February 2010

Pregnant Women Advised Not To Gain Too Much Weight The old saying that you're "eating for two" doesn't apply to pregnant women anymore. A new report says putting on too much weight when you're with child can lead to health problems.

Doctors advise average-weight women to gain up to 25 pounds during
pregnancy, but one in five packs on 40 pounds or more.

A recent study found that those who gained more than the recommended amount of weight increased their risk for pregnancy-related diabetes by 50 percent, but doctors don't recommend dieting for pregnant women either.

They say women should work with their doctors to design a healthy diet for both mom and baby.

Obesity a major health concern world wide, says WHO A recently released report by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that at least 2.6 million people worldwide die as a result of being obese or overweight. Considered to be disorder only amongst the higher income groups, obesity is now a concern for the middle income as well as the lower income groups too.

A person is called obese when the body mass index or BMI of the person is equal or more than 30. Being overweight means that the BMI ranges between 25.0 to 29.9. This is also known as the preobese state. According to the obesity fact file released by WHO, one billion adults are overweight and more than 300 million are obese.

A person becomes obese when the intake of calories through food exceeds the burn-off rate and turns into fat. Improper eating habits, sedentary lifestyle which lacks physical activity, inadequate sleep and stress are some of the major factors which contribute towards being overweight or obese. Several underlying medical conditions, thyroidism and pregnancy in case of women also cause undesired weight gain.

Obesity is as risky in adults as it is amongst the children. Childhood obesity is considered to be one of the most serious health challenges to be faced in this century. Globally, about 42 million children under the age of five are found to be overweight.

Obesity is counted as one of the leading factors that give trigger to health disorders like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Childhood obesity may lead to the development of all these conditions and may result in premature deaths as well.

If the statistics of death globally are analyzed, it is seen that 44 percent die due to diabetes, 23 percent due to ischemic heart disease and about seven to 41 percent die due to several types of cancers, all results of being obese or overweight.

About 65 percent of a population in both higher income and middle income countries succumb to obesity rather than being underweight.

The global strategies formulated by WHO to reduce deaths and improve public health include four main objectives:

Reduce risk factors for chronic diseases by promoting healthy diet (less sugar, oily and fatty foods, more fruits and vegetables) and inclusion of physical activity in daily life, increase awareness amongst people about leading a healthy lifestyle, develop and strengthen global, regional, national policies and action plans to improve diets and involve in physical activities more and lastly, monitor all steps taken to research on diet and physical activity.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important in preventing obesity. A diet that includes fruits and vegetables, fiber in form of cereals and whole wheat, less oily and low calorie food items form a healthy diet. Engaging in adequate physical activity, at least 30 minutes a day by brisk walking, jogging, etc can help in burning off the calories and maintain the required range of calories (2000-2500kcal in women and 2500kcal-3000kcal in men). This will also aid in controlling weight and reducing chances of suffering from cancers like breast, colon and prostrate, improves mobility in older adults and reduces risk of heart attacks and failure.

Improvement in surroundings is a step forward to promote the word of staying fit and keeping obesity at bay. Policies in areas of agriculture, transport, living an urban life, food processing influence choices and habits in children who are then drawn towards leading an active lifestyle. This will help in curbing problems of childhood obesity as well.

source: bolohealth

Four Immunity Boostibg Natural Foods and Supplements Far from images of hand sanitizer and face masks, real protection from modern disease and illness happens from the inside out. Building a strong immune system is one of the most important steps in preventing the spread of modern illness. The best way to improve your immunity is through natural foods and supplements like these:

Vitamin D

An important regulator in immune response, vitamin D is a key factor in maintaining strong immunity. The properties of vitamin D activate the body's natural defense against pathogens and viruses, triggering the proper response when the body is exposed to a harmful microorganism.

Natural food sources for vitamin D include egg yolk, Atlantic herring, shrimp and other types of seafood. However, vitamin D supplementation is generally recommended in addition to a healthy diet. Ideally you should supplement with a source like fermented cod liver oil, which is a highly concentrated source of natural vitamin D. Otherwise, a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement is the next best choice.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains important fatty acids, like lauric acid, which are used by the body to manufacture specialized antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral substances. Coconut oil is such a ready source of these valuable nutrients; it should be included in the diet of anyone with the goal of improving their immunity. Extra virgin coconut oil is unrefined and will retain the most natural benefits. You can also include foods like unsweetened dried coconut or coconut milk to access these important fatty acids.

Probiotics

The essential role of probiotics in the body is only beginning to surface in the scientific community. However, many traditional cultures valued probiotic foods because they instinctively understood the importance of maintaining healthy gut flora with these foods. It is said that 70 percent of the immune system is based in the gut, so it makes sense to include probiotics as a top immunity booster.

One 2009 study showed a statically significant improvement in immunity in those who supplemented with a probiotic compared to a placebo. Many individuals have noticed similar benefits on their own when they began taking a probiotic supplement or began including more probiotic foods in their diet.

Probiotic foods include naturally lacto-fermented vegetables and fruits (such as sauerkraut) and cultured dairy products such as kefir and yogurt. In addition, probiotic supplements are often recommended because the modern diet and lifestyle is especially destructive to gut flora. A quality probiotic supplement will contain at least several strains of probiotics and no less than 10 billion CFU (Colony Forming Units) per gram.

Olive Leaf Extract

The active component in olive leaf extract is oleuropein, which is converted to elolenic acid in the body. This in turn heightens immunity and enables the body to destroy viruses, pathogenic bacteria, and fungi. Olive leaf extract is even considered a natural antibiotic by many alternative health enthusiasts. For the best results, find olive leaf extract that has been standardized to at least 10 percent oleuropein, and preferably closer to 20 percent.

source: naturalnews

Oat extracts can improve mental health of older adults

Having oat extracts can improve and boost brain power even at old age, says a new study by researchers at University of South Australia (USA). The researchers are now studying how this will benefit the older adults.

Oats, a staple breakfast like corn flakes and muesli stabilizes blood sugar levels and enhances immunity system on the human bodies. It is an excellent source of dietary fibers which helps in lowering the high cholesterol levels.

Peter Howe, the researcher said that though there are so many health benefits of oats, there is an increasing interest in how oats can improve mental health.

Mental health problems are known to affect more the old people as there is an age related cognitive decline noticed in them gradually as they age.

Green oats extracts can improve the cognitive performance in older adults. Green oats can prevent fatigue, irritable moods and poor concentrations. The bioactive nutrients also assist in improving blood flow in the brain. This help in boosting attention and concentration of a person.

source: bolohealth

Mom's antidepressants may effect baby's fetus' brain When pregnant women take antidepressants, it sometimes causes their babies to hit developmental milestones late, Danish researchers reported on Monday.

However, the delays--up to one month--still place the toddlers within the normal range of development.

"These drugs have an effect on the fetus' brain," said Dr. Lars Henning Pedersen, who worked on the study. But, he said, the delays "may not matter for the child at all." Pedersen, from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, spoke to Reuters Health in a telephone interview.

Today, as many as one in six pregnant women in the US are diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and most are treated with antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil.

The brain chemical targeted by these drugs--called serotonin--is involved in a host of biologic functions, from mood, to attention, to appetite and general brain development.

While medicines that ratchet up serotonin levels help dampen depressive symptoms, it is not well understood how a human fetus reacts to such drugs, or how long their potential effects last. In the lab, for example, scientists have found that antidepressants given to a pregnant rat stifle the natural exploratory behavior of her offspring well into adulthood.

For their study, published in the journal Pediatrics, Pedersen and his colleagues tapped into a nation-wide Danish database of more than 100,000 pregnancies.

They identified some 400 women who took antidepressants during pregnancy as well as nearly 500 who were not on medication despite being depressed. Based on the women's own reports, the researchers then compared how many children in each group hit developmental milestones such as sitting without support, looking after sounds and venting irritation.

At six months, the only differences between babies were seen in their gross movements. Among babies exposed to antidepressants in the second or third semester, 26 percent were able to sit on their own, compared to 30 percent of those not exposed.

The exposed toddlers took an average of 16 days longer to learn how to sit, after adjusting for maternal age, breast feeding and other factors. They also started walking about 29 days later.

At 19 months, the movement differences had vanished, although the exposed children were slightly worse at occupying themselves without calling out for attention.

Despite the concerns raised by these findings, which add to earlier reports of increased pain sensitivity and risk of heart problems in babies exposed to antidepressants in the womb, experts say that pregnant women with depression should not necessarily avoid antidepressants.

