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ARDMORE, OK– Statistics show people with diabetes have a 65% greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s. now, the same insulin used for diabetics could be used to help treat Alzheimer’s patients. Amanda Brown has more on what this study could mean for people in our area

A recent pilot study in the Journal Archives of Neurology has suggested that inhaling insulin could play a part in helping individuals improve memory and even reverse symptoms of memory loss. Pharmacist Rebecca Reed said the research is still underway, but if the insulin does prove to work, it would be great news to Oklahoma because of the large community of diabetics. she said that a lot of diabetics do not know they are at great risk to the Alzheimer’s disease and that it is just one of the possible complications that diabetes can bring.

“If you don’t take care of yourself then your going to have more problems and complications and this is just one of the complications,” she said.

Ann O’Conner was diagnosed with type two diabetes two years ago and said she is well aware of the complications it could produce. the recent study is good news to O’Conner, she said diabetes runs her family and her current roommate suffers from dementia.

“I see her just going downhill everyday you know and its heartbreaking,” she said.

O’Connor said she is at ease knowing there is research being done to tackle memory loss, because if she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, at least there’s a chance they have found something that would help.

The human body needs nutrients to function, the nutrients known to be essential for human beings are proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, minerals, vitamins and water.There is need to note that all nutrients have specific work to do in the body. this is why it is important to eat a mixed diet. If you cannot afford such on one plate try to spread your dietary requirements throughout the day such that by the end of the day you would have a variety of the necessary nutrients. If you decide not to eat properly, you are likely to make frequent visits to the doctor or pharmacist, and you become an economic drain to your family and society. Please note that once you start feeling sick you need to observe your dietary habits because it is most likely that you have been indulging in junk. it is interesting to note that most people eat a lot of junk for enjoyment and never think about the effects. You will hear people saying that they eat junk because it is nice, pity your children who have no choice but to rely on what the parents give them until they become sick. this is a great sin, is it right to make sure that your baby is never introduced to the junk snacks and sweets, even if your economic status is too high.  Proteins: Proteins are made of amino acids, small units necessary for growth and tissue repair. Protein is the body’s most plentiful substance except for water and, possibly, fat. Animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, milk and eggs are rich in protein. Good plant sources of protein are beans, peas, nuts, bread and cereals. Combining plant sources, such as peanut butter with whole-grain bread or rice with beans, provides excellent protein. So does combining plant and animal sources such as cereal and milk or macaroni and cheese.  Carbohydrates: Starches and sugars are carbohydrates, the main source of the body’s energy. Carbohydrate-rich foods are also the main sources of protein for most of the world. Rice, wheat, corn, and potatoes are common rich sources of carbohydrates. Sugars are not essential foods. They provide energy (calories) but no nutrients. for that reason sugar is called an “empty calorie” food. Occasional sweets are not harmful to a healthy, active person, but excessive sugar can lead to tooth decay when eaten between meals, especially in sticky snack foods that cling to the teeth.

Fats and Oils: Fats and oils (which are liquid fats) are a concentrated source of energy. Fats in the diet are necessary for good health. They make certain vitamins available for use in the body, they cushion vital organs, they make up part of all body cells and they help to maintain body temperature. Fats also delay pangs of hunger because a food mixture containing fat remains longer in the stomach.Nutritionists distinguish between different types of dietary fats, or fats in food. Saturated fats usually are solid in form and of animal origin. in many typical diets, meat fat is the main source. it is known that saturated fats can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a natural waxy substance made by the body. it helps to form digestive juices and does other important work. it is present in the body no matter what is eaten. when the body cells cannot absorb any more cholesterol, any excess begins to accumulate in the walls of the blood vessels and gradually narrows them. this condition may lead to a heart attack or stroke. MineralsMinerals are neither animal nor vegetable; they are inorganic. almost all foods contribute to a varied intake of essential minerals. most minerals are easy to obtain in quantities required by the body. A major exception is iron for children under the age four and adolescent girls and women in the childbearing years. these groups need more iron than a normal diet may provide. Iron helps to build red blood cells. it also helps the blood carry oxygen from the lungs to each body cell. Rich sources of iron are meat, especially liver; egg yolks; and dark green vegetables. Everyone at every age needs calcium. this mineral builds bones and teeth, and it is necessary for blood clotting. The best sources are milk and hard cheese. Others are leafy greens, nuts, and small fishes—such as sardines—with bones that can be eaten.Phosphorus works with calcium to make strong bones and teeth. A diet that furnishes enough protein and calcium also provides enough phosphorus. Other important minerals are sodium, potassium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, and copper. VitaminsThe discovery of vitamins began early in the 20th century. it is likely that some still are undiscovered. Eating a wide variety of foods ensures getting enough vitamins whether or not they are identified. all living things need vitamins for growth and health. The body either cannot manufacture them at all or cannot normally manufacture them in sufficient amounts, and so must absorb them from food. Each vitamin has specific roles to play. Many reactions in the body require several vitamins, and the lack or excess of any one can interfere with the function of another.

