We all know that
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that affects the survivors
of polio years after its recovery. According to an estimation of the
National Center for Health Statistics, there are 4,400,000 survivors of polio
in the United States. Nearly 60% of these people are at risk of the Post-polio
syndrome. Magnetic therapy research studies show that the pain associated with
post-polio can be reduced by using magnets. This article tries to gain further
insight.The research was carried out by Dr. Carlos Vallbona, at the Department
of Family and Community Medicine and the Department of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas in April 1997. 50
post-polio syndrome patients were chosen for the study. Thirty-nine
participants were women and 11 of them were men aged 50. They developed the
post-polio syndrome during their 40s. Magnets of 300 to 500 Gauss strength were
applied on the regions were the pain originated in these patients for 45
minutes. 76% patients reported pain relief after the study concluded.
According to Dr.
Vallbona, there was no clear explanation available for the quick and
significant pain relief observed in the patients. However, he supposed that the
magnetic energy could affect the pain receptors at the joints. This resulted in
the change of signals sent to the brain causing relief. The pain receptors are
responsible for receiving and sending signals to and from the brain.
Post-polio syndrome
(PPS) is a condition that affects the survivors of the polio years after its
recovery. According to an estimation of the National Center for Health
Statistics, there are 4,400,000 survivors of polio in the United States. Nearly
60% of these people are at risk of the Post-polio syndrome. Magnetic therapy
research studies show that the pain associated with post-polio can be reduced
by using magnets.
The quest for
effective treatment for chronic pain (whether or not as a result of PPS is
one that has kept many medical researchers busy and keeps many of those
suffering from it with empty wallets. One of the most popular therapies for
pain to come along in the last few years is the treatment of pain with magnets.
Magnets have been touted as therapy for
everything from low back pain to the next best cure for cancer. As of this time
the FDA has approved no magnet therapy for any condition. The FDA actively
monitors those marketing magnets to ensure that no company marketing magnets is
making claims for cures that have not been proven. This is a huge task as the
number of companies marketing these devices grows every day. As I was
researching this feature a search for magnets on the search engine Google came
up with thousands of different pages on the Internet. These results show the
intense interest people have in this therapy. This interest can also leave the
door wide open for fraud and abuse of people who are desperate to find pain
relief. While many people have made claims that magnet therapy has helped to
relief pain, these reports are for the most part anecdotal or unscientific
reports. There has however been a lot of interest in magnets for pain therapy
from the scientific community.
A study reported in the Journal of
Alternative and Complementary Medicine studied the effect of magnet therapy
on fibromyalgia pain. Although the results of the study were inconclusive,
magnet therapy reduced fibromyalgia pain intensity enough in one group of study
participants to be "clinically meaningful" the researchers said. This
study, conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia studied results
from 94 patients who suffered from fibromyalgia who were randomly divided into
4 groups. Half of these patients were in 2 control groups, one that received
fake magnets and the other that just followed their usual treatment routine.
The other 2 groups received active magnetic pads; one which provided whole body
exposure to a uniform magnetic field and the other group used a pad which
exposed the subjects to a magnetic field that varied both spatially and in
polarity. The study tracked results over a six month periods. The two groups
that slept on pads with active magnets generally showed improvement in outcome
scores of pain intensity level, number of tender points on the body and functional
status at the end of the six month period of the test. The subjects in the
control group did not exhibit the same type of improvement in their symptoms.
Researchers expressed surprise that they saw
positive results from the study virtually nothing known as to how magnets work
to relieve pain. They do feel that in light of the results from this study that
more research on magnet therapy for pain is justified.
Hehehe Corner
The
pro football team had just finished their daily practice session when a large
turkey came strutting onto the field. While the players gazed in amazement, the
turkey walked up to the head coach and demanded a tryout. Well, the U.S. is a
democracy so the turkey was given a tryout. Everyone stared in amazement as the
turkey caught pass after pass and ran right through the defensive line. When
the turkey returned to the sidelines, the coach shouted, "You're
terrific!!! Sign up for the season, and I'll see to it that you get a huge
bonus." "Forget the bonus," the turkey said, "All I want to
know is, does the season go past Thanksgiving Day?"
Are You Type A?
According to scientific
literature, Type A behavior is characterized by an intense and sustained drive
to achieve goals and an eagerness to compete. Personalities categorized as Type
A tend to have a persistent desire for external recognition and advancement.
They are involved in various functions that bring about time restrictions. Such
personalities have a tendency to speed up mental and physical tasks with
extraordinary mental and physical alertness. These characteristics make for
super-achievers and high-powered people. Type A individuals can get a lot done
and have the potential to really move ahead in the world. But there is a high
price to pay. Certain components of such a personality can inhibit happiness
and even threaten health. For example, the goals that Type A folks set are
often poorly defined and therefore hard to achieve—a perfect recipe for
misery.
Type A is also characterized by a
general discontentedness and the impulse to be overly critical and demanding,
even contemptuous of imperfection, in the self and others. This focus on
negative aspects and the accompanying bursts of hostility and impatience result
in guilt, remorse and anxiety. Type A personalities are motivated by external
sources (instead of by inner motivation), such as material reward and
appreciation from others. Type A folks experience a constant sense of
opposition, wariness, and apprehension--they are always ready for battle. And
anyone can imagine how this constant (and very exhausting) existence would
deplete reserves of contentment and happiness and disrupt personal equilibrium.