First, the new study could not say whether women who took medicine had been more depressed at first, even if they turned out to have fewer symptoms after treatment.

Second, untreated depression in itself has been tied to infant health problems such as irritability and lack of attentiveness. And third, the mother's well being is at stake, too.

"This paper adds to a growing literature that prenatal antidepressant exposure is not risk free," developmental pediatrician Dr. Tim Oberlander of the University of British Columbia told Reuters Health. He added that although there are many treatment options available, including psychotherapy, "there are going to be women who do need medication."

"It's really a question of balancing benefits and risks to the mother and child," he said.

The latest guidelines from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association recommend that pregnant women consult an ob-gyn and a psychiatrist before deciding on treatment.

Pedersen said he backed those recommendations, but that he would like to see more large studies exploring how exposed babies fare later in life. His team plans to do one such study once the Danish kids, who are now 12 years and younger, reach their teens.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, February 22, 2010, reuters

Womens' Should Not Be Ashamed of Pre-Menstrual Syndome How many times do family members complain "my wife/mom is so grouchy when she has PMS?" Women even berate themselves for being grouchy during PMS. I say embrace your pre-menstrual syndrome.. Of course, I'm not saying we women should wave our PMS irritability like a flag to excuse our
behavior. God forbid we would use horrific cramps and crippling back pain as an excuse for anything.

But I do think that it's important for families, husbands and wives to remember who suffers most from Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. So you're a little irritable or grouchy for a week or so every month? So your family has to put up with mom being out of sorts. They'll live. And it's good practice for husbands and children to realize that mom needs some TLC and understanding too. Chances are, your children will enjoy taking care of you once in awhile. Most children, despite popular opinion are generous by nature. If you allow them to help you and show gratitude, instead of expectation and demand, most children will be glad to help. And if not, they'll survive.

Unless you are lobbing sharpened knives at your family (simply stabbing a knife into a cutting board repeatedly doesn't count), let's focus on who is suffering more. Do you enjoy being grumpy, tired, over-sensitive and uncomfortable one day out of every four? I don't. But it's life and we have to cope with it. It's not asking too much to expect families to be understanding.

source: associatedcontent

How to Spot Top Health Myths By now you're savvy enough to raise an eyebrow at a suspicious health "fact" when you hear one. Tampons contain asbestos? Drinking lemonade will make you lose 10 pounds in five days? You're just not buying it. Unfortunately, some misinformation is a little trickier to spot. Watch out for these easy-to-fall-for myths:

Myth: You only need to worry about cholesterol if you're overweight.
While it's true that women who are overweight are at higher risk for having elevated cholesterol levels, there are also plenty of slender people who have cholesterol problems, says Jo Parrish, vice president of the Society for Women's Health Research. The organization surveyed women and found that 83 percent knew how much they weighed in high school but only 21 percent knew their total cholesterol number. Unfortunately, weight isn't the only thing that matters when it comes to your cholesterol. Your genes and lifestyle-what you eat, how active you are-also play a role.

Myth: Older women don't get STDs.
Just because you can't get pregnant anymore doesn't mean you can cross worrying about safe sex off your list. You're still at risk for sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, a recent study found that the number of people 45 and older with STDs has doubled in the past decade. Since the vaginal wall thins and lubrication decreases with age, postmenopausal women are more likely to get small tears in the vaginal tissue, which ups the risk of STD transmission. So unless you're 100 percent sure that you're in a long-term monogamous relationship with someone who's also STD-free, use condoms.

Myth: If you're having a heart attack, you'll feel chest pain.
We all have an image of the classic heart attack victim who clutches his chest and falls to the ground. This is often true: Both men and women tend to experience shooting chest pain that radiates to the left arm and pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on your chest. But that's not always the case. Some people-women in particular-have shortness of breath that seems to come out of nowhere, or pain in the arms, neck, jaw or back (particularly on the upper left side). Sweating, feeling anxious or extremely tired, and color draining from your face can also be signs that you're having a heart attack. Never be embarrassed to go to the emergency room and say, "I think I'm having a heart attack," especially if you have a family history of heart disease or other known risk factors, such as high cholesterol.

Myth: Colon cancer is primarily a man's disease.
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in women. That's why everyone should get screened starting at age 50, such as with a colonoscopy every 10 years. (If you have a family history or other risk factors, you may need to be screened earlier and/or more often.) And if colon cancer is caught early, it has a very good prognosis.

Myth: For vaginal itching, just use an OTC yeast treatment.
Self-treating is probably OK for women who've been previously diagnosed with a yeast infection by a doctor. But if this is the first time you've had itching, burning and pain, call your ob-gyn ASAP. It could be something more serious like a urinary tract infection, bacterial vaginosis, or even an STD like herpes, chlamydia or gonorrhea. Automatically using a yeast infection cream without checking in with a doctor delays getting an accurate diagnosis and the right treatment-which may make symptoms worse.

source: firstcoastnews

Essential Signs of Low Self-Esteem in Children

There are a number of factors that can contribute to low self-esteem in children, including height, as Dr. Richard Besser reported today on "Good Morning America."

Good self-esteem is an important factor in raising healthy children. Children who have good self-esteem are more likely to act independently, handle both positive and negative emotions, assume responsibility and appropriately handle peer pressure, according to the National Mental Health Information Center at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Additionally people with good self-esteem are more likely to create healthy, secure and honest relationships and are less likely to develop eating disorders, depression or other mental health conditions according to the Mayo Clinic.

Below are some tips to help you identify if your child has low self-esteem and what you can do to help him or her.

Identifying Low Self-Esteem in Children

According to KidsHealth, part of the Nemours Foundation, a child's self-esteem changes as he or she grows up. But the organization has a few signs parents should look for:

Challenges can become a source of anxiety for children with self-esteem problems. The children are usually easily frustrated, want to give up and make negative statements about themselves, such as "I'm stupid."
The foundation also says children with low self-esteem are usually pessimistic, do not want to try new things and are highly critical of themselves.

How Parents Can Help Build Self-Esteem in Children

Parents should look for opportunities to praise their children when they have done a good job or put forth a lot of effort, according to the National Mental Health Information Center.

Affection and spontaneity can also help your son or daughter's self-esteem, according to KidsHealth.

Laugh at yourself. Demonstrating to your children that it is OK to laugh at yourself shows the importance of a sense of humor, according to National Mental Health Information Center.

The center also advises helping your child re-think things in a positive way instead of focusing negative feelings on themselves.

Have your children take responsibility for their own problems. You can help them think of other solutions and answer their questions, but solving a problem can bolster your child's confidence, according to National Mental Health Information Center.

KidsHealth also suggested seeking professional help for your son or daughter's self-esteem problems.

source: abcnews.go

Internal and Environmental Factors Trigger Unique Brain Activity in Teens While the otherworldly behavior of teenagers is well documented, University of Pittsburgh researchers have taken a significant step toward finally unraveling the actual brain activity that can drive adolescents to engage in impulsive, self-indulgent, or self-destructive behavior.

Published in the current edition of Behavioral Neuroscience, the Pitt study demonstrates that adolescent brains are more sensitive to internal and environmental factors than adult brains and suggests that the teenage tendency to experiment with drugs and develop psychological disorders could stem from this susceptibility.

Lead researcher Bita Moghaddam, a professor in the Department of Neuroscience in Pitt's School of Arts and Sciences, said that although the exact mechanics of the adolescent brain's reaction need further investigation, the current study is a starting point in mapping the neural path from stimuli to behavior in the adolescent brain. Pitt neuroscience doctoral student David Sturman was the Behavioral Neuroscience report's lead author, conducting the study with Moghaddam and Pitt research assistant Daniel Mandell. The project was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health.

"Adolescence is a period of volatility and vulnerability with tendencies toward interpersonal conflict, emotional reactivity, and risk behavior, but we know very little about the brain mechanisms that promote this state," Moghaddam said. "We want to know how the adolescent brain interacts with the environment at the brain-cell level, when the neural signals are firing. Once we identify how certain factors trigger teenage behavior, we might better understand-and possibly address-the origin of the risk taking and psychological disorders such as depression and schizophrenia that occur during this period."

The researchers trained adolescent and adult rats to respond to a visual light cue by rewarding them with sugar pellets. Previous research has shown that adolescent rats and mice exhibit behavioral differences from adults similar to those of adolescent humans, including greater impulsiveness, impatience, and vulnerability to psychological problems, the authors wrote. The rats were placed in front of three holes with the light behind the middle hole. If a rat poked its nose into the center hole when the light was activated, it received a pellet; if it explored the right or left hole, it got nothing. The researchers found that the adolescents responded to the light cue at least as readily as adult rats, suggesting a similar or slightly better capacity for learning.

