Contact the airline that you are using to make sure they allow the Respironics EverGo on the airline during flights. Most of the larger airlines allow Oxygen Concentrators during flights. The airline will require that you submit a written prescription. Please notify the airline a month in advance and let them know you will be using the Respironics EverGo during flight.

Be prepared to adjust your travel schedule and have a well planned itinerary so that you don’t need to make last minute changes. Most airlines require as much as 48 hours notice to reschedule flights with passengers using oxygen. Try to plan a direct flight without layovers to converse battery power.
Be familiar with the latest airport security screening policies and plan for extra time for inspection of your EverGo.

Passengers using the EverGo may not sit in exit rows, or the EverGo can’t block another passenger’s access to seats or to the airplane’s aisles. You must be able to see the alarm lights on your EverGo when it is stowed away. Ideally, you would want to keep your EverGo under the seat in front of you.

Passengers are not allowed to plug the EverGo in during flight to charge their battery. You will need to plan to bring enough batteries for your entire flight, including check in time, security time, take off and landing time. For safety reason, it is strongly recommended that patients that use Portable Oxygen Concentrators on airplane flights carry enough extra batteries that will last twice the duration of the flight to ensure the battery power will not run out during flight.

The EverGo and EverGo batteries are considered medical devices; they will need to be screened by TSA personnel but they will not count against your carry-on baggage allowance.

During the flight drink fluids but avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks; they will make you feel bloated.

If you follow these steps, you should have a safe and hassle free flight.

Mobile Cart
The mobile cart has wheels and a telescoping handle to provide easy transport of the Inogen One G2. The G2 can be operated while using the mobile cart. The mobile cart is easy to use, just place the carry bag over the cart, and make sure the cart handle is inserted between the elastic strap in the back of the carry bag and in the front of the carry bag and its ready to be used.

24 Cell Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery
The Ion battery powers the Inogen One G2 without having to connect it to an external power source. When fully charged, the will can provide between 4 and 8 hours of operation depending on flow setting. The battery recharges when properly installed in the G2 and the concentrator in connected to a AC or DC power source. Recharging time is up to 8 hours for a fully charged battery.

Nasal Cannula
A nasal cannula must be used with the Inogen One G2 to provide oxygen from the concentrator to the patient. A single lumen cannula up to 25 feet in length to ensure proper breath detection and oxygen delivery is recommended.
Airline DC 4-Pin Power Input Cable
DC 4-Pin Power Plug is for using during flights to charge the Inogen One G2. Some airlines don’t have the port or will not allow it, so please check with the airline for power port availability.

Warm up time is another significant improvement of the G2. The old unit could take up to 30 minutes to warm up. The G2 only takes a mere 2 minutes to warm up. That could save the patient 28 minutes of waiting for the unit to warm up and be ready to use.

The biggest improvement of the Inogen One G2 is battery life. The original Inogen had a battery life of only 2 to 3 hours depending on the flow setting; this could provide a huge inconvenience for the patient especially if they were planning a long flight or trip. The patient would have to bring extra batteries to replace the depleted ones. The Inogen G2 has battery times of up to 8 hours depending on the flow settings. This will let the patient to take extended flights without replacing for charging the battery.
Inogen designed the G2 to make life easier for the patient to use and operate. These improvements will make living with a concentrator more enjoyable.

In obstructive sleep apnea, breathing is interrupted by a physical block to airflow, despite the effort to breathe. The most noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. However, not everyone who has OSA snores.

According to Medilexicon’s medical dictionary, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is:

“a disorder, first described in 1965, characterized by recurrent interruptions of breathing during sleep due to temporary obstruction of the airway by lax, excessively bulky, or malformed pharyngeal tissues (soft palate, uvula, and sometimes tonsils), with resultant hypoxemia and chronic lethargy. Sleep in the supine position predisposes apnic episodes.”

