Category Archives: Detoxification

Alcohol and the Workplace

July 21, 2014

Alcohol and the Workplace – Drug Addiction

Office alcohol consumption is the genesis to poor productivity and injury to the image of the whole image of the organization

It has been said that alcohol is the most abused substances of all other drugs known to be addictive. It is worrying that young children as young as 9 nine years have started using drugs and these are the most fundamental concerns we have to deal with as a society. Alcohol consumption being the most a bused substance has very many health and social consequences in all societies. Since it is not illegal to take alcohol it consumption becomes very difficult to control on individuals even though some governments are trying to regulate it sales but all these does not significantly bring is the desired measures to reducing its effects in our societies and especially in our work stations. Therefore our discussion is going to be dwelling on alcohol and its effects on the work place.

People get employed in different sectors and organizations to be productive and earn a living from the income they generate as a result of their services rendered. The employment engagement can be either in the public or private sector and in all the employers expects return from their employees. When alcohol consumption becomes a problem in an employee’s life then organizations they work for suffers immensely and the employee also stand great risk of harming themselves and even the people around them. In the workplace, the impact of alcoholism focuses on four major issues:

  • Premature death and fatal accidents
  • Injuries and accident rates
  • Absenteeism due to extra sick leave
  • Loss of production

The effect of alcohol consumption need not to be a problem if not abused, the organization may not suffer all these if their employees drink responsibly however when they become addicted then the above are the most immediate consequences.

Alcohol and the Workplace – Premature death and fatal accidents

When an employee dies the organization loses work force much as they will be replaces the experiences gained by the demised staff is gone. Sometimes the organization invests heavily on their staff by training them and to lose them in prematurely because of alcohol is such a cost to the employer.

Alcohol and the Workplace – Injuries and accident rate

The organization needs their personnel to be healthy for them to deliver effectively on their respective assignment. This is not possible when they suffer injuries either at the work station or outside. Moreover it becomes very costly for the organization that will have to pay those damages or compensation emanating from the injuries they incur while on duty.

Alcohol and the Workplace – Absenteeism

It goes without saying that alcoholism being a disease may lead one into being hospitalized for treatment either in a rehab or just in ordinary health facilities. Heavy alcohol users often find themselves on the wrong side of the law and while they are in the hands of law enforcement agencies the organization will not only suffer from their being absent but also denting reputation. The cost or organization image is a very valuable asset for all organizations and any injury to it is very harmful and may not be recovered from easily.

Alcohol and the Workplace – Lose of production

All the above discussed consequences lead us into one thing and that is losing in production. All businesses will only be effective and profitable when their productivity is in shape. We need effective and competent sober work force to deliver this. Alcohol consumption is the enemy number one for any meaningful business. The funny thing is that even those firms producing these alcohols also need their personnel to be sober while at work. A drunken work force is a liability for any business oriented organization and must be avoided by all means. There are so many other problems which are associated with alcohol consumption at work some of which may include:

  • Tardiness and sleeping on the job
  • Theft
  • Poor decision making by the personnel
  • Loss of efficiency and accuracy
  • Lower morale of colleagues who are not drinking
  • Increased likelihood of having trouble with colleagues, supervisors or tasks
  • Higher staff turnover
  • Training of new employees
  • Disciplinary procedures

Problems of alcoholism can affect any industry and any organization in discriminatively however this problem may be very prevalent certain industries like:

  • Food service
  • Construction
  • Mining and Drilling
  • Excavation
  • Installation, maintenance and repair

Two specific kinds of drinking behavior significantly contribute to the level of work-performance problems:  drinking right before or during working hours (including drinking at lunch and at company functions), and heavy drinking the night before that causes hangovers during work the next day.

And it isn’t just alcoholics who can generate problems in the workplace.  Research has shown that the majority of alcohol-related work-performance problems are associated with nondependent drinkers who may ones in a while drink too much not exclusively by alcohol-dependent employees.  In addition, family members living with someone’s alcoholism also suffer significant job performance related problems- including poor job performance, lack of focus, absenteeism, increased health-related problems and use of health insurance

Alcohol and the Workplace – Solutions to address the problem

The employers need to establish an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in their work systems. This has been found to be the most effective way to address alcohol and drug problems in the workplace, employees and their family members are provided referrals to community resources and services.  Many individuals and families face a host of difficulties closely associated with problem drinking, and these problems quite often spill into the workplace.  By encouraging and supporting treatment, employers can significantly help in reducing the negative impact of alcoholism in the workplace as well as reducing their costs of operations.

