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Living with Hepatitis? Dealing with Symptoms and Treatment Side Effects

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013

Here at ADRLF we often talk about eating right and living healthfully in order to minimize risk contracting hepatitis and developing other liver diseases. With recent panics over hepatitis outbreaks arising from contaminated food found in grocery stores, delicatessens, and contaminated tools used in dental clinics, it has become even more imperative that we talk not only of preventing, but also talk of dealing with hepatitis and some of its side effects.

Managing the challenges of living with hepatitis is important to keep a healthy and happy life. (Photo credit: Creative Commons/pudgeefeet)

Managing the challenges of living with hepatitis is important to keep a healthy and happy life. (Photo credit: Creative Commons/pudgeefeet)

Living with hepatitis can be very challenging, not only to infected individuals but also to their loved ones. How to live a quality life while dealing with the symptoms of hepatitis and treatment side effects? ADRLF has some suggestions.

Hepatitis comes with excruciating symptoms, and available treatments may not always relieve patients of pain and discomfort. There are simple alternative options that patients can opt for to complement their chemical treatments: diet and exercise!

Since hepatitis is a disease of the liver, the nature of the illness leaves patients with limited food options – food that are natural and unprocessed, thus not giving the liver the added pressure of breaking down hard-to-process food.

Fruits and vegetables should be your best friends! These easy to digest choices make it easier for your body to deal with prescribed medications.

Some patients have reported a decrease in appetite when undergoing hepatitis treatment. Unless your doctor gives specific diet instructions, it has been found very helpful for hepatitis patients to eat frequent but small meals every day.

Some chemical hepatitis treatments make patients depressed, aggravating the emotional stress over living with a chronic and potentially fatal disease. To deal with this, experts suggest doing regular and light exercise to keep endorphins pumped up. Endorphins are our body’s feel-good chemicals.

Another challenge hepatitis patients’ may experience is fatigue; fatigue due to both emotional and or chemical reasons.  A helpful remedy to such fatigue is herbal therapy. Some patients have found it useful to add herbal remedies to their diet such as ginseng, milk thistle and tea to ease physical and emotional pressures. These have been found to also aid the immune system as well as the digestive system – thus helping hepatitis patients manage disease symptoms and treatment side effects.

Beef Alternatives to Help Maintain a Healthy Liver- EASY AND YUMMY!

Monday, September 16th, 2013
Healthy protein alternatives are better options for liver health.

Healthy protein alternatives are better options for liver health. (Photo Credit: Creative Commons)

Beef is a sumptuous and delectable protein, but for numerous health reasons, health care experts suggest that we find healthier alternatives to enjoy in addition to occasional beef. 

These protein options don’t have to compromise our taste for a delicious and satisfying meal. Protein provides building blocks for new cells, and assists with tissue repair.  For people living with liver diseases, it is particularly necessary to enjoy about 70 grams of protein per day  to support a self-sufficient and well-functioning immune system. There are various sources of healthy protein such as nuts, organic white meats such as chicken, turkey and some cuts of pork that are free of harmful saturated fats and rich with other valuable nutrients such as antioxidants.

Organic chicken, especially the breast, is lean meat minus the preservatives and fat of standard beef. Organic chicken in contrast to a deli sandwich with meats like cured ham, bologna or salami which seems to be a lunchtime staple for those of in a rush is a much healthier option.  An organic chicken sandwich has less than 10 percent of fat than a regular deli sandwich.

Turkey has a rich flavor that could easily be a substitute for beef. Think of burgers, meatloaf, sloppy joe’s and meatballs – typical favorites that contain no less than 20 percent of fat. Swap the beef content with turkey which has about 8 percent of its calories coming from of fat, and you’re sure to feel good about what you eat!

Finally, nuts are a GREAT option.  They are called ‘super foods’ for a reason. With healthy unsaturated fats and high antioxidant content, nuts are loaded with nutrients that strengthen the cell membranes found in the liver and in other vital organs. Adding roasted or raw nuts to salads, for example, adds lots of flavor and provides adequate protein content. So the next time you meal plan for your daily protein needs, think of these simple and delectable choices that will definitely satisfy your taste buds and your liver.

Protein Myths and Your Liver

Thursday, August 15th, 2013

We all love need protein – whether it be from animals or plants—protein gives us essential amino acids we need to keep our bodies strong and healthy. But how much do we really understand about protein and its effects on our organs, especially the liver? Is there such as thing as too much protein, even if its from vegetables and grains? Let’s delve into two popular protein myths and how we can ensure our protein intake is safe for our liver.

