NAFI/NFI wellness

Accidental fungus leads to promising cancer drug

2008-06-30T14:31:00.001-05:00

Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:17am EDT

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A drug developed using nanotechnology and a fungus that contaminated a lab experiment may be broadly effective against a range of cancers, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.

The drug, called lodamin, was improved in one of the last experiments overseen by Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer researcher who died in January. Folkman pioneered the idea of angiogenesis therapy -- starving tumors by preventing them from growing blood supplies.

Lodamin is an angiogenesis inhibitor that Folkman's team has been working to perfect for 20 years. Writing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, his colleagues say they developed a formulation that works as a pill, without side-effects.

They have licensed it to SynDevRx, Inc, a privately held Cambridge, Massachusetts biotechnology company that has recruited several prominent cancer experts to its board.

Tests in mice showed it worked against a range of tumors, including breast cancer, neuroblastoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, brain tumors known as glioblastomas and uterine tumors.

It helped stop so-called primary tumors and also prevented their spread, Ofra Benny of Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School and colleagues reported.

"Using the oral route of administration, it first reaches the liver, making it especially efficient in preventing the development of liver metastasis in mice," they wrote in their report. "Liver metastasis is very common in many tumor types and is often associated with a poor prognosis and survival rate," they added.

'ALMOST CLEAN' LIVERS

"When I looked at the livers of the mice, the treated group was almost clean," Benny said in a statement. "In the control group you couldn't recognize the livers -- they were a mass of tumors."

The drug was known experimentally as TNP-470, and was originally isolated from a fungus called Aspergillus fumigatus fresenius.

Harvards's Donald Ingber discovered the fungus by accident while trying to grow endothelial cells -- the cells that line blood vessels. The mold affected the cells in a way known to prevent the growth of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries.

Ingber and Folkman developed TNP-470 with the help of Takeda Chemical Industries in Japan in 1990.

But the drug affected the brain, causing depression, dizziness and other side-effects. It also did not stay in the body long and required constant infusions. The lab dropped it.

Efforts to improve it did not work well. Then Benny and colleagues tried nanotechnology, attaching two "pom-pom"-shaped polymers to TNP-470, protecting it from stomach acid.

In mice, the altered drug, now named lodamin, went straight to tumor cells and helped suppress melanoma and lung cancer, with no apparent side effects, Benny said.

All untreated mice had fluid in the abdominal cavity, and enlarged livers covered with tumors. Mice treated with lodamin had normal-looking livers and spleens, the researchers said.

Twenty days after being injected with cancer cells, four out of seven untreated mice had died, while all treated mice were still alive, Benny's team reported.

"I had never expected such a strong effect on these aggressive tumor models," she said. The researchers believe lodamin may also be useful in other diseases marked by abnormal blood vessel growth, such as age-related macular degeneration.

(Editing by Todd Eastham)

Smoking causes middle-age mental decline

2008-06-10T14:49:00.001-05:00

Lighting up affects mind as well as body, new study shows

updated 4:38 p.m. ET, Mon., June. 9, 2008

CHICAGO - Middle-aged adults who smoke tended to perform poorly on tests of memory and reasoning compared to nonsmokers, adding to the list of reasons not to smoke, French researchers said on Monday.

Analyzing previously collected data on about 5,000 British civil servants, the researchers found those who smoked were more likely than people who never smoked to be in the lowest-performing of five groups in tests of memory, reasoning, vocabulary and verbal fluency.

Smoking was associated with mental decline in middle age, as it is with dementia and a host of physical ills later in life, they found.

"Smoking in middle age is associated with memory deficit and decline in reasoning abilities," concluded Severine Sabia and colleagues from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Villejuif, France.

Compared to smokers, people who said they had quit cigarettes were more likely to adopt healthier behaviors, such as drinking less alcohol, being more physically active, and eating more fruits and vegetables, Sabia reported in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The participants were aged 35 to 55 at the beginning of the study, which followed some subjects up to 17 years.

The study also demonstrated how difficult it can be to conduct long-term research on smokers: more than twice as many smokers as non-smokers refused to take the memory test again or were not able to be re-tested, in some cases because they died in the interim.

Copyright 2008 Reuters.

Antibacterial wipes can spread superbugs: study

2008-06-03T12:17:00.000-05:00

Tue Jun 3, 2008 1:11pm EDT

By Michael Kahn

LONDON (Reuters) - Disinfectant wipes routinely used in hospitals may actually spread drug-resistant bacteria rather than kill the dangerous infections, British researchers said on Tuesday.

While the wipes killed some bacteria, a study of two hospitals showed they did not get them all and could transfer the so-called superbugs to other surfaces, Gareth Williams, a microbiologist at Cardiff University, said.

The findings presented at the American Society of Microbiology's General Meeting in Boston focused on bacteria that included methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

"What we have found is there is a high risk," Williams, who led the study, said by telephone. "We need to give guidance to the staff on how to use the wipes because we found there is a possibility of cross transfer."

MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. Most cases are associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities.

The superbug can cause life-threatening and disfiguring infections and can often only be treated with expensive, intravenous antibiotics.

Experts have been saying for years that poor hospital practices spread dangerous bacteria, and yet many studies have shown that health care workers, including doctors and nurses, often fail to even wash their hands as directed.

The findings from a study of intensive care units at two Welsh hospitals suggest that even cleaning with antimicrobial wipes may not be enough depending on how staff use them.

The researchers found that many health care workers cleaned multiple surfaces near patients, such as bed rails, monitors and tables with a single wipe and risked sweeping the infections around rather than cleaning them up.

"We found that the most effective way to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface," Williams said.

Celebrex Shows Promise in Lung Cancer Prevention

2008-06-03T12:12:00.001-05:00

By Julie Steenhuysen
Reuters

CHICAGO

A high dose of the arthritis drug Celebrex showed early signs that it may help prevent lung cancer in heavy smokers, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.

The Pfizer Inc drug, also known as celecoxib, works by blocking the COX-2 enzyme that causes inflammation, which has been linked with cancer.

A six-month study of 212 current or heavy smokers found a reduction in a specific type of precancerous change in lung cells in people who took a high dose of Celebrex compared with those who took a placebo.

None of the study participants had any heart-related problems such as those with Merck & Co Inc's now withdrawn arthritis drug Vioxx, another COX-2 inhibitor.

"Celebrex was safe and we did not see any cardiovascular events," said Dr. Edward Kim of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who presented his findings at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

He said the study suggests that a high dose of Celebrex might alter some of the cellular changes that lead up to lung cancer. But the finding is very early and would need to be confirmed in longer, larger studies.

"This is not a study where we go tell someone who is a heavy smoker to start taking Celebrex to prevent lung cancer," Kim said in an interview.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2008, about 215,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer and about 114,000 people will die from it.

The study was started before news emerged in September 2004 that Vioxx doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke in certain patients.

Kim said the trial was put on hold in December 2004 at the request of Pfizer and the National Cancer Institute, which funded the trial, so the researchers could look for signs of heart attacks or strokes.

It was started up again in May 2005 after the researchers added safeguards, including consultations with cardiologists, to reduce heart risks.

EARLY SIGNS

Rather than a direct measure of cancer prevention, which could take many years, Kim said the researchers were looking for early changes in the body that might suggest the drug could reduce the chances of developing lung cancer.

Two large, long-running lung cancer prevention studies of beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements found they actually increased the risk of lung cancer.

"We have not had positive results with these studies. Now we would like to search for an intermediate endpoint or biomarker," Kim said at a media briefing.

"Perhaps that will lead us in the direction of who we need to target in the future," he said.

The researchers tested Celebrex in the study because studies in cells, mice and in people have shown the COX-2 enzyme is present at higher than normal levels in lung cancer and in precancerous lesions of the lung, Kim said. COX-2 is thought to play a role in the development of blood vessels that feed tumors.

Kim's study measured levels of the Ki-67 protein, a marker for cell growth. The researchers wanted to see if Celebrex had an impact on levels of this protein in tissue samples taken from the lungs of heavy smokers.

At the beginning of the study, the researchers took lung samples from six predetermined areas of the lung.

People in the study either got a 200 milligram or a 400 milligram dose of Celebrex twice a day, or a placebo.

After three months, they took more lung samples, and they took samples again at six months. Kim said the group that got the higher dose of Celebrex saw a reduction in levels of the Ki-67 protein.

Kim said it will be important to find better ways of identifying people who are at the highest risk for lung cancer for whom the benefits of taking a high-dose COX-2 inhibitor would outweigh any potential heart risks.

Celebrex Shows Promise in Lung Cancer Prevention

2008-06-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

Genetic Link Tied to Smoking Addiction

2008-06-03T12:10:00.000-05:00

Teams of Scientists Find Genetic Changes Linked to Cigarette Addiction, Lung Cancer
By SETH BORENSTEIN
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Scientists have pinpointed genetic variations that make people more likely to get hooked on cigarettes and more prone to develop lung cancer — a finding that could someday lead to screening tests and customized treatments for smokers trying to kick the habit.

The discovery by three separate teams of scientists makes the strongest case so far for the biological underpinnings of nicotine addiction and sheds more light on how genetics and lifestyle habits join forces to cause cancer.

"This is kind of a double whammy gene," said Christopher Amos, a professor of epidemiology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of one of the studies. "It also makes you more likely to be dependent on smoking and less likely to quit smoking."

A smoker who inherits these genetic variations from both parents has an 80 percent greater chance of lung cancer than a smoker without the variants, the researchers reported. And that same smoker on average lights up two extra cigarettes a day and has a much harder time quitting than smokers who don't have these genetic differences.

The researchers disagreed on whether the variants directly increased the risk of lung cancer or did so indirectly, by causing more smoking.

The three studies, funded by governments in the U.S. and Europe, are being published Thursday in the journals Nature and Nature Genetics.

The scientists studied the genes of more than 35,000 white people of European descent in Europe, Canada and the United States. Blacks and Asians will be studied soon and may yield different results, scientists said.

They aren't quite sure if what they found is a set of variations in one gene or in three closely connected genes.

The gene variations, which govern nicotine receptors on cells, could eventually help explain some of the mysteries of chain smoking, nicotine addiction and lung cancer. These oddities include why there are 90-year-old smokers who don't get cancer and people who light up an occasional cigarette and don't get hooked.

"This is really telling us that the vulnerability to smoking and how much you smoke is clearly biologically based," said psychiatry professor Dr. Laura Bierut of Washington University in St. Louis, a genetics and smoking expert who did not take part in the studies. She praised the research as "very intriguing."

The smoking rate among U.S. adults has dropped from 42 percent in 1965 to less than 21 percent now.

The new studies are surprising in that they point to areas of the genetic code that are not associated with pleasure and the rewards of addiction.

That may help explain why some people can quit and others fail, said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Md., which funded one of the studies.

"It opens our eyes," Volkow said Wednesday. "Not everyone takes drugs for the same reason. Not everyone smokes cigarettes for the same reasons."

One clue is in the location of the just-discovered variants, on the long arm of chromosome 15, Volkow said. It is in an area that, when damaged during tests on animals, makes them depressed and anxious. While some people smoke because it helps them focus or gives them a physiological reward, others do it to stave off depression.

That suggests that adding antidepressants to some smokers' treatment could help them kick the habit.

Bierut said a simple, inexpensive test could be developed to screen people for the variants. Kari Stefansson, lead author of the largest of the three studies, agreed. He is chief executive of deCode Genetics of Iceland, which already does prostate cancer genetic tests.

Such testing could carry risks all its own, bioethicist Arthur Caplan of the University of Pennsylvania warned. People who have been found to have a genetic predisposition to addiction and lung cancer could find it harder to get health or life insurance, or their employer might drop their coverage, he said.

"The good news is that getting these risk estimates will help focus anti-smoking campaigns, and some people will want to voluntarily get into anti-addiction programs early, where they will probably work better," Caplan said in an e-mail. But if such testing is done, it should be voluntary, and the results should be kept private, he said.

Smoking-related diseases worldwide kill about one in 10 adults, according to the World Health Organization.

Among the findings:

— Smokers who get the set of variants from only one parent see a risk of lung cancer that is about one-third higher than that of people without the variants. They also smoke about one more cigarette a day on average than other smokers. This group makes up about 45 percent of the population studied.

— Smokers who inherit the variants from both parents have nearly a 1-in-4 chance of developing lung cancer. Their cancer risk is 70 to 80 percent higher than that of smokers without the genetic variants. They smoke on average two extra cigarettes a day. This group accounts for about one in nine people of European descent.

— Smokers who don't have the variants are still more than 10 times more likely to get lung cancer than nonsmokers. Smokers without the variant have about a 14 percent risk of getting lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer for people who have never smoked is less than 1 percent, said another study author, Paul Brennan of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.

Brennan and Amos, working on different teams, linked the genetic variation itself — when triggered by smoking — directly to lung cancer. Brennan said the nicotine receptors that the variants act on also can stimulate tumor growth.

But Stefansson said the increased lung cancer risk was indirect — the variants led to more smoking, which led to more cancer.

For Stefansson, the research hits home. His father, a smoker, died of lung cancer. And Stefansson, who doesn't smoke, frequently lectures his 23-year-old daughter "who smokes like a chimney." She acts as if she is immortal and smoking can't kill her, Stefansson said. But his own research shows that her genes are probably stacked against her.

———

Roche says Herceptin with chemo prolongs survival

2008-05-30T14:34:00.000-05:00

REUTERS
Fri May 30, 2008 6:42am EDT
Reporting by Sam Cage and Paul Arnold; editing by Sue Thomas

ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG's Herceptin, when added to chemotherapy Xeloda, prolonged survival without progression of breast cancer by three months compared to chemotherapy alone, the Swiss drugmaker said on Friday.

Roche also reported results from a mid-stage trial, which showed that patients whose disease had progressed during a Herceptin regimen benefited from a combination of Herceptin and pertuzumab, another Roche drug.

Roche stock rose 1.1 percent to 182.20 Swiss francs by 1013 GMT, versus a 0.6 percent rise in the European sector.

"Incremental positive news for Herceptin should also help sentiment towards Roche," Dresdner Kleinwort analysts said in a note.

The data are due to be presented at an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting.

For the Roche statements, click here or here

Vitamin D for babies may prevent type 1 diabetes

2008-05-30T14:32:00.001-05:00

REUTERS
Fri May 30, 2008 1:23pm EDT
By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new analysis of current research provides "the strongest evidence to date" that giving small children supplemental vitamin D will help prevent them from developing type 1 diabetes later on, according to the review's co-author.

"This is just another reason why current recommendations regarding vitamin D supplementation should be rigorously adhered to," Dr. Christos S. Zipitis told Reuters Health.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin with sun exposure. Deficiency in the nutrient can lead to a host of health problems, Zipitis said. Because breast milk typically contains little vitamin D, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends vitamin D supplements for nursing infants and UK public health authorities say that all children should receive the supplements for at least the first two years of life.

There are a number of clues suggesting a link between low vitamin D levels and type 1 diabetes, Zipitis of Stockport National Health Service Foundation Trust and Dr. A. K. Akobeng of Booth Hall Children's Hospital in Manchester, UK, note in their report in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

The investigators reviewed all published research on vitamin D supplementation and diabetes risk. Overall, they found, infants who were supplemented with Vitamin D were 29 percent less likely to develop type 1 diabetes than children who had not received supplements.

Proper clinical trials are required to determine the optimal dose and formulation of vitamin D, as well as when and for how long children should be given the supplements, Zipitis and Akobeng conclude.

In the meantime, Zipitis said, "I would advise parents to encourage their pediatricians to prescribe vitamin D supplements for their infants. However, parents can also obtain these over the counter and provided they are used as per manufacturer instructions they should be extremely safe to use."

Child safety seats should be centered in back seat

2008-05-12T11:18:00.000-05:00

Child safety seats should be centered in back seat
REUTERS
Mon May 12, 2008 7:37am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Positioning child safety seats in the center of the back seat could cut infants' and toddlers' injury risks by nearly half, a new study suggests.

In a study of car crash data from 16 U.S. states, researchers found that children younger than 3 years old were 43 percent less likely to be injured when their seat was fastened in the center of the back seat rather than one of the side seats.

Experts already recommend that parents position car seats in the center of the rear seat, and the current findings bolster that advice, according to Michael J. Kallan and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, only 28 percent of children in their study were sitting in that position at the time of the car accident, the researchers report in the journal Pediatrics.

There are obstacles to placing a car seat in the center position, Kallan's team acknowledges.

It is physically harder to strap a child, especially a heavier child, into a center-positioned seat. A centered child seat can also make it difficult for other people to sit in the rear of the car.

But based on the current findings, the researchers write, this center position is the safest place for babies and toddlers to ride.

The results are based on data from 4,790 car crashes involving children ages 3 and younger that occurred between 1998 and 2006. At the time of the accident, 41 percent of the children were in a car seat positioned in the right-hand back seat, while 31 percent were in the left-hand seat.

The center position was the least popular, but the safest. The reason, in part, was that children in a centered seat were better protected during a side-impact crash, according to Kallan's team.

"Recommendations should continue to encourage families to install child-restraint systems in the center of the rear seat," the researchers conclude.

They note that there are several online resources for parents who need information on installing child safety seats. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia maintains such a site, at www.chop.edu/carseat.

Parents can also go to a local child safety seat inspection station, where inspectors will give them advice on properly using the seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a searchable database of inspection stations, here

SOURCE: Pediatrics, May 2008.

Prostate cancer deaths fall after screening program

2008-05-12T11:17:00.001-05:00

Prostate cancer deaths fall after screening program
REUTERS
Mon May 12, 2008 7:38am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Prostate cancer deaths fell substantially in the decade after one Austrian state began free PSA screening tests for all men ages 45 to 75, according to a new study.

Researchers found that after the state of Tyrol began a program of free PSA screening and prostate cancer treatment in 1993, the expected death rate from prostate cancer dropped by 54 percent. That compared with a decline of 29 percent in the rest of Austria, where free screening was not available.

The findings, reported in the journal BJU International, suggest that routine PSA testing can save men's lives -- something that has long been an open question.

PSA tests measure the amount of a protein called prostate-specific antigen in a man's blood. Because prostate tumors cause PSA levels to rise, routine PSA testing can catch the cancer early.

But PSA screening is controversial because it is not clear that the benefits outweigh the risks. Prostate cancer is often very slow-growing, and PSA screening may lead to treatment of tumors that would never have become life-threatening; treatment can carry side effects, like incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

In addition, PSA concentrations can increase for a reason other than prostate cancer and confirmation of prostate cancer requires a biopsy of the prostate gland, which itself can have side effects, such as infection or bleeding.

However, in the current study, early detection through widespread PSA screening is likely the driving force behind the greater drop in death rates seen in Tyrol, according to the researchers.

Between 1993 and 2005, nearly 87 percent of men ages 45 to 75 in Tyrol had at least one PSA screening test, the study found. That was up from 11 percent before the free program began.

And while prostate cancer death rates declined throughout Austria during the same period, they fell faster in Tyrol.

"Before the program was introduced, prostate cancer death rates in the Tyrol were similar to the rest of the country," lead researcher Dr. Georg Bartsch, of the University of Innsbruck, said in a statement.

"But after the program was launched the death rate in the Tyrol started falling by an average of 7.3 percent a year, more than twice the 3.2 percent observed in the rest of Austria."

The researchers acknowledge, however, that routine PSA screening remains controversial, and questions such as which men stand to benefit most from screening are still unresolved.

In general, experts recommend that men speak with their doctors about the potential benefits and risks of PSA screening for them personally. The American Cancer Society recommends that doctors offer most men PSA testing and a digital rectal exam yearly, starting at age 50.

SOURCE: BJU International, April 2008.

Painkillers help build muscle in older exercisers

2008-04-10T12:34:00.001-05:00

Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:23pm EDT
Reuters.com
By Megan Rauscher

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a study of healthy older adults lifting weights regularly, for 3 months, taking recommended daily doses of ibuprofen (like that in Advil) or acetaminophen (like that in Tylenol) led to substantially greater increases over inactive placebo in quadriceps muscle mass and strength.

Dr. Chad C. Carroll, a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Todd Trappe in the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, reported the study results this week during the annual meeting of the American Physiological Society, part of the Experimental Biology 2008 scientific conference in San Diego.

Taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen regularly during resistance training seems to induce chances within the muscle that enhance the metabolic response to resistance exercise, which promotes additional muscle building and strength gains in the elderly, the researchers found.

During 12 weeks of supervised knee-extensor weight training, performed three times per week for 15 to 20 minutes, 36 men and women, between 60 and 78 years old, were randomly assigned to ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or placebo in doses mimicking what chronic users of these pain relievers were likely to be taking on a daily basis.

"We used 1200 milligrams a day for ibuprofen and 4000 milligrams per day of acetaminophen, which is the maximum over-the-counter daily dose," Dr. Trappe explained in an interview with Reuters Health.

As expected, resistance training alone (placebo group) increased quadriceps muscle mass and muscle strength. However, the increases were far greater in the ibuprofen and acetaminophen groups.

"The muscles of the ibuprofen and acetaminophen users got 40 to 60 percent bigger than the placebo group and their muscle strength also went up higher than the placebo group," Trappe said.

Specifically, muscle volume increased 11 percent in the ibuprofen group and 13 percent in the acetaminophen group, compared with 9 percent in the placebo group. Muscle strength increased 30 percent in the ibuprofen group and 28 percent in the acetaminophen group, compared with 23 percent in the placebo group.

These finding were somewhat surprising, Trappe said. In a prior study, his team measured muscle protein synthesis over a 24-hour period and found that ibuprofen and acetaminophen had a negative impact on muscle by blocking the COX enzyme.

Based on this acute study, "we figured that these drugs would actually get in the way of muscle building in the elderly -- the group that seems to benefit the most from doing resistance exercises," Trappe explained.

The researchers are now examining muscle biopsies taken from the study subjects before and after the 3-month period of resistance training to better understand the metabolic mechanism behind the apparent beneficial effects of ibuprofen and acetaminophen during weight training.

Weight discrimination common, U.S. survey finds

2008-04-10T12:27:00.001-05:00

Wed Apr 9, 2008 5:29pm EDT
09 Apr 2008
By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Discrimination against the overweight may be about as prevalent as racial discrimination, the results of a survey of U.S. adults suggest.

Using data from a survey of nearly 2,300 Americans, researchers at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut found that 5 percent of men and 10 percent of women said they had faced discrimination because of their weight -- ranging from job refusals to rude treatment in everyday life.

Among respondents who were severely obese -- having a body mass index

(BMI) of 35 or higher -- 40 percent reported instances of weight discrimination. A body mass index is the ratio between height and weight commonly used to classify individuals as over- or underweight.

Weight bias also rivaled the prevalence of other, long-recognized forms of discrimination, the researchers report in the International Journal of Obesity.

Among women, weight discrimination was the third most common form, behind sex and age discrimination. Among all adults, it came in fourth overall, after sex, age and racial discrimination.

The findings point to a need for "organized efforts" to combat weight bias, the researchers note in their report.

"In order to reduce weight bias, we need major shifts in societal attitudes," lead researcher Dr. Rebecca M. Puhl told Reuters Health.

This would include building awareness of weight discrimination and its consequences, Puhl noted, as well as improving media portrayals of obese individuals. Overweight people should also have legal protection against discrimination, she said.

The findings are based on a nationally representative sample of 2,290 Americans ages 25 to 74 who were surveyed between 1995 and 1996.

Respondents were asked whether they had ever been victims of discrimination based on race, religion, sex or various other reasons, including weight.

Of the men and women who reported weight discrimination, 60 percent said they had experienced work-related discrimination, such as not being hired, being passed over for promotion, or being wrongly fired.

