Tips for Acne Scar Skin Care

Like it or not, there are only a few fortunate people on the planet who have gone without acne their whole lives. For the rest of us mere mortals, acne has been a problem at one time or another; and for some of us, that same problematic acne left us with scars. Thanks to technology and research, however, there are now many different acne scar skin care techniques that can help us cover up and totally lose the scars.

Make no mistake: most acne scar skin care remedies and techniques are expensive, and they need to be undertaken for a long period of time before any results can emerge. Before you can understand how acne scar skin care works, however, you need to know about acne first and what can cause scarring.

Acne vulgaris

Acne vulgaris is caused by the clogging of skin pores by dirt, debris, or dried skin cells. This clogging causes pimples to form, creating the well-known cystic acne that is common in teenagers or persons with hormonal imbalances. The underlying cause of acne vulgaris has yet to be determined, however: some doctors and scientists propose that fluctuating hormonal levels contribute to acne, while others surmise that acne vulgaris is genetic in nature and can be inherited from one's parents.

Whatever the cause of acne, dermatologists will always caution you to refrain from touching your face, removing the pimples yourself, and, more crudely, "popping your zits". This is because any manual force not exerted by medically-approved means can cause acne scars to form.

Types of acne scars

In general, there are two types of acne scars, the pigmented scars and the pitted ones. Pigmented scars can be red or brown in color, and appear after the pimple has disappeared. Although they can be unseemly to look at, they can disappear after treatment, or they can vanish on their own after a few weeks or months.

On the other hand, pitted scars occur when damage is done to the skin tissue beneath the acne. Such scars look like indentations on the skin, and are often referred to as pockmarks. Both kinds of acne scars have their own methods for removal or concealment.

Acne scar skin care for pigmented scars involves using lotions or creams that have whitening compounds. Such compounds can remove the pigment from the scar and even out one's pigmentation. For instance, exfoliating agents such as glycolic acid or alpha-hydroxy acids can remove dead skin cells from the area so that new skin can immediately be regenerated.

Acne scar skin care is a little more complicated for pitted scars, as these scars are difficult to erase. Some dermatologists can inject protein stimulators that can induce skin cells to form the important proteins elastin and collagen. Once the cells surrounding the scars start producing these proteins, the skin can be plumper, and the depth of the scars can be made shallower, further reducing their pockmarked appearance.

Laser therapy

Laser treatments can also be used to combat acne scarring. Ablative laser treatment, for instance, burns scar tissue off from the surface of the skin, which stimulates the underlying skin to tighten. Such a technique injures the skin and exposes underlying tissue, so that people undergoing ablative laser treatment have to likewise be protected from infection. Moreover, because laser therapy can be painful, doctors apply anesthetics to the skin before undertaking any laser procedure.

On the other hand, non-ablative laser treatment can induce changes in the underlying skin tissue without doing injury to the epidermis, or the surface of the skin. Such laser therapy is relatively fast: this time, it heats up the oil glands in the skin, preventing acne from forming; it also tightens the underlying skin, so that scarring will be less visible. Another type of laser therapy makes use of the yellow pulse dye laser, a machine that operates using yellow light. Yellow light treats keloids, and can flatten or reduce inflammation of raised scars.

Fat transplant

There are other options for acne scar skin care. A dermatologist may offer to inject the scar, or plump it up, with filler substances such as bovine collagen. Fat can also be transplanted from other parts of the patient's body and into the acne scar. Some dermatologists may also recommend creams or lotions that can plump the skin temporarily and remove any sign of wrinkles, acne scar depressions, or age lines. There are also excision and incision techniques that can be carried out on irregularly-shaped acne scars.

There are still many methods of acne scar skin care. If you have acne scars, always consult with a dermatologist first and talk about what options are available for your case. With the right acne scar skin care, you can have smoother, fairer skin in no time at all.

Sugar is the key to the nicotine rush according to new research

Smoking and blood sugar levels are highly interrelated – nicotine causes the body to release satisfying levels of sugar into the bloodstream far faster than eating can, which explains its appetite-inhibiting effects. The results of low blood sugar levels in a quitting nicotine addict are also responsible for some of the most difficult withdrawal symptoms. Now it has been discovered that sugar is also a key element in the chemical reaction that causes a smoker to feel “high”. When nicotine molecules are received by neurotransmitter membranes, it’s sugar molecules that then act as a sort of hinge to open a gate in the cell membrane and send the "nicotine rush" nerve signal onward.

When nicotine binds to a neuron, how does the cell know to send the signal that announces a smoker’s "high"? As with other questions involving good sensations, the answer appears to be sugar.

A USC study appearing with a commentary in Nature Neuroscience online proposes a role for sugar as the hinge that opens a gate in the cell membrane and brings news of nicotine’s arrival.

Structural biologist Raymond Stevens of The Scripps Research Institute, who was not involved in the study, called it “a landmark accomplishment for the fields of structural biology and neuronal cell signaling.”

Besides substance addiction, Stevens pointed to epilepsy, schizophrenia and depression as targets for improved drugs that could result from the study’s findings.

The study provides the first detailed look at part of the mouse nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), one in a large and important group of molecules, known as ion channel proteins, that allow signals to pass between neurons.

The results reveal an important role for the sugar molecules in such proteins.

“Our studies fill a major gap in the field and set a new paradigm,” said Lin Chen, associate professor of molecular and computational biology in USC College and co-corresponding author with Zuo-Zhong Wang, associate professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Many existing theories, which do not consider sugar’s role, are probably incomplete, Chen said.

The debate over how signals pass from the outside of a cell to the inside is a long-standing one.

Some researchers had suggested that when a chemical such as nicotine binds to an ion channel protein on the cell surface, the protein starts a “conformational wave” that propagates a signal through the protein body to the cell membrane, Chen said.

But the molecular basis of such a wave in nAChR or any other protein has not been clearly established.

Instead, the Chen and Wang groups’ study of crystal structure suggested a simple mechanical role for sugar molecules attached to the surface of the receptor.

“They serve as the link between the neurotransmitter binding site and the membrane region where the gate is located,” Chen said.

“The sugar is kind of like a hinge. It’s pulling the door open and closed.”

Cutting the sugar chains stopped the gate’s operation: “The sugar is critical, in my opinion”, said Chen.

The researchers also found a water molecule deep in the receptor’s core – significant because proteins normally are filled with hydrophobic (water repellent) matter that helps the structure hold its shape according to Chen.

The water molecule may enable the receptor to alter its shape in counterbalance to the bending hinge.

Previously studied “homologs” of nAChR – proteins that share its structure but not its signaling function – are entirely hydrophobic, Chen said, supporting the theory that the buried water molecule plays a functional role.

Chen called the group’s Nature Neuroscience study “one of the few times that you felt that you connected the dots.”

The study also represents a tour de force of protein crystallography. Homologs of nAChR had been studied at the atomic scale, but not the receptor itself. One problem, solved by Wang’s laboratory, was the challenge of isolating large quantities of the nAChR protein in a suitable form.

“Many prestigious institutions and laboratories in the world have experienced tremendous difficulties for over two decades in getting a protein sample amenable for high-resolution studies of the structure,” Wang said.

Cosma Dellisanti, research associate in molecular and computational biology at USC, was first author. The other co-authors were Yun Yao of the Keck School and James Stroud of UCLA.

Funding for the research came from the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the National Institutes of Health.

More on Interesting Life

Cannabis 'raises psychosis risk'

Cannabis users are 40% more likely than non-users to suffer a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia, say UK experts.

A team from Bristol University, writing in the Lancet, said young people needed to be made aware of the dangers, which they said increased with heavier use.

In an additional article, experts said up to 800 schizophrenia cases a year in the UK could be linked to cannabis use.

The Bristol team looked at 35 studies on the drug and mental health, but one expert urged caution over their study.

