_ 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.
_ 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.
What Is Love? By blog I heard a great quote recently that defines love very well to me: “Love is the difference between loving the idea of who you need someone to be for you, and loving who they really are.” This is a concept that usually trips us up when we are young. We feel so needy and desperate for someone else to save us from ourselves that we give ourselves away far too easily. We do not yet value ourselves and what we have to offer others.
_ 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.
_ Alternative Treatments for Quitting Smoking By Jane Farrell article Fifty years ago this month, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an unprecedented report that linked smoking to deadly illnesses like lung cancer and heart disease. As research efforts have expanded over the years, investigators have linked still other illnesses to tobacco.
_ 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.
_ 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.
_ Omega-3s and Liver Health By article Oregon State University researchers in Corvallis and collaborators found that omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), could “be of significant value in the prevention of fatty liver disease”, according to a release from the university.
_ Good News About Reducing Hospital Infections By article A national plan developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesfor preventing healthcare-associated infections shows progress. That is the joint finding of 14 papers published in a special issue of the journal Medical Care. The 3-year evaluation of the effort has identified what's working as well as the challenges that remain.
Injury Prevention & Treatment Pain Pain Management Repetitive Stress Injuries: Beyond Carpal Tunnel By Sondra Forsyth article By Sondra Forsyth
_ Can Moderately Cold Temps Help You Lose Weight? By Jane Farrell article While overesposure to cold is linked to serious and even fatal consequences, regular exposure to mild cold may actually help people los weight. On the other hand, cozy indoor environments might lead to weight gain. The findings were published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Hearing Loss Hastens Brain Tissue Loss By article Although the brain becomes smaller with age, the shrinkage seems to be fast-tracked in older adults with hearing loss, according to the results of a study by researchers from Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging. The findings add to a growing list of health consequences associated with hearing loss, including increased risk of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, and diminished physical and mental health overall.
_ Men Really Are More Forgetful Than Women By article If your husband is absent-minded and forgets your wedding anniversary or the name of your new neighbor, don't worry. You’re not the only one with a forgetful man in the house, according to a Norwegian study published in the journal BMC Psychology.
_ Pain Management BP Med Can Prevent Migraines By article Candesartan, a medication used to treat high blood pressure, is just as effective as more the commonly prescribed propranolol when it comes to preventing migraine attacks. That is the finding of a study from St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Norway and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Better yet, the team learned that candesartan may work for patients who get no relief from propranolol. A release from the university quotes lead researcher Professor Lars Jacob Stovner as saying, "This gives doctors more possibilities and we can help more people."
_ Brain Training With Neurofeedback By article A new imaging technique lets people to “watch” their own brain activity in real time and control or adjust function in pre-determined brain regions. The study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital – The Neuro, McGill University, and the McGill University Health Centre was published in the journal NeuroImage. It’s the first to demonstrate that magnetoencephalography (MEG) can be used as a potential therapeutic tool to control and train specific targeted brain regions.
_ Meds That Fight Fever May Spread the Flu By article Better not reach for the Advil or some aspirin when you have the flu. You may end up infecting others. Research done at McMaster University in Ontario showed that the widespread use of medications containing fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases and more than a thousand deaths attributable to influenza, each year across North America. These drugs include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and acetylsalicylic acid. The study was published in January 2014 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.