Did You Know? Fast Facts About Liver Disease

It's amazing that all our organs
can fit inside our abdomen

There are a lot of temptations to overindulge during the summer and Christmas holidays. It is important to eat healthy and continue to exercise.  


Your liver needs foods that contain Vitamins A, E and K to stay healthy. Your liver is a vital organ that you can't live without and it performs over 500 bodily functions. 


If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. 


If you have risk factors like diabetes or high cholesterol, stay on the straight and narrow, especially when there are multiple opportunities to indulge.


For liver transplants, your new liver will still be functional while it regenerates.  But even if 75% of your liver were removed due to disease or trauma and if you only had 25% left, that 25% could regenerate a full-size liver in 8 to 15 days.  Isn't that amazing?


Now that is Awesome!


WHERE IS YOUR LIVER? 

Your liver is located in the front upper right-hand section of your abdomen, just under your diaphragm and on top of your stomach, right kidney, and intestines.  



WHAT IS ITS FUNCTION?

Your liver is one of your largest and most important organs and performs over 500 functions. Primarily it filters your blood just like the kidneys do, and helps to digest and break down food and drugs to make it easier for the rest of the body to use.  The liver also stores glucose in the form of glycogen and helps in maintaining the proper amount of glucose in the blood




RISK FACTORS FOR LIVER CANCER OR CIRRHOSIS


One main cause of cirrhosis is drinking large amounts of alcohol for many years. 


If you are very overweight, have diabetes or a condition called metabolic syndrome, you are at higher risk of getting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,  a buildup of fat in your liver which can lead to liver cancer.


Certain diseases can make you more likely to get liver cancer, including:


Long-term hepatitis B or C -- viruses that attack and damage your liver


Cirrhosis -- liver damage that can make scar tissue replace healthy tissue



Liver diseases you’re born with, like Wilson’s disease (when you have too much copper in your liver)



Toxins Raise Your Risk

Some of these can cause liver cancer, including:

Aflatoxins: poisons made by molds that can grow on crops like corn and peanuts if they’re not stored the right way


Arsenic: a chemical that’s sometimes in well water


Thorium dioxide: a substance once used for some kinds of X-rays (it’s not used anymore)



Vinyl chloride: a chemical used to make some kinds of plastics

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LIVER CANCER

Most people don’t notice any signs of liver cancer early on. Here are some of the main symptoms:

-- Feel full easily or not want to eat

-- Have a lump below your right rib cage

-- Feel pain on the upper right side of your belly or near your right shoulder

-- Have an upset stomach

-- Have swelling in your belly

-- Feel tired and weak

-- Lose weight

--Have white, chalky poop and dark urine


-- Notice your skin and the whites of your eyes are a yellowish color  

TESTS

If your doctor thinks you might have liver cancer, he may recommend:

Biopsy: He will take a small sample of your liver to test for cancer.

Blood tests:  Checks how well your liver is working and look for things in your blood that may be signs of cancer, called tumor markers.

Imaging tests: This might be an ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or an angiogram, which is a kind of X-ray that looks at your blood vessels.

STAGES 

The stages tell you how far the cancer has spread:

Stage I: One tumor that hasn’t spread anywhere else

Stage II: One tumor that’s spread into blood vessels, or more than one tumor, but all smaller than 2 inches

Stage III: One tumor that’s spread to major blood vessels or nearby organs, or more than one tumor and at least one of them is larger than 2 inches

Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other body parts.

TREATMENT PLANS: 

Treatment for liver cancer depends on the stage you have, as well as your age, overall health, and the health of your liver. If the cancer hasn’t spread and you don’t have other liver problems, you may have:

--Treatment: Surgery to remove the tumor

A liver transplant, where you get a new liver from a donor. This isn’t common.

--Treatment: Ablation Therapy

This tries to kill cancer cells in different ways:

Alcohol: Your doctor puts pure alcohol into the tumors to destroy them.

