Community News
Urgent Need for Plasma Protein Therapies

 

Urgent and Ongoing need for Plasma Protein Therapies

Did you know that a large number of patients depend on protein therapies derived from human plasma and blood donors in Canada? Donors are required because large volumes of plasma, the liquid portion of blood are required to treat a wide variety of diseases.

For example:

  • 1200 plasma donations are required to treat one patient with hemophilia, a bleeding disorder.
  • 130 donations to treat one patient with primary immunodeficiency, condition where people can not make functional antibodies to fight infections.
  • 900 donations are required to treat one alpha-1 patient, a disorder that affects the lungs.

These therapies replace missing or defective proteins in patients with rare disorders so they can lead healthier and otherwise normal lives. They typically require on-going infusions throughout their lives as they are chronic diseases so plasma is always required.

Bill Bees, Vice- President, Plasma Technology
www.plasma.prometic.com

 

 

Examples of diseases and their products are outlined in the table below:

 

Disease Product Description of Condition
Hemophilia A Factor VIII Bleeding Disorder caused by a lack of Factor VIII clotting factor. Affects 1 in 10,000 people.
Hemophilia B Factor IX Bleeding Disorder caused by a lack of Factor IX clotting factor. Affects 1 in 25,000 people.
Von Willebrand Disease Von Willebrand Factor VIII Bleeding disorder due to a defective Factor VIII gene. Affects 1.2 million people worldwide.
Antithrombin Deficiency Antithrombin III Bleeding disorder due to a defective ATIII gene.
Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) Immune Globulin Intravenous or subcutaneous Genetic disorder where insufficient or defect immune globulin is produced, leading to susceptibility to infections.
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) Immune Globulin Intravenous Autoimmune disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system of both children and adults. Can lead to muscle weakness and paralysis.
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) Immune Globulin Intravenous Autoimmune disorder that affects blood platelet levels leading to bleeding disorders.
Kawasaki Immune Globulin Intravenous Primarily affects children under 5-years of age leading to heart disease.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) Alpha-1 Protease Inhibitor Also called genetic emphysema that affects lung function.
Burns, Shock, Trauma, Major Surgery Albumin The major plasma protein is used for fluid replacement for a variety of disease conditions.
Infectious diseases like:

Rabies

Tetanus

Varicella Zoster

Hepatitis B

 Hyperimmune globulin directed against a specific virus or bacteria Used for treating ore preventing a variety of infectious diseases.
Hereditary angioedema C1-esterdase inhibitor A rare and potentially life threating condition characterized by acute attacks of swelling of face, airway, stomach and extremities.

 

Clean Eating – Turkey and Sweet Potato Curry

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp finely chopped ginger;
2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic;
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes;
2 Tbsp curry powder;
2 tsp garam masala;
1 cup plain greek yogurt;
1 lb cooked turkey breast, chopped;
1 Tbsp cooking oil;
1 yellow onion, chopped;
2 tomatoes, chopped;
1 lb sweet potatoes, chopped;
1 cup chickpeas;
1 Tbsp brown sugar.

Directions: Put ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, curry powder, garam masala and yogurt into medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Reduce heat; slowly add curry sauce being careful not to boil. Stir in turkey, tomato, sweet potato, chickpeas and sugar; cook until heated through. Serve with basmati rice or toasted pita bread. Delish!

Book Club – Always Hungry?

Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, And Lose Weight Permanently by Dr. David Ludwig. Renowned endocrinologist, Dr. David Ludwig, explains why traditional diets don’t work and presents a new plan to help you lose weight without hunger. “Always Hungry?” turns dieting on its head with a three-phase program that ignores calories and targets fat cells directly. The recipes and meal plan include delicious high-fat foods (like nuts and nut butter, full-fat dairy, avocados, and dark chocolate), healthy proteins, and natural carbohydrates. The result? Fat cells release their excess calories, and you lose weight and inches without battling cravings and constant hunger. This is dieting without deprivation. This helpful book reveals a liberating new way to tame hunger and lose weight for good. Available at your local bookstore.

Exercise for Mental Health

After a long day of work, or chasing children, or just trying to fit life into your schedule, the last thing you might think about is being active. However, staying active is part of a healthy lifestyle, and it has the added benefit of helping us feel happy. When we are active, our brain releases a chemical called serotonin. This chemical helps us feel happier. Feeling down? Start with a low-intensity activity such as walking. Bring the dog or your family along to share the experience. Other great activities include biking, doing yard work, swimming, and throwing a ball around. Still having a hard time fitting in being active? Try to add a little bit of activity to your work routine, especially if you have an office job. Stand at your desk instead of sitting. Take time during the day to stretch. Remember, small changes over time can make a big difference!

