new technique for treating lung cancer in spanish increasing lung cancer survival rate
The Catalan Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, Spain has recently presented the results of a new technique for treating lung cancer, one of the most widespread cancers, especially in men.
It is ultra- precise radiotherapy, able to target a very high dose of radiation with maximum accuracy even in very small lung tumours, without damaging the surrounding healthy tissues.
The main advantage of this technique is that is synchronised with a patient's breathing. The lung is normally very difficult to treat with radiotherapy because it moves when breathing.
"First of all, we have the advantage that the patient is not operated on. And then, instead of seven weeks continuously, the treatment is done in a few, short sessions, and it is over at the most in two weeks," says the head of Oncology at Bellvitige hospital, Dr Ferran Guedea.
Scientists plan to use this technique in patients who cannot be treated surgically, because of their age or the increased risk caused by other pathologies.
"In the past, only 30 percent of the patients treated with conventional techniques gained an extra two years. Now we obtain a 70 to 80 percent survival rate," said Dr Arturo Navarro.
The new technique has been tested on more than 70 patients since 2008 and the results seem encouraging.
"When they told him that he had this illness, then the doctor got to work, and now it is as if he never had anything," said one delighted wife who had feared she was about to lose her husband.
Thanks to the encouraging results, scientists want to extend the technique to other types of cancers, such as liver, bone, or prostate tumours.
how to protect your hearing Specialist talking about hearing protection
An estimated 10% of the world's population have some degree of hearing loss. Of these, one third damaged their hearing from excessive exposure to sound that could have been avoided. And the number of hearing-impaired people is growing - possibly because we are exposing ourselves to more and louder noise in the form of music, machinery, traffic and so on.
This video will help you to understand the nature of noise, the risks of exposure to noise, and how to protect your hearing from noise.
WHAT IS NOISE?
When sound reaches a level that can damage your hearing we call it noise. It is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems and a by-product of many industrial processes.
HOW DOES NOISE DAMAGE HEARING?
When a person is over-exposed to excessive sound levels, sensitive structures of the inner ear can be damaged. This can result in permanent, noise-induced hearing loss. It can happen after a brief but intense sound such as an explosion, or from regular exposure to noise over time.Hearing loss may be accompanied by tinnitus, a ringing,
buzzing or roaring in the ears or head, which may subside over time or continue constantly or intermittently throughout a lifetime.
Hearing loss caused by exposure to recreational and occupational noise is virtually 100% preventable. Here are some general tips for diminishing potential damage to your hearing:
Avoid hazardous sound environments (if you have to raise your voice to be heard, your hearing is in potential danger)
Limit the amount of time you spend in loud environments.
Wear earplugs or other hearing protective devices when
involved in a loud activity.
Protect children who are too young to protect themselves
Be careful not to turn up the volume of personal stereos too
high. The same applies to car stereos
Be alert to noise levels in your environment.
Give your ears a rest for 24 hours after exposure to dangerous levels of noise
Tachycardia refers to an abnormally fast resting heart rate - usually at least 100 beats per minute. The threshold of a normal heart rate (pulse) is generally based on the person's age. Tachycardia can be dangerous; depending on how hard the heart has to work.
In general, the adult resting heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute (some doctors place the healthy limit at 90, so some of them may diagnose tachycardia at slightly lower than 100 beats per second). When an individual has tachycardia the upper or lower chambers of the heart beat significantly faster - sometimes this happens to both chambers.
When the heart beats too rapidly, it pumps less efficiently and blood flow to the rest of the body, including the heart itself is reduced. The higher-than-normal heartbeat means there is an increase in demand for oxygen by the myocardium (heart muscle) - if this persists it can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack), caused by the dying off of oxygen-starved myocardial cells.
Some patients with tachycardia may have no symptoms or complications. Tachycardia significantly increases the risk of stroke, sudden cardiac arrest or death.
Our heart rates are controlled by electrical signals which are sent across heart tissues. When the heart produces rapid electrical signals tachycardia occurs.
The Symptoms and Diagnosis of Asbestos Mesothelioma アスベスト中皮腫の症状と診断
The symptoms some patients experience are so slight,
that they do not think it is necessary to seek medical attention. In some cases, there may be no early symptoms experienced at all. All three types of mesothelioma: peritoneal, pericardial and pleural can be undiagnosed or missed for years, thus giving the cancer ample opportunity to metastasize to other parts of the body.
