Coffee Lessen the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis

Here's another reason to enjoy your cup of coffee, researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine conduct a study about coffee consumption effects to MS risk. According to the study, consuming four or more cups of coffee per day may reduce your risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).

They conducted the study since caffeine in coffee has been linked with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s, they speculate that it may also be true for other neurological disorders like MS.

They will be presenting the their study at the 67th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Washington, D.C., that will be held on April 18 to 25, 2015.

Dr. Ellen Mowry, assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University let the team which examine two studies, from Sweden and another from the United States. Included in both study are people with MS and people without MS.

The study from Sweden is composed of 1,629 people with MS and 2,807 those without MS. While the U.S. counterpart is composed of 1,159 people with MS and 1,172 without.

The results of the study from Sweden, the people who didn't consume coffee had 1 and a half times increased risk of developing MS compared to people who regularly drinks coffee of at least 6 cups a day during the year before symptoms appeared. Drinking large amounts of coffee 5 or 10 years before symptoms started was similarly protective.

while in the US study, those who don't drink coffee were also about 1 and a half times more likely to develop MS compared to those who drink four or more cups of coffee a day in the year before symptoms started to develop MS.

You can view the study here

Plant Flavored H2O

For me drinking plain water is still the best way to quench your thirst but if you want some flavor and spice up your water there choices now.

They say there are health benefits in drinking plant based water like vitamins, antioxidant, and minerals.

Coconut water - water that you can find inside young green coconuts. It is a natural energy/sports drink since it has high potassium and mineral content. It is also good for your figure since it has low levels of fat, carbohydrates, and calories. It has cytokinins, L-arginine, ascorbic acid and magnesium.

Artichoke Water - it contain antioxidants and agents that restrain cholesterol synthesis and raise bile production that reduce the overall blood cholesterol. It also contain fiber, folate, potassium, manganese, copper, and iron.

Maple Water - yep, it's not just for pancakes anymore. Maple syrup is popular to athletes since it has no additives, preservatives, and bleaching agents. It is also not fructose. Maple Water contains antioxidants, manganese, and zinc that enhance your immune system.

Prickly Pear Cactus Water - water that comes from a cacti fruit. It has high amount of fiber called pectin. It also contains high amount of antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Expert say that cactus water promotes healthy skin and act as a hangover remedy.

Aloe Vera Water - aloe vera contains a lot of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and enzymes that are good for you. It also has antioxidant.

Aloe vera is also used traditionally as a multipurpose skin treatment. In Ayurvedic medicine it is called kathalai, as are extracts from agave.

Just to warn you, Aloe vera has potential toxicity with side effects occurring at some dose levels both when ingested or applied topically.

Tobacco is the Deadliest Substance in the US

It might surprise you but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data Tobacco is the deadliest substance in the United States followed by Alcohol, opioid-based prescription painkillers, cocaine, and heroin. Both tobacco and alcohol are easily available which makes them deadly, while Heroin-linked deaths though illegal is shooting up topping 8,200 in 2013.
   
According to CDC tobacco is linked to one in five (5) deaths in the US each year, about 42,000 of the 480,000 deaths are caused by secondhand smoke. Even though data shows that tobacco use has declined over the years because of information campaigns, mandatory warning labels, public and workplace smoking bans, and higher taxes on tobacco products.

Alcohol related deaths which is at over 26,000 deaths in 2011 are mostly caused by liver failure and other health problems. However, if you include deaths due to drunk driving it will shoot up to 88,000 per year.

Excessive drinking also accounts to other problems like alcohol-induced aggression and erratic behavior. 40% of violent crimes are done by people who are in the influence of alcohol, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Experts says that to lessen this, alcohol should be regulated and taxed higher to reduce consumption.

Opioid-based prescription painkillers is directly linked to overdose deaths, CDC said that 31% of prescription painkiller-linked overdose deaths in 2011 are due to benzodiazepines, which is an anti-anxiety drug.

Very Generous Parents donate baby's organs

Parents of a 6-day old baby who died agreed to donate her organs for transplantation, a first in British medical Hospital. Doctors said that this will give hope to hundreds of other newborn babies and older children.

The transplant was done by a medical team at Hammersmith Hospital in London from a tiny newborn baby, that involves her kidneys and liver cells. The donor was a baby girl born at term after an emergency caesarean section. The baby was very sick since her brain had been starved of oxygen for a long period during the pregnancy that damaged her brain and was not able to respond to any stimuli. She weighed almost 3.2kg.

The doctor who attended to the baby, Gaurav Atreja, said, "It's extremely hard to put into words, the nature of my job". He said he was "very factual with the parents" and that "they showed their keenness and came back very quickly" to agree to the transplant.

Her parents gave consent to the hospital for organ donation, and 6 days after she was born when the death had been confirmed, the organs were retrieved with the help of an experienced surgeon from the National Organ Retrieval Service.

The baby's kidneys, only 3.8cm long, were about a third the size of an adult's, doctors said, but such organs are normally fully functioning after only about 37 weeks of pregnancy.

The researchers hope that this will help revolutionize a new way of thinking about neonatal organ donation.

Pope Francis Visit to Haiyan Victim Tacloban cut short because of Typhoon

Pope Francis visited the typhoon-ravage central Philippine city of Tacloban early Saturday January 17, 2015 but it was cut short due to an impending typhoon that is threatening the province.

In the main cathedral in Palo, Leyte he told the people, that he has a sad news and he will be leaving at 1 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. "I am sad about this, truly saddened, because I had something prepared especially for you."

Pope Francis received a gift from the church which is an image of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception made from the debris from the church which was torn by Haiyan.

The incoming Tropical Storm named Mekkhala has 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour winds, the storm suspended ferry services to Leyte and stranded thousands of travelers including some who wanted to see the pope.

Government officials estimated the crowd at 150,000 before the pope's arrival and said there were thousands more outside the airport.

After the mass according to a local news report a scaffolding near the stage collapsed killing a woman and a plane with government officials inside overshot the runway at Tacloban airport shortly after the Pope left.

The Pope will held a Sunday Mass at Manila's Rizal Park which is expected to draw 6 million worshipers.

In the U.S. an unknown host rips the pope saying “I was starting to really like this Pope." “He’s dead to me now. Oh yeah, f*ck the Pope. Look, George Bush said it: you’re either with us or against us. Apparently the Pope is not with us.” He was reacting to the Pope statements on criticism of religion.

Massachusetts Woman Gave Birth Didn't Know She was Pregnant

Katherine Kropas 23, of Weymouth, Massachusetts gave birth to a healthy 10-pound baby girl at South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth. She didn't know that she was pregnant, she delivered the baby Tuesday evening an hour after her doctors told her that she was pregnant.

She went to South Shore Hospital to have doctors look at her worsening back pain. Doctors could not trace the source of the pain, until they had her undergo an ultrasound test and found out she was carrying a baby in her womb.

The unprepared and clearly surprised mother was immediately rushed to the delivery room and gave birth at 11:06 pm Tuesday. She learned that she was pregnant at 10:15 PM. Kropas said that she didn't had any signs of pregnancy like morning sickness, but she had a swollen feet over the past nine months which she thought was the result of standing too much since she works as a caterer. She also said that she and her boyfriend always use birth control and her cycle didn't change.

She named her 10 lbs. baby girl Ellie.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

Let me wish you a very Happy New Year 

before the phone lines get jammed 

and internet slow down. 

Happy New Year 2015!