The anti-smoking pill Zyban could trigger a psychotic episode in people with schizophrenia and should be used with caution, doctors have warned. Concerns about the drug, which has generated more than 100,000 prescription requests since it became available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme on February 1, were raised on Monday by psychiatrists and general practitioners working on guidelines to help people with mental illness quit smoking.
There have been 68 reports of suspected adverse events related to Zyban in Australia since the drug went on sale in November, including 24 reports of psychological disturbances and one death.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration said yesterday a patient died after suffering a massive lung clot (pulmonary embolus) about three days after stopping Zyban, but it had not yet been possible to establish or exclude a causal link with the drug.
The British health department is also monitoring Zyban after receiving notification of 18deaths possibly associated with the drug. Graham Meadows, senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne’s psychiatry department, said people with schizophrenia had at least double the smoking rates of the general population and it was a high priority to help them cut back or stop.
But Dr Meadows said Zyban, the world’s first non-nicotine anti-smoking pill, could cause more problems for people vulnerable to psychosis, which includes anybody who has experienced a psychotic episode. He said he did not know of any cases of Zyban triggering psychosis but the concerns were based on the drug’s pharmacological properties and the fact that in studies of depressed people, higher doses of Zyban had provoked symptoms with “a psychotic flavor”.
“There is a possible and as yet unquantified and possibly significant risk that it might precipitate a psychotic episode,” Dr Meadows said. “It’s not a blanket prohibition … but there’s certainly reasons for being very cautious and to be watching patients extremely carefully.”
A spokeswoman for drug company GlaxoSmithKline, which makes the drug, said many general practitioners had been calling the company to see if it was safe to prescribe Zyban to patients with schizophrenia. The spokeswoman said that while Zyban was not contraindicated for people with mental illness, it had not been evaluated in people with schizophrenia.
“We just have to be a bit careful and we are telling them that it should be used with extreme caution and only initiated by a psychiatrist and not GPs,” the spokeswoman said.
She said there had been no deaths during clinical trials for Zyban and no evidence that the drug caused any of the deaths.
There was a chance that one in 1000 people taking Zyban would have a seizure and people taking antipsychotic medication were already warned against taking Zyban because they had a lowered threshold for seizures.
Sane Australia director Barbara Hocking said her organisation did not want to discourage people with schizophrenia from giving up smoking but there were many alternatives to help reduce or quit smoking besides the new drug. Listing on the PBS slashed the cost of Zyban from $280 for a two-month supply to $21.90 and $3.50 for concession holders.
It is not recommended for use by people who suffer seizures, have a history of eating disorders, or by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Swami Kuvalyanand once said: “Yoga has a message for the human body, for the human mind and the human spirit.”

This is a truism as a healthy body is the prime requisite for success and happiness in life. People are increasingly being convinced that yoga makes for good health, contentment and happiness in present day stressful life and is not just an exercise regimen.

In this article we will discuss Anuloma-Viloma (alternate breathing) pranayama. Pranayama simply means proper ‘management’ of the vital force – prana. Although the basic principle remains the same, many different types of pranayama have been devised, each with its own unique technique. Anuloma-Viloma or nadi shuddhi pranayama (nerve purifying pranayama) is one such kind and is considered one of the basic forms.

The practice of Anuloma Viloma is somewhat like the squad that regulates traffic on roads, looks after their cleanliness, beautification, etc and keeps the traffic moving smoothly and efficiently. The method involves breathing in (pooraka) through one nostril and vice versa. Therefore this pranayama has the name anuloma viloma, i.e. alternate breathing.

To practice this, you have to sit in any of the yogic sitting postures. To begin with, carry on normal breathing applying moola bandha (i.e. comfortable anal contraction). Keeping a stable moola bandha, breathe in and breathe out completely. Ensure that the moola bandha is not loosened during the process. Pause for a while between breathing in and breathing out. Breathe in deeply through the left nostril and breathe out through the right; then breathe in through the right and out through the left. Continue breathing this way, i.e. alternately from left and right nostrils, for one to three minutes.

