weight loss

How well does Corti-Lite or Hoodia Gordonii Extract diet pills help to lose weight or supress hunger?

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:42:35 +0000

Anyone trying to lost weight fast should look into the Acai Berry. it is one of the most nutritional foods on earth. the high vitamins and anti-oxidents in Acai contributes to rapid weight loss.

How well does Corti-Lite or Hoodia Gordonii Extract diet pills help to lose weight or supress hunger?

Myth: The Mediterranean diet is healthy because of the olive oil

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:42:19 +0000

Fact: The Mediterranean diet is healthy because it contains of variety of protective foods

Everybody has heard good things about the Mediterranean diet. Typically we hear it’s good for the heart, and this is true as evidenced by the lower rates of heart disease experienced in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. However most people when asked what’s healthy about it almost always say olive oil. this is an oversimplification because the traditional Mediterranean diet – predominantly plant food based – contains a bounty of foods with known protective effects: vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, herbs and spices; fish; and small servings of alcohol and red meat. The mechanism of protection is still not fully understood, and there are likely to be many different protective effects offered by different foods. And there are non-diet factors. for many traditional communities around the Mediterranean, their lives are simpler, more active and religion is central to everyday life. one could postulate that religion is crucial to the health benefits of Mediterranean diet!

Why the question ‘what’s healthy about the Mediterranean diet?’ is important, is because foods of the Mediterranean are not universally available or liked. I’ve met people who just don’t like the taste of olive oil. while olive oil is a healthy choice, it may actually have a neutral effect on heart health by displacing bad fats rather than actively protecting by itself. Olive oil is primarily monounsaturated and the Heart Foundation Australia’s evidence-based position on monounsaturated fats is “there is little evidence that Mono-unsaturated fat has an independent effect on coronary endpoints”. In simple terms, this means don’t rely on mono-unsaturated fats alone to prevent a heart attack. Another component of olive oil often mentioned is the antioxidants (polyphenolic compounds), particularly high in extra-virgin olive oil. these are likely to be beneficial, however not unique to olive oil. Thousands of phytochemicals exist across all plant foods.

An even a better result may be achieved with a modified Mediterranean diet using sunflower or canola oil. this is because polyunsaturated fats have greater cholesterol lowering effects, and because of the known benefits of omega-6 & omega-3 fats. this idea of a Mediterranean-style diet using different oil – namely canola oil and margarine – yielded spectacular results in the famous Lyon Heart Study. this seminal study showed an impressive 76% reduction in risk of death or major coronary events (eg heart attack, stroke etc) in patients who had previously had a heart attack (and thus at high risk) after following a modified Mediterranean diet for 27 months. while a Mediterranean diet with olive oil attracts passionate supporters, it’s not the only cardio-protective diet.

If you want to eat a healthy diet, then try to take all the leaves out of the Mediterranean diet book rather than just the page on olive oil or you’re bound to come up short on benefits. A heart-healthy diet is a whole rather than one or two parts, and can be adapted to suit individual and cultural preferences. if you’d like to learn more about heart-friendly foods and how you can combine them in ways to suit you, check out Nicole’s books at eattobeatcholesterol.com.au

References

De Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin JL, Mamelle N, Monjaud I, Touboul P, Delaye J. Effect of a mediterranean type of diet on the rate of cardiovascular complications in patients with coronary artery disease. Insights into the cardioprotective effect of certain nutriments. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1996 Nov 1;28(5):1103-8

Myth: The Mediterranean diet is healthy because of the olive oil

Vitamin C in a healthy diet

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:43:02 +0000

Taking into consideration the fact that the health supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, its no wonder that health conscious consumers are questioning the benefits of some supplements. It makes good sense to analyze the efficacy of vitamins, minerals and other supplement products before you spend a fortune on something that your body cannot adequately use. To address those questions it helps to know a little about the biochemical make-up of nutritional components and how they actually function. many nutrients like vitamin C are more effective when they are obtained through dietary means.

The Function of Vitamin C

Essential for human health, vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that is known for its antioxidant properties. In addition, vitamin C plays a key role in literally hundreds of other biological processes, some of which are the healing of wounds, boosting the immune system, maintaining blood vessels and synthesizing adrenal hormones .

Humans and other primates do not manufacture vitamin C like many other mammals do so it is vitally important to consume vitamin C daily to maintain healthy levels. Vitamin C is an unstable nutrient and only very small amounts are able to be stored in the human body. because of its water solubility and instability, It is highly unlikely that a person could overdose on Vitamin C as excess amounts are easily eliminated through the excretory system.

The Composition of Vitamin C

Although the thorough analysis of nutrients requires an in depth study of biochemistry, many principles of how vitamins work can be adequately understood by the general public. The composition of vitamins is a synergistic combination of enzymes and co-enzymes. Vitamin C that is naturally present in whole foods contains all of the necessary nutritional elements. Supplements, on the other hand, only contain a portion of the necessary components of Vitamin C needed to nourish the human body.

The Problem with Vitamin C Supplements

Ascorbic acid or its lesser acidic form, ascorbate, are the compounds most often sold as vitamin C in supplement form. although these compounds make up part of the vitamin C complex, they are far from complete. The vitamin C complex that is found in whole foods consists of a number of elements including:

When one of these elements such as ascorbic acid or ascorbate is ingested, the body must gather the other components in order for the vitamin to function biologically the way it is supposed to and produce the desired, beneficial effects. If the other components of the vitamin are not available, then the ascorbic acid circulates through the blood stream until it is finally excreted as waste.

How to get Vitamin C through Dietary Means

Vitamin C is a nutrient that, in many cases, works best in the presence of other vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. Given this information, it makes sense to include lots of vitamin C rich foods in your diet daily. Some of the best sources of natural vitamin C are as follows:

• Green bell peppers

• dark leafy greens

As is true with many other nutrients, the best way to benefit from vitamin C is through the consumption of natural, whole, organic foods

Learn more about this author, Melissa Murphy. Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Vitamin C in a healthy diet

What is your best low carb recipe with eggs?

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:42:12 +0000

I'm doing a low carb diet right now and I'm kind of sick of eggs. does anyone have any good recipes that can make eating eggs a little more exciting?

Forget the eggs and fry some bacon, or have a cheeseburger (without the bun). on second thought, have a bacon cheeseburger (without the bun).

What is your best low carb recipe with eggs?

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low carb recipes

Does anyone know any cheap but effective diet plans?

