Killing Bed Bug – Know More About Them

Bed bugs removal, a cumbersome work to do. Take maximum care about your health while dealing with bed bugs. Use best beg bugs cleaning agents which will not spoil to our health. Put the natural ways into action to get rid of bed bugs without affectiing our health .

There is a big intimidation to our helath and the surroundings, if we use commercial products for bud bugs removal. Don’t act so recklessly while employing solutions to beds as it leads to negetive consequences. You must be aware that you can’t simply choose to use anything under the sun. All the bed bugs removal products will not give the same results so choose the best one cautiously. And most of the products are dangerous to the human health.

Read the instructions and do the research on the process of applying the product before using it. You can’t easily kill bed bugs and totally get rid of it if you don’t do things in a systematic method. As I keep on telling you, be prudent aout health and environment while using the products.

So if you want to kill bed bugs without worrying about your family and the planet, choose to employ the natural means. As you can see, bed bug removal only becomes a risky household activity when you decide to incorporate pesticides, insecticides and other toxic-based pest control products . Without the presence of chemicals or toxic, there won’t be anything that will make you worry. its better to use natural ways of killing bed bugs. Steam cleaning is one useful way of killing and removing bed bugs out of your stuffs. Vaccum cleaners also will help in the process of killing bed bugs.

An organic bed bug treatment is purely the best thing that you can opt in. Its always good to use eco friendly products to kill bed bugs. People are looking towards Green environment and eco friendlyness in these days . If you expect the next generations to be  healthy, it is our duty to use the product that does not cause any harm to environment. Of course, it is our social responsibility to save the planet by using eco friendly products. Considering the many negative effects of using toxic-based cleaners, pest control products and the like, it is best not to use them anymore.

Use most effective technique of killing bed bugs by using organic products and save the environment. Gather plenty of information regarding bed bugs and how to securely get rid of them so you can live a pest-free life. End the days of your agony with the best pest control methods and organic bed bug treatments so you can get rid of bed bugs without contributing destruction to your health as well as the planet and your wallet

Antioxidandts vs. Free Radicals

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Antioxidants are best known for their ability to prevent disease and aging by counteracting the effects of free radicals on the body, but what are they and how do they work? What are the free radicals that cause the damage? Let’s take a look at how this all fits together.

When body cells utilize fuel (foods we eat), they also utilize oxygen, sometimes during which process incomplete molecules are created. These incomplete molecules (free radicals) have an unpaired electron, making them chemically unstable and able to take an electron from other molecules. When these electrons are stolen from healthy body cells, damage is caused to the cells resulting in inability of the cell to absorb necessary nutrients or fight disease, cell mutations, and creation of even more free radicals. When the production of free radicals continues unchecked and unbalanced, the damage caused plays a leading part in the premature aging process, and in most chronic illnesses, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants are particular nutrients, enzymes, minerals, herbs and phytochemicals that are able chemically stabilize the free radical to render it ineffective.

Dietary antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, plus the mineral selenium have been known for quite a few years, but more recently phytonutrients and phytochemicals have come under study. These groups are found in plants and include flavonoids, isoflavones, carotenoids and PCOs (procyaniodolic oligomers) and are thought to be about 50 times more powerful than the antioxidant vitamins. Research is also showing that antioxidant combinations are more beneficial than each one alone.

Carotenoids

These phytochemicals are pigments found mainly in algae, plants and photosynthetic bacteria, and are the reason for various shades of reds, yellows, greens and oranges in vegetables, fruits and flowers. The strongest carotenoids known are Beta-carotene, lutein and Lycopene.

Beta-carotene, used by the liver to make vitamin A, is plentiful in the dark green, red and yellow vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and broccoli. Animal sources include organ meats, eggs and fish. Beta-carotene is only converted to vitamin A as needed by the body, so does not have the toxicity danger of excessive levels of vitamin A from supplementation.

Lutein, also found in dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, egg yolks, oranges and peaches, is beneficial for eyes. Statistics show diets high in Lutein are connected with lower rates of cataracts and macular degeneration, major causes of blindness in the elderly.

Lycopene seems to protect against abnormal cell proliferation and is found in substantial levels in the prostate gland. It has been found that men with the highest levels of Lycopene in their blood have the lowest rate of prostate cancer. Its antioxidant effect is 2 to 3 times greater than Beta carotene and is garnering great interest due to apparent anticarcinogenic properties. For some reason, the concentration of Lycopene is higher in tomato juice and sauces than in fresh tomatoes.

Others

Coenzyme Q10, or ubiquinone, is comparable in structure to vitamin E and has proven benefits for the heart and cardiovascular system. There are also indications that it slows the spread of cancer and aging. Organ meats, beef, salmon, sardines, soy oil, spinach, avocados and peanuts are all rich in coenzyme Q 10.

Glutathione is a protein manufactured in the liver that is necessary for a good immune system. It neutralizes the hydroxyl radicals, which are thought to be the most dangerous of all the free radicals, and is the most capable antioxidant for working within individual cells. It is also useful for detoxifying heavy metals and other poisons, and may target carcinogens for destroying.Glutiathone levels tend to decrease as people age, so it is important to maintain adequate dietary intake. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and kale contain glutiathone.

Selenium is a trace mineral used by the body to manufacture the enzyme glutiathone peroxidase. It works with vitamin E to protect cell membranes, maintain helathe liver and heart and helps with antibody production. There has been significantly lower cases of cancer in people who took selenium supplements, particularly prostate cancer. It is toxic in high levels, however, and daily intake should not exceed 800 micrograms. Pregnant women should keep below 40 micrograms. Brazil nuts, seafood, liver, kelp, garlic and wheat germ are a few foods containing selenium. North American soils tend to be depleted in selenium so foods grown in our soils may still be low in this nutrient.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) works with catalase to neutralize hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals, and to aid the body in handling metals like copper, zinc and manganese. It is plentiful in most green plants, wheatgrass, barleygrass, and broccoli.

This is a short summary of some of the major newly found antioxidants undergoing much research currently, but there are many other antioxidants beneficial to our health that are not covered in this article. Some herbs and berries like green tea, white tea, blueberries, acai berries, raspberries and garlic have also been discovered to be sources of extremely high levels of antioxidants, effective for protecting against disease and aging. Antioxidant tablets can also be very useful for boosting levels, so long as toxicity levels are considered. Ensuring we have adequate antioxidant intake may make the difference between a long slide into disease and disability, or excellent health into our golden years.

For more health information and products go to Mountainviewhealth.ca

Quick Weight Loss | Chewing As A Weight Loss Strategy

Chewing As a Weight Loss Strategy

Weight issues have been increasingly getting harder and harder. I usually find people crying out their heart out “ I don’t even eat that much still I m putting on weight . at first I wondered about the people and thought to myself  “ for sure not everybody will lie about their eating habits. Running time and meeting people gradually made me think that there should be something associated with obesity that has nothing to do with the calories.

Doing a bit of research I stumbled upon an article about weight loss. NO, no this article isn’t about magical weight loss or lose weight in five days. No such wonders exist. Don’t ever go for the quick weight loss programs because they might get your body so wretched or cause a permanent damage to your body.  Ask the Helath expert before going for any fitness or weight loss program.

Do you wolf your food down?  If you want to be lean and fit for life you might want to consider the relationship between chewing and weight control or weight loss. While most weight management or dietary programs focus on what to eat, little if any attention is given to HOW TO EAT.

Coming back to the topic; the article was written by a health expert; who precisely laid down the reasons between the obesity and portion. Gist of the whole talk was “if you want to stay fit, don’t wolf down you food. Take it easy: give it sometime chew it properly before galloping it down. This may sound a bit cliché as most of the dietary programs emphasize more on what you eat not how you eat.

What you will see in this article is a practical strategy you can implement right now to lose weight and be lean and fit for life. Simply by chewing your food longer, until it is basically a liquid in your mouth, you do three things that help your weight loss, health and longevity. The first is that you will eat less. The second is that you will digest and assimilate nutrients more effectively; the third is that you will mitigate toxins and allergies from food, which are important to longevity and weight loss.

Chewing and Food Intake:

Recent studies from Oita Medical School in Japan show a direct relationship between chewing speed and the release of histamine from the brain. Chewing slower and longer causes the brain to release histamine,  resulting in decreased food intake.

The speed at which you chew sends signals to your brain that control how much you eat.

