Blood test can gauge prostate cancer risk

Thanks to Genomic research, a simple blood test can be used to determine a man's relative risk of developing prostate cancer. That's because blood work can detect five genetic variants that, according to an international study, are independently associated with the disease, but that, when combined, have a strong cumulative effect of risk.

Compared to having none of these genetic variants, researchers write in the New England Journal of Medicine, having four increases the risk of developing prostate cancer by 400 to 500 percent. Family history is added to the equation to make six risk factors. Having at least five of six factors increases the baseline risk by more than 900 percent.

"Our finding provides an opportunity to supplement the well-established risk factors (age, race, and family history) by looking at inherited variants," says seniors researcher Dr. Jianfeng Xu of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in North Carolina. And being aware of the cumulative effect of these genetic variants, say Xu, "could substantially improve physicians' ability to assess risk and determine the need for more aggressive screening."

KNOW YOUR BODY:
The prostate is walnut-sized gland located just below the bladder in men. The prostate keeps urine and semen flowing in the proper direction, and produces a component of semen called prostatic fluid.

Caffiene

Many people assume that decaffeinated coffee and tea is somehow healthier- and there have been suggested links between caffeine and heart palpitations and pancreatic cancer. But there's growing list of ways that it might actually be good for you.

Several studies have flagged coffee as combating or delaying the development of Parkinson's disease in men.

It's most likely the caffeine that's doing it, says Dr. Kieran Breen, director of research for the Parkinson's Disease Society in the UK; perhaps it stimulates nerve cells' production of dopamine to counteract the disease's symptoms, or it may actually be protecting the nerve cells.

Some studies have suggested the caffeine can help prevent gallstones, though there's no consensus yet. A Japanese study found that middle-aged and older people drinking cofee daily had half rate of common liver cancer.

Also, as a pick-me-up, caffeine doesn't just affect mood - there's evidence it can enhance the performance of athletes.

BUT WATCH OUT!
It has been suggested that caffeine is harmful to those with diabetes or hypertension, though doctors simply advice sufferers to drink it in moderation and the Blood Pressure Association in the UK says cutting out caffeine does not have a major impact on blood pressure.

So you are 70s?

Who said when you are 70s you can have sex? But most of people have choose to not having sex when they are getting older. A five-year study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, of 989 men aged 55-75 in Pirkanmaa, Finland, showed that having sexual intercourse less than once per week doubled the risk of erectile dysfunction, compared to having sex once per week.

Although there are plenty of studies about sexual problem associated with old age, there is relatively little research about normal sexual behaviour later in life. More couples over 70 are having sex and finding it satisfying than in previous generations, a British Medical Journal survey suggests.

Swedish researchers asked 1500 older people across a 30-year period about their sex lives. The number of people saying they had sex increased - as did the number of women reporting having orgasms.

The scientist from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden interviewed 70-year-olds in 1971-2, 1976-7, 1992-3 and 2000-2001. They found that the number of 70-year-olds reporting sexual intercourse rose in men and women married and unmarried say:


More than two-third- 68%- of married men in the most recent survey said they had sex, an increase from 52%, while the percentage of married women having sex rose from 38% to 56%. The number of men reporting physical problems, such as erectile dysfunction or ejaculation dysfunction increased. The number of women who said they were highly satisfied with their sex lives rose too.

When sexual intercourse stopped, both men and women tended to blame men, in line with the finding from earlier surveys. Professor Peggy Kleinplatz, from the University of Ottawa, said that doctors should now trained to ask all patients-regardless of their age- about any sexual concerns.She said: "Sex is an important and positive part of the lives of their 70-year-olds participants, and more so for the current cohort of men and women than for their predecessors in 1971."

So, for those who are 70s and think that sex is not suit for you, think about it again. If you have doubt about it, i suggest you to see your doctor. :-). Have a meaningful life.

She said: "Sex is an important and positive part of the lives of their 70-year-old participants, and more so for the current cohort of men and women than for their predecessors in 1971."

