The researchers explained that diets that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are linked to better memory and cognitive function in humans. The Mediterranean diet has plenty of fish, chicken and salad dressing – all of which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Mediterranean food is rich in omega-3 fatty acids

The authors pointed out, though, that not such benefits were found among people with diabetes.

Georgios Tsivgoulis, M.D., a neurologist who works at both the UAB and the University of Athens, said:

“Since there are no definitive treatments for most dementing illnesses, modifiable activities, such as diet, that may delay the onset of symptoms of dementia, are very important.”

Dr. Tsivgoulis and team collected data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study, which is housed at UAB. The study included data on 30,239 people aged 45+ years between January 2003 and October 2007. They were all followed up regularly for health changes.

In what Tsivgoulis claims is the largest study to date on the Mediterranean diet, dietary data from 14,478 Caucasians and African-Americans were examined to determine how closely they followed a Mediterranean diet. Their average age was 64. The participants also underwent tests to measure their memory and cognitive abilities over a period of four years. Seventeen percent of them had diabetes.

The researchers found that among those without diabetes who followed the Mediterranean diet more closely, the risk of developing problems with memory and thinking skills was 19% lower, compared to the rest of the population sample. The difference in declines between Caucasians and African-Americans was not statistically significant.

Unfortunately, as far as cognition and memory was concerned, no benefit was identified among those with diabetes who closely followed a Mediterranean diet.

Tsivgoulis said:

“Diet is an important modifiable activity that could help in preserving cognitive functioning in late life,” said Tsivgoulis. “However, it is only one of several important lifestyle activities that might play a role in late-life mental functioning. Exercise, avoiding obesity, not smoking cigarettes and taking medications for conditions like diabetes and hypertension are also important.”

The study was sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (part of the National Institutes of Health).

Researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Navarra, both in Spain, reported in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (June 2012 issue) that the Mediterranean diet is not only good for physical health, but mental health as well.

In February 2012, researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine reported in Archives of Neurology that a Mediterranean-style diet may be healthier for the brain. They found that a Mediterranean diet appears to reduce damage to small blood vessels in the brain.

Written by Christian Nordqvist of Medical News Today.

I Love having MyIHR for a Detailed Medical History

The day I realized I needed a medical ID bracelet was a day I was out walking with my friends. We’d chosen to walk down a trail from one city park to the next, a span that stretches about 2 miles each way. The morning of the walk I had eaten cream of rice cereal and nothing else. I wasn’t hungry when we left and didn’t think about eating anything else. I also left my water bottle and purse in the car.

The walk down was great. It was clear and there was almost no wind. We chose to sit for a moment at the end of the 2 miles and that’s when I realized I was shaking. I told my friends that I was shaking, and then told them when I started to break out in a sweat (something that shouldn’t have happened due to our pace and the cooler weather).

One of my friends recognized the signs of my blood sugar dropping and convinced me to sit down while she went back for the car. I’m hypoglycemic.

The scary realization hit me that if it wasn’t for them being there I could have passed out and no one would’ve known what to do or who to contact. That night we all sat around talking and the decision was made, I needed a medical ID bracelet.

While the bracelet is not a solution to how much I failed to do that day, it’s a great comfort. Knowing that if I haven’t paid attention to what I need to do, someone will know how to respond and who to contact. The bracelet I have was carefully chosen based on the information I felt pertinent to my own situation and I love having MyIHR for a detailed medical history. It’s one less thing to worry about when I leave my house.

Melissa Bartlett

MyIHR is a product offered by American Medical ID. There is no recurring fee to include MyIHR on your medical ID.

An article by Sridhar Nadamuni on iTech Post reports:

Credit: National Institute of Mental Health

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prolonged stress response syndrome involving symptoms that develop in the wake of extremely stressful life events of an extraordinarily threatening or catastrophic nature. The symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts, intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, or emotional arousal.

The experiences from traumatic events can be managed with time and patience, but in some individuals the symptoms can  get worse, and out of control, shaking up their lives.

Researchers now show that PTSD in turn leads to a significant risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Karoline Lukaschek from the Institute of Epidemiology II (EPI II) at the Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU) and Prof. Johannes Kruse from the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, and their colleagues from the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University Hospital Gießen and Marburg now provide the first evidence of a signficant association between the two illnesses.

