New Treatment Ways: January 2009

Acne Scars - Can They Be Cleared Painlessly With Microdermabrasion

Acne scars are for life. As most of them form on the face, it becomes a major cosmetic problem. Those who have acne scars want to get rid of them. But when they meet their doctor and hear about the time, money and pain that will involve procedures such as Chemical peeling, dermabrasion and laser they go into deep thought. Can microdermabrasion performed repeatedly give an answer? Let us find out.

Acne scar types-

You may develop saucer type scars, or ice pick scars or keloids. With keloids you can do nothing, but with the other two scar types, you can something with microdermabrasion. If you wish to remove the scars at one go, you have to undergo some of the procedures I mentioned above but if you are patient and can wait for the scars to go away slowly and are happy with some improvement, microdermabrasion may help.

Microdermabrasion and skin-

In microdermabrasion small crystals are thrown at a high velocity and collected back by vacuum. These small crystals abrade the skin surface in a minimal way, removing the dead skin cells and some disfigured spots slowly. With repeated treatments, you may see some improvement in the scars. As new skin keeps forming, the scars may get less conspicuous. You should talk to your doctor about the kind of results you will get painlessly and a little cost from microdermabrasion. As there are two types of procedures- one performed by the doctors with a higher power and other at beauty salons with a lower power, you should find out about which of them is suitable for you. You also get home use machines. Talk to your doctor about all the options and probably you may get your look back at a very little cost and pain.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Food Additive Combinations and ADHD

The concept of food additives, which include artificial colors and flavorings used in food processing, and their influence on ADD and ADHD is nothing new. Starting in the mid-1970's by Feingold as well as others, the idea that artificial food ingredients may have some type of pharmacological impact on neurodevelopmental disorders became a hot topic of discussion.

Today, the debate rages on as to how much of an effect these chemical ingredients really have on our systems. I am not going to lend my full support to either side of this discussion any time soon, because the evidence is strong for both arguments. Instead, I wanted to look at a less-discussed but equally important topic on the effects of food additives and ADHD, namely the synergistic effects of these compounds.

In terms of our discussion today, a synergistic effect is where two or more compounds or chemicals, when used in combination together, result in a greater impact than the sum of their individual effects (the concept of the "whole" being greater than the "sum of the parts"). For example, if a specific concentration of food chemical "A" reduces nerve cell growth by 10% and a specific concentration of food chemical "B" reduces growth by 15%, then, theoretically, a combination of these two concentrations together should decrease cell growth by about 25%. However, if the two chemicals combined (and all other factors being carefully controlled) reduce growth by, say 50%, then the cause is likely a synergistic effect or interaction between chemicals "A" and "B".

The investigation into synergistic effects of food additives stems from an article done by Lau and coworkers on how four food additives, well-known for their potential neurotoxic effects as individual agents, can potentially be even more devastating when used in combination.

The four food additives in question were as follows:

Brilliant Blue, also referred to as "Blue1" and "E133" (in Europe)
Quinoline Yellow, also referred to as Yellow 13 or E104
Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal): and artificial sweetener often used in diet soft drinks
MSG: short for Monosodium Glutamate or a salt form of L-glutamic acid, often used in Chinese foods and, (to a lesser extent now), potato chips and french fries

The study found that two pairings of the above compounds had notably significant synergistic effects. Brilliant Blue, when combined with MSG, showed a strong decrease in a process called neurite outgrowth. Neurite outgrowth, essentially, is the process where neurons begin to develop and differentiate, and eventually results in the interaction of neurons with either other neurons or cells of different systems such as muscle cells. In addition to the Brilliant Blue and MSG combination, the combination of Quinoline Yellow and Aspartame also showed a strong additive effect on inhibiting neurite outgrowth.

The process of neurite outgrowth is a major indicator of overall cell health with regards to the nervous system. Additionally, this process is especially critical during the neurodevelopmental stages, which starts during embryonic development, and can continue on until an individual is in his or her 20's. However, the period of greatest development (and greatest potential sensitivity to chemical agents), is between the sixth month of gestation to the first few years after birth. As a result, (in my humble opinion) anything that inhibits this process, should be taken seriously, especially during the early developmental stages in life.

It is also worth mentioning that the levels of these different chemical agents done in the study by Lau were below concentrations which typically cause neurotoxic problems on their own. In other words, these two combinations (Quinoline Yellow/Aspartame, as well as MSG/Brilliant Blue) showed extremely pronounced effects with regards to inhibiting key neurodevelopmental processes. Between these two combinations, the combined effects of Quinoline Yellow and Aspartame were more pronounced than the MSG/Brilliant Blue.

As far as the status of these four agents is concerned, three of the four (MSG, Brilliant Blue and Aspartame) are currently available in the United States, with Quinoline Yellow being banned. In the United Kingdom, where the study was done, all four of the compounds were still used in food processing. Brilliant Blue, while used in the US and UK, has been banned in most of Europe.

It is believed that the two flavor enhancers, aspartame and MSG both work via a type of biological receptor proteins called NMDA receptors. Without going into too much detail here (we will save the NMDA receptor topic for future posts), NMDA receptors play a huge role in the regulation of ion channels, which are critically important in a number of processes in a number of systems, including the nervous system. One of the key "target molecules" for these NMDA receptors is glutamate, which, as we've seen above is the major component of MSG. Additionally, part of the molecule of Aspartame is comprised of a form of aspartate, which is a form of a common natural dietary amino acid and is chemically similar to glutamate.

The reason that the above information is relevant to our topic of discussion is that glutamate and NMDA are both key biological agents involved in neuro-signaling processes which are significant factors with regards to ADHD and other disorders. In other words, chemical agents which interfere with this NMDA/glutamate "channel", often can, at least in theory, have an effect on the onset and symptomology of ADHD. We will go into much more detail on this process in later blog entries.

In addition to these concerns, we must also be aware of the fact that the NMDA receptor is a target of a number of different drugs and pharmacological agents. As a result, there is also the potential for synergistic effects between food additives and NMDA receptor drugs. In addition to current concerns of negative drug-drug (and now food additive-food additive) interactions, we must also be careful with regards to potential drug-food additive interactions. These interactions are easy to overlook, and, given the abundance of artificial food additives, are almost impossible to avoid completely.

Even if these four agents listed above all become banned at some point, I personally believe that this study should raise an alarm and open the way to a number of future studies on the effects of specific combinations of food additives. As highlighted in the article, one of the main problems with "elimination" diets for food allergies or toxicities, is that they often examine the food compounds in isolation, as opposed to combination. This study hopefully sheds some light on the fact that, perhaps, instead of just looking at individual food additives and their negative effects on ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, we should be paying an equal amount of attention to investigating the negative effects of different combinations of these ingredients, especially the most common food-additive combinations that are currently available.

