Anxiety, Depression in pregnancy may raise kids' asthma risk
According to a new research, children of women who experience anxiety and depression during pregnancy may be at greater risk for asthma. The study of 279 inner-city black and Hispanic women adds weight to research previously conducted among white families that found children are particularly susceptible to asthma-related risks during the prenatal period. Approximately 70 percent of mothers who said they experienced high levels of anxiety or depression while they were pregnant reported their child had wheezed before age 5.
www.consumer.healthday.com, July 8, 2011
Satisfaction with life seems good for the heart
Being satisfied with your life can be good for your heart. That's the finding of a new study that included almost 8,000 British civil servants, average age 49, who were asked about their satisfaction in seven areas of their lives: romantic relationships, leisure activities, job, family, sex, standard of living and one's self. Over a follow-up period of about six years, higher levels of overall life satisfaction were associated with a statistically significant 13 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Satisfaction in four main areas - job, family, sex and self - was also associated with a 13 percent reduced risk of heart disease. The researchers also found that the reduced risk, however, was not associated with love relationships, leisure activities or standard of living.
www.nlm.nih.gov, July 6, 2011
Regular exercise may benefit the brain as well as the body
A commitment to high-intensity exercise may keep more than just your body in good shape. New research reveals that long-term aerobic activity may also boost a person's brain function. In the study, the researchers compared brain structure and function in 10 athletes, average age 73 years and 10 sedentary people of a similar age and education level. The types of brain function they looked at included muscle control, executive function (a type of cognition that includes working memory, self-monitoring and the ability to suppress distractions) as well as other neurological functions. The investigators found that the brain's white matter fiber was better preserved among the athletes than the inactive people. White matter plays the critical role of transmitting messages between different regions of gray matter - areas where functions such as seeing, hearing, speaking, memory and emotions take place.
www.consumer.healthday.com, June 8, 2011
Molecular imaging detects signs of genetic heart disease before symptoms arise
Research being presented at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting shows that molecular imaging is helping to determine the cause and expand treatment for a silent killer. A study focusing on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - a cardiovascular disorder that causes a thickening of the heart muscle - is proving that the effects of a genetic mutation may be an important key to understanding the disease. In related research, a treatment called alcohol septal ablation is being revealed as an effective treatment for severe cases of HCM. Further research could potentially lead to better screening for asymptomatic HCM carriers and the development of early treatments that could halt or at least postpone full onset of the disease.
www.sciencedaily.com, June 6, 2011
Potassium-rich foods may cut stroke, heart disease risk
According to a new study, a diet rich in foods that are loaded with potassium (like bananas and other fruits and vegetables, as well as fish, poultry and dairy) can reduce your risk for a stroke by 21 percent and may also lower your risk of heart disease. For the study, Research team pulled data about potassium and cardiovascular disease from 11 studies, which included a total of 247,510 men and women. The researchers looked at what people in these studies recalled eating in the past day. They found that people who consumed 1.64 grams of potassium or more a day had a 21 percent lower risk of stroke and also tended to have a lower risk of any cardiovascular disease.
www.consumer.healthday.com, March 4, 2011
Could a diet help prevent Alzheimer's?
According to Alzheimer's researchers, the low-fat, low-glycemic diet often promoted for general health and well-being may lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease if adopted early in life. A low-glycemic diet, which focuses on eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, avoids spikes in blood sugar and is said to promote feelings of fullness. Although, numerous studies have probed connections between lifestyle factors and cognitive ability, no solid proof yet exists, that diet (or much else) can prevent Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia among the elderly. This new study looked at the effect of different diets on biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's, such as blood sugar levels, cholesterol and blood lipid levels. The researchers also tested memory after participants (twenty healthy adults and 29 with mild memory problems) followed the assigned diets. After four weeks, healthy participants on the LOW diet had changes in biomarkers, including insulin and lipid levels in the blood, which were moving away from those normally associated with dementia.
www.nlm.nih.gov, June 13, 2011
Lifestyle key to preventing stroke, guidelines say
According to a new guideline from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can cut your risk for first-time stroke by 80 percent. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer, and a major cause of disability. Dr. Ralph L. Sacco, President of the American Heart Association, agrees with the emphasis on healthy lifestyles for preventing both heart disease and stroke. The heart association is focusing on seven key health factors that can improve people's health. These include controlling blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, in addition to exercising, eating healthfully, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight.
www.consumer.healthday.com, December 2, 2011
Too Much TV Raises Risk of Diabetes, Heart Disease and Death
According to a new analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health, watching television for two to three hours or more per day is linked to significantly higher risks of developing diabetes and heart disease and dying from all causes. According to this meta analysis, two hours of daily television watching was tied to a 20 percent greater risk for diabetes, a 15 percent higher chance of cardiovascular disease and a 13 percent elevated risk for all-cause deaths. Prior research had also reported the negative health effects of TV viewing, including associations with less physical activity and unhealthy eating, such as higher consumption of fried foods, processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages and lower intake of fruits and vegetables.
www.nlm.nih.gov, June 14, 2011