After six days, the rats no longer received a reward for choosing the center hole. They were divided into four test groups, each with an equal number of adults and adolescents: rats that were given 20 percent less food between sessions and received the light cue; rats that received the light cue but could eat as much as they liked between sessions; a group that received less food and no light cue; and a group that could eat between sessions but was not shown the light cue during the experiments.

Moghaddam and her team found that adolescents tended to return to the center hole far more often than the adults although they received no reward and continued going to the hole long after the adult rats stopped altogether. Such doggedness was even more prominent in adolescents who received the light cue and had a restricted diet before the experiment. This group nosed the center hole 30 times, twice as often as adults under the same circumstances and as adolescents with less food and no light cue. Adolescents that received the cue and had free access to food made for the center hole only a third as often.

Thus, rats experiencing internal and external stimuli-hunger and the light cue-compulsively sought the earlier reward long after the other rats realized it no longer existed. These results suggest that human teenagers can similarly behave irrationally and compulsively when faced with certain feelings and settings, Moghaddam said. "A scenario could range from the relatively mundane, such as hungry teenagers being more likely than adults to buy fast food immediately after seeing an advertisement, to despair and relationship problems eliciting thoughts of suicide," she said.

For the project's next phase, the Pitt group will repeat the experiments while monitoring activity in the emotion and cognition centers of the adolescent and adult rats' brains, Moghaddam said. This information will help Moghaddam and her colleagues grasp how brain cells encode the behavioral signals sent in response to stimuli.

source: sciencedaily

Afternoon Nap Make You More Smarter

If you feel a little sluggish after lunch, a quick snooze can perk you up. According to a new study, it may even make you smarter.

The longer you’re awake, the more difficult it is for your brain to store new information, whether it’s faces and names, the details of a conversation, or mental notes for a big presentation. An afternoon nap seems to refresh this short-term memory and free up space for new information, researchers found.

In the study, the researchers asked 39 college students to learn a series of new names and faces at noon and match the faces and names a few minutes later. They then performed the same test at 6 p.m. the same day. A group of students who took a 90-minute afternoon nap at 2 p.m. performed better than non-napping students, who had a serious decline in their memory test scores.

Why? The part of your brain where short-term information and memories are stored is a bit like your email inbox, says the study’s lead author, Matthew P. Walker, the head of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. “You can only receive so many emails before your inbox starts to bounce,” he says. “When you sleep, essentially what you may be doing is clearing out that inbox to another folder, [so] you have a refreshed capacity to receive new emails.”

Walker and others have previously studied the harmful effects of sleep deprivation (such as all-nighters) on sleep and learning capacity. This study is among the first to demonstrate that the brain’s ability to absorb new information declines over the course of a normal day, and that naps can reverse this decline, according to Walker, who presented his findings on Sunday at the American Association of the Advancement of Science’s annual meeting in San Diego. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Don’t email this article to your boss to justify sleeping on the job quite yet. Neil Kline, DO, a board-certified sleep physician, says that while “the average reader will take away from this that taking a nap is a good thing and will improve memory,” Walker’s study has some caveats.

source: news.health

Possible prostate cancer culprit Scientists identify a type of stem cell and a gene that play a role in the disease

SAN DIEGO — Some self-renewing stem cells may be a prime culprit in prostate cancer, and a certain gene in these cells contributes to the malignancy, suggests research reported February 20 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men in the Western world, affecting one in six men.

“Think about cancer as a disease of stem cells,” said study coauthor Owen Witte, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the University of California, Los Angeles. Mutations in these cells can cause “normal stem cells to lose their regularized behavior and instead turn into an incipient cancer,” he said.

Like many other tissues in the body, prostate tissue is made up of several different kinds of cells, including a class called basal stem cells. Normally these cells divide to replenish prostate tissue, but sometimes they become cancerous. Instead of producing normal cells, these stem cells lead to tumors.

“When we apply stem cell thinking to cancer, we find that in the run-up to cancer — the premalignant period — many, many genetic and heritable changes occur in the line of stem cells,” commented stem cell biologist Irving Weissman of Stanford University.

Witte and his colleagues wanted to determine in which class of cells prostate cancer originates in mice. The researchers separated mouse prostate cells into different groups based on type, introduced mutations often found in prostate cancers, and then implanted the cells back into mice one type at a time. Basal stem cells outpaced the other groups by far in their cancer-forming ability, the researchers reported February 9 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Evidence from earlier studies suggests that this might be happening in human prostate cancers, too.

In all cases the team has looked at, Witte said, the basal stem cells are what drive the cancer, regardless of the type of mutation.

A gene called Bmi-1 is important for these cells’ self-renewal and may also play a role in malignancy. When Bmi-1 activity was knocked down in basal stem cells, the cells were no longer able to self-renew, nor did they form tumors, Witte reported at the meeting.

“We get a dramatic change in the rate of growth and the tumor outcome by blocking this one single pathway,” Witte said. “I don’t think this will be a magic bullet to cure prostate cancer by any means, but it’s certainly a pathway that should be explored.”

SOURCE: sciencenews.org

Green tea may be good for your eye A new study suggests drinking green tea often mat help protect against common eye diseases like glaucoma.

The study in the current issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that catechins are absorbed by the lens, retina and other parts of the eye and reduce oxidative stress in the eye.

Catechins found in green tea are known antioxidants which are believed to prevent damage caused by oxidation.

This is an animal model study in which the authors gave green tea to rats and then tested their eyes to see if catechins had any effort on their eyes.

Chi Pui Pang and colleagues from the Chinese University of Hong Kong found the green tea compounds did reduce oxidative stress in the eye for up to 20 hours.

Previously known green tea health benefits include prevention of cancer and depression and weight loss among other things. It is known that green tea components like EGCG promote death of cancerous cells or apoptosis.

source: foodconsumer

Who Lives Longer - Overweight People or Thin People The answer is - Overweight. Yes, An overweight body will draw from the fat source in the body, a skinny person is not likely to have much fat to survive off of.

There are finally some good news for overweight people - Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has found in their study that being very skinny is even more dangerous than being fat, and that slightly chubby people live longer on average, when compared to individuals with other physiques.

According to the new findings, people who are a little overweight at the age of 40 years, live between six to seven years longer than their very thin counterparts, whose average life expectancy was found to be shorter by approximately five years than that of obese people. According to Shinichi Kuriyama, an associate professor at Tohoku University's Graduate School of Medicine, who carried out the long-term study of middle-aged and elderly people, skinny people are exposed to an extremely high risk. "We had expected thin people would show the shortest life expectancy but did not expect the difference to be this large," Kuriyama said.

For a study purposes, which was led by Ichiro Tsuji, a professor at Tohoku University, the investigators analyzed the health of nearly 50,000 people with the ages between 40 and 79 years, over a 12-year period. All people lived in the northern Japanese prefecture of Miyagi. Researchers examined the past physiques of all the participants and how long they lived after the age of 40 years. After that, they split them into four weight categories according to the body mass index, or BMI, calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by their squared height in meters.

After a thorough analysis, the experts were able to find that male participants with regular weight (with BMI within a normal range between 18.5 and 25) at the age of 40 years, lived for an additional average of 39.94 years, while those individuals who were considered overweight (BMI of between 25 and 30) at the age of 40 lived 41.64 years more. Women, whose weight was considered as normal, were found to live on average for a further 47.97 years, when compared with chubby women-who lived another 48.05 years, according to the study.

Furthermore, the study showed that men and women with obesity (BMI of 30 or more), lived an additional 39.41 and 46.02 years, respectively. But skinny men (BMI of less than 18.5) were on average found to live 34.54 more years, and thin women another 41.79 years.

This remarkable result could really become an alarming news for people who are obsessed with losing weight and who avoid being called "metabo," a Japanese term that is used to describe people with metabolic syndrome.

The experts said that among possible explanations as to why skinny people are at risk of dying prematurely include the fact that many thin individuals smoke and also a theory that underweight people are more vulnerable to infections and contagious diseases. However, the link between physique and life expectancy is not yet clearly studied and understood. Dr.Kuriyama said that people are not going to extend their lives by trying to put an extra kilograms on.

But the study also found that the chubbier people are, the more are their medical expenses. The average lifetime medical expenses for overweight people after the age of 40 years is $158,000 for men and $193,000 for women - both 30 per cent higher than thin people would spend.

