a perfect storm for heart disease

As our region has snow and some of the the coldest air that has seen years it is important to think about how that winter weather can affect your heart.

"there is a perfect storm for heart disease," said Terry Jodrie, MD, emergency physician at Washington Adventist Hospital. "You have people who are not in good shape physical position outside lift snow shovels, and because of the cold weather their blood vessels become smaller. It creates a set of circumstances that heart disease like. "

The combination of colder temperatures and physical activity increases the workload on the heart. People with heart disease often suffer chest pain or discomfort in the cold, and studies suggest extreme winter conditions can increase the risk of a heart attack of a person.

"We tend to see a spike in heart attacks and unstable angina, very cold days," said Jodrie

the American heart Association offers these winter weather tips for people with existing heart disease :.

• Give yourself a break. Take frequent breaks when shoveling order not to overstate your heart. Pay attention to how your body feels during those breaks.
• do not eat a heavy meal before or soon after shoveling. Eating a large meal can put an extra load on your heart.
• Use a small shovel or consider a snow blower. the act of lifting heavy snow can increase blood pressure acutely during the lift. It is safer to raise small amounts several times that carrying around some huge shovels of snow. When possible, simply push the snow
• Learn the warning signs of a heart attack and listen to your body , but remember this :. Even if you are not sure it's a heart attack, checking (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Do not wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1
• Consult a physician. If you have a medical condition, do not exercise on a regular basis or are middle aged or older, meet with your doctor before exercising in cold weather.
• Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia. heart failure causes most deaths in hypothermia. To prevent hypothermia, dress in layers of warm clothing, which traps air between layers forming a protective insulation. Wear a hat because much of your body heat can be lost through the head.

For more weather safety tips for cold Dr. Terry Jodrie, listen to his interview on WTOP radio.

Are you at risk for heart disease? Learn the age of your heart and the risk of heart disease with our heart risk assessment for quick and easy healthy, available www.TrustedHeartCare.com.

ATLANTA - controversial Pentagon policy of vaccination against anthrax soldiers did not lead to serious health problems, the first results of a multi-year study suggests. The results, presented here on July 16 at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, shows that the number of hospitalizations - an approximate indicator of health - is less, rather than more, among the troops who have received at least one shot of anthrax.

biowarfare Fearing, the Department of Defense (DOD) has started to vaccinate 2.4 million military and sports against anthrax in 1998. But some of the more than 400,000 people vaccinated to date have reported a variety of side effects, including fatigue, pain and immune disorders. And about 350 risked court martial by refusing the shots. Alarmed, a Congressional subcommittee called for a suspension of the program in February. But the DOD has always insisted that the vaccine is safe. Although forced to slow last week due to a shortage of vaccine doses, the ministry does not intend to call the program.

To prove the vaccines are safe, DOD researchers monitored the health of the troops vaccinated since 1998. Reasoning that serious side effects would eventually cause the military to end up in a hospital bed, Paul Sato San Diego Naval Health Research Center and colleagues examined hospitalization rates among nearly 150,000 people who had received at least one shot, and some 1.4 million which has not yet rolled up their sleeves. Among the latter group, about 46 thousand were hospitalized each year of observation; among those who received one dose of vaccine against anthrax, that number was only 25-1 statistically significant difference

The researchers do not know why immunization is correlated with fewer hospitalizations .. The first troops to get the vaccine are those provided for overseas service in high-risk areas such as the Persian Gulf; since people with health problems are not eligible for these missions, this group was probably healthier than average. The researchers point out that the number of vaccinated people is still low; a more definitive answer should come in a few years when most vaccinated people were followed over a longer period of time.

However, the results confirm previous studies, said John Grabinstein, deputy director of the vaccination program against anthrax at the US Army Medical Command, and they show that there is no reason stop the program. "It is exactly what we expect," said Grabinstein. "There is nothing inherently unusual about the vaccine against anthrax."

Related Sites
Anthrax information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The official website DOD Anthrax Information
The International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases

Ask the dietitian: healthy beverages for diabetics

Q: What are the best drink for diabetics

A :? Lauren Schmittle, RD, LDN , clinical dietitian at Washington Adventist Hospital:

This is a great question, and one we often receive in our diabetes support groups. For those who have diabetes or pre-diabetes, what you drink is as important as what you eat to manage your blood glucose levels. Follow these simple steps to cut harmful ingredients and choose drinks that are best for your health

Rule 1: stick to the basics

• water
• unsweetened teas
• coffee (try a sugar substitute instead of sugar!)
• Other non-calorie / drink mixes drinks
• Create your own flavored water with lemons, limes, oranges, cucumbers, etc.

Rule 2: Cut out the sugar

• It is best to avoid sugary drinks like regular sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, sweetened teas and energy drinks. This pack a lot of carbohydrates and in turn will increase your level of glucose in the blood.

Did you know?

A 12 oz regular soda provides 39 grams of carbohydrates = 10 teaspoons of sugar

It is best to avoid sugary drinks. They pack a lot of carbohydrates and will increase your level of glucose in the blood.

• Even 100% fruit juice (no sugar added), although this sounds like a healthier alternative, is sugar.

Did you know?

One 8 apple juice oz cup provides 28 grams of carbohydrates = 7 teaspoons of sugar

rule 3 :. Choose Healthy Alternatives

• Eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice for less sugar and more fiber
• The low-fat milk is another healthy alternative, but still contains carbohydrates and should be taken in moderation.

Did you know?

= 8 oz milk 12 grams of carbohydrates

Looking for other diet tips for diabetics? Join our Diabetes Support Group FREE Washington Adventist Hospital, which provides emotional support and resources for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Learn more and register today!

A new way to keep patients cool race could help them survive the ordeal with less damage to the brain, according to a small clinical trial . If the pan results in larger studies, they could offer an alternative therapy cheap and desperately needed to improve the chances of recovery.

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States and the first cause of disability. When a blood vessel is blocked or bursts, parts of the brain lose oxygen and die. The researchers have developed drugs that reduce brain damage in animals - but the drugs have not helped much in humans. Another approach was inspired in part by an unexpected observation 1996. stroke patients who have a slightly cooler body temperature when they were admitted to the hospital were up to 80% more likely to be alive after 6 months. This, as well as animal studies showing that the temperature of the fresh body minimized race damage, "encouraged us to try to intervene," says neurologist Lars Kammersgaard Genofte the University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Kammersgaard team designed a special cover that pumps air to 10 degrees Celsius. They wrapped 17 stroke patients in blankets and gave them a drug to prevent shivering, which warms the body. The dual treatment cooled safely the bodies of victims of stroke of 1.5 degrees Celsius in 6 hours, the researchers report in the September issue of Stroke . The study was too small to reveal if cooling has allowed the recovery of patients. More patients who were treated with the coverage were alive after 6 months compared with patients who maintained normal body temperatures, and refrigerated patients had less brain damage, although the differences are not not statistically significant. For monitoring, the team plans to conduct a large clinical trial called the project Nordic cooling, which could start accepting patients by the end of the year.

