Women who get fake nails could be getting something else in the bargain - a dangerous dose of poison.

A toxin eradicated from the beauty industry 25 years ago has made a quiet comeback in nail salons nationwide, including New York - and nobody's doing anything to stop it.

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) can rip nails off fingers, cause nerve problems and severe rashes - and over the long term hurt kidneys, livers and fetuses.

"It's being sold openly. You can buy it all over the place," said California beauty-industry chemist Douglas Schoon, who studied the problem.

MMA is found mostly at discount salons because it costs $20 to $60 a gallon, compared to about $200 for top-of-the-line, safer products.

Manicurists combine liquid MMA with a powder to build so-called sculptured, or acrylic, nails. It is also sometimes used in acrylic "wraps" of artificial nail tips.

The super-cheap chemical isn't supposed to be used by manicurists.

But Post reporters easily bought MMA products from two Queens beauty-supply stores - and during a random check of 13 nail salons found the toxin in two of them. Two wouldn't say what they used, and two more didn't know.

Employees at both supply stores said they had no idea MMA shouldn't be used on nails.

Almost no information about the acrylic is available in Korean or Vietnamese - two groups that have cornered the cut-rate salon market.

Competition is so tough, some salon owners get the cheapest product they can find, said Michael Limb, head of the Asian American Advisory Council and member of the state board that licenses manicurists.

"Everybody's got it. Everybody's selling it," said Kevin Bae, a salesman at Hi-Fashion Beauty Supplies in Sunnyside, Queens, one store where The Post bought the chemical.

"If they tell us not to sell it, we'll follow the law," he said.

Federal Food and Drug Administration officials ruled in the early 1970s that MMA is poisonous when used on nails.

The agency seized products - a move that held up in court and effectively killed the market. But the FDA never actually banned it.

"The use seems to be coming back," said Dr. John Bailey, head of the FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors. "Our position is still that it's unsafe."

In some people, MMA causes a poison-ivy-like rash and in extremely rare cases causes permanent damage, said Manhattan nail specialist Dr. Richard Scher.

The super-glue chemical bonds so strongly to the natural nail that it can rip the nail right off if it's accidentally bumped, Schoon said.

Workers who breathe MMA for years can suffer kidney and liver lesions, reproductive problems and possibly lung and cardiovascular damage, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The chemical is manufactured by a handful of mega-corporations that sell it legally to the construction- and dental-supply companies - who are probably diverting it to the beauty industry, Bailey said.

The FDA lacks the manpower to launch a full-blown investigation, he said.

The state, which licenses manicurists and regulates salons, has no rules about its use - although the Health Department is "reviewing" the issue, a spokeswoman said.

Without tight federal or state control, MMA is flourishing again.

When a Post reporter was shopping for acrylic liquids in Queens, a Bronx manicurist whispered she would sell the reporter a gallon for just $35. It turned out to be MMA.

Yoga, meditation, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, reflexology, spiritual healing, Shaitsu etc.

Yoga, meditation, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, reflexology, spiritual healing, Shaitsu etc.
I have no problems with any of these and would encourage those who think they might benefit to try them. Mental health is a vitally important and very neglected aspect of treatment, and essential to treatment success. All of these have been tried with varying degrees of success and it seems fair to say that different treatments work for different people. I have a few reservations about hypnotherapy, as it is technically possible to exploit vulnerable patients under hypnotherapy. It should never happen, but it would be wise to check the credentials of any alternative practicioner thoroughly, and particularly so with hypnotherapy.
General appraisal - Safe and often very effective in the hands of a good practicioner.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture
Can be particularly useful for pain and tension relief. Generally acknowledged as safe, but effectiveness varies. Do not forget to point out that your blood is infective. It should make no difference, but is worth saying all the same!
General appraisal - Safe and often very effective in the hands of a good practicioner.