People with OSA may experience repeated episodes of apnea during the night. The lack of oxygen causes a person to come out of deep sleep into a lighter stage of sleep in order to restore their normal breathing. Once they fall back into deep sleep further episodes of apnea can occur.

The repeated interruptions to sleep that are caused by OSA can lead to the person feeling very tired during the day. A person with OSA will usually have no memory of any episodes of breathlessness.

OSA is a relatively common condition that affects men more than women. The condition is most common in people aged 40 or over, although it can affect people of all ages, including children.

It is also especially common in people who are overweight.

OSA is a serious condition

A person suffering from the condition can experience a lack of proper sleep. As a result, their risk of being involved in a life-threatening accident, such as a car crash, is increased. The lack of sleep causes impairment in judgment and reaction time.

Also, there is some evidence suggesting that people with OSA are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Obstructive sleep apnea treatment may involve using a device to keep the airway open or undergoing a procedure to remove tissue from the nose, mouth or throat.
What are the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea?
A symptom is something the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor detect. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign. Signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath
Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
Forgetfulness
Frequent heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease
Frequent urination at night
Gasping, snorting
Heavy night sweats
Loud snoring (with periods of silence followed by gasps)
Mood changes such as irritability, anxiety and depression
Morning headache
Noisy breathing
Observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep
Trouble concentrating
Unexplained daytime sleepiness
Consult a medical professional if you experience, or if your partner observes the following:
Snoring loud enough to disturb your sleep or that of others
Shortness of breath that awakens you from sleep
Intermittent pauses in your breathing during sleep
Excessive daytime drowsiness, which may cause you to fall asleep while you’re working, watching television or even driving a vehicle
People with OSA may have no memory of their sleep being interrupted. Over time, the repeated interruptions to sleep will lead to the symptoms of sleep deprivation. These include:
depression
feeling excessively sleepy during the day
headaches; particularly in the morning
irritability and short temper
lack of interest in sex
poor memory and concentration
in men, impotence
Some people with OSA may also find that they wake up frequently during the night in order to urinate.

Many people do not consider snoring as a sign of something potentially serious. In addition, not everyone who has sleep apnea snores. Typically, snoring is loudest when sleeping on the back. It quiets when turning on the side.

Seek medical advice about any sleep problem that leads to chronic fatigue, sleepiness and irritability.
What causes obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax too much to allow normal breathing. These muscles support the tongue, tonsils and soft palate (a muscle at the back of the throat used in speech). Once the muscles relax, the airway in the throat can narrow or become totally blocked. This interrupts the oxygen supply to the body which triggers the brain to interrupt deep sleep so that the airway can be reopened and normal breathing is restored.

This awakening is usually so brief that the person does not remember it.

The person awakens with a temporary shortness of breath that corrects itself quickly, within one or two deep breaths. The person makes a snorting, choking or gasping sound. All night long, this pattern can repeat itself five to 30 times or more each hour. These disruptions impair the ability to reach the deep, restful phases of sleep.

Most adults require at least eight hours of sleep to function at their best and half of that time should be spent in the deepest phase of sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea in children, unlike adults, is often caused by obstructive tonsils and adenoids and may sometimes be cured with tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.
What are the risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea?
A risk factor is something which increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease. For example, obesity significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.

Anyone can develop obstructive sleep apnea. However, there are certain risk factors:
Obesity – the more obese a person is, the higher the risk. More than half of those with obstructive sleep apnea are overweight. Fat deposits around the upper airway may obstruct breathing. However, thin people can also develop the disorder.

A family history of sleep apnea – People with family members with sleep apnea, may be at increased risk.

A narrowed airway – People who have a naturally narrow throat. Tonsils or adenoids may become enlarged, blocking the airway.

Age – Being 40 years of age or over.

Being black, Hispanic or a Pacific Islander – Among people under age 35, obstructive sleep apnea is more common in blacks, Hispanics and Pacific Islanders.

Being male – In general, men are twice as likely to have sleep apnea. The reasons why are unknown.

