New Herbal Essences for Horses, Dogs and Cats Make Dosing Easy
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Anima Herbal Solutions’ new herbal essences for horses, dogs, cats, and other animals solve many of the problems of using herbs in animals. Created by Seattle-based holistic veterinarian Dr. Christine King, these unique herbal essences are safe, easy to use, simple to store, economical–and tasty.
Anima Herbal Solutions (www.animavet.com) has launched a unique line of herbal essences for horses, dogs, cats, and other animals. Created by holistic veterinarian Dr. Christine King, these herbal essences are safe, easy to use, simple to store, and economical; and best of all, they taste good.
The herbal essences are made using a proprietary process that begins with pure water-alcohol extractions of organically grown herbs. Each solution is then serially diluted with pure spring water, and the final product is preserved with concentrated saline (salt) solution. Owing to the special dilution process, no alcohol remains in the final product, making these herbal essences safe for use in alcohol-sensitive individuals.
Unlike traditional herbal tinctures, which have a strong alcohol and herb taste, palatability is not a problem with these herbal essences, as they just taste like sea water. That’s great news for cat owners especially, who often have trouble getting herbal products into their pets. Horses and dogs often refuse strong-tasting herbal products, too, so these herbal essences provide horse and dog owners with an easy way of using herbs in their animals.
The salt content is not a problem for individuals on salt-restricted diets or who otherwise are salt sensitive. The dosage needed is very small (just a few drops, even for a large horse), and the essences can be diluted in food or drinking water. They can also be used topically, by dropping the essence directly onto the animal’s skin or coat or by adding a few drops to a spray bottle and spritzing the animal, blankets, bedding, room, or stall.
The herbal essences are supplied in cobalt-blue glass dropper bottles, in 1 oz. and 2 oz. sizes. While it is best to store the bottles away from direct sunlight, they do not need to be refrigerated; they can be stored on the counter for easy use. As the dosage is small (just a few drops), these herbal essences are economical for use even in multi-animal households.
Owing to the unique preparation process, which harnesses both the biochemical and the energetic properties of the plants, these herbal essences support all aspects of the animal: body, mind, and spirit. They can be used for physical issues as well as for mental or emotional problems.
Dr. King uses these herbal essences when treating all sorts of medical problems in horses, dogs, cats, and other animals. “These essences are a wonderful adjunct to other therapies,” says Dr. King, “and the seasonal Meadow Blends are a lovely general system support. I take the spring-summer Meadow Blend daily, and I give it to my dog as well.”
Training challenges, behavioral problems, and relationship issues (e.g. squabbles among individuals in multi-animal households or herds, and horse-rider struggles) also respond well to these herbal essences.
“I have been using the Hawthorn essence for the cats,” wrote one pet owner, “and I just can’t believe the results! It has our cats finally settling into the new house and interacting with us again–after a full year of trying other modalities unsuccessfully. The one who hasn’t sought out interaction with us in a year is sleeping next to the bed, and rushing into the bathroom every time we go in! And he is coming downstairs to sit with me and sing. It is wonderful! Thank you!”
Another client, a veterinarian, wrote: “I have been trying out your herbal essences and having a blast! They are amazing. Just wanted to let you know how much fun I’m having with your new goodies.”
“I have had amazing results with our cats, dogs, and horses,” writes one woman, “and the Raspberry essence is fantastic for my PMS (although they’re not specifically sold for human use). Best of all, they are made with love by a truly gifted healer. How could it get any better!”
Anima Herbal Solutions are an inspired line of herbal products for horses and other animals, created by Dr. Christine King. The products include herbal dietary supplements for horses and herbal essences for animals of all varieties. For more information, visit www.animavet.com.
Contact:
Dr. Christine King
Anima–wholistic health & rehab for horses
Ph: (425) 876-1179
www.animavet.com
Animal studies shouldn’t alter anesthesiology practice in newborns
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Recent studies showing that commonly used anesthetic agents can cause brain damage in animals don’t prove that similar harmful effects occur in human newborns - and shouldn’t affect current approaches to anesthesia in preterm and ill infants, according to a leading expert on pain management in newborns.
