Stem Cell Raises Hope For Heart Disease Patients

Hope has risen for the use of stem cells in heart treatment following the promise of a stem cell ‘patch’ to treat cardiovascular diseases. According to the findings of a study published in the ‘Journal Cell Stem Cell,’ scientists conducting the trial may be closer to reality as they test the device in animals, a necessary step prior to embarking on a human trial. Cardiovascular diseases generally refer to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke.
Other heart conditions, such as those that affect heart muscles, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart diseases. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the United States (US), said in theory, the heart patches, engineered tissue composed of the several different types of cells that make up heart muscle, would be implanted to replace diseased or damaged tissue and would perform all the functions of healthy, beating heart muscle.
The seven-year-old study is being funded by the National Institutes of Health. Co-Director of the UWMadison Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center at the Madison, Timothy J. Kamp said: “The proposed studies in animal models are essential to develop this novel therapy, but the gold standard, of course, is a human patient.”
He said building the heart patch technology and testing it in a large animal model will go a long way toward harnessing the potential of stem cells to treat heart disease, which in many respects is still unproven. Stem cells are mother cells that have the potential to become any type of cell in the body.
One of the main characteristics of stem cells is their ability to self-renew or multiply while maintaining the potential to develop into other types of cells.
In Nigeria, the idea of stem cell regeneration is still a wishful one but practitioners in the alternative medicine industry say it would just be a matter of time before it is imported from the West - pending of course when the terapy is fully established in human treatment of heart disease.

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Meet The "Ikorodu Wonder" Chief Dr. Ewedayepo The Great

They call him the “Ikorodu wonder” and the reason is not far-fetched – he has amassed a very towering reputation in his over 44 years in the practice of traditional medicine. And even though he lives in a suburb of Lagos, Ikorodu, his fame is drummed all over the city including other cities like Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano and several others. Of course we are not talking of any other person than Chief Dr. Ewedayepo The Great Herbalist, whose efficiency and effectiveness is so guaranteed that he gives “money back” guarantee to his patience.

In this interview with Nigeria Natural Health Oline’s editor, Dumbiri Frank Eboh, the great traditional healer speaks on a wide range of issues bothering the practice of natural medicine in Nigeria.

How did you come into herbal practice?

I inherited it from my Great grandfather. He was a great herbal practitioner and when growing up, he introduced me into the art of healing with herbs. He eventually passed on and passed on the legacy to me. And ever since, God has been blessing my hand work. There is virtually no disease that I cannot cure with herbal medicine. God has created man in such a way that whatever he needs to live a healthy life is contained in the various herbs in the bush.

So whether the disease is the one they call terminal or not, it will eventually succumb to herbal medicine. Even the so called cancer if detected very early, could be cured with natural medicine.

So, how long have you been in the practice?

I have been in the practice for a very long time, since my childhood days. In fact, I have been practicing professionally since 1972.

Having been in the industry for such a long time, what are some of the common diseases that people suffer from?

There are so many of them. Most of them are caused by the things we eat and the way we live our lives. Some are also caused by ignorance and neglect. Of course, there are also some ailment that are caused by spiritual forces. But, whatever their origin, Nature has provided all that we need to cure them. To answer your question, some of the diseases that are common these days include hypertension, erectile dysfunction, fibroid and other fertility issues among women, ulcer, stroke, diabetes and a host of many others including cancer.

But like I said earlier, whatever they may be, God has given us natural remedies in the form of natural medicine.

Everywhere, people are singing your praises. What’s the secret behind your success?

My brother, it is God Almighty. Don’t forget I’m a Christian, a born again christian at that. God has blessed the work of my hands and whoever I treat is cured and healed.

I prepare the medication, the medication cures but it is God that heals. I think the success actually began when I started giving money-back guarantee to my patients. I would tell them “if this medicine does not work, come and take your money back”. This helped to put their trust in the medicine and strengthened their faith of being healed. And eventually they are healed. That is why I said God is behind the healing process.

How do you reach out to your patients in far away cities?

That is very easy. I send medicines to people all over the country and even outside the country through courier services. I even have a department devoted to that. All you need is call me on my line and tell me the nature of the sickness. I will prepare the medicine specifically for you and send it across to you together with instructions on how to use it.

What are some of the ailments that you can cure?

There are so many of them. If you have diabetes, stroke, infertility for both male and female, ulcer, low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, gonorrhea and several other sexually transmitted diseases like staphylococcus, syphilis, quick ejaculation. If you have pile or you are suffering from amnesia (loss of memory) or mental illness, I treat them all.

Do you think the government has done enough for the herbal sector in Nigeria?