If you have experienced any of the following symptoms, not only should you seek medical attention.
Shortness of breath: Your neighbor Al always made fun of himself for being overweight, so when he began to experience shortness of breath, he thought little of it. Only when he started gasping for air as he walked the few feet from his house to his car did he realize that something was amiss.
Shortness of breath (sometimes accompanied by a heavy feeling inside of the chest) is the first symptom typically observed in mesothelioma symptoms. 90% of mesothelioma patients will experience shortness of breath, and many of them will the mistake of not seeking a doctor's advice. If you have been exposed to asbestos and you experience shortness of breath, along with heavy sensation in the chest, you should alert your doctor immediately.
Chest Pain: Aunt Sarah's husband used to work as a steamfitter in the 1950s and died recently of mesothelioma. Sarah missed him terribly, and whenever she thought of what good man he was, she experienced dull aches in her chest. She dismissed them as symptoms of a broken heart, but the aches were actually due to "an accumulation of fluid in the pleura," (National Cancer Institute) the lining around the lungs. It was a common symptom of pleural mesothelioma.
Coughing: After working thirty years as a construction worker,Harry experienced coughing fits which seemed more severe than the common cold. He tried cough syrup, but the relief it provides was only temporary. He coughed and coughed "as a reflex action to try and clear his irritated lungs of the asbestos fibers" (Mesothelioma Symptoms) but to no avail. Soon, he was spitting up saliva with an unmistakably red tint.
Weight loss: When Patrick began to drop weight without dieting or much exercise, he was initially thrilled. Within just a few months, he had dropped several pants sizes, to the pleasant surprise of everyone. No one suspected that Patrick's gradual change in size was "a symptom in about a third of all pleural mesothelioma cases in the United States." (Mesothelioma Center)
Abdominal pain and swelling:
As a youth in the 1960s, Ed was a brake mechanic. He knew more about cars and car parts than most people, and could repair a faulty vehicle with seemingly no effort. In 1997, Ed started retaining fluid in his abdomen, but his scale did not indicate any weight gain. As his abdomen swelled, his back and arms got thinner. The swelling was accompanied by abdominal pain, which Ed dismissed as a "pesky stomach virus." Week passed and the "pesky stomach virus" showed no signs of going away. Medical X-rays confirmed a far more serious ailment- peritoneal mesothelioma, caused by Ed's decades-long exposure to the asbestos lining the breaks he repaired.
Bowel obstruction: At first, Uncle Enda thought that his frequent visits to the bathroom were part of getting older. Sometimes he was able to have normal bowel movements, other times it was exceedingly difficulty. Two especially unpleasant symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are diarrhea (much like what a patient suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disorder experiences) and constipation.
Anemia: Great- AuntSherry often felt faint. For years, her doctors believed that her fainting was due to a lifetime of low blood pressure, and they suggested that she incorporate iron rich foods into her diet, such as broccoli. But Sherry's health problems were far more serious than a mere lack of iron. After being diagnosed with mesothelioma, she underwent her first round of chemotherapy, which caused her more problems. The chemotherapy drugs "had a temporal effect on her bone marrow, and caused a reduction in red blood cells." (Mesothelioma Cancer Aid) This is a condition known as anemia, which can accompany mesothelioma.
Coughing up blood: Your son's baseball coach loved sports his entire life and wanted to share his passion for baseball with younger generations. As he entered his mid-sixties, people began to question when he would retire, but he had no such intention. One day, after a grueling practice, Aaron began to cough up blood, a process clinically known as hemoptysis. Hemoptysis is "one of the most alarming of the mesothelioma symptoms. It is sometimes accompanied by difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) as well as hoarseness."
protect your liver with healthy diet mechanisms of hepatitis virus infection
Modern society is a sad state that produces many over-processed livers.
When we overeat or eat processed or fried foods, and, anytime we are exposed to environmental pollutants or stress, the liver becomes overworked and overloaded. When the liver is taxed, it can't process toxins and fat in an efficient way. There are many foods that can help cleanse the liver naturally by stimulating its natural ability to clean toxic waste from the body.
In the past, I have discussed my favorite cleansing foods. This list is a little more specific and focuses mainly on foods that can help cleanse your liver. In addition to taking a liver-cleansing supplement, and performing at least two liver and gallbladder cleanses per year, eating the following foods is the best way to keep your liver healthy and functioning the way you need it to. I would encourage you to incorporate these liver cleanse foods into your weekly diet.
