Health | 100 Tips

Is Ovary Removal Tied to Colon Cancer Risk?

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women who have their ovaries removed may have a higher-than-average risk of developing colon cancer, a large study suggests.

Researchers found that among nearly 196,000 Swedish women who’d had their ovaries removed, the risk of eventually being diagnosed with colon cancer was 30 percent higher than the norm for women their age.

The women had their ovaries removed for noncancerous conditions, so a history of ovarian cancer would not explain the findings, the researchers said.

Still, the link does not prove that ovary removal contributes to colon cancer risk, cautioned Mia Gaudet, strategic director of breast and gynecologic cancer research for the American Cancer Society.

The researchers were not able to account for a number of critical factors, said Gaudet, who was not involved in the study.

For one, she said, women who’d undergone ovary removal (“oophorectomy”) may have had higher rates of colon cancer screening.

“Oophorectomy, itself, is tied to more frequent contact with the health care system, including higher rates of cancer screening,” Gaudet said.

Beyond that, she said, there was limited information on the women’s weight, and no details when it came to their diets or use of hormone therapy.

Lead researcher Dr. Josefin Segelman agreed that the study had limitations.

However, it is biologically plausible that ovary removal could affect colon cancer risk, according to Segelman, a colorectal surgeon at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

Other research, she explained, has suggested that sex hormones influence colon cancer development: Some studies have linked hormone replacement therapy after menopause and birth control pills to a decreased colon cancer risk, for example.

And in lab studies, estrogen has been shown to inhibit colon cancer cells from growing, Segelman said.

But Gaudet cautioned that the connection between hormones and colon cancer is unclear. Studies have been “mixed,” she said, as to whether a woman’s natural estrogen levels, or hormone replacement therapy, are related to her odds of developing the cancer.

The latest findings, reported recently in the British Journal of Surgery, are based on records from women who’d had gynecologic surgery at some point between 1965 and 2011. The women had either had one or both ovaries removed, or had undergone a “possible” oophorectomy.

The study authors noted that the latter group included women who’d had a hysterectomy, but no clear indication that the ovaries had been removed, too. However, the procedures are commonly done together.

Overall, 1.6 percent of all women in the study were diagnosed with colon cancer over the next 18 years. That was 30 percent higher than would be expected for women their age, Segelman’s team said.

Women who’d had both ovaries removed had a 2.3-times higher risk of rectal cancer than those who had only one ovary removed, the findings showed.

The researchers were able to account for a few other factors, such as whether the women had a diagnosis of diabetes or health problems related to smoking or heavy drinking — habits that are connected to a heightened colon cancer risk.

The investigators also looked at whether the women had a “diagnosis” of obesity, but did not have any other information on weight and height.

Once those factors were considered, women who’d had both ovaries removed or who had undergone a possible oophorectomy generally had a higher cancer risk than women who’d had just one ovary removed.

Often, an oophorectomy is done to treat ovarian cysts, Gaudet explained. But some women have them removed to lower their risk of ovarian cancer — including women who carry the BRCA gene mutations that greatly increase the lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Segelman said her team had no genetic information on the study group, so it’s not known how many women had their ovaries removed because of a BRCA gene mutation.

For now, both Segelman and Gaudet had similar advice for women: If your doctor recommends oophorectomy, discuss the reasons and the potential risks versus benefits.

And as far as colon cancer prevention, Gaudet suggested “focusing on the risk factors you can control.”

“The American Cancer Society recommends eating a healthy, largely plant-based diet, limiting alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight,” she said. “And definitely don’t smoke.”

More information

The American Cancer Society has more on colon cancer.

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Disabling Falls Don’t Have to Happen

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Seniors are at high risk for falls, but there are ways to reduce that risk, experts say.

One-third of Americans aged 65 and older fall each year. And, falls are the leading cause of nonfatal and fatal injuries among older Americans, according to the American Trauma Society.

Each year, more than 2.5 million fall-related injuries are treated at U.S. emergency departments, the trauma society says. These falls result in more than 734,000 hospitalizations and more than 21,700 deaths.

It’s crucial for seniors to get medical care after a fall, said Dr. James Vosswinkel, chief of trauma, emergency surgery and surgical critical care at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York.

“Older adults who suffer a serious fall have much better chances of survival and overall better health outcomes if they are treated at a trauma center where specialized surgeons are available,” he said in a hospital news release.

Seniors can significantly reduce their risk of falls through certain lifestyle changes and prevention programs, Vosswinkel added.

