Ketogenic Epilepsy Diet - Using the Modified Atkins Diet For Seizure Control

A very strict version of ketogenic diet has been used for many years in childhood epilepsy that failed to respond to anti-epileptic drugs. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, the ketogenesis alters the metabolism of the brain in a way that can reduce the risk of seizures. However, this treatment for epilepsy fell out of favour over the years due to difficulty in keeping to the diet and concerns about cholesterol levels.

A new trial conducted in the UK in 2008 confirmed that a ketogenic high-fat diet can indeed significantly reduce the number of seizures in epilepsy and rekindled interest in its use. The concerns about cholesterol levels have now been shown to be groundless, so that is no longer an issue. Researchers have also discovered that the anti-seizure effect still occurs when a less strict version of the ketogenic 'epilepsy diet' is used, which means that the diet is not so difficult to follow.

Epilepsy consultant Dr Eric Kossoff has been very active in this area of research, and has shown that the traditional ketogenic diet for epilepsy is needlessly restrictive. He uses a modified version of the Atkins Diet (10 g rather than 20 g of carbohydrates for the first few months). He has also found that epileptic kids don't need to start off with a fast, so no initial hospitalization is needed, and their carers can more or less just get the Atkins book and follow it (under the epilepsy consultant's supervision). This, together with the increased availability of low carbohydrate substitutes for making bread and other foods hitherto off-limits on the ketogenic epilepsy diet, should make life much easier for epileptics and those who cook for them.

As Dr Kossoff wrote in The Lancet, 'Only a decade ago the ketogenic diet was seen as a last resort; however, it has become more commonly used in academic centres throughout the world even early in the course of epilepsy. The Atkins diet is a recently used, less restrictive, therapy that also creates ketosis and can lower the number of seizures.'

Dr Kossoff says his 'modified Atkins Diet' version of the epilepsy diet is better than the traditional ketogenic diet because no restrictions are required on fluid, calorie or protein intake. Additionally, there is no need to weigh and measure all foods. Carbohydrate counts are monitored by patients and parents. The diet is also started outside of the hospital, and doesn't require an initial fast, either. Foods can be eaten more freely in restaurants and outside the home. The diet is a 'modified' Atkins diet as it allows for less carbohydrates than traditional Atkins (10-20g/day) and more strongly encourages fat intake.

Good results have also been reported by some consultants who start the ketogenic epilepsy diet with a very low level of carbs and then increase it after a few months.

The discovery that the ketogenic epilepsy diet does not need to be as restrictive as originally thought is great news for epileptics. Even better, thanks to the explosion in popularity of the Atkins and other ketogenic diets for weight loss purposes, epileptics should have no difficulty in finding the recipes, cookbooks and substitute ingredients they need to follow the ketogenic epilepsy diet.

Copyright 2009 GoodDietGoodHealth.com

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Acid Reflux Symptoms - Could You Have Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux symptoms can sometimes be confused for symptoms of another condition, even possibly a heart attack. How do you know if you really have reflux/GERD and not something else? In this article, I'll describe to you the classical symptoms of acid reflux.

Heartburn

This is the number one symptom of this condition. The name is a bit of a misnomer because it has nothing to do with your heart - only that the pain is usually felt in the rough location of the heart.

As acid enters your esophagus, you can feel a burning sensation that can be felt anywhere from the centre of your chest and upwards as far as the throat.

A real heart attack is much more painful and feels as if someone or something is crushing your chest. Heartburn never feels anywhere near this severe, although it is still a painful nuisance.

Regurgitation

Some people experience regurgitation of the acid into their mouth where it can be detected as an unpleasant taste. If this frequently happens then it can even lead to acid erosion of the enamel on the teeth.

Difficulty Swallowing

Some people experience difficulty passing food from the mouth to the stomach. This is not a common symptom.

Belching Or Burping

Excess gas is not an uncommon symptom. However, it can also be indicative of a stomach ulcer. This is one reason why an endoscopy may be required to rule out an ulcer.

Hoarse Voice

Rarely, the acid can affect the vocal chords and make the voice change with time.

What To Do

If you have any of these symptoms you should tell your doctor and he can help diagnose if you have acid reflux or not. If you do, then I recommend you learn as much as you can about your condition to find a treatment that you agree with and are happy with.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Wilkins

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Heartburn During Pregnancy - Why Do You Get Refluxed Acid When You Are Expecting?

Heartburn during pregnancy is actually a common condition. The goods news is that it usually passes although in some cases it can remain after childbirth. In this article, I'll tell you exactly why you can get heartburn during pregnancy and what you can do about it.