Love meat? Learn more about healthy proteins to protect you liver.

Love meat? Learn more about healthy non-animal meat proteins to protect you liver and keep your body healthy.

Protein is made of 20 different amino acids, but only 11 of which can be naturally synthesized by our body. The other types of protein come from the food we eat. Essentially, it’s safe to say that while protein helps in building the cell wall, strengthening muscle tissues and supporting cell functions, our body actually just needs certain types of amino acids.

So myth or truth? The best source of protein is animal meat. MYTH

Eating red meat requires our digestive system, as well as our liver to do a lot of work processing the heavy bulk of protein. Experts suggest limiting the amount of red meat we eat to at most one serving a day.

There are other good sources of proteins like whole grains, green vegetables, nuts, peas and beans. Fruits also contain small amounts of protein. Compared to animal meat, vegetables and beans have phytochemicals, antioxidants and other nutrients. Nuts and beans containing antioxidants help the liver process the food and beverage that we take in, making it a healthier source of protein.

Myth or truth? People desiring to build lean muscle mass can eat as much protein-rich food as they want.

MYTH.

There is such a thing as too much protein. While protein is an essential nutrient, the overall health of our body lies in having a balanced diet. People building up muscles such as athletes and bodybuilders are no different.

The advisable amount of protein intake for men also differs from women. Consult your doctor or a nutritionist who can give you the appropriate amount of protein you should include in your diet, as based on your weight, age and daily activities. There are also vegan bodybuilders who get much of their protein requirements from vegetables and grains.

Eating too much protein can cause several health conditions such as ketosis, organ failure, and heart diseases. Too much protein can also be dangerous and stressful to the liver. So look out for other protein myths with the basic truth in mind: Keep protein intake in moderation and explore the benefits of non-animal sources of healthy proteins.

 

 

Summer Vacation? Make sure to vaccinate!

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

We all enjoy the long relaxed days of summer.  Usually  during the summer time, we all try to spend a day or two at the beach, or perhaps a long-weekend road trip along the coast, or if you’re lucky, a vacation abroad. But relaxing under the summer sun should not mean letting your guard down, when it comes to health and hygiene. Practice extreme caution to prevent contacting diseases including hepatitis on your vacation.

Stay safe and healthy under the summer sun (Photocredit: Moyan Brenn/Creative Commons)

Stay safe and healthy under the summer sun (Photocredit: Moyan Brenn/Creative Commons)

Hepatitis A, for example, can be acquired from contaminated water. In fact, even filtered sources of water, once it comes in contact with any infected food or person, may still be carriers of the hepatitis virus.

Unsafe water causes truly discomforting, and possibly fatal illnesses, such typhoid fever, dysentery, gastroenteritis and other intestinal ailments.

Summer heat and activities usually cause people to drink more water everyday. With this increase in the demand for drinking water, especially in places where sanitary conditions are substandard, water quality may not be prioritized, or ignored altogether.

Hepatitis A transmission can also happen from consuming contaminated food. While it would be very tempting to experience exotic street food, do a double-take on the sanitation environment before eating anything.

Before going for a vacation abroad, make sure to add immunization appointments to your to-do list. Getting vaccines for hepatitis A and B, for example, are cost effective ways to protect yourself and your family from diseases.

Vaccine for hepatitis A comes in two doses, the second given after 6 months. Hepatitis B vaccine is given in three doses over 6 months for adults, while children are advised to get three or four doses that are spread out over a period of 6 to 18 months. Adults may also get a combined immunization for hepatitis A and B.

Then the obvious question comes: What if you don’t have six months before your trip to complete the vaccination requirements? Considering the wide timeframe needed for all these vaccines, doctors strongly suggest that travelers get at least the fist dose to have partial immunity.

When going out and about in a new place, it would be a good idea to bring your own drinking water – ensuring of course that you got it from a safe and reliable source.

Finally, research on the health risks and prevalent diseases in your travel destination – not just the sights to see. This is not to blow the vacation bubble, but will help you be fully prepared. Staying vigilant regarding our health is a prerequisite for a stress-free, enjoyable holiday.