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:42:13 +0000

I was wondering if anyone knows a website that has any free or cheap but effective diet plans I might look into?

Thanks for your help!!

Try the Women's Health magazine website. they can tell you how the gal on the cover got there.

FREE AND ACTUALLY WORKS

I NEVER WORKED OUT ALL I DID WAS PORTION CONTROL MY DIET! instead a whole bowl of ice cream just a few spoonfulls and if i wanted i could go back and get more later in the day, a few chips NOT a whole bag of chips….i was 160 and only 5'6 and 2 1/2 mnths later i am 125-130 depending on the day.

you can just stick to the old fashion workout and just not eat as much

Eat vegetables, fruit, rice. Drink only water and lots of it. Walk every day. No coffee, soft drinks, sugar, flour, butter, animal product. Use eggbeaters with Salsa in the morning and anytime you get hungry. No calories. you can eat as much of the above as you want and you will lose tons of weight. If you get hungry between meals and snacks or crave foods not on the list then go for a walk each and every time.

Its not exactly a diet plan, but it works like one:
Eat regularly every day, but the thing is that you eat something different all the time.
If you eat the same thing all the time, your body gets used to it and automatically stores it as excess fat. If you eat something different every day, your body doesn't put it as fat.

Its hard to explain, but it actually really works. last summer, I weighed at about.. 125 I think it was? And now, I weigh at about… 104, I think.

Does anyone know any cheap but effective diet plans?

Kiwi Hopes To Be Highly Recommended

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:42:07 +0000

Former New South Welshman John Twomey recently made the trip across the Tasman with his 11 YO, 17 hand jumping machine Highly Recommended. They came to take advantage of the first class competition offered at the Melbourne 3 Day Event, held over the Queens Birthday weekend, at the beginning of June. John reminisces that he took part at this prestigious outing for eventers at Novice level back in 1989. He had a great time with his 15 YO brother, who shared the experience as his groom. A lot has changed and 2010 sees John with a very good horse and serious prospects of riding for New Zealand at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Like many of his peers, John has suffered the ups and downs of the sport but says, “When you have a horse like HR the ups far outweigh the down moments!”.

Formerly from NSW, John and Caroline (Hooper) made their home in New Zealand about 10 years ago and immediately fitted in with the horse scene and the beautiful countryside of Cambridge.

John begins … “We live in a very horsey community and both Caroline and I work teaching riders and training horses. we met on the competition circuit in Australia, Caroline was well known for her FEI performances on the grey Arabian bred gelding Merrifield Zia and was shortlisted for the Seoul Olympics. it is amazing how many people associate her with this great little horse! after that came Northern Tresco, who was a different type and required some different strategies to get to Grand Prix. we have had some really good horses, but for me, the best is my current ride Highly Recommended – HR to his friends. He is HR at home and this name could also mean “His Highness” and mostly he has the attitude of a King and thinks he rules the world.”

I asked John to tell us a little about his fantastic horse and he said:

“Well he is a truly purpose-bred Eventing horse. He is by the well respected and proven sire Brilliant Invader. His dam Diversity is by Distelfink, a well respected stallion who stood in New Zealand at the Long Spring Stud. Distelfink sired a number of top liners including Duty Free, Diomedes LS, Daylight LS, Damontez LS, Falcon and Denver, along with Olivia Bunn’s GV Braveheart and GV Danzar.”

Sarah Milne, who bred Highly Recommended, has made a huge impact on the quality of NZ sporthorses as her mare Diversity has produced a number of outstanding progeny including three NZ Young Event Horse winners.

John added, “Highly Recommended won this coveted award at Taupo in 2005, when shown by Sarah who was a student of mine.”

“Jumping judge, Vaughan Jeffries commented on his style and scope.”

“Sarah did a great job and this success cemented HR’s future as a top international prospect – just the sort of horse I wanted to help me achieve my goal to be a top international competitor! Something told me our fate was sealed and HR soon changed owners.”

John had a chuckle in his voice when he said, “Berni, in the early days it sometimes felt like I was waiting to see who died first … he spent a lot of time on his back legs and was a hard nut to crack! He has a toughness that caused early problems, but this has proven to be the characteristic that makes him special … he is a NEVER say NEVER kind of horse and will keep trying long after the others have given up. I guess we have had an eventual meeting of minds which has allowed me to tap into his gritty attitude and awesome physical attributes – he certainly is special!”

I asked John to tell me about some of the early successes:

“As a 6 YO, he won the National 1 Day Event Championships (CIC) and also the 3 Day Championships (CCI) and again as a 7 year old won the National titles at two star level in both 1 Day (CIC) and 3 Day (CCI) level putting us on notice that he was on track as an Olympic or WEG prospect for the future.”

John says, “Many of our most memorable disagreements have come about through his “colossal lack of submission” coupled with a very well developed homing instinct. He always becomes strong when we face home – that might be the stables at a competition, where the car and his friends are standing or coming back from a road ride or hack out and heading towards his paddock and stable. I remember well one ride out and when we turned for home and his speed increased at the same rate as my control decreased! This caused some very worrying moments as we approached an 8 ft ditch surrounded by Barbery Hedge! we survived, but both of us arrived home with a number of long thorns imbedded in our backs. (ouch!!!.) HR is so brave and focussed and I always knew that this was his strength.”

John continued … “At about 8 years of age, Highly Recommended started to mellow and gave me some sensational rides. He was prepared to wait and listen, his homing instinct was still there but the frantic element was replaced with a calmer obedience which gave me the best feeling of controlled power – we could jump the moon! Just when things were looking great, my horse pulled up lame and I was faced with the worst situation for the owner of an eventer or race horse – a core lesion in his tendon – which would need at least 12 months and probably closer to 18 months therapy, to ensure a full recovery.”

I found it interesting to hear about HR’s recovery from such a potentially career ending injury and John explained:

“Many of the traditional management strategies for injuries such as tendon tears have changed over the years and rest is no longer considered the ideal management for tendon strains and lesions. The vets from Massey University in New Zealand are quite used to seeing these injuries and have had great success with long term treatments. They recommended a 52 week “graduated exercise program” which began with 5 minutes daily walking on a bitumen road or hard ground.”

