U of L researcher gets $3.4 million to replicate studies of stem cells for heart treatment

Dr. Roberto Bolli of the University of Louisville has received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to test the validity of several recent studies by replicating them. The studies examine whether certain types of stem cells are safe and effective in treating heart failure, heart attacks and other cardiovascular disorders.

"Replicating studies in several locations with a large number of patients is necessary for researchers to ultimately determine which ones can be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for approval," Jill Scoggins reports in a U of L press release.

Bolli has received more than $100 million in grants for basic research for NIH. This is the first grant he has been awarded for clinical research. (Read more)

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This week is National Public Health Week; this year's focus is on prevention and wellness

With a focus on prevention and wellness this year, the Kentucky Department of Public Health is promoting national Public Health Week, which kicked off yesterday and will be observed until Sunday. The prevention theme was chosen to underscore the impact of chronic disease on the American population.

Americans miss 2.5 billion days of work because of diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes, which costs the country $1 trillion. Unintentional injuries, such as those stemming from motor vehicle accidents, poisonings and burns, rank within the top 10 causes of death for people 44 and younger, according to a DPH press release.

"Often, these horrible diseases and injuries could have been prevented with more attention to lifestyle choices like physical activity and nutrition or preventive safety measures," said Dr. Steve Davis, acting DPH commissioner. "The health care community — as well as the individual — must work to understand the risk for developing chronic disease and avoiding injury so that we can prevent complications. This is key to improving the health of our state."

Public health is also crucial in emergency response, as witnessed with recent tornadoes that struck the state. "The contribution of public health is tremendous — both on a day-to-day basis and in times of crisis," Davis said. "I encourage everyone to go online to read more about our public health programs; talk to your health care provider about chronic disease and injury prevention; or, better yet, visit your local health department to learn more about how public health can — and does — improve your life." (Read more)

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Norton and UK HealthCare formalize the collaboration they announced almost a year and a half ago

UK HealthCare and Norton Healthcare have formalized the collaboration they announced almost a year and a half ago and will "focus on creating collaborations with hospitals across the state in stroke, cardiovascular and cancer care," Dr. Michael Karpf, executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Kentucky, announced today.

Said Steve Williams, president and CEO of Norton: "Our intent is to bring our combined health care expertise and resources into communities across the commonwealth to improve health-care outcomes."

The partnership will be in the form of a non-profit organization. The board of the Norton-UK HealthCare Partnership for Quality has already approved a budget of $595,000 to grow stroke outreach and education and launch programs to fight heart attacks and cancer, a press release says.

In late 2010, the two systems joined forces to create a statewide collaboration that addresses Kentucky's major health issues, including cancer, stroke and heart disease that stem from high obesity and smoking rates. Some of the accomplishments since the agreement include a transplant program, an effort to increase the number of obstetricians statewide; pharmacy education; and cancer care.

A competing collaboration, between the University of Louisville, Jewish Hospital and the Lexington-based St. Joseph Health System, is again trying to formalize its arrangement following rejection of a merger by state officials on grounds that University Hospital was a public institution that could not be bound by the Catholic system's restrictions on reproductive care.

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Lysine

Lysine is essential amino acid that is needed to form protein in the body, lysine is known to boost the immune system by effectively helping suppresss the herpes simplex virus, which manifests in symptoms such as mouth ulcers and cold sores.
Consequently, lysine supplements are now widely recommended for the treatment of herpes. Daily supplements of lysine 500mg wer the also found to increase the blood levels of ferritin, an iron building protein in women with iron-deficiency or anemia.
Lysine is also needed to form collagen, a subskin and connective tissues, and is essential for calcium absorption.

Since it is lacking in grains, nuts and seed, lysine supplements can  help to prevent calcium deficiencies, particulary among strict vegetarians and the elderly. Lysine also combines with methionine, to form carnitine, an important amini acid that aids weight reduction, and helps prevent heart disease.


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Jewish Hospital of Louisville becomes national leader in removing heart pumps from patients with heart failure

Eleven patients with advanced heart failure were able to have their heart pumps removed thanks to a combination of medication administered at Louisville's Jewish Hospital.

