A study led by Russell R. Russo, MD, a third-year Orthopaedic Surgery resident at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, has identified a new source of life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis – “bath salts.”

A Natural Diet Guide

The study, describing the first known case of necrotizing fasciitis from an intramuscular injection of the street drug known as “bath salts,” is published in the January 2012 issue of Orthopedics, now available online. Necrotizing fasciitis is an orthopedic emergency.

I guess this is one more reason to stay away from drugs, especially the non-prescribed type that can be easily bought on the street.

A new study published in the January 4 issue of PLoS ONE reveals that men and women have significant personality differences. Differences between men and women and the extent of their differences have long been the issue of debate.

Marco Del Giudice of the University of Turin in Italy and his team have now found a new method to measure and analyze personality differences, which according to them is more accurate than previous methods. We are still trying to find out the mysteries between men and women, are we?

A program for women at risk of substance abuse during pregnancy could save nearly $2 billion annually in health care costs if implemented nationwide, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ journal, Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Nearly $2 billion could be saved for every 4 million births each year if the program was implemented nationwide, the study estimated. The Kaiser Permanente researchers presented their cost statistics in 2009 dollars. To those Republicans that hate Obama care, this would be of greater benefit that doing away with health care for all Americans as we could get “two birds with one stone”, isn’t this better for America?

In a study published in the January 4 issue of JAMA, researchers assessed 25 healthy individuals who were randomized to different levels of over-consumption on protein diets whilst living in a controlled setting. They found that those who consumed the low-protein diet gained less weight compared with those eating normal and high protein diets.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

Furthermore, they established that calories alone and not protein seemed to contribute to increases in body fat and that protein did contribute to changes in energy expenditure and lean body mass.  It’s reasonable to expect that the more you consume daily, the more you would gain in weight if you lead a less active lifestyle.  If you exercise vigorously, then the excess calories would be expended and not stored as fat.

A systematic review of published data reported in the January issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine finds there may be a positive link between physical activity and academic performance of children in school: the ones who are more physically active seem to do better in class.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

However, the authors are cautious about the certainty of this finding because too few of the studies they reviewed were of sufficiently high quality. They call for further research using more robust measures of physical activity.  This is cause to implement more physical activities in socially challenge areas to see if we could improve their lot in life.

In the UK more than 2.9 million individuals live with diabetes, making the condition one of the largest health challenges the UK face. Please check out this post for an interesting study on Konjac root.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

In order to continue to increase awareness of early diagnosis for Type 2 diabetes, and to make sure those living with the condition receive the appropriate level of care, leading health charity Diabetes UK will collaborate with the NHS as well as other influential groups this year in 2012.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive at Diabetes UK, explained: “We are all feeling positive about the year ahead at Diabetes UK. This is another disease that could be prevented with more public education and with an emphasis on prevention as opposed to treatment of the disease only.

Heart failure continues to be the most prevalent reason for acute hospital admission, although it is stubbornly resistant to treatment. Mortality and morbidity rates remain high, despite prognosis for the condition slightly improving by the launch of innovative medical treatments in recent years.

A Natural Diet Guide

However, according to large-scale clinical trials, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves symptoms and reduces mortality among heart failure patients. American and European guidelines now recommend CRT for the treatment and prevention of this condition.

While breakthroughs this CRT is welcomed news, we still need to practice more prevention in North American health care.  If we would begin to build-in preventive care in our health care provision, we would reduce costs by at least 50% or more.  Prevent the disease and we wouldn’t have to treat it, is this too much to ask?

Those interested in making money from this industry will continue to make large sums of money – it would just be shifted to another area of health care.

A study published in the January 4 issue of JAMA shows that U.S. patients who experienced a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a certain pattern on an electrocardiogram after a heart attack, were more likely to be readmitted to the hospital at 30 days after the heart attack compared with patients in other countries.

The findings were discovered during a data analysis from over 15 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, and many European nations. Approximately 29 to 38% of all heart attacks are due to ST-segment elevation.  A large number of European nations have some kind of state paid for and/or run health care and their costs are significantly lower than the health care cost in the USA. Perhaps, this aspect of health care should be further examined by US officials.

#tweetyourdiettips: Konjac root (glucomannan) may cause serious choking if taken without enough water.

#tweetyourdiet-tips: Caution when using glucomannan (Konjac root) DRINK LOTS OF WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS!

Taiwanese researchers conducted a study the results of which were published in a 2003 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.  The study concluded that glucomannan supplements lowered blood glucose levels of patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

Connecticut researchers conducted a study that found Konjac root glucomannan supplements lowered levels of both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, the so-called bad cholesterol.  These results were published in October 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In January 2010, Health Canada issued a health advisory that products containing glucomannan pose a potential for harm if taken without at least 8-ounces of water or other liquids. The risks include choking and/or blockage of the throat, esophagus or intestine.

Free Microwave Crispy Chips Recipe

These days with all the additives (ingredients we can’t even pronounce) in processed food, it’s a good idea not to clog your children’s or your liver and kidneys – overuse/overwork can cause these organs to malfunction. My mother always told me that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

RECIPE FOR CRISPY CHIPS IN MICROWAVE
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1-sweet potato, Irish potato, Lisbon yam (West Indian culture relevant) cut in half or anything you choose (feel free to experiment)

1-tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon of paprika powder

1/4 teaspoon of onion powder

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric or curry powder

1/4 teaspoon of lemon/lime juice

1/4 teaspoon of basil

1-pinch of black pepper

A Natural Diet Guide

After microwaving the chips, mix the above ingredients together in a small bowl, container with a cover and pour over the chips – toss the chips in a covered container or a plastic bag to coat them evenly and serve.

The same thing can be done for popping corn – pop the corn in a brown bag in the microwave and spice them up as you choose – just another idea as a healthy snack.