Freezing: Your doctor uses a thin, blunt instrument called a probe to freeze and kill tumor cells.

Heat: Microwaves can make enough heat to destroy tumors.

Electrical pulses: Bursts of electricity kill cancer cells (this is still being tested).

--Treatment: Targeted Therapy

Cancer cells work differently than normal cells. Targeted therapy uses drugs designed to attack cancer cells based on those differences. This may keep tumors from making blood vessels they need to survive, or it may stop tumor cells from dividing so they can’t grow.

CAN LIVER CANCER BE PREVENTED?

No, but you can lower your chances of getting liver cancer:

1. Get the hepatitis B vaccine.

2. Stay a healthy weight through the food you eat and exercise.

3. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink: up to one a day for women, two for men.

4. Don’t use intravenous (IV) drugs -- if you do, use clean needles.

5. Get tattoos and piercings only at safe, clean shops.

6. Practice safe sex.

Sources: WebMD, Healthline, and NIH


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Did You Know? Ancient Inventions You Thought Were Modern

 

It is surprising how many things we use every day that have been in use by humans for thousands of years. This list of ten things all predate the birth of Christ and they are all things that we are familiar with and might be regular users of some.

Plastic surgery was performed in India in 2000 BC,
but its successfulness was in the eyes of the beholder

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Teeth were excavated and found to be over 9000 years old

.

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Cataracts are not a new phenomenon.  As early as 6th century BC,
cataract surgeries were performed

.

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Central heating systems were used from 1000 BC
in Ancient Roman civilization and ancient Korea

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Ancient Assyrians knew about lenses over 3000 years ago

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In 3000 BC, a system of weights and measures was devised
to replace using an arm or hand a guide

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Perfume dates back more than 4000 years

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Ice skates date back to 200 AD

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Plumbing Pipes date  back to 2700 BC

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Plywood is not a new invention, it's been made
for thousands of years

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Brain Teasing Games Can Slow Down Mental Decay

Playing brain-teasing games for just two hours a week may help slow the progression of dementia and other mind-altering diseases. 

So all those people who say your brain is going to go to mush, tell them it isn't true. To study how video games affect the brain, German researchers conducted a study, which was released in July 2013. They asked 23 adults with a median age of 25 to play the game "Super Mario 64" for 30 minutes a day, over a period of two months. A second separate control group did not play video games at all.

Examining the brains of the two groups using an MRI machine, they found that the gaming group had a rise in gray matter in the right hippocampus, right prefrontal cortex, and the cerebellum -- the areas of the brain responsible for spatial navigation, memory formation, strategic planning and fine motor skills in the hands.

While previous studies have shown differences in the brain structure of video gamers, the present study can demonstrate the direct causal link between video gaming and a volumetric brain increase. This proves that specific brain regions can be trained by means of video games.


It's possible that very soon we will see video games potentially be used as a therapy for patients with mental disorders that cause brain regions to shrink or be altered.


Such diseases include schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer's.


"Whether it's a specially manufactured game or something like 'World of Warcraft,' games are cognitively complex and require mental energy and abilities to play them," said Jason Allaire, an associate professor in the department of psychology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, who was not involved with the study. "Whenever you do anything that requires mental energy, you're exercising your abilities -- it's just like if you exercise your muscles, you get stronger."

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Dentures in the 18th Century

A dentist's advertisement for real human teeth

The above advertisement from 1792 may seem funny to some of our readers, but it was a reality for dentists who had no other option but to advertise for human teeth so they could make dentures for their wealthy patients.  

Upper-class British aristocrats had terrible teeth due to their overconsumption of sugar and sugary foods, liquor, and wines - all of which rotted and discolored their teeth.  They tried to whiten their teeth but the procedure ended up destroying the enamel. They needed dentures, preferred to have human teeth, and were willing to pay high prices because human teeth were in very short supply.   

Grave robbers jumped at the chance to make some money and used pliers to yank out the teeth of any dead soldier as long as the teeth were in good condition to sell them. 