Other experts like what they see so far. "There is a possibility that it could work in the clinic," says neuroscientist Thomas Sick of the University of Miami School of Medicine. But he warns that it might be better to find a way to cool the brain without cooling entire body, which may reduce the blood supply to organs and lead to the formation of dangerous blood clots. Yet stroke researcher said Dale Corbett of Memorial University in St. Johns, Newfoundland " it is enough here to suggest that more trials should be undertaken. "

Related Sites
A fact sheet on the stroke of the American Heart Association

Heart-disease drugs called statins have been designed to reduce the body's production of cholesterol, but they also help heart patients by reducing inflammation - an advantage surprise that delighted but puzzled researchers. Now a team has identified where in the immune system statins block inflammation system. Finally, statins could be used to prevent rejection of transplanted or alleviate the symptoms of autoimmune diseases organs.

Statins have a wide range of effects. Earlier this year, researchers have suggested that these drugs reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease ( ScienceNOW , 13 November) and build bone mass ( ScienceNOW , 27 June). One of the first indications that drugs can also calm the immune system came from a study of heart transplant patients 1995. Patients who took statins showed less signs of rejection of the transplanted organ.

To study, cardiologist Francois Mach of Geneva Medical School in Switzerland and colleagues focused on inflammation in blood vessels. When the immune system triggers this inflammation, it can lead to transplant rejection - and can aggravate heart disease. Researchers followed the effects of statins on the cells of the inner lining of blood vessels when they are combined with several types of immune cells. They found that statins block a chemical messenger that activates a kind of white blood cell called a T cell. This slows down the cascade of cellular interactions that normally causes the kind of inflammation that leads to transplant rejection, they report in the December issue of Nature Medicine .

Mach stresses that his research could have applications for autoimmune diseases as well, some of which involve T lymphocytes whack. His team plans to test whether statins can prevent a disease of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis in mice.

The conclusion that statins activate T cells block is "a huge confirmation [that statins] have cholesterol-independent properties by which they can save lives," says Jon Kobashigawa cardiologist at the University of California , Los Angeles, who led the 1995 heart transplant study. But Wulf Palinski, a specialist of atherosclerosis at the University of California, San Diego, warns that what works in cell culture may not work in a living animal. "The immune system is extremely complicated," he said.

Ask the dietitian: Healthy Snacks and Scrumptious

By M asha Fox-Rabinovich, MA, RD, LDN, CDE, outpatient dietitian at Washington Adventist Hospital,

Masha Rabinovich Fox

nutrition Month every March gives us the opportunity to celebrate the food and nutrition. It allows individuals to focus attention on their eating habits, and consider how this aspect of their impacts on the lives of their health and the health of their families and communities.

As we reflect on the theme of this year, "Savor the taste of eating right," it is important to recognize that our perception of taste and enjoyment of food is not only a function of our . tastebuds These ideas are also influenced by

• How attractive food looks
• How food odors
• How the food is served
• How the food is experienced (including the company and the framework in which he ate)

Keep in mind that when preparing a meal for yourself or others or even when taking a simple grab-and-go snack. It requires a little more effort to plan and create nutritious options that address the sensory aspects of food, but the effort is worth the penalty. This extra effort requires increased attention to food. This is a good thing! We must be attentive to the food! While it is true that "you are what you eat", then it makes sense for you to eat right.

How can I make easy snacks that are healthy and delicious?

It is easy to take a cookie, bag of chips or a granola bar mounted sugar. Although these treats satisfy a sugar craving, they provide few nutrients for their calories, and do little to support the needs of the organization. Here are some healthier options that taste pretty good

• Vegetables make wonderful snacks; they are full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Eaten alone, however, they can be kind of bland. To overcome this obstacle flavor, make snack bags of a variety of vegetables (carrots, celery, pepper sticks, sugar snap peas, raw broccoli and cauliflower, etc.) and enjoy them with hummus or other dips beans, or with an olive oil and vinegar. Hummus and other bean dips slightly processed taste and are rich in protein, fiber, and many trace elements, which makes them a much healthier alternative to commercial dips and salad dressings.

• Whole fruits are great, and they can be even more nutritious - but also more delicious - when consumed alongside a food rich in proteins . The combination of carbohydrates (fruit, for example) with protein, tends to increase satiety (helps you stay full longer) and help prevent the excessive consumption of sugar spikes in the blood, reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes, or help manage diabetes. Here are some ideas: (! Not a flavor-rich sugar)

• Mix berries in plain Greek yogurt The sweetness of the berries will complement the tartness yogurt, which makes for a unique and satisfying snack. Greek yogurt is higher in protein and lower in sugar than plain yogurt, and it contains more probiotics -. beneficial bacteria that aid in digestion and intestinal health, immune function, and other health benefits

• Enjoy apple and pear slices with almonds, cashews, peanuts, butter or sunflower seeds, a handful of raw nuts or dry roasted plain, or a slice of cheese or a cheese stick. pre-make snack bags of fruits and nuts or nuts and cheese. Beware of dried fruit, though - dried fruits are nutritious, but they are often packed with sugar added, and because they are smaller and more compact, it is easy to eat more than the size of the recommended serving. grapes limits, cranberries, dried apples, dried banana slices, and other unsweetened fruits (read the label and make sure there is no sugar added) to no more than one closed by handle portion.

The most important thing to remember? Enjoy the wonderful taste of real food.

• food More replacing processed with whole foods (foods in forms in which they occur in nature or where they can easily be made without high-tech methods), plus your taste buds and brain chemicals to feel and enjoy all the rich and complex flavors of foods you might find growing in your own backyard!

• Become more involved in knowing what it is exactly what you eat foods by preparing individual ingredients. A healthy diet not good taste

• Eat mindfully -. pay attention to your diet when you eat. Tune with all your senses and taste everything that happens. Enjoy the taste of eating well!

Do you have questions about food or dieting? We would like to hear from you! Please share your questions in the comments section below.

Food for Thought: Making Sauerkraut

Wondering how certain foods affect your body

do you know what ingredients can help support your health?

you are looking for creative new recipes?

Welcome to our Food for Thought blog series that will aim to answer these questions and more every month! Tune in to get nutritional advice from experts Masha Fox-Rabinovich , outpatient dietitian and diabetes educator at Washington Adventist Hospital, and kitchen savvy techniques Randall Smith , executive chef for Adventist HealthCare.

Chief Randall Smith, executive chef for Adventist HealthCare, is the author of "Farm Fresh Flavors", a valuable guide to cooking with fresh, local ingredients. Learn more about www.cooklocalfood.com or follow @cooklocalfood

If we lived on a farm there are about 100 years old at this time of year we would live the last of turnips and stored potatoes and whatever canned vegetables and pickled we could "set up" for the winter. I had a Polish grandmother and she has to live on a farm there some 100 years and the desire to make sauerkraut was deep in his bones. I remember being terrified by the kraut whisper pot lives under the stairs from the basement. It seemed like something that could make life unexpectedly. I still feel a pinch of mystery when I prepare and eat sauerkraut. This seems a nice reward for a little cabbage and salt

Recipe :. Simple sauerkraut

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. Fresh cabbage
• 2 tablespoons sea salt

Directions:

• Clean all wrapper faded leaves heads
[
• Quarter or halve the cabbage, remove the core and shred thin with a knife or food processor.
• layer of cabbage and salt in a pot or a large jar and tamp each layer until almost full container s, but still has some space for the kraut to "work".
• let wilt for a few minutes and pack one last time. Some liquids should have been made by cabbage salt.
• Tuck some gauze sheets on the cabbage surface and fix a cover plate or on top that fits just inside, also exhibiting little cabbage air as possible.
• Place a sort of weight on the lid. This can be a full jar or can, or an own stone. The liquid must not go above the lid. Adjust the weight if you need.
• Store to ferment in an out-the-way (such as the grandmother of stairs), with an ambient temperature of 65 to 75 degrees.