Amazing foods that helps to grow your height faster naturally

Your body growth depends on the human growth hormone (HGH) that is secreted by the pituitary gland. This hormone occurs naturally inside the body. Medically it can be boosted up, in case it is not being produced properly. There are several ways that help you do so like the HGH boosting supplements, height increasing foods, exercises and various medications.

For any growth targets, it is always better to pick the natural means. The most recommended means to gain height naturally is exercises and the height increasing foods. A proper balanced diet is very essential for the proper body growth.

Here are some suggestions for you:

* Eat foods that are high in calcium such as yogurt, cheese, milk, and other dairy products. Leafy vegetables are also rich in calcium

* Eat foods high in protein that includes fish, eggs, milk, and legumes. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables; these contain a large amount of proteins and vitamins to help you grow.

* Eat lean meats, fish liver or sea food like pink salmon with long bones, blue carbs, rainbow trouts and clams that are low in fat content and help you to grow tall.

* Eat citrus fruits like oranges and lemon these are rich in Vitamin C that promote absorption of calcium and hence result in bone growth and help to grow tall.

* Other foods that can make you grow tall are whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dried beans like nigari, cow peas and soybeans.

* Boiled chicken and whey protein can also help you grow.

* Drink plenty of water because this will help you to grow by promoting muscle growth and help remove toxins from the body.

* Avoid calcium blockers or inhibiting foods such as caffeine, sugar, salt, and alcohol, which will stop you absorbing calcium properly. Too much of these foods can have a devastating effect on your height or attempt to gain height.

* Avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates and fats. Carbohydrate rich foods like bread, cereals, and rice hinder growth.

* Avoid meats becuase it contains a lot of lipids and saturated fats that impede or slow down growth.

* Avoid pastries, sweets, crisps and sodas which are high in fat content.

* Avoid drinking alcohol, smoking and drugs because it can retard growth.

Great Tips To Manage With Large Breast

Breasts are considered as a good asset for some women. However, some women may have difficulty on having extremely large breasts. It is particularly difficult for a woman to carry too large breasts because of the weight.

The bigger the breasts are, the heavier it is for gravity has a stronger pulling on it. Because of this, the weight of the breast poses burden on the shoulder of the woman. Breast reduction procedure is being offered for women who have problems with their breast. This procedure involves the removal of the glandular tissues, fats, and skin from the breast in order to reduce its size and weight.

Some of its part, like the nipple including the areola is also repositioned in order to comply with the changes done to reduce breast size. Women who are healthy and psychologically stable are good candidates for the procedure. After the surgery, you may feel slight discomforts and pain, which can be managed by medications. You can go back to your usual activities after a week of the procedure.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

1. Invest in some good quality bras. Ideally your bra should remind you of a cloth version of a suspension bridge. It takes some serious engineering to create a bra capable of supporting DD breasts or larger. Forget about those pretty little bras with wispy straps that drift over the shoulders like gossamer. Your bra straps should be reminiscent of soviet tanks. It might be annoying to wear these kinds of bras, but the added support really is invaluable, and can save you a great deal of back pain.

2. V Necks Minimize, Round Necks Emphasize. It's one of those things that seems to make little sense. You don't want to display your breasts to the world, yet covering them up makes them seem somehow larger. Many women with large breasts buy clothing that covers the upper chest entirely, resulting in prominently displayed breasts. If you want to minimize the effect of large breasts, wearing a v neck style top will actually make them seem a little less large.

3. Wear jewelry high. Have your necklaces sitting at the height of your collar bone. There is no need to have sparkly shiny things nestled in your cleavage if you are trying to take attention away from your breasts.

4. When exercising, wear a sports bra. That ideally means something that requires three assistants and an astrophysicist to get into. The best kinds of sports bras tend to have cross over straps that create an X over the upper back.Stay away from sports bras designed for smaller women, they will not aid you and can lead to tearing and bruising during vigorous exercise.

5. Leverage your breasts for greater wealth and power.

Video

sources: mdinfo, youtube.

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How to select meat, poultry products lower in saturated fats and cholesterol

Meat and poultry are valuable and for many people, it is the most popular sources of protein and other important nutrients. However they also can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol that can harm your health and put you at risk of so many diseases.

Selecting meat and poultry products to avoid illness:

• Look for key words-Certain words on packaging point out cuts that are lower in fat. Lean cuts of beef include chuck, round, sirloin or tenderloin. Lean pork or lamb includes tenderloin, loin chops otherwise leg. The leanest poultry is white meat coming from the breast with no skin.

• Check percentages- When buying ground beef, look for packages with the maximum percentage of lean meat which is 90 percent or higher.

• Check the ground- Ground poultry can contain as much fat as ground beef has, or more, because it often includes dark meat and skin. To make the leanest selection, choose ground breast meat, or look for low-fat ground chicken or turkey.

• Be selective- Prefer beef that is labeled "Choice" or "Select" instead of "Prime," which usually has more fat. If you can't oppose the higher-fat choices, use them as an occasional indulgence rather than a regular option.

Excellent Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water Empty Stomach

Actually, lemonade or lemon helps your body to expel built-up toxins, gets the kidneys and entire digestive track to optimum health and performance, it also eliminates joint and muscle aches, and most importantly helps eliminate fats reducing unwanted weight and giving your body a firmer tone.

However, you must first seek your doctor’s advice for proper administration.

Who Can Benefit From Lemon Water

Lemon water is used in every person that can tolerate it. That is, if there is no allergy to lemon (a very few have a true allergy to lemon) and no active ulcers, then all adults and most children should use the lemon water. It is recommended that drinking lemon water early in the morning, before brushing your teeth, empty stomach gives outstanding results.

The purpose of the lemon is to:

*provide a natural strengthening agent to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute.

*The liver can make more enzymes out of fresh lemon juice than any other food element.

*The lemon helps fix oxygen and calciums in the liver because it regulates blood carbohydrate levels which affect the blood oxygen levels.”

Pregnant women
Yes, pregnant women can take lime juice regularly since citrus fruits like lemon or lime is a good source of vitamin C that acts as antioxidants and helps body fight colds. It is also a liver stimulant which controls irritable bowel movement and control conditions such as constipation and diarrhea.

It helps prevent heart burn, bloating and subsides pains. As for pregnant women, this also proves beneficial because it helps build the bones in the unborn child and at the same time helps the brain and nerve cells due to it’s high potassium level. Lemon juice also contains calcium and magnesium that treats ailments like asthma, colds, scurvy, fever and heart burn.

Cardiovascular diseases
There have been reports that involving oneself in a lemon juice fast can be very effective and is a fast-acting method to help clean out congested arteries. This is done by doing a lemon juice fast for several days, 10 to 12 times during the day at hourly intervals combined with purified water or herb tea. This method also helps lose weight, restore sensitivity to insulin and normalize blood sugar.

A teaspoon of lemon juice in half a glass of water relieves heartburn.

But to ensure safety, especially if there are cardiovascular diseases or cholesterol problems, it is best to consult a doctor for further evaluation and render proper medications. Avoid stress, eat low-fat foods, and exercise may also help.

Weight Loss
It has been reported that lemon water helped dramatically those who have included it in their weight loss diet, for maximum results its best to drink in the morning empty stomach.

Excellent for skin
Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.

Throat Infections
Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently.

Blood Pruification
The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.

How much lemon to use

If you are in good health and weigh less than 150 pounds, squeeze the juice of one half a lemon (one ounce) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (one whole lemon a day.) If you weigh over 150 pounds, squeeze the juice out of an entire lemon (two ounces) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (two whole lemons a day.) The lemon juice can be diluted more according to taste.

To help your body get the energy from the food you are eating, drink lemon water regularly. Next to drinking plain purified water, drinking lemon water daily is the most important thing you can do for your health.

Also Read:

Most Amazing Health Benefits of Drinking Coconut Water Empty Stomach

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Recipe to get rid of persistent dry cough for small kids

List of foods, grains, vegetables, fruits rich in iron There are many kinds of foods that are rich in iron; here are the lists of foods where you can get iron:

Breads, grains and cereals that is rich in iron:

Whole wheat bread
Wheat germ
Oatmeal
Bran flakes
White bread
Rice flakes, bajra

Vegetables with iron:

Beetroot greens
Parsley
Mint
turnip greens
Prune juice
Swiss chard
Sea vegetables
Spinach cooked
Peas cooked
Potato
Tomato juice
Green beans
Broccoli

Fruits:

Watermelon
Dried dates
Raisins

Legumes:

Pinto beans
Lima beans
Lentils
Black eye beans
Navy beans
Kidney beans
Chick peas

Nuts or seeds:

Pumpkin seeds
Tahini
Sesame
Sunflower seeds
Cashew nuts
Almond
Dried apricots
Figs, dried

Soy foods:

Soybeans
Tempeh
Tofu
Soy milk

Also eating fish and red meat is a good source of Iron.