Here are some tips from Kristi Ladowski, injury prevention and outreach coordinator at the Stony Brook Trauma Center:

“Talk with your physician about your risk of a fall, and how you can manage certain health conditions that can lead to a fall,” she said.
“Have your medications reviewed by your doctor and pharmacist to discuss which medications may contribute to dizziness, imbalance and fatigue,” Ladowski suggested.
Take part in exercise programs that promote strength and balance, and have your vision checked at least once a year.
Fall-proof your home, and talk to your family about how to help you live an independent lifestyle.

May is National Trauma Awareness Month.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about older adults and falls.

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Why Texting While Driving Can Be So Hazardous

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Texting while driving is riskier than driving while upset or mentally distracted, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the University of Houston and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute said that drivers have a sixth sense that offsets absent-minded or emotional driving. But this extra sense doesn’t kick in among drivers who are texting because their eye-hand coordination loop is broken, the researchers explained.

“What makes texting so dangerous is that it wreaks havoc into this sixth sense. Self-driving cars may bypass this and other problems, but the moral of the story is that humans have their own auto systems that work wonders, until they break,” study leader Ioannis Pavlidis said in a University of Houston news release. Pavlidis is director of the university’s Computational Physiology Laboratory.

The study involved 59 volunteers who were instructed to drive the same section of highway four times.

They drove once under “normal” conditions — with no distractions, focusing solely on driving. Another time they drove while being distracted with mentally challenging questions. A third time they were distracted with emotionally charged questions. The fourth time they were preoccupied with texting. The drives were conducted in a random order to avoid bias.

Compared to the normal drives, the other driving tasks made the participants jittery behind the wheel.

But, it was only while texting that drivers veered out of their lane or drove unsafely, the researchers said. In fact, the drivers who became jittery while facing challenging questions or emotionally charged distractions drove even straighter, the scientists noted.

Pavlidis said a particular part of the brain is known to automatically intervene when there is a conflict. In the driving exercises, conflict comes from distracted or emotional driving or from texting. Pavlidis said these conflicts raise “levels of physiological stress, funneling ‘fight or flight’ energy to the driver’s arms, resulting in jittery handling of the steering wheel.”

The brain automatically offsets strong jitters in either direction with an equally strong reaction in the opposite direction, resulting in very straight driving, the researchers explained.

However, to work properly, this function needs support from the driver’s eye-hand coordination loop. Texting while driving breaks the eye-hand coordination loop, the researchers said.

Without this loop, jittery hands on a steering wheel are unchecked, causing drivers to veer off course, the researchers said.

“Following up on the results of our science study, we are currently looking into the development of a car system to monitor outward driving behaviors, such as steering jitter or lane deviation, as well as the internal state of the driver that causes them,” Pavlidis added.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on distracted driving.

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Chronic Pain May Trigger Many Cases of Painkiller Addiction: Survey

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Chronic pain may be a major driver behind the recent surge in addiction to prescription painkillers, a new survey finds.

Opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse in the United States are among the country’s biggest public health threats, the researchers said. And, more than eight in 10 people abusing prescription drugs said they were doing so to treat pain.

“While the association between chronic pain and drug addiction has been observed in prior studies, this study goes one step further to quantify how many of these patients are using these substances specifically to treat chronic pain,” said study corresponding author Dr. Daniel Alford.

“It also measures the prevalence of chronic pain in patients who screen positive for illegal drug use and prescription drug abuse,” Alford said in a Boston University news release. He is director of the Safe and Competent Opioid Prescribing Education program at the university’s medical school

For the study, the researchers screened roughly 25,000 patients for abuse of prescription medications and illegal drug use. From this group, 589 met the criteria for substance abuse.

This group was then asked about chronic pain, as well as their use of prescription or illegal drugs, or heavy alcohol consumption.

The researchers found that 87 percent reported chronic pain. About half of those who faced chronic pain said their discomfort was severe, the researchers found.

Eighty-one percent of those misusing prescription drugs said they were treating pain. A similar number — 79 percent — abused alcohol in an attempt to dull their pain, the study revealed.

Among the participants who used illegal drugs, 51 percent said they used at least one drug specifically to reduce their pain, the study said.

The researchers said their findings suggest that drug- and alcohol-abuse counseling strategies should consider if people turned to these substances to manage pain.

“Pain should be treated as part of the long-term strategy for recovery,” said Alford. “If drugs are being used to self-medicate pain, patients may be reluctant to decrease, stop or remain abstinent if their pain symptoms are not adequately managed with other treatments including non-medication-based treatments.”

Results of the study were published in the May issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse provides more information on drug abuse and addiction.

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Men Miss Out on Bone Loss Screening

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Unlike women, men at risk for osteoporosis don’t get routinely screened for bone loss, a new study shows.

As a result, men may not receive treatment or take the steps necessary to protect their bone health, the researchers found.

