Medical need

Torrefacto-roasted Coffee Has Higher Antioxidant Properties

2011-01-13T07:19:00.000-08:00

Torrefacto-roasted coffee has higher antioxidant properties than natural roast, according to the dissertation defended by a biologist of the University of Navarra. She has emphasized in her study that the addition of sugar during the roasting process increases the development of compounds with high antioxidant activity.
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The researcher of Department of Food Sciences, Physiology and Toxicology of the University of Navarra analyzed eleven varieties of commercial coffee for her study, which was entitled “The Influence of Torrefacto Roasting on the Principal Components of Coffee and its Antioxidant and Pro-oxidant Capacity.”

As this scientist of the School of Sciences emphasized, numerous studies have shown the benefits of this drink. In particular, it is considered to be one of the best sources for antioxidants in the diet; these substances help to protect us against free radicals, which are a cause of premature aging and certain diseases. Coffee has an antioxidant capacity which is ten times higher than other drinks, such as red wine and tea.

In order to carry out this research, Isabel López analyzed the coffee consumption habits of the inhabitants of Navarra, via 300 surveys. The results showed that Navarrans consume an average of 125 ml of coffee per day, with consumption slightly higher among women. In addition, they primarily consume ground coffee resulting from a mixture of natural roast and torrefacto-roast coffees, and the coffee is generally prepared with Italian or mocha coffee makers, followed by the filter, espresso and pump methods.

Artificial Butter Flavor In Popcorn May Cause Life-threatening Lung Diseases

2011-01-13T07:16:00.000-08:00

A new study says that the chemical component of artificial butter flavoring can lead to serious lung diseases.

Scientists at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, found that exposure to diacetyl can cause a serious condition that can lead to obliterative bronchiolitis or "popcorn lung."
Experiments showed that mice that inhaled diacetyl vapors for three months developed lymphocytic bronchiolitis—a potential precursor of obliterative bronchiolitis.

None of the mice, however, were diagnosed with the more-serious disorder.

Obliterative bronchiolitis is a life-threatening lung disease that has been detected in workers who inhale significant concentrations of the flavoring in microwave popcorn packaging plants.

"This is one of the first studies to evaluate the respiratory toxicity of diacetyl at levels relevant to human health. Mice were exposed to diacetyl at concentrations and durations comparable to what may be inhaled at some microwave popcorn packaging plants," said Daniel L. Morgan, Ph.D., head of the Respiratory Toxicology Group at the NIEHS and co-author in a release on the study.

Although exposure of laboratory animals by inhalation closely duplicates the way humans are exposed to airborne toxicants, the study points out that some anatomical differences between the mice and humans may account for why the nasal cavity of mice is more susceptible to reactive vapors than that of humans. Another reason may be that mice breathe exclusively through their noses.

Boosting the Flavour of Food may Help to Lose Weight

2011-01-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

Boosting the Flavour of Food may Help to Lose Weight

Boosting the Flavour of Food may Help to Lose Weight
Boosting the flavour of your food with calorie-free seasonings and sweeteners may help in shedding those extra pounds, according to a new study.

According to Dr Alan Hirsch, founder and neurologic director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, flavouring food with calorie-free seasonings and sweeteners, may make people feel full faster and cut down their consumption.

The subjects in study lost an average of nearly 15 percent of their body weight.

Researchers focussed their study on "tastants," substances that can stimulate the sense of taste.

During the research, 2,436 overweight or obese individuals were to sprinkle a variety of savoury or sweet crystals on their food before eating their meals during the 6-month study period.

The subjects put liberal applications of the salt-free savoury flavors on salty foods and applied the sugar-free sweet crystals on sweet or neutral-tasting foods.

They did not know what the flavours were other than salty or sweet. The hidden flavours of the savoury tastants were cheddar cheese, onion, horseradish, ranch dressing, taco, or Parmesan. Sweet flavours were cocoa, spearmint, banana, strawberry, raspberry, and malt. A control group of 100 volunteers did not use tastants

Hirsch measured weight and body mass index (BMI), a measure of height and weight of the subjects before and after the study

The team found that the treatment group had an average weight of 208 pounds and average BMI of 34, which is considered obese.

Food Safety Body may Review Its Clearance of Baby Bottle Chemical

2011-01-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

The EU food safety watchdog EFSA said Tuesday it may review its clearance of bisphenol A for use in the manufacture of plastic baby bottles after Canada moved to ban the substance.

"EFSA is aware of the studies on bisphenol published in the United States and Canada," spokeswoman Anne-Laure Gassin told AFP. "The agency will examine whether it should review its opinion on this product, which dates from January 2007."

The European Food Safety Authority, headquartered in Parma, northern Italy, will reach a decision soon, she said.

The Canadian government announced last month that it was seeking public comment on whether to ban baby bottles made using bisphenol, considered "potentially harmful."

It would become the first country to ban the chemical compound.

A US government report last month also found that bisphenol A could endanger reproductive health and the nervous system.

EFSA said in its January 2007 risk assessment that a daily intake of 0.05 milligrammes of bisphenol A per kilogramme of body weight was tolerable, and that this amount was much greater than that ingested by infants in an average day.

Source-AFP
SRM

Preservatives and Colorings Increases Hyper Activity in Kids

2011-01-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

Eliminating artificial colours and preservatives from the diets of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should be considered a first-line treatment to reduce hyperactivity, says an editorial in the British Medical Journal.

Professor Andrew Kemp from the Children's Hospital at Westmead, in Sydney, says there is good scientific evidence that preservatives and colourings increased hyperactive behaviour.

However, removing them is still considered as an alternative rather than a standard treatment for ADHD, writes Professor Kemp.

In contrast, despite a lack of evidence for its effectiveness, the use of alternative medicine is widespread-up to 50 percent of children attending tertiary children's hospitals in the UK and Australia have used it in the past year.

Of the three main treatments for ADHD in children-drugs, behavioural therapy, and dietary modification-only drugs and dietary modification are supported by data from several trials. Yet, behavioural therapy, which has no scientific evidence base, is still thought of as necessary for "adequate treatment", Kemp says.

So why, despite evidence to the contrary, does the removal of food additives remain an alternative rather than a standard part of treatment for ADHD, asks Kemp.

Data published in 2007 showed that normal (not hyperactive) children were significantly more hyperactive after they ate a mixture of food colourings and a preservative (sodium benzoate), with obvious implications for children with ADHD.

In light of these findings, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the evidence linking preservatives and colourings with hyperactive behaviours from 22 studies between 1975 and 1994 and two additional meta-analyses.

High-risk Food Safety Violations in US Restaurants

2011-01-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

‘Dirty Dining’, a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has ranked 20 U.S. cities for restaurant health. Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts rank worst, while Tucson, Arizona and San Francisco, California rank best.

Chicken salad stored at 50 degrees in Atlanta, insufficient hand-washing in Boston, mouse droppings in a Minneapolis ice machine, a live cockroach scampering across a Pittsburgh cutting board, are some of the dirty details disclosed in the CSPI’s inspection reports of 539 restaurants from 20 cities.

The report observes that improper hand washing, probably due to a lack of hot water at a sink, can spread Hepatitis A, Shigella, or norovirus to diners. Food not held at the proper temperature can encourage the growth of dangerous bacteria such as Clostridium perfringen or Staphylococus aureus. Salmonella or E. Coli O157:H7 can infect diners when meat or poultry is undercooked, or when raw food items are placed on unclean food surfaces.

Today CSPI, the nonprofit nutrition and food-safety watchdog group, is calling on state and local governments to exhort restaurants to display food safety letter grades in their front windows as done in Los Angeles, Los Vegas and St.Louis.

"Americans are eating outside the home and entrusting their health to restaurant workers more than ever before," said Sarah Klein, CSPI food-safety attorney and co-author of the report. "We want to work with state legislators, city councilors, and public health officials around the country to implement these consumer-friendly letter grades. They’d go a long way toward preventing unnecessary illnesses," she added.

Source-Medindia
THK/M

Debunks Health Benefits of Organic Food

2011-01-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

Organically produced foods are not nutritionally superior to conventionally produced foodstuffs, according to researchers.

Consumers appear willing to pay higher prices for organic foods based on their perceived health and nutrition benefits, however, the new study from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found no evidence for superior nutritional content of organic food.