In conclusion studies have established that alcohol treatment pays for itself in reduced healthcare costs that begin as soon as people begin treatment.  Alcohol treatment also improves an individual’s functioning, leading to increased productivity at work. We must therefore invest in prevention and treatment adequately not just by safe guarding our effectiveness in work places but to the economy of our nations. The full involvement of addiction experts will be very essential and if you are a manager in an organization where this is a problem, then you can contact AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility founded by Doctor Akoury who is an addiction expert of many decades and you and your employees will be cared for professionally while focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE this way you will have your business back to its desired levels of productivity.

Alcohol and the Workplace – Drug Addiction

 

 

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The Nigella Sativa Is Effective In Cancer Treatment

July 20, 2014

Nigella Sativa is a great tool in fighting Cancer

Nigella SativaAfter doing a lengthy research on cancer and cancer treatment, a course that I am not stopping any soon, I have learnt that the best cancer treatments are nature given. Natural cancer treatments have been used for a long time as alternative cancer treatments and that seemingly is not going to stop any sooner. The known conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery are not the best options cancer patients wish for. This is because of the very many side effects associated with them. Most cancer patients now prefer natural cancer treatment to conventional cancer treatment methods.

The sudden shift of patient attitude from conventional cancer treatment methods to natural treatment methods has led researchers to do research on several vegetables, fruits and seeds to determine if they can offer an effective treatment option that will be preferred by the patients. Needless to mention the doctors are always trying to find out the most effective ways that can cure cancer without leaving any life threatening side effect.

Doctors have encouraged the consumption of certain fruits and vegetables due to their anticancer properties. The list of these naturally availed cancer treatment is growing everyday as the researchers are discovering new plants that can help in cancer treatment. These fruits, vegetables and seeds are rich in antioxidants that help the body in flushing out the toxins that may encourage the formation of cancer cells. These fruits, vegetables and seeds not only help in prevention of cancer but help strengthen the immune system to fight cancer.

Nigella sativa otherwise known as the black cumin has been identified by researchers to have anticancer properties and hence can be used as an alternative cancer treatment. The medicinal properties of the black seed have been known for centuries. It was used in the ancient Egypt for medicinal purposes. In fact it is a plant that is the most treasured and revered among the ancient Egyptians. Even one of the great people known in the Muslim community; Prophet Mohammed used the black cumin seeds and encouraged his followers to use it too. He said that it could cure everything except death.

In the early 1960’s a lot of research began investigating the medicinal benefits of this black seed. The researches that were done proved the health benefits of the black cumin seeds especially in prevention and treatment of cancer.

Scientists from the Kimmel Cancer Centre in Jefferson recently conducted a research on the black cumin medicinal properties that cleared every doubt about its ability to cure cancer. The researchers reported that the black cumin is effective in destroying cancer cells. Another research that was done by the Cancer Research Laboratory in South Carolina showed that the black seeds enhanced the growth of bone marrow cells by 250 percent, making it one of  the most powerful immune boosters ever known. The research also verified that the black seeds inhibited the growth of cancer cells by about 60%.

The black cumin was found to be effective in treatment all types of cancers. It works well on cervical, breast, prostate, brain, blood and pancreatic cancers. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly types of cancer and survival rate of a pancreatic cancer patient on chemotherapy is very slim. However with the black cumin the disease is easily cured.

The research done by the Kimmel Cancer Centre in Jefferson revealed that black cumin contains thymoquinone, which is very effective in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and reducing the sizes of existing tumors quickly. In a study that was done on rats as well as cancerous cells in humans revealed that the black cumin is effective in fighting cancer. Black cumin also helps in reducing the cholesterol levels in the body. High cholesterol levels expose you to cancer risk.

“The herb and oil are safe when used in moderation, and have been used for thousands of years without reported toxic effects,”  Hwyda A. Arafat, MD, PhD, associate professor, departments of surgery and pathology, anatomy and cell biology at Jefferson Medical College. He spearheaded the research.

“Every time you take black cumin you are stimulating your immune system to fight on your behalf and increase natural killer cells,” Dr. Gary Null states when endorsing black cumin and its ability to improve the immune system, and treat even the most impossible invaders like cancer and HIV, successfully.

Black cumin helps in fighting the diseases by enhancing the production of the bone marrow cells thereby enhancing the immunity of the body. It also increases the production of interferon and also protects the healthy body cells from harmful effects of foreign bodies. The black cumin also kills tumor cells and improves the antibody producing ability of the body.

The Black cumin also helps in maintaining the overall body wellness and helps in treating other serious diseases as it contains crystalline nigellone which is a very active component. The seed oil also contains beta sitosterol, thymoquinone, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, proteins and vitamins B1, B2 and B3 which are helpful in maintaining a good immune system and fight diseases.