“The time and demands of HR’s exercise increased so that at the end of 12 months he was up to short bursts of gallop. From there I had to work on his endurance, strength and stamina and gradually bring him back to jumping with great care so as not to overtax his injured leg and risk undoing the long months that went into his recovery. Even though my horse was still young in terms of an international level eventer, I was very mindful that time away from training would be a setback and the lack of competition experience for over 12 months would be sure to take its toll when the big questions were asked.”

“Our return to training and preparation went very well at our first few outings so we stepped up to a start at the Richfield 1 Day Event, 3 Star CIC, which is also the NZ National Championships. we had a dream run and finished 3rd with double clear jumping rounds – it felt good! The Dressage phase is always a challenge as we have energy to burn on day one – I am managing his enthusiastic temperament better … more scientifically developed feeds are helping me to feed smart for controlled energy over all three days. This makes such a difference and I am really pleased that we were able to source Prydes feeds when we came to New Zealand.”

John continued, “Things were nicely on track for a start at Puhinui CCI 3 Star, the field was small and it was great to compete against the best – HR was in fantastic form. Stuart Tinney made the trip from Australia to enjoy some good Kiwi hospitality and wonderful eventing. I was very confident, as our preparation was on track and I had a comfortable feeling that the home town advantage would work for us! on cross country day everything was going well but obstacle No 12, with its huge ditch and technical elements was to claim Highly Recommended’s chance to finish. He hit the top of the fence very hard and tumbled,falling heavily.”

“When the initial impact and shock was over and we were both on our feet, I was horrified to see that he had completely split the muscles and surrounding soft tissue of the sternum (between the front legs) and was bleeding profusely – this was the end of the event for us, but the real damage was HR’s shattered confidence. His recovery was almost as painstaking as the tendon injury but more frustrating as I was dealing with mental injuries rather than physical and it is difficult to assess the healing process! after a good break we took him back to 2 Star for his comeback at the Hastings Horse of the Year event in March 2010 – he won in fine style and we were very pleased to add this Horse of the Year title to HR’s list of achievements.”

“3 weeks later we started at Kihi Kihi in the 2 Star class and finished the event in 2nd place on our dressage score, we had fantastic cross country and showjumping rounds and it was encouraging to feel HR getting physically and mentally stronger. we planned to make a 3 Star comeback at Taupo in may 2010.”

John shares a disappointment. “I am sure that I would not be the first rider to be confused by the qualification processes and we found out that our 3 Star ranking had lapsed and that we could not start the Taupo event at this level. it was a real blow as we would miss the opportunity to make this competition a strategic part of our London preparation.”

“We started at Taupo in the 2 Star class but unfortunately our performance was a little disappointing as Highly Recommended put in an unusually poor dressage test. With two more days to go and the dressage over, HR returned to true to form for his cross country and showjumping, allowing us to finish in fifth place, on the first day’s dressage score.”

John talks of his lead up to the Melbourne 3 Day Event in June. “From the end of may 2010 our focus was to prepare for the trip to Melbourne – there is much to organise, but at all times the fitness and well being of the horse must come first! The lead up to our Queens Birthday weekend mission did not go as the text book would have it! I was prepared for the demands we faced on one of the most testing cross country tracks, with 5500 gruelling meters and a number of tight turns and very technical fences.to face.”

“My horse ‘feels the distance’ as he is a 17 hand Warmblood cross with a heavier frame and more weight to carry on his legs. I wanted to be sure that he was fit … but not at the risk of galloping too much. He went on the water walker for two weeks to give him fitness with no strain on his legs. I could feel that he was not 100%, 3 days before the trot up at Werribee Park, so his work just prior to the event consisted of a couple of rides but no real training and I knew that this would give me some challenges on day one … and then again on showjumping day. The Melbourne venue introduces another element which does not favour us – the indoor arena – where the dressage and showjumping takes place.”

John recalls. “Highly Recommended does not give his best work indoors and is inclined to be spooky and lose concentration. As I expected, he got tense in the atmosphere and made a few mistakes. In the dressage, he broke in his half pass and missed a few steps in the extended trot. He showed his forte on Cross Country day, even though the going was slippery he jumped beautifully and moved up a place … it was fingers crossed for a clear round on day 3.”

“The Showjumping phase demanded our best. He felt fantastic and had recoverd well after cross country day. I was very pleased with the way he cleared the first few obstacles, unfortunately jump 7 was placed right next to the long side wall, adjacent to one of the big steel uprights and a spectator stepped out as we approached this jump, HR shied and ran out. The incident perhaps served to show me how green we are as a combination at this top level of the sport however, it was a great experience and certainly part of the education we need to go through. I love the opportunity to learn and am grateful for the chance for this invaluable experience. Over the next year or so I will look to show Highly Recommended more of the strange things he will encounter as he moves up the rankings and we will be working hard to make sure we are on the London bound plane in 2012!”

“I guess we are like an old married couple now. we know each other well and have learned to live with our respective shortcomings. we respect each other and have developed an understanding which allows me to bring out his best. Having done a lot of talking about me and Highly Recommended, it would be very remiss of me not to thank all the members of the team who have helped to make this happen. it really is a team effort which has got us to the big events and given us the chance to go for London 2012!”

“Firstly I must thank my wife Caroline – her tireless work and endless patience with our dressage training has meant that we can go into this phase with confidence. A horse with HR’s sensitive and reactionary temperament would surely struggle without a sound and systematic education to fall back on.”

“Then I must thank our wonderful friends, family and grooms who are all there and offer their unconditional support – it really means a lot. The New Zealand National Coach Eric Duvander has been a wonderful trainer and mentor. He was originally from Sweden and came to New Zealand where he was based with mark Todd. His international experience has given all of our riders an invaluable insight and his dedication is awesome.”

John added, “I would also like to acknowledge the much appreciated support of our long term friend Caroline Lieutenant from NSW. My wife and I were actually in Sydney, celebrating a number of birthdays which all fall on the 19th of may. As we sat around the table, I received a call to tell me that my entry for the 3 Star class at Taupo had not been accepted. I was devastated and told our friends that I could not see how I would raise the funds and put everything together to make a trip to Melbourne in June.”

“I guess what happened was a case of being in the right place at the right time and anyone who knows Caroline Lieutenant would have witnessed her generous spirit and empathy with riders who are out there, doing their best and having a go. Caroline busied herself and miraculously raised the cash to enable me to make the trip to Australia. we are so grateful to her for the gesture … and of course will be cheering for her brilliant horse Victory Salute and Brett Parbery in their bid to represent Australia at WEG in Kentucky – go Sam!!”

