Prevention and Diseases (H1N1 Flu, Swine Flu)
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Prevention
General Information
NEWS:
An Apple a Day? Study Shows Soluble Fiber Boosts Immune System
Antibacterial in soap comes under U.S. scrutiny “Many experts agree that soap containing triclosan does little or nothing extra to remove bacteria that using soap without the ingredient, as washing the hands physically removes the excess bacteria.”
Are Hand Sanitizers Better Than Handwashing Against the Common Cold? “"The ethanol-containing hand disinfectants were significantly more effective than hand washing with water or with soap and water for removal of detectable rhinovirus for the hands in this study," say the researchers. "Furthermore, a formula containing organic acids and ethanol resulted in residual activity that significantly reduced virus recovery from the hands and rhinovirus infection for up to 4 hours after application."”
Are non-smokers smarter than smokers? “The findings suggest that lower IQ individuals are more likely to choose to smoke, rather than that smoking makes people less intelligent, Weiser and his team conclude.”
Are you sitting down? It's slowly killing you “More leisure time spent sitting was associated with higher risk of mortality, particularly in women. Women who reported more than six hours per day of sitting (outside of work) were 37 percent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who sat fewer than three hours a day. Men who sat more than six hours a day (also outside of work) were 18 percent more likely to die than those who sat fewer than three hours per day. The association remained virtually unchanged after adjusting for physical activity level. Associations were stronger for cardiovascular disease mortality than for cancer mortality. When combined with a lack of physical activity, the association was even stronger. Women and men who both sat more and were less physically active were 94 percent and 48 percent more likely to die during the study period, respectively, compared with those who reported sitting the least and being most active. "Several factors could explain the positive association between time spent sitting and higher all-cause death rates," Patel said. "Prolonged time spent sitting, independent of physical activity, has been shown to have important metabolic consequences, and may influence things like triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, resting blood pressure, and leptin, which are biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular and other chronic diseases."
Belly fat may double risk of death for older adults
Blueberries and Other Purple Fruits to Ward Off Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's “Eating purple fruits such as blueberries and drinking green tea can help ward off diseases including Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's, a University of Manchester report claims.”
Blueberries Counteract Intestinal Diseases “It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fibre are important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis. The protective effect is even better if the blueberries are eaten together with probiotics.”
Burning Candle at Both Ends Harmful?
Consumers Over Age 50 Should Consider Cutting Copper and Iron Intake, Report Suggests “"It seems clear that large segments of the population are at risk for toxicities from free copper and free iron, and to me, it seems clear that preventive steps should begin now." The article details those steps for people over age 50, including avoiding vitamin and mineral pills that contain cooper and iron; lowering meat intake: avoiding drinking water from copper pipes; donating blood regularly to reduce iron levels; and taking zinc supplements to lower copper levels.”
Cranberry Juice May Not Prevent Urinary Tract Infection
DASH Diet Fuels the Brain “A new study shows the DASH diet in combination with regular exercise improved mental activity by 30% in overweight adults compared with those who didn’t diet or exercise. The DASH diet was developed by the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension study and emphasizes low-fat dairy products and low-cholesterol foods as well as carbohydrates and fruits and vegetables. Researchers say high blood pressure affects about 50% of adults aged 60 and older and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of mental decline like dementia. Lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, have been shown to lower blood pressure and improve brain activity, but they say this is the first study to look at the combined effects of diet and exercise on brainpower in overweight people with high blood pressure.”
Defending Against Disease With an Anti-Inflammation Lifestyle
Eating Berries May Activate the Brain's Natural Housekeeper for Healthy Aging “Poulose said the study provides further evidence to eat foods rich in polyphenolics. Although berries and walnuts are rich sources, many other fruits and vegetables contain these chemicals ? especially those with deep red, orange, or blue colors. Those colors come from pigments termed anthocyanins that are good antioxidants. He emphasized the importance of consuming the whole fruit, which contains the full range of hundreds of healthful chemicals. Frozen berries, which are available year round, also are excellent sources of polyphenolics, he added.”
Examples of Sodium Levels in Some Foods
Experts Urge FDA to Mandate Salt Reduction “But proponents of mandatory salt reduction say lowering salt to more reasonable levels could reduce high blood pressure, improve health in other ways, and save 100,000 lives a year in the U.S. Currently, the average American takes in more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium (equivalent to 8.5 grams or about 1.5 teaspoons of salt) a day, according to the IOM report. That's far more than the maximum intake level of 2,300 milligrams or about 1 teaspoon established under the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. And a level of 1,500 milligrams per day is termed ''adequate" by the Institute of Medicine.”
H1N1 Virus Spreads Easily by Plane “Scientists already know that smallpox, measles, tuberculosis, seasonal influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) can be transmitted during commercial flights. Now, in the first study to predict the number of H1N1 flu infections that could occur during a flight, UCLA researchers found that transmission during transatlantic travel could be fairly high.”