After reaching a comfort level in this way, you may move to the next stage. Close the right nostril with the right thumb keeping the other four fingers together. Now, slowly breathe in through the left nostril at a uniform speed. Repeat with the other nostril. While breathing in, raise the shoulders and expand the chest taking the ribs up. The lower abdominal region, however, must be held in.

Benefits: The respiratory passage is cleaned and this prepares one well for the practice of other pranayamas. Breathing becomes easy and regulated. The mind becomes and heartbeat rhythmic. Also aids in enhancing concentration, memory and other mental faculties.

Contraindications: Severe pain in abdomen, swelling on account of appendicitis, enlargement of liver, very delicate bowels or intestines, disorders of the lungs, severe throat infections, growth in the nose (polypus) or blockage of the nasal passage due to cold, etc.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautions before following any of the asanas from this article and the site. To avoid any problems while doing the asanas, it is advised that you consult a doctor and a yoga instructor. The responsibility lies solely with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

While on the way to spot a friend of mine at the local YMCA, he asked why I didn’t just join the gym and I explained to him that I practice Yoga and occasional calisthenics at home for my exercises and really didn’t feel the need for a gym membership. His response was predictable: “Yoga…isn’t that just stretching?”

I smirked at the familiarity of the question and proceeded to explain to him the theme of this article. As I told him and for those who may not know otherwise: No, Yoga is way more than just stretching or getting into supposedly awkward looking poses and positions.

It is a combination of stretching, breathing exercises, meditation and perhaps the most overlooked limb, adherence to a proper diet.

The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as a “union” or a method of discipline. Its ultimate goal is the union of man with God or the universe in one breath. Furthermore, it aims to liberate the spirit as the mind and spirit are equally involved in its practice.

Yoga is indeed the oldest existing physical-culture system in the world. Besides being a systematic and scientifically proven path to attaining physical fitness, it delays aging, rejuvenates and improves one’s appearance, maintains suppleness and increases vitality and the creative part of life.

With its core warm-up exercises known as the Sun Salutations (which are somewhat similar to the calisthenics exercise known as ‘burpees’), the inversion poses, forward and backward bending poses, balancing exercises for the arms and building focus, the average practitioner will attest to the fact that for attaining fitness, Yoga can stand its own.

Think Yoga can’t help with building strength? Think again. Heck, I challenge the most adept body-builder to hold the simple yet powerful peacock-pose for 90 seconds straight. Bet you they’d crash half-way in its execution-if they make it that far.

Yoga also offers unique breathing exercises which are wonderful for patients with respiratory disorders and even singers and public speakers, moreover with its unique relaxation pose, oft times practiced during and after its execution, Yoga offers a systematic means of deeply relaxing the entire body perhaps the way no other exercise can. (Keep in mind of course that several of the poses give a deep body massage not unlike the ones received in salons…just thought I should throw that in.)

With countless books, DVD’s, videos and classes being offered for all ages, levels of fitness and experience (some of them being actually free for the first couple of lessons to try Yoga out), I suggest you give it a trial and see for yourself what it can do.

One thing I promise you is this; you will walk out of your class and nod in agreement that indeed: “yoga is way more than just stretching.” It is THE exercise.

Many who think of strength training equipment think of the massive muscles that many bodybuilders get and consequently show off in competitions. This can be a plus or a drawback for many consumers. The average consumer likes to be able to say feel good about themselves when they go swimming, but many are concerned about building too much muscle and suffering from stereotypical viewpoints. This needn’t be a worry for anyone considering strength training equipment.

The average body builder works out a lot in order to get the muscles they are famous for, plus they have to be on a very strict regimen with lots of protein and little or no fat. It would take you a lot of effort to become as built as the average bodybuilder. Many consumers can use simple free weights in order to maintain the muscle mass that they have or to add a little muscle strength. Some use strength training equipment to add a little tone or shape to certain areas of the body.

If you use them properly and alternate your strength training workout with some yoga or stretching exercises there is little risk of you bulking up too much. Many find that they enjoy the challenge of working out with strength training equipment. You can gradually increase the weight as you work out over a period of time and after your workout you really will feel the ‘burn’ in your muscles.

Though you should be careful of using too much weight at once. Its easy to sprain a muscle and hurt yourself, putting you out of commission for a few days or more. A good rule of thumb is that if you think you can start out with a certain weight begin about five or even ten pounds lighter and after a few repetitions move up to the next weight level. You can check out strength training equipment reviews online for an idea of what others are doing.

