_ The Subtle Signs of Diabetes By Jane Farrell article FROM THE MAYO CLINIC Early symptoms of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, can be subtle or seemingly harmless ΓÇö if you have symptoms at all. Over time, however, you may develop diabetes complications, even if you haven't had diabetes symptoms. In the United States alone, nearly 7 million people have undiagnosed diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. But you don't need to become a statistic. Understanding possible diabetes symptoms can lead to early diagnosis and treatment ΓÇö and a lifetime of better health.
_ Breakthrough in Fighting Skin & Lung Cancers By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers at UCLAΓÇÖs Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are reporting promising treatment milestones for patients with deadly skin and lung cancers who are being treated with an experimental drug called MK-3475.
_ On The Horizon: A Better Way To Measure Blood Glucose By Jane Farrell article Researchers have developed a method for measuring glucose concentrations in saliva, and they say it would be a significant improvement in managing diabetes. The scientists, from Brown University, devised a new biochip sensor that measures blood sugar levels in saliva rather than blood.
Life-Saving Drug for Older Adults with Pneumonia By Sondra Forsyth article In a study that included nearly 65,000 older patients hospitalized with pneumonia, treatment that included azithromycin compared with other antibiotics was associated with a significantly lower risk of death but a slightly increased risk of heart attack, according to a study done at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and published in the June 4th 2014 issue of JAMA. The authors report that overall, the benefits outweigh the risks.
_ Pain Management NIH Proposes Standards for Back Pain Research By Sondra Forsyth article Standardized research methods are needed to make greater progress toward reducing the high burden and costs of chronic low back pain, according to a National Institutes for Health Task Force report published in the June 15th 2014 issue of the journal Spine.
_ Exercise Night Owls Tend to Be More Sedentary By Sondra Forsyth article A study done at Northwestern University in Chicago suggests that night owls are more sedentary and feel that they have a harder time maintaining an exercise schedule. The research abstract was published in June 2014 in an online supplement of the journal Sleep, and presented on Wednesday, June 4th in Minneapolis at SLEEP 2014, the 28th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
_ 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.
_ Beauty & Style Skin 6 Secrets for the Perfect Homemade Anti-Aging Skin & Hair Care Routine By article By Soriyya Bawa
_ Is It Too Hot For Your Health? By Jane Farrell article Almost every summer, thereΓÇÖs a deadly heat wave in some parts of the country. Excessive heat isnΓÇÖt safe for anyone, especially for older people or those with health problems. But exactly what dangers are you facing and how can you protect yourself? HereΓÇÖs some advice from the National Institute on Aging: Your body is always working to keep a balance between how much heat it makes and how much it loses. Too much heat causes sweating.
_ 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).
_ Debunking the ΓÇ£LinkΓÇ¥ Between MS and CCVI By Sondra Forsyth article In 2009, an Italian doctor named Paolo Zamboni postulated that a condition he dubbed ΓÇ£chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiencyΓÇ¥ (CCVI) is a cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). CCVI refers to compromised blood flow in the veins that drain the central nervous system. However, no one has been able replicate ZamboniΓÇÖs findings.
_ Infection Risks in Home Health Care By article Each year, an estimated 12 million Americans receive care from more than 33,000 home health providers in the U.S., where the annual tab for home health services exceeds $72 billion. Patients depend on home health care services to recover from surgeries and hospital stays, as well as to manage daily life with chronic conditions. All too often, however, proven practices for preventing infections aren't followed when care is provided at home.
_ 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.
_ Prostate-Cancer Radiation Has Some Dangers By Jane Farrell article Prostate-cancer patients who have received radiation treatment appear more likely to develop bladder or rectal cancer, new research shows. And while the number of cases is relatively low, investigators said that patients should still be monitored for those illnesses. ΓÇ£Overall the incidence of these cancers is low. But when men have received radiation treatments, itΓÇÖs important to evaluate carefully any symptoms that could be a sign of bladder or rectal cancer,ΓÇ¥ says senior study author Kathleen A.
_ Good Looks and Pleasant Scents By Jane Farrell article Want people to think youΓÇÖre even prettier than you are? Spray on some perfume, or have some flowers in the vicinity. New research shows that womenΓÇÖs faces get a higher attractiveness rating when pleasant odors are in the vicinity. However, the odors didnΓÇÖt affect peopleΓÇÖs evaluation of age. ΓÇ£Odor pleasantness and facial attractiveness integrate into one joint emotional evaluation,ΓÇ¥ said lead author Janina Seubert, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist who was a postdoctoral fellow at Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia, at the time the research was conducted.
Bug Off: Insect Repellent Awareness Day By Jane Farrell article Tuesday, June 3rd 2014 is the first ever Insect Repellent Awareness Day, launched in the UK by launched by scientists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to highlight the importance of using repellents, especially when travelling to tropical countries where insects can spread disease. The campaign also aims to dispel the many myths surrounding insect repellents and other ways to protect against bites.
Aging Well Seniors Have Roomies, Too By Jane Farrell article By Judy Santamaria, MSPH Most of us know that loneliness isn't good for us -- but as we age, many of us find our circle of friends and family diminishing in size for various reasons. Sometimes consciously, sometimes not, loneliness can creep in, and begin to affect our spirits in a less-than-healthy way. Recently, I've been hearing about some really interesting ways seniors are stacking the deck in their own favor to combat loneliness associated with aging, and I wanted to share a few of them with you here.