Appendix: Known as No Function in Human Biology

Basically here's some good thing you should know more about your appendix, even though most of our medical scientist claimed that it has less important to human body....



Appendix, a worm-shaped tube branching off the cecum, the first part of the large intestine. It is located on the lower right side of the abdomen and is usually about 9 cm (about 3.5 in) long, with a thick wall. Only humans and apes have an appendix. It has no known function in human biology, but it does contain a large amount of lymphoid tissue, which may provide a defense against local infection. Many scientists believe that the human appendix at one time served a useful purpose that has gradually been lost through evolution.


For reasons not fully understood, the appendix can become infected and filled with pus—particularly in children, teenagers, and young adults—resulting in appendicitis. Symptoms of appendicitis include pain and cramps in the area between the right hip bone and the navel, fever, nausea and vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. The treatment is surgical removal of the appendix, known as appendectomy. If the appendix wall ruptures, infection may spread to the abdominal cavity, causing peritonitis, an inflammation of the abdominal lining. Acute peritonitis is often fatal if untreated.

Tags:appendix, ,, appendectomy, acute peritonitis, appendicitis, peritonitis, human biology

Liver: Body's Vital Organ

"Functions as the Body’s Chemical Factory"

I had a friend died in a disease of the Liver called "Cirrhosis". I got a research and post it here, so that everybody should aware and must know what's the liver really is, its functions, diseases, and awareness, and why so is called "A Unique Vital Organ".

Liver, largest internal organ of the human body. The liver, which is part of the digestive system, performs more than 500 different functions, all of which are essential to life. Its essential functions include helping the body to digest fats, storing reserves of nutrients, filtering poisons and wastes from the blood, synthesizing a variety of proteins, and regulating the levels of many chemicals found in the bloodstream. The liver is unique among the body’s vital organs in that it can regenerate, or grow back, cells that have been destroyed by some short-term injury or disease. But if the liver is damaged repeatedly over a long period of time, it may undergo irreversible changes that permanently interfere with function.

Structure of the Liver

The human liver is a dark red-brown organ with a soft, spongy texture. It is located at the top of the abdomen, on the right side of the body just below the diaphragm—a sheet of muscle tissue that separates the lungs from the abdominal organs. The lower part of the rib cage covers the liver, protecting it from injury. In a healthy adult, the liver weighs about 1.5 kg (3 lb) and is about 15 cm (6 in) thick.

Despite its many complex functions, the liver is relatively simple in structure. It consists of two main lobes, left and right, which overlap slightly. The right lobe has two smaller lobes attached to it, called the quadrate and caudate lobes.

Each lobe contains many thousands of units called lobules that are the building blocks of the liver. Lobules are six-sided structures each about 1 mm (0.04 in) across. A tiny vein runs through the center of each lobule and eventually drains into the hepatic vein, which carries blood out of the liver. Hundreds of cubed-shaped liver cells, called hepatocytes, are arranged around the lobule's central vein in a radiating pattern. On the outside surface of each lobule are small veins, ducts, and arteries that carry fluids to and from the lobules. As the liver does its work, nutrients are collected, wastes are removed, and chemical substances are released into the body through these vessels.

Unlike most organs, which have a single blood supply, the liver receives blood from two sources. The hepatic artery delivers oxygen-rich blood from the heart, supplying about 25 percent of the liver's blood. The liver also receives oxygen-depleted blood from the hepatic portal vein. This vein, which is the source of 75 percent of the liver's blood supply, carries blood to the liver that has traveled from the digestive tract, where it collects nutrients as food is digested. These nutrients are delivered to the liver for further processing or storage.

Tiny blood vessel branches of the hepatic artery and the hepatic portal vein are found around each liver lobule. This network of blood vessels is responsible for the vast amount of blood that flows through the liver—about 1.4 liters (about 3 pt) every minute. Blood exits the liver through the hepatic vein, which eventually drains into the heart.

Function of the Liver

One of the liver’s primary jobs is to store energy in the form of glycogen, which is made from a type of sugar called glucose. The liver removes glucose from the blood when blood glucose levels are high. Through a process called glycogenesis, the liver combines the glucose molecules in long chains to create glycogen, a carbohydrate that provides a stored form of energy. When the amount of glucose in the blood falls below the level required to meet the body’s needs, the liver reverses this reaction, transforming glycogen into glucose.

Another crucial function of the liver is the production of bile, a yellowish-brown liquid containing salts necessary for the digestion of lipids, or fats. These salts are produced within the lobules. Bile leaves the liver through a network of ducts and is transported to the gallbladder, which concentrates the bile and releases it into the small intestine.

Vitamins are also stored in the liver. Drawing on the nutrient-rich blood in the hepatic portal vein, the liver collects and stores supplies of vitamins A, D, E, and K. The B vitamins are also stored here, including a two- to four-year supply of Vitamin B₁₂.

The liver also functions as the body’s chemical factory. Several important proteins found in the blood are produced in the liver. One of these proteins, albumin, helps retain calcium and other important substances in the bloodstream. Albumin also helps regulate the movement of water from the bloodstream into the body’s tissues. The liver also produces globin, one of the two components that form hemoglobin—the oxygen-carrying substance in red blood cells. Certain globulins, a group of proteins that includes antibodies, are produced in the liver, as are the proteins that make up the complement system, a part of the immune system that combines with antibodies to fight invading microorganisms.

Many other chemicals are produced by the liver. These include fibrinogen and prothrombin, which help wounds to heal by enabling blood to form clots, and cholesterol, a key component of cell membranes that transports fats in the bloodstream to body tissues.

In addition to manufacturing chemicals, the liver helps clear toxic substances, such as drugs and alcohol, from the bloodstream. It does this by absorbing the harmful substances, chemically altering them, and then excreting them in the bile.

Liver Diseases

Although the liver is exposed to many potentially harmful substances, it is a remarkable organ that is able to regenerate, or repair or replace, injured tissue. Its construction, in which many lobules perform the same task, means that if one section of the liver is damaged, another section will perform the functions of the injured area indefinitely or until the damaged section is repaired. But the liver is subject to many diseases that can overwhelm its regeneration abilities, threatening a person’s health.

Diseases of the liver range from mild infection to life-threatening liver failure. For many of these ailments, the first sign of a problem is a condition called jaundice, characterized by a yellowish coloring of the skin and the whites of the eye. It develops when liver cells lose their ability to process bilirubin, the yellowish-brown pigment found in bile.

