Wellness Report

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - it’s a “tired to the bones” feeling no amount of sleep can erase – a mental fog you just can’t shake.

Sound familiar? Some researchers now think CFS is somehow changing the way bodies react to stress. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta are studying that fatigue to find a cause and possibly a cure.

For Wilhelmina Jenkins, CFS almost took away everything. “I thought my brain was the one thing I could count on….and it got up and left.”

At 33, Jenkins was raising two kids and working on her PHD in Physics. “I loved teaching. I expected to teach for the rest of the life.” But Jenkins says in 1983 she began to grow tired, and started hurting. She couldn’t concentrate – couldn’t even make sense of her own research projects.

When she was at her lowest point, “I was bedridden. I couldn’t even read. So I had a coloring book and a box of 64 crayons and I colored.”

Jenkins was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Centers for Disease Control estimates CFS affects between one and four million people.

Dr. William Reeves, the CDC’s lead researcher on the illness says after years of debate, most doctors now agree CFS is a valid illness – in other words “real”. But no one really knows how to spot it or treat it.

Says Reeves, "Fatigue is not being sleepy, it's not being tired. It's being completely wiped out."

For the new study, researchers are looking inside the brains of volunteers, measuring their thinking skills and motivation. They are putting volunteers through stress tests to see how their hormonal and immune systems react.

They are looking for clues in the genes of people with Chronic Fatigue, hoping to identify ‘markers’ that tell them if someone is at risk for it.

People of every age, gender and ethnicity can have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. However, researchers say it affects women at four-times the rate of men and is more common in people in their 40’s and 50’s.

You've probably said it or thought it "I must be loosing my mind!" Our memories can define our past, and determine our future. So, for many of us trying to keep it has become a top priority.

We talked to expert Dr. Soo Borson. She is a geriatric psychiatrist, a professor at the University of Washington and director of the Memory Disorders Clinic in Seattle.

“Where did I park my car, oh my god, I can't find my car! Where are my keys? Have you seen my glasses?” Sitting in Dr. Borson’s office in Seattle, she roll-plays what so many of us have experienced in real life.

Those memory glitches, or so-called "senior moments" have some people so concerned; a new industry called "brain fitness" is now big business.

“Baby boomers fear Alzheimer's more than they fear cancer,” says Borson. “It’s that fear of loss of dignity.”

By the age of 65: less than 1% the U.S. population will get Alzheimer’s. 75 and older: it increases to about 10%. For most of those people it's not genetic. So, why some of us get Alzheimer's is still a bit of a mystery. But, researchers have now found clear links between memory loss and certain health and lifestyle problems; problems that we can--in part-control.

“Some of that is reversible,” says Borson.

Diabetes reduces blood circulation in the body, lung disease reduces oxygen flow in the body and heart disease leads to a hardening of the arteries not only around the heart but in the brain as well. They are all problems that damage the brain over time and can slowly kill your memory.

“The brain tends to get stiffer, less resilient,” says Borson.

Next: diet and exercise. As we age, we are in a state of what's called "oxidative stress"--where too many free radicals can damage tissue or create cancer in our bodies and our brains. That's why an anti-inflammatory diet with lots of fresh, whole foods and anti-oxidants can help.

“All of them are basically sopping up free radicals,” Borson explains.

She adds, “In recent animal and human studies exercise actually stimulated growth in the brain, so a concerted program of exercise, enlarges the brain! Physical exercise!”

Last: Borson says our lifestyles have a direct impact on memory.

“Part of the reason young people learn so fast is simply because they do so many new and different things.”

But she says adults often get stuck in a routine. So, she suggests trying new and unfamiliar things--that spark your interest. Also: all that multi-tasking is over-loading our brain and keeping it from truly absorbing what we are doing.

But she does have one warning: if you're having problems doing things that you do every day like balancing your checkbook, remembering to take medication or understanding simple directions that could be an indicator of a more serious problem.

“Sometimes you just have to get serious of what your system can tolerate. If you just have a memory problem, that's your only problem, you can compensate with many tools,” she says.

MEMORY MAKEOVER LINKS AND SUGGESTIONS:

Prevention: “Tips To Keep Your Mind Sharp”

Prevention: “Never Forget Anything”

Alzheimer’s Association

Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Center

Mayo Clinic: “Training Can Prevent Memory Loss”

Mayo Clinic: “When To Seek Help”

Sharp Brains

High blood pressure is called the silent killer for a very good reason.
You can't feel it so you might not do anything to control it.
Then one day it changes your life or ends it.
Is it best to get your blood pressure checked at: a doctor's office, your home or a store that has one of the machines. It's more controversial than you think.

A million people a day use free blood pressure machines.
Ron Schaefer is one of them.

He says, "I'm a stroke survivor"

Schaefer is on a mission to make more people aware of their blood pressure. He already knows how high blood pressure can blindside you.