The best deodorant for girls to keep them from sweating Actually the most effective deodorant specifically to reduce sweating is those that contain enough of the active sweat stopping ingredient – Aluminum Chloride – it is an active ingredient which blocks your pores from sweating profusely.

Although there are several options for excessive sweating sufferers, the first one you should learn about is choosing the right deodorant. Regarding the exact name of such product you can actually consult your dermatologist or a pharmacist in order for you to obtain the best and effective deodorant.

5 evidence-based tips for improving your health and wellbeing Ben Harris-Roxas, a Croakey contributor, prolific Tweeter and health equity expert, has been reading a new report that looks at evidence-based recommendations for improving health and wellbeing.

The findings are not only likely to be useful for those with a concern for personal health, but present a significant challenge to traditional approaches to health social marketing campaigns.

He writes:

“Can you think of five things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing? If your list looks something like mine, it will involve exercising more, eating better, sleeping longer, spending more time with friends and family, and being less stressed. Laudable goals, but are they achievable?

As health professionals we rely on evidence when coming up with interventions to improve wellbeing. What would an evidence-based list look like?

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) in the UK has tackled this task. Their list includes:

Connect…
With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

Be active…
Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

Take notice…
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Keep Learning…
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do.

Give…
Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.

This isn’t some Sunday newspaper mind-body-spirit liftout list.

All of the NEF report’s actions are underpinned by a solid evidence base. The actions were each selected because they could be acted upon, they act as a buffer for mental ill-health, and they enhance well-being.

What’s striking about the list developed by NEF is that it goes beyond the health messages most of us hear and that governments promote. How many of the NEF list’s actions do we encounter in health social marketing campaigns? The “be active” message is reasonably well understood, but what about the others?

The other thing that’s striking about the list is that the actions don’t just benefit individuals. There would be substantial benefits to families and communities if we connected more with each other, volunteered more, and kept learning.

The NEF report has a number of limitations and the authors, Jody Aked, Nic Marks, Corrina Cordon and Sam Thompson, recognise these.

It doesn’t include important factors that can be beyond individuals’ control, such as work environments, nutrition, access to green space, and where people live. As such it’s not a comprehensive list of actions that are required to promote well-being, or an exhaustive list of the things that the health and social service sectors need to do.

If we took promoting well-being seriously, our health social marketing campaigns would look quite different. This list of five simple, practical actions provides a different vision of how we can promote wellbeing.

We can do more than bashing people over the head with negative messages about what they’re not doing.”

SOURCE: blogs.crikey

What happens when you overdose on Tylenol? Tylenol/Acetaminophen/Paracetamol can be overdosed on. For average size adults, greater than 4g in 1 day will be toxic and more than this has been indicated to cause severe liver toxicity and liver failure.

Never exceed the recommended amount stated on the back of the medicine box. If overdose is suspected even if no simptoms appear you must immediately call your Poisons information center, Doctor or Pharmacist.

Don't take Tylenol (Acetaminophen) with other acetaminophen products. You could exceed the recommended limits and cause liver failure.

Acetaminophen is in many cough and cold products and sleep aids, and is an ingredient in many prescription pain relievers. You don't want to overdose.

Parents should be cautious when giving acetaminophen to children. For example, the infant drop formula is three times more concentrated than the children's suspension. It's important to read drug labels every time you use a drug and to make sure that your child is getting the children's formula and your infant is getting the infants' formula.

source: answers.com

Things That May Trigger Hiccups A hiccup occurs when the diaphragm, a muscle below the lungs, moves involuntarily. This spasm causes the vocal cords to close rapidly, triggering the hiccup sound. Generally, hiccups go away after a few minutes.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common triggers:

* Abdominal surgery.
* Conditions, such as pneumonia or pleurisy, that affect the nerves of the diaphragm.
* Drinking or eating spicy things.
* Inhaling noxious fumes.
* Having a stroke or tumor that affects the "hiccup center" of the brain.

source: businessweek

Preventing Top Most Common Health Issues Heart disease

The term "heart disease" is often used interchangeably with "cardiovascular disease" — a term that generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as infections and conditions that affect your heart's muscle, valves or beating rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

Stats:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States.
• Between 70 percent and 89 percent of sudden cardiac arrest occurs in men.
• Half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms.
• Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease.

Symptoms:The five major symptoms of a heart attack are pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back; feeling weak, light-headed or faint; chest pain or discomfort; pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulders; and shortness of breath.

Risk factors: Several medical conditions and lifestyle choices can put men at a higher risk for heart disease, including high cholesterol, diabetes, cigarette smoking, being overweight or obese, poor diet, physical inactivity and alcohol use.

Prevention tips: Don't smoke, avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. Drink in moderation. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control. Manage your stress.

If you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, follow your doctor's treatment recommendations.

Prostate cancer

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. A walnut-size structure, the prostate surrounds the male urethra like a doughnut. Its purpose is to secrete fluid to carry sperm during ejaculation.

Stats:

The American Cancer Society estimated that about 192,280 new cases of prostate cancer would be diagnosed in 2009 and that 27,360 men would die of prostate cancer in 2009.

Symptoms: There are often no symptoms in early stages. See a doctor if you have changes in urination, blood in urine or semen, or frequent pain in your lower back and legs.

Risk factors: Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is very rare before the age of 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. Almost two out of three cases of prostate cancer are found in men over the age of 65.

It's not known why, but prostate cancer occurs more often in black men. They also are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and are more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer as white men.

Research into the causes, prevention and treatment of prostate cancer is being done in many medical centers around the world.

Prevention tips: Men should start getting an annual digital rectal exam and PSA blood test generally by age 50, or earlier with certain risk factors.

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes, affects the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Possible complications of type 2 diabetes include heart disease, blindness, nerve damage and kidney damage.

Stats:

• Of the nearly 24 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, 12 million are men.
• Nearly a third of men with diabetes don't know they have it.
• Amputation rates from diabetes-related problems are 1.4 to 2.7 times higher in men than women with diabetes.

Symptoms: Diabetes can be silent, but you may feel tired and fatigued. Other signs include frequent urination (especially at night), extreme thirst, unexplained weight loss, blurry vision, sores that heal slowly, and recurring skin, gum or bladder infections.

Men with diabetes also face special concerns, including impotence (not being able to have or keep an erection). Men with diabetes can help prevent impotence by controlling their blood sugar, avoiding large amounts of alcohol and not smoking.

Prevention tips: If you are overweight or someone in your family has diabetes, get tested for pre-diabetes. You also can help turn things around by losing extra weight, exercising regularly and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat foods.

Researchers in Texas have been studying a new drug called Vardenafil to treat erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes. Bayer, maker of the drug, has said this is a promising result for a previously hard-to-treat group of men.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure damages arteries, which can lead to stroke from a blocked artery or hemorrhage. Strokes also are called "brain attacks" – they kill brain cells.

Symptoms: High blood pressure is known as the "silent killer" because it often has no symptoms. One in three Americans who have the condition don't know it – people can have it for years without knowing. Get your blood pressure checked annually; normal blood pressure is 120/80 or below.

Risk factors: Typically, blood pressure increases with age. Risk of high blood pressure starts to climb when men hit 45, although it can occur in younger men.

Black men tend to develop high blood pressure at a younger age and have more severe hypertension.

Obesity or a family history of high blood pressure also increases risk.

Prevention tips: There is plenty you can do to prevent, delay and treat high blood pressure.

Know your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers. If numbers go above normal, get them down through diet, exercise and, if needed, medication.

If you smoke, get serious about quitting.

HIV/AIDS

AIDS is a chronic, life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body's ability to fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi that cause disease. HIV makes you more susceptible to certain types of cancers and to infections your body would normally resist, such as pneumonia and meningitis. The virus and the infection itself are known as HIV. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS, is the name given to the later stages of an HIV infection.

Stats:

• Roughly 1 million people in the United States now live with HIV or AIDS.
• At least 40,000 people are infected each year.
• Overall, black men are still hardest hit by HIV/AIDS in terms of the overall infection rate. Statewide, one in 43 African-American men are living with HIV/AIDS, compared with one in 117 Hispanic men and one in 209 non-Hispanic white men.

