_ Google Glass Helps Parkinson's Patients By article Experts at Newcastle University in the UK are investigating Google Glass, the next generation of wearable computing, as an assistive aid to help people with Parkinson's retain their independence for longer. The device has been likened to the kind of technology fictionalized in the Hollywood Blockbuster “Minority Report”. At first glance, Google Glass appears to be no more than a pair of designer glasses. But the system works like a hands-free smartphone, displaying information on the lens. The technology is voice-operated and linked to the Internet.
_ Cancer Patients and Post-Surgery Problems By Jane Farrell article Editor’s Note: For patients, cancer is frightening in a lot of ways. Beyond the physical risk to a patient’s health, there are mental effects as well. After surgery, people often find they suffer from memory and nervous systems problems as well as chronic pain. The changes, which can be caused by side effects of treatment, can be overwhelming if a patient doesn’t understand why they’re happening. Here, from the experts at NIHSeniorHealth, is an explanation: Memory
_ Don't Be Confused By Organ-Donation Myths By Jane Farrell article From the Mayo Clinic Over 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ donation. Unfortunately, many may never get the call saying that a suitable donor organ — and a second chance at life — has been found.
_ A Better Test For Prostate Cancer By Jane Farrell article Researchers have developed a painless method to test for prostate cancer, and that could help millions of men avoid a grueling diagnostic exam. If a blood test turns up signs of prostate cancer, physicians usually remove samples of tissue through the anus, using 12 large biopsy needles. The procedure has been called “barbaric.” That technique could be replaced thanks to researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), together with AMC Amsterdam. Research team leader Massimo Mischi at TU/e said the new procedure uses existing ultrasound scanners.
_ Specialist Docs Up Feeding Tube Use in Dementia Patients By article When elderly patients with advanced dementia are hospitalized, the specialties of the doctors at their bedside have a lot to do with whether the patients will end up with a gastric feeding tube -- a practice that some medical organizations recommend against for frail, terminal patients. That is the finding of a study done at Brown University and published in the April 2014 edition of the journal Health Affairs,
_ Why Newly Proposed Nutrition Labels are (Mostly) Good By article By Michael (Dr. Mike) S. Fenster M.D. Nutritional labeling hasn’t been overhauled in 20 years but proposed update, which could take a year or more to appear on store shelves, is being driven by first lady Michelle Obama as part of her “Let’s Move” campaign. Our current nutrition labeling is the same as that implemented in the 1990s, except for the 2006 addition of trans fats information. It’s based on nutrition data and eating habits from the 1970s and 1980s.
Startling Findings About Diabetes Tx By article Scientists thought they basically knew how the most common drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes worked, but a new study from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) reveals unexpected new aspects of the process. These findings could eventually lead to more potent anti-diabetic drugs with fewer serious side effects. The study was published in the April 7th 2014 issue of the journal Nature Communications.
_ All About Telehealth By Jane Farrell article From the Mayo Clinic How many times have you heard it said that the Internet has transformed modern life? Indeed, it's probably changed how you stay in touch with family and friends, purchase goods and services, and even search for information about health problems. But are you using the array of telehealth tools available to improve your health and wellness? If not, you may be falling behind the times. What is telehealth? Why should you care?
_ Skin Patch Makes Health Monitoring Easier By Jane Farrell article A simple, ultra-thin skin patch could help doctors monitor patients around the clock. Engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University have proven that the patch, which moves with the skin and has electronic chips, is as effective as EKG and EEG testing. According to the researchers, the patches have a “microfluidic” construction with wires folded like origami to allow the patch to bend and flex. The patches could be used for daily health tracking by wirelessly sending updates.
_ 5 Easy Food Swaps to Kiss Your Cravings Goodbye By article By Jon Yaneff It could be late at night or during the day, and BOOM, out of nowhere, you have to have your salty treat. Your life just stops if you don’t consume your sugary and sweet chocolate treat. And, every morning you can’t get through your day without your coffee—milk, two sugars.
Bring Me a Higher Love! By blog Everywhere I go I meet so many interesting and COOL older singles who are losing hope in ever finding true love again. My words to you are: DON’T GIVE UP! By running a dating service for older singles, I learned that there are SO MANY COOL adults looking for love later in life. More than you would EVER possibly imagine. Your best proof that you could meet someone great TODAY is this simple fact: You are single and look how amazing you are! There must be others just like you wondering what is the best way to connect with others.
_ Weight Loss Can Sun Exposure Help You Lose Weight? By Jane Farrell article Exposure to light in the morning rather than later in the day may be a good way to manage weight, new research shows. The study, from Northwestern Medicine, found that the timing, intensity and duration of light exposure is linked to Body Mass Index (BMI).
_ This Is Your Brain on Meditation By article Brown University researchers have intergrated mindfulness meditation with brain imaging and neural signal data to form testable hypotheses about the science of the practice, and the reported mental health benefits. The investigators maintain that their method of coding the reports meditators provide about their mental experiences can be “rigorously correlated with quantitative neurophysiological measurements”.
_ Six Surprising Facts About You and Your Microbes By article By Bill Miller M.D. “I'm so nervous, my stomach is all in a knot.”
_ Why It May Be More Than "The Blues" By Jane Farrell article Everyone feels blue now and then. It’s part of life. But if you no longer enjoy activities that you usually like, there may be a more serious problem. Feeling depressed without letup can change the way you think and the way you experience emotions. Doctors call this clinical depression.
_ Aging Well Beauty & Style Skin Skin Health Anti-Aging Tricks to Banish Dark Circles By article By Soriyya Bawa Without proper anti-aging skin care, the process of aging can take a heavy toll on the eyes, especially because the skin in that area is so sensitive. One of the most visible signs of aging on the face is the appearance of dark circles around the eyes, which, while not necessarily dangerous to human health, are unpleasant to look at, making them one of the main focuses of anti-aging skin care.
_ Digestive Health Are You Lactose Intolerant? By Jane Farrell article If you find yourself suddenly having unpleasant digestive effects from dairy products, the culprit might be lactose intolerance. Even if you’ve never suffered from it, lactose intolerance can manifest itself in adulthood. Here, from the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House (NDDIC), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is some information on what it is, why you might have it and how you can manage it: