_ Pets Help for Overweight Cats By Jane Farrell article Obese cats could lose weight if their owners feed them smaller wet meals throughout the day, according to new research from the University of Illinois. But those methods, which work for humans as well, may be hard to implement.
_ Diabetes: ΓÇ£Lend a HandΓÇ¥ Prioritizes Goals By Sondra Forsyth article The "lend a hand " illustration that accompanies this article shows an open palm with the five major forms of diabetes interventions are arranged in descending order of importance from thumb to little finger as follows: smoking cessation, blood pressure control, metformin therapy, lipid reduction, and glucose control.
_ Heart Health "Sticky Blood" and Strokes By Jane Farrell article Scientists at Imperial College London have discovered that iron deficiency may increase the risk of stroke by making blood stickier and more vulnerable to dangerous clothing. The Imperial team found that iron deficiency increases the stickiness of platelets, small blood cells that initiate blood clotting when they stick together.
_ Healthier Broccoli That WonΓÇÖt Spoil Quickly By Jane Farrell article While researching methods to increase the already well-recognized anti-cancer properties of broccoli, researchers at the University of Illinois also found a way to prolong the vegetable's shelf life. An article about the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, reports that the method is natural and inexpensive.
_ A Step Forward in Treating Hepatitis C By Jane Farrell article Researchers have discovered the structure of a hepatitis C protein, and the finding could help scientists develop a vaccine for the deadly illness. Joseph Marcotrigiano, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rutgers University, says the research has uncovered the structure of an “outer region” of hepatitis C that enables the virus to evade the body’s immune system.
_ Healthy Eating After 50 By Jane Farrell article Along with all the other changes we go through as we age, food may start tasting different, according to the National Institute on Aging. Here, from the NIA experts, is why that happens and how to handle it: There are a few reasons food might be tasting differently these days: Medicines can alter the way foods taste, or even make you feel less hungry.
_ New Tx for Ovarian Cancer Discovered By article Researchers at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island have developed a biologic drug that would prevent the production of a protein known to allow ovarian cancer cells to grow aggressively while being resistant to chemotherapy. A release from the hospital quotes Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, chief of obstetrics and gynecology, as saying, "This is a tremendous discovery and could mean the difference between life or death for some women with ovarian cancer.”
Finding Ways to Detect and Treat AD By article Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada are unraveling the mysteries of the amyloid beta peptides implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The team presented findings at the 58th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting in San Francisco from February 15th to 17th.
_ Exercise Picking the Right Pedometer By Jane Farrell article Walking can help pave the way to fitness. But are you taking enough steps to get results? Using a pedometer can help you set and achieve fitness goals. A pedometer can offer motivation and accountability. See how to choose and use a pedometer — it can be a powerful reminder that every step counts on the path toward better health. Choosing a pedometer
_ Tinnitus: Loud Sounds & Hearing Loss By article A research team at the University of Leicester in the UK investigated tinnitus, a condition in which there is the perception of sound such as ringing in the ears even though there is no actual sound. The team discovered new insights into the link between the exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss associated with tinnituts. Their study, published in February 2014 in the jouranl Neuroscience, explans how damage to myelin, a protection sheet around cells, alters the transmission of auditory signals occurring during hearing loss.
Aging Well Rejuvenated Stem Cells Help Aging Muscles Heal By article Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have pinpointed why normal aging is accompanied by a diminished ability to regain strength and mobility after muscle injury: Over time, stem cells within muscle tissues dedicated to repairing damage become less able to generate new muscle fibers and struggle to self-renew.
_ Carbon Monoxide: Preparation Is the Key to Protection By article By Morgan Ellsworth As you age, your body becomes more vulnerable to carbon monoxide. And for people who have heart problems, breathing disorders or sickle cell anemia, exposure becomes even more hazardous.
_ Exercise How to Do Yoga the Right Way By Jane Farrell article Editor’s Note: Yoga, once practiced by only a few people, is a growth industry in the U.S. According to recent statistics, 15 million American adults practice yoga, a mind-body technique that combines physical and mental aspects. It can be beneficial in a number of ways, including increasing flexibility, battling lower back pain and providing peace of mind.
Breast Cancer The Mammogram Controversy Continues By Jane Farrell article Annual mammograms for women aged 40-59 don’t reduce the death rate from breast cancer, according to a new study. The study, published on bmj.com, also said that 22 percent of breast cancers detected via mammogram were over-diagnosed—meaning that the cancers that were found were ones that would not cause symptoms or death. The findings are fueling an ongoing debate about the benefits of mammograms.
_ Will Brain Training Make You Smarter? By article By Deane Alban Last year over $1 billion was spent on brain training programs, making this an exploding new industry. But do brain training programs live up to the hype? Are they worth the time and money spent? Do the benefits gained translate to better overall brain function?
_ Your Right to Your Lab Reports By article As part of an ongoing effort to empower patients to be informed partners with their health care providers, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken action to give patients or a person designated by the patient a means of direct access to the patient’s completed laboratory test reports.
Heart Health Heart Patients Now Less Likely to Die of Heart Disease By article Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN were pleasantly surprised to find that more people who have known coronary heart disease die from other causes — such as cancer, and lung and neurological diseases — than heart disease, compared with 20 years ago. The study was published online on February 10th 2014 in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.
_ Helping Spinal Cord Patients Breathe on Their Own By article Diaphragm pacing, a system that gained nationwide attention when Raymond Onders, MD of University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Clevelandimplanted the stimulator in actor Christopher Reeve, has now been shown to be successful not only in weaning patients from mechanical ventilators but also in bridging patients to independent respiration. The study, done at the center, was published in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.