Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

• Sex is important, especially if you’re not getting any, and for women with type-1 diabetes sex can be a real drag. According to a new study in the journal Diabetes Care involving 652 women with type-1 diabetes, completing a survey on sex and undergoing a physical examination, mood evaluation and laboratory testing, 51% of women reported orgasm problems; Reuters explains.

• Presented at the American Thoracic Society's annual meeting, researchers found overweight mothers are 65% more likely to have children with asthma. The study assessed the weight of mothers of nearly 4,000 children prior to pregnancy, following them from birth to age 8. The average age of mothers was 30, and almost 21% were overweight; HealthDay News reports.

• Also discussed at Thoracic Society's meeting was research claiming vitamin D may slow the decline in asthmatic people’s ability to breathe, specifically those with human airway smooth muscle (HASM) proliferation. HASM causes remodeling of the airway, leading to reduced lung function. Vitamin D was shown to lower growth rate of proliferation cells; via ScienceDaily.

• Another study in Diabetes Care reveals sleep apnea is going largely undiagnosed among obese people with type-2 diabetes. Of the 306 obese patients with type-2 diabetes studied, almost 87% of individuals reported symptoms but received no diagnosis. The scary part is 30% of people had 16 to 20 episodes of stopped breathing per hour of sleep; from EurekAlert!

• Back to the annual meeting, experts determined flu shots are not effective at preventing flu-related hospitalizations in kids with asthma. Researchers examined 263 children from six months to 18 years of age. Each had influenza between 1996 and 2006. Data revealed kids getting the flu shot were three times more likely to be hospitalized than kids not getting the shot; via NewsWise.

• One more from Diabetes Care, a new report suggests girls with poorly manage type-2 diabetes have a higher risk of cardiac abnormalities, than healthy kids with type-1 diabetes. Testing showed certain heart dimensions were larger in type-2 diabetics. And only 1 of the 8 girls studied with type-2 diabetes had no cardiac abnormalities; Reuters investigates.

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• Paulie walnuts was onto something. Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting, a new study in claims women eating a handful for walnuts each day have a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Experts link the walnuts omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols for slower cancer growth; Reuters reports.

• Speaking of breast cancer, upcoming research in the International Journal of Cancer suggests lifetime exercise reduces death risk from breast cancer. Data on over 1,200 women with breast cancer exercising 4 hours per week over 8.3 years were 44% less likely to die from breast cancer; from Reuters.

• Lifestyle is also being tied to diabetes. New research in the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, smoking and alcohol consumption are independently linked with the incidence of diabetes. For the study, 4,883 men and women, ages 65 and older, eating a good diet and exercising had 46% less risk of diabetes and not smoking and drinking contributed to an 82% lower risk; HealthDay News explains.

• And earlier this year, a study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism claims stronger quadriceps, i.e. your thigh muscles, protects against cartilage loss in the knee, contributing to arthritis. The study involved 265 patients with knee osteoarthritis and those with the highest quadriceps strength had less knee pain and better physical function than people with weaker quads; Med Page Today reports.

• As for asthma, findings in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine show inadequate levels of vitamin D maybe associated with asthma severity and allergies. Scientists examined 616 children, ages 6 to 14 years, discovering sufficient vitamin D was inversely related to inflammation leading to asthma; via Booster Shots.

• Here’s an unsightly side effect of obesity. Discussed during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association, experts link morbid obesity with higher risk of urinary tract infections (UTI). After evaluated nearly 100,000 insurance claims over a 5 year period, analysts learned greater BMI boasted the odds of being diagnosed with UTI; News Wise investigates.

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I love broccoli! This is great awesome. A new study in the journal Clinical Immunology claims consuming broccoli sprouts contributed to a significant boosting antioxidant which protect airways against inflammation and asthma. Researchers gave test subjects varying does of oral sulforaphane, an anti-cancer agent found in green vegetables like broccoli, for three days and rinses of nasal passages revealed high doses result in a 101% to 199% increase in GSTP1 and NQO1 antioxidant enzymes; Food Navigator reports.

Previous studies show broccoli protects blood vessels against heart disease and stroke, especially good for diabetics, who are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating broccoli also helps fight prostate cancer and skin cancer.

