Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Having a strong grip at 53 could show you'll live longer: Middle aged men with low levels of physical capability at greater risk of dying before age 66

  • A strong handshake is a sign of a long and healthy life, say researchers
  • Other tasks that show this include being able to balance on one leg 
  • Poor performance of these may be an indicator of disease or fast ageing 




  • If after reading this you can spring energetically from your chair and then give someone a strong handshake, doctors have some good news for you.
    And if you can also balance on one leg for up to 30 seconds with your eyes closed, then that’s a bonus as well.
    Because middle-aged people who perform well on these three tasks are more likely to have a long and healthy life, according to researchers.
    A study found that low levels of physical capability at the age of 53 suggest poorer chances of survival over the next 13 years
    A study found that low levels of physical capability at the age of 53 suggest poorer chances of survival over the next 13 years

    In contrast, those with a poor hand grip who are slow to get out of a chair and struggle to balance are at greater risk of dying within the next decade or so.
    A study found that low levels of physical capability at the age of 53 suggest poorer chances of survival over the next 13 years compared with those in better shape. Those with the weakest physical performance on the tests had 12 times higher death rates than those who could do them all.
     

    It is thought that poorer performance may be an indicator of disease, either diagnosed or undetected, and faster ageing.
    Physical strength at the age of 53 was a good objective assessment for risk of premature death, said Dr Rachel Cooper, who led the study at the Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at University College London.
    Dr Cooper  said: ‘Even at this relatively young age these measures identify groups of people who are less likely than others to achieve a long and healthy life.’ 
    The study involved 1,355 men and 1,411 women for whom there was data on physical capability at the age of 53. 
    A strong handshake is a sign you will have a long and healthy life according to researchers
    A strong handshake is a sign you will have a long and healthy life according to researchers

    Death rates from all causes over the following 13 years up to the age of 66 were established, according to a report in the online medical journal bmj.com.
    Physical capability was assessed during home visits at the age of 53 using three markers – strength of hand grip, speed of rise from a chair and standing balance time where the individual had to stand on one leg for up to 30 seconds with their eyes closed.
    The team of researchers noted 177 deaths between the ages of 53 and 66.
    Those with the lowest physical ability scores – in the bottom fifth – had higher rates of death from any cause than those in the highest fifth for performance.
    Being able to balance on one leg is another indicator that people aren't at risk from premature death
    Being able to balance on one leg is another indicator that people aren't at risk from premature death

    People who could not perform any of the tests at 53 had over 12 times higher death rates when compared with people able to perform all three tests.
    Those with lower scores tended to be less well-off, have less healthy lifestyles and suffer from more chronic conditions, but these factors were taken into account by the researchers.
    Dr Cooper said: ‘Our study shows robust associations of standing balance time, chair rise speed and grip strength at age 53 with all cause mortality rates over 13 years of follow-up.
    ‘This suggests that there is value in using these simple and inexpensive tests to assess physical capability in mid-life in research and possibly also in applied settings to identify those people who are less likely than others to achieve a long and healthy life.’
    In the US, a trial is under way to see the effects of frail older people being asked to do more physical activity under supervision.
    Previous studies have found that slower walking speed in middle age was associated with lower total cerebral brain volume – or fewer ‘grey’ cells – while brisk walking had a range of health benefits.
    Other research also found that a stronger hand grip strength was associated with larger cerebral brain volume as well as better performance on cognitive tests.
    American researchers found, in a second study reported in the journal, that those who spend more time in physical activity of a light intensity every day had less chance of becoming disabled by arthritis in the knee.


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2616374/Having-strong-grip-53-youll-live-longer-Middle-aged-men-low-levels-physical-capability-greater-risk-dying-age-66.html#ixzz30PbS9JSH 
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    How cherry juice helps you sleep: Drinking a glass at morning and night can help older people have an hour's longer rest each day

  • Researchers studied a group of people with an average age of 68
  • All of the participants had reported prior problems with insomnia 
  • The group were asked to drink cherry juice twice a day for two weeks
  • Despite the short trial, some of the elderly people reported better sleep




  • A drink of tart cherry juice in the morning and evening may help people sleep better at night, according to a new report.
    Researchers from Louisiana State University in the US found that drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice twice a day for two weeks helped increase sleep time by nearly 90 minutes among older adults with insomnia.
    These findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nutrition, which is being held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting in San Diego.
    A new study has shown that elderly people can get an extra hour's sleep at night by drinking cherry juice, pictured
    A new study has shown that elderly people can get an extra hour's sleep at night by drinking cherry juice, pictured

    Insomnia is a common health problem among older adults, impacting an estimated 23 to 34 percent of the population ages 65 and older. Insomnia - defined as trouble sleeping on average more than three nights per week - can be an annoyance for some, but long-lasting sleeplessness can seriously affect health, especially in the elderly.
     

