REPOST: Color contact lenses for Halloween may carry blindness risk

Decorative contact lenses may add spookiness to your Halloween costume, but using them improperly and without valid prescription can bring real horror. CBS News reports on the potential health risks of using contact lenses for cosmetic purposes.

Image Source: cbsnews.com

 

Color contact lenses may seem like the perfect addition to your Halloween costume, but wearing them may come at great risk to your eye health.

Color contact lenses, also known as decorative contact lenses or fashion contact lenses, cover the eye and can change a person's eye color or give the eye a spooky, animal-like appearance. But, experts warn that the contacts are also medical devices that should be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means if you are picking up a pair without a prescription or if they are being sold as a cosmetic product, the law is being broken.

Part of the risk is that people often don't go to the ophthalmologist or optometrist to make sure that the contacts fit properly. Improper fit can lead to scratches on the cornea, which is the clear dome of tissue above the colored iris portion of the eye. People can also get an ulcer on the cornea, known as a corneal infection. There's also the risk of getting conjunctivitis, or pink eye, and having decreased vision. It some cases, these problems could lead to blindness.

And the health risks could occur with only one wearing. "Wearing it for a couple seconds could cause damage," Dr. Edward Kondrot, an ophthalmologist and the founder of the Healing The Eye & Wellness Center in Dade City, Fla., said to CBSNews.com. "If its poorly fit, you could develop a scratch on the cornea, and it becomes an open wound."

Not keeping the contact lenses clean and moist can also lead to infections, the Food and Drug Administration pointed out on a post on its website. The problem is not the contact lenses themselves, but the fact that people often use them without consulting an eye care professional, don't have a prescription and do not use the proper care.

"Bacterial infections can be extremely rapid, result in corneal ulcers, and cause blindness -- sometimes within as little as 24 hours if not diagnosed and treated promptly," said Dr. Bernard Lepri, an optometrist at FDA.

Many people are using contacts for the first time when they buy it for a costume, and they don't even know how to put them in. This further increases the risk for scratching or damaging the eye.

"You're decked out in your Halloween costume, you have makeup on your face and mascara, which probably harbors bacteria, and your hands are dirty," Kondrot added.

He also warned that some lenses themselves may be worrisome. Some unregulated, illegal products may use dyes that contains heavy metals like mercury and lead.

"These are toxic chemicals that can actually penetrate the eye and enter the nervous system," he warned. "This should scare people enough to not wear these."

The FDA said that people should never buy color contact lenses from street vendors, salons or beauty supply stores, boutiques, flea markets, novelty stores, Halloween stores, record or video stores, convenience shops, beach shops or the Internet, unless the site requires a prescription. These places are not authorized to sell contact lenses.

If you still really want to wear the decorative lenses, the FDA recommended getting an eye exam from a qualified professional and getting a valid prescription. Buy the lenses from a retailer that requires a prescription and take care to follow the directions.

If you start having problems -- including redness, eye pain that doesn't go away after a short period of time and decreasing vision -- you may have an infection and should seek immediate medical help. "Get sick on candy, but don't go blind," said Kondrot.

YJ Sciences, Inc. is a Vancouver-based health and wellness company founded by Bob Edwards and Linda Perry. Go here to learn about the company's unique person-to-person networking enterprise that focuses on consumers' physical and financial well-being.

REPOST: Binge Eating More Likely to Lead to Health Risks in Men

In addition to causing psychological problems, binge eating can cause metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, it seems that men are more susceptible to this disease than women. For the full article, read on:

Binge eating is a problem affecting both men and women, however obese men who binge are more likely than their female counterparts to have elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure, finds a new study in General Hospital Psychiatry.

Men have generally been under-represented in studies of obesity and of binge eating disorder, said Tomoko Udo, Ph.D., associate research scientist in psychiatry at Yale University and lead author of the study. "People used to think binge eating was less common in men than women," she said.


Image source: abcnewsradioonline.com

Binge eating disorder is defined as the repeated consumption of large quantities of food in a short period of time without some other compensatory activity, such as the vomiting seen in bulimia. People with binge eating disorder also report feeling of a loss of control over their eating.

The study examined 190 people (141 women and 49 men) who were seeking treatment for obesity and binge eating disorder in a primary care setting. Even after adjusting for race and body mass index, men were three times as likely to meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study group was comprised of people who sought help with their weight, which may have a bearing on the higher incidence of metabolic syndrome seen in men, she said. Men are often less likely to seek medical help, which may mean that men who do may be suffering more from consequences of obesity and binge eating, she pointed out.


