Is eating organic food, which costs more, really better for me?

Study questions how much better organic food is — Patient after patient asked: Is eating organic food, which costs more, really better for me?

Unsure, Stanford University doctors dug through reams of research to find out — and concluded there's little evidence that going organic is much healthier, citing only a few differences involving pesticides and antibiotics.

Eating organic fruits and vegetables can lower exposure to pesticides, including for children — but the amount measured from conventionally grown produce was within safety limits, the researchers reported Monday.

FILE - This March 16, 2011, file photo shows organic radishes at the Pacifica Farmers Market in Pacifica, Calif. Patient after patient asked: Is eating organic food, which costs more, really better for me? Unsure, Stanford University doctors dug through reams of research to find out _ and concluded there's little evidence that going organic is much healthier, citing only a few differences involving pesticides and antibiotics. Eating organic fruits and vegetables can lower exposure to pesticides, including for children _ but the amount measured from conventionally grown produce was within safety limits, the researchers reported Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo, File)

Nor did the organic foods prove more nutritious.

"I was absolutely surprised," said Dr. Dena Bravata, a senior research affiliate at Stanford and long-time internist who began the analysis because so many of her patients asked if they should switch.

"There are many reasons why someone might choose organic foods over conventional foods," from environmental concerns to taste preferences, Bravata stressed. But when it comes to individual health, "there isn't much difference."

Her team did find a notable difference with antibiotic-resistant germs, a public health concern because they are harder to treat if they cause food poisoning.

Specialists long have said that organic or not, the chances of bacterial contamination of food are the same, and Monday's analysis agreed. But when bacteria did lurk in chicken or pork, germs in the non-organic meats had a 33 percent higher risk of being resistant to multiple antibiotics, the researchers reported Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

That finding comes amid debate over feeding animals antibiotics, not because they're sick but to fatten them up. Farmers say it's necessary to meet demand for cheap meat. Public health advocates say it's one contributor to the nation's growing problem with increasingly hard-to-treat germs. Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, counted 24 outbreaks linked to multidrug-resistant germs in food between 2000 and 2010.

The government has begun steps to curb the nonmedical use of antibiotics on the farm.

Organic foods account for 4.2 percent of retail food sales, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It certifies products as organic if they meet certain requirements including being produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, or routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

Consumers can pay a lot more for some organic products but demand is rising: Organic foods accounted for $31.4 billion sales last year, according to a recent Obama administration report. That's up from $3.6 billion in 1997.

The Stanford team combed through thousands of studies to analyze the 237 that most rigorously compared organic and conventional foods. Bravata was dismayed that just 17 compared how people fared eating either diet while the rest investigated properties of the foods themselves.

Organic produce had a 30 percent lower risk of containing detectable pesticide levels. In two studies of children, urine testing showed lower pesticide levels in those on organic diets. But Bravata cautioned that both groups harbored very small amounts — and said one study suggested insecticide use in their homes may be more to blame than their food.

Still, some studies have suggested that even small pesticide exposures might be risky for some children, and the Organic Trade Association said the Stanford work confirms that organics can help consumers lower their exposure.

CSPI's DeWaal noted that difference, but added that the issue is more complicated. Some fruits and vegetables can harbor more pesticide residue than others — she listed peaches from Chile as topping a recent testing list. Overall levels have dropped in North American produce over the last decade as farms implemented some new standards addressing child concerns, she said.

"Parents with young children should consider where their produce is coming from," DeWaal said, calling types grown in the U.S. or Canada "a safer bet" for lower pesticide levels.

As for antibiotics, some farms that aren't certified organic have begun selling antibiotic-free meat or hormone-free milk, to address specific consumer demands, noted Bravata. Her own preference is to buy from local farmers in hopes of getting the ripest produce with the least handling.

That kind of mixed approach was evident in a market in the nation's capital Thursday, where Liz Pardue of Washington said she buys organic "partially for environmental reasons." Pardue said she doesn't go out of her way to shop organic, but if she does, it's to buy mostly things that are hard to wash like berries and lettuce.

Michelle Dent of Oxon Hill, Md., said she buys most of her groceries from regular chain stores but gets her fruit from organic markets: "It's fresh; you can really taste it."

Anna Hamadyk of Washington said she buys only organic milk because she has a young son.

"I would love to buy everything organic, but it's just too much money," said Hamadyk, who also shops at local farmers markets. ( Associated Press )

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Ballet Is the New Yoga

Ballet Is the New Yoga - I don't hate yoga. I liked it quite a lot when I learned it as an undergraduate at DePaul in Chicago. For my friends in the university's theater program, yoga was just another freshman rec they had to endure, and teaching me was a Friday night lark.

And once I started working at a restaurant, yoga was a means of fixing the very real damage I did to myself each shift. I took classes from a mesmerizingly beautiful former actor who had turned the living room of her Palmer Square apartment into a studio. I spent most of my time cursing my hip flexors, which perpetually needed to be "opened" in order to fix the ice-pick of pain in my lower back pain.

Which is to say that when I landed in the East Coast world of Lululemon and the $15 yoga class I was aghast. What fresh hell was this? Exercise, I thought, was a means to an end; in my case, into a body that didn't feel like it was falling apart. I was used to a workmanlike, no-nonsense approach, and these women appeared to have spent more on their outfits than I could afford in groceries. My fate as a D.C. yogi was pretty much sealed when an instructor called out, "Eagle pose. Hold, good, now CRUNCH! Eagle crunches!" I dissolved into laughter.

I'd walk home late from my first job in D.C., past a ballet studio, and look up to see rows of women in identical black-pink uniforms running through the same barre exercises I remembered from 10 years of dancing as a kid. Mindless piano accompaniment. A teacher who calls out the beats and comes around to firmly push your limbs into position. This, I realized, was exercise I could get behind.