Being older – Sleep apnea occurs two to three times more often in adults older than 65.

Chronic nasal congestion – Obstructive sleep apnea occurs twice as often in those who have consistent nasal congestion at night, regardless of the cause. This may be due to narrowed airways.

Diabetes – Obstructive sleep apnea is three times more common in people who have diabetes.

Having a large neck – The size of the neck may indicate whether or not there is an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea. This is because a thick neck may narrow the airway and may be an indication of excess weight. A neck circumference greater than 17 inches (43 centimeters) for men and 15 inches (38 centimeters) for women is associated with an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Having an unusual inner-neck structure – Such as an unusually narrow airway or unusually large tonsils or tongue or having a lower jaw that is set back further than normal.

High blood pressure (hypertension) – Obstructive sleep apnea is relatively common in people with hypertension.

Menopause – A woman’s risk appears to increase after menopause. The changes in hormone levels that occur during the menopause may cause the throat muscles to relax.

Smoking. Smokers are nearly three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.

Taking medicines that have a sedative effect – Such a sleeping pills or tranquillizers.

Taking the anti-impotence medicine sildenafil (Viagra) – There is some evidence to suggest that sildenafil can cause the throat muscles to relax.

Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers – These substances relax the muscles in the throat.
What are the complications of obstructive sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is considered a serious medical condition. Complications may include:

Cardiovascular problems. Many people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) develop high blood pressure (hypertension). This also increases the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease such as a stroke or heart attack. This can lead to sudden death from a cardiac event. Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during sleep apnea increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. The more severe the obstructive sleep apnea, the greater the risk of high blood pressure. Patients with sleep apnea are much more likely to develop abnormal heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation.

Daytime fatigue. People with sleep apnea often experience severe daytime drowsiness, fatigue and irritability. They may have difficulty concentrating and find themselves falling asleep at work or even when driving. Children and young people with sleep apnea may do poorly in school, have reduced mental development or have behavior problems. Treatment of sleep apnea can improve these symptoms, restoring alertness and improving quality of life.

Sleeping while Driving. Experiencing significant daytime sleepiness will have an adverse impact on driving ability. One study calculated that people with severe untreated OSA are 15 times more likely to be involved in a car accident. You should avoid driving until symptoms of OSA respond to treatment

Complications with medications and surgery. Obstructive sleep apnea is a concern with certain medications and general anesthesia. People with the condition may be more likely to experience complications after major surgery. This is because they are prone to breathing problems, especially when sedated and lying on their backs. Inform your doctor before having surgery. Undiagnosed sleep apnea is especially risky in this situation. Use of analgesics and sedatives in these patients postoperatively should be minimized or avoided.

Partners or family. Loud snoring can keep those around from getting good rest. This can be eventually disruptive in relationships.

People with obstructive sleep apnea may also complain of memory problems, morning headaches, mood swings or feelings of depression, and a need to urinate frequently at night.
How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?
If experiencing the symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness a useful first step may be to ask a partner, friend, or relative to observe you when you are asleep. They may be able to spot episodes of breathlessness that could help to confirm a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Physical examination and tests

A physical examination and a number of tests, including a blood pressure test, may be carried out. This is in order to rule out other conditions that could explain tiredness, such as an under-active thyroid gland.

An evaluation may be made based on the signs and symptoms or there may be referral to a sleep disorder center. A sleep specialist can help decide whether there is need for further evaluation. The evaluation may involve overnight monitoring of breathing and other body functions during sleep. This can sometimes be done in sleep centers which are specialist clinics or hospital departments that help treat people with sleep disorders.
Nocturnal polysomnography. During this test, the patient is hooked up to equipment that monitors the heart, lung and brain activity, breathing patterns, arm and leg movements, and blood oxygen levels while sleeping.

