Wednesday, March 31, 2010

plus 3 more, “Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - The Province”

plus 3 more, “Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - The Province”


Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - The Province

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 03:07 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study appear to expand the link between traffic exposure and poor lung function among people with asthma.

In a study of 176 adults with asthma or rhinitis, Dr. John R. Balmes, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues found "the closer adults with asthma live to roadways with heavy traffic...the lower their lung function."

"Living close to any road was associated with lower lung function," Balmes told Reuters Health.

Other studies have shown lung health effects from major roadways, Balmes and colleagues note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "Ours is the first to show evidence that living near any road can do so," said Balmes.

He and colleagues therefore advise asthma patients minimize their traffic exposures.

The researchers assessed lung function and quality of life measures among the 176 adults (71 percent female) who were about 43 years old, on average, and undergoing treatment for chronic asthma with rhinitis (145 individuals) or rhinitis alone (31 individuals). The groups had similar proportions of current and former smokers.

Balmes' team found out how close each participant lived to the nearest roadway using road-location data provided by geographic information systems. They then compared lung function with the distance from a roadway of any type.

Those living the closest to a roadway had the lowest lung function (forced expiratory volume of 81.5 percent) while those living the farthest from a roadway had the highest lung function (forced expiratory volume of 89.7 percent).

Excluding individuals with rhinitis alone, factoring in the effects of lower socioeconomic status, smoking, and obesity, did not significantly alter the findings. However, the researchers found no association between traffic exposure and quality of life measures.

The investigators highlight the need for further confirmation of these findings, as well as continued research into the mechanisms by which traffic emissions impact lung function.

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Mike Kepka / The Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 05:38 AM PDT

A flap between the federal government and some health insurers over a provision in the new health care law that will require them to cover children with pre-existing conditions offered an early look into difficulties of interpreting the complex legislation.

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, sent a letter Monday to the industry's main trade group warning insurers that they won't be able to deny children access to their parents' coverage starting in September after insurers questioned whether they had to sell insurance this year to families with health problems.

The trade group, America's Health Insurance Plans, responded to the secretary Tuesday, saying insurers "recognize the significant hardship a family faces when they are unable to obtain coverage for a child with a pre-existing condition" and will "fully comply" with the new rules.

While that may have resolved the immediate misinterpretation problem, other ambiguities remain such as whether insurers would be able to charge higher premiums, as they do now, for children with conditions like asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis or other conditions.

More questions remain

Sebelius acknowledged questions remain, telling insurers that she planned to issue regulations in the coming weeks to clarify some issues.

These clarifications couldn't come soon enough for parents concerned about getting or keeping health coverage for their children.

When Gladys Soto lost her job last year, she looked into getting individual coverage for her family. But she quickly discovered her 4-year-old son's asthma diagnosis would make such coverage prohibitively expensive.

Soto of San Francisco was able to continue on her former employer's health insurance, paying a rate subsidized by the federal government as part of the stimulus bill passed a year ago. The plan covers her and her two children, William and Giovanna, 11. Still, she was relieved to hear her children would not be denied coverage in the future for individual policies under the new law.

"It's so easy to have pre-existing conditions. Almost everyone has some pre-existing condition," she said. "Once you lose your insurance, you're at the mercy of God. You don't know how you're going to pay the bills if one of your family members gets sick."

It's unclear whether insurers will be able to charge higher premiums to families who have children with pre-existing conditions because that has not yet been clarified, said Kelly Hardy, director of health policy for Children Now, a national nonprofit advocacy group based in Oakland.

Looking to 2014

But Hardy said the number of additional children with health conditions being covered should not overwhelm insurers because most children are healthy.

"Because the insurance companies are getting all of these new customers and are getting the individual mandate so even healthy people will be required to buy insurance, the numbers should work out for them without having to charge more for people with pre-existing conditions," she said.

The mandate in the new health law that most Americans have coverage doesn't kick in until 2014, the same year that insurers will no longer be allowed to deny coverage for adults based on their pre-existing conditions or charge higher premiums to people with poor health histories.

When Bronte Abraham of Menlo Park started calling insurers about applying for individual coverage for a family, she was rejected over the phone by virtually all carriers because her 10-year-old son has autism.

After submitting detailed applications to two insurers, she was able to get insurance through Anthem Blue Cross - but the company set the premium for her son with autism at nearly twice the rate as his 3-year-old brother.

Still, she considered that lucky. "This is the only option we had in the individual market," she said.

Abraham was pleased by the upcoming promise of guaranteed coverage for children. "In this economy, when people are losing jobs and switching jobs left and right, it really does give flexibility and peace of mind, at least for your kids," she said.

E-mail Victoria Colliver at vcolliver@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com

Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:55 PM PDT

Minneapolis, MN, March 24, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The right balance between conventional and complimentary treatment options is key to the successful management of any chronic health condition, including asthma. The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis is an educational service founded to help breathing sufferers take control of their respiratory health naturally and permanently. It offers drug-free, clinically-proven, breathing retraining programs for conditions such as asthma, allergies, snoring, sleep apnea, chronic nasal congestion, rhinitis and other breathing-related disorders.

