Zestzfulness

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T23:14:00.003+08:00

Picture credit: http://www.toilette-humor.com

Don't get the joke? Click HERE, but be forewarned, it is rated PG!

Heart Disease May Be a Risk Factor for Prostate Cancer

2012-02-14T23:08:00.002+08:00

Picture credit: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

In a large analysis of men participating in a prostate drug trial, researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute found a significant correlation between coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, suggesting the two conditions may have shared causes.

If confirmed that heart disease is a risk factor for prostate cancer, the malignancy might be combated in part by lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise and a healthy diet, which are known to prevent heart disease.

"What's good for the heart may be good for the prostate," said Jean-Alfred Thomas II, MD, a post-doctoral fellow in the Division of Urology at Duke and lead author of the study, which appears online this month in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Coronary artery disease kills more adults in the United States than any other cause, accounting for one in four deaths. Risk factors include inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and diabetes.

Similarly, prostate cancer is a common killer. It's the second-most lethal cancer for U.S. men, behind lung cancer, with about 240,000 new cases diagnosed a year, and 34,000 deaths. Previous studies exploring the relationship between coronary artery disease and prostate cancer risk have found conflicting results, making it difficult to determine whether the malignancy is fueled by poor lifestyle choices.

In the current study, the Duke team used data from 6,390 men enrolled in a large study called REDUCE, a four-year, randomized trial to test the prostate cancer risk reduction benefits of a drug called dutasteride. All the study participants had a prostate biopsy at the two- and four-year marks, regardless of their PSA levels. They also provided a detailed medical history that included their weight, incidence of heart disease, alcohol intake, medication use, and other factors.

Among the men in the study, 547 reported a pre-enrollment history of coronary artery disease. This group of men tended to be older, heavier and less healthy, with higher baseline PSA levels, plus more diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The men were also much more likely to develop prostate cancer, even after accounting for all the baseline differences.

Having coronary artery disease increased the men's risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent, with the risk rising over time. The group was 24 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer within the first two years of the study than men who reported no heart disease, and by four years into the study, this group's prostate cancer risk was 74 percent higher.

"We controlled for a number of risk factors, including hypertension, taking statins, or aspirin," Thomas said. "We don't have a good grasp on what's causing the link, but we are observing this association."

Stephen Freedland, MD, associate professor of surgery and pathology in the Division of Urology at Duke and senior author of the paper, said the study had some shortcomings. Notably, it relied on data from a previous trial that didn't account for factors such as diet, physical activity and severity of heart disease that may have influenced the results.

But Freedland said the study eliminated a screening bias common in previous findings that correlated prostate cancer and heart disease using men with high PSA levels.

"This is giving us a lot of good ideas for what to look at next," Freedland said, noting that the overlap between prostate cancer and other diseases associated with poor health habits is a focus of his research group.

<<< * >>>

The above story is reprinted, with editorial adaptations, by The Zestzfulness Team from materials provided by the Duke University Medical Center.

The article is appears online in January 2012 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention: Jean-Alfred Thomas, Leah Gerber, Lionel L. Banez, Daniel M. Moreira, Roger S. Rittmaster, Gerald L. Andriole, and Stephen J. Freedland. Prostate Cancer Risk in Men with Baseline History of Coronary Artery Disease: Results from the REDUCE study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2012 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-11-1017

Short Term Memory Loss

2012-02-14T23:02:00.002+08:00

Picture credit: http://www.mybrainx.com

A popular motivational speaker was entertaining his audience.

He said : "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman

who wasn't my wife!"

The audience was in silence and shock.

The speaker added: "And that woman was my mother!"

Laughter and applause!!

A week later, a top manager trained by the speaker tried to crack

this good joke at home.

But he was already a bit foggy after a drink.

He said loudly to his wife who was preparing dinner:

"The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman

who was not my wife!"

The wife went: "Huh??!" with shock and rage.

Standing there for 20 seconds trying to recall the second half of the joke,

the man finally blurted out: "....and I can't remember who she was!"

By the time he regained consciousness, he was on a hospital bed

nursing burns from boiling water.

Forwarded by John Ng, we suspect, in a moment of empathy.

Possible Early Dementia

Memory loss follows a specific pattern in Alzheimer's disease. The losses are mainly in short-term memory. This means that the person has problems remembering recent events.

The person cannot remember what he did last week or instructions the doctor gave this morning for taking a new medicine.

This often contrasts sharply with the person’s strong ability to remember minor details and events from many years ago.

The memory loss is followed by many other cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Eventually, over many years, the person loses many mental and physical abilities and requires around-the-clock care.

Further information HERE.

Fish Oil May Help Prevent Psychiatric Disorders

2012-02-14T22:42:00.003+08:00

Picture credit: http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com

Researchers at Zucker Hillside Hospital’s Recognition and Prevention (RAP) Program who have worked with teenagers at risk for serious mental illness for the past decade are now studying the effectiveness of Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil) for treating psychiatric symptoms. This new study is a National Institute of Mental Health-funded randomized double-blind trial that was designed to test whether Omega-3 fatty acids improve clinical symptoms, and help adolescents and young adults (ages 12 to 25) who are at elevated risk for severe psychiatric disorders function better in school, work and other social environments.

“Of the 300 adolescents who have participated in the RAP Program, most have shown substantial improvement,” noted Barbara Cornblatt, Ph.D., director of the Recognition and Prevention (RAP) Program and investigator at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. “If this study continues to show success, Omega 3 could offer a natural alternative to the range of medications and therapies now offered to RAP participants. Ultimately, the goal of the RAP Program is to intervene and prevent illness before symptoms get worse.”

Omega 3 fatty acids are critical for normal brain function and they have been increasingly studied as potential treatments for medical and psychiatric disorders. The RAP Program study will randomly assign participants to either Omega 3 supplementation or to a placebo, and will compare the groups on key measures of symptoms and functioning after six months. Participants in both groups will be monitored closely on a monthly basis and compensation will be provided. All supplements are offered free of charge.

<<< * >>>

The above story is reprinted, with editorial adaptations, by The Zestzfulness Team from materials obtained from the news room of the The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. http://www.feinsteininstitute.org/Feinstein/News+Releases

Read related articles in Zestzfulness:

Omega-3 Reduces Anxiety and Inflammation in Healthy Students

Aug 20, 2011

A new study gauging the impact of consuming more fish oil showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and, surprisingly, in anxiety among a cohort of healthy young people. The findings suggest that if young participants ... Earlier research suggested that the compounds might play a role in reducing the level of cytokines in the body, compounds that promote inflammation, and perhaps even reduce depression. Psychological stress has repeatedly been shown to ...

CLICK HERE for details.

Mental Health and Omega-3

Jan 02, 2010

Using this scale Bountziouka et al explored the association between fish intake and depressive symptoms, in 1190 men and women (>65 years) free living in various Greek islands and in Cyprus. They found that participants reporting higher fish intake have less depressive symptoms. Almost 70% of ... GoldLife's Bio-Omega Natural Fish Oil 1000mg is made in Australia. This and a selected range of Omega-3 are available at out pharmacies in Klang, Pandamaran and ...

CLICK HERE for details.

Fish Oil's Impact on Cognition and Brain Structure

Aug 27, 2011

Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital's Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center have found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning as well as differences in brain structure ...

CLICK HERE for details.

This is Cute!

2012-02-14T11:38:00.001+08:00

Recommended by Yee Hing. Get more 'wackywits' funnies HERE

I Care Mandatory? 10% Deduction?

2012-02-10T21:56:00.012+08:00

10% deduction from your monthly salary for health insurance just a proposal?

When you read between the lines, it tells you that there is indeed a proposal to make it mandatory for employees to contribute 10% of their monthly salary to the 1 Care scheme.

Wow, 10% of salary is a lot of money for practically all of us. And it is non-refundable!

Contrast this with SOCSO or Social Security Organization programme that only requires a contribution of 1.75% from the employer and 0.5% of wages from the employee for the Employment Injury Insurance Scheme and the Invalidity Pension Scheme.

The 10% proposal may well be a simple salesman’s pitch, a planned presentation for the expected bargaining to reach a predetermined figure which the sales prospect, the Rakyat, will unwittingly take credit for.

A 20% discount from this 10% will still make a painful 8% damage on your hard-earned income but you will be feeling smug and singing praise to the authorities for their “people-friendly response”.

Why Are We Telling This?

We am telling you this lest you might think doctors and pharmacist are going to gain unfairly from this 1Care scheme!

Our feeble minds tell us that your money is not going into a provident fund where you can withdraw with interest upon termination.

It tell us that the money, a phenomenal RM45 billion a year according to one writer in the free press, will go to a main player complete with the usual layers of rent-seekers who will make minimum payouts to ensure maximum profit for their "effort".

For pharmacy, it will mean having to register (on top of the mandatory registration with the Pharmacy Board and licensing by the Ministry of Health and local council) with each insurance provider, purchase their computer software and pay them for the privilege to dispense prescriptions issued by their registered doctors.

The “re-registered” pharmacies will then be constrained to accept the very minimum of compensation for professional involvement in dispensing from a restricted list of medications and professional involvement in medication research to prevent adverse drug interactions, side effect and ensure correct dosage and schedule of dosing, patient counseling and maintenance of medication and insurance records.

And you may required to fork out extra Ringgit, over and above your health insurance premium, to pay for medications not included in the restricted 1 Care list. These may include superior dosage forms of the same 1 Care mandated medication like sustained-release antiasthmatics, combination antihypertensive/antidiuretics, a spray form of antianginal, a higher strength cholesterol lowering tablet, an innovator brand instead of a generic form the third world.