During the review, a total of 162 relevant studies were compared for nutrient content of organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs.

For 10 out of the 13 nutrient categories analysed, there were no significant differences between production methods in nutrient content.

The differences that were detected were most likely to be due to differences in fertilizer use (nitrogen, phosphorus), and ripeness at harvest (acidity), and it is unlikely that consuming these nutrients at the levels reported in organic foods would provide any health benefit.

"A small number of differences in nutrient content were found to exist between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs, but these are unlikely to be of any public health relevance," said Alan Dangour, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit, and one of the report's authors.

"Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority.

"Research in this area would benefit from greater scientific rigour and a better understanding of the various factors that determine the nutrient content of foodstuffs," Dangour added.

The study is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Source-ANI
SR

Best Antioxidant Spice is Clove, Say Boffins

2011-01-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

Clove is the best antioxidant spice, according to Miguel Hernandez University (UMH) researchers.

Using spices eaten in the Mediterranean diet as natural antioxidants is a good way forward as far as health is concerned.

Boffins from the Miguel Hernandez University have identified cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) as the best antioxidant spice, due to the fact they contain high levels of phenolic compounds, as well as having other properties.

"Out of the five antioxidant properties tested, cloves had the highest capacity to give off hydrogen, reduced lipid peroxidation well, and was the best iron reducer", Juana Fernandez-Lspez, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at the UMH, tells SINC.

As a result, the research study published in the latest issue of the Flavour and Fragrance Journal ranks this spice as the best natural antioxidant.

"The results show that use of the natural oxidants occurring in spices used in the Mediterranean diet, or their extracts, is a viable option for the food industry, as long as the organoleptic characteristics of the food product are not affected", adds the researcher.

"These substances exhibit high antioxidant capacity, and could have beneficial effects for health", says the researcher.

Salt Reduction Could Save Lives, Money

2011-01-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

By reducing salt in processed foods could prevent strokes and heart attacks and also save billions of dollars in medical costs, a new study has found.

According to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, the U.S. food service industry should make a voluntary effort to reduce salt.

In the study, the researchers developed a computerized model that simulates the effects of reduced sodium intake on a large population of people between the ages of 40 and 85.

Based on a similar, salt-reduction campaign in the United Kingdom, the researchers estimated that a collaborative industry effort could lead to a 9.5 percent decline in Americans' salt intake.

That, in turn, would lead to a very modest decline in blood pressure among American consumers, minimizing a major risk factor for cardiovascular problems.

"In our analysis, we found these small decreases in blood pressure would be effective in reducing deaths due to cardiovascular disease," Crystal Smith-Spangler, MD, a postdoctoral scholar at the VA and first author of the study, said.

General Health News Beer Preservative may Cut Ammonia

2011-01-10T09:22:00.001-08:00

The natural preservative, Hops, added to beer to ward off bacterial growth may also help in cutting the ammonia produced by cattle, say researchers.

Cattle, deer, sheep, goats and other ruminant animals depend on a slew of naturally occurring bacteria to aid digestion of grass and other fibrous plants in the first of their four stomach chambers, known as the rumen.
According to US Agricultural Research Service (ARS) microbiologist Michael Flythe, the problem comes from one group of bacteria, known as hyper-ammonia-producing bacteria (HABs).

While other bacteria help their bovine hosts convert plant fibres to cud, HABs break down amino acids, a chemical process that produces ammonia and robs the animals of the amino acids they need to build muscle tissue, explains Flythe.

To make up for lost amino acids, cattle growers have to add expensive and inefficient high-protein supplements to their animals' feed.

Flythe, who works at the ARS Forage Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU) in Lexington, Ky, believes hops can reduce HAB populations.

Flythe put either dried hops flowers or hops extracts in either cultures of pure HAB or a bacterial mix collected from a live cow's rumen.

2011-01-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

An independent report prepared by the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, part of the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina, says that Canada has one of the best food safety system in the industrialized world.

Canada was placed joint fourth with United States behind Denmark, Australia and the United Kingdom by the report.

he report took into consideration many factors including the rate of food-borne illness, inspections, education programs, use of agricultural chemicals and strategies on bioterrorism, risk management and food recalls.

Sylvain Charlebois, the lead author of this report said that Canada has revamped its system after an outbreak of listeriosis that caused 57 confirmed cases and 23 casualties in 2008.

Source-Medindia

US Congress Approves Food Safety Bill

2011-01-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

After the impact of food-borne illness in US, the US Congress gave final authorization on Tuesday to food safety bill in the wake of mass recall affecting items like tainted eggs, peanut butter, pistachios, spinach and milk.

The House of Representatives passed the measure by a 215-144 margin, days after the Senate okayed the bill, sending the legislation to President Barack Obama to sign into law.

"With recent outbreaks of food-borne illness from common foods such as spinach, tomatoes, peanut butter, and cookie dough, the urgency of addressing this challenge could not be greater," said House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The bill strengthens the ability of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent outbreaks and fight them when they occur.

Preventable food-borne illness strikes some 76 million Americans each year, requiring 325,000 to be hospitalized, and 5,000 die from tainted food, according to Democratic senator Dick Durbin, the measure's lead author.

The legislation will give FDA more power for inspections, mandatory recall authority, and the technology to trace an outbreak back to its source, said Durbin, who warned, "Our vigilance must continue."

The vote came after a massive August recall of eggs after a salmonella outbreak that sickened some 1,700 people. Overall, more than half a billion eggs were recalled this year, the largest recall in the US industry's history.

Source-AFP

Study prevents diabetes with lifestyle changes

2011-01-09T04:03:00.001-08:00

How do you prevent a deadly disease that is projected to afflict one third of all Americans born today and is caused largely by hard-to-change habits such as too much soda and snacks and too little physical activity?
You could combine the broccoli and cauliflower in the school cafeteria for more colorful eye appeal. Put out 30 basketballs in gym class instead of two. Teach the wonders of water for 15 weeks straight (and remove everything else from vending machines).
Those changes – along with hundreds of others, large and small – signficantly reduced several major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, researchers concluded last week after studying the most comprehensive attempt yet to attack the epidemic through the schools.
Lifestyle prescriptions – you should eat a balanced diet – are notoriously difficult to stick with. But these limits were impossible to avoid.
“Instead of selling candy for a fund-raiser, they were selling carnations. And those are the sort of things that made it holistic across the environment,” said Wayne Grasela, senior vice president for food services in the Philadelphia School District, where six middle schools took part in the three-year national program.
The plan was to intervene early, before diabetes develops – and at a young enough age to learn new habits that could prevent or reduce obesity, a major risk factor for the disease. Numerous physicians helped craft the program, but all the action took place in the schools.
“They are already there. They already take physical education and they already eat lunch in the school,” explained Barbara Linder, who oversaw the study for the National Institutes of Health.
So researchers set about changing the school.
In gym, for example, “instead of doing layups, with most kids standing in line, we had things set up so balls were being passed back and forth while they waited,” said Gary D. Foster, director of Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research and Education, who chaired the national study.
Dumbbells, jump ropes, and medicine balls were distributed to groups, with rotations every 45 to 90 seconds to keep everyone moving. Pop music was played so that gyms were seen as “fun places to be with cool things to do,” Foster said.
In the cafeteria, the standard pizza was replaced with the same manufacturer’s whole-grain, lower-fat version. That shaved nearly 100 calories per slice and the kids didn’t notice, said Amy Virus, a registered dietician at Temple who coordinated the study’s nutrition component.
Nothing but water – not even 100 percent fruit juice – was stocked in vending machines. “Did they miss the juice? Sure, in the beginning,” Virus said, “but they got used to it. And they were buying the water.”
Supporting the effort were posters in classrooms (kids dancing, kids eating fruit), decals sent home over Christmas (TAKE THE FAMILY TV TURNOFF CHALLENGE!) and postcards in summer (“Be active for 60 minutes every day.”), even a healthy version of Jeopardy!, with 25 cards in English and Spanish.
An estimated 24 million Americans have diabetes, a chief cause of kidney failure, limb amputations, blindness, heart disease, and stroke. Although type 1 diabetes is caused by an auto-immune disorder, type 2 – more than 90 percent of the cases – is often linked to lifestyle factors that lead to weight gain and a gradual loss of the ability to control blood sugar.
Once rare before adulthood, type 2 diabetes has been rising steadily in children. Blacks and Hispanics are at particularly high risk; the government now projects that half of all babies born in those minority groups will develop diabetes later in life.
The new program was designed by researchers at seven major universities and targeted schools that enrolled high percentages of poor and minority students.
They began the interventions in 21 schools – three in each city – in the fall of 2006, when the students were in sixth grade; another 21 schools were designated as controls. A total of 4,603 students completed the study in June 2009, at the end of eighth grade.
Analysis showed that there were significantly greater reductions in several diabetes risk factors – body-mass index scores, average insulin levels, and the percentage of students with the largest waists – at the intervention schools vs. the controls.
All those differences were more pronounced among the 50 percent of students who were overweight or obese to begin with. Within that group, the interventions were associated with 21 percent lower odds of being obese at the end of eighth grade, the researchers reported.
The results were published last week online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Food Revolution: The Time is Now to change the world!

