elnathan Blog

How to reduce your risk of diabetes By Dr. Manny Alvarez Diabetes is a huge problem in the United States today, and one that I don't believe is taken seriously enough.  According to statistics by the International Diabetes Federation, 552 million people – that’s one in 10 adults – will have diabetes by 2030. If correct, that would be a jump of more than 200 million people with type 2 diabetes over two decades. The World Health Organization estimates that there are about 346 million people who suffer from the disease today. The projected rise is more due to aging that the obesity epidemic, the diabetes federation said, but we’ve also seen a rise recently in children and young adults developing diabetes. Twenty years ago, type 2 diabetes was virtually unheard of in people so young. The thing is, type 2 diabetes is still entirely preventable with certain lifestyle changes. I always preach to my patients th...

  A second western New York hospital is notifying patients that they may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C through the improper sharing of insulin pens. Olean (OH'-lee-an) General Hospital says Thursday that it's mailing letters to 1,915 patients who received insulin at the hospital from November 2009 through last week. Hospital officials say the action follows an internal review conducted after recent news reports brought the issue of insulin pen-sharing to light. Last week, the Veterans Affairs hospital in Buffalo said more than 700 patients may have been exposed to blood-borne pathogens over a two-year period when multi-use pens intended for use by a single patient may have been used on more than one person. The Olean hospital is recommending blood screening.

Researchers are hoping that people will do some research about where to get a tattoo, after a study found a link between body art and hepatitis C. The new study found that people with the virus were almost four times more likely to report having a tattoo, even when other major risk factors were taken into account, co-author Dr. Fritz Francois of New York University Langone Medical Center told Reuters Health. Although the study could not prove a direct cause and effect, "Tattooing in and of itself may pose a risk for this disease that can lay dormant for many, many years," Francois said. About 3.2 million people in the U.S. have hepatitis C, and many don't know because they don't feel ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver cancer and most common reason for liver transplants in the U.S. Some 70 percent of people infected will develop chronic liver disease, and up to ...

Can the Internet save your life? I’m going to say, ‘Yes.’  However, before you go diagnosing your latest medical issue, let me make it clear that I’m talking about accurate information on the World Wide Web. Recently, a mother saved her son’s life by Googling his symptoms after he was initially misdiagnosed as having gastroenteritis.  Her Internet sleuthing eventually lead to the discovery of her son’s brain tumor, and she was able to take him to another doctor – who diagnosed and treated him just in time. RELATED: Mother saves son's life by Googling symptoms after initial misdiagnosis While this story is extraordinary, I feel like this is something that has happened more than once.  For the last decade, I’ve seen how patients and their families utilize good sources of medical information to enhance or question a diagnosis – as well as seek alternative forms of health care. In my practice, many of my pat...

  B elieve it or not, yogurt is one of the oldest produced foods in history. Its popularity in the United States did not take hold until the mid-1950s as people became more health-conscious and open to trying new foods. Of course, yogurt is virtually a kitchen staple today, offered in varieties such as Greek style, frozen, organic and even with added fiber. By all measures a nutritional superstar, yogurt is loaded with calcium (a 6-ounce serving has about 20-30 percent of your daily recommended intake), protein, vitamins and good-for-you-bacteria known as probiotics. It can help decrease the risk of osteoporosis and contains 20 percent more protein than milk per serving. Intestinal-friendly bacteria, along with the calcium in yogurt, help keep the colon healthy, and this can reduce the risk of colon cancer. Yogurt can also boost immunity, and the lactic acid found in yogurt aids in digestion and the absorption of nutrients. READ: The Truth About Ba...

5 foods that boost memory By Tanya Zuckerbrot As we age our focus and ability to recall details from the past (or even something that just occurred) can seem like a challenge. But did you know eating certain foods can actually help you improve your memory? Blackberries This scrumptious little berry delivers a powerful burst of flavor; even better is that it contains polyphenols, antioxidants that may help reverse age-related memory loss. Polyphenols reduce inflammation in ways that can get your brain working more like it did when you were younger. Blackberries are a delicious addition to yogurt, smoothies or as a snack, and they contain vitamins and minerals to keep you alert along with fiber that keeps your belly feeling full. Spinach Eating three servings a day of Popeye’s favorite food will help keep you sharp as a tack and thin as a rail. Dark leafy greens like spinach contain lots of memory boosti...