Researchers are always discovering new and better ways to help you stay away from cancer and to treat cancer better. For this reason you need to be updated frequently to make right choices as you fight cancer. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) has a website that avails you sufficient information to help you fight cancer. Contact her and get empowered to fight cancer better.

Nigella Sativa is a great tool in fighting Cancer

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Greek Test and Biofocus Test In Cancer Treatment

July 20, 2014

Greek Test and Biofocus Test Help In Personalized Cancer Treatment

The cancerous cells in most cases are able to resist the drugs that are supposed to be treating the patient. Even in the case of chemotherapy the cancer cell resistance to drug that was intended to kill them and heal the patient is common. For this reason the doctors have developed a more personalized cancer treatment. This involves conducting certain tests to show the ability of the cancerous cells resisting the drugs. Through lab tests help the doctors come up with treatment that will kill the cancerous cells faster.

Today cancer treatment is becoming more and more strategic. Different tumors need different medical attention to be treated effectively and efficiently. Bodily reaction to the cancer treatments can also require personalized treatment in order to limit the side effects of the medication as well as to make the treatment more effective. The circulating tumor cells are a major culprit in metastasis and so lab tests can show the drugs that can kill them completely

In the past the methods that were used in cancer treatments that were not strategic enough. Without pre treatment tests the cancer treatment becomes a simple “hit or Miss” situation which in most cases does not yield any effective results. A cancer treatment agent that may work in my situation might not work for you and so offering standard cancer drugs to patients is not an effective treatment approach. Some of these tests that help doctors in effective treatment of cancer include but not limited to the following;

The Greek test and cancer treatment

Due to the errors in cancer treatment that rise from the trial and error treatments or other the standard cancer cure methods, several cancer patients have lost their lives. Some of the cancer patients developed very critical side effects that only worsened their conditions while others had to go through chemotherapy repeatedly but to no avail. The patients have always wanted a better treatment method that would end their misery. The best treatment methods that will uproot the cancerous cells and avoid the possibility of cancer cells reoccurring after treatment has never been easy to find in the past but now the Greek test may help doctors with valuable information about the cancer cells ability to resist drugs especially the circulating tumor cells that are known to wreak havoc as they fuel metastasis. Through the Greek test precise treatment methods can be reached as the doctors will be testing the reactions of the cancer cells to the drugs in the Petri dish in the lab before the patient is treated. The most effective agent in inhibiting the growth of the cancer cells is then used to treat the patient.

The Greece test employs the latest developments in the genetic therapy to identify the cancerous cells thereby isolating them in the blood stream, culture them for further diagnosis, asses the patients sensitivity to the chemotherapy drugs and to come up with the profile for the cancer. The results of the Greek test can then be used by the doctors to give a more individualized treatment that is strategic in curing the patient’s cancer. This helps the cancer patients in two ways; it saves them lots of money that would rather be spent in haphazard treatment that is normally repeated hence more money spent. It also helps the patients by avoiding some side effects that may occur when the body reacts negatively to the drugs.

Nevertheless, the test on these circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be used to assess the patient’s ability to metabolize chemotherapy drugs and assess the tumor’s resistivity to treatment. Their result is a more informed treatment procedure designed for the patient that will help in treating the patient more effectively without more pain inflicted on the patient during repeat chemotherapies.

In the past isolating the cancer cells was not easy as they travel the same circulatory path with the healthy cells. Today it is possible.  A medical professional takes a blood sample in the office. The sample is then sent to R.G.C.C. International GmbH, a European genetic research center where the researchers will create blood culture and isolate the tumor cell and perform a series of tests such as micro-array, PCR, RT-PCR, southern and less northern blot.

The Greek test will help the doctor with the following;

v  Discover genes which support cancer growth.

v  Assess which mechanisms that causes the body to resist chemotherapy drugs, and seek chemotherapy drugs that can support the patient’s recovery.

v  Assess which nutrients can cause apoptosis, tumor cell death, and slow cancer cell growth.

v  Develop a natural treatment program to hasten recovery.

Biofocus test and cancer treatment

The Biofocus test is aimed at availing the best treatment for cancer. First the disseminated cancer cells from the bloodstream are detected. The type of cancer will determine the kind of parameters used in detecting the circulating tumor cells in the blood that have broken away from the main tumor.

When the CTCs are detected, the next process is to test which chemotherapy drug can work best in fighting the CTCs and cure the cancer. The cancer cell resistance to the drug is also analyzed and this will help in choosing the best treatment for the cancer patient.