The Bristol team said the most frequent users of cannabis had twice the risk of non-users of developing psychotic illnesses.

But the evidence for a link with depression and anxiety was less clear, they said.

Public awareness

The authors said the risk to any individual of getting schizophrenia remained low overall, but because cannabis use was so common, they estimated it could be a factor in 14% of psychotic problems among young adults in the UK.

However, they said they could not rule out the possibility that people at a higher risk of mental illness were more likely to use the drug.

Study author, Professor Glyn Lewis, professor of psychiatric epidemiology, said: "It is possible that the people who use cannabis might have other characteristics that themselves increase risk of psychotic illness.

"However, all the studies have found an association and it seems appropriate to warn members of the public about the possible risk."

He added he would particularly advise users who were developing mental health problems or who had a family history of psychotic illness to quit using the drug.

In an accompanying editorial, Danish researchers said the figures presented in the research translated to about 800 potentially avoidable cases of schizophrenia a year in the UK among 15- to 34-year-olds.

Cabinet confessions

There are an estimated 2m regular users of cannabis in the UK.

Cannabis is currently a class C drug, having been downgraded from class B in 2004 - a move that made possession of the drug a largely non-arrestable offence.

However, earlier this month, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a consultation on reclassifying cannabis as class B, amid reports that more potent strains such as "skunk" are becoming widely available.

In the following days a string of Cabinet ministers, including Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Chancellor Alistair Darling and Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, admitted having smoked cannabis when they were younger.

Professor Robin Murray, professor of psychiatry at London's Institute of Psychiatry, said of the Bristol study: "The studies they looked at were done in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

"One of the questions they can't address is whether the risk is higher with the more concentrated skunk forms of cannabis, which are now widely available."

'Daily tragedy'

But Professor Leslie Iverson, from the University of Oxford, said there was still no conclusive evidence that cannabis use causes psychotic illness.

"Their prediction that 14% of psychotic outcomes in young adults in the UK may be due to cannabis use is not supported by the fact that the incidence of schizophrenia has not shown any significant change in the past 30 years."

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, said: "This analysis should act as a serious warning of the dangers of regular or heavy cannabis use."

She added: "The headlines are not scaremongering but reflect a daily, and preventable, tragedy."

Health Secrets of Vitamin A Which You Must Know

Vitamin A or Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin and plays an important role in vision, development and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, mucous membranes; immune functions; and reproduction. Vitamin A or retinol, helps your eyes to adjust to light alteration when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist.

Vitamin A is essential for the utilization of protein and the production of testosterone and other development factors.

Vitamin A is found in any of these forms:
* Retinol
* Other retinoids - retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and compounds of similar nature.
* Carotenoids - organic pigments that are naturally found in plants.

What is the Daily requirement of Vitamin A
Quantity of the amount of vitamin A is measured in retinol activity equivalents (RAE).

The suggested daily requirement for vitamin A is 700 RAE (retinol activity equivalent) per day for women and 900 RAE per day for men. But the requirements may be different from one person to another. The requirements may differ for growing children, during puberty, and for women who are pregnant or lactating; therefore, it is necessary to consult doctor for differences.

What are the Benefits of Vitamin A
1) Vitamin A supports healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts.
2) It Helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.
3) It can also help boost the power of your white blood cells
4) It also keeps the mucus membranes, like the ones in your nose, moist.

Food sources of Vitamin A
Eating a range of foods that include vitamin A (and carotenes) is the finest method to get a sufficient amount.

Alcohol, coffee, or excessive iron can all reduce the body's supply of Vitamin A. But, the good information is that vitamin A is readily obtainable from numerous food sources.

Vitamin A can be obtained from food in two dissimilar forms -

1. Pro-vitamin A (also called beta-carotene). This is obtained from plant sources. It is mostly found in fruits and vegetables.
2. Pre-formed vitamin A (also called retinol or retinal) . This is obtained through animal sources. Main sources consist of liver, whole milk, and some equipped food products.

The top most vitamin A-rich foods consist of:
1) Sweet potato
2) Mango
3) Carrots
4) Spinach
5) Dried apricots
6) Cantaloupe
7) Egg yolk
8) Milk
9) Mozzarella cheese
10) Liver

Skimmed milk is often equipped with vitamin A because it is removed from milk with the fat.

What can happen with vitamin A deficiency?
1) Night blindness is one of the first Vitamin A Deficiency symptom
2) Vitamin A deficiency reduces the capability to fight infections, such as pneumonia.
3) Vitamin A Deficiency may increase a child's threat of developing respiratory infections, diarrhea, decreased growth rate and slow bone development.

Vegans who do not consume eggs and dairy foods need pro vitamin A carotenoids to fulfill their requirement for vitamin A. They should include at least of five servings of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet and habitually choose dark green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits to fulfill suggested amounts of vitamin A.

Storage of Vitamin A
Vitamins are simply destroyed during food preparation and storage.

1) To get the maximum vitamin possible from food, refrigerate and store milk and grains away from strong light.
2) To retain vitamin A try to supply fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible.
3) Steam vegetables, roast or bake meats in place of frying.
4) If you take vitamin supplements, keep them at room temperature in a dry place that is moisture free.

Vitamin A Overdose
Overdose of vitamin A cause tiredness, sluggishness, severe headache, vomiting, peeling of skin and hair loss.

Research recommends that having more than an average of 1.5mg per day of vitamin A over a lot of years may affect bones and make them more liable to fracture when grow older.

Older people, especially women, are already at danger of osteoporosis. This is where bone compactness reduces and so the risk of fractures grows.

If pregnant, having overdose of Vitamin A can harm your unborn baby. Therefore, if you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you should avoid eating liver products because these are very high in vitamin A quantity.

Ten Health Tips To Make You Live Extra 10 Years

Most of us are interested in living as long as we can, and at the same time increasing the quality of our lives. There are lots of methods that claim to help prolong life, but the most reliable way of increasing your lifespan is without a doubt, healthy living. Here our a few suggestions on how to have a healthier life.

1. Sleep! The benefits of proper sleep have often been researched, studied and reported. We are all different, but our need for adequate sleep is basically the same. Despite many people thinking they can get along with less sleep than others, this lack of sleep adds up and is linked to many health issues and their consequences. The average person needs about eight hours of sleep per night, although the timing and quality of such sleep also plays an important role.

2. Exercise! Keeping your body in shape is a sure way to increase your overall health, stay in shape, and consequentially reduce health risks associated to being overweight. An hour of daily exercise is recommended, but if your schedule doesn’t allow it, try to fit in at least four hours per week.

3. Eat right! To a certain extent, you are what you eat! Choosing what you eat carefully and avoiding fatty foods will help prevent health risks. Maintaining a balanced diet is vital to a healthy lifestyle. Plan healthy meals and avoid unnecessary snacking in between.

4. Relax! Stress is a very common word these days! The pace of our lives is constantly increasing and it is highly important that we find ways to reduce the stress levels that are built up daily. Find what works for you, whether it’s a hot bath, a night out with friends, or a walk down a deserted beach; getting rid of stress is crucial to your health.

5. Love! Believe it or not, love is linked to health. Those who love are less prone to several diseases and health problems. Whether you love a companion, your kids, grandkids, friends or a pet, it truly is the thought that counts when it comes to feelings of love.

6. Don’t smoke and try to avoid hanging around smokers. The negative consequences of cigarettes are well known be most of us. If you are a smoker, do your best to quit, and avoid hanging around friends who smoke.

7. Alcohol! Although a small amount of wine daily can be beneficial to your health, too much alcohol can have the opposite effect and drastic consequences. Moderation is the key.

8. Sunscreen! The sun is directly linked to aging, wearing protective clothing and adequate sunscreen when outdoors is extremely important. A glamorous tan may look good for a while, but the lack of one can help you live a lot longer.