The liver can be harmed whenever injury or disease affects the rest of the body. For example, cancer may spread from the stomach or intestines to the liver, and diabetes, if not properly treated, may result in damage to the liver. Some diseases caused by parasites, including amebiasis and schistosomiasis, can damage the liver. Drug use, including long-term use of some prescription medications as well as illegal drugs, can also cause liver damage. Poisons can easily damage liver cells and even cause complete liver failure, especially the poisons found in certain mushrooms.

One of the most common liver diseases is hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis may be caused by exposure to certain chemicals, by autoimmune diseases, or by bacterial infections. But hepatitis is most often caused by one of several viruses. The hepatitis A virus (HAV) can produce flulike symptoms and jaundice, but many people who contract it have no symptoms. The disease tends to resolve on its own. Because HAV lives in feces in the intestinal tract, hepatitis A is prevalent in areas where drinking water is contaminated with raw sewage. Good hygiene practices and a hepatitis A vaccination are effective measures of prevention.

Hepatitis B is a more serious ailment. Unlike HAV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) may remain active in the body for many years after the time of infection, sometimes permanently damaging the liver. HBV is found in blood and other body fluids—tears, saliva, and semen—and is spread through unprotected sexual intercourse and the sharing of infected needles or other sharp objects that puncture the skin.

In developed countries, alcohol-induced liver diseases far outnumber hepatitis and all other liver disorders. Heavy alcohol use causes fat deposits to build up in the liver, possibly leading to chronic hepatitis, which causes scarring and destruction of liver cells.

Over many years, scarring in the liver can progress to cirrhosis, a disease characterized by diminished blood flow through this important organ. When this occurs, toxins are not adequately removed from the blood, blood pressure increases in the hepatic portal vein, and substances produced by the liver, such as blood proteins, are not adequately regulated. Cirrhosis cannot be reversed, but liver function can significantly improve in people who stop consuming alcohol during the early stages of this condition. Beyond abstinence from alcohol, treatments for cirrhosis may include drug therapy or surgery to redirect blood flow.

For people with severe liver disease or impending liver failure, organ transplantation may be an option. Unlike some organ transplants, such as kidney transplants, liver transplants are complex procedures that have not had high long-term success rates. Fortunately, new techniques and drugs are improving the outcome of liver transplants. Current success rates range between 60 and 80 percent, with more than half of recent transplant recipients surviving more than five years. Most of these people have an excellent prognosis for leading healthy, normal lives.

Tags:liver, body's vital organ, cirrhosis, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, glycogen, glucose, glycogenesis, bile, jaundice, albumin, globin, hemoglobin, fibrinogen, prothrombin, toxic subtance, liver disease, disease, bilirubin, ameabiasis, schistosomiasis, hepatitis, liver transplant

Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health

Last week, my friend share a thoughts with me regarding this smoking dilemma, and though some people could not restrained this kind of vices, and they never thought what kind of risk they have entered of. This Nicotine, a cigarette "Active" ingredients, it creates a biochemical reaction in your body which is produce a or having affect directly in your mood, your reasoning ability and metabolism nicotine's Psychological impact, makes light smokers dependent on cigarettes and way it can affect, moods and feelings in certain situations, and you know that, is just a matter of seconds after that first sudden rush of smoke, nicotine will starts to have an effect
in your central nervous system, which in certain areas of your brain lies in a pleasure center when it stimulated, and feel more relaxed and less anxious.

Nicotine produces chemical that creates an effects to our hormones, hormones that when stimulated
with nicotine it heightened the levels of being dependent, that results to addictive quality and cravings
and then after the stimulation of the hormones start to fall, they sip another to puff out, to bring

them back into their comfort zone and if they failed to do so, the craving begins, so now i am thankful that my father are not involved with this kind of vices, and until then to the end.

Tags:cigar, cigarette, cigarettes, government warning, nicotine, nicotines, lung cancer, effect of nicotine

Your Herbal Tea Remedies

Tea was introduced to japan from china sometime in the early 9th century.The legend was from, Shen Nung,an early ruled emperor was a skilled, creative scientist and patron of the arts. In his formal and authoritative ways, he required, among other things, believe that drinking water must be boiled as a hygienic precaution. On One summer day while he visiting a distant region of his ruled kingdom, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the water for the court to drink must be put into boiling for these purposes . Dried leaves from the near, float into the boiling water, and a brown liquid drip feed into it, and the Emperor drank some and feel refreshed after it and he was wanted to involved something interested "vitality" in the new liquid and though, tea was been created ,according to legend.



Herbal Remedy for reducing phlegm

•Chamomile : An anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, digestive aid, diuretic, nerve
tonic, and sleep aid. Helps colitis, divert iculosis, fever, headaches,and pain. It is a
traditional remedy for stress and anxiety, indigestion, and insomnia.

Caution: Should not be taken for a long period of time, as this may lead to ragweed
allergy. Should not be taken by those allergic to ragweed.

•Peppermint : Flower Tops Leaves - Enhances digestion by increasing stomach
acidity. Slightly anesthetizes mucous membranes and the gastrointestinal tract.
Useful for chills, colic, diarrhea, headaches, heart trouble, indigestion, nausea, and
spasms.
•Anise - Seeds - Aids digestion, clears mucus from air passages, combats infections
and promotes milk production in nursing mothers. Good for indigestion and for
respiratory infections such as sinusitis. Also helpful for menopausal symptoms.


•Tea For Digestive Problems

1oz. chamomile
2/3 oz. peppermint
1 oz. caraway seeds
2/3 oz. angelica

Use 1 tsp of the mixture per cup of hot water. Steep the mixture 10 min. and strain.
This tea soothes the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates digestive activity, making it
useful for stomachaches or a too-full feeling.


•Heartburn Tea

1 tablespoon Chamomile
1 table spoon Peppermint
2 pods Star Anise

Boil pods for 5 minutes and steep the chamomile and peppermint in the Anise tea.
Drink one cup every hour for two hours before bedtime.



•Herbal remedies for allergy season description :

•Nettle : Flowers, leaves, roots - A diuretic, expectorant, pain reliever, and tonic.
Contains vital minerals that are essential in many disorders. Good for anemia,
arthritis, hay fever, and other allegic disorders, kidney problems, and
malabsorbtion syndrome. Improves goiter, inflammatory conditions, and mucous
conditions of the lungs.

