Kidney Disorders

Source(google.com)
Kidney Disorders Biography
Unfortunately, however, millions of Americans are not getting enough of this so-called "sunshine" vitamin. Now it turns out that one group in particular is almost universally lacking in vitamin D. According to a study slated for publication in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN), kidney disease patients who have low blood protein levels and who start dialysis during the winter are at extremely high risk of being seriously deficient in vitamin D.

Ishir Bhan, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, and his research team studied data from 908 U.S. dialysis patients in the Accelerated Mortality on Renal Replacement (ArMORR) cohort. The scientists' goal was to investigate routinely measured clinical and demographic characteristics to see if they could figure out which patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency.

The results showed that 79% of the patients in the study were vitamin D deficient. The strongest predictors of a lack of vitamin D were being African-American, female, the winter season, and low blood levels of the protein albumin. In fact, when all these factors came together, the result was that every single kidney disease patient was deficit in vitamin D.

Specifically, the researchers found that if black dialysis patients had low blood albumin levels during the winter season, the likelihood they would be vitamin D deficient increased from 90% to 100% for women and from 85% to 100% for men. Their white counterparts fared only slightly better, with their risk of vitamin D deficiency rising from 82% to 94% in women and from 66% to 92% in males.

"This research identifies risk factors for nutritional vitamin D deficiency in the dialysis population and may provide clues to its biology in this population," Dr. Bhan said in a statement to the media.

So what is going on here that makes ESRD patients on dialysis so vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency? The scientists pointed out in their media statement that although previous studies have suggested that patients on dialysis have an impaired ability to generate vitamin D when they are exposed to adequate sunlight, their study indicates that skin-based production of vitamin D is likely to be important in patients with ESRD.

Although the researchers did not discuss the issue in their paper, their findings raise a which-came-first type issue. Is it possible vitamin D is at least part of the cause of serious kidney disease, and not merely a byproduct of the illness? With a growing number of chronic and serious illnesses -- including heart disease

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Disorders

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Source(google.com.pk)
Signs Of Kidney Disease Biography
(NaturalNews) According to the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), the number of people in the US diagnosed with kidney disease has doubled over the past 20 years. About 20 million Americans are at risk for developing kidney disease and the ASN web site states another 20 million Americans already have some evidence of chronic kidney disease. And when chronic kidney disease progresses, it often leads to kidney failure or end stage renal disease (ESRD) -- resulting in ongoing, expensive dialysis treatments or even kidney transplants.

But like countless other diseases and conditions, kidney disease doesn't just strike out of the blue. It is often the result of what people do to their own bodies. And researchers have just reported two direct ways diet appears to be associated with declining kidney function. The culprits? Eating food high in sodium (like the fast foods and processed junk snacks Americans love) and drinking artificially sweetened sodas.

Those are the findings of two new studies, both conducted by Julie Lin, MD, and Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, which were recently presented at the American Society of Nephrology's annual meeting held in October in San Diego, California. The first study, entitled "Associations of Diet with Kidney Function Decline," examined the impact of specific dietary components on declining kidney function over 11 years in more than 3,000 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study. Dr. Lin and Dr. Curhan found that "in women with well-preserved kidney function, higher dietary sodium intake was associated with greater kidney function decline, which is consistent with experimental animal data that high sodium intake promotes progressive kidney decline."

In previous research, scientists using information collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a long-term collection of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the US, had found a link between sugar containing sodas and urinary protein. However, they did not collect data on any kidney function changes related to drinking sweetened sodas. So, in their second study, Dr. Lin and Dr. Curhan, decided to specifically check for any kidney function decline in women who drink sodas regularly. Once again, they used data from the Nurses' Health Study.

In a statement for the media, Dr. Lin reported they found "a significant two-fold increased odds, between two or more servings per day of artificially sweetened soda and faster kidney function decline; no relation between sugar-sweetened beverages and kidney function decline was noted." Moreover, this association persisted even when the researchers accounted for age, obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, physical activity, calorie intake, diabetes and cigarette smoking. Clearly, artificially sweetened sodas are detrimental to kidney health.

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Signs Of Kidney Disease

Kidney Disease

Source(google.com.pk)
Kidney Disease Biography
Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents
See Skali et al and Kaufman.
Despite the lack of strong evidence that treatment of moderate levels of anemia provided mortality or morbidity benefits, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) were a mainstay of anemia management in nondialysis CKD patients. Critically, sparse data are available about the natural history of anemia in nondialysis CKD patients and the pattern of hemoglobin levels in the absence of ESA administration. This month, Skali and colleagues analyze the placebo arm of the TREAT study to investigate hemoglobin levels over time in patients with diabetic patients with CKD stage 3-5, moderate anemia, and minimal or no ESA exposure, reporting that most patients were able to maintain a stable hemoglobin level without long-term ESA therapy. In an accompanying editorial, Kaufman discusses the study by Skali et al in the context of the US FDA recommendations for ESA use.