9. Water! Drinking enough water is vital to staying healthy and to keep your body in running order. The quality of the water you drink is also very important.

10. Be happy! Happiness is vital to your health. A negative or bitter outlook on life is linked to several diseases. By thinking happy thoughts and wishing others well, we can help keep a positive mindset and be cheerful despite the adversities that constantly threaten to bring us down.

New Acne Treatments For A New Generation

Acne is a reality many of us have to go through at least once in our lives. Sometimes, acne thankfully ends at the end of puberty; for a few unfortunate others, acne can extend into adulthood, and can be even more difficult to treat as the years pass. With a lot of research into the causes of acne, new treatment regimens are discovered every year, and new acne treatments are more readily available and are becoming less expensive to undertake.

Depending on what you want to have treated, and depending on the severity of your acne case, these new acne treatments can help you overcome your acne problems. And, no matter what these treatments are, you must always consult with a dermatologist before undertaking them. Moreover, you must go to a licensed dermatologist regularly to have your acne checked and assessed, before, during, and after the specified treatment. If you have a particularly stubborn or difficult-to-treat case of acne, new treatment regimens may not be enough to help you out, and you might need to supplement your treatments with time-tested methods.

Dermatologists acknowledge that new acne treatments do not completely make old treatments unnecessary or outdated. For instance, some new treatment methods involve stripping away the upper portion of the skin, or the epidermis, and revealing the young, often incompletely developed, and painfully raw skin underneath. This can be a dangerous procedure without antibiotics, as the exposed skin can serve as an avenue for microbes to enter and cause infection. Dermatologists have been recommending oral antibiotics for decades in order to keep infections at bay.

Using birth control pills

Dermatologists also acknowledge that the underlying cause of most acne is hormonal, so that no amount of invasive and expensive new acne treatments can be effective without some molecular assistance. Some dermatologists therefore recommend birth control pills to stabilize the levels of estrogen and progesterone in women with acne. Fluctuations in the levels of these hormones can cause acne, so birth control pills can help add to the good effects of above-the-skin treatments.

A new treatment regimen involves the use of acids that can both prevent acne scarring and remove the acne cysts themselves. For instance, a solution with mandelic and malic acids can treat skins that are prone to acne, and with effects similar to glycolic or citric acid. Mandelic acid is a natural anti-bacterial that can kill the underlying cause of most acne: bacteria. Mandelic acid can also absorb oils that can clog pores, and it can control the release of oil from oil glands beneath the skin. Malic acid, on the other hand, can keep the skin naturally hydrated without making it release oils.

Light therapy for acne

To combat more severe forms of cysts and scars due to acne, new treatment regimens have been formulated that involve the use of different frequencies of light. For instance, blue and red light therapy involves the use of light set at a particular frequency, through bulbs or lasers, to reduce the number and severity of acne lesions. Light therapy is designed to destroy the bacteria that cause acne, and light therapy treatment has so far been shown to be highly effective. However, as this technology is relatively new, it can be very expensive.

Working along the lines of light therapy is photodynamic therapy, which makes use of high energy blue or violet light to destroy the bacteria that cause acne. This therapy, however, has still not been studied in great detail, so great care should likewise be taken when it is used.

Laser treatments

Another treatment regimen involves the use of lasers to remove acne and reduce the scars that acne leave behind. In general, laser treatment burns out the follicle sac in which hairs grow, and in which acne begins to form. A laser will also burn out the oil glands that produce pore-clogging oils. Lastly, the laser will induce the acne-causing bacteria to form oxygen molecules. Because acne-causing bacteria thrives in an environment without oxygen, and is killed in the presence of it, laser therapy should remove acne-causing bacteria completely.

These are only a few new acne treatments that are now available on the market. For more information, do as much research as you can on acne treatments, and be updated on the latest news about treatments that have already been approved for general use. Moreover, talk to your dermatologist regularly and consult on these new treatments. As you have more options available to you, it will be more probable that your acne case will be resolved much faster.

Affordable Health Insurance

As health insurance costs are increasing we have to take more responsibility for our health insurance coverage. With health insurance cost rising health insurance companies are constantly coming out with new health insurance plans. New plans offer you flexibility to customize your own health insurance plan. Most health plans in the past were pre packaged health insurance plans and we ended up paying for things we never use. We know that car insurance offers us flexibility to where you can pick your limits deductibles and the types of coverage that you want. It seemed that with health insurance it took at while for health insurance companies to realize that is how they can stay competitive. The world of five dollar co pays and no deductible plans are over. Most of us and our parents come from the world where large companies paid for their health insurance plans. Large companies do have advantage of numbers; more people are part of the group the more insurance companies are competing for their business.

First I want to address or health insurance quote shopping. If you are looking for some great deal a plan that covers everything for small monthly premium you are going to get scammed. Health insurance prices are health insurance prices no matter what insurance company you go with. The main difference how insurance companies compete with offering more affordable health insurance rates is by being more creative in their plan design. Stays away from “good deals” in health insurance, chances are the plans are not going to cover anything when you have claim. Then you will end up with bills from the hospital and your health insurance premiums.

Health insurance companies like Assurant Health underwritten by Time Insurance offer health insurance plans where you design your own plan. It is one of the only large reputable health insurance companies to offer customizable health plans. They offer five plan designs two of them are Health Savings Account qualified health plans and the other health plans are your standard PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). What makes Assurant Health unique is that every type of plan give you opportunity to customize that plan by choosing co-pay or no co-pay option, choice of deductible, prescription drug coverage deductible, dental discount plan or dental insurance and some plan specific options. If you are looking for simple to use and simple to understand HSA account plans, Assurant is one of the first companies to offer HSA plans.

When designing your own health insurance plan keep in mind of your previous health insurance usage. Choosing deductible for your health insurance plans will make the largest difference in your monthly price. Keep in mind in most cases deductible applies only to when you are hospitalized. That meant when you are admitted to the hospital. Most health insurance plans will cover you doctor visits, physical exams, prescriptions drugs and your lab work with a co-pay before you meet the deductible. If you choose a high deductible plan and something does happen to you that you end up in the hospital for something major and you do not have money at the time to cover your deductible. Every hospital will work with you by offering you payment methods. This way you can take as much time to pay off that deductible. Therefore it does not make any sense in most cases not choosing a plan with high deductible. Get health plans with high deductible and you are going to save thousands on your health insurance. Some companies like Assurant Health offer you option to where if you choose a health plans with deductible of thirty five hundred of higher you automatically qualify for two year rate guarantee. Save money monthly and avoid rate increased. Just with little knowledge and understanding of how health insurance works you save thousands with the health coverage that you need.

Excessive Weight Problem - Deep Insight

Obesity in its progressive form, has taken hold of many lives. Very few people can honestly say that no one in their family is overweight. What makes this disease so widespread?

Be it a brother, a sister, an uncle, aunt, cousin, nephew, niece, grandparent, parent, son, daughter, yourself, etc., someone in almost every family is simply fat; and not just fat, obese. It didn’t happen overnight, either. Society wasn’t always haunted by obesity. This overweight condition gradually made her way into our modern day world and has now become mainstream and chronic for many people. The contributing factors to this global overweight problem are many and complex. The list of factors could take pages to fill in; however, here are just a few of the more intense factors:

1. Overeating (the most obvious cause of obesity)
Now overeating doesn’t necessarily imply eating too much. Overeating simply means that you are consuming more calories than you can possibly burn in a day. It is the calories and not the food that creates obesity. You can realistically stuff yourself all day with low calorie foods and not gain a single pound. There are also different types of calories. Calories from fat burn off much slower than calories from carbohydrates. But be careful because calories from carbs do turn into fat if they are not burned off fast enough.