The Buteyko Method, named by its creator, Russian Professor of Medicine K.P. Buteyko, states that asthma and a number of other chronic health conditions originate from a commonly-overlooked problem of Chronic Hyperventilation (chronic over-breathing). Unlike other breathing techniques, The Buteyko Method is not just a series of breathing exercises but rather a comprehensive wellness program aimed at correcting dysfunctional breathing and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

Among all other natural asthma treatments, The Buteyko Method has been more clinically studied and has received more widespread recognition among health professionals worldwide. The Buteyko Method has been demonstrated as an effective treatment in a number of clinical trials. Citing Dr. Robert Cowie of Calgary, Canada, who led the Buteyko clinical study in Calgary "It's just great...75% control is about as good as anyone has got in any study of asthma. The neat thing about it is that it has no side effects. It's very safe. The Buteyko technique certainly has been shown to be an important adjunct to treatment."

The Buteyko therapy is completely safe when taught by a qualified Buteyko Educator, and a typical course offered by the Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis is a three-hour workshop once a week for three consecutive weeks. Classes are taught in small groups to ensure individual attention. A student can choose to attend a refresher course free of charge within the next twelve months. One year free support to monitor student's progress is included. During a Buteyko course, the participants learn how to control asthma symptoms naturally, how to unblock and clear the nose, the best diet to improve breathing, a healthy way to sleep, and safe and effective ways to exercise in order to achieve long-term asthma control. For people with chronic conditions, an additional benefit of learning the Buteyko Breathing Method is a significant cost reduction that's reflected in less need for medication, devices, ER and doctor visits, as well as missed work days.

There is only one Buteyko educational practice in Minneapolis - St.Paul area, and the Buteyko Clinic's mission is to make the Buteyko Therapy accessible and affordable for everyone. Newly added Buteyko services include, but are not limited to, online courses, private lessons, accelerated workshops for those traveling out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and monthly online support.

In addition to continuously held Buteyko Method workshops, The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis offers Buteyko wellness school and athletic programs, free lectures and seminars for educational institutions and businesses, and volunteer services for charitable health-crisis organizations.

For details about their programs, visit the Butyeko Clinic USA website www.asthmacare.us

To contract them directly, send an Email to info@asthmacare.us or call 612 337-9075

###

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Health-care reform foes still getting it wrong - Delaware County Daily Times

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 02:53 AM PDT

More than a week after President Barack Obama made history by signing into law a much-overdue health-care reform bill, the sour grapes are still being spewed by his political foes.

It is bad enough that some of the very people who stand to benefit from the reforms are blindly engaging in name-calling and melodramatic rhetoric. Legislators who know better are leveling cheap shots.

Probably the most disturbing is U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who encouraged constituents to "scare" supporters of health care reform, employed violent imagery, purposely perpetuated the myth that health care reform would promote abortion and proclaimed that health care reform supporters were not "real people."

The last pronouncement is particularly insulting to the American intelligence considering that federal legislators do not have the health-care insurance challenges of the typical American citizen.

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are permitted to avail themselves of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program as soon as they take their oaths of office.

Their choice of plans includes health-maintenance organizations, point-of-service and fee-for-service.

They are not denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions and they can include spouses and dependents in their plans. They reportedly have their own pharmacy in the Capitol and a team of medical professionals on-hand in case of emergency.

Their health-insurance premiums and pharmaceutical costs are negotiable, unlike the prohibitions instituted for most older Americans through the so-called Medicare Reform Act of 2003.

And, while senators pay about $600 a month and representatives pay about $300 a month in premiums, we taxpayers still pay up to 75 percent of our federal legislators' premiums.

Nevertheless, some of those legislators would deny the average American such access to health care because it does not suit their political agendas and the lobbyists who fund them.

They have no qualms about enjoying their federally funded health plans, while more than 46 million Americans are uninsured and premiums continue to spiral for those who are insured.

And, they continue to perpetuate myths about health- care reform.

"I heard one of the Republican leaders say this was going to be Armageddon," noted the president after signing health-care reform into law last week. "Well, two months from now, six months from now, you can check it out."

Obama reiterated some of the basic premises of health- care reform.

"If you like your current insurance, you will keep your current insurance. No government takeover; nobody is changing what you've got if you're happy with it. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor," said the president.

He noted that more people will be able to keep their doctors because health-care reform will keep their insurance coverage more secure and stable.

Obama also noted that the cost of reform will, in the long run, reduce the deficit he inherited from George W. Bush by more than $1 trillion over the next 20 years. By 2014, when health-insurance exchanges are in place, insurance companies will be forced to offer competitive rates to subscribers who will then have the same choice of plans as federal legislators.

"And when this exchange is up and running, millions of people will get tax breaks to help them afford coverage, which represents the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in history," said Obama.

Critics of health-care reform also continue to contradict themselves. In one breath, they label government involvement in health insurance "socialism" and in the next breath, inaccurately characterize health-care reform as weakening Medicare — which is, in fact, a government-managed health-care insurance plan.

Unsurprisingly, Bachmann, is attempting to repeal health-care reform. She is claiming that it is "unconstitutional" — odd reasoning from someone who endorsed warrantless wiretapping during the Bush administration without regard to Americans' civil rights.

Without a doubt, health-care reform does need tweaking as one would expect from any piece of legislation that must undo decades of insurance abuse.

This week a loophole was discovered in the language of the health-care reform law regarding children with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and asthma. Section 2704 of the law prohibits health-insurance companies from instituting pre-existing condition exclusions for children beginning in six months, but does not guarantee coverage.

To remedy this ambiguity, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, plans to issue regulations in the coming weeks.

They will specify that children with pre-existing conditions may not be denied access to their parents' health- insurance plans and that insurance companies will no longer be allowed to exclude treatments for pre-existing conditions when insuring children.

The fact that such regulations are required is, in itself, testimony to the need for health-care reform.

 

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

plus 2 more, “Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph”

plus 2 more, “Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph”


Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph

Posted: 30 Mar 2010 12:45 AM PDT

The news is based on a laboratory study in New Zealand, which tested blackcurrant extracts on human lung cells in culture. Its findings have shed some light on the complex immune responses to allergens (substances that trigger allergic reactions), in particular those that are associated with inflammation of lung tissue seen in some asthma attacks. However, as this was a laboratory study on extracted cells, it is too soon to know whether the type of exposure these lung cells had to the blackcurrant extracts (namely incubating the cells with purified blackcurrant compounds) equates to how the body may access them after consumption of blackcurrants.

This is very early research. While the findings may help explain why diets high in some fruits seem to reduce the incidence and prevalence of asthma, it remains to be seen which exact chemical reactions may be responsible. It is also not yet clear whether the substances tested can be purified and turned into a safe and effective form of treatment for certain types of asthma.

 

Where did the story come from?The study was carried out by Dr Suzanne Hurst and colleagues from the Plant and Food Research Institute of New Zealand. It was funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology of New Zealand and published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

 

What kind of research was this?In this laboratory study, which was conducted in cultures of human lung cells, researchers aimed to identify whether the polyphenol compounds found in blackcurrants could target particular cellular activities, thereby complementing the body's own immune actions.

In allergy-induced asthma, white blood cells called CD4+ T-helper type 2 cells are activated. These cells interact with other types of white blood cells called eosinophils to promote the lung inflammation that is associated with the classic symptoms of asthma. Two particular chemical messengers released by the T-helper 2 cells, called interleukin 4 (IL4) and interleukin 13 (IL13), are responsible for switching on a chemical called eotaxin, which is known to recruit the eosinophil white blood cells to the lungs.

One of three types of eotaxin (known as CCL26) seems to be the most important chemical in recruiting eosinophil white blood cells to the airways. In this study, the researchers investigated whether chemicals extracted from blackcurrants could interrupt the recruitment of eosinophils through the disruption of CCL26 production. They say that recent epidemiological studies (not assessed here) have shown that an increased intake of fresh fruit and vegetables is linked with lower levels of respiratory symptoms and non-specific lung disease. They say that these studies suggest that certain fruits may contain chemicals that can reduce allergen-induced asthma and that they designed this study to see whether this was true of blackcurrants.

 

What did the research involve?The researchers conducted several experiments using polyphenols sourced from New Zealand blackcurrants and cultures of human lung cells growing in a special growth medium.

The researchers first exposed cultured cells to different blackcurrant extracts or to a control substance to see whether the substances had any harmful effect on the cells. They then exposed the lung cells to different blackcurrant extracts or to a control in the absence or presence of IL4 or IL13 for 24 hours and measured the effects it had on levels of CCL26. The researchers then investigated the effects of exposure to "total polyphenols" (the mix of polyphenols naturally found in plants) and then to two specific polyphenol chemicals called anthocyanin (BC-A) and proanthocyanidin (BC-P).

The researchers then undertook further experiments to determine the exact action of the polyphenols on the cells and the time it took for the cells to recover from their effects. Further biochemical characterisation was undertaken to determine the exact chemical components of the polyphenols.

In a second set of experiments, the researchers assessed whether the blackcurrant extracts would affect the role of interferon-y (another chemical messenger) in reducing the secretion of CCL26. Interferons are secreted by a different type of CD4+ T-helper cell called type 1 cells. While their action would be helpful for asthmatics, there are fewer of these cells in allergic lung tissue.

 

What were the basic results?There were no adverse effects on the cultured cells when they were incubated in polyphenols extracted from blackcurrants. Initial exposure to the IL4 and IL13 chemical messengers led to secretion of CCL26 from the cells. Incubating lung cells with proanthocyanidin (BC-P) and IL4 or IL13 inhibited the secretion of CCL26 that would normally occur. However, no inhibiting effect was seen when the cells were incubated with anthocyanin (BC-A) and IL4 or IL13. The inhibitory effect of BC-P was no longer present 24 hours after the cells were washed and incubated with IL4 again.

The blackcurrant extract proanthocyanidin (BC-P) enhanced the action of interferon-y (INF-y) in suppressing CCL26 secretion, with the combination of BC-P and INF-y being more effective than either on its own. A chemical called epigallocatechin (EGC) seemed to be the active component of BC-P.

 

How did the researchers interpret the results?The researchers concluded that their results demonstrate that an extract from blackcurrants can suppress the CCL26 secretion that is stimulated by IL4 and IL13, both on its own and in conjunction with interferon-y. They say that the fact that BC-P but not BC-A had an effect on this pathway suggests that they may be involved in similar but distinct events in the cells.

 

ConclusionThis laboratory study has revealed how certain chemicals can affect the complex pathways that underpin the response that lung cells have to known chemical messengers. The study has shown that, when lung cells were incubated with certain blackcurrant extracts, they were able to inhibit the expected release of a substance that is known to lead to the lung inflammation seen in the human allergic asthma response.The authors discuss the findings of some epidemiological studies that show that consumption of selective fruits lowers the incidence and prevalence of asthma, particularly in children. The findings from their research may help explain why that may be the case. However, the results come from tests on lung cells in the laboratory, meaning that their applicability to living systems, whether human or animal, is currently uncertain and that the study should be viewed as very preliminary research into the potential pathways for asthma treatment.

