News from the World of Medicine: Does your Doctor's Gender Matter? Best Fruits for BP and more

Time to Buy some Blackout Shades

A Chinese study published in the journal Stroke found that the level of artificial light where people live could increase their risk of stroke. The study followed almost 30,000 adults, none of whom had been ­diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. ­After six years, people who lived with the highest level of outdoor artificial nighttime light had a 43 per cent increased risk of developing cerebro-vascular disease such as stroke. The increase is most likely because of the light’s effect on sleep. The researchers say that about 80 per cent of the world’s population now lives in a light-­­polluted environment. “Ideally it’s better to sleep with no lights,” says Raj Dasgupta, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

10,000 Steps?

What is the ideal number of steps to take each day for optimum health? While several recent studies came up with differing results, all show benefits of moving: >>Fewer than 10,000: In one study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, scientists analyzed data from a dozen studies involving more than 1,10,000 people. They found that while taking more steps is generally better, walking about 7,000 steps a day can help protect the heart, and walking 8,000 steps decreases the risk of premature death from all causes. And University of Buffalo researchers (along with scientists from other universities) followed nearly 6,000 American women in their 60s through 90s. The women who averaged just 3,600 steps a day, moving at an average pace, reduced their risk of heart failure by 26 per cent.

>>More than 10,000: If it’s weight you’re most concerned about, you’ll have to go farther, especially if you are genetically at risk of obesity. Vanderbilt University researchers found that, in a trial ­involving more than 3,000 adults, those who walked at least 11,000 steps a day best maintained their weight. 

Waking Up to Go-Go

According to a study published in Neurourology and Urodynamics, people who spend five or more hours a day watching TV and/or videos are significantly more likely to develop nocturia, the medical term for the need to urinate frequently at night. The condition can disrupt sleep and lead to a greater risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. While the exact connection isn’t known, the researchers suggest that long periods of screen-watching may increase the chance of developing type 2 dia­betes, a risk factor for nocturia. Also, drinking while you watch means more fluids in the body to excrete later.

Hug It Out

You know how good a hug feels. Or a great massage. But a quick pat on the back might be just as beneficial for your health. The body reacts to touch by releasing the feel-good hormone oxytocin. A recent Dutch study found that the more often people are touched, the greater the positive effect on their mental and physical health. This means that frequent quick hugs could have even more impact on well-being than an hour-long massage. The scientists also found that non-human touch, such as from a weighted blanket (pets weren’t included in the study), improved physical well-being, but not so much mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression.

Best Fruits for BP

Eating apples and bananas may help people with high blood pressure lower their risk of death. For a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers analyzed data collected over many years from people with high blood pressure and found that those who ate apples or bananas three to six times per week had a 40 per cent reduced risk of death from all causes. The researchers aren’t sure why, though they noted that bananas are high in potassium, which has been shown to help lower blood pressure. Interestingly, pears, grapes and pineapples didn’t provide the same benefits.

Does your Doctor’s Gender Matter?

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) analyzed Medicare data from more than 7,50,000 people over age 65, all hospitalized for urgent medical conditions. They found that patients with female physicians had a lower chance of ­dying in the hospital or of being readmitted. The finding was true for men and women, though the difference was much more pronounced for the women. While the study didn’t determine why a doctor’s gender matters, a UCLA rep says, “Female doctors may communicate better with their female patients, making it likelier that these patients provide important information leading to better diagnoses and treatment.”

True-Crime Anxiety

Podcasts, books and videos recounting ­real-life crime stories are popular, with about half of Americans admitting to a fondness for the genre. The ­stories are often gruesome, and a new survey finds that it’s often difficult for fans to ­forget the gory details. The survey, by the company Secure Data Recovery, finds that nearly half of true-crime fans say that the stories increase their anxiety, and 61 per cent say they make them more suspicious of other people.

One positive effect, though, is that 78 per cent of true-crime fans say that consuming these stories has made them more aware of their surroundings. And 1 in 3 report that they have added to their home security. So maybe that heightened vigilance will lead to fewer real-life crime stories in the future! 

A Less Invasive Prostate Cancer Detector

A new urine test developed at the University of Michigan Rogel ­Cancer Center may help many men avoid unnecessary prostate ­biopsies. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men after skin cancer, and screening is done with a blood test that detects an antigen associated with the cancer. But elevated ­levels can also indicate benign conditions such as inflammation or an ­enlarged prostate. So if the blood test is positive, men usually need a biopsy to determine whether or not they have cancer. The new urine test, called MyProstateScore2.0 (MPS2), screens for 18 genes that can indicate whether aggressive cancer is present. If the test is negative, men can often avoid biopsy and further treatment.

The Best Time to Exercise

A new study finds that working out in the evening may be best for the heart. Researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia looked at data from almost 30,000 adults who were either overweight or had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After eight years, on average, all the participants who exercised had lower rates of cardio­vascular disease and death than those who didn’t exercise. But those who worked out in the evening had the lowest rates of all. No need to panic if evening exercise isn’t for you. Previous studies have found that morning exercise is good for heart health, better sleep, boosting brain power and losing weight. The important thing is to exercise, no matter what time of day you prefer.

How Often Should You Weigh Yourself?

Researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Virginia set out to find how often people should weigh themselves for the best chance of losing weight. The study tracked 74 adults who were overweight or obese for three months as they followed a weight loss plan, and then for nine months afterward as they attempted to maintain the loss. The researchers found that the people who monitored their weight, diet and activity for at least three days a week were most likely to keep the weight off, and those who did the same for five days or more each week were most likely to keep losing. On the other hand, tracking for only one to two days per week was associated with significant weight gain.

(Research by Meaghan Cameron, MS, and Patricia Varacallo, DO)