0 Flu Vaccine Associated With Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Events

Receiving an influenza vaccination was associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as heart failure or hospitalization for heart attack, with the greatest treatment effect seen among patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS; such as heart attack or unstable angina), according to a meta-analysis published in the October 23/30 issue of JAMA.

“Among nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, there remains interest in a potential association between respiratory tract infections, of which influenza and influenza-like illnesses are common causes, and subsequent cardiovascular events,” according to background information in the article. Several epidemiological studies have suggested a strong inverse relationship between influenza vaccination and the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events.

Jacob A. Udell, M.D., M.P.H., F.R.C.P.C., of the University of Toronto, and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of influenza vaccine that studied cardiovascular events as efficacy or safety outcomes to determine if influenza vaccination is associated with prevention of cardiovascular events. The researchers identified five published and 1 unpublished RCTs of 6,735 patients (average age, 67 years; 51 percent women; 36 percent with a cardiac history; average follow-up time, 7.9 months) that met inclusion criteria for the study. Analyses were stratified by subgroups of patients with and without a history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) within 1 year of randomization.

In the 5 published RCTs, 95 of 3,238 patients treated with influenza vaccine (2.9 percent) developed a major adverse cardiovascular event compared with 151 of 3,231 patients (4.7 percent) treated with placebo or control within 1 year of follow-up, an absolute risk difference favoring flu vaccine of 1.74 percent. The addition of the unpublished data did not materially change the results (2.9 percent influenza vaccine vs. 4.6 percent placebo or control).

0 Being overweight associated with lower risk of death

In an analysis of nearly 100 studies that included approximately 3 million adults, relative to normal weight, overall obesity (combining all grades) and higher levels of obesity were both associated with a significantly higher all-cause risk of death, while overweight was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality, according to a study in the January 2, 2013 issue of JAMA.

"Estimates of the relative mortality risks associated with normal weight, overweight, and obesity may help to inform decision making in the clinical setting," according to background information in the article.

Katherine M. Flegal, Ph.D., of the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Md., and colleagues conducted a study to compile and summarize published analyses of body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality that provide hazard ratios (HRs) for standard BMI categories. For the review and meta-analysis, the researchers identified 97 studies that met inclusion criteria, which provided a combined sample size of more than 2.88 million individuals and more than 270,000 deaths. Regions of origin of participants included the United States or Canada (n = 41 studies), Europe (n = 37), Australia (n = 7), China or Taiwan (n = 4), Japan (n = 2), Brazil (n = 2), Israel (n = 2), India (n = l), and Mexico (n = l).

All-cause mortality HRs for overweight (BMI of 25-<30), obesity (BMI of ≥30), grade 1 obesity (BMI of 30-<35), and grades 2 and 3 obesity (BMI of ≥35) were calculated relative to normal weight (BMI of 18.5-<25).

The researchers found that the summary HRs indicated a 6 percent lower risk of death for overweight; a 18 percent higher risk of death for obesity (all grades); a 5 percent lower risk of death for grade 1 obesity; and a 29 percent increased risk of death for grades 2 and 3 obesity.

The authors note that the finding that grade 1 obesity was not associated with higher mortality suggests that that the excess mortality in obesity may predominantly be due to elevated mortality at higher BMI levels.

The researchers add that their findings are consistent with observations of lower mortality among overweight and moderately obese patients. "Possible explanations have included earlier presentation of heavier patients, greater likelihood of receiving optimal medical treatment, cardioprotective metabolic effects of increased body fat, and benefits of higher metabolic reserves."

The use of predefined standard BMI groupings can facilitate between-study comparisons, the authors conclude.

0 Omega 3 Fatty Acids from Dietary Sources Lower Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease

Omega-3 fats from foods including fish, chicken, nuts and seeds are perentially sequestered after consumption and used for critical functions to maintain optimal brain metabolism and function. These long-chain fats are used to form the highly permeable cell wall membrane of nerve cells, as electrical and chemical transmissions through this barrier are limited when sufficient omega-3 fats are unavailable from blood circulation.

