Book Review: 'The Longevity Prescription'
(Booster Shots, Los Angeles Times) Is 80 the new 50? It is when you compare Americans' average life expectancy today -- about 78 -- with what it was a century ago, when the average American lived to about 50.
In "The Longevity Prescription," Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Butler writes that this three-decade dividend, as he calls it, doesn't have to be lived out in declining health as many assume.
Common ailments such as heart disease, arthritis and lung problems are arriving a full decade later than they did 100 years ago. This suggests that we have it within our power to increase the chances of staying healthy longer, says Butler, founding president of the International Longevity Center and founder of the National Institute of Health's National Institute on Aging.
Genes play only a small part in longevity, he says -- studies consistently find a link of 5% to 35% between parent and child. He says research clearly shows that a healthy lifestyle can make a big difference in helping people live longer and push back or avoid the onset of chronic illness, lack of mobility and cognitive decline.
Of course, this won't be news to many. There has been a steady flow of research and stories for years suggesting that good health habits can make a difference. What Butler has done in his beautifully written new book is integrate these findings with inspiring stories, clear explanations, compassionate advice and step-by-step strategies to offer an easy-to-follow prescription for a more healthy life.
Yes, most people know they should be getting regular sleep, reducing stress, eating better, exercising more, getting preventive care and nurturing their relationships -- all topics in the book. It's putting these things into practice that can be the hard part. This is where "The Longevity Prescription" is particularly useful.
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In the Works: Dental lasers
(Los Angeles Times) For many, the image of a dentist's chair conjures up the whirring, grinding sound of the dreaded drill. But a few dentists are trading in the traditional drill for a quiet laser beam that has patients out of the office faster, with no discomfort or Novocaine-induced drooping lip to remind them of their visit.
Although lasers have been FDA-approved for dental applications since the 1990s, no laser equipment has yet received the American Dental Assn.'s highest endorsement, the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which indicates a product is safe and effective. For many laser applications, the ADA awaits further evidence. Meanwhile, the majority of dentists stick to tried-and-true mechanical techniques.
But some dental surgeons say it's high time to embrace the new technology. Laser beams have a number of applications in the dental clinic, they note: finding and excavating cavities, restoring a gorgeous Hollywood grin and rendering oral surgery faster and more comfortably.
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The Best Walking Partner
(RealAge.com) Researchers at the University of Missouri wanted to see just how helpful it was to walk with a dog. So they assigned seniors to one of three walking programs: walking with a dog, walking with a friend, or walking alone. And they found that the people who hoofed it with a canine companion increased their walking speeds by an impressive 28 percent. People strolling alone or with a human companion only upped their speeds by about 5 percent…
Why did the dog walkers have so much more spring in their steps? The researchers posit that dog walking improved the seniors' balance and confidence, making them want to walk even more. Add to this the fact that pet owners tend to handle stress better, be more emotionally stable, and make fewer trips to the doctor than pet-free people, and you've got a lot of reasons to thank your pooch for his presence. (Ready for pet ownership? DogAge has tips for choosing your dream pet.)
Here are five ways that walking can enhance your health.
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Sprinkle On This Spice for Cancer Protection
(RealAge.com) In a recent lab study, the ingredient responsible for black (and white) pepper's pungent zing -- called piperine -- appeared to stop cancer cells from growing and dividing.
The study focused on breast stem cells -- amazing tissue-repair cells that can morph into dangerous, long-lived cancer cells if their DNA is damaged. When researchers mixed piperine with these stem cells, the compound inactivated the cells with early signs of trouble -- reducing the size of rogue cell colonies and silencing signals involved in making cells live far longer than normal (an avenue to cancer development).
The best news of all? In the lab study, piperine left healthy cells alone. Smart little compound. Researchers think that in the future, piperine might even be used in cancer-prevention drugs. But for now, it's worth sprinkling on the black stuff liberally and often. And there are plenty of other flavor makers that may help lower your odds of cancer.
