Testing It Up

The temptation to indiscriminately use illegal drugs comes to anyone at any time. The people who still fall into the trap can be surprising, as they are sometimes upstanding citizens of society.

Five months ago, a San Bernardino newspaper reported that the County Assessor, Bill Postmus, used illegal drugs. They claimed that they learned from several reliable sources that he had checked into rehabilitation centers twice. One of these stints in rehab was allegedly to address an addiction to methamphetamine.

Looking at this public servant’s performance and civil record, these allegations initially seemed absurd. However, just recently, he confirmed the allegations and has announced that he will no longer run for reelection.

Despite his declaration that he was able to successfully serve as Assessor despite his personal struggles, one cannot help but look at him at an entirely different light. It is saddening as this man had a promising career. He was once the most powerful politician in San Bernardino County. This is testament to how illegal drugs can literally bring anyone down.

The reasons behind such addictions are varied, and to simply condemn is never the right way to handle the situation. It is more important to help the person concerned and find solutions rather than to brand the person as a miscreant and turn our backs.

This realization that substance abuse can happen to anyone should be a wake up call to most of us. Sometimes, simply being there to listen to what a loved one can make a big difference. People who turn to substance abuse sometimes reach that point to compensate for physical or emotional needs that are not met.

The key thing towards the prevention of abuse is early detection of the tendency towards addiction. Detection may come in the form of medical testing, but it can also be as simple as being sensitive to the needs and the situations that the people around us find themselves in.

The battle against teenage drug use is a global war. With more and more teenagers falling to the wayside, including high-profile teenage celebrities, other cities the world over are also fighting the same war.

As 2008 came to a close, a seventeen-year-old schoolgirl from Hongkong was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for trafficking kentamine and ecstasy. The sentencing followed a rejection of her plea for leniency, which is just right, in my opinion. It is one thing to be seventeen and get caught using prohibited drugs, but the selling of these drugs is a heavier and an entirely different offense altogether.

The young teenager couldn’t help but break down in tears after hearing the verdict. She shared the same fate with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend.

As if their ages were not shocking enough, these two teenagers were actually arrested along with their even younger fifteen-year-old neighbor, who was charged with possession of kentamine and ecstasy. The young girl was given a lighter sentence and was sent to a rehabilitation center. The two older teenagers, on the other hand, were caught selling ecstasy to an undercover officer which is why they ended up with heavier sentences.

The rise in incidents such as these has resulted in the devotion of more efforts towards addressing the issue of teenage drug abuse by the government of Hongkong. They especially took notice when five students of a government secondary school in Fan Ling were caught selling and using kentamine on campus in June 2007.

The Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse has been organized to focus on fighting teenage drug use. It is currently headed by the Secretary for Justice, Wong Yan-lung. Among their proposals is the administration of random urine testing in schools to identify drug use among students, realizing that early detection can play an important role in reforming wayward teens.

A sport is ideally a great activity for everyone to engage in, and children are especially encouraged to get into sports to learn teamwork and discipline. Nowadays, though, the ideal world of sports has been tainted by the proliferation of substance abuse.

As the year 2008 ended, Bulgarian sprinter Tezdjan Naimova was suspended for two years for using performance-enhancing drugs. The suspension was imposed by the Bulgarian Athletics federation after Naimova admitted to manipulating a doping test.

Over the past couple of years, Bulgaria has seen an increase in the number of athletes who were caught using performance-enhancing drugs.

Most of the athletes come from the field of athletics, including runners Vanya Stamblova, Teodora Kolarova and Daniella Yordanova, high jumper Venelina Veneva and hammer thrower Andrian Andreev.

What should have been healthy competitions are now being turned into reasons to turn to performance enhancement. Doping may be on the rise now, but as early as 1904, artificial performance enhancement through the help of medicine, has been used in sports. Marathon runner Thomas Hicks used strychnine injections to boost his performance and help him get to the finish line.