The above is mere speculation. Like you, the Rakyat, we community pharmacists have been told little about 1 Care.

Dr David KL Quek, Immediate Part-President of the Malaysian Medical Association has written on the health reform socio-economics, CLICK HERE and HERE. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia has started a Tak Nak 1Care facebook campaign.

But we find “1-Care: More Transparency Needed” by Black Cactus succinct and have reproduced below this January 8, 2012 article from the Malaysian Insider (without permission) for your convenience.

The 1 ‘S’Care scheme — The Black Cactus

2012-02-10T21:53:00.003+08:00

January 8, 2012 - In the last few weeks, there has been immense debate on the proposed national health scheme dubbed 1 Care in both the internet and the mainstream media. A collective conclusion shared by both the public and the very professionals alike (who play a major role in the system) is the uncanny ability to fully comprehend the confusing entity which remains an uncertainty till today.

This commentary was written to achieve the following objectives

To help the public understand why this system was proposed and what led to the genesis of

this scheme;

If possible, to pressure the government to be more transparent in providing information on

the 1 Care scheme to allay fears among the general public; and

To help the layperson understand the unaddressed policy issues but highly crucial

perspectives surrounding the 1 Care scheme

First, it would be wise to have a quick update on the prevailing Malaysian health care system so that it would help shine some light as to why there is a sudden accelerated interest to bring the 1 Care scheme into an imminent reality.

The Malaysian health care scenario

The Malaysian health care system has often been hailed globally for its ability to endorse a sustainable health policy that reflects an outstanding and equitable health status at a relatively low economic burden.

By allocating just three per cent of its GDP to health care (majority of industrialised countries invest rough about six per cent, with the exception of the United States, which devotes 16 per cent), data compiled by World Health Organization shows that the performance of the Malaysian health system is, in fact, highly efficient.

This is evidenced by the “Health Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE)” at birth indicator, which categorises Malaysia as equal to most industrialised countries, at 63 years.

However, the complexity of the system has also brought in much uncertainty that has not only slowed down service delivery, but has been closely related to the gradual increase in economic burden.

In an effort to make health care accessible (and most importantly equal) to all fabrics of the society, the concept of Universal Health Care was formulated and adopted by most countries around the world including Malaysia.

The system attempts to finance the health benefits for all by a balance of tax revenues and medical insurance (mostly recommended by private health caregiver in Malaysia currently). This is imposed on employed, working class population. In Malaysia, much of the public medical fees are subsidised to a great extent from the much gained tax revenues.

It is important to note that the Malaysian Ministry Of Health only manages to recover three per cent of its total operating cost through fees collected at health care premises. The amount is strikingly lower than most payments made in most European health system (which employs the co-payment system where funds are partly subsidized by the government and the insurance premium paid by the patient). The average consultation at a token rate of RM1 at any primary care centre barely covers 1 per cent of the economic cost per visit.

The resulting non sustainable system calls for fiscal limitations and will eventually cause much financial loss due to:

1. The spur of an unrealistic and unachievable demand for public health care;

2. The operational costs to cover universal health care will surpass the government’s current

fiscal capacity.

By understanding this, it comes as no surprise that the proposed 1 Care scheme is a platform designed to re-coup the wastages from a bleeding pre-existing ( but noble and functional if properly handled) health care system that is sub-optimally managed.

Like any other subsidised policies, the current health care system is resilient to any structural reform partly due to the lack of political will (where it is vital to appease voters by holding on to the unsustainable RM1 token fee and RM15-20 token fee paid at primary and specialist health clinics respectively) and the society itself whom have become so accustomed to enjoying cheap but scarce medical resources that has been perpetually vulnerable to potential abuse all these years.

The single most important question: Where is the information?

Unlike most countries that have proposed and implemented such a scheme, information on the mechanics and the policies enshrined in the health care scheme is widely available for public scrutiny. One could easily access any updates and knowledge on the health care scheme through the Ministry Of Health website of the respective countries.

The same cannot be said for the 1 Care system. The public, at large, have very patchy ideas on the health scheme without corroborative evidence from the Ministry Of Health. It would have been prudent, with all the disparate views available from all avenues of the mass media, to allay all concerns by allowing the public to peer into the workings of the proposed scheme or at least highlight the salient points that matters most to the average Malaysian. Efforts to make it an intellectual discourse by taking in question from the public would have been highly commendable.

Strangely, the documents or information regarding its modus operandi has remained elusive and is not available on the Ministry Of Health website (which is mandatory in most civil nations). The reason as to why this has been enshrouded in secrecy remains anyone’s best guess.

However, one could only speculate that perhaps the precise knowledge of the system is within the confines of a privileged few elites who are still, themselves, grappling reach a consensus on how to implement a scheme that is totally not viable given the current economic climate.

Hypothesized 1 Care scheme model

Care scheme as the utility towards managed care

With the escalating medical expenditure of the country, a cost containment approach has to be put in place to eradicate or replace an ailing healthcare system that burdens the economy. One such option would be the 1 Care scheme. Given the very sketchy information on how this would be implemented, one could only draw inferences from other similar healthcare systems.

Bearing that in mind, it would suffice to say that the scheme would promote the technique of “managed care” (by managed care organisations or MCOs) where the autonomy of patients is sacrificed and replaced by a predetermined set of rules.

These rules govern patient’s rights to which doctor, the type of care and the kind of medications he/she receives. Many of us are aware of this has been given much focus in the previous attempts to describe the proposed health system in the media.

This has, in the past, led to reprisals from the public dissatisfaction due to denial of care stemming from government legislation to tight labour rules that restricts the access one has to healthcare options. Employers would then offer private health care plans (which are private insurance plans) to fill in this vacuum so that employees could afford all available treatments. Ultimately (and to the contrary of cost containment), this incident would give rise to the ballooning of medical expenditure in the country.

Free treatment for all, really?

Unless the full blueprint is made public, one could only hypothesize the magnitude or the process of financing involved in the 1 Care scheme, which is the crux of understanding how the whole system functions.

The population might be divided up to two broad classes namely:

1. The general public;

2. Concessional patients (the ageing public, citizens below the poverty line,

disabled/handicapped).

It will be compulsory for all working citizens of the general public, who have wages within the taxable bracket, to pay 10 per cent of their earnings as contribution necessary for the funding of the scheme.

Remember that this 10 per cent tax does not mean that one is entitled to the type of care, it is just a contribution that is used to pay the wages of the physicians and other miscellaneous expenses (purchase of new equipments or subsidising the concessional patients etc.). This will be collected as federal taxes.

Secondly, to be amenable to treatments within the system, the general public will have to take up an insurance policy (social health insurance). Treatments within this system will be closely regulated by MCOs which could mean that a patient might not be covered for a wide range of interventions (eg. optical surgeries, prosthesis, aesthetics, etc.).

One burning question: Is the scheme really free so that it provides universal healthcare in a similar vein to the current system? Will drugs be free now that payments have been made by contributing to taxes and insurance schemes? Read on carefully.

So much focus has been given to the taxable amount that we need to contribute but the society has become oblivious about other aspects of the mandatory payments that one has to make in order to get the full package of services available. In summary, this would be the likely formula for the 1 Care scheme:

Social health insurance (SHI) + General taxation + minimal Co-payments for a defined Benefits Package

The fundamentals of SHIs and general taxation have been explained in detail earlier. What are copayments and benefit packages that are also an inherent part of the formula though?

Of copayments, benefit packages and additional private health insurances

Copayments are payments that have to be made by patients when their treatment has exceeded the threshold tolerated by the health scheme. Thus, a patient has to fork out a certain amount of money once the treatment requires more financial assistance due to the nature of their illness.

Benefit packages seem define the type of insurance from which special group within the population will be stratified according to deserve exemption from payments or will have their treatments partially subsidised.

Extrapolating from the statement above, even the casual layperson would demand an explanation by posing several questions below:

1. It was said that free treatment will be given to all. But what are these copayments, then?

2. Will there be copayments for drugs? Is there a minimum pricing policy?

3. Which class of society will be eligible to total subsidy and exempted from all payments?

4. How will the general public gain access to other treatments that the SHI does not cover?

To minimise copayments, steps will be taken to provide cheap but “equally” good quality drugs or services determined by the MCOs. This is called the minimum pricing policy, a key policy issue that has been very much in the shadows since the planning of 1 Care policy.

MCOs will only allow more patient autonomy if they are willing to endure an additional cost by purchasing an additional private insurance. The results would be:

Patients will now be provided with the added benefits which are not covered by the SHI

policy;

Patients will be able to then choose doctors and types of procedures

(dental/optical/physiotherapy that was previously not available in the SHI scheme).

Rise in public health care burden secondary to rise in market demand

The trend of an increase in purchase of additional private health insurance will influence the increase in demand of services as a whole. With the access to an affordable yearly insurance premium, the growing population will have a lowered out-of-the pocket price to pay when seeking medical treatment. This will directly lead to the increase in market demand for health care services for the medical needy and indirectly cause the sudden surge of prices for medical services.

With the increase in slow increase in inflation rates in Malaysia (upward trend towards the level of 3.3 per cent in December 2011), larger spectrum of the working population would be pushed into the higher marginal tax brackets. This would often leave citizens with lesser disposal income for their utilization.

In line with this scenario, many tax payers would prefer out-of pocket medical expenses be paid before-tax ringgit than after-tax ringgit (which is subject to tax imposition) by purchasing health insurance. Thus, this will inexorably increase market demand and simultaneously increase prices of medical services, especially if it is poorly regulated and unprepared.

Reeling from the aftermath

Repercussions

Faced with rising medical expenditure, the federal government will be dogged by limited and painful options.

