MEDSCIL - healthyLiving...: Quirky angles to health issues

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Quirky angles to health issues

I have had a busy weekend - recovering from the past week, putting in some time publishing posts, and working out indoors.

In the course of all that, I noticed two articles that I thought that I should respond to. One had the simple question: Should Football Players Ditch the Helmets?

My contribution here is just this. It does not really matter whether helmets are allowed or not - accidents will always happen and injuries sustained.

American football is, to me, a much safer version of rugby union. Have you seen the result of one of those rugby headbutts?

Believe me, it's all really bloody sometimes for the nose and faces involved. And yet, those headbutts and body slams form part of the defensive strategies to frustrate opponents.

If you ask me, helmet manufacturers should put in more reinforcement and cushioning pads, as well as use more high tech materials to make their product lighter and stronger.

After all, chain mail armor did foil a few ripostes during the Crusades...

Now, did you know this: RNC Insurance Plan Covered Abortion, Until Thursday? Yes, since 1991, the Republican National Convention, or the Republican Party of the US, never opted out of insurance coverage for medical procedures that included D & C!

Can you imagine how embarrassing that is? In that time ex-President Bush denied funding for stem cell research on ethical grounds and the Republican Congressmen generally are seen as anti-abortion and voting against pro-abortion.

Oh well, that's life. You never know what skeletons are lurking in the closet until the cupboard door is held or yanked ajar...

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AVOID THE 3 MOST COMMON GYM MISTAKES

Mistake #1: No warm-up or cool-down

Jumping into your workout routine without a proper warm-up or finishing without a proper cool-down is a surefire way to set yourself up for acute injuries during the workout or chronic injuries over time......

Mistake #2: Poor technique

Doing an exercise too quickly or executing a move with sloppy form can increase your risk of injury. And an injury can interrupt your workout program, and make it difficult to be consistent and get results......

Mistake #3: Skipping muscles or movements

Most of us tend to work muscle groups that are problem areas or important to us. For example, many women place an extra focus on their legs, buns and thighs, and many men place more focus on their chest and arms. And everyone wants flat, tight abs!

It is OK to place an emphasis on the muscle groups that are extra important to you, but it is critical to provide your body with a balanced workout to avoid short- and long-term injuries......

COURTESY

Breast cancer facts

Who is at risk?
• Women who are older....
• Women with a family history of breast cancer.,,,
• Not having children or having a first child after age 30 increases the risk....
• Women who become obese after menopause....
• Menopausal hormone therapy also increases the risk....
• Women who are physically inactive throughout life appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer....
• Women who drink alcohol....

Source: American Institute of Cancer Research

COURTESY

Added Sunday, September 09, 2007.

Disclaimer

Some safe bets deliberately splashed your way:

1. ... For every $1 spent on water and sanitation, economic benefits average between $7 and $12.

2. … Over a billion people lack access to clean water.

3. … About 2.5 billion people are without water for sanitation.

4. .,,, About 80 percent of all disease is borne by dirty water.

5. … Most of Earth's water is salty or dirty.

6. … Humans need is water that is fresh and clean.

7. … Clean, fresh water supplies are waning due to a warming world.

8. … People can live as much as 30 days without food but only seven without water.

9. ...Cul-de-sacs are the safest places to live in: …family atmosphere… stays quiet.

HEALTH TARGETS

The average person should be able to:

Walk a mile in 15 minutes

Carry two bags of shopping from the supermarket to the car

Climb the stairs in a house without getting breathless

'NORMAL' ADULT VITALS

Blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg each time it is taken

A resting pulse of around 70 beats per minute

A respiratory rate of around 16-20 breaths per minute

COURTESY

Added September 14, 2007.

Intrauterine devices appear to be safe and effective for women who ordinarily might not be considered good candidates for this form of contraceptive because of factors such as a history of sexually transmitted infections, multiple partners or prior pelvic inflammatory disease, according to a new report.....

IUDs have a high level of effectiveness, do not have any systemic metabolic effects, and require placement just once to provide long-term protection....

After the IUD was inserted, 5.4 percent of women had a clinically diagnosed STD and 19.4 percent had clinically diagnosed gynecologic infection. Three pregnancies were reported after insertion.

No significant increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease was seen after IUD insertion compared with before insertion....

Alcohol and drug addiction can ruin lives and devastate families. We must continue working toward a society in which our citizens can lead lives free from the influence of alcohol and drugs. Friends and family members can play a vital role in the fight and prevention of abuse by discussing the dangers and consequences with loved ones....