Colon cleanse actually refers to cleaning ones body of the toxins. In order to live a natural and healthy life, colon cleanse is becoming popular with people. It makes one stay healthy for a longer period of time. Many people fret over the day they have to go through colon cleanse. A stomach pain, acidity or gas, are good reasons to talk over with your doctor about colon cleanse. This process assures you riddance from harmful toxins that have already done enough damage to your system.

Do As the Doctor Says
A colon cleanse must be done when the doctor advises one. Doing away with the poisonous toxins present in your body is the best way of taking care of your health. There are a number of things related to colon cleanse that people are unaware of. Most people have one or the other type of colon problem, which they don’t know about.

Every person stores waste in their colon that is equivalent to about five to twenty five pounds. If left unattended, over the years this problem of the colon can lead to health related problems. You can choose the best method that suits you. Eliminating the waste from your system assures you of a clean and healthy body.

Living a Healthy Life
Eating the right food and exercising regularly not only makes you healthy but also keeps your colon clean. When waste accumulates in the colon, it starts to affect the body. The poisonous gases that it releases, affects nutrient absorption directly. This in turn makes you feel unwell. Taking a colon cleanse will get rid of all the waste from the body. Eventually, you will start feeling much better and fully refreshed.

A number of herbs and vitamins are available in the market for colon cleanse. These products are not laxatives. These medications have no side effects. You can easily get a colon cleanse treatment and feel fresh and relaxed soon after. A great colon cleanse will assure you of a clean and healthy body for a longer time.

A colon cleanse treatment is the best way to rid your body of harmful chemicals and get a sound and healthy body.

Congestive heart failure is a dramatic and potentially lethal incident. It is a causative factor in the deaths of 300,000 more individuals every year. Congestive heart failure is a state wherein the heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood competently to all tissues. Congestive heart failure is the most widespread cause of hospitalization for individuals over 65 years of age. Congestive heart failure is undoubtedly confused with breathing difficulties, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, and asthma.

The human body is a great system that works in accord with nature. The apparatus needs correct care and from time to time parts replaced on occasion. Likewise the heart too requires help to avert failure. It could not pump enough blood to meet your body’s requests, which may lead into congestive heart failure. Many other underlying conditions could also produce congestive heart failure.

Over time and in addition to the wear and tear of the body the heart may acquire such things as coronary artery disease or high blood pressure, which can lead to congestive heart failure. These things reduce your strength leaving the heart with the inability to pump effectively causing a very hazardous break down. It is extremely important that you take care of yourself since these things although not reversible are fairly preventable.

There are many medicines and proceedures that may treat the conditions you have to improve your survival rate. These medications if taken by the book may help manage your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other things that could be negatively affecting your heart. The area of medicine has come a incredibly long way in recent years providing medicines to inhibit congestive heart failure.

The cardiologist who is a heart specialist could inform you about surgical techniques such as by-pass surgery or stents to help open up the flow of your blood through your veins. Lots of things are possible to help lengthen your life. You need just ask your physician for guidance as to what you need. It is entirely possible for you to do things for yourself that will help a heart in good health.

Congestive heart failure might be prevented by making changes to your way of life. This does not always need to be a huge change but several things in your life are controllable. Firstly look at your eating habits. Eating a heart healthy diet is extremely essential for your heart. Watch out for too much salt intake, fatty foods, and sweet indulgences as these may initiate congestive heart failure. The challenge of being over weight could lead to other troubles such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. These conditions need to be kept under inspection in order to prevent congestive heart failure. In today’s world it is increasingly important to understand how to deal with stress, defeat depression and simply enhance the quality of our life.

Managing anxiety may become a taxing problem in itself for lots of persons. Many persons enjoy the advantage of belonging to a gym or owning equipment that they use in their homes. Some of us do not have the time, money, or space to afford such items. A individual who sits day after day in his office might feel the tensions building up to the point of no relief and even go into a depressive state. This is incredibly serious for the your heart. Our heart feels our emotions like love, sadness, hate, exhilaration along with stress and depression. Congestive heart failure is the number one killer of men and women and can undoubtedly be prevented. Deterrence begins at home with you learning to take care of your requirements.

