Chocolate lovers have fewer strokes, study finds

Chocolates made by Belgian Christine Scholtes Covic are displayed in her Lika Chocolate workshop in the village of Rakovica, in the Croatian region of Lika, some 150 kilometres (93 miles) south of Zagreb January 21, 2011. REUTERS/Nikola Solic
Chocolates made by Belgian Christine Scholtes Covic are displayed in her Lika Chocolate workshop in the village of Rakovica, in the Croatian region of Lika, some 150 kilometres (93 miles) south of Zagreb January 21, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Nikola Solic

NEW YORK | Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:39pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A sweet tooth isn't necessarily bad for your health-- at least not when it comes to chocolate, hints a new study.

Researchers studying more than 33,000 Swedish women found that the more chocolate women said they ate, the lower their risk of stroke.

The results add to a growing body of evidence linking cocoa consumption to heart health, but they aren't a free pass to gorge on chocolate.

"Given the observational design of the study, findings from this study cannot prove that it's chocolate that lowers the risk of stroke," Susanna Larsson from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm told Reuters Health in an email.

While she believes chocolate has health benefits, she also warned that eating too much of it could be counterproductive.

"Chocolate should be consumed in moderation as it is high in calories, fat, and sugar," she said. "As dark chocolate contains more cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate, consumption of dark chocolate would be more beneficial."

Larsson and her colleagues, whose findings appear in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, tapped into data from a mammography study that included self-reports of how much chocolate women ate in 1997. The women ranged in age from 49 to 83 years.

Over the next decade, there were 1,549 strokes, and the more chocolate women ate, the lower their risk.

Among those with the highest weekly chocolate intake -- more than 45 grams -- there were 2.5 strokes per 1,000 women per year. That figure was 7.8 per 1,000 among women who ate the least (less than 8.9 grams per week).

Scientists speculate that substances known as flavonoids, in particular so-called flavanols, may be responsible for chocolate's apparent effects on health.

According to Larsson, flavonoids have been shown to cut high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke, and improve other blood factors linked to heart health. Whether that theoretical benefit translates into real-life benefits remains to be proven by rigorous studies, however.

Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke every year, with about a sixth of them dying of it and many more left disabled. For those at high risk, doctors recommend blood pressure medicine, quitting smoking, exercising more and eating a healthier diet -- but so far chocolate isn't on the list.

SOURCE: bit.ly/qhsaZ0 Journal of the American College of Cardiology, October 10, 2011.
Reuters: Health News

Body Should Consume Vitamin Supplements?

Many people do not really know her needs and whether the body needs a daily supplement. Most people completely rely solely on food consumed each day. Are the nutrients obtained from daily food is enough? Until recently the use of a multivitamin has become a debated topic for years. 
Most people are satisfied with the daily nutritional intake. But actually they are also not sure whether the nutrients obtained from the daily diet is adequate. And if the daily food intake is not require an additional multivitamin. Some people do feel no need multivitamins because in daily food intake was there a standard servings of vegetables and fruits.
Getting vitamins from natural food is better. However, if the nutrients from the daily food intake is insufficient, there is no harm in taking a multivitamin supplement. Because the actual multivitamin is also very important. Consideration of taking a multivitamin does not have to wait for the condition of the body does not fit or ill. Vitamins are very useful to supplement the nutrients from the daily diet. Supplements containing vitamin nutritional value that can not be satisfied only with the food consumed daily as quoted from the Men's Health Tune Up, Tuesday (09/20/2011). 
Someone does need to eat vitamin continuously since vitamin can not be stored longer in the body. Vitamins travel through the bloodstream in the body. A group of vitamins including vitamin C and a large group of B vitamins, including vitamin that travel through the bloodstream of the body. 
Group vitamin B, consisting of: 
1.. B1 (thiamine) 
2. B2 (riboflavin) 
3. Niacin
4. B6 (pyridoxine) 
5. Folic Acid 
6. B12 (cobalamine) 
7. Biotin 
8. Pantothenic 

