Stroke Affecting More Young People, Study Finds

Strokes are hitting at a younger age, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology.

Researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine found that the average age at which a person experiences a stroke fell to 69.2 in 2005, from 71.2 in 1993/1994.

"The reasons for this trend could be a rise in risk factors such as diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol," study researcher Dr. Brett Kissela, M.D., said in a statement. "Other factors, such as improved diagnosis through the increased use of MRI imaging may also be contributing. Regardless, the rising trend found in our study is of great concern for public health because strokes in younger people translate to greater lifetime disability."

The study included 1.3 million people who lived in the greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky region during 1993/1994, 1999 and 2005.

Researchers found that the number of people younger than 55 who experienced their first stroke during that time period increased to 19 percent in 2005, from 13 percent in 1993/1994.

Plus, the stroke rate among 20-to-54-year-olds increased between the beginning and end of the study; among Caucasians, strokes rose to 48 for every 100,000 people in 2005, compared with 26 strokes for every 100,000 people in 1993/1994. For African-Americans, strokes increased to 128 for every 100,000 people in 2005, compared with 83 strokes for every 100,000 people in 1993/1994.

"Among the young, the increase in incidence suggests an unknown and potentially daunting future trajectory," wrote Drs. Sally Sultan, M.D., and Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D., in an accompanying editorial. "Replication of these findings in other U.S. populations and internationally is crucial, and future studies will need to account for potential temporal trends in diagnostic testing while also teasing out causative factors."

The findings follow a recent study in the journal Annals of Neurology, showing that hospitalizations for ischemic stroke have gone up by 37 percent from 1995 to 2008 among people between ages 15 and 44.
Want to lower your risk of stroke? Controllable risk factors include blood pressure and cholesterol, alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, physical activity and diabetes status, according to the National Stroke Association.

And check out our slideshow of foods that have been shown in studies to be associated with a lower stroke risk:

Meditation Could Improve Empathy

Meditation could help people to be more empathetic, according to a small new study from Emory University.

The research, published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, showed that a meditation program called Cognitively-Based Compassion Training was able to improve people's ability to read emotional expressions on others' faces. Researchers said the meditation program is based on ancient Buddhist practices, but this particular program was secular. It included mindfulness techniques, but mainly involved training people to think about their relationships with other people.

"It's an intriguing result, suggesting that a behavioral intervention could enhance a key aspect of empathy," study researcher Jennifer Mascaro, a post-doctoral fellow at Emory, said in a statement.

The study included 21 people who all underwent fMRI brain scans as they were administered a "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test to gauge empathy. The test involves looking at black-and-white photographs of different facial expressions -- except the photographs only show the eye region of the face. People taking the test are then asked to say what kind of emotion or thinking is being evoked in each expression.

Then, 13 study participants underwent eight weeks of the meditation training program. The other eight study participants didn't undergo the training program, but participated in classes where there was discussion on topics like how well-being is influenced by factors like exercise.

After the eight weeks, all the study participants completed the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test again. The researchers found that people who underwent the meditation training program had a 4.6 percent higher score on the empathy test at the end of the study period. Meanwhile, people who only partook in the discussion classes didn't experience any increase in empathy scores, and some even experienced a decrease in their scores.

The brain scans also revealed that people who took the meditation courses also had increased brain activity in the regions linked with empathy.

Empathy is important, and not only for nurturing interpersonal relationships -- a recent study showed a link between a doctor's empathy and the outcomes of his or her patients.

That study, published in the journal Academic Medicine, showed that the diabetes patients of doctors who scored low on an empathy test were more likely to experience acute metabolic complications associated with their condition, compared with patients of doctors who scored higher on the test.