The Drug Enforcement Agency is helping stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States by targeting the production, distribution, and sale of methamphetamines and other precursor drugs.

The Drug Free Communities Program helps our neighborhoods develop strategies to prevent substance abuse. .....we seek to raise awareness about the destructive cycle of addiction and work to provide assistance to those who suffer from substance abuse.

All men can develop prostate cancer, yet studies have shown that risk increases with age. Although the exact cause of the disease is not yet known, factors that may affect the likelihood of developing prostate cancer include race, diet, general health, and family history.

Because the chances of surviving prostate cancer may be higher when it is diagnosed and treated in its early stages, men should speak with their doctors about their risk and screening options....

Through work at the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Defense, we are exploring the genetic, biochemical, environmental, and lifestyle factors that increase prostate cancer risk and lead to its development and progression....

.....Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in our country, and the risk of developing it increases with age and a family history of this disease.

Other risk factors include a history of endometrial, colon, or breast cancer, and obesity. Because early detection is crucial in treating ovarian cancer and its symptoms can be difficult to identify, women should consult their doctors about personal risk factors, early warning signs, and screening options....

We will continue to commit our resources to seek better ways to prevent, detect, and ultimately cure ovarian cancer.....

COURTESY

Lung cancer at a glance

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer cases and cancer deaths around the world, claiming 1.3 million lives each year.

In the United States, 213,380 new cases and 160,390 lung cancer deaths are expected this year.

Nearly 60 percent of people die within one year of diagnosis. Nearly 75 percent die within two years. Only about 15 percent survive five years or more.

Five-year survival rate:

— Stage 1: 47 percent

— Stage 2: 26 percent

— Stage 3: 8 percent

— Stage 4: 2 percent

Sources: American Cancer Society, American College of Surgeons

Despite the laments of pining pop stars and sad sack poets, U.S. researchers now think breaking up may not be so hard to do.....

Finkel and colleague Paul Eastwick studied young lovers — especially those who profess ardent affection — to see if their predictions of devastation matched their actual angst when that love was lost.....

“People who are more in love really are a little more upset after a breakup, but their perceptions about how distraught they will be are dramatically overstated when compared to reality,”....

Two dozen investigators from the CDC, the World Health Organization and other health agencies have been in a remote part of western Uganda, following the death ... of a 29-year-old man who worked in a lead mine there.

The man died of Marburg virus, a rare cousin of Ebola that can cause a rapid and gruesome death in which patients may bleed from the eyes, ears and elsewhere....

Since Marburg was first identified in 1967, large outbreaks have been reported in Congo, Angola and other countries. It can spread from person to person and international health responses to outbreaks are common....

.....WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CONDITION?

If you're overweight don't just sit back and expect a miracle.

You need to take action and the sooner the better. Think about longevity and the bigger picture - do you want to be around to see your kids grow up?

Go to your doctor or get in touch with a group like the British Heart Foundation who can tell you the facts about being overweight and give you some advice on how to get started with exercise.

You don't have to join a gym or hire a personal trainer.

It really is as simple as doing the vacuuming, pruning the bushes or playing footie with the kids, so long as it's regular.

If you have a spare 30 minutes don't sit around and watch TV, get out and go for a walk! You will feel better and notice little differences in just weeks, and within months you'll see some major change.

Believe me, it's worth the effort!...

COURTESY

Scientists using a computer game have discovered how the brain's response to fear changes as a threat gets nearer in a development that could help people suffering from panic attacks.

Two key areas of the brain are involved in fear, with the more impulsive region taking over as a threat looms closer. A malfunctioning in the balance between the two could explain some anxiety disorders, researchers believe.

To find out exactly where our fear resides, British scientists scared volunteers with a Pac Man-like computer game, in which subjects were chased through a maze by an artificial predator. If caught, they received a mild electric shock.

Simultaneous brain scans measuring blood flow showed that when the predator was distant, lower parts of the prefrontal cortex area of the brain behind the eyebrows were active.

This region is associated with complex decision-making, such as planning an escape.

But when the predator moved closer, activity shifted to the periaqueductal grey area, responsible for quick-response survival mechanisms such as fighting, flight or freezing....

"It's a bit like a see-saw — both regions play a role but one becomes more dominant at different stages of threat,"......

Although banned since 2002, puffer fish continues to be sold in large quantities at local markets and restaurants....

“Some sellers dye the meat of puffer fish and make it look like salmon which is very dangerous,”....

The ovaries, liver and intestines of the puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a poison so potent that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it can “produce rapid and violent death.”......

