HOW RESILIENT ARE YOU?

Rate yourself on each of these statements using a scale from 1 (Do not agree) to 5 (Strongly agree).

_ I’m usually upbeat. I see difficulties as temporary and expect to overcome them. Feelings of anger, loss, and discouragement don’t last long.

_ I can tolerate high levels of ambiguity and uncertainty about situations. I’m flexible, and comfortable with my paradoxical traits: optimistic/pessimistic, trusting/cautious, unselfish/selfish, etc.

_ I adapt quickly to new developments. I’m curious. I ask questions.

_ I find the humor in rough situations and can laugh at myself. I feel self-confident.

_ I learn valuable lessons from my experiences and from the experiences of others

_ I’m good at solving problems. I’m good at making things work well. I’m often asked to lead groups and projects, though I have an independent spirit amid my cooperative way of working with others.

_ I’m strong and durable. I hold up well during tough times.

_ I’ve converted misfortune into good luck and found benefits in bad experiences.

_ Total score

Scoring

35-40: Highly resilient
30-34: Self-motivated learner
20-29: Somewhat resilient

Less than 20: Poor at handling pressure (but it’s never too late to learn).

Source: Beth Howard

3 Reasons to Exercise

If you’re looking for motivation to start exercising, look no further.

Boosts brainpower. Studies have shown that aerobic fitness may reduce the loss of brain tissue common in aging. Want to clear your mind? Exercise. Working out also increases energy levels and serotonin in the brain, which helps to improve mental clarity.

Reduces stress. If you’re stressing over your 401k plan and the stability of your current job, then consider hitting the gym. Working out can be a positive distraction, according to WebMD, and can help elevate your mood, keeping depression at bay.

Increases energy. Believe it or not, 30 minutes of exercise in the morning could change your whole day. Studies have shown that endorphins are released into the bloodstream during exercise, making you feel more energized.

Source: OC Health

Coping with Cancer

There are both physical and psychological effects of cancer.

A cancer diagnosis brings many “what if”? questions, anxiety and depression. Some of this is normal, but can become hard to control. It’s normal to go through a grief process, so it helps to understand the following five stages of grief:

Stage 1: Shock and Denial. A cancer diagnosis leaves you stunned and terrified. You may seek information from friends, the internet and doctors. Beware of internet information – make sure it’s a reliable source and double-check facts with your doctors. Family members also often experience denial.

Stage 2: Anger. Asking “why me” is natural. You may be mad at God, the universe or just plain everybody. You need skills to deal assertively with anger. It’s unhealthy to be overly passive, holding it all in (which causes depression), or aggressively taking it out on others. Don’t get “stuck” in the angerstage. Cancer support groups greatly help to process and release anger.

Stage 3: Bargaining. Many cancer patients find strength and comfort in religious beliefs. You may try to bargain with God, promising Him certain things in exchange for a cure. This is normal thinking, but beware of misleading or unproven “cures” like psychic surgery or herbs – they can’t replace real medicine. It’s ok to pray for miracles, but meanwhile get the best possible medical treatment.

Stage 4: Depression. Some level of depression is normal grief, but for severe symptoms see a psychotherapist, or psychiatrist. We now offer a non-medication MRI type depression treatment called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This FDA-approved treatment has almost no side effects and should help chronic pain. See www.DrKinback.com for TMS information.

Stage 5: Acceptance. This step is difficult for patients, as well as friends and family, but it’s empowering coming to terms with cancer and face it head on. Many new, powerful cancer treatments give reason to hope. Denial delays treatment, but acceptance opens doors.

Written by Kevin M. Kinback, M.D.

New Clues for Cancer

Lack of vitamin D may stop cell communication

Low levels of calcium and vitamin D may keep healthy cells from reproducing, and allow more aggressive cancer cells to take over.