•Peppermint : Flowering, Top Leaves - Enhances digestion by increasing stomach
acidity. Slightly anesthetizes mucous membranes and the gastrointestinal tract.
Useful for chills, colic, diarrhea, headaches, heart trouble, indigestion, nausea, and
spasms.

•Yerba santa :"Yerba mate" - Cleanses the blood, controls the appetite, fights aging,
stimulates the production of cortisone, and tones the nervous system. Is believed to
enhance the healing powers of other herbs. Useful for allergies, constipation, and
inflammatory bowel disorders.

•Eyebright : Used as an eyewash. Prevents secretion of fluids and relieves discomfort
from eyestrain or minor irritation. Good for allergies, itchy/watering eyes, and
runny nose. Also used to combat hay fever.

•Lemongrass leaves : Has astringent and tonic properties. Good for the skin and
nails.

•Calendula : Flower Petals - A natural anti-inflammatory and skin soother. Also
helps to regulate menstrual cycle and lessens fever. Useful for many skin disorders,
such as rashes, and sunburn, as well as for neuritis, and toothaches. Good for diaper
rash and other skin problems in small children.

•Red Clover : Flowers - Acts as an antibiotic, appetite supressant, blood purifier, and
relaxant. Good for bacterial infections, HIV and AIDS, inflamed lungs, kidneys,
liver diseases, skin problems, and weakened immune systems.

•Lavender Flowers - Relieves stress and depression, and is beneficial for the skin.
Good for burns and headaches, psoriasis, and skin problems.

•Fennel Seeds : Used as as appetite supressant and as an eyewash. Relieves
abdominal pain, colon disorders, gas, and gastrointestinal spasms. Useful for acid
stomach. Good after chemotheraphy, and/or radiation treatments for cancer.

Technorati Tags:shen nung, tea, remedies, heart burn tea, herbal tea

A Human Kidney Beans

"Most such inflammations are caused by a bacterial infection that starts in the bladder and spreads to the kidney"

Kidney, paired organ whose functions include removing waste products from the blood and regulating the amount of fluid in the body. The basic units of the kidneys are microscopically thin structures called nephrons, which filter the blood and cause wastes to be removed in the form of urine. Together with the bladder, two ureters, and the single urethra, the kidneys make up the body’s urinary system. Human beings, as well as members of all other vertebrate species, typically have two kidneys.
Like kidney beans, the body’s kidneys are dark red in color and have a shape in which one side is convex, or rounded, and the other is concave, or indented. The kidneys of adult humans are about 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) long and about 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) wide—about the size of a computer mouse.

The kidneys lie against the rear wall of the abdomen, on either side of the spine. They are situated below the middle of the back, beneath the liver on the right and the spleen on the left. Each kidney is encased in a transparent, fibrous membrane called a renal capsule, which helps protect it against trauma and infection. The concave part of the kidney attaches to two of the body’s crucial blood vessels—the renal artery and the renal vein—and the ureter, a tubelike structure that carries urine to the bladder.

Primary function of kidneys is the removal of poisonous wastes from the blood. Chief among these wastes are the nitrogen-containing compounds urea and uric acid, which result from the breakdown of proteins and nucleic acids. Life-threatening illnesses occur when too many of these waste products accumulate in the bloodstream. Fortunately, a healthy kidney can easily rid the body of these substances.


The task of cleaning, or filtering, the blood is performed by millions of nephrons, remarkable structures that extend between the cortex and the medulla. Under magnification, nephrons look like tangles of tiny vessels or tubules, but each nephron actually has an orderly arrangement that makes possible filtration of wastes from the blood. The primary structure in this filtering system is the glomerulus, a network of extremely thin blood vessels called capillaries. The Glomerulus is contained in a cuplike structure called Bowman’s capsule, from which extends a narrow vessel, called the renal tubule. This tube twists and turns until it drains into a collecting tubule that carries urine toward the renal pelvis. Part of the renal tubule, called Henle’s loop, becomes extremely narrow, extending down away from Bowman’s capsule and then back up again in a U shape. Surrounding Henle’s loop and the other parts of the renal tubule is a network of capillaries, which are formed from a small blood vessel that branches out from the glomerulus.

The urine is then stored in the renal cavity and eventually drained into the ureters, which are long, narrow tubes leading to the bladder. From the roughly 180 liters (about 50 gallons) of blood that the kidneys filter each day, about 1.5 liters (1.3 qt) of urine are produced.

Other function of the kidneys

In addition to cleaning the blood, the kidneys perform several other essential functions. One such activity is regulation of the amount of water contained in the blood. This process is influenced by antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also called vasopressin, which is produced in the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that regulates many internal functions) and stored in the nearby pituitary gland. Receptors in the brain monitor the blood’s water concentration. When the amount of salt and other substances in the blood becomes too high, the pituitary gland releases ADH into the bloodstream. When it enters the kidney, ADH makes the walls of the renal tubules and collecting ducts more permeable to water, so that more water is reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

The hormone aldosterone, produced by the adrenal glands, interacts with the kidneys to regulate the blood’s sodium and potassium content. High amounts of aldosterone cause the nephrons to reabsorb more sodium ions, more water, and fewer potassium ions; low levels of aldosterone have the reverse effect. The kidney’s responses to aldosterone help keep the blood’s salt levels within the narrow range that is best for crucial physiological activities.

Aldosterone also helps regulate blood pressure. When blood pressure starts to fall, the kidney releases an enzyme (a specialized protein) called renin, which converts a blood protein into the hormone angiotensin. This hormone causes blood vessels to constrict, resulting in a rise in blood pressure. Angiotensin then induces the adrenal glands to release aldosterone, which promotes sodium and water to be reabsorbed, further increasing blood volume and blood pressure.

The kidney also adjusts the body's acid-base balance to prevent such blood disorders as acidosis and alkalosis, both of which impair the functioning of the central nervous system. If the blood is too acidic, meaning that there is an excess of hydrogen ions, the kidney moves these ions to the urine through the process of tubular secretion. An additional function of the kidney is the processing of vitamin D; the kidney converts this vitamin to an active form that stimulates bone development.

Several hormones are produced in the kidney. One of these, erythropoietin, influences the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. When the kidney detects that the number of red blood cells in the body is declining, it secretes erythropoietin. This hormone travels in the bloodstream to the bone marrow, stimulating the production and release of more red cells.

