Chipping Away At The Mystery Of Alzheimer’s: Anemia Increases Risk For Dementia, Study Finds
“Given the other beneficial effects of treating anemia, this study provides an extra incentive,” said the lead author, Frank J. Wolters, a researcher at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam. In other public health news: standing versus running, OCD, foodborne illnesses, breast milk and surgeries for the elderly.
The New York Times:
Anemia May Increase Dementia Risk
A new study confirms earlier reports that anemia — a condition caused by having too little hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells — increases the risk for dementia. It found that having high hemoglobin levels does so as well. Dutch researchers looked at 12,305 people without dementia at the start of the study, measuring their hemoglobin levels and following them for an average of 12 years. Over the period, 1,520 developed dementia, including 1,194 with Alzheimer’s disease. The study is in Neurology. (Bakalar, 7/31)
The New York Times:
Why Standing Often Feels Even Harder Than Running
I’ve been a runner for 25 years and have been practicing yoga for 10. So why do I find it so much less painful to run for an hour than stand for an hour? Even the thought of standing for extended periods makes my back ache, especially during the summer, where standing is part of the fabric of the season, from waiting in line at amusement parks to standing in the security checkpoint queue at the airport. “The way we stand is so important. Our body can only handle so much strain in one position,” said Dr. Diane Koshimune, a podiatrist. When standing, most people’s tendency is to assume a “relaxed” stance, with the arch of the foot collapsed and your foot rolled in slightly, she said. (Ketteler, 8/1)
The New York Times:
The Boxing Champion Who Battles O.C.D.
Virginia Fuchs announced herself to the boxing world at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials, where she twice upset Marlen Esparza, a world champion. In 2017, Fuchs went 18-0. In 2018, she claimed a bronze medal at the world championships by attacking her flyweight opponents, on average, every four seconds during nine minutes of boxing. “That’s an engine!” said Billy Walsh, the head coach for the American team. “She’s a supreme athlete. We joke and call her Seabiscuit because she’s like a racehorse.” (Berg, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Frozen Fruits And Vegetables Can Carry Foodborne Illnesses. Here’s How To Avoid Them.
When North Carolina State University microbiologist Benjamin Chapman makes a smoothie, he like many of us uses frozen berries. But first, Chapman microwaves his frozen berries to boiling and then refreezes them again before tossing them into the blender. Why the extra steps? Chapman wants to be sure that there are no pathogens in the frozen berries that could cause a foodborne illness for him or his family. (Squires, 7/31)
Iowa Public Radio:
Breast Milk Sharing: Online Communities Provide Options Beyond Formula
Human Milk 4 Human Babies is a global network that connects local families who have chosen to share and receive breast milk. Through the local Iowa network, Fillmore says she was able to get to know the mothers she was receiving milk from by visiting their home and meeting their own babies. (Woodbury and Nebbe, 7/31)
Kaiser Health News:
The Talk Seniors Need To Have With Doctors Before Surgery
The decision seemed straightforward. Bob McHenry’s heart was failing, and doctors recommended two high-risk surgeries to restore blood flow. Without the procedures, McHenry, 82, would die. The surgeon at a Boston teaching hospital ticked off the possible complications. Karen McHenry, the patient’s daughter, remembers feeling there was no choice but to say “go ahead.” It’s a scene she’s replayed in her mind hundreds of times since, with regret. (Graham, 8/1)
