37 Million Could Be Saved Through Global Health Programs By Jane Farrell articleReaching globally-agreed targets for health risks such as smoking and alcohol can prevent more than 37 million deaths by 2025, according to new statistics. The study, led by researchers from Imperial College London, said the health risks are caused by the “big four” illnesses: cancer, diabetes, lung disease and cardiovascular disease. The study, published in The Lancet, found that the majority of death prevention would be in low- to middle-income nations, while the reductions for smoking and blood pressure will lead to the largest benefits.
_ Sleep HealthDoes Melatonin Work? By Jane Farrell articlecould get to sleep. Millions of people suffer from the same condition, and melatonin, a popular dietary supplement, is said to help. The melatonin sold in stores is a concentrated form of a natural hormone that plays a role in sleep. The hormone’s levels in the body rise in the a.m. and fall in the p.m. It’s been studied in connection with sleep disorders such as jet lag and insomnia, as well as dementia symptoms.
_ Watch: Treating Nausea By Jane Farrell articleHere's another addition to the Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning.
_ Alzheimer's Subtype Often Misdiagnosed By Jane Farrell articleNeuroscientists have defined a subtype of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that they say is neither well recognized nor treated appropriately. The variant - called hippocampal sparing AD - made up 11 percent of the 1,821 AD-confirmed brains examined by researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Florida.
_ Asthma Medicine Definitively Linked to Bone Loss By Jane Farrell articleScientists appear to have definitively established a new risk factor for bone loss: asthma. According to a study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, there is a definitive connection between the use of corticosteroids and loss of bone mineral density.
_ Watch: The Symptoms of Throat Cancer By Jane Farrell articleHere's another addition to our Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning.
_ Human Cartilage Created From Stem Cells By Jane Farrell articleFor the first time, scientists have grown fully functional human cartilage from human stem cells. The experts, from Columbia University, said that the process could help repair cartilage defects in humans. It could also make a composite graft with bone. The discovery was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
_ Vitamin D and Aggressive Prostate Cancer By Jane Farrell articleResearchers say that Vitamin D deficiency is an indicator of aggressive prostate cancer risk in middle-aged men who underwent a biopsy. Adam B. Murphy, M.D., MBA, assistant professor in the Department of Urology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said that the finding affected European-American and African-American men, although the link between Vitamin D deficiency andaggressive prostate cancer was stronger in African-Americans.
Vision HealthProtect Your Eyes During Exercise By Jane Farrell articleFor many of us, the warmer seasons mean more exercise. And you’re probably taking several safety factors into account: how to protect yourself from dehydration or the sun’s damaging and even deadly rays. We should think about our sight as well. According to the National Institutes of Health, emergency room doctors treated an estimated 42,000 sports-related eye injuries each year. And 90 percent of them, the NIH says, could have been prevented with protective eyewear.
_ New Approaches to Parkinson's By Jane Farrell articleThree studies from the University of Pennsylvania demonstrate new approaches to understanding and treating Parkinson’s disease, and eventually even staving it off. The findings were to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
_ Spinal Cord Cells and ALS By Jane Farrell articleA previously overlooked group of cells may be contributing to a wide range of disorders, according to research from the University of California, San Francisco. The star-shaped cells, known as astrocytes, might be a factor in illnesses such as Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), autism and schizophrenia. The finding was published in the journal Nature.
Pain ManagementWatch: New Device for Migraine Prevention By Jane Farrell articleHere's another addition to our Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning.
_ Breast CancerStudy: Chemotherapy Not Always Best for Breast Cancer By Jane Farrell articleAlthough many women with early-stage breast cancer are getting chemotherapy, the ones that decide against it appear to be more empowered about making a good decision, new research indicates. The current guidelines for treating cancer that hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body have led to thousands of women receiving chemotherapy without benefiting from it.
_ Better Medicine for Serious Ailments By Jane Farrell articleScientists have discovered a crucial element in a cellular process that could help develop a new class of drugs for treating epilepsy, heart disease and cancer. Researchers from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, found that T-type channels can shift the way they generate electrical signals to cells. The rhythmic signals produced by a normal action of this process support the contraction of heart muscles as well as “firing” in parts of the brain
_ PetsEnd-of-Life Pet Care By Jane Farrell articleAs any pet owner can tell you, companion animals are part of your family. You love them, you take care of them, you play with them. Someday, though, the inevitable will come: your pet will become seriously ill and pass away. Most pets don’t die suddenly; they usually become ill and linger for a while. How can you make your companion’s last days good ones, and when is it time for him or her to go? The experts at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) have some answers.
_ Heart HealthStatin Users Eating More Fat By Jane Farrell articleMany Americans who take statins don’t have a healthy diet because the drugs give them a false sense of security, according to a new study. And the number of statin users with unhealthy diets appears to have increased. The research by investigators from UCLA indicates that patients who took statins in 2009-2010 were eating more calories and fat than those who used statins earlier. Among people who didn’t use statins, there was no similar increased.
A Better Approach to Colorectal Surgery By Jane Farrell articleHospital stays for colorectal-surgery patients can be cut by two days via a practice known as “enhanced recovery,” according to researchers from Duke University Hospital. The practice also reduced readmission rates.
_ Eating And Exercising: 5 Top Tips By Jane Farrell article Anyone who’s ever had a high-fat meal knows how sluggish it can make you feel. (Thanksgiving dinner, anyone?) To get the most from your exercise routine, you need to eat healthy and nourishing foods. Here, from the Mayo Clinic, are some suggestions: 1. Eat a healthy breakfast