Friday, December 28, 2007

STEM CELLS FOR FIXING THE BREAST DEFECTS

More than 10,000 women have lumps removed each year in the United States. These operations, lumpectomies, often are done in stead of mastectomies, which take the whole breast. But they often leave deformities because as much as a third of a woman’s breast may be removed.
The defect initially may not be as noticeable, but often gets worse, especially if the woman also has radiation treatment.
There is a growing push to try to involve the plastic surgeon particularly for this reason.
But for the first time, doctors have used stem cells from liposuctioned fat to fix breast defects in women who have had cancerous lumps removed.
The approach is still experimental, but holds promise for millions of women left with cratered areas and breasts that look very different from each other after cancer surgery.
It might also be a way to augment healthy breast without using artificial implants.
So far, it has only been tested on about the two dozen women in a study in Japan. But doctors in United States see it has great potential.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

ORANGE --- AN APPLE FROM CHINA.

All citrus trees are of the single genus Citrus, and remain largely interbreedable, that is there is only one “ super species” which includes lemons, limes, and oranges. Nevertheless, names have been given to the various members of the citrus family, oranges often referred to as Citrus sinensis.
Orange derives its name from the Sanskrit word Naranga. The Sanskrit word was borrowed into European languages through Persian, Armenian, Arabic and Spanish.
The Portuguese brought the sweet orange from China or India to Europe during the 15th century. For the same reason, some languages refer to it as Applesin (or variants), which means “ Apple from China”, while the bitter orange was introduced through Persia.
Oranges are widely grown in warm climates worldwide, and the flavors of oranges vary from sweet to sour. The fruit is commonly peeled and eaten fresh, or squeezed for its juice.
Sweet orange oil is a by-product of the juice industry produced by pressing the peel. It is used as flavoring of food and drink and for its fragrance in perfume and aromatherapy.
Sweet orange oil consists of about 90% d-Limonene, a solvent used in various household chemicals, such as to condition wooden furniture, and along with other citrus oils in greases removal and as a hand- cleansing agent. It is an efficient cleaning agent, which is promoted as being environmentally friendly and preferred.
The orange blossom, which is the state flower of Florida, is traditionally associated with good fortune, and was popular in bridal bouquets and head wreaths for weddings for some time.
Citrus or orange are believed to have medicinal properties that are helpful in the fight against several diseases.
The fruit juice is an effective remedy for cough and cold, fever, scurvy, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, hypertension, sunstroke, heat stroke, nervous debility and menorrhagia.
Orange juice is high in flavonoids, folate, and Vitamin C. leading them to be potentially beneficial in reducing the risk of heat disease.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

PEER ----A GIFT OF CHINA

A peer not so favorite amongst the fruits that human eat, is a juicy fruit of tree named Pyrus edible in some species.
The pear although have some similarities in appearances with apple, there is major distinction in the occurrence of the tissues of the fruit, or beneath the rind, of clusters of lignified cells.
Pears are thought to have originated in China in the foothills of the Tian Shan Mountains and from there spread all around the world thru the mountains chains, evolving in more than 20 species.
There are mainly three species used by humans for edible purposes, the European pear, the Chinese pear and the Asian pear. There are thousands of cultivators of these three species.
Although juicy, pear can be consumed both as a fresh and dried. The fresh can be eaten as it is, or the juice to be used for jellies and jams, usually with other fruits and berries.
Pears ripen fast when kept near bananas; they also preserve their freshness when kept in the freeze.
Pear wood is the favorite material for manufacturing the high quality woodwind musical instruments. The wood is also considered the best for wood carved furniture. The pear wood when burnt releases the aromatic smoke, and is used for smoking the meat.
Chocolate pear bake and pear pie are very popular dishes.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

CHOKEBERRY – ANTIOXIDANT-COLORECTAL CANCER

CHOKEBERRY is two species, Red Chokeberry and Black Chokeberry, native of North America found most in wet woods and swamps.
Red chokeberry as the name suggests are the fruits red in color and can persist in winter.
Black chokeberry as the name suggests are the fruits black in color but cannot persist in winter.
There is another branch of these fruits namely the Purple chokeberry which comes into existence at the hybridization of red chokeberry and black chokeberry.Chokeberry is the gardeners’ best choice for the purpose of ornamentation of the gardens.
Juices from the berries are astringent and not sweet but very rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants.
The juice is used in wine and sometimes used for soft drink flavoring.
Chokeberries' rich antioxidants elements are widely used as dietary preventive, diseases caused by oxidative stress.
Medical studies show that chokeberry anthocyanins are beneficial in the treatment of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic inflammation, eye inflammation and liver failures.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

GINGER -- MEDICAL USES AND CULINARY USES

There is no option to various vegetables, spices, herbs, and a lot many things the nature has given to us to keep us always in good health.
Ginger is one of these precious things that nature has gifted to us.
We are using in fact the edible part of Ginger plant, which looks like root.
Ginger has enormous types of use both for the medicines and daily use.
The ginger oil and the powder made from ginger are very useful for the patients who experience nausea for sickness, morning sickness, and nausea after chemotherapy.
The oil which almost 3% is used in the food to give the fragrance to the food.
In Asian countries ginger is crushed in boiled along with tea or coffee in winter season.
The juice of old ginger is extremely potent is used to flavor the sea-food and mutton.
Mature ginger roots are dry and fibrous; they are then crushed and used as a powder or can be used as it is.
Young ginger are juicy and with a mild taste, they are used in vinegar or sherry.
In Asian countries ginger boiled and mixed with sugar is daily used by new mothers and expecting mothers.
Ginger is very well used as stomach settlers.
Use of ginger is generally safe and without any side effects.