To be very honest, government is doing the best that he can do. I can say that the Lagos State government for instance, has provided the platform to enhance the practice of herbal medicine in the state. The Lagos State Board of Traditional Medicine is doing its best to bring local practice to global standards. They teach us, they train us and give us a sense of direction. However, I would still want them to do more by putting facilities and equipment that would enhance mass production of herbal medicine in the country. The reason our market is flooded with herbal medicines from China and India is because we are not mass producing. So I think government should do something in that aspect.

How do you see your herbal home in the near future?

I see it going very far. We are already packaging our medicines in capsules, tablet, powder and liquid forms. I see a future were our medicines can be found in every pharmacy shop in the country and by the grace of God we will arrive there.

RADIO GINGLE

First Woman: Nkechi, I notice that these days, you are looking more lovely, beautiful and healthy. What is the secret?

Second Woman: My Sister, it is Nigeria Natural Health Online

First woman: Nigeria Natural Health Online?

Second woman: Yes-o! Nigeria Natural Health Online is the Natural Health Blog that everybody is now going to, to get the herbal medicine, Natural Health products or even food and nutrition, including water and the environment, you will get them all from Nigeria Natural Health Online on daily basis and the amazing thing is that it is completely free!

First woman: Free! How do I become a past of it?

Second woman: That is easy just go to your Twitter handle and follow at Nigerian Natural 1 (One)

First woman: Nigeria Natural 1 (One) on Twitter.

Second woman: Yes. Or you can join on facebook. By liking the page Nigeria Natural Health Online.

Man: Yes-o! you too join the thousands tense of thousands of nigerians who daily troop into nigerian Natural Health to get the latest on healthy living. Just follow on TWITTER at Nigeria Natural 1 (One) or like the facebook page Nigeria Natural Health Online. Are you a producer of Natural Health products or do you render Natural Health services? Place your advert today by calling 07031040178. That is 07031040178.

All: Nigeria Naturel Health Online!

Man: The Voice of Nature!

You can contact Chief Dr. Ewedayepo on +2347031040178

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Beware Of "abacha"! Cholerah Kills 6 in Lagos

Lagos State Government says it has recorded six deaths from cholera outbreak out of 45 cases in some communities in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
Dr Jide Idris, the State Commissioner for Health, who made the disclosure on Thursday at a news conference in Lagos, however, was not specific about the timing of the incident.
Idris said that state government was already taking appropriate measures and had contained the outbreak.

According to him, the ministry was notified of an upsurge of diarrhoea diseases in some communities in Isolo LCDA. “Following this, 45 cases were line-listed by the Epidemiology Unit of the ministry.
“Six deaths were recorded among the 45 cases.
“Majority of the cases did not present with the classical rice-water stool, rather they presented with atypical diarrhoea and vomiting.
“Ano-rectal swabs were collected from 15 cases and taken to the Central Public Health Laboratory, Yaba.
“Initially, there were no growths; however, continuous culture yielded Vibro cholerae from seven out of the 15 samples,’’ he said.
The commissioner said that the “Vibrio cholera was later confirmed to be Ogawa strain’’.
He said, “The main suspected source of infection is the salad called `Abacha’, a staple food of the residents of Isolo LCDA and adjourning LGAs/LCDAs.
“Some domestic wells within the communities are also suspected.
“Samples of the `Abacha salad’ and well water were collected and sent to the Lagos State Drug Quality Control Laboratory for analysis.
“The report of the analysis revealed the presence of Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella species and E.coli in `Abacha’ and one of the two well water samples.’’
NAN reports that Cholera “is an acute diarrhoea disease with or without vomiting caused by a bacteria referred to as Vibro cholerae, and it is transmitted through ingestion of food or water contaminated with infective faeces.
“Food or water contamination is usually due to poor sanitation and the source of contamination is usually other cholera cases when their infective watery stool gets into food or drinking water supplies.
“Prevention of cholera can be achieved through basic water sanitation, such as boiling water of unclean sources. Cholera can kill within hours if left untreated.’’

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The Amazing Health Benefits Of Regular Sex

Especially for married couples, the benefits of regular sex may not only be just for procreation and pleasure. According to recent studies, having regular sex has some health benefits. “Sexually active people take fewer sick days,” says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD a sexual health expert.

People who have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses, and other intruders. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.

You should still do all the other things that make your immune system happy.

Longing for a more lively sex life? “Having sex will make sex better and will improve your libido,” says Lauren Streicher, MD. She is an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

For women, having sex ups vaginal lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, she says, all of which make sex feel better and help you crave more of it.