This year I took my first ballet class since I quit at 15. The studio smelled like wood and damp tights. And the teacher kept telling the new girls in the class that we had to focus on turning our inner thighs out as far as they would go. There was no talk about the mindset we had to get into, or what the various positions meant. The goal was learning the fundamentals, getting sharper and cleaner and faster, so we could leave the barre and perform something beautiful, in our case, a simple sequence of grand jetes across the room. ( good.is )

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Radiation Levels in West Coast Milk 5,000 Times Lower Than Danger Threshold

Radiation Levels in West Coast Milk 5,000 Times Lower Than Danger Threshold - Experts Say Milk Still Safe to Drink - Milk from America's West Coast containing trace amounts of radioactive iodine is safe to drink, health officials say.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration reported higher-than-normal levels of radioactive Iodine-131 in milk samples from California and Washington Wednesday. But the levels are 5,000 times below the danger threshold.

"These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days and are far below levels of public health concern, including for infants and children," the EPA said on its website.

A March 25 radiation reading from milk in Spokane, Wash. -- 0.8 picocuries per liter -- is more than 4,000 times less than that of a normal banana, which naturally contains radioactive potassium.

"Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a minuscule amount compared to what people experience every day," FDA senior scientist Patricia Hansen said in a statement.

A person would have to drink almost 1,500 gallons of milk -- two firetrucks full -- in eight days to reach the conservative safe limit.

The agencies will continue to measure radiation levels in milk and other food products in the U.S. during Japan's ongoing nuclear crisis.

"Radioactivity levels in milk products are monitored, so it is unlikely that any significantly contaminated milk would make it to the marketplace," said Dr. Timothy Jorgensen, associate professor in the department of radiation medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center. "The U.S. population need not be concerned about this level of Iodine-131."

On March 28 the EPA reported very low levels of radiation in the air over Alaska, Alabama, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Saipan, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and Washington state.

"The major food concern is with milk, because the I-131 gets concentrated in cow milk, when cows eat I-131 contaminated grass," Jorgensen said. "So although other foods might contain I-131, the major route of human exposure would be through milk products."

On March 22, the FDA banned milk and produce imported from Japan's Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures.

Jorgensen said the levels of radioactive iodine in milk on the West Coast do not warrant the use of potassium iodine tablets.

"It is possible to overdose on potassium iodine tablets, particularly if small children are given adult doses," Jorgensen said. "It is best to follow the advice of public health officials with regard to both food consumption and potassium iodine use."
Radiation Fears in U.S. Still High

Despite reassurance from various governmental agencies, public fears about radiation in the U.S. persist.

"It's very hard to head about radiation and iodine in milk and not be concerned. It sounds scary," said ABC News chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser in an interview on ABC News' "Good Morning America."

But Besser said the ongoing monitoring efforts mean problems would be reported very quickly to the public. And as the situation at Japan's crippled nuclear plant improves, the levels will drop dramatically.

"Once they're able to control this reactor, radioactive iodine does not stay around for very long," Besser said. "The half life is eight days, and so after 80 days it's gone from the environment."

In the meantime, the levels are far too low to cut out milk, he said.

"I drank milk this morning. I'm going to continue to give milk to my children." ( abcnews.go.com )

READ MORE - Radiation Levels in West Coast Milk 5,000 Times Lower Than Danger Threshold

Tea and coffee reduce heart disease risk

Tea and coffee reduce heart disease risk, study suggests - Regularly drinking tea and coffee can significantly reduce the risk of developing heart disease, one of the biggest studies of its kind suggests.

Researchers found that moderate consumption of both drinks can reduce your chance of death from a heart attack by at least a fifth.

At the same time, it showed that risks for other diseases such as stroke were not increased.

"Our results found the benefits of drinking coffee and tea occur without increasing risk of stroke or death from all causes," said Dr Yvonne van der Schouw, professor of chronic disease at the University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands.

According to research moderate consumption of tea or coffee can reduce your chance of death from a heart attack by at least a fifth

For the research her team studied tea and coffee consumption among 37,514 people, and followed the participants for 13 years to monitor heart disease and death.

They found that tea had the biggest impact on heart disease but that all but heavy consumption of coffee was also beneficial.

Those who drink between three and six cups are 45 per cent less likely to suffer coronary problems compared to people who had less than one cup daily, a study found.

And drinking more than six cups was associated with a 36 per cent lower risk of heart disease.

It was good news for coffee drinkers too, with the study saying that a modest intake – two to four cups a day – may lead to a 20 per cent lower risk of heart problems.

The researchers believe that the health benefits are down to antioxidants found in both drinks which remove damaging free radicals from the body.

The team, whose research is published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association, also noted that tea and coffee drinkers have different health behaviours – with more coffee drinkers prone to smoke and have a less healthy diet.

This is the latest research into the relative health benefits of two of the world's favourite beverages.

It has been claimed that they can reduce risks of some cancers, diabetes, stress and even acne.

But they have also been linked to increased rates of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and high blood pressure.

Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study adds further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not harmful for most people, and may even lower your risk of developing or dying from heart disease.

“However, it’s worth remembering that leading a healthy lifestyle is the thing that really matters when it comes to keeping your heart in top condition.

“Having a cigarette with your coffee could completely cancel any benefits, while drinking lots of tea in front of the TV for hours on end without exercising is unlikely to offer your heart much protection at all.” ( telegraph.co.uk )

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Protect your joints

Protect your joints - The other day, I had a reunion with old friends. Some of us did not see each other for as long as ten years. It was so nice to see beautiful Randa, again! We kissed, hugged, and looked at each other after years of separation. Randa still looked good and retained much of her beauty.

After the excitement subsided, we sat and ordered tea and drinks. As we chatted trying to catch up with all that we had missed during the past years, I noticed Randa frowning and holding her hands tight in pain. What happened to her beautiful hands and long smooth fingers? She noticed me looking at them and tried to hide them, but I insisted to see them. What I saw was gnarled joints and distorted fingers. She shrugged her shoulders and explained that she recently developed arthritis. She tried to express how painful her stiff joints feel in the morning. She continued saying that she consulted many doctors, but to no available. To relieve pain and inflammation, she has been taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). She stopped and stared at me helplessly. She caught me by surprise. I had to think fast.

