Monthly Archives: December 2011

Dec.29.11-Aging

Living World / Aging

Top 100 Stories of 2011 #61: Aging Effects ?Reversed in Mice

Eliminating dying cells keeps a mouse healthy, wealthy, and wise.

by Ed Yong

It’s not quite a fountain of youth, but it’s an intriguing step in that direction: Darren Baker from the Mayo Clinic and colleagues have developed a cellular spring cleaning that delays the health problems of old age in mice. By selectively killing senescent cells—ones that no longer grow or divide—Baker impeded the onset of cataracts, weakening of muscles, and body fat loss. He even reversed some of these problems in elderly mice. The animals did not live longer, but they gained more healthy months.

Senescent cells have been linked to aging before, but the Mayo experiment demonstrates that they have specific harmful properties. “Our work indicates that a small number of these cells can have a big impact,” says physiologist James Kirkland, one of the study’s leaders. If the same principle applies to humans, it may be possible to increase a person’s “healthspan” by targeting senescent cells or the chemicals they secrete.

The research could have other benefits. Senescence helps contain cells so badly damaged that they could turn into cancers. Many tumors develop from senescent cells that somehow escape this quarantine; wiping out all the cellular retirees could nip cancers in the bud.

Attacking all senescent cells might not be desirable, though, since such cells may aid in repairing wounds and preventing infections. “There’s a long way to go,” Kirkland admits, but after 15 months, equivalent to half a human lifetime, the mice were still doing well.

 To Download this Article: Aging

Dec.22.11-Smart Phones

SMARTPHONES and Your Posture

The headline above comes from a December 5, 2011 article in The Economic Times, an online news publication covering the UK and India. The article starts off by noting that more Britains are using their smart phones for accessing the Internet and other tasks. A recent British poll from YouGov noted that, 44% of Britons use their mobile phone for activities other than making calls, for between 30 minutes and two hours per day.

Dr. Tim Hutchful from the British Chiropractic Association reports that leaning the head forward for extended periods of time to read the smaller screens has an adverse effect on the neck. The weight of an average human head is between 10 to 12 pounds (4.5 to 5.5 kilogrammes). He notes that if you look at a person with an ideal posture, you should be able to draw a line from their ear through their shoulder, hip, knee and ankle.

The article notes that when a person uses a smart phone, typically the head is leaned forward causing the effective weight of the head on the neck to be up to four times as much than if the head where held in straight-up neutral position.

Both Dr. Hutchful, and Dr. Emmanuelle Rivoal, a Paris-based physiotherapist and osteopath, report seeing more problems from the use of these devices. One of the more common terms being tossed around today is “Text Neck” which Dr. Hutchful described as a manifestation of repetitive strain injury or RSI. The article defines RSI by stating, “RSI is the name given to a group of injuries affecting the muscles, tendons and nerves primarily of the neck and upper limbs.”

Dr. Rivoal added that these types of problems were common with people who work on computers, “because they spend more than five hours a day in front of a screen.” He noted that a hand held device can be even worse because the screen is smaller.

Dr. Hutchful offered some advice to avoid injury for those who use smartphones regularly. This includes things as simple as keeping smartphone use at under 40 minutes. He offers, “Keep use to a minimum, take regular breaks and look at different ways of interacting.”

To Download this Article: Smart Phones

Dec.21.11-Resveratrol and PterostilbeneTeam Together to Improve Mental Function

Resveratrol and pterostilbene team together to improve mental function

by John Phillip

(NaturalNews) The potent phenolic compound resveratrol and its close cousin, pterostilbene, have long been touted for their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-lowering health benefits. Information published in the prestigious journal publications, Neurobiology of Aging and The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, both cite resveratrol and pterostilbene as powerful brain-boosting agents, enhancing cognitive and mental function while lowering the risk from many forms of dementia. Pterostilbene, chemically similar to resveratrol, is a bioactive protective compound found commonly in many fresh fruits and vegetables. Numerous research studies show the two compounds act to reduce inflammation throughout the body (inflammation is a process behind seven of the ten most common disease processes that lead to death). Including this potent duo as part of your healthy diet, or from supplementation, may help aid memory retention.

