Chronic Illness

Social Networks Are a Source of Support for the Chronically Ill

For many fighting chronic illness, the Internet becomes a lifeline. Beyond finding information on their illness, people can build relationships and get the support they need to keep going. From blogs to discussion groups, social networking allows people who are homebound with illness to continue to engage with society, and some call that lifesaving. Others use the Web to find practical tips about living with their disease or disability that doctors and family members, having not lived with it themselves, cannot provide. So, for those battling chronic illness, the Internet can not only provide invaluable information, but can open the door to whole new social life. Some of the larger patient networking sites are PatientsLikeMe, HealthCentral, Inspire, CureTogether and Alliance Health Networks.  

Click here to read the full New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/technology/25disable.html?ref=health

Osteoporosis

Combat Bone Loss With…Tequila?

Not quite, but Mexican researchers have found that agave, a substance from the plant used to make tequila may help fight osteoporosis and other diseases. Fructans—nondigestible carbohydrates consisting of molecules of fructose—are found in abundance in agave, artichokes, garlic, onions and chicory. This study found that mice that were fed agave fructans absorbed more calcium from food, excreted less calcium in their feces, and had a 50% increase in levels of a protein associated with the build-up of new bone tissue. Results suggest that supplementing your diet with agave fructans could help prevent bone loss and improve bone formation. Tequila, however, won’t help because the fructans turn into alcohol when agave is processed into tequila.

Click here to read the full U.S.News & World Report article: http://www.usnews.com/health/family-health/bones-joints-and-muscles/articles/2010/03/23/tequila-plant-may-help-fight-bone-loss.html

Heart Health

When Is High Blood Pressure a Good Sign?

Swedish researchers report that high blood pressure is a good indicator of long-term survival for people admitted to an intensive care unit because of chest pains that indicate a major heart problem. Scientists say even dangerously high blood pressure could indicate patients with better cardiovascular reserves; that those patients who can produce a very high response may have less severe disease or a more intact neuro-hormonal system. But this is not to say the high blood pressure should be ignored. The study found that those who were treated for their high blood pressure before being released did better. This study indicates that those patients hospitalized with blood pressure below 128 need to be followed more closely.

Click here to read the full U.S.News & World Report article: http://www.usnews.com/health/family-health/heart/articles/2010/03/23/when-heart-is-in-crisis-high-blood-pressure-a-good-sign.html

Breast Health

More Exercise, Less Eating May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

Up to a third of breast cancer cases could be avoided through exercise and diet, researchers announced at European breast cancer conference in Barcelona. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that 25% to 30% of breast cancer cases could be avoided if women were thinner and exercised more. According to a 2006 British study, obese women are up to 60% more likely to develop any cancer than normal-weight women. Many breast cancers are fueled by estrogen, a hormone produced in fat tissue. Experts suspect that the more overweight a woman is, the more estrogen she’s likely to produce, which could in turn fuel breast cancer. They believe that even in slender women, exercise can help reduce the cancer risk by converting more fat into muscle. The American Cancer Society recommends 45 to 60 minutes of physical activity 5 or more days a week to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Click here to read the full Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/25/AR2010032500200.html?sub=AR

Exercise

An Hour a Day to Keep Pounds at Bay

New research has just been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggesting an hour a day of moderate exercise is necessary to prevent weight gain. The study found that less active women were much more likely to gain 5 pounds or more than the most active women. It also found that overweight and obese women tended to be less active than the healthy-weight women, and overall their physical activity was insufficient to help them control their weight. Women consistently engaging in 60 minutes a day of moderate exercise gained less than 5 pounds in 13 years. The most common activity for women in the study was walking. Researchers determined 30 minutes of more vigorous exercise like running or jogging was equal to 60 minutes of walking. And other studies have shown that physical activity can be accumulated in short bouts of at least 10 minutes each. Researchers emphasize that getting even 30 minutes a day 5 days a week is beneficial for lowering the risk of heart disease, some types of cancers and type 2 diabetes.

Click here to read the full USA Today article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-03-24-preventweightgain24_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip