have proven the health benefits of a vegetarian diet to be remarkable.

"Vegetarian is defined as avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk and eggs are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk, cheese, etc.). The ranks of those who eschew all animal products are rapidly growing; these people are referred to as pure vegetarians or vegans (vee'guns). Scientific research shows that ovo-lacto-vegetarians are healthier than meat-eaters, and vegans are healthier than ovo-lacto-vegetarians." It should be noted that the Indian Hindu tradition has always been lacto-vegetarian, permitting the consumption of milk products.

The PCRM literature lists a host of health benefits of a vegetarian diet, including the following:

• Preventing cancer: "Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that vegetarians are nearly 50% less likely to die from cancer than non vegetarians."
• Preventing heart disease and lowering blood pressure.
• Preventing and reversing diabetes.
• Preventing and alleviating gallstones, kidney stones and osteoporosis.
• Preventing and alleviating asthma.

Home remedies for Face belimshes

Blemishes are marks on the skin, sometimes due to illness or some form of allergy developed some dark patches on the face which spoil the beauty of a person and are difficult to hide by make up.

Rub in some coconut ( Naryal ) oil before going to bed. Wash well in the morning. Repeat for 15 days.

Here is a homemade pack, which reduces the blemishes from the skin and improves the complexion. Take two spoonful of gram flour ( Besun ), add a pinch of turmeric ( Haldi ) to it as turmeric have some agents in it which reduces the marks, few drops of lemon juice and make a paste with a spoonful of curd. Apply this pack on the face regularly and you will notice drastic changes in your skin.

Natural Vitamin and Herbal alternatives

Courtsey:Darrell Miller

Joint tissue breaks down and arthritis sets in for a number of reasons, and there are several natural alternatives for joint health that can be use to prevent this and to treat affected joints.

Thyroid problems can slow down the production of adrenal hormones that are responsible for the production of cortisone and cosrtisol. These are anti-inflammatories, that when unavailable or in low supply can result in joint inflammation. If you suffer joint pain in the mornings that tends to improve as the day goes on, then it is likely that is the cause since adrenal activity can improve as the day progresses.

One of the main reasons for joint tissue breakdown is osteoarthritis whereby the cartilage wears down until it fails to provide the necessary protection against impact between the bones in a joint, or against the friction generated when two bones rub together. Injuries to joints can have the same effect, whereby an injury to a hip or knee can appear to clear up and then later the cartilage wears out sooner than expected. This can take several months or many years, depending on the severity and nature of the injury concerned.

Continual wear and tear can also cause joint tissue to break down. Athletes and other sportspersons often suffer twenty years or more after retirement from their sport due to the gradual wearing down of cartilage while they were active. Once they stop, this continues to a lesser extent until the cartilage is eventually worn away sufficiently for it to stop protecting the joint.

Problems with the auto-immune system can lead to rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation of the joints. This weakens them and can eventually completely destroy the tissue. In such cases the tissues in the joint tend to swell and become extremely painful. Gout can also damage joints, especially in the big toe. This is caused through a built up of needle sharp uric acid crystals. Another cause is a deficiency in sodium and potassium in the diet that are needed to help maintain calcium in solution. When these metals are in deficiency due, for example, to an adrenal problem or some other reason, calcium can deposit right in the joints, causing undue pain.

Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies are commonly associated with arthritis sufferers, and protein deficiencies are also believed to be a contributing factor of rheumatoid arthritis, and it is also true that degenerative arthritis can accompany rheumatoid arthritis. This occurs in almost 40% of cases, and diet and nutrition are now being recognized as a major cause of both types. Deficiencies in folic acid or its natural form of folate, vitamin E, zinc and selenium have all been associated with degeneration of joint tissue, so it makes sense that a supplement of these substances can help to avoid these conditions.

Standard medical treatment, however, is for the relief of pain and reduction of inflammation through the prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Typical NSAIDs are aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. Although it relieves pain, paracetamol is not an anti-iflammatory. An alternative to blocking the inflammatory reponse is to help to regenerate the damaged joint tissue.

