Individuals with diabetic neuropathy were treated with micronutrients (vitamin and minerals) [1]. In this study, 67 individuals with diabetic neuropathy were treated with one of three regimes:

1.

20mg zinc
250 mg magnesium
200 mg vitamin C
100 mg vitamin E

2.

20mg zinc
250 mg magnesium
200 mg vitamin C
100 mg vitamin E
10 mg vitamin B1
10 mg vitamin B2
200 micrograms biotin
10 micrograms vitamin B12
1 mg folic acid

3.

Placebo

After four months, individuals in groups 1. and 2. dad seen very significant reductions in neuropathic symptoms (while those taking placebo did not).

Green fluorescence in Nubian skeletons indicated tetracycline-labeled bone, the first clue that the ancients were producing the antibiotic. (Credit: Emory)

Now this is a treatment I would like to try

Check out this article on Futurity. It seems that ancient Nubians used Tetracycline-infused beer in an attempt to cure sickness in people.

…researchers later tied the source of the antibiotic to the Nubian beer. The grain used to make the fermented gruel contained the soil bacteria streptomyces, which produces tetracycline.

I always thought that antibiotic use started back in the mid to late 1800s, but apparently the Nubians were fermenting-up some microbrewed goodness over 2,000 years ago.

Sign me up for that IV!!

I’m not good at judging the structure of studies like this, but I read through this one and — from a non-researcher point of view — it seems well done. The aim was to study the effects an exercise routine had on the musculoskeletal discomfort and mental/physical fatigue of airline call center employees.

The results showed that appropriately designed and supervised exercise programs may be more efficient than rest breaks in decreasing discomfort and fatigue levels in call-center operators.

Musculoskeletal discomfort decreased in both groups, and in the experimental group significant differences in the level of mental fatigue, especially in questions related to memory were found.

Two thoughts came to mind upon reading this

1. People move around and they feel better and smarter? Duh?!
2. The study results fall inline with my theory that the level of activity I keep is what helps preserve my lack of major Lyme-related joint issues.

I also know a woman who currently suffers from fibromyalgia (but who also “had” Lyme twice several years ago) and she says that staying active and playing tennis really cuts down on her joint and muscle pains.

Again, just more reasons to stay active and keep moving!

“As we live cleaner, we’re not just changing our exposure to infectious agents, but we’re changing our relationship with the entire microbial world, both around and inside us, and we may be altering the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory bacteria,” leading to diseases like MS, Mazmanian says.

Makes me wonder about the people who test positive for Lyme, but do not have symptoms.

An interesting article from Futurity.com popped up in my RSS feed today. Seems that researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have determined that patients and survivors of breast, prostate, hematologic, colon and gynecological cancers should strive to get the same 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise that is recommended for the general public

For patients suffering from cancer-related weight loss, physical activity helps to maintain lean body mass, which can contribute to increased strength and well being.

Researchers do advise that certain accommodations be made regarding the patient’s level of fitness as well as his or her treatment process.

If it’s helpful for cancer patients and survivors, it’s gotta be good for Lyme too. Think about it and look for ways to be active.

Photo by flickrgao

Thanks for making my life easy

Thanks to the folks who sent me links this week. It definitely helps me pull this together in a timely fashion. Again, as always, if you come across something that you find interesting, please send it to me. The Contact form on this site is now working again.

The Varsity: The Comeback Queen – An interview with University of Toronto runner, Megan Brown. Megan’s one of their top cross-country runners and a potential Olympic hopeful, but she’s fighting Lyme too.

Dr. Fallon publishes new findings on Inflammation and the Central Nervous System – This is a link to a PDF which, I admit , I have not read through fully. Dr. Fallon is the Director of the Columbia Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center. His new findings discuss the symptoms of neurologic Lyme and review experimental studies that provide insight into the possible mechanisms of inflammation following Borrelia infection and contributing risk factors.

NYTimes: Slimmer Doesn’t Always Mean Fitter – Interesting article about body weight and running. I think there are a lot of body-obsessed runners and triathletes out there that should read this. A nice quote from two-time NYC Marathon winner Tom Fleming, “‘… the perfect weight is the weight you are the day you P.B. in your event,’ referring to the time you achieve your personal best — or fastest — finish.” In other words, stop worrying about it so much.

SFGate: More exercise better in long run, study finds – Perhaps. This article is a discussion with Paul Williams of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He’s studied over 100,000 runners and concluded that the more you run the healthier you can be. The article fails to describe how he’s studied these people so it’s a little hard to buy into his research, but it’s interesting none-the-less.