Caffeinated Coffee, Vision Loss are Linked

Found on Site: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/283047/caffeinated-coffee-vision-loss-linked.html

Caffeinated coffee drinkers should limit their intake to reduce chances of 
developing vision loss or blindness, a new study has claimed.

In a study published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, researchers found that heavy caffeinated coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma, the leading cause of secondary glaucoma worldwide.

Secondary glaucoma refers to any form of glaucoma in which there is an identifiable cause of increased eye pressure, resulting in optic nerve damage and vision loss.

The study was composed of two cohorts: 78,977 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and 41,202 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) who were at least 40 years of age and did not have glaucoma.

The research team used questionnaires to obtain and validate the consumption of beverages containing caffeine and reviewed medical records to determine incident cases of exfoliation glaucoma.

An analysis of the two cohorts showed that, compared to abstainers, participants who drank three cups or more of caffeinated coffee daily were at an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma or glaucoma suspect.

The researchers did not find associations with consumption of other caffeinated products, such as soda, tea, chocolate or decaffeinated coffee.

The results also showed that women with a family history of glaucoma were at an increased risk.

Aspirin May Help Preserve Brain Function in Older Women with Heart Disease

Found on Site: http://www.wowktv.com/story/19743840/aspirin-may-help-preserve-brain-function-in-older-women-with-heart-disease-healthday-news

The same daily, low-dose aspirin that many women take to lower their risk for heart attack may have spillover benefits on their risk for developing mental decline, suggests new research from Sweden.

In the study of nearly 700 women between 70 and 92 years old, 600 were considered to be at high risk for heart disease and stroke. Of these, about 130 women were taking low-dose aspirin when the study began, and nearly 100 more were taking various other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.

After five years, women who were taking low-dose aspirin showed less decline on a standardized test measuring brain function than women who were not on aspirin. The longer the women were taking aspirin, the more pronounced the differences. Daily aspirin use did not, however, have any bearing on the risk for developing full-blown dementia, the study showed.

Exactly how aspirin may slow cognitive decline is not fully understood, but it may enhance blood flow to the brain, concluded study authors Dr. Silke Kern and colleagues at the University of Gothenburg.

"Low-dose aspirin treatment may have a neuro-protective effect in elderly women at high cardiovascular risk," the researchers wrote.

The findings appear online Oct. 3 in the journal BMJ Open.

Aspirin may help prevent strokes, and sometimes a series of "mini-strokes" can add up to cognitive decline and even cause dementia, said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, director of the integrated cardiovascular intervention program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "It makes sense that this could be the case, but the new study does not prove it."

"I would not start taking aspirin because of this study," Bhatt added. "This needs to be tested in a larger number of patients before we can say that aspirin has a role in preventing cognitive decline in women or men."

While the study found an association between aspirin use and mental skills, it did not reveal a cause-and-effect link.

Not everyone can or should take aspirin, Bhatt noted.

"Aspirin can cause side effects and should not be taken by people who are at risk for ulcers or bleeding," he said. "Do not take aspirin without discussing it with your doctor."

None of the women in the new study developed ulcers or major bleeds.

Still, the study authors concluded: "Longer follow-ups are needed to evaluate the long-term effect of aspirin on cognitive function and dementia."

Dr. Sam Gandy, chairman of Alzheimer's disease research and associate director of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in New York City, said: "Aspirin has many properties that benefit the health of our blood vessels. This study shows just how large a role brain circulation plays in maintaining good cognitive function."

Salt Intake Tied to Higher Blood Pressure in Kids

Found on Site: http://www.healthnews.com/en/news/Salt-intake-tied-to-higher-blood-pressure-in-kids/2OiKOfg0D8E9r0repFo4cE/



NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children in the U.S. eat almost as much salt as adults, according to a new government study that finds a clear link between sodium intake and higher blood pressure.

The connection was particularly strong among overweight and obese children, said Quanhe Yang from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, who worked on the study. That's concerning because both high blood pressure and excessive pounds are risk factors for cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and stroke down the road, researchers say.

"Our American diet clearly is very high in sodium," said Dr. Frederick Kaskel, chief of pediatric nephrology at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York, who was not involved in the research.
"Not only is the high sodium something to be avoided, but it is also indicative of an unhealthy diet," he told Reuters Health.

The results, released Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are likely to fan the hot debate over the health effects of salt. While health authorities across the globe warn consumers to cut back on dietary salt, a number of recent studies have suggested that not getting enough salt can be as harmful as getting too much.

