Study Challenges Ibuprofen for Alzheimer’s Prevention, but “Something is going on”

According to a new report, Ibuprofen offers no better protection against Alzheimer’s disease than any other NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). The results have challenged the most recent report that showed Ibuprofen use reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 23%. Study investigator, Peter P. Zandi, PhD, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore, Maryland, says,”This is an interesting finding, because it seems to challenge a current theory that the NSAID group that includes ibuprofen may work better in reducing a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s. Read more

Cholesterol Medications Linked to Eye Disease

Many patients balk at the prospect of taking cholesterol lowering medications. The benefits, according to studies, are profound, but worries persist about the ill effects. Many patients report muscle aches, fatigue, and even memory loss. Lowering cholesterol too much has even been associated with a possible link to cancer. According to a new study, statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) might hasten the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that leads to blindness and affects more than ten million Americans. Read more

Healthy Women Faced with Breast Removal Option Based on Gene Testing

Women, who carry the gene mutation BRCA, may be faced with the decision of having mastectomy to avoid developing breast cancer. According to Dutch researchers, presenting at the 6th European Breast Cancer Conference in Berlin, Germany, women who carry the BRCA gene mutation have an estimated 85% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Surgical breast removal, or mastectomy, reportedly reduces that risk to less than 1%. Previous studies have shown that the risk of cancer could be reduced by 3%. Read more

Ibuprofen May Protect from Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists have found that taking Ibuprofen may ward off the development of Alzheimer’s disease. According to a team of investigators at Boston University School of Medicine, people who took Ibuprofen long term, specifically more than five years, were 40% less likely to have the disease. Alzheimer’s protection fell to 25% with the use of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Author Steven Vlad, MD, said in a statement from the American Academy of Neurology, “These results suggest that the effect may be due to specific NSAIDs rather than all NSAIDs as a class”. Read more

More Clues to Cancer Found in Food

A team of researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands have studied the association between cancer and the chemical acrylamide-a substance known to cause cancer in mice. The study is published in the May issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Acrylamide is found in French fries, potato chips, coffee, fried and baked foods, olives, and even breakfast cereals. It’s also used for food packaging, and to manufacture cosmetics and plastics. Read more

Magnesium Rich Foods Cut Risk of Stroke in Male Smokers by 15%

According to a new study, male smokers can reduce their risk of cerebral infarction, or stroke, by 15% by increasing dietary intake of magnesium rich foods. The most significant effect was found in men younger than age 60. Magnesium intake has also been found to reduce blood pressure, leading researchers to speculate that dietary intake of foods rich in minerals such as magnesium may be associated with good blood pressure control, though the exact mechanism for stroke risk reduction is not entirely clear. Read more

Massage, Aromatherapy and Alzheimer’s Disease

Massage and aromatherapy have known benefits. Most people, especially family caregivers, may not be aware that aromatherapy, massage, therapeutic touch, light and pet therapy may help subdue aggressive behaviors, especially those associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Anyone who has cared for a family member with dementia is well aware of the challenges. Oftentime, cognitive decline results in the need to place a family member within an institution, as management problems with behaviors escalate. Behavioral problems are very distressing when you’re caring for a loved one. Read more

HEPA Filters in the Home Found to Significantly Improve Overall Health

Bad eating and inactivity are known contributors to vascular disease, or endothelial dysfunction. When you factor in an unhealthy environment and genetics, the odds of developing diseases of the blood vessels exacerbates.

A recent study has found that using a HEPA filter in the home significantly lowered the biomarkers that lead to vascular and microvascular disease in healthy older adults. Read more

Screening Men for Osteoporosis-New Clinician Guidelines

The American College of Physicians has issued guidelines for performing bone mass density tests in older men, recognizing that “osteoporosis if not just a woman’s disease”. Lead author, Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, MHA concludes: “Older men, especially those over the age of 65, need to be assessed regularly for risk factors for osteoporosis.” The recommendations come about because of the increasing incidence of osteoporosis among men. The guidelines are published in the May 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. Read more

Noni, Super Fruit!

This is a guest article from my friend “Seacoral” (Coralie). Coralie feels good as the result of drinking Noni juice, and I’ve asked her to share her health story here.
Personally, I’ve done no research on the benefits of Noni juice, but Coralie consumes Noni and will tell you first hand of the benefits.

NONI, SUPER FRUIT!

Surely, the ancestors of the Polynesian people thought it was! However, the name Super Fruit is a marketing term that refers to a common or rare exotic fruit having exceptional nutrient richness, antioxidant quality or appealing taste. The noni shrub or small tree also referred to as Morinda Citrifolia, which is the correct scientific name, comes from the family Rubiaceae. Read more

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