AVISO IMPORTANTE


A partir del día 14 de junio de 2015, domingo, este blog dejará de ser actualizado como se ha venido haciendo hasta la fecha. La primera idea fue la de cerrar el blog, pero el deseo que que cuanto aquí se ha publicado pueda seguir siendo útil en el futuro, nos hace que mantengamos abierto el blog. Si tuviera alguna duda o quisiera hacer algún comentario, no tema hacerlo: seguiremos publicando cuantos comentarios se hagan y seguiremos contestando a las dudas que puedan surgir.
Gracias y hasta siempre.
Andrés Guerrero Serrano
-Homeópata-

martes, 31 de enero de 2012

Experts want suicide risk warning on ADHD drug

(Extraído de news.yahoo.com)

By Anna Yukhananov | Reuters – 10 hrs ago

GAITHERSBURG, Maryland (Reuters) - Children who take a common drug for attention deficit disorder should be warned about the risk of suicidal thoughts, U.S. pediatric health advisers said on Monday.

Several members of an advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration asked the agency to change the label for Focalin, an attention deficit medicine made by Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG, to reflect this risk. The drug is approved for children aged 6 or older.

The FDA often follows the advice of its committees, although it is not required to.

The FDA said it received eight reports of suicidal thoughts for children or adolescents who took the drug over the past six years, and four of the cases appeared to be linked to the medicine. The link for the remaining cases was less clear.

"The suicidal ideation seems to be pretty serious," said Dr. Sheldon Kaplan, panel member and chief of infectious diseases at Texas Children's Hospital.

But the FDA said the risk of suicidal thoughts did not appear in clinical trials for Focalin, and the later reports were a tiny number compared to how many children used the drug.

"I'm somewhat puzzled by the focus of suicidal ideation," said Tom Laughren, head of the FDA's psychiatric products division, in response to the panel's recommendation.

"These drugs are very widely used. And what you're seeing here are a handful of reports that are difficult to interpret with regard to causality," he said.

The number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has skyrocketed in recent years, with the condition now affecting 3 to 5 percent of kids globally.

Children with ADHD are excessively restless, impulsive and easily distracted, and often have trouble at home and in school. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be kept in check by a combination of behavioral therapy and medication.

In the United States, some 2.7 million people have prescriptions for ADHD drugs including Novartis' Ritalin, Johnson & Johnson's Concerta, Shire's Adderall and Vyvanse and Eli Lilly's Strattera.

Some patient advocates say doctors and parents may be too quick to diagnose kids with the condition, and the drugs may cause side effects that can damage children's health.

The FDA said about 1.8 million children received prescriptions for Focalin or its generic versions from May 2005 to July 2011.

The label for Focalin already warns patients that they may have new psychotic or manic symptoms after taking the drug, but does not mention suicidal thoughts.

Out of other ADHD drugs, only Strattera's label mentions thoughts of suicide as a side effect, as part of a restrictive "black box" warning.

The FDA monitors reports of side effects from medicines after they've been approved in order to discover potential safety problems. For drugs that are used by children, the agency must hold regular advisory meetings to review their safety.

The advisory committee and FDA reviewers also recommended a change to Focalin's label to reflect the risk of anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction, and angioedema, a type of swelling beneath the skin.

Novartis said it is will make any necessary changes to Focalin's label after discussing them with the FDA.

"Novartis is committed to patient safety and will continue to work closely with the FDA as the agency completes its review," said Brandi Robinson, spokeswoman for the company.

(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Richard Chang)

Study clouds evidence on soy and menopause

(Extraído de news.yahoo.com)

By Frederik Joelving | Reuters – 10 hrs ago

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle-aged women may find some relief from hot flashes and other menopause problems with soy supplements, according to Chinese researchers.

They found daily supplements of soy germ isoflavones reduced the sudden sweats more than inactive placebo pills after six months.

But a U.S. expert wasn't convinced by the results, which run counter to other published studies.

"The majority of them are showing no benefit," said William W. Wong, a nutrition researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston who wasn't involved in the new work.

The new study, published in the journal Menopause, is based on 90 Chinese women. A third of them received placebo pills made of starch, while the rest took soy germ isoflavones, either 84 or 126 milligrams a day.

They all kept diaries of their hot flashes and filled out questionnaires about various problems tied to menopause, including hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, tiredness and headache.

At six months, their Kupperman scores -- a measure of symptom severity that ranges from 0 to 63 -- had dropped by more than 40 percent from an initial value of about 25 in the soy groups.

The number of hot flashes also fell from about 20 a week to less than 10.

While the same pattern was seen in the placebo group, it was less pronounced. Their symptom score dropped by 29 percent and the number of hot flashes by 35 percent, according to Dr. Yan-bin Ye of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou.

The work was supported by Frutarom Netherlands, which also donated the supplements.

Wong cautioned that the new study was small and that the women involved only had few hot flashes. He said it was "hard to believe" that soy would have an effect on these women.

In one of his own studies, Wong found no effect on soy germ isoflavones among women who took the supplements for two years.

The standard drug treatment for stubborn menopause symptoms is hormone replacement therapy. But doctors and women have become increasingly wary of that option because of serious side effects such as increased risk for heart attack, stroke and breast cancer.

"It is something they need to gauge, is it worth the risk?" Wong told Reuters Health.

He generally recommends exercise and an active lifestyle to women who feel bothered by menopause.

Soy supplements also have side effects such as nausea, bloating, and constipation, according to the National Institutes of Health. A month's supply costs about $12, while a month of hormone tablets runs between $40 and $60.

Wong said that in Asia, women tend to think of menopause problems as a natural part of life -- not a medical problem.

"There is a major cultural difference in how we deal with menopause symptoms," he mused.

The new study didn't find significant hormone changes in women who took soy supplements, and Wong said the compounds are probably safe for women.

"Consuming soy is not bad for them," Wong noted, "but it might be a waste of money if you don't see any benefit."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/wVfw8S Menopause, online January 24, 2012.

New Study: Prunes Prevent Osteoporosis

(Extraído de naturaltherapypages.com.au)

by Rob Schneider

The more scientists study the causes of age-related illnesses, the more it seems they discover the vital role the foods we eat can play in preventive medicine. It has been well-documented that osteoporosis particularly affects post-menopausal women, but until recently, researchers have been unable to pinpoint a specific food that may help reduce the risk of the development of osteoporosis. A new study published on the Florida State University News site suggests that the humble prune may be nature's best "preventive medicine" against osteoporosis.
Florida State University's Bahram H. Arjmandi and researchers from Oklahoma State University tested 2 group of women for a period of one year. All of the 100 study participants were post menopausal, putting them at greatest risk of developing osteoporosis. 55 of the women were instructed to eat one hundred grams of prunes (about 10) per day while the control group of 45 was instructed to eat 100 grams of dried apples. Both groups were also given daily dosages of calcium and vitamin D.

What the Study Found
At the conclusion of the study, all participants were examined to determine their bone mineral density. Participants who ate prunes "had significantly higher bone mineral density" in both the spine and the ulna (one of the two long forearm bones) than those who consumed dried apples. According to Dr. Arjmandi, this was at least partially due to the unique ability of prunes to "suppress the rate of bone resorption" (breakdown). While resorption is a continuous process, as we age, the rate at which it occurs tends to exceed the rate at which new bone growth occurs. In women, this process begins at menopause or at around the age of 55 while in men it begins at about the age of 65.
The Importance of Prunes in the Prevention of Osteoporosis
As Chairman of Florida State University's Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Dr. Arjmandi states that he has "tested numerous fruits, including figs, dates, strawberries and raisins, and none of them come anywhere close to having the effect on bone density that dried plums, or prunes, have." As a result of the findings of this study, he recommends that all older women and men start making prunes a part of their daily diet, starting with two or three per day and gradually increasing the numbers to around ten. While an estimated 8 million post-menopausal women in the United States have osteoporosis, another 2 million men have the disease. "Don’t wait until you get a fracture or you are diagnosed with osteoporosis," he recommends. Prunes may be all it takes to prevent the onset of the condition and the need to take medication to control it.