The researchers raise the important issue of the "bioavailability" of the plant-derived phytochemicals, i.e. how and at what rate a substance can enter the circulatory system in a human and, therefore, become available for the body to use. They say that these chemicals are found as complex compounds in plants, but that other studies have found that chemicals and enzymes in the gut can break the large molecules down into smaller molecules, which can be more easily absorbed. Whether this process happens in humans, and how the by-products of digestion will affect the immune responses in living people's lung tissue, will need to be the subject of further study.

A healthy, balanced diet is important for a number of well-established reasons. Asthma medication should not be replaced by blackcurrants until this research has moved on further.


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Asthma inhaler recalled - ONE News

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 05:57 PM PDT

A batch of the asthma inhaler Respigen has been recalled as it might not have exactly the required quantity of active ingredient salbutamol.

The problem batch of the 100mcg inhalation aerosol, number 9F282A, has an expiry date of May 2012.

Distributor Mylan New Zealand says a small number of the blue, reliever-type inhalers, might have quantities of salbutamol that are "out of specification".

Patients are asked to return their inhaler to a pharmacy where they will be given a free replacement.



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Conference to set the research agenda on Vitamin D in ... - Genetic Engineering News

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 08:32 AM PDT

Mar 29 2010, 11:20 AM EST

Conference to set the research agenda on Vitamin D in health and disease

EUREKALERT

Contact: Alex Fernandes
a.fernandes@qmul.ac.uk
020-788-27910
Queen Mary, University of London

An important conference on the actions of Vitamin D on human health is being hosted by Barts and The London Medical School and the MRC Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma.

Vitamin D has been known for some time to be important for healthy bones, now new research suggests it has possible benefits in other aspects of health including immune function, tuberculosis, asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, gut function, skin, and the prostate, all of which will be addressed at the one-day event, being held on Tuesday 30 March at the Centre for Health Sciences in Whitechapel, London.

Attended by expert researchers from around the world the conference aims to stimulate debate, advance understanding, and set the research agenda in this exciting and increasingly topical field.

The programme is as follows:

Session 1 Epidemiology and Diabetes

10.15am Dr Elina Hyppnen
University College London
Vitamin D in health and disease insights from epidemiology

10.45am Professor Chantal Mathieu
Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Endocrinology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus

11.15am Dr Barbara Boucher
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes

Session 2 Immunomodulatory actions of Vitamin D

12.00pm Dr Jrgen Schauber
University of Munich, Germany
Vitamin D and the cutaneous innate immune system

12.30pm Professor Margherita Cantorna
Pennsylvania State University, USA
Vitamin D and autoimmune disease

1.00pm Professor Kasia Hawrylowicz
King's College London
Vitamin D, regulatory T cells and allergic disease

Session 3: Clinical aspects 1: prostate and gut

2.15pm Dr Luciano Adorini
Chief Scientific Officer
Intercept Pharma, Italy
Vitamin D receptor agonists in the treatment of inflammatory prostatic disease

2.45pm Dr Julian Walters
Imperial College, London
Vitamin D and the gut

Session 4 Clinical aspects 2: tuberculosis and multiple sclerosis

3.30pm Dr Adrian Martineau
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Vitamin D and tuberculosis

4.30pm Professor George Ebers
Oxford University
Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis

The event will be chaired by Professor Chris Griffiths of the Centre for Health Sciences at Barts and The London Medical School.

Ongoing research into the health benefits of Vitamin D at Barts and The London School of Medicine include a British Lung Foundation-funded TB trial, NIHR-funded and Asthma UK-funded trials in asthma/COPD, and clinical trials in type-2 diabetes.

Notes to editors: Academics will be available for interview on the day of the conference. If you wish to arrange an interview, or attend any of the presentations contact:

Alex Fernandes Communications Office
Queen Mary, University of London
Tel: 020 7882 7910
Mobile: 07932 557 056
a.fernandes@qmul.ac.uk


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Monday, March 29, 2010

plus 3 more, “More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay”

plus 3 more, “More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay”


More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:01 AM PDT

Childhood rates of chronic health problems, including obesity, asthma and learning disabilities, have doubled in just 12 years, a new study reports - to 1 in 4 children in 2006, up from 1 in 8 in 1994.

The New York Times reports that while the researchers did not study the reasons for the increases, they suggested several possible factors: improvements in screening and diagnosis that led to more reporting of the chronic conditions; the rise in childhood obesity, which can lead to other problems; and the increasing survival of premature babies and children with cancer and other diseases, who are more likely to have chronic health problems.

The study appeared in the Feb. 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

- Harry Jackson Jr., St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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Star Athletes With Asthma - Health.com

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 08:57 PM PDT

If they can do it...

Asthma and athletics might seem like they don't mix. Most sports require fitness and endurance, and asthma—a respiratory condition that causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing—can make working out difficult. Exercise, in fact, is one of the most common triggers of asthma attacks (along with allergies and infection).

But the record books are riddled with athletes who overcame asthma on their way to victory. Some developed asthma as children; others were already at the top of their game. Either way, asthma didn't stop them from success on the track, field, court—or in the pool.

Next: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Credit: LIFE.com/Health.com

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Blackcurrants may ease asthma - Thaindian.com

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:37 AM PDT

London, March 29 (IANS) Natural chemicals from blackcurrants may ease breathing in some types of asthma, says a new study.
Researchers from Plant & Food Research (PFR), a New Zealand government owned company, found a compound from blackcurrants that may reduce lung inflammation with a multi-action assault in allergy-induced asthma.

