Diabetes

Diabetes (រោកទឹកនោមផែ្អម)

Carter Center Works to Eradicate Malaria in Haiti, Dominican Republic

VOA News: Haiti and the Dominican Republic are the last two countries in the Caribbean region with known cases of malaria, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says he hopes to see an eventual eradication of the disease in both countries. VOA spoke recently with the former president and to members of his Carter Center staff in Atlanta, Georgia about their efforts to curb the mosquito-borne illness.

Poverty and instability are part of life on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. And, says former President Jimmy Carter, they are conditions that contribute to malaria infections in both countries, along with a lack of cooperation between the two neighbors

"The Dominican Republic government and the Haiti government, have never got along well. But both trust me, and trust the Carter Center," Mr. Carter said.

Dietary Soy linked to Lower Risk for Breast Cancer Death, Recurrence

Medescape Nurses

December 8, 2009 — Dietary soy intake among Chinese women with breast cancer is significantly associated with lower risk for death and recurrence, according to the results of a large, population-based cohort study reported in the December 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Soy foods are rich in isoflavones, a major group of phytoestrogens that have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of breast cancer," write Xiao Ou Shu, MD, PhD, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and colleagues. "However, the estrogen-like effect of isoflavones and the potential interaction between isoflavones and tamoxifen have led to concern about soy food consumption among breast cancer patients."

The study goal was to determine the association of dietary soy intake after diagnosis of breast cancer with total mortality and cancer recurrence. In the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study of 5042 female breast cancer survivors in China, women 20 to 75 years of age who were diagnosed between March 2002 and April 2006 were recruited and followed-up through June 2009.

At about 6 months after cancer diagnosis, participants provided information on cancer diagnosis and treatment, lifestyle exposures after cancer diagnosis, and disease progression. Three follow-up interviews at 18, 36, and 60 months after diagnosis allowed updating of this information. To obtain survival information for participants who were lost to follow-up, the investigators used annual record linkage with the Shanghai Vital Statistics Registry database. Disease and treatment information were verified from medical record review.

Primary study endpoints were total mortality and breast cancer recurrence or breast cancer–related deaths. Adjustment for known clinical predictors and other lifestyle factors was performed using Cox regression analysis, with dietary soy intake treated as a time-dependent variable. Median follow-up was 3.9 years (range, 0.5 - 6.2 years).

Salt - Might just save your life

WebMD The Salt Solution: Cutting Back on Sodium

Heeding sodium numbers on nutrition fact labels just might save your life.

By Peter Jaret WebMD FeatureReviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

 

Most of the information on nutrition labels can help you stay healthy. Heeding one number in particular -- sodium levels -- just might save your life.

Low Salt, Low Sodium = Proven Health Benefits

Salt, which is sodium chloride, has long been linked to high blood pressure. And high blood pressure, or hypertension, which afflicts nearly one in three Americans, is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease.

Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood against artery walls. When it rises too high, the pressure causes damage to many organs, including heart, kidneys, brain, and even eyes. By 2025, predictions suggest, 60% of Americans will have high blood pressure.

Salt isn’t the only cause of high blood pressure. Lack of exercise, poor diets, and inherited risk also contribute. “But Americans consume way too much salt, mostly in processed foods,” said University of Pennsylvania nutrition expert Lisa Hark, author of Nutrition for Life. “Cutting back on high-sodium foods is one simple way to lower your risk.”

DASH Your Way to a Low Sodium Diet

The best evidence comes from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension program, popularly known as DASH, directed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

In one landmark DASH experiment, volunteers were divided into three groups. One group consumed 3,300 milligrams of salt a day, about the average for most Americans. Another limited their intake to just 2,400 mg, which is what most experts recommend. The third cut back to only 1,500 mg a day. Across the spectrum, the less sodium the volunteers consumed, the lower their blood pressure.

Menopause at 19

Thatslife.com.au

When Natasha was diagnosed with premature menopause, she was faced with the possibility of not being able to have children.

Natasha Linke, 25, Seaford Rise, SA

Sitting in the specialist's office, I was surprised to see my doctor in tears.

'I'm sorry, but you're suffering from premature menopause,' she said, looking from me to my mum Susan, now 56.

Mum was fighting back tears too, but I was okay. After all, I was only 19 and the implications of what had been said hadn't really hit me.

For years my periods were irregular. In the last year of high school I didn't menstruate at all.

My GP had put it down to exam stress but when my cycle didn't return, she referred me to a gynaecologist and a fertility specialist. She now explained my ovaries weren't producing any eggs.

'We don't know why this happens,' she said. 'As you don't have a family history of premature menopause, it's probably just a random occurrence. If you ever want to have children you'll need an egg donor,' she continued. 'If someone you know will donate their eggs, you can use them, or you can go on our list and get an unknown donor.'

I tried to take in what she was saying, but as I didn't even have a boyfriend, starting a family seemed a long way off.

More than being concerned, I was relieved my recent weight gain, moodiness, hot flushes and exhaustion were explained and there was a treatment for them.

'I'm going to put you on the pill to give you the hormones you need and this should help with all the side effects of your menopause,' the GP said.

Mum and my half-sister, Melissa, 29, were more concerned about my lack of eggs. 'When the time comes, I'll be your egg donor,' Melissa said.

Her generous offer made me feel relieved. I wouldn't have to worry about finding a donor.

Less than a year later I met Matthew, now 25, and I knew I wanted to spend my life with him. It was hard telling him I couldn't have children of my own but he took it in his stride. 'It doesn't matter to me,' he said.

Twelve months later we got engaged. At our wedding Melissa's daughter, Jasmine, two, was our flower girl and when Melissa had Liam four weeks later, she told me she was ready to give me the chance to become a mum too.

We had counselling sessions and then Melissa began injections to stimulate her ovaries to produce eggs. In the meantime I had to stop taking the pill and begin medication to prepare my body for pregnancy.

'I'm so grateful,' I told Melissa.