Beauty News: Tanning Drug Approved for Clinical Trial

Photo by Angeluzzo at Flickr.comDid you hear about a drug that makes you tanned?A drug that stimulates melanin production and turns skin caramel for up to two months has received U.S. government approval to begin clinical trials.A man made hormone called afamelanotide is injected into the skin to stimulate tanning. The drug is being developed as a treatment for patients whose health due to rare

Celebrity Beauty: Best and Worst Dressed at SAG Awards

It was kind of hard for me to get very excited about any celebrity look at SAG Awards last Sunday. But I did have a couple favorite ones. Here they are: I am not a fan of much ruching but this dress by Dolce & Gabbana looks beautiful Roasario Dawson. This is my favorite dress from SAG awards. I really like this coral gown on Laura Linney. The whole look with loosely tousled hair and the floor

Beauty Review: Verite Moisture Relief Cream by Estee Lauder

Product Tag Line: Extra help for sensitive skin that tends to be dryProduct Profile in short and the Promise: (as described on Estee Lauder web-site)• Helps rebuild moisture defense barrier. • Special anti-irritants help reduce the appearance of redness common to sensitive skin. • Leaves skin feeling silky, cushioned.What’s Inside: Don’t know! Let’s see!Close-up on Active Ingredients:

ADHD vs. OCD: Brain regions and bloodflow patterns

ADHD and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) are two disorders that often fall at the opposite end of the neurochemical spectrum. However, the two disorders, which are sometimes comorbid (occur alongside one another), actually share a fair degree of similarity with regards to underlying causes. It is believed that both disorders are the result of chemical imbalances in similar brain regions. One of these brain regions is the prefrontal cortex (orange region in figure below, please click here for original image source):

In the brain diagram above (side view, the left is the front of the head), the area highlighted in orange constitutes what is referred to as the prefrontal cortex region. We have previously alluded to the connection between the prefrontal cortex region and ADHD. It is believed that levels of the free signaling neurotransmitter dopamine are significantly lower in this region of the brain in ADHD individuals.

In addition, evidence strongly suggests a reduction in blood flow in the prefrontal cortex for ADHD individuals. This region can be likened to a "braking" region in the brain, in which inhibitory judgment and control of behaviors is thought to occur. Therefore, under activity in this critical brain region, either via deficiency in blood flow or chemical signaling agents and processes is thought to reduce the ability of the individual to inhibit unwanted responses and behaviors. As a result, impulsive behavior, which is a hallmark characteristic of ADHD is more likely to occur if this brain region is underactive.

On the other hand, this brain region has also been implicated as a critical brain region in cases of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). However, unlike ADHD, where the prefrontal cortex region of the brain is believed to be underactive, in cases of OCD, the prefrontal cortex activity is thought to be overactive.

An increasingly popular method of determining brain activity is performed by using a process called SPECT. SPECT, which is short for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, utilizes a radioactive tracer of a compound which involves a radioactive isotope of the element Technetium. This chemical complex of Technetium can be used as a tracer to measure blood flow patterns to the brain, which is a method of detecting overall brain activity. In general, the higher the level of this "marked" blood, the more active a particular brain region is thought to be. This can be especially useful in determining which brain regions are used for specific tasks, such as problem solving or exercises involving heavy concentration. It is often the change in blood flow patterns between "resting" or "relaxed" states vs. cognitive tasks which can often give a clear picture of information as to how "hard" a specific brain region is working to complete the specific task.

While the above process is relatively safe and non-invasive, the idea of doing brain scans involving radioactive tracers and gamma radiation detection methods have significantly limited the use of this method of brain imaging in children and adolescents. However, since both ADHD and OCD often present themselves as disorders originating in early childhood or adolescence, relatively few studies have been done on SPECT-derived brain images in these individuals.

Returning to the ADHD vs. OCD topic of discussion, a relatively recent study was performed using children and adolescents with one of these two disorders, making it one of the few reported studies of its kind involving this particular age group of the population. Although relatively small in the number of test subjects, the study did confirm earlier presumptions regarding blood flow and brain activity of these two disorders, such as in a recent SPECT study on adults with ADHD.

The study found that there was a significantly lower level of blood flow (and therefore brain activity) in specific brain regions for the ADHD children vs. those seen in the OCD children. A strong attempt was made to compare images of ADHD vs. OCD children of the same age and gender in order to reduce the impact of developmental differences.

Below is rough sketch of some of the brain regions compared between the ADHD and OCD children from the study (for original image source, please click here). In this diagram, we are looking at the brain from the right side of an individual facing to the right. The term "cortex", used throughout this post, refers to the outer layers of a particular region. The term "prefrontal" cortex, as seen in the previous diagram, typically refers more toward the outer layer of the brain, right behind the forehead region:

Using the above diagram as a reference, here are some of the findings by Oner and coworkers regarding the differences in cerebral blood flow between ADHD and OCD children:

A quick word of caution: I am not going to go over the statistical methods used in the study in detail. However, given the relatively small sample size and numerical "cutoffs" for a difference to be statistically significant (as opposed to getting a difference just because of random chance due to natural variations with regards to sample sizes), the only region which met the criteria of being statistically significant in this study was the right prefrontal cortex. Nevertheless, there were some differences in blood flow patterns for some other brain regions, which, while not statistically "significant", were still somewhat noteworthy. The left prefrontal cortex should be noted in particular. Keep in mind that for this region it appears that activity is higher in ADHD than OCD, while the opposite is true for the right prefrontal cortex. I thought this difference was worth at least a mention in this post.

A few things worth noting from these differences in brain function between OCD and ADHD individuals:

Both ADHD and OCD are believed to be disorders associated with the glutamatergic system. While we will not go into too much detail here, glutamatergic activity involves glutamate, which is a form of one of the common amino acids and is a major neurotransmitting (a signaling process between cells in the nervous system) agent. ADHD is believed to be a hypoglutamatergic disorder (lower than normal activity of the glutamatergic system) while OCD is believed to be hyperglutamatergic (higher than normal activity of the glutamatergic system). In other words, ADHD and OCD are two disorders which are both believed to be imbalances of the same signaling or neurotransmitting system, but on opposite sides of the spectrum.

Gender may play a role in the magnitude of difference between metabolic activities in the brains of ADHD individuals. A study by Zametkin and coworkers found a more pronounced difference in brain metabolism in girls with ADHD. A similar finding was seen in a study by Ernst on reduced brain metabolism in hyperactive girls.

ADHD, OCD and Tourette's Syndrome may all share a common pathway involving a group of brain regions called the CSTC (which is short for cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical pathway). While I will not go into any more detail here, and save this for future discussion, this potential connection is worth mentioning because these three disorders often have a relatively high degree of overlap. We have already investigated some of the overlap between ADHD and Tourette's in previous posts.

Additionally, ADHD, OCD, autism and schizophrenia have all been connected to the frontostriatal region of the brain. The frontostriatal brain system is comprised of multiple brain regions, one of them being part of the prefrontal cortex.

***Please note: I do not want to open the door of erroneously linking multiple unrelated disorders together. I believe that it is one of the negative tendencies of researchers to attempt to link multiple disorders together based on insufficient evidence in an attempt to find some sort of unified underlying cause to everything. While I admit that I myself am susceptible to this natural bias as well, I try to avoid making these types of false conclusions as much as possible. Nevertheless, the last point was meant more to illustrate that a number of disorders which have been frequently listed as comorbid to ADHD do tend to exhibit differences in overlapping brain regions, especially the prefrontal cortex. In my opinion, the prefrontal cortex is, therefore, potentially the most critical brain region to study when investigating ADHD comorbid disorders.

While the prefrontal cortex region is a crucially important brain region with regards to ADHD and related disorders, it is by no means the only one involved in these processes. We will investigate some of these other key brain regions in posts in the near future.

Acne Treatment: How To Fight Bacteria

Acne is an inflamed disease of the skin, and it has many causes. One such cause is bacteria that is breeding in the pores of the skin. When the body's immune system is weak, it becomes allergic to this type of bacteria. Blood cells are attracted to fight the allergy, and the pores become blocked. Oil secretions begin to build up at these pores and provide a breeding ground for even more bacteria. Eventually, pimples form.

When faced with a bacteria causing acne, it is likely that you will begin to panic. Just imagine when you have red bumps that resemble small boils on your face. These red bumps get filledl with a nasty puss caused by the body fighting the infection of the bacteria. What can you do? Well, there are a number of things that you can do to fight the bacteria for acne treatment.

Treatments that kill the bacteria that cause acne included the use of antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline and minocyclne. These are to be taken orally. Also topical antibiotics or bactericides like Benzoyl peroxide or erythromycin can help. The bacteria also known as “P. acnes”, does however become resistant to the antibiotics eventually. However Benzoyl peroxide, an oxidizer, does not seem to generate resistance by the bacteria. While the acne will come back, it is a short term and temporary cure and is applied topically.

Gently exfoliating the skin can also help. This method can be done by using a cloth or a liquid scrub, or by using certain chemicals. Chemical exfoliating substances include salicylic acid and glycolic acid. Both of these agents cause a peeling of the top layer of skin, which prevents a build up of dead skin.

Another over the counter acne treatment is salicylic acid, which softens skin and gets rid of dead skin cells, which in turn unclogs pores. Many face wash products contain this ingredient. Also sulfur contained in many over the counter products works well for many people. Another product is glycolic acid, which is found in anti-aging products as well as acne medicines.

However, natural health practitioners prefer to recommend the use of natural acne treatment. Tea tree oil is gaining in popularity. It kills the bacteria and also reduces redness and inflammation. It works much the same as Benzoyl peroxide but causes less skin irritation. Tee trea oil can be easily found at health food stories.

Acupuncture is used by some and is thought to alleviate hormonal imbalances in the body. Those who use acupuncture also usually suggest lifestyle changes and a change in diet, including cutting back on dairy products.

Light therapy is another natural remedy to fight the bacteria that has many adherents. Many people believe that the bacteria that causes acne insensitive to light in the blue wavelength of the light spectrum. Light therapy means shining blue light onto a patient for fifteen minutes at a time twice a week, usually for four weeks. This treatment can be expenses, running about $150 per treatment. Not all patients have had good results, but some have. Also since light in this wavelength is not harmful to the skin, there are no side effects or after effects.

Some people think that acne is caused by poor hygiene and by eating certain foods. There is no scientific evidence linking diet to acne. But a good diet sure will not hurt in skin repair and damaged tissues.

Good personal hygiene also goes a long way in your acne treatment. Also using makeup that doesn’t clog pores helps prevent the spread of bacteria and acne from getting worse.

Any of the above mentioned methods for acne treatment should help you in your fight against bacteria. You will see clearer skin as your bacteria is being wiped out. Practising good hygiene and adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle should also help in the acne inflammation. Good luck!

Beauty Controversy: Using Foreskin from Circumcised New Borns for Anti-Ageing

Photo by Almoko at Flickr.comNew anti-ageing treatment that claims to be permanent, unlike muscle relaxers and fillers, is currently under development by a British biomedical company Intercytex. It is called Vavelta and is made from a clear liquid derived from babies’ foreskins. The liquid contains fibroblasts and is injected into skin to treat signs of ageing, burns and acne scars. Fibroblast

ADHD, Alcoholism and Nutrient Deficiencies

This will probably be the last blog post on the ADHD and alcoholism connection. We have investigated the connection between ADHD and alcoholism with regards to:

Size and function of specific brain regions, such as the corpus callosum.

The prevalence of ADHD in children of male alcoholics

The theory behind omega-3 fatty acids, which are often deficient in ADHD and maintain cell structure and function

How specific genes which encode for desaturase enzymes, can actually interact with alcohol and and omega-3 fatty acids and all combine to influence the likelihood of ADHD.

Now we will investigate another potential connection between the disorders of ADHD and alcoholism, which involves alcohol-induced deficiencies of key vitamins and minerals which are often deficient in individuals with ADHD. We will list some of these key nutrients below:

Magnesium: (Here are recommended daily magnesium intake levels)

We have posted on this nutrient extensively in the past. For example, there is relatively strong evidence of a connection between magnesium deficiency and childhood ADHD. Additionally, there are a number of disorders which occur alongside of ADHD, which are called comorbid disorders. Magnesium levels are thought to influence some of these ADHD comorbid disorders as well. Co-treatment with vitamin B6 has been shown to boost magnesium's effects for ADHD treatment as well. Finally, I have outlined some other nutrient treatment combinations thought to boost the effectiveness of magnesium for ADHD.

Magnesium deficiencies are also common in chronic alcoholics. There are several potential reasons for this including decreased absorption and increased urinary loss of magnesium, dietary deficiencies as alcohol calorically replaces magnesium-rich foods, and decreased retention due to liver dysfunction. Unfortunately, the actual process of quitting alcohol use can also result in magnesium shortages. This is due to the alcohol withdrawal process in which results in fatty acid composition changes and the buildup of compounds in a process called ketoacidosis. These compositional changes during the alcohol withdrawal process can result in products which bind to magnesium and reduce its serum levels. A review by Krishnel and coworkers on the efficacy of intravenous vitamins for alcoholics in the emergency department touted the benefits of oral magnesium supplementation for admitted alcoholic patients.

Thiamine (also spelled "thiamin"): (Here are recommended daily thiamin intake levels).