Dr. Cedric F. Garland of the University of California San Diego, believes that cancer starts when cells stop communicating with one another, due in part to low levels of calcium and vitamin D. The silent cells separate from one another, lose their unique identity and stop reproducing healthy cells. These weakened cells must compete to survive against stronger cancer cells. This competition between disconnected weak and strong cells “creates the engine of cancer,” says the doctor, who believes that having healthy vitamin D levels may arrest cancer at the outset. Dr. Garland says that people can easily restore vitamin D to healthy levels and that most individuals can safely take in the range of 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

Reference: Annals of Epidemiology – Symposium in Print; 2009, Vol. 19, No. 7, 439-40.

The Importance of Leucine Confirmed

Leucine from whey activates muscle protein synthesis

The importance of leucine, one of the branched-chain amino acids, continues to emerge.

Researchers from the University of Illinois examined the impact of meals containing different amounts of leucine on the time course and magnitude of muscle protein synthesis. In the first set of experiments, it was shown that ingestion of a meal containing 20% of whey protein resulted in peak blood leucine levels after 45 minutes, and they stayed elevated for 180 minutes after ingestion. Leucine levels in the blood were correlated with the activation of key elements in muscle that stimulate protein synthesis. When leucine was highest, muscle protein synthesis peaked, and when leucine dropped to normal levels, protein synthesis decreased.

In a second series of experiments, whey protein was compared to wheat protein at varying levels of total protein intake. Regardless of background protein intake, whey protein resulted in greater increases in blood leucine and greater increases in muscle protein synthesis.

The bottom line from these experiments is that blood levels of leucine is a key factor in turning on protein synthesis. Whey protein is a high-quality source of leucine that efficiently elevates blood levels of leucine and muscle protein synthesis.

Reference: Journal of Nutrition; June 2009, Vol. 139, No. 6, 1103-9. (Electronic Publication April 29, 2009).

Keeping the Liver Healthy

Milk thistle and probiotics improve liver health

Milk thistle improved hepatitis symptoms, low folate levels in the blood is linked to liver cancer in those with hepatitis B infection and probiotics improved liver function in liver disease, three new studies reveal.

In a hepatitis study, about 100 participants with acute clinical hepatitis and inflamed liver took 140 mg of milk thistle (silymarin) three times per day or a placebo for four weeks. Doctors measured hepatitis symptoms and liver function during and four weeks after the end of the study. Compared to placebo, symptoms such as dark urine, and yellowing skin and whites of the eyes, subsided faster in the milk thistle group. Doctors concluded that, even though it was a small study, a standard dose of silymarin is safe and may improve symptoms of acute clinical hepatitis.

In another hepatitis study, researchers measured blood levels of folate in over 400 participants who had tested positive for hepatitis B infection, increasing their chances of liver cancer. Over the next five years, 20 participants got liver cancer. Compared to those whose blood levels of folate were the lowest, those with higher folate levels were 67 percent less likely to have liver cancer. Folic acid has been shown to raise folate levels in the blood.

In a liver damage study, doctors gave about 70 severely alcoholic men the probiotics Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus plantarum or standard vitamin supplements as a placebo, while the men abstained from alcohol. Researchers also compared participants to a group of 24 healthy, non-drinking men of similar age and found the alcoholic men had higher levels of the liver enzymes that signal alcohol-induced liver damage. After five days, compared to placebo, the probiotics group had lower levels of liver-damage enzymes, and had restored healthy levels of probiotics in the gut.

Reference: Phytomedicine; 2009, Vol. 16, No. 5, 391-400.

Most Americans Deficient in Vitamin D

Doctors advise U.S. Institutes of Medicine to raise vitamin D requirements

Critically ill patients, premenopausal women and most Americans are deficient in or need more vitamin D, and doctors want the U.S. to raise its recommendation, in four new studies.

A small study of critically ill patients led doctors to ask if low vitamin D levels cause, contribute to, or are an effect of major illness. Researchers found that nearly half of 42 people hospitalized in intensive care (ICU) were deficient in vitamin D, and the sicker they were, the lower their vitamin D levels. Three who died had the lowest vitamin D levels.

