_ Trees Save Lives, Especially in Cities By Sondra Forsyth article In the first broad-scale estimate of air pollution removal by trees nationwide, U.S. Forest Service scientists and collaborators calculated that trees are saving more than 850 human lives a year and preventing 670,000 incidences of acute respiratory symptoms. The researchers valued the human health effects of the reduced air pollution at nearly $7 billion every year in a study published recently in the journal Environmental Pollution.
_ Brain Health Surprising Mechanism Behind Neurodegeneration By Sondra Forsyth article A research team led by Professor Susan Ackerman, Ph.D. at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Mane has pinpointed a surprising mechanism behind neurodegeneration in mice, one that involves a defect in a key component of the cellular machinery that makes proteins, known as transfer RNA or tRNA.
_ Multiple Sclerosis Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis By Sondra Forsyth article Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute are one step closer to creating a viable cell replacement therapy for multiple sclerosis from a patient's own cells.
_ Psoriasis Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Need Better Screening By Sondra Forsyth article Leading experts have joined together for the first time to call for better screening of psoriatic arthritis to help millions of people worldwide suffering from the condition. A release from the Universoty of Leeds in the UK explains that psoriatic arthritis (PsA) causes painful joint inflammation and can cause irreversible joint damage if left untreated. PsA tends to affect people with psoriasis. This skin condition causes a red, scaly rash. Around one in five go on to develop PsA ΓÇô usually within ten years of the initial skin problem being diagnosed.
Blended By blog Are you an Adam Sandler fan? We are all fans here in our house. One year for Christmas, [my late husband] Tim got me every Adam Sandler movie he had made so far. I love most of his stuff, but I donΓÇÖt really ever buy videos because I keep things simple when I can. I appreciated the thoughtful gesture, though. My favorite duo is Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.
_ How to Fight Prediabetes By Jane Farrell article Type 2 diabetes is one of the most serious chronic illnesses in existence; it puts people at risk for everything from heart and kidney disease to amputation of limbs. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), it is shockingly widespread 29.1 million Americans have the illness. And the ADA estimates that 86 million more Americans have prediabetes, a condition that indicates a high risk of developing the illness. Here, from the federal National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse and the ADA, is what you need to know about prediabetes:
_ Medical Care Debunking Myths About Robotic Surgery By Sondra Forsyth article By Keith Chisholm, MD Robotics-assisted surgery has become enormously popular, with physicians around the world performing 1.5 million procedures from hysterectomies to heart valve repairs in 2011.
_ Exercise Does Air Pollution Make Outdoor Exercise Risky? By Sondra Forsyth article By Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. While aerobic activity is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, air pollution and exercise can be an unhealthy combination. This is especially true if you have asthma, diabetes, heart or lung conditions, or lower respiratory disease. Even when you're not exercising, exposure to air pollution can cause health problems. But with the combination of air pollution and exercise, the potential health problems are increased.
_ Mental & Emotional Health ΓÇ£Experiential ProductsΓÇ¥ Boost Happiness By Sondra Forsyth article Material items designed to create or enhance an experience, also known as "experiential products," can make shoppers just as happy as life experiences. That is the finding of research done at San Francisco State University and published online July 24th 2014 in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.
_ Marriage ΓÇ£SoulmatesΓÇ¥ Have the Worst Relationships By Sondra Forsyth article If youΓÇÖre looking for love as a Thirdager, youΓÇÖre probably best off ditching the notion that finding your ΓÇ£soulmateΓÇ¥ will guarantee a good relationship this time around. ThatΓÇÖs the finding of research done at the University of Toronto and the University of Southern California. The study was published in 2014 in published the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
_ Alcohol and Aging By Jane Farrell article Although we often associate drinking too much with younger people (parties, bars, spring break vacations), alcohol abuse is a problem at any age. And while itΓÇÖs true that younger people drink more than older people, alcohol abuse presents some age-specific issues for seniors. Here, from the SeniorHealth division of the National of Health (NIH), is an explanation of the damaging effects, and how you or a loved one can get help if itΓÇÖs needed.
_ The Latest Approach to Anti-Aging By Jane Farrell article Instead of fighting chronic diseases one by one as they develop, researchers suggest, medicine should focus instead on preventing several of these illnesses at once. That approach, the investigators say, could help extend healthy lifespans.
Rosemary & Oregano Fight Diabetes By Sondra Forsyth article The popular culinary herbs oregano and rosemary are packed with healthful compounds, and now lab tests show they could work in much the same way as prescription anti-diabetic medication, scientists report. In their study published in July 2014 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia and colleagues found that the way the herbs are grown makes a difference, and they also identified which compounds contribute the most to this promising trait.
_ Are You A Stress Eater? By Jane Farrell article From the Mayo Clinic EditorΓÇÖs note: Whether youΓÇÖre trying to lose some weight, or maintain the weight you have, stress-related eating can be one of the most discouraging obstacles. For many people, stress-related eating can happen out of the blue, making you feel out of control. Here, Edward T. Creagan, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., offers some strategies for dealing with stress-related eating.
_ New Clue to Development of Diabetes By Jane Farrell article Researchers have discovered a mechanism that can eliminate excess quantities of a harmful protein in people with Type 2 diabetes. The discovery sheds light on the accumulation of the protein called islet amyloid polypeptide, or IAPP. That accumulation is linked to the loss of pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Researchers from UCLA appear to have found why that happens.
_ Aging Well Exercise Health & Fitness Healthy Diet & Nutrition 7 Strategies to Optimize Your Growth Hormone By Sondra Forsyth article By Sara Gottfried MD ΓÇ£My husband and I had the most amazing sex in years,ΓÇ¥ Martha began, slightly cautious she was oversharing. When my facial expressions suggested otherwise, she continued:
_ Aging Well Life Expectancy Gains Threatened By Sondra Forsyth article A study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that the more ailments you have after retirement age, the shorter your life expectancy. The analysis, one of the first to examine the burden of multiple chronic conditions on life expectancy among the elderly, may help explain why increases in life expectancy among older Americans are slowing. A report on the findings, based on an analysis of 1.4 million Medicare enrollees, appears in the August 2014 issue of the journal Medical Care.
_ Mental & Emotional Health When It's More Than Just Anxiety By Jane Farrell article Although thereΓÇÖs a lot of talk about depression, another condition ΓÇô Generalized Anxiety Disorder ΓÇô doesnΓÇÖt get nearly as much attention. And that can make it harder for friends and family to understand whatΓÇÖs happening when someone they love has GAD. Here, from the National Institute of Mental Health, are some things you should know: What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?