Many also cited day-to-day types of discrimination, like being treated with less respect or courtesy than others, or being "perceived as inferior." And compared with victims of other forms of discrimination, those subjected to weight bias were more likely to say they had been called names or overtly insulted.

Women were particularly likely to perceive weight bias, with twice as many women as men reporting such discrimination.

This may not be surprising, according to Puhl, given the "stringent and unrealistic ideals of thinness that are placed on women in North America."

Indeed, the study found that women seemed to be vulnerable to weight discrimination even if they were moderately overweight, whereas only severely obese men reported discrimination at a rate comparable with their female counterparts.

"This means we need to be especially aware of the negative experiences and effects of weight bias among females," Puhl said.

SOURCE: International Journal of Obesity, online March 4, 2008.

Healthy life 'can give you another 14 years'

2008-01-08T07:46:00.000-05:00

By Nic Fleming, Medical Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:53am GMT 08/01/2008

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/08/nhealth108.xml

A healthy lifestyle can increase a person's lifespan by as much as 14 years, scientists have claimed.

Researchers have calculated people can extend the length of their lives by up to 17 per cent by not smoking, drinking only moderately, eating healthily and keeping physically active.
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Many studies have highlighted the health risks associated with cigarettes, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet and lack of exercise. However, few have looked at the combined effects of all four on longevity.

Prof Kay-Tee Khaw, a gerontologist at Cambridge University who led the new study, said: "There were substantial differences in mortality associated with the four health behaviours combined.

"The results strongly suggest that these four achievable lifestyle changes could have a marked improvement on the health of middle-aged and older people, which is particularly important given the ageing population in the UK and other European countries."

Prof Khaw and colleagues, whose study is published in the journal PLoS Medicine, surveyed 20,244 men and women living in Norfolk in the mid-1990s. The participants, none of whom had known cancer or heart disease, were aged between 45 and 79.

They were given a point for each of four healthy behaviours - not smoking, exercising, alcohol intake of less than 15 units per week (less than five large glasses of wine or five pints of medium-strength lager) and having vitamin C levels equivalent to eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

When in 2006 - an average of 11 years later - the researchers re-contacted those who took part, they found 1,987 had died since they were first interviewed.

Those who scored zero points, by having smoked, drank, failed to exercise and failed to eat enough fruit and vegetables, were four times more likely to have died than those who scored four points.

On this basis, the healthiest group in the study were calculated to have a lifespan that was, on average, 14 years longer than those with the least healthy lifestyle.

Those with one point - for displaying only one healthy behaviour - were 2.5 times as likely to have died than the healthiest group.

Smokers were 77 per cent more likely to have died during the study period, and low alcohol intake was associated with a 26 per cent increased chance of survival.

Being physically active and having levels of vitamin C equivalent to eating five servings of fruit and vegetables increased chances of still being alive by the end of study by 24 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively.

Behavioral Economics for Healthcare

2007-12-03T16:53:00.001-05:00

POSTED: Thursday, November 29, 2007

FROM BLOG: Psych Central News - Psychology, psychiatry and mental health news and research findings, updated every weekday.

The following blog post is from an independent writer and is not connected with Reuters News. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by Reuters.com.

healthA new article in JAMA suggests policymakers can use the science of behavioral economics to dramatically improve the health of Americans. The commentary, published in the Nov. 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association posits behavioral economics — a decision-making model that recognizes individuals are prone to biases that impede or undermine their ability to make good or rational choices –-can be used to steer individuals toward good physical and improved mental health.

The paper was written by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pennsylvania, Aetna Inc. and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The authors believe the new approach can counter one of the underlying causes of major health problems in the United States and other developed nations — bad decision-making on the part of individuals.

Tobacco use, obesity and alcohol abuse account for nearly one-third of all deaths in the United States. What’s more, the full benefits of many medical advances — such as medication to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol and prevent strokes — go unrealized because people fail to adhere to their treatment.

For example, the authors note that one year after suffering a heart attack about half of patients prescribed drugs to lower cholesterol have stopped taking them.

So, why do people make choices they know are bad for them, or fail to do things, like take medication, which they know will be helpful?

Unlike conventional economics, which assumes that when presented with adequate information people will make decisions that are in their own best interests, behavioral economics recognizes that individuals are prone to biases that impede their ability to make good choices.

The authors advocate exploiting these decision-making biases to help people make better decisions — without taking away their freedom of choice — a strategy they label “asymmetric paternalism.”

Take weight loss. Many of us, around the holidays, resolve to lose weight starting after the New Year. But when the time comes, many people fail to make good on this resolution. Rather than a simple lack of willpower, the authors explain that this is an example of a present-biased preference: the tendency of individuals to place disproportionately greater weight on the costs and benefits of their choices in the present than in the future.

The cost of giving up food one enjoys is immediate, while the benefits are realized in the future. Without a mechanism to enforce self-control, a person’s resolve often fails.

Another common decision-making bias is the tendency to favor the status quo or default option. This bias explains, for example, why the organ donation rate in the United States is so much lower than in France, where almost everyone is an organ donor: In the United States, a person must sign-up to be an organ donor, but in France, a person is automatically registered as a donor unless they choose to opt out.

These biases can be exploited by making the healthiest choice the one that follows the path of least resistance.

For example, fast food restaurants that now offer soda as the default choice with a combo meal can instead make a bottle of water the default option, with soda being a substitution available only on request.

A cafeteria line could be arranged so that the healthiest foods appear first, with unhealthy foods requiring the most effort to select. Employers can provide chilled bottles of water within easy access of workers, while placing soda machines in out-of-the-way locations.

Vending machines could be installed in workplaces with access codes that an individual must activate to buy snacks or soda on the following day. Present-biased preferences, meanwhile, can be utilized by providing patients with up-front rewards for healthier behavior.

Such incentive-based approaches have been found to be effective in areas such as smoking cessation and even abstinence from drugs such as cocaine.

“We’ve only scratched the surface of potential applications. The possibilities for using decision errors to improve health behaviors and thereby improving the health of the population is enormous,” said study author George Loewenstein, the Herbert A. Simon Professor of Economics and Psychology at Carnegie Mellon.

Asymmetric paternalism can be used to help people get better medical care, give up bad habits such as smoking, or even exercise more. Gym visits or routine lab tests, such as cholesterol screenings, can be automatically scheduled so that the patient has to incur added inconvenience to cancel them rather than, as is currently the case, to schedule them.

People often miss out on routine but life-saving medical tests simply because they fail to schedule appointments. Health care providers should automatically schedule the next test when the patient comes in for the current test.

The potential for these approaches to improve health is immense, and some of the up-front costs of incentive programs could be paid by employers or insurers in anticipation of improvements in health and productivity that likely would follow.

The paper was co-authored by Kevin Volpp, a staff physician at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center and an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Wharton School; and Troy Brennan with Aetna Inc.

“Modifying health behaviors such as smoking is an enormous and important public health challenge. Despite tremendous progress, smoking still causes more than 400,000 preventable deaths per year. But these approaches have the potential to be more effective than many approaches that have been used to date,” Volpp said.

Source: Carnegie Mellon University

Knowing heart risk may prompt healthy change

2007-12-03T16:52:00.001-05:00

Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:11pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adults at risk for developing coronary heart disease seem to respond better to preventive treatment when their doctor tells them exactly what their risk is and how they can help lower their risk, results of a study suggest.

In the study, people who had frank discussions with their doctor about their coronary risk profile achieved greater improvement in their cholesterol levels than those who did not have these discussions.

It is well known that lowering levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and raising levels of "good" HDL cholesterol reduces the chances of a heart attack and heart-related death. Yet patients don't always stick to recommended lifestyle changes or their cholesterol medications.

The results of one recent study suggested that about one-third of people who stop taking their cholesterol medications do so because they are not convinced they need them.

This made Dr. Steven A. Grover of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and colleagues wonder whether boosting patients' knowledge of their heart risk profile might help boost their adherence to heart-healthy ways.

To find out, they randomly assigned 3,053 adults being treated for cholesterol problems to usual care or to receive a 1-page computer printout displaying their probability of developing heart disease in the next 8 years based on their current lifestyle, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other risk indicators.

During the study, reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the printout group also received ongoing feedback on how much they could cut their risk through lifestyle modification and drug therapy.

A total of 2,687 patients completed the 12-month study, and the researchers saw that those in the intervention group who kept track of their heart risk profile had small but significantly greater improvements in their cholesterol profiles.

The patients who were better educated about their heart risk profile were also more likely to reach cholesterol targets, the investigators found.

Given the public health burden of heart disease, prevention is key, Grover and colleagues note in their report. "Communicating risk is consistent with many of the recommendations to improve adherence, including enhancing self-monitoring and using the support of family and friends."

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, November 26, 2007.

© Reuters2007All rights reserved

The Scary Truth About Influenza

2007-12-03T16:51:00.001-05:00

The Flu Kills More Than 36,000 People Each Year -- Here's How to Protect Yourself
By SALLY H. HOUSTON, M.D.

March 28, 2007 —

Flu has been one of the most devastating infections in human history. In 1918 and 1919, the flu killed 50 million people worldwide in just a few months.

Fortunately, flu seasons this dangerous are rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the flu each year. That is 15 to 60 million people in the United States alone.

Approximately 200,000 are hospitalized because of flu complications, and 36,000 die. Many of these deaths could be prevented if people got their flu vaccine in the fall each year.

There are hundreds of possible strains of flu virus, and getting the flu once does not protect you from getting it again.

Each year scientists determine which strains of flu are the most likely for the next flu season. Then they make a vaccine to protect against those strains.

Even if you get infected with a different strain, the flu vaccine will help your body fight off the infection more quickly, and you will not get as sick.
What Is Flu?

The flu is caused by the influenza virus, a potentially life-threatening respiratory tract infection that can be prevented by getting vaccinated and avoiding exposure. Preventing the spread of influenza is everyone's responsibility.

Flu symptoms include sudden onset of high fever, dry cough, sore throat, stuffy nose and severe muscle pains in the legs and low back. People with the flu usually do not experience a runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea.

Most people with flu will feel terrible for five to seven days and then recover completely. However, the very young, elderly or those with chronic illnesses are at greater risk of developing complications that may lead to hospitalization or even death. These patients develop life-threatening complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure or heart failure.
What Do I Do If I Get the Flu?

The most important thing any flu victim can do is to stay at home. This will help prevent spread of flu to others.

A quick call to your doctor is also important because there are medicines that will shorten the course and decrease the severity of flu symptoms, but they must be started within 48 hours of the first symptoms.

Rest, drink plenty of fluids and take acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin to help with the fever and muscle aches. But never give aspirin to children with the flu because serious and deadly complications can develop.

Tylenol is a very safe medication for treating fever and pain, but high doses or even normal doses taken with alcohol can cause liver failure. Check over-the-counter medication labels to be sure that you do not take more than 4000 mg of acetaminophen in 24 hours. Ibuprofen should be taken with plenty of liquids and some food to prevent stomach upset.
How Can I Prevent Flu?

Vaccination is safe and effective. There are two kinds of vaccine: an injection and a new nasal vaccine.

The injection is made with killed flu virus and is safe for people 6 months old and older. The nasal vaccine is administered directly into the nose and is for healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49 years.

You cannot get flu from the injected vaccine. There is a small risk that people with weakened immune systems could become sick from the nasal vaccine, which is made with a weakened form of the flu virus.

Some people still get flu after vaccination, but they are much less likely to become seriously ill than those who have not been vaccinated.

There may not be adequate supplies of flu vaccine to vaccinate everyone against flu every year. In that case, vaccine manufacturers and public health authorities will work together to assure those at greatest risk receive vaccines first.

Priorities for flu vaccination include individuals at high risk for complications and their caregivers. This includes children 6 months to 5 years old, pregnant women, those over 50 years old, people who live in nursing homes and those with chronic illnesses.

Complications associated with flu vaccine are very rare and include pain and swelling at the injection site, fever and aches (more common in children), and allergic reactions to components of the vaccine.

Medicines used to treat flu can also be used to prevent flu, but these work best when used in addition to the vaccine. Otherwise, they must be taken for the whole flu season, which spans fall and winter.

Some people cannot take vaccine and may need to take these medications to prevent flu. Check with your doctor if you have questions about flu prevention.

Keeping sick people at home, washing hands frequently, covering nose and mouth with tissue when coughing or sneezing will prevent flu, as well as ward off other germs that cause colds, vomiting or diarrhea.

Dr. Sally Houston is an associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Medicine and chief of staff at Tampa General Hospital.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

The Salt Threat

2007-12-03T16:50:00.001-05:00

Too Much Sodium in Diet Harmful to Americans' Health

Nov. 29, 2007 —

It's recommended that Americans eat a teaspoon or less of salt per day. But most of us eat about twice that much.

Later today, the Food and Drug Administration will hold hearings to discuss whether it should create warning labels or even set limits for sodium in packaged foods.
Hidden Culprit

It's not the table salt you sprinkle from your shaker, but the salt hidden in everyday foods that's the real danger.

Experts say 75 percent of the sodium we consume comes from packaged foods. There are obvious ones, like salty snacks. But did you know bread, chicken broth, cheese and chocolate can be high in salt? Some TV dinners contain several times the recommended daily dose.
Serious Health Concerns

Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure and lead to heart disease. In fact, the American medical association says cutting people's sodium intake in half could save 150,000 lives a year.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest wants the government to limit the amount of sodium manufacturers can put in various categories of food. And it wants warning labels on high sodium products.

The food industry says it is already taking steps on its own, such as offering low sodium versions of popular products and even secretly removing sodium without telling consumers.

The FDA hasn't indicated whether it will take any action on sodium. By contrast, the British government is setting reduced sodium targets for foods and even running catchy educational ads.
What Can You Do?

Start by paying more attention to how much salt you're eating. Read labels at the grocery store and choose low-sodium alternatives.

Avoid certain foods that are notorious salt culprits, such as canned soups and meats, salted nuts, frozen dinners, salad dressings and snack foods like pretzels, potato chips and cheese.

Be careful when you cook. Substitute fresh meat and vegetables for canned alternatives. Skimp on the salty seasonings like soy and steak house. If you have to use canned products be sure to rinse and drain them first.

Lastly, if you can bare it, take the salt shaker off the table.

The good news though is that it might be one of the easiest habits to kick. According to "GMA's" consumer correspondent, Elisabeth Leamy, it could take just a few weeks to wean your taste buds off salt. One month of reducing your salt intake and your former favorites will taste too salty.

For more on the dangers of salt and tips on how to beat your salt habit head to the American Heart Association online.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

A New Way to Control Weight?

2007-12-03T16:46:00.000-05:00

Scientists Say Just Standing Up May Be as Important as Exercise
By LEE DYE

Nov. 28, 2007 —

Scientists have found intriguing evidence that one major reason so many people are overweight these days may be as close as the seat of their pants. Literally. According to the researchers, most of us sit too much.

In most cases, exercise alone, according to a team of scientists at the University of Missouri, isn't enough to take off those added pounds. The problem, they say, is that all the stuff we've heard the last few years about weight control left one key factor out of the equation. When we sit, the researchers found, the enzymes that are responsible for burning fat just shut down.

This goes way beyond the common sense assumption that people who sit too much are less active and thus less able to keep their weight under control. It turns out that sitting for hours at a time, as so many of us do in these days of ubiquitous computers and electronic games and 24-hour television, attacks the body in ways that have not been well understood.
The Need to Putter

"It was hard to believe at first," said Marc Hamilton, associate professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia and leader of the research team. He said the team didn't expect to find a strong signal when they began researching what happens to fat when we remain seated. But the effect, both in laboratory animals and humans, turned out to be huge.

The solution, Hamilton said, is to stand up and "putter."

The research was published this month in the peer-reviewed journal Diabetes, and it will be presented by Hamilton's post-doctoral researcher, Theodore Zderic, at the upcoming Second International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health in Amsterdam.

Hamilton is not suggesting that anyone quit exercising. But he says his work shows that exercise alone won't get the job done. We have to pay more attention to what's happening when we aren't in the gym, because the body's ability to dispose of fat virtually shuts down, he says, at least if we're sitting down.

Hamilton recruited a few laboratory rats and pigs, as well as about a dozen human volunteers, including himself, to learn more about the physiological effect of sitting. The lab animals laid the foundation for the research in two different experiments. The animals were injected with a small amount of fat that contained a radioactive tracer so the researchers could determine what happened to the fat.

"What's the fate of that fat?" Hamilton asked during a telephone interview. "Is it burned up by the muscle?"

The radioactive tracer revealed that when the animals were sitting down, the fat did not remain in the blood vessels that pass through the muscles, where it could be burned. Instead, it was captured by the adipose tissue, a type of connective tissue where globules of fat are stored. That tissue is found around organs such as the kidneys, so it's not really where you want to see the fat end up.

The researchers also took a close look at a fat-splitting enzyme, called lipase, that is critical to the body's ability to break down fat.

After the animals remained seated for several hours, "the enzyme was suppressed down to 10 percent of normal," Hamilton said. "It's just virtually shut off."

The results from the animal studies were very convincing, he said, and human experiments were just as compelling. The researchers injected a small needle into the muscles of the human volunteers and extracted a small sample for biopsy. Once again, the enzyme was suppressed while the humans remained seated. That resulted in retention of fat, and it also resulted in lower HDL, the "good cholesterol," and an overall reduction in the metabolic rate.
You Need to Move Those Legs

The implications, Hamilton said, are clear. While much thought has been given to the good effects of regular exercise, scientists have not paid enough attention to what happens during the rest of the time when we may be fairly active but are probably sitting too much. That could help explain the rising tide of obesity, because people tend to sit more these days than they did a half century ago. Not to mention eating too much and getting precious little exercise.

Some might argue that playing video games, or even working at the computer, involves movement of the upper body, especially the hands and arms, so that's not really inactive. But Hamilton counters that arms don't weigh very much, and the big muscles in the human body which are so critical to burning fat are located in our legs and back.

"When we think about the postural muscles that are mostly in the legs and back, these are big, powerful muscles," he said. "We're talking probably 20 pounds of muscle in each leg. That's a lot of muscle that can be engaged in routine activities," including burning fat. But they can't do that without the enzyme that is suppressed while seated.

Much is still not known, including such fundamental issues as how long the effect lasts from getting up and moving around for a while, but Hamilton expects the answers to come fairly soon.

"There is going to be a flood of research on this in the next couple of years, and not just by us," he said. "This has raised the attention of a lot of great scientists around the world who have begun doing their own studies."

In the meantime, he suggests, we do the obvious. Take the time to get up and "putter" for a while. If his research turns out to be on the mark, it could save your life.

Lee Dye is a former science writer for the Los Angeles Times. He now lives in Juneau, Alaska.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

MRI scans show second-hand smoke damage to lungs

2007-11-27T08:44:00.000-05:00

REUTERS

Mon Nov 26, 6:46 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One third of people who breath in high levels of secondhand smoke have damage to their lungs similar to that seen in smokers, doctors reported on Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT

They used a special kind of magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scan to look at the lungs of non-smokers who had high exposure to other people's cigarette smoke and found evidence of the kind of damage that causes emphysema.

"We interpreted those changes as early signs of lung damage, representing very mild forms of emphysema," said Chengbo Wang, a magnetic resonance physicist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who led the study.

"Almost one third of nonsmokers who had been exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke for a long time developed these structural changes," Wang added in a statement.

"To our knowledge, this is the first imaging study to find lung damage in non-smokers heavily exposed to secondhand smoke. We hope our work strengthens the efforts of legislators and policymakers to limit public exposure to secondhand smoke."

Wang, who presented his team's findings to a meeting of the Radiological Society of North American in Chicago, said 35 percent of U.S. children live in homes where someone smokes regularly.

The team studied 60 adults between ages 41 and 79, 45 of whom had never smoked. The non-smokers were considered to have high exposure if they had lived with a smoker for at least 10 years, often during childhood.

"It's long been hypothesized that prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke may cause physical damage to the lungs, but previous methods of analyzing lung changes were not sensitive enough to detect it," said Wang.

His team used a technique called long-time-scale, global helium-3 diffusion magnetic resonance imaging.

"With this technique, we are able to assess lung structure on a microscopic level," Wang said.

They found that 57 percent of the smokers and 33 percent of the nonsmokers with high exposure to secondhand smoke had signs of early lung damage as measured by the scan.

In February, U.S. researchers reported that up to 20 percent of women who develop lung cancer have never smoked.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox, editing by Will Dunham and Cynthia Osterman)

Doctors offer holiday hints for allergy-prone

2007-11-20T13:21:00.001-05:00

REUTERS Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:58am EST
By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Family feasts, air travel and even moldy Christmas trees make the holiday season a risky time for allergy sufferers, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) warns.

So it's particularly important for people with allergies or asthma to anticipate potential triggers for their condition at this time of year, and to be prepared by bringing asthma or allergy medication along while traveling. Medications must be on hand in a person's carry-on luggage or purse rather than stowed with checked baggage, the AAAAI advises.

"Always have your as needed medicine as well as your daily medicine," says Dr. Pamela Georgeson, president and CEO of the Kenwood Asthma and Allergy Center in Chesterfield Township, Michigan and an AAAAI spokesperson. People traveling by air should either have a note from their doctor or the prescription label on their medication with them, she added, so they won't have any trouble making it through airport security.

And people with food allergies are now advised to carry not one but two Epi-pens for treating a severe allergic reaction, Georgeson said, because as many as 30 percent of patients may have a second reaction up to eight hours after the first.

Just being on an airplane can dry out the nasal passages, making people with asthma more prone to catching respiratory infections, which can in turn worsen asthma symptoms. "If they have underlying inflammation due to asthma, they just pick up the bug faster and it causes more problems," adovrg.nakar, an allergist and immunologist at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and a spokesperson for the AAAAI.

Holiday treats can contain hidden nuts, dairy or other food allergy triggers, notes Dinakar, so make sure hosts know about any food allergies you have; it may make sense to bring your own home-made dessert, she added.

If an animal-allergic person is visiting a pet owner's home, Dinakar advised, he or she should take asthma medication before arriving there.

Christmas decorations can be full of dust and mold when they're brought out of storage, Dinakar said. They should be cleaned outdoors, if possible, she said, while cloth decorations should be washed in soapy water. Georgeson pointed out that Christmas trees that have been cut in the fall and stored in damp conditions frequently carry mold. "People who are exquisitely sensitive to mold have real issues with that," she said. However, freshly cut trees aren't usually a problem.

More AAAAI holiday tips for people with asthma and allergies:

* Try to keep stress, which can trigger an asthma attack, to a minimum.

* Bring along your own pillow with an allergen-proof cover, or ask for non-down pillows if you're staying at a hotel or with a relative or friend. Down pillows harbor more dust mites than pillows with synthetic fill.

* If you're using artificial snow spray to decorate, follow instructions carefully; the spray can be a lung irritant.

* Request that your hosts refrain from burning wood in their fireplace while you are at their home, as breathing wood smoke can lead to an asthma attack.

Stem cells without embryos: skin cells transformed

2007-11-20T13:17:00.000-05:00

REUTERS Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:14pm EST
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two separate teams of researchers announced on Tuesday they had transformed ordinary skin cells into batches of cells that look and act like embryonic stem cells -- but without using cloning technology and without making embryos.

Their breakthroughs could make possible the long-sought goal of tailor-made medicine, but without the political, scientific and ethical roadblock of using human embryos.

Both teams call the new cells induced pluripotent stem cells and say they look and act like embryonic stem cells -- the master cells that give rise to every cell and tissue in the body.