John finished his story by adding, “I must say Berni, when Caroline and I moved to New Zealand we were both hooked on Prydes feeds as we had proven the difference with many horses, over many years and knew that we could rely on the results of good feed and good training. we were delighted when we found that our favourite blends were available from Donna at Cambridge Grains. She has worked with us to ensure a constant supply – which has been a concern since so many of our students and other riders have discovered Prydes too!”

“We have to be flexible when feeding a large number of horses, it is a must that everything we feed our own and visiting horses is palatable – a horse with no energy is incapable of working and will lose condition and good health. we cannot risk this in a professional stable such as ours. for some horses we need cool responsive energy and others – particularly the eventers – we need a high energy diet, but not at the risk of losing their cool! Easi-Response is what most of horses are fed and if we have a struggle to get the condition on – we top them up with BioMare Cubes, for the fussy ones we find that Rebuild works well too.”

“Prydes EnergyPak is great for getting the carbs in just before a big event and this diet means that Highly Recommended finishes three days of competition almost as fresh as he is on dressage day. Understanding the control you have over the energy level is certainly one of the advantages of working with a specialist feed company who are dedicated only to horses as Prydes Feeds are.”

“I must mention just how well our mares and young stock do on Prydes BioMare cubes. This is a very complete ration and even has the roughage requirements, so it is easy and I do not have to worry about the calcium phosphorus and other mineral balances which are so important if the youngsters are to grow into strong eventers when they are mature. Prydes have really helped us in every aspect of the everyday feeding and special requirements that are part of the two disciplines that we specialise in. Caroline and I can confidently recommend Prydes products to our students and friends.”

John concluded … “Berni it has been great to talk to you and share our amazing story with Cyberhorse. I appreciate being able to thank the people who have helped … and of course Prydes Feeds who have been long term supporters. I hope to see you again in 2011 and then again in London.”

How Hoodia Gordonii Diet Pills Help You To Lose Weight

Six lessons from the BP oil spill

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:42:02 +0000

Boston – for years to come, the United States and the oil industry will be absorbing the lessons of the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Regulators will toughen inspections. Oil companies will adopt more rigorous safeguards. new cleanup technologies will emerge from university and corporate laboratories. and spill drills could become a regular part of coastal communities' emergency planning.

What the BP oil spill does not signal, however, is a change in direction. even as brown goo gushes from the Gulf floor 5,000 feet below the surface, and cleanup crews struggle to halt the slick from befouling beaches and shorebirds, companies are already developing the technologies to drill twice as deep off South America, Africa, and in the Gulf itself.

Oil plays too big a role in the world economy to turn off the spigot – or to stop exploring for new sources of crude to replace declining oil fields already in production.

IN PICTURES: Sticky mess: The Gulf oil spill's impact on nature

The larger lesson of the BP oil spill – the environmental and economic risks of over-reliance on fossil fuel – is lost on no one. The Obama administration and Congress may push through some measure that begins to tax the burning of oil and other fossil fuels.

But economic and technological hurdles – as well as political ones – stand in the way of a significant change in the US's energy diet. Electric cars, biofuels, or some other technology will one day consign the internal-combustion engine to history's dustbin. for the moment, though, it looks far easier to create a more foolproof blowout preventer or safer drilling technique than to find a cheap, simple, and ubiquitous alternative to oil.

So what are the lessons of the Great Spill of 2010?

1 Improve the offshore police

Wanted: People who understand the physics of recovering oil from the bottom of the ocean floor. Need to be intimately familiar with the mechanics of deep drilling – in other words, know that a RAM BOP has nothing to do with text messaging. must be tough-minded and dispassionate. must be willing to refuse any "gifts" from the oil industry, like free hunting and fishing trips. no golf outings with industry executives, either.

This may soon be a job description coming to a classified ad near you. one outcome of the spill is the need for a retooled system to regulate energy exploration and production. Among the most pressing needs: more offshore sheriffs – people trained to inspect drilling rigs. Mary Kendall, the acting inspector general in the Department of Interior, told Congress recently that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) had about 60 inspec-tors to oversee the 4,000 or so offshore oil production and exploration facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. More and better-trained staff is likely to be a top priority.

No one knows, of course, if tougher federal regulations and enforcement would have pre-vented the Deepwater Horizon disaster. until the massive 450-ton blowout preventer that failed is hauled off the ocean bottom, it will be impossible to know what mechanical and human errors occurred. yet there are already a few clues about what to do better.

Take, for instance, testimony by Michael Saucier, the head of field operations for the new Orleans branch of the MMS, who told investigators about his team's oversight of federal safety standards for blowout preventers, or BOPs, often called the "last line of defense" against a spill.

After listening to mr. Saucier detail MMS oversight of BOP testing, Coast Guard Capt. Hung Nguyen, co-chair of the federal investigative panel, sought clarification. "so my understanding is that [the BOP] is designed to industry standard, manufactured by industry, installed by industry with no government witnessing oversight of the construction or the installation; is that correct?"

"That would be correct," Saucier said.

At another point, Saucier told the panel that the MMS had "highly encouraged" companies to have backup systems to trigger blowout preventers in an emergency.

"Highly encourage?" Nguyen asked. "How does that translate to enforcement?"

"There is no enforcement," Saucier answered.

Given such testimony, experts say the key issue is simply getting rid of the cozy relationship between the oil industry and regulators. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is taking steps to cut the MMS into three parts, separating safety enforcement from royalty collections and offshore leasing.

But the Government Accountability Office, the Inspector General's Office, and engineering experts who oversaw a 30-day safety report on offshore drilling all want more. Norway, the United Kingdom, and Australia have some of the world's best safety practices and regulations, they say.

After the 1988 Piper Alpha rig disaster in the North Sea, where 167 people died, Britain separated safety oversight from other regulatory functions. Instead of a rules-based approach, not unlike that of the US today, it adopted a "case based" system that describes objectives – then challenges companies to show they can meet them.

Needed, too, is better testing of critical BOP equipment, like blind-shear rams. "What we really need are specific guidelines for how these things must be tested – and then have the results go into a computer accessible by everyone," says Benton Baugh, a BOP expert.

Yet all the testing and offshore police in the world can't overcome human error. Robert Bea, a safety engineering expert at the University of California, Berkeley, says the need is to focus on how people react and interact with complex safety systems when the siren goes off.

