December 28, 2011 12:35 PM

Avoid ‘Sunburn’ If you have Lupus

By Zulkiple Ibrahim This is the second of two articles on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), also known as lupus, while lupus is a widespread disease, awareness of it among Malaysians lags behind many other illnesses. According to medical authorities, if there were greater lupus awareness, lupus patients would not feel so isolated and would receive the support they deserve. KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) — Fans of Malay television drama will certainly recall a recent series named “Stanza Cinta,” in which a doctor told the lead character to avoid excessive sunlight. the lead character happened to be a patient diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), which is also known as “lupus’. According to medical experts, many people with lupus are sensitive to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation. Lupus patients should avoid being under the sun during the times when the sun is at its most intense, between lOam and 3pm. AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE Dr H. Tan, a medical specialist, said lupus is an autoimmune disease characterised by acute and chronic inflammation of various tissues of the body. he said autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body’s tissues are attacked by its own immune system. “People with lupus produce abnormal antibodies in their blood that target tissues within their own body, rather than foreign infectious agents. “As the antibodies and accompanying cells of inflammation can affect tissues anywhere in the body, lupus has the potential to affect a variety of areas,” he said, adding that lupus can cause diseases of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous system. “A person cannot get lupus from another individual. it is not cancer and it is not related to AIDS,” he said. some scientists believe that the lupus can be precipitated or aggravated by only a brief period of sun exposure. he said the reason rashes develop is the ultraviolet (UV) waves in the sunlight. UV light damages cells in the skin (keratinocytes), causing them to die. In healthy people without lupus, these dead cells are cleared away quickly and any inflammation induced by the sun (sunburn) is short-lived. However, in lupus patients, skin cells may be more sensitive to sun-induced damage, and there is increasing evidence that the dying (apoptotic) cells are not cleared away efficiently. as a result, the contents of dying cells may be released and cause inflammation. also, cell contents such as genetic material and other molecules, which are never normally exposed to cells of the immune system, are available to generate an immune response. IMMUNE RESOPONSE Immune responses and inflammation are the normal reactions of the body to infection, but in lupus they are generated inappropriately by the dying cells, and the body mounts an immune response against its own cell constituents (autoimmunity). Dr Tan said the end result of this process in susceptible people with certain types of lupus is the development of characteristic photosensitive rashes. Antibodies are often found in people with these rashes, he said. “Why the rashes affect only some parts of the body at any one time and are not always sun-sensitive is still not understood,” he said. FLARE the rheumatologist said when symptoms of lupus appear, it is called a “flare.” “These signs may come and go. you may have swelling and rashes one week and no symptoms at all the next. you may find that your symptoms flare after you’ve been out in the sun or after a hard day at work,” said Dr Tan. even if a patient takes medicine for lupus, he or she may find there are times when symptoms become worse. Learning to recognise that a flare is coming can help the patient take steps to cope with it. Many people feel very tired or have pain, a rash, a fever, stomach discomfort, headache, or dizziness just before a flare. Steps to prevent flares, such as limiting the time a person spends in the sun and getting enough rest and quiet, can be helpful. ARE ALL LUPUS PATIENTS AFFECTED? Dr Tan said some 60 per cent of lupus patients get sun-induced rashes. “New immune responses can take over a week to develop, so the effects of sunlight will not necessarily be evident on the same day. “In general, all lupus patients are advised to avoid sun exposure, as it is one of the easiest ways of avoiding something that we know can make lupus worse in many sufferers,” he said. can photosensitive rashes and other sun-induced manifestations of lupus be prevented? to some extent photosensitive rashes and other sun-induced problems can be prevented by keeping sun exposure to a minimum and using sunblocks regularly, Dr H. Tan said. he advises against going out under the hot sun. “The sunblock lotion is effective against the UV light. “It is also advisable to wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants and a wide-brimmed hat when out in the sun. the use of UV film on windows may also be necessary for those who are particularly sun-sensitive,” he added. — BERNAMA

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As pet owners, we all want to give our furry family members the very best care possible to keep them in our lives for as long as possible. For this reason, it’s helpful to be familiar with the symptoms of potential life-threatening pet diseases so we can catch them in their earliest stages.

