The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, investigated whether serum antioxidant levels were associated with a lowered risk of periodontitis. Researchers at the University of Birmingham in England and Boston University, analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) including 11,480 adults. Periodontal measurements and levels of blood antioxidants including vitamins A, C and E, selenium, lutein, uric acid, beta cryptoxanthin, alpha carotene and beta carotene were obtained from the participants.

The researchers found that higher vitamin C, bilirubin, and total antioxidant levels were linked with a reduced risk of periodontitis, especially severe periodontitis. Participants with the highest vitamin C levels had a 39 percent reduced risk of periodontitis, compared to those with the lowest levels. Furthermore, participants with the highest vitamin C levels and never smoked had a 50 percent reduced risk of periodontitis, compared to those with the lowest levels.

"Increased serum antioxidant concentrations are associated with a reduced relative risk of periodontitis even in never-smokers," the study authors conclude.

REFERENCES:
1. Chapple IL et al. The prevalence of inflammatory periodontitis is negatively associated with serum antioxidant concentrations. J Nutr 2007 Mar;137(3):657-64.

But beware, reports of appliance damage and fire surfaced shortly after the story was published because of a small detail that was not published, but necessary to insure success. Wet the sponge.

The study was published in the Journal of Environmental Health and made headlines across many news media outlets because of the usefulness of its findings. After just two minutes a sponge that was soaked in wastewater had more than 99 percent of bacteria, viruses and spores killed.

The kitchen sponge is a favorite among many men and women as the number one tool for cleanup and doing dishes. However, there is always the concern that some germs will be spread around from food preparation to clean areas where food is then consumed, risking contamination and food poisoning.

Many use the dishwasher to clean the sponge, but it does not truely disenfect the sponge like the microwave. So the researchers from the University of Florida suggest completely wetting your kitchen sponges and then putting them in the microwave for 2 minutes on high power.

This should be ample time to kill most of the germs, and if wet the sponge will not catch fire.

Other notes of caution include: the sponge will be hot and be sure the sponge does not have any metal or metal flecks in the abrasive side.

Hopefully now people can be less worried about spreading germs via the kitchen sponge.

But that last phrase, 'if done properly' applies across the board. Traditional hand washing should take about 20 seconds or the time it takes to sing happy birthday. The whole hand should be washed, including the back and between the fingers. It is this method that often fails most. Many people are in a hurry and do not fully wash the whole hand, which leaves behind germs.

And the idea that antibacterial soaps or hand sanitizers are better only holds up if again, the whole hand is washed, and if adequate product is used. The report found that most people who use hand sanitizer do not use enough, and do not cover the whole hand.

The researchers conducted a telephone interview about hand washing. More than 90 percent of adults who answered said they washed their hands after using the restroom, however only 90 percent of women and 75 percent of men actually washed their hands when observed by researchers.

The authors concluded that the old fashioned method of hand cleaning works, but needs to be done properly. Also, hand sanitzers are great, and effective when enough is used and the whole hand is sanitized.

Next time you are finished in the bathroom, time yourself, see if you are getting the whole hand. Perhaps it is time to change your routine.

Researchers in New Jersey gathered information on more than 1200 pregnant women starting around 28 weeks gestation. Levels of two different forms of Vitamin E were measured in their blood and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed for any associations.

Women who had higher levels of alpha-tocopherol, a synthetic form of Vitamin E usually found in supplements had less chance of birthing a small for gestational age baby. The risk was decreased by 3 times compared to women with the lowest levels. On average these women tended to have bigger babies, regardless of other factors.

There was not a relationship between the Vitamin E that is found naturally in food.

The researchers suggested two possible mechanisms to explain this finding. Women with higher levels of Vitamin E in their blood may be healthier, so they my grow healthier babies. Small for gestational age babies do tend to be less healthy than their bulkier counterparts. It is possible that a healthier diet could cause this effect, but levels of Vitamin E from the diet did not effect weight. So the second suggestion is that Vitamin E levels directly influence growth of the developing fetus. This may be accomplished via improved blood flow and placental function.

More trials are needed to understand the relationship between Vitamin E and fetal growth. The authors caution against taking extra Vitamin E, due to other studies that have found levels that are too high may result in other health conditions.

Sunlight exposure supports the production of two hormones in the body, melatonin and Vitamin D. Both melatonin and Vitamin D have been shown in studies to support a positive or up mood and deficiencies or irregularities in their production can cause a down or depressed mood.

Sunlight exposure on the top of the head stimulates the pineal gland to produce melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for regulating sleep cycles and healthy levels of this hormone improve the quality of sleep as well. Individuals with proper melatonin production will have more restful, deeper sleep and wake easier in the morning.