As usual the first thing that came to my mind is a healthy diet, but not any diet. What is required for her condition is an anti-inflammatory diet to reduce the inflammation in her joints. This means consuming good amounts of red and purple berries, sour cherries, red grapes, pineapple, pomegranate, or their juices without sugar. Sulfur-containing foods like cruciferous family, asparagus, eggs, garlic, and onions help repair and rebuild bone, cartilage, and connective tissue and direct the absorption of calcium to the bones rather than to joints and connective tissue. Fresh organic dark leafy greens offer magnesium and vitamin K for bone health. Whole grains and legumes are important, too. Deep sea fish, nuts, flax seeds, and their oils supply essential fatty acids that fight and suppress inflammation.

The nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplants, and sweet peppers should be excluded during the healing period. They contain a chemical called solanine, which disrupts the work of enzymes, thus increasing inflammation.

Certain herbs can help with the cure. Boswellia gum, (luban shihri, or thakr), or its supplement, is very effective in detoxifying the body as well as lowering inflammation and healing blood vessels and connective tissue. Soak the gum in a little water until the liquid becomes milky. It should be taken on an empty stomach two to three times daily for ten or 15 days. Boswellia or Arnica cream eases the pain. Hot peppers (cayenne) have a compound (capsaicin) that is a pain suppressant. It is absorbed by the skin when mixed with massage oils or made in a poultice if you can sustain the burning sensation that accompanies it.

Turmeric, curcumin, produces anti-inflammatory and pain-soothing effects. It can be taken as an herb, spice in food, or supplement. An Indian remedy recommends mixing a teaspoon of turmeric powder with milk or yogurt for fractured bones, sprains, bruises, and inflammation.

Willow bark decreases inflammation and pain. It is the plant base of aspirin; aspirin is a drug. Other helpful herbs are infusions of parsley, nettle, cat’s claw, and burdock root, which assist in easing the condition. Several cups a day of cherry stem infusion also relieve joint pain.

Before antibiotics, the Mediterraneans used olive leaf extract for inflammations and infections (arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis). The active ingredient in the herb is oleuropein; it destroys bacteria and counteracts inflammation, leaving no side effects. It is available in supplement form and also treats other medical conditions.

Due to their richness in minerals, alfalfa, wheat and barley grasses, dandelion, Aloe, and kelp are powerful detoxifiers and healers for inflammation, infection, and thyroid dysfunction. They can be taken green, dried, as juice, or in supplement form.

Bones and joints need daily exposure to direct sunlight for 15 minutes after 10 am in order for the skin to synthesize vitamin D, a much needed nutrient for building bone mass, protecting joints, and bolstering immunity. Without D, calcium gets deposited in soft tissues such as the joints instead of the bones.

Exercise is another practice that helps make bones; prevent cartilage damage; strengthen and stretch muscles, tendons, and ligaments; boost stamina and make the brain secrete endorphins to enhance well being and mood and alleviate pain. Swimming, walking, cycling, and light muscle-building exercises are recommended to improve the condition. Any moderate activity and movement help inflamed joints and reduce pain. Exercise also keeps weight under control in order to relieve the spine, knees, or hips of the extra load.

Keep fat and salt intake low and avoid red meat, dairy products, citrus fruits, sugar, additives, preservative, sugar substitutes (aspartame), and smoking. Such foods and substances cause inflammation in the body as well as increase toxins and acidic conditions (yeast infections) that aggravate the disease.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are essential to protect the bones, joints, connective tissue, and cartilage and prevent deficiencies. According to Phyllis Bach’s book “Prescription for Health,” vitamins B, D, A, E, K, and C with bioflavonoids and minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, boron, and silica are needed for bone and joint health. Iron supplements may increase pain, swelling, and joint damage, but it can be taken through dietary supplements. Enzymes like bromelain, multi-enzyme complex, and grape seed extract lower inflammation. Essential fatty acids (omega fatty 3-6-9, EFA, DHA) and hyaluronic acid along with glucosamine and chondroitin supplements help build cartilage and synovial fluid in the joints to lubricate and reduce friction. Shark cartilage helps repair joints and bones, too.

Individuals who use NSAIDs should decrease salt intake to prevent water retention. The drug should also be taken with meals to minimize gastrointestinal irritation and bleeding.

Joint and other inflammations can be triggered by harsh chemicals through the use of detergents and toxic materials as well as heavy metals (lead). Hair analysis can reveal a toxic overload in the body.

An imbalance in thyroid functions can induce joint swelling, inflammation, and cartilage destruction. Check your thyroids and correct the condition before damage occurs permanently.

My friend, Randa, started the cleansing diet I recommended above. She believes that Boswellia helped quell the inflammation and pain. It takes time for a holistic therapy to work effectively, but it will come before long, inshallah. Health damage occurs easily and fast, whereas regaining health requires will, perseverance and patience. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) suggested the following supplication: “God, bestow upon us forgiveness (pardon) and health.” Without health, life can become a misery and lose its luster. Hold on to health; it is very precious! ( arabnews.com )

READ MORE - Protect your joints

Arthritis drug less effective for obese patients

Arthritis drug less effective for obese patients – Obese adults with rheumatoid arthritis may be less likely than thinner people to respond to some of the newer medications for the disease, a small study suggests.

The study, of 89 arthritis patients started on the drug infliximab (Remicade), found obese patients improved less than leaner ones.

Of the 15 obese patients, half were considered "responders" to 16 weeks of infliximab treatment -- meaning they showed a significant reduction in their scores on a standard measure of joint pain, swelling and levels of inflammation-related proteins in the blood.

In contrast, three-quarters of the 66 normal-weight and overweight patients were deemed responders, as were seven of the eight underweight patients.

Even when the researchers considered patients' symptom scores before starting treatment, body weight was still related to the likelihood of improvement.

The findings, published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, raise the possibility that obese patients are less likely to see results with infliximab or other drugs in the same class, known as TNF blockers.