The salt industry has pounced on that research, saying the dietary guidelines for sodium intake are flawed and should be withdrawn. The CDC study is based on national surveys of more than 6,200 children and adolescents aged 8 to 18. The youths had their blood pressure measured between one and three times and also reported their diet in the prior 24 hours. On average, they ate 3,387 milligrams of sodium a day - considerably more than the 2,300 mg (about one teaspoon of salt) the government recommends as the upper limit. According to previous data from the CDC, U.S. adults consume 3,466 mg of sodium per day by comparison.

"Kids are consuming as much sodium as adults, which far exceeds the recommended amount," Yang told Reuters Health, encouraging parents and others to "read the label when you go shopping and buy the food with the lowest sodium content." Yang and his colleagues found that for every 1,000 mg of extra sodium in the children's diets, there was a one-point rise increase in blood pressure. Among overweight and obese kids, each 1,000 mg of sodium was tied to a blood pressure increase of 1.5 points.

In adults, high blood pressure is defined as at least 140 mm Hg (the top, or systolic, number) or 90 mm Hg (the bottom, or diastolic, number). Doctors also talk about "pre-hypertension," which is defined as a top number between 120 mm Hg and 140 mm Hg or a bottom number between 80 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg.
The potential health effects of the small blood pressure variations seen in the study are not clear. But Kaskel said they could spell trouble later on.

"The antecedents of adult cardiovascular disease are seen early on in the pediatric age group," he said. "We shouldn't underestimate the potential harms of a 1-mm increase in systolic blood pressure."
The new study doesn't prove that higher dietary salt intake directly increases blood pressure, however, although other research shows that is theoretically possible.

"Many times the higher intakes of sodium may simply be a marker of a higher intake of fast food and processed foods," said nutritionist Lauren Graf of Children's Hospital at Montefiore.
She added that several ingredients in such foods, including fructose, have been tied to higher blood pressure.
Dr. Michael Alderman of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York cautioned that it's not clear that cutting back on sodium will do most kids any good. "There is nothing in this paper - and there is no information that I'm familiar with - that suggests reducing sodium intake is of value for people eating an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day," he told Reuters Health.

Alderman said he has been an adviser to the Salt Institute, which represents the industry, and received $750 from the group in 1995. He said he has no ties to the group today. Graf said bread is the biggest source of dietary sodium in the U.S., adding that deli meats also contain a lot of the ingredient. Eating a healthy diet - including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish and meats - will automatically reduce sodium intake, she noted.

Bust These Anti-ageing Cream Myths

Found on Site: http://bit.ly/M8JwOY

Looking for the perfect skin cream to prevent ageing? Then don't believe these myths!
The next time you go shopping for skin care products, dispel these myths and shop sensibly...

1. The more expensive, the better!
Women who truly believe that there are miracles hidden in a jar of skin cream also seem to believe that the more expensive the cream, the more they are ensured of a total anti-ageing experience. Recent research, however, shows otherwise in some cases. Affordable creams can be just as good for your skin, but it is important to buy products that address your unique needs. Don't go by the price only, because cheap creams can also cause harm and an expensive cream might not be good for you if your skin can't take the richness of the product.

2. One cream will do everything
This is really wishful thinking because one cream cannot take care of every problem you have. The skin needs different ingredients at different times of the day and it is best to buy product that are made specifically for a time period. A serum is necessary, and so is eye cream, besides your regular night cream. During the day, you will need cream with SPF, so make sure you purchase a product with this ingredient. Buy different products for different times of the day.

3. You will see miracles in an instant
Ah — this is what skin care manufacturers would have you believe, but is just not possible. All a cream will do is delay the ageing process slightly, but age will inevitably creep in to your life, no matter what you do. It is best, therefore, to check out what you need most - do you need help for pigmentation? Is it radiance that you require? Or is your problem that of early wrinkles? Buy a cream that will help you in these specific areas, but remember -- everything takes time. Some creams may take up to three months for any significant improvement to be noticeable on your skin.

4. Buy creams according to the age mentioned on the packaging
Walk into a store and the lady at the counter will immediately ask you how old you are or try and make a guess about your age. She will then offer you products according to your age like those for 30+, 40+ and other creams positioned in various age brackets. This is not the right way to buy a good skin cream. You could have fine lines at the age of 30 if you've been a sun worshipper or a sportsperson. On the other hand, you may have acne at 50. So, don't go by age at all. Buy products according to your skincare needs.

Moms Who Take Folic Acid, Iron Have Smarter Kids

Found on site:  http://ibnlive.in.com/news/moms-who-take-folic-acid-iron-have-smarter-kids/138220-17.html



Chicago: Children in rural Nepal whose mothers were given iron and folic acid supplements during pregnancy were smarter, more organized and had better fine motor skills than children whose mothers did not get them, US researchers said on Tuesday.

