ABC Health Vegetarian Tweet Chat Today at 1PM, ET

Broccoli is a super food and should be a staple in a vegetarian diet. Credit: Tim Pannell/Getty Images

There are lots of reasons for eating more fruits and vegetables: for your health, for the environment, for animal rights — or all of the above. ?That’s why the number of people who eat a completely vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diet is growing. Currently, about 4 percent of Americans consider themselves vegetarian and another 47 percent try to go vegetarian at least part of the time, according to the latest national survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group.

Come share your reasons for embracing a vegetarian lifestyle on today’s ABC Health tweet chat, moderated by Dr. Richard Besser, chief health and medical correspondent for ABC News. We’ll be joined by top vegetarian bloggers, hospital wellness experts and vegetarian advocacy groups from all over the country. And for the first time ever, we’ll be live blogging during the chat to offer you recipes, expert tips and so much more.

The chat starts at 1 p.m., ET and runs for an hour. You’re welcome to participate any way you wish. ?To learn how to join the conversation, click here. ?If you just want to watch, you can see the updates below, which will appear automatically when the event starts.

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Personalized Medicine - The New Era of Health Care

Recent lackluster health scenario in India has called for actions. Doctors have faced wrath from patients and family members. But there is a basic misconception. Just like the aphorism: a captain is only as good as his crew, so too doctors have been handicapped by inaccurate diagnostic results. There is a glimmer of hope though, in the form of personalized medicine.

What is personalized medicine?

We know that just like the thumb prints, genetic characteristics of the human beings are different from each other. Every human body responds differently to the same drug. In health care "one size fits all" is an old school thinking now. Customization of healthcare is needed to get the maximum results. And to achieve this aim, the concept of personalized medicine was invented. The ultimate target of personalized medicine is to treat each and every patient as individual and to provide the tailor made medicine to get effective results quickly.

How it works?

In traditional health care scenario, the doctor treats the ailments on the basis of symptoms, clinical analysis, pathological diagnosis and family as well as medical history. Usually, the treatment starts only after appearance of the symptom in the human body. Usually there are set protocols for treating ailments, including surgical, medical, radiological intervention strategies.

Medicines are given in defined dosage, sometimes calculating the body mass, weight parameters etc. However, even though medicines come out in the market after rigorous statistical analysis on cohorts of patients, clinicians are helpless in cases the medicine does not work. Personalized medicine helps the doctors in pre-determining if a certain medicine is going to work or not; in other words define the efficacy of treatment and define endpoint of the disease.

The analysis of environment, regular diet, lifestyle, stress level, inherited genetic makeup, cellular behavior of a damaged cell from its intracellular signaling to cellular cross talk triggered by the gene activation help to identify the performance potential of a therapy regime. A gene mutation can lead to higher unnecessary activation levels or inhibition of a normal signaling in a cell and this can lead to impaired drug function.

Therefore personalized medicine is looked at from two levels (i) genotypic level where the gene induced changes are accounted for and (ii) phenotypic level where the cellular behavior of a cell is looked at before deciding on a therapy regime. Personalized medicine therefore helps one to have a better treatment leading to reduction of overuse of drugs or preventing underuse of therapy. At an inheritance level, It also helps to determine if anyone is prone or susceptible to a disease.

Personalized medicine and Oncology:

Even though personalized medicine can be utilized in various infectious or systemic diseases; but oncology is the zone where it can transform the lives of the patients. The genetic makeup and phenotypic characteristic of cancer vary from person to person. That's why every cancer patient responds to treatments differently. With the help of molecular analysis, the patients can be stratified and treated accordingly. In today's scenario clinicians routinely use molecular tools to thermostatically identify drug performances in breast, ovarian, colon, lung, head and neck and hematological oncology.

Present Scenario

Every year pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars in clinical trials before launching drugs. Molecular analysis and diagnosis not only saves the money but also helps them to focus on the research for betterment in healthcare.