However, reducing the inflammatory response to tissue damage does not address the underlying problem, but masks it. Not only that, but there are side effects associated with the use of NSAIDs. Excessive doses can create serious gastrointestinal problems, such as bleeding, ulcer perforation and even death is possible in severe cases. Anti-inflammatories cause gastric problems in up to 20% of cases

The newer Cox-2 inhibitors act on the enzyme that causes the inflammation within the joint, and while these can be very effective, they are still masking the underlying problem. Incidentally, the Cox-2 inhibitors should not be used with NSAIDs, and both increase the possibility of a myocardial infarction or heart attack. Also, if you are taking aspirin to reduce the risk of heart problems, you should be careful not to use other NSAIDs since they can interfere with the effects of the aspirin.

More effective in the long run is to treat the conditions with substances that deal with the cause of the problem. Vitamin C, for example, improves the lubrication effect of the synovial fluid in the joints, and vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that can help to repair damaged tissue and improve the circulation within the joints. Joints have very low blood circulation levels, which is a problem when trying to direct drugs to the joint tissues. Vitamin C is also good for improving the integrity of connective tissue. Zinc, manganese and copper are also instrumental in developing strong connective tissue and helping to repair the damage done to the joints.

Horsetail is a commonly used herbal remedy that can be taken as a tea, tincture or in capsules. It is the richest natural herbal source of silicon, which is used by the body to form connective tissue and collagen. Damaged connective tissue is rapidly repaired by horsetail, and its strength and elasticity significantly improved. It is commonly used in the treatment of arthritis and osteoporosis.

Cat's Claw is used for its beneficial effect on the immune system, and frequently used successfully to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, this treatment is used more to help reduce the inflammatory effects of the condition than to effect a long lasting cure. Gotu Kola, also called Indian pennywort, is traditionally used for treating arthritis. The fresh leaves are effective in reducing the inflammation and pain, and help to improve the quality of life of arthritis sufferers. In Australia, it is referred to as 'the arthritis herb' and two leaves a day are said to be effective.

Another popular remedy is MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), although it is claimed to provide pain relief rather than a cure. Amino acids also seem to help, and L-cysteine helps promote collagen and connective tissue. It appears to work best when taken in combination with vitamin E and selenium that are powerful antioxidants. L-arginine has a similar effect in the reconstruction of joint tissue, again helping to repair damaged connective tissues.

There are therefore two approaches to treating both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, one providing pain relief and reducing inflammation, and the other repairing the damage done to the joint tissues. Vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and herbal remedies are used in both, though it is better to use a combination that provides pain relief and also helps to regenerate strong connective tissues in the joints.

When using combinations of remedies it is important that possible interactions are understood, and you should always seek the advice of your physician when using non-prescription remedies of any kind.

Health Benefits of Vitamin-D Supplements

Courtsey:Alan Jacobson

Vitamin D is a vitamin found in food, and it can also be produced by your body after you are out in the sun. Supplements can also be effective in helping you get the vitamin D you need and prevent deficiency. There are many reasons you should consider making sure you are getting enough vitamin D; in fact it seems like each day there is a new discovery regarding this particular vitamin.

There are several benefits that are known for sure: Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption which helps you maintain strong bones, and it also helps to maintain your immune system. While these are important benefits themselves, there are other exciting potential benefits that are just being discovered. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D may help protect you against some cancers, and possibly reverse heart disease. In addition, there is an emerging opinion that vitamin D supplements may reduce symtoms of anxiety and depression, with a particularly strong effect on women who suffer anxiety with PMS and anyone who gets depressed during the winter months. (Reference information regarding these studies can be provided if you contact the author of this article).

There are three ways you can ensure you are getting enough vitamin D. First, there are direct food sources, such as fortified milk, large fish like salmon and tuna, many breakfast cereals, and egg yolk. However, if you don't consume the fish, it is actually very difficult to get enough vitamin D from another source. For example, most milk is fortified to the degree that you'd have to have 10 cups to get your daily allowance. Second, your body produces vitamin D when you are in the sun, though it doesn't work when you are wearing sunscreen (though it is still important to use sunscreen to prevent cancer and other problems due to sun exposure). You should check this with your doctor, but it is known that a short exposure to the sun, even as little as 10 minutes allows the process of vitamin D production to start. The third way you can get vitamin D is through over the counter pills or supplements.