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Slim Down with This Multitasking Side Dish
(RealAge.com) For slimmer hips, skip the baked potato and make yourself a bowl of this for your next side dish: barley salad.
Barley is rich in beta glucan, a soluble fiber shown to reduce cholesterol. And now, new research shows that this special fiber may help with waist management, too!
Barley actually has up to twice as much beta glucan as oats have. And a study found that getting 3 to 5 grams of beta glucan every day from barley can lower harmful LDL cholesterol between 9 and 15 percent in people with high cholesterol. Not too shabby. But the unexpected bonus in this study? The beta glucan helped decrease hunger, so people ate fewer calories overall…
How does barley banish blubber? Researchers suspect that beta glucan and other barley fibers expand in your stomach, so you feel full faster and end up eating less. And working this grain into your day is a snap. Start your day with barley cereal. For lunch, toss barley into soup, stew, or even salad. And use barley in place of rice at dinner. For a cholesterol-lowering lunch, try this Barley-Black Bean Salad recipe.
Did you know? Barley can also lower your blood pressure.
Community: My local supermarket doesn’t carry barley, but Whole Foods does.
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Top Swaps for Pork Sausage
(SouthBeachDiet.com) Look for low-fat turkey or chicken sausage with 3 grams of saturated fat or less per serving… Another way to replace sausage in your diet is to try one of the meat-free substitutes. These are usually made with soy and often taste pretty close to the meaty versions. You'll also get the health benefits of soy protein.
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Scientists Find Bitter-Blocking Ingredient
(Science Daily) Researchers have discovered a chemical that specifically blocks people's ability to detect the bitter aftertaste that comes with artificial sweeteners such as saccharin. The key is a molecule known only as GIV3727 that specifically targets and inhibits a handful of human bitter taste receptors, according to a report…
The finding of what the researchers say is the first commercially relevant small-molecule bitter taste inhibitor also opens the door to further discovery of compounds for other taste-enhancement purposes, such as hiding the yucky taste of medicines or other commonly encountered bitter flavors.
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'Remote Control' for Cholesterol Regulation Discovered in Brain
(Science Daily) Circulation of cholesterol is regulated in the brain by the hunger-signaling hormone ghrelin, researchers say. The finding points to a new potential target for the pharmacologic control of cholesterol levels…
"We have long thought that cholesterol is exclusively regulated through dietary absorption or synthesis and secretion by the liver," says [professor Matthias] Tschöp. "Our study shows for the first time that cholesterol is also under direct 'remote control' by specific neurocircuitry in the central nervous system."
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Bioidentical hormones for menopausal symptoms
Over the decades, millions of women have taken some form of hormone therapy to relieve symptoms of menopause or to prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis…
Bioidentical hormones have an obvious appeal to women seeking relief for menopausal symptoms, says Dr. Nanette Santoro… After all, it just seems to make sense that anything that exactly mimics a woman's own hormones must be better than mare's urine or a man-made compound that doesn't exist in nature.
But Santoro says there is no proof that bioidentical hormones are any safer or more effective than traditional treatments. "All of the evidence that we have suggests that all of these hormones should be painted with the same brush," she says.
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Drug Made From Sea Sponge Fights Advanced Breast Cancer
(HealthDay News) A new chemotherapy drug made from a sea sponge extended the lives of women with metastatic breast cancer by about 2.5 months, researchers report…
The researchers reported a 23 percent improvement in median survival when women took eribulin, with the median survival for those in the eribulin group at just over 13 months vs. 10.7 months in the treatment-of -choice group.
"These results potentially establish eribulin as a new and effective treatment for women with heavily pretreated breast cancer," said [study author Dr. Christopher] Twelves, who disclosed financial ties with Eisai, which makes eribulin.
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Studies Suggest New Treatment Paradigms for Ovarian, Prostate Cancers
(HealthDay News) New research points toward novel ways to treat ovarian and prostate cancer, while producing a disappointment for those with a certain form of colon cancer.