Note :. The bubbles of gas whispering report that fermentation occurs

• Adjust the time of weight in time to ensure that coverage is not submerged. Leave on until bubbling stops, about 5 to 6 weeks.
• Once fermentation is complete, kraut can be refrigerated for several months and can be frozen indefinitely.

What food are you curious about? We would like to hear from you. Please share your questions in the comments section below

Do you know your blood type? No matter what type it ends in either a "positive" or "negative", which refers to the type of so-called Rhesus you carry. Although scientists have been typing blood for decades, nobody knew the purpose of Rh proteins. Now a study shows that proteins carrying ammonium, a toxic by-product of energy metabolism, and may keep the level pH balanced blood.

So far, the Rh protein that dot the surface of red blood cells were known to the problems they can cause blood transfusions and pregnancy. If a patient receives a transfusion with Rh proteins mismatched, the antibodies accumulate and attack the new blood. Similarly, an Rh positive fetus can trigger an immune response in an Rh negative mother, if untreated, can injure or kill the fetus.

The link between the Rh protein and transport of ammonium was unexpected. It several years ago, a yeast research team led by Bruno André of the Free University of Brussels, Belgium, identified yeast proteins that transport ammonium. They entered the gene sequence that codes carriers in a database of the genome and saw that it closely matched the genes for Rh proteins in humans. To find out if the Rh proteins perform a similar function, the team knocked ammonium transporters genes in yeast and replace them with human Rh protein genes. The Rh proteins ammonium pumped out of cells, they report in the November issue of Nature Genetics .

"This is the first solid evidence for a biological role" for Rh proteins, said hematologist Peter Agre of Johns Hopkins University. Andrew and his team suggest that red blood cells pick up the excess ammonium in blood and deliver it to the kidneys, which filter out. This system clear the blood of toxic ammonium and maintain the pH, they claim.

Related Sites

the André team website

for more information on the Rh factors and pregnancy

Ask the dietitian: food security

Masha Rabinovich Fox

as you prepare for the picnic season, pack these food safety tips so you can enjoy your meal and avoid unnecessary dangers

Q: What should I know about food safety?

A: De Masha Fox-Rabinovich , MA, RD, LDN, CDE, outpatient dietitian at Washington Adventist Hospital, and Natalie Frisian, Sodexo dietetic intern:

You can not think of the remains as being in danger for your health, but many foods, including fresh produce and meat, may contain pathogenic bacteria, viruses or parasites. Ingestion of these pathogens can lead to foodborne illness. Good handling, preparation and storage of food can help reduce your risk

Follow these four principles of food safety :.

1. Clean hands and surfaces

• Wash hands in warm,
• boards Wash cutting often. running water with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. -Wash, Utensils and surfaces with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat and preparing food that will not be cooked, such as products.
• Run cutting boards and utensils through the dishwasher.
• Use paper towels to dry hands and wiping surfaces. If you use a cloth napkin, wash often in the hot cycle of the washing machine.
• fruits and vegetables expense. For products with a firm skin, such as apples, scrub with a vegetable brush.
• Clean the lids of canned before opening.

2. separate - .. no cross contamination

• Separate raw meat, poultry, fruit sea, and ready-to-eat eggs food in your shopping cart and in your refrigerator
• never place cooked food on a plate or surface that held the raw elements without first thoroughly clean the plate or surface
• Use separate cutting boards -. one for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and another for ready-to-eat produce, bread and warm dishes

3. Cook - .. cooked to safe temperatures

• cook food to proper temperatures determined by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US food and Drug administration (FDA).
• Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of cooked foods. Measure the temperature in several places to ensure that it is cooked.
• Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb should be cooked to 0 ° F
• beef, pork, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops should be cooked to 145 ° F
• Fish and other seafood should be cooked to 145 ° F
• chicken, turkey and duck (whole, pieces or the ground) should be cooked to 165 ° F
• dishes eggs and eggs should be cooked to 0 ° F

4. Chill - .. Chill quickly.

• Refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours of cooking or purchase. If it is warmer than 0 ° F, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.
• Never thaw frozen foods at room temperature. Instead, thaw in a refrigerator, microwave or in cold water. If you choose to defrost food in cold water, cook immediately after thawing.
• To cool large batches of feed quickly and safely, divide into smaller containers.
• Follow proper storage guidelines as determined by the USDA and the FDA.

Beware healthier our resident dietitian advice, coming soon! Do you have questions about food or dieting? We would like to hear from you! Please share your questions in the comments section below

While people use their eyes and ears for information, cells rely on proteins that cover their outer membranes to search the chemical signals from the outside world. Now, a biotech start-up plans to launch an international consortium to determine the crystal structures in three dimensions 100 such membrane proteins, many of which represent promising drug targets.

Several "structural genomics" efforts have been launched recently to automate the atomic correspondence protein, but this is the first to focus on membrane proteins. The subjects are a class of proteins known as G-protein coupled receptors, which are sensitive to such diverse stimuli as hormones and modified photon pigments. Once these proteins detect a specific signal outside the cell, they give off a cascade of biochemical messengers which modifies the chemical or gene expression in the cell. Scientists would like to know more details, but the receivers are notoriously difficult to work with. Removing them from the cell membrane destroys normal 3D shape and any hope of understanding what they look like in atomic detail.

The consortium, led by start-up Bio-Xtal in Roubaix, France, plans to orchestrate a concerted effort to find new ways to express, crystallize, and the image of the proteins. If all goes as planned, from April the company will work with four university laboratories in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Bio-Xtal has asked the European Union for half the cost estimated at 10 million euros ($ 9.3 million) of the 3-year project, and plans to raise the remainder of pharmaceutical sponsors. Seventeen companies, including Roche, Merck and AstraZeneca, have already offered support, said Etienne The Hermit, the director of Bio-Xtal.

The effort to extend structural genomics of membrane proteins "a great idea," said Aled Edwards, a structural biologist at the University of Toronto. But because membrane proteins are difficult to express and crystallize - two steps to determine their structure - the project is certain to face slow going, he said. "Calling something 'genomics' involves automation and high throughput," says Edwards. In this case, "it is a bit exaggerated."

Related site
website Bio-Xtal

3 tips for taking care of a loved aging

With a growing population of people elderly, the theme of eldercare is becoming more common. If you have a parent or family member of aging, this trick can help you assess whether it is time to seek help.

It is important to look for signs that your loved one may need help. Memory loss, sensory loss, or difficulty maintaining daily routines could indicate that your loved one needs extra help. Examples of these include cooking trouble, driving or maintaining their daily activities. sensory loss, such as loss of sense of smell, taste or sight, is easier to determine than memory loss. It is easy to confuse memory loss with a simple oversight; however, if your loved one begins to forget familiar faces, names or numbers, it may indicate serious underlying conditions that may require attention.

