_ Heart Health Hospital Visits for AFib Rising By article Hospitalizations and costs for treating irregular heartbeats, a condition called atrial fibrillation or AFib, are escalating. This fact is increasing the burden on the U.S. healthcare system, according to new research published in May 2014 in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. AFib can lead to stroke and other heart-related complications.
_ Clot-Busting Can Help or Harm Stroke Patients By article Johns Hopkins researchers say they have developed a technique that can predict with 95 percent accuracy which stroke victims will benefit from intravenous, clot-busting drugs and which will suffer dangerous and potentially lethal bleeding in the brain. Reporting online May 15th 2014 in the journal Stroke, the Johns Hopkins team says these predictions were made possible by applying a new method they developed that uses standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to measures damage to the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from drug exposure.
_ Healthy Diet & Nutrition The Importance of Prebiotics and Probiotics By Sondra Forsyth article By Sondra Forsyth Both prebiotics and probiotics are essential components of a healthy diet. Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics, which contain live bacteria. Together, they help promote the growth of the good bac- teria in your intestines and maintain your gut’s ecosystem. When a food contains both substances, it is called synbiotic: a synergistic combination of the two. Prebiotics
_ Exercise How To Have The Exercise Talk With Your Doctor By Jane Farrell article The health benefits of exercise are almost too numerous to list: Experts say that regular physical activity can have a positive effect on health conditions ranging from depression to diabetes. But it’s essential to talk to your doctor you begin exercising, want to take your current routine to the next level, or want to start a different activity.
The Power of Shame By blog I have always wondered at the power of shame to shape our worlds. So much so, that when I began my six month counseling internship at a rehab hospital, I knew within weeks that my M.A. thesis would be about shame. We have so much shame in our culture around aging and disability! In my thesis I explain the Chinese word for I’m sorry: σ»╣Σ╕ìΦ╡╖, which means literally “I cannot look up at you.” That’s exactly what shame feels like.
How to Age Beautifully and Gracefully By blog Aging beautifully and gracefully is all about accepting the aging process and embracing it. As we feel great on the inside, we look fabulous on the outside too. Wrinkles and lines add character, softened skin glows as we move with ease through life. Enjoy my advice on making choices that will help you stay healthy and happy so you can, in turn, age beautifully and gracefully. Live in a Place of Gratitude
Aging Well Geroscience, The Study of Age-Related Health Issues By article A new collection of articles appearing in May 2014 in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences focuses on how the basic biology of aging drives chronic disease. Together, they highlight the value of the emerging field of geroscience, which uses an integrated approach to the study of diseases and disability associated with growing older.
Antidepressant May Slow Alzheimer's By article Citalopram (brandname Celexa), a commonly prescribed antidepressant, can reduce production of the main ingredient in Alzheimer's brain plaques. That is the finding research done at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania. The study was published May 14th 2014 in Science Translational Medicine.
Heart Health Sugar Is Bad for Your Heart Even If YouΓÇÖre at a Healthy Weight By article Researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago have uncovered evidence that sugar has a direct effect on risk factors for heart disease, and is likely to impact blood pressure, independent of weight gain. Dr Lisa Te Morenga, Research Fellow with Otago's Department of Human Nutrition, and colleagues conducted a review and meta-analysis of all international studies that compared the effects of higher versus lower added sugar consumption on blood pressure and lipids (blood fats or cholesterol) – both of which are important cardiovascular risk-factors.
_ Vision Health Glaucoma Patients Not Always Using Eye Drops By article Electronic monitoring to measure medication adherence by patients with glaucoma documented that a sizable number of patients did not regularly use the eye drops prescribed to them, according to two studies published in May 2014 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The research was led by Michael V. Boland, M.D., Ph.D., of the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
_ Skip the Surgery for Knee Osteoarthritis By article Arthroscopy of the knee joint for osteoarthritis, also called arthrosis or gonarthrosis,has no detectable benefit. That is the conclusion of a final report published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on May 12th 2014. The study included new data in which strengthening exercises under the supervision of a physical therapist were used as comparison therapy. This data did not changethe result of IQWiG’s preliminary report that was published in September 2013.
_ Keeping Your Nails Their Healthiest By Jane Farrell article From the Mayo Clinic Take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual color or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Others indicate an underlying condition that requires attention.
_ The Infectious Bond Between People and Their Pets By Jane Farrell article Humans and their animal companions exchange the bacteria for the antibiotic-resistant MRSA, according to a new study. The findings were published in mBio, the journal of the American Society for Microbiology. MRSA naturally lives on the skin and causes difficult-to-treat infections in humans and animals. It is hard to treat because over time it has become resistant to antibiotics.
_ Aggressive Tx for Older Prostate Patients a Mistake By article Treating older men with early-stage prostate cancer who also have other serious underlying health problems with aggressive therapies such as surgery or radiation therapy does not help them live longer and, in fact, can be detrimental, according to a study done by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. The study was published in the May 13th 2014 early online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Cancer.
_ ΓÇ£Pre-crastinationΓÇ¥ Appears to Be Common By Jane Farrell article Putting off tasks until later, or procrastination, is a common phenomenon — but new research suggests that “pre-crastination,” hurrying to complete a task as soon as possible, may also be common. Thestudy, published in May 2014 in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that people often opt to begin a task as soon as possible just to get it off their plate, even if they have to expend more physical effort to do so.
Tools To Take Charge Of Your Cancer Survivorship By blog Most major cancer centers today offer a survivor care plan to organize your diagnosis, treatment and follow-up plan. It will soon be a standard of care to provide treatment summaries and survivorship care plans to all cancer patients. The primary components of a plan include: Diagnostic tests performed and results; including tumor site, stage, grade and other biomarker information.
_ Women's Health and Wellness Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines May Be Wrong By Jane Farrell article A study has found that cervical cancer rates are higher than previously believed, especially among women 65 and older as well as African-American women in all age groups. The finding brings into question current screening guidelines that don’t recommend Pap smear screenings for women 65 and older. The study, led by researchers from the University of Maryland School of medicine, was published in the journal Cancer.
_ Osteoporosis Do You Really Need Vitamin D Supplements? By article You may have heard that researchers who analyzed hundreds of studies have concluded that vitamin D supplements won’t protect healthy, middle-aged adults from osteoporosis. And even worse, the scientists say the supplements may increase the risk of death from other diseases. However, none health experts at the Cleveland Clinic warn that you need to make sure you aren’t deficient in vitamin D before you stop taking the supplement, especially if you are past menopause.