Recovery for Stroke Survivors With Magnetic Brain Stimulation

There is new hope for better recovery for patients who survive a debilitating stroke. Italian researchers have discovered that the use of magnets to stimulate the nerve cells of the brain can help to correct the condition known as hemispatial neglect, which prevents stroke patients from seeing or recognizing anything on one side of their body. The details of the research appear in the journal Neurology.

Previous studies have estimated that between 20 and 50 percent of patients suffer hemispatial neglect following a stroke. The condition most often occurs when stroke damaged is suffered in the right half of the brain.

In a news release, study author Giacomo Koch, MD, Ph.D., of the Santa Lucia Foundation in Rome, Italy stated, “The treatment is based on the theory that hemispatial neglect results when a stroke disrupts the balance between the two hemispheres of the brain. He went on to explaind, “A stroke on one side of the brain causes the other side to become overactive, and the circuits become overloaded.”

6:42 PM | 2 comments | Read More

Balanced diet

Eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay active

The key to a healthy balanced diet is not to ban or omit any foods or food groups but to balance what you eat by consuming a variety of foods from each food group in the right proportions for good health.

Fruit and vegetables

These should make up about a third of your daily diet and can be eaten as part of every meal, as well as being the first choice for a snack.

7:10 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Low fat diet breast cancer hope

The research found after five years, breast cancer had returned in 12.4 % of those on a standard diet - but in only 9.8% of those on a low-fat diet.

However, most women did not benefit, and experts say the findings may be due to other factors.

The Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute study was presented to the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The study focused on 2,437 women who had surgery for early-stage breast cancer, followed by standard chemotherapy, and tamoxifen if their tumours were receptive to the drug.

6:48 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Red meat 'ups breast cancer risk'

Eating red meat significantly increases a post-menopausal woman's chance of breast cancer, research suggests.

A University of Leeds team monitored 35,000 women over seven years.

Older women who ate one 2oz portion a day (57 grams) had a 56% increased risk compared with those who ate none, the British Journal of Cancer reports.

And those who ate the most processed meat, such as bacon, sausages, ham or pies, had a 64% greater risk of breast cancer than those who refrained.

However, experts warned it was extremely difficult to pin down the effect of specific parts of the diet on cancer risk, and said previous research had produced inconclusive results.

Lead researcher Professor Janet Cade said younger, pre-menopausal women who ate large amounts of red and processed meat also had a raised risk of breast cancer - but the effect was not statistically significant.

6:45 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Eat less red meat to reduce cancer risk

New advice recommends eating no more than 70g a day - equivalent to three rashers of bacon or two sausages.

Experts say thousands of bowel cancer deaths could be prevented every year if people kept to the new limits.

Advisers to the Department of Health in England say the restrictions would not put people at risk of iron deficiencies.

Bowel Cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK - about 36,000 people are diagnosed every year, and 16,500 die.

Eating 100 to 120g of red and processed meat a day - things like salami, ham and sausages - increases the risk of developing the condition by 20 to 30%, according to studies.

6:38 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Study Says : Red meat increases death, cancer and heart risk

The study of more than 120,000 people suggested red meat increased the risk of death from cancer and heart problems.

Substituting red meat with fish, chicken or nuts lowered the risks, the authors said.

The British Heart Foundation said red meat could still be eaten as part of a balanced diet.

The researchers analysed data from 37,698 men between 1986 and 2008 and 83,644 women between 1980 and 2008.

They said adding an extra portion of unprocessed red meat to someone's daily diet would increase the risk of death by 13%, of fatal cardiovascular disease by 18% and of cancer mortality by 10%. The figures for processed meat were higher, 20% for overall mortality, 21% for death from heart problems and 16% for cancer mortality.

6:35 PM | 0 comments | Read More