Archive for the ‘People’ Category

Amy Winehouse’s father says he believes she died after suffering a seizure related to alcohol detoxification and ”there was nobody there to rescue her”.

The soul diva, who had fought drug and alcohol problems for years, was found dead in bed at her London home on July 23.

Her family says toxicology reports indicated there was alcohol in her bloodstream but it was unclear whether this had contributed to her death at age 27.

Mitch Winehouse said Friday during a taping of Anderson Cooper’s new syndicated talk show that traces of the prescription drug Librium, which is used to fight anxiety and withdrawal symptoms of alcoholism, were found in her body.

”Everything Amy did, she did to excess,” he said on the show, which is to air as Cooper’s debut Monday. ”She drank to excess and did detox to excess.”

He said he regretted that his daughter – whose most famous song, Rehab, has her answering ”no, no, no” when told to go to rehab – was trying to kick her alcoholism without a doctor’s help.

He said ”the periods of abstinence were becoming longer, and the periods of drinking were becoming shorter. It was heading in the right direction”.

The singer, whose other hits include Tears Dry on Their Own, had suffered seizures during this period and would lose consciousness. Her father admitted he was speculating that this happened on the morning she died and said he should find out more conclusively how she died when a full inquest into her death begins next month.

Years earlier, when Amy Winehouse was on harder drugs including heroin and cocaine, her father said, he would not have been surprised if she had died.

Mitch Winehouse, who is starting his own singing career, was in New York when his daughter’s security guard called him in July. Hearing the distraught tone of the security guard’s voice, the father said his first words were, ”Is she dead?”

Amy Winehouse’s breakthrough Back to Black album was recently certified as the best-selling disc in Britain so far during the 21st century. The updated take on old-time soul also was responsible for five Grammy Awards.

”When she wasn’t drinking,” her father said, ”she was absolutely on top of the world”.

He occasionally dabbed tears from his eyes as Cooper’s show ran video clips of her. He said he was comforted by the outpouring of support from her fans. Her mother, Janis Winehouse, said she’s had people approach her to thank her for having the singer.

Mitch Winehouse said he blamed the singer’s ex-husband, a music industry hanger-on, for introducing her to hard drugs but did not blame him for her death. He said she had not taken drugs since December 2008.

Amy Winehouse’s boyfriend at the time of her death, Reg Traviss, said they had spent a quiet evening looking at pictures and watching DVDs two days before she died. They were looking forward to attending a friend’s wedding in a few days and were planning a trip to St. Lucia around her September 14 birthday.

He said he struggled to find the right moments to talk to his girlfriend about her drinking without seeming as though he was nagging.

”She was a really clever girl,” Traviss said. ”She knew what she was doing. I would sometimes choose my moments when there was something that was needed to be said.”

Winehouse’s family has set up a foundation to raise money to help people beat alcohol and drug addiction. Her father met with British political leaders to seek backing for setting up a drug rehab centre in her name.

The foundation officially starts operation next week, and her father indicated that was why he was coming forth to do interviews about her.

Cooper’s program donated US$50,000 to the foundation, although spokeswoman Laura Mandel said the donation was made after the interview was set up and the booking wasn’t contingent upon giving the foundation money.

Amy Winehouse’s stepmother and aunt also appeared on Cooper’s show.

– Cover Media

Dad: Detox killed Amy Winehouse

Tags: librium, security guard, Entertainment Culture, soul diva, alcohol problems

Why Colon Cleanse

To experience ideal digestive health, there are two essential requirements, a balanced diet and natural colon cleansing. Your colon is an important part in your health and well-being. When you detox with organic herbs they helps remove built up mucus and toxins from your intestinal passage.

Imagine, for a moment you have baked a casserole. You later find hard-baked food around the edges of the dish. Running it under a tap is not very effective, so you fill the dish with hot soapy water and leave it to soak. You then use a scourer, which easily removes the debris from the sides of the dish. Effective colon cleansing with organic herbs equates to the same thing.

There are many reasons to do a colon cleanse and here are just four:

• Colon cleansing is a good way to clean out built up mucus and toxins
• Colon cleansing is an alternative to an enema or laxatives
• Colon cleansing reduces the oxidized fats, which build up in your colon as putrid fat
• Natural colon cleansing helps aid natural digestion process

Your body has excellent defense mechanisms to resist parasites and worms

Fast food, smoking, taking prescription drugs and drinking alcohol, plus what we may unintentionally absorb from the environment affects our digestive system. Your diet, what you eat, will reflect in how well your colon functions. If you eat mucus forming foods they will leave matter coated over the defense mechanisms, which then creates the right environment for worms and parasites to thrive inside your colon.

