Medical Tips and News

Medical Science News around the world

Home Hair Remedies


Try out natural hair masks the next time you want to give your hair a deep treatment.

Treating your hair to a deep, nourishing mask every few weeks will make the world of difference. Women have been looking after their locks for decades - way before famous brands were around - so what did they use to use to give wonderful shine and soft-to-touch finish?

There are an astonishing amount of items in your kitchen which are great to use on your tresses. One which may surprise you is the banana, which is high in potassium and vitamins A, C and E.
Pop the mushy filling into a bowl or food processor and mix into a smooth paste. You want to make sure it's lump free as any small bits may prove tricky to rinse out.

Once easy to handle simply apply it to your hair and cover with a shower cap or plastic bag to stop the dripping. Or, if you wanted to really stimulate your roots to absorb extra nutrients, use your hair dryer after around 20 minutes to allow the banana to set.
Then all you have to do is rinse out the fragrant mixture, using a fine-toothed comb if needed as well as your regular shampoo.
If dry hair is your problem you may be brave enough to try out the next option.

Mayonnaise is a cheap, easy to purchase beauty treatment for your dehydrated locks. The gloopy white mixture is packed full of oil, which is guaranteed to add an extra shine and moisture to your hair. You don't need to go out and buy a whole new jar - a little amount will go a long way for this process.

Pop a small dollop of mayonnaise onto your hand and work it through your hair from roots to the tips. If the eggy smell is too much for you add a drop of scented oil to the mixture before applying.

You can leave this on for up to an hour to ensure your hair soaks up the oil before rinsing out thoroughly and shampooing.
Not all old-fashioned hair masks are made up of squidgy ingredients. One suggestion aimed at getting rid of dandruff is lemon and olive oil. Make sure your oil is plain - a flavoured one won't leave the nicest of smells!

All you need to do is squeeze two table spoons of fresh lemon juice into a small bowl with the same amount of olive oil and water. Mix thoroughly and rub into your hair, wrapping a warm damp towel over your hair to make sure no excess liquid evaporates. The good thing about this method is that it can be done once or twice a week as it's easy to make, apply and doesn't leave you with banana or mayonnaise smeared hands.


Vitamins Appear to Slow HIV Progression


New research from Africa suggests that basic multivitamin and selenium supplements might greatly lower the risk that untreated people with the AIDS virus will get sicker over a two-year period.

It's not clear how patients who take the vitamins and mineral might fare over longer periods. And the impact of the study in the United States will be limited because many Americans diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, immediately begin treatment with powerful medications known as anti-retroviral drugs. Those in the African study hadn't yet begun taking drugs to keep the virus at bay.

Still, "it is incredibly useful to find new strategies to delay the progression of HIV disease," said Dr. Jared Baeten, an associate professor of global health at the University of Washington in Seattle who's familiar with the findings. "Not every HIV-infected person is immediately willing, or able, to initiate anti-retroviral therapy. Inexpensive, proven treatments ahead of starting anti-retroviral therapy can fill an important role."

At issue: Do HIV-infected people benefit from nutritional supplements? Previous research has suggested that even well-fed people infected with HIV may not properly process nutrients in food, said study author Marianna Baum, a professor of dietetics and nutrition at Florida International University's Stempel School of Public Health.

The researchers wondered whether the immune system would get a boost if patients who hadn't yet begun anti-retroviral treatment took nutritional supplements. No study had looked at this before, Baum noted.

For the study, published in the Nov. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers divided nearly 900 HIV-infected patients in the African country of Botswana into several groups. Some took a placebo, a sugar pill with no active ingredients. Others took a multivitamin including B, C and E vitamins. Another group took the multivitamin along with supplements of the mineral selenium, and still others took only selenium.

None of the treatments had a noticeable effect except the combination of multivitamin and selenium. After adjusting their statistics so they wouldn't be thrown off by various factors, the researchers reported that those who took the combination were about half as likely to show signs over two years that their infection had progressed toward AIDS as those who took the placebo.

Overall, the risk that the disease would progress over the two years of the study was fairly low: 32 of the 217 who took the placebo suffered progression of the disease, she said, compared to 17 of the 220 who took the vitamin/mineral combination.

Baum didn't have information about the costs of the supplements, but she said they are low. In the United States, supplements that contain many vitamins and minerals can cost just pennies a day.

The supplements appeared to have no side effects, said Baum, who recommends that people newly diagnosed with HIV begin taking multivitamins. They seem to boost the immune system, she said. The selenium supplements, in particular, may provide enough of the mineral that the virus isn't able to hog it, she said.

Baeten cautioned that not just any multivitamin will do. "The results of this study appear to illustrate that it is not just any supplement," he said.

"Only the combination of vitamins plus selenium was effective," Baeten said. "For U.S. patients, this latter point is relevant, as there's a huge variety of supplements available. I would suggest talking with a doctor before taking any supplements."

He added that the study doesn't detract from the crucial importance of anti-retroviral drug treatment.

Researchers next want to see if the supplements help patients already taking anti-retroviral medications, study author Baum said.


What is Vaginal infection and how is it treated ?



A vaginal yeast infection is mostly caused bij a yeast called Candida albicans. This animation explains what a vaginal yeast infection is.

What causes a vaginal yeast infection, which symptoms can occur, and what can you do to prevent it? Finally, treatment options are discussed.


How to Prevent Cancer;9 Simple Ways


1. Stop smoking. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking is linked to several types of cancer — not just lung cancer. Stopping now will reduce your risk of cancer in the future.

2. Avoid excessive sun exposure. Harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer. Limit your sun exposure by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing or applying sunscreen.

3. Eat a healthy diet. Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Select whole grains and lean proteins.

4. Exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise is linked to a lower risk of cancer.

5. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. If you haven't been exercising regularly, start out slowly and work your way up to 30 minutes or longer.

6. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese may increase your risk of cancer. Work to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise.

7. Drink alcohol in moderation, if you choose to drink. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink a day if you're a woman or two drinks a day if you're a man.

8. Schedule cancer screening exams. Talk to your doctor about what types of cancer screening exams are best for you based on your risk factors.

9. Ask your doctor about immunizations. Certain viruses increase your risk of cancer. Immunizations may help prevent those viruses, including hepatitis B, which increases the risk of liver cancer, and human papillomavirus (HPV), which increases the risk of cervical cancer and other cancers. Ask your doctor whether immunization against these viruses is appropriate for you.

Breast self-examination (BSE)


Breast self-examination (BSE) is a screening method used in an attempt to detect early breast cancer.

Watch the video here:

Awesome Health Benefits of Garlic


Cardiovascular Health – If you enjoy eating Mediterranean or Far Eastern food you’ll notice that garlic is used a lot.The good news is that people from areas also have low incidences of cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol can be a confusing area of health. On one hand it is essential whilst on the other hand it can kill us. This is because there are two types of Cholesterol – HDL and LDL. The latter type is considered bad. Modern medicine has found that garlic contains allicin which scavenges hydroxyl radicals (OH). This is turn is thought to prevent LDLs from being oxidised. Unfortunately a number of studies that have been carried out have shown mixed results. It only goes to show how much more seriously natural remedies needs to be taken. Of course, we all know that there’s no incentive for drug companies to research natural products due to the lack of financial reward. If you have problems with high cholesterol go ahead and take some garlic. Just make sure it’s part of a balanced diet and you don’t ignore your doctor’s advice.

Antioxidant – Allicin naturally increases antioxidant enzymes atalase and glutathione peroxidase in your blood. It can help against the damaging effects of nicotine and slows the aging process of your liver by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

Anti-Bacterial – Garlic has 1% of the potency of penicillin and can ward off a number of bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptococcal meningitis, Candida albican and Staphylococcus. The problem with most antibiotics is that bacteria develops resistance to them, however this is not the case with garlic. These benefits were first realized back in the early 19th century when English priests caught infectious fever. The French priests, who ate garlic every day, didn’t.

Blood Clots – Clinical trials, which were published in the Journal of Hypertension, showed that the blood pressure of volunteers was reduced 1 – 5% after taking garlic supplements. This may not sound a lot but this small reduction can reduce the chance of a stroke by 30-40% and heart disease by 20-25%.

Some Pointers about Garlic:-

Garlic is most effective when crushed or chopped and when raw.
One clove a day will improve your health and 2-3 cloves will help prevent a cold.
When cooking garlic wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking to add the garlic.
Be careful about taking too much as it can irritate your digestive system.
Don’t microwave garlic as this kills the active ingredients.
Don’t take garlic instead of a healthy balanced diet.
Always consult a doctor if you are unsure about anything.

Scientists got a Breakthrough for HIV vaccine code


US scientists seeking to unravel the mysteries of HIV have made an important breakthrough after capturing the clearest image yet of a protein which allows the deadly virus to attack human immune cells, new research showed Tuesday.

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and Weill Cornell Medical College have managed to obtain a detailed view of the atomic structure of the protein which envelops HIV, the virus which causes AIDS.

The development could potentially pave the way for a vaccine, according to the findings published in the US journal Science.

"In order to develop a vaccine, you have to understand what bits on that very important trimeric protein can be recognizes by broadly neutralizing antibodies," said Scripps Institute cell biologist Bridget Carragher.

"And in order to understand that, you need to understand what the structure of the thing looks like.

"Then once you do, you can start designing a vaccine that will mimic that thing and elicit an antibody response and get the human being to fight the real virus when it comes along."

Although sophisticated antiviral drugs have been used to manage HIV infections in many developed countries, a vaccine against infection has proved elusive.

The failure to find a vaccine is often attributed to the complex nature of HIV's envelope protein, known as Env.

The delicate structure of Env has hampered efforts to obtain the protein in a form that allows for the atomic-resolution imaging necessary to fully understand it.

"It tends to fall apart, for example, even when it's on the surface of the virus, so to study it we have to engineer it to be more stable," said TSRI biologist Andrew Ward.

However the researchers were able to engineer a version of the Env trimer, or three-component structure, that has the stability required for atomic-resolution imaging.

The scientists were then able to study the Env trimer using cutting-edge imaging and electron microscopy.

The use of X-ray crystallography allowed researchers to examine the Env trimer in more detail than previous attempts.

The data also shed light on the process by which Env assembles and later shifts shape during infection, and also allowed researchers to make comparisons with protein envelopes from other deadly viruses such as flu and Ebola.

Muscle cramps-Fixing and helping recover cramps


Common Cramps

World-class athletes have been troubled by them, swimmers often complain about
them - but muscle cramps can happen to anyone, anywhere. Sudden, painful and
involuntary contractions of muscles are called as cramps. Lasting from couple of
seconds to few minutes, muscle cramps can be extremely painful.
When muscles contract involuntarily and are unable to relax, they squeeze the nerve
endings causing unbearable pain.

Muscle cramps can trouble you while exercising, sleeping even during your day-to-day
activities. Everyone is susceptible to cramps, with the aged being more vulnerable while
doing strenuous activities.

Common occurrence of muscle cramps in the body

• Thighs
• Calf
• Feet
• Abdomen
• Hands

Types and causes of muscle cramps

• Overuse of muscles during strenuous activities leading to muscle fatigue
• Insufficient supply of blood and nutrients to an exercising muscle results in muscle
cramping
True cramps - The most common type of cramps involving a single muscle or a group of
muscles that perform the same function. These may occur while you are doing the
activity or after few hours.
Though the exact cause for muscle cramps is not known, they can be triggered by a
variety of reasons:
• Dehydration - Loss of fluids from the body due to sweating can lead to cramps.
Exercising or doing vigorous activities under the sun also causes dehydration.
• Insufficient levels of minerals such as Sodium and Potassium - Muscle weakness
and cramps are known to occur in any condition that leads to low levels of
minerals in the blood. These can be due to nutrient-deficient diet, dehydration
or excessive vomiting. Pregnant women most often complain about cramps due
to low levels of Calcium.
• Lying or sleeping in the same position for long can lead to rest or night cramps.
The pain usually awakens the sleeping, affecting the sleeping patterns
• Leg cramps are common during pregnancy due to weight gain and changes in
blood circulation. Athletes also suffer from these cramps due to over use of calf
and thigh muscles.
• Some medications are also known to cause cramps as they deprive the blood of
nutrients
The less common cramps include Contractures (muscles unable to relax even after a
long time) and Dystonic cramps (involuntary contraction of muscle that may cause
abnormal movements). The muscle cramps that most people suffer from are the true
cramps.

What are the symptoms of common muscle cramps?

• Sudden, sharp pain
• Hard lump forms in the area of cramp
• Red swelling
• Weakness or fatigue

What is the treatment of muscle cramps?

Most of the cramps can be treated by taking rest and does not require the person to be
hospitalised.
• If you get muscle cramps while doing strenuous activity, then immediately put a
stoppage to it.
• Get lot of fluids that can replenish the lost minerals from the body. Physiotherapists
advise more intake of water, juices and some sports drinks to replenish the lost minerals
from the body
• Gently massage the cramped area
• Do stretching exercises
• Hot or cold packs would also help in easing the pain
• Over-the-counter medicines also help in relieving the pain
• Take a warm shower to relax the muscles
However, consult the doctor, if:
• Pain is severe
• Cramps trouble you frequently
• Home treatments do not relieve you from the pain
How can muscle cramps be prevented?
• Exercise regularly
• Stretch before and after you exercise
• Ensure that the body remains hydrated
• Avoid strenuous activities under the sun
• Eat a healthy diet enriched with all the necessary nutrients and minerals. Consult a
dietician to make a diet chart for you. You can also take multi-vitamin tablets after
consulting with your doctor or dietician
• Frequently massage the muscles
• Correct your posture while sleeping – use pillows to prop up your legs
Are there particular concerns for older adults?
Like most of the other body parts in the elders, their muscles too wear out and function
less effectively:
• Once contracted, muscles do not relax immediately. This makes them more vulnerable
to cramps.
• Older people tend to lie down in the same posture for long. This puts pressure on their
muscles leading to night or rest cramps.
• If elderly persons are frequently troubled by muscle cramps, they need to consult a
doctor to find out whether it is an indicator for any underlying medical condition.