Debarati Chakraboty Nath is the content developer for Suraksha Diagnostic Pvt Ltd. She is responsible for the content, online promotion of the website: http://surakshanet.com/

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7 Health Problems Fixed by Food

Can't sleep? Got the PMS blues? Before you open your medicine cabinet, step into your kitchen. "Real, whole, fresh food is the most powerful drug on the planet," says Mark Hyman, MD, author of The Blood Sugar Solution. "It regulates every biological function of your body." In fact, recent research suggests not only what to eat but when to eat it for maximum benefit. Check out the latest smart food fixes.

Food fix #1: Dig into juicy fruits and vegetables

When you're feeling puffy, you may not want to chow down on watery produce, but consuming foods like melon, cucumber and celery is an excellent way to flush out your system, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. "We need sodium to survive," she explains, "but because we often eat too much of it, our bodies retain water to dilute the blood down to a sodium concentration it can handle. Eating produce with high water content helps the dilution process, so your body can excrete excess sodium and water."

Food fix #2: Load up on enzymes

Bloating can also be a sign that your intestines are out of whack. "If you're irregular or experience gas right after eating, papaya can help," explains Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, author of Food as Medicine. "Eating 1 cup several times a week helps rejuvenate the gastrointestinal system, thanks to papaya's digestive enzyme papain, which breaks down protein." The fiber also helps push food through your intestines, improving regularity. Try a smoothie with papaya, pineapple (it also contains digestive enzymes), protein powder, ice and almond milk.

Best and Worst Foods for Digestion

You're On an Emotional Roller Coaster

Food fix #1: Say yes to breakfast

"People who eat within an hour or two of waking up have a more even mood throughout the rest of the day and perform better at work," Somer says. British researchers found that study participants who skipped their morning meal did worse on memory tests and were more tired by midday than those who had eaten. The optimal breakfast includes a whole grain to supply glucose for your brain to run on, protein to satisfy hunger and keep your blood sugar levels steady and one or two antioxidant-rich fruits or vegetables. Somer's suggestion: a 100 percent whole-grain cereal that contains at least 4 grams of fiber and no more than 5 grams of sugar, eaten with fruit and low-fat milk.

Food fix #2: Stock up on selenium

A lesser-known trace mineral, selenium—found in Brazil nuts, tuna, eggs and turkey—helps keep you on an even keel. Women whose diets are deficient in the mineral are more prone to feeling depressed. Why? Selenium is crucial for the production of thyroid hormones, which govern metabolism and mood. You don't need much, though: The recommended daily allowance for selenium is 55 micrograms, and you can get that amount by eating one 3-ounce can of tuna.

The 20 Best Foods to Eat for Breakfast

The food fix: Eat your onions

Battling breakouts? The antioxidants in onions and other sulfur-rich veggies tamp down the inflammation that leads to acne, says Valori Treloar, MD, a dermatologist in Newton, Mass., and co-author of The Clear Skin Diet. The sulfur in onions, leeks and scallions helps produce a detoxifying molecule called glutathione, which a 2011 study found to be lower in the skin of people who were prone to breakouts.

This antioxidant is most potent when eaten in raw or lightly cooked foods. Try adding chopped scallions to your salad or stirring diced onions into your salsa or stir-fry. Taking folate and vitamin B6 and B12 supplements may also boost glutathione levels.

The Best Diets For Your Skin

The food fix: Don't snack on the plane

It's no fun spending the first days of your vacation trying to acclimate. One surprising secret to avoiding the headaches, irritability and upset stomach of jet lag is to fast for several hours before arriving at your destination. That's because when you eat influences your circadian rhythms, in much the same way that exposure to light and dark does.

Let's say you're headed to France. On the plane, steer clear of most food (but drink plenty of water), set your watch to Paris time and eat a high-protein breakfast at 7 a.m., no matter where you are on your trip. "The fast depletes your body's energy stores, so when you eat protein the next morning, you get an extra kick and help your body produce waking-up chemicals," explains Dave Baurac, spokesperson for the Argonne National Laboratory, a research institute based in Illinois.

6 Tips for Beating Jet Lag

Food fix #1: Have a late-night morsel

We've all been told to avoid eating too close to bedtime, but applying this rule too strictly could actually contribute to sleep woes. As anyone who has tried a fast knows, hunger can make you feel edgy, and animal studies confirm this. "You need to be relaxed to fall asleep, and having a grumbling stomach is a distraction," explains Kelly Glazer Baron, PhD, an instructor of neurology at Northwestern University and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "It makes it hard to get to sleep and wakes you up at night."

