What is Congenital Hypomyelinating Neuropathy (CHN)?

What is Congenital Hypomyelinating Neuropathy (CHN)?

CHN is a subtype of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a genetic, neurological disorder that causes damage to the peripheral nerves — tracts of nerve cell fibers that connect the brain and spinal cord to muscles and sensory organs.

Unlike other types of CMT, CHN is associated with reduced myelin formation (hypomyelination) from birth rather than a breakdown of existing myelin. Both genetically and clinically, it’s similar to Dejerine-Sottas disease, but usually has an earlier onset and slower progression.

What are the symptoms of CHN?

The symptoms of CHN are generalized weakness and loss of sensation, particularly in the peripheral areas of the body, such as the lower legs and feet, forearms and hands. It has an early onset but usually has a nonprogressive or slowly progressive course. Many children with CHN experience gradual improvements in strength as they grow up.

What causes CHN?

CHN is caused by defects in genes that influence the formation of myelin, an insulating coating on nerve fibers (axons). CHN is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. For more, see Causes/Inheritance.

What is the progression of CHN?

CHN has its onset at birth or in early infancy, and a nonprogressive or slowly progressive course.

What is the status of research on CHN?

CHN research is focused on exploring the effects of defects in genes related to the peripheral nervous system and devising strategies to combat these effects.

What causes Urticarial Vasculitis?

Urticarial vasculitis is a form of vasculitis that affects the skin, causing wheals or hives and/or red patches due to swelling of the small blood vessels. It has two forms: One with normal levels of proteins called complements; the other with low levels of complements; it’s called hypocomplementemic vasculitis.

The cause of most cases of urticarial vasculitis is unknown. It may be associated with a number of diseases, especially systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome. Some cancers, including leukemias, colon and pancreatic, and infections like Hepatitis B and C can cause this form of vasculitis. So can some drugs, including antibiotics, ACE inhibitors used for treating high blood pressure, and certain diuretics.

How common is it?

Urticarial vasculitis is uncommon. There are no well researched estimates of how frequent it is.

Who gets Urticarial Vasculitis?

Both males and females get the disease.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms are hives that cause itching, pain and a burning feeling. Skin patches often are red-rimmed with white centers, and unlike common hives may have petechia, or bleeding under the skin. The patches can be present for days and result in skin discoloration as they heal. Some patients may also have fevers, joint and abdominal pain, shortness of breath and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes urticarial vasculitis even causes injury to vital organs including the gut, lungs and kidneys.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on characteristic patches in the skin. Sometimes a biopsy is ordered to show inflammation in the skin and damage of small blood vessels with white blood cells. Since it’s often associated with a number of different diseases, it’s often necessary to do other tests and exams to rule out underlying conditions like lupus erythematosus or cancer. Tests of vital organs may also be indicated, especially when the blood levels of complement are low.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the extent of symptoms and organ involvement. When levels of complement are normal and there is no internal organ involvement or underlying disease, the symptoms may improve on their own or with minimal treatment. In this case, antihistamines or nonsteroidal drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen may be helpful. For more severe cases, other drugs which affect the immune system may be needed, such as corticosteroids (prednisone, others), hydroxychloroquine, colchicine, dapsone; and chemotherapies like azathioprine or cyclophosphamide. Treatment may be intermittent, although it is not uncommon for patients to need treatment for several years.

What are the complications?

The most common serious complications are skin pigmentation and, occasionally, skin ulcers, plus damage to organs such as the lungs, eyes and kidneys.

Prognosis

The natural history of urticarial vasculitis depends in part upon the blood complement levels. In cases where these are normal, the prognosis is generally good. In cases where the complements are low, the disease may be more severe. When urticarial vasculitis is related to a disease such as lupus or cancer, its prognosis is often governed by the prognosis of the underlying disease

What’s new in Urticarial Vasculitis?

Progress is being made in understanding how urticarial vasculitis comes about and how to better treat it.

Revision:  September 2012

The Vasculitis Foundation gratefully acknowledges Dr. Eric L. Matteson from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, for his expertise and contribution in compiling this information.

What is Central Nervous System Vasculitis?