Further, hormones such as leptin, ghrelin and cholestokinnen that are involved in the sensation of fullness, do not reach peak expression until 20 to 40 minutes after food is ingested. Chewing longer allows these hormones to work for you. You get the same sense of fullness on less food because you are giving these hormones time to work. Many speed eaters literally chew and swallow faster than their bodies natural satiety signaling can keep up with. If you want to lose weight but you wolf your food down, you are shooting yourself in the foot.

There is a direct relationship between chewing and weight loss. Simply put, the more you chew, and the more slowly you chew, the less you eat. The less you eat at any given meal, the more weight loss.

Chewing and Digestion and Absorption.

Eating the right foods gets you nowhere if you don’t absorb them. Worse, eating the right foods takes you backwards if they putrefy into toxins.

Eating the right food is important, but eating the right food and properly digesting it is essential for life long weight loss.

Digestion begins in the mouth.  Specifically, saliva contains a fat metabolizing enzyme called lingual lipase. Before any fat you ingest even hits your stomach, it begins breaking down in your mouth via the action of lingual lipase.

Healthy weight loss (c) Big Gig

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Life Saver Guarantee – Medical Answering Services

There are times when accident hits one of your family or acquaintances and ends up injuring them. The situation gets worse when they became incapacitated and you are the only one that able to help them. That can be an easy pinch when you have a medical school background, but what if you don’t and it is late enough to hail a cab and bring your friend to the hospital? Then, one thing that you can do is to contact medical professionals that will assist you to help your downed family or acquaintances and prevent you to make things worse. That’s when you need to call medical answering service that can give you a way out for you and your family or acquaintances that are desperately in need of medical attention. One of the medical answering services is to give medical assistance such as dispatching unit immediately to your location.

The services also provide you with every medical response you need in case of emergency or in ordinary circumstances such as calling hospitals and doctors for an appointment. The services also provide a 24 hour-service-time that enables you to gain access to medical help whenever calamity and unlucky events that happened. You can rest assured knowing that you will be supported by medical staff that will respond to any emergency situation quickly and appropriately. The medical employees that will answer your call are well trained professionals, screened, and sensitive to the medical nature and importance of each incoming call. Each emergency call is thoroughly verified, and accurate messages is taken whether it’s regarding setting an appointment with your doctors and hospital, confirmation of an appointment to discuss about your disease and sickness, lab result for your blood and your vital signs, prescription dispatch, or handling and dispatching medical staff in respond to your emergency needs. They are very committed to give you medical help when something medically-bad occur to you or others’.

The other great thing from medical answering service is that they can suit your timely needs whether its 24 hour or just a simple on half-day daily basis needs. So whether you need a full-time protection or just and emergency precautions calls, the medical answering service is there to help. As a conclusion, please heed this one piece of advice: if sometimes accident happened to you, your family, or acquaintances whatever you do don’t do it in a state of panic, because now you know that there are medical answering services for you to look for.

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Medical Records Retrieval

There are many companies who specialise in medical records retrieval.

They provide support for Injury Lawyers, Health Insurers and Life Insurers.

Medical Records retrieval can be a costly business involving many hours of work for someone who does not specialise in medical records retrieval. A legal team can spend many precious hours trying to find the information they need and, of course, a legal team is very expensive.

Health Insurers and Life Insurers have the same problems, neither having the time or perhaps, the expertise, to retrieve medical records.

Medical Records Retrieval companies specialise in this field. They have the ability to electronically store records and quickly transfer them to the legal teams or insurance professionals.

Of course, this all sounds very simple but there are regulations that have to be followed. Medical Records are covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended and the corresponding Privacy and Security Regulations (HIPAA).

This means that medical records can only be obtained with the authorization of the individual whose records they are. Many Medical Records Retrieval companies will have authorization forms for the use of the legal teams or insurers.

The Medical Records Retrieval Companies are far more efficient at getting the records and they store them electronically, ready for transfer to their client quickly. These companies should have robust privacy and security policies.

There are exceptions where the records can be obtained by the police in the instance where a crime has been committed, without the individual’s permission, but by subpoena. There are strict rules around these issues.

Some companies offer expert medical help to summarise the medical records. Everything can be done in one place making it easier to get all the information and for billing purposes.

All in all, a Medical Records Retrieval Company can save you time and money.