In all cases, it is vital to the doctor of your beloved aware of any signs of anxiety. Encourage your loved one to schedule regular medical checkups and keep an open line of communication with their healthcare provider

Elder Care Tips and Resources :.

1. Seek help! In addition to seeking professional advice, do not hesitate to ask friends or family members for support. The resources can be found through sites like AARP or through employee assistance programs in the workplace.
2. Promoting independence. Allow your loved one to perform certain tasks that he or she is the only comfortable. This will make your life less stressful and also offer advantages for positive mental health
3. Recognizing the needs of each of your beloved., Including your own. To maintain your own mental and physical health, you can not neglect your own needs.

Did you know?

• About 40 million people 65 and older. This figure is expected to double over the next 3 years.
• About 50 percent of seniors have at least two chronic conditions.
• Nearly 25 percent of US adults provide daily assistance to an elderly parent.

Bill Clinton can not know first hand, but millions of marijuana smokers who inhaled the claim that cannabis stimulates appetite. Now, new results show how specific cannabis compounds as the brain can lead to late night refrigerator raids. The results may lead to new drugs against obesity or stimulate appetite and anorexia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Appetite is regulated by molecular signals over a half dozen, all working together in ways that are not yet well understood. Cannabis stimulates appetite in rats and mice; because the brain makes its own marijuana like molecules, called cannabinoids, pharmacologist George Kunos of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues asked whether cannabinoids help to regulate appetite.

The hunch was right, the researchers report in the April 12 issue of Nature . genetically modified mice whose brains lacked a necessary receiver to detect cannabinoids did not have healthy appetites: They ate 40% less on average than normal mice. And a drug that blocks the action of cannabinoids led normal mice to eat only as much as the mutant animals.

Cannabinoids appear to be a key component of the neural circuit that regulates appetite, Kunos said. of the obese mice and rats can not make leptin, a significant appetite regulating hormone, showed higher levels of both cannabinoids in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain where the leptin is to act. Kunos said that drugs that block or stimulate the cannabinoid signaling could alter people's appetite.

"I think it's a very exciting job ... that reveals an unexpected connection [between leptin] and endogenous cannabinoids," says pharmacologist Daniele Piomelli of the University of California, Irvine. And he and other researchers say that although obstacles remain, the results reinforce the hope that a cannabinoid blocker medication could be used to treat obesity.

Related Sites

the international cannabinoid Research society
An overview of the cannabinoid system in humans

better hosts

How many times have you heard the phrase "breakfast is the most important meal of the day "? Although this statement is challenged from time to time, studies still show a better breakfast helps you start each day with food energy that nourishes your body and mind. It also lays the foundation for long-term health benefits.

calories According to the American Dietetic Association, your body is still burning while you sleep, which is why you can wake up feeling hungry. After 8 to 12 hours without a meal or snack, you need to break the fast by literally wake up your stomach. breakfast is the first chance the body has to refuel its glucose levels, which is the main source of energy for your body.

in order to get the most health benefits them, your breakfast should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low or non-fat dairy products and lean proteins. These food groups provide a nutritious combination of complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and a small amount of fat that can leave you feeling full for hours. Here are some ideas that incorporate all the essential elements of a healthy breakfast.

Did you know?

• A recent survey of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, nearly 50 percent of American children do not eat breakfast every day.
• Some juices contain more sugar than soda? Select 100% juice or water your options down juice with half water half juice.
• Numerous studies, both in adults and children have shown that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers.

Breakfast Health Ideas

• Veggie omelet with a bran muffin and a piece of fruit.
• whole grain English muffin with cheese with low fat content, a scrambled egg, and a slice of tomato.
• Smoothie made with 1 frozen banana, low fat milk, and whey or rice protein powder.
• Salmon on multigrain toast with cheese, light cream and a piece of fruit.
• whole grain cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat milk.
• oats or quinoa flakes with low-fat milk, raisins and nuts, and orange juice. .
• a whole wheat pita stuffed with sliced ​​hard boiled eggs and a banana
• whole grain bread

Sources: Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation American Dietetic Association, LifeWork EAP and Adventist HealthCare strategies. The Health Council of the week is for educational purposes. For medical advice, consult your doctor. Feel free to copy and distribute this health resource.

Nicotine, the addictive ingredient in tobacco smoke, is used in nicotine replacement therapy to help smokers kick the habit, and is considered a treatment for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's. But a study published in the July issue of Nature Medicine shows another dangerous side of nicotine: At concentrations found in the blood of smokers, nicotine promotes the growth of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, which is believed to stimulate tumor growth.

cardiologist John Cooke and colleagues at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, added nicotine to human endothelial cells in culture, the type of cells that vessels of blood lines. Nicotine stimulates their growth and made them form small tubes, blood vessels as. They then tested the effects of nicotine in the four murine disease models: a model of ischemia, where they intersect the blood flow to one of the hind legs, a model of inflammation, wherein a polyvinyl disc was implanted under the skin of the animal, model of lung cancer, and a model of atherosclerosis, where the cholesterol plaques clog blood vessels.

In all cases, they found that nicotine caused new blood vessels to grow in the affected area. These stimulated tumor growth in the model of cancer and plates in the model of atherosclerosis. "We were surprised that [nicotine] enhanced angiogenesis," says Cooke. "We made the mistake of equating the nicotine in tobacco", which reduces the overall growth of blood vessels, he says. The results suggest caution in the use of the treatment of nicotine, Cooke said, because it could promote cancer or cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, nicotine may well be useful to accelerate wound healing, when growth blood vessels is just right.

"the results are intriguing," says researcher Rakesh Jain cancer Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. However, other studies seem to contradict the results, said he, for example, nicotine has no effect on the growth of blood vessels in the developing chick and does not raise the risk of heart attack in patients with heart disease and as for the smoking. the picture is even more complicated, because nicotine is only one of some 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, Jain noted, some injured blood vessels.

Related Sites

The laboratory Cooke

Vaccinations - !! A healthy shot

August is National Awareness Month vaccination, and most likely a cause that people tired of needles would ignore. But vaccinations help prevent dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases.

Like thousands of children are doing to prepare to return to school, adults need to get their plans too to stay protected against serious diseases such as influenza, measles and tuberculosis.

But what vaccinations do I need?

It is important to know what shots you need and when to get them. All age 6 months and older needs to get a vaccine against influenza every year. Other shots work best when they are given at certain ages.

• If you have a child aged 6 years or less know what plans needs of your child.
• Find out what adults plans and adolescents need.
• Use this table to the adults to see if you are current on your photos [PDF – 156 KB].
• If you are pregnant, see this recommended immunization schedule [PDF – 188 KB].

Talk to your doctor or nurse to make sure everyone in your family gets the shots they need.

Find a doctor

If you need a doctor, our FREE physician referral service can put you in touch with the doctor who is right for you based on your preferences.

False cows may be art on some continents, but in Africa, they save lives beef. artificial cows that attract and kill flies produced a dramatic decline in livestock disease by insects in Zimbabwe over the past 17 years, according to new data.

tsetse flies were once an insidious pest in Zimbabwe, the spread of pathogens responsible for deadly sleeping sickness in humans and a similar disease called nagana in cattle, which reduces production milk and wiping herds. That was until 1984, when an international team of researchers has begun deploying cow rectangles sized blue and black fabric that are irresistible to flies and impregnated with insecticide fatal.