Symptoms: Although some people experience a mild flu-like illness around the time of infection, many people with HIV go without symptoms for up to 10 years. Because of this, the only way to know if you are HIV positive is to be tested.

Some symptoms associated with advanced HIV infection include: purple lesions on the skin, rapid weight loss, pneumonia, night sweats and fever, and white spots on the mouth, tongue or throat.

Prevention tips: Whether you're heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, if you engage in high-risk behavior such as unprotected sex or sharing needles during intravenous drug use, get tested for HIV. Even if you don't have symptoms, you can still transmit the virus to others.

The best hope for stemming the spread of HIV lies in prevention, treatment and education.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association

Simple strategies to get kids to eat right

Mac and cheese with cauliflower puree, chocolate brownies with hidden blueberries and pasta with tomato sauce featuring sweet potatoes and carrots may sound strange, but for a mother desperate to feed her children healthy foods, these strange meals were the solution.

Missy Chase Lapine, author of “The Sneaky Chef” book series, said it took years of experimenting to come up with the hundreds of recipes that fill her books.

Lapine, who calls herself a “Mom Chef,” said she is totally self-taught in the kitchen and was never trained in the culinary arts.

“I determined the comfort foods that the family loves and made them healthy,” Lapine said.

She has three colored purees: a purple puree made of spinach and blueberries, an orange puree made of sweet potatoes and carrots and a white puree made of cauliflower and squash. She uses these purees as an ingredient in familiar dishes to make those favorites healthier and “super-charged.”

Lapine began experimenting with these and other recipes when her youngest child developed food allergies and asthma.

“She was a picky eater, so I had to be clever to help her get well and get nutritious meals into her,” Lapine said.

She said the best way to begin a healthy diet for children is to start with foods they already like.

“If they love mac and cheese or hamburgers or spaghetti, look those up in my books and see how to make them healthier and build from there,” Lapine said. “It doesn’t change the taste at all.”

Healthy eating is very important for children, she said.

“It makes all the difference at 10 o’clock today and 10 years from now,” she said. “Kids will feel better, do better in school and 10 years from now, they won’t have any of the illnesses that plague us.”

Eating right is only one aspect of being healthy, she said.

“Food is only half the battle,” Lapine said. “You have to get the kids moving.”

In addition to her “Sneaky Chef” books, Lapine also penned “Sneaky Fitness.”

“There was a study done that said older children, like tweens and teens, spend eight hours a day sitting behind some kind of electric device,” she said. “We are a push-button society.”

However, she said, there’s no reason to make a huge leap to the gym.

“Put a mini trampoline in front of the television and don’t say anything about it,” she suggested. “All of a sudden, they are bouncing their way through ‘American Idol.’”
She said you can play similar tricks with healthy foods.

“Put out raw broccoli with dip and when they are hungry, they’ll try it,” Lapine said.

Lapine’s books, “The Sneaky Chef,” “The Sneaky Chef: How to Cheat on Your Man (in the Kitchen),” “The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue,” and her newest addition, “Sneaky Fitness,” can all be found at book stores everywhere including Barnes & Noble

source: nj

Americans Slowly but Surely Embracing Healthier Organic Eating

The remarkable turnaround is, say executives, part of a life-cycle of changes in the way Americans eat; a slow but steady march toward more local, more natural and more organic foods. Whole Foods launched its "Healthy Eating Initiative" to much acclaim and scrutiny into Mackey's own diet (he eats no sugars, vegetable oils, or processed foods, and he's vegan) at the same time that farmers began to grow more quantities and varieties of organic produce and raise more grass-fed, pasture-raised, organic and humanely treated meats.

More supply meant lower prices, which Whole Foods says it passed on to consumers. Customers were happy to clang the demand bell, and not just the wealthy ones; those who typically shopped for just a small portion of their grocery "cart" at Whole Foods were noticing the low prices in the produce section and piling more in.

According to COO Walter Robb, customer happiness was only the beginning. Everyone is coming up rosy-faced, he said on the analyst conference call held Tuesday afternoon: "Suppliers are increasingly positive just because they're seeing their sales go up," adding that this dynamic was generating "all kinds of positive energy," though it was "intangible and subjective, it's definitely happening. It's got our energy up."

Mackey said that his healthy lifestyle campaign is working, explaining that "people are focusing in on our produce," pointing to a "dramatic increase in the amount of green vegetables we're selling." It's exciting, because customers are not just reacting to the healthy eating initiative but to an overall sense of goodwill, "from October to the end of January we saw a 10% lift in people's perception on the positive end of the spectrum" of opinions toward Whole Foods, with a simultaneous decrease in bad feelings.

Analysts wondered which customer group was responsible for the increase in comparable-store sales, up 3.5% from the year-ago quarter for established stores; was it wealthy customers? Budget-conscious consumers buying cheap apples and greens? Something else again? Yes, yes, and yes, says Mackey. Employees have explained that "customers have been returning, saying 'I didn't buy my Thanksgiving turkey from you last year because I didn't think I could afford it, but this year I realized it was worth it and came back.'" It wasn't just the customers who'd shied away during the recession, but new customer groups and old ones who were spending more of their grocery dollars at the newly budget-friendly Whole Foods, Mackey went on.

Competition Pulls Back, Leaving More of the Organic Market to Whole Foods

Assisting Whole Foods in its stronger results among organic and natural foods shoppers is much of the competition, which has "pulled back" on the market due to the economy, leaving the growth rate of 5% to 6% ("down from historical double-digit growth rates but significantly higher than conventional growth rates") in organic foods ripe for the picking.

In the end, says Mackey, Whole Foods -- and the concept of spending a little more for quality, local, organic, healthy foods -- is "a choice people will continue to make even in the darkest of times." One indicator of this underlying paradigm shift in consumers' attitudes toward food is the meat counter -- even though Mackey himself eschews the stuff, customers are showing up in ever-greater numbers. "The meat department is undergoing an evolution," he told analysts. "We're selling a lot more 100% grass-fed organic beef, sourced locally, from vendors with humane animal practice standards. We're seeing similar things in chicken, in our pork sales, lamb -- more local, more organic, more 100% grass-fed or pasture raised, we're starting to see some good share shifts in that category. That's just going to continue to grow in the future."

It's a position I've argued many times over the past few years; the more consumers' eyes are opened to standard practices in the conventional meat industry, to the harmfulness of pesticides and the chemicals in processed foods, the more they'll be eager to spend a little more for good, natural, locally sourced, humanely raised food. It's working decidedly in Whole Foods' favor and to the detriment of other, larger supermarket chains whose attempt at organic and local foods is roundly dismissed as less-than-mediocre.

"We continue to be an authentic organic retailer, and those numbers show that," say Whole Foods executives. In a rare bit of love for the executives on these analyst conference calls, I have to agree.

source: dailyfinance

Healthy lifestyle varies from county to county A "chew” ring in the back pocket of a pair of blue jeans may reveal status in some schools in McCurtain County. But the outline of running shoes tucked inside a backpack reveals status in parts of Major County.

Experts loosely linked those differences to a new county health ranking that puts Major County first in the state and McCurtain County last.

The "health factors” category includes adult smoking, obesity, binge drinking, motor vehicle death rate, teen births, education employment, income and environmental quality. The rankings just released by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute also rated counties according to "health outcomes.”

"I’m a country girl and I’ve always said country living is a cleaner life,” said Debbie Karber, a registered nurse and president of Life Fitness Club. Her running club attempted to get a YMCA to open in Fairview in northwest Oklahoma’s Major County 15 years ago. But when the town was deemed too small, running club members instead started the nonprofit fitness club.

"I think we’re a community that’s becoming aware of the need for health. We are definitely starting to make it more of a priority,” she said.

Canadian and Cleveland counties in the Oklahoma City metro area are ranked second and third, respectively. Both counties enjoy health benefits arising from their universities — Redlands Community College in Canadian County and University of Oklahoma in Cleveland County — and generally higher population and income levels.

Shari Kinney, administrative director for the Cleveland County Health Department, indicated it’s fairly easy and important to people to stay healthy in that county.

Kinney, who bicycles, runs or works out daily, said residents have a good hospital, health services for low income people, doctors who promote community health, and easy access to Oklahoma City health services.

The health department also recognizes businesses that provide health insurance, give employees the opportunity to exercise and select healthful foods and beverages from vending machines. The health department also has been working with a company in providing healthy foods in Norman schools.

"There’s a lot of community effort to be healthy and get adequate exercise,” she said.

Tobacco targeted

Many of the low-ranking counties, based on health factors, are in the southeast. Pushmataha, Choctaw and McCurtain counties are ranked 75, 76 and 77, respectively.

