Insomnia May Boost Heart Attack Risk

People who struggle with insomnia appear to be more prone to heart attacks than those who typically get a good night's sleep, a large Norwegian study has found.
In the study, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, researchers conducted a comprehensive health survey of more than 52,000 adults, which included questions about sleep quality. Over the next 11 years, roughly 5% of the participants had a heart attack for the first time.
Compared to solid sleepers, those who had trouble falling or staying asleep nearly every night were 45% and 30% more likely to have a heart attack, respectively, even after the researchers took into account age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other factors that can contribute to heart disease. People who reported feeling tired or unrefreshed after waking up at least two mornings per week were also at greater risk.

The Worst Habits for Your Heart
"Cardiologists do not talk regularly about sleep issues with their patients," says lead researcher Dr. Lars Erik Laugsand, an internist in the public health department of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in Trondheim. Although he and his coauthors suggest that these conversations may be helpful for assessing heart disease risk, Dr. Laugsand says that further research will be needed to determine how insomnia might affect heart health, and whether treating sleep problems can actually prevent heart attacks.
Cardiologist Suzanne Steinbaum, who directs the Women and Heart Disease program at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City, agrees that more research in this area is needed, but she says she already discusses sleep issues with her patients. Stress reduction is a key to preventing heart attacks, she says, and lowering stress is all but impossible if you're not getting enough sleep.
"We don't know how significant the sleep disturbance must be, or how long it must persist for it to become significant for heart disease," Steinbaum says. "But it is safe to say that there is some correlation."


Surprising Heart Attack Risks
Stress, depression and other psychological problems often overlap with sleep difficulties. Dr. Laugsand and his colleagues did factor depression and anxiety symptoms into their analysis, but neither condition had a substantial impact on the results. Other factors involving metabolism or blood-vessel health — such as inflammation — may be involved in the apparent link between insomnia and heart disease, the study notes.
Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in the United States. Roughly one-third of Americans experience occasional symptoms, and nearly 10% say they have chronic insomnia, according to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. Insomnia tends to occur more frequently with age, and some studies suggest it may be more prevalent in women.
Although insomnia is common, adequate and lasting treatment for it is not, says Susan Zafarlotfi, clinical director of the Institute for Sleep-Wake Disorders at Hackensack University, in Hackensack, N.J. "Clinicians often simply medicate their patients, but that is not the way to do it," she says. "Pharmacology is only for the short term. They need to get at the depth of the problem."

7 Tips for the Best Sleep Ever
Previous research has reported a higher risk of heart attack among people with insomnia, but the new study is among the largest of its kind. It should be an eye-opener for cardiologists as well as for neurologists and doctors of all kinds, Zafarlotfi says, adding that future research is likely to strengthen the link between insomnia, heart disease, and related conditions such as stroke. "They have to ask their patients about sleep," she says. "Sleep has to be a big part of working with patients."

