Health aNd Fitness Guide » Diseases

Delaying Onset Of Diabetes

Aziz — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:31:18 +0000

Lifestyle changes like having more vegetables, avoiding alcohol, and exercising regularly can delay onset of diabetes for years, reports journal Lancet. Researchers in China divided 577 people with high risk of diabetes into four groups: one group focused on diet, another on exercise and the third on both; the fourth did not make any lifestyle changes. (more…)

Cloned immune cells fight cancer

Aziz — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:31:08 +0000

A patient whose skin cancer had spread throughout his body has been given the all-clear after being injected with billions of his own immune cells.
Tests revealed that the 52-year old man’s tumors, which spread from his skin to his lung and groin, vanished within two months of having the treatment, and had not returned two years later. Doctors attempted the experimental therapy as a part of a clinical trial after the man’s cancer failed to respond to conventional treatments.
The man is the first to benefit from the new technique, which uses cloning to produce billions of copies of a patient’s immune cells. When they are injected into the body they attack the cancer and force it into remission.
(more…)

Obesity Linked To Cancer

Aziz — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:31:09 +0000

Obesity may be linked to cancers of the breast, colon, thyroid, uterus, kidney, esophagus, and gallbladder. Researchers at the University of Manchester analyzed 282,137 cases of cancer to establish a link between different cancers and Body Mass Index. In men, an increase in BMI showed an increased risk of esophageal cancer by 52 percent, thyroid cancer by 33 per cent, and colon and kidney cancers by 24 per cent. In women, excessive weight gain was linked to a 59 per cent increase in endometrial and gallbladder cancers, 51 per cent increase of esophageal tumors, and 34 per cent increase in kidney cancers. Obesity also led to an increased risk of rectal cancer and malignant melanoma in men and post menopausal breast, pancreatic, thyroid and colon cancers in women. The study does not state that obesity causes cancer. But Dr Walter C. Willette of the Harvard School of Public Health has warned that obesity will overtake smoking as a leading cause of cancer.

Pot Belly Linked To Dementia

Aziz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:31:25 +0000

Pot belly in middle age can increase risk of dementia in later years. Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, measured the sagittal abdominal diameter (the measurement around the stomach) of 6,583 adults in their 40s from 1964 to 1973. They examined the medical records of these individuals 36 years later and found that there were 1,049 cases of dementia. The participants were divided into five groups based on their waist measurements. Those with the largest waist circumference (from 23cm to 40cm) were almost three times more likely to have dementia compared to those with smaller measurements. Those with a normal weight, but wider bellies too ran the risk of dementia.

Bad News For Diabetics

Aziz — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:31:06 +0000

Diabetics have the same risk of having a heart attack or stroke as someone with a history of heart attack, and twice the risk of dying from a heart attack compared to non-diabetics, said a Danish study published in the journal Circulation. (more…)

Reduce Osteoporosis

Aziz — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:31:05 +0000

The factors that could increase the risk of osteoporosis include smoking, excess alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and inadequate nutrition. Avoid these.

While factors such as age, gender, and family history are beyond the control of people, one can always lessen their effects by following a healthy way of life, says a report by International Osteoporosis Foundation. Recognizing the risk factors when you are young can have an impact on bone health later.

Diabetics’ Alarm Clock

Aziz — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:31:19 +0000

Here’s another tool for diabetics. Called the STS-7 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (STS-7 System), the device uses a disposable sensor placed below the skin in the abdomen to measure glucose-levels every five minutes. The device can detect drop in glucose-levels during overnight hours, show when it rises between meals and suggest how exercise and diet might affect glucose-levels. Manufactured by DexCon Inc, US, the STS-7 can be programmed to sound an alarm if the blood-sugar level dips or rises. The sensor needs to be changed weekly.

Vinegar To Spot Cervical Cancer

Aziz — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:31:24 +0000

Using vinegar and a halogen lamp to screen for cervical cancer is almost as effective as the more expensive methods used in the developed world, says a study by the Institute of Medical Sciences, Tamil Nadu, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, France. Screening is done by wiping a woman’s cervix with acetic acid (a chemical compound in vinegar) and guaze. In one minute, pre-cancerous lesions, if any, turn white, and can be seen with the naked eye under a halogen lamp. The study found that the screening method reduced cervical cancer cases by 25 per cent, and the number of deaths from the disease by over 35 per cent.

Ever Heard of Phthalates?

Aziz — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:31:57 +0000

A group of obscure chemical compounds, called phthalates, was in the news recently. They are found in scores of consumer products, and are linked by some to a variety of health problems. A primer on this new chemical hazard:

What are Phthalates?
Phthalates are a family of chemical compounds that come in the form of oily, colourless liquids. There are dozens of types of phthalates.

How are they used?
Phthalates have been used for about 50 years to make plastics softer and flexible in products like vinyl-flooring and seat coverings, raincoats, shower curtains, garden hoses and sex toys. They are found in children’s products like teething rings and bibs, plus bath, beach and pool toys. In hospitals, phthalates are found in intravenous medical tubing, exam gloves, catheters and blood storage bags. They are used in nail polish to prevent chipping, and in perfumes to help the fragrance last longer. Phthalates are so ubiquitous that studies have found them in almost everyone tested.

Why are they considered harmful?
Some studies have linked phthalates to reproductive problems, early onset of puberty, testicular cancer, and liver and thyroid damage. Studies suggest that phthalates may contribute to asthma and decreased lung function in men. But trade groups say they are harmless to humans, and cite government reports to back their view. While studies have found phthalates to be toxic to lab animals, fewer studies on humans have been done.

E-Cloth to Save Lives, Play MP3s

Aziz — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:31:55 +0000

A loom, operated by Meghan Quirck, a graduate student at Virgina Tech, is weaving cloth that may one day be made into a shirt that could both defibrillate a heart and play MP3s. Virginia Tech electrical and computer engineering professor Mark Jones and associate professor Tom Martin lead a research team that started developing the idea six years ago.

Sensors and wires woven into the clothing would measure blood-pressure, heart-rate, body temperature and movements and relay data to a computer, cellphone or other device that could signal for help if the wearer experiences a health problem. Martin’s team has done some testing of the fabric but hasn’t yet thrown it into the wash. (Insulation around the wires is supposedly detergent-resistant.) Some other kinks to be worked out are how the fabric should respond if, for example, a wearer rolls up his sleeves, and how to allow consumers to purchase e-clothing pre-programmed for their needs.