More than 60,000 cows fabric now ranches dot the nation and "infection rates have dropped," says entomologist Steve Torr, University of Greenwich, UK Drawing on surveillance data from several hundred inspection centers, Torr found that infections nagana fell by 10,000 to just 50 per year, according to an analysis. later be published this year

Ian Maudlin, Director of tropical veterinary medicine Centre at the University of Edinburgh, UK, says lures are deceptively simple, but - regarding the flies - capture the "attractiveness of a real cow." essential

related site

a story about illness and nagana, the (pdf file) Wellcome Trust

Effects of Infant eating habits

An article discussed recent studies New York Times suggesting that the diet of a child during infancy has long lasting effects on eating habits later in life. Studies have shown that people develop taste preferences at a young age. If a child eats healthy foods, they are more likely to eat those later. The same goes for unhealthy foods such as those high in sugar or sodium.

Regarding breastfeeding, studies have shown that breastfed infants are more open to new foods. In addition, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that breastfed children were more likely to drink water to six years instead of sugary drinks. They were also more likely to eat fruits and vegetables.

"Breastfeeding has many benefits for babies, including a lower risk of death syndrome, diabetes, respiratory and ear infections Sudden Infant, skin allergies and obesity later in life, "says Carol Chornock, RN, IBCLC, coordinator of breastfeeding Adventist hospital Shady Grove. "Our doctors and staff are trained and educated to help new mothers get off to the best start for breastfeeding."

First Hospital in Maryland

Shady Grove Adventist recently became the first hospital in Maryland to get world Baby-Friendly designation by the United Nations Fund for the World health Organization and. it recognizes hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding.

to obtain the designation, the hospital must comply with 10 standards. This includes helping mothers start breastfeeding within one hour of birth. It also includes "rooming-in", allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours per day.

The Washington Post recently published an article about how more US hospitals adapt Baby-friendly practices.

Fall Back But Not Into Seasonal Affective Disorder

This Sunday, millions turn their clocks back one time that we "fall" in the winter. While the extra hour of sleep is nice, for many, the reduction in sunlight is not.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during certain seasons, usually in winter. Although the exact cause is unknown, some think it is linked to a disruption in our circadian rhythm due to hours of sun fell.

For many, SAD begins this time of year when we "fall back" and "lose" an hour of sleep and sunlight.

"About 6 percent of the US population is diagnosed each year," said Dr. Lynnae Hamilton with Adventist Healthcare Behavioral welfare and health services. "You can have this type of disturbance that will start in the fall or winter and it can hang with you until spring. "

Although Dr. Hamilton said that SAD is more likely among young people, it also notes that you can not overcome the disorder and it can occur in anyone.

symptoms of SAD include feeling irritable, loss of interest, weight gain and difficulty concentrating.

clinicians often treat SAD using light therapy "reset" of the circadian rhythm. If you think you or a loved one may have SAD, talk with your doctor.

For more information on DSS and its impact this time of year, read the interview with Dr. Hamilton CBS news earlier this week.

veterinary officials in Colorado impatiently trying to curb an outbreak of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal disease that affects deer and elk and is linked to encephalopathy bovine spongiform (BSE) disease or "mad cow". After alarming as elk from an infected farm have been shipped to more than a dozen states, some fear that the disease can spread through the United States.

CWD let deer and elk listless, emaciated, and finally death. The cause is considered an aberrant protein called prion, which can be spread by direct contact between animals or soil contamination with the prion protein. There is no evidence that the disease can spread to humans - such as BSE, which can cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - or bovine ( Science , June 1, p 1641). However, this possibility has not been excluded.

The disease is endemic for decades in wild populations of deer and elk in northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming, and a small part of neighboring Nebraska. Since 1997, however, there arose 15 elk farms in five states. And since only August, the Colorado officials found six infected elk, five of which were from a single ranch elk in Stoneham. The farm, one of the largest in the country, has delivered some 0 animals in other parts of Colorado and more than 0 elk farms in 15 states is as far as Pennsylvania, said Colorado State Veterinarian Wayne Cunningham .

Now, it is feared that the elk could infect wild elk and deer across the United States. It would deal a blow to the hunting industry, especially in Eastern European countries, which have huge populations of deer, says Michael Miller, a veterinarian with the Ministry of Natural Resources of Colorado. CWD could also ruin the elk industry, raising animals for their meat and velvety woods, a popular ingredient in dietary supplements. "If it is not treated, the industry is doomed to failure," said Cunningham.

In late September, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said the emergency, a measure that allowed her department to spend $ 2.6 million to launch an aggressive eradication campaign. currently, farmers are often not fully reimbursed when their cattle are confiscated, leaving them little incentive to report sick animals. the new campaign would implement active surveillance, paying farmers a fair price for their animals, and also pay for the destruction of carcasses and decontamination of their farms.

Related Sites

Information on Chronic deer from the US Department of agriculture, including emergency
Statement by the Colorado Division of Wildlife Information

Snacking Is not So Bad!

How many times have you wanted a snack at work, and grabbed a piece of candy or a bag of chips? Perhaps more often than you think! When hunger strikes in the workplace, you want fast, easy bite that will satisfy you, but if you take that chocolate bar just how long will empty calories keep you content?

Snacking while working can be considered "blind eat" a term created by a psychologist at Cornell University. This phrase refers to the subconscious eating habits that can lead to unnecessary weight gain. Mindless eating can occur as a result of environmental factors and can easily be avoided.

When you get the urge to snack at work, choose something that will not only fill your stomach, but also meet your body. instead of going for a quick sugar solution, discard the candy bowl and have a snack with protein that will fill your belly for the long term!

Improve your health

by focusing on diet

How to make the most of your meal:

• Slow down - eating too fast can take away from enjoying a meal
• Watch for eating "pause" - when your body first told you to take a break, you should stop
• separate technology food - stay away from the TV and computer when you eat
• not to eat by the clock - eat when you are hungry, not when your watch tells you

Snack Attack!

Bring these to work for a quick and healthy bite

1. Hummus with vegetables
2. Krispy cabbage chips
3. Cottage Cheese with fresh fruit
4. Edamame
5. unsalted brown rice cake with mashed avocado, sprinkled with black pepper and paprika
6. yogurt topped with fresh berries

CHICAGO -. Researchers have long warned that the use of antibiotics in livestock could reproduce resistant bacteria drugs that infect people. Now a study has confirmed and underlined an easy solution: Ban on use of a drug called avoparcin on farms significantly reduce the resistance of the microbe to a related drug, vancomycin in hospitalized patients in Belgium. The results were presented here on December 17 at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

European farmers added avoparcin in feed for chickens and pigs to prevent infections and fatten animals on less food, until the European Union has banned this practice in 1997. C ' is because doctors need the antibiotic vancomycin, which is chemically similar to avoparcin, to treat life-threatening infections of enterococci bacteria called that normally live in the human gut. Researchers fear that the gut microbes resistant chickens and pigs drugs could contaminate the meat and take up residence in the human gut ( Science , 5 May 00, p. 792). The researchers knew that enteroccoci resistant to vancomycin has become rare in the supermarket chicken meat after the ban. But they did not know if this decline affected resistance.