In 1924, drugs were being used in the Tour de France. During the Berlin Olympics in 1936, it is said that the German team used Benzedrine or amphetamines to enhance the performance of their athletes in the games. In 1954, the US weightlifting team started using Anabolic Steroids – known as the miracle muscle pill – to increase their body and muscle mass and perform better.

In recent years, the Tour de France is still being plagued by the use of hormones by cyclists from all over the world. Hormones and anabolic steroids are the more common substances that are used.

It now seems that the spirit of teamwork and discipline that the world of sports is supposed to develop has turned into an unusual competitive drive to be the best, regardless of what it takes. This is why sports events now extensively test for the use of performance-enhancing substances, all in the spirit of fair play.

It’s a new year once again, and it’s time to come up with those New Year’s resolutions. While some may already be cheating on their resolutions, there are others who are determined to be steadfast in their commitments.

According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Government website, what most Americans will try to change in 2009 will revolve around weight, finances and bad habits. And among bad habits, drinking less and quitting smoking follow each other among the top choices.

Drinking alcohol and smoking are relatively benign activities that only become deadly when used irresponsibly and indiscriminately. Addiction and abuse usually begin with the occasional glass of wine that graduates into heavier use when left unchecked. What may complicate things is the fact that it is easy to let yourself go, since alcohol and cigarettes are very accessible to consumers.

Alcoholism alone is not only deadly in itself but is one of the leading indirect causes of death in America, children and teenagers included. Vehicular accidents and homicides are sometimes attributable to the irresponsible consumption of alcohol.

Those who have a bit of an alcohol problem and are resolving to mend their ways this year may want to remember three simple things.

First, remember that you need not be alone. It may help if you share your resolution with someone who can be your buddy and guide.

Second, remember that is is alright to drink, as long as you do it responsibly. Do not restrict yourself to alcoholic beverages and drink water in between shots when going out or partying with friends. You can also resolve to limit your drinking to a certain number of glasses, and ask a friend to check on you.

Lastly, it is important to remember that irresponsible drinking may not just harm you but others as well, so think of other people first before deciding to drink one more bottle.

Another helpful thing would be to keep a disposable alcohol detector tester. Breath scanners are handy and cheap, and are useful to have around when going out to test for intoxication levels to ensure safety at all times.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes would face a lifetime of blood sugar monitoring and insulin injections. Type 1 diabetes has been considered as an incurable autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system destroys its own pancreatic beta cells by mistake.

The pancreatic beta cells are the ones that produce insulin, which breaks down sugar for use by the body. Since insulin production is impaired when this happens, the artificial introduction of insulin seems to be the only remedy – at least, until now.

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University recently released the development of a technique for transplanting insulin-producing pancreatic cells into a Type 1 diabetic. While this is not a new concept, cell transplantation has not been widely accepted since recipients need to take strong immunosuppressant medications that have toxic side effects. With this new technique, though, cell transplantation may be done with minimal immune response from recipients, as observed in studies done with mice.

The healthy beta cells used for transplantation may be harvested from cadavers and injected into the blood stream of someone suffering from Type 1 diabetes. These new cells will replace the body’s destroyed ones.

However, without powerful drugs there is a tendency for the recipient to reject these cells, as the body will consider them as foreign. What this new study has done is to devise a way to make the foreign beta cells invisible to the immune system of a transplant recipient. This will protect the cells, at least temporarily, from being rejected by the body.

They were able to do this by way of harnessing the ability of adenoviruses – viruses that infect tissues that line the respiratory tract, eyes, intestines and urinary tract – to avoid detection by the body’s immune surveillance system. The beta cells injected into diabetic mice for this study were introduced with three adenoviral genes through genetic engineering.

If and when this technique pulls through, we may see a new age of independence for the Type 1 diabetic.

This season saw us from one party to another. However, no matter how difficult it may be, we need to control these 3 numbers before they control us.

1. Blood Pressure. The force, with respect to the area of application, being exerted by the blood to the walls of the arteries is what we know of as blood pressure. For healthy adults, blood pressure should remain at 120/80 mm Hg to avoid serious cardiovascular risks.

