Category: Public Health News

Pregnancy is a time to take care of your body as it is harboring a precious life. But, for many women it is sometimes a license to eat whatever they want.

As a new mom, I know that sometimes cravings kick in, not to mention food aversion to even the healthiest of fare.

While extreme dieting is also not advised, doctors caution pregnant women not to go overboard in giving in to their cravings.

A new study from the United Kingdom echoes that sound advice with results showing “that following a healthy diet, overseen by health professionals, stems excess weight gain in pregnancy and reduces the risk of pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes, high blood pressure and early delivery.”

The study as reported on ScienceDaily.com was recently published in the British Medical Journal and compiled data from more than 40 other studies.

Both the effects of just diet or exercise alone as well as when both are done simultaneously were evaluated. The results looked at the impact on both mothers and babies health.

The results found that dieting alone contributed to a more than 30-percent less likelihood in the development of pre-eclampsia as well as a 60 percent less occurrence of gestational diabetes.

As told to ScienceDaily.com, the researchers hope to confirm these studies with additional larger studies.

From my personal experience as a trainer as well as experience with a recent pregnancy I know that it’s important to be mindful that what you are eating is best for both mother and baby.

It is important to make sure you are getting quality calories and enough vital nutrients. Pizza, ice cream and chips are typically not in the nutrient-rich category, while fruits and vegetables obviously are important.

While the above mentioned study focused primarily on the results of dieting alone, I believe prenatal exercise is still important. That is of course, as long as you have no contraindications.

In fact, I exercised and taught exercise classes throughout my pregnancy and was told by my doctor that it truly helped me during labor, delivery and recovery.

Original Post from: http://www.empowher.com/gestational-diabetes/content/diet-and-exercise-help-weighty-issues-pregnancy

Dear Dr. Donohue: I am 72. Recently, my eye doctor told me I have the start of age-related macular degeneration. At first, she said I had the eyes of a 60yearold, until she took another look. She recommended vitamins and sunglasses that give ultraviolet protection. I don’t want to lose my sight. Is there any more I can do?

V.D.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties, wet and dry. The dry variety accounts for 80 per cent to 90 per cent of cases. It usually progresses very slowly. You must have very minor changes – the doctor had to take a second look to see them. Wet macular degeneration can advance rapidly. Doctors have more drugs for the wet version than they do for the dry one.

The macula is a small circle of cells in the middle of the retina at the back of the eye. It’s responsible for fine vision, the kind needed to read a newspaper, watch television and drive. Even when macular vision has gone, vision off to the sides remains.

In 2001, the results of an age-related eye disease study (AREDS-1) were published. It promoted the use of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), zinc and copper to slow the progression of moderate macular degeneration. This combination is found in drugstores throughout North America.

In 2013, AREDS-2 is scheduled for publication. Changes have been made in the vitamin and mineral composition of the pill, and it now includes omega-3 fatty acids, lutein and zeaxanthin in the mix. They’re supposed to preserve macular integrity.

If you want to jump the gun on the proposed new formulation, Occuvite PresserVision with lutein and zeaxanthin is available in drugstores. Sunglasses that protect against ultraviolet rays are a sensible practice.

Dear Dr. Donohue: My wife gives me a hard time about drinking Diet Coke. She says it’s not good for me because of the carbonation and other ingredients.

She says anything that cleans a toilet can’t be good for your stomach. I am 72. I started drinking Diet Coke less than a year ago. I normally drink one a day. Do you feel this is harmful?

J.E.

Tell your wife that if she could obtain a cup of stomach acid and digestive juices and put a nail in the mix, it would dissolve the nail in short order. If the stomach can tolerate acid and digestive enzymes, it can tolerate Coke.

Diet Coke has no sugar. That’s a big plus. It should not foster weight gain. That has been disputed, but I find that weight gain from drinking Diet Coke is hard to believe. It’s also been said that it increases strokes and heart attacks.

Authors of that study maintain that there might be an association. They don’t say it causes them.

Another inscrutable suggestion: Readers, please don’t write to me about aspartame, the artificial sweetener in these soft drinks. It’s been found safe by many regulatory agencies throughout the world. I can’t believe that a Diet Coke a day harms health.

Original Post from: http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Vitamin+mineral+helps+slow+impact+macular+degeneration/6986394/story.html

One pill with the potential to treat conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and strokes has been unveiled by scientists.

Given early enough, it may even be able to stop full-blown Alzheimer’s from taking hold.

It works by dampening down the inflammation thought to be at least partly to blame for many degenerative brain conditions, as well damage caused by head injuries and strokes.

Animal tests have been encouraging and the pill has been given to humans for the first time, although the results have yet to be released.

Early results from animal studies suggest it could be effective against a plethora of devastating brain conditions.

They include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), motor neurone disease, frontotemporal dementia, and complications from traumatic brain injury.

Two of the drugs, known as MW151 and MW189, have been patented by US scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago.

They work by blocking excess production of damaging immune system signalling molecules called pro-inflammatory cytokines.

New research published today in the Journal of Neuroscience showed how early treatment with MW151 prevented the development of full-blown Alzheimer’s in laboratory mice.

Scientists say the drugs offer a completely different approach to treating the disease to others currently being tested.

These target the accumulation of beta amyloid protein deposits in the brain which are a key feature of Alzheimer’s.

In contrast the new drugs are designed to stop inflammation disrupting wiring in the brain and killing neurons.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines cause the synapses, the connections between brain cells, to misfire. Eventually the whole organisation of the brain falls into disarray, like a failing computer, and neurons die.

‘In Alzheimer’s disease, many people now view the progression from mild cognitive impairment to full-blown Alzheimer’s as an indication of malfunctioning synapses, the pathways that allow neurons to talk to each other,’ said Professor Martin Watterson, one of the study leaders at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School.

‘High levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines can contribute to synaptic malfunction.’

Mice genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer’s were given MW151 three times a week starting at six months of age. A comparable stage in humans would be when a patient begins to experience mild mental decline.

At 11 months, by which time the mice should have developed full-blown Alzheimer’s, cytokine levels in the brains of the animals were found to be back to normal. Their synapses were also working normally.

Untreated mice had abnormally high brain levels of cytokines and their synapses were misfiring.

Co-author Dr Linda Van Eldik, director of the Sanders-Brown Centre on Aging at the University of Kentucky, said: ‘The drug protected against the damage associated with learning and memory impairment. Giving this drug before Alzheimer’s memory changes are at a late stage may be a promising future approach to therapy.’

Harmful inflammation also plays a role in a wide range of other neurodegenerative disorders, raising the prospect of using the drug to treat many different conditions.

Earlier tests on mice showed that MW151 reduced the severity of a disease similar to MS in humans that strips nerve fibres of their insulating myelin covering.

In other mouse experiments, the drug prevented a surge of pro-inflammatory cytokines after traumatic brain injury.

‘If you took a drug like this early on after traumatic brain injury or even a stroke, you could possibly prevent the long-term complications of that injury including the risk of seizures, cognitive impairment, and, perhaps, mental health issues,’ said Professor Mark Wainright, also from Northwestern’s Feinberg School

.

Parkinson’s, non-Alzheimer’s dementia and motor neurone disease were other conditions that could potentially be tackled using the new approach.

A key advantage of the drug is that it can be swallowed as a pill, rather than being injected. It easily crosses the ‘blood brain barrier’, a physical and molecular fortress wall that stops toxic molecules entering the brain.

Results are yet to be released from the first Phase I trial assessing the drug’s safety in human patients.

This is the first step in winning clinical approval for a new treatment.

Original Post from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2178306/A-single-pill-treat-Alzheimers-Parkinsons-AND-multiple-sclerosis.html

A new study has found that certain combinations of risk factors can put children at a higher risk of having iron deficiency than when these risks occur independently.

Researchers looked at how a combination of factors can affect iron deficiency in children rather than single factors because they wanted to look at the problem of iron deficiency in context rather than as an isolated event.

“The individual risk factors in the study have long been known, but knowledge of the context gives us a broader and much more clinically useful picture,” said Associate Professor Cameron Grant from the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Auckland in a statement.

The study was based on a random community-based sample of approximately 300 children between the ages of 6 months and 23 months. Around 13 percent of children in the study group had iron deficiency.

There are few known risk factors that cause iron deficiency like eating fruits infrequently as snacks, low birth weight, increased body mass index, premature birth and no early exposure to milk formula.

According to the researchers, eating fruit isn’t just enough. When a child eats a fruit is also as important. Eating a fruit only as a snack (and not with meal) increases risk of iron deficiency by three fold because the iron in the fruit isn’t being absorbed by the body.

“It (study) has allowed us to demonstrate how much one factor can intensify the effects of another. For example, the research findings now enable me to say: ‘Here is a young child who has cows’ milk daily and only has fruit as a snack (rather than with the main meal) : the combination of these two factors increases the risk of iron deficiency 11 fold. Therefore we know we need to do something about it,” Dr. Grant said.