To find out, microbiologist Greet Ieven of the University of Antwerp and enterococci colleagues cultured from stool samples of 353 patients hospitalized in May and June 01 and tested to see how many survived levels high vancomycin. Only three of the cultures of enterococci, or 0.6%, resisted Vancomycin - a sharp fall from 5.7% in 1996, resistance rates when avoparcin was still largely fed to livestock. molecular genetic analysis confirmed that the prevalence of a key gene of resistance to vancomycin has dropped from 5.7% to 0.8%. Because vancomycin is used as widely in Belgian hospitals now as 5 years ago, the results suggest that vancomycin resistance in enterococci human origin infections largely on farms, said Ieven.

The results "confirm what people thought could happen in the clinic," agrees pharmacologist Michael Dudley Mikrozid Pharmaceuticals in Mountain View, California. Combined with previous findings, the results indicate that antibiotic resistance flows like water from farms to clinics, he said, so stopping the use of avoparcin, "you stop the tap."

Related Sites

sheet on the use of antibiotics in animals of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics
Dueling fact sheet information from the Institute for animal health,
a trade group representing manufacturers of antibiotics in animals
Editorial on eliminating antibiotics in animal nutrition

Ready, Set, Goal!

As we ring in the New Year, many of us think positive personal change we could or should do. What better time than the beginning of a new year to improve our physical, mental and emotional? Change can be very beneficial, but in order to make the changes matter, we must be focused on our goals.

Resolutions of the common New Year include being more active, eating well, and spend more time with their loved ones, but here at LifeWork strategies, we believe in a bigger picture! Although the physical changes can be very beneficial and often necessary, the results may be far more positive when combined with all aspects of health. Work Life Balance is a practice that will create a well balanced and healthy environment for everyone who decides to participate in it.

There are several ways that you can practice Work Life Balance in your own life. Know when you work too hard, and listen to your body when it tells you to stop. Eat healthy, filling food, but do not deprive yourself of cravings. Try new things and spend time doing what makes you happy!

Employee Wellness

There are several ways you can support your employees in the new year. Be a leader in your workplace and encourage your employees to be involved in the well-being!

• Create individual challenges and team
• Providing a wellness coach to give advice on healthy eating and exercise
• Educate employees about monitoring methods such as Fitbit Flex
• Ask your employees to participate in a health risk assessment

LifeWork Portal Wellness strategies

strategies LifeWork recently launched a new wellness portal. • work life • Connect focuses on providing customized engagement experience depending on the health profile of an individual. Food and exercise log to team building challenge and incentive integration, health portal includes a diverse set of tools and opportunities to engage every member, on the web and on the road .

Want to know more about the strategies LifeWork 'new portal? Contact us at mpierce@adventisthealthcare.com for more information!

In the struggle to identify people who may be at risk for Alzheimer's disease, the researchers looked at this link: risk factors of Alzheimer's disease share of heart disease, such as high cholesterol. Now, researchers report that the two diseases share another common sign. High levels of a molecule called homocysteine, already involved in diseased hearts, also appears to significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

In well-nourished people, homocysteine ​​amino acid is decomposed by B vitamins and folic acid. But people who lack these key nutrients can have high levels of homocysteine, and high levels have been linked to heart disease. Because high cholesterol has been in some studies related to Alzheimer's disease, some scientists have questioned whether high homocysteine ​​levels may also help trigger the brain disorder.

To find out, University neurologist Sudha Seshadri of Boston and his colleagues turned to the Framingham Heart Study, which began following the 5209 health volunteers in 1948 and was widely used in medical studies. In the mid 1970s, volunteers have joined an effort to examine dementia (none had at the time) and have since undergone the regular cognitive function tests. The researchers also collected and stored periodic blood samples of the participants.

group collected blood samples of Seshadri as far back as 1979 1092 Member of the study of dementia. Scientists have measured the levels of homocysteine ​​and levels of vitamins B6 and B12; they also looked for variants of a gene called APOE that help predict the risk of someone with Alzheimer's disease. The results were surprising: High levels of homocysteine, the more a person was likely to develop Alzheimer's disease later. When plasma homocysteine ​​has reached a high level - above 14 micromoles per liter of blood - the risk of disease has doubled. An increase of 5 micromoles was linked to an increased risk of disease of 40%. The researchers were surprised, they report in February 14 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine , to find that the risk factor found is not dependent on levels of vitamin someone or APOE profile.

the strength of the association is powerful, said Joseph Loscalzo, chairman of the department of medicine at the Medical Center of Boston University, who was not involved in the study. But he and others wonder why homocysteine ​​has such an effect. And we do not know, he adds, if a person can protect against Alzheimer's disease by taking vitamins that homocysteine ​​levels.

Links
Framingham Heart Study
The Alzheimer's research at Boston University
the Alzheimer Research Forum
More about homocysteine ​​

Ask the dietitian: Making Health Goals that Last

Masha Fox Rabinovich

it, AOS important to remind yourself of your new years resolutions throughout the year, aÌ That now, it AOS, AOS early February, how do you do? If you set didn, AOT resolutions or need to revise those you set last month, try these tips from dietitian.

Many people make a New Year resolution, AOS, Äúlose weight at. However, losing weight isn, AOT action you take. It is the result of many behaviors, including changes in diet, physical activity and other lifestyle factors. Instead of fixing the lens, Äúlose weight, and at dieting (donation schemes, AOT work because they are guided by restrictions), use the following suggestions to set goals that are more likely to develop habits healthy.

Q: How can I make health goals that will last

A: Masha Fox-Rabinovich, MA, RD, LDN, CDE, outpatient dietitian at HealthCare Hospital Washington Adventist Adventist:

1. Schedule time to move. Make a list of physical activities that you enjoy, and take time every day to move your body. Write on your calendar and think like an important appointment you can not miss.
2. Listen to your body. Pay attention to the signals your body sends you. Eat when you need food. Stop eating when you are satisfied and not hungry. Remember that food is food. Every day to create meals that vary include proteins and starches rich in fiber and lots of colorful vegetables.
3. Find a routine that works for you and make it a habit. Is it more convenient for your lifestyle to pack your lunch for the next day before going to bed, or do you wake up earlier to do? What, AOS the best day and time for you to make a grocery list for the week and go shopping? Do you like to cook dinner every night, or is it easier for you to cook in large batches only a few times a week? There are many ways to build healthier habits. Take the time to experiment and develop a routine that fits your life.
4. Identify who in your support network, and to connect with the person or persons regularly to help you stay on track. Have a friend, family member, or colleague that you can update your progress can help you succeed in making lasting changes. Stay in touch every day or at least once a week.
5. Meeting with a dietitian. Dietitians are experts in nutrition that can help you create a personalized diet plan and help you achieve your health goals.

Interested in Nutrition Counseling?

Adventist HealthCare offers individual appointments and group sessions with dietitians to manage high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, diabetes and pre-diabetes, digestive problems, food for allergies and other diagnoses. nutrition counseling, or medical nutrition therapy, is a benefit covered by many health insurance. We will check that your insurance plan covers nutritional counseling expenses before your initial appointment

Offered in two locations :.
Washington Adventist Hospital
Outpatient Diabetes Education and Nutrition Office, Suite 350
appointment, from Monday to Friday
Call 301-891-6105 to schedule an appointment.