Understand Your Anatomy

When you swallow food it passes down a long pipe called the esophagus. This connects to the top of the stomach via a "trap door" called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

The LES remains shut at all times unless food is passing from the end of the esophagus and into the stomach. In people with heartburn, there can be an abnormality with the LES.

Why Do You Get Heartburn During Pregnancy?

When you are pregnant, the foetus and extra body fat exerts pressure on your stomach and this flexes or "distends" it. When this happens, the lower esophageal sphincter does not work any more as it should.

Instead of remaining closed most of the time, the LES is more likely to stay open. Acid can escape the stomach and enter the esophagus. When this happens you can feel it as a burning sensation that we all call heartburn.

The goods news is that heartburn passes quickly after childbirth. There are also a number of things that you can do to ease the symptoms until then.

Drugs

One option is drugs. You can only get these from your doctor and you should tell him that you are expecting a baby. Doctors and pharmaceutical companies recommend that you can take proton pump inhibitor drugs such as omeprazole because studies appear to show no ill effects to the foetus.

Natural Remedies

There are also a number of natural remedies that you can try such as aloe vera juice.

The question you must ask yourself is "do you really trust that drugs will not harm your baby?"

Some doctors will advise against any taking any drugs during pregnancy unless your life is threatened. If you take the same view then you may want to stick to natural methods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Wilkins

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Treat Diseases with Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Some common ailments and fruit and vegetable juices found beneficial in their treatment are mentioned below:

Acidity: Grapes, orange, mosambi, carrot and spinach.

Acne: Grapes, pear, plum, tomato, cucumber, carrot, potato and spinach.

Allergies: Apricot, grapes, carrot, beet and spinach.

Arteriosclerosis: Grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, celery, carrot, lettuce, and spinach.

Anaemia: Apricot, prune, strawberry, red grape, beet, celery, carrot and spinach.

Arthritis: Sour cherry, pineapple, sour apple, lemon, grapefruit, cucumber, beet, carrot, lettuce
and spinach.

Asthma: Apricot, lemon, pineapple, peach, carrot, radish and celery.

Bronchitis: Apricot, lemon, pineapple, peach, tomato, carrot, onion and spinach.

Bladder Ailments: Apple, apricot, lemon, cucumber, carrot, celery, parsley and watercress.

Colds: Lemon, orange, grapefruit, pineapple, carrot, onion, celery and spinach.

Constipation: Apple, pear, grapes, lemon, carrot, beet, spinach and watercress.

Colitis: Apple, apricot, pear, peach, pineapple, papaya, carrot, beet, cucumber and spinach.

Diabetes: Citrus fruits, carrot, celery, lettuce and spinach.

Diarrhoea: Papaya, lemon, pineapple, carrot and celery.

Eczema: Red grapes,carrot, spinach, cucumber and beet.

Epilepsy: Red grapes, figs, carrot, celery and spinach.

Eye Disorders: Apricot ,tomato, carrot, celery, parsley and spinach.

Gout: Red sour cherries, pineapple, tomato, cucumber, beet, carrot, celery and spinach.

Halitosis: Apple, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, tomato, carrot, celery and spinach.

Headache: Grapes, lemon, carrot, lettuce and spinach.

Heart Disease: Red grapes, lemon, cucumber, carrot, beet and spinach.

High blood pressure: Grapes, orange, cucumber, carrot and beet.

Influenza: Apricot, orange, lemon , grapefruit, pineapple, carrot, onion and spinach.

Insomnia: Apple, grapes, lemon, lettuce , carrot and celery.

Jaundice: Lemon, grapes, pear, carrot, celery, spinach, beet and cucumber.

Kidney Disorders : Apple, orange, lemon, cucumber, cucumber,carrot, celery, parsley and
beet.

Liver ailments: Lemon, papaya, grapes, carrot, tomato, beet and cucumber.

Menstrual Disorders: Grapes, prunes, cherry, spinach, lettuce turnips and beet.

Menopausal Symptoms: Fruits and Vegetables in season.

Neuritis: Orange, pineapple, apple, carrot and beet.

Obesity: Lemon, grapefruit, orange, cherry, pineapple, papaya, tomato, beet, cabbage, lettuce,
spinach and carrot.

Piles: Lemon, orange, papaya, pineapple, carrot, spinach, turnip and watercress.

Prostate Troubles: All fruit juices in season, carrot, asparagus, lettuce and spinach.

Psoriasis: Grapes, carrot, beet, and cucumber.

