| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sakthi News -2007
Feeling Stressed? How Your Skin,
Hair And Nails Can Show It
ScienceDaily (Nov. 12,
2007) — Pending job cuts at the office. Back-to-back
final exams. A messy divorce. An unexpected surgery. What do
they all have in common? In a word – stress. While everyone
knows that stress can take a toll on a person physically and
psychologically, it also can lead to dermatologic problems,
such as acne, brittle nails or even hair loss.
Speaking November 8 at the American Academy of
Dermatology’s SKIN academy (Academy), dermatologist Flor A.
Mayoral, MD, FAAD, clinical instructor in the departments of
dermatology and cutaneous surgery at the University of
Miami’s Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Fla., discussed
the most common outward signs of stress on the skin, hair
and nails, and offered stress management tips to control
these symptoms.
“In treating hundreds of patients over the years with
skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea, acne and psoriasis,
I have seen firsthand how stress can aggravate the skin and
trigger unexpected flare-ups that, in effect, create more
stress for patients,” said Dr. Mayoral. “Learning how to
manage the effects of stress on your skin can help alleviate
some of the anxiety and symptoms.”
Stress and the Skin
When a person becomes stressed, the level of the body’s
stress hormone (cortisol) rises. This in turn causes an
increase in oil production, which can lead to oily skin,
acne and other related skin problems. Dr. Mayoral noted that
even patients with skin that is not affected by acne tend to
develop temporary stress-related acne due to increased oil
production.
In fact, a study in the January 2001 issue of the
Archives of Dermatology entitled “Psychological Stress
Perturbs Epidermal Permeability Barrier Homeostasis,” found
that stress has a negative effect on the barrier function of
the skin, resulting in water loss that inhibits the skin’s
ability to repair itself after an injury.
Specifically, the study involving 27 medical, dental and
pharmacy students examined how periods of higher stress (in
this case, during final examinations) impacted the skin’s
response to repeated stripping of cellophane tape on the
subjects’ forearms vs. periods of lower stress (such as
after returning from winter vacation). Researchers found
that it took longer for the skin to recover from the
minimally invasive tape stripping during periods of
perceived higher stress than during less stressful periods.
“This study was the first of its kind to suggest what
dermatologists anecdotally have known for years – that
psychological stress adversely affects the normal functions
of the skin,” said Dr. Mayoral. “While the subjects in this
study did not have any pre-existing skin conditions, I would
suspect that people with skin conditions such as eczema or
psoriasis would have been even more adversely affected by
this experiment.”
Stressed-Out Hair
There are many reasons why men and women lose their hair,
but Dr. Mayoral believes that stress may be the primary
reason for unexplained hair loss. When someone is under
stress, hair can go into the telogen (fall-out) phase.
Telogen effluvium is a very common hair loss problem that
can occur up to three months after a stressful event. After
the initial hair loss, hair usually grows back in six to
nine months.
Life-changing events such as childbirth or surgery also
can cause hair loss. Dr. Mayoral explained that during these
times, the body takes a “time-out” from growing hair to
concentrate on recovery and healing. As such, hair does not
grow as much and some could shed and not grow back right
away.
“Stress affects people differently – some may develop an
ulcer, or have a heart attack, or lose their hair,” said Dr.
Mayoral. “Hair loss is a normal response to stress, but
patients should see a dermatologist for a proper evaluation
to rule out other medical causes. I also advise patients to
avoid any strange diets where only one or two foods are
allowed, as improper nutrition and extreme or rapid weight
loss can result in hair loss.”
Effects of Stress on Nails
Nails are not immune to showing outward signs of stress,
and some people develop the nervous habit of biting their
nails or picking at them when they feel stressed. Another
stress-related nail habit that Dr. Mayoral discussed is
people who rub their fingers over their thumb nail, which
can create a ridge across the nail. This rubbing causes a
distortion of the nail plate, and when the nail grows, a
raised ridge forms in the middle of the nail. In addition,
physical or emotional stress, certain diseases, and
chemotherapy can cause white horizontal lines to appear
across the nails. Brittle, peeling nails also are a common
side effect of stress.
“Sometimes patients with nail problems are not aware that
their habits or tics from being stressed out or nervous are
at the root of their problem,” said Dr. Mayoral. “There are
instances where patients self-inflict skin, hair or nail
problems that go beyond what we normally expect from stress,
and these patients often need psychological help to modify
their behavior.”
In her practice, Dr. Mayoral finds it beneficial to give
patients the tools to help themselves cope with
stress-related skin flares, particularly patients with
eczema, acne, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis where
outward symptoms are obvious. For example, Dr. Mayoral
teaches her acne patients how to modify their treatment
regimen to deal with flare-ups from stress – which gives
them control to help themselves during stressful periods.
“Being in control of your situation can help relieve
stress,” said Dr. Mayoral. “For instance, I teach my acne
patients who use a topical acne medication once a day how to
safely use the medication more frequently to counter the
effects of stress. If this doesn’t work, they know to call
me or come in to the office so we can make further
adjustments in their treatment. I find that initially giving
them the power to fix the problem is very empowering to
them.”
In addition, Dr. Mayoral offered tips to curb the effects
of stress both internally and externally:
- Learn to recognize the underlying problem that is
triggering your symptoms and develop skills to help
minimize the stress.
- Exercise helps release endorphins in the body that
can reduce stress.
- Avoid very hot showers or baths and use
detergent-free soaps. Moisturize as soon as possible
after bathing.
- Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or
higher daily to protect your skin from sun exposure.
Scientific Evidence Of The
Significant Anti-cancer Effect Of Milk Thistle
ScienceDaily (Nov. 14,
2007) — Recently, scientists demonstrated the
anti-cancer effects of silibinin, a major biologically
active compound of milk thistle. Being widely used as a folk
remedy for liver diseases, milk thistle is safe and
well-tolerated, and it protects the liver from drug or
alcohol-related injury. Silibinin is highly purified from
milk thistle, with a defined chemical structure and
molecular weight (C25H22O10,
MW: 482.44).
Deficiency In Exposure To Sunlight
Linked To Endometrial Cancer
ScienceDaily (Nov. 14,
2007) — Using newly available data on worldwide
cancer incidence, researchers at the Moores Cancer Center at
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have shown a
clear association between deficiency in exposure to
sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B (UVB), and endometrial
cancer.
UVB exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the
body. This form of vitamin D is also available through diet
and supplements. Previous studies from this research team
have shown associations between higher levels of vitamin D3
and lower risk of cancers of the breast, colon, kidney and
ovary.
Approximately 200,000 cases and 50,000 deaths from
endometrial cancer occur annually worldwide, including
41,000 new cases and 7,400 deaths in the United States.
"This is the first study, to our knowledge, to show that
higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced
risk of endometrial cancer," said Cedric F. Garland, Dr.
P.H., professor of Family and Preventive Medicine in the
UCSD School of Medicine, and member of the Moores UCSD
Cancer Center.
He continued, "Previous epidemiological studies have
focused on estrogen levels -- either natural or through
hormone replacement therapy -- which play the major role in
development of the disease, and on fat intake, which plays a
smaller role. Since most women cannot control their natural
levels of estrogen, and very low levels of fat intake are
not acceptable to most American women, this article provides
evidence that vitamin D adequacy should be considered as
part of a comprehensive program for prevention of this
cancer."
This paper used worldwide data only recently available
through a new tool called GLOBOCAN, developed by the World
Health Organization's International Agency for Research on
Cancer. GLOBOCAN is a database of cancer incidence,
mortality and prevalence for 175 countries.
The researchers created a graph with a vertical axis for
endometrial cancer incidence rates, and a horizontal axis
for latitude. The latitudes range from -50 for the southern
hemisphere, to zero for the equator, to +70 for the northern
hemisphere. They then plotted incidence rates for 175
countries according to latitude. The resulting chart was a
parabolic curve that looks like a smile.