Fat-soluble vitamins. Four vitamins—A, D, E, and K—are known as the fat-soluble vitamins. They are digested and absorbed with the help of fats that are in the diet. Vitamin A is needed for strong bones, good vision, and healthy skin. it is found both in dark green and yellow fruits and vegetables. Vitamin D is essential for children because it helps calcium and phosphorus to form straight, strong bones and teeth. with direct sunlight on the skin, the body can manufacture its own vitamin D. Infants and young children often need a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is added routinely to most milk during processing.Vitamin E helps to protect vitamin A and red blood cells. it is found in a wide variety of foods, and almost everyone gets enough. Vitamin K is one vitamin that is made within the human body—by bacteria that live in the intestinal tract. Small amounts are found as well in the green leaves of spinach, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower and also in pork liver.Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body for long periods. They are stored mostly in the fatty tissue and in the liver. Water-soluble vitamins. The vitamin B group of several vitamins helps to maintain healthy skin and a well-functioning nervous system. B vitamins also help to convert carbohydrates into energy. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is needed for building the connective tissue that holds body cells together. Vitamin C is essential for healthy teeth, gums and blood vessels. it also helps the body to absorb iron. these water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body for long. Good sources should be eaten every day. WaterIn order to live, every cell in the body must be bathed in water. Water takes an active part in many chemical reactions and is needed to carry other nutrients, to regulate body temperature, and to help eliminate wastes. Water makes up about 60 percent of an adult’s body weight. Requirements for water are met in many ways. most fruits are more than 90 percent water.Lack of essential nutrients:There are several signs and symptoms of deficiency diseases such as feeling tired; losing food taste; loss of appetite; being pale; muscle wasting; having an itchy skin; dry skin; scaly skin in exposed areas; sore tongue; cracking lips; recurrent mouth ulcers; scalp hair loss; uncontrollable dandruff; brittle and flaking nails; muscle pain and cramps; twitching facial muscles; diarrhea; constipation; burning feet; depression; palpitations; poor concentration and irritability. If you suffer from any of these symptoms you must change your dietary habits immediately.

My gf has chronic asthma and I feel so bad about her migraines that are linked with nausea and stuffy stuffy nose. is there any herbal liquid or capsules she can take for these problems? If anyone can please help us it would be worldy appreciated. If anyone has any experience with anything like this please answer.

This does not sound like just asthma. maybe she is experiencing allergies in conjunction with asthma? why is she nauseous? What OTC she would take would depend on what else is going on with her asthma. when at the pharmacy I would swing by and speak with a pharmacist.

Achoo! Spring is in the air. with the arrival of chirping birds, green grass and warm breezes comes pollen. and for anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies, this time of year often leaves them feeling irritated, congested and downright miserable.

How can you survive this year’s spring allergy season?

Toronto-based pharmacist Dipen Kalaria, director of Specialty Pharmacy Services at pharmacy.ca, a nationally recognized online pharmacy, offers some suggestions.

As an allergy sufferer himself, Kalaria says he’s tried a lot of different things.

“What I always tell any customer or patient that walks into the store is that you really have to control your symptoms, get ahead of them, and stay ahead. If they build up and you get really congested and really rundown, then it takes longer to clear them up,” Kalaria said in a telephone interview.

There’s no one allergy treatment that actually treats all the symptoms of allergies, Kalaria pointed out.

He recommends antihistamines for the runny nose, a decongestant for the nasal congestion, and sinus rinses can be used to help flush the pollen out of your sinuses and nasal passages.

“But some of those things take some time to work,” pointed out Kalaria, who has been helping Canadians treat allergy symptoms for the last decade.

For quick relief, Kalaria encourages people to turn to something commonly used to treat coughs and colds — a lozenge with metholyptus in it.

“It will actually relieve that scratchy, itchy throat that you have, as well as congestion, in a few seconds,” he said. “And in the meantime, you can take your decongestant and whatever else in order to get the symptoms under control for the long term.”

Don’t wait for seasonal allergy symptoms to flair up in full force before using products to treat them, Kalaria recommends.

