If you are one of the more than two million people in the US today who suffer from gout, you probably aren’t comforted by knowing you have what has been termed “the disease of kings”. Gout can be extremely painful and limiting to the sufferer.

Gout occurs when there is an accumulation of sodium urate crystals in the joints which form as a result of an abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood. Sixty percent of those who suffer a first attack of gout may expect it to recur, often within one year. Untreated, gout can lead to permanent joint damage