<![CDATA[Assata Shakur Speaks - Hands Off Assata - Let's Get Free - Revolutionary - Pan-Africanism - Black On Purpose - Liberation - Forum - Afrikan Wholistic Health]]> http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/ Discussions of Worship, Nutrition, The Body, The Spirit, Healing. en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:30:58 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/images/misc_2/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Assata Shakur Speaks - Hands Off Assata - Let's Get Free - Revolutionary - Pan-Africanism - Black On Purpose - Liberation - Forum - Afrikan Wholistic Health]]> http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/ FDA fails to follow up on unproven drugs http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/40140-fda-fails-follow-up-unproven-drugs.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:40:54 GMT I guess most of us already knew this...but for those who didn't and just to have it on record:



Yahoo! News
GAO: FDA fails to follow up on unproven drugs
By MATTHEW PERRONE, AP Business Writer Matthew Perrone, Ap Business Writer Mon Oct 26, 7:02 am ET

WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration has allowed drugs for cancer and other diseases to stay on the market even when follow-up studies showed they didn't extend patients' lives, say congressional investigators.

A report due out Monday from the Government Accountability Office also shows that the FDA has never pulled a drug off the market due to a lack of required follow-up about its actual benefits — even when such information is more than a decade overdue.

When pressed about that policy, agency officials said they have no plans to get more aggressive.

The GAO says the FDA should do more to track whether drugs approved based on preliminary results actually have lived up to their promise.

The FDA responded that the report paints an overly negative picture of its so-called "accelerated approval" program, which is only used to approve drugs for the most serious diseases.

"Millions of patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses have had earlier access to new safe and effective treatments," thanks to the program, the FDA said in its response to the report.

In 1992, the FDA began speeding up the approval of novel drugs based on so-called surrogate endpoints, or laboratory measures that suggest the drug will make real improvements in patient health. HIV drugs, for example, are cleared based on their virus-lowering power, a predictor of increased survival.

Drugmakers favor the program because it helps them get products to market sooner, without conducting long-term patient studies that can take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. A condition of quicker approvals is that drugmakers conduct follow-up studies to show the drug's benefits actually panned out.

But the GAO report, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, identified several drugs still on the market that never lived up to their initial promise. And in the 16 years that the FDA has used accelerated approval, it has never once pulled a drug off the market due to missing or unimpressive follow-up data.

"FDA has fallen far short of where it should be for patient safety," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who requested the investigation.

Of the 144 studies the FDA has required under the program since 1992, 64 percent have been completed and more than one-third are still pending, according to the GAO. Investigators said the FDA does not rigorously track whether companies are making progress on their required studies, although the agency is improving.

FDA officials say they have overhauled their tracking system since the GAO completed its report. And an outside analysis by contractor Booz Allen Hamilton concluded last month that most companies are meeting their study requirements on time.

But in the case of Shire Laboratories' low blood pressure treatment ProAmatine, the required study has gone incomplete for more than 13 years. The GAO found that ProAmatine has generated more than $257 million in sales, even though "the clinical benefit of the drug has never been established."

Shire did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

In other cases, the FDA has failed to act even when company studies show drugs did not improve patient outcomes.

The FDA approved AstraZeneca's lung cancer drug Iressa in 2003 based on early results showing it reduced the size of tumors. But later studies showed the drug did not significantly extend patient lives.

The FDA has left the drug on the market, despite hundreds of reports of a sometimes fatal pneumonia.

FDA officials explain that access to Iressa has been restricted to a small number of patients who have shown benefit. The agency recommends all other patients try two alternative drugs.

Iressa "is not available to new patients," AstraZeneca confirmed in a statement.

The GAO concluded that the FDA has no policy for pulling drugs off the market that were approved using surrogate endpoints. When GAO investigators confronted FDA officials about this lack of enforcement, they reportedly said it would be "difficult, if not impossible," to draft a standard policy for withdrawals, given the unique circumstances of individual drugs.

In certain cases, FDA officials say withdrawing a drug would mean eliminating the only available treatment for a condition.

"FDA should explain the principles it uses to make decisions such as drug withdrawals," said Principal Deputy Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, in an interview with the AP. "But we don't want to lock ourselves into a specific set of criteria that takes away the flexibility to do what's right for the public health."

