NEWZLetter 11
A Service From www.diabetesheartcare.com
Compiled by : Dr.V.K.Gujral
Human Heart Can Make New Cells
April 2 (Health Day News) -- Solving a long standing mystery, scientists have found that the human heart continues to generate new cardiac cells throughout the life span, although the rate of new cell production slows with age.
The finding, published in the April 3 issue of Science, could open a new path for the treatment of heart diseases such as heart failure and heart attack, experts say.
"We find that the beating cells in the heart, cardiomyocytes, are renewed," said lead researcher Dr. Jonas Frisen, a professor of stem cell research at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. "It has previously not been known whether we were limited to the cardiomyocytes we are born with or if they could be renewed," he said.
The process of renewing these cells changes over time, Frisen added. In a 20-year-old, about 1 percent of cardiomyocytes are exchanged each year, but the turnover rate decreases with age to only 0.45 percent by age 75.
"If we can understand how the generation of new cardiomyocytes is regulated, it may be potentially be possible to develop pharmaceuticals that promote this process to stimulate regeneration after, for example, a heart attack ,Frisen said.
That could lead to treatment that helps restore damaged hearts.
"A lot of people suffer from chronic heart failure," noted co-author Dr. Ratan Bhardwaj, also from the Karolinska Institute. "Chronic heart failure arises from heart cells dying," he said.
But roadblocks remain. According to Bhardwaj, scientists do not yet know how to increase heart cell production to a rate that would replace cells faster than they are dying off, especially in older patients with heart failure. In addition, the number of new cells the heart produces was estimated using healthy hearts -- whether the rate of cell turnover in diseased hearts is the same remains unknown.
"Whether there will be medical or gene therapies that can safely and effectively allow for higher rates of myocardial regeneration will require further study," he said.
In a related development, scientists reporting in the April 3 issue of Cell Stem Cell found that they could use stem cells to promote the creation of new blood vessels in mouse hearts.
SOURCES: Jonas Frisen, M.D., Ph.D., professor, stem cell research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Ratan Bhardwaj, M.D., Ph.D., Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., professor, cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles; April 2, 2009, news release, Cell Press; April 3, 2009, Science
Families That Eat Together Serve Up Good Dietary Habits
March 27 (HealthDay News) -- A new long-term study says that kids in families that have at least five meals together a week tend to practice good eating habits.
University of Minnesota researchers reported that adolescents who eat these so-called "regular family meals" had more healthful diets, meaning they consumed more vegetables, calcium-rich food, dietary fiber and essential nutrients.
For the study, the eating habits of 677 youths were assessed through questionnaires they filled in during their pre- and early teen years and again five years later. The results were published in the March/April issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
"Findings from the current analysis, in conjunction with similar findings from a longitudinal analysis of older adolescents transitioning to young adulthood, strongly suggest that regular family meals have long-term nutritional benefits," researcher and dietitian Teri L. Burgess-Champoux of the university's school of public health, said in a news release issued by the journal publisher. "The importance of incorporating shared mealtime experiences on a consistent basis during this key developmental period should be emphasized to parents, health-care providers and educators."
In the five years between filling out the questionnaires, the number of regular family meals the kids ate fell from 60 percent of their meals when they were age 12 or 13 to about 30 percent when they were 17 or 18. Good dietary habits were associated with kids having these regular family meals at times of measurement. Those who ate regular family meals at both points of their life had a better diet quality, on average, but they did not necessarily consume recommended levels of healthy dietary staples, such as fruit, vegetables or whole grains, during the entire five-year span.
SOURCE: Elsevier, news release, March 2009
Diabetes and the Mind
Feeling down once in a while is normal. But some people feel a sadness that just won't go away. Life seems hopeless. Feeling this way most of the day for two weeks or more is a sign of serious depression.
RESPONSE OF BODY TO STRESS
At any given time, most people with diabetes do not have depression. But studies show that people with diabetes have a greater risk of depression than people without diabetes. There are no easy answers about why this is true.
The stress of daily diabetes management can build. You may feel alone or set apart from your friends and family because of all this extra work. You may also be experiencing symptoms of conditions associated with your diabetes that you didn't know existed and are going undiagnosed.
If you face diabetes complications such as nerve damage, or if you are having trouble keeping your blood glucose levels where you'd like, you may feel like you're losing control of your diabetes. Even poor communication between you and your health care team may make you feel frustrated or sad.
Depression can become a vicious cycle. It can block good diabetes self-care. If you are depressed and have no energy, chances are you will find such tasks as regular blood glucose testing or exercise too much. If you feel anxious you may over-eat. You may not feel like eating at all. Of course, this will affect your blood glucose levels.
Spotting depression is the first step. Getting help is the second.
If you have been feeling really sad, blue, or down in the dumps, check for these symptoms:
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Loss of pleasure — You no longer take interest in doing things you used to enjoy.
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Change in sleep patterns — You have trouble falling asleep, you wake often during the night, or you want to sleep more than usual, including during the day.
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Early to rise — You wake up earlier than usual and cannot to get back to sleep.
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Change in appetite – You eat more or less than you used to.
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Trouble concentrating — You can't watch a TV program or read an article because other thoughts or feelings get in the way.
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Loss of energy – You feel tired all the time.
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Nervousness — You feel so anxious you can't sit still.
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Guilt – You feel you "never do anything right" and worry that you are a burden to others.
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Morning sadness — You feel worse in the morning than you do the rest of the day.
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Suicidal thoughts — You feel you want to die or are thinking about ways to hurt yourself.
If you have three or more of these symptoms, or if you have just one or two but have been feeling bad for two weeks or more, it's time to get help. Talk to your doctor about to help you determine if the cause of your depression is the result of a medical condition or lifestyle factors.
Sexual Implications
Emotional factors can interfere with sexual feelings as well and often lead to or worsen sexual dysfunction. These include:
Sexual and emotional issues don't just impact you; they affect your personal relationships and can create challenges of trust, intimacy, and closeness. You may feel distant or withdraw emotionally and physically because you may not feel enjoyment or you may have a fear of failure when it comes to performing sexually. Your partner may wonder if you are losing interest, or if you don't want to spend time with friends or family. These things may impact your self-esteem and the self-esteem of your partner.
Understanding how your sexual health can be affected by diabetes, stress, cardiovascular issues and low testosterone levels can help you and your health care providers manage this important life issue successfully.