    Insomnia is linked to a higher prevalence of chronic pain, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and a decline of cognitive function, or dementia. Individuals with insomnia may turn to sleeping pills. 
    This medication can also lead to further problems according to Frank, L Greenway, co-author behind the research. 
    'Sleeping pills may be an option for younger insomniacs, but for older people these medications quadruple the risk of falling, which can lead to broken hips and, often, earlier death.'
    Researchers studies seven adults with an average age of 68 who suffered from insomnia and asked them to drink cherry juice twice a day over two weeks. 
    Later, the same group took a placebo drink. 
    Dr Greenway and his colleagues studied their slumber in a controlled setting, using overnight polysomnography to evaluate sleep efficiency, such as sleep onset and duration. 
    Participants also completed questionnaires related to sleep, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Additionally, blood work was conducted on each participant.
    Researchers asked a group of elderly people about their sleep patterns before and after drinking the cherry juice
    Researchers asked a group of elderly people about their sleep patterns before and after drinking the cherry juice

    The researchers found that those who drank the Montmorency tart cherry juice in the morning and at night were able to sleep more than an hour longer each night (averaging 84 minutes) compared to the placebo, and their sleep tended to be more efficient.
    Montmorency tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. While previous studies have suggested that tart cherry juice has sleep-enhancing benefits, Greenway and colleagues set out to help explain why. 
    They wanted to understand if the benefits were due to the melatonin content or another component in Montmorency tart cherries.
    They believe the ruby red pigments in tart cherry juice, known as proanthocyanidins, also play a role.
    Insomnia can cause a range of problems with elderly people and exacerbate underlying medical conditions, (picture posed by a model)
    Insomnia can cause a range of problems with elderly people and exacerbate underlying medical conditions, (picture posed by a model)

    These natural polyphenolic compounds are especially abundant in Montmorency tart cherries. In the study, tart cherry juice helped to increase the availability of tryptophan, an essential amino acid and a precursor to serotonin that helps with sleep. 
    The juice was shown in cells to inhibit an enzyme (indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase) that degrades tryptophan. 
    Tryptophan degradation is a known predictor of insomnia and is also related to inflammation, said co-authors Jack Losso and John Finley, professors in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.
    'Even though the amount of tryptophan in tart cherry juice is smaller than a normal dose given to aid sleep, the compounds in tart cherries could prevent the tryptophan from breaking down so it's able to work in the body more effectively,' Greenway explained. 
    'These compounds may help to improve tryptophan bioavailability for serotonin synthesis, which could have a positive effect on sleep. Increasing serotonin also helps improve mood and decrease inflammation.'
    Greenway believes it's the unique combination of melatonin and tryptophan in Montmorency tart cherries that is likely contributing to the sleep benefits. He and his colleagues conclude that drinking a glass of tart cherry juice in the morning and the evening may be a better and a safer way to treat insomnia.


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2616424/How-cherry-juice-helps-sleep-Drinking-glass-morning-night-help-older-people-hours-longer-rest-day.html#ixzz30PardaAC 
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    'Antibiotic resistance is now a bigger crisis than the AIDS epidemic': Impact of superbugs means you could die from a simple scratch

  • Spread of deadly superbugs that evade antibiotics is happening globally
  • It's now a major threat to public health, the World Health Organisation says
  • It could mean minor injuries and common infections become fatal




  • Antibiotic resistance is now a bigger crisis than the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, a landmark report warned today.
    The spread of deadly superbugs that evade even the most powerful antibiotics is happening across the world, United Nations officials have confirmed.
    The effects will be devastating - meaning a simple scratch or urinary tract infection could kill. 
    Scroll down for video
    Antibiotic resistance needs to be taken as seriously as AIDS was in the 1980s, experts say
    Antibiotic resistance needs to be taken as seriously as AIDS was in the 1980s, experts say

    Antibiotic resistance has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country, the U.N.'s World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a report. 
    It is now a major threat to public health, of which 'the implications will be devastating'.  
    It is estimated that super-resistant bacteria is claiming more than 25,000 lives a year in Europe alone while doctors in England currently prescribe 35 million courses of antibiotics a year.
    In the US, antibiotic resistant bacteria are estimated to lead to $20billion of extra healthcare costs a year while each day 190 million doses of antibiotics are handed out in hospitals.
    'The world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,' said Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's assistant director-general for health security.

    SUPERBUGS: THE GUIDE TO BUGS RENDERING ANTIBIOTICS OBSOLETE

    MRSA - Patients infected with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) are 64 per cent more likely to die than those with a non-resistant form of S. aureus. 
    People infected by resistant superbugs are also likely to stay longer in hospital and may need intensive care, pushing up costs.