There are several studies pointing towards a connection between chronic alcohol abuse and thiamine deficiency, although the scope of these effects is still under debate. Thiamine deficiency has been implicated for a disorder called Wernicke's encephalopathy. Wernicke's encephalopathy does have some overlap in symptoms with ADHD, such as impaired short-term memory, but beyond this, there is little connection between the two disorders. One thing to note about thiamine is that while there is minimal research done on the possible connection between its deficiency and ADHD, thiamine does play a major role in the process of glucose metabolism. Individuals with ADHD have often shown sub-average blood glucose levels to several key brain regions. Some studies have even implicated a potential risk of thiamine depletion caused by rapid glucose administration (such as through IV treatment).

Vitamin B-6: (Here are recommended daily vitamin B-6 intake levels)

Vitamin B-6 has had numerous implications for both the causes and treatment of ADHD. B6 has been shown to assist and boost the effects of magnesium in treating ADHD. Vitamin B6 has an "active form", which is often referred to as pyridoxal phosphate (PLP).

Chronic alcoholism can lead to a condition known as hyperhomocysteinemia. This disorder is the result of excessive buildup of the compound homocysteine. Homocysteine has been implicated as a major factor in a number of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases and is a leading culprit of stroke and arterial damage. In addition to these disorders, high homocysteine levels are thought to play an indirect role in the onset of ADHD.

Vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folic acid all play a role in regulating homocysteine levels. In fact, there is thought to be a minimal level for each of vitamin B6, B12 and folate to combat excessive homocysteine levels. Below is a rough sketch of how homocysteine is converted to the more benign and extremely important bodily antioxidant glutathione. This is important, because ADHD individuals have often been shown to have lower than normal levels of this ubiquitous antioxidant (as well as antioxidant levels in general). Upping the conversion of homocysteine to glutathione through B vitamin-dependent pathways therefore presents two different therapeutic measures for the ADHD sufferer.

At this point, there is no need to familiarize yourself with the intermediate steps in the process, just note that the "active" form of vitamin B-6, Pyridoxal phosphate or PLP is needed in not one, but two different steps of this conversion process. Low levels of this key nutrient can lead to a backup of homocysteine as this process is severely hampered.

Vitamin B-12: (Here are recommended daily vitamin B-12 intake levels)

As mentioned above, vitamin B-12 also plays a critical role in maintaining homocysteine levels. It, along with folate (the "nutritionally active" form of folic acid), actually work together, along with a third compound called betaine) in converting potentially dangerously high levels of homocysteine back to the amino acid methionine. Keep in mind that deficiencies of vitamin B-12 can cause problems with regards to homocysteine buildup as an under balance of vitamin B12 with respect to folate can boost homocysteine levels. Keep this in mind when we proceed to the folic acid discussion, as isolated supplementation with folate can offset the desired B12/folate balance and be counterproductive. A brief diagram of this process can be seen below:

A quick note: If you look at the diagram above, you can see that the process of removing homocysteine by converting it to methionine can actually continue on to another important compound, S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe). There has been a lot of discussion surrounding SAMe as a possible supplement used to treat ADHD. We will save this discussion for a later time, but it is at least worth mentioning that there have been some very positive things said about this nutrient. Additionally, SAMe has been shown to help protect against liver damage (even to the point of reversing the process), which, as we know, is extremely common in alcoholics. Also note that betaine supplementation can also help offset alcohol-induced liver damage, so the betaine mentioned in the above process is multifunctional with regards to ADHD and alcoholism.

In addition, there may be a connection between vitamin B-12 deficiencies and food allergies (which are often associated with a rise in ADHD-like behaviors themselves). This is in part, due to the connection between B-12 deficiencies and pernicious anemia. This is characterized by a reduction of gastric acid secretion through damage to cells in the stomach called parietal cells. Food allergies, which have been associated with ADHD, can be exacerbated by weak stomach acid levels, as food allergens which are normally broken down by sufficient acid are now present at higher levels. We have seen the effects of damage to the stomach and other digestive organs in the case of our earlier post on celiac disease and its correlation with ADHD symptoms.

***Keep in mind that this B-12/food allergy and ADHD connection is more hypothetical at this point, relatively little published information is available to confirm this indirect connection. Nevertheless, I personally believe that this possible association is at least worth mentioning.

Folic Acid/Folate: (Here are recommended daily folate intake levels)

As alluded to above, we have seen the intricate connection between vitamin B-12 and folate (folic acid is the synthetic form of folate used in food fortification. Within the scope of this post, I am using the two terms interchangeably). With regards to cognitive function and relevant disorders such as ADHD, there is also an important relationship regarding the balance of these two nutrients. For example, a relatively recent study found that for vitamin B-12 deficient individuals, folate is actually connected to folate and reduced cognitive function. However, when ample B-12 levels were available, higher folate levels were protective against cognitive impairment. Thus we see that folate can potentially be a double-edged sword in the war against high homocysteine levels and reduced cognitive function, and that folate's effectiveness is grossly dependent on an adequate vitamin B-12 balance.

Aside from the homocysteine/B-12 connection, it also appears that folate plays other critical roles which can indirectly affect the severity of negative symptoms associated with ADHD. Additionally, folic acid has been found to have a protective effect against formic acid, a neurotoxin. This relationship actually stems from the neurotoxic effects of methanol, which is often found in alcoholic beverages either as a congener (essentially a side product in alcoholic beverages, which actually play a factor in the hangover process), or through endogenous formation (within the body). One of the problems with methanol is that it shares the same enzyme system as ethanol (the main form of alcohol in beverages), but is slower to clear due to a less-efficient metabolic process and can build up to toxic levels in heavy drinkers. However, adequate folate levels in the liver can expedite the methanol metabolism and clearance and reduce levels of the neurotoxin formic acid. In addition to the liver, there is some evidence that folate-derived formic acid metabolism occurs in the mammalian brain as well. Folate is also thought to be connected to the key compound in regulating levels of SAMe (S-Adenosylmethionine). Folate deficiency can lead to reduced levels of SAMe. This is of importance, because in numerous studies S-Adenosylmethionine has been implicated as a potential treatment option for ADHD.

A quick word on homocysteine: We have spent a fair amount of time highlighting the connection between alcohol consumption and homocysteine levels. In fact, chronic alcoholics reported double the serum homocysteine levels as nondrinkers. Hyperhomocysteinemia has also been associated as a major culprit in the process of alcoholism-induced brain shrinkage.

However, it is worth noting that the source of the alcohol may play a critical role with regards to homocysteine levels. A study found that beer consumers had notably lower levels of homocysteine than did consumers of wine or other spirits. While this association was not thoroughly addressed, this is possibly due to the relatively high levels of B vitamins in certain forms of brewer's yeast (which is used in the beer-making process). This is right in line with our study on vitamins B-6 and B-12.