A killer migraine

Basilar-Type Migraine (BTM) is an uncommon type of complicated migraine with symptoms that result from dysfunction of the lower part of the brain. In serious cases, it can lead to stroke, coma, or even death.

Who's at risk?
Early research suggested that BTM was most common in adolescent females. More recent statistical analysis has shown that BTM affects all age groups and both male and female. However, BTM, like other forms of migraine, is more common in females. The are approximately three times as many female sufferers as male.

Symptoms
The symptoms of BTM is usually occur suddenly and can be associated with inability to speak properly, ringing in he ears, and vomiting. This called the aura phase, where sufferers experience perceptual disturbances. This phase usually last for an hour and can be frightening due to the dizziness and loss of control.

Other symptoms:
-Double vision
-Loss of balance
-Vomiting
-Diarrhea
-Loss of consciousness
-Intense headache pain
-Slurred speech
-Temporary loss of vision.

What cause and triggers BTM?
Previously, it was thought that BTM started in the basilar artery (one of the arteries supplying the brain with blood). Now, researchers are looking more at neural cases (the chemicals sending messages throughout the brain) but like other migraines, the specifics of what is taking place are still somewhat of a mystery.

Cheese and wine are common food triggers, as well as food additives such as nitrites (mainly found in processed meats). It can be helpful to keep a food dairy and note the foods you eat to identity triggers.

Treatment option
Unfortunately, rare disease do not always receive much interest and research and BTM is a rare disease. Treatment is similar treatment to other migranes.

Medications include beta-blockers , anti-epileptics, calciums channels blockers, anti-depressants, pr over-the counter drugs such as acetaminophen (paracetamol)

Advice for sufferers
1-Lie down in a dark, quiet room during the aura phase. You can also try placing a cold damp cloth over your forehead to soothe the throbbing head pain.
2-Avoid or limit your alcohol intake as BTM can be worsened by consumption of alcohol.
3-Cigarette use or oral contraception alongside BTM can put you at an increased risk for stroke so it's good idea to stop both if you are a sufferer.

How can you be treated?
1-Biofeedback is one of the alternative treatments suggested for BTM. It measures internal processes in the body to allow you to actively heal yourself. Evidence is still largely sketchy but it may be worth trying if you're looking for help.
2-Always seek medical advice. Doctors are concerned about BTM because symptoms are the same as serious conditions. There is also concern that those with BTM may be at increased risk of stroke. Frequent and intense basilar migraines may require consultation with a neurologist.
However, BTM is rare, and even if you get the symptoms, don't panic. But make sure you see a doctor immediately to make sure you're keeping you risk as low as possible.

Fast fact

Women under stress eat twice as much fatty food as those who aren't. Stressed men's snacking stays constant.

Think quick: Smile more

"Racing thoughts" are commonly considered a symptom of bipolar disorder or maniac depression but study at Priceton University in New Jersey has found that when healthy people are made to think more quickly, they feel happier.

Researchers asked a group of people to read a statement twice as fast as they normally would from a computer screen. (They manipulated the speed of the words scrolled into view.) They then asked another group to read the same information but twice as slowly as they normally would. The participant then completed a questionnaire, assessing their mood, energy level and self-esteem.

It was discovered that when reading at a faster pace, people were made to think more quickly and felt happier as a result. In fact, they also felt more energetic, creative and powerful.

When to get serious about snoring

Even if it sounds like a car with engine trouble, most snoring noise don't indicate health problems, say Professor Robin Blair from Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery at Dundee University in the UK. "Lying on your side to open airways more, exercising to tighten muscles and avoiding alcohol may help reduce the amount of snoring you do. "However, if you're snoring and gasping for breath, your airways could be blocked for longer than normal (it is common to stop breathing for a second or two) and you could be suffering from obstructive sleep apponea. If so, ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist who will monitor your sleep to see if you breathing is being restricted.

Can pregnant mum fly?

Mums-to-be know to stay grounded. After all cosmic radiation from the sun can harm fetus right? Not necessarily. A new report reveals that the amounts of radiation is so small, the risk is negligible for most women.

