ALL ABOUT HEALTH -

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

New Study Finds Intermittent Fasting–Style Diet Can Cause Type 2 Diabetes Remission in Just 3 Months

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Nearly half of all participants who followed an intermittent calorie-restrictive diet for three months achieved diabetes remission and no longer had to take their diabetes medications, according to a small new study from researchers in China.Just as remarkable, those individuals were able to maintain that remission and remain medication-free at the one-year mark, per the findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.This study shows that type 2 diabetes is not necessarily a permanent, lifelong disease, says coauthor Dongbo Liu, PhD, a researcher at Hunan Agricultural University in Changsha, China. “Diabetes remission is possible if patients lose weight by changing their diet and exercise habits,” he says.Intermittent Fasting Can Mean Restricting Calories and Eating Only During Certain Hours of the DayIntermittent fasting (IF) refers to any eating schedule that…

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

10 Most Common COVID-19 Symptoms Now

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Editor’‎s NoteThis is a revised version of a previously published story, updated to reflect the latest news. Source link

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Breast Cancer Drug Enhertu May Help Women With Newly Identified Category of Breast Cancer

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The cancer drug Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan, or T-DXd) given before breast cancer surgery showed activity in patients with a newly identified subtype of disease known as HER2-low breast cancer, according to a study presented at the recent San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the largest annual conference on breast cancer.Human growth receptor, abbreviated as HER2, is found on the surface of breast cancer cells. It’s presence in high or low amounts suggests how responsive the tumor will be to certain treatments. In the past, HER2 status was based upon a score, with a number 3 or above indicating HER2-positive disease, which is known to be more aggressive and difficult to treat. A score below 3 was categorized as HER2-negative disease.More recently a new breast cancer subtype has been identified: HER2-low disease. This category includes…

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

American Diabetes Association Recommends More Aggressive Weight Loss, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol Goals

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The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has released the 2023 Standards of Care in Diabetes, a set of guidelines that are updated annually after a thorough review of new research.This year’s updates are focused on how to more aggressively treat diabetes and reduce diabetes complications, with changes to recommendations on weight loss, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and more.“The world of diabetes is moving quite quickly. There are lots of new studies, and we want to make sure clinicians have the most up-to-date information to guide them in how to care for people with diabetes,” says Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, who serves as the chief scientific and medical officer of the ADA.This document, released on December 12, is considered the gold standard of care, and it’s one that providers consult daily or…

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Face Masks Are Back for the Holidays Thanks to ‘Tripledemic’

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Masks are making a comeback this winter, and the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t the only reason. Blame a “tripledemic” of three highly contagious respiratory illnesses: COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and seasonal flu.“Beyond the high-risk persons, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask at present, because the three viruses are so prevalent at this time,” says William Schaffner, MD, a professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.Roughly 1 in 7 Americans now live in communities with high levels of COVID-19 transmission, according to a report released December 8 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And their ranks are rising fast.On top of this, we’re on track to have the worst flu season in more than a decade, with an estimated 8.7 million cases, 78,000…

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Can Erectile Dysfunction Drugs Help Prevent Alzheimer’s?

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Over the last year, several research studies showed that men who took drugs for erectile dysfunction were less likely to eventually develop dementia. The studies excited both the medical community and the public at large, as there is currently no approved medication to prevent forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease.A study published in December 2021 supported by the National Institute of Aging found that men who took sildenafil (Viagra) were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Separate research published at the beginning of 2022 revealed that tadalafil (Cialis) may have the potential to increase blood flow in the white matter of the brain, which is related to vascular dementia.Researchers currently believe that the onset of Alzheimer’s and other kinds of dementia is tied to a chronic lack of blood…

01Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Study Finds High Levels of Heavy Metals in Dark Chocolate

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Dark chocolate, long considered a heart-healthy indulgence, may contain potentially harmful amounts of heavy metals, according to new research from Consumer Reports.Researchers at Consumer Reports measured the amounts of various heavy metals in 28 dark chocolate bars, including some made by larger brands like Hershey’s, Trader Joe’s, Dove, and Ghirardelli, as well as some smaller brands like Mast and Alter Eco.Every single chocolate bar contained cadmium and lead, the researchers found. And 23 of the bars had enough of these metals that eating just an ounce a day might expose an adult to potentially harmful levels of at least one of these two toxic metals. Five bars had potentially dangerous levels of both lead and cadmium.However, the fact that five of the tested dark chocolate bars had low levels of these…

31Jan 2023 by Janice Holland

Is the Tripledemic to Blame for the Rise in Serious Strep Throat Infections?

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A potential rise in invasive group A strep (streptococcus) infections, which has caused the death of 16 children under age 18 in the United Kingdom, now has U.S. health experts concerned.In the Denver metro area alone, there have been 11 reported cases of invasive group A strep (sometimes shortened to iGAS) in children between 10 months and 6 years old, according to a press release from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.Although these infections are still rare, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating a possible increase.What is invasive group A strep and what symptoms signal a dangerous infection? Here’s what you need to know to keep your family safe.What Is Group A Strep?“Group A streptococcus is a bacteria; it’s notorious for causing sore throat,”…

31Jan 2023 by Janice Holland

Number of Cancer Cells in the Bloodstream Offers Treatment Clues for Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

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Counting the number of tumor cells that have broken away from a tumor and are circulating in the blood can help doctors choose between chemotherapy and endocrine therapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer, according to a study presented at the recent San Antonio Breast Cancer SymposiumCurrently, doctors tend to use all available endocrine therapies, such as the drug tamoxifen, before switching to chemotherapy to treat metastatic breast cancer, said study author François-Clément Bidard, MD, PhD, a professor of medical oncology at Institut Curie and Versailles Saint-Quentin University in Paris, at a press conference.Circulating tumor cell count, or CTC as it’s also known, has been extensively studied for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in the past two decades to see whether it can help fine-tune treatment, Dr. Bidard said.In study presented at…

31Jan 2023 by Janice Holland

Millions See Poignant Portrait of Alzheimer’s in One Family’s Viral Videos

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Seeing a loved one progress through the stages of a degenerative disease can have its heartbreaking moments, but one family is showing the world how much joy there’s still to be had when caring for a person with Alzheimer’s.Joshua Pettit’s loving TikTok videos of his mom struggling to identify her own reflection in a mirror are putting a very public face on Alzheimer’s disease, drawing millions of viewers and an outpouring of support from thousands of complete strangers all over the world.The Highs and Lows of Being a CaregiverIt’s easy to see why so many people are captivated. The videos Joshua Pettit makes of his mother, Betty Pettit, put a very human face on Alzheimer’s disease and the roller coaster of good and bad moments life with this condition entails.In…