"We've neglected the human things," he says, "the designers, the people that operate [BOPs], the people that maintain them, the people who have to handle rapidly developing crises."

2 design a better drill rig

As oil discoveries in deeper waters beckon, giant new rigs will plunge drill bits two miles below the sea surface and five more miles into the earth – the equivalent of 29 Empire State Buildings. but such ultradeep drilling means ultrahigh pressures. At any time a bit could hit a pocket of pressurized gas that bursts to the surface and explodes. Capping a blowout 10,000 feet down would make the Deepwater Horizon problem look like a do-it-yourself caulk job.

The industry is currently working on new "sixth-generation" deep-sea rigs that experts say will be the safest ever developed – but still not foolproof in handling one of the most challenging engineering feats faced by man. The cost of the new rigs: about $500 million.

For that price, says Mike Smith, president of Bassoe Offshore (USA), a brokerage firm, you get a state-of-the-art rig that displaces perhaps 100,000 tons of seawater and sprawls over an area larger than a football field. yet with all their sophistication and size, even such behemoths may be only just barely big enough to support the miles of pipe, thousands of tons of drilling "mud," and massive pumps needed to control a deep well's explosive power, experts say. Today's rigs already cost up to a million dollars a day to operate – an enormous financial risk if there's a dry hole or a blowout.

Huge costs. High risks. Potentially catastrophic environmental damage if things go wrong. Today's conundrum: How do you go deep without breaking the bank or the environment?

Technologies are being developed that experts say could make deep-water drilling safer and perhaps less expensive. one, Reelwell, a Norwegian technology, uses a drill pipe only a few inches across and sends the rock it chews topside for disposal through the inside of the pipe, rather than through a traditional outside "riser" pipe. Eliminating that miles-long riser avoids thousands of tons of weight, so Reelwell could be operated by a far smaller rig even when drilling in deep water.

Another approach comes from Badger Explorer, also a Norwegian company, which uses a high-tech burrowing machine. The device requires only a small exploration ship to guide it. no need for a drill rig at all.

The Explorer, a long, sleek metal cylinder with an electric auger on the front, drills through solid rock, depositing the debris behind the device rather than funneling it to the surface. The auger is tethered to a cable that powers the machine and sends back data. If the Explorer hits a pocket of gas, it moves right on. There's nowhere for the gas to go – no dangerous conduit to the surface.

ExxonMobil, Shell, and Norway's Statoil have all invested in the technology, which could be available within three years. "That situation in the Gulf was very rare," says Kjell Erik Drevdal, the president of Badger Explorer. "still, there is always the risk that these things could happen with present technology. By doing it our way, we won't have to worry about such danger."

Sensors represent another focus of research to make deep-drilling rigs safer and more effective. they could be placed far down in the drill hole to detect gas flow, pressure, and other conditions long before they reach the surface to threaten humans or the environment. Electromagnetic technology could also be used to spot tiny danger zones and sound warnings before drill bits even reach them.

"In 10 years or less, you will see all these sorts of technologies addressing the most difficult and dangerous drilling situations – and cutting the huge costs of these giant rigs," says Stein Bjørnstad, an oil exploration expert at BI Norwegian School of Management in Oslo.

To enhance offshore oversight, some experts say data from the sensors could be transmitted to a command center onshore or to government agencies. This would let regulators monitor rig operations and provide information about what happened during a spill or blowout. "What I'm talking about is an extra set of eyes" off the platform, says Elgie Holstein, a strategic planner at the Environmental Defense Fund.

3 manage the cleanup like Churchill

In the 1990s, experts from Columbia University and Boeing Corporation tried to prod the oil industry into planning for disasters as a critical part of the so-called lean management movement. no luck.

"The industry thought it was added cost, and because incentives were heavily biased towards cost cutting, they turned it down," says Roger Anderson, a senior scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, N.Y.

One result: BP has in essence been trying to invent ways to stop the blowout in the Gulf on the fly. This may be the most basic lesson from the disaster about how to manage oil spills in the future. as simple as it sounds, oil companies need to acknowledge that catastrophic events are going to happen, even if infrequently, and build responses into their corporate DNA, no matter what the cost.

In BP's case, "it's not so much that they weren't prepared, it's that they had not even considered the possibility" of such an event, says Dr. Anderson.

Concerns about the lack of response planning carry eerie echoes of hurricane Katrina. yet there are differences with oil spills. one is the overlapping web of responsibilities. Oil companies control the rigs where the accidents happen. Once the crude gushes up from the seafloor, other entities get involved. but government and other responders still have to rely on the companies to stop the blowout.

"The majors who go out and drill in deep water have all the expertise – the government does not," says David Pettit, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "When it comes to what happens when the oil hits the water, the oil companies don't have a monopoly on what to do. even using the word expertise is laughable when you see what's going on out there. They're clearly making it up as they go along."

For all the complaints from state and local officials about red tape and poor coordination in the federal response, it's come a long way since the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. "The command structure in the early days of the Exxon Valdez spill underwent a complete meltdown," says Rick Kurtz, a political scientist at Central Michigan University, who, as an analyst in the National Park Service's Anchorage office at the time, wrote a lessons-learned report on the response.

Out of that came the unified command structure in place today – delineating the duties of the Coast Guard, state and local officials, and the oil company responsible for the spill. while not everything has gone roller-bearing smooth, at least the federal government quickly designated an "incident commander and everybody knows who's in charge," notes mr. Pettit.

Still, the US clearly has more to learn about managing cleanups. one area needing attention is what to do with locals. In Norway, the World Wildlife Fund conducts training courses for volunteers in cooperation with a spill-response company.

Ultimately, no amount of coordination may be enough to handle a spill of this magnitude. The overarching lesson may be to beware of technological hubris. "we are learning that there are limits to our technology and limits to our capacity to respond to disasters," says Steven Cohen, who heads Columbia University's Earth Institute.

4 Find something better than a boom

The ideas for new tools to clean up oil spills range from the mundane (better chemical dispersants to break up the crude so it will degrade naturally) to the exotic (ravenous microbes to eat the oil off beaches).

Then there are the two Florida contractors who have been pitching a home-grown technique, using locally cut hay and straw to soak up the oil like a chamois. they can be seen demonstrating their simple solution on YouTube, pouring oil into large bowls of water, floating hay on top, stirring it around to simulate wave action, and – voilà! – a solution almost as clean as tap water.