In addition to the nutrients listed above, there are thought to be other nutritional factors at play. For example, chronic alcoholics who are faced with alcohol withdrawal are at increased risk of omega-3 fatty acid oxidation. This oxidative damage can disrupt the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid balance, which we addressed in an earlier post as being a critical factor in cell membrane integrity. Additionally, alcoholism has been linked to deficiencies in antioxidants such as vitamin C (remember that individuals with ADHD generally have lower total antioxidant levels than their non-ADHD peers). Alcoholic liver damage has also been linked to zinc deficiency. We have investigated the zinc connection to ADHD earlier, namely in the potential ability of zinc to boost the effectiveness of Ritalin, a common ADHD stimulant medication.

Finally, I have alluded a bit to the compound S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in this post. It is an ADHD treatment method of great potential interest. We will be discussing the possible merits of SAMe in the near-future.

Beauty Find: Clarisonic. What’s all the hype about?

Photo: Clarisonic.comClarisonic is nothing new and has been on the market for a couple years already. But recently I’ve been coming across information about Clarisonic a lot for some reason.When you hear alot about a product, is it because the product is great and everyone is talking about it? Or is it simply because the company is investing in marketing? Sometimes it is hard to tell the

Acne Removal Tips for Men To Tone Up Complexion

Acne affects people irrespective of their sex. Men lack the knowledge to deal with acne than women, as skincare, beauty regimen and acne removal products is widely used by the fairer sex and thousands of beauty products are available for them. Hence, very useful tips are given under for the men folk:

Either your wife or girl friend can provide some valuable tips on skin care and products used for taking care of acne. A visit to the skin doctor might also be very helpful in combating acne and to prevent breakouts of acne.

Before shaving off the facial hair, it is advised to use a clean, warm cloth soaked in warm water to soften the skin and the facial hair. It removes dead skin cells if any blocking the pores, thus acting as an exfoliator and also makes the skin smoother. There is a less chance of nicking any existing acne.

If the person has to work exposing his skin to the sun or play games under the sun, use of a strong sun block cream will help from tanning and also slow downs the aging process, without which he might be very much vulnerable to skin lesions, scars and acne. While using a sun block it should be checked for non-comedogenic or the one which doesn’t block the pores.

Consumption of alcohol might result in poor blood circulation, make the skin look old and might also delay the skin’s healing abilities on its own particularly when the person is suffering from acne or skin lesions. Smoking also might be delirious to the skin and make the skin susceptible to acne and related conditions.

To avoid acne and to keep the skin look younger, it is good to consume fresh vegetables and fruits, antioxidant rich vitamins like the vitamin a and c can help in the prevention of acne and other infections. Mild exercises like stretching and walking improves the circulation of blood and helps to fight against acne. Exercise also relieves stress in one way and this property helps to prevent acne.

If the men already have acne scars, that too is treatable nowadays, as the science has enabled hide or rectify acne scars through either steroids injections, or through the application of chemical peels on the scarred tissue and is used when the condition is not severe. The chemical peels, help in the growth of new and healthier skin on the affected area, hence rectifying the problem. For extreme conditions plastic surgery may be advisable.

Beauty Buzz: Skin Care Line for Tattoos?

Since I do not have a tattoo, I didn’t have any idea that there is a need for special tattoo care. It appears, however, tattoos do need some maintenance. They tend to fade or blur with years and need to be refreshed. What contributes to this fading a lot is the sun and free radicals that damage skin cells caring ink pigment. So this week a special skin care line for tattoos was launched in New

Lost at School by Ross Greene

Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them

by Ross W Greene

Scribner; 1 edition (October 21, 2008)

I have just finished Ross Greene’s new book, Lost at School. This book describes how to implement his Collaborative Problem Solving Method in schools. Although Ross Greene does not focus on trauma, his method overlaps with ours in emphasizing the need to teach specific skills. Ross Greene has done excellent work in delineating and specifying the specific thinking skills that our kids need to learn. He is also clear that points and levels, punishments and rewards are not helpful in changing behavior- that children will show better behavior when they learn the skills which will enable them to do so.

I would like to highlight Dr. Greene’s differentiating between people who believe that "kids do well if they want to" and those who believe that "kids do well if they can". The former assumption leads adults to employ systems to make kids want to do better- rewards and punishments. The belief that "kids do well if they can" will lead adults to teach kids skills so that they have the ability to do better and assumes that the already want to. When they have the skills, their behavior will improve.

On pages 12-13 Dr. Greene describes some common things that are said about challenging kids, and why they do not make sense:

"He just wants attention."

We all want attention so this explanation isn’t very useful for helping us understand why a kid is struggling. If a kid is seeking attention in a maladaptive way doesn’t that suggest that he lacks the skills to seek attention in an adaptive way?

"He just wants his own way."

We all want our own way so this explanation doesn’t help us understand a kid’s challenges. Adaptively getting one’s own way requires skills often found lacking in challenging kids.

"He is manipulating us."

This is a very popular and misguided characterization of kids with behavioral challenges. Competent manipulation requires various skills- forethought, planning, impulse control, and organization among others- typically found lacking in challenging kids. In other words, those who are most often described as manipulative are those least capable of pulling it off.

"He’s not motivated."

This is another characterization that can be traced back to the “kids do well if they want to” mentality and it can lead us straight to interventions aimed at giving a kid the incentives to do well. But why would a kid not want to do well? Why would he choose not to do well if he had the skills to do well? Isn’t doing well always preferable?

"He’s making bad choices."

Are you certain he has the skills and repertoire to make good choices?

"His parents are incompetent disciplinarians."

This, too, is a popular way of thinking, but it fails to take into account the fact that most challenging kids have well behaved siblings. Blaming parents doesn’t help anyone at school deal effectively with their kid in the six hours a day, five days a week, nine months of the year that he is in the building.

"He has a bad attitude."

He probably didn’t start out with one. “Bas attitudes” tend to be the by-product of countless years of being misunderstood and over-punished by adults who didn’t recognize that a kid was lacking crucial thinking skills. But kids are resilient, they coming around if we start doing the right thing.

The book is very well written and contains many examples and stories. I recommend this book for its clear description of the Collaborative Problem Solving Method and how implementing it can revolutionize our schools.

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Genes, Omega-3's, Alcohol and ADHD

In our last discussion, we were exploring the theory behind omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for ADHD, and alluded to the fact that there may be some genes at work involving this process. Additionally, there is some evidence that alcohol use can inhibit the effectiveness of some of the enzymes that are coded for by these genes, and possibly be a factor in the onset of ADHD. We will be exploring these associations in this blog post.

Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for our overall well being for a number of reasons, with many of them being tied to maintaining the structure of all different types of cells in our bodies. Among these omega-3's are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA converts to EPA (and eventually DHA) through a series of steps, several of which use the enzymes governed by the genes listed above. A summary of this process is highlighted below (original file source here):

The diagram above may look quite complicated, but we're just focusing on a few of the objects listed above.

