Thursday, April 26, 2012

Health Newsletters at the Patient Health Library, April 2012

Not all information is free and not all of it is online! The UCSF Patient Health Library subscribes to a number of health and wellness newsletters that are not otherwise free to the public. Here are some highlights from recent newsletters.

To see the entire articles, visit the Patient Health Library!

Consumer Reports on Health

April 2012
-What’s keeping you up at night? pp.1,4-5
-Nondrug options for neck pain, p.3
-Drugs that can affect your sex life, p.6
-Exercise: boost vigor, increase longevity, and reverse symptoms of many conditions, pp.8-9

Harvard Health Letter

March 2012
-Mental and physical activity helps protect against effects of Alzheimer’s, p.1

April 2012
-Tai chi helps Parkinson’s patients, p.3
-How to make a healthier, yet still appetizing muffin, pp.4-5

Harvard Men's Health Watch
 
March 2012
-The PSA test: What’s right for you?, pp.1-6

April 2012
-Supplements: a scorecard, pp.1-5

Harvard Women's Health Watch

March 2012
-Why behavior change is hard—and why you should keep trying, pp.5-6
-Certain dietary patterns are associated with long-term brain health, p.6
-Radiation for breast cancer linked to narrowing of coronary arteries, pp.6-7

Medicine on the Net

Jan 2012
-Birth defects resources, pp.13-20

February 2012 
-Infertility resources, pp.7-13,20

Nutrition Action Newsletter

Jan 2012
-Cancer: how to lower your risk, pp.1-7
-Confusion in the juice aisle, pp.12-15

Mar 2012
-Using knowledge of calorie density to eat less, pp.1-7
-Fruit with benefits vs. Fad fruits, pp.9-11

Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter

March 2012
-Getting enough potassium in your diet, pp.4-5

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

March 2012
-The alcohol/cancer connection, pp.1-2
-Clearing up some questions about organic foods, pp.4-5
-The coconut water craze, p.6

Supplement
-Preventing cancer: strategies that can reduce your risk, pp.1-4


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Exercise and physical fitness

Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.

The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly. [From MedlinePlus]

Exercise and physical fitness
[From MedlinePlus]

How much physical activity do you need?
    Video: "What counts as aerobic activity"
[From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

Eating and exercise: 5 tips to maximize your workouts
 [From the Mayo Clinic]

Exercise tips for children
[From UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital]

Strength Training for Older Adults
[From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

Friday, April 6, 2012

UpToDate for Patients: A Unique Resource

UpToDate for Patients provides free access to current information on hundreds of health topics to inform patients and help them share in the decision making process with their healthcare providers.

Similar to the information UpToDate creates for healthcare professionals, the patient information topics are reviewed every four months based on the recent medical literature. All patient information topics are written and edited by UpToDate's in-house nurse practitioner and physician editors and reviewed by an external physician author and section editor. Thus, their information is current, accurate and evidence-based.

The health topics include an in-depth discussion of the risk factors, causes, diagnostic processes, preventive measures, complications, and recommended treatments for many of the most common conditions. There are extensive references and links to article abstracts.

You can find UpToDate's website on the UCSF Patient Health Library's Health Information Websites page along with many other health information resources.



Need more help? Contact the Patient Health Librarian, by email, telephone, or in person.