Encouraging Health

BY MELISSA NEWMAN

EVERY YEAR, AMID the excitement of Halloween-related fun, conversations commonly turn toward scary and unnerving talk of the mysterious world of paranormal and supernatural phenomena.
Unlike the entertaining “safe scares” that Halloween brings, for those who encounter “real paranormal phenomena,” the encounters can be truly terrifying and even life-changing. And while these otherworldly phenomena have been a part of the human experience since the dawn of humankind – and, incidentally, is where Halloween originates – not even western society’s modern-day cynical culture of scientific analysis could dismiss and suppress the existence of these elusive phenomena. On the contrary, whether you are a believer or a hardened skeptic, an avalanche of experiences involving paranormal and supernatural phenomena continues to be reported worldwide.

According to several polls and surveys conducted around the world, belief in the paranormal and supernatural is at an all time high and shows no evidence of decline. In the U.S. alone, a recent Gallop poll showed that 75% of Americans have some sort of paranormal belief; a Harris poll showed that half of Americans believe in ghosts; a CBS poll showed that one in five Americans have seen or physically encountered a ghost; and still another survey taken from more than 400 college students with the highest GPAs found seniors and grad students more likely to believe in the paranormal then their “uneducated” freshman counterparts. Paranormal beliefs include such phenomena as extraterrestrial and UFO close encounters, all types of psychic phenomena, miracles and demonic possession, ghosts and poltergeists, witchcraft and metaphysics, and encounters with extraordinary life forms, including Bigfoot and the notorious chupacabra.

HALLOWEEN ORIGINS

Whether one is a believer or a skeptic, Halloween in the U.S. might be the one time of the year that both stand united in simply having a good time in the shadow of such reported phenomena. The origins of Halloween itself lay in supernatural beliefs and an ancient Celtic festival that dates back some 2,000 years. Originally called Samhain (pronounced sow-in), the festival originated amidst the region now known as the United Kingdom and celebrated the one night each year that the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became indistinguishable. On this night, the Celts believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth for good or for bad and allowed Druid priests to additionally interact with them for the wellbeing of them all.

Over the course of hundreds of years, early Christianity would attempt to suppress and replace the Celtic festival with All Saints’ Day, which was celebrated on November 1, a holy day of obligation to honor saints and martyrs in the Christian faith. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. But even the powerful influence of the church was unable to squelch the supernatural festival, and Halloween endured and flourished over the centuries to become the sensationalistic celebration it is today in the U.S.

While Halloween is still mostly an American commercial phenomenon, little by little every year, evidence that the spooky holiday is being embraced globally is being seen more and more. UNICEF itself has a special “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” program aimed to empower kids, not just in the U.S., but in other countries as well, by trick-or-treating for donations to help their counter-parts in need all over the world. The reluctance to embrace Halloween in other countries has been primarily due to the seriousness that the supernatural and paranormal is taken in other cultures. While the western world can make light of beliefs, both religious and metaphysical, other old-world cultures are very sensitive to and deeply immersed in their beliefs and find such playfulness like the Amercanized version of Halloween to be considered as taboo and, in some cultures, even sacrilegious.

Enjoy your Halloween!

Aradigm Corporation (OTCBB: ARDM) (”Aradigm”) today announced it is presenting data from its Phase 2 study of inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin (ARD-3100) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients at the 22nd Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis (NACF) conference in Orlando, Florida.

Completed in June
2008, the study was an open-label, two week efficacy and safety trial of once daily inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin in 22 CF patients conducted at leading CF centers in Australia and New Zealand.

The primary efficacy endpoint in the study was the change from baseline in the sputum Pseudomonas Aeruginosa colony forming units (CFU), an objective measure of the reduction in pulmonary bacterial load. Data analysis in 21 patients who completed the study, demonstrated that the Pseudomonas CFU decreased by a mean 1.43 log over the 14-day treatment period (p less than 0.0001). Evaluation one week after study treatment was discontinued showed that the Pseudomonas bacterial density in the lung was still reduced by 1.02 log CFU from the baseline without additional antibiotic use. Pulmonary function testing as measured by the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) showed a significant mean increase of 6.86 % from baseline after 14 days of treatment (p=0.04). The study drug was well tolerated, and there were no serious adverse events reported during the trial.

Ciprofloxacin is a widely prescribed antibiotic to treat infections of the lung frequently experienced by cystic fibrosis patients. It is often preferred because of its broad-spectrum anti-bacterial action. The available oral and intravenous formulations of the drug are used to treat episodes of acute exacerbations of lung infections in CF. Aradigm’s once-a-day novel inhaled formulation of ciprofloxacin delivered in liposomes is to be used for chronic maintenance therapy as it is expected to achieve higher antibiotic concentration at the site of infection and relatively low systemic antibiotic concentrations to minimize side-effects.