Raise the 1 Care payroll tax and incomes taxes on the non age to sustain the failing 1 Care

scheme;

Necessitate higher premiums for 1 Care among the aged and increase their deductibles and

copayments;

3. Reduce payments to hospitals and physicians

The full brunt of the burden will be directed towards the public if the system goes awry. Physicians will opt out of the 1 Care scheme as their fees will be slashed to lower levels. Patients will then need to pay higher out of the pocket settlements to their doctors who are no longer under the 1 Care scheme.

The aged and the non-working class, who have little or minimum wage, will have to face a less forgiving reality that their benefits to subsidy will be greatly reduced.

The working population, with already rapidly diminishing disposal income will find it extremely difficult to come to terms with a scheme that requires them to be taxed higher and receive very little benefit from such health policy.

Recommendations

It is time that the government stepped up to the plate and educates the nation on their intentions behind the 1 Care Scheme. Let it not be a half baked policy reminiscent of the recent SBPA debacle (that still remains unresolved till this date) as the stakes are much greater and bigger calamity looms if the scheme is not reviewed with due diligence.

It would be pertinent, for the time being (while 1 Care scheme is being mulled upon), that the following recommendations be considered:

Assess the agent status of the majority of practitioners (whether they are they are perfect or

imperfect agents for the proposed health care system)?

Take all steps possible, and in a transparent manner, to convince the nation regarding the

relevance of the 1 Care Scheme.

Meanwhile and until it is acceptable to the public, minor tweaks or reforms could be made to the pre-existing healthcare system to make its function far superior than at present:

The symbiotic relationship between health care provider and patients is strongly encouraged

in the hopes that patients themselves could be an active participant (and agents of cost reduction) in the system;

The reduction in over-reliance of services provided by the privatization of healthcare, thus

curbing progressive increase in market prices by decreasing the percentage of the population who seek inexpensive medical treatment (due to insurance premiums and lower out-of-pocket payments), which could be prove to be economic vicious cycle;

Corporatisation of health care services (rather than a full change in the health care system)

permits better operations management and greater accountability of a highly complex organization such as the primary health care system;

Careful and gradual integration of new information technology advancements to the pre

existing service delivery system (e-mail consultation for example) which could ultimately reduce cost and lead times.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. Like The Malaysian Insider, The Zestzfulness Team does not endorse the view unless specified.

We list below the official sites where we hope you will be able to obtain clarifications to the points raised by The Black Cactus:

Official portal of the Malaysian Ministry of Health

Official blogspot of the Malaysian Ministry of Health

And when you do, would you please share the information with our readers and us. Thank you.

DATING IN THE 60'S

2012-02-10T21:48:00.004+08:00

Picture credit: http://cache2.allpostersimages.com

It was a hot Saturday evening in the summer of 1965 and Fred had a date with Peggy Sue. He arrived at her house and rang the bell. "Oh, come on in!" Peggy Sue's mother said as she welcomed Fred in.

"Have a seat in the living room. Would you like something to drink? Lemonade? Iced tea?" "Iced tea, please," Fred said. Mom brought the iced tea.

"So, what are you and Peggy planning to do tonight?" she asked? "Oh, probably catch a movie, and then maybe grab a bite to eat at the malt shop, maybe take a walk on the beach...

"Peggy likes to screw, you know," Mom informed him.

"Uh...really?" Fred replied, with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, yes!" the mother continued. "When she goes out with her friends, that's all they do!"

"Is that so?" asked Fred, incredulous.

"Yes," said the mother. "As a matter of fact, she'd screw all night if we let her!"

"Well, thanks for the tip," Fred said as he began thinking about alternate plans for the evening.

A moment later, Peggy Sue came down the stairs looking pretty as a picture wearing a pink blouse and full circle skirt, and with her hair tied back in a bouncy ponytail. She greeted Fred. "Have fun, kids," the mother said as they left.

Half an hour later, a completely dishevelled Peggy Sue burst into the house and slammed the front door behind her.

"The Twist, Mom!" she angrily yelled at her mother. "The damned dance is called the Twist!!!!"

Original author unknown.

Submitted by Edwin Ng, who used to ~~screw~~ do the twist but aching bones no longer permit him to indulge in ~~that~~ this hobby.

2012-02-10T21:34:00.004+08:00

Recommended by Khoo Hong Hoe (K H Hoe), 91, of Teluk Intan. Ateeq Ahmed Siddiqui can be contacted via WAYN

Regular Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Could Reduce the Risk of Colon Cancer

2012-02-10T21:29:00.003+08:00

Could the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon cancer and protect against carcinogens?

A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (CJPP) found that rats given regular multivitamin and mineral supplements showed a significantly lower risk of developing colon cancer when they were exposed to carcinogens.

“It has been unclear whether multivitamin supplementation to cancer patients is helpful, has no effect, or is even detrimental during therapy,” commented Dr. Grant Pierce, Editor of CJPP. “This study is important because it gives some direction to cancer patients in desperate need of guidance on the value of multivitamins and minerals administered during cancer.”

The authors studied rats that were fed a high-fat diet (20% fat) over a 32 week period. The rats were divided into 6 groups, which were exposed to different combinations of supplements and carcinogens; the colon carcinogenisis induced in the study rats has characteristics that mimic human colon cancer. Rats fed a high-fat plus low-fibre diet and exposed to carcinogens developed pre-cancerous lesions; whereas, rats undergoing similar treatment, but provided with daily multivitamin and mineral supplements, showed a significant (84%) reduction in the formation of pre-cancerous lesions and did not develop tumours.

The authors conclude that “multivitamin and mineral supplements synergistically contribute to the cancer chemopreventative potential, and hence, regular supplements of multivitamins and minerals could reduce the risk of colon cancer.”

<<< * >>>

The above story is reprinted, with editorial adaptations, by The Zestzfulness Team from materials provided by Canadian Science Publishing (NRC Research Press).

The article is published in the January issue of the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology: Arul AB, Savarimuthu I, Alsaif MA, Numair KS. Multivitamin and mineral supplementation in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced experimental colon carcinogenesis and evaluation of free radical status, antioxidant potential, and incidence of ACF. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2012 Jan;90(1):45-54.

CLICK HERE for the Full Text Article.

Colon, or colorectal, cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon). CLICK HERE for a detailed explanation by Dr Dennis Lee, MD

Related posts from Zestzfulness

'Good' Cholesterol May Cut Colon Cancer Risk Researchers led by Dr. Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands compared 1238 people with colorectal cancer to 1238 healthy people. Of those with cancer ...CLICK HERE for details

Colorectal Cancer Prevention : Omega 3 A purified form of an omega 3 cuts the number and size of precancerous bowel growths (polyps) in people whose genetic make-up predisposes them to bowel cancer. Furthermore, this particular omega 3 (eicosapentaenoic ... CLICK HERE for details

A Probiotic, MultiVitamins and Mineral Supplement

2012-02-10T20:58:00.004+08:00

Probiotic Multivitamins Minerals

We are what we eat, yet the body needs a healthy digestive system to extract nutrients from food, break them into absorbable portions and eliminate whatever that cannot be digested.

Good regular bowel movement indicates that your digestive health is working well. Conversely, when your digestive system is malfunctioning, you will experience symptoms such as:

Abdominal pain
Belching
Bloatedness
Heartburn
Chronic bowel irritation
Chronic fatigue
Constipation
Diarrhea
Gassiness
Insomnia
Joint and muscle pain
Nausea and vomiting
Rumbling noises
Skin disorders
Sugar cravings

Poor digestion interferes with nutrient breakdown, absorption and metabolism, while poor nutrient absorption spills into low energy levels and lowered productivity as well as quality of life. It can be hard to stay active, fit and strong enough for the stresses of daily life when your body lacks energy.

Gastrointestinal experts even warn that prolonged nutrition deficiency can lead to premature aging, arthritis, poor skin and hair, allergies, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and many other diseases.

Maintaining a healthy intestinal flora with good bacteria will help improve digestive health and enhance absorption of nutrients. This will allow the body to heal itself naturally, eventually reducing the risk of disease and the need for medications.

What are probiotics?

Did you know that the human body is the living host of bacteria? We literally carry around 1 kg of bacteria with us at any one time! The bacteria in our bodies help to break down the food we eat and enhance absorption of many nutrients.

The use of friendly bacteria was first studied by the scientist Ellie Metchnikoff, who wrote a thesis on ‘Prolongation Of Life’ in the late part of 1800s. He noticed that the Bulgarians lived to the ripe old age beyond a hundred and found that their diets consisted mostly of sour milk with lactic acid bacteria in them.

Initially he called the bacteria the Bulgarian bacillus, later renaming it Bacillus bulgaricus. In recent years, the lactic acid bacteria has come to be known as ‘probiotics’, meaning ‘for life’ (as opposed to antibiotic, which means to kill bacteria).

Today, probiotics are known tocontribute to good intestinal function, aid digestion and help to regulate the immune system. In this way they help to maintain overall good health.

Unfortunately, our 21st century lifestyle puts us at risk of damaging our intestine’s friendly bacteria. Stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and excessive use of antibiotics are all potential factors that may contribute to decreasing the friendly bacteria in the body.

When that happens, the bad bacteria that co-exist with the good bacteria in the guts will leap into action to colonise the good bacteria. When these bad bacteria multiply, they may create a toxic situation that disrupts the body’s normal functioning. This results in a multitude of diseases such as gastrointestinal and immune disorders.

Many healthcare professionals now recognise the importance of supplementing our diet with probiotics so as to keep the bad bacteria in check and restore a healthy balance in the gut.

Bion® 3 is available in pack sizes of 30’s & 90’s

Dosage for Adults & Children above 12 years of age:

1 tablet daily, preferably taken on empty stomach in the morning or before bedtime.

References:

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
http://www.nutristrategy.com/index.htm
American Dietetic Association
Medline Plus
US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Mayo Clinic
University of Maryland Medical Center
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Source: Merck Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Health Tip: Keep Heartburn Under Control

2012-02-08T16:11:00.001+08:00

Suggestions to help put out the fire

Heartburn is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which occurs when the acidic contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus.

The American Gastroenterological Association offers these suggestions to help you control heartburn and GERD:

Skip beverages or foods that tend to trigger heartburn.
Stick to small meals, and eat at least two to three hours before you lie down.
Raise the head of your bed about four to six inches.
Lose any extra pounds.
Skip tight clothing and exercises that may increase abdominal pressure, such as sit-ups.
If you're a smoker, quit.

CLICK HERE for related article from Zestzfulness:

How Does Gavsicon Work for Heartburn?

2012-02-08T16:02:00.005+08:00

Gaviscon Double Action with, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate, works in two ways to effectively tackle the symptoms of both heartburn and indigestion.

Gaviscon soothes irritation in the oesophagus (food pipe) on its way down to the stomach. But once it has arrived in the stomach the action really begins!

Gaviscon works by forming a protective layer on top of the stomach contents. This protective layer keeps all the stomach contents in the stomach where they belong, not letting them seep back up into the oesophagus where they hurt.

Would you like to see how Gaviscon works? CLICK HERE for the animation.

Even for the Overweight, Exercise Helps the Heart

2012-02-08T15:33:00.009+08:00

Picture credit: images.teamsugar.com

Study finds changes in physical fitness affect disease risk at any weight.

Few studies are available on the associations of changes in fitness and fatness with the subsequent incidence of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and hypercholesterolemia.

New research Duck-chul Lee, a research fellow at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia and colleagues shows that getting and staying physically fit might help fend off heart disease even if you've put on a few kilograms, new research suggests.

The researchers followed up 3,148 healthy adults who received at least 3 medical examinations from 1979 to 2006. Fitness was determined by using a maximal treadmill test. Fatness was expressed by percent body fat and body mass index. Changes in fitness and fatness between the first and second examinations were categorized into loss, stable, or gain groups.

During the 6-year follow-up after the second examination, 752, adults developed hypertension, 426 developed metabolic syndrome*, and 597 adults hypercholesterolemia.

Maintaining or improving fitness was associated with lower risk of developing any of these three risk factors. Those who maintained fitness has a 24 percent lower risk of high blood pressure, 38 percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome and 25 percent lower risk of high cholesterol. Those who gained fitness reduced their risk of each about the same or slightly more.

Increasing fatness was associated with higher risk of developing one of the risk factors. Gaining fat put the men and women at 24 percent higher risk of getting high blood pressure, 52 percent higher risk of getting metabolic syndrome and 41 percent higher risk of high cholesterol.

In the joint analyses, the increased risks associated with fat gain appeared to be attenuated, although not completely eliminated, when fitness was maintained or improved. In addition, reducing fat seemed to offset part of the higher risk linked with losing fitness.

Reduce risk of developing CVD risk factors by loosing fat and gaining or maintaining fitness

Being fit and not being fat work independently to reduce risk factors. Pay attention if not to both at least to one

This article will appear in the Feb. 14 edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Lee DC, Sui X, Church TS, et al. Changes in fitness and fatness on the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors. J Am Coll Cardiol 2012; 59:665-672. DOI:10.1016.j.jacc.2011.11.013.

* Metabolic syndrome is a group of signs that raise the risk of diabetes and heart disease. To be diagnosed, someone must have at least three of the five signs: large waist (abdominal obesity), high triglycerides, low "good" cholesterol, high blood pressure and high fasting blood sugar.

CLICK HERE for more about metabolic syndrome from the American Heart Association.

We have also summarized four related articles related to metabolic syndrome for your easy reference:

Stress Reduction and Mindful Eating Curb Weight ...

Visceral obesity, in particular, produces inflammatory molecules which promote insulin resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome. Thus, abdominal adiposity is an important target for reducing risk of type 2 diabetes and .... CLICK HERE

Anti-inflammatory Food Effectively Protects Against ...

The test products were included in a food portfolio based on different food concepts with expected beneficial effects on risk factors of metabolic syndrome, i e type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Food that in .... CLICK HERE

Moderate Exercise keeps Dangerous Belly Fat away

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors (large waistline, high levels of triglyceride, blood sugar, blood pressure and low level of HDL cholesterol) that predict heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Excess belly fat is .... CLICK HERE

The Dangers of Belly Fat

This inflammation then triggers the systemic diseases linked with metabolic syndrome, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease (2). Other Negative Effects Of Belly Fat. Liver Cancer Recurrence. Dr. H. Yoshida of the ...Objectives: This study sought examine the independent and combined associations of changes in fitness and fatness with the subsequent incidence of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and hypercholesterolemia.... CLICK HERE

Looking for a No Fuss Simple Exercise Equipment?

See what Ah Guan got for only $39.95!

New Exercise Gadget for Only $39.95

2012-02-08T15:13:00.003+08:00

This presentation was uploaded to Youtube by classicpauly on Feb 3, 2012

Ah Guan, no not the one from Bedok, the other one staying in a HDB apartment in an opposition constituency in Singapore, is very excited with his new tool.

Sweetened Drinks Can Be Dangerous

2012-02-04T15:50:00.006+08:00

The risk of developing diabetes and cardio-vascular disease increases if you drink sucrose-sweetened beverages every day.

The results of the six-month test are being published today (Monday 2 January 2012) in the highly respected American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. And the conclusions constitute a serious warning against drinking sucrose-sweetened beverages on a daily basis. The test was carried out by a team of researchers led by Bjørn Richelsen, a professor of clinical nutrition at Aarhus University.

A connection has already been discovered between drinking sucrose-sweetened beverages and the development of obesity, diabetes and cardio-vascular disease; but previous studies have failed to demonstrate a direct link between such drinks and these health problems.

“Our results show that there is a direct connection between the daily ingestion of one litre of sucrose-sweetened beverages and the fat content in the liver, muscles and abdominal cavity. The fat content of the blood increases as well, and cholesterol levels rise. All these changes are known to increase the risk of developing diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases,” says Professor Bjørn Richelsen from Aarhus University.

“Children and young people are believed to represent a high-risk group in terms of the negative effect of sucrose-sweetened beverages; and diabetes and cardio-vascular disease aren’t the only things to threaten young people who have a high consumption of these drinks. The incidence of the liver disease known as ‘non-alcoholic fatty liver’ is increasing in young people, and a high consumption of soft drinks may also be a contributory factor to this problem as well,” says Bjørn Richelsen.

The trial also demonstrated that even though skimmed milk has the same energy content as sucrose-sweetened beverages, milk had no negative effects on the fat content of the liver, muscles and abdominal cavity – or on the fat content in the blood. Cola Light (sweetened with aspartame) had almost the same effect as water.

Facts and conclusion

The test lasted six months and involved volunteers drinking one litre per day of four different drinks: Coca-Cola, skimmed milk, light cola (zero energy) and water. After the trial period it was discovered that the fat content in the liver and muscle tissue of the people who had been drinking Coca-Cola had more than doubled in comparison with the people who had been drinking the three other drinks. The amount of fat in the abdominal cavity and the fat content in the blood (cholesterol and triglyceride) also increased in the Coca-Cola group. All these changes are known to increase the risk of contracting diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases. Even though skimmed milk has the same energy content as sucrose-sweetened beverages, milk had no negative effects on the fat content of the liver, muscles and abdominal cavity – or on the fat content in the blood. Cola Light (sweetened with aspartame) had almost the same effect as water.

So the conclusion is clear: drinking one litre of sucrose-sweetened beverages every day for six months increases the risk of contracting diabetes and cardio-vascular disease, so the consumption of these drinks should be kept to a minimum. When considering the results of this study, it’s worth remembering that the average consumption of sucrose-sweetened beverages among young men in the US is 1.8 litres a day, and that average consumption for the American population as a whole is 0.5 litres a day.

<<< * >>>

The above story is adapted by the Zestzfulness Team from the January 3, 2012 news release by the Aarhus University.

http://www.au.dk/en/about/news/

The article is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Maersk M, et al. Sucrose-sweetened beverages increase fat storage in the liver, muscle, and visceral fat depot: a 6-mo randomized intervention study. Am J Clin Nutr 28 December 2011 [epub ahead of print]

Here are some more reasons to cut down on sugar

Live Longer With Fewer Calories

Cutting daily calorie intake may put the brakes on the aging process, delay the development of age-related diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes and result in a longer life span. The earlier calorie ... By gradually reducing the intake of sugar and proteins, without reducing vitamins and minerals, researchers have previously shown that monkeys can live several years longer than expected. ....

Minister 'Fooling Public' On Sugar Subsidies

Minister Denies Firms Gain From Higher Sugar Subsidy

Good for the Barang

2012-02-04T14:34:00.006+08:00

Watch two dark-skinned 'Chinamen' discussing every potion except the wonderful little blue pills*

Comedy Court, made up of Allan Perera and Indi Nadarajah, have been performing social and political satire Malaysian style for 15 years now.

The story of how it all began...

Although their names have become synonymous with good comedy, Indi and Allan weren't always involved in theatre.

Allan says: "I was playing music with bands like Made in Malaysia and Pieces."

Indi says: "I was doing amateur drama before joining ICT [Instant Cafe Theatre]".