"In general, endometrial cancer incidence was highest at
the highest latitudes in both hemispheres," said Garland.
"Even after controlling for known variables such as cloud
cover, meat intake, weight, skin pigmentation and others,
the association remained strong."
In the paper, the authors caution that this was a study
of aggregates, or countries, rather than individuals;
findings that apply to aggregates may not apply to
individuals. They recommend further research to study
individuals for the effect of vitamin D from sunlight, diet
and supplements on the risk of endometrial cancer.
The study will be published November 16, 2007, in the
journal Preventive Medicine.
Eating Your Greens Could Prove
Life-saving If A Heart Attack Strikes
ScienceDaily (Nov. 14,
2007) — A diet rich in leafy vegetables may minimize
the tissue damage caused by heart attacks, according to
researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of
Yeshiva University. Their findings suggest that the chemical
nitrite, found in many vegetables, could be the secret
ingredient in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.
The chemical nitrite, found in many vegetables such
as these leafy spring greens, could be the secret
ingredient in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.
"Recent studies show that administering nitrite to
animals, either intravenously or orally, can greatly limit
the damage caused by a heart attack and the stress to tissue
that follows due to reperfusion--the return of blood to
oxygen-starved heart muscle," says Dr. David Lefer, the
study's senior author and professor of medicine and of
pathology at Einstein. "We wondered if feeding animals much
lower levels of nitrite and nitrate--equivalent to what
people can readily obtain from their diets--could also
provide protection from heart-attack injury."
In contrast to nitrite, nitrate in the diet comes mainly
from cured meats such as bacon, sausage and luncheon meats.
Consuming nitrate augments our nitrite supply: Once absorbed
in the bloodstream, nitrate circulates to the salivary
glands where bacteria convert it to nitrite, which is then
swallowed in our saliva. About 10 percent of dietary nitrate
is converted to nitrite in this way.
"This new appreciation of the health benefits of nitrite
and nitrate is ironic," says Dr. Lefer, "They've
traditionally been regarded as toxic because they tend to
form chemicals called nitrosamines, some of which are
carcinogenic. But recent research has found no convincing
evidence that nitrite and nitrate pose a cancer risk."
Dr. Lefer notes that Europeans' copious consumption of
vegetables puts them far ahead of us in terms of nitrite and
nitrate intake: On average, European consume 76 mg of
nitrite and nitrate daily compared with a 0.77 mg American
intake--nearly a 100-fold difference. "This large intake of
nitrite and nitrate poses no known risks and could certainly
help explain why the Mediterranean diet is heart-healthy
despite its relatively high fat content," says Dr. Lefer.
A Low-carb Diet May Stunt Prostate
Tumor Growth
ScienceDaily (Nov. 14,
2007) — A diet low in carbohydrates may help stunt
the growth of prostate tumors, according to a new study led
by Duke Prostate Center researchers. The study, in mice,
suggests that a reduction in insulin production possibly
caused by fewer carbohydrates may stall tumor growth.
The mice that ate a low-carbohydrate diet had the longest
survival and smallest tumor size, Freedland said.
"Low-fat mice had shorter survival and larger tumors while
mice on the Western diet had the worst survival and biggest
tumors," he said. "In addition, though both the low-carb and
low-fat mice had lower levels of insulin, only the low-carb mice
had lower levels of the form of IGF capable of stimulating tumor
growth."
The low-carbohydrate diet definitely had the most significant
effect on tumor growth and survival, he said.
What To Eat For Glowing Healthy Skin
ScienceDaily (Nov. 15,
2007) — The old adage “you are what you eat” not only
applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our
skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the
body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get
from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and
other major organs. In fact, new research suggests that
eating foods rich in protein and certain vitamins and
minerals might provide valuable anti-aging effects.
Speaking November 8 at the American Academy of
Dermatology’s SKIN academy (Academy), dermatologist Susan C.
Taylor, MD, FAAD, assistant clinical professor of
dermatology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at
Columbia University in New York, N.Y., and clinical
assistant professor of dermatology and associate faculty of
the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia, Pa., discussed the importance of eating
nutritious foods for optimal skin health and how foods can
aggravate common medical skin conditions.
“While there’s no mistaking how our diet affects our
overall health, we’re just beginning to understand how
certain foods – or lack thereof – can impact our skin’s
health,” said Dr. Taylor. “In addition, studies show that
some food and beverages can even worsen common skin
conditions and cause allergic reactions that manifest on the
skin.”
Good Food, Good Skin
Perhaps the simplest way to maintain a healthy, balanced
diet and ensure the skin is getting optimal nutrition from
the foods we eat is to follow the recommendations of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Daily Food Guide,
commonly referred to as the food pyramid.
These include:
- Choosing and eating at least three ounces of whole
grain breads, cereals, rice, crackers or pasta.
- Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables,
including more dark green and orange vegetables.
- Consuming calcium-rich foods, such as fat-free or
low-fat milk and other dairy products.
- Opting for a variety of low-fat or lean meats,
poultry and fish.
“The foods recommended by the USDA as part of a healthy
diet contain valuable vitamins and minerals that have proven
health benefits for our bodies,” said Dr. Taylor. “Research
has shown that the antioxidants in vitamins C and E can
protect the skin from sun damage and help reduce damage in
skin cells caused by harmful free radicals, which contribute
to aging skin. Similarly, we have long known that the B
vitamin biotin is responsible for forming the basis of skin,
hair and nail cells, and vitamin A – found in many fruits
and vegetables – maintains and repairs skin tissue. Without
an adequate supply of these vitamins, you may notice it in
the appearance of your skin, hair and nails.”
While the direct link between food consumption and skin
damage has not been widely studied, one study comparing the
correlation between food and nutrient intake with skin
wrinkling found a positive relationship. The study, “Skin
Wrinkling: Can Food Make a Difference?”, published in the
February 2001 issue of the Journal of the American College
of Nutrition, determined that Swedish subjects aged 70 and
older had the least skin wrinkling in a sun-exposed site
among the four ethnic groups studied. This cross-sectional
study, which analyzed the pooled data using the major food
groups, suggests “that subjects with a higher intake of
vegetables, olive oil, and monounsaturated fat and legumes,
but a lower intake of milk/dairy products, butter, margarine
and sugar products had less skin wrinkling in a sun-exposed
site.”
“More studies need to be done to determine the long-term
benefits of food on our skin,” said Dr. Taylor. “Eating a
variety of healthy foods and drinking plenty of water so the
skin stays hydrated should help most people improve the
appearance of their skin.”
Foods That Can Worsen Skin Conditions
For the millions of Americans affected by medical skin
conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis,
eating certain foods or consuming alcohol could aggravate
their symptoms or trigger an unexpected flare-up. Dr. Taylor
recommended that patients affected by these chronic skin
conditions should be aware of certain food interactions in
order to better manage their treatment regimen.
Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by the
foods we eat. Although numerous studies have not found a
link between diet and acne, emerging research now suggests
there may be a link between a low-glycemic diet and an
improvement in acne. The study, “Low-Glycemic-Load Diet May
Improve Acne in Young Men,” published in the July 2007 issue
of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined
whether male acne patients aged 15 to 25 who followed a
low-glycemic diet (25 percent of energy from protein and 45
percent from low-glycemic-index carbohydrates) had a
reduction in acne lesions vs. a control group that consumed
a diet rich in carbohydrates.
“The study found that at 12 weeks, acne lesions had
decreased more in the young men in the low-glycemic group
than their counterparts in the control group whose diet had
no consideration for the glycemic index,” said Dr. Taylor.
“This suggests that there could be a relationship between
limiting carbohydrate-rich foods in acne patients’ diets and
an improvement in their acne, but more studies need to be
done to confirm this finding before we consider any future
dietary modifications for our patients.”