Central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis is inflammation of blood vessel walls in the brain or spine. (The brain and the spine make up the central nervous system.) CNS vasculitis often occurs in the following situations:

•  accompanied by other autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and, rarely, rheumatoid arthritis

• infection, such as viral or bacterial

• systemic (affecting the whole body) vasculitic disorders (Wegener’s granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, Behçet’s syndrome);

• it can be without any associated systemic disorder. In this case, the vasculitis is only confined to the brain or the spinal cord; and, it is referred to as primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS).

What is the cause of Central Nervous System Vasculitis?

How the vessels in the brain become inflamed is not entirely clear. In some diseases, abnormal antibodies (autoantibodies) and white blood cells attack vessel walls and cause inflammation and destruction of the vessel wall. Infection caused by a virus can also cause CNS vasculitis.

Is Central Nervous System Vasculitis dangerous?

CNS vasculitis can be a serious condition. The inflamed vessel wall can block the flow of oxygen to the brain, causing a loss of brain function. In some cases, CNS vasculitis is life-threatening.

Symptoms

Symptoms of CNS vasculitis can include the following:

• severe headaches that last a long time
• strokes or transient ischemic attacks (“mini-strokes”)

• forgetfulness or confusion
• weakness

• problems with eyesight
• seizures
• encephalopathy (swelling and damage to the brain)
• sensation abnormalities

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of vasculitis, including CNS vasculitis, is based on a person’s medical history, symptoms, a complete physical examination, and the results of special laboratory tests. Blood abnormalities that are found in vasculitis include:

• anemia (low red blood cell count)
• high white blood cell count
• high platelet count
• kidney or liver problems
• allergic reactions
• finding immune complexes in the circulating blood
• identifying abnormal antibodies in the blood
• an increase in blood markers of inflammation

Types of Vestibular Disorders

IS THERE MORE THAN ONE KIND OF VESTIBULAR DISORDER?

The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If disease or injury damages these processing areas, vestibular disorders can result. Vestibular disorders can also result from or be worsened by genetic or environmental conditions, or occur for unknown reasons.

The most commonly diagnosed vestibular disorders include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis, Ménière’s disease, and secondary endolymphatic hydrops. Vestibular disorders also include superior canal dehiscence, acoustic neuroma, perilymph fistula, ototoxicity, enlarged vestibular aqueduct, migraine-associated vertigo, and mal de débarquement. Other problems related to vestibular dysfunction include complications from aging, autoimmune disorders, and allergies.

ACOUSTIC NEUROMA

Acoustic neuroma (also called a vestibular schwannoma) is a serious but nonmalignant tumor that develops on the sheath of inner ear's vestibulo-cochlear nerve, which transmits both balance and sound information to brain. (This nerve is also referred to as the acoustic nerve, hence the name.) As an acoustic neuroma grows, it compresses the vestibulo-cochlear nerve, usually causing hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness or loss of balance. Read more...

AGE-RELATED DIZZINESS AND IMBALANCE

Dizziness in the elderly can be a result of problems with the vestibular, central (brain-related), and vision systems, as well as from neuropathy, psychological causes, and unknown (idiopathic) causes. Vestibular disorders, however, are thought to be the most common cause of dizziness in older people, responsible for approximately 50% of the reported dizziness in the elderly. Read more...

AUTOIMMUNE INNER EAR DISEASE

When a virus attacks, the immune system defends the body. When the immune system malfunctions, its defense capabilities sometimes mistake the body's own cells for invading viruses or germs and attack them, which is referred to as autoimmunity. The immune system can attack the whole body or just certain systems, including the ear. When the ear is itself attacked, this is known as autoimmune inner ear disease. The progression of damage and functional loss caused by AIED can be rapid. Read more...

BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO (BPPV)

BPPV is a common vestibular disorder that causes vertigo, dizziness, and other symptoms due to debris that has collected within a part of the inner ear. This debris, called otoconia, is made up of small crystals of calcium carbonate (sometimes referred to informally as “ear rocks”). With head movement, the displaced otoconia shift, sending false signals to the brain.Read more...

CERVICOGENIC DIZZINESS

Neck pain often accompanies dizziness, but it may be difficult to tell whether the dizziness and the neck pain are related or just coincidental. Because true spinning vertigo is rarely associated with this syndrome, cervicogenic dizziness is a more accurate name for this syndrome. However, cervicogenic dizziness tends to be a controversial diagnosis, because there are no tests to confirm that it is the cause of the dizziness.Read more...

