Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower, according to US scientists who published a study Tuesday showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats’ memories.

Sugar decreases brain power

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup — a common ingredient in processed foods — as drinking water for six weeks.

One group of rats was supplemented with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the other group was not.

Before the sugar drinks began, the rats were enrolled in a five-day training session in a complicated maze. After six weeks on the sweet solution, the rats were then placed back in the maze to see how they fared.

“The DHA-deprived animals were slower, and their brains showed a decline in synaptic activity,” said Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

“Their brain cells had trouble signaling each other, disrupting the rats’ ability to think clearly and recall the route they’d learned six weeks earlier.”

A closer look at the rat brains revealed that those who were not fed DHA supplements had also developed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar and regulates brain function.

“Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss,” Gomez-Pinilla said.

In other words, eating too much fructose could interfere with insulin’s ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar, which is necessary for processing thoughts and emotions.

“Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain, where insulin appears to disturb memory and learning,” Gomez-Pinilla said.

“Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new.”

High-fructose corn syrup is commonly found in soda, condiments, applesauce, baby food and other processed snacks.

The average American consumes more than 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

While the study did not say what the equivalent might be for a human to consume as much high-fructose corn syrup as the rats did, researchers said it provides some evidence that metabolic syndrome can affect the mind as well as the body.

“Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think,” said Gomez-Pinilla.

“Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability to learn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage.”

The study appeared in the Journal of Physiology.

SOURCE: Yahoo News

Short Version of a VERY long story… Patient Advocate Heal Thyself!
By Kitty Wilde RN

Finger Infection

I was helping my  84 year old Mom with her wheelchair in Nordstrom’s in Riverside.  I reached down to adjust the foot support of her wheelchair and my little finger missed the foot plate and hit the floor.  It broke the nail on my little finger.  The nail break was deep and hurt more than usual.   I asked the sales clerk for a Band-Aid,  and she did not have one, so she gave me some scotch tape to put over the broken nail.  It was still hurting, and I went and washed my hands.  We had a long drive back to Pismo Beach, and it was hurting way more than it should have been, so for the 4 hour drive I had my hand raised over my head to reduce the throbbing.  I was annoyed, thinking that this little finger nail break was causing me way more pain than it should be.  It was also very warm to the touch.  It continued to hurt all night long.

After Discharge from the ER

The next morning it was still hurting and getting warmer.  There was a little tiny pimple like spot next to where the nail was broken.  Hmm?  I thought a little fingernail infection.
I put ice packs on it as I had to drive to Carmel for  a business meeting.  Good  thing my husband was driving.   It  continued to hurt (way more than a little nail infection should hurt!)  on the 2 hour drive to Carmel.  We stopped at a local drug store along the way, and I had a conversation with the pharmacist.  There was nothing that he could suggest.  However, I put triple antibiotic ointment on it… and that did not help either.

I made it through the meeting with ice packs, as it seemed to continue to get hotter.  On the drive back to Pismo Beach,I was complaining so much that my husband wanted to take me to the local ER.  Yeah Right!  I am an nurse, and I am NOT going to the  ER for a broken nail.

I did go to the ER the next day per the recommendation of my dermatologist, when I showed them my little finger.

They lanced the little pimple spot on the side of my nail and sent me home.  My finger was still very hot.  On the way home my whole had got red and really started to hurt.  I sat on the couch with tears streaming down my face because of the pain.  I called the ER and told them what was going on…  and them said to come back ASAP.

Post first ER visit

In the ER for the next several hours we watched my finger literally blister and “fry”, and it felt like it was in a deep fat fryer.

Finger blisters

They called Rudy Buntic MD, a hand Transplant specialist in San Francisco.  He made recommendations on the antibiotic IV ” cocktail” that he felt would be helpful.   That night they wanted to admit me to the hospital, and I tried to protest, saying I work here, and I do not do “sleepovers”. RN’s make terrible patients.  However, I was so sick and in so much pain, that I was admitted.  The Pain medication made me sick and I spent the rest of the night throwing up.

Fortunately the antibiotic  IV “cocktail” stopped the progression of the bacteria and I was able to be discharged the following day with a very pregnant looking finger.

It was recommended that I contact a surgeon to debride my finger. Michael Laid MD the surgeon saw me between cases in the operating room, told me to stay NPO and he would take me to surgery as soon as he finished his last case. So off to surgery I went.
He did a great job, and fortunately was able to save my nail and the structure of my finger.  I was glad to get rid of the big blisters and weeping tissue.