Hooked on Headphones? Personal Listening Devices Can Harm Hearing, Study Finds “"The ear is going to be damaged throughout your lifetime; what we're seeing here resembles early onset age-related hearing loss -- you might think of it as prematurely aging the ear," he said. "I don't demonize headphones," said Fligor, who encourages moderation, not prohibition. At a reasonable volume -- conversational or slightly louder -- there's little risk, he said: "It's when you start overworking the ear that you get problems."”
Hot water hand washing a tepid tale
Is Hand Washing Enough to Stop the Spread of Disease? “Not drying your hands thoroughly after washing them, could increase the spread of bacteria and rubbing your hands whilst using a conventional electric hand dryer could be a contributing factor. Frequently people give up drying their hands and wipe them on their clothes instead, but hand-hygiene is a key part of infection control and drying hands after washing is a very important part of the process. … Our bodies naturally have bacteria called commensals all over them. However, bacteria from other sources, such as raw meat, can also survive on hands, and can be easily transferred to other surfaces, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. When hands are washed the number of bacteria on the surface of the skin decreases, but they are not necessarily eliminated. If the hands are still damp then these bacteria are more readily transferred to other surfaces. … Dr Snelling says: "Good hand hygiene should include drying hands thoroughly and not just washing. The most hygienic method of drying hands is using paper towels or using a hand dryer which doesn't require rubbing your hands together." “
It's Never Too Late to Quit Smoking and Save Your Vision
Lifestyle Intervention Improves Quality of Life and is Cost Effective “" High-intensity and long-lasting interventions can produce sustainable improvements in QOL and can obviously be cost-effective," Dr. Eriksson and colleagues conclude. "Such programs may be a wise use of resources in primary health care for patients with diseases to which inactivity strongly contributes."”
Living Without Gluten May Be Easier Than You Think
Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease “Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers in the lining of the rectum and colon, resulting in abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. This study found that people whose diet was rich in oleic acid were far less likely to develop ulcerative colitis. Oleic acid is a monosaturated fatty acid found in foods such as olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, butter and some margarines.”
Orange Juice Neutralizes Inflammation Prompted by Fast Foods
Physicians Avoid Recommending HPV Vaccine in Girls Aged 11 to 12 Years
Regular workouts ward off the common cold “"The most powerful weapon someone has during cold season," Nieman told MyHealthNewsDaily, "is to go out, on a near-daily basis, and put in at least a 30-minute brisk walk." … The researchers found the length of time cold symptoms lasted was shorter by 43 percent to 46 percent in people who worked out five or more times a week, compared with people who worked out once a week or never. “
Reusable Grocery Bags Can Breed E. Coli, Study Warns
Seven hours the magic number for sleep
Sitting around shortens your life: Expending energy is beneficial to health
Sleep Plays Important Role in Chronic Disease: Report “7 to 8 hours is optimal for adults, but too much or too little raises health risks, study finds”
The Vitamin Deficiency You May Not Know You Have “"If you're low on vitamin D, your immune system does not function as well or you're more susceptible to infections,” said Dr. Richard Honaker, a family practice physician. “There's a greater incidence of heart attacks and strokes in people that are vitamin D-deficient versus people who are OK on their vitamin D levels.” “
Those Who Exercise When Young Have Stronger Bones When They Grow Old “The researchers have therefore established that there is a positive link between exercise while young and bone density and size. The connection is even stronger if account is taken of the type of sports done. "The bones respond best when you're young, and if you train and load them with your own bodyweight during these years, it has a stimulating effect on their development," says Nilsson. "This may be important for bone strength much later in life too, so reducing the risk of brittle bones."”
Use This Veggie to Safeguard Your Liver “Chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, two substances found in spinach and other leafy greens, may help reduce the body's absorption of aflatoxin, a common but potentially harmful type of environmental toxin.”
Vitamin D may help pre-diabetes
Vitamin D Plus Calcium Guards Against Fractures “There's a growing consensus that a combination of calcium and vitamin D is more effective than vitamin D alone in preventing nonvertebral fractures, Opinder Sahota, of Queen's Medical Center in Nottingham, England, wrote in an accompanying editorial.”
Vitamin D Supplementation: A Promising Approach for the Prevention and Treatment of Strokes (Current Drug Targets 2010)
Vitamin Supplements Reduce Deaths Caused by Measles and Diarrhea, Study Finds
Watermelon Lowers Blood Pressure, Study Finds
Which Is More Sanitary: Hand Towels or Air Dryers? “No matter which method you choose, you won't be rid of germs unless you dry your hands thoroughly. Germs love water. It's their ideal medium for multiplying and getting around. And the recent study found that putting in the time and effort to really dry hands completely will mean way fewer germs. And get this: Drying hands vigorously with a paper towel bested rubbing them dry under a blower when it came to germ levels. Seems the skin-on-skin friction created when we rub our hands under the blower somehow releases more germs that live deep in our pores.”
