Meredith Cummings: God has a funny way of reminding me to cherish life. 2D
HealthToday
T H U R S D A Y , J U L Y 31 , 2008
SECTION D
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
Detangling protein is Alzheimer’s key An experimental Alzheimer’s disease treatment targets tangles made up of tau protein in brain nerve cells. If the drug is introduced before the nerve cell dies, it keeps the protein from clumping abnormally. Healthy nerve cell
Tau protein maintains the cell’s internal skeleton and aids in transportation within the cell
Tau can clump abnormally
Clumping can lead to Alzheimer Tangle
If untreated, the cell is destroyed leaving only the tangle
HAVE A HERNIA?
It’s more common than you might think By L ydia Seabol Avant Staff Writer
SOURCE: University of Aberdeen
AP
STUDIES & RESEARCH
Drug could halt Alzheimer’s CHICAGO | For the first time, an experimental drug shows promise for halting the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by taking a new approach: breaking up the protein tangles that clog victims’ brains. The encouraging results are from the drug called Rember, developed by Singapore-based TauRx Therapeutics. Rember is still several years away from being available, experts said.
“These are the first ver y positive results I’ve seen” for stopping mental decline, said Marcelle Morrison-Bogorad, director of Alzheimer’s research at the National Institute on Aging. “It’s just fantastic.” Alzheimer’s afflicts more than 26 million people worldwide. The four Alzheimer’s drugs currently available just ease symptoms of the mindrobbing disease. — The Associated Press
M
ore than 770,000 people in the U.S. ever y year have to have surgery to repair a
hernia. But while 80 to 90 percent of hernias occur in men, they aren’t the only ones getting them. And it’s not just athletes getting them either. A hernia is the term for when an internal organ, often the intestines,
protrudes through a weakened area of muscle. There are several kinds of hernias. According to Consumer Reports’ Web site, www.consumerrepor tshealth.org, the older a person is, the more likely they are to get them. In one study, about 1 in every 100 men younger than 45 has had a hernia. For men older than 45, that figure jumps to between 3 and 5 percent. While the most common type of
hernia for men is the inguinal hernia, women can get femoral hernias. Infants can get what’s know as an umbilical hernia, which occurs in about 5 percent of children. Baby boys and infants who are born prematurely are especially susceptible to those types of hernias. Here’s a guide to the most common types of hernias. If you think you may suffer from a hernia, contact your physician.
Fascia
Hernia process 1.The hernia starts as a weakened abdominal muscle Skin giving way to the peritoneum membrane and the intestine. 2. Eventually, the intestine penetrates the walls of the fascia Intestine and sits just below the skin. Incarcerated 3. If not treated the intestine can become hernia incarcerated or strangulated due to lack of Abdominal cavity blood circulation, possibly leading to other problems. Peritoneum
Fatty tissue
NUTRITION Types of hernias
Eat fast-food, eat healthy
Trying to find healthier options at your favorite fast-food restaurant? Here are the 12 rules of ordering, from the July 2008 ShopSmart magazine: 1. Look up nutritional stats online and plan your meal. 2. Nix the cheese and ask for sauce on the side. 3. Pass up combos. 4. Choose grilled or roasted meats. 5. Split appetizers or turn a side into a main course. 6. Skip the fries and go for a baked potato or veggies. 7. Stick with “original”
sandwiches, which tend to be smaller. And stay away from anything crispy. 8. Don’t eat the top bun or bread slice. 9. Opt for mustard, salsa, and low-fat mayo. 10. Skip salads that come in a deep-fried shell or are covered with cheese, croutons, or fried or breaded meats. 11. Have a glass of water or a sugar-free drink. 12. For dessert, stick with a kid’s frozen yogurt or light ice cream. — McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Hiatal hernia:
Esophagus
Diaphragm
Stomach Rectus Abdominus
Umbilical hernia: Large Intestine (Colon)
FITNESS
Work your core for total look ATLANTA | Now that you’ve been working on that bikini bottom, make sure you also have a defined core. Instead of sit-ups, try these moves for a sexy look in swimwear or lowrise jeans. Fitness trainer Tina Gee demonstrates.
