Mediscene

Snippets

Olive oil may protect against bowel disease

Increasing your intake of olive oil may help protect against ulcerative colitis, a new study has found.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers in the lining of the rectum and colon, resulting in abdominal pain, diarrhoea and weight loss.

This study found that people whose diet was rich in oleic acid were far less likely to develop ulcerative colitis.Oleic acid is a monosaturated fatty acid found in foods such as olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, butter and some margarines.

This study included more than 25,000 people, aged 40-65, in Norfolk, U.K. who were recruited between 1993 and 1997. None of the participants had ulcerative colitis at the start of the study. By 2002, 22 participants had developed ulcerative colitis. The researchers compared the diets of these people to those who didn’t develop the disease and found that those with the highest intake of oleic acid were 90 percent less likely to develop ulcerative colitis.

“Oleic acid seems to help prevent the development of ulcerative colitis by blocking chemicals in the bowel that aggravate the inflammation found in the illness,” study leader Dr. Andrew Hart, of the University of East Anglia’s School of Medicine, said in a news release.

“We estimate that around half the cases of ulcerative colitis could be prevented if larger amounts of oleic acid were consumed. Two-to-three tablespoons of olive oil per day would have a protective effect,” he said.

Fibromyalgia: Do you have these symptoms?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder with no identified cause that results in fatigue and widespread pain. As many as 90 percent of people who are diagnosed with the disorder are women.

The US National Women’s Health Information Center offers this list of typical symptoms:

  • Pain in the muscles and joints, and joint stiffness.
  • Fatigue.
  • Insomnia.
  • Headache.
  • Pain in the jaw.
  • Feelings of nervousness or depression.
  • A tingly sensation in the feet and hands.
  • Cramps in the legs.
  • Difficulty remembering and thinking.
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness.
  • Painful menstrual cramps.
  • Gastrointestinal problems such as stomach ache, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or abdominal cramps.
  • Difficulty swallowing.
  • Pain during urination, or having to urinate often.

Warning against deafening volumes

If you’re thinking of giving your teenager an iPod or other music player, consider a bonus present to help their hearing: Preset the top volume level to one-half or two-thirds of the actual maximum.

That’s the advice from specialists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. They warn that sound over 85 decibels -- well short of the volume limit some music players carry -- can cause hearing loss. People are also at risk when they listen to music for too long.

“As parents, we can’t hear how loud their music is when they have the earbuds in, so this is an important step,” Dr. Ron Eavey, chair of the medical center’s Department of Otolaryngology, said in a Vanderbilt news release. “I can tell you that if you hear the music coming from their headphones, it is too loud, but an easier way to know for sure is to preset the device. This will still allow them to listen to and enjoy their music but will safeguard against ear-damaging volume levels.”

Many music players can be programmed to not allow their volume to go beyond a specified level.
Anne Marie Tharpe, professor and chair of hearing and speech sciences at Vanderbilt, said in the same release that hearing loss isn’t always obvious, especially in kids.

“The symptoms can initially be subtle and include difficulty hearing when there is background noise. Such losses can result in significant challenges for children in classroom settings.”

Understanding Impetigo

Impetigo is a common bacterial infection of the skin. The contagious infection could be triggered by an illness or injury, or the bite of an animal, insect or another person.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says impetigo could lead to these potential complications:

  • Infection that spreads beyond the skin to other areas of the body.
  • Patches of impetigo all over the body, a complication that typically affects children.
  • Rarely, permanent scars and skin damage.
  • Also rarely, kidney failure. Mild infections typically are treated with a prescribed antibacterial cream, while a more serious case of impetigo might require an antibiotic.

(HealthDay News)

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other Mediscene Articles
Dealing with disabling disease
Keep that sparkle in your smile
Different strokes, different treatment
Neuropathy: A disease of the nerves
Snippets
Medication: Who needs special care?
When a bug hits your gut
Processed meat may harm the heart
TV can make your children fat and foolish

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2010 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution