02/10/16

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Prenatal Acetaminophen Tied to Asthma Risk in Kids

But the effect was small and experts say there's no reason to switch to other painkillers

From: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20160210/prenatal-acetaminophen-use-tied-to-higher-asthma-risk-in-kids-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

U.S. Dementia Rates Seem to Be Falling

Decades-long review revealed risk of brain disease is dropping, while age at diagnosis is going up

From: http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20160210/us-dementia-rates-seem-to-be-falling-study-finds?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Weight-Loss Surgery May Lengthen Some Lives

But those under 35, and especially women, may not reap as much benefit

From: http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/20160210/weight-loss-surgery-may-lengthen-older-peoples-lives-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Health officials: Here's what will help stop Zika virus

Experts tell Congress the most important steps for keeping Zika at bay in the U.S.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zika-virus-congressional-hearing/

What the U.S. is doing to control Zika virus

At a hearing on Capitol Hill, federal health officials testified about efforts to protect Americans from the Zika epidemic

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/what-the-u-s-is-doing-to-control-zika-virus/

New study shows signs of hope against dementia

An explosion of dementia cases is still expected in coming years, but are some prevention efforts paying off?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dementia-alzheimers-risk-signs-of-hope-study/

You Don’t Have to Give Up Your Social Life With IBS-D

Is IBS-D limiting your social life? WebMD gives you eight tips that can help get you back out there.

From: http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/features/social-life-ibd?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Mayo Clinic MInute: Lyme Disease Discovery

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7TxQs4FIVs

Dengue Fever: What You Need To Know

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF9CLbb7C0Q

In wake of Flint water crisis, House passes drinking water safety bill

The bill would require utilities to notify consumers about excessive levels of lead in drinking water

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-passes-drinking-water-safety-bill/

Pros and cons of sharing a bed with your pet

Will cuddling up with your dog or cat interfere with getting a good night's sleep?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/pros-and-cons-of-sharing-a-bed-with-your-pet/

Should you share your bed with your pet?

Millions of Americans curl up in bed with their dogs or cats, but does it interfere with a good night's sleep?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/should-you-share-your-bed-with-your-pet/

India begins massive deworming campaign for millions of children

Campaign is targeting 270 million children across the country to prevent parasitic worms from infecting bodies and impairing development

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/india-begins-massive-campaign-for-deworming-millions-of-children/

Couch potatoes may have smaller brains later in life

A new study suggests poor physical fitness in middle age may be bad news for your brain

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/couch-potatoes-may-have-smaller-brains-later-in-life/

12 foods to help you sleep better

A new study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that what you eat may directly impact how well you sleep

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/foods-that-will-help-you-sleep-better/

Genetic Counseling for Hereditary Amyloidosis – Mayo Clinic

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85iJh2ckNBU

Federal scholarships can help with dental debt

Dental school was always in the cards for Kyle Larsen. Not part of the dream? Graduating with a lot of debt.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/february/federal-scholarships-can-help-with-dental-debt

Fact Sheet: USDA Assistance to Residents Affected by the Water Emergency in Flint, Michigan

USDA is committed to assisting residents affected by the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. While the water emergency in Flint remains primarily a public health crisis addressed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, USDA is committed to using all resources available to assist in the response and to provide relief to those affected by the water contamination. To date, USDA has provided the following assistance:

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/02/0038.xml&contentidonly=true

USDA to Temporarily Allow WIC Funds to be Used for Lead Testing for Flint-Area WIC Recipients, Announces Other Measures to Expand Access to Healthy Foods

FLINT, Mich., Feb. 10, 2016 – As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ongoing efforts to support residents in Flint, Mich., Dr. Kathryn Wilson, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services today announced that USDA will temporarily allow Michigan to use WIC funds to conduct lead testing for WIC participants. An estimated 3,800 WIC participants could potentially be tested as a result of this action. The announcement came as Wilson visited a WIC clinic and elementary school in Michigan to discuss how residents can access USDA programs to help mitigate the ill effects of the city’s water crisis on their health and wellbeing. On this trip, USDA is supporting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the state and local government in providing relief to those affected by the water contamination.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/02/0037.xml&contentidonly=true

Understanding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

From: Eat Right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR0PaeUNp4M

Feeding Recovery for Endurance Athletes

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hSfRnlX8Bo

What does the future hold for babies with microcephaly?

Zika virus sparks worries about thousands of babies born with small heads; impact may range from normal health to crippling disability

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zika-babies-with-microcephaly/

In modern-day gold rush of genetic testing, profit placed above proof

Hundreds of genetic testing products are put on the market each month, but the science may be getting shortchanged in the face of business

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-news-investigation-genetic-tests-pathway-genomics-profit-over-evidence/

Follow the poodle? Alternatives to prescription sleep medications

A contemporary author once wrote, “The night is the hardest time to be alive and 4 a.m. knows all my secrets.” If you haven’t been sleeping well for a while, this quote might feel like your new reality. You might even find yourself tempted by the happy poodles and free-floating butterflies on TV imploring you to ask your doctor about their new drugs for insomnia. But, before answering their siren call, you pause. You notice the side effects are rattled off rapidly and are difficult to understand. You are worried about being “hooked” on them forever. You ask yourself, is there another way to get better sleep? The answer is an emphatic “Yes!”

CBT: A clear winner for insomnia

Sleep specialists now agree that behavioral (non-drug) techniques should be the first approach to treatment of most cases of chronic insomnia. The best studied of these is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. The goal of CBT is to address harmful behaviors and misbeliefs that are causing and perpetuating insomnia. Components of CBT include restricting time in bed, disrupting the negative association between failure to sleep and the bedroom environment, and correcting any negative or inaccurate beliefs about sleep.

In large-scale studies, CBT has been shown to be equally effective as drug treatment for insomnia. Importantly, improvement in sleep is longer-lasting after CBT than with drug treatment or the combination of drug treatment and CBT. Until recently, the use of CBT, which normally requires several in-person sessions, has been limited because of the lack of qualified therapists. However, studies now have shown that brief interventions (using only 1-2 sessions) as well as therapy administered via online programs can be as effective as conventional CBT.

Relaxation therapy also can be effective for insomnia treatment. However, although improving sleep hygiene (e.g., limiting caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and exercise close to bedtime) is effective when incorporated into CBT, it’s not effective when used alone, without being part of a larger treatment plan.

What about other complementary therapies?

Non-conventional or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches are used by approximately 45% of Americans with insomnia. Such remedies include herbal or natural products (e.g., valerian, melatonin), yoga, and acupuncture. But are CAM therapies effective and worth your time and money?

Unfortunately, there have been relatively few studies of CAM therapies for insomnia, and most of them have not been done well. However, acupressure, tai chi, yoga, and other mind-body activities can be effective, but the status of acupuncture and L-tryptophan is unclear. There is no or little evidence that herbal compounds (valerian, chamomile, kava, wuling), aromatherapy, and homeopathy are useful. As for melatonin, it is useful for the treatment of circadian or body rhythm disorders; its role as a therapy for insomnia has not been clearly established.

The bottom line for getting more shut-eye — without any butterflies

Chronic insomnia affects approximately 10% of Americans and results in poorer quality of life. Behavioral or non-drug approaches are effective and should be the initial treatment. A few CAM remedies have been shown to be useful, but most are not. Moreover, you should be aware that most claims about the effectiveness of CAM treatments for insomnia are not supported by good evidence.

The post Follow the poodle? Alternatives to prescription sleep medications appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Stuart Quan, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/follow-the-poodle-alternatives-to-prescription-sleep-medications-201602109162

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