Toilet Paper Could Hide a Cancer Warning Sign, Doc Says

Toilet paper containing red ink could disguise a dangerous medical condition, one doctor believes.

Paper that is decorated with pictures or designs that include red ink could look bloody when wet, and traces of red blood in the toilet are one of the most common signs of colon cancer, colorectal surgeon Dr. Guy Nash of Poole Hospital, in England, wrote in a letter published Jan. 15 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

“Those patients bleeding will miss real blood, and those not bleeding will report ‘blood’ in the toilet mistakenly,” Nash said.

Colon cancer, or colorectal cancer, develops in the cells that line the large intestine (colon) or rectum. The condition caused about 50,000 deaths in the United States in 2013, according to the National Cancer Institute, and many people suffer few symptoms early on. [10 Do’s and Don’ts to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer]

Nash said he saw what looked like blood in his own toilet, but it turned out to be red hearts adorning the bathroom tissue. He said manufacturers and the public should be aware of this risk.

“In my view, it is irresponsible of the makers to have not considered this,” Nash told LiveScience in an email, adding that inks of other colors would not create this difficulty.

Not all medical professionals view it as a concern, however.

“I think it’s nonsense,” said Dr. David Bernstein, a gastroenterologist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. Bernstein said he has never seen a patient who confused colored toilet paper with signs of colon cancer.

“If someone sees blood, they should call their doctor, not panic, and have it appropriately evaluated,” Nash said. He also said healthy people should have regular colonoscopies, which are widely recommended as a screening tool for colorectal cancer.

Bloody stool is much more commonly associated with hemorrhoids than colon cancer, both doctors said. Other causes could include an anal fissure, diverticular disease or colitis.

And red toilet paper isn’t the only thing people may mistake for blood. Nash said some of his patients report bleeding that turns out to be beetroot eaten three days earlier.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/toilet-paper-could-hide-cancer-warning.html

Vitamin D Reduces Pain in People with Fibromyalgia

Taking vitamin D supplements may alleviate chronic pain in people with fibromyalgia who have low levels of the vitamin, according to a new study from Austria.

Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome suffer from chronic, body-wide muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. Previous studies have pointed to the possible role of vitamin D in the perception of chronic pain.

In the new study, researchers studied whether raising patients’ vitamin D levels to the recommended range would help with some of their symptoms. Thirty patients with fibromyalgia who also had low levels of vitamin D in their blood (below 32 nanograms per milliliter) were randomly assigned to take either oral vitamin D supplements, or a placebo, for 20 weeks.

Weeks after the treatment ended, patients who took the supplements were still experiencing reduced pain, while people who had taken placebo didn’t see a change in their pain level, according to the study, published today (Jan. 17) in the journal Pain.

“Vitamin D supplementation may be regarded as a relatively safe and economical treatment” for people with fibromyalgia,” said study researcher Dr. Florian Wepner, an orthopedist at the Orthopaedic Hospital Speising in Vienna.

However, the vitamin is not a cure for the condition, Wepner said. Fibromyalgia “cannot be explained by a vitamin D deficiency alone,” he said. And although the patients who took vitamin D saw reductions in their pain, there were no significant changes in their depression or anxiety symptoms.

Fibromyalgia affects about 2 percent of the U.S. population, and is more common in women than in men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No treatments are available that address all symptoms of the condition, but some symptoms may be alleviated by physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and temporary drug therapy.

Vitamin D is present in very few foods, but is produced by the skin after exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. It can be found in fortified foods, such as milk, orange juice and cereals as well. Too much vitamin D has its risks, too — it can cause damage to the heart and kidneys. [9 Good Sources of Disease-Fighter Vitamin D]

Low levels of vitamin D are especially common in patients with severe pain and fibromyalgia, the researchers said.

“Vitamin D levels should be monitored regularly in fibromyalgia patients, especially in the winter season, and raised appropriately,” Wepner said.

Source: http://www.axuedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/vitamin-d-reduces-pain-in-people-with.html

New Genital Herpes Treatment Shows Promise

A new drug appears to combat the virus that causes genital herpes, suggesting it could one day be used as a treatment for people with the condition, according to a new study.

In study medical, the drug pritelivir reduced the replication of herpes simplex virus type 2 (which causes genital herpes) in patients with the condition, as well as the number of days patients experienced genital lesions.

Those who took 75 milligrams of the drug each day for about a month experienced viral shedding (which indicates the virus is active and replicating in the body) on just 2.1 percent of days, compared to 16.6 percent of days in those who took a placebo.

And those who took pritelivir at this dose experienced genital lesions on just 1.2 percent of days, compared with 9 percent of days for those who took a placebo.