Peanut product recall expands

Your Monday morning health roundup:

Peanut recall: Is there jar or bag of peanuts in your pantry? Better check the label. A recall of nut products linked to salmonella has now expanded to include shelled and in-shell raw and roasted peanuts. The recall includes 250 items from New Mexico manufacturer Sunland, Inc. Sunland made a brand of Trader Joe's peanut butter linked with a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 35 people in 19 states, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The company has shut down facilities while an investigation continues. A list of all the recalled products is here. (NBC News).

B vitamins and colon cancer: Supplements that contain a mixture of B vitamins -- including folic acid (B9), B6 and B12 -- don't protect against colon cancer, but also don't seem to raise risks, a large trial shows. What does help, according to the American Cancer Society: limiting red and processed meat, eating fruits and vegetables, being physically active and, if you are over 50, getting screened for colon cancer. (HealthDay)

Sleep and school: A little extra sleep might turn a kid who is impulsive, easily-distracted and prone to tantrums into one who gets through the school day without those problems, a new study suggests. In the experiment, researchers sent some kids to bed an hour early and kept others up an hour late and then monitored their actual sleep times and school behavior, as reported by teachers. With just 27 extra minutes of sleep, teachers noticed improved behavior, the researchers report in Pediatrics. (WebMD)

Today's talker: Nearly 250 people from Hawaii are on their way to the Vatican for the canonization of Marianne Pope, a nun who worked on what was once a leper colony at the remote peninsula of Kalaupapa, on the island of Molokai. Some patients with what is now called Hansen's disease still live at the settlement. So do three sisters from the Franciscan order that brought Mother Marianne there to nurse patients in 1888. (KHON2, Washington Post)

Sitting for long periods 'is bad for your health'

Sitting for long periods increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and death, researchers suggest.

The scientists from Leicester and Loughborough Universities say harm is done even if people also exercise.

The study, published in Diabetologia, analysed 18 existing studies involving almost 800,000 people.

Diabetes UK said anyone who spent a lot of time sitting or lying down would "obviously benefit" from moving more.

The researchers say the opportunities for sedentary behaviour in modern society such as watching TV, sitting in a car or using a computer are "ubiquitous".

Of course, in modern society many people head to the gym for a burst of exercise to redress the balance.

But the research team, led by Dr Emma Wilmot from the Diabetes Group at the University of Leicester, says while going to the gym or pool after work is better than heading straight for the sofa, spending a long time sitting down remains bad for you.

Healthy lifestyle?

 
Each of the studies they assessed used different measures - for example more or less than 14 hours a week watching TV, or self-reported sitting time of less than three hours a day to more than eight.
The researchers say this means it is not possible to give an absolute limit for how much sedentary time is bad for you.

But Dr Emma Wilmot, who led the study, said it was clear that those who sat the most had a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and death than those who sat the least.

 

She said: "If a worker sits at their desk all day then goes to the gym, while their colleague heads home to watch TV, then the gym-goer will have better health outcomes.

"But there is still a health risk because of the amount of sitting they do.

"Comparatively, the risk for a waiter who is on their feet all day is going to be a lot lower."

She added: "People convince themselves they are living a healthy lifestyle, doing their 30 minutes of exercise a day.

"But they need to think about the other 23.5 hours."

'Easy change'

 
The strongest associations in the analysis were between prolonged sitting and diabetes.

There is evidence that being sedentary negatively affects glucose levels and increases insulin resistance - but scientists do not yet know how.

Dr Wilmot said the study's message could help those at high risk of diabetes, such as obese people or those of South Asian ethnic origin, because it was an easy lifestyle change to make.

Prof Stuart Biddle, of Loughborough University, who also worked on the study, said: "There are many ways we can reduce our sitting time, such as breaking up long periods at the computer at work by placing our laptop on a filing cabinet.

"We can have standing meetings, we can walk during the lunch break, and we can look to reduce TV viewing in the evenings by seeking out less sedentary behaviours."

Dr Matthew Hobbs, head of research at Diabetes UK, said people should not be discouraged from exercising.

He added: "What is clear is that anyone who spends lots of time sitting or lying down would benefit from replacing some of that time by standing or walking.

