Study: Vitamin B12 may help ward off Alzheimer's

People who consume lots of foods rich in vitamin B12 -- such as fish and fortified cereals -- may be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than people who take in less of the vitamin, a small study conducted in Finland suggests.

In the study, which was published in Neurology, researchers in Scandinavia analyzed blood samples from 271 individuals ages 65 to 79 who showed no evidence of dementia. The researchers tested for levels of a blood marker of vitamin B12 and for levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (as well as heart disease and stroke).

B vitamins, including B12 and folate, have been shown to help lower homocysteine levels, so high levels of the amino acid suggest low levels of B12.

Over the next seven years, 17 study participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The people with the highest levels of homocysteine at the beginning of the study had the greatest risk of developing the disease. In contrast, each unit increase in the marker of vitamin B12 (known as holotranscobalamin) reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer's by 2 percent.

The relationship between vitamin B12 and Alzheimer's risk is "complex," says Dr. Sudha Seshadri, M.D., an associate professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine and the author of an editorial accompanying the study. But, she adds, "B12 levels, particularly holotranscobalamin levels, likely play a contributory role."

The links among Alzheimer's risk, homocysteine, and B12 were more pronounced in older individuals, the study found.

Blood levels of folate, which the researchers also measured, were not related to homocysteine levels or Alzheimer's risk in this study. Folic acid -- a synthetic version of folate found in many supplements and multivitamins -- has been shown to lower homocysteine in previous studies, but its effect on disease risk is disputed.

A National Institutes of Health panel recently concluded that there are no foods or vitamins that definitively prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease, and experts say this study is consistent with the panel's recommendations. "A healthy diet likely remains important," Seshadri says. "The role of supplementation remains unclear."

Maria Carillo, Ph.D., the senior director of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, urges caution in interpreting the new findings, especially given that so few study participants developed the disease.

"We do know that vitamin B12 is a huge contributor to lowering homocysteine levels," she says. "Lowering these in general is important for cardiovascular health, and this study strengthens our knowledge about its role in risk for Alzheimer's disease."

Dr. Sam Gandy, M.D., the associate director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City, says that it may make sense for people to get blood tests to measure their levels of B12 and folate
However, he says, the study findings may not necessarily translate to people outside Scandinavia. And he worries that the results may spur doctors to recommend B12 injections to their patients -- a preventive treatment that he says is unfounded and already overused.

It's still unclear whether increasing your intake of vitamin B12 will help protect you from Alzheimer's, Gandy says. "Good nutrition should minimize the risk of Alzheimer's disease, but we can't say that any specific food has been proven to reduce this risk."

3 Lifestyle Choices Lower Breast Cancer Risk

Women who make healthy lifestyle choices lower their risk of developing invasive breast cancer, regardless of whether they have a family history of the disease, according to a new study.

"We have more awareness of our familial risks, and we may be led to believe there's nothing we can do — that it's fate," said study researcher Dr. Robert Gramling, a professor at the University of Rochester in New York. But his study showed "whether or not you have a family history of the disease, engaging in healthy behaviors is beneficial."

Women with a family history of breast cancer had a higher risk than those without, he said, but both groups lowered their risk by a similar proportion by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Specifically, the researchers found women who had a family history of breast cancer lowered their risk by about one-fourth by getting regular exercise, limiting their alcohol intake and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Similarly, women without a family history of the disease who followed a healthy lifestyle lowered their risk by about the same amount, Gramling said.

The researchers based their analysis on data from 85,644 postmenopausal women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative, a long-term study launched in 1991 and conducted by the National Institutes of Health. They considered a woman to have a family history of breast cancer if her mother or sister developed the disease after age 45.

Gramling was surprised, he said, that the findings in the two groups were nearly the same.

"It would have been expected that women without a family history of the disease would have lowered their risk," with a healthy lifestyle, he said. That women with a family history of breast cancer lowered their risk by a nearly-identical amount was more unexpected, he said.

In his medical practice, Gramling told MyHealthNewsDaily, he's encountered women who seem to have come to believe there's nothing they can do to lower their risk, but these results show otherwise.

The researchers defined regular exercise as 20 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity at least five times a week, moderate drinking as fewer than seven drinks per week and a healthy body weight as having a body mass index or BMI (a measure of a person's weight in proportion to her height) between 18.5 and 24.9.

The researchers chose to include exercise, BMI and alcohol intake in their definition of a healthy lifestyle, Gramling said, as opposed to other factors such as eating lots of fruits and vegetables, because these criteria have shown the strongest evidence, based on previous studies, of having an impact on one's breast cancer risk.