They said ensuring that pregnant women get this basic prenatal care could have a big effect on the educational futures of children who live in poor communities where iron deficiency is common.
"Iron is essential for the development of the central nervous system," said Parul Christian, an expert in international health at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world, affecting 2 billion people, according to the World Health Organization.
Early iron deficiency can interfere with nerve development, biochemistry and metabolism, hampering both intellectual and fine motor development.

Christian's team studied 676 school-age children whose mothers had been in a clinical trial in which some got iron and folic acid supplements and other nutrients while they were pregnant. About 80 percent of the children -- aged 7 to 9 - were enrolled in school.

"We had the opportunity to follow the offspring of women who had participated in a randomized trial of iron and folic acid and other micronutrients to assess neurocognitive function and outcomes," Christian said in a telephone interview.

"What we showed is prenatal iron and folic acid supplementation had a significant impact on the offspring's intellectual level and motor ability and ability during school age, which was a very exciting finding," she said.
"It had an impact across a range of function, including intellectual function, executive function and fine motor function," factors that could affect a child's later academic success, Christian said.
She said many children in poor communities would benefit from better prenatal programs that include the low-cost nutritional supplements.

"These results speak to a large swath of people residing in that part of the world. Iron and folic acid deficiency are very common," she said.

The World Health Organization estimates that in developing countries, every other pregnant woman is anemic and about 40 percent of preschool children are anemic.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Why Women Want to Look 'Skinny but Shapely'

Found on Site:  http://www.sify.com/news/why-women-want-to-look-skinny-but-shapely-news-international-kmnnkjcgfhf.html



London: A professor has indicated that women are always concerned about their weight and they keep looking into every possible option to lose few pounds.

"In our interviews with women aged 16 to 63, we found that all ages wanted to be "skinny but shapely", and most wanted to lose half a stone irrespective of actual size," the Daily Mail quoted Professor Sarah Grogan, author of such books as 'Body Image: Understanding Body -Dissatisfaction In Men, Women and Children,' as saying.

"Women found it easy to tell us what they disliked about their bodies but much harder to think of what they liked.
"Most said that they would be more confident if they lost weight. None of the women who took part in our interviews (even those who were, objectively, very thin) said they wanted to gain weight," Grogan added.
"We live in a culture where slimness for women is linked with all kinds of positive characteristics," explained Grogan, "including self-control, elegance, attractiveness and youth."

Indeed, studies have shown that not only are slim people considered more attractive and likely to do better in job interviews and work situations, they are also less likely to be convicted of crimes, and, if convicted, likely to receive lighter punishments.

A study by the University of Florida found that women who weighed 25lb less than the norm earn around 9,770 pounds more than average-weight women. And, according to German research conducted over 24 years, how much we weigh affects our emotions more than our love life does.

People with Fewer Teeth Prone to Die of Heart Disease: Study

Found on Site:  http://www.physorg.com/news190310046.html

People with dented smiles run a far greater risk of dying of heart disease than those who still have all their pearly whites, a Swedish researcher said Monday.

"Cardiovascular disease and in particular coronary heart disease is closely related to the number of teeth" that a person has left, Anders Holmlund told AFP, explaining the results of a Swedish study to be published in the Journal of Periodontology.

"A person with fewer than 10 of their own teeth has a seven times higher risk for death by coronary heart disease than a person of the same age and of the same sex with more than 25 teeth left," Holmlund said.
Although many studies published in the past 15 years have showed a link between oral health and cardiovascular disease, Holmlund's study shows a direct relationship between cardiovascular disease and the number of teeth in a person's mouth.

The study, conducted with colleagues Gunnar Holm and Lars Lind, surveyed 7,674 women and men, most suffering from periodontal disease, for an average of 12 years, and examined the cause of death of the 629 people who died during the period.

For 299 of the subjects, the cause of death was cardiovascular disease.
The theory connecting teeth numbers and heart disease, Holmlund explained, maintains that "infections in the mouth and around the teeth can spill over to the systemic circulation system and cause a low graded chronic inflammation," which is known to be a risk factor for heart attacks and other cardiovascular episodes.
The number of natural teeth a person had left "could reflect how much chronic inflammation one has been exposed to in a lifetime," he added.

The study had been limited by the fact that it had not been possible to adjust the results for socio-economic factors and to fully adjust them according to other cardiovascular risk factors, he acknowledged.
Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, claiming upward of 17 million lives every year according to the World Health Organisation.

It's Good to Think - But Not Too Much, Scientists Say

Found on Site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11340881



People who think more about whether they are right have more cells in an area of the brain known as the frontal lobes.
 
