Tag Archives: prevention

Air pollution can trigger heart arrhythmias, study shows

For people with existing heart problems, exposure to high levels of air pollution can trigger the irregular heartbeats that may lead to a stroke or heart attack, according to a new study. Past research has linked air pollution to ventricular fibrillation, electrical confusion in the lower chambers of the heart which can cause sudden death. The new study also finds an association with atrial fibrillation (AF), erratic quivering in the heart's upper chambers and the most common type of irregular heartbeat. “As in all epidemiological studies we do not prove causation, but rather an association,” said lead author Dr. Mark Link, a cardiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. His study included people with so-called implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), which record when the heart's electrical activity is abnormal and deliver shocks to try to right the rhythm. Link and his colleagues analyzed data from the ICDs of 176 heart patients and compared it to air quality data collected in the region. Over about two years, 49 of those people had a total of 328 AF episodes. The researchers found that the level of air pollution, including soot-like particles, on a given day was directly tied to heart rhythm problems. With every 6 microgram per cubic meter increase in fine particulate pollution, for example, people were 26 percent more likely to have an AF episode in the next two hours, the study team reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. That extra risk is greater than the 1 percent increased risk of death from heart attack and the 18 percent increased risk of stroke seen with each 10 microgram per cubic meter rise in pollution in other studies, Link noted. The daily average particulate pollution level in Massachusetts, where the study took place, was 8.4 micrograms per cubic meter, well below the upper limit of 35 set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). More than two million Americans have AF, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although it can cause rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness and fatigue, AF doesn't always come with symptoms. “This study does show that there is an increased association, especially within two hours of air pollutant levels being high, with a person having an irregular heart rhythm,” said Dr. Comilla Sasson, who studies community-wide risk for cardiac arrest at the University of Colorado in Denver. But it does not look at how often those irregular rhythms lead to more deadly problems such as heart attack or sudden death, she added. “Although this is interesting, it still leaves a lot more questions than providing answers,” Sasson said in an email. She questioned whether or not the EPA should reevaluate its air quality standards and if doctors should be talking to patients about increased risks on pollution-heavy days. “There is much more research that will need to be done, especially in other cities, to see if these results hold true,” she said. Although the study focused on people at unusually high risk already, an increase in the chance of AF could have implications for anyone, Link said. “Unfortunately, all of us are at risk for AF, especially as we age. It is by far the most common arrhythmia in the U.S. and for that matter, the entire world,” he said. Boston has relatively clean air, which makes the results all the more troubling, Link said. “Imagine what the effect of air pollution is in cities without the clean air of Boston,” he said.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/14/air-pollution-can-trigger-heart-arrhythmias-study-shows/

