Turmeric, which is part of the ginger family, is a yellow powder used as a spice for curries. Its medicinal properties have been known for centuries.

As well as fighting against cancer, it has also been used for Alzheimer’s, arthritis and a range of other serious disorders.

Researchers at the University of Leicester have been using curcumin, an extract of root turmeric, to target chemo-resistant cells. This could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and also help prevent the disease from returning.

Colorectal cancer accounts for more than 600,000 deaths a year and is the third most common cause of cancer deaths in the western world. Researcher Dr Karen Brown says, “Following treatment for cancer, small populations of cancer cells often remain which are responsible for disease returning. These cells appear to have different properties to the bulk of cells within a tumour, making them resistant to chemotherapy.

“Previous laboratory research has shown that curcumin, from turmeric, has not only improved the effectiveness of chemotherapy but has also reduced the number of chemo-resistant cells, which has implications in preventing the disease returning.

“We hope that our work will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which curcumin targets resistant cells in tumours. It should also help us identify those patient populations who are most likely to benefit from curcumin treatment in the future.”

Your smile says a lot about you. Having a beautiful smile can get you a lot of things in life, which is why so many people take care of their teeth and their smile like they take care of the other important things in their life.

A lot of components go into your smile, and making sure you have each of those components is key to a beautiful smile.

A good smile is about much more than just white teeth (although that’s a very key part of it). Having a beautiful smile will give you confidence that you never seemed to have before, and it could lead on to great things. Check out these tips on how to get the perfect smile, and become a more confident you.

Straight Teeth
One unavoidable component to having a beautiful smile is having straight teeth. Many people think that they can’t accomplish this if they didn’t have braces as a child, which couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there are lots of adult options for teeth straightening and many of them deliver fantastic results. Also, many adults don’t want braces because they don’t want to have them visible in their mouth for years and years.

There are teeth straightening options available for adults who don’t want a mouthful of braces. One option to consider is Invisalign braces, which are practically invisible on your teeth.

You’ll barely notice that they’re there yourself, and people around you definitely won’t notice. There are dentists all over the country and in Kansas City that recommend these types of options for adults, as they are very nonintrusive and won’t take up a ton of space in your mouth. What they will do is lead to a better smile, which is a definite plus!

White and Bright Teeth
Gone are the days of having to spend hundreds of dollars on a whitening treatment from your dentist. Nowadays, it’s easy to get fantastic whitening results at home that won’t hurt your wallet at all. Start by switching your toothpaste and mouthwash to a brand that is proven to help whiten teeth. Switching those two products alone will no doubt help you see results in a few weeks.

If you want some serious results, you should add some other whitening products to your routine. Gel strips have become a popular teeth whitening choice, and some will even give you results in just a few hours. Whatever you choose, stick with it, and make sure you don’t consider it a one and done situation.

Your Diet
What you put into your mouth has a big impact on your smile, so making adjustments in that respect can lead to big results. You could spend a lot on whitening treatments, but if you continue to drink sugary sodas and lots of coffee you’ll be throwing money down the drain.

After you eat or drink something that’s been proven to cause tooth yellowing, brush your teeth. If you don’t have that option, rinse your mouth out with water to clean it up a little bit. Make sure you always do this, and your smile could be beautiful for years to come.

Image credit: I.Yimg.com

Many people will have suffered from the pain of inflammation at one time or another. Most people who need to have inflammation treated will be given a prescription and opt to buy Celebrex or a similar medication.

While there are some very good drugs on the market, not everyone enjoys taking them, particularly if they have the misfortune of suffering from side effects. Inflammation can have a variety of causes and can be helped with the use of alternative remedies.

What is inflammation?
Inflammation is the way in which the body tries to protect itself and remove anything harmful, such as damaged cells, pathogens or irritants, and is the start of the body’s healing process. It should not be assumed that any inflammation is actually a sign of infection; if an infection does exist then the inflammation will be the body’s response at the start of the removal process.

