The article profiles nerve growth and regeneration, and discusses the importance of fully understanding axons in order to move forward with new, cutting edge procedures. Injuries to nerves that do not completely interrupt all its layers results in spontaneous regeneration, but it happens at an extremely slow rate and random pattern. The researchers showed that different proteins can be manipulated to improve the length and branching of nerves.The scientists focused their studies on repair proteins located near an injury site and in the axon of the nerve, as they’re hoping this will lead to a greater understanding in restoring length to damaged axons.

”This can be an important issue in patients who get synkinesis or aberrant regeneration of nerves after suffering from Bell’s palsy or other facial nerve injuries. If nerves can be manipulated to grow in a more systematic way, then the results of nerve repair can be improved,” said world-renowned facial paralysis surgeon, Dr. Azizzadeh. ”Furthermore, our current treatments of facial paralysis and nerve injuries often relies on nerve and muscle transfers; if we can improve the success of those procedures at the level of the nerve regeneration, then the patients can have a better outcome.”

As director of the Facial Paralysis Institute in Beverly Hills, Dr. Azizzadeh performs facial nerve transfers for patients dealing with severe facial paralysis and Bell’s palsy. Such procedures often involve the transfer of a nerve from one region of the body to another location in the face. Nerve transfer procedures provide patients with an immense increase in facial reanimation

”I’m focused on bringing my patients the best results possible, and right now that’s with facial nerve transfer procedures like the cross-facial nerve graft and the masseter to facial nerve transfer,” said Dr. Azizzadeh.

Dr. Azizzadeh is trained in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, as well as Head & Neck Surgery, giving him a distinctive insight into facial nerve function and facial aesthetics. Dr. Azizzadeh also has extensive training in microsurgical facial reconstruction, which is often required for the treatment of people who are born with facial paralysis. He is also the director of the USC Facial Plastic Fellowship Program, and the director of the world renowned Cedars-Sinai Advances in Multispecialty Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery Symposium.

The vaccine, manufactured by Circassia, a United Kingdom-based company, could significantly decrease the amount of visits required for patients to complete a treatment and is seen to be a more effective remedy with lesser risks. The drug has recently been approved at phase two by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the US and is currently undergoing phase 3. If everything goes well, approval should be granted in 2015.

Certain allergenic proteins are released whenever a cat cleans itself and these substances remain in the cat’s fur or get away to the air. Since the allergenic proteins are light and sticky, these can easily escape to vehicles, schools and even to homes where there aren’t been any cats at all. In an article published on fastcoexist.com, “Circassia focuses on a small part of the protein, producing synthetic versions of amino acids called peptides. The idea is to switch off the specific cells that cause the allergic reaction.”

According to Steve Harris, CEO of Circassia, the treatment process only involves four shots over a 12 week period as compared to the current method of weekly injections over an 8 month period which is then followed by injections between longer intervals. Research shows that so far, the effects of the Circassia treatment lasts about at least 1 year. “When patients were exposed to cat dander for three hours a day over four days, they had “barely noticeable” symptoms. This suggests that they will be able to be in the same room and interact with cats,” Harris says.

Statistics show that there is around 17% of the US population that is allergic to cats. Half the people from this figure manifest clinical symptoms when in close proximity, especially asthmatic children. People find current treatments to be tedious and with significant side effects. With the pending approval of the Circassia vaccine, cat lovers will be able to enjoy quality time with their pets.

While Circassia aims to develop treatments for specific allergies such as dust mites, rag weeds, other companies, such as Merck who is developing a new grass-allergy drug, allergy sufferers may have something to look forward to in terms of controlling their symptoms. However, PURE still recommends prevention above all else, including the use of hypoallergenic solutions, regardless if treatments are available or not.

- Courtesy of PRWeb

1. The causes of multiple sclerosis include, but may not be limited to:
a.) Genetics
b.) Infections
c.) Diet

Answer: All of the above. Genetics is an underlying factor, while toxins and infections for example may allow genetic predispositions to manifest as disease activity.

2. True or false? The medications typically used in multiple sclerosis are well tolerated with a clear track record of benefit in multiple sclerosis patients.

Answer: False. Unfortunately, the medications used today for multiple sclerosis often carry such significant side affects that many patients choose not to use them.

3.True or False? Vitamin B12 and folic acid are commonly needed for those with multiple sclerosis?