Ginseng for Weight Loss

Ginseng does many things to help human health, but many people do not realize that ginseng is good for weight loss. It gives an energy boost and can help fight fatigue. Because of this, it allows for you to be more active. One of the big things that it does in the weight loss battle is by regulating blood sugar. It does this by reducing the amount of carbohydrate that is converted into fat. Also, it is important to point out that ginseng alone will not help lose weight if you engage in poor dietary choices. It is vital that a well-balanced diet is followed and that you are active. Otherwise, like the old English proverb says, “Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.” One of the active ingredients in SlimROAST weight loss coffee from Valentus – The Healthiest Coffee on the Planet!

“All Disease Begins in the Gut” ~Hippocrates

This is a pretty powerful statement for it being used over 2000 years ago! Research has revealed that it’s true. A healthy gut is critical to overall health. It’s kind of scary to think of when you see how people treat their gut! So what makes an unhealthy gut? I bet the first thing you think of is fast food; you’re right, but there is another that is equally as bad and that is STRESS. Both environmental and lifestyle chronic stresses are the most damaging to the gut, in particular. Stress can cause gut changes in motility, mucosal permeability, barrier function, gastric secretion, blood flow and gut microbiota. Healthy gut practices include: 1. Relaxation/meditation techniques; It’s so important for the health of your digestive system and your overall outlook on life. 2. Fibre; which helps to promote healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. 3. Water; keeps everything flowing smoothly.

 

Does Being Overweight Cause Health Conditions?

It is a strongly held belief that being overweight is what causes health conditions. It is possible to be significantly overweight and not have any health concerns. It is also possible to be a normal weight and have many health concerns. Being overweight is often correlated with having health concerns but being overweight is not the cause. Being overweight can be an indicator that your body’s metabolism is not functioning optimally. This same metabolic process is also responsible for most of our chronic health conditions. By correcting our diet to more closely follow what our genes have adapted to thrive on over the last several hundred thousand years will allow our bodies to heal to the extent that they are able to. Food is the best medicine. You can be in charge of your health … let a Primal Health Coach teach you how!

Solutions For Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatica is leg pain caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back. The sciatic nerve sits underneath a muscle called the piriformis, which is located beneath the glutes. When the piriformis muscle gets tight, it pinches the sciatic nerve, causing tingling and numbness down into the leg. A Massage Therapist can help eliminate the pain by applying pressure to irritated and inflamed areas, or trigger points, in the piriformis muscle, as well as in muscles in the lower back and glutes. Moving is usually the last thing people want to do when they have sciatica pain, but it’s important to be physically active. Exercise increases blood flow to the disk and the nerve, helping to get rid of the chemicals causing the inflammation. Take 15- to 20-minute walks. If that hurts too much, give swimming or water aerobics a try; there’s not as much pressure on the back when you’re in the water.

The Importance of Foot Reflexology

The foot is a complex structure composed of bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. They bear and propel the weight of the body during walking and running, and help to maintain balance during changes in body position. It is not surprising that at some point you may experience foot pain. The cause of most foot pain are shoes that do not fit properly. High-heeled shoes can create problems in the toes and the balls of the feet. Wearing flip-flops or shoes with no support can also create foot pain. Plantar fasciitis can be a result of overuse of high-impact exercise and sports and poorly fitting shoes. Besides supportive footwear and getting insoles and orthotics when needed, a Foot Reflexology session can help. Taking good care of the feet, through regular reflexology treatments, exercise, proper footwear, foot care, and hygiene will contribute to keeping the foot strong and healthy.

Art is Wellness!

Remember, when you were a child, colouring and painting and singing and dancing? You didn’t care if you were good at it. You enjoyed it and that was all that mattered! As an adult, do you still express yourself through art? Creating art has real benefits for wellness, no matter what your age. It relieves stress, encourages mindfulness, provides a venue for self-expression and teaches us to let go of perfectionism and self-criticism. Creative hobbies offer so much more than the distraction we get from watching TV or browsing the Internet. They provide interest, leisure, focus, practice, confidence, growth and a respite from our daily grind. But for many people, the doors of art and creativity are closed at a young age, due to self-criticism, lack of opportunities or lack of understanding about the benefits art provides. The good news is that anyone can learn, at any age—it’s never too late. No experience required!

Do You Have A Shaman in Your Community?

Shamanic practices have always been a part of our human existence. Though they were once shunned, our world is now opening up to this ancient practice once again. Your local shaman dedicates their life to the well-being of the family, community, and all creations and does so through the ceremony, dance and healing methods passed down from their ancestors. The term “shaman” has recently been generalized throughout western society, and we now find it difficult to differentiate between western and eastern shamanic practices. However, regardless of the origin of the shaman, they all share a mutual respect and connection with nature. This commune with nature is the foundation of their spiritual practice, and it allows them to create internal and external harmony with all “creations” and “relations.”