Oximetry. This screening method involves using a small machine that monitors and records blood oxygen level while sleeping. A simple sleeve fits painlessly over one finger to collect the information overnight at home. The results of this test will often show drops in blood oxygen level during apneas and subsequent rises with awakenings. However, oximetry does not detect all cases of sleep apnea.

Portable cardiorespiratory testing. Under certain circumstances, the patient may be provided with at-home tests to diagnose sleep apnea. These tests usually involve oximetry, measurement of airflow and measurement of breathing patterns.
The patient may also be referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) to rule out any anatomic blockage in the nose or throat.

The severity of OSA is judged on how many episodes of apneas are experienced over the course of an hour. The number of episodes determines mild, moderate, and severe OSA:
Mild OSA – between 5 to 14 episodes an hour.
Moderate OSA – between 15 to 30 episodes an hour.
Severe OSA – more than 30 episodes an hour.
What is the treatment for obstructive sleep apnea?
Lifestyle changes may be recommended for milder cases of obstructive sleep apnea, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. If these measures do not improve the signs and symptoms or if the apnea is moderate to severe, a number of other treatments are available:

Therapies

Positive airway pressure. For moderate to severe sleep apnea, a machine that delivers air pressure through a mask placed over the nose while sleeping may be recommended. The most common type is called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). With this treatment, the pressure of the air breathed is continuous. The compressed air prevents the airway in the throat from closing. This prevents apnea and snoring.

CPAP is the most commonly used method of treating sleep apnea. However, some people find it awkward and uncomfortable. Most people learn to adjust the mask to obtain a comfortable and secure fit. Some people also benefit from using a humidifier along with their CPAP system.

Do not stop using the CPAP machine. Check with your doctor to see what adjustments can be made to improve its comfort. Also, after weight changes, your doctor may need to adjust the pressure settings.

Mouthpiece (oral device) or Inter-oral devices (IODs). Wearing a mouthpiece designed to keep the throat open is another option. Oral appliances are a successful alternative for some patients. Some are designed to open the throat by bringing the jaw forward. This can sometimes relieve snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea. Others hold the tongue in a different position. Advice from a dentist experienced in dental sleep medicine appliances is required for the fitting and follow-up therapy.

Surgery or other procedures

The goal of surgery is to remove excess tissue from the nose or throat that may be vibrating and causing the snoring. The excess tissue may be blocking the upper air passages and causing sleep apnea. Surgical options may include:
Surgical removal of tissue. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a procedure in which the tissue from the rear of the mouth and top of the throat is removed. The tonsils and adenoids are commonly removed as well. UPPP usually is performed in a hospital and requires a general anesthetic.

Jaw correction. This procedure is called maxillomandibular advancement. The upper and lower parts of the jaw are moved forward from the rest of the facial bones. This enlarges the space behind the tongue and soft palate, making obstruction less likely. This procedure may require an oral surgeon and an orthodontist

Surgical opening in the neck. This form of surgery may be needed if other treatments have failed and the patient has severe, life-threatening sleep apnea. In this procedure, called a tracheostomy, an opening in the neck is made. A metal or plastic tube is inserted for breathing. The opening is kept covered during the day. But at night it is uncovered to allow air to pass in and out of the lungs, bypassing the blocked air passage in the throat.

Implants. The Pillar procedure is a minimally invasive treatment. It involves placement of three tiny polyester rods in the soft palate. These inserts stiffen and support the tissue of the soft palate and reduce upper airway collapse and snoring. This treatment is recommended only for people with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
Removing tissues in the back of the throat with a laser (laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty) or with radiofrequency energy (radiofrequency ablation) are procedures that are sometimes use to treat snoring. However, these procedures are not recommended for treating obstructive sleep apnea.

Other types of surgery: They may help reduce snoring and sleep apnea by clearing or enlarging air passages:
Nasal surgery to remove polyps or straighten a crooked partition between the nostrils (deviated nasal septum)

Surgery to remove enlarged tonsils or adenoids
Stimulants

If symptoms of daytime sleepiness are particularly severe, a short-term dose of a medicine known as a stimulant may be recommended. Stimulants work by increasing the activity within the nervous system in order to make the patient feel more alert and awake.