Image source: 4li.co

Overall, the study found few psychological differences between men and women with binge eating disorder, except that women were more likely than men to become overweight earlier and to attempt dieting earlier and men were more likely to say that they engaged in strenuous physical activity in an attempt to lose weight.

"This study is important because it focused on real-world data collection in the primary care setting," said Martin Binks, Ph.D., associate professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, and a spokesperson for The Obesity Society.

Cultural issues may lead to under diagnosis of binge eating in men, he added. "It is considered manly to consume big portions," he noted.


Image source: stop-bingeeating.com

Primary care settings provide a potential valuable opportunity to implement interventions or to provide appropriate specialist referrals for obese patients with binge eating disorder, conclude the researchers. Primary care physicians may not understand that binge eaters may have psychological issues, Udo added. "Many doctors do not know the special needs of binge eaters," she noted.

"We tend to have a 'one size fits all' view of weight management," Binks said. "But [binge eaters] are qualifiably different than your average person who needs to lose weight," he noted.

Vancouver-based YouthJuice YJ Sciences is the brainchild of Bob Edwards. The company brings together two worlds of personal health and individual wealth in a person-to-person networking experience. Visit this website for a list of the company's products.

REPOST: Smart jocks: Fit kids do better on math, reading tests

A new study shows that aerobically fit children fare better in math and reading tests than those who are less active. The findings are discussed in the article below.

Forget the old high school clichés about athletes not doing as well academically as less sporty kids -- a new study shows that children who exercise more do better on mathematics and reading tests.

“There is some truth that athletes may be the brightest,” said Dr. Bob Rauner, author of the survey that compared standardized test scores of fourth- to eighth-grade children in public schools in Lincoln, Neb.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about dumb jocks and out-of-shape nerds,” Rauner said.

His study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics on Thursday, showed that children who are more physically fit tended to do better in the math and reading tests than children who were less active and heavier.

The Journal of Pediatrics portrayed the study partly as a result of U.S. schools dropping gym classes and physical education, ironically to focus more on academics.

“Although the long-term consequences of childhood obesity are well documented, some school districts have reduced physical education classes to devote more time to the three Rs in education — reading, writing, and arithmetic,” the study said. “However, there is new evidence that leaving out an important fourth R -- aerobics -- could actually be counterproductive for increasing test scores.”

Rauner, a family physician for 15 years, who now runs Healthy Lincoln, a non-profit that advocates for childhood health, said his study was prompted by seeing a lot of obese kids. “We found that some of the most obese were in schools which did not even have recess.”

He and colleagues from Lincoln Public Schools and Creighton University in Nebraska analyzed standardized tests for math and reading in 2010-2011, and compared them to students’ aerobic fitness and body mass index (BMI).

The study found that physically fit children had a 2.4 times greater chance of passing math tests and a 2.2 times greater chance of passing reading tests compared with aerobically unfit children.

Among poorer children who received free school lunches – and who tended to be more overweight for socio-economic reasons -- the odds of passing the tests were still greater than those of students who were aerobically-unfit.

The study also found that BMI, although an important indicator for overall general health, did not have a significant effect on academic success.

“Although obesity is a concern for children, this study shows that aerobic fitness can have a greater effect on academic performance than weight,” the Journal said.

It noted that both aerobic fitness and socio-economic status have a similar impact on academic performance, but because aerobic fitness can be easier to improve, it is easy to implement in a school setting.

“Schools should think twice before taking minutes from physical education classes and recess,” it warned.

"Schools sacrificing physical education and physical activity time in search of more seat time for math and reading instruction could potentially be pursuing a counterproductive approach," said Rauner.

He said the study data was passed on to the Lincoln schools superintendent and he said one principal he knows has already re-introduced recess time to allow children to run around.

He said physical education has been treated as optional for U.S. schools in the past few decades, “but I am hopeful we have passed that low point…and can reverse things.”

Other studies, he said, show children are becoming healthier in general and he pointed to physical exercise as significant in the treatment of other conditions, such as older Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s clear that if you work out this morning and then take the math test, you will do better,” said Rauner.

Rebecca Hashim, a clinical psychologist at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, N.Y., who was not involved in the study, said the results were promising. “There is well-established research showing that physical and mental well-being are connected."

Some programs to treat depression use physical exercise, she said, and studies with children show that exercise can raise self-esteem, “and if they feel better about themselves, perhaps they will do better academically.”

“There is some emerging research that regular physical activity can improve cognition,” Hashim said, noting that the study did not find that weight, or BMI, had any significant effect on test results.

“It makes sense," she said. "There is no known negative effect of exercise, so if it could improve well-being, why not put resources behind it?”