"We can now envisage a time when a simple approach can be used to produce stem cells that are able to form any tissue from a small sample taken from any of us," Ian Wilmut of the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement.

"This will have enormous implications for research and perhaps one day for therapy," added Wilmut, who helped clone the first mammal, Dolly the sheep, in 1997.

James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and colleagues reported their finding in the journal Science while Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan and colleagues reported theirs in the journal Cell.

Both teams used just four genes to transform ordinary skin cells called fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells -- iPS cells for short.

"We are now in a position to be able to generate patient- and disease- specific stem cells, without using human eggs or embryos," Yamanaka said in a statement.

FOUR GENES

"These cells should be useful in understanding disease mechanisms, searching for effective and safe drugs, and treating patients with cell therapy," he added.

"By introducing four genes (OCT4, NANOG, SOX2 and LIN28), into human fibroblasts, stem cells sharing essentially all features of human ES cells were obtained," Thomson's team wrote in their report in Science.

"Similar to human embryonic cells, human iPS cells should prove useful for studying the development and function of human tissues, for discovering and testing new drugs, and for transplantation medicine," added Thomson, whose team first discovered human embryonic stem cells in 1998.

Yamanaka's team used a slightly different cocktail of genes -- OCT3/4, SOX2, C-MYC, and KLF4 -- to get their iPS cells.

Both teams said the new cells are not ready to use in people yet because they used a type of virus called a retrovirus to carry the new genes into the skin cells. It is not clear whether this virus might cause genetic mutations that could cause cancer or other side effects.

"More research is necessary to determine how closely related these cells are to embryonic stem cells, but these methods should be useful for developing disease models and for drug development," Thomson's team wrote.

Yamanaka said the new technology might still raise some red flags for some people.

"Our technology, however, create a new ethical concerns. It might be possible to generate sperm and eggs from skin cells, via iPS cells. This might help people with infertility problem, but it will be essential to have a proper regulation regarding the generation and usage of human iPS cells to avoid misusages of this technology," he said.

(Editing by Doina Chiacu)

© Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

Managing Diabetes With Exercise

2007-11-20T13:15:00.001-05:00

Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Prevented -- Or Reversed -- With Exercise
By STEFAN ASCHAN

Nov. 19, 2007—

When it comes to just about anyone, there is no excuse not to exercise. But this advice may be even more pertinent to those diagnosed with diabetes -- evidenced by the fact that the American Diabetes Association highly recommends activity for these individuals.

Unfortunately, many people just come up with excuses not to be active.

Fighting a Downward Trend

When we are young we believe we are indestructible. You remember that glorious time when you thought there was nothing out there that could kill you. Staying up all night dancing and partying, eating pizza, smoking and drinking alcohol and Red Bull -- does this sound familiar?

Inevitably, one day we wake up and find ourselves older, in a relationship and possibly with children.

Sure, we may still continue to eat pizza, drink sugary sodas and keep our energy levels up with stimulants. But four things have changed:

Our bodies' metabolisms have slowed down;

We are less active;

We have lost lean muscle tissue; and

We have started to gain weight.

Those initial signs are the beginning of a downward spiral that we need to be aware of that naturally accompanies aging. And we need to meet these challenges by replacing our unhealthy behaviors with strategies that work toward a healthier lifestyle.

How Exercise Can Help

Now for a growing number of us, a routine checkup could culminate in receiving the news from our doctors: "You have type 2 diabetes!"

Type 2 diabetes is a form that affects 90 to 95 percent of all those who have the disease. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does produce the blood sugar that regulates the hormone insulin, but only in small quantities.

Many who have type 2 diabetes remain unaware of their condition. But an important point is that type 2 diabetes occurs in adults who are overweight, and is characterized by a reduced sensitivity of insulin-target cells to available insulin.

So if you're diagnosed, what are you to do? One of the first recommendations is to change your lifestyle through exercise and nutrition.

Activities that are recommended include walking, running, biking, dancing, hiking, resistance training and many more. These daily exercises bring us many benefits besides weight loss. They help us to stay healthy, control our appetite, increase our energy, boost our mental clarity, prevent cardiovascular disease, help our digestion -- and the list goes on.

For those with diabetes, exercise helps stabilize insulin levels, which is important in any kind of weight-loss program. Regular exercise also helps diabetics stay focused on maintaining a healthy diet so that they lose the desire to eat foods that cause spikes in their blood sugar.

The good news is that once diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you can reverse the diagnosis. But the protocol needs to be specifically adjusted by paying attention to the following:

Intensity: Use 50 percent to 60 percent of cardiac reserve, gradually progressing to 60 and 70 percent.

Frequency: Exercise four to seven days a week, though you might need to start out with several short daily sessions.

Duration: Individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) should work up to 20 to 30 minutes a session; 40 to 60 minutes are recommended.

Actually, this is the general protocol for anybody who has been inactive for a while.

Catching Diabetes Before It Starts

Of course, we don't have to let it get to this point. Think back on all the activities that you liked to do in high school or college. Find something that makes you move. Wrestle, start dancing classes, or hunt around for activity classes that you enjoy.

We also live at a time when technology can truly help our fitness aspirations. Start using it. Use your iPod to receive downloadable programs. Or use it in such a way to keep you going. For example, use your wireless phone with a headset and start moving while you talk instead of lying in bed or on the couch. Why not? Do a home workout to start sweating in a way that does not require going to the gym.

You don't need to join a gym to stay in shape and stay healthy. What you do need is a willingness to change, to try, to not quit, to stay motivated, especially if you are obese or otherwise at risk for diabetes. Changes in your diet and exercise routine start with you.

Start moving now.

Stefan Aschan is the owner and founder of www.stefanaschan.com, which provides nutrition and exercise programs online and on-site in New York City.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

Heart Disease Kills More Women Under 45

2007-11-20T13:13:00.000-05:00

Study Shows More Women Under 45 Dying of Heart Disease, While Rate for Men Is Leveling Off
ABC News By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer
ATLANTA Nov 20, 2007 (AP)

For decades, heart disease death rates have been falling. But a new study shows a troubling turn more women under 45 are dying of heart disease due to clogged arteries, and the death rate for men that age has leveled off.

Heart experts aren't sure what went wrong, but they think increasing rates of obesity and other risk factors are to blame.

The rates will have to be monitored to see if this is the beginning of a real trend. But if the data holds, the new study may be an early glimpse of the impact of escalating obesity and diabetes on U.S. deaths, said Wayne Rosamond, a University of North Carolina epidemiology professor and expert on heart disease statistics.

"This could be a harbinger of things to come," Rosamond said.

To be sure, the overall trend is still positive: From 1980 through 2002, the death rate from blocked heart arteries was cut in half for men and women over 35. Improvements in treatment and preventive measures, including cholesterol-lowering medications, get the credit.

But what's going on with younger adults is startling, said Dr. Anthony DeMaria, editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which is publishing the study and released it Monday.

"We have a pretty rosy view of how things are going in the war against cardiovascular disease," DeMaria said. "I view this paper as a wake-up call that says there is a very important segment of our population that needs some attention."

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing almost 700,000 Americans each year.

Nearly 500,000 of those deaths are attributed to coronary heart disease, in which fat and plaque clog the arteries feeding blood to the heart, sometimes called hardening of the arteries. Heart attacks are a common result.

It can take many years for arteries to get dangerously blocked. About 93 percent of deaths occur in people 55 and older.

But a combination of factors including genetics, obesity and high cholesterol are sometimes fatal for younger adults. In 2002, about 25,000 men and 8,000 women ages 35 to 54 died of coronary heart disease.

The study was done by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Control and Prevention and Britain's University of Liverpool. They looked at U.S. vital statistics for artery-related deaths in adults ages 35 and older for the years 1980 through 2002, the most recent year for which data was available when the analysis was done.

When they compared age groups, they detected the worrisome difference. The study found the death rate for women ages 35 to 44 rose from 1997 to 2002, when the rate was 8.2 per 100,000 women, the highest it's been since 1987.

In actual numbers, the increase amounts to roughly 100 added deaths a year of women in that age group. That's a relatively small impact in the entire U.S. population.

Still, the results are statistically significant and a legitimate cause for concern, said Dr. Wayne Giles, director of the CDC's division of adult and community health.

"That's like an MD-88 crashing every year," he said, referring to a medium-size commuter jet plane.

The rates for men age 35 to 44 were relatively stable in the last few years of the study period. The rate was 26 deaths per 100,000 men in that age group in 2002.

The fact the male rate didn't worsen may indicate doctors are more likely to suspect heart disease in men that age than in women, said the CDC's Dr. Earl Ford, a study co-author.

For all ages, the female death rate fell to 261 from 514 per 100,000; the male rate fell to 430 from 898 per 100,000.

On the Net:

Journal of the American College of Cardiology: http:// http://www.acc.org/JACC/Ford.pdf

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

Diet, Growth Are Major Cancer Causes: Report

2007-10-31T12:46:00.000-05:00

REUTERS.COM
Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:29pm EDT

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - What people eat and how fast they grow are both significant causes of cancer, but many Americans still incorrectly believe that factors such as pesticides on food are bigger causes, experts reported on Wednesday.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of cancer for mother and child, and tall people have a higher risk of cancer than shorter people, the report found.

"We need to think about cancer as the product of many long-term influences, not as something that 'just happens,'" Dr. Walter Willett, a nutrition expert at the Harvard School of Public Health in Massachusetts, told a news conference.

The report, released jointly by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, is the result of five years of study by nine teams of scientists.

They reviewed 7,000 studies on diet, exercise, weight and cancer.

Most of what they recommended is in line with what health experts, including governments and the World Health Organization, have long been advising -- that diets based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and that go easy on red meats, dairy products and fats protect against heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

They found evidence that factors such as hormones that cause the body to grow quickly may be involved in some cancers.

"We found that tallness is also probably linked to increased risk for ovarian, pancreatic and pre-menopausal cancer as well," said Willett. He stressed that tall people are not destined to get cancer but should take care to maintain healthy habits.

The groups make keeping a healthy weight their No. 1 recommendation to reduce the risk of cancer.

AS LEAN AS POSSIBLE

"Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight," the 400-page report reads. That means keeping a body mass index, they said, of between 21 and 23. BMI is a calculation of height to weight, and the normal range is usually considered to be 18 to 25, with anything over 25 being overweight.

Exercise is also key. "Be physically active as part of everyday life," is the second of 10 recommendations made by the expert panel. The recommendations also include eating mostly plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables and grains, avoiding calorie-dense foods such as sugary drinks, and limiting red meat, alcohol and salt.

The American Institute for Cancer Research also released a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults that show most do not understand these risks. Only 38 percent knew of the link between cured and processed meats and cancer, 49 percent knew that diets low in fruits and vegetables raised the risk of cancer and 46 percent knew that obesity was a well-documented risk.

But 71 percent thought that pesticide residue on produce was a cause -- something that has never been shown; 56 percent thought stress causes cancer, again not proven; and 49 percent believed hormones in beef cause cancer.

"Americans are increasingly likely to attribute cancer to factors over which they have no control, and for which no proven links to the disease exist," the report reads.

"This reflects an 'everything causes cancer' mindset," it adds.

The meat industry quickly denounced the report.

"WCRF's conclusions are extreme, unfounded and out of step with dietary guidelines," said American Meat Institute Foundation Vice President of Scientific Affairs Randy Huffman.

Obesity a consequence of modern life: UK thinktank

2007-10-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

Reuters
Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:44am EDT
By Jennifer Hill

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Obesity does not result simply from over-eating and a lack of exercise but is a consequence of modern life, a British government thinktank said on Wednesday.

Being overweight is a far more passive phenomenon than is often assumed, according to Foresight.

It found in a report that the technological revolution of the 20th century has led to weight gain becoming unavoidable for most people because our bodies and biological make-up are out of step with our surroundings.

"Stocking up on food was key to survival in prehistoric times, but now with energy-dense, cheap foods, labor-saving devices, motorized transport and sedentary work, obesity is rapidly becoming a consequence of modern life," said Sir David King, the British government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight program.

The report, sponsored by the Department of Health, is the result of a two-year study into the causes of obesity involving almost 250 experts and scientists.

They predicted that the so-called obesity "epidemic" would take at least 30 years to reverse.

Until now, the government has concentrated on encouraging people, particularly children, to lead a healthier lifestyle, eating less fattening foods and taking more exercise.

ATTITUDE CHANGE

But King said a wholesale change in attitudes was needed.

"Foresight has, for the first time, drawn together complex evidence to show that we must fight the notion that the current obesity epidemic arises from individual over-indulgence or laziness alone," he said.

"Personal responsibility is important, but our study shows the problem is much more complicated. It is a wake-up call for the nation, showing that only change across many elements of our society will help us tackle obesity."

The researchers said there was no single "magic bullet" solution; even a new appetite-suppressing drug would not be the answer, because the problem is systemic.

Tackling obesity, like tackling climate change, requires a range of changes in society, from increasing everyday activity through urban design and transport systems to shifting the drivers of the food chain and consumer purchasing patterns to favor healthier options.

If current obesity growth rates continue, some 60 percent of men, 50 percent of women and 25 percent of children in Britain will be obese by 2050, according to the researchers.

Associated chronic health problems are projected to cost society an additional 45.5 billion pounds ($92.57 billion) per year.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson told parliament that government alone could not tackle all the problems.

"The chilling reality is that modern life makes us overweight," he said. "In a sense, we are the victims of our economic success. Tackling this problem calls for a fundamental shift in approach."

© Reuters2007All rights reserved

Bigger Brains, Better Genes

2007-09-13T12:17:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, those are among the benefits of exercising more and eating healthier.
By Dean Ornish, M.D.
Special to Newsweek
Updated: 3:47 p.m. ET Sept 12, 2007

“Go pump some neurons! Expand your craniums!”—Robin Williams, in “Mrs. Doubtfire”

You don’t need to read this column to know that exercise is good for you. You probably already know that regular, moderate exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being. What you may not know is that new research is showing that exercise beneficially affects your genes, helps reverse the aging process at a cellular level, gives you more energy, makes you smarter, and may even help you grow so many new brain cells (a process called neurogenesis) that your brain actually gets bigger.

Really.

So does improving your nutrition. A diet high in sugar and saturated fat diminishes neurogenesis, whereas other foods increase it, including chocolate (in moderate amounts), tea and blackberries, which contain a substance called epicatechin that improves memory. Small amounts of alcohol increase neurogenesis, whereas larger amounts decrease it. Chronic emotional stress decreases neurogenesis, but stress management techniques increase it. Drugs such as nicotine, opiates and cocaine decrease neurogenesis, whereas a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in 1995 showed that cannabinoids (found in marijuana) increase it, at least in rats. (Uh, what were we just talking about?)

Use It or Lose It
Until about nine years ago it was thought that you were born with a certain number of neurons, and they tended to decrease in number as you got older. The best you could hope to do was to slow the rate at which you lost brain cells.

Fortunately, it’s not true. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and at Columbia University showed that older adults continue to generate new neurons at virtually any age. Earlier this year these researchers found that in addition to growing new neurons, exercise doubled blood flow to the brain. A study published last year by researchers at the University of Illinois reported that just walking for three hours per week for only three months caused so many new neurons to grow that it actually increased the size of people’s brains.

Best of all, the region of the brain that grew the most was the hippocampus, the part most involved with memory and cognition. After only three months, those who exercised had brain volumes typical of people who were three years younger! Also, the new neurons tend to find their way to well-established existing connections and replace ones that are damaged or nonfunctioning. Those who showed the most improvement in fitness also showed the greatest enhancement in memory. The authors concluded, “These results suggest that cardiovascular fitness is associated with the sparing of brain tissue in aging humans. Furthermore, these results suggest a strong biological basis for the role of aerobic fitness in maintaining and enhancing central nervous system health and cognitive functioning in older adults.”

Regular, moderate exercise (along with healthier eating and stress management techniques) also reduces inflammation throughout your body, including in your brain, and reduces the incidence of tiny strokes that can impair your ability to think clearly. Exercise also helps boost your sense of well-being. Levels of beneficial neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine are higher in those who exercise—the same ones elevated by many antidepressants. These, in turn, may help reduce depression, elevate mood and help you focus better.

Exercise Makes You More Intelligent
Other studies have shown that older adults who exercise regularly have better memory, are better at going from one mental task to another, and can focus and concentrate better than those who are sedentary. In other words, exercise makes older people more intelligent.

Exercise makes younger people smarter too.
Kids who exercise have fewer problems with attention-deficit disorder and learn faster. Studies have shown that physical education in schools improves academic performance as well as physical fitness. For example, a study by the California Department of Education of 322,000 seventh-grade students found that the most fit scored in the 66th percentile on their SATs, whereas the least fit scored in the 28th percentile. Studies at the University of Illinois also found that those who were more fit had better standardized test scores.

Exercising Your Genes
Your genes are not your fate. The choices you make each day in your diet and lifestyle have a direct influence on how your genetic predisposition is expressed—for better and for worse. You’re only as old as your genes, but how your genes are expressed may be modified by exercise, diet and lifestyle choices much more than had previously been believed—and more quickly. For example, Finnish scientists reported in a study published in July that increased moderate to vigorous physical activity modified two genes involved in type 2 diabetes and reduced the risk of developing the disease, independent of changes in weight or diet.

Another recent study compared mitochondria in muscle biopsies of older and younger men and women. Your mitochondria are the “energy generators” of your body’s cells. One of the reasons many people feel less energetic as they get older is that their mitochondria work less efficiently with age. The investigators found that in those who were mostly sedentary, mitochondrial function declined markedly with age and was affected by more than 300 genes. Then the investigators put these older men and women through a six-month exercise program that involved strength training for one hour only two days per week using the types of weight machines found in most gyms. Resistance exercise for each session consisted of three sets of 10 repetitions for each of: leg press, chest press, leg extension, leg flexion, shoulder press, lat pull-down, seated row, calf raise, abdominal crunch and back extension, and 10 repetitions for arm flexion and arm extension.

After only six months, the subjects’ strength improved by 50 percent, and they reported feeling much more energetic. Many of the 300 genes that had declined with age began to now act more like those in younger people. In fact, the investigators found that exercise affected age-associated gene expression more than in younger people, meaning that exercise is especially beneficial as people get older.

These high-tech studies illustrate what a powerful difference low-tech interventions such as changes in exercise, nutrition and stress management techniques can play in our lives. People often believe that advances in medicine have to be a new drug, a new laser or a surgical intervention to be powerful—something really high-tech and expensive. They often have a hard time believing that the simple choices that we make in our lives each day—how much we exercise, what we eat and how we respond to stress—may make such a powerful difference in our health, our well-being, and even in our brains. But they often do.

How to remember to exercise in a way that’s sustainable? Do what you enjoy, make it fun and do it regularly. If you grow new neurons, then you won’t forget!

© 2007 Newsweek, Inc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20746682/site/newsweek/

DESKERCISE

2007-09-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

When you sit throughout the day, tension can build up; muscles become tight and joints stiff . Its a good idea to stretch periodically, and take a break every couple of hours to "desk"ercise. Ease tension, increase flexibility and get your circulation going!

Neck Deskercises
Many people suffer from neck stiffness arid soreness, and its no wonder your neck has the difficult burden of carrying your bead around, and it never gets a break except when you lay down. This neck push can be done sitting or standing and helps strengthen your neck muscles, which in turn will help alleviate some of the discomfort.

Keeping your head upright, hold the palm of one hand against your forehead, and press your head forward, resisting with your palm. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Now clasp your hands behind your head, and press your head backward, resisting with your hands. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Now hold your right hand against the side of your head, and press your head to the right, resisting with your hand. Again, hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Then repeat on left side.

Relax and Roll
Stress and anxiety often lead to an aching neck. Poor posture also plays a role. This stretch relieves tension in your neck and surrounding muscles.

Relax your shoulders and let your head roll forward, chin to chest. Slowly rotate your head in a circle without straining your neck. Repeat five times.

Relax. Then rotate in the opposite direction and repeat five times. Try not to raise your shoulders as you do this exercise.

Shoulder Exercizes

Heavy Hinges
This stretch is best done in a standing position. It is great not only for your shoulders, but also your triceps (backs of your arms). Do several times a day, or whenever your shoulders and upper body are feeling tight.

Standing upright, push both arms straight back with your palms facing down and hold for five seconds. Bend in arms at the elbow (like a hinge), fingers pointing straight ahead, and hold for five seconds. Repeat five to 10 times.

Chop Wood
Youre not really swinging an ax as you do this exercise, so you neednt make the movements choppy or jerky. Try for maximum stretch to relieve the tension in your shoulders and elbows that develops as you work at your keyboard all day.

From a standing position, clasp your hands and hold them close to your right shoulder, as though resting an ax there. Gently swing the ax by straightening your elbows and moving your hands toward your left thigh. Raise your clasped hands to your left shoulder, and swing the ax toward your right thigh. Repeat on both sides seven or eight times.

Ready For Fight
Your shoulders are the link between the three most common sites of stress-related pain - your head, neck and back. Increasing flexibility in your shoulders will also help with back and neck relaxation.

Sit erect in a chair. Raise your arms so that elbows are flared in an outward position and hands are at shoulder level in front of your body. Keep hands at shoulder level and push your elbows as high as you can, isolating the pressure on your shoulders. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Perform the first few slowly and smoothly, the next few faster and more intense, and the last couple slow and smooth.

Do the Funky Chicken
Loosen up your shoulders, chest and back by doing this "funky chicken"
exercise. It takes only a minute and releases a lot of tension in your upper body. It can be done from either a sitting or standing position.

Place your fingertips on your shoulders, elbows pointing out to the sides. Pull your elbows back as far as you can. Push your elbows forward and try to touch them together. Repeat 10 times. Now, keeping your fingertips on your shoulders, lift your elbows up and then push them down to your sides, as if youre trying to fly. Repeat 10 times.

Let the Good Times Roll
Your shoulders are one of the most flexible joints in your body, when they are functioning smoothly. Do this shoulder roll at least three times a day to relax your shoulders. You may do this one shoulder at a time, or both together.

Sit or stand tall. Lift your shoulders as high as you can. Bring them forward.
Push them down. Pull your shoulders back, then return to starting position.
Repeat in the opposite direction. Repeat three to five times.

Arm Deskercises

An Apple a Day
This "apple picker" stretch relieves tension in your arms, sides and waist. It feels great when done slowly and smoothly, so take your time and dont rush it. Perform the stretch first thing in the morning and periodically throughout the day.

Stretch your arms up, one at a time, as high as you can, as if reaching to pick an apple out of a tree. Repeat 10 times, alternating sides.

End Your Day with a Push-off
These stand-up push-ups are easier than the military kind. Nevertheless, they build up strength in the arms and shoulders and doing them feels great when you are stiff from sitting all day. All you need is a wall to lean on, so stand up and push.

Stand facing a wall, with your fleet apart and about 12 inches from the wall.
Rest your palms on the wall at about shoulder height. Bend your elbows and lean toward the wall as far as possible without touching your forearms to the wall. Keep your legs and back straight. Push yourself back to starting position. The farther from the wall you stand, the greater the shoulder effort needed to push back. Gradually increase your distance as you become stronger, but dont exceed two feet.

Hand & Wrist Deskercizes

Reach Out and Touch Your Fingers
This simple hand exercise will help to increase the mobility of your fingers. It's easily done at your desk several times a day.

Do each hand individually. Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of each finger in turn, making the circle as round as you can. Straighten your fingers in between touching each finger.

Buttocks Deskercises

Firm Your Fanny
Whether you sit all day or not, buttocks are an area of the body that we often neglect until we notice the area increasing in size! This exercise can be done while sitting in a chair or lying on your back with your knees bent. Do it several times a day to tighten those buttocks and firm your fanny!