"Aside from any direct effect reducing the amount of time you spend sitting down may have, getting more physical activity is a great way of helping maintain a healthy weight, which is the best way of minimising your risk of Type 2 diabetes."

Superfoods That Could Help Protect Against Breast Cancer

Broccoli And Broccoli Sprouts 

 Cruciferous vegetables, but broccoli in particular, make for anti-cancer powerhouses thanks in part to a compound called sulforaphane that actually helps the body fight the spread of tumors.

Recent research revealed the underlying reason: sulforaphane may inhibit an enzyme, called an HDAC, that works to suppress the body's tumor fighting ability, as we've previously reported.

And sprouts are even more potent: three-day old broccoli sprouts have 20 to 50 times the sulforaphanes as mature broccoli, according to Johns Hopkins research.

For more about the cancer fighting properties of all cruciferous vegetables, check HuffPost blogger Dr. Joel Fuhrman's analysis of cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and more.

Garlic 

Garlic is considered a cancer-fighting food for several forms of the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

One French study found that women who regularly ate garlic had a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer. Garlic's mild cousin, onions also had a protective effect, according to the study.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are known for their anti-cancer properties, thanks to a richness in anti-inflammatory antioxidants, polyphenols. But they may offer a specific benefit against breast cancer: research shows that a phytochemical found in abundance in pomegranates, called ellagitannins, interfere in the production of aromatase, an enzyme that, as HuffPost blogger Dr. Nalini Chilkov explained, "increases hormone production in breast tissue."

That's important because breast cancer is hormone-dependent, meaning that it feeds off of hormones like estrogen to grow and spread. "Hormone dependent cancers such as breast cancer are commonly treated with aromatase inhibitors, which block this enzyme," wrote Chilkov.

 

Walnuts 

Although preliminary, research in mice has found that including walnuts in a healthful diet throughout the entire lifespan reduced the risk of developing breast cancer by half.

Tumeric

Curcumin, the compound in tumeric, may play a role in blocking the expression of a molecule called RANKL, which is found in the most deadly and aggressive breast cancer tumor cells.

 

Flax Seeds 

Most research regarding flax's anti-cancer properties has been done in mice or in-vitro cell cultures, but what it shows could be profound: in one study, according to the American Cancer Society, the lignans found in flax slowed the movement and "stickiness" of breast cancer cells, causing it to spread more slowly in a cell culture simulation.

Berries 

Berries have several powerful antioxidants, primarily anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which have been shown in cell culture studies to reduce free radical damage to healthy cells, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

 In separate research, they were shown to slow the growth and shorten the lifespan of breast cancer (as well as mouth, colon and prostate cancer)

Green Tea 

Green tea is rich in the polyphenol EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which has been shown to slow the spread of breast cancer cells, according to breastcancer.org.

Tomatoes  

Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is thought to slow breast cancer cell growth. 

Breast Cancer Prevention Foods

Breast Cancer Prevention Foods: What Can You Eat To Reduce Your Chances?

Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits — such as limiting the amount of alcohol you drink and staying physically active. Understand what you can do to prevent breast cancer. 

If you're concerned about breast cancer, you may be wondering if there are steps you can take toward breast cancer prevention. Understand the lifestyle factors that may affect your risk of breast cancer and what you can do to stay healthy.

What can I do to reduce my risk of breast cancer?

Breast cancer prevention begins with various factors you can control. For example:

• Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol — including beer, wine or liquor — limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
• Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.
• Get plenty of physical activity. Being physically active can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (think brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running), in addition to strength training exercises at least twice a week. If you're just starting a physical activity program, start slowly and build intensity gradually.
• Breast-feed. Breast-feeding may also play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.
• Discontinue hormone therapy. Long-term combination hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer. If you're taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options. You may be able to manage your symptoms with non-hormonal therapies, such as physical activity. If you decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks, consider using the lowest dose that's effective for your symptoms, and plan to use it only temporarily.
• Avoid exposure to environmental pollution. While further studies are needed, some research suggests a link between breast cancer and exposure to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in vehicle exhaust and air pollution.

