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Infections linked to mood disorders

Infections and autoimmune disorders may increase the risk of developing a mood disorder such as depression later in life, a new study from Denmark suggests. In the study, which included more than 3 million people, those who were hospitalized for infections were 62 percent more likely to subsequently develop a mood disorder compared with people not hospitalized for infections. And those hospitalized for an autoimmune disease were 45 percent more likely to subsequently develop a mood disorder. Autoimmune diseases are those in which the immune system goes awry and attacks the body's own cells or tissues. The risk of mood disorders increased with the number of times a person was hospitalized. Those who were hospitalized three times with infections during the study had double the risk of a mood disorder, and those who were hospitalized seven times had triple the risk, compared to those not hospitalized with infections. The findings support the hypothesis that inflammation, from either an infection or autoimmune disease, may affect the brain in a way that raises the risk of mood disorders, the researchers say. If the link is confirmed in further studies, the researchers said, their estimates show that infections could be responsible for up to 12 percent of mood disorders. However, the study found an association, and cannot prove that infections or autoimmune diseases are the cause of mood disorders. It's possible that other factors, such as stress or the experience of hospitalization, may explain the link, said Ian Gotlib, a professor of psychology at Stanford University, who was not involved in the study. The study is published June 12 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. Infections and mood disorders The study included people born in Denmark between 1945 and 1996 who were followed until the end of 2010. During the study, more than 91,000 people visited a hospital for a mood disorder, including bipolar disorder or depression. Of these, about 32 percent visited hospitals for an infection before their mood disorder, and 5 percent visited the hospital for an autoimmune disease before their mood disorder. The risk of a mood disorder was greatest in the first year following an infection or autoimmune disease. People who visited a hospital for both an infection and an autoimmune disease had a greater risk of developing a mood disorder than those who visited a hospital for either of the two conditions alone. This may indicate the two conditions interact to increase the risk of mood disorder, the researchers said. Because the study looked at information from only people hospitalized with infections, autoimmune disorders and mood disorders, its not clear whether the findings may apply to people with less severe infections, or mood disorders. What's the cause? Gotlib called the study “impressive” and said it raises important questions. Previous studies have shown that people with depression have lower numbers of T cells (a type of immune cell), and are at increased risk for autoimmune diseases, Gotlib said. But there are also many other risk factors for mood disorders that were not taken into account in this study, such as smoking and socioeconomic status, Gotlib said. Future studies should attempt to untangle whether infections are really the cause of mood disorders, or if the two just happen to occur together. In addition, studies should investigate how, on a biological level, infections and autoimmune diseases might affect the brain to cause mood disorders, Gotlib said. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/12/infections-linked-to-mood-disorders/

