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Today's expert advice sounds discouragingly like what our mothers always told us.
''A well-balanced diet minus too many sweets and artificial ingredients, with an adequate amount of protein, fruits and vegetables and vitamins is what we need,'' says Dr. Tracie Miller, a professor of pediatrics.
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(New York Times) A study of
[A]bout half the customers [in the study] noticed the calorie counts, which were prominently posted on menu boards. About 28 percent of those who noticed them said the information had influenced their ordering, and 9 out of 10 of those said they had made healthier choices as a result.
But when the researchers checked receipts afterward, they found that people had, in fact, ordered slightly more calories than the typical customer had before the labeling law went into effect, in July 2008.
Community: I think they need to give it more time. In my experience dealing with addiction (food addiction being one of them), it may take many exposures to the calorie postings before people start reacting to them.
Those who are successful in quitting smoking have usually tried many times to do so.
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(Science Daily) Which comes first, depression or inflammation?
To help solve this long standing chicken and egg conundrum, researchers led by Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis asked two critical questions. Does depression lead to elevated inflammatory proteins in the human body? Or does an increase in these proteins lead to depression? They found that the answer to the first question appears to be "yes," and the answer to the second question may be "no" among healthy adults.
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(Science Daily) Scientists have long struggled to understand the body's biological clock. Its tick-tock wakes us up, reminds us to eat and tells us when to go to bed. But what sets that circadian rhythm?
New research now shows that daily fluctuations in powerful hormones called glucocorticoids directly synchronize the biological clock as an integral part of our mechanism for regulating blood sugar.
"The most surprising part of our findings is that our internal biologic rhythms are embedded directly into another pathway, one that is essential to regulate metabolism," said senior study author Brian Feldman, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology…
The new findings give the first in vivo evidence of a direct link between glucocorticoid hormones and genes that regulate our biological clock. The research may eventually help doctors reduce disabling side effects of glucocorticoid drugs such as prednisone, Feldman said. The work could also help diabetics control their blood sugar levels and may shed light on why night-shift workers are at risk for obesity and diabetes.
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(Science Daily) Nutrition scientists … have identified the molecular pathway that allows foods rich in soy bioactive compounds called isoflavones to lower diabetes and heart disease risk. Eating soy foods has been shown to lower cholesterol, decrease blood glucose levels and improve glucose tolerance in people with diabetes.
According to Kim, the study shows that “what we eat can have tremendous impact on health outcomes by interacting with certain genes. Recent research also suggests that diet can even change the copy number of a certain gene, leading to biological changes.”
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(Science Daily) When breast cancer spreads or metastasizes, it crashes through the body's protective fences. The disease becomes fatal when it travels outside the mammary ducts, enters the bloodstream and spreads to the bones, liver or brain. Currently, there are only drugs that try to stem the uncontrolled division of cancer cells within the ducts. Until now, no drugs specifically targeted the invasion and spread of breast cancer to the organs.
A researcher … has found a way to strengthen the breast's "fence" to prevent cancer from metastasizing.
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(HealthDay News) A genetic variant seems to predict resistance to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen, German researchers report.
The findings … could allow clinicians to predict which women will benefit most from the drug, which has been the gold standard of breast cancer care for the past 25 years. Women who do carry the gene variant may be candidates for alternative treatments.
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(Science Daily) Abatacept, a member of a new class of drug that targets immune cells to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is effective against RA, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. The review examines recent trials to assess safety and efficacy of the drug.
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(UPI) Exercise programs designed to improve strength and stamina are safe and effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, a review by Dutch researchers found…
"Based on the evidence in this study, we would recommend aerobic capacity training combined with muscle strength training as routine practice for RA patients," [Lead researcher Emalie] Hurkmans said in a statement. "But we need more research to establish the recommended length and type of exercise programs, whether patients need to be supervised and if these programs are cost effective."
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(Science Daily) A
The clinical trial will test whether gene transfer therapy is able to restore better mobility in Parkinson's patients who have lost responsiveness to drug therapy.
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(Science Daily) Patients who exhibited a certain genetic mutation of anti-oxidant enzymes are three times more likely to develop age-related hearing loss (ARHL), according to new research…
Anti-oxidant enzymes and their deficiencies have also been implicated as contributors to diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
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(Science Daily) New, less invasive surgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence in women are just as effective as traditional open surgical approaches, according to Cochrane Researchers. The researchers carried out a systematic review of trials comparing different surgical approaches to treating the condition.