Can a healthy diet prevent breast cancer?

Research shows that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables doesn't offer direct protection from breast cancer. In addition, a recent study of dietary fat and breast cancer showed only a slight decrease in the risk of invasive breast cancer for women who ate a low-fat diet. However, eating a healthy diet may decrease your risk of other diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. A healthy diet can also help you maintain a healthy weight — a key factor in breast cancer prevention.

Is there a link between birth control pills and breast cancer?

Current evidence suggests that use of oral contraceptives doesn't increase the risk of breast cancer. While older research showed a slight increase in risk, those studies included pills with higher estrogen doses than what's available today. In addition, the older research showed that 10 or more years after stopping oral contraceptives, the risk of breast cancer returned to the same level as that of women who never used oral contraceptives.

What else can I do?

Be vigilant about breast cancer detection. If you notice any changes in your breasts, such as a new lump or skin changes, consult your doctor for an evaluation. Also, ask your doctor when to begin mammograms and other screening procedures to detect breast cancer.

Remember, it's not always possible to prevent breast cancer. By practicing healthy habits, however, you're taking an active role in breast cancer prevention.

 

People with shingles show no higher cancer risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who come down with shingles seem to have no higher-than-normal risk of developing cancer later on, a study published Monday confirms.

Researchers found that for nearly 36,000 Taiwanese adults with shingles, the chances of developing cancer over the next several years were on par with national statistics.

Shingles - formally known as herpes zoster - is a painful condition caused by a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox, which is known as varicella-zoster. Once you have chickenpox, the virus goes into a dormant state and dwells in the body's nerve fibers.

Varicella-zoster most often reactivates in the elderly or people with weakened immune systems, including some cancer patients.

Thus, years ago, doctors thought people with shingles might be at increased risk of having an undiagnosed cancer, or of developing cancer in the future. But research since then has indicated that's not the case.

The new findings, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, offer more reassurance.

The study is also one of the first to focus on an Asian population. In Taiwan, people with shingles still undergo more cancer testing than those without the condition, according to Dr. Yi-Tsung Lin, of Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

"Our findings suggest that the extensive cancer survey is not necessary," Lin told Reuters Health in an email.

In the U.S., doctors have already stopped routinely looking for cancer in patients with shingles, according to Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society.

In theory, people with shingles could have an increased cancer risk: If having shingles is a sign that their immune defenses are down, then cancerous cells might be able to slip past the guards too.

And back in the 1970s, Lichtenfeld said, doctors thought people with shingles were more vulnerable to certain cancers. But then studies started to throw that idea into question.

"Now it's generally accepted that we should not be doing an extensive (cancer) workup on patients with shingles," Lichtenfeld said.

The main new piece from this latest study is the fact that it was done in Asia, according to Lichtenfeld - since past research on shingles and cancer has mostly come out of Western countries.

The findings are based on records from 35,871 adults treated for shingles between 2000 and 2008.

During that time, 895 people were also diagnosed with cancer at some point after their shingles diagnosis. That was a bit lower than the number that would be expected in the general population (905 cases).

The findings were similar when Lin's team looked at men and women separately, and at different age groups.

Lichtenfeld said that if people with a history of shingles are concerned about any new symptoms they are having, they should talk to their doctors.

But there's no reason that people newly diagnosed with shingles should be routinely evaluated for cancer - or undergo standard cancer screenings any more often than other people do.

Studies suggest that about 25 percent of people suffer from shingles at some point in their lives. It usually begins with a burning pain or itch in one location on one side of the body, followed by a rash of fluid-filled blisters.

Most shingles cases go away with medication, but occasionally people continue to feel nerve pain for months afterwards.

In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine against shingles, made from a weakened form of the chickenpox virus, for adults older than 60.