2011-01-09T03:58:00.000-08:00

This article published in the New York Times sums it up perfectly: now is the time to have a food revolution. With current peanut butter scare, knowledge that trans fat and soda consumption are bad for health, increasing obesity and biased subsidies it’s a perfect time for us to change the way we think about food and health.
AS tens of thousands of people recently strolled among booths of the nation’s largest organic and natural foods show here, munching on fair-trade chocolate and sipping organic wine, a few dozen pioneers of the industry sneaked off to an out-of-the-way conference room.
Although unit sales of organic foodhave leveled off and even declined lately, versus a year earlier, the mood among those crowded into the conference room was upbeat as they awaited a private screening of a documentary called “Food Inc.” — a withering critique of agribusiness and industrially produced food.
They also gathered to relish their changing political fortunes, courtesy of the Obama administration.
“This has never been just about business,” said Gary Hirshberg, chief executive of Stonyfield Farm, the maker of organic yogurt. “We are here to change the world. We dreamt for decades of having this moment.”
After being largely ignored for years by Washington, advocates of organic and locally grown food have found a receptive ear in the White House, which has vowed to encourage a more nutritious and sustainable food supply.
The most vocal booster so far has been the first lady, Michelle Obama, who has emphasized the need for fresh, unprocessed, locally grown food and, last week, started work on a White House vegetable garden. More surprising, perhaps, are the pronouncements out of the Department of Agriculture, an agency with long and close ties to agribusiness.
In mid-February, Tom Vilsack, the new secretary of agriculture, took a jackhammer to a patch of pavement outside his headquarters to create his own organic “people’s garden.” Two weeks later, the Obama administration named Kathleen Merrigan, an assistant professor at Tufts University and a longtime champion of sustainable agriculture and healthy food, as Mr. Vilsack’s top deputy.
Mr. Hirshberg and other sustainable-food activists are hoping that such actions are precursors to major changes in the way the federal government oversees the nation’s food supply and farms, changes that could significantly bolster demand for fresh, local and organic products. Already, they have offered plenty of ambitious ideas.
For instance, the celebrity chef Alice Waters recommends that the federal government triple its budget for school lunches to provide youngsters with healthier food. And the author Michael Pollan has called on President Obama to pursue a “reform of the entire food system” by focusing on a Pollan priority: diversified, regional food networks.
Still, some activists worry that their dreams of a less-processed American diet may soon collide with the realities of Washington and the financial gloom over much of the country. Even the Bush administration, reviled by many food activists, came to Washington intent on reforming farm subsidies, only to be slapped down by Congress.
Mr. Pollan, who contributes to The New York Times Magazine, likens sustainable-food activists to the environmental movement in the 1970s. Though encouraged by the Obama administration’s positions, he worries that food activists may lack political savvy.
“The movement is not ready for prime time,” he says. “It’s not like we have an infrastructure with legislation ready to go.”
Even so, many activists say they are packing their bags and heading to Washington. They are bringing along a copy of “Food Inc.,” which includes attacks on the corn lobby andMonsanto, and intend to provide a private screening for Mr. Vilsack and Ms. Merrigan.
“We are so used to being outside the door,” says Walter Robb, co-president and chief operating officer of Whole Foods Market, the grocery chain that played a crucial role in making organic and natural food more mainstream. “We are in the door now.”
AT the heart of the sustainable-food movement is a belief that America has become efficient at producing cheap, abundant food that profits corporations and agribusiness, but is unhealthy and bad for the environment.
The federal government is culpable, the activists say, because it pays farmers billions in subsidies each year for growing grains and soybeans. A result is an abundance of corn and soybeans that provide cheap feed for livestock and inexpensive food ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.
They argue that farm policy — and federal dollars — should instead encourage farmers to grow more diverse crops, reward conservation practices and promote local food networks that rely less on fossil fuels for such things as fertilizer and transportation.
Last year, mandatory spending on farm subsidies was $7.5 billion, compared with $15 million for programs for organic and local foods, according to the House Appropriations Committee.
But advocates of conventional agriculture argue that organic farming simply can’t provide enough food because the yields tend to be lower than those for crops grown with chemical fertilizer.
“We think there’s a place for organic, but don’t think we can feed ourselves and the world with organic,” says Rick Tolman, chief executive of the National Corn Growers Association. “It’s not as productive, more labor-intensive and tends to be more expensive.”
The ideas are hardly new. The farmland philosopher and author Wendell Berry has been making many of the same points for decades. What is new is that the sustainable-food movement has gained both commercial heft, with the rapid success of organic and natural foods in the last decade, and celebrity cachet, with a growing cast of chefs, authors and even celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow who champion the cause.
It has also been aided by more awareness of the obesity epidemic, particularly among children, and by concerns about food safety amid seemingly continual outbreaks of tainted supplies.
While their arguments haven’t gained much traction in Washington, sustainable-food activists and entrepreneurs have convinced more Americans to watch what they eat.
They have encouraged the growth of farmers’ markets and created such a demand for organic, natural and local products that they are now sold at many major grocers, including Wal-Mart.
“Increasingly, companies are looking to reduce the amount of additives,” says Ted Smyth, who retired earlier this year as senior vice president at H. J. Heinz, the food giant. “Consumers are looking for more authentic foods. This trend absolutely has percolated through into mainstream foods.”
While the idea of sustainable food is creeping into the mainstream, the epicenter of the movement remains the liberal stronghold of Berkeley, Calif.

Get the white rice out of baby’s first foods

2011-01-09T03:54:00.000-08:00

Almost every child care book offers the same advice about a baby’s first meal.
When infants are ready for solid food, experts say, start them first on rice cereal, available in a box, mixed with breast milk or formula. Babies have launched their eating careers this way for 60 years, says Alan Greene, a pediatrician at Stanford University’s Lucile Packard Children Hospital.
In the 1950s, Greene says, baby food companies trumpeted the benefits of white rice cereal, telling mothers that it was easier for babies to digest than anything they could make at home. “The ads said, ‘You can’t feed children as well as we can,’ ” says Greene, author of Feeding Baby Green.
But David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children’s Hospital Boston, says “there’s no scientific basis for this recommendation. That’s a myth.”
Concerned about increasing childhood obesity and growing rates of diabetes, some pediatricians want to change how babies eat.
Greene is encouraging parents to abandon white rice cereal in favor of more nutritious brown rice cereals or even a homemade brown rice mash or vegetable purée. “They won’t mind,” says Greene, who launched a “WhiteOut” campaign last week. “They’ll thank you for it.”
He is concerned that babies are getting hooked on the taste of highly processed white rice and flour, which could set them up for a lifetime of bad habits, such as a weakness for cakes and cookies.
White rice — after processing strips away fiber, vitamins and other nutrients — is a “nutritional disaster,” Ludwig says. It’s “as processed as anything in the food supply” and “the nutritional equivalent of table sugar.”
White rice and flour turn to sugar in the body “almost instantly,” Ludwig says, raising blood sugar and insulin levels “while providing virtually no other nutrients.”
The USA Rice Federation, which represents the rice industry, counters that white rice has no fat, cholesterol, sodium or gluten, a protein in wheat to which some people are allergic, says spokeswoman Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd. Even fussy babies can tolerate white rice without an upset stomach.
It’s “as nutritionally sound as any other carbohydrate,” she says.
Babies certainly eat a lot of it.
It’s “the No. 1 source of calories for kids in the first year of life, other than breast milk or formula,” says Greene, noting that, “by 18 months, most children get no whole grains each day.”
Greene says parents don’t have to abandon instant rice cereal, which offers the advantage of added iron, an important nutrient for babies, especially those who are breast-fed. Most cereal manufacturers already offer a brown rice alternative.
Though offering whole grains seems like a smart idea, nutrition expert Walter Willett says white rice is far from the only culprit in childhood obesity. Most kids also drink too many sugary beverages, such as fruit juice, punch and soda, says Willett, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and co-author of the June diabetes study.
“I don’t want people to feel guilty,” Greene says. “I have four kids and I figured this out just recently. But it’s time to change.”