Sex with Puppets. A brand new Trend in Webcam Love-making Industry

Friday, July 19th, 2013

Sex with Puppets. A brand new Trend in Webcam Love-making Industry

We fucked the puppet! This is exactly what one webcam model composed about and shocked many people. She makes her living by performing hilarious and horrifying sex acts while using puppet whose name is definitely Slappy. Sounds pretty weird but this is what she does and this is what a lot of people observe. This girl was not embarrassed to see her name and illustrate what exactly she is doing in her live chat.

Her name is Veronica Chaos, she has her very own page and performs on the web camera. However , she does not do it alone and her partner is not really a human. It is a puppet, Slappy, who she uses showing her watchers vigorous love-making for money. She started to be a stripper in a club however it was not professional and the woman did not get good money. Therefore , she decided to try carrying out the same but at home. Veronica learned how to be a camera girl but she had from 10 to 20 persons only in her chatroom. Her name was shifting from page 1 to 2 then her chat ranking started coming down. Soon, she learned that a lot of girls do it and she needs to create a thing that will take watchers’ attention. She came across to the idea approach someone who would listen to her. So , she bought a puppet and became a puppet young lady.

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The woman bought a how-to book about ventriloquism and started rehearsing it with her puppet on the camera. She says it absolutely was a hard job but the lady tried her best. The woman realized that there is no other camshaft girl who does the same around the Internet. Soon, the number of her watchers started growing. She tells that a lot of people laughed at her videos nevertheless the majority was interested and kept watching the video clips until the end. It inspired her to go to the next level. She bought a new puppet and called him Slappy, just like a star from Night of the Living Dummy. Slappy was her favorite character and when she found his replicas on Amazon your woman was really happy because her dream was coming true.

The girl puppet explains to really ridiculous things. She told that her live chat watchers asked her to have sex with pretty everything that they have seen in her room: lamp, a bottle of water, hairbrush, and even glasses. One day someone asked her to have sex with a dummy and this is how factors started. She said that when ever that person asked her to acquire sex with a puppet, your woman did not expect it nonetheless decided to do it. She also made a decision to write an announcement on her behalf page saying that she is going to bone a dummy and her room immediately was capped up with an incredible number of watchers. It absolutely was the biggest audience Veronica has ever performed in front of on the web.

She awoke the next morning feeling absolutely embarrassed for her show. The only one reason you will not expect so why she felt shy is really because she liked it. Your woman used a horrifying fetish in front of hundreds of watchers in the Internet but she relished it. Still kept performing with the doll, however , the lady felt uncomfortable because the Slappy puppet could not speak to her. She added theatrical factors like musical duets to the show to cover up the difficult silence.

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Veronica came up with a new idea – she chosen to attach a dildo to a doll and her viewership went way up. The group grew from 10 individuals to a 1, 000. Some of her watchers stayed online simply to see whether she is serious about puppet webcam have sex with, some laughed but the majority of them became her fans. While things went well, the lady started writing skits and full-blown storylines to keep her regular watchers curious about upcoming videos. One of the latest skits was a proposal. The Slappy possesses proposed to Veronica over a St Valentine’s Day. The wedding itself will be filmed and then proven to her fans.

The weirdest thing about Veronica’s channel is when ever Slappy ejaculates with fraudulent blood. This is a definitely a murderous moment between other strange things that she does with the toy. Videos with titles seeing http://no.blablacams.com/gruppesex that girl fucks ejaculating dildo are very popular. A lot of webcam models use such fetish which entertains the watchers. However , it was not enough for Veronica and the woman decided to use a fake blood. The girl also tells that she started thinking of the doll as of her spouse. She becomes nervous when she thinks about their marriage. She even said that she could get very upset whenever her loved one disappears. Seems like the slappy girl really believes in the game she is playing and considers a toy as her true good friend and a lover who this lady has feelings for.

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There are an incredible number of web cam girls whom perform every single minute for the Internet. Young and mature gals are not shy taking their clothes off and show a live xxx performance within the camera. Watching nude females with the ability to talk to them and offer commands does excite persons. However , such huge number of intimacy cam girls who provide the same services will soon start off dropping. Maybe, puppet fetish is a new fashion and Veronica’s story will become an inspiration for other open minded girls who want to earn money on the Internet.

You can see Veronica Chaos on Forums. She performs every weekend and her show will for certain shock you. In a great way or bad, depends on the perception but you will definitely not really see a puppet fuck that way anywhere else.

Liver Stem Cell Therapy – A Possibility?