The compound was found in lab experiments to enhance the natural defence mechanisms in lung tissue by both suppressing inflammation-causing reactions and minimising inflammation.

Inflammation is a process by which the body's white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses.

Fruit consumption has been shown to reduce symptoms in allergy-induced asthma yet this research is the first to give insights into the mechanism by which this may occur.

Researchers identified that the component, epigallocatechin, reduced inflammation in lung tissue. Epigallocatechin is a known antioxidant and a major component of proanthocyanidins found in blackcurrants.

This study shows that epigallocatechin works in conjunction with other natural immune responses that occur at the same time to reduce inflammation.

"To find natural compounds that potentially reduce lung inflammation and complement the body's own immune response is an exciting breakthrough," says Roger Hurst of PFR, who led the study.

When the lungs are exposed to allergens, the body's natural response is to attack the perceived foreign body which in some individuals results in long-term inflammation, says a PFR release.

Selective compounds found in fruit and vegetables may work together with the body's own natural defence mechanism to suppress long-term lung inflammation.

The findings were published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

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Those without insurance will get help paying for ... - Courier-Journal

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 11:56 PM PDT

When he had health insurance, Tyrone Johnson's asthma wasn't such a threat.

"I wasn't going to the emergency room all the time. I felt much more healthy, being able to go to the doctor when I was feeling bad, or being able to get (prescription) refills," said Johnson, 31, who lives in the Okolona area.

"It's hard without insurance."

Johnson — who lost health insurance when he changed jobs about a year ago, then was laid off — is one of about 32 million Americans who eventually could gain health coverage under the new reform law.

The law provides subsidies to help households making up to four times the federal poverty level ($88,200 for a family of four) buy health insurance. It also caps premiums for some people.

But those subsidies won't start until 2014, the same year the law requires most Americans to obtain health coverage.

That disappoints Johnson, who said he could use the help today. By 2014, "I'm sure I'll probably have a job (that provides) health insurance," he said.

His asthma isn't too much of a problem as long as he can regularly get medication, such as inhalers and liquid nebulizer medicine.

But when he can't afford medications, he risks getting very sick, like the time he "was pretty much ready to die" and went to an emergency room. Johnson said he ended up in a hospital intensive-care unit for about a week.

The reform law's subsidies will help people who "make enough to pay their rent, but not enough to pay for a doctor visit," said Vivianne Griffiths, a University of Louisville nurse practitioner who treated Johnson last week at the Harambee Nursing Center in Smoketown.

The increased access to care will help both people with chronic illnesses like Johnson and those who are healthy, she said.

"Lots of our patients (are very ill) by the time they get to us," Griffiths said. For example, "if they've had hypertension, they haven't consistently gone anywhere to get their blood pressure taken care of, which means that they could have an enlarged heart after so many years."

The law could also help healthy people afford preventive care, such as mammograms or cancer screenings, "to have early detection of things that might be going wrong." That could reduce health-care spending, Griffiths said.

Reporter Patrick Howington can be reached at (502) 582-4229.

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Sunday, March 28, 2010

plus 3 more, “Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times”

plus 3 more, “Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times”


Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 01:02 AM PDT

Eating blackcurrant's may help asthma sufferers breathe more easily, according to a study by New Zealand company Plant and Food Research.

The study, led by Dr Roger Hurst and published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, found that the compound works together with the body's own natural defence mechanism to suppress long-term lung inflammation.

The research, shows that natural chemicals found in the fruit may help breathing in some types of asthma.

They also found that a compound in blackcurrants, epigallocatechin, may reduce lung inflammation in allergy-induced asthma.

Blackcurrant's also contain another inflammation-reducing group of compounds, known as anthocyanins, reports telegraph.co.uk.

They are known for their antioxidant properties and have been shown by Hurst's research group to also complement the body's own natural immune responses.


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Asthma relief in Pakistan salt mine - The Independent

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 08:51 PM PDT

A centuries-old salt mine in Pakistan is offering experimental asthma therapy, attracting patients from all over the world.

Khewra, billed as the world's second largest salt mine, has for centuries extracted the crucial mineral for export and has become a tourist attraction complete with a salt mosque and an electric train.

Now, the mine is cashing in on salt therapy, already a draw in the salt mines of eastern Europe and a synthetic clinic in Britain.

Clinics claim that asthma patients and sufferers of other respiratory illnesses benefit from inhaling antibacterial salt particles in a sterile environment, helping loosen mucus and clear the lung passages.

"We don't use any medicine, because the asthmatic allergy patients recover through the air, so we provide them an environment in which their breathing can improve," said Akhlaq Bukhari, head doctor at the Khewra clinic.

Although there have been few clinical studies, salt caves are seen by some as a therapeutic alternative to drugs and there are natural and synthetic salt caves springing up all over the world.

While other clinics offer treatment for bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and even ear infections, Shah says the Khewra clinic only treats patients whose asthma is triggered by allergies.

"I have come here all the way from Canada. I could not recover there through medicine, but I am feeling better since my arrival here," said Naeem Shamsher, a civil engineer from Canada.

Shamsher had tried medicine doled out by doctors back home but felt little relief and struggled to walk far without becoming breathless, so relatives in Pakistan suggested he visit the Khewra Mines.

"Now I can run and even play soccer just after spending three days in the mine," said Shamsher, who says he feels 60 percent better after the treatment.

The mine, located 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, was discovered in 320 BC by Alexander's troops and first developed by British colonial rulers in 1872, mine officials say.