Tighten and squeeze your buttocks, hold five to ten seconds, and release.
Repeat six to eight times. Really concentrate on the "squeeze" for maximum results.

Back/Upper Body Deskercises

These simple exercises can help ease the tension in your upper body. Give them a try.

Lets do the Twist
This torso twist stretch for the entire upper body can be done sitting right in your chair at the office. Perform it several times a day, whenever you get that "tense" feeling in your body.

Sit erect in a stationary chair with both feet flat on the floor. Look straight ahead. Slowly tilt your torso to the right as you reach around behind yourself with your right hand. Grasp the top right corner of your chair with your right hand. Complete the stretch by moving your left hand as close as possible to your right hand. Stretch as far as you can and hold it for 15 seconds. Repeat four to six times, twisting left and right, aiming to turn the body a little farther each time.

Tummy Twist
Performing this range of motion exercise several times a day will help prevent that tight, uncomfortable feeling in the trunk of your body that comes from sitting all day.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold your bent elbows down at your sides with fists up. Lean slightly forward and twist side to side with your elbows leading the movement. Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

Seventh Inning Reach and Stretch
This stretch is good for your arms and body trunk. Done slowly, it also serves as a great relaxation technique. Try very hard not to bend forward as you leanto the right or left.

Stand with your feet spread shoulder width apart. Raise one arm, then bend over sideways reaching over your head, until your arm is parallel to the floor (or as far as you can). Hold for five to 10 seconds. Repeat with other arm.

Tarzan Stretch
This is a good way to "open-up" the chest muscles after you have been sitting, leaning forward all day at your desk.

Interlace your fingers behind your back, palms facing in. Raise and straighten your arms, squeezing your shoulder blades together and "opening up" your chest. Fold for five to ten seconds. Repeat five to ten times.

Leg Deskercizes

Sit on Air
Strengthen your weary, neglected legs as you have a "seat." If you have a wall and two to four minutes, try this exercise once a day. You'll definitely feel the results!

Stand with your back against a wall and feet apart and about 16 inches from the wall. Lower yourself into a seated position, keeping feet flat on the floor, and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Return to standing and relax for 30 seconds. Repeat three times. Do not bend your knees beyond a 90-degree angle.

Ballet Bends
Weak or tight leg muscles often lead to back problems, which can make sitting for long periods uncomfortable. Legs are the foundation of good posture, and keeping them properly stretched prevents misalignment in the upper body.

Stand with your feet comfortably apart, your toes turned slightly outward. Hold the back of a chair if you need support. Keep your back straight and slowly bend your knees over your toes. (Its important not to extend your knees beyond your toes in order to avoid stress on the knees.) Straighten, by pushing up through your feet.

Hamstring Deskercizes

Stretch the "Hams"
When you sit throughout the day, those leg muscles can become tight if you don't stretch them periodically. This exercise will get you out of your chair and help increase the flexibility in your hamstrings. Do twice a day if possible.

From a standing position, extend one leg out in front of your other leg about l0 inches, lifting your toes and digging your heel into the ground. Bend the back leg slightly, and put both hands on the thigh of your back leg to support your weight. You should feel the stretch in the back of your front leg. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Now push the toes of the front leg down to the floor and hold for another 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Hamstring Curls
When you sit a lot during the day, its a good idea to take a break every couple of hours to do this exercise. It will strengthen the hamstrings (backs of legs above knees) - follow with a hamstring stretch for optimal results.

Stand and hold on to something stable for support, such as a file cabinet or bookshelf. Slowly lift one heel toward your buttocks, then lower. The knee of the supporting leg should be slightly bent during the exercise, not locked. Repeat 12 to 15 times on each side. At home try using ankle weights for added resistance.

Balancing Act
This is the best stretch for the quadriceps muscles - the large group of muscles in the fronts of your legs above the knees. You may find it difficult to do at first, but it will get easier if you do it daily and your flexibility increases.

Stand at the side of a chair with your left hand holding the chair for balance. Grab your right foot with your right hand (or grab your pant leg if you cannot reach your foot). Using your hand, pull your foot toward your buttocks and hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Your knee should be pointing downward, not out to the side. Repeat two to three times with each leg. To work on improving your balance, try removing your hand from the chair, little by little, as you hold the stretch.

Hamstring Hug
This is a good stretch for your lower body that you can do while sitting. Not only does it stretch your hamstrings - the group of muscles in the backs of your legs and above the knees, but you will also feel it working your quadriceps in the fronts of your legs.

Sit back and place your hands under your right thigh. Pull knee toward chest then extend the leg straight in front of you as far as you can. Repeat with your other leg. Do three to five times with each leg.

http://www.ucop.edu/humres/eap/exercizes.html

Vitamin D Supplements Cut Early Death Risk: Study

2007-09-11T11:35:00.001-05:00

Gains Could Be Due to Reduced Cancer Risk, Boosted Immune System
Sept 10, 2007

LONDON (Reuters) - People who take regular doses of vitamin D have a significantly lower risk of dying early than those who do not use supplements, according to new research published on Monday.

Previous studies have suggested vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of cancer, heart disease or diabetes, but the new findings indicate the vitamin provides an even bigger bang, researchers wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates," said Philippe Autier of the International Agency for Cancer Research in France and Sara Gandini of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan.

The reasons why were not clear but the researchers suggested the vitamin might block cancer cells from spreading or boost the immune system.

They did not conduct the studies themselves but did what is called a meta-analysis by reviewing 18 separate trials involving nearly 60,000 patients. The doses averaged 528 international units, within the range of most commercially available vitamin D supplements.

They found that nearly 5,000 of the participants in the studies died over an average follow-up period of 5.7 years, with the data showing that those who took vitamin D supplements had a 7 percent lower risk of death.

The team did not consider the specific causes of death in the studies, which included mostly healthy middle-aged or elderly people. They said further investigation was needed to find those kinds of answers.

Vitamin D is important for both healthy teeth and bones as well as nerve cells such as the brain and seems to act as an important regulator of the immune system.

Few foods are naturally rich in Vitamin D, known as the "sunshine" vitamin because the body produces it during exposure to sunlight.

One U.S. researcher called the results of the latest analysis "remarkable" and said they served as a reminder for doctors to make sure they were prescribing adequate doses of vitamin D to patients who needed it.

Copyright 2007 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Smoking Cessation Tips: Matria Healthcare

2007-09-10T16:06:00.000-05:00

OBJECTIVE: Provide the action steps needed to reach the goal
of decreasing or stopping the habit of smoking.

Overview:
Mark Twain once said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times." Why is it so hard to quit smoking? Nicotine (the addictive drug in cigarettes) is the answer. There are many tips and resources that will assist in the goal of Smoking Cessation.

Options to help you kick the habit
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy: Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) provides nicotine to the smoker without the other thousands of poisons in the cigarette smoke. There are many nicotine substitutes such as: the nicotine patch, gum, and nasal spray. NRT should not be used as the only treatment for smoking cessation. Studies show that cessation programs or therapy coupled with NRT will double the chances of success rates for the smoker. As always, discuss your plan with your healthcare team to see what is available for you.

• Zyban Therapy: Zyban is another medication often used to aid smokers kick the habit. Zyban is an anti-depressant that reduces the effects of withdrawal symptoms. Zyban can be used alone or with other NRT's. Since Zyban is a prescription medication, you must contact your doctor if you would like to try this method.

• Smoking Cessation Classes: Studies have shown that the best smoking cessation program includes individual or group counseling. When considering a program, ask about the following:
1. Session length. It needs to be at least 20 -30 minutes long.
2. Number of sessions. Having at least 4-7 sessions is best.
3. Number of weeks. Attend for at least 2 weeks.
4. Make sure that your leader is certified to teach a smoking cessation class/group.
Often, the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, or your local health department will hold smoking cessation classes in your community.

• Nicotine Anonymous group: This is very similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, with a 12-step approach. To find a local meeting place, refer to the business section of the phone book for a local listing or search www.nicotine-anonymous.org/ for more information.
Getting Started

Before you chose to quit, you must think about these essential factors:
• Make a decision to quit. This is the first and most important step. Review your past attempts to quit. What worked and what didn't work? Make a plan.
• Set a "Quit Date". Pick a specific day to quit. Make it a special day (i.e.: a Birthday or anniversary). Do not wait too long to pick your "quit day". This will give you more time to rationalize the reasons you do not want to quit. Commit yourself to this day. Mark it on your calendar and tell your friends and family. Stock up on sugarless gum, carrot sticks and snacks that fit within your meal plan. Practice saying, "No thank you, I don't care for a cigarette!". This will give you a sense of empowerment.
On the day you decide to have as your quit day, try to follow these guidelines:
1. Get rid of all ashtrays.
2. Keep active and drink lots of water.
3. Ask yourself if you associate alcohol, coffee and other beverages with smoking a cigarette. If so, try to avoid them.
4. Call a supportive friend.
5. If you miss the feeling of having a cigarette in your hand or mouth, play with a pencil or rubberband or try a toothpick or a snack that fits within your meal plan.
6. Brush you teeth frequently.
• Deal with withdrawals. The American Cancer Society suggests for you to use the "4 A's" when tempted to "just have one puff" or "to have just one more cigarette".
o Avoid. Stay away from the places where you are tempted to smoke.
o Alter. Take a different route to work or take a quick walk.
o Alternatives. Eat a quick snack or chew some sugarless gum
o Activities. Go exercise or start a new hobby. Distract yourself from smoking again.
• Maintain your new healthy habit. Staying off the habit is what matters in the long run.
Get Support
Your doctor can also refer you to a program designed especially for you to help you kick the habit for good. Quitting smoking is not an easy thing to do. Remember, to keep on trying, even when you relapse. Good luck!
Quiz
1. An example of a medication used to help smokers quit smoking is:
a) Glucatrol
b) Zyban
c) Motrin
d) Capoten
2. When choosing a smoking cessation class, it is best to attend one that has ____ to _____ sessions.
3. True or False: The "4 A's" of smoking cessation are avoid, alter, alternatives, and activities.
Answers: 1) b, 2) 4 to 7, 3) True

How Some Schools Are Rethinking the Fight Against Fat

2007-08-24T15:02:00.000-05:00

Change seems to happen when good health is the focus, rather than body weight
By Deborah Kotz
Posted 8/22/07
US News& World Report

Kids heading back to enlightened schools this fall may find nutrition and exercise on the agenda even in math class. In an effort to reverse the alarming increase of obesity in children, some schools have found ways to encourage healthful lifestyle changes without emphasizing the negative—too much body weight. (A focus on losing weight has been shown to backfire, causing youngsters to turn to fad diets and develop eating disorders.) Planet Health, developed by Harvard University researchers and now used in hundreds of schools throughout the country, integrates obesity prevention lessons into the science, math, and social studies curricula, for example. Students come to appreciate the importance of reducing TV time by calculating during math class the amount of their lifetime they've spent in front of the set. In gym, they decide on goals for subbing in physical activity instead.

The program costs only about $15 per student annually, a bargain, considering the payoffs: A 2005 study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that middle-school girls who had Planet Health in their schools were half as likely to purge or use diet pills as those in schools without it. "It really focuses on the positive, and that's why we think it's protective against these dangerous behaviors," says study author Bryn Austin, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

A second program adopted by 7,000 elementary schools nationwide, the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH), similarly puts the focus on good health habits instead of weight. In class, students use a traffic-light system to identify "go," "slow," and "whoa" foods and take breaks to do jumping jacks. In the cafeteria, fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, and whole-grain starches are labeled with green-light tags, and pizza gets a yellow light. Gym activities are designed to keep students constantly moving. "Every kid gets a ball to dribble or a hula hoop; there's no lining up and waiting to take a turn," says Phil Nader, professor of pediatrics emeritus at the University of California—San Diego, who helped develop CATCH.

A three-year study comparing CATCH schools with others without the program found that CATCH increased the proportion of gym class spent in motion, from 40 percent to 50 percent, and reduced the consumption of fat in schools from 39 percent of total calories to 32 percent. A second study found that the program prevented the growth in number of overweight students that normally occurs from grade 3 to grade 5. CATCH students in El Paso, Texas (with one of the highest obesity rates in the nation), held the line between those grades, but in schools without the program, the share of overweight girls increased from 26 percent to 40 percent and of overweight boys from 29 percent to 39 percent.

Glen Cove Elementary School, near El Paso in Ysleta, was one of the first schools to adopt CATCH, and parents there have learned to eat better and exercise more along with their kids. "We have a day where everyone comes to fly kites and Wellness Wednesdays where family members run around for 20 minutes with their kids," says physical education teacher Ben Avalos, who brought the program to Glen Cove in 1998. "Parents also tell me their kids have gotten them to throw out the 'whoa' foods in the house." Avalos uses walking sticks, pogo sticks, and Chinese yo-yos in gym class—and nobody relaxes on the sidelines.

Eating Healthy Cuts Cancer Risk, Too

2007-08-21T15:13:00.000-05:00

Balanced Diet Key in Reducing Risk of Many Cancers
By LEN LICHTENFELD, M.D.
ABC NEWS

Aug. 16, 2007 —

Weight, weight, weight. Sometimes that seems to be what everyone talks about these days when it comes to our health.

We are getting fatter. We will get sicker. Some of the gains we have made in life span are at risk if we don't do something about our increasing waists, and do it soon.

But did you know that overweight and obesity are tied to an increased risk of several different types of cancers, such as breast cancer in post-menopausal women, as well as cancers of the colon, endometrium (uterus), esophagus and kidney?

So, what can you do about it?

Thursday, Aug. 16, the American Cancer Society launches its Great American Eat Right Challenge to help you learn more about what you should be doing to get your diet and your weight under control, and to reduce your risk, not only of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension but of cancer as well.

Diet a Weighty Consideration for Cancer Risk

Most of us know that smoking is bad for us, and one of the main reasons is that tobacco products increase the risk of cancer, as well as other life-threatening diseases. But most of us aren't aware that being overweight or obese also significantly increases the risk of cancer.

Since most Americans today do not smoke, that makes nutrition and physical activity one of the most important things people can do for themselves to decrease their risk of cancer.

The trick, according to American Cancer Society guidelines, is to follow a healthy diet that emphasizes plant foods. In addition to maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising regularly, this dietary adjustment is a key element in a healthy lifestyle that can help prevent cancer.

The basic rules, besides emphasizing plant sources of food in our diet, include:

Eating five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.

Choosing whole grains (as spelled out on the package as the main ingredient: w-h-o-l-e g-r-a-i-n-s) instead of processed (refined) grains.

Limit consumption of processed and red meats.

If you want more information, including a great instructive video by my colleague Colleen Doyle on how to shop at the supermarket, you can go to the Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site.

There is a lot of practical information on the Web site that you may find helpful and interesting to see if you measure up to a healthy diet, or what you need to do to change your errant ways.

You can also call the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345 for the same information. Our call center, staffed by knowledgeable cancer information specialists, is available 24 hours a day, every day.

The Challenge of Lifestyle Change

I can sympathize with every one of you out there, especially the older folks, who find it so difficult to get on track and lose some weight. I, too, have had a lifelong battle with being overweight and obese.

After a significant health scare, I tried to go back to a healthier diet.

After about 18 months, more or less, I have been able to lose a bit over 30 pounds. It hasn't been easy, and the reality is that it takes constant attention.

Sure, there are times when the limits come off, but for the most part, I am most successful when I follow some basic rules.

For example, I travel a lot. Airplanes are a fact of my life, sometimes many flights each week. And then, there are the meals on the road, which are difficult to control in terms of what they contain and when I get to eat them.

I avoid those airplane snacks. I carry calorie-controlled meal replacement and snack bars so I can sidestep the fried foods or fatty foods that are frequently served during meals at meetings, or what I may find at the airport (chicken Caesar salad without the croutons or dressing is becoming a too-regular habit. Occasionally, I throw in some sliced/diced fresh fruit in a cup).

I was once called "Mr. No Fun" by a server at a local waffle shop in north Georgia when I asked for an egg-white omelet, no cheese, no grits, no toast, and yes, please, some sliced tomatoes on the side.

For me, that's what it takes to get things right. That, and a lot of perseverance, since the results are slow to come.

The Great American Eat Right Challenge can arm you with information that you may find helpful in trying to make better choices.

For example, did you know that a 12-ounce beer is the equivalent of a 1½ mile walk? Or that 1 ounce of potato chips is also worth 1½ miles on your tired feet? How about the fact that two slices of thin (yes, THIN) crust pepperoni pizza is worth 5 miles?

I suspect most of us don't even walk 2 or 3 miles during the course of a day, let alone all the miles it would take to walk off the junk food we eat during the week.

How about this one: One extra large cheeseburger with sauce, one extra large french fries and one extra large soda. Want to take a guess at how many miles it will take to walk this meal off? The answer, if you're interested, is at the end of this column.

And then, there are portion sizes to consider. Do you know what a normal portion of pasta a half cup or a whole cup looks like on your plate?

My wife and I like to go to a neighborhood Italian restaurant that is part of a large national chain. Great food, good atmosphere, relatively inexpensive, fun and humongous portions. We are actually able to eat several more meals during the week from the food we take home each time we visit this place.

We have no idea how they remain profitable when they load so much on your plate, but if we ate everything they served, we would have to run more than a marathon to work it off!

I think by now you get the idea.

Small Sacrifice, Big Benefits

Some may say that eating right and being healthy means giving up everything you like. I would argue that this is not the case.

No one is perfect. It's the approach you take to your diet and your life that dictates who you are and how you feel. It also dictates whether you will be able to live your life relatively free of disease, and have the mobility to enjoy that life.

By the way, I went back to the waffle place the next day, and the server remembered me. "You're that 'no fun' guy," she said.

Well, I would dispute that I have no fun. I just make different choices most of the time.

The benefits are that my weight is down, my blood pressure is down, my cholesterol is down, my flexibility is up, and I am enjoying life just fine, thank you. And maybe because I have "no fun," I will have fun longer than I would have had otherwise.

Take a look at the Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site, and figure out what you can do for yourself and your family to eat better, stay healthier and reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases.

Make a plan, and do what works for you. I promise that you, too, can have plenty of fun getting healthy, and staying healthy.

Enjoy!

(Incidentally, the answer to the question about the number of miles it would take to walk off the extra large burger, extra large fries and extra large soda? 15 miles!)

Len Lichtenfeld is deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. You can view the full blog by clicking here.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

Calorie needs can fluctuate like your weight

2007-08-20T07:53:00.000-05:00

Lifestyle, age and diet goals all play a role in determining the right number
By Karen Collins, R.D.
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 8:54 a.m. ET Aug 17, 2007

Many of today’s nutrition recommendations are based on calorie needs, whether for weight control or for foods that fit in a healthy diet.

Unfortunately, most of us apparently can't identify our calorie needs. In a 2006 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 88 percent of respondents could not accurately estimate how many calories they should eat every day.

Calorie needs depend on weight, age, gender and activity level, as well as individual metabolic rate. The figures from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion provide a rough estimate. Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise less than 30 minutes a day need about 1,800 calories daily, while men need about 2,200. Those under 30 can add 200 to that figure; those over 50, subtract 200.

Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise 30 minutes a day can eat about 2,000 calories daily, while men can eat about 2,400. Men under 30 can add 200 (sorry, women, no change); everybody over 50, subtract 200.

Finally, women ages 31 to 50 who are very active — 60 minutes or more daily exercise — need about 2,200 calories a day, while men need about 3,000. Women under 30 can add 200 (men, sorry, no change for you); men over 50, subtract 200.

For a more accurate estimate of recommended calories that reflects your height and weight, go to www.mypyramid.gov and click on MyPyramid Plan. Recalculate your needs with every five to 10 pound change, since calorie needs change with weight.

Strategies for a balanced diet
Recommended limits of fat consumption are based on calorie needs. If you multiply estimated calorie needs by 0.011, you will see your recommended maximum grams of saturated fat daily. (For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, that equates to a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat a day.) Those with high cholesterol may need to reduce saturated fat below this figure. A registered dietitian can help.

How much junk food is reasonable in a healthy diet? The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include a “discretionary calories allowance.” Discretionary calories represent the extra foods and drinks that supply calories without much nutritional value. The allowance is 132 discretionary calories a day for someone maintaining weight and eating about 1,600 calories a day, and 290 discretionary calories daily for someone who needs 2,200 calories a day.

Strategies for a balanced diet change with calorie level, too. On about 1,600 calories a day, five servings of grains (equal to five slices of bread) is enough, whereas someone needing 2,200 calories a day should eat seven servings daily. Someone who needs only 1,600 calories a day can meet fruit and vegetable recommendations with seven servings daily, but someone who needs 2,200 calories or more should aim for at least 10 per day.

Goals for losing weight
Of course, you don’t need to know your exact calorie needs to control your weight. If losing weight is your goal, you can shift the balance between the amount of calories you eat and the amount you burn through activity.

If you drop about 500 calories a day, you will lose about one pound a week. You can cut 500 calories a day from what you currently eat and drink, or cut 300 calories a day and burn an additional 200 in activity.

If you’ve been substantially overeating, you might even be able to create a 1,000-calorie total shift, which would lead you to lose two pounds a week.

It’s easy to drop 100 calories per meal with simple changes, such as eating smaller portions, replacing chips or a doughnut with fruit, choosing reduced-fat products or dropping sugar-sweetened drinks.

The same principle applies to those who want to gain weight healthfully. You don’t need to stuff yourself or eat unhealthy foods. Simply add 100 calories to each of three meals and two snacks daily by choosing slightly larger portions, using a little more olive oil in a stir-fry or salad, or adding one glass of juice or a handful of nuts.

But whether you are working to lose or gain weight, or are happy with your current weight, getting at least a rough idea of your recommended calorie needs can help you interpret food labels to make better choices for a healthful diet.
© 2007 MSNBC Interactive

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20264555/
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© 2007 MSNBC.com

Cancer panel attacks U.S. food subsidies

2007-08-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

Reuters Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:42AM EDT
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new presidential report on cancer takes on not only tobacco companies but the food industry while calling on the federal government to "cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods" and switch to policies that encourage Americans to eat vegetables and exercise.

The report, issued on Thursday, also urged changes in public and private insurance policies to encourage doctors to spend more time counseling patients on how to stay healthy by eating right, exercising and avoiding tobacco.

Federal, state, and local policies have actually made healthful foods more expensive and less available, have limited physical education in schools and created an environment that discourages physical activity, the report said.

"Ineffective policies, in conjunction with limited regulation of sales and marketing in the food and beverage industry, have spawned a culture that struggles to make healthy choices -- a culture in dire need of change," said the report, available on the Internet at http://pcp.cancer.gov.

Margaret Kripke of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson cancer center, a member of the President's Cancer Panel, said in a telephone interview, "What became clear to me is that we simply don't have the political will to protect the public health."

Several reports have shown that a third of all cancers are caused by tobacco use, and another one-third by obesity and inactivity.

"This country must not ignore its moral obligation to protect the health of all Americans. We can and must empower individuals to make healthy choices through appropriate policy and legislation, and the panel urges you to use the power of your office toward this life-saving goal," the panel, chaired by Howard University's Dr. LaSalle Leffall, wrote in a letter to Bush.

PURVEYOR OF UNHEALTHY FOODS

The report recommended much stricter control of the tobacco industry and urged Congress to authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco.

"The report also supports increasing the federal cigarette tax, which is currently 39 cents per pack," American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer John Seffrin said in a statement.

"The panel's recommendation runs counter to the president's public opposition to a tobacco tax increase."

The federal government also should "require the elimination of unhealthy foods from school breakfast and lunch programs" and "must cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods that lead to disease and increased health care costs," the report said.

