Take Your Pills On A Set Schedule, Research Shows

A nurse holding the old man's shoulder and posing

The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article recently on the fact that since our physiology and biochemistry change dramatically through the course of each day, that medicines are more effective when taken on a set schedule.  The term for this is chronopharmacology which states that medications and treatments should be taken on a set schedule when they are proven to be most effective.  This is especially important in the case of heart attacks and strokes, two of the leading causes of death in the U.S., responsible for almost 900K deaths annually.

Reduce Weight And Cut Your Cardiovascular risk Factors

An obese person holding the cheese burger in his hand

Obesity is a huge problem in our country, and can lead to heart attack, stroke , high blood pressure and many other negative health impacts.  Lowering your cholesterol and limiting alcohol can also reduce your risk of a major cardiovascular event like a heart attack.  The odds of getting cardiovascular disease in our 60’s are high.  77.5% of males and 75.4% of females between the ages of 60 to 79 have it, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).  Common symptoms of a heart attack are chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, feeling faint or weak, and pain in your jaw, neck, back arms or shoulders.  Other signs include unexplained fatigue, nausea, vomiting and light-headedness.  “Even as little as a 5 to 10 percent decrease in your body weight can have a huge effect on your blood pressure and other risk factors,” Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, president of the AHA, told AARP Bulletin (August-September Issue, page 51).

Monterey, CA New Biotech Partnership To Fight Alzheimer’s

Biotech startup Cervance Inc. could earn more than $1 billion via a collaboration with drugmaker Merck & Company to research potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. This a fledgling sector.  Although victims of the disease are growing quickly, there have been no effective new treatments that have come to market in more than a decade.  “Hopefully the tide is turning,” Cerevance CEO Craig Thompson, told the Wall Street Journal.  Cerevance gathers brain tissue from brain banks, or centers that obtain brains from organ donors.  It then examines brain tissue to identify brain diseases and metrics such as what genes are over- or under-active.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had this debilitating disease when they passed away.  There are some great people at the Monterey Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch, or you can call their 24-hour hotline at 1-800-272-3900.

More Voices Come Out Against Aspirin For Heart Attack And Stroke Prevention

In the old days, it was thought by many medical professionals that a daily dose of aspirin could ward off heart disease.  In recent years, more and more studies have turned the tide away from the popularity of recommending a daily dose of aspirin.  This year, the United States Preventing Services Task Force (USPSTF) came out strongly against those over 60 years old who have not had a heart attack or stroke, specifically citing the risks of internal bleeding which would outweigh any benefit.  Adults who have a stent or have had a previous heart attack or stroke should not stop taking aspirin.

Monterey, CA Seniors Need To Stick To A Healthy Diet Or Risk Alzheimer’s, Dementia

Elderly lady holding caregivers hand - In home dementia care Pebble Beach

We all know that processed foods aren’t good for you.  More proof of this come from the Alzheimer’s Association, which did a presentation at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego to show the audience proof from various studies which showed that food like instant noodles, sugary drinks and frozen meals all play a role in cognitive decline.  “It’s no secret that physical and mental cognitive health are intimately involved with each other, so it’s no surprise that this latest research suggests brain impairment too,” Rafael Perez-Escamilla, a professor of public health at Yale University, told the audience.  “Just 100 calories of processed foods can affect your physical health.  So, that’s two cookies,” he continued.  Other research has linked ultra-processed food consumption to health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers.  Try the Mediterranean Diet, it’s great for your health and delicious.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  If you need information or just someone to talk to, there are some wonderful people at the Monterey branch of the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-272-3900.

Sleep Extremely Important For Staying In Good Health

A Hospice Nurse visiting an Elderly male patient

As we get older, we often sleep less than we did when we were younger.  However, that may not be a good thing.  The American Heart Association recommends that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.  Just last month they added sleep to its list of factors critical to heart health, a list that includes seven others such as diet, physical activity and blood pressure.  Their report jibes with a widening scientific consensus on the role sleep plays in helping prevent heart disease.  “The more we learn, the more we know how instrumental sleep is to heart health,” Marie-Pierre St-Onge, associate professor of nutritional medicine and director of the Sleep Center of Excellence at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, told The Wall Street Journal.

Monterey, CA Obesity A Big Problem In America

A doctor is measuring the obese belly of the man

Obesity is a huge problem for Americans, and some people are just accepting the condition rather than fighting it.   “We consider fat a part of human body diversity,” Tigress Osborn, chair of the nonprofit National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, told USA Today.

In 2005, the U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona declared obesity a bigger threat to America than terrorists, but our government has done very little to regulate food marketing, reduce demand by increasing taxes or adding the kind of nutrition labels to decrease junk food consumption.  Currently, 42% of Americans fit the medical definition of being obese (having a body mass index of 30 or greater).  Many types of cancer are linked to obesity.  So is heart, liver and kidney disease.  And people with obesity run an 80% higher risk of developing diabetes.  Many people swear by the Mediterranean Diet to lose weight.  It consists of delicious foods like lamb, chicken, beef, olive oil, fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts.  Montage or Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) has some great information on their website about weight loss.

Monterey, CA Alzheimer’s Breakthrough With The Christchurch Variant APOE Gene

Doctor Robert Califf in white color coat and colorful tie

Researchers have been studying a group of families in Columbia for years due to the fact that they carry a variant of the gene PSEN-1 which pretty much guarantees they will get Alzheimer’s.  Many get it at an early age, with a sad story being told by a mother who had to take care of her son who had Alzheimer’s disease.  There has been a recent breakthrough, with Aliria Rosa Piedrahita de Villegas, a woman in her 70’s with the gene who did not get Alzheimer’s disease until the age of 72, three decades after most others with the gene get the disease.  Further study found that Aliria also had two copies of another rare variant of the APOE gene, also known as the Christchurch variant, which helped protect her brain and drastically slowed the progression of the disease.  “This opens a new door for Alzheimer’s research,” said Yakeel Quiroz, an associate professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.  “And through that door are new opportunities for treatments,” he said.  Quiroz and other researchers are now working on developing an Alzheimer’s treatment that can replicate the protective actions and effects of the Christchurch variant.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my grandmother and my father had this terrible disease when they died.  There is a great group of people at the Monterey branch of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch or you can also call their 24-hour hotline for support at 1-800-272-3900.

Obesity Is A Growing Problem In This Country

A doctor is measuring the obese belly of the man

Obesity can lead to a number of health problems including diabetes, heart disease and strokes.  One issue that can easily be tackled is to stop drinking sugary beverages.  A 20-ounce bottle of cola contains 65 grams of sugar—five times as much as a typical glazed donut.  Even things that you think are healthy might be a bad choice.  Store-bought orange juice has as much sugar as soda!  Try switching to sparkling water with lemon or making your own iced tea.

Monterey, CA Telehealth Continues To Boom

A doctor holding a stethoscope with his hand

Telehealth continues to boom even as the pandemic has begun to slow.  It’s quicker, easier, and doctors can see more patients.  Prior to the pandemic, telehealth made up less than 0.01% of healthcare visits across the United States.  By mid-April of 2020, that number had jumped to 69%.  Both Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, or CHOMP, and Dignity Health care are actively promoting telehealth.  This is particularly great news for those with rare diseases for which there are just a handful of specialists nationwide.  A new study found that 83% of those with rare diseases were offered a telehealth visit by their health care provider and 92% of those felt it was a positive experience.