Mayo Clinic Health Letter - September 2003

Tuesday, September 02, 2003

Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale - Anne Tewksbury - 480-301-4368
Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville - Erik Kaldor - 904-953-2299
Mayo Clinic in Rochester - Carol Lammers - 507-284-5037 (days) 507-284-2511(evenings) e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu

Here are highlights from the September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Also, you may reprint up to four articles annually without cost. More frequent reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Call toll free for subscription information, 1-800-333-9037, extension 9PR1.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter Tip of the Month: Is coral calcium better than calcium from other sources?

Claims made about coral calcium benefits are questionable at best. In fact, in June the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against the marketers of one such product. There is virtually no scientific evidence to support the marketing hype that promotes coral calcium as a treatment for such diseases as cancer, heart disease or Alzheimer's disease.

Learn Better Breathing with Yoga

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing can help you deal with stress more effectively and improve your ability to exercise. For most people, this type of breathing doesn't come naturally. The September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter says one way to learn better breathing is yoga — which stresses breathing that's deep, smooth, even, quiet and free of pauses. Participants focus on breathing through the nose and deep within the diaphragm. According to the National Institutes of Health, regular yoga practice can help reduce anxiety, slow breathing, lower blood pressure, alter brain waves and assist your heart to work more efficiently. It can help improve endurance and help prevent injuries during physical activity. On top of all that, it may just plain make you feel good.

If you want to give yoga a try, find a good instructor, preferably one who has studied and practiced for years — not just a fitness instructor. Make sure your instructor can adapt yoga poses to different levels of flexibility and experience.

Root Canals: Tooth-Saving Repairs

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It used to be that painful toothaches were treated by pulling the tooth. Today, the tooth and its function often can be preserved with root canal treatment. The September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter explains that while an infected tooth can be quite painful, the vast majority of root canal procedures are almost painless.

Decay that affects the tooth's root can be common in older adults. That's because gum tissue may recede with age, exposing the roots of teeth to a greater chance of breakdown due to bacteria.

Infections may not have any symptoms at all, or you may experience cold sensitivity, prolonged pain after the tooth is exposed to cold, spontaneous pain for no apparent reason, pain that occurs upon biting down on a tooth, severe toothache, or an enlarged area that drains along the gum line.

The dentist or a root canal specialist (endodontist) can repair the tooth by removing the pulp inside the tooth and tooth root so the area can be cleansed and enlarged. On a subsequent visit, the canal is filled with a rubber-like material and permanently sealed. The number of visits needed to complete the treatment depends on the severity of the infection.

In most instances, the treated and restored tooth will last as long as your other natural teeth if cared for properly, with flossing, brushing and regular visits to the dentist.

A New, Normal Blood Pressure

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — What used to be considered a normal blood pressure reading is now a category called prehypertension. The September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter explains recent changes in blood pressure guidelines.

In May 2003, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute released stricter guidelines for high blood pressure. That's because research shows that having blood pressure readings at the old normal or high-normal ranges increase your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Your blood pressure is the force exerted on your artery walls by blood flowing through your body. Measuring it is important, primarily because elevated blood pressure puts extra stress on your arteries and heart. Over time, high blood pressure may cause your arteries to become injured or damaged — or it may overwork your heart. An overworked heart may wear out, losing the strength to effectively pump blood and contributing to other serious cardiovascular concerns.

The new guideline lowers normal to below 120/80 mm Hg, which was the old optimum level. A new category, called prehypertension, covers a systolic range of 120 to 139 mm Hg and diastolic range of 80 to 89 mm Hg. (Systolic pressure, the first number in your blood pressure reading, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second number, diastolic pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries between beats.)

If you're in the prehypertension range, you're at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk increases steadily the higher your blood pressure is within the prehypertension range. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure into the normal range. It works best if you can make two or more lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, reducing salt intake, getting more active, limiting alcohol and stopping smoking.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today's health and medical news. To subscribe, please call
toll-free 1-800-333-9037, extension 9PR1.

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