Posts Tagged ‘blood’

According to a new US study bed bug infections are increasing. Bed bugs are nocturnal parasites that have lived off of human blood for thousands of years. They tend to hide a few feet from their prey in places like mattress seams, crevices in bed frames, behind the headboard and loose wallpaper. Since they only come out at night to feed, bed bug bite victims will often awake with itchy, irritated skin at the site of the bites. However, it appears that the evidence for any disease transmission by bed bugs is lacking. As well, the study authors emphasize that the development of effective repellents and public education about bed bugs are important goals.

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Had a “senior moment” lately? You know, those sudden, momentary lapses when you just can’t seem to remember the most common things. For most of us, we will experience what physicians term normal cognitive aging. Now, Columbia University researchers say that elevated blood glucose levels that occur naturally when we age may contribute to age-related cognitive decline. “This is news even for people without diabetes since blood glucose levels tend to rise as we grow older. Whether through physical exercise, diet or drugs, our research suggests that improving glucose metabolism could help some of us avert the cognitive slide that occurs in many of us as we age,” reported the lead investigator. Although regularly checking your blood sugar level isn’t recommended for non-diabetics, daily exercise is recommended for everyone (especially diabetics) because it contributes to normalization of blood glucose.

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