More studies are needed to further assess the effectiveness of pritelivir, and compare it with existing drugs for genital herpes, the researchers said.

The new findings are good news, said Dr. Richard Whitley, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was not involved in the study. “This is the first drug in 30 years that has a different mechanism of action” than existing drugs, Whitley said.

New treatments for genital herpes are needed because current drugs do not work well for certain complications of genital herpes, including brain infections, and infections that can occur in babies who contract the virus at birth, Whitley said.

And while current drugs reduce symptoms, they don’t eliminate them, and they only partly reduce the risk of spreading herpes through sexual activity, said study researcher Dr. Anna Wald, a professor of allergy and infectious diseases at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle.

“There’s clearly room for improvement” with genital herpes drugs, Wald said.

Wald noted that older drugs are active only in cells that are infected with the herpes virus.

“That’s one of the reason why the drugs are so safe. But [it] may limit the efficacy of the drug,” Wald said. On the other hand, pritelivir is active even in cells unaffected by the virus.

In rare cases, people with immune system problems have developed resistance to the current drugs used to treat herpes. Alternative drugs for genital herpes could offer a solution to this problem, Whitley said.

No serious side effects linked to pritelivir were seen in the current study, which looked at 156 people.

However, in May last year, the Food and Drug Administration placed development of pritelivir on hold because high doses of the drug given to monkeys were linked with toxic effects. Researchers are  investigating the cause of these toxic effects.

Whitley said he suspects the hold will be lifted, and studies in people can continue.

The study was funded by AiCuris, the pharmaceutical company that is developing pritelivir.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/new-genital-herpes-treatment-shows.html

Researchers Identify Stomach Clock

Researchers at University of Adelaide reveal that they have discovered the first evidence that the nerves in the stomach act as a circadian clock through which the stomach sends signals to the brain about when to eat food.

“What we’ve found is that the nerves in the gut are at their least sensitive at time periods associated with being awake. This means more food can be consumed before we feel full at times of high activity, when more energy is required. However, with a change in the day-night cycle to a period associated with sleeping, the nerves in the stomach become more sensitive to stretch, signaling fullness to the brain quicker and thus limiting food intake.  This variation repeats every 24 hours in a circadian manner, with the nerves acting as a clock to coordinate food intake with energy requirements”, lead researcher Dr Stephen Kentish said.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/12/researchers-identify-stomach-clock.html

Gut Bacteria Help Improve Mental Health

New research conducted by scientists links probiotics (live bacteria that help maintain a healthy digestive system) to changes in mood and mental health. Probiotics when ingested in adequate amounts offer enormous potential for the treatment of depression and other stress-related disorders.

While many of the numerous health-improvement claims have yet to be supported scientifically, it has been claimed that micro-organisms do exert positive effects in intestinal tracts, particularly when used to counteract the effects of antibiotics, which kill both ‘bad’ and ‘good’ bacteria.

Over the past few years, studies have been undertaken to explore the possible impact of probiotics on behaviour. It is within this context that the concept of a psychobiotic has arisen.

Timothy Dinan and his colleagues from University College Cork in Ireland, define a psychobiotic as “a live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness.”

The gut microbiota, which contains approximately 1 kg of bacteria, can be modulated by diet and many other factors. It is not static and can change from day to day, starting at birth. Evidence has shown that even the form of delivery (vaginal versus cesarean) alters an individual’s microbiota.

Dinan and his colleagues review one study that assessed the potential benefits of a specific probiotic, B. infantis, in rats displaying depressive behavioural science due to maternal separation. The probiotic treatment normalized both their behaviour and their previously-abnormal immune response.

This preclinical study and others like it strongly support the hypothesis that probiotics have the potential to exert behavioural and immunological effects.

The study is published in Biological Psychiatry.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/11/gut-bacteria-help-improve-mental-health.html

How to Handle Depression

About depression

It is ok to be moody once in a while but if you feel moody for a longer period of time then it could be depression.
It is a medical condition that is treatable.

A depressed person feels intense sadness that could disrupt daily activities.Primary symptoms

• Sadness/moodiness
• Lack of interest in life activities
• Loss of weight / gain in weight
• Loss of appetite /Comfort eating
• Sense of worthlessness / hopelessness
• Loss of sleep
• Suicidal thought

Affects Daily Life

1. The physical and emotional problems in depressed people can upset their day-to – day activities, careers, interests and personal relationships.
2. They are also highly prone to suicidal tendencies and often talk of death or taking their own lives.

Who is at risk?

