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Breastfed Babies May Be Less Likely to Become Obese. Part 2

Louie — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:45:42 +0000

When the data on the children’s BMIs were analyzed together with data on breastfeeding, the investigators reported inconsistent results. For breastfed children, there was a 37 percent reduction in being at risk of overweight, an effect that was statistically significant. But the actual risk of being overweight at 3-5 years of age was not significantly affected by whether the child was breastfed—that risk was only 16 percent lower. Actually, the strongest predictor of a child’s overweight status, the authors noted, was “the mother’s concurrent weight.” They found that children whose mothers were obese had a greater than fourfold increased risk of being overweight than children whose mothers were normal weight.

In the second study of the effect of breastfeeding on later body size, Matthew W. Gillman, MD, SM, and coworkers from the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, examined data on older children, aged 9-14 years. The subjects included 7,155 boys and 8,186 girls who completed questionnaires at the beginning of the study in 1997. They provided information on age, sex, race/ethnicity, height, weight, sexual maturity, diet and physical activity. Their mothers, who were participants in the Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard completed questionnaires about their infant feeding practices.

In this study, unlike the one on young children, the investigators did find significant correlations between breastfeeding and later body size. Those children who had been breastfed for at least seven months had a 20 percent reduced risk of being overweight compared to children who had been breastfed for three months or less. Compared to children who had been fed only or mostly formula, those who had been only or mostly breastfed had a 22 percent lower risk of being overweight. In this study, controlling for maternal BMI did not eliminate the significant effect of breastfeeding on later risk of overweight. Dr. Gilman and his colleagues concluded that in their study, “infants who were breasfed were less likely than infants who were formula fed to manifest overweight as adolescents.”

In an editorial accompanying these two articles, William H. Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, suggests that the difference in age of the children studied may account for the lack of agreement in their findings. He noted that other studies of children have found a reduction of overweight frequency in children who had been breastfed.

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Breastfed Babies May Be Less Likely to Become Obese. Part 1

Louie — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:40:24 +0000

Health authorities are concerned because American children and adolescents have been getting fatter over the last few decades. Overweight and obesity in youth is thought to predict the same conditions in adulthood, and adult obesity increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis, among other conditions. Thus research is actively targeted at identifying modifiable factors that help tip a child’s weight towards overweight and obesity. Two studies in the May 16 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association examine the possibility that the amount and duration of breast-feeding during an infant’s first year can affect its risk of becoming too heavy.

Breast-feeding for the first year of an infant’s life is now the recommended mode of nourishment, advises the American Academy of Pediatrics. While there are a number of benefits to breast-feeding, its effect on body size in later life is not clear. If there are size benefits, when do they appear, and is there some minimal duration of breastfeeding necessary to attain them?

Mary L. Hediger, Ph.D. and colleagues from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) investigated the effect of breastfeeding on the body weight of young children who were 3-4 years old. The investigators used data on infant feeding and child weight status collected as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted from 1988-1994.

Records of 2685 children born in the United States were included. From height and weight data, the researchers calculated the Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine their body size. BMI is the ratio of weight to height squared, and is widely used as an index of overweight and obesity. Children who were at or over the 95th percentile of BMI for their age were considered overweight, and those who were between the top 85th and 94th percentile were considered at risk of becoming overweight.

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Obesity and Lack of Exercise Linked to Cancer Risk

Louie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:56:18 +0000

Obesity and being overweight have long been linked to a variety of diseases, but they, along with lack of exercise, have now also been connected to cancer. In fact, up to one-third of breast, colon and kidney tumors can be attributed to being overweight and a lack of sufficient physical activity, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The Agency, which met February 13 to 20 in Lyon, France, issued several conclusions regarding cancer risk, such as which limiting weight gain reduces the risk of cancers of the esophagus, colon, esophagus and endometrium, and breast cancer. Regular physical activity was also determined to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer, and possibly endometrial and prostate cancer. The Agency will release a full review and evaluation in 2001 in Volume 6 of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.

The WHO considers a BMI or body mass index, of less than 18.5 to be underweight, a body mass index greater than 25 to be overweight and a body mass index greater than 30 to indicate obesity. The Agency states that maintaining a BMI between 18.5 and 25 clearly reduces the risk of several cancers. For people who are already overweight or obese, there is no direct evidence that losing weight will result in reduced cancer risk, but hormonal changes that occur with weight loss seem likely to reduce the risk of some cancers, according to the Agency. Epidemiological evidence also suggests that even losing weight late in life could positively affect risk of breast and endometrial cancer.

The Agency recommends counseling people about healthy body-weight ranges and the need for an active lifestyle, and it encourages continuous physical activity most days of the week. One hour a day of moderate exercise may be required to maintain a healthy body weight, while more vigorous activity several times a week may give additional cancer-prevention benefits.

