Medical Stuffs

Dec. 4, 2009 — All Slim-Fast ready-to-drink canned products are being recalled because of possible contamination with Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and/or vomiting.

Unilever United States, Inc. issued the voluntary recall in cooperation with the FDA.

“The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote,” states a Unilever news release. Unilever says it issued the recall “out of an abundance of caution” based on its quality testing of Slim-Fast ready-to-drink (RTD) products in cans.

The recall involves all ready-to-drink Slim-Fast products sold in cans, regardless of flavor, “Best-By” date, lot code, or UPC number.

The recall doesn’t include any other Slim-Fast products, such as powdered shakes, meal bars, or snack bars.

The recalled cans are sold individually or packaged in paperboard cartons containing four, six, or 12 steel cans that are marked “11 FL OZ (325 mL)” each.

Unilever urges people to immediately discard Slim-Fast ready-to-drink products in cans and call the company at 800-896-9479 for a full refund. Unilever’s Consumer Services Center is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time. A recorded message is available around the clock, every day.

Unilever states that it “is in the process of identifying and correcting the production issue, and will resume production and shipping of the product when the issue has been addressed and corrected.”

Dec. 1, 2009 — People who exercise regularly tend to stay healthier as they age, and now new research may explain why at a cellular level.

Compared to people who did not exercise, elite runners in the study had cells that looked much younger under a microscope.

Specifically, investigators measured the length of telomeres — the DNA on either end of thread-like chromosomes.

Just as the plastic tips on the ends of shoelaces keep the laces from fraying, telomeres protect the chromosomes that carry genes during cell division.

Each time a cell divides, telomeres get shorter. When telomeres get too short, cells can no longer divide and they die.

Researchers now believe telomere shortening is critical to aging, making people more vulnerable to diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

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Are you feeling down in the dumps? Are you irritated at how often you’ve been irritable?

Perhaps it’s time to look at the foods and drinks you consume to see if they are trashing your mood. Nutrition experts say that the foods you eat can help you feel better — or feel worse — in the short-term and the long-term.

• Meal-to-meal and day-to-day, keeping your blood sugars steady and your gastrointestinal (GI) tract running smoothly will help you feel good and energetic. If your blood sugars are on a roller-coaster ride — hitting highs and lows from too much sugar and refined flour – you are more likely to feel out of sorts. This is also true if your gastrointestinal system is distressed due to intense hunger from a fad diet or constipation because you aren’t getting enough fiber and water.
• Week-to-week and month-to-month, keeping your body healthy and disease-free makes good moods more likely. For example, key nutrients you get in certain foods can influence the levels of feel-good hormones such as serotonin. Other nutrients can help prevent inflammation so blood circulates well to all of your organs.

“Eating a heart healthy diet — high in fiber and low in saturated fat — is a great place to start to boost your mood. There isn’t any question about it, says Diane M. Becker MPH, ScD, director of the Center for Health Promotion at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Conversely, “a high-fat, high-glycemic load meal can make you physically feel dysfunction in your body. People who eat this type of meal tend to feel bad and sleepy afterwards,” she says.

6 Tips for Foods and Beverages That Help You Feel Good

1. Seek out foods rich in vitamin B12 and folic acid (folate).

What’s special about chili made with kidney beans and lean beef? Or a light chicken Caesar salad made with skinless chicken breast and romaine lettuce? Or grilled salmon with a side of broccoli?

All these dishes feature one food that is rich in folic acid (folate) and another that is rich in vitamin B12. These two vitamins appear to help prevent disorders of the central nervous system, mood disorders, and dementias, says Edward Reynolds, MD, at the Institute of Epileptology, King’s College, London.

The link between higher food intakes of folate and a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms crosses cultures, too. A recent study confirmed this association in Japanese men.

Folic acid is usually found in beans and greens. Vitamin B12 is found in meats, fish, poultry, and dairy.

Other dishes that feature B-12 and folic acid-rich foods include:

• A burrito or enchilada made with black beans plus beef, chicken, or pork
• A spinach salad topped with crab or salmon
• An egg white or egg substitute omelet filled with sauteed spinach and reduced-fat chees

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Nov. 24, 2009 — A potentially dangerous and rapidly spreading strain of the “superbug” MRSA poses a much greater public health threat than previously thought, new research shows.

Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) is spreading in hospitals and other health care facilities, according to a study in the December issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The CA-MRSA strain of superbug can be picked up in fitness centers, schools, and other public places, and is increasing the already significant burden of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in hospitals, the researchers report.

CA-MRSA and hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) are bacteria resistant to most common antibiotics.

HA-MRSA infections occur mostly in hospitals and other health care settings, including dialysis centers and nursing homes, and often strike mostly older adults, people having invasive medical procedures, and people with weakened immune systems.

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Sept. 1, 2009 — People who drink alcoholic beverages on a regular basis may be more likely than teetotalers to exercise — and the more they drink, the more likely they are to work out, a new study shows.

“A possible motivation is that people who consume alcohol recognize that it contains a fair number of calories, so they exercise to counteract caloric intake,” study author Michael T. French, PhD, of the University of Miami, tells WebMD. “Those who drink without misusing it may be interested in balancing their life.”

French and fellow researchers analyzed data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a yearly phone survey of 230,000 Americans, and found a “strong statistical association” between alcohol use and moderate to vigorous exercise.

The study, published in the September-October issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, reports that:

• Compared with abstainers, light drinkers exercised 5.7 more minutes per week, moderate drinkers 10.1 more minutes, and heavy drinkers 19.9 more minutes.
• Women drinking alcohol exercised 7.2 more minutes per week than abstainers, and men 5.5 more minutes.
• Drinking for both men and women was associated with about a 10% increase in the probability of engaging in vigorous exercise.

Abstainers were people who had not drunk alcohol in the 30 days prior to being surveyed. Drinkers were classified as light, moderate, or heavy drinkers based on the number of alcoholic drinks they had had in the last 30 days:

Light drinkers

• Women: 1-14 drinks
• Men: 1-29 drinks

Moderate drinkers

• Women: 15-45 drinks
• Men: 30-75 drinks

Heavy drinkers

• Women: 46 or more drinks
• Men: 76 or more drinks

“The message here is not to use alcohol to improve your exercise” regimen, French says, adding that health problems associated with heavy drinking outweigh benefits of more exercise. However, he says the study suggests that “responsible” drinking may be beneficial.

Study Shows Supplement Was Safe and Effective in People Using Supplement for 1 Week
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDMay 14, 2009 — A water-soluble extract of the plant kava was found to be safe and highly effective for the short-term treatment of anxiety in a new study. But concerns about its long-term safety and the safety of other kava formulations remain.

A decade ago, kava supplements were a popular alternative treatment for anxiety and related conditions, with U.S. sales approaching $50 million in 1998 alone.

But reports of liver damage and even liver failure linked to its use led to bans of kava supplements in many countries, including Canada, Germany, France, and the U.K.

Kava was not banned in the U.S., but sales fell dramatically after the FDA issued a warning about possible liver-related injury in March 2002.

Kava Under Scrutiny
In 2007, a safety panel of the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a possible link between kava use and seven deaths and 14 liver transplants, mostly in Europe.

But the WHO report suggested that liver toxicity may be limited to kava formulations that used the whole kava plant, instead of just the root, or used acetone and ethanol to extract the active ingredient from the plant instead of water.

“Kava has been used in the Pacific Islands where it is grown for centuries without evidence of liver problems,” researcher Jerome Sarris, of Australia’s University of Queensland tells WebMD. “But they only use water-soluble extract and they only use the peeled root of the plant.”

Sarris says he used a product that mirrored the traditional kava used by the Pacific Islanders as closely as possible in his study, published in Psychopharmacology.

Thirty-seven people with generalized anxiety and varying levels of the depression completed the three-week long trial. In the first week, all participants took a placebo. In the second week, half the participants took kava tablets and the other half took placebo tablets. In the third week, the group that had taken kava tablets was switched to a placebo and the group that had taken a placebo switched to kava tablets. Participants were not aware whether they were taking a placebo or kava tablets.