Juices for Detox: The Verdict

(Extraído de naturaltherapypages.com.au)

by Amanda Fraser

Juices for Detoxing: The Verdict
Detoxification is process of eliminating the harmful substances that have consumed our bodies. These harmful substances are found in the air as well as in our foods.
The environment contains many toxic substances that are inhaled or swallowed.  These substances accumulate in our systems which may clog them.
Our bodies are miracle creations where they will detoxify naturally.  These harmful substances go through systematic procedures that enable the toxins to be eliminated from the body:
  • Cell detoxification is carried out by specific enzymes;
  • The liver, kidneys and skin all work in detoxifying the body.  The liver being  the main detoxification organ.
  • An extremely important antioxidant called glutathione helps eliminate waste from our bodies and is found in every cell in the body.
What if our bodies are over exhausted by toxins?
In the environment in which we live where there is excessive pollution, stress and readily available processed foods, the body’s natural resources can become somewhat exhausted.  This is where outside resources come in handy.  This is where we make use of juicing for detoxification.
There are many ways in which juicing is employed – some good, some harmful.  It is always important to seek the advice of a naturopath or nutritionist when embarking on juicing for detoxification.  Juicing should be used under their supervision.  Juicing should be looked upon as supplementary in supporting the body and should be used with a balanced diet.
Juicing for Detox
Juicing can be a means of obtaining all the important minerals and vitamins our bodies, in times of stress, so desperately need in order to strengthen and support all our vital organs and tissues, and build our immune system.
It is important to be aware that, when using juicing as a detox, the fibre content is greatly reduced as most juicers will extract the fibre as they juice.  This is also important to note when it comes to bowel disease such as IBD or crohns disease.  Often these groups of people are not able to tolerate the fibre found in fruits and vegetables.  Due to this, they eliminate these foods from their diet eliminating the vast array of nutrients these foods have to offer.
Some people have found that juicing from raw fruits and vegetables has been able to provide these nutrients whilst being easy on the digestive system.
Which fruits to use?
  • Antioxidant fruits such as tomatoes, blueberries.  Research has shown that fibre may exacerbate symptoms of bowel disease in some individuals.  It is best to avoid high fibre foods such as apple;
  • Oranges are high in Vitamin C.  This is a potent antioxidant that promotes wound healing as in the incidence of intestinal inflammation.  Oranges also contain folate.  Research has shown that individuals with colitis may be deficient in this vitamin;
  • It is important to note that a high intake of sugar in the form of fructose has the potential to exacerbate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.  It is therefore important to avoid fruits that are higher in fructose such as apple and grape.

jueves, 26 de enero de 2012

Short-term effects of repeated olfactory administration of homeopathic sulphur or pulsatilla on electroencephalographic alpha power in healthy young adults.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):203-11.

Bell IR, Brooks AJ, Howerter A, Jackson N, Schwartz GE.

Source

Department of Family & Community Medicine, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1450 N Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA. ibell@email.arizona.edu

Abstract
INTRODUCTION:

Homeopathic pathogenetic trials usually rely on symptom self report measures. Adding objective biomarkers could enhance detection of subtle initial remedy effects. The present feasibility study examined electroencephalographic (EEG) effects of repeated olfactory administration of two polycrest remedies.

METHODS:

College student volunteers (ages 18-30, both sexes) from an introductory psychology course were screened for good health and relatively elevated Sulphur or Pulsatilla symptom scores on the Homeopathic Constitutional Type Questionnaire (CTQ). Subjects underwent a series of 3 once-weekly double-blind sessions during which they repeatedly sniffed the remedy matched to their CTQ type and solvent controls. Each remedy was given in a 6c, 12c, and 30c potency, one potency per week, in randomly assigned order. Solvent controls included both plain distilled water and a water-ethanol (95%) solution. All sniff test solutions were further diluted just prior to laboratory sessions (0.5 ml test solution in 150 ml distilled water). Within a session, remedies and control solvents were administered via 2-s sniffs (8 sniffs of each of 4 different succussion levels for the potency in randomized order). Primary outcome variable was relative EEG power (alpha 1 8-10 Hz; alpha 2 10-12 Hz) averaged over 19 electrode sites, including all succussions for a given potency.

RESULTS:

Mixed-effect models revealed significant main effects for remedy type (Sulphur >Pulsatilla) in both alpha bands, controlling for gender, baseline resting EEG alpha, and solvent control responses. Additional analyses showed significant nonlinear interactions between dilution and time (weekly session) in alpha 2 for both remedies and alpha 1 for Sulphur.

CONCLUSION:

EEG alpha offers an objective biomarker of remedy effects for future studies and potential method for distinguishing time-dependent effects of specific remedies and remedy potencies from one another.

Ultra high dilution of triiodothyronine modifies cellular apoptosis in Rana catesbeiana tadpole tail in vitro.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):220-7.

Guedes JR, Carrasco S, Ferreira CM, Bonamin LV, Souza W, Goldenstein-Schainberg C, Parra ER, Capelozzi VL.

Source

Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Av. Dr Arnaldo 455, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. centralanimal@uol.com.br

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Ultra High Dilutions (UHD) are diluted beyond the Avogadro limit with dynamization (dilution with succussion). The process of anuran amphibian metamorphosis is controlled by thyroid hormones, including the resorption of the tadpole tail.

METHODS:

A randomized and blinded study was performed to investigate the influence of triiodothyronine (T3) 5·10(-24)M (10cH) on apoptosis induced by T3 100 nM in Rana catesbeiana tadpoles' tail tips, in vitro. Explants were randomized to three groups: control: no T3 in pharmacological or UHD dose; test: T3 100 nM and challenged with T3 10cH (UHD); positive control: T3 100 nM, treated with unsuccussed ethanol. The apoptotic index and the area of explants of test and control groups at the first and final day of the experiment were compared by t-test.

RESULTS:

There was no difference in tail tip area between test and control groups, but a significantly higher (p<0.01) index of apoptosis in explants of the test group.

CONCLUSION:

This data suggest that T3 10cH modifies the effect of T3 at pharmacological dose, opening new perspectives for further studies and investigation of the dose-effect curve.

Mercurius solubilis: actions on macrophages.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):228-36.

de Oliveira SM, de Oliveira CC, Abud AP, Guimarães Fde S, Di Bernardi RP, Coletto EL, Buchi Dde F.

Source

Laboratório de Estudos de Células Inflamatórias e Neoplásicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, SCB, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Macrophages play central roles in homeostasis as well as host defence in innate and acquired immunity, auto-immunity and immunopathology. Our research group has demonstrated the effects of highly diluted toxic substances in macrophages.

AIM:

To investigate if highly diluted Mercurius solubilis (Merc sol), can activate or modulate macrophage functions.

METHODS:

We evaluated the effects of Merc sol in the 6, 12, 30 and 200 centesimal high dilutions (CH) potencies on mice peritoneal macrophages (in vitro and in vivo). Merc sol was added to mice's drinking water for 7 days (in vivo treatment) and animals were euthanised and cells were collected. In vitro treatment was performed on macrophages and bone-marrow cell cultures.

RESULTS:

Macrophages showed activated morphology, both when Merc sol was added directly to the cell culture and to drinking water. The in vitro experiments showed enhanced morphological activation, increased interferon (IFN)γ release in the supernatant at lower dilutions and interleukin (IL)-4 production at higher dilutions. Increase in nitric oxide and decrease in superoxide (O(2)(-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) were also observed. In vivo treatment caused a decrease in O(2)(-) and increase in H(2)O(2) production by macrophages.

DISCUSSION:

Taken together, the results allow us to conclude that highly diluted Merc sol modulates reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and cytokine secretion, which are central mediators of the immune system, wound healing and body homeostasis.

Different forms of administration of biotherapy 7dH in mice experimentally infected by Trypanosoma cruzi produce different effects.

(Extraído de PuMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):237-43.

Ferraz FN, Simoni GK, do Nascimento A, de Melo CS, Aleixo DL, Gomes ML, Spack M, de Araújo SM.

Source

Basic Health Science Department, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. fabiana_nabarro@hotmail.com

Abstract
OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the effects of different forms of administration of the blood trypomastigotes biotherapy 7dH in mice experimentally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Male swiss mice were inoculated with 1400 blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of T. cruzi and allocated into 5 treatment groups: IC (distilled water); TCBZ (benznidazole); TBA(7dH) (biotherapy 7dH 20 days after infection); TBB(7dH)7 (biotherapy 7dH seven days before infection); TBB(7dH)30 (biotherapy 7dH 30 days before infection). Parasitological parameters assessed included pre-patent and patent periods, parasitemia peak, total parasitemia, mortality and survival rates. Cure index was obtained by fresh blood examination, hemoculture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS:

The TBB(7dH)7 group showed a reduction in parasitemia peak, parasitemia area under the curve and total parasitemia. TBB(7dH)30 showed a tendency to increased pre-patent and survival periods, peak parasitemia was increased without increased total parasitemia. TBA(7dH) did not present significant alterations in the parasitological parameters analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS:

Biotherapy 7dH given before infection (7 or 30 days) produces different effects suggesting modulation of the host's immune system. The effects range from reduced parasitemia to its effective increase. The use of biotherapy to treat T. cruzi infection including dose, potency and schedule deserves further investigation.

Quasi-quantum model of potentization.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):259-63.

Molski M.