CHOLESTEATOMA

A cholesteatoma is a skin growth that occurs abnormally in the middle ear behind the eardrum. It is usually caused by repeated infection, and often takes the form of a cyst or pouch that sheds layers of old skin that builds up inside the ear. Over time, the cholesteatoma can increase in size and destroy the surrounding delicate bones of the middle ear. Hearing loss, dizziness, and facial muscle paralysis can result. Read more...

ENLARGED VESTIBULAR AQUEDUCT SYNDROME (EVAS)

An enlarged vestibular aqueduct is usually accompanied by an enlargement of the endolymphatic duct and sac, which help maintain the volume and ionic composition of endolymph necessary for transmitting hearing and nerve signals to the brain. When EVA causes hearing loss or balance symptoms, it is referred to as enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome (EVAS). Read more...

LABYRINTHITIS AND VESTIBULAR NEURITIS

Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis are disorders resulting from an infection that inflames the inner ear or the vestibulo-cochlear nerve (the eighth cranial nerve), which connects the inner ear to the brain. Neuritis (inflammation of the nerve) affects the vestibular branch of the vestibulo-cochlear nerve, resulting in dizziness or vertigo but no change in hearing. Labyrinthitis (inflammation of the labyrinth) occurs when an infection affects both branches of the nerve, resulting in hearing changes as well as dizziness or vertigo. Read more...

MAL DE DÉBARQUEMENT

Mal de débarquement literally means "sickness of disembarkment." This term originally referred to the illusion of movement felt as an aftereffect of travel by ship or boat. Some experts now include other types of travel, such as by train and airplane, and situations with new and different movement patterns, such as reclining on a waterbed. Read more...

MIGRAINE-ASSOCIATED VERTIGO (MAV)

Migraine, a disorder usually associated with headache, is extremely common and can cause several vestibular syndromes. Studies suggest that about 25 percent of migraineurs experience dizziness or migraine during attacks. Migraine-associated vertigo (MAV) can occur with or without pain. Read more...

MÉNIÈRE’S DISEASE

Ménière’s disease is a vestibular disorder that produces a recurring set of symptoms as a result of abnormally large amounts of a fluid called endolymph collecting in the inner ear. The exact cause of Ménière’s disease is not known. The four classic symptoms are vertigo, tinnitus, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, and fluctuating hearing. Read more...

OTOSCLEROSIS

Otosclerosis is the abnormal growth of bone of the inner ear. This bone prevents structures within the ear from working properly and causes different types of hearing loss, depending on which structure within the ear is affected. In addition to hearing loss, some people with otosclerosis experience dizziness and balance problems. Read more...

OTOTOXICITY

Ototoxicity ("ear poisoning") is due to exposure to drugs or chemicals that damage the inner ear or the vestibulo-cochlear nerve, which sends balance and hearing information from the inner ear to the brain. Ototoxicity can result in temporary or permanent disturbances of hearing, balance, or both. Many chemicals have ototoxic potential. Read more...

PEDIATRIC VESTIBULAR DISORDERS

The vestibular system is important for the development of normal movement reactions, motion tolerance, and motor control for postural alignment, balance, and vision. A vestibular system that is damaged by disease or injury in childhood can have a major impact on a child’s development. Read more...

PERILYMPH FISTULA

A perilymph fistula is a tear or defect in one of the small, thin membranes that separate the middle ear from the fluid-filled inner ear. When a fistula is present, changes in middle ear pressure will directly affect the inner ear, stimulating the balance and/or hearing structures and causing symptoms.Read more...

SECONDARY ENDOLYMPHATIC HYDROPS (SEH)

Secondary endolymphatic hydrops involves abnormalities in the quantity, composition, and pressure of an inner-ear fluid called endolymph, apparently in response to an event or underlying condition such as head trauma or ear surgery. It can occur with other inner ear disorders, allergies, or systemic disorders. Read more...

SUPERIOR CANAL DEHISCENCE

Superior canal dehiscence syndrome results from an opening (dehiscence) in the bone overlying the superior (uppermost) semicircular canal within the inner ear. With this dehiscence, the fluid in the membranous superior canal (which is located within the tubular cavity of the bony canal) can be displaced by sound and pressure stimuli, creating certain vestibular and/or auditory signs and symptoms. Read more...

TINNITUS

Tinnitus is a symptom that can be experienced with some types of vestibular disorders and is not vestibular disorder by itself. Tinnitus is abnormal noise perceived in one or both ears or in the head.  Tinnitus (pronounced either "TIN-uh-tus" or tin-Ny-tus" may be intermittent, or it might appear as a constant or continuous sound. It can be experienced as a ringing, hissing, whistling, buzzing, or clicking sound and can vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal. Click here to download a copy of our publication "Tinnitus: Ringing in the Ears"

VESTIBULAR HYPERACUSIS

Hyperacusis is the perception of an unusual auditory sensitivity to some noises or tones. It is an abnormal condition in which the complex electrical signals generated by sound vibrations are misinterpreted, confused, or exaggerated. With cochlear hyperacusis, subjects feel ear pain, discomfort, annoyance, or some other emotional reaction when certain sounds are heard. In vestibular hyperacusis, exposure to sound can result in falling or a loss of balance or postural control. Read more...

VERTEBROBASILAR INSUFFICIENCY

The vertebral and basilar arteries carry blood to the inner ear labyrinth, the vestibulo-cochlear nerve, and the brainstem. When blood flow through these vessels is restricted for any reason, it is called vertebrobasilar insufficiency. This is a common cause of vertigo in the elderly. The vertigo occurs suddenly without warning, usually lasts for several minutes, and can also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, headache, and impaired vision.

What causes Aspergillosis?
Aspergillus enters the body when you breathe in the fungal spores (“seeds”). This fungus is commonly found in your lungs and sinuses. If your immunity (the ability to “!ght off” infections) is normal, the infection can be contained and may never cause an illness. However, a weak immune system or having a chronic lung disease allows the Aspergillus to grow,  invade your lungs and spread throughout your body.
This may happen if you:

• have a cancer such as leukemmia or aplastic anemia
• take chemotherapy or are on corticosteroids for a long term
• had an organ transplant (kidney or lung)
• have advanced HIV infection 
• have a chronic lung disease like asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis or cystic fibrosis.

Flu in pregnancy may quadruple child’s risk for bipolar disorder

Pregnant mothers’ exposure to the flu was associated with a nearly fourfold increased risk that their child would develop bipolar disorder in adulthood, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.

“Prospective mothers should take common sense preventive measures, such as getting flu shots prior to and in the early stages of pregnancy and avoiding contact with people who are symptomatic,” said Alan Brown, M.D., M.P.H, of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, a grantee of the NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “In spite of public health recommendations, only a relatively small fraction of such women get immunized. The weight of evidence now suggests that benefits of the vaccine likely outweigh any possible risk to the mother or newborn.”

Brown and colleagues reported their findings online May 8, 2013 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Although there have been hints of a maternal influenza/bipolar disorder connection, the new study is the first to prospectively follow families in the same HMO, using physician-based diagnoses and structured standardized psychiatric measures. Access to unique Kaiser-Permanente, county and Child Health and Development Study  databases made it possible to include more cases with detailed maternal flu exposure information than in previous studies.

Among nearly a third of all children born in a northern California county during 1959-1966, researchers followed 92 who developed bipolar disorder, comparing rates of maternal flu diagnoses during pregnancy with 722 matched controls.

The nearly fourfold increased risk implicated influenza infection at any time during pregnancy, but there was evidence suggesting slightly higher risk if the flu occurred during the second or third trimesters. Moreover, the researchers linked flu exposure to a nearly sixfold increase in a subtype of bipolar disorder with psychotic features.

A previous study, by Brown and colleagues, in a related northern California sample, found a threefold increased risk for schizophrenia associated with maternal influenza during the first half of pregnancy. Autism has similarly been linked to first trimester maternal viral infections and to possibly related increases in inflammatory molecules.

This colorized transmission electron micrograph shows H1N1 influenza virus particles. Surface proteins on the virus particles are shown in black. Source: NIAID.

