Welcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness weekly diary. It will publish on Saturday afternoon and be open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.
Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.
You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.
For Multiple Heart Blockages, Bypass Surgery or Stents?
Study Compares Pain, Quality of Life After Drug-Coated Stents or Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
March 16, 2011 — For patients who have several blocked arteries around their heart, the gold standard treatment has long been coronary artery bypass surgery.
Now a large clinical trial suggests that drug-coated stents, springy lattice tubes used to prop open clogged arteries, may also work well in patients with multiple blockages. And in some patients, the stents produce equally good results with faster recovery times.
Failing Hearts Healed With Stem Cells
Bone Marrow Cells Repair Decade-Old Heart Attack Damage
March 17, 2011 — Decade-old heart attack scars healed after being injected with stem cells from a patients’ own bone marrow.
So far, eight patients have received the experimental treatment in an ongoing clinical trial. All eight had suffered heart attacks an average of 5 1/2 years prior; one of the patients had his heart attack 11 years earlier.
Gene Therapy May Improve Parkinson’s Symptoms
Study Shows Improvement in Tremors After Injection of Genetic Material Into Brain
March 16, 2011 — An experimental gene therapy injected into the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease improved tremor, stiffness, and other movement symptoms and was safe with few side effects over six months of follow-up, a study shows.
The small study represents the first successful clinical trial comparing a gene-based treatment to sham treatment in Parkinson’s or any neurologic disorder, says Michael Kaplitt, MD, PhD, who developed the gene therapy more than a decade ago. He hopes to market it if phase III trials confirm its effectiveness.
Bariatric Surgery Benefits May Outweigh Risks
Weight Loss Procedure Cuts Heart Risks
March 14, 2011 — Severely obese adults may reap significant health benefits from bariatric surgery, including reduced heart risks. And rewards of the weight loss procedure may outweigh risks, according to a new scientific statement.
The scientific statement from the American Heart Association is the first to focus solely on bariatric surgery and cardiac risk factors, says lead author Paul Poirier, MD, PhD, of Laval University Hospital in Canada.
Many College Students Unaware of Their Hearing Loss
One-Quarter of College Students May Have Hearing Loss and Not Know It, Researchers Say
March 17, 2011 — Many college students think they can hear just fine, but new research suggests that up to one-fourth of them may actually have evidence of early hearing loss. The new finding appears in the International Journal of Audiology.
Heavy Smokers in U.S. Dwindling
Number of Pack-a-Day Smokers Down by About 16% Since 1965
March 15, 2011 — The stereotypical pack-a-day smoker is no longer the norm, according to a new study that shows the number of heavy smokers has declined substantially in the U.S.
Researchers say that in 1965, a majority of smokers in the U.S. smoked at least one pack per day. But since the first surgeon general’s report on smoking and health was released in 1964, there has been a major decline in not only the prevalence of smoking, but also the intensity.
Metformin Gets Highest Marks in Diabetes Study
Analysis Suggests Metformin Should Be First-Line Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes
March 14, 2011 — The drug metformin should be considered as a first choice for blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.
In type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use its own insulin effectively to maintain blood sugar within normal levels. Medication is usually needed keep it under control.
Heavy Drinking Linked to Pancreatic Cancer
Study Shows Association Between 3 or More Drinks a Day and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
March 14, 2011 — Having three or more drinks of liquor a day is associated with an increased risk of dying from pancreatic cancer, a new study shows.
That’s significant, experts say, because only two other lifestyle factors that are modifiable — smoking and obesity — have been shown to be associated with the risk for pancreatic cancer, which is one of the leading causes of cancer death.
Radiation Fears Spark Fake Potassium Iodide Pills, Says FDA
(CBS) As the Japanese government scrambles to provide potassium iodide pills to its population, the American government is warning about impostor pills here.
Potassium iodide is the quick fix to help prevent thyroid cancer after exposure to certain types of radiation. The Japanese, of course, are facing a mounting threat of radioactive material leaking from the Fukushima nuclear reactor, badly damaged in the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
And although the American government says there is currently no radiation risk here, that hasn’t stopped nervous Americans from buying all the potassium iodide they can find.
Some of it, according to the FDA, may not be real.
Nestle Recalls Lean Cuisine Spaghetti With Meatballs
Consumers Report Finding Pieces of Red Plastic in Meatballs
March 15, 2011 — Nestle has recalled a single lot of its Lean Cuisine Simple Favorites Spaghetti with Meatballs.
The action follows reports from consumers who found pieces of red plastic in the meatballs.
The recalled frozen food product carries the UPC code 13800-10390, with the production code 0298595519 P on the gray proof-of-purchase label on the right-end flap of the package below the ingredient statement.
How Risky Are Whole-Body Airport Scanners?
Experts Analyze the Potential Cancer Risk From Low Levels of Radiation
March 16, 2011 — Full-body scanners have become the norm at airports around the country. Their use is aimed at keeping passengers safe. However, some experts worry that the most commonly used type of scanner heightens the risk of cancer because it emits low levels of ionized radiation. Two articles in the April issue of Radiology assess the risks.
