An increasingly number of the world’s population is now eager and interested in looking after their health and in keeping tune with their well-being. It is important to note that this awareness is progressively contributing to the creation of several health supplements to benefit both the adults and the young ones. Dietary and vitamin supplements have constantly proven their worth to health conscious individuals.

An excellent daily multivitamin supplement does not only develop your general bodily functions but also improves your mental and physical condition and well being. Occasionally specification is needed in appropriately supplementing nutrients to deal with any individual needs. An example would be in heart disease patients, they would have to take in CoQ10 in preventing the said condition. Alzheimer’s disease can be effectively prevented by a regular combination of Vitamin C and E intake.

Multivitamin supplements necessarily include all the vitamins and nutrients essential for recommended daily dosage. Multivitamin supplements may also be formulated to meet the needs of individual conditions like pregnancy and specific age brackets. It is a well settled fact that multivitamins in liquid form are more efficient than the ordinary pill forms. This is due to the fact that the body can easily absorb liquid nutrients five times more than ordinary multivitamins in tablet or capsule form.

Basically, the body needs 13 essential vitamins to function properly. In regulating the crucial performance of the body, it has to have vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, B12, and the 7 B-complex vitamins. Majority of these vitamins are obtained by our body through the food that we eat. The danger of illness or even mortality is in the deficiency of some of the essential vitamins. This is where vitamin supplementation comes in. It counteracts the illness caused by such deficiency. With this fact, it is very unlikely for someone to refuse vitamin supplementation on a daily basis. So the question now is, why is it necessary for individuals to take multivitamins when majority of our daily diet can provide us with the basic nutrients we need? It may not be compulsory, but everyone can profit from daily multivitamins.

As previously mentioned, the clear benefit of daily intake of multivitamins it to prevent vitamin/nutrient deficiency. Some personal circumstances may increase dietary needs. Pregnant women, during their first trimester, are recommended by their doctors to take multivitamins. This does not only provide the mothers with sufficient nutrition but also proper vitamins to benefit the unborn child inside their womb. Taking multivitamins everyday reduces the risk of transmitting malnutrition from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby. Other conditions such as old age, alcoholism, smoking, and exposure to excessive pollution have long-term detrimental effects to the body system which can be successfully counteracted by multivitamins.

Stress is also one risk factor which needs serious supplementation that multivitamins can provide. Especially with people who have so much to do and have a hard time in keeping up with their health needs, multivitamins are a must to keep them always on the go without any health complications in the long run. Stress formulations benefit both your mental ability and daily endurance. Aside from the mentioned benefits, daily multivitamins also minimize the risk of cancer or any cardiovascular disease.

Several people, if not all, testify to have a feeling of comfortable health in regularly taking in multivitamins. This is due to the synergistic or combined effects of the supplemental ingredients found in multivitamins. A fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin, like the Vitamin E, works to neutralize probable harmful free agents in the body. This vitamin also maintains healthy skin through protection of cell membranes, blood circulation, heart, nerves, red blood cells, and muscles. Another antioxidant is the Vitamin C which effectively fights blood cell infection and is vital in collagen formation, wound healing, and formation of bone structures, capillaries, and teeth. Vitamin is also helpful in the iron absorption from plant sources. Vitamins A, D, K and other supplemental nutrients found in multivitamins have specific functions that benefit the bodily functions.

While daily intake of multivitamins may have proven beneficial, it is not a 100% guarantee to be free of serious illness attributed to other factors. It is often a misconception that symptoms of disease may always be cured by taking multivitamins. Health experts have the better opinion of immediate medical assistance rather than resorting to multivitamins alone.

Alternative herbal medicines are being used by many in today’s societies to promote a healthy lifestyle. Despite the availability of modern medical treatment methods, many are still opting for the natural healing method to avoid side-effects and getting as much savings as possible from the treatment.

In most cases, herbal products today vary according to their formulation and functions. Most of the ones you see today are carefully formulated for weight loss. Some comes in the form of diet supplements to give the body enough energy to last the day, as well as to build up the immune system to ward of any signs of ailments easily.

Why Go For Herbal Medicines?

Herbal medicines are proven to be safe by many doctors and medical experts today. It is formulated with 100% natural ingredients that have no side-effects in the body unless taken in large doses outside the boundaries of the prescription. Since the ingredients are mostly from plant and animal extracts, they are cheaper compared to synthetic medicines developed by pharmaceutical companies today.

One of the advantages of using herbal medicine is that it promotes the natural healing method. Unlike synthetic drugs that only affect a specific part of our body or only address one type of health problem, herbal medicines are formulated to boost every single function in the human anatomy.