Study author, Dr. Paul Lee, believes body tissues demand more vitamin D during illness. “Vitamin D appears to have roles in controlling sugar, calcium, heart function, gut integrity, immunity, and defense against infection. (Because) patients in ICU suffer from different degrees of inflammation, infection, heart dysfunction, diarrhea and metabolic dysregulation, vitamin D deficiency may play a role in each of these common ICU conditions.”

In a vitamin D study, about 90 premenopausal women living in Maine, average age 22, took a placebo in the spring and summer, then half the group continued on placebo while the other half took 800 IU of vitamin D per day during fall and winter. Vitamin D in the placebo group remained low, but 80 percent of women in the vitamin D group had adequate vitamin D levels.

A study of more than 32,000 U.S. adults found that those with adequate levels of vitamin D fell by nearly half, to 23 percent from 45 percent, over the 16-year period from 1988 to 2004. During this time, researchers say people started spending less time outdoors and eating less healthy foods.

In a related U.S. study, scientists estimate that of the 83 million of those under age 21, 7.6 million are deficient in vitamin D (9 percent) and 51 million have low levels (61 percent). Doctors advising the U.S. Institutes of Medicine say that low vitamin D increases chances for heart disease and diabetes and want the agency to raise vitamin D requirements.

Reference: New England Journal of Medicine; April 30, 2009, Vol. 360, No. 18, 1912-4.

Support for Chronic Fatigue and Seasonal Depression Probiotics and vitamins B and D ease anxiety and depression

Probiotics cut anxiety in chronic fatigue syndrome, depressed people may need more B vitamins, and vitamin D eased seasonal depression and improved mood in depressed overweight adults, in four new studies.

Researchers in a chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) study explained that most of those with CFS have anxiety, and that many also complain of gut (gastrointestinal) upset. The doctors noted that new research shows gut germs can communicate with the central nervous system and influence emotional behaviors, particularly anxiety. Scientists gave about 40 men and women with CFS, aged 18 to 65, 24 billion colony-forming units of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei per day or a placebo. After two months, those in the probiotics group had much less anxiety compared to the beginning of the study and to placebo.

Doctors in a mood study reviewed how vitamin deficiency and inflammation influence mood disorders. The researchers noted that in depression, deficiencies in folate, vitamins B12 and B6, and omega-3 fatty acids alter the central nervous system, reducing serotonin – the chemical that controls mood – and phospholipids – the fats that cover and protect nerves. Doctors also found about half of those with depression had high blood levels of homocysteine, a sign of inflammation when B vitamins are deficient.

In a small study, nine women with seasonal depression and low blood levels of vitamin D who took 5,000 IU of vitamin D were able to significantly increase vitamin D levels. Three of the women whose vitamin D increased to optimal levels had test scores that showed normal mood with little depression.

Reference: Gut Pathology; 2009, Vol. 1, No. 1,6.

Heart Help Magnesium cuts blood pressure

Magnesium helps control blood sugar and pressure, and doctors in one study wanted to see if magnesium could improve insulin sensitivity and blood pressure in healthy overweight people.

About 150 overweight, non-diabetic people took 300 mg of elemental magnesium per day or a placebo for 12 weeks. While insulin sensitivity did not change, magnesium lowered blood pressure in those with higher blood pressure.

Compared to placebo, magnesium decreased peak (systolic) blood pressure by more than two times and resting (diastolic) blood pressure by more than four times.

Reference: Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases; April 7, 2009, Electronic Pre-Publication.

Improving Mood Omega-3s, folic acid and B12 relieve depression

Omega fatty acids, folic acid and vitamin B12 all helped people feel better, in several new studies.

Researchers in a pregnancy study thought that the chances of depression increase as the developing baby draws down mom’s omega-3 levels. Doctors followed about 40 depressed and non-depressed women in their third trimester and found that those with high levels of docosahexaenoic (DHA), those with high total omega-3 levels, and those whose omega-6 levels were lower than their omega-3 levels were all much less likely to be depressed.

In a depression study, researchers examined the diets of about 4,900 men and women, aged 25 to 74, and followed up for 11 years. Among men, as the level of omega-6 linoleic fatty acids increased, so did the chances of depression. Among women, as the level of omega-9 oleic fatty acids increased, the chances of depression decreased. Omega-6 levels are high in processed foods made with palm and soy oils, omega-9 levels are high in olive oil, and doctors believe omegas-3,-6, and -9, which are essential, need to be in balance.

In another depression study, doctors measured folic acid and vitamin B12 in diets of about 9,700 adults. Among male smokers, those who got more folic acid were less likely to be depressed than those who got the least. Women who got the most vitamin B12 were much less likely to be depressed than were women who got the least.

Reference: Process in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry; 2009, Vol. 33, No. 6, 972-7.

Avoid Medication

Heartburn remedies and laxatives are some of the most common drugs people purchase over the counter. This suggests that diet and lifestyle are causing symptoms that lead to self-medication. Over-the-counter treatments rarely address the source of the discomfort; they only mask the symptoms for a short time. A chronically inflamed gut ultimately may play a role in everything from gastritis, allergies, skin rashes, hemorrhoids and cancer to autoimmune disorders. Good gastrointestinal health is a critical component in reducing the state of stress in your body. If you often feel a burning sensation in your stomach and/or are regularly taking OTC medications, get it checked out.

Tip: Consume a daily dose of probiotics instead of taking drugs. You can supplement with probiotics or eat yogurt, particularly probiotic-infused varieties that have high concentrations of L. acidophilus.

Source: To Your Health

Rest Your Body

Insufficient sleep depresses the immune system, making you susceptible to colds, upper-respiratory infections, low energy, weight gain, a tired appearance, and other complaints like feeling irritable. Even minor sleep disturbances (such as getting one hour less than usual) can cause a significant drop in the immune system. If you are nodding off during the day, then you need to find a way to get more sleep.

Make sure you are not drinking too much caffeine to compensate for a lack of sleep. If your coffee consumption is excessive, it could be messing with your sleep patterns and also sabotaging your immune system. Consuming more than four cups of regular coffee a day is a definite red flag.

Proper sleep hygiene involves getting uninterrupted sleep, in the dark, without the television on, in a relaxing environment. To recharge and replenish your body, strive for 8-9 hours sleep every night. Start by going to bed an hour early, and ask friends and family not to call you after that time. Also don’t bring work into the bedroom.

If some or all of the following apply, you’re not sleeping enough, eating enough, or both, for the amount of training you’re doing:

· You’re exhausted most of the time, but you have trouble sleeping at night.
· You’re achy all over.
· You feel touchy and irritable.
· You’re getting weaker in the gym. You feel weaker than your previous workout.
· You’re injuring yourself (sprains, pulled muscles, and so on) frequently in small ways at the gym.

Source: To Your Health

Fructose, Bad for Blood Pressure?

Besides adding empty calories to your diet, sugar may raise your blood pressure if you eat too much, suggests a study from the University of Colorado-Denver. When men ate a diet heavy in fructose for two weeks, their systolic blood pressure (the top number) went up about 6 points, on average, while their diastolic pressure (the bottom number) rose about 3 points. Both table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are made up of about half fructose molecules.

Moreover, the men developed features of metabolic syndrome, which, besides high blood pressure, also include high triglycerides (fats in the blood), low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, high fasting blood sugar, and increased abdominal fat. Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Some caveats: The study, presented at an American Heart Association conference, has not been published, and it did not include women. And the amount of fructose used (200 grams a day) was even higher than the excessive amounts Americans typically consume (50 to 70 grams a day). Still, the findings offer another tempting reason to curb your sweet tooth.

Source: Health Insider

Give Me a K!

You may know about the benefits of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. But vitamin K? It is one of the most important, yet overlooked, keys to disease prevention, according to an analysis of data from hundreds of studies by the noted researcher, Dr. Bruce Ames, at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute. Vitamin K is best known for its blood clotting action. But it’s also essential for bones, arteries, immunity, and other body functions, and deficiency may contribute to age, related conditions, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and possibly even cancer.

Most people fall short on K. The current recommended intake is 90 mcg a day for women and 120 mcg for men. And you probably need even more than that for optimal health, says Dr. Ames. Dark leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard, are the best sources. Multivitamins contain only small amounts, if any.