To know more about cancer you need to find access to up to date information about cancer. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) runs a website that equips people with relevant information about cancer. Check on her website regularly to benefit from her wealth of health knowledge.

Greek Test and Biofocus Test Help In Personalized Cancer Treatment

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Chemosensitivity Testing

July 20, 2014

RGCC chemosensitivity testing in cancer treatment

ChemosensitityTreatment of cancer involves the doctors analyzing some of the research findings and drug test results to give a patient a preferable cancer treatment that is thought of as the best for the type of cancer he or she has. The essence of personalized cancer treatment has attracted the attention of many doctors and the Research Genetic cancer center have  adopted a test; chemosensitivity testing that may help them know which treatment is good for a patient depending on the state and type of his cancer.

Chemosensitivity testing helps the doctors to know which drugs are good for your type of cancer. It involves extraction of the individual’s cancer cells and testing the cancer cells in lab to see which drug they are most responsive to. The chemosensitivity testing offers a guide to the doctors on which treatment methods to implement when treating the patient.

Chemosensitivity is more strategic and not haphazard and so is most effective as the drugs and the treatment procedures the patient is subjected to are pretested to know how effective they will be in treating the patient’s type of cancer.

RGCC testing may use blood or tissues and it is used to test the viability of the chemotherapy drugs in treating the cancer. It also involves genetic profiling of the cancer cell that will help the doctors decide on which treatment best suits the patient. It also checks on viability of other treatment methods that may be used alongside chemotherapy in killing the cancer.

CTCs and cancer stem cells

The circulating tumor cells (CTCs) plays a major role in metastasis. Scientists have established that metastasis can never take place without circulating tumor cells. They work as the single haematological neoplasias hence are a necessity for metastasis.

Tumor initiating cells are generally known as the cancer stem cells. They refer to tumor cells that have stems and are responsible for tumor progression. The circulating tumor cells and the cancer stem cells have similar genotypic and phenotypic characteristics.

The circulating tumor cells are very effective in spreading cancer in the body and helping in its growth. It has the ability to divide asymmetrically and give rise to many cancer cells. They can also circulate as non-proliferating tumor cells hence becoming resistant to chemotherapy however they can change from this state to proliferating pluripotent progenitor cancer cells due to dissemination.

 

To effectively treat cancer and avoid metastasis, the circulating tumor cells and the cancer stem cells needs to be targeted and eliminated. Treatment that is not strategic in targeting the circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells may not yield long term health benefits.

What information can be found by identification and analysis of CTCs

The study of the circulating tumor cells provides very valuable information in tumor growth and progression as well as an insight of the long term prognosis. It will also give information to whether a specific patient will be able to respond to the treatment to be offered. The doctors will study CTCs to find out the possibility of the cancer cell reoccurring after treatment.

The doctors are finding CTCs identification and analysis as an effective tool in the diagnosis, monitoring cancer cell progression as well as cancer treatment.

Some of the information that doctors find through the identification and analysis of the CTCs include;

v  Possibility of long-term prognosis

v  Avails information that helps in identifying treatment method that a patients can positively respond to treatment

v  Possibility of the disease reoccurring after treatment

v  Evaluation of tumor regression at the right time

Chemosensitivity testing of CTCs and cancer stem cells

Chemosensitivity is a very effective way of cancer treatment. It is more personalized to fit an individual’s condition hence offer the best treatment. Chemosensitivity of CTCs is done by exposing monocultures of enriched CTCs to the available cancer therapy agents. The reaction of the cells to the treatment is analyzed. The doctors will choose the best treatment by checking on which cancer therapy agent induced apoptosis of cultured cells by a great extent. The pathologists can also learn the resistance ability of the CTCs to the cancer therapy agent by checking on how long they maintain normal behavior even after exposure to the cancer therapy agent.

Chemosensitivity helps the doctors in giving effective cancer treatments to patients as the tumor cells ability to resist certain drugs are tested before the drugs are given to the patients. The ability of the circulating tumor cells and the cancer stem cells to be resistant to the treatment offered makes treatment of cancer very difficult and this explains why some cancer patients have to go through numerous chemotherapies. Through testing in labs the doctors will be able to know the cancer treatment that will wipe out all the Circulating cancer cells as well as the cancer stem cells.

For individualized cancer treatment to be effective, the identification and analysis of the circulating tumor cells and the cancer stem cells helps a great deal. Haphazard administering of cancer drugs without testing the CTCs and the stem cells resistance ability to the drug will not work well.