Texas Heart Institute is the only other institution that has removed heart pumps, also known as left ventricular assist devices. Twenty of the devices have been removed in 10 years there. At Jewish, all 11 have been taken away in the past 18 months, Laura Ungar reports for The Courier-Journal.

The program at Jewish uses a cocktail of medicines, including ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and others, in combination with the heart pump. The medication helps strengthen the heart, allowing the pump to be eventually removed. "These patients have a very good quality of life, much better, in fact, than if they continued with the LVAD alone or received a heart transplant," said Dr. Emma Birks, director of the Jewish Hospital Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Support Program.

The treatment could mean "some patients with advanced heart failure may be able to forgo a heart transplant, while others can delay having one," Ungar reports. "That could mean a longer life for younger heart failure patients with LVADs; life expectancy after a transplant averages 10 years."

Nationwide, about 5 million Americans have heart failure, which translates to 300,000 deaths a year, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute figures show. (Read more)

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Penny-per-ounce tax on sugar drinks could save $17 billion, cut consumption and prevent disease and death, academics say

More than $17 billion in medical costs over 10 years could be saved if sugared drinks were taxed at 1 cent per ounce, and it would prevent 95,000 cases of coronary heart disease, 8,000 strokes and 26,000 premature deaths, say researchers at Columbia University and the University of California.

The tax would mean an extra 12 cents per can or 20 cents per bottle, and would generate about $13 billion in annual tax revenue. The study, published in this month's HealthAffairs, found the consumption of sugary drinks, including soda, sports drinks like Gatorade and energy drinks like Red Bull, would be cut by 15 percent among adults ages 25 to 64.

"Even our conservative estimates show that a penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could substantially reduce the negative health and financial impacts of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Y. Claire Wang, assistant professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia  and lead author of the study. "Putting the money raised by the tax into efforts to prevent obesity and other health problems could potentially increase the impact of such a policy."

In 2009, Americans consumed 13.8 billion gallons of sugar-sweetened beverages, which translates to about 45 gallons per person. The average 20-ounce bottle of a sugar drink contains almost 17 teaspoons of sugar. (Read more)

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Teenager set to return to Haiti after Louisville docs fix her heart

After Louisville doctors performed a life-saving operation on her failing heart, a 16-year-old girl is set to return to her native Haiti. Stephanie Privert, left, came to Kentucky after she became ill following the deadly 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated the country, The Courier-Journal's Chris Kenning reports. (C-J photo by Pam Spaulding)

"We hate to see that she's obliged to return to a tough situation, but we can't keep her here forever," said Dr. Erle Austin, the lead heart surgeon during Privert's operation. "She's so much better than when she arrived."

Privert was watching her mother cook soup when the earthquake struck. Her family was able to escape, but her home near Port-au-Prince was destroyed. Privert's health quickly deteriorated and she was brought to a clinic run by American doctors from Medical Teams International. Deciding she could not be treated in hospitals in Haiti or neighboring Dominican Republic, the doctors got in touch with non-profit group Healing the Children, which has a chapter in Louisville. Its members helped her fly to Kentucky. She arrived weighing just 70 pounds.

Doctors determined she had a leaking heart valve, which was causing severe pulmonary hypertension and lung problems, Kenning reports. In August, doctors at Kosair Children's Hospital decided to repair the valve, rather than replace it with a mechanical one, which would require expensive anti-rejection drugs, or a pig valve that would wear out more quickly.

Since, she has been recovering, staying with host families, learning English and attending school. The Haitian Christian Outreach has raised money needed to start rebuilding Privert's family home in Haiti. (Read more)

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Alternative ways of treatment

Alternative ways of treating illness and disease such as cancer and heart disease using natural cures.

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There is a cure out there

Ever since I was young I was interested in alternative ways of healing people. In my early days I had a great deal of success in treating my family and friends in a natural way, with minor complaints.
I still think think there are natural cures to yet be discovered in such places as in the Amazon jungle, or in the depths of the oceans.
Some plant, or a fish that heal people with serious illness such as cancer, or heart disease.
The cure may be right in front of us, in our own garden. I eat small amounts of a leaf that is unknown to me, just to see its effect. I do not advise doing this, as some plants, or herbs can be very poisonous.
Holistic cancer cures

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How to keep well

My remedy for keeping well. Is quite simple. For breakfast I have a Weetabix with two oranges. This I hope will help my digestion. Then its time for my natural supplement cocktail. I will take 1000mg of vitamin C this will boost my immune system, protect against heart disease, and cancers.


