How Propofol killed Michael Jackson

Officials have not yet determined the cause of death for pop star Michael Jackson, but a disturbing picture continues to emerge of the amount and range of strong prescription medications the singer was allegedly taking at or near the time of his death last Thursday.

The trial of Conrad Murray, the doctor accused of giving Michael Jackson a lethal dose of propofol, has landed the powerful sedative in the spotlight. Jackson reportedly used drug, which he called his "milk," as a sleep aid. Murray had administered the drug the day Jackson died. 

This video below was featured on CNN in which Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Raphael Gershon explain the deadly effects of Diprivan when administered at home without any (or inadequate) medical supervision.

What Is Propofol? 

Propofol is a fast-acting sedative that is usually administered to patients who are undergoing surgery or another medical procedure. It is a drug that reduces anxiety and tension, and promotes relaxation and sleep or loss of consciousness when injected into the veins. Most patients receiving it loses consciousness within a matter of seconds. The potency of propofol as an anesthetic is so widely known, in fact, that in anesthesiology circles, the drug, a white liquid, is nicknamed "milk of amnesia." 

What Are the Dangers of Propofol?

Propofol is widely known as a risky drug, and it is generally administered only in a controlled medical setting due to the dangers it poses. It may cause complications and side effects when the drug reacts with,

 alcohol

• barbiturate medicines for inducing sleep or treating seizures (convulsions)
• herbal products, including St. John's wort
• medicines for anxiety or sleeping problems, such as diazepam or temazepam
• medicines for colds, breathing difficulties, or weight loss
• medicines for mental problems and psychotic disturbances
• medicines for pain

Why Would Anyone Abuse Propofol?

Despite the effects and risk profile of the drug, some patients who've had the drug describe it as inducing "a very pleasant sleep" that "has the potential to be habit-forming," said Dr. Howard Nearman, chairman of the anesthesiology department at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. 

Most likely Jackson, who was reportedly on a number of different strong pain medications at the time of his death and who was alleged to have struggled with an addiction to prescription medication, likely built up a tolerance to those drugs over the years. There must have been an overdose and together with mixture of other drugs in his blood which led to his death.

A word of caution!

Sleeping pills and sedatives should be the last option when one is facing chronic insomnia. The most important thing is to find out the root of cause of sleeping disorder. Using natural remedies would be the best option before succumbing to drugs and medication if not there may be no turning back.

I would strongly recommend more natural remedies that have less harmful effects on the body. In my previous post, I shared about how changing your sleeping routines and your diet could improve sleep and reduce the risk of having chronic insomnia.

If you have any valuable word of advice, do leave a comment and share with the rest!

I wish you a good night's sleep,

Are you changing your sleeping habits?

Check it out. I think you'll love this. Press the play button below...

Now I know this isn't you in the video, right friend?

Right?

Good.

Many people will start to procrastinating when it comes to starting an exercise regiment, lifestyle and diet change.

When they don't do anything, absolutely NOTHING changes.

But they know that not remaining at status quo will means an improvement in their health, relationships and work.

Let's get started today!

Start to take note of your diet and take action. You never know when it is too late to reverse the process.

I wish you a pink of health,

Dawn

Sleep deprivation will lead to TYPE 2 diabetes

Extracting from the article published in The Straits Times, it is alarming that “Last year, 11.3 per cent of the population had diabetes, up from 9 per cent in 2004, according to National Health Survey.” Most sufferers have Type 2 diabetes- the kind linked to poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise and lifestyle- and the problem is spreading as “people in the developing world adopt more Western lifestyles.”

Diabetics have inadequate blood sugar control, which can lead to serious complications like heart disease and stroke, damage to the kidneys or nerves, and blindness. However, many are caught unaware when they are developing prediabetes symptoms which eventually lead to diabetes in less than 5 years later. 


Before people develop Type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes"—blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. 

One of the crucial factors which can lead to diabetes is poor sleep. Lack of sleep also reduces the release of appetite controlling chemicals in our body. This causes obesity and paves path for type2 diabetes. Sleeping less than six hours each weeknight makes you four-and-a-half times more likely to develop prediabetes, according to a study presented at a recent American Heart Association conference.

Prediabetes already afflicts 57 million Americans, and 25% of them will develop Type 2 diabetes. The researchers say sleep may be crucial in helping manage hormones that control blood sugar. These are some symptoms you could look out for if you are concerned whether you are at risk:

•   increase in urination
•  increased feeling of thirst
•  marked weight loss
•  feeling of being ill

Fortunately, pre-diabetes does not automatically become irreversible Type 2 diabetes if one can correct their lifestyle changes to a healthier one with nutritious diet, adequate sleep and a regular exercise routine.

By the above discussion we can conclude that diabetic patients need to keep an eye on their sleep habits and also pre-diabetics who are at risk for conversion to Type 2 diabetes. A sound sleep always improves your general health and reduces the risk of diabetes as well as other diseases. 


No one can deny or undermine the refreshing importance of sound sleep. Isn’t it so?

