_ How to Win the Springtime Allergy Battle By Jane Farrell article Editor’s Note: Millions of us have just suffered through one of the coldest, snowiest winters ever. But now spring is here (even if it’s still snowing in some unlucky parts of the country). It’s great that winter’s over, but here’s the bad news: the spring allergy season is gearing up. Anyone who’s suffered from this common problem knows how irritating it can be. What’s more, if you have allergies, they’ll find you no matter if the weather is wet or dry.
_ Diabetes and Mount Everest By Jane Farrell article Using the high altitude of Mount Everest, scientists have expanded our understanding of how low oxygen levels in the body are linked with Type II diabetes. The research, led by investigators from the University of Southampton in the UK, was published in the journal PLOS One.
_ Preventing Any Strain of the Flu By article Researchers led by scientists at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland have developed a novel treatment that could protect against any strain of the flu. The team hopes that the findings has the potential to guard against current, future, and even pandemic strains of the virus. The study was published in the April 15th 2014 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
_ Delirium Severity Measure for Older Adults By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers from Harvard, Brown, and the University of Massachusetts have developed a new method for measuring delirium severity in older adults. A release from the Hebrew Senior Life Institute for Aging Research, a affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston explains that delirium is defined as the sudden onset of confusion or change in mental status that is often brought about by physical illness, surgery, or hospitalization. Delirium is a common and often costly condition that is a leading complication among older adults who are hospitalized.
The Littlest Word By blog FOR - The three letters look simple, but sometimes they’re part of a painful question: What am I doing this for? My husband and I are going through an emotional and sad time with close family members. It has been ongoing, and we’ve tried to reach out a number of times by leaving phone messages. On our last attempt, we got a message that the number was disconnected. I asked my husband, what am I doing this for? I quit!!!
_ Pinpointing Genetic Causes of Diseases By article Researchers from North Carolina State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and other institutions have taken the first steps toward creating a roadmap that may help scientists narrow down the genetic cause of numerous diseases. Their work also sheds new light on how heredity and environment can affect gene expression. The study was published online April 13th 2014 in Nature Genetics.
Bitter And Sweet: The Paradox Of Living With Dying By blog The name of my book is “Bitter and Sweet, A Family’s Journey with Cancer.” Here is a brief summary. In April of 2010, my husband Tim began to have some strange sensations in his side. On May 7, we found ourselves facing stage IV gallbladder cancer rather than a simple gallbladder removal as planned. Five months and one week later, my husband died. Those five months were the most difficult and horrifying time of our lives. It was also an extremely beautiful time for us.
_ Heart Health 10 Ways To Resist Tobacco Cravings By Jane Farrell article For most tobacco users, tobacco cravings or urges to smoke can be powerful. But you're not at the mercy of these tobacco cravings. When an urge to use tobacco strikes, remember that although it may be intense, it will be short-lived, and it probably will pass within a few minutes whether or not you smoke a cigarette or take a dip of chewing tobacco. Each time you resist a tobacco craving, you're one step closer to stopping smoking or other tobacco use for good. But it can be difficult.
_ Heartburn/GERD GERD: Help For Heartburn And Other Woes By Jane Farrell article Ugh…heartburn again? If that’s your mantra after meals or as you fall asleep, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In GERD, the valve between your lower esophagus and stomach weakens. This sometimes lets food and stomach acids back up into your esophagus. The result is usually a burning sensation behind the breastbone, or heartburn. But GERD can also cause other symptoms: hoarseness, chest pain, a dry cough, the sensation that food is caught in your throat. A Problem For All Ages
_ Doctors Say Malpractice System Is Better But Needs More Work By Jane Farrell article In a new assessment of the state of medical malpractice, the American College of Physicians (ACP) said that although the cost of liability insurance has leveled off, doctors still “fear litigation” and “expect lawsuits.” Molly Cooke, MD, FACP, president of ACO, also said that physicians feel “the psychological burden of navigating the complex medico-legal system.”
_ Our New Secretary of HSS By Sondra Forsyth article In the wake of the error-plagued healthcare rollout that left millions of Americans struggling to log on to HealthCare.gov in order to get insurance, Kathleen Sibelius has resigned from the position of United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. On April 11th 2014, President Obama nominated Sylvia Matthews Burwell to be Sibelius’ successor. Burwell, who will turn 49 in June, served as Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget beginning in April 2013 after a stint as president of the Walmart Foundation starting in January 2012.
_ Long Live the Mitochondria! By article Manipulating the metabolic process of mitochondria, the “power plants” of cells, may compensate for defects that are associated with aging and various neurological diseases. That is the finding of scientists at the University of Alberta who published their research on April 10th 2014 in Cell Reports. The study will appear in the print edition of the journal on April 24th.
_ Medicare's Flawed Adjustment Methodology By article The methodology Medicare uses to adjust the billions of dollars it pays health plans and hospitals to account for how sick their patients are is flawed and should be replaced, according to study by Dartmouth Atlas Project investigators published in the journal BMJ in April 2014.
No News May Be Good News: Mindful Living By Jane Farrell blog Did you read the headlines today? Did you hear the “top stories”? Were they uplifting or did your mind go to worry, fear, concern? For many years, much to the chagrin of many, I never watched TV, never read a paper, and never listened to the news on radio. I was teaching mindfulness and meditation to those challenged with panic and anxiety disorders. News was, for me, disturbing. It still is. Good news doesn’t sell newspapers or get TV viewers. I always thought, if it’s something that will impact me now, today at this very minute, someone will tell me.
Facebook And The Doctor's Office By Jane Farrell blog I like a lot of things about Facebook. It allows me to see pictures and videos of my nephews and niece and of friends’ children, it quickly lets me know when something big (either happy or sad) is going on in people’s lives, it lets me know what people are thinking about, and it gives me the opportunity to share my own news, thoughts, pictures, or occasional videos with others.
_ Sleep Health The Dangers of Sleep Disorders By Jane Farrell article The doctor will then perform a physical examination, looking for signs of illnesses that can affect sleep, including Parkinson’s and heart disease. If your doctor feels more information is needed, he or she may refer you to a sleep center for more testing.