Diseases & Conditions Archive

Watch out for unpasteurized products, and ask vendors about food safety.

There's something magical about strolling through a farmers' market on a crisp autumn morning. The fruit and vegetables seem fresher there than they do in a store — apples taste tarter, tomatoes seem redder and riper. It's a farm-to-table connection that puts you in touch with nature and the harvest.

Maybe that's partly behind the explosion of farmers' markets across the country, climbing from about 2,000 markets in 1994 to more than 8,600 today, according to the Farmers Market Coalition. "It's a great way to get fresh produce and try different foods you may not have come across before. But it should be enjoyed with caution," urges Dr. Simi Padival, an infectious disease specialist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Research we're watching

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New research suggests that eating plenty of nitrate-rich vegetables — such as lettuce, spinach, and beets — may lower your risk of dying of a stroke or heart attack.

During digestion, your body converts nitrates into nitric oxide. This compound relaxes and widens blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure. But does that translate to a longer life? To find out, researchers studied the diets of 1,226 older women who had no signs of fatty plaque in their arteries (atherosclerosis) and tracked them for 15 years.

Many people with hearing loss also have tinnitus, commonly known as ringing in the ear. This phrase is misleading, however, because some people hear ringing while others hear whistles, chirping, or a combination of sounds. Regardless of the particular sound, the distinguishing feature is that it doesn't have an external cause. People with tinnitus hear sounds that people around them don't hear. This isn't to say that tinnitus isn't real—researchers at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders have detected changes in brain activity that occur with tinnitus.

Strategies that can help

Some people with hearing loss and tinnitus find that both problems improve after they get a hearing aid or have a cochlear implant. Others find that their tinnitus symptoms improve somewhat when they cut down on caffeine and alcohol, reduce the amount of fat in their diets, and quit smoking. The following techniques may also help reduce your tinnitus symptoms:

Looking at a screen too long may lead to computer vision syndrome.

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There are many reasons to restrict the amount of time you spend in front of an electronic screen. For example, more hours sitting at a computer or smartphone means fewer hours of being physically active, and looking at a computer screen at night can stimulate the brain and make it difficult to fall asleep.

Here's another reason to curb screen time: a problem called computer vision syndrome — an umbrella term for conditions that result from looking at a computer or smartphone screen. "It's most prevalent with computers, and typically occurs when looking at a screen at arm's length or closer," says Dr. Matthew Gardiner, an ophthalmologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

News briefs

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New cases of hepatitis C — a viral infection that attacks the liver — are at a 15-year high, according to surveillance data from the CDC released online May 11, 2017. The CDC estimates that there were about 34,000 new cases in 2015. Young adults (ages 20 to 29) account for most of the new infections, and the CDC attributes this to needle use from opioid addiction. But baby boomers (those born between 1945 and 1965) make up three-quarters of the 3.5 million people living with hepatitis C in the United States. Baby boomers are also the ones dying most often from the virus. New medicines can cure hepatitis C infections in as little as two to three months.

The CDC urges you to get a screening test for the virus if you were born between 1945 and 1965. Anyone who has used illicit intravenous drugs, had more than one sex partner, or who had a blood transfusion before 1992 also should get the test.

Some studies suggest a possible link. But don't switch to regular sugary sodas — try infused water instead.

For diet soda fans, recent news reports linking these popular drinks to a higher risk of stroke may have been alarming. A closer look at the study behind the headlines suggests there's no need to panic. But beverages naturally low in calories are probably a healthier option than artificially sweetened drinks.

For starters, observational studies like this one (see "Diet soda and the brain: The latest findings") cannot prove cause and effect. Also, only 97 people had strokes during the 10-year follow-up, which means only two or three of those strokes could possibly be attributed to drinking diet soda, says Dr. Kathryn Rexrode, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital who co-authored an earlier, larger study looking at soda consumption and stroke risk.

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Although bone-weakening osteoporosis is quite common among older people, it isn't an inevitable part of aging. There's a lot you can do to shield your bones from this disease.

The best insurance against osteoporosis is building the highest bone density possible by your 30s and minimizing bone loss after that. But if you you're already in midlife or beyond, there is still much you can do to preserve the bone you have and perhaps even to replace lost bone. Daily weight-bearing exercise, like walking, is the best medicine. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D are two other critical strategies for keeping bones strong.

News briefs

A ministroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA), occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked temporarily. It often causes one or two symptoms of a full-blown stroke — such as sudden face drooping, arm or leg weakness, confusion, slurred speech, or terrible headache — and typically lasts just a few minutes. If you've had a TIA, you are at much higher risk for subsequently suffering a full-blown stroke. So when you have symptoms that might indicate a TIA — or a full-blown stroke — call 911. You may need brain imaging to tell whether a stroke has occurred and what type of stroke it is, so you can get immediate treatment for a stroke. If it's a TIA, you may need additional treatments to prevent a future stroke. Unfortunately, most people who experience symptoms of ministrokes don't call 911 for help, according to results of a survey from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), published online May 1, 2017. Of the 2,000 people who took the AHA/ASA survey, about 35% said they'd experienced a TIA symptom. But only 3% of that group called 911. As a result, some likely suffered preventable permanent brain damage.

On call

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Q. I've noticed recently that I sweat excessively, regardless of the temperature. Should I be concerned?

A. Your genes can determine whether you sweat a lot, but a sudden change in your regular sweating may suggest an underlying condition. Sweating is regulated by your nervous system and can be triggered by a number of causes. The primary signal for perspiration originates in the brain in response to a temperature-related or emotional cue, and then is carried by the autonomic nervous system to the sweat glands in the skin.