Genes
HAND OSTEOARTHRITIS
The human hand truly is an anatomical wonder, considering how much your use your hands daily, and all the different movements your wrists, hands, and fingers are capable of. Each hand and wrist has 27 little bones, which enables all the different movements. The bones...
STROKE IMPLICATIONS AND REHABILITATION
Stroke is the fourth highest cause of death from natural causes in South Africa, closely following on the top three: TB, diabetes, and heart disease. This is according to the latest information available from Statistics SA, namely for 2016. In 2015, stroke was the...
WAYS TO PREVENT A STROKE
A wide variety of factors can increase the risk of stroke. It is possible to have inherited an increased genetic predisposition to having a stroke, illustrated by family history. Aging is another factor that increases risk. However, there are many risk factors that...
SOME UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN MICROBIOME
We may not be aware that we live with 2 kg of microscopically small bacteria in our gastro-intestinal tracts (gut), which play a vital role in the functioning of our bodies. Bacteria are found on the skin, in the mouth, the nose, the urogenital system, but the vast...
COGNITIVE DECLINE AND DEMENTIA
To many a layperson the word “dementia” may conjure up the image of a person who is seen as stark raving mad and locked up in a mental institution. Dementia, however, is not to be confused with mental illness, as it refers to the more serious conditions associated...
NATURAL WAYS TO REDUCE THE DISCOMFORT OF ARTHRITIS
What is arthritis? Arthritis is a condition that describes joint pain or joint disease in one or more joints in the body where bones come together, such as the knees, hips, elbows, wrists, fingers and toes. In medical terms, arthritis refers to joint...
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) describes a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs due to a sensation of severe discomfort. The discomfort can take the form of feelings of aching, tingling (‘pins and needles”), itching, a “buzzing” sensation, an...
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GENETIC MAKEUP, INSULIN SENSITIVITY AND TYPE OF DIET ON WEIGHT LOSS
Overweight or obese and wanting to lose weight? Which diet would be best to follow – a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet? If you have a genetic predisposition to do better on one of these diets, what difference would it make? What role does your level of insulin...
TELOMERES
The end caps on a shoestring: Imagine pointing an electron microscope at your little finger and enhancing the image until an individual cell in the skin appears. Adjust a little more until you are able to see inside the cell. A number of Duracell batteries (the...
Insight Into Basic Genetics
Genetics Genetics can be viewed as the branch of biology that is concerned with the study of heredity – dealing with the genetic properties. Modern genetics has expanded way beyond mere inheritance to now also study the function and behavior of genes and their...