Friday Roundup: FAST Stroke Signs, Depression and Alzheimer’s, and More

May 10, 2013

Here at Life Line Screening, we firmly believe that the power of prevention can change lives for the better. Being knowledgeable about your health is a great way to keep it strong. Below, read some of the latest headlines concerning healthy living, nutrition, and disease prevention.

Back to Basics: FAST Stroke Signs

May is National Stroke Awareness month, and even though many of us have probably heard of the most common stroke risk factors and warning signs, it’s important to be reminded. Catching a stroke early can drastically improve a person’s chances of recovering without life-altering, catastrophic consequences.

When the brain experiences a lack of blood supply because of a blocked artery, a stroke may occur. By following the FAST tool, you can help detect the symptoms and responsiveness of someone suffering a stroke.

F = Face: Ask the person to smile. Is the smile uneven? Does one part of the smile droop?
A = Arms: Can the person raise both of their arms? See if one arm is weaker than the other.
S = Speech: Do the person’s words slur together? Can you understand what they are saying?
T = Time = If you notice any of the above stroke signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Read more about stroke warning signs and risk factors here: http://www.lifelinescreening.com/disease-information/stroke.aspx?WT.svl=1

Depression and Alzheimer’s Development

One new study found a link between depression and later development of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is a condition caused by reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain. This can deprive the brain of essential nutrients and oxygen, killing brain cells.

Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, the analysis combines 23 prior students of 50,000 older adults over five years. Results showed that the participants who suffered from depression were 65 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and more than twice as likely to develop vascular dementia.

“We think depression is toxic to the brain, and if you’re walking around with some mild brain damage, it will add to the degenerative process,” said co-author of the study, Meryl Butters, Ph.D., in a Psych Central article. Read the full article here.

Sugar-Free and Fat-Free: Is it Really Better?

Eating healthier means avoiding foods loaded with sugar and fat, right? Not necessarily. A new article from U.S. News reveals that even if you eat foods labeled with “sugar-free” or “fat-free” claims, their substitutes may not be all that better for you.

Sugar-free foods usually replace the refined sugar with artificial sweeteners. Although artificial sweeteners don’t have any calories, they’re actually sweeter than regular sugar. This can confuse your body, which thinks because it’s sweet, it should have calories. Because of this, your body can go looking for calories later, making it easier to binge.

Fat-free foods aren’t necessarily better for you, either. Fat-free foods, such as fat-free salad dressings, replace the fat with sugar. When you eat sugar, it eventually gets stored in your body as fat, so technically you’re still eating fat. However, keep in mind that not all fats are bad for you – monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that your body needs.

Read more from the article here.

Get Involved on LifeLongHealth.com

We’re talking latest health news, nutrition, staying active, and more on LifeLongHealth.com. Want to get involved in a discussion? Here’s what’s trending right now.

• Tips Needed to Live Heart Healthy How are you trying to live heart healthy? What lifestyle changes have you made to protect your heart, and what tips do you have for others? Share with us.
• Smart Phone Apps to Help Live Healthier Do you have any favorite apps you use to keep yourself healthy? Read a few we’ve found and share with us your must-have health apps.
• VIDEO: Could a Smart Phone Change Your Medical Care? Watch this video with Brian Williams and learn about the possibility of smart phones changing medical care. After watching, share your thoughts with us.

Friday Roundup: New Study on Red Meat & Heart Disease, Tips for Beating Allergies & More

April 19, 2013

Are you looking to stay up-to-date on the latest health news? Start with the weekly news roundups from Life Line Screening. March is National Nutrition Month so this news roundup features recent headlines focused on diets and nutrition. Headlines include a new study on red meat and heart disease, tips for beating allergy season, and diabetes research and prevention.

New Study on Red Meat and Heart Disease

The connection between a diet full of red meat and heart disease has been established for quite a while. New research shows, however, that the link may not be from the fat in red meat like we originally thought.

Research published in the journal Nature Medicine shows that the artery-hardening culprit might actually be L-carnitine – a nutrient and popular dietary supplement found in red meat that is involved in fat digestion. The study showed that when L-carnitine was consumed, certain microbes in the gut create another chemical called trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). This chemical alters the way the body processes cholesterol, therefore leading to higher heart disease risk.

Read more about the study here: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-carnitine-heart-disease-microbiome-20130408,0,6081972.story

Tips for Beating Allergy Season

Allergy season is characterized by lots of sneezing, itchy eyes, runny noses, and irritating congestion. As the air fills with pollen from trees, grasses and weeds, many people are burdened with allergy symptoms. Although you can’t prevent pollen from entering the air, you can do something to decrease your allergy symptoms.