As a quick side note: a lot of the other objects on this diagram above are showing the role these omega-3's and omega-6's play in the inflammatory process of immune reactions. This discussion is beyond the range of this post, but I have included it to illustrate that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play a critical role in regulating a number of different functions and systems. Omega-3 imbalances can lead to immune dysfunction, which is thought to be one of the reasons why individuals with ADHD, who often have lower blood levels of omega-3's than their peers, are also more likely to have immune system disorders such as allergies. This ADHD/allergy connection will be explored in the future. Also, notice that omega-3's and omega-6's use the same enzymes. This is important, and was discussed at length in the previous post.

The section on the left of the above diagram describes how one omega-3 fatty acid is converted to another, for example, the a-linolenic acid (top left) eventually makes its way to forming EPA (fourth one down on the left), which eventually is converted to DHA (last one in the left column). Bringing our attention to the center, we see a series of enzymes with names like ∆6 desaturase, elongase, etc. These enzymes play a major role in the actual chemical conversion process of one type of omega-3 fatty acid to another.

Keep your attention on the enzymes that have the key term desaturase in their title. These are the ones we need to be concerned about when dealing with the aforementioned genes and alcohol. Without these enzymes functioning at their highest level, the incorporation of dietary omega-3's into the actual structure of the cell membrane is significantly. Genetic differences and the presence of external factors (such as alcohol or other types of fats) can significantly impair the function of these enzymes and slow the conversion process (and ultimately uptake and incorporation into cell membranes) of these critical omega-3's.

A number of these desaturase enzymes are all coded from a specific genetic region located on the 11th chromosome in humans, located at the 11q25 region (chromosomes have 2 "arms", a "p" and a "q", the numbering refers to relative location on that arm, so "11q25" refers to the 25th region on the "q" arm on the 11th chromosome). Interestingly, this region is located near the 11q22 region, which has been linked to ADHD. The closer two genetic regions are, the higher the chances they will be co-transmitted (passed on together from parent to child). In other words, gene forms which are located near each other on a chromosome are more likely to be passed on together, suggesting the possibility that the 11q22 ADHD region may in fact be influenced by some of the genes from nearby 11q25 region.

Brookes and coworkers did a study on the association between these desaturase genes and ADHD (on a personal note, I would like to acknowledge the authors of this particular study. Much of the information in these past two posts is gleaned from their work, and this paper provided a great starting point for much of my research for this post). They found that the 11q25 region contained three genes which code for desaturase enzymes located next to each other: Fatty Acid Desaturase 1, Fatty Acid Desaturase 2, and Fatty Acid Desaturase 3 (abbreviated as FADS1, FADS2 and FADS3, respectively). These genes each exist in different forms, called alleles, which have slightly different DNA configurations (which can differ by as little as one letter in the DNA "code").

Key findings from the Brookes study: This group saw a significant difference in the prevalence of ADHD stemming from two different alleles in the FADS2 gene. It appears that a single point difference was all it took to boost the likelihood of association with ADHD. Individuals with ADHD were significantly more likely to have the "C" form of the FADS2 gene than the "T" form of the gene at marker 498793 (this number just gives the detailed location on which spot of the DNA this form can be found).

Additionally, it appears that the onset of ADHD stemming from prenatal alcohol exposure may be somewhat genetic as well. For individuals who were exposed to alcohol via maternal consumption during pregnancy, there is some nominal evidence linking "G" allele instead of the "C" allele at two different locations on the FADS1 gene was correlated with a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD. However, the authors concluded that this connection was only "speculative".

This possible ADHD/genetics/fatty acid consumption/alcohol exposure connection is somewhat intriguing. The study established a strong ADHD connection to a specific allele of the FADS2 gene on the 11th chromosome, and also cited a number of other studies on the effects of omega-3 consumption on ADHD symptoms, but the connections with alcohol are more strained. Nevertheless, the findings from other studies offer support for this possible alcohol association with these other factors:

We have seen before that omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies are more prevalent in individuals with ADHD. The previous post describes the process of how omega-3's affect cell membrane integrity, which, in turn, can effect the passage of key chemical signaling agents such as dopamine (which has repeatedly been found to deficient in specific brain regions of ADHD individuals). The desaturase enzymes, which are products of the genes listed above are partly responsible for the process of omega-3 metabolism and incorporation into the cell membranes.

Different alleles (alternate forms of a gene) can result in slightly different forms of these enzymes, some of which are more efficient than others. In other words, enzymes coded for by one form of a gene are somewhat better at metabolizing omega-3's and incorporating them into cells than the "alternate" enzymes coded for from the "alternate" forms of the gene. As a result, small changes in the gene code in these aforementioned regions can indirectly affect the efficiency of omega-3-to-membrane incorporation.

Several studies have pointed to the the connection between alcohol and fatty acid metabolism in animal models of ADHD.

It also appears that an individual may be able to "recover" from some of the negative effects on cognition due to alcohol exposure by an increase in dietary omega-3's. This includes increasing maternal dietary levels of omega-3's during pregnancy (based on animal model studies).

To summarize the whole post (as well as the previous one), it appears that omega-3 fatty acid metabolism plays a major role in ADHD. This is thought to be at least in part to the effects of omega-3's on maintaining cell membrane structure and integrity and their effects on regulating levels of the brain signaling agent dopamine (which is a crucial neurotransmitter and is often deficient in ADHD cases). However, properly functioning enzymes are required for these steps. Desaturase enzymes are coded for by a genetically "hot" region for ADHD on the 11th chromosome in humans. Different versions of these genes can result in a reduction in enzyme function and potentially affect the way these omega-3's are metabolized. In mammals, alcohol exposure can also lead to reduced desaturase enzyme activity. Additionally, there is at least some evidence that alcohol can increase the likelihood of specific forms of FADS1 gene giving rise to ADHD. This may be due to the two factors combining to reduce desaturase enzyme activity to a point where omega-3 metabolism falls past a hypothetical "break-point" resulting in a sharp increase in the onset of ADHD and other related disorders.

We have been focusing heavily on the ADHD and alcoholism connection for the past couple of weeks. We will be investigating a few more studies on this connection in the upcoming posts.

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Omega 3 Fatty Acids and ADHD: The Theory Behind the Practice

How Omega 3 Fatty Acids work and their influence on ADHD

In the past couple of posts, we have examined the connections between ADHD and alcoholism. We will continue this discussion shortly, when we begin to investigate specific genes of overlap between the two. One of these genes, whose products are thought to be affected by alcohol consumption, and appears to have some degree of influence on ADHD is called the Fatty Acid Desaturase 2 gene. We will be investigating this gene in the next post, but I want to preface it with a bit of a background information as to why fatty acids, especially the famous omega 3's, are believed to be so attractive as potential natural treatments for managing ADHD (as well as a host of other disorders).

