06 Jan 2016

Grassley Announces Plan to Assist in Locating Missing Persons with Alzheimer’s, Autism

By Grassley Press

NEW HARTFORD, IOWA – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley today announced plans to introduce legislation to help families locate missing loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease, autism or other related conditions that may cau...

06 Jan 2016

UnityPoint Health® – Trinity Bettendorf announces plan to expand BirthPlace unit

By Erin Platt

900+ babies born in 2015 sets new record, spurs need for growth

Trinity Bettendorf is expecting … again.  On Tuesday Trinity administrators and physicians announced yet another record for the hospital, ...

06 Jan 2016

Move More and Feel Great!

By Be Healthy QC
With winter in full swing, we wanted to share some ideas for cold weather fun! It might seem hard to stay physically active when it's cold outside, but don't let the winter weather stop you.  There are many great ways to ha...
04 Jan 2016

Genesis Physical Therapy and Wellness Open House

By Craig Cooper

BETTENDORF, Iowa – Dec. 30, 2015 -- Genesis Physical Therapy and Wellness will host an Open House on Jan. 9 from 1-3 p.m. with seminars and door prizes.

The...

04 Jan 2016

Winter Wellness with Herbs

By Quad City Food Hub

Taught by Natalie Hessell, Herbalist, January 23, 10 am – noon, $30

In this make and take workshop, students will learn to make herbal tinctures to maintain winter health with local herbalist, Natalie Hessell. W...
30 Dec 2015

Jelly Belly Featuring Dr. Beth Shelly

By Kelly Hendershot

DAVENPORT, IA - JANUARY 2016 - Gilda's Club is hosting Dr. Beth Shelly for a workshop called Jelly Belly on Thursday, January 14th at 6:30 pm.

The abdominal muscles are a unique muscle group and require quality exercises. Curl ups, chin tucks and sit ups are not helpful for most adults. Dr. Beth Shelly, PT, DPT, WCS, BCB PMD specializes in pelvic health and lymphedema. She will teach exercises that are focused on improving your shape and the strength of your core. Focus will be on the beginner level with some discussion of intermediate and advanced exercises. Class size permitting, we will practice some of the exercises.

Dr. Shelly is a Doctor of Physical Therapy board certified in women's health and biofeedback for pelvic floor dysfunction. She has practiced for over 20 years, specializing in women's and men's health.

For more details and to register, please call Gilda's Club at 563-326-7504 or email kelly@gildasclubqc.org.

About Gilda's Club

Free of charge, Gilda's Club Quad Cities provides support, education and hope to all people affected by cancer.  As a Cancer Support Community affiliate, we are part of the largest employer of psychosocial oncology mental health professionals in the United States.  Our global network brings the highest quality cancer support to the millions of people touched by cancer.

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29 Dec 2015

Make Skin Health a Priority in 2016

By Emily Prager

The Skin Cancer Foundation Recommends Sun Safety as a Healthy New Year's Resolution

New York, NY (December 29, 2015) ---- The beginning of a new year means starting fresh, particularly when it comes to health habits. In 2016, The Skin Cancer Foundation urges everyone to make skin health a top priority. Here are four healthy skin guidelines to follow in the new year:
1. Don't Skimp on Sun Protection
Proper sun protection is essential year-round since the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays are present every day. Skin cancer is mainly a behavioral disease and it is strongly linked to sun exposure ----  about 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 86 percent of melanomas are caused by the sun's UV rays. For that reason, it's critical to follow a complete sun protection regimen to help prevent skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends incorporating the following sun protection tips into your daily routine:
  • Seek the shade, especially during the sun's peak hours, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Do not burn.
  • Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
  • Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
  • Apply 1 ounce (about the size of a golf ball) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours and after swimming or excessive sweating.
2. Visit the Dermatologist Annually for a Professional Skin Exam
While skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world, it's also one of the most treatable cancers when detected early. A yearly full-body skin exam performed by a dermatologist is critical, and can be lifesaving. In fact, the five-year survival rate for patients whose melanomas are detected early is 98 percent, and this survival rate falls to 16 percent once the disease spreads to distant organs.
3. Perform Routine Self-Exams
In addition to having a professional skin check annually, it's important to examine your skin on a monthly basis to monitor for any new, changing or suspicious lesions. If you notice something new or changing, see a physician immediately. Performed regularly, self-exams should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Afraid you'll forget? Make self-exams a habit by scheduling a recurring reminder in your cell phone.
4. Ditch Tanning
There is no such thing as a safe or healthy tan. Whether obtained on the beach, in a tanning bed, or through incidental sun exposure, a tan represents skin damage. Tans are the skin's attempt to repair itself from UV damage from the sun or tanning lamps, and if you have a tan, you have sustained skin cell damage. These imperfect repairs cause gene defects that can lead to skin cancer as well as skin aging, including wrinkles, leathery skin and age spots.
Those tempted to use a tanning bed this winter should think twice ----  people who first use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk for melanoma by an alarming 75 percent. Just one visit is all it takes to increase your skin cancer risk ----  a single session increases the risk for the two most common forms of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, by 29 percent and 67 percent, respectively.
For more information, visit the Foundation's website, SkinCancer.org, which features more than 600 pages of medically-reviewed content on skin cancer prevention, early detection and treatment.