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension has been considered as a silent killer, as a person can suffer from such condition without him knowing it. Often, it does not have unique, distinguishable symptoms. While we usually associate high blood pressure with being nervous or hyperactive, it does not follow that a calm person cannot suffer from hypertension.

2. Blood Cholesterol. Cholesterol is found naturally in our bodies and it is very helpful in producing hormones, vitamin D and other salient substances that the body needs. Although the body can supply all the cholesterol it needs, we often unnecessarily add to the supply by eating foods that are high in cholesterol.

High Blood Cholesterol is having too much cholesterol in the blood. The excess cholesterol can build up on the walls of the arteries, and this can cause plaque and narrowing of the arteries. Coronary Heart Disease can result when the arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood to the heart is narrowed.

3. Blood Glucose. The main sugar that the body uses to provide energy is glucose. We can get these from the food we eat, especially in carbohydrate-rich ones. Glucose concentration in the body should be kept within the range of 4-6 mmol/l. Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) or hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) may result from the inability o regulate blood sugar content in the body.

These 3 important health numbers must be always monitored for us stay healthy. Check your doctor regarding how often you need to test and your testing options.

I am pretty sure that most of you have been to different Christmas parties in the past few days — munching here, drinking there and having your merry way, and there are probably more parties coming as we prepare for the New Year.

I know this is ‘the season to be jolly’, but let us not forget that our cholesterol levels can also party while we do. It may be a bit difficult to control the eating at this time (Yes, I am having a difficult time myself! :D), but there are plenty other ways to manage our cholesterol levels. Aside from having instant cholesterol tests handy, you can also follow these tips I have prepared for everyone.

Exercise

At least 15-30 minutes of walking three times a week can help your metabolism and burn calories faster, as well as lower LDL and increase HDL. If you’re not committed to that, just start with the basics. Don’t lie down immediately after a meal. You can also take time to walk to your destination and back home if it’s nearby (and save gas in the process).

Drink Plenty of Water

There are a lot of advantages in drinking water. Not only does it clean the body of toxins, it also keeps you from being dehydrated, and works wonders for the skin. Drinking water is definitely healthier than chugging down cans of colas or bottles of beer.

Enjoy the Party!

Partying does not necessarily mean disaster to your cholesterol level. You can share one food serving with your partner or with a friend so you don’t have to eat so much.

During parties, stand, go around and chat with other guests. If there is room for dancing, go on and dance! This is a wonderful and fun way to exercise and a great way to interact with other guests as well.

So, see you at the party?

Holiday greetings from ‘Testing It Up’!

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the cause of AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The virus affects the immune system of the body, making it more susceptible to deadly infections and diseases. Do you want to learn more regarding HIV? Check the ABC of HIV.

•    A: Acute Symptoms. Most HIV infected individuals don’t realize that they have HIV. If they are newly infected, there are no immediate symptoms. When the symptoms appear, they are usually non-specific and people are led to believe that they are just suffering from other conditions, such as the flu.

Common symptoms include fever, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes, headaches and skin rash. However, as the illness progresses, the symptoms become more severe, such as persistent diarrhea, oral thrush and vaginal candidiasis.

•    B: Blood Tests. The only definite way to confirm the diagnosis of HIV is through the HIV tests. These tests may be the HIV antibody test or ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test, which determine the presence of the virus in the body; the antigen test, which determines the presence of antigen in the body (the part of the virus which alerts the body to produce antibodies in the first place); and the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test, which recognizes the HIV within two to three weeks of infection in the blood.

•    C: Counteract HIV. To prevent HIV, it is important to know how it is transmitted. HIV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, from blood contact such as using contaminated needles or blood products, and through mother-to-child transmission.

In order to deter the spread of HIV, one must employ the following methods: abstinence from sexual intercourse with an infected individual; monogamy or being faithful to one partner; using male or female condoms correctly all the time; and proper education, especially to the youth about safe sex practices and the nature of HIV.