If you see that one herbal product is for weight loss, then you can be sure that it has some extra ingredients that has other functions that is related to weight loss — like hunger suppressant, added nutrients, and so on. To add to your knowledge about herbal medicines, here are some examples of the famous ones being used today.

The Ever-Popular Garlic

Garlic is one of the most potent herbal medicines used as home remedies today. It has the most number of uses compared to other plants used in herbal products. Aside from being a useful kitchen spice for a great recipe, garlic can also be used to keep you heart and liver healthy. They are great for the common cold and offer a tasty brew when used as a health drink.

One of the medicinal qualities of Garlic is its ability to treat heart problems. It is a common remedy for people with high-blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of heart attacks. Many also use garlic as an anti-bacterial agent for many skin conditions.

Green Tea Leaves

The Green Tea Leaves you see in the market today is actually a potent herbal medicine if used correctly. Drinking it at least twice a day can help oxidize your fat to make it easier for your body to burn. This a great dietary supplement for people who are suffering from overweight or obesity with high cholesterol levels.

Many say that Green Tea Leaves also has a calming effect that is perfect for those who are always under the mercy of stress. Its extracts has the ability to get rid of nasty toxins in our body that usually cause signs of aging to appear on our face or in other parts of the body. You can either take them as tea or buy them as pills.

There are other alternative herbal medicines used to promote a healthy body. Keep in mind that you have to be specific with what you want for your treatment before using them to avoid complications. Just make sure that it is from a credible medical or pharmaceutical company, as well as follow the exact prescription or dosage to ensure that you won’t be having any problems with it during and after use.

Exercise is always a do-it-yourself venture. No other person and no machine can do it for you. Hence, it is important to have those motivating factors so that a person who is into exercise in order to lose weight will hang about.

This is what people who are overweight should learn to understand. However, even if it so easy to set for instructions and easy to follow, this is not the same case for almost 35% of Americans who are unable to prevent being overweight.

Of course, once we are overweight, we usually want to trim down for a whole lot of reasons, some related to physical condition and fitness, while others would want to enhance their physique and appearance. And it is never too late to be fit.

In the past 50 to 75 years, physical activity has become the exception rather than the rule, both at home and on the job. People tend to drive where others once walked. People tend to flick a switch and machines do the hauling, lifting, pushing, and pulling for them.

However, people who try to lose weight tend to believe that weight gain is likely to happen if they will not take forward-looking steps to stop it.

The point here is that health experts believe that people lose their way, especially when it comes to dieting. They tend to go back to their old eating habits even after they learn to enjoy low-fat eating. They tend to return to sedentary ways even though they enjoy exercising.

But despite the momentum toward weight gain, you can stop it from happening, experts say. And there are plenty of good reasons to avoid excess pounds, reasons that go beyond vanity or social appearance. There are many reasons in order to keep you motivated to exercise and stay healthy for the rest of your life.

Ways to Lose Big

1. Have an explicit goal

A simple statement like, “I want to lose some weight,” is an ambiguous and an indefinite statement. It will not the least motivate you to start doing exercises right away.

What is important is to be precise on your goals. It would be better if you will set some detailed amount of pounds that you really want to lose. Envisage yourself what you will look like after reaching your desired weight. Doing this will inspire you to lose weight. In fact, maybe even more than what you have planned in mind. The idea is to use that figure to assist you to remain resilient and dedicated.

2. Develop a strategy

Strength of will does not work alone! To lose weight and stay with it, your strategy must comprise of both exercise and diet, and not either of the two.

Try to start motivating yourself by throwing away your clothes that have bigger sizes. This will put you in a situation where you only have your sexy clothes and that you have to make a choice by staying motivated to exercise or not wear any clothes at all. Which do you prefer?

3. Make out little, calculable measures

Put into practice actions that will suit your lifestyle. This means you have to implement moves that you and you alone will benefit from it and not somebody else.

The idea here is to opt for a more positive and attainable goal and not just to shun away from being plump and chubby.

4. Produce monitoring that has an important effect

It would be better to have somebody willing to take note of your progress or development. This will inspire you to keep on doing what you have started. Having somebody to listen to your achievements is definitely a better prize than just achieving your goal alone.

Besides, having an extra hand to support you and cheer for you when things start to fall short. It is that simple way of hearing somebody believing on what you do is one of the greatest motivations to keep you exercising for more.

5. Construct a vigorous, sensible timeline

What do you plan to achieve in a year? Try to suit your objectives to your calendar, and do not look forward to see the results in just a snap.