    C. difficile - This bacteria produces spores that are resistant to high temperatures and are very difficult to eliminate. It is spread through contaminated food and objects and can cause blood poisoning and tears in the large intestine. 
    E. coli - this now accounts for one in three cases of bacterial infections in the blood in the UK and a new strain is resistant to most antibiotics. It is highly contagious and could cause more than 3,000 deaths a year.
    Acinetobacter Baumannii - a common bacteria which is resistant to most antibiotics and which can easily infect patients in a hospital. It can cause meningitis and is fatal in about 80 per cent of patients.

    CRKP - this is a bacterium that is associated with extremely difficult to treat blood infections and meningitis. It is resistant to nearly all antibiotics and is fatal in 50 per cent of cases.

    Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is estimated to kill 150,000 people globally each year.
    NDM-1 - a bacteria detected in India of which some strains are resistant to all antibiotics.
    In its first global report on antibiotic resistance, with data from 114 countries, the WHO said superbugs able to evade even the hardest-hitting antibiotics - a class of drugs called carbapenems - have now been found in all regions of the world.
    Drug resistance is driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which encourages bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming them.
    Only a handful of new antibiotics have been developed and brought to market in the past few decades, and it is a race against time to find more as bacterial infections increasingly evolve into superbugs resistant to even the most powerful last-resort medicines reserved for extreme cases.
    One of the best known superbugs, MRSA, is alone estimated to kill around 19,000 people every year in the U.S. - far more than HIV and AIDS - and a similar number in Europe.
     

    The WHO said in some countries, because of resistance, carbapenems now do not work in more than half of people with common hospital-acquired infections caused by a bacteria called K. pneumoniae, such as pneumonia, blood infections, and infections in newborn babies and intensive-care patients.
    Resistance to one of the most widely used antibiotics for treating urinary tract infections caused by E. coli -medicines called fluoroquinolones - is also very widespread, it said.
    In the 1980s, when these drugs were first introduced, resistance was virtually zero, according to the WHO report. 
    But now there are countries in many parts of the world where the drugs are ineffective in more than half of patients.
    The WHO said in some countries, because of resistance, carbapenems now do not work in more than half of people with common hospital-acquired infections caused by a bacteria called K. pneumoniae, such as pneumonia, blood infections, and infections in newborn babies and intensive-care patients.

    Resistance to one of the most widely used antibiotics for treating urinary tract infections caused by E. coli -medicines called fluoroquinolones - is also very widespread, it said.
    In the 1980s, when these drugs were first introduced, resistance was virtually zero, according to the WHO report. But now there are countries in many parts of the world where the drugs are ineffective in more than half of patients.
    The spread of deadly superbugs that evade even the most powerful antibiotics is happening across the world, United Nations officials have confirmed. Image shows the superbug MRSA which already kills almost 20,000 people a year in Europe
    The spread of deadly superbugs that evade even the most powerful antibiotics is happening across the world, United Nations officials have confirmed. Image shows the superbug MRSA which already kills almost 20,000 people a year in Europe
     
    WHO warns antibiotic-resistant bacteria is spreading
    'Unless we take significant actions to improve efforts to prevent infections and also change how we produce, prescribe and use antibiotics, the world will lose more and more of these global public health goods and the implications will be devastating,' Dr Fukuda said.
    Laura Piddock, director of Antibiotic Action campaign group and a professor of microbiology at Birmingham University, said the world needed to respond as it did to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
    'Defeating drug resistance will require political will, commitment from all stakeholders and considerable investment in research, surveillance and stewardship programmes,' she said.

    THE COUPLE WHO LOST BABY TO INFECTION AFTER SUPERBUG OUTBREAK

    Jenna and Andrew Hannon, pictured,  were distraught after losing their son Oliver to a superbug infecition
    Jenna and Andrew Hannon, pictured, were distraught after losing their son Oliver to a superbug infecition
    The human cost of the rising number of superbugs is becoming all to familiar.
    Distraught young couple Jenna and Andrew Hannon lost their second son to an infection at a hospital neo-natal unit in Bristol.
    Little Oliver was born early at 24 weeks and although he had seemed well enough to go home with his parents, he soon fell dangerously ill.
    He was taken to Southmead Hospital but the infection had taken hold and the youngster passed away.
    Tragically the couple had lost another prematurely born son, Travis, to infection in 2010, just five-and-a-half hours after his birth at 26 weeks.
    An inquest into Oliver's death later found he had been killed by the pseudomonas bacteria.
    He was one of three babies in the hospital to be hit by the killer bacteria, which was later linked to baby deaths around the country.
    An investigation took place at the hospital into Oliver's death, but it could not find what caused his infection.
    The inquest was told that Oliver was being given two types of antibiotics before he died as a precaution, but neither specifically fought pseudomonas.
    As a result of the investigation the hospital also now uses antibiotics which more specifically target the bacteria.
    Jennifer Cohn of the international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières agreed with the WHO's assessment and confirmed the problem had spread to many corners of the world.
    'We see horrendous rates of antibiotic resistance wherever we look in our field operations, including children admitted to nutritional centres in Niger, and people in our surgical and trauma units in Syria,' she said.
    Earlier this month, Government body NICE said that one in 16 patients are developing infections on NHS wards because of poor hygiene among staff.
    NICE said 800 patients a day, the equivalent of 300,000 a year, are infected by a member of staff or by dirty equipment. It is estimated the infections cause 5,000 deaths annually and contribute to another 15,000.