"We met in '91 when Allan came in to do the music for ICT. We messed around with some ideas and came up with a skit called the Oblong Bar featuring Loga and Singam."

Before long they developed the full length play called Quid Pro Quo, staged in 1996, which established they reputation as comedians.

Comedy Court was set up in 1997 and they have never looked back...

Catch more of Indi and Allan on Youtube and even better see them LIVE

* This show is definitely not sponsored by Pfizer, the manufacturers of Viagra.

Improved Post-Operative Recovery with Fish Oil

2012-02-04T11:34:00.005+08:00

Picture credit: http://nigerianhealthjournal.files.wordpress.com

New research shows that dietary fish oil can improve post-operative recovery in porcine.

Fish oil in the diet can improve appetite and reduce weight loss in connection with operations that are complicated by infection. This is the result of a PhD project carried out by veterinarian Sine Nygaard Langerhuus from Aarhus University.

Research in the past 30 years shows that an increased intake of fish oil containing large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids can modify the inflammatory response due to anti-inflammatory properties of the omega-3 fatty acids at the cellular level.

Invasive surgical procedures with large tissue trauma or severe infectious complications can in the more extreme cases lead to organ failure and death. Clinical trials have previously taken place where patients received different types of fatty acids after a major operation, including omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, and some improvement was noticed in the post-operative period. However, clinical trials in patients that are critically ill can be difficult to perform due to differences in the course of treatments and also due to general differences in patient lifestyle and other factors that are difficult to control. Sine Nygaard Langerhuus therefore chose to conduct her research using pigs as a model for humans.

In the present study, a vascular prosthetic graft was inserted on the lower part of the pig’s aorta. During this procedure the graft was contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, which is the bacterium that is typically isolated in connection with early aortic graft infections in humans. The S. aureus infection was allowed to develop over 14 days. Three weeks prior to the operation and during the post-operative period the pigs were fed a dietary supplement of either fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids, sunflower oil rich in omega-6 fatty acids or animal fat rich in saturated fat.

The study shows that the pigs fed fish oil before their operation had a better appetite and less weight loss after the operation compared to the pigs fed sunflower oil. There was also a difference in the observed immune response in the pigs that were fed the fish oil compared to the pigs that received the sunflower oil, and to a lesser extent also compared to the pigs that received animal fat.

The results pave the way for investigations into whether fish oil in the diet before an operation may also improve the post-operative recovery in humans.

<<< * >>>

The above story is adapted by the Zestzfulness Team from the January 29, 2012 news release by the Aarhus University

A Question of Modern Life

2012-02-04T11:25:00.002+08:00

So strange ....

RM50.00 looks so big amount when you give to a poor ...............

But looks small when you give it as a tip in a 5-star HOTEL

Praying to God for 3 minutes looks hard................

But 3 hours of movie is okay for us

After whole day of hard work, we have no problem of going to the gym...........

But to do house work and help mom/wife; we feel tired

We wait for 1 full year for valentine’s day, and we know it..........

But when do mother's day come; we never know...............

One couldn't give a piece of bread to the child in the picture above............

But this painting where he looks sad was sold for RM10,000.00

To forward this message we will hesitate.................

but to forward jokes we never think.....

VERY STRANGE…………!!! But it’s True........!!!

God Bless!

Written by Mahinder Vasawa, received via Che Oi Men

The FLU - Pairing Masks and Hand Washing

2012-02-04T11:11:00.005+08:00

Parames, pharmacy assistant at our Port Klang pharmacy.

Masks and hand hygiene could cut the spread of flu-like symptoms up to 75 percent.

A new report shows the second-year results (2007-2008) of the ground-breaking University of Michigan M-Flu study found up to a 75 percent reduction in flu-like illness over the study period when using hand hygiene and wearing surgical masks in residence halls, said Allison Aiello, associate professor of epidemiology in the U-M School of Public Health. Aiello and Dr. Arnold Monto, SPH professor of epidemiology, are co-principal investigators of the M-Flu study.

While the study also showed a 43 percent reduction in the rate of flu, it wasn't statistically significant. Students were more likely to report influenza-like symptoms than to provide laboratory samples for confirmed cases, Aiello said. "This might have impacted our power for detecting significant differences in confirmed flu," she said.

The results from both years found no significant reduction in symptoms in mask use alone, which suggests masks and hand hygiene should be used together, she said.

At the beginning of a pandemic, vaccines probably won't be available immediately so one of the first lines of defense to stop the spread of illness will be non-pharmaceutical interventions like hand hygiene and face masks. The M-Flu results bode well for these types of non-pharmaceutical interventions in the community setting for pandemic preparedness, Aiello said.

"This means masks and hand hygiene may be a good measure for preventing transmissions in crowded living quarters," said Aiello. "In a pandemic situation where compliance may be significantly higher than in controlled studies, masks and hand hygiene together may have even higher preventative implications."

The M-Flu study was the first of its kind and received international exposure when launched in 2006. The team of M-Flu researchers recruited more than 1,000 students in U-M residence halls. The students were assigned to groups who wore masks, wore masks and practiced hand hygiene, or did neither. They were monitored for the presence of flu symptoms or the flu.

The study was the first to test the effectiveness of these measures for primary prevention before people become sick or exhibited symptoms in the university setting, Monto said.

"Ultimately, this research could help the development of national policies for pandemic preparedness," Monto said.

The goal of M-Flu was to estimate the reduction in rate of flu infection and illness attributed to masks and hand sanitizers, and masks alone during two flu seasons. The results in year two were similar to year one with substantial reductions in flu-like symptoms. Students in both studies were asked to wear masks in the residence halls for six hours per day and clean their hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer in addition to soap and water hand washing.

The group is planning another study involving campus residence halls, this time to evaluate the effect of voluntary sequestration on the flu in residence halls. Details and a timeline for that study are not available yet.

The M-Flu study was a collaboration among the School of Public Health, University of Michigan Housing and the University Health Service. In addition to Aiello and Monto, authors include current students or graduates of the U-M SPH: Rebecca Coulborn, Brian Davis, and Vanessa Perez; and a colleague at Wayne State University, Monica Uddin.

<<< * >>>

The above story is adapted by the Zestzfulness Team from the January 25, 2012 news release by the University of Michigan

The article is featured in PLoS Hub for Clinical Trials: Allison E. Aiello, Vanessa Perez, Rebecca M. Coulborn, Brian M. Davis, Monica Uddin, Arnold S. Monto. Facemasks, Hand Hygiene, and Influenza among Young Adults: A Randomized Intervention Trial. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (1): e29744.

CLICK HERE for the Full Text

Depression

2012-02-01T23:27:00.002+08:00

Depression: Mindfulness can revolutionise treatment

2012-02-01T23:17:00.004+08:00

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy prevents relapses in recurrent depressions.

New results from Aarhus University, Business and Social Sciences place the effects of this psychological treatment on an equal footing with medicinal relapse prophylaxis.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is an effective manner of preventing depressions. This is the conclusion drawn by PhD student Jacob Piet and Professor Esben Hougaard from Aarhus University, Business and Social Sciences in the first systematic meta-analysis, which gathers previous research on the effects of mindfulness in recurrent depressions.

An alternative to medicine
Systematic training in mindfulness has proven successful as a measure of prophylaxis for persons suffering from recurrent depressions. For these persons, the mindfulness training reduces the risks of a relapse by 34 per cent. This number increases to 43 per cent for persons who have previously undergone three or more depressive incidents. The results are noticeable, says Jacob Piet.

- The results can change the treatment in the future. Right now, patients who have undergone at least three depressive incidents are advised to continue sustained treatment with antidepressants, which they sometimes have to use for the remainder of their lives. Research indicates that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can be equally effective in terms of preventing new depressive incidents, says Jacob Piet.

He stresses that there has been found no adverse effects in connection with the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, but rather that the treatment can have side benefits in the form of fewer depressive residual symptoms and an increased quality of life. For many recovering patients with a substantial risk of relapse, the mindfulness training can prove an attractive alternative to continued medicinal treatment, however, mindfulness does require an active commitment and a continued completion of the exercises.

Conscious attentiveness
Mindfulness is a special type of attentiveness, which is characterised by a conscious observation of what is going on in the present, without judging these events. When one is mindful, the person is consciously attentive to the flow of thoughts, impressions and impulses in the specific moment without judging the content. The thought is merely perceived as a thought, which does not necessarily constitute a valid impression of reality. Mindfulness is a skill, which must be developed and trained intensively in order to suffice as a treatment.

- Mindfulness improves the tolerance of uncomfortable feelings and abates the negative speculations, thus preventing a negative state of emotions from developing to negative patterns of thought, which can eventually escalate to depressions for vulnerable persons, says Jacob Piet.

Piet and Hougaard’s research paper “Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis” has been published in the reputable, international journal “Clinical Psychology Reviews”.

FACTS
Depression is a common illness with a lifetime risk of approximately 20 per cent. It is a very agonising illness, which is also very costly for society.

WHO – the World Health Organization – estimates that the illness will constitute the largest health economical burden in the Western world by 2030. Depressive incidents can be effectively treated either medicinally or by using psychotherapy, however, the risk of a relapse is considerable. For persons, who have previously been depressed, the risk of a relapse is somewhere between 50 and 90 per cent, and the risk increases after each depressive incident. Effective prophylaxis is therefore a top priority.

<<< * >>>

The above story is adapted by The Zestzfulness Team from the October 27, 2011 news release by Aarhus University in Denmark.

Other Resources

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

We'll let Cathy Wong from http://www.about.com/ present a brief introduction to this non-religious practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life…. to be truly alive and present with ...