The administrative director for those counties’ health departments, Rhonda Dennis, said with tobacco settlement money, southeast Oklahoma health departments are working with average folks to "take our poor health statistics by the throat and say, ‘What are we going to do about it?’”

Dennis said poorer communities tend to be less healthy. McCurtain, Pushmataha and Choctaw counties have significantly lower median household incomes than the state’s overall $41,551, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. McCurtain’s is $29,249, Pushmataha’s is $28,348 and Choctaw’s is $28,392.

She said, though, that the counties have already reached a turning point, at least in cutting smoking. The three counties are spending $221,000 yearly in tobacco settlement money to fight smoking. Terry Cline, Oklahoma’s health commissioner, applauded the effort, especially McCurtain County’s drop in the rate of adult smoking from 25.7 percent to 19.7 percent in 2009.

Dennis said the communities are fighting tobacco with unusual projects, such as buying up all the tobacco vendor spots at a deer festival or presenting the city council with students holding 30-gallon trash bags of cigarette butts picked up from a children’s park, or fighting chewing tobacco with Project Spit.

"This is cowboy country ... and cowboys have a much higher incidence of chewing tobacco (use). We’re really attacking that,” she said.

"Especially with kids. You go into high schools and you’ll see that ring in the back pocket of the Wranglers and they think it’s so cool. We’re trying to show that’s not cool.”

Chopping obesity is the next big frontier, she said. And she said she’s sure the counties are poised to improve their health and move up in the rankings next time.

"It doesn’t take really any money,” Dennis said. "Just staff with a lot of ingenuity to say this might make a difference in our school; this might make a difference in our community.”

source: newsok

Bulimia Nervosa A Severe Threat To Young Womens

Bulimia nervosa, a common eating disorder, is most common in adolescent through 30-year-old population. Bulimia is more common in females. Obesity is frequently found in parents and siblings. A person suffering from this condition has a predisposition to depression, and have a discord in family relationships. Obsession with food results from a morbid fear of obesity and the pathologic need to binge.

People with bulimia are extremely concerned with their weight, yet they can’t fight the compulsion to binge. So they drastically overeat, and then they purge, fast, or exercise to get rid of the calories. This vicious cycle of bingeing and purging takes a toll on the body, and it’s even harder on emotional well-being. But the cycle can be broken. Effective bulimia treatment and support can help you or a loved one develop a healthier relationship with food and overcome feelings of anxiety, guilt, and shame.

Clinical findings include:

1. Subtypes

a. Purging type: engages in purging behaviors

b. Nonpurging type: uses fasting or excessive exercise, not purging

2. Compulsive eating binges characterized by rapid consumption of excessive amounts of high-caloric foods in brief periods followed by induced purging (vomiting, enemas, laxatives, or diuretics)

3. Periods of severe dieting or fasting between binges

4. Sporadic vigorous exercising between binges

5. Weight may be within normal range with frequent fluctuations above or below normal range because of alternating binges and fasts

6. Lack of control over eating during episode

7. Depression and self-deprecating thoughts follow binges

8. Bingeing and purging pattern occurring at least biweekly, for past 3 months

9. Extroverted

10. Possible intermittent substance abuse

11. Very concerned with body image and appearance

12. Repeated attempts to control or lose weight

Source: helpguide.org

The Myth of Bras and Breast Cancer If you’ve spent time on the Internet, chances are you’ve seen chatter about the association between wearing a bra and breast cancer.

As C. Claiborne Ray explains in Monday’s Science Times, the claim has no basis in fact and stems from a flawed study that was never published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Q. Is there any truth to the Internet rumor that the incidence of breast cancer is more than 100 times greater in women who always wear bras than in women who never wear bras?

A. “The short answer is no,” Dr. Ted Gansler, director of medical content for the American Cancer Society, replied in an e-mail message.

There is no scientifically credible evidence of this, he said, and the proposed mechanism — that bras prevent elimination of toxins by blocking lymph flow — is not in line with scientific concepts of how breast cancer develops.

Internet traffic on the issue is mostly inspired by one study with several scientific flaws, Dr. Gansler said. The study, never published in a peer-reviewed journal, did not adjust for known breast cancer risk factors that might be associated with bra-wearing behavior, like weight and age. Also, study participants knew the hypothesis before taking the survey.

“Because the idea of bras’ causing breast cancer is so scientifically implausible, it seems unlikely that researchers will ever spend their time and resources to test it in a real epidemiological study,” Dr. Gansler said.

He and colleagues compared National Cancer Institute data on breast cancer risk for women treated for melanoma who had several underarm lymph nodes removed and those who did not. The surgery, which is known to block lymph drainage from breast tissue, did not detectably increase breast cancer rates, the study found, meaning that it is extremely unlikely that wearing a bra, which affects lymph flow minimally if at all, would do so.

SOURCE: nytimes

Parents Can Help Their Children Reduce Risk of Heart Attacks The American Heart Association estimates that 1 million children in the United States between ages 12 and 19 have metabolic syndrome. This syndrome means that children exhibit three or more controllable risk factors for heart disease, including abnormal blood lipids, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and obesity.

Overweight children really carry a big burden into adulthood and that is the increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Many people tend to associate heart disease with adults; however, recent research suggests that signs of heart disease including elevated cholesterol levels are being discovered in children as young as 7 or 8 years old. The primary issue is obesity.

Foods that contain high-fat and sodium plus and extremely sedentary life due to lack of exercise and entertainment such as computer games have sadly posed a new and dangerous threat to children's cardiovascular health.

There is good news. If families so desire, they could take rather simple steps to help their children live longer as adults. However parents must act now!

Today, parent must become a positive role model for their children. They can start by making healthy choices in their daily routines. These choices can include, not smoking, eating right, reducing stress and being active. These are very simple heart healthy lifestyles that may get children going in the right direction. Keep in mind it is a great deal easier to convince children to be healthy if you the parent are making healthy choices as well.

Parents need to be sure they offer their children health food choices. They can start by offering children more fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains. These whole grain contain cholesterol-reducing fiber. Vital for children’s heart health is omega-3 fatty acids which can be found in foods such as salmon and herring, walnuts, flax oil and fortified eggs.

Parents need to be sure they limit their children’s intake of foods that can damage the circulatory system. Saturated or trans-fats that are found in such foods and processed foods should be avoided in general. In addition, sugar and salt should be reduced.

Finally physical activity is essential and parents should try to invest in their children’s health by having them be more active. Put the X-Box away and trade it in for a brisk walk or bike ride. Sports such as soccer, baseball, swimming or ice skating can not only be fun, but actually help save y our child’s life.
Parents need to remember to limit TV, video game and computer time to less than two hours a day and enforce it. Not only do these activities lead to a sedentary lifestyle, they also contribute to excessive snacking, which increases the risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Children can live healthier as kids and longer as adults if parents begin to set examples for healthy living habits today.

SOURCE: emaxhealth

FDA escalates warnings about drugs to counter anemia, chemo fatigue Acting on growing safety concerns, the FDA on Tuesday ordered strict new procedures on the prescribing and dispensing of medication that treats anemia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The new strictures ordered by the FDA affect a class of drugs called erythropoiesis-stimulating agencts, which rev up the production of red blood cells that are often depleted by cancer-fighting therapies, as well as certain drugs that treat HIV/AIDS. The drugs are sometimes given to surgical patients in an effort to reduce their need for blood transfusions and are prescribed to patients with chronic kidney disease, who often suffer anemia.

Marketed under the brand names Procrit, Epogen and Aranesp, these biologic agents can now be prescribed and dispensed only after hospitals and physicians prescribing them have certified that patients have been apprised of the drugs' risks. Several new studies have found that cancer patients and others taking this class of medications have had higher rates of tumor growth and of heart attack, heart failure, stroke or bloodclots than patients who are not on the medication. Compared with patients not on medication, patients taking the erythropoeisis-stimulating agents (or ESAs) overall have been found to die sooner as well.

The biotechnology company Amgen, whichs makes Aranesp, Epogen and Procrit (although Procrit is marketed by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals), is expected to establish a training program for physicians and hospitals wishing to prescribe any of the ESAs and to track data on their use.

The new policy follows by less than five weeks the publication of an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine which outlines the welter of clinical trials that have turned up evidence for concern over the safety of ESAs. The editorial concludes that the medical community should reconsider its widespread use of these medications until clinical trials have established safer guidelines for their use. Among the authors of the editorial was Dr. Robert Temple, acting director of the FDA's office of drug evaluation.