Once the dentist bought the teeth, they would be boiled, the ends chopped off, and shaved down to shape them to fit in with the other teeth on the dentures.

According to a June 2015 BBC article, dentists would acquire the live human teeth, fasten them with rivets onto ivory dentures, then file them to make them uniform.  


This next picture shows teeth that were taken from dead Waterloo soldiers and strung up on piano wire to be offered for sale. By 1832, human teeth or "Waterloo teeth" were starting to phase out because of advancements in dentistry.

Dentures used to be made from real teeth of soldiers who died at Waterloo

An ivory denture with human teeth could cost over £100.   

In early days of dentistry, dentures were held together with springs

But there were a few rural dentists and jewelers who still advertised as late as 1851 for human teeth. 

At the time of the Battle of Waterloo, says the BDA Museum's Rachel Bairsto, anyone could call themselves a dentist and give you medical advice about your teeth. You might even go to a jeweler to get your dentures adjusted.

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Household Items That Are Poisonous To Pets

Pet owners treat their pets like their children but when they bring a new pet into their home, sometimes they don't bother to child-proof their house to make it safe for their pet.

How safe is your house for your pet?

Are your everyday household items put out of his reach?

When was the last time you pet-proofed your house?

Do you feed your pet "table food?"

The most common household items in your pantry, basement, and garage that are not a threat to humans, can be toxic to your pet.   Here is a room by room review, but each is only a partial list.

BATHROOM
Medications - both prescription and over-the-counter drugs
Caffeine pills
Drain and toilet cleaners
Bleach
Ammonia
Lime and rust removal products
Cough drops
Toothpaste
Q-tips
Deodorant
Shampoos and conditioners
Mouthwash
Toilet brush (used)
Room air fresheners
Plastic shower curtain liners (loosened)

ATTIC AND BASEMENT
Mothballs
Insecticides
Rodenticides
Paint
Rodent droppings




LAUNDRY ROOM
Detergent
Fabric softeners
Bleach
Dryer sheets
Lint
Detergent Pods
Rodent droppings

 


KITCHEN
Nuts - macadamia, peanuts in shells, etc)
Chocolate
Raisins and currants
Grapes
Caffeinated products (coffee, tea, cocoa)
Chicken bones
Table salt
All cleaning products
Steel wool
Kitchen sponges
Fatty scraps
Used oil containers
Onions
Chives
Garlic
Unbaked yeast dough

GARAGE AND SHED

Fertilizers
Mothballs
Bone meal and other products used to treat gardens
Compost
Lawn food
Glue
Weed killer
Sharp objects
Antifreeze
Windshield washer fluid
Motor oil
Gasoline
Ice melting products
Grub and snail baits
Rodenticides
Paint
Antifreeze
Windshield washer fluid
Motor oil
Gasoline

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Is Chocolate The New Superfood?

Many books and magazines call chocolate the new Superfood claiming that it can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease, and promote better memory, among other things. 

It is true that dark chocolate has more beneficial qualities than light chocolate and white chocolate.  

A universal serving size still has not been established after all these years. 

We do know that eating a lot of it will promote tooth decay, cause acne and make us gain weight. Some people who are already at risk for developing kidney stones will continue to get them because of eating too much chocolate.  Bingeing on chocolate can cause anxiety, diarrhea, and irritability.

Quercetin is a flavonol found in chocolate. Flavonols are plant-based nutrients and quercetin is a potent antioxidant that protects your cells against damage by free radicals.   

But chocolate is loaded with sugar and other additives.  Any benefits that you think you would be getting from eating chocolate are canceled out by the sugar and other additives.   


Are all forms of chocolate good for you?

If the chocolate you eat has been processed, the processing method could strip the flavonols from the chocolate, which would leave no nutrients and no health benefits.  