UK scientists, writing in Science, looked at how brain size varied depending on how much people thought about decisions.

But a nationwide survey recently found that some people think too much about life.
These people have poorer memories, and they may also be depressed.
Stephen Fleming, a member of the University College London (UCL) team that carried out the research, said: "Imagine you're on a game show such as 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' and you're uncertain of your answer. You can use that knowledge to ask the audience, ask for help."
The London group asked 32 volunteers to make difficult decisions. They had to look at two very similar black and grey pictures and say which one had a lighter spot.

They then had to say just how sure they were of their answer, on a scale of one to six. Although it was hard to tell the difference, the pictures were adjusted to make sure that no-one found the task harder than anyone else.

People who were more sure of their answer had more brain cells in the front-most part of the brain - known as the anterior prefrontal cortex.

This part of the brain has been linked to many brain and mental disorders, including autism. Previous studies have looked at how this area functions while people make real time decisions, but not at differences between individuals.

Illness link
The study is the first to show that there are physical differences between people with regards to how big this area is. These size differences relate to how much they think about their own decisions.
The researchers hope that learning more about these types of differences between people may help those with mental illness.

Co-author Dr Rimona Weil, from UCL's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, said: "I think it has very important implications for patients with mental ill health who perhaps don't have as much insight into their own disease."

She added that they hope they may be able to improve patients' ability to recognise that they have an illness and to remember to take their medication.
However, thinking a lot about your own thoughts may not be all good.

Cognitive psychologist Dr Tracy Alloway from the University of Stirling, who was not involved in the latest study, said that some people have a tendency to brood too much and this leads to a risk of depression.
More than 1,000 people took part in a nationwide study linking one type of memory - called "working memory" - to mental health.

Working memory involves the ability to remember pieces of information for a short time, but also while you are remembering them, to do something with them.

For example, you might have to keep hold of information about where you saw shapes and colours - and also answer questions on what they looked like. Dr Alloway commented: "I like to describe it as your brain's Post-It note."

Those with poorer working memory, the 10-15% of people who could only remember about two things, were more likely to mull over things and brood too much.
Both groups presented their findings at the British Science Festival, held this year at the University of Aston in Birmingham.

More zzzs Please: Singapore Sleep Society Wants an Hour More in Bed

Found on Site: More zzzs please: Singapore Sleep Society wants an hour more in bed | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/sleep/singapore-sleep-society-sleep-hour-more-movement-2010-292164#ixzz0uOnynL3o



Are you getting enough sleep?
Many adult Singaporeans do not get the daily six to eight hours of sleep that are needed for optimal well-being, according to Dr Lim Li Ling, president of the Singapore Sleep Society. And to address this dire need, the Society is launching the Singapore Sleep Awareness Week 2010 (March 19-28), in celebration of the World Sleep Day (March 19).

"Lack of sleep is a common and largely under-recognized cause of daytime sleepiness and other health problems in countries such as Singapore, where the lifestyle is hectic and round-the-clock activities (such as online shopping and games) are available," said Dr Lim to Today Online. Most people who have problems falling asleep generally have bad habits that are not conducive to healthy sleep, he added.

Chronic sleep deprivation can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue and weariness, lack of concentration, irritability, a lousy mood, as well as affect cognitive function such as problem solving, learning and memory, says Dr Jenny Tang, medical director of the Asthma Lung Sleep and Allergy Centre at Gleneagles Medical Center. It can also affect one's immune system.

As part of the Sleep Awareness Week, a series of public seminars, workshops and symposiums have been scheduled throughout the week, as well as a Facebook movement to "Sleep An Hour More" for working adults. Pledge your commitment to "switch off your mobile phone, computers or TV, tuck in early, sleep in later or take a nap in the day, and remember what it was like to enjoy good sleep and wake up feeling refreshed."

Here's some sleeping tips from Dr Lim (from Today Online).

• Work out a sweat. Exercise helps one feel relaxed and less stressed, but don't exercise for at least four hours before bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol near to bedtime. And don't drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee and colas eight to 10 hours before bedtime.
• Have a bedtime routine that can help you unwind. Don't think about work before you sleep! Also, steer clear of stimulating activities such as online games before bedtime.
• Ditch heavy suppers. Eating close to bedtime can cause symptoms such as heartburn, which can disturb sleep.
• Go to bed and get up at about the same time every night and day respectively, including weekends. This will help anchor your circadian (biological) clock and establish a consistent rhythm of sleep.
• Use the bed mainly for sleeping and sex, not other activities. Can't get to sleep after 20 mins? Get out of bed and engage in a relaxing activity like light reading and go back to bed when you feel sleepy.