On the other hand, some acne patients have noticed that
certain foods worsen their symptoms – particularly
chocolate, greasy foods, soft drinks, peanuts or foods high
in fat.
“Patients who notice a cause-effect relationship between
eating certain foods and acne flare-ups should avoid those
foods,” said Dr. Taylor. “However, following a strict diet
will not clear acne either. The best advice is to eat a
well-balanced diet and follow the treatment plan recommended
by your dermatologist.”
Rosacea, characterized by facial redness and swelling,
commonly can be triggered by spicy foods or alcohol. In
fact, a survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society
found that the most common rosacea triggers are alcohol (52
percent), spicy foods (45 percent) and heated beverages (36
percent).
“Patients with rosacea should keep a journal to track
their food and beverage triggers, so they can record how the
experience made them feel and remind themselves to avoid
these items in the future,” advised Dr. Taylor. “They also
should read the labels at the grocery store and proceed with
caution when it comes to spices, such as cayenne, red, black
and white pepper, curry, chili powder, and even salsa.”
In addition, foods such as liver, vinegar, soy sauce,
dairy products, certain fruits and vegetables, hot
chocolate, cider, tea and coffee have been known to cause
flare-ups in some rosacea patients.
Another chronic skin condition that can be aggravated by
food is eczema, which is commonly characterized by dry, red
and itchy patches on the skin. Foods that have been known to
worsen eczema symptoms include eggs, milk, peanuts, soy,
wheat and fish, while some patients even report that
chocolate, coffee, alcohol, tomatoes and sugar can trigger a
flare-up. Dr. Taylor added that juices from meats and fruits
can irritate already-sensitive skin when they come in
contact with the skin, and she suggested that eczema
patients also should keep a trigger journal as a reference
for what foods or drinks may have caused a flare-up.
Research has shown that psoriasis, a serious medical
condition affecting the immune system and characterized by
patches of raised, reddish skin covered by silvery-white
scales, can be triggered by heavy drinking and that alcohol
consumption may even inhibit the effectiveness of psoriasis
treatment.
Dr. Taylor cautioned psoriasis patients who drink to do
so in moderation and to avoid alcohol if they suspect it is
worsening their symptoms.
“While certain foods also can trigger psoriasis, patients
should avoid any radical diets that claim to ‘cure’
psoriasis,” explained Dr. Taylor. “There is not a cure for
psoriasis and extreme changes in diet actually can worsen
symptoms.”
Dr. Taylor added that individuals who have any questions
about how their diet can affect the health and appearance of
their skin should discuss their concerns with a
dermatologist.
10th Nov
2007
Heart risks detected by age
7 in overweight kids
Children who are on the path toward obesity have some worrisome
cardiovascular disease risk factors as young as age 7, according
to researchers tracking early childhood weight fluctuations.
Those with the earliest age of BMI rebound, starting at age 4,
were more likely to have high blood pressure and elevated left
ventricular mass, known to be a major risk factor for heart
disease in adults,
Ways to address the problem are well known, Kimball said,
including a more healthful diet, more exercise and less
sedentary time watching TV or playing video games.
"It's the same old thing. But the frustrating thing about that
is getting people to actually practice it," he said. "It's a
family phenomenon. It's not just the child's problem. Most of
the time, the parents have a weight problem as well. The whole
family has to get on board."
5th Nov
2007
Diet And Lifestyle
Changes May Help Prevent Infertility From Ovulatory Disorders
Women who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle
factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets,
experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of
infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who
engaged in none of the factors, according to a new study. The
study was led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public
Health (HSPH) and did not examine risk associated with other
kinds of infertility, such as low sperm count in men.
“The key message of this paper is that making the right dietary
choices and including the right amount of physical activity in
your daily life may make a large difference in your probability
of becoming fertile if you are experiencing problems with
ovulation,” said Walter Willett, senior author and chair of the
HSPH Department of Nutrition.
Infertility affects one in six couples, according to studies in
the U.S. and Europe. Ovulatory problems have been identified in
18 to 30 percent of those cases.
The researchers followed a group of 17,544 married women who
were participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II based at the
Brigham and Women's Hospital. The team devised a scoring system
on dietary and lifestyle factors that previous studies have
found to predict ovulatory disorder infertility.
Among those factors were:
The ratio of mono-unsaturated to trans fats in diet
Protein consumption (derived from animals or vegetables)
Carbohydrates consumption (including fiber intake and dietary
glycemic index)
Dairy consumption (low- and high-fat dairy)
Iron consumption
Multivitamin use
Body mass index (BMI, weight in kilograms divided by the square
of height in meters)
Physical activity
The researchers assigned a “fertility diet” score of one to five
points. The higher the score, the lower the risk of infertility
associated with ovulatory disorders.
The women with the highest fertility diet scores ate less trans
fat and sugar from carbohydrates, consumed more protein from
vegetables than from animals, ate more fiber and iron, took more
multivitamins, had a lower BMI, exercised for longer periods of
time each day, and, surprisingly, consumed more high-fat dairy
products and less low-fat dairy products. The relationship
between a higher “fertility diet” score and lesser risk for
infertility was similar for different subgroups of women
regardless of age and whether or not they had been pregnant in
the past.
Said Chavarro, “We analyzed what happens if you follow one, two,
three, four, or more different factors. What we found was that,
as women started following more of these recommendations, their
risk of infertility dropped substantially for every one of the
dietary and lifestyle strategies undertaken. In fact, we found a
sixfold difference in ovulatory infertility risk between women
following five or more low-risk dietary and lifestyle habits and
those following none.”
The lead author of the study is Jorge Chavarro, Research Fellow
in the HSPH Department of Nutrition. Both scientists have earned
MDs and have appointments at Harvard Medical School. Chavarro
and Willett have also co-authored a book with Patrick Skerrett
called The Fertility Diet: Groundbreaking Research Reveals
Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation & Improve Your Chances of
Getting Pregnant. The book will publish in December 2007.
Journal reference: “Diet and Lifestyle in the Prevention of
Ovulatory Disorder Infertility.” Jorge E. Chavarro, Janet W.
Rich-Edwards, Bernard A. Rosner, and Walter C. Willett.
Obstetrics & Gynecology. Vol. 110, No. 5, November 2007. Adapted
from materials provided by Harvard School of Public Health.
Folic Acid Linked To Increased
Cancer Rate, Historical Review Suggests
ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2007) — Two recent commentaries appearing
in Nutrition Reviews find that the introduction of flour
fortified with folic acid into common foods was followed by an
increase in colon cancer diagnoses in the U.S. and Canada. The
two new review articles address these recent findings and
provide an overview of the existing evidence on folic acid
fortification and the associated policy issues.
For nearly a decade, folic acid, a chemical form of a common B
vitamin (folate), has been added to wheat flour and other grain
products in the U.S. and Canada. This public health measure was
enacted after evidence was discovered linking folic acid with a
reduced rate of a specific birth defect that affected the
development of the spinal cord and central nervous system.
During the same period, however, rates of colorectal cancer in
the U.S. inexplicably began rising, even as regular colonoscopy
check-ups became more common. In Canada, where folic acid
supplementation was introduced a bit later, the same trend has
been observed.
“Folic acid supplementation wields a double-edged sword,”
remarks Dr. Young-In Kim, author of “Folic Acid Fortification
and Supplementation—Good for Some but Not So Good for Others,”
the other commentary review published in the November issue.
According to Kim, “It may be beneficial or harmful, depending on
the timing of intervention.” Exposure to high intakes of folic
acid in early life and young adulthood may provide life-long
protection from the tendency for cancer formation in different
organs, such as the large intestines, whereas such exposures
later in life, when cell damage has occurred, can spur on the
advance of the tumor.
