Health, Do You Really Need Supplemental Omega 3?

October 29th, 2008 by admin

Do you want to learn why you and everyone else you know should be consuming a high grade Omega 3 fish oil supplement daily? Here you are going to learn the difference between the “stuff” you purchase off the shelf in supermarkets, and health food stores and the high quality product you should be purchasing from a reputable source. Lets start with the health benefits of taking Omega-3 fish oil. 1. Cardiovascular health: Decreased risk of Heart Attack by 20-40% %26 Cardiac Arrhythmias and sudden death (especially immediately following heart attacks)Decreased risk of repeat Heart Attacks. Stabilizes %26 modestly reduces blood pressure. 2. Neurological Health: Helps prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinsonism and general cognitive functioning. Improves IQ in children. Helps prevent and treat Autism, ADD/ADHD Used to treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Traumatic Spinal Cord injured patients. May reduce the amount of brain damage after a Stroke 3. Ocular Health: Helps prevent age related Macular Degeneration %26 Poor Night Vision Helps maintain healthy visual acuity in all ages Provides better eyesight in children when taken by pregnant mother Helps prevent %26 mitigate migraine headaches 4. Joint Health: Useful in Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, other auto-immune %26 inflammatory conditions %26 diseases. 5. Integumentary Health: Skin… Helps control eczema, acne, Psoriasis; helps prevent sun damage %26 is beneficial for those with dry skin %26 dandruff. 6. Menstrual Cramps: Reduces Menstrual Cramps by as much as 70%. 7. Pregnancy: Helps Mother Carry to term by reducing the inflammatory response and muscle contractions caused by excessive Omega-6 Promotes Healthy Fetal Brain %26 Retinal Development Decreases the incidence of Post-partum Depression. Decreases incidence of ADD/ADHD, Autism. Increases Intellectual Capacity of newborn Promotes healthy visual acuity in the newborn 8. Anti-carcinogenic: Colon, Breast, Prostate. Improves outcomes in patients treated with chemotherapy and reduces unpleasant side effects from chemotherapy. . 9. Triglycerides %26 Cholesterol. Decreases Triglycerides. Increases good HDL cholesterol %26 decreases bad LDL cholesterol 10. Anorexia Nervosa… Helpful as and adjunct in the treatment of A.N. 11. Obesity… Useful in the prevention %26 treatment of Obesity through its effect on mitigating Insulin resistance, promoting Thermogenesis. 12. Depression and Mood Promotes emotional well being, helps counteract mood swings and Depressive %26 Anxiety states, beneficial in patients suffering from Schizophrenia, Very effective in patients with Bipolar Disease (Manic Depressive states). 13. Allergies: Beneficial for those suffering from various allergies 14. Sleep problems: Beneficial for sleep problems 15. Vascular Health: Helps prevent the build up of plaque that causes heart attacks, strokes %26 peripheral vascular disease. May actually reduce plaque build up in your arteries by promoting HDL over LDL. 16. Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Due to the potent anti-inflammatory properties of Omega 3 it is helpful in Ulcerative Colitis %26 Crohn’s Disease as an adjunct to prescription medications. 17. Diabetes Mellitus/Type 2: Inhibits the condition known as insulin resistance which means that the body’s endogenous insulin cannot function normally and therefore the blood sugar levels can become abnormally elevated. 18. Diabetes Mellitus/Type 1: Omega-3 may help prevent and/or stabilize Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. 19. Asthma: Omega-3 may diminish or eliminate the symptoms of Asthma. 20. Immune System … Omega-3 has been shown to bolster the Immune System by partially blocking the action of Omega-6. 21. Weight Loss: Omega 3: 1) Stimulates thermogenesis(fat burning) by increasing the body’s metabolic rate. 2) Blocks fat storage. 3) Helps prevent the formation of an excess number of fat cells. 4) Encourages a quick burn of calories before they can be deposited as fat. 5) Helps your body absorb healthy nutrients to give you more nutritional benefit without the need to eat excessively. 22. Skeletal System (Bones): Omega-3 + Calcium = Healthy Bones. The Omega-3 long chain essential fatty acids are critical to bone health %26 are necessary for the absorption %26 deposition into bones of certain minerals such as Calcium helping prevent osteoporosis. Frequently Asked Questions Q. Who needs to take Omega-3 Supplements? A. Everyone Q. At what age should I start taking Omega-3? A. Before you’re born (in utero) up until you’re 99 Q. Who says? A. The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association, the American Rheumatologic Association %26 others Q. Why do I need Omega -3? A. The body cannot manufacture omega-3. The average American diet is overly rich in Omega-6 which in excessive quantities, is actually toxic to your body. Q. Why can’t I just eat more fish? A. Most fish contain impurities that are bad for you. It would be nearly impossible to eat enough fish to equal the amount of EPA %26 DHA found in a pure, high potency Omega 3 product. Q. What impurities are there in fish? A. Toxins such as Mercury, Lead, PCB’s, dioxin, just to name a few. Q. Don’t all Omega-3 products contain lots of impurities? A. Most low end, inexpensive Omega-3 products and some not so inexpensive OTC products do. Q. Which Omega-3 products don’t? A. There are a few on the market of high quality. See end of article. Q. Isn’t flaxseed oil an alternative for Omega-3 derived from fish sources? A. No, definitely not. Flaxseed oil contains ALA which is converted poorly, slowly and inefficiently into Omega-3 and therefore is a poor substitute for marine derived Omega-3. Most importantly, the Human Brain, which is 60% fat, depends on the form of Omega-3 which is only derived from Fish Sources and not from plant sources which contain ALA. Q. How much Winomeg-3 should I take daily? A. Look for a product that offers 1000-1100 mg of EPA %26 300-400 mg of DHA %26 a small amount of Omega 6 50-60 mg. The ration of EPA to DHA should be 3-4 to 1. Take at least 2-3 per day, but there is no maximum dose (see below). Q. I take prescription medications. Are there any medications that react with Omega-3? A. Overall you may take Omega-3 supplements with any other prescription %26 non-prescription medications. The only possible precaution is if you are taking an anticoagulant such as Coumadin® you should talk with your health care provider. Q. How is it possible that Omega-3 can be so beneficial for all of these different conditions? A. Omega 3 is an essential component of all of the cells in your body and the reason why it has all of these beneficial effects is that all of the walls of the cells in your body, are made up of polyunsaturated long chain fatty acids (Omega-3). Q. What are EPA %26 DHA in regard to Omega-3. A. DHA %26 EPA are both members of the Omega-3 long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acid family of compounds. EPA is responsible for maintaining healthy eye, retina, cardiovascular health and is responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3. EPA also helps regulate hormonal function and balance, immune system function, nervous system health, helps lower triglycerides and cholesterol and prostaglandins. EPA may be the more potent and important of the two main components of Omega-3, although DHA is one of the main building blocks of the Brain and the Retina, which is why it is so extremely important to the developing fetus. . Q. What are the side effects of Omega-3? A. There are no known side effects of this natural product. The Inuit (Eskimos) of all ages, ingest on average up to 19 grams of Omega-3 a day and have no adverse side effects from this dosage. This is equal to over 12 Omega 3 capsules per day. Q. What criteria should I look for in an Omega-3 product? A. The following is a list of the characteristics you should look for: 1. Pharmaceutical Grade 2. Produced in a Licensed Pharmaceutical Facility 3. Produced under the highest standards of purity that go far beyond those set by various European %26 American governing bodies. 4. Licensed by the FDA to be able to produce Pharmaceutical Grade Prescription strength Omega-3 5. Produced from exceptional raw materials consisting only of arctic cold water non-predatory fish (anchovies, herring %26 sardines) naturally high in the Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA %26 DHA, harvested from cold arctic waters and very low in environmental pollutants. 6. Exceptional Purity. 85-88% pure. All known pollutants are reduced below detectable levels 7. Highly concentrated. minimizes the number of gel caps you have to take on a daily basis 8. High EPA to DHA Ratio. It has been scientifically determined that the EPA to DHA ratio should be at least 3-4 to 1 9. Low amounts of Omega 6. Omega 6 is a needed and necessary ingredient in normal diets. However, the amount should be very small compared to Omega 3. 10. Molecular Distillation. The best omega 3 products are all processed under molecular distillation, an expensive %26 time consuming process. 11. Exceptional Freshness. No fishy smell when you open the bottle, or fishy aftertaste (no “fish burps”) because the product is Oxygen Free (because it is encapsulated under Nitrogen). Oxidized fish oil should not be ingested due to rancidity, spoilage and loss of potency. 12. Cholesterol Free, Triglyceride Free %26 Saturated Fat Free. Other commonly found omega 3 products contain all three of these harmful elements and are definitely not recommended for human consumption. Q. Where can I find an Omega-3 product that meets these strict criteria? A. There are a few reputable (and many not so reputable) companies. We would advise you to check out this excellent Omega 3 at RoblinWellnessToday.com and type in the Preferred Customer Code…Wellness2440. To Your Good Health!