Health benefits of fish may outweigh mercury concerns

2011-01-09T03:52:00.000-08:00

The benefits for heart health of eating fish may outweigh concerns over the potential negative impact of increased exposure to mercury as a result, according to a study.
But restrictions are still needed in connection with fish high in mercury, which include species such as perch, shark, swordfish and halibut, said a Swedish team whose results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Maria Wennberg, a public health researcher at Umea University in Sweden, and her colleagues studied more than 900 Swedish men and women who answered questionnaires about the amount of fish in their diet. The team also analyzed the subjects’ red blood cells for levels of mercury and selenium.
Mercury levels were generally low for Scandinavians, but people whose red blood cells showed higher amounts of mercury did not have a higher risk of cardiac problems.
“The protective nutrients in fish override any harmful effect of mercury at these low levels of mercury,” Wennberg said.
The American Hearth Association recommends that people consume at least two servings of fish a week. Salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna are especially high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to minimise the risk of coronary heart disease.
But some questioned the findings, with David O. Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, in Rensselaer, New York, saying that the researchers had assumed the mercury in the subjects’ blood had come from fish.
Carpenter, noting that there were other potential sources, such as coal-fired power plants and dental fillings, added that fish in the Baltic Sea, which borders Sweden, were high in levels of other toxic compounds such as PCBs, which complicated the results.
Wennberg and her colleagues said as well that the drawbacks of relying on the subjects’ memories about the amount of fish consumption could also have an impact on the results.

Chamomile helps relax and get rid of indigestion

2011-01-09T03:48:00.000-08:00

Chamomile is characterized by wonderful characteristics to calm the stomach, as well as a wide range of uses that have been proven through many generations, and also helps to relax and get rid of the indigestion and the problems of pre-menstrual cycle and relieves the person from nausea and inflammation of the intestine.
Studies have shown that chamomile contains substances anti-spasms and inflammation, as utilized in the treatment of bowel, stomach, menstrual cramps, chamomile is a panacea for the headaches and stress-General and drink normally, rather than tea.
It is advisable to avoid eating animal in the case of allergies, and about Rod and chrysanthemums flower Alrajavid and also when dealing with the person to warfarin (colliquative of blood), according to the sites mentioned in the specialized health news.
The Chamomile is a herbal plant around with the smell of aromatic Zakia, and grow in environments with fertile soils, such as kindergartens and some water from the slopes of the mountains, in fields and on the outskirts of the valleys.

40% of deaths in the world because of the misuse of antibiotics

2011-01-09T03:45:00.000-08:00

Health experts concluded that more than 40% of deaths worldwide are caused by misuse of antibiotics, and the spread of this phenomenon extensively in China, where most people are baptized into the use of antibiotics without prescription.

Which has led health experts to re-warning of the danger of failure in the use of drugs by pointing out that more than a million children in China were deaf as a result of the use of antibiotics the wrong way.
It should be noted that die in China each year 200 thousand people have been failures in the use of drugs, because most people hoard antibiotics in their homes and eat normally without medical advice.
And physicians prescribe antibiotics for 70% of patients in hospitals, at a time is 80% of these prescriptions are unnecessary, according to the Chinese Medical Association.
And increases the rate of per capita consumption of antibiotics in China ten times the average annual per capita consumption in the United States.
And much higher rates of injection of antibiotics in the veins of children who come to the hospital to consult a doctor. The reason is due to the preoccupation of physicians who prefer to speed up the healing process without having to explain ways to use the medicine for the people.

Eating too much red meat displays the risk of stroke

2011-01-09T03:43:00.000-08:00

A recent study demonstrated that women who eat lots of red meat have a higher risk of stroke.
I went study 30000 Lady Swedish that women who eat at least 102 grams of meat every day have a higher risk of stroke by 42% for women who drank less than 25 grams of meat due to the impact of meat on the flow of blood in the the brain.
Nutrition experts have proved negative impact of red meat a lot of diseases, including increased risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease and increase blood pressure. However, this study focused on the impact of meat in abundance on the risk of stroke.
Has d. Susanna Larsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm with the research team to follow up the case of 34 670 women aged between 39-73 years old, and they all are not suffering from vascular disease or cancer when the study began in 1997. During the ten years of follow-up in 1680 a woman was hit by strokes.
He spoke of stroke due to a blocked artery, which supplies the brain with blood, known as cerebral infarction, the most common types of stroke, which represents 78% of strokes that dealt with the study. While other species occur as a result of bleeding in the brain or for unspecified reasons.
However, the study found no link between eating red meat or processed and the risk of other types of strokes.
The scholars explain that the relationship between eating meat and the incidence of this type of stroke attachment to eating meat increase blood pressure, the main cause of stroke. The iron is red meat may also lead to increased production of free radicals groups that infect the tissue. The study also showed that processed meats are rich in sodium, which may increase blood pressure.

nausea heartburn indigestion

2011-01-07T15:38:00.001-08:00

There are lots of different similar conditions that a person can deal with, but if you are suffering from nausea heartburn indigestion, it is the real deal and you are probably in a great deal of pain and want to find appropriate treatment so that you can get back to your normal life and not have to deal with this excruciating pain all the time.
One of the worst things about nausea heartburn indigestion or heartburn acid indigestion is that it happens most commonly after eating a meal, so it means that heartburn sufferers often stop enjoying their meals and even often avoid eating altogether.
When you are living with nausea heartburn indigestion you really just need to know how to deal, and fortunately there are quite a few different options that you have in terms of treatment here.
Choosing the Best Treatment
The best way to choose the right treatment for your nausea heartburn indigestion is to learn about the different treatments that are available to you and then once you have become more educated, you will be much better off when trying to determine which is going to be most appropriate for you.
One treatment that you may want to consider is quite simple, and that is to make some simple lifestyle changes. This includes eating smaller, more frequent meals for one, because by stuffing yourself you are just going to be causing yourself more pain and increasing the likelihood of your heartburn coming back.
You are also going to want to try keeping yourself sitting up a bit when you go to bed at night, as this will prevent the acids in your stomach from regurgitating back up into the esophagus.
Another great nausea heartburn indigestion treatment is medication, although this is an option that many people do not want to have to resort to. You can try antacids first which are very mild, but if these are not enough there are better, stronger medications that are available as well. There are the histamine H2 antagonists for one, and this is a class of medications that inhibit the action of histamine which is a chemical that stimulates stomach cells to produce acid.
It is important that you work together with your doctor on this if you want to come out of it all with the best possible results. They will be able to stay on top of your condition and make sure that you are making the proper progress.
Tags: nausea heartburn indigestion, heartburn acid indigestion, antacids, indigestion

Filed under indigestion by health-guide

symptoms indigestion

2011-01-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

The main symptom of indigestion (dyspepsia) is pain or a feeling of discomfort in your chest or stomach. This usually comes on soon after eating or drinking, although there can sometimes be a delay between eating a meal and experiencing indigestion.
The symptoms of indigestion are often described as ‘heartburn’, which you may experience as a burning pain behind your breastbone (sternum). Heartburn is caused by acid that passes from your stomach into your oesophagus (gullet).
If you have indigestion, you may also have symptoms such as:

feeling uncomfortably full or heavy
belching (burping)
regurgitation (where food comes back up from your stomach)
bloating
nausea (feeling sick)
vomiting (being sick)

Serious symptoms

In some cases, indigestion can be a sign of a more serious underlying health problem, such as stomach cancer. Seek immediate medical attention if you have recurring indigestion and you:

are 55 years old or over
have lost a lot of weight without meaning to
have increasing difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
have persistent vomiting
# have iron deficiency anaemia, a reduction in the number of red blood cells because the body does not contain enough iron to produce them (which causes tiredness, breathlessness and an irregular heartbeat)
have a lump in your stomach
have gastrointestinal bleeding, which is bleeding in your stomach and intestines (you may have blood in your vomit or stools and you may feel tired, breathless and dizzy)

indigestion symptoms

2011-01-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

What Are the Symptoms of Indigestion?