A third of women suffer from stress urinary incontinence. As well as the social distress involved, the condition places a significant financial burden on health systems and individuals. Surgery is considered a last resort when other treatments, such as pelvic floor muscle training and drug therapies, fail
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(New York Times) Expanding health insurance to cover everyone over the age of 51 might help save costs to Medicare in the long run, according to a new study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
People between the ages of 51 and 65 who have intermittent health insurance or none at all end up costing Medicare about $1,023 more per year when they turn 65 than people who have had coverage all along, the report says.
That is largely because those without coverage usually put off treatment until they get Medicare, and by then their problems have become worse. It is particularly true for those with cardiovascular disease and diabetes and those who delay surgeries for arthritis, according to the study.
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(New York Times) The long-term answer to improving the health of the nation’s population and curbing costs, experts agree, is to help people make smarter decisions day in and day out about their own health. And the most powerful potential tool in the march toward intelligent consumerism in health care may be the Web.
That is why on Tuesday, a start-up company led by Adam Bosworth, former head of the Google Health team, plans to become the newest entrant to the online consumer health business…
Using [Bosworth’s] Keas system, for example, a person with Type 2 diabetes might receive reminders, advice on diet and exercise, questions and prompts presented on the Web site or delivered by e-mail or text messages — all personalized for the person’s age, gender, weight and other health conditions…
For medical experts, Keas is currently helping them with technical assistance. But the company intends to keep simplifying the tools so that individual physicians or health experts can build their own care plans…
Initially, the care plans will be free, but eventually Keas will include subscriptions for plans, probably at a few dollars a month…
In the long term, Mr. Bosworth hopes Keas will evolve into a marketplace, where health experts are the sellers, and consumers who want the best personalized advice are the buyers.
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(Rudy Ruiz, CNN) Wouldn't the best way to control escalating health costs be to become healthier to begin with? Are rising costs driven not only by corporate greed, but also by self-destructive behavioral patterns?
If the government is serious about tackling our nation's health problems, then it should address food's role in the looming crisis…
[A] comprehensive preventive health strategy should:
• Shift subsidies away from corn toward the production of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as organic farming, so healthier, more natural foods become as accessible as Happy Meals.
• Tax fast food, soft drinks, and packaged foods high in processed fats and sugars to decrease demand for unhealthy food…
• Regulate youth nutrition marketing…
We already tax and regulate other harmful products -- like tobacco and alcohol -- because it's common sense to dissuade individuals from nasty habits that cost our entire society. Plus, tax proceeds would help underwrite health reforms and preventive education.
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(UPI) Body posture can affect not only what others think about someone but also how individuals think about themselves,
The study, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, found students who held the upright, confident posture were much more likely to rate themselves in line with the positive or negative traits they wrote down.
Community: The aging process wants to drag us down, making us stoop over. I plan to fight it to the bitter end, and so make a conscious effort to stand up straight.
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"It's been a pleasure and I think maybe it's been good for me," Howell says.
There's no maybe about it; an extensive body of research has found that music is good for your health and can even stave off dementia in the elderly. According to a Stanford University study, leisure activities, such as playing a musical instrument, are associated with a "reduced risk of dementia" in subjects older than 75.
Community: Learning of any kind is stimulating to the brain, and to the psyche. Many colleges and universities offer lifelong learning programs.
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(Science Daily) Increased intakes of antioxidant vitamins have no bearing on whether or not a man will develop hearing loss, but higher folate intake can decrease his risk by 20 percent, according to new research…
High folate foods include leafy vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, lettuces, dried or fresh beans and peas, fortified cereal products, sunflower seeds and certain other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of folate. Baker's yeast, liver and liver products also contain high amounts of folate…
The authors believe their findings can allow greater education, prevention, and screening efforts.
Community: Trouble is, those same foods are good for us in so many ways. See below.
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(Science Daily) Individuals who follow the Mediterranean dietary pattern — rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish —a ppear less likely to develop depression, according to a report…
"The specific mechanisms by which a better adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern could help to prevent the occurrence of depression are not well known," the authors write. Components of the diet may improve blood vessel function, fight inflammation, reduce risk for heart disease and repair oxygen-related cell damage, all of which may decrease the chances of developing depression.
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(Science Daily) Curcumin, the compound that gives curry powder its yellow/orange color, may inhibit the adverse effects of nicotine in patients with head and neck cancer who continue to smoke.