Your colon absorbs nutrients, vitamins, minerals and water, all the goodness from the food you eat. Absorption is likely to be unsuccessful if your colon is layered with mucus. One of the positive results of colon cleansing with herbs is once the mucus is cleared, you will benefit from the increased goodness obtained from the food you eat. Choosing the right herbal colon cleanse will certainly help remove the residue of built up toxins and mucus, while expelling intestinal parasites and worms.

Mucus forming foods create colon and digestive problems

Can you think of another animal that drinks another animals breast milk throughout it’s life?

Humans are not designed to drink milk. Most people include dairy products in their diet, imagine how much you have consumed since you were a born

• Morning milk at school
• Biscuits and milk after school
• Top of milk on your cereals
• Milk in tea and coffee
• Cheese sandwiches
• Sauces made with milk
• Ice cream
• Yogurt
• Cakes
• Milk shakes

Healthy Intestinal Mucus

Our body secretes healthy mucus is a normal, a natural defense mechanism that we need. Mucous membranes in the colon continually secrete mucus as a means of keeping the surfaces of your intestinal tracts moist and lubricated. When you catch a cold your body produces mucus to aid the removal of germs.

If you were to ingest poison your body would induce vomiting, while at the same time producing mucus in your intestinal linings in smooth layers to reduce absorption of the poison and speed the offending material out of your body.

Milk stimulates unhealthy mucus production. Each time you consume foods containing milk a layer of mucus is produced in your colon and intestinal passages. I am not suggesting you quit dairy products, but cutting them down will certainly help to support a healthier colon.

Have you heard of casein?

Casein is the main protein in milk and gives milk its white opaque appearance. Casein has many uses:

• A binder in most processed foods as a binder
• In adhesives such as super glue
• Paints
• Industrial products.
• Knitting needles
• Buttons
• Crochet hooks

Casein is extracted from milk and used in a variety of different ways. Because Casein is very strong it can stick to smooth surfaces. It’s the casein in glue that sticks the labels on to bottles. Casein is waterproof and resists temperature change. Casein can be chilled or warm and still maintain its super glue properties. Does this sound like something you would want to drink?

300 times more casein in cow’s milk than human breast milk

Cow’s milk is for baby calves, it is designed specifically to take a baby calf through its weaning period. A calf skeleton has to grow considerably in a very short space of time. The casein in the cow’s milk provides the quick grow bone building material. You may be surprised to learn that cow’s milk has 300 times more casein than human breast milk

This is because human babies are not required to increase skeletal mass at such a rapid rate as newborn calves. Cow’s milk is pasteurized by heating to a high temperature, this kills the bugs and bacteria that are considered harmful to humans. Raising the temperature of milk gives the milk a longer shelf life. Infant calves do not have a problem with milk straight from their mothers, but if you were to feed pasteurized milk to a baby calf, it would die. The enzymes in cow’s milk are vital for a baby calf. Pasteurizing cow’s milk destroys the vital enzyme the calf needs to survive.

Colon Problems

Problems can begin in the colon when water is drawn out of the layers of mucus and starts to dry out. If you go to bed with a runny nose you are likely to wake up with it dried up and hardened. If you don’t clean your teeth properly dental plaque develops. When dental plaque is soft it is easily brushed off. If left to harden the dentist needs steel tools to scrape and polish it away.

When built up mucus in the colon dries out it hardens to. It does not dissolve in water, it coats the surface of the colon in a thin layer with glue-like strength. If you consume milk based food and drinks throughout the day you are constantly stimulating the production of mucus, so layers build up. Instead of the colon being 4 inches in diameter and healthy, it can expand to 8 inches in diameter with only a small hole for waste matter to pass through. People who suffer obesity can have colons weighing up to 27kg instead of a healthy 14kg. These extra kg can also be reflected in a larger waistline.

Soaking and Scrubbing Your Digestive System

Remember the baked casserole dish? Removing built up toxins and mucus from your colon can be achieved in a remarkably similar method. Soak it and then mechanically scrub it out. We don’t have an intestinal shaped brush so you the best method is organic herbs and spices, an old method, but highly effective.