Both the ovarian and prostate cancer trials could change clinical practice, with more women taking the drug bevacizumab (Avastin) to combat the disease in its advanced stages and more men getting radiation therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer, according to researchers…
A third trial, looking at the effectiveness of cetuximab (Erbitux) in treating certain colon cancer patients, found the drug made little difference to their survival.
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Blocking DNA Repair Protein Could Lead to Targeted, Safer Cancer Therapy
(Science Daily) Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the School of Medicine have discovered that inhibiting a key molecule in a DNA repair pathway could provide the means to make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy while protecting healthy cells…
"A characteristic of tumor cells is that they rapidly replicate, possibly because they have mutations that encourage cell division or that thwart repair pathways," [senior author Christopher Bakkenist, Ph.D.] explained. "But ATM kinase remains present in the vast majority of human cancers, so that suggests it is needed by those diseased cells during replication."
Cells that, unlike cancer cells, are not going through what's known as replication stress, would not be affected by an ATM inhibitor and, like A-T cells, likely have another way of repairing certain radiation-induced mutations, he said.
"So that would make cancer cells particularly vulnerable to an ATM inhibitor, while healthy cells should be unaffected," Dr. Bakkenist said.
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Agencies warn of coming doctor shortage
(Los Angeles Times) Stories of emergency rooms pushed to capacity and wait times at physicians' offices have become legendary. Now the passage of healthcare reform — potentially funneling 30 million new people into an already-packed system — has some groups warning that the nation will soon see a shortage of doctors…
Doctor-shortage concerns have come up in the past, but by the 1990s, particularly during the introduction of the Clinton health reform plan, many groups were forecasting a physician surplus. The need for more primary care "gatekeepers" for HMOs and a push for more preventive services had sparked an increased interest in the field.
But the tide turned when HMOs did not become as ubiquitous as expected, and now population growth coupled with health reform has created concern anew.
"This will be the first time since the 1930s that the ratio of physicians to the population will start to decline," said Dr. Atul Grover, chief advocacy officer for the AAMC. "The number of people over 65 will double between 2000 and 2030, and the amount of medical services they require is two to three times higher than many other adults."
Not only will these individuals seek preventive care, but they will need specialists — cardiologists, urologists, endocrinologists, more — to deal with issues such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory problems, Grover said.
Community: I’m betting that we’ll get creative about leveraging doctors’ time. We’ll take more responsibility for our own health, and we’ll make use of non-M.D. health professionals wherever possible.
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Doctors' group turns up heat on Medicare payments
(Reuters) The American Medical Association turned up the heat on the U.S. Congress on Thursday for failing to stop a 21 percent Medicare pay cut for doctors treating elderly patients.
The doctors group said it launched a multimillion dollar ad campaign criticizing the U.S. Senate for going on a week-long Memorial Day break before acting on a bill that would have postponed the pay cut that went into effect on June 1.
"The AMA will not sit silent while the Senate fails to fulfill its obligation to seniors and the baby boomers who begin to enter the program in just six months when the first wave turns 65," AMA President James Rohack said during a telephone news conference.
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Experts say to burn more fat, try working out on an empty stomach
(AP) Running on empty may not be such a bad idea after all. Though many athletes eat before training, some scientists say that if you really want to get rid of more fat, you should skip the pre-workout snack.
Several studies suggest exercising while your body is low on food may be a good way to trim excess fat. In a recent paper, European researchers found that cyclists who trained without eating burned significantly more fat than their counterparts who ate…
[Ron Maughan, a professor of sport, exercise and health sciences,] cautioned against doing too much exercise on an empty stomach. "That might help you get very good at burning fat, but you won't be very good at whatever exercise it is you're doing," he said. "Without enough fuel, you won't get the intensity of training you need to get improvements."
Community: But be careful not to overeat, or eat the wrong things, AFTER the exercise.
