September 17, 2014

How NOT to Increase Your Sperm Count (it’s something you carry everyday)

Filed under: pregnancy,sperm — Tags: cell phones, fertility, sperm count — drwatson @ 8:31 pm

increase_sperm_countIt is estimated that about 14% of couples in middle and high income countries have a difficult time conceiving, and several countries are seeing declines in semen quality that can’t be explained. A relatively new study has published evidence that carrying cell phones in your pocket can negatively affect the semen quality of men.

While many  men may not realize it, they might be inadvertently reducing the quality of their semen via consistent exposure to RF-EMR (or “Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation”). This was suggested by the University of Exeter in the UK, who later went on to post their research in the Environmental International journal.

The study was conducted by Doctor Fiona Mathews, who is an experienced lecturer in the field of mammalian biology. Together with her team, they carried out over 10 studies that had showed how semen quality could be affected due to cell phones being too close to the proximity of the area where semen are produced.

They pooled together over 1,500 semen samples from men attending research centers and fertility clinics. The researchers analyzed three different areas of spear quality:

  • Concentration (the number of sperm per unit)
  • Viability (the proportion of the sperm)
  • Motility (the ability for the sperm to get around and towards an egg)

From the control group, sperm showed between 50 and 85% motility. However, this fell to about 8% on average where there had been a heavy exposure to cell phones. This was according to researchers. The results for overall sperm concentration remained unclear. Nonetheless, there was enough evidence to suggest that there was a correlation between the two.

According to Doctor Mathews, the evidence “strongly suggests” that consistent exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation in trouser pockets can reduce the overall quality of sperm. More specifically, it can lower sperm motility to only 8%! Whether or not this could actually affect infertility is unclear.

However, it is important to note that the quality of the sperm does go down, which can lead to clinical implications later, although this has yet to be proven in the research. The researchers performed a variety of tests, each of which were consistent with their original hypothesis. They were conducted under controlled conditions, and included men that were in the general population.

The researchers concluded that the evidence from these long-term studies utilized a randomized controlled trial in the general population, and it is for these reasons that one should consider the conclusions being quite strong. Mobile phones are exposing men to a higher risk of infertility in regards to semen quality, which is something that men should start considering as they move forward in today’s cell phone-dominated world.

Other studies have also suggested that being stressed can also reduce semen quality in men. While researchers did not investigate the underlying reasons, they did have good reason to think why this is true – the release of “glucocorticoids”, which is basically a hormone that could negatively affect semen quality. It’s just one more reason to avoid stress in today’s fast-paced society as a man.

March 27, 2014

Low Vitamin D Levels Can Damage the Brain

Filed under: brain injury,vitamin D,vitamins — Tags: brain, vitamin D — drwatson @ 6:59 pm

vitamin_d_and_brainVitamin D plays a crucial role in helping you maintain bone health. However, a new study at the University of Kentucky is suggesting that a lack of Vitamin D can actually cause damage to your brain as well as other vital organs.

Vitamin D and The Brain: Results from A Study

The results were published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine, and were astonishing: middle-aged rats were provided with a low Vitamin D diet for several months. During this time, drastic damage began to occur within the brain. More specifically, they weren’t able to retain information or learn.

Researchers believe that many brain proteins were discovered to have been much higher than normal, which could have lead to the massive amount of cognitive decline. The researchers also claim that the lack of vitamin D will increase in the U.S., and its effect on brain health is something that should not be overlooked.

How to Increase Your Vitamin D Levels

Given the fact that Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more widespread, especially amongst older individuals, it is even more imperative to make it a priority. Middle-aged to old-aged individuals tend to be the major targets for cognitive decline, and a lack of Vitamin D certainly doesn’t help the situation. So, what’s a great way to increase Vitamin D levels in a way that is effective and safe?

Well, you could always catch some rays. Commonly referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”, sunlight is a primary source of Vitamin D. In fact, it may even be a better source of Vitamin D than most food source. If you’re stuck between having to choose between walking and taking a car, going somewhere on foot will almost always be the better option for catching more rays.

Among the elderly population, low levels of vitamin D is common. But if you couple this with the fact that long-sleeved clothing and sunscreen is becoming equally as common, you’ll see the reason why Vitamin D deficiencies are increasing. Moreover, low Vitamin D levels have also been linked to Alzheimer’s diseases, as well as certain cancers and heart disease.

You should spend at least ten to fifteen minutes each day in the sun. While more time in the sun would be better, this should be enough to provide you with a sufficient amount of Vitamin D for the day.

You may also consider consuming more food that contains this vitamin D, including fortified milk, eggs, and oily fish. A last option is to take a vitamin D supplement.

