_ 7 Ways to Traverse Through Any Transition By Jane Farrell article By Servet Hasan None of us can escape loss. Life's challenges are universal and eventually will find us. Whether you're moving to a new city, leaving for college, or experiencing a divorce in your family, having life throw a major curve ball can leave us longing for the way things used to be.
Why the Next Big Frontier in Medicine is Energy Medicine By blog I first heard about Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2000 when I was writing my book The Whole Man Program: Reinvigorating Your Body, Mind, and Spirit After 40. Dr. Oz was one of the top heart surgeons in the world at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia Medical Center. I wanted to find someone with the best scientific credentials to help me better understand heart disease so I could help other men. Dr. Oz was a wonderful resource. He is still one of the best surgeons in the world but he has since expanded his view of what constitutes good medicine.
State Efforts to Promote Continuity of ACA Coverage By article A new culture of health care has been ushered in by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) but Americans with income fluctuations, such as those with multiple part-time jobs, may experience shifts in coverage. Those transitions would require the affected people to "churn" between Medicaid and private insurance, a process that could affect affordability and continuous access to care.
_ Possible New Parkinson's Therapy By article When properly manipulated, a population of support cells found in the brain called astrocytes could provide a new and promising approach to treat Parkinson's disease. That’s the finding of a study done at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York and published on January 28th 2014 in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
_ A Good Inflammatory Substance? By Jane Farrell article It’s well known that inflammation is frequently a cause of disease, but new research indicates that low levels of a pro-inflammatory substance in the brain are crucial for cognition. Researchers from the University of Texas, San Antonio, found that found that blocking the substance, interleukin-6 , impaired learning in rats. The learning area affected was cognitive flexibility – the ability to change learned thoughts and behaviors in response to a changed environment.
_ Aspirin Overprescribed for AFib By article Aspirin is still overprescribed for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation despite the potential for dangerous side effects, according to a study done by the European Society of Cardiology andpublished January 28th 2014 in in the American Journal of Medicine. Another worrying finding was that oral anticoagulants were underprescribed in elderly patients, with aspirin alone more commonly prescribed.
_ The Letter that Can Make You Healthier By Jane Farrell article Patients at high risk of osteoporosis can be identified via an automated letter-generating system that encourages them to follow up on their care, according to researchers. Investigators from the Penn State College of Medicine say that the system effectively promotes osteoporosis intervention and can help prevent future fractures.
_ The High Cost of "Free" Foods By Jane Farrell article Think twice before reaching for that fat-free cookie or sugar-free ice cream bar as an afternoon snack. In most cases, you’re better off having the real thing in moderate portions, says Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, wellness manager at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. The issue, Kirkpatrick says, is that choosing heavily processed foods over natural foods often means taking in too many additives and refined ingredients with questionable nutritional value. Substitutions — but no substitute for the real thing.
A New Image for a Facelift By Jane Farrell article Complications from facelifts can be painful and embarrassing, but a new 3-D technique may change that. The technique deals with liquid facelifts, in which people remove wrinkles and soften creases by the injection of a gel-like material. Hundreds of patients suffer redness and swelling after the procedure. Millions of people each year remove wrinkles, soften creases and plump up their lips by injecting a gel-like material into their facial tissue. These cosmetic procedures are sometimes called “liquid facelifts” and are said to be minimally invasive.
_ Calling Obesity a ΓÇ£DiseaseΓÇ¥ Undermines Healthy Behaviors By Jane Farrell article The American Medical Association declared obesity a disease in June 2013 but messages that describe obesity as a disease may undermine healthy behaviors and beliefs among obese people. That’s the finding of a study done at the University of Richmond in Virginia and the University of Minnesotaand published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
_ Spinal Cord Injuries Increasing in Seniors By Jane Farrell article The rate of traumatic spinal cord injuries is rising sharply among older people, with the leading cause appearing to be falls, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins. In fact, the number-one cause of spinal cord injuries overall no longer appears to be motor vehicle crashes, but falls. The injuries suffered in these accidents range from temporary numbness to paralysis. Researchers said their findings indicated that efforts to prevent falls among older people could significantly reduce the number of spinal cord injuries.
Money Matters Hacking & ID Theft: Are You Next? By article By. Scott A. Merritt At least 110 million consumers were affected by the hack involving Target and Neiman Marcus and at least three other retailers. Whether or not millions more will have their identities manipulated and finances ruined within the coming months due to more breaches of security at other stores is anyone’s guess.
Midlife Bloggers Want a Seat at the Table By blog It is that time of year again. Almost daily, I receive an invitation or update in my inbox about upcoming blogging conferences. Since I started blogging three years ago, I’ve attended my share of blog events, from small gatherings with only a handful of attendees to huge conferences with thousands of bloggers from far-flung locations. However, last year I opted out of blogging conferences and this year doing the same.
_ Electronic Health Records = Fewer Unnecessary Tests By Jane Farrell article Electronic health-records systems, in which medical information is securely shared, may be helping avoid unnecessary care, a new study shows. Fewer emergency patients got repeated medical scans when they went to a hospital that takes part in a health information exchange, or HIE, according to researchers published online in the journal Medical Care. Researchers from the University of Michigan said their findings are a good evaluation of the effectiveness of HIEs.
_ Breast Cancer New Way to Image Dense Breasts By article Dartmouth engineers and radiologists are developing new approaches for an emerging technique called MRI with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to image dense breasts for abnormalities. The study will appear in the February 2014 issue of the journal Academic Radiology.
_ Why Inflammation Impairs Memory as We Age By article Inflammation has long been linked to disorders of memory such as Alzheimer's disease. Severe infections can also impair cognitive function in healthy elderly individuals. Now new research done at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the UK and published in the journal Biological Psychiatry not only helps explain why inflammation impairs memory but could spur the development of new drugs targeting the immune system to treat dementia.
_ Flu Vaccines Needed for Diabetics By Jane Farrell article Diabetics between the ages of 18 and 65 are at higher risk of getting the flu than are those without the condition, a new study has shown.