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Periodontal Disease Treatment

Periodontal disease occurs when an infection is allowed to ravage the gums. It will come from plaque. Once you know how to live a healthy dental life, you will have less problems in other areas also. Read here on periodontal disease treatment.
The connections between dental health the health of the rest of the body are [...]

Romantic relationships increase women’s risk of being overweight

Marrying a man — or even living with one — increases a woman’s risk of being overweight. What!?
We’re all familiar with studies showing that marital status is associated with improved health and lower mortality. However, two recent studies suggest that having a male partner is associated with being overweight for women.
Data from the National Longitudinal [...]

Fish Oil Capsules and Your Mental Health

Taking a daily dose of fish oil can do wonders for your mental health and yet many of us are still unaware of this and tend to associate fish oil as having a beneficial effect on the heart or arthritis and not specifically on the brain itself.
It’s no coincidence that fish has long been known [...]

Hope For Men With Nonobstructive Infertility

It has been thought that men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), a lack of sperm in the semen not caused by an obstruction within the reproductive system, are poor candidates for IVF. Now, researchers writing in the open access journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology have shown that sperm from men with NOA and obstructive azoospermia (OA) are [...]

Should Women Receive Assisted Reproduction Treatment If They Are Obese, Smoke Or Consume Alcohol?

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has published a position statement on the impact of the life style factors obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption on natural and medically assisted reproduction.
In a literature study the ESHRE Task Force on Ethics and Law summarised the negative effects of obesity, smoking and drinking on the natural [...]

De-Toxifying Your Nail Polish

January 29th, 2010

smriti

justpolish There’s a lot of fuss being made these days about the ingredients in nail polish products-three (formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP) in particular. The tricky thing is that even though these “Big Three” (as they’re called in the industry) have been linked to certain health problems and concerns, not everyone agrees that the amount in your nail polish is cause for concern. In fact, this is what the FDA has to say about their stance on the situation: “Many nail products contain potentially harmful ingredients, but are allowed on the market because they are safe when used as directed. For example, some nail ingredients are harmful only when ingested, which is not their intended use.”

Well, if that makes you feel safe, then keep on using your regular old nail polish. But many women (particularly those who are pregnant) are figuring it’s better to be safe than sorry. Check out the info on each of the ingredients below and decide for yourself.

The Big Three:
Dibutyl phthalates (or DBP)
This “plasticizer” is added to polishes to help head off chipping. The worry here is some studies show it is an endocrine disruptor, which means that it affects the hormone system responsible for reproductive development. This is a particular concern during pregnancy, since some scientists suggest that DBP can cause underdeveloped genitals and reproductive problem in baby boys.

Formaldehyde
You find this chemical (classified as a “known human carcinogen”) in nail hardeners. There’s some debate over whether the amount used could be harmful since, according to a 1997 report by the U.S. consumer product safety commision formaldehyde is found in low levels in indoor and outdoor air. And this is what the FDA has to say: “Nail hardeners that contain formaldehyde may cause an irritation or allergic reaction to those sensitized to this compound. In 1984, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel reported that available toxicological data and other information were insufficient to conclude that cosmetics containing formaldehyde in excess of 0.2% are safe. However, the CIR was referring to cosmetic products applied to the skin, not nail products. The concentration of formaldehyde needed for nail hardening is higher than 0.2%, but formaldehyde is less likely to cause skin sensitization when shields are used to keep the hardener away from the skin.”

Toluene
Toluene is a solvent that helps your polish glide on easily. It’s been linked to nervous system disorders and kidney damage and has a set limit set by the E nvironmental protection agency regarding how much can be in drinking water for it to be considered safe.

Want to go Big-Three free? Here are some options:
Luckily if you’d like to steer clear of these ingredients, there are now some companies that are going completely free of all three. My personal experience has been that they tend to chip a little faster. But what’s a couple of nicks in your polish when you’ve got peace of mind?

The Fresh Beauty Catch of the Day: Caviar

January 29th, 2010

smriti

caviar.inline (1) Next time I go out for sushi, I may just be tempted to order some roe (those little brightly colored fish eggs) just for my laugh lines. That’s because over the last few years there’s been a spike in the number of skin care and hair products that feature caviar with promises that those little balls of DNA will make you look like a teenager all over again. In fact, there have been rumors of celebrities using fish-egg-spiked potions to turn back the clock. And when there’s buzz, I’m there to check it out.