Omega-3 Reduces Anxiety and Inflammation in ...

Earlier research suggested that the compounds might play a role in reducing the level of cytokines in the body, compounds that promote inflammation, and perhaps even reduce depression. Psychological stress has ...

Mental Health and Omega-3

Depression is widespread among elderly persons, affecting one in six patients treated in general medical practice and an even higher percentage of those in hospitals and nursing homes. Many medical problems common to ...

Regular Exercise Keeps Dementia and Other ...

In addition, a growing body of evidence suggests that increasing physical activity can also reduce risk of certain types of cancers, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity and hypertension (5,9,13). Rhodes et al. (14) note that regular physical exercise is presently ... (19) found that walking or cycling for at least an hour a day was associated with a 16% reduction in overall cancer incidence. For specific cancer sites the evidence is mixed. For colon cancer in ...

One Care, 1Care

2012-02-01T22:53:00.006+08:00

The Federal government has been selling 1Care in the MSM throughout 2011 in glowing terms.

However, not much details are available to the Rakyat about this health insurance scheme save the February 2, 2010 “1Care for1Malaysia: Restructuring the Malaysian Health System” power-point presentation by Dato’ Dr Maimunah bt A Hamid Deputy Director General of Health (Research and Technical Support), Ministry of Health at the 10thMalaysia Health Plan Conference.

According to Dr Ng Swee Choon of the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia, the scheme may compel every household to pay up to 9.4% for basic health care.

A concerned citizens group managed to get hold of some insider information and started a Tak Nak 1Care facebook campaign.

CLICK HERE for updates on 1Care. There are several intelligent posts including long discussions with the Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health.

Tak Nak 1Care is hoping to prompt Malaysians to air their views online before the proposed scheme goes live nationwide, arguing that health services are a social good, and not a profit-generating commodity.

You can also watch the “The Complete Idiot’s Guide” to 1Care on Youtube.

KLIK DI SINI untuk versi Bahasa Melayu

Oral Health

2012-01-28T15:21:00.004+08:00

Pyodontyl plus Double-Action Gum Care

Key ingredients Vitamin P, Panthenol, Xylitol and Ammonium Glycyrrhizate

work in synergy to

Reduce Sensitive Sensitive Bleeding Gums

Reduce Pain from Ulcerative Gums and

Promote Healthy Gum Tissue

Oral-B Essential Floss removes plaque where your brush can’t reach.

Flossing helps to prevent periodontal disease and gingivitis. Details HERE

Oral-B with CrossCross Bristles to lift out and sweep away hard to reach plagues and Soft Gum Stimulators to massage gums.

The bristles of an old toothbrush rub the sensitive parts of the inside of your mouth. Repeatedly using an old toothbrush can puncture the soft skin in the mouth which may lead to ulcers and sores.

Bacterial and viral infections can also sometimes cause mouth ulcers, although this is rare. The old toothbrush may be a reservoir of these nasty microbes. Change that toothbrush now and every three months or as recommended by your dentist.

Sensodyne Gentle Whitening breaks up stains to get your teeth whiter and is also gentle on your teeth. Like other Sensodyne toothpaste products, when used every day, Sensodyne Gentle Whitening relieves sensitive teeth by building a protective barrier that blocks the pain caused by hot, cold, sweet, acidic and other contact triggers and it keeps it from coming back. It also leaves a fresh, clean feeling in your mouth.

Potential Value of Statins/Omega-3 fatty acids Combination

2012-01-28T13:52:00.002+08:00

Picture credit: http://www.beltina.org

Residual risk of cardiovascular events after treatment with stain might be explained in part because patients have low levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

Several large trials and meta-analyses have consistently demonstrated that statin therapy significantly reduces LDL-C levels and incidence of cardiovascular events.

In spite of the efficacy of statin therapy in these studies, statins did not eliminate cardiovascular risk. Rather, significant residual cardiovascular risk remains after treatment with statins, especially in high-risk patients such as those with diabetes.

Now, Kurisu S and colleagues Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences has shown that the lipid-lowering therapy with strong statin reduced n-3 PUFAs in proportion to the decrease in the LDL cholesterol level in patients with coronary artery disease.

The study population consisted of 46 patients with coronary artery disease whose low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was more than 100 mg/dl. Lipid-lowering therapy was performed with a strong statin including atorvastatin (n = 22), rosuvastatin (n = 9) or pitavastatin (n = 15). Serum PUFA levels were determined by gas chromatography. The treatment with strong statin decreased the sum of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) levels (195 ± 41 to 184 ± 44 μg/ml, P < 0.05) as well as the sum of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels (233 ± 71 to 200 ± 72 μg/ml, P < 0.001). These effects of strong statin resulted in a significant decrease in ratio of the sum of EPA and DHA levels to the sum of DGLA and AA levels (1.20 ± 0.27 to 1.10 ± 0.35, P < 0.05). The percent decrease in the LDL cholesterol level correlated significantly with that in the sum of EPA and DHA levels (r = 0.38, P < 0.01).

As athero-sclerosis has an important inflammatory component and n-3 PUFAs are potent anti-inflammatory agents, it is possible that such anti-inflammatory effects contribute towards their protection against cardiovascular disease.

Thus the combination of statins with n-3 PUFAs, popularly referred to as omega-3 fatty acids, may have potential value in in patients with coronary artery disease.

Talk to your doctor if you are already on statins.

Reference:

Kurisu S, Ishibashi K, Kato Y, Mitsuba N, Dohi Y, Nishioka K, Kihara Y. Effects of lipid-lowering therapy with strong statin on serum polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in patients with coronary artery disease. Heart Vessels. 2011 Dec 21. [Epub ahead of print]

Tamiflu Reduces the Duration of Influenza… BUT

2012-01-28T13:46:00.011+08:00

A new review of medical evidence, conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration, has raised questions about the risk-benefit profile of oseltamivir (Tamiflu). The review found that the drug could reduce the duration of influenza, however, it has not been proven to reduce the incidence of complications from the flu nor did they find sufficient evidence that it could reduce transmission of the virus. Based on its review, the Cochrane Collaboration has asked Roche to release unpublished data on oseltamivir. Investigators derived their conclusions from 15 published studies and nearly 30,000 pages of 'clinical study reports.'

Reference:

Jefferson, Tom; Jones, Mark A.; Doshi, Peter; et al. Neuraminidase Inhibitors for Preventing and Treating Influenza in Healthy Adults and Children - A Review of Clinical Study Reports. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (01/12)

Influenza virus may be transmitted among humans in three ways:

(1) by direct contact with infected individuals;

(2) by contact with contaminated objects (called fomites, such asLink toys, doorknobs);

(3) by inhalation of virus-laden aerosolized particles (droplets).

The contribution of each mode to overall transmission of influenza is not known. However, CDC recommendations to control influenza virus transmission in health care settings include measures that minimize spread by aerosol and fomite mechanisms.

Influenza transmission can be reduced by covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing*, and by washing hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners.

Source: Virology Blog by By Vincent Racaniello

*While coughing may produce several hundred droplets, a good sneeze can generate up to 20,000. See “Vampire Cough” video

Health Tip: Avoid the Flu During Travel

2012-01-28T13:38:00.002+08:00

Suggestions to remain healthy

Plane or bus travel is a prime way to pick up or spread the flu. But there are steps you can take to help avoid getting others sick or getting sick yourself.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions:

Get a flu shot before you travel.
Pack a kit of hand sanitizer, soap, tissues and pain relievers.
Don't travel if you don't feel well or suspect you might have the flu.
Cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue, rather than your hands.
Wash your hands frequently with water and soap.
Stay away from people who are sick. Try not to touch your mouth, eyes or nose.

10 Things Unhappy People Have in Common

2012-01-28T13:20:00.005+08:00

We all want to be happy in some way or another. We strive each day to find the path of happiness whatever we think it is. But some of us come up way short. Some of us make mistakes day in and day out that take us away from the shining beacon of happiness at the end of the tunnel.

Are you striving to find peace? Are you striving to locate that inner glow that you know must exist? Are you coming up short or finding happiness that’s always fleeting? Life is a journey and on it we find what works and what doesn’t work. However, the most unhappy people tend to have a few things in common. If you’re looking to find peace, balance, and joy in your life, here’s what NOT to do. These people have it all wrong:

1. They Hate Their Jobs

You spend eight hours, sometimes much more at work. If you hate your job you can’t help but hate your life because you’re spending 40 out of the 168 hours in a week doing something you can’t stand. What’s worse, we often take our anger from work home with us, bringing that disgruntled attitude into our homes. I’m not saying go out and quit your job tomorrow. Instead, take an aerial view of your life. Why don’t you love your job? What’s missing? Is it the career itself? Is it your boss or your company? What’s your passion? What are you good at? Take time to answer these questions and then make a plan to move towards change, however long it takes.

2. They’re Constantly Worried About Money

Studies have proven that being rich won’t make us any happier. A Princeton University study showed that people needed an annual income of $75,000 per year per household and no more to be happy. Above that amount, more cash has no effect on “emotional well-being.” What this really means is that you need to be able to comfortably pay bills and save without worrying about finances. On the other hand, financial uncertainty does make us unhappy so this is another chance for evaluation. Are you overspending? What can you downsize? How can you minimize your life so that you can afford it? This is in no way an easy question, but it’s part of the journey.

3. They Don’t Have Any Active Hobbies

Happiness is linked to activity level. You have to move to feel good. What about yoga, hiking, swimming, surfing, biking, or running? Happiness is also linked to doing what you love so find active hobbies that make you happy and get to it.

Related: Get Physical!

