It’s that time again. The time when everyone starts setting goals for themselves for the New Year. In 2010, millions of people throughout the world will set a resolution to quit smoking. Unfortunately, 85% or more of these people will fail to reach their goal.

If you want 2010 to be the year that you finally quit smoking, the good news is you can do it. You just have to start by making sure you avoid these common mistakes.

• Mistake #1: Not quitting for yourself—The first question you need to ask yourself is: Do I really want to quit. Too many people try to quit for the wrong reasons. For example, they quit because the person they’re in a relationship wants them to quit. This might work for a little while, but if the relationship ends or the partner stops putting pressure on them to quit, they’ll end up right back int heir old smoking habits. You have to quit for yourself.

• Mistake #2: Not writing your goal down on paper—A lot of people say they’re going to quit smoking, but they never truly mean it. Just saying you’re going to do something is fleeting. Actually writing down your goal and posting it on the fridge or somewhere else where you’ll see it every day forces you to actually work to meet your goal. It holds you accountable. Write down your goals, and track your progress every single day.

• Mistake #3: Giving up after a setback—What happens if you end up caving into temptation and smoking a cigarette while you’re trying to quit? Most people end up giving up after one small setback, assuming they just can’t beat the habit. Don’t give up so easily. If you do give into temptation, pick yourself up and start again. Getting tripped up by obstacles is a part of the quitting process. If you’re able to move past it, you’ll be stronger for it.

• Mistake #4: Not getting support from family and friends—Smoking is a tough habit to kick. Few are successful. That’s why you need all the help you can get to get past this dangerous addiction. Don’t be shy. Let your friends and family know about your goals, and ask them for their support. You’ll likely find that they’re glad to help. They’ll be there to help you get past tempting situations or to pick yourself up should you fall. If you don’t have any friends or family who can help, join a support group. There are even online support groups for quitting smoking.

• Mistake #5: Placing yourself in tempting situations—At some point, you’re going to have to face a situation where you’re tempted to smoke, but you should do your best to avoid these situations whenever possible. This is especially true for when you’re first beginning your quest to stop smoking. For example, if going to the bar with your friends makes you want to smoke, perhaps you should avoid doing so. Suggest going somewhere else, or just skip on hanging out there until you’ve truly gotten past your habit. The better you are at avoiding these obstacles, the less likely it is that you’ll get tripped up. However, you will face temptation at some point, so be ready to work past it.

Have you tried to quit smoking in the past? What worked for you? What didn’t? Share your thoughts in the replies.

Credit: Ben Heine (via Flickr)

Searching for your cell phone ……… again? Not able to find your car keys? Whatever the reason you keep forgetting stuff, you don’t have to live with it anymore, irrespective of what your age is.  You can be in your 30s, 40s, 50s or more; you have no excuse to let your brain fog.

According to experts, you can keep boosting your memory at all ages, if you start taking care of this most complicated and important organ of your body.

Here are some tips to a simple lifestyle that will keep your memory sharp for years.

If you are in your 30s, here’s a list of things you ought to do:

Floss Daily – Did you know that oral plaque is bad for the brain? It can cause immune reaction that can reduce the functioning of the arteries that deliver vital nutrients to the brain cells.  You will have to floss each and every day without fail.

Exercise Your Brain Along With The Body – You know that exercising the body is essential to keep it fit but what about exercise for the brain?  When you exercise, your brain is also energized and is at its best.  You can play some language or music lessons on your iPod while in the gym.  If you don’t want to do it in the gym, then do a crossword or some such mental activity as soon as you come out, as your brain is all fresh during and after an exercise session.

Eat Lots Of Fish – Just as water is therapeutic, fish that live in water are great for the brain. Foods that are high in DHA, a type of omega-3-fatty acids are excellent.  They include yogurt, salmon, trout etc.  DHA empowers the brain by reducing any arterial inflammation and repairing the nerve sheath.  This helps with memory loss, depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

Now if you are older and in the 40s, you don’t have to fret.  Here’s how you can keep your brain sharp and young:

Play Your Kids’ Games – According to neuropsychologists, playing games like the Rubik’s Cube keeps the brain sharp at any age.  This is because of the need to concentrate and think of how to go about it and use your spatial skills; all of which are needed for improvement of the brain.  If you don’t like Rubik’s Cube, then play something that requires you to think and play.  You may even play Bridge on a regular basis if you have a group of friends.