A medicine called modafanil may be recommended. Side effects of modfanil can include dizziness and blurred vision. In rare situations, modafanil can cause depression and make people think suicidal thoughts. The long-term use of stimulants is not recommended because they can become addictive.

Alternative treatments

Treatment is offered by speech therapists to strengthen the muscle tone and neural pathways involved in breathing.

Breathing exercises, such as those used in Yoga, the Buteyko method, or didgeridoo playing can be effective. There are muscles which act to tension and open the airway during each inspiration. Exercises can, in some cases, restore sufficient function to these muscles to prevent or reduce apnea.

Positional treatments

Many people benefit from sleeping at a 30 degree elevation of the upper body. It helps prevent the gravitational collapse of the airway. A 30 degree elevation of the upper body can be achieved by sleeping in a recliner, an adjustable bed, or a bed wedge placed under the mattress. This approach can easily be used in combination with other treatments and may be particularly effective in very obese people. Lateral positions (sleeping on a side) as opposed to supine positions (sleeping on the back), are also recommended.

Lifestyle changes

Some cases of mild to moderate OSA can be successfully treated by making changes to lifestyle. These include:
Avoiding alcohol during the evening.

Losing weight.

Quitting smoking.

Sleeping on the side, rather than on the back, may also help to relieve symptoms of OSA.

Avoid medications such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills. These relax the muscles in the back of the throat, interfering with breathing.

Keep nasal passages open at night. If there is congestion, use a saline nasal spray to help keep the nasal passages open. Get medical advice about using nasal decongestants or antihistamines, because, unlike saline sprays, these medications are generally recommended only for short-term use.

Lead investigator Dr Matthew Walker, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, presented the preliminary findings of a study he conducted with other colleagues on Sunday, 21st February at the annual meeting of the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in San Diego, California.

The researchers found that an hour’s nap can dramatically boost and restore brain power: it not only refreshes the mind, but can make you smarter, they suggest.

Walker told the press that:

“Sleep not only rights the wrong of prolonged wakefulness but, at a neurocognitive level, it moves you beyond where you were before you took a nap.”

For this study, Walker and colleagues recruited 39 healthy young adult volunteers and put them into two groups: a nap group and a no-nap group.

At midday, both groups performed much the same in a challenging task that involved absorbing a lot of facts.

At 2 pm, the volunteers in the nap group took a nap for about 1.5 hours while the no-nap group stayed awake, and then at 6 pm, they underwent a new set of learning exercises.

The results showed that the group that was able to take a nap in the afternoon performed better in the evening exercise than the group that had to stay awake the whole day. And not only did the nap group perform better than the no-nap group, they also performed better than they had earlier in the day, before their nap.

Walker said the findings support the idea that sleep is a necessary process that clears the brain’s short term memory storage so there is room to absorb new information.

The findings are also in line with earlier research by the same team, where they established that working through the night, which is common practice among students facing midterm and final exams, decreases one’s capacity to absorb new facts by nearly 40 per cent due to regions of the brain shutting down as a result of sleep deprivation.

Earlier studies have revealed that the hippocampus temporarily stores fact-based memories before relaying them to the brain’s prefrontal cortex.

Walker likened the process to having an email inbox in your hippocampus. This gets full, and you need to sleep to initiate the clearing out process. Until you do, then the mail stays in the inbox and you can’t take in any more.

“It’s just going to bounce until you sleep and move it into another folder,” said Walker.

Using electroencephalography, a way of measuring the amount of electrical activity in the brain, Walker and colleagues also established that the memory-refreshing process takes place in a stage of sleep known as stage 2 non-REM sleep (non Rapid Eye Movement sleep).

Stage 2 non-REM sleep occurs between deep sleep and REM sleep and nobody really knew what it was for, but now, Walker and colleagues suggest that this is when memory-clearing takes place and may explain why humans spend at least half of their sleeping time in this stage.