“Future research might investigate whether this same environmental risk factor might give rise to different disorders, depending on how the timing of the prenatal insult affects the developing fetal brain,” suggested Brown.

Bipolar disorder shares with schizophrenia a number of other suspected causes and illness features, the researchers note. For example, both share onset of symptoms in early adulthood, susceptibility genes, run in the same families, affect nearly one percent of the population, show psychotic behaviors and respond to antipsychotic medications.

Increasing evidence of such overlap between traditional diagnostic categories has led to the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project, which is laying the foundation for a new mental disorders classification system based on brain circuits and dimensional mechanisms that cut across traditional diagnostic categories.

The research was also funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

The mission of the NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure. For more information, visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov.

About the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): The NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the Institute’s website athttp://www.nichd.nih.gov/.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visitwww.nih.gov.

7 Amazing Things To Know About Breasts

7 Amazing Things To Know About Breasts

Breasts want freedom.

Bras restrict the movement of lymphatic fluid through the breasts, underarm, and shoulders, thus causing toxins to build up in the breast tissue. Underwire bras are the worst culprit, as the metal also can disrupt the energy flow through the breast area. A recent French study has shown that women who don't wear bras actually have perkier breasts even as they age. Exercising, dance, and rebounding without a bra also allows the body's movements to support lymphatic flow and proper drainage of the breasts. The natural movement of the breasts as the body exercises and moves is another essential component to lymphatic health in the breasts. 

Breasts need massage. 

There is no muscle tissue in a women's breasts, so breasts need assistance to enhance circulation through the breast. A woman's breasts are mostly fat tissue along with milk ducts, connective tissue, nerves, and lymph glands. Self breast massage is an important regular practice for women to support their blood and lymph circulation and reduce build-up of toxins and hormones in the fatty tissue of the breasts. Massage your breasts daily with a natural cold-pressed vegetable oil, such as coconut, almond, or jojoba oil. You can also add pure essential oils such as rose, jasmine, or clary sage to your massage oil base. I'm not talking about "man-handling" here, I'm talking about gentle self massage in which you get to know what your breasts feel like, notice any changes, and use gentle lymphatic and circulatory movements to enhance health. 

Breasts are hot.

It has been well-documented that a woman's breasts will synchronize with her newborn baby to become the perfect temperature. When a mother and baby are skin-to-skin postpartum, her breasts will naturally adjust their temperature to regulate the baby's body temperature optimally. A mother of twins will have each of her breasts match the ideal temperature for each one of her twins. A women's breasts are more reliable and efficient than any baby warmer. So breasts are totally hot - just not in the way people usually talk about. 

Breastmilk has a gazillion medicinal uses. 

Breastmilk is pretty much the most amazing food substance available to mankind. Mother's milk is completely unique and not possible to replicate (despite what you may have heard from the formula companies). It actually changes minute by minute, day to day, to provide exactly the right nourishment and immunities that a baby needs as determined by the breast through receiving information from the baby's saliva on the areola. There are over 400+ identified nutrients in human breast milk, including probiotics and an abundant source of stem cells. The first milk that comes out is colostrum, which is rich with immune factors and is considered to be "liquid gold", and extremely important for the life-long health of the baby. Breastmilk is also used by wise mamas for many purposes including putting on diaper rash, earaches, pink eye, sore throats, and many other healing needs. When a women breastfeeds the breastmilk bathes her milk ducts as it passes through to her baby, thus providing increased breast health and preventing breast cancer in direct relation to how long she nurses. 

Breasts are energy centers.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a complete system of health that has been practiced for thousands of years, based upon the movement of energy through the body on the meridians (energy lines) and acupoints (nodes of energy on the meridians). There are six meridians that run through the breast area, and three of them are the Kidney, Liver, and Stomach meridians where most breast lumps and cancer develop. TCM treats breast cancer by addressing the energy stagnation and movement of qi. Acupuncture and TCM are holistic ways to promote breast health and can be used in combination with other health care treatments as well. Massaging the acupressure points along the meridians, or holding these energy points around the breasts, can help with promoting breast and whole body health and vitality. Underwire bras can also interfere with the energy moving through the meridians in the breasts, another reason to let your boobs go free, or invest in a soft supportive natural fiber bra. 

Breasts are a lot like canaries.