Medretrieve provides cost-effective and professional services in medical records retrieval. If you’re a professional, then come and visit us for more info on how to get medical records for your clients. Tom Jackinson is an injury lawyer and writer on how to obtain medical records for injury lawyers cases. He now serves medical records company Medretrieve.

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Health Advice For A Healthy Vacation

We don’t like to think about getting injured or sick when traveling, but when it happens, being prepared can save your vacation.

It is time to take your family vacation. Your bags are packed, your hotel reservations are confirmed, and the taxi to the airport is waiting, but are you really prepared? Inside your bags do you have all the medications you might need and received the proper inoculations for this trip?

Firstly consider some basic preventative measures. Before going to any destination, the first thing you should do is consult a physician to find out if any inoculations are advised? Malaria stays with you your whole life, and Cholera might kill you, don’t make the mistake in believing you are immune to the bugs that inhabit this world. When planning your trip always assume the best and prepare for the worse. Get those shots, buy your medications and be aware of health warnings in every country you visit.

In some countries immunization is required before you arrive and in such instances, make sure you have your International Certificate of Vaccination. You can get this certificate from your local health department although many physicians can also provide you this form.

But even if you take all the immunization and recommended drugs before and during your travel, keep in mind that you may still become ill if exposed to contaminated water, food or insects. Bugs do mutate so regardless how prepared you became stateside, when visiting your travel location, you must still keep your guard up. Experienced travelers know this and take the trouble to boil water or buy trusted bottled water. They prepare many of their own meals, washing their foods carefully and making sure everything is well cooked. Mosquito netting is a must, preferably a full net for a bed, and a net-hat that covers you head and neck.

But in case you do become ill, make sure you have packed sufficient medical supplies. If you are in need of medications, bring a full supply that will last the entire trip. Medications overseas cannot always be depended on, either because the medication does not exist in that country or because the quality may be significantly different than what you are expecting.

The standards of medicine vary county to county but keep in mind that medical practitioners overseas sometimes don’t need a license and certainly don’t have insurance. ‘Oops’ is not an uncommon word in medical facilities in even many of the developing countries I have visited.

In short, here is my advice. Do your research, get those shots, pack all your medications and by all means, use your intelligence, keep aware, and have a safe and good trip.

An Overview Of Heart Medications

Medications are all important when it comes to healthy heart care.  The patient needs to understand how the proper medication effects the heart. The fact that the heart has different problems means that accordingly the medication may vary as well. It is possible to have multiple problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol then you would need two different types of medications.

The medicine that is Beta-Blockers, which reduce the heart rate and the output of blood by counteracting a hormone called noradrenalin, is not recommended for people with severe heart failure. Diuretics are a medication that helps people with fluid retention.  The digitalis medicines increase the force of the heart’s contractions, helping to improve circulation.  The medicines known as Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBS) may improve survival among heart failure patients and may slow or prevent the loss of heart pumping activity.  The ACE inhibitors were originally developed as a treatment for high blood pressure the inhibitors help heart failure patients by decreasing the pressure inside the blood vessels.  This results in the heart not needing to work as hard to pump blood through the vessels.  Nitrate or hydralazine is prescribed to patients who cannot take ACE inhibitors or ARBS. These medications help relax tension in blood vessels and improve blood flow.  

These are the basic groups of medications but they are manufactured by drug companies that attach their own name, however, just read the explanation you will get from your pharmacist and that will let you know the type of medication you are taking.  Patients with high cholesterol levels take a drug called Lipitor while another patient might be in need of a Beta-Blocker so the medicine named Plavix.  A patient might be inclined to strokes therefore; Nadolol helps with this problem.  One medication that you can take that is highly recommended is Bayer Aspirin 81mg. The Aspirin known to stop heart attacks or prevent heart attacks and this medicine bought over the counter without a prescription.

The above medications are just a few that your doctor can prescribe for you according to your heart condition. The heart is one of the most vital organs in our body.  It is essential that we take care of our heart in order to survive.  That is why taking medications are a very serious matter. This could prevent your heart from functioning. I knew a man who was not of the wisest nature and whenever he traveled on his short weekend trips would take all of us heart medications on Friday afternoon so he would not have to take them with him.  The first time he proclaimed that the room went round and he was dizzy for a while.  This did not stop him the next time he did this when he stood up his heart stopped. Yes, the man died at the age of 55 years simply because he mismanaged his medications.  Please only take what your doctor recommends and only as it is prescribed.