The team now want to find out whether there is a link between the reduction in sleep that older people tend to experience and the supposed reduction in learning capacity that occurs as we age.

Finding such a connection could help us better understand neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, said Walker.

Watermark’s ARESTM is an innovative, low-cost, patient-friendly wireless device, offered through primary care physicians that is worn while the patient sleeps at home. The device collects physiological data and integrates it with clinical history to determine the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

John Sculley, Co-Chairman of the Board for Watermark Medical, said, “The Watermark platform helps transform the manner in which healthcare is delivered by lowering costs and focusing on outcomes and therapy compliance.”

The test results are reviewed by a certified sleep technologist and then interpreted by the patient’s physician or sleep specialist. Appropriate therapy is then recommended by the patient’s physician.

Watermark Medical Chief Medical Officer and inventor of the ARESTM, Dr. Philip Westbrook, is one of the Dr. Oz panel of experts discussing sleep apnea. He can be found on the Sleep Apnea Syndrome tab of the “Ask Dr. Oz” section of the website. See here.

Cleveland Clinic recognized Home Sleep Testing as the # 7 Top 10 Medical Innovations of 2010.

See here. Watermark Medical’s technology platform enables connectivity between the physician and the patient’s diagnostic and compliance data in a simple and cost effective manner.

Sleep apnea, which can be life threatening, is one of the most common sleep disorders. Breathing stops and then restarts again recurrently during sleep. It is one of the leading causes of disruptive snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, and also may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes.

Untreated sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, memory problems, weight gain, impotency and headaches, said Heyniger.

“Not enough people are getting screened, especially patients with hypertension or diabetes,” he said. “Fortunately, advances in technology make it convenient for those with sleep apnea to comfortably get diagnosed and treated.”

Source
Watermark Medical

Here, we present a collection of supporting information about avocados from some of the top authors and personalities in the natural health industry, including David “Avocado” Wolfe himself.

Check out the quotes below, then pick up some avocados for yourself. They just help you save your own skin!

Avocados and healthy skin
For an excellent skin complexion, rub one or more of the following items against the skin two to four times a week: papaya pulp, avocado, cucumber, spirulina, fresh noni fruit and/or aloe vera. For dry skin, rub hempseed oil, jojoba oil and MSM lotion directly into the skin. This will alleviate dryness quickly. Or use avocado on the skin directly. Avocado oil is similar to our skin’s oil.
- The Sunfood Diet Success System by David Wolfe

Treat yourself to an avocado facial. Beauty, they say, is only skin deep. Luckily, avocado has moisturizing power to help make your skin more beautiful. For years, people have used avocado as a natural facial treatment, especially for dry skin. It’s easy to do in your own home. Just remove your makeup and wash your face with warm water and soap or your favorite cleanser. Mash some avocado and mix it with a little milk or oatmeal and apply it to your face. Leave it there for 10 minutes, then rinse it off with lots of water.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing

Eating half an avocado every other day would probably help your own cholesterol drop some. A rather remarkable twofold approach towards relieving the itchy misery of psoriasis is by eating half of an avocado daily and applying an extra-rich cream of chamomile flowers extract to the skin. The oils in the avocado will work internally towards the surface of the skin, soothing deep muscle inflammation. The oils in CamoCare Soothing Cream help the skin to literally repair itself from the damage done by psoriasis.
- Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs by John Heinerman

There’s more to avocado than guacamole. Its oil is actually patented as a treatment for some forms of dermatitis and arthritis. According to Aubrey Hampton, author of Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care, long-term treatment with avocado oil helps relieve eczema. I’m not surprised, as avocado oil is rich in vitamins A, D and E, all of which help maintain healthy skin. I suggest applying it directly to any itchy, red or irritated areas.
- The Green Pharmacy: New Discoveries in Herbal Remedies for Common Diseases and Conditions from the World’s Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs by James A. Duke, Ph.D.