First up: Skin care. The great news is those little suckers are just full of protein and good-for-you vitamins C, D and A. And it doesn’t hurt that they also contain amino acids which help cells repair themselves. Another plus: They’re chock full of marine DNA, which triggers cell turnover so you actually make new skin faster. It also helps retain moisture, so you get a glow while also temporarily plumping up your fine lines. And finally, since they’re 50 to 70 percent water with many of the elements found in your skin, it should be accepted by and absorbed in with little fanfare.

And the benefits for hair largely lie in the eggs’ Omega 3 fatty acids, which help retain moisture to up shine and increase the look and feel of your locks overall. Don’t believe the claims that it can help with your hair’s health -hair itself isn’t alive, which means you can’t mend split ends. But the more moisture you can pack each strand with, the more resistant it will be to new damage.

The bottom line: I’m not sure if smearing yourself head to toe with fish roe will truly get you miraculous results (especially because there isn’t much in the way of hard evidence to back it up), but I will say this: It sure does feel decadent to cover yourself in a delicacy usually served with a glass of champagne. Just beware that most of these products come with a caviar dreams price tag, though some are more in reach than others. Check out the options below:

Perle de Caviar is a complete skincare line started in France that’s been hard to find in stores, but is luckily easy to order on line.
Pevonia’s Caviar Line features a cleanser, lotion, cream and serum, all free of parabens. And there’s a new men’s eye balm launching soon as well.
La Praire’s Caviar Collection is said to firm skin and help with elasticity. This is the highest price of the bunch, since they range from $125 to $2,000.
Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging hair care line is a seriously hydrating-perfect for that end-of-summer dry out.

Hope For Men With Nonobstructive Infertility

January 29th, 2010

smriti

nepali men It has been thought that men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), a lack of sperm in the semen not caused by an obstruction within the reproductive system, are poor candidates for IVF. Now, researchers writing in the open access journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology have shown that sperm from men with NOA and obstructive azoospermia (OA) are equally capable of producing embryos.

Nina Desai led a team of researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation who carried out an in-depth analysis of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using frozen sperm taken from the testes of 44 men with OA and 17 men with NOA. They found that, although fertilization rates were slightly improved in the OA group, there were no significant differences in implantation rates or clinical pregnancy rates. According to Desai, “The high implantation rate per embryo transferred and the resultant live births attest to the quality of embryos being produced with both types of surgically retrieved sperm”.

In addition to evaluating the feasibility of NOA sperm, the researchers were also able to study paternal effect on genomic activation. One of the earliest morphologic indicators of embryonic genome activation is increased cell-to-cell adherence at the 8-cell stage, leading to compaction. Desai said, “Interestingly, we found that embryonic compaction was similar in all three groups. These results suggest that zygotic activation is independent of sperm origin and type of azoospermia”.

Oxytocin reduces stress hormones in arguing couples

January 29th, 2010

smriti

stressed couple A dose of the hormone Oxytocin reduces the stress hormone Cortisol in arguing couples. In addition, Oxytocin strengthens positive behaviour,as researchers at the University of Zurich have discovered. The study by the psychologist Beate Ditzen has appeared in the specialist magazine “Biological Psychiatry”.

Various studies in recent years have repeatedly shown that the hormone Oxytocin in the brain of mammals – and therefore human beings too – is jointly responsible for regulating the social behaviour. Beate Ditzen from the Psychological Institute of the UZH has now, together with colleagues from the University of Zurich, examined the hormone particularly in terms of the behaviour in partnerships.

The scientists asked 47 couples aged between 20 and 50 to argue in the laboratory about a typical subject of conflict for them. Before this conflict discussion, the couples received either the hormone Oxytocin or a placebo in the form of a nasal spray. The behaviour of the couples was recorded on video and analysed with the aid of a coding system. Moreover, the stress hormone Cortisol was repeatedly measured in the saliva of both partners in order to record the psychobiological stress reaction to the conflict.

Beate Ditzen and her colleagues then assessed the positive behaviour, such as listening, confirming or laughing during the conflict in relation to the negative conflict behaviour such as interrupting, criticising or degrading the partner. “Couples that received Oxytocin behaved significantly more positively than couples with the placebo”, said Beate Ditzen in summarising the results. Oxytocin prolongs the duration of positive behaviour in relation to negative behaviour. In addition, the Cortisol values of couples who received Oxytocin were lower after the conflict than those of the placebo group.

The results suggest that Oxytocin as a neuronal mechanism might influence the behaviour and the stress reaction in couples. “Oxytocin might be a possible biological candidate to explain how close relationships – and particularly couple relationships – have a positive effect on our health” explains Beate Ditzen.