The best foods for fertility

Many women dream of becoming mothers but few think about infertility until it affects them. According the Center for Disease Control, more than 7.4 million women have used fertility services. Diet is an often-overlooked component of fertility.  The right combination of treatments and following a proper fertility diet could increase a woman’s chances of achieving conception. Eliminate processed foods and choos natural, organic products whenever possible. To cut down on the number of toxins and hormones ingested, chose proteins from organic, grass-fed and pastured animals as often as you can. Certain vitamins and minerals might help a woman’s body prepare for conception. A good fertility diet is high in foods containing these five key components: Healthy fats Healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, may improve fertility by regulating hormones, increasing cervical fluid and promoting ovulation. A study published by the National Institute of Health found that women suffering from infertility had lower levels of omega-3s. There are 3 different types of omega 3 fats: ALA (alpha-linoleic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenioc) and DHA (docosahexaenioc acid). Good sources of plant-based ALA include hemp, flaxseeds or flax oil and walnuts. EPA and DHA are both animal-based and can be found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, trout, tuna and cod as well as in egg yolks. Beef that has been pasture-raised is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D This fat-soluble vitamin helps support the production of estrogen and assists in regulating cell growth. Wild-caught fish, especially the fatty ones listed above, butter from grass-fed cows and pastured eggs are all good sources and are easy to incorporate into your diet. Other sometimes overlooked foods include organ meats (preferably from organic, pastured animals), oysters, fish roe and cod liver oil. Vitamin A This is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that can help follicles develop and also improve cervical fluid. There are two groups of vitamin A: retinols and carotenoids. Retinols are found in animal products including beef liver, organic butter and cream, cod liver oil and eggs from pastured chickens. Beta-carotene is found in plant foods and more of it is required to obtain the same amount of usable vitamin A. The best sources of beta-carotene are carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach and collard greens. Vitamin E Vitamin E assists in the proper absorption of other fat-soluble vitamins and may further help fertility by normalizing hormone production. Butter from grass-fed cows, organ meats, sunflower seeds, almonds, dark leafy green vegetables, unrefined olive oil and pastured eggs are all a healthy part of a fertility diet. Iodine This mineral is required for healthy thyroid function which assists with the production of sex hormones. The best place to find iodine is in seafood as well as fruits and vegetables grown by the sea including seaweed, kelp and coconut products. Blackstrap molasses, spinach, eggs and whole milk dairy products are also beneficial. Besides focusing on the foods listed above, be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. The key is to optimize nutrition and eliminate as many low-nutrient foods as possible. At the grocery store, shop the perimeter of the store where all the fresh foods are kept and limit the highly processed foods that are typically found in the aisles. Buying everything organic can be challenging so focus on purchasing organic proteins and organic vegetables that fall into the ‘dirty dozen,’ meaning they have been found to have the highest levels of pesticides (apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, imported nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and sweet bell peppers).Jacqueline Banks is a certified holistic health counselor and busy mother. & Her focus is on helping other busy moms in all stages of motherhood keep themselves and their little ones healthy and happy. & She uses natural and organic solutions to solve individual health problems and promote clean living. Check out her website at www.jbholistic.com.& & source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/12/best-foods-for-fertility/

More doctors unclogging heart arteries through wrist

During artery unclogging procedures, doctors are increasingly accessing the heart through a vein in the wrist, rather than in the groin, Medical News Today reported. Artery unblocking surgeries, known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angioplasty, involve widening narrow areas of the artery by angioplasty or another similar method. Traditionally, doctors in the United States have accessed the heart through the femoral artery in the groin. However, a new study in the journal Circulation reveals that the number of wrist-entry operations, or radial PCIs, in the United States increased 13-fold between 2004 and 2007, Medical News Today reported. Based on data gathered from nearly 3 million procedures, researchers found that patients had a lower risk for bleeding complications during wrist-entry surgeries, compared to groin-entry surgeries. This is relevant because many patients undergoing artery unclogging surgeries are also on blood thinners, increasing their risk for bleeding complications post-surgery. As radial PCIs increase in popularity, researchers note that they are most effective for high-risk patients, including people 75 or older, women and patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACE), Medical News Today reported. Click for more from Medical News Today.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/11/more-doctors-unclogging-heart-arteries-through-wrist/

Relieve stress naturally with acupuncture

Your body is hardwired to react to stress. But if you are constantly on alert, your health can pay the price. We recently got this email from a viewer looking for some relief. Dear Dr. Manny, I heard acupuncture can help relieve stress, but how many treatments do you need? Thanks, MaryAnn Long-term stress on the body can put you at risk for numerous conditions: -Heart disease -Sleep problems -Digestive problems -Depression -Obesity -Memory impairment And new research shows you can actually wear the effects of stress on your face. Acupuncture can be a great way to relieve stress naturally. Each person responds to treatment in a different way, so the number of sessions required can vary. Experts recommend a minimum of one session per week for five to eight weeks, and patients often start to feel an immediate reduction in stress after just one session. You should always talk to your doctor before making any lifestyle changes, and make sure you find a licensed practitioner for treatment. Do you have a health question for Dr. Manny? Email it to him at DrManny@foxnews.com.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/09/relieve-stress-naturally-with-acupuncture/

