Diagnosed with lung cancer, Hon Lik’s father did not have long to live.

He did, however, live long enough to both see and try an invention that would change the lives of millions of other smokers.

And he must have been be proud that his son, at that time also a heavy smoker, was the one who invented it.

The device was, of course, the electronic cigarette, a device which delivers nicotine without the attendant tar, tobacco and combustion of regular cigarettes.

And in this blog post we bring to you some of the best resources on the web about this groundbreaking new device.

Resources

Interviews with the Experts: Scientists and experts in harm reduction give their opinion on the electronic cigarette in this interview series brought to your by our sister site E Cigarette Direct, the UK Distributor of the NJOY electronic cigarette.

Tobacco Analysis Blog: Run by Professor Siegel, this blog features many articles supporting the electronic cigarette. It’s particularly worth checking out his comparison of electronic cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes.

Vaper’s Network: Run by the famous Kate, who runs the website from her convent – when the Mother Superior allows her to do so.

An Electronic Cigarette: Conspiracy website, which maintains the tobacco industry and the pharmaceutical industry are out to get the e-cigarette.

Electronic Cigarette Information site: Collection of interesting articles about the electronic cigarette, from the birth of the electronic cigarette to scientist’s reaction to the device.

The Electronic Cigarette Blog: The Ashtray blog, the companion blog to ECigaretteDirect, focuses on electronic cigarette and tobacco harm reduction news.

The National Vapers Club: An association formed to promote and protect the electronic cigarette.

The Electronic Cigarette Association: Informative website produced by a suppliers association in the US.

When drugs don’t work, try a dog!

A 28-year-old woman suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD) was said to have improved incredibly after a friend gave her a Highland terrier as gift. The young lady’s health had deteriorated so badly before the dog arrived that she used to use morphine pumps for 14 hours a day.

And just to control the symptoms, she took large doses of four different drugs.

The usual drugs she took for this debilitating disease gave her occasional reprieves but it was the terrier that caused a breakthrough. Her doctor said that she has had such“major improvements” that she no longer needed to take morphine!

Symptoms and drugs

As a person loses dopamine-producing cells in the brain, his or her motor system gets out of synch. This is PD. As a result, that person’s hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face can tremble uncontrollably or freeze and become very rigid. PD usually attacks people over the age of 50. Patients find it difficult to perform simple tasks as walking, swallowing, chewing, and talking.

The most common drug taken by PD patients for short-term relief is Levodopa. Human nerves can convert this drug to dopamine and, therefore, replenish the dwindling supply in the patient’s brain. Dopamine is the brain chemical that allows a person to move and think. Dopamine is also commonly associated with the pleasure system of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement.

According to some doctors, merely interacting with pets has a noticeable effect on levels of dopamine. Dog-owners amongst us already know how happy our dogs make us – now it seems they could help in managing a debilitating illness.

Dogs and dopamine

Our own "dopamine enhancer", Rosie!

Returning to the subject of our story, “remarkably sustained benefits occurred,” said her doctors at Imperial College, London, “with improvement in her walking and symptoms including appetite, sleep and bowel function, as well as socialisation.” The doctors were so impressed, her case was reported in the Journal of Neurology.

Although unsure exactly how relating with her terrier affected her brain condition, doctors believe that caring for the pet – walking, feeding and looking after it – had given her the drive to exercise regularly.

In the United States, dogs are being trained to specifically aid PD patients. Independence Dogs, Inc. (IDI), a non-profit organization, the Pennsylvania Hospital, and GlaxoSmithKline are now working together for this purpose. IDI commented, “As Parkinson’s disease progresses, many patients have difficulty walking which often leads to a compromised quality of life.”

While a dopamine-inducing drug may provide relief and short-term supply of the chemical, only dogs can motivate a PD patient to walk, socialise, and have a new drive for life.

NOTE: Owning a dog, or other pet, is a major responsibility, and deciding to get a pet is not a decision that should be taken lightly without considering how it will affect all aspects of your life. Discuss the decision with all members of your family, your carer if you have one, and your GP if relevant to ensure that you can properly care for the animal. You should also consider what breed or type of dog would be most appropriate – for example, different dogs need different levels of exercise. The Kennel Club and/or the RSPCA will be happy to advise.

Do you have a dog? Has this helped you, or encouraged you to keep more active and social than you otherwise would? We’d love to hear your pet stories!

Video killed the radio star, as audio books and text-to-speech software are now killing Braille. According to the US National Federation of the Blind (NFB), about 50% of all blind children learned Braille in the 1950’s. Sadly, however, this number has dropped to only 10% of all blind children in America today. NFB director Mark Riccobono puts the problem in perspective as he says, “If only 10 per cent of sighted children were being taught [to read] that would be considered a crisis.”

Photo by Antonioxalonso

Schools choose the cheaper and more tech-savvy form of education – the talking book, which allows blind children to “read” by simply listening. Computer software for the blind are often called e-books and readers or reading machines. Computers with special hardware such as scanners convert written texts to audible speech. Practically speaking, schools choose to purchase e-books because hiring a Braille teacher is more expensive. According to an article in Macleans, a Canadian magazine, “overstretched school budgets and the ever-evolving portable audio book” are causing the fast diminishing popularity of Braille.

Modern technology is taking over from talking books to talking equipment such as thermometers, watches, clocks, scales, calculators, and compasses, and these are all to the benefit and comfort of the visually impaired.

When it comes to reading books, however, schools should reconsider. According to a study, blind children who know Braille performed at par with sighted students on reading comprehension tests, 61% to 62%. Blind students who do not know Braille only scored 38%.

