Medicine just for you

In this article, the author explores a new field of medical study – personalized medicine, which is tailor made to the patient’s needs. It takes into account the patient’s medical history, genetic history and sometimes even as much as the sequence of the patient’s genome. Medical professionals seek advice from patients, bioethicists, civil libertarians in order to find the best way to fulfill this while taking care of the matter of privacy. The author fears that the advent of this new technology would lead to a significant rise in healthcare costs. In a country where a simple illness can often be a death sentence due to the exorbitant cost of treatment, this does not bode well. Yet, the author feels that the pros outweigh the cons, and that such research should be expedited at any rate.

Read an excerpt of the article written by the Editorial Board:

President Obama’s new budget contains a farsighted proposal that could ultimately transform the practice of American medicine. The proposal seeks to design treatments for the individual, which are sometimes called ‘‘personalized medicine’’ or ‘‘precision medicine’’ to distinguish them from the one-size-tries-to-fit-all approach. For example, about 4 percent of all cystic fibrosis cases are caused by a particular mutation in one gene. The disease clogs the lungs with thick mucus; a drug that targets the mutation lets patients breathe easily. Drugs have also been used to treat a number of cancers that stem from genetic defects, including an aggressive form of breast cancer. This new way of looking at diseases is not limited to genes but examines environmental factors as well. Federal officials say researchers plan to collect data on a person’s diet, exercise, smoking history, exposure to toxins and populations of micro-organisms in and on the body. They will be seeking medical records, laboratory test results, medication histories and even physiological monitoring by mobile phones. The White House will seek advice from patients, bioethicists, civil libertarians and others on how to do this while preserving patient privacy. ... read more

The Best Time of Day to Exercise to Lose Weight

What is the best time of the day to exercise and lose weight? loss? There is some evidence that working out on a completely empty stomach prompts the body to burn more fat and potentially stave off weight gain, compared to exercising at other times. After conducting a study in 2010 it was concluded that the men who exercised after breakfast had also packed on pounds, about three pounds each, and developed insulin problems. But the men who had exercised first thing in the morning, before eating anything, had gained almost no weight and retained healthy insulin levels. Therefore,Gretchen Reynolds concludes by saying that early-morning exercise in the fasted state is more potent than an identical amount of exercise in the fed state.

Read an excerpt of the article written by Gretchen Reynolds:

Question: What is the best time of day to exercise, if my goal is weight loss? Answer: You might try setting your wake-up alarm earlier and exercising before breakfast. There is some evidence that working out on a completely empty stomach — or, as scientists call this woozy, wee-hours condition, “in a fasted state” — prompts the body to burn more fat and potentially stave off weight gain, compared to exercising at other times. In a groundbreaking 2010 study, researchers in Belgium persuaded young, healthy men to stuff themselves for six weeks with a diet consisting of 30 percent more calories and 50 percent more fat than the men had been eating. Some of the volunteers remained sedentary while gorging. Others began a strenuous, midmorning exercise routine after they had had breakfast. The third group followed the same workout regimen, but before they had eaten anything. At the end of the six weeks, the sedentary group predictably was supersized and unhealthy, having gained about six pounds each. They had also developed insulin resistance and larded their muscles with new fat cells. The men who exercised after breakfast had also packed on pounds, about three pounds each, and developed insulin problems. But the men who had exercised first thing in the morning, before eating anything, had gained almost no weight and retained healthy insulin levels. ...read more