Kidney disease and treatment

Kidneys are paired organs, each sharing equally the work of removing wastes and excess water from the blood. Remarkably, a single kidney can do the job of both if one kidney is lost through injury or disease. It sometimes occurs, although rarely, that a person is born with only one kidney. Such people are able to lead normal lives.

Diseases of the kidney range from mild infection to life-threatening kidney failure. The most common form of kidney disease is an inflammation of the kidney, called pyelonephritis. Most such inflammations are caused by a bacterial infection that starts in the bladder and spreads to the kidney. Sometimes an obstruction that interferes with the flow of urine in the urinary tract can cause the disease. Symptoms of pyelonephritis include fever, chills, and back pain. Antibiotic drugs are usually given to fight the infection, which can scar the kidneys and impair their function if left untreated.

Glomerulonephritis, another common kidney disease, is characterized by inflammation of some of the kidney's glomeruli. This condition may occur when the body’s immune system is impaired. Antibodies and other substances form large particles in the bloodstream that become trapped in the glomeruli. This causes inflammation and prevents the glomeruli from working properly. Symptoms may include blood in the urine, swelling of body tissues, and the presence of protein in the urine, as determined by laboratory tests. Glomerulonephritis often clears up without treatment. When treatment is necessary, it may include a special diet, immunosuppressant drugs, or plasmapheresis, a procedure that removes the portion of the blood that contains antibodies.

Other common kidney disorders include kidney stones, which are small, crystallized substances, such as calcium, that form in the kidney or other parts of the urinary tract. Smaller kidney stones can pass out of the body on their own, although this can be painful. Larger stones may require surgery, or they may be broken into smaller pieces with sound waves in a procedure called ultrasonic lithotripsy.
The kidneys may be harmed whenever injury or disease affects the rest of the body. For example, diabetes mellitus (a disease caused by a malfunctioning pancreas that produces little or no insulin) can result in impaired blood flow through the kidneys. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis can travel from the lungs and infect the kidneys. Injured muscles can release large amounts of protein into the bloodstream, blocking the nephrons. Drug use, including long-term use of some prescription medications as well as illegal drugs, can also cause kidney damage. Certain birth defects may cause the kidneys to have abnormal shapes or to function improperly.
Treatment of severe kidney disease may include kidney dialysis, a procedure in which blood is circulated through a machine that removes wastes and excess fluid from the bloodstream. Some patients use dialysis for a short time, while their kidneys recover from injury or disease. Others must use dialysis for their entire lives or until they undergo a kidney transplant. Kidney transplants are the most common of all transplant operations and have excellent success rates.

Kidneys are the most common organs to be transplanted. Kidneys remove waste products from the blood stream. If they fail, often as a result of diabetes mellitus or cancer, a person can die from the buildup of these toxic materials. The waste products can be removed artificially through a process called kidney dialysis, but the patient must be hooked up to the dialysis machine two to three times each week for as long as 12 hours at a time. Kidney transplants free the recipient from dependence on dialysis. If the kidney is rejected, the patient must go back on dialysis or receive another transplant.

Tags:kidney, kidneys, kidney disease, kidney diseases, kidney function, function of the kidney, kidney stone

Words To Know About Your: Prostate Gland:)

“Physicians also recommend that men take simple preventive measures such as a diet low in animal fats”



Prostate Gland, chestnut-shaped male organ located next to the bladder and surrounding the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis). The prostate gland produces a secretion known as prostate fluid that makes up most of the liquid part of semen, which is discharged from the penis during sexual orgasm. Measuring about 3 cm (about 1.2 in) across, the prostate gland (see picture) is composed of both glandular tissue that produces prostate fluid and muscle tissue that helps in male ejaculation. Prostate fluid also helps to keep sperm, which is found in semen, healthy and lively, thereby increasing the chances that fertilization will occur.

There are a variety of prostate disorders that commonly afflict men of all ages. The most common prostate disease is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a non cancerous condition of unknown cause. It occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of men as they reach their 70s and 80s. In BPH, the prostate gland can increase in size from 20 g (0.71 oz), which is the average size of the prostate in younger men, to as large as 150 g (5.31 oz). As the prostate grows, it constricts the urethra, possibly causing a partial obstruction of the bladder. Such obstruction may lead to bladder wall thickening and urination problems. Symptoms such as frequent urination, nighttime urination, a feeling of urgency to urinate, difficulty emptying the bladder, and a weak urinary stream are the most common problems men encounter from prostate enlargement.


The Seminal Vesicles (see picture) of the male have already been mentioned as organs that secrete mucus. The most important male accessory gland is the prostate gland, a compound gland about the size of a chestnut located at the base of the urethra where the urethra leaves the bladder and enters the penis. The prostate secretes a thin milky fluid with a characteristic odor; this fluid constitutes the greater part of the semen that is deposited in the female vagina and that contains the spermatozoa. The prostate gland is present only in placental mammals, and among these mammals is absent in edentates, martens, otters, and badgers. Cowper's glands are two small glands, about the size of a pea, located on each side of the base of the penis. Their secretion is thick and clear and is believed to protect the spermatozoa against excess vaginal acidity. Cowper's glands are absent in bears, dogs, and aquatic mammals.

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in elderly men and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men. Prostate Cancer causes few if any symptoms in its early stages, but as it progresses it can lead to difficulties with urination and bleeding in the urinary tract, and the cancer can spread to other areas of the body. Prostate cancer may be detected by digital rectal examination. Testing for abnormally high blood levels of the protein known as Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) is also used to diagnose the disease. Prostate cancer is treated using hormones, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgical procedures.
Prostatitis is an inflammatory condition of the prostate that is most common in men ages 20 to 50. There are two broad classes of prostatitis: Nonbacterial and Bacterial.

Nonbacterial Prostatitis is the most common form of prostatic inflammation. It causes pelvic pain, problems with urination, discomfort after ejaculation, and lower back pain. The cause of nonbacterial prostatitis remains unclear but possible sources include viruses, prostate muscle spasm, backflow of urine through prostate ducts, and psychological disturbances. Recent evidence suggests that nonbacterial prostatitis may be caused by bacteria that are present in the middle of a prostate but cannot be detected by conventional diagnostic techniques.
Patients with nonbacterial prostatitis are treated with medications ranging from antibiotics to antispasmodics; less often, medications that relax the muscle in the prostate gland are administered. The success of such treatments varies widely, and in many cases men must live with the symptoms of prostatitis.

In Bacterial Prostatitis, which may be sexually transmitted, a bacterial infection in the prostate gland leads to infection, swelling, pain, and difficulty in urinating; the penis may release bacterial fluid, and blood may appear in the urine. In some cases bacterial prostatitis can cause a severe infection throughout the body, producing a dangerously high fever. Bacterial Prostatitis is treated with antibiotics but sometimes all the infection cannot be eliminated from the prostate gland and some men develop a chronically infected prostate.

Risk Factor

The specific mechanisms that lead to the development of prostate cancer are still unknown, but several risk factors for the disease have been identified. Incidence increases with age—prostate cancer seldom develops before the age of 40 and is chiefly a disease found in men over the age of 65. It is most common in North America and in northwestern Europe but rare in South America, the Near East, and Africa. In the United States, black males, who suffer from the disease 37 percent more often than white males, have the world’s highest incidence. A growing body of evidence links diets rich in animal fats with prostate cancer.

Dietary differences are believed to explain why the incidence of prostate cancer is 120 times greater in the United States than in China, where fatty foods are not part of the general diet.
Some foods seem to act as a shield against this disease. Studies show that tomato-based products protect against prostate cancer, possibly because tomatoes are rich in a substance called Lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant, a chemical agent that inhibits or retards the cellular process of oxidation. Too much cellular oxidation can be dangerous to a person’s health because it produces molecules called free radicals that increase the risk of cancer developing in body tissues. Long-term, moderate doses of vitamin E, another type of antioxidant, may block the progress of prostate tumors.

Environmental factors, such as workplace exposures to cadmium, have also been associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. Family history plays another important role. Men whose fathers or brothers develop prostate cancer are more likely to develop the disease. Researchers are beginning to identify genetic markers of prostate cancer. For instance, the gene known as hereditary prostate cancer 1 (HPC1) appears to significantly predispose men to prostate cancer when inherited in a mutated form.

Symptoms and Diagnoses

Prostate Cancer usually progresses slowly and produces no symptoms in its initial stages. Warning signs may eventually include difficult or painful urination; frequent urination, especially at night; and blood in the urine or semen. Pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs may signal that prostate cancer cells have spread to the ribs, pelvis, and other bones. All these symptoms, however, may have other causes, such as infection and prostate enlargement, which are a natural result of the aging process.
Many doctors perform screening tests for prostate cancer during regular physical exams in order to identify the disease in its earliest—and most curable—stages. Doctors perform a digital rectal examination, in which the physician uses a gloved finger to gently check the smoothness of the rectal lining. If cancer is present, a physician may feel a nodule or other prostate irregularity. Another screening test, called the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, measures levels of a protein called prostate-specific antigen in the blood. Prostate cancer cells overproduce this protein, causing an elevation of PSA levels in blood. If screening tests indicate cancer is present, a physician will usually perform a biopsy, in which a tissue sample is removed from the prostate and examined under a microscope. Doctors recommends that men aged 50 years and older should have an annual digital rectal exam and PSA test. Men who have a high risk for the disease (blacks or those with a family history of prostate cancer) should talk to their doctors about starting annual screening tests at a younger age.

Treatment

Men with prostate cancer face the best chance of recovery when the illness is detected early and prevented from spreading. Medical researchers are studying new methods of detection such as genetic screening, as well as a number of innovative treatments. Physicians also recommend that men take simple preventive measures such as a diet low in animal fats
Localized cancers may be treated with hormones and anticancer drugs, which shrink the prostate tumor and suppress its ability to metastasize (spread to surrounding tissue). Certain drugs can slow the cancer’s growth after it has spread beyond the prostate.
In many cases, a prostatectomy—the surgical removal of the prostate—is performed, often in conjunction with radiation. However, this surgery can cause impotence and urinary incontinence. Prostatectomy, surgical removal or reduction of the prostate gland. In many men over the age of 60, the prostate gland enlarges. This condition, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, may obstruct the urethra, making urination difficult and leaving the sufferer more prone to infection of the urinary tract. Prostatectomy is also used to treat prostate cancer.
The most common method is transurethral prostatectomy, in which the gland is removed or reduced in size by passing a flexible optical instrument called an endoscope up the urethra. The endoscope may be equipped with a tungsten wire or a laser. The physician passes the endoscope through a hole in urethra wall to access the prostate, then directs a high-intensity electric current or a laser into selected areas of the prostate gland to burn the tissue. The dead tissue is gradually absorbed by the body, significantly reducing the size of the prostate gland. Alternatively, the endoscope may be equipped with a cutting tool, which the physician uses to shave away some of the prostate tissue. Transurethral prostatectomy has largely replaced open prostatectomy, in which the prostate is removed via an incision in the abdomen.

An alternative is brachytherapy, or seed implant therapy, in which radioactive iodine “seeds” are inserted into the prostate. The procedure, performed under local anesthesia, spares healthy, nearby tissue and appears to be as effective as surgery for men with early stage prostate cancer.
In men over the age of 70, the disease often progresses so slowly that death results from other causes before symptoms of prostate cancer have time to emerge. For this reason, some physicians believe that many patients in this age group can forego surgery and other treatments as long as their condition is regularly monitored—a treatment known as watchful waiting.

Several potential treatments are under investigation, including cryosurgery, in which freezing temperatures destroy cancer cells, and gene therapy, which bolsters immune-system defenses against cancer.

Urologists treat common disorders of the urinary system, including urinary tract infections; enuresis, the involuntary discharge of urine; cystitis, the inflammation of the bladder; tumors of the bladder; and mineral deposits in the kidney, commonly known as kidney stones. Urologists also specialize in disorders of the male reproductive system, such as enlargement of the prostate gland, and reproductive problems such as infertility and impotence.

Urology, surgical specialty concerned with diseases of the urinary system and male reproductive system. Urologists study, diagnose, and treat disorders of the ureters, bladder, urethra, and kidney, and conditions affecting the male reproductive system, especially the prostate gland.

Urologists use a variety of surgical techniques, diagnostic tools, and treatment therapies. One of the tests urologists use most frequently to diagnose disease is urinalysis, the chemical analysis of a patient's urine. Ultrasound, a procedure that uses inaudible sound waves to generate computerized images of internal organs, enables urologists to see irregularities in the bladder and other organs. Urologists treat small kidney stones non surgically with lithotripsy, a procedure in which doctors direct sound waves at stones in the bladder to disintegrate them.