acid is also used other herbal supplements for adequate nutrition from food intake daily. Herbal supplements are processed from plants and packaged in capsules. Herbal supplements phytonutrients have deployed a variety of activities in the body to increase the biological process. 
The big difference between vitamins and herbal supplements is that herbal supplements can be used to reduce the symptoms of disease or specific diseases. For example, Ashwagandha has been widely used to help relieve stress by restoring the balance in the nervous system. So as to enhance the ability or the adaptation of the body against all types of stress. Ashwagandha can also rejuvenate the body cells. Herbal supplements can also be used to increase stamina and endurance. Besides these herbal supplements also can maintain enough energy throughout the day by reducing fatigue. 
Supplements of vitamins and minerals are consumed generally serves to make up for nutritional deficiencies of daily food intake. For example, women who do not get enough dietary calcium, it is necessary to take calcium supplements every day to help prevent osteoporosis. Noting the daily diet is very important and is key to getting healthy and fit body. By considering the daily diet we can find out whether daily food intake has been able to ensure adequate nutrition or not. When the daily food intake has not ensure adequate nutrition, there is no harm if taking supplements of vitamins and minerals.

Fetus In Uterus It Can Laugh and Cry

Babies in the womb was already able to express facial movements such as laughing and crying faces. Facial expressions turned out to already be done by the baby before birth and when the pregnancy was 24-36 weeks, fetal facial movements become more complex.

This is a study for the first time about the baby's facial expression in the uterus. Researchers analyzed videotapes of fetal facial movements obtained from 4D ultrasound machine at the final stage of pregnancy. Researchers observed the same healthy fetus at 20 weeks gestation, and made ​​several observations again at age 24 to 36 weeks of gestation. As reported by ScienceDaily , Thursday (09/15/2011), researchers found that the fetal facial movement became increasingly complex over time.

Researchers looked at the fetus at 24 weeks gestation were able to move one muscle in their faces. For example, stretch the lips or mouth opening. At the age of 35 weeks gestation, the fetus is able to combine a number of facial muscle movement, such as stretching the lips, lowered eyebrows and smile lines deepen the groove, thus changing the expression of movement into a more recognizable and more complex. "This is an exciting new insights in the process of fetal development. What is remarkable of this study is the first time demonstrated that the fetus is healthy there is progression from simple facial movements are becoming increasingly complex, preparing the fetus for life after birth, "said Professor Brian Francis of the Department Mathematics and Statistics at Lancaster University.

While it can not make a sound, the development of fetal facial expression makes the baby at birth has mempu perform facial movements to accompany crying and laughing.  "We found more than we expected. We know that babies can blink before birth, and several studies have identified a frown on your baby before birth. But in this study, for the first time we have developed a method of coding and analysis that enables us to objectively track the increasing complexity of movement from time to time that produces a recognizable facial expressions , "explains Dr. Nadja Reissland from Durham University.

The investigators suggest that the patterns of motor movement develops before the baby can feel the emotion, such as breathing exercises movements in the womb even before the baby can breathe. This discovery has the potential to identify health problems in the womb, because there is a connection between the behavior patterns of the fetus and fetal brain development. Seeing the difference between the face of normal fetal development and may show abnormal brain development problems. The researchers now plan to see whether fetal facial movements can help distinguish between the fetuses of mothers who smoked during pregnancy and maternal non-smokers. Researchers will examine the relation with angry facial expressions, smiles and sad.

Expires May Miscarriage When Pregnant Again?

Doc, I had a miscarriage two months ago menggalami dikuret but after dikuret mengluarkan no blood. The question period when I could and when I can get pregnant again? Thank you.

Answer

periods can occur during approximately one month after dikuret. Based on recent research in Scotland, women who experience miscarriage is not recommended to delay the next pregnancy. If it was ready to get pregnant again soon planned better again.