The type of scanner in question scans travelers with what are called backscatter X-rays to detect objects hidden under clothing, such as nonmetallic explosives and weapons. Each time a passenger passes through one of these scanners, he or she is exposed to a tiny amount of radiation.
EPA Proposes New Mercury Air Pollution Rules
Standards Proposed by Environmental Protection Agency Will Cut Mercury Released by Power Plants
March 16, 2011 — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed the first national standards for mercury and other toxins emitted by power plants, which are some of the biggest air polluters in the nation.
A broad coalition of environmental groups, health agencies, and doctors hailed the new standards, which were issued under court order more than 20 years after they were mandated by congress.
HIV Care System Is Getting Swamped
Study Shows Increasing Gap Between the Number of AIDS Patients and Treatment Resources
March 17, 2011 — The U.S. HIV care system is being swamped by a rising tide of new patients, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report warns.
As HIV treatment continues to improve, people with HIV are living much longer. Meanwhile, the CDC’s universal HIV screening program is bearing fruit, identifying more people who are infected with the AIDS virus.
The result is a widening gap between the number of Americans with HIV and the resources available to treat them.
New Insight on Weight Gain After Prostate Cancer Therapy
Study Shows Weight Gain After Hormone Therapy May Level Off After a Year of Treatment
March 14, 2011 — Many men with prostate cancer will get treatments to block male hormones like testosterone in an effort to keep their cancer from spreading.
There are several recognized side effects associated with those therapies, including hot flashes, loss of interest in sex, erectile dysfunction, bone loss, mood changes, and weight and body composition shifts. Body composition is a loss of muscle and bone mass with an increase in fat mass.
Low Vitamin D Levels Seen in Parkinson’s Patients
Study Suggests Possible Link Between Vitamin D and Parkinson’s Disease
March 14, 2011 — A study of newly diagnosed patients with Parkinson’s disease found a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency, but vitamin D levels did not continue to decline as the disease progressed.
The research is one of several studies suggesting a link between low vitamin D levels and Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder that leads to tremors and problems with balance and coordination. Parkinson’s affects as many as 1 million older Americans.
Depression Risk Factors for People With Diabetes
Negative Life Events, Obesity, Poor Disease Control May Raise Depression Risk in People With Diabetes
Depression Risk Factors for People With Diabetes
Negative Life Events, Obesity, Poor Disease Control May Raise Depression Risk in People With Diabetes
‘Poor Quality’ Job as Mentally Harmful as No Job
Study Suggests Leaving Unemployment for an Overly Demanding Job Can Take a Toll on Mental Health
March 14, 2011 — Finding a “poor quality” job that’s overly demanding and where one feels a lack of job control or job security can be at least as harmful for a person’s mental health as being unemployed, a study shows.
Study researcher Peter Butterworth, PhD, an associate professor at the Australian National University in Canberra, tells WebMD that although having a job has been shown to have positive effects on both mental and physical health, moving from unemployment to a bad job can take a toll on your mental health.
Post-Stroke Depression Threatens Independence
Severe Depression May Affect Function in Stroke Patients, Making Them More Dependent on Others for Help
March 15, 2011 — Stroke survivors who are depressed may be more likely to be dependent on others for help, a new study suggests.
“Post-stroke depression is a common problem,” Arlene Schmid, PhD, OTR, of Indiana University, says in a news release. “We wanted to see whether depression and other factors affected function and dependence after a stroke.”
Treating Depressed Moms Helps Kids’ Depression
Study Shows Treatment of Mothers Is Linked to Improvement in Kids’ Depression Symptoms
March 15, 2011 — Children who live with depressed moms are at high risk for depression, but successful treatment of the mother greatly improves the prospects for her child, a study shows.
The study followed 80 depressed mothers and their children over time. It showed that depression symptoms, behavioral problems, and other signs of distress among children tended to correspond with the mothers’ response to treatment.
ADHD May Boost Creativity in Adults
Study Shows College Students With ADHD Score Higher on Tests That Measure Creativity
March 15, 2011 — An attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis can make many aspects of learning more challenging for children and teens, but some adults with ADHD show signs of enhanced creativity, a study suggests.
ADHD is a behavioral disorder characterized by difficulty focusing, impulsive behaviors, and hyperactivity.
Dukan Diet: The real reason French stay so thin?
(CBS) What’s the real reason French women stay so thin? We actually have no idea, but if you believe the smooth words of the diet industry’s latest pitch man, it’s a diet he stumbled upon by accident four decades ago.
The man in question is Dr. Pierre Dukan, a 69-year-old neurologist whose books have already sold millions of copies and been translated into 14 languages.
Whey Protein May Help Build Muscles
Study Suggests Benefits of Eating Whey Protein After Exercise
March 15, 2011 — Eating whey protein may help build muscle mass even if the dairy substance is taken a day after a workout session, a new study indicates.
Researchers at McMaster University in Canada and the University of Nottingham in England recruited 15 young men, all experienced in performing resistance exercise.
Fatty Fish May Cut Risk of Macular Degeneration
Study Shows Omega-3s in Fish May Reduce Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
March 14, 2011 — Eating fatty fish one or more times a week may reduce your risk for developing age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in people aged 60 and older.
The new findings appear online in the Archives of Opthalmology.
2 comments
ah-huh.
hmm…