The bottom line is that in order to stay motivated to exercise entails a lot of hard work, which is contrary to what most people tend to think. The main idea is to let people change their lifestyle because it is only through this way that they will absolutely change their weight…for the better.

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Dermitage Skin Care is a one of a kind breakthrough in skin science where 2 patented technology are used to bring back a soft, and younger looking skin.

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Lotions vs. skin care creams

There is no dearth of skin care creams and lotions in the market. Name an ailment, and you will find hundreds of skin care creams, lotions and other products for it. As a result of ongoing research and due to ever increasing demand, the number of skin care products seems to be on the increase. Skin care lotions and skin care creams are the most popular forms in which these products are available, and there always seems to be a debate on which form is better?

Well, there is no definitive answer to this. It seems more like a matter of personal choice. However, greasy creams are surely less popular as compared to the non-greasy (or less greasy) ones. Since the application of skin care creams is easier, they seem to be preferred (over lotions) in cases where the skin care product is not to be removed immediately after application. So, skin care creams seem more popular as moisturisers than as cleansers or toners. For toners, lotions seem to be preferred over skin care creams. There are some skin care creams that acts as toners too, but generally the toners are available in liquid form only. For cleansing, lotions and skin care creams are equally popular; however, the tilt seems more towards lotions.

Creams are known to be most effective in keeping skin moist; hence, the most popular form of skin care creams is moisturisers. Due to the same reason, a lot of people tend to associate skin care creams with dry and sensitive skin. Though it is true to a certain extent, skin care creams are not used only for dry skin, they are also used for making products for oily skin e.g. vitamin A creams and sulphur creams that help reduce the rate of sebum production.

Skin care creams are also used for products that cater to skin disorders especially for disorders that require the application of product over a small localised area. This is again due to the fact that skin care creams are easier to apply (without wastage) on the affected area. However, in cases where skin needs to be washed using a medicine/product, lotion is a better choice. Mostly, the manufacturers too realize this fact, making it easier for you to choose between a lotion and a skin care cream

Eye-creams and anti-ageing creams are other examples where skin care cream is preferred over its lotion counterpart.

Whatever your choice be (cream or lotion), knowing how to use it effectively, is more important than anything else.

There is no question that people who eat more than eight ounces of fish per week live longer and healthier lives than those who don’t. Study after study shows that fish eaters are more likely to avoid illnesses like heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and psoriasis much more than people who only eat one serving of fish per week or less. It has been noted that the Japanese, who hold the world’s record for longevity, eat three times more fish than people in many other countries.

So what about those of us who don’t get enough fish in our diets? The prognosis isn’t great. Non-fish eaters run a thirty percent higher risk of contracting serious illnesses like heart disease and cancer. This is not good news for people who don’t like fish or want to eat it. However, you don’t have to like to eat fish to enjoy its benefits. As far as vitamins and supplements go, people who take regular doses of fish oil capsules get similar benefits to those people who eat fish 3 times a week.

Most of the benefits derived from fish oil supplements are from their high content of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids discourage the formation of hormone-like agents called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are the perpetrators that destroy arteries and joints and also encourage cancer. One of the ways that fish oil supplements get rid of prostaglandins is by replacing the harmful omega 6 fatty acids that are probably already in your system.

Omega 6 fatty acids come from vegetable oils like corn oil that are in fried foods. If you eat a lot of corn oil or other vegetable oils, fish oil supplements are needed to get rid of the free radicals and prostaglandins these vegetable oils are creating in your body. Please note that olive oil is different because it contains omega 3 fatty acids and is a healthy compliment to fish oil capsules. Taking olive oil and Vitamin E along with fish oil supplements is a healthy way to get rid of the Omega 6 fatty acids if you over-consume vegetable oils like corn oil.

The benefits of taking fish oil supplements are significant. Taking fish oil supplements on a regular basis can reduce the risk of heart attacks significantly. Fish oil supplements keep the arteries from aging and also keep them less clogged. Fish oil supplements can also ward off Type II diabetes, theoretically by helping prevent glucose intolerance. One study shows that people who consumed more fish oil supplements had half the risk of experiencing a stroke, due to thinner blood and fewer blood clots. Daily doses of fish oil supplements have also been proven to decrease the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer by suppressing abnormal cell growth significantly.

Having more fish oil in your system will provide more health benefits in the long run. However, if you don’t like eating fish, fish oil supplements are a satisfactory substitute. Researchers seem to agree that it’s best to take about 1,000 milligrams of fish oil supplements per day if you want to help prevent illnesses like heart disease or high cholesterol. If you want to take any more fish oil than this, you will need to get a doctor’s advice.

