Therapy Improves Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms

Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, is a gastrointestinal disorder that can be a nuisance to doctors and patients alike.

Historically hard to treat, and definitely hard to live with, a new light has appeared on the horizon and it doesn't even involve medication. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy directed at reversing negative thought patterns, has been linked with adequate relief of symptoms and quality-of-life gains in patients with IBS, according to research published in the August issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

These positive benefits were seen whether the CBT was administered by a therapist or self-directed. "This is an important finding that comes at a critical time when few [proven] therapies are available to more severely affected IBS patients," the study states.

Weight Loss After Diagnosis Improves Diabetes Control

Excess weight and the subsequent development of type 2 diabetes is nothing new. But newly diagnosed patients who lose weight (even if they later regain it) have better sugar and blood pressure control than patients who maintain a stable weight or gain weight, according to a report released online this month in Diabetes Care.

The results of this study confirm that weight loss for diabetics, especially if done rapidly post-diagnosis, can lead to substantial gains in health.

It's never too late to change things around; if you are overweight -- and especially if you have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes -- aim for at least a reduction in body weight of at least 5 to 10 percent of total body weight.

Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to All-Cause Mortality

Vitamin D has been getting a lot of press lately and it's not just for strong bones. Growing evidence suggests multiple health benefits of higher levels of vitamin D including a reduced risk of various cancers, diabetes and even multiple sclerosis.

The latest news on the "D"? Low levels are associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality, according to research in an August issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. More than 13,000 adults age 20 and up had their vitamin D levels checked. Over nine years, adults with the lowest blood levels of the vitamin were found to have a 26 percent increased risk of death.

Further study is needed to confirm these findings, according to the authors, and also "to determine whether vitamin D supplementation at higher doses could have any potential benefit in reducing future mortality risk in those with [vitamin D] deficiency."

Gender Differences Found for Vitamin D-Pain Link

And once more, for the ladies...

An assessment of a vitamin D-pain link in white British adults born during one week in 1958 revealed that middle-aged women, but not men, are less likely to have chronic widespread pain if they have higher vitamin D levels. This research was published online August 12 in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

"We examined variations in lifestyle as an explanation for the observed gender interaction, but statistical evidence...persisted even after full adjustment for social and lifestyle characteristics," the authors wrote.

While the recommended daily intake of vitamin D for adults ages 51-70 is still technically 400 IUs, many experts are already recommending an increased intake of 800-1000 IUs. Vitamin D is obtained through food sources including fortified milk and fatty fish such as salmon, from supplements, and from daily sun exposure. But hold the sunscreen; it blocks the skin's absorption and subsequent generation of the vitami, n from the rays. To keep your risk of sun damage to a minimum while still getting the vitamin D benefit, limit your exposure to 10 to 15 minutes a day.

Mortality Worsens With Increased Air Pollution

With the Olympic games in full swing and the concerns about the Beijing air quality front and center, some timely new research from the August 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology delves into the issue.

The researchers found that, in the short term (10 years or less), increasing exposure to pollutants was linked to increased indicators of heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia. Over the long term, they found that higher exposure increased risk of death from all causes, including cardiopulmonary and lung cancer mortalities.

"Data from numerous studies unequivocally indicate that air pollution is directly linked to the adverse cardiovascular outcomes in the general population, and effects are seen at levels at or below existing air quality standards," the authors wrote. They also determined that these effects were -at least in part- due to generation of free radicals and suggested that further study could help identify and address more specific cause(s) and "reduce the risk of developing air pollution related health problems."