Wow, asthma has been all over the news lately, this week we’ve seen reports link asthma risk with traffic pollution and watching too much television. Eek!

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To be published in an upcoming issue of Thorax, new research claims children who watch more than two hours of television each day have a higher risk of asthma. The study tracked respiratory function of 3,000 children from birth to 11.5 years of age. Starting at age 3.5, parents were asked to describe their child’s respiratory health and if they manifested any symptoms, such as wheezing, or if they had been diagnosed with asthma. Data revealed only 6% of kids developed asthma, but those watching two or more hours of TV each day were twice as likely have asthma; HealthDay News reports.

Sitting around watching Sponge Bob all day isn’t healthy, especially since previous research has associated obesity with a greater likelihood of asthma, as well as exposure to common household chemicals like cleaning sprays and air fresheners. So get the kids out of the house!

In related news, traffic pollution, specifically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the byproduct of incomplete gasoline combustion, has been linked to asthma risk in babies.

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We all hate traffic. But unborn babies hate it more. According to a new research in the journal PLoS One exposure to traffic pollution in the womb may increase a child’s risk of developing asthma later in life. The suspect pollutants are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the byproducts of incomplete combustion of gasoline, which scientists believe cause genetic disturbances leading to asthma. This information is extremely pertinent to families living in high-traffic areas; HealthDay News reports.

Car pollution is only one of a long list of asthma-causing chemicals. Previous studies have associated acetaminophen, a.k.a. Tylenol, to a higher incidence of asthma-related symptoms in children ages 6 to 7 years. And even the season change is to blame! Believe it or not, babies born in the fall have a 30% greater risk of developing asthma.

Here’s some advice. Dr. Fuhrman insists it’s the parents’ job to shield kids from harmful environments. That means in the womb too. Oh, cockroaches have been linked asthma-risk too.

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Infants given acetaminophen, a.k.a. Tylenol, have a higher risk of developing asthma later in life than kids not exposed to the drug. The study, published in The Lancet, claims infants given acetaminophen for fever during their first year of life, were 50% more likely to develop asthma-related symptoms at 6 or 7 years of age. Researchers also discovered an increased risk of rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema associated with acetaminophen; via Family Practice News.

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A new study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine claims babies born in the fall have a 30% greater risk of developing asthma than babies born at some other time. Researchers blame winter viruses, like respiratory syncytial virus; HealthDay News reports.

And a previous report suggests over-stressed moms can increase their baby’s likelihood of developing asthma or allergies later in life. So can public swimming pools. But according to Dr. Fuhrman breastfeeding reduces the risk of asthma in children. It works in mice too!
 

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And not just roaches. Mice too! New research in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology claims antibodies developed to cockroach and mouse proteins increase the risk of wheeze, hay fever and eczema in young children; from Eurekalert.

That’s creepy. Even ickier than likening trans-fat to rat poop. More reason to be mindful of your child’s living space. Dr. Fuhrman insists it’s the parent’s responsibility to ensure a safe and toxin-free environment. Eating organic food helps too!

Via TreeHugger.
 

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Hopefully you did! Because new research in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals 20 years of turning the clocks back has caused a DROP in the number of heart attacks on the Monday following the time switch, the extra hour of sleep could be why; via the Associated Press.

Sleep is good? Wow, who would have thought! A healthy diet and plenty of exercise are also smart ways to SUPERCHARGE your heart. And remember, things like diabetes, asthma and even erectile dysfunction have the opposite effect, they INCREASE heart disease-risk.

Visa Discoblog.
 

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It’s getting a little late in the season, but a new study in the European Respiratory Journal has determined outdoor pools INCREASE children’s asthma risk. Researchers blame prolonged exposure to chlorine vapors; Reuters reports.

Actually, this backs up a previous study about indoor pools. Researchers linked inhalation of chlorine byproducts to lung damage in infants and possible asthma later in childhood. It appeared in the journal Pediatrics; via Reuters.

Keeping excitable kids out of the pool might be hard. Maybe limit their time swimming instead. After all, growing bodies MUST be kept safe from toxic environments.

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