Health & Wellness - October 2014 Archives

É difícil crer que o excremento humano possa servir para curar doenças, de maneira ainda mais eficaz que os antibióticos. No entanto, a medicina já comprovou que isso é possível, ao realizar um Transplante de Microbiota Fecal que apresentou resultados surpreendentes em pessoas que sofrem de infecção recorrente, por causa da bactéria Clostridium difficile. As doenças gastrintestinais provocam grande deterioração na saúde das pessoas, podendo levar à morte. Muitas dessas patologias têm sua origem em uma alteração do microbioma humano ou na flora intestinal. Essa alteração pode ter múltiplas causas e pode ser responsável por outros problemas de saúde, como a obesidade, o diabetes, a aterosclerose, a síndrome da fadiga crônica e ainda problemas neurológicos, como a esclerose múltipla. Um dos problemas intestinais mais difíceis de combater e que tem sua origem nesse desequilíbrio é a infecção causada pela bactéria Clostridium difficile (CD). Hoje, há mais esperança de cura para essa doença com um transplante fecal. Especialista no assunto, a médica María Vázquez Roque, professora assistente de gastrenterologia e hepatologia na Clínica Mayo de Jacksonville, esclarece dúvidas sobre esse tema.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Are minimalist shoes safe for running? I can’t seem to find other shoes that work well for me, but I’m worried that I’m going to do long-term damage to my feet if I wear minimalist shoes. ANSWER: Minimalist shoes, also known as barefoot shoes, can be a good choice for some runners. But they are not right for everyone. You need to be particularly careful with them if you have had foot problems or injuries in the past. It is a good idea to talk to your primary care provider or to a sports medicine specialist before you start using minimalist shoes to help decide if they are right for you. Minimalist shoes have become more popular recently as a result of growing enthusiasm for barefoot running. These shoes are lower to the ground, lighter and less cushioned than traditional running shoes. They are designed to provide some protection for your feet while offering some of the desirable aspects of barefoot running.

Listening to patients is what medical teams at Mayo Clinic do each day. To honor Mayo's 150th Anniversary, StoryCorps was asked to listen to and record several ...

In this Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute, Dr. Daniel Yip helps us understand a condition known as alcohol induced cardiomyopathy. To listen, click the ...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and on the next Mayo Clinic Radio, Saturday, October 25 at 9 a.m. CT, two Mayo Clinic Breast Clinic physicians will be with us to discuss the latest in research and the ongoing efforts to diagnose, treat and prevent breast cancer. Director of the Breast Clinic Karthik Ghosh, M.D., and practice chair of the Medical Oncology Breast Group Tufia Haddad, M.D., will be ready  to answer your questions. Please join us. Myth or Fact: Breast feeding reduces the risk of breast cancer. Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions. To listen to the program on Saturday, click here. Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio. Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines: News Segment October 25, 2014 (right click MP3)

Stem cell transplant This procedure may help if your bone marrow stops working or if you've had high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy for certain ...

The Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media (MCCSM) provides training and resources to help accelerate effective adoption of social media in health care. Through its Social Media Health Network, #MCCSM offers opportunity for health-related organizations to learn together and share best practices. During this year's Social Media Week winners of the Patient-Caregiver Scholarship Contest shared how social media has contributed to their health. Their message was simple: Social media is about more than likes and shares and getting messages out. It's about connection, engagement and much more. Following are themes from the conversation. Social media: Helps patients connect Helps patients heal emotionally Lets you know you're not alone Helps you get educated Allows you to become an advocate Save lives The scholarship winners share a few thoughts in the videos below. View their bios and videos, and then keep reading for a special announcement from the summit — the introduction of the Mayo Clinic Champions program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPM0Mom_ZnE Danielle Ripley-Burgess (@DanielleisB) Danielle Ripley-Burgess is a two-time colon cancer survivor who works as the director of communications for Fight Colorectal Cancer. She was diagnosed with colon cancer a few weeks after her 17th birthday in 2001 and again at age 25 in 2009. During more than a decade of survivorship she’s gotten involved in the colorectal cancer community to inspire others. Through her advocacy work, Danielle has traveled coast-to-coast to host events and share stories of those touched by colon cancer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HjfQUk7D2w A diagnosis of cancer alone is difficult and especially challenging if the disease has spread to other areas of the body. For instance, ...

Miss the show?  Here's the podcast: Mayo Clinic Radio Full Show 10-25-2014 October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and on the next Mayo Clinic Radio, ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Why is it that children are the ones most affected by the enterovirus? I have read that it starts with mild cold symptoms, so how will I know when it’s time to see a doctor? What symptoms should I look for in my children? ANSWER: There are many forms of enteroviruses. The one making headlines now is called enterovirus D68. This virus most often affects children and teens because their bodies have not built up immunity to it yet. In most cases, enterovirus D68 causes only mild symptoms. But it can become severe in some people. If your child has severe cold symptoms, or if symptoms get progressively worse, make an appointment to see your doctor. If a child has problems breathing, seek medical care right away. Enteroviruses can cause a wide range of infections, depending on the strain of the virus that is involved. Some can be very serious, such as the enterovirus strain that leads to viral meningitis, while others tend to be only a nuisance, such as those that cause the common cold.

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Tips for dining in or out safely when you have food allergies Having a food allergy means taking precautions at mealtime. Learn about safe food handling and preparation when you're at home or away. Medication errors: Cut your risk with these tips Medication errors and mistakes injure many people each year. Get tips on how to protect yourself. EXPERT ANSWERS Acne scars: What's the best treatment? Various procedures can improve acne scars, but no single treatment is best for everyone. Vitamin B-12 injections for weight loss: Do they work? A weight-loss shot sounds appealing, but there's no solid evidence that vitamin B-12 injections work. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What exactly is ischemic colitis? Do doctors know what causes it? ANSWER: Ischemic colitis occurs when blood flow to part of the large intestine (colon) is reduced due to one of two reasons: either there is a blocked or narrowed blood vessel (occlusive), or there is a temporary decrease in blood flow to the colon  (nonocclusive). Ninety-five percent of cases of ischemic colitis are due to a nonocclusive mechanism. When this occurs, cells in the digestive system don’t receive sufficient oxygen which then leads to areas of colon inflammation and ulceration. While the exact cause of ischemic colitis is often unclear, with proper medical care, most people diagnosed with ischemic colitis typically recover in a day or two and never have another episode. Even under normal circumstances, the colon receives less blood flow than any other portion of the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, if the colon is suddenly subjected to reduced blood flow — whatever the reason — its tissues may be damaged. The severity of damage varies depending on the amount of time that the blood flow was interrupted and the degree to which it was decreased. In rare cases, patients can suffer a perforation (tear) of the colon, which requires surgical treatment.