\
Even Mild Thyroid Problems Double
Risk Of Heart Condition
Individuals with subclinical hypothyroidism-a mildly underactive
thyroid only detectable by a blood test-are twice as likely to
develop heart failure, compared to those with normal thyroid
levels, according to a new study. Heart failure, also called
congestive heart failure, is when the heart can't pump enough
blood to the body's other organs, which can cause fatigue,ankle
swelling and shortness of breath.
Body-mind Meditation Boosts
Performance, Reduces Stress
A team of researchers from China and the University of Oregon
have developed an approach for neuroscientists to study how
meditation might provide improvements in a person's attention
and response to stress. Both groups (non meditators) initially
showed elevated release of the stress hormone cortisol following
the math task, but after training the experimental group (meditators)
showed less cortisol release, indicating a greater improvement
stress regulation. The experimental group also showed lower
levels of anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue than was the
case in the control group.
Anti-depressants And Painkillers Combined
Linked To Gastrointestinal Bleeding
New research shows that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs), a group of drugs
commonly used to treat depression, may double the risk of
gastrointestinal bleeding, according to researchers from Wake
Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.
Breast Cancer Linked To Pesticide
DDT, Study Suggests
At a time when the pesticide DDT is once again being promoted to
combat malaria,
researchers have found new evidence linking DDT to breast
cancer, according to a study to be published in the scientific
journal "Environmental Health Perspectives."
Copper: An Important Nutrient For
Fetal Brain Development
Copper helps move telecommunications signals across phone wires,
allowing people to talk to one another across long distances.
Tiny amounts of copper, within certain enzymes in the brain,
also help form key neurotransmitters that allow brain cells to
"talk" to one another.
The study rats were fed low-copper diets during gestation,
lactation, or both. Their pups-when compared to pups born to
mothers fed copper-sufficient diets-exhibited slowed development
of the dentate gyrus and hippocampal areas of their brains.
These areas are important for higher brain functions, such as
learning.
Overweight Mothers
Run Greater Risk Of Having Hyperactive Children
ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2007) — If a woman is overweight when she
becomes pregnant, the probability is much greater that her child
will evince ADHD-like symptoms when he/she reaches school age,
according to a new Nordic study. The investigation was carried
out by Alina Rodriguez at Uppsala University in collaboration
with international colleagues.
The study, comprising more than 12,500 children in Sweden,
Finland, and Denmark, shows for the first time that there is a
correlation between the mothers body mass index (BMI, weight in
relation to height) at the time she becomes pregnant and
symptoms like hyperactivity and concentration problems in the
child.
FDA wants big warning on Glaxo
diabetes drug:
Food and Drug Administration officials are pushing for a "black
box" warning on GlaxoSmithKline Plc's hard-hit diabetes drug
Avandia, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.
The warning would be a further blow to the top-selling diabetes
drug,which came under pressure last May when a U.S. analysis
linked Avandia to a 43 percent higher risk of heart attack in
patients.
Avandia already has strong warning advising of the risk of a
different side effect, heart failure, the paper said. But a
similar warning for the risks of heart attack would be more
serious, it said.
Avandia posted global sales of $3.24 billion last year making it
the company's second-biggest seller. But sales have plummeted
since the May study linking it to increased risk.
Exposure To Sunlight May Decrease
Risk Of Advanced Breast Cancer By Half
A research team from the Northern California Cancer Center, the
University of Southern California, and Wake Forest University
School of Medicine has found that increased exposure to sunlight
-- which increases levels of vitamin D in the body -- may
decrease the risk of advanced breast cancer.
A study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the
researchers found that women with high sun exposure had half the
risk of developing advanced breast cancer, which is cancer that
has spread beyond the breast, compared to women with low sun
exposure. These findings were observed only for women with
naturally light skin color. The study defined high sun exposure
as having dark skin on the forehead, an area that is usually
exposed to sunlight.
The scientists used a portable reflectometer to measure skin
color on the underarm, an area that is usually not directly
exposed to sunlight. Based on these measurements, they
classified the women as having light, medium or dark natural
skin color. Researchers then compared sun exposure between women
with breast cancer and those without breast cancer. Sun exposure
was measured as the difference in skin color between the
underarm and the forehead.
In women with naturally light skin pigmentation, the group
without breast cancer had significantly more sun exposure than
the group with breast cancer. The fact that this difference
occurred only in one group suggests that the effect was due to
differences in vitamin D production -- and wasn't just because
the women were sick and unable to go outdoors. In addition, the
effect held true regardless of whether the cancer was diagnosed
in the summer or in the winter. The difference was seen only in
women with advanced disease, suggesting that vitamin D may be
important in slowing the growth of breast cancer cells.
"We believe that sunlight helps to reduce women's risk of breast
cancer because the body manufactures the active form of vitamin
D from exposure to sunlight," said Esther John, Ph.D., lead
researcher on the study from the Northern California Cancer
Center. "It is possible that these effects were observed only
among light- skinned women because sun exposure produces less
vitamin D among women with naturally darker pigmentation."
These new findings about breast cancer risk and sun exposure
based on skin color measurements are consistent with previous
research by John and colleagues that had shown that women who
reported frequent sun exposure had a lower risk of developing
breast cancer than women with infrequent sun exposure.
Contrary to Research,
British Believe Moderate Exercise Healthier Than Vigorous
Science Daily — British adults now believe that moderate
activity is more beneficial than vigorous exercise, according to
new research by the University of Exeter and Brunel University.
Although most large studies show that the greatest health
benefits are derived from regular participation in vigorous
activities, such as jogging and competitive sports, 56% of men
and 71% of women now believe moderate activities, like walking,
are most beneficial.
The first study to investigate attitudes to moderate and
vigorous activity since Government physical activity guidelines
changed in the mid 1990s, this research is now published in
Preventive Medicine.
Traditionally, adults were encouraged to take part in 20 to 60
minutes of vigorous exercise three or more times a week. In
1990, research showed around 90% of British adults believed
vigorous exercise was important in maintaining and improving
health and fitness. Since 1995 the Department of Health has
instead promoted 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a
week, which can be achieved through everyday activities such as
walking, housework or gardening. The research team believes this
shift in attitudes is threatening the nation's health and is
calling for evidence-based guidelines.
Dr Gary O'Donovan, exercise physiologist from the University of
Exeter and lead author on the paper said: "Time and time again,
the largest and most robust studies have shown that vigorously
active individuals live longer and enjoy a better quality of
life than moderately active individuals and couch potatoes. It's
extremely worrying that British adults now believe that a brief
stroll and a bit of gardening is enough to make them fit and
healthy. The challenge now is to amend Britain's physical
activity guidelines so that they emphasise the role vigorous
activity plays in fighting obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart
disease."
In addition to halving the risk of diabetes and heart disease,
recent studies have shown that regular exercise offers
protection from certain cancers. The research team believes that
30 minutes of brisk walking per day might be sufficient to
reduce the risk of breast cancer, but regular participation in
vigorous exercise is probably necessary to reduce the risk of
prostate and colorectal cancers.
The researchers argue that in order to enable the public to make
fully-informed decisions about exercise, policymakers should
describe the dose-response relationship between physical
activity and health. Dr. O'Donovan explains that: "Brisk walking
offers some health benefits, but jogging, running and other
vigorous activities offer maximal protection from disease."
Dr. O'Donovan adds: "Sedentary adults should complete a six- to
twelve-week programme of moderate exercise before beginning a
programme of vigorous exercise. Men older than 45 and women
older than 55 should consult their GP before taking up vigorous
exercise."
The survey, which was funded by the Sports Marketing Research
Trust, shows for the first time, the extent of awareness of the
current Government exercise recommendations: 78% of men and 84%
of women interviewed were aware that moderate activity is
currently recommended for adults.