Opt-in to my mailing list and get in touch with me for a wellness screening to better understand the condition of your body which may be affecting your quality of sleep every day.

Untreated sleep apnea- who is at risk?

Most of us do not think that snoring is something to be overly concerned about- unless our bed partner is disrupted by it! However, frequent and loud snoring could be a sign of sleep apnea, a common and hazardous problem which leads to respiratory difficulties while asleep. Sleep apnea affects between 2-4 percent of the middle-aged population. Males, middle-aged and obese have the greatest risk of developing sleep apnea. In untreated sleep apnea, breathing may stop or be markedly reduced. With the stoppage in airflow, there is at least a 4% drop in oxygen in the blood which is a direct result of the reduction in the transfer of oxygen in the blood. At this point, you could be jolted out of your natural rhythm.

Sleep deprivation, nasal congestion and sleeping on your back can worsen sleep apnea. Also, our lifestyle is a factor that contributes to snoring. Drinking alcohol can worsen sleep apnea by reducing the activity of the upper airway and dilating muscles that prevent the airway from closing over during sleep.

As a consequence, you will be spending more time in light sleep and less time in the deep, restorative sleep that you will need to be energetic, mentally sharp, and productive the next day.

Untreated sleep apnea can lead to more severe health consequences. These are some examples.

• Increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart
  attack, stroke, obesity and diabetes

• Increase the risk of, or worsen, heart failure

• Irregular heartbeats

• Increase in chance of having work-related or
  driving accidents

How are you diagnosed?

If you suspect that you are having sleep apnea because of habitual snoring and choking episodes, you should visit a sleep specialist and obtain a detailed medical history and physical examination. Often, a sleep study will be conducted. Breathing, blood oxygenation level, snoring, brain activity and many other parameters are monitored. The sleep study will enable the doctor to diagnose and assess the severity of the condition.

How can you treat sleep apnea?

The basic objective of treating OSA and reversing all the complications is to prevent the upper airway from collapsing inwards during sleep. The various options available include:

• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy

• Upper airway surgery

• Oral appliances

• Lifestyles modifications

CPAP therapy is delivered from a machine which delivers air pressure through a mask placed over your nose while you sleep, just enough to keep your upper airway passages open to help patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea from snoring. Although CPAP is a preferred method of treating sleep apnea, some people find it cumbersome or uncomfortable.

Another option is wearing an oral appliance designed to keep your throat open. CPAP is more effective than oral appliances, but oral appliances may be easier for you to use. Surgical options have success rates rarely higher than 65% and often deteriorate with time.

In my opinion, success rate for all these procedures may not be 100% effective as they are often only between 50-70% effective. The most effective way is to modify your lifestyle. People who have sleep apnea are mostly overweight, partial weight loss (10%) may improve the condition and reduce the risk for more severe health consequences.

Resources

• www.sleepapnea.org -- American Sleep Apnea Association

• www.aasmnet.org -- American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Discover how you can maintain a healthy diet and have a successful weight loss regime.

Opt-in to my mailing list and get in touch with me for a wellness screening to better understand the condition of your body which may be affecting your quality of sleep every day.

Insomnia treatment- Instant stress relief!

In my previous articles, most of you would have identified some of the symptoms you may be facing. The most common symptom generally felt by many is feeling fatigue the first thing in the morning. Coffee seems to be the only beverage that seems to be working, but the number of cups seems to be increasing as one cup does not seem to be enough to keep you energetic anymore.

Are people doing anything to increase their quality sleep hours instead of doing something to increase their wake hours?

The mind has a great influence over the energetic body because it plays a significant part in the health of our energy body. It can either work for us, helping to balance the energy flow and bringing about good health, or it can work against us, causing disruptions and diminishing our overall health.

Conditions such as insomnia indicate that the body is struggling and that there are energetic imbalances, which will require time and effort to put right.

I have been searching for a method which can help give you instant stress relief when you can feel a knot at your forehead. Here is a tip which you may find useful:

Focus on two very effective stress-releasing points, on your forehead about 2.5 cm (1 inch) up from the center of your eyebrows. Do it consciously and direct your energy here when your mind refuses to relax down, or when you are unable to sleep, despite your body and mind being exhausted. 

Increased clarity

Holding your stress-releasing points for a minute or two can bring tremendous relief from the turmoil of the mind. Use them whenever tensions are building, when you feel the need for increased clarity, or when you think your inability to sleep is due to stress and anxiety.

• Gently place your thumb and index or middle finder in position to induce calm.
•  After a while, you will probably notice that your breathing deepens and flows more freely and that your mind is clearer as your thoughts become less congested.

      Use these methods when you are having a rough time during school or at work. If it works for you, teach others how to do it.

If you realized that this mini exercise is not helpful, your sleep condition could be more serious. 

To accurately find out your health status and the underlying reasons which are disrupting your sleep, opt-in to my mailing list and get in touch with me for a wellness screening to better understand the condition of your body which may be affecting your quality of sleep every day.