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29 Dec 2015

Smiddy Highlights New Alert System to Locate Missing Individuals with Alzheimer's

By Rick Martin
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois will have a statewide alert system when someone with Alzheimer's goes missing under a new law sponsored by state Rep. Mike Smiddy.
"Alzheimer's is a growing problem in our state and our country, and while science continues to research and fight the disease, we have to take steps to keep those suffering safe now," Smiddy said. "Alzheimer's and dementia patients often wander away from the safety of their home, and we need a system in place to quickly alert authorities and the public to get them home safe."
Smiddy sponsored Senate Bill 1846 as it passed through the Illinois House. The new law creates the Silver Search Program and Task Force to create a system that alerts the public when a patient with dementia or Alzheimer's goes missing. According to the Alzheimer's Association, Illinois Chapter Network, about 210,000 Illinois residents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. That number is expended to rise as the baby-boomer generation ages. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that one-third of patients will wander from their homes at some point during the course of the illness.
The Silver Alert will be modeled after the Amber Alert, the system for notifying the public to missing children currently used in 22 states.
"Time is critical to a safe return when Alzheimer's patients go missing, and this new law will establish a system that gets the word about the missing person out quickly and let the community help to return them safely," Smiddy added.
Senate Bill 1846 received bipartisan support in the House and Senate during the Spring Legislative session. The bill will take effect on Jan. 1, 2016.
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24 Dec 2015

Cannabidiol; DEA eases requirements for FDA-approved clinical trials

By Grassley Press

In letters to the relevant federal agencies, Sen. Chuck Grassley has pressed for the removal of unnecessary barriers to scientific research into the medical risks and benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of the marijuana plant that may help children with severe epileptic seizures and other conditions.  In June, at the request of Grassley and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agreed to eliminate an extra layer of review for non-government funded cannabidiol research that it previously required its Public Health Service to complete.  Also at that time, at the senators' request, the Justice Department and HHS agreed to evaluate cannabidiol to determine whether it can be classified on a lower schedule than the entire marijuana plant, which may make research on it proceed somewhat more easily.

Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that it has agreed to a third request of the senators - to ease some of the regulatory requirements for those who are conducting Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved clinical trials on cannabidiol by permitting waivers that will let research proceed seamlessly if the researcher requires more CBD than was initially approved by the DEA.  According to the DEA, "These modifications will streamline the research process regarding CBD's possible medicinal value and help foster ongoing scientific studies."

Grassley is Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control.  Grassley made the following comment on the DEA's announcement.

"This is good news toward the progress on scientific research on cannabidiol.  Removing more barriers will help allow scientists to determine its potential medicinal value.  Right now, parents who are desperate to help their children live in uncertainty over cannabidiol.  Federal agencies should do whatever they responsibly can to help research proceed so these families can get answers."

The DEA's news release is available here.  Grassley's letters to the agencies are available here, here and here.
22 Dec 2015

Concussion-Related Measures Improved in High School Football Players Who Drank New Chocolate Milk, UMD Study Shows

By Eric Schurr
COLLEGE PARK, Md. ? Fifth Quarter Fresh, a new, high-protein chocolate milk, helped high school football players improve their cognitive and motor function over the course of a season, even after experiencing concussions, a new preliminary University of Maryland study shows.