Answer: True: Serum B12 and folic acid levels are useful as measures of need ONLY when the levels are low. High levels of these nutrients may actually indicate intracellular (inside the cell) deficiency of these nutrients. A homocysteine and methylmalonic acid tests can indicate if these nutrients are being “misused” in the body or deficient. Also, there are several different forms of B12 and folic acid and the best choice needs to be determined (i.e., cyanocobalamine, adenosylcobalamine, hydroxycobalamine, L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate.

4.True or False? The use of a tri-peptide amino acid called n-acetyl cytokine (a.k.a NAC) potentially provides antiviral, detoxififying, mucolytic and immune balancing effects in MS?

Answer: True.

5. True or false? Vaccinations are also considered causal factors for multiple sclerosis.

Answer: True. According to a study entitled, “Environmental Risk Factors in Multiple Sclerosis Aetology”, that appeared in the Journal: Lancet Neurology in December 2004.

6. True or false? The best treatment for multiple sclerosis is the use of a clean organically-based diet along with the appropriate nutritional supplements.

Answer: Neither True NOR False. Dietary therapies, plus others used in alternative medicine, are certainly essentially in our opinion for both the prevention and treatment of multiple sclerosis. Careful laboratory assessments should be used by an experienced practitioner for determining individual needs of nutritional supplements. For example, low vitamin D levels are inversely related to an increased risk of multiple sclerosis and a downward spiral of the disease; sun exposure or taking vitamin D supplements is no guarantee of correction.

7. True or false? The average neurologist does an excellent job at looking for the cause of multiple sclerosis.

Answer: False. Sadly, the typical neurologist makes very little attempt to look for the actual underlying causes of MS in some individual. The medications approved for MS are quite clear to neurologists and these medications tend to be recommended. Potential causes of multiple sclerosis involve exposure to toxins that may have occurred during any period of the person’s life, various nutritional deficiencies and other lifestyle factors such as stress.

8. True or false? A variety of nutritional factors have been well or reasonably well studied in multiple sclerosis and should always be used given their long track record of safety and overall health benefi ts.

Answer: Absolutely True. Why not use natural therapies that can be used with complete safely if they offer the possibility of a greater quality of life? Although many natural textbooks exist and information in the media is abundant describing various natural approaches for MS, each individual is different. Trained health professionals that have both classic and natural training in multiple sclerosis offer the best healing solutions.

- Dr. Michael Wald, Brain-Energy Blast

For more information about this or other topics please go to: www.intmedny.com

A little stress, acute stress, is actually good for you. It wakes up your creativity, fuels your vitality and keeps your immune system vigilant. The qualifying word is little. However, when stress becomes chronic and you find yourself rushing from activity to activity with no personal time for yourself, it’s not the external world that is landing on your doorstep; rather it’s your need to constantly open the door!

Here’s what happens when you experience stress. Powerful hormones are released throughout the body, elevating blood pressure and putting your senses on high alert. Glucose is driven up into the brain and muscles. Your evolutionary pre-programmed response is fight, flight or freeze. However, in modern times whom do you fight? Where is the proverbial saber tooth tiger? You take it out on all your relationships, most importantly the relationship you have with yourself.

Ultimately, stress robs you of an optimistic resiliency that allows you to adapt to various obstacles; instead you are hitting your head against a wall of frustration. This is why stress needs to be systematically released because it is toxic to health and happiness. Go green not only by shedding toxic chemicals or processed foods, but also by shedding stress. Even little stressors accumulate and inundate. While you might not be able to control the big stressors in life, you can do something about the small ones. Once you learn to reduce your personal stress response, you will notice that those various aches and pains disappear. Also, you will feel more energetic, experience more “aha” moments, and embrace your authentic true self.

8 little de-stressing techniques with a big impact:

• Begin your day in control instead of waking up with a jolt. Set your alarm clock five minutes earlier to lie in bed and ease into your day.

• Have a power breakfast of lean protein, complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs will help you release serotonin to stabilize mood and lean protein will help your brain focus. Food and mood correlate highly. Throughout the day eat balanced snacks and meals to be balanced. The Mediterranean diet is a good stress-reduction diet.

• Be aware that you are blown about in different directions with multi-tasking and over-scheduling. Begin by shedding one thing from your to-do list. How does this make you feel? What can you do for yourself with this new-found time?

• Move stress out of your body. Walk your legs to their next happiness. Begin an exercise program because Activity Alleviates Anxiety.

• Spend time outdoors to reset your natural rhythm from the technology overload. The sunshine vitamin improves mood.

• Find a creative hobby to compensate you for loss, disappointment and sadness. Fill the emptiness with what makes your heart sing.