Since ADHD is so strongly affiliated with the nervous system, the physical composition of this system is extremely important when considering some of the implications for this order. Keep in mind that the brain is over 60% fat in humans and other mammals.

Additionally, during the brain developmental stages, neurons are coated with an insulation of sorts, a fatty material called myelin. This whole process is called myelination. When this myelination process is complete, a neural connection can be up to 100's of times more efficient, and signaling through these connections can become exponentially faster. During the teen years, this myelination process often runs rampant, as the brain begins to hardwire itself for greater efficiency. That is why it is so crucial to develop these key connections early in life, before this myelination process begins.

Given the importance of fat in the myelination process, and the overall abundance of fat in the brain as a whole, the nervous system is extremely influenced by fat composition obtained from dietary means. Cell membranes, which are the outer protective layers of cells (in all parts of the body) are also comprised of fatty materials. Among these are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.

**Please note: the rest of this post deals primarily with the biochemistry of omega-3 fatty acids and their impact on cell structure and function, and their connection to disorders like ADHD. If you are just interested in general strategies on omega-3 supplementation, you can skip to the end of the post, where I have listed 6 tips to increase your chances of effective treatments. If you want a bit more background as to why I am giving these suggestions, please continue reading!

These two types of fatty acids each have unique structures, which means that their incorporation into the cell membrane also affects its structure. For example, omega 3's typically take on a more curvy shape, and omega 6's are often more "straight" and narrow. Because of these shape differences, the omega-3 rich regions of the cell membrane are more prone to forming "gaps" in the cell membrane, making this whole region more "fluid". However, the straighter, more rigid, omega-6 regions of cell membranes make for tighter and smaller gaps, making the cell membrane less flexible. Numerous studies have shown that fatty acid composition in cell membranes is directly affected by dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Among the omega 3-fatty acids, perhaps the most important is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The human body is unable to produce this type of fat, so it must be obtained via dietary measures. The body can then convert ALA to two other types of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Both DHA and EPA can be incorporated into cell membranes, giving them a more flexible conformation. Not surprisingly, all three of these omega-3's (ALA, DHA and EPA) are currently popular supplements and health-food items. Supplementation with EPA and DHA-rich fish oil has been shown to boost levels of these omega-3's in the cell membrane.

Keep in mind that many of these studies of omega-3 incorporation into cell membranes typically involve blood cells as opposed to nerve cells. However, there have been a few recent findings supporting the incorporation of supplemented DHA into neuronal cells in mammalian systems. Additionally, dietary differences in omega-3 fatty acids has also been shown to influence the ratio of these to other fats in the brain in rat model studies of ADHD, and possibly influence learning behaviors.

The makeup and rigidity of the cell membrane is very important for proper functioning among cells in the nervous system. Gaps, such as those from omega 3 fatty acid regions, allow easier passage of key materials in and out of cells. Among these key openings are a type of passageway, made up of protein-based structures called ion channels. We will see in later posts that ion channels play a huge role in a number of diseases and disorders, including those which involve the nervous system (including ADHD). It is believed that these ion channels are not directly influenced by omega 3's and other fatty acids but rather by the tension on the cell membrane caused by these fats. Therefore, the right amount of tension, governed by the fatty acid composition is thought to regulate ion channel function is necessary for proper cell function.

Additionally, these ion channels are able to change shape, allowing the membranes of different cells to "fuse together" at specified times. This allows for adequate conductance of electrical signals and facilitates communication in-between cells. However, with a more rigid structure (i.e. from one that is deficient in omega 3 fatty acids), this lack of flexibility impairs the ability of these ion channels to change to the optimal conformations necessary for this fusion process. As a result, functional cell-cell communication is hampered. This too, is thought to be a factor in disorders such as ADHD (which will be discussed in future posts).

Perhaps the biggest effect that cell membrane integrity has to do with ADHD is its influence on the signaling agent dopamine. It has repeatedly been shown that ADHD is intricately connected to dopamine-based signaling methods and systems. The role of dopamine on ADHD is especially pronounced in specific brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex, in which this key neurotransmitter is often deficient. Numerous animal studies have shown that a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids can lead to reduced dopamine function in the prefrontal cortex.

Interestingly, there has been a reported increase in dopamine levels in omega-3 deficient animals in another brain region called the nucleus accumbens. The reason this is somewhat intriguing is that the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens are thought to work in different directions, in an oppositional sort of way. Some studies suggest that this "ADHD" brain region, the prefrontal cortex inhibits the nucleus accumbens. As a result, a dopamine deficiency in the prefrontal cortex could lead to less inhibition and higher dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens brain region. This confers the idea that the prefrontal cortex is often deficient in free levels of the important neurotransmitter dopamine.

When addressing ways to "naturally" treat deficits with regards to any type of disease or disorder, it is often tempting to "supplement" the problem away. Because of the dopamine deficiency in the prefrontal cortex, combined with the fact that omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies have repeatedly been seen in ADHD brains, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that rampant supplementation with fish oils and other omega-3 rich sources can make negative symptoms of this disorder go away.

However, research has indicated that although individuals with ADHD have been shown to have plasma deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids, the cause is not likely to be a dietary omega-3 deficiency. Only a few limited studies have actually suggested direct reduction of ADHD symptoms with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. For example, based changes in teacher rating scores on ADHD symptoms, children who took EPA and DHA supplements did show noticeable reductions in ADHD symptoms. Interestingly, this same study found that the effects of antioxidant vitamin E were also a large factor.

Even if these studies above hold true for the general population, numerous others have shown omega-3 supplementation to be effective in reducing ADHD symptoms. What is confusing is that this method has proven successful in some instances, while doing little-to-nothing in other cases. As a result, we are left with the big question, why? It appears that the answer may lie in the genes of the individual.

Fatty acid desaturase genes are responsible for coding for a series of enzymes of the same name. These fatty acid desaturase enzymes are important for the metabolism of omega-3 fatty acids. Deficiencies in fatty acid desaturase enzymes are not limited exclusively to genes. We now know that external chemical factors such as maternal alcohol use can also reduce the activities of these key enzyme systems. As a result, omega-3 metabolism suffers. Our next post will deal almost exclusively with this topic.