Of the many vitamins and supplements available, fish oil supplements seem to correct the health problems of people who do not like to eat fresh fish or do not have it readily available. Fish oil supplements are a convenient way to get all of the value of the Omega 3 fatty acids without having to go through the trouble of buying and preparing fresh fish.

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Obesity, in the most basic terms, is an excess of body fat. Anyone who is over the normal weight for their age and height by 20% or more is considered obese. This is the clinical definition, and no matter how you try to get out of it, being 20% over the norm when it comes to weight makes anyone clinically obese. This is different from being overweight. Being overweight is subject to interpretation, and being slightly over the norm may be just how you are. Obesity is a medical condition and for health reasons should be treated as such. This is because anyone who is obese runs quite a few health risks.

Those who are obese are more likely to experience kidney trouble, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, complications of pregnancy, and psychological problems. Some of the causes of obesity are glandular malfunctions, malnutrition, emotional tension, boredom, bad habits, and love of food. The most important cause of obesity with regards to vitamins and supplements is the issue of malnutrition. This is because your obesity may be partially caused by your body not getting enough of the right vitamins and minerals.

If you are not getting enough of the basic vitamins and minerals needed to function, then it will be harder for your body to metabolize fat. Taking a multivitamin is a good place to start, because if you aren’t eating healthy, it’s not only the extra calories that are causing obesity, it’s the lack of nutrition in your body. Multivitamins are good for obesity because they are readily available, inexpensive to buy, and easy to take. They also contain most of the nutrition that you need when you are losing weight. For example, vitamin B6 removes excess water. Vitamin E is important for fat metabolism. Vitamin C is necessary for normal glandular function. The list goes on, but most of the vitamins and supplements in a multivitamin can help with obesity, including replacing vital nutrients as you lose weight.

Researchers have also found other vitamins and supplements that can help with obesity. Studies have shown that weight reduction can be improved with the use of the combination of the amino acids L-ornithine and L-arginine, enhanced by L-lysine. L-ornithine helps to release a growth hormone lacking in adults that builds muscle and burns fat. This combination works best when the body is at rest. In the same family of amino acids, L-phenylalanine is an appetite suppressant that tells your body you are not hungry. These amino acids are all available at health food stores everywhere.

Getting the right vitamins and supplements is the best place to start if you are obese and want to lose weight, because when you are getting all of the nutrients that you need, you start feeling better. That’s when you will be more successful at a weight loss plan. Simply cutting calories or going on a crash diet will only make you feel worse and can actually endanger your health.

Once you have the right nutrients in your system, you are ready for a diet and weight loss plan. At this point, you can start sensible eating and moderate exercise. Remember, if do start losing weight you can deplete your system of precious vitamins and minerals. No matter what kind of diet you attempt, always keep taking a multivitamin; because if you are cutting calories you may also be cutting nutrients out of your diet.

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Leukemia is a disease of the blood and bone marrow that occurs on the background of genetic

chronic leukemia,leukemia

Leukemia is a disease of the blood and bone marrow that occurs on the background of genetic predispositions to cancer. Leukemia affects the cellular process of maturation, causing the accumulation of immature blood cells in the spinal marrow and bloodstream. In some cases leukemia causes the incomplete cells to multiply very quickly, while in other cases the abnormal blood cells have prolonged periods of life and persist in different places inside the body. Incomplete blood cells can’t substitute for normal blood cells, as they can’t carry out their roles. The cells affected by leukemia are therefore incompatible with the organism and can cause serious damage.

Judging by the speed of development and the persistence of the disorder, there are two types of leukemia: acute leukemia and chronic leukemia. Judging by the types of stem cells affected by the disorder, leukemia can either be lymphocytic or myelogenous.

Acute leukemia is different from chronic leukemia by the levels that stem cells are able to reach in their development (stem cells that present anomalies still manage to partially develop and either resemble immature cells or complete, normal white blood cells).

Acute leukemia is a form of cancer that develops very rapidly. It is manifested through overpopulation of the blood with immature cells that are unable to fulfill the functions of normal blood cells. In the case of acute leukemia, the marrow is unable to produce normal quantities of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Patients who suffer from leukemia also develop anemia, a deficiency of normal red blood cells. Also, a decreased number of white blood cells reduces the body’s ability of overcoming infections, while the lack of platelets facilitates inflammation and bleeding.

Chronic leukemia tends to develop slower than acute leukemia. In the case of chronic leukemia, the body is able to produce blood cells that are more mature than those produced in acute leukemia. Although these cells may appear incomplete, they can’t fulfill their roles inside the organism and tend to cluster at different levels of the body. They also have a longer period of life.