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Weighing the Evidence on Exercise
(New York Magazine) How exercise affects body weight is one of the more intriguing and vexing issues in physiology. Exercise burns calories, no one doubts that, and so it should, in theory, produce weight loss, a fact that has prompted countless people to undertake exercise programs to shed pounds. Without significantly changing their diets, few succeed. “Anecdotally, all of us have been cornered by people claiming to have spent hours each week walking, running, stair-stepping, etc., and are displeased with the results on the scale or in the mirror,” wrote Barry Braun…
But a growing body of science suggests that exercise does have an important role in weight loss. That role, however, is different from what many people expect and probably wish. The newest science suggests that exercise alone will not make you thin, but it may determine whether you stay thin, if you can achieve that state…
Streaming through much of the science and advice about exercise and weight loss is a certain Puritan streak, a sense that exercise, to be effective in keeping you slim, must be of almost medicinal dosage — an hour a day, every day; plenty of brisk walking; frequent long runs on the treadmill. But the very latest science about exercise and weight loss has a gentler tone and a more achievable goal. “Emerging evidence suggests that unlike bouts of moderate-vigorous activity, low-intensity ambulation, standing, etc., may contribute to daily energy expenditure without triggering the caloric compensation effect,” Braun wrote in the American College of Sports Medicine newsletter…
Standing, for both men and women, burned multiple calories but did not ignite hunger. One thing is going to become clear in the coming years, Braun says: if you want to lose weight, you don’t necessarily have to go for a long run. “Just get rid of your chair.”
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Kellogg to Restrict Ads to Settle U.S. Inquiry Into Health Claims for Cereal
(New York Times) The Kellogg Company has agreed to advertising restrictions to resolve an investigation into its claims about the health benefits of its Rice Krispies cereal, the Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday.
The agreement expands on a settlement order that Kellogg agreed to last July over similar claims that another cereal, Frosted Mini-Wheats, was “clinically shown to improve kids’ attentiveness by nearly 20 percent.”
The commission acted against Kellogg as public health researchers and obesity opponents have intensified their challenges to the marketing of sugary foods.
“We expect more from a great American company than making dubious claims — not once, but twice — that its cereals improve children’s health,” Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the F.T.C., said in a statement.
Community: I’ve been wondering about those Frosted Mini-Wheats commercials. What I remember from my sugar days was a sugar high followed by a crash. Neither of those states is conducive to thinking straight.
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Wean Yourself Off Processed Foods in 7 Steps
(U.S. News & World Report) When is the last time you tasted a peach? Really experienced its velvety outer skin, inner succulence, and stringy pulp as it slid to the back of your mouth? Ever notice the notes of almond, honey, and vanilla in the fruit's flavor? "Every bite should be like a wine tasting," says food writer and chef Bruce Weinstein. "The more you take away from your food, the more pleasure you'll feel eating it." And the fuller you'll feel afterward. That's the premise behind Real Food Has Curves, a new book written by Weinstein and his partner, Mark Scarbrough. It provides a 7-step plan for weaning yourself off processed foods, which have been blamed for our nation's rise in obesity and related conditions, like heart disease and diabetes. "We feel very strongly that deprivation doesn't work," says Weinstein, adding that they each lost about 25 pounds by incorporating more "real" and less "fake" foods into their meals. Here's how:…
Step 1: Seek true satisfaction. Grab that peach or strawberry, examine its color, sniff it, and take a bite. Give yourself a moment to enjoy the genuine flavors…
Step 2: Read labels wisely. You don't need to spend an hour making your own marinara sauce (though the book provides a recipe using canned tomatoes, if you're so inclined). You can also find "real" tomato sauce in the supermarket if you read labels carefully…
Step 3: Relish what's on your plate. This is all about devoting time to solely enjoying the pleasures of eating…
Step 4: Wean yourself off excess salt, fat, and sugar. You'll be doing this anyway if you're eating fewer processed foods and restaurant meals, but you can also cook with smaller amounts of these ingredients by using natural substitutes. Strong spices like garlic, pepper, and oregano cut down on the need for salt. You can use less cooking oil if you broil instead of fry, and margarine in many baked recipes can often be replaced with smaller amounts of (yes) extra-virgin olive oil…
Step 5: Give your palate time to change. While it may be tough at first to skip the afternoon candy bar or fast-food fries, you'll gradually lose your taste for excessively sweet and salty foods as your palate adapts to a variety of new flavors…
Step 6: Go for high-quality foods. You don't need to opt for only organic or produce sold at local farmstands—though both are certainly preferable—but you should look for products that contain the least amount of processed ingredients to ensure better taste and better quality…
Step 7: Treat yourself well by not skipping meals. Part of the enjoyment of food is allowing yourself to get hungry enough to crave your meal, but not so hungry that you're desperate to shovel anything and everything in your mouth. This can be accomplished by eating three meals a day at fairly regular times and having a mid-afternoon snack.