Two other important tools are the catheter, a long, tubular device for draining an obstructed bladder, and the cystoscope, a narrow, illuminated probe used to examine the bladder and ureters. Urologists also perform surgical procedures, such as prostatectomy—that is, the partial or complete removal of an enlarged or cancerous prostate gland—and operations to remove large kidney stones.

Tags:prostate gland, prostate glands, risk factor of prostate cancer, prostate cancer, about prostate gland, about prostate cancer, prostate cancer treatment, prostate cancer symptoms, urology, urologist

Have You Heard This? N.C.R?

Yes... this is my first time i got to heard this things, Huh... it's cool


*What is Neuro-Cranial Restructuring?

“Neuro Cranial Restructuring literally means restoring the skull to it’s intended shape so that pressure is removed from the nerves of the brain causing them to rehydrate and begin to function properly.”

“Neuro-Cranial Restructuring (NCR) is a leading edge technique which produces the most dramatic health changes in the shortest period of time of any physical therapy known to man!” “NCR therapy reduces abnormal pressure which builds up inside the skull and causes headaches.

*Who needs NCR therapy?

“Everyone”

*Why?

“When we are born the brain is 90% water. As we age our brains begin to dehydrate. Each year the brain loses about .5% of moisture. Every ten years the brain dehydrates by as much as 5%. In twenty years it dehydrates about 10%. By the age of forty the brain has dehydrated by 20%. This means that by age forty the brain has gone from 90% water down to 70% water. At this point brain fog sets in! When the brain dehydrates down to 55%, the person develops Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, or Senile Dementia. People with Parkinson's disease and Multiple Sclerosis are only showing symptoms of a dehydrated brain and a very slowly functioning Central Nervous System. They also have an accumulation of toxic minerals such as aluminum from anti-perspirants.

The brain is made up of nerves. These nerves are like spaghetti. When the noodles are wet the spaghetti can be stretched, bent, or even tied in knots and you can’t hurt it. Water conducts electricity very quickly, and a wet nerve will process information quicker than a dry nerve. A dry nerve is like a dry noodle. It is easily injured! It cannot be stretched and if you try to bend it then it gets injured. A dry nerve will conduct electricity like a dead stick. As we get older our brains begin to dry out and slow down. It is like being used to using a Pentium III computer for a brain when you are young and slowly going backwards until you have to begin using a 486 computer when you become old..

*Are you saying that NCR therapy somehow re-hydrates the brain

and spinal cord?

“Yes! NCR therapy will rehydrate the brain and spinal cord by at least 10 percent. NCR therapy unlocks the joints of the skull and restores the normal flow of the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) to the brain. This rehydrates the brain and spinal cord and returns the person to optimum brain function.” As the brain rehydrates, brain function actually improves and the whole process is reversed. The person will feel like their brain has gone from a 486 PC to a Pentium III computer even if their skull has been locked up all of their life.

*Does this actually cause a person to be smarter?

“Yes. As the brain rehydrates, the nerves and the neurotransmitters actually begin to work faster. Then the person is actually able to think faster, process information faster, and make decisions quicker and with less effort.” The central nervous system becomes like a high speed bus in a super fast computer in less than six months. People begin to read faster, type faster, concentrate better, multi task easier, and remember more. In other words, Learning, Comprehension, and Retention become Easier!

*What else does NCR therapy do?

NCR therapy causes the pituitary gland, which sits right behind the bridge of the nose, to re-hydrate. This causes the pituitary to begin to make the proper amount of growth hormone to be used by your body. When the pituitary gland is dry it cannot function properly and production of hormones dry up. People lose their ability to focus and become easily tired and chronic fatigue begins to set in because the thyroid gland and the adrenal glands which make energy are not receiving stimulation from the pituitary. Women begin to experience problems with their monthly cycle. Men develop prostate problems and high blood pressure. The blood pressure becomes an issue because the posterior pituitary produces hormones which control water balance. Rehydrating the pituitary corrects most problems associated with the monthly cycle, blood pressure, energy, and focus.

*What causes the skull to lock up?

“Trauma to the head or tailbone affects the entire central nervous system (CNS--brain and spinal cord). Sudden impacts such as falling on your tailbone or hitting your head results in a shock like wave of pressure that travels through the cerebro spinal fluid to the skull and can lock up any of the small joints of the face and the large joints of the skull. Sudden impacts cause concussions. Being hit on the head during a fight or being in a car accident causes compression to the skull. It also breaks blood vessels. The broken blood vessels cause inflammation which results in scar tissue. Scar tissue contracts over a period of weeks to years and slows down the flow of the CSF (cerebro-spinal fluid). The cerebro-spinal fluid is made in the brain and is pumped down to the tailbone every time you breathe. When the CSF hits the scar tissue, the CSF has to go over, under, or around the scar tissue. The nerves just the other side of the scar tissue begins to dry out. When nerves dry out the transmission of the nerve impulse begins to slow down. If the nerve goes to the pancreas, then diabetes results. If the nerve goes to the stomach, then stomach ulcers begin to develop.

*Are injuries to the head the only thing that slows down the flow of the cerebro spinal fluid?

Viruses can do the same thing as trauma. A virus can settle in the fluid that surrounds the spine and irritate the meninges. This is where the term spinal meningitis comes from. The meninges is like saran wrap. It is very thin but very tough. There are three layers of meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. The virus causes irritation to the meninges. This causes swelling. When the meninges swell enough to touch, then they stick together like flypaper. This causes adhesions. Adhesions is just another name for scar tissue. Scar tissue will contract over time. This is what happens with polio. This is what causes post-polio syndrome. It can happen twenty to forty years after the initial episode of the virus. The same thing happens when we get exposed to chicken pox. The virus hibernates in the cerebro-spinal fluid forever. Any new trauma to the spine can release the hibernating virus which then becomes an active case of the shingles!”

*How does this cause headaches?

“The brain has a left and a right side. When the CSF does not flow evenly, the pressure begins to back up on one side of the brain. This uneven pressure of the CSF affects the flow of blood in the brain. Then the brain does not get enough oxygen or glucose. Any of these things such as not enough oxygen, not enough glucose, or too much pressure in the brain will cause headaches.

Neuro ­Cranial Restructuring unlocks the joints of the skull plates and allows them to shift just like the tectonic plates of the earth during an earthquake. Then the cerebro-spinal fluid begins to flow normally and headaches disappear!”