• Depression is universal but in serious cases genetics and family history play a role.
• Medical Studies have shown that women are more prone to depression than men.
• Depression and suicidal tendencies is also known to occur in children
• People who have been through catastrophic events such as earthquakes or those who have experienced personal tragedies are prone to suffer from depression

Depression Causes

1. Depression is believed to be caused by an alteration in the brain structure and an imbalance in the brain chemical called neurotransmitter
2. Post partum depression “baby blues” are experienced by many women soon after delivery. In some the condition is serious and they tend to neglect the new born
3. Seasonal changes lead to seasonal affective disorder(SAD) in some particulary in winter
4. Substance abuse, increased alcohol intake and medications are also known to cause depression

Diagnosing depression

Diagnosing depression is usually done by discussing with the doctor the following –

• The medical history of the condition
• The severity of its symptoms
• Nature of daily activities , with the doctor

Vagus – Nerve Stimulation

1. Pace maker for treatment – resistant depression.
2. This device sends electrical impulses to the brain and stimulates the vagus nerve. This produces the feel-good chemical and eases the patient’s depression

Other methods

• Exercising is a Time-tested method to beat stress. While exercising endorphins are produced which is a good antidote for depression. Exercising enhances self esteem. Even moderate activity is known to lower stress and produce sleep.
• Keeping pets are also a considered a good way to counter loneliness and depression.

Be Social

Depressed people are always not lonely but lonely people tend to be depressed. Make sure you network with medical people and stay in touch with friends and family. Join any class of your interest or join a support group

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/11/how-to-handle-depression.html

4 Ways Women Can Thrive in Business School

Business school leaders encourage women to dress and act like they’re in control.

 

Female MBA candidates may have a harder time finding camaraderie and a network that reflects their perspective. There are fewer women applying to business school, according to recent research.

The proportion of women applicants this year decreased compared with 2012 levels in five different kinds of MBA programs, according to the 2013 application trends survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council. The applicant pool for a master’s in management, for example, had 53 percent women in 2012, but in 2013 that number dipped to 49 percent.

 

1. Raise your hand:

 

 

Women often hesitate to talk right away during a class discussion, but should push themselves to speak up sooner, says Amy Hillman, dean of the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

They can “start raising their hand before they’ve fully formulated what they’re going to say,” says Hillman. “It gets you in the game a lot quicker.”

 

2. Speak with authority:

 

Women must abandon negative qualifying statements, says Daria Burke, founder and CEO of Black MBA Women. Starting a response with, “This might be a dumb question, but … ” or “I don’t know if this is right” detracts from the quality of the message, she says. “People will trust you more and be more inclined to listen if you are more confident and doing it without that apology,” say Burke, a graduate of the Stern School of Business at New York University.

3. Look like you mean business:

 

 

Dressing in a professional manner can help women communicate that they want to be taken seriously, Burke says.

“Don’t wear anything that you wouldn’t wear in front of your coworkers,” she says, adding that short skirts and tight clothing may leave people with the wrong impression. “People will remember that and it makes a huge difference when people talk to you.”

 

4. Talk with professors:

 

Burke recalls frequently seeing male business school classmates in conversation with professors after class. She urges women to get to know their teachers so that in class these same professors will call on them.

A close relationship with professors can also be beneficial after business school, she says. “You have those champions as you advance your career.”

 

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/11/4-ways-women-can-thrive-in-business.html

9 Testing Tips for College Applicants

As the college application process picks up steam, no credential sparks more consternation among applicants than standardized testing. The following are tips for managing your test results as you apply for admission.

1. Consider your options:

Review your testing experience to determine which scores (SAT, ACT, or both) you want to send to each school.

Every college in the country now uses the SAT and the ACT interchangeably. Submit the set of results that puts you in the most competitive light.

2. Decide which tests you will take this fall:

If you have already taken the SAT two times and are disappointed by the results, you might be facing a point of diminishing returns. Consider turning your attention to the ACT. Achieving a respectable score on the ACT means that admissions officers have options with regard to the test results they can use to rationalize offering you a place in their respective classes.

3. Consider waiting to see the results first:

For tests taken this fall, you may want to wait until you have seen the results before deciding to have official score reports sent to colleges. This is an option afforded you through Score Choice by both testing agencies (College Board and ACT) in acknowledgement of the fact that you own the results and can control where they are sent. With Score Choice, you can choose, for a fee, the test results that are to be submitted to each college.

4. Keep the “superscore” in mind:

At most colleges admissions officers will look at the best combination of scores. If you have taken the SAT two to three times, your best Critical Reading score might have come on your third test while your best math score might have come on your second test. In order for colleges to pull results from different test administrations for a “superscore,” you will need to submit scores from each. The prevalence of “superscoring” makes Score Choice an unnecessary consideration at most colleges.