Chemosensitivity testing of the circulating tumor cells and the cancer stem cells is an effective approach to cancer treatment as the CTCs and the cancer stem cells are responsible for cancer cell formation and metastasis hence must be dealt with if the disease is to be effectively treated. It also hastens the recovery process as opposed to the cases where drugs given are rendered ineffective due to the CTCs resistance. Dr. Dalal Akoury runs a website that equips people with relevant information about cancer. Check on her website regularly to benefit from her wealth of health knowledge.

RGCC chemosensitivity testing in cancer treatment

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Vitamin D Reduces Cancer Risk

July 19, 2014

New Research Shows Vitamin D Reduces Liver Cancer Risk

Vitamin D and CancerCancer of the liver affects the most vital organ in the body. The liver is a very crucial organ as it enables the bodily processes to be accomplished. Being the second largest body organ after the skin weighing about 3 pounds, it plays such important bodily processes such as digestion, excretion, metabolism, storage, immunity and production.

The liver plays an important role in monitoring the amount of glucose that is in circulation.  The carbohydrates we eat get broken down into glucose which is vital source of energy for the cells. The blood that enters the liver is always very high in glucose content which has to be put in control. The liver by the help of its hepatocytes absorbs the excess glucose and stores it in the form of glycogen. It has the ability of storing large quantities of glucose and releasing it in good quantities to provide energy. This helps protect the body from dangerously containing high levels of glucose in circulation. As most of you know by now, cancerous cells rely heavily on glucose for their energy supply, they are more responsive to the glucose in the bloods stream than the healthy cells so incase the glucose content is high in the blood, a conducive environment is created for the survival of the cancer cells but a healthy liver helps in controlling the glucose circulation in the blood.

This therefore means that when a liver is not in good health then the rest of the body is unhealthy. Without the ability to control the amount of glucose in circulation by the liver you will face higher health risks of cancer as well as other diseases such as diabetes.

For this reason doctors have been doing research on how to curb liver cancer. Recent researchers have pointed out that vitamin D plays an important role in protecting the liver against cancer. Currently, liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma among other cancer types are the sixth most common cancer, however they are the third highest cause of cancer deaths globally.

A research study that was done by European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) group, coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO, Lyon, France), Imperial College London (ICL, UK), and Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University found out that vitamin D reduced the risk of an individual developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which is the most famous form of liver cancer. The finding of this study was published as the June 6, 2014 edition of Hepatology.

According to medical research reports, some of the most common risk factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)  are exposure to mycotoxins, chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) infection, overweight (obesity), type 2 diabetes and irresponsible lifestyle such as tobacco smoking, drinking alcohol and drug abuse.

Veronika Fedirko, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and Mazda Jenab, PhD, scientist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO), with their teams looked into relations between pre-diagnostic blood vitamin D concentration and HCC.

“Despite evidence that vitamin D supports liver health, the association between vitamin D levels and HCC had not been fully examined,” Fedirko explained. Fedirko is the lead author of the study. “Our study is the largest in Western populations to investigate levels of vitamin D and its impact on liver cancer risk.”

“Our results suggest a role for vitamin D in HCC etiology, but it remains to be determined whether the association is causal,” said Jenab who was part of the research study.

This study involved huge number of participants from the Western Europe, the participants were more than 520,000 who availed data on lifestyle patterns. The study was sponsored by French National Cancer Institute (INCA) but relied on data availed by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) group. The study involved 138 subjects that developed HCC between 1992 and 2010, after being recruited into the group. Each case was compared to corresponding control by age, sex, study center, date and time of blood collection and fasting status. Blood vitamin D levels were measured by state-of-the-art liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.

The study findings showed that the higher the level of vitamin D in the body the lesser the risk of an individual developing hepatocellular carcinoma. The study found out higher levels of Vitamin D reduces your chances to liver cancer by 49 percent.

“Given the rising incidence of liver cancer in developed countries and the potential of vitamin D to protect against HCC, further investigation in other populations is warranted,” asserts Fedirko.

Vitamin D and Cancer“There is steadily growing scientific evidence that low circulating vitamin D concentration is a marker of increased risk for various cancers, particularly colorectal cancer, but public health advocacy for vitamin D supplementation for cancer prevention must be based on more evidence. Better understanding of HCC etiology can lead to effective prevention strategies for this disease that is often diagnosed in late stages with few treatment options,” concludes Jenab.

The liver plays an important role in the body as it enables most of the physiological processes in the body to be accomplished. It is also responsible for strengthening immune system. However when infected by HCC it fails to perform leading to many health complications. Supplementing vitamin D may help you stay free from HCC. You need reliable information that can help you stay cancer free. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) avails helpful information on cancer and other diseases contact her and learn how better you can take care of your health.

New Research Shows Vitamin D Reduces Liver Cancer Risk

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