“Women have a screening safety net,” Dr. Mary Ruppe, a Houston Methodist Hospital endocrinologist, said in a hospital news release. “Between their primary care physician and ob-gyn, women will begin bone density screenings at the appropriate age. Men are less likely to have routine primary care checkups and don’t receive preventative care similar to what is provided for women.”

Osteoporosis is a condition that commonly affects women. But, millions of men are also at risk for the disease, which causes the bones to become weak and brittle.

In the United States, roughly 1.5 million men older than 65 have osteoporosis, the researchers noted. Another 3.5 million men are at risk for this form of bone loss, they added.

By the age of 50, men should be screened yearly for risk factors associated with osteoporosis, the American College of Physicians says.

The risk for bone loss increases with age. The Endocrine Society recommends that all men begin routine bone density screenings by the age of 70.

The biggest risk factor for osteoporosis among men is a family history of the condition, the researchers said. They noted that other risk factors could increase men’s chances of developing bone loss, including:

Prescription steroid use,
Gastrointestinal disease,
Use of prostate cancer drugs,
Alcohol abuse.

Treatment options for men with osteoporosis are similar to those for women with the condition, the researchers said.

Certain medications can help preserve bone strength. The researchers said detecting bone loss is important so treatment can begin as soon as possible. They added that low bone density among men could lead to other medical issues, such as vitamin D deficiency or low testosterone levels.

“Each year, approximately 80,000 men will suffer a hip fracture, and studies have shown they have a higher mortality rate after a hip fracture than women of the same age,” Ruppe said. “Such data underscores the importance of routine osteoporosis screening for men.”

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health provides more on osteoporosis.

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Demi Lovato’s Workout Videos Show Just How Tough She Is

Photo: Getty Images

Amidst flawless images from the red carpet and an adorable Mother’s Day post, Demi Lovato’s instagram feed this week has featured some pretty badass fitspiration.

Last Friday she posted a video of herself at the gym doing squats with a heavily weighted barbell on her shoulders.

Next up: A clip of the singer repeatedly slamming her elbows into a dummy doll used for self-defense training. The caption: “I hate the word victim. I never have been and I never will be.” That video (proof positive that Lovato is the definition of #girlpower!) has racked up more than 381 thousand likes and 9,400 comments.

As if we weren’t already feeling inspired enough, the latest clip, posted yesterday, shows Lovato looking especially fierce as she boxes with straps around her torso and ankles that are attached to a machine called the Raptor. “By far one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done!!” she wrote.

So, who’s ready to the hit the gym? If you’re feeling moved to box like Lovato, try this 15-minute, 5-round circuit. Designed by Christa DiPaolo, creator of The Cut, a new boxing-inspired workout at Equinox, it’ll help you get into knockout shape in just a few weeks.

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Fast Casual Entrees Might Have More Calories Than Fast Food

Photo: Getty Images

Pretty much everyone eats out at some point. Whether frequently or occasionally, something will eventually come up that involves eating away from home. While more health-conscious consumers might choose to skip traditional fast-food establishments in favor of fast casual restaurants (think Chipotle or Panera Bread), a new study shows that they might end up consuming more calories than if they had just grabbed a burger from the drive-thru.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina found that an average meal at a typical fast casual restaurant is 200 calories higher than the average fast-food meal. Also, most casual restaurants were found to have higher calorie options than their fast-food competitors. This was gathered by cross comparing the calories from the menus of 34 fast food and 28 fast casual restaurants.

The researchers were quick to point out they only looked at calories and ignored all other nutritional information. “A burger on a white bun may have fewer calories, but when you’re talking about cancer prevention or other chronic diseases, you have to look beyond calories,” said researcher Brie Turner-McGrievy, “We don’t want the message to be, ‘Go eat hamburgers and don’t eat guacamole and beans and brown rice.’”

Since we know that all calories are not created equally, it’s important to think about what ingredients (along with the levels of fat, sodium, and sugar) are actually going into these meals. This list of Dining Our Dos and Don’ts can help you make better choices when eating out, whether you choose a fast or casual restaurant.

More from Cooking Light:

6 Ways to Prevent Overeating So You Don’t Have to Avoid Dining Out

A Saner Way to Track Calories

Report: Half of All Burgers Have More Calories Than the Label Says

This article originally appeared on CookingLight.com.

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Gestational Diabetes May Lead to More Body Fat on Babies

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Babies born to mothers who had gestational diabetes may be more likely to carry excess fat in early life, new research suggests.

At 2 months of age, the babies of mothers with gestational diabetes had 16 percent more body fat than babies of mothers without the disorder. This finding is in contrast to their body fat at birth, when fat levels in both groups were about the same overall, the researchers said.