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Coffee in moderation may boost health
(Medical Edge, Mayo Clinic) Over the past several years, research has busted some health myths about coffee… We've learned that coffee, in moderation—perhaps 1 to 2 cups daily—isn't bad for you. And in some cases, coffee seems to offer health benefits, perhaps the most noteworthy being a reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes…
Studies have documented coffee's other health benefits in various areas:
Parkinson's disease: A number of studies have shown that coffee drinkers benefit from a protective effect against Parkinson's disease.
Asthma: Coffee may reduce asthma symptoms.
Gallstones: Coffee may reduce gallstone formation.
Cognition: Coffee increases alertness. That's why it's the morning wake-up call for many people. Studies also have shown that coffee can improve cognitive performance. Results from at least four studies suggest that coffee drinkers have a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Mental health: Three studies have shown a decreased risk of suicide with moderate coffee consumption. The reason for this isn't clear.
Liver disease: Coffee seems to offer a protective effect against liver disease including cancer, especially among those who drink alcohol.
Before you rush to brew a pot of coffee, know that there are some side effects and potential health concerns from drinking coffee. Side effects can include jitteriness, insomnia and benign heart palpitations…
Side effects also can include loose stools and heartburn or reflux in people who are predisposed to those conditions. Coffee may worsen urinary symptoms for men with prostate problems.
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Five Rice Dishes to Steam Up Your Table
(Well, New York Times) Chances are you have rice in the back of your pantry. And when you cook it, it ends up pushed to the side of the plate.
But as Martha Rose Shulman demonstrates in this week’s Recipes for Health, rice can be the star of the meal. She offers five tantalizing and colorful recipes certain to steam up your dinner table.
Brown Basmati Rice Salad With Roasted Poblanos and Cumin Vinaigrette: Roasted poblano chiles bring some kick, and vitamin C, to this colorful Southwestern rice salad.
Fried Basmati Brown Rice With Chicken and Vegetables: A little meat goes a long way in this dish, but a vegetarian version is easy to make as well.
Black Beans and Rice: White rice is normally used in this common dish, but brown basmati is even better.
Swiss Chard, Spinach and Rice Gratin: This gratin can be served hot or cold — and it’s not bad in a lunchbox, either.
Green Rice: Green rice — arroz verde — is a great way to get your kids to eat spinach without realizing it.
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Rise in Suicides of Middle-Aged Is Continuing
(New York Times) For the second year in a row, middle-aged adults have registered the highest suicide rate in the country, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
Researchers are puzzled by the increase, but Dr. [Paula] Clayton said the rise in suicide among Americans born in the 1950s and 1960s was probably a result of a combination of factors, including easier access to guns and prescription drugs and what may be a higher incidence of depression among baby boomers.
“Ninety percent of people who kill themselves have a mental disorder at the time of their death,” which can be aggravated by drug and alcohol abuse, Dr. Clayton said. Problems related to health, jobs, relationships and finances have also been shown to be important risk factors for suicide, the C.D.C. reported.