Whenever surveys and studies are mentioned in an article, the studies are most likely funded by the chocolate companies themselves, namely Mars Company whose operating budget can easily fund dozens of studies. Each study usually has an ulterior motive to produce a positive outcome.  Therefore the studies will find as many good reasons as possible to say that chocolate is good and healthy so that people will keep buying it.  

Like a drug.

Just because chocolate has some health benefits, do you think that chocolate has earned the title of Superfood?  Use comments to voice your opinion.


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Health Benefits Of Fennel Essential Oil

The following statements are not proven facts. Use them as a guideline, but not as medical advice.

The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of fennel essential oil has been used to heal wounds, reduce and prevent spasms in the gut, relieve gas and constipation, treat digestive issues, and aid in weight loss.

Fennel Essential Oil has lots of benefits

1 - Heals Wounds  
The essential oil of fennel has certain compounds which contribute to its antiseptic properties and protects wounds from becoming septic. Fennel essential oil is also effective in preventing incisions from becoming septic, particularly after surgeries, Caesarian deliveries, and other serious wounds.


2 - Relieves Spasms  
Spasms are abnormal contractions occurring in respiratory tracts, intestines, muscles, or nerves. The spasms can cause continuous coughing, hiccups, acute pain and a pulling sensation in the intestines, cramps, muscle pulls, convulsions, or epileptic attacks. If not treated in time, a patient may have acute pain in the intestines or breathing difficulties. Fennel essential oil has a relaxing effect on nerves, muscles, intestines, and the respiratory system and it pacifies spasmodic attacks, giving quick relief.


3 - Eases Bowel Movements  
Fennel essential oil acts similar to purgative but is a little milder on the intestinal peristaltic motion. Fennel oil can help to clear the bowels and constipation. It protects the stomach from infections and ulcers and maintains the normal function of digestive acids and bile secretions.  Fennel oil is very good for people with chronic gas trouble. It helps gases escape from the intestines and can keep additional gas from forming.  


4- Kills Worms 
Fennel essential oil is an effective worm destroyer. It kills the worms and their spores in the intestines and the excretory tracts. This is great for children who frequently suffer from parasitic worms and can prevent malnourishment or stunted growth.


5 - Stimulates Urination - Diuretic
Fennel oil increases the frequency of urination and the quantity of urine, helping to not only remove excess water, sodium, uric acid, bile salts, and other toxic elements from the body but also lowering blood pressure, cleansing the kidneys and reducing fat. 

A word of caution: if you are not suffering from swelling or accumulation of water in the body, then you should drink more water when taking fennel oil since going to the bathroom so much can cause dehydration.

6 - Menopause and Menstruation 
Women with irregular, obstructed or painful menstruation can benefit from using fennel essential oil. Not only does it help to clear obstructed menses and make them regular, but it also gives relief from the other symptoms associated with periods such as headaches, pain in the abdominal area, dizziness, and mood swings. It can also help to prevent untimely or premature menopause.

7 - Promotes Lactation 
For lactating mothers, fennel essential oil can increase the amount of milk by boosting the production of estrogen. This benefits the baby as well as the mother and also protects the baby from flatulence, indigestion, and gas, which are very common in infants.

8 - Laxative  
Fennel oil is a good laxative and benefits those who have both chronic and acute constipation. However, unlike synthetic laxatives, it has no side effects and it can be used regularly.


9 - Healthy Spleen  
The spleen plays a vital role in our body governing the production of lymphocytes and red blood cells. Fennel oil helps to maintain the spleen.


Unproven Benefits

Fennel oil reduces obesity, wrinkles on the skin, and can be used to treat insect bites and colic, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, hiccups, dyspepsia, rheumatism, and excess cellulite.


Word of Caution: 
An organic component called trans-anethole, present in fennel essential oil, boosts the production of the estrogen hormone.  Although this is beneficial for lactating mothers, it is harmful to pregnant women and women with breast or uterine cancer or tumor, since excess estrogen is the main cause of such cancers. 


