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By admin, August 13, 2010 9:33 am

It’s become such a stressful hassle to fly; most people wouldn’t have a hard time believing that doing so could cause heart problems.  But this particular warning has nothing to do with the stresses of late flights and airport security or even the likelihood that you’ll get exposed to illness from a fellow flier.  A recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that some people may unexpectedly experience cardiac arrhythmia, (extra heartbeats,) while flying.

The study brought together 39 men and women (average age was 63), one-third of whom had been diagnosed with heart disease. Over the two-day study period, they each spent two five-hour sessions in a hypobaric chamber, one session simulated atmospheric conditions at sea level, while the other session created the air pressure conditions you would experience in the cabin of a jetliner flying at 20,000 to 40,000 feet. The participants’ heart rates were monitored during both tests. Those without heart disease were unaffected.  But among those with heart disease, six people experienced arrhythmias. Interestingly, though, none were aware of the extra beats.

Calling these findings “statistically significant,” the study’s lead author, Eileen McNeely, PhD, an instructor in the department of environmental and occupational medicine and epidemiology research at the Harvard School of Public Health, told me that researchers are now trying to determine the extent to which the results are “clinically significant.” “It’s obvious that there are some physiological changes associated with flying,” she said, “but we’re not sure about the magnitude of the risk.” She explained that sustained arrhythmia brings an increased risk for stroke or cardiac arrest. In the study, the extra beats were not sustained.  ”But we don’t know if this is always the case,” she said.

Dr. McNeely pointed out that the available data document very few in-flight medical emergencies, so the overall risk that this will happen is quite low. And it’s worth noting that there’s no research available that follows the health of air travelers after they’ve landed, so we don’t know whether passengers have medical issues later that are connected to arrythmias that occurred in the air. Dr. McNeely thinks that it is important to learn more about physiological changes people experience while flying to ascertain whether there are specific dangers that warrant taking precautions, or even, at least for particularly vulnerable people, not flying.

In the meantime, she says it makes sense for airline passengers to follow the health advice currently given to people traveling to high-altitude locations in the mountains. To prepare for flying, Dr. McNeely advises that otherwise healthy men over age 45 and women over 55 or who are postmenopausal (categories that put people at greater risk of arrhythmia) should:

• Drink plenty of fluids — Drink lots the day before you fly and during your flight. Dehydration can make you more vulnerable to cardiac problems. Avoid alcohol for the same reason.
• Get plenty of rest. Try to get as much rest in the few days before your flight as you can. In other words, don’t run yourself ragged getting ready with the idea that you’ll get to catch up on sleep once onboard.
• Avoid excess stress — Pack early and leave plenty of time to get to the airport and through security. (Interesting note: Noise can be a central nervous system stressor, noise-canceling headphones in flight can help you stay relaxed.)

The risk of in-flight emergency is higher for people with heart disease or who have a lung condition that inhibits oxygen uptake (such as emphysema). For these people, Dr. McNeely advises doing all of the above, plus:

• Avoid long walks through the airport. Take the in-airport shuttle so you don’t wear yourself out before your flight.
• Ask your cardiologist whether you should bring supplemental oxygen or a portable oxygen concentrator on board.
• Under a doctor’s supervision, consider regular supplementationwith L-carnitine and Co-enzyme Q-10. Both of these can limit the ill-effects of decreased oxygen delivery to the heart.

Source(s):

Eileen McNeely, PhD, instructor, Harvard School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Research, Boston.

Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
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By admin, July 2, 2010 9:15 am

Want to give yourself a better chance of avoiding Alzheimer’s disease? Get your eyes checked. New research reveals that treating vision problems can actually reduce the risk for certain types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Seeds for this study were planted with information from the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study, when University of Michigan researchers observed that people with dementia tended to have had fewer eye procedures prior to their diagnoses than those without dementia. This led the team to ask two questions:

1. Does poor vision contribute to the development of dementia?
2. Does treating visual disorders reduce the likelihood of developing dementia?

Can You See Dementia in Your Future?

Using data from Medicare and the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study, the Michigan researchers followed 625 elderly Americans- none of whom had dementia at the outset- for an average of 10 years. Based on a scale that ranked vision from excellent (one) to totally blind (six), they found that the risk for dementia increased by an average of 52% with each step up the scale. Mary A.M. Rogers, PhD, a clinical epidemiologist and the study’s lead author said that the study results suggest the problems with declining vision preceded the dementia. She said that this is the first epidemiologic study, to her knowledge, that points to treatment of vision problems as being protective against the development of late-life dementia.

