Harvard Women’s Health
There’s no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but new treatments can ease the symptoms and prolong independence.

“You’ll be fine for years. Go out and do your job.”

That’s how Janet Reno, diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at age 57, recalls her neurologist’s advice. She took it to heart, not only returning to her demanding job as U.S. Attorney General but also taking up kayaking.

Reno and about a million others in the United States and Canada are living with PD, a progressive disorder caused by a loss of brain cells that produce the chemical messenger dopamine, most noticeably in an area of the brain that controls movement. For now, there’s no cure, but advances in treatment have made it easier for Reno and others to remain active for many years. Physicians are also increasingly recognizing that dopamine-producing nerve cells can be disturbed in brain areas other than those involved in motor control — and even outside the brain — which helps explain a host of mysterious symptoms that can accompany the disorder (see “More than a movement disorder”).

By Christine Luf
It’s important to replace your running shoes every 300 to 400 miles, but getting new shoes every couple of months can get expensive. But the better you take care of your running shoes, the longer they’ll last. Although they may be your most comfortable pair of shoes, don’t wear your running shoes for anything other than running or working out. Even if you’re just walking around, you’re still wearing out the cushioning. You’re also exposing them to more sweat, dirt, bacteria and funguswith every extra hour on your feet. All of those will take a toll on the condition of the shoe upper and insole. 

American Heart Association
Summary: Regular aerobic exercise may protect the collateral circulation and lessen the severity of strokes later in life.

The network of blood vessels (collateral circulation) shrinks in number and diameter as the brain ages. Collateral circulation allows blood flow to be rerouted when arteries narrow. Using mice, researchers found that this loss of collateral vessels is prevented by exercise, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s International Stroke Conference 2017. 

Despite the name, athlete’s foot can happen to anyone. It is a common fungal infection that most people get from walking barefoot in moist public places like a swimming pool deck or locker room. Athlete’s foot can result in flaky skin, cracking and itchiness on the soles of the foot and between the toes. A new article outlines ways to avoid catching the fungus, from wearing flip flops at the pool to alternating the shoes you wear every day.

“Probably the most profound thing about my week was, how much this experience has reminded me of what’s important. I didn’t have a family and I work full time, sort of gotten away from all the things that power me and make me tick. And so being here has…., it’s been sort of life changing I have to say. It makes me want to return to all the things that make me happy and strong… and so yeah …I cannot tell you how much this week has reminded me of the important stuff. I promise to act on it, not just feel it in this moment. I want to come back stronger next year, build on all the things that have happened here . I’m deeply grateful.” – Rochelle

Science Daily
Elsevier
“Fist bumping” transmits significantly fewer bacteria than either handshaking or high-fiving, while still addressing the cultural expectation of hand-to-hand contact between patients and clinicians, according to a new study.

“Fist bumping” transmits significantly fewer bacteria than either handshaking or high-fiving, while still addressing the cultural expectation of hand-to-hand contact between patients and clinicians, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

Stony Brook University

A strong handshake can say a lot about a person: it can indicate power, confidence, health or aggression. Now scientists at Stony Brook University and the Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) say that the strength of a person’s grasp may also be one of the most useful ways to measure people’s true age.
In a new study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, IIASA researchers Warren Sanderson, Professor of Economics with joint appointment in History at Stony Brook and Serguei Scherbov show that hand grip corresponds to other markers of aging such as people’s future mortality, disability, cognitive decline and ability to recover from hospital stays.

For their new research, Sanderson and Scherbov reviewed findings from over 50 published studies that focus on people around the world and of all ages. Since the measure is already commonly used, data is readily available. Read More 

Older women with low physical activity and 10 hours of daily sit time had even ‘older’ cells
January 18, 2017
University of California – San Diego
Elderly women who sit for more than 10 hours a day with low physical activity have cells that are biologically older than their chronological age by eight years compared to women who are less sedentary, research shows. As a cell ages, its telomeres naturally shorten and fray, but health and lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking, may accelerate that process. Shortened telomeres are associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and major cancers.