5. Arrange for test results to be sent directly to schools:

Colleges strongly prefer to receive SAT and ACT test results directly from the testing services. Make arrangements with the appropriate testing service to have your results sent directly to the colleges to which you are applying. If you are electing the Score Choice option, you will need to designate the date(s) of the test administration(s) for which you want scores submitted.

6. Find out which colleges require SAT Subject Tests:

Some will require specific tests while others simply indicate that you must submit a certain number of test results for subjects that you may choose.

7. Submit your college applications:

Don’t hold off on submitting your applications for admission until you have all of the results from tests to be taken this fall or winter. You shouldn’t have to report actual scores on your applications. As long as you register with the testing service to have your scores sent to the colleges in question, the results of fall testing will be forwarded automatically to those colleges within two to three weeks.

8. Consider test-optional opportunities:

Compare your results with the range of scores reported for each test-optional college. If your scores fall in the bottom 50 percent of the score ranges, logic would suggest that you elect not to submit your scores, as they will do nothing to enhance your application. A complete list of test-optional colleges can be found online at The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest).

9. Choose colleges at which your testing profile is a good fit:

Remember, colleges are fond of reporting high scores for their entering classes. Target schools where your scores are in the top 25 percent of those reported for enrolled students—they will establish you as a viable candidate. The further your scores fall below the midpoint of the reported range of scores at a college, the less likely you will be admitted at that college.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/11/9-testing-tips-for-college-applicants.html

How to Function on Little to No Sleep

Being a busy college student, there will probably be times when you’re running on little to no sleep. As unhealthy as it is, it’s a reality that a lot of students face. If you couple a busy schedule with procrastination, then you’re going to run into a lot of late-night study sessions and days where you’re awake for 18+ hours trying to get everything done.

I’ve had plenty of days where I’m writing a ton of articles, have to do homework, and juggling 10 other things in the same day, and find myself having to come up with ways to keep going. These tips will help you stay focused and be as productive as possible even when you haven’t gotten enough sleep.

Keep in mind that not sleeping isn’t something that you should be doing regularly, and I’m definitely not recommending it. If you have a habit of not sleeping (insomnia), you should probably see a doctor.

Take a Cold Shower
I find cold showers to be extremely uncomfortable and don’t understand how people do it regularly. But on those days when I haven’t gotten any sleep, my opinions of cold showers go right out the window. Cold showers actually have a lot of health benefits, such as:   

1. Improving blood circulation
2. Keeping your hair and skin healthy
3. Keeps you fertile (for the guys trying to have kids)
4. Improves your immune system (contrary to popular belief)

Most importantly, cold showers help you feel more energized and invigorated. Sure it might be extremely uncomfortable at first, but sometimes you have to suck it up and do what you have to do to make it through the day.

Get Some Food in Your Stomach
The only thing worse than running on no sleep, is running on no sleep and an empty stomach. Your body needs food for energy. The feeling of being hungry and tired is enough to make you want to just fall out where you’re standing.

Make sure you’re eating plenty of lean protein and complex carbohydrates like leafy vegetables, whole wheat grains, and legumes. A big mistake people make is thinking that overloading on sugary junk food will give them the energy they need to make it throughout the day.

The truth is, junk food tends to have the opposite effect. You might get a brief sugar rush, but after a while you’ll start to feel tired, bogged down, and find it hard to focus. Stick to real, natural food to get your energy.
 
Focus on What Needs to Get Done
Since you don’t have as much energy, you need to use the energy that you do have wisely. That means you should only be focusing on the things that need to get done immediately. If you have an assignment that isn’t due for a week, don’t rush to try to finish it when you barely slept the night before.

Prioritize your to-do list and take care of the things that must be done today. Save everything else for when you’ve had a chance to get some sleep.

Get Moving
Sitting stagnant for long periods of time when you haven’t had any sleep will make you want to fall asleep. You need to get up and do something active every now and then to get those endorphins moving around a little. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that contribute to the function of your central nervous system. When you get active and release your endorphins, you’ll be more alert and focused.

You don’t have to go to the gym for an hour to get the benefits though. In fact, overexerting yourself might just tire you out even more. Just going outside and taking a quick jog around the block or even doing some shadow boxing in the air will help you out.

Use Caffeine Sparingly
We all know that caffeine (the active ingredient in coffee) can help keep you awake. America’s love for coffee is well documented, and our level of coffee consumption is no doubt tied to our on-the-go culture. However, you have to remember to only drink coffee sparingly.