This includes regulation of food advertising and changing agricultural support policies, it said.

"We heavily subsidize the growth of foods (e.g., corn, soy) that in their processed forms (e.g., high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated corn and soybean oils, grain-fed cattle) are known contributors to obesity and associated chronic diseases, including cancer," the report reads.

"The people who are doing the U.S. agricultural subsidies need to connect their subsidies with the policy on public health and I don't think that has been done," Kripke said.

Yet fresh fruits and vegetables are not subsidized in the same way. "And physical education classes in school have almost disappeared," Kripke said.

The American Cancer Society predicts more than 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and that 559,650 will die.

Preventive steps could save 100,000 lives: study

2007-08-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

Reuters Tue Aug 7, 2007 2:02PM EDT

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Increased use of just five preventive services would save more than 100,000 lives every year in the United States, health experts said in a report released on Tuesday.

Of the five prevention tips, the biggest impact would come if adults took a low dose of aspirin every day to prevent heart disease, a step that could save 45,000 lives a year.

The report by the Partnership for Prevention, a nonprofit health policy group, also calls for renewed efforts to help smokers quit, more colorectal cancer and breast cancer screening and annual flu shots for people over 50.

"This shows so dramatically the potential impact of prevention," said Dr. Kathleen Toomey of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped fund the study along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the WellPoint Foundation.

"These are really very modest, low-cost interventions that have such potentially dramatic impact on improving the health of the public," Toomey said in a telephone interview.

The study underscores the tendency in the United States to treat disease, rather than prevent it.

"Our nation has never truly invested in prevention," Toomey said.

The report uncovered racial disparities in use of preventive care. For example, Hispanic smokers are 55 percent less likely than whites to get help to quit smoking and Asian-Americans are the racial group least likely to take aspirin and get screened for breast and colorectal cancer.

ASPIRIN A DAY

Currently fewer than half of Americans take a low, daily dose of aspirin to prevent heart disease. Boosting aspirin use to 90 percent of adults would save 45,000 lives, the study found.

Bolstering efforts to get smokers to quit would have a similar impact. The study found 42,000 lives could be spared if 90 percent of smokers were advised by doctors to quit and were offered drugs and other services to help. Only 28 percent of smokers get such services now.

Another 14,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of adults over 50 were screened regularly for colorectal cancer, and some 12,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of people over 50 got flu shots every year. Only 37 percent of U.S. adults get an annual flu shot.

Regular breast cancer screening for all women over 40 could save another 4,000 lives. Only 67 percent of women have been screened in the past two years, the report found.

"To actually implement this and have the impact of saving 100,000 lives will really require a multi-pronged approach with public health taking the lead," Toomey said.

She said it will be important to educate individuals to take better care of themselves and of loved ones and make sure insurers and employers cover these preventive services.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0723664320070807?sp=true

2007-08-03T14:18:00.000-05:00

Yoga: Getting started.

Still think you have to flexible to take Yoga? Think again. The following information will give you the insight you need to get started.

With so many options, you may find it difficult to access a class that is just right for you. Luckily, we have the internet. There is a plethora of information on various styles of Yoga out there. Do a little research and find the right one for you. Or perhaps it is matter of convenience. Take a class at the studio that opened around the corner from you. Fate is a beautiful thing.

Yoga can be practiced in almost anything or anywhere. But, if you are hitting a class environment you want to wear loose, comfy stuff. Stretchy isn’t a bad idea either. Socks are up to you. Traditionally, Yoga is done barefoot. This helps keep you grounded and connected with the mat/floor. Mats can usually be rented at the studio or purchased at a variety of stores. Google is a beautiful thing.

Class time can have a broad range. I find 1- 1 ½ hours works for me. You can get a good warm up/ breathing segment to get focused and centered on your practice, then of course there is the posture series. Some styles do the same posture series every class and some don’t. And then, there is Savasana. MMMMMMM, Savasana.

Unfortunately, it translates into corpse pose but it is all about total relaxation. Letting the movements of your practice integrate and letting you mind, body and spirit find peace.

Let us not forget about props! These handy items are not mandatory but they can help with proper alignment and reduce stress and strain.

I can’t tell you how many people I know who deprive themselves of this wonderful, life changing practice because they think they have to be flexible. Join a beginner class and who knows… you may find you’re more flexible than you thought.

Submitted by Angie Jacques, NAFI/NFI Wellness Committee Member

Experts issue new physical exercise guidelines

2007-08-02T15:47:00.000-05:00

Thu Aug 2, 2007 5:24AM EDT
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Adults should engage in moderately intense exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week or vigorous exercise at least 20 minutes three days each week, experts recommended on Wednesday.

Two leading health groups issued new guidelines on physical activity, updating influential recommendations issued in 1995 while also crafting advice tailored specifically for those 65 and older.

The guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend weight lifting and vigorous aerobic exercise while also being more specific on how many days a week people should work out.

The advice comes amid rising health problems stemming from sedentary lifestyles and obesity among Americans, as well as people in many other nations.

"I think physical inactivity is the biggest public health problem we face. I think it actually accounts for more morbidity and mortality than anything except maybe cigarette smoking," said Steven Blair of the University of South Carolina, one of the experts who crafted the recommendations.

The 1995 recommendations, issued by the American College of Sports Medicine with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had stated, "Every U.S. adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week."

The new guidelines call for healthy adults to engage in moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes five days each week, or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes three days a week. The guidelines also state that exercise above the recommended minimum amounts provides even greater health benefits.

Moderate-intensity aerobic activity can be a brisk walk, light jogging or other exercise that noticeably accelerates the heart rate. Vigorous-intensity exercise like jogging causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.

The guidelines called for weightlifting exercise to work on muscular strength and endurance, with eight to 10 different exercises on two nonconsecutive days a week.

The new guidelines offered specific advice for people 65 and older, urging them to consider lifting weights, improving their strength to prevent falls, and working on flexibility exercises and balance training.

"If you want to stay out of the nursing home, probably the best approach is to be sure you're physically active and fit," Blair said.

Ailments linked to physical inactivity include cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, colon cancer and breast cancer.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0138037220070802

Obesity in the US: 20 years

2007-07-30T07:54:00.000-05:00

Over the past 20 years, American's waistlines have expanded, and top officials have declared obesity a top health threat. by examing the percentage of adults who are estimated to be obese (about 30 pounds overwieght for a 5'4" person), see how entrendched the condition has become over the years:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/fit.nation/obesity.map/

Yoga May Help Treat Depression, Anxiety Disorders

2007-06-11T07:55:00.000-05:00

By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter Thu Jun 7, 11:46 PM ET

THURSDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- Yoga's postures, controlled breathing and meditation may work together to help ease brains plagued by anxiety or depression, a new study shows.

ADVERTISEMENT

Brain scans of yoga practitioners showed a healthy boost in levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) immediately after a one-hour yoga session. Low brain levels of GABA are associated with anxiety and depression, the researchers said.

"I am quite sure that this is the first study that's shown that there's a real, measurable change in a major neurotransmitter with a behavioral intervention such as yoga," said lead researcher Dr. Chris Streeter, assistant professor of psychiatry and neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine.

She believes yoga could prove a useful tool to help people battling depression and anxiety disorders. "We're not advocating that they chuck their medication, but I would advise that they could use it as an adjunct and see how they are doing," Streeter said.

Her team published its findings in the May issue of the /Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine/.

In the study, the Boston researchers used high-tech magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging to gauge levels of GABA in the brains of eight long-time yoga practitioners and 11 non-practitioners. The participants were healthy, and none was diagnosed with a major psychiatric condition.

Brain scans were taken before the beginning of the experiment. Then, the yoga group was asked to engage in the meditative practice for 60 minutes, while the non-yoga group simply read. The researchers then re-scanned each participant's brain, looking specifically at GABA levels.

"We showed a 27 percent increase in the brain GABA levels of those doing yoga -- a really significant increase," Streeter said. No such change was noted in the non-practitioners who had just read.

She said the style or school of yoga practiced didn't seem to matter.
"We had /hatha/, /ashtanga/, /bikram/, /vinyasa/, and /kripalu/"
practitioners included in the yoga group, Streeter said, "and many had been trained in several different schools."

According to Streeter, "this all gives us one of the mechanisms by which yoga may be having a beneficial effect. There could be other mechanisms."

But another expert pointed to what he considered flaws in the research.

Zindel Segal, chairman of psychotherapy and a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Toronto, has for years studied the use of behavioral interventions to alleviate psychological woes.

He said the Boston researchers were to be commended for using brain scan imaging technologies to investigate the effectiveness of these techniques. But he questioned why the yoga group was simply compared to a sedentary reading group and not to another movement-based group.

"Exercise itself may have some effects on GABA, so I think in this study, you'd really want that comparison," he said. Including such a control group would make it clear that it was yoga and not just an hour of physical exertion that was responsible for the brain changes.

He also pointed out that all of the people in the study were mentally healthy, and clinical depression and anxiety disorders involve more than the "daily fluctuations in stress and tension" that healthy individuals are prone to.

"We know that yoga can have a profound effect" on smoothing out life's daily ups and downs, Segal said. "But so does working out on a Stairmaster for an hour."

Segal also questioned the role of GABA in depression. While it may play a role in anxiety disorders, "GABA is not one of the main neurotransmitters that seems to be a part of the depression story," he said. Other neurochemicals -- most notably serotonin -- play much bigger roles in the disorder, he said.

None of this means that the study's findings are without merit, Segal said. "In fact," he said, "we have a program called 'mindfulness-based cognitive therapy,' where we do use yoga, as well as mindfulness meditation," as therapeutic tools. Streeter's findings "suggest the need for more study of these practices," he said.

Streeter agreed that her study is probably just a beginning.

"I think what's important about this study is that it shows that by using really cutting-edge neuroimaging technology, we can measure real changes in the brain with behavioral interventions -- changes that are similar to those that we see with pharmacologic treatments," she said.

Would other mind-body practices -- Tai Chi, for example -- produce similar effects?

"I think that's very possible," Streeter said. "I suspect that all roads lead up the mountain."

*More information*

For more on depression, visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health .

The Keys to Happiness, and Why We Don't Use Them

2007-05-31T11:44:00.000-05:00

LifeScience
By Robin Lloyd, Special to LiveScience
posted: 27 February 2006 08:55 am ET

"It requires some effort to achieve a happy outlook on life, and most people don't make it."
-Author and researcher Gregg Easterbrook

Psychologists have recently handed the keys to happiness to the public, but many people cling to gloomy ways out of habit, experts say.

Polls show Americans are no happier today than they were 50 years ago despite significant increases in prosperity, decreases in crime, cleaner air, larger living quarters and a better overall quality of life.

So what gives?

Happiness is 50 percent genetic, says University of Minnesota researcher David Lykken. What you do with the other half of the challenge depends largely on determination, psychologists agree. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

What works, and what doesn't

Happiness does not come via prescription drugs, although 10 percent of women 18 and older and 4 percent of men take antidepressants, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Anti-depressants benefit those with mental illness but are no happiness guarantee, researchers say.
Be Happy

University of Pennsylvania's Martin Seligman offers questionnaires for assessing your happiness, beating depression and developing insights into how to be happier on his web site.

Nor will money or prosperity buy happiness for many of us. Money that lifts people out of poverty increases happiness, but after that, the better paychecks stop paying off sense-of-well-being dividends, research shows.

One route to more happiness is called "flow," an engrossing state that comes during creative or playful activity, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has found. Athletes, musicians, writers, gamers, and religious adherents know the feeling. It comes less from what you're doing than from how you do it.

Sonja Lyubomirsky of the University of California at Riverside has discovered that the road toward a more satisfying and meaningful life involves a recipe repeated in schools, churches and synagogues. Make lists of things for which you're grateful in your life, practice random acts of kindness, forgive your enemies, notice life's small pleasures, take care of your health, practice positive thinking, and invest time and energy into friendships and family.

The happiest people have strong friendships, says Ed Diener, a psychologist University of Illinois. Interestingly his research finds that most people are slightly to moderately happy, not unhappy.

On your own

Some Americans are reluctant to make these changes and remain unmotivated even though our freedom to pursue happiness is written into the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

Don't count on the government, for now, Easterbrook says.

Our economy lacks the robustness to sustain policy changes that would bring about more happiness, like reorienting cities to minimize commute times.

The onus is on us.

"There are selfish reasons to behave in altruistic ways," says Gregg Easterbrook, author of "The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse" (Random House, 2004).

"Research shows that people who are grateful, optimistic and forgiving have better experiences with their lives, more happiness, fewer strokes, and higher incomes," according to Easterbrook. "If it makes world a better place at same time, this is a real bonus."

Diener has collected specific details on this. People who positively evaluate their well-being on average have stronger immune systems, are better citizens at work, earn more income, have better marriages, are more sociable, and cope better with difficulties.

Unhappy by default

Lethargy holds many people back from doing the things that lead to happiness.

Easterbrook, also a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institute, goes back to Freud, who theorized that unhappiness is a default condition because it takes less effort to be unhappy than to be happy.

"If you are looking for something to complain about, you are absolutely certain to find it," Easterbrook told LiveScience. "It requires some effort to achieve a happy outlook on life, and most people don't make it. Most people take the path of least resistance. Far too many people today don't make the steps to make their life more fulfilling one."

How to Handle Criticism

2007-05-30T14:11:00.001-05:00

lifehacker.org
Scott Young

How well do you handle criticism? I’ve been dealt a lot of criticism ranging from harsh feedback to feeling completely insulted. Although the saying goes, “Stick and stones can break by bones, but words can never hurt me,” a harsh piece of feedback can definitely leave you with a bruised ego.

Despite the sting, I’ve found criticism can often be useful. Feedback can help you fix mistakes and improve. I believe criticism can often show you what your own blind spots are, pointing you out to problems before they arise. I’ve found my ability to use sometimes harsh feedback, has given me an advantage in my own self-improvement.

Brace for Impact - Managing Criticism is More Than a Platitude

If negative feedback can be useful, why does it make you feel lousy in the first place?

I don’t have a scientific answer for this, but I believe a lot of it has to do with our ancestors. Living in small groups of about a hundred people, becoming a social outcast could be a death sentence. So humans became sensitive to any threats on their status or social standing. Bullying still happens, but in today’s world, where you may be in a group of thousands, it is far easier to use feedback instead of automatically assuming it is a personal attack.

My point is that criticism will always feel lousy, and saying some inspirational quote probably won’t change this much. But just because it can feel bad, doesn’t mean you can’t use it.

Distinguish Between Feedback and Insults

You can’t use feedback if you can’t first distinguish it from insults. Sometimes the line that separates feedback from insults can be blurry, but I’ve found most people draw the line so that many pieces of useful feedback are labeled as insults.

Just because feedback is harsh, doesn’t mean it is an insult. An insult is a tactic of the other person to manipulate or bully you and doesn’t have anything to do with you. You have to handle insults differently than feedback, but the first step is to know where to draw the line.

You can’t be perfect in distinguishing between the two, but I’ve found it useful to ask what the intention was. Are they trying to help or communicating how they feel about you or your actions? Even if it was harsh that is probably just feedback. If it was only an attempt to manipulate you or others than it might be an insult.

How to Use Feedback

Once you’ve gotten over the initial sting of some harsh criticism, you need to ask yourself how you are going to use it. I’ve found that there are generally three options: learn, ignore or assert.

1) Learn

Was the feedback genuine and useful? If it is true, you can try to learn from it. I don’t choose whether to use feedback based on how harsh it was. The most negative feedback can often open you up to complete blind spots.

When I first started writing I had a few pieces of criticism that stung. But I decided to turn it into advice, and it helped me overcome a lot of my blind spots. Taking negative feedback and making a mental note of it to improve later can turn a harsh blow into a useful aid later on.

2) Ignore

Sometimes the feedback is genuine, but it isn’t useful. I’ve received a lot of advice in the form of criticism that may have been valid but I chose to ignore. Before I started my own personal development website over a year ago, I was told by some people that I shouldn’t do it. I considered that advice, but chose to ignore it.

Ignoring doesn’t mean you become defensive or hostile towards the other person. Sometimes all it requires is informing them that you simply believe they are wrong. If you become hostile towards someone who is trying to offer feedback, you can often stop them from giving you useful feedback later.

3) Assert

If you’ve decided you can’t learn from a piece of feedback, sometimes you need to assert yourself. If you are being manipulated or bullied by the other person, you need to stand your ground.

This is why it becomes important to draw the line between feedback and insults. Reacting defensively to feedback usually only serves to make you look insecure or can make the situation worse by damaging your relationship. But if the person is using criticism as an attempt to bully or manipulate, calmly asserting yourself can handle the situation.

Usually I find it is a matter of volume. If someone occasionally gives a piece of feedback that I don’t like and choose to ignore, going on the defensive can prevent you from getting useful feedback later. But for those people that are constantly criticizing when it isn’t helpful or polite, you have to be assertive.

I examine any feedback I get through these three filters. If I can use the feedback, I thank the other person for their input and start using it immediately. If I can’t use it, but the feedback was genuine, ignoring it and moving forward might be the best option. Finally if the feedback wasn’t genuine or it is being used to manipulate, I assert myself.

Notice how there isn’t a fourth option of, “quietly simmer and resent the comment.” It can be hard to know where to place feedback, but it needs to fit somewhere within the three. Reacting aggressively to helpful advice isn’t useful, but staying quiet in the face of a bully won’t work either.

Scott Young is a University student who writes about personal development, productivity and goal setting. Some of Scott’s popular articles include: Habitual Mastery, Double Your Reading Rate and How to Ace Your Finals Without Studying. You can get his free e-book on Holistic Learning here

Experts: Cancer fears create self-fulfilling prophecy

2007-05-21T16:04:00.000-05:00

POSTED: 6:10 p.m. EDT, May 17, 2007
CNN.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Many Americans fear they can do nothing to protect themselves from cancer, and they may be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy, U.S. researchers said Thursday.

Their survey of more than 6,000 people found that nearly half -- 47 percent -- agreed that "nearly everything causes cancer" and that more than a quarter felt there was little they could do about it.

Yet an estimated two-thirds of cancer cases can be prevented with common-sense measures, such as not smoking, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoiding too much sun, according to the American Association of Cancer Research and the National Cancer Institute.

"They say, 'Well, there is nothing much you can do about it,' and, as our survey shows, they indeed do nothing about it," said Jeff Niederdeppe of the University of Wisconsin, who helped lead the study.

"Yet we know that approximately 30 percent of cancer deaths are attributed to smoking, while 15 to 20 percent are linked to overweight and obesity. Clearly, there are very specific things we can do to reduce our personal risk for getting cancer."

Niederdeppe and colleagues analyzed a National Cancer Institute survey that asked people whether they agreed with three statements about cancer. About 47 percent of those surveyed agreed that "it seems like almost everything causes cancer," while 27 percent agreed that "there's not much people can do to lower their chances of getting cancer."

Most of all, Americans are confused, with 71.5 percent agreeing that "there are so many recommendations about preventing cancer, it's hard to know which ones to follow," researchers wrote in their report, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

People who agreed with at least one of the three statements were less likely than others to exercise weekly and eat five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, said Niederdeppe and colleagues.

Those who said there were too many recommendations were the most likely to smoke, and overall, less-educated people were more likely to hold one or more of the three beliefs.

Part of the problem could be the way medical research is reported, with one discovery at a time dribbling out and some findings contradicting others.

Cancer is the second-leading killer of people in the United States and most developed countries, after heart disease. Half of all men and one third of all women will develop some type of cancer in their lifetime.

Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

'Light' Cigarettes Take Heavy Toll on Blood Flow

2007-05-21T16:02:00.000-05:00

Smoking them constricts vessels just as much as regular brands, study finds

MEDLINE HealthDay
Robert Preidt
Monday, May 14, 2007

MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- So-called "light" low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes are just as tough on heart blood flow as regular cigarettes, a new study finds.

Turkish researchers looked at 62 people in their mid-20s with no evidence of coronary artery disease.

Twenty of the study volunteers had smoked "light" cigarettes (8 milligrams tar, 0.6 milligrams nicotine, and 9 milligrams carbon monoxide) for at least three years, while 20 others had smoked regular cigarettes (12 milligrams tar, 0.9 milligrams nicotine, and 12 milligrams carbon monoxide) for the same length of time. The remainder of the volunteers were non-smokers.

Researchers at Baskent University used coronary flow velocity response (CFVR) -- a measure of how readily coronary arteries can dilate in response to increased blood flow -- to assess the cardiovascular health of all the volunteers.

Both groups of smokers were tested two days before and 30 minutes after smoking two of their usual cigarettes within the space of 15 minutes.

In both groups of smokers, blood pressure and heart rate climbed after smoking.

The researchers also found that CFVR -- which was already lower in both groups of smokers than in the non-smokers -- fell even further after smoking "light" or regular cigarettes.

CFVR fell from 2.68 to 2.05 among those who smoked "light" cigarettes, and from 2.65 to 2.18 among those who smoked regular cigarettes. Among non-smokers, CFVR was 3.11.

The findings, published in the journal Heart, show that smokers are mistaken if they believe that switching to low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes will reduce some of the health dangers of smoking, the study authors said.

NIDA Study Identifies Genes That Might Help Some People Abstain From Smoking

2007-05-21T15:58:00.000-05:00

Findings Move Science Closer to Targeted, Improved Therapies

NIH News
Monday, April 2, 2007 9:00am EDT

Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, have for the first time identified genes that might increase a person's ability to abstain from smoking. The breakthrough research was conducted by Dr. George Uhl at NIDA's Intramural Research Program and a team led by Dr. Jed Rose at the Center for Nicotine and Smoking Cessation Research at Duke University Medical Center.

The study, published in the journal BMC Genetics, available online April 2, brings researchers a step closer toward tailoring individualized drug therapy for addiction based on an individual's unique genetic make-up.

"This research marks the first time we've been able to identify genes involved in the ability to quit smoking," says NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. "It marks a movement from identifying the genetics of addiction vulnerability to identifying the genetic basis of successful abstinence. This knowledge could impact the success rate of cessation programs by helping health care providers choose the most appropriate treatment based on individual differences."

Dr. George Uhl and his colleagues performed a genome wide analysis on the DNA of two types of nicotine dependent individuals, one that was able to successfully quit the cigarette smoking behavior and one that was not.

"We identified 221 genes that distinguished successful quitters from those who were unsuccessful," says Dr. Uhl. "We know the functions of about 187 of these genes, but 34 have functions that are unknown at present. We also found that at least 62 of the genes that we had previously identified as playing roles in dependence to other drugs also contribute to nicotine dependence."

Genes that harbor variants that contribute to both success in quitting smoking and in vulnerability to become dependent on multiple substances include cadherin 13 (a molecule involved in cell adhesion, which governs how cells recognize and connect to their neighbors) and a cyclic G-dependent protein kinase gene (that plays a key role in normal brain development). In addition to genes implicated in intracellular signaling and intercellular interactions, a number of genes involved in other processes have also been identified. While many of the genes identified through this effort make sense because of their role in supporting new neural connections in the brain, more research is now needed to understand the actual mechanisms through which they may increase or reduce the rates of successful quitting.

Dr. Uhl says he and his colleagues have replicated this research in another sample, as he reported at the February 2007 meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

"These findings provide ample justification for continuing the search for even more genetic variants associated with smoking cessation success," says Dr. Volkow. 'We soon may be able to make use of this information to match treatments with the smokers most likely to benefit from them."