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Stem cells to help produce functional recovery in stroke

October 27th, 2008 by admin

Stem cells to help produce functional recovery in stroke

Other than a source of hematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow has been discovered to contain stem cells of non-hematopoietic tissues that could help produce functional recovery in stroke. These cells, referred to as mesenchymal stem cells or stromal cells, can potentially differentiate into a variety of cell types such as adipocytes, chodrocytes, osteoblasts, or myoblasts. Recently, marrow stromal cells have also been demonstrated to differentiate into neural cells under experimental culture conditions, and in vivo studies have shown that bone marrow cells delivered intraperitoneally or intravenously to mice can migrate into the brain and exhibit neuronal phenotypes. Human bone marrow stem cells transplanted in ischemic brain of rats have been shown to express neural markers and reduce neurological deficits.In previous studies, it was shown that human umbilical cord blood cells, another source of hematopoietic stem cells, were able to differentiate into neurons in vitro and when transplanted into the developing rat brain. Based on these findings, human umbilical cord blood cells were transplanted into models of stroke and traumatic brain injury. There was a reduction in behavioural deficits and this was associated with the expression of neuronal and glial markers by a small fraction of the transplanted human umbilical cord blood cells.Because of the robust behavioural effects seen in the present transplanted stroke animals, it seems doubtful that the mechanism of observed functional improvement involves “cell replacement”; it is more likely that the cells act as “trophic factories”, supplying necessary trophic factors to the injured brain.There are many unanswered questions though. Which cell type, whether it is coming from human umbilical cord, mobilised peripheral blood cells, multipotent adult progenitor cells or marrow stromal cells is optimal for stroke therapy? What is the optimal transplantation delivery route: intravenous, intra-arterial, intracerebral? What is the mechanism of improved functional outcome? How do these cells “home” to the area of injury? Can this homing be modulated? The present finging solicits future studies to address these critical issues that will guide the design of clinical trials.Certainly, mobilised peripheral progenitor cells have many advantages: they are autologous, relatively easy to isolate, and may not even need to be isolated.Even though the use of stem cells has been a very controversial topic over the years, it seems that they could be used in many ways in basic research as well as in clinical research to help human beings cure deseases like leukaemia, help produce functional recovery in stroke or even more.

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Health, Do You Really Need Supplemental Omega 3?