The July issue of the journal Anesthesiology features an editorial by Dr. Kanwaljeet J.S. Anand, Professor of Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences in the College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Director of the Pain Neurobiology Lab at Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute. “The weaknesses of these animal studies, coupled with substantial evidence from clinical studies that demonstrate the detrimental effects of unrelieved pain or stress during surgery, justify the continued clinical use of ketamine and other anesthetic agents for neonates and infants,” said Dr. Anand.
The new editorial responds to recent studies suggesting that anesthetic agents have “neurotoxic” effects in the brains of newborn animals. Exposure to anesthetics has been linked to increases in apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the brains of newborn rats, mice and other animals. The reports have sparked controversy in the pages of Anesthesiology and elsewhere, with some commentators suggesting that newborns should not be exposed to anesthetics.
However, Dr. Anand points out some key weaknesses of the experimental models and proposes that findings are not relevant to clinical practice. “These experiments used very large doses of ketamine, which are not used clinically,” said Dr. Anand. “The animals were also exposed to prolonged anesthesia without being subjected to ongoing surgery or other painful stimuli, which are the clinical indications for the use of anesthesia.”
Dr. Anand also questions the use of simplistic rules of thumb equating the development of rodent and human brains during gestation, and suggests that more sophisticated comparisons are needed. “According to a novel method for extrapolating developmental time across ten different mammalian species, these effects occurred at a developmental maturity of the brain that corresponds to developmental stages occurring before viability of the human fetus,” said Dr Anand. “Thus, the experimental findings are not applicable to the care of preterm newborn infants.”
At an open public meeting, the voting members of an Advisory Committee of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) unanimously reached the same conclusion. “Critical examination of these animal studies dispels concerns that practicing anesthesiologists and parents may have regarding the appropriate clinical use of anesthetic agents in newborns and small infants,” Dr. Anand concluded.
For additional information on this study, go to: http://www.anesthesiology.org
Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists is an educational, research and scientific association with 41,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient.
http://www.asahq.org
Large Cigarette Tax Increases May Reduce Smoking But Also Lead To Bootlegging
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The public health goal of reducing tobacco use by raising cigarette taxes may be undermined in disadvantaged minority communities by illegal cigarette sales.
Members of 14 focus groups in Central Harlem, N.Y., told researchers that a large cigarette tax increase in New York City led to “a pervasive illegal cigarette market in a low-income minority community.” In an area where smoking rates were already likely to be higher than in the general population, even those motivated to quit were lured by bootleggers selling low-price cigarettes.
“Although interest in quitting was high among the smokers we interviewed, bootleggers created an environment in which discounted cigarettes were easier to access than cessation services,” said the study’s authors. “Illegal cigarette sales continue to undermine the public health goals of the tax increase.”
The study found that acceptance of smoking in the community, a stressful social and economic environment and the availability of discounted cigarettes worked together to reinforce smoking and undermine efforts to quit.
“The $5 Man: The Underground Economic Response to a Large Cigarette Tax Increase in New York City.”
Donna Shelley, MD, MPH, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York.
Rising obesity rates not tied to drop in cigarette smoking
Many people may use a fear of weight gain as a reason not to stop smoking, but a recent study found the nation’s rising obesity rates are not tied to decreasing rates of cigarette smoking.
Researchers combined current weight data by smoking status from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with smoking status from past surveys to estimate the potential impact of changes in smoking prevalence on the prevalence of obesity and healthy weight. Within all gender-age groups, smokers had a lower probability of obesity than did nonsmokers, sometimes considerably lower. Despite this, the study indicated that decreases in the prevalence of cigarette smoking probably had only a small effect, often less than one percentage point, on increasing the prevalence of obesity and decreasing the prevalence of healthy weight in the population. The study also hypothesized that even if smoking were completely eliminated in the United States, the obesity rate would rise only slightly from 31.8 percent to 33.5 percent.
“Effects of Changes in Smoking Prevalence on Obesity Prevalence in the United States.”
Katherine M. Flegal, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Md.
The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health.