ALERT: In heavy doses, fennel essential oil may have narcotic effects and can result in convulsions, hallucinations, and mental imbalance. People suffering from epilepsy or with a history of that condition should avoid using fennel essential oil.


Fennel oil blends well with these oils: Sandalwood, Lavender, Geranium, and Rose.

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Remedies for Dry Cracked Feet

Home remedies for cracked feet

If you don't know what causes dry cracked feet before you can apply any remedies, or if you are doing something that contributes to the cause, no remedy is going to help get rid of the condition.



CAUSES:

1) Standing on your feet for too long

2) Fluid retention followed by fluid reduction

3) Obesity

4) Cold weather

5) Caustic soaps

6) Excessive exposure to water (i.e. soaking feet routinely, not drying thoroughly after bathing, leaving oils and creams on skin instead or blending into skin until dry)

7) Rough towels and bed linens

8) Certain medications

9) Not using moisturizer

10) Psoriasis or other skin conditions




Most of the current remedies concentrate on a moisturizing regimen. Vaseline was the most recommended moisturizer.




Here is a short video with some remedies. Click the square at the bottom right of the video screen to view it full screen.

As you can see, prevention is the best remedy.

Good fitting shoes and good
socks help cracked skin

Try to avoid exposing your feet to extremely hot or extremely cold weather by wearing the right footwear - good fitting shoes and dry socks, no matter what the weather is.  











If you take baths, avoid using very hot water because it will dry out your skin. Check the soap or bath salts that you are using to see if it has sulfate or fragrances listed in the ingredients because both are drying agents. 

Foot Magic scrub
moisturizes cracked feet

Moisturize your feet two or three times a day and then put on socks so your skin retains the moisturizer. If you get pedicures, inquire if you can add a paraffin wax treatment at an appointment.  It isn't a permanent fix, but it will provide some relief for a few days.  





For extremely dry cracked skin, you may need to get a prescription for steroid cream. If that isn't to your liking, consider using a liquid bandage to seal the cracks in your skin and prevent infections. Spray it on, put socks on, and forget about it.  The liquid coating dries fast. It is available over the counter. No prescription needed. 

Liquid bandage relief for cracked feet

There is a DIY remedy circulating on the Internet saying that super glue has had good success. Considering that super glue seals things so well that they will never un-glue, there was a study done in the late 1990's where patients put three drops of super glue on each crack, then allowed it to seal.  A week later the cracks were closed. We can't attest to the pain level because pain is different for everyone. So if you try it, write in the comments and let us know how it worked out for you. 

Baby Foot Peel is a chemical peel

A product being hyped at the moment is called BABY FOOT PEEL, which is  a Japanese foot chemical peel that comes in the form of gel-lined booties.  







The 1990's treatment has gone viral in 2018. Users have raved about the strips of dead skin that peel off after using the product, leaving their skin softer. 

This gives you an idea
of the cost of Baby Foot Peel 

  


Here’s how it works: After soaking your feet, you wear the booties for an hour, letting the natural extracts and fruit acids soak in. About one to two weeks later, users say the dead skin starts to peel off in sheets, revealing soft “baby-like” feet. Such big claims need a user to write a comment to let us know if it is true.

DIY Remedies

Regularly exfoliating and applying moisturizing foot cream can help treat and prevent flaky, itchy, dry feet. Many experts recommend soaking your feet first in warm water to soften the skin, then using an exfoliating scrub to gently remove dead skin. To treat rough, dry or cracked heels, follow up with a moisturizer such as Gold Bond Triple-Action Foot Cream or Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Foot Magic with vitamin E.

Pumice stone removes
dry skin and calluses

A pumice stone removes dry, dead skin and calluses. This lightweight volcanic rock has a rough, porous texture that is perfect for sloughing off dead skin. Use it in the shower or after a bath a few times a week, rubbing the rougher areas of the feet to exfoliate. Follow up with moisturizer to seal.

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