Located deep underground in the mine, the asthma clinic resembles an upmarket guesthouse, with 12 beds covered in white sheets and red blankets in six independent cabins separated with salt bricks and softly lit by lamps.

There is a reception area decorated with salt lamps and a lounge complete with a fountain, sofas and a television set.

The walls and roof of the clinic are made from pure salt and a fan helps maintain the temperature and humidity, creating the so-called "micro-climate" that offers patients relief, Shah says.

A 10-day course at the Khewra Mines salt therapy centre costs 5,300 rupees (62 dollars), with 11 hours a day spent in the caves while nights are spent in a nearby hospital.

Since opening in 2007, the clinic has treated about 500 patients. Shah claims that 60 percent of patients experience some relief from their symptoms and says patients have come from as far as Britain and Saudi Arabia.

But Shahid Abbas, a doctor who runs the private Allergy and Asthma Centre in Islamabad, told AFP that although an asthma or allergy sufferer may get temporary relief, there is no quick-fix cure.

"There is no scientific proof that a person can permanently get rid of asthma by breathing in a salt mine or in a particular environment," he said.

Khaled Sajjad Khokhar, managing director of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, a government body which owns the mine, says they will assess the success of the Khewra clinic before approving its expansion to 100 beds.

But some patients are returning, happy to get even temporary relief.

"This hospital is a blessing, it gave me a second life. I never had problems breathing after spending 10 days over there in 2007," said Pakistani patient Adnan Khan, on his second visit to the clinic.

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The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com

Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:55 PM PDT

Minneapolis, MN, March 24, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The right balance between conventional and complimentary treatment options is key to the successful management of any chronic health condition, including asthma. The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis is an educational service founded to help breathing sufferers take control of their respiratory health naturally and permanently. It offers drug-free, clinically-proven, breathing retraining programs for conditions such as asthma, allergies, snoring, sleep apnea, chronic nasal congestion, rhinitis and other breathing-related disorders.

The Buteyko Method, named by its creator, Russian Professor of Medicine K.P. Buteyko, states that asthma and a number of other chronic health conditions originate from a commonly-overlooked problem of Chronic Hyperventilation (chronic over-breathing). Unlike other breathing techniques, The Buteyko Method is not just a series of breathing exercises but rather a comprehensive wellness program aimed at correcting dysfunctional breathing and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

Among all other natural asthma treatments, The Buteyko Method has been more clinically studied and has received more widespread recognition among health professionals worldwide. The Buteyko Method has been demonstrated as an effective treatment in a number of clinical trials. Citing Dr. Robert Cowie of Calgary, Canada, who led the Buteyko clinical study in Calgary "It's just great...75% control is about as good as anyone has got in any study of asthma. The neat thing about it is that it has no side effects. It's very safe. The Buteyko technique certainly has been shown to be an important adjunct to treatment."

The Buteyko therapy is completely safe when taught by a qualified Buteyko Educator, and a typical course offered by the Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis is a three-hour workshop once a week for three consecutive weeks. Classes are taught in small groups to ensure individual attention. A student can choose to attend a refresher course free of charge within the next twelve months. One year free support to monitor student's progress is included. During a Buteyko course, the participants learn how to control asthma symptoms naturally, how to unblock and clear the nose, the best diet to improve breathing, a healthy way to sleep, and safe and effective ways to exercise in order to achieve long-term asthma control. For people with chronic conditions, an additional benefit of learning the Buteyko Breathing Method is a significant cost reduction that's reflected in less need for medication, devices, ER and doctor visits, as well as missed work days.

There is only one Buteyko educational practice in Minneapolis - St.Paul area, and the Buteyko Clinic's mission is to make the Buteyko Therapy accessible and affordable for everyone. Newly added Buteyko services include, but are not limited to, online courses, private lessons, accelerated workshops for those traveling out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and monthly online support.

In addition to continuously held Buteyko Method workshops, The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis offers Buteyko wellness school and athletic programs, free lectures and seminars for educational institutions and businesses, and volunteer services for charitable health-crisis organizations.

For details about their programs, visit the Butyeko Clinic USA website www.asthmacare.us

To contract them directly, send an Email to info@asthmacare.us or call 612 337-9075

###

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Asthma UK Comment On The Environmental Audit Committee ... - Medical News Today

Posted: 24 Mar 2010 03:58 AM PDT


Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 24 Mar 2010 - 4:00 PDT

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Neil Churchill, Chief Executive of Asthma UK says: 'We agree that awareness needs to be raised and behaviour needs to change if air quality targets are to be met. It's shocking that the UK is so far behind on its commitments.

'We also warmly welcome the Committee's recommendation for the Government to take better account of the health impacts of poor air quality. If the government is serious about pushing the prevention agenda this is precisely the kind of action it needs to take. Air quality is of prime concern to people with asthma and two thirds tell us that traffic fumes trigger their asthma symptoms. 29% say that a reduction in air pollution is the single thing that would make the most difference to their quality of life in relation to their asthma. Quantifying the impact of pollution on health and quality of life, as well as the costs to the NHS and the economy, would open people's eyes to the importance of improving air quality.'

Source
Asthma UK

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

plus 2 more, “White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India”

plus 2 more, “White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India”


White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 04:59 AM PDT


Melissa Whitrow and Seeromanie Harding from the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit of the Medical Research Council, UK, used data taken from 51 London schools to investigate a random selection of 11-13 year old pupils.

In the final sample for analysis, there were 1219 children who identified themselves as 'White UK', 933 'Black Caribbean', 1095 'Black African', 459 'Indian', 215 'Pakistani', 392 'Bangladeshi' and 299 'Mixed White UK and Black Caribbean'.

