Monthly Archive for June, 2010

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) – Research into Alzheimer’s disease has reached a point of significant potential, even as the disease’s looming impact on society grows more and more dire, experts say.

Some leading scientists, in fact, worry that we may not be doing enough to press forward with key advances and new insights into Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia among older people.

An estimated 5.3 million U.S. residents have the disease, which results from the deterioration of nerve cells in the brain and leads to memory loss, impaired judgment, wandering and, as it progresses, to the inability to perform such normal daily functions as dressing, bathing and eating.

As the population ages, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is expected to spike dramatically. Today, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s every 70 seconds, according to the Alzheimer’s Association — a number expected to rise to once every 33 seconds in a few decades.

Scientists researching early detection and treatment for the disease, though, say they are on the verge of substantial advances.

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By JANE E. BRODY June 28, 2010 New York Times

This is a perfect time of year to take a beverage inventory: what you drink, how much and how to maintain a reasonable intake of fluids — ones that will supply your body with much-needed water without adding to your fat stores.

Chances are the summer heat will tempt you to grab whatever cold liquid might be handy, and many of today’s most popular choices are loaded with sweet calories that actually increase the body’s need for water. Chances are, too, that no matter what the season, you probably don’t drink enough fluid to fulfill your body’s requirements.

It’s not wise to rely solely on thirst to guide your water intake. Nor should quenching your thirst be a measure of whether you’ve drunk enough. To calculate how much water you need each day, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.08; the result is your requirement in eight-ounce cups.

Before those who weigh 200 pounds panic about having to drink 16 cups of liquid a day, keep in mind that about half the fluid people need comes from fruits, vegetables and other solid foods.

Barbara J. Rolls, a nutrition researcher at Penn State and the author of “Volumetrics” (HarperCollins, 2000), and her colleagues have demonstrated in many studies that people consume fewer calories when their meals and snacks have a high liquid content. Drinks consumed with and between meals do not have the same satiating effect, their research has shown.

People who drink lots of high-calorie beverages rarely compensate by eating less, and they can end up with a caloric overload. And if people who try to limit calories fill their daily quota with high-calorie drinks, they can easily shortchange themselves on foods that supply essential, health-promoting nutrients: fruits and vegetables (which, incidentally, are an important source of liquids in a well-balanced diet), protein-rich foods and whole grains.

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By KIM SEVERSON, June 22, 2010, New York Times

IT’S hard to imagine two places in New York State more different than the South Bronx and Schoharie County.

The South Bronx has 31,582 people per square mile. The county has 51.

Less than 2 percent of the people who live in the South Bronx are white. Schoharie County, about three hours straight north by car, is 95 percent white.

The South Bronx is home to four jails, two sewage plants and an untold number of subway rats. Schoharie County has 13,600 cows, 1,305 sheep, 291 hogs and several hundred farmers to tend those animals and grow vegetables and fruit.

Dennis Derryck, a 70-year-old mathematician and professor at the New School for Management and Urban Policy, has become the unlikely matchmaker between the two worlds.

How to minimize germs, allergies, and other surprising ways doing the wash can affect your health

By Celeste Perron, Prevention, 22 June 2010

Get a Load of Good Health

While you may be a pro at sorting delicates from dishrags and fighting stains to the death, a few missteps can leave you more susceptible to germs, allergy attacks, skin rashes—even cancer. To help boost your family’s health, adopt these laundry room habits with your next spin cycle.

1. Empty the washer ASAP

Why: Protect against germsBacteria flourish in wet areas, so take clothes out within 30 minutes of a completed cycle; if they sit for an hour, rewash the load. But wouldn’t just-laundered clothes be germ free, you wonder? Not necessarily, says Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. These days, many people are trying to save energy and money by washing with cold water, but harmful bacteria can easily survive in it, explains Gerba, whose research found that 25% of home washing machines contain fecal bacteria. Although the strains of E. coli found were fairly harmless, their presence alone indicates that bacteria and viruses can linger on laundry, he says.

Though Gerba recommends using hot water to kill germs, cold is better for energy bills—and the planet. To help protect your family, don’t overload the washer, so detergent can penetrate all the fabric; and wash your hands after removing wet clothes so you don’t spread lingering germs. The dryer’s heat will kill most of the remaining bugs.

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