position, leading with the ball and contracting your abs as you come up. Don’t strain your neck. When you are in a seated position, twist your torso to one side, touch the ground with the ball, then return the ball back to the center. Lower slowly to starting position. Repeat, then STABILITY BALL CRUNCH touch the other side to target Sit on a Swiss ball and place obliques. Do three sets of 10 your feet flat on the floor. Let on each side. the ball roll back until your VERTICAL LEG CRUNCH thighs are parallel to the floor. Lie flat on a mat and press Place your hands behind your head or across your chest and your lower back to the floor. contract to crunch your abs, Place your hands behind your head for suplifting your torso no more than port and stretch a 45-degree angle. Tr y side your crossed legs crunches for your obliques. into the air, pointing Do three sets of 10. straight up. Press upBALL TWIST ward. Keep your chin Hold a 10-pound medicine of f your chest and ball above chest at arms’ don’t pull on your head. length. L ying flat with Do three sets of 10. knees bent, crunch — Cox News Service slowly to a sit-up
TIP ALIEN HAND SYNDROME What it is: It’s a rare, neurological disorder in which you feel as if your hand is possessed. Although you can feel sensation in the affected hand, you think the hand is not part of your body and that you have no control over its movement. 2. Symptoms: The affected hand may be viewed as wayward or disobedient. It may remove clothing or reach for certain objects without the sufferer’s awareness. Extreme cases have involved self-inflicted punching or choking. 3. The cause: A stroke, brain trauma or surgery. 4. Treatment: There is no known treatment. Symptoms can be eased by occupying the hand with an object or by wearing an oven mitt. The disorder may go away after weeks or years. — McClatchy-Tribune News Service
What it is: Part of the stomach or the esophagus squeezes into the chest cavity through a weakness in the diaphragm’s opening. Symptoms: Heartburn, difficulty swallowing, chest pain. How it occurs: The cause is not really known, although coughing, straining or obesity are common suspects. How it is treated: Medication is usually prescribed to decrease the heartburn. Eating less, losing weight and not lying down after a meal is also supposed to help. If all else fails, sometimes surgery is required.
Inguinal legiment
Small Intestine
What it is: The abdominal lining or part of the abdominal organs protrude through the abdominal wall near the belly button, at the point of the umbilical cord. This type of hernia is most common in infants or young children Symptoms: A bulging, swollen area around the belly button, varying in size between 1 to 5 centimeters. How it occurs: The stomach muscles around the umbilical cord don’t close completely. How it is treated: Time and, in rare cases, surgery. The hernia usually gets better by the time a child is 3 or 4 years old. Surgery is needed if the bowel tissue becomes strangulated.
Inguinal Hernia: What it is: The intestine protrudes into the scrotum. This is the most common type and usually occurs in men. Symptoms: Discomfort, pain or feeling of heaviness in the groin. May include a bulge in the groin or scrotum. How it occurs: Lifting, coughing, or straining can be common causes. How it is treated: Surgery. Hernias that are minute and painless may not need to be repaired, but check with a physician. Some can get worse.
Femoral Hernia: What it is: The intestine protrudes through the abdominal wall near the groin and thigh. Occurs mostly in women. Symptoms: Groin discomfort, nausea, vomiting. A lump can grow in the groin. How it occurs: It is caused when the muscular wall that keeps the abdominal muscles in place weakens. How it is treated: Surgery. A hernia that is stuck or strangulated is considered a medical emergency because a strangulated intestine can cause gangrene.
Sports Hernia: What it is: The abdominal wall weakens, causing pain and a bulge in the lower abdomen or groin. Symptoms: Pain in the groin and lower abdomen, or testicle area in men. How it occurs: Often caused by repetitive twisting and turning at high speeds. Common in people who play hockey, tennis, soccer or run. How it is treated: Rest and often surgery. Patients are often told to rest the groin muscles for a period of weeks.
A less painful option Some surgeons are using a new technique called Laparoscopic hernia repair in hernia operations. This operation fixes tears in the abdominal wall using small incisions, a patch (a mesh that is placed on the inside of the abdominal muscle) and special cameras to view inside the body. Patients tend to experience a quicker recovery and less postoperative pain. Sources: Men’sHealth.com, About.com, and WebMD.com. STAFF GRAPHIC | ANTHONY BRATINA
Mesh (patch) Abdominal muscle Intestine Inguinal legiment Damaged area