"Social and environmental factors may influence risk of asthma through early life exposures regulating the allergic inflammatory response and/or later life exposures to allergens. A positive association between body mass index (BMI) and asthma has also been reported. We aimed to investigate the influence of these factors on ethnic differences in asthma prevalence," said Whitrow and Harding.

The researchers found that a family history of asthma and psychological well being were consistent correlates for asthma regardless of ethnicity.

They observed that less than six years of residence in the UK had an independent protective effect for Black Caribbeans and Black Africans, possibly reflecting continuing protection from early life exposures in their home countries.

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Volunteers needed for asthma research - Mansfield News Journal

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 12:27 AM PDT

MANSFIELD -- North central Ohio adults with asthma can help a medical research team from Madison, Wisc., prepare a study targeting the rural Midwest.

David Van Sickle, a post doctoral fellow studying population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin, said scientists are seeking 150 asthmatics who use inhalers.

Volunteers will be asked to record their symptoms, when and where they happen, using an innovative tool that Reciprocal Sciences unveiled last year. The device, called the Spiroscout, is a GPS-enabled inhaler that pinpoints the exact geographic location and time when the inhaler is used.

"Our analyses of national survey data suggest that asthma is as prevalent in rural areas as in urban areas," said Teresa Morrison, medical epidemiologist in the Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch at the federal Centers for Disease Control. "Our goal is to document patterns of asthma symptoms among rural residents in Midwestern states, and learn more about possible environmental exposures that potentially lead to asthma attacks."

Debora Ortega-Carr, a doctor at Midwest Allergy and Asthma Associates on Cline Avenue, said most data suggests higher frequency of asthma triggers in cities than in rural areas. She also noted a significant genetic component.

"We know from previous studies in rural areas that grain, dust and tobacco smoke can all trigger asthma, but we want this study to generate new hypotheses," Van Sickle said. "We also don't want to enter the study with too many pre-existing ideas.

"At the individual level, people will learn about new environments or new triggers, and at the aggregate level, we hope to learn which work places or occupations are triggers."

There is no cost to participate and there is no risk involved. Participants will receive a small gift card.

"We don't change anyone's medication or dosage, we're just tracking," Van Sickle said.

For information, call 608-554-0750.

jkinton@nncogannett.com 419-521-7220

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Allergy shots achieve best results - Houma Courier

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 06:04 AM PDT

Few, however, are using what may be the most effective treatment for uncontrolled symptoms: immunotherapy, or what most people know as allergy shots. The practice of injecting people with increasing amounts of the substances they are allergic to, so they can build gradual tolerance, is nearly 100 years old.

But U.S. surveys suggest shots are used by just 5 percent of nasal allergy patients.

"Inconvenience is the most likely reason," says Linda Cox, an allergist in Fort Lauderdale. A typical treatment plan calls for a patient to come to a medical office once a week for several months, get a shot and wait 30 minutes (in case a rare, dangerous reaction occurs) and then continue less frequent shots for months or years more.

There's also a needle "fear factor," says Stanley Fineman, an Atlanta allergist and vice president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. And costs for the shots and office visits, which vary based on insurance coverage and other factors, may play a role.

But a recent study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology showed children who get allergy shots had lower health care costs over 18 months than otherwise similar children. The cost of their shots, about $600, was more than made up by drug savings and fewer doctors' visits and hospitalizations, says Cox, who led the study. Immunotherapy also might help prevent asthma, a costly life-long condition.

So allergists are working to make the therapy more appealing. Most efforts fall into two categories: non-shot alternatives and faster shot schedules.

Liquid or pill alternatives

Immunotherapy without shots is standard in Europe. There, most doctors prescribe "sublingual immunotherapy." Patients get liquids or pills containing extracts of grass pollen, dust mites, ragweed or other allergens and put a bit under their tongues at home each day.

But none of these products has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some U.S. physicians prescribe sublingual use of liquid extracts approved for injections - but that is an unproven practice. And some studies on sublingual products under development have failed to show they work better than placebos.

That is changing, though. In one new study, a daily sublingual grass pollen pill reduced symptoms and medication use 26 percent in children and teens, says Michael Blaiss, clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Blaiss, a consultant to the drug's maker, Merck, presented the data at a recent meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. A study in adults found similar results, he says.

The pills have not been compared with shots and might cost more. They are not available now.

What is increasingly available: faster shot schedules. In so-called rush immunotherapy, allergists give patients numerous shots over one to three days to quickly build tolerance so patients can soon start coming just once or twice a month. In the somewhat slower "cluster" technique, patients might come once or twice a week for a month and get two or three shots at each visit to get a faster start. These patients all get antihistamines, steroids or other drugs to prevent dangerous reactions.

Cox says the cluster technique is more widely used and thought safer. But Fineman says he safely gives rush patients nine to 20 injections in a day.

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Friday, March 26, 2010

plus 2 more, “Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States”

plus 2 more, “Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States”


Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 04:46 AM PDT

Results of a recent UK study suggest that white children are more likely to have asthma than children of Indian and Bangladeshi heritage.

The team of researchers, representing the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit of the Medical Research Council, UK, used students, between the age of 11 and 13, from 51 schools in London as subjects for their study.

In the study, it was found that the condition prevailed less in Indian and Bangladeshi girls and Black African boys and girls as compared to the white boys and girls.

The study also showed that children, within their ethnic groups, having a family history of asthma or a generally poor mental health, were more likely to develop the breathing problem.