Whole Grain Intake Prevents Diabetes, Heart Diseases, and Excess Weight Gain
Why Shouldn't I Drink Grapefruit Juice With My Meds?
ARTICLES:
6 Daily Habits That May Make You Sick
Apple Cider Vinegar “Vinegar is a product of fermentation. This is a process in which sugars in a food are broken down by bacteria and yeast. In the first stage of fermentation, the sugars are turned into alcohol. Then, if the alcohol ferments further, you get vinegar. The word comes from the French, meaning "sour wine." While vinegar can be made from all sorts of things -- like many fruits, vegetables, and grains -- apple cider vinegar comes from pulverized apples. The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar, or any vinegar, is acetic acid. However, vinegars also have other acids, vitamins, mineral salts, and amino acids. … Should I Use Apple Cider Vinegar? The answer depends on how you want to use apple cider vinegar. As a salad dressing, you should be fine. But taken as a daily medical treatment, it could be a little more risky. Yes, some studies of apple cider vinegar are intriguing. But a lot more research needs to be done. Right now, there is not enough evidence that apple cider vinegar -- or any vinegar -- has any health benefit for any condition. Since the benefits are unknown, so are the risks.”
Blood Sugar Concerns? Choose This Snack “Compared to other nuts, walnuts have higher amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, which may help protect against plaque formation in arteries. Walnuts also are a great source of an amino acid called L-arginine, which helps relax blood vessels and control blood pressure. And surprisingly, the nut eaters in the study didn't suffer any deleterious effects to their weight and waist sizes.”
Confessions of a Sugar Freak: Beating Fatigue and Depression
Does cleaning with antibacterial products reduce illness in your home? “Infectious diseases expert Dr Michael Whitby says no 'reputable research' has found that using antibacterial products to clean surfaces – such as bench tops, bathroom sinks and toilets – will cut sickness. (Much of the research into bacteria in the home is funded by the companies that make the antibacterial products.) "I'm not saying that inanimate surfaces don't spread disease. What I'm saying is that in the close relationship of a household, a lot of it [disease] is spread person to person, and cleaning the inanimate surfaces with an antibacterial cleaner is not going to help," Whitby says.”
Hair Do or Dye: Toxic Hair Color
Protect Your Colon From Diverticular Disease
Protect Your Pancreas with This Bumpy Green “Seems that flavonol-rich diets could reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer by up to 23 percent, according to a recent study. And broccoli's got heaps of the compound.”
Sitting at work: a health hazard “"We've actually reported that people who break up their sedentary time throughout the day, regardless of their total sedentary time, have a better health profile," Dunstan says. "It all comes down to moving the muscles." For Dunstan that means not sitting on public transport, and standing or moving around as much as possible while taking phone calls and during meetings. "I just say at the start of the meeting 'I will get up and move around. Please don't think I'm not listening.' What happens is once one person starts to stand up, others start to too. But we don't usually stand and move all the time because you know, you still need to write." Ultimately, he'd like to see changes in office design that encourage us to be less sedentary: centralised mail collection points, standing "hot desks" for internet browsing, lunch rooms with benches at standing height, and reading rooms with exercise bikes.”
The Grapefruit Effect and Your Drugs
Which Has More Germs - A Restaurant Tray or a Park Sandbox?
Winter health myths: Sorting fact from fiction
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
Antibiotic Treatment Duration and Long-Term Outcomes of Patients with Early Lyme Disease from a Lyme Disease–Hyperendemic Area (Clinical Infectious Diseases 2010) “Conclusions. Patients treated for 10 days with antibiotic therapy for early Lyme disease have long-term outcomes similar to those of patients treated with longer courses. Treatment failure after appropriately targeted short-course therapy, if it occurs, is exceedingly rare.”
Dietary Folate and Vitamin B6 and B12 Intake in Relation to Mortality From Cardiovascular Diseases. Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (Stroke. 2010) “Conclusions—High dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 were associated with reduced risk of mortality from stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure among Japanese.”
Echinacea for Treating the Common Cold (Annals 2010) “Illness duration and severity were not statistically significant with echinacea compared with placebo. These results do not support the ability of this dose of the echinacea formulation to substantively change the course of the common cold.”
Effects of high-dose B vitamin complex with vitamin C and minerals on subjective mood and performance in healthy males. (Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2010) “CONCLUSIONS: Healthy members of the general population may benefit from augmented levels of vitamins/minerals via direct dietary supplementation. Specifically, supplementation led to improved ratings of stress, mental health and vigour and improved cognitive performance during intense mental processing.”
Emergence of Cryptococcus gattii--- Pacific Northwest, 2004--2010 (MMWR 2010)
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule: United States, 2010 (Annals 2010)
The Benefits of Risk Factor Prevention in Americans Aged 51 Years and Older (American Journal of Public Health. 2009)
Vitamin D, innate immunity and upper respiratory tract infection. (J Laryngol Otol. 2010)
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