As measured by standardized anxiety and depression questionnaires, the participants reported much less anxiety when they were taking the kava than when they took placebo pills, Sarris says.

Depression levels also dropped among many patients who reported depression and no serious side effects were associated with kava use.

Because the patients took the kava for only one week, the study did not address the long-term safety of the water-extracted, kava root formulation.

Sarris hopes to conduct a longer study comparing kava to drugs that are widely prescribed for the treatment of anxiety.

“What we can say is the evidence supports the use of this [formulation] for short periods for acute anxiety and stress,” Sarris says.
Let the Buyer Beware
But East Carolina University professor of psychiatric medicine Richard Bloch, PhD, tells WebMD that the lack of regulation of dietary supplements like kava in the U.S., means consumers can never be sure what they are getting.

“The FDA doesn’t monitor the ingredients used, how these products are prepared, or even if the doses are accurate,” he says. “Manufacturers can say whatever they like and you don’t know for sure if it is accurate because nobody is really checking.”

Bloch recently reviewed the research examining the safety of kava for the treatment of anxiety. He says not enough high-quality, long-term studies have been done to truly understand the effect that kava has on the liver.

“This study suggests that kava is very effective for treating generalized anxiety disorder, but it was just a three-week trial,” he says. “It does not address the long-term safety of kava or its long-term efficacy. We simply do not know if this treatment would be safe and effective if used for six months or a year.”

Health experts’ understanding of depression has come a long way in the last few decades. In many cases, depression doesn’t have only one cause. It often results from a mix of biology, psychology, and stressful or traumatic events.

Reasons for depression include:

• Biology. Researchers still have a lot to learn about exactly why people become depressed. But some experts say depression often results from an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. Antidepressants work by affecting the levels of these chemicals — bringing them back into balance.

  There’s also a genetic connection. If depression runs in your family, you have a higher chance of becoming depressed.

  Having other general health conditions or diseases can increase your risk of depression. For instance, if you have a heart attack, you have a 65% risk of becoming depressed afterwards. Conditions such as cancer, heart disease, thyroid problems, and many others increase your risk of becoming depressed.

  Your gender makes a difference, too. Women are about twice as likely as men to become depressed. No one’s sure why. But the hormonal changes that women go through at different times of their lives may be a factor.

• Psychology. Studies show that people who have a pessimistic personality are more likely to become depressed. This doesn’t mean that getting a “better attitude” will resolve your depression.
• Stressful events. Many people become depressed during difficult times. Losing a family member or close friend, being diagnosed with a serious illness, going through a divorce, or any other traumatic event may trigger depression.
• Medications and substances. Many prescription drugs can cause the symptoms of depression. Alcohol or substance abuse is common in depressed people. It often makes their condition worse.

Some people have a clear sense of why they become depressed. Others don’t. The most important thing to remember is that depression is not your fault. It’s not a flaw in your character. It’s a disease that can affect anyone.

Do you know the difference between stomach flu and influenza? “Stomach flu” is a popular term but not the true medical diagnosis. The proper medical term for stomach flu is gastroenteritis.

Sometimes people mistake symptoms of stomach flu or gastroenteritis for the viral infection we commonly call “flu,” which has symptoms of fever, congestion, muscle aches, and fatigue. Learn more about stomach flu and influenza so you can recognize flu symptoms and seek proper treatment.

How does stomach flu differ from influenza?

Stomach flu actually refers to gastroenteritis or irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines (the gastrointestinal tract). Gastroenteritis may be caused by a virus, bacteria, parasites in spoiled food or unclean water, or another trigger such as lactose intolerance, which causes a reaction to dairy products.

Influenza (flu), on the other hand, is a viral infection that mimics a cold except that it starts forcefully with symptoms of fatigue, fever, and respiratory congestion. While more than 100 different virus types can cause a common cold, only influenza virus types A, B, and C cause flu. More severe cases of influenza can lead to life-threatening illnesses such as pneumonia.

In addition, while antibiotics can treat a bacterial infection, antibiotics cannot treat influenza because flu is caused by a virus.

What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis (stomach flu)?

Symptoms of gastroenteritis or stomach flu include abdominal cramps, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. You may also have fever, headache, and swollen lymph glands, depending on the type of bug that causes it.