2. Genetics
Unfortunately, when it comes to obesity and being overweight, not all of us were created equal. Our metabolisms are very different from one another. Some of us burn fat very easily and some of us don’t. It is important to identify where our bodies fit in. Being genetically prone to being overweight doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t live healthy lives. It just means we might have to be a little more disciplined and possibly have to make certain sacrifices that others don’t have to make, in order to avoid obesity. Some of the greatest bodies out there belong to people that are genetically prone to being overweight. They have simply decided that they aren’t going to let their genetic condition make them overweight and have instead used it as a motivating force in their favor.

3. Environment (Where you live, your socioeconomic status, and your cultural background)
Technology has made life easier for most of us but it has also been a contributing factor of obesity. People in rich first world countries are more prone to being overweight than those in the third world. Why? Several reasons. We use a car to drive two blocks. We eat high calorie fast foods and microwave dinners. We even use a drive through to get them. People in third world countries don’t have these options. Cars are a luxury only the elite can afford. Drive-thrus are almost non existent. People don’t walk or run for the sake of exercise. They simply walk because they have to get from point A to point B or they ride a bike. This type of behavior forces even the genetically prone to being overweight to burn off high amounts of calories. Many of these people are forced to eat low calorie foods because that’s the only food they have, making obesity very limited in these countries. Why? Because of people’s behavior; no matter how unintentional they may be.

4. Behavior (Our actions and our will power contribute to obesity)
Overweight people behave a certain way. We may possibly suffer from low self esteem. Many times we allow our environment to control the way we live. When that environment makes everything easy, physical activity is greatly reduced and we become obese and overweight. There is a great article about dependence between the problem of excessive weight and people activity types, and also some evidence revealing thee crucial role of behavior, not genetics, in people's getting overweight.

If we are able to modify our behavior (i.e. eating habits, physical activity, determination, the love we have for ourselves, etc.) we will be able to control any of the other factors that contribute to obesity and overweight conditions.

Behavior, not Genetics, is accused in obesity claim

Though it is widely believed that genetics play a major role on obesity and overweight conditions, a recent study has determined that the current data we have available does not support this belief.

The study conducted by American College of Sports Medicine claims that the human genotype has not really changed over the past few decades. Furthermore, the study claims that conditions such as dietary induced thermo genesis, defects in a resting metabolic rate, substrate metabolism, etc., can not be attributed to genetics because the data does not support these findings.

According to the study, it has been a change in global behavior and not genetics which has contributed to the worldwide overweight condition which has prevailed over the past few decades.

Global Obesity Cannot Be Attributed to Excess Food Intake Either

The study proved, through national surveys, that current day caloric intake isn't really higher than it was a few decades ago. People aren't really eating more now than they were a few years back. In fact, all of the surveys that were analyzed determined that there has been either a slight decline or a slight increase in total caloric intake but nothing major. This has led the researchers to believe that people have become overweight and obese mainly because they are simply exerting less physical activity.

Declining Physical Activity as the Major Contributor to Obesity and Overweight

Technology has automated most of the activities that previously required physical movement. The need for both home and work related physical activity has dramatically declined. The energy expenditure which was necessary for daily living has been greatly reduced; or so claims the study. This means that people are taking in approximately the same amount of food that they were consuming a few years ago but they are simply not burning it off. All of these unused calories are contributing to obesity.

Solutions for the Overweight and Obese

From the above findings we can honestly say that there are only two possible solutions for global obesity. Current day people realistically need fewer calories than they did a few years back so they must either eat less or supplement the loss of work and home related physical activity with a simple exercise routine. Anyway, jogging in the morning is much nicer then consuming diet pills to fix the problem when it comes to your doorstep. Think about it!

To eat or not to eat? It depends on what you gonna do about it!

The United States Department of Agriculture (more commonly known as the USDA) has determined that there is no “one size fits all” plan when it comes to recommending the appropriate caloric intake requirements for individuals. Calories affect each of us differently. Many factors, including sex, age, physical activity levels, genetics, etc., influence the amount of calories we personally need.

Though it is probably impossible to determine (with 100 percent accuracy) the specific caloric intake needs of every individual person without actual medical testing, caloric intake needs can be estimated using a variety of factors.

Most diet related sites will simply tell you that weight gain occurs when we consume more calories than those we burn off. That’s easy enough to understand. So if this is a true fact, then the opposite is also true. If we consume less calories than those we burn off then we will lose weight. Great start! But how do we determine these figures?

How in the world do we know how much we’ve burned off? Most diet sites will tell you that the average person needs anywhere from 2000 to 3000 calories. That’s a pretty big range. How do you know which side of the caloric scale you need to lean towards? The FDA’s MyPyramid program established a food intake pattern table that will help us accurately estimate caloric needs.

They have divided people into two mayor groups: Males and Females. Both the male and female groups are divided into 3 subcategories:

1. Sedentary People (moderate physical activity of less than 30 minutes a day)
2. Moderately Active People (moderate physical activity ranges from 30 to 60 minutes a day)
3. Active People. (daily physical activity surpasses 60 minutes)

Each of these 3 categories was further divided by ages. The average caloric intake needs for each category was calculated by age. For minors it was calculated yearly starting from age 2 to 18. According to the MyPyramid list, adult caloric needs only change about every 5 years. So you will have the same caloric need from age 21 to 25, from 26 to 30….from 45 to 50, etc.

So according to the USDA, a 32 year old sedentary male needs 2,400 calories for his daily activities. If he were moderately active he would need 2,600 calories and if he was very active he would need around 3,000 calories.

A sedentary woman of the same age would need 1,800 calories. If her physical activity becomes moderately active she would need 2,000 calories. An active 32 year old woman needs 2,200 calories to remain healthy.

Once we know how many calories we actually need we can then begin working on other areas that will allow us to loose weight. We can determine the amount of physical activity that would be appropriate for our goals and the type of diets we should undertake etc., but all of this should be done when appropriate caloric consumption needs have been established.

Cancer Caused By Environmental Toxins

More and more people now believe that cancer can be caused by environmental toxins. On the other hand, others say that the causal-effect relationship between cancer and the environment can be hard to prove. Still, there is no denying that cancer cases are on the rise. You would most likely know of someone who has developed cancer. And cancer can strike at any part of the body and spread rapidly throughout.

Most conventional doctors believe strongly that genes are the causes of cancer. A common question that a doctor may ask during a diagnosis is whether anyone in your family has it as well. He is less likely to explore the possibility of environmental toxins causing cancer in you or your family member. Yet, it is very possible that even if cancer genes can be inherited, there can still be environmental toxins causing cancer to hit multiple family members.

You just need to think about the fact that most of the cancer patients in your family probably grew up in the same environment and are exposed to the same toxic materials or the same polluted air. So, even though it seems genetic, it may also be environmental. There have been studies conducted to support this alternative point of view.

A study in 2002 reported that women in San Francisco, California had a 1 in 22 chance of developing breast cancer in the 1940's. That risk was increased to 1 in 8 in 2002. What was interesting was that since the 1940's, the number of factories and cars and other pollutants in California rose dramatically.

That same year in 2002, a man named Basil Seggos uncovered a huge oil slick in Greenpoint, in the area of New York City. After some research, Mr. Seggos found that there were several places in Greenpoint where more people were contracting all types of cancer than average. In Greenpoint, at least, it was obvious to Mr. Seggos and many of his supporters that environmental toxins caused cancer.

The cases mentioned are not isolated incidents. There have been various reports on environmental toxins causing cancer over the years. Many of them were released by independent groups of activists and scientists. There are many cases that also go unreported. Unfortunately, the U.S. government and most other governments are reluctant to admit that the problem exists. Critics point out that the governments lose billions of dollars should they do so, as they are well supported by the big companies who contributed to the environmental pollution.

This being the case, you need to be aware about the surrounding toxicity of your environment. You need to know that you can be exposed to a well known cancer causing chemical called benzene.It may not just be your home but may be your workplace that has benzene or similar cancer-causing substances.

