Health Archives

Fitness at 50 – free from chronic illness

Midlife fitness staves off chronic disease at end of life, UT Southwestern researchers report — Fitness at 50 – free from chronic illness – Being physically fit during your 30s, 40s, and 50s not only helps extend lifespan, but it also increases the chances of aging healthily, free from chronic illness. For decades, research has shown that higher cardiorespiratory fitness levels lessen the risk of death, but it previously had been unknown just how much fitness might affect the burden of chronic disease in the most senior years ? a concept known as morbidity compression.

Obese youth face higher risk of gallstones

Kaiser Permanente study finds obese youth have significantly higher risk of gallstones — Girls and Hispanic youth at higher risk of disease usually seen in adults – Children who are overweight or obese face an increased risk for gallstones, revealed by Kaiser Permanente researchers. Children and adolescents who were overweight were twice as likely to have gallstone disease, compared to children and adolescents who had a normal body mass index.

Sinus irrigation with contaminated tap water may cause meningoencephalitis

Changing epidemiology of rare disease links sinus irrigation with contaminated tap water, 2 deaths — Cases highlight importance of using appropriately treated water for nasal irrigation – When water containing the Naegleria fowleri ameba, a single-celled organism, enters the nose, the organisms may migrate to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a very rare?but usually fatal?disease.

Food safety guides available for groups most vulnerable to foodborne illness

Food safety guides for groups most vulnerable to foodborne illness now available — USDA and FDA partner on food safety booklets to help those with compromised immune systems prevent foodborne illness – The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Department of Health and Human Services? Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have partnered to create six booklets with food safety advice for populations that are most susceptible to foodborne illness.

Spray with living human cells heals chronic venous leg ulcers

Study shows higher healing rate using unique cell-based therapy in chronic venous leg ulcers – Treating chronic venous leg ulcers with a topical spray containing a unique living human cell formula provides a 52 percent greater likelihood of wound closure than treatment with compression bandages only.

Physical Inactivity becoming a Global Pandemic

Researcher Calls for Global Action on Pandemic of Physical Inactivity – The high prevalence and consequences of physical inactivity should be recognized as a global pandemic, according to a new publication by Harold W. Kohl, III, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

Colon cancer and rectal tumor constitute a single type of cancer

Study shows colon and rectal tumors constitute a single type of cancer — The Cancer Genome Atlas generates genomic data for colon and rectal cancers that point to potential targets for treatment – The pattern of genomic alterations in colon and rectal tissues is the same regardless of anatomic location or origin within the colon or the rectum, leading researchers to conclude that these two cancer types can be grouped as one, according to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project’s large-scale study of colon and rectal cancer tissue specimens.

Polypill reduces heart attack and stroke risks

First Polypill trial in people selected on age alone (50 and over) shows substantial health benefit – Results of a randomised trial carried out by academics at Queen Mary, University of London show that a four-component Polypill given to people aged 50 and over to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke, the most common causes of death worldwide, achieved large reductions in blood cholesterol and blood pressure, the main causes of these two diseases.

Guillain Barre syndrome risk from H1N1 vaccine

H1N1 vaccine associated with small but significant risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome – Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is usually characterized by rapidly developing motor weakness and areflexia (the absence of reflexes). “The disease is thought to be autoimmune and triggered by a stimulus of external origin.

Cranberry prevents urinary tract infections

Cranberry products associated with prevention of urinary tract infections – Use of cranberry-containing products appears to be associated with prevention of urinary tract infections in some individuals. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections and adult women are particularly susceptible.

New hormonal gel combination testosterone and nestorone – reversible birth control for men

New hormonal gel combination shows promise as reversible birth control for men – Male hormonal contraceptives applied daily to the skin reduce sperm production, finds a new study. Very low sperm counts resulted for about 89 percent of men using a new combination of hormones, the researchers reported.

Cholesterol lowering statins reduce heart diseases and cardiovascular events

Statins appear associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men, women – Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs appear to be associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men and women, but do not appear to be associated with reduced all-cause mortality or stroke in women. Statins have been used to lower cholesterol levels for the last 20 years.