Although the literature is
somewhat inconsistent because of problems with the conceptualization and
definition of Type A behavior pattern, it has been linked to higher risks of
cardiovascular diseases. The risks seemed to be reduced with intervention aimed
at reducing Type A behavior. Indeed, those with a high Type A score would be
happier and healthier if they were to file down the jagged edges of their
personality. By learning how to control the negative behavior patterns while
preserving their drive, Type A people can be successful without sacrificing
their emotional well-being.
Portable Hand Controls
for Automobiles
So, you're going back east for a family
reunion, and Uncle Dan says, "I guess we'll have to send somebody to the
airport to pick you up." You can say, "No problem, I'll rent
something there and drive myself out."
And when that lady at the rental agency looks
at you with that smiley smile and says, "All we have with automatic
transmission is a Geo Metro and a Lincoln Town Car," you can say,
"Either one is fine."
And when Dan and Fred mention that they're
going golfing tomorrow, you can say, "You fellas want a caddy? I'll drive
the golf cart." And later, when somebody has to drive Aunt Melba's '65
Falcon into town for more Tom and Jerry batter, you can say, "I'll be glad
to," and pull out your PHC III portable hand control.
These hand controls really are portable and
can be fitted to any vehicle - without tools - in about five minutes. Want to
know more? Go to http://www.wheelability.com/index.html
Hehehe Corner
Why
did the turkey cross the road? Well, it was the chicken's day off.
Breathing and Sleep Symposium
From Gladys Swensrud
I
received an email from the Salk Institute this afternoon to let me know the
Breathing & Sleep Symposium video is now posted at www.poliotoday.org. I am proud to
share that it is displayed prominently on their polio today homepage. You
will be VERY impressed by the quality of the presenters and their respective
presentations.
I have watched each presentation all the way through again, and the information that was shared by our presenters is extremely valuable for all polio survivors to see…not just those with known breathing problems. Knowledge is the key to 1) understanding neuromuscular respiratory compromise and 2) protecting yourself as you age with PPS.
I hope you will not only personally take a moment to view each segment of the presentations, but that you will also put out a reminder for your members nationwide and worldwide to tune in as their time permits as well. If I might make a bold suggestion, it would be very beneficial if you could show the different segments at future PPS meetings and discuss the subject material together as a group. The more people who are exposed to it the better. And it wouldn’t hurt to share the link with medical professionals in each state and country as well. Anything you can do to get this valuable information out will be greatly appreciated!
I have been humbled by your friendship for years. Your continued support reminds me what a kind, small world this really is when you share a motor neuron disease like PPS.
From your very tired…but very happy friend, Gladys Swensrud.
Three Things You Probably Never
Knew About Your Mobile Phone
There are a few things that can be done in
times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or
an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with
it:
One - The Emergency Number The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If
you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and
there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network
to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112
can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.
Two - You locked your keys in the
car. Does your car
have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a
cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car
and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile
phone from your mobile phone. Then hold your mobile phone
about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press
the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will
unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no
object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who
has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor's
Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a mobile
phone!'
Three - Your Mobile Phone has
been stolen. You can
quickly disable it. To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in
the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 # A 15
digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset.
Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If and when your phone gets stolen,
you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be
able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your
phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but
at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If
everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing
mobile phones.
Also -ATM PIN Number Reversal - Good
to Know If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw
money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your PIN
# in reverse. For example, if your pin number is 1234, then you would put
in 4321. The ATM system recognizes that your PIN number is backwards from
the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you
the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be
immediately dispatched to the location.
This information was recently broadcast on CTV by Crime Stoppers however it is
seldom used because people just don't know about it. Editor's note - I was
too scared to try it because if the police actually did come.................
Hehehe Corner
The best dance to do on Thanksgiving is the
turkey trot.
Timing of Meals May Affect Weight
Gain
Mice fed a high-fat diet during their normal
sleep and rest period gained significantly more weight than mice fed the same
diet during their active hours, a new study shows. The finding suggests that
when we eat may influence how we pack on pounds.
Many living organisms—from plants to fruit flies to humans—have internal
biological clocks, or circadian rhythms, that govern our daily cycles of sleep
and activity. These internal clocks are tied to cycles of light and darkness.
Several recent studies have found that circadian clocks can affect metabolism
in animals, suggesting that the timing of meals might influence whether
incoming calories are burned or stored as fat.
To take a closer look, Dr. Fred Turek, Deanna M. Arble and their colleagues at
Northwestern University designed a study to search for a direct link between
meal times and body weight. Their research is supported by NIH's National
Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
For 6 weeks, mice were fed a high-fat diet either during a 12-hour dark phase,
when the mice are normally active, or during a 12-hour light phase, when the
mice are normally resting. The mice could eat as much as they wanted during
their assigned feeding periods, but the food was removed during the remaining
12 hours each day. The study was described in the September 3, 2009, advance
online edition of Obesity.