Details of the poster presentations by Aradigm’s Chief Medical Officer, Tunde Otulana, M.D., and Medical Director, Paul Bruinenberg, M.D., are as follows:

Poster # 401. THE EFFECT OF ONCE-A-DAY INHALED LIPOSOMAL CIPROFLOXACIN HYDROCHLORIDE ON SPUTUM BACTERIAL DENSITY IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PULMONARY P. AERUGINOSA COLONIZATION.

Poster Session I, Thursday, Oct 23rd, 2008

Poster Session III, Friday, Oct 24th, 2008

In addition to the data in cystic fibrosis patients being presented at this conference, Aradigm is also currently conducting a Phase 2 study of its inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin in adults with non-CF bronchiectasis. Data from that study is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2009.

About The North American Cystic Fibrosis (NACF) conference

The North American Cystic Fibrosis (NACF) conference is the leading scientific meeting organized by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) where thousands of CF physicians, researchers and allied health professionals from the Cystic Fibrosis community around the world gather to learn from each other and build collaborations.

courtesy of Adrienne Dellwo of About.com: On it’s face, it might sound silly to ask if aspects of your health have improved since you became chronically ill with fibromyalgia (FMS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS). Some of us, though, have noticed that, while we feel worse overall, some things from before have actually improved.

Some people used to get lots of headaches and periodic migraines. Typically these are symptoms of FMS or ME/CFS, especially when they’re of a new pattern, type, or severity. Well, oddly enough, there is a new pattern, type, or severity is to rarely have a headache at all, and to stop getting migraines (at least, for the past 2.5 years.)

I’ve also noticed that I don’t seem to get the colds and other common bugs that get passed around like I used to. I attributed that to all the supplements I’m taking, but a recent discussion thread in my Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum made me wonder. (Thanks to Liz for starting this one!) Do the changes in our immune system make us more resistant to some things, while making us less resistant to others?

In the thread, Liz mentions Dr. Paul Cheney’s theory of ME/CFS’s effect on the immune system, and it’s a really interesting one. You’ll find it here: Dr. Cheney: Balance the Immune System (Th1/Th2).

Of course, we don’t know whether the FMS immune system is the same as the ME/CFS immune system, but we also don’t know that they’re different. I thought it was really interesting that Liz and I noticed a similar improvement in certain immunities, when she has ME/CFS and I have FMS.

Do you get sick less often than you did before FMS or ME/CFS? Or is it more often, or about the same? What about things like my headaches, that aren’t immune-system related — any changes there?

Despite doubts surrounding HPV vaccine Gardasil’s medical and cost benefits, Merck wants to market the drug to women over the age of 26

A recent study reported that vaccinating older women against the human papillomavirus (HPV) can be effective in significantly reducing the rate of cervical cancer, prompting pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. to seek to expand marketing of its drug to an older demographic.

Using a mathematical model, researchers at the University of Alabama concluded that vaccinating women by ages 12 through 45 could cut cervical cancer rates up to 55 percent for 45-year-old women. The mathematical model assumed a 100 percent vaccination rate against HPV, which causes most cases of cervical cancer.

Gardasil, a vaccination developed by Merck, protects against HPV strains 16 and 18, which lead to approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases. The virus also protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause genital warts.

The vaccination has been approved by the FDA for women ages 9 through 26 but doesn’t protect anyone who has already been infected with HPV. “The thinking has been that girls must be vaccinated before they are sexually active, because HPV is so common,” reported Reuters.

But Merck now wants to target an older market after the number of Gardasil vaccinations went down nearly 35 percent in July and August. Merck seeks to garner sales from women who have not typically used the vaccine. According to Bev Lybrand, Merck’s senior vice president of vaccines, “We see tremendous opportunity. We have a number of programs under way to get after these women.”

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Want healthier cells in just 8 hours? Then get some solid shut-eye tonight

Your body does important things while you sleep — like healing your cells. But just one night of tossing and turning could trigger cell-damaging inflammation. So turn off the tube, slip on that sleep mask, and get your 40 winks.

Inflamed in the Membrane
In a recent study, sleep-deprived people — especially women — showed a marked increase in their levels of a protein called NF-kB. That’s bad news, because NF-kB plays an essential role in the body’s inflammation response. The study may help explain why poor sleep is associated with several inflammation-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

Mini Mind-Body Makeovers
Need help adjusting to the end of daylight saving time? Or getting over jet lag? Or just sleeping through an average night?

Sound Sleep Advice

Want to sleep like a teenager during summer break? Try these tips from the RealAge doctors.

Get on a schedule. Your body clock runs best when, like a baby, you get yourself on a regular sleep schedule. So aim to get up at about the same time every day — whether you have a full day of work or a full day of cartoons ahead of you. On weekends, try to rise within an hour of the time you get up during the week.

