http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/29/surgeons-good-will-reaches-africa/
By Janet Lavelle, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Friday, January 29, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
John R. McCutchen / Union-Tribune
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
When the nearly blind patient met Dr. Hoi Sang U in a Zambian hospital nearly two years ago, he knew the UCSD neurosurgeon had traveled halfway around the world to save his life and possibly his sight.
What Mulenga Kaluba didn’t know was that whatever the obstacles, U would continue his volunteer medical care, even making it possible for his patient to journey from southern Africa to the United States.
“I’m the kind of doctor who believes, when you’re my patient, I never abandon you,” said U, a professor of neurological surgery at the University of California San Diego Medical School since 1978. “You’re stuck with me for life, no matter where you are or what it takes.”
This week, Kaluba, 41, is recovering from a second surgery to remove a benign tumor on his pituitary gland that had pushed against his optical nerve, robbing him of sight in his left eye and much of the vision in his right. Although the tumor wasn’t cancerous, it could have been deadly if allowed to grow.
It was a similar surgery to the one U performed on Kaluba under austere conditions in July 2008 at University Teaching Hospital in Zambia. U had volunteered to do the surgery on a medical mission funded by a Solana Beach-based charity called Variety Children’s Lifeline International.
When Kaluba’s tumor began growing again, U arranged funding for him to come to San Diego for the second surgery, performed last week. Kaluba is receiving post-surgical treatment at UCSD’s Shiley Eye Center and will undergo five rounds of radiation next week at UCSD Medical Center.
Kaluba and his wife, Brenda, then will return home to their three daughters in Chipata, a small city in eastern Zambia, where he owns a motorcycle parts shop and she works at a bank.
The tumor has been the second great health challenge in Kaluba’s life. He has used crutches since 1993, when he lost a leg in a bus accident.
With no one able to treat the tumor back home, the Zambian government paid for Kaluba and his wife to come to San Diego.
U enlisted other UCSD physicians, including neurosurgeon John Alksne and neuro-ophthalmologist Leah Levi, to donate their services. The medical center will pick up the rest of the medical costs.
U is paying for the couple’s personal expenses, including lodging.
Dr. Thomas McAfee, dean of clinical affairs at UCSD, said he approved the charity care because he was impressed with U’s commitment to this distant patient.
“I was so struck by the fact that Dr. U went to Zambia on his own time and volunteered his professional efforts to do surgery,” McAfee said. “We’re proud to have him on our faculty.”
This week, doctor and patient sat down to talk about how their lives came together, punctuating the conversation with the teasing that started in Zambia when U asked Kaluba whether he was afraid of surgery.
“I told him I knew he didn’t come all this way to kill me,” Kaluba recalled in a distinctly British accent. “After the surgery, Professor U came to see me and said, ‘Well, it looks like you aren’t dead yet.’ ”
As an internationally recognized specialist in treating tumors of the pituitary, U has traveled extensively to teach the procedure and monitors patients in China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Hong Kong, where he was born.
The delicate surgery can be risky because the pituitary, a pea-size gland at the base of the brain, lies between the optic nerve and the carotid arteries that send blood to the front of the brain. The tumor is accessed through the sinus cavity.
U said the journey to operate on Kaluba in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka, gave him the chance to instruct doctors at the country’s only medical teaching hospital.
Conditions in Zambia, where life expectancy is 38 and per-capita annual income is $1,500, were typical of a developing country.
“Zambia is a country of 12 million people and two neurosurgeons,” U said.
Because of a shortage of nurses, the hospital courtyard was filled with relatives camping out to care for hospitalized family members, he said.
U had brought along medical equipment, including a $250,000 electronic microscope purchased with donated funds. He quickly ran into a problem.
“The electricity for the microscope went out three or four times during the surgery,” making it impossible to remove the entire tumor, U said.
When he was told last fall that the tumor was growing, U began the effort to bring Kaluba to San Diego.
Brenda Kaluba said her husband was overcome by the news that the trip had been arranged.
“We did a lot of praying over this,” she said. “When I read him the e-mail, he cried.”
Kaluba recalled a more excited reaction. “I said: ‘Thank God I have this tumor! At least I’m going to see a place I’ve always dreamed of.’ ”
U picked them up at the airport and stopped at an In-N-Out Burger for their first taste of American food. Since then, he has taken the couple to the beach for their first view of the ocean.
Since the operation, tests on Kaluba’s right eye have been promising. “The fact that he had some measurable improvement after surgery makes us very optimistic,” U said.
Kaluba said that even with limited vision, he has been overwhelmed at the sight of the ocean and the seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before describing his greatest hope.
“I would like to be able to read again one day,” Kaluba said after a pause. “The first thing I would like to do is go to a church and read the Bible, if I can find a church where I can sit and do that. I really thank God for all of this.”
Janet Lavelle: (760) 476-8201; janet.lavelle@uniontrib.com
Janet Lavelle: (760) 476-8201; janet.lavelle@uniontrib.com
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Healing Power of Herbal Tea
by By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Fri, Feb 05, 2010, 1:19 am PST
from http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/23753/the-healing-power-of-herbal-tea/
Tea goes back to China almost 5,000 years ago. Herbal teas were specially blended from plants that exhibited medicinal properties to maintain health and prevent illness. Find out what makes tea so beneficial and how you can craft your own custom blend to stay healthy!