Analysis For A Drug Addict
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Specialists of the Institute of Physiologically Active Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, and of the Moscow Narcological Clinical Hospital #17 have developed a technique called “Dianarc” that allows to discover drug addicts at the very early stage, when they take narcotics occasionally. The technique is based on identification of the antibody level in saliva and blood. For invention of this technique, Professor Marina Myagkova was recognized the best inventor woman by the World Intellectual Property Organization at the International exhibition of inventions in Geneva in April this year and was awarded the golden medal of the World Intellectual Property Organization and a prize.
Drug addiction begins with occasional drug taking once in 2 to 3 weeks or once in 1 to 2 months. But previously existing analysis techniques allowed to discover drug metabolites only within one or two days after the intake, therefore, they are practically unable to prove that an individual took drug a week ago. Clinical changes in the organism are usually not seen either at this stage, but when they become apparent, the disease has already been developed. That is why Russian specialists suggested to use immune-enzyme analysis methods (based on detection of narcotics specific antibodies) for early detection of drug addiction.
First, the researchers developed similar techniques for chronical drug addicts. They determined that with the individuals who are taking opiates, amphetamines or the ephedrine or hemp preparations (cannabinoids) on a regular basis, these narcotics antibodies level increases. Antibodies belong to the immunoglobulin proteins class. The researchers educed specific narcotics antibodies from the patients’ blood serum, determined their specificity and ability to binding and successfully applied immunological methods to medical practice for diagnostics of drug addiction latent forms.
To develop a more sensitive method, the specialists used the blood serum and saliva of practically healthy people and those of drug addicts who had voluntarily came to the clinic. The majority of drug addicts used to take opiates, amphetamines and (or) cannabinoids. The time of their last drug taking made from two hours to three months.
It has turned out that in case of narcotics dependence development, the M and A immunoglobulin synthesis intensifies in the patient’s immune system. The A immunoglobulins are of special interest to physicians as antibodies based on them circulate in the blood for a long time; they enable to determine if an individual took drugs half a year ago and to identify what particular ones were taken. The blood serum analysis is more sensitive and informative than the saliva analysis.
The “Dianarc technique enables to detect 2 to 4 months later if an individual did take drugs, the technique’s reliability exceeding 95 percent. At the Geneva exhibition, the Russian researcher’s invention received the international recognition. The authors assume that the ‘Dianarc’ will be useful for clinical and forensic medical practice, as well as for staff selection to enforcement and guard entities, for issue of driver’s licenses and weapon permissions.
Structure Of Protein Altered In Autism
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As a result of mapping the structure of the protein complex implicated in autism spectrum disorders, a research team led by scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has discovered how particular genetic mutations affect this complex and contribute to the developmental abnormalities found in children with autism. Their work, published in the June issue of the journal Structure, should help scientists pinpoint the consequences of other genetic abnormalities associated with the disorder.
“By understanding the three-dimensional structure of the normal protein, researchers can now make predictions about how mutations in the gene affect the structure of the gene product,” said first author Davide Comoletti, Ph.D., UCSD research associate at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy.
Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disabilities that cause impairments in social interaction and communication. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, interpersonal relationships, and leisure or play activities.
Comoletti and colleagues studied the neuroligin family of proteins that are encoded by genes known to be mutated in certain patients with autism. The neuroligins, and their partner proteins, the neurexins, are involved in the junctions, or synapses, through which cells of the nervous system signal to one another and to non-neuronal tissues such as muscle. These structural studies on neuroligins and neurexins represent a major step toward defining the synaptic organization at the molecular level.
“Normally, individual neuroligins are encoded to interact with specific neurexin partners. The two partners are members of distinct families of proteins involved in synaptic adhesions, imparting ’stickiness’ that enables them to associate so that synapses form and have the capacity for neurotransmission,” said Palmer Taylor, Ph.D., Dean of the Skaggs School, Sandra & Monroe Trout Professor of Pharmacology, and co-principal investigator of the study, along with Jill Trewhella, Ph.D., of the University of Sydney, Australia and University of Utah.
Incorrect partnering that results when a mutant neuroligin fails to properly align at synapses helps explain why the autism spectrum disorders are manifested in subtle behavioral abnormalities that are seen at an early age.
