Back From My Sabatical

Hello everyone!

I apologize for taking such a long break for the past month. I've been so busy with summer and our kids, resting, trying to eat right and now getting the kids ready to go back to school.  They start tomorrow.  I will be back to my normal schedule as well.

I'm really happy to be back and look forward to posting more informative information.

Soft hugs,

Stacey

World Me & FM Prayer & Meditation Days

is on September 2nd 2009.

Please click here for more details:
How to Participate

New Drug Approved for Fibromyalgia

People with fibromyalgia whose symptoms don’t respond well to current therapies will soon have a new drug option. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, approved Milnacipran HCl (Savella) to help manage the pain and fatigue associated with this disorder.

Milnacipran becomes the third drug to be approved by the FDA for fibromyalgia. It is the first drug to be newly introduced into the United States specifically for use in fibromyalgia, says Daniel Clauw, MD, professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In the studies that led to its approval, milnacipran was shown to be safe and effective in two phase-3 studies involving more than 2,000 people living with fibromyalgia. In the studies, dosages of 100 milligrams (mg) per day and 200 mg per day demonstrated significant improvements in pain, patient global assessment and physical function. The most common adverse reaction to the drug was nausea. Other common side effects were constipation, dry mouth, excessive sweating, hot flushes, hypertension, increased heart rate and palpitations, and vomiting.

Milnacipran belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Although it’s still not clear exactly how these drugs work, some researchers believe they may help to correct abnormalities in certain brain neurotransmitters may be central to this pain disorder.

“Savella has been approved as an antidepressant for some time in many countries, but not in the United States,” says Dr. Clauw who was hired by Cypress Biosciences (now the U.S. licensor of milnacipran) to identify a safe, existing drug that had a profile that should make it effective in fibromyalgia. Dr. Clauw is also a member of Arthritis Today’s medical advisory board.

While milnacipran has not been tested head to head with other antidepressants, Dr. Clauw says there is evidence to suggest it may be more effective against the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia than other antidepressants, including other selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

“Many animal and other studies suggest this drug may have – relative to serotonin – more norepinephrine reuptake properties,” says Dr. Clauw. “Many scientists feel that norepinephrine may be a more important neurotransmitter to modulate in chronic pain states than serotonin.”

“Norepinephrine activity may also better able to relieve symptoms such as fatigue and memory difficulties,” he says. “We won't really know if these effects seen in animal studies really translate into better improvement in these symptoms until further testing is performed.”

But other experts believe caution is warranted for this and other fibromyalgia drugs.

“The problem with most treatments for fibromyalgia is that they tend to work well in the short term,” says Frederick Wolfe, MD, Director of the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases in Wichita, Kan. “These drugs have not been shown to be effective in the long run.”

By Mary Anne Dunkin

Source

Is Somatic Hypersensitivity A Predictor Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Although visceral hypersensitivity is considered a hallmark feature of IBS, conflicting evidence exists regarding somatic hypersensitivity in this patient population. Several investigators have found no evidence for heightened somatic pain sensitivity in IBS patients. Also, others have reported similar cold presser pain tolerance in IBS patients and controls. These conflicting findings may result from differing somatic pain testing procedures. Previous studies have explored the correlates of visceral hypersensitivity among patients with IBS. To further evaluate somatic hyperalgesia among patients with IBS, the authors evaluated thermal pain sensitivity among patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (D-IBS) vs constipation-predominant IBS (C-IBS) compared with healthy subjects. 

A research led by G Nicholas Verne from United States addressed this issue. The article was published on July 14, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. A total of 42 cases with D-IBS and 24 with C-IBS, and 52 control subjects were collected in the study. Their thermal pain hypersensitivity were examined Thermal stimuli were delivered using a Medoc Thermal Sensory Analyzer with a 3 cm - 3 cm surface area. Heat pain threshold (HPTh) and heat pain tolerance (HPTo) were assessed on the left ventral forearm and left calf using an ascending method of limits. The Functional Bowel Disease Severity Index (FBDSI) was also obtained for all subjects. 

The research revealed controls were less sensitive than C-IBS and D-IBS with no differences between C-IBS and D-IBS for HPTh and HPTo. Thermal hyperalgesia was present in both groups of IBS patients relative to controls, with IBS patients reporting significantly lower pain threshold and pain tolerance at both test sites. 

A unique finding of this study is that the authors detected a strong relationship between heat pain measures and Functional Bowel Disease Severity Index (FBDSI) scores. IBS patients with high FBDSI scores had the highest thermal pain sensitivity compared to those IBS patients with low to moderate FBDSI scores. 