Build Up A Speeding Heart – Making sure your heart rate increases at least thrice a week for 20 minutes at a stretch.  This is considered excellent for the brain, as the brain receives plenty of oxygen that helps with new cell growth. While walking and jogging are great; aerobics works wonders.  Any form of exercise will help with the cognitive functioning of the brain as you grow older.

Well, you would be thinking there’s nothing you can do in your 50s.  You could not be more wrong:

According to researchers, certain nerves present in your fingertips stimulate the brain and they need to be exercised, but in the most fun way…by using chopsticks to eat, rolling a pen between your fingers or knitting.  Think and you’ll find plenty of ways to stimulate those nerves.

How Electronic Games Help – They are not only meant for your grandchildren, they are wonderful as brain exercises for you too. You need to give some juice to your brain. According to health specialists, video games have the capacity to stimulate different parts of the brain that we normally don’t use for our regular activities.  How about playing Brain Challenge for the Wii?

Don’t Pop Too Many Medicines – You may suffer from problems like body aches when you exercise too much or insomnia and other issues.  Although, you can get rid of the immediate discomfort by popping the pill, in the long-run, it can only prove to be harmful.  Be vary of sleeping pills as they can cause confusion and cognitive impairment at your age.   Many such medicines have anticholinergic effect and hinder nerve cell communication. It is advisable to go with relaxation techniques and other alternative methods.

Here are some foods that are great for the brains of all age groups; both young people and the older generation.  These foods contain natural chemicals that fight cognitive decline:

-         Cocoa

-         Coffee

-         Red wine

-         Walnuts

-         Blueberries

-         Asparagus

-         Egg yolks

-         Rosemary

-         Tomato sauce

At every stage of your life, there are bound to be some changes in your overall physical and mental faculties; however it is in your hands to stay physically active and mentally sharp for as many years as possible.  You don’t want to waste your life suffering from mental illnesses, do you?

Credit: Dikiy (via Flickr)

Media portrays the changing fashion in all its glory and potentially influences health-related behaviors, especially so in young adults when peer pressure is the strongest.  One such health behavior is smoking. A recent survey in Canada reveals that the young men and women between the ages of 20-24 have the highest smoking rate.

While the younger generation pays a deaf ear to the harmful effects of smoking; researchers say that lighting a single cigarette can have serious adverse effects on young adults.

Harmful Effects Of Smoking

Researchers at McGill University Health Center found that smoking one cigarette increases the stiffness of the arteries in 18 to 30 year olds by a whopping 25%.

For us to be able to help our children get out of this habit, it is important to gain knowledge of what happens in our body when arteries become stiff.

The main function of the arteries is to carry fully oxygenated blood to the various parts of the body. The arteries have valves in them that stop the blood from flowing in a wrong direction. The arteries begin at the heart and they have to function properly to keep us healthy. There are serious health problems related to the non-functioning of arteries, such as plaque buildup that happens due to too much consumption of fatty foods, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, cholesterol, weight, diabetes and age.  On the other hand, when arteries become stiff or rigid, they increase resistance in the blood vessels, making the heart work harder.  The stiffer the artery the greater the risk for stroke or heart disease.

You may wonder what’s new with these results, as we always knew that smoking was bad for the health and the heart.  This study emphasizes the fact that even smoking just a few cigarettes a day can have a major impact on the health of the arteries. You can no longer say; just a couple of cigarettes per day are acceptable.  It is not!

Electronic Cigarettes: The Solution?

In such a scenario, the electronic cigarette (E-cigarette) is considered to be perfect solution by many today. It was invented in 2003 by a Beijing-based company.

An electronic cigarette is also known as a personal vaporizer.  It is a battery device that contains cartridges filled with nicotine, other chemicals and flavor, and provides doses of this nicotine solution through vaporization.  In addition to delivering nicotine, this vapor also provides the exact flavor of inhaled tobacco smoke as well as the same feeling and sensation of actually smoking a cigarette, but without the use of tobacco, smoke or combustion.

Most electronic cigarettes look similar to a cigarette or a cigar or a pipe, and the most common design is one that looks like a ballpoint pen.  They come with refillable and replaceable parts; however, there are also several disposable electronic cigarettes available today.

What Is The FDA’s Take On E-Cigarettes?

There was a recent announcement by the FDA that their laboratory analysis revealed that electronic cigarettes contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, which is an ingredient used in antifreeze.  This analysis was done with a sample of cartridges from two leading electronic cigarettes brands.  They found diethylene glycol in one sample and in the other, carcinogens.

Marketing Of These Products

These e-cigarettes are targeted at young adults who can buy them online or in shopping malls.  The worst part of the whole thing is that no health warnings are given on these products. They also come in different flavors, such as mint and chocolate that would appeal to youngsters.

In conclusion, it is important for everyone to understand that health experts express their concern that these cigarettes could easily increase tobacco use an nicotine addiction in youngsters.

Learning all this worries me because when I was in South Africa recently, I noticed my friend’s son smoking an e-cigarette.  Guess what! That was a gift from his mother who gave it to him in an attempt to get him to stop smoking cigarettes.

As of now things are not really clear about e-cigarettes; although, they are claimed by manufacturers to be a blessing in disguise.  It helps to keep our eyes open and see what FDA and other experts have to say in the future when further tests are conducted. Our children’s health is out responsibility!

Image: Shawn Kelly

It is nothing short of a miracle for blind people to regain their vision and see again, and this may become a reality sooner than you think, thanks to a microchip the size of a small grain – or should we say, thanks to the researchers who spend years on research just to make this happen.

Researchers are exploring the possibility of using microchips to bring back sight for the blind. They are closer to creating a retinal implant that will have the capability of bypassing all the damaged cells and offer visual input directly to the brain.

This eye-implant is meant for people with retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, which are the two main causes of blindness.  This retinal implant takes complete control of the damaged retinal cells by providing electrical stimulation to the nerve cells that normally carry visual input to the brain from the retina.

This microchip may not be able to restore vision to normalcy but it would help blind people navigate a room or walk down a sidewalk more easily.  Even a blurry picture of their loved one or the ability to maneuver on their own, is a blessing for a completely blind person.

This research is being conducted at MIT by a team consisting of scientists, ophthalmologists and engineers. According to one of the researchers, Shawn Kelly, “Anything that could help them see a little better and let them identify objects and move around a room would be an enormous help.”

Image: Shawn Kelly (Side View)

Patients who received the microchip implant will have to wear special glasses fitted with a tiny camera that sends images to the microchip implanted in the eyeball. The glasses also come with a coil that transmits power to the coils surrounding the eyeball.  When the microchip receives visual information, it activates electrodes that stimulate all the optical nerve cells near the retina that carry signals to the brain, totally bypassing all the damaged layers of the retina.

The one thing that perplexed researchers was to understand the kind of vision this direct electrical stimulation can produce. This research team started to work on answering this question about ten years ago, by fixing electrodes to the retinas of six blind patients for many hours.  On activation of the electrodes, patients could see several “drops of blood” or “clouds,” and this number corresponded exactly with the number of electrodes that were stimulated.  Without this electrical stimulation, the six patients could see nothing.  These tests proved to be a turning point in the research and helped researchers understand that stimulation of the retina does actually produce some vision in blind patients.

This is what motivated researchers to go ahead and create an implantable chip.  Their ultimate goal is to create a chip that would work for at least 10 years.

The road was full of hurdles and researchers had to face several issues trying to come up with an implant and procedure that does not harm the eye.  Initially, they attached the electrodes directly to the top of the retina from inside the eye, but they soon realized that this carried the risk of damaging the delicate retina.  Now, this implant is attached to the outside of the eye instead of inside, and the electrodes are implanted behind the retina.  This location reduces retinal tearing and also does not need extensive invasive surgery.