Sharfstein added that the agency has a task force assigned to look at policies like drug withdrawals.

Some consumers advocates say that's not good enough.

"The FDA has talked a lot about doing more enforcement, but this is an area where they're basically defending not enforcing the law," said Dr. Sidney Wolf, of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.

Wolfe said the lax policy sends a message to companies that there is no penalty for failing to complete studies.

The GAO recommends the FDA clarify when it will pull drugs off the market.

"As the scientific experts charged with overseeing the use of drugs it approves, FDA should be in a position to implement this recommendation," the report states.
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. ]]> Afrikan Wholistic Health Tehuti-4 http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/40140-fda-fails-follow-up-unproven-drugs.html Naturalistic Remedy to Get Rid of Fluid? http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39835-naturalistic-remedy-get-rid-fluid.html Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:29:35 GMT A good Sista-friend of mine, almost 40 y.o., is carrying a lot of fluid and was prescribed Lasix to try and get rid of it, but this drug is not working. What type of homeopathic/naturalistic things can she try to get rid of this fluid? She does not eat salt, but does have a history of blood... A good Sista-friend of mine, almost 40 y.o., is carrying a lot of fluid and was prescribed Lasix to try and get rid of it, but this drug is not working.

What type of homeopathic/naturalistic things can she try to get rid of this fluid? She does not eat salt, but does have a history of blood clots.

Asante sana! ]]> Afrikan Wholistic Health nattyreb http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39835-naturalistic-remedy-get-rid-fluid.html Foods that bulk you up http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39820-foods-bulk-you-up.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:28:07 GMT I've been semi-organic vegan for some months now and i'm losing/lost alot of weight I wanna stay where I am food wise but want some foods that bulk me up cause i'm afraid I might waste away into a r&b boyband homo look.I pump lots of weights so I want some good vegan/semi vegan that could add bulk.

Thanks ]]> Afrikan Wholistic Health TureBandele http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39820-foods-bulk-you-up.html Breast Cancer Rate Drops as Menopause Hormone Therapy Declines http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39815-breast-cancer-rate-drops-menopause-hormone-therapy-declines.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:10:56 GMT *MyBreastCancerNetwork.com (http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/) * See all of our health sites at *www.HealthCentral.com* (http://www.healthcentral.com/) Major breast cancer news, linking decreased breast cancer rates to a drop in menopause hormone treatment, is sweeping news outlets. ... MyBreastCancerNetwork.com
See all of our health sites at www.HealthCentral.com Major breast cancer news, linking decreased breast cancer rates to a drop in menopause hormone treatment, is sweeping news outlets. Here is what some major players are saying: New York Times reports: Rates of the most common form of breast cancer dropped a startling 15 percent from August 2002 to December 2003, researchers reported yesterday. The reason, they believe, may be because during that time, millions of women abandoned hormone treatment for the symptoms of menopause after a large national study concluded that the hormones slightly increased breast cancer risk. Detroit Free Press reports: Metro Detroit women's health specialists readied themselves Thursday for more confusion and questions about hormone replacement therapy, with news linking a surprising drop in breast cancer to lower use of the hormone drugs taken for menopause symptoms."We will be hearing from the same 10 to 20% of patients who react to every report in the news media that is negative, and they ask, 'Does this say you have put me at increased risk of cancer?' " said Dr. Ronald Strickler, chief of women's health services at the Henry Ford Health System.MSNBC reports: SAN ANTONIO - In a startling turnaround, breast cancer rates in the United States dropped dramatically in 2003, and experts said they believe it is because many women stopped taking hormone pills. The 7.2 percent decline came a year after a big federal study linked hormone replacement therapy used at menopause to a higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease and other problems. Within months, millions of women stopped taking estrogen and progestin pills. LA Times reports: U.S. breast cancer rates dropped 7% in 2003 after millions of women stopped taking hormone drugs for symptoms of menopause because the drugs had been linked to an increased risk of developing the disease, researchers said Thursday.The sharp decrease was driven by a slide in the type of breast cancer that needs the hormone estrogen to grow, which accounts for 70% of all cases of the disease....


Peace be upon you

MyBreastCancerNetwork.com
Drop in Breast Cancer Rate Tied to Menopause Hormones ]]> Afrikan Wholistic Health Pragmatic http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39815-breast-cancer-rate-drops-menopause-hormone-therapy-declines.html Making African-American dishes healthier http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39805-making-african-american-dishes-healthier.html Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:25:02 GMT Angela Shelf Medearis sees big changes in African-American cuisine over the last decade or so.