Tags:neuro cranial restructuring, migraine, headache, headaches, migraines

Huh! Just Say GoodBye to your Gall Stones:)

Yes, this is what i have got,i read this article before and i just only share to all that has concern and has its own Gall Bladder..


Gallbladder--

muscular organ that serves as a reservoir for bile, present in most vertebrates. In humans, it is a pear-shaped membranous sac on the undersurface of the right lobe of the liver just below the lower ribs. It is generally about 7.5 cm (about 3 in) long and 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter at its thickest part; it has a capacity varying from 1 to 1.5 fluid ounces. The body (corpus) and neck (collum) of the gallbladder extend backward, upward, and to the left. The wide end (fundus) points downward and forward, sometimes extending slightly beyond the edge of the liver. Structurally, the gallbladder consists of an outer peritoneal coat (tunica serosa); a middle coat of fibrous tissue and unstriped muscle (tunica muscularis); and an inner mucous membrane coat (tunica mucosa).

The function of the gallbladder, is to store bile, secreted by the liver and transmitted from that organ via the cystic and hepatic ducts, until it is needed in the digestive process. The gallbladder, when functioning normally, releases bile through the biliary ducts into the duodenum to aid digestion by promoting peristalsis and absorption, preventing putrefaction, and emulsifying fat.

The major disorder associated with the gallbladder, is the presence of gallstones, varying in shape and size from a pea to a small pear. Accreted from the constituent salts in the bile, they are most common in diabetic patients, in blacks, and in women; their presence increases with age. Two of the reasons for the growth of gallstones, are believed to be the presence of excessive amounts of substances such as calcium and cholesterol in the bile and the retention of bile in the gallbladder for a long period of time. The usual treatment for gallstones is surgical removal. Two naturally occurring bile salts, chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid, taken orally dissolve gallstones in some patients. Ultrasound treatment to shatter the stones also eliminates the need for surgery in some cases.

Another common disorder of the gallbladder is cholecystitis, or inflammation of the organ, which is believed to be a result of the presence of highly concentrated bile. Chronic cholecystitis is sometimes aggravated by bacterial infection, leading to perforation and peritonitis. Less common is the growth of malignant tumors, which are associated with gallstones and constitute about 3 percent of all cancer in humans.


So Everybody needs a Gall Bladder...and better take care of it...and here's some body cleansing that i've tried , it's effective ...but you may take a risk.. don't do this with you alone, you need a little
assistance to help you...


Here's Some Steps and Ingredients:

Nothing solid to eat for one day, Drink plenty of liquids, Apple juice is best, Purchase 16 ounces of Pure Olive Oil. Bertolli's is a good brand, 5 lemons--peel like an orange and divide into section.
so about 6pm start the treatment.

Four tablespoons of olive oil and two or three sections of lemon.

6:15 repeat above
6:30
6:45
7:00
REPEAT every 15 minutes until the oil is used up.

This should take 2 1/2 hours or so, If you feel totally full as if you cannot take any more oil then stop. If you feel like throwing up then stop. Go to bed and lay on your right side. Do not eat anything. Gallstones will come out of the gall bladder about 2 am. Gallstones will exit the body in the bowel movement the next morning. Most people have no pain at all. If you have any pain then it would be about 2 am when the gall bladder is emptying and you should drink a little pineapple juice and massage the abdomen gently in a clockwise direction. Pain feels like labor pains and lasts about ten minutes then relaxes and may occur once more.

You may feel sluggish for one day and then your energy level will increase usually by 25% or more.

Tags:gall stones, gall stone, body cleanse, body cleansing, bile, say goodbye to gall stone, say goodbye to gall stones

What Sleep Position Do You Like?

1. Tummy Sleeper Sleeping on the Stomach:

--if you sleep down all night, you are likely narrow minded, you are probably self centered and always force people to comply with your own needs. You are also likely to be reckless and desultory. Time to change your sleep posture.

2. Back Sleeper with Arm Crossed to Support the Head:

--You're highly intelligent and enthusiastic to learn. Yet sometimes you are filled with cranky idea which people find hard to follow.You take good care of your family, but the problem is you hardly love anybody. a little bit choosy..?

3. Side Sleeper with One Knee Bended:

--You are inclined to be fussy,always whining and complaining. Nervousness is the probably your second name. You tense up easily and get overly excited over small matters. Life isn't such a big deal. learn to relax.

4. Back Sleeper with Legs Crossed:

--Anyoned who sleeps with cross-legged is said tobe self-obssesed and finds difficulty in accepting changes. Solitude is your priority. Yet your redeeming quality is your threshold to tolerance.

5. Side Sleeper Lying on One Side:

-- this posture indicates that you are a confident person. You will see success in whatever you undertake, Owing to your unrelentless endeavor. People who sleep on their right side with their right arm stretching over their head and lying on their right side are said to blessed and with power and fortune.

6. Back Sleepers with Arms and Legs Spread Out:

-- what liberty loving soul!, well this posture reveals your true identity.comport lover and beauty worshipper, you are also a real spendthrift(but luckily you earn just as much). your other undesirable trait is that you are a bit nosy and seem to enjoy gossiping. well who did you mention in your tales lately?

7. Unknown Covering from Head to Toe:

-- you may appear a real macho in the public, but deep down inside you are shy and weak. You tend to keep loads of secret. if you encounter any problem, you will rather keep it to yourself and agonise over it thn ask for help. no wonder you are grimace in your sleep.



8. Side Sleeper Lying on One Arm:

-- Contrary to other one (curling up), you are gentle, polite, sincere and loving. Well, nothing is perfect. Build up self confidence and learn to accept mistake or imperfection. Happiness will then come to your way!

Tags:sleep positions, sleep position, tummy sleeper, back sleeper, side sleeper, back sleeper

Insomnia

-- condition in which a person has difficulty getting sufficient sleep.

It can be caused by an overactive thyroid gland, diabetes, violent muscle twitching, or drinking caffeine-containing beverages before going to bed, but experts estimate that in three-fourths of all cases the cause is a psychological one. After anxiety-producing events such as the death of a loved one or loss of a job, a person may experience sleep difficulties for a short period. Many persons recover their normal sleep rhythm spontaneously, but others become frustrated and depressed and develop chronic insomnia. Napping during the day may throw off the sleep pattern further.

Lack of sleep is bad for you. It affects your performance, level of awareness and concentration. Along that same line , the individual who sleeps less has a higher mortality risk than those who smoke, those who drink, and those who have ischemic heart diseases. It’s a very high risk for those individuals with sleep deprivation.