Frequent Dialysis and Cognitive Function
See Yaffe et al; Kurella Tamura et al and Seliger & Weiner.
Cognitive impairment is common in individuals with CKD, particularly among those treated with dialysis. Cognitive impairment carries substantial risk, including depression and worse perceived quality of life as well as a marked increase in mortality; therefore, understanding the pathogenesis and exploring possible preventive treatments for cognitive impairment in CKD are critical to improving dialysis patient care. In this issue of AJKD, Kurella Tamura and colleagues report the effects of frequent dialysis on cognitive function in individuals participating in the Frequent Hemodialysis Network Trials and conclude that more frequent hemodialysis did not improve executive function or global cognition. Editorialists Seliger and Weiner argue that a reasonable interpretation of these results is that impaired cognitive function in dialysis patients is determined largely by factors other than uremic solute clearance; therefore, given the robust relationship between microvascular disease and cognitive function in earlier stages of CKD, treatments to address cognitive impairment should target microvascular disease and cardiovascular disease risk.

Validating the New CKD-EPI Cystatin C Equation for Estimating GFR
See Horio et al and Masson et al.
The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) recently developed GFR-estimating equations based on standardized serum cystatin C and standardized serum creatinine plus standardized serum cystatin C. In this issue of AJKD, these new equations are put to the test in 2 different patient populations. Horio et al studied the accuracy of these equations among Japanese individuals and report that the formulas perform well; accordingly, the authors suggest that equations based on serum cystatin C could be used in patients of different races without modification. In the study by Masson et al, the authors compared the performances of serum cystatin C and serum creatinine as endogenous markers of GFR in a large cohort of transplant recipients and report data that validates using serum cystatin C–based equations to estimate GFR in these patients.

Posttransplantation Bone Disease
See Alshayeb et al.
Kidney transplant, the most effective treatment for the metabolic abnormalities of CKD, only partially corrects CKD–mineral and bone disorders. Posttransplantation bone disease is markedly different from the mineral and bone disorders often seen in patients with native CKD and is influenced by factors such as immunosuppressive therapy, kidney graft function, hypophosphatemia, and disturbances in the fibroblastic growth factor 23–parathyroid hormone–vitamin D axis. Alshayeb and colleagues review the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of posttransplantation bone disease and conclude that, with the lack of sufficient prospective studies evaluating currently available therapies, clinical judgment must serve as the guiding principle to evaluate the risk-benefit of specific therapies for preventing bone loss and fractures in this setting.

Kidney Disease

Kidney Disease

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Kidney Disease

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Kidney Disease

Daily Health Tips

Source(google.com.pk)
Daily Health Tips Biography
Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can help you follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you eat.

See Reference Guide for: Vitamins   Minerals   Amino Acids   Herbs   Special Nutrients   Anti-Oxidants
 Dietary Fibers   Nutritional Greens   Digestive Nutrients   also see   Nutritional Glossary   INDEX

Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.
Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.
Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.
Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.
Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.
Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.
Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.
Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.
Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.
See Reference Guide for: Vitamins   Minerals   Amino Acids   Herbs   Special Nutrients   Anti-Oxidants
 Dietary Fibers   Nutritional Greens   Digestive Nutrients   also see   Nutritional Glossary   INDEX

Figuring Out Fat

With so much information available about the effects of dietary fat on health, understanding the role fat plays in a well-balanced diet can be pretty confusing. To cut through the confusion, it's important to remember that fat is an essential nutrient that everyone needs to stay healthy.

Fat is a valuable energy source and carries fat-soluble vitamins needed for proper growth and development. It also contributes important taste and textural qualities that are part of enjoying food.