Conclusion

If you are unsure whether you are low in Vitamin D, consider getting a blood test done. Although, if you live in a climate where there is less sunlight, chances are you require Vitamin D. Always consult your primary healthcare professional before thinking of making any chances to your diet, starting supplementation, or regarding any health questions you may have.

March 6, 2014

Heart Attack Blood Test

Filed under: heart attack — Tags: heart attack — drwatson @ 7:40 pm

heart-attack-blood-testAccording to The Heart Foundation, it is estimated that close to one million Americans are going to experience a heart attack this year. Unfortunately, the majority of these are going to strike without warning. Researchers from the Scripps Research Institute in California claim that they have devised a blood test that will help predict if an individual is at high risk of having a heart attack.

How Does The Heart Attack Blood Test Work?

Led by Professor Pet Khun, the research team states that there is currently no viable way to predict the occurrence of a heart attack in patients across the country. This medical discovery should change the way people undergo treatment for prevent heart attacks in the future.

The test itself works quite simply – after blood work has been completed, the test will identify “endothelial” cells in the blood. According to the researchers, it is these cells that are responsible with ongoing heart attacks. By accurately determining their frequency and quantity, doctors will be able to take more educated leaps towards predicting and preventing a heart attack.

Are Endothelial Cells Bad?

Researchers claim that endothelial cells will enter the bloodstream when disease starts building up inside of the arteries. These are essentially responsible for causing inflammation and ulcerating within the arteries, not to mention, they can lead to blood clots and eventually a heart attack. So, what can be done about these cells?

The newly-created procedure is referred to as “HD-CEC” (High-Definition Circulating Endothelial Cell). With it, researchers were able to identify endothelial cells in their samples from over seventy different patients who had already suffered heart attacks and some who didn’t. In short, the test was able to successfully separate those patients who had heart attacks from the ones who didn’t.

Basically, patients who had suffered a heart attack in the past had a much higher level of endothelial cells in their blood than the healthy patients. And to further concrete their findings, additional research had been conducted which included the identification of circulating tumors in patients who were diagnosed with cancer.

Professor Khun’s Final Thoughts

When interviewed, Professor Kuhn went on to add that the goal of these experiments were to determine and establish evidence for the fact that endothelial cells are much more prominent in unhealthy patients than healthy ones – which his research definitely concluded.In fact, the results were so precise and significant that he believes that he can already take the next step to create a test that helps identify the early stages of a heart attack.

Keep in mind that this isn’t the only research team attempting to establish a primary way of detecting a heart attack. In fact, researchers at the University of Edinburgh are attempting to accomplish something similar. Either way, new medical technology continues to emerge across the medical industry, creating more opportunities for people to evaluate their health and prevent health risks.

February 19, 2014

Caffeine and Memory

Filed under: Memory — Tags: caffeine, memory — drwatson @ 8:49 pm

memory and caffeineThere have been countless studies to suggest that caffeine offers some health benefits. And now, newer research is leading towards the conclusion that caffeine, when taken after a learning session, can help boost long-term memory.

The research team, by Daniel Borata, was determined to analyze and break down the effects of caffeine. More specifically, they wanted to see whether or not it could be used as a safe and reliable cognitive enhancer.

The Study Between Caffeine and Memory

Researchers analyzed 160 participants, each of whom were between the ages of 18 and 30. On the first day of the study, each participant was shown a picture of an object. They were then told to identify the object as either an “outdoor” or “indoor” item.

Shortly after, they were randomly given either a 200MG caffeine pill or a placebo tablet. The next day, participants were then shown the same pictures that they had seen previously, along with some newer ones. This time, they had to determine if the image was new, old, or similar to the original picture.

Does Caffeine Boost Memory?

From this experiment, researchers immediately noticed that individuals who had taken the caffeine pill were able to perform far more effectively at identifying the pictures that were similar versus the group who had taken the placebo. In short, the caffeine group was able to perform better cognitively.

The Recommended Dosage of Caffeine to Boost Memory

These studies suggest that taking about 200MG of caffeine per day can boost long-term memory. This is the average amount considering that the team had experimented with both 300MG and 100MG doses. In the end, they concluded that 200MG tablets were the most effective at helping people increase cognitive power.

The team also went on to say that memory performance was not increased if the participant was given the caffeine dose one hour before the test. So while the test wasn’t absolutely conclusive, it did point investigators in the right direction, and allowed them to see the infinite possibilities that caffeine can have on the human mind.