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Antidepressant cools hot flashes in study
(Reuters Health) The antidepressant citalopram may help lessen the severity of menopausal hot flashes, at least in the short term, a new clinical trial suggests…
Studies have found that some antidepressants in the class known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may help treat hot flashes; those drugs include paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac) and venlafaxine (Effexor).
But citalopram (Celexa), another SSRI, has an advantage over some of those medications -- namely, paroxetine and fluoxetine -- in that it can be used by women on tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is a drug prescribed to treat and lower the risk of breast cancer, and hot flashes are a common side effect.
Because paroxetine and fluoxetine inhibit an enzyme needed to metabolize tamoxifen, women on the drug cannot use those antidepressants for hot flashes.
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Melanoma drug cuts death risk in major trial
(Reuters) A cancer drug being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb reduced the risk of death from advanced melanoma by more than 30 percent in a late stage clinical trial, representing a potential major advance in treating a disease for which there are few options…
"Once it metastasizes the average survival is six to nine months and we really had no effective treatments for patients who have had prior treatment for melanoma," said Dr Steven O'Day, one of the study's lead investigators.
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Researchers Report Treatment Headway Against Lung Cancer
(HealthDay News) Researchers report they prolonged survival for some patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, for whom the median survival is currently only about six months.
One study discovered that an experimental drug called crizotinib shrank tumors in the majority of lung cancer patients with a specific gene variant…
A second study found that a double-chemotherapy regimen benefited elderly patients, who represent the majority of those with lung cancer worldwide.
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Don't Count on Selenium to Prevent Lung Cancer Recurrence
(HealthDay News) Taking the popular mineral supplement selenium doesn't reduce the likelihood of lung cancer recurrence, a new study reveals…
[The] study found that among more than 1,500 stage 1 (early) non-small cell lung cancer patients who had survived their initial bout with the disease, selenium offered no protection against recurrence or the onset of a new cancer or second primary cancer.
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Targeted Radiation for Early Breast Cancer a Good Option: Study
(HealthDay News) Radiation therapy that targets a specific area of the breast is as effective as whole-breast radiation in reducing breast cancer recurrence in some women and is far more convenient, a new study suggests.
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A Sense of Humor Helps Keep You Healthy Until Retirement Age
(Science Daily) A sense of humor helps to keep people healthy and increases their chances of reaching retirement age. But after the age of 70, the health benefits of humor decrease, researchers … have found…
"There is reason to believe that sense of humor continues to have a positive effect on mental health and social life, even after people have become retirees, although the positive effect on life expectancy could not be shown after the age of 75. At that point, genetics and biological aging are of greater importance," says project leader Professor Sven Svebak.
Community: Fortunately, there are ways to fight the genetic and biological factors, as well.
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Feeling sluggish? Bad mood? Go outside.
(UPI) Those needing an energy boost and improved mood should spend some time every day outside, U.S. researchers found.
"Nature is fuel for the soul," lead author Richard Ryan, a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester in New York, said in a statement.
"Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature."
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Sunblock for the eyes
(UPI) Two U.S. ophthalmologists remind summer outdoor enthusiasts the eyes need protection from overexposure to the sun…
"There are strong indications that chronic exposure to the components of sunlight may accelerate aging of ocular tissues," [Dr. Stephen] Trokel says in a statement. "Any protective eyewear should have side shield protection or wrap around the eye so light cannot enter the eye from side reflections."…
[The researchers] recommend sunglasses have more than 95 percent ultraviolet protection. They also advise a dark tint is not necessarily best -- lens tint should block at least 80 percent of transmissible light but not more than 90 percent to 92 percent. Neutral gray, amber, brown or green are good colors, they say.
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Study: Exercise could raise grades
(UPI) Twenty minutes of brisk physical exercise daily could improve your grade point average, U.S. researchers said.