The study, funded through the Maryland Industrial Partnerships program and conducted by Jae Kun Shim, a professor of kinesiology in the School of Public Health, followed 474 football players from seven high schools in Western Maryland throughout the fall 2014 season.

"High school football players, regardless of concussions, who drank Fifth Quarter Fresh chocolate milk during the season, showed positive results overall," said Shim. "Athletes who drank the milk, compared to those who did not, scored higher after the season than before it started, specifically in the areas of verbal and visual memory."

Football players were tested before the season, after concussions and post-season using Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing, also called ImPACT®, a widely used computer-based evaluation for concussions. Overall, 36 variables for attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, response variability, non-verbal problem solving and reaction time were measured in the study.

Experimental groups drank Fifth Quarter Fresh after each practice and game, sometimes six days a week, while control groups did not consume the chocolate milk. Analysis was performed on two separate groups: athletes who experienced concussions during the season and those who did not. Both non-concussed and concussed groups showed positive effects from the chocolate milk.

Non-concussed athletes who drank Maryland-produced Fifth Quarter Fresh showed better cognitive and motor scores over nine test measures after the season as compared to the control group.

Concussed athletes drinking the milk improved cognitive and motor scores in four measures after the season as compared to those who did not.

The remaining test scores did not show a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups over the season, according to Shim.

He suggested that the naturally occurring high levels of specific nutrients in Fifth Quarter Fresh likely contributed to the results.

"Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are important for energy metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain," said Shim. "Previous studies have shown that BCAA supplementation has resulted in improved cognition in mice with brain injuries."

Shim also cited carbohydrates, calcium and electrolytes, all of which he says are likely to be critical for the recovery process after brain injuries.

While the study's results indicate a strong link between milk and the reduction of concussion-related symptoms, researchers caution that more in-depth studies are necessary to be conclusive.

Fifth Quarter Fresh is a fat-free chocolate milk made by combining nutrient-rich milk (yielding 40 percent more protein, calcium and electrolytes than conventional milk) with the benefits of a pasteurization process that preserves proteins and makes them easier for the body to absorb, according to the company.

Fifth Quarter Fresh has a balance of fast-absorbed whey and sustained-release casein proteins that provide a quick burst of amino acids followed by a continuous supply over several more hours, according to Richard Doak, co-founder of Fifth Quarter Fresh.

The company maintains that protecting student athletes and helping them perform at a higher level was the reason they created Fifth Quarter Fresh in the first place.

"We believe there is a real need to improve nutrition for young athletes. Fifth Quarter Fresh may help them prevent injuries by providing their bodies with the nutrients they need to heal and repair. This study suggests that," said Doak. "Our milk provides 20 grams of protein and five grams of undamaged BCAAs per 14-ounce serving?naturally. We use no supplements and no preservatives?it is fresh chocolate milk."

Officials in Washington County, Md., home to all seven high schools participating in the study, are now considering the broad adoption of Fifth Quarter Fresh in sports programs throughout its school system.
"There is nothing more important than protecting our student-athletes," said Clayton Wilcox, superintendent of Washington County Public Schools. "Now that we understand the findings of this study, we are determined to provide Fifth Quarter Fresh to all of our athletes."

Earlier this year, UMD released the preliminary results of a study showing that Fifth Quarter Fresh outperformed leading commercial workout recovery drinks for endurance recovery by 13-17 percent.

Fifth Quarter Fresh is produced through the Hagerstown-based Lanco-Pennland Quality Milk Producers, a farmer-owned, farmer-run cooperative with nearly 650 members that spans the U.S. East Coast. Frederick-based Dairy Maid Dairy bottles it.

The University of Maryland study was made possible by the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program, which jointly funds commercial product development projects teaming Maryland companies with University of Maryland faculty.

For photos and videos, visit: http://go.umd.edu/concussions

About the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) Program
MIPS, a program of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, supports university-based research projects to help Maryland companies develop technology-based products. Commercial products benefiting from MIPS projects have generated more than $30.2 billion in revenue, added thousands of jobs to the region, and contributed to successful products such as Martek Biosciences' nutritional oils, Hughes Communications' HughesNet®, MedImmune's Synagis®, and Black & Decker's Bullet® Speed Tip Masonry Drill Bit.

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