The Human Genome Project

July 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

The human genome is the information on the make up of man which happens to be stored on 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human DNA. It is estimated that there are between 20,000 – 25,000 genes and about three billion pairs of DNA base pairs. In 2003 a project initiated by the US Department along with the National Institute of Health partnered with the Wellcome Trust (UK) and other nations such as Japan and France.

There were certain specific goals for this project which were as follows:

.        To find all the possible thousands of genes in the human DNA

2.     To find the sequence of the three billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA

3.     Provide a data base and store this information

4.     Improve tools for data analysis

5.     Transfer related technologies to the private sector

6.     Address the legal, ethical and social issues that may arise from the project.

This information could be used to track diseases and perhaps find cures.  Although the project (HGP) is complete the analysis is expected to continue for an indefinite period of time. The most important feature of this project not withstanding analysis is still ongoing, is the transfer of the technology to the private sector by the federal government, licensing the technologies and encouraging innovative research by the private sector.  This aided the biotechnology industry and facilitated the production of new products used widely in biomedical sciences. Technology continues to expand and knowledge increase which brings hope of ground breaking discoveries in the future.

 

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How Diet And Exercise Can Change Your Life

June 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in ...

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We have all heard how important it is to maintain a healthy diet and to exercise regularly to achieve an overall healthier lifestyle, but many of us have no idea why.  Of course monitoring calories, carbohydrates, and so on can help maintain a healthy weight as well as help those who are trying to lose weight achieve their weight loss goals, but there are many benefits than that.

For starters, when a person actively attempts to diet and exercise regularly, they tend to be conscious about what they eat a  s well as the activities that they participate in.  For example, the person who may have gone out with friends for happy hour a few times a week will most likely indulge in a few alcoholic beverages and an appetizer or two to tide them over.  The problem with this is that alcohol has many empty calories and chances are the appetizer will not be on the healthy side either.  That being said, a person with an active diet and exercise regimen will not necessarily skip the alcohol completely, but they may limit their intake to just one drink that has fewer calories than most like a light beer or a rum and diet coke.

Another way having a healthy lifestyle can change a person’s life has less to do with the person that is living the lifestlye but rather the people that are influenced by it.  Studies have shown that children often follow their parents when it comes to the things that they eat. So, when parents make it a point to ensure that their children lead a balanced diet, those habits will carry on for their lifetime.

 

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Coping With Sleep Deprivation

May 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Unfortunately, many people have temporary or chronic sleep deprivation and do not know how to treat it. Lack of a restful slumber can result in cognitive, social and other troubles. There are simple routines that can help people that have trouble obtaining a good night’s sleep.

 

A Sleeping moon in a cap. 

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Re-Decorate For Slumber

 

Some rooms are not decorated with sleeping in mind because of too many distractions. Electronics including computers should be removed from the room. Room colors should be calming and not include bright reds or oranges.

 

Create a Ritual

 

A simple bedtime routine can help ease your body and mind for sleeping. Decide to read a book, drink some tea or whatever helps prepare you for bed. This ritual should be followed daily and at the same time. A stable bedtime will train the body for sleeping at the right time.

 

Say No to Pick-me-ups

 

Limit the amount of cola, coffee and other caffeinated drinks in the evening that keep people awake. Nicotine and alcohol products are stimulants that should be avoided. Some types of fast-paced loud music should be avoided that may alert the body.

 

Avoid Naps

 

 

Example of dark circles 

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Persons that can not sleep at night should avoid sleeping through-out the day. If an individual withholds sleep in the daytime, then they may rest better at night. Sleeping at night will reinforce nightly bedtime rituals and set the body’s nightly clock.

 

Silence Phones

 

Although we live in a tech savvy nation, it can lead to deprived sleep opportunities. All communication devices should be silenced to guarantee a disturbance-free rest. Most people will respect your request for no correspondence between certain hours.

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One More bad Part About Smoking

April 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment
By Richard Wheeler (Zephyris) 2007. Lambda rep... 

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Medical science just keeps finding new reasons why smoking is a very bad idea. If anybody in this world still smokes cigarettes, they really do need to get a clue in a hurry, because there is yet another reason why this is a deadly and unproductive hobby to keep up with. Not only does smoking do all of the bad things everybody has known about for 50 years. It also damages the smoker’s DNA rapidly.