After Debridement surgery

The post op course included  finger exercises to maintain the muscles and strength, as well as dressing changes and soaks to keep the new granulation tissue healthy.   No skin grafts were needed and the skin grew back through the gauze.  The healing process was slow and took several months.  Good diligent post operative word care wound care was helpful.

post op healing 1

Post op healing 2

Post Op healing 4

Artistic Post op pic

I am grateful that my finger fully recovered, nail and everything looks normal. At the very end by the tip of the nail I have l a little neuropathy. However, I am delighted to have my finger and my hand! God is Good! My doctor Jeff Herten MD tells me I am lucky to be alive, not to mention to have my hand and my fingers! Usually they have to amputate to stop the infection.

My Patient Advocate skills and knowledge, helped my assemble a top notch team. I am VERY grateful for all their help!

LESSONS LEARNED:

Any wound  no matter how small, that hurts way more that it should should be evaluated ASAP

Flesh Eating Bacteria known as NECROTIZING FASCIITIS can be devastating as well as life threatening.

A Patient Advocate team can safe you life!

A few prunes a day may keep the doctor away.

Prunes for your bones

That is what the latest findings from Florida State University suggest when it comes to bone health and osteoporosis prevention.   Researchers discovered that postmenopausal women who consumed dried plums daily, as compared to a control group who ate dried apples daily showed an increase in bone density after one year.  These results may provide alternatives to drug therapy for the one in five American women over the age of fifty who are estimated to suffer from osteoporosis, which causes bone fractures.

One hundred postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to consume either 100g of prunes (dried plums) or 75g of dried apple daily since both portions offer about the same amount of calories, fat and fiber. Both groups of women were also given 500mg of calcium and 400IU of vitamin D daily.  The researchers then examined their diets, activity levels, height, weight, blood samples and bone mineral density (BMD) over a 12-month period. The BMD x-ray scan measured how much calcium and other types of minerals were present in their bones.  The lower density of a bone indicates a greater risk of fractures.

Results from the study showed that while both dried fruits had a protective effect on bone density, the prunes proved slightly better at increasing bone density, particularly in regions of the spine and forearm.  Researchers believe that the bone density increased among the prune-eaters because these women did not lose any bone mass as a result of re-absorption.  Reasons for this result are still unclear but vitamin C, vitamin K, phytochemicals and antioxidants, all of which are found in prunes, may aid in restoring bone tissue and slowing bone re-absorption.  Additionally, prunes contain high amounts of the mineral boron which has been showed to improve bone density by aiding in calcium absorption.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the rate of bone re-absorption, or breakdown, is faster than the formation of new bone tissue. When we are young, the body uses calcium and phosphorous from our diet to form new bone.   If these minerals are lacking in the diet the body may access the mineral reserves found in the bone to meet it’s needs.  This causes the bones to become weak and porous which may result in bone fractures.   The rate of bone re-absorption increases significantly over the age of 50 due to the decline in estrogen in women and testosterone in men.

If you are now sold on the idea of adding prunes to your diet, increasing your bone density should not be the only reason to get started.  These dried fruits offer about 6 grams of fiber per serving, which helps to lower blood cholesterol, reduce the risk of diabetes and aid in weight loss.  Prunes are also a good source of energy yet do not create a rapid rise in blood sugars like processed sugars do according to research by Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis et al. (2001).  Prunes also contain large amounts of potassium and phenolic compounds, which may help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Larger studies are still needed to provide more information about how prunes offer such benefits to bone health and the researchers caution that the health benefits associated with prunes cannot be attributed to a single nutrient.  Instead, whole fruits and vegetables, when consumed regularly offer nutrition benefits which can not be quantified.  Therefore, increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables in general may help in preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Summary
Some postmenopausal women use alternative therapies to improve bone strength to eliminate unwanted consequences of drugs. Dried plum or prunes have proven to be the best solution to slow down bone loss. The present study is an effort to quantify this benefit by comparing the effects of dried plum versus dried apples in conjunction with calcium and vitamin D consumed for one year. Evaluation at the end of the study showed higher increase in bone mineral density with plums rather than apples, thus establishing that plums effectively retard bone loss in postmenopausal women.

2-3-12 GO RED for Women Day

More women die of cardiovascular disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.

But 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

Make it your mission to learn all you can about heart attacks and stroke — don’t become a statistic.
CALL 9-1-1

About half of bladder cancer cases in women age 50 and older are now traceable to smoking, up from 20 or 30 percent in earlier decades, researchers report.

It is estimated that 69,250 men and women (52,020 men and 17,230 women) will be diagnosed with and 14,990 men and women will die of cancer of the urinary bladder in 2011
Bladder Cancer Prognosis

Researchers from the University of Michigan recently reported that women who go to their primary care physician
with a new or recurrent episode of blood in their urine are less likely to be referred to an urologist for further
examination than are men.  They believe that this may contribute to the fact that women with bladder cancer are
being diagnosed at more advanced stages, when their chances for survival are markedly decreased.