The symptoms of indigestion include:

Bloating (full feeling)
Belching and gas
Nausea and vomiting
Acidic taste
Growling stomach
Burning in the stomach or upper abdomen
Abdominal pain

These symptoms may increase in times of stress.
People often have heartburn (a burning sensation deep in the chest) along with indigestion. But heartburn is caused by stomach acids rising into the esophagus.

Who Is at Risk for Indigestion?

People of all ages and of both sexes are affected by indigestion. It's extremely common. An individual's risk increases with excess alcohol consumption, use of drugs that may irritate the stomach (such as aspirin), other conditions where there is an abnormality in the digestive tract such as an ulcer and emotional problems such as anxiety or depression.

What Causes Indigestion?

Indigestion has many causes, including:
Diseases:

Ulcers
GERD
Stomach cancer (rare)
Gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach doesn't empty properly; this often occurs in diabetics)
Stomach infections
Irritable bowel syndrome
Chronic pancreatitis
Thyroid disease

Medications:

Aspirin and many other painkillers
Estrogen and oral contraceptives
Steroid medications
Certain antibiotics
Thyroid medicines

Lifestyle:

Eating too much, eating too fast, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful situations
Drinking too much alcohol
Cigarette smoking
Stress and fatigue

Swallowing excessive air when eating may increase the symptoms of belching and bloating, which are often associated with indigestion.
Sometimes people have persistent indigestion that is not related to any of these factors. This type of indigestion is called functional, or non-ulcer dyspepsia.
During the middle and later parts of pregnancy, many women have indigestion. This is believed to be caused by a number of pregnancy-related factors including hormones, which relax the muscles of the digestive tract, and the pressure of the growing uterus on the stomach.

How Is Indigestion Diagnosed?

If you are experiencing symptoms of indigestion, make an appointment to see your doctor to rule out a more serious condition. Because indigestion is such a broad term, it is helpful to provide your doctor with a precise description of the discomfort you are experiencing. In describing your indigestion symptoms, try to define where in the abdomen the discomfort usually occurs. Simply reporting pain in the stomach is not detailed enough for your doctor to help identify and treat your problem.
First, your doctor must rule out any underlying conditions. Your doctor may perform several blood tests and you may have X-rays of the stomach or small intestine. Your doctor may also use an instrument to look closely at the inside of the stomach, a procedure called an upper endoscopy. An endoscope, a flexible tube that contains a light and a camera to produce images from inside the body, is used in this procedure.

Indigestion

(continued)

What Is the Treatment for Indigestion?

Because indigestion is a symptom rather than a disease, treatment usually depends upon the underlying condition causing the indigestion.
Often, episodes of indigestion go away within hours without medical attention. However, if your indigestion symptoms become worse, you should consult a doctor. Here are some helpful tips to alleviate indigestion:

Try not to chew with your mouth open, talk while chewing, or eat too fast. This causes you to swallow too much air, which can aggravate indigestion.
Drink fluids after rather than during meals.
Avoid late-night eating.
Try to relax after meals.
Avoid spicy foods.
Stop smoking.
Avoid alcoholic beverages.

If indigestion is not relieved after making these changes, your doctor may prescribe medications to alleviate your symptoms.

How Can I Prevent Indigestion?

The best way to prevent indigestion is to avoid the foods and situations that seem to cause indigestion. Keeping a food diary is helpful in identifying foods that cause indigestion. Here are some other suggestions:

Eat small meals so the stomach does not have to work as hard or as long.
Eat slowly.
Avoid foods that contain high amounts of acids, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes.
Reduce or avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine.
If stress is a trigger for your indigestion, re-evaluating your lifestyle may help to reduce stress. Learn new methods for managing stress, such as relaxation and biofeedback techniques.
Smokers should consider quitting smoking, or at least not smoking right before or after eating, as smoking can irritate the stomach lining.
Cut back on alcohol consumption because alcohol can irritate the stomach lining.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting garments because they tend to compress the stomach, which can cause its contents to enter the esophagus.
Do not exercise with a full stomach. Rather, exercise before a meal or at least one hour after eating a meal.
Do not lie down right after eating.
Wait at least three hours after your last meal of the day before going to bed.
Raise the head of your bed so that your head and chest are higher than your feet. You can do this by placing 6-inch blocks under the bedposts at the head of the bed. Don't use piles of pillows to achieve the same goal. You will only put your head at an angle that can increase pressure on your stomach and make heartburn worse.

When Should I Call the Doctor About Indigestion?

Because indigestion can be a sign of a more serious health problem, call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

Vomiting or blood in vomit (the vomit may look like coffee grounds).
Weight loss.
Loss of appetite.
Black, tarry stools or visible blood in stools.
Severe pain in upper right abdomen.
Pain in upper or lower right abdomen.
Discomfort unrelated to eating.

Symptoms similar to indigestion may be caused by heart attacks. If indigestion is unusual, accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, or pain radiating to the jaw, neck or arm, seek medical attention immediately.

coronary heart disease

2011-01-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

Coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as coronary artery disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels (coronary arteries) that supply oxygen and blood to the heart. Coronary heart disease is a major cause of illness and death.

Coronary heart disease is generally caused by atherosclerosis - when plaque (cholesterol substances) accumulates on the artery walls, causing them to narrow, resulting in less blood flow to the heart. Sometimes a clot may form which can obstruct the flow of blood to heart muscle. Coronary heart disease commonly causes angina pectoris (chest pain), shortness of breath, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and other symptoms.

The coronary arteries are called so because they encircle the heart like a crown. The Latin word corona means "crown".

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for males and females in the USA. 17.6 million Americans were thought to have had the condition in 2006. It caused the death of over 425,000 people in the USA in 2006.

According to the National Health Service (NHS), UK, coronary heart disease causes the death of 1 in every 4 men and 1 in every 6 women in the United Kingdom - it is the UK's biggest killer. The risk of developing the disease increases with age. More males are affected than females.

About the heart - the heart is a muscle, about the same size as an adult human fist. It beats about 70 times per minute and pumps oxygen-rich blood around the body. After leaving the heart, blood goes to the lungs where it gathers oxygen. This oxygen-rich blood returns to the heart (from the lungs) and is pumped to organs throughout the body through arteries. The blood returns to the heart through veins and is pumped to the lungs again. This whole process of blood going to the lungs from the heart, then back, and then to organs and then back, and then to the lungs again, is called circulation. Coronary arteries are the heart's own network of blood vessels; they exist on the surface of the heart - they supply the heart muscle with oxygen.

According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary:

      Coronary artery disease is "narrowing of the lumen of one or more of the coronary arteries, usually due to atherosclerosis; myocardial ischemia; can cause congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, or myocardial infarction."

What are the signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)?
A symptom is something the patient senses and describes, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor notice. For example, drowsiness may be a symptom while dilated pupils may be a sign.

If the coronary arteries narrow, the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart may become insufficient, especially if the patient is exerting some kind of physical activity. Initially, the reduced blood flow may not produce any symptoms. However, as fatty deposits (plaque) build in the coronary arteries, the following signs and symptoms may emerge: Angina - or angina pectoris (Latin for squeezing of the chest) - is chest pain, discomfort, or tightness that occurs when an area of the heart muscle is receiving decreased blood oxygen supply. Angina is usually felt as:

#

    * A squeezing, pressure, heaviness, tightening, squeezing, burning or aching across the chest, usually starting behind the breastbone.
    * This pain often spreads to the neck, jaw, arms, shoulders, throat, back, or even the teeth.
    * Patients may also complain of symptoms that include indigestion, heartburn, weakness, sweating, nausea, cramping, and shortness of breath.
    * Stable (chronic) angina usually is unsurprising, lasts a short period of time, and may feel like gas or indigestion. It is brought on when the heart is working harder than usual, such as during exercise. It has a regular pattern and can be predicted to happen over months or even years. Symptoms are relieved by rest or medication.
    * Unstable angina, often caused by blood clots, occurs at rest, is surprising, last longer, and may worsen over time.
    * Variant angina occurs at rest and is usually severe. Variant angina occurs when an artery experiences a spasm that causes it to tighten and narrow, disrupting blood supply to the heart. This can be triggered by exposure to cold, stress, medicines, smoking, or cocaine use.