Source

Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań, ul. Grunwaldzka 6, Poznań, Poland. MAMOLSKI@AMU.EDU.PL

Abstract

Analytical time-dependent functions describing the change of the concentration of the solvent S(t) and the homeopathic active substance A(t) during decimal and centesimal dilution are derived. The function S(t) is a special case of the West-Brown-Enquist curve describing ontogenic growth, the increase in concentration of the solvent during potentization resembles the growth of biological systems. It is demonstrated that the macroscopic S(t) function is the ground state solution of the microscopic non-local Horodecki-Feinberg equation for the time-dependent Hulthèn potential at the critical screening. In consequence potentization belongs to the class of quasi-quantum phenomena playing an important role both in biological systems and homeopathy. A comparison of the results predicted by the model proposed with the results of experiments on delayed luminescence of a homeopathic medicine is made.

Homeopathic and integrative treatment for feline hyperthyroidism--four cases (2006-2010).

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):270-4.

Chapman SF.

Source

The Animal Medical Center of Watkins Park, Cheltenham, MD 20623, USA. sfc.holistic@gmail.com

Abstract

Hyperthyroidism is a frequent veterinary problem, particularly in elderly cats. Homeopathic treatment and other integrative modalities were provided for four hyperthyroid cats whose owners did not want conventional treatment. Symptomatic homeopathic treatment with Thyroidinum was helpful in one cat. All cats were prescribed an appropriate individualized homeopathic remedy. All four cats showed resolution of clinical signs; three attained normal thyroid hormone levels. Three cats later received acupuncture and/or herbal medicines; two cats later received symptomatic homeopathic remedies. Two cats are thriving after over 3.5 and 4.25 years of treatment; two were euthanized for unrelated problems after 3 and 4 years of treatment. Homeopathic and complementary therapies avoid the potential side effects of methimazole and surgical thyroidectomy, they are less costly than radioactive iodine treatment, and they provide an option for clients who decline conventional therapies.

Use of homeopathic preparations in experimental studies with abiotically stressed plants.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):275-87.

Jäger T, Scherr C, Shah D, Majewsky V, Betti L, Trebbi G, Bonamin L, Simões-Wüst AP, Wolf U, Simon M, Heusser P, Baumgartner S.

Source

Institute of Complementary Medicine KIKOM, University of Bern, Switzerland. tim.jaeger@kikom.ch

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Experimental research on the effects of homeopathic treatments on impaired plants was last reviewed in 1990.

OBJECTIVES:

To compile a systematic review of the existing literature on basic research in homeopathy with abiotically stressed plants using predefined criteria.

METHODS:

The literature search was carried out on publications that reported experiments on homeopathy using abiotically stressed whole plants, seeds, plant parts and cells from 1920 to 2010. Outcomes had to be measured by established procedures and statistically evaluated. Using of a Manuscript Information Score (MIS) we identified those publications that provided sufficient information for proper interpretation (MIS≥5). A further evaluation was based on the use of adequate controls to investigate specific effects of homeopathic preparations and on the use of systematic negative control experiments.

RESULTS:

A total of 34 publications with abiotically stressed plants was identified, published between 1965 and 2010. The 34 publications described a total of 37 experimental studies. Twenty-two studies included statistics, 13 had a MIS≥5, 8 were identified with adequate controls and 4 with negative control experiments. Significant and reproducible effects with decimal and centesimal potencies were found, including dilution levels beyond Avogadro's number. One experimental model was independently assessed by another research team and yielded inverted results compared to the original trial.

CONCLUSIONS:

Abiotically stressed plant models seem to be a useful approach to investigate homeopathic basic research questions, but more experimentation and especially more independent replication trials are needed. Systematic negative control experiments should be implemented on a routine basis to exclude false-positive results.

Review of the use of high potencies in basic research on homeopathy.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):288-92.

Clausen J, van Wijk R, Albrecht H.

Source

Karl und Veronica Carstens-Stiftung, Am Deimelsberg 36, Essen, Germany. info@carstens-stiftung.de

Abstract

The HomBRex database includes details of about 1500 basic research experiments in homeopathy. A general overview on the experiments listed in the HomBRex database is presented, focusing on high dilutions and the different settings in which those were used. Though often criticised, many experiments with remedies diluted beyond Avogadro's number demonstrate specific effects. A total of 830 experiments employing high potencies was found; in 745 experiments of these (90%), at least one positive result was reported. Animals represent the most often used model system (n=371), followed by plants (n=201), human material (n=92), bacteria and viruses (n=37) and fungi (n=32). Arsenicum album (Ars.) is the substance most often applied (n=101), followed by Sulphur (Sulph.) and Thuja (Thuj.) (n=65 and 48, respectively). Proving, prophylactic and therapeutic study designs have all been used and appear appropriate for homeopathy basic research using high dilutions. The basic research data set to support specific effects unique to high dilutions and opposite to those observed with low dilutions is, to date, insufficient.

No fear of ghosts in Lycopodium: a contribution to the discussion on repertory reliability.

(Exraído de PubMed.gov)

Homeopathy. 2011 Oct;100(4):293-9.

Adler UC.

Source

Aude Sapere Homeopatia, Av.Aratãs 614/51, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ubiadler@uol.com.br

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Repertory mistakes in modern homeopathy have been pointed out since the early years after the publication of the sixth edition of Kent's repertory. A structural error of many current repertories is the use of Kent's repertory as a basic information source. 'Fear of ghosts' is widely considered to be a symptom of Lycopodium clavatum by the homeopathic community.

OBJECTIVES:

To demonstrate that the source of 'fear of ghosts' in Lycopodium clavatum was an inaccurate translation, that has been spread by secondary sources and to review Hahnemann's conception and efforts towards a reliable repertory.

RESULTS:

The symptom 'fear of ghosts' does not exist in the primary source, being the product of a misunderstanding of the English translation of Hahnemann's original record, 'fear of frightful imaginary images'. Hahnemann's efforts to compile a reliable and complete dictionary of Materia Medica were also briefly presented, as well as Rückert's repertory, which, in addition to collating and classifying symptoms in alphabetical rubrics and sub-rubrics, displayed them completely, as registered in primary sources.

CONCLUSION:

The misunderstanding about 'fear of ghosts' in Lycopodium clavatum exemplifies how distant current homeopathic information is from its primary sources and from Hahnemann's ideal of a symptom-lexicon. In spite of its technical limitations, Rückert's repertory, which was strongly recommended by Hahnemann, can be considered as a template for new repertories based on primary sources.

miércoles, 25 de enero de 2012

Top 10 homeopathic remedies for acne

http://drshreya.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-10-homeopathic-remedies-for-acne.html

Isn't It Time to Occupy Big Medicine?

(Extraído de Huffingtonpost.com)

by Larry Malerba, D.O.

With all the buzz surrounding the specter of cataclysmic change that may soon be upon us as the Mayan calendar comes to an end in December, it's a good time to take stock of life here on planet Earth. While doomsday predictions will no doubt garner much of the attention from the mainstream media, I don't plan on building a fallout shelter or taking any other extreme precautions for that matter. Nevertheless, there are big changes coming and I do believe that it is possible to discern the outlines of a new cultural paradigm that has been slowly taking shape for quite some time. What it holds in store for medicine should be of interest to us all.

On a global scale, signs of the shift are already evident. In just a short span of time we have witnessed floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, melting polar ice caps, the Fukushima disaster, and dramatic changes in weather patterns. In socioeconomic and geopolitical terms, we have seen the fall of the Twin Towers, the Wall Street financial meltdown, the burst of the housing bubble, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the European monetary crisis, and an ever-widening income gap between the haves and have-nots.

On a more positive note, we have also seen sweeping changes in the ethnic diversity of America, election of the first black American president, positive gains in terms of LGBT rights, powerful calls for democratic change represented by the Arab Spring, and the rise of the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements. The issues of personal freedom, respect for differences, and the right to truly pursue life, liberty, and happiness that were swept in with the sixties generation are making their way to the cultural forefront once again.

Although freedom of expression, economic prosperity, and basic human rights are benefits that many have come to enjoy, there are many others who have been left behind. America's remarkable coming of age and rise to power has a very dark side to it and comes at great expense to our collective well-being. The pendulum has swung far in the direction of economic and cultural imperialism, militarism under the guise of peacekeeping, and unprecedented materialism and consumerism. We are now reaping the harvest of the long-term and unapologetic exploitation of resources and people both here and abroad.

At the root of it all may be an economic philosophy that condones and even encourages the runaway growth of corporate abuse, power, and control at the expense of individual considerations. And the Supreme Court's ruling on the Citizen's United case, which gave personhood status to corporations, may be the straw that has broken the camel's back. Government is broken and it has sold its soul to corporate interests. Perhaps the greatest long-term impact of corporate influence has been the persistent and insidious homogenization, commodification, and commercialization of American culture, accompanied by the soul-deadening depersonalization that goes hand-in-hand with these trends. People everywhere are feeling the impact of these influences in their daily lives, whether they can identify it as such or not.