An Australian researcher has developed a gene therapy for HIV - which has the potential to stop the virus from turning deadly. David Harrich, an associate professor at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), will begin animal trials this year, but experiments in humans are still five years away. Harrich has manipulated an HIV protein involved in gene expression, known as Tat, and turned it into a weapon against the virus.Using human immune system cells, known as T-cells, in the laboratory, he's shown the mutant protein prevents HIV replication. At the same time, Harrich said the modified protein, dubbed Nullbasic, did not appear to adversely affect the human cells. "So far we haven't found that Nullbasic causes toxicity in the cells we've tested," he said. "I'm excited. Every test I've done with this agent has succeeded. It makes me optimistic it will work in humans. At the same time, I'm a skeptical scientist, ...

  By:  Mandy Oakland There aren’t many compliments to pay processed food, but even we’ll admit: The stuff sure can be colorful. Give the food industry a dull block of ice, and voila! They’ll give you back an azure popsicle. Unfortunately, a blockbuster new study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology finds that blue dye used in edible products might be doing more to our bodies than we thought. What Do Doctors Really Eat? The research team, out of the Slovak University of Technology, studied two blue dyes, Patent Blue and Brilliant Blue. The former is banned from food products in the United States, but Brilliant Blue (also known as FD&C Blue No. 1) is used in food, textiles, leathers, and cosmetics in several countries including the U.S. “[Brilliant Blue] is one of the most commonly used blue dyes,” says study co-author Jarmila Hojerová, an associate professor at the Slovak University of Technology and president of the Slovak Society of...

Despite having names like “Fresh Rain” and “Linen,” everyday household products can actually harbor many chemicals that aren’t as safe as they sound. According to the Environmental Working Group, 66 percent of those chemicals have never even been tested. Terri Trespicio, a spokesperson from Seventh Generation, a company that manufactures natural household products, said chemicals could be lurking in any product you bring into your home or put on your body. “We’re talking things you clean your body with, personal-care items, house-cleaning [items], air fresheners,” Trespicio told FoxNews.com.  “All that stuff is loaded with fragrances, and the reason they haven’t been tested is because of a….loophole in the federal law from 80 years ago that allowed companies to not have to disclose what’s in ‘fragrances.’” When it comes to petroleum-based and synthetic fragrances, Trespicio said they can cause many adverse health effects, such as allergic reactions, contact de...

 Elene N. Gage Renewing your energy is possible, once you learn to combat common causes of fatigue. Culprit: A Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency Having low levels of iron or vitamin D or B12 can make you feel tired, anxious, and weak, says Irene Park, a nurse practitioner in New York City. Many experts believe that a significant percentage of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D. “And lower levels of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and pain,” says Keenan. Also, if you’re a woman of reproductive age, you’re statistically at greater risk for iron-deficiency anemia. More From Real Simple: How to Make Positive Changes in Your Life What to Say in Awkward Social Situations 5 Mistakes Everyone Should Make The only way to tell if you’re low in any vitamin or mineral is to see your doctor for a blood test. Meanwhile, to bolster your body’s stores, consider taking a multivitamin with at least 100 percent of your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals...

Influenza has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, with 7.3 percent of deaths last week caused by pneumonia and the flu, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. That is above the epidemic threshold of 7.2 percent, CDC said. Nine of the 10 regions of the United States had "elevated" flu activity, confirming that seasonal flu has spread across the country and reached high levels several weeks before the usual time of late January or February. In addition, two more children have died this past week from flu-associated illnesses, bringing this season’s total to 20, the CDC said. Public health authorities were correct in their forecast of which flu strains would emerge this season and therefore what vaccine to make – one against influenza A as well as influenza B. An A strain, called H3N2, predominates this season, though the B strain has caused about 20 percent of cases. "We have a good...

For millions, tuning into the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards is as much about seeing what the celebrities are wearing as it is about who wins.  Stars who walk the red carpet know this full well, and many go to great lengths to be sure they turn up looking their absolute best.  Of course it helps to have an exquisite gown, a team of make-up artists and hair stylists for flawless makeup and perfect hair. But radiant beauty is more than all that.  Diet definitely plays a hand – affecting everything from the quality of your skin, nails and hair, energy-level, body shape and weight. Food is a powerful beautifier to be sure, and here are some of the time-tested tips I pass along to my celebrity clients: Eat more fiber – the ‘miracle carb’ for beauty and weight For a clearer more radiant complexion, incorporate more fiber-rich foods into your diet. Do this by eating carbs that are high in fiber, such as vegetables, whole grains, and high fiber cere...

The U.S. health regulator warned that taking a widely prescribed insomnia drug at night may impair driving and alertness the next morning, and recommended the bedtime dose be lowered. New data showed that levels of the drug zolpidem may be high enough to impair alertness in some patients the morning after using it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on its website on Thursday. Women appear to be more susceptible to the risk as they eliminate zolpidem from their bodies slower than men do, the regulator added. Zolpidem is marketed as a generic under several brand names such as Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar and Zolpimist. Ambien is a Sanofi drug that is marketed by SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc in China. Zolpimist is made by NovaDel Pharma Inc and Edluar belongs to Meda AB. The regulator has asked manufacturers to lower the recommended doses of the drugs. Sanofi, NovaDel and Meda could not immediately be reached for c...

American adults eat in restaurants an average of five times a week—which means they probably eat way too much salt. Even fine-dining menus offer little escape from sodium overload. Starting with the bread and salad and ending with the final plate of tiny cookies, many of restaurants' least salty-seeming options are significant sources of dietary salt. The desire to limit salt isn't just for heart-attack patients. Some 90 percent of Americans will have to contend with high blood pressure in their lifetimes, so it is important for almost everyone to limit their sodium intake, says Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Yet restaurant diners who read menus closely tend to be looking to avoid fats, not sodium. "The consequence of too many calories is more conspicuous," Dr. Willett says. "The sodium issue is quite invisible until they have a stroke....

Take a pass on eating meat just one day a week and you’ll reap these excellent benefits.' 1. Better Health Animal foods, especially red meat, are among the largest sources of saturated fats in our diet. Eliminating meat―beef, pork, lamb, poultry―one day a week can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease and some cancers. MORE FROM REAL SIMPLE: 14 Shortcuts for Everyday Tasks 5 Things Worth Admitting To 5 Ways to Increase Your Will Power  What’s more, “cutting down on meat encourages people to eat more vegetables,” says Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, in New York City. Adding a serving of produce to your diet each day (say, ½ cup of melon or broccoli) may lower your risk of heart disease by 4 percent and your risk of stroke by 6 percent. 2. More Money in Your Pocket Consuming less meat boosts your bottom line. The average cost of a pound of sirloin is $6.20, compared with 90 cents for...

   Quick: which fast-food sandwich do you think has more fat and calories, a McDonald’s Big Mac or Wendy’s Asiago Ranch Chicken Club? If you guessed the Big Mac, you’d be wrong by nearly 10 grams of fat and almost 200 calories. The Big Mac is still the standard-bearer of fattening fast-food sandwiches, but in reality, these days it doesn’t hold a candle to some of the other offerings out there. As the American palate demands larger and larger portions of food, packed with as many toppings as possible, fast-food chains have been more than happy to rise to the occasion. In the 1960s the concept of a burger with 93 grams of fat and 1,300 calories was unheard of (original McDonald’s hamburgers only contain 9 grams of fat and 250 calories), but that’s exactly what’s on offer at Hardee’s, by way of their Monster Thickburger. And if you had told someone 30 years ago that a salad could contain more than 40 grams of fat they’d have laughed at you, but that was long be...

ELNATHAN: Shed Yuletide Pound. Cabbage soup diet: Quick resu... : The cabbage soup diet, like most radical short-term diets, is not for everyone. Eating little but cabbage soup for seven days can p...

The cabbage soup diet, like most radical short-term diets, is not for everyone. Eating little but cabbage soup for seven days can produce amazing results, but it can also leave you feeling groggy, sluggish and unsatisfied. That said, if you’re looking to shed those holiday pounds or lose weight quickly before an important event, the cabbage soup diet promises a 10-pound weight loss in just one week. Success on the cabbage soup diet depends largely on the individual. Some may feel alienated by the boring and unappealing food selection, but others may find quick results to be motivating. It’s important to note that crash diets like this are not without health risks and should only be attempted under professional advisement. How it works With the cabbage soup diet, there is no calorie or carb counting and no recommended exercise regimen or lifestyle changes. Instead, the diet is based on a seven-day menu centered almost exclusively on a special cabbage-based s...