Please take into account that if you are not taking care to avert congestive heart failure you will be missing completely those additional years with your loved ones and acquaintances. My grandmother died before the birth of my kids and I have constantly regretted that she didn’t get to meet them. She was a very heavy smoker for lots of years and it badly impacted on her health. Even what may be considered little steps will help to ensure that you don’t turn into a sufferer of congestive heart failure.

JAMA Says Drug Companies Too Cozy with Docs
Editorials published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association said that drug companies have a growing and sometimes unseemly influence on doctors. Experts claim that research needs industry dollars. The top 10 pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $23 billion on clinical research last year – more than the nearly $18 billion provided by the National Institutes of Health, said the JAMA editor, Dr. Catherine DeAngelis.
The problem is when researchers have financial interests in companies funding their work. DeAngelis said such research is lower in quality and more likely to report findings favorable to the company.
One study found that 7.6 percent of the faculty researchers at the University of California at San Francisco had personal financial ties to their drug company sponsors last year.
Drug Company Tied To Block Negative Aids Vaccine Results
A California company unsuccessfully tried to block the publication of a scientific paper that showed its HIV vaccine was not effective, and it has asked for damages of more than $7 million from the universities and researchers who published the findings. This story was reported in the Healthmall newsletter yesterday.
The company, Immune Response Corp. of Carlsbad, Calif., makes Remune, a vaccine intended to boost the body’s defenses against HIV after people are already infected. The drug was tested between 1996 and 1999 on more than 2,500 people with the infection in one of the largest HIV – treatment studies ever carried out.
Paid for by the company, the studies were stopped in May 1999 before they were complete because analysis of the results from more than two years showed that the vaccine was not working. Patients who got the vaccine died or progressed from being symptom-free to having AIDS-related infections as often as those getting placebos.
The chief investigators on the study, Dr. James Kahn at the University of California-San Francisco and Dr. Stephen Lagakos at the Harvard School of Public Health, then prepared a paper on the disappointing results.
But the company objected to what the two intended to publish, said Dr. Ronald Moss, the company’s vice president of scientific and medical affairs, and Dr. Dennis Carlo, its chief executive officer.
The company told the investigators that the data belonged to the company and that they would not give permission to publish them.

In recent years, drug companies have saturated the print and broadcast media with ads for every conceivable prescription ad. They claim the promotions help “educate” people about medical conditions and treatments.
But, the controversial ads actually teach very little, according to a new analysis by researchers at the University of California (UC)-Davis and UCLA. The researchers call on drug companies to voluntarily improve their advertising or face regulation. The analysis and recommendations appear in the December 2000 issue of The Journal of Family Practice.
“No English-speaking country other than the United States permits direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising,” said Dr. Richard L. Kravitz, director of the UC- Davis Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care and a study author.
“A leading argument in favor of allowing this advertising is that the ads are educational; however, our research shows that in practice this argument often falls short,” he stated.
Dr. Kravitz and his co-authors examined 320 print ads promoting 101 drug brands. The ads appeared in 18 popular magazines between 1989 and 1998. On an 11-point scale of educational content, the average ad scored only 3.2 points.
Most ads failed to provide information about how a drug works, its success rate, how long it must be taken, alternative treatments, or helpful lifestyle changes. A few ads didn’t even reveal the drug’s name.
According to the study:
– 9% of the prescription drug ads reported the drug’s success rate
– 9% helped to clarify misconceptions about the medical condition the drug is prescribed to treat
– 11% told how long the drug typically must be taken
– 12% talked about the condition’s prevalence
– 20% revealed how long it takes for the drug to work
– 24% described lifestyle changes patients can make to improve the condition, either alone or
with the drug
– 27% provided information about the condition’s causes or risk factors
– 29% acknowledged the existence of one or more competing treatments
“These ads are designed to encourage patients to request the advertised drugs from physicians,” Kravitz pointed out. “That can have three outcomes. The patient can request the drug, and the drug can be appropriate, in which case the outcome is good. The patient can request an inappropriate drug, and the doctor can acquiesce and prescribe it, which could cause the patient’s health to suffer.
“Or,” he continued, “the patient can request an inappropriate drug, the doctor can refuse to prescribe it, and the patient and doctor can get locked in an argument that imperils the doctorpatient relationship.”
In reality, most doctors have difficulty refusing a patient’s request for specific drugs, even when not appropriate. This has become a particularly serious situation in regards to antibiotics, which are often prescribed merely because the patient expects them.
If the pharmaceutical industry improves the educational content of its prescription drug ads, further research will be needed to assess the impact of that change on physician-patient interactions, the authors said.
“The medical community should exert pressure on the drug industry to incorporate more information about conditions and treatments in its advertising… If such information is not provided voluntarily by the industry in future advertising, the medical establishment should lobby for regulation,” the article argued.

The possible antiallodynic effect of phosphodiesterease 5 inhibitor sildenafil and nitric oxide donor glyceryl trinitrate as well as the changes in phosphodiesterease 5A2 mRNA expression in dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord of allodynic diabetic rats was assessed. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (50mg/kg, i.p.) in male Wistar rats. Streptozotocin injection produced hyperlglycemia, polydipsia, polyphagia and plolyuria as well as long-term tactile allodynia (12weeks) and a reduction of phosphodiesterase 5A2 mRNA expression in spinal cord of diabetic rats. Systemic administration of sildenafil (1.8 – 5.6mg/kg, i.p.) reduced tactile allodynia in a dose-dependent manner in diabetic rats. Likewise, glyceryl trinitrate patches (0.2mg/h) also reduced tactile allodynia in diabetic rats. Moreover, both drugs reversed streptozotocin-induced phosphodiesterase 5A2 mRNA expression reduction. Our results indicate that glyceryl trinitrate and sildenafil reduce tactile allodynia in diabetic rats suggesting that nitric oxide and cyclic GMP supply is an important step in their mechanism of action of these drugs in diabetic animals. Data suggest that nitric oxide donors (as glyceryl trinitrate) and drugs which increase cyclic GMP levels (as sildenafil) could have a role in the pharmacotherapy of tactile allodynia in diabetic patients. Copyright © 2009. Published by Elsevier B.V

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the orthostatic effects and safety of coadministration of silodosin with the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors sildenafil and tadalafil. METHODS: In this placebo-controlled, open-label crossover study, 22 healthy men aged 45-78 years received 8 mg silodosin for 21 days. On days 7, 14, and 21, subjects also received a single dose of sildenafil 100 mg, tadalafil 20 mg, or placebo in random sequence. Orthostatic tests were performed before (baseline) and 1-12 hours after single-dose treatment. A positive orthostatic test was defined as decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) >30 mm Hg, decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >20 mm Hg, increase in heart rate (HR) >20 bpm, or presence of orthostatic symptoms. Treatment effects were compared by analysis of covariance. RESULTS: In comparison with placebo, sildenafil or tadalafil caused small but statistically significant reductions in blood pressure; however, no statistically significant orthostatic changes in SBP, DBP, or HR (P >.05) were caused. Time-matched maximum mean difference (95% confidence interval) vs placebo in 1-minute orthostatic change was -2.3 (-6.8-2.2) mm Hg for SBP, -2.2 (-5.6-1.2) mm Hg for DBP, and 1.7 (-1.5-4.9) bpm for HR. The number of postdose positive orthostatic tests was similar for all treatments (sildenafil, 57; tadalafil, 59; placebo, 53). Adverse events (in 7 subjects) were mild (26) or moderate (2). No orthostatic symptoms occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Coadministration of silodosin and maximum therapeutic doses of sildenafil or tadalafil in healthy men caused no clinically important orthostatic changes in blood pressure or HR and no orthostatic symptoms. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Someone out there had it out for pregnant girls. As if it isn’t hard enough on them already, there is a disorder known as Pre-Eclampsia. Below, we will take a look at what this disorder is characterized by, how it effects you, and how to tell if you have it.

Pre-Eclampsia is a pregnancy disorder involving convulsions. It generally occurs after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and usually with the first child. And as I said before… someone had it out for pregnant girls, becuase if no signs or symptoms of pre-eclampsia occur, there is still possibilities of eclampsia, which can happen before, during, or after the labour process.