Best Colon Cleansing Is With Organic Herbs

Swallowing pills alone is not going to cleanse your colon. The best colon cleanse comes in two parts:

Part one should consist of organic herbs that stimulate the digestive system and to soothe the digestive tract at the same time. There should also be a natural antiseptic herb that creates an environment hostile to intestinal parasites, together with herbs to promote healthy intestinal bacteria.

The first part of successful a colon cleanse should always speed up your digestive system and decrease the length of time matters spends in your colon; like soaking the casserole dish. This means your colon will extract less water and the material will be wetter. This increased moisture together with the reaction of the herbs will soak the mucus, just like soaking wallpaper before you strip it. The second part of a good herbal colon cleanse is not encapsulated but a combination of well balanced ingredients ground to powder consisting of:

1. Bentonite Clay which attracts toxins, absorbs pesticides, bacteria, pathogens, environmental or dietary toxins and parasites in your gastrointestinal tract.

2. Pectin is beneficial in supporting a healthy intestine and digestive system, absorbing toxins and some heavy metals. Pectin, when mixed with bentonite clay does a great job of sticking to the sides of your colon and removing built up layers of unwanted mucus matter.

3. Activated Charcoal to stimulate the peristaltic muscles and to absorb toxins and gas.

Also herbs that specifically coat and soothes the tissues of the intestines, colon and urinary tract. Soothing the gastric tract, improving and strengthens digestion, whilst helping to reduce inflammation in the colon.

How do I know really knows a colon cleanse is really working?

Depending on the condition in your intestines and what you are eating you are likely to expel something firm and possibly transparent. Your stools may firm and thick, tough, or soft and wet. They may range in color from light brown, black, or greenish-black to yellow or grey and can emit a foul odor. Noticeable more if you eat meat. The best way of finding out if it is working for you is to check what is coming out

Is doing one colon cleanse is enough?

Realistically, the answer is no. If you include dairy products in you diet colon cleansing twice a year will certainly help to maintain a healthy colon. The focus on colon and digestive health is prominent yet most people have little knowledge of the best way to do this.

We strongly suggest that you do your own research about the ingredients of a colon cleanses before you buy one. Your health and well-being is the most important outcome to any colon cleanse. Choosing and experiencing the benefits of a good herbal colon cleanse can be the difference between staying in a 5 star hotel or a 2 star bed and breakfast.

Good Reasons For Colon Cleansing – Are You Drinking Super Glue?

Tags: runny nose, properly dental plaque, Parasites', goodness, laxatives

Consumers seeking detoxification without the risks involved in questionable practices such as sweat spas, colonics and extreme diets, can now turn to Nopalea™, the anti-inflammatory wellness drink from TriVita® that helps the body detoxify itself naturally.

Nopalea contains rare and powerful antioxidants found in the fruit of the Nopal cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica), harvested from the Sonoran Desert of North America. These antioxidants, called Betalains, have been proven in studies to help detoxify the body itself as well as reduce chronic inflammation. Betalains work by: strengthening cell walls that are distressed by external toxins and internal deficiencies; supporting the natural detoxification processes of the human body, most of which occur in the kidneys and liver; and clearing away toxic buildup of waste within the body.

When toxins surround cells, nutrients are unable to reach the cell; this can result in cells withering, collapsing and eventually dying. It can also lead to joint pain, which is linked to a variety of serious health conditions. Nopalea helps neutralize accumulated toxins in the body, so that vital nutrients may reach cells and equip them to repair and replace damaged tissue and reduce the reactive inflammation that toxins promote.

Many toxins can enter the body through air, water, food and even mere physical contact. Adverse health issues are increasingly being linked to exposure to chemicals found in everyday household items. Chemicals lurking in plastics, furniture, clothing, appliances, household cleaners and more can all increase a body’s toxic load. Other common sources of toxins include pesticides, herbicides, environmental pollutants and even biological processes such as metabolism.

Fear of these known toxins and other unknown toxins sometimes drives consumers to try unproven and potentially harmful detoxification methods such as so-called detox diets, colon cleanses and more. Now, with Nopalea, consumers can help their bodies detoxify naturally with a delicious wellness drink.