By MATT MCMILLEN/HEALTH.COM

Through-the Nipple-Breast cancer therapy shows promise in early test

Newswise — Delivering anticancer drugs into breast ducts via the nipple is highly effective in animal models of early breast cancer, and has no major side effects in human patients, according to a report by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers in Science Translational Medicine on October 26. The results of the study are expected to lead to more advanced clinical trials of so-called intraductal treatment for early breast cancer.
“Our results support the theory that by treating the breast tissue directly we can reach a much more potent drug concentration where it is needed, with far fewer adverse effects on tissues outside the breasts,” says oncologist Vered Stearns, M.D., Ph.D., the Breast Cancer Chair in Oncology and co-director of the Breast Cancer Program at the Kimmel Cancer Center, who supervised the clinical part of the study.
“This has been a classic translational medicine collaboration between a bench researcher and a clinician scientist,” says cancer biologist Saraswati Sukumar, Ph.D., who supervised the animal tests.
Sukumar, the Barbara B. Rubenstein Professor of Oncology at the Kimmel Cancer Center, and co-director with Stearns of the Breast Cancer Program, began intraductal research more than a decade ago, reasoning that because most breast cancers originate from cells lining the milk ducts, early or preventive therapies should be delivered directly to the ducts via the nipple, rather than intravenously. In 2006, in the journal Cancer Research, Sukumar and her colleagues reported on an initial successful test of the technique using the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin against early ductal breast cancers in rats.
For the current study, Stearns set up a small clinical trial to determine the feasibility of Sukumar’s technique in 17 breast cancer patients. Starting first with dextrose — essentially sugar water — and later with escalating doses of the same doxorubicin formulation used on Sukumar’s rats (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, or PLD), she was able to infuse patients’ breast ducts via a small catheter placed into the nipple. The technique wasn’t used in this case to treat cancer; the patients in the study all had established breast tumors and were awaiting mastectomies. But Stearns was able to establish that single doses of PLD to breast ducts caused only mild side effects including mild nipple pain and breast fullness.
A comparison of 12 patients receiving PLD intraductally with three patients treated with PLD by the standard intravenous route also was revealing, Stearns said. “Intraductal delivery of PLD resulted in much higher concentration in the breast compared to the circulation, whereas in the women with intravenous doses we saw relatively high concentrations in the blood but very little if any in the breast,” she noted.
In the animal portion of the study, Sukumar’s lab examined the intraductal effectiveness of four standard anticancer drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5FU), carboplatin, methotrexate and paclitaxel, all compared with PLD. Of these drugs, intraductal 5FU prevented the most cancers compared to no drug or to intravenous delivery. It also shrank established breast tumors with striking effectiveness, completely eliminating them in 10 of 14 treated rats, she said. “As both a preventive and a therapy, 5FU worked extremely well in these tests,” Sukumar added.
5FU has the additional advantage, she noted, of sparing breast ducts the kind of damage caused by PLD, which at therapeutic doses can destroy large parts of the ductal lining. But perhaps the most intriguing outcome of these tests, she said was that preventive treatment of only four mammary glands in rats — who have a total of twelve — showed a strong effect in preventing tumors in the untreated glands as well. “We think that 5FU, at the high concentration achieved with intraductal delivery, elicits an immune response that can suppress tumor formation in the other ducts,” Sukumar said. “This is an attractive feature, because some breast ducts in women are ‘blind ducts’ that are unconnected to the nipple and therefore unreachable directly with intraductal therapy.”
Sukumar and Stearns say the next step is to set up a further clinical study with 5FU, based on the new findings. The goal is to use intraductal therapy to suppress tumors in patients with a high genetic risk for breast cancer or premalignant lesions in their breast ducts. “In principle, one could do such a procedure every ten years or so to keep one’s breasts tumor-free, as an alternative to having the breasts removed,” Sukumar says.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, Windy Hill Medical Center, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation and the Susan Love Research Foundation.
Other contributors to the study, besides Drs. Sukumar and Stearns, were co-first author Tsuyoshi Mori, currently at the Shiga Institute of Medical Science in Japan; and Lisa K. Jacobs, Nagi F. Khouri, Edward Gabrielson, Takahiro Yoshida, Scott L. Kominsky, David L. Huso, Stacie Jeter, Penny Powers, Karineh Tarpinian, Regina J. Brown, Julie R. Lange, Michelle A. Rudek, Zhe Zhang and Theodore N. Tsangaris, all of Johns Hopkins.
On the Web:
www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org
www.hopkinsbreastcenter.org

Women and Men: 10 Differences that Make a Difference

Stroke

Each year, approximately 40,000 more women than men suffer from a stroke. This is related to women’s greater life expectancy and the higher rates of stroke in the oldest age groups.

Alcohol

About 1.6 million alcoholics in the US are women, who are the fastest growing segment of the alcohol abusing population. Women produce less of the stomach enzyme that breaks down ethanol; therefore, after consuming the same amount of alcohol, women have higher blood alcohol content than men, even after adjusting for size.

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10 Ways to Keep Air Clean at Home

Aim for fresh, healthy air
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is serious, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy life after a diagnosis.

“COPD stands for two processes that almost always occur together: chronic bronchitis, which is inflammation of the airways, and emphysema, which is destruction of the fine substance of the lung,” explains Norman Edelman, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association.

Take these simple steps to keep irritants out of your airways. They can help stop trouble before it gets started

Avoid wood-burning fireplaces
Wood-burning fireplaces—charming and romantic as they may be—produce particulate matter that can get into your lungs and make it harder to breathe.