“Abnormal synaptic development in nerve connections is likely to lead to cognitive deficits seen in patients with autism,” said Taylor. He added that synapse formation and maintenance occurs early in development when the infant brain is still plastic and formative. Therefore, by understanding the structural mutations that affect neurotransmission during development, new leads into drug therapies may emerge.
“We really don’t know what causes autism, but this research represents a solid starting point,” said Sarah Dunsmore, Ph.D., program director with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, which partly supported the study. “The work suggests that genetic mutations that alter the shape or folding of adhesion proteins in the nervous system influence their interactions. This is another example of how research on basic biological questions, such as the three-dimensional structures of proteins in the brain, can yield valuable medical insights.”
Taylor and colleagues have been studying the structure and function of acetylcholinesterase — a structurally related protein that mediates neurotransmission between nerves and between nerve and muscle — for the past 30 years. They began studying the neuroligins because of the similarity in structure and amino acid sequence with acetylcholinesterase.
The study was a multi-national collaboration, employing synchrotrons at two national laboratories to collect the X-ray and neutron scattering data necessary for resolving the structure. Additional contributors to this study include Alexander Grishaev, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD; Andrew E. Whitten, Bragg Institute, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization; and Igor Tsigelny, UCSD Department of Pharmacology, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Cure Autism Now Foundation.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of California - San Diego.
Men Who Cook
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Six steps to help get your guy into the kitchen – and to love it.
Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, LD, RD, MPH
Most women love the idea of a guy in the kitchen, whether the guy in question is their 13-year-old son or their husband of 13 years. There are a few women out there who are inclined to be territorial about their kitchen kingdoms, but my guess is they’re the exception. In general, we love it when men cook.
After all, how would you like to come home from picking up the kids or yoga class to find your guy flipping quesadillas or stirring up a stir-fry for the family? On a lazy weekend morning, wouldn’t it be heaven to wake up to the aroma of buttermilk waffles browning and turkey bacon sizzling in the skillet? And on a harried weeknight, isn’t it a relief when your husband or son can whip himself up something without your help?
So what can wives, mothers, and girlfriends do to encourage men to cook more often? Here are six simple steps to not only help get your guy into the kitchen, but to love it!
Step 1: Encourage Your Man to Cook What He Wants to Eat
It’s been my experience that what most men want to eat usually doesn’t start with the word “petite” or end with the word “salad.” Lesley Stiles, a Northern California chef, believes that if men get to cook what they want to eat, they are much more likely to spend time in the kitchen.
“Ask a fella if he wants to barbeque some steak or make a nice chicken salad — you get my drift,” says Stiles.
What’s it going to hurt to let your guy decide what’s for dinner on the days he reports for KP duty? So you might be eating beef more often than you would like. Balance it out by making fish and vegetarian entrees when it’s your turn to cook.
For some reason, my husband pines for pork chops (not one of my personal favorites). So in the spirit of Step 1, I’m including an easy and light pork chop recipe below.
Step 2: Set Him Up for Success, Then Let Him Do It His Way
Guide your guy toward appliances that are simple to use, like rice cookers, George Foreman grills, and slow cookers. And when you’re armed with a good nonstick frying pan or skillet and a can of canola cooking spray, most food items will not stick. You can also direct your guy to certain recipes or cookbooks that are easy to use.
Aside from perhaps some gentle nudging, you need to just step back and let him do it his way. After all, getting creative and making your own decisions in the kitchen is half the fun!
Step 3: Remember, Positive Reinforcement Works!
By golly, if your guy spends some time in the kitchen cooking for himself or others, he deserves some praise. Give him an “A” for effort, no matter what the result. Find something positive to say about the meal or dish he spent time preparing. If he feels his time and effort were appreciated, he’ll be more likely to step into the kitchen limelight again soon.
Step 4: Offer to Do the Dishes
Have I mentioned how doing dishes is my least favorite part of cooking? I know I’m not alone. And my fancy stainless steel Miele dishwasher doesn’t make it any more fun. If someone else does the dishes after I’ve slaved over a hot stove, I’m a happy camper.
I try to live by the “treat others as you would like to be treated” motto. And that means doing the dishes if someone else was kind enough to cook.
Step 5: If He’s Really a Novice, Review Basic Kitchen Safety
Every cook, man or woman, can benefit from these basic safety tips:
- Have a small fire extinguisher and a first aid kit close to the kitchen. Make sure everyone knows where they are and what to do with them.