There is only one true way to tell if you are carrying the eclampsia disorder; Eclamptic convulsions. Eclamptic convulsions have a four stages of gruelling pain:
Stage 1 – Unless the woman is aware and watching for this stage, it is generally missed. In stage one the woman will simply roll her eyes, and simultanieously, her hand a face muscles will slightly twitch.
Stage 2 – Shortly after stage one, the teeth will clench, the arms and legs will go rigid, she can bite her tongue, and the face and hand muscles that where twitching will now be clenching. In this stage, the woman will also experiance loss of breath for approximatley 30 seconds.
Stage 3 – This is where it gets really bad. The muscles will begin to jerk violently, while frothy and slightly bloody saliva will appear. 2 minutes of this until it stops, and then there is a coma, or occasionally heart failure.
Stage 4 – If not dead, the woman will fall into a deep unconscious state. This can persist for hours, or pass quickly.

Clearly this is not anything to be letting pass by. if any of these symptoms occur, visit your doctor immediately. You could lose 2 lives if you are not properly treated or monitored.

Next time you see your father, your uncle, or any older gentleman over age 60 or so, ask them about their prostate. If you know the guy well enough, and he feels comfortable enough around you (some would say too comfortable), he will surely share a whole litany of the common prostate problems that are troubling him, or have troubled him, or will trouble him in the near future. That’s because an enlarged prostate, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and even prostate cancer can be in the cards for every man past a certain age.

It’s the scary but true fact of getting old as a man. For instance, every man should know that prostate cancer is one of the most common prostate problems out there. It tops the list of cancers that afflict men, happening in nearly as many men, roughly speaking, as breast cancer in women. Prostate cancer doesn’t get the press that breast cancer does, however, probably because most men would rather not speak about what’s happening down there.

The second thing most men don’t, but should know is exactly what that prostate is. A prostate is actually part of a man’s sexual organs. Located just below the bladder in a man, wrapped around the urethra, the prostate is about the size of a walnut. Its main job in the birds-and-bees scheme of things is to add fluid to your sperm during ejaculation.

And most of the time, men don’t even realize they have a prostate because it’s a hidden internal organ, but all men find out quickly what and where their prostate is when they suffer a common prostate problem.

For instance, all men should know that prostate issues aren’t just for older men. Men under 50 can get prostatitis, or an extremely painful infection of their prostate. This is a swelling of the prostate that can cause fever, a burning sensation during urination, and fatigue.

And all men over 50 should be aware of their number one most common prostate problem, which is an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hypertrophy. This benign, or nonfatal condition, is actually far more common in older men than prostate cancer, which should give some relief to older men when they know it.

Men should all be aware of the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy, such as leaking and dribbling during urination, a weak urine stream, trouble getting started with urination, and even small amounts of blood in the urine.

And though benign prostatic hypertrophy is more common than prostate cancer, men should be aware that the two can go hand in hand. It’s not always the case, and many men with an enlarged prostate will never develop into cancer. But it’s good to keep your eyes out for both, because they can have similar symptoms.

Yoga has been proven to relieve stress by using exercises that unify the mind, body, and spirit. If you are new to yoga, these seven tips will start you on the road to a more centered life.

1. Talk to your doctor and explain what type of yoga poses you intend to practice. Show your doctor pictures of the poses for illustration. Your doctor may rule out specific poses if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, a history of retinal detachment, or heart disease. Make sure you follow your doctor’s recommendations.
2. Find a yoga class that best fits your abilities. Talk to prospective teachers, and decide whether of not you can handle a program before you sign up. It’s very important to take it one step at a time. Try a few beginner classes before you attempt more vigerous classes. Don’t move ahead too quickly. Allow your body to adjust to your exercises.

3. Listen to your body and be aware of your physical abilities. You don’t want to hurt yourself. Make sure the instructor understands your level of experience and any limitations you may have. Don’t allow anyone to push you ahead too quickly. Remember, this is supposed to be fun and relaxing.

4. If you can’t find a class that meets your needs, you can always practice yoga at home. There are many books, programs, and tapes available to help you get started. Search for the best products on the Internet and read reviews. Talk to others for recommenations.