# Shortness of breath - if the heart and/or other body organs are not getting enough oxygen the patient may start panting. There may also be incredibly tired with exertion.
# Heart attack - if the heart muscle does not have enough blood (and consequently oxygen) it dies and a heart attack occurs. Another name for a heart attack is myocardial infarction, cardiac infarction and coronary thrombosis. A heart attack commonly occurs when a blood clot develops in one of the coronary arteries. The clot, if it is big enough, can stop the supply of blood to the heart. During a heart attack the patient may experience:

    * Chest discomfort, mild pain
    * Coughing
    * Crushing chest pain
    * Dizziness
    * Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
    * Face seems gray
    * A feeling of terror that your life is coming to its end
    * Feeling really awful (general feeling)
    * Nausea
    * Restlessness
    * The person is clammy and sweaty
    * Vomiting

A person who is having a heart attack usually feels the pain in his/her chest first. This pain then spreads to the neck, jaw, ears, arms, and wrists. With some patients, the pain also makes its way into the shoulder blades, the back, and the abdomen.

The pain does not feel any better if the patient changes position, rests, or lies down. Often it is a constant pain, but it can come and go. Patients describe the pain as one of pressure, something squeezing. The pain can last from a few minutes to many hours.

People with diabetes, and/or those over the age of 75 may experience a "silent heart attack". This is one that occurs with no pain at all.

A heart attack is a medical emergency - it can result in permanent damage to the heart muscle if not treated immediately. Lack of prompt treatment can also result in death. People who think they are having a heart attack should call the emergency services immediately.

What are the risk factors for coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)?

A risk factor is something which increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease. For example, obesity significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.

    * Age - as people age their risk of developing narrowed arteries, or having some kind of damage in the arteries is greater.
    * Sex - although the risk for women is still significant, especially after the menopause, males are at greater risk of developing coronary heart disease.
    * Genetics - people who have a parent who developed coronary heart disease before the age of 60 years have a higher risk of developing it themselves, compared to other individuals.
    * Smoking - carbon monoxide, which is present in tobacco smoke, can damage the inner lining of blood vessels, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels (makes them narrower). A 20-per-day regular female smoker is 6 times as likely to develop coronary heart disease compared to women who have never smoked. Male regular smokers generally are three times as likely to develop the condition compared to male lifetime non-smokers.
    * Uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) - the lumen (the channel through which blood flows in the blood vessels) becomes narrower as the arteries thicken and harden.
    * High blood cholesterol - high blood cholesterol levels makes the build-up of plaques and consequent atherosclerosis more likely. High cholesterol can be caused by high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels or low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) levels. LDL is also known as the bad cholesterol, while HDL is also known as the good cholesterol.
    * Diabetes - both types of diabetes are linked to a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, especially Diabetes Type II, which is often caused by obesity.
    * Obesity - obese people have a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease.
    * Lack of exercise - people who lead very sedentary lives have a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease.
    * Emotional/mental stress - there is a link between chronic (long-term) emotional/mental stress and damage to arteries.

Some conditions, such as metabolic syndrome or diabetes type II have several signs and symptoms which are linked to a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Risk factors not linked to obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, etc.:

    * C-reactive protein (CRP) - research has indicated that CRP concentration is associated with future risk of a wide range of common diseases, including: heart attack, stroke, deaths from various cancers, chronic lung disease, injuries, and other conditions. CRP is produced by the liver in response to injury or infection. Muscle cells within coronary arteries also produce CRP. However, this study suggests that the causality seems unlikely.
    * Homocysteine - this is an amino acid produced by the body, often as a by-product of consuming meat. It is made from methionine, another amino acid, and is then turned into other amino acids. Coronary heart disease, as well as other cardiovascular conditions seems more likely to occur if homocysteine levels are elevated.
    * Fibrinogen - a blood protein which is involved in the blood clotting process. Excess levels may encourage the clumping of platelets, resulting in the formation of clots.
    * Lipoprotein (a) - may undermine the body's ability to dissolve blood clots. Lipoprotein (a) forms when an LDL particle attaches to a specific protein.

What are the causes of coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)?
Experts say that coronary artery disease starts with injury or damage to the inner layer of a coronary artery. According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, in some cases this damage/injury may occur during childhood.

When the artery's inner wall is damaged plaques (fatty deposits) build up at the site of the injury. The fatty deposits - known as called atheroma - consist of cholesterol and other cellular waste products. This accumulation at the site of the damage is called atherosclerosis. If bits from the fatty deposits break off or rupture, platelets will clump in the area in an attempt to repair the blood vessel - sometimes this clump can block the artery, which either reduces or blocks blood flow, and can result in a heart attack.
Diagnosing coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)
The doctor will probably ask the patient questions about their medical history, symptoms and carry out a physical examination. One or some of the following diagnostic tests may also be ordered:

    * ECG (electrocardiogram) - this device records the electrical activity and rhythms of the patient's heart. Electrodes are attached to the patient's skin and impulses are recorded as waves are displayed on a screen (or printed on paper). The test may also reveal any damage to the heart from a heart attack.
    * A Holter monitor - the patient wears a portable device which records all his/her heartbeats. It is worn under the clothing and records information about the electrical activity of the heart while the patient goes about his/her normal activities for one or two days. It has a button which can be pressed if symptoms are felt - then the doctor can see what heart rhythms were present at that moment. Some abnormalities may indicate a problem with blood flow.
    * An echocardiogram - this is an ultrasound scan that checks the pumping action of the patient's heart. This test also helps distinguish systolic heart failure from diastolic heart failure (the heart is stiff and does not fill properly). Sound waves are used to create a video image of the patient's heart, which helps the doctor see how well the heart is pumping. The doctor measures the percentage of blood pumped out of the patient's left ventricle (the main pumping chamber) with each heartbeat - this measurement is call the ejection fraction.

      An ejection fraction is a crucial measurement which determines how well the heart is pumping. A healthy heart pumps out approximately 60% of the blood that fills the ventricle with each beat - a healthy heart has an ejection factor of 60%.
    * Stress test - the aim here is to stress the heart and study it. The patient may have to use a treadmill or exercise machine, or take a medication that stresses the heart. Sometimes nuclear medicine or echocardiographic techniques are used to take pictures of the heart to find out whether there are any blockages in the heart arteries - such a blockage could be causing the heart failure. An oxygen uptake stress test will determine how well the patient's body is making up for his/her condition.
    * Coronary catheterization - the doctor injects a special dye into the arteries of the heart through a catheter which is threaded through an artery, often in the leg, to the arteries in the heart. An X-ray machine is used to detect narrow spots or blockages revealed by the dye. If any blockage is found, a balloon may be pushed through the catheter and inflated; this squashes the clot and improves blood flow. A stent may be placed to keep the artery dilated.
    * CT (computerized tomography) scan - CT scans can help the doctor visualize the arteries, detect calcium within fatty deposits that narrow coronary arteries, and some other heart abnormalities.
    * MRA (magnetic resonance angiogram) - MRI imaging technology is frequently used with an injected contrast dye to determine whether there is any narrowing or blockages in the coronary arteries.
    * Nuclear ventriculography - this test uses tracers (radioactive materials) to show the heart chambers. It is a non-invasive procedure and is done while the patient is resting. The doctor injects technetium (radioactive material) into the vein. The substance attaches to red blood cells and passes through the heart. Special cameras/scanners trace the technetium as it travels through the heart.
    * Blood tests - to measure blood cholesterol levels. The patient may be asked not to eat for at least 12 hours before the test. Blood tests are particularly important if the patient:

          o Is aged over 40 years
          o Has a family history of cardiovascular disease
          o Has a family history of a cholesterol-related condition
          o Is obese/overweight
          o Has hypertension (high blood pressure)
          o Has another medical condition, such an under-active thyroid gland, kidney disease, acute pancreatitis, or any condition which may elevate blood levels of cholesterol.

