Health & Wellness - October 2015 Archives

Stem cell transplantation, also known as bone marrow transplantation, is a procedure that infuses healthy cells, called stem cells, into your body to ...

This article first appeared March 12, 1955 in the publication Mayovox. Even in this jet-propelled present day, 1,000,000 miles is considerable of a distance. A generation and more ago, 1,000,000 miles of travel by automobile was a very great distance indeed. Between the early 1920’s and the late 1930’s, Fred Dahle of General Service drove a million miles for the same man – Dr. W. J. Mayo. It is a record in which Dahle, understandably, takes a deep quiet pride. Fred Dahle Recalls Million Miles With W. J. Mayo  Fred Dahle was born and raised on his parents’ farm over in Dodge County. He came to Rochester in 1911, worked for five years at the State Hospital as a cook. Then, for a couple of years, he owned a confectionery-restaurant at Hayfield, Minn. Seven years was more than enough to convince him that inside work was nothing for a man born and raised on a farm—and yet he didn’t just want to go back to farming. So, in 1918, he came back to Rochester as a construction foreman; among other jobs, he helped build the first kennels at the Institute of Experimental Medicine.

Looking good on Halloween often comes at a price, but that price should be in dollars and cents — not compromising your health. Unfortunately, misuse of decorative contact lenses and supplementing costumes with tinted eyewear may put your well-being at risk. Decorative contacts are lenses that change the appearance of your eyes without correcting vision. They can modify eye color, include your favorite team’s logo or create a scary, wild eye appearance for a creature you’re embodying on Halloween. They’re also known as cosmetic or fashion lenses and are promoted like an accessory, such as jewelry, scarves or no-correction glasses, in non-eye-care stores. However, decorative lenses are not as harmless as they seem. “Contact lenses are medical devices that need proper fitting and should be purchased from a store that requires a prescription,” says Bob Friese, O.D., Optometry, Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont. “Buying them elsewhere and not having a proper fitting can lead to significant health risks. The risks to your eyes include corneal abrasions, infections, allergic reactions, decreased vision and blindness.”

Stem cell transplantation, also known as bone marrow transplantation, has come a long way since it was first tried in the early part of the ...

This story originally appeared October 15, 2015, on In the Loop. If you're a parent, you know the delicate dance it can take to make ...

Put Halloween safety first with these common-sense tips. Carve Safely: Before you start carving pumpkins, consider these Halloween safety rules: Decorate with markers, glitter glue or paint. Let young children draw faces on pumpkins with art supplies. Leave any carving to an adult. Use candles with care. Place candlelit pumpkins on a sturdy surface away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave candlelit pumpkins unattended. Better yet, light pumpkins with flashlights, battery-operated flameless candles or glow sticks instead.

Humans are the complete social being. Like many animals, humans live in our own packs and strive to form a connection with other living things. In 10,000 B.C., dogs, thought to be the first domesticated animal, were found buried cradled in the arms of their owners. In 7,500 B.C., the first evidence of domesticated cats were found in Egyptian burials. "Pets continue to be an optional part of our modern lives. Research shows that our desire to connect with our pets can be a valuable asset for those struggling with physical and emotional pain; mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety; and environmental factors, such as loneliness," says Jennifer Wickham, licensed professional counselor at Mayo Clinic Health System.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its recommendations for breast cancer screening for women at average risk of the disease. The recommendations strongly support ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: How much sleep should teenagers be getting, and how does it affect their health if they are sleep deprived? My daughter is 16 and only sleeps about six hours each night during the week. She says she isn’t tired and makes up for it by sleeping in on the weekends, but I am worried it’s affecting her ability to concentrate at school. ANSWER: You’re right. Your daughter needs more sleep. To be well-rested and to help them stay healthy, teenagers need about nine to nine-and-a-half hours of sleep each night. Healthy sleep is important for many reasons. It can fight stress, improve mood and attitude, and provide energy. When teens are well-rested, they can concentrate, learn, listen and think better than when they’re tired. That can improve school participation and performance. Healthy sleep also contributes to a healthy body, helping it run the way it should. Unfortunately, many teens don’t get the sleep they need. One of the big reasons is that the body’s internal clock shifts during the teen years. In the preteen years, the hormone melatonin, which signals to the body that it’s time to sleep, is released into the bloodstream earlier in the evening.

Rochester, Minn. (Oct. 20, 2015) — Mayo Clinic researchers in Rochester, Minnesota, collaborated with the University of Mississippi Medical Center on a recent study, “Troponin T as a Predictor of End-Stage Renal Disease and All-Cause Death in African-American and Whites From Hypertensive Families.” For the first time, this study identified the presence of a specific protein in the blood used to look for heart damage. This protein can be an early indicator of end-stage renal disease — and ultimately death — in people with hypertension, regardless of race or baseline kidney function. The study was published online today, and will be in the November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. According to LaTonya Hickson, M.D., lead author on the study and a Nephrology and Hypertension physician at Mayo Clinic, an increased level of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in the blood can be an early indicator of disease and accurately identify patients who need intervention, regardless of race. Dr. Hickson says this is important, because, while previous studies have shown a higher incidence of death and kidney failure among African-Americans compared to whites, doctors now know that, regardless of race or baseline kidney function, having an elevated level of cTnT can be a warning of impending kidney failure and/or early death. MEDIA CONTACT: Ginger Plumbo, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, Email: newsbureau@mayo.edu.

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Belly fat in men: Why weight loss matters For men, regardless of overall weight, having a large amount of belly fat ...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on the next program breast cancer specialist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi discusses the latest in diagnosis and treatment, including the debate ...