Chronic leukemia of lymphocytic form is known to affect a type of blood cell called B lymphocyte. The disease weakens the immune system, interferes in the normal activity of the spinal marrow and facilitates the access of harmful cells to body organs. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia first occurs at the levels of the bone marrow, but can quickly spread to different organs and tissue through the bloodstream.

The presence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is usually revealed by blood tests and careful body examination. Although apparently some people may have no symptoms of the disease, other patients may experience fatigue, lack of concentration, poor balance, memory loss, deterioration of vision and hearing, vertigos, body weakness, joint and bone pains. Just like in other forms of the disease, chronic leukemia requires immediate specific treatment and therapy. The chances of fully overcoming the disease are considerably enhanced if it is discovered quickly.

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OvaRex?MAb is a monoclonal antibody ?a biotech drug ?designed to help the patient’s immune system recognize and more effectively fight ovarian cancer. OvaRex?MAb is given during the ‘watchful waiting?period, following successful front-line therapy. It may become recognized as the most significant advance in ovarian cancer treatment since the use of chemotherapy to treat this illness.

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Comediennes such as Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn, Oscar-winning actresses like Loretta Young and Sandy Dennis, singers Laura Nyro and Dinah Shore, actor Pierce Brosnan’s wife Cassandra Harris, actress Jessica Tandy, former Connecticut governor Ella Grasso, and Martin Luther King’s wife Coretta Scott King all died of ovarian cancer. It’s not just celebrities, politicians or movie stars, who are stricken with ovarian cancer. One in every 55 U.S. women is at risk for ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates about 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed. More than 16,000 women will die because the symptoms are often subtle, and her doctor did not recognize the symptoms soon enough. It is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies, and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women.

Silent and undetected, this cancer often spreads beyond the ovary or ovaries into the abdominal cavity, or by the final stage, into other body organs such as the liver or lungs. Family doctors often fail to properly diagnose “The Silent Killer?until it is too late. Last August, University of California Davis researchers reported 40 percent of women told their doctors about their symptoms for as long as a year before they were correctly diagnosed. A British survey discovered 75 percent of family doctors believed symptoms are only present during the advanced stages of the cancer. By the time women are diagnosed for ovarian cancer, 40 to 50 percent of the patients are in the advanced stage, where there is little hope for survival.

Less than one-half the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will live five years. About 10 to 14 percent live beyond five years after their diagnosis. Their choices have been limited, mainly reserved to variations of chemotherapy drugs or a new way to delivery the drug. The general public is often unaware of the side effects ovarian cancer patients suffer during chemotherapy. In mid March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration criticized the safety profile of Eli Lilly’s Gemzar for ovarian cancer patients, saying the 2.8 months increased survival seen in studies of patients taking the drug wasn’t enough to offset the treatment’s increased toxicity which included anemia, neutropenia (a blood disorder) and thrombocytopenia (reduced platelets in the blood). Presently used first-line treatments for ovarian cancer patients include Cisplatin, with associated side effects such as nerve, kidney and/or ear damage, Carboplatin (side effects: nerve damage in the arms and/or legs, joint pain, and/or thrombocytopenia), Paclitaxel (neurotoxicity), or Melphalan, with side effects which include irreversible bone marrow failure, bone marrow suppression).

A woman stricken with ovarian cancer faces first surgery, then chemotherapy. Recent widespread press heralding a new development in treating ovarian cancer, intra-abdominal or intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is just that: more chemotherapy. The “belly bath,?as it has been nicknamed by some television reporters, it has been highly praised because the treatment can extend life by about 16 months more than “regular?chemotherapy. The results were first published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in December 2005. Most news reports failed to mention that only 40 percent of the women treated with the belly bath were able to complete all six cycles. Why? The therapy relies upon infusions of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin (see side effects in the previous paragraph). According to Dr. Robert Edwards, research director of the Magee-Women’s Gynecologic Cancer in Pittsburgh, “Many women don’t feel well enough to work for the duration of the intra-abdominal (therapy).?Some patients, such as Cindy Pakalnis of Marshall (Pennsylvania) have called the treatments “grueling.?
The unsolved problem of chemotherapy is the reduction in the “quality of life.?While some life extension has been proven, the patient’s life deteriorates. Many patients struggle with balancing the loss in quality of life with the rigors of the therapy. Researchers are actively pursuing new directions that may some day provide new hope for the ovarian cancer patient. A University of Minnesota research study has suggested the use of thalidomide, which would be used in conjunction with chemotherapy, as a prospective means of increasing the likelihood of remission. Minnesota cancer researcher Dr. Levi Downs explained, “It prevents the tumor from making new blood vessels. Without new blood vessels, the tumor can’t sufficiently feed new cells, so the cancer can’t grow.?His randomized trial was small with only 65 patients (only 28 took thalidomide), and more testing will certainly be required.