US births remain steady in 2012

The number of babies born yearly in the United States appears to be leveling off, after declining for the last few years, a new report says. In 2012, there were 3,958,000 babies born in the United States, according to early estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's about the same as the number of births in 2011, the report says. The number of U.S. births has been decline since 2007, when a record-breaking 4,316,233 babies were born —more births than at the height of the baby boom in the 1950s. But the downward trend slowed between 2010 and 2011, and “essentially flattened” between 2011 and 2012, the report says. The country's birth rate has followed a similar trend, peaking in 2007 at 69.3 births per 1,000 women, and declining until 2011, after which it stabilized. In 2012, there were 63.2 births per 1,000 women between ages 15 and 44, essentially the same as the rate in 2011, the report says. The report is published June 6 by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/06/us-births-remain-steady-in-2012/

5 low-fat foods that are making you fat

You may know that so-called low-fat and fat-free diet foods are often packed with sugar, salt, and chemical-laden additives. But did you realize that your body digests these “healthy” alternatives in record time, leaving you hungry for more?  That's only part of the problem, according to New York City dietitian Keri Glassman, the author of The New You and Improved Diet. Packaging, no matter how well-intentioned and honest, is another culprit: When people see low-fat on a label, they think they can eat more than they really should and end up chowing down on 28 percent more calories, according to research from the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab. Below, we've rounded up five common low-fat foods that aren't scoring you a six-pack anytime soon. Chips Low-fat chips taste a whole lot better than they used to, thanks to the addition of more salt, carbs, and other additives. When fat is removed from chips, manufacturers make up for lost taste and texture with the salty stuff. Many bags of low-fat chips contain about 20 percent more sodium and 15 percent more carbohydrates than their full-fat versions—not to mention about twice the number of ingredients. Peanut Butter You already know peanuts are little fat repositories, but this is mostly good fat: Polyunsaturated fatty acids increase protein concentration and the size of muscular cells, adding to your lean muscle mass without a single workout, according to research published in Clinical Science. What's more, old fat stored in the body's peripheral tissues can't get worked off efficiently without new fat to activate fat-burning pathways in the liver, according to research from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.  What many food companies don't tell you is that they've replaced that healthy fat with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a filler in many processed foods. This means you're trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbs and double the sugar for a savings of a meager 10 calories. So next time you're making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ditch the empty calories in the low-fat alternative and opt for the full-fat original—just be sure to spread it on in moderation. ___________________________________________________ More From Details: 7 Trends You'll Be Wearing Next Fall Foods That Will Make You Look Younger 14 Healthiest Snack Foods You Can Buy 12 Must-See Sneakers ___________________________________________________ Cheese You'll be hard-pressed to find low-fat or fat-free cheese at the deli counter. Why?

Michael Douglas’ reveal: Can you get throat cancer from oral sex?