According to a report published by the National Cancer Institute, the survival rate for women with bladder cancer lags behind that of men at all stages of the disease. African-American women, particularly have poor outcomes when diagnosed with bladder cancer. They present with the highest proportion of advanced and aggressive tumors when compared to African-American men and Caucasian men and women. In addition, the number of women diagnosed with bladder cancer has been increasing.

The five-year survival rate is the percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases. This rate depends on many factors, including the stage of bladder cancer that is diagnosed. For people with non-muscle-invasive/superficial urothelial carcinoma, the five-year survival rate is 97%. About half of people are diagnosed with this stage. If the tumor is invasive but has not yet spread outside the bladder, the five-year survival rate is 73%. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or nearby organs, the five-year survival rate is 36%. If the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, the five-year survival rate is 6%.

What are the key statistics about bladder cancer?

The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for bladder cancer in the United States are for 2012:

• About 73,510 new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed (about 55,600 in men and 17,910 in women).
• About 14,880 deaths from bladder cancer (about 10,510 in men and 4,370 in women).

The rates of new cancers and of cancer deaths have been fairly stable over the past 20 years. More than 500,000 people in the United States are survivors of this cancer.

Bladder cancer occurs mainly in older people. About 9 out of 10 people with this cancer are over the age of 55. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 73.

Men are about 3 times more likely to get bladder cancer during their lifetime than women. Overall, the chance men will develop this cancer during their life is about 1 in 26. For women, the chance is about 1 in 86. (The risk for a particular person may be higher or lower, based on risk factors such as whether or not they smoke.) Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in men.

Whites are diagnosed with bladder cancer almost twice as often as blacks. Hispanics have an even lower rate than blacks.

In about half of all cases, patients are first diagnosed with bladder cancer while it is still confined to the inner layer of the bladder (non-invasive or in situ cancer). About 35% have bladder cancer that has invaded into deeper layers but is still contained in the bladder. In most of the remaining cases, the cancer has spread to nearby tissues outside the bladder. Rarely (in about 4% of cases), it has spread to distant sites. Black patients are slightly more likely to have more advanced disease when they are diagnosed, compared to whites.

Source:  cancer.org/

Resources:

http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Bladder+Cancer?sectionTitle=Statistics

http://www.medicinenet.com/bladder_cancer/article.htm

http://www.videojug.com/interview/bladder-cancer-prognosis-2

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BladderCancer/DetailedGuide/bladder-cancer-key-statistics

http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html

Immediate full time opening for LVN Resident Care Supervisor in Atascadero, California

In a boutique upscale 15 bed Assisted Living RCFE -Residential Care Facility for the Elderly
Cozy home like atmosphere with respect and dignity for those who can no longer live alone.
Engaging activities that focus on maintaining and stimulating cognitive and emotional growth.

Ingleside Assisted Living in Atascadero

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Supervise 3 CNA’s
Medication (MAR) Management, for Elderly Residents
Create and implement Needs and Care Plans for residents

Compensation: Depending on experience
Participatory health care insurance provided after 90 days

Excellent opportunity to learn and grow in this fast growing industry using technology to increase the quality of life for elderly residents.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:
California LVN License
At least 1 years supervisory experience
Computer skills for use in e-charting, e-assessments and e-MAR
Good communication skills with the ability to liaison between
management, families, doctors, home health agencies, and public
Confident, take charge personality
Ability to multi task

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please email your resume with your:
Salary history and salary requirements.

Successful candidates must provide a minimum of three personal and 3 industry specific references that will be contacted.

If you have ever been arrested for any reason or take narcotic medications please do not respond.

Extensive background check and drug screening is required for this position.

DOJ Fingerprints required

TB Test and Physical Required

Email Resume

Resumes can also be faxed to 805-773-6154

Here are three easy New Year’s Resolutions for 2012.  They work for all age groups

1.  Give yourself permission to relax
We all enjoy our lives more if we aren’t exhausted. Moments Count! Take a moment to  enjoy a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate or some other healthy drink. Sip slowly, Savor the Moment! Extra moments can be spent by putting up your feet for a while. Enjoy your favorite magazine article or book.

Indulge Yourself

2. Indulge Yourself
So you’re craving a cookie or chocolate? Indulge your craving and have A “really good cookie” or one piece of quality chocolate. Just don’t eat the whole box.
Studies have shown that severely depriving yourself of indulgences (like chocolate or french fries) will almost always lead to binge eating down the road. So allow yourself some treats in moderation, and even it out with a smart food choice, like a piece of fruit. You’ll be happier and most likely, it will lead to smarter diet choices.