Examples of moderate activities in healthy adults
Brisk walking
Cycling at less than 10 mph
Mowing the lawn with a power mower
Examples of vigorous activities in healthy adults
Doubles tennis
Competitive badminton
Circuit training
Jogging and running
Women With High Or
Increasing Blood Pressure Are Up To Three Times More Likely To
Develop Diabetes
Science Daily — One of the largest studies to investigate the
relationship between blood pressure and type 2 diabetes has
found that women who have high blood pressure levels are three
times more likely to develop diabetes than women with low blood
pressure levels. This effect was independent of body mass index
and other conditions that are known to predispose people to
cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Flavonoids Govern Cell
Processes, Enhance Health
Science Daily — For the first time, scientists from Dresden
proved that plant substances such as those found in red wine,
soy, or green tea can accelerate or retard vital processes in
cells. These molecules bind to the protein actin which is
implicated in cell movement and cell division. According to
experimental results published recently in Biophysical Journal
the ability of actin to join to long chains is either hindered
or improved. Surprisingly, it has been shown that these
substances also affect the rate at which genetic information is
processed in the cell's nucleus.
Diagram of the steric structure of actin. The arrow shows the
probable position of the binding site for flavonoids. The
cutaway shows the predicted structure of the quercetin at the
binding site. (Credit: Image courtesy of Forschungszentrum
Dresden Rossendorf, PDB)
A large family of plant pigments, the flavonoids, comprises over
6000 structurally related substances found in fruit and
vegetables of our daily diet. They appear to evoke the positive
health effects of green tea or red wine. However, their
functional mechanisms are diverse and not well understood. This
complicates the reliable assessment of their beneficial effects
as well as possible health risks. Many scientists try to
understand these mechanisms on a molecular level hoping to learn
from nature in order to design new compounds that can be used in
therapies of cancer or heart diseases.
Don't 'Break The Waters' During
Labor Without Good Clinical Reason, Concludes Cochrane Review
Science Daily — "We do not recommend that amniotomy, also known
as breaking the waters, should be used routinely as part of
standard labour management and care" says Cochrane Researcher
Rebecca Smyth, after completing a systematic review of relevant
research studies.
"Women should be informed that it doesn't shorten the first or
second stage of labour, it doesn't affect the woman's
satisfaction with her childbirth experience, and doesn't result
in the child being in better condition immediately after birth."
This Cochrane Systematic Review found that breaking the waters
may be associated with a slightly (non-significantly) higher
rate of Caesarean section. Breaking the waters may cause changes
in the baby's heart rate.
The aim of breaking the waters is to speed up and strengthen
contractions, with the intention of shortening labour. The
membranes are punctured using a long handled hook, and it is
thought that hormones in the amniotic fluid that flows out will
stimulate contractions. In some centres, it is performed as a
routine part of care for all women in labour -- in others it is
used only for women with a clinical need to have their waters
broken.
Ms Smyth came to these conclusions after she and colleagues had
identified 14 relevant studies that involved almost 5,000 women.
The overall quality of the studies was variable, making it
difficult for the group to give firm recommendations about the
use of amniotomy. There is a need for further research in this
area.
"Our evidence suggesting this lack of effect should be discussed
with women in the antenatal period," says Smyth
Chinese Medicine Compound Has
Satisfactory Anti-cancer Effects On Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Science Daily — Traditional Chinese medicine is world renowned.
It has effects on some diseases, but the reason is still
unknown. One such article was recently reported in the November
7 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology dealing with
the great significance of a Chinese medicinal compound, "delisheng",
for the therapy of HCC and its neoteric research method. The
research team was led by Dr. Ke-Jun Nan from The First
Affiliated Hospital of The School of Medicine of Xi'an Jiaotong
University, China. This research will undoubtedly bring comfort
to many researchers and patients.
HCC is a highly malignant tumor with a very high morbidity and
mortality. Despite extensive efforts by many investigators,
systemic chemotherapy for HCC has been quite ineffective.
Delisheng is a Chinese medicinal compound and is often used in
conjunction with chemotherapy for HCC, with satisfactory
results. The researchers tried to establish the mechanisms for
these effects of delisheng on HCC.
Fresh Fruits And Vegetables Retain
Antioxidants Long After Purchase
Science Daily — The next time you think about throwing out those
aging strawberries or very ripe grapes, consider this: Belgian
scientists report that fruits and vegetables do not lose any
antioxidant content in the days after purchase, even as
tell-tale signs of spoilage appear. In some cases, antioxidant
levels actually rise.
Fresh fruits and vegetables retain their antioxidants long after
purchase, even as signs of spoilage appear, a new study shows.
(Credit: Courtesy of USDA-Agricultural Research Service)Ads by
Google Advertise on this site
The life of a post-harvest fruit or vegetable is traditionally
defined in terms of visual appearance and texture. While this is
good for aesthetics, these benchmarks disregard flavor and
nutritional quality--especially with regards to antioxidants,
which are affected by genetic, technological and environmental
factors. "No important studies were done to evaluate the
influence of storage on antioxidant capacity," the authors said.
To that end, Claire Kevers and colleagues obtained various
produce from the Belgian market, measuring its initial
antioxidant content. They then stored the fruits and vegetables
at room temperature or refrigerated them at 39 degrees
Fahrenheit, checking antioxidant levels at various times until
the produce presented visual spoilage.
The results showed that, in the days following purchase, fruits
and vegetables do not lose any phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid
or flavonols -- a trio of chemical classes associated with
antioxidant content. "Better, in some cases, an increase on the
antioxidant capacity was observed in the days following their
purchase, accompanied by an increase in phenolic compounds," the
researchers state.
Expecting An Afternoon Nap Can
Reduce Blood Pressure
Science Daily — Where does the benefit lie in an afternoon nap?
Is it in the nap itself--or in the anticipation of taking a
snooze? Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that the
time just before you fall asleep is where beneficial
cardiovascular changes take place.
This finding is part of a study entitled Acute Changes in
Cardiovascular Function During the Onset Period of Daytime
Sleep: Comparison to Lying Awake and Standing, found in the
online edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology, published
by The American Physiological Society. The study was conducted
by Mohammad Zaregarizi, Ben Edwards, Keith George, Yvonne
Harrison, Helen Jones and Greg Atkinson, of the Liverpool John
Moores University in Liverpool, U.K.
The Afternoon Nap
Afternoon naps, or siestas, are practiced in many Mediterranean
and Latin American countries such as Spain and Argentina. They
are typically short naps or rest periods of no more than an hour
that are taken in the afternoon.
While earlier studies on siestas have found that this practice
may slightly increase the risk of heart attack, newer and more
controlled studies have shown an inverse relationship between
siesta taking and fatal heart attacks. In a recent
epidemiological study of 23,000 people in Greece, those who
regularly took siestas showed a 37% reduction in coronary
mortality compared to those who never nap, while individuals who
occasionally napped in the afternoon had a reduction of 12%.
Why do afternoon naps affect cardiovascular function" One reason
could be changes in blood pressure. At night, our blood pressure
and heart rate decreases as we sleep. Some researchers
hypothesize that the lower blood pressure reduces strain on the
heart and decreases the risk of a fatal heart attack.
Garlic Boosts Hydrogen Sulfide To
Relax Arteries
Science Daily — Eating garlic is one of the best ways to lower
high blood pressure and protect yourself from cardiovascular
disease. A new study from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham (UAB) shows this protective effect is closely linked
to how much hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced from garlic
compounds interacting with red blood cells.
The UAB researchers found this interaction triggered red blood
cells to release H2S, which then led to the relaxation of blood
vessels. Fresh garlic was used at a concentration equal to
eating two cloves. The resulting H2S production caused up to 72
percent vessel relaxation in rat arteries.
This relaxation is a first step in lowering blood pressure and
gaining the heart-protective effects of garlic, said David
Kraus, Ph.D., a UAB associate professor in the Departments of
Environmental Health Sciences and Biology and the study’s lead
author.