October 27th, 2008 by admin

Do you want to learn why you and everyone else you know should be consuming a high grade Omega 3 fish oil supplement daily? Here you are going to learn the difference between the “stuff” you purchase off the shelf in supermarkets, and health food stores and the high quality product you should be purchasing from a reputable source. Lets start with the health benefits of taking Omega-3 fish oil. 1. Cardiovascular health: Decreased risk of Heart Attack by 20-40% %26 Cardiac Arrhythmias and sudden death (especially immediately following heart attacks)Decreased risk of repeat Heart Attacks. Stabilizes %26 modestly reduces blood pressure. 2. Neurological Health: Helps prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinsonism and general cognitive functioning. Improves IQ in children. Helps prevent and treat Autism, ADD/ADHD Used to treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Traumatic Spinal Cord injured patients. May reduce the amount of brain damage after a Stroke 3. Ocular Health: Helps prevent age related Macular Degeneration %26 Poor Night Vision Helps maintain healthy visual acuity in all ages Provides better eyesight in children when taken by pregnant mother Helps prevent %26 mitigate migraine headaches 4. Joint Health: Useful in Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, other auto-immune %26 inflammatory conditions %26 diseases. 5. Integumentary Health: Skin… Helps control eczema, acne, Psoriasis; helps prevent sun damage %26 is beneficial for those with dry skin %26 dandruff. 6. Menstrual Cramps: Reduces Menstrual Cramps by as much as 70%. 7. Pregnancy: Helps Mother Carry to term by reducing the inflammatory response and muscle contractions caused by excessive Omega-6 Promotes Healthy Fetal Brain %26 Retinal Development Decreases the incidence of Post-partum Depression. Decreases incidence of ADD/ADHD, Autism. Increases Intellectual Capacity of newborn Promotes healthy visual acuity in the newborn 8. Anti-carcinogenic: Colon, Breast, Prostate. Improves outcomes in patients treated with chemotherapy and reduces unpleasant side effects from chemotherapy. . 9. Triglycerides %26 Cholesterol. Decreases Triglycerides. Increases good HDL cholesterol %26 decreases bad LDL cholesterol 10. Anorexia Nervosa… Helpful as and adjunct in the treatment of A.N. 11. Obesity… Useful in the prevention %26 treatment of Obesity through its effect on mitigating Insulin resistance, promoting Thermogenesis. 12. Depression and Mood Promotes emotional well being, helps counteract mood swings and Depressive %26 Anxiety states, beneficial in patients suffering from Schizophrenia, Very effective in patients with Bipolar Disease (Manic Depressive states). 13. Allergies: Beneficial for those suffering from various allergies 14. Sleep problems: Beneficial for sleep problems 15. Vascular Health: Helps prevent the build up of plaque that causes heart attacks, strokes %26 peripheral vascular disease. May actually reduce plaque build up in your arteries by promoting HDL over LDL. 16. Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Due to the potent anti-inflammatory properties of Omega 3 it is helpful in Ulcerative Colitis %26 Crohn’s Disease as an adjunct to prescription medications. 17. Diabetes Mellitus/Type 2: Inhibits the condition known as insulin resistance which means that the body’s endogenous insulin cannot function normally and therefore the blood sugar levels can become abnormally elevated. 18. Diabetes Mellitus/Type 1: Omega-3 may help prevent and/or stabilize Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. 19. Asthma: Omega-3 may diminish or eliminate the symptoms of Asthma. 20. Immune System … Omega-3 has been shown to bolster the Immune System by partially blocking the action of Omega-6. 21. Weight Loss: Omega 3: 1) Stimulates thermogenesis(fat burning) by increasing the body’s metabolic rate. 2) Blocks fat storage. 3) Helps prevent the formation of an excess number of fat cells. 4) Encourages a quick burn of calories before they can be deposited as fat. 5) Helps your body absorb healthy nutrients to give you more nutritional benefit without the need to eat excessively. 22. Skeletal System (Bones): Omega-3 + Calcium = Healthy Bones. The Omega-3 long chain essential fatty acids are critical to bone health %26 are necessary for the absorption %26 deposition into bones of certain minerals such as Calcium helping prevent osteoporosis. Frequently Asked Questions Q. Who needs to take Omega-3 Supplements? A. Everyone Q. At what age should I start taking Omega-3? A. Before you’re born (in utero) up until you’re 99 Q. Who says? A. The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association, the American Rheumatologic Association %26 others Q. Why do I need Omega -3? A. The body cannot manufacture omega-3. The average American diet is overly rich in Omega-6 which in excessive quantities, is actually toxic to your body. Q. Why can’t I just eat more fish? A. Most fish contain impurities that are bad for you. It would be nearly impossible to eat enough fish to equal the amount of EPA %26 DHA found in a pure, high potency Omega 3 product. Q. What impurities are there in fish? A. Toxins such as Mercury, Lead, PCB’s, dioxin, just to name a few. Q. Don’t all Omega-3 products contain lots of impurities? A. Most low end, inexpensive Omega-3 products and some not so inexpensive OTC products do. Q. Which Omega-3 products don’t? A. There are a few on the market of high quality. See end of article. Q. Isn’t flaxseed oil an alternative for Omega-3 derived from fish sources? A. No, definitely not. Flaxseed oil contains ALA which is converted poorly, slowly and inefficiently into Omega-3 and therefore is a poor substitute for marine derived Omega-3. Most importantly, the Human Brain, which is 60% fat, depends on the form of Omega-3 which is only derived from Fish Sources and not from plant sources which contain ALA. Q. How much Winomeg-3 should I take daily? A. Look for a product that offers 1000-1100 mg of EPA %26 300-400 mg of DHA %26 a small amount of Omega 6 50-60 mg. The ration of EPA to DHA should be 3-4 to 1. Take at least 2-3 per day, but there is no maximum dose (see below). Q. I take prescription medications. Are there any medications that react with Omega-3? A. Overall you may take Omega-3 supplements with any other prescription %26 non-prescription medications. The only possible precaution is if you are taking an anticoagulant such as Coumadin® you should talk with your health care provider. Q. How is it possible that Omega-3 can be so beneficial for all of these different conditions? A. Omega 3 is an essential component of all of the cells in your body and the reason why it has all of these beneficial effects is that all of the walls of the cells in your body, are made up of polyunsaturated long chain fatty acids (Omega-3). Q. What are EPA %26 DHA in regard to Omega-3. A. DHA %26 EPA are both members of the Omega-3 long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acid family of compounds. EPA is responsible for maintaining healthy eye, retina, cardiovascular health and is responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3. EPA also helps regulate hormonal function and balance, immune system function, nervous system health, helps lower triglycerides and cholesterol and prostaglandins. EPA may be the more potent and important of the two main components of Omega-3, although DHA is one of the main building blocks of the Brain and the Retina, which is why it is so extremely important to the developing fetus. . Q. What are the side effects of Omega-3? A. There are no known side effects of this natural product. The Inuit (Eskimos) of all ages, ingest on average up to 19 grams of Omega-3 a day and have no adverse side effects from this dosage. This is equal to over 12 Omega 3 capsules per day. Q. What criteria should I look for in an Omega-3 product? A. The following is a list of the characteristics you should look for: 1. Pharmaceutical Grade 2. Produced in a Licensed Pharmaceutical Facility 3. Produced under the highest standards of purity that go far beyond those set by various European %26 American governing bodies. 4. Licensed by the FDA to be able to produce Pharmaceutical Grade Prescription strength Omega-3 5. Produced from exceptional raw materials consisting only of arctic cold water non-predatory fish (anchovies, herring %26 sardines) naturally high in the Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA %26 DHA, harvested from cold arctic waters and very low in environmental pollutants. 6. Exceptional Purity. 85-88% pure. All known pollutants are reduced below detectable levels 7. Highly concentrated. minimizes the number of gel caps you have to take on a daily basis 8. High EPA to DHA Ratio. It has been scientifically determined that the EPA to DHA ratio should be at least 3-4 to 1 9. Low amounts of Omega 6. Omega 6 is a needed and necessary ingredient in normal diets. However, the amount should be very small compared to Omega 3. 10. Molecular Distillation. The best omega 3 products are all processed under molecular distillation, an expensive %26 time consuming process. 11. Exceptional Freshness. No fishy smell when you open the bottle, or fishy aftertaste (no “fish burps”) because the product is Oxygen Free (because it is encapsulated under Nitrogen). Oxidized fish oil should not be ingested due to rancidity, spoilage and loss of potency. 12. Cholesterol Free, Triglyceride Free %26 Saturated Fat Free. Other commonly found omega 3 products contain all three of these harmful elements and are definitely not recommended for human consumption. Q. Where can I find an Omega-3 product that meets these strict criteria? A. There are a few reputable (and many not so reputable) companies. We would advise you to check out this excellent Omega 3 at RoblinWellnessToday.com and type in the Preferred Customer Code…Wellness2440. To Your Good Health!

