General Well-Being

Good News for Nappers

Preliminary results from a new study show that an afternoon nap can make you smarter. Napping is likened to rebooting a computer to make it work smoother. The study found that after taking part in a memory exercise, the nappers performed 10% better than those who stayed awake. Researchers also found that people’s ability to learn declines about 10% between noon and 6 p.m. normally, but the nappers were able to negate that decline. It’s important to sleep long enough to give the brain an opportunity to go through various cycles of sleep, people in the study napped for 100 minutes. Scientists say napping may be valuable for students and for people struggling with memory issues because of aging. Other recent research has suggested that sleep can help you think more creatively, have better long-term memory, and preserve important memories, so nap on!

Click here to read the full U.S. News and World Report article: http://www.usnews.com/health/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2010/02/21/afternoon-nap-might-make-you-smarter.html

Hypertension

Pay More Attention to High Blood Pressure

According to a new report by the Institute of Medicine, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is not treated aggressively enough and is not enough of a priority for the government. The second leading cause of death, hypertension is relatively simple to treat and prevent, yet one in three adults has it and the numbers are rising. Often called “the silent killer” because of its lack of symptoms, it triggers more than one-third of heart attacks, is a leading cause of strokes and kidney failure, and plays a role in blindness and even dementia. The report mentions simple ways to curb high blood pressure: cut dietary salt, eat more potassium, exercise, and lose 10 pounds. And the institute urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to push doctors to better treat hypertension, and to work with communities to make it easier for people to live the healthy lifestyles that can prevent it.

Click here to read the full USA Today story: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-02-22-blood-pressure_N.htm

Diabetes

The Avandia Question

With the ongoing debate over the safety of Avandia (a drug for diabetes that may increase the risk for a heart attack), patients are left wondering whether they should keep taking it or not. Physicians urge patients to stay on whatever medicines they are taking until talking things through with their doctors. Skipping or dropping treatment altogether could worsen their diabetes. Dr. Zacharey Bloomgarden, editor of the Journal of Diabetes and a clinical professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, says he won’t put new patients on Avandia, given the controversy surrounding the drug, but he has advised patients doing well on the drug to stay on it.

Click here to read the full Wall Street Journal story: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/02/23/avandia-what-should-patients-do/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed+%28WSJ.com%3A+Health+Blog%29&mod=smallbusiness

Stroke Prevention

Smoking May Affect the Risk for a Transient Ischemic Attack

Smokers may be at greater risk for a transient ischemic attack (TIA) at a younger age versus nonsmokers. Results of a retrospective study showed that smokers who sought emergency treatment for a TIA were more than a decade younger, on average, than nonsmokers (age 56.7 versus 72.2). A transient ischemic attack is an episode in which a person has stroke -like symptoms for less than 24 hours, usually less than 1-2 hours, and is considered a warning sign that a stroke may occur in the future. It’s caused by a disruption of blood flow to the brain, which is usually caused by a blood clot, or thrombus. According to Bruce Obviagele, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, the reason smoking appears to be related to age at presentation for TIA and not for stroke might have something to do with the clot. He says that the kind of TIAs you see in smokers might be different from the kind of TIAs or stroke in people who don’t smoke or used to smoke, because those clots are friable, or “crumbly,” and quickly dissolved.

Click here to read the full Medpage Today article: http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ASA/18661?utm_content=GroupCL&utm_medium=email&impressionId=1267089776285&utm_campaign= DailyHeadlines&utm_source=mSpoke&userid=220600

Weight Loss

Eat Slowly to Cut Calories

Researchers have found that eating too fast leads to eating more calories. According to a new study, people who took 30 minutes to eat ice cream versus 5 minutes, released more hormones that made them feel full. In a 2008 study in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association, people consumed roughly 10% fewer calories if they slowed down rather than gobbled their food. And in a study in the British Medical Journal, those who ate quickly until full had triple the risk of being overweight. By giving yourself time to feel full, you could end up eating less than if you rush your meals.

Click here to read the full New York Times story: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/health/23real.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

Weight Loss Is Harder for Middle-Agers

According to USA Today, passing the 10-pound weight loss mark is more difficult for people over 50. Research shows that hitting that wall is common, with most people dropping about 5% to 10% of their starting weight in the first 3 to 6 months. After that initial loss, losing weight takes more sacrifice. Scientists say that one reason it’s difficult to drop more and keep it off is that there’s a cascade of biological responses designed to return dieters to pre-diet levels. A hunger hormone called ghrelin increases, and a fullness hormone called leptin decreases. Essentially, your body is keeping you from losing weight. Other factors may include lower overall levels of physical activity, deeply entrenched poor eating habits, and changes in sex hormones. For women, scientists have found that they have lower metabolisms after menopause than before. And if that weren’t bad enough, there is evidence that a lack of estrogen increases appetite and can cause specific cravings for certain foods, especially carbohydrates and fats. Experts say to lose weight you need to restrict calories, 1,200 to 1,500 a day for women, and exercise. It’s important to keep track of caloric intake, because they say most people are eating much more than they think. They also point out that after you lose weight and become smaller, you need fewer calories to maintain your smaller body. So, if you’re stuck on that plateau, don’t get discouraged. Just try and try again.

Click here to read the full USA Today article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-03-01-WLCstubbornweightloss01_CV_N.htm

Fitness

Chronic Illness Sufferers May Find Peace in Exercise

Living with a chronic illness brings anxiety and worry, but according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, exercise has been shown to reduce that anxiety. The study looked at 3,000 sedentary people with chronic illnesses, who were still able to exercise for 30 minutes at a time. It found that exercisers were able to reduce their anxiety by 20%. This was true for every health problem, including cancer, depression, heart disease, fibromyalgia, except multiple sclerosis. Previous research has shown exercise effective in lifting depression, but there had been little attention paid to its calming effect.

Click here to read the full LA Times story: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/02/anxiety-exercise-chronic-conditions.html

Click here to read the full study in the Archives of Internal Medicine: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/170/4/321?home