Karen “Doc” Halligan.

Veterinarian and author Karen “Doc” Halligan, who currently serves as the director of veterinary services for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (spcaLA), shares the six most common signs of illness to look out for in dogs and cats:

1. Halitosis – Bad breath, or halitosis, is a sign of ill health. Bad breath in dogs and cats is most commonly a symptom of dental disorders like periodontal disease, gingivitis, plaque buildup, abscesses, sores, tumors and ulcers of the mouth. But there are other diseases that can cause bad breath, including skin disease around the mouth, tumors or foreign objects stuck in the mouth, as well as diabetes, autoimmune disease and kidney disease. It is imperative to investigate the cause of your pet’s halitosis rather than assuming it’s natural for them to have bad breath. because it’s not. If your pet has halitosis, you need to take them in for a dental exam right away. If the cause is dental disease, once treated you can prevent the recurrence of bad breath in your pet with daily brushing and yearly professional dental cleanings.

2. Ear Infections – since dogs and cats have much longer ear canals than people do, infections usually start way down at the eardrum and work their way upward. so by the time you actually see debris, the infection has most likely been there a while. they are susceptible to ear infections because of their long, L-shaped canals; some dogs have wax-trapping hair lining the canals as well. and dogs that have moisture-sealing earflaps provide the perfect swamp-like environment for bugs to thrive. Check out your pet’s ears. they should have very little odor or discharge, but a small amount of wax is normal. If you see debris, redness, hair loss, crusting or your pet seems to be in pain when its ears are touched, it could be a sign of an ear infection, which means a trip to the vet for ear medication and antibiotics. to prevent infections, pet owners can learn from their vet how to properly and regularly clean their animal’s ear canals.

3. Vomiting and Diarrhea – More than 60 percent of all vet bills and vet visits for vomiting or diarrhea are due to illnesses resulting from what a pet ate. This ranges from bones to burgers, pizza, chocolate, avocados and double-doubles. I recommend twice daily feedings of a high-quality diet in your pets life stage of either pediatric, adult or senior. Feed a measured amount of 50% dry and 50% wet food and no table scraps. Don’t vary your pets diet. Stick with one brand that your pet likes in their life stage and make sure fresh clean water is always available. Cats also suffer from hair balls, which can be prevented by daily brushing, feeding a highly digestible diet and weekly doses of petroleum jelly help push the hair through the intestinal tract.

4. Skin Irritations – The skin is the largest organ of the body and is also the first line of defense against disease. your cat or dog’s coat should be sleek and glossy with no fleas or flea dirt. Flea Allergy Dermatitis, or FAD, is the most common allergic pet skin disease. Animals that have flea allergy can develop a severe allergic reaction to a protein in the saliva of certain fleas that is left behind from fleabites. This condition causes severe itching and a rash. in dogs, it leads to hair loss and infection, usually on the rear legs or at the base of the tail. Cats get scabs around the head, neck and body. to prevent this, use a high quality flea and tick product monthly on all pets in the household.

5. Obesity – About 65% of American adults are overweight or obese, and studies show that more than 40% of dogs and cats are overweight or obese too. If you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight, and this goes for our pets as well. Feed them a balanced, nutritionally complete diet, and tailor it to your pet’s lifestyle. always measure the amount of food you feed your pets and never feed table scraps of any kind. they add calories and will unbalance your pet’s diet. Give dog or cat treats sparingly and incorporate these extra calories into your pet’s total daily allotment. Treats should account for less than 10% of total calories.

6. Inappropriate Urination – Kidney disease is common in older cats, and both cats and dogs can lose up to 75% of kidney function before clinical signs will develop. Blood work can detect early changes in kidney enzymes and allow management of this disease before it becomes life-threatening. Symptoms in dogs and cats include increased thirst or urination, weight loss, listlessness, nausea, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, foul-smelling breath, poor appetite and lethargy. Cats may also vocalize and urinate outside of their litter box. About 25% of cats with chronic kidney disease will develop high blood pressure. It’s not uncommon for these cats and dogs to have a long history of excessive water consumption. Treatment of kidney disease depends on the degree of damage, but can be successful. Prevention includes yearly exams for early detection and providing plenty of fresh drinking water.

Posted By: Amelia Glynn (Email, Facebook) | July 13 2011 at 04:19 PM

This is a question I often get asked and unfortunately there is no straightforward answer.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease causing an overproduction of skin cells.  This results in thickened patches of skin, which are red and scaly and often itchy and painful.  The patches most commonly appear on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, back, fingernails and toenails.  The condition may also lead to arthritis.

Treatment options range from topical emollients and vitamin D therapy through to powerful systemic medications.  The treatment of psoriasis is very individualised, meaning what works well for one person may have a negative or no effect on another. Similarly, the effects of various foods will have varying effects on each individual’s psoriasis.Diet Does Help

Whilst many psoriasis sufferers have long claimed that certain foods affect their psoriasis, it is only recently that doctors and specialists have come to consider the diet when treating psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a condition affecting the immune system.  A diet that focuses on a healthy immune system is therefore desirable, as it will help to reduce inflammation.  While there are no set rules that will guarantee to improve your psoriasis, there are some guidelines now available that will help.

Psoriasis may be helped by a diet high in antioxidants, which are nutrients that play a vital role in cellular health.  Natural antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables are better than supplements.

A gluten free diet has also been found to help some people with psoriasis.  This involves excluding all foods containing wheat, barley, rye and oats.

A diet high in probiotics may also improve the immune system and in turn reduce psoriasis symptoms.  Probiotics are foods high in good bacteria.  We all have bacteria in our intestines and for most the good outnumber the bad.  Ensuring you have more good bacteria than bad bacteria will improve the immune system and decrease the symptoms of psoriasis.  Yogurts and some milks with added live cultures will do this.

A healthy diet can also help to maintain a balance of bacteria in the intestines.  A diet high in fruit and vegetables, whole grains and beans and low in simple sugars will help to maintain this balance and a healthy immune system.Omega 3 has Amazing Effects on Psoriasis

Modifying your fat intake is one of the best dietary ways to control your psoriasis.  Increasing the essential fatty acid Omega 3 in your diet may help.  Omega 3 is responsible for the inflammatory process in the body. Today’s modern diet has many of us consuming very small amounts  (if any at all) of Omega 3.

Increasing the amount of fish oils, flaxseed oil and nuts in our diets will help, but in reality a dietary supplement will probably be needed for the omega 3 to have a positive effect on psoriasis.

There are many supplements available in health stores that are high in omega 3.  The Grahams Mega Oil is a dietary oil supplement designed specifically for this purpose.  Not only is it high in omega 3, but it also has a calculated ratio of omegas 3, 6 and 9 that will enhance the immune system and decrease inflammation even more than omega 3 on its own.

Adopt A Healthy Diet And Control your Psoriasis

In summary, adopting a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and omega 3 supplements is what we should all be doing.  It will not only help to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, but may also help to reduce the risk of other medical problems like heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney problems, Attention Deficit Disorder and many others.

For the first time in more than 50 years, a new medication has been approved for the treatment of lupus. On March 9 the Federal Drug Administration (the FDA) granted approval for Benlysta to treat systemic lupus erythamatosus. 1955 was the last time any drugs were sanctioned for the treatment of this devastating illness.

What is systemic lupus erythamatosus?

Systemic lupus erythamatosus is also referred to as SLE. It is an autoimmune disease that causes symptoms throughout the body, or systemically. in the case of SLE, the immune system mistakenly attacks the patient's body, destroying tissue. SLE causes rashes and skin problems and can damage the heart, kidneys and lungs. Severe joint pain is a common result of the disease and it can also affect the central nervous system. Symptoms are so varied that it is frequently difficult to diagnose, as SLE mimics other illnesses.

Patients with SLE usually experience flares of symptoms with periods of remission in between. It is not known what causes SLE, but both genetics and environment are believed to play a role. Women get SLE nine times more than men and people of African descent have a higher incidence than other ethnicities. While it can be fatal, advances in treatment have increased survival rates over the past two decades.

What treatments have been used until now?

There is no cure for SLE and it is primarily treated according to the symptoms a patient is having. The most frequent medications used until now to treat its effects have been aspirin, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. Hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, was also approved to treat symptoms of SLE in 1955. Until this past Wednesday, when Benlysta was cleared by the FDA, that was the last time a drug was approved to treat SLE.

What is Benlysta?

Benlysta, or belimumab, was developed by Human Genome Sciences. It is a monoclonal antibody that is believed to inhibit the autone process and is administered by intravenous infusion every 28 days.

Is Benlysta effective for everyone?

In clinical trials, a small margin of patients who took Benlysta for one year reported an improvement in their symptoms compared to those who were given the placebo, 43.2 percent to 33.8 percent. with longer treatment the gap narrows further, with 39 percent of patients on Benlysta showing benefit opposed to 32 percent on the placebo.

The drug did not appear to be effective at all for African Americans, but the manufacturer acknowledged this could be because there were too few people of African descent in the research trial.

There were also found to be some serious, even fatal, side effects. While the most common adverse reactions were nausea and diarrhea, serious infections and psychiatric symptoms, including three suicides, were documented.

However, some of the patients who did benefit from Benlysta reported they were able to reduce or eliminate the need for other risky drugs, such as corticosteroids, and improve their quality of life.

Marie Cooper, a licensed practical nurse and a certified childbirth educator, writes about health care for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.

Posted on: Wednesday, 2 March 2011, 20:13 CST

A full exam and patient history are vital to effectively diagnosing juvenile arthritis

While lab tests and imaging can sometimes help diagnose juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), a physical examination and thorough patient history are the most valuable tools in identifying this disease. According to a new literature review from the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), the rate of false positives in laboratory evaluations and imaging studies meant to screen for juvenile arthritis makes their value limited.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) is an autoimmune disease that affects nearly 300,000 children in the United States under the age of 18. the cause is not known, and it does not appear to be genetic, although some family members may suffer from other autoimmune disorders. Symptoms may include:

    * joint stiffness in the morning that improves later in the day;

    * pain, swelling, and tenderness in the joints;

      limping or limits in range of motion;

    * high fever and light rash;

    * weight loss;

    * fatigue or irritability; and/or

    * red eyes or blurred vision.

Depending on the type of JIA, these symptoms can vary quite a bit. In fact, some young patients may not suffer any of these symptoms, but have a swollen joint that is discovered after another incident such as an injury.

“To establish a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a matter of pattern recognition,” says Marilynn Punaro, MD, a pediatric rheumatologist at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, and the author of this review. “Also, there is no lab test that can conclusively diagnose rheumatic disease—you have to rule out other common diagnoses. that is why a full physical exam is important, as well as a detailed patient history that will reveal other symptoms. if the patient has one swollen joint, the other joints should be examined because the diagnoses could be very different based on what is found in that exam.”

Review details and findings:

    * if JIA is suspected, the orthopaedic surgeon should conduct an assessment of all peripheral joints, not just the joint or joints about which the patient is complaining.

    * Exquisitely painful, tender, or red joints are not typically diagnostic for JIA.