Hashim, who works with obese children in the Bronx, said she encouraged them to move their bodies more. “It’s hard if they are overweight as they avoid it.” She said the findings were positive, but would like to see further studies in different or more racially diverse populations than Lincoln, Nebraska.

Dr. Ari Brown, an Austin, Texas, pediatrician and author of books on child development and behavior, agreed that the study needed to be extended to other regions. “But, if additional research confirms these findings, hopefully there will be more value placed on physical activity for kids."

“It would also be interesting to know why this is the case ... is the brain needing that ‘work out’ to function better (as is the theory with Alzheimer's)? Or maybe kids are more focused and attentive and spend more quality time learning when their time is broken up by having time to exercise,” she said.

Bob Edwards, co-founder of YJ Sciences, a health and wellness company based in Vancouver, believes fitness and nutrition are essential to children's academic success. Visit this website to learn about the best raw plant-based superfood that promotes optimum health among children.

REPOST: Exercise in a Pill? The Search Continues

Image Source: nytimes.com

What if a fit and healthy body is just a pill away? A new research explores how an increased activation of a protein known as REV-ERB could play a role in reducing weight without the physical effort. Gretchen Reynolds writes about the plausibility of fitness in a pill in the article below.

Two newly published studies investigate the enticing possibility that we might one day be able to gain the benefits of exercise by downing a pill, rather than by actually sweating. But while some of the research holds out promise for an effective workout pill, there remains the question of whether such a move is wise.

The more encouraging of the new studies, which appears this week in Nature Medicine, expands on a major study published last year in Nature. In that study, a team at the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Fla., reported that a compound they had created and injected into obese mice increased activation of a protein called REV-ERB, which is known to partially control animals’ circadian rhythms and internal biological clocks. The injected animals lost weight, even on a high-fat diet, and improved their cholesterol profiles.

Unexpectedly, the treated mice also began using more oxygen throughout the day and expending about 5 percent more energy than untreated mice, even though they were not moving about more than the other animals. In fact, in most cases, they were more physically lazy and inactive than they had been before the injections. The drug, it seemed, was providing them with a workout, minus the effort.

Intrigued, the Scripps scientists, in conjunction with researchers from the Pasteur Institute in France and other institutions, set out to see what their compound might be doing inside muscles to provide this ersatz exercise. They knew that their drug increased the potency of the REV-ERB protein, but no one yet knew what REV-ERB actually does in muscles. So they began by developing a strain of mice that could not express very much of the protein in their muscle cells.

Those animals proved to be anti-athletes. One of the hallmarks of regular aerobic exercise is that in muscles, it increases the number and vigor of the mitochondria, the cellular structures that help to generate energy while consuming oxygen. But these animals’ muscles contained woefully few mitochondria.

As a result, the animals had diminished endurance, with a maximal oxygen capacity about 60 percent lower than normal. They reached exhaustion on treadmill testing long before their unaffected labmates.

But when, in a separate part of the experiment, scientists added their compound to isolated muscle cells from the deficient mice, the cells began pumping out far more REV-ERB. Those cells, subsequently, began creating large numbers of new mitochondria and strengthening the existing ones.

Finally, the scientists injected their compound into sedentary mice, stimulating their production of REV-ERB beyond what would be considered typical. When they set the sedentary mice loose on little treadmills, they ran “significantly longer both in time and distance” than untreated animals, the authors wrote, even though they had not been training beforehand.

The drug “certainly seems to act as an exercise mimic,” said a co-author, Thomas Burris, now the chairman of the department of pharmacological and physiological science at St. Louis University School of Medicine. It is not inconceivable, he adds, that at some point in the future, such a drug might allow people, especially those who are disabled or can’t otherwise exercise, to enjoy the health benefits of endurance without the exertion.

But that time is still distant, with many questions unanswered. It’s still unknown, for example, whether increasing levels of REV-ERB in healthy people is possible, and whether athletes could use the compound to dope. Dr. Burris said he’d been told by other scientists who have published data about potential exercise pills “to expect some weird phone calls” from athletes and their support crew.

And a larger concern is whether any single pill can hope to replicate the bogglingly complex physiological effects of physical exercise and whether, in trying to create one, we risk unanticipated consequences.

That issue provided the subtext of the other new study, published this month in PLoS Biology. In it, scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis tried to replicate earlier work showing that large doses of resveratrol, the chemical found abundantly in grape skins and red wine, increase the creation of new mitochondria in isolated muscle cells, mimicking aerobic exercise. After those earlier studies, resveratrol, too, had been hailed as a means of counterfeiting exercise pharmacologically.