If your genes are important to you, stop smoking immediately says one study. Being a smoker is well known to cause all kinds of damage to your lungs, throat and other components of your respiratory system. Smoking has been known to cause cancer for two entire generations, though some people still smoke regularly in spite of all the dangers. While some people would simply sit back and allow these people to continue killing themselves, there is danger beyond the individual level. Smoking causes DNA damage, which could actually result in mutations in the smoker’s children.

While this will most likely not lead to smokers producing offspring that look like the mutants of pop culture, the potential here is frightening. A smoker’s genes are actually undergoing dangerous changes within minutes, as the carcinogens flood their systems. The possibilities of these mutations are as frightening over the long term as they are expensive over the short term. In short, this is just one more reason why anyone who has any concern for either their or their children’s health needs to stop smoking now if they have in the past, and keep as far away from smoke as possible.

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Information, Success: Personal Records

April 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The world is defined by information. Words are traded, numbers are exchanged, and knowledge is gained. Too often, however, that knowledge is offered only to a select few. The public is all too frequently unaware of data and how it affects them, and this is never more experienced than in health care.

Medication can baffle. Specialists can be hard to find. Hospitals and their rules can prove to be challenging too many, and there can be a sense of powerlessness with every misunderstood diagnosis or misread chart. It’s imperative that individuals gain a sense of control with their records. Health care information systems allow that control to be achieved.

Explained simply, health care information systems are online databases that enable users to input specific facts. They are intended as personal storage files, with all relevant details listed and organized. All prescriptions can be noted and all symptoms can be written. Appointments can be scheduled and files can even be made available to caregivers or doctors. Sharing is easy and instant, which ensures that results can be gained without confusion. These systems allow the public to understand their medical histories and chronicle every change.

But directories can only succeed when the information offered to them is current. It’s vital that all individuals update their files as often as possible. Note all concerns, drug interactions, and more. This is to ensure that physicians can provide the proper care and no mistakes will be made.  Choosing these databases offers the public a chance to reclaim control over their health. The facts are relevant and the results are worthwhile.

 

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Does Eating Sugar Cause Diabetes?

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

There seems to be many misconceptions about how people become diabetic. One is that eating sugar will cause you to have the disease. With as much information as if there is available, one would think that people would by now understand that eating sugar does not “cause” a person to have diabetes. Educating ones self can help put the myths about diabetes out of the picture.

 

There are cases where eating high calorie foods will cause a person to be overweight or even obese, which can contribute to some individuals developing type 2 diabetes, but it is not the actual sugar that is causing it to develop. It is normally the extra weight that is gained when a person is consuming too many sugary foods that are high in calories. Any high calorie foods, whether they are sweetened with sugar or not, can cause weight gain, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is raised when a person is overweight.
Knowing the different types of diabetes can also be useful in separating the facts from the myths. Millions of people are diagnosed with some form of the disease every year. The most common type of diabetes is type 2. It is normally diagnosed when a person is middle aged and is not caused by eating sugar, but is many times cause by the person being very overweight. Several different ethnic groups are more prone to being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and those include Hispanics, African Americans and some with American Indian heritage.
Another form of diabetes is type 1. This too, has absolutely nothing at all to do with consuming sugar, although most diabetics do have to limit their sugar intake, once diagnosed. Type 1 can be an inherited disease. Many individuals with this type of diabetes are diagnosed when they are children.

 

The last form of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and is called gestational diabetes. It commonly occurs during the last trimester of pregnancy. Many times the woman will not be diabetic after giving birth.
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Healthy Living: Hobbies That Can Help Keep You Healthy

March 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment
We all realize that in order to be healthy, we need to do physical exercise of some sort. Something that is often times overlooked though, is the emotional aspect of living healthy. Staying as stress free as possible can be one of the best emotional exercises ever. In order to do this, we sometimes  need to back away from the problems that are causing the stress, and learn to put our energy into something more positive, like an enjoyable hobby.
Healthy hobbies can include the types that are also forms of physical exercise, such as yoga. Yoga is said to lift emotional stress, lower blood pressure and also gently stretch the muscles of the body. Yoga is one of the most popular types of stress relief hobbies, enjoyed by thousands daily. Before doing any type of new exercise program, it is always wise to consult with your physician first.