In the study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, the investigators looked into data from a population-based study in which the data were collected by means of a standardized survey of all participants and also a glucose tolerance test. They identified 50 participants with PTSD, and an additional 261 with symptoms of partial PTSD. They also included 498 participants who suffered from full-blown type 2 diabetes and 333 subjects who  displayed signs of a pre-diabetic condition. The analysis showed a significant association between type 2 diabetes and PTSD. However, prediabetes was not associated with psychological stress. The scientists explain that the chronic and permanent stress among PTSD patients leads to changes in the hormonal response, with the result that the body’s metabolism and glucose utilization are adversely affected. More studies are needed to dig into the detailed mechanisms, the temporal and causal relationships.

“Further clarification of the relationships between psychological factors and metabolic disorders will be an important task for diabetes research in the future”, commented Prof. Karl-Heinz Ladwig.

More information on Type 2 Diabetes can be found on the American Diabetes Association website here.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and many more are unaware they are at high risk. Some groups have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others. Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos,Native Americans, and Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.

In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can lead to diabetes complications.

When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:

• Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
• Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

The American Diabetes Association recommends every person with diabetes wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace:

“You should have a medical ID with you at all times. Medical IDs are usually worn as a bracelet or a necklace. Traditional IDs are etched with basic, key health information about the person, and some IDs now include compact USB drives that can carry a person’s full medical record, such as the fact that they have diabetes and use insulin. Emergency medical personnel are trained to look for a medical ID.”

My Medical ID Can Mean the Difference Between Life and Death

I’m a mother of three with a 15 year old and twin girls that are 15 months. When I was 7 months pregnant I delivered early. One was born natural, I barley had time to get to the delivery room. She was 4lbs. The other was a c-section because she was head up and only 3lbs. After the birth, I had to visit them in the hospital in the NICU for a month.

Shortly after the birth, I was having a hard time breathing and my left side was getting numb. I went to the doctor thinking I would need a inhaler and I was sent straight to the hospital because I had an irregular heartbeat. Upon further testing we found out I had heart failure.

My heart muscle was only working 5-10% at the time I went in, and after a week it went to 20% . As of now it’s still at 20% and I had to get an ICD surgery. Being healthy all my life, they linked the heart failure to having the babies, it’s called postpartum cardiomyopathy.

So at the age of 31 with three kids and two of them just babies, I’m faced with the daily struggles of heart failure and was advised by doctors to get a medical ID. With further investigation about medical IDs I’ve came to realize how important it is to have them. They give important information about you and your conditions.

As a young woman I was worried that they would look like my grandfathers ID and that there wouldn’t be a fun, feminine piece of jewelry. I was surprised to see the selection and found a necklace that had a pretty charm that has crystals and holds enough information for emergency’s.   That is very important to me because my medical ID can mean the difference between life and death, and with children that’s all that matters to me. Every day that I’m here with them is a blessed day.

Thanks so much for giving me and my family the peace of mind needed during these times.

Could Sucking Your Baby’s Pacifier Cut Allergy Risk?

We’ve all seen it. A pacifier tumbles out of a crying baby’s mouth and hits the floor with a wet thump.

Maybe it bounces once or twice.

Some parents throw it right in the trash. Others boil it. Some just give it a rinse in the sink.

But some moms pick up the pacifier, put it in their mouth and hand it right back to baby, and a new study suggests the practice may be associated with fewer allergies later on.

“It’s really an interesting study, because it supports the theory of the hygiene hypothesis,” said Dr. Samuel Friedlander, an allergy specialist at University Hospitals in Cleveland. “It’s a theory that states that our world is too clean. The immune system is like an army, and if the army doesn’t have anything to fight – like germs – it fights allergens.”

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy of Göteborg University in Sweden followed 174 babies and their parents for several years and tested them for allergies, eczema and asthma. They also asked parents how they cleaned off pacifiers, and found that nearly half of them used their mouths on occasion.