Guidelines state that exposure to 1 milisievert (mSv) of radiation a year is save (in addition to the 3 mSv we get yearly from background sources). On a 12-hour return flight from Singapore to Tokyo, passengers get just 0.06 mSv.

Women may want to postpone flight in the rare case of a solar flare- a student burst that occurs every few years and may last several days. At their peak, they can expose a traveler to more than 30 times the amount of radiation she'd get in a single flight. If you're worried about a solar flare, you airline may know if one is occurring.

Frequent flier, of course may be at higher risk. For casual travelers, while there may be other health reasons your doctor doesn't want you to fly (hypertension, for example), don't let cosmic radiation make you miss a trip.

Burn fat by eating chocolate

Chocolate-loving (and eating) men are in better health than those who don't like it, say researchers at Imperial College London and Nestle. Over five days, a group of healthy young men (half liked chocolate, half didn't) ate the same food, plus a choice bread or chocolate. Blood and urine showed the chocolate lovers processed fatty foods better and had lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol. So, indulging on occasion may have long-term health benefits- but researchers say, only when paired with otherwise healthy diet and lifestyle.

Smaller babies don't mean more heart risk

The danger of low birth weight and later heart risk may have been over-estimated, according to a review by The George Institute for International Health in Sydney.

The study review found only a small association between birth weight and the future risk of heart disease. "We found a 1kg difference- going from 2.5kg to 3.5kg in birth weight- was associated with just a 10-15 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease in later life, "say Dr Rachel Huxley, the study's lead author. "Some report have suggested a kilogram difference carries a 24-4- percent greater risk."

Huxley says effort to increase early fetal growth can change birth weight only by as much as 100g, which translate to just a 1-2 per cent lower risk of heart disease. Risk factors operating in later adult life, such as smoking and obesity, are more important, she say.

The slice is right

Hungry for a healthier pizza? It's all in the fermentation and baking of the dough, say researchers. University of Maryland food chemists have found that by baking wholegrain pizza dough for longer times and at higher temperatures, its antioxidant level get boosted.

Diets rich in antioxidant may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and various other health problems.

In the experiment, the researchers baked wholegrain dough at temperature ranging from 204 degree celcius to 290 degree celcius and for times of seven to 14 minutes. They found the antioxidant levels increased by much as 60 percent during longer baking times and by as much as 82 percent during higher baking temperatures.

Longer fermentation times for dough also boosted the antioxidant levels by up to 100 percent in some cases, possibly due to reactions induced by yeasts. The results don't mean it's OK to go crazy on the top-pings. Fatty extras like sausage cancel the benefits of the dough.

Spreading the fat

When one person is overweight, close friends can pack on the kilos. Arecent New England Journal of Medicine study declared that people can actually "catch" obesity from close friends.

When researches followed 12,067 people over 32 years, they concluded that those of us with very close friend who are obese have 171 percent higher chance of become obese too. The theory goes: you're influenced by your friends, and if they overeat, you may unwittingly follow their lead. Suprisingly, spouse have less sway over belly tahn close friend of same sex. The good news is that it may also work in reverse. Hang out with thin people and you might lose weight.

Babies cue to language change

At four months, babies can tell wheter a speaker has switched to a different language by using visual cues alone (speaker's mouth shape and rhythm, and face movements -according to a University of British Columbia study)

But the study found that eight-month-old babies were abe to rely on these visual cue alone if they were from bilingual homes.

These findings suggest that babies growing up in bilingual enviroments maintain the inborn ability to use visual cues to distinguish between multiple language (learn). Older infant exposed to only one language no longer need this ability, so their sensitivity to visual information declines.

Red meat effect

A 12-year study of 90659 women aged 26 to 46 has found that high red meat consumption may be assiociated with an increased risk for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in premenopausal women. Subjects who ate more than 1.5 sevings of red meat a day had nearly double the risk of those who ate less than three servings a week.

"This study suggests that dietary factors may be related to a woman's chance of developing this type of breast cancer and more research should be done." says Eunyong Cho, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School