Ear Infection Superbug
Discovered To Be Resistant To All Pediatric Antibiotics
Science Daily — Researchers have discovered a strain of bacteria
resistant to all approved drugs used to fight ear infections in
children, according to an article in the Journal of the American
Medical Association. A pair of pediatricians discovered the
strain because it is their standard practice to perform an
uncommon procedure called tympanocentesis (ear tap) on children
when several antibiotics fail to clear up their ear infections.
The procedure involves puncturing the child's eardrum and
draining fluid to relieve pressure and pain. Analyzing the
drained fluid is the only way to describe the bacterial strain
causing the infection. a small group of children in a Rochester,
New York, pediatric practice, leading to ear tube surgery and,
in one case, to permanent hearing loss. The physicians realized
they may be dealing with a "superbug" and tested the children's
ear tap fluid at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The
tests showed that the superbug, called the 19A strain, could be
killed only by an antibiotic (levofloxacin, Levaquin) approved
for adults that had a warning in its label against use in
children. With no other choice, they treated the children with
crushed, adult-approved pills, and it worked.
19th Oct
2007
Blood May Help Us Think
Science Daily — MIT scientists propose that blood may help us think,
in addition to its well-known role as the conveyor of fuel and
oxygen to brain cells.
MIT Professor Christopher Moore hypothesizes that blood actively
modulates how neurons process information. (Credit: Donna
Coveney/MIT)Ads by Google Advertise on this site
"We hypothesize that blood actively modulates how neurons process
information," explains Christopher Moore, a principle investigator
in the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, in an invited
review in the Journal of Neurophysiology. "Many lines of evidence
suggest that blood does something more interesting than just
delivering supplies. If it does modulate how neurons relay signals,
that changes how we think the brain works."
According to Moore's Hemo-Neural Hypothesis, blood is not just a
physiological support system but actually helps control brain
activity. Specifically, localized changes in blood flow affect the
activity of nearby neurons, changing how they transmit signals to
each other and hence regulating information flow throughout the
brain. Ongoing studies in Moore's laboratory support this view,
showing that blood flow does modulate individual neurons.
Moore's theory has implications for understanding brain diseases
such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.
"Many neurological and psychiatric diseases have associated changes
in the vasculature," says Moore, who is also an assistant professor
in MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
"Most people assume the symptoms of these diseases are a secondary
consequence of damage to the neurons. But we propose that they may
also be a causative factor in the disease process, and that insight
suggests entirely new treatments." For example, in epilepsy people
often have abnormal blood vessels in the brain region where the
seizures occur, and the hypothesis suggests this abnormal flow may
induce epileptic onset. If so, drugs that affect blood flow may
provide an alternative to current therapies.
The hypothesis also has important implications for functional
magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, a widely used brain scanning
method that indicates local changes in blood flow. "Scientists
looking at fMRI currently regard blood flow and volume changes as a
secondary process that only provides read-out of neural activity,"
explains Rosa Cao, a graduate student in Moore's lab and co-author
of the paper. "If blood flow shapes neural activity and behavior,
then fMRI is actually imaging a key contributor to information
processing."
Again, studies in Moore's lab support this interpretation. For
example, his fMRI studies of the sensory homunculus - the brain's
detailed map of body parts like fingers, toes, arms, and legs- show
that when more blood flows to the area representing the fingertip,
people more readily perceive a light tap on the finger. This
suggests that blood affects the function of this brain region and
that information about blood flow can predict future brain activity.
This finding does not undermine prior studies, but adds another,
richer layer to their interpretation and makes fMRI an even more
useful tool than it already is.
How could blood flow affect brain activity? Blood contains
diffusible factors that could leak out of vessels to affect neural
activity, and changes to blood volume could affect the concentration
of these factors. Also, neurons and support cells called glia may
react to the mechanical forces of blood vessels expanding and
contracting. In addition, blood influences the temperature of brain
tissue, which affects neural activity.
To Moore's knowledge, the Hemo-Neural Hypothesis offers an entirely
new way of looking at the brain. "No one ever includes blood flow in
models of information processing in the brain," he asserts. One
historical exception is the philosopher Aristotle, who thought the
circulatory system was responsible for thoughts and emotions.
Perhaps the ancient Greeks were on to something.
This work was funded by Thomas F. Peterson, the Mitsui Foundation
and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.
10th Oct
2007
Copper: An Important Nutrient For
Fetal Brain Development
Science Daily — Copper helps move telecommunications
signals across phone wires, allowing people to talk to one
another across long distances. Tiny amounts of copper, within
certain enzymes in the brain, also help form key
neurotransmitters that allow brain cells to "talk" to one
another.
Studies at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research
Center have shown that copper and zinc are important for
brain function. Here, psychologist James Penland performs an
electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures responses from a
volunteer's brain during a dietary study. (Credit: ARS
Information Staff)
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists now have
described how adequate amounts of copper are important to brain
function. Their animal model studies suggest that levels of
copper intake are critical to the fetus during pregnancy—a
concept called "nutritional programming."
An early animal study led by biologist Curtiss Hunt showed
that even moderate copper deprivation in pregnant rats led to
underdevelopment of memory-control areas of their pups'
developing brains. He is a lead scientist at the ARS Grand Forks
Human Nutrition Research Center (GFHNRC) in Grand Forks, N.D.
The study rats were fed low-copper diets during gestation,
lactation, or both. Their pups—when compared to pups born to
mothers fed copper-sufficient diets—exhibited slowed development
of the dentate gyrus and hippocampal areas of their brains.
These areas are important for higher brain functions, such as
learning.
Several biochemical mechanisms that underlie impaired brain
development associated with copper deficiency have now been
described in Nutritional Neuroscience, a book co-authored by
GFHNRC chemist W. Thomas Johnson.
Generally, copper deficiency is not a public health concern
in the United States. But 8 to 16 percent of childbearing-age
women were found to have inadequate copper intakes, according to
ARS national food-intake survey data from 2001 and 2002.
Eating a balanced diet containing a variety of nutritious
foods is the best approach to getting adequate dietary copper,
according to Johnson. Good sources of copper include beef liver,
mushrooms, trail mix, barley and canned tomato puree.
Note: This story has been adapted from material provided
by US Department of Agriculture.
10th Oct
2007
Breast Cancer Linked To Pesticide DDT, Study
Suggests
Science Daily — At a time when the pesticide DDT is
once again being promoted to combat malaria, researchers have
found new evidence linking DDT to breast cancer, according to a
study to be published in the scientific journal "Environmental
Health Perspectives."
High levels of p,p’- DDT, the primary component of DDT, in
women exposed before mid-adolescence, were found to be predict a
five-fold increase in breast cancer risk. Many American women
heavily exposed to DDT in childhood have not yet reached 50
years of age, therefore the public health significance of DDT
exposure in early life may be large. This is the first study to
examine how exposure in early life affects later life risk for
breast cancer.
Based on these findings, researchers from the
California-based Public Health Institute and Mount Sinai School
of Medicine in New York conclude that it is too soon to decide
that DDT exposure is unrelated to breast cancer.
10th Oct
2007
Anti-depressants And Painkillers Combined
Linked To Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Science Daily — New research shows that selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a group of drugs commonly
used to treat depression, may double the risk of
gastrointestinal bleeding, according to researchers from Wake
Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues. When the
drugs are taken with aspirin and other similar pain medications,
the risk is more than 600 percent higher.
Painkillers such as ibuprofen are widely used by the public
and can be purchased from supermarkets and pharmacies without
prescription.
"Clinicians who prescribe these medications should be aware
of the potential risk and may need to consider alternatives,"
said Sonal Singh, M.D., senior researcher and an assistant
professor of internal medicine. "In addition, regulatory
authorities should consider revising existing package inserts to
highlight the magnitude of the risk."
