Stretchers that can transport 500-pound patients. Wheelchairs designed for people who weigh 700 pounds. Toilets made to support half a ton. Hospitals and clinics are preparing for a future in which almost half of the population will be obese. "Obesity is just rampant," said Trudy Ivins, bariatric program director at Memorial Hermann-Memorial City, who has helped the hospital incorporate furniture and equipment for heavier patients and their families throughout its facilities. The annual cost for obesity-related illnesses is estimated at $190 billion, but that doesn't count the price tag for plus-size furniture and equipment, which can cost 50 percent more than conventional equipment. Economists say those expenses ultimately will be passed on to everyone in the form of higher medical bills. "All patients, regardless of ... Continue reading →
An editorial in today’s Science Translational Medicine about traumatic brain injuries, genetics and the long-term risks for degenerative brain disease caught our eye. According to the authors, the suicide of former star NFL linebacker Junior Seau, a death that mirrored other suicides of former NFL players who’d suffered degenerative brain damage, prompted them to provocatively ask whether prospective players of high impact sports or future soldiers should be genotyped to gauge their long-term risks from traumatic brain injuries. Sam Gandy and Steven T. DeKosky point out that studies clearly link a person’s APOE-4 status — a genetic variant associated with higher risks for Alzheimer’s disease — with an increased risk for degenerative brain disease in response to traumatic brain injuries. Would you want to know ... Continue reading →
Coffee May Be Part of the Recipe for a Longer Life Study of More Than 400,000 Men and Women Links Coffee With a Lower Risk of Death By Rita RubinWebMD Health News May 16, 2012 -- Whatever you call it -- joe, java, mud -- it is likely a key way to jump-start your day, and now new research suggests it may also help you live longer. The study, described as the largest of its kind, found that coffee drinkers had a lower risk of death from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, accidents and injuries, diabetes, and infections, but not from cancer. Researchers observed these results after accounting for the effects of other risk factors for dying, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. The scientists ... Continue reading →
The Laxative-Free 'Virtual Colonoscopy' Eliminating the Need for Bowel Prep Could Spur More People to Get Screened for Colon Cancer By Rita RubinWebMD Health News May 14, 2012-- For many people, preparing for a colonoscopy is sometimes more daunting than the procedure itself. You typically stop eating solid food for at least a day, and then drink what seems like gallons of liquid to clean out your bowel. You need to stay close to a bathroom, because you will be going and going and going. Dread of the prep might be one reason why, according to government estimates, about 4 out of 10 Americans ages 50-75 don't meet recommendations for colorectal cancer screening. One common screening option is a colonoscopy every 10 years for those ... Continue reading →
Most of us have kind of moved on from the iPod. It was really freaking awesome for a while, but then Apple came out with the iPhone and iPad. Since then iPod sales have slowly dropped, because why spend $150 on an iPod when an extra hundo will get you an iPod Touch? Some people still really really love their iPods though. Some in more crazy ways than others. Like Dave Hurban for example, who had four holes drilled into his wrist and plugged with magnets, just so he doesn’t have to bother with iPod Nano watch bands. Dave’s “invention” is called the iDermal, and it’s crazy, original, and pretty weird.Eat your heart out Pebble, and check out the video below.I guess Dave just took ... Continue reading →