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Do You Really Need Omega 3?

October 26th, 2008 by admin

Do You Really Need Omega 3?

As a retired physician, my main concern has always been to help people become and stay healthy. That is why I would like to share some very useful information with you regarding how you can maintain your health. Do you want to learn why you and everyone else you know should be consuming a high grade Omega 3 fish oil supplement daily? Here you are going to learn the difference between the “stuff” you purchase off the shelf in supermarkets, and health food stores and the high quality product you should be purchasing from a reputable source. Lets start with the health benefits of taking Omega-3 fish oil.1. Cardiovascular health: Decreased risk of Heart Attack by 20-40% %26 Cardiac Arrhythmias and sudden death (especially immediately following heart attacks)Decreased risk of repeat Heart Attacks. Stabilizes %26 modestly reduces blood pressure.2. Neurological Health: Helps prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinsonism and general cognitive functioning. Improves IQ in children. Helps prevent and treat Autism, ADD/ADHDUsed to treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Traumatic Spinal Cord injured patients.May reduce the amount of brain damage after a Stroke 3. Ocular Health:Helps prevent age related Macular Degeneration %26 Poor Night VisionHelps maintain healthy visual acuity in all agesProvides better eyesight in children when taken by pregnant motherHelps prevent %26 mitigate migraine headaches4. Joint Health: Useful in Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, other auto-immune %26 inflammatory conditions %26 diseases. 5. Integumentary Health: Skin… Helps control eczema, acne, Psoriasis; helps prevent sun damage %26 is beneficial for those with dry skin %26 dandruff.6. Menstrual Cramps: Reduces Menstrual Cramps by as much as 70%.7. Pregnancy: Helps Mother Carry to term by reducing the inflammatory response and muscle contractions caused by excessive Omega-6 Promotes Healthy Fetal Brain %26 Retinal DevelopmentDecreases the incidence of Post-partum Depression. Decreases incidence of ADD/ADHD, Autism.Increases Intellectual Capacity of newbornPromotes healthy visual acuity in the newborn 8. Anti-carcinogenic: Colon, Breast, Prostate. Improves outcomes in patients treated with chemotherapy and reduces unpleasant side effects from chemotherapy. . 9. Triglycerides %26 Cholesterol. Decreases Triglycerides. Increases good HDL cholesterol %26 decreases bad LDL cholesterol 10. Anorexia Nervosa… Helpful as and adjunct in the treatment of A.N. 11. Obesity… Useful in the prevention %26 treatment of Obesity through its effect on mitigating Insulin resistance, promoting Thermogenesis.12. Depression and Mood Promotes emotional well being, helps counteract mood swings and Depressive %26 Anxiety states, beneficial in patients suffering from Schizophrenia, Very effective in patients with Bipolar Disease (Manic Depressive states).13. Allergies: Beneficial for those suffering from various allergies14. Sleep problems: Beneficial for sleep problems 15. Vascular Health: Helps prevent the build up of plaque that causes heart attacks, strokes %26 peripheral vascular disease. May actually reduce plaque build up in your arteries by promoting HDL over LDL. 16. Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Due to the potent anti-inflammatory properties of Omega 3 it is helpful in Ulcerative Colitis %26 Crohn’s Disease as an adjunct to prescription medications.17. Diabetes Mellitus/Type 2: Inhibits the condition known as insulin resistance which means that the body’s endogenous insulin cannot function normally and therefore the blood sugar levels can become abnormally elevated. 18. Diabetes Mellitus/Type 1: Omega-3 may help prevent and/or stabilize Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. 19. Asthma: Omega-3 may diminish or eliminate the symptoms of Asthma. 20. Immune System … Omega-3 has been shown to bolster the Immune System by partially blocking the action of Omega-6. 21. Weight Loss: Omega 3: 1) Stimulates thermogenesis(fat burning) by increasing the body’s metabolic rate. 2) Blocks fat storage. 3) Helps prevent the formation of an excess number of fat cells. 4) Encourages a quick burn of calories before they can be deposited as fat. 5) Helps your body absorb healthy nutrients to give you more nutritional benefit without the need to eat excessively. 22. Skeletal System (Bones): Omega-3 + Calcium = Healthy Bones. The Omega-3 long chain essential fatty acids are critical to bone health %26 are necessary for the absorption %26 deposition into bones of certain minerals such as Calcium helping prevent osteoporosis.Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. Who needs to take Omega-3 Supplements?A. EveryoneQ. At what age should I start taking Omega-3?A. Before you’re born (in utero) up until you’re 99Q. Who says?A. The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association, the American Rheumatologic Association %26 othersQ. Why do I need Omega -3?A. The body cannot manufacture omega-3. The average American diet is overly rich in Omega-6 which in excessive quantities, is actually toxic to your body. Q. Why can’t I just eat more fish?A. Most fish contain impurities that are bad for you. It would be nearly impossible to eat enough fish to equal the amount of EPA %26 DHA found in a pure, high potency Omega 3 product.Q. What impurities are there in fish?A. Toxins such as Mercury, Lead, PCB’s, dioxin, just to name a few.Q. Don’t all Omega-3 products contain lots of impurities?A. Most low end, inexpensive Omega-3 products and some not so inexpensive OTC products do.Q. Which Omega-3 products don’t?A. There are a few on the market of high quality. See end of article.Q. Isn’t flaxseed oil an alternative for Omega-3 derived from fish sources?A. No, definitely not. Flaxseed oil contains ALA which is converted poorly, slowly and inefficiently into Omega-3 and therefore is a poor substitute for marine derived Omega-3. Most importantly, the Human Brain, which is 60% fat, depends on the form of Omega-3 which is only derived from Fish Sources and not from plant sources which contain ALA.Q. How much Winomeg-3 should I take daily?A. Look for a product that offers 1000-1100 mg of EPA %26 300-400 mg of DHA %26 a small amount of Omega 6 50-60 mg. The ration of EPA to DHA should be 3-4 to 1. Take at least 2-3 per day, but there is no maximum dose (see below).Q. I take prescription medications. Are there any medications that react with Omega-3?A. Overall you may take Omega-3 supplements with any other prescription %26 non-prescription medications. The only possible precaution is if you are taking an anticoagulant such as Coumadin® you should talk with your health care provider. Q. How is it possible that Omega-3 can be so beneficial for all of these different conditions?A. Omega 3 is an essential component of all of the cells in your body and the reason why it has all of these beneficial effects is that all of the walls of the cells in your body, are made up of polyunsaturated long chain fatty acids (Omega-3). Q. What are EPA %26 DHA in regard to Omega-3. A. DHA %26 EPA are both members of the Omega-3 long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acid family of compounds. EPA is responsible for maintaining healthy eye, retina, cardiovascular health and is responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3. EPA also helps regulate hormonal function and balance, immune system function, nervous system health, helps lower triglycerides and cholesterol and prostaglandins. EPA may be the more potent and important of the two main components of Omega-3, althoughDHA is one of the main building blocks of the Brain and the Retina, which is why it is so extremely important to the developing fetus. .Q. What are the side effects of Omega-3?A. There are no known side effects of this natural product. The Inuit (Eskimos) of all ages, ingest on average up to 19 grams of Omega-3 a day and have no adverse side effects from this dosage. This is equal to over 12 Omega 3 capsules per day. Q. What criteria should I look for in an Omega-3 product?A. The following is a list of the characteristics you should look for: 1. Pharmaceutical Grade 2. Produced in a Licensed Pharmaceutical Facility 3. Produced under the highest standards of purity that go far beyond those set by various European %26 American governing bodies. 4. Licensed by the FDA to be able to produce Pharmaceutical Grade Prescription strength Omega-3 5. Produced from exceptional raw materials consisting only of arctic cold water non-predatory fish (anchovies, herring %26 sardines) naturally high in the Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA %26 DHA, harvested from cold arctic waters and very low in environmental pollutants. 6. Exceptional Purity. 85-88% pure. All known pollutants are reduced below detectable levels 7. Highly concentrated. minimizes the number of gel caps you have to take on a daily basis 8. High EPA to DHA Ratio. It has been scientifically determined that the EPA to DHA ratio should be at least 3-4 to 1 9. Low amounts of Omega 6. Omega 6 is a needed and necessary ingredient in normal diets. However, the amount should be very small compared to Omega 3. 10. Molecular Distillation. The best omega 3 products are all processed under molecular distillation, an expensive %26 time consuming process. 11. Exceptional Freshness. No fishy smell when you open the bottle, or fishy aftertaste (no “fish burps”) because the product is Oxygen Free (because it is encapsulated under Nitrogen). Oxidized fish oil should not be ingested due to rancidity, spoilage and loss of potency. 12. Cholesterol Free, Triglyceride Free %26 Saturated Fat Free. Other commonly found omega 3 products contain all three of these harmful elements and are definitely not recommended for human consumption. Q. Where can I find an Omega-3 product that meets these strict criteria?A. There are a few reputable (and many not so reputable) companies. We would advise you to check below for a link to an excellent source of Omega 3 that meets all of the above criteria.To Your Good Health!

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Stem cells to help produce functional recovery in stroke