By the time babies were 18 months old, those whose parents sucked their pacifiers were less likely to have asthma and eczema, and the researchers concluded that this was because parents exposed their babies to bacteria in their saliva, stimulating babies’ immune systems. There was also a trend toward a reduction in allergy signs. But by the time babies reached 36 months old, they only had an added protection against eczema.

Friedlander said parents reading about the study should keep in mind that the research doesn’t show causation. It only shows association.

Dr. Erick Forno, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said that the study was interesting but said he didn’t think parents should start sucking their baby’s pacifiers more often. He noted that the study was small, and added that the long-term effects of this bacteria exposure are not clear.

Forno also noted that children may be exposed to the bacteria without their parents sucking on their pacifiers.

“Not only will they kiss kids’ mouths, but they’ll also share utensils,” he said, adding that the pacifier could still have different bacteria because it sits in the mouth for a longer period of time than a spoon.

For some parents, exposing children to bacteria this way might even be detrimental. For instance, parents with herpes or cold sores could pass a virus to their children.

Dr. Jennifer Kim, a pediatric immunologist and allergist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, said parents shouldn’t change behavior based on this study.

“Generally, what I tell families is don’t change what you normally do based on the results of one study,” she said.

This article is being reposted as part of an awareness and education campaign during Stroke Awareness Month.

Salt is a cheap, easy way to turn on taste buds. That’s one reason why it’s in so many of the foods we eat. It’s so commonly used that most Americans consume more than double the recommended daily limit for it.

Why limit salt? Because it is the body’s main source of sodium. We need a little bit of sodium to transmit nerve impulses, to contract muscle fibers, and, along with potassium, to balance fluid levels in all of our cells. But getting too much sodium and too little potassium can have a major impact on overall health. It can increase blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Three new studies in BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) once again confirm the relationship between salt intake and health problems. The first of these studiescombined information from 34 earlier studies. This technique is called meta-analysis. It showed that, over the long term, a reduction in salt intake led to a drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number of a blood pressure reading) of 4 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). There was also an average 2 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure. Eating less salt was also linked to lower risks of heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

A second meta-analysis combined information from 56 studies. Its findings were similar to the first meta-analysis: lower salt intake led to lower blood pressure and to lower risks of stroke and death from heart disease.

The third study looked at potassium intake. Potassium is needed for many normal body functions, including heart and muscle function. In this review of 33 studies that included more than 128,000 people, consuming more potassium was linked to lower blood pressure and lower risk of stroke.

Putting it into practice

Current dietary guidelines recommend that Americans get no more than 1 teaspoon of salt a day. That’s the equivalent of 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. Those with high blood pressure or other conditions such as kidney disease or heart failure and anyone over age 50 failure are urged to limit sodium to 1,500 mg a day.

Only about 10% to 20% of the salt that most people take in comes from the salt shaker at the table or in the kitchen. Most of the sodium we get is added to processed foods like canned soups and vegetables; breads, crackers, and other prepared baked goods; deli and other processed meats; chips and other snacks; and restaurant foods.

Here are some tips for limiting your salt intake:

• Know how much salt is in your diet. Pay attention to labels. Some soup labels are misleading and will have two servings per can, with a large amount of sodium in each serving.
• Avoid processed and prepared foods. These tend to have a lot of sodium. When in doubt, eat fresh food or food you have prepared yourself.
• Look for labels that say “low sodium” or “no added sodium.” But be sure to read labels carefully. These products will tend to have less salt, but can still contain a fair amount of sodium.
• Use other seasonings in place of salt. Herbs and spices, for example, can add flavor to your food.

For more salt-reduction strategies, check out “Tasting Success With Cutting Salt,” prepared by the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health.

What about potassium? Most healthy Americans consume less than half of the recommended amount of potassium (4,700 mg per day). Getting more of this mineral may help lower blood pressure. But too much potassium can be dangerous, especially for people with kidney problems. So the right amount is critical.

It’s best to get potassium from food, especially fruits and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables, beans, and bananas have a lot of potassium. The USDA has published a list of potassium in hundreds of foods.

Fire retardant chemicals that are supposed to protect children may actually cause intelligence and behavioral problems in young kids.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are chemicals that have been used to lower the risk of fires in items like baby strollers, carpets and electronics. Because of known health risks, the chemicals have mostly not been used in items on sale in the U.S. since 2004. However, since they are not very biodegradable, PBDEs may still exist in older products that people may have or continue to exist in the tissue of people who were exposed to the chemicals.