It has taken the severe hardship that accompanies unemployment, losing one's home, and being unable to afford basic health care in time of need, to waken the commercially pacified public from their material comfort and political apathy. They have woken to an America where they find that the corporate fox is guarding the henhouse. It seems that 2012 may well set the stage for an epic struggle between the American people's best and worst impulses. Their fear and blind rage have spawned a variety of reactions, both negative and positive -- from a call to eliminate most if not all government, blaming America's woes on immigrants, and a return to fundamentalist religious intolerance -- to a recognition that basic democratic principles have been eroded by a relative few with too much power, wealth, and control.

Those who wish to maintain the status quo are inclined to distort the Occupy movement's message as a call for the redistribution of wealth, as if to imply that Occupy supporters are anti-capitalist. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. But the movement is a call for greater fairness and the leveling of a playing field that has been tilted in favor of those already in control for quite some time now. People are not demanding that the wealthy hand over the goods as much as they are fed up with being gouged and manipulated at every turn by forces that they cannot control.

My own personal concern here is with an issue that I hold dear to me -- health care. The medical establishment has become but a reflection of corporate culture with its caste system of privilege, indifference to the poor, and enslavement to corporate product and profit. The stranglehold of Pharma, the insurance and health maintenance middlemen, and a few powerful entities like the FDA, AMA, and a few elite medical journals has created an oppressive environment of intolerance that stifles creativity and crushes dissent. It should not be surprising, and it is only fitting, that a consumer culture would adopt such a commercial form of medicine. In a world full of exciting medical alternatives -- many of which are cheaper, safer, and often more effective -- the only criteria that seems to meet establishment standards for a viable therapy is that it come in the form of a synthetic and often toxic chemical pill manufactured by an unscrupulous pharmaceutical behemoth.

Despite overwhelming patient satisfaction and clinical evidence in support of alternative therapies such as acupuncture, Ayurveda, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, chiropractic, nutrition, and energy healing, to name just a few, organized medicine tends to dismiss these options as unproven, pseudoscientific practices. Furthermore, mainstream medicine has been known to muster up the audacity to accuse alternative practitioners of attempting to rip off the public -- as if conventional medicine could never be accused of the same. And the irony is that the whole rotten enterprise hides behind the authority of "science" whenever the madness of its methods are questioned. Never mind that one medical study commonly contradicts another, and that medical research is riddled with conflict of interest, cover-ups, and the manipulation of data to conform to desired outcomes.

The medical establishment rewards conformity, enslaves doctor and patient alike by restricting choice and mandating certain practices, and uses supposedly private patient information to threaten job loss, school expulsion, and discontinuation of medical services if patients do not act in accordance with medicine's arbitrary and capricious rules. Relentless fear-based propaganda is designed to convince us that we will die if we don't take cholesterol drugs, be forever unhappy if we don't take antidepressants, fall down and break our bones without drugs to prevent osteoporosis, and lose our manhood if we don't use erectile dysfunction pills. The masses are treated as guinea pigs for an endless string of dangerous and unproven drugs, vaccines, and procedures many of which are withdrawn from the market only after the casualties have mounted to a point where they can no longer be ignored. Do we really need to ask who benefits from this unconscionable merchandising of medicine?

And so I say to you, isn't it also time for an Occupy Big Medicine movement? The basic principles behind these unsettling cultural, economic, and governmental trends are the very same ones that have corrupted medicine: concentration of wealth, the erosion of basic freedoms, authoritarian responses to dissent, and the institutional denial of ethical and moral responsibility. The counterbalance to this trend can only be found in personal autonomy, self-education, the courage to go against the grain, and the will to resist authoritarian impulses. It also requires an unflinching belief in the right to personal medical freedom with an understanding that, unlike what medical science would have us believe, there is rarely only one correct medical choice to any given health problem. There are many more solutions that medicine is willing to acknowledge.

If we truly respect democratic principles, then we understand that there are no right or wrong medical choices -- there are only personal choices. A deep respect for the diversity of medical practices and opinions is of paramount importance. But with this comes the need to accept personal responsibility for the choices we make rather than blaming the medical direction that we have chosen. Human health and healing can be mysterious and unpredictable, and, so, the general public must not fall for the illusion of medicine as a hard science. Although certain therapeutic options may be preferable to others in particular situations, there is no guaranteed, foolproof road to a satisfactory medical outcome.

Are corporations and corporate medicine inherently evil? No, but when corporate interests come before the people that they employ and serve, it ultimately does harm to everyone. The internet has become the great equalizer by virtue of its unfettered flow of information and because it provides people with common interests a way to communicate with one another -- and even that liberty is now being threatened by corporate greed. The Internet will play a crucial role in reclaiming our medical rights to privacy, choice, and basic affordable health care for all.

A swing of the pendulum usually generates an equal and opposite reaction, and with change often comes conflict. As the old medical paradigm informed by its materialistic, reductionist, survival of the fittest worldview resists, a new, greener, more holistic, person-oriented approach that understands the irreducible unity of body, mind, and spirit stands ready to demand its rightful place in history. It will not require the overthrow of the special interests of the old medical order as much as a recognition that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Corporate medicine that places profit ahead of people is no longer tenable. Slick advertising and cute slogans that pander to holism won't cut it either.

The new medical paradigm will include a place for everyone. No one will be excluded. We need massage therapists, integrative medicine practitioners, and spiritual healers just as much as we need gynecologists, endocrinologists, and surgeons. We are the owners of our own health, not the corporate-medical-industrial complex. We must reclaim our rights to privacy, our fundamental right to make choices without being hounded by medical big brother, and our personal medical autonomy.

Antiviral effects of blackberry extract against herpes simplex virus type 1.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2011 Sep;112(3):e31-5.

Danaher RJ, Wang C, Dai J, Mumper RJ, Miller CS.

Source

Department of Oral Health Practice, Center for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

Abstract
OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to evaluate antiviral properties of blackberry extract against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro.

STUDY DESIGN:

HSV-infected oral epithelial (OKF6) cells and cell-free virus suspensions were treated with blackberry extract (2.24-1,400 μg/mL), and virus yield and infectivity were quantified by direct plaque assay.

RESULTS:

Blackberry extract ≥56 μg/mL inhibited HSV-1 replication in oral epithelial cells by >99% (P < .005). Concentrations ≥280 μg/mL were antiviral when the extract was added after virus adsorption and entry. Exposure of cell-free virus to ≥280 μg/mL blackberry extract for 15 minutes at room temperature was virucidal (P = .0002). The virucidal effects were not due to pH changes at concentrations up to 1,500 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONS:

Blackberry extract inhibited the early stages of HSV-1 replication and had potent virucidal activity. These properties suggest that this natural fruit extract could provide advantage as a topical prophylactic/therapeutic agent for HSV infections.

Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID:
21827957
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC3154751
[Available on 2012/9/1]

viernes, 20 de enero de 2012

Can Poison Be Good For You? Understanding Hormesis

(Extraído de Huffingtonpost.com)

By Dr. Andrew Weil

Hormesis is a little-known term with huge implications. It refers to a fascinating phenomenon: a favorable biological reaction to low doses of chemical toxins, radiation or some other form of stress that is damaging, even fatal, in higher doses.

It was first scientifically noted by German pharmacologist Hugo Schulz in 1887, who found that disinfectants -- which, in large doses, kill yeast -- actually stimulate yeast growth when administered in small doses. Of course, many had observed it anecdotally, and poetically, before that. German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously observed, "What does not destroy me makes me stronger," which gets the gist, but overstates a bit -- a more precise phrasing might be, "What stresses me within certain parameters makes me better adapted."

The mechanism of hormesis appears to be overcompensation to re-establish homeostasis -- which is a technical way of saying that an organism, or group of them, responds to small stresses by becoming more robust, or numerous, to adapt to a challenging environment.

The hormetic response with which most of us are familiar comes from exercise. Lifting weights, for example, does not immediately make you stronger -- it actually weakens the body in the short term and releases a cascade of destructive molecules (free radicals) that can injure tissues. A 2005 study by Hungarian researchers suggested that the body responds to this situation by producing more antioxidants, initiating DNA repair and generally slowing the aging process. The result over the next few hours or days is stronger muscles and generally, a healthier, more resilient body.

To put this in an evolutionary context, the exerciser's body is essentially saying: "This person is in an environment that requires strenuous exertion. I'll respond to the damage the exertion causes by overcompensating via creating extra muscle tissue, making her stronger and better able to survive."

Similarly, many substances that are universally, and quite correctly, regarded as "healthy" are, in fact, toxins. Dietary phytochemicals -- the compounds that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors -- are toxic chemicals that plants have evolved as a defense against fungal and insect pests. These are likely mildly toxic to human beings as well, but in the concentrations found in common foods, probably fall within the "stimulating" range. Result: lowered risk of cancers, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders.  

Hormesis may also help to explain the conundrum of "healthy drinking." Ethyl alcohol is indeed a toxin, with a long, sad history of causing irreversible tissue damage and death at high doses. Used responsibly, however, it has been shown in plasma samples to boost antioxidant activity. This may help explain why many studies have found modest cardiovascular benefit from moderate consumption, such as one alcoholic drink daily. However, the effect is small enough -- and the risk of abstainers becoming alcoholics large enough -- that I do not believe non-drinkers should start consuming alcohol in pursuit of health.

