Herbal News Magazine
All About Herbal Medicine, Alternative Health News and Natural Supplements
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What are Xanthelasma?
Filed under Medical NewsSep 28Yeah, I never heard of these either, so don’t feel bad. These are actually the little yellow globs of fatty substances that are sometimes seen in the eyes, often on more elderly people. They are not just merely “there” though, according to new reports.
They actually may indicate serious heart problems, and the person who has them should go to the doctor to get a checkup as soon as they can to confirm their heart health. These little globby things that are yellow in color can be indicators of heart troubles, and they can also be indicators of death, so they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Men who had these strange little things in their eyes actually tested for a 12% higher risk of heart disease and death than men their age who did not have these in their eyes, so it is safe to assume that there is a connection between the two.
SO, what are xanthelasmas? They are actually clusters of cells that are literally stuffed with cholesterol. It means you literally have cholesterol coming out of your eyes. It used to simply be a sign of high cholesterol levels, but with all we know about cholesterol’s connection to heart disease and stroke, these little globs can have much higher implications.
However unattractive they may seem, they actually give a person a visual clue that all may not be okay in their bodies, and may now prompt them to go get their cholesterol and other vital signs and levels checked once more by a doctor.
There are good tests for cholesterol out there now, however, not everyone goes and gets them regularly. Also, not everyone may even know they have a problem. Obesity is a higher risk for high cholesterol, but that does not mean that thinner people can’t have high cholesterol too, so it’s important that we all do it. Especially as we get older and our own internal cholesterol controls get a little worn.
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Sep 14
Lipitor is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs today for older Americans. It is supposed to be a very effective drug to help reduce high cholesterol. Of course, the preferred method for reducing cholesterol is still by modifying your diet and exercising, but some people genuinely have a problem with this reading and need additional help.
The only natural remedies that I know of that may help lower the cholesterol levels naturally garlic and green tea. There may be others as well, but these two foods, in addition to an otherwise healthy and low fat diet (especially low in saturated fat and hydrogenated oils), may help to naturally lower the cholesterol.
Lipitor is now being looked at not only for its benefits for lowering cholesterol levels, but also for preventing death from respiratory illness and infection. This was an unexpected result that came about from other studies in patients who were taking the drugs.
This may be good news for older people who are on the drug, since the elderly population is generally more susceptible to serious respiratory illness and infections. They are more susceptible because they have a compromised immune system in many cases. In fact, pneumonia is a common cause of death in the elderly population, and often accompanies other illnesses that may not be directly related.
The side effects of Lipitor include muscle pain and liver problems, so they should not be taken by anyone who has previously had issues with their liver. Other side effects can include diarrhea, nausea, and a few others.
The company that makes Lipitor has approached the FDA to approve it for over the counter sales. This means you could get the drug without a prescription. No word yet on whether the FDA will greenlight this or not….
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Tagged as: cholesterol, drug, fda, infections, lipitor, natural ways to lower cholesterol, prescription free, side effects, uses -
Colon Cancer Deaths on the Decline
Filed under Medical NewsJul 19Good news on the front of cancer and cancer treatment, especially on American’s overall colon health, since our diets really don’t provide for the healthiest colon or digestive health environment. Colon cancer deaths are apparently declinining, and that is good news.
Could it be that our diets are improving? Or perhaps it is advances in colon health and preventive measures? Or maybe the treatments for colon cancer have gotten better, more targeted, or more centered around preventive and diet regimens?
Well, according to the latest numbers and studies, none of the above. Colon cancer screenings are on the rise, and that is thought to be the reason behind fewer colon cancer deaths.
If you catch any cancer earlier on than you would have without simply experiencing the symptoms, which often indicates it is later on in the process, you can obviously cure the cancer a lot easier, so this makes sense.
Colonoscopies are much more popular than they used to be, and are part of the recommended regimen for men and women as routine screenings as they get older. Colonoscopies can catch precancerous colon polyps, which often show up before they become cancerous.
They can then be excised from the colon, which can help prevent them from ever turning into cancerous polyps. This is one reason that colon cancer deaths are down.
Instead of this though, I would much have preferred to hear that doctors are prescribing healthy diets and people are actually adhering to them so that they reduce their chances of even getting colon polyps!
Colon health relies on your diet. It also relies on an exercise program, which helps keep all the functions which keep all organs healthy going. Diet is the number one preventive factor against colon cancer and colon health issues.
Colon cleansing by eating a healthy, high fiber diet that is rich in antioxidants, deeply colored raw fruits and veggies, is the best way to keep your colon clean and cancer free, period!
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Tagged as: cancer, clean, cleansing, colon, colon health, colonoscopies, deaths, decline, diet, down, high fiber, polyps, preventive, screening -
Jun 15
There is some concern that has recently surface that the hit drug that helps smokers in their quest for permanent smoking cessation - Chantix, has deeper links to the suicide than previously thought. The initial warning was because of a possible cause, but nothing definitive was ever really disclosed.
It turns out there were a higher rate of suicides than was realized, and that the drug really could potentially be a health threat to anyone taking it to quit smoking.
Apparently Pfizer, the makers of the popular smoking drug, had sent years of clinical data through the wrong channels for final approval for marketing, and the potential side effects and possible health hazards were never carefully reviewed or considered by the FDA, which oversees the approval or prescription drugs, before it went to public market.
The FDA was unaware that there were actually many more suicides than the initial data they looked at for safety, and there were also many reports of psychotic behavior and episodes from users that took the drug, whose medical name is varenicline.
Some of the accounts of patients who experienced the bouts of hostility, violence and extreme depression while on the drug are extremely troubling, to say the least. Many of them were patients with no previous history of mental health issues or depression.
Some tried suicide, some actually succeeded. Others were violent against strangers or their own family or friends for no apparent reason.
All the more reason to really do your homework before trying any drug. These side effects were reported, but not with as much oomph as they should have been knowing the severity of the consequences if a person reacted this way.
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Health Risks of Acetominophen
Filed under Medical NewsJun 7Acetominophen, as far as an over the counter pain reliever goes, is a relatively harmless medication that can be taken to help quell mild pain. People have been taking it for decades now for everything from headache and migraine pain (although it may not be all the effective against migraines), to muscle and nerve related pain.
Even though aceominophen has long been a favorite, relatively safe OTC pain reliever, it also has been called into question over potential issues that can arise with frequent use. Acetominophen use has been linked to increased rates of a very rare blood cancer, in the latest unfortunate news about this relied-on pain relief medication.
However, the good news is that the risk of this rare blood cancer is very, very low.
Other health risks associated with frequent use of this OTC pain reliever is a tie that links it to the occurrence of asthma. There was a study that I reported on months back that linked acetominophen to increased rates of childhood asthma. By the way, there are some excellent natural ways to reduce asthma attacks that I strongly urge you to read about, especially as an asthma sufferer myself.
One of the good side effects of acetominophen use however, is it’s tie to lower risks of colon cancer, or at least higher survival rates of sufferers. While there are goods and bads to every OTC pain reliever, it’s preferable to ALWAYS keep them to a minimum. There are simply too many reasons to keep them only for emergency purposes.
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