5 white lies that stall weight loss

We all fib a little, but telling your co-worker her new haircut looks great (when what you're really thinking is “oh my!”) is pretty harmless. Lying to yourself about your own eating habits on the other hand, can wreak some real mental and physical havoc; and a new study shows it may be pretty common. In my private practice, I make it very clear to my clients that my role is not to scold, berate, or act like a food cop. In fact, it's just the opposite, because fostering an open, non-judgmental dialogue about your relationship with food is the only way to uncover some truths you may be pushing under the rug. And until they're exposed, they're pretty impossible to change. Here are five many of my clients reveal, and why coming clean with yourself can be the answer to finally losing weight—for good. 'I eat when I'm hungry, and stop when I'm full' When reviewing my clients' food diaries, I often see snacks, driven by hunger, just an hour or two after fairly substantial meals–generally a sign that something is out of sync. When I ask, “What did the hunger feel like?” it often turns out to be emotional or social, rather than physical in nature. In other words, there are no bodily symptoms that signaled a need for energy or nourishment, and in truth, many clients know this to be true. One once said, “I realize it's not really hunger, but I fool myself into thinking it is, because I don't know what else to do.” Alternative: The toughest part of recognizing that you want to eat, but not because your body is telling you to, is acknowledging that what you really need has nothing to do with food. But once you do just that, and find other healthy ways to cope with what's really going on (anxiety, relationship issues…), the weight may effortlessly fall off (day after day after day, just 200 surplus calories can keep you 20 pounds heavier). If you don't keep a food diary already, start one, and include not just what you eat and how much, but also your hunger level before and after meals, in addition to your emotions. The revelations may allow you to break the pattern. Health.com: 20 Snacks That Burn Fat 'I'm not a big drinker' I've heard this from many clients who, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, are chronic binge drinkers (consuming four or more drinks in a two hour period for women, five for men). For some, the self-categorization is justified, because they don't drink during the week, have already cut back, or are comparing themselves to friends who drink a whole lot more. But after some reflection, I often hear sentiments like, “I know polishing off a bottle of wine by myself isn't good, even if it's only on the weekends.” Alternative: For most of my clients, drinking has a domino effect that travels in both directions. Knocking a few back drinks on Saturday night often leads to eating more at dinner, followed by going out to brunch on Sunday, skipping the gym Monday morning, and giving into the office candy dish Monday afternoon.  On the flip side, cutting back on booze often leads to feeling “cleaner,” more in control, and motivated to eat healthier and be more active—changes that can be transformative for both your waistline and health. If you're using alcohol as an emotional crutch, or it's integral to your social scene, reach out to someone you trust. I've had clients break out of this pattern simply by connecting with a close friend or family member who supported their decision to cut back, or stop drinking all together. Health.com: How to Drink Alcohol Without Gaining Weight 'I eat really healthfully most of the time' I often hear this statement right after a client tells me about a decadent vacation, dinner out, or holiday that involved overeating. And while some believe it to be true, many know that on a day-to-day basis, while they don't pig out, they're not exactly earning gold stars, especially when it comes to hitting the mark for veggies, or reaching for whole, rather than refined grains. After acknowledging that she was looking at her diet through rose-colored glasses, one client said, “I think I was giving myself an A when what I really earned was more like a B-.” Alternative: It's OK to admit that you're not perfect, even if you're not perfect most of the time! You can't set concrete goals that will improve your eating habits without coming to terms with how you really eat. For example, if you realize that you eat too much rice and not enough veggies at dinner, flip-flopping the portions (e.g. a half cup of brown rice and one cup of broccoli, instead of the reverse) shaves 20 grams of carbs from your meal. At one meal a day, that's a savings equivalent to walking on a treadmill at four miles per hour for 85 hours. Health.com: Best Superfoods for Weight Loss 'I eat 5 or 6 small meals a day' The operative word here is “small.” Many of my clients who say this are actually eating five full meals, which by today's portion distortion standards, may seem small, but are actually far more than their bodies need. Admitting to this, one client said, “I think I've just gotten used to eating every few hours, or I thought it was the best thing to do, but it's clearly not working for me.” Alternative: Long stretches without eating can lead to rebound overeating, so well timed meals are key. But whether you eat four, five, or six times a day, your body's needs remain the same, which means if you want to eat more often, you must eat less each time you chow. For example, if you need 1,600 calories a day, you can eat: four 400 calorie meals; five 320 calorie meals; or six 266 calorie meals. The latter is a real challenge, because the meals end up being so mini, they don't feel like meals, leading to extra nibbles, which wind up feeding your fat cells. I don't advocate calorie counting, but if you think that too-frequent eating may be an issue, take inventory for a day or two, to gain some perspective. Health.com: 25 Ways to Cut 500 Calories A Day 'I can eat more because I work out a lot' I work with pro athletes and performers, but most of my clients work full time, on top of juggling family and social responsibilities, which often leads to fitting in far fewer workouts than they'd like. When they do hit the gym, they hit it hard, but many get there three days a week, while continuing to eat as if they're starting every day with a workout. One client confessed, “I think of myself as such an active person, but the truth is, it's more wishful thinking than reality.” Alternative: Rather than following the same routine every day of the week, establish a “baseline” eating plan, for non-exercise days, and add to it on the days you workout. Mentally, it's much easier to add to your plate, rather than take foods away, and with a daily regime that doesn't factor in fitness, if you just can't make it happen, you won't stick yourself with a surplus. Cynthia Sass is a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Her latest New York Times best seller is S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches. This article originally appeared on Health.com.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/13/5-white-lies-that-stall-weight-loss/

Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar hopes to slay pertussis through vaccine awareness