Before we go, I would like to list a few strategies to follow if you're interested in exploring omega-3 fatty acids as a treatment option for ADHD. Of course there is no guarantee that this treatment method will work, but here are a few pointers to stack the deck in your favor:

***Please note: You may be wondering why I am not giving specific dosage recommendations for omega-3's. There are two main reasons: 1.) There are still no clear-cut established daily amounts, and with the information I currently have, I am not fully comfortable in recommending a numerical amount, and 2.) Due to so many other factors at work (such as age, gender, disease status, cardiovascular health, genetic background, total caloric intake, and other dietary choices), omega-3 recommendations do not follow a one-size-fits-all model. However, a better option is to keep a good balance between omega-3 levels and intake levels of other fats. Since dietary fat intake plays a huge role on hormonal functions, overall ratios and balance play as much of a role as total amounts. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a rough estimate, many of the sources out there generally suggest levels of around 1-2 grams (on the higher end of this for men and the lower end for women) total of omega-3 fatty acids per day.

Take a mixture of omega-3 fatty acids, not just one kind. Since ALA is the omega-3 precursor (mentioned above) to EFA and DHA, it might be tempting to just take ALA and let it convert to these other omega-3's in the body. However, this conversion process is slow and inefficient, as the enzyme system involved results in less than 1% of the ALA being converted to EPA and even less (since EPA goes through a series of steps using other enzymes to convert itself to DHA) to DHA.
Don't omega-3 overload. This is extremely important. Many well-meaning treatment methods for ADHD and related disorders often try to force down high levels of these seemingly benign substances to "cure" these disorders. However, an omega-3 overdose can also cause problems. These enzymes (which are the same desaturase enzymes will will be discussing in the next post), operate by a mechanism called negative feedback. This means that if omega-3 levels are too high, the activity of these enzymes is significantly reduced, and the conversion processes listed in suggestion #1 are greatly impaired.
On the other hand, keep a good balance between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Recommendations may vary, but most sources recommend between a 1:1 and 2:1 ratio of omega-6's to omega-3's. Unfortunately, most Western industrialized diets have a much more skewed ratio, often upwards of 10:1 or even 50:1 in favor of the omega-6's. This imbalance, too, will affect enzyme activity in the omega-3 conversion process. As mentioned above, a balance of these dietary fats is essential for maintaining proper structure and integrity of cell membranes. While this is a bit of oversimplification, fats from marine sources are typically much greater in omega-3's and fats from land animals is higher in omega-6's (and another class of fats called omega-9's, which the body can actually produce from the other 2).
Keep your vitamin E levels up to speed. Since the brain is comprised of high levels of fat, it is one of the most oxidation-prone organs in the entire body. A number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's are thought to be products of this oxidation process. While all antioxidants have some benefits, vitamin E appears to be one of the best with regards to brain health. This is in part because it is a fat-soluble vitamin (unlike vitamin C, which, in its most common form, is not). I mentioned in the study above on a reduction of ADHD symptoms based on teacher evaluations after omega-3 supplementation that vitamin E levels were also a major factor in the study.
On the other hand, don't go overboard on the vitamin E. General daily amount recommendations and upper limits (a bit high in my opinion for the upper limits, try to stay well under these upper boundaries), and food and supplement sources of vitamin E can be found here. While a number of antioxidants are water-soluble, like vitamin C (which can easily be flushed out of the system and much tougher to overdose on), vitamin E can build up to toxic levels in the body much more easily. An alternative strategy is to take sufficient levels of vitamin C, which can help "recycle" vitamin E and enhance it's positive antioxidant effects while reducing the likelihood of toxicity.
This should go without saying, but eliminate alcohol intake if you are pregnant. We will spend our next entire post on the negative effects of maternal alcohol consumption on these desaturase enzymes which are needed to convert dietary omega-3's to ones which can be used by the cells. This is another possible link between alcohol and ADHD, a topic which we have been exploring in quite a bit of depth as of late.

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Bacteria - How Acne Develops

Many people think they know what causes acne, the inflammation of skin pores that results in problems such as blackheads, whiteheads or pimples, primarily in teenagers. There are a lot of misconceptions about acne though. Officially common acne is known as acne vulgaris. And in explaining it, the answer becomes bit complicated.

Acne is an inflamed disease of the skin, and it has many causes, one of which is bacteria in the pores of the skin. The body in many ways becomes allergic to this type of bacteria. This attracts while blood cells to fight the allergy, and the pores become blocked. Oil secretions will build up and provide a breeding ground for even more bacteria. Then pimples will form. These red bumps resemble small boils, which fill with a nasty puss caused by the body fighting the infection of the bacteria.

There is probably no perfect cure for acne other than outgrowing it but there are a number nothing that can be done to lessen the physical effects.

First, remember that for many years, people thought that acne was caused by poor hygiene and by eating certain foods. Fried foods and chocolate were especially blamed for acne, probably because teenagers eat fried foods and chocolate commonly, but that may have been blaming the messenger for the message. There is no scientific evidence linking diet to acne.

Also, while personal hygiene is important and a good thing, over washing can damage skin and actually make acne worse. But good hygiene and a good diet can't hurt, and they might just help a little. Also using makeup that doesn't clog pores but can at least assist the body in not making acne worse.

Treatments that kill the bacteria that cause acne included the use of antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline and minocyclne, which are taken orally. Also topical antibiotics or bactericides like Benzoyl peroxide or erythromycin can help. The bacteria also known as "P. acnes", does however become resistant to the antibiotics eventually. However Benzoyl peroxide, an oxidizer, does not seem to generate resistance by the bacteria. While the acne will come back, it is a short term and temporary cure and is applied topically.

Exfoliating the skin can also help. This method can be done by using a cloth or a liquid scrub, or by using certain chemicals. Chemical exfoliating substances include salicylic acid and glycolic acid. Both of these agents cause a peeling of the top layer of skin, which prevents a build up of dead skin which blocks pores when combined with oil. This in turn, makes a breeding ground for bacteria.

Another over the counter remedy is salicylic acid, which softens skin and gets rid of dead skin cells, which in turn unclogs pores. Many face wash products contain this ingredient. Also sulfur contained in many over the counter products works well for many people. Another product is glycolic acid, which is found in anti-aging products as well as acne medicines.

There are also a number of natural remedies that can fight acne and the bacteria that causes it. Tea tree oil is gaining in popularity. It kills the bacteria and also reduces redness and inflammation. It works much the same as Benzoyl peroxide but causes less skin irritation and is carried at health food stories.

Acupuncture is used by some and is thought to alleviate hormonal imbalances n the body. Those who use acupuncture also usually suggest lifestyle changes and a change n diet, including cutting back on dairy products.

Light therapy is another natural remedy to fight the bacteria that has many adherents. Many people believe that the bacteria that causes acne insensitive to light in the blue wavelength of the light spectrum. Light therapy means shining blue light onto a patient for fifteen minutes at a time twice a week, usually for four weeks. This treatment can be expenses, running about $150 per treatment. Not all patients have had good results, but some have. Also since light in this wavelength is not harmful to the skin, there are no side effects or after effects.

Fighting the bacteria that causes acne is of major concern for many medical professionals, and surely with time they will find more and better ways to do so. In the meantime, the treatments listed here can help many people.

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