A.M.- Berkely Heights, NJ

J.D.-Short Hill, NJ

B.M.- Summit,NJ

Researchers studied 53 mentally healthy men and women over 60 years old.  Ten had a father with Alzheimer’s, 11 a mother with the disease, and 32 had no family history of the illness.  Each volunteer underwent an initial M.R.I. examination and was examined again two years later.

All the volunteers were still cognitively normal at the two-year point, but those with a family history of Alzheimer’s had significantly more brain atrophy than those without a family history.  And even after controlling for age and sex, the deterioration was significantly greater in those with a maternal history of Alzheimer’s than those with a paternal one.

The authors acknowledge that the study, published in Tuesday’s issue of Neurology, depended on volunteers reporting their parents’ illnesses accurately.

Still,  the lead author, Robyn A. Honea of the University of Kansas, said scientists were getting closer to quantifying risk with brain scans. ” The goal is to do a scan on someone before they get the disease and be able to tell if they’re at higher risk or starting to deteriorate,” she said. “Can we do that now? No. We need more and larger studies.”

NY Times

3/1/2011

For many avid runners, side stitches can be a maddening problem: the cramplike spasms set in suddenly and can ruin a good workout.  While no one knows their precise cause, many experts believe a side stitch occurs when the diaphragm-which is vital to breathing-is overworked during a vigorous run and begins to spasm.  Runners who develop stitches are commonly advised to slow down and take deep, controlled breaths.

But a new theory suggests that it may not be the diaphragm that’s responsible for the pain,  and that poor posture could be a culprit.  In one recent study, researchers used a device to measure muscle activity as people were experiencing side stitches.  They found  no evidence of increased activities or spasms in the diaphragm area during the onset of stitches.

Last year, the same team published a separate study in The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.  They found that those who regularly slouched or hunched their backs were more likely to experience side stiches, and the poorer the posture, the more severe their stitches in excercise.

One explanation is that poor running form may affect nerves that run from the upper back to the abdomen.  Another is that hunching increases friction on the peritoneum, a membrane that surrounds the abdominal cavity.  This could also explain why controlled breathing seems to help relieve stitches: drawing deep breaths fills the lungs and improves posture.

The Bottom Line

Improving running posture may help relieve stitches

NY Times

3/1/2011

I even reduced in weight on the cleanse, although that wasn’t the main objective, and I am experiencing less joint and muscle pain.  I highly recommend the detoxification cleanse.  It helped my body get rid of toxins and was a turning point in my life, allowing me to accomplish dietary goals I had been considering, but had not yet implemented.

Dr. Drumbore is the only doctor I trust, so when he recommended the cleanse I had full confidence I would benefit from it and, of course, he was right.

W.Z.-  Hackensack, NJ

Encourage a little bit at a time. Minutes spent playing kickball can add up over the course of the day.

Advocate for well-maintained, safe sidewalks and bike paths in your neighborhood. Volunteer to supervise the use of school facilities after hours.  Children are more likely to want to play outside if it’s safe.

Practice what your preach. It’s not hard to find activities the whole family can do together.

Don’t underestimate the value of some video games. So-called “active-play” video games can encourage regular exercise.

Don’t let other activities or physcial disabilities limit your child. All children need exercise every day.

Sources:

U.S. News & World Report June 2, 2010

2010 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA (PDF)

The slogan on Fiji’s Water’s website–”And remember this, we saved you a trip to Fiji”–seems like a dark joke to those who are aware of the conditions there. Fiji Water is now America’s leading imported water.  The company has spent millions pushing its environmental credibility and charity work.

But nowhere in Fiji’s Water’s glossy marketing materials will you find reference to the typhoid outbreaks that plague Fijians because of the island’s faulty water supplies, the corporate entities that Fiji Water has set up in tax havens like the Caymen Islands and Luxembourg, or the fact its signature bottle is made from Chinese plastic in a diesel-fueled plant and hauled thousands of miles.

And, of course, you won’t find mention of the military junta for which Fijii Water is a major source of global recognition and legitimacy.

Sources:

Mother Jones September/October 2009

Mice fed a high fat and fructose diet and supplemented with CoQ10 had decreased levels of inflammatory and metabolic stress markers in their livers than mice fed just the high-fat diet, according to findings published in Biochemical Pharmacology.

CoQ10 has properites similar to vitamins, but since it is naturally synthesized in the body it is not classed as such. With chemical structure 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone, it is also known as ubiquinone because of its ‘ubiquitous’ distribution throughout the human body.

There is an ever-growing body of scientific data that shows substantial health benefits of CoQ10 supplementation for people suffering from angina, heart attack, and hypertension.  Other studies have reported CoQ10 may play a role in the prevention of, or benefit people suffering from, neurodegenerative diseases.

The nutrient is also recommended to people on statins to off-set the CoQ-depleting effects of the medication.

Sources:

Biochemical Phamacology December 1, 2009;78(11):1391-400

The figures are, if anything, on the conservative side, since they are based on the notion that obesity levels will plateau, and even decline, by 2033.  If actual prevalence outpaces these estimates, the cases of diabetes, and resulting costs, could be even higher.

Past estimates often dramatically underestimated just how quickly the problem would grow.  Figures from 1991 projected that some 11.6 million Americans would have diabetes by 2030. In fact, that’s fewer than half of the total number of Americans with diabetes right now.

Sources:

Time November 27, 2009

Diabetes Care December 2009, vol. 32 no. 12 2225-2229