PREVENTING DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS AND PULMONARY EMBOLISM NATURALLY- By Dr Omoye Aretha Ukhun

 

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of blood clot(s) in a deep veins of the body especially the leg. The clot can partially or completely occlude the vein resulting in symptoms like leg swelling, pain, discoloration or sometimes ulcers. This can be fatal if the clot breaks out and moves into the lung vessel blocking its blood supply, a condition known as Pulmonary Embolism (PE). Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism includes shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid breathing and sometimes cough ups of blood.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.

The risk of developing DVT and PE increases with age peaking at about 45 years, though it can occur at any age. Other risk factors include family history of clotting disorders, sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, existing chronic disease, pregnancy, post-partum (up to 6 weeks after delivery), taking birth control pills, hormone therapy in post menopausal women, smoking, post-surgical operation and long hospitalization.

Studies have shown that healthy diets especially plant-based can successfully prevent, treat and even reverse many chronic diseases.

I’ve listed some medicinal plants together with some healthy lifestyle tips that help prevent DVT and PE.

These are natural blood thinners with great salicylate content – used fresh or dry, in cooking meals, sprinkled in soups or salads, grated in for teas or smoothies. They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help prevent the increase of blood cholesterol and inhibit platelet aggregation. They enable free flow of blood and protect the endothelium of blood vessels:

1. Ginger                                                                             
2. Turmeric                                                                                  
3. Cayenne pepper                                                               
4.  Garlic                                                                           
5.  Onions                                                                                
6.  Spring onions                                                                              
7. Green leafy vegetables (pumpkin/ugu, spinach, kale, etc.)
8.  Citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, grapes, berries, etc.)
9.  Vitamin E rich Foods:  Nuts (walnuts, almonds) Lentils (chickpeas)
10.  Omega-3 fatty acids rich Foods: flaxseed, soybean oil, canola oil

Lifestyle Tips:

• Get adequate sunlight exposure (very essential for vitamin D’s antithrombotic properties)
• Drink clean water about 3-4 litres daily (12-15 glasses)
• Exercise regularly (±30mins daily, 5 days a week)
• Keep active (stretch your muscles regularly when confined for long hours in flights or road trips, at hospital, home or at workplace)
•  Avoid first-hand or second-hand smoking
• Manage your weight (eat whole foods, avoid eating highly processed and calorie-rich foods)

Note: In addition to making these healthy lifestyle changes, consult your doctor if you are at high risk for DVT or PE.

Type 2 Diabetes – Does Telemedicine Have a Place In Treating Diabetes? -By Beverleigh H Piepers

Investigators at the University Hospital in Tours and several other research institutions in France have determined telemedicine is useful in dealing with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Their work was reported on in August 2018 in the Telemedicine Journal and E-Health.

The investigators combined 42 trials of the technique and analyzed them as if they were one large study with 6,170 participants…

• a total of 34 studies used devices for telemonitoring blood sugar levels while the other
• 8 used teleconsultation.

The participants using telemedicine experienced a more significant reduction in their HbA1c levels than those who were treated with the usual care, and the difference was more significant in those with Type 2 diabetes than those with Type 1 diabetes. Those aged between 41 and 50 years showed more significant improvement than the younger participants, and telemedicine programs lasting over six months reduced HbA1c levels further than shorter programs.Another investigation, reported on in January 2018 in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, showed telemedicine to be effective at preventing low blood sugar levels as well. Researchers at Huzhou University and several other research institutions in China combined 14 studies in their analysis. They found telemedicine reduced the risk of low blood sugar by an average of 58 percent in 1324 diabetic participants.

Obesity is a concern for those with Type 2 diabetes and Gestational diabetes. According to an article published in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare in January of 2018, scientists at the National Yang-Ming University Hospital in Yilan and other research institutions in Taiwan found telemedicine helpful for the control of the body mass index (BMI). A total of 25 trials that included 6253 individuals were involved. Telemedicine was more effective than the usual care alone in reducing the BMI in those treated for…

• obesity alone,
• being overweight,
• having diabetes, or
• high blood pressure.

