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Friday, August 24, 2007

All the News That's Fit to Eat

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By Joanne Eglash
eDiets Healthy Lifestyle Columnist

Blushing Over Rosacea? Here's Help
If rosacea, sometimes known as "adult acne," has you flushed with embarrassment, new research may lead the way to a cure that will have you smiling instead. This skin condition impacts nearly 15 million Americans and results in spider veins, bumps, pimples, and red skin. Triggers vary and can range from exercise to sun to certain foods and beverages.

Doctors today occasionally prescribe antibiotics, which aren't always effective. However, the scientists conducting this study located high levels of an anti microbial peptide cathelicidin in rosacea sufferers' skin. The proteins produced by this peptide differ from those in individuals without rosacea. They also noted that an enzyme, stratum corneum tryptic enzyme (SCTE), contributes to the problem. Because the two inflammatory proteins are over-produced, high levels of a third protein result in the typical symptoms of rosacea.

Antibiotics may work because, depending on the medication chosen, they inhibit the enzymes. The researchers noted that their findings may change the standard treatment, because targeting bacteria isn’t the only answer. The study results were published in the advanced online edition of the journal Nature Medicine, and the the study was led by Dr Richard L. Gallo, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Dermatology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the Dermatology section of the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.

Attention, Couch Potatoes: It's Time for a 15-Minute Break!
"Well, I don't have the time, energy, or money to join a gym or do a two-hour workout every day, so I might as well watch TV." Does that excuse for skipping out on fitness sound familiar? Sorry, but your alibi just lost its validity. A new study shows that moderate exercise completed in short breaks throughout your day can actually be just as good for you or better than those high-powered, two-hour boot camp routines!

Researchers evaluated overweight, middle-aged adults and discovered that when these individuals enjoyed moderate exercise, rather than intense activity, they actually improved more in some areas of health. And their improvements in other areas were based on the duration of their exercise, not the level.

The message, as reported in the recent edition Journal of Applied Physiology: you can get most of the value of exercise by partaking in a form of exercise as simple as going for two 20-minute walks with friends, family, and colleagues during the day.

If you want to take your fitness to the next level and add in weight-lifting or balance and flexibility moves, more power to you! Just make sure to follow a sensible program, and check with your doctor before starting or changing a fitness program.

Save a Life - Your Own or Someone You Love
The Partnership for Prevention recently completed a new study showing that a variety of preventative measures that are relatively simple could save the lives of 100,000 Americans annually.

Show this list to friends, family, and your own personal physician, to see what you can do to save your own life:

  • Stop smoking. If you smoke, you probably already know the many reasons for quitting. If a friend or family member can't give up the cigarettes, offer your support.
  • Could aspirin help to prevent or lower the risk of heart disease? Ask your physician if you should start taking a daily aspirin.
  • Are you or someone you love 50 or older? If so, it's time to check with your health care provider about getting screened for colorectal cancer.
  • It might be time for a flu shot, especially if you're age 50 or older.
  • Are you a woman aged 40 or older? If so, it's wise to get screened for breast cancer.
  • And for younger women: ask about getting screened for Chlamydia: that preventive measure could detect pelvic inflammatory disease.

    The study was funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the WellPoint Foundation.
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