Cancers could be stopped...

Cancers could be stopped by a substance found in Cannabis

The plant mix does not generate psychoactive cannabis properties, however it does provide plenty of benefits. In the example of breast cancer it does not just prevent the cells from acting as 'madmen', but it increases the capability of these cells to return to normal homeostatic conditions.

Cannabidiol is a compound commonly found in the well know cannabis plant, and is not psychoactive. According to scientists, this compound might stop the spread of a wide variety of aggressive cancer forms.

Moreover, after several studies, they have found that cannabidiol, is able to extinguish the bad gene, which is responsible for the so-called metastasis, which leads to an aggressive and terrible breast cancer form. As stated, it is imperative to make emphasis on the fact that this substance does not produce any of the psychoactive properties like the cannabis plant does.

Five years ago, the California Pacific Medical Center team in San Francisco, found its potentials. This took place right after it actually battled the cells of breast cancer growth in the laboratory.

One year ago, they exposed a detailed study linked to an outcome in mice, which resembled the other one. Today, they state that they are close to publishing results from more animals that extend these effects much more.

In declarations to the San Francisco Chronicle, the co-leader of this research Dr. Sean McAllister stated that every test data is extremely potent and there is no harmfulness or toxicity. There is plenty of investigation to proceed, advance, and spread enthusiasm between people.

Dr. McAllister together with Dr. Pierre Desprez may look for further possibilities in order to turn their research into a strong pill. They are now dealing with its development in human trials. This fabulous team looks forward to testing the pill along with the latest chemotherapy solutions.

Desprez is also a teacher and had previously encountered a relevant role of an unknown protein named ID-1, which leads to widespread cancer. Simultaneously, Dr. McAllister has found that the cannabidiol chemical union is fantastic in terms of anti-cancer solutions. Trial results definitely appear to be promising. This team has paired up to develop an aggressive breast cancer treatment in order to deal with “triple negative”. This affects around 15% of patients, and the involved cells have high ID-1 levels. When exposing these cells to cannabidiol compound, the results were shocking. They were astonished since cancer didn’t just stop being “crazy” but they even went back to a normal and healthy condition. Thus, this team of experts found out that the cannabidiol switched off the ID-1 over expression, preventing them from moving into distant tissues. There are other possibly treated cancers such as, lung, ovarian, leukemia, and brain disorders that contain high ID-1 levels as well.

Artists Takes Every Drug Known to Man

Ok so I don't have much to say about this, other than it's AWESOME!  Now I don't encourage anyone to take drugs, and this artist from Washington, D.C. did undergo minor brain damage, but the images that he drew after taking each drug gives us insight into what's happening in our brain and the distortion of reality while under the influence.

Be sure to check it out!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/4VLbfc/:1o1$yNoS3:MxDXovg9/cultso.com/artist-takes-every-drug-known-to-man-draws-self-portraits-after-each-use/

Rural Americans are more likely to be obese

According to a new study on obesity that drew on data from the National Center for Health Statistic, American adults living in urban areas are less likely to be victims of obesity than those who live in rural areas. Researchers of the study believe the reasons why rural people are more obese is due to diet and their nature of isolation.

The traditional diet in rural America is usually full of rich, homemade foods, including a lot of meat, sweets, and fatty dessert, which is no doubt very high in fat. In addition to a diet that can easily make people obese, rural American adults also often encounter more challenges than their city-dwelling peers when it comes to attaining access to health care and other services that can keep their weight down.  Moreover, when people live in rural areas, physical isolation is another problem for them to face. As a matter of fact, it is pretty hard to get to a gym if you live outside of a town without one.

While the obesity disparity is quite prominent in adults 20 to 39 years old, there is not any difference in older age groups in rural and urban areas, which researchers believe might be attributed to the disappearance of strenuous jobs in rural areas. In the past, rural people had to do a lot of physical activities, such as walking, farming and all the other works around the house. With the rapid development of technology, most of the more difficult tasks are now handled by machines, freeing rural people from the burden of physical works.  Since the rural areas typically do not have a culture of physical activity as leisure time, obesity is not a surprising consequence. Physical activity is now a necessity for American people who live in rural areas, said a researcher. 

A New Primary Care Model in the US

At North Country HealthCare, PCMH (Patient Centered Medical Home), a new care model is now being implemented. This model is not only restricted to being at a physical location but it is also an innovative step toward primary care.

This transformation of primary care is basically organized to prevent most of the expensive medical interventions, including visits to emergency rooms, unimportant office visits and needless hospitalizations etc. A team approach would be used in this medical home to provide a holistic and personalized approach to the care delivering system. Every patient would have some identified medical assistant and primary provider. The main goal is to establish an efficient clinic operation, which would optimize the health level of each patient.

North Country is striving to improve patient care along with assuring the well-being and health of the patients. NCQA (National Committee For Quality Assurance) recognizes those practices that need to meet a certain criteria, including the prioritized relationship between the clinician and patient.  Enhanced access to the care is provided, and PCMH fully meets this criteria.

