Everyday exercises help improve mobility after stroke

Making everyday tasks such as getting dressed or walking up stairs a type of focused, repetitive exercise may improve mobility and function after a stroke, according to a study in the Oct. 17 issue of The Cochrane Library. In an analysis of 14 studies with 659 participants, people who had undergone "repetitive task training" had improved walking distance and speed and were better able to go from sitting to standing.

(Training involved three or five hours a week of repeating tasks such as reaching for items on shelves or buttoning clothes.) Activities of daily living such as bathing improved as well. Upper-limb functions such as reaching were not greatly improved, however. Overall, the authors state there was "modest improvement" in lower-limb function, even in people who had experienced a stroke in past years.

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Many factors protect women against heart disease

Exercise alone does not prevent heart disease in women, according to a study in the Oct. 22 issue of Circulation. Researchers measured levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c, which detects blood glucose levels over time), cholesterol, and inflammatory "biomarkers" such as C-reactive protein (CRP) in 27,055 healthy women.

They also tracked participants' physical activity, blood pressure, and weight. After a follow-up of up to 12 1/2 years, the risk of heart disease decreased in women with higher levels of activity. However, women with lower inflammatory biomarkers had the lowest risk of heart disease, followed by those with lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body mass index, and HbA1c. The researchers explain that factors other than physical activity, such as CRP and blood pressure, appear to play a role in heart disease in women.

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Obesity, acid reflux, smoking increase esophageal cancer risk

Obesity increases the risk of esophageal cancer, regardless of whether a person has other risk factors such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or smoking, according to a study in the November issue of Gut. Among 800 people with esophageal cancer who were compared to 1,600 people without the disease, obese people were six times more likely to have esophageal cancer than people who were not obese.

Esophageal cancer is known to be more common in people with GERD, but this is the first study to indicate that obesity alone could increase the risk. As expected, smokers in the study had a higher incidence of both GERD and esophageal cancer. The investigators recommend that obese people lose weight, and if they smoke, quit. Medications to reduce GERD symptoms also should be considered.

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Energy drinks may increase blood pressure

"Energy drinks," which usually contain caffeine and other additives, may be harmful to people with heart problems, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's 2007 annual meeting. In 15 healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink, systolic blood pressure (the upper number) rose by as much as 9.6 percent, and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) increased by as much as 7.8 percent.

Heart rates increased five to seven beats per minute after consuming the drinks. Although the increases did not reach dangerous levels, the cardiac changes could be problematic for people with existing hypertension or heart disease. The researchers advise people with high blood pressure or heart disease to avoid energy drinks.

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Chew your way to a slimmer waistline: study shows sugar-free gum can help you cut calories and shed pounds

Chewing gum offers more benefits than fresh, minty breath; gum may also help you whittle away your waistline. Chewing gum before an afternoon snack can help reduce hunger, diminish cravings, and promote fullness among people who try to keep their calorie intake down, according to a new study presented at the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society in October.

Conducted by researchers from the Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, the study included 60 participants ages 18-54 who were asked to consume a sweet and salty afternoon snack either after chewing a sweetened gum or not chewing gum at all. The results from the study indicated that chewing gum reduced caloric intake by 25 calories and specifically reduced sweet snack intake by 39 calories. It was also discovered that chewing gum suppressed hunger and desire for food after lunch, as well as reduced anxiety and stress.

The good news about gum's potential role in weight loss is spreading quickly. It is being promoted as one of many facets in some weight-loss programs because it can replace a high-calorie snack. This strategy was recently highlighted in the NBC weight-loss reality TV show, The Biggest Loser. It makes sense that if you chew a stick of sugar-free gum containing about five calories per serving and forego a bag of chips at the vending machine, you've probably saved yourself 220 calories or more--a tactic that can help you lose weight.

"Sugar-free chewing gum as a snack could help us take in fewer calories at a time when we might not truly need a snack. It might satisfy the need to chew, and because it's basically free of calories, it won't add calories to your day. If gum does the trick, then that would help to avoid excess calories that your body doesn't need," says Heather

Bainbridge, RD, dietitian at the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Bainbridge notes that it's important to choose sugar-free chewing gum to cut down on calories and to promote dental health. The bottom line--if you turn to gum in order to cut out a 220-calorie trip to the vending machine every day, this habit can chew up almost 23 pounds per year.

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Eating plans reduce risk of colorectal cancer

Current U.S. dietary recommendations do help prevent colorectal cancer, according to an analysis of three major eating plans in the November 2007 issue of The Journal of Nutrition. Researchers evaluated the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide recommendations, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan, and a Mediterranean diet (which is not an official U.S.plan) in more than 51,000 patients aged 55-74 who were screened for colon cancer. All three eating plans feature high amounts of produce and whole grains and reduced saturated fat and meat intake. The risk of colorectal cancer was found to be reduced by 18 to 33 percent in patients who had followed one of the three dietary plans.

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Physical activity linked to better cognitive performance

People who have been more physically active in their lives have much better cognitive functioning, according to a study in the October issue of Aging Clinical Experimental Research. In the study, 364 people in their 80s were questioned about past and present physical activity. Forty-three percent had a history of high-intensity physical activity during their youth, although it was lower during adulthood and old age.

Nevertheless, people with a history of high-intensity physical activity at any time in their lives had a much lower cognitive performance study (CPS) score (indicating better performance) than participants who did not have a history of high-intensity physical activity.

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