Linda Ronstadt: I Have Parkinson's Disease

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Linda Ronstadt has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The 67-year-old singer of such classic 1970s hits as “When Will I be Loved” and “You’re no Good” got the bad news eight months ago but may have been exhibiting symptoms for the past eight years.

Although she had experienced common symptoms of Parkinson’s for awhile, such as trembling hands, she became seriously concerned when she couldn’t sing. In an interview with AARP’s Alanna Nash, Ronstadt said:

 ‘“I couldn’t sing…and I couldn’t figure out why. I knew it was mechanical. I knew it had to do with the muscles, but I thought it might have also had something to do with the tick disease that I had. And it didn’t occur to me to go to a neurologist.”’

When she finally did go to a neurologist and was diagnosed her with the disorder, she described her reaction as “completely shocked.” This is, perhaps, not an unusual response.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that develops slowly, so it’s not uncommon to experience symptoms for many years, as Ronstadt did, before suspecting a serious problem. According to the Mayo Clinic, it often starts “with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand.” Other early symptoms include a lack of expression of the face, slurred speech, and slowed movements. Eventually, tremors typically spread to the limbs, face, and jaw. These and other neuromuscular symptoms of Parkinson’s worsen with time. 

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke points out, however, that the progression of this disease is unpredictable. It can lead to total incapacity for some, yet others may experience only minor motor problems. It usually strikes people who are over the age of 50 but can also occur in younger individuals.

Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s, there are medications that may help to reduce the severity of the symptoms. Surgery may also be appropriate for some patients. Because the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are subtle in the beginning and could be caused by a host of other neurological disorders, individuals who experience any motor movement problems, such as tremors, slowed movements, a lack of coordination, and speech abnormalities are advised to seek medical advice and treatment.

Ronstadt is one of the 60,000 Americans who are diagnosed with this condition each year. Other celebrities who have Parkinson’s disease include actor Michael J. Fox, boxing champ Muhammad Ali, and legendary evangelist Billy Graham.

Follow Christine Mattice on Twitter @ChrisMattice

 

 

 

 

 

A Bing Drinking Student is a Happier Student, Study Shows

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It should come as no surprise that college students who drink alcohol at parties and popular campus hangouts have fun. But are binge drinking students actually happier than their non-binge drinking pals? The surprising answer, according to a study conducted by the American Sociological Association, is “Yes.”  

During a survey of approximately 1,600 undergraduate students at a Northeastern liberal arts college, researchers not only established that binge drinkers are, indeed, happier, they also discovered why.  

In her report of the findings, Carolyn L. Hsu, co-author of the 2009 study and an associate professor of psychology at Colgate University, writes:

“Binge drinking is a symbolic proxy for high status in college…It’s what the most powerful, wealthy, and happy students on campus do. This may explain why it’s such a desirable activity. When lower status student binge drink, they may be trying to tap into the benefits and the social satisfaction that those kids from high status groups enjoy. And, our findings seem to indicate that, to some extent, they succeed.”

Hsu’s analysis seems to indicate that binge drinking among college students is spurred by a need to fit in with the “popular crowd.” Unfortunately, the tragic fact is that, for many binge drinkers, what they “fit into” are their own coffins. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) attributes 1,700 college student deaths to excessive drinking.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of the dangers of binge drinking include:

·       Unintentional injuries such as falls, car crashes, burns, and drowning. (Binge drinkers are more likely to get behind the wheel of a car than casual drinkers.)

·       Intentional injuries such as gunshot wounds to self or others  

·       Alcohol poisoning which can lead to death

·       Neurological damage

·       Cardiovascular disease

·       Liver disease

·       Sexually transmitted diseases

And it doesn’t take much alcohol to accomplish these harmful, sometimes fatal effects. The NIAAA defines binge drinking as consuming four drinks for women and five drinks for men within a two hour period.

The full results of this study were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association in Denver and published online.

For more information on the dangers of binge drinking, please visit the websites of the NIAAA or the CDC. If you or someone you know is a binge drinker, get help. You could be saving a life.

 

The Shocking Way Food Companies Make You Fat

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Dr. David Kessler, former head of the Food and Drug Administration, used to be a chronic overeater. He could not resist his favorite foods, nor could he regulate the amount of food that he ate. But not anymore.

Kessler has discovered that the reason most people overeat is because of a state he calls "conditioned hypereating," and he has the science to prove it.

Kessler and his colleagues conducted research into the mechanisms of overeating and published the results in his book, The End of Overeating.

All of their research, says Kessler, indicates that overeating may be caused by the fat, sugar, and salt content in foods. In a process that resembles an addiction, these ingredients "condition" you to eat more of them, and to eat them more often.

The Proof is in the Pudding

Many studies have shown that foods high in both fat and sugar stimulate the brain's dopamine center. This is the same area-the brain's pleasure center-that drugs and alcohol stimulate to cause people to become addicted to them.

But, according to Kessler's study, sugar may be the major cause of "conditioned hypereating."

This study showed that rats, even ones that were not hungry, would work harder to get a drink of a vanilla milkshake if it contains a specific ratio of fat to sugar. But when researchers added even more sugar to the mix, the rats drank more of the milkshake.

Kessler and his team then analyzed the behaviors of "conditioned hypereaters," those who characterized themselves as having no control over their eating habits, were always hungry, and frequently thought about food. Of the people with those behaviors, Kessler said, 42 percent were obese. Conversely, only 18 percent of the people who did not exhibit these behaviors were obese.

Kessler and his colleagues then considered the results of a study conducted by Dana Small, a neuroscientist at Yale University. Small put hyper-eaters inside an MRI machine, then allowed them to smell and taste a chocolate milkshake. The brain scans showed that the longer the hypereaters were exposed to the smell of the chocolate milkshake, the more desirable the smell became to them. This is not normal, as constant exposure to a scent should dull the desire for it. Further, even being allowed to drink the milkshake did not stop their cravings for it.

