The Alternative Medicine Blog

Factors influencing the restoration of fluid and electrolyte balance after exercises in the heat

Purpose: The creators of this study tried to find the best way to rehydrate after strenuous exercise in the heat. All the experiments were performed under controlled conditions in a laboratory in which researchers experimented with different rehydration techniques.
Because potassium is thought of to help rehydration after exercise because potassium is a major component of cytosol and ingestion of potassium after exercise might help retain water in intracellular space, researchers set up an experiment to find out if that indeed was the case.

Syndrome X

Syndrome X also known as metabolic syndrome is a condition that has at its center insulin resistance and at least 3 of the other 5 diagnostic criteria. These other criteria according to Steinbaum (2004) are:

Can Pesticide Use Increase Birth Defects?

According to recent research by Winchester (2009), conceiving a baby in spring and early summer might increase the risk of various birth defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate, and Down syndrome.

The reason for this, Winchester (2009) argues, might be high pesticide levels in ground water in spring and summer due to crop dusting. This of course is not only a local phenomena but the research suggest that pesticide use might play a role in birth defects nationwide.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) & High Cholesterol

Health care providers have been prescribing Vitamin B3, more specifically, the nicotinic acid form of vitamin B3 since the mid 50's [1].

The Coronary Drug Project (CDP) followed over 8,000 men who had at least one heart attack for six years. When researchers compared findings with placebo, they found that 3g of nicotinic acid per day was responsible for [2]:

10% reduction in total serum cholesterol (nicotinic acid significantly increased HDL cholesterol {the good}, while decreasing LDL cholesterol {the bad}),
26% reduction in triglycerides,
27% reduction in recurrent nonfatal heart attacks
26% reduction in strokes and transient ischemic attacks.

Pancreatic Cancer Surgical Options

x-ray fluorescence had a comment on my Pancreatic Cancer post.

"Hi, Can anyone please let me know ..how much there will be expenses there for Pancreatic Tumor Operation?"

The answer to that is not quite as simple as it should be. Here is why. There are several surgical options that are available here in the US. I imagine each of these come with a different price tag attached to them. The first thing I would do is check with my insurance company if any of these procedures are covered and to what extend. Now to the technical information of the surgeries.

The procedures could be divided into two categories:

1. Surgery before the cancer has metastasized

2. Palliative surgery if cancer already has metastasized to other tissues.

All in all there are six surgeries performed, three in each category...

In These Economic Times, Is An Investment In Cosmetic Dentistry Wise?

by Dr. Peter J. Pagano,
author of the upcoming book: Ageless Smile: What You Need to Know About Midlife Dentistry

With retirement age coming later for many of us than our parent’s generation and more people on the dating scene at midlife and older, a great smile is no longer just for the Hollywood types. It’s a great asset.

Heart Disease is now Accepted to be an Inflammatory Condition

Heart disease is now accepted to be an inflammatory condition and not due to excess cholesterol.

There is a growing consensus that CRP (c-reactive protein) levels, which can be measured via blood tests, are an indicator of inflammation bearing a risk of increased risk for heart disease. C-reactive protein is elevated after injury, fever, and infection. Continued high CRP levels may cause a chain reaction as seen in atherosclerosis i.e. coronary plaque, narrowing of the vessel’s lumen, thrombus formation, decreasing blood flow to the heart causing a hear attack [1].

A new liposomal formulation of Gemcitabine is active in an orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer accessible to bioluminescence imaging

It seems there is slowly but surely a certain target area of searches on the Alternative Medicine Blog emerging. The area of most interest seems to be in response to my post dealing with Pancreatic Cancer. Just recently Dinora posted a comment that was very heart warming and brought back memories of my dad's struggle with cancer. Here it is. "I definitely agree with you, we need to become more educated. My husband has Pancreatic Ca and this only helps me reinforce my thoughts of both western and alternative medicine. It is nice for someone like me that is 24-7 by my husband's bedside in the hospital and out to try to research on a lot of different alternatives. However, I know it needs to be done,but your article will give me a jump start. Thank you."

It seems that Dinora is doing the right thing in researching everything there is to know about her husband's disease. On the other hand, it encouraged me to hone in on the subject of pancreatic cancer in coming posts, to help Dinora and other's to find answers to pressing questions. Such as:

Water up Your Nose? The Benefits of Nasal Irrigation

by Danielle Grilli

Yes, we’ve seen it sitting there on the top shelf of our local health food store (that teapot, Aladdin lamp looking gravy boat contraption on sale for $14.99 in the supplements section). Yes, we know it has its benefits, and yes, I’m sure everyone has run across one person or another who swears by it – but seriously - you want me to pour salt water up one side of my nose until it rains out the other? 

It seems counter-intuitive, wrong in a way, the neti pot, and really, one might ask him or herself, how effective can it possibly be?  Can this really help me?  Well yes, apparently, it can.

Organic Foods and the New Business Model

To call organic farming a new business model is somewhat of a misnomer. Organic farming has been practiced ever since the dawn of civilization. In order to understand the recent growth of organic foods in what is perceived big business one must back up about one century. If you guessed that organic farming started with the industrial revolution, more specifically the second industrial revolution (1870-1914) you are probably pretty close.

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency

I am intrigued by the intermediary of glucose, Glucose-6-phosphate. After tearing out my hairs dealing with this sucker last week it becomes pretty obvious how important G6P is.

Having a major role in 5 metabolic pathways, it follows than that it is very common in cells. Following along this line of thought, it should also come as no surprise that the most common enzyme deficiency on this planet has to do with G6P. About 400 million people are affected by Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency which can cause hemolytic anemia. [1]

The enzyme Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase plays a role in the oxidative stage of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway, converting glucose-6-phosphate to 6-phosphoglucono-d-lactone. Not only does this enzyme catalyze the above conversion, a by-product of this conversion is none other than the ever so important NADPH. The whole step uses NADP+ and Mg2+ to produce before mentioned NADPH + H+.[2]

Deficiency of this enzyme causes accumulation of glucose, and a reduction of NADPH. It is suggested that the deficiency of G6PD might be directly related to the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus type 2 and hypertension in African Americans.[3]

It seems that the only treatments for G6PD deficiency are:[4]

* Prevention: avoidance of foods and drugs that may cause hemolysis
* Blood transfusions, dialysis
* Splenectomy (removal of the spleen)
* Folic acid supplementation

When one considers the magnitude of G6PD deficiency as it might be the cause of not only hemolytic anemia, but also hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2, it comes as a surprise that the only four options for treatment should be a radical surgery, nutritional steps for prevention, or blood transfusions/ dialysis.

I can't help but wonder how come that there are no other treatments available? Is it too big of a problem to solve?

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose-6-phosphate_dehydrogenase_deficiency
2. http://www.biochem.arizona.edu/classes/bioc462/462b/glycolysis.html
3. Gaskin RS, Estwick D, Peddi R (2001). "G6PD deficiency: its role in the high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus". Ethnicity & disease 11 (4): 749–54
4. Treatment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose-6-phosphate_dehydrogenase_deficiency