The trick is to tame the munchies 30 minutes to an hour before bed with a small snack that includes complex carbohydrates. "Since you metabolize sugars more slowly at night, a complex carb like whole wheat is a better choice," Baron says. "It keeps your blood sugar levels even." Try cheese and whole-wheat crackers or almonds and a banana.

Food fix #2: Add cherries

You can boost your snack's snooze power by washing it down with a glass of tart cherry juice. A recent study of folks with chronic insomnia found that those who downed 8 ounces of juice made from tart Montmorency cherries (available in most grocery stores) one to two hours before bedtime stayed asleep longer than those who drank a placebo juice.

These sour powerhouses—which you can eat fresh, dried or juiced—possess anti-inflammatory properties that may stimulate the production of cytokines, a type of immune-system molecule that helps regulate sleep. Tart cherries are also high in melatonin, a hormone that signals the body to go to sleep and stay that way.

Best and Worst Foods for Sleep

The food fix: Keep an eye on iron

You might be more susceptible to the monthly blahs if you have low levels of iron, according to a new study. Researchers looked at the diets of 3,000 women over 10 years and found that those who consumed more than 20 milligrams of the mineral daily had about a 40 percent lower risk of PMS than those who ingested less than 10 milligrams.

You can get almost your full daily dose by eating 1 cup of an iron-fortified cereal; other great sources include white beans (4 milligrams per one-half cup) and sauteed fresh spinach (3 milligrams per one-half cup).

10 Ways to Get Rid of PMS

The food fix: Pile on protective produce

While you still need the usual sun protection (SPF 30 sunscreen as well as a wide-brimmed hat), you may be able to bolster your skin's own resistance to UV rays with what you eat. The details: Micronutrients called carotenoids in fruits and vegetables protect the skin against sunburn, recent science shows. "Most topical sunscreens work by filtering out the UV component from the solar light that reaches the skin," explains researcher Wilhelm Stahl, PhD, a professor of biochemistry at Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf, Germany. "But these micronutrients, if you have enough in your system, actually absorb UV light and prevent damage."

The most potent carotenoids are the beta-carotene found in carrots, endive and spinach, and the lycopene in watermelon and tomatoes. Keep in mind that the effect isn't instantaneous; you would need to eat a carotenoid-rich diet for at least 10 to 12 weeks in order to get the full benefit, says Stahl. Still, there is a reward for your patience: skin fortified to fend off sun damage and wrinkles.

This article originally appeared on Health.com.

***

More from Health.com:

Eat Your Way to Health and Happiness

17 Superfoods That Fight Disease

The Top Fat-Burning Foods

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Under-Use Of Genetic Testing Puts Health Of Entire Families At Risk

Main Category: Genetics
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;??Colorectal Cancer;??Breast Cancer
Article Date: 11 Jun 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Under-Use Of Genetic Testing Puts Health Of Entire Families At Risk

A new study of the use of genetic testing for cancer-causing mutations in affected families in France has found that its take-up is very low. Professor Pascal Pujol, Head of the Cancer Genetics Department, Montpellier University Hospital, Montpellier, France told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics that analysis of data from the French National Cancer Institute covering the years 2003 to 2011 showed that, although there had been a steady increase in tests performed for the breast and ovarian cancer-causing mutations BRCA1 and BRCA2, this was not the case with the MMR mutation, implicated in Lynch syndrome (a form of colorectal cancer). Only a third of relatives of individuals with either mutation underwent genetic testing themselves.

"Given that such testing can provide many options to enable individuals to manage their cancer risk, it is vital to encourage awareness and acceptance among both the public and medical professionals", he will say. "For example, removal of the ovaries in women over 40 years old who carry a BRCA mutation decreases their overall cancer mortality by 20% and prophylactic mastectomy can reduce the chances of breast cancer in women carrying such a mutation by around 90%. Those who are unwilling to undergo prophylactic surgery can benefit from increased surveillance, with regular MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans. For familial colon cancer, screening by colonoscopy has been shown to decrease mortality. It is therefore regrettable that so few people seem to be aware of the benefits of genetic testing in families with a history of breast, ovarian, or colorectal cancer."