Human tests have not begun yet and this has only been tested on Yucatan miniature pigs, which have the same sized eyeballs as humans.  They have been implanted in these pigs for about 10 months successfully, and now researchers are ready for human clinical trials.

The prototype is scheduled to be tested in blind patients within the next three years.

This latest quest of MIT will be of interest to thousands of people like Rob Spence, who is a Canadian film maker.  He has been looking to put a tiny wireless video camera into his empty right eye socket, in order to see the world around him.  A retinal implant may just prove to be the perfect solution for him and many others like him.

The most important thing for blind people is to be able to recognize faces.  Kelly says, “If they can recognize faces of people in a room, that brings them into the social environment as opposed to sitting there waiting for someone to talk to them.”  Hopefully, millions of blind people will be able to very soon.

Image by Nicola Vernizzi

One of the main fears we all have is the loss of teeth as we grow older and our teeth wear out, because human teeth do not grow back. When humans lose their baby teeth, permanent teeth grow in their place, but when these permanent teeth are lost, they are gone for good.  Tooth loss causes difficulty with chewing, causes oral disease, disfigures the face and leads to speech problems.

The only options we have are that of dentures or tooth implants; where an artificial tooth root is fixed into the jaw to hold a replacement tooth in place.

Worry no more, say researchers!  Soon, you may be able to go to your dentist and get new teeth – grown to order – in your own mouth.

Latest research on growing new teeth

Researchers have made major advances and grew a new mouse tooth.  Human teeth come next!  They are hugely excited about this, as this is a major step in bioengineering, and they hope this will lead them to human organ generation someday.

Mice, unlike sharks do not grow new teeth if a tooth is completely removed; although their frontal teeth continue to grow.  But now scientists managed to grow a new tooth in a mouse by using stem cells.

In dental biology, the presence of dental epithelial stem cells in continuously growing teeth has been recently discovered.  It was seen that the niche for these adult stem cells is formed at the apical end in tooth development. The new concept is that the eternal tooth buds are formed at the apical end in the development of continuously growing teeth.

Researchers found that a single gene seems to be responsible for preventing growth of new teeth in species limited with one set of teeth, and they bred mice without that particular gene (Osr2).  Removing the Osr2 gene resulted in a cleft palate, a common birth defect where both the halves of the roof of the mouth do not join properly, and leave a gap.  Another thing that happened was that the mice grew extra teeth next to their first molars, like sharks and other non-mammals.

Apart from finding the growth of extra teeth outside of the normal row, researchers also found that removal of the Osr2 gene also helped them come up with a theory of how teeth are formed in such perfect alignment with one another without forming too close, with the exception of the wisdom teeth (third molars) that usually form too close and are pulled to create space.

Researchers at the Tokyo University, conducting this study bioengineered a tooth germ – a seed that contains cells from a mouse embryo. This contained genetic instructions “to build a tooth,” and then transplanted this “tooth germ” into the jawbones of adult mice, in the empty tooth sockets.

Results of the research

The result astounded them – new teeth grew from the bioengineered tissue through the gums, just as an original one would.  After eleven weeks, once the tooth matured, it looked and felt the same as a natural tooth.  The best part is that the mice could eat with the new teeth as perfectly as they did with their natural teeth. The teeth have also been seen to develop nerve fibers that could feel pain.

Dr. Fei Liu, a researcher at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the Texas A&M Medical Science Center said that the research provides convincing proof that teeth grown through bioengineering can be perfectly functional.

Who will benefit?

This development could prove to be a blessing for people with malformed teeth or with a cleft palate.

According to Dr. Elsas, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, “Tooth regeneration could be useful particularly in infant malformations such as cleft lip and palate, and other malformations involving teeth and bone of the oral cavity.”

How about generating teeth as replacements for synthetic implants or inlays?

As good as that sounds, researchers say there is a problem with generation of teeth in humans.  They have not yet found the cells needed to start the tooth generation process in humans.  They hope that soon they may be able to use a person’s own cells without having to use cells from embryos.