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Statins Prevent Stroke in Heart Patients

Louie — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:43:26 +0000

We know that high cholesterol raises your risk for coronary artery disease, but what about for stroke? Most studies that have looked for a compelling link between cholesterol and stroke haven’t found one. Strangely, however, some research has found that taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may cut the risk of stroke. A large new study in the January 19 Circulation supports these findings, suggesting that statins may help heart patients avoid stroke, even if they have average cholesterol levels.

The researchers recruited more than 4,000 people who’d survived a heart attack an average of 10 months earlier. All had midrange cholesterol levels, with an average total cholesterol level of 209 milligrams per deciliter and an LDL (bad) cholesterol level of 139 mg/dl. The researchers randomly assigned half of the participants pravastatin (Pravachol) and the other half dummy pills and tracked their health for the next five years.

As expected, the drug lowered even these midrange cholesterol levels (and raised the beneficial HDL cholesterol) in the people taking it. But it also prevented strokes:

The pravastatin group had a third fewer strokes than the placebo group, even after the researchers adjusted for other stroke risk factors. This extra benefit of statins should please heart patients who are already taking a statin to lower their cholesterol and protect their heart, though more research is needed to determine why statins have this effect.

If you’re a heart patient who isn’t taking a statin, ask your doctor about it: Statins benefit almost everyone with heart disease, even if cholesterol levels are in the average range as reported in this study. And now the benefits may include a lowered risk of stroke. However, if you don’t qualify for a statin to protect your heart because you’re too young or don’t have enough risk factors, there’s not yet enough evidence that you should take a statin solely to stave off stroke.

Measuring Emotional Eating

Louie — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:24:43 +0000

Arnow and colleagues at Stanford University School of Medicine developed a scale to use as a tool to study emotional eating behavior and to learn from people who struggle with overeating. The scale measures the relationship between emotions and urges to eat, but not emotions and actual eating behavior. Take a moment now to complete the adapted version of this scale, called the Desire to Eat Scale, provided here.

The Desire to Eat Scale does not have a numerical score, yet it can be an effective tool for evaluating your emotional eating behavior. The first step is to complete the scale now. After you have completed the scale, try to maintain a regular pattern of eating three balanced meals and two to three snacks each day for the next week. The next step is to once again complete the Desire to Eat Scale and compare your responses. Notice whether your urges to eat have decreased in response to these emotions. The final step is to try to maintain this regular eating pattern for a month and, once again, complete the Desire to Eat Scale. Compare your responses with your earlier answers. If your urges to eat have decreased, this is evidence that reducing chronic dieting and hunger helps you to manage your emotional eating.

Summary

Overall, most scientific theories of eating and overweight have oversimplified or neglected emotional eating. Today, we know that emotions, particularly anxiety, influence urges to eat and eating behavior. In particular, chronic dieters appear to be most susceptible to overeating when experiencing anxiety, especially when hungry. Individuals who are chronic dieters and who also have trouble with overeating may be able to prevent overeating in response to anxiety by not allowing themselves to become too hungry. Maintaining a regular pattern of eating three meals and two to three snacks that are spread evenly throughout the day may help these individuals avoid overeating when hunger and anxiety are high.

Associate research scientist and assistant clinical professor in the Eating Disorder Program and Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine. Her primary research and clinical interest is the area of eating disorders.

Assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine and has a private practice in New Haven, Connecticut. She specializes in the treatment and research of anxiety and mood disorders.

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Personal Fitness: Three Easy Steps to Getting Started

Louie — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:23:01 +0000

Fitness is something that many of us would like to achieve. This article discusses some simple steps that will help you become more fit and healthy.

Fitness is a goal that many of us seek, yet find difficult to achieve. Why?

For each of us, the answer will be different. In fact, before starting a fitness program, it is important to ask yourself: “What makes regular exercise hard for me to pursue?” Your answers could include a busy lifestyle, fear of soreness, or simply “I don’t like it” if you are honest.

Step One: Define Barriers and Get Motivated

Starting a personal fitness plan includes looking at these barriers and deciding how you can deal with them. This includes finding the motivation to begin.

One source of motivation is understanding the benefits to you of physical fitness. These include: aerobic exercise conditions your heart and lungs (and can reduce your risk of heart disease), it increases your endurance (which can help on those long, tough days with a million things to do), it reduces stress, it can help you lose weight, and it can help reduce your risk of disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and depression. When you exercise, you look better, feel better, and are healthier.

Step Two: Preparation

Okay, so the benefits sound great. How do you get started?

First, Look at your daily routine. Try to determine the best time for incorporating exercise into it, whether early morning or in the evening. Your schedule and your biorhythm will determine this.

Wear clothing that is comfortable, loose, and permits sweat evaporation. Supportive athletic shoes are good choices for most activities.

Start slowly if you aren’t used to exercise. Check with your health care provider before starting out, especially if you are over age 35, or have any medical problems. They may ask you to modify your plan, such as choosing low impact exercise if you have joint problems.

Step Three: A Simple Routine That Works

A typical exercise routine begins with warm-ups. These are slow stretches that allow muscles a chance to warm up, then a slow start into the exercise itself. Warm up takes about five minutes.