ABC News lists 8 ways you can outsmart your allergies, some of which include changing your exercise plan to avoid spending significant time breathing heavily outdoors, watching for signs of non-seasonal allergies, choosing natural fabrics for clothing like cotton instead of synthetic materials, and more.

Read the full list here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Allergies/ways-outsmart-allergies/story?id=18840620#.UWQvODfqR4s

Diabetes Research Lacking in Areas of Prevention

While it’s incredibly important to focus on improving treatments for serious health conditions like diabetes, we can’t forget the importance of prevention, as well. Is diabetes research focusing too much on treatment and not enough on prevention? According to a new Duke University study, the answer is yes.

The study results published in the journal Diabetologia point to evidence that current diabetes research efforts may not be adequately studying diabetes prevention, management or therapeutic safety. In the study, 75 percent of the 2,484 trials correlated with diabetes focused on diabetes treatment, while only 10 percent were conducted to focus on preventive measures.

Read the full study details here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/07/diabetes-research-studies-trials-treatment-prevention_n_3022070.html

What’s Trending on LifeLongHealth.com

You can get involved with the health and nutrition discussions going on right now at LifeLongHealth.com. Here’s what’s trending:

• Fiber – Adds to Lifelong Health: How do you get your daily fiber? Studies have proven the health benefits of fiber – are you getting enough of it in your diet? Join the discussion here.
• Restless Leg Syndrome: This condition involves tingling, abnormal sensations in the calves, thighs, or legs. Have you had success with treating RLS? Share with us.
• Have You Read about the Health eHeart Study? A new study hopes to help physicians better understand how the heart functions and develop new ways to predict heart disease. What do you think of the study?

Friday Roundup: Foods to Slow Aging, Diabetes Risk and Standing, and More

March 29, 2013

Are you looking to stay up-to-date on the latest health news? Start with the weekly news roundups from Life Line Screening. March is National Nutrition Month so this news roundup features recent headlines focused on diets and nutrition. Headlines include foods to slow aging, diabetes risk and standing, and information on the growing threat of Alzheimer’s disease.

Foods that Slow Down Aging

We’re all getting older. There’s nothing we can do about that. What we can do is slow down the appearance of aging by changing our bodies from the outside and inside.

Research has shown that Omega-3’s, also known as the fatty acids in foods like fish, can help lower risk for health conditions like heart disease, depression, arthritis and more. New results show that they may also help slow down the aging process by promoting reduced destruction of the part of the DNA that keeps the aging process slow.

“The DNA parts that were affected were the ends of chromosomes, called telomeres,” said Dr. Martha Belury, Ph.D., R.D., in the Grandparents.com article. “What we think happens in aging is the telomeres get shortened. This is indicative of wear and tear on the cells, which can lead to cell death.”

Read more about the study here: http://www.grandparents.com/health-and-wellbeing/anti-aging/anti-aging-foods

Study: Reduce Diabetes Risk by Standing Up

Although exercising is a great way to stay active and lower your risk of developing several dangerous health conditions like heart disease, stroke and diabetes, one recent study shows you can actually reduce your diabetes risk by simply swapping time you spend sitting with time you spend standing and walking around.

According to the Medical News Today article, people at risk for type 2 diabetes are frequently told to take part in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The study published in Diabetologia, however, reveals that more importance should simply be placed on reducing sedentary time (time spent sitting or moving very little) with any type of movement, like standing and walking.

Ready the full study results here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/257111.php

The Growing Threat of Alzheimer’s Disease

According to a new report on global death and disease, Alzheimer’s disease is the fastest growing health threat in the U.S. The report reveals that the number of people predicted to develop the memory disease will triple with the next 40 years, amounting to a total of 13.8 million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease.

The report also provides insight into the major reasons for health threats to Americans, revealing that Americans are most likely to die from diseases caused by their own unhealthy lifestyles, like using tobacco or overeating. Changing lifestyles to lower major disease risk factors like quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can dramatically lower the number of Americans succumbing to preventable diseases.

See more information on the report findings here: http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/05/17196908-alzheimers-fastest-growing-health-threat-report-says?lite

What’s Trending on LifeLongHealth.com

You can get involved with the health and nutrition discussions going on right now at LifeLongHealth.com. Here’s what’s trending:

• Sweeteners Are there any natural sweeteners out there that aren’t bad for your health? Which ones do you prefer? Share with us.
• 100 Days of Real Food Have you ever considered eating only “real” food for a certain length of time by cutting out unhealthy sugars and fats? Please join the discussion here.
• What Suggestion Would You Give a Company to Promote Wellness? Wellness and prevention are two central themes that are taking center stage lately. Do you have any suggestions for companies looking to get involved? Share them.

VIDEO: The Risks of High Salt Intake

March 27, 2013

March is National Nutrition Month, and brings with it a growing awareness of the importance of a healthy, nutritious diet. When it comes to the foods and drinks we put into our bodies, moderation is key. Too much of anything, like too much sugar, too much fat, or too much sodium, can negatively impact the body by increasing risk for high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and more.

In this Life Line Screening video, we explore a new study from the University of Miami School of Medicine that put the well-known issue of too-much salt intake to the test. View the video to discover the results of the study and find out why they might matter to you and your health.

For more information on proactive and affordable ways to stay healthy, explore the preventive health screenings offered by Life Line Screening. Visit Life Line Screening’s YouTube channel to learn more about healthy lifestyles. For those without video capability, the text is provided below.

Half-Minute Health-Helpers: The Risks of High Salt Intake

Here is the audio text to the video:

“Most people already know that high levels of salt are not good for the human body and normally lead to a higher blood pressure over time. Now a new study led by the University of Miami School of Medicine seems to support the claim that there is a strong link between high salt intake and conditions such as heart disease and stroke – not just high blood pressure.

And just like sugar, hidden salt is everywhere, so read your labels to keep salt off your tables.”

Friday Roundup: Sleep and Exercise, Belly Fat and Osteoporosis, and More

March 22, 2013

Are you looking to stay up-to-date on the latest health news? Start with the weekly news roundups from Life Line Screening. March is National Nutrition Month so this news roundup features recent headlines focused on diets and nutrition. Headlines include sleeping and exercise, the link between belly fat and osteoporosis, and common nutrition myths busted.

Having Trouble Sleeping? Exercise Might Help

Between those who take the time to exercise and those who don’t, one group is sleeping better at night, according to one recent study.

The research results from the 2013 Sleep in America poll of 1,000 adults between 23 and 60 years of age found that the people who exercised got more quality sleep than those who did not. The actual amount of sleep the participants got every night was the same for both groups, however those who exercised found they were sleeping better and waking up feeling more rested each night.

“Compared to people who don’t exercise, vigorous exercisers were much less likely to have insomnia-related symptoms, such as having difficulty falling asleep or waking up too early and not being able to get back to sleep,” the HealthDay News article states.

Read the full study findings here: http://news.health.com/2013/03/04/exercise-leads-to-better-sleep-poll/

The Link Between Belly Fat and Osteoporosis

Too much of anything can be bad for your health. New research has found that when drinking beer or consuming an unhealthy diet leads to a “beer belly” (also known as belly fat), it can potentially lead to osteoporosis.

The study from the North American Society for Radiology shows obesity in the midsection among men can be associated with osteoporosis. This is due to the added stress excess weight in the midsection can put on the spine, bones and joints, increasing risk of bone weakening and fracturing.

Although men tend to have a lower risk of developing osteoporosis than women, this study shows that men with excess weight in their trunks are at an increased risk compared to men without this added midsection weight.

To ready the full story on the study, click here: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/02/27/beer-bellies-in-men-linked-to-osteoporosis/

Nutrition Myths Busted

We’re nearing the end of National Nutrition Month, but it doesn’t mean the focus on nutrition has to end. In fact, we can always keep learning about healthy nutrition to promote a healthy life.

In this Yahoo! Health article, common nutrition myths are explored and dispelled. For example, are you under the impression that all carbohydrates are bad for you? Contrary to what you’ve been told, your body needs carbohydrates for energy. However, not all carbs are the same. Certain carbs like white flour and added sugars can actually hurt your health if consumed too heavily. Stick to refined carbohydrates like whole grains so your body gets the healthy energy it needs.

To read the full list of common nutrition myths and their true answers, view this link: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/drmao/5-nutrition-myths-dispelled

What’s Trending on LifeLongHealth.com

You can get involved with the health and nutrition discussions going on right now at LifeLongHealth.com. Here’s what’s trending:

• Sweeteners Are there any natural sweeteners out there that aren’t bad for your health? Which ones do you prefer? Share with us.
• What Suggestion Would You Give a Company to Promote Wellness? Wellness and prevention are two central themes that are taking center stage lately. Do you have any suggestions for companies looking to get involved? Share them.
• 100 Days of Real Food Have you ever considered eating only “real” food for a certain length of time by cutting out unhealthy sugars and fats? Please join the discussion here.