Vitamin D might save lives

Jul 5, 2011 Posted Under: Health Posts

Taking a daily vitamin D supplement might extend your life, at least if youre an older woman. Thats the suggestion of a comprehensive review published this week by the Cochrane Collaboration.

The analysis looked at 50 prior trials, including 94,148 peoplemostly women living in nursing homes, with an average age of 74from high-income countries. Researchers concluded that over a two-year period, one life was saved for every 161 people who took an average daily dose of less than 800 international units of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Other forms, including vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and the active forms of vitamin D (alfacalcidol and calcitriol), did not show the same benefit.

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Pink’s C-Section Was a ‘Natural’ Birth

Jul 5, 2011 Posted Under: Health Posts

Rocker Pink was one prepared mama when it came to the birth of her daughter, Willow Sage, born June 2. She had taken classes, watched videos, found midwives, and was prepared for an all natural birth, “in the way nature intended,” she told .

But like so many women with plans find, nature intended a whole different birth experience for Pink. After laboring for two days, she finally had to undergo a c-section, and baby Willow Sage arrived.

She explained to the magazine:

She was in the frank breech position, which is head up with her legs up by her head in a pike position.

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Colorectal cancer screenings making a difference, CDC says

Jul 5, 2011 Posted Under: Health Vocabulary

Increased screening during the last decade for colorectal cancer, the nation’s second-leading cause of cancer deaths, has put a sharp dent in the prevalence of the disease and in the number of deaths resulting from it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

As screening for the disease among those ages 50 to 75 increased from half to two-thirds of that population, the prevalence rate fell from 52.3 cases per 100,000 in 2003 to 45.4 per 100,000 in 2007. The death rate fell from 19 per 100,000 to 16.7 per 100,000 during the same period, the agency reported in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Those declines represent 66,000 fewer cancers during the period and 32,000 fewer deaths, the agency found.

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Report: Mississippi Still Most Obese State

Jul 5, 2011 Posted Under: Health Vocabulary

Mississippi remains the most obese state in the nation, a new study from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows.

Adult obesity rates increased in 16 states in the past year and did not decline in any state, and 12 states, including Mississippi, now have obesity rates of more than 30 percent.

Four years ago, only one state was above 30 percent, according to the study.

“Today, the state with the lowest adult obesity rate would have had the highest rate in 1995,” said Dr. Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America’s Health. Read full post…

Top stories in health and medicine this morning, July 8, 2011

Jul 5, 2011 Posted Under: Health Care Solutions

1. Poor Are Healthier With Medicaid. Enrolling patients in Medicaid increases their use of healthcare services, but doing so reduces financial strain on these impoverished patients and improves their sense of well-being.

2. CDC Fears Rising Treatment Resistant Gonorrhea. Gonorrhea may be losing its susceptibility to cephalosporins, the only available antibiotic class remaining to treat the sexually transmitted infection, the CDC is warning.

3. CV Events Halt Multaq Study.

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Bacterium outbreak kills 16 in Niagara area

Jul 5, 2011 Posted Under: Health Vocabulary

Niagara – The Niagara region of Ontario has been the center of an outbreak of C difficile, which has claimed the lives of 16 people. Seventy-eight confirmed cases have been be reported at three different hospital in the Niagara area. The Niagara Health System (NHS), said in a Outbreak Notice, that containment efforts have been underway since the first case was reported May 28, and so far they have been considered a success. Since the outbreak was declared, St. Catharines General has had the most reports of the infection with 40 confirmed cases. The Greater Niagara General Site reported 14 cases since June, while the Welland Site has 12 patients suffering from the menacing infection. Read full post…

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