_ Pain Management Virtual Chronic Pain Patient Boosts DocsΓÇÖ Skills By article An online training module using ΓÇ£EdnaΓÇ¥, a virtual elderly woman with chronic lower back pain as a case study, greatly improved medical student clinical skills. ThatΓÇÖs the finding of a study done at the University of Pittsburgh and published in the May 2014 issue Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The module is the first curriculum resource created through the efforts of the National Institutes of Health Pain Consortium's Centers of Excellence in Pain Education program (CoEPEs).
_ Corn, Canola, & Soybean Oils Damage Lungs By article A Northwestern Medicine study published in the May 2014 issue of Respiratory Research reports that although vitamin E-rich olive and sunflower oils are associated with improved lung functions, the form of vitamin E in canola, soybean, and corn oils is associated with decreased lung function. The research ties the increasing consumption of supposedly healthy canola , soybean, and corn oils to the rising incidence of lung inflammation and, possibly, asthma.
_ Travel Germs on a Plane By article If youΓÇÖre planning a summer trip that involves air travel, be sure to bring along plenty of hand sanitizer. According to data presented in May 2014 at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, disease-causing bacteria can linger on surfaces in airplane cabins for up to a week.
_ Women's Health and Wellness Bacteria and Overactive Bladder By Jane Farrell article Bacteria in urine appears to contribute to overactive bladder in some women, according to new research. The finding, by researchers from Loyola University Chicago, appears to contradict the belief that urine is germ-free. The investigators used DNA-based detection methods to reveal the presence of bacteria that couldnΓÇÖt be revealed by standard techniques.
_ The "Diet" Antibiotic By Jane Farrell article Researchers have found exactly how a drug works to mimic the action of eating well and, as a result, possibly extending lifespan. The drug, an immunosuppressant and antibiotic called Rapamycin, was approved for use about 15 years ago.
_ 10 Facts About Depression By Jane Farrell article By Dr. Prakash Masand May is Mental Health Month, and a time to bring awareness to the many conditions that make up mental illness. One of the most common is depression. Unfortunately, many people have been misled about the facts of depression from what theyΓÇÖve seen on TV or in the movies, or have heard about from their friends and others. What are the real facts about depression? Here are the 10 ten facts that everyone should know about depression: 1. ThereΓÇÖs more to depression than just feeling blue.
_ Caregiving How to Avoid Financial Ruin as a Caregiver By article By Hilary Young A shrinking middle class, medical expenses at an all-time high and a caregiver shortage: it’s the perfect cocktail for financial ruin. And now a new study from researchers with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada has found that women in particular are more susceptible to going bankrupt when caring for an elderly parent.
_ 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.
_ Aging Well Successful Aging: Toward a Broader Definition By article An aging population poses challenges for governments around the globe as nations grapple with how to satisfy the physical, social and economic needs of older adults. About 40 million adults 65 years and older live in the United States while 126 million adults 65 years and older live in China - the country with the largest population of senior citizens.
_ Low Risk Prostate Ca Not Always Low Risk By article The criteria for active surveillance -- often called ΓÇ£watch and waitΓÇ¥ -- in dealing with prostate cancer should be re-evaluated. That is the recommendation of a study done at the University of California, Los Angeles and published in the May 19th 2014 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Urology.
_ Mental & Emotional Health ΓÇ£Forgive and ForgetΓÇ¥ Really Works By Sondra Forsyth article If you’re still holding a grudge about a wrong someone did to you, you’d probably do well to follow the old adage that tells us to “forgive and forget”. That’s the advice of researchers at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, who showed that the details of an offense are more likely to be wiped from your memory when you’ve forgiven that transgression. You don’t even have to forgive the offender in person. You can simply resolve to pardon the person in your mind.
_ 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.
ΓÇ£Happy AnticsΓÇ¥ Exercise for Dementia Patients By Jane Farrell article A holistic exercise program called “Happy Antics” that pairs cognitive activities with physical movements helps dementia patients and caregivers alike, according to research done at Teesside University in the U.K. and published in May 2014 in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
_ "Physician Partners" Help Improve Patient Care By Jane Farrell article A “physician partner” who can handle a doctor’s administrative tasks will help lighten the practitioner’s burden and increase patient care satisfaction, according to a study from UCLA. The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, focused on the implementation of electronic medical records.
_ 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
Heart Health Viagra for Heart Failure? Works Better for the Guys By article Clear-cut gender differences stand out in measuring impact of Viagra as therapy for heart failure, according to a study done at Johns Hopkins and posted online May 16th 2014 in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Specifically, in female mice modeling human heart failure, the benefits of sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, ranged from robust to practically nonexistent depending on the animals' levels of the hormone estrogen. Yet in male mice, sildenafil generally appears to work well because it targets a different biological process independent of estrogen.
_ New Tx to Protect Brain Cells in PD By article April was Parkinson's Awarness Month, but here at ThirdAge we want to promote PD awarness all year long. To that end, here's a fascintating and encouraging new study about PD.
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