More Debate Over Cell Phones & Cancer

The argument has gone back and forth a number of times on whether there is a chance that cell phone usage might be a factor in various cancers of the head and brain. The research has been inconclusive. Some weak correlations have been shown between the number of hours that people spend talking on their cellular phones and the incidence of certain rare cancers. However, these cancers are so rare that even with an increased likelihood from cell phone usage, the incidence would still be very low.

Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times has recently put together a very nice rundown of the state of the research in this area, with summaries of what we do and do not know at the present time and some of the arguments from each side of the fence.

Dr. Ronald B. Herberman is the director of one of the most prominent cancer research centers in the nation: the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Although he states that he realizes the research is inadequate to establish causation of cancer from cellphone radiation, Dr. Herberman believes it is wise to take precautions despite the lack of definitive research one way or another. For this reason he recently issued an official advisory to all 3,000 employees at the center that they should limit their cell phone use wherever possible and prevent prolonged contact of cell phone radiation with their children.

5 Ways To Improve A Woman's Sex Drive

Over the last decade, the explosive popularity of drugs like viagra and cialis has alleviated erectile dysfunction for millions of men. Meanwhile, millions of women are still suffering from sexual dysfunction and have no such sure-fire cure available to them. The problems that women suffer in this area include a lack of sexual desire, lack of natural sexual lubrication and other psychophysiological cues, and inability to experience orgasm.

CNN.com reports that a siginificant percentage of these symptoms are brought on by the widespread use of antidepressants among women, who suffer from depression somewhat more commonly than men. One way that women experiencing lack of sex drive or other sexual side effects from antidepressants can regain their sexual abilities is by consulting with their psychiatrists about switching to a different antidepressant medication which might have fewer side effects for them, and by entering into psychotherapy in order to work through the underlying psychological causes of the depression for which the medications have become necessary.

Here are five other alternative means that a woman can seek out in order to try to boost sexual functioning:

1. Drugs approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men, such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis

There have been some medical studies suggesting that these drugs may also have some efficacy in the treatment of sexual dysfunction in women. However, other studies have shown no efficacy for these drugs in treating women. The FDA has only approved these drugs for treating men, but doctors do have discretion in prescribing medicines for off-label purposes. You can talk to your doctor to see if they will be willing to offer you this type of medication to see if it works for you. Your doctor will also be able to discuss the possible benefits and risks of trying out these medications.

2. Testosterone therapy

Many female patients experience increased sex drive and sexual functioning when they are treated with testosterone. This hormone, usually known as the "male hormone" but actually endogenous to both the male and female bodies, helps to increase libido in patients of either gender.

Again, though, this treatment has only been approved for use in men, as the FDA says it has not been adequately tested with female patients. You can still talk with your doctor about the possibility of trying out this treatment, however, and they can tell you about the possible side effects or potential benefits of taking extra testosterone.

A big problem with off-label use of testosterone treatment for women is that it is currently only produced in doses appropriate for men, which means the doctor would have to have some special knowledge of how much would be required in the treatment of a woman.

3. The Amino Acid Arginine

Arginine is a readily available substance that you can buy over the counter in many drug stores or vitamin stores. Arginine is an amino acid, which means that it is one of the building blocks that your body uses to build up new proteins. Some patients have experienced benefits from applying an Arginine cream directly to their genitals in order to improve bloodflow to the area, while others have taken the amino acid as an oral supplement.

Women have reported some mixed results, and little scientific research has tested the efficacy of this treatment for female sexual dysfunction. However, arginine itself has a substantial body of research suggesting that it is extremely safe and well-tolerated, so little harm can come of trying out this method. Of course, you want to consult with your doctor before taking any supplement. And in my opinion this is all part of the central issue which I would encourage you to come and lose weight with me so we can be fully in our health.

4. Relaxing herbal supplements

Chronic stress can damage sexual functioning in a variety of ways and at a variety of levels. If you feel like you are under stress, you might try taking one of the relaxing herbal supplements recommended by Dr. Esther Konigsberg, medical director of the Family Practice Center of Integrative Health and Healing in Burlington, Ontario. She recommends: ashwagandha, astragalus, and panax ginseng.

5. Experimental drugs

Good luck getting into one of the ongoing studies of new drugs specifically designed for treatment of female sexual dysfunction, but keep your eyes and ears open around the local celebrity clinic or university campus and maybe you can get in on the ground floor.

Staying Fit May Preserve Your Brain Mass

A study published in Neurology, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that people in the early or milder stages of Alzheimer's disease tended to have more massive brains when they exercised regularly.

The study was performed by having elderly individuals run on a treadmill while various fitness parameters were measured, and also by scanning their brains to measure the overall size and density of various types of brain tissue. The results indicated a positive correlation between fitness and brain size, which led the researchers to conclude that regular exercise could help to stave off some of the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease onset.

However, this conclusion seem somewhat premature, as the results of the study are insufficient to establish causation. Preventing brain shrinkage is certainly desirable, as loss of brain mass is known to be connected with the onset of cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer's. However, the brain is also responsible for motor functions that would likely have an effect on fitness markers. It is just as plausible that brain shrinkage caused a reduction of overall cardiorespiratory fitness as to say the reverse. This means that it may be plausible that a diet pill can work to reduce the risk factors as much as exercise would.

However, there is little dispute that remaining physically fit helps to prevent a wide variety of age-related maladies. There can be little argument that people at risk for Alzheimer's disease, like people who are not at risk, should be involved in regular cardiovascular exercise as well as weight training.

How Stress Damages the Immune System

A new study published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity helps to shed some light on the long-recognized fact that chronic stress damages immune functioning. Researchers at UCLA found a direct effect on immune cells by the stress hormone cortisol.

When you experience stressful situations, your body releases cortisol to activate the "fight or flight" response. This hormone has a variety of effects on different parts of the body, and one of these is to suppress the ability of immune cells to activate an enzyme that allows them to stay young and healthy and to keep dividing into new immune cells. The actions of this enzyme are known to prevent diseases ranging from HIV to heart disease as well as normal aging.

The finding that cortisol directly inhibits the action of this enzyme tells us a good deal about exactly how stress promotes disease and decreases the body's ability to defend itself against pathogens. It may also help us to understand how difficult lives seem to "age" people.

The next step for scientific research is to find out what can be done to inhibit this effect of cortisol, so that immune functioning and age-prevention functions could continue in the face of situational and biological stress. Such a drug could be invaluable for long-term military applications, other chronically high-stress workers such as air traffic controllers, and possibly even for people prone to high levels of anxiety that are known to compromise immune functioning.

It is already known that regular exercise can mediate the effects of ordinary stress levels, so you may want to think about finally buying that wii exercise game in order to keep yourself free from degenerative disease.

For Men, Weight Loss Boosts Fertility

A new study from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland found that obese men should lose weight to improve their chances of conceiving a child.

The study examined the sperm of men across a spectrum of body mass indices. They found a significantly increased incidence of abnormal sperm among men in the upper BMI ranges. They also found a decreased overall sperm count among this group.

However, the researchers did not speculate on the reasons why their findings might be as they are. It would be interesting to see breakdowns of macronutrient consumption among men of varying sperm count and viability levels, as well as micronutrient levels, blood lipid markers, insulin sensitivity, physical activity, geographical location, and so on.

So don't be a punk, go out and get yourself whatever kinds of carnitine weight loss supplements or glutamine supplements you need to get your body in good shape finally so that you can deliver the good as you would want.

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