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Stem cells are special cells that can turn into many different cell types in the body such as heart muscle cells, brain cells, and skin cells.

There are two kinds of stem cells:

• Adult Stem Cells - a supply of stem cells that can multiply when needed to repair adult organs and tissue. Adult stem cells are found in the human body and in umbilical cord blood. The most well known source of adult stem cells in the body is bone marrow but they are also found in many organs and tissues; even in the blood. Adult stem cells are more specialized since they are assigned to a specific cell family such as blood cells, nerve cells, etc.
• Embryonic Stem Cells - cells found early (less than 2 wks.) in the development of an embryo that can progenerate a developing fetus and ultimately a human baby. Embryonic stem cells are the most versatile because they can become any cell in the body including fetal stem cells and adult stem cells.

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Thalassemias are inherited blood disorders. This is passed on from parents to children through the genes. Thalassemia is also known as Mediterranean anemia and it is characterized by having less hemoglobin and fewer red blood cells in your body than normal. Defects in the genes that make hemoglobin cause thalassemia. If you have a mild form of thalassemia, you may not require any treatment. But, if you have a more severe form, you may need blood transfusions on a regular basis. Although thalassemia causes anemia, don't confuse thalassemia with iron deficiency anemia. People with thalassemia often have more iron in their bodies than they need, so this always needs to be checked before any supplements are given.

Types of Thalassemia:

Alpha-thalassemia: Four genes are involved in making the alpha hemoglobin chain. The more defective genes you have, the more severe your alpha-thalassemia:

• One gene. If only one of your alpha hemoglobin genes is defective, you'll have no signs or symptoms of thalassemia.
• Two genes. If you have two defective alpha hemoglobin genes, thalassemia signs and symptoms are mild.
• Three genes. If three of your alpha hemoglobin genes are defective, your signs and symptoms will be moderate to severe.
• Four genes. When all four alpha hemoglobin genes are defective, the condition is called alpha-thalassemia major or hydrops fetalis.

Beta-thalassemia: Two genes are involved in making the beta hemoglobin chain.

• One gene. If one of your beta hemoglobin genes is defective, you have mild signs and symptoms. This is a minor condition.
• Two genes. If both of your beta hemoglobin genes are defective, your signs and symptoms will be moderate to severe. This condition is called beta-thalassemia major or Cooley's anemia.

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Reflux is the word used to describe what happens when the stomach contents come back up into the gullet or even into the mouth. The medical name for gullet is oesophagus (spelt esophagus in the US). So the long name for reflux is gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Short Terms is GORD in the UK and GERD in the States. The lining of the stomach protects the stomach from the effects of its own acids. Because the esophagus lacks a similar protective lining, stomach acid that flows backward (refluxes) into it causes heartburn (also called dyspepsia). Many people experience heartburn occasionally; however, people who get severe heartburn several times a week are considered to have GERD. The condition affects 29% of people in Canada.

Causes of GERD: GERD occurs when the sphincter, a valve that normally keeps acid in the stomach, isn't functioning properly. Food that causes GERD include:

• alcoholic drinks
• chocolate
• coffee, tea, cola
• foods with high acid content (e.g., tomatoes, orange juice)
• fried or fatty foods
• garlic
• onions
• peppermint
• spicy foods

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Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in American women and it is one of the disease we women fear most, as it is silent but deadly. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease. Heightened awareness of breast cancer risk in the past decades has led to an increase in the number of women undergoing mammography for screening, leading to detection of cancers in earlier stages and a resultant improvement in survival rates.

Still, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, breast cancer can also occur in men, but it's far less common, accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

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