There are some adverse effects of consuming too much caffeine such as being jittery, insomnia, and some heart conditions. Around 2-3 cups of coffee (200-300mg of caffeine) is considered average. If you’re using caffeine pills, make sure you check the dosage so that you don’t take too much.

The last thing you want is to become addicted and dependent on caffeine to stay awake. Then you’ll be looking for articles on how to go to sleep instead of how to stay awake.

Drink Plenty of Water
All of those “Top 10 Energy-Boosting Foods” lists are fun to read, but make no mistake about it: water is the original energy drink. If you’re dehydrated while you’re sleep deprived, you’re not going to make it very far through the day.

Skip the 5-hour Energy shots and Monster energy drinks and stick to good old fashioned water.

Turn on the Lights

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that if you’re sleepy and in a dark room, you’re going to want to fall asleep. Dark rooms are typically more calming and relaxing than bright rooms, which creates an atmosphere that welcomes sleep.

Our eyes have a photoreceptor system that takes in light differently than the system that controls our vision. These receptors help reset our body clock. The type of light your eyes are exposed to also plays an important role.

Blue lights have been shown to be the most effective for keeping you awake and focused. That’s the reason you always hear people say to turn off your computers and other gadgets if you’re trying to go to sleep. The screens on these devices use blue lights, which make it more difficult for you to sleep.

Your Best Option
Of course, the best solution for staying awake and alert is a good night’s sleep. But if you’re just having one of those days when sleeping isn’t an option, give the other tips a try.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/11/how-to-function-on-little-to-no-sleep.html

Why You Should Drink Less Soda

Hey! Yes, you over there with the vodka and Sprite. You’re not going to like this, but you should put that down.

Whether we’re mixing it with alcohol or drinking it straight from the can at a family barbeque, the average American drinks two cans of soda each day. That’s the average, and there are a lot of us that don’t drink any at all.

That two-a-day average is about 275 extra empty and harmful calories each day for regular soda. Not to mention the sugar, chemicals, and fake additives. Well, actually, I am going to mention them below, along with the remaining top reasons why you should drink less soda!

Sugar
One can of soda sets you back about 33 grams of sugar. Americans are consuming WAY too much regular sugar as it is — not to mention the refined white flours, bred-for-sugar fruits, and slew of simple carbohydrates that don’t look anything like whole grains. And most of the sodas in the U.S. don’t even use real sugar; they use high fructose corn syrup.

Sugar is not an essential nutrient (though my cookie-loving half might disagree), so there is no recommended daily allowance set by the Institute of Medicine. However, most sources suggest limiting your sugar to about 20-50 grams per day. That’s maybe two chocolate chip cookies or one can of soda, so take your pick!

Fake Sugar
Okay, so we don’t love real sugar, but at least it’s real in some some sense. Fake sugar, on the other hand, is not — hence the fake. You’d think high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) would be healthier since it has corn in the name, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

HFCS comes from GMO corn and is linked to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, and is as far from a real food as you can get. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are linked to allergic reactions, cancer, and toxicity within the body. So if you think that your Diet Coke is better than a regular Coke, think again my friend.

Water
After the revelation that it takes three liters of water to produce just one liter of bottled water, I was flabbergasted. Now, looking at soda, I feel shocked again. For something that dehydrates your body, it requires a surprisingly large amount of water in production.

One two-liter bottle of soda requires as much as 132 gallons of water for production. Plus, a large percentage of soda is manufactured in desert climates and countries where people already have limited access to clean water (such as India).  You’re better off just drinking the water instead of the soda.

Cans
Aluminum: It’s one of the most widely used metals in the world, but once it leeches into your body, it can harm your central nervous system, interrupt calcium absorption, and possibly contribute to brain decay, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.

Not to mention all the water used in the making of the can, or the biomatter than may be contaminating the lips of the cans before you get to them. (And don’t get me started on the BPA lining the cans. This little chemical is going straight to any cancer-creating factories in your body.)

Additionally, the aluminum industry is rough on the environment. For every ton of metal produced, one ton of toxins is left behind. Some people tell you to switch to glass, but that’s not a great solution either. Glass is much heavier, meaning it requires more fuel to transport, i.e. wasting more natural resources.

Teeth
You know that you can clean a penny with cola, right? And if you leave said penny soaking for too long, the cola will eventually eat away at the metal as well. Yeah, Coke eats metal, and it’s eating your teeth too! The tooth decay from soda has actually been compared to that of meth. (Yeah, like that Breaking Bad stuff.)

Soda eats away at your protective tooth enamel, making your entire mouth more vulnerable to disease and infection. If you must have your soda, at least use and straw and rinse your mouth with water immediately after drinking.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/11/why-you-should-drink-less-soda.html