Weekly Medical Tips

Gastric Bypass surgery (GBP) has proven to control and cure diabetes

Gastric Bypass not only aids in obesity, but it has been proven that type II diabetes improved glycemic control even before weight loss had occurred. GBP long term effect is positive for resolution of type 2 diabetes and in preventing new cases and insulin resistance improved within 4 weeks and continued to 6 months. The study concluded that GBP significantly changes the degree of diabetes from eliminating the disease to an improved form over short and long term.  The changes that take place after postoperative  effect the GI peptide release. These peptides affect changes in food intake and glycemic control after GBP surgery.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Erik Näslund, MD, PhD, Division of Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, SE-182 88 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: erik.naslund@ki.se
Retrieved May 26, 2011, from Impact of Gastric Bypass Surgery on Gut Hormones and Glucose Homeostasis in Type 2 Diabetes

Weekly Medical Tips

Chat Me More wanted to share insightful information about our teenagers.

Adolescent years is one of the most difficult times for our children.  They are trying to fit in and be accepted into their own society. This is an awkward time for them with body changes and hormones heightened they may not always make the right decisions. Unfortunately this may include suicide and they may not seek solutions to their problems and the only end results for them is to terminate their lives. I bring this topic up due to the alarming statistics on teenage suicides. It is the third-leading cause of death in 15 to 24 years old. Mental illness may be a contributing factor followed by depression, but environmental circumstances can exacerbate and cause confusion that can lead to distorted thoughts by the young adult.

Research as proven that screening programs have aided in getting help for the individual. Intervention efforts will get the youth to a mental health facility and lives may be saved.  National suicide prevention  focuses on school education programs, crisis hotlines and screening programs. If your school does not have an intervention in place contact 1-877-726-4727 and they will provide your school or facility with proper material for prevention and it is free.


Signs to look for:

• Talking About Dying -- any mention of dying, disappearing, jumping, shooting oneself,
   or other types of self harm
• Recent Loss -- through death, divorce, separation, broken relationship, self-confidence, self-esteem,
   loss of interest in friends, hobbies, activities previously enjoyed
• Change in Personality -- sad, withdrawn, irritable, anxious, tired, indecisive, apathetic
• Change in Behavior -- can't concentrate on school, work, routine tasks
• Change in Sleep Patterns -- insomnia, often with early waking or oversleeping, nightmares
• Change in Eating Habits -- loss of appetite and weight, or overeating
• Fear of losing control - acting erratically, harming self or others
• Low self esteem -- feeling worthless, shame, overwhelming guilt, self-hatred,
  "everyone would be better off without me"
• No hope for the future -- believing things will never get better; that nothing will ever change

• Berman, A., Jobes, D., & Silverman, M., (2006) Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention (2nd ed.) Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 456 pp.
  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or 1-800-273-TALK
  National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC) or call: (866) SAFEYOUTH
  Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) or call: (800) SUICIDE

Weekly Medical Tips

Chat Me More wanted to address a trend that seems to be getting out of hand

It seems today on the news a mother allowed her 8 year old daughter to

receive Botox injections. A San Francisco mother injects her daughter herself with

Botox injections to get rid of wrinkles. The mother has her daughter convinced that she has wrinkles. The mother states the reason why she gives her daughter Botox, “she is trying to keep up with the  other pageant mothers.”

Watch this video:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/

A study out of the University of Calgary and researchers from the Faculty Kinesiology are raising questions just how save is Botox? The study found that when animals were injected with Clostridium Botulinum (Botox). They experienced muscle weakness throughout their entire body. The study also included the long-term use of Botox caused muscle atrophy and loss of contractile tissue in the limb and that is not the area that was injected.  Botox is also used to treat conditions as cerebral palsy where muscle contractions can be controlled, due to weakness of the muscle.

When Botox is used cosmetically it causes muscles to become paralyzed and the

appearance of wrinkles to lessen or disappear.

 University of Calgary. "Botulinum toxin A creates muscle weakness and atrophy following long term use, study suggests." ScienceDaily, 2 Dec. 2010. Web. 12 May 2011.

Weekly Medical Tips

Chat Me More found an interesting article and decided to do some research regarding this issue.
A Montana dad couldn't stand watching his son suffer from a brain tumor. Two year old Cash was given high doses of chemotherapy which did havoc to this young man's body. Cash suffered septic shock a stroke and internal hemorrhage. He was continuously nauseous and vomited 10x a day. Cash's father felt helpless and wanted to help his son. He boiled marijuana leaves and mixed them with olive oil and put a little of it into his son's feeding tube. It did stop the nausea and within 2 weeks he was weaned from nausea drugs and started to eat again and laugh. Miraculously the boy recovered last fall.

Caulfield P. (May 5, 2011). Dad says Medical marijuana 'cured' 2-year-old's cancer; pop slipped son pot oil as last resort. Retrieved May 5, 2011, from Dad says medical marijuana 'cured' 2-year-old's cancer; pop slipped son pot oil as last resort

Cannabinoid is a group of chemicals naturally found in the marijuana plant. There are three types of cannabinoids.  Plant-derived cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol occur in the cannabis plant. Treating cancer with cannabinoids can inhibit tumor growth and prolong long life of mice with Lewis lung adenocarcinoma. Studies showed cannabinoids inhibited tumor cell growth and "induced apoptosis by modulating different cell signaling pathways in gliomas and lymphomas, prostate, breast, lung, skin and pancreatic cells. Cannabinoids targets cancer cells and spare normal cells without cell proliferation and metastasis because of the suppression of the antitumor immune response. Contradiction states "that low doses of cannabinoid administered accelerate proliferation of cancer cells instead of inducing apoptosis which can cause cancer progression. Trial studies should be continued to find the right mechanism of cannabinoid action in cancer cells.

Bifulco, M., Laezza, C., Pisanti, S., & Gazzerro, P. (Feb. 2006). Br J Pharmacol. 2006 May; 148(2): 123–135. Published online 2006 February 27. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0706632.
PMCID: PMC1617062. Retrieved May 5, 2011, from Cannabinoids and cancer: pros and cons of an antitumour strategy

Sarfaraz S., Ahhami V., Syed, D., Afaq F., & Mukhtar, H. (Jan. 2008). Cannabinoids for Cancer Treatement: Progress and Promise. dol:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-2785. Cancer Res. January 15, 2008 68; 339. Retrieved May 5, 2011, from Cannabinoids for Cancer Treatment: Progress and Promise