Increasing Orgasm in Women

Increasing Orgasm in Women

Nitric oxide increases the incidence of orgasm in women because nitric oxide allows clitoral and vaginal tissues to enlarge and become responsive. Nitric oxide levels can easily be increased in women by taking an amino acid called L-arginine.

Increasing Orgasm in Women

Nitric oxide increases the incidence of orgasm in women because nitric oxide allows clitoral and vaginal tissues to enlarge and become responsive. Nitric oxide levels can easily be increased in women by taking an amino acid called L-arginine.

Another way to insure orgasms in women is to increase niacin levels in the uterus, The Masters and Johnson study found that women cannot achieve orgasm without having sufficient levels of niacin in the uterine walls. Niacin can be purchased at any health food store or vitamin company, and is commonly found in B-complex formulas. High-dosing is not recommended for beginners, as flushing can occur. Certain types and levels of niacin will cause "flushing." Flushing is a common positive side effect of the vasodialation caused by niacin. Vasodialation is beneficial but has the potential harmless side effect of causing the ears to turn bright red and the skin to itch madly. Pharmacists frequently receive frantic calls from people who have taken an excess dose of niacin and fear they are experiencing a heart attack or severe allergic reaction.

Those electing to take niacin may wish to start with smaller doses (5-10 mg) taken with food and work up to higher doses as recommended by their health care professional. Niacinamide is commonly recommended as a replacement to niacin, but niacinamide does not have the beneficial effects that niacin does and niacinamide does not replace niacin in the uterine wall. Both niacin and vitamin E are beneficial vitamins for women who want to re-spark sexual interest and response.

The appropriate form of vitamin E (which is the dry, natural form) can be found in health food stores. Liquid vitamin E gel caps are not recommended due to their ability to oxidize. Ask for natural dry vitamin E in capsule, not tablet form. Do not be dissuade by energetic salespersons claiming that all vitamin E is the same. It is not. Natural dry powdered vitamin E is vastly superior, though a bit more expensive. The recommended dosage is 400 IU with breakfast and 400 IU with the last meal or snack of the day, for a total of 800 IU per day. Do not take more than 800 IU per day without a doctor’s permission.

Nitric Oxide Mechanism

There is a natural, non-drug method of creating nitric oxide in the human body. The mechanism is complex, but the trigger-mechanism is not. To produce nitric oxide in the body, a terminal nitrogen atom must combine with an oxygen molecule in the blood. An enzyme called nitric oxide synthase controls this reaction and NADPH, a niacin-containing redox-active electron storage compound, mediates the reaction.

This reaction can be accomplished via oral ingestion of formulas that contain the free form amino acid L-arginine. To put it simply, L-arginine equals nitric oxide. The left-handed molecule, L-arginine, is the primary source for NO in humans. NO produced in the body by L-arginine is called ADNO, or Arginine-Derived-Nitric-Oxide. An added benefit of taking L-arginine is improvement in immune function and reduced wound-healing time (1). Since the precursor to the neurotransmitter nitric oxide is L-arginine, a formula containing L-arginine can be effective as an alternative to Viagra, but the formula must be carefully designed not to increase or stimulate the production of free radicals and/or peroxynitrite. Do not rush out and buy plain L-arginine, because L-arginine without the correct synergists and co-factors or an improperly prepared L-arginine formula can cause reactivation of the herpes virus as well as the stimulation of peroxynitrate. Formulas containing free forms of both L-arginine and Lysine are to be avoided.


Non-Drug Nitric Oxide Formulas

Non-drug Nutraceutical formulations can be designed to target enhanced sexual function by producing NO in the human body. It is essential, in the formulation of a nitric oxide precursor, that the safe pathway for accessing NO is followed meticulously. Excessive production of NO and activation of NO via incorrect pathways (using un-orthodox Viagra alternatives) can cause brain-related free radical damage. Production of nitric acid through the combination of immune and nervous system activity plays a key role in the development of neurological diseases (2). This brings into question the possible damage to the body caused by using drugs that stimulate the production of NO through non-natural, non-L-arginine means.