But the new study punches holes in that hope. When the scientists fed both rats and mice medically tolerable levels of resveratrol in their kibble, the animals did not produce more mitochondria in muscle cells. Only at extremely high doses did resveratrol lead to more mitochondria.

Unfortunately, at these exaggerated doses, the substance has a “toxic effect,” said Dr. John O. Holloszy, a co-author of the study and a professor of medicine at Washington University. It “poisons two of the steps” involved in developing healthy mitochondrial function, Dr. Holloszy said.

Still, the dream of effortless fitness remains alluring. “I know there are probably plenty of people who would prefer” to pop a pill rather than jog a few miles, Dr. Burris said.

But, he adds, the fundamental aim of his and similar research is to aid those who can’t exercise, not those who decline to, and even the beneficiaries inevitably will be shortchanged. “Exercise has so many health benefits” and “no drug can” recreate all of them, he concludes. Meaning that a good stroll or swim will probably never be fully reducible to tablet form.

Bob Edwards of YJ Sciences is a staunch believer of exercise as a primary fitness solution. See this website to learn more about the proven ways to stay fit and in optimal health.

Weight gain in pregnancy: How much is healthy?

Attacked by haters for her ballooning figure, pregnant reality TV star Kim Kardashian fights back, saying “I was waiting for this experience where I could just do whatever I want, eat whatever I want, feel great, and it just hasn’t been that way.” And she moves on to fulfill her pregnancy cravings for chicken, waffles, burgers, and cheese fries.

Image source: mirror.co.uk

But is the “do-whatever-I-want, eat-whatever-I-want” defiance healthy? How much extra pound can a pregnant woman take before it’s considered harmful?

The Huffington Post says that pregnancy is the time that a woman should be most careful with her diet. As she eats, she is also feeding the fetus in her womb. The fetus needs the right amount of calories and nutrients to grow healthily. Without enough calories, the baby suffers from stunted growth, poor cognitive development, and high risk of disease infection. Meanwhile, too much calories expose the baby to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Image source: purephysioclinic.com

Weight gain also harms the baby as much as it harms the mother. The mother is at high risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and labor problems. The baby born to the overweight mother is more likely to become obese and susceptible to type 2 diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases later in life. 

According to the Institute of Medicine, the recommended weight gain for a pregnant woman falls between 25-35 pounds if she has a normal weight, 15-25 pounds if overweight, and 11-20 pounds if obese. This weight gain must happen only during the second and third trimesters.

Image source: mumsnet.com

To gain weight healthily, a pregnant woman must chow on a diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. It is best for her to consult a doctor before following any pregnancy diet.

Staying healthy before pregnancy sets any woman off to a good start. She can supplement her diet with YouthJuice, a healthy drink of berries and sea vegetables. This website explains what berries and sea vegetables can do to the body.

REPOST: Scientists Track Early Genetic Origins of Childhood Leukemia in Womb

A scientific study has uncovered clues to the origin of leukemia during childhood, according to this article from Science World Report.
 

A new study published in the scientific journal PNAS uncovers clues to the origin of leukemia during childhood in two pairs of identical twins. Researchers hope that by tracing the early genetic origins of childhood leukemia, they could help develop a new cancer drug.

Image Source: scienceworldreport.com

One of the most common cancers diagnosed in children is leukemia, and it affects a third of young cancer sufferers. In the U.K., every year 100 children die due to this disease.

"The research team at the ICR has been at the forefront of studies into leukaemia in twins that have developed a deeper understanding of the types and sequence of events that lead to blood cells becoming cancerous. This study has used state-of-the-art emerging technologies to still further understand how cancer develops. Although the study was performed in young twins, it reveals processes that are relevant to adult leukaemias, which are far more common, and also potentially relevant to other cancers," professor Chris Bunce, Research Director at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, said in a press statement.

In order to identify the mutations that trigger the diseases in the womb, a study led by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) investigated this link by sequencing the three billion letter genomes of two pairs of identical twins with leukemia.

The researchers took genetic samples from two sets of identical twins who were victims of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). They noticed a common leukemia-causing gene known as ETV6-RUNX1 that was generated in the womb. This was generated by the exchange of genetic material between chromosomes. It was an important mutation that was divided by the twins. They suspect that it triggered a generic change that led to leukemia.

Mutation initially occurs in one cell in one twin, and these cells consisting of the mutation spread to the other twin through the shared circulation that is present in the womb.

On the whole, a total of 22 mutations were exhibited by two twins, but the twins never shared any of these mutations. As a result, it accumulates after birth as the disease spreads.