New Hope for Ovarian Cancer Patients?

One promising technology that has been developed over the past decade is OvaRex?MAb. It was developed by ViRexx Medical Corp., an Edmonton-based company, which trades on the American Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: REX) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: VIR). Now licensed to Unither Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR), OvaRex?MAb is currently undergoing two identical Phase III trials at about 64 research centers across the United States. One trial has completed enrollment, according to a mid December news release issued by ViRexx Medical Corp.

We spoke with ViRexx Medical Corp’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tyrrell who was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta and the Director of the Glaxo Heritage Research Institute. “OvaRex?MAb is our lead candidate for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and is an intravenous infusion of a monoclonal antibody,?he said. Monoclonal antibodies are a new breed of biotech drugs that are extremely specific; that is, each antibody binds to only one particular antigen. In the case of OvaRex?MAb, it is a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the CA-125 antigen. Dr. Tyrrell added, “The treatment doesn’t take long, and is given every 4 weeks for the first 3 injections, and then once every 3 months until the patient relapses?

Dr. Tyrrell talked about the current Phase III studies, “The trials are ongoing. All of the patients have successfully completed their surgery and front-line chemotherapy and are now in what we call the ‘watchful waiting?period. It is in this phase that we treat the patients with OvaRex?MAb with the hopes of increasing the time to disease relapse.?He explained the recurrence rate is very high in the stage III / IV late forms of ovarian cancer, with a time to relapse of about 10.4 months. Patients who have turned to OvaRex hope to delay that relapse. Tyrrell noted, “In the original study, the average time to relapse was delayed by about 14 months. If we can achieve that difference or better in the current Phase III trials, it would be a major advance for the treatment of ovarian cancer.?He expects an analysis of the current OvaRex?MAb studies to be completed by the second or third quarter of 2007.

What makes OvaRex?MAb different from other immunotherapeutic treatments is, instead of attacking the body’s cancerous cells directly, the monoclonal antibody targets the cancerous antigen in circulation. Some believe it helps retrain the body’s immune system to fight the ovarian cancer cells. The mechanism that reportedly has made OvaRex?MAb effective is how it alerts the body to recognize and fight the CA-125.

ViRexx has addressed the “tolerance problem?a body suffers when it has become inflicted with a malignant tumor. The hypothesis behind the tolerance issue is that the body fails to recognize the CA-125 antigen as harmful. Introducing a foreign antibody, in this case the mouse antibody against CA125, the body’s defense systems are awakened to the ovarian cancer cells. This begins a chain reaction alerting the immune system to battle the invading antibody CA125 complex. The body’s defense systems are reprogrammed to attack the CA-125 antigen and seek to destroy it. Along with that destruction comes the attempt of the immune response to eliminate the cancerous cells from the body.

As with many pioneering scientific breakthroughs, serendipity is what lies behind the OvaRex?MAb story. As one technology was being developed, another ?the murine monoclonal antibody treatment for ovarian cancer ?came about by accident. We talked to its inventor, Dr. Antoine Noujaim, about the biotech drug’s roots. “It came out of the imaging technology,?the Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta explained. In the early 1980s, biotech companies, such as Immunomedics and Cytomedics were researching tumors and using antibodies to image the tumors so they could be evaluated in a cancer patient’s body. “I worked with Dr. Mike Longenecker and we established a company called Biomira (Toronto: BRA) in 1984,?Dr. Noujaim recalled. “We had a number of targets and then needed to make specific antibodies.?Part of his effort was to target certain cancers, such as prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.

“We developed antibodies against a mucin, which is really a glycopeptide,?explained Dr. Noujaim. “It’s a peptide that has a lot of sugars on it present in the ascitis fluid from ovarian cancer patients.?That is how Dr. Noujaim and his team developed the very early antibody which is now used for OvaRex?MAb. “We sent some of these antibodies to Professor Richard Baum in Germany for imaging of ovarian cancer patients,?Noujaim remembered. “Dr. Baum phoned back, after some time, and told me, ‘The patients I was imaging here had advanced ovarian cancer and some of them seem to have done quite well after we gave them a couple of shots (of the B43.13 antibody, the clinical name for OvaRex?MAb) to image the tumor.?I thought he was joking with me.?
This is serendipity at work as Dr. Noujaim explained to us. “Richard was imaging patients that were in the last stages of the disease,?he pointed out. Monoclonal antibodies can be used as diagnostic agents in oncology, when they are radiolabeled with a marker that can be imaged by external detectors. “These patients had maybe four or five months to live. All of a sudden, a year later and they’re still around.?Baum urged Noujaim to investigate this further. Dr. Noujaim recalls him saying, “Something is happening here. I’ve seen hundreds of patients, but nothing like this.?From this encouragement, Noujaim began formulating the potential mechanism of how this monoclonal antibody would work. His sharp mind chased the puzzling questions raised by Dr. Baum’s observations.