"Many of us have some family history of a scary disease," Gramling said, "this shouldn't be a barrier to making healthy choices."

The analysis excluded women who had previously had breast cancer, as well as those with a mother or sister who had developed early-onset breast cancer (before age 45), because it was more likely such women have genetic factors that may put them at an even higher risk.

Vitamin D Deficiency Puts Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients at Greater Risk of Osteoporosis, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2010) — Vitamin D deficiency puts patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) at greater risk of osteoporosis, osteopenia and an overall higher rate of abnormal bone density, according to the results of a new study unveiled at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The study, "Vitamin D Deficiency and Abnormal DEXA Scans in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients," found that of the 161 IBD patients in the cohort, reduction in bone density with a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia was found in 22 percent of these patients, 50 percent of whom were under age 50.

IBD is a fairly common condition affecting more than one million people in the United States. The number of IBD patients is split equally between those with Crohn's disease and those with ulcerative colitis. Children and adults with IBD between the ages of 10 and 70 participated in the prospective study between 2008 and 2010. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as Vitamin D 25‐hydroxy levels less than 30ng/mL. DEXA scan results were considered abnormal if osteopenia and osteoporosis were found.

"IBD patients with an abnormal bone density exam had a significantly higher rate of Vitamin D deficiency than those who had normal DEXA scans," said Dr. Bincy P. Abraham, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Director, Baylor Clinic Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program.

Dr. Abraham, who presented the findings, said that previous research has suggested a high prevalence of osteoporosis and overall abnormal bone density in IBD patients that is likely caused by corticosteroid use and excess of inflammatory cytokines, as well as from calcium and Vitamin D malabsorption.

"We aimed to determine the association between Vitamin D deficiency and abnormal bone density in IBD patients," said Dr. Abraham.

According the study, Crohn's disease patients with Vitamin D deficiency were four times more likely to have a higher rate of abnormal bone density exams compared to patients with ulcerative colitis.

"This finding is not surprising since Crohn's disease usually affects the small intestine, which is the part of the gut that absorbs the most nutrients," said Dr. Abraham. "The widespread malabsorption in Crohn's disease does not occur in ulcerative colitis, which involves only the colon."

However, both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients diagnosed with osteoporosis had a significantly higher rate of Vitamin D deficiency irrespective of prednisone intake, according to the study.

"Abnormal bone density was relatively high among our IBD patients with Vitamin D deficiency irrespective to age, gender or corticosteroid use that would place them at a significantly higher risk of having an abnormal DEXA result," said Dr. Abraham. "It remains important for those caring for IBD patients to evaluate for Vitamin D nutritional deficiency and for its potential consequence of osteopenia or osteoporosis."

Study makes the case for vegetable juice

A study published in Nutrition Journal has suggested that promotion of vegetable juice could be an effective way of increasing vegetable intake among healthy adults.

A diet rich in vegetables has been associated with lower risk of various health disorders including heart disease and yet the authors of the paper said vegetable consumption in the US has fallen over the past decade.

Working from the nutritional science lab at the University of California, Davis, the scientists therefore sought to determine whether drinking vegetable juice is a practical way of closing the gap between dietary recommendations and vegetable intake. The second research aim was to see how vegetable juice affected cardiovascular health.

To fulfill these objectives, a randomised, controlled study was constructed with 90 volunteers who received 0, 8 or 16 fluid ounces of vegetable juice daily for 12 weeks and were asked to follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

Daily vegetable servings with and without the vegetable juice were measured along with heart health parameters including blood pressure

Study results

Without the addition of the juice, the results showed that consumption of vegetable juice was below both dietary guidelines and DASH diet recommendations. This was in spite of the education that the participants received about the DASH diet.

Compared to public health recommendations of 4 servings per day, average vegetable intake for all groups, without counting vegetable juice, was 2.6 servings per day after 6 weeks and 2.3 servings per day after 12 weeks.

But once the vegetable juice was counted, the participants were able to reach the daily recommendations.

The authors concluded from these results that vegetable intake, even in an educated, healthy population, remains lower than recommendations and that adding vegetable juice daily was “an effective and acceptable way for healthy adults to close the dietary vegetable gap.”

Heart health impact

Regarding the secondary aim of the study, the authors said that generally parameters associated with heart health did not change over time. However, participants who were pre-hypertensive at the start of the study showed a significant decrease in blood pressure during the intervention period.