Additional Statements

The research team later made a statement which mentioned both the potential risks and benefits of using caffeine as a cognitive enhancer. According to the latest information from the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), the average person in the United States consumes about 300MG of caffeine every single day. The primary sources for this amount lies mainly in coffee and soft drinks.

On a final note, there have been studies that also suggest that caffeine can be used for additional health benefits. For example, caffeinated drinks, when consumed in proper amounts, can reduce the risk of liver disease as well as reduce suicide risk.

However, the potential downsides include disrupted sleeping patterns as well as irregular heart function. Needless to say, this research does suggest amazing cognitive benefits for individuals who consume around 200MG of caffeine per day. The team will continue to assess their theory and create a firmer conclusion later on down the road.

January 29, 2014

Negative Side Effects of Energy Drinks: Blood Pressure

Filed under: blood pressure — Tags: blood pressure, energy drinks — drwatson @ 7:53 pm

Negative Side Effects Of Energy DrinksEnergy drinks are consumed on a daily basis by many people. From Red Bull to Monster to less popular brands, it seems that new energy drinks are being created every single day. Some energy drinks have had much controversy surrounding them, like Four Loco and 5 Hour Energy, while others, like Red Bull and Monster, have gone relatively unscathed. Regardless of the brand or the controversy surrounding it, new studies have shown that there are negative side effects of energy drinks, surrounding cardiovascular health.

Energy Drink Side Effect 1: Increased Heart Rate

The main cause for concern when it comes to energy drink consumption is the increased heart rate. Cardiologists measure something called the QT interval, which is a measure of the electrical system of the heart that indicates heart’s rhythm. QT intervals were increased by as much as 10 milliseconds per energy drink consumed, which has doctors extremely concerned. While 10 milliseconds may not seem like a large increase, for the heart’s rhythm, it is. Since many people who consume energy drinks have two to three or more per day, and increasing QT by 30 milliseconds is enough to cause potentially life-threatening heart arrhythmias, doctors believe that, in light of this new study, energy drink consumption can lead to arrhythmia, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, heart disease, and even death.

Energy Drink Side Effect 2: Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

Any time you increase the heart rate, you will experience increased blood pressure. Think of your veins as garden hoses. If you pulse water through at a steady and consistent pace, it will flow rather well and the pressure inside the hose will remain stable. However, if you pulse water through very rapidly, this causes more water to be pushed through, causes the pulse generator, in your body’s case the heart, to work harder and causing the resulting pressure to be greater. This increased blood pressure combined with the arrhythmia created by the ingredients in energy drinks can lead to heart attack, heart disease, or death.

Energy Drinks Have No Guidelines

What is also unsettling is that energy drinks are not subject to guidelines imposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on other products, like soft drinks. A can of soda normally has about 70 mg of caffeine. However, since most energy drinks are sold as dietary supplements instead of food, they can contain between 160 and 500 mg of caffeine per serving, or more. Combine that with the taurine and other chemicals in the products and the health implications could be disastrous.

Overall, doctors say that balance in everything, including energy drinks, should not pose any threat to your health. However, the amount of energy drinks a person consumes can easily add up to a dangerous situation for his or her heart and overall health. Limiting the amount of energy drinks you consume can help to mitigate any health impacts, but to be safe, water, tea, and other types of drinks that are not chemically infused and that don’t contain exorbitant amounts of caffeine are the best way to go.

January 13, 2014

Viagra and Menstrual Cramps

Filed under: pain relief,Viagra — Tags: Menstrual Cramps, Viagra — drwatson @ 8:37 pm

Viagra-menstrual-crampsOn December 9th of 2013, a women dealing with extremely painful menstrual cramps found relief in a very unorthodox solution – erectile dysfunction pills. Sidenafil – the drug’s number one substance helped alleviate the pain associated with her cramps, according to the National Instructions of Health in the United Sates.

What Researchers Found

Researchers in charge of studying Viagra found that pain-relief nearly doubled in women who took the pill rather than the placebo. The study was conducted on twenty-five women, between the ages of 18-35. All of the women suffered from extremely painful menstrual periods.

Side-Effects of Viagra in Women

Typically, a first-line defense for women with menstrual pains has been anti-inflammatory drugs, like Ibuprofen. However, this drug has been known to cause kidney damage and create ulcers in individuals using the drug for a prolonged period of time.

Drugs like Viagra have the power to dilate blood vessels in the uterus and encourage blood flow, resulting in alleviated menstrual pain. However Viagra comes with one downfall when treating women’s pain: headaches. In order to prevent headaches, researchers have suggested that Viagra should be administered vaginally, instead of orally. When taken vaginally, Viagra is able to quickly treat pain and get the drug directly in the blood stream, encouraging blood flow and oxygen in the pelvic region.