“Wood-burning fireplaces put out soot and carbon,” says Len Horovitz, MD, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

“There’s nothing in there that’s a good thing for a patient. There’s no inhalant that’s worse than smoke.”

Keep the dust mites away
Like humans, dust mites like to burrow into mattresses and bedding. “Dust mites are a trigger for asthmatics and people with COPD and should be kept to a minimum,” Dr. Horovitz says.

He recommends using mattress covers and pillowcases that are bed-bug proof, which usually means they’re mite-proof as well. And pick pillows that are made of foam rubber, not goose-down or feathers.

Washing your linens in hot water (above 130°F) at least once a week will also keep the dust mites at bay, Dr. Edelman says.

Steer clear of smokers
Smoking causes about 85% of COPD cases in the United States, says Dr. Edelman. But whether or not you smoked before you were diagnosed, you’ll need to stay away from secondhand (or firsthand) smoke.

“Smoking and secondhand smoke are absolutely to be avoided,” Dr. Horovitz says.

It’s no secret that kicking the habit is really, really hard. But if you have COPD and smoke, the stakes are higher than ever before. Quit and you’ll prevent further damage; don’t and the disease will progress faster.

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FATIGUES TO FABULOUS™ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES AT MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK TO SUPPORT WOMEN VETERANS

NEW YORK (September 8, 2011) — Today the Fashion Industry is helping nearly 2 million women veterans by featuring the Fatigues to Fabulous^TM (F2F) campaign during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Many women veterans face serious challenges obtaining housing, employment, family support and finance, and psychological and physical healthcare. In fact, 70% of women veterans need VA healthcare, yet only 14% have access. F2F’s mission is to initiate a national dialogue on the issues affecting military women and raise funds for research and services that support them.

The show will feature F2F veteran ambassadors dressed by top designers, including: Bill Blass, Calvin Klein, Carmen Marc Valvo, and Donna Karan, among others

Refile Conference urges global safe drinking water by 2030 Eds: Refiling to amend typo in lede

 Delegates at the World Water Week on Friday called for more action to ensure that the world's population is guaranteed access to safe drinking water, sanitation and energy by the year 2030.

Unless action is taken by 2030, "a business as usual scenario (suggested that) humanity's demand for water could outstrip supply by as much as 40 per cent," the Stockholm Declaration said.

"This would place water, energy and food security at risk, increase public health costs, constrain economic development, lead to social and geopolitical tensions and cause lasting environmental damage," the statement added.

The declaration was supported -- after a show of hands -- by participants at the international gathering of researchers, politicians, business leaders and representatives of international agencies.

Organizers said the declaration was aimed at influencing next year's United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sometimes called Rio+20.

Targets listed in the declaration included to increase water efficiency in agriculture and energy production by 20 per cent by 2020, as well as decrease water pollution by one fifth by that year.

The week-long meeting in the Swedish capital was attended by about 2,500 particpants.

Solutions should especially target "the bottom billion," the poorest portion of the world's population, said Adeel Zafar, head of UN-Water that groups 28 United Nations agencies.

Anders Bertell of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), co-host of the World Water Week, said that unless measures were taken "water shortages will constrain economic growth and inhibit food and energy production in many regions."

Other backers of the statement included the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Conservation International and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

___

(c)2011 Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (Hamburg, Germany

9 Natural Remedies for Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis treatments

By Amanda Gardner
When it comes to natural treatments for psoriatic arthritis, there's not a ton of research. Conventional drugs have been shown to delay damage from the disease, but alternative therapies have not.

"Many of these supplements or vitamins may ease some of the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, but none have been shown to prevent damage," says Guy Fiocco, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, in Bryan.
That said, here are nine vitamins or remedies that may be helpful in addition to conventional treatment.

Fish oil

"Fish oil can reduce the proteins that are involved in inflammation a little bit," says Eric L. Matteson, MD, chair of rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., who suggests taking 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams a day, if needed.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been tried for almost all forms of arthritis, including psoriatic arthritis, says Dr. Matteson.

"Studies of acupuncture are very conflicting. They go all the way to not helping at all to helping a little bit, but it doesn't do anything for the immune-system problem of psoriasis," he says.