Previous research had shown that obese mothers are more likely to give birth to babies with low iron levels.

Packaged food isn’t the only culprit behind iron deficiency and even though homemade food is good, it may not have the recommended amount of nutrients in them and that can lead to iron deficiency, researchers say.

“Home-made foods are good, of course, as long as they are rich in nutrients – but the quality can vary greatly. The commercial products are regulated and consistent in the nutrients they supply,” Dr Grant said.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 14 percent of children between 1 and 2 years suffer from iron deficiency.

Iron deficiency can delay normal activity and movement  and even mental function in the child, according to CDC.

Original Post from: http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120720/10985/iron-deficiency-risks-cdc-food-combination.htm

New research shows that there is a genetic connection between metabolic functions and reproductive functions in both men and women.

The study, conducted by an international team of scientists has found genetic marker that influences protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in the blood stream. This protein is responsible for regulation of estrogen and testosterone in human blood stream.

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a protein mainly secreted by the liver that binds to sex hormones in the body and transports them in the blood stream, researchers said. SHBG influences the sexual characteristics of men and women.

SHBG has also been linked to various diseases like diabetes type-2 and certain types of cancers like breast and prostate cancer that are dependent on sex-hormones.
For the study, researchers analyzed genomes 21,791 men and women to see what genes are responsible for SHBG functions. They identified 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were bound to the circulating SHBG in the blood stream.

Researchers validated their results by studying genomes of another 7,046 men and women. They found that the genetic variations for this protein occurred more in men than in women.

They also found that the genetic markers for SHBG were present near genes that influence fat, carbohydrate metabolism and even diabetes type 2 in humans According to researchers, the fact that these genes (metabolism and reproduction) are close together may explain why there is a difference in the onset of certain diseases in men and women.

“These findings underscore the connection between the reproductive system and metabolism in both men and women, and may help explain sex differences observed in some metabolic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Andrea D. Coviello, assistant professor of medicine at BUSM, endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center and one of the lead authors of the study, in a press release.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (pronounced as “snips”) are variations that occur in DNA when a single nucleotide in the genomic sequence is altered. SNPs are studied because scientists believe that these variations will help them find multiple genes associated with cancer, diabetes, heart disease among many others.

The study is published in the journal PLoS ONE Genetics.

Published by Medicaldaily.com

Original Post from: http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120721/11009/sex-hormones-metabolism-genetics.htm

(NaturalNews) Fig leaves are best known for treating diabetes, but there are many other uses for the fig leaves. There are many homemade remedies from treating diabetes to treating bronchitis, genital warts, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, skin problems and ulcers. Fig leaves are not used as much as they should be. Most of the remedies for the fig leaves use the sap or the milk of the sacred tree. Fig tinctures or poultices should be used immediately and fresh batches made daily.

The big news with the use of fig leaves is that they have anti-diabetic properties. The diabetic needs less insulin when on a treatment of using the fig leaf extract. The diabetic should take the extract with breakfast, first thing in the morning. An additional remedy is to boil the leaves of the fig in some freshly filtered waster and drink this as a tea.

Figs and Health:

According to the USDA, figs are one of the highest sources of fiber and calcium. Figs have antioxidants and a laxative effect on the body. Figs contain fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, calcium and vitamins A,B,C and K. Besides these vitamins, the figs also contain folic acid, sodium and zinc.

Benefits of the figs:

– Figs are rich in potassium and fiber, helping to stabilize the blood pressure of the body. The figs contain anti-diabetic and anti-tumor properties. They have calcium, potassium, and soluble fiber, which aids in the reduction of cholesterol.

– Figs promote good sleeping habits and protect the person against insomnia. They increase your energy, promote stronger bones, and are helpful in treating constipation, due to their laxative effect. If the leaves are mashed, they can be used as a skin cleanser for acne and pimples.

– Figs lessen the acids in the stomach and therefore are great for pregnant women. Figs also increase sexual desire and promote overall longevity and good health.

There are many varieties of figs and here are a few available in the market:

The Calimyrna Fig has a nut like flavor and a golden skin. The Mission fig is dark purple and eventually will turn black when sun dried. The Kadota fig is the American type fig, which is nearly seedless and most often dried and canned. The Brown Turkey fig is seen most of the time in the fresh markets. This fig is copper colored in color with small streaks of purple and a white flesh.

Original Post from: http://learnislam1.blogspot.ca/2012/03/fig-leaves-used-to-treat-diabetes.html 

Science has finally caught up with deliciousness with the new findings that eating cheese can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 12 percent. Naturally, the flavor of this news is paired really well with red wine (which basically enables us to live forever while getting drunk without having to exercise).