NO can be introduced naturally into the body, but the key is to do so without sparking peroxynitrite, a biologically essential oxidant that is the most toxic free radical to the body. The natural methodology for stimulating NO should be safe and without side effects. Certain new Viagra-like products use herbal preparations and other methodologies to effect an increase in NO. Caution should be used in the selection of these new products and it should be ascertained that the product does not cause an increase in, or stimulate the production of free radicals and/or peroxynitrite.


Clinical Benefits of L-Arginine
L-arginine, taken orally, is a natural, non-drug alternative that safely increases nitric oxide in the body. Aside from the nitric oxide benefits attributed to L-arginine, the additional health benefits are nothing short of astounding. The clinician and researcher will appreciate the myriad of well executed studies that have been done which verity L-arginine's efficacy as an anti-aging agent.


Clinically Proven Benefits of L-Arginine

7 grams of L-arginine per day improved blood flow in men, aged 55 to 77, with elevated serum cholesterol and early coronary artery disease. Circulation


L-arginine supplementation reduced pathological increases in the thickness of plaque-lined vessel walls in people with elevated cholesterol and artherosclerosis. Circulation


Arginine lowered plasma cholesterol levels in patients with advanced hypertension.
New England Journal of Medicine


Arginine infusion has the same effect in cardiovascular patients as cholesterol-lowering drugs. The Lancet


17 grams of L-arginine per day given orally to elderly patients for 2 weeks resulted in a significant improvement in their lipid profile, with no adverse side effects.
Journal of Perenteral & Enteral Nutrition


8.4 grams L-arginine given 3 times a day significantly enhanced coronary artery blood flow in heart patients. Journal of the American College of Cardiology


7 grams of L-arginine improved blood-vessel relaxation in young men with elevated serum cholesterol and coronary artery disease (in as few as 3 days). Circulation

L-Arginine Dosage

The benefits of L-arginine supplementation are clearly dose-dependent. Beneficial dosages of L-arginine (per clinical studies) range from between 3 to 30 grams taken orally per day.


Dosages for Nitric Oxide:

Adequate dosages of L-arginine required for ADNO (nitric oxide) are 3 to 6 grams per day divided into three equal doses. Example: 2 g mid-morning, 2 g mid-afternoon, 2 g evening.


Dosages for Athletes:

Stimulation of growth hormone via oral administration of L-arginine requires higher doses taken at bedtime on a totally empty stomach:

Males 9 g to 21 g
(depending on body weight)


Females 6 g to 18 g (depending on body weight)


World-class athletes and professional bodybuilders take 10-15 grams of L-arginine at bedtime in a low glycemic base with appropriate cofactors (a). They report that their erections are frequently so strong upon arising; they are required to bend over to urinate. Further description would be indelicate. Though the benefits are pleasant, athletes do not take L-arginine to increase sexual function. They use L-arginine to naturally increase growth hormone levels, reduce injury, increase muscle mass, and to replace steroids. The average person is not required or recommended to use the same high doses of L-arginine as professional athletes.


Finding the Right L-Arginine/NO Product

When shopping for an L-arginine nitric oxide formula, make sure the research behind the formula is valid and safe (at least ten years of research). If the company marketing an L-arginine formula cannot validate that they have had an L-arginine product publicly "on the marker” for at least five years with no FDA/FDC violations or negative health reports, look elsewhere.

The consumer should ask the manufacturer of the product to explain the metabolic pathway or methodology by which his product stimulates the production of NO or provides NO to the body. The product should also be low glycemic, as insulin-stimulation is contraindicated in an arginine formula.


Summary

L-arginine derived nitric oxide (ADNO) formulas have the potential to replace Viagra for those persons choosing natural, rather than drug methodologies, and to contribute to maximum sexual performance.