While slaying vampires and saving the world may be her area of expertise, television and movie star Sarah Michelle Gellar said she was slightly overwhelmed when she had to tackle a subject she previously knew little about: children’s health care. Gellar is a mother to 3-year-old daughter Charlotte and son Rocky, who was born in September, and she said keeping them healthy has been one of the trickiest aspects of being a parent. “Someone told me when they start pre-school, they’ll be sick within the first six months,” said Gellar, who is famous for portraying Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the cult TV series of the same name.  “And sure enough, when my daughter started pre-school, she was sick for pretty much six months straight.  I thought that I would have a chair at the pediatrician’s office with my name on it, I had been there so much.” One daunting task for Gellar was delving into the world of childhood vaccinations and trying to understand the safest and most effective options for her kids.  Now having learned about the health dangers that face small children, Gellar has made it a priority to get her entire family vaccinated against pertussis – a serious illness, also known as whooping cough, that has been on the rise in the United States. While her family’s health is her chief concern, Gellar also wants others to follow her example.  Hoping to raise awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated, Gellar has teamed up with the Sounds of Pertussis Campaign, a crusade launched by Sanofi Pasteur and the March of Dimes that focuses on the dangers of pertussis and what parents can do to prevent their children from getting this potentially deadly disease. “I’m just like everyone else out there,” Gellar said.  “I’m a mom trying to keep my kids healthy, but I also have access to so much information that I can then go through it all and make it easier for people to understand.  You’re talking about an illness that doesn’t have to exist.  The only way to help fight against it is to get the vaccine, and that’s a simple way.” A serious respiratory illness, pertussis presents in infants and children like a common cold, with symptoms of a runny nose or congestion and sneezing.  But if left untreated, the disease can progress into severe coughing that forces air out of the lungs – causing pertussis sufferers to inhale with a large “whooping” sound.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, America is experiencing one of the largest outbreaks of pertussis cases within the past 50 years, with more than 41,000 cases and 18 deaths reported in 2012.  Infants younger than 1 year of age are particularly vulnerable to the outbreak, since they do not begin receiving their own vaccinations until they are 2 months old, and they aren’t fully protected from the disease until they have received at least three doses.  This danger is compounded by the fact that infants with pertussis are often in need of hospitalization, and some can go on to develop life threatening pneumonia.   Gellar said this is why it is just as important for parents and teenagers to stay up-to-date on their vaccines in order to eliminate the possibility of passing pertussis on to small babies. “You look at the statistics, and they can track it back,” Gellar said.  “Eighty percent of the children who came down with it, they can track it back to a family member that brought it in, and 50 percent were the actual parents.  I know there’s nothing worse as a new parent than you thinking that you got your child sick…It’s a simple vaccination for an adult to get every five years, and that’s it.  It’s the only safe way to prevent the child from getting the disease.” To help families keep track of their necessary vaccinations, the Sounds of Pertussis campaign has created a Facebook application called The Breathing Room, which shows which individuals among a person’s friends and family have pledged to get vaccinated. As for the concerns that some parents have regarding the safety of vaccines, Gellar said it is important for people to do the necessary research and talk with the right people before making any judgments.  Gellar, along with many health care professionals, maintain there are minimal side effects when it comes to getting the shot. “I think there’s a lot of misinformation out there about vaccines,” Gellar said.  “People are scared, and I think that if you can bring (information) in a way that people understand the importance, and how simple it actually is, I think people will be more prone to do it.” To learn more about getting vaccinated against pertussis, visit the Sounds of Pertussis website and the campaign’s Facebook page.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/11/buffy-star-sarah-michelle-gellar-hopes-to-slay-pertussis-through-vaccine/

Dealing with migraine headaches in children

As a doctor, I get a lot of health questions both in my practice and in my e-mail inbox. Today, I found one from a mom whose 8-year-old child suffers from migraines. How do you deal with an “adult” illness that affects a young child? Read on for my advice. I have an 8 year old son who is suffering from migraines. One time, his migraine was so intense, he cried all the way to the ER, after we tried unsuccessfully to treat it at home. I have been told that there are adult medications for migraines that can be used on children in a smaller dosage. However, according to my pediatrician, they have not been tested on children and because such a small percentage of children get migraines, they will probably never be tested on children. My son has a migraine at least once a week, sometimes more. Is it worth putting him on one of these medications, and if not, what can I do to ease the discomfort without ending up at the local emergency room? – Carla Carla, I understand your frustration. It is very hard to watch and deal with a young child grappling with migraine headaches. Because there are so many factors that could trigger a migraine, it can be difficult to pin down the exact root of the problem. The first thing that I would say is that I hope your child has been seen by board certified pediatric neurologist who has properly diagnosed him with migraines. Sometimes, it can be very difficult to get a proper medical history from children. It can be especially confusing for them to try to describe the location and timing of migraine headaches. However, remember there are many other conditions that could mimic a migraine in a child, such as sinusitis or dental problems, which can both result in head pain. If migraine is in fact the actual diagnosis, then the treatment becomes multi-faceted. Key components of treatment include making sure the child gets enough rest and sleep, as well as utilizing the over-the-counter medications that your physician recommends. Most likely, a physician will prescribe a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Prevention, of course, is even more effective than treatment. There usually tend to be two culprits in pediatric migraines. One is nitrates, which is found in many foods that kids eat such as packaged foods, processed lunch meats and hot dogs. The other culprit is monosodium glutamate, or MSG. MSG is a flavor enhancer that is found in baking mixtures, chips and gelatins, among other products. It is highly toxic for many people that suffer from migraines. So while working with your physician, it is key that you also focus on nutritional aspect of children’s health. In doing so, your child may suffer from fewer migraines and require less drugs, which, as you state in question, have not been clinically tested in children. Send me your health questions on Facebook and Twitter.  And remember to join me for my weekly health live chat every Wednesday from 2-3 pm ET.  source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/02/08/dealing-with-migraine-headaches-in-children/