Too much fat, however, can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity and other health problems. When moderating fat intake, it's important to consider these points:

Health authorities recommend Americans consume 30 percent or less of their total daily calories from fat, with 10 percent or less of those calories from saturated fat. Remember, the 30 percent refers to your total fat intake over time, not single foods or meals. Use the following chart to guide your fat intake.
If you eat this Total fat Total saturated
number of calories per day fat per day
per day: (grams) (grams)

1,600 53 or less 18 or less
2,000 65 or less 20 or less
2,200 73 or less 24 or less
2,500 80 or less 25 or less

Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help determine how much fat is in foods. Remember, it's the total fat intake over time that's important. A food high in fat can be part of a healthy diet as long as it's balanced with other lower-fat food choices.
All fats are a combination of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Each of these types of fats have different effects on the body, but all contain nine calories per gram.
Blood cholesterol levels are influenced by family history, weight, age, smoking, physical activity and eating habits. Studies have shown that diets which are too high in certain saturated fatty acids and dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol.
See Reference Guide for: Vitamins   Minerals   Amino Acids   Herbs   Special Nutrients   Anti-Oxidants
 Dietary Fibers   Nutritional Greens   Digestive Nutrients   also see   Nutritional Glossary   INDEX

The Food Guide Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid is a practical tool to help you make food choices that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Using the Pyramid enables you to eat a variety of foods daily so that you can get the nutrients you need.

To make the most of the Pyramid, you need to know what counts as a serving.

Food Group--Serving Size
Bread--1 slice bread, 1\2 bagel or English muffin, 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal, 1\2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta, or 5-6 small crackers
Vegetable--1 cup raw, leafy vegetables, 1\2 cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables or 3\4 cup vegetable juice
Fruit--1 medium piece of fruit, 1\2 cup mixed fruit or 3\4 cup fruit juice
Milk--1 cup milk or yogurt, 11\2 ounces natural cheese or 2 ounces process cheese
Meat--2 - 3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
Other foods which count as 1 ounce meat: 1\2 cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 1\3 cup nuts
See Reference Guide for: Vitamins   Minerals   Amino Acids   Herbs   Special Nutrients   Anti-Oxidants
 Dietary Fibers   Nutritional Greens   Digestive Nutrients   also see   Nutritional Glossary   INDEX

If You Want To Know More

A nutrition expert can help you develop a personal action plan for improving your eating habits while keeping the fun in food. A registered dietitian (R.D.) is an authority on food, nutrition and health, and can provide valuable information and advice.

To locate a registered dietitian in your area, ask your physician, or call the consumer nutrition hot line (800/366-1655) of the National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics, the public education center of The American Dietetic Association. Registered dietitians are available to answer your food and nutrition questions Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. central time. In addition, you can listen to nutrition messages in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. central time.

International Food Information Council Foundation
1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Suite 430
Washington, DC 20036
Reprinted from the International Food Information Council Foundation, 1994

Cosponsored by:
The American Dietetic Association

Also see:
Phytochemicals: Nutrients Of The Future
Antioxidants: An Antidote to Aging?
Better Eating for Better Aging
Nutrition Is Key To Successful Aging: Kidd
Latest Concepts in Nutrition
Life Long Weight Management for Health and Happiness
New Perspectives on Diet and Cancer
Upbeat on Fiber for Longer Life and Better Health
A Refresher On Water for Long Life and Health
Daily Recommendations: Vitamins, Minerals & Trace Elements
Suggested Readings and Guide References

See Reference Guide for: Vitamins   Minerals   Amino Acids   Herbs   Special Nutrients   Anti-Oxidants
 Dietary Fibers   Nutritional Greens   Digestive Nutrients   also see   Nutritional Glossary   INDEX

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Daily Health Tips

Types Of Cancer

Source(google.com.pk)
Types Of Cancer Biography
Cancer is an encompassing term for cells and tissues causing disastrous damage to the body. There are several types of cancer associated with different organs. Tumors are formed in one particular organ. Later, they may or may not spread to the other parts of the body.


Majority of the people are familiar with few types of cancer, such as: blood cancer, breast cancer, oral cancer, lung cancer and brain cancer. These are known names because they affect many and there is substantial effort to raise awareness about them. However, there are more types of cancer which are also fatal, and require immediate attention.

Very broadly, there are various types of cancer based on the body parts. Blood cancer, endocrine cancer, breast cancer, eye cancer, respiratory cancer, head and neck cancer, skin cancer, genitourinary cancer, gynecologic cancer, brain cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and bone cancer. Each of these categories has a few more specific types classified under them.

Cancer selects its patients regardless of sex or color, or any other criterion. While it is a popular myth that breast cancer affects only women, the truth is that it affects more women, as compared to men. Men are also susceptible to breast cancer. Currently, skin cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and bladder cancer are on a rampage and are affecting more than millions of people worldwide.

Authorities across the globe are waking up to the hazards of cancer and are taking steps to educate children and youngsters about the different types of cancer and what can be done to keep them at bay. While many types are too scientific, some are simple enough to educate the school going children and boost their knowledge.

While the world’s medical fraternity is finding methods to curb the growth of cancer, they are also discovering new types that are posing new challenges to the world.

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer

Types Of Cancer