health news

A colonoscopy -- used to detect colon cancer and other potential problems -- involves use of a long, flexible tube with a camera that takes images of the colon.

Before having a colonoscopy, you should follow certain do's and don'ts to ensure an accurate procedure. This list is provided by the U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:

- Avoid all solid foods and any beverages with food coloring for one to three days before a colonoscopy.
- You may eat fat-free bouillon or broth soups, or gelatin.
- You may drink water, strained fruit juice, plain coffee, plain tea or diet soda (no food coloring).
- As certain medications may affect your results, tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, arthritis medications, blood thinners, medications for diabetes, or any vitamins containing iron.

| Tags: Cancer, Digestive |

Labels: Arthritis, Cancer, Colon Cancer, Diabetes, Digestive

Black and Hispanic adults with arthritis are more likely than whites to become disabled from the joint disease, new research findings suggest.

In a study that followed nearly 7,300 Americans with arthritis for six years, researchers found that African-American patients were twice as likely to develop a disability as their white counterparts. The same was true of Hispanic adults who spoke Spanish as their primary language, but not primarily English-speaking Hispanic patients.

A range of factors -- from poorer overall health to lack of insurance to less-healthy lifestyles -- together explained the racial disparity, the study found.

SOURCE: Arthritis & Rheumatism, August 2007.

| Tags: Arthritis, Back Pain, Public Health and Safety |

Labels: Arthritis, Back Pain, Public Health

In people with rheumatoid arthritis, heavy cigarette smoking appears to slow the rate of joint destruction, new research suggests.

Potentially, this may be due to the anti-inflammatory properties of nicotine, Dr. Axel Finckh, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland told Reuters Health.

Cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease that causes progressive joint destruction, disability, and premature death, Finckh and colleagues reported in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Yet, it remains unclear if smoking influences the progressive joint destruction and disability cause by rheumatoid arthritis. Finckh and colleagues therefore assessed joint X-rays and results from self-reported functional disability questionnaires for more than 2,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients in their early- to mid-fifties.

SOURCE: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, July 2007.

| Tags: Arthritis, Back Pain, Smoking Cessation, Work and Life Health |

Labels: Arthritis, Back Pain, Smoking Cessation

Preeclampsia is a condition in pregnancy, characterized by a sudden, significant rise in blood pressure and swelling of the hands and feet.

It can be dangerous for both the fetus and the mother.

Here is a list of common risk factors, courtesy of the Preeclampsia Foundation:

- A first pregnancy.
- Family or personal history of preeclampsia, chronic high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease.
- Obesity.
- Multiple birth pregnancies.
- Age younger than 18 or greater than 40.
- Other conditions including polycystic ovarian syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis or multiple sclerosis.

| Tags: Heart Health, Pregnancy, Women's Health |

Labels: Arthritis, Diabetes, Heart Health, Pregnancy, Women's Health

Glucosamine and chondroitin are substances that occur naturally in the body. Taken as supplements, they can help relieve arthritic joint pain.

Glucosamine is an amino sugar that's believed to help cartilage formation and repair, the Arthritis Foundation says. And chondroitin sulfate can help give cartilage elasticity.

But the supplements aren't recommended for everyone, the Arthritis Foundation says. Among those who should take great care or avoid them altogether:

Children, pregnant women, and women who may become pregnant.
Diabetics, who should be careful when taking these supplements, as the amino sugars can cause blood glucose levels to rise.
People who are taking blood-thinning medications, since these substances can trigger blood thinning.
People who are allergic to shellfish, from which these supplements often are extracted.

Sourse - Healthday News

| Tags: Arthritis |

Labels: Arthritis, Children's Health, Women's Health

Research in mice suggests that a vitamin A derivative, retinoic acid, may fight autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as colitis or rheumatoid arthritis, U.S. scientists say.

A team at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology in California found that manipulating the amount of retinoic acid (a substance derived when vitamin A is broken down in the body) in the mice affected levels of pro-inflammatory T-cells.

These T-cells are a type of white blood cell that plays a role in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

"We found that you can control inflammation in a living animal with retinoic acid or you can treat cells with retinoic acid in a test tube and transfer them to the organism to suppress inflammation," research leader Hilde Cheroutre said in a prepared statement.

The findings were published in the June 14 online issue of Science.

| Tags: Arthritis, Nutrition |

Labels: Allergy, Arthritis, Nutrition

A substance present in the body as a result of inflammation may also help cause male infertility, new research suggests.

A team at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y., identified unusual levels of a substance called "macrophage migration inhibitory factor" (MIF) in semen samples obtained from infertile men.

Reporting in the current issue of Molecular Medicine, the researchers theorize that identification of this factor could lead to tests for infertility as well as the development of a male contraceptive.

Inflammation occurs when the body endures infections such as sepsis (blood infection), autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The factor is present in high levels during those conditions and is linked in some cases to tissue damage.

The researchers analyzed semen from 27 fertile men and 68 infertile men after several days of sexual abstinence. They found that men with fertility problems had MIF levels that were either too low or too high.

Healthy levels of MIF help sperm mature so they can unite with an egg, the team said. When they added the factor to Petri dishes containing healthy sperm, the number and mobility of the sperm decreased.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 2.1 million infertile couples in the United States. Almost 40 percent of infertility problems are due to the male.

Sourse - HealthDay News

| Tags: Diabetes, Heart Health, Men's Health, Sexual Health |

Labels: Arthritis, Diabetes, Heart Health, Men's Health, Sexual Health

Prevention is extremely important with osteoarthritis.

It's much easier to prevent osteoarthritis than it is to treat it.

In my opinion, here is the biggest problem. As long as people are pain free they will see no reason to take preventive measures against it.

For example, how many times have you had back pain, and only once you get the back pain do you start to take notice of your posture.

It's the same with your joints. They get damaged before you feel it. Cartilage can be wearing away before you even get the slightest symptoms.

So, lets assume you're fairly active and you know your joints are being worked each day. You're aware that they are in need of protection so what can you do?

There are a number of things but by far the most important two are these:
1. Pacing Your Activity.
2. Nutrition. This one is really important. Without specific nutrition, the cartilage and other tissues in your joints will not be as healthy as they should be to start off with. For instance they will not be holding as much water in as they should for cushioning and they may not be as thick as they could be.

Secondly, the cartilage will not be repaired as well as it should be after wear or injury if the nutrients that provide the building blocks for it are not present in the body in large enough amounts.

| Tags: Arthritis, Back Pain, Nutrition |

Labels: Arthritis, Back Pain, Nutrition