Broken Heart Syndrome

Broken heart syndrome is a temporary condition that is often confused with having a heart attack. The symptoms are similar, such as shortness of breath and chest pain. It mostly affects middle-aged and elderly women and is often caused by emotional or physical stress. The condition is almost never fatal, causes no long term heart damage, and usually doesn't reoccur.

Symptoms of the condition occur when stress causes your body to be flooded with catecholamine hormones. Blood pressure and heart rate increase. There is also a sudden and temporary weakening of the mycardium. A bulging out of the left ventricular apex with a hypercontractile base of the left ventricle of the heart often happens.

The condition is commonly referred to as stress cardiomyopathy, stress-induced cardiomyopathy, or apical ballooning syndrome. Symptoms can be prevented by reducing anxiety before it increases. It is different from a heart attack because a heart attack is caused by blocked arteries and broken heart syndrome is caused by a surge of adrenaline and other hormones. One to two percent of patients who are diagnoses with a heart attack are actually experiencing the condition.

Looking Young May Cause Longer Living

A 2001 Danish study found that people who look younger than their age live a longer life on average. The test conducted physical and cognitive tests on more than 1,800 pairs of twins over the age of 70 and tracked how long the twins survived over 7 years. The test found that the people who looked younger than their age were more likely to survive, even after factors like gender and environment were adjusted.

There may be a possible biological reason. People who looked younger had longer telomeres, a DNA component that is linked to aging. People with shorter telomeres are assumed to age faster. In the study, the people with longer telomeres looked younger than their age.

The Facts of Swine Flu

Swine flu is an influenza virus that usually only affects pigs but the virus mixed genes with another influenza virus to create a new type of virus that is also able to infect humans. The current swine flu virus is so different from other viruses that humans have been exposed to in the past that there is very little to none natural immunity to it. The body would have a hard time defending itself against the virus and there are no vaccines for the virus yet. The antiviral medicines Tamiflu and Relenza could help if the medicine is given within two days after symptoms begin. Health authorities are recommending the medicines mainly for people that have more severe symptoms. Most people who have caught the virus have recovered from it.

Common symptoms of the disease include fever, muscle pains, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, chills, headaches, weakness, and diarrhea. If you are having symptoms it is recommended to isolate yourself from everyone else and stay home to prevent spreading the disease. Get medical help immediately if the symptoms become severe.

The virus can be transmitted form person to person by sneezing, coughing, and physical contact, such as shaking hands, kissing, or any kind of touching. You can try to prevent contracting the disease and spreading it by washing your hands or using alcohol based cleansers frequently throughout the day, not shaking hands or having any physical contact with someone, and avoiding contact with people who have symptoms of the flu. Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes as much as possible. You cannot get the disease by eating pork.

Exercise Encourages Wellness

A recent research has shown that a single 20 minute exercise session each week can reduce stress, decrease anxiety, and increase happiness and energy levels. Researchers have also found that almost any type of physical activity, including housework, yard work, and brisk walking could help to decrease levels of mental distress.

Doctors Using Nintendo Wii Games for Physical Therapy

The Nintendo Wii is widely becoming a form of physical therapy. Stretching and lifting exercises that help sick and injured people can get painful, repetitive, and boring. Nintendo Wii games require body movements that are similar to traditional therapy exercises. Most patients are so into the games that they don’t realize that they are doing physical work.

The most popular Wii games in physical therapy are the sports games, such as baseball, bowling, boxing, golf, and tennis. Users that play the games would use a wireless controller that would direct the movements of the animated athletes and characters on the screen.

Sweet Snacks Help Stress

It is reported that eating sugary foods when you are stressed can help you relax. Glucocorticoid is released during times of physical or mental stress. Too much glucocorticoid production can cause obesity and a decreased immune response. Research has found that when sweet snacks or drinks were consumed, lower levels of glucocorticoid were produced, and stress levels were lowered. When you are feeling stressed or pressure, a snack in moderation could help you relax.