I’m sure today’s baby boomers are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that researchers find a solution soon.

With the lifestyles we lead and our dietary habits, piling on pounds as we grow older, is inevitable. Some of us even tend to take it easy, having gotten used to carrying all that baggage around.

I was browsing a weight loss forum the other day and read a post by a woman who is overweight and loves it – because her face looks healthy and glows when she is plump and it doesn’t look as attractive when she loses a few pounds.

What can you say to such people? The reason for this line of thinking is because most people don’t really know the numerous problems that excess fat in the body causes.  For most, it is just an appearance issue.  What they don’t seem to understand is that overweight is a medical concern and can seriously affect their health.

We read of the many health problems associated with overweight.  They are arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, fatty liver, sleep apnea, asthma, high blood pressure, gallstones, mood, depression and energy levels, all of which impact the quality of life.

If you’re thinking, you know it all, you cannot be more wrong.  I thought I knew everything until I read an article in the news.  I always worried about gaining weight and the possibility of diabetes, which could lead to kidney failure or some such horrible problem.

But what I read was scary and it is sure to motivate you to keep the bulge at bay from now on.

Scientists who are involved in researching problems associated with weight are of the opinion that there’s something more dangerous and critical happening inside our body; especially in one of the main organs of our body – our brain.

They have found that excess of body fat can lead to shrinkage of the brain, making us much more vulnerable to cognitive problems, and possibly dementia.  Such people are at increased risk of memory problems, visual or sensory disturbances, inattention, problem solving, gait problems or speech difficulties among others.

In our society, the incidence of Alzheimer’s has been on the increase for many years and this is attributed to the stress we encounter in every aspect of our lives, at home and at work.  Mental health decline is by and large the scariest as it leaves people at the mercy of others.

As part of the study, 94 elderly people who did not have dementia or other cognitive impairments were followed for five years.  It was seen that the brains of overweight people looked eight years older and those of obese people were 16 years older when compared to their leaner peers.  People with a larger body mass index had smaller brains because they had less brain tissue.  Most of the lost tissue was in the frontal and temporal lobes, which are important for planning and memory.

It’s early days yet to really know whether this would surely lead to dementia, but a smaller brain is indicative of destructive processes and there is the increased risk of Alzheimer’s, according to researchers.

Scientists say the reason for the shrinkage could be because excess body weight increases the possibility of clogged arteries, thus reducing blood supply to the brain cells, resulting in brain cell death and shrinkage of the brain.

According to a professor of neurosurgery and director of the University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair in Tampa, “We all lose some tissue as we get older and they’re saying this is being accelerated.”

This is said to be the first study of its kind showing physical evidence in our brains that links obesity and overweight with cognitive decline.

Unfortunately, we are part of the “obesity epidemic,” and this is a problem that affects all age groups, including kids. Statistics reveal that more than 60 million Americans are now obese, while another 36 percent come under the overweight category.

It’s time to understand that obesity affects every organ of our body and everything within our body is linked.  We are what we eat.

We’ve ravaged our body and all it has to offer, and the time for reparation is now. What happened to the concept of balance in everything?  Yes, including food.

Haven’t we seen our grandparents and parents suffer from Dementia? I hope we learn the lesson while we still can.

The mystery of why hair loses color and why our skin wrinkles, which has evaded scientists so far, has finally been solved.

These two factors have for long troubled all those who dread growing old – the graying of hair and the wrinkling of skin.

For the first time, researchers have been able to fully analyze the molecular mechanics that lead to the discoloration of hair and identify genes responsible for changes in our skin.

The Secret Of Gray Hair

Scientists discovered that the chemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is also known as a bleaching agent and is produced during metabolism in small quantities all over the body including the hair, is responsible for the graying. The presence of this chemical in the hair obstructs the production of melanin, which is the color pigment that gives color to the hair.

