Archive for August, 2008
August 12th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Low vitamin D levels may raise the risk of death from any cause, say researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In a recent study, Vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased all-cause mortality risk by 26% compared with optimal levels. Low levels were considered below 17.8, whereas optimal levels were defined as above 32.1 ng/mL.
Many recent studies have found that adequate levels of Vitamin D appear to be critical in preventing chronic disease, yet the deficiency is widespread in the U.S. and worldwide.
Ask your doctor about checking a blood test for Vitamin D levels.
Read more about Vitamin D from Bay Area Medical Information (www.bami.us)
via Archives of Internal Medicine, August 11, 2008
August 8th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Weekend indulgences help explain the slower-than-expected weight loss of many dieters, say researchers from Washington University in St. Louis. ”There is less structure on the weekend for a lot of people, and that can wreak havoc. A little indulgence turns into a big indulgence. Being vigilant on the weekends is really important for people either trying to lose weight or maintain a weight loss,” said the study author, Susan Racette, an assistant professor at Washington University, in a recent article by HealthDay.
via Obesity, August 2008
August 8th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Heart disease and lower cognitive test scores were significantly associated in a recent European study of about 10,300 adults ages 35 to 55. This was most pronounced in areas of reasoning and vocabulary. Researchers also said the longer a person had heart disease, especially among men, the greater the cognitive impairment.
via European Heart Journal, July 23rd online, 2008.
August 7th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
The actual cause of stretch marks during pregnancy is still not known, but apparently applying cocoa butter lotion does not lessen their severity or help in preventing them, according to a new study from the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Lebanon.
Although there has been no scientific evidence supporting the use of cocoa butter, many physicians and midwives continue to recommend it. The authors concluded that their findings do not support the use of cocoa butter lotion for the prevention of stretch marks, but further studies are needed to confirm their findings and to evaluate the effectiveness of other commonly used products in preventing stretch marks.
via BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, August 2008
August 7th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
About one out of 100 adults have active epilepsy, and more than one-third are not getting sufficient treatment, according to a multi-state study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study found that nearly half (44 percent) of adults with active epilepsy reported having recent seizures. Of those, 65 percent said they had more than one seizure in the past three months. Although many people with epilepsy lead normal productive lives, those who are inadequately managed medically, face an increased risk for subsequent seizures, disability, injuries sustained during a seizure, and in some cases, death.
via CDC, August 7, 2008
via Epilepsy Foundation
Read more about Epilepsy and find Support Groups in Pinellas County, Florida
August 7th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Older patients who ate at least three servings of fish a week had a 26% reduced risk of silent stroke, according to researchers from the University of Kuopio, Finland. In addition, those who ate the most fish had 10.6% better white matter grade scores compared with those who ate the least.
via MedPage Today, Aug 5, 2008
August 3rd, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
In a review of published clinical trials, researchers again found a significant correlation between increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids with a lower prevalence of depression. Fish and fish oil, as well as flax seed oil, are rich sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
Omega-3 fatty acids are also thought to reduce cardiovascular disease risk by lowering triglyceride levels, decreasing the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaques, decreasing risk of sudden death and arrhythmias, decreasing thrombosis (blood clots), improving arterial health, and by lowering blood pressure.
via Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, July 2007
via “Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Health” from the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institute of Health
Read about Fish Oil Supplements from Bay Area Medical Information (www.bami.us)
August 2nd, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Eating at least two hamburger-based fast-food meals a day for one week, in combination with a sedentary lifestyle was accompanied by rapid and profound elevations in liver enzymes and hepatic triglycerides, researchers have found. These sharp increases in liver enzymes, which was similar to damage from alcohol, occurred after just one week and more than quadrupled over four weeks.
A large hamburger, fries, and a soda from many fast-food chains can easily add up to as much as 100 grams of fat (mostly saturated) and 100 grams of carbohydrate in just one meal. This is about five times the amount of a full-days allowance for fat, not to mention a huge carbohydrate load on top of it. The generally accepted recommendations for a healthy diet are to limit saturated fat to 15 to 20 gms per day; and for people with diabetes or heart disease, limit saturated fat to <10 grams/day.
via MedPage Today/Gut, Feb 2008
Read more:
August 2nd, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
This increase most likely has been influenced by marketing trends for low-fat foods such as “fat-free” cookies. Many people have discovered that weight gain was the ultimate consequence of these food choices.
Learn to read and fully understand the food labels.
via American Journal of Preventive Medicine, January 2008
August 1st, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
“HIV testing for women ages 19 through 64 should be a routine part of gynecologic care”, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in an article on MedPage Today.
This is not a new recommendation, in fact, the CDC has recommended routine HIV testing for all Americans ages 13 through 64 years. It is estimated that one quarter of all people with HIV in the U.S. are not aware of it, and ”women represent the fastest growing population of persons infected with HIV in this country”.
Rapid HIV tests can give results during the same clinical visit that blood is drawn for testing.
via MedPage Today, July 31, 2008/American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists “Routine human immunodeficiency virus screening. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 411″ Obstet Gynecol 2008; 112: 401-3.
