A cure for sickle cell?

A group of french doctors have preformed 69 transplants since 1988, with a reported 85% disease-free survival rate. These results improved after revising their mixture of anti-rejection drugs.

What exactly is sickle cell disease? It is an inherited blood disorder that affects 70,000 Americans alone. The majority are of African decent.

In a person not afflicted with the disease the red blood blood cells are shaped in a circle which allows them to move freely as the blood circulates.




But in a person with Sickle cell diseases the red blood cells are shaped in a half moon crescent shape, sort of like a farmers sickle which is where the name derived from.






The problem is that in that shape, they do not move freely, and can become bunched up in one area which is very painful. This is often referred to as a "crisis".

So what are the French Doctors transplanting? Stem cells in children.

How does it work? Well basically the stem cells activate production of healthy cells by the use of normal hemoglobin and suppressing the production of the abnormal hemoglobin.

These results seem promising.

Please share your thoughts, questions, comments.

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Sarcoidosis: What is it?

Sarcoidosis (sar"koi-do'sis) is an inflammatory auto-immune disease that can affect almost any organ in the body. It produces granulomas in various organs of the body. Sometimes they grow and clump together . If many grow and clump together in the same organ, it can affect how that organ works.

It most often affects the lungs, and the lymph nodes, and it almost always occurs in more than one organ at a time.


It also commonly affects the skin, eyes, and liver. The reason I decided to bring it up is because it is often mis-diagnosed. There is also no known ways to prevent it.














There are however some common symptoms to look out for.

As far as risk factors, according to the mayo clinic:

Anyone, of any race or age, can develop sarcoidosis. But the following factors are more
commonly associated with the disease:

Race. Black Americans are far more likely to develop sarcoidosis than are white Americans.
And although sarcoidosis affects white men and women about equally, black women get
the disease twice as often as black men do.


Ethnicity. People of Scandinavian, German or Irish descent have an increased risk.

Age. Sarcoidosis normally occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. It rarely affects children,
but can occur in adults older than 50.


How is it treated?

It depends on the organ that is affected. However if your heart, eyes or central nervous system is affected, or if lab tests show that your blood calcium is elevated then there is a need for treatment. An anti-inflammatory is often prescribed, the most common is prednisone. The length of time that that it is needed depends on the person and the severity of symptoms.

Also according to the Mayo clinic there are some serious side affects associated with this medication, and those include:

• Osteoporosis, a disease that causes your bones to become thin and brittle, leading to
  fractures
  



• High blood pressure
  



• Cataracts
  



• Diabetes
  



• Increased risk of infection
  



• Weight gain and redistribution of body fat

On the other side of the coin, there is an alternative, holistic approach to treating this disease.

This includes:

Eating a diet low in vitamin D which helps to relieve or prevent hypercalcemia and kidney disease. Also avoiding sunlight helps as sunlight coverts to vitamin D in the body.

The cessation of smoking.

Melatonin is used as an alternative as it helps improve breathing, decreases the swelling in lymph nodes and helps to normalize blood tests.

Other homeopathic remedies include:

Carcinosin
Euphrasia
Graphites
Leuticum (Syphilinum)
Bacillinum
Sepia
Phosphorus
Arsenicum album

As with any disease the key is to get it diagnosed and treated as early as possible, so hopefully I have given you some tools to aide you with your decision.

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HIV Replication

Another cool video to keep you entertained while I study for my exam.

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Lasik eye surgery

Now this would freak me out because I could not blink!!

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Birth control

There are many birth control methods available these days. Condoms, pills, iud's etc.

Since most affect the woman more than the man, there is a lot to be considered.

Do I want something inserted inside of me?

Will I remember to take a pill everyday?

What are the side affects of an injectable drug?

How long does it take to leave my system if I decide I want children?

And lately they seem to offer so much more that protection from pregnancy. Just looking through magazines I see advertisements for birth control that offer clear skin, shorter lighter periods........and I just started thinking, "Even though these claims sound good, do I really want the natural order of things messed with"? I mean, our bodies are designed the way they are for a reason. Not to mention the possible side effects, we are talking synthetic hormones here.

So lets look at how oral contraceptives work. They are man made hormones that are patterned after natural hormones that are produced by our ovaries. Sometimes it's one hormone or a combination, but they generally work by tricking our bodies into not releasing an egg (ovulation), can change the lining of the uterus and also helps prevent the sperm from reaching the egg. I've just grown very weary of the medicines that have been put on the market as of late. I mean seems just a quick as the FDA approves a drug, it's being pulled off the market with a class action lawsuit attached to it. So are they really looking out for my health and safety, or do they just want to make more money?

So I just started thinking, " Are there some herbal alternatives"? Well it seems there are. Again, let me stress that before trying anything, especially something this serious, consult your physician.

With that being said(or written as the case may be) at Dherbs their formula consists of 100% Mexican wild yam root (not to be confused with the yams served at Thanksgiving dinner). Now, there are a lot of reports that state that the active ingredient diosgenin which is thought to be converted into hormones naturally in the human body which helps to prevent a pregnancy, does not actually take place.

However there seem to be promising reports about neem seed oil.

What is neem? It is a tree in the mahogany family that is native to India. It has a lot of other uses and I can attest to the fact that it does help to clear acne, if used consistently.