The medications have been widely advertised to patients as a means of improving energy and quality of life during cancer treatment.

— Melissa Healy

SOURCE: latimesblogs.latimes

Premature death is more likely in obese kids This week, first lady Michelle Obama announced a national campaign to combat childhood obesity, and now a new study shows that obese children are more likely to die prematurely than their healthy-weight peers.

The research adds to growing evidence of the health risks of childhood obesity.

About 32 percent of children and teens are obese or overweight, the government says. Those extra pounds put children at a greater risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other health problems. An analysis in 2005 found that children today may lead shorter lives by two to five years than their parents because of obesity.

The latest data come from a National Institutes of Health study that began in 1965. Researchers tracked 4,857 American Indian children in Arizona for an average of 24 years.

Among the findings, which are published in today's New England Journal of Medicine: Children who were the heaviest - the top fourth - were more than twice as likely to die early from natural causes, such as alcoholic liver disease, cardiovascular disease, infections, cancer and diabetes, as children whose weight put them in the lowest quarter of the population.

Most of the heaviest children were obese, which is defined as a body mass index (BMI) in the 95th percentile or higher on growth charts.

The deaths from alcoholic liver disease may have been caused by a combination of alcohol intake, obesity (which is associated with fatty liver disease) and other liver toxins or viruses, says researcher William Knowler of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of NIH. Scientists could not determine how many years obesity may shorten lives because most of the participants were still alive, so the average life span of the group wasn't known yet, he says.

The message to parents: "Obesity in children can be a serious, life-long problem," Knowler says. If doctors tell parents to do something about their child's obesity, "they should take it very seriously."

Pediatric endocrinologist David Ludwig of Children's Hospital in Boston says the early deaths may be because "obesity adversely affects not just one risk factor like cholesterol but a whole host of them, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar and chronic inflammation in the body."

source: deseretnews

Occupation a key factor in men's lung cancer risk Men who work in certain occupations continue to be at increased risk of lung cancer, new research from Italy shows.

In fact, about 5 percent of lung cancers in men are job-related, Dario Consonni of the IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan and associates found.

While cigarettes are by far the most important cause of lung cancer, chemicals and other on-the-job hazards "play a remarkable role" in lung cancer risk, the researchers write in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

To provide updated information on these risks, they looked at the association between lung cancer and jobs either known or suspected to increase the risk of the disease in 2,100 people diagnosed with lung cancer and 2,120 healthy individuals matched by age, gender and residence.

For men, about 12 percent had worked in occupations listed as known lung cancer risks, compared to 6 percent of controls; these occupations included mining, metalworking, and certain types of construction work.

Men in the known to be risky occupations were 74 percent more likely to have been diagnosed with lung cancer. The strongest associations were seen for ceramic and pottery jobs and brick manufacturing, as well as for those working in manufacturing of non-iron metals.

The same percentage of cancer patients and healthy individuals -- about one in five -- worked in the occupations suspected to be associated with lung cancer, indicating no overall increased risk. But the researchers did find a "marked elevated risk" for gas station attendants, and for people working in leather tanneries, glass workers, and welders, although these were based on a small number of people.

About 5 percent of men's lung cancer risk could be attributed to occupation, the researchers found.

Among the 385 women included in the study, just three of the cancer patients and two of the healthy individuals worked in occupations known to be associated with lung cancer; this translated to a four-fold increased cancer risk, but because such a small number of women were exposed, this figure is "imprecise," the researchers note. They did find "suggestive" increases in cancer risk for female launderers and dry cleaners.

"The findings of this study confirm the need for continuous monitoring and improved control of work-related exposures," the researchers conclude, "both for prevention and workers' compensation purposes."

SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiology, online January 8, 2010, reuters

Scientist Discovers Protein That Causes Cancer to Spread A major piece of the mystery surrounding cancer has been found: a scientist has discovered a protein that initiates the process that causes cancer to spread from the original tumor to other parts of the body. The report appears in Nature Cell Biology.

The process that releases cancer cells from their original tumor and allows them to spread throughout the body is called epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT). The spread and development of the cancer cells into new tumors in other sites in the body is known as metastasis.

Cancer can begin in any tissue or organ in the body. The original tumor, or primary cancer, is usually named for the part of the body or type of cell in which the disease begins. When cancer cells break away from the primary tumor and form a new tumor in a different part of the body, the new tumor is a metastatic tumor.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the most common sites of metastasis from solid tumors are the lungs, bones, liver, and brain. Breast cancer commonly spreads to the bones, lungs, liver, or brain, while lung cancer often metastasizes to the brain or bones. Prostate cancer usually spreads to the bones. Metastasis is often the fatal blow in breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers.

Ge Jin, a scientist from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, discovered that a specific protein called disabled-2 (Dab2) turns on the EMT process. During the EMT process, some of the cancer cells separate from the surface of the tumor and transform into a type of cell (mesenchymal) that has the ability to migrate, which then allows metastasis to occur. A compound called transforming growth factor-B (TGF-B) triggers the formation of the Dab2 protein.

Jin, who was part of a six-member research team from the Department of Cancer Biology at the Lerner Research Institute, discovered that when researchers knocked out Dab2, the EMT process was not initiated. He noted that this discovery is a “major piece in cancer research that has been missing.”

This new discovery of a protein that causes cancer to spread is a critical piece in the cancer puzzle. According to Jin, “The process we discovered may lead to understanding how other diseases progress,” even beyond cancer.

SOURCES:
Case Western Reserve University
National Cancer Institute

New Risk Factor for Second-Most-Common Form of Early-Onset Dementia Examining brain tissue from over 500 individuals in 11 countries, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues found a new risk factor for the second-most-common cause of early-onset dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.

“Using a genome-wide scan for genetic variation in post-mortem brain tissue, we were able to pinpoint variations common to patients with a specific subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration, FTLD,” says co-first author Vivianna Van Deerlin, MD, PhD, associate professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Penn. “This gives us more information on what proteins may underlie the molecular events leading to FTLD, and eventually, new drug targets.” The findings were published online this week in Nature Genetics.

“By identifying gene variants that may play a role in the development and progression of one type of FTLD, this research, if replicated, will take us one step closer to an understanding of the complex biologic pathways involved in this devastating disease,” said Marcelle Morrison-Bogorad, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health Division of Neuroscience.

The findings build on a 2006 discovery by co-senior authors Virginia Lee, PhD, director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, and John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD, director of the Institute of Aging at Penn. They led an international team that found that a protein called TDP-43 accumulates abnormally in brain tissue from individuals with one type of heritable FTLD. TDP-43 is a known protein widely expressed throughout the body, with multiple functions, including regulating transcription of the genetic code and as scaffolding for nuclear and motor neuron proteins.

FTLD cases that are characterized by TDP-43 inclusions can be passed from one generation to the next, as a result of mutations in another protein called progranulin (GRN). Using post-mortem brain tissue from 515 patients with TDP-associated FTLD, the team found that these patients had multiple genetic variations called SNPs in common in a region on chromosome 7 containing the protein TMEM106B, compared to over 2,500 disease-free controls.
From this, the team concluded that the TMEM106B gene variants confer a higher genetic risk for all FTLD-TDP patients, as well as in the subset of patients with GRN mutations. What’s more, alterations in levels of TMEM106B protein in the brain may be directly or indirectly involved in causing FTLD.

How TDP-43, GRN, and TMEM106B proteins might normally interact in brain cells and be disrupted in FTLD remains to be deciphered. Nevertheless, the discovery of TMEM106B is an important step toward a better understanding of FTLD. The team plans to sequence the TMEM106B segment of chromosome 7, and in parallel, study the normal functions of TMEM106B.

Patrick M.A. Sleiman, PhD in the Center for Applied Genomics at CHOP; Maria Martinez-Lage, MD, postdoctoral fellow in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; and Alice Chen-Plotkin, MD, Instructor in the Department of Neurology, both at Penn, along with Van Deerlin, are co-first authors on the Nature Genetics article. Hakon Hakonarson, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Applied Genomics at CHOP is also a senior author on the paper. Other Penn co-authors are Li-San Wang, PhD; Gerard D. Schellenberg, PhD; Murray Grossman, MD, and Steven Arnold, MD.

This study was funded in part by the National Institute on Aging.

Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $3.6 billion enterprise.

Penn’s School of Medicine is currently ranked #3 in U.S. News & World Report’s survey of research-oriented medical schools, and is consistently among the nation’s top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $367.2 million awarded in the 2008 fiscal year.

source: newswise

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