As the Gulf crisis sears its place in history as one of America's worst environmental disasters, the one bit of good news is that it has become a petri dish for testing new ways to clean up spills. Clever inventors, eager entrepreneurs, and ordinary citizens are flooding oil-giant BP and US government offices with ideas for sanitizing the ocean.

The bad news: no one technology exists that can do the job – and likely won't in the future. Instead, experts say, the task is so complex that it will take improvements in many different kinds of tools to contain and clean up spills.

One reason is the sheer magnitude of the task. as much as 140 million gallons of oil has seeped from the Gulf, sending deposits ashore from Texas to Florida. The oil both floats on the surface and sinks. some of it disperses. It also takes on different properties as it spreads – from a glossy slick to thick tar balls. Cleaning beaches or harbors requires different techniques from separating oil from water at sea. This is to say nothing of what hurricanes or rough seas can do to a cleanup effort.

The main technologies used in offshore cleanup haven't advanced much since the Exxon Valdez accident 20 years ago, largely because of the lack of research and the difficulty of testing in "live" conditions. The main weapons, then and now, include oil-skimming boats, miles of oil-absorbing booms, and controlled burns. Along the shore, worried Gulf Coast residents are designing and deploying booms of their own to protect harbors, or putting vacuum trucks meant for cleaning up land-based oil spills onto seagoing barges.

In another experiment, a Taiwanese company has retrofitted a supertanker with skimming equipment that it says is capable of vacuuming up to 21 million gallons of oily water a day. By comparison, the entire emergency response from the time of the accident, April 20, to July 1 had collected only around 28 million gallons. Though the ship, now in the Gulf, is untested, BP officials are giving it a try. Experts say similar supertankers were used to suck up much of the contaminated water after a massive spill off Saudi Arabia in the early 1990s.

Government and BP officials are also testing 32 centrifuges that can separate oil from seawater, devices being championed by actor Kevin Costner. some experts, such as Norman Guinasso, director of the geochemical and environmental research group at Texas A&M University in College Station, believe such machines hold promise. He can envision a fleet of 100 or so boats equipped with the devices that could be quickly dispatched to the site of a major spill. "That's what I would like to see," says mr. Guinasso.

Onshore, authorities are experimenting with a microbial sand scrubber that emulsifies tar balls and injects oil-eating bugs into the sand to consume the hydrocarbons. The device, which uses microbes from the Gulf of Mexico, was designed to pull oil from the tar sands of Canada.

Still, more than technologies will be needed to prevent future disasters. More important may be a change in corporate attitudes. If the leadership of a company isn't dedicated to safety, says Martha Bidez, an engineering professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, all the gee-whiz devices in the world won't matter.

She cites the mining company Rio Tinto Alcan and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (after the Columbia and Challenger disasters) as two large organizations that have "very impressive" programs to prevent accidents.

5 Tap the power of the people

The moment Gulfport, Miss., resident Megan Jordan feared has arrived. The viscous onslaught of crude is no longer an abstract horror belonging to Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. The first globules of oil have slipped through the Mississippi Sound and washed ashore in nearby Ocean Springs. for Ms. Jordan and her neighbors, this isn't just any beach – it's the keeper of memories, the provenance of dreams. The destruction is hard to bear.

Their passion, properly channeled, could become a crucial element in future oil spill defense. Experts say that by tapping into local knowledge – and love – communities could formulate emergency plans to bolster what residents have criticized as a slow, inadequate government and corporate response.

It's a lesson California learned in 2007, when a container ship crashed into the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, releasing 58,000 gallons of fuel into the bay. Volunteers, desperate to help, rushed to the water's edge, creating chaos. "they had people running down to the beach, picking up oil with their hands and in T-shirts and towels," says Kurt Hansen, project manager for oil spill research at the US Coast Guard Research and Development Center in new London, Conn.

But in a potentially toxic environment, federal laws prohibit – and often thwart – even the best of intentions. In order to participate in cleanup efforts, federal rules require at least a 40-hour hazardous waste course. mr. Hansen says response times could be significantly lowered if communities could draw upon a ready pool of trained volunteers.

In Alaska, a network of local fishermen and others was formed after the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill. they participate in frequent preparedness drills, and officials say they feel far better equipped to handle an incident if one should occur again.

Along the Gulf Coast, volunteers have rushed to beaches, buckets and booms in hand, with mixed results. some have simply added to the chaos of the cleanup effort. others are doing some good. one local environmental group, Mobile Baykeeper, has received nearly 10,000 phone calls from people across the country wanting to volunteer.

In tiny Magnolia Springs, Ala., fire chief Jamie Hinton says he began brainstorming ideas to protect his area's marshlands within days after the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Colleagues from neighboring cities told him to let the government handle it. "I said, 'are they going to handle it like they handled Katrina, Ivan, the Valdez?' " mr. Hinton recalls. "Thanks, but no thanks. The only people I trust are my people."

He has more than 400 hours of hazardous materials training, including booming instruction, but he has something else, too – a deep understanding of what he calls "my river." The waves sometimes reach more than a two-foot chop, so he scoffed when he saw BP workers affix a boom to barnacle-laden pylons with ropes. The wave action severed the stays and the boom floated away.

He found a kindred spirit in Mayor Charles Houser. together, they decided to block their bay with barges, flanking them with layers of boom. There was only one problem: They'd gotten permission, but when they got ready for deployment, they were told they had to reapply or risk being fined or jailed. they complied, but agreed that if the oil came near, they would act. "Sooner or later, someone's got to do something," says Mayor Houser.

John Wathen, a member of Waterkeeper Alliance, says there's no shortage of people along the coast who feel the same way, but they're being turned away by BP. He says if BP would tap into the Waterkeeper network, which spans six continents, they would find a free fount of knowledge. Instead, even these seasoned environmentalists are having trouble sorting through the bureaucratic quagmire of the Deepwater command.

"It's been an absolute fistfight," says mr. Wathen. "we know our waters better than anyone. We're not here to sue or condemn anybody. We're out here to protect our watershed and our communities."

He echoes Hansen's advocacy for a trained network of volunteers. Residents could decide which area they'd like to focus on and take additional training in operating skimmers, laying boom, or rescuing and caring for injured wildlife.

"a lot of people are just yelling," says Jen McClurg Roth, founder of Clean the Gulf now, a grass-roots group. "but it's about coming together and identifying the issues we can change."