It is a natural reaction to want to try to reduce any inflammation; however, sufferers need to first be sure that this is the right course of action. Inflammation occurs in stages. The first stage is irritation, which leads to the inflammation. This is followed by the suppuration stage, which is the discharge of pus, and then granulation, which is the formation of small new tissue masses in the wound as it heals.

Alternative remedies for inflammation
There are a number of herbal remedies on the market that may be helpful to those who are suffering from inflammation. Devil’s claw is one of these. The South African herb has been used for many years to treat conditions such as arthritis, muscle pain, back pain and migraine.

Hyssop is an herb that is used for culinary purposes and there is evidence that it is beneficial for those who suffer from inflammation in the lungs and other lung conditions. Hyssop is a herb that needs to be used carefully.

Ginger has long been a popular herbal remedy for a variety of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, colic and colon inflammation. Another member of this family of herbs is turmeric, which can also be beneficial for conditions such as arthritis.

Ensuring that the diet has plenty of omega-3 is a good option, as a lack of this fatty acid can lead to inflammation. It is also a good idea to include green tea in the daily diet, which is considered to be particularly beneficial for those who are postmenopausal. Ensure that the diet is low in saturated fats and salt, and include fresh fruits such as strawberries, pineapple and papaya. These fruits contain natural enzymes such as bromelain and papain, which can help with inflammation.

Aloe Vera juice is beneficial, particularly for inflammation of the digestive system, and can easily be added into the diet along with herbs such as echinacea and pau d’arco. Those who are in any doubt about the right herbs to use should consult a qualified and experienced herbalist, who will be able to take into account the sufferer’s medical history and other personal details before making a recommendation.

A Delaware court is taking a new approach to dealing with heroine addiction – sentencing those that have committed drug-related crimes to a treatment program rather than a stretch behind bars.

The Delaware Daily Times writes that authorities in Montgomery County have established an innovative new Drug Court Program, designed to tackle the problems of heroin addiction through treatment rather than prison. Offenders brought before the court can be sentenced to intense rehabilitation and treatment programs which, if completed successfully, can lead to any charges being quashed.

The Program runs for a minimum of 15 months, with some addicts participating for up to three years from their referral. It is not compulsory, but statistics show a growing number of those offered treatment are choosing and completing that option.

Those that participate receive treatment alongside encouragement and support to transition back into normal society. With over 53% of prisoners reoffending on release from prison, the program is expected to improve the rate of recurring crime while building better lives for the addicts involved.

“The treatment process is kept under close review by the courts, and a panel of medical, legal and probation representatives meet to discuss progress on a regular basis. A large, large number of economic crimes can be prevented by treating people and helping them find their way to sobriety,” said one representative of the program, which focuses specifically on achieving reduced rates of reoffending and rehabilitation.

The courts offer the program as an alternative to incarceration and supervision orders. Unlike private rehab treatments, which will only be funded so far by insurance providers, treatment is offered on an inpatient basis for as long as it takes to return the offender to a drug-free, clean lifestyle. The final phase involves a supported transition back into daily life, meaning treatment and support for the addict at every step.

It’s a radical approach, and one many addiction professionals are seeing as an encouraging step. The Valley Hope Association, which operates drug recovery centers nationwide, said that new approaches like this could make a real difference to reoffending and help addicts get better.

“Treating addicts through the jail system can be a disruptive and unhelpful approach. Recognizing addiction as an illness and treating it as a health issue can remove the threat of reoffending altogether, and provide addicts with a better chance of rebuilding their lives.”

It’s not only the victims of crime and their families that suffer from ill-advised drug policy. The addicts themselves suffer, in addition to the whole of society in absorbing the costs of crime, punishment and treatment.

While prisons can provide rehabilitation and support for drug and alcohol dependency, they can create additional social problems for addicts. Isolation from support networks on the outside and underlying health and addiction problems can quickly lead to a spiral of reoffending with a very human cost.

Treatment and rehabilitation are proven to be more effective than straight punishment. Statistics from Sweden and Denmark, where this type of treatment program is more common, show that these schemes have a net positive effect on both addiction and reoffending rates. With Delaware blazing the trail, there’s no reason we can’t be next to see these improvements.