How High Is Your Risk of High Blood Pressure?

Are you aware of the risk of high blood pressure, or hypertension? Do you know how to tell if you’re at risk?

Unfortunately, there are many underlying causes of hypertension, or high blood pressure, and it is easy to overlook them in this busy, modern world.

But once you pay attention to high blood pressure you can then find out how to reduce it, or even control it completely.

The normal reading for the average person is usually considered to be 120/80. But it will vary during the day so you cannot take a single reading and base everything on that. You need to have your blood pressure monitored over a number of readings to get a truer picture of the overall state of your helath.

The list of factors which can cause blood pressure to increase is a long list. Just a few of the factors are listed below.

Salt intake

Poor diet

Certain medications

Weight issues

Lack of activity, or exercise

Smoking

Drinking alcohol

Suffering from excessive stress

As you can see from that partial list, there are many things to consider.

We will take a look at each one in turn.

Salt intake:

Take a look at the ingredients list of everything you put in your basket on your next shopping trip. Salt is commonly added to food because it is a cheap way to bulk it out. But that does not mean it is good for you. Often, a single portion of a packet food gives you more salt or sodium than you should have for an entire day.

Poor diet:

Another biggie. With the modern world being so busy how many of us have the luxury of cooking our meals completely from fresh ingredients every day? Well, that group is getting smaller and smaller every day. And the additives and salt and basic lack of vitality that you sometimes get in those foods just does not suit the body the way fresh food does. Now, it may be impossible to eat fresh food all the time, but you should try to increase the proportion of fresh food you do eat. Every little helps.

Certain medications:

Take a look at the medication information sheet that comes with your medications. Look for adverse or side effects. Discuss alternatives with your doctor. It may not be possible to change your medication, but at least you will know whether you have to take extra care with the other factors.

Weight issues:

This is simple. If you are overweight you have a much higher risk of high blood pressure. Losing even a few pounds can help you reduce your blood pressure somewhat.

Lack of activity, or exercise:

Again, this is simple. The more you exercise, or take part in regular activity, the more you will be doing to control your blood pressure. And the exercise can be gentle. A walk 3 or 4 times a week is a good start. You do not have to become a gym freak to get the benefits of regular exercise.

Just 30 minutes a day can have a profound impact on the quality of your life, not to mention your blood pressure. And really, who does not have 30 minutes a day?

Smoking:

This can cause your arteries to restrict, which increases your blood pressure. If possible, cut down. If you can quit smoking completely that is even better, but remember that every little helps. There is help available if you want to give up, but find that you cannot. Discuss it with your doctor, or local pharmacy. You might even want to try nicotine replacement patches.

Drinking alcohol:

Glass of wine with your evening meal? Occasional beer with the guys? Do not sweat it. Life is too short. But if you drink a lot you might want to consider whether you can cut back and still have fun. Again, doing something is better than doing nothing.

Suffering from excessive stress:

This is a tough one. You may not be able to stop your boss from causing you stress, but you can look for activities and ways to reduce the stress. Consider yoga, exercise, meditation or stress management classes if stress is a major factor for you. By stress we mean repetitive, systemic stress. Not the occasional bad day we all get from time to time.

As you can see there are lots of factors that might cause to increase your blood pressure. The list might seem overwhelming, but you do not have to tackle everything at once. The first thing is to get your blood pressure checked by your doctor and then start making small changes. As you get used to one change you can introduce another, until finally you have control of your own health. And finally, remember that you do not have to have perfect blood pressure to do better than having terrible blood pressure. Every little helps.

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Knowing the true facts about stress relief medication

Stress relief medication should be taken only after careful consideration of your situation, by evaluating your physiological and psychological health condition. There are countries who deal with stress relief medication by providing it off the shelf. In other words, you can simply walk up to the drug store and spend money on medications for stress and anxiety relief. However, I urge you not to use any dosage without consulting your doctor. You must go to a qualified healthcare professional in order to guide you according to your own health situation.