    WHAT CAUSES ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE?

    Antibiotics are substances that kill or interfere with the growth of microorganisms, especially bacteria. But not all microorganisms are susceptible to all antibiotics, according to Public Health England.
    Microorganisms which are not killed or inhibited by an antibiotic are called 'antibiotic resistant'.
    They continue to grow and multiply in the presence of that antibiotics.
    There are several ways in which bacteria can be resistant. Some destroy the antibiotic, for example by producing enzymes against it; some prevent the antibiotic getting into their cells; others get the antibiotic out of their cells before it can harm them.
    HOW DOES RESISTANCE DEVELOP?
    Some bacteria are naturally resistant; new resistances also arise spontaneously by chance mutations and these resistant strains then multiply.
    Some resistances can be passed from one bacterium to another, spreading resistance between species. Loops of DNA (called plasmids) carry the resistance genes from one bacterium to another.
    When an antibiotic is given, it kills the sensitive bacteria, but any resistant ones can survive and multiply.
    The more antibiotics are used (in animals and agriculture as well as in man) the greater will be the "selective pressure", favouring resistant strains - i.e. survival of the fittest.
    Antibiotics don't 'cause' resistance; rather, they create an environment which favours the growth of resistant varians which already exist in nature or arise by chance.


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2616794/Antibiotic-resistance-needs-taken-seriously-AIDS-Implications-bacteria-evading-drugs-devastating-says-landmark-report.html#ixzz30Pa0FxVc 
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    Tuesday, April 29, 2014

    'Sunshine' vitamin D may increase survival rates for those with breast and bowel cancer

    Vitamin D from sunshine increases the survival rates of cancer sufferers, new research suggests.
    The vitamin is particularly beneficial for people with breast cancer, bowel cancer and lymphoma.
    The nutrient is made by the body under the skin in reaction to summer sunlight and found in oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, eggs and fortified fat spreads, breakfast cereals and powdered milk.
    The sunshine vitamin - vitamin D - improves cancer survival rates, new research suggests
    The sunshine vitamin - vitamin D - improves cancer survival rates, new research suggests

    It helps the body absorb the calcium and phosphorus needed for healthy bones and affects a variety of biological processes by binding to a protein called a vitamin D receptor.
    This receptor is present in nearly every cell in the body.
     

    A new study found cancer patients who have higher levels of vitamin D when they are diagnosed tend to have better survival rates and remain in remission longer than patients who are vitamin D deficient.
    Scientists reviewed all previous research to acknowledge the health benefits of the vitamin.
    People with high levels of the vitamin are up to four per cent more likely to survive cancer than those who are vitamin D deficient
    People with high levels of the vitamin are up to four per cent more likely to survive cancer than those who are vitamin D deficient

    Professor Hui Wang, of the Institute for Nutritional Sciences at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, said: ‘By reviewing studies that collectively examined vitamin D levels in 17,332 cancer patients, our analysis demonstrated that vitamin D levels are linked to better outcomes in several types of cancer.
    ‘The results suggest vitamin D may influence the prognosis for people with breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lymphoma, in particular.’
    The study, published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, looked at 25 separate studies that measured vitamin D levels in cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and tracked survival rates.
    In most of the research, patients had their vitamin D levels tested before they underwent any treatment for cancer. 
    The study found a 10nmol/L increase in vitamin D levels was linked to a four per cent increase in survival among people with cancer.
    However, the study found the effect was less for those suffering from lung cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, leukaemia, and melanoma.
    Professor Wang said: ‘Considering that vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue all over the world, it is important to ensure that everyone has sufficient levels of this important nutrient.
    ‘Physicians need to pay close attention to vitamin D levels in people who have been diagnosed with cancer.’


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2616006/Sunshine-vitamin-D-increase-survival-rates-breast-bowel-cancer.html#ixzz30JZY8bzb 
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