5. Why not try private lessons? You can book some one-on-one sessions with a teacher in your area. Most yoga instructors offer private classes or can help you design your own program. This is a good way to get started. You can always take group lessons or practice at home after you’ve had private lessons and learned the basics.

6. Find a yoga buddy. It’s nice to practice with someone and it will help reduce injuries. It’s also a great way to keep up your enthusiasm and interest.

7. Eat lightly before practice. Wait at least two hours after meals before yoga class or practice. An empty stomach is best, but don’t let yourself get too hungry to think. You won’t be able to focus on the poses or enjoy yourself during the relaxation or meditation exercises.

Now it’s time to grab your mat and a towel and get the most out of your yoga exercises.

Planning ahead when you travel reduces stress. This is particularly important for a diabetic. These 5 diabetes travel tips are simple to implement and crucial to your diabetic management. They are particularly important if you are traveling abroad.

1) Have a pre-travel check-up. Make sure your A1C blood sugar levels; your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels are OK. Get the appropriate shots for any country you plan to visit.

2) Wear a diabetes medical ID. Ideally it should be in the language spoken in the country you’re visiting. Not everyone speaks your language and you don’t want medical problems through misunderstandings.

3) Keep your medication and glucose snacks in your hand-luggage. Check-in baggage does, unfortunately, go astray. Don’t risk your diabetes medication by packing it in your main luggage.

4) Keep your medication in its original box, complete with pharmacy labels. It will prevent misunderstandings about why you are carrying drugs and, if you are on insulin, syringes.

5) Be aware of time zone changes, especially when altering your watch. Remember when you travel east your day becomes shorter; if you travel west your day becomes longer. You may need to alter the timings of your medication.

Traveling need not be traumatic. A sensible attitude and a bit of pre-travel planning can make things go far more smoothly.

Attorney Robert Tesky and high school senior Ryan Dinkgrave have one thing in common that defines their lives: Type 1 diabetes. The difference is Tesky believes he is cured, while Dinkgrave wonders if the treatment that helped Tesky — islet cell transplantation — will ever be available to him.

For more than a year, Tesky, 54, has lived free of insulin shots. He no longer worries about blacking out from an injection that sends his blood sugar plummeting. He doesn’t fret as much about plaque building up in his arteries as a consequence of the disease. His future — like that of six other Canadian patients who received the experimental new treatment — holds the promise of health, not the prospect of a kidney transplant.

“This has given me a whole new beginning,” says Tesky, who months before the treatment underwent two angioplasties to open plaque-clogged arteries to his heart. “It’s nothing short of a miracle.”

Tesky and the other Canadians received transplants of islet cells carefully and quickly removed from donor pancreases, then injected into their livers. Those cells now detect his body’s blood sugar levels and produce insulin as he needs it. For all practical purposes, he no longer has diabetes.

Indeed, when Canadian researchers at the University of Alberta announced their breakthrough in May, scientists with the American Diabetes Association were, for the first time, cautiously using the “C”-word: cure.

The New England Journal of Medicine considered the news so important that it broke its own embargo and announced the study results seven weeks ahead of publication. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) immediately announced a $5 million, 10-city follow-up study to try to duplicate the results.

But Ryan Dinkgrave, a student in Livonia, Michigan, didn’t start celebrating. Not yet. He knew it would be difficult getting enough islet cells for a transplant. He knew there are many hurdles ahead. And he is right.

“It would be great to not have to worry about diabetes, but right now I’m not going get too hopeful,” says the 17-year-old.

Hurdles lie ahead

Serious problems must be overcome before islet cell transplants can be offered to most of the more than one million Americans with Type 1 diabetes — the harshest form of the disease — which usually strikes in childhood. Islet cells are fragile, and donated pancreases are rare. Thus, experts say it could be years before this revolutionary procedure is widely available.

Islets are actually a group of five different types of cells that work together to monitor glucose (the body’s blood sugar), and make insulin, which helps convert glucose into energy. The researchers had to use about two donated pancreases for each patient because so many islet cells were damaged during the harvesting process. Tesky’s transplant was even more difficult. He was called to the hospital eight times and underwent three procedures before the treatment worked.

