Host Jennifer Kamstock explains what a holistic dentist is and why we should go to one. Written and produced by Larry Cook, author of The Beginner's Guide to Natural Living. Distributed by Tubemogul.
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
One Strain Behind Epidemic of Staph Infections
(HealthDay News) -- A single strain of an evolving bacterium has been responsible for most of the community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections that have spread rapidly in the United States during the past five years, a new government study finds.
Typically, CA-MRSA causes boils, but it can lead to life-threatening conditions that are difficult to treat, according to the study.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) researchers said their findings resolve debate about the molecular evolution of CA-MRSA in the United States and rule out the possibility that multiple strains of USA300 emerged randomly with similar characteristics.
This single strain of USA300, which has spread with "extraordinary transmissibility" in the past five years, was identified by analyzing the genomes of USA300 collected from 10 patients infected in different parts of the United States between 2002 and 2005. Eight of the 10 samples had almost identical genomes, indicating they were from a common strain. The remaining two were related to the other eight, but more distantly.
The researchers also found that two of the eight almost identical USA300 samples caused far fewer deaths in laboratory mice than the other samples. This appears to support an emerging belief that tiny genetic changes among evolving strains have a major impact on disease severity and the potential for development of drug resistance.
The study was published in this week's online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"The USA300 group of strains appears to have extraordinary transmissibility and fitness," research leader Frank R. DeLeo said in a prepared statement. "We anticipate that new USA300 derivatives will emerge within the next several years and that these strains will have a wide range of disease-causing potential."
It's hoped this research will lead to new test that can quickly identify specific MRSA strains.
A second study, led by the same NIAID scientists, discovered new information about how MRSA bacteria -- including the USA300 group -- avoid destruction by the human immune system's white blood cells. The study found that MRSA senses danger and turns the tables, killing the white blood cells.
That study was recently published online in The Journal of Immunology.
"Scientists are pressing ahead quickly to learn more about how some MRSA strains evade the immune system and spread quickly. The information presented in these two studies adds important new insights into that expanding knowledge base," NIAID Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said in a prepared statement.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about MRSA.
Typically, CA-MRSA causes boils, but it can lead to life-threatening conditions that are difficult to treat, according to the study.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) researchers said their findings resolve debate about the molecular evolution of CA-MRSA in the United States and rule out the possibility that multiple strains of USA300 emerged randomly with similar characteristics.
This single strain of USA300, which has spread with "extraordinary transmissibility" in the past five years, was identified by analyzing the genomes of USA300 collected from 10 patients infected in different parts of the United States between 2002 and 2005. Eight of the 10 samples had almost identical genomes, indicating they were from a common strain. The remaining two were related to the other eight, but more distantly.
The researchers also found that two of the eight almost identical USA300 samples caused far fewer deaths in laboratory mice than the other samples. This appears to support an emerging belief that tiny genetic changes among evolving strains have a major impact on disease severity and the potential for development of drug resistance.
The study was published in this week's online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"The USA300 group of strains appears to have extraordinary transmissibility and fitness," research leader Frank R. DeLeo said in a prepared statement. "We anticipate that new USA300 derivatives will emerge within the next several years and that these strains will have a wide range of disease-causing potential."
It's hoped this research will lead to new test that can quickly identify specific MRSA strains.
A second study, led by the same NIAID scientists, discovered new information about how MRSA bacteria -- including the USA300 group -- avoid destruction by the human immune system's white blood cells. The study found that MRSA senses danger and turns the tables, killing the white blood cells.
That study was recently published online in The Journal of Immunology.
"Scientists are pressing ahead quickly to learn more about how some MRSA strains evade the immune system and spread quickly. The information presented in these two studies adds important new insights into that expanding knowledge base," NIAID Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said in a prepared statement.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about MRSA.
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Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Sports Drink Can Be Tough on Teeth
FRIDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Sports and energy drinks can be wonderful potions that hydrate top-tier athletes and weekend warriors alike.
But here's some advice about their use, not from your trainer or your coach, but from a dental school professor: If you choose to use them, chug them. Don't sip or savor them all day.
That's what J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, director of biomaterials research at the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore suggests. Otherwise, the drinks could be eating away your enamel, setting you up for tooth decay and other dental problems.
Energy drinks and citrus-flavored beverages -- like many sports drinks -- are more abrasive on tooth enamel than tea or even cola drinks, von Fraunhofer reported in a recent issue of the journal General Dentistry.
In the study, he exposed enamel from teeth that had been extracted due to cavities or other problems to a variety of beverages, including energy drinks, fitness water and sports drinks, lemonade and ice tea. He simulated 13 years of exposure during normal beverage consumption, while weighing the teeth before and after exposure to calculate enamel dissolution.