Avocado oil has been used extensively for its ability to heal and soothe the skin. This use is based on the high hydrocarbon content of the pulp and oil, which may help dry skin. Avocados are frequently included in health diets, and recent evidence suggests they are effective in modifying lipid profiles. In a randomized study, women chose either a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids enriched with avocado or a high complex-carbohydrate diet. After 3 weeks, the avocado diet resulted in a reduction in total cholesterol level from baseline (8.2%).

The authors wrote in their background information that there was very little research on any potential link between coffee consumption and stroke risk.

For this study, Lopez-Garcia and colleagues analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study. The data covered 83,076 women who were followed for 24 years, starting with the first assessment of coffee consumption in 1980. This assessment was repeated every 2 to 4 years until 2004.

None of the women had a history of stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or cancer at the start of the study.

The main outcome measure was the number and type of strokes that occurred among the women during the follow up.

Using statistical tools like Cox regression models, the researchers analyzed the relative risks (RR) between the stroke events and coffee consumption, while ruling out potential confounders such as age, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), exercise/physical activity, use of alcohol, menopausal status, use of hormone therapy, use of aspirin, and other dietary factors.

The results showed that:

* Over the follow up period, there were 2,280 strokes: 426 of which were hemorrhagic (burst blood vessel in the brain), 1,224 ischemic (loss of blood supply to the brain), and 630 undetermined.

* The relative risk of stroke went down as coffee consumption went up.

* For women who drank between 1 cup of coffee a month and 4 cups per week, the relative risk of stroke was 0.98 compared to women who drank less than one cup a month.

* For women who drank 5 to 7 cups of coffee a week, the relative risk of stroke was 0.88.

* For 2 to 3 cups a day the relative risk was 0.81, and for more than 4 per day it was 0.80.

* After adjusting the figures again to take into account high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and type 2 diabetes, the relative risk of stroke still showed the same inverse association with coffee consumption: it went down as coffee consumption went up.

* The association was stronger among women who had either never smoked or had given up than among current smokers .

* Stroke risk was not linked to consumption of other drinks containing caffeine such as tea and caffeinated soft drinks.

* After taking out the effect of caffeinated coffee drinking, increasing decaffeinated coffee consumption was also found to be linked to lower stroke risk (relative risk of 2 or more cups a day compared to less than 1 a month was 0.89).

The authors concluded that:

“Long-term coffee consumption was not associated with an increased risk of stroke in women. In contrast, our data suggest that coffee consumption may modestly reduce risk of stroke.”

It would appear from these results that the beneficial link is not due to caffeine. WebMD reported that Lopez-Garcia suggested it was other ingredients in coffee that may be responsible for the lower risk of stroke as consumption rises:

“Antioxidants in coffee lower inflammation and improve blood vessel function,” she said in a press statement.

However, Lopez-Garcia cautioned that the beneficial effect of coffee drinking only applies to healthy people. Increasing coffee consumption will not make existing stroke risk from other causes go away.

And anyone with health problems should talk to their doctor about their own specific risk, she said. For instance people suffering with blood pressure, heart problems, anxiety or insomnia may not benefit from drinking coffee.

Experts say that poor air quality and ventilation is partly due to economies made by airlines to reduce fuel costs and extend the working life of aircraft.

In the study, a team of Belfast researchers measured oxygen saturation levels – the amount of oxygen carried in the blood.

Before take-off, levels averaged 97 per cent but these fell to 93 per cent at altitude.

For 54 per cent of travellers, the fall in oxygen levels was at least 6 per cent – a level at which many hospital doctors would prescribe extra oxygen.

The results were similar for both short-haul and long-haul fliers, according to the research published in Anaesthesia, the official journal of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

The 84 passengers who took part in the tests were aged between one and 78. None had severe cardio-respiratory problems and no one required permission from their doctor to fly.