But seriously, a study that encourages us to snack on food high in saturated fat in the name of our own health is simply wonderful. According to the study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, cheese is rich in the types of fat that are good for the body. One of the working theories about cheese’s role in diabetes prevention is that some kind of reaction in the body is triggered by the fermentation process. So eat up!

The folks at the charity Diabetes UK, however, are being party poopers about all of this, saying, “We recommend a healthy balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables and low in salt and fat. This study gives us no reason to believe that people should change their dairy intake in an attempt to avoid the condition.” That’s fine. We don’t need to be outright advised to stuff ourselves full of cheddar or taleggio — we will anyhow.

Original Post from: http://jezebel.com/5928541/cheese-may-lower-diabetes-risk-will-also-make-you-very-happy?utm_campaign=socialflow_jezebel_twitter&utm_source=jezebel_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Qsymia, a combination of two drugs: phentermine and topiramate, for use in patients with chronic weight-control problems who also have at least one weight-related health problem.

This means that Qsymia could be used to help people with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesteral to lose weight, if they have a BMI of more than 27, and any adult with a BMI of more than 30.

Last month, the agency gave the go-ahead Arena Pharmaceuticals’ Belviq, in which the active ingredient is lorcaserin hydrochloride,  in the first prescription weight loss drug approval by federal regulators in 13 years.

More than a third of American adults meet the definition of obesity, measured using the body mass index (BMI) based on weight and height.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that more than 30% of adults in the United States have a BMI of more than 30.

According to Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, obesity threatens the overall well-being of patients and is a major public health concern.

She said that Qsymia would provide another option for chronic weight management, if used responsibly in combination with a healthy lifestyle that includes a reduced-calorie diet and exercise.

People who are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition are also targeted by the drug.

Phentermine and topiramate have already been approved by the FDA. The former is already in use in overweight or obese adults who are managing to stick to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise programme, but who still need to lose weight.

The latter is used to prevent epileptic seizures and migraine headaches, and apparently boosts the effects of phentermine.

As with Belviq, pregnant women must not take the drug. Qsymia can harm an unborn child, bringing with it an increased risk of birth defects such as a cleft palate.

Women must take a negative pregnancy test before beginning Qsymia therapy, and should take special care not to get pregnant while they are using it, continuing monthly pregnancy tests during treatment, the FDA said in a statement on its website.

Qsymia was shown to be safe and effective in two randomised, placebo-controlled trials in 3,700 obese and overweight adults over the course of a year.

The participants in the trial were also following a reduced calorie diet and an exercise regime.

By the end of the year, nearly 70% of the study participants lost at least 5% of their body weight using Qsymia, compared with just 20% of the control group who took a placebo.

The current recommended daily dose of Qsymia contains 7.5 milligrams of phentermine and 46 mg of topiramate extended-release, but it is also available at a higher dosage of 15 mg phentermine and 92 mg of topiramate extended-release for certain patients.

According to the FDA, patients taking the regular dose of Qsymia who had failed to lose at least 3% of their body weight after 12 weeks of treatment should either stop taking it or progress to a higher dosage, after consultation with their medical practitioner.

People who have certain conditions, including recent heart disease and stroke, or glaucoma or hyperthyroidism should not take Qsymia, which can increase heart rate.

The manufacturer Vivus Inc has pledged to carried out longer-term studies evaluating the effect of Qsymia on cardiovascular outcomes, the FDA said.

Belviq’s manufacturer has made similar commitments following question marks over its safety and effectiveness.

The US drug agency has approved a weight-loss drug for the treatment of obesity in people who are already on a calorie-reduced diet and exercise programme.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Qsymia, a combination of two drugs: phentermine and topiramate, for use in patients with chronic weight-control problems who also have at least one weight-related health problem.

This means that Qsymia could be used to help people with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesteral to lose weight, if they have a BMI of more than 27, and any adult with a BMI of more than 30.

More than a third of American adults meet the definition of obesity, measured using the body mass index (BMI) based on weight and height.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that more than 30% of adults in the United States have a BMI of more than 30.

According to Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, obesity threatens the overall well-being of patients and is a major public health concern.

She said that Qsymia would provide another option for chronic weight management, if used responsibly in combination with a healthy lifestyle that includes a reduced-calorie diet and exercise.

People who are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition are also targeted by the drug.