Toxins also come from cigarette smoke, gasoline, paint and laundry products. You can make a choice about the products that you use. There is no denying that if you constantly exposed yourself to a toxic environment, you are bound to fall ill. In the most severe case, you develop cancer.

On your own, consider cancer prevention by doing some natural body cleansing. You can assist your body in the regular removal of the toxic overload, acquired through diet or your environment. Additionally, be aware of your legal rights. Consult field experts if you need to. For all you know, you or your family member may be entitled to compensation payments from negligent employers or even the government.

10 Things To Avoid When Losing Weight

Losing weight and dieting is never easy. Actually, it is one of the hardest things for some people to do. Here's 10 things to avoid that could make you shatter your diet and start eating. Avoid all of these like plague if you want to be successful.

1. Avoid rushing into the strictest diet you can find.

This is a common mistake. Many people, in desperation, decide to follow a super-strict diet and that usually leads to failure. Don't rush into any diet that may be too strict for you. If you don't have any dieting experience and are not 100% sure you can stick with the diet, choose another one.

2. Avoid losing touch with reality.

You can't realistically expect things to happen over night. When choosing your goal, start small, but be prepared to go far. If you hear someone saying that he lost a large number of pounds in a short time, don't make it your goal to match his performance. Diet results are different from one person to another.

3. Avoid going to the gym every day.

Another common mistake is to use the excitement of the first days to hit the gym every day. This won't help you at all. Your body needs time to heal and expand the muscles after each work-out and going to the gym every day interferes with this natural process. A week of non-stop training could never offset ten or twenty years of couch potato lifestyle anyway.

4. Avoid getting tough on calories.

We all know that cutting down on calories is one of the foundations of all diets, but be careful about it. Cut down on too many calories and your body will start storing anything it possibly can. This is not a good way to lose weight.

5. Avoid skipping meals.

Many people reason that foregoing meal or two is going to help them lose weight faster. They don't understand that dieting is all about eating the right food and not starving yourself.

6. Avoid daily weight checks.

Everybody is eager to see the results of their efforts in the form of pounds lost, but you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuations of your weight will soon have you depressed and ready to quit dieting. This is something you want to avoid at all costs.

7. Avoid letting emotions hamper your diet goals.

Aside from the eagerness that drives people to check their weight every day, there are other emotions that influence dieting. If you know you're used to reaching out for ice-cream or snacks when you are bored, frustrated or angry, then you should deal with these issues and not allow them to come between you and your purpose.

8. Avoid refusing to get help.

Not everyone was born with iron will and nerves of steel. There are times when you may need help or advice. Don't hesitate to ask friends or professionals for it. Please dont try to solve all your problems alone.

9. Avoid denying yourself your favourite foods.

Treats are a great way of raising your determination and willpower. Diets are methods of food control. They should not hold you hostage. So what, if you eat something you said you wouldn't once in a while, especially if it's one of your favorite foods? If these treats are not indulged in frequently, they won't make any difference in the long run.

10. Avoid relying too much in your own willpower.

Use your head too. If you need to know how much you actually eat, write down everything you are eating and go over the list with a fine-toothed comb for things that should not be there. Sometimes hunger creeps up on you and makes you eat things that you shouldn't be eating. If you stay honest with yourself and keep a clear head as you go, you'll be fine.

Limited Capacity Is Seen in Flu Defenses

More than a year after President Bush unveiled a plan for coping with a pandemic flu outbreak, the federal government still has limited capacity to detect a disease outbreak and track its progress across the country.

The government has also decided that it will not close the borders if a pandemic flu outbreak occurs somewhere in the world.

“The reality is that there are tremendous challenges to sealing our borders to begin with,” said Dr. Rajeev Venkayya, special assistant to the president for biodefense. “Secondly, we believe that if a pandemic virus emerges anywhere in the globe, it is inevitable that it will arrive here in the U.S. irrespective of the actions we take at the borders.”

The government will try to limit the number of arriving people who might be infected with the virus and detain those suspected of harboring the virus, Dr. Venkayya said. But it will also try to allow the flow of goods and people across the border to continue, he said.

In the coming weeks, officials will release the government’s priority list detailing who will get the first lots of flu vaccines in the event of an outbreak. Plans to coordinate with state and local governments about when to close schools are also still in the works, they said.

These updates were delivered Tuesday in a White House briefing on the government’s progress in preparing the nation for an outbreak of a deadly infectious disease. Top officials emphasized that significant planning and investment decisions had already been made, including a $1 billion investment in finding new ways to manufacture flu vaccines.

But, Dr. Venkayya said, “there is much work that remains to be done.”

Also Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it had released $897 million to states for emergency preparedness efforts. The money includes $175 million for pandemic flu preparedness.

A nationwide surveillance system to track the progress of an outbreak as it moves around the world and across the country still needs considerable work, officials said.

“Just to be brutally honest, we have a lot of trouble determining when we have an outbreak of disease in a community here in the U.S.,” Dr. Venkayya said. “We need to have uniform biosurveillance capability to prepare not only for a pandemic, but any outbreak of infectious disease.”

The nation also has little extra capacity in its hospitals and other health care facilities to deal with a huge surge in need that would accompany a mass disease outbreak, Dr. Venkayya said. And the government has little ability to ensure that during an outbreak, when many workers would stay home, limited Internet capacity would go to essential work and not to children playing video games, officials said.

Eighty-six percent of the tasks that were to be completed this year under the president’s flu plan have been finished, officials said. The remaining 14 percent of those should be done by the end of the year, Dr. Venkayya said.

A significant remaining challenge, officials said, is that the country has grown tired of pandemic flu warnings. They emphasized that the planning would help prepare for any disease outbreak, whether from natural causes or a terrorist attack.

Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America’s Health, a nonprofit organization dedicated to disease prevention, praised the administration’s flu preparations.

“This report demonstrates that the federal government has made major strides in preparedness for a pandemic,” Mr. Levi said. “But as the administration also recognizes, there is still a long way to go before all levels of government and all sectors of society are fully prepared.”

The Four Pillars of Health

These are the big picture items.

1. Maintain your sense of control over your own life.
This doesn't mean being a control freak - trying to control others. It means having a good sense of what you are able to do to stay healthy and create the life you want.

2. Maintain good networks.

The better your friends and networks the more likely you are to be happy and healthy.

Doing these first two will mean that you have a good chance of handling stress, which is the cause of much illness.

3. Get some exercise.

Exercise regulates appetite and helps with weight control.

Aerobic exercise (deep breathing for more than twenty minutes) helps keep you heart and lungs healthy. You are less likely to die of a heart attack.

It doesn't need to be very hard. There is no evidence that elite athletes live longer than people who are normally healthy. Aim for a half hour a day that makes you breath more deeply. This is technically 70% of maximal heart rate. If you estimate what it is for you to "do a seven" (where zero is lying down and ten is running flat out) this is usually a pretty good guide.

4. Eat healthily

Eat until you feel 70% full. Wait 20 minutes until you eat any more. It seems to take this long for us to know whether we are satisfied.

Emphasise fruit and vegetables in your diet. (This is for those who eat in the usual way.) There is some evidence that organically grown may be healthier.

Cook at home when you can. You are more likely to eat less processed food and so you will avoid the preservatives and added fats and sugars that are so much a part of packaged food.

Facial paralysis treatment hailed

US surgeons have announced they have succeeded in partially re-animating the faces of patients with severe long-term facial paralysis using a new technique.

The new procedure, which involves the transfer of tendons within the face, has been performed on 15 patients.

Those affected by facial paralysis often lose voluntary movement of muscles on one side of their face.

The Johns Hopkins University surgeons believe their system marks significant progress in treating the condition.

They claim it is simpler, more effective and the surgery less traumatic than traditional methods.