But hypereaters are not at the mercy of their dopamine conditioning, Kessler stresses; indeed, many conditioned hypereaters are thin. All you need to do is reprogram your mind.

Change the Conditioning

Kessler offers the following advice for those seeking to reverse their conditioned hypereating:

·       Instead of thinking how delicious a certain food will be, tell yourself how much you will hate yourself if you eat it. Then replace your desire for that particular food, or foods, with an enjoyable alternative, either a lower calorie food or a physical activity.

·       Before going to a place where you know they'll be fattening food, tell yourself that you will not be tempted by it.

·       Avoid those "habitual-eating" situations of the past.

Kessler took his own advice, and now chronic hypereating is not much of a problem for him. Hopefully, his book will encourage others to follow his lead.

SOURCES

http://www.psycport.com/showArticle.cfm?xmlFile=ap_2009_04_20_ap.online.all_D97MHP202_news_ap_org.anpa.ew.xml&provider=
 

Arsenic in Fruit Juice: Was Dr. Oz Right?

Photo credit: Ove Tøpfer

A few months ago, Dr. Mehmet Oz was blasted by the media for stating that there were “troubling” levels of arsenic in apple juice. The juice industry jumped on him. The FDA condemned him. But Dr. Oz stood his ground. Now the popular medical expert from Fox TV may be getting the last laugh.

Consumer Reports did its own test on the levels of arsenic in apple juice and in grape juice and what they found is truly troubling.

According to Newser:

“The study of 88 samples of fruit juice bought in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut found that 10% had arsenic levels that exceeded standards set for federal drinking water. In addition, 25% exceeded the levels of lead deemed safe for bottled water.”

What this means for children, the major consumers of apple and grape juice, is an increased risk of cancer.

The FDA, meanwhile, remains steadfast that these juices are totally safe for your children to drink. Do you agree? Do you plan to limit your children’s consumption of these juices until more information is known?

Ads for Sugary Drinks Target Kids, Study Says

A new study is attacking the advertising tactics of the makers of sugary drinks. Their complaint? These companies target kids through strategic product placement, reward marketing, and cause-related marketing as well as on TV ads, the Internet and Facebook.

The study is complaining about such products as soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, and energy drinks.

To come to these conclusions, the researchers looked at the way 14 companies marketed nearly 600 products. Most of what they found was not surprising, in my opinion. After all, the makers of sugary drinks, like sodas, have long marketed to children.

But what did surprise me, as it did the researchers, was that most of these manufactures claim health benefits of their products on the packaging. For instance, claims of “natural ingredients” or “real ingredients,” persuade even parents that these drinks are healthy.

In addition, many fruit drinks and energy drinks contain as much sugar as full calorie soda. Yet these companies lead children and parents to believe that these are healthy alternatives to sugary sodas.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.

What do you think of the results of this study? Will you now limit sodas, fruit drinks, and energy drinks from your children’s diet?

Halloween Candy and your Kids: Enough is TOO Much

For most kids, Happy Halloween also means eating too much sugar. This can lead to many health problems for your kids, experts say.

Health Problems of Eating too Much Halloween Candy

Eating too much Halloween candy can cause:

-          Severe stomachache

-          Constipation

-          Hyperactivity

-          Obesity

-          Tooth decay

The hyperactivity may be the worse health effect of eating too much candy. If your kids fill up on candy, the sugar goes straight to the bloodstream. This makes them bounce of the walls with too much energy. But this sugar is also empty calories, which makes them crash as soon as the sugar high abates.

Protecting your Children’s Health this Halloween

Although you needn’t (and shouldn’t) totally deprive your children of their hard-earned Halloween candy, there are some easy steps you can take to minimize negative health effects.

-          Make sure your children eat a balanced meal before eating Halloween candy.

-          Set limits on how much candy your children can collect. For instance, only allow them to visit a set number of houses when trick-or-treating.

-          Ration out their Halloween candy.

-          Have your children pick which candy they want to keep and either give the unwanted pieces to other trick-or-treaters or bring it to work for your coworkers.

These are some great ways to limit your kid’s consumption of Halloween candy. Experts caution, however, that you do not add this one to the list: letting your kids binge on candy for 2 days until it’s all gone. This can cause your children to develop eating habits that may eventually lead to obesity.

Listeria Outbreak from Cantaloupe Kills 21

Deaths from the recent Listeria outbreak has reached 21, according to the CDC.  This runaway killer, thought to be caused by Listeria-infected cantaloupe, has been raging since early September.

So far, the Listeria infection has spread to 24 states and has sickened more than 100 people. Health officials believe that the infected cantaloupes were grown at Jensen Farms in Colorado. The first recall for these cantaloupes was issued on September 14 by Jensen Farms.
Unfortunately, the problem had spread far beyond Colorado. 

A second recall was issued by September 23 by Carol’s Cuts LLC in Kansas, who had sold products made from Jensen Farm’s cantaloupes. Still a third recall was issued by Fresh Fruit Up in New York, who had shipped out fruit that included Jensen Farm’s cantaloupes.

More recalls will probably be forthcoming.

And how, exactly, did those cantaloupes pick up listeria?

According to Medline Plus, Listeria is a “foodborne illness” caused by bacteria in water and soil. Unlike other bacterias, Listeria monocytogenes grows even during refrigeration.

Yes, but what did Jensen Farms do (or not do) with their cantaloupe to cause this Listeria outbreak? I would really like to know.

In the meantime, I’m really glad that I hate cantaloupe!