What is tea?
Technically speaking, tea is the dried and processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, and includes four main varieties: black, oolong, green, and white tea.
Black tea, produced when tea leaves undergo an oxidizing process that turns the leaves black, has the strongest flavor and the highest content of caffeine—about one third the caffeine you would get from the same cup of coffee. Oolong tea is slightly less oxidized and has less caffeine. Green tea is steamed, rolled and dried immediately after harvest, which halts the oxidation process, allowing the leaves to retain their green color. White tea undergoes the least processing—the young tea buds are picked and then air-dried. All of these varieties have different health benefits, with green tea and white tea leading the pack.
Green tea from Camellia sinensis
Experts believe that flavonoids are the key health-promoting ingredient in tea. These polyphenol antioxidants are present in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been found to help prevent cell damage. Recent research suggests that tea may protect against heart disease and many types of cancer.
What about herbal tea?
Well, herbal tea is not really tea at all, but actually an infusion or tisane made from various leaves, flowers, fruit, or herbs. Herbal tea is sometimes enjoyed for its delicious taste and many times enjoyed for its medicinal properties.
Lemon Verbena herbal tea
While real "tea" boasts many healthy benefits, a major pro to herbal tea is that it is caffeine-free. Also, you can tailor your tea to your needs by selecting herbs and plants that address the health issue you want to target.
The list of tea recipes that follow are just a few combinations to help you heal.
1. Warming tea for cold hands and feet
For a warming tea from head to toe, make cinnamon and clove tea by putting 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 teaspoon of cloves in 3 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 3 cups each day. Drink one cup in the evenings to warm your insides, which encourages a good night's sleep.
Specially blended Winter Tea makes use of herbs that expel cold while warming and tonifying your kidneys.
2. Pore-opening tea for combating a cold
This is a traditional Chinese remedy for a "wind cold", which usually occurs during seasonal changes and is often a result of exposure to drafts. At this early stage, Chinese medicine suggests that perspiration is helpful in removing the pathogens from the skin.
Boil one chopped garlic clove, three slices of ginger, one chopped scallion, some basil, and a pinch of cinnamon in 24 ounces of water for five minutes. Drink the tea hot and go to bed. Cover up and prepare to sweat. Sweating opens the pores, releasing trapped pathogens from the skin. Drink at least 3 cups of tea daily until symptoms subside.
For "wind heat" type of cold, which is characterized by high fever, sweating, sore throat, cough, headaches, and a yellow nasal discharge, you would see a Chinese medical practitioner for an herbal blend that is individualized for your needs.
3. Alertness-Enhancing Tea
The next time you need to spice up your concentration, instead of reaching for harsh stimulants like coffee, try the potent yet gentle energizers in your spice rack. Studies have found that compounds in everyday herbs and spices can increase mental function and physical vitality. All these herbs and spices contain volatile oils that stimulate your senses and increase alertness: dill, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, sage, bay, peppermint, ginger, garlic, parsley, cinnamon, onion, chives, garlic and leek. Make a tea from any combination and drink whenever you need a pick-me-up.
4. Herbal Hearing Aid Tea
The traditional Chinese remedy for diminished hearing is to make a tea from herbs that gently restore the ear. Make a hearing aid tea by boiling together for 15 minutes: 4 cups of water, 1 heaping tablespoon each of oregano, cilantro, rosemary, and sage, combined with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 3 slices of fresh ginger. Drink three cups a day for three weeks and hear the difference.
5. Stomach-Settling Tea
Ginger has been shown to soothe the digestive lining and balance gastric juices. Make ginger tea by slicing fresh ginger root into 2 inch long slices and boiling in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Strain out the ginger and sip the tea slowly. Drink ginger tea as often as you need to settle your stomach and keep nausea away.
Or steep 1 teaspoon each of mint, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, sage, and basil in a cup of hot water. Drink after each meal to soothe and prevent bloating.
Among my patients, a very popular herbal tea is Internal Cleanse Tea, which is specially combined to detoxify, calm nerves, clear the mind, balance emotions, and ease digestion.
Internal Cleanse herbal blend for detoxifying
Try the whole Tao Tea collection, specially blended to bring you balance in mind, body, and spirit.
Brewing Tips
Follow these tips for best benefits:
* Tap water affects the taste of tea. It is best to use fresh filtered water. To learn about a high-performance filtration system that I recommend, click here.
* To extract the most beneficial compounds from the tea leaves or bags, let them steep for three to five minutes.
* It is best to drink tea unsweetened and without milk, which can minimize some of the health benefits. Forgo the sugar and try instead honey, stevia products, or a stick of cinnamon.
* For maximum health benefits, I suggest you work with a licensed acupuncturist or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to find an herbal blend tailored specifically to your needs.