TNF blockers -- which also include the drugs etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira) and golimumab (Simponi) -- work by inhibiting tumor-necrosis factor, an immune system protein that contributes to inflammation.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system launches a misguided attack on the tissue lining the joints. TNF blockers are part of a group of relatively newer drugs known as biologic response modifiers, which are all designed to act on the immune system to help slow arthritis progression.

It is not clear why obese individuals might have less of a response to TNF blockers. But it's possible that inflammation-promoting proteins produced by fat tissue -- called adipocytokines -- could play a role, Dr. Paul P. Tak, one of the researchers on the new study, told Reuters Health in an email.

The explanation would not appear to rest in the drug itself, according to Tak, of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Doses of infliximab, which is given intravenously, are adjusted according to patients' body weight -- which is why Tak's team focused on the drug for this study. So the lesser response among obese patients is unlikely to signal a need for a higher dose, the researchers say.

According to Tak's team, the study appears to be the first to look at how body weight might affect the response to TNF blockers, in patients with any autoimmune disease. (The drugs can also be used to treat certain other autoimmune diseases, such as the digestive disorders Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine.)

So larger studies are still needed to confirm and extend the current findings. For now, they are interesting from a scientific point of view, Tak said, because they suggest that fat tissue could play a role in promoting the inflammation seen in RA.

For patients and doctors, he added, they serve as an alert that TNF blockers might be relatively less effective for obese people. In general, patients on anti-TNFs are expected to show a noticeable improvement within three to four months, after which alternative medications should be considered if there is no response.

Tak has served as a consultant to several drug companies, including Humira maker Abbott Laboratories and Wyeth, which makes Enbrel. ( reuters.com )

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FDA Warns Five Companies Over E-Cigarette Claims

FDA Warns Five Companies Over E-Cigarette Claims - Devices Which Vaporize Tobacco Have Avoided Outright Bans So Far, but FDA Says Marketing Claims Violate Law

Citing unproven health claims and poor manufacturing practices, the FDA today warned five firms marketing e-cigarettes that their products violate drug safety laws.

E-cigarettes - electronic cigarettes - are tobacco-free devices usually shaped like cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Users get a hit of vapor containing nicotine or other substances.

Miao Nan, executive director of Ruyan Group Ltd., puffs an electronic smoke while he shows other designs at his office in Beijing, Feb. 17, 2009. Ruyan was the first company to develop electronic cigarettes. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

They're sold in shopping malls and over the Internet. The FDA says they are unapproved drug delivery devices that cannot legally be sold until proven safe and effective. But last year, the e-cigarette industry filed lawsuits that blocked an FDA ban.

Now the FDA has sent stern warning letters to five companies that market e-cigarettes. The warnings give the firms 15 working days to correct "practices which violate various provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act."

"The companies must demonstrate to the agency that their products are safe and effective for their intended use. Also they must take steps to ensure the quality and purity of the products," said at a news teleconference.

According to the FDA, all five of the firms claim that their products can help people quit smoking cigarettes. Some of the firms also are cited for unsafe manufacturing practices, for "adulterated" products, and for containing ingredients or quantities of ingredients different than those listed on the product label.

One firm, Cixi E-Cig Technology, was cited for products containing drugs in unapproved forms: rimonabant, a weight loss drug not approved in the U.S. or Europe, and a form of tadalafil, an erectile dysfunction drug.

Perhaps more alarmingly, FDA tests found that the firm's Vitamin C E-Liquid product contains dangerous amounts of DEG, a contaminant that the FDA says can cause "serious and irreversible" poisoning.


The companies that received FDA warning letters are:

1. Cixi E-Cig Technology Inc. Ltd., Las Vegas, Nev.
2. E-CigaretteDirect LLC, Parker, Colo.
3. Gamucci America/Smokey Bayou Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.
4. Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC, Johnson Creek, Wis.
5. Ruyan America Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

These are not the only companies marketing e-cigarettes in the U.S. Levy hinted that FDA concerns are not limited to the companies that today received warning letters, but said the FDA is not planning further actions.

"We have not made a decision to remove all e-cigarettes from the market," Levy said. "The action today only concerns the products outlined in the warning letters. We did indicate in the letter to the Electronic Cigarette Association that we are interested in having manufacturers who make these products seek FDA approval of them."

In the warning letter sent to the Electronic Cigarette Association, the FDA noted that e-cigarettes meet the legal definition of both a drug and a device. As such, e-cigarettes would require FDA approval.

To get such approval, companies would have to conduct large-scale clinical trials, submit data showing that use of the products is safe, show that the products are produced according to drug-industry standards, and meet other stringent requirements. ( cbsnews.com )

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Sneezing could mean you are secretly thinking about sex

Sneezing could mean you are secretly thinking about sex. Sneezing may give a lot more away than the fact that someone has a cold, say scientists, it could mean he or she is thinking lurid thoughts about sex.

Sneezing could mean you are secretly thinking about sex

Researchers have found evidence that in certain people sneezing can be triggered by sexual fantasy.

The news could lead to raised eyebrows on the bus or train next time a passenger snorts into a tissue.

Both men and women are susceptible to the problem, which may be inherited. It is thought to be closely linked to the way sunlight can make some people sneeze.

Dr Mahmood Bhutta, an ear, nose and throat specialist at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, launched the study after seeing a patient who suffered "uncontrollable" sneezing fits every time he had a sexual thought.

"We thought this unusual and performed a literature search of the topic," he wrote in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Together with colleague Dr Harold Maxwell, a retired consultant psychiatrist, Dr Bhutta scoured internet chat-rooms looking for examples of conversations about sneezing and sex.

Typing the words "sex, sneeze OR sneezing" into the internet search engine Google produced a surprising number of hits. Seventeen people of both sexes reported sneezing immediately they thought about sex, and three had the same experience after orgasm.

"Although internet reports do not give us an accurate incidence of these phenomena, our findings do suggest that it is much more common than recognised," wrote Dr Bhutta and Dr Maxwell.

Sneezing usually occurs in response to nasal irritation, triggering a reflex that expels air at speeds of around 150 kilometres an hour.

Eyebrow plucking can also provoke sneezing by stimulating the trigeminal nerve, which produces sensations in the face.