Continuing their care for at least six months and follow-up care afterward, was also helpfulTelemedicine also has its place in Gestational or pregnancy-related diabetes. In August of 2018, the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice reported on a study performed at the University of Melbourne and some other research facilities in Australia. A total of 95 pregnant women who had been diagnosed with Gestational diabetes were included…

• 61 received telemedical care as well as the usual care, while
• 34 received general attention only.

The cost of care for both groups cost the same amount. Those receiving the telemedical care needed fewer changes to their insulin dosage and achieved their targeted HbA1c levels in an average of 4.3 weeks, while the women receiving the usual care reached their goals after an average of 7.6 weeks.

Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. By making easy changes to your daily routine, its possible to protect your heart, kidneys, eyes and limbs from the damage often caused by diabetes, and eliminate some of the complications you may already experience.

7 Keys to Good Health by Good Breathing – By Dr Edward Brell PhD

A very common slogan among asthma sufferers is “When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters”, alluding to the desperateness of one who can’t inhale the life-giving air. Is life-giving air the full story on breathing? This article takes common breathing advice and gives reasons for its efficacy. It goes further and provides essential elements in breathing technique for better health.

Breathing is perhaps one of the most centrally integrated autonomous behaviours that reach well beyond a simple filling of the lungs. Garcia AJ writes in 2011:

“Breathing emerges through complex network interactions involving neurons distributed throughout the nervous system. The respiratory rhythm generating network is composed of micro networks functioning within larger networks to generate distinct rhythms and patterns that characterize breathing.”

The outworking of Garcia’s study can best be observed when a person is affected by strong emotions like fear & anger.

Mainstream advice for breathing is to override the autonomous control and consciously inhale deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth slowly with pursed lips.

Dr Carla Naumburg PhD of ‘Ready, Set, Breathe’ fame suggests breathing exercises bring mindfulness into daily life. By remembering to breathe, a space is created to restore calm and reduce blood pressure and stress hormones so creating opportunity of situation control.

Professor Konstantin Buteyko (Russia 1923-2003) is credited for a technique characterised by slow and reduced breathing combined with spaced pauses of no breathing allowing Carbon Dioxide to build up to bursting point.

Pandit JJ, in 2003 tested 3 breathing techniques for optimum Oxygen uptake, as follows:

1. Three (3) minutes of tidal breathing

2. Four (4) deep breaths taken within 30 seconds

3. Eight (8) deep breaths taken within 60 seconds

The Oxygen uptake was the same for Items 1. & 3 and a higher efficacy than for Item 2. His work illustrates that breathing technique is important.

Nitric Oxide (NO), a colourless gas with a half-life of merely seconds. Nitric Oxide (NO) was named “molecule of the year” in 1994 by Science Magazine.

In 1998 the Karolinska Institute awarded the Nobel prize to US pharmacologists Robert F. Furchgott, PhD, Ferid Murad, MD, PhD, and Louis J. Ignarro, PhD for their discoveries of the role of Nitric Oxide (NO) as being a signalling molecule in the cardiovascular system.

NO relaxes the smooth muscle in arteries providing a larger flow area for blood, thus reducing blood pressure and bring more nutrients to where they are needed. The importance of NO in the human bodily functions cannot be overstated. Even though 1000’s of research papers have been written, World research goes on. NO is implicated in heart health, lower blood pressure, better quality of sleep and even erectile dysfunction.

NO is produced in the sinuses, the biggest being the maxillary sinuses either side of the nose. They are closed chambers except for a small soft-tissue opening called the ossium which is open the olfactory airways.

There is no right or wrong way to breathe – the autonomous brain function sees to it that you get adequate oxygen into your system. However, there are ways to breathe to get maximum NO into your system. Here are 7 pointers to help get this amazing gas into your bloodstream.