Change your temperature. The ideal setting for ZZZs is a cool, dark room. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try removing a layer of clothing or lowering the thermostat.

At night, eat foods that contain melatonin, a substance that helps regulate your body clock. That means oats, sweet corn, or rice. Or try a complex carbohydrate that contains sleep-encouraging serotonin, like vegetables or whole-grain pasta. Or go with the classic remedy: warm milk. And, of course, avoid stimulants like caffeine and exercise near bedtime.

Mold reactions can range from mild to life-threatening, according to David Straus, professor of microbiology and immunology at Texas Tech University.

“How large a problem it is depends on what type of organism it is (there are 100,000 species), the amount of mold growing indoors and the susceptibility of the people living in the house,” said Straus, who conducts extensive mold research.

If there’s mold growing in grout, it’s not a problem. If you have several square feet growing on a wall, it’s a serious problem Straus said. “Mycotoxins are poisons produced by mold for reasons we don’t understand.”

Allergic reactions rank sixth as the leading cause of chronic disease in the United States costing health care $18 billion dollars annually according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

Article -

Tommy Riley of Seminary moved into a new top-of-the-line, double-wide trailer in July 1998. Nestled on 111 acres, it was as nice as some homes, he thought, a perfect fit to learn the lay of the land before building a permanent home.

Within the first six months of living there, the self-employed used-equipment salesman and his family began having upper respiratory problems, coughing and laryngitis. Four years later, his 7- year-old nephew fell in the hall, leaving a sinking hand print on the wall.
After searching their home, they found mold dots sprinkled throughout in the top of closets, and their battle with serious mold was just beginning.

Mold reactions can range from mild to life-threatening, according to David Straus, professor of microbiology and immunology at Texas Tech University.

“How large a problem it is depends on what type of organism it is (there are 100,000 species), the amount of mold growing indoors and the susceptibility of the people living in the house,” said Straus, who conducts extensive mold research.

If there’s mold growing in grout, it’s not a problem. If you have several square feet growing on a wall, it’s a serious problem Straus said. “Mycotoxins are poisons produced by mold for reasons we don’t understand.”

More than 20 installation/manufacturing problems were identified through professional inspections of Riley’s mobile home. In 2002, he and his family evacuated because of ongoing mold symptoms. His attorney recommended he see a physician in Maryland specializing in mold toxicity.

They traveled to Maryland in 2007 for a diagnosis and received treatment. Riley believes they need to return for additional treatment to reverse his short-term memory loss, but expense is a major deterrent.

“With the mobile home industry, structure and installation is a problem. Builders are in a hurry; things get in a hurry. Who wants to step up to the plate and fix this? It will be expensive to fix. Medical issues are expensive. Environmental cleanup is expensive,” Riley said.

His problems are not across the board with mobile homes.

“We have a very regulated industry,” said Jennifer Hall, executive director of the Mississippi Manufactured Housing Association. “HUD sets the guidelines for how homes are built, set up and sold.”

In her 14 years as director, she has never had a mold complaint, Hall says.

Mississippi families live in more than 500,000 manufactured houses.

Hall said all mobile homes in Mississippi should be installed by a licensed installer. Improper site preparation - where land wasn’t leveled resulting in moisture accumulation under homes - could lead to problems.

HUD increased installation standards that went into effect Monday for houses built across the nation. Hall said Mississippi already was installing homes at those standards.

An experimental drug and a standard leukemia drug both show promise in advancing the treatment of MS, according to two new studies.

Two separate studies examined the usefulness of the experimental drug oral fumarate, and the leukemia drug alemtuzumab, in treating multiple sclerosis, reported Forbes magazine.

The standard leukemia drug alemtuzumab, or Campath, in particular may be “the most promising and most significant MS treatment yet discovered,” reported Voice of America, as it seems to halt the disease in its early stages and repair damaged functioning in patients.

“The ability of an MS drug to promote brain repair is unprecedented,” said Alasdair Coles of Cambridge University, who worked on the alemtuzumab study, according to Forbes. “We are witnessing a drug which, if given early enough, might effectively stop the advancement of the disease and also restore lost function by promoting repair of the damaged brain tissue.”

Multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous system, affects about 300,000 people in the United States. The disease causes the body’s immune system to attack the insulating layer of tissue that protects nerve fibers in the spinal cord and brain. Symptoms of the disease include muscle weakness, blurred vision, impaired walking, depression and paralysis.

In a three-year study involving 334 subjects at Cambridge University, alemtuzumab was found to be about 70 percent more effective in treating the disease than interferon beta, the standard MS drug already in wide use. But patients also suffered serious side effects, such as bleeding disorders, an increased risk of thyroid disease and infections, and scientists say more research must be done before it can be prescribed to treat the disease. The drug temporarily depletes white blood cells and is part of a group of drugs called monoclonal antibodies.