“Low-vision kids need to be taught Braille,” said the author of the study. “Early Braille education is crucial to literacy, and literacy is crucial to employment.”

The author also revealed that 77% of non-Braille users were unemployed while more than 50% of Braille users maintain jobs. All “extensive” Braille users are employed.

For more information on this story, and to add your voice to the campaign to increase Braille literacy, click here: braillecampaign.blogspot.com.

The Alzheimer’s Society has updated its really useful factsheet on the benefits  that people with dementia and their carers may be entitled to.

Click here to read this and other factsheets published by the Alzheimer’s Society.

The Daily Mail has reported that Alzheimer’s patients do benefit from visits from friends and family – and that the benefits continue even after the patient has forgotten the visit.

It is often heartbreaking for the patient’s family to visit, and see the person they love struggle to remember who they are – or even not recognise them at all. However, recent research has shown that patients are left with a lingering sense of well-being, even after the visit has been forgotten.

Thanks to Tim and Selena Middleton for this photo.

Judging by the comments left, this has come as no surprise to many people with friends and relatives suffering from this dreadful illness – the majority already strongly suspected this was the case, but it seems to have taken a long time for the medical profession to catch up.

For more information, click here to go to the article.

For those living with or caring for Alzheimer’s patients, there are a number of aids and products that can make life just a little bit easier.  You can find a selection of them here on The Disabled Shop, or for a list of products that other customers have told us are really useful, see our earlier post, Useful Aids for Dementia/Alzheimer’s Carers.

In their never-ending quest for a better body (without too much effort, and no thank you, I’ll not be giving up alcohol!), Jean and Marion are putting our Acai Berry Pure to the test this month!

Acai Berry Pure capsules

Often taken together with a colon cleanser (such as our Col-Clear Version A), the proteins and fibre contained in acai berries are said to help speed up your metabolism - which means you lose weight more easily! And because Acai Berry is full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, vitamins A, E and thiamin, and lots of trace minerals, it is fantastically good for you at the same time!

Check back next week to find out how Jean and Marion get on!

What is Acai Berry?

Acai berry is a fruit supplement from the regions of Brazil and Peru. Acai Berry’s weight loss properties, anti-oxidant ingredients and cholesterol lowering abilities make it hugely popular in the United States, and the latest celebrity “must-take” in the UK.

Acai berry has 15-20 times the antioxidants (anthocyanins) that red grapes have. It’s a near perfect protein, and has a huge amount of dietary fiber . Is also a highly nutritious fruit. Research has shown consumption of acai berry is linked to a great boost in our energy levels, which can only be a good thing!

Click here to purchase Acai Berry Pure and try it for yourself!

We have had some feedback recently on the most useful items for Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers, and I thought I would let others know what might assist at this very difficult time.

First, the Alzheimer’s Society has an excellent forum, offering peoples’ own experiences and solutions.

Our own customers, often buying for grandparents and parents (although this debilitating illness can of course strike all ages), have found that the stand alone alert systems are good.   One customer has said that the pressure sensitive mat by the bed alerts him if his mother decides to get up during the night, as because of her other difficulties this can lead to a fall if unassisted.

Wandering Alert systems can page you if the sufferer gets out of their bed/chair or opens a door.

Wandering Alert kits include sensors that detect when doors are opened, notifying you before the patient can stray too far. The Speaking Pager Bed and Chair Occupancy Alarm system is very flexible for both domestic and residential or care home situations.

Door and Window Open Alarm

An inexpensive and easy to fit option is the Magnetic Door and Window Alarm.

I am currently trying to source a large faced clock which will indicate the time, date and whether it is night or day as more than one carer has told us this would be useful, they are frequently anxiously asked for the time and day by the sufferer.

I would really appreciate any feedback from our customers on this, as to what other items we should offer that they would like me to source, and I will do my best.

Did you know that, on average, 8,000 older people fall every day? Falls are often the biggest fear for older people.

The new range of Voice Alert Monitors and Sensor Mats can help detect falls and summon assistance as quickly as possible.

The Voice Alert Monitor

The Voice Alert Monitor attaches to the user’s clothes with a magnetic pull cord. If the person falls out of bed, a alarm is sounded. A recording feature allows a familiar voice to be heard by the user while assistance is on its way.

The Sensor Mats provide a pressure alarm system, notifying the carer if the user falls out of bed or their wheelchair.

The system can also be used to prevent Alzheimer’s or Dementia sufferers from wandering off by using the Sensor Mats or Door Banner to sound the alarm.

We also have the Wandering Alert Floor and Door Sensor Kit available which includes includes a door opening sensor with transmitter, a weight sensing floor mat with transmitter and a pocket pager alarm, and the Personal GPS Mini Mobile Tracker, an easy to use tracking device to help locate the whereabouts of an individual. This non-invasive device only sends location information when it is actually requested. The precise location can be pin-pointed on an online street map.

The Simple Mobile Phone & Alarm

Another brilliant device is the Simple Mobile Phone & Alarm. This product is great for those who find using a standard mobile phone difficult (that would be most of us then!? Hands up whoever has used their phone for more than just making a phone call?!).

This phone has four large buttons, each of which stores a contact number as a speed dial. With one press of a button, the user can answer a call, call the emergency services by pressing the SOS button or activate the alarm system by pressing the alarm key on the back of the phone for 3 seconds. If activated, the phone will send an emergency text message to all the numbers on an emergency contact list. The phone will then dial each of the numbers on the list in turn three times until the call is answered.