Resveratrol is a bioactive compound extracted most commonly from the skin of red grapes and found at differing concentrations in red wine. Researchers in Japan working with mice examined the effect of consuming red wine with a resveratrol concentration of 20 mg per liter, compared with a lower concentration of 3.1 mg per liter. A typical glass of red wine averages 4.7 mg per liter of resveratrol concentration.

Resveratrol and Pterostilbene Stimulate Insulin Growth Factor to Impede Cognitive Decline

The scientists found that the higher resveratrol concentration resulted in improved cognitive function using a variety of spatial and memory intensive tests. The benefits were linked to an increase in the production of a peptide called insulin-like growth-factor-I (IGF-I) that promotes the growth of blood vessels and neurons in the hippocampus region of the brain. Researchers commented: “It is thus possible that drinking red wine with regular concentrations of resveratrol for long periods lowers the risk of age-associated cognitive decline.” Experts recommend an intake of 25 to 50 mg of resveratrol each day for optimal health effects.

In a separate research study conducted at Case Western Reserve University and Tufts University, two groups of mice were fed either identical doses of resveratrol or pterostilbene, about the equivalent of drinking two glasses of wine. While both compounds were found to boost levels of cognition, those receiving the pterostilbene demonstrated modulated markers of cellular stress and inflammation. This effect was not seen in the resveratrol supplemented mice.

The researchers concluded that because of the slight structural difference between the two compounds, “This change may lead to a better bioavailability of pterostilbene and consequently a more neuroprotective effect in the brain.” Pterostilbene is available naturally through a diet including blueberries, grapes, cranberries and olive oil or can be supplemented (50 mg per day) to meet nutritional goals. Both compounds provide a healthy synergistic effect that can help preserve memories and mental function as we age.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Res…
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobi…
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio…

To Download this Article: Resveratrol & Pterostilbene Team Together

Dec.15.11-Exercise Modifies the Brain to Help Weight Loss

Exercise Modifies the Brain to Help Weight Loss, Finds New Study

Afp-Relaxnews / November 25, 2011

(Relaxnews) – A study examining the neuro-relationship between exercise and diet has found that in addition to fostering healthy eating habits, exercise also increases people’s sensitivity to signs of fullness and satiety and helps overcome food temptations. According to a Harvard study published for the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology when exercise is added to a weight-loss diet, treatment of obesity is more successful than adjusting diet alone, said researcher Miguel Alonso Alonso.

Adding exercise to the program also helped weight loss subjects adhere to the diet for the long haul.

The study, based on data from epidemiological studies and announced November 23, found that one of the key factors in successful weight loss is a cognitive function known as inhibitory control, the ability to resist a strong inclination or temptation — like overeating — and do what is most appropriate or needed.

According to Alonso, living in an obesogenic environment — an environment that promotes weight gain — presents a constant barrage of stresses on these neuro-cognitive resources, leading to impaired judgement and facilitating impulses to overeat, he said. Exercise, however, helps improve the brain’s executive functions and overcome these strains, he said.

Past studies have also shown that exercise — in the form of table tennis — helped children with developmental coordination disorder to improve their inhibitory control. Meanwhile, according to fitness experts polled by WebMD.com, the most effective exercises for losing weight include walking, interval training, squats, lunges, push-ups, ab crunches and the bent-over row — exercises that either target multiple muscle groups, are suitable for different fitness levels or help burn calories more effectively. For more, visit http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/7-most-effective-exercises.

Dec.12.11-US Health Care: Worst in the World?

U.S. Health Care: Worst In The World?

Multiple news sources have reported on a study released on June 23, 2010 by the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based private foundation focused on health, concluding that American healthcare ranks highest in cost and last in performance among seven industrialized nations. The above headline comes from one of those stories that was published on June 24, 2010 in “The Week”.

