May 2015 Top Holistic Health Reads

https://youtube.com/watch?v=oB6fUqmyKC8frameborder%3D0allowfullscreen

 

Now…

Here are the topics this month with a little more information on Health and Nutrigenomics below. Enjoy!

HEALTH

• Living to 100
• Eating Your Way To a Bigger Brain
• ObamaCare Ruling on Contraception
• Vital Signs of Health Care Measures
• The Yuck Factor In C.Diff Studied & May Be Effective
• US Still Low Score Among Countries In Health Measures
• An Obesity Paradox
• Staying Fit and Cholesterol Link
• US Cuts Amount of Fluoride Allowed in Water
• Ease of Weight Loss Related to Thrifty Genes
• Mammography OR Spit?
• A Bill May Help Make Cosmetics Safer
• Changing Seasons, Changing Immune System
• Study Shows Benefits To Standing and Treadmill Desk
• Blue Bell Ice Cream Outbreak
• Too Much Light At Night Trumps Rodent Fat Burning
• Nation’s Fittest City
• Stress Linked To Liver Disease
• The Video Gamers Brain
• New Screening Tool For Autism For Parents
• What Really Works For Bug Spray
• Scientists Unite to Question Safety of Chemicals
• Safe Sunscreens 2015
• The Weight of Noise

 

NUTRIGENOMICS

• Nutrient for MS
• A Nutrient May Prevent Skin Cancer!
• Eat seasonally for Spring Cleaning
• Soda Linked to Heart Disease
• Healthy Eating for Brain Shields Memory Loss
• More Nutrition News for Brain
• DeFazio Blasts ‘Monsanto Provision’ in Fast Track Legislation
• Vitamin D Analog and Pancreatic Cancer
• Chocolate and Mind Effects
• More on the Benefits of Fiber

DRUGS

• Whooping Cough Vaccine Efficacy May Wear Off In Children
• Thyroid Drug Top Seller In Drugs Through March This Year, 21B
• FDA Issues Warning On New Diabetes Drugs-Ketoacidosis (Health Day)
• Steroids Vs. Placebo NO Better For Pain in Study (Health Day)
• Shared Decision Making- To Statin or Not to Stain (MayoClinic)
• No Need for Beta-Blockers Before Surgery for Heart Healthy Patients (HealthDay)

 

 

HEALTH

Living to 100- the Results Are Almost Tallied!

A study was done to examine the causes of death for men above 80 years of age and health status in centenarians. The study involved a cohort of men followed from age 50 years. A representative sample of 973 men born in 1913 were first examined in 1963 and re-examined at ages 54, 60, 67, 75, 80 and 100 years.

Conclusions: Ten men experienced their 100th birthday. Survival was related to non-smoking, mothers’ high age at death, high social class and previous high physical working capacity…
Boosting Brain Volume with Diet

According to Medscape, “A large cross-sectional study by investigators at Columbia University in New York linked adherence to the MeDI to larger brain volume in an elderly population, suggesting this type of diet has the potential to prevent brain atrophy and, by extension, preserve cognition in the elderly.”

 

U.S. Top Court Throws Out Obamacare Contraception Ruling (Medscape)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday revived religious objections by Catholic groups in Michigan and Tennessee to the Obamacare requirement for contraception coverage, throwing out a lower court decision favoring President Barack Obama’s administration.

 

Experts Continue to Scale Back Cervical Cancer Screening (Medscape)

Many women were raised on the mantra, “Pap smear once a year.” But for women 21 years and older at average risk for cervical cancer, cytology screening once every 3 years should suffice, according to best-practice advice from the American College of Physicians (ACP)

 

 

Vital Signs of HealthCare (Medscape)

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released 15 core measures to track improved health and healthcare in the United States:

• Life expectancy
• Well-being
• Overweight and obesity
• Addictive behavior
• Unintended pregnancy
• Healthy communities
• Preventive services
• Care access
• Patient safety
• Evidence-based care
• Care match with patient goals
• Personal spending burden
• Population spending burden
• Individual engagement
• Community engagement

 

The Yuck Factor- Fecal Transplant and C. Diff Outcomes

An analysis of two randomized, controlled trials (RCTs); 28 case-series studies; and 5 case reports were done to test the role of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Although most studies were uncontrolled, “Fecal microbiota transplantation may have a substantial effect with few short-term adverse events for recurrent CDI. Evidence is insufficient on FMT for refractory or initial CDI treatment and on whether effects vary by donor, preparation, or delivery method.” (Ann Intern Med. 2015)

 

 

Three Sad Stats In Health Rankings For U.S.

