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Women With Depression At Risk For Osteoporosis
A study from the National Institute of Mental Health has found that women who suffer from depression are more likely to enter menopause with an increased risk of bone fractures. Researchers report that 17% of women with depression had decreased bone mass in the femoral neck, compared to 2% of women who did not have depression. Additionally, low bone mass in the lumbar spine was found in 20% of depressed women, compared to 9% who were not depressed. The researchers theorized that women with depression have overactive immune systems that produce a chemical known as IL-6. This chemical is associated with bone loss as well as promoting inflammation. During adolescence, bone mass reaches its peak and begins to decline through the rest of life, thinning at a faster rate after a woman undergoes menopause. (Read more about Women With Depression At Risk For Osteoporosis)
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Caffeine Connected to Miscarriage
Caffeine consumption by pregnant women can increase the risk of miscarriage, according to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. It doesn't matter whether the caffeine comes from coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or cola soft drinks. For women who drink more than 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, the risk of miscarriage doubles. Though previous studies have found an association between caffeine and miscarriage, it wasn't clear if the problem was related to the caffeine or another substance in the coffee, or if there was a connection with the non-caffeine drinkers' lifestyles. (Read more about Caffeine Connected to Miscarriage)
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The Possibilities of the Human Genome
Dr. Marianne Legato discusses the reality that we, as human beings, can now create life. We are tremendously powerful in terms of our scientific knowledge. We can clone human beings; that is absolutely going to come to pass. The defense department's scientfic arm, DARPA, is doing amazing kinds of investigation on preparing soldiers that don't bleed, who don't feel pain, who can consume enormous amounts of calories to sustain them during prolonged periods of activity. The special forces can't go more than 4-5 day in a physically demanding environment because they simply can't consume enough energy to sustain themselves. So if you look at what DARPA is doing, it's very daring, very amazing. (Read more about The Possibilities of the Human Genome)
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8 Ways Exercise Keeps You Young and Healthy
Exercise may not halt the aging process, but mounting evidence suggests people who stay active can slow its effects. The latest issue of Mayo Clinic Women's Healthsource offers 8 benefits to regular exercise.
It Provides Energy: Feeling tired and lethargic is largely a result of being inactive. Endurance exercises like walking, swimming, jogging, biking, and rowing improves stamina and energy. Even after a few weeks in a walking program, people have more energy for activities.
It Improves Mental Health: There's considerable evidence that regular physical activity can help reduce stress, manage mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety, improve sleep quality, boost mood, and enhance the overall feeling of well-being. (Read more about 8 Ways Exercise Keeps You Young and Healthy)
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How the Y Chromosome Drives Evolution
Dr. Marianne Legato explains that the male "Y chromosome", which at one point was called a wasteland, has genes responsible for the "housekeeping issues" in tissues. It's not just dedicated exclusively to male fertility and determining the male sex in the developing fetus. The aspect that is not appreciated about the Y chromosome, is that because it's exterior, and because so many sperm are produced in any given day, the mutations are enormous. And It is the Y chromosome, actually, that is driving evolution. It gives us a huge palette of mutations to choose from as we go on from generation to generation. It's the Y chromosome that drives evolution in a very important way. (Read more about How the Y Chromosome Drives Evolution)
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Aspirin Has Little Benefit for Many With Heart Disease
Close to 20 percent of patients taking aspirin to lower the risk of suffering a second cerebrovascular event do not have an anti platelet response from aspirin, the effect expected to be protective. The University of Buffalo conducted a strictly controlled study over 29 months with 653 patients to confirm the 20 percent rate of aspirin resistance. Lead researcher, Francis Gengo, states, "Millions of people use low-dose aspirin for prevention of a second stroke, second heart attack, or second episode of peripheral artery disease. In those indications, it's crystal clear that aspirin reduces the risk of a second heart attack or stroke in most patients. But we have known for years that in some stroke and heart attack patients, aspirin has no preventative effect." (Read more about Aspirin Has Little Benefit for Many With Heart Disease)
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For Heart Health Low-Fat Better Than Low-Carb Diets
In America, it is estimated that 45 percent of women and 30 percent of men diet to lose weight. A recent study, published in the scientific journal Hypertension and led by David Gutterman has found low-carbohydrate diets to be significantly higher in total grams of fat, protein, dietary cholesterol and saturated fats than low-fat diets. Dr. Gutterman states, "While a low-carb diet may result in weight loss and an improvement in blood pressure, the higher fat content is ultimately more detrimental to heart health than the low-fat diet suggested by the American Heart Association." (Read more about For Heart Health Low-Fat Better Than Low-Carb Diets)
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Gender Differences in Coronary Artery Disease
Dr. Marianne Legato discusses how she evaluates patients being screened for cardiovascular disease. She says that one of the things she looks for are the signs of early coronary artery disease in men, as well as the unique symptoms in women. Women also experience coronary artery spasm, which does not affect men, that can cause angina even in the presence of non-obstructive coronary disease. They can have clean coronaries and still experience chest pain. (Read more about Gender Differences in Coronary Artery Disease)
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The Dangers of Infections During Travel
Dr. John Cahill discusses about how traveling abroad has become very easy - it's relatively cheap, readily available, enjoyable, and a click away on the internet. But many people don't seem to realize there are health risks involved when traveling, particularly when traveling to the developing world or to the tropics. Travelers need to think about being vaccinated for diseases that might not occur in the United States. (Read more about The Dangers of Infections During Travel)
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The Global Threat of Secondhand Smoke
Though studies have linked secondhand smoke to death an illness, a new study suggests that very little is done by parents to protect their children. Appearing in the latest issue of the American Journal of Public Health, the study examined the smoking histories of the adults in the homes, exposures to secondhand smoke inside the house, around the community, and attitudes toward smoking. Researchers used air-sampling technology to examine nicotine levels in the homes and hair samples to measure individual levels of exposure in non-smoking women and children. (Read more about The Global Threat of Secondhand Smoke)
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