The authors called for more research to be done to explore the health impact of drinking vegetable juice among other at risk subgroups.

Funding for the study was provided by the Campbell Soup Company, which makes V8 vegetable juice, and the UC Davis Center for Health and Nutrition Research.

Source: Nutrition Journal
The use of a commercial vegetable juice as a practical means to increase vegetable intake: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sonia F Shenoy, Alexandra G Kazaks, Roberta R Holt, Hsin Ju Chen1, Barbara L Winters, Chor San Khoo, Walker SC Poston, C Keith Haddock, Rebecca S Reeves, John P Foreyt, M Eric Gershwin and Carl L Keen

Health In Your Hands – Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD

The Health In Your Hands DVD is a careful selection of exercises that you can do to reverse scoliosis in the comfort of your own home.

Broken down into three easy-to-digest sections, the DVD will take you through the various steps in order to start rebuilding and rebalancing your spine and its surrounding muscles and ligaments. The comprehensive sections cover everything from Body Balancing Stretches to Building Your Core and a number of different Body Alignment Exercises that have all been carefully designed and selected by Dr Kevin Lau.

Presented in a unique and accessible way, the DVD covers all areas of non-surgical intervention in the treatment of scoliosis in order to cure you permanently. The exercises in the DVD are tried and tested by qualified personal trainers, explained in the informative and insightful voice over of Dr Kevin Lau, who guides you to a straighter spine.

For anyone who suffers scoliosis, the main advantages of the DVD are:

•    It gives a 60-minute concise expansion of Dr Lau’s book by the same name, Health In Your Hands: Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment.
•    The Body Balancing section in the DVD explains in detail the correct stretching techniques for scoliosis sufferers.
•    The Building Your Core section focuses on strengthening the muscles that give stability to your spine. Incorporating these core exercises in your daily routine will support and stabilise both your spine and your pelvis area
•    The last section, Body Alignment Exercises will ensure overall repositioning of your spine.
•    All the exercises that feature in the DVD are suitable for pre and post-operative rehabilitation for scoliosis conditions
•    All exercises covered in the Health In Your Hands DVD can be practiced at home, and with no special equipment required other than an exercise ball.

Your child and scoliosis

Scoliosis is a fixed lateral curvature of the spine. Frequently noted in adolescents, it is often picked up in "school screening" where a nurse evalautes a childs aligjnment on a forward bend test, and a note is sent home that the child needs evaluation for scoliosis. There are a number of causes of scoliosis and the natural history and treatment differ depending on the cause. Thus, it is important to understand the cause of your child's scoliosis before embarking on a treatment.

Scoliosis may be caused by severe muscle weakness (such as in muscular dystrophy), neurological abnormalities (such as cerebral palsy), spinal cord abnormalities (such as a syrinx which is an abnormal fluid filled cavity within the spinal cord), or congenital abnormalities in the way the bones of the spine are put together (referred to as "congenital scoliosis"). Finally, the most common cause of scoliosis is termed "idiopathic," meaning that the cause is "peculiar to the individual." Approximately 80% of scoliosis that comes into a physician's office is "idiopathic," and only about 30% of these idiopathic curves progress (get worse).

Because there are different types of scoliosis, the behavior and problems that result differ dependent on the cause. For instance, the curvature that occurs in severe cerebral palsy occurs in the lower spine (thoraco-lumbar or lumbar curves) that cause difficulty sitting and may result in pain. However, they do not generally cause problems with the heart or lungs.

While the causes of idiopathic scoliosis remain elusive, there are a number of things that we do know about it. Idiopathic scoliosis can run in families and thus there is some genetic influence. While the gene (or more likely, genes) involved have yet to be defined, we are likely to have a much better understanding of the inheritance of scoliosis soon. There are some patients that have subtle neurological abnormalities, such as abnormal perception of horizontal or abnormal nystagmus (the little flicker that the eyes make when they move side to side). It is unclear if these are a cause of idiopathic scoliosis or a result of the curve. In the future, we may find that "idiopathic" scoliosis is actually a number of different diseases, each of which has its own natural history.

It is also important to recognize that idiopathic curves behave differently depending on their location, the patient's age, and the size of the curve. Curves in the thoracic (chest) region are the most common. They generally result

in a narrowing of the chest wall (a result of rotation of the vertebral body and resulting deformity of the ribs). If the curve is small (less then 40 degrees) by the time the child reaches skeletal maturity, it is not likely to worsen as an adult. Generally, once the thoracic curve gets over 50 degrees, it is like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and will continue to worsen with time, potentially resulting in problems with the heart and lungs.Thus, if a thoracic curve reaches 50 degrees or more, most surgeons would recommend that the patient undergo surgery to prevent further worsening

A Review of my Book off the Internet

In my office in Sept 2010

Im happy that someone I have never met before is enjoying the research and effort I put into creating this book. I would like to sincerely thank the site owner or reviewer from Salton Yogurt Maker.. Diet and exercise has and will always be intrinsically associated to all aspects of health from your heart, brain and even the spine. The site and review:

http://www.saltonyogurtmaker.com/health-in-your-hands-your-plan-for-natural-scoliosis-prevention-and-treatment-1451568967.html

This is must have Health In Your Hands: Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment (by CreateSpace) :
 
A brilliant book. This book was recommended to me by my chiropractor. I have had scoliosis since birth and for me I found the contents simply liberating. This is a book that takes a universal approach and looks at matters that most people wouldn't immediately link together. The chapters on diet and nutrition I found to be the most innovative as I have never come across a book that talks about what food people with spinal conditions should eat. The exercises were great too. Would highly recommend it to anyone who either suffers or wants to broaden his or her knowledge on the subject.

I have just finished reading Health In Your Hands. by Dr Kevin Lau and have had to run onto my computer to add my review. What a joyous experience it really was. Everyone must read this book. From start to finish I felt like my knowledge on scoliosis was being perpetually pumped to the point it would burst. Intense, detailed, thought provoking and revolutionary, what more would you possibly want from a book! Go and buy it.

Health in your hands.. Something tells me that I will be coming back to this book for sometime to come, Beautifully articulated with a profound sense of compassion that springs from every chapter. Lau is clearly an author who has devoted himself to understanding and in turn offering precise consultation on the subject of Scoliosis. Some very insightful chapters with tons of information on every aspect of the condition. A pleasure to read and will absolutely be going back to it.

A must read!!!!. I read this book from beginning to end in just 2 weeks. I don't think I have ever read a book that quick. Not only are the subjects relative to anyone who is interested in scoliosis but the books makes for great reading.

I particularly found the `Corrective Exercises for Scoliosis chapter a joy to read. It contained some brilliant pointers that I was previously unaware of. A fully accessible book that I highly recommend to everyone.

GREAT BOOK. I have been after a book like this for such a long time. It contains everything you would ever need to know about Scoliosis, from the condition itself, to appropriate foods, to a range of treatment and exercises that should be incorporated into the lives of scoliosis sufferers. I like the way it has been broken down into three easy to follow sections with clear indications as to the subject of each part. Really awesome book.

How Effective is Scoliosis Surgery?

How effective is surgery for treating scoliosis anyway? Admittedly, it is a question with very subjective set of answers, so I thought it would be interesting to compare the benefits of surgical correction for scoliosis against the SOSORT rankings of most important scoliosis treatment outcomes.

Ranking Importance of factors in scoliosis according to SOSORT

1. Aesthetics ( I guess, if you don’t count the big scar going down the entire length of the patient’s back…cosmetic improvement IS the only indication for scoliosis surgery…”Correction of scoliosis is largely an elective cosmetic procedure in the young population, who account for the largest portion of the surgical population. Associated with the correction, however, is a very real possibility of major neurological injury, including paralysis.”)
SCOLIOSIS SURGERY: APPROPRIATE MONITORING. Tod B. Sloan MD, PhD. Anesthesiology Clinics of North America
Volume 15, Issue 3, 1 September 1997, Pages 573-592

2. Quality of life (Nope. Not with 40% of patients being legally defined as severely handicapped with in 17 years post surgery.)
Gotze C, Slomka A, Gotze HG, Potzl W, Liljenqvist U, Steinbeck J. Long-term results of quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis after Harrington instrmentation and their relevance for expert evidence. Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb 2002 Sep-Oct;140(5):492-8

3. Psychological well-being (Nope. “The psychological health status is significantly impaired.”)
Quality of Life and Back Pain: Outcome 16.7 Years After Harrington Instrumentation
Spine 2002 Jul 1;27 (13) :1456-63 Gotze et al, Dept. of O Surg, Hamm,Germany

4. Disability (Nope. “40% of operated treated patients with idiopathic scoliosis were legally defined as severely handicapped persons”
Gotze C, Slomka A, Gotze HG, Potzl W, Liljenqvist U, Steinbeck J. Long-term results of quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis after Harrington instrumentation and their relevance for expert evidence. Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb 2002 Sep-Oct;140(5):492-8