1. The United States as a whole performed poorly in Save the Children’s annual flagship State of the World’s Mothers report, slipping two places to number 33 out of 179 countries surveyed.
2. The United States had the highest maternal death rates in the developed world. American women face a 1 in 1,800 risk of maternal death compared to less than 1 in 19,000 in Poland.
3. The United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world, according to a 2014 study by The Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based research foundation. (Medscape, May 6, 2015)

 

An Obesity Paradox

In a large, cohort study it was found that although heart and diabetes rate is higher in overweight/obese people, being overweight was linked to lower death rates than obese and normal weight individuals. “Skinny-minis” had the highest risk. (Annals of Internal Medicine, 2015)

 

Staying Fit May Decrease Age-Related Increase in Cholesterol In Men (Health Day)

 

The US Decreases the Amount of Fluoride Allowed in Drinking Water (WebMD)

HealthDay reports: The U.S. government has decreased its recommended level of fluoride in drinking water for the first time in a half-century, to prevent staining of tooth enamel caused by overexposure to fluoride. The optimal fluoride level in drinking water to prevent tooth decay should be 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water…

 

Ease of Weight Loss & “Thrifty” Genes

For the first time in a lab, researchers have found evidence supporting the commonly held belief that people with certain physiologies lose less weight than others when limiting calories. At this time, researchers do not know whether the biological differences are innate or develop over time. (Science Daily, May 2015)

 

Mammography OR Spit?

“We didn’t have a way to widely implement such a recommendation until this past week when a collaboration, called BRCA Share, was reported between the two largest central lab companies—Laboratory Corporation of America and Quest Diagnostics —as was the announcement of a new genetic testing company called Color Genomics. For $249, Color Genomics is offering, via a saliva sample, sequencing of the BRCA genes along with 17 other genes that carry a high risk for familial cancer. For 1 year of mammography costs in the United States, we could now perform such genetic testing for over 56 million women. The unrelenting plummeting of the cost of sequencing—and a much more expansive approach to the whole genome (instead of just ~20 genes)—is just around the corner.” (Medscape, Topol)

 

More on Mammography & Risk With Dense Breasts

Two groups of women had the highest risk for breast cancer after a normal mammogram: those with extremely dense breasts and an intermediate or high 5-year cancer risk, and those who had different patterns of breast density and a high or very high 5-year cancer risk….Not all women with dense breasts have a high enough risk for breast cancer after a normal mammogram to justify having more screening tests. This study showed that information on 5-year cancer risks could be used along with breast density levels to help providers focus on the women who should receive information about supplemental breast cancer screening tests. (Annals of Internal Medicine, May 2015)

 

Safer Cosmetics

A new bill may lead to more regulation on cosmetics, according to ABC News. Here’s the bill.

 

Changing Seasons, Changing Immune System

Your immune system may change with the season; a new study analyzes genes and shows changes in patterns of gene expression, including those related to inflammation. (See, your not crazy, your knees do hurt more in winter!) (Nature, May 2015)

 

A Review Shows Some Physiological Benefits For Standing and Treadmill Desks

Treadmill desks led to the greatest improvement in physiological outcomes including postprandial glucose, HDL cholesterol, and anthropometrics, while standing desk use was associated with few physiological changes. Standing and treadmill desks both showed mixed results for improving psychological well-being with little impact on work performance. (Review Study, Prev Med 2015)

 

3 People Die In Listeria Outbreak From Ice Cream

Blue Bell ice cream recalled (The Chronicle, May 7 2015)

 

Nation’s Capital Also Most Fit (Health Day)

Washington, D.C, is the fittest of the 50 largest cities in the United States, followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul and San Diego, according to the eighth annual American Fitness Index (AFI) rankings from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation

 

Stress Linked To Liver Disease

Based on a meta-analysis, psychological distress is associated with liver disease mortality, although this finding requires additional analysis. Although one is not likely to cause the other, we provide additional evidence for the deleterious effects of psychological problems on physical health. (Gastroenterology. May 2015)

 

The Brain Of Video Gamers

Science Daily reports:  “However, we also found that gamers rely on the caudate-nucleus to a greater degree than non-gamers. Past research has shown that people who rely on caudate nucleus-dependent strategies have lower grey matter and functional brain activity in the hippocampus. This means that people who spend a lot of time playing video games may have reduced hippocampal integrity, which is associated with an increased risk of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.” (Science Daily, May 18 2015).

 

New Screening Tool for Autism For Parents

A promising screening tool that elicits responses from parents about potential communication delays accurately distinguishes infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from those with developmental delay and from typically developing children, new research indicates. (Medscape, May 18, 2015)

 

What Really Works for Bug Spray

The top was a combination of Lemon Eucylaptus and a component of black pepper. (Consumer Reports, 2015)

 

These Common Chemicals Are Linked To Safety Concerns, Say Scientists

A top federal health official and hundreds of environmental scientists on Friday voiced new health concerns about a common class of chemicals used in products as varied as pizza boxes and carpet treatments. (New York Times, May 1 2015)

Link here and here.