'Immediate effect'

Facial paralysis can have many causes - from trauma caused by an accident to tumours to strokes.

The result is not only deformity, but also often severe speech problems.

When tackled early, various operative techniques such as nerve grafts can now be used to restore movement.

However, surgery has been less successful on those with long-term paralysis, and it is in this area that surgeons at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine say they have made significant progress.

The new surgical technique, called temporalis tendon transfer, sounds gruesome.

A major muscle on the side of the head is severed at the point it joins the jawbone and stretched across the head to attach with mouth muscles, before a relating tendon is then also stretched and reconfigured.

The lead surgeon, Dr Patrick J Byrne, says the results in the 15 patients who have so far undergone the procedure, have been deemed good to excellent, with facial symmetry and speech improved with immediate effect.

"This particular technique address two aspects... the one being improving facial symmetry, the other being the return of a smile," he says.

"When we tighten the muscle around the mouth and along the cheek, we find it helps not only with oral competence - their ability to control their mouth - but it also helps with their speech - they have less of the air escape - they're able to generate better articulation."

Dr Byrne claims the technique is simpler, more effective and the surgery less traumatic than the temporalis sling technique which has been traditionally offered in the past to patients with long-term facial paralysis.

He is also claiming the results of surgery will be easier to predict than with other methods used to date.

Hunger 'links asthma and obesity'

The protein may increase appetite as well as inflaming the lungs

Researchers say they may have worked out why the obese are more prone to asthma than those of normal weight.

The link between the two conditions is well-established, but the relationship is ill-understood.

Now scientists at King's College London say they have pinned down a protein which contributes to inflammation of the lungs as well as increasing hunger.

The study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said further research was now needed.

Mechanism mystery

The researchers investigated molecules produced by Th2 cells - specialised cells belonging to the immune system which can inflame the lungs and contribute to the development of asthma.

But these cells also produce a protein known as PMCH which is known to increase appetite.

"These findings may provide a mechanistic link between allergic inflammation, asthma and obesity," the researchers wrote.

Several European and American studies have found a link between obesity and asthma which cannot be explained by weight gain brought on by the inactivity asthma encourages. In many cases, the obesity precedes the asthma.

One study of 330,000 patients published earlier this year found that for every normal weight person with asthma, there were 1.5 who were overweight or obese.

The latter category effectively ran a 50% greater risk of developing the condition.

However, people with asthma are not always obese, so the lead researcher of this latest study, Dr David Cousins, said further investigation was needed into possible genetic variations of PMCH, the gene known to boost appetite.

Dr David Haslam of the National Obesity Forum said that from the obesity perspective, the research was interesting although as yet there were no therapeutic implications.

"Working out the mechanisms, the links between diseases is important, and it adds to the growing body of evidence which gives obesity some form of genetic basis."

Once-rare skin cancer type on the rise in US

A type of skin cancer that was rare three decades ago has surged in the United States , a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found.

The cancer known as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma became increasingly more common in the United States in the decades between 1973 and 2002, according to a study in the July issue of Archives of Dermatology, which is part of JAMA.

"The overall incidence increased each decade, was higher among blacks than whites and among men than women, increased substantially with age, and varied geographically," wrote the authors.

They say the cause is as yet unknown, but added the results of their study were alarming.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma can develop when cells of the lymph system (called T lymphocytes) become cancerous and affect the skin. It spreads slowly and can cause red patches on the skin. It is treatable but not curable.

A total 4,783 cases were identified in the 30-year period. That amounts to a rate of 6.4 per million persons and a total of 0.14 percent of all cancers and 3.9 percent of non-Hodgkins lymphomas, the data showed.

But the results varied across the country.

"The geographic differences in incidence are substantial even after controlling for race," said the study led by Vincent Criscione and Martin Weinstock of the VA Medical Center, Rhode Island Hospital, and Brown University , Providence, Rhode Island .

Access to doctors and other social-economic indicators such as levels of income and education appeared to affect the numbers of reported cases, the study found.

San Francisco in California reported the highest rise in the cases with 9.7 for every million among white and 10.8 for every million among African-Americans.

Iowa counted the lowest incidence with a rate of 3.7 per million for the whol population.

Rats back on the menu in southern China

Rats are back on the menu in southern China , after traders there capitalised on an outbreak of the rodents in neighbouring Hunan province, according to various state press reports.

According to a report Saturday in the Information Times from Guangzhou , trucks full of mice were seen arriving late at night and sold to a wild animal market in the city district of Baiyun.

During the SARS epidemic, which began in southern China in 2003, authorities banned the sale of many wild animals including rats amid fear that the deadly disease could be contracted from contaminated meat.

Although the scientific community is not in agreement over whether certain animals can spread the disease, vendors in China are no longer allowed to sell wild animals.

After its emergence in Guangdong province, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome quickly spread globally to infect more than 8,000 people and kill more than 800, including 349 people in China.

Officials in Hunan -- where floods have sparked a plague of two billion rats after water submerged their holes -- denied the newspaper's undercover report.

One official quoted by the Beijing Times on Sunday dismissed the report, saying it was far too difficult to catch rats alive, while their relatively small size meant there was little meat on the bone.

But rats are regarded as a traditional delicacy in southern China, and some believe that their flesh is more nutritious than pork or chicken.

A rat was fetching for between 40 to 50 yuan (5.2 to 6.5 US dollars) and reports said they could be found in Guangdong's cities of Fanyu, Zhaoqing, Dongguan and Hanhai.

Earlier this year China's media also reported that civet cats were routinely finding their way back onto Guangdong dinner tables.

Brain target for stress disorder

Blocking a molecule in the brain may "cure" post-traumatic stress disorder, according to US researchers.

They showed that inhibiting a specific enzyme removed fear in mice and report to journal Nature Neuroscience that the finding may lead to new treatments.

Around a third of people may suffer PTSD after an exceptionally traumatic event, such as a terrorist attack or a natural disaster.

Experts said it was early days but the findings were worth exploring further.

There is currently no treatment for PTSD although antidepressants and sleeping pills can help with the symptoms, which include flashbacks, anger, anxiety and depression.

Professor Li-Huei Tsai and colleagues in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at MIT looked at the effects of an enzyme called Cdk5 in the brains of genetically engineered mice which had been given mild foot shocks.

When re-exposed to the same environment but without the shocks, mice in whom the researchers had increased levels of Cdk5 activity had difficulty letting go - or extinguishing - the memory of the foot shock and continued to freeze in fear.

But in mice whose Cdk5 activity was blocked, the bad memory of the shocks disappeared when the mice learned that they no longer needed to fear the environment where the foot shocks had occurred.

The enzyme activity was modified in the hippocampus - the brain's centre for storing memories.

Traumatic experience

Emotional disorders such as post-traumatic stress and panic attacks stem from the inability of the brain to stop experiencing the fear associated with a specific incident or series of incidents.

A study conducted by the US Army in 2004 found that one in eight soldiers returning from Iraq reported symptoms of PTSD.

The National Institute of Clinical and Health Excellence estimate five in 100 men and 10 in 100 women in the UK will get PTSD in their lifetime.

In guidance published in 2005 NICE said the condition was under-recognised in the NHS and better screening and treatment was needed.

Professor Tsai said: "This data points to a promising therapeutic avenue to treat emotional disorders and raises hope for patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or phobia."

Dr Jonathan Bisson, senior lecturer in psychiatry at the University of Cardiff and co-chair of the NICE guideline group said the finding was "potentially a significant advance".

He added: "Translation of them into an effective treatment for PTSD is a long way off, and may not be possible.

"But the results are consistent with current theories on the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms and it is an area very worthy of further investigation."

Sun protection warnings ignored

The majority of people are more worried about skin cancer than they were a decade ago but still do not protect themselves, a survey has suggested.