But other more puzzling sneezing triggers are also known, said the researchers.

One was the "photic sneeze reflex" - an apparently inherited sneezing reaction to looking at bright sunlight, which affects almost a quarter of the population.

More rarely, there were cases of people from the same family sneezing after meals.

Dr Bhutta said he believed sneezing when thinking about sex probably ran in families too, but was less likely to be discussed by children and parents.

He added: "It certainly seems odd, but I think this reflex demonstrates evolutionary relics in the wiring of a part of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system.

"This is the part beyond our control, and which controls things like our heart rate and the amount of light let in by our pupils. Sometimes the signals in this system get crossed, and I think this may be why some people sneeze when they think about sex." ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Sneezing could mean you are secretly thinking about sex

Instant calmers

Instant calmers. Ten healthy ways to relax, be calm and soothe those frazzled nerves...

Kava Kava:

A pungent herb used for centuries by islanders in the South Pacific to soothe frayed nerves. It has been proved as effective as mainstream tranquillisers such as Valium in relaxing both muscles and emotions. A member of the pepper family, kava kava has no sedative side-effects and is said to sharpen concentration and memory. It is available as a tincture, tea or in tablet form.

Milk:

During the day or before bed, calm down with a glass of milk. Milk releases the amino acid trypto-phan, necessary for the formation of serotonin. And raising the level of serotonin in the brain has a soothing and tranquillising effect on the body, increasing your sense of wellbeing. Don't drink your milk with a protein-rich food such as meat or chicken, though, because the amino acids in these foods compete with the tryptophan to get to the brain first, so interrupting the effective production of serotonin.

Camomile:

The white petalled flowers of the camomile plant are often used in infusions to calm nervous tension and aid sleep.

A gentle but effective relaxant that does not interfere with concentration, camomile is also beneficial against stress-related stomach upsets and can safely be given to hyperactive children.

Ginseng:

Siberian ginseng has been proved to stave off tiredness and strengthen the body's ability to deal with stresses of all sorts. It is an adaptogen, which means it helps the body adapt to stressful situations by stimulating the endocrine glands, including the adrenal gland, and keeping the body in harmony. Its beneficial effects appear to be cumulative and remain with you long after you stop taking the herb.

Valerian:

The herb valerian is often used in the treatment of digestive disorders, but its use as a nerve and brain tonic is also well documented. Traditionally believed to restore straight thinking and memory, valerian is the preferred choice of many herbalists for the management of stress and nervous exhaustion. If you have insomnia, it is best taken, like camomile, an hour before bed.

Bananas:

The old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away can also be applied to bananas. Eating bananas can rid the body of anxiety and aid restful sleep. During times of tension, stress hormones drain magnesium from the body's cells, weakening the immune system and increasing feelings of tiredness. Researchers have discovered that eating magnesium-rich foods, such as bananas, provides a boost to flagging energy levels.

Zinc:

If you are restless and agitated, irritable and jumpy at the slightest noise, or even if you have a nervous twitch, then you may have a deficiency of zinc. An essential trace element for normal growth, zinc replacement is often prescribed by homeopaths to relieve mental and physical exhaustion. If you prefer not to take a supplement, eat plenty of shellfish, nuts and seeds.

Passion flower:

More potent than camomile, passion flower counters a hyperactive mind. If you can't sit still or your mind is full of things you have to do tomorrow, then this remedy is for you. Its sedative properties will promote relaxation and sleep. Taken during the day, its effect will not disrupt concentration or make you drowsy.

Vitamin B:

A full spectrum vitamin B complex can help if you are suffering from low energy levels. Found in greater quantities in foods such as brewer's yeast, wheat germ and liver, vitamin B complex is vital for processing the energy transfer from food to fuel. The greater the stress, the higher the demand.

Calming foods:

Complex carbohydrates such as cereals, wholemeal bread, pasta and potatoes will keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day, and level out the peaks and troughs of mood swings caused by too little starch or too much sugary food. Mushrooms are good, too. They are full of vitamin B12 and zinc, important in helping to combat anxiety, stress, depression and fatigue. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Healthy workers work hard

Healthy workers work hard. "A healthy workforce is a productive workforce" is a concept embraced by modern day business minds. It implicates that the more companies put into their workforce, the more they will get out."

Dr Glen Hagemann from Energi, a company specialising in workplace wellness, has conducted local research and reviewed various studies related to health in the workplace and has made some astonishing findings.

His review entitled The Total Value of Corporate Health explains the basic logic behind a healthy workforce. "If you improve the health of employees, their quality of life improves. Therefore health care claims are reduced, disability is controlled, and productivity is enhanced. Thus having a positive impact on the bottom line," his report reads.

Preventable illness (i.e. diseases that could have been avoided by adopting a healthy lifestyle) is responsible for 40 to 65 percent of illnesses and their associated costs, reads Hagemann's report. "Modifiable health risk (MHR) factors are precursors to many diseases and premature death … and MHR can be improved through effective health management programmes," says Hagemann. "Improvements of the health risk profile of an employee population can lead to reductions in health-related costs and improvement in productivity."

"South African companies are addressing the health issues of their workforce, however, in some cases they're focussing on one risk while neglecting others," says Hagemann. He argues that HIV/Aids is a serious threat to productivity and indirectly to the country's economy. Therefore, justifiably, most health efforts are aimed towards fighting HIV/Aids. "However, HIV/Aids mostly affect the younger component of the workforce (25 to 40 year olds), while non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, etc. are risk factors among the more experienced senior workforce."

He highlights six key factors implicating employee health:

1. The effect of chronic disease on workers

Seven of the 15 top causes of death among South Africans are largely due to preventable diseases. These include HIV/Aids, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

• The effects of chronic disease on workers
  To illustrate this point Hagemann used rates among South African males according to age distribution. According to the South African National Burden of Disease study conducted in 2000, the death rates among the workforce (25 to 55 year olds) were particularly higher than among the rest of the population. And the two main causes of death among this group were HIV/Aids and non-communicable disease, i.e. mostly diseases that could have been prevented by lifestyle modification.

