Health Extra

Wellness news from the world over

Brush and floss for heart health

What can your gums say about your heart? Plenty, according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology that found the gum disease periodontitis is far more common among people with cardiovascular disease. Researchers found 91 percent of heart patients suffered moderate to severe periodontitis, compared to 66 percent of people without heart problems. Experts offer two theories for this. One is that pathogens from the gum disease enter the bloodstream, damage blood vessels and cause hardening of the arteries. The second is that the gum infection may be associated with higher levels of inflammation markers in the blood such as fibrinogen (which creates blood clots), C-reactive protein and some hormones. Consider this yet another reason to get regular dental care.

Ask about new meds

When your doctor prescribes a new medicine, you need vital information about it. Don’t be afraid to question your doctor about any drug you take. The National Council on Patient Information and Education suggests you ask:

o What is the drug’s name and what should the drug do for me?

o Is a lower-cost generic available?

o How, when and for how long do I take this medicine?

o What foods, drinks, supplements or activities should I avoid while taking this medicine?

o What are the possible side effects and what should I do if they occur?

o When should the medicine begin to work and how will I know it’s working?

o Will this new medicine work safely with the other prescription or nonprescription drugs I take?

Today’s forecast: Achy knees

Scientists have finally confirmed what arthritis sufferers have been saying for years—the weather really does affect joint pain. Investigators merged patient pain reports from a large-scale study of an over-the-counter arthritis treatment with national weather data. When they matched weather patterns with patient ZIP codes, they found a strong tie between changes in barometric pressure and increased knee pain. Cooler temperatures seemed to worsen pain, but dew point and precipitation didn’t. The findings were presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

Sniffing out cancer-fighting onions

When it comes to onions’ ability to fight cancer, the stronger the onion the better, say scientists in a report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In a study comparing the cancer-fighting ability of commonly consumed onion varieties, researchers found the more pungent ones like New York Bold, Western Yellow and shallots were the best for inhibiting the growth of liver and colon cancer cells. Not surprisingly, these types of onions have the highest antioxidant activity, too. While nobody knows yet how many servings of onions it takes to prevent cancer, if you like onions, why not choose the bolder bulbs?

Hold the super-sizing, shed the pounds

Atkins, South Beach, low-fat—looking for a diet you can live with? Try the "smaller plate" diet, suggest the authors of a study that found controlling portion sizes was the most successful behavior change when it came to weight loss. Researchers evaluated more than 300 overweight and obese people and grouped them according to five different behaviors: controlling portions, decreasing dietary fat, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, increasing planned exercise and increasing everyday physical activity. While all the changes resulted in weight loss after two years, those who consistently controlled their portions throughout the study lost the most—nearly 38 percent of their initial weight!

Start good heart health early in life

Because many factors that contribute to heart disease are rooted in childhood, the American Heart Association has created guidelines for raising heart-healthy kids. The guidelines call on pediatricians to assess diet, physical activity and tobacco use at every visit in addition to checking height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol. They also say to:

• restrict high-fat foods after age 2

• limit salt and sugar intake

• allow no more than two hours of TV a day

• advise weight-loss programs for all overweight family members

• take steps to help kids who are obese, smoke or have high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol

Can cranberry juice keep UTIs away?

It can, and the more juice the better. The tannins in cranberries cause the E. coli bacteria (the most common culprit in urinary tract infections) to lose their stickiness. When the bacteria can’t adhere to bladder walls, they wash away in the urine. Yale University researchers set out to determine how much cranberry juice was enough and found a two-ounce serving of juice had no effect. Four ounces, however, did the trick, resulting in a 33 percent reduction in bladder bacteria several hours later. Even better, eight ounces led to 71 percent less bacteria.

Healthy kids make for healthy adults

A baby vaccine given to U.S. children since 2000 seems to have the added bonus of cutting deadly bacterial infections among older adults. The vaccine, Prevnar, protects against seven strains of Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria, the most common cause of pneumonia, ear infections, meningitis and blood infections. Prevnar is credited with reducing invasive disease in children by 85 percent, and as a result, transmission of these infections to adults is reduced by as much as 35 percent, according to a recent study. A similar immunization is also available for grownups. Talk to your doctor about whether the pneumococcal vaccine is right for you.