As we age, there is a build-up of hydrogen peroxide in hair. This happens due to the body’s inability to break up this chemical into its constituents, oxygen and water, because of a shortage of the enzyme catalase – also a victim of the ageing process. This shortage of catalase, in turn, obstructs the functioning of another important enzyme, so much so that melanin is no longer produced. With this, a general domino effect comes into play, resulting in the gradual loss of pigment all along the entire length of the hair – from the root to the tip.

Scientists from the University of Mainz in Germany and the University of Bradford in Britain, working together in this research have laid the foundation for a future therapy against graying hair, in the form of a tablet or an ointment that can make up for the shortage of catalase.

The results of this research are also expected to improve treatment of other pigment problems, like leucoderma or vitiligo.

Ironing Out Wrinkles

Beauty is gene deep! Scientists finally claim to have found the culprits – 1,500 genes – that control the length of time we can retain our youthful looks.

Not too long ago, this sort of a breakthrough was unthinkable, as it was considered an almost impossible task to ascertain the relationship between the functions of hundreds of genes involved. However, the techniques that were used to collect and analyze huge amounts of genetic data for the Human Genome project have helped researchers solve this problem.

The Human Genome project is a 2 billion pound global effort to decipher human DNA – to try and analyze one of the deepest mysteries of the beauty industry: why some people age faster than others.

Principal scientist in the global biotechnology division of P&G Beauty, says, “The human genome project has made it possible for us to analyze aging right down to the hundreds of genetic changes that happen in our skin as we get older.”

Our skin ages in eight different ways, each controlled by its own “battalion” of genes.

One of the pathways for aging and the most important is hydration. It is through this process that the skin collects and retains its moisture levels. Moisture is absorbed by the skin with the help of molecules that bind water into the skin. These molecules are produced by a certain type of genes. As skin ages, the genes that produce these molecules become less active, thus because of the reduction in molecules, the ability to retain water in the skin reduces, leading to wrinkles. Previously, this process was thought to be fairly simple but researchers have found that up to 700 genes could be responsible for this process.

Another pathway involves collagen, which is a molecule produced by the skin to give strength and structure. Researchers found that as people age, the genes that destroy collagen become extremely active, which in turn causes the development of lines and wrinkles on the skin. About 40 genes may be responsible for this process.

A third pathway is inflammation. This process is said to involve 400 genes that become overactive with age.

This research shows how complex genetic interactivity is. Researchers have also confirmed that there are wide variations between people in terms of genetic resilience to aging. The importance of exposure to environmental factors, such as sunshine is also revealed. In aged skin that has not been much exposed to the sun, there were found to be about 3,800 genetic mutations; while in skin that has been exposed to the sun, they were about 10,000.

It is ironic how the human genome project results are a great help to the beauty industry, which is sure to make thousands of older people happy. We may in the near future have the capability to retain our youth with soft and younger looking skin and no graying of hair.

Imagine never having to go through the pain of dying your hair again or using all that makeup to cover the wrinkles.  I know for sure, these are two areas where the results of further research will be eagerly awaited by all.

Most of us believe that age-related mental decline is just something we have to accept as we get older. Thankfully, that’s not the case. With a little dedication, there are several prevention steps you can take to keep your brain sharp at any age.

Here are some tips to keep the noggin feeling young and fresh.

1.    Hit the gym—Many scientists believe physical exercise is the single most important factor to maintaining your mental health. This is because exercise stimulates blood flow to the brain; proper circulation is key to keeping your mind stimulated and operating at its full potential. Exercise can even promote cell growth in the brain, and it keeps you alert.

2.    Challenge your mind—Just because you’re no longer in school doesn’t mean you should stop learning. The second you stop challenging your brain is the second you start the mental decline process. Challenge your mind by learning a new language, reading books regularly, or even learning how to play a musical instrument. Think of this as exercise for your brain. Routine brain exercise leads to a stronger, healthier mind.

3.    Be a healthy eater—Eating junk food doesn’t just make you physically unhealthy, it hampers your mental function too. A diet rich in brain foods will give your mind the nutrients it needs to develop properly and to fight off age-related mental decline. A few good brain foods are blueberries, broccoli, coffee, and avocados.