Some people say that acupuncture relieves their pain. The best results have been reported for isolated areas, such as knee arthritis, Dr. Matteson says.
For more click on ASK THE DOC INDEX PAGE.

2010 FASHION AND STYLE AWARD PLAY-BACK.

BASHY KUTI HOTTEST DESIGNER OF THE YEAR.

THE 2010 FASHION AND STYLE AWARD CATEGORIES

1. Fashion Designer of the year – Ituen Basi
2. Most Creative Designer of the year-
3. Hottest New Designer of the year(Male)- Clothsense
4. Hottest New Designer of the year(Female)- Zebra Living
5. Accessory Designer of the year- Linda Mesrob
6. Style Editor of the year- Omoyemi Akerele(Flair West Africa)
7. Fashion Writer of the year- Lathasha Ngwube(Thisday Style)
8. Most Creative Milliner of the year- Nena Kal Hunter
9. Most Supportive Company of the year- Daviva
10. Most Outstanding Fashion Boutique of the year(Clothings)- Twice As Nice
11. Most Stylish Woman of the year- Mowunmi Akinnifesi
12. Most Outstanding Fashion Boutique of the year(Accessories & Leather)- Duchess
13. Most Outstanding Fashion Boutique of the year( Accessories & Jewelry)- Beads of Acadia
14. Make-up Artists of the year- Eni Balogun
15. Beauty Spa of the year- Venivici
16. Hair Product of the year- Noble
17. International Designer of the year- Adebakare
18. Beauty Salon of the year- Touch of Glamour
19. Hottest New Make-up Artist of the year- Abeke
20. Best Aso-Oke Designer- Tisbee
21. Hottest Designer of the year(Man)- Bashy Kuti
22. Makeup Product of the year- H.I.P

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS

This based on their contribution to the growth of the fashion industry:

1. Lanre Da Silva
2. Lisa Folawiyo
3. Folaker Coker
4. Zizi Cardow
5. Deola Sagoe
6. Prince Idowu Oyefiusi
7. Funmi Ladipo
8. Patricia Agbakwu
9. Lexy Mojo Eyes
10. Ituen Basi
11. Soraya Adji
12. Hallero Fafowora
13. Mai Atafo
14. Monami
15. Mudiaga Clement Enajemo

 
 

BODY PERFECT.

BODY PERFECT

Nigeria’s Leading Weight-Loss Expert

WHAT FRUIT ARE YOU? PT 1

Body Perfect 101:  Belly–bulging fats? Minimize these fats as you try to tone your belly:

a.          Processed foods containing

·       Margarine

·       Fried foods

·       Shortening

·       Fatty cuts of beef

·       Chicken and turkey skin

·       Butter

·       Egg yolk.

b.          Eat more of these fats to help beautify your tummy:

·       Flaxseed Oil and ground flax seeds

·       Extra Virgin olive oil

·       Fish

·       Nuts, especially almonds

·       Canola oil.

By now, we already know how to get our perfect weight.  What about our body shape?  It is very important to know that in losing weight, there is no one-size fits all.  Some weight loss programme might help you to drop some pounds quickly like a detox or some crazy diets but they might not be healthy for continuous weight loss and the most important part: KEEPING IT OFF.

Eating for your body shape is custom–fit for you.  After all, hormonally speaking, our bodies vary tremendously and generically.  We can not change our genes or blood.

Your body shape is dependent on where you store fat, a phenomenon largely dependent on genetics. If your mother had big boobs and thick hips, you might be programmed the same way. 

Also understand that your genes have a lot to do with your ethnic background. For instance, people from the riverine areas tend to carry more fat especially around the abdomen and are not so lean or tall, compared to those from the north, especially the Fulanis, who are genetically lean.

So, that’s one explanation why your tall, lanky, leggy Fulani friend or co-worker has a different body shape than you from the riverine area. Your hormone profile is also linked to your genetic make up, especially in women and it causes your body type to keep fat rather than lose it. Those with high estrogen level may be linked to bigger thighs while an over-abundance of either cortisol or insulin can cause weight gain around the stomach.

Where you store fat matters, not just because of how it makes you look, but also because it controls how you lose weight. The golden rule of weight loss states that: where you put your fat first is where you will lose it last.