Reference: Zhou Q, Fillingim RB, Riley JL, Verne GN. Thermal hypersensitivity in a subset of irritable bowel syndrome patients. World Journal of Gastroenterology 2009; 15(26): 3254-3260. http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/15/3254.asp 

Correspondence to: G Nicholas Verne, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Ohio State University, 288A Office Tower, 395 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, United States. 

Source: 
Lai-Fu Li 
World Journal of Gastroenterology 

Raw vs. Roasted

Raw (or unroasted) nuts. Contrary to popular belief, raw nuts are not simply plucked from trees and sold on a grocery store shelf. As mentioned previously, most nuts are dried to preserve them and improve their flavors and textures. These are raw nuts. While raw nuts are fairly nutritious and have no added fat, they’re often bland and tasteless. 

Raw nuts also contain enzyme inhibitors which help to protect the seed and keep it from germinating too early and dying off. This also helps to keep the species going. 

But these enzyme inhibitors, when introduced into the body, actually neutralize the enzymes your body uses to control inflammation and aid in digestion. In fact, eating nuts with these enzyme inhibitors can cause the pancreas to swell. 

There are only two ways to destroy these enzyme inhibitors: 1) roasting, which also destroys the enzymes, and 2) sprouting, which keeps the beneficial enzymes intact. 

Roasted nuts. While roasted nuts have a lot more flavor than raw nuts, there are some definite disadvantages to them: 1) added oils, 2) added ingredients, 3) more difficult to digest, and 4) less nutritional value. 

Nuts can be either dry roasted or roasted in oil. As you probably already know, dry-roasted nuts contain less fat than nuts roasted in oil. In fact, roasting nuts in oil is a lot like deep frying—nuts are dumped into highly saturated palm kernel or coconut oils, adding about a gram of fat and 10 calories per ounce to nuts with an already high fat and calorie content.

Then roasted nuts are often heavily salted and almost always have other ingredients added to them such as sugar, corn syrup, MSG, preservatives, and other additives. 

In addition, many people have trouble digesting nuts because of the high fat content. Adding more fats during roasting makes them even more difficult to digest.

Finally, roasting destroys much of the nutritional content of nuts. Vitamin B, particularly vitamin B1 (thiamine), which helps produce energy and keep the heart healthy, is most often killed off in roasting. 

And, as mentioned previously, roasting not only destroys the enzyme inhibitors, it destroys the enzymes needed by the body to help with digestion. 

So roasted nuts may have more flavor than raw nuts—but at a price: your health. 

Facial Salt Scrub

Things You'll Need:

Honey

Small ramekin

Salt

Spoon

Instructions

Step 1

Pour honey into a ramekin. Honey will provide the base for your salt scrub. Make sure your honey is at room temperature because it will be easier to work with. Pour honey into your small ramekin until it's almost half full.

Step 2

Add enough salt to the honey to thicken it; mix thoroughly. The mixture should be thick enough to stick to the back of the spoon without dripping. Continue adding salt by the teaspoon and mixing it with the spoon until it's the right consistency.

Step 3

Spread the facial scrub on your face, gently. Start with your forehead and work down, avoiding the eye area. If the facial is too thick to spread easily, moisten your hands with warm water. Be sure not to pull or stretch your facial skin when applying the scrub.

Step 4

Allow the scrub to sit on your face for about five minutes. The weight of it will draw the blood to the surface of your skin. Your face should appear slightly red and feel warm.

Step 5

Scrub. With a moist hand, rub the facial into your skin in small circular motions. If the facial is too tight to move easily, add some warm water with your hands.

Step 6

Rinse. The facial is easiest to remove in the shower. Stand under the shower and let the warm water dissolve the facial from your face. Be sure to rinse thoroughly, especially near the hairline.

Are Fibromyalgia Patients Crazy?

4th Edition Of Critically Acclaimed Book On Fibromyalgia Now Released

Birmingham, AL (PRWEB) August 1, 2009 -- In this recently released 4th Edition of his book, Dr. Murphree makes it perfectly clear, he understands what his patients are going through.

Dr. Murphree reports: "I'd feel crazy too if I went days without sleeping, suffered with chronic pain, had no energy, had no life, and had been bounced from one doctor to another only to get worse year after year!"

I'd feel crazy too if I went days without sleeping, suffered with chronic pain, had no energy, had no life, and had been bounced from one doctor to another only to get worse year after year! 

Dr. Rodger Murphree, author of Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, has been specializing in treating Fibromyalgia patients for the last 14 years.

Because those with Fibromyalgia have an illness that's hard to "prove," loved ones may secretly convict them of hypochondria or laziness. Patients may be told, "it's all in your head." They may be told that they need to exercise, lose weight or take antidepressants.

Physicians can be even worse. If they believe the condition exists at all--and some don't--their first impulse is to mask the symptoms with prescription drugs. Patients often end up on a medical merry-go-round, seeing doctor after doctor after doctor. They end up more confused and disoriented than ever, often concluding, "Maybe I am crazy, after all."

The traditional drugs of choice for Fibromyalgia include NSAIDS, antidepressants (Cymbalta), anticonvulsant medications (Lyrica), muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, and pain medications. These drugs may provide short-term relief but their results are often fleeting and their side affects often create more symptoms. It's not unusual for Fibromyalgia patients to be taking twelve or more prescription drugs, many of which contribute to "fibro fog", anxiety, depression, and overall fatigue.

Our Stress Coping Savings Account
We have in this savings account certain chemicals, vitamins, minerals, and hormones like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and cortisol that allow us to handle moment-to-moment, day-to-day stress. The more stress we are under, the more withdrawals we make. Individuals with fibromyalgia have made more withdrawals than deposits. Poor sleep, chronic stress, nutritional deficiencies, prescription drugs, and other stressors have taken their toll. The patient has bankrupted their stress coping savings account. This causes the body to become overwhelmed and poor health soon follows.

Fortunately there are some tried-and-true nutritional protocols that can help build up the bankrupted stress-coping savings account. Reestablishing optimal brain chemicals or neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and norepinephrine, is critical for reversing the symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

Building up the stress coping savings account with the nutrients that regulate pain, sleep, energy, moods, digestion and mental clarity is the key for feeling good again!

Why merely cover up symptoms when the cause can be corrected?

Dr. Murphree's book helps patients correct the cause(s) of their disease. The Fibromyalgia Jump-Start Program, formulated by Dr Murphree, uses the right combination of supplements and drugs (when needed), to help patients overcome their Fibromyalgia.

For this book and other health concerns like Heart Disease or Anxiety and Depression by Dr Murphree visit http://www.cardinalpub.com or call 800 296 0481

About Dr. Murphree
Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C., C.N.S, has been in private practice since 1990. He is the founder and past clinic director for a large integrated medical practice specializing in fibromyalgia and located on the campus of Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. He's been specializing in fibromyalgia for the last 13 years.

He is the author of 5 books patients and doctors including the critically acclaimed "Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." Dr. Murphree writes for several medical and nutritional publications, lectures throughout North America, and sees fibromyalgia patients at his clinic in Birmingham, Alabama.

Find out more about Dr. Murphree, Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, http://www.treatingandbeating.com205 879 2383

Source

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are very sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. The onset of these episodes is typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers.

Although these episodes may appear to be random, they are a subset of an evolutionary response commonly referred to as fight or flight that occur out of context. This response floods the body with hormones, particularly epinephrine (adrenaline), that aid it in defending against harm. Experiencing a panic attack is said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person's life.

According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.

Panic attacks are commonly linked to agoraphobia and the fear of not being able to escape a bad situation. Many who experience panic attacks feel trapped and unable to free themselves.

The effects of a panic attack vary from person to person. Some, notably first-time sufferers, may call for emergency services. Many who experience a panic attack, mostly for the first time, fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown.

Source

Panic Attacks and Paper Bag Rebreathing

Many panic attack sufferers as well as doctors recommend breathing into a paper bag as an effective short-term treatment of an acute panic attack. However, this treatment has been criticised by others as ineffective and possibly hazardous to the patient, even potentially worsening the panic attack. They say it can fatally lower oxygen levels in the blood stream, and increase carbon dioxide levels, which in turn has been found to be a major cause of panic attacks. 

It is therefore important to discover whether hyperventilation is truly involved in each case. If it is, then rebalancing the oxygen/CO2 levels in the blood and/or re-establishing an even, measured breathing pattern is an appropriate treatment which may be also achieved by extending the outbreath either by counting or even humming.

10 Important Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Going to the doctor can be intimidating. You might feel rushed and forget to ask questions that are important. It's always a good idea to know what to ask beforehand and to take notes when with the doctor. Some of the questions below may be worth asking. Print out this page and take it with you to your next appointment.

1. Are there any medication that could be of help?

2. Could exercise or physical therapy be used?

3. What is scientifically known about these conditions?

4. Are there things I can change in my environment to improve my health?

5. Should I still take my medication even if I feel fine?

6. How can I best evaluate alternative therapies for my condition?

7. Can I control fibromyalgia or CFS without taking medications?

8. How physically active can I be if I have fibromyalgia or CFS?

9. What is the long-term effect on my overall health?

10. Does fibromyalgia or CFIDS ever go away?

Source