Community: Curcumin is also known as turmeric.
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(Science Daily) Routine use of electronic health records may improve the quality of care provided in community-based primary care practices more than other common strategies intended to raise the quality of medical care, according to a new study,,,
[R]esearchers found that practices that used multifunctional electronic health records were more likely to deliver better care for diabetes and provide certain health screenings than those that did not.
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(Science Daily) The antibiotic minocycline may revolutionize the treatment of strokes. A new study … describes the safety and therapeutic efficacy of the drug in animal models…
During a stroke, a clot prevents blood flow to parts of the brain, which can have wide ranging short-term and long-term implications. This study recorded the effect of intravenous minocycline in both isolated neurons and animal models after a stroke had been experimentally induced. At low doses it was found to have a neuroprotective effect on neurons by reducing apoptosis of neuronal cells and ameliorating behavioral deficits caused by stroke.
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(Science Daily) The finding suggests that GSK-3 controls the signals that determine how many neurons actually end up composing the brain. It also has important implications for patients with neuropsychiatric illness, as links have recently been drawn between GSK-3 and schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder.
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(Science Daily) Tai Chi, a form of Chinese martial arts often practiced for its health benefits, may be an effective treatment option for patients who suffer from dizziness and balance disorders (also known as vestibular disorders)…
Researchers theorize that the technique may be effective because Tai Chi promotes coordination through relaxation, rather than muscular coordination.
Community: How many times have you read about someone who’s managed to live into their 90s languishing and dying after a bad fall? We’re learning ways to keep our muscles from wasting away and to maintain bone density. And preserving the sense of balance has to be important in preventing falls, as well.
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(RealAge.com) Stop when you feel full -- always easier said than done. But what if doing so helped halt the aging process?
A recent study of yeast cells hints at the antiaging power of saying no to seconds. Seems those little microorganisms showed signs of premature aging when exposed to excessive glucose -- the energy substance into which all calories consumed eventually turn.
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Make midafternoon cravings a thing of the past by bulking up your breakfast with a slice of rye toast.
Research suggests that eating rye bread may do an even better job than wheat bread at keeping stomachs from growling later in the day…
[R]esearchers suspect that rye may also produce a lower insulin response than wheat bread (this would help with hunger), and that rye may have a unique fiber composition that keeps people feeling full longer. Here are four additional simple breakfast rules that can help you shed pounds.
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(UPI)
The study finds improvement reported by 83 percent of the women who underwent a supervised chair-based six-weeklong exercise program focused on identifying, isolating and strengthening muscles that support the pelvic area.
Community: Click here for the Mayo Clinic’s instructions on performing the Kegel exercises.
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(Science Daily) Radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that uses heat to shrink the tissue of the soft palate, is an effective and minimally invasive procedure that can be used to treat patients who snore…
Primary snoring may be an early predictor for people who will eventually develop obstructive sleep apnea.
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(Science Daily) Scientists working at Queen Mary,
Using this new technique, drugs - like insulin for managing diabetes - could be implanted inside the body for use when they are needed. Their release could then be prompted by a biological trigger like a drop in blood sugar levels, or activated manually with a pulse of light.
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(Science Daily) Imagine a surgical patient on a blood-thinning drug who starts bleeding more than expected, and an antidote that works immediately – because the blood thinner and antidote were designed to work together. Researchers at
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(HealthDay News) The amount of money spent by pharmaceutical companies on direct-to-consumer advertising more than tripled between 1997 and 2005, growing from $1.3 billion to $4.2 billion since restrictions governing drug ads were relaxed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration…
"I think the advertisements can serve a useful purpose by making people aware of products available to them," said Dominick L. Frosch, an assistant professor of medicine at the
"But the benefit information in these ads is often described in vague, general and emotionally driven terms, and the risk information also is not presented in a very helpful way," Frosch said. "The current format of the ads doesn't do a very good job of making sure patients are well-informed."
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Nature may influence people by helping them connect to their authentic selves, the authors suggest. After all, humans evolved in hunter-and-gatherer societies that depended on nature. Moreover, being in nature may help people relax, become more introspective, withdraw from the pressures of society and strip themselves of the artifices of society.
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Maybe not. Moderate-intensity exercise appears to be more helpful than vigorous exercise, according to a study just published…
The researchers aren't entirely sure why this is, but their best bet is that moderate-intensity exercise causes the body to burn more fat than does high-intensity exercise and that fat metabolism may help the pancreas work more effectively.