At this point of his recollections, Noujaim got excited, “Through sheer serendipity, we were using murine antibodies, not humanized antibodies. We were using foreign antibodies, a small amount of foreign antibodies.?How in the world did Noujaim know to use murine (mouse) antibodies? “Because that was the easiest way to do the imaging at the time,?he replied. “Before you make a chimeric (something derived from two different animal species) antibody, you start with a murine one. If that one works, you humanize the antibody.?From this research, Noujaim founded a company called AltaRex, which was taken public in 1995. “We raised about $30 million and expanded the program.?
The serious effort to develop the antibodies began in 1996. Having conducted trials in Canada and Europe, it was a “massive undertaking?Noujaim told us. “We had over 500 patients injected with the murine monoclonal antibody.?He extrapolated beyond OvaRex?MAb, saying, “We’ve proven completely the mechanism of action on this, how it works. It is so unique it may apply to all of the other antibodies we have.?Noujaim believes it can apply to breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Indeed, BrevaRex?MAb for breast cancer and multiple myeloma patients has completed Phase 1 trials, and ProstaRex?MAb for prostate cancer patients is at the pre-clinical stage.

“Our studies to date may show that vaccines may slow the growth of the tumor with a very good safety profile,?concluded Dr. Noujaim. Then he added something which bears investigating further, “There is the very original (ovarian cancer) patient who was injected in 1987. She’s in Germany, and according to Dr. Baum she was still alive a year ago.?That’s nearly nine years later! “It’s a matter of great pride for me that some people who received OvaRex?MAb are alive today,?he said.

While the company has licensed, under a royalty agreement, the OvaRex?MAb technology to United Therapeutics, through that company’s subsidiary, Unither Pharmaceuticals, ViRexx has retained rights to most member nations of the European Union and certain other countries. Key ones include France, the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries. ViRexx has also established strategic relationships with Domp?Farmaceutici, Medison Pharma, Ltd. and Genesis Pharma S.A. for certain European and Middle-East Countries.

Heart rate monitors used to be exclusively operated by physicians and nurses alone but that was soon rectified with today’s multi-tasking generation. Every person seemed to want to know about everything that was related to them and that of course included monitoring their own heartbeats.

What is a Heart Monitor
Also known as a cardiac monitor, a heart monitor is a piece of electronic equipment that can be used to track or observe heart functions continuously. It allows people to place a numerical value on their healthiness based on their heart rate and have a target heart rate to work for. The more complex versions of the heart monitor allow physicians to see any signs of deterioration or improvement and make the necessary adjustments immediately.

Types of Heart Monitors
Today, heart monitors are produced by the millions and designed to cater specific types of individuals. Some heart monitors are primarily designed for weight loss programs while others are meant for the use of athletes or fitness programs. Some are wireless or come as a built-in feature of exercise equipment like a treadmill or an exercise bike. It can be strapped to your wrist or of considerable size. It may or may not emit any electromagnetic waves, depending on its purpose. A fetal heart monitor, for instance, must not produce any waves at all as this may affect the health of the baby.

Factors on Selecting the Best Heart Monitor for You

ECG-Accurate Monitors with Chest Straps – Heart monitors that come with chest straps are more often not the most accurate of heart monitors. The chest strap is strapped around your chest, a few centimeters below your breast. It contains a device that’s able to detect electrical activity of your heart and transmit it to the brain of the machine – just like an ECG. The results are shown on the display monitor, which most of the times is attached to your wrist like a watch. Others however prefer results to be transmitted through audio messages via earphones.

Upon choosing heart monitors with chest straps, you need to remember to keep the strap constantly connected to your body lest you want the heart monitor to produce inaccurate readings.

Lastly, the only alternative against buying heart monitors with chest straps are the ones that rely on pulses on your fingertips. These however do not provide readings as accurate as those with chest straps.