Care Management can rightly be called a PCMH’s keystone. The care management service ensures that patients who are at a high risk or the ones who have health conditions that are uncontrolled get maximum possible attention. For this, they are provided with a team of health coaches and nurses along with a medical assistant and a care provider. They would pay all the required attention to the patient and would give them necessary education to ensure more quality interaction. In order to achieve the best health, an individual may need services that are more than what a primary care giver can provide in a fifteen to thirty minute appointment.

Added to this, North Country has also made a way through which they can track the patient’s referrals to a specialist as well as monitor the hospitalized patients more efficiently.  They use electronic health records and because of that, are able to monitor patients more actively and provide them with maximum care in order to minimize recovery time. These opportunities include cancer screening and much, much more.

At the moment, North Country HealthCare is preparing its Kingman, Lake Havasu and Flagstaff city clinics for patient-centered medical home that are recognized by NCQA. It plans to make sure that the best services are provided at the lowest possible amount. With their team by their side, Susan Bigly and Sarah Morley, care management/associate medical director and project manager of PCMH respectively, are excited to be recognized as specialists of health care innovation.

The World's Reaction to Akins Rape Statement

I HOPE that this news is just as appalling and disgusting to the rest of you as it is to me.  Though Todd Akin later apologized and explained his reasoning, it does not excuse his actions.  Words can never be unspoken.

Congressman Todd Akin, a republican from Missouri, was recently asked if he believed that abortion is justified in cases of rape.  His response was matched with gasps and head shakes from men and women all across the nation.  "It seems to be, first of all from what I understand from doctors, it's really rare.  If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down."  I'm not sure what doctors he's been talking to, or what university he attended, but his lack of empathy and sensitivity for women who have been traumatize in this way is just astounding.  Senator Claire McCaskill, the Democrat whose Senate seat Mr. Akin is seeking, released a statement soon after, discussing her negative feelings toward Akin's remark.  She has worked closely with hundreds of rape victims and truly understands the pain they have endured.  McCaskill later stated, "It is that experience that makes Akin's statements so outrageous". Of course the senator shot back a rebuttal, claiming that he mispoke in the interview, "I believe deeply in the protection of all life, and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion, and I understand I may not have their support in this election”.

Mit Romney, the Republican presidential nominee, called Mr. Akin's comments "insulting, inexcusable, and frankly, wrong".  Mike Huckabee, out of the kindness of his heart, allowed Akin on his radio program to explain himself, respectable I thought, but still unforgivable.  Obama himself condemned the congressman's remarks and said they were an example of why politicians should not make health care decisions for women.

As the chorus of politicians each put in their own two cents, the public responded in similar, yet unique ways.

The "Renegade Raging Grannies" made up a song, ending with this lovely gesture.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/us/politics/rep-todd-akin-legitimate-rape-statement-and-reaction.html?_r=1

Correlation, not causation

When is comes to teenagers, they're in a rush to do feel older and mature.  All they want to do is fit in and I believe drinking and getting their fix on the newest drug makes them believe they do.  According to a recent study, the largest to comprehensively investigate brain white matter, adolescents should think twice before taking a puff.

A study according to new research was conducted at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in conjunction with the University of Melbourne and the University of Wollongong, whose results were published in the leading neurology journal, Brain.  They found that those individuals who were heavy cannabis users and who have a longer period of exposure, had the most significant changes to their brains, especially the area responsible for memory function.  They stated that the age marijuana use began was a key factor in determining the severity of any deterioration to the brain.  The younger the user was when they started, the worse the outcome, greatest abnormalities, and more drastic the cognitive impairment.

The study followed 59 cannabis users and 33 non-users with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images to determine which areas of the brain had been affected.  The leading researcher, Doctor Marc Seal found that there were certain ages at which the brain was more vulnerable to damage due to regular cannabis use.  "Our results suggest that long-term cannabis use is hazardous to white mater in the developing brain.  This was especially true for those who had started in adolescence, as we know the brain is still developing during this time."  He then said that delaying use of said drug may minimize such harmful effects, not to encourage use at all.  The areas of the brain that sustained the most damage included the hippocampus and commissural fibers which may underlie the memory impairment most commonly found in long-term heavy users.  Deterioration and alteration of brain white matter have also been linked to schizophrenia.  In this study, those most effected were found to start using around age 16 and were repeat users for about 15 years.

I think it's also important to note that marijuana use these days may not seem like a huge deal, compared to what else is out there.  It is honestly scary that studies show fewer adolescents believe that regular cannabis use is harmful to our health.  The more this ideology spreads, the younger users become, and the more damage occurs.  I'd like to also note that persistent cannabis use was STILL ASSOCIATED with neurophysiological decline even after years of continuing education.  Once these kids start smoking, cessation of use will not restore lost neuropsychological function.

These new results highlight the importance of prevention and policy efforts targeting adolescents.

http://www.mcri.edu.au/news/2012/august/adolescents-most-at-risk-of-brain-damage-from-long-term,-heavy-cannabis-use.aspx