In a larger sense, hormesis may help explain why people who lead strenuous lives with plenty of moderate physical challenges may be healthier and live longer than those in more comfortable circumstances. A 2008 paper titled "Hormesis in Aging" by researchers from the Laboratory of Cellular Aging, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus in Denmark concluded that "single or multiple exposure to low doses of otherwise harmful agents, such as irradiation, food limitation, heat stress, hypergravity, reactive oxygen species and other free radicals have a variety of anti-aging and longevity-extending hormetic effects."

All of which suggests that one of the best routes to health is to make yourself a little uncomfortable now and then. The most profitable discomforts are likely those with which human beings have a long evolutionary history such as physical exertion, getting hungry, regularly tipping back a modest measure of alcohol, short-term exposure to cold or heat, and so on. Conversely, novel stressors -- such as the stew of noxious synthetic chemicals in the modern environment with which we have no evolutionary history -- are best regarded as guilty until proven innocent.

Which brings up a word of caution: Throughout history, irresponsible politicians and commentators have cited the hormetic effect to justify reducing restrictions on pollution -- claiming that a little poison or radiation in the water, air or food supply is good for us. This is dangerous nonsense. Hormesis appears to be of value only when dosages are very carefully controlled, which does not describe releasing random mixtures of toxins, especially synthetic ones, into general circulation. There's still a great deal we don't understand about hormesis. Until we do, the smartest policy for governments and industry is to keep the public's exposure to environmental toxins as low as possible.

miércoles, 18 de enero de 2012

Antihypertensive and vasorelaxant effects of water-soluble proanthocyanidins from persimmon leaf tea in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2011;75(8):1435-9. Epub 2011 Aug 7.

Kawakami K, Aketa S, Sakai H, Watanabe Y, Nishida H, Hirayama M.

Source

Department of Food Science, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences, Niigata, Japan.

Abstract

The antihypertensive and vasorelaxant effects of water-soluble proanthocyanidins, extracted in persimmon leaf tea, were investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats, rat aortas, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Oral administration of proanthocyanidins significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure of the rats after 4 h, as compared with distilled water controls. A vasorelaxant effect on rat aortas was induced by proanthocyanidins, and it was abolished by removal of the endothelium and inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylyl cyclase activity. The phosphorylation levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (Ser-1177) and the upstream kinase Akt (Ser-473) in umbilical cells also increased in a time-dependent manner after the addition of a proanthocyanidin-rich fraction. These results suggest that the antihypertensive effect of proanthocyanidins in persimmon leaf tea is due to vasorelaxation via an endothelium-dependent nitric oxide/cGMP pathway, and that proanthocyanidins might be useful in dietary lowering of blood pressure.

PMID:
21821959
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Antioxidantes: peor que inútiles

Los suplementos vitamínicos no sólo no previenen las enfermedades, sino que elevan la mortalidad

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/salud/Antioxidantes/peor/inutiles/elpepusocsal/20070313elpepisal_1/Tes

Con suero de anguila atacan enfermedad renal crónica

* Causada principalmente por diabetes

(Extraído de oem.com.mx)

18 de enero de 2012

Gabriela Martínez
Cuautla, Morelos.- A través de la utilización del suero de anguila como medicamento homeopático, se ha demostrado que los enfermos renales crónicos presentan resultados alentadores, lo que significa un importante avance para las personas con esta enfermedad ante el alto costo económico de otros procedimientos médicos para detener el daño renal.
Luis Bárcenas García, profesor y egresado de la Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) y Doctor en Ciencias por la Universidad de Colima, así como José Luis Aguascalientes Jaime, egresado de la misma escuela con maestría en Epidemiología y Administración en Salud por la Universidad de Guanajuato, aplican un tratamiento homeopático para combatir la Enfermedad Renal Crónica (ERC) a base de suero de anguila.
Explican que la ERC es la incapacidad de los riñones para eliminar los desechos tóxicos del organismo y producir elementos indispensables para el ser humano. "Los pacientes con esta enfermedad no producen eritropoyetina, por lo que la producción de hemoglobina se ve disminuida generando anemia", señalan los especialistas.
Además disminuye la producción de renina y aldosterona (hormona que ayuda a controlar el equilibrio hídrico y de sales del cuerpo), por lo que debe prescribirse medicamentos para el control de la presión arterial.
"Debido a que el riñón no funciona adecuadamente, el organismo retiene líquidos y es necesario administrar diuréticos, también se presentan alteraciones de sodio y potasio que generan problemas cardíacos que requiere tratamiento y debido a la eliminación de proteínas en enfermo pierde fuerza muscular y debe tomar aminoácidos. Todos estos medicamentos son muy costosos, en tanto el tratamiento homeopático además de ser efectivo es económico", indican.
El tratamiento que fue descubierto por casualidad ha arrojado resultados asombrosos, "después de tres meses de aplicar el tratamiento homeopático el nivel de depuración en orina se estabiliza y en algunos casos, de 15 milímetros por minuto (ml/min) -etapa crítica de la enfermedad- se incrementa a 18 o 22 ml/min".
Los especialistas destacan que cualquier otro procedimiento médico para tratar las complicaciones derivadas de la ERC "son caros, exhaustivos y muy desgastantes para el enfermo y los familiares", mientras que el tratamiento con suero de anguila es económico.

domingo, 15 de enero de 2012

Homeopathy and Facial Analysis with Grant Bentley Show 2 10/24 by HWC Homeopathy Radio | Blog Talk Radio

(Extraído de homeopatas.wordpress.com)

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/homeopathyworldcommunity/2011/10/25/homeopathy-and-facial-analysis-with-grant-bentley-show-2#.TxCdLvWBOGE.wordpress

Magnesium-rich diet tied to lower stroke risk

(Extraído de news.yahoo.com)

By Andrew M. Seaman | Reuters – Fri, Jan 13, 2012

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A fresh look at past research concludes that people who eat lots of greens and other foods rich in magnesium have fewer strokes -- a finding that supports current diet guidelines.

But because the research focused on magnesium in food, the authors stopped short of recommending that people take a daily magnesium supplement. It's possible that another aspect of the food is responsible for the finding.

What the results do suggest is that people eat a healthy diet with "magnesium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains," said lead author Susanna Larsson, a professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Larsson and her colleagues combed through research databases spanning the last 45 years to find studies that tracked how much magnesium people ate and how many of them had a stroke over time.

In seven studies published in the past 14 years, about 250,000 people in the U.S., Europe and Asia were followed for an average of 11.5 years. About 6,500 of them, or three percent, had a stroke in the time they were followed.

For every extra 100 milligrams of magnesium a person ate per day, their risk of an ischemic stroke -- the most common kind, typically caused by a blood clot -- fell by nine percent.

The median magnesium intake for U.S. men and women included in the analysis was 242 milligrams a day (mg/d). The U.S. recommends men and women over age 31 eat 420 and 320 mg/d of magnesium, respectively.

Most of the studies allowed the researchers to rule out other factors, such as family history, from the results, but Larsson told Reuters Health in an email that she cannot say whether other aspects of what the people ate partially or entirely explain the finding.

Because the papers included in the analysis, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are so-called observational studies, they also cannot prove that the magnesium is what's actually reducing the stroke risk.

Larsson told Reuters Health that more in-depth studies are needed before researchers can say that.

Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of the stroke center at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, told Reuters Health that although the findings from reviews like Larsson's are limited, they are consistent with what doctors typically recommend.

"It's a diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and grains," said Goldstein. "Those are things that have low sodium, high potassium and high magnesium."

"It's again the diet per se, not any one individual component of the diet," Goldstein said.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/AhalBY American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online December 28, 2011.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Less Common in Sunny States

(Extraído de medlineplus.gov)

Researchers say sunshine may boost vitamin D levels, affecting immune function

By Robert Preidt

THURSDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- People who live in sunnier regions of the United States are less likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease, a new study says.

The findings support previous European research and could lead to new types of treatment and preventive measures, the study authors said.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which can be extremely painful and require surgery. The causes of IBD remain largely unknown.

In this study, researchers analyzed long-term data collected from 238,000 participants in the Nurses' Health Study I and the Nurses' Health Study II, which were launched in 1976 and 1989, respectively. None of the participants had inflammatory bowel disease at the start of the studies.

Compared to participants who lived in northern areas of the United States, those living in southern areas were 52 percent less likely to develop Crohn's disease by the age of 30 and 38 percent less likely to develop ulcerative colitis.

The study appears online in the journal Gut.

"A leading explanation for this north-south gradient in the risk of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease may be differences in exposure to sunlight, or UVB radiation, which is generally greater in southern latitudes," wrote Dr. Hamed Khalili, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues.