Dr Susan Humphreys, anaesthetic specialist registrar, said research showed that a drop in oxygen levels in the blood can lead to an increase in blood clotting, which raises the risk of a deep vein thrombosis even in healthy people.

Illness Link

“We believe that these falling oxygen levels, together with factors such as dehydration, immobility and low humidity, could contribute to illness during and after flights,” she said.

“This has become a greater problem in recent years as modern aeroplanes are able to cruise at much higher altitudes.”

Dr Humphreys said oxygen deficiency can result in impaired mental performance and shortness of breath.

It can also worsen conditions such as angina and breathing problems.

Experts believe that a significant number of passengers travel with medical conditions that could put them at risk.

Farrol Kahn, of the Aviation Health Institute, a medical research charity promoting better health for passengers, said surveys show that around 10 per cent of travellers are unfit to fly.

“Oxygen reduction particularly affects people with pre-existing conditions, the old and very young, as infants can get into difficulty if they have insufficiently developed lungs,” he said.

“Economies play a role because if the altitude pressure is routinely changed on existing aircraft it cuts their working life.

“But passengers can ask for extra oxygen to be supplied to a section of the cabin and cylinders are available for giving individuals supplementary oxygen.”

Mr Kahn said travellers with cardiovascular disease or respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma should have preflight checks, along with the over-50s, to ensure they were fit to fly.

“The conditions on board, especially long-haul flights, put special stress on essential organs such as heart and brain,” he added.

“At the Institute we provide medical advice to GPs who are concerned about whether a patient can fly after a stroke, for example.”

Mr Kahn said ventilation was cut on some flights to save fuel and, by making passengers sleepy, cut down on extra services needed on board.

A report on the risks of flying from the House of Lords select committee on science and technology said there should be display cards at every ticket sale point and in every doctor’s surgery asking intending passengers: “Are you fit to fly?

Not long ago, saying goodnight to his mom and dad was nearly impossible for 3-year-old Rhett Lamb. In a case that baffled doctors, Rhett was awake nearly 24 hours a day.

“His body would give out but his mind wouldn’t; he’d still be awake,” said Rhett’s mom, Shannon Lamb. “He’d still be alert. It was extremely scary.”

One of the side effects of Rhett’s lack of sleep was bad behavior.

“He was in a bad mood all the time,” Lamb said. “He couldn’t play, he didn’t interact with other children. His frustration level was so high, and it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. He couldn’t communicate with anyone. It was heartbreaking.”

Rhett’s temper got so bad he would hit his mother, even giving her black eyes.

“He would hit you, he would bite you, he would head butt you and anything else around him, and you didn’t know from one minute to the next what was going to happen,” she said.

Rhett’s dad David Lamb said, “It was like he was losing his mind and there was nothing we could do to help him.”

The Lambs, who live in St. Petersburg, Fla., arranged opposite work shifts so one of them could stay home and take care of Rhett.

“You get to the point where you can’t function anymore and you can’t think straight, and you get up in the morning and you take a shower to go to work and you drive to work and you’re a robot,” Shannon Lamb said. “You are an absolute robot. And then you dread coming home ’cause you know it’s the same thing.”

Finally, a Diagnosis
After dozens of doctors’ visits and years of conflicting opinions, Rhett was finally diagnosed with a rare brain condition called chiari malformation.

Chiari malformation is a neurological disorder in which the bottom part of the brain, the cerebellum, descends out of the skull and crowds the spinal cord, putting pressure on both the brain and spine, causing a number of symptoms, including sleeplessness.
Once diagnosed, doctors were able to perform a risky surgery that offered a 50-50 chance Rhett would be able to sleep normally for the first time

Rhett Up to Speed
Dr. Gerald Tuite, a pediatric neurosurgeon at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersberg, made an incision from the base of Rhett’s skull to the top of his neck to remove bone around the brain stem and around the spinal cord, producing more space and reducing the pressure.

The surgery was a success. Rhett was finally able to sleep through the night, and his behavior improved dramatically.