Vitamin D supplements may be most beneficial for you if you are in any of the following groups, all of who could be prone to vitamin d deficiency:

- Infrequent exposure to the sun or you must wear sun block almost all the time
- Lactose intolerant, or just don't enjoy milk or drink a lot of it
- Very sensitive to the sun and/or wear sun block
- Live far north of the equator, like New England in the US.
- Don't eat much large fish, perhaps due to concerns about mercury content
- Older adults (50 and over) are less able to produce and/or synthesize vitamin D
- Some medical conditions – consult with your doctor

There are serious health risks if you take too many vitamin D supplements. Read the container they come in carefully and consult with your doctor if it is at all unclear. Most supplements are very clear about the usual adult dose, so it should be easy for you to start a vitamin D supplementation regimen today.

Detoxification of your system!!

Your body feels heavy and lethargic and experiences a myriad of aches and pains. Chances are you've got an excessive build-up of toxins in your system and need to go on a detox diet

Detoxifying or deep cleansing is a powerful healing process, which is vital for the elimination of stored toxins that lead to ill health. Once food undergoes digestion, absorption and assimilation, the resultant waste needs to be eliminated from the system. If this does not happen (and most often it does not), the resultant waste collects in the body, leading to ill health.

Build-up of Toxins
The build-up of toxins clogs the digestive system, restricting energy flow and creating blockages. Organs are burdened, as they have to work harder to remove the waste, gradually weakening in the process. Subsequently the functioning of the organs gets sluggish and the body becomes acidic in nature, becoming prone to heaviness and lethargy. The body also experiences a myriad of aches and pains. Apart from the intestines, the liver and the lungs are more likely to get affected due to the accumulation of toxins.

Factors such as a high consumption ratio of refined foods, junk foods, oily or stale foods, odd mealtimes, overeating, and snacking too often all contribute to the accumulation of wastes in the body. A periodic cleaning helps remove stored debris and allow a free flow of energy, stimulating the organs to work at their optimum best.

How to Clean Up
The best and fastest way to detoxify is to stop eating. Fasting for at least 24 hours is beneficial. The energy spent in digesting the foods is thus saved and directed towards dissolving toxins, working towards re-balancing, re-vitalising and healing the body. Fasts should be undertaken once a week or fortnight, or even once a month to give the stomach a break.

However, some may find fasting tough, and so the next best option is to go on an all-fruit diet for one to three days. Fruits give major nutrients without burdening the digestive system as they are very easy to digest.

The night before the fast, take a natural laxative such as trifla with warm water to kickstart the process. Start the day with 1-2 glasses of lukewarm lemon and honey water and continue drinking plenty of warm water throughout the day. If on a fruit diet, also consume fruits or fruit juices 2-4 times a day.

Making Foods Work for You

Benefits of Detoxification

• Free of heavy toxic waste, the body gets charged up and feels refreshed, revitalized, rejuvenated.
• The nerves calm down.
• Allergies reduce.
• Acid-alkaline balance improves.

Food is a major source of intake that determines the state of one's health, which affects the dynamics of digestive system. Since the body's biorhythm is on an 'elimination' mode till noon, a light and highly nourishing diet should be followed till late morning or noon for the body to continue its cleansing work. Besides eating the right foods, brisk walks, exercise, or ideally yoga helps the process by stimulating the dull and lethargic system and tones up digestive muscles to work better.

The ideal detox fruits are papaya and seasonal citrus fruits. Avoid eating sweet and citrus fruits at the same time. Ideal wholesome foods are oatmeal porridge, clear vegetable soups, and sprouts (especially Alfalfa sprouts, which are a storehouse of essential nutrients, enzymes and trace minerals). A breakfast of fruits such as papaya, soaked dry fruits such as black raisins, and figs keep the body light yet nourished. If required one can add a bowl of oatmeal or nachni porridge, or whole-wheat toast to the breakfast.

Another good aid in the process of detoxification is aloe vera juice, or fresh wheat grass juice, which works extraordinarily well in purifying the body of even old disease-generating toxic residue.

While a toned and well-exercised body is extremely desirable, an internally clean and light body, radiating health, vitality and agility is simply a pleasure in itself. So go ahead and detox yourself; it'll surely work wonders for you!