A study at Penn State College, determined that a tablet of vaginally adminstered Sildenafil, didn’t cause any negative side effects in women. The women a part of the study claimed that their pain levels dropped by more than half than those women who took the placebos, and that they did not experience side effects like headaches.

Should Women Take Viagra During Their Menstrual Cycle?

Experts suggest that it does make a lot of sense for women with extreme menstrual pain to take Viagra. The drug can increases the amount of oxygen entering the pelvic area and dramatically decreases the level of pain.

November 21, 2013

CIPA Approved Canadian Pharmacies Recognized as Safe in the US

Filed under: discount canadian prescriptions,online pharmacies canada,Online Pharmacies Canada News — drwatson @ 7:56 pm

CIPA-approved-canadian-pharmacies-safeThe National Bureau of Economic Research has confirmed that members of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) sell prescription drugs that are 100% authentic, safe, and significantly cheaper than in the US.

The Study

A study conducted by the Bureau was conducted conducted by Roger Bate , Ph.D and Aparna Mathur , Ph.D from the American Enterprise Insitute and Ginger Zhe Jin , Ph.D from the University of Maryland Department of Economics.

The study took 370 samples of maintenance and lifestyle drugs from various pharmacies. The pharmacies included:

The Findings: CIPA Approved Pharmacies Are Safe and Cheaper

The final results of the study concluded that pharmacies that are certified by agencies, such as CIPA, not only provide good information to online customers, but also that the online pharmacies provide substantial savings to customers. This was particularly true for online Canadian pharmacies.

Moreover the study found that:

  • There is no difference in Canadian drug safety when compared to the US
  • The US charges upto 53% more for prescription drugs compared to foreign pharmacies, including Canadian pharmacies that are CIPA approved
  • On average, online pharmacies in Canada are 49.2% cheaper than in the US

Online Pharmacies Canada is a CIPA approved Canadian pharmacy, where you can purchase prescription drugs online, at discounted prices. For more information, click here .

October 30, 2013

Block Buster Delays: Why Prescription Drugs Can Cost so Much

Filed under: drug costs,drugs — Tags: cost of prescription drugs, deal delays — drwatson @ 11:57 pm

why_prescription_drugs_cost_so_muchMost people in the US do not know that they are paying ten times more for prescription drugs than they should be. Big companies, through deal delays, have manipulated the US market for prescription drugs. How so? They pay off smaller companies to hold off on the release of their cheaper drugs for up to nine years. This has been happening for many years and is not considered as illegal… yet.

A Reason Why Prescription Drugs Cost so Much

According to the report from Community Catalyst and USPIRG (United States Public Interest Research Group), giant pharmaceutical companies have monopolized most of the blockbuster generics in the market. Consumers have no choice but to purchase branded drugs when they could have had cheaper generic alternatives. This means that consumers suffer with the large costs of prescription drugs, while allowing the giant pharmaceutical companies to earn an estimated $98 billion in sales.

Top 10 Blockbuster Generics

Here are the 10 blockbuster generics delayed by deal delays based on the annual US sales.

1. Lipitor

Lipitor is used to help lower a person’s cholesterol level and treat coronary artery disease. The cost of this brand name drug dropped from $205 to just $18 for generic after nearly a two year delay.

2. Tamoxifen

This drug is designed to treat patients with breast cancer and was delayed for nine years, forcing cancer patients to pay $80 more per prescription.

3. Lamictal

This medication is used to treat epilepsy. Its three-year delay forced users to pay 33 times more per prescription than they would have with generics.

4. Cipro

Cipro is used to as an antibiotic to treat bacterial infections and anthrax exposure. Its release was held up for seven years giving the drug manufacturers more than a billion dollars in sales.

5. Provigil

This prescribed drug is used to help people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. It costs patients nearly $1,200 per month, but the manufacturers of this drug paid over $200 million to delay its release by over six years.

6. Aggrenox

This stroke prevention drug is also used to treat blood clots. Its generic release was held up for 7 years and forced users to pay $294 versus the $73 generic.

7. Niaspan

This drug is often prescribed to treat people diagnosed high cholesterol and/or coronary artery disease. It has been delayed in the market for 8 years and is expected to be released into the generic version this year.

8. AndroGel

This synthetic testosterone has been delayed for 8 years and is expected to come out in a generic version in 2015. Until then patients will need to pay an additional $283 per prescription.

9. Nexium

This drug helps to treat GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). While its 6 year wait will not end until 2014, drug makers are raking in over $5 billion dollars per year.