A study by the American College of Sports Medicine found college students who exercised 20 minutes a day had grade point averages about .4 higher, on a scale of 4.0, compared with students who did not exercise, CNN reported Friday.
The results suggest exercise reduces stress, improves performance and increases a sense of well-being, said Joshua Ode, who supervised the study.
Community: Exercise helps us older folks retain our cognitive abilities, too.
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Help for Women Runners With Knee Pain
(HealthDay News) Hip exercises can reduce a common type of knee pain in female runners, according to a new study.
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) occurs when the thigh bone rubs against the back of the knee cap. Typically, pain doesn't occur when someone with PFP first starts a run. But once the pain begins, it gets increasingly worse. The pain disappears almost immediately after the person stops running…
The exercise program reduced and, in some cases, eliminated knee pain, according to … researchers.
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Estrogen-like lignan diet, less breast cancer linked
(Reuters Health) Postmenopausal women who eat foods rich in estrogen-like plant chemicals called lignans may have a modestly decreased risk of developing breast cancer, a research review suggests.
In an analysis of 21 studies published in the past 13 years, researchers found that postmenopausal women who reported the highest intakes of dietary lignans were 14 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those with low intakes…
Flaxseed and sesame are particularly high in lignans, and the compounds are also found in whole grains, berries and some other fruits, a number of vegetables such as broccoli and kale, and green tea.
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Meat, fish protein linked to women's bowel disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating lots of animal protein appears to increase women's risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a new study from France.
"Our results may help better understand the role of diet in IBD risk," Dr. Franck Carbonnel … and his team write… "If confirmed, they can lead to protective strategies, especially in families at risk of IBD, and possibly to advice for preventing relapse."
Inflammatory bowel disease is a collective term for diseases characterized by severe inflammation in the digestive system such as ulcerative colitis, which typically only affects the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can attack the entire digestive tract. IBD, which affects about one in 500 people.
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MyRecipes.com
Peanut-Crusted Chicken with Pineapple Salsa
Pick up a container of fresh pineapple chunks in the produce section of the supermarket; chop into half-inch pieces for the salsa. Serve with steamed broccoli and warm rolls to complete the dinner.
Portion Control and Weight Loss
Beginner's Guide to Barbecuing Meat
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Low-Dose HRT Patch May Lessen Stroke Risk
(HealthDay News) Getting low-dose hormone replacement therapy through a skin patch may reduce a woman's risk for stroke, but high-dose patches could actually raise the risk, a new study suggests.
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New Gene Therapy Proves Effective in Treating Severe Heart Failure
(Science Daily) Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have developed a new gene therapy that is safe and effective in reversing advanced heart failure. SERCA2a (produced as MYDICAR®) is a gene therapy designed to stimulate production of an enzyme that enables the failing heart to pump more effectively. In a Phase II study, SERCA2a injection through a routine minimally invasive cardiac catheterization was safe and showed clinical benefit in treating this patient population and decreasing the severity of heart failure…
The [trial] is funded by Celladon Corporation, makers of MYDICAR.
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Physicists, medical researchers to team up on cancer
(Reuters) Particle physicists and medical scientists are to combine efforts to develop early detection techniques and advanced treatments for cancer as spin-offs from research into the origins and make-up of the universe.
The CERN European nuclear research organization, home to the world's largest particle collider, the LHC, said on Thursday the program would explore new ways of fighting cancer by ensuring doctors and physicists work together rather than in isolation.
The program will focus on high-resolution imaging that can spot tumors in their early stages, and the overall effects on the human body of particle therapy for cancer, and other topics, CERN said in a statement.
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Deficit panel eyes another bite at healthcare
(Reuters) Concern over rising U.S. debt could force lawmakers to take another crack at reining in healthcare costs long before any promised savings from President Barack Obama's sweeping overhaul are realized…
It is unclear how much more can be squeezed out of Medicare given the uncertainties and political realities surrounding the overhaul. But a fiscal commission asked by Obama to recommend ways to reduce the deficit and slow the growth of U.S. debt plans to tackle the issue.
