_ Is Medical Marijuana Safe? By Jane Farrell article EditorΓÇÖs note: As of earlier this year, 20 states have legalized the use of marijuana for some serious medical conditions, including cancer, glaucoma and HIV/AIDS. But using medical marijuana isnΓÇÖt a casual decision. Here, the National Institute on Drug Abuse offers (NIDA) offers a briefing on the most controversial medicine of our time: According to NIDA, the term ΓÇ£medical marijuanaΓÇ¥ refers to the whole unprocessed marijuana plant or its crude extracts. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesnΓÇÖt recognize or approve those substances as medicine.
_ A Breakthrough in Anti-Aging Treatment By Jane Farrell article The hormone oxytocin ΓÇô associated with childbirth, sex and social attachments ΓÇô is also essential for muscle maintenance and repair, researchers have found. But an animal experiment found that it declines with age. The new study, published) in the journal Nature Communications, indicates that oxytocin, if it could be administered to humans, could eventually be a treatment for age-related muscle wasting, or sarcopenia. The discovery is especially significant because oxytocin is already approved by the Food and Drug Admnistration for use in people.
_ 7 Things You Should Know About Cooking With Oil By Sondra Forsyth article By The Beating Edge Team HealthHub from Cleveland Clinic When it comes to cooking with oils, do you have to choose between cooking for taste or cooking for health? People have strong opinions about whatΓÇÖs best. Health Hub sat down recently to chat about cooking with oils with James D. Perko, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef for Cleveland ClinicΓÇÖs Wellness Institute and its Center for Lifestyle Medicine and nutritionist Katherine Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD.
Protein Keeps Aging Blood Stem Cells Healthy By Sondra Forsyth article The notion that a protein called SIRT1 is a powerful regulator of aging has been highly debated, but its connection to the health of blood stem cells "is now clear," according to Saghi Ghaffari, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Developmental and Regenerative Biology at Mount Sinai's Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine in New York City. "Identifying regulators of stem cell aging is of major significance for public health because of their potential power to promote healthy aging and provide targets to combat diseases of aging," Dr. Ghaffari said.
_ Gene Variants Identified As Source of Deadly Illnesses By Jane Farrell article Two widely carried gene variants that lead to longer chromosome caps also increase the risk of developing the brain cancers known as gliomas. The researchers, led by scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that the variants lead to longer telomeres, the caps on chromosome ends that are thought to protect cells from aging. The genetic variants, in two genes known as TERT and TERC, are respectively carried by 51 percent and 72 percent of the general population.
_ Beauty & Style Cancer Center Hair Skin Skin cancer Summer Beauty, Health, and Fitness Dilemmas By Sondra Forsyth article Top experts share tips on how to sidestep some top seasonal ailments so you can savor your summer days. DonΓÇÖt Get Burned by Skin Cancer
Aging Well Latest Developments in Aging Research By Sondra Forsyth article The 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Aging Association (AGE), held May 30th to June 2nd 2014 at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, featured the latest scholarship and research findings in the field of aging research from more than 70 leading experts. The event has long been recognized as a launching pad for researchers to share cutting-edge discoveries into the underlying mechanisms of the causes of aging as well as the possible breakthroughs in finding ways to increase healthspan.
_ Vision Health A Cheaper But Effective Eye-Disease Drug By Jane Farrell article Eye doctors could save billions in health-care costs if they prescribed a less expensive but effective drug to treat two common forms of serious eye disease in older adults. Researchers from the University of Michigan focused on two medicines used to treat the wet form of macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.
_ 5 Facts To Know About Depression By Jane Farrell article Depression, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, affects 14.8 million American adults, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The percentage of seniors who have the disorder varies from less than 1 percent to 5 percent, the CDC says. But the percentage rises sharply to 11.5 percent among elderly hospital patients to 13.5 percent among those who have home health care. The condition is complex and multi-faceted, encompassing both physical and mental symptoms, and for a patient or caregiver itΓÇÖs essential to know as much as possible about it.
_ Women's Health and Wellness Preventive Surgery Can Have Serious After-Effects By Jane Farrell article Women with the cancer-causing BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations have a number of serious issues that need to be monitored following preventive surgery, researchers say. A study from the University of Pennsylvania examined the after-effects of a preventive hysterectomy - known as risk-reducing salpingo-oopherectomy (RRSO).
_ Combo Tx for Melanoma: Encouraging Results By article The first long-term follow-up results from a an immunotherapy trial combining drugs for advanced melanoma patients has shown long-lasting rsultswith high survival rates, according to researchers at Yale Cancer Center led by Dr. Mario Sznol, professor of medical oncology. Dr. Sznol presented the updated data in June at the 2014 annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.
_ Metformin Lengthens Lifespan By article Metformin, the world's most widely used anti-diabetic drug, slows aging and increases lifespan. That is the finding of Wouter De Haes and colleagues at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and reported in June 2014 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to a release from the university, the researchers teased out the mechanism behind metformin's age-slowing effects: the drug causes an increase in the number of toxic oxygen molecules released in the cell and this, surprisingly, increases cell robustness and longevity in the long term.
_ Hep C Not a Survival Threat for HIV+ Patients with Ca By Jane Farrell article Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia analyzed data from HIV+ patients diagnosed with lymphoma, collected over 17 years, to better understand how Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection influences survival outcomes. Study leader Stefan K. Barta, MD, MS, MRCP presented the group's findings at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in June 2014 in Chicago.
Red Wine: Good, Bad, Yes, No? Who Should We Believe? By blog It wasn't all that long ago that there was great joy among lovers of red wine and chocolate. The announcement that these two treats (or necessities, depending on the person) could be good for you was very welcome news.
Gardening Restores Body And Soul By blog I was reflecting this week about how much I enjoy having a little garden. As I thought about this, I couldn't help but think of all of the benefits a garden provides. Think of the enjoyment as you plan your plantings in the spring, and then the anticipation of seeing the first sprouts of green peeking up through the soil. Then you look forward to the beautiful greens, flowers, vegetables or fruit that arrive as gifts from nature. Having a garden in your life can be restoring.
_ Keeping Your Liver Healthy. By Jane Farrell article Many of us are rightly concerned about heart health, cancer, hypertension and diabetes. In the midst of all this, our liver health may not be at the top of the list. But the liver, one of our vital organs, is paramount to our health, and itΓÇÖs essential to protect it. It renders toxins harmless and makes sure they are expelled from the body, according to the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, drugs and even dietary supplements can make the liver go haywire, the FDA says.
_ Managing Life with Hepatitis C By Jane Farrell article People with hepatitis C can live a normal life span of seventy or eighty years with proper medical care and self care. The main keys to survival are adhering without fail to any medication schedule and avoiding all alcohol because it damages the liver. However, a liver transplant may be necessary if serious damage has already taken place. Even if that is the case, though, taking antivirals and anti-rejection drugs as prescribed can mean a long and relatively healthy life. Living With A healthy lifestyle is essential in order to feel your best with hepatitis C.
_ Checklist of Common Hepatitis C Symptoms By Jane Farrell article Certain people do have some or all of the following symptoms: ΓÇó Chronic fatigue in spite of getting enough sleep ΓÇó Not feeling much like eating because of a loss of appetite ΓÇó Jaundice, a yellow discoloration of the skin, mucus membranes (tissue including that which lines the mouth), and whites of the eyes due to liver damage ΓÇó Dark urine ΓÇó Stools that are chalky-colored.