    * Oligoarticular JIA (where just a few joints are affected) is the most common type of JIA, affecting 60 percent of children with this disorder. the onset of this type of arthritis is usually between the ages of 1 and 3.

    * Treatment of juvenile arthritis is designed to reduce swelling, maintain full movement of affected joints, and relieve pain, and includes medications and physical therapy. Surgery may be indicated in rare cases. some JIA patients’ disease can go into remission.

    * Recent clinical trials are showing that with new drug treatments, remission will soon be a realistic goal for most patients.

“It is important to try and diagnose JIA early so treatment can begin,” Punaro says. “If left untreated for months or years, there is a likelihood of long-term disability, growth problems or deformity. the disease can cause joint damage that is irreversible. the good news, though, is that when we do diagnose JIA, we have many excellent treatments available.”

On the Net:

• AAOS
• Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

More News in this Category

Senior LIVING News…

A number of seniors suffer from rheumatoid arthritis but may be unaware of their condition.Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, but it more commonly occurs between the ages of 40 and 60.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that not only affects the joints, but may also attack tissue in the skin, lungs, eyes and blood vessels. People with the disease may feel sick, tired and sometimes feverish.It is classified as an autoimmune disease, which occurs when the immune system turns against parts of the body that it is designed to protect.

According to the National Institute of Health, research suggests that a person's genetic makeup is an important part of the picture, but not the whole story. some evidence shows that infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria, may trigger rheumatoid arthritis in people with an inherited tendency to develop the disease. however, a specific agent or agents are not yet known.Women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men - approximately two to three times as many women than men have the disease - and smoking cigarettes increases a person's risk, while quitting smoking reduces the risk.Researchers are exploring why so many more women than men develop rheumatoid arthritis, and they are studying complex relationships between the hormonal, nervous and immune systems in rheumatoid arthritis.a person's family history is important because if a family member has rheumatoid arthritis, there is an increased risk of the disease. Doctors don't believe you can “inherit” the disease, instead they believe you can inherit a predisposition to it.Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include joint pain, joint swelling, joints that are tender to the touch, red and puffy hands, firm bumps of tissue under the skin of the arms (rheumatoid nodules), fatigue, morning stiffness that may last for hours, fever, and weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.The smaller joints are affected first - joints in wrists, hands, ankles and feet. As the disease progresses, the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, jaw and neck can become involved. In most cases, symptoms occur symmetrically - in the same joints on both sides of the body.Symptoms may also come and go, or vary in severity. Periods of increased disease activity - called flare-ups or flares - alternate with periods of relative remission, during which the swelling, pain, difficulty sleeping and weakness fade or disappear.The fact that the symptoms come and go and vary in severity, and sufferers have difficulty sleeping can lead people to think they are suffering from something else, since the symptoms may be similar to other illnesses.According to seniorjournal.com, a study has found the treatment of senior citizens with rheumatoid arthritis is unacceptable, and that wide variations were found in Medicare managed care-patients' receipt of recommended drug therapy.According to the Web site, an analysis of data from more than 90,000 Medicare managed care-enrollees who received care for rheumatoid arthritis finds that more than one-third did not receive the recommended treatment with a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, and that receipt varied by demographic factors, socio-economic status, geographic location and health plan, according to a study in the Feb. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Tetsuro Fujita, emeritus professor at Kyoto University a poses for a photograph in Kyoto, Japan. Photographer: Tetsuya Yamada/Bloomberg

The Cordyceps fungus known in Chinese and Japanese as “winter insect, summer plant,”is seen in Tokyo.

A packet of Novartis AG’s multiple sclerosis drug, Gilenya, is seen in this undated handout photograph. Source: Novartis AG via Bloomberg

Tetsuro Fujita’s eureka moment abouta Himalayan fungus in 1985 may mean part of a $5 billion payoutfor Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. a quarter-century later.