Rheumatism: Grapes, orange, lemon, grapefruit, tomato, cucumber, beet, carrot and spinach.

Stomach Ulcers: Apricot, grapes, cabbage and carrot.

Sinus Trouble: Apricot, lemon, tomato, carrot, onion and radish.

Sore Throat: Apricot, grapes, lemon, pineapple, prune, tomato, carrot and parsley.

Tonsilitis: Apricot, lemon, orange, grapefruit, pineapple, carrot, spinach and radish.

Varicose Veins: Grapes, orange, plum, tomato, beetroot carrot and watercress.

When on a raw juice therapy, the prescribed juice should be drunk every three hours. One can
thus take juices five to six times a day. A glass of water mixed with lemon juice and 20 to 30
grams of honey may be taken first thing in the morning on arising.

Thereafter, the prescribed
juice may be taken at three-hourly intervals. The quantity of juice on each occasion may be 250
ml on the first day. This quantity may be increased by 50 ml each succeeding day till one takes
600 ml on each occasion. The juice diet can be continued for 30 to 40 days without any
ill-effects. The patient should take adequate rest during the raw juice therapy.

Raw juices act as a cleansing agent and start eliminating toxins and morbid matter from the
system immediately. This often results in symptoms such as pain in the abdomen, diarrhoea,
loss of weight, headache, fever, weakness, sleeplessness and bad breath.

These reactions,
which are part of the cleansing process, should not be suppressed by the use of drugs. They will
cease when the body is able to expel all toxins.

After the raw juice therapy, the return to normal balanced diet should be gradual, and in stages.

In the beginning, two juice meals may be replaced by milk and fruits. Then gradually juice meals
may be substituted by a balanced-diet.
To learn more about the energy principle in healing, please read:

Cost-free Miracle Asthma Cure
Overcome Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes Naturally
Alternative Treatments for Incurable Diseases made easy

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Grata_Young

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SNPs Of ABC Transporter Genes Linked To Lung Cancer Risk

Individuals with particular variants of certain genes involved in metabolizing the most potent carcinogen found in cigarette smoke have an increased risk of developing lung cancer. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the February 1, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study's results may help shed light on how lung cancer develops and could have important implications for preventing smoking-related cancers.

Tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a component of cigarette smoke that has been shown to cause lung cancer in rodents. Certain enzymes act to protect the body from this type of chemical by turning it into nontoxic forms or by transporting it from cells. For example, ATP-binding cassette transporters encoded by genes known as ABCB1 and ABCC1 are involved in eliminating carcinogens from the lungs, protecting them against inhaled toxins.

Researchers suspect that individuals with alterations in these genes might have an increased susceptibility to develop lung cancer. Recently, a team of scientists led by Dr. Daru Lu and Dr. Haijian Wang of the Fudan University in Shanghai identified common variants at the beginning and end of the ABC1 and ABCC1 genes. They then analyzed these variants in 500 patients with lung cancer and 517 cancer-free controls in a Chinese population.

The investigators found that certain variants were found much more often in individuals with lung cancer than in cancer-free controls. Patients who had the variant allele of either ABCB1 rs3842 or ABCC1 rs212090 had a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer. The former variant was particularly associated with an increased risk of cancer in women and in individuals under age 60 years. It also was linked to a major type of lung cancer called adenocarcinoma.

Dr. Wang and his colleagues previously identified other common genetic variants associated with lung cancer risk in NNK disposition pathways, such as CYP2A13, the most active P450 for the phase metabolic activation of NNK (Cancer Res 2003; 63: 8057) and the receptor (ADRB2) in its non-genotoxic pathway (Cancer Lett 2006; 240: 297). This study shed new insight into the toxicogenomics of NNK and further supported the hypothesis proclaiming genetic components in the metabolism and disposition machines of NNK as modifiers of risk of lung cancer.

"Because tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer and the cancer-prone genotypes of these genetic components are relatively prevalent in the human population, our findings have important implications for the prevention of tobacco smoking-related cancers," the authors write.

Article: "Genetic susceptibility of lung cancer associated with common variants in the 3' untranslated regions of the adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette B1 (ABCB1) and ABCC1 candidate transporter genes for carcinogen export." Haijan Wang, Guangfu Jin, Haifeng Wang, Gaifen Liu, Ji Qian, Li Jin, Qingyi Wei, Hongbing Shen, Wei Huang, and Daru Lu. CANCER; Published Online: December 22, 2008 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24042); Print Issue Date: February 1, 2009.

Source:
David Sampson http://www.cancer.org/

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Genes Determining Asymmetry Probably Arose In The First Bilaterally Symmetric Organisms

Biologists have tracked down genes that control the handedness of snail shells, and they turn out to be similar to the genes used by humans to set up the left and right sides of the body.

The finding, reported online in advance of publication in Nature by University of California, Berkeley, researchers, indicates that the same genes have been responsible for establishing the left-right asymmetry of animals for 500-650 million years, originating in the last common ancestor of all animals with bilateral body organization, creatures that include everything from worms to humans.

"Previous studies indicated that the methods for breaking left-right symmetry in animals seem to differ widely, so there was nothing suggesting that the common ancestor of humans, snails and other bilateral organisms had a common strategy for left-right asymmetry," said Nipam H. Patel, UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology and of molecular and cell biology, and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

"Indeed, scientists thought that one of the genes that is critical for setting up left-right asymmetry in vertebrates was only present in vertebrates and related groups and not in any other animals," said UC Berkeley post-doctoral fellow Cristina Grande. "But we found that gene in snails, which has a lot of evolutionary implications. This cellular pathway was present already in the ancestors of most animals."

The finding, the researchers say, could help to track down the ultimate cause of symmetry-breaking in snails and other organisms, and the cascade of gene activation that leads to complex shapes, such as coiled shells.

Despite humans' superficial symmetry - our left and right sides appear to be mirror images - we are anything but symmetric. Most people's hearts are towards the left side of the body, which means the left lung is slightly smaller to make room for the heart, and our intestines are arranged in an asymmetric coil. This asymmetry is unrelated to being left- or right-handed, a preference determined in the brain.

While a small percentage of people have their insides flipped, their overall internal arrangement is a mirror image of the norm. Anyone with a random arrangement of internal organs would be dead, Patel said, because his or her organs wouldn't fit together properly.

Other vertebrates are the same. In fact, scientists have identified a gene called "nodal" that - in all vertebrates checked to date - is expressed on the left side of the body and necessary to set up left-right asymmetry. If nodal doesn't work or is knocked out, internal organs are jumbled and the organism dies.

"In vertebrates, a set of genes tells the body it has to form a heart toward one side, and nodal is one of those genes," said Grande, who recently took a position at the Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" in Madrid, Spain.

"There are a lot of asymmetric molecules in the body, that is, molecules that are active on only one side of the body, but nodal is always expressed on the left side in all vertebrates, which is evidence of a conserved pathway," Patel said.

Genes similar to nodal have been found throughout the so-called deuterostomes, one of the three subgroups of bilateral animals that includes not only vertebrates, but also sea urchins and sea squirts.

But the most common lab animals, fruit flies and nematodes, apparently do not have a gene like nodal, despite their asymmetry. As a result, biologists have assumed that fruit flies and all other non-deuterostomes - snails included - use some other mechanism to establish right and left. Fruit flies and nematodes are in the clade Ecdysozoa, while snails and worms are members of the clade Lophotrochozoa.

Grande approached Patel four years ago to collaborate in a test of this assumption in snails, which have an obvious and easy-to-check handedness: Their shell either coils right, like a standard screw, or left. Patel, a biologist who focuses on the genetics and evolution of crustacean and insect development, such as the formation of segments and appendages in shrimps and crabs, invited Grande to join his lab, even though he had never before worked with snails.

Snail handedness becomes obvious very early in the embryo, Patel said. When the four-cell embryo divides to become eight cells, the new cells blossom from their predecessors in a clockwise spiral, in which case the snail ultimately forms a right-handed, or dextral, shell; or a counter-clockwise spiral, creating a left-handed, or sinistral, shell. Biologists had earlier shown that this decision is made by the mother snail, which dumps many proteins and RNA molecules into the egg to jump-start embryonic development and, in the process, imprints her offspring with specific characteristics.

"No one knows what that maternal gene is, and you can't track it down using the standard approach of looking for genetic markers because there are not yet enough markers in snails, so we looked for any molecular entry into the cause of asymmetry," Patel said.

That proved to be the genome of the marine limpet Lottia gigantea, a right-handed snail whose genome was sequenced recently by the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI) in Walnut Creek, Calif. Grande looked for genes in Lottia similar to nodal, and found one, as well as a gene analogous to the gene, Pitx, which is activated by nodal and also involved in setting up left-right asymmetry in vertebrates.

She used this information to look for and find similar genes in the left-handed snail Biomphalaria glabrata, the fresh-water host of the parasite that causes schistosomiasis. Experimental tests showed that nodal and Pitx were active or expressed on the right side of embryos in the right-handed snail Lottia, and on the left side in the left-handed snail Biomphalaria.