Sunlight exposure on bare skin causes a metabolic reaction that results in the production of Vitamin D. Although Vitamin D is found in many foods (dairy), the major source of Vitamin D for most adults is from our own production (in the skin). Vitamin D is involved in immune system function, bone health, and mood regulation. In studies Vitamin D deficiency has been directly linked to depression or depressive symptoms.

In many areas of the US and world the winter can be a very dark time. This is especially true for those who work inside, they may never see daylight because the sun rises after 8 am and sets before 5 pm. People who live in cities in the northern latitudes are more at risk for developing SAD.

There are several products/gadgets available on the market that are geared to simulate natural sunlight and help boost the production of both melatonin and Vitamin D. Researchers tested the effectiveness of three non-pharmaceutical treatments for SAD and published the results in the December issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Bright light therapy with full spectrum bulbs, dawn simulation, and negative air ionization were all tested to determine the effect, if any, on symptoms of seasonal affective disorder in adults. Nearly 100 men and women who suffer SAD completed the study. Each person was randomly assigned to one of five groups that tested varying degrees of the three treatments.

Bright light therapy was given for 30 minutes after rising usually during the breakfast period. 57 percent of the participants receiving bright light therapy reported improvements in their symptoms.

Dawn simulation, which mimiced the rise of sun in May, was given before waking over a few hours time. This treatment improved symptoms in 50 percent of the subjects, while a brief dawn pulse, given over a shorter period of time only resulted in improvement in 43 percent of the participants.

Negative air ionization was also given the the participants before waking, which resulted in less hinderance on the schedule. The researchers tested the efficacy of both high and low negative ionization delivery. High negative air ionization resulted in improvement of 48 percent of participants. It was twice as effective than low negative air ionization which only resulted in improvement in 23 percent of the participants.

The authors concluded that both dawn simulation and high negative air ionization are as effective as bright light therapy to reduce the symptoms of SAD. Bright light therapy has been proven in other studies to significantly reduce symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and is considered a first line treatment recommendation.

If you think you may need a little extra sun in the winter, one of these treatments may be for you. Consult your healthcare provider to determine if the symptoms you are experiencing can be improved.

The Mayo Clinic Proceedings reported in December results from a North Carolina study that found optimists live longer than pessimists.

An optimist is defined as a person who does not let negative events, attitudes, outcomes affect them on a personal level. They do not allow one event to shape their opinion about themselves, other people, or the world in general. They like to say "the glass is half full".

A pessimist is the opposite. They have an overall negative view of the world, its people, and perhaps themselves. A negative event or occurance in their life only further supports their negative attitude. To a pessimist "the glass is half empty".

In the study researchers followed more than 7,000 men and women for an average of 40 years from the 1960's to present day.

Each person underwent personality testing to determine if they had more of an optimistic attitude or a pessimistic attitude or somewhere in between. For this study, about 23 percent were pessimists and about 13 percent were optimists. All others were somewhere in between.

Pessimists were more likely to die during the follow-up, by as much as 42 percent. This was true after accounting for other variables that may increase the likelihood of death.

So can having a negative attitude really increase your risk for dying, or even dying earlier? It is hard to say from this study alone, but the evidence is complelling.

True pessimism may be a hard personality trait to change but individuals who tend to be more negative may try to adopt a more positive attitude for some events in their life, or work to reduce stress in other ways to combat the negative attitude.

Research has focused on building a better understanding about the cause of MS as well as which lifestyle factors increase the risk for developing the condition. Currently there are about 500,000 people in the US with MS and more than 2 million worldwide. It is more common in people living in higher altitudes.

A recent study found that levels of Vitamin D in the blood may have some effect on the incidence of MS. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed data from military personnel. In particular they were looking for serum levels of Vitamin D, race, and occurance of MS.

Out of more than 7 million participants, only 257 developed multiple sclerosis (<0.004%). The samples of those persons with MS were compared to equal numbers of military personnel without the condition.

The results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Assocation this December.

Vitamin D levels were significantly associated with a decreased risk of multiple sclerosis in caucasians only. Risk was decreased by 62 percent when comparing those with the highest levels of Vitamin D to those with the lowest level of Vitamin D.

There was no association between Vitamin D status and MS risk in African Americans or Hispanics. This may be due to the small number in the study, or their levels may be too low to provide a comparison.

Vitamin D is present in some foods, especially dairy, eggs, and meat. Most of our Vitamin D is obtained from exposure to sunlight. Other studies have shown that individuals living in higher altitudes have lower levels of Vitamin D (due to less sun exposure). Persons of color also have lower levels of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is invovled in several processes in the body, most importantly calcium and bone metabolism and the immune system.