Source: Health Insider

Yogurt, Good Food But False Advertising

There’s some evidence that “probiotic” bacteria in yogurt help rebalance the intestine’s natural flora and can have an effect on immune function. But saying, or at least boldly implying on labels and in ads, that yogurt can help prevent constipation or keep you from getting sick is a big leap. Manufacturers have been getting away with such deceptive advertising, until now.

In settling a class-action suit, Dannon has agreed to change how it markets its Activia and DanActive products. For one, the word “immunity” will be dropped from packages. The company will reimburse customers (up to $35 million in total) who spent extra money, thinking they were getting health benefits that may not really exist. (These products cost more than regular yogurts.)

No question, yogurt is a healthy food, rich in calcium, protein, and potassium. Look for nonfat or low-fat yogurt with no added sugar, or buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit. The “Live & Active Cultures” seal guarantees measurable probiotic activity. Just don’t expect a medical miracle.

Source: Health Insider

Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects

It’s not as if you don’t already have too much to think about, but here’s one more side effect of treatment you need to address: bone loss.

Premature menopause, triggered by chemo, can cause a sudden drop in estrogen levels and weaken bones. Vitamin D deficiency, a secondary cause of bone loss, affected 65 percent of women in a recent study of breast cancer patients. And now aromatase inhibitors, a common treatment which interferes with the body’s ability to produce the hormone estrogen, has been shown to decrease bone mineral density and increase the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women. But researchers have found that for many women, there are effective therapies.

Source: Health Insider

Chlorine and Your Lungs

Earlier this summer I reported on the link between swimming pools and lung problems, and a new study published in the journal Pediatrics has more news: Swimming in chlorinated pools may increase your child’s risk of developing asthma or allergies. Among 847 teenagers ages 13 to 18, researchers found those who swam in an indoor or outdoor pool disinfected with chlorine for more than 1,000 hours were much more likely to develop asthma or allergies than those who swam in pools cleaned with a copper and silver mixture.

Keep in mind, 1,000 hours of swimming is a ton of pool time and this is a preliminary study. So no need to pull your kids out of the pool, just be aware chlorine could be a potential trigger.

Source: Health Insider

Depression, Obesity, and Alcohol Abuse Linked in Young Women

Depression, obesity, and alcohol abuse are interrelated conditions among young women (but not men), according to University of Washington researchers.

Data collected when 776 young adults were 24, 27, and 30 years of age reveal that women with an alcohol disorder at age 24 were more than three times as likely to be obese when they were 27. Women who were obese at 27 were more than twice as likely to be depressed when they were 30. And women who were depressed at 27 were at increased risk for alcohol disorders at 30.

By contrast, young men who had one of these conditions didn’t tend to develop another one later on.

The research did not reveal a clear progression in women from one of these disorders to another. But women with one condition should be aware that they are at increased risk of developing another.

Source: Health Insider

Background TV Hampers Relationships

You may want to hit the off switch on the remote. A new study from the University of Massachusetts, published in Child Development, looked at the effects of background TV on the relationship between parents and young kids. The finding: That both the amount and quality of interactions between parents and very young children (ages one to three) is negatively affected by having the television on. In fact, parents in the TV study spent about 20 percent less time talking with their kids and were less attentive and responsive.

Source: Health Insider

Apple or Pear? Wide Waists Harm Kids’ Hearts

Scientists have known for years that a larger than normal waist circumference boosts heart disease risks for adults. Now, a study from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine has found that kids with more fat around their waists may face higher risks of cardiovascular disease later in life. The issue: Visceral fat, which is found inside and around abdominal organs, is more metabolically active than fat in other parts of the body. The researchers looked at 188 obese kids between the ages of seven and eleven and found that those with the biggest waists were much more likely to have lower HDL (healthy) cholesterol and high triglycerides (a blood lipid that’s been linked to heart problems).

Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about your child’s weight.