• Practice re-framing negatives into positives every day. Human beings have a negativity bias which perpetuates the stress response and makes things seem more awful than they are. We all take the facts and make up stories about them. Make yours a positive or witty story. Cultivate a positivity bias to live in greater joy.

- Debbie Mandel, MA is the author of Turn On Your Inner Light and Addicted to Stress. She creates stress-management workshops and is an inspiring speaker. To learn more visit: www.turnonyourinnerlight.com

By Michelle Hastie

6. The Naturally Slim and Slender Don’t Work out Just So They Can Eat Food

This was probably the worst part of dieting EVER! Every time I ate I had to think about how much movement it would take to then remove that food off my body. This is an insane way to live! When you don’t have worries around weight you simply eat because you are hungry, and exercise because you want to.

7. The Naturally Slim and Slender Know They Don’t Need to Be Athletes

I don’t know about you but I grew up in the arts not the athletics. This doesn’t mean that I am completely inept when it comes to exercise (I mean I did become a personal trainer at some point). But when I decided to live like a personal trainer does, I gained weight faster than a speeding bullet. Ok well not that fast, but pretty darn fast. I move daily, don’t get me wrong… around my house, walking my dog, doing chores, etc. The truth is I lost 10 lbs. stuck on the couch for 30 days, so clearly this is not the answer.

8. The Naturally Slim and Slender Know that Missing a Day, Week or Month of Exercise Doesn’t Cause Weight Gain

Unless you are training to be in a marathon, body building competition or becoming a bikini model you do not need to worry about missing workouts. Your body is constantly changing. Some days it will want to move all day! Some days you will not want to move from your bed. The important thing is if you listen it will always balance itself out, so stop trying to do it for it! It’s only dieters that worry and guilt themselves over a missed workout.

There are sooooo many ways to move our bodies. You can do simple movements all day and never go to the gym and stay trim. You probably won’t have the strength or endurance you prefer, but you won’t be overweight. You can walk, do yoga, dance, cross fit, go to the gym, and it’s literally endless. It’s only dieters that choose their movements based on what burns the most calories versus what’s the most fun or feels the most amazing during… So many clients tell me how much they enjoy it after but not during. I choose not to do anything I don’t enjoy even for a minute that includes the stair stepper.

10. The Naturally Slim and Slender Don’t Worry About Exercise as a Means for Weight Loss

I know so many people who are thin and don’t ever “exercise” in the way you would define the word. They just do their regular movements throughout the day, eat until they are full and that’s that. Your body can adjust for anything. It can adjust your appetite for the months when you run 5 days a week and then the months when you barely get out walking. As long as you are listening you can always keep your body in balance. Eliminating your stress is the real cause of your weight loss and most dieters stress over their exercise or lack thereof. Focus on relaxation instead of exercise and see where that gets you!

- Michelle Hastie, President/Founder, As Seen In Shape Magazine, Total Body Health Solutions

It’s no secret that those with their ideal body have different thought patterns and beliefs. The question then becomes what the heck are those different thought patterns and beliefs? Being that I lived my life in my ideal body, overweight and then back to my ideal body I am very aware what those differences are. Today we are focusing on the 10 ways to change your thinking around food and exercise. This will allow you to have your ideal body by thinking the same way those who have the results you desire do! Now as you read these you may think to yourself… “Well of course they don’t do the things I do because they aren’t trying to lose weight, they are already slim!” I want you to think about whose habits you are modeling… most of you are modeling dieters. It’s time to listen to the real experts, those who don’t think about their weight ever!

1. The Naturally Slim and Slender Don’t Count Their Calories

Have you ever met someone who stays slim naturally? Not the person who is dieting to stay trim, but that person who you quietly scowl at because they are on their 3rd piece of pizza and you are wondering where the heck they put it? Well that person does not count their calories. Nor do they care. They simply eat until they are full and they trust that their body will give them that cue therefore it’s not their job to determine how much to eat.

2. The Naturally Slim and Slender Refuse to Starve

When you talk to someone who has never struggled with their weight they will tell you they love food, and they especially love to eat it. Duh right?! The only people who are starving themselves are dieters and last time I checked those aren’t the results you desire… so it’s time to stop following their habits!

3. The Naturally Slim and Slender Don’t Understand the Need for “Cheat Days”

Whenever I hear someone say they are having a “cheat day” I cringe a little because it takes me right back to my dieting days. Trust me when I tell you there are no naturally thin people having cheat days. In their mind every day is a cheat day because there are no rules! And when there are no rules, there is no desire to overeat, binge eat or eat the 3 pints of ice cream that you have to get out of the house before the cheat day is over.