“During allergy season, even if you’re feeling better, keep treating the symptoms,” he insisted.

“Many of the things work better as a preventive than they do as an active treatment. they will work as an active treatment once you have the symptoms,” Kalaria explained.

During allergy season, take an antihistamine every day — even if you’ve had a few good days, Kalaria recommended. Otherwise, as soon as you go out and the pollen reactivates your immune system, you’ll be back behind the symptoms. and in that case, it will take another couple of days to get back to being symptom-free.

A lot of people ignore their allergy symptoms, he pointed out, adding that they don’t realize the toll that allergy symptoms have on them.

“If you have allergies, it not only affects your ability to concentrate, but the havoc that it plays on the immune system makes you tired. People have difficulty sleeping,” he pointed out. “So there’s more issues than just having a little bit of nasal congestion. It actually really does impair your quality of life.”

Seasonal allergy suffers should do what they can to avoid pollen, Kalaria recommended.

Allergies are almost always worse in the mornings, he pointed out. That’s partially because there’s more pollen out in the air in the morning. Pollen levels peak between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Keeping doors and windows closed will make a difference, Kalaria said.

Shower as soon as you get home, he recommends, because pollen will stick to your hair and to your clothes. and get out of the clothes and wash them.

A lot of people know that they’re allergic to their cat or their dog, but don’t realize that a cat or a dog can actually drag a lot of pollen into the house, as well, Kalaria said.

Because pets are so close to the grass, they tend to pick up lots of pollen, so he recommends wiping pets down after a walk to prevent them from bringing that pollen into your home. “And that will help moderate your symptoms,” he said.

There are simple ways you can alleviate your allergy symptoms to get on with your day, Kalaria pointed out. “There’s no need to suffer!”

Dr. Ian Wahl, a ChicagoHealers.com practitioner, offers the following tips for staying allergy-free during allergy season:

• Take a whole-food-based Vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine, he points out.

• Magnesium eases breathing. Some immunologists suggest taking 400 milligrams of magnesium daily helps with nasal allergies and breathing problems. If you want to supplement your diet with magnesium-rich foods, the best sources are nuts, beans, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and bananas.

• Wear sunglasses when going outside. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, creates a certain amount of photosensitivity. Wearing sunglasses helps reduce your sensitivity to light and, in turn, helps your eyes from excessively watering.

• Drink a lot of cool water. It probably seems counterintuitive, to recommend drinking water with all of that liquid in your sinuses, nose and eyes. But rehydrating is one of the best ways to eliminate toxins from your body. Besides, it cools you down and provides some symptom relief.

• Check the local pollen count. If you have severe allergies, you might consider wearing a mask on days when the pollen count is unusually high.

• Stay away from dairy. “I know, it is summer and that means ice cream. But if you have hay fever, eating dairy will produce even more phlegm and make you feel worse,” Wahl warns.

• use your bathroom exhaust fan when taking a shower. this will help prevent the growth of mould in the shower. Cleaning your bathtub or shower liner is also important. better yet, replace your liner every month or two, if you have mould sensitivities or asthma, Wahl recommends.

• keep your dryer vent clear. Buildup of lint in the dryer vent will cause an excess of dust in your house. Have your vents cleaned regularly to avoid aggravating your allergy symptoms.

• use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. HEPA filter vacuums don’t recirculate back into the air the polluting particles that the vacuum has just picked up. make sure you have a true HEPA filter and not a HEPA-like filter, he cautions. You can tell by looking at the manufacturer’s test results of their filter. A true HEPA filter will have test results stating that .3 microns are 99.97% or above.

• Get rid of clutter. Allergy sufferers need to be especially careful about controlling dust in their homes. and clutter is a major source of dust and dust mites. If you can’t see your floors or walls in closets and basements, you have a clutter problem. just as clutter clogs your house and obstructs the free flow of energy in your home, clutter also clogs your nose and obstructs the free flow of life-giving air into your body, Wahl points out.

A therapy revolution is coming, according Allergic Living magazine. In a 20-page special section, titled “The Future of Allergies,” the magazine looks 10 years ahead — at everything from environmental allergies to food allergy and celiac disease.

• A “Pednut” vaccine that tricks the immune system into accepting peanut.

• Chinese herbal tablets that would prevent allergic reactions or asthma attacks.

• A hypoallergenic peanut plant.

• A hypoallergenic cat.

• Desensitization clinics for peanut, milk and egg allergies.

• A celiac pill that stops gluten from penetrating the small intestine.

• The emergence of gluten-free wheat in the marketplace.