Look for more research in this area. A clinical trial studying the effects of Vitamin D on MS symptoms may provide more information about this possible relationship. At this time the authors do not recommend taking a Vitamin D supplement to protect against multiple sclerosis, but a little sun never hurt anyone.

The study, published in Behavioral Brain Research, investigated the effects of three antioxidants on injured mice. Researchers at Ohio State University injected either the synthetic antioxidant PBN, the synthetic antioxidant TEMPOL, NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine), or saline (placebo) in mice. The mice were then injected with an irritant that causes inflammation and pain in their left hind paw. The researchers measured the mice's pain behavior such as licking or biting the affected paw. The behavior was quantified during a 30 minute period including an acute phase (initial pain reaction) and a tonic phase (15 to 30 minute pain-like behavior).

The researchers found that the three antioxidants relieved pain in 70 to 90 percent of the mice during the acute phase. Furthermore, the three antioxidants relieved pain in 78 to 98 percent of the mice during the tonic phase. The study authors suggest that antioxidants may also be effective pain-killers for humans.

"The data suggest that pro-oxidant species may be important mediators of tissue injury-induced analgesia in rodents, and that a spinal site of action is implicated in the tonic response," conclude the study authors.

REFERENCES:
1. Hacimuftuoglu A et al. Antioxidants attenuate multiple phases of formalin-induced nociceptive response in mice. Behav Brain Res 2006 Oct 16;173(2):211-6. Epub 2006 Aug 17

The letter stated that a recent FDA analysis of the infant formula found less than required levels of two important minerals, calcium and phosphorus.

Both calcium and phosphorus are important for proper development of the bones in growing children. They are also involved in other metabolic reactions in the body.

Nestle conducts its own internal analysis of its products and has found no lack of nutrients in any of the samples of Good Start formula.

The warning letter from the FDA is just that. It is not a call for alarm, nor does the manufacturer need to pull products from shelves. Consumers should not be afraid that their children are not receiving adequate nutrition.

The primary motivation is to encourage the producer to re-analyze the product and insure that correct levels of all nutrients are acheived.

The FDA publishes many warning letters to producers of foods and supplements each month. These can be reviewed at their website. Most letters accomplish the changes necessary to right the wrong, only in rare cases will products be pulled or producers fined as a result of non-compliance.

Chiropractors often treat spinal column displacements, chronic lower back pain, neck pain, tension headaches, arthritis and muscle spasms, strains and injuries. A common treatment includes adjustment of a displaced spinal column, where the spinal column is manipulated to relieve pressure on nerves originating at the spinal cord due to displacement of the vertebra.

A doctor of chiropractic (D.C.) has attended at least 2 years of college and 4 years in a school of chiropractic. Most states require chiropractors to earn continuing education credits to retain their licenses. Chiropractors are not licensed to perform surgery or prescribe medication.

If you are seeking a chiropractor, ask your health care provider if they have a recommendation for a chiropractor. Find out about the chiropractor's credentials and treatment costs. Make sure your medical insurance covers the cost of therapy. After your first visit, decide if the chiropractor is right for you. Did the chiropractor answer your questions to your satisfaction? Was the treatment plan acceptable? Did you feel comfortable with the chiropractor?

REFERENCES:
1. Health Tip: Considering a Chiropractor?, MedicineNet.com:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=63121

However, severe or not, depression is a serious matter. Any person who feels they may be suffering from depression or if a loved one is showing signs, please seek help from a professional. There is a plethora of information available in the news, library, and internet but this cannot replace the advice and expertise of a healthcare provider.

A recent review from Australia was published in the journal Nutrition and Dietetics. The review focused on natural treatments for depression including St. John's Wort, Fish oils, and B Vitamins.

The primary reviewers concluded that most information supports use of omega 3 fatty acids such as those found in fish oils, for the treatment and relief of depression and depressive symtpoms. The two main fatty acids in fish oil are EPA and DHA, both of which also help to lower inflammation in the body. Omega 3 fatty acids were studied under a variety of designs including clinical trials, prospective, and epidemiological studies and found to be effective for treating mild to moderate depression. They are safe to use, even in pregnancy, and have very few side effects.

Both St. John's Wort and tryptophan were found to be effective at treating depression, even though some studies found conflicting evidence. Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor to neurotransmitters in the brain that are often low or depleted in person's with depression. St. John's Wort has been shown to increase levels of neurotransmitters perhaps by inhibiting their breakdown.

The reviewers did not find as much promising evidence for folate, Vitamin B6 or Vitamin B12. Too many studies were conflicting and the benefit was not substantial in some of the studies that found some positive effect.