"UV radiation is the greatest environmental determinant of plasma vitamin D, and there is substantial experimental data supporting a role for vitamin D in the innate immunity and regulation of inflammatory response," they noted.

SOURCE: Gut, news release, Jan. 11, 2012

viernes, 13 de enero de 2012

China investigating dairy firm after baby's death: Xinhua

 

(Extraído de yahoo.news.com)

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's commerce regulators are investigating dairy company Synutra International, after a baby died from allegedly drinking its milk formula, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

Commerce authorities in east China are investigating the firm, after it was reported that a baby in the rural Jiangxi province suffered from diarrhea and uncontrollable shaking after drinking milk formula by Synutra, Xinhua said.

The baby boy died late last Saturday in a pediatric hospital, according to an online post which quoted the baby's family, Xinhua reported.

Authorities have sealed the batch of Synutra products in the county of Duchang, where the case was reported, and sent samples for testing, Xinhua said quoting officials with the county's bureau of industry and commerce.

The mother of the baby told Xinhua that the baby's twin sister, who was also sick, was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.

Calls to Synutra's investor relations department were not answered, but the firm said in a statement posted on its Chinese website on Wednesday that it does not know what caused the baby's death and that milk powder does not usually cause convulsions or diarrhea.

(http://www.shengyuan.com.cn/web/xinwen/view.jsp?id=2050100100000009272)

This is the latest food scandal to have hit China. Last month Mengniu Dairy said it destroyed dairy products found by a government quality watchdog to have contained a cancer-causing fungi.

In 2008, at least six children died and nearly 300,000 became ill from powdered milk laced with melamine, an industrial chemical added to low quality or diluted milk to fool inspectors by giving misleadingly high readings for protein levels.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Ed Lane)

jueves, 12 de enero de 2012

Los problemas gastrointestinales del autismo podrían estar relacionados con las bacterias intestinales

(Extraído de healthfinder.gov)
Un estudio halló que los niños que sufren del trastorno tienen un tipo distinto de microbios estomacales que otros niños

MARTES, 10 de enero (HealthDay News) -- Los niños autistas tienen bacterias en los intestinos que son distintas a las observadas en niños que no sufren del trastorno, hallaron investigadores.

En el informe, que aparece en la edición en línea del 10 de enero de la revista mBio, un equipo de la Facultad de Salud Pública Mailman de la Universidad de Columbia en la ciudad de Nueva York sugirió que este hallazgo podría ayudar a explicar la relación entre el autismo y los problemas gastrointestinales, como la inflamación.

Sin embargo, los autores del estudio añadieron que aún no está claro si estas diferencias son una causa del autismo o un resultado de la afección.

"La relación entre los distintos microorganismos y el anfitrión y los resultados para la enfermedad y el desarrollo son un tema emocionante", aseguró en un comunicado de prensa de la Sociedad Americana de Microbiología (American Society of Microbiology) la editora del estudio Christine Biron, profesora de ciencias médicas de la Universidad de Brown. "Este trabajo es importante porque comienza a avanzar el tema de cómo los microbios residentes interactúan con un trastorno que se comprende poco".

Los investigadores hallaron una cantidad relativamente grande de la bacteria Sutterella en 12 de 23 muestras de tejido extraídas de los intestinos de niños autistas. En contraste, no hallaron este tipo de bacteria en ninguna muestra tomada de niños sin autismo que fueron estudiados con fines de comparación.

"La Sutterella se ha asociado con enfermedades gastrointestinales por debajo del diafragma, y no está claro si es un patógeno o no", explicó el revisor de la investigación Jorge Benach, catedrático del departamento de microbiología de la Universidad de Stony Brook. "No es una bacteria bien conocida", apuntó en el comunicado de prensa.

Los hallazgos son significativos porque las complicaciones digestivas pueden ser muy graves en los niños autistas, contribuyendo a sus problemas conductuales, anotaron los autores del estudio.

Los resultados del estudio también son más definitivos que los de estudios anteriores que usaron muestras de heces, dado que las muestras de tejido quirúrgicamente extirpadas del intestino reflejan mejor las bacterias que se hallan en las paredes intestinales de los niños.

Aunque el estudio descubrió una asociación entre la bacteria y el autismo, no probó una relación causal, así que se necesita más investigación para explorar la relación entre la Sutterella y los problemas gastrointestinales en el autismo, señalaron los investigadores.

Improvement in HDL cholesterol in postmenopausal women supplemented with pumpkin seed oil: pilot study.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Climacteric. 2011 Oct;14(5):558-64. Epub 2011 May 5.

Gossell-Williams M, Hyde C, Hunter T, Simms-Stewart D, Fletcher H, McGrowder D, Walters CA.

Source

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.

Abstract
OBJECTIVE:

Pumpkin seed oil is rich in phytoestrogens and animal studies suggest that there is some benefit to supplementation in low estrogen conditions. This study is the first to evaluate the benefit of pumpkin seed oil in postmenopausal women.

METHODS:

This pilot study was randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled. Study participants included 35 women who had undergone natural menopause or had iatrogenically entered the climacteric due to surgery for benign pathology. Wheat germ oil (placebo; n = 14) and pumpkin seed oil (n = 21) were administered to eligible participants over a 12-week period at a dose of 2 g per day. Serum lipids, fasting plasma glucose and blood pressure were measured and an 18-point questionnaire regarding menopausal symptoms was administered; the atherogenic index was also calculated. Differences between groups, as well as before and after the period of supplementation, were evaluated with Student's t-test, Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-ranked test and Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate (Stata version 10.1).

RESULTS:

Women receiving pumpkin seed oil showed a significant increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (0.92 ± 0.23 mmol/l vs. 1.07 ± 0.27 mmol/l; p = 0.029) and decrease in diastolic blood pressure (81.1 ± 7.94 mmHg vs. 75.67 ± 11.93 mmHg; p < 0.046). There was also a significant improvement in the menopausal symptom scores (18.1 ± 9.0 vs. 13.2 ± 6.7; p < 0.030), with a decrease in severity of hot flushes, less headaches and less joint pains being the main contributors. Women in the group receiving wheat germ oil reported being more depressed and having more unloved feeling.

CONCLUSION:

This pilot study showed pumpkin seed oil had some benefits for postmenopausal women and provided strong evidence to support further studies.

Adiós para siempre a la resaca

(Extraído de lasextanoticias.com)

 

Un antiguo remedio homeopático chino parece ser la solución a las noches de excesos, ya que después de varias pruebas se han producido resultados milagrosos.

Según el diario The Huffington Post, los investigadores de UCLA han descubierto un compuesto que puede contrarrestar los efectos del alcohol, pero no posee un carácter extremadamente revolucionario, ya que algunas personas conocen el remedio desde hace más de 1300 años.

El equipo, dirigido por el farmacólogo molecular Jing Liang, se ha basado en los antiguos remedios homeopáticos para la inspiración en su estudio, publicado este mes en la revista Journal of Neuroscience, y luego se usa la ciencia moderna para ponerlos a prueba. Encontraron, de acuerdo con MedicalXpress, "las descripciones de las propiedades anti-alcohol de la dulcis Hovenia, un árbol asiático que data de 659."

En el experimento (en el que utilizan ratas, ya que su reacción al alcohol son similares a la de los humanos), todos los sujetos se les administró una fuerte dosis de alcohol. Algunos también se les dio el compuesto clave, Dihydromyricetin (DHM). Estos sujetos alcanzaban la sobriedad más rápido y mostraron una mayor tolerancia para el alcohol en general. Además, el DHM sirve para combatir las arduas resacas; estas ratas extra-resistente posteriormente se investigaron en busca de signos de ansiedad y convulsiones, asociados con la resaca, y mostraron menos efectos secundarios.

Resistencia a la resaca, como resultado, fue una ventaja, la investigación fue la intención de desarrollar tratamientos para trastornos por consumo de alcohol. ScienceNews escribe:

"El resultado es sobresaliente", dice Steven Paul, del Weill Cornell Medical College en Nueva York. Lo esencial es que el  DHM también frenó el consumo de alcohol. A las ratas sin medicar, se les permite beber alcohol poco a poco y enseguida empiezan a consumir más. Pero las ratas que bebieron DHM mezclado con alcohol no aumentaron su consumo.

Los científicos aseguran que el punto clave es que "cuando se bebe alcohol con DHM, nunca se convierten en adictos". Está previsto que este trabajo inspire para realizar ensayos en humanos en un breve periodo de tiempo.

miércoles, 11 de enero de 2012

Homeopathy Thyroid Remedies for Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

(Extraído de keepyourlinks.com)

Article by Britney Smith

The thyroid is one of those things that we never give a second thought until it starts to malfunction. The thyroid is part of our body’s endocrine system and the thyroid gland is located just under our voice box.

