11/23/15

Monday, November 23, 2015

Aging: What to expect

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/aging/art-20046070

Alzheimer's stages: How the disease progresses

Alzheimer's disease can last more than a decade. See what types of behaviors are common in each of the stages as the disease progresses.

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers-stages/art-20048448

N.Y. bills for costs of care after alleged cases of abuse

At least three times in recent years, N.Y. has pursued Medicaid reimbursement from those who allegedly suffered devastating mistreatment while in state care

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-bills-for-costs-of-care-after-alleged-cases-of-abuse/

Doctors' Group Urges Greater Use of Generic Drugs

Lower-cost options are usually just as safe and effective, experts say

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20151123/doctors-group-urges-greater-use-of-generic-drugs?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Breastfeeding May Lower This Risk for Some Women

Study looked at moms who had already diabetes in pregnancy

From: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20151123/breast-feeding-may-cut-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-for-some-women?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Mayo Clinic Minute: Antibiotics in Animals

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQSBtWKaUcc

Can loneliness make us sick?

Feeling lonely and isolated isn't just sad - it could actually be harmful to your health

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-loneliness-make-us-sick/

Mayo Clinic Children's Center NICU and NICU Follow Up Clinic

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gflh5-YsPS4

10 most dangerous toys of 2015

Toys to avoid this holiday shopping season

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/10-most-dangerous-toys-of-2015/

Health Highlights: Nov. 23, 2015

Chipotle-Linked E. Coli Outbreak Expands: CDC

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/20151123/chipotle-ecoli-outbreak?src=RSS_PUBLIC

High 'Resting' Heart Rate and Odds of Early Death

But more research is needed before this can used as a marker, expert says

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20151123/high-resting-heart-rate-tied-to-higher-odds-of-early-death?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Young Women Face Risk After Heart Attack, Stroke

Odds of another life-threatening event are much higher than normal, study says

From: http://www.webmd.com/women/news/20151123/danger-persists-for-young-women-after-heart-attack-stroke?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Diagnosed with bladder cancer at 42

All cancer fighters make tough choices

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/diagnosed-with-bladder-cancer-at-42/

ADHD meds may cause sleep problems in kids

Experts recommend pediatricians and parents closely monitor sleep problems in children with the condition

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/adhd-meds-may-cause-sleep-problems-in-kids/

WHO news on Ebola

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/ebola/archive/en/index.html

Sleepless nights for some kids with ADHD

Some children taking stimulant medications for ADHD struggle to get a good night's sleep, but new treatment options can help

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/sleepless-nights-for-some-kids-with-adhd/

CBSN business headlines for November 23, 2015

Drugmakers Pfizer and Allergan are close to a historic merger, Thanksgiving gas prices are at their lowest since 2008 and more

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/cbsn-business-headlines-for-november-23-2015/

Conversation on Family History Day

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM1pkQ-nUC4

Dislocated Elobow: What You Need to Know

What happens when you dislocate your elbow? Is it an easy fix? Will you need surgery? Will it work the same as it used to? Web MD has the answers.

From: http://www.webmd.com/men/features/dislocated-elbow-recovery?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Trouble Sleeping? New Treatment Options May Help

WebMD walks you through advances in sleep medicine over the last year or so -- including research, technology, and a new breed of medication.

From: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20151123/trouble-sleeping-treamtents?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Craigslist posting could save woman's life

A New Jersey woman may get a second chance at life after her Craigslist plea for a kidney donor led to a perfect match

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/craigslist-posting-could-save-womans-life/

Woman finds kidney donor from misplaced Craigslist ad

New Jersey man answered a Craigslist ad and is now donating his kidney to save someone's life

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/woman-finds-kidney-donor-from-misplaced-craigslist-ad/

USDA Awards $2 Million for Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Research

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today awarded $2 million in grants to support research on nutrition education and obesity prevention for disadvantaged children and families at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Utah State University. The funding will help create two additional Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Centers of Excellence (RNECE), established through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2015/11/0327.xml&contentidonly=true

Your Rights, One Voice: Vaughn’s Story

Vaughn of Jacksonville, Florida, loves summer camp. Vaughn, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the fall of 2014, is like millions of other children who attend camp each year. They love camp because it’s fun, helps build great relationships and offers learning experiences that are not available most anywhere else.

So, in the spring of 2015, when Vaughn’ mother Kira got a message from camp saying he could not attend that summer, she was naturally upset. She was told, “I’m sorry for the bad news. We are not equipped to handle a camper with diabetes.”

Kira has been a paralegal for years and, with her legal background, believed that Vaughn had rights that made this situation unfair. Kira could not bring herself to tell Vaughn he couldn’t go to camp — especially that it was because of his diabetes. She knew Vaughn would not handle the news very well.

Instead, she contacted the American Diabetes Association for help.

She wrote, “My son has been begging to go to camp this summer. Telling him he can’t go would severely affect his self-esteem. I want him to have a normal camp experience like other kids. Thank you for any legal advice you can provide to help my son.”

Kira spoke with a Legal Advocate at the Association and learned that Vaughn did have legal rights.

She was told that, under federal law, Vaughn should be allowed to attend camp and provide accommodations for his diabetes care. The Legal Advocate also shared resources to help Kira discuss this with the camp organizers, such as a sample letter, tips on how to speak with administrators and hints for negotiating on behalf of her son.

Supplied with this information, Kira was able to achieve success.