4. The Naturally Slim and Slender Emotionally Eat without Weight Gain

5. The Naturally Slim and Slender Don’t Believe in Labeling Something as “Eating Bad”

First of all there is no “eating bad” when you aren’t worrying about your pounds. There is simply food that made you feel good and food that made you feel bad. No judgment. No shame. No guilt. Just an understanding that eating that food again definitely has a consequence. You can still eat it; you just have to deal with the consequences.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article…..

- Michelle Hastie, President/Founder, As Seen In Shape Magazine, Total Body Health Solutions

According to a study conducted by psychologists from the University of Wisconsin (Madison), stress does in fact do all of that, and more. To understand why, it’s necessary to start with the fact that memory is composed of several components, the two primary elements being the short-term and long-term memory. These different kinds of memories rely on very specific neurons in the brain. When stress is experienced by someone, it disrupts the signals in the prefrontal cortex of their brain, which interferes with their brain’s ability to retain short-term memory.

This interruption often accounts for a stressed person’s difficulty in focusing on the task at hand, or in simply remembering what else should be done next. According to the research results, although interference with the prefrontal cortex will not necessarily affect your memories in general, it will definitely affect your attention span. Because concentration is key to a good memory, having a well-organized prefrontal cortext is an integral component when you’re trying to improve your memory.

Explained psychology professor Craig Berridge, “People without a prefrontal cortex are very distractible. They’re very impulsive. They can be very argumentative.” Distractions are one of the top barriers to memory, and this study affirms what the developers of Ultimate Memory Software have concluded: stress does have a negative effect on memory improvement. Although the eReflect has produced a very reliable program that can help people improve their short-term memories, Ultimate Memory, they believe that no matter how effective their program is, it’s also extremely important for the software’s users to learn how to deal with their own stress, and eliminate it as much as possible from their lives.

Stress is not altogether avoidable, of course, but at the same time this isn’t a problem that is necessarily unsolvable. And it’s important to solve the problem as much as possible. This study confirms that stress can have a devastating affect on a person’s life, not only on their personal affairs, but even in the way their memory functions.

Finding a way to deal with stress, therefore, ought be at the top of everyone’s list. It’s an added benefit that it will provide them with sharper memories in the end as well.

To read the full press release…..Click here

- Courtesy of PRWeb

Dr. Moulavi joined Webponder.com, so that individuals looking to speak with an mdonline and interested in learning more about losing weight and getting healthier through the Smart for Life Management Centers could reach out to him and connect to him through face to face live video consultations. Webponder.com is an online expert advice website that connects visitors to Webponder with experts and professionals in a variety of fields through live video chats.

Dr. Moulavi graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree of Doctor of Medicine, and he completed post graduate training at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Dr. Moulavi has acted as the director of operation of multiple weight loss centers in the U.S. and Canada, and holds Board Certification in Bariatric Medicine. Dr. Moulavi previously practiced as a family doctor.

There are a wide variety of experts available on Webponder.com, including attorneys to get free legal advice online from, medical professionals, technology experts, and auto aficionados. Webponder combines the convenience and efficiency of live streaming video with the desire for face to face communication. Experts have profiles that are listed in Webponder’s directory that include their background information, professional credentials, educational history, uploaded videos and articles, and their rate sheet. Each expert chooses the individual rate at which they are willing to have a video consultation at, but many experts and professionals offer video consultations for free.

Someone looking for advice, a Member, can register for free on Webponder.com, and then browse the directory and choose the expert that they think is the best fit. Once they find the expert of their choice, they simply click on “Request a Meeting,” and send the expert a request. Once the expert reviews and approves their request, both parties simply login and click on the “Join Meeting” button, and they will then appear on each other’s screens.

- Courtesy of PRWeb

“Make a Perfect Plate to Oust Osteoporosis! Try having organic Greek yogurt and a few dried prunes for breakfast, Salad with canned salmon and gouda cheese, avocado and sunflower seeds for lunch and Steak with sautéed onions and sweet potato for Dinner,” says, Mira and Jayson Calton, PhD from their latest book, Rich Food, Poor Food: readers get a unique Grocery Purchasing System (GPS) to navigate the grocery store aisles with ease, identifying micronutrient-Rich Foods (those that contain higher amounts of the vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that the body needs to perform all the functions of healthy living.), while avoiding over 150 Poor Food ingredients such as pesticides, carcinogens, hormones, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Here’s why:

Breakfast: Yogurt and Dried Prunes.