Michael Douglas made a shocking announcement on Sunday, maintaining that his throat cancer hadn’t been caused by drinking or smoking – but by having oral sex. “Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, which actually comes about from cunnilingus,” Douglas told The Guardian newspaper.  The 68-year-old actor also went on to speculate that the stress of his son Cameron’s incarceration might have helped trigger the cancer as well. While a connection between oral sex and cancer may seem bizarre, it is very possible that some oral cancers are the end result of intimate sexual contact. Rates of oral cancer – sometimes referred to as head and neck cancers – have been on the rise over the past decade.  While the main risk factors for oral cancers typically include drinking alcohol and smoking, around 25 percent of mouth and 35 percent of throat cancers are related to human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. “(HPV) is present within the fluids that are part of oral sexual behavior,” Dr. Marshall Posner, director of the head and neck oncology program at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told FoxNews.com. “The vaginal fluids and semen will contain epithelial cells that have the virus on them and also free viral particles that can cause infection.” HPV cannot be transmitted through blood contact, but Posner said it may be possible to contract the virus from the direct contact of fluids through kissing. This can occur if an individual kisses someone who previously performed oral sex on someone else who had the virus. “If the virus is present in the oral pharynx and if it gets secreted in the saliva, then the saliva will contain potentially dangerous viral particles,” Posner said. There are more than 100 different types of HPV, and nearly everyone contracts some form of the virus in their youth.  Fortunately, the majority of HPV strains do not cause any symptoms, and in 90 percent of cases, the infection is naturally eradicated from the body within two years. However, some HPV types can cause genital warts, while others may lead to certain cancers in rare cases. HPV 16 and HPV 18 – which are sexually transmitted – are most closely associated with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer. According to Posner, 3 percent of adult males and 1 percent of adult females will have detectable HPV 16 in their saliva at any given moment in time.  However, just because HPV is detected in a sample of someone with oral cancer does not necessarily mean HPV caused the cancer.  According to the National Health Service in Britain, the virus becomes part of the pre-existing cancer cells’ genetic material, fostering the cells to grow. Oropharyngeal cancer symptoms include a lump in the back of the throat or mouth, pain in the ear or back of tongue, and difficulty swallowing. While the prognosis for HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer is around 40 to 50 percent, the survival outcomes are generally better for HPV-positive cancers, ranging from 80 to 95 percent.  However, that prognosis is affected by drinking and smoking, which may have been a problem for Douglas. In the United States, HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer represents 60 percent of the total number of orapharyngeal cancer cases, which equal to about 15,000 per year.  Posner estimated that those cases will increase to 20,000 a year by the year 2015. While researchers cannot fully explain the rising rates of these cancers, one of the biggest risk factor for contracting HPV-positive oroharyngeal cancer includes having a high number of sexual partners, Posner said. “In smoking cigarettes and cancer, it doesn’t matter what brands you smoked, it matters how many you smoked,” Posner said.  “With HPV, it’s about the number of ‘brands’ you’ve been involved with. If you have numerous partners, you have a much higher risk of developing cancer. So (monogamous) people should go ahead and have the same intimate and personal relationship that they have with their partners and not be worried about it.” For those looking to protect themselves from contracting dangerous forms of HPV, practicing safe sex by using protection such as condoms and dental dams may help to diminish the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.  Posner also called for parents to get their children – including young boys –vaccinated against HPV. “I think people should make every effort to have children vaccinated, so I don’t have to treat this in the future,” Posner said.  I think it’s very important and to cure cancer we have to support research – it’s the best way we have to figure out how to cure this. Click to learn more about HPV from Mount Sinai Hospital.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/03/michael-douglass-reveal-can-get-throat-cancer-from-oral-sex/

Vaccine exemptions rising, tied to whooping cough

The number of New York parents who had their child skip at least one required vaccine due to religious reasons increased over the past decade, according to a new study. What's more, researchers found counties with high religious exemption rates also had more whooping cough cases - even among children that had been fully vaccinated. States set their own requirements on which vaccines a child must have received to enter school. All allow exemptions for medical reasons, and most, including New York, also permit parents with a religious objection to forgo vaccination. Less than half of states permit exemptions due to personal or philosophical beliefs. But those also can get counted under religious views in places with less strict exemption policies. “Particularly in New York State, I do believe that parents are using religious exemptions for their personal beliefs,” said Dr. Jana Shaw, who worked on the study at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. “There's a lot of vaccine hesitancy.” Studies have shown cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been on the rise across the U.S. Researchers suspect that's due to the use of a new type of pertussis vaccine - which is safer, but less effective over the long run - and to more children missing or delaying vaccination. For their study, Shaw and her colleagues tracked data from the New York State Department of Health on both religious exemptions and new whooping cough cases. Children were reported as having a religious exemption if they had been allowed to skip at least one required vaccine for non-medical reasons. Between 2000 and 2011, the proportion of religiously exempt kids increased from 23 in 10,000 to 45 in 10,000, the study team reported Monday in Pediatrics. The number of counties where at least 1 percent of children had a religious exemption also increased, from four to 13. Most of those counties were in western or northern New York. Higher religious exemption rates were tied to more reported cases of whooping cough. In counties with at least 1 percent exemption, 33 out of every 100,000 children developed pertussis each year, compared to 20 per 100,000 in counties with fewer religious exemptions. 'Overwhelming evidence' on safety Children who had been fully vaccinated were also more likely to get sick in places with high exemption rates. No vaccine is 100 percent perfect, so infectious disease prevention relies on “herd immunity” - when enough kids are vaccinated that the infection can't spread. “If you have enough exempted children in your schools and neighborhood, they will put even vaccinated children at risk,” Shaw told Reuters Health. Saad Omer, a researcher at the Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta, said the pattern of increasing non-medical exemptions has been seen in other states as well, including Michigan and California. Because of the general success of vaccination, “there is less disease to go around and there's less individual and collective experience. You don't hear about the disease that often,” he told Reuters Health. “When that happens, successive cohorts of parents start evaluating the real or perceived risk of vaccines more than the risk of disease.” But those perceived risks - such as a link between vaccines and autism - have not panned out. “If you look at the risk-benefit ratio between side effects of vaccines and the benefits they render, it's not even a close call. It's hugely, heavily in favor of vaccines,” said Omer, who wasn't involved in the new research. Shaw agreed. “Vaccines are extremely safe, in spite of what the Internet and other sources have argued,” she said. “We have overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe.” Both Omer and Shaw said they don't think states and schools should pass judgment on parents' religious beliefs, but that it shouldn't be easy to get a vaccine exemption for convenience or personal preference. And, Omer added, “those who don't get (their kids) vaccinated should remember that it's not a benign choice. There are real disease risks.”source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/03/vaccine-exemptions-rising-tied-to-whooping-cough/