“Gestational diabetes is becoming more and more common, and babies born to these mothers are at increased risk of developing diabetes when they grow up. Therefore, we need to understand what effects maternal diabetes has on the baby,” said study lead author Karen Logan of Imperial College London.

“This new study suggests diabetes in the mother can trigger changes in the baby at a very early stage,” Logan explained in a college news release.

Although the study doesn’t confirm cause-and-effect, the researchers think it may have something to do with changes to metabolism in the womb or differences in the breast milk of the mothers.

According to study senior author Neena Modi, a professor at Imperial College London, “Previous studies have suggested that diabetes may cause changes in breast milk, so that it contains more sugar, fat or different levels of compounds that control appetite, called hunger hormones.”

Most of the 86 babies in the study — 42 born to mothers with gestational diabetes — were breast-fed. The researchers measured their body fat levels via MRI scans shortly after birth and again when they were 8 to 12 weeks old.

Gestational diabetes — diabetes during pregnancy — causes high blood sugar levels. The condition affects an estimated one in 20 pregnant women in the United Kingdom, the study authors noted. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the prevalence may be even higher in the United States — up to 9 percent.

Being overweight is a major risk factor for gestational diabetes. However, Logan noted that many of the women in this study weren’t overweight. She said there are other potential causes of the condition, such as a genetic predisposition.

Medication, diet changes and exercise can help control the condition, the researchers suggested.

“All of the women in the study had their condition well-controlled. However, this study suggests that even good treatment during pregnancy may not be enough to prevent longer-term problems in the baby,” Logan said.

The study was published May 12 in Diabetes Care.

More information

For more about gestational diabetes, visit the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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Lithium Beats Newer Meds for Bipolar Disorder, Study Finds

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Lithium outperforms newer mood stabilizers in the treatment of bipolar disorder, a new study has found.

Patients taking lithium had lower rates of self-harm and unintentional injury compared to those taking other bipolar drugs, such as valproate (Depacon, Depakote), olanzapine (Zyprexa) or quetiapine (Seroquel), said lead researcher Joseph Hayes. He is a fellow of psychiatry at University College London.

“This is important because people with bipolar disorder are 15 times more likely to die by suicide and six times more likely to die by accidental injury than the general population,” Hayes explained.

People taking one of the alternative mood stabilizers were 40 percent more likely to harm themselves compared to patients on lithium, Hayes and his colleagues found.

And people on valproate or quetiapine were 32 percent to 34 percent more likely to fall victim to unintentional injury, most likely while experiencing a manic episode, the researchers said.

“Lithium still is the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar. We really haven’t had a medication that surpasses lithium, as far as we know,” said Dr. Raphael Braga. He is physician-in-charge of the Center for Treatment and Research of Bipolar Disorder at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., and was not involved with the study.

Hayes noted that lithium has been used for more than half a century to treat bipolar disorder, but it’s still not clear how the drug stabilizes a person’s mood.

Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depression, is characterized by extreme mood swings ranging from emotional highs to depressive lows.

The researchers undertook their study following evidence reviews and studies that suggested lithium might be better than newer medications at preventing suicide and self-harm.

These studies have contended that lithium achieves these results by reducing symptoms such as depression, aggression, risk-taking and impulsive behavior, according to background notes in the study.

Lithium can be hard on the body, the study authors said, increasing a person’s risk of kidney and thyroid disease, but even that may have a positive side in bipolar patients. Because patients must be closely monitored for side effects, they are in more frequent contact with doctors who can pick up on emotional problems that lead to suicide, the researchers contend.

To compare lithium against newer medications, Hayes and his colleagues collected medical data on nearly 6,700 people diagnosed as bipolar and prescribed only one of the drugs — lithium, valproate, olanzapine or quetiapine.

The investigators found that people on lithium were less likely to harm themselves, either intentionally or by accident.

The suicide rate was lower in the lithium group, but too few suicides occurred to allow accurate risk estimates, the study authors said.

The findings were published online May 11 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

Lithium can cause kidney disease and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland), Braga and Hayes said.

Doctors need to carefully weigh benefits versus harm when prescribing lithium to people with kidney or thyroid problems, and “if these are severe, it should be avoided,” Hayes said. “Lithium [also] needs to be reviewed on an individual patient basis before pregnancy.”

Braga said psychiatrists often require patients taking lithium to undergo lab tests every three to six months, to make sure their kidney function hasn’t been compromised.

Even with this, lithium is much cheaper than the other medications in the study, Braga said. Hayes noted a 2008 study that found lithium was nearly $500 cheaper per month compared with olanzapine.

“Lithium is a great drug,” Braga said. “It’s definitely a drug every clinician should think about when prescribing for bipolar disorder.”

More information

For more on lithium, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

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