“Our program now is really limited by our ability to get (islet) tissue,” says Dr. Jonathan Lakey, one of the surgeons who treated Tesky and the six other diabetics in Edmonton, Canada. Still, techniques are improving, and within three years Lakey says he expects a 1-1 ratio: one donated pancreas to treat one diabetic.

A shortage of organ donors

But even then, demand will far outstrip the supply of pancreases. The only way to get functioning islet cells is from people who died after agreeing to donate their organs. And that equation doesn’t add up to broad success: Only about 6,000 people a year donate organs upon death, while more than 70,000 Americans are on waiting lists for transplants at any given time. Every year, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, about 5,000 people die while waiting for a transplant.

“There are clearly problems with the donor supply that will limit islet transplants from being a widespread therapy,” says Dr. David Harlan, head of the transplant and autoimmunity branch at the NIH.

Some possible solutions

Yet despite all those discouraging statistics, many researchers predict they will be able to get around the supply problem, likely during Ryan Dinkgrave’s lifetime. One way is to grow islet cells in a laboratory and deliver them to surgeons for transplant.

Scientists at several universities around the nation, including Harvard Medical School, are working on various methods of doing this. The Harvard researchers announced last month that they had successfully grown insulin-producing islet cells in the lab, but cautioned that theirs is just an initial step. They were able to grow 30,000 islets — a fraction of the 700,000 needed for a successful transplant. And it may be years before the experimental cells can be tested in humans. Also, while growing them isn’t difficult, getting such a complex grouping of cells to function in the body is. Researchers have been experimenting with islet transplants for decades, but only now have such transplants become consistently successful.

To get around this hurdle, Dr. Fred Levine, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego, is trying to develop a line of beta cells, the cells that actually produce insulin. Beta cells grown in a lab must be highly genetically modified in order to reproduce, detect glucose levels and produce insulin. Levine says he is confident beta cells can be engineered to produce enough insulin to cure diabetes, and he hopes to begin studies in humans in four or five years.

But other researchers aren’t so sure. Scientists must insert genes to make the cells grow in the lab, and it’s conceivable those genes could get out of control and create cancerous cells. Also, past transplants of beta cells have failed, says Lakey.

A third possibility is to mass-produce islet cells in the pancreases of pigs, which are similar to human pancreases. Supply is no problem; we can easily raise enough pigs. But this process presents its own difficulties. Though similar, the cells of pig pancreases still must be genetically modified to be compatible with human tissue. Those cells may prompt severe immune responses in people, which could cause rejection. Also, some scientists worry that pig viruses could adapt to humans and cause new diseases — just as HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, did when it jumped from monkeys to people, resulting in AIDS.

So where does all this leave most diabetics and their families? For the moment, probably right where they were before this summer’s breakthrough was announced: waiting.
Steady progress and hope

Ryan Dinkgrave and his mother, Kathi, have followed scientific progress on diabetes closely for seven years, ever since he was diagnosed at age 10. They remember the initial excitement — and disappointment — over the islet cell transplants in past years. They recall feeling jubilant over other “revolutionary” advances like insulin eyedrops and infrared glucose monitors. And they remember the dashed hopes when these supposed breakthroughs failed to pan out.

Still, they’ve seen steady progress. Kathi is convinced a widely available cure will come during her son’s lifetime. But Ryan is keeping his optimism in check. If the islet transplants prove successful in the next round of trials, due to begin this fall, he hopes to put his name on what will undoubtedly be a long list of diabetics awaiting treatment. But even if the new trials are a success, young and relatively healthy patients like Ryan may not be allowed to undergo the procedure. Doctors remain unsure about the long-term effects of the immune-suppressing drugs that transplant patients need to keep from rejecting the islet cell transplants. Most likely, only high-risk, older patients will be candidates — at least until more is known.

Until then, Ryan will continue as he always has. He’ll play his guitar and work at his summer job in a local bakery. He’ll also prick his finger four times a day to test his glucose levels, check the insulin pump he wears on his body constantly and eat on a tight schedule — all in the name of keeping his blood sugar under control.

For now, he can’t quite bring himself to say the “C”-word. “I’ll believe it when I actually do see it,” he says.