It is a known fact that medications cannot eliminate your stress. Since stress is a condition of the mind, there is no medication for it. In reality, stress is the cause and anxiety is the result. The stress relief medication that you would be using, are for the symptoms of stress. Anxiety, depression, phobias, panic attacks are all examples of symptoms of stress. Hence, medications are available only for eliminating the symptoms of stress but they won’t address the cause. It is important to address the root cause of the stress.

We all know that stress is an unavoidable condition of life. Whether, it’s in the form of demands at work, a fight with a spouse, dealing with financial scarcity or even raising a special need of your child. It’s okay if the stress is within a limit. But if you are experiencing acute stress for a long time, then in that case you may require medical help. But remember, stress relief medication should not be considered as the first line of treatment. If it’s a normal everyday  stress, then relaxation, medication, coping strategies, diet and exercise can be considered as best treatments.

Today, people would prefer to get their stress relief from stress relief medication. Although stress relief medication is not to be used as a treatment for daily stress, yet many doctors prescribe these medications for patients. Such medication may offer relief to people but it may have adverse affects on some patients. In fact over all, medication can worsen the stress levels of a person and there are side effects that come along as a silent killer. Patients also become dependent on such medication, when taken for a long time.

If you are living a sedentary lifestyle or if you are a retired individual, in that case your mind is likely to get filled with unpractical, illogical and unreasonable thoughts about yourself and other people around you. This type of situation will lead of stress. To get rid of this situation, you need to exercise, in order to allow your body to release endorphins which act as a natural drug. This chemical which gets released in your body due to exercise, will help you to feel good and help you to combat stress. Also, deep breathing and other relaxation methods can help you to experience stress relief. These are all examples of alternate ways of dealing with stress. Hence, it is better to opt for alternatives to stress relief medication.

Port-au-Prince lay shattered and its people struggled without the most basic medical help Wednesday as officials predicted the death toll from Haiti’s cataclysmic earthquake would reach 250000. The televised scenes of horror – fathers carrying dead babies, mothers lying bleeding in enormous piles of rubble – galvanized the world to help the desperate Haitians. As dusk approached, the first of a global fleet of air transports began to land, bearing medical supplies, food and water in hopes of heading off an even worse humanitarian catastrophe. The capital Port-au-Prince was largely destroyed. Shrouded bodies lined the streets as dazed survivors scrabbled in the debris for loved ones. Tags: Earthquake Haiti Terremoto Port-Au-Prince destroyed 2010 January 12 Update Alert Disaster Carribean death toll 50000 Aftermath Tsunami Guatemala San Salvador

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Mental Health Disorders: Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia affects around 1% of the population of this planet. It is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental disorder. It has also been recognized for centuries, maybe not with the same nomenclature, but most likely with the same symptoms. However, the complex mechanisms which cause this condition remain a mystery of their own… but for how long?

History of Schizophrenia: from demons to genes

The symptoms commonly associated with schizophrenia are on the records of many ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. The causes for this mental disorder have been associated with demons, gods, poisonous substances, dark creatures and more – but until today, there are still no definite answers. There is evidence, however, to the different treatments tested (and used) in several patients. Drilling holes in a patient’s skull and performing dance rituals were some of them.

The term ‘Schizophrenia’ (derived from the Greek words ‘schizo’=split and ‘phrene’=mind) was only created in 1911 by Eugene Bleuler, a Swiss physician. Bleuler changed the term ‘dementia praecox’ created by Emile Kraepelin – the German physician who first classified mental disorders in categories – because the disorder was not a dementia. Later on, both scientists sub-classified schizophrenia into categories based on specific symptoms, three of which were delineated in the DSM-III (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders): disorganized, catatonic, paranoid, residual, and undifferentiated. Kraepelin’s classification remains influential and it is the basis of the DSM-IV.

Nowadays, it is believed that schizophrenia is caused by a mixture of gene interaction and environmental influence. However, it is not clear how much influence each of these causes wields.

The Symptoms

The symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into three categories: positive, negative and cognitive.

Positive symptoms are volatile, easy to recognise and normally involve some loss of contact with reality. Hallucinations (distortions of the human senses), delusions (false personal beliefs) and movement disorders are examples of such symptoms.

Negative symptoms are harder to recognise as they relate to some loss in abilities such as planning, speaking, expressing emotions or being motivated. These symptoms can easily be misconnected to laziness, depression or other conditions which involve similar behaviour. The term is referred as ‘negative’ due to the reductions in ‘normality’ – both emotional and behavioural.

Cognitive symptoms relate to problems in normal cognitive functions. In many cases these cognitive impairments are only detected through neuropsychological tests. Such symptoms include problems with memory, attention, decision-making and more.

The Causes

As previously noted, schizophrenia is believed to be caused by a mixture of gene and environmental influence. Davies stated that “schizophrenia appears to be caused by abnormalities in the development of the brain that become manifest in late adolescence or the early twenties, a time when a differentiation and maturation of the central nervous system is at its most complex” (Davies 2005 p. 210*).

However, the disorder is not characterised by a single predominant gene – it relies on the combination of a group of genes, each exerting a small effect. These gene combinations, along with the presence non-genetic factors such as exposure to viruses or drug abuse, play a key role of increasing vulnerability.

Current research is attempting to identify the genes which could be directly involved with the incidence of schizophrenia and psychotic episodes. There are candidate genes – however there is not enough evidence to prove that these genes in fact increase risk. “Some genes that have recently been associated with schizophrenia code for enzymes and proteins that help brain cells communicate with each other.

Some of these enzymes and proteins are involved in neurotransmitter systems that have long been implicated in schizophrenia, such as dopamine, glutamate and GABA. Other genes code for proteins involved in the brain development, while others code for proteins of yet undetermined function”. (NIMH – National Institute of Mental Health**).

Facts and the treatments

Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling disorder, but nevertheless misinterpreted by the general population. In fact, between 25 and 40% of people who experience a psychotic episode not only recover, but never experience a second episode. In many instances, patients enter hospital care voluntarily, and are able to function normally when not experiencing an episode. Although people with schizophrenia are more likely to attempt suicide, they are not particularly prone to violence or crimes.

Over the last few years, new anti-psychotic medications have been developed – such as clozapine, risperidone and olanzapine. These drugs do not cure schizophrenia, but they effectively alleviate its symptoms and extrapyramidal side effects (such as rigidity, muscle spasms and tremors) which used to appear in older drug treatments.

Psychosocial treatment is also important in the management of schizophrenia. Rehabilitation and substance abuse treatment are helpful in integrating the patient to the society, and improving the patient’s capability to counteract the degenerative effects of the disease. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) can also help. This treatment seems to be effective in reducing the severity of symptoms and decreasing the risk of relapse in patients which symptoms persist even when they take medication.

Furthermore, the efficacy of treatment can be vastly improved with the participation of family and friends. Because the positive symptoms of this mental illness are easy to distinguish, both patient and relatives are able to act when noticing the prevalence of different behaviour.

Overcoming schizophrenia: too far or too close?

The future of schizophrenia runs parallel to most research in mental health. With the advent of new brain mapping and scanning technologies, such as PET, MRI, fMRI and the developments in genetic research – scientists are narrowing their focus to the interaction between neurons and how each of our cognitive functions affect neurotransmission at a molecular level. With this in hand, there are expectations that the approach to schizophrenia will be more specific and efficient – but to predict cure at this stage, is a long shot.

Nevertheless, there may be more excitement in the other side of the spectrum. Identifying the exact gene combination which increases the incidence of this condition, and the role of non-genetic factors, may still seem distant. However, another solution could effectively help the vast population suffering from the symptoms of schizophrenia.

The general thinking is that the best way to combat an illness is to develop a cure. What about instead of finding the cure, combating the symptoms? That is the approach used for most illnesses which cure is yet to be discovered, and it could be a temporary solution to improve the lives of millions. Cognitive enhancers, such as nootropics (cited in a previous edition of this ezine) and cognitive enhancing methods – such as the use of electric waves in specific brain regions – could counteract some of the debilitating symptoms of schizophrenia.

Most of these techniques are still being tested, but they are much closer to reality and have already predictions to reach the market within a few years. Although there have been some studies in cognitive enhancing drugs, new drug classes are on the scene – and brain science and pharmacology are allowing further discoveries in the field. What will be the next step? That might not be the one million dollar question, but perhaps it holds the answer which over 65 million people have been waiting for.

Sources *Davies, J. (November 2005) A Manual of Mental Health Care in General Practice, Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra.

** National Institute of Mental Health Website (www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/schizresfact.cfm).

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