Heart Monitor Features – Basic and lower end models tend to display only your heart rate and maybe the elapsed exercise time as well. This of course does not provide sufficient information if you want to know exactly how much you need to improve before you can be qualified as a completely healthy individual. Higher end models will naturally offer a wider range of features – for a price. Examples of such features are – but not limited to – heart rate zone alarms, timers and number of calories burned. It may also allow users to set pre-programmed workouts along with a targeted heart rate.

Ease of Use – Lastly, you must purchase a heart rate monitor that you will have no problems of using. What good would a high end heart monitor do if it takes you an hour to operate it? Are the numbers and words appearing in the heart rate monitor readable? Can it be used in no-light situations? Are buttons well-labeled and ergonomically positioned?

To Buy or Not to Buy a Heart Monitor
Heart monitors can be especially costly, more so if you are intent on purchasing higher-end models. If you have a limited budget, you should ask yourself whether or not you truly need to buy a heart monitor. You can of course purchase one of the lower-end models but low quality heart monitors can lead to inaccurate results and that sort of defeats the purpose of buying one.

If you are intent on purchasing a heart monitor, you need to ask yourself another question: do you need to make a solo purchase or is it alright with you to use the heart monitor that comes as a built-in feature of a treadmill? Lastly, you should remember as well that you can always pay your doctor regular visits and have him monitor your heart rate for you.

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When I went from a cane to a four wheel walker ~with a seat ~ people’s stress levels dropped dramaticly. I fell down a lot less too. My handicapped, motorized scooter had long since been dispensed with when I had left real estate and had decided I wouldn’t need it. Now, I have another. Now, I have a hard time getting out of the wheelchair onto it. So, is this what is meant by “Progressive?”

Hebrews 11:1, Perminant Progressive MS,Multiple Sclerosis,denial,delayed,acceptance,diagnosis,my fear,stampeded me,stupid decisions,MSers,disposable briefs,writing a novel,Russ Miles,dispel depression

Labor Day ~ 2005

When, a couple of years ago, I wrote an article about my dread disease, I still had not fully comprehended how disabling Perminant Progressive MS can become. I had come to realize that my denial had delayed acceptance of the diagnosis, my fear had stampeded me to stupid decisions, and had found ~ by writing a novel ~ I could dispel depression. Yet, I could still walk, a little, and figured I would bounce back soon.

Reality catches up with most of us ~ sooner or later. Not that it is easy to accept. Although the ‘Docs?said I had already passed from relapsing remitting MS ~ to Perminant Progressive MS ~ I thought I’d make a rather rapid comeback. Little did I know that I would become even more dependent upon another who deserved less defiance from one she had committed to share life with.

When I went from a cane to a four wheel walker ~with a seat ~ her stress level dropped dramaticly. I fell down a lot less too. My handicapped, motorized scooter had long since been dispensed with when I had left real estate and had decided I wouldn’t need it. Now, I have another. Now, I have a hard time getting out of the wheelchair onto it.

Perminant Progressive MS (Multiple Sclerosis) it’s called. “Progressive?has surely taken on more meaning ~as I can no longer walk ~ even with the walker. Accepting life in a wheelchair is a tough one. So is accepting the fact that keeping honeybees for BVT (Bee Venom Therapy) is not a realistic option for those of us that must now reside in apartments. “Perminant?is still not a diagnosis or concept that I am willing to accept.

Maybe, admitting to myself that I needed to use disposable briefs was the most major challenge? My caregiver’s sensitivity to provide a sightly container ~ rather than stack my diapers in a conspicious place (like on the back of the toilet) ~ has made my right decision less embarrassing. Her rapid removal of soiled disposables helps too.

Like most of us MSers, I continue to seek the “Silver Bullet,?that non-traditional cure that conventional medicine ~ which says there is none ~ doesn’t embrace. Okay, I have tried a few. Although some other MS victims have experienced significant improvements from these, Silver water, LDN, and various supplements, they haven’t worked for me. There are many weapons in the arsenal that I have yet to try.

Perhaps, my best weapon is faith? As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen,?I continue to keep on hoping I am led to the answer of renewed health for myself. I also believe that I am where a very good God wants me to be ~ for His reasons.

If you have found my article because there is something in it you were supposed to see, I am delighted to have been of some small service. You might want to visit the website I am learning to build and attempt to maintain http://MilesBooks.com where other information awaits you.

To those of you who are affected by others with Multiple Sclerosis, I ask that you be patient with him or her. Pray for us. Hope we become more sensitive to how our compromised conditions impacts others ~ and that we make internal adjustments which will will be reflected in our outward actions.

For those who have Perminant Progressive MS, expect challenges. Accept ~ without resentment ~ the helps and aids which are made available. Become less of a problem for those who attempt to help you.