Emerging evidence has shown that SSRIs may be associated with
bleeding of the lining of the digestive tract including the
esophagus, stomach or upper part of the small intestine, which
together are called the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Upper
gastrointestinal bleeding may be potentially serious and require
hospitalization for blood transfusions and other treatments.
The drugs are widely used to treat depression, panic disorder
and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The researchers undertook the
study because of a lack of information on the exact magnitude of
the risk. They also looked at the effects of taking SSRIs at the
same time as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),
which are also associated with upper GI bleeding. NSAIDs include
prescription medications such as Celebrex® and over-the-counter
drugs such as aspirin and Aleve®.
10th Oct
2007
Copper:
Body-mind Meditation Boosts
Performance, Reduces Stress
Science Daily — A team of researchers from China and
the University of Oregon have developed an approach for
neuroscientists to study how meditation might provide
improvements in a person's attention and response to stress.
The study, done in China, randomly assigned college
undergraduate students to 40-person experimental or control
groups. The experimental group received five days of meditation
training using a technique called the integrative body-mind
training (IBMT). The control group got five days of relaxation
training. Before and after training both groups took tests
involving attention and reaction to mental stress.
The experimental group showed greater improvement than the
control in an attention test designed to measure the subjects'
abilities to resolve conflict among stimuli. Stress was induced
by mental arithmetic. Both groups initially showed elevated
release of the stress hormone cortisol following the math task,
but after training the experimental group showed less cortisol
release, indicating a greater improvement stress regulation. The
experimental group also showed lower levels of anxiety,
depression, anger and fatigue than was the case in the control
group.
"This study improves the prospect for examining brain
mechanisms involved in the changes in attention and
self-regulation that occur following meditation training," said
co-author Michael I. Posner, professor emeritus of psychology at
the University of Oregon. "The study took only five days, so it
was possible to randomly assign the subjects and do a thorough
before-and-after analysis of the training effects."
The IBMT approach was developed in the 1990s. Its effects
have been studied in China since 1995. The technique avoids
struggles to control thought, relying instead on a state of
restful alertness, allowing for a high degree of body-mind
awareness while receiving instructions from a coach, who
provides breath-adjustment guidance and mental imagery while
soothing music plays in the background. Thought control is
achieved gradually through posture, relaxation, body-mind
harmony and balanced breathing. The authors noted in the study
that IBMT may be effective during short-term application because
of its integrative use of these components.
10th Oct
2007
Copper:
Even Mild Thyroid Problems Double
Risk Of Heart Condition
Science Daily — Individuals with subclinical
hypothyroidism—a mildly underactive thyroid only detectable by a
blood test—are twice as likely to develop heart failure,
compared to those with normal thyroid levels, according to a new
study. Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is
when the heart can't pump enough blood to the body's other
organs, which can cause fatigue, ankle swelling and shortness of
breath.
Although previous studies have shown that hyperthyroidism—an
overactive thyroid—and hypothyroidism can cause heart problems,
this is the first time that a large study found a negative
effect on heart function when the thyroid was only mildly
under-active.
8th Oct
2007
How To Relax
Science Daily — Relaxation should not be last on the to-do list.
Relaxation is a vital process that decreases wear and tear on the
mind and body.
Refueling through relaxing can reduce the heart
rate, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow to major muscles,
reduce muscle tension, reduce headache and back pain, improve
concentration and reduce emotional responses such as anger and
frustration.
How to relax?
Everyone has different ways of winding down. Most often, relaxing
involves a change of pace from the daily grind. Some people practice
relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation,
visualization or progressive muscle relaxation. Others like to read,
write in a journal, take a walk with a friend or get a massage.
The key is to make the activity a regular
part of the schedule. The goal is to refocus the mind and disregard
extraneous thoughts and distractions. Here are some tips for getting
the most benefit from relaxation:
Maintain positive emotions
Choose to focus on positive rather than negative emotions. This can help
you stay on a more even keel emotionally, and when time is available
to relax, recovery is swifter.
Practice self-control
Indulgence after a stressful day may bring temporary pleasure
but undercut long-term well-being. For example, overeating while
trying to lose weight. Relaxation time offers a good opportunity to
create a list of constructive and relaxing activities to do when
stress levels climb.
Avoid ruminating
Mulling over issues that occurred earlier only increases stress.
Moreover, it can lead to taking out anger on others. Instead, moving
thoughts in another direction can allow irritation to fade away.
Further details are in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s
HealthSource.
Note: This story has been adapted from material provided by Mayo
Clinic.
6th Oct
2007
Appendix protects good germs
Some scientists
think they have figured out the real job of the troublesome and
seemingly useless appendix: It produces and protects good germs for
your gut. That's the theory from surgeons and immunologists at Duke
University Medical School, published online in a scientific journal
this week.
For generations the appendix has been
dismissed as superfluous. Doctors figured it had no function,
surgeons removed them routinely, and people live fine without them.
And when infected the appendix can turn deadly. It gets inflamed
quickly and some people die if it isn't removed in time. Two years
ago, 321,000 Americans were hospitalized with appendicitis,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The function of the appendix seems related to the massive amount of
bacteria populating the human digestive system, according to the
study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. There are more bacteria
than human cells in the typical body. Most of it is good and helps
digest food.
But sometimes the flora of bacteria in the intestines die or are
purged. Diseases such as cholera or amoebic dysentery would clear
the gut of useful bacteria. The appendix's job is to reboot the
digestive system in that case.
The appendix "acts as a good safe house for bacteria," said Duke
surgery professor Bill Parker, a study co-author. Its location —
just below the normal one-way flow of food and germs in the large
intestine in a sort of gut cul-de-sac — helps support the theory, he
said.
Also, the worm-shaped organ outgrowth acts like a bacteria factory,
cultivating the good germs, Parker said.
That use is not needed in a modern industrialized society, Parker
said. If a person's gut flora dies, they can usually repopulate it
easily with germs they pick up from other people, he said. But
before dense populations in modern times and during epidemics of
cholera that affected a whole region, it wasn't as easy to grow back
that bacteria and the appendix came in handy.
The theory led Gary Huffnagle, a University of Michigan internal
medicine and microbiology professor, to wonder about the value of
another body part that is often yanked: "I'll bet eventually we'll
find the same sort of thing with the tonsils."
2nd Oct
2007
Eye Condition, If Left Untreated In
Children, May Result In Permanent Visual Disability
When a child is farsighted or has astigmatism or has both conditions
in both eyes, bilateral amblyopia may develop. In contrast to
single-eye amblyopia or "lazy eye," where one eye presents an
unclear image to the brain, bilateral amblyopia affects both eyes
and is less common.
2nd Oct
2007
Got Stress? It
Could Impact Breast Cancer Recurrence
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who have also endured
previous traumatic or stressful events see their cancer recur nearly
twice as fast as other women, according to a report by a University
of Rochester Medical Center scientist.
The small, retrospective study showed that women who faced physical
or abuse or life-threatening situations see metastatic tumors return
after about 2.5 years, compared with women who have more peaceful
lives, who see recurrence at about five years.
"Clearly this study demonstrates that it's important to recover from
trauma or stressful event for your mental and physical health."
The relationship between stress and breast cancer has been heavily
studied, however the results are murky. Studies have shown that
stress can alter the immune system's function, and that the activity
of natural killer cells is related to breast cancer progression.
The research also involved analysis of cortisol levels from saliva
samples from participants. Cortisol is produced when the body faces
periods of stress, and there is growing evidence that abnormally
prolonged cortisol production inhibits the body's immune response.
This could potentially make the body more susceptible to recurrence
of cancer, Palesh said.
"Extended periods of stress and trauma and its resulting cortisol
production may interfere with the body's ability to fight off cancer
progression," said Palesh. "When there is consistent, long-term
stress in the body, the elevated cortisol level may can change the
body's normal rhythms and potentially reduce resistance to tumor
growth."