• Non-communicable disease (NCD) in South Africa
  In 2002, the Medical Research Counsel (MRC) found that 41 percent of mortality in South Africa is due to NCDs, and the figures are ever-increasing. In 1996, 487 people died per day due to NCDs. This figure rose to 536 in 2001, and is estimated to rise up to 563 by 2010.

  "Many of these deaths occur in the middle-aged and senior members of the workforce," says Hagemann, therefore having a substantial effect on the country's productivity and economy.

• Burden of NCDs in South Africa
  The MRC also reported that approximately 6 million South Africans suffer from hypertension, 4 million have diabetes, 7 million are smokers and 4 million have hyperlipidaemia.

  "Approximately 56 percent of the population are reported to have at least one of these risk factors and about 20 percent are at high risk for NCD," says Hagemann.

2. High-risk employees are high cost

The following monetary value has been calculated as the annual healthcare claims cost for certain health risk factors (regardless of whether or not a patient is on treatment):

• Depression risk – R1763
• Elevated cholesterol – R1171
• Stress – R881
• Body mass index (BMI) – R748
• Glucose levels – R558
• Blood pressure – R354
• Alcohol – R329

As the level of these risk factors increase, for example, elevating blood pressure levels, the cost of medical claims also increase.

3. Absenteeism

Health risk factors also impact on the amount of sick leave taken by the employee, ultimately leading to lower productivity output of the company.

• Annually a person with an elevated BMI costs the company 49 percent more in direct costs associated with paid time off (PTO) than a normal weight person.
• An employee at risk for depression takes an estimated 5.7 days sick leave due to this condition, costing the company 65 percent more in PTO payroll costs than a person that’s not depressed.
• High stress levels leads to an average of 4.2 sick days every year, costing the company 98 percent more in PTO payroll costs than a person with normal stress levels.
• An employee with elevated cholesterol levels will take an average of 6.8 days of sick leave due to this condition, costing the company 66 percent more in PTO payroll costs than a person not at risk.

4. Presenteeism – the hidden enemy

Presenteeism is when an employee is present, but unproductive because of ill health. This condition also has a great effect on an employee's work output. Direct costs can be measured for medical and pharmacy claims, absenteeism, workmen’s compensation and long an short term disability. However the indirect cost of presenteeism is more difficult to measure and can be termed the “hidden enemy” as companies do not know the extent of this.

According to an American study, the following diseases are believed to cause an astonishing amount of unproductive work hours per day:

• Heart disease – 4.3 hours/day
• Respiratory infection – 4.1 hours/day
• Diabetes – 4 hours/day
• Blood pressure – 3.4 hours/day
• Migraine – 3.4 hours/day
• Arthritis – 3.2 hours/day
• Allergies – 2.8 hours/day
• Stress – 2.3 hours/day
• Depression – 2.2 hours/day
• Anxiety – 2.2 hours/day

The annual cost of presenteeism (calculated according to disease), according to another US study, are as follows:

• Hypertension - $392.31
• Heart disease - $368.34
• Depression - $348.04
• Diabetes - $256.91

5.Do not neglect the healthy

Hagemann warns that companies should not just focus their health improvement efforts on those at high risk, but also aim to keep healthy employees healthy, as low risk employees could become high risk, eventually leading to higher medical and other related costs. "It’s strategically more cost-effective in the long term to keep a healthy person healthy than to try to move a high risk individual to a medium or low risk."

6. The impact of physical activity

Inactive people tend to take more frequent and on average longer sick leave, and cost the company more in sick leave/payroll costs as active employees.

Hagemann reports that physical inactivity was significantly associated with the female gender, people with an elevated BMI, people with moderate to high levels of stress as well as unhealthy eating habits. However, the same study found, no association between physical inactivity and medical expenditure, which is opposite to the international literature which generally shows an increase in medical expenditure for inactive people vs active people.

Possible solution

In order to reduce these health risks, and in turn increase workforce productivity, Hagemann suggests that companies implement a health management programme tailor-made for the health needs of its employees and aligned with the organisations objectives.

"Resources for such programmes are often limited and companies should spend their money wisely," says Hagemann. "Companies shouldn't settle for a generic health management programme. They should assess their workforce and identify the group's specific needs. Only then should they design and implement an appropriate health risk management programme," Hagemann concludes. ( health24.com )

READ MORE - Healthy workers work hard

Sick leave myths busted

Sick leave myths busted. Unsure whether to bring a sick note after being off ill for two or three days? Here are the facts:

Myth – A sick note from a traditional healer is not a valid sick certificate.

Fact – A sick certificate from a traditional healer is valid as long as the practitioner is registered. The law says that a medical certificate must be issued and signed by a medical practitioner – that is a person who is certified to diagnose and treat patients – who is registered with a professional council that is established by an act of parliament.

Myth – I need to present a sick certificate if I was off for two consecutive days.

Fact – An employer can only request a medical certificate in an employee has been absent from work for more than two consecutive days – in other words, from the third day onwards. An employer can also request a sick note if an employee takes a day sick leave more than twice in eight weeks. If the employee does not produce a valid medical certificate in these circumstances, the employer does not have to pay the employee for the day he/she did not work.

If an employer has experienced a lot of problems with sick leave, he or she may include a clause in the terms of employment that requires an employee to produce a sick certificate under certain circumstances, for example when taking sick leave on a Monday or Friday.

Myth – Employers have no right to question a sick certificate.

Fact – The fact is that an employer has every right to question a sick certificate, especially if there are grounds to believe that the employee might not have been sick – as was the case of the employee whose picture appeared in the newspaper for winning a golf tournament on the same day he was supposedly sick with flu. However, an employer cannot refuse the sick certificate on a hunch, and would have to provide evidence – either proof that the sick note is invalid, or an eye witness that saw the “sick” employee dancing at a nightclub the night before.

Myth – Sick leave works on an annual cycle.

Fact – Sick leave works in a three-year cycle. During the first six months of employment, an employee may take one day's sick leave for every 26 days worked. Thereafter, an employee may take the number of days he/she normally works in six weeks during every three year cycle.