1. BREATHE IN FAST THROUGH YOUR NOSE.

Nose hair and constricted nose ducting ensure there is a negative pressure in the airways. This partial vacuum causes the sinuses to deliver a small amount of NO-laden air into your inhaled breath. The harder you breathe in the more NO the sinuses will deliver.

2. BLOCK ONE NOSTRIL AND BREATHE IN.

Blocking one nostril and in turn the other nostril will increase the partial vacuum to cause NO-laden air to be injected into your inhaled breath.

3. BLOCK BOTH NOSTRILS AND TRY TO BREATHE IN.

Close both nostrils and try to inhale. This creates the greatest amount of vacuum in your respiratory system allowing NO-laden air to be sucked from the sinuses. Of course you can only do this for a short time before resuming normal breathing.

4. BREATHE OUT SLOWLY THROUGH YOUR MOUTH.

NO needs time to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Accordingly it is good to hold your breath for as long as it is convenient. Alternatively exhale slowly to allow the lungs time to absorb the NO.

5. HUM OR SING

Lundberg et al showed in 2003 that humming increases exhaled NO by 700%. Other researcher found an even greater increase in exhaled NO during humming. Problem is that it is difficult to inhale while humming. Thus the sequence suggested is to hum for 3 seconds then immediately inhale..

6. PRETEND TO SNORE

To overcome the problem of simultaneously humming and inhaling, it is suggested to pretend to snore, making the sound as if you were snoring. The snoring sound frequencies are in the range of the maxillary sinuses natural frequencies approximately 110 to 350 Hz. Allowing the maxillary sinuses to resonate will pulse NO-laden air into the inhaled breath volume. Because snoring is an inhaling manoeuvre the NO will reach the lungs in greater volume.

7. VALSALVA MANOEUVRE

During a descent procedure in an aeroplane headaches are often avoided by use of the Valsalva manoeuvre. This manoeuvre involves closing both nostrils while attempting to exhale until the ear drums ‘pop’. This has the effect of pressurizing the sinuses which upon subsequent inhalation release the pressure and inject NO-laden air into the olfactory airways.

 

LEPROSY IS CURABLE – By Dr Omoye Aretha Ukhun

 

We are approaching the World Leprosy Day and Nigeria is one of three countries in Africa having the highest burden of leprosy according to the latest WHO observatory data repository. Almost 2 decades ago Nigeria was eliminated from the list of high endemic nations, achieving less than one case per 10,000 population nationally, what has happened now?

Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) dates far back to ancient times, as one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, where He cleansed a leper.

It is a chronic infectious disease, not easily transmitted but has a huge effect on individuals and their communities. It is caused by a slow growing bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae and mostly affects the skin and nerves. Other areas such as the mucous membrane of upper respiratory tract and the eye can also be affected. It usually presents with discoloured patches in the skin, weakness of muscles with loss of sensation due to the nerve damage. Loss of sensation leads to injuries, wounds, ulcers, which worsen to deformities and disfigurement with time.

Leprosy is CURABLE with the availability of multi drug therapy(MDT) regimen. Unfortunately, stigmatisation and discrimination as a result of superstitions, have had a huge effect on patient population, their functioning in society and their access to treatment. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment helps to prevent disabilities and spread of disease.

Renewed commitment to early detection, adequate treatment, public awareness and enlightenment of disease as curable, counsel against stigmatisation and discrimination, inclusion, cured patients empowerment, and rehabilitation, must all be implemented in order to totally eliminate the leprosy disease scourge in our environment.

A Silent Killer – By Dr Omoye Aretha Ukhun

Think about this, 1 in every 3 men and women in the whole world will eventually end up with a heart condition at some point in their lives, with about 30 percent mortality.

The WHO has documented that non communicable diseases, of which cardiovascular disease ranks highest, are a major cause of death in the world, the developing countries now inclusive as against the communicable(infectious) diseases prevalence of the past.

Heart failure is the inability of the heart muscle to pump sufficient blood to keep up with the body’s needs resulting in accumulation of fluid in the lungs and making it difficult to breath.