Source: Health Insider

Key Brain Chemical Lower in ADHD

It’s long been theorized that those with ADHD may have lower levels of certain brain chemicals, such as dopamine, which are linked to the reward and motivation systems. Now, thanks to a brain-imaging study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, we have the first clear evidence that this is so.

The findings, specifically, that the ADHD patients in the imaging study had lower levels of dopamine receptors and transporters in two parts of the brain involved in processing motivation and reward, may help researchers focus more clearly on ways to combat those deficits.

Source: Health Insider

Definitely Don’t Get a Flu Shot if…

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides guidelines for circumstances under which you should not be vaccinated with the flu shot (or the nasal spray). According to the AAP, you/your child should not get vaccinated if any of the following applies (whether restriction applies to flu shot, nasal spray or both is noted in parentheses):

· Less than 6 months of age (flu shot); less than 5 or older than 49 (nasal spray)

· Moderate to severe febrile (fever) illness (both)

· History of Guillain-Barre’ syndrome (both)

· Hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis, to eggs, to any influenza vaccine dose, or to any of its components (both)

· Asthma, reactive airway disease, or other chronic disorders of the lungs or cardiovascular systems (nasal spray)

· Underlying medical conditions including metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, renal dysfunction, and hemoglobinopathies

· Received other live vaccines within the past four weeks (nasal spray)

· Known or suspected immunodeficiency disease, or receiving immunosuppressive therapies (nasal spray)

· Taking aspirin (nasal spray)

Source: To Your Health

Heart Health Plays a Major Role in Longevity

In a large study of British men, those with the highest cholesterol levels at age 50 had almost two years less life expectancy than men with the lowest levels.

The finding was part of a follow-up to the Whitehall study, which obtained health data on 19,000 civil servants starting in 1967. Researchers collected data on the survivors 38 years later, and, in their analysis, concluded that three key risk factors, smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, occurring together in men at age 50 reduced lifespan by about 10 years compared with men without these risk factors.

Source: Remedy Life

Having a Child Ups Your Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

Elevated triglycerides (a type of blood fat) and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol are two of the components that define metabolic syndrome, a cluster of related problems that increase the risk of heart disease. Abdominal obesity and high blood pressure are other factors.

A new study has found that, for women, giving birth is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, by 33% for one child and 62% for more than one, compared with women who haven’t had children. Women with gestational diabetes are at even greater risk.

In part, the link between pregnancy and metabolic syndrome may be due to weight gain and lack of physical activity. Weight loss and exercise are crucial for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome.

Source: Remedy Life

Fast Food Changes Your DNA

When you eat a steady diet of fatty fast foods, it does more than strain your blue jeans. According to scientists at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, eating a fatty diet actually changes genes by altering the function of DNA in cells that help control insulin. And that, they conjecture, may lead to type 2 diabetes. The newly discovered chain reaction leads to only one conclusion: Reduce your fat intake, particularly of saturated and trans fats.

Source: Remedy Life

Exercise Without Weight Loss Still Helps

A new study from Texas, Italy, and the Netherlands found a regular 12-week aerobic exercise program consisting of four 30-minute workouts a week improved sedentary, overweight teen’ insulin sensitivity, even if they didn’t shed a pound. (It upped lean teens’ sensitivity too.) This is important because it’s hard to lose weight and keep it off, and if teens have that as a goal, they may abandon exercise when they don’t see the results they want. But if the goal is to increase insulin sensitivity, and possibly avoid diagnosis of or gain control over type 2, then they will see rewards from their hard work. And that means they’re more likely to stick with it.

Source: Remedy Life

Take Heart

If you have RA, you should keep tabs on your heart health, even though it’s a challenge to find the time or emotional resources to take on another set of health worries. Mayo Clinic researchers have found that among most 60 to 69 year olds who are newly diagnosed with RA there is a 20 percent chance of developing a serious cardiovascular condition. People without RA have less than half the risk. “These results emphasize the importance of performing a comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment for all newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients,” says Sherine Gabriel, M.D., the study’s senior author and Mayo Clinic rheumatologist and epidemiologist.

Source: Health Insider