Your bones require many micronutrients to stay strong. And you can’t absorb micronutrients without good strong gut bacteria. Start with an organic Greek yogurt and a few dried prunes. The yogurt gives you healthy bacteria to keep your gut ready to absorb vitamins and minerals. Purchase organic to ensure the dairy cows were not treated with rGBH (synthetic hormones). A Florida State University study proved that eating a serving of prunes every day stopped bone loss and increased bone density in post-menopausal women. The high fiber content in these wrinkled wonders also reduced hunger in study participants. Osteoporosis is the pits. To reduce your risk for it, enjoy these pitted delights.

Lunch: Salad with canned salmon and gouda cheese, avocado and sunflower seeds.

Don’t choose a spinach salad. Spinach has too much oxalic acid, which depletes magnesium and calcium. Opt for romaine and load it up with an array of brightly colored vegetables. Then add Gouda cheese to the top. This cheese of Dutch origin is the third-highest source of the elusive vitamin K2. Only natto, a Japanese fermented soybean dish, and goose liver pate surpass it. There are two natural forms of vitamin K—K1, which comes from plants and is essential for blood clotting, and K2, which comes from bacterial/animal sources and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, arterial calcification, rheumatoid arthritis, and even certain types of cancer. Chop up 3 ounces to be eaten over the day or dice into your salad here.

Add salmon: This fatty fish is a delicious source of vitamin D, which helps the body metabolize and absorb the calcium in food. Vitamin D is converted to its active form in the kidneys, enabling it to help with calcium absorption. Additionally, omega-3 in the salmon also helps absorb and retain calcium. The bones in the canned salmon are nearly impossible to see or taste but they add in a large dose of calcium to your meal.

The sunflower seeds and avocado are loaded with healthy fats, and also vitamin E, which aids in the utilization of that elusive vitamin K.

Dinner: Steak with sautéed onions and sweet potato

Beef: Don’t be cared of earlier reports that protein is bad for your bones. According to a systematic review including 61 studies from the past three decades published in Amer. Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that despite common misconceptions protein doesn’t negatively impact bone health. Choose your meat wisely. Purchase grass-fed organic beef for its higher levels of healthy fats like CLA and omega-3, and lower amounts of omega-6 and saturated fat than grain-fed cows.

Onions are loaded with numerous bone-building compounds. First, they contain something called F-L-glutamyl-trans- S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide that may inhibit the activity of cells responsible for breaking down bones. Onions also contain quercetin and kaempferol, two phytochemicals that may increase bone density. These white bone builders also promote bone health because they contain inulin, a plant fiber that has been shown to increase calcium absorption by 33 percent. So serving onions in a cream sauce may be a prescription for an osteoporosis free future. These numerous nutrients may help to explain why the women of Turkey, who have the highest consumption of onions in the world, also have the lowest osteoporosis fracture rate in Europe.

Sweet potato: Sweet potatoes are a fabulous source of potassium, which research suggests may boost bone health. Studies have found that people whose diet contains plenty of potassium have denser bones. They also lose less calcium in their urine.

- Mira and Jayson Calton, PhD

The Role Model In You
Today’s Guest – Donna Spangler

1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?

Donna Spangler, Hollywood beauty, fitness and lifestyle expert & author.

2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?

I lived with my grandmother and she always cooked for me and taught me to eat healthy. She had an organic vegetable garden, an avocado
tree and an apple tree. My parents were out of shape and I realized that I wanted to be in better shape and so I followed my grandmother’s guidance on eating
healthy.

3. What did they do to inspire you?

I guess you could say that my grandmother inspired me to eat healthy and she encouraged me to keep fit and in shape. My parents taught
me that I did not want to follow in their footsteps.

4. How did their lesson change your life?

My grandmother lived to be 97 years old which is a really long time especially for her era when people did not live as long. My father smoked
and drank and eats a lot of fatty foods and my mother always over ate and did not exercise. Today, they both have a lot of health issues. Looking at my parents
and grandmother, they all taught me that I wanted to take care of myself and live a healthy lifestyle.

5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?

I always try to encourage my nieces to exercise and eat healthy. I think they look at me as a role model. I am glad that I can give them positive
advice.

6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?

I would tell them to not eat sugar and fatty foods. I would tell them to stay away from cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. I would also tell them to
always be positive and to be kind to others in life.

7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?

www.DonnaSpangler.com