During the first six months of employment, an employee is entitled to take one day sick leave for every 26 days worked.

Myth – I have to put in normal leave when I stay at home to look after a sick child.

Fact - If the employee has worked for an employer for longer than four months, and works at least four days a week, he or she may take three days paid family responsibility leave during each year of employment. Family responsibility leave applies when the employee's child is born, when the employee's child is sick, in the event of the death of the employee's spouse, life partner, parent, adoptive parent, grandparent, sibling, child, adopted child.

An employer may ask for reasonable proof of an event when this type of leave is taken, such as a death certificate or doctor's letter for a sick child.

Myth – I can access my sick leave if I fall ill while on normal leave.

Fact – The law does not have any specific regulation around this and it may differ from company to company. However, labour law consultant, Michael Bagraims, believes that an employee is not entitled to "trade" their normal leave for sick leave should they become sick while on holiday.

Myth – I have to put in normal leave everytime I go to the clinic to get my medication.

Fact – According to Michael Bagraims a person can access sick leave when they need to do something in line with an illness. – ( health24.com )

READ MORE - Sick leave myths busted

Depression and women

Depression and women. It is widely accepted that depression is more common in women than it is in men. The ratio is so disproportionate in fact that it is estimated that up to 70% of people suffering from depression are women.

This stark disparity has led theorists to ask: why are women so much more susceptible to depression than men? Various answers to this question have been proposed and it has become clear that all these factors, combined, contribute in some way to this trend.

Control

One of these answers looks at how susceptibility to depression is linked very closely to an individual’s perception of how "controllable" their environment is. Theorists have proposed that the more one believes that one has mastery and control over one’s life, the less likely one is to develop depression.

In our society males are encouraged to be assertive, independent and masterful. Women on the other hand are encouraged to be more passive, sensitive and perhaps to rely on others more than males are. It is believed that these culturally prescribed gender-roles place women at greater risk of developing depression.

Stress

Another answer offered looks at the response women tend to take to stress and depression.

Women have a tendency to ruminate more about their circumstances and blame themselves for their reaction to them.

Men on the other hand tend to ignore their feelings and engage in various distracting activities. The male approach is often the healthier one, where he is able to take his mind off his problems and focus on something else instead.

At a disadvantage

In addition, it has been argued that women are at a distinct disadvantage in our society, as they experience more prejudice, poverty, sexual harassment and abuse than men do. They also earn less and garner less power and status than men do.

Another answer given looks at role conflict and the burden of working and being a good mother at the same time. Juggling these dual roles in a relatively unsympathetic corporate climate can cause an incredible amount of stress in women’s lives and can trigger depression.

Who seeks treatment?

It has also been proposed that the statistics available on the male to female ratio reflect the disparity in terms of who actually seeks treatment, and not who is in fact suffering from depression. It has been argued that women, having been socialised to express feelings and to talk about issues that are bothering them, are more receptive to seeking treatment.

Men, on the other hand, often see "feelings" as abstract concepts and often don’t want to admit that they could possibly suffer from a "weakness" like depression.

Hormones

Finally, it is important to note that women are in many ways slaves to their hormones in ways that men just aren’t. Hormones impact directly on brain chemistry and can therefore directly trigger a depressive episode. Women deal with hormone fluctuations every month, when they fall pregnant, and at menopause. These fluctuations can be just what a woman, with a predisposition towards depression, needs to develop full-blown clinical depression.

In the case of menopause specifically, women do react differently to the process. Some are relieved never have to have another period, whilst others feel less attractive and experience a sense of loss of their femininity.

A range of uncomfortable "symptoms" may be experienced by the pre-menopausal woman, including hot flushes, low libido, cramps, difficulty concentrating and depression. It is important to stress that hormones alone don’t "cause" depression, but that they may trigger an already-present predisposition.

For the woman experiencing mercurial moods as a result of her hormone fluctuations, whether once monthly, during pregnancy or because she’s menopausal, there is an effective treatment. Speak to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy. In a case where the mercurial moods have descended into a full-blown clinical depression, the hormone therapy will probably not be sufficient. Additional medication and/or psychotherapy may be called for. ( health24.com )

READ MORE - Depression and women

Depression and sex

Depression and sex. The symptoms of depression, like insomnia, a change in appetite, a feeling of worthlessness and anhedonia - a loss of interest in things that were normally enjoyed, including sex - can have an immense impact on libido.

Sleep deprivation is an underreported and underrated cause of decreased sex drive, and although researchers have yet to tease apart the sex-sleep connection, it's likely that the hormone vasopressin plays an important role.

The change in appetite common in depression can affect libido, either through weight gain and a combined feeling of helplessness and worthlessness leading to a negative body image, or even through weight loss due to restricted eating. Research shows that the brain chemical neuropeptide Y, which kicks into high gear in response to food deprivation, also undermines sex drive.

Antidepressants

When depression is treated, a normal libido usually returns, although sadly in some cases, some of the antidepressants used in the treatment of depression, can cause sexual dysfunction themselves. Up to fifty percent of people taking SSRI's, a newer type of antidepressant, experience this side effect.

Fortunately, there are ways around this problem. Discussing the problem with your doctor will allow the two of you to decide which alternative is best for you. The alternatives include: decreasing the dosage slightly, waiting six months until your body builds up a tolerance to the drug and the side effects diminish. Another option is taking a drug vacation, where you stop taking the drug on a Thursday and start again on the Sunday, allowing you a weekend with fewer side effects - although this can only be done with certain drugs under specific circumstances. The other option is to change your drug altogether or to start taking another medication in conjunction to counteract the sexual side effects of the first.