Agnes, a 29 year old happy and vibrant lady who had no prior history or symptom of heart disease, got pregnant for her spouse, a young dynamic science genius. Nine months later, they had a beautiful healthy baby girl with such sparkling brown eyes. The pregnancy and delivery were uneventful but 6 months after, she suddenly developed generalised body swelling and difficulty in breathing. She was rushed to the hospital but couldn’t make it through, despite all attempts at resuscitation.

One of the most terrifying truths about heart disease is its ability to hide silently for years without any symptom whatsoever, such that the first symptom for most people is catastrophic. For Agnes it could have been a case of perinatal cardiomyopathy, or any other heart condition, but it was insidious with no prior symptoms until the event.

Risk factors for heart disease include smoking, hypertension, diabetes, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, polluted environment, positive family history, middle-advanced age, pregnancy.

Preventive cardiology is key.

Live proactively, exercise regularly, drink clean water graciously every day, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, keep from late night meals, hyper sugary and fatty diets. Avoid use of tobacco in any form or environments polluted with it, limit alcohol intake, check your blood pressure regularly, endeavour to visit your doctor if concerns arise, also for routine checks and prior to getting pregnant.

There are also appropriate medications for treatment of different forms of heart disease, namely angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE)-inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics taken as prescribed by your doctor. A heart transplant surgery may also be done when other treatments have failed.

Do what you can now to reduce the risks of heart disease, guard your ‘heart’ diligently, for veritably a silent killer —is its disease.

Stem Cell Derived Pacemaker Cells Could Help Weak Hearts Keep the Beat – By Richa Verma

Do you know how many times our heart beats in an average lifetime? It beats over 2.5 billion times. Do you know which part of the organ is responsible for the heartbeats in unison? It’s the sinoatrial node or SAN, which acts like the captain of the ship and dictates other parts of the heart to follow the rhythm. SAN is the natural pacemaker of the heart, which is built of a set of specialized heart muscle cells. It sends signals to the other parts of the organ to beat in a certain rate through an electrical signal.

A number of factors such as aging or inherited mutations often lead to disturb the natural pacemaker function of the SAN, which results in slower heart rate and poor blood circulation. The optimum treatment to address these problems is installing an artificial electronic pacemaker into the heart. However, artificial pacemakers have a few disadvantages as well. They are mentioned below:

· They are unable to react to hormone signals in the heart.

· The implantation may also carry a risk of infection.

· There is no way to adjust the pacemaker in order to match a child’s natural growing heart.

· The artificial pacemaker’s battery life is 7 years. So after its due course, another surgery is needed to replace it with a new one.

Considering all the drawbacks of an artificial pacemaker, a Canadian research team at the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Toronto is trying the build a stem cell-derived pacemaker that would be an ideal alternative to the natural system. They are aiming at transforming the embryonic stem cells into pacemaker cells so that they can naturally receive and give electrical heart signals.

There have been many researches and studies around artificial pacemaker with stem cells. But this research is special because it focuses on creating SAN pacemaker cells from the stem cells whereas other studies involve creating various types of cardiomyocytes.

Earlier in 2015, another team created SAN-like pacemaker cells from stem cells but they permanently inserted the gene into the DNA of the cells, which may lead to tumor and thus is not suitable for clinical procedures. The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine team has relied on a process that is gene insertion-free. Stephanie Protze, the first author in the report, said, “It’s tricky, you have to determine the right signaling molecules, at the right concentration, at the right time to stimulate the stem cells.”

The research shows that 90% of the SAN cells that are derived from stem cells have the natural pacemaker functionality. That means that these cells can function as a natural pacemaker. This is an interesting step towards treating people with heartbeat problems.

The team had implemented the method on a rat module and now they are eager to implement the new technique to create pacemaker cells from human stem cells. This may be a time-consuming process and may take a longer time to come down to any conclusion, but the approach will enable the team to study heartbeat disorders and thereby to come up with drugs that can improve the condition.