When the thyroid starts malfunctioning we find that we have trouble with our memory, weight, energy levels, relaxation, and women find that they have issues with fertility when the thyroid goes haywire. Because the thyroid is so important in the way we feel, homeopathy thyroid remedies have been heavily researched.

Who Develops Thyroid Problems?

Most of us know someone who has a thyroid condition. In the United States alone there are approximately 13 million people are struggling with their thyroid health. Women seem to be more likely to develop a thyroid condition than men.

Since most women exhibit signs of a malfunctioning thyroid after having children, experts believe that there is a direct correlation between childbirth and the thyroid. The good news is that women are also more likely to use homeopathy thyroid remedies to help repair their malfunctioning thyroid.

Types of Thyroid Problems

Anyone who has ever been diagnosed with a thyroid problem knows that they side affects are varied. Many people with faulty thyroids find they are struggling to gain or lose weight, are depressed, lose their hair, feel cold, have dry skin, catch every single cold, become constipated, are forgetful, and struggle with high cholesterol.

Women who are going through menopause often find that a faulty thyroid aggravates their hormonal issues. Homeopathy thyroid conditions can help lessen and even repair many of these issues. People who have an underactive thyroid have a condition called hypothyroidism. People whose thyroid is too active suffer from a condition called hyperthyroidism. The third thyroid malady is called thyroid nodules and is condition where the thyroids tissues grow too much and a small lump forms on the thyroid.

Helping to Deal with Your Thyroid Condition

Anyone who finds they are having a thyroid condition should immediately take action. The first thing they should do, even if they plan on using homeopathy thyroid remedies is to speak to their doctor. It is impossible for the average person to diagnose themselves. If your doctor says you have Hypothyroidism the homeopathy thyroid cures you should look into include Calcare phos, Calcarea, Lycopus, Thyroidinum, Calcarea carb, Lapis alb, Iodium, Thyroidinum, and Spongia. Women who are diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism often find that kelp, vitamin C and Bladderwack Thallus help. Thyromine is an herbal supplement that has been successful in maintaining thyroids.

If you are someone who wants to try homeopathy thyroid cures you should still tell your doctor that you suspect you may be developing a thyroid condition. Studies show that one in ten thyroid nodules are in fact cancerous.

Curcumin attenuates allergic airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness in mice through NF-κB inhibition.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Jul 14;136(3):414-21. Epub 2010 Jul 17.

Oh SW, Cha JY, Jung JE, Chang BC, Kwon HJ, Lee BR, Kim DY.

Source

Central Research Institute, Choongwae Pharma Corp., Hwaseong, Republic of Korea.

Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Curcumin, a polyphenol compound from Curcuma longa L. has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory remedy including asthma. Curcumin has been reported to exert an anti-inflammatory effect, in part, through inhibition of the NF-κB pathway.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

The purposes of this study were to determine whether curcumin inhibits NF-κB-dependent transcription in vitro, and test whether treatment with curcumin reduces allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness in a mouse model of asthma through inhibition of NF-κB pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The effect of curcumin on NF-κB transcriptional activity was investigated using a cell-based luciferase reporter assay in A549 cells and by measuring inhibitory κBα (IκBα), p65, and p50 levels after exposure of Raw264.7 cells to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) by intraperitoneal injection, and challenged with repeated exposure to aerosolized OVA. The effects of daily administered curcumin (200mg/kg body weight, i.p.) on airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), inflammatory cell number, and IgE levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were analyzed. NF-κB activation in lung tissue was also assessed by Western blot analyses.

RESULTS:

Curcumin inhibited NF-κB-dependent transcription in reporter assays in A549 cells with an IC(50) of 21.50±1.25μM. Curcumin stabilized IκBα and inhibited nuclear translocation of p65 and p50 in LPS-activated Raw264.7 cells, and curcumin-treated mice showed reduced nuclear translocation of p65 in lung tissue. Treatment with curcumin significantly attenuated AHR and reduced the numbers of total leukocytes and eosinophils in BAL fluid. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and mucus occlusions in lung tissue were significantly ameliorated by treatment with curcumin, which also markedly decreased the level of IgE in BAL fluid.

CONCLUSION:

Curcumin attenuates the development of allergic airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness, possibly through inhibition of NF-κB activation in the asthmatic lung tissue. Our results indicate that curcumin may attenuate development of asthma by inhibition of NF-κB activation.

Natural almond skin reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 Aug;11(8):915-24. Epub 2011 Feb 24.

Mandalari G, Bisignano C, Genovese T, Mazzon E, Wickham MS, Paterniti I, Cuzzocrea S.

Source

Pharmaco-Biological Department, University of Messina, Vill. SS: Annunziata 98168, Messina, Italy.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of natural almond skin (NS) powder in mice subjected to experimental colitis. Colitis was induced in mice by intracolonic instillation of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS). NS powder was administered daily orally (30 mg/kg). Four days after DNBS administration, colon NF-κB and p-JNK activation was increased as well as TNF-α and IL-1β productions. Neutrophil infiltration, by myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, in the mucosa was associated with up-regulation of ICAM-1 and P-selectin. Immunohistochemistry for i-NOS, nitrotyrosine and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) showed an intense staining in the inflamed colon. Treatment with NS powder significantly reduced the appearance of diarrhea and body weight loss. This was associated with a significant reduction in colonic MPO activity. NS powder also reduced NF-κB and p-JNK activation, the pro-inflammatory cytokines release, the appearance of i-NOS, nitrotyrosine and PARP in the colon and reduced the up-regulation of ICAM-1 and the expression of P-selectin. The results of this study suggested that administration of NS powder may be beneficial for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Therapeutic potential of ginseng in the management of cardiovascular disorders.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Drugs. 2011 Oct 22;71(15):1989-2008. doi: 10.2165/11594300-000000000-00000.

Karmazyn M, Moey M, Gan XT.

Source

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada. morris.karmazyn@schulich.uwo.ca

Abstract

Although employed in Asian societies for thousands of years, the use of ginseng as an herbal medication for a variety of disorders has increased tremendously worldwide in recent years. Ginseng belongs to the genus Panax, of which there exists a variety, generally reflecting their geographic origin. North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) are two such varieties possessing a plethora of pharmacological properties, which are attributed primarily to the presence of different ginsenosides that bestow these ginsengs with distinct pharmacodynamic profiles. The many cardiovascular benefits attributed to ginseng include cardioprotection, antihypertensive effects, and attenuation of myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure. Experimental studies have revealed a number of beneficial properties of ginseng, particularly in the area of cardiac protection, where ginseng and ginsenosides have been shown to protect the ischaemic and reperfused heart in a variety of experimental models. Emerging evidence also suggests that ginseng attenuates myocardial hypertrophy, thus blunting the remodelling and heart failure processes. However, clinical evidence of efficacy is not convincing, likely owing primarily to the paucity of well designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials. Adding to the complexity in understanding the cardiovascular effects of ginseng is the fact that each of the different ginseng varieties possesses distinct cardiovascular properties, as a result of their respective ginsenoside composition, rendering it difficult to assign a general, common cardiovascular effect to ginseng. Additional challenges include the identification of mechanisms (likely multifaceted) that account for the effects of ginseng and determining which ginsenoside(s) mediate these cardiovascular properties. These concerns notwithstanding, the potential cardiovascular benefit of ginseng is worthy of further studies in view of its possible development as a cardiovascular therapeutic agent, particularly as adjunctive therapy to existing medications.

sábado, 7 de enero de 2012

A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Phytother Res. 2011 Aug;25(8):1153-9. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3400. Epub 2011 Feb 3.

Ngan A, Conduit R.

Source

School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

Abstract

Passiflora incarnata is a traditional herbal sedative, anxiolytic and a popular sleep aid used for the treatment of sleep disturbance. Several controlled experiments have demonstrated enhanced sleep in laboratory animals, but clinical trials in humans are lacking. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of Passiflora incarnata herbal tea on human sleep, as measured using sleep diaries validated by polysomnography (PSG). This study featured a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures design with a counterbalanced order of treatments (passionflower vs placebo tea), separated by a 1 week 'washout' period. Forty-one participants (18-35 years) were exposed to each treatment for a week, whereby they consumed a cup of the tea and filled out a sleep diary for 7 days, and completed Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory on the seventh morning. Ten participants also underwent overnight PSG on the last night of each treatment period. Of six sleep-diary measures analysed, sleep quality showed a significantly better rating for passionflower compared with placebo (t(40) = 2.70, p < 0.01). These initial findings suggest that the consumption of a low dose of Passiflora incarnata, in the form of tea, yields short-term subjective sleep benefits for healthy adults with mild fluctuations in sleep quality.

Infusions and decoctions of mixed herbs used in folk medicine: synergism in antioxidant potential.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Phytother Res. 2011 Aug;25(8):1209-14. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3366. Epub 2011 Feb 9.

Guimarães R, Barros L, Carvalho AM, Ferreira IC.

Source

Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, Bragança, Portugal.