A new study presented on May 6 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, D.C., showed that pregnant women who were exposed to the substances had an associated risk of having a child with lower intelligence and more hyperactivity during early childhood.

“In animal studies, PBDEs can disrupt thyroid hormone and cause hyperactivity and learning problems,” lead author Dr. Aimin Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said in a press release. “Our study adds to several other human studies to highlight the need to reduce exposure to PBDEs in pregnant women.”

Blood samples were taken from 309 pregnant women to look at their PBDEs levels. Their children were tracked until they were 5 years old and they were given intelligence and behavior tests. Children’s blood was not tested for levels of PBDEs.

Prenatal exposure to the chemicals was associated to lower cognitive abilities at 5 and increased hyperactivity from 2 through 5 years old. Each 10-fold increase in maternal exposure to PBDEs was linked to a four-point decrease in IQ scores. Chen said to Scientific American that while four points might not seem like much in an individual, if an entire population experiences this decrease, it can have a big impact on their social interactions and overall economic stability.

• Harmful flame retardants found in 84 percent of Calif. couches
• Are flame retardants poisoning Calif. kids?

Chen added that washing hands more often and replacing old items that contain the chemicals may help reduce exposure.

“To reduce PBDEs in pregnant women, hand washing to reduce dust ingestion is important. Also reducing PBDEs in the indoor environment may help, such as replacing carpet padding or polyurethane foams that contain PBDEs,” she said to Decoded Science.

© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

• Nearly 1 in 2 Americans (133 million) has a chronic condition
  Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge, a study of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Partnership for Solutions: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (September 2004 Update). “Chronic Conditions: Making the Case for Ongoing Care”.

• By 2020, about 157 million Americans will be afflicted by chronic illnesses, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Chronic Care in America

• That number is projected to increase by more than one percent per year by 2030, resulting in an estimated chronically ill population of 171 million. Chronic Care in America

• 96% of them live with an illness that is invisible. These people do no use a cane or any assistive device and may look perfectly healthy. 2002 US Census Bureau
• Sixty percent of the chronically ill are between the ages of 18 and 64.
  Chronic Care in America

• 90% of seniors have at least one chronic disease and 77% have two or more chronic diseases
  The Growing Burden of Chronic Disease in American, Public Heal Reports / May–June 2004 / Volume 119, Gerard Anderson, PhD

• 9 million people are cancer survivors with various side effects from treatment
  American Cancer Society

• The divorce rate among the chronically ill is over 75 percent
  National Health Interview Survey

• Depression is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than for the average person
  Rifkin, A. “Depression in Physically Ill Patients,” Postgraduate Medicine (9-92) 147-154.

• Various studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of suicides Mackenzie TB, Popkin MK: “Suicide in the medical patient.”. Intl J Psych in Med 17:3-22, 1987

• and more than 50% of these suicidal patients were under 35 years of age
  Michalon M: La psychiatrie de consultation-liaison: une etude prospective en milieu hospitalier general. Can J Psychiatry (In French) 38:168-174,1993

• About one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year;
  Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.

• and more than 90 percent of people who kill themselves have a diagnosable mental disorder
  Conwell Y, Brent D. Suicide and aging I: patterns of psychiatric diagnosis. International Psychogeriatrics, 1995; 7(2): 149-64.

• Four in five health care dollars (78%) are spent on behalf of people with chronic conditions
  The Growing Burden of Chronic Disease in American, Public Health Reports, MayJune 2004 Volume 119 Gerard Anderson, PhD

A woman was wearing her purple Silicone Flex medical ID bracelet as she was jogging in New York’s Central Park. The woman wore a medical ID because of her severe allergy to bee stings, which played a pivotal role in catching one of arch nemesis Moriarty’s hired assassins! Not too bad for a day’s work!

Here’s a Link to the Episode:

http://www.cbs.com/shows/elementary/video/3A391712-8BAB-D346-596F-5EFB723CF723/elementary-a-landmark-story/

Don’t forget, May is Allergy Awareness Month!