Overcome Impotence Due to Diabetes Can Lose Weight

One of the complications that can be experienced by people with diabetes that obesity is a disorder of erection. But studies show lose a little weight can improve his sex life. Obesity and diabetes can affect the penis and urinary systems are sensitive to changes in blood flow, inflammation and hormone levels. Therefore lose a little weight can memperbaki his sex life and also improve bladder health system. "Everything that can lower the blood vessels worsen erectile function," said Ronald Tamler, MD, PhD as director of the clinical diabetes center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York , as quoted by WebMD , Monday (09/19/2011). Most people who have diabetes and obesity at the same time will have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, have a low libido, infertility and bladder problems in the system. In the previous studies have shown weight loss of about 30 percent of total body weight either through diet or surgery can correct these problems. But in fact in recent studies it is known that a small weight loss is about 5-10 percent could provide the same benefits in people with diabetes are obese. "Impairment weight is very simple this can provide a marked improvement in erectile function. This increase continues to be experienced until a year later, "said Gary A Wittert, MD, head of the department of medicine at the University of Adelaide in Australia. The results of this study indicate that the slightest change remains can provide benefits and effective for diabetics who are obese. This is because obesity is owned by people with diabetes can even become one of the risk factors for various complications. In this study of 30 participants were male, average age 60 years who has a value of body mass index (BMI) 35 and was diagnosed with diabetes for 4 -5 years. More than half report symptoms of severe erectile dysfunction and about 1 in 3 participants experiencing lower urinary tract disorders. During the 8 weeks participants were given a diet low in calories and are taught to plan a healthy diet is followed for 1 year. Results obtained the participants experienced improvement in erectile function, sexual desire and function bladder system.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Cancer in Lymph Nodes

Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. In Hodgkin's lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond the lymphatic system. Because of technological advances in the diagnosis and treatment, the disease is though it can be fatal, but can now be treated with complete healing. Prognosis or possible cure of this disease continues to increase. Hodgkin's lymphoma has two main types, namely classical and nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma is the most common, and subdivided into several types, among others:
1. Nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's lymphoma
2. Mixed cellularity Hodgkin's lymphoma
3. Lymphocyte depleted Hodgkin's lymphoma
4. Lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin's lymphoma Causes The cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is not known with certainty. The lymphatic system consists of the spleen, thymus, bone marrow and lymph nodes, also known as lymph nodes located throughout the body and connected by small vessels called lymphatics. Lymph nodes are located in the upper body is where the Hodgkin's lympoma usually begins.

Some lymph nodes in an area easily visible, like in the neck, above the collarbone, under arm or in the groin area, and lymph nodes in the chest can also be enlarged. Ultimately, the disease can spread beyond the lymph nodes to almost all parts of the body. abnormal B cells are abnormal B cell development is the cause of primary Hodgkin's lympoma. B cells is a type of lymph cells that became an important part of the immune system response against foreign substances. To fight infection, B cells normally work with T cells that mature in the thymus. Tues Reed-Sternberg cells of B is developed into the abnormally large, become cancer cells. When should these cells undergo normal cell cycle of life and death, but these cells do not die and continues to produce the abnormal B cells progressively. Enlarged lymph nodes because these cells also attract immune cells of other normal.

Symptoms Some signs and symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma, among others:
1. Fever and chills
2. Painless swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin
3. Weight loss as much as 10% or more of body weight
4. Persistent fatigue
5. Itching
6. Chest pain, cough or difficulty breathing
7. Increasing sensitivity to the effects of alcohol or pain in lymph nodes after drinking alcohol
8. Sweating at night
9. Loss of appetite Many other conditions can cause the above symptoms, then you should have to consult with a physician, if :
1. Symptoms lasted for more than two weeks
2. Recurrent symptoms Treatment The important considerations include the amount and regional lymph nodes are affected and whether only one or both sides of the diaphragm are involved.

Several other factors that influence the decision for treatment of disease may include the patient's age, symptoms, whether they are pregnant or not and their overall health status. The goal of treatment of disease is the destruction of malignant cells as much as possible and get a good development of this disease. With proper care, approximately 95% of people with Hodgkin's lymphoma stage I or stage II survived for five years or more, and about 60% -70% of people with Hodgkin's lymphoma that has been extended also to survive up to five years.