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

Galway Advertiser, December 16, 2010.

Colds are one of the most common ailments of the winter months. Almost 90 per cent of adults get a cold at least once or twice a year, according to the latest research.

Some will catch several and will be laid low for days by this infection which affects the upper respiratory tract.

the cold virus does not produce any symptoms when it first enters your system, its real beginning therefore passes unnoticed.

It is passed on through tiny droplets of fluid which contain the virus and is spread through the air or by direct contact with someone who is infected, explains Gort based pharmacist Brendan Quinn.

“Viruses spread easily in crowded enclosed spaces so avoid environments with lots of people and keep rooms well ventilated at all times. Avoid touching your eyes and nose after physical contact with someone who has a cold as this is one of the most common ways of spreading infection. If possible, wash your hands thoroughly after blowing your nose.”

If you have fallen victim to a cold what can you do to help yourself? Even with lighter colds which do not require bed rest it is important to recognise your limitations, he says.

“As your body deals with the virus you will become tired and worn out more easily so slow down. Avoid stuffy and smoky atmospheres because they will make you feel worse. If you are a smoker, stop as this will only irritate the mucous membrane lining of your nose and will make respiratory problems worse.”

Mr Quinn says the most effective way to meet your daily vitamin and mineral requirements is by eating a balanced diet. Include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables which will help give your body the best chance of fighting off this infection.

“when you have a cold you need more fluids than usual. Drink plenty of water and juice and eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. Drinking hot fluids will also help ease your cough and sore throat.”

World renowned naturopath, author and broadcaster Jan de Vries, who has lectured in Galway, says the common cold is often under-estimated but should never be neglected.

“It can lead to inflammation and infection in the upper respiratory tracts and is often accompanied by nasal congestion. There are many different causes of a cold, often a virus is to blame. the nose, mouth and throat may become infected and inflamed causing swelling and sometimes such a viral infection leads to secondary infection resulting in nasal discomfort. in such cases common symptoms are a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, watery eyes and headaches.

“when a person’s immunity is low and their natural reserves are below par an ordinary common cold can result in a general debility such as a chronic infection, allergic disorders, injury to the mucous membranes and other such chronic conditions. Sometimes a cold is accompanied by a fever but with some sensible care the overall condition can soon be brought under control. On the whole the patient will be feeling much better within four to seven days.”

He recommends that sufferers keep their diets very light, many will not feel like eating much when they are congested anyway.

“Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, especially fruit juices rich in vitamin C. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and take a vitamin C supplement. Eat wholefood products, including brown rice, a daily salad, cress, onions and garlic. Remember to eat slowly and ease up on sugar and salt.”

Facts about colds

* Children get six to eight colds a year. this high rate is blamed on their lack of a built up resistance to infection and close contact with other children.

* Adults average two to four a year with a greater frequency in parents of children.

* A cold can last up to a week but some last longer, especially in children, older people and those in poor health.

* A cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. As many as 200 viruses are known to cause a cold.

* Sneezing propels cold viruses through the air at 100mph so anyone within a 30 feet radius can be affected.

* A healthy lifestyle will help you fight off infections. Eat healthily, stop smoking, cut down on alcohol, lose weight if overweight and try to reduce your stress levels.

* A typical person will spend six years of his/her life suffering from colds

* the likelihood of catching a cold is nearly double for a person with high stress levels

* People tend to catch colds in crowded humid places, such as cinemas, buses, schools and churches

* Viruses enter the body through the nose, mouth and eyes

* Colds are more common between October and March because cold weather conditions allow the virus to spread more easily

* the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms is about two to three days. the contagious period varies but an infected person can probably pass on the disease the day before the symptoms appear and remain potentially infectious for three to five days

* Colds and flus are viral infections so antibiotics are of no help. It is important not to take these if you do not have a bacterial infection. Antibiotics can wipe out normal bacteria that live in your body which can result in symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea and yeast infections. Also, the overuse of antibiotics over the years has contributed to the rise in drug-resistant bacterial infections

* Many experts argue there is no direct connection between contracting a cold and getting your feet wet, walking in the rain or sitting in a draught. British researchers conducted an experiment aimed at discovering the effect of chilling on a group of volunteers. they divided the subjects into three groups and innoculated one set with cold viruses and had them stand around in the cold for half an hour wearing wet swimsuits. A second group was exposed to the same physical discomfort but not innoculated. A third group was innoculated but left dry and cosy. Eventually, the first and third group succumbed to the sniffles at the same rate while the second group stayed healthy.

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