If your talents lie in the areas of art, you can take up sketching or painting. These types of activities are said to lower the blood pressure, while helping stress levels drop significantly. Producing something with your hands is also a great way to lower stress. Molding pottery or growing a small vegetable garden are two ideas. By being outdoors, you will absorb Vitamin D, which is not only good for you physically, but also mentally. Other more physical types of hobbies include learning different styles of dance. This is a good form of physical exercise, emotional relief and also a good way to make new acquaintances.

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Living Healthy: Exercise and Good Health

March 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
For some of us, the word “exercise” instantly brings up thoughts of perspiration and muscle agony. If you would like to start living a healthier lifestyle, learning to exercise doesn’t have to be a torturous experience. The key to success when beginning a new exercise program is to keep things simple and easy, so you don’t overwhelm yourself and give up.
The first thing to do before beginning any new exercise program is to make a quick trip to your physician to make sure you are healthy enough to do the type of program you are most interested in. Most times there are no problems, but it’s best to get a physical first, just to be on the safe side.
One great way to exercise without overly exerting yourself is to start taking a walk. Even a walk around the block can be a great way to get your heart muscle strengthened, along with your leg and calf muscles. Begin slowly. Exercise should be enjoyable, so don’t look at your daily walks as if you are running a race. Enjoy the scenery. If you have a dog, take he or she with you for company. Start out with short distances. Before you know it, you may be walking further without even realizing it. It’s a great way to get Vitamin D from the sunshine, a healthy dose of fresh air, and you may even meet others that are beginning to lead a healthier lifestyle by walking.

If walking is out of the question, there are usually gyms near most neighborhoods. Depending on your budget, you may even be able to hire a trainer to help you know which exercises will benefit you the most.

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Tips for Living Healthy: Changing Your Eating Habits

March 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Nearly everyone would like to live a healthier lifestyle, but it can be hard to break old habits and make drastic lifestyle changes overnight. The key to becoming healthier is to take small positive steps without overwhelming yourself. As time goes on, you will more then likely be able to add more changes that result in a healthier you.

 

 

Most of us think of our eating habits when we think of unhealthy areas in our life. The foods we eat do play a massive role in how healthy or unhealthy we are, but having a craving for certain foods may not be a habit that can be broken easily. The key to success when trying to change eating habits is to begin slowly. Don’t try to completely stop eating all of your favorite foods in one day, or even one week. Make small changes that won’t be as noticeable. One tip is to lower your salt intake or change to using sea salt. This can help lower your blood pressure.

 

Consuming fast foods has become a nationwide problem. These foods are so over processed that they rarely include any vitamins or minerals. If you frequently eat fast foods, try to lessen the number of trips you make to the nearest drive-thru. If you eat oatmeal for breakfast, but you like the pre-sweetened kind, try making cooking old fashioned oats and using organic brown sugar instead. Try eating whole wheat or whole grain breads with your lunch. In this way you will get some much needed fiber into your diet. These are just a few of the helpful hints available for changing your eating habits and becoming healthier.
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Natural Ways to Eat Healthier and Lose Weight

March 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Obesity is becoming a national problem. Not only are children becoming overweight, but the number of adults that are obese continues to rise. There are many diet plans available, from extremely unhealthy styles, to physician approved varieties. One should never radically change their diet while attempting to lose weight without their physicians full approval.

 

One way to be become healthier and lose weight is to consume foods that are normally found right in most kitchen cabinets. To start, many spices are known to be all natural fat burners. One in particular is cinnamon. Cinnamon not only lowers the levels of sugar in the blood, but it is a healthy fat burner. Consuming at least one teaspoon full of cinnamon a day, mixed with other foods, can help burn calories quickly. Garlic is also known as a natural fat burner. It contains a natural antibiotic and can also lower blood sugar levels. Ginger can be used for upset stomachs and also as a fat burner. It increases body heat, thus burning calories quickly. Ginger also helps with circulation problems.

 

Eating fruits and vegetables are not only good for you, but many of them contain pectin, which is a great way to rid the body of extra calories. The Vitamin C that many fruits contain, especially oranges, grapefruit and limes, can help keep extra calories from becoming fat. Some vegetables that are high in Vitamin C do the same. These include cabbage, carrots and celery. Vitamin C helps the body dilute the fats that are found in many high calorie foods. Fruits and vegetables that contain the natural ingredient called pectin are also great natural fat burners. Apples are known to be a good source of pectin.
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