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(Chris Woolston, The Healthy Skeptic,
Like all good spoofs, the ad -- which actually promotes an arthritis cream called Thera-Gesic -- draws from reality. Over the centuries, people have been willing to rub all sorts of things into their sore joints…
Rubbing any sort of cream or lotion into a sore joint can feel good, says Dr. Roy Altman, a rheumatologist… If the cream smells nice or feels cool, warm or tingly, all the better. "There's a sensation that it's doing something, and people believe in it," he says.
Still, there's no good evidence that any over-the-counter rub or cream offers real relief for arthritis, Altman says. Very few high-quality studies have ever investigated the products, he says, and the results that do exist have been far from convincing…
Although the scientific evidence is admittedly sketchy, creams containing salicylates or capsaicin do seem to help some people, adds Dr. Scott Zashin, a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine…. It's not a cure, he says, but it can give you temporary relief.
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(Reuters Health) The risk for major depression more than doubles while women are going through menopause and afterward, according to research presented this week…
[Study co-author Dr. Karen A. Matthews] had this advice for doctors: "When women come in and are thinking that they have some extra difficulties with life and feel down and blue... take it seriously. It is not just a passing thing."
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(New York Times) The walnut is a surprisingly underrated health food. Studies show regular walnut consumption is associated with lowering bad cholesterol, raising good cholesterol and lowering risk for heart disease. In animal studies, walnuts have even been associated with slowing breast cancer growth.
Walnuts are unique among nuts because they are the only nut to contain large amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, one of the two major types of omega-3 fatty acids. (Other sources of alpha-linolenic acid are soybean, canola and flaxseed oil as well as some green vegetables like brussels sprouts and kale.)
This week, Recipes for Health author Martha Rose Shulman offers five new ways to add walnuts to your meals.
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(HealthDay News) The smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix) does not increase the risk for self-harm or depression, according to a new British study…
However, the researchers added that "the limited power of the study means we cannot rule out either a halving or a twofold increased risk."
They recommended further study of varenicline's effect on suicide risk. They also said that any risks associated with varenicline must be balanced against the long-term health benefits of stopping smoking and the drug's effectiveness as a smoking cessation product.
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(Reuters Health) A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and low in sweets and processed meats, may help lower the risk of breast cancer in some African-American women…
[T]he prudent diet was linked to a generally lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer -- an aggressive type of tumor that accounts for about one-third of breast cancers.
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(Science Daily) A derivative of cholesterol is necessary for the formation of brain cells, according to a study… The results … can help scientists to cultivate dopamine-producing cells outside the body…
It is hoped that one day it will be possible to replace dead cells in the brains of Parkinson's patients with transplanted cultivated dopamine-producing cells. Such cells can also be used to test new Parkinson's drugs.
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(HealthDay News) Imagine that you see a new mole and don't like the looks of it so you take a picture of it using your cell phone and e-mail it to your family doctor for an opinion.
Or perhaps you have heart disease and take your blood pressure using a cuff that automatically uploads the data to your cardiologist's computer for review.
Using electronic communications equipment to transmit medical information for consultation or examination -- known as telemedicine -- has come a long way from its beginnings as a means for rural areas to have access via teleconferencing to top-flight specialists…
Some new ways of practicing medicine already taking place that could be considered telemedicine include:
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(AP) Allergan, the maker of the Botox wrinkle treatment, challenged the government's ban on off-label drug marketing to doctors, saying it violates the company's right to freedom of speech.
The company contends in a lawsuit filed Thursday that it should be able to educate doctors about the risks and benefits of using treatments for unapproved uses.
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In April I became eligible for Medicare, which provides for a number of diagnostic services. I chose an internist / geriatrician at
Rather than ask for prescription medication, I told my doctor that I would begin an exercise, diet, and food supplement regimen to bring it down below 200. Three months later, yesterday, I had my blood tested at an Osco pharmacy, and it was 191.
Here’s how I did it.
Exercise had been a hit or miss proposition for me, but I decided to dedicate a definite amount of time for it every day.
Oatmeal. I began to eat oatmeal for breakfast several times a week.
Hummus. Legumes like the beans that form the basis of hummus are known to bring cholesterol levels down. When I told my doctor I’d start to eat more hummus, he suggested that I try the Israeli type, rather than the Greek. I found a brand called Tribe at my local grocery store, and I like it very much. It’s much lighter than the Greek version. At first, I was spreading it on flatbread, but I recently discovered that it tastes especially good on celery.