Adventist HealthCare Support Center
First Tuesday of each month in the evening
Call 800-542-5096 to register.

Beware healthier our resident dietitian advice, coming soon! Do you have questions about food or dieting? We, AOD like to hear from you! Please share your questions in the comments section below.

SALT LAKE CITY -. Researchers have developed a possible replacement for the vaccine against Lyme disease, which was recently removed from the US market amid allegations that causes arthritis and other serious side effects. The new vaccine is not certain protein component think causes these side effects, but it seems to be as effective as the old vaccine, according to a study presented here on May 22 at the General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

in 00, some 18 000 people in the United States - most of them in the north - came down with Lyme disease, which is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by several tick species. Untreated Lyme disease causes fatigue, fever, joint pain and even damage the heart and nervous system. The first and only vaccine available commercially Lyme far launched by SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline) in 1998, came in hot water after several vaccines developed severe arthritis - a common symptom of Lyme disease - and filed a class action lawsuit. GlaxoSmithKline denied that the vaccine caused the pain, but last February withdrew the vaccine, called LYMErix, citing weak sales.

LYMErix consists of a protein called outer surface protein A (OspA) which is located on the membrane Borrelia burgdorferi . Some researchers have fingered a specific part of OspA as the culprit in arthritis. Although this link has never been proven, said Maria Gomes-Solecki of the State University of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, another vaccine is clearly needed.

Gomes-Solecki and his colleague Raymond Dattwyler produces a chimeric version of OspA, in which the suspect area was replaced with the equivalent of a European strain Borrelia , which causes no arthritis. The mice immunized with the chimeric protein showed no signs of illness after exposure to infected ticks Lyme, while those of a control group got Lyme disease.

But Lyme researcher Brian Stevenson of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, said the vaccine will have to overcome several obstacles. For one thing, OspA now has such a bad reputation that even a chimeric version can be difficult to be accepted. Besides, he adds another reason LYMErix was never very popular was that it was not very effective: It took three shots to reach 80% of immunity and periodic booster shots after. It is unlikely to fix this vaccine SUNY team, said Stevenson.

Related Sites
Information on Lyme disease, its prevalence in the United States,
and vaccine recommendations
Report of a meeting about LYMErix between the Lyme disease Association
and US Food and Drug Association officials

Great Grains

"What is so great about fancy grains appointed?" Flaxseed, chia, quinoa - are there real benefits to the food? Although these grains may be new to us, they have been around for centuries. Some may think that the grains are complex, but they are fairly simple and have many health benefits. Let's take a look more closely at some of the great myths of grains and learn more about the facts.

Some may think that the grains are high in calories. Instead, grains, when consumed in appropriate portions, can help you lose weight. Lin, for example, is packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, proteins, healthy fats, and antioxidants. The "good fat" is in the form of omega-3 - the kind of healthy fat in fish. If seafood is not your thing, give lin a try!

Others may feel bloated from eating grains. This may be as a result of fiber intake too quickly. To avoid this, incorporate fiber in your diet gradually, and always drink plenty of water.

We challenge you to increase the grains in your life! Grains are an essential part of a balanced diet and contain fiber, protein and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Remember to consult your doctor before making dietary changes.

Did you know?

• The American Heart Association recommends at least six servings of grains (of which 50% should be whole grains) every day.
• A tablespoon of chia seeds gives you about 19% of your recommended daily fiber.
• There are many gluten-free grains! Some include Amaranth, Maize, Millet and Quinoa.
• Grains can be included in any dish where you normally use rice or oats.

Tips for the integration of cereals in your diet

1. Use Pearly Barley as a substitute for potatoes in meat or chicken stews.
2. When set to your favorite movie, pop Amaranth , instead of popcorn.
3. as an addition to your next meal use Bulgar as a side instead of rice.
4. Add quinoa to your next salad for added texture

More information about the benefits and uses whole grain

Sources :. The American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, disease control and prevention centers, the heart of Women Foundation, WebMD, Everyday Health, LifeWork EAP strategies and Adventist HealthCare. The Health Council of the week is for educational purposes. For medical advice, consult your doctor. Feel free to copy and distribute this health resource.

the longer a woman breastfeeds, the more protection it gains against breast cancer, say researchers who analyzed data of 147.275 women from 30 countries.

Breast cancer affects women of all walks of life, but the incidence is higher in developed countries, developed countries than poorer countries. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that the term pregnancies and breastfeeding somehow protect women from developing breast cancer. Women in developed countries tend to have fewer children and breastfeed for a few months or not at all. But because women breastfeed after giving birth, researchers have struggled to separate the effects of breastfeeding from those of childbirth.

hope that many would overcome this obstacle, cancer researcher Valerie Beral and colleagues at Cancer Research UK in Oxford collected epidemiological patient raw data from 47 studies in 30 country. They analyzed data on 50.302 women with breast cancer and 96.973 women without the disease, control of several cancer risk factors for breast known as age at first pregnancy, menopausal status, and age at the time of the original study. The team reports in the July 20 edition of The Lancet that the risk of developing breast cancer decreased by 7.0% for each birth and decreased by an additional $ 4 3% for all 12 months in a woman breastfeeding. The tendency was for women of all ages in the developed and underdeveloped, and the authors say it helps explain why breast cancer is more common in Western countries.

The study is a "significant contribution" in the field of research on breast cancer, said epidemiologist John Baron of Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, New Hampshire. "We can finally very cleanly separate the beneficial effects of pregnancy effects of breastfeeding and quantify this protective benefit." It is "simply incredible" to see so clearly that what a woman in her reproductive years affects their health over 40 years later, he said.

Related Sites
Valerie's website Beral
Cancer Research UK website
the site of John Baron

Nip Seasonal Allergies in the Bud!

Slowly but surely, the weather warms. This means the plants are in bloom, and more time is spent outdoors! Warmer weather seems wonderful for most, but for those who suffer from seasonal allergies, spring is defined by itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing and runny nose.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever name, affects more than three million people each year. Seasonal allergies are usually caused by pollen and soft spores into the air, triggering a chain reaction in the body also called an allergic reaction. During this reaction, the body produces antibodies which bind to allergy cells. This causes a release of strong chemicals, including histamine, which irritates the body and causes symptoms such as congestion, swelling, and watery eyes.

not allergy warriors fear! Help is on the way! There are many ways to prevent and treat the symptoms of seasonal allergies. Talk with your doctor about the best course of action for your symptoms

Did you know

• Allergic Rhinitis takes two forms.? Seasonal and perennial
• According to the CDC, 17.6 million adults and 6.6 million children have been diagnosed with seasonal allergies the past year
• allergies affect 1 every 5 persons
• Some counter medications such as decongestants and antihistamines can help symptoms of control

Tips to control seasonal allergies

1. Be aware of when you go outside! Check pollen.com for a forecast of allergy, keeping in mind that pollen levels are typically higher 5:00 to 10:00 and tend to be lower after the rain.
2. When you return, keep on the outside. Shower and wash your clothes to remove any pollen that you did. Although spring breezes feel good, keep your windows closed and use air conditioning. Set your air to recirculate in order not to bring air outermost and pollen.
3. Speak with your doctor. Some prescription drugs and over-the-counter can be used preventively and relieve symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you have trouble controlling your allergies

Sources :. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, WebMD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Strategies LifeWork EAP, and Adventist HealthCare. The Health Council of the week is for educational purposes. For medical advice, consult your doctor. Feel free to copy and distribute this health resource.