The camp reversed its policy, made changes to care for Vaughn’s diabetes and allowed him to attend. Kira never even told Vaughn what had happened. He just went to camp and had a great time. Things went very well and he had no medical problems at all.

His diabetes should never have been an issue in the first place.

“I am so thankful for the American Diabetes Association. I have volunteered to get involved and help others who may not know where to turn when their child is being unjustly discriminated against.” – Kira

The American Diabetes Association leads the effort to prevent and eliminate discrimination against people with diabetes at school, at work and in other parts of daily life. If you need help, call 1-800-DIABETES or visit http://diabetes.org/gethelp.

Through our nationwide Safe at School program, the Association is dedicated to making sure that all children with diabetes are medically safe at school and have the same educational opportunities as their peers. Visit our Safe at School website for information and resources.

Give the gift of fairness — donate now to help people with diabetes facing discrimination, just like Vaughn.

From: American Diabetes Association http://diabetesstopshere.org/2015/11/23/your-rights-one-voice-vaughns-story/

Was My Gluten Challenge Too Short?

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byTYmgHUDEo

Caffeine in Pregnancy May Not Harm Baby's IQ

Study looked at moderate amounts -- about one to two cups of coffee

From: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20151123/caffeine-in-pregnancy-may-not-harm-babys-iq-study-finds?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Ah-Choo! Sneeze 'Cloud' Quickly Covers a Room

Videos of sneezers show droplets are of varying sizes, move at high velocity

From: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20151123/ah-choo-sneeze-cloud-quickly-covers-a-room-study-finds?src=RSS_PUBLIC

The Alexander Technique can help you (literally) unwind

(Follow me at @DrEvaSelhub)

In the 1890s, a Shakespearean actor named Frederick Matthias Alexander set out to discover why he often lost his voice when he performed. (Imagine yourself as a Shakespearean actor, completely dependent on your voice to pay your bills, finding yourself without a voice just when you needed to perform!) Needless to say, Alexander had to figure out why this was happening.

He began by observing himself in multiple mirrors while he prepared to perform. Indeed, he did discover that something changed prior to his speaking: He was contracting the muscles in his upper body, especially his neck, so strongly that his entire posture changed. He theorized that his voice loss could be a result of his disrupted posture.

Fortunately, his guess turned out to be correct. When he was able to release the tension in his muscles with a variety of movements, not only did his voice loss resolve, but he was able to change the habit he had developed of contracting his neck. As he continued to refine and improve his methods, Alexander realized they could help others improve their health and well-being. His discoveries, which have since been codified into the Alexander Technique (AT), are still in use today.

How is the Alexander Technique used today?

Today, AT is considered a mental discipline that teaches individuals how to let go of tension in the body and how to enable the body to move with ease and minimal effort. AT is used to treat a variety of conditions, from musculoskeletal pain and repetitive strain injuries to breathing problems, voice loss, and sleep disorders. Many artists, musicians, dancers, singers, and actors use AT to help enhance their performance. The purpose of AT, ultimately, is to enable individuals to methodically unlearn maladaptive (negative) habits — which can show up in the way we stand, sit, eat, walk, or talk — and instead learn how to return the body to a relaxed, balanced state of alignment and poise.

Is AT for you?

But you don’t have to be a musician or dancer to benefit from AT. Here’s just one example: You, like most of us living in today’s world, spend much of your time on a computer or checking your smartphone for emails and texts. This means you spend much of your time looking down, rather than straight ahead, the way your vertebrae were designed to support your head. Keeping your head bent down for long periods puts continual strain on the large neck muscles, which are meant to normally be lax. In contrast, the small neck muscles (which are meant to hold up your neck vertebrae) are not being used and are therefore lax. The result is that your vertebrae lose their support, so that you end up not only with neck stiffness or pain, but possibly some degeneration in your cervical spine, too.

AT can address this habitual contraction of the neck and teach you how hold your phone, how to position your head, and ultimately, how to re-establish better posture and ease in your body.

Is there science to support AT?

A recent randomized controlled study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that Alexander Technique lessons led to significant reductions in neck pain over 12 months, compared with usual care. (Interestingly, the study also found that acupuncture reduced pain as well, compared with usual care.)

Another interesting study published in the medical journal BMJ in 2008 tested a variety of treatments for back pain. A total of 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain were randomly divided into four groups. The first group were given “normal care” (that is, they were the control group). The second group received massages. The third took six Alexander Technique lessons. The fourth group took 24 Alexander Technique lessons. Half of each group also received a prescription for exercise (primarily walking) from a doctor, plus behavioral counseling from a nurse. The results showed that the patients who had AT lessons along with an exercise plan improved the most. In addition, this combined intervention was also the most cost-effective (in particular, taking six lessons combined with an exercise plan).

What does this mean for you?

Proponents of the Alexander Technique would tell you to start paying attention. Pay attention to your posture — the way you walk, talk, sit, stand, or generally do anything, even lifting a forkful of food to your mouth. If you are like most people, your body is likely stuck in tense muscle patterns that may be causing you myriad problems, from back pain to headaches to possibly even anxiety. It may behoove you to unlearn these stuck patterns so you can move through your life with more ease — and much, much less pain.

If you’re interested in Alexander Technique lessons, the American Society for the Alexander Technique can help you find an instructor.

The post The Alexander Technique can help you (literally) unwind appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Eva Selhub MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-alexander-technique-can-help-you-literally-unwind-201511238652

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