Researchers from the Columbia University Medical Center in New York have published the result of their work demonstrating the close relationship between Omega-3 fats, blood saturation levels of amyloid proteins and risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the prestigious journal, Neurology. The study confirms that lower blood levels of a protein related to Alzheimers disease (amyloid-beta plaque) can protect against memory problems, mild cognitive decline and progression to Alzheimer’s disease in many cases.

Increased Omega-3 Fats from Diet Reduces Beta-Amyloid Levels in the Blood up to Thirty Percent

The lead study author, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas noted “While its not easy to measure the level of beta-amyloid deposits in the brain in this type of study, it is relatively easy to measure the levels of beta-amyloid in the blood, which to a certain degree, relates to the level in the brain.” The brain normally generates amyloid proteins as a metabolic byproduct that are broken down and cleared in the youthful, healthy brain. The study suggests that Omega-3 fats from dietary sources can aid this process, though the scientists did not specifically note this conclusion.

Researchers looked at 1,219 people that were over the age of 65 and free of dementia. The participants provided information regarding their diet for an average of 1.2 years before their blood was tested for beta-amyloid. The scientists specifically monitored ten nutrients including saturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D.

Consume Several Servings of Walnuts, Fish and Seeds Daily to Lowers DementiaRisk

The study determined that higher levels of omega-3 fats consumed by eating fish, chicken, nuts and seeds directly correlated to lower blood beta-amyloid levels. Researchers found that consuming one gram of omega-3 per day (equal to approximately half a fillet of salmon per week) was associated with 20 to 30 percent lower blood beta-amyloid levels. Researchers found that most people do not eat enough omega-3 enriched foods to adequately raise blood levels of the essential fat.

Dr. Scarmeas concluded“The more omega-3s one eats, the less the beta amyloid levels are… we were able to relate something that we eat with a very specific mechanism in the body that is very strongly related to Alzheimer’s.” This study did not account for intake of the pre-formed omega-3 fats supplied through fish oil supplements, known to dramatically boost blood saturation of the long-chain fats. Nutrition experts suggest several servings of fish, chicken, nuts and seeds each week (or supplementing with 1,200 to 2,400 mg EPA/DHA daily) to significantly lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

0 How to Lower Risk of Heart Disease by 85

(Article first published as Top Tips to Lower Risk of Heart Disease by 85% on Technorati.)

Nearly 1,000,000 Americans will succumb to heart disease this year, with millions more living a reduced quality of life in fear of death from a heart attack. Heart disease is largely a lifestyle condition that is the result of years and decades of poor diet and lifestyle habits that deteriorate the delicate vascular system. The end result is a decline in physical function as atherosclerosis weakens the ability of the heart to pump efficiently.

Study Identifies Top Strategies to Prevent Heart Disease

Researchers from Scotland identified five critical lifestyle factors that contribute to the development and progression of heart disease. The result of their study was published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine and shows that those individuals with just one poor lifestyle habit were 85% more likely to die from a heart attack over a 20 year follow up period. Those with 4 poor habits were 349% more likely to die during the same period. The study authors identified the following modifiable factors as being most important to prevent heart disease.

1. Avoid Tobacco and Smoking: Smoking is widely considered to be the most important lifestyle event to prevent heart disease (as well as many other chronic illnesses). Smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes contains more than 300 chemicals that are known to promote arterial hardening that leads to high blood pressure and dramatically increased risk of heart attack.

2. Increase Physical Activity and Exercise: Researchers recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise each day of the week. This does not have to be heart-pounding aerobic conditioning, but should be enough to raise the heart rate slightly. Exercise sessions can be broken into 10 minute cycles, 3 times a day to accommodate busy schedules.

3. Achieve Your Ideal Body Weight: Carrying extra weight, especially around the abdomen is a significant risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Studies demonstrate that losing as little as 5 to 10% of your body weight can lower blood pressure, protect your arteries and lower blood sugar.

4. Eat a Well Balanced, Reduced Calorie Diet: Next to smoking, healthy diet is the next most important factor that will impact your risk for heart disease. Eliminate all sugar, ined carbohydrates and processed convenience foods. Fresh vegetables and greens should make up the core of your meal. Compliment with small quantities of lean meats, nuts, seeds and monounsaturated fat sources.