The researchers found that both groups of mice had similar levels of
activity and calorie consumption over the 6-week period. However, within the
first 2 weeks, the mice who ate during their normal sleeping phase weighed
significantly more than the other mice. By the end of the study, the mice who
ate when they should be sleeping had a 48% boost to their body weight, on
average, compared to a 20% increase in the mice who ate the high-fat diet
during their normal waking hours.
The researchers say their study is the first to show that eating at the
"wrong" time can influence body weight, although the mechanism is
still unclear. The circadian clock is known to affect many other body
functions, including body temperature, hormone levels, hunger and sleep, all of
which may contribute to changes in weight. Further research will be needed to
determine if the findings in mice can shed light on human weight gain.
"How or why a person gains weight is very complicated, but it clearly is
not just calories in and calories out. We think some factors are under
circadian control," says Turek. "Better timing of meals, which would
require a change in behavior, could be a critical element in slowing the
ever-increasing incidence of obesity."
Hehehe Corner
If only we could cross a turkey with an
octopus we would have enough drumsticks for everyone.
Help NIH help you
We'd like to hear from you. Tell the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
how you find and use health information by responding to the questions at http://nihhealthinfoRFI.nih.gov.
Your responses will help NIH understand which health topics you're interested
in, so we can prepare more effective health information and get it to the
people who need it.
The questions -- called the Consumer Health Information Request for Information
(RFI) -- can be completed online in English or downloaded from the Web site in
Spanish.
The RFI was developed through a partnership between NIH's Office of
Communication and Public Liaison and the NIH Director's Council of Public
Representatives.
For more information, please visit http://nihhealthinfoRFI.nih.gov.
Origin of Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is America's preeminent day. It
is celebrated every year on the November. It has a very interesting
history. Its origin can be traced back to the 16th century when the first
thanksgiving dinner is said to have taken place.
Journey of Pilgrims
The legendary pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A
17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months
with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space
of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible
storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.
Arrival in Plymouth
The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey
of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part
of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off
course. Nearly 46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the
spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by
growing food.
Day of Fasting and Prayer
In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of
fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming
season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It
saved the corn crops.
First Thanksgiving Feast
It is said that Pilgrims learnt to grow corn, beans and pumpkins from the
Indians, which helped all of them survive . In the autumn of 1621, they held a
grand celebration where 90 people were invited including Indians. The grand
feast was organized to thank god for his favors. This communal dinner is
popularly known as “The first thanksgiving feast”. There is however, no
evidence to prove if the dinner actually took place.
While some historians believe pilgrims were quite religious so, their
thanksgiving would've included a day of fasting and praying, others say that
the Thanksgiving dinner did take place.
Turkey and First Thanksgiving Feast
There is no evidence to prove if the customary turkey was a part of the initial
feast. According to the first hand account written by the leader of the colony,
the food included, ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries etc.
Pumpkin and Thanksgiving Feast
Pumpkin pie, a modern staple adorning every dinner table, is unlikely to have
been a part of the first thanksgiving feast. Pilgrims however, did have boiled
pumpkin. Diminishing supply of flour led to the absence of any kind of bread.
The feast continued for three days and was eaten outside due to lack of space.
It was not repeated till 1623, which again witnessed a severe drought. Governor
Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in the year 1676. October of
1777 witnessed a time when all the 13 colonies joined in a communal
celebration. It also marked the victory over the British.
After a number of events and changes, President Lincoln proclaimed last
Thursday in November of thanksgiving in the year 1863. This was due to the
continuous efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor. She wrote a number
of articles for the cause.
Hehehe Corner
Asked to write a composition entitled,
"What I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving," little Timothy wrote,
"I am thankful that I'm not a turkey."
Are You Positive or
Negative?
Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind
thoughts, words and images that are conducive to growth, expansion and success.
It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive
mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every
situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds.
Not everyone accepts or believes in positive thinking. Some
consider the subject as just nonsense, and others scoff at people who believe
and accept it. Among the people who accept it, not many know how to use it
effectively to get results. Yet, it seems that many are becoming attracted to
this subject, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it.
This is a subject that is gaining popularity.
It is quite common to hear people say: "Think
positive!", to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take
these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not
consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to
think what the power of positive thinking means?
The following story illustrates how this power works:
Allan applied for a new job,
but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself as a failure and
unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going to get the job. He had a
negative attitude towards himself, and believed that the other applicants were
better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested this attitude, due to his
negative past experiences with job interviews.
His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning
the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be
rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he
discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one
needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of
wrinkles.
During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude,
worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to
eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to
focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and
consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.
Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a
different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week
preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression
and getting the job.
In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was
going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he
woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to
arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.
He got the job because he made a good impression. He had also of
course, the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.
What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic
employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we
entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind's eye
what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy
and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success.
Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is
more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.
Positive and negative thinking are both contagious.
All of us affect, in one way
or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a
subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference, and through
body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts, and vice
versa. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive people and avoid
negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive, and they
dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.
Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and
unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into
the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to
failure, frustration and disappointment.
Hehehe Corner
For
a long time people wondered where the first corn came from. They finally
realized that the stalk brought it.