Every year, there are reports of people dying or falling sick in Asia from eating puffer fish. Eating the fish can cause paralysis, vomiting, heart failure and death....

COURTESY

A common cause of pneumonia can kill by causing bleeding in the lungs, researchers said .... in a finding that may explain why antibiotics fail to save many patients.

They found the bacteria Streptococcus pneumonia secretes a toxin that causes severe bleeding in the lungs in some patients, killing them within days.

The toxin is unaffected by antibiotics, which explains why the drugs often fail to save patients, the researchers reported....

S. pneumonia infects the upper respiratory tract, causing pneumonia, meningitis and ear infections in the elderly and young children.

Before a vaccine was introduced in 2000, there were 500,000 cases of pneumococcal pneumonia every year in the United States, with up to 40,000 of them serious.

Serious pneumonia killed up to 100 children every year and thousands of elderly people....

Many experts assumed that inflammation killed patients. As with any bacteria or virus, the body’s immune system activates to repel the invader, but in some patients this reaction becomes too strong and can itself be fatal.

“Many patients die at a very early time point -- 48 hours or so, but less than 72 hours. People noticed this but they didn’t know why,”.....

But Li’s team found a possible antidote, a protein called plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 or PAI-1....

Li believes that spraying it into the breathing passages of patients may counteract the action of pneumolysin.

“The next step will be to design a small molecule, a protein fragment, that can mimic PAI-1, which would be easier to deliver in the lungs, more effective and have fewer side effects,” .....

“It would be even better if we could design an aerosol form, so you could just spray it into the air around these patients and their bleeding would stop.”....

With the help of unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists, hundreds of Web sites dispense prescription narcotics to customers in exchange for nothing more than a credit card number.

Even as law enforcement agencies and state governments respond, rogue pharmacies continue to grow, filling hundreds of prescriptions a day.... about 95 percent of products sold by online pharmacies are controlled substances.

By comparison, controlled substances amount to roughly 11 percent of the dosages dispensed by legitimate pharmacies....

Pharmacist Don Perdue has seen customers who run out of prescription refills turn to illegal online pharmacies....wants to see federal law changed to make it easier to shut down illicit pharmacies....

The experiments.....offer a scientific explanation for a phenomenon experienced by one in 10 people.

Two teams used virtual reality goggles to con the brain into thinking the body was located elsewhere.

The visual illusion plus the feel of their real bodies being touched made volunteers sense that they had moved outside of their physical bodies.

The researchers say their findings could have practical applications, such as helping take video games to the next level of virtuality so the players feel as if they are actually inside the game.

Clinically, surgeons might also be able to perform operations on patients thousands of miles away by controlling a robotic virtual self....

For some, out-of-body experiences or OBEs occurs spontaneously, while for others it is linked to dangerous circumstances, a near-death experience, a dream-like state or use of alcohol or drugs....

Women who force themselves to stay quiet during marital arguments appear to have a higher risk of death..... Depression and irritable bowel syndrome are also more common in these women.

Such “self-silencing” during conflict may have provided an evolutionary survival advantage long ago, and unfortunately may be a necessity for women in abusive relationships.....

Eaker and her colleagues found that, over a 10-year period, the most striking finding was that women who self-silenced were four times more likely to die than women who expressed themselves freely during marital arguments....

The study confirmed that marriage is good for men’s health — compared with unmarried men, husbands were nearly half as likely to die during the follow-up period.

The researchers also found that men whose wives came home from work upset about their jobs were 2.7 times as likely to develop heart disease as men with less work-stressed wives....

The findings underscore the importance of healthy communication within marriage....“both spouses really need to allow another person a safe environment to express feelings when they’re in conflict,” both for their own health, and for the health of the relationship....

Missing manhood

Rock-solid evidence that testosterone is tumbling is still limited to studies on men in Denmark and Finland. But other indicators — like the global fall of sperm counts — seem to point to a downward trend worldwide.

Shanna Swan, Ph.D., .....reviewed sperm concentrations from men in 61 countries between 1934 and 1996, and discovered a strong downward slope: "It's dropping by about 1 percent per year, but the trend is strongest in Western Europe and the United States."

Sperm Specifics

United States -68% (1938-1988)

Brazil -45% (1979-1990)

Denmark -20% (1944-1996)

Sweden +15% (1971-1983)

Finland +8% (1979-1987)

Germany +16 (1971-1993)

U.K. -40% (1949-1993)

France -26% (1983-1991)

Nigeria -10% (1980-1991)

Israel -34% (1984-2003)

Hong Kong -30% (1980-1987)

Men's Health