Changes in attitude — moving away from the old stereotypes about "soul food" — changes in ingredients and changes in diet have led to healthier meals, says the author of five cookbooks and star of the cooking show The Kitchen Diva. She is also the author of 90 children's books.

Her goal as a chef and author has been to educate blacks and others about the history of African-American cooking, its roots in African culture and to encourage healthier eating.

"When the slaves came from Africa to South America and then to North America, they changed recipes and techniques for cooking. One of the major fusion cuisines is African-American cuisine," Medearis says. On the slave ships also came fruits, vegetables, seasonings and other things that had never been seen in South and North America, she says.

It wasn't always easy to get that message out.

"There was a stereotypical, somewhat racist look at African Americans and cooking and culinary history," she says. "When I started doing cookbooks, I couldn't get on TV because they thought I'd be frying up a chicken or doing something with a barbecue pit ... I think we've progressed."

African-American cooking is now moving well beyond those stereotypes. Recipes that use tofu or vegetarian meals are finding their way among comfort foods. Health concerns and better education about diet have fueled some of the changes.

Diabetes runs in her family, and Americans are starting to understand that many traditional meals — like those that include large portions of eggs and bacon — come from a time when people needed the protein and energy to work in the fields.

Now we sit in front of a computer all day, she says. "I get a lot more requests now to take grandma's greens and find a way to make this healthier." She continues to push the concept that vegetarian meals have a long history in African-American cooking.

"The ethnic vegetarian was not something that was cooked up by a bunch of hippies. Vegetarian meals have been part of ethnic groups since recorded history," she says.

Talking about healthier diets is one thing. Her job is to find ways to make them taste good enough that people want to eat them.

The problem with most healthy recipes is they taste terrible, she says. "I take a lot of time taking things like wheat gluten and tofu and teaching people ways they can taste great."

Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel ]]> Afrikan Wholistic Health Moorbey http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39805-making-african-american-dishes-healthier.html <![CDATA[Can Birth Control destroy a women's Circadian rhythms? Which Can lead to Cancer.]]> http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39796-can-birth-control-destroy-womens-circadian-rhythms-can-lead-cancer.html Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:10:47 GMT **Mechanism of action** *The effect of hormonal agents on the reproductive system is complex. Overall, while secondary methods have been theorized, combined hormonal contraceptives work by _preventing ovulation_. * *Progestin-only contraceptives can also prevent ovulation, but rely...]]>
Mechanism of action

The effect of hormonal agents on the reproductive system is complex. Overall, while secondary methods have been theorized, combined hormonal contraceptives work by preventing ovulation.

Progestin-only contraceptives can also prevent ovulation, but rely significantly on secondary mechanisms such as the thickening of cervical mucus. Ormeloxifene does not affect ovulation, and its mechanism of action is not well understood.

Combined

Combined hormonal contraceptives prevent ovulation by suppressing the release of gonadotropins. They inhibit follicular development and prevent ovulation as their primary mechanism of action.

Progestagen negative feedback decreases the pulse frequency of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release by the hypothalamus, which decreases the release of :arrow:follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and greatly decreases the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) by the anterior pituitary.

Decreased levels of :camera: FSH inhibit follicular development, preventing an increase in estradiol levels. Progestagen negative feedback and the lack of estrogen positive feedback on LH release prevent a mid-cycle LH surge. Inhibition of follicular development and the absence of a LH surge prevent ovulation.

Estrogen was originally included in oral contraceptives for better cycle control (to stabilize the endometrium and thereby reduce the incidence of breakthrough bleeding), but was also found to inhibit follicular development and help prevent ovulation. Estrogen negative feedback on the anterior pituitary greatly decreases the release of FSH, which inhibits follicular development and helps prevent ovulation.

The rhythm method was developed in the early 20th century, as researchers discovered that a woman only ovulates once per menstrual cycle.
Not until the 1950s, when scientists better understood the functioning of the menstrual cycle and the hormones that controlled it, were methods of hormonal contraception and modern methods of fertility awareness (also called natural family planning) developed.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone found in humans and other animals. It is synthesized and secreted by gonadotropes of the anterior pituitary gland. FSH regulates the development, growth, pubertal maturation, and reproductive processes of the body. FSH and Luteinizing hormone (LH) act synergistically in reproduction.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), also known as Luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and luliberin, is a tropicpeptidehormone responsible for the release of FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary. GnRH is synthesized and released from neurons within the hypothalamus.