While the scientist drove over a bridge between Japan’sShikoku and Honshu islands on his way to take up a research postfor traditional herbal remedies, Fujita realized the fungus,used in a Chinese medicinal soup, must be suppressing the immunesystem of the insects on which it grew.

His research at Kyoto University not only helped yieldGilenya, a new treatment for multiple sclerosis — thedebilitating condition afflicting more than 2 million peopleworldwide — it also promises to bring Mitsubishi Tanabe itsbiggest money earner. Annual sales of the pill, the first forthe autoimmune disease, may exceed $5 billion, UBS AG said.

“Little did I think that it would be a treatment formultiple sclerosis,” Fujita, 80, said in an in interview Kyoto.“I was more interested in immune suppression for organtransplants. I knew nothing about the disease back then.”

Novartis AG, based in Basel, Switzerland, began sellingGilenya in the U.S. in October. Projected sales of the medicinewould rank it among the 10 best-selling drugs worldwide, basedon data from IMS Health inc., a Norwalk, Connecticut-basedresearch company.

Mitsubishi Tanabe will probably book royalties equivalentto 10 percent of sales, based on the median of four analystestimates in a Bloomberg News survey.

Better than Expected

Kazuko Hamada, a spokeswoman for Mitsubishi Tanabe,declined to comment on the royalty payments that the Osaka,Japan-based drugmaker will receive. Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff also declined to comment on the royalties.

Gilenya’s fourth-quarter sales of $13 million were aboveexpectations, Dhavalkumar Patel, who heads Novartis’s autoimmuneresearch, said last week.

“Novartis says 2,000 people are already using the drug inthree months,” Kenji Masuzoe, an analyst at Deutsche Bank AG inTokyo, said by telephone on Jan. 28. “That’s great progress asI’ve been expecting 10,000 people by the end of this year, whichwill mean sales of about $350 million.”

Multiple sclerosis causes the immune system to attack themyelin sheath, which surrounds and protects nerve cells, leadingto symptoms including numbness, difficulty in coordination and memory loss, according to Medline Plus, a website of the U.S.National Institutes of Health. in its severest form, it canshorten life and, in rare cases, lead to death, according to theU.S. National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s website.

Mitsubishi Tanabe rose 2.1 percent to 1,369 yen at the 3p.m. close of Tokyo trading. the stock gained 18 percent lastyear, outperforming Japan’s benchmark Topix index, which fell 1percent.

Sales at the Japanese company declined 2.4 percent in the12 months ended March 2010, the worst performance in five years,to 404.7 billion yen ($5 billion), according to data compiled byBloomberg.

Annual sales of Gilenya may peak at $5.3 billion in 2018,Fabian Wenner, an analyst at UBS in Zurich, said Feb. 1.

Gilenya is approved for the relapsing-remitting form ofmultiple sclerosis, the most common type, and competes withinjected drugs on the market including Biogen Idec inc.’s Avonexand Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.’s Copaxone.

The Novartis drug cut relapses by more than half comparedwith Avonex, an injected therapy from U.S. drugmaker Biogen IdecInc., according to a patient study published in the new EnglandJournal of Medicine last year.

Gilenya gained the support of a European medical committeein January, and a European Commission decision on approval maycome in about three months. It’s also being reviewed byregulators in Japan.

In the U.S., the drug is priced at $4,000 for a monthlyprescription. That’s 66 percent more than the $2,414.99 for apre-filled syringe of 30 micrograms per milliliter of Avonex, amonth’s supply, according to PharmacyChecker.com. Analystsincluding UBS’s Wenner expect Gilenya to be cheaper in Europe.

Current medicines require patients to inject themselvesevery other day or once a week, Kyoko Nakata, the Tokyo-basedchairman of Japan’s MS Cabin, a support group for the condition,said in an e-mail.

“They are shots, so during the course of treatment, theyare a constant reminder to patients of their condition,” saidNakata, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1993 andhas been taking Bayer AG’s Betaferon since 2000. “Gilenya wouldmake it easier to treat the disease as it saves time and bringspatients closer to having a normal life.”