3. Catch Up on Sleep
Allow yourself to sleep in…or go to bed early… or take an extended nap.
Lack of sleep has been linked to anything from disease to, moodiness, and childhood obesity. Resolve to squeeze in a few more hours of sleep a week ­ your body will thank you!

Every moment we have in life is precious. None of us know just how many moments we have left on the planet.
So cherish the ones that you have!

Click here to read 7 more easy New Year’s Resolutions

Source:  http://life.familyeducation.com
Click here to read some New year’s Resolutions for Seniors

Tips on dealing with menopause with the extra added holiday stress.

If you’ve stepped outside at all since mid-October, you’re well aware that it’s coming. The holiday season—the tornado of wish lists, baking, family reunions, and house cleaning, with a 90% chance of stressor thunderstorms. You may find yourself building a mental bomb shelter to avoid the incoming ribbon, tempting cuisine, and raucous of silver bells. If you’re experiencing menopause concurrently with the holidays, highs could be in the low 100s, and emotional lows could come in high frequency.You can now safely emerge from your bomb shelter, keeping these tips for survival close at hand. Above all, remember to BREATHE.

Reaching out is IN

Holidays bring families and friends together. Tensions rise with pressures to clean the house, make meals, and buy gifts. This year, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Any little thing a family member can contribute helps, whether it’s decorating cookies or curling ribbon. Furthermore, take this family reunion as an opportunity to talk with your mother or daughter about your experience with PM&M. Busting open the conversation about menopause is a way to learn from your mother and prepare your daughter. Reaching out is IN. Suffering in silence is OUT.

Exercise

Take notes with reminders to relax

Click here to read more about this author

Generic Lipitor – known as Atorvastatin
Lipitor, the top-selling drug of all time, has made Pfizer more than $81 billion in sales since launching in 1997, according to IMS Health. At its peak, more than 11 million Americans took it, says Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, another health-care data firm. Yet once the drug’s patent runs out Nov. 30, most patients are expected to switch to less expensive generic versions.

Off-patent Lipitor should give Pfizer $3.8 billion in world-wide sales next year, estimates Credit Suisse analyst Catherine Arnold. That’s a far cry from the $13 billion that the drug made at its peak. Yet it would still be one of the company’s top five selling products.

During the 180 days, Medco Health Solutions Inc., which manages the benefits for 60 million Americans, will send brand-name Lipitor at generic prices to the million-plus customers in its mail-order program. Another pharmacy benefit manager, Catalyst Rx, has told pharmacists that brand-name Lipitor will function as the generic during the six months, with a generic’s $10 co-pay and a price that could end up being $12.50 less than a generic would cost.

“We could expect not to have as extreme an attrition of the brand,” said David Simmons, who runs Pfizer’s established products business. “We’re still going to have a cliff, but we’re going to” still get significant revenue from Lipitor.

Lipitor goes generic

To stem the exodus, Pfizer has partnered with Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy in Flint, Mich., to mail Lipitor to patients who order the pills directly through the pharmacy. Diplomat would bill the patients’ health plans. Those that have contracted with Pfizer would pay about a generic price for Lipitor, while plans that didn’t would pay a higher price.

Source:  wsj.com

Click here to read the article

 
(CBS News)

Lipitor, the world’s best-selling drug, will lose its patent protection on Wednesday.

That’s a big change for Pfizer, the company that made $11 billion on the the cholesterol-fighting drug last year – and for the 19 million people worldwide that take statin drugs.

But should people make the switch to the less expensive generic versions that are sure to hit the market or stay with the prescription brand Lipitor?

Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist, said on “The Early Show on Saturday Morning,” said she’s been talking with her patients about making the switch to generic Lipitor – known as atorvastatin – for a month.

She explained, “These are really hard times economically for people, and they can’t afford their medication. Lipitor has been a very powerful drug in terms of lowering cholesterol and lowering risk for heart disease. Now patients can have it at a cheaper price and also reduce their risk for heart disease.”

The drug will have the same active ingredient, but will have filler ingredients different from the brand Lipitor, Goldberg said.

She explained, “It will have the same cholesterol lowering capacity. What will be different are the fillers. So instead of being oblong and white, the pill could be round or yellow, pink or green. … It’s just about the look of the drug, that’s why it’s important for people to carry a list of their medications. You can’t go by the color and say to your doctor, ‘I’m on the pink pill.’”

However, Goldberg advised patients still confer with their doctor before making the switch.

“I think it’s very important for patients to ask their doctors about which statin is right for them,” she said.

Click here to read the article