October 26th, 2008 by admin

Stem cells to help produce functional recovery in stroke

Other than a source of hematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow has been discovered to contain stem cells of non-hematopoietic tissues that could help produce functional recovery in stroke. These cells, referred to as mesenchymal stem cells or stromal cells, can potentially differentiate into a variety of cell types such as adipocytes, chodrocytes, osteoblasts, or myoblasts. Recently, marrow stromal cells have also been demonstrated to differentiate into neural cells under experimental culture conditions, and in vivo studies have shown that bone marrow cells delivered intraperitoneally or intravenously to mice can migrate into the brain and exhibit neuronal phenotypes. Human bone marrow stem cells transplanted in ischemic brain of rats have been shown to express neural markers and reduce neurological deficits.In previous studies, it was shown that human umbilical cord blood cells, another source of hematopoietic stem cells, were able to differentiate into neurons in vitro and when transplanted into the developing rat brain. Based on these findings, human umbilical cord blood cells were transplanted into models of stroke and traumatic brain injury. There was a reduction in behavioural deficits and this was associated with the expression of neuronal and glial markers by a small fraction of the transplanted human umbilical cord blood cells.Because of the robust behavioural effects seen in the present transplanted stroke animals, it seems doubtful that the mechanism of observed functional improvement involves “cell replacement”; it is more likely that the cells act as “trophic factories”, supplying necessary trophic factors to the injured brain.There are many unanswered questions though. Which cell type, whether it is coming from human umbilical cord, mobilised peripheral blood cells, multipotent adult progenitor cells or marrow stromal cells is optimal for stroke therapy? What is the optimal transplantation delivery route: intravenous, intra-arterial, intracerebral? What is the mechanism of improved functional outcome? How do these cells “home” to the area of injury? Can this homing be modulated? The present finging solicits future studies to address these critical issues that will guide the design of clinical trials.Certainly, mobilised peripheral progenitor cells have many advantages: they are autologous, relatively easy to isolate, and may not even need to be isolated.Even though the use of stem cells has been a very controversial topic over the years, it seems that they could be used in many ways in basic research as well as in clinical research to help human beings cure deseases like leukaemia, help produce functional recovery in stroke or even more.

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Information on Locked-In Syndrome

October 24th, 2008 by admin

Information on Locked-In Syndrome

Locked-in syndrome is also called is Cerebromedullospinal Disconnection. Locked-in syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles in all parts of the body bar for those that manage eye movement. Locked-in syndrome has been classified into three categories including classic, incomplete and total. Patients have intact cognitive function and are awake, with eye opening and normal sleep-wake cycles. They can hear and see. However, they cannot move their lower face, chew, swallow, speak, breathe, move their limbs, or move their eyes laterally. Locked-in syndrome results in quadriplegia and inability to speak in or else cognitively-intact individuals. Locked-in syndrome typically results from a pontine hemorrhage or infarct that causes quadriplegia and disrupts and damages the lower cranial nerves and the centers that manage horizontal gaze. It may also effect from traumatic brain injury, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases that demolish the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells, or medication overdose. There is no cure for locked-in syndrome. Stimulation of muscle reflexes with electrodes (Neuromuscular stimulation) has been known to help patients regain some muscle function. Several devices to assist communication are available. Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Good nutrition is also beneficial this condition. New direct brain interface mechanisms may provide future remedies. Providing physical therapy to prevent limb contractures. Speech therapists may help establish a communication code using eye blinks or movements. Because cognitive function is intact, patients should make their own health care decisions if communication can be established. Assistive computer interface technologies, such as Dasher in combination with Eye tracking may be used to help patients communicate.

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Aneurysm Surgery: Destination India

October 22nd, 2008 by admin

 

In India the developments of the Aneurysm Surgery in India led to higher survival rate and improve quality of life. Hospitals of Aneurysm surgery in India are considered as best destination for Aneurysm Surgery, most of the hospitals at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad are well equipped with the latest technology that has brought miracles to many patients’ life. Costs for Aneurysm Surgery in India are affordable and the healthcare facilities provided are of international standards. India is one of the best centers for rehabilitation. In India there are about 15 research centers doing research on Aneurysm Surgery in order to eradicate craniotomy from the root itself. Aneurysm Surgery institutes in India invite patients from various part of the country to provide them best treatment.

Aneurysm Surgery is a surgical operation in which part of the skull, called a bone flap, is removed in order to access the brain. Craniotomies are necessary for many types of surgery including lesions, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the implantation of deep brain stimulators for the treatment of Parkinson’s, epilepsy and cerebellar tremor.

Human Aneurysm Surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia but can be also done with the patient awake using a local anaesthetic and generally does not involve significant discomfort for the patient. In general, a Aneurysm Surgery will be preceded by an MRI scan which provides a picture of the brain that the surgeon uses to plan the precise location for bone removal and the appropriate angle of access to the relevant brain areas. The amount of skull that needs to be removed depends to a large extent on the type of surgery being performed. Most small holes heal with no difficulty. In removal of larger parts of the skull, the removed skull is generally retained and then refitted. It is held in place temporarily with metal plates and rather quickly reintegrates with the intact part of the skull, at which point the metal plates are removed.

India the home of tradition has now named as a developing country. New innovations are implemented in various fields. Medical advancement in India has developed so vast that attracts even the abroad patients for health in India. Aneurysm Surgery in India has got the name of best performance and India so called a right destination for Aneurysm Surgery. Aneurysm Surgery is one of the life threatening diseases that kill the person livingly. Aneurysm Surgery is a preventable and curable disease if detected earlier. Patients are screened and educated to identify the signs of Aneurysm Surgery. Cost of this surgery in India is very less as compare to other western countries. For more details on Aneurysm Surgery in India visit http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com and enquiry@forerunnershealthcare.com

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Craniotomy: Advanced Surgery Techniques in India

October 20th, 2008 by admin

 

In India the developments of the craniotomy treatment in India led to higher survival rate and improve quality of life. Hospitals of craniotomy surgery in India are considered as best destination for craniotomy treatment, most of the hospitals at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad are well equipped with the latest technology that has brought miracles to many patients’ life. Costs for craniotomy surgery in India are affordable and the healthcare facilities provided are of international standards. India is one of the best centers for rehabilitation. In India there are about 15 research centers doing research on craniotomy in order to eradicate craniotomy from the root itself. Craniotomy institutes in India invite patients from various part of the country to provide them best treatment.

A craniotomy is a surgical operation in which part of the skull, called a bone flap, is removed in order to access the brain. Craniotomies are necessary for many types of surgery including lesions, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the implantation of deep brain stimulators for the treatment of Parkinson’s, epilepsy and cerebellar tremor.

Human craniotomy is usually performed under general anesthesia but can be also done with the patient awake using a local anaesthetic and generally does not involve significant discomfort for the patient. In general, a craniotomy will be preceded by an MRI scan which provides a picture of the brain that the surgeon uses to plan the precise location for bone removal and the appropriate angle of access to the relevant brain areas. The amount of skull that needs to be removed depends to a large extent on the type of surgery being performed. Most small holes heal with no difficulty. In removal of larger parts of the skull, the removed skull is generally retained and then refitted. It is held in place temporarily with metal plates and rather quickly reintegrates with the intact part of the skull, at which point the metal plates are removed.