Omega 3 fish oil is another favorite supplement. I will take 2000mg of this, which is 600mg of active EPA/DHA. Omega 3 supports a healthy heart and brain function. It is said that fish oil can improve your mood. Next I take 1000mg of fresh odourless garlic this helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and again supports heart health.It also helps to control blood pressure It may also protect the immune system. I regard Vitamin B3, (Niacin) as important. I take 100mg per day, and this helps to control my cholesterol levels. It also releases energy from food.


Finally I will take 75mg of a coated asprin, helping to thin my blood, and it is said to protect against bowel cancer

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New natural cure for high blood pressure

 Natural cures have always been in the news. Coleus is a natural way to treat conditions such as high blood pressure.For many years doctors have been warning us about the dangers of hypertension. They know that if left untreated it can cause serious issues within the body. Many people die because they have failed to take action against this disease. It is not uncommon for people to develop angina, heart disease or even heart failure because they have ignored their blood pressure numbers.
The fact is though that the medical community does not have the corner on the market for medical knowledge. The treatments for high blood pressure are often unpleasant because of side effects and the like. That is why the natural cures for high blood pressure are gaining more and more popularity. With the natural world you have little to worry about when it comes to side effects.
Coleus is the newest weapon in the fight against high blood pressure. While this herb, sometimes known as Coleus Forskohlii, has been in use for other treatments over many years, it is just being discovered for its use as one of the home remedies for high blood pressure. Through the studies that have been conducted the use of coleus is very promising when looking to get those numbers under control.
Coleus works with the body itself to help it lower the blood pressure on its own. This is something that is rather unique. Using the defense system that is located within the cells themselves, coleus works to improve the circulation and therefore lower blood pressure.
To this day there are further studies being conducted. This means that more benefits may be found. It is suggested the coleus be taken on a daily basis to ensure that all of the benefits from this natural supplement work within the body.
This herb looks like a beautiful potted flower. There are many color variations of it but can mostly be found in a purple and white color. There are other health benefits associated with this herb. For example, in liquid form, a 1% solution of it can be used to reduce eye pressure for up to 5 hours. So if you suffer from glaucoma, you can find some comfort in using coleus.
It is also found that this herb stimulates the fat metabolism. So if you are looking to lose weight in hopes of controlling hypertension, then this can be the perfect supplement for you. As you can see, it has many great, healthy uses.

Treatment of high cholesterol 

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Brushing your teeth may prevent disease

It may seem an unusual link, but doctors have found that people who brush their teeth daily are much less likely to develop heart disease than those who don't.

A new study from the BMJ revealed that people who never or only rarely brush their teeth twice a day are up to 70% more likely to develop heart disease.

Although scientists have long suspected a relationship between gum disease and heart problems, this is the first study to high the dangers of poor oral hygiene.

Experts are unsure of the exact reason for the link, but suggest that it may be a result of inflammation in the mouth and gums, which they believe is connected to the build up of clogged arteries.

However despite the findings, the researchers stressed that the overall risk of heart disease from oral hygiene remains relatively low.

In the survey of more than 11,000 people, just 71% said they brushed their teeth twice a day and only 62% said they visited the dentist every six months.

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Do high doses of vitamin C cure?

Do high doses of vitamin C cures disease and illness?. Many people just regard vitamin c as an orange, or a supplement that you can take, and that it is a natural way the common cold can be helped. 60mg of vitamin C is what you may get when eating an orange. This can be beneficial to your health and may reduce the discomfort of a cold. However what I am interested in is doses of 1000mg plus, and up to 100,000mg per day. I feel sure that high doses like this could cure cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems, among other illness and disease.

Have doses of 100,000mg of vitamin c been tested on people with cancer?, or have they used just 10,000mg per day?. I think that cost must come in to this, and more research must be done.