A strong pelvic floor is important for avoiding incontinence, something that will affect about 30% of women at some point in their lives.

Good sex is like a workout for your pelvic floor muscles. When you have an orgasm, it causes contractions in those muscles, which strengthens them.

Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone, MD. He is CEO and medical director of Amai Wellness.

“There have been many studies,” he says. “One landmark study found that sexual intercourse specifically (not masturbation) lowered systolic blood pressure.” That's the first number on your blood pressure test.

 “Sex is a really great form of exercise,” Pinzone says. It won’t replace the treadmill, but it counts for something.

Sex uses about five calories per minute, four more calories than watching TV. It gives you a one-two punch: It bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscles.

  “Like with exercise, consistency helps maximize the benefits,” Pinzone says.

A good sex life is good for your heart. Besides being a great way to raise your heart rate, sex helps keep your estrogen and testosterone levels in balance.

“When either one of those is low you begin to get lots of problems, like osteoporosis and even heart disease,” Pinzone says.

Having sex more often may help. During one study, men who had sex at least twice a week were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely.

  Men who ejaculated frequently (at least 21 times a month) were less likely to get prostate cancer during one study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It's not clear that sex was the only reason that mattered in that study. Lots of factors affect cancer risk. But more sex won’t hurt.

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Cuddling Or Kissing Cat Is Dangerous To Health

Cuddling a kitten, a juvenile cat may be considered a familiar and harmless practice by those who keep such domestic pets always but scientists have announced that it could be dangerous to health. This was the finding of a study published in the journal ‘Emerging Infectious Diseases’.
According to reports, Doctors from Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (U.S) conducted a large-scale survey of the cat-borne bacterial disease-cat scratch fever. Cat scratch fever, also called cat scratch disease (CSD), is a bacterial infection.
The disease got its name because people contract it from cats infected with ‘Bartonella henselae’ bacteria, one of the most common bacteria in the world. The researchers found the scope and impact of the potentially deadly disease was larger than they thought. The disease causes fever, pustules and in extreme cases, the complications from the illness can cause death.
You can get cat scratch fever from a bite or scratch from an infected cat. You can also get the disease if saliva from an infected cat gets into an open wound on your body or touches the whites of your eyes. Similarly, anyone who owns a cat or interacts with a cat is at risk of contracting cat scratch fever. You have an increased risk of becoming seriously ill from cat scratch fever if you have a weakened immune system as well.
Going by the findings of the study, the doctors have warned that hands should always be washed after touching cats, and to avoid kissing a cat or other members of the cat family where possible. Furthermore, they also advised cat owners to ensure that their pet is protected from fleas. Reacting to the study, Dr. Christina Nelson of the CDC said: “The scope and impact of the disease is a little bit larger than we thought.
Cat-scratch is preventable. If we can identify the populations at risk and the patterns of disease, we can focus on the prevention efforts.” Kittens and strays are more likely to carry the disease. The disease is spread when you are scratched by an infected cat, or when you don’t wash your hands and touch your mouth after stroking an infected cat.

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Imo State Bans Female Circumcision

Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha says  the ancient practice of female circumcision has been outlawed in the state, warning that offenders risk jail terms without an option of fine.
Okorocha, who stated this yesterday, during the official launch of the campaign against  Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) disclosed that a bill to that effect would be passed into law by the state Assembly .
According to him, such barbaric culture, which  is harmful and not beneficial to the people, ought to be abolished, noting that Imo was still one of the  states in the South East where female circumcision was widely practiced.
“ This harmful ancient practice has been outlawed in this state and a bill to put a permanent stop to it will be passed into law very soon and let me warn those who are still indulging in this practice to be ready to go to jail if caught because there would be no option of fine,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Nkechi  Okorocha, who initiated the campaign in  collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Agency (UNFPA), said women in the state have vowed to put an end to the barbaric practice which is not beneficial to  the girl child.
Mrs. Okorocha further explained that the continual practice of Female Genital Mutilation must be  stamped out in the state, especially in the rural areas, where the practice is prevalent and led to emotional trauma, broken homes and even death.
The  Country Representative of UNFPA,Mrs Beatrice Mukta,  disclosed that the organisation has been campaigning against the practice in most African Countries where the practice still subsist.
She commended the wife of the governor for her relentless fight against FGM, noting that the battle against the ancient practice which is steeped in cultural myth may not be an easy one.  she appealed to traditional institutions as well as women in the state to support the campaign.
Mrs. Okorocha had kick started the campaign against FGM/ Cutting with a protest match in which over 500 female students drawn from various schools in the state and women  participated.

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