Fish oil. I was already taking a fish oil supplement, a 1,200 mg capsule once a day.
Red yeast rice. I read that red yeast rice contains natural statins, and began to take 600 mg twice a day. The synthetic versions of statins are the basis of prescription medications for bringing cholesterol down.
Red meat. We had been reducing our red meat intake over the years, but I made a commitment to reduce mine even further.
After a month and a half, I had my blood tested at my closest Osco pharmacy. The machines that do the testing are right in the store, so the feedback is immediate. And the cost is only $30. Medicare doesn’t cover it, but I think it’s worth the cost to know how well I’m doing. The result this time was 228, so I knew I had to do more.
Oatmeal. I began to eat oatmeal for breakfast every day, and I have berries with it every few days. I’d have them every day, but they’re too expensive, even when you buy them frozen. This summer I’ve been buying them on sale and freezing them, so I should have a supply that will last through the winter.
Red yeast rice. I doubled the dosage of red yeast rice—to 1,200 mg twice a day. I was a bit unnerved when I noticed that my stool had become reddish colored, but it apparently isn’t harmful.
Fish oil. I quadrupled the amount of fish oil I was taking, to 2,400 mg twice a day. I plan to change to krill oil when I run out of the supply I have, since I read about the other benefits it provides.
Lecithin. I started taking 1,200 mg of lecithin once a day.
Skim milk. I love milk. Years ago, we changed from whole milk to 2%, but I realized that I’d have to switch to skim. Which I did.
Salad. I started eating a salad evey day, with spinach as the main ingredient, but including grated carrot and, when they’re on sale, avocados. We make our own dressing with olive and canola oils.
Almonds. I started eating a palmful (maybe 10) almonds per day.
FYI, I buy my food supplements online, where they’re cheaper than in stores, from a reputable manufacturer.
Yesterday’s test result was most gratifying. I feel more in control of my life and my health than ever before. My triglyceride level is still too high, but bringing that down will be the next step of the process.
And I’ve lost ten pounds over that same three months. Without being hungry, which means there’s a chance I won’t put the weight back on.
I’m really proud of myself!
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(U.S. News & World Report) [R]esearchers have discovered that centenarians tend to share certain traits in how they eat, move about, and deal with stress—the sorts of things we can emulate to improve our own aging process…
1. Don't retire. "Evidence shows that in societies where people stop working abruptly, the incidence of obesity and chronic disease skyrockets after retirement," says Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging…
2. Floss every day. That may help keep your arteries healthy…
3. Move around. "Exercise is the only real fountain of youth that exists," says Jay Olshansky, a professor of medicine and aging researcher at the
4. Eat a fiber-rich cereal for breakfast. Getting a serving of whole-grains, especially in the morning, appears to help older folks maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day, according to a recent study conducted by Ferrucci and his colleagues…
5. Get at least six hours of shut-eye. Instead of skimping on sleep to add more hours to your day, get more to add years to your life…
6. Consume whole foods, not supplements. Strong evidence suggests that people who have high blood levels of certain nutrients—selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E—age much better and have a slower rate of cognitive decline. Unfortunately, there's no evidence that taking pills with these nutrients provides those antiaging benefits… [*]
7. Be less neurotic… Yoga, exercise, meditation, tai chi, or just deep breathing for a few moments are all good. Ruminating, eating chips in front of the TV, binge drinking? Bad, very bad.
8. Live like a Seventh Day Adventist… One of the basic tenets of the religion is that it's important to cherish the body that's on loan from God, which means no smoking, alcohol abuse, or overindulging in sweets. Followers typically stick to a vegetarian diet based on fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts, and get plenty of exercise. They're also very focused on family and community.
9. Be a creature of habit. Centenarians tend to live by strict routines, says Olshansky, eating the same kind of diet and doing the same kinds of activities their whole lives…
10. Stay connected. Having regular social contacts with friends and loved ones is key to avoiding depression, which can lead to premature death, something that's particularly prevalent in elderly widows and widowers. Some psychologists even think that one of the biggest benefits elderly folks get from exercise the strong social interactions that come from walking with a buddy or taking a group exercise class.
Community: One of the purposes of this blog is to provide the opportunity for social contacts right here. You can help build it by commenting on the posts and inviting your friends to respond.
*We get more evidence every day of the efficacy of some food supplements.
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