You've heard about the canary in the coal mine? Miners would take canaries down in the mines with them, because the birds were so sensitive that if the environment was toxic the canaries would die, and then the miners would know to get out of there immediately! Breasts are extremely sensitive, they receive information from the environment and their tissues collect toxins and hormones, like jet fuel and flame retardants. When breastfeeding, the saliva from the baby is absorbed into the areola and the breasts then immediately respond by providing the nutrients and immune factors that the baby needs based upon the breast's incredibly sensitive receptors. Breast cancer is now the most common form of cancer for women in the US, and it's not because breasts or our genes are the problem. Our breasts are the canaries letting us know that our environment is toxic and we must make changes in our health, diets, exposure, and detox. Due to the over 70,000 chemicals now used in the US over the last 100 years, we are living in a toxic soup and exposed to chemicals in our air, food, water, homes, cars, clothes, and more. Our breasts are letting us know that we need to create a healthy change for our longevity and the future generations. 

Breasts are beautiful. 

Your breasts are perfect for you. All kinds of breasts are beautiful. Breasts change in shape and size over life, and that's okay. Some men like large breasts, others prefer small breasts, and some like medium sized. Whatever shape or size of your boobs is just right. Love your breasts! They have superpowers, they are intelligent, and they are amazing! In Mongolia, when a baby fusses, everyone lifts up their shirt and shakes their breasts for the baby, and the baby calms down and looks around amazed. Everyone laughs and smiles shaking their boobs, including mom, grandma, and grandpa too! So smile and love your boobs, they are awesome. 

36 Natural Alternatives for Infection

Most people have issues with bacterial or viral infections from time to time. Unnecessary antibiotics ARE dangerous! Antibiotics damage the integrity of the microbial balance in the gut. The healthy gut microflora is 70-80% of the immune system. Impaired immune systems are less effective at healing the body.

Plant products have historically been consumed and utilized for their anti-microbial and health boosting benefits. Many plant materials are being researched for their therapeutic value for our immune health.

Here are 36 natural substances which have been studied to help to support our body's immune system to heal itself!

1. Manuka honey fights serious infection caused by MRSA
2. The inhalation of tea catechin appears to suppress MRSA infection in the elderly.
3. Tea tree topical preparations are superior to standard topical regimen for the clearance of MRSA colonization.
4. Garlic and tea have antibacterial activity against Klebsiella, as well as drug resistant strains of Saphylococci, Enterococci and Psedomonas aeruginosa.
5. Water extract of garlic has antimicrobical activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria and Candida species, and many other microbials.
6. The compound found within garlic known as allicin has antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
7. Probiotic therapy has therapeutic value in treating Klebsiella infection in children.
8. Susceptibility to ear disease in children may be a result of deficiencies of zinc and vitamin A.
9. Topical nanocrystalline silver dressing may provide an alternative treatment for MRSAinfected wounds to oral antimicrobials.
10. Cranberry may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections by inhibiting biofilms in the bladder.
11. Probiotic strains from breast milk are superior to antibiotics in the treatment of infectiousmastitis.
12. Honey may have a therapeutic role in treating refractory chronic rhinosinusitus.
13. Honeydew and manuka honey has strong antimicrobial activity against multi-drug resistant pathogens.
14. Cinnamon verum bark has the highest antimicrobial activity, particularly against antibiotic resistant strains, of 13 essential oils tested.
15. A number of plant oil extracts inhibit multi-resistant strains of bacteria and yeast.
16. Clove, guava and lemongrass exhibit the highest synergism rate with antimicrobial drugs.
17. Thyme and Eucalyptus oil have antibacterial activity against MRSA isolates.
18. Compounds isolated from Bay leaf have anti-MRSA activity.
19. The essential oil of dill and peppermint enhances the antimicrobial activity of nitrofurantoin against enterobacteria.
20. Grape seed extract has bactericidal effects on MRSA.
21. A combination of Citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) and geranium oil showed the greatest anti-bacterial effects against MRSA.
22. Rosemary has activity against drug-resistant bacterial and fungal pathogens.
23. Propolis exhibits antimicrobial effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains resistant to various antibiotics and some microorganisms.
24. Cumin essential oil exhibits anti-Klebsiella activity.
25. Green tea exhibits anti-MRSA activity.
26. Mango seed kernel extract may potentially be useful as an alternative therapeutic agent or an adjunctive therapy along with penicillin G in the treatment of MRSA infections.
27. Wormwood, tarragon and eucalyptus contain the compound pipertone which reduces antibiotic resistance against Enterobacter cloacae.
28. Alpinia galanga contains a compound with activity against multi-drug resistant bacteria.
29. Elecampane (Inula helenium) has potent antisaphylococcal activity, including against MRSA.
30. Lavender oil has antimicrobial activity against methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
31. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG inhibits invasion of cultured human respiratory cells by macrolide-resistant group A streptococci.
32. Lime has potent antibacterial activity against multiple drug resistant E. coli.
33. Nigella sativa has anti-bacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
34. Nutmeg contains a compound with potent anti-biofilm activity against oral bacteria.
35. Olive leaf extract demonstrates antimicrobial activity against Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori and Staphylococcus aureus [including meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)].
36. Cinnamon and Oregano, containing cinnamaldehyde and carvacrol, respectively, exhibit powerful antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolates.