2nd Oct
2007
Meditation Therapy For Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A revered contemplative practice for centuries, meditation has
recently inspired research into its therapeutic value for everything
from anxiety disorders to heart attack prevention. A painful,
progressive autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is
associated with a high risk of depression--double the risk of the
healthy population, by conservative estimates--and various forms of
psychological distress. Increasingly, RA patients are turning to
alternative therapies like meditation to ease the toll of their
disease.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a meditation training
program developed by Dr. Kabat-Zinn and colleagues at the University
of Massachusetts Medical School. MBSR teaches participants to relate
differently to thoughts and emotions, and continually focus the mind
on the present moment to increase clarity and calmness. The program
has been shown to improve psychological symptoms in patients with
fibromyalgia, cancer, and multiple sclerosis, among other
conditions.
By the culmination of the study, the MBSR group achieved a
significant 35 percent reduction in psychological distress. Despite
this dramatic improvement, the therapy had no impact on RA disease
activity, measured by the DAS-28, which takes into account number of
tender or swollen joints, a blood measure of inflammation, and the
patient's own report of disease status.
"For doctors wishing to offer patients a complement to medical management,
mindfulness meditation may offer hope for improving psychological
distress and strengthening well-being in patients with RA."
2nd Oct
2007
Dietary Ginger May Work Against Cancer Growth
The substance that gives ginger its flavor appears to inhibit the
growth of human colorectal cancer cells, according to research at
the University of Minnesota's Hormel Institute in Austin, Minn.
Plants of the ginger family have been credited with therapeutic and
preventive powers and have been reported to have anti-cancer
activity," said Bode. "The substance called [6]-gingerol is the main
active compound in ginger root and the one that gives ginger its
distinctive flavor."
The researchers tested [6]-gingerol's powers by feeding a half
milligram to 20 mice three times a week before and after injecting
human colorectal tumor cells into their flanks.
"The results strongly suggest that ginger compounds may be effective
chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal
carcinomas," said Bode
2nd Oct
2007
Ginger May Combat Deadly Infant Diarrhea In Developing World
The popular spice ginger shows promise as a treatment for bacteria-induced
diarrhea, the leading cause of infant death in developing countries,
according to a preliminary study in animals conducted by researchers
in Taiwan.
Ginger shows promise for fighting a deadly type of infant diarrhea,
an inexpensive, easy-to-obtain alternative to drug therapy for the
condition, the researchers say.
2nd Oct
2007
Mixing Large Doses Of
Common Painkiller And Caffeine May Increase Risk Of Liver Damage
Consuming large amounts of caffeine
while taking acetaminophen, one of the most widely used painkillers
in the United States, could potentially cause liver damage,
according to a preliminary laboratory study reported in the Oct. 15
print issue of ACS' Chemical Research in Toxicology.
The toxic interaction could occur not only from drinking caffeinated
beverages while taking the painkiller but also from using large
amounts of medications that intentionally combine caffeine and
acetaminophen for the treatment of migraine headaches, menstrual
discomfort and other conditions, the researchers say.
Health experts have warned for years that consuming excess alcohol
while taking acetaminophen can trigger toxic interactions and cause
liver damage and even death. However, this is the first time
scientists have reported a potentially harmful interaction while
taking the painkiller with caffeine, the researchers say.
While the studies are preliminary findings conducted in bacteria and
laboratory animals, they suggest that consumers may want to limit
caffeine intake -- including energy drinks and strong coffee --
while taking acetaminophen.
2nd Oct
2007
Chemical Compound Found In Tree Bark Stimulates Growth, Survival Of
Brain Cells
Science Daily — Researchers have identified a compound in tree bark
that mimics the chemical reactions of a naturally occurring molecule
in the brain responsible for stimulating neuronal cell signaling.
Neuronal cell signaling plays a crucial role in the growth,
plasticity and survival of brain cells.
The tree bark compound, known as gambogic amide, behaves much like
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a molecule found in the brain. The
researchers believe it may have potential as a therapeutic treatment
in people affected by neurodegenerative disease, such as stroke,
Alzheimer's disease and peripheral diabetic neuropathies.
Gambogic amide is derived from gambogic acid, a major ingredient of
gamboges, a brownish-orange resin exuded from the Southeast Asian
Garcinia hanburryi tree. The resin has been used in that area of the
world for thousands of years to treat cancers without any reported
toxicity to noncancerous cells.
2nd Oct
2007
Diet Rich In Omega 3
Fatty Acids Could Thwart Diabetes Onset
Science Daily — Preliminary research suggests that in children at
increased risk for type 1 diabetes, dietary intake of omega-3 fatty
acids was associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic islet
autoimmunity, which is linked to the development of diabetes,
according to a new article. So eat lot of plant based
omega 3 fatty acids.
2nd Oct
2007
Mental Disorders Cause 1.3 Billion Annual Days Of Lost Role
Performance
Science Daily — The importance of role disability, that is,
inability to work or carry out usual activities, has become
increasingly recognized as a major source of indirect costs of
illness because of its high economic impact on ill workers, their
employers, and society. However, there is limited information on the
amount of disability associated with a wide range of specific
physical and mental conditions.
New findings published by Drs. Kathleen Merikangas from the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and Ronald Kessler from Harvard
Medical School and colleagues in the October 2007 issue of the
Archives of General Psychiatry show that more than half of U.S.
adults have a mental or physical condition that influences their
role functioning.
In addition, more than 1.3 billion days out of role performance are
lost each year in the U.S. due to mental disorders, and major
depression is the mental disorder associated with the largest number
of days out of role. The study also found that the number of days
out of role due to mental disorders is roughly half as large as the
number of days associated with all chronic physical conditions
combined
2nd Oct
2007
Stop Eating For Two: Obese Moms-to-be
Should Gain Less Weight Than Currently Recommended
Science Daily — Severely obese women should lose weight during
pregnancy, while obese women who are pregnant should gain less
weight than currently recommended, a Saint Louis University study
finds.
"This study confirms what we've suspected all along -- that obese
women don't have to gain any weight during their pregnancy," Dr.
Artal says.
The study, published in the October issue of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, analyzed the pregnancies of more than 120,000 obese
women from Missouri to see how weight gain affected preeclampsia,
which is high blood pressure brought on by pregnancy; cesarean
delivery; and birth size.
Limiting weight gain of obese women during pregnancy has many
benefits, the study shows. Women who have a BMI of 35 and gain fewer
than the currently recommended 15 pounds are less likely to develop
preeclampsia, less likely to need a cesarean delivery and more
likely to have a baby of normal weight. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is
considered normal weight.
"Obese and overweight women should gain very little weight at all,"
Dr. Artal says.
The study found that women of different weights should gain or even
lose different amounts of weight.
The findings are significant in addressing a major public health
crisis, Dr. Artal says.
What mom does often determines the behavior of the rest of the
family, Dr. Artal adds. "This is a multi-generational problem. The
behavior modification starts with mom. If mothers are overeating and
not exercising, that's how the rest of the family is likely to
behave."
2nd Oct
2007
Low Maternal Cholesterol Tied To Premature Birth
Science Daily — Pregnant women who have very low cholesterol may
face a greater risk of delivering their babies prematurely than
women with more moderate cholesterol levels, a team led by the
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), recently reported. However, in
a surprising new twist, the researchers found that low maternal
cholesterol levels, which may be related to a woman's genetic
makeup, diet or other health factors, also may lead to adverse birth
outcomes, including premature birth and low birth weight.
"Based on our initial findings, it appears that too little
cholesterol may be as bad as too much cholesterol during pregnancy,
"The right amount of cholesterol is fundamental for good health,
both before and after birth," explained Dr. Muenke. "During
pregnancy, cholesterol is critical for both the placenta and the
developing baby, including the brain."
Please click here
to read
2007
ARCHIVE week NEWS
|
 |
|
|
|
|
