Cheers to Health!
Sitting down to eat his lunch at a neurological hospital in Lyon, France, where he was conducting research, Dr. Will Clower could hardly believe what he saw.
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Tag Archives: Life and Wellness
Do You Need a New Mattress?
Need a little more spring in your mattress? Here’s how to tell …
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On the Horizon: Breath Tests for Health?
In the future, a sophisticated sensor being developed at the University of Missouri may analyze breath or urine samples for chemical clues about what is happening inside the body. The test will help determine whether the patient has breast cancer, lung cancer, diabetes or asthma. The device, known as the opto-fluidic ring resonator (OFRR), detects ... More
The Wheat-Free Way
Bye-Bye Bagel; You Will Be Missed Have you ever felt sick, nauseous, and bloated immediately after eating? How about every time you eat? A friend of mine recently identified the culprit behind her ongoing digestive problems and upset stomach: wheat—a truly sorrowful discovery as her favorite foods include pizza, bagels, and pita bread. Medications can ... More
Diabetes: Foot Care
A new bathroom scale with illuminated mirrors may help people with diabetes rise to the challenge of managing the disease and avoiding its big time complications. Daily foot exams and meticulous foot care help detect and treat minor problems before they develop into major ones. The Insight Foot Care Scale allows for thorough and safe ... More
Wine May Protect the GI Tract
No one is suggesting that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is good for one’s health. But a new study suggests that a daily glass of red or white wine may cut in half the risk of Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that increases the chance of developing a type of esophageal cancer. The recent study was ... More
Is There a Doctor in the House?
There’s nothing fun about sitting in a hospital waiting room. And that’s where my husband and I recently spent an afternoon as doctors repaired our daughter’s knee. A volunteer welcomed us, a nurse liaison provided updates, and the lounge chairs were comfortable. For a couple of hours, time seemed to stand still—and then it seemed ... More
Check Out These Links
Ever been deferred as a blood donor because of a low blood count? An online tutorial helps explain why, and what to do about it. Anemia.org Find out about an online program that offers 30 10-minute sessions of brain games and exercises designed to improve memory, mood, and concentration. Lumosity.com
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Treating Epilepsy with New Technology
New Demipulse generators for certain hard-to-treat seizures are significantly smaller and lighter than earlier units and feature advanced technology to improve monitoring and programming of the devices. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy, approved in 1997, does not involve brain therapy. The pulse generator is implanted under the skin in the upper chest and delivers intermittent ... More
Breakthrough in Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Discovery of a new gene mutation called ALS6 may help shed light on why amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) develops, and where to focus efforts on creating new treatments and finding a cure. The finding provides important clues to inherited forms of the degenerative disease (10 percent of all cases), as well as sporadic ALS, which ... More
Fertilizing Your Garden
What you feed your plants can make a mighty difference when you come to harvest your vegetables and flowers. And spring is the time to make sure they get enough of the 13 essential mineral elements required for normal growth. Fortunately, most soils contain the micronutrients that vegetable and flowering plants require in small amounts ... More
Body Image
Recently, NBC’s The Today Show did a segment on women’s body image issues and trends. The first topic of discussion was a 1984-survey of 16,000 women answering questions about their self-image. The Survey, conducted by Glamour magazine, revealed “75 percent of women felt they were too fat, and more than 60 percent said they were ... More
There’s Spring in the Air
And a spring in my step, too. Living in the Midwest offers the opportunity to watch, hear, and even smell the seasons as they change. It gives us the chance to look forward to the upcoming weather, too. Along with its fair share of rain, Spring brings sunshine and warmer temperatures. Familiar sounds of birds ... More
Listen Up!
I’ve been enjoying monthly breakfast with a friend from high school days for a couple years now. I hadn’t seen Kathy for decades when, hurrying into a new grocery store one rainy morning, there she was! Although it’s sometimes hard to find a mutually good time and place, we always carve out some time together. ... More
Ornamental Grasses
Early spring is the time to plant ornamental grasses as well as to prune back last year’s growth of established clumps so that new shoots can grow unhindered. Ornamental grasses have emerged as one of the gardeners’ greatest gifts. They are available in a multitude of colorful varieties and require very little care. Most are ... More
New Way to Stop Stroke
About 55 facilities are participating in the National Institutes of Health-funded SAMMPRIS (Stenting & Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis) study to test the Wingspan flexible stent system that is designed to unclog and prop open delicate arteries located deep in the brain. “This is a minimally invasive procedure performed through ... More
A Closer Look at Colon Cancer
The FDA has approved a disposable imaging device that features a miniature “rear view mirror” to help physicians who perform colonoscopies better detect polyps on both sides of the colon. Data from a national study show that the Third Eye Retroscope detected 13 percent more polyps and 10.0 percent more adenomas than a standard colonoscopy ... More