6 Recalibrate our energy policy

It has become one of the iconic images of 2010: oil gushing from the floor of the Gulf, almost one mile below the surface, where it mushrooms up from BP's failed drilling rig like clouds of café au lait. The undersea feed from robotic cameras has popped up on national news telecasts and cable shows, during televised congressional hearings and presidential speeches – a potent reminder that for all the talk and technology, man's search for oil is risky and beginning to push the limits of human engineering.

It would be tempting to conclude that the answer is to switch energy sources, to the green alternatives favored by some or the natural-gas and nuclear options favored by others. Tempting and probably not doable. Like it or not, America and the world are stuck with oil for years to come when it comes to transportation. Oil powers 1 billion cars worldwide, 10,000 commercial aircraft, and thousands more ships and trains that deliver our goods, facilitate trade, and keep economies humming.

Nothing can compete with it in terms of price, ubiquity, and ease of use on such massive a scale. "If oil didn't exist, we'd have to invent it," says Robert Bryce, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of "Power Hungry: The Myths of 'Green' Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future."

So the BP oil spill may not dramatically change US energy policy, but instead delivers a warning – as did the two OPEC oil embargoes, the Exxon-Valdez spill, and the record gas prices two years ago. The message: Our continued reliance on oil carries economic and environmental risks that the US will continue to bump up against until it undertakes a coherent and consistent policy to gradually wean us off fossil fuel.

"The lesson that we should learn here is that if we took sensible steps, baby steps, instead of these grandiose [pronouncements], I think we would be better off," says Frank Felder, director of the Center for Energy, Economic and Environmental Policy at Rutgers University in new Brunswick, N.J.

One step would be a bigger push on energy efficiency. The US could cut growth in electric consumption by 30 percent, says James Sweeney, director of the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center at Stanford University in California. to get the equivalent power would require quadrupling America's nuclear capacity or scaling up wind and solar energy to 40 to 50 times its present size. "If we think all the solutions are just technological, we're not going to focus on a group of nontech solutions that will allow us to have more effect," he says.

What's striking, though, is how eager policymakers are to enact some of those steps and fearful to undertake others. On the production side, the Obama administration has moved aggressively to revamp the MMS (now renamed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement), appointing a former prosecutor to head up the agency and promising to hire more oil rig inspectors.

Another item in Democrats' cross hairs: a $75 million cap on oil companies' liability, beyond cleanup costs, passed in the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Democratic lawmakers and the White House want to raise the cap substantially or eliminate it altogether so that oil companies no longer have an incentive to take risky actions in the belief that their liabilities would be limited.

It's too early to tell if the BP spill will spark a reevaluation of the risks of deep-water drilling versus drilling in shallow water or on land. much depends on whether the investigations under way determine that deep-water safeguards are adequate and that BP was negligent or that drilling that far down pushes technology too far.

While policymakers are taking action that affects production, they've been more timid about consumption. one reason is that the risks of offshore drilling and other forms of energy production are so much more visible than the risks of continued high consumption – reliance on foreign sources, greenhouse-gas emissions, and so on.

"a picture is worth a thousand words and the images [from the Gulf] bring home in a very accessible way how the oil spill has affected people's lives," says Michael Greenstone, professor of environmental economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. "The difference with climate change is that the changes occur very slowly and in a subtle way that will not appear on your TV set next month."

Another reason for the timidity on reducing consumption is that the easiest fix, a tax on oil, is the riskiest politically. "a price signal on oil – that could be your climate change policy, that could be your energy policy," says Matthew Kotchen, professor of environmental economics and policy at Yale University in new Haven, Conn. "but it's difficult because it's not politically expedient."

A tax would encourage conservation and efficiency, reduce emissions, and spur the search for alternatives. The extra revenue from the tax could be used to fund that research, reduce the deficit, or be rebated back to consumers in the form of, say, a lower income tax. but passing a new tax, never easy, is especially difficult when the economy is so fragile. "Democrats clearly view that as suicide," says Matthew Kahn, economics professor at the University of California at Los Angeles.

That is why the Obama administration is pushing a cap-and-trade system to deal with global warming, under which industry would pay for car-bon emissions and, presumably, pass on the costs to consumers. Ironically, the oil spill complicates passage of a cap-and-trade bill because, as a way to gain Republican support for it, President Obama backed an expansion of offshore drilling. now, the spill has forced mr. Obama to issue a moratorium on new deep-sea drilling (a moratorium challenged by a federal judge). "The Obama administration is in a difficult position," says Professor Kotchen.

Thus, America's energy future may be driven more by technology and economics than political compromise. a breakthrough in car batteries or ethanol production from sources other than food crops could push the energy mix toward renewables. a sustained rise in oil prices, as exploration becomes more expensive, could accelerate a shift to natural gas and nuclear power.

With ample supplies of natural gas and coal, a growing nuclear industry, and research on everything from biomass to fuel cells, the US has a mix of ways to fuel its energy future. "for all that people say we're in an energy crisis, I look at it and say: The US is pretty well hedged," says mr. Bryce. "for all the hand-wringing, we've got a very strong hand."

Contributing to this report were staff writers mark Clayton, Pete Spotts, and Gregory M. Lamb, and contributor Carmen K. Sisson.

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Inspire Healthy Change with All Day Slim: Push Thursday 7/15/2010

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:42:05 +0000

It’s time for that Push again! We all know dieting is a pain in the rear, and that’s why this week’s Push Thursday is going to focus on how we can keep on pushing, despite the ever present cravings, boredom, and depression that time and time again cause us to overeat. here is a great list of distractions to keep you from reaching into that pantry for those peanut butter cookies, and to keep on persevering!

1. take a warm bath: Hot water is soothing for the mind and body. Light some candles, throw in some bath bubbles, and turn on some soft music, it’ll keep the cravings at bay.

2. take a walk: just a small, twenty minute one. A little air will get you out of the house and further from the fridge. and you’ll burn some calories!

3. Keep a journal: Journals aren’t for everyone, but diet journals are suggested by most physical trainers. look over what you’ve eaten for the day. Do you really need to eat more? Count your successes for the day, it’ll keep you motivated.

4. Treat yourself with a gift: Hit the mall, pick out a cute outfit you might not be able to wear until you’ve lost that last 5 lbs!

5. Browse the bookstore or library: my personal favorite. Pick up a bestseller and camp out on a park bench. Get lost in the world of fiction!

6. Brush your teeth: it sounds a little off-base, but a little teeth brushing goes a long way. it leaves you with that clean, minty feeling, and mint never tastes good with anything salty or sweet.

7. Drink water: Drink two tall glasses of water, it’ll leave you feeling fuller, and it’s good for you.

8. Get organized: Organize or rearrange your room. It’s time for change anyway right? Color coordinate your closet. Get rid of old clothes and throw away old bank statements. make way for healthy change!

9. Go to the movies: While a movie theater might seem like a junk-food hub, sitting in the dark for 2 hours with a giant water bottle, or small, healthy snack really keeps the cravings at bay. While it may seem hard in the beginning, shortly after the movie starts, it’ll be the last thing on your mind.

10. Get lost in meditation: Visualize all of the beauty in the world!

Inspire Healthy Change with All Day Slim: Push Thursday 7/15/2010

Mayo Clinic Health Letter: Highlights from the July Issue

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:42:10 +0000

Press Release Source: Mayo Clinic on Monday July 19, 2010, 7:00 am EDT

ROCHESTER, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Here are highlights from the July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. you may cite this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com or call toll-free for subscription information, 1-800-333-9037, extension 9771.

When the Heart Skips a Beat — Worry or not?

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Almost everyone feels occasional heart palpitations — a change in the heart’s rhythm. Palpitations range from what feels like a skip, flip or bump in the heart’s rhythm to a sustained, racing heartbeat.

The July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter provides an overview of heart palpitations, including when emergency care is needed, what diagnostic tests are used and common triggers.

Most often, heart palpitations are harmless, but not always. Palpitations can be a sign of an underlying serious problem such as heart disease, an overactive thyroid gland or anemia. Rarely, tumors can produce certain hormones that can cause heart palpitations.

Emergency care is recommended when palpitations are accompanied by chest pain or fainting, or if they involve a racing heart that doesn’t slow to a normal pace within about 20 minutes.

Palpitations, along with light-headedness, shortness of breath or a feeling of dizziness, or a racing heart that returns to normal on its own, are not considered medical emergencies but should be checked out with a physician.

To determine the underlying cause of palpitations, diagnostic tests might include a blood test to check for health concerns and a chest X-ray or echocardiogram to view the structure and function of the heart. an electrocardiogram (ECG) recording of the heart is generally recommended, too. some patients are given ECG monitors to wear at home for one to three days in the hope of recording the heart during a palpitation episode.

Treatment varies greatly depending on the underlying cause of the palpitations. a doctor may also suggest ways to address possible palpitation triggers that can include:

Stress, anxiety or panic
Strenuous exercise
Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
Any medication or supplement that acts as a stimulant, such as cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, certain asthma medications or diet pills
Fever
Hormone changes associated with menopause
Dehydration
Thyroid abnormalities

MicroRNA — a Switch that Determines Cell Behavior and Holds Answers on Disease, Prevention, Treatment

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Thousands of research studies are under way to better understand microRNA — short for micro ribonucleic acid. These tiny genetic strands may play a role in identifying, treating and possibly preventing many diseases, according to the July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

MicroRNA acts like a switch that changes cell behavior. Different microRNAs are in each tissue of the body. for instance, what makes liver cells unique is, in part, their expression of a particular microRNA that influences which protein is produced.

About 1,000 distinct human microRNAs have been identified. each can influence and regulate expression of hundreds of genes that determine a major change for the cell, such as whether it lives or dies, multiplies rapidly or develops into bone, muscle or another type of cell.

MicroRNA is a relatively new discovery. Scientists have been aware of its role for about 20 years, and there is still much to be learned. Scientists hope that microRNA research might eventually lead to improved diagnosis, more accurate predictions of disease outcomes and new treatment and medication options with fewer side effects.

Diseases being studied include:

Heart failure — MicroRNAs associated with this disease process may eventually tie into innovative therapeutic approaches.
Alzheimer’s disease — Studies have linked survival of brain cells (neurons) to their ability to produce microRNAs. Neurons incapable of doing so slowly die.
Hepatitis C virus — This virus “hijacks” certain microRNA to make copies of the virus within liver cells. Work is under way to develop a treatment that might keep the microRNA away from the virus.
Schizophrenia — Researchers are looking at possible associations between microRNA and this severe psychiatric disorder.
Cancer — Scientists have used microRNA to destroy liver cancer cells without harming healthy liver cells. Researchers have discovered a correlation between certain microRNAs and aggressive prostate cancer.

Meningioma — Brain Tumor that May not need Treatment

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Meningiomas, the most common type of brain tumors, are rarely cancerous and may not require treatment. The July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers an overview of this brain tumor that is usually benign.

Meningiomas account for about 25 percent of primary brain tumors, those that originate in the brain. they are formed from the cells that provide a protective coating (meninges) that lines the outer surface of the brain and spinal cord. they typically grow outside brain tissue and rarely grow into the brain. The cause is unknown.

Symptoms: Meningiomas easily can go unnoticed, with no signs or symptoms. they may exert pressure on the brain and cause symptoms that can include vision changes, seizures, loss of hearing, weakness in the arms or legs or changes in balance.

Diagnosis: Diagnostic imaging — particularly MRI — is useful to identify the size and location of the tumor. on an MRI scan, meningiomas have a very characteristic appearance. Because many meningiomas don’t cause symptoms, they often are detected during imaging for some other, unrelated purpose.

Treatment: Ninety percent of meningiomas are benign, slow-growing tumors. if no bothersome symptoms are present, periodic monitoring for changes may be all that’s needed.

When meningiomas are causing symptoms, growing rapidly or are cancerous, several treatment options are available. The tumor can be removed during surgery. Depending on the location, removing the entire tumor may not be possible. When that’s the case, another step in treatment may be radiosurgery or radiation therapy.

In stereotactic radiosurgery, narrow beams of radiation are directed simultaneously at a small tumor, usually no bigger than an inch. Another approach is radiation therapy over a period of weeks. Radiation therapy is considered when tumor removal isn’t complete or surgery is not possible.

Overall, treatment outcomes are good for benign meningiomas after complete surgical removal. Tumors that can’t be totally removed due to their location are more likely to recur. however, in those cases, when radiotherapy or radiosurgery is done in combination with surgery, recurrence rates also are low.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today’s health and medical news. To subscribe, please call 1-800-333-9037 (toll-free), extension 9771, or visit HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter: Highlights from the July Issue