With the help of another researcher, Fujita partnered withYoshitomi Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Taito Co., nowrespectively part of Mitsubishi Tanabe and Mitsui Sugar Co. Thescientists began studying in 1986 the Cordyceps fungus known inChinese and Japanese as “winter insect, summer plant,” socalled because it invades insect larva during winter and growsout of the host by summer.

Fujita said he was inspired by the discovery ofciclosporin, also derived from a fungus, which spurred researchinto how the immune system may be subdued in transplantpatients. Fujita, now a professor emeritus at Kyoto University,said he was unaware the immune-modulating properties ofCordyceps could eventually help multiple sclerosis patients.

“I knew from reading the Chinese medicinal encyclopediathat the fungus feeds off the larva, lives in a symbioticrelationship for a year, and comes out of the ground in summerby growing out of the carcass,” he said. “That made me thinkthe fungus must be suppressing the larva’s immune response.”

Used as an herbal remedy for centuries, the fungus containsan insoluble, toxic compound called myriocin, said Kenji Chiba,who worked on the project at Yoshitomi. it took scientists atleast three more years before they could modify the compoundinto a usable form, creating fingolimod, or Gilenya.

Novartis licensed the overseas rights to fingolimod fromMitsubishi Tanabe in 1997.

“Although it took a quarter of a century, I’m happy it’sbecome a drug while I’m still alive,” Fujita said. “It makesme happy that something I did is making others happy.”

To contact the reporter on this story:Kanoko Matsuyama in Tokyo at

To contact the editor responsible for this story:Jason Gale at

We all know that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease.  we also know that certain foods can trigger worse psoriasis symptoms than others.  but certain foods that are perfectly fine for some people to eat can cause serious outbreaks and increased inflammation in others.  So, like most things in life, there is no simple answer.

How do you know what foods are best for you to eat?  Keep a food journal.  This sounds like such a simple thing, and it is, but not everyone actually knows how to go about doing it.  here are some simple tips:

1. Keep track of EVERYTHING you eat and drink.  From breakfast to midnight snack, write it down!
2. Note your skin condition, your mood, if you are stressed, and if you have taken or applied any medications since you last ate.  Update this information for each time you eat.
3. Make your journal entry IMMEDIATELY after you eat, or even during if you like.  Don’t put it off.  You will forget, or possibly enter incorrect information about your mood or stress later on.  Do it in a timely manner.
4. Do you want to track the amount of food you eat?  does it vary significantly?  if so, track the amount, but don’t go overboard.  This isn’t a weight loss food journal, keep it simple.  if the journal isn’t easy, you won’t be as likely to keep doing it.  Just have a box for “portion Size” and enter “small, medium, large” for the amount of food in the meal.
5. Keep a journal for each day.  Do this for at least 6 to 8 weeks.  I know that’s a long time, but you will need at least that long to notice any trends.  Once you have that many entries, look for patterns where your skin is inflamed or your symptoms are more severe.  look for increases in stress, mood swings, increased portion size, or food types that may be the culprit.  Write these down in a notebook and try to avoid or reduce them in the future.

I’ve attached a simple food journal as a Microsoft Word document.  Please feel free to edit it to suit your needs.  Good luck!

Download the journal document here: Psoriasis Food Journal

Another good food journal, but not really specific to psoriasis, is at personal-nutrition-guide.com/support-files/food_mood_journal.pdf

Most people don’t know how prevalent Type 1 diabetes is. In the United States, more than 1.5 million people are diagnosed every year. that represents 40 new cases among children each day.

This type of diabetes usually affects children and young adults and the only treatment is a daily dose of insulin. High blood sugar levels interfere with the normal function of the organs, making diabetes dangerous.