- Make sure all kitchen towels and hot pads (and anything else that can catch fire) are far away from the cooking area at all times.
- Don’t reach over the stovetop when the heat is on. Watch that your shirtsleeves don’t get too close to the heat.
- When using a knife, stay focused on the task at hand. Always cut away from yourself, and choose the correct knife. Use the small paring knife for peeling and small cutting jobs. The serrated knife is for bread and for soft vegetables, like eggplant and tomato. The large chef’s knife works best for chopping.
- When opening the lid of a hot dish or pot — even for a microwave dish — open it away from you and let the steam subside before looking in.
- Be very careful when working with hot oil. When water or foods with a high water content are added to hot oil, the oil tends to splatter out of the pan.
- Make sure the handles of your pots and pans are toward the back or side of the stove, not in the way of passersby.
Step 6: Review Basic Food Safety
Even if your guy cook isn’t a novice, these tips are useful. Frankly, we all need to hear this again and again:
- Before starting to cook and after handling raw meat or fish, wash hands and lower arms thoroughly with hot, soapy water. Really clean under your nails and around your fingertips. It might be best to remove rings and watches before washing. Wash your hands again after touching your face or hair, garbage, raw meats, or your pet.
- If you have a cut on your hands, it’s best to wear rubber gloves, even if you have a bandage over the cut.
- When you use a utensil to stir or flip raw or partially cooked meats (or other perishable foods), use another, clean utensil once the food is cooked.
- Keep raw meats away from your fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Keep your raw meat package in a plastic bag from the store. Make sure meat juices can’t drip on other foods in your shopping cart, in your bag of groceries, or in your refrigerator.
- Do not leave raw or cooked perishable foods out at room temperature for more than one hour. This includes foods left marinating at room temperature.
- It’s safest to cool deep pots of food, like stew or chili, as fast as possible by setting the container in an ice-water bath. The level of ice water on the outside of the pot should match up with the food on the inside of the pot. You can also cool the mixture faster by pouring it into two or three shallow dishes.
Recipes for Men Who Cook
Here are a couple of simple, man-friendly recipes to help get your guy cooking.
Lean, Mean Bronco Burger
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as 1 serving lean meat without added fat + 2 slices bread + 1 ounce low-fat cheese OR 1 sandwich and burger moderate fat meat + 1 ounce low-fat cheese.
4 tablespoons canned chopped Ortega peppers
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin (usually around 6% to 10% fat)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce (your choice of brand)
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 whole wheat or whole grain hamburger buns
4 slices pepper Jack cheese (any cheese can be substituted)
- Preheat grill (indoor or outdoor) for high heat. Add Ortega peppers, ground sirloin, black pepper, barbecue sauce, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder to a large bowl. Use your hands or a dinner fork to mix it all together well.
- Divide beef mixture into four balls, then flatten into patties (about 3/4-inch thick).
- Grill or pan-fry burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side or until done to your liking. If pan-frying, use a nonstick frying pan or skillet and coat both sides of the burger lightly with canola cooking spray.
- Remove burgers from the grill or frying pan to serving plate and top immediately with desired cheese. Place buns on grill or in toaster oven to toast, if desired.
- Assemble burger by adding the cheese topped burgers to the toasted buns.
Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: (using reduced-fat cheese and without adding salt): 440 calories, 40 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 637 mg sodium. Calories from fat, 39%.
Soy Sweet Pork Chops
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as 1 serving lean meat and moderate fat meat with sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons bottled hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
4 one-inch thick, center-cut pork chops, trimmed of visible fat
- Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, and honey to a small mixing bowl and whisk to blend well. Pour into a resealable, gallon-size bag and add the pork chops.
- Set bag in large bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to one day.
- Preheat broiler or grill. Remove pork chops from marinade and set onto the grill plate, or, if broiling, set chops in a 9×9-inch foil-lined baking dish. Broil or grill about 4 minutes, then turn chops over and continue cooking until pork is just cooked throughout (about 5 minutes more.)
Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: 300 calories, 43 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 116 mg cholesterol, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 373 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 36%.