Migraines, RA, MS, Diabetes & Heart Disease…
Posted on July 1, 2016 by bob in NewsUCanUse
Migraines & Vitamin Deficiencies?
A high percentage of children, teens and young adults with migraines appear to have mild deficiencies in vitamin D, riboflavin and coenzyme Q10, a vitamin-like substance found in every cell of the body that is used to produce energy for cell growth and maintenance. Previous studies have indicated certain vitamins and vitamin deficiencies may be important in the migraine process. Studies using vitamins to prevent migraines, however, have had conflicting success. Patients with chronic migraines were more likely to have coenzyme Q10 and riboflavin deficiencies than those with episodic migraines. These deficiencies may be involved in patients who experience migraines, but that is unclear based on existing studies.
— Source: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Take More Pictures
You might think photo-taking would detract from the enjoyment of everyday activities, but research suggests people who take photos of their experiences usually enjoy the events more than people who don’t. The study noted that a critical factor affecting enjoyment is the extent to which people are engaged with the experience. Photo-taking naturally draws people more into the experience. According to researchers, photo-taking can increase enjoyment in many circumstances, but this effect requires active participation. Cameras recording an experience without the individual deciding what to capture are unlikely to have the same effect.
— Source: American Psychological Association
Female Veterans & Insomnia
A new study sheds light on the prevalence of insomnia symptoms among female veterans. More than 47% of female veterans reported symptoms of insomnia that resulted in functional impairment. Of this sample group, less than 1% had a diagnosis of a sleep disorder based on medical records, meaning primary care clinicians can use this knowledge to identify women that fit the criteria and provide referral, assessment and intervention of insomnia symptoms. The goal is to decrease the risk for the psychological, physical, and psycho-social consequences associated with insomnia.
— Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Smoking, Obesity, & Rheumatoid Arthritis
Achieving remission in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is significantly lower in patients who smoke and are obese, according to a new study. These findings suggest that encouraging patients to stop smoking and to achieve a healthy body weight could significantly improve their chance of becoming symptom-free after adequate treatment. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic disabling disease that affects the joints, connective tissues, muscles, tendons, and fibrous tissue, causing pain and deformity. RA is more common in women and in developed countries.
— Source: University in Montreal, Canada; European League Against Rheumatism
Diabetes & Heart Disease: Deadly Combination
New research has found that patients with type 2 diabetes admitted into the hospital for congestive heart failure face a one-in-four chance of dying within 18 months. Patients with type 2 diabetes have two-to-three times the heart disease risk of the general population. This is partly because obesity and other illnesses such as hypertension and elevated cholesterol contribute to both diseases, but there are concerns that some of the medications that help control blood sugar may also damage the heart. Even insulin, a hormone that healthy people make naturally but some patients with type 2 diabetes often need as a medication, can contribute to heart disease. Because of the diabetes-heart disease link, all new diabetes drugs are now required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to undergo formal testing for their impact on heart and stroke outcomes.
— Source: University of Connecticut
Weight, Diet, and Sleep Quality
Overweight adults spend more of their sleep in REM stage than healthy weight adults, says a study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. REM sleep – when dreams typically occur – is characterized by faster heart rate and breathing and is less restorative sleep than non-REM stages. The study found that increased protein intake predicted less stage 2 sleep, or restorative sleep, the period when heart rate and breathing are relatively normal and body temperature lowers slightly.
— Source: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
MS Research
A clinical trial published in The Lancet, a top medical journal, shows an intensive procedure that completely wipes out the immune system and then regenerates a new one using blood stem cells can eliminate all signs of damaging brain inflammation in people with early, aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS), facilitating lasting recovery. However, researchers note the therapy can have serious side effects and risks, and would only be appropriate for a small proportion of people with early, aggressive MS. People with MS who have had significant disability for a long time would likely not benefit. MS affects approximately 2.3 million people around the world, causing symptoms that range from blurred vision to extreme fatigue to partial or complete paralysis.
— Source: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute,
Ottawa Hospital/University of Ottawa