4.    Manage your stress—Did you know stress can actually damage healthy brain cells? Not only that, when you’re stressed, you can’t focus as well as you normally can. Furthermore, stress unchecked can turn to depression and other serious health issues.

5.    Get plenty of rest—For your brain to function properly, it needs to get “recharged” every night. If you don’t get enough sleep, your brain will lack sharpness. That being said, make sure you don’t oversleep as too much sleep can be just as harmful.

6.    Don’t be a loner—Having friends is important for several reasons. First, the verbal interaction is essential to keeping your mind sharp. Communication causes you to think and solve problems on your feet. Furthermore, having a strong group of friends helps prevent depression, a common mental health issue.

7.    Mix up your daily routine—Doing the same exact thing day in and day out not only gets boring, but it also allows your brain to go on autopilot. Mix things up. Drive a different route to work. Find a new extracurricular activity to take up. Switching things up will keep your mind active and sharp.

What do you do to keep your mind sharp? Share your favorite tips with us in the replies.

Millions of Americans are going on a diet and using weight loss pills and more than $30 billion is spent each year on the various weight loss pills, foods and drinks. The choice of weight loss pills has always been a tough one. There are so many pills in the market that it can be a daunting task, trying to decide which pills are safe, and most people base their decision on going with pills that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

But what about the ones not approved by the FDA? How safe are they?

What happened recently can question the safety of drugs/supplements not approved by the FDA. FDA told consumers to stop using the weight-loss pills – Hydroxycut. Fourteen of Hydroxycut’s products have been recalled, excluding “Hoodia” and “Cleanse” formulas. Many of these are fat burners, energy enhancers and diet aids.

Here are the recalled products:

× Hydroxycut 24
× Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
× Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
× Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
× Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
× Hydroxycut Carb Control
× Hydroxycut Natural
× Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
× Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
× Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
× Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
× Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
× Hydroxycut Caffeine–Free Rapid Release Caplets
× Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed

Before we go ahead, we must caution you to stay away from all these products and visit a physician, if you have been using them for a long time.

Some of them are said to have the potential to cause jaundice and liver failure. People were asked to stop taking them with immediate effect and to call the doctor if anyone suspects they are affected.

The reason the manufacturer, Lovate Health Sciences had to recall these drugs is because FDA received several reports that these weight-loss pills caused serious health problems, including the death of a 19-year-old man. This death actually occurred in 2007, but it was only reported in 2009. There are also said to be other major health problems associated with Hydroxycut, which include seizures, rhabdomyolysis (muscle damage) that can lead to kidney failure and cardiovascular problems. The previous major recall was in 2007, of an infant cough syrup that was considered dangerous if an overdose was given.

While Hydroxycut is not a pharmaceutical prescription medication and not strictly regulated by the FDA, it has many regulations. What this means is that, Hydroxycut was tested only by private companies contracted by the manufacturer.

Since the products contain many ingredients, experts are not yet able to pinpoint if and any ingredients are responsible. Tests are still going on, the results of which can determine the extent of possible danger of Hydroxycut. Consumers have the right to return the pills they already bought.

The manufacturer issued a statement saying, “While this is a small number of reports relative to the many millions of people who have used Hydroxycut products over the years, out of an abundance of caution and because consumer safety is our top priority, we are voluntarily recalling these Hydroxycut-branded products.”

An industry expert says that the reports of health problems do not as yet prove the cause and effect, as it is just a simple association as of now. He said that they are yet to learn if it is a random occurrence or not.

The sad thing about this whole issue is that the dangers of Hydroxycut were felt as far back as 2005. There were two men who had to be taken to the emergency room with complaints of fever, fatigue, jaundice and vomiting. They were healthy otherwise and have not traveled out of the country, had no other risk factors for liver disease. They were found to have not taken any other over-the-counter or prescription medications other than Hydroxycut. The physicians at Cleveland Clinic Foundation also urged caution in using Hydroxycut, because one of the ingredients in Hydroxycut was not safe.