While all the drinks produced some enamel damage, von Fraunhofer found the most wear occurred, in descending order, from -- lemonade, energy drinks, sports drinks, fitness water (often with citrus flavors), ice tea and cola.
Von Fraunhofer said most cola drinks contain acids, but energy and sport drinks also contain other organic acids that can speed up damage to the enamel.
"Anything that contained citrus flavoring did a number on the teeth," he said.
The Academy of General Dentistry, which publishes the journal, does not have an official stand on specific beverages and their potential for damaging enamel, said spokeswoman Susan Urbanczyk.
But the sports-drink industry says there's no link between the beverages and dental problems.
"The study from Maryland uses an experimental approach that takes the tooth out of the mouth and uses a non-real-world situation to see if beverages have an impact on tooth weight," Craig Horswill, senior research fellow at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, said in a prepared statement. He pointed to another study, published in the European journal Caries Research in 2002, that found no relationship between sports-drink consumption and dental erosion in more than 300 athletes.
Still, dentists like Dr. Craig W. Valentine of Lakeland, Fla., urge caution, adding that with summer approaching, kids and adults should limit their intake of the sports and energy drinks to minimize tooth harm.
No one's saying avoid the drinks, but people tend to sip them continuously, Valentine said. "Out playing tennis, for instance, every time you change sides, you may swig. It's that constant acid attack that is causing the problem," he said.
Valentine's advice: "If you are going to drink sports drinks or colas, drink them quickly and then try to rinse your mouth."
"Or use a straw," he added. "It gets it past your teeth."
Van Fraunhofer said: "The integrity of the tooth is dependent on having the enamel there. Once the enamel is gone, it is gone."
And resist the urge to grab your toothbrush after consuming sports drinks, he said, adding, "Toothpaste is a bit abrasive. It will work it [the acids] in."
More information
To learn more about dental health, visit the Academy of General Dentistry.
But here's some advice about their use, not from your trainer or your coach, but from a dental school professor: If you choose to use them, chug them. Don't sip or savor them all day.
That's what J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, director of biomaterials research at the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore suggests. Otherwise, the drinks could be eating away your enamel, setting you up for tooth decay and other dental problems.
Energy drinks and citrus-flavored beverages -- like many sports drinks -- are more abrasive on tooth enamel than tea or even cola drinks, von Fraunhofer reported in a recent issue of the journal General Dentistry.
In the study, he exposed enamel from teeth that had been extracted due to cavities or other problems to a variety of beverages, including energy drinks, fitness water and sports drinks, lemonade and ice tea. He simulated 13 years of exposure during normal beverage consumption, while weighing the teeth before and after exposure to calculate enamel dissolution.
While all the drinks produced some enamel damage, von Fraunhofer found the most wear occurred, in descending order, from -- lemonade, energy drinks, sports drinks, fitness water (often with citrus flavors), ice tea and cola.
Von Fraunhofer said most cola drinks contain acids, but energy and sport drinks also contain other organic acids that can speed up damage to the enamel.
"Anything that contained citrus flavoring did a number on the teeth," he said.
The Academy of General Dentistry, which publishes the journal, does not have an official stand on specific beverages and their potential for damaging enamel, said spokeswoman Susan Urbanczyk.
But the sports-drink industry says there's no link between the beverages and dental problems.
"The study from Maryland uses an experimental approach that takes the tooth out of the mouth and uses a non-real-world situation to see if beverages have an impact on tooth weight," Craig Horswill, senior research fellow at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, said in a prepared statement. He pointed to another study, published in the European journal Caries Research in 2002, that found no relationship between sports-drink consumption and dental erosion in more than 300 athletes.
Still, dentists like Dr. Craig W. Valentine of Lakeland, Fla., urge caution, adding that with summer approaching, kids and adults should limit their intake of the sports and energy drinks to minimize tooth harm.
No one's saying avoid the drinks, but people tend to sip them continuously, Valentine said. "Out playing tennis, for instance, every time you change sides, you may swig. It's that constant acid attack that is causing the problem," he said.
Valentine's advice: "If you are going to drink sports drinks or colas, drink them quickly and then try to rinse your mouth."
"Or use a straw," he added. "It gets it past your teeth."
Van Fraunhofer said: "The integrity of the tooth is dependent on having the enamel there. Once the enamel is gone, it is gone."
And resist the urge to grab your toothbrush after consuming sports drinks, he said, adding, "Toothpaste is a bit abrasive. It will work it [the acids] in."
More information
To learn more about dental health, visit the Academy of General Dentistry.
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