India the home of tradition has now named as a developing country. New innovations are implemented in various fields. Medical advancement in India has developed so vast that attracts even the abroad patients for health in India. Craniotomy surgery in India has got the name of best performance and India so called a right destination for craniotomy surgery. Craniotomy is one of the life threatening diseases that kill the person livingly. Craniotomy is a preventable and curable disease if detected earlier. Patients are screened and educated to identify the signs of craniotomy. Cost of this surgery in India is very less as compare to other western countries. For more details on craniotomy surgery in India visit http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com and enquiry@forerunnershealthcare.com

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Migraine Headaches Show Me the Proof!

October 19th, 2008 by admin

Migraine Headaches Show Me the Proof!

Medical literature is full of examples of how natural hormones effect migraine headaches. As early as 1953, the British Medical Journal published Dr. Kathleen Daltons first hand account of how her own menstrual migraines were relieved by injections of natural hormones. This same doctor started using this therapy on her own patients, claiming an 83% success rate.

In July of 1983, Dr. Penny Budoff, writing in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, cited successful trials of natural hormone therapy dating back to 1964, showing alleviation of multiple symptoms, including migraine headaches. She later went on to describe a Boston clinic that offered natural hormone treatments, saying they provided effective therapy.

There was some controversy about her findings, probably related to disagreement over how the actual hormones were introduced into the body - intramuscular, intravenous, orally or also by vaginal suppositories. There was even controversy over the dosages required. Apparently, how the treatment is given affects the overall outcomes and results.

In 2000, The Mayo Clinic announced the usage of a new type of natural hormone by one of their leading endocrinologists - Lorraine Fitzpatrick, M.D. The conclusions were natural hormones can improve the quality of life for post-menopausal women, such as decreasing the risk of endometrial cancers, sleep disorders, hot flashes, anxiety and symptoms of depression. This same study was also published in the Journal of Womens Health.

Neuroprotective Effects

Dr. Donald Stein, with Emory University School of Medicine noted in the June, 2005, Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, that natural hormones:

may be a potent neuroprotective agent especially in the treatment of traumatic brain injury, stroke, and certain neurodegenerative disorders.

He continued:

The literature surrounding [natural hormones] influence on mood, cognition, and memory in healthy subjects is not very large,

but in general he found natural hormones do indeed offer helpful treatments in humans.

Citing animal model studies, natural hormones consistently demonstrated beneficial effects. Among these benefits are substantially reducing edema (swelling) in the brain as well as effectively reducing free radical damage. They also decrease brain damaged areas following a loss of blood supply and reduce nerve cell injury after a nerve contusions.

Natural hormones have anti-seizure properties and are the subject of two NIH funded clinical trials for natural hormone treatment of epilepsy in women. Finally, Dr. Stein notes natural hormones have the potential to enhance neuronal (nerve cell) repair.

The Annals of the New York Academy of Science in 2005 published a study by Dr. M. Singh stating that ovarian (sex) hormones:

can no longer be considered strictly within the confines of reproductive function, and the brain is just as important a target for hormone function.

He goes on to write: Indeed, recent evidence supports the neuroprotective potential of [sex hormones] itself.

Migraines and Seizures

Dr. Andrew Herzog of the Harvard Medical Schools Neuroendocrine Unit published two articles in the journal Neurology, describing how natural hormones influence nerve cells in the brain by demonstrating a dramatic reduction (68%) in a condition called Catamenial Seizures.

These seizures paralleled the time course of migraine headaches during the menstrual cycle so closely, that the seizures are now labeled as menstrual seizures.

Dr. Vincent T. Martin, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, is the WORLDS FOREMOST AUTHORITY on the relationship of migraine headaches with sex hormones. In October of 2005 he wrote that migraine headache and epilepsy may show a similar pattern of response to changes in ovarian hormone encountered during the menstrual cycle.

Describing hormonal interventions in women during their menstrual cycle, Dr. martin wrote:

If ovarian hormones played no role in the headaches of these women, then hormonal manipulations would be expected to have no effect.

But when hormones were added back headaches did improve - even when measured and compared against a placebo.

Dr. Martin further wrote, Our study also suggests that [ovarian hormones] modulate migraine headaches. Additionally, the doctor indicated: the presence of [natural hormones] provided a preventative benefit for migraine headaches.

He theorizes that natural hormones produced this benefit by enhancing a brain neurotransmitter called GABA. An increase in the GABA receptors helps suppress electrical stimulation in the trigeminal ganglion in the brain - thought to play a major role in activation of pain sensation in migraine headaches.

New Research

More recently, in special issues of this years journal Headache, Dr. Martin published two more review articles on ovarian hormones and migraine headaches. He opened the review with:

Ovarian hormones have a profound influence on the central nervous system of women. This is followed by Migraine headache in particular appears to be strongly affected by ovarian hormones.

His team noted that in the brain ovarian hormones are converted into metabolites, enhancing their effects. Some of the metabolites found in the brain have 100 times the concentration than found in the rest of the body.

Dr. Martin observed: Therefore, substantial clinical evidence suggests that changes in ovarian hormones affect migraine headaches.

The Serotonin System

In Part 2 of the review, Dr. Martin writes: Migraine headaches are likely influenced by the different hormonal milieus (situations) encountered during reproductive life events that begin during menarche (first periods) and continue through menopause.

Once inside the brain, ovarian hormones have a prominent effect on various neurotransmitter systems, including the serotonin and GABA systems. Again from Dr. Martin:

Substantial evidence exists to suggest that the serotonergic system is important in the pathogenesis of migraine headache.

Triptan medications (Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, etc.) enhance the action of the hormone serotonin, and are, according to Dr. Martin:

efficacious abortive treatments for migraine headache. Because ovarian [hormones] play a critical role in serotonin synthesis, reuptake, and degradation they could theoretically affect migraine through their action on the serotonergic system.