"It is the biggest issue. There is no question," said Erskine Bowles, co-chairman of the commission…
Whatever the deficit commission recommends, Democratic Congressman Xavier Becerra, a member of the panel, said in an interview that it is important budget cutters keep in mind the human face behind the numbers.
"What I am concerned about is that we are going to do this number crunching in a sterile environment that doesn't take into account the reality of day to day life for Americans," he said.
Community: Isn’t it odd that concern over the rising U.S. debt never, ever, brings up the topic of how much money we are wasting on foreign wars?
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Gulf Oil Spill Workers Report Health Problems
(HealthDay News) With the giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico now in its sixth week, reports of clean-up workers falling ill are on the rise…
More than a dozen workers have been treated at local medical centers for flu-like symptoms ranging from chest pain to dizziness, nausea and headaches, presumably due to exposure to different chemicals emanating from the slick, according to news reports.
The Unified Command in Louisiana -- a coalition of government agencies that includes the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior and the National Parks Service -- last week called back to shore 125 boats helping with the clean-up after medical complaints from crew members.
"The reports that we've heard from hospitals and doctors have been [that the symptoms are due to] inhaled irritant exposure, but they've not gone so far as to say what exactly they think the responsible agent might be," Solomon said. "The workers are widely blaming the dispersants."
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Avoid cardiac event during summer exercise
(UPI) Hot weather exercise can lead to dehydration, exhaustion and even a cardiac event, a U.S. physician cautions.
Dr. Holly Andersen, director of education and outreach at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, does not advise giving up exercise in the summer, but suggests doing it safely…
Andersen's recommendations include:
-- Consulting a physician about a planned exercise regimen.
-- Exercising in a cool, air-conditioned indoor space or taking advantage of cooler, early morning and evening hours…
-- Drinking plenty of water, even before feeling thirsty. Endurance athletes, those prone to lightheadedness or those age 75 and older should replenish electrolytes…
-- Pacing yourself. Include time for breaks.
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Trekking-Poles Help Hikers Maintain Muscle Function While Reducing Soreness
(Science Daily) A study by academics at Northumbria University has shown for the first time that trekking-poles help hikers maintain muscle function while significantly reducing soreness in the days following a hike…
"The results present strong evidence that trekking poles reduce, almost to the point of complete disappearance, the extent of muscle damage during a day's mountain trek," says Dr Glyn Howatson, who conducted the study.
"Preventing muscle damage and soreness is likely to improve motivation and so keep people enjoying the benefits of exercise for longer. Perhaps even more advantageously, the combined benefits of using trekking poles in reducing load to the lower limbs, increasing stability and reducing muscle damage could also help avoid injury on subsequent days trekking."
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Exercise advised for cancer patients
(UPI) Some U.S. physicians say cancer exercise rehabilitation programs should be as common as cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Kathryn Schmitz … led [an] expert panel that developed the new cancer exercise guidelines after reviewing and evaluating the safety and efficacy of exercise during and after cancer treatment…
"We now have a compelling body of high-quality evidence that exercise during and after treatment is safe and beneficial for these patients, even those undergoing complex procedures such as stem cell transplants."
Cancer patients and survivors should try to get the same 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly -- swimming to yoga to strength training -- the same as recommended for the general public, the panel said.
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New Evidence That Chili Pepper Ingredient Fights Fat
(Science Daily) Scientists are reporting new evidence that capsaicin, the stuff that gives chili peppers their kick, may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup by triggering certain beneficial protein changes in the body…
[T]he scientists fed high-fat diets with or without capsaicin to lab rats used to study obesity. The capsaicin-treated rats lost 8 percent of their body weight and showed changes in levels of at least 20 key proteins found in fat. The altered proteins work to break down fats. "These changes provide valuable new molecular insights into the mechanism of the antiobesity effects of capsaicin," the scientists say.
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