Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - University of Virginia - (Page 3)

HEALTHY DOSE TrEATiNg BrEAST CANCEr iN A SiNgLE DAY What used to take weeks of radiation treatments can now be done in one day for some women with early-stage breast cancer. University of Virginia Cancer Center is among the first centers in the U.S. to offer this new treatment during which radiation can be delivered at the time of surgery. This condensed treatment gives patients a chance to return to their normal lives faster. "When the patient wakes up, the cancer has been removed and the radiation has been delivered," says UVA breast surgical oncologist Shayna Showalter, MD, part of a team of physicians who recently rolled out this one-day, image-guided breast cancer treatment. Learn more at uvahealth.com (search for "single day"). Can a Nutritional Supplement Help Prevent Alzheimer's? Steady Hands A nutritional supplement available over the counter may offer protection from Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at University of Virginia School of Medicine and Northwestern University conclude in a published paper that chiro-inositols "greatly enhance" insulin's ability to prevent damage to the brain's neurons. Chiro-inositols are vitaminlike compounds that occur naturally in certain foods such as buckwheat. "It's been shown that chiro-inositol is very safe," says UVA researcher Joseph Larner, MD, PhD, a pioneer in the field of pharmacology. "It's been used in humans for quite a number of years now. I take it myself. "In Alzheimer's, it's been known for years that the brain does not utilize glucose very well," he adds. "What has not been realized until recently is that the brain's inability to utilize glucose is caused by insulin resistance, which has been referred to as type 3 diabetes. In diabetes and several other diseases with insulin resistance, tissues are deficient in chiro-inositol, thus providing a rationale for replacement therapy." Talk to your doctor about whether this supplement is right for you. Imagine not being able to enjoy a bowl of cereal. For people who have essential tremors-the most common movement disorder-that's very much a reality. But a treatment being investigated at UVA Health System is showing promising results in alleviating severe hand shaking. Fifteen patients were part of a study that involved focusing 1,000 ultrasound waves to a single site deep in the brain. "Publication in the New England Journal of Medicine validates the significance of the study, even though it is a very earlystage investigation," says UVA neurosurgeon Jeffrey Elias, MD, the lead investigator. UVA researchers are now heading a multicenter, international study to further assess the safety and longterm effectiveness of focused ultrasound in treating essential tremors. Learn more at uvahealth.com (search for "focused ultrasound"). S pri n g 201 4 3 http://www.uvahealth.com http://www.uvahealth.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - University of Virginia

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - University of Virginia
Contents
Life in Balance
Healthy Dose
Humble Yet World Famous
Taming Diabetes Without Drugs
Occupational Hazards
The New Rules of Play
Shopping for Two
Back to Basics
Burn, Baby, Burn
Angelina Jolie
Rock Your Health
Breaking Up with Salt
Disgusting! (or Not?)
Virtual Health
Make an Informed Decision
Hitting the Jackpot
Caring for an Aging Parent?

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - University of Virginia