I hope you reap the powerful healing benefits of tea! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you stay healthy, live long, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
from http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/23753/the-healing-power-of-herbal-tea/
Tea goes back to China almost 5,000 years ago. Herbal teas were specially blended from plants that exhibited medicinal properties to maintain health and prevent illness. Find out what makes tea so beneficial and how you can craft your own custom blend to stay healthy!
What is tea?
Technically speaking, tea is the dried and processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, and includes four main varieties: black, oolong, green, and white tea.
Black tea, produced when tea leaves undergo an oxidizing process that turns the leaves black, has the strongest flavor and the highest content of caffeine—about one third the caffeine you would get from the same cup of coffee. Oolong tea is slightly less oxidized and has less caffeine. Green tea is steamed, rolled and dried immediately after harvest, which halts the oxidation process, allowing the leaves to retain their green color. White tea undergoes the least processing—the young tea buds are picked and then air-dried. All of these varieties have different health benefits, with green tea and white tea leading the pack.
Green tea from Camellia sinensis
Experts believe that flavonoids are the key health-promoting ingredient in tea. These polyphenol antioxidants are present in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been found to help prevent cell damage. Recent research suggests that tea may protect against heart disease and many types of cancer.
What about herbal tea?
Well, herbal tea is not really tea at all, but actually an infusion or tisane made from various leaves, flowers, fruit, or herbs. Herbal tea is sometimes enjoyed for its delicious taste and many times enjoyed for its medicinal properties.
Lemon Verbena herbal tea
While real "tea" boasts many healthy benefits, a major pro to herbal tea is that it is caffeine-free. Also, you can tailor your tea to your needs by selecting herbs and plants that address the health issue you want to target.
The list of tea recipes that follow are just a few combinations to help you heal.
1. Warming tea for cold hands and feet
For a warming tea from head to toe, make cinnamon and clove tea by putting 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 teaspoon of cloves in 3 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 3 cups each day. Drink one cup in the evenings to warm your insides, which encourages a good night's sleep.
Specially blended Winter Tea makes use of herbs that expel cold while warming and tonifying your kidneys.
2. Pore-opening tea for combating a cold
This is a traditional Chinese remedy for a "wind cold", which usually occurs during seasonal changes and is often a result of exposure to drafts. At this early stage, Chinese medicine suggests that perspiration is helpful in removing the pathogens from the skin.
Boil one chopped garlic clove, three slices of ginger, one chopped scallion, some basil, and a pinch of cinnamon in 24 ounces of water for five minutes. Drink the tea hot and go to bed. Cover up and prepare to sweat. Sweating opens the pores, releasing trapped pathogens from the skin. Drink at least 3 cups of tea daily until symptoms subside.
For "wind heat" type of cold, which is characterized by high fever, sweating, sore throat, cough, headaches, and a yellow nasal discharge, you would see a Chinese medical practitioner for an herbal blend that is individualized for your needs.
3. Alertness-Enhancing Tea
The next time you need to spice up your concentration, instead of reaching for harsh stimulants like coffee, try the potent yet gentle energizers in your spice rack. Studies have found that compounds in everyday herbs and spices can increase mental function and physical vitality. All these herbs and spices contain volatile oils that stimulate your senses and increase alertness: dill, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, sage, bay, peppermint, ginger, garlic, parsley, cinnamon, onion, chives, garlic and leek. Make a tea from any combination and drink whenever you need a pick-me-up.
4. Herbal Hearing Aid Tea
The traditional Chinese remedy for diminished hearing is to make a tea from herbs that gently restore the ear. Make a hearing aid tea by boiling together for 15 minutes: 4 cups of water, 1 heaping tablespoon each of oregano, cilantro, rosemary, and sage, combined with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 3 slices of fresh ginger. Drink three cups a day for three weeks and hear the difference.
5. Stomach-Settling Tea
Ginger has been shown to soothe the digestive lining and balance gastric juices. Make ginger tea by slicing fresh ginger root into 2 inch long slices and boiling in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Strain out the ginger and sip the tea slowly. Drink ginger tea as often as you need to settle your stomach and keep nausea away.
Or steep 1 teaspoon each of mint, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, sage, and basil in a cup of hot water. Drink after each meal to soothe and prevent bloating.
Among my patients, a very popular herbal tea is Internal Cleanse Tea, which is specially combined to detoxify, calm nerves, clear the mind, balance emotions, and ease digestion.
Internal Cleanse herbal blend for detoxifying
Try the whole Tao Tea collection, specially blended to bring you balance in mind, body, and spirit.
Brewing Tips
Follow these tips for best benefits:
* Tap water affects the taste of tea. It is best to use fresh filtered water. To learn about a high-performance filtration system that I recommend, click here.
* To extract the most beneficial compounds from the tea leaves or bags, let them steep for three to five minutes.
* It is best to drink tea unsweetened and without milk, which can minimize some of the health benefits. Forgo the sugar and try instead honey, stevia products, or a stick of cinnamon.
* For maximum health benefits, I suggest you work with a licensed acupuncturist or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to find an herbal blend tailored specifically to your needs.
I hope you reap the powerful healing benefits of tea! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you stay healthy, live long, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
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