4. They Have Wandering Minds.

According to Science News, “[a] wandering mind often stumbles downhill emotionally. People spend nearly half their waking lives thinking about stuff other than what they’re actually doing, and these imaginary rambles frequently feel bad, according to a new study.” The more you can focus on what you’re doing when you’re doing it, the happier you are. Meditation allows you to learn to focus on the present moment so you can actually live the life you’ve been given.

5. They Commute a Long Distance

A long commute can take a toll on your life and after a while it can really bring you down. How much of your life are you losing in commute? It’s hard on a relationship as well. A recent Swedish study found that divorce rates were higher the longer the commute.

6. They Think “Stuff” Will Make Them Happy

Unhappy people are constantly trying to fill the void by consuming, whether it be alcohol, food, or shopping. But the problem is happiness can’t be consumed, it’s cultivated from within. Meeting desires only brings fleeting happiness.

7. They’re Lonely

Cultivating relationships is important for both your health and your happiness. And that doesn’t just mean how good you are at social networking. Unfortunately nowadays more than a few of us view our laptop as our very best friend. Single or not, married or not, it’s important to always strive both to make friends and to keep them while also keeping close ties to family.

8. They Don’t Like Their Town

So often we feel stuck in our lives. We live in a town that we no longer love and aren’t sure how to feel better about the situation. This is another opportunity to take a step back and ask why you feel the way you do. Is it the town or is it you? Get the newspaper and look into new events, volunteer some place new, or, well, move. Who says you have to live in the same place your whole life? I certainly haven’t. I’ve already tried out Charlottesville, Athens, Washington DC, Florence, Charleston, and Columbia and I’m just getting started.

9. They Don’t Have Pets

Pets serve as support and provide unconditional love that we grow to depend on but at the same time, they don’t disrupt other human relationships, according to a new study. If you’re considering pet ownership, adopt a pet in need and follow this guide to responsible pet ownership.

10. They Don’t Like Themselves

We make ourselves happy by the way we view life and by learning to enjoy the moment. We make ourselves happy by the way we view ourselves. By opening our hearts we find peace but that peace has to first start off with you. If you dislike yourself, you can never be happy so give yourself a break. Learn to love yourself, you deserve it!

Written by Sara Novak, Planet Green

Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, PlanetGreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.

Sara Novak specializes in food policy and health writing and is devoted to living mindfully in all of her daily pursuits. She’s a health and wellness expert for Discovery Health and recently launched her own food and wellness Web site Serene Kitchen.

Black Tea Lowers BP

2012-01-28T13:18:00.003+08:00

Black Tea Lowers Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (BP) is a leading risk factor contributing to the global burden of disease. Small changes in BP due to dietary modification may have a significant impact on the prevalence of hypertension and risk of cardiovascular disease.

Dr Jonathan Hodgson (University of Western Australia, Perth) and colleagues reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine that regular consumption of black tea reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure between 2 to 3 mm Hg

In their study, the group randomized 95 men and women with a daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure between 115 and 150 mm Hg to three cups of black tea daily or to placebo that matched the tea in flavor and caffeine content (approximately 96 mg of caffeine per day). There were no significant differences between patient groups at baseline.

Daily consumption of the tea resulted in a significantly lower 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared with the control arm. The net-effect difference in systolic blood pressure at three and six months was -2.7 mm Hg and -2.0 mm Hg, respectively (p=0.006 at three months, p=0.05 at six months). Diastolic blood pressure was reduced 2.3 mm Hg and 2.1 mm Hg at three and six months, respectively (p<0.001 at three months, p=0.003 at six months).

Black tea is a common source of flavonoids, which have been suggested to contribute to vascular health. The researchers point out that they have shown that flavonoids augment nitric-oxide status and reduce plasma concentration of endothelin-1, both of which could contribute to reductions in vascular tone and reduced blood pressure.

Reference:

Hodgson JM, Puddey IB, Woodman RJ, et al. Effects of black tea on blood pressure: A randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med 2012; 172:186-188.

Beautiful Music from Woorabinda

2012-01-28T12:56:00.004+08:00

“Outside my Window” by Cindy Hill, Richard Accoom and Malcolm Freeman from Woorabinda

Uploaded to Youtube by BimaVideos on August 23, 2011 and recommended by Robbo (Andrew Roberts), a pharmacist living and working in one of the most remote parts of Australia caring for aboriginal health and who still finds the time to blog on Biting the Dust.

Andy Rooney on Sex!

2012-01-28T12:49:00.005+08:00

Picture credit: http://media.photobucket.com

Andrew Aitken "Andy" Rooney (January 14, 1919 – November 4, 2011) was an American radio and television writer. Andy Rooney is dead at 92. He will be remembered for the many pithy things he said in his weekly broadcast "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney," a part of the CBS News program 60 Minutes from 1978 to 2011.

Unfortunately, he is also remembered for things he didn't say, though folks on the Internet claim he did.

So, we are not sure about these clever remarks on SEX that Ah Guan of Singapore sent us and attributed to Andy but they are such great laughs:

1. When I was born, I was given a choice - a big pecker or a good memory....I don't remember what I chose.

2. Your birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom factory.

3. A wife is a sex object. Every time you ask for sex, she objects.

4. Impotence: nature's way of saying, "No hard feelings..."

5. There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men - 'don't' and 'stop', unless they are used together.

6. Panties: not the best thing on earth, but next to the best thing on earth.

7. There are three stages in a man's life: Tri-Weekly, Try Weekly and Try Weakly.

8. Virginity can be cured.

9. Virginity is not dignity, it's lack of opportunity.

10. Having sex is like playing bridge - if you don't have a good partner, you better have a good hand.

11. I tried phone sex once, but the holes in the dial were too small.

12. Marriage is the only war where you get to sleep with the enemy.

13. Question: What's an Australian kiss? Answer: The same thing as a French kiss, only down under.

14. A couple just married were happy with the whole thing. He was happy with the Hole and she was happy with the Thing.

15. Question: Why do men find it difficult to make eye contact? Answer: Breasts don't have eyes.

16. Despite the old saying, 'Don't take your troubles to bed', many men still sleep with their wives!

Sleep Disturbance Associated with Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders

2012-01-26T10:29:00.007+08:00

Picture credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org

Sleep Problems Increase Risk for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Obesity

People who suffer from sleep disturbances are at major risk for obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

For the first time in such a large and diverse sample, analyzing the data of over 130,000 people, the new research also indicates that general sleep disturbance (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and/or sleeping too much) may play a role in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Difficulty Falling Asleep, Difficulty Staying Asleep, Too Much Sleep, Also Associated

“Previous studies have demonstrated that those who get less sleep are more likely to also be obese, have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and are more likely to die sooner, but this new analysis has revealed that other sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or even too much sleep, are also associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health issues,” said Michael A. Grandner, PhD, research associate at the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at Penn and lead author of the study.

The researchers examined associations between sleep disturbances and other health conditions, focusing on perceived sleep quality, rather than just sleep duration. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and health risk factors, patients with sleep disturbances at least three nights per week on average were 35 percent more likely to be obese, 54 percent more likely to have diabetes, 98 percent more likely to have coronary artery disease, 80 percent more likely to have had a heart attack, and 102 percent more likely to have had a stroke.

Sleep, Diet and Physical Activity Important Part of Health

“This study is one of the largest ever to link sleep problems with important cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. It joins other studies that show that sleep is an important part of health, just like diet and physical activity,” said Philip R. Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, clinical director of the Penn Medicine Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, and senior study author.

“We all know what it feels like to not sleep well sometimes. And now we can clearly show that those who have chronic sleep problems are also much more likely to have chronic health problems as well. As a society, we need to make healthy sleep a priority”

The researchers say that future studies are needed to show whether sleep problems predict the new onset of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and whether treatment of sleep problems improves long term health and longevity. The research was funded, in part, by a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

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The above story is adapted by The Zestzfulness Team from the January 20, 2012 news release by the University of Pennsylvania.

The study is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Sleep Research: Grandner MA, Jackson NJ, Pak VM, Gehrman PR. Sleep disturbance is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. J Sleep Res. 2011 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00990.x.

Read our earlier posts on sleep problems

Poor Sleep Quality and Cardiovascular Diseases

Growing evidence links sleep quality to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and an increased production of inflammatory hormones and changes in blood vessel function may be one mechanism by which sleep deprivation ...

Extremes of sleep duration increase BMI, SAT, and VAT

The authors proposed that short sleep may impact fat accumulation by promoting increased caloric intake via increased hunger, or by reducing energy expenditure via altered thermoregulation and increased fatigue. ...

Too Little or Too Much Sleep Harmful

King et al at University of Chicago Medical Center found that not getting enough sleep increases the risk of clogged up arteries and heart disease (2). Conversely, sleeping well appears to prevent calcified deposits in the ...

and Get a Better Night's Sleep here:

Don't rely on a pot of coffee to keep you awake -- Instead of turning to a pot of coffee to keep you awake during the day, experts say you should focus on getting better sleep at night. The National Sleep Foundation offers these ...

Another Funny One-Liner

2012-01-26T10:26:00.001+08:00

Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer.

Author unknown.