1. Garlic
Just a small amount of this pungent white bulb has the ability to activate liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of allicin and selenium, two natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.
2. Grapefruit
High in both vitamin C and antioxidants, grapefruit increases the natural cleansing processes of the liver. A small glass of freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice will help boost production of the liver detoxification enzymes that help flush out carcinogens and other toxins.
3. Beets and Carrots
Both are extremely high in plant-flavonoids and beta-carotene; eating beets and carrots can help stimulate and improve overall liver function.
4. Green Tea
This liver-loving beverage is full of plant antioxidants known as catechins, a compound known to assist liver function. Green tea is not only delicious, it's also a great way to improve your overall diet. Learn more about the benefits of green tea.
5. Leafy Green Vegetables
One of our most powerful allies in cleansing the liver, leafy greens can be eaten raw, cooked, or juiced. Extremely high in plant chlorophylls, greens suck up environmental toxins from the blood stream. With their distinct ability to neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides, these cleansing foods offer a powerful protective mechanism for the liver.
Try incorporating leafy greens such as bitter gourd, arugula, dandelion greens, spinach, mustard greens, and chicory into your diet. This will help increase the creation and flow of bile, the substance that removes waste from the organs and blood.
6. Avocados
This nutrient-dense super-food helps the body produce glutathione, a compound that is necessary for the liver to cleanse harmful toxins.
7. Apples
High in pectin, apples hold the chemical constituents necessary for the body to cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract. This, in turn, makes it easier for the liver to handle the toxic load during the cleansing process.
8. Olive Oil
Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp and flax-seed are great for the liver, when used in moderation. They help the body by providing a lipid base that can suck up harmful toxins in the body. In this way, it takes some of the burden off the liver in terms of the toxic overload many of us suffer from.
9. Whole Grains
Grains, such as brown rice, are rich in B-complex vitamins which are nutrients known to improve overall fat metabolization, liver function and liver decongestion. If possible, do not eat foods with white flour, instead try eating whole wheat alternatives.
10. Cruciferous Vegetables
Eating broccoli and cauliflower will increase the amount of glucosinolate in your system, adding to enzyme production in the liver. These natural enzymes help flush out carcinogens, and other toxins, out of our body which may significantly lower risks associated with cancer.
Tips For Doing a Liver Cleanse
Other liver cleanse foods not listed above include artichoke, asparagus, kale, and brussel sprouts. Eating the foods listed above is a great way to help keep your liver functioning properly. However, for best results, I recommend performing a liver cleanse. Performing a liver cleanse at least twice a year will eliminate any foreign substances that may be trapped in your liver.
kidney function in animation how our Kidney Works Wie funktioniert die Niere 私たちの腎臓のしくみ
We can live quite well with only one kidney and some people live a healthy life even though born with one missing. But while bones can break, muscles can waste away and the brain can sleep without risk to life, if both of your kidneys fail, as happens in end stage kidney failure, bone, muscle or brain can not carry on.
How do our kidneys work?
Think of your kidneys as an extremely sophisticated, waste disposal system, which sorts non-recyclable waste from recyclable waste, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while also cleaning your blood. Much of this waste is produced by the body as it processes the food you eat.
Without any kidney function our body dies. Some kidney function is essential for life!
Most people are born with two kidneys, each one about the size of an adult fist, are bean-shaped and weigh around 150 grams each. The kidneys are located at both sides of your backbone, just under the rib cage or above the small of your back. They are protected from injury by a large padding of fat, your lower ribs and several muscles.
What do your kidneys do?
Our kidneys are small biological marvels with a fascinating design. Healthy kidneys act like a filter to make sure the right amount of wastes and fluids are removed. Every hour your blood supply circulates through the kidneys about 12 times. Each day your kidneys process around 200 litres of blood, with around 1 to 2 litres of waste leaving the body as urine. Our kidneys make three important hormones, erythropoietin, renin and active vitamin D. Erythropoietin stimulates the production of red blood cells, renin is involved in the control of blood pressure and active vitamin D controls calcium uptake and helps make strong bones.
What is the role of your kidneys in keeping you healthy?