Phentermine and topiramate have already been approved by the FDA. The former is already in use in overweight or obese adults who are managing to stick to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise programme, but who still need to lose weight.

The latter is used to prevent epileptic seizures and migraine headaches, and apparently boosts the effects of phentermine.

Pregnant women must not take the drug, however, as it can harm an unborn child, bringing with it an increased risk of birth defects such as a cleft palate.

Women must take a negative pregnancy test before beginning Qsymia therapy, and should take special care not to get pregnant while they are using it, continuing monthly pregnancy tests during treatment, the FDA said in a statement on its website.

Qsymia was shown to be safe and effective in two randomised, placebo-controlled trials in 3,700 obese and overweight adults over the course of a year.

The participants in the trial were also following a reduced calorie diet and an exercise regime.

By the end of the year, nearly 70% of the study participants lost at least 5% of their body weight using Qsymia, compared with just 20% of the control group who took a placebo.

The current recommended daily dose of Qsymia contains 7.5 milligrams of phentermine and 46 mg of topiramate extended-release, but it is also available at a higher dosage of 15 mg phentermine and 92 mg of topiramate extended-release for certain patients.

According to the FDA, patients taking the regular dose of Qsymia who had failed to lose at least 3% of their body weight after 12 weeks of treatment should either stop taking it or progress to a higher dosage, after consultation with their medical practitioner.

People who have certain conditions, including recent heart disease and stroke, or glaucoma or hyperthyroidism should not take Qsymia, which can increase heart rate.

The manufacturer Vivus Inc has pledged to carried out longer-term studies evaluating the effect of Qsymia on cardiovascular outcomes, the FDA said.

Original Post from: http://www.healthcare-today.co.uk/news/fda-approves-weight-loss-drug/22412/

Original Post from: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3615/10-Common-Food-Combinations-That-Wreak-Havoc-on-Your-Health.html

A study says First Nations girls face higher rates of diabetes than any other children in Saskatchewan.

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan looked at data from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and were able to track the rate of diabetes in both First Nations and non-aboriginal populations in Saskatchewan from 1980 to 2005.

They found that diabetes more than tripled among First Nations youth, while increasing by less than two times in other young people. There was an almost four-fold increase among First Nations girls.

The researchers looked at the numbers, but did not specifically look at why the diabetes rate shot up.

“There just aren’t any easy answers because we don’t know all the factors that relate to this,” said Dr. Roland Dyck, one of the researchers.

“Diet and also physical activity — it’s a combination of those two things. Those are the most obvious sort of intermediary factors, but we still don’t know a lot about how other things impact on all of that. Just the loss of traditional cultures, the stress involved in living in often very poor conditions and so on. All of those things probably contribute in some way as well.”

Dyck noted that the numbers for girls might be higher because boys tend to be more active.

The study also noted that children born of women with diabetes are also at a higher risk for obesity and developing diabetes. Gestational diabetes also has higher rates in First Nations women than others, which increases the risk.

“It’s likely that at least a certain proportion of those girls and boys with Type 2 diabetes had mothers who had diabetes during the pregnancy,” said Dyck.

“We have some data from Saskatchewan that at least suggests that girls — female fetuses if I can put it that way — may be more susceptible to the impact of diabetes in their mothers. I don’t want to play that too strongly because it’s just a single study and it’s epidemiological.

“But we did find that if you look at the offspring of women who’ve had diabetes during pregnancy, it’s female infants who are more likely to have higher birth weights and also to have a higher risk for later Type 2 diabetes.”

Dyck said that’s worth a closer look.

An important limitation of the study was that it could not differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

“But just from other work, we’re relatively confident that most of what we’re seeing in First Nations children, in particular those over the age of 10, is probably Type 2. Whereas Type 2 is still relatively more uncommon in non-First Nations children,” said Dyck.

“In Saskatchewan most non-First Nations children are Caucasian. We know that in Caucasian children, Type 1 diabetes is much more likely to occur.”

Type 1 diabetes — formerly known as juvenile diabetes — is usually diagnosed in children and teenagers. It occurs when the pancreas can’t produce insulin, a hormone that controls the amount of glucose or sugar in the blood.

Type 2, which used to be called late-onset diabetes, develops when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body can’t effectively use the insulin it does produce. It is generally diagnosed later in life, though with the surge in obesity rates is increasingly seen at younger ages.

The researchers say the work covers a longer time period than any other childhood diabetes study done in Canada.

The study is published in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes.

Original Post from: http://regina.ctvnews.ca/study-blames-lifestyle-for-rise-in-diabetes-among-sask-aboriginal-youth-1.885750