5. Drink Alcohol in Moderation: Avoid alcohol, or severely limit the number of daily drinks. Men should have no more than 1 or 2 drinks per day, while women should limit their intake to one. While some research has shown a small protective effect for alcohol consumption, if you don’t drink, don’t start.

Information from this study underscores the importance of making modifications for the prevention of heart disease. Extensive research provides undeniable proof that heart disease can be prevented, treated and reversed by making small changes to diet and lifestyle. Following all five of the suggestions outlined in this report will lower the risk of developing heart disease three-fold and dramatically improve your quality of life.

0 Exercise related changes in estrogen metabolism may lower breast cancer risk

Changes in estrogen breakdown, or metabolism, may be one of the mechanisms by which aerobic exercise lowers a womans breast cancer risk, according to data published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"Observational studies suggest physical activity lowers breast cancer risk, but there are no clinical studies that explain the mechanism behind this," said Mindy S. Kurzer, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul. "Ours is the first study to show that aerobic exercise influences the way our bodies break down estrogens to produce more of the good metabolites that lower breast cancer risk."

Kurzer and her colleagues conducted the Women in Steady Exercise Research (WISER) clinical trial, which involved 391 sedentary, healthy, young, premenopausal women. They randomly assigned the women to two age-matched, body mass index-matched groups: a control group of 179 women and an intervention group of 212 women.

While women in the control group continued a sedentary lifestyle for the entire study period, women in the intervention group performed 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise five times a week for 16 weeks. Aerobic exercises included the treadmill, stair stepper or elliptical machine. The researchers adjusted the workout intensity for each individual so that the maximal heart rate was uniform among all participants.

Eighty-six percent of participants from the control group and 78 percent from the intervention group completed the study.

The researchers collected 24-hour urine samples on three consecutive days prior to study initiation and on three consecutive days at the end of the study. Using a state-of-the-art technique called liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy, they measured the amount of three parent estrogens, E1, E2 and E3, and nine of their breakdown products called metabolites, in the participants urine samples. According to Kurzer, estrogen metabolism favoring the production of a metabolite called 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1) over one called 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1), which results in an increase in the 2-OHE1/16alpha-OHE1 ratio, has been linked with a reduction in breast cancer risk.

She and her colleagues found that aerobic exercise led to an increase in the amount of 2-OHE1 and a decrease in the amount of 16alpha-OHE1, which led to a significant increase in the 2-OHE1/16alpha-OHE1 ratio. There were no changes in the 2-OHE1/16alpha-OHE1 ratio in the urine of control group participants.

"Exercise, known to favor fitness and improve heart health, is also likely to help prevent breast cancer by altering estrogen metabolism," said Kurzer. "It is very important, however, to decipher the biological mechanisms behind this phenomenon."

In collaboration with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Kurzer is conducting similar studies in women with a high risk for breast cancer.

0 Lower your Blood Sugar Step Up Your Exercise A Bit

Lower your Blood Sugar - Step Up Your Exercise, A Bit by John H Markus

People, who have diabetes, hear the same question almost every time they visit the doctors office. How is your diet and are you exercising? Those of you afflicted with this disease know that diet and exercise are essential to controlling blood sugar levels. Applying that knowledge is key in control. Self discipline is needed to stay on track. Lets say, you have this self discipline,and are on track.

What can you do to get better blood sugar readings. Just step it up a bit, not much, just a little bit. The Canadian Public Health system, recently conducted an experiment on overweight diabetics. The people involved were on a walking program. The experiment was officially called "Picking Up The Pace." In it, some subjects were chosen to increase their walking by 10%. The experiment lasted 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, the results were as most would expect. The people walking the extra 10% lost a significantly higher amount of weight and showed healthier levels of blood sugar Ten percent of what you are doing now, is not much. If you are walking 1,000 steps in 3 minutes, step it up to 1,100 steps. If you are bench pressing 10 repetitions step it up to 11 repetitions, or put a few more pound on the bar.

This concept relates to any type of exercise you are performing. Just step it up a little. You will find your blood sugar levels to be better. There are many other areas of your health that will also improve. Your heart will work a little harder. This makes it stronger. Your circulation will be more efficient. Your internal organs will function better because of increased blood flow. This will help increase bone density. All of the bodys functions will profit form this small increase in intensity. You will see evidence in your blood sugar readings. You will start to lose a few pounds. You will look better. You will feel better about yourself. You will feel better.
About the Author

John Has been a pharmacist since 1973. His wife of 32 years has Type I diabetes. Johns mother-in-law and 8 year old granddaughter also have diabetes. There were some challenging times. With knowledge and single-eyedness they were able to get this disease under control. John also has been studying exercise and nutrition, and their effect on the body for more than 30 years.

0 Lower Backpain Exercises



People who suffer from chronic low back pain secondary to nerve impingement or improper posture would benefit from doing lower back pain exercises. The objectives of these exercises are to promote proper posture, strengthen the trunk muscles which are the abdominals and back muscles and to stretch the tight muscles to facilitate proper movements and posture.

These exercises are usually taught by trained physical therapists during therapy sessions. However, doctors also introduce these to their patients who complain of low back pain to prevent aggravating the condition and initiate trunk muscle strengthening early on.

Lower back pain exercises consist of simple, basic and easy-to-follow exercises which patients can do at home or even at work during their break time. Constant repetition can promote stronger abdominals and back muscles thereby significantly minimizing the pain and promoting proper posture. Here are some of the most basic exercises;
1. Wall slides. You can do this very simple exercise by standing with your back against the wall. Make sure that the back of your head, shoulders and buttocks are against the wall. Put your right or left hand against your lower back (palm facing the wall) as if supporting the natural arc or "lordosis" of your lower back.
The heels of your feet must be approximately 3 inches away from the wall. This posture should be maintained while slowly sliding down against the wall and bending your knees carefully. This is one of the most basic lower back pain exercises that you can do at home or in your office during your break. Do the wall slides for around 10 to 15 repetitions preferably twice daily.
2. Pelvic tilt. Do this exercise lying down on your back. Bend your knees keeping both feet flat on the floor or exercise mat. Place one of your hands on your lower back with the palm against the floor or mat. Hold this position while attempting to press your lower back against your hand which is placed underneath it.
Hold it for 5 counts and relax. Repeat 10 to 15 times. This movement is called the pelvic tilt. You are actually tilting your pelvis backwards by pressing your lower back against the mat. In doing this, you will feel your abdominal muscles tightening as you hold the tilt longer.
3. One of the best lower back pain exercises is the deep lunge. This exercise stretches the muscles in front of your thigh (Quads) and abdomen. You can do this by kneeling on one knee. Put your other foot in front. Slowly lift the knee up and keep looking forward. Hold the position for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times on each side.
4. Knee-to-chest exercise. This exercise stretches your gluteal muscles or butt muscles. Lie on your back and then bring one knee up pulling it gently on your chest. Hold the position for 5 seconds and repeat for 5 times on each side.
These are just some of the most basic and simple lower back pain exercises. There are many other exercises that you can do at home.

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Thursday, September 12, 2013

0 Benefits Carrots To Lower Cholesterol

Benefits of Carrots - Carrots are one of the vegetables that are rich in vitamin A is good for our health. But besides that, it turns out carrots are also able to cure diseases such as cholesterol disease is one disease that is enough to make many people afraid to eat foods containing cholesterol. To that end, for those of you who suffer from cholesterol can also be eating carrots to help cure your disease.

The Benefits Carrots For Health
Here are some the benefits of carrots are good for our health:

• Serves as a natural antioxidant.
• Prevent cancer growth.
• Prevent cataracts, as it is rich in vitamin A.
• Preventing a heart attack.
• Strengthen bones and teeth.
• Reducing aging spots.
• Reduce acne.

Those are some of the benefits and efficacy of the carrots that we can get to take it daily on a regular basis.

Benefits of Carrots For Cholesterol

Besides some of the benefits of carrots above, carrots cholesterol was able to heal. The trick is to prepare as many as 5 carrot seeds and then washed thoroughly. Furthermore, to be the way I consume in juice or in the grate. Drink all the water and should be routine every day. 

This method may help lower cholesterol levels in our body of excess. To that end, the carrot turns out to have many benefits for the health of our bodies. What about you?

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