TriVita is a Scottsdale-based wellness company that encourages people everywhere to experience wellness®: physically, emotionally and spiritually. Learn more about Nopalea at nopalea.com.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Children, women who are pregnant or nursing, and all individuals allergic to any foods or ingredients should consult their healthcare provider before using this product. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting with a healthcare provider. If you experience unexplained swelling, consult with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis of the problem.

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Anti-Inflammatory Wellness Drink Helps Detoxify the Body Naturally

Tags: everyday household, Sonoran Desert, Desert of North America, Health Medical Pharma

It is a known fact that the Detox Foot Patches contain natural ingredients to remove the toxins that have built up over time through out your body. This well known herbal mineral extracted from Brazil named tourmaline which is a silicate mineral that contains a complex composition containing boron, aluminum and a unique color. Also added Detox Foot Patch is the well known wood vinegar along with other herbal plant extracts that bring your body free from various harmful toxins. Scientists have documented several studies showing how Tourmaline can create negative ions by emitting infrared rays. This one product producing these negative ions has therapeutic attributes and it will re energize the effect on the human body.

Another product that the patch contains is a product called wood sap. Very well known and used for centuries throughout ancient China, wood sap has many medicinal uses. Extracted from the Oak, Beech, and Sakura trees, wood sap has been used by the Chinese to treatment wounds and many other health issues. Known to be effective when applied directly to the wound, the tree sap offers relief from infections and irritations when an injury occurs. This proven treatment has prompted Japanese scientists to include the wood vinegar as one of the main ingredients that is contained in the detox foot patch and proven to be quite effect.

The foot patch user will notice that the first few nights of using the product, in the morning the pads reveal a dark residue. The makers of the patch claim that this dark residue is a sign that the detox pads have extracted the harmful toxins stored in your body during the night. Many consumer reviews have stated that the nights that they had applied the foot patch, that they slept sounder and felt more refreshed while wearing the pads. Whether or not these claims are true will have to be determined by testing them yourself.

The FDA has evaluated the Detox foot pads and state that they do not contain any harsh chemicals. The manufactures also make statements description claiming that you will experience enhanced blood circulation, strengthening of your immune system, a better night’s sleep, and a healthier lifestyle are just a few of the many reasons to experience detoxification for yourself. What benefits you will actually experience will ultimately depend upon how your body responds to the treatments and will vary from individual to individual.

Natural Ingredients Found in Detox Foot Patches

Tags: infrared rays, detox foot patches, natural ingredients, plant extracts

Press Release Source: Signal Genetics On Wednesday June 29, 2011, 7:00 am EDT

NEW YORK and QUEBEC CITY, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Signal Genetics, a privately held predictive genetic testing company focusing on oncology, and DiagnoCure, Inc. (TSX:CUR.to – News), a life sciences company that develops and commercializes high-value cancer diagnostic tests, today announced a collaboration arrangement valued at US$13.3M over the first five years.  This collaboration aims to maximize the commercialization of Previstage™ GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test, and further develop novel genomic cancer tests in the field of Personalized Medicine.

Under the definitive agreements underlying the collaboration, Signal Genetics is granted a worldwide exclusive license to the Previstage™ GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test developed by DiagnoCure, and acquires DiagnoCure’s U.S. CLIA service laboratory. These two elements of the transaction combined are valued at a minimum of US$10.8M over five years, broken down into a US$5.7M upfront payment for the acquisition of DiagnoCure’s U.S. laboratory, and a minimum of US$5.1M in annual installments and royalty payments over the first five years of the license agreement. In addition, Signal will pay DiagnoCure US$2.5M under an R&D agreement to advance the development of certain genomic tests being developed in its Quebec-based laboratories. All payments will be made in cash.

“Previstage™ GCC has been shown to offer key clinical information to improve colon cancer management and has an estimated global market potential of over US$400M,” stated Joe Hernandez, CEO of Signal Genetics. “We are excited to add it to our product portfolio.  With our new subsidiary, CC Health LLC, we plan to expand our sales force and our marketing partnerships to sell the test nationwide.  Moreover, the R&D agreement provides Signal and its affiliates access to DiagnoCure’s extensive experience in developing personalized genomic tests in oncology that are complementary technologies to the company’s pipeline.”