In the Year of the Dragon

2012-01-26T10:21:00.004+08:00

We did not draw this picture, we got it HERE

In The Year Of The Dragon

2012-01-22T11:00:00.012+08:00

Picture credit: http://images.catchsmile.com

The Zestzfulness Team Wishes You

Wisdom Muse

Prosperity Motivation Laughter

Family Friends Dream Success Memory Patience

Hope Luck Beauty Creativity Trust Compassion Faith

Inspiration Peace on Earth Happiness Confidence Joy Curiosity

Thoughtfulness Courage Freedom Love Discovery Gratitude Forgiveness

The choice of font type, size and color is random but the essence of our wish for you this year of the dragon and of the year of all the other animals in the Chinese zodiac is simply:

Mindfulness and Loving Kindness

Exercise : Scientists Isolate Link to Health Benefits

2012-01-21T16:47:00.005+08:00

Scientists isolate protein linking exercise to health benefits

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have isolated a protein produced in muscle cells that triggers some of the important benefits from exercise. The protein, which researchers named 'irisin,' switches on genes that convert adipose tissue to beneficial fats that help the body burn more off more excess calories than exercise alone.

Hormone discovery could yield exercise-mimicking drugs for metabolic and other disorders.

The scientists said their findings merely scratch the surface of irisin's multiple effects. They are continuing to explore the hormone's possible benefits in metabolic diseases like diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity, which constitute a growing epidemic around the world, as well as neurodegenerative illnesses like Parkinson's disease.Link

Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, a cell biologist at Dana-Farber and senior author of the report added that as growing evidence implicates obesity and physical inactivity in cancer development, it's conceivable irisin-based drugs may have value in prevention and treatment of the disease.

Reference:

Boström P, Wu J, Jedrychowski MP, Korde A, Ye L et al. A PGC1-α-dependent myokine that drives brown-fat-like development of white fat and thermogenesis. Nature doi:10.1038/nature1077. Published online 11 January 2012

The Zestzfulness Team says,

“Why wait, get out and exercise regularly!”

The Taxi

2012-01-21T16:32:00.005+08:00

Picture credit : http://www.davekehr.com/

A woman and her ten-year-old son were riding in a taxi in Vancouver.

It was raining and all the prostitutes were standing under the awnings.

"Mom" said the boy "what are all those women doing?"

"They're waiting for their husbands to get off work" she replied.

The taxi driver turns around and says "Geez lady, why don't you tell him the truth? They're hookers, boy! They have sex with men for money."

The little boy's eyes get wide and he says "Is that true Mom?"

His mother, glaring hard at the driver, answers in the affirmative.

After a few minutes, the kid asks "Mom, what happens to the babies those women have?"

"Most of them become ~~politicians~~ taxi drivers" she said.

Submitted by SC Khoo, original author unknown.

Diabetes and Depression

2012-01-21T16:02:00.007+08:00

Picture credit: http://www.diabetesuffolk.com/

Treating Diabetes, Depression Together May Make Sense

If you have diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing depression. And if you have depression, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

Depression contributes to poor adherence to diabetes medication regimens, which can lead to poorer diabetes management.

The good news is that diabetes and depression can be treated together. And effectively managing one can have a positive outcome on the other.

A recent 12-week study of 180 patients found that nearly 61 percent of those who received integrated care combined with a brief program to help them adhere to their medication regimens achieved improved blood sugar test results, and almost 59 percent had a reduction in depression symptoms.

Among patients who received usual primary care for the two conditions, nearly 36 percent had improved blood sugar test results and about 31 percent had a reduction in depression symptoms, said the researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

In the integrated treatment group, care managers worked with participants to increase their adherence to both diabetes and depression medications, addressing barriers such as medicine costs and lack of social support.

"Our results demonstrate that integrated treatment for both conditions, combined with a brief program focused on adherence for primary care patients with type 2 diabetes and depression can result in a significant improvement in clinical outcomes. We hope the findings will encourage the adoption of adherence programs aimed at improving outcomes," study lead author Dr. Hillary Bogner, an assistant professor of Family Medicine and Community Health in the Perelman School of Medicine, said in a university news release.

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The above story is reprinted from the January 9, 2012 news release by the University of Pennsylvania.

The article appears in the January/February issue of the journal Annals of Family Medicine: Bogner HR, et al "Integrated management of type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression treatment to improve medication adherence: A randomized controlled trial" Ann Fam Med 2012; 10: 15-22.

Read the complete paper HERE.

Click HERE for the Power Point Presentation

See earlier posts from The Zestzfulness Team on the importance of Exercise and Omega-3 in both diabetes and depression.

Regular Exercise Keeps Diabetes, Depression and Other Diseases at Bay In addition, a growing body of evidence suggests that increasing physical activity can also reduce risk of certain types of cancers, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity and hypertension (5,9,13). Rhodes et al. (14) note that regular physical exercise is presently ... (19) found that walking or cycling for at least an hour a day was associated with a 16% reduction in overall cancer incidence. For specific cancer sites the evidence is mixed. For colon cancer in ...

Omega-3 may Reduce Depression Earlier research suggested that the compounds might play a role in reducing the level of cytokines in the body, compounds that promote inflammation, and perhaps even reduce depression. Psychological stress has ...

How Exercise Makes Everything Better "Exercise can delay or prevent stroke, memory loss, depression, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis and vascular disease and can help with balance," Deoskar said. “It supports what the body needs and takes ... Zestfulness says: If you can't find time to get to the gym or are too afraid of snatch thieves and stray dogs to take the morning walk, get an elliptical trainer (also known as a cross-trainer). The benefits of using an elliptical trainer are ...

CLICK HERE for an audio presentation on diabetes and depression by the American Diabetes Association

Health Tip: Strengthen Your Muscles

2012-01-21T10:56:00.001+08:00

Picture credit: http://www.coastalgeorgiaveincenter.com

And help avoid muscle loss as you age

Maintaining strong and healthy muscles is particularly important for seniors, who tend to lose muscle as they age.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these muscle-strengthening suggestions:

Engage in vigorous gardening, such as by shoveling or digging.
Lift weights, or work out with a resistance band.
Practice yoga.
Opt for exercises that naturally use your body weight for resistance, such as by performing sit ups and push ups.

We Are Lost For Words!

2012-01-20T08:43:00.005+08:00

Picture credit: The New Straits Times, January 7, 2012

HOW COME THE BOSS NEVER EAT SHARK'S FINS? 生化強國之黑心魚翅（足本）

2012-01-17T18:43:00.006+08:00

Uploaded by creatorbb on Sep 9, 2010

Chinese New Year is just a few days away. When you are roped into the inevitable restaurant crawl think about what you have just seen! :-)

Aktiviti Fizikal, Pencapaian Sekolah Mungkin Berkaitan

2012-01-17T18:39:00.003+08:00

Picture credit: http://images.china.cn

Penyertaan dalam aktiviti fizikal secara positif berkaitan dengan prestasi akademik di kalangan kanak-kanak.

Suatu kajian sistematik sebelum ini mencadangkan bahawa mungkin terdapat hubungan yang positif antara aktiviti fizikal dan prestasi akademik kanak-kanak, menurut laporan dalam isu Januari Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, salah satu daripada jurnal JAMA / Arkib.

Amika Singh, Ph.D., Pusat Perubatan Universiti Vrije Universiteit, Institut Kesihatan dan Penyelidikan Penjagaan EMGO, Amsterdam, Belanda, dan rakan-rakan sekerja mengkaji bukti mengenai hubungan di antara aktiviti fizikal dan prestasi akademik kerana kebimbangan bahawa tekanan untuk meningkatkan skor ujian seringkali menyebabkan lebih banyak masa digunakan dalam pengajaran bagi mata pelajaran di dalam kelas berbanding masa yang kurang untuk aktiviti fizikal.

Penulis mengenal pasti 10 pemerhatian dan empat kajian intervensi untuk kajian semula. Dua belas kajian telah dijalankan di Amerika Syarikat, termasuk salah satu di Kanada dan satu di Afrika Selatan. Saiz sampel adalah dari 53 hingga kira-kira 12,000 peserta yang berumur di antara 6 tahun dan 18 tahun. Tindakan susulan yang berbeza-beza dari lapan minggu kepada lebih daripada lima tahun.

"Menurut bukti sintesis terbaik, kami mendapati bukti yang kukuh tentang hubungan yang signifikan yang positif antara aktiviti fizikal dan prestasi akademik. Penemuan salah satu kajian intervensi berkualiti tinggi dan satu kajian pemerhatian yang berkualiti tinggi mencadangkan bahawa lebih aktif secara fizikal adalah secara positif berkaitan kepada peningkatan prestasi akademik di kalangan kanak-kanak, "komen penulis.

Latar belakang maklumat dalam artikel mencadangkan bahawa senaman boleh membantu kognisi dengan meningkatkan aliran darah dan oksigen ke otak, meningkatkan tahap norepinephrine dan endorfin untuk mengurangkan tekanan dan meningkatkan mood, dan meningkatkan faktor-faktor pertumbuhan yang membantu mewujudkan sel-sel saraf baru dan menyokong keanjalan sinaptik.

Namun, "secara relatifnya sedikit kajian metodologi berkualiti tinggi yang menerokai hubungan di antara aktiviti fizikal dan pencapaian akademik," penulis membuat kesimpulan. Tiada kajian dalam sistemetik penilaian semula menggunakan ukuran yang objektif dalam aktiviti fizikal.

"Lebih banyak kajian berkualiti tinggi diperlukan ke atas dos-tindak balas hubungan antara aktiviti fizikal dan prestasi akademik dan mekanisme penerangan, dengan menggunakan alat ukuran yang boleh dipercayai dan sah untuk menilai hubungan ini dengan tepat," penulis membuat kesimpulan.

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Kisah di atas diterjemah dari Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine keluaran 2 Januari 2012.

Artikel ini telah disiarkan dalam isu Januari Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine: Singh A, Uijtdewilligen L, Twisk JWR, van Mechelen W, Chinapaw MJM. Physical Activity and Performance at School - A Systematic Review of the Literature Including a Methodological Quality Assessment. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012;166(1):49-55. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.716