Editor's Letter
Hope for Diabetes, Cancer and the Brain
I would just like to say congratulations to us! We are celebrating our first year of online-only magazines (issue 151 to 190). Long may we be graced with good health and inspiration to continue.
IN THE NEWS
B12 Deficiency and Metformin
Decreased vitamin B12 levels, or vitamin B12 deficiency, is now considered to be a common side effect in patients on Diabetes Type 2 medicine, Metformin. This is especially so in those receiving a higher dose or longer treatment duration and in those with existing risk factors.
Promising Diabetes Research
An emerging way to treat diabetes is to repair or replace the cells in the body that naturally produce insulin. Swedish researchers have now identified a molecule that helps stimulate the growth of new insulin-producing cells, and uncovered how it works, opening up new potential diabetes treatments.
Cannabis as Opioid Replacement
According to a study published in the Frontiers in Pain Research journal, Israeli researchers showed that cannabis has the potential as an alternative to opioids for pain relief. As the opioid epidemic rages on, pain management and the need to reduce opioids are some of the main reasons access to medical marijuana is needed. The study found that using cannabis led to a 20 % drop in all patients' median pain intensity level.
Photoimmunotherapy Kills Brain Cancer
Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London have developed a new light-activated ‘photoimmunotherapy’ that could help treat brain cancer. The key is a compound that glows under light to guide surgeons to the tumor, while near-infrared light activates a cancer-killing mechanism. Tumor cells that glow under certain lighting conditions or imaging, can be removed more precisely.
‘Our study shows that a novel photoimmunotherapy treatment using a combination of a fluorescent marker, “affibody” protein and near-infrared light can both identify and treat leftover glioblastoma cells in mice,’ said Dr. Gabriela Kramer-Marek, lead author of the study. ‘In the future, we hope this approach can be used to treat human glioblastoma and potentially other cancers too.’
Social Isolation Changes Brains Structure
A study, published in Neurology, shows that social isolation is linked to changes in brain structure and cognition – the mental process of acquiring knowledge – it even carries an increased risk of dementia in older adults.
There's already a lot of evidence in support of the social brain hypothesis. Social isolation results in poorer cognition, including in memory and reaction time, and lower grey matter volumes in many parts of the brain. They also found a link between the lower grey matter volumes and specific genetic processes that are involved in Alzheimer's disease.
There is hope that in the future there will be better treatments for ageing and dementia. One avenue that is urgent to explore, is exogenous ketones (in the form of medium chain triglyceride [MCT] oil, for example, that can be taken in supplement form.
Enjoy this issue!
THANK YOU TO OUR EXPERTS
Our authors receive no payment or any other form of remuneration from us or from the industry. They take time out from their busy schedules to write articles – and then we insist that they meet our deadlines, submit extra references, answer endless queries from reviewers and copy editors, and respond to the letters we receive from you, our readers. Here’s to all of them! May their tireless and tremendous efforts bring them well-deserved rewards.
Yours in Healthy Living
Spirit – The Secret Ingredient
Table of Contents ↑|In our busy Western culture, with its emphasis on cell phone, e-mail and telephone communication, we tend to stay cocooned in our own worlds and out of touch with people around us. We have forgotten the importance of feeling loved and cared for; of the link between loving interaction with others and the will to live.
The Truth about Statins
Table of Contents ↑|Are statins really the wonder drug they are claimed to be? They do lower cholesterol, but at what cost? It’s important to weigh up the benefits and the adverse effects. This article takes a comprehensive look at the evidence.
Back to School with Happy Children
Table of Contents ↑|School is starting soon and your children are probably feeling excited, and maybe a little sad that summer is over. Some may even be feeling rather nervous and a bit anxious. But going back to school, or going for the first time, can be a calm and pleasant experience, if you, the parents, are prepared.
Dangers of Sodium Fluoride in Toothpaste
Table of Contents ↑|Sodium fluoride is derived from hydrofluoric acid which is produced by a reaction between sulphuric acid and fluorspar, an ore rich in calcium fluoride, which is a toxic chemical. In fact, fluoride is the main ingredient in rat poison.
Some Facts about Milk Thistle
Table of Contents ↑|Milk thistle has been used for over 2 000 years as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments. The herbal medicine comes from the plant’s seeds. It is available in capsules, as an alcohol tincture, or as a glycerite (concentrated in glycerine).
Make Your Own Cosmetics From Home – Naturally
Table of Contents ↑|Let the late Margaret Roberts inspire you to make your own cosmetics from home. Discover her secrets to a basic skin lotion, skin cream, facial scrub and how to make a fragrant facial steam.
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