It may come as a shock that all this was happening in 2005, yet this is recalled only now in 2009. If these negative effects were made public earlier, many people would have been saved from liver injuries resulting from the use of Hydroxycut. The manufacturer, instead of warning the customers, continued to sell them claiming to have used high quality and safe ingredients.

Now the question that is in all our minds is, “Are the other diet pills safe?” This uncertainty can be quite scary.

For many years, there was the question of whether ADHD is a result of the kids’ brains developing slowly when compared to normal children or developing in a different way.

Researchers at the National Institute of Health Study revealed that the results of their latest studies show that the kids’ brains develop more slowly, especially the important areas for action, attention and control. They found that maturity is delayed by about three years in children with ADHD. If a normal child achieves maturity in those areas at the age of seven, a child with ADHD achieves it at ten.

Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) affects about 8 – 10% school-age kids. Boys are more likely to be affected than girls and nobody knows why.

Kids with ADHD are hyperactive, act without thinking and have a problem with focusing on anything for long. It is difficult to get them to sit down and study.

Kids with ADHD are usually taken to be just hyperactive when they are very small because most kids act that way when they are excited. But parents usually get suspicious that there may be a problem, when they start receiving complaints from the school and they notice “different” behavior. As these children grow, their abnormal social behavior begins to become more visible. Their performance at school is usually not at par with the other students.

Medically, ADHD is divided into three types, and the type of ADHD the kid is suffering from is determined based on specific behavioral traits:

Inattentive Type

• Inability to pay attention to details or making careless errors in school work
• Difficulty paying attention to play activities and other tasks
• Listening problems
• Difficulty following instructions
• Avoiding tasks involving mental work
• Losing notebooks, homework, toys etc.
• Get distracted easily
• Forgetful even with daily activities

Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

• Fidgeting
• Squirming
• Difficulty remaining in one place
• Excessive running or climbing
• Playing noisily
• Always on the go
• Excessive talking
• Giving answers without hearing the complete questions
• Cannot wait in a line or for their turn
• Interrupting nature

Combined Type

These kids have signs of both the above types and this is the most common type of ADHD.

Now scientists find important information that leads them to believe that the brain of an ADHD child is no different from a normal child. They both develop in the same way, from back to front, except that the ADHD brain development is much slower.

This fact was not known before because scientists relied on MRI scans of the brain that can only capture one image at a time. But for this study, a team at the National Institute of Mental Health used multiple snapshots of the children’s brains taken at regular intervals as they grew up. These snapshots were then assembled together. They measured the thinning and thickening of sites in the brain’s cortex, which is the grey matter, in hundreds of children and teenagers, half of them with ADHD and the other half without. These tests concluded that ADHD is a result of delay in the maturation of the cortex and the same changes were found in all the kids with ADHD.

According to the lead author, Philip Shaw, in children with ADHD, last to mature in the brain are the bits that are important for the control of action and attention.

It is interesting to note that the cortical thickness in healthy kids starts off thin in early childhood, keeps increasing until it reaches its peak at about 7 or 8 years of age, and then it starts getting thinner throughout adolescence. The difference with kids with ADHD is that their cortical thickness peaks at around 10 years of age, which is two or three years later than normal kids. This delay was most evident in the area of the brain that controls action and attention.

Studies are still going on to see if these kids will outgrow their behaviors that are part of ADHD. Scientists feel that it may happen, but well into their adulthood. While most children seem to grow out of it very well, there are a few exceptions, who continue to have problems and scientists suspect it could be because their brains remain immature for some reason.

With this knowledge that slower development is the root of the problem, there may be treatments in the future that can accelerate growth. Scientists say that if they could know early on, which children are likely to grow out of it, it would help in reassuring the parents as well as trying to see what could be done to help those that may continue to have problems.

They are hopeful that they may find some clues studying infant brains, which was not done in this study. They will need to understand exactly what is happening in the brain in the early days of a child or even before birth.

This certainly is a consolation for many parents who suffer not knowing why their children have ADHD. There are a lot of myths surrounding the cause of ADHD. Some of them include poor parenting, vaccines or too much sugar. Now parents know this is not true. They know that their child is developing the same way as any other normal child, just a few years slower.