Monday, July 8th, 2013

Ever improving stem cell technology has generated so much hope in developing more precise treatments, especially to fatal illnesses like cancer. Experts have successfully grown liver stem cells – primary liver cells that they believe could improve hepatitis and liver cancer treatments. Now that is worth some celebrating!

A sample human stem cell, which provides a novel way to treat diseases (Photo Credit: Creative Commons/ The JCB)

A sample human stem cell, which provides a novel way to treat diseases (Photo Credit: Creative Commons/ The JCB)

Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Oregon collaborated with experts from Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research of the Netherlands to investigate on possible methods of liver stem cell culture using samples from mice. They were able to successfully grow a few cell samples into considerable sizes on a dish, an accomplishment that is first of its kind.

Also a high point of their study was transferring the cultured mouse liver cells into a mouse model of a liver that is affected by a disease. To their delight, the cultured liver cells continued to grow inside the model, and showed some signs of healing.

Primary liver cells, also called hepatocytes are the liver’s chief functional cells that perform most of the liver’s complex metabolic tasks. For years, researchers have tried to grown hepatocytes, which could provide significant biomedical advantages, including cell therapy.

For people with liver cancer, this could mean having a safe and credible source of liver cells as an alternative to liver transplant. Experts say that growing hepatocytes could also be useful in ensuring safe drug screening methods.

Stem cell therapy is already a popular intervention for treating blood and immune system conditions, as well as numerous skin diseases. It involves a careful medical procedure of introducing adult cells that are grown from early cells or stem cells, into damaged tissues.

The possibility of liver stem cell therapy, especially for those with chronic liver diseases, could definitely ease the worry of hundreds of people anxiously waiting for liver transplants.

Tech Update: Watch Liver Treatment At Work!

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

Researchers  who focused on liver cancer treatment have developed a novel technology to witness chemotherapy as it targets cancerous tumors. With these advanced scanners, physicians can see in real time the treatment process, and evaluate if it is working as expected.  This is truly a remarkable advance.

New CT Scan technology targets specific tumors. (Photo Credit: Creative Commons)

New CT Scan to target specific tumors. (Photo: Creative Commons)

Researchers at John Hopkins University have collaborated with Dutch radiologists on what proves to be the best medical innovation. They have developed specialized CT scans that produce real-time images of cancerous tumors as they disintegrate during chemotherapy sessions.

The researchers have used the scanners on 27 liver cancer patients to test its efficacy. The scanner is easy to use and mobile.  It is the size of a standard laptop computer. It produces quality digital imaging, which researchers believe could still be refined and improved.

Chemotherapy for liver cancer works as an injectable medication. The anti-cancer drug is placed directly into the tumors and nearby blood vessels. Within seconds, a successful treatment seems to cause the tumors to shrink and die.

This scanning technology is still under full development, but its potential as a standard equipment in cancer diagnosis and treatment could significantly improve the survival chances of many cancer patients. For one, it could save patients in advanced stages of cancer a lot of time by cutting the waiting time in finding out if one type of therapy is working. Also, it could help treat patients with rapidly developing cancer.

A case in point: At present, many liver cancer patients go through chemoembolization. This treatment uses doxorubicin, which is injected into liver cancer tumors. It takes several weeks for the chemotherapy agent to seep into the tumor, and thus, patients need to wait for at least a month to know if the therapy is effective.

With these CT scans, patients with liver cancer need not endure weeks of waiting, and get the necessary results as soon as possible. This is truly an exciting news!

Artificial 3D Livers Could Replace Animals in Clinical Drug Testing

Monday, June 10th, 2013

In the process of developing of new drugs, scientists have often required the selfless cooperation of our little fury friends – animals. I know what you must be thinking – Isn’t that some form of animal cruelty!?! While no harm is imposed on animal clinical test subjects, experts have nonetheless been trying to devise new testing methods that would end, or at least cut down the use of animal participation in the laboratory. The good news is that researchers at Heriot-Watt University are onto something very promising: artificial human livers that may be viable and available for drug testing!

3D Liver captioning promises more visually accurate diagnosis and treatment options.

3D Liver capturing promises more visually accurate diagnosis and treatment options.

The idea is that artificial livers could be created using actual human cells. With artificial livers, experts could create a new platform for using artificial organs to discover and develop more life-saving drugs.

The team at Heriot-Watt is in the process of creating smaller tissues to form a human liver.  This £100,000 project makes use of the latest technology that is designed to ‘print’ the liver cells onto a digital, three-dimensional surface.