In the second pair of identical twins, the mutation was inherited from parents, known as NF1, therefore inclining them toward leukemia.

Such kinds of studies produce novel methods to target the root of cancer and help to understand better how the disease develops over a period of time.


Fifty percent of annual corporate profits from the sale of Bob Edward's Youth Juice goes to specific children's charities, one of which is the TACL Program in Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia & Lymphoma.  Visit this website to learn how to help children around the world.

Blueberry for bad memory

Image Source: heavyweightsfitness.com  


A sweet and juicy fruit often found in breakfast foods and baked goods, blueberry actually has many health benefits. It is high in fiber, which helps maintain normal digestion. It is also rich in antioxidants, which keep healthy cells alive. A study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has also suggested that blueberries can boost memory in older adults.  


The researchers from the University of Cincinnati based their theory on a group of seniors in their 70s who are experiencing early memory decline. The subjects showed a significant improvement on memory tests after drinking 2 to 2.5 cups of a commercially available blueberry juice every day for two months. “These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” notes the report.


  

 
Image Source: blog.tauedu.org  


The study cites the polyphenolic compound anthocyanin found in blueberries as responsible for its memory-enhancing capability. This compound is believed to be responsible for "increased neuronal signaling in brain centers, mediating memory function as well as improved glucose disposal, benefits that would be expected to mitigate neurodegeneration."  


Blueberries’ memory-boosting effect, along with its other health benefits, has driven many nutritional companies to use the fruit as a main ingredient in their commercially-produced drinks. YJ Sciences Inc., for instance, has fused blueberries in its juice drink, YouthJuice.





 Image Source: sciencedaily.com    


Learn more about the health benefits of eating blueberries here.

Complementing Youthjuice with exercise

The weight-loss benefits of exercise became a matter of debate when anthropologists started tracking the weight loss progress of those who exercised and comparing their metabolism with that of hunting-gathering tribal peoples of Tanzania. Results showed that while the Tanzanians moved more throughout the day, they burned no more than what average Americans do.

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This is a backlash of sorts to those who have successfully maintained weight by being an exercise demon. It’s not all a lie. The most passionate adherents of exercise would be the first to recognize the other components that go into weight loss, but they also wouldn’t deny that it’s helped them shed unwanted poundage. Science throws a wet blanket over all these stubborn beliefs, stating that exercise is no more effective than cutting back on calories for weight loss.

Image Source: sportsmedicine.about.com

The good news is those in diet denial --- the ones who stuff themselves and purge the calories by living in a gym --- finally have an incentive to get off the fitness high horse. Those who don’t have time and resources to devote to exercising also have newfound hope of gaining back their bodies.

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It’s also a possibility that these studies won’t change things. Say what you will about exercise, some people just have it instilled in them. If the real game-changer is in eating healthier, it’s likely previous exercisers already have that pat.

When taken alongside healthier lifestyles, nutritious food supplements like vitamins and YouthJuice facilitate transitions to healthier diets. These supplements are designed to boost energy for faster metabolism and more efficient exercise. This website has a detailed fitness plan.

Wrinkles aren't prevented skin-level

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For all the unguents and newfangled beauty creams out in the market today, appearance-conscious people tend to overlook the most important ingredient for maintaining youth: a healthy diet.

High-end moisturizers alone cannot treat skin dehydrated from vitamin deficiency and chronic abuse from bad lifestyle habits such as smoking and binge drinking. These two evil stepsisters, once they’ve been introduced to one’s life, are the clingiest habits to overcome if one intends to look good until the deathbed.

Image Source: renuderma.wordpress.com

More often, their effects are also seemingly indelible. There are actually ways to reverse the harm caused by smoking and excessive alcohol intake, but it involves complete discipline and renunciation for the rest of one’s life. Enter health-conscious diet: living off antioxidants like berries and leafy vegetables regularly is found to be an effective replacement for dermal fillers for the sunken parts of the face.

The wisdom of sticking to one food group and forgoing another has also been challenged many times. Protein diets are known to dry up the skin. Healthy carbohydrates and fats, found in sources such as feculent fruits and vegetable oils, form the functional layer of dermal fat that prevents skin from sagging.

Image Source: visportsyouthtraining.com

It’s probably more practical to stick to mid-priced beauty products and funnel the rest of financial resources to good food and nutritional supplements. The picture of a well-kept person surrounded by pots of the most expensive creams but internally larding in cheap junk food doesn’t inspire much confidence.


Bob Edwards gives nutritional advice following the success of YouthJuice, his product venture into the health market. For some health-conscious perusal, consult this Twitter page.