Abstract

Infusions (herbal teas) and decoctions are used frequently to administer oral doses of herbs. Although some herbs are used as single ingredients, they are often prepared as mixtures, as reported by numerous ethnobotanical surveys. The present work was carried out to identify the different types of interaction (synergistic, additive and antagonistic effects) which may be found in the antioxidant activity of preparations from mixtures of the popular herbs Aloysia citrodora (lemon verbena), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and Mentha spicata (spearmint). Herbs were prepared using traditional methods, and the effects after different periods of storage, up to 120 days, were also evaluated. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by the β-carotene - linoleate system and the TBARS assay. Known antioxidant compounds such as total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid and reducing sugars were also determined. Spearmint was found to be present in the herb mixtures with the greatest antioxidant activity and these also had the highest flavonoid content. The most potent antioxidant activity was found in combinations of different herbs, suggesting synergistic effects.

Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) as an adjuvant in cancer treatment: a review.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

J BUON. 2011 Jul-Sep;16(3):414-24.

Pereira MM, Haniadka R, Chacko PP, Palatty PL, Baliga MS.

Source

Department of Pathology, Father Muller Medical College, Kankanady, Karnataka, India.

Abstract

Despite acquiring a strong understanding of the molecular basis and advances in treatment, cancer is the second major cause of death in the world. In clinics, the stagedependent treatment strategies may include surgery, radiotherapy and systemic treatments like hormonotherapy and chemotherapy, which are associated with side effects. The use of traditional herbal medicine in cancer patients is on a rise, as it is believed that these medications are non toxic and alleviate the symptoms of cancer, boost the immune system, or may tackle the cancer itself. Since antiquity the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe commonly known as ginger (family Zingiberaceae) have widely been used as a spice and condiment in different societies. Additionally, ginger also has a long history of medicinal use in various cultures for treating common colds, fever, to aid digestion, treat stomach upset, diarrhoea, nausea, rheumatic disorders, gastrointestinal complications and dizziness. Preclinical studies have also shown that ginger possesses chemopreventive and antineoplastic properties. It is also reported to be effective in ameliorating the side effects of γ-radiation and of doxorubicin and cisplatin; to inhibit the efflux of anticancer drugs by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and to possess chemosensitizing effects in certain neoplastic cells in vitro and in vivo. The objective of this review is to address observations on the role of ginger as adjuvant to treatment modalities of cancer. Emphasis is also placed on the drawbacks and on future directions for research that will have a consequential effect on cancer treatment and cure.

Treating teens: considerations when adolescents want to use complementary and alternative medicine.

(Extraído de PubMed.gov)

Pediatrics. 2011 Nov;128 Suppl 4:S161-6.

Gilmour J, Harrison C, Asadi L, Cohen MH, Vohra S.

Source

Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract

In this article we examine decision-making about complementary and alternative medicine use when the patient is an adolescent. A case scenario describes patient-parent conflict when a 14-year-old boy who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis that has continued to progress even with medication refuses recommended surgery despite his physician's and parents' support for that option; he prefers homeopathy instead. We address (1) who has decision-making authority about treatment for young people, (2) how to determine if a young person can consent to or refuse treatment, (3) special considerations when counseling and treating adolescents (whether they can decide about treatment for themselves), and (4) parent-child conflicts about treatment. In addition, we suggest ways that health care providers can foster a trusting relationship with patients and parents.

viernes, 6 de enero de 2012

La fibra, imprescindible en la alimentación

(Extraído de naturopatia.biomanantial.com)

por Josep Masdeu Brufal

Aunque no es un nutriente, no participa en las funciones metabólicas básicas, ni aporta calorías y tampoco podríamos subsistir a base de fibra. A pesar ello, es un elemento imprescindible en nuestra alimentación y si no consumimos la cantidad suficiente podemos tener problemas de salud.

Los beneficios de la fibra se obtienen del proceso de fermentación que se produce en el colon, generando  gases y ácidos grasos que pueden ser usados tanto por las células de la mucosa intestinal del colon como fuente energética. De estos ácidos grasos hay uno que actúa en la liberación de insulina por parte del páncreas, ayudando a garantizar los niveles de azúcar en sangre y también en el control del colesterol sanguíneo, disminuye el pH del colon, evitando la formación de pólipos,  incrementando la absorción de algunos minerales en este trayecto del intestino.

La fibra es la parte de los alimentos que no se pueden digerir.

La fibra se clasifica en:

  • Soluble (como la avena, la cebada, las frutas, las verduras y las legumbres),  ayuda a reducir el colesterol en la sangre, y por lo tanto baja el riesgo de enfermedad del corazón. La fibra soluble ralentizarla digestión y la absorción de hidratos de carbono, reduciendo la subida de la glucosa en la sangre que se produce después de comer y la respuesta insulínica. Esto puede contribuir a que las personas diabéticas tengan un mejor control de la glucemia.
  • Insoluble (como los cereales integrales y el pan integral), está constituida por la celulosa, hemicelulosa y lignina y forma parte de las paredes de las células vegetales presentes en los tallos, cáscaras de granos o frutas, hojas, etc. Su principal efecto es disminuir el tiempo de paso de los alimentos y las heces a través del aparato digestivo. Facilita las deposiciones y previene el estreñimiento.

Los alimentos vegetales tienen agua, hidratos de carbono y fibra, tienen poca grasa, a excepción de los aceites y no poseen colesterol.

La dosis recomendada de fibra al día es de 25 y 30 gr, aunque el consumo real no acostumbra a superar los 10 gr por  día. Hay estudios que demuestran que la fibra, reduce los riesgos de enfermedades cardiacas, algunos cánceres, diabetes y obesidad, también ayuda a los movimientos intestinales, reduce los niveles de colesterol, mejora los niveles de azúcar, baja la tensión, facilita la bajada de peso y reduce la inflamación.

Con la prevención del estreñimiento se evita la formación de hemorroides y se favorece la circulación de retorno, eliminando uno de los riesgos de padecer de varices.

Debemos ser conscientes que no hay soluciones mágicas, con respecto a la fibra y el estreñimiento. No es cuestión de agregar algún producto integral, sin modificar los malos hábitos alimenticios.

Si no estamos acostumbrados a tomar fibra, al introducirla en la dieta pueden aparecer al principio ventosidades, algún cólico intestinal, o incluso diarrea, aunque estos síntomas, si se presentan,  desaparecen cuando el cuerpo se acostumbra.

Algunos alimentos ricos en fibra

Pan y cereales: avena, pan integral, pan de avena, arroz integral, cereal alto en fibra.

Fruta: manzanas, higos, plátanos, peras, pasas, ciruela pasa, naranjas y limones, albaricoques, fresas, frambuesas y moras, kiwis, membrillo.

Verdura: brócoli, coliflor, col, zanahorias, patatas, coles de bruselas, apio, cebolla, alcachofas, puerros, pimiento verde, nabo, remolacha.

Legumbres y semillas: judías, lentejas, pepitas, nueces, palomitas.

Podemos aumentar la cantidad de fibra en la dieta
  • Consumiendo fruta diariamente.
  • Consumiendo vegetales diariamente, mejor crudos.
  • Consumiendo pan integral.
  • Sustituir las harinas blancas por cereales integrales.
  • Consumiendo salvado de trigo  en las comidas, también purés de frutas, sopas, cereales cocidos, etc.
  • Consumiendo legumbres una vez a la semana.
  • Consumiendo zumos o licuados de frutas y verduras frescas.
  • Consumiendo frutos secos (nueces, avellanas almendras).
  • Consumiendo semillas de lino, chía, sésamo, etc. habitualmente.

Conviene  llevar una dieta equilibrada, beber al menos 2 litros de agua al día y hacer ejercicio según nuestras posibilidades.

Los alimentos con fibra deben masticarse más, así los engullimos más despacio, produciendo  mayor salivación que favorece la higiene dental.

La fibra retarda la digestión de los alimentos, produciendo una mayor sensación de empacho y un bajo contenido calórico, está recomendada por nutricionistas y endocrinos en el diseño de dietas de control de peso, aunque el consumo de fibra no adelgaza, si nos ayuda a perder peso.

El problema es nuestro estilo de vida y la alimentación que seguimos, con alimentos precocinados, mucha carne, etc. Todo esto hace que haya personas a las que les cueste ir al baño regularmente o que tengan trastornos intestinales ocasionados por la falta de fibra.

Entre los “inconvenientes”, está que no se debe de abusar del consumo de fibra ya que puede producir gases intestinales, interferir en la actividad de las enzimas pancreáticas, obstaculizar la digestión y disminuir la absorción de minerales como el calcio, el hierro o el magnesio por el exceso de ácido fítico.

Como todo en la vida,  los excesos son malos, por ello un consumo excesivo puede afectar la absorción de otros nutrientes y minerales como el calcio, hierro, cobre y cinc, también puede causarnos problemas gastrointestinales como flatulencia y/o diarrea.