Some of the connections between poor vision and dementia symptoms seem obvious, while others are not yet understood; for instance, Dr. Rogers pointed out that people with poor vision may be less likely to participate in the kinds of activities, such as reading, playing board games and engaging in physical activities which can be protective against cognitive decline. She said that other research indicates that vision loss can lead to structural changes in the brain, but notes that more studies are needed to understand why.

See Your Doctor

The truly promising news of this study is the notion that dementia might be preventable.  Dr. Rogers points out that when elderly people received appropriate treatment for their visual difficulties,  such as corneal transplant, cataract removal and lens insertion, and treatment for retinal detachment, lesions and other eye disorders, their probability of developing dementia decreased. Even one visit to an ophthalmologist was associated with a lower risk.

The bad news, however, is that at this point Medicare coverage of vision problems is spotty. While only about 13% of the Medicare population has Alzheimer’s disease, this group accounts for 34% of Medicare spending; and the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is increasing. Dr. Rogers believes it would be very worthwhile to investigate whether expanding vision screenings and treatment to more elderly Americans would in fact save money for Medicare.

In the meantime, add “preventing dementia” to the list of reasons why having your vision checked is a worthwhile endeavor.

Mary A.M. Rogers, PhD, research assistant professor, department of internal medicine, University of Michigan, and research director of the Patient Safety Enhancement Program, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor.

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Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
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281 Tresser Blvd., 8th Floor
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By admin, April 27, 2010 12:20 pm

Somewhere between the rigidity of eating three meals a day with nothing in between and the self-indulgence of mindless snacking is a middle ground called grazing. Now research from the University of Texas at Austin says that grazing is a good thing — in fact, the more frequently people eat, the more likely they are to be healthy.

Using data from the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the report found that those who spread the amount they eat over more time have a body mass index (BMI) that is 0.2 lower, on average, than those who spend less time eating… and they also have better self-reported health. While the difference in BMI is not huge, for a person of average height it results in a few pounds less weight.

Good Grazing… Bad Grazing

You might think that this study’s findings go against the grain… after all, isn’t too much eating the cause, in part, of weight gain and many health problems? But science supports grazing, says David Grotto, RD, LDN, a former spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. “When there are large gaps of time between meals, the body goes into a self-preservation mode, reserving calories and storing fat,” he explains. “If you eat more frequently, your body ratchets up metabolism and burns calories. Also, when you graze, you’re less apt to overeat at the next meal.” Note the really important part of what Grotto said — eating more frequently… not eating more.

I asked Grotto to share some suggestions on how to keep grazing healthful. First and foremost, he says, it is important to stay aware of what and how often you eat. “Don’t think you can simply graze to your heart’s content,” he says. “Research clearly shows that calories consumed shouldn’t be greater than energy spent if you are to avoid gaining weight.”

The best grazing foods, he says, contain protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats and/or slow-digesting, complex carbohydrates. These will make you feel fuller than other foods, and you’ll be inclined to consume fewer calories. Nuts are a good choice as they contain monounsaturated fats, which take a long time to digest. One study showed that women who ate one to two ounces of nuts a day lost more weight and kept it off longer than women who did not eat nuts. To avoid monotony, mix a variety of nuts (almonds, walnuts and pistachios, for example) with oat cereal, dried fruit and dark chocolate. Keep some handy in a resealable bag and eat a few at a time. Also healthy are snacks like apple slices, cheese and whole-grain crackers, and peanut or almond butter.

It’s important to note that Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, registered a dissenting opinion on the greatness of grazing: “It isn’t necessary to eat all day to keep the body supplied with a steady stream of healthful nutrients. If you don’t skip breakfast, lunch or dinner… consistently make smart dietary choices… and take the time to chew thoroughly during meals, you’ll digest your food more completely, have a steady stream of nutrients coming into your body from the gastrointestinal tract, and not feel the need to graze.” However, he added, if you can’t seem to fit in three healthful meals a day, a certain amount of grazing may be a good short-term solution.

Source(s):

David Grotto, RD, LDN, a nutrition counseling consultant and former spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of 101 Optimal Life Foods (Bantam). He is based in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Get involved with the Medifast Diet and make drastic changes to your health. Make sure that you include one of the Medifast Coupons so that you can get a great discounted price with the latest Medifast Coupon Code.

Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
Boardroom Inc.
281 Tresser Blvd., 8th Floor
Stamford, CT 06901
www.BottomLineSecrets.com