Give your libido a boost

A healthy lifestyle is the best way to ensure a healthy libido. Eating correctly, moderate exercise and enough sleep will help you cope with stress, maintain a good body image and keep those hormones in balance. Nevertheless like weight and romance, libido can wax and wane for any number of reasons, but there is no reason to suffer in silence and feign enthusiasm for a spouse's sake, for fear that diminished interest signals a decaying marriage. A decreased libido is something millions of people around the world each year seek treatment for, and like most other medical conditions it can be treated. ( health24.com )

READ MORE - Depression and sex

Teen Obesity Ups MS Risk in Women

Teen Obesity Ups MS Risk in Women -- While there are plenty of good reasons to avoid obesity in your teens, a new study now suggests that extra weight in adolescence may increase your risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) later.

Reporting in the Nov. 10 issue of Neurology, Harvard researchers found that being obese at age 18 more than doubles a woman's risk of developing MS later in life compared to her slimmer peers.

"This is one more study that shows obesity leads to another unhealthy outcome, and obesity during adolescence may be critical in determining MS risk," said study author Kassandra Munger, a research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Although no one is certain what the exact cause of the disease is, scientists believe it's an autoimmune disease. That means the body's immune system mistakenly targets its own cells. In the case of MS, the immune system destroys myelin, a fatty substance that covers nerve fibers, according to the MS society.

The current study included more than 238,000 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study or the Nurses' Health II study between 1976 and 2002. The women were between 25 and 55 years old at the start of the study.

Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using information given by the women about what their height and weight were when they were 18 and at the start of the study. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while 25 to 29.9 is overweight and above 30 is obese.

The women were also asked to look at pictures of nine different body silhouettes that ranged in size from very thin to extremely obese, and to identify which silhouette most closely matched hers at ages 5, 10 and 20.

Women who were obese at age 18 had a 2.25 times greater risk of developing MS, according to the study. Being overweight seemed to increase the risk slightly, but not to a level that was statistically significant, Munger noted.

A large body silhouette at age 20 increased the risk of MS by 96 percent, the researchers found. A large body size at age 5 or 10 was not associated with an increased risk of MS, provided that the woman had slimmed down by age 20.

Although this study wasn't designed to find the reason behind the increase, Munger said low vitamin D levels have been suspected of playing a role in the development of MS, and that people who are obese may have lower circulating levels of vitamin D. Another possibility, suggested Munger, is that fat tissue secretes a lot of substances that can affect the immune system.

"We're beginning now to get clues about things that might predispose a person to MS," said Dr. John Richert, executive vice president of research and clinical programs at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. "Up until recently, we've looked at MS as a disease for which the onset can't be controlled, and though it's still mostly that way, maybe there are circumstances where people might be able to lower their risk a little bit. If all the incoming data [from this and other studies] is correct, not smoking and maintaining an ideal weight might lower the risk of MS."

But, of the current study, he added, "As with so many interesting observations, this study raises a lot more questions than it answers."

Munger noted that the study was done solely in women, so the results may not hold true for men. And, additionally, she said, the study participants were almost all white, so it's not clear if this association would hold up for other races. (HealthDay News)

READ MORE - Teen Obesity Ups MS Risk in Women

1 in 7 Americans Went Hungry in 2008

1 in 7 Americans Went Hungry in 2008. More than one in seven American households struggled to put enough food on the table in 2008, the highest number since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began tracking food security levels in 1995.

That's 14.6 percent of U.S. households, or about 49 million people. The numbers are a significant increase from 2007, when 11.1 percent of U.S. households suffered from what USDA classifies as "food insecurity" — not having enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle.

"This report suggests its time for America to get very serious about food security and hunger," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the numbers could be higher in 2009 because of the global economic slowdown.

"This report suggests its time for America to get very serious about food security and hunger," Vilsack told reporters during a conference call.

The USDA said Monday that 5.7 percent of those who struggled for food experienced "very low food security," meaning household members reduced their food intake.

The numbers dovetail with dire economic conditions for many Americans. And they may not take the full measure of America's current struggles with hunger: Vilsack and the report's lead author, Mark Nord with USDA's economic research service, both emphasized that the numbers reflected the situation in 2008 and that the economy's continued troubles in 2009 would likely mean higher numbers next year.

The report also showed an increasing number of children in the United States are suffering food insecurity. In 2008, 16.7 million children were classified as food insecure, 4.3 million more than in 2007.

Hunger advocates said they were not surprised by the numbers, and said the numbers for children, in particular, were lamentable.

"What should really shock us is that almost one in four children in our country lives on the brink of hunger," said David Beckmann, the President of Bread of the World, a hunger advocacy organization.

Vickie Escarra, the president of Feeding America, another hunger advocacy group, said all indications were that numbers in 2009 would be even worse than 2008.

"(T)he escalating unemployment rate and the number of working-poor, lead us to believe that the number of people facing hunger will continue to rise significantly over the coming year," she said. "Research on previous economic recessions indicates that people who fall into the grips of poverty in a time of recession do not recover financially."

Vilsack said that it would take a concerted effort to reduce the number of Americans who face food insecurity and said he hoped that the stark reality of Monday's report would inspire action. He also said it was important to recognize that the numbers could have been much worse without adequately funded food aid programs, such as food stamps.

"There's an opportunity here for the country to make a major commitment to focus on ways we can improve this process and make sure that food is safe and available for everyone," he said.

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI decried the steadily worsening tragedy of world hunger on Monday after a global summit rebuffed a U.N. call to commit billions of dollars a year for a new strategy to help poor countries feed themselves.

The meeting at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization did unite nearly 200 countries behind a pledge to increase aid to farmers in poor countries to help the developing world lessen its dependence on foreign food aid.

Only hours after the three-day summit began, some 60 heads of state and dozens of ministers rejected the U.N.'s call to commit $44 billion annually for agricultural development in these nations. The final declaration also omitted a pledge, sought by the United Nations, to eradicate hunger by 2025.

"Hunger is the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty," Benedict told the delegates after the document was approved. "Opulence and waste are no longer acceptable when the tragedy of hunger is assuming ever greater proportions."

The last previous papal appearance at a food summit in Rome came in 1996, when Pope John Paul II delivered a speech.

U.N. officials say roughly 1 billion people — one of every six people on the planet — don't get enough to eat. ( cbsnews.com )

READ MORE - 1 in 7 Americans Went Hungry in 2008