The Dangerous Gynecological Symptoms Women Ignore


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The signs of gynecological cancer can be elusive to most women.

The most common symptoms; fatigue, bloating and back pain, can be mistaken as benign annoyances which happen from time to time.

So, when do you need to be concerned that there may be something more serious which needs your attention?

There will be nearly 90,000 cases of gynecological cancers diagnosed in the U.S. in 2012, with more than half of those being cervical cancer, according to estimates from the National Cancer Institute. About 30,000 women will die of these five cancers this year; the deadliest of the five is ovarian cancer, which will cause about half of these deaths.

Knowing what is normal for you is the best way help your doctor monitor changes and what those changes may mean for your health.

The Very Real Link Between Sugar And Alzheimer’s


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The connection between sugar and Alzheimer’s can not be disputed.

The New Scientist Magazine, September 3, 2012 issue explains the sugar-Alzheimer’s link as the condition by which our muscle, fat, and liver cells stop responding to insulin.

The cells no longer metabolize glucose properly thereby leading to insulin resistance or pre-diabetes.

This, then causes the pancreas to produce excess amounts of insulin even as excess glucose builds up in the blood causing insulin spikes which overwhelm the brain.

Insulin also regulates neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, which are crucial for memory and learning and is also important for the function and growth of blood vessels, which supply oxygen and glucose to the brain.

There’s also research tying brain dysfunction directly to excess sugar consumption. In a 2012 study, UCLA scientists fed rats a heavy ration of fructose (which makes up roughly a half of both table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup) and noted both insulin resistance and impaired brain function within six weeks. Interestingly, they found both insulin function and brain performance to improve in the sugar-fed rats when they were also fed omega-3 fatty acids. In other words, another quirk of the American diet, deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids, seems to make us more vulnerable to the onslaught of sweets.

Another facet of our diets, lots of cheap added fats, may also trigger insulin problems and brain dysfunction. New Scientist flags yet another recent study, this one from University of Washington researchers, finding that rats fed a high-fat diet for a year lost their ability to regulate insulin, developed diabetes, and showed signs of brain deterioration.

Government subsidies of corn and sugar have made these commodities incredibly inexpensive for the food industry which puts sweeteners in almost everything we eat.

This, at the same time Alzheimer’s costs $200 billion a year in health care alone.

The U.S. government has declared a mandate to find a cure for Alzheimer’s by 2025.

Cheap sugar comes at a very high price, indeed.

Overweight Teens Eat Less Than Thinner Teens


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The key to maintaining normal body weight lies in regular exercise and getting weight under control before puberty.

Even though some teenagers may eat less than their thinner peers, fat cells laid down in the body at an early age never go away.

Lack of exercise and an abundance of fat cells alter body chemistry and create an environment where fewer calories in cause more weight gain.

And obesity expert Matthew Gillman of the Harvard School of Public Health says the amount of physical activity kids participate in is key. “When you’re less physically active, you actually need fewer calories to maintain your weight,” he explains.

But if that weight is already higher than it should be, that could signal the beginning of a long-term problem.

“Once you become overweight, there are changes in your body that make you different from someone who’s not [overweight],” explains Sophia Yen of Stanford School of Medicine. “You have extra fat cells, and you have different insulin levels,” which can make it feel like you’re eating less than you are.

Being fit at at early age is crucial and tackling weight gain before it begins can provide a lifetime of good health.

Elevated Risk Of Stroke For Heavy Drinkers


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Drinking for your health is one thing, however, heavy drinkers are at risk to develop stroke 15 years earlier than their non-drinking counterparts.

The study found that on average, heavy drinkers who experienced a stroke did so at the age of 60, whereas non-heavy drinkers experienced a stroke at the age of 74, on average.

The early occurrence of stroke may be related to diseased or damaged small blood vessels, the authors wrote.

Among stroke patients younger than 60 who had a stroke that occurred in the deep part of the brain, heavy drinkers were more likely to die within two years of the study follow-up than non-heavy drinkers.

The researchers also found that heavy alcohol drinkers were frequently not living independent lives before the stroke.

Other alcohol related issues, including multiple falls, nerve problems, depression and chronic fatigue likely caused their dependence on others.

In addition, more than half of heavy drinkers had high blood pressure.

Although, there is controversy over the actual benefits of alcohol, the key seems to be moderation.

New research has shown that non-alcoholic wine provides greater health benefits than alcohol so this is something to consider when making the choice for your health.

Human Body Parts Grown In The Lab

This amazing science which is producing miracles is just another day at the lab for scientists.

Human body parts grown from human tissue can change the life of victim forever.

Laboratory grown genitals and spray on skin are just two organs which biotechnology has enabled engineers to create at Wake Forest University.

Atala is one of the pioneers of regenerative medicine. But the field has taken off in a big way, attracting biotechnology companies, the U.S. military and academic labs, which are working to literally make the blind see and the lame walk again. They’re perfecting spray-on skin and aim to mass-produce new body parts using bioprinters based on the jet printers attached to your home computer.

Although this technology is years away from the doctor’s office, there is hope on the horizon for many.

Atala’s lab is also working to make kidneys, muscle implants, and even to find ways to get fingers to regenerate on their own. (It has to do with waking up some very powerful DNA that goes to sleep soon after a fetus develops). AFIRM’s mission is to align labs like Atala’s with others around the country, getting them to collaborate on projects rather than compete. AFIRM currently funds around 50 research labs, including leaders such as the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Rutgers University, the Cleveland Clinic and Rice University.

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