Health Care Info & News Ramblings Dec 12 2007

By Raj | Dec 12, 2007

Though we know that possibility of a heart attack is more at office going hours, have you wondered ever why there are more heart attack deaths in the winter season? Come the holiday season after Thanksgiving, you’re flooded with rich meals, more alcohol, extra stress, Christmas celebration, New Year welcome, skip medications either because of traveling or being unable to get refills being far from home, too busy to exercise, salted snacks, respiratory tract infection, flu shot, cold weather constricting blood vessels, what else? Everything needed to trouble your little engine! Winter holidays are really a heart attack season. Check out the articles Holidays Bring the Heart Attack Season, Blood pressure harder to control in winter and another one which says a Dose of flu doubles the risk of heart attack or stroke. Along with that don’t forget to read surviving a heart attack and heart health tips.

Increasing weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer? You are inviting death closer! Studies indicate that an 11 pound weight gain after being diagnosed with breast cancer increases the risk of death from breast cancer or other causes by 14 percent! Researches indicate that women who exercised after being diagnosed with breast cancer cut their chance of dying by as much as one-half, depending on how much exercise they did. Isn’t it another good reason to shed weight? Check out the article Weight Gain Hurts Breast Cancer Survival and some other interesting articles against cancer which says Green tea may protect against colon cancer and coffee reduces the risk of skin cancer.

I used to belittle granny’s home remedy of honey for cough and cold until I personally experimented it with my kid and read the article Honey eases nighttime cough in children though I know from school days the antimicrobial effects of honey and healing effects of honey in burn injuries. Note: Honey is not advisable for kids with age of less than a year.

Imatinib mesylate (generic name), trade name Gleevec (Glivec) used to treat blood cancer (leukemia) and other cancers of the blood cells and a rare type of stomach cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), has come out heart friendly with a redesigned version though this version is effective only against GIST and not leukemia. Check out the news on heart friendly Gleevec.

Ever thought why you’re becoming forgetful nowadays? Cursed your poor memory/memory loss? Is it because of aging? Yes somewhat! Studies show that small but long-term elevations of calcium within nerves and brain cells can kill them. Calcium can pass from the blood stream into the brain, but it has not been clear whether blood calcium levels have any relationship to cognitive function. Cancer, increased parathyroid gland secretions or kidney failure may provoke increased calcium levels in blood and higher blood calcium levels were linked to quick mental decline. Interesting? Check the article Calcium level may signal risk of mental decline and another one which says Low vitamin B12 leads to faster mental decline.

Fever, a boon for autism? Studies indicate that fever restores nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain, restoring a child’s ability to interact and socialize during the fever, temporarily unlocking autism’s grip. See more at Fever can unlock autism’s grip and another one which throws light on Brain abnormalities in autistic children.

While discussing about the parasites pinworm, hookworm, tapeworm, roundworm and whipworm and about deworming frequency, I’ve always vouched for clean hands for a more parasite free life. Even studies indicate that physical barriers, such as regular hand washing and wearing masks, gloves and gowns, may be more effective than drugs to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS. Still not convinced? Read about the importance of washing hands, Hand washing more useful than drugs in virus control.

That’s all for this week. Stay healthy.