Young females are suffering from a new form of heart attack – women who are otherwise healthy. Scary but for a yet unknown reason women (average age 52) have had sudden rupture of their coronary arteries (vessels that supply the heart muscle). One or more of the inner layers of the vessels just blows out! Seen rarely in men, this condition accounts for over 1,000 heart attacks in UK (350 in Canada) at present. It is only just now beginning to be recognized and counted. Emotional and hormonal factors have been implicated but not confirmed. So please think that your chest pain could be serious – especially if you engage in extreme physical exercise or stress, and be extra vigilant if you are pregnant.
Remember having cardiac disease risk factors (such as obesity, high blood pressure, Diabetes, smoking) is not a prerequiste. You can be completely healthy and out of the blue – suddenly comes a heart attack.
DocHandal shares what we know and do not know about Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) this very common form of dementia. On average a 2 year delay in diagnosing is common, and 20% of folks with AD do not even know they have it! So listen up and make a difference.
Reading medical news whether on TV on the net you need to be thinking about two terms, causation and association. Any study outcome can boil down to an association or causation, read on for illustration from medical research.
As if you need another reason not to drink diet sodas? A recent study, you might have heard of, linked consumption of diet drinks to stroke. A study of over 4000 folks over 10 years showed an association between drinking diet soda (1/day) and strokes. That daily drink increased the chances of developing a stroke by three-fold. These folks also had 2.9 times the normal chance of developing Alzheimer’s dementia.
Other past studies have shown higher consumption of both sugary and diet beverages was associated with smaller brain volumes
NO data allows you to think drinking diet soda causes dementia or stroke (causation), but it is not good for you on so many levels!
Banning trans fatty acids has decreased stroke incidence and heart attacks by 8% in one city (Berkley, CA). Berkeley was the first U.S. city to implement a sugary drink tax, an excise tax on beverage distributers, which went into effect in early 2015. Association or Causation?
You get the idea? An ear lobe crease running diagonal was found in a large percentage of fatal heart attack patients at autopsy (1989)- association.
Many people who smoke develop lung cancer – causation.
Virtual Reality (VR) is being used in hospitals for the treatment of eating disorders, rehabilitation, and pain management, as well as often, in many hospitals, to allay anxiety in the pre-procedure time.
VR is also being tested to assist in diagnosing concussions – truly awesome!
VR is being piloted in dementia patients in Australia, with positive early success rates as measured by alertness and pleasure manifestations. In UK and elsewhere, senior groups have been targeted for the experience. Yes, all these experiences have had positive outcomes.
VR comes to Toronto Children’s Hospital (aka ‘SickKids’) thanks to Samsung! A dedicated space has been designated for patients and parents. Just think what a great escape it would be for a child lying in the hospital with serious burns.
Energy drinks with herbal or chemical ingredients along with a high content of caffeine can have different effects on the electrical functioning of your heart than plain caffeinated beverages do. A study on energy drinks involving healthy military personnel measuring blood pressure and doing ECGs showed changes in heart function starting 2 hours after consumption.
The electrical time it takes to for the lower chambers of the heart to recharge after each beat in order to beat again is called the “QT interval”. The study originally published in medical journal*, showed a delay of 10 milliseconds occurring in personnel who consumed energy drinks. (The FDA labels drugs causing a 6msec QT interval delay with a warning.) The effects were short term, but are they cumulative?
Please do not assume herbal/natural preparations are automatically safe. Our bodies are unique; therefore what is good or safe for someone may not be for you.
DocHandal shares risks, diagnosis and treatments for this tick acquired disease.Learn from her how to protect yourself from a chronic debilitating disease.
Do you know if you are the one in three Americans with high blood pressure (HBP)? I am sure you know it leads directly to heart attack, stroke, and a few others in between. Kidney disease, sexual dysfunction and vision loss, and result at any time. American Heat Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association are sponsoring ‘life is why’.
April was designated as National Distracted Driving Awareness month – who knew? – but noteworthy is the fact the 60% of seniors (customarily and here defined as >65) talk on the phone while driving.
Does that worry anyone else but me?
Saturation of mobile phones is as high as 82% in a recent study of the population of US. Multi-tasking is not thought of as a skill that improves with age. Sadly, safe driving can be affected by medical conditions, vision deterioration, cognitive impairment, along with possible medication side effects. Older drivers may also have reduced attention and mental processing speed. Some seniors can overthink into inaction and become a road hazard. If you know of someone who should not be driving, please do something about it in a considerate manner. Your motivation is their safety and the safety of others.
Fresh fruits in your diet help protect you against diabetes. A 12% decrease in the incidence of the disease was seen in those who eat fruit daily, independent of other factors. No matter your age, sex, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, physical activity, BMI or family history of diabetes, for each whole fruit you eat per day, you can see a 12% decrease. Be sure to have whole fruits , particularly blueberries, grapes, and apples, in your daily diet. These can also help in reversing pre-diabetes.
Additionally, there are other foods that do not raise blood sugar and will decrease your odds of developing diabetes. These include avocados, fish, garlic, apple cider vinegar, leafy greens (kale spinach, chard), and chai seeds.
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