5. Back Pain (Nope. “Standardized gradations of pain and function showed improvement over-all, but significant impairment remained. There was a reduction in the levels of peak and constant pain, but no change in the frequency of peak pain after operation. The number of patients who were pain-free after surgery was not increased…..In view of the high rate of complications, the limited gains to be derived from spinal fusion should be assessed and clearly explained to patients before the procedure is undertaken.”)
Results of surgical treatment of adults with idiopathic scoliosis.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 1987 Jun;69(5):667-75
Sponseller PD, Cohen MS, Nachemson AL, Hall JE, Wohl ME.

6. Rib hump (Potentially, some cases may require an additional rib resection surgery though….not a small procedure.)

7. Breathing function (Nope. “The correlation between the change in Cobb angle and the thoracic volume change was poor for both groups.”)
Scoliosis curve correction, thoracic volume changes, and thoracic diameters in scoliotic patients after anterior and posterior instrumentation. Int Orthop 2001;25(2):66-0

8. Progression in adulthood (Nope. “Initial average loss of spinal correction post-surgery is 3.2 degrees in the first year and 6.5 after two years with continued loss of 1.0 degrees per year throughout life.”)

9. Needs of further treatments in adulthood (Nope. “40% of operated treated patients with idiopathic scoliosis were legally defined as severely handicapped persons” )
Gotze C, Slomka A, Gotze HG, Potzl W, Liljenqvist U, Steinbeck J. Long-term results of quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis after Harrington instrumentation and their relevance for expert evidence. Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb 2002 Sep-Oct;140(5):492-8

10 Knowledge and understanding of scoliosis in general and their specific pattern (Nope.)

11 Balance (Unknown, but probably not)

12 Scoliosis Cobb degrees (radiographic lateral flexion) (Yep)

13 Self control of posture (Nope.)

14 Movement of the vertebral column (sagittal plane) (Definitely NOPE)

15 Perdriolle degrees (radiographic rotation) (Yep, but to a lesser extent than cobb angle)

16 Kypho-lordosis Cobb degrees (radiographic lateral alignment) (Yep)

17 Sensory motor integration of the corrective ideal pattern (Nope)

18 Exercise efficiency (Nope.)

19 Equality of weight bearing (Perhaps a little?)

20 Improved body motor awareness and motor learning skills (Nope.)

21 Improved processing of vestibular input (Nope.)

Final total:

5 total positive outcome measures achieved.

14 total Negative outcome measures achieved.

2 unknown outcome measures

Overall: We need a better way!

Scoliosis Sufferers in India Now Have a Natural Solution

Physiotherapy helps Hamilton mum who suffered years of pain due to serious spinal condition

A LANARKSHIRE mum has endured years of pain and discomfort – due to a serious spinal condition.

Four years ago Pamela Alston, from Quarter, began to suffer extreme back pain at work. She was diagnosed with the condition scoliosis.

This causes excessive curvature of the spine.

And, if left untreated, can lead to fatal heart and lung problems.

Pamela ( 22), a customer services advisor with First Direct, found it almost impossible to sit at her desk at work all day.

When she went to her GP she was shocked to discover the pain was due to a significant curve in her spine.

Pamela was later informed the only option available to her was to undergo basic physiotherapy or to have spinal fusion surgery.

She said: “I was devastated. I’d only just discovered I was expecting my first baby.

“However, this was clouded by being diagnosed with such a serious condition.

“I was only able to get physiotherapy during the first trimester of my pregnancy.

“The NHS could not recommend any other treatment other than surgery, but my condition was considered not to be severe enough to warrant having my spine fused.

“I felt like I was in limbo.”

Pamela had baby Jessica in January 2007. Some time later she felt well enough to return to her hobby of dancing.

However, she was advised to give this up because of her spine condition.

While surfing the internet, Pamela came across a clinic which offered non-surgical treatments for the condition.

The clinic told her the pain she had been experiencing was due to an imbalance of the muscles surrounding her spine which was caused by scoliosis.

And, after being treated at the clinic in England, her pain declined. She has to make a trip to the clinic for one day every six weeks for check-ups.

Pamela said this week: “I now feel much happier with my posture and physical appearance. I’m now pain free and no longer at risk from major surgery.

“I’ve learned so much about my condition and I now feel in control. I know the exercises I need to do in order to remain pain-free.”