A key test of the critical nature of nodal involved treating the snails with a chemical known to inhibit the activity of nodal. While most treated snails died, some lost the asymmetric expression of Pitx and, most strikingly, developed a straight shell, Patel said.

Grande has since found analogs of nodal in the genome of the marine worm Capitella, which was sequenced by JGI, suggesting that nodal is active throughout the Lophotrochozoa.

"Everybody thought using nodal and Pitx for left-right asymmetry was an invention of this one group, the deuterostomes," Grande said. "The fact that we find them setting up asymmetry in snails and worms means that is not true; the ancestor of all bilaterians already used these genes to set up left-right asymmetry."

Because the ancestral snail was right-handed and thus, presumably, expressed nodal and Pitx on the right side of the body - similar to sea urchins, an early offshoot of the deuterostome branch leading to humans - the authors propose that the common ancestor of all bilateral animals had left-right asymmetry controlled by nodal and Pitx expressed on the right side of the body.

The discovery also could help Grande and Patel track down the maternal factors that ultimately determine handedness in snails.

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Newly Identified Gene Powerful Predictor Of Colon Cancer Metastasis - Low Gene Activity - Higher Survival Rate

Cancer Researchers at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and the Charite - Universitats Medizin Berlin (Germany) have identified a gene which enables them to predict for the first time with high probability if colon cancer is going to metastasize. Assistant Professor Dr. Ulrike Stein, Professor Peter M. Schlag, and Professor Walter Birchmeier were able to demonstrate that the gene MACC1 (Metastasis-Associated in Colon Cancer 1) not only promotes tumor growth but also the development of metastasis.When MACC1 gene activity is low, the life expectancy of patients with colon cancer is longer in comparison to patients with high MACC1 levels. (Nature Medicine, doi: 10.1038/nm.1889)*.

According to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, more than 108,000 people developed colon cancer in the US in 2008. Despite surgery, chemo- and radiotherapy, only 50 percent of patients can be cured because 20 percent of the patients have already developed metastasis by the time their colon cancer is diagnosed. In addition, one-third of patients whose treatment of the original colon cancer was successful will, nevertheless, go on to develop metastasis.

The MDC and Charité researchers are convinced that the identification of the MACC1 gene will aid medical doctors in identifying those patients as early as possible who are at high risk of developing life-threatening metastasis in the liver and the lungs. As a result, more intensive treatment and follow-up care could be offered to high risk patients.

MACC1 turns on a signaling pathway which is important for tumor growth and the formation of metastasis. Researchers call this pathway HGF/Met signaling pathway. Once MACC1 has activated this HGF/Met signaling pathway, tumor cells proliferate much faster, get rid of their ties within the cellular tissue, and eventually settle down as metastasis at various sights throughout the body far from the original tumor.

High MACC1 Levels - Higher Risk for Metastasis

The researchers discovered the MACC1 gene by comparing tissue from healthy persons with tissue from 103 patients with colon cancer between 20 to 88 years of age. Sixty (60) cancer patients had no metastasis at the time they underwent surgery.

Of these 60 patients, 37 had no metastasis five years after surgery and treatment. These patients were shown to have had low levels of MACC1 when first diagnosed with colon cancer. In contrast, 23 patients had developed metastasis in the course of five years after surgery. Researchers detected high levels of MACC1 in their colon cancer tissue. Thus, patients with high MACC1 levels have a much higher risk for developing metastasis than patients with a MACC1 gene that is not very active.

The researchers are convinced that MACC1 will enable physicians to decide if a patient needs a more intense therapy or if a less aggressive treatment is sufficient. "The expression analysis of MACC1 in the original tumor tissue will probably contribute to individualize and optimize colon cancer therapy", they assume.

Now the MDC and Charite researchers and their colleagues want to find out if the MACC1 gene also allows for a more precise prediction about the outcome of lung cancer, breast cancer, and stomach cancer.

MACC1, a newly identified key regulator of HGF-Met signaling, predicts colon cancer metastasis

Ulrike Stein1,2, Wolfgang Walther1,2, Franziska Alt1,2, Holger Schwabe2, Janice Smith1, Iduna Fichtner1, Walter Birchmeier1, Peter M. Schlag 1,2

1Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert RössleStrasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany 2Department of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Robert Rössle Cancer Hospital Charité University Medicine Berlin, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany

Foundation under Public Law
Directors:
Prof. Walter Birchmeier, PhD., Cornelia Lanz

Member of the Hermann von Helmholtz Association of National Research Centres

Further information: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/colon-and-rectal

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