In conclusion the reviewers state "The role of balanced nutrition in mental health should be recognized."

The poll, conducted and published by the American Hospital Association, surveyed more than 6,000 U.S. hospitals in December, 2005. The researchers found that more than 25 percent of U.S. hospitals are offering CAM therapies. The percentage of hospitals offering CAM services increased from 8% in 1998 to 27% in 2005.

"More and more, patients are requesting care beyond what most consider to be traditional health services," says researchers Sita Ananth and William Martin, PsyD, in a news release. "And hospitals are responding to the needs of the communities they serve by offering these therapies."

The survey also reported:

1. CAM therapies offered in hospitals were the most common in the Midwest, less common on the West Coast, and the least common in the South.

2. The most common CAM outpatient therapies offered in hospitals included (from most to least): massage therapy, tai chi/yoga/chi gong, relaxation training, acupuncture, guided imagery, and therapeutic touch.

3. The most common CAM inpatient therapies offered in hospitals included (from most to least): massage therapy, music/art therapy, therapeutic touch, guided imagery, relaxation training and acupuncture.

4. CAM therapies were most offered in urban hospitals that were large or medium-sized (more than 100 beds).

5. Thirty seven percent of hospitals offered CAM therapies in a wellness or fitness center.

6. Medical insurance did not pay for most CAM therapies.

REFERENCES:
1. Ananth, S. Health Forum 2005 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Survey of Hospitals. American Hospital Association, News release, July 19, 2006.

The study, published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, examined unintended deaths from opioid painkillers and opioid analgesic sales data from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. CDC researchers analyzed data from CDC death certificates on unintended deaths from opioid painkillers including oxycondone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and methadone, and opioid analgesic sales.

The researchers found that the number of accidental opioid deaths increased 91.2 percent from 1999 to 2002. In comparison, the number of accidental opioid deaths increased 5.3 percent from 1979 to 1990. Furthermore, the number of accidental heroin and cocaine deaths increased 12.4 percent and 22.8 percent, respectively, from 1999 to 2002. Findings also revealed that the increase in accidental painkiller deaths matched the increase in sales for each type of painkiller.

"A national epidemic of drug poisoning deaths began in the 1990s," the study authors write. "Prescriptions for opioid analgesics also increased in this time frame and may have inadvertently contributed to the increases in drug poisoning deaths."

REFERENCES:
1. Paulozzi LJ et al. Increasing deaths from opioid analgesics in the United States. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2006 Sep;15(9):618-27.

The 14 hospitals that made the Honor Roll List include:

1. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland- scored 30 points in 15 specialties

2. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota- scored 25 points in 13 specialties

3. Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio- scored 23 points in 12 specialties

4. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts- scored 21 points in 11 specialties

5. UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California- scored 20 points in 13 specialties

6. New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, New York- scored 18 points in 11 specialties

7. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina- scored 17 points in 10 specialties

8. Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri- scored 15 points in 7 specialties

9. University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California- scored 14 points in 9 specialties

10. University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington- scored 13 points in 8 specialties

11. Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts- scored 12 points in 9 specialties

12. University of Michigan Hospitals and Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan- scored 11 points in 9 specialties

13. Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, California- scored 8 points in 7 specialties

14. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia- scored 7 points in 6 specialties

REFERENCES:
1. Comarow A. Best Hospitals 2006: Methodology: What it means to be best. U.S. News.com:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/methodology.htm

2. Best Hospitals 2006: Honor Roll. U.S. News.com:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/honorroll.htm

The study, published in the BMJ, investigated the association between taking medication or placebo as prescribed and the number of deaths. Researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada, analyzed the data of 21 studies including 46,847 participants, with 19,633 of those participants taking placebos. The studies included drug trials for patients with type 2 diabetes, HIV, cardiovascular disease, immune suppression, and other medical problems.

The researchers found that participants who took beneficial medication or placebo pills as prescribed had a 44 percent lower risk of death, than those who missed doses. However, in two studies of harmful drugs, good adherence to pill taking increased the risk of death. The study authors suggest that taking pills as prescribed may be a characteristic of people with overall healthy behavior.

"Good adherence to drug therapy is associated with positive health outcomes," the study authors conclude. "Moreover, the observed association between good adherence to placebo and mortality supports the existence of the "healthy adherer" effect, whereby adherence to drug therapy may be a surrogate marker for overall healthy behavior."

REFERENCES:
1. Simpson SH et al. A meta-analysis of the association between adherence to drug therapy and mortality. BMJ 2006 Jul 1;333(7557):15. Epub 2006 Jun 21.