A June 23, 2010 Reuters news story starts off with the ominous statement, “Americans spend twice as much as residents of other developed countries on healthcare, but get lower quality, less efficiency and have the least equitable system.” The Commonwealth Fund’s president, Karen Davis PhD., stated, “On many measures of health system performance, the U.S. has a long way to go to perform as well as other countries that spend far less than we do on healthcare, yet cover everyone. It is disappointing, but not surprising, that despite our significant investment in health care, the U.S. continues to lag behind other countries.”

The factors looked at in the Commonwealth report were quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives. The study noted that Americans spend $7,290 per person for healthcare which is twice as much as any other country studied in the survey conducted in 2007. The study reported that New Zealanders spent the least at $2,454 per person, while in the other 5 countries the amount spent on healthcare per person was $3,357 for Australians, $3,895 for Canadians, $3,588 for Germans, $3,837 for the Dutch and $2,992 for the British.

According to a June 23, 2010 Wall Street Journal article on the report, there are several key findings that need improving. They are:

  • The U.S. ranked last in measures of safe care (an indicator of quality), cost-related access problems, efficiency, equity and the long, healthy lives measure.
  • A full 54% of U.S. adults with chronic health conditions said they didn’t fill or complete a prescription, get a recommended test or treatment or visit a doctor when needed due to cost.
  • Of those same adults with chronic problems, 19% said they’d visited an ER for something that a regular doctor could have handled had one been available. In Germany and the Netherlands, that rate was 6%.
  • The U.S. has the highest “mortality amenable to health care” rate (from 2002-03), at 110 per 100,000 population. Australia was lowest, with 71 per 100,000. (That rate refers to the number of deaths before age 75 from ischemic heart disease, diabetes, stroke and bacterial infections.)
  • We ranked no higher than fourth on anything for effective care and patient-centered care.

In the Commonwealth study executive summary, the authors clearly state the problems with the US healthcare system when they say, “The U.S. health system is the most expensive in the world, but comparative analyses consistently show the United States underperforms relative to other countries on most dimensions of performance. Among the seven nations studied Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States the U.S. ranks last overall, as it did in the 2007, 2006, and 2004 reports.”

 

To Download this Article: US HealthCare Worst in World

Dec.8.11-Whooping Cough Outbreak Spreads On Long Island

More Than 200 Cases Reported

November 29, 2011 11:58 PM

LINDENHURST, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – An alarming rise in a potentially fatal bacterial infection known as whooping cough has prompted a warning from the Suffolk County Health Department.

It’s a tell-tale sign winter is coming — children and their colds.

But what’s going around this year is a potentially fatal bacterial cough known as pertussis or whooping cough, reports CBS 2’s Emily Smith. It’s a chronic cough, almost a barking sound, that can last more than three months, and it is spread easily through droplets.

“My wife is on a bus, educational bus, so she is with kids all the time every day. But she hasn’t been sick yet,” local resident Steven Piering said Tuesday.

WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs On The Story

The whooping cough outbreak started with 13 cases in Smithtown on Long Island in June. Since then it has spread to more than a dozen districts in Suffolk County.

The most recent case of whooping cough involves a student at 5th Avenue Elementary in Northport, where 11 cases have already been reported. On Tuesday night, parents told CBS 2?s Hazel Sanchez they are growing concerned. “That’s kind of scary. I wonder what’s going on, why this outbreak started. What’s going on?” one resident asked.

“They get colds at home. They bring it on the bus. They bring it to school. They’re bringing it home,” a school bus driver told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs. And what’s particularly concerning to health officials is this most recent outbreak has the highest number of cases reported since 2006 when there were 110 for the year. Now it’s 216 cases of whooping cough for the year so far.