"I got out of my car and I found I was walking like a drunken sailor into my house. I called a lady friend of mine and she came over and saw my right eye and my right lip drooping. She said you are having a stroke." says Schaefer.

He's upset that his once favorite testing spot, Target, took the machines out.

"I go to the pharmacy where it's normally located only to find out there's a bare wall. The machine's gone."

Target says it removed the machines because customers were not using them, but Ron insists he got a different answer when he asked earlier this year.

"She said there was a problem from the mayo clinic that said there's errors in the machine and therefore we would not want to have this machine in our place.

Dr. Sheldon Sheps was asked: how accurate are the blood pressure machines in grocery stores and drug stores? He answered, not accurate enough to make health decisions regarding your blood pressure.

"So the idea is great, i think the fact that you can get your blood pressure checked, you can get screened, it had the goal of helping people maintain good control but in actual practice it hasn't worked out very well.”

Sheps wrote: Generally no information is available regarding the care of these devices.

"They need to be calibrated and maintained on a regular basis and you don't know if that's happening."

LifeClinic, a major manufacturer of the blood pressure machines, wants Sheps to rephrase those statements and one in a different area that says the machines aren't accurate.

The president of LifeClinic says the statements do a disservice to all those who use the machines.

He says, “I'm a heart patient, I had trouble with my heart and kidney so I come off and on to check my blood pressure.”

Jasodi Kapoor uses one of two machines.

“It's very, very important we are lucky to have this one over here.” He says.

Mike Sorenson has high blood pressure, and uses the free machines to make sure he's keeping it under control.

He says, “I've gotten tests at the hospital and stuff, yeah it's pretty accurate."

More shots of Ron on the machine

LifeClinic says the machines recalibrate themselves several times a day, and are quite accurate. Adding: they are meant for monitoring, not as a replacement for a visit to the doctor.

Which brings up an interesting observation by Dr. Richard Grimm, a cardiologist who conducts studies of blood pressure readings.

“I think many of those machines are quite accurate. To be honest, I think the value you get in most of those situations is probably in most people better than what they're going to get in their doctor's office.”

Grimm believes blood pressure tests at the doctor's office can be misleading for a number of reasons.

“You're often in a hurry, rushing in for an appointment, and you may be talking to the person taking your blood pressure which can affect it.”

He also says don't ever allow the nurse to put the cuff over your clothing like this demonstration shows.

"That's a big no no. The sweater's going to really muffle the sounds. You're going to get a much lower pressure than what the pressure really is."

Dr. Grimm says it's not so much where you measure your blood pressure, it's how.

WEB EXTRA: HOW TO GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED

Cardiologist Dr. Richard Grimm says it's not so much where you measure your blood pressure, it's how. He says everyone must do the following:

1. Sit silent for three to five minutes before the test.

2. Put your feet flat on the floor, support your back.

3. Do not have any clothing between your skin and the cuff.

4. Keep track of their readings over a period of time.

Whether you are gearing up for bathing suit season or for a special event, many will look for a quick fix to shed pounds fast. But dietician Tanya Zuckerbrot says crash dieting is simply the wrong way to do it.

"I am completely against crash diets, and that’s because crash diets are a short term solution to a life-long problem. Sure, you’ll lose some weight on a crash diet, but you're not going to keep it off," she says.

So if you want to drop a few pounds and quick what to do? Zuckerbrot has a few suggestions:

"Instead of focusing on what you have to cut out, focus on what you have to add in. Because by adding in fiber to you’re diet, you’re going to feel full throughout the day, your energy is going to be consistent." She adds: "If you’re looking to drop anywhere between five and seven pounds, I would recommend starting two weeks before that date. In two weeks, you can safely and effectively lose around five pounds."

But if you are looking to lose more than 10 pounds, give your self at least a month.

“Cut out all refined carbs from you diet, which are basically carbohydrates that get digested very rapidly which tend to increase your hunger and cause to overeat. You want to avoid anything that contains a lot of sugar. You might want to cut back on milk and yogurt products for those last two weeks. And lastly, obviously, cut back on the fried foods. They're loaded with access fat and calories.”

Also: "Stay hydrated. And that’s because the symptoms of dehydration, mimic the symptoms of hunger. When you’re dehydrated, you feel weak, and shaky, and tired and cranky and you might think, I need to eat something to feel better, when in fact a zero calorie glass of water would have done the trick. "

Lots water will help flush out all that fiber you'll be adding to your diet she says.

"So think clean. Think fruits, vegetables, whole grains, drink lots of water and you’ll be looking good in a bikini."

WebMD: “Rapid Weight Loss”

WebMD: “Cheap Tricks”

WebMD: “Starting a Successful Diet”

Prevention: “Fiber Up”