Do natural cures work? High doses of vitamin c.New ideas and ways using alternative health

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Share your natural cure

Do you know of a breaking news natural cure? There may be many natural cures that are on the verge of being discovered such as new cures for cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol problems, and HIV. Please submit your URL, and post in comments.

Thank you.
Natural cures you dont know New cures and remedies Help cancer

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RESISTANCE TO DISEASE

Astragalus is a traditional Chinese herb, its root was found to increase resistance to disease by fortifying the immune system. For example, it increases the body's secretion of interferon, which fights viruses. According to Chinese studies, astragalus reduces susceptibility to colds and their duration.

Astragalus is sometimes used together with echinacea and ginseng, for use in degenerative conditions of ageing such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Since it is a diuretic, astragalus can be useful to reduce water retention. During the past decade, astragalus has been discovered by Western science, and is increasingly being incorporated into nutritional formulas sold in health food shops.

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Is Soya Bean good for you?

Soybeans have been found to be a storehouse of phytochemicals, beneficial antioxidant nutrients, such as saponins, phytosterols and phenolic acids, which all protect the body from free radical damage.
They are also a great source of iron, calcium and potassium.

So in health and nutrition what are Soybeans therapeutic properties?.
They will help counter heart disease, and can substantially lower blood cholesterol. In tests 8-16% over several weeks.
It can also prevent bowel diseases>

It can relieve menopausal symptoms. My wife has just started taking Soya and suffers from hot flushes so it will be interesting to see if she benefits in any way. I will keep you posted.
Soya may also have some anti-cancer activity, in particular breast cancer. Women who regularly eat Soya will find that their blood oestrogen level falls.

If you have had any experience of Soya I would be interested to know, please post your comments.
See http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/soy.htm

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Easy way to beat heart disease

An easy way to beat heart disease,and strokes is quite simple, eat tomatoes!

Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene
Scientists say a natural supplement made from tomatoes, taken daily, can stave off heart disease and strokes.
The tomato pill contains an active ingredient from the Mediterranean diet - lycopene - that blocks "bad" LDL cholesterol that can clog the arteries.
Ateronon, made by a biotechnology spin-out company of Cambridge University, is being launched as a dietary supplement and will be sold on the high street.
Experts said more trials were needed to see how effective the treatment is.
Preliminary trials involving around 150 people with heart disease indicate that Ateronon can reduce the oxidation of harmful fats in the blood to almost zero within eight weeks, a meeting of the British Cardiovascular Society will be told at Ateronon's launch on Monday.
Our advice to heart disease patients or those at high risk is to rely on proven medications prescribed by their doctor, and aim to get the benefits of a Mediterranean diet by eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg
Professor Peter Weissberg of the British Heart Foundation
Neuroscientist Peter Kirkpatrick, who will lead a further research project at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on behalf of Cambridge Theranostics Ltd, said the supplement could be much more effective than statin drugs that are currently used by doctors to treat high cholesterol.
But Professor Peter Weissberg of the British Heart Foundation said: "As always, we caution people to wait for any new drug or modified 'natural' product to be clinically proven to offer benefits before taking it.
"It will take some time, and several clinical trials, to provide such evidence for Ateronon.
"In the meantime, our advice to heart disease patients or those at high risk is to rely on proven medications prescribed by their doctor, and aim to get the benefits of a Mediterranean diet by eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg."
He said the British Heart Foundation had supported some of the basic science at Cambridge University underpinning the development of the product.
Professor Anthony Leeds, trustee of the cholesterol charity Heart UK, said: "The new lycopene product Ateronon represents an entirely new approach to the treatment of high blood cholesterol and opens up the exciting possibility."
He said the preliminary findings were "very promising".
Lycopene is an antioxidant contained in the skin of tomatoes which gives them their red colour. But lycopene ingested in its natural form is poorly absorbed.
Ateronon contains a refined, more readily absorbed version of lycopene that was originally developed by Nestle.
Dr Peter Coleman of The Stroke Association said: "We know that diets rich in antioxidants are beneficial in reducing the plaque build up and welcome the findings of this research."


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