Some treatment options may include :
1. Radiation Radiation therapy may be a treatment option in case the disease is yet in a restricted area. Radiation is used in this treatment is high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. Although radiation therapy is usually used in conjunction with chemotherapy, but can also be used alone. Chemotherapy would be necessary in the case of patients relapsed after radiation therapy. The risk of disease , stroke, thyroid problems, infertility and other forms of cancer, such as lung cancer or breast can be enhanced due to some form of radiation therapy. Nearby healthy tissue can also be damaged by radiation. Most children with Hodgkin's lymphoma is usually treated with chemotherapy, but they also can be treated with low-dose radiation therapy.
2. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is a treatment option in cases of progression of disease and involves not only the lymph nodes but also other organs. To kill tumor cells, chemotherapy usually use certain drugs in combination. These drugs could reach virtually all areas of the body by traveling through the bloodstream. Long-term use can cause side effects and complications such as lung damage, liver damage, heart damage, secondary cancer (leukemia), and fertility problems. Despite the fact that the effects generally not severe, however, the researchers sought to find a combination that is as effective, but with lower toxicity. In people who have received a couple of times a program of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, combinations of drugs have been developed for Hodgkin's lymphoma, which basically reduces the possibility of long-term use of complications, such as acute leukemia.
The combination chemotherapy used for, among other things:
1. BEACOPP: consisting of bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincrisitine, procarbazine and prednisone.
2. ABVD: consisting of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine.
3. Stanford V: consists of doxorubicin, vinblastine mechlorethamine,, etoposide, vincristine, bleomycin and prednisone. Patients who took the combination is also treated with radiation therapy.
4. Copp / ABVD: consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone, doxorubicin bleomycin vinblastine, and dacarbazine.
5. MOPP: consists of mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone. Currently, the treatment most often used is ABVD. However, people can receive more intensive treatment such as BEACOPP in high-risk cases.

3. Bone marrow transplant or stem cell: A person may need a bone marrow transplant or stem cells in case of relapse. In this procedure, the patients had bone marrow or stem cells (autologous) to be captured and treated to kill cancer cells. After that, cell-marrow or stem cells will be frozen and stored for safekeeping. Then, patients will receive high-dose chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells in their bodies. Finally, frozen marrow or stem cells will be thawed and injected into the body intravenously.

Accustomed to Rise and Shine Make Better Health, Lean and Happy

The phrase 'sleeping late can sustenance chickens peck' was actually proved in health conditions. Studies show used up in the morning can make people healthier, slimmer and happier. People who can get up early proved to be in a hurry when I have to deliver children to school or to work. Thus, making it more active and have a low stress level because it is rarely in a hurry. In contrast, people who are often in a hurry because of late to get up early tend to have high levels of depression and high stress, which in turn could be a trigger of overweight.

" There are morning people and night people, and those mornings tend to be healthier and happier and have a lower body mass index, "said Dr. Joerg Huber of Roehampton University, as reported by the Telegraph , Friday (15/09/2011). Dr. Huber said the reason better wake up because out of the house for work and invite the children to move at a better breakfast can help people become more fit, and better for the busy modern life. In a study conducted by online survey, researchers questioned 1068 adults about their level of happiness and anxiety, physical health, as well as eating and sleeping habits. Researchers found that the 'morning person' average out of bed at 6:58, while the 'one night' wait until 8:54 to start the day. At the end weeks, both groups enjoyed about an hour extra time to remain asleep under a blanket, with up early to wait until 7:47 for the 'morning person' and 10:09 for the 'one night'.

"The difference between these two groups may have certain advantages to be 'the night', for example in a job that requires you to work overtime, "explained Dr. Huber. The survey also found that people who watch television are more likely to skip breakfast. "This could be because they eat more snacks while spending the night in sofa and be less hungry in the morning as a result, "said Dr. Huber.