But how does it work as birth control ? Well a study using 1000mg was shown to kill all sperm in just five minutes!! Now before you run out and order some, it must be noted that it is injected directly into the uterus....I know...OUCH!!! But hey...if you have ever smelled it you would know that injection is a good thing, as that smell would definitely kill the mood....I mean of course that does depend on your guy, because hey, he might be into that sort of thing. Who am I to judge? Studies also show that it helps prevent some stds. And guess what? MEN CAN TAKE IT AS WELL!! I know, it's a long shot that a man would actually take some responsibility for a change, but in another study pills made from the leaf extract were given to men, and reversible results where shown after on month, and became 100% effective after six months.

Well, I'm not going to be the first one to try it, but it is interesting just the same. So if you or anyone you know has tried it, let me know please.

What are your thoughts?

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Do you like your steak medium-rare?

Have you ever heard a foodie or a top notch chef tell you that the only way to eat a steak is under-cooked? What about Tuna steaks or sushi?



Well not only does heat kill tapeworms (sometimes found in beef) but also food-borne illnesses.



I'm sure you will hear countless information about the proper farming of the cows, and safety of fresh fish....blah,blah blah. But the fact of the matter is, by the time that you realize you have worms, are you really going to trace it back to that $500 sushi roll you ate? Yes there are a myriad of other way's to get parasites, and not all meat/fish is contaminated, but knowing that most parasite eventually cause intestinal problems (diarrhea, cramps, bloating etc) why chance it? Besides, I don't know that cow well enough to know his medical history.



Don't be afraid that some food snob is going to turn their nose up at you, order your food well done next time.



And if you are not convinced take a look at this. But watch at your own risk!!!



Just something to think about.

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Future medical Possibilities

The discovery channel offered a mini-series on medical upgrades that can be used in the future.

Check it out!!

Clothing that can give vital signs?




Reversable death?





A human heart made with a computer printer?




A micro-chip to cure paralysis?

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Tips for taking herbs

What are some things you should think about before trying a herbal remedy?

Well first and foremost ALWAY'S CONSULT A PHYSICIAN. Especially if you are currently on any type of medication. Also, consult a herbalist. They will be able to tell you how much of an herb you should take, and the length of time you should take it.

Always use extra caution if you know you are pregnant, feel you might be pregnant or you are lactating.

Decide what from of herb is best for you. Herbs are offered in fresh or dried form, that you will have to prepare in order to use them. They are also offered in capsule form. I am not sure if it's the gelatin that is used or just me....but they always get stuck in my throat!!! I have been told by a health store worker that you can open the capsule, and add the contents to a beverage, but my favorite is the herbal extract. They assimilate into your system much faster and mix with just about any liquid. Just be careful of the extraction method. Herbs are extracted using alcohol, and sometimes the alcohol is removed by further extraction, or left in. At any rate, it should tell you on the label if is has alcohol in it.

And please keep in mind that herbs come from plants. Plants that we may be allergic to. So why not try a "spot test"? Put a small amount of the herbal extract on your arm, and rub it in. Wait for a few hours or overnight. If there is no reaction, most likely you are not allergic to it.

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Cool 3d video of the human body

I'm a nerd I know, but I really found this video interesting.

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Stiff joints

About a year ago I noticed that I my hair was looking kind of dull and My nails were also not in the best of shape, but I attributed it to a profession that calls for me to wash my hands numerous times during my work shift, and possibly not consuming enough water. So, I consulted my trusty herb encyclopedia, and decided to try horsetail. There were a few other things that I also wanted to try (dulce, sage, nettles) but when I went the the health food store, horsetail was the only thing available in liquid form. And since I hate taking pills it was a no-brainer. The thing I love the most about herbs is that when taking them for one thing, they almost always benefit you in some other way.
To my surprise, After about two weeks of taking horsetail in liquid for three times a day with meals, I started to notice that I no longer had a problem bending at the knees. I mean even on rainy day's. It was amazing. So I decided to read more about this horsetail, and found that the ingredient that causes the hair, skin, and nails to grow (silica) is also something that helps us move.

What is normally prescribed for stiff joints? Glucosamine and Chondrointin

Horsetail also helps our bodies facilitate calcium, which has a tendency to build up in our joints, which in turn causes us to be stiff. In other words, it helps us to use what we need, and get rid of what we don't. To prove my point, I would post a video of me doing a cartwheel, but I underestimated how close the brick wall was, and I had a minor collision with it and skinned my knee.
But that's okay, because I have herbs for that as well!!

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Introduction

Hello, I am Kasana. I am a pre-med student (bio major) who has recently been introduced to the wonderful world of herbs.

Why the blog? Well just like there is more than one synthetic medicine that can cure a disease/ailment the same goes for herbs. And most herbs have much fewer side affects.

Are herbs always better than synthetic meds? Heck no, but hopefully this will give you more options that were never considered in the past.

What qualifies me to share this info? Nothing really, so be sure to look it up for yourself. And always consult the advice of a medical professional before trying any herb or synthetic medicine.

So please feel free to leave a positive comment letting me know what you think, or possibly adding to the info I share. You could possibly have come across better herbs to do the trick.

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