Thursday, March 5, 2009

Revolutionizing Light Emitting Diodes : Bringing Relief In Cancer Clinical Trials

Light emitting diodes that were earlier associated as only an electronic light source, today has become a part of a noble cause – to help cure a person of cancer. This might sound a little abhorrent, but the truth is that the professors of neurology, pediatrics and hyper baric medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin are convinced, that using LEDs can improve a bone-marrow transplant patient's quality of life, after conducting several successful human trials. 

This light emitting diode, an indispensable part of the optics and optical components, ensures a painless and secure process wherein an array of light helps ease or prevent some of the pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment. This clinical trial is presently in its second part. As the first part was very encouraging, the doctors could not resist themselves from indulging in the expansion of these trials to several U.S. and foreign hospitals. 

The scientists as well as the researchers are of the opine that the cells exposed to near infrared light from LEDs, grow 150 to 200 percent faster than cells not stimulated by such light. Thus, the healing process speeds up as the light arrays increase energy inside these cells. It came to notice that in the first trial, the use of LEDs showed a significant relief to pediatric bone-marrow transplant patients suffering the ravages of oral mucositis. Thus, LEDs were found to be effective in overcoming the common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It was also found to be effective in the reduction of the mucositis problem which is very painful. 

The treatment device that is creating this magic is the 3-by-5-inch portable, flat array of light-emitting diodes that is held on the outside of the patients cheek. However, a foil is placed between the flesh and the LED array to avoid any kind of sham treatment. This clinical trial will go on for about three more years to complete with a total of 80 patients. 

After comparing the result of the first trial it was found that the percentage of patients with ulcerative oral mucositis to historical epidemiological controls were just 53 percent of the treated patients in the bone- marrow transplant group developed mucositis, considerably less than the usual rate of 70-90 percent. The researchers are still awaiting the the approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, before the device can be made available for widespread use.

These Leds have proven to be of utmost importance in hundreds of applications. Among the optics and optical market, these light emitting diodes are also known to be beneficial in providing lights for plants that are grown on the Space Station as part of commercial experiments sponsored by NASA industry.

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Jade Goody, Cancer and Diet

It is painful to acknowledge the fact that even in this modern era of 21st century "Cancer accounts for nearly one-quarter of deaths in the United States, exceeded only by heart diseases". In 2004, there were 553,888 cancer deaths in the US (23.1% of all death).

Heart disease accounts for 653,486 deaths which is about 27.2% of all death in USA. That means heart and cancer related death accounted more than 50 % of all death in USA in 2004.

Similarly let's have a look at some of the statistics in UK.
In the UK according to Cancer research UK, "One in four (26%) of all deaths in the UK are caused by cancer. There were 153,491 cancer deaths in the UK in 2005".

You might be wondering why I am quoting so many statistics about cancer and heart diseases.

The point is even when our knowledge about our diet has increased tremendously and medical science is in advanced stages, still majority of death even in the developed nations on this planet are happening with the decease which are linked with our diet.

Most of human body diseases like cancer and heart disease are linked with our food which we eat. If people are eating healthy food then how can there be more than 50 % death from heart and cancer diseases?

If we know what is healthy and if we eat healthy then our body should be healthy. It is that simple.

After looking at above statistics one can easily deduct the analysis the despite the big advancement in our knowledge about our diet still somehow somewhere we do not understand our diet or our food properly.

I like the following quotation from Hippocrates, the father of medicine (460-357 B.C.)"He who does not know food, how can he understand the diseases of man?" which is quite true even in this present time after more than 2350 years when he said.

It is a reality that we are still eating unhealthy food like fast food and meat which leads towards obesity, which is linked as one of the main cause of cancer and heart diseases, kind of diseases which should have been eliminated long time ago.

Recently I was reading the news headline that Britain is fast becoming the fast food nation. As per news published on US department of health and human service, NIH news website " Eating at Fast-food Restaurants More than Twice Per Week is Associated with more Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance in Otherwise Healthy Young Adults".

Another habit which is destroying people health in the western nations is of eating meat.

The main reason is first the meat itself is not healthy for the human being and second that it is contaminated. I would like to mention one statement here from-- Delmer Jones, President of the US Meat Inspector Union regarding contaminated meat, he said

" The labels are misleading the public. The labels should declare that the product has been contaminated with fecal material...Today, nationwide; line speeds are up to 140 to 160 carcasses per minute. It's not humanly possible for meat inspectors to do what they are required to do, which is to protect the consumer."

The extra weight we gain because of the fast food and contaminated meat puts you at risk for developing many diseases, especially heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, etc. So in a way the habit of eating fast food and meat is destroying your health and putting you in the great danger of losing health.

Sadly, recently in the UK ex celebrity Big brother star Jade Goody was diagnosed with the advanced stage of cervical cancer. Treatments for cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, surgery and drug treatments, or these in combination.

Jade Goody has stage 4 cervical cancer, which is when the disease is at its most advanced stage and has spread. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women under 35 after breast cancer.

Though Jade Goody is suffering with cancer but with the help of media her issue of cervical cancer has certainly created awareness among the citizens in the UK.

In the end I would like to say that if we correct our eating habits then not only we would have healthy body but we would certainly get rid of most of diseases like cancer and heart diseases which are killing most of the western nations.

Living with a healthy body is not a complicated rocket science. Our body is made up of food which we eat during our day to day life. If we are unhealthy at the moment then one thing is certain that the food which we eat is not good enough.

Healthy food habits will certainly lead you to good health forever.It is high time now that we should take action towards improving our diet before it is too late.

May all being be healthy.

Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, Holistic health consultant and author of the book "7 food habits for weight loss forever".

Subodh Gupta author and holistic health consultant is based in London and conducts Yoga, Nutrition, Stress Management and Weight loss workshops. http://www.subodhgupta.com, http://www.subodhgupta.com/yogaarticle/diet-cancer-jade-goody.html, http://www.subodhgupta.com/corporateyoga.html