There are Two Basic Classifications of Insomnia: Persistent Insomnia ( long term ), Transient Insomnia (short term) or Intermittent Insomnia(recurring). Persistent Insomnia or Chronic Insomnia can either be primary (not related to a health problem) or secondary (can be caused by a health problem). Primary Insomnia can be caused by Circadian Rhythm Stressors (stress like jet lag, shifting work hours and variability in you work schedule, etc.), Social Stressors(a death in the family, marriage problems divorce, etc.), Environmental Stressors (new bed partner, a new house, noisy environment where there is construction outside your building, etc.).

and Do you know that the "Predominant Cases of Insomnia" are can be found in females and in older population. but it is not clear why more women experience insomnia than their male counterparts. Some studies suggest social factors such as unemployment and divorce, as well as the pre menopausal period(before menopause) as lead the causes. Most people are diagnosed with insomnia secondary to something else.” If you can safely identify that your insomnia is Transient or Short Term then you do not need seek medical attention. “if its persists for an extended period of time where it starts to affect your performance, then you should medical attention.

Tags:insomnia, insomnias, lack of sleep, sleep disorder, sleep disorders, health

Choose only one: Water or Soft Drink?

This is really an eye opener....

Water or Soft drink?

We all know that water is important.. but I've never
seen it written down like this before.

WATER

1. 75% of people are chronically dehydrated.

2. In 37% of people, the thirst mechanism is so
weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's
metabolism for as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger
pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a
University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses
of water a day could significantly ease back and
joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzz
short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and
difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a
printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the
risk of colon cancer by 45%, slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%
and bladder cancer by 50%.


And now for the properties of Soft Drink (soda):

1. In many states the highway patrol
carries two gallons of coke in the truck to remove
blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Soft drink (soda) and
it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Soft drink (soda) into
the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for
ine hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in
Soft Drink (soda) removes stains from vitreous China.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub
the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Soft drink.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals:
Pour a can of Soft Drink over the terminals to
bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked
in Soft Drink to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Soft Drink
into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and
bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished,
remove the foil and allow the drippings to mix
with the Soft drink (soda) for a
sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of
Soft drink into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and
run through a regular cycle. The soft drink will help
loosen grease stains.

9. Soft Drink (soda) will also clean road haze from your
windshield.

For Your Info:

1. The active ingredient in soft drink (soda) is phosphoric acid.
Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4
days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones
and is a major contributor to the rising increase
in Osteoporosis.

2. To carry soft drink (soda) syrup (the concentrate) the
commercial truck must use the hazardous material
place cards reserved for highly corrosive
materials.

3. The distributors of soft drink (soda) have been using it to
clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a soft drink (soda) or a
glass of water?

Tags:water, h2o, softdrink, soda, dehydration, thirst, midnight hunger, softdrinks, phosporic acid

Things to know About: Disposable Bottle

yes, i've done this before... just an eye-opener...

Some of you may be in the habit of re-using your disposable water bottles, keeping them in your car or at work.Not a good idea. See any of the following articles and they'll tell you why.
In a nutshell, the plastic (called polyethylene terephthalate or PET) used in these bottles contains a potentially carcinogenic element(something called diethylhydroxylamine or DEHA). The bottles are safe for one use only; if you must keep them longer, it should be for no more than a few days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well. Repeated washing and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and the carcinogens can leach into the water that YOU are drinking.

Better invest in water bottles that are really meant for multiple uses.This is not something we should be scrimping on. Take care.
Below are some of the articles... read on....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 19, 2003
Water bottle bacteria risk cited
By Lucas CutlerAlgonquin Times staff

Students trying to save a buck by reusing water bottles should be aware that they' re risking their health.
Dangerous bacteria and potentially toxic plastic compounds have been found in the types of water bottles typically reused in schools and work places countrywide, reported the Canadian Press.
A study of water bottles, authored by Cathy Ryan of the University ofCalgary, found bacteria in elementary school children's bottles that would prompt health officials to issue boil-water advisories, had the samples come from a tap.

The bacteria likely came from the kids' hands and mouths over time as they repeatedly used the same bottles without washing them or allowing themtodry, said Ryan.
Researchers discovered bacterial contamination in about a third of the samples collected from kids' water bottles. Some samples even show edevidence of fecal coliforms.

Dr. Gerry Predy, Edmonton's medical officer of health sent out a public warning to keep the bottles clean.
Single-use soft-drink and water bottles are commonly made of a plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which, while considered safe for its intended use, was found to break down over time.

The Canadian Bottled Water Association recommends that bottles be used only once. The International Bottle Water Association also recommends using the bottles only once.

"These convenience-sized PET containers are designed and intended for single use only and easy recycling and compatibility with the recyclingsystem. After consumption of the product, PET containers should be placed in a recycling bin for collection or returned for deposit, where and if applicable," said vice-president of communications Stephen R. Kay.

Dr. Richard Rowland, a doctor at Algonquin's health centre, agrees that bottles should only be used once, especially during the summer because heat causes bacteria to grow faster.

Preliminary research conducted by a graduate student at the University of Idaho suggests that the kind of thorough washing that could kill bacteria might make the bottles unsafe in another way.
Frequent washing might accelerate the break-down of the plastic, potentially causing chemicals to leak into the water, their study found.
"The fact is, a lot of these compounds have not really been studied in terms of their human health effects," Margrit von Braun, a University of Idaho professor told the Canadian Press.

Plastics experts contend the bottles are safe. The study ultimately concluded little is known about what happens when the bottles are reused.
"The longer you used it, the more stuff ended up in the water," said vonBraun.
Karen Chiarelli, a secretary in the health center, was unaware of these findings, "I wash my bottle in the dishwasher,

" she said, One of the toxins that frequently appeared in water samples from there used water bottles was DEHA (diethylhydroxylamine), a carcinogen regulated in drinking water because it has been found to cause weight loss, liver problems, or possible reproductive difficulties.

Von Braun said she was surprised to discover how widespread the reuse was? and how long some people would hold on to a single bottle.

"A lot of people use them for weeks, and sometimes months, literally until it's leaking," said von Braun.

But with individual water bottles costing up to $1.50 at the college, students may try and squeeze as much use out of their bottles as possible.

Tags:plastic bottles, plastic bottle, disposable bottle, disposable bottles, carcinogens, carcinogen, reusable plastic bottle