So, if you started noticing a small bulge around your middle, don’t expect to kiss that stomach bulge goodbye in a week. Your arms and legs will probably slim down first, no matter how many crunches or sit ups you do.

The point to note: There is no such thing as “spot reduction”.  You cannot choose where your body will lose fat first, regardless of how much you exercise a specific muscle group.

All the leg lifts in the world can never transform a J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez) type of curvaceous backside into Paris Hilton’s skinny little body (this is body shape speaking).  So, stop dreaming to look like your skinny friend while she is dreaming to have your backside.  Just make the best of your shape (define it) and not spoil it. Love your body and stop fighting it.

Next week: what fruit are you? (Part 2)

Body Perfect rules to a healthy and permanent weight loss: 

1.          Eat breakfast within 1 hour of rising.

2.          Eat every 3 hours

3.          Stop eating 3 hours before bed time.

Are you overweight?  It is time to start dropping that excess weight for HEALTH SAKE! 

Take a flexible tape round your middle.  If your waist line is above 31 inches and you are a woman, you are overweight. If your waist measures above 35 inches and you are a man, start making plans to reduce it so you can avoid degenerative diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity etc.

Do you know the seven reasons why you need to drink Body Perfect Cleansing and Healing Cocktail? Call 08023126770.

Follow us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/kate emiko; TWITTER: Kate emiko@bodyperfect73 and BB PIN: 2716COF6

Detox Solutions?

Call 08072444513 or 08037090382.

Follow us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/kate emiko; TWITTER: Kate emiko@bodyperfect73 and BB PIN: 2716COF6         

Ready to be on top of your health? Start with these detox solutions. (08037090382)

Are you overweight? A waistline of more than 31 inches for women and 36 inches for men is overweight and if you’re ready to bring it down in a healthy way, start with the following detox solutions:

(a) Miracle detox: A cleansing programme that helps rid your system of free radicals that clog your metabolism, making it difficult for you to lose weight. It is also good for jump starting a weight-loss programme. It is a one-month programme which includes 7 (seven) days of cleansing and 3 (three) weeks on a metabolic booster.  In one month, you can shift as much as 10kg.

(b) Beach Body Detox Diet: This is a more intensive detox/diet programme that gives faster and lasting results on weight-loss, energy and skin glow. It is a month long programme of clean eating based on a calorie intake of 1,200-1,500 of African foods. It has healthy supplements for hunger reduction, sugar craving and belly blast.  This helps with suborn abdominal fat, especially after child bearing or a Caesarean section. With a month of Beach Body Detox, you can shift as much as 18kg and 6 inches from the stomach.

(c) 48-Hour Detox: This is for people who are already on a weight-loss programme or want to reduce bloating within hours. It is a quick and healthy way to drop as much as 4-5kg in 48 hours.

Health is cheap, disease is expensive. (For details, call 08072444513, 08023126770 or 08034545819).

Follow us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/kate emiko; TWITTER: Kate emiko@bodyperfect73 and BB PIN: 2716COF6         

WOMEN ON WELLNESS PRODUCED BY REMI DIAGBARE.

The third edition of women on wellness took place at the prestigueous Federal palace hotel,Victoria Island,Lagos. It was a gathering of creame de la creame of the society. Amogst people in the corridor of powers that graced the occassion were, the first lady of Lagos State,Mrs.Bimbola Fashola, Mrs.Abba folawiyo, First lady of Ondo State,Mrs.Olufunke Mimiko, Erelu Dosunmu, Sentor Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Abike Dabiri.
Also, fashion designers were not left out as they trilled guest with fire works of their recent collections.
Designers at the event were: MONAMI, HOUSE OF JOLA, LA BENDELLE, VIVISGIRLS and IMOLS DESIGNS.
Also, Olumide Dada, Beejay Sax And Aju Elumelu made the night soothing with scintilating melodies that have the tendencies of dowsing down tensions.
Media houses were also on stand-by to ensure that all the scenes were captured.Amongst media houses at the event were Silver bird, Channels and ofcourse FashionNetork Africa covered it live through web streaming.
The center of attraction was the exhibitions of various craft work from designers. Thanks to top super model, Biola Boris the amiable fashion producer for her good work bringing excellence to the fashion show.