Then comes conditioning exercise.At this point, many people ask, “What kind of exercise is best?” The answer is, “Just about any physical activity that you ENJOY doing.” This is the key. If you find a routine that you like, or is even fun, you are more likely to continue it.

An exercise routine may be a daily walk or swimming, going to the local gym and working out with others, or a private session on the treadmill at home.

Build up gradually, starting out with five or ten minutes a day to prevent “morning after” soreness. You will enjoy yourself more if you allow time to work into a routine, and can add five minutes a week until you meet your goal.

What should your goal be? Minimum fitness is considered 20 to 30 minutes every other day, although you may choose to exercise more as fitness improves.

During exercise, you should be able to hold a conversation (the “talk test”). Slow down if you can’t. If chest pain, irregular heart beats, difficulty breathing, or dizziness occur, stop immediately, and notify your health care provider.

Finally, you will want to cool down. This phase prevents blood from pooling in your legs (which can cause dizziness). Cooling down can be walking, or very low level exercise, followed by simple stretches that relax muscles

With exercise, you can enjoy the benefits of feeling better, looking trimmer, and having more energy. Finding a routine that you enjoy will help you continue it, and exercise your way to a fitter, healthier lifestyle.

Endocrinologists Hear Report of High Incidence of Brain Tumors

Louie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:45:50 +0000

The pituitary gland, a small structure which sits on the sphenoid bone at the base of the skull and weighs around 1/2 gram, has long been called the “master gland” because of its role in regulating hormones and important physiological functioning in the rest of the body. Also called the hypophysis, it produces six hormones (growth hormone, prolactin, leuteinizing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone) and it also stores two other hormones: oxytocin and vasopressin.
For endocrinologists, specialists in hormone physiology and its disorders, the pituitary gland has nearly as much importance as the heart does to cardiologists. It has long been known from autopsy reports and incidental radiographic findings that anywhere from 6 to 24 percent of the patient population has a finding of pituitary microadenoma (small pituitary tumor) but until now there has been little focus on pinning down the epidemiology or clinical significance of this pathology.
According to a recent meta-analysis of nine carefully designed autopsy and radiographic studies, nearly one in five adults has a pituitary tumor, the July 1, 2001 edition of Family Practice News reported. Keith E. Friend, the principal investigator in the study was quoted by the newspaper as saying, “About one-third of these may result in pituitary excess syndromes” with symptoms including irregular menses, sexual dysfunction, infertility, changes in physical appearance, headaches, visual field disturbances, or even unexplained mood changes.
Dr. Friend asserted that even “small tumors can be clinically relevant” in his presentation to the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
He commented that diagnosis of pituitary microadenomas can be difficult because of the complexity in interpreting biochemical tests and the necessity of performing “thin slice” MRI imaging through the region of the pituitary.
Data from the study was obtained from the University of Toronto, New York University, and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. The analysis also suggested that in adults older than 65 the prevalence of macroadenomas (greater in size than 10 millimeters) is as high as one in 500. Macroadenomoas are significant because of a possible pressure effect that can interfere with other parts of the brain causing such problems as visual disturbances.

Eliminate Toxins with Detox Pads

Louie — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:18:48 +0000

The rapid proliferation of wellness programs and alternative medicines has led to the introduction of some very interesting products into the modern health care market. The amount of environmental toxins our bodies are exposed to today requires that we be more aware of our health, making any number of health products a hot commodity. Toxins gather in our bodies over a long period of time, and can cause a number of health problems.

Detox Patches, also know as Sap Sheets, are a unique product that can help flush toxins out of the body. Detox patches are derived from natural vinegars that come from plant material. These patches are put on the bottom of people’s feet, and are said to function as a toxin absorbent that eliminates toxins and wastes from your body. This significantly improves blood circulation and the body’s metabolism.

The Japanese were the first to use Detox Patches as part of their alternative medicine techniques. The fundamental principles of Japanese medicine are based to a great degree upon the belief that a person’s health and well being depend in large part on the unrestricted circulation of the blood. Environmental factors cause imbalances that are a major contributing factor to many diseases, according to the basic ideas of Japanese medicine.

The soles have the greatest number of capillary nerves in the entire body. This is the main purpose for putting Detox Patches on the bottom of the person’s feet, because there is an area that is joined to the internal organs. Upon removal of the detox patches, the person can easily observe the signs that they’ve absorbed the toxins, as evidenced by the dark, gooey spots left on the patches. With continuous use, you can notice a difference; the area where the toxins show will look lighter, which means most of the toxins have been removed already. It’s recommended you use the detox patches on the soles of both feet for 5 nights consecutively, in order to permit the detoxifying effects of the process to be more thorough.

People have become more aware of their health over the years. It is important to play an active role in maintaining your own health, a role made easier with many home remedy options available. The presence of deadly diseases and illnesses necessitates that we take care of our bodies. A compromise between alternative and conventional methods of medicine have given people more options to improve their health and live a better, longer life.