Another data suggested that increased body mass index (BMI), particularly in Black Africans, also increased the risk of developing asthma of a child.

Melissa J. Whitrow, PhD, and Seeromanie Harding, MSc, both of the Medical Research Council in Glasgow, Scotland, who were a part of the study, wrote, "The results suggest a role for socio-environmental factors in patterning ethnic differences in asthma in adolescence".

The details of the study can be found in the online journal BMC Pediatrics.

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Volunteers needed for asthma research - Mansfield News Journal

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 03:27 AM PDT

MANSFIELD -- North central Ohio adults with asthma can help a medical research team from Madison, Wisc., prepare a study targeting the rural Midwest.

David Van Sickle, a post doctoral fellow studying population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin, said scientists are seeking 150 asthmatics who use inhalers.

Volunteers will be asked to record their symptoms, when and where they happen, using an innovative tool that Reciprocal Sciences unveiled last year. The device, called the Spiroscout, is a GPS-enabled inhaler that pinpoints the exact geographic location and time when the inhaler is used.

"Our analyses of national survey data suggest that asthma is as prevalent in rural areas as in urban areas," said Teresa Morrison, medical epidemiologist in the Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch at the federal Centers for Disease Control. "Our goal is to document patterns of asthma symptoms among rural residents in Midwestern states, and learn more about possible environmental exposures that potentially lead to asthma attacks."

Debora Ortega-Carr, a doctor at Midwest Allergy and Asthma Associates on Cline Avenue, said most data suggests higher frequency of asthma triggers in cities than in rural areas. She also noted a significant genetic component.

"We know from previous studies in rural areas that grain, dust and tobacco smoke can all trigger asthma, but we want this study to generate new hypotheses," Van Sickle said. "We also don't want to enter the study with too many pre-existing ideas.

"At the individual level, people will learn about new environments or new triggers, and at the aggregate level, we hope to learn which work places or occupations are triggers."

There is no cost to participate and there is no risk involved. Participants will receive a small gift card.

"We don't change anyone's medication or dosage, we're just tracking," Van Sickle said.

For information, call 608-554-0750.

jkinton@nncogannett.com 419-521-7220

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'Miracle' asthma cure - Health 24

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 02:44 AM PDT

Last updated: Friday, March 26, 2010 Print

A centuries-old salt mine in Pakistan is offering experimental asthma therapy, attracting patients from all over the world.

Khewra, billed as the world's second largest salt mine, has for centuries extracted the crucial mineral for export and has become a tourist attraction complete with a salt mosque and an electric train.

Now, the mine is cashing in on salt therapy, already a draw in the salt mines of eastern Europe and a synthetic clinic in Britain.

Clinics claim that asthma patients and sufferers of other respiratory illnesses benefit from inhaling antibacterial salt particles in a sterile environment, helping loosen mucus and clear the lung passages.

Recover through the air

"We don't use any medicine, because the asthmatic allergy patients recover through the air, so we provide them an environment in which their breathing can improve," said Akhlaq Bukhari, head doctor at the Khewra clinic.

Although there have been few clinical studies, salt caves are seen by some as a therapeutic alternative to drugs and there are natural and synthetic salt caves springing up all over the world.

While other clinics offer treatment for bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and even ear infections, Shah says the Khewra clinic only treats patients whose asthma is triggered by allergies.

"I have come here all the way from Canada. I could not recover there through medicine, but I am feeling better since my arrival here," said Naeem Shamsher, a civil engineer from Canada.

Shamsher had tried medicine doled out by doctors back home, but felt little relief and struggled to walk far without becoming breathless, so relatives in Pakistan suggested he visit the Khewra Mines.

"Now I can run and even play soccer just after spending three days in the mine," said Shamsher, who says he feels 60% better after the treatment.

'Upmarket guesthouse'

The mine, located 160km south of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, was discovered in 320 BC by Alexander's troops and first developed by British colonial rulers in 1872, mine officials say.

Located deep underground in the mine, the asthma clinic resembles an upmarket guesthouse, with 12 beds covered in white sheets and red blankets in six independent cabins separated with salt bricks and softly lit by lamps.

There is a reception area decorated with salt lamps and a lounge complete with a fountain, sofas and a television set.

The walls and roof of the clinic are made from pure salt and a fan helps maintain the temperature and humidity, creating the so-called "micro-climate" that offers patients relief, Shah says.

A 10-day course at the Khewra Mines salt therapy centre costs 5,300 rupees (R460), with 11 hours a day spent in the caves while nights are spent in a nearby hospital.

60% of patients experience relief

Since opening in 2007, the clinic has treated about 500 patients. Shah claims that 60% of patients experience some relief from their symptoms and says patients have come from as far as Britain and Saudi Arabia.

Science is lacking

But Shahid Abbas, a doctor who runs the private Allergy and Asthma Centre in Islamabad, told AFP that although an asthma or allergy sufferer may get temporary relief, there is no quick-fix cure.

"There is no scientific proof that a person can permanently get rid of asthma by breathing in a salt mine or in a particular environment," he said.

Khaled Sajjad Khokhar, managing director of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, a government body which owns the mine, says they will assess the success of the Khewra clinic before approving its expansion to 100 beds.

But some patients are returning, happy to get even temporary relief.

"This hospital is a blessing, it gave me a second life. I never had problems breathing after spending 10 days over there in 2007," said Pakistani patient Adnan Khan, on his second visit to the clinic. - (Khurram Shahzad/Sapa, March 2010)

 

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