For organs so small, your kidneys works hard - they have a number of vital roles to play in the daily functions of our body, as they:
act as filters for your body to clean blood of wastes, yet retain essential elements needed by the body
they keep the proper balance of salts and acids in the body, and produce hormones and enzymes which help to:
control your blood pressure
help to keep your internal water balance
make red blood cells and help maintain your blood composition and pH levels
maintain strong and healthy bones and help to keep mineral balance
Your kidneys are master chemists of the body, intervene in many processes and balances in the body and control many vital body functions. The major role of the kidneys is to remove waste from the blood and eliminate it in the urine. To remove this waste and extra water, blood enters the kidney through the renal artery; blood is then cleaned in the kidney as it passes through tiny filters called nephrons. The nephrons are the basic working units of the kidneys, controlling the formation of urine. One kidney contains about one million nephrons, and each nephron contains a filtering apparatus called a glomerulus.
Anatomy of the kidneys
We have about a million hairpin-like glomeruli at birth, but lose about 100,000 of these every decade of life. Droplets of filtered blood pass through a number of tubules (tiny tubes) into the medulla, a central collecting region. The glomeruli and tubules together make up nephrons, long and extremely fine tubes which, if connected, would run for 80 kilometres (50 miles).
Cleaned blood returns to the body by the renal vein. Waste and extra water removed by the kidney passes through a tube called the ureter to the bladder, where it is stored as urine or wee. When the bladder is full, urine passes out of the body through another tube called the urethra.
The process of removing waste and extra water in simple terms is:
food and drink enters the stomach and are broken down into nutrients
solid waste products are removed and nutrients enter the bloodstream.
nutrients are used by the body for energy, growth, repair and maintenance of body functions.
this process creates waste which is removed by the kidneys.
extra nutrients not immediately needed by the body are also removed by the kidneys.
waste products and extra water move from the kidneys to the bladder, then leave the body as urine
What's the Difference between Smoking and Non-smoking?
It's now been over twenty-eight years since I stopped being a smoker. The date and time are 1/2/79 at 10:00 p.m. The details of how I got there are not what this article is about. It's about the difference between how I perceived myself when I smoked versus how I perceive myself since I ended my relationship with cigarettes. Here's just one aspect of my experience of the difference. First and foremost, the increase in my self-respect. I know I have beaten the most physically and psychologically addictive product man has ever seen. I'm proud of that feat. It is one of the great accomplishments of my life.
But my self-respect doesn't just stem solely from that. Any smoker who is honest with himself or herself will have to admit that when they first started smoking, they felt guilty. Deep inside they knew it was the wrong thing to be doing. For other reasons, other perceived "benefits", they, WE, decided to overpower that feeling, suppress that guilt, ignore the thoughts that this isn't "right".
But after smoking a while, the guilt doesn't just "go away", it just goes deep into the subconscious, and we get so used to it that, ultimately, we don't "feel" it anymore. Still, it's there. Still, it affects everything we do, every day of our lives. Every decision we make is based upon a self-image that is created by the measure of our internal values. I personally believe that the station in life that we feel most comfortable with is the one that is decided by taking a measure of our value, and subtracting from that the measure of our guilt.
Should we rise above that station, we will find ways to erode it, destroy it, reject it. Witness James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, Janice Joplin, John Belushi, Elvis, Chris Farley, and on and on. As of this writing (1999), we can count Robert Downey, Jr., Christian Slater and Bill Clinton. Why are they destroying brilliant, wonderful careers? Because they don't feel worthy of them. And why not? Because they feel guilty. (I don't know if all these folks smoke or did smoke, but...)
I'm not saying that just because they smoke, they feel so guilty that they must self-destruct. I'm only saying that, for those who do or did, it plays a part.
It's said that "reformed" smokers seem smug and superior to those still smoking. I think perhaps we may seem that way to the smokers, but what I believe the smokers are actually perceiving in us is the newfound self-respect we non-smokers have discovered. This is abrasive to the smoker, because it forces the smoker toward feeling, perhaps just a tiny bit, that old repressed guilt. The pain of feeling "wrong", of doing something they know they should not. They may instinctively feel something in us that they desire so much to feel themselves. It's the pride of knowing we don't feel guilty about smoking any longer!
There are many other differences, benefits, rewards to being a non-smoker that I have realized, but this post is probably way longer than any will read anyway.
--> So I'll leave it at this.
Those of you striving to end your relationship with cigarettes are on the right path. Never doubt it, never falter. Never beat yourself up because you've backslid. Know that you are in the process of healing your mind as well as your body. It may be perceived as a hard fight you've taken on, perhaps the hardest of your life. However, if you use my system,it need not be!You may not know this until it's over, but IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH IT!!!