Nearly 40 percent of designated drivers drink before driving, study suggests

Partygoers, beware.  Your designated sober driver may not always be alcohol-free. A new study, conducted in a Florida college town, found that two out of five designated drivers drink alcohol before getting behind the wheel, Medical Daily reported.  Of these inebriated drivers, half had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .05 percent – enough to affect driving ability while still being under the legal limit. Researchers from the University of Florida spent three months observing more than 1,000 bar patrons as they left drinking establishments throughout the college town of Gainesville, Fla.  The team asked people if they had been deemed the designated driver and whether they would volunteer to take a breathalyzer test before leaving. Throughout the course of the study, 165 individuals identified themselves as designated drivers.  Of this group, 35 percent had at least one drink before leaving the bar, and around half of the drinkers had a BAC between .02 and .05 percent.  The other half had a BAC above .05 percent. According to the study’s researchers, social pressure to drink in combination with a legal BAC limit of .08 percent often leads to designated drivers having one or two drinks before hitting the road.  However, the scientists maintained that numerous studies have documented significant alcohol-related impairment at a BAC level of .05 percent. “Considering the low BAC levels at which driving-related abilities are negatively affected, these ï¬�ndings identify the need for consensus across researcher, layperson, and communication campaigns that a (designated driver) must be someone who abstains from drinking entirely,” the researchers wrote. Nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the United Sates involve alcohol-impaired drivers, resulting in nearly 11,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  In an attempt to curb these deaths, the National Highway Transportation Safety Board has recommended that the legal BAC limit for driving be reduced from .08 percent to .05 percent. The University of Florida study will be published in the July issue of The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.  However, the average age of study participants was 28 and the individuals tested were not ethnically or racially diverse, meaning the results cannot be applied to the general American population. Click for more from Medical Daily.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/10/nearly-40-percent-designated-drivers-drink-before-driving-study-suggests/

Oregon passes bill on vaccination education

A bill that is intended to persuade more Oregon parents to take their kids to doctors for shots and get over their mistrust of conventional medicine has taken a big step in the Legislature with passage by the state Senate. Oregon has the nation's highest rate of parents refusing vaccinations for their kindergartners for nonmedical reasons. This school year, 6.4 percent of Oregon kindergartners were exempted from at least one required vaccination, up from 5.8 percent last year. The median nonmedical exemption rate for kindergartners in the U.S. was 1.2 percent for the 2011-2012 school year, the most recent period for which national data was available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are some pockets in the state where parents don't believe vaccinations protect their kids and they choose alternative treatments instead. Those kinds of beliefs have raised concerns that Oregon children aren't being adequately protected. On Thursday, the Senate approved a bill that would make it more difficult for parents to get nonmedical exemptions from vaccines for their children. It now goes to the House. The 16-13 vote was along party lines. The bill riled Republicans who said it trampled on religious freedoms and limited parents' choice. “I'm getting very tired of this legislative assembly and this body taking away the choices of parents as to how they raise their kids,” said Sen. Jeff Kruse, a Roseburg Republican. Republicans pitched an alternative proposal that would have carved out an exemption for “sincerely held religious beliefs,” but the plan failed. As proposed, the bill would still allow parents to refuse vaccinations for religious or philosophical reasons, but only after they'd visited the doctor or watched the educational video. Current state law requires all children in public and private schools, preschools and certified child care facilities to be immunized. Parents, however, can seek exemptions for medical or religious reasons. “I worry that most people who use the religious exemption currently are doing so because of pseudo-scientific misinformation, and not because of their faith,” said Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, a Beaverton Democrat and family physician. Under the bill, parents enrolling unvaccinated children in school would have to prove they consulted a physician for information or show verification they watched an online educational video about the risks and benefits of immunization. The educational material would be consistent with the most up-to-date medical information provided by the CDC. Doctors and public health officials back the plan, saying the rate of unvaccinated children in Oregon is alarming and could cause a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like whooping cough and measles. Similar legislation was passed in Washington in 2011. The following school year, the rate of religious immunization exemptions for kindergartners fell by almost 25 percent, according to CDC data.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/10/oregon-passes-bill-on-vaccination-education/

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/