Here is some information about juvenile diabetes that will help you with early diagnosis of this condition and keep it under control.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body doesn’t recognize its own cells and produces antibodies that destroy them. In juvenile diabetes insulin-secreting cells from the pancreas are being destroyed; the result is an insufficient quantity of insulin, a hormone that is necessary for the cells to transform glucose into energy. As a result, glucose stays in the blood stream and raises the blood sugar level. The resulting high blood sugar levels interfere with the normal functioning of the body.

Causes of Type 1 diabetes are not entirely known but there are some theories. it is believed that this condition could have a genetic component. Some scientists also believe that exposure to certain viruses is a possible cause.

You have to understand that insulin injections are not a cure for Type 1 diabetes but they keep the blood sugar at a normal level. a diet low in fats and high in fiber is also required. It is necessary to monitor the blood sugar daily in order to adjust the insulin dose.

The three major symptoms of juvenile diabetes are extreme thirst, frequent urination (especially at night) and increased hunger. Other symptoms are drowsiness, sudden weight loss, vision changes, heavy breathing, fatigue, limb numbness and sugar in the urine. if any of these symptoms occur, go see the doctor in order for a consultation as soon as possible.

There is no cure for diabetes but diagnosing it early can help you control it. Have regular screenings to monitor your blood sugar levels because diabetes usually occurs suddenly. Talk to your physician in order to adjust your daily insulin doses.

Change your diet and include exercise in your daily routine.Moderate exercise help cells to respond better to insulin. This way you can prevent diabetic-related complications.

Lupus is an ailment that upsets the nervous system. it is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system of the person involves the healthy cells and tissues of its own organic structure.in this condition, there is production of antibodies against the healthy cells of the person which in turn, hurts the tissues going to destruction and inflammation. the antibodies are primarily antinuclear antibodies. there is no causal elements that have been identified for the lupus disease.there has been determinations that indicate that lupus runs in the family. that means it has some hereditary causes. Again it has been found that women are more susceptible to get lupus than men.So this points that hormones can be a cause for it.Racial factor is also considered in this, like African Americans have more chances of getting it than others.Lupus disease has been widespread in the people belonging to ages 15-44 very often.

The lupus is of multiple kinds casing harm to different parts of the organic structure.the most common type is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.this harms the joints, skin, blood vessels etc.the symptoms of this disease typically include the joints to get inflamed with pain, exhaustion, high fever and butterfly like rash that appears on the nose called malar rash.Another type of lupus is Drug induced lupus which is caused due to over dose of some drugs like procainamide, quinidine and hydralazine.these drugs are usually stipulated when one has hypertension, heart disease, thyroid problems etc.once these drugs are discontinued, the symptoms disappear. Discoid Lupus is another type of this disease.in this there is appearance of rash near regions like ears, face, scalp etc.these scars leave a blemish.Another type is Neonatal Lupus which affect the newborns.it is a temporary type of disease and last for few months in newborn.there is transmission of this disease from the mother to the baby in the womb. Diagnosis of lupus is little delicate as symptoms may vary in various cases.there are certain exam criteria developed by the Rheumatology College in United States that are used in proper diagnosis of the diseased condition.it can be recognized with the help of some of the scientific and proven tests as well.these are shape of the rash, presence of mouth sores, antinuclear test, blood count etc are some tests which are conducted to diagnosis lupus.

Treatment for lupus disease usually varies from individual to person.the indication variant in each case gets treated diffrently.the persons having symptoms of fever associated with joint and chest pain are prescribed NSAIDS medicine.in most cases where a patient has skin eruptions,lung and joint tenderness then they are medicated with antimalarial drugs as well.At times even the immunosuppressive drugs are given.While in others, DMARDS like methotrexate are also prescribed. other things involves the patient to be at rest and minimizing stress leves so as to keep lupus under control.it is best if the patient observes yoga and meditation as well.with this there is improvement of the resistance power in the body along with speeding up the recovery process.