What are the treatment options for coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)?
Although coronary heart disease cannot be cured, it can be managed much more effectively today than in the past. Treatment consists mainly of lifestyle changes, and perhaps some medical procedures and medications.

Lifestyle - some specific lifestyle changes can significantly improve the health of the arteries:

    * Stop smoking
    * Eat a healthy and well balanced diet
    * Exercise regularly
    * Aim for an ideal bodyweight
    * Reduce emotional/mental stress

Medications:

    * Medications to modify cholesterol levels - these include statins, fibrates and bile acid sequestrants. These drugs reduce the main material that deposits on the coronary arteries. They lower LDL levels.
    * Low-dose aspirin and clot-busting medication - blood clots in the coronary arteries can cause heart attacks. The doctor may prescribe a low-dose aspirin and/or a clot-busting medication. If the patient has a bleeding disorder these medications may be unsuitable. These drugs help prevent the blood from clotting so easily, reducing the risk of angina or heart attack.
    * Beta blockers - they reduce blood pressure as well as the heart rate, resulting in a lower demand of oxygen by the heart. Beta blockers help lower the risk of future heart attacks for patients who have had a heart attack.
    * Nitroglycerin - these may be in the form of patches, sprays or tablets and control chest pain by reducing the heart's demand for blood and opening up (widening) the coronary arteries.
    * ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors - they lower blood pressure and also help slow down or stop the progression of coronary artery disease. If a patient has had a heart attack they may also help reduce the risk of future ones. Patients who take ACE inhibitors should not stop taking them without first checking with their doctor - there is a serious risk of rapidly-worsening symptoms.
    * Calcium channel blockers - these drugs widen the coronary arteries, resulting in greater blood flow to the heart. They also help treat hypertension.

Surgery - if fatty deposit build-up has left the blood vessels very narrow, or if symptoms are not responding well enough to medications, surgery may be required to open up or replace blocked arteries.

    * Percutaneous coronary revascularization (angioplasty and stent placement) - a catheter is inserted into the narrowed part of the artery. A deflated balloon is passed through the catheter to the affected area. When the balloon is inflated it compresses (squashes) fatty deposits against the artery walls. A stent (mesh tube) is sometimes left in the artery to help keep it open. In some cases, the stent releases a medication.
    * Coronary bypass surgery - in this surgical procedure the surgeon creates a graft to bypass the blocked artery by using a vessel from another part of the body; the bypass graft can be a vein from the leg or an inner chest-wall artery. The blood, effective flows around the blocked/narrowed coronary artery. This procedure is usually done only when the patient has several blocked/narrowed arteries. Put simply, a small length of vein tubing is taken from one part of the body, one end of it is attached to just before the blockage, while the other end is attached to just after the blockage - the blood then effectively bypasses the blockage.
    * Heart transplant - in some rare cases, if the heart is badly damaged and the patient is not responding well enough to treatment, the doctor may recommend a heart transplant. This involves replacing the damaged heart with a healthy donor one.
    * Laser surgery - the surgeon makes several tiny holes in the heart muscle. These encourage the formation of new blood vessels to grow in the affected heart muscle.

Prevention of coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)
If you can keep your LDL levels low and your HDL levels high, your risk of developing coronary heart disease is significantly lower (than someone who can't). The following lifestyle measures can help:

    * Be physically active
    * Consume alcohol in moderation or not at all
    * Do not smoke
    * Eat a healthy and balanced diet
    * Keep your blood pressure under control
    * Keep your diabetes under control
    * Maintain a healthy body weight
    * Reduce/control emotional and mental stress
    * If you already have coronary heart disease, follow your doctor's instructions in order to prevent complications. This includes taking the prescribed medications.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today

vascular disease

2011-01-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

As the heart beats, it pumps blood through a system of blood vessels, called the circulatory system. The vessels are elastic tubes that carry blood to every part of the body

Arteries carry blood away from the heart.
Veins return blood back to the heart.

Vascular Disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system, such as peripheral artery disease. This ranges from diseases of your arteries, veins and lymph vessels to blood disorders that affect circulation. The following are conditions that fall under the category of "Vascular Disease":

Peripheral Artery Disease

Like the blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries), your peripheral arteries (blood vessels outside your heart) also may develop atherosclerosis, the build-up of fat and cholesterol deposits, called plaque, on the inside walls. Over time, the build-up narrows the artery. Eventually the narrowed artery causes less blood to flow, and a condition called ischemia can occur. Ischemia is inadequate blood flow to the body's tissue.

A blockage in the coronary arteries can cause symptoms of chest pain (angina) or a heart attack.
A blockage in the carotid arteries (the arteries supplying the brain) can lead to a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke
A blockage in the legs can lead to leg pain or cramps with activity (claudication), changes in skin color, sores or ulcers and feeling tired in the legs. Total loss of circulation can lead to gangrene and loss of a limb.
A blockage in the renal arteries can cause renal artery disease (stenosis). The symptoms include uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure), congestive heart failure, and abnormal kidney function.

Aneurysm

An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can form in any blood vessel, but they occur most commonly in the aorta (aortic aneurysm) which is the main blood vessel leaving the heart:

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (part of aorta in the chest)
Abdominal aortic aneurysm - include one or more of the following:
- Suprarenal aneurysm (involving the arteries above the kidneys)
- Juxtarenal aneurysm (involving the main renal arteries)
- Infrarenal aneurysm (involving the arteries below the kidneys)

Small aneurysms generally pose no threat. However, one is at increased risk for:

Atherosclerotic plaque (fat and calcium deposits) formation at the site of the aneurysm
A clot (thrombus) may form at the site and dislodge
Increase in the aneurysm size, causing it to press on other organs, causing pain
Aneurysm rupture - because the artery wall thins at this spot, it is fragile and may burst under stress. A sudden rupture of an aortic aneurysm may be life threatening

Renal Artery Disease

Renal artery disease is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis of the renal arteries (see above). It occurs in people with generalized vascular disease. Less often, renal artery disease can be caused by fibromuscular dysplasia, a congenital (present at birth) abnormal development of the tissue that makes up the renal arteries. This type of renal artery disease occurs in younger age groups.

Raynaud's Phenomenon (also called Raynaud's Disease or Raynaud's Syndrome)

Raynaud's Phenomenon consists of spasms of the small arteries of the fingers, and sometimes, the toes, brought on by exposure to cold or excitement. Certain occupational exposures bring on Raynaud's. The episodes produce temporary lack of blood supply to the area, causing the skin to appear white or bluish and cold or numb. In some cases, the symptoms of Raynaud's may be related to underlying connective tissue disorders (i.e., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma).

Buerger's Disease

Buerger's Disease most commonly affects the small and medium sized arteries, veins, and nerves. Although the cause is unknown, there is a strong association with tobacco use or exposure. The arteries of the arms and legs become narrowed or blocked, causing lack of blood supply (ischemia) to the fingers, hands, toes and feet. Pain occurs in the arms, hands, and more frequently the legs and feet, even at rest. With severe blockages, the tissue may die (gangrene), requiring amputation of the fingers and toes.

Superficial vein inflammation and symptoms of Raynaud's occur commonly in patients with Buerger's Disease.

Peripheral Venous Disease

Veins are flexible, hollow tubes with flaps inside, called valves. When your muscles contract, the valves open, and blood moves through the veins. When your muscles relax, the valves close, keeping blood flowing in one direction through the veins.

If the valves inside your veins become damaged, the valves may not close completely. This allows blood to flow in both directions. When your muscles relax, the valves inside the damaged vein(s) will not be able to hold the blood. This can cause pooling of blood or swelling in the veins. The veins bulge and appear as ropes under the skin. The blood begins to move more slowly through the veins, it may stick to the sides of the vessel walls and blood clots can form.

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are bulging, swollen, purple, ropy veins, seen just under your skin, caused by damaged valves within the veins. They are more common in women than men and they often run in families. They can also be caused by pregnancy, being severely overweight, or standing for long periods of time. The symptoms include:

Bulging, swollen, purple, ropy, veins seen under the skin
Spider veins - small red or purple bursts on your knees, calves, or thighs, caused by swollen capillaries (small blood vessels)
Aching, stinging, or swelling of the legs at the end of the day

Venous Blood Clots

Blood clots in the veins are usually caused by:

Long bedrest and/or immobility
Damage to veins from injury or infection
Damage to the valves in the vein, causing pooling near the valve flaps
Pregnancy and hormones (such as estrogen or birth control pills)
Genetic disorders
Conditions causing slowed blood flow or thicker blood, such as inflammatory bowel disease, congestive heart failure (CHF), or certain tumors

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot occurring in a deep vein.

Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that breaks loose from a vein and travels to the lungs.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) occurs when damaged vein valves or a DVT causes long-term pooling of blood and swelling in the legs. If uncontrolled, fluid will leak into the surrounding tissues in the ankles and feet, and may eventually cause skin breakdown and ulceration.

Other vascular conditions include:

Blood Clotting Disorders

Blood clotting disorders are disorders that make the blood more likely to form blood clots (hypercoagulable) in the arteries and veins. These conditions may be inherited (congenital, occurring at birth) or acquired during life and include:

Elevated levels of factors in the blood which cause blood to clot (fibrinogen, factor 8, prothrombin)
Deficiency of natural anticoagulant (blood-thinning) proteins (antithrombin, protein C, protein S
Elevated blood counts
Abnormal Fibrinolysis (the breakdown of fibrin)
Abnormal changes in the lining of the blood vessels (endothelium)

Lymphedema

The lymphatic system is a circulatory system that includes an extensive network of lymph vessels and lymph nodes. The lymphatic system helps coordinate the immune system's function to protect the body from foreign substances. Lymphedema is an abnormal build-up of fluid that causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. Lymphedema develops when lymph vessels or lymph nodes are missing, impaired, damaged or removed. Primary lymphedema is rare and is caused by the absence of certain lymph vessels at birth, or it may be caused by abnormalities in the lymphatic vessels. Secondary lymphedema occurs as a result of a blockage or interruption that alters the lymphatic system. Secondary lymphedema can develop from an infection, malignancy, surgery, scar tissue formation, trauma, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), radiation or other cancer treatment.

Section of Vascular Medicine

The Vascular Medicine physicians at the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with vascular diseases. The Non-Invasive Laboratory includes state-of-the art computerized imaging equipment to assist in diagnosing vascular disease, without added discomfort to the patient.

The Vascular Intervention Program provides many options to treat vascular disease, while avoiding surgical procedures.

Buying Health Insurance

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Overview
All health care policies are not created equal. To choose the best plan type for you, you must first understand their differences. Health insurance plans can be broken into two basic categories, the traditional indemnity plan (also called "fee-for service") and the managed-care plan. Premium costs vary depending on the type of plan, location, benefits offered, deductible, and age and sex of the insured. Generally, the indemnity plan is the most expensive followed in decreasing order by PPO plans, POS plans, and HMO plans.

Medicare – for those who have qualified for Social Security – is also important to understand.
Types of health insurance Indemnity
Indemnity plans allow you to choose any doctor or hospital when seeking medical care. These plans typically have a deductible that must be met before any benefits are payable to the insured. After this deductible, the plans pay a co-insurance percentage, typically 70% to 90% of billed charges. The remainder of the bill is paid by the insured. While these plans usually offer full freedom of provider choice, they are typically more expensive. Managed care options limit the choice of service provider in different ways but are generally more economical.

Managed Care – HMO
With the least freedom (in terms of physician and facility selection) and lowest cost, the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) normally restricts you to a primary care physician who coordinates your care and must refer you to a specialist.

Managed Care – PPO
The Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) gives patients the choice of staying within the network or seeking care outside the group. If you stay within the network, 90-100% of the cost is normally covered while if you go outside the network you submit the claims, similar to a indemnity policy, and typically get 70% of the cost covered.

Managed Care – POS
Less expensive than PPOs, Point-of-Service plans (POS) still provide more freedom than HMOs. For basic care, you can stay within the network but if you choose to see a specialist outside of the HMO you simply pay a percentage of his charges.

Federal: Medicare
Medicare provides coverage for people who have qualified for Social Security (usually 40 quarters of work subject to Social Security). The majority of people who qualify for Medicare become eligible at age 65. Under some circumstances, extreme disabilities may qualify a person for Medicare before age 65. Medicare provides comprehensive coverage, but can have some larger co-insurance payments than many traditional plans. Because of these co-payments, many Medicare recipients buy relatively inexpensive supplements.
Important managed care provisions Access to specialists.
Typically in HMOs, a patient's care is managed by a primary care physician, a family practitioner or internist. This physician, the gatekeeper, provides the majority of care and controls access to specialists, tests, and procedures. Their goal is to keep costs down which may mean limiting specialists and certain tests. Some plans may not even have hepatologists or gastroenterologists familiar with hepatitis within their network. It is essential to select a plan that gives you the expertise you need.

Access to emergency care.
Managed care plans may limit accessibility to emergency rooms. Know what type of restrictions exist before you can go to an emergency room. Do you need approval from the gatekeeper? And, what if you are out of town? Will the managed care plan cover for you to see someone out of the plan's physician network? Do you need approval first? If so, is it usually granted quickly?

Access to treatments, medications, tests.
Pay particular attention to emerging or experimental treatments. There are only a few approved medications to treat hepatitis today, and it's a long process before new medications receive approval. Will your plan allow you to access treatments? Check to see if your plan covers new medications and ask to see the list of the formally covered drugs. Check to specifically see whether medications like interferon are covered, and for what conditions. In addition, what's the lifetime limit (if any) that the plan will pay towards drugs? Important indemnity provisions Your true cost cannot just be judged by the premium alone.
There is also the amount that you are expected to pay – the out-of-pocket-costs. These charges include the deductible (the annual dollar amount you must spend on health care before the insurance company picks up the cost). Normally, the higher the deductible the lower the premium is.

Out-of-pocket costs also include the portion of the bill you're expected to pay after your premium is met – the co-payment. In indemnity plans, the co-payment is usually 20% of the fees. However, the insurance company may limit its payment to 80% of what they feel is the reasonable and customary charge for a service – even if your doctor or hospital charges a larger amount – leaving you to pay the difference. You should also check whether there is an out-of-pocket maximum; you may want that if a serious illness occurs.

Stick with a major medical policy which covers both hospital stays and physician services in and out of the hospital.
There are cheaper plans which offer a fixed rate per day in the hospital or dread-disease policies which pay only if you contract a specific disease like cancer but these policies give you very limited coverage. Does it wear a cap? There are at least three possible types of caps or maximum payable benefits. The first is a lifetime dollar limit for each insured person. Most set that cap at a $1 million, which many experts argue is too low for people with chronic conditions.

There also may be a cap on the allowable benefit for specific illnesses. Or there may be a cap pertaining to a specific time period, such as a year. It's important to inquire about caps of any kind!
Other important details You ought to know how "medical care" and "medically necessary treatment" are specifically defined. If necessary, patients should know how to appeal treatment rejection decisions. You also need to know what provider restrictions exist and how they may affect treatment decisions. For example, does the doctor charge a discounted rate based on volume of patients, or does he receive a certain amount per patient per month or year, known as a "capitation." If the patient's care exceeds this amount, the doctor must cover the expense. This may cause a doctor to limit care.

Good news!
No longer can insurance companies deny you coverage due to a pre-existing condition. The Kassebaum-Kennedy health insurance reform bill prohibits this practice as well as allowing employees to transfer insurance policies between employers. The bill, however, does not stop insurance companies from charging higher premiums for people with previous conditions.
Investigate before you buy
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) offers health insurer accreditation based on a rigorous evaluation of clinical quality, member satisfaction, and a comprehensive assessment of key systems and processes.

NCQA also offers an excellent online interactive tool covering hundreds of plans that generates a customized report card for the plans in your area. NCQA is a private nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of our nation's health care. NCQA sets standards for the quality of care and service that health plans provide to their members. Health plans that meet our standards receive NCQA Accreditation, which is nationally recognized as a seal of approval.
Insurance care problems?
If you do not receive the care you think you deserve, here are
four possible courses of action:

Instead of speaking with an insurance clerk, get hold of a vice president or manager. Clerks don't have the authority to make decisions that deviate from their list of rules.
Get a lawyer involved.
Call your local newspaper and get a reporter involved.
If all else fails to work, contact your congressman for assistance.