Got Prunes? Drop the Milk for This Exceptional Bone Builder

Ask anyone to name the one food that is best for building strong bones and you will, of course, hear overwhelmingly that it is milk. But not so fast - when it comes to improving bone health in postmenopausal women — and people of all ages for that matter — one researcher says prunes are a superstar for preventing fractures and osteoporosis.

Bahram H. Arjmandi, a Florida State professor and chairman of the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, tested 100 postmenopausal women over a 12-month period. 

One group of 55 women was instructed to consume 100 grams of dried plums (about 10 prunes) each day. Second control group of 45 women was told to consume 100 grams of dried apples. 

All of the study's participants also received daily doses of calcium (500 milligrams) and vitamin D (400 international units).

The results of the study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that the women eating prunes had significantly higher bone mineral density in the ulna (one of two long bones in the forearm) and spine, compared to the dried apple group. Arjmandi attributes the effect in part to the ability of prunes to suppress the rate of bone resorption, or the breakdown of bone, which tends to exceed the rate of new bone growth as people age.

Arjmandi recommends eating up to 10 prunes a day.  After years of comparing them to other fruits including figs, dates, strawberries and raisins, he says prunes are exceptional in their effect on bone mineral density.  That's not a surprising statement considering that his research was funded in part by the California Dried Plum Board.  But is it really true?   

The real bone magic in prunes is their high concentration of polyphenols.  These are powerful antioxidants that can help reduce bone loss.  And prunes are a good source of boron and copper, two trace minerals important in the formation of bones.

But many other fruits are also rich in polyphenols including apples, blackberries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapes, pears, pomegranates, raspberries, and strawberries.

And some of them might be better than prunes for another reason.  Prunes (along with cranberries and blueberries) are one of the few fruits that tend to shift your blood pH from alkaline to acid.  When that happens too much and acid levels are too high, your system can leach calcium from your bones to bring itself back to a healthy acid/alkaline balance. 

That's not to say that you shouldn't eat prunes, cranberries or blueberries.  It's all about moderation and balance.  Bone health requires a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, as well as bone-building fish, meat and stocks. 

So, yes, prunes are good for your bones.  But keep in mind that just eating 10 prunes a day, even if you love them, is not a quick fix for building a strong skeleton. 

   

For more about feeding your bones a healthy diet, research the hundreds of natural compounds that have been studied to support bone health, and read Dr. Annemarie Colbin's The Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones: A Holistic Approach.

Turmeric's Cardiovascular Benefits Found To Be As Powerful As Exercise

Nothing can replace exercise, but turmeric extract does a pretty good job of producing some of the same cardiovascular health benefits, most notably in women undergoing age-associated adverse changes in arterial health.

Despite the general lack of interest by conventional medical practitioners in turmeric's role in preventing heart disease, there is a robust body of published research on its remarkable cardioprotective properties, with three dozen study abstracts on the topic available to view on our database alone: turmeric's cardioprective properties.

Last year, we reported on a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology that found turmeric extract reduces post-bypass heart attack risk by 56%. Now, we would like to bring attention to a remarkable study published in the journal Nutrition Research in 2012 that revealed that curcumin, the primary polyphenol in turmeric and which gives the spice its golden hue, is as effective in improving vascular function in postmenopausal women as a moderate aerobic exercise training regimen. [1]

The 8-week long study involved 32 postmenopausal women who were assigned into 3 groups: a non-treatment control, exercise, and curcumin. Researchers ascertained the health of the inner lining of their blood vessels (known as the endothelium) by using ultrasound to measure flow-mediated arterial dilation, a well-known indicator of arterial elasticity and therefore endothelial function. A disturbance of the endothelial function is considered a key cause of the development of atherosclerosis.[2]Anything, therefore, that can prevent, reduce or reverse endothelial dysfunction therefore may reduce morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease.

Subjects in the curcumin group received 150 mg turmeric extract per day, for 8 weeks, supplying 25 mg of collodially dispersed nanoparticle curcumin. Their diet and exercise habits were unchanged during the study period.

Subjects in the exercise group underwent aerobic exercise training more than 3 days per week (2-3 supervised sessions and additional home-based training). Over the course of the 8 week exercise program involving cycling and walking, they engaged in between 30-60 minute long sessions, ranging in intensity from 60% of their individually determined maximal heart rate in the initial phase of the trial, to 70-75% maximal heart rate in the latter half.

After eight weeks of intervention, flow-mediated dilation increased significantly in both curcumin and exercise groups, compared to the control.  The researchers concluded:

The present study showed that regular ingestion of curcumin or regular aerobic exercise training significantly improved endothelial function. The magnitude of improvement in endothelial function to the same extent, suggesting that curcumin may prevent the age-associated decline in endothelial function in postmenopausal women."

Discussion:

While this study is encouraging for those who already use turmeric in their diet, or perhaps take a curcumin supplement to ward off a wide range of potential ailments (we have indexed over 600 conditions that may benefit from turmeric/curcumin ingestion), it should be clearly noted that exercise shouldn't, and can't be replaced with a supplement. Nor can exercise necessarily supplant the critical role that turmeric can play in human health and disease. Of course, if one incorporates plenty of regular exercise with regular culinary doses of turmeric, the synergy of health benefits produced would most likely far exceed exercise or turmeric taken alone.  The study didn't look at what would happen if both exercise and supplements were used, but if we feel the necessity to sit around waiting for another clinical trial before employing this obviously optimal strategy, we probably need a healthy dose of commonsense more than a supplement or exercise program.

Interestingly, another study published by the same research group in 2012 in the American Journal of Hypertension did look at the combined effect of curcumin and exercise in postmenopausal women in improving heart muscle stress tolerance, finding that "regular endurance exercise combined with daily curcumin ingestion may reduce LV [left ventricular] afterload to a greater extent than monotherapy with either intervention alone in postmenopausal women."  Chronic heightened left ventricular afterload can contribute to pathological hypertrophy of that region of the heart, and is associated with elevated blood pressure an aortic valve disease. These findings clearly indicate that combining exercise with turmeric (or curcumin) would produce the most benefit.

Another 'side benefit' of using turmeric with exercise is the fact that it an ideal remedy for reducing exercise-associated pain and inflammation. It has already been found quite effective in relieving symptoms associated with osteoarthritis, the details of which are discussed here: Turmeric Extract Puts Drugs For Knee Osteoarthritis To Shame.

For additional research on the benefits of turmeric and curcumin visit our research page on the topic, which includes over 1500 study abstracts: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/substance/curcumin

For additional research on over 80 natural substances which prevent, reduce or reverse endothelial dysfunction visit our page on the topic: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/disease/endothelial-dysfunction   

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Resources

• [1] Nobuhiko Akazawa, Youngju Choi, Asako Miyaki, Yoko Tanabe, Jun Sugawara, Ryuichi Ajisaka, Seiji Maeda. Curcumin ingestion and exercise training improve vascular endothelial function in postmenopausal women. Nutr Res. 2012 Oct ;32(10):795-9. Epub 2012 Oct 15. PMID: 23146777

• [2] M Toborek, S Kaiser. Endothelial cell functions. Relationship to atherogenesis. Basic Res Cardiol. 1999 Oct ;94(5):295-314. PMID: 10543305