Women may say good bye to Alzheimer’s.

 
       A new study carried out at University of Baltimore reveled that, women who have been into a hormone replacement therapy within five years of entering menopause, and have been using hormones for ten or more years are 30 per cent less possible to develop Alzheimer’s disease over 11 years, against to women who have never used a hormone replacement therapy or started the treatment later in life.
“This study suggests there may be a critical window of opportunity around menopause during which hormone therapy may protect against Alzheimer's disease”, said study researcher Peter Zandi, associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Doctor Zandi and his team followed 1,768 women, counting 1,105 who had taken hormone replacement therapy. It was a nested case-control study that started in 1995 and finished in 2006. The results shown that 7.2 per cent of the women who had taken the hormone treatment developed Alzheimer’s, whereas 13.4 per cent of the women who had never used the therapy developed the disease.

Nevertheless, there are possible risks among the benefits of a hormone therapy when menopause comes into our lifes, as the use of them may also present side effects: raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer. Because of those reasons, some experts advise taking low doses and only for the time needed. 

Taking into account the benefits and the risks of being under a hormone replacement treatment, would you think of taking the pills when menopause and all the undesirable symptoms appear?

In case some of you do not know what menopause is about, this video will make clear any question you may have. 

Related articles: 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/251961.php

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121024164717.htm 

Forever young...

I want to live forever young!! Do you remember the song? I think everyone at some point of our lives  think about this, and one of the most important aspects to look forever young is to have a healthy and good looking skin but, would it be possible over 50’s. Well, maybe now it is.

Scientists have studied marine animals for years, and a recent study published in the online journal PLOS ONE could be the answer to our prayers. The study showed that sea cucumbers and sea urchins have the ability of changing the elasticity of collagen inside their bodies which would be the key for maintaining a vigorous appearance. And although they seem to be totally different from us, scientists have confirmed that our skin may work pretty similar to theirs.

The thing is: sea cucumbers and sea urchins contain genes encoding peptides that cause accelerated softening of collagen in their body wall, and as soon as scientist can understand how this process works specifically, they will be able to isolate these peptides and try them in humans’ skin.

But this is not the only benefit we can get from these creatures; the study also showed the existence of another peptide pretty similar to a hormone called calcitonin, which regulates our bones to remain them strong.

So now you choose, would try these peptides?

Beneficial venom ...?

Chamomile for stomachaches, lemon and honey for your flu, and the always well received aloe vera for healing scars; grandma always says that there isn’t better thing than nature’s products, and among life continues scientists have done a lot of efforts to reinforce that thought.

A most recent discovery involves an always feared and not so beloved animal, but after this that situation may change. I’m talking about the Black Mamba, one of the most dangerous snakes in South Africa, whose venom have been proved to contain a powerful painkiller that may surpass the well-known morphine.

Opiates such as morphine are known for being used by several well-known artists because of its effectiveness in treating pain, but is also known because of its addictive qualities and for causing vomit, strong headaches, muscle twitching and difficulty thinking to consumers. But this recently discovered pain-reliever molecule has all the benefits of a painkiller but without the side effects mentioned.Snake venoms contain toxins that can lower pain by activating some parts of the brain. Scientists tested isolated pain-killing proteins taken from this animal on mice - named mambalgins - , and the result was a total pain relief which later studies tested on human cells proved to work in a similar way in people.

Although this is still in diapers and needs for more testing, scientists and doctors are pretty optimistic in the development and effectiveness of this new drug which promises to make a change in lots of treatments, don’t you think?

Water Fluoridation: benefit or risk?

The addition of a fluoride compound to a public water supply for the purpose of reducing tooth decay is known as water fluoridation. This practice has been introduced in many countries, such as Brazil, Australia, the U.S., and Vietnam. Our country is not the exception. According to the Oral Health Department of the Chilean Ministry of Health, 70.5% of the Chilean population has been receiving fluoridated water. Nowadays, there is a controversial environment surrounding this topic. Many dental organizations support water fluoridation; however, some others reject this practice whenever it is proposed.

The controversy came up from ethical, moral, political, and safety concerns. Opponents all over the world argue that this practice:
• It is a form of obligatory mass medication. The consent of all people cannot be reached, and water supplies cannot control the amount of fluoride that every single person receives. In UK, the Green Party considers water fluoridation as a violation of Article 35 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, which it is about Health care.
• It can cause dental fluorosis. Scientific evidence proves that water fluoridation can alter the tooth development on children; however, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council posits that this effect is just cosmetic and it doesn’t represent any risk for people’s health.

• It is considered to be unsustainable. This practice is really expensive and can have impacts on the economy of the countries. The Canadian Green Party claims that water fluoridation is not effective enough to accept the costs.

Although all the statements against it, water fluoridation is widely used. So, Should we be against, or for this practice? Is it really necessary?