The study found that the treatment caused brain lesions to disappear and brain volume to grow, according to MRIs performed on study participants. Tony Johnson, a patient in the study, was able to continue playing professional golf after the treatment and is now winning tournaments, reported New Scientist.

What skin care product makes your skin look fresher and younger almost instantly, can cost under $10 a pop, and takes just 2 minutes to use?

Emollients – Their job is to fill in the tiny crevices between surface cells that are almost ready to be shed, so skin stays smooth, soft, and pliable.
Trade names: On the ingredients list, look for one or more of these words: lanolin, jojoba oil, isopropyl palmitate, propylene glycol linoleate, squalene, and glycerol stearates.

Humectants – Their job is to draw water to the outermost layer of your skin, which gives it a healthy, dewy glow.
Trade names: On the ingredients list, look for one or more of these words: hyaluronic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, sorbitol, glycerin, propylene glycerol, urea, and sodium lactate.
One other must-have on the label: a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, says Dr. Amy. If your favorite moisturizer doesn’t come in an SPF 30 version, slather on sunscreen separately every day — and enjoy watching your skin stay young.

What are the causes of dry, scaly skin?
Dry, scaly skin may be due to:

Dry air e.g. low winter humidity
Exposure to the wind
Over-washing
Reduction in production of natural moisturisers (sebum) in old age
Diuretic medications
Underactive thyroid gland
Inherited factors

A skin condition such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis or ichthyosis, Any combination of these.

How does dry skin arise?

Dry skin results from lack of water in the stratum corneum, the outer, compacted layer of non-living cells that covers the entire body like a layer of cling film. When it becomes dehydrated this layer loses its flexibility and becomes cracked and scaly. The stratum corneum contains natural water-holding substances that retain water seeping up from the deeper layers of the skin. Water is also retained in the stratum corneum by a surface film of natural oil (sebum) and broken-down skin cells, which slows down evaporation (trans-epidermal water loss or TEWL.)
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Congress has again provided funding for critically important lupus research and education programs advocated by the Lupus Foundation of America. President Bush recently signed the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009 (H.R. 2638). This legislation continues funding for important lupus programs, including basic, clinical and epidemiological research, and public education and awareness initiatives.

These programs include:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

In 2003, the LFA successfully advocated to have Congress provide funding for the CDC to expand the National Lupus Patient Registry (NLPR). LFA efforts have led Congress to triple funding of the NLPR since its inception. The NLPR will be funded at their current level of $3.122 million through March 6, 2008.

The NLPR is integral to completing the first national epidemiological study to determine the true national incidence and prevalence of lupus among all populations, and for determining the burden of the disease on individuals, families and society. This information also is important to LFAs efforts to stimulate additional investment by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to develop safe and effective therapies for lupus. It has been nearly 50 years since a new drug has been approved specifically for lupus and the LFA is supporting several initiatives to address this serious problem.

Department of Health and Human Services Department Office on Women’s Health

The appropriations legislation also continues funding for the Office of Women’s Health for initiatives to improve public awareness of lupus and conduct education projects on lupus. These efforts help to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of lupus, one of the LFA’s highest priorities.

In 2007 the LFA collaborated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health and The Advertising Council to develop the first ever national public advertising campaign on lupus. The campaign is a three-year, $2.3 million effort to increase public awareness and understanding of lupus with an emphasis on populations most at risk for developing the disease.

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Are you seeing more trans-fat-free offerings in your grocery store? Good. Pick ’em up.

New research shows that trans fat isn’t just bad for your heart. It may increase your risk of colon cancer, too.

When Bad Fats Go Badder
Researchers recently reviewed the health of 622 colonoscopy patients and came up with plenty of fuel for the down-with-trans-fats fire. People who ate the most trans fat — an average of 6.5 grams per day — were 86 percent more likely to have potentially precancerous colon polyps compared with those who consumed the least transfat — about 3.6 grams or less per day. Seems trans fats can mess with the colon’s normal, healthy balance of bile and fatty acids and damage the mucus that protects this organ.

Less Is More
For heart health, the American Heart Association recommends that no more than 1 percent of your daily calories come from trans fat. That means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, no more than 2 grams should come from trans fat. Since trans fat is found mostly in packaged sweets, frozen dishes, and fried foods, steering clear of them will help. Your other option is to closely read the list of ingredients, keeping in mind that even products labeled trans-fat-free can still have up to 0.5 grams of the stuff per serving. So cut down on anything that lists hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils among the ingredients, too — “hydrogenated” is a red flag for trans fat.

So, keep an eye out for those trans fats in your diet.