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of research information and its implementation in policy and practice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and information on NIDA research and other activities can be found on the NIDA home page at www.drugabuse.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Feeling lethargic, moody, tired, fat? It could be your thyroid

2007-05-21T15:55:00.000-05:00

By Melanie Haiken
Health.com/ CNN

Most people say they're tired when they skip their morning run or nod off during their favorite 9 o'clock sitcom. But if you want to know about real bone-crunching fatigue, the kind that chains you to your bed, ask someone with a thyroid disorder.

For me, the exhaustion was totally out of character. I'd always been high-energy, even a tad hyper. Six hours of sleep a night was enough. Then last fall I became a different person, someone I didn't like very much at all.

I'd get up at 7:15 and see my 13-year-old out the door, then lie down. Next thing I knew it was 8 a.m. and there were a mere 10 minutes left to get my 10-year-old fed and to school. As if her tardies weren't bad enough, I started crawling back into bed again after I dropped her off. Suddenly there weren't enough hours in the day to earn the living that supported us all.

Though I mentioned the problem to my doctor, all he did was offer sleeping pills. But then my younger sister discovered she had a thyroid problem, and her doctor said it runs in families. (Health.com: Why thyroid disorders are so commonexternal link )

I read a list of the possible symptoms -- exhaustion, depression, constipation, hair loss, and heavy periods, among others -- and all the pieces began to fall into place. I have hypothyroidism. I share the disorder with millions of Americans, most of them women. And today, in many ways, I'm luckier than most. Thanks to my symptoms and a family history, my doctor put me on thyroid medication.

Now, at 44, I'm back to my usual self. My fatigue and constipation are gone and my eyebrows are growing back. I'm lucky. Millions of people aren't getting the help they deserve. You may be one of them.

A thyroid epidemic?

The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study, published in 2000, found that as much as 10 percent of the population may have a thyroid disorder, and as many as half of those cases were thought to be undiagnosed. Six years later, that's considered a conservative estimate. Some experts say a woman over 35 has a 30 percent chance of developing hypothyroidism. When I tell people about my condition, the room echoes. They say they have it, too, or report that a friend or family member does. (Health.com: Feeling sluggish? Try sushiexternal link )

What's going on?

New thinking seems to be uncovering many more people who suffer from hypothyroidism -- happy news, assuming they get treated. For decades the disorder has usually, but not always, been diagnosed with a blood test, a good place to start if you think you may have it (see "How to Find Answers," at right). In recent years the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommended narrowing the so-called normal range for blood-test scores, catching millions more whose thyroid issues wouldn't have been diagnosed otherwise. Even if your results fail to flag a problem, you may still have symptoms and be a candidate for treatment. (Health.com: Help for hypothyroidismexternal link )

Hello, sluggishness

Your thyroid is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck. Sometimes described as the body's thermostat, it controls energy flow. Hypothyroidism, also called low thyroid, means the gland isn't producing enough hormones to do its job. The most frequent cause is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a condition that causes your body to produce antibodies that attack the thyroid. A shortage of thyroid hormones makes you sluggish at every level.

Slowed digestion causes constipation, sluggish metabolism leads to weight gain and elevated cholesterol, even hair and skin can become dry and coarse (and hair can fall out) because they're not getting enough nutrients. The brain also needs thyroid hormones to use oxygen and stimulate the production of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that regulate emotions. That's why hypothyroidism can lead to depression and moodiness, not to mention the fuzzy thinking that nearly every thyroid patient complains about. Other symptoms, such as heavy periods, cramps, and a queasy stomach, are trickier for doctors to connect to an underactive thyroid. (Health.com: Making sense of medical testsexternal link)

Most of these symptoms may sound familiar--it's not unusual for a 30-, 40-, or 50-something woman to feel tired, bummed out, and a little bit overweight -- and this makes hypothyroidism that much harder to diagnose. In many cases, doctors assume a woman is simply going through perimenopause or suffering mild depression. "It's all too common for a doctor to hear 'tired, moody, forgetful' and offer the patient a prescription for antidepressants," says Richard Shames, M.D., of San Rafael, California, a thyroid specialist.

There are few things more frustrating than getting the wrong treatment. My younger sister was told to take antacids for her nausea. Doctors didn't immediately recognize her hypothyroidism in part because she's thin and didn't feel tired. "It was awful," she says. "My husband would cook us a great dinner, I'd eat one bite and feel so sick I'd have to crawl into bed."

After doing her own research and insisting that her doctor give her a relatively new kind of test, my sister got an accurate diagnosis. It took a while to get the right dosage of medication, and that's not uncommon. (Treatment usually consists of replacement hormones.) But the nausea is gone now.

Good-bye, desperation

"I've seen so many patients come in with the same story," says Stephen E. Langer, M.D., a thyroid specialist in Berkeley, California. "From their symptoms, it's clear that their thyroid is underactive. But either it doesn't show up on standard tests, so their previous doctor refused to prescribe medication, or they are on medication but it's not working."

The desperation seems all the more unjust when you realize that being treated can be a life-affirming event. My friend Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, 49, a fellow writer from Mill Valley, California, is a wonderful example. A few years ago, she noticed that her hands and feet were always cold, her hair was falling out, and her memory was increasingly iffy. After a few years of being told her thyroid tests were normal, Cathryn found her way to a specialist. Once treated, she noticed a huge improvement in her memory.

At a recent party where hypothyroidism came up in conversation, several friends described unsuccessful attempts to get treated for symptoms that seemed suspiciously hypothyroid, while others raved about how much better they felt taking thyroid medication. Cathryn came up to the group, listened for a moment, then announced, "They should put it in the water."

Frequent Health contributor Melanie Haiken lives in Northern California.

Swim classes aren't just for kids

2007-05-21T15:53:00.000-05:00

By Judy Fortin
CNN

ALPHARETTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Blowing bubbles in the water is fun when you're a child, but for Stacey Mueller, it's part of a bigger endeavor. At the age of 45, she is learning how to swim. "It's very hard," says Mueller. "It's like learning a language or learning how to breathe when you're young."

Mueller is one of four adults taking a weekday afternoon beginner swimming class at the YMCA in Alpharetta, Georgia. Instructor Gina Thomas is in the shallow end of the pool within arm's reach of her students. She teaches a lot of adults who don't know how to swim. Thomas says each of her students has a different reason.

"People may have had a bad experience where they were taking swim lessons and went under or gulped water and felt like they were almost going to drown." (Watch how to be safe during boating seasonVideo)

Other beginners, like 27-year-old Naren Jangid and his wife, Dina, 24, never had a chance to learn how to swim as children growing up in India.

"I was really scared," he says. "Now I'm floating, and I can kick my legs without the flippers."

Thomas allows her students to start out slowly and go at their own pace until they feel comfortable in the pool. "I had one woman who took two lessons to walk down the steps because she had a really bad experience when she was young," remembers Thomas.

She encourages the new swimmers to relax. "They get tense. You can see it in their neck and in their shoulders."

One of her biggest challenges is teaching adults how to breathe in the water while swimming freestyle. Mueller acknowledges having trouble at first with the skill.

"It's hard to get over those first few sessions and not totally freak out there like I did a few times."

Thomas thinks it's harder to teach adults how to swim than children. "The adults overthink a little bit too much. They want to be in control of what they're doing, and it's very hard to do that."

Gaining control is a big part of the YMCA program. Instructors such as Thomas help students overcome their fear of the water, with a goal of lowering the incidence of drowning.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there were more than 3,300 unintentional drownings in the United States in 2004. While there are no statistics on how many of those victims ever took a swimming lesson, the CDC estimates nine people drown each day.

Thomas argues that everyone should learn how to swim, no matter how old they are. She encourages students to stick with group lessons because they foster support and positive peer pressure.

Often she sees parents deciding to take lessons because of their kids. "If their children are learning how to swim, they'll say 'If he's doing it, I should probably do it.' "

That was part of the incentive for Naren Jangid. He admits he was afraid to stand up in the water out of fear he would lose his balance and fall in. Watching youngsters splashing around and having fun gave him the confidence to take the plunge.

"Kids can do it, and I cannot do it," laughs Jangid. "It's embarrassing."

Judy Fortin is a correspondent with CNN Medical News.

Laughter Yoga -- From Mumbai to the World

2007-05-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

Stretching and Laughing Therapy Helps People Forget Hardships of Life
By BEN BARNIER, ABC NEWS
May 20, 2007

In the busy, polluted city of Mumbai in India, it's sometimes hard to find the time to smile.

Rickshaws local yellow and black open cabs clog the streets night and day.

Roads and public places display the sad view of desperate families living in shacks, very young children begging, and men who call themselves holy men, stalking tourists and locals for a fistful of rupees.

But every morning, a group of older folks escapes the smokes and horns of Mumbai's streets to gather at a park in the Mumbai suburbs.

They are followers of laughter yoga, a therapy that blends yoga-like stretching with laughing.

Most of them pensioners like to begin their day together. They clap and they breathe, until they laugh like children, forgetting for an hour the hardships of Mumbai's busy life.

"If we remain in the house," said 60-year-old Meera Tellan, "we think of our household problems. But when we come here, we forget all our worries. We forget our depression."

"It's a therapy," said Nagaradj Hair, 59. "We feel better and we feel young. What else do you want? This is the [best] thing, which you get [for] free! No charge!"

Today, laughter yoga is a global movement, with 5,000 clubs in Asia, America and Europe.

Local Indian clubs are free, but disciples from rich countries are ready to spend lofty amounts of money to be with the master.

This spring, the movement's founder, Madan Kataria, a Mumbai physician, is holding a rock star-like global tour in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Switzerland.

For $1,200, Kataria's followers will be able to spend a week in Switzerland to laugh with him.

Kataria has also taken the joys of stretching and laughing to the corporate world.

"People are killing themselves with stress in the work place," said Kataria.

He said he recently worked with an Indian automobile company, which will incorporate laughter yoga into its daily routine.

A therapy applied to individuals and professionals, school children and elderly people, laughter yoga is a success story of our times, and its evolution started in a small Mumbai park 12 years ago.

One early morning in 1995, Kataria was writing an article about the physical and mental benefits of laughter.

"Suddenly, I get a flash in my mind," recalled Kataria. "Why not start a laughter club?"

On the same day, Kataria gathered a few friends and shared jokes with them. But very quickly, "We ran out of jokes."

"Sexy, negative jokes came in, that was not funny," he said. "So, then I found this idea of laughing for no reason."

Kataria argues that children can laugh 400 times a day compared to grown-ups, who laugh less than 15 times because children laugh for no reason, without using sophisticated forms of humor.

Laughter yoga sessions feature a special kind of laugh a mechanical laugh which, when performed with other people, becomes genuine laughter.

Every morning, members of the local Mumbai club, which ABC News visited, practice the Namaste laughter, or Greeting laughter, in which followers hold their hands as in prayer. And there's also the Lion laughter hands open around their face and tongues out and the Lassi laughter (a local dairy drink) in which disciples mimic drinking an imaginary cup filled with laughter the more they drink, the more they laugh.

Their mechanical laughs may seem a bit odd, almost disturbing to the non-initiated.

And even at the park that morning, not all were convinced.

Children witnessed the session, laughing awkwardly, and busy adults passed by, staring suspiciously at the twelve folks who were extending their tongues and laughing.

But laughter yoga has greatly helped some people in despair, like 80-year-old Somoti, who said she had lost the use of her legs before joining laughter club.

Today, she is back on her feet and enjoys the company every morning. That has given Somoti a good reason to smile.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

The Top Five Things to Consider When Starting a Workout Program

2007-05-21T15:48:00.000-05:00

Increase Your Chances of Success Through a Realistic Approach
By STEFAN ASCHAN, ABC News

May 21, 2007

It never ceases to intrigue me when some clients come to me and tell me their stories about going straight from being a couch potato to joining an intensive boot camp.

Amazed, I listen to their stories and wonder what has happened to common sense.

If you have never done a proper push-up or a squat, how do you think you can manage boot camp? Has it occurred to some of us that boot camp is to push already in-shape individuals to the next level?

With this in mind, the proper question for people just starting an exercise program is: What makes sense to do when you are just starting out, and what can you do on your own to structure a personalized workout that is safe?

This is easier asked than answered, as there are so many factors that play a role. Here are factors that you should think about:

Goal: What is your goal? Now don't be too broad; tell me your goal exactly, in numbers, and in what time frame.

For example: "I want to improve my overall muscle tone by losing 2 percent body fat by Nov. 2, 2007."

Leave it too broad, and you won't be able to measure your progress in the future. An example to avoid would be: "I would like to lose weight." Yes, this is great, but tell me exactly how much and in what time frame.

Also keep in mind that weight loss in and of itself does not always have to be the goal. For many it is to finish a triathlon, hike Mount Everest, complete a marathon, improve their running style or learn about proper lifting techniques. Whatever it might be, each of those goals will have a different time frame -- and therefore, a different training schedule.

Solutions: Now you have your goal. But how are you going to get there? Come up with solutions that you can execute. No, not just five or 10. Come up with at least 20 possible solutions. Most of the time, solutions 17 through 20 are the most valuable solutions for you to implement.

Capabilities: If you have been inactive and your goal is to run a marathon in two months, you might be facing an uphill battle. I am not saying you can't do it, but be smart and build your body up to the challenge.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you might have injuries that need to be taken care off first before you start proper training. Muscular imbalances can be another issue. You can do anything you want if you but your mind to it. But be smart about how you approach it.

Time: How much time do you have available to train, and how much time can you really commit to? Those are important questions, and both have a different meaning. Commitment means that you are actually doing what you set out to do. So think about it first: How much time can you reasonably commit to?

Structure: How do you build your workout program? This is one of the questions that I have received many times from individuals that I have met who could not afford personal training sessions, and it is not that easy to answer. But let me give it a try.

Understand that all of our bodies are different. We all have different activities we have experienced in the past, and therefore different central nervous conditioning.

Think about it. Some of us competed in track and field in college, while some played football or basketball and some took dance classes. Each of those requires a different skill set and different strengths. Hence, how can you explain to somebody what to do if you have not met that person? Without knowing the strengths and weaknesses of their muscular system and the short and long muscle groups that need to be corrected for the system to work efficiently, it is an extremely difficult task.

Getting Started

One of the best approaches is to look into your posture first. What is posture, many of you wonder? Ideal posture is the best possible body position to execute movements most efficiently. By accomplishing a correct body posture you prevent yourself from getting injured.

If you are really want to learn more about your ideal posture I highly recommend to pick up the book "Muscle Testing and Function" by Kendall, McCreary and Provacne, fourth edition. Educate yourself and find a personal trainer who can analyze your body as mentioned in the book.

As soon as you have corrected muscular imbalance, you can move further into the strengthening section of your program. Keep in mind there are many different ways to strengthen your body. But one of the easier that you can do is to use your own body's resistance -- and you don't even need a gym.

Such exercises are a good start, and you can do them anywhere. Additional resistance can be added on through weights or rubber bands. Your goal is to build up lean muscle weight to burn more fat tissue on your body.

Set Your Goal -- and Go for It

Keep in mind that it is important for you to know what you would like to accomplish. A program designed for a bodybuilder is different compared to that of a person who competes in track and field, or who wants to do gymnastics, or who is injured.

But no matter what you decide on, the most important thing is to get started and do it step by step. Don't rush into it. Enjoy the process, plan it out and stick to your commitments to improve your body. Most importantly, keep in mind your goals, your solutions, your capabilities and your time availabilities.

To help you get started, please go to www.stefanaschan.com and download the free goal and solution sheet, which you can find in the Mental Detox box under the link "forms."

Fill it out and stick to it. Do it again after four weeks and see how your goals and your solutions might have changed by comparing it to your first document.

Stefan Aschan is the owner and founder of www.strength123.com, a New York City-based enterprise that provides nutrition advice and exercise programs.

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

Over 40, female and getting fatter? Beware risks

2007-05-21T15:40:00.000-05:00

TRENTON, N.J. - Getting fatter around the middle? Have a family history of heart disease or diabetes? You could be headed for the same trouble, especially if you’re over 40 and female.

There are no obvious symptoms from high blood sugar or the condition called insulin resistance, so few people realize it is creeping up and putting them on the path to diabetes, heart disease or both.

But insulin resistance, a type of pre-diabetes, is a growing national problem: Some experts believe half of all overweight or obese American adults are insulin-resistant.

Yet, even many women with a family history of heart disease or diabetes don’t know they need to eat a healthier diet and get more exercise to avoid those problems — two of the nation’s top killers.

“We think this is a very important new issue for women,” said Audrey Sheppard, chief executive of the National Women’s Health Resource Center. “There’s very little awareness.”

As women enter the years leading to menopause, the hormonal changes that trigger hot flashes and end menstruation make women more likely to add fat around the waistline than in other places. A key tip off of looming trouble is a waistline over 34 inches, according to one expert. (For men, it’s 40 inches.)

Fat also builds up in the liver and other vital organs, predisposing them to insulin resistance, a condition in which insulin no longer can inject enough glucose into the body’s cells for fuel, said Dr. David Katz, co-founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center and author of several books on weight control.

Cascade of insulin resistance
The body’s compensatory mechanisms eventually fail, blood pressure rises along with levels of blood sugar and blood fat — making cells even more resistant to insulin. Diabetes, heart disease or both often follow.

“That’s the sequence that’s occurring in tens of millions of American adults” and an increasing number of children amid the country’s obesity epidemic, said Katz. “It’s an enormous problem. We’re just starting to get doctors’ attention.”

2007-04-23T17:49:00.000-05:00

You’ve no doubt heard that some time in 2007 the cinnamon roll you covet, along with your daily Frappuccino, will be purged of trans fats. Starbucks has joined the likes of Taco Bell, KFC and Wendy’s in vowing to limit or eliminate trans fats from their menus.

That will be then. The skinny is, we’re not there yet. But public pressure—from consumers, New York City legislators, food activists—certainly is getting the attention of food providers. Lawsuits, like those against Kraft Foods (the makers of Oreos) and McDonald’s for their trans-fat-laden products, have turned up the heat even more.

There is a distinct divide between packaged foods and what you might get on your fast-food tray.

“When trans fats labeling laws went into effect, anyone who sells foods in the supermarkets raced to get partially hydrogenated oils [a common description of trans fats] out of their products so they could report no trans fats,” says Jeff Cronin, spokesman for the watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest.

A look at the MSN Health & Fitness “Dirty Dozen” of top trans fat offenders that remain in restaurants versus packaged food in grocery stores is telling. For example, the 14 grams of trans fats contained in our top fast-food chain offender, KFC’s chicken pot pie, is twice that of our top offender from the supermarket, the 6 grams of trans fats found in Cinnabon’s Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Turnovers.

Even 6 grams is too much for your body to handle.

“You should have 1 percent or less of your dietary calories from trans fats,” says Cronin, echoing the views of his organization’s nutritionists. “For someone on a 2,000 calorie diet, that’s less than 2 grams of trans fats a day.” That amount, Cronin says, is what an average non-vegetarian eater gets from milk and meat products. This means you want to eat zero trans fats a day from other foods, such as restaurant fare, snacks and treats.

Even so, trans fats still lurk in obvious and not-so-obvious places. The more processed the food, the more likely you’ll find trans fats. Cronin says that of the fast-food chains, “McDonald’s and Burger King are the two biggest chains that haven’t switched.”

As for avoiding trans fats at the supermarket, be wary of food categories such as chicken pot pies, pie crusts, pancake mixes and many frozen foods, he says.

At a restaurant or grocer, the key is to find out which oils were used when preparing the food. Ask your wait staff or read the label. If the item is prepared with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, then it contains trans fats. If it is prepared with soybean, canola, peanut, sunflower, safflower or other liquid vegetable oils, chances are the food’s free of trans fats.

It’s difficult to figure out the amount of trans fats contained in restaurant food because local laws don’t mandate disclosure of that information. Food labeling laws have made it easier to find out what’s in packaged foods. However, a recent spin through a grocery store uncovered some high-fat brands. Note to parents: Beware of the trans fats in the kids menu, too. Burger King’s six-piece crown-shaped chicken tenders, for example, have 2.5 grams of trans fat. A small order of fries adds another 3 grams, which means this kid’s meal has a total of 5.5 grams of trans fat. Ouch!

And one disturbing hitch: FDA regulations stipulate that if a serving contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, the manufacturer can say it contains no trans fat. So even when a label says zero trans fat, check that ingredient list. Again, if you see the word “hydrogenated,” the item may still contain small amounts that could add up.

Public pressure and a series of well-placed lawsuits have prompted more than a few fast-food companies to curb the trans fats on their menus. But there remain some big-name holdouts among the trans fats offenders at fast-food counters.

MSN Trans Fat Dirty Dozen: Fast Food

Fast-Food Restaurant Meals
Trans Fats Per Serving

KFC’s Chicken Pot Pie 14 grams
McDonald’s Deluxe Breakfast 11 grams
McDonald’s Large Fries 8 grams
Burger King’s King-Size French Fries 7 grams
Krispy Kreme’s Apple Fritter 7 grams
McDonald’s Big Breakfast 7 grams
Krispy Kreme’s Glazed Sour Cream Doughnut 6 grams
Krispy Kreme’s Glazed Kreme Filled Doughnut 6 grams
Krispy Kreme’s New York Cheesecake Doughnut 6 grams
Krispy Kreme’s Chocolate Ice Cream Filled Doughnut 6 grams
McDonald’s Deluxe Warm Cinnamon Roll 6 grams
McDonald’s Biscuit 5 grams

By Jean Weiss for MSN Health & Fitness

2007-04-10T17:00:00.001-05:00

Caffeine May Ease Workout Pain

Drinking Coffee May Reduce Muscle Pain and Soreness After Workouts

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News

Jan. 17, 2007 -- You may not want to put coffee in your sports bottle just yet, but a new study suggests drinking the equivalent of two cups before exercise may reduce post workout muscle pain by nearly 50%.

Researchers say that's more muscle pain relief than commonly found with pain relievers like aspirin.

"A lot of times what people use for muscle pain is aspirin or ibuprofen, but caffeine seems to work better than those drugs, at least among women whose daily caffeine consumption is low," researcher Patrick O'Connor, of the department of kinesiology at the University of Georgia, Athens, says in a news release.

But caffeine's pain-relieving perks may not apply to those who regularly drink coffee and other beverages containing caffeine. Instead, researchers say caffeine appears to work best in people who don't regularly consume caffeine or exercise.

Therefore, they say, the findings may be most help to people new to exercise -- who also tend to experience the most muscle soreness.

"If you can use caffeine to reduce the pain, it may make it easier to transition from that first week into a much longer exercise program," says researcher Victor Maridakis, of the University of Georgia, in the news release.

Caffeine's Pain-Relieving Perk

In this small study, researchers studied caffeine's effects on post workout muscle soreness in nine female college students who were not regular caffeine users and did not regularly engage in resistance training. The results appear in The Journal of Pain.

The women received tablets containing either the equivalent of two cups of coffee or a placebo 24 and 48 hours after a resistance-training session designed to produce muscle soreness.

An hour after taking the pills, the women were asked to perform two different exercises using their sore quadricep (thigh) muscles. The results showed that one hour after taking caffeine, the women experienced up to 48% less muscle pain than the placebo group.

In comparison, O'Connor says previous studies of drugs containing naproxen (the active ingredient in Aleve) produced a 30% reduction in muscle soreness, and those using aspirin showed a 25% reduction.

Researchers say more study is needed to examine caffeine's effects on muscle pain.

They recommend that people use caution when using caffeine before a workout. Too much may produce side effects like jitteriness, heart palpitations, and sleep disturbances.

"It can reduce pain," says Maridakis, "but you have to apply some common sense and not go overboard."

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SOURCES: Maridakis, V. The Journal of Pain, Dec 11, 2006 online edition, to appear in February 2007 print addition. News release, University of Georgia, Athens.