What’s causing this sudden and sharp rise in whooping cough has yet to be determined, said Dr. Dennis Russo with the Suffolk County Health Department. He said it might be as simple as more doctors are detecting and diagnosing it, or it could be an increase in some parents’ decision to forgo vaccinating their kids. “We like to have everyone vaccinated and create a cocoon effect, so that everyone around them is vaccinated and the disease is milder,” Dr. Russo said.

Health officials said early detection and antibiotic treatment are the keys to better health and preventing the spread of whooping cough.

The majority of the students who have been infected with whooping cough had been immunized, which health officials said may account for their milder illness.

**Dr.Bob’s Comments: IF a Vaccine is this “WALL OF IMMUNITY or cocoon effect” Then why are there more cases than ever?

It is not due to a DPT Shot Deficiency I can tell you that for sure !!!

To Download this article:  Whooping Cough Outbreak Spreads On Long Island

Dec.1.11-7 Pointers to Lift Mood

Going Up! 7 Pointers to Lift a Bad Mood

 

 

No one can live a long and healthy life without the will to go on; sometimes mood swings can make us feel that life is too much for us.

A bad mood not only gives you a gloomy outlook, it also lowers your immune function, leading the way to illness. Here are some suggestions to lift your mood, your spirit, and your health.

1. A Laughing Matter
“Laugh Therapy,” pioneered by Norman Cousins, has turned out to have real substance. Research has discovered that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help defend the body from illness and cancer.

Laughter also increases the release of endorphins – compounds that give you a sense of well-being  – in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people live longer and healthier lives. So read your favorite comics, watch your favorite comedies, and laugh it up!

2. Amino Acid for Restored Mindset
When an imbalance or deficiency is creating a bad mood, the Europeans use supplements of a natural compound found in human cells to regulate mood and restore a healthy mindset. SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) is produced from methionine, an amino acid that plays a role in the production of uplifting neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

One study indicated that SAMe worked on patients who had unsuccessful results with conventional antidepressants. To get a boost from SAMe, take a supplement combining it with vitamins B6 and B12.

3. Hands-On Healing
Human touch increases the production of endorphins, growth hormone, and DHEA, all of which lengthen your life span and lower the negative impact of stress. Studies have found that patients who are regularly touched recover faster than those who are not touched. So give someone a hug, have them get their spine adjusted or try a massage and feel both of your moods improve.

4. Boost Your “Youth Hormones”
You don’t need pills to flood your body with a rejuvenating flood of growth hormones. Research has found that doing squats and leg presses will greatly increase your natural production of the “youth hormone”. Increased growth hormone translates to an elevated mood, among other physical benefits. Keep it up with weight training, knee bends, push-ups, and rowing.

5. Take a Bracing Breath
Breathing correctly is important for dispelling the toxins and wastes from your body; in fact, it is estimated that we expel only about 30 percent of toxins in our bodies through the bowels and bladder-the rest is all respiratory. Breathing is also a great way to clear your mind, boost your energy, and improve your mood. Practice deep, slow, rhythmic, breathing daily with mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation.

6. Smell the Joy
Research has shown that smell has a definite impact on our bodies and minds. When you stimulate the olfactory nerves inside your nose, you activate the limbic system of your brain, which is associated with moods and memory. This concept is instrumental to aromatherapy, a natural  health tradition that makes use of the healing powers of plants with strong scents.

Aromatherapy recommends treating depression with jasmine, eucalyptus for exhilaration, and grapefruit to increase alertness and joy. Just put a dab of the essential oils from these plants on your temples, back of your neck, or acupressure points. Another option? Boil the herb in water and inhale the steam through your nose.

7. Feel Fine with Flowers
There is a reason that flowers are the traditional get-well gesture. Colorful flowers have a powerful influence on moods; they can uplift a patient’s mood and even combat stress. One study found that during a five-minute typing assignment, people sitting next to a flowering bouquet were more relaxed than those who sat near foliage-only plants.

I hope these tips help the good feelings flow! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

 

To Download this Article: 7pointerstoliftmood