Professor Pujol and colleagues from cancer centres across France analysed 240134 consultations and 134652 genetic tests from patients referred for a predisposition to breast or colorectal cancer. They found a substantial increase in tests for BRCA1/2 - from 2095 a year in 2003 to 7393 in 2011 - but for MMR mutations the increase was tiny - from 1144 to 1635 a year over the same period.

Mutations in BRCA1/2 genes are thought to be responsible for about 5% of all cases of breast and ovarian cancer. A woman with such a mutation has a risk of up to 87% of having breast cancer before she reaches the age of 80, as opposed to a risk of 8% in the general population. Such cancers are diagnosed at an average age of 43, as opposed to 60 in the general population, and are often more aggressive. In the case of ovarian cancer, a woman carrying a BRCA1 mutation has a risk of ovarian cancer of up to 63%.

Individuals with Lynch syndrome, or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, have a 45% risk of developing colorectal cancer by the age of 70, and women with the syndrome are at increased risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers.

"While the increase in BRCA testing is encouraging, it is far from optimal. And the uptake of MMR testing for Lynch syndrome - responsible for 5% of all colorectal cancers - is frankly disappointing", says Professor Pujol. "And of course, positive test results may have implications for other family members.

"While we have only studied the situation in France, we believe that our findings would be likely to be replicated in many other countries across the world. It is extremely worrying that such a simple test, which has the potential to spare whole families from devastating illness, is being so under-used. We urgently need a major programme of awareness among all those concerned, involving medical education and training, information programmes for patients and their families, public health campaigning, and improved genetic counselling," he concluded.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
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A Patient's Right To Control Genomic Health Information

Main Category: Genetics
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;??Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 13 May 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
A Patient's Right To Control Genomic Health Information

Doctors should not have the right or responsibility to force-feed their patients with genomic information about their future health risks, according to bioethicists writing in Trends in Biotechnology, a Cell Press publication. They write in response to controversial recommendations from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) on the reporting of incidental findings in clinical genome sequencing.

"A lot of people in this field would agree that no one has a right to withhold your health information from you," said Megan Allyse from the Stanford University Center for Biomedical Ethics. "But it's problematic to suggest the inverse: that the medical system should give you information you didn't ask for and don't want. No one should be able to interfere with your ability to accept or decline access. We think that's where these recommendations are problematic, because they do suggest that your physician should interfere in that decision by essentially saying, 'You have to accept this information.' And there is certainly evidence that some people do not want information about long-term health risks, especially in children."

The ACMG recommendations were prompted by the increasing use of genome sequencing in medical care. A challenge in sequencing whole genomes or exomes (protein-coding sequences only) is the sheer quantity of information that results. For instance, a patient may undergo sequencing in an effort to individualize their cancer therapy, but their genome sequence might contain information about their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in old age. The questions are these: Should patients receive those "incidental findings" or not? And who decides?

The ACMG recommends that anyone undergoing genome sequencing for any reason should be tested for a list of clinically actionable conditions, including predispositions to various forms of cancer and to cardiomyopathy (but not to Alzheimer's disease). Furthermore, the recommendations are that physicians have a duty to then pass that information on to the patient, like it or not.

Not only would such an approach to medicine be a challenge for patient autonomy, but it would also be costly, the bioethicists say.

"It's not clear how those costs would be passed along, either to insurers or to patients themselves," Allyse said. "For the moment, from a patient perspective, the affected population is pretty small, because few people currently undergo whole-genome sequencing. But there are definitely signs that this practice is growing, especially in cancer diagnosis, and so we can envision that this issue of how to define and report incidental findings is likely to affect more and more people in the future. The issue of cost will of course affect any patient who has limited resources - along with the hospitals, insurance companies, and government programs that pay for much of the care patients receive."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our genetics section for the latest news on this subject. Trends in Biotechnology, Allyse et al.: "Not-so-incidental findings: the ACMG recommendations on the reporting of incidental findings in clinical whole genome and whole exome sequencing."
Cell Press Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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