© 2007 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

2007-04-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

12 Places Germs Lurk

Public health experts tell WebMD about the 'dirty dozen' of places where germs love to hide.

WebMD Feature

Think about all the places you visit in a typical week: your office, your favorite restaurant, your child's school. Do you ever look around and worry your surroundings are less than sparkling clean?

Rod Moser, PA, PhD, does. In his WebMDblog, the veteran primary care physician assistant lists 12 places where poor hygiene could give germs a leg up. For a closer look at this "dirty dozen," WebMD asked public health officials to discuss the risks in each place, along with strategies for protecting yourself and your family.

Germy Place No. 1: Public Bathrooms

The risk: "It's prudent to assume virtually any surface in a public restroom carries germs," says Craig Conover, MD, MPH, medical director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. These germs may include intestinal bacteria, such as E. coli and Enterococcus, which cause diarrhea. The main risk of infection comes not from sitting on the toilet, but from touching the seat, stall door or sink with your hands and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth -- the usual points of entry for common germs.

Your defense: "If you want to leave with clean hands," Conover advises, "wash your hands for the proper amount of time -- 15 to 20 seconds -- and avoid touching contaminated surfaces afterward." If the sink is not motion-activated, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet so you won't contaminate the hands you just washed.

Lennox K. Archibald, MD, hospital epidemiologist for Shands HealthCare affiliated with the University of Florida, tells WebMD healthy people are not likely to get sick from a public bathroom if they "wash their hands properly with soap and water." He adds that the elderly, people undergoing chemotherapy, and anyone with a compromised immune system should be especially diligent about hand washing. This includes children.

Germy Place No. 2: Restaurants

The risk: We've all seen the signs requiring restaurant employees to wash their hands after using the bathroom, but who's checking up on this? Improperly washed hands can easily taint food with fecal matter, introducing infectious bacteria or viruses.

Raw foods can also expose you to a wide range of bacteria, including Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter, Archibald says. Even ordering your food well done is not a guarantee against exposure. If a kitchen worker handles raw foods and then touches your dinner plate or freshly baked rolls, he can contaminate your cooked food.

Your defense: "Choose which restaurants you patronize," Conover says. Check with your local government for inspection results or look for the inspection certificate on site. In addition, avoid raw or undercooked foods. Always order your hamburger well done and send it back if it's pink in the middle.

Germy Place No. 3: Your Workplace

The risk: Phones, desks, and computer keyboards are germ magnets, according to a study by University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, PhD. The study, funded by the Clorox Company, suggests surfaces used by teachers, accountants, and bankers are the germiest.

Your defense: Moser recommends disinfecting your workspace yourself, particularly if you share your desk, computer, or phone with other employees. One option is to coat surfaces with a disinfectant spray, "but don't wipe it off. You have to let it dry."

Germy Place No. 4: Airplanes

The risk: When you have so many people in close quarters for hours at a time, germs thrive, says Archibald. He tells WebMD upper respiratory viruses and intestinal bacteria can spread easily during a flight. In addition to the obvious risk of a neighbor with a bad cough, the surfaces throughout the cabin and particularly in the lavatory can harbor germs.

Your defense: Moser and Archibald recommend disinfecting your seat when you board. Wipe the arms, tray, and window with alcohol-based antiseptic wipes. Use a hand sanitizer after visiting the lavatory, and if you need to change your baby's diaper, disinfect the changing tray first. Moser also suggests avoiding the lavatory on short flights, bringing your own magazines, and staying hydrated to help protect against respiratory illnesses.

Germy Place No. 5: Hotels and Motels

The risk: You may have heard that the bedspreads in hotels are never washed, but don't worry. Archibald says these are not likely to spread germs. Bigger concerns are bathrooms that have not been properly cleaned, contaminated surfaces such as doorknobs or phones, and bed bugs living in the mattress or headboard.

Linn Haramis, PhD, an entomologist with the Illinois Department of Public Health, tells WebMD that bed bugs are becoming an increasing problem in many areas of the country. He says they are not disease carriers, but "the bites can cause allergic reactions, and the 'ick factor' is not something most people are happy with."

Your defense: Ask the manager for a different room if the bathroom doesn't seem clean, or if there are brownish-black spots along the mattress seams or headboard -- bed bug excrement. Even if the room looks clean, Moser recommends using a disinfectant spray on the phone, nightstand, bathroom counters, and other surfaces you might touch with your hands.

Germy Place No. 6: Swimming Pools

The risk: The CDC has recorded an increase in recreational water illnesses over the past decade. The most common problem is infectious diarrhea, which can be caused by germs such as Giardia, Shigella, Norovirus, E. coli, and Crypto, short for Cryptosporidium. A pool is easily contaminated when someone with diarrhea goes swimming, and chlorine doesn't always kill the germs immediately. Crypto can survive for days even in a properly disinfected pool.

Your defense: The CDC offers these tips:
Avoid swallowing pool water or getting it in your mouth.
To protect others, don't swim when you have diarrhea.
Shower before swimming.
Wash your hands before returning to the pool after using the toilet or changing a diaper.
Don't let your child swim if he or she has diarrhea, and use rubber pants for young children who are not potty trained.
Germy Place No. 7: Movie Theaters

The risk: Similar to an airplane, movie theaters draw many people into close quarters for a couple of hours. Moser points out that viral infections can be contagious a day before symptoms appear, so people with colds or flu may go to the movies without knowing they are sick.

Your defense: Avoid touching your eyes or nose during the movie and wash your hands after leaving the theater. To protect others, watch movies at home when you are ill.

Germy Place No. 8: Day Care Centers

The risk: During a diaper change, children may get fecal matter on their hands and then touch a toy. When another child plays with the same toy and then sucks his or her thumb, infection can occur. This is called fecal-oral transmission, and Archibald says it's a common source of diarrheal illness in children. Since young kids love to put things in their mouths, shared toys can also become contaminated with saliva.

Your defense: Ensure your children are immunized appropriately and avoid sending them to day care when they are sick, Moser advises. In addition, make sure your day care provider washes children's hands after a diaper change.

Germy Place No. 9: Schools

The risk: As Moser puts it, "Any gathering of children is a place of questionable hygiene." Even though school-aged children may have grown out of habits like thumb sucking or putting toys in their mouth, they may be less than diligent about washing their hands when they should.

Your defense: Set a good example by washing your hands often at home, Moser suggests. Teach kids why it's important to wash hands after using the bathroom or before eating meals, and show them how to do it properly.

Germy Place No. 10: Your Home

The risk: You don't have to leave home to have a close encounter with germs -- just travel as far as your kitchen or bathroom. According to Moser, raw foods frequently contaminate kitchen surfaces with bacteria, which aren't killed when you wipe off the counter with a wet cloth or sponge. As for the bathroom, intestinal pathogens can contaminate the toilet seat, flush handle, towels, doorknobs, sink, and other surfaces you might touch after using the toilet.

Your defense: Keep in mind that cleaning is not the same as disinfection, Moser says. His advice:

Clean kitchens and bathrooms regularly with bleach or a color-safe disinfectant spray.
After handling raw foods, wash cutting boards and knives with soap and hot water.
Microwave wet sponges for one minute to kill germs.
Change hand-drying towels often.
Close the lid before flushing the toilet to keep germs from contaminating nearby surfaces.
Germy Place No. 11: Your Doctor's Office

The risk: You may not think of your doctor's office as germy, but remember that you are sharing a small space with many people who may have infectious illnesses. Waiting room chairs, doorknobs, toys, and even your doctor's clothing can become contaminated. According to Archibald, those most at risk for picking up germs at the doctor's office are patients who have some type of medical procedure.

Your defense: Try to avoid touching doorknobs or other surfaces, or wash your hands afterward. When taking your child to the pediatrician, bring toys and books from home. Speak up if you don't see your health care provider wash his or her hands before your exam or procedure, Moser warns. "Say, 'I don't want to be disrespectful, but would you please wash your hands.'"

Germy Place No. 12: Hospitals

The risk: "More people die from hospital-related infections every year than from car accidents," Moser says, citing CDC data. This is not because hospitals are unsanitary, but because there is a high concentration of germs and vulnerable people in the same place. There is also increased risk of exposure to bacteria that are resistant to treatment with antibiotics.

"The area of hospitals with the most infections is the ICU (intensive care unit)," Archibald tells WebMD. Intensive care patients may have compromised immune systems, along with surgical wounds or medical devices that can introduce germs. "Patients need to realize this is a risk," Archibald says.

Your defense: The Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths recommends looking for hospitals and surgeons with a low infection rate ahead of any planned procedure. In addition, always ask hospital staff and visitors to wash their hands before touching you.

The Universal Germ Fighter

All of our experts stress that there is one simple strategy for fighting germs in almost any setting: Wash your hands. "Do it often and do it correctly," Moser says. "That can't be overemphasized."

2007-04-10T16:50:00.000-05:00

Accentuate the Positive: Essential Dos for Achieving Your Optimum Weight

by Susan Woodward for MSN Health & Fitness

I must lose weight, I must lose weight, I must … Sound familiar? It’s probably the daily mantra of millions of people, but a state of permanent good health eludes most because they cannot move beyond the common response – an endless cycle of damaging yo-yo diets.

What’s the answer then, you ask? Well, one thing we know is that when it comes to obtaining and retaining an ideal body weight, focusing on what you cannot do is decidedly old school. Successful weight loss, experts now agree, resides in focusing on what you can do. In other words, dos over don’ts.

Here are some dos that can help those of you still trudging down the weight-loss road:

• Do examine yourself honestly. Before you begin any diet regimen, discover if you’re truly overweight. To be blunt, many people think they’re fat when they’re not. “The reality is that you’re not going to have the exact same body at 40 that you had at 25,” says Anne Louise Gittleman, author of The Fat Flush Plan.

• Do research. For the past couple of years, scores of diet books have hit The New York Times bestseller list like bees swarming on a hive. The rise in health consciousness is worth applauding but beware of fads. Long-term health requires permanent lifestyle changes. Read widely and get your weight-loss facts straight.

• Do visit a dietitian. “Everyone needs an individual eating plan,” advises Michelle Streif, a personal trainer in Omaha, Neb. “Even though diet plans have good pointers, everyone’s different and a registered dietician can help, especially if you’re on medications.”

• Do eat. Most people need close to a couple thousand calories a day just to live. The trick is to control the quantity so you’re not overeating and to eat the right foods. Choose a mix of healthy protein, carbohydrates and fat – you need them all. And don’t be afraid to add healthy snacks to help keep your metabolism and blood sugars firing. Starving is flat-out dangerous.

• Do control your stress. Stress raises cortisol levels, which in turn lower your metabolic functioning, which is responsible for burning calories. In other words, stress is linked to weight gain, particularly around the stomach, which, besides its unsightliness, is known to put people at an increased risk for certain diseases.

• Do exercise. Dr. Sandra Lewis, a cardiologist in Portland, Ore., lists a litany of benefits: Exercise reduces stress (see above!), anxiety, depression and the risk of heart disease and cancer; it boosts energy, improves self-image, promotes good sleep, and builds fitness; and exercise levels out cholesterol and blood pressure. Additionally, no weight-loss program can properly work without it.

• Do lose weight progressively. Health experts agree that one to two pounds a week is ideal.

• Do set realistic goals. And reflect and possibly modify them as you progress.

• Do get support. “Social support is crucial to any behavior change,” says Dr. Jeff Wilbert, author of Fattitudes. Be wary of saboteurs, and learn to develop your self-care awareness and personal coping mechanisms, too. To borrow a cliché, we are our own best support and worst critic.

• Do listen to your body. Broadly speaking, you should eat when you’re hungry. But make sure the sensation is hunger or you may well fall prey to the habit of eating to fulfill some other emotion (sadness and boredom are common examples).

• Do listen to your mind. Let go of self-defeating thoughts and keep your mind thinking positively. Good health and a trim body shape are yours for the taking!

• Do find inspiration. From role models, your support network, a favorite expression, wherever you can find it.

• Do use common sense. You know what it is.

2007-04-05T09:41:00.001-05:00

Walk (or Run) Off Bulge!

Walking and running are the quickest ways we know to blast up to 25 percent more calories, boost your energy instantly, and sculpt lean, sexy muscles -- even your abs! Here, everything you need to know about the best new gear, injury-prevention, speed tips, and more...plus our favorite 45-minute workout for any fitness level. Burn fat and tone muscle with these walking and running tips and workout routines.

1. To get started, stride right. Leaning into each stride increases momentum, which makes everything feel easier, even as you go faster. How far you lean depends on your pace. If you walk, hinge forward slightly from the hips. If you run, move from the ankles. Keep this forward-leaning position throughout your run or walk. It should almost feel like you have to take a step to catch yourself from falling.

2. Keep your abs tight. All movement starts from your core, so it makes sense to keep it strong and engaged while you walk or run. To actively engage your abs, imagine zipping up a pair of jeans from your pubic bone to your navel and keeping them tight during the workout. You'll tone your abs, legs, and butt.

3. Flex your toes. Pull your toes up as you step. You'll recruit more leg muscles and propel yourself forward to go faster. Another way to pick up speed (and blast calories): Bend your elbows 90 degrees and keep them close to you, swinging from your shoulders. This speeds up your arms so the legs will follow.

4. Challenge yourself. You should experience some huffing and puffing, even if you're walking. Out with a friend? You should be a bit breathless as you talk. Another way to tell if you're at the right pace -- strap on a pedometer. Take at least 3,000 to 4,000 steps in a half hour and you'll be within the right zone, report researchers at Arizona State University.

5. Update your playlist. Into Bach, not Beyonce? Give her a shot: Adding faster, more upbeat tunes to your iPod may help you to run harder and faster. It may also help reduce your rate of perceived exertion (how hard the exercise feels): A study at the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, found that music can lower this by up to 10 percent.

6. Increase the incline. Even a 2 percent higher setting bumps up your calorie burn by 20 percent per minute. You'll not only burn more calories than you would on a flat surface, but you'll also strengthen your legs and butt. For the best results, slightly shorten your stride, lean forward, and pump your arms.

7. Add weight to your walk. Forget holding dumbbells: A better way to burn calories while you walk is to wear a weighted vest, according to recent research. A study from the University of Iowa in Iowa City found that subjects who wore a vest that was about 20 percent of their body weight burned 14 percent more calories. Translation: a 140-pound woman might burn about 30 more calories on a 45-minute walk. Experts suggest you start slow to reduce injury risk: Begin by wearing three to five percent of your weight (for a 140-pound woman, that's four to seven pounds) and increase by two to five percent every few weeks until you reach 20 percent (28 pounds).

8. Go off the beaten path. Take a walk in the woods and burn about 500 calories per hour while hiking at average speed -- carry a pack and zap even more. If the trails are covered with snow, strap on a pair of snowshoes and blast about 670 calories per hour. "You can saunter or speed along, tackle tough terrain or walk," says Elena Rover, author of The Chelsea Piers Fitness Solution. To up the intensity, go trail running or cross-country skiing.

By Holly St. Lifer
Prevention Magazine

2007-04-04T18:13:00.000-05:00

CONTROL YOUR CRAVINGS

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Start a healthy new diet today—and stick with it for a lifetime.

By Adam Campbell, Men's Health

Cravings are all about blood sugar. If your levels are consistent throughout the day, your eating patterns will be, too. But when you starve yourself for hours, cravings call. And you will answer.

"Your blood sugar can fall too low after just 4 hours of not eating," says Valerie Berkowitz, M.S., R.D., nutrition director at the Center for Balanced Health in New York City. So you search the fridge, food court, or seat cushions for carbohydrates, which will provide a quick boost.

Trouble is, fast-rising blood sugar triggers your pancreas to release a flood of insulin, a hormone that not only lowers blood sugar but also signals your body to store fat. And in about half of us, insulin tends to "overshoot," which sends blood sugar crashing. "This reinforces the binge, because it makes you crave sugar and starch again," says Berkowitz.

The most effective way to keep blood sugar in check is to avoid foods that are made with added sugar—soda, some fruit juices, baked goods. You can eliminate those entirely. As for foods that contain high amounts of starch—pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, or any other flour-based food—we'll admit they're delicious, and they can also provide vitamins and fiber. But you should limit yourself to 30 to 40 grams (g) of total carbohydrates at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 10 to 20 g at any given snack. (Check labels.)

In addition, follow these three rules.

Eat regularly—approximately every 3 hours. This allows you to eat smaller meals without becoming hungry.

Have protein and fat (meat, cheese, nuts, or eggs contain both) at every meal. This slows the digestion of carbohydrates, which helps prevent spikes in blood sugar.

Go whole grain. Shop carefully for carbs. Make sure any bread, pasta, or rice that you eat is 100 percent whole grain. Because whole grains contain fiber, their effect on your blood sugar is reduced.

8 Ways to Tame a Raging Appetite

1. Guarantee Success

How long do you think you can stick to a new plan? Find a duration that you're 100 percent confident you can achieve, even if it's just a couple of days. "Once you make it to your goal date, start the process over," says Mary Vernon, M.D., president of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. "This not only establishes the notion that you can be successful, but also gives you a chance to start noticing that eating better makes you feel better, reinforcing your desire to continue."

2. Find More Motivation

If your diet's only purpose is to help you finally achieve six-pack abs (or even just a two-pack), it may be hard to stick with for the long haul. The solution? "Provide yourself with additional motivators," says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D. He suggests monitoring migraines, heartburn, acne, canker sores, and sleep quality, along with common measures of cardiovascular health. "Discovering that your new diet improves the quality of your life and health can be powerful motivation," says Volek.

3. Don't Dwell on Mistakes

Okay, you over-indulged. What's the next step? "Forget about it," says James Newman, a nutritionist at Tahlequah City Hospital in Oklahoma, who followed his own advice to shed 250 pounds. (That's right, 250 pounds.) "One meal doesn't define your diet, so don't assume that you've failed or fallen off the wagon," he says. Institute a simple rule: Follow any "cheat" meal with at least five healthy meals and snacks. That ensures that you'll be eating right more than 80 percent of the time.

4. Eat Breakfast

Sure, you've heard this one before. But consider that if you sleep for 6 to 8 hours and then skip breakfast, your body is essentially running on fumes by the time you reach work. And that sends you desperately seeking sugar, which is easy to find. "The most convenient foods are often the same ones you should be avoiding," says Berkowitz. That's because they're usually packed with sugar (candy bars, soda) or other fast-digesting carbohydrates (cookies, chips). Which leads to our next strategy.

5. Install Food Regulators

It's time for a regime change. Clean out your cupboard and fridge, then restock them with almonds and other nuts, cheese, fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna, chicken, and salmon. And do the same at work. "By eliminating snacks that don't match your diet but providing plenty that do, you're far less likely to find yourself at the doughnut-shop drive-thru or the vending machine," says Christopher Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., president of Mohr Results, in Louisville, Ky.

6. Think Like a Biochemist

It's true: They make all-natural cookies. But even if a cookie is made with organic cane juice (the hippie name for sugar), it's still junk food. Ditto for lots of "health foods" in the granola aisle. That's because hippie sweeteners raise your blood sugar just like the common white stuff. "If you're going to eat a cookie, accept that you're deviating from your plan, and then revert back to your diet afterward," says Berkowitz. "By convincing yourself that it's healthy, you're only encouraging a bad habit."

7. Recognize Hunger

Have a craving for sweets, even though you ate just an hour ago? Imagine eating a large, sizzling steak instead. "If you're truly hungry, the steak will sound good, and you should eat," says Richard Feinman, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City. "If it doesn't sound good, your brain is playing tricks on you." His advice: Change your environment, which can be as easy as doing 15 pushups or finding a different task to focus on.

8. Take a Logical Approach

"Before you take a bite of food, consider whether it's moving you one step closer to your goals or one step farther away," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, Calif. This won't stop you from making a poor choice every single time, but it does encourage the habit of thinking long-term about what you're eating right now. The payoff is that "80 to 90 percent of the time, you'll make a better decision."

2007-04-04T18:01:00.000-05:00

YOGA:

Mountain posture is considered to be the foundation for all standing Yoga postures.

It improves posture, balance and self-awareness in addition to groundedness, stability and inner thigh strength.

Beginners are invited to stand with their back against a wall to feel their alignment.

Contraindication include recent injuries to the knees or shoulders. Be mindful and respectful of your body’s limitations.

Mountain Posture - Tadasana
A deceptive pose in that it appears so simple that some students may ask - "why bother?" But just as there's more to breathing than meets the eye, there is more to standing, too.

Stand with feet together, hands at your sides, eyes looking forward.
Raise your toes, fan them open, then place them back down on the floor.
Feel your heel, outside of your foot, toes and ball of your foot all in contact with the floor.
Tilt your pubic bone slightly forward.
Raise your chest up and out, but within reason - this isn't the army and you're not standing at attention.
Raise your head up and lengthen the neck by lifting the base of your skull toward the ceiling.
Stretch the pinky on each hand downward, then balance that movement by stretching your index fingers.
Push into the floor with your feet and raise your legs, first the calves and then the thighs.

Breathe. Hold the posture, but try not to tense up. Breathe. As you inhale, imagine the breath coming up through the floor, rising through your legs and torso and up into your head. Reverse the process on the exhale and watch your breath as it passes down from your head, through your chest and stomach, legs and feet.

Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, relax and repeat.

On your next inhale, raise your arms over head (Urdhava Hastasana) and hold for several breaths. Lower your arms on an exhale.

As a warm up, try synchronizing the raising and lowering of your arms with your breath - raise, inhale; lower, exhale. Repeat 5 times.

From www.theyogasite.com

Better Health & Wellness Through PREVENTION

2007-02-15T10:44:00.000-05:00

2007-02-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques often can help people with sleep problems get a good night’s sleep. Several relaxation techniques are listed below; click on any of the links to learn more.

Progressive Relaxation
Toe Tensing
Deep Breathing
Guided Imagery
Quiet Ears

Progressive Relaxation

This technique is often most useful when you tape the instructions beforehand. You can tape these instructions, reading them slowly and leaving a short pause after each one.

Lie on your back, close your eyes.
Feel your feet. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and sink into the bed. Start with your toes and progress to your ankles.
Feel your knees. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel you upper legs and thighs. Fell their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your abdomen and chest. Sense your breathing. Consciously will them to relax. Deepen your breathing slightly and feel your abdomen and chest sink into the bed.
Feel your buttocks. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your hands. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your upper arms. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your shoulders. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your neck. Sense its weight. Consciously relax it and feel it sink into the bed.
Feel your head and skull. Sense its weight. Consciously relax it and feel it sink into the bed.
Feel your mouth and jaw. Consciously relax them. Pay particular attention to your jaw muscles and unclench them if you need to. Feel your mouth and jaw relax and sink into the bed.
Feel your eyes. Sense if there is tension in your eyes. Sense if you are forcibly closing your eyelids. Consciously relax your eyelids and feel the tension slide off the eyes.
Feel your face and cheeks. Consciously relax them and feel the tension slide off into the bed.
Mentally scan your body. If you find any place that is still tense, then consciously relax that place and let it sink into the bed.

Toe Tensing

This one may seem like a bit of a contradiction to the previous one, but by alternately tensing and relaxing your toes, you actually draw tension from the rest of the body. Try it!