France to ban electronic cigarettes in public

France will ban electronic cigarette smoking in public places by imposing the same curbs enforced since 2007 to combat tobacco smoking, Health Minister Marisol Touraine said on Friday. Amid mounting global concern over the public health implications of so-called e-cigarettes, Touraine said they faced the same fate as traditional ones: a ban on smoking in public spaces and sales to minors and a blackout on media advertising. In a country where the pungent waft of Gaulloises and Gitanes once seemed an unassailable part of cafe culture, smokers have long been banished to outdoor terrace seats. The near-odorless electronic alternative - battery-driven devices that allow users inhale odorless nicotine-laced vapor rather than smoke - are gaining ground in no-go zones such as bars, cafes, trains, waiting rooms and offices. A government-commissioned report said this week that around 500,000 people in France had turned to e-cigarettes, which are designed to look like cigarettes although some come in different colors, and recommended a crackdown on public use. Health officials in many countries say the impact of electronic cigarettes on health needs further study. Another worry they cite is that the electronic alternative will increase the general temptation to smoke, including enticing those who have quit to start again, or that smokers may use them alongside rather than instead of regular cigarettes. “This is no ordinary product because it encourages mimicking and could promote taking up smoking,” said Touraine, who announced her plans at a news conference. In the United States, the number of smokers who have tried out e-cigarettes doubled to one in five in 2011 and the number of all adults trying it doubled too, to 6 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In France, a country of 66 million, the government says tobacco smoking kills some 66,000 people a year and another 5,000 are killed through passive exposure to smoke. The expert in charge of the French report advised against an outright ban on e-cigarettes, however, saying they still seemed safer than tar-laden tobacco. Electronic cigarettes, whose invention is widely credited to a Chinese pharmacist a decade ago, usually comprise disposable cartridges of liquid such as propylene glycol that is easily turned to vapor and can contain artificial flavors alongside concentrated liquid nicotine.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/31/france-to-ban-electronic-cigarettes-in-public/

Saudi Arabia reports 3 more deaths from new SARS-like virus

Saudi Arabia has reported that three more people have died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing the total number of deaths globally to 30. The Ministry of Health said Thursday the three deceased, ranging in age from 24 to 60, had chronic diseases, including kidney failure. It says they were hospitalized a month ago. The Ministry also announced a new case of the respiratory virus called MERS, bringing to 38 the number of those infected in the kingdom. It identified the afflicted person only as a 61-year-old from the Al-Ahsa region where the outbreak in a health care facility started in April. The World Health Organization said the new germ, a respiratory infection, was first seen in the Middle East and sickened more than 49 people worldwide.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/30/saudi-arabia-reports-3-more-deaths-from-new-sars-like-virus/