Creating a new drug is a rigorous process of trial and error. To date, pharmaceutical companies have been using a considerable number of experimental animals. These projects are also expensive and often inconclusive, especially when product testing fails during critical stages of development, usually involving human subjects.

The advantages of artificial liver technology are both financial as well as advantageous technically.   Aspects of drug development can be greatly improved upon if artificial replicas of human livers were to be used.  Artificial livers would not only cut the use of live animals in product testing, but also boost the time frame for clinical trials. Results may be achieved faster and sooner.

This “liver-on-a-chip” technique will make it possible for researchers to test on human organ models earlier than ever done before. Glitches on the drug design and composition will be identified long before it is forwarded to a more expensive testing phase.

Most drug companies today make use of two-dimensional cell cultures for drug testing. These, however, are not as efficient when compared with Heriot-Watt’s 3-D modeling and cell-printing technique. The potential of this new technology is clearly boundless and exciting.

 

THE AL D. RODRIGUEZ LIVER FOUNDATION AND THE WILLIAM F. RYAN COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK RAISE OVER $10,000 AT KARAOKE NIGHTS!

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013
Original art work by Alvaro made for the successful event

Original art work by Alvaro made for the successful event

NEW YORK, NY: The Al D. Rodriguez Liver Foundation (ADRLF) hosted another successful event on April 8, 2013, “Karaoke Nights.” Produced in association with the William F. Ryan Community Health Center, the event raised over $10,000 – money that will help support ADRLF’s initiatives in the future.

Hosted by television personality and ADRLF board member Carson Kressley the event was fabulous and fun.  Among those in attendance were drag performer Sweetie (channeling Vicki Carr for her number), The Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, NY 1 Onstage and LA Times reporter Patrick Pacheco and Broadway veterans Carmen Ruby Floyd,  J. Bernard Calloway and Harriett D. Foy (ADRLF board member).  Also present was respected artist Alvaro, who created and donated the evening’s artwork.  The artwork raised $300 during a silent auction held at the event.

“SCREEN, VACCINATE…DON’T HESITATE!”

See you next year!!

National Hepatitis Awareness Month: ADRLF campaigns for adequate hepatitis screening

Friday, May 31st, 2013
ADRLF's Carson Kressley and Dr Carlos Ortiz supported the National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day in New York.

ADRLF’s Carson Kressley and Dr Carlos Ortiz supported the National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day in New York.

For Hepatitis treatment and prevention, AWARENESS is critical. On May 14, ADRLF joined the Latino Commission on AIDS in celebrating National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day in order to promote the importance of hepatitis awareness and testing for all.

“We want to show solidarity with an organization dedicated to education about the importance of screening and knowledge about the dangers of the Hepatitis virus,” said ADRLF’s Dr. Carlos Ortiz who spoke at the event along with Carson Kressley on the importance of ending viral hepatitis and the need for testing.

Organized by National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day, New York Hep B Coalition and New York Hep C Task Force, the event is part of the Hepatitis Awareness Month celebration and a precursor to the National Hepatitis Testing Day on May 19. It kicked off with a major press conference on the steps of City Hall where public health officials, community leaders and supporters gathered to raise awareness about this global epidemic.

Hepatitis is a silent killer that claims the lives of over 15,000 Americans each year. In New York City, there are about 245,000 living with hepatitis, and around 25 percent develop liver cancer without medical intervention. In spite of the global prevalence of hepatitis, many at-risk populations and the public in general lack adequate information about this deadly disease. The National Hepatitis Awareness Day was especially established to make education and testing widely available, especially to those who have difficult access to medical services and insurance.

“The current way that people are being screened is inadequate,” Dr. Ortiz told the enthusiastic crowd. “Only people with risk factors are being screened, it fails to identify 75% of people with Hepatitis C. People are unable to identify of they have risk factors or don’t know if they have risk factors; hence, they do not get tested.” Dr. Ortiz shared the memory of Al D. Rodriguez, who was unaware of his chronic hepatitis, and succumbed to the disease only six weeks after he was diagnosed of liver cancer.

“If we were screening and treating before it progresses, a lot of money and lives can be saved,” explained Dr Ortiz. “The cost of screening and vaccinations offsets the cost of treating someone who is end stage.”

For this National Hepatitis Awareness Month, let’s all be bearers of the urgent call:
SCREEN. VACCINATE. DON’T HESITATE!