Lie on your back, close your eyes.
Sense your toes.
Now pull all 10 toes back toward your face. Count to 10 slowly.
Now relax your toes.
Count to 10 slowly.
Now repeat the above cycle 10 times.
Deep Breathing
By concentrating on our breathing, deep breathing allows the rest of our body to relax itself. Deep breathing is a great way to relax the body and get everything into synchrony. Relaxation breathing is an important part of yoga and martial arts for this reason.
Lie on your back.
Slowly relax your body. You can use the progressive relaxation technique we described above.
Begin to inhale slowly through your nose if possible. Fill the lower part of your chest first, then the middle and top part of your chest and lungs. Be sure to do this slowly, over 8–10 seconds.
Hold your breath for a second or two.
Then quietly and easily relax and let the air out.
Wait a few seconds and repeat this cycle.
If you find yourself getting dizzy, then you are overdoing it. Slow down.
You can also imagine yourself in a peaceful situation such as on a warm, gentle ocean. Imagine that you rise on the gentle swells of the water as you inhale and sink down into the waves as you exhale.
You can continue this breathing technique for as long as you like until you fall asleep.

Guided Imagery

In this technique, the goal is to visualize yourself in a peaceful setting.

Lie on your back with your eyes closed.
Imagine yourself in a favorite, peaceful place. The place may be on a sunny beach with the ocean breezes caressing you, swinging in a hammock in the mountains or in your own backyard. Any place that you find peaceful and relaxing is OK.
Imagine you are there. See and feel your surroundings, hear the peaceful sounds, smell the flowers or the barbecue, fell the warmth of the sun and any other sensations that you find. Relax and enjoy it.
You can return to this place any night you need to. As you use this place more and more you will find it easier to fall asleep as this imagery becomes a sleep conditioner.
Some patients find it useful to visualize something boring. This may be a particularly boring teacher or lecturer, co-worker or friend.

Quiet Ears

Lie on your back with your eyes closed.
Place your hands behind your head. Make sure they are relaxed.
Place your thumbs in your ears so that you close the ear canal.
You will hear a high-pitched rushing sound. This is normal.
Listen to this sound for 10–15 minutes.
Then put your arms at your sides, actively relax them and go to sleep.

2007-02-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

To our readers: We hope you find the following bibliography helpful!

Bibliography

Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society

(A)Peer-reviewed papers

Kabat-Zinn, J. An out-patient program in Behavioral Medicine for chronic pain patients based on the
practice of mindfulness meditation: Theoretical considerations and preliminary results. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry (1982) 4:33-47.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L. and Burney, R. The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-
regulation of chronic pain. J. Behav. Med. (1985) 8:163-190.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., Burney, R. and Sellers, W. Four year follow-up of a meditation-based
program for the self-regulation of chronic pain: Treatment outcomes and compliance. Clin.J.Pain (1986) 2:159-173.

Kabat-Zinn, J. and Chapman-Waldrop, A. Compliance with an outpatient stress reduction program: rates
and predictors of completion. J.Behav. Med. (1988) 11:333-352.

Ockene, J., Sorensen, G., Kabat-Zinn, J., Ockene, I.S., and Donnelly, G. Benefits and costs of lifestyle
change to reduce risk of chronic disease. Preventive Medicine, (1988) 17:224-234.

Bernhard, J., Kristeller, J. and Kabat-Zinn, J. Effectiveness of relaxation and visualization techniques as a adjunct to phototherapy and photochemotherapy of psoriasis. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. (1988) 19:572-73.

Ockene, J.K., Ockene, I.S., Kabat-Zinn, J., Greene, H.L., and Frid, D. Teaching risk-factor counseling skills
to medical students, house staff, and fellows. Am. J. Prevent. Med. (1990) 6 (#2): 35-42.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A.O., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L.G., Fletcher, K., Pbert, L., Linderking, W.,
Santorelli, S.F. Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Am. J Psychiatry (1992) 149:936-943.

Miller, J., Fletcher, K. and Kabat-Zinn, J. Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry (1995) 17:192-200.

Massion, A.O., Teas, J., Hebert, J.R., Wertheimer, M.D., and Kabat-Zinn, J. Meditation, melatonin, and breast/prostate cancer: Hypothesis and preliminary data. Medical Hypotheses (1995) 44:39-46.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Chapman, A, and Salmon, P. The relationship of cognitive and somatic components of anxiety to patient preference for alternative relaxation techniques. Mind/ Body Medicine (1997) 2:101-109.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Wheeler, E., Light, T., Skillings, A., Scharf, M.S., Cropley, T. G., Hosmer, D., and Bernhard, J. Influence of a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention on rates of skin clearing in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis undergoing phototherapy (UVB) and photochemotherapy (PUVA) Psychosomat Med (1998) 60: 625-632.
Saxe, G.A., Hebert, J.R., Carmody, J.F., Kabat-Zinn, J., Rosenzweig, P.H., Jarzobski, D., Reed, G.W., and Blute, R.D. Can diet, in conjunction with stress reduction, affect the rate of increase in prostate-specific antigen after biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer? J Urology (2001) 166:2202-2207.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clin
Psychol Sci Pract, (2003) 10: 144-156.

Davidson, R.J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J. Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, S.F., Urbanowski,
F., Harrington, A., Bonus, K., and Sheridan, J.F. Alterations in brain and immune function
produced by mindfulness meditation, Psychosom Med (2003) 65:564-570.

Bishop, S., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N., Carmody, J., Segal, Z., Abbey, S., Speca, M.,
Velting, D., and Devins, G. Mindfulness: A Proposed Operational Definition,. Clin Psychol Sci Pract, (2004) 11:230-241.

Ying Wai Lam, James A. Mobley, James E. Evans, James F. Carmody, Shuk-Mei Ho. Mass Profiling-
Directed Isolation and Identification of a Stage-Specific Serologic Protein Biomarker of Advanced Prostate Cancer. Proteomics, (2005) In Press.

(B) Book Chapters & Monographs

Kabat-Zinn, J. Assessment of body image in chronic pain patients: The Body Parts Problem Assessment
Scale. In:Pain Measurement and Assessment, R. Melzack (Ed.) Raven, New York (1983) pp. 227-231.

Kabat-Zinn, J. The Sports Performance Factors, Rippe, J. Southmayd, W. Pappas, A., Clark, N, and Kabat-
Zinn, J. Putnam, New York,1986. Chapters on Flexibility (pp. 96-107) and Mental
Strategies (pp. 126-143).

Santorelli, S.F., "Mindfulness and Mastery in the Workplace: 21 Ways to Reduce Stress During the
Workday", Buddhist Peace Fellowship Newsletter, Berkeley, CA, Fall (1987).

Santorelli, S.F. A qualitative case analysis of mindfulness meditation in an outpatient stress reduction clinic
and its implications for the development of self-knowledge. Doctoral Thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, May, 1992.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Psychosocial Factors in Coronary Heart Disease: Their Importance and Management. In
Ockene, IS and Ockene J (Eds) Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease, Little Brown, Boston, 1993, pp. 299-333.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindfulness Meditation: Health Benefits of an Ancient Buddhist Practice. In Goleman, D.
and Gurin, J. (eds). Mind/Body Medicine, Consumer Reports Books, Yonkers, NY, 1993.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Meditation. In Moyers, B. Healing and the Mind, Doubleday, NY, 1993, pp. 115-143.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Forward to Choices in Healing, Michael Lerner, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1994, pp.xi-
xvii.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Forward to Loving Kindness, Sharon Salzberg, Shambhala, Boston, 1995, pp. ix-x.

Santorelli, S.F. " What Does It Mean To Teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. In: Indra's Net: The
Bulletin of theMindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Network July 1995; Vol.1 Issue 1

Kabat-Zinn, J. Catalyzing Movement Toward a More Contemplative/Sacred-Appreciating/Non-Dualistic
Society. Project on the Contemplative Mind in Society, Williamsburg, MA 01096.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindfulness Meditation. What It Is, What It Isn't, and Its Role in Health Care and Medicine,
in Haruki, Y. and Suzuki, M. (eds) Comparative and Psychological Study onMeditation. Eburon, Delft, Netherlands, 1996, pp. 161-170.

Santorelli, S.F. "Qualities and Qualifications for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Instructors."
In: Indra's Net: The Bulletin of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Network July 1996; Vol. 1 Issue 2

Santorelli, S.F. "Mindfulness and Mastery in the Workplace: 21Ways to Reduce Stress During the
Workday." (revised) book chapter in Engaged Buddhist Reader, Parallax Press, Berkeley, CA (1996)

Santorelli, S.F. "Gathering Ourselves Together": A Teacher Development Intensive in Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction. In: Indra's Net: The Bulletin of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Network June 1997; Vol.2 Issue 2

Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A.O., Hebert, J.R., Rosenbaum, E. Meditation. In Textbook of Psycho-oncology,
Jimmie Holland, M.D.(ed). Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998, pp. 767-779.

Salmon, P., Santorelli, S., and Kabat-Zinn, J. Intervention elements promoting high adherence to
mindfulness-based stress reduction programs in the clinical behavioral medicine setting. In Handbook for Health Behavior Change, Judith K. Ockene, Ph.D. (ed), Springer, 1998, pp. 239-266.

Santorelli, S.F. "The Program Mandala for the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and
Society: Clinical and Educational Quadrants." In: Indra's Net: The Bulletin of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Network March 1998 Vol.3 Issue 1.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Indra’s Net at Work: The Mainstreaming of Dharma Practice in Society. In Watson, G.,
Batchelor, S., and Claxton, G. (Eds). The Psychology of Awakening: Buddhism, Science, and Our Day-to Day Lives. Rider, 226-249, 1999.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Commentary: Participatory medicine. In Journal of European Academy of Dermatology and
Venereology (2000) Vol. 14, 239-240

Kabat-Zinn, J., Relman, A., Riley, D., Hosmer, D., Dossey, L., Parsing the data: An examination of a study
on meditation and the treatment of psoriasis: A critical exchange. Advances in Mind-body Medicine Vol.17 pg. 66-77 (2001)

Santorelli, S.F. The Pull of the Soul Toward the Possible: The Emerging Vision and Work of The Center
For Mindfulness. Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical School (2001).

Blacker, M. “Meditation” in Holistic Health and Healing, Mary Anne Bright (Ed) F.A. Davis Pub,
Philadelphia (2002).

Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A.O., Hebert, J.R., Rosenbaum, E. Meditation. In Breast Cancer:
Beyond Convention. M. Tagliaferri, I. Cohen, and D. Tripathy (Eds), Simon & Schuster,
NY, 2002, pp 284-314.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindfulness: The Heart of Rehabilitation. Foreword to Complementary and
Alternative Medicine in Rehabilitation, E. Leskowitz (Ed.) Churchill Livingstone,
2002, xi-xiv.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Foreword to: Segal, ZV, Williams, JMG, and Teasdale, JD. Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive Therapy: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse, Guilford, NY, 2002.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindful Yoga. Yoga International, Honesdale, PA, Vol. 70, March, 2003, pp.86-93.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Foreword to: Group Wellness Programs for Chronic Pain and Disease
Management, C. McManus, Butterworth-Heineman, Philadelphia, 2003, in press.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Foreword to: Calming Your Anxious Mind, J. Brantley, New Harbinger, 2003, in press.

(C) Books

Kabat-Zinn, J. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body andMind to Face Stress, Pain and
Illness, Delacorte, NY 1990

Editions in German (1991), Japanese (1993), Italian (1993), Korean (1998) Dutch (2000) Spanish
(2004).

Kabat-Zinn, J. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life, Hyperion, New York, Jan. 1994

Editions in England (1994), Germany (1995), France (1996), Spain (1996), Italy (1996),
Poland (1996), Viet Nam (1996), Holland (1996), Sweden (1997), Czech Republic (1998), Russia (1998), Israel (1998), Denmark (2000), Portugal (2000), Brazil (2001), Croatia (2002), Korea (2002), China (2003).

Santorelli, S.F. Heal Thy Self: Lessons on Mindfulness in Medicine Random House/Bell Tower, 1999

Editions in Germany (2000) and Holland (2000)

Kabat-Zinn, J. Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness, Hyperion,
New York, 2005

Rosenbaum, E. Here for Now: Living Well with Cancer through Mindfulness Satya House Publications,
2005

(D) Published Abstracts of Presentations at
Scientific Meetings (1981-1994)

Kabat-Zinn, J. and Burney, R. (1981) The clinical use of awareness meditation in the self-regulation of
chronic pain. Pain Supplement 1, p.S273 (abs). Poster presented at III World Congress on Pain, Edinburgh, August, 1981.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., Sellers, W., Brew, M., and Burney, R. Reproducibility and four year follow-
up of a training program in mindfulness mediation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. Pain Supplement 2 pg.S303 (1984) (abs).Poster presented at IV World Congress on Pain, Seattle, Sept, 1984.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Beall, B. and Rippe, J. A systematic mental training program based on mindfulness
meditation to optimize performance in collegiate and olympic rowers. Poster presented at VI World Congress in Sport Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark, June, 1985.

Bath, J., Alfred, H. Powell, P., Cohen, A., Baker., S. and Kabat-Zinn, J. Patient Education: Relaxation training via videotape reduces cramping in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Paper presented at APHA, Washington, D.C., Nov.18, 1985.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Goleman, D., and Chapman-Waldrop, A. Relationship of cognitive and somatic
components of anxiety and depression to patient preference for alternative relaxation techniques. Poster presented at SBM, San Francisco, March 1986.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Sellers, W. and Santorelli, S. Symptom reduction in medical patients following stress management training. Poster presented at AABT Meetings, Chicago, Nov. 15, 1986.

Kabat-Zinn, J. and Chapman-Waldrop, A. Compliance with physician referral for stress management training. Poster presented at AABT Meetings, Chicago, Nov. 15, 1986.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Six-month hospital visit cost reductions in medical patients following self-regulatory
training. Poster presented at SBM, Washington D.C. March 22, 1987.

Chapman-Waldrop, A. and Kabat-Zinn, J. SCL-90-R symptom profiles for seven diagnostic categories of medical patients. Poster presented at SBM, Washington, D.C., March 21, 1987.

Chapman-Waldrop, A. and Kabat-Zinn, J. Patient evaluation of multiple relaxation techniques:
relationship to compliance and treatment outcome. Poster presented at SBM, Washington, D.C., March 22, 1987.

Kabat-Zinn, J. and Chapman-Waldrop, A. Compliance with physician referral for cognitive/behavioral intervention in chronic pain patients. Pain Suppl 4, pg. S170 1987.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Tarbell, S., French, C., Santorelli, S., Dubois, J., Curley, F., Pratter, M., and Irwin, R. Functional status of patients with COPD following a behavioral pulmonary rehabilitation program. Poster presented at SBM Meetings, Boston, April 29 (1988).

Frid, D., Ockene, J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Tarbell, S., and Doefler, L. Training primary care physicians in
behavioral medicine: graduate medical education. Paper presented at SBM Meetings, Boston, April 30 (1988).

Kabat-Zinn, J. The clinical uses of mindfulness in behavioral medicine. Paper presented at AABT
Meetings, Washington D.C., November 5, 1989

Curley, F.J., French, C.L., Tarbell, S., Kabat-Zinn, J., and Irwin, R.S. Do patients perceive and cope with
dyspnea similarly to pain? Paper presented at the American Thoracic Society Meetings, Boston, May 21, 1990.

Weinberger, J., McLeod, C., McClelland, D., Santorelli, S.F., and Kabat-Zinn, J. Motivational change following a meditation-based stress reduction program for medical outpatients. Poster presented at the lst International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Uppsala, Sweden, June 28, 1990.

Kristeller, J., Peterson, L., Massion, A., Pbert, L., Miller, J., and Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindfulness-based stress reduction in the treatment of anxiety disorders: effectiveness and limitations. Poster presented at the lst International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Uppsala, Sweden, June 28, 1990.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Mumford, G., Levi-Alvares, D., Santorelli, S., and Skillings, A. A mindfulness-meditation
based stress reduction clinic for low-income inner city residents: outcomes and receptivity. Poster presented at the 14th annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, March 11, 1993.

Miller, J., Fletcher, K., and Kabat-Zinn, J. Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction intervention
in the treatment of anxiety disorders: Three-year follow-up. Poster presented at Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, March 11, 1993.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Some clinical and social applications of Buddhist mindfulness meditation in mainstream
medicine and health care. Paper presented, First International Congress on Health Psychology, Tokyo, Japan, July 28, 1993.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Mindfulness: What it is and what it isn't, and its value in mainstream medicine, health care, and daily living. Paper presented at International Symposium on the Comparative and Psychological Study of Meditation, Makuhari, Japan, August 2, 1993.

Kabat-Zinn, J. A fifteen-year experience using mindfulness meditation and yoga in the mainstream of
medicine and health care. Paper presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting, Boston, April 14, 1994, and at the American Psychosomatic Society Annual Meeting, Boston, April 14, 1994.

Revised March 2005

2007-02-08T17:01:00.002-05:00

Eat for Your Heart's Content

Consuming these seven superfoods can keep you healthy.

by Nancy Kalish

Researchers have whipped up a new recipe to fight heart disease--and it's delicious. It's a selection of seven superfoods, each shown to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and other heart disease risk factors. Working all seven into your diet could cut your risk by 76%, according to a report in the British Medical Journal.

Garlic: A couple of teaspoons (3/4 ounce) weekly; cuts risk by 25%.

Fruits and Vegetables: Five or more servings per day; contain antioxidants; cuts risk by 21%.

Fish: A serving the size of a deck of cards (4 ounces) four times weekly; contains omega-3 fatty acids, which slow formation of artery-clogging plaque; cuts risk by 14%.

Almonds: A large handful (2.5 ounces, or about 50 nuts) a day; contain vitamin E; cuts risk by 12.5%.

Wine: A glass (up to 5 ounces) per day; contains antioxidants; cuts risk by 32%.

Dark Chocolate: Up to one large candy bar (3.5 ounces) a day (less if you're dieting); contains polyphenols; cuts risk by 21%.

Article from Prevention Magazine, January 2007

2007-02-08T17:01:00.001-05:00

Should I Eat Bananas?

There are plenty of reasons to take a bite of this tropical fruit.

"I keep hearing that bananas are good for people who exercise. Why is this?"

Bananas are a great way to fuel your body before or after a workout. They contain natural sugars for sustained energy, plus a satisfying amount of fiber, in approximately 100 calories. They're rich in vitamin B6, which regulates blood glucose levels and keeps your moods at an even keel. They're also a good source of potassium, which helps to enhance alertness, prevent muscle fatigue, and control high blood pressure. And they're available fresh year-round, so they're never out of season. In addition, they come in their own package, making them easy to take with you or stick in a kid's backpack. This tasty tropical fruit has other benefits, too. Bananas are rich in tryptophan, the amino acid that helps your body make serotonin, the neurotransmitter associated with relief from depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Many pregnant women find that snacking on bananas can relieve morning sickness. Bananas can also soothe heartburn, and they taste a lot better than most antacids. I've even heard of people treating insect bites by rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin.If you like them, I encourage you to go bananas on a regular basis!

(Posted January 2007, Prevention Magazine)

2007-02-08T17:00:00.001-05:00

Power Foods...

that boost your immunity

by Amanda MacMillan

(Oct. 3, 2006) -- It takes more than an apple a day to keep viruses at bay. You can ensure your body and immunity run smoothly by getting your seven servings of fruits and veggies and 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, at the very least. The following ingredients can add extra flu-fighting punch to your winter meal plan.FishSelenium, plentiful in shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams, helps white blood cells produce cytokines--proteins that help clear flu viruses out of the body. Salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections. Your optimal doseTwo servings a week (unless you're pregnant or planning to be).Oats and Barley These grains contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber with antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities more potent than echinacea, reports a Norwegian study. When animals eat this compound, they're less likely to contract influenza, herpes, even anthrax; in humans, it boosts immunity, speeds wound healing, and may help antibiotics work better. Your optimal doseAt least one in your three daily servings of whole grains.GarlicGarlic contains the active ingredient allicin, which fights infection and bacteria. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; the garlic takers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other studies suggest that garlic lovers who chow more than six cloves a week have a 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer. Your optimal doseTwo raw cloves a day and add crushed garlic to your cooking several times a week.

Yogurt Probiotics, or the "live active cultures" found in yogurt, are healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. Although they're available in supplement form, a recent study from the University of Vienna in Austria found that a daily 7-ounce dose of yogurt was just as effective in boosting immunity as popping pills. In an 80-day Swedish study of 181 factory employees, those who drank a daily supplement of Lactobacillus reuteri--a specific probiotic that appears to stimulate white blood cells--took 33% fewer sick days than those given a placebo. Any yogurt with a Live and Active Cultures seal contains some beneficial bugs, but Stonyfield Farm is the only US brand that contains this specific strain. Your optimal doseTwo 6-ounce servings a day.Chicken SoupWhen University of Nebraska researchers tested 13 brands, they found that all but one (chicken-flavored ramen noodles) blocked the migration of inflammatory white cells--an important finding, because cold symptoms are a response to the cells' accumulation in the bronchial tubes. The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking, chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine, which may explain the results. The soup's salty broth keeps mucus thin the same way cough medicines do. Added spices, such as garlic and onions, can increase soup's immune-boosting power. Your optimal doseHave a bowl when feeling crummy.Tea People who drank 5 cups a day of black tea for 2 weeks had 10 times more virus-fighting interferon in their blood than others who drank a placebo hot drink, in a Harvard study. The amino acid that's responsible for this immune boost, L-theanine, is abundant in both black and green tea--decaf versions have it, too. Your optimal doseSeveral cups daily, all season; to get up to five times more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while you brew.

Article taken from Prevention Magazine.

2007-02-08T16:59:00.000-05:00

Yoga blog-1

When you hear the word Yoga, what is your perception? Perhaps your mind conjures up images of peace and tranquility or notions of stretching and relaxation surface. For some, the word Yoga might be represented by visions of a not-so-comfortable-slightly- compromising position, maybe even a pretzel comes to mind! “Yoga is just a fad” you might say. Yoga’s origins can be traced back more than 5000 years which would certainly make for quite an indelible fad! The Yoga blog is here to guide you during your discovery of what Yoga means to you, what style of Yoga is right for you, what benefits you can receive by implementing Yoga into your daily routine and hopefully dispel any anxieties and myths you may have about Yoga.
The differences between styles is commonly what is accentuated, be it breath and movement, posture alignment, the holding of postures or posture flow. There are classes designed for students of all levels. Classes can be very gentle or vigorous. It is recommended that you take the time to research classes offered in your area and ask lots of questions! Yoga is a non-competitive practice. It is important to remember that no style is “the best” it is a matter of what works for you and your body. Stay tuned for posture descriptions, their benefits and contraindication, breath exercises, what questions you should ask a Yoga teacher before starting a class and much more. Yoga is not only a practice but a journey of wellness and renewal.
Jai Bhagwan (I honor the light within you)
~ Angie

Angie Jacques is a Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher and a Recruiter for NAFI CT’s MTFC Foster Care Program. She has been practicing Yoga for over 10 years and has been teaching for over two years.

The information presented is not intended to provide medical advice or be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult with you Physician before starting a new exercise regimen. It is STRONGLY recommended that individuals who are pregnant or those who have chronic issues that include but are not limited to, back and neck pain, high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease etc., consult with their Physician before engaging in a new exercise program. The NAFI Wellness Committee and its members assume no responsibility for injuries sustained while engaging in Yoga techniques and breathing exercises.

NAFI/NFI staff wellness drive

2007-01-08T14:34:00.001-05:00

Our mission is to promote healing, growth, and self sufficiency among our consumers. To achieve our mission we also have to promote wellness among our staff. Needless to say our staff play crucial role in promoting health and wellness among our consumers by being role models. Promoting wellness among our staff does create the opportunity of reducing the escalating health costs. Our Normative Community approach can play an important role in creating the supportive community neccessary to the promotion of wellness. I encourage all NAFI/NFI members to help create that environment.