In severe cases of gastroenteritis, loss of bodily fluid can result in dehydration, a life-threatening condition that needs medical attention. Signs of dehydration include sunken eyes, light-headedness, increased thirst, dry or sticky mucous membranes in the mouth, lack of normal elasticity of the skin, decreased urine output, and decreased tears.

You can avoid dehydration by continuing to drink fluids and gradually eating a bland diet such as the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and dry toast). A bland diet is easily digested and is unlikely to irritate your sensitive gastrointestinal system.

What causes gastroenteritis (stomach flu)?

There are many causes of stomach flu (gastroenteritis), including bacteria such as E. coli, Camphylobacter, Shigella, and Salmonella. Viruses can also cause stomach flu and are responsible for 30 percent to 40 percent of gastroenteritis cases in children. Common stomach flu viruses include norovirus or Norwalk-like virus, adenovirus, rotavirus, calicivirus, and astrovirus. Stomach viruses are notorious for spreading rapidly because of poor hand washing.

While not as common, parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. Water-borne parasites are common in underdeveloped parts of the world that have unsanitary water supplies. It is recommended that travelers stick to bottled water to avoid water-borne parasites — a potential cause of gastroenteritis.

Some foods may irritate your stomach and also cause gastroenteritis. Reaction to dairy products in someone with lactose intolerance is the most common example. Severe reactions to seafood is another example.

A lack of good hygiene can result in gastroenteritis. For instance, improper hand washing after using the bathroom or after changing a baby’s diaper can spread the infectious bug from person to person. Many doctors call stomach flu “a family affair” because it is so highly contagious and usually goes through all members of a family.

Who’s at risk for gastroenteritis (stomach flu)?

Those at high risk for stomach flu include pregnant women, infants, undernourished and immune-compromised people, and older adults.

In addition, the severity of infectious gastroenteritis depends on your immune system’s ability to resist the infection. Electrolytes (these include essential elements of sodium and potassium) may be lost as you vomit and experience diarrhea.

When should you call the doctor for gastroenteritis (stomach flu)?

If you experience symptoms of gastroenteritis and are weak and dizzy, you may be dehydrated. If you cannot drink fluids but continue to lose fluids through fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, you should call your doctor. If you are sleepy or unaware, you should definitely be taken to a doctor or hospital’s emergency department. Other signs that warrant medical treatment include:

• blood in the vomit or stool
• dehydration (check for little to no urination, extreme thirst, lack of tears, and dry mouth)
• fever higher than 101 degrees
• swollen abdomen or abdominal pain in the right lower part of the abdomen
• vomiting that lasts more than 48 hours

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that naturally occurs in human blood. It is formed in the liver or digested from the foods you eat. Cholesterol performs important functions in your body. It aids in tissue and hormone formation. It protects your nerves. It aids in digestion. In fact, cholesterol helps form the structure of every cell in your body.

You’ve probably heard your doctor talk about good and bad cholesterol. It’s true we need cholesterol to maintain good health. But too much LDL — “bad” — cholesterol and not enough HDL — “good” — cholesterol may lead to heart disease and stroke. To help avoid those problems, you need to maintain the proper ratio between good and total cholesterol.

How do you know what that ratio is? Once you know your cholesterol numbers, you can work with your doctor to find the ideal cholesterol ratio. Then, by making simple lifestyle changes such as eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking cholesterol medications such as statins, you can work your way toward that ratio. By lowering your level of LDL cholesterol and increasing the level of HDL cholesterol, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Aug. 4, 2009 — Adults with even moderately elevated cholesterol in their early to mid-40s appear to have an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias decades later, a new study shows.

Researchers followed more than 9,800 people for four decades in one of the largest and longest age-related dementia trials ever conducted.

They found that those with high or even borderline high total cholesterol in their 40s had a significantly increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease years later.

“People tend to think of the brain and the heart as totally separate, but they are not,” study co-author Rachel A. Whitmer, PhD of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., tells WebMD. “We are learning that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain — and that midlife is not too soon to be thinking about risk factors for dementia.”

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