What are Sinuses??

You're sneezing, coughing, and you have a bright red nose. You figure it's just another cold, but this one sticks around way too long. Is it really a cold? Maybe not. It could be a problem with your sinuses.

What Are Sinuses?
The sinuses (say: sy-nus-is) are air-filled spaces found in the bones of the head and face. Sinuses start developing before you are born and some of them keep growing until you're about 20. There are four pairs of sinuses, or eight in all. They are located on either side of the nose in your cheeks, behind and between the eyes, in the forehead, and at the back of the nasal cavity

Like the inside of the nose, the sinuses are lined with a moist, thin layer of tissue called a mucous membrane (say: myoo-kus mem-brayne). The mucous membranes help moisten the air as you breathe it in. The mucous membrane also makes mucus, that sticky stuff in your nose you might call snot The mucus traps dust and germs that are in the air we breathe. On the surface of the cells of the mucous membrane are microscopic hairs called cilia (say: sih-lee-uh).

The cilia beat back and forth in waves to clear mucus from the sinuses through a narrow opening in the nose and then move the mucus toward the back of the nose to be swallowed. Gross, huh? If you have a cold or allergies, the membrane gets irritated and swollen and produces even more mucus.

What Do Sinuses Do?
No one is completely sure why we have sinuses, but some researchers think they keep the head from being too heavy. Sinuses are pockets of air, and air doesn't weigh very much. If those pockets were solid bone, your head would weigh more.
Sinuses also give you the depth or tone of your voice. Did you ever notice how funny your voice sounds if your nose and sinuses get stuffy when you have a cold?

When Good Sinuses Go Bad

What about that cold that won't go away? A cold virus can:

• damage the delicate cilia so that mucus is not swept away
• cause the mucous lining of the nose to become swollen, which narrows and blocks the small opening from the sinuses into the nose.
• lead to the production of more mucus, which is often thicker and stickier, making it harder to flow out of the sinuses.

When the tiny openings that drain the sinuses get blocked, mucus becomes trapped in the sinuses. Like water in a stagnant pond, it makes a good home for bacteria, viruses, or fungi to grow.

If a cold lasts for more than 10 to 14 days (sometimes you may have a low-grade fever you may have sinusitis (say: syne-yuh- sy-tus). This means an infection of the sinuses. Sinusitis is a pretty common infection; in fact, close to 37 million people in the United States have sinusitis each year.

Acute sinusitis may be diagnosed when a cold lasts more than 10 to 14 days. Chronic sinusitis means a person has had symptoms for more than 3 months. Symptoms may be similar to acute sinusitis, but typically are less severe and not associated with fever.

In either case, symptoms may include:

• fever.
• persistent nasal discharge that often is yellow or green (this alone doesn't always mean you have a sinus infection).
• daytime cough (your cough may be worse at night).
• puffy eyes, especially in the morning.
• bad breath.

Less often, a kid could have headache or pain behind the eyes, forehead, and cheeks.

What Will the Doctor Do?
If a doctor thinks you have a sinus infection, he or she will probably examine your ears and throat and take a look in your nose. The doctor may also check your sinuses by tapping or pressing on your forehead and cheeks. If you have a sinus infection, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. If bacteria are causing the problem, an antibiotic will help by killing the bacteria. If it's a virus, antibiotic medicine won't work.

In the case of a bacterial infection, the antibiotic should help you feel better in a few days. A decongestant or nasal spray may also be prescribed to help you feel better. If the sinus infection is chronic, the doctor may have you take medicine for a couple of weeks, just to be sure all the bacteria are knocked out.

Sometimes, if a sinus infection is not getting better, comes back even after you take all your medicine, or if the doctor is thinking about doing surgery, he or she may send you to have a CT scan of the sinuses. The CT scan is a special X-ray that takes a picture of your insides. It doesn't hurt, and it makes it much easier for the doctor to see what's going on. Your doctor can clearly see what the sinuses look like and then decide what kind of treatment will help you get better faster.

The good news about sinusitis is that it's not contagious, so if you are feeling well enough, you can go to school or go outside and play. In no time, you'll be over your infection - and you'll be saying so long to sinusitis!