“After reviewing many options and opportunities for our U.S. division over the past months, this collaboration arrangement with Signal Genetics emerged as the best strategic path to maximize the commercialization of Previstage™ GCC, and leverage DiagnoCure’s assets and R&D expertise,” noted Dr. Yves Fradet, President and Chief Medical Officer of DiagnoCure, Inc. “Moving forward, the new inflow of funds, added to the growing revenues generated by the sale of the PCA3 prostate cancer test, will strengthen DiagnoCure’s financial base, and allow us to build on our core expertise in developing clinically relevant and robust genomic tests in cancer, in particular lung cancer.”

The definitive agreements were executed on June 28, 2011.

Conference call and webcast at 8:30 am

Signal Genetics and DiagnoCure will hold a conference call this morning at 8:30 a.m. EDT to provide further details on the transaction. The call will be webcast live through DiagnoCure’s website at www.diagnocure.com – Investors page – Presentations. To take part in the Q&A session, dial 1-877-974-0445 (514-807-8791 for Montreal participants), subject “DiagnoCure special announcement”, Conference ID: 4452369.

About Colorectal Cancer and Previstage™ GCC

Every year in the United States and Canada, 165,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Of that number, 69,000 are considered at low risk after their surgery. Yet, up to 20% of them suffer recurrence of a more advanced cancer.

Previstage™ GCC is currently the only colorectal cancer staging test on the market that provides prognostic information based on the tumor burden measured at the molecular level in the lymph nodes. Tumor burden in the lymph nodes has become more widely recognized by treating physicians as a key prognostic factor to determine the risk of recurrence of cancer patients, and hence, to determine which patients might benefit most from adjuvant chemotherapy and which could be safely managed without chemotherapy.

To date, results of published studies totaling over 1,000 patients have shown that the GCC biomarker is a better predictor, than traditionally-used factors, of disease recurrence in early-stage colorectal cancer patients.

In particular, in a recent study (Annals of Surgical Oncology, May 2011), in a sub-set of 181 stage II colon cancer patients, the Previstage™ GCC test classified one-third of patients as having a high risk of recurrence following surgery and two-thirds of patients at low risk of recurrence. The high risk group had a six times greater likelihood of recurrence than the low risk group (27% versus 4%).

About Signal Genetics

Signal Genetics, the parent company of Myeloma Health LLC, Respira Health LLC and CC Health LLC, is a privately held predictive genetic testing company focused on improving the treatment of cancer patients. The goal of Signal Genetics is to provide cancer patients and their physicians with novel and innovative insights into their disease, including predictive outcome of disease stage, odds of relapse, and the optimal treatment regimen based on their specific genetic expression profile. The Company launched its first molecular diagnostic test in December, 2010, Myeloma Prognostic Risk Signature (MyPRS™) via its CLIA laboratory in Little Rock, Arkansas. Signal Genetics has marketing partnerships with two large, national laboratories, including Caris Life Sciences and NeoGenomics Laboratories.  Additional information is available at www.signalgenetics.com.

About DiagnoCure

DiagnoCure (TSX:CUR.to – News) is a life sciences company that develops and commercializes high-value cancer diagnostic tests that increase clinician and patient confidence in making critical treatment decisions. In 2008, the Company launched the Previstage™ GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test through its U.S. CLIA laboratory. The Company also has a strategic alliance with Gen-Probe (NASDAQ:GPRO – News) for the development and commercialization of a second-generation prostate cancer test using PCA3, DiagnoCure’s proprietary molecular marker. This test is available through laboratories in the U.S. and in Canada using PCA3 analyte specific reagents (ASR) from Gen-Probe, and in Europe as the CE-marked PROGENSA® PCA3 in vitro assay. For more information, visit www.diagnocure.com.

Forward-looking statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expected. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are based on expectations and hypotheses and also involve risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond DiagnoCure’s control. As a result, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements regarding the outcome of research and development projects, clinical studies and future revenues are based on management expectations. In addition, the reader is referred to the applicable general risks and uncertainties described in DiagnoCure’s most recent Annual Information Form under the heading “Risk Factors”. DiagnoCure undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein unless required by the applicable securities laws and regulations.

Signal Genetics and DiagnoCure Announce a US$13.3M Collaboration for the Commercialization of Previstage GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test

Tags: Myeloma Health LLC, Signal Genetics, royalty payments, cancer management, Signal GeneticsSignal Genetics, diagnostic tests, definitive agreements