GNRH activity is very low during childhood, and is activated at puberty.

During the reproductive years, pulse activity is critical for successful reproductive function as controlled by feedback loops.

However, once a pregnancy is established, GNRH activity is not required.

Pulsatile activity can be disrupted (*Ed.note birth control end note) by hypothalamic-pituitary disease, either dysfunction (i.e.,hypothalamic suppression) or organic lesions (trauma, tumor).

Elevated prolactin levels decrease GNRH activity. In contrast, hyperinsulinemia increases pulse activity leading to disorderly LH and FSH activity, as seen in Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

GNRH formation is congenitally absent in Kallmann syndrome.

The GNRH neurons are regulated by many different afferent neurons, using several different transmitters (including norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate). For instance, dopamine appears to stimulate LH release (through GnRH) in estrogen-progesterone primed females; dopamine may inhibit LH release in ovariectomized females.

*(ED note. Women on birth control control) end note.


Kisspeptin appears to be an important regulator of GNRH release.[3] GNRH release can also be regulated by estrogen. It has been reported that there are kisspeptin-producing neurons that also express estrogen receptor alpha.[4]

Medication

GNRH is available as gonadorelin hydrochloride (Factrel) for injectable use. Studies have described it being used via an infusion pump system to induce ovulation in patients with hypothalamic hypogonadism.



Question:

What happens with a lack of estrogen, due to Hypothalamus suppresion, brought on by "Bio-chemical Birth Control Methods"?

Why would would a women need

If Your Body Clock Is Disrupted, It Can Speed Cancer Growth

The destruction of the body's natural rhythms accelerated the growth of cancerous tumors in laboratory animals.


In mice whose body clocks -- also known as circadian rhythms -- were disrupted, "the body's defense system was apparently less able to control tumor growth." Others were following up on recent reports that the disruption of the body clock of those who perform shift work seems to result in a higher propensity for cancer.

In half the mice in the experiment, the researchers destroyed a part of the brain that controls the body's natural rhythms (The hypothalamus), including sleep-wake cycles as well as body temperature, hormone release patterns, immune response and metabolism. The remaining "control" mice received mock surgery.
:arrow: (*The hypothalamus is responsible for certain metabolic processes and other activities of the Autonomic Nervous System. It synthesizes and secretes neurohormones, often called hypothalamic-releasing hormones, and these in turn stimulate or inhibit the secretion of pituitaryhormones. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, [1] fatigue, and :camera: :waving:circadian cycles).


The mice with part of their brains destroyed lost proper functioning of their body's natural rhythms, remaining at a more constant level throughout the day and night.

Researchers then implanted tumors into all of the animals, and monitored the animals for tumor growth as well as long-term survival rates.

The investigators found that the tumors grew two to three times faster in the animals whose rhythms had been disrupted. Those animals also experienced a significantly worse survival rate, living only 22 days after the tumor graft, compared with 26 days in the other group.

The study authors speculate that the part of the brain that controls the circadian rhythms may play a role in fighting off disease by its influence of the body's immune responses or hormonal fluctuations.

Human health is at its best when we have regular routines. This need is magnified in cases of chronic illness, so regular schedules in patients are well advised.

The findings may also point to ways that proper functioning of the body clock checks tumor growth. Journal of the National Cancer Institute May 1, 2002;94:690-697
While being underweight may support longevity, too little sleep may hasten aging. Decline in sleep is one the earliest events of aging. People should preserve the quality of their sleep as carefully as they look after their nutrition, exercise and attitude.

:wavey:


Birth Control - Birth Control Methods
Birth Control-Birth Control Methods






A family planning centre in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.


Planned Parenthood: Africa








Contents

[hide]

Sleeping and Snoring. Non Drug and Non Surgical Approaches.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Follicle-stimulating hormone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hormonal contraception - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Birth control - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ]]> Afrikan Wholistic Health Pragmatic http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/39796-can-birth-control-destroy-womens-circadian-rhythms-can-lead-cancer.html