Although men inherit the same mutant genes that women, regarding the hereditary breast cancer, men just do not get it. New research suggests why maybe. A mutation that leads to breast cancer and ovarian cancer in women can unlock problems in the second X chromosome, which is lacking in men.

About 5% to 10% of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers are due to mutations in the BRCA1 gene, whose protein product normally repairs damaged DNA . Although men also carry these mutations, breast cancer in men is extremely rare. Previously, researchers have noticed that dividing cells in mouse testes produce a lot of BRCA1 RNA messenger. Sometimes the chromosomes in the cells are tightened, similar to one of the X chromosomes in female cells. It packed chromosome in females is inactivated to prevent women from obtaining double the dose of the genes encoded on the X chromosome; one man X is never stopped.

To determine whether BRCA1 helps to inactivate the X chromosome in women, a team led by David Livingston cancer biologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston examined the cells of non-cancerous breast, cultured, using antibodies to mark BRCA1 and an RNA molecule known under the name XIST which coats the X and inactivating chromosomes. Livingston and his colleagues found that the two molecules linked together and rested on stopping X chromosome. In tumor cells of breast and five patients with ovarian cancer who lack BRCA1 , however, they found no coating XIST either chromosome, suggesting that the loss of BRCA1 could fuel the second X. the researchers turned to breast cancer cells lacking Culture BRCA1 to determine the effect the restoration of BRCA1 . When they added BRCA1 in these cells, once inlaid XIST inactivated X, they report in the November 1st issue of cell .

cells without BRCA1 may be unable to inactivate the second X chromosome, speculates molecular biologist Robert Weinberg of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. This could enable some gene products to be overproduced and perhaps contribute to cancer in women. "The finding was totally unexpected and surprising," he said.

Related site
David Livingston at the Cancer Institute Dana-Farber

short stretches of RNA, called small RNAs, can interfere with gene function and are thought to protect the genome against DNA or harmful viruses. A new study now shows that these bits of RNA can be used to make cells resistant to one of the most deadly viruses, HIV.

HIV enters cells through receptors studding the surface of the soldiers of the immune system called T-helper cells. To do this, the HIV binds to a protein called CD4 and is assisted by another protein called CCR5. Because people who have a mutation in their CCR5 gene, which produces the co-receptor, are resistant to infection by HIV, scientists have long suspected that disrupt the production of CCR5 could be a way to "immunize" the cells against HIV.

virologist David Baltimore of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Irvin Chen virologist with the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues decided to see if they could use small interfering RNAs (siRNA), class of small RNAs to inhibit CCR5 gene. The team created a gene therapy by packaging the molecules within a vector - a virus called a lentivirus, which was derived from the virus itself. According postdoctoral researcher Xiao-Feng Qin, first author of the study, once inside the cell copies DNA siRNA integrate into the chromosomes of the cell, allowing the progeny of that cell inherit a largely inactive gene CCR5 . SiRNA blocked CCR5 expression up to ten times in daughter cells with cells expressing normal CCR5. Caused by HIV-1, control cells showed levels of three to seven times higher infection that cells with reduced expression of CCR5, the team reports in the online issue December 23 procedure National Academy of Sciences .

"This is a beautiful, well-controlled, and obviously CCR5 is a target of interest in anti-HIV gene therapy," says molecular biologist John Rossi of City of Hope Cancer Center near Los Angeles but he said that this strategy will be more effective when combined with additional viral targets -.. something that the group is already working to Baltimore others agree that more work is needed "There is one. important first step, but, like all genetic therapies, access to clinical path is still a ways off, "says virologist Judy Lieberman of Harvard Medical School's Center for Blood Research in Boston.

Related Sites
Lab Baltimore
Lab Chen
science "Breakthrough of the Year: small RNAs

block harmful rays

As spring turns to summer buds and flowers bloom, we want to go more time in warmer weather. While spending time apart is healthy for the mind and body, it is important to ensure that our skin is protected against the harmful rays of the sun. This month is the month awareness skin cancer, and is dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of the prevention of skin cancer, early detection and treatment. Helps prevent skin cancer by spreading the word!

Skin cancer occurs when "unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells triggers mutations or genetic defects that lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors" (the skin cancer Foundation). over 0% of skin cancers are caused by ultraviolet sun rays (UVR), which makes the skin cancer one of the most preventable cancers. If the diagnosed early, the skin cancer is easier to treat.

There are various precautions to protect your skin. Avoid being in the sun, especially between the hours of 10:00 and 16 hours. Avoid tanning booths and excessive tanning. When in the sun, do not let your skin burn. Protect yourself against UVA and UVB rays with sunscreen with broad spectrum SPF (15 or more) and wear hats, sunglasses, and lip balm for extra protection. See more tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation!

Did you know?

• Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, affecting one in five Americans in the course of a lifetime.
• Over 2 million Americans are affected by skin cancer each year.
• Support 5 or more sunburns in youth increases the risk of melanoma by 80% life.
• Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.

Tips for cancer identification skin

Knowing ABCDE s of melanoma. If you have concerns, check with your doctor

A symmetry :. If you draw a line through the area, the two sides will not match
B to : asymmetrical borders are a sign of melanoma
C olor : an area with a variety of colors is a warning sign
D iameter : cancerous moles are usually larger larger (larger than a pencil eraser)
E volving : Change over time is a sign of melanoma

Source Do you know your ABCDEs

Sources: skin cancer Foundation, LifeWork EAP strategies, Adventist HealthCare. The Health Council of the week is for educational purposes. For medical advice, consult your doctor. Feel free to copy and distribute this health resource.

You probably never thought any good could come of diarrhea. The bane of travelers and danger to very young children, sick and elderly, a bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea helps protect against colon cancer, according to a new study. Toxins created by Escherichia coli bacteria keep tumors in check by the growth of colon cells slow down and perhaps one day help doctors treat colon cancer.

People in developing countries are much less likely to develop colon cancer than are people in industrialized countries like the United States, where colon cancer is the second cause of death cancer. According to clinical pharmacologist Scott Waldman and Giovanni Pitari of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, the explanation lies in a previously unknown side effect of E. coli infection - which is a constant danger to the health in many countries in development. The bacteria create a toxin that locks on colon cells lining the intestine, which disrupts the body control of intestinal fluids, and causing severe diarrhea. But the toxin also prevents the development of the tumor, and Waldman Pitari report online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

Waldman and Pitari in collaboration with André Terzic clinical pharmacologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, followed by colon cancer cells of the human they had treated with E. coli toxin . The toxin triggered a biochemical cascade, ultimately opening a channel in the cells. This let flood of calcium into the cells, which, for reasons researchers do not yet understand, slowed the growth of cancer cells from 50% to 60%. This is the first time a bacterial toxin has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer, said Waldman.

The toxin can be a promising cancer treatment, said oncologist Ferid Murad of the University of Texas, Houston, calling the work of a "significant contribution." And because the particular toxin houses on colon cells, Waldman added, it should be effective against colon tumors that have metastasized and spread to other parts of the body.

Related Sites
For more information on colorectal cancer
the site of Ferid Murad