Health Alert: One-in-Ten Home Colon Cancer Tests Are Unusable.
Due to factors including inadequate stool specimens, incomplete labeling, old specimens, and leaking or broken containers, researchers estimate that about 10% of at-home colon cancer tests sent to a lab are unusable. The study highlights the need for improved patient education, test-tracking procedures, and timely follow-up to address breakdowns in the screening process and enhance the effectiveness of at-home screening tests for colon cancer.
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, December 2023 Diet: New Salt Substitute Formula Can Help Reduce High Blood Pressure.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that a new salt formulation that is 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride can relax the walls of the arteries, lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk for hypertension.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, December 2023 Exercise: How Exercise Inhibits Fat Infiltration in Muscles...
Myosteatosis is a term used to describe the accumulation of fat in skeletal muscles, which can negatively affect physical function and health-related quality of life. In a recent study, researchers observed that exercise increases the expression of the PGC-1alpha gene, which improves mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, inhibiting the fibro-adipogenic progenitors that drive fat accumulation in muscles.
Journal of Physiology, December 2023 Chiropractic: Treatment for Cervical Radiculopathy.
A systematic review that included eight studies concluded that neural mobilization is an effective treatment option for mobility, pain, disability, and functional activity in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Doctors of chiropractic frequently use neural mobilization as part of a multimodal approach when managing cervical radiculopathy cases.
Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, September 2023 Mental Attitude: Fear of Serious Illness Can Shorten Life.
Illness anxiety disorder is a chronic mental health condition in which a person excessively worries about having a serious, undiagnosed medical illness, despite having little or no medical evidence to support it. According to a recent study that looked at long-term data concerning more than 45,000 adults found that individuals with illness anxiety disorder were not only more likely to die from circulatory or respiratory diseases during the 24-year study, but they died at younger ages (up to five years) than participants without the mental health condition.
JAMA Psychiatry, December 2023 Wellness/Prevention: Steps for Healthy Brain Ageing.
To reduce the risk for dementia, The University of Connecticut offers the following tips: exercise regularly, eat a heart-healthy diet, manage your blood pressure, protect against head injuries, don’t smoke, avoid excessive alcohol intake, address hearing loss, and keep an active social life.
University of Connecticut, December 2023 Check out this month's pain relief updates here! |