The Institute of Cancer Research poll of 2,000 people found more than a third do not use sunscreen when sunbathing.

The incidence of melanoma skin cancer will treble in the next 30 years, with climate change likely to exacerbate the problem, they warned.

Experts said people needed to know most cases of skin cancer could be avoided.

The Institute's SAFE campaign found that 60% of those questioned are more worried about skin cancer now than they were 10 years ago.

But despite the widespread concern, 35% of people do not use sunscreen when sunbathing.

One in 10 said more should be done to educate people about the dangers of skin cancer.

And only just over half (52%) could identify the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Climate concern

More than 75,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year, a figure that is rising.

Experts also warn that climate change may cause the number of cases to increase even more dramatically than predicted.

Professor Richard Marais from the Institute of Cancer Research said: "There is growing concern about climate change and its long term effects on the weather.

"If this leads to more sunshine then it is likely that the incidence of skin cancer, which is caused by overexposure to UV light, will rise at an even more alarming rate."

"These results reflect the fact that people are deeply concerned about skin cancer, but that many people still do not know how to look after their skin.

"It is vitally important that everyone is aware of how to protect themselves from the harmful rays of the sun."

He added that most cases of skin cancer could be avoided and treated if caught early enough.

Rebecca Russell, manager of Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign said: "Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK and the number of people diagnosed each year has more than doubled since the early 80s.

"Up to eight in 10 skin cancers could be prevented by being SunSmart, so it's very important to be aware of how to enjoy the sun safely.

"Sunscreens can help to protect against skin cancer, but they're not enough on their own.

"In strong sunlight, our best advice is to use factor 15+ sunscreen, seek shade between 11am and 3pm, cover up and take care not to burn."

Shift in Health-Cost Focus Is Said to Show Promise

By coordinating care and keeping their patients out of the hospital, doctors can help reduce overall health care spending, Medicare officials said yesterday in announcing the results of an experiment that allowed doctors to share in the cost savings.

The experiment, which started in April 2005 and is to continue through April 2008, is an attempt by Medicare to rethink the way it reimburses doctors. The goal is to pay them for the quality of the care they deliver, rather than on how many tests and procedures they perform.

“We want to reward providers for the right care at the right time,” said Herb Kuhn, acting deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who said he was “very, very pleased with the first-year results.”

Although there are sharp limits to the conclusions that can be drawn, Medicare officials and the doctor groups involved say the experiment shows the potential in encouraging doctors to provide care and counseling programs that help patients stay out of the hospital or emergency room by better managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease. “It’s where the Medicare program has to go,” Mr. Kuhn said.

While all of the 10 physician groups participating in the experiment improved their care for patients during the first year, according to the measurements in place, only two earned bonus payments. Those two, the University of Michigan Faculty Practice and the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, were paid a total bonus of $7.3 million for saving Medicare $9.5 million. The bonus was in addition to Medicare payments for their usual services.

All 10 of the participants are large sophisticated organizations, with substantial experience in electronic health records or other systems known to improve patient care. And the fact that eight of them did not meet the bonus threshold indicates how difficult it may be for Medicare to develop a payment system giving most doctors, many in small, less modern practices, a true financial incentive to improve care.

But Medicare officials emphasized that the results represented only the first year of a three-year experiment. “It’s trending in a very positive way,” Mr. Kuhn said.

Medicare compared the hospital and doctor bills for the 224,000 patients being treated by the 10 groups with the bills from other doctors and patients in the same geographic areas to determine whether there were financial savings to the government. The doctors also had to meet certain quality criteria, like the basis of 10 clinical measures involving diabetes care.

For the second year, clinical measures for heart disease will be added. And in year three, measures for hypertension and basic preventive care for all patients will be assessed.

While Medicare said it had not yet calculated the experiment’s overall savings, the physician groups say they together saved the program about $21 million.

In subsequent years, “we expect greater savings will be generated, and the majority of practices will be receiving a bonus,” said Mark Selna, a physician with Geisinger Health Systems, a Danville, Pa., system of hospitals whose doctors are participating in the experiment.

Although Medicare and the doctors’ groups are still analyzing the information for the first year, many of the programs put in place seem to have resulted in fewer hospitalizations. Among its efforts, for example, Marshfield started a program in which eye exams for diabetes patients could be performed at a local doctors’ office rather than requiring a trip to a specialist. The clinic, which is based in Wisconsin, says it has reduced hospitalizations for its diabetes patients by about 13 percent in mid-2007 compared with 2004.

Other successful measures include simple follow-up. The University of Michigan group is having a nurse or nursing assistant call patients who have been discharged from the hospital or emergency room within 24 hours, making sure they understand the drugs they need to take or that, for example, a visiting nurse came as scheduled.

“It’s filled a huge gap in care,” said Dr. Caroline Blaum, the physician leading the effort at the university.

But even the groups able to achieve adequate savings say the complexity of the program and the time elapsed since the first-year test period ended early last year makes it difficult to respond to the potential financial incentives. “The financial model for this program may not be viable,” said Dr. Blaum at the University of Michigan, saying the doctors there are uncertain about what exactly they had done to generate savings.

But many of the doctor groups involved spoke of making useful changes to how they cared for patients, like following up with a nurse’s call or educating a patient, even if they do not result in any additional revenue.

“There’s clearly value in these services,” said Dr. Katherine Schneider, the physician overseeing the effort at Middlesex Health System, a Middletown, Conn., hospital group that works closely with local physicians and is participating in the experiment. But, she added, “they are expensive to provide, and no one is reimbursing us.”

And questions remain about how to motivate individual physicians because the experiment rewards organizations, not the individual doctor who must actually ensure that the patient gets a flu shot or goes to the right specialist.

“The real driving force of change needs to occur in a physician office,” said Dr. Karl Ulrich, the president and chief executive of the Marshfield Clinic.

Fat taxes 'could save thousands'

More than 3,000 fatal heart attacks and strokes could be prevented in the UK each year if VAT was slapped on a vast range of foods, say Oxford researchers.

A 17.5% rise on fatty, sugary or salty food would cut heart and stroke deaths by 1.7%, the study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health said.

One of the researchers declared the time was right to debate a "fat tax".

But the idea was dismissed in 2004 by former prime minister Tony Blair as too suggestive of a "nanny state".

The researchers from the Department of Public Health at Oxford University are among the first to try to work out how targeted taxes might have an effect on levels of illness. hey used economic data first to work out how demand would fall as the price of unhealthy foods increased, and which foods people might turn to instead - then used these results to predict the benefit on the health of the population.

Initially at least, average weekly food bills would increase by 4.6% per household.

Change for the worse

They first applied the tax only to dairy products containing high levels of saturated fats - such as butter and cheese, as well as baked goods and puddings.

However, their analysis found that people would simply switch over to other unhealthy foods such as those containing high levels of salt, perhaps even increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

They then turned to a different measure of food "healthiness" called the SSCg3d score, where points are awarded for the content of eight nutrients in 100g of the food.

Taxing all products which scored poorly on this scale saved lives, they said, with approximately 2,300 fewer deaths a year from heart disease and stroke.

Finally, they tweaked the range of taxed products to include those foods which might not score so poorly on the scale, but may be used as alternatives if unhealthier foods were taxed.

This resulted in small additions to the list of taxed and untaxed foods to encourage healthier eating.

This approach yielded the most apparently striking results, with as many as 3,200 deaths prevented.

Dr Mike Rayner, who worked on the study, said that the third, seemingly most effective, option was "more theoretical", and less practical to implement, but called on government to consider taxing high scoring foods.

He said: "This is still at a fairly early stage, but the time is right for more debate on the issue of 'fat taxes'.

"The other thing which would have to be done is to look at the possibility of subsidies for healthier foods, rather than simply looking at increases in tax."

'Nanny state'

However, Maura Gillespie, from the British Heart Foundation, said that it did not yet support "fat taxes".