 

Environmental Working Group’s Safe Sunscreen 2015

Safe sunscreen for 2015– protect your skin from too much sun (though you need some) without disrupting your health!

 

Detecting Cancer with Genetically Engineered E. coli

Now, using engineered bacteria similar to the type in yogurt, researchers say they have found ways to see cancers sooner and seek specific chemicals in bodily fluids, making testing easier on patients as well as providing more accurate tests.  In one of the two new studies, researchers at MIT and the University of California, San Diego used altered Escherichia coli bacteria to colonize tumors in mice that spread to the liver from other organs (known as metastasizing tumors). The strain of E. coli they used was a harmless one that is often used to promote gastrointestinal health, and was fed to the mice orally. Once inside the mice, the bacteria fed on chemicals produced by the “necrotic core” of dead cancer cells at the center of the tumor. (Live Science, May 2015)

 

The Weight of Noise

WEDNESDAY, May 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to noise from traffic, trains and planes may be linked to a burgeoning belly, Swedish researchers report.

 

NUTRIGENOMICS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprising Results With Biotin (Medscape)

Very high doses of biotin (300mg) were shown to improve function in secondary progression of Multiple Sclerosis patients verses placebo. Medscape reports: Dr Krieger: We are going to have to learn that as we go. There are a couple of hypothesized mechanisms of action. One relates to the effect of biotin on mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in the cells. Another relates to the possibility that it could stabilize lipid formation, which is obviously important in a demyelinating disease. But we don’t know. And the trial is much smaller than the typical modern phase 3 trial. It’s about one tenth of the size of other progressive phase 3 trials. We will have to see what the clinical impact of these data will be.

 

A Nutrient Prevents Skin Cancer Progression (Health Day)

A form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide is linked to a reduction of non-melanoma skin cancers by 23 percent when taken twice daily, according to Australian researchers.

 

Eat Seasonally For Spring Cleaning (Dr. Hyman)

Here are the foods to eat in season based on US regions.

 

Soda Consumption Linked to Higher Heart Risk

Conclusions from the Am J of Nutrition: Consuming beverages containing 10%, 17.5%, or 25% Ereq from HFCS produced dose-dependent increases of circulating lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for CVD and uric acid within 2 wk. These results provide mechanistic support for the epidemiologic evidence that the risk of cardiovascular mortality is positively associated with consumption of increasing amounts of added sugars.

 

People with Healthy Diets May Protect Their Brain From Decline

People who eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish, moderate alcohol use and not much red meat may be less likely to experience declines in their memory and thinking skills, according to a new study published in the May 6, 2015…People with the healthiest diets were 24 percent less likely to have cognitive decline than people with the least healthy diets. Among the 5,687 people with the healthiest diet, 782, or about 14 percent, had cognitive decline, compared to 987, or about 18 percent, of the 5,459 people with the least healthy diets. (AAN)

 

Mediterranean Diet and Age-Related Cognitive Decline

In an older population, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts is associated with improved cognitive function. (JAMA Intern Med. May 11, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.1668)

 

DeFazio Blasts ‘Monsanto Provision’ in Fast Track Legislation

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) today spoke out against a provision buried in trade promotion authority (TPA) legislation that could help a government or multinational corporation attack state or national laws that require the labeling of genetically engineered foods. TPA, also known as “fast track” would give President Obama the authority to push through major trade deals with little to no input from Congress. (defazio.house.gov)

 

Vitamin D Analog In Trial For Pancreatic Cancer

Jeffrey Drebin, MD, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania explained, “This is not vitamin D that you can get at the drug store.” Researchers found that this potent vitamin D inactivates the body’s cells, called stromal cells that protect and feed pancreatic tumors. “Vitamin D acts on these cells to make them quiescent” Dr. Drebin told Ivanhoe. If the stromal cells aren’t working, researchers say chemotherapy drugs will reach the tumors and hopefully, wipe out the cancer. For now, patients are receiving vitamin D three times a week. (8 News Now, May 2015)

 

Chocolate & Mind Effects

Conclusions: This study suggests an acute stimulating effect of cacao on the human brain and vasoconstrictive effects on peripheral vasculature, the latter of which appear to be offset by an L-theanine additive.  Significance: This is the first known study to investigate acute EEG effects of consuming chocolate and suggests a potential attention-enhancing effect. (Neuroregulation 2015)

 

More On the Benefits of Fiber

Consuming greater quantities of dietary fiber reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new research confirms. Over 360 million people worldwide are estimated to be affected by diabetes, and this number is projected to increase to more than 550 million by 2030, with serious consequences for the health and economy of both developed and developing countries. (Science Daily, May 26, 2015)

 

So, do you feel caught up?

Did I miss anything, if so, post and share below!

 

Thanks for the pics istockphoto.com!