The GABA System

As Dr. Martin describes, this is a complex issue.

GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter within the central nervous system. GABAergic neurons are strongly modulated by ovarian [hormones].

The effect of ovarian hormones on neurotransmitter systems may be dependent on a number of variables.

The pathophysiology of migraine headache is a complex, but probably involves activation of a number of different pain processing networks within the central nervous system Ovarian hormones modulate these structures/pathways to increase or decrease the frequency, severity or duration of migraine headache.

He cites an animal model study of migraine headaches where the brains main pain firing network (the trigeminal nucleus) is electrically activated. Observable symptoms decreased by 42% when pretreated with a natural hormone metabolite.

Leakage of neurotransmitter stimulators, known to cause headaches, were also suppressed as well. This was thought to be caused by the natural hormones ability to regulate the nerves GABA receptors.

Autonomic Nervous System

There is evidence that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in the pathophysiology of migraine headache. Dr. Martin

Ten to fifteen percent of patients with migraine headaches have a condition called Horner Syndrome during their headache-free periods.

Horner Syndrome is a weakness in the sympathetic nervous system. Abnormally weak eyelid muscles and the pupil causes these people to respond to light differently than those non-afflicted with this disease.

Changing the mix of ovarian hormones has actually been shown to improve this condition.

Vascular Effects

One of the most observed properties of migraine headaches has been the abnormally increased blood flow through brain arteries (vasodilation). Certain ovarian hormones counteract this effect - thereby relieving the condition.

Estrogen Withdrawal Theory

Dr. Martin stated in all of his articles:

The most plausible theory to explain the pathophysiology of menstrual migraine is that of excess withdrawal of estrogen.

When high circulating levels of estrogen are suddenly withdrawn or dropped a migraine can occur. This has been supported by other studies as well. Migraines were induced by adding excessive estrogen early on in the menstrual cycle then suddenly stopping it.

However, when estrogen was added later in the cycle, migraines were not suppressed. Only the onset of the next headache was delayed. As Dr. Martin noted:

Estrogen in particular appears to modulate the frequency, severity, and disability of migraine headache.

Other systems also had to be involved, including prostaglandins, magnesium, alterations of neurotransmitters (serotonin, GABA, opiates), sympathetic nervous system, and of course, birth control pills.

What We Can Conclude

Through Dr. Martins groundbreaking research, its obvious the right mix of ovarian hormones is crucial in maintaining a migraine free life. Too little ovarian hormones in the body and the risk of getting a migraine greatly increases. Returning the bodys balance often reverses the situation meaning no more migraine headaches and no more pain.

Supplementing the bodys deficiencies with bio-identical hormones and returning the natural balance is a critical part in effectively treating and curing migraine headaches.

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University Studies Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury | Content for Reprint

October 18th, 2008 by admin

Recently, the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) School of Medicine received a $60 million dollar grant for a five-year study to determine better prevention and treatment methods of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) among American victims and war veterans/soldiers.The study, which is funded by the Department of Defense Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program (DoD PH/TBI), will test new therapies to “prevent illness and enhance recovery in individuals at risk for adverse psychological, emotional and cognitive outcomes” caused by TBI and PTSD, according to UC news release. What is PTSD and TBI?According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD is defined as “an anxiety disorder that develops after a terrifying event or ordeal in which severe physical harm occurred or was threatened.” Approximately 7.7 million U.S. adults suffer from the condition, and this figure is only increasing as American veterans return home facing physical, mental and emotional stress and challenges from a combination of TBI and PTSD.The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) confirms that TBI is what is known as an “acquired brain injury or simple head injury” that has occurred after a trauma or blunt force negatively impacts the brain. An individual can often suffer from TBI in a mild to severe manner and most recently, more Americans who have served in the Iraq War are suffering from TBI after returning home. In fact, some researchers have stated that TBI is the signature wound of the war in Iraq.Living with TBI, PTSD Symptoms and Side EffectsThere are an array of symptoms characterize both conditions, and, the symptoms often overlap one another. The side effects commonly associated with TBI can be severe and may include the following, according to the NINDS:* Headache * Dizziness * Convulsions * Lightheadedness * Confusion * Blurred vision * Ringing in the ears * Bad taste in the mouth * Fatigue and lethargy * Sleep disruptions * Behavioral or mood changes * Amnesia/memory troubles * Inability to concentrate * Difficulty paying attention * Nausea * Slurred speech * Extremity numbness * Loss of coordination * Restlessness * Agitation PTSD side effects fall into three main categories, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The categories include repeated/reliving symptoms, avoidance symptoms and arousal symptoms. The repeated PTSD symptoms are:* Reoccurring stress * Reoccurring memories of a traumatic event * Physical reactions to a traumatic event * Flashback episodes of the traumatic occurrence The PTSD avoidance symptoms include:* Emotional numbness * The feeling of having no future * The inability to remember important aspects of life * Avoidance of people, places and objects * Feelings of detachment * Less emotion/expression of moods Finally, the PTSD symptoms that fall under the arousal category are:* Inability to concentrate * Exaggerated emotions or responses when startled * Hypervigilance * Outbursts of anger and irritability * Difficulties sleeping PTSD victims may also find that they suffer from additional symptoms including:* Paleness * Fever * Headache * Chest Palpitations * Dizziness * Excitability * Agitation * Fainting It is advisable for patients suffering from both brain injury-related conditions to seek medical attention, even if symptoms may not be present, the long-term effects of TBI can be severe. According to the Brain Injury Association of Americans, at least 1.4 million Americans suffer from TBI annually, nearly 50,000 die and 235,000 are hospitalized. However, it is unknown how many individuals suffer from TBI and go untreated. Because of the severity of TBI/PTSD and the interference it can have on an victim %26#39;s life, it is possible for a traumatic brain injury victim to develop litigation. A traumatic brain injury lawsuit may provide a victim with the monetary compensation they need to pay for costly medical bills and TBI treatments. To learn more about the development of TBI lawsuit, consult with an experienced TBI attorney who will often offer a free legal consultation.

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