"The debate on unhealthy diets is important as it is estimated that 30% of deaths from coronary heart disease are caused by unhealthy diets.

"Further evidence is needed on the effect of targeted food taxes before we can support a 'fat tax'."

When Downing Street's strategy unit was reported to be proposing fat taxation in 2004, Tony Blair said that such a move could actually turn people off the idea of healthy eating.

He told a Labour Party Big Conversation event: "People don't want to live in a nanny state."

Police plea on genital mutilation

The Metropolitan Police is offering a £20,000 reward for information which would bring to justice anyone involved in female genital mutilation.

The campaign is being launched at the start of the summer holidays, during which young girls - mainly from African communities - are thought most at risk.

Mutilation involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for cultural reasons.

Up to 7,000 girls in the UK are seen as at risk of this form of circumcision.

The long summer holiday is seen as the most likely time for parents to seek the procedure for their daughter as she has time to recover from what is usually a brutal ordeal before returning to school.

She can be sent abroad for the treatment, but police say they know it is also being carried out within the UK itself.

A new law was introduced in 2003, which not only repeated 1985 legislation banning the procedure, but also criminalised those who took a child outside the country for mutilation to be performed.

No-one has been prosecuted under the new legislation.

"It's a hidden act," said Alastair Jeffrey, head of the Child Abuse Investigation Command, as he announced the reward. "And that's why it's so hard to uncover.

"This is child abuse. It is not an attack on anyone's culture, it is an attack on anyone who commits this horrendous abuse of children."

Preserving purity

The police said they were anxious not to arrive at a situation where young girls returning from holidays in Africa were routinely checked at airports, and that they desperately needed grassroots support to stamp out the practice.

Female genital mutilation is practised in a number of mainly Muslim African communities, and the tradition can travel when immigrants settle abroad.

Islamic scholars say it has no justification in the Koran, and several have recently spoken out against the practice.

Yet many families apparently believe it is an essential part of initiation into adulthood and the only way to ensure their daughter is seen as "pure" and thus desirable by potential husbands.

One London youth worker within the Somali community said this was so ingrained that she had even come across young women who had wanted to be circumcised.

"You want to be part of the community," said Leyla Hussein. "You want to be married, and you don't want to be considered dirty."

There are several types of mutilation, ranging from a minor piercing of the clitoris to the complete removal of all the external genitalia.

In some cases, what remains is then stitched up with coarse thread - leaving a tiny hole, perhaps just the size of a matchstick, for urinating and menstruation.

The procedure is in most cases carried out by older women who have no medical training. Anaesthetic is rarely used and the cuts are sometimes made with the most basic of tools such as razors or even pieces of glass.

It can have a range of short and long-term consequences including infection, incontinence and infertility, as well as causing significant psychological damage.

And it can be fatal.

Egypt, where as many as 90% of women have been circumcised, has just announced a full ban on the practice after a 12-year-old girl died last month.

'Sharp drop' in India Aids levels

The lower estimate could be attributed to more accurate data

The number of people living with HIV/Aids in India is around half of previous official estimates, at between 2-3.1 million people, new figures say.

The UN-backed government estimates are sharply lower than earlier figures, the health minister announced on Friday.

Previous estimates from the National Aids Control Organisation (Naco) put the number of HIV cases at 5.2m, while UNAids in 2006 estimated 5.7m cases.

Officials say the lower estimate could be attributed to more accurate data.

'Still large'

"Today we have a far more reliable estimate of the burden of HIV in India," Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss told a news conference in the Indian capital.

"The results show that there are an estimated two million to 3.1 million people affected with HIV-Aids.

"In terms of human lives affected, the number is still large, in fact very large. This is very worrying for us."

The minister said that India had always been accused of underestimating the number of Aids cases.

"That was a disturbing allegation, and today, we have a far more reliable estimate," he said.

The latest estimates were calculated with the help of international agencies, including the UN and US Agency for International Development.

Correspondents say that India was thought to have the world's biggest HIV-positive caseload, but the new estimate means that South Africa and Nigeria are more severely affected.

India is about to embark on a new and expanded phase of its Aids control programme, with increased funding from the government and from international donors.

Mr Ramadoss said that the prevalence level of the infection was now estimated to be around 0.36 percent of the population of more than a billion people - compared to an earlier estimate of 0.9 percent.

Correspondents say that a reason why the latest Aids estimates are so much lower is because previously the UN reached the 5.7m figure by using hundreds of surveillance centres to test the blood of pregnant women and high-risk groups such as drug users and prostitutes over four months each year.

'Crumbling' system

But more recently a new population-based survey that took the blood samples of 102,000 people among the general public - rather than specific groups - indicated for the first time India's HIV caseload was highly overestimated.

UNAids says such that such surveys are more accurate, as they are "more representative" and generate "more accurate information" for rural areas and the male population.

Campaigners warn there should be no cause for complacency

But voluntary groups running anti-HIV/Aids campaigns say the lower numbers should not allow people to become complacent, as there is still a strong need to curb the spread of the virus in a country with a crumbling government healthcare system.

The head of Naco, Sujatha Rao, said there was no reason to fear that money to fight the Aids virus will be reduced.

She said that huge funding was still needed to test people and prevent HIV infection, in addition to providing treatment for people suffering from the illness.

"There is no question of reducing even a dollar towards the fight against Aids," she said.

Last month, health officials said they were especially alarmed by the growing numbers of pregnant women infected with HIV/Aids in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar.

They are among India's most backward, with huge populations but poor literacy and health services.

Officials say workers who migrate to cities in search of work bring the infection back to the states with them.

They said that unless the state governments got serious about tackling the disease, there could still be an Aids epidemic.

Organic food 'better' for heart

Tomatoes contain compounds which are good for the heart

Organic fruit and vegetables may be better for you than conventionally grown crops, US research suggests.

A ten-year study comparing organic tomatoes with standard produce found almost double the level of flavonoids - a type of antioxidant.

Flavonoids have been shown to reduce high blood pressure, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Writing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the team said nitrogen in the soil may be the key.

Dr Alyson Mitchell, a food chemist at the University of California, and colleagues measured the amount of two flavonoids - quercetin and kaempferol - in dried tomato samples that had been collected as part of a long-term study on agricultural methods.

They found that on average they were 79% and 97% higher respectively in the organic tomatoes than in the conventionally grown fruit.

New Scientist magazine reported that the different levels of flavonoids in tomatoes are probably due to the absence of fertilisers in organic farming.

Flavonoids are produced as a defence mechanism that can be triggered by nutrient deficiency, such as a lack of nitrogen in the soil.

The inorganic nitrogen in conventional fertiliser is easily available to plants and so, the researchers suggests, the lower levels of flavonoids are probably caused by over-fertilisation.

Conflicting evidence

Flavonoids have also been linked with reduced rates of some types of cancer and dementia.

The Food Standards Agency says there is some evidence that flavonoids can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and they are currently carrying out a study to look at the health benefits in more detail.

However, a spokesperson said there was no evidence that organic food was healthier.

"Our long-standing advice on organic food is there can be some nutrient differences but it doesn't mean it's necessarily better for you."

For example, a recent study found that organic milk had higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, but the FSA points out that these short-chained fatty acids do not seem to have the health promoting benefits offered by long-chained omega-3 oils found in oily fish.

Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director said: "We welcome the now rapidly growing body of evidence which shows significant differences between the nutritional composition of organic and non-organic food.

"This is the second recent American study to find significant differences between organic and non-organic fruit.

"These findings also confirm recent European research, which showed that organic tomatoes, peaches and processed apples all have higher nutritional quality than non-organic."

"As further scientific evidence emerges from new research looking at differences between organic and non-organic food, the Soil Association will be asking the FSA to keep their nutritional advice to consumers under review."