10. Nuvigil

Nuvigil is used to treat narcolepsy and is currently costing patient $450 per prescription. When it is released as a generic in four years, the price will drop to about $113.

If you are just learning about deal delays and finding out about one of the reasons that prescription drugs cost so much, you may be quite angry. The good news is that some members of Congress agree with you. Two separate bills have been introduced in the senate to stop this practice. The Supreme Court may also rule soon as to whether this practice breaks antitrust laws or not.

What is your opinion about deal delays? Let us know in the comment box below.

July 19, 2013

5 Steps to a Healthy Heart

Filed under: Online Pharmacies Canada News — Tags: healthy heart, online pharmacies, rxrights — drwatson @ 6:46 pm

Your heart is an essential organ. Without it, your blood would not pump, your lungs wouldn’t be able to get oxygen, your muscles would not be able to maintain healthy mass, and the cells in your body would not be able to sustain life. Since it’s your key to life, you really ought to be taking care of it.

Here are 7 steps to a healthy heart according to the American Health Association.

1. Be active.Healthy heart - rxrights
Over 70% of Americans do not obtain the amount of exercise required to sustain a healthy lifestyle. If you get less than two and a half hours of exercise a week, you need to start exercising more. Maintain a

2. Maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol can be very damaging to the heart if enough “bad cholesterol”(aka: LDL), is built up in the system. LDL can hinder the heart’s ability to work properly and could lead to heart attack, stroke, heart disease, and even death.

3. Eat a Healthy Diet
You don’t have to live off of carrots and walnuts in order to be healthy, but you do have to make some sacrifices. If you put unhealthy food into your body, your body will be unhealthy as a result. Junk food can clog arteries, raise cholesterol, and inhibit the heart’s ability to work properly.

4. Control Your Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is a crucial but often overlooked part of maintaining a healthy heart. If your blood pressure is too high, it can lead to stretched artery walls, clogged arteries, stroke, and heart attack. Over 90 percent of Americans will develop high blood pressure in their lifetime, while 33 percent of Americans are currently living their daily lives with high blood pressure and don’t even know it.

5. Control Your Blood Sugar
Sugar is absolutely everywhere. Most processed foods are packed with high levels of sugar and sodium. When sugar is ingested and not used, it is stored in the form of fat. By consuming lots of sugar, your blood sugar goes on a rollercoaster ride, which is very hard on your heart.

By following these seven simple steps, you can make great progress in improving your overall heart health. A healthy heart means less visits to the doctor and less money spent on prescription medications that can become very costly.

One additional step that you can take to maintain not only a healthy heart, but a healthy wallet, is to sign the RxRights petition to stop the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) from potentially blocking millions of Americans access to affordable prescription drugs.

We commonly see websites ending with the domains .com, .org, or even , .net, but by the end of this year there will be new domains introduced, including .pharmacy. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) is bidding to control the .pharmacy domain. If their bid is successful, this could have a significant impact on US citizens who purchase online prescriptions from online Canadian pharmacies, by making them pay double or even triple for prescription drugs. This will be done by blocking the importation of international prescriptions into the US.

Protect you and your family and friends from NABP by signing the RxRights petition by clicking on the following link: http://cqrcengage.com/rxrights/. Share the link with your family and friends to get them to sign the petition too.

If you have any questions, please call RxRights at 1-866-703-5442 or visit RxRights.org for more information.

July 12, 2013

1 Step to Take Right Now to Protect Your Rights to Affordable Online Prescriptions

Filed under: Online Pharmacies Canada News — Tags: online pharmacies, online prescriptions, petition — drwatson @ 4:25 pm

Online Pharmacies CanadaThe National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) is attempting to ban your access to online pharmacies. When you search for things on the internet and end up on websites, they typically end in .com, .org, or .net – by the end of this year, websites will also end with domains like .pharmacy. NABP is bidding to control this domain. If they do gain control over.pharmacy, they will take away your right to purchase online prescriptions forcing you to pay double, triple, or even quadruple the price for the prescription drugs that you and your family and friends need.

There is one step that you can take to help prevent NABP from banning your access to online prescriptions and that is by signing the petition at this link: http://cqrcengage.com/rxrights/. By signing this petition you will help in the efforts to stop NABP from controlling the .pharmacy domain. This will benefit you by being able to continue purchasing the online prescriptions that you need, at the prices that you want, from the online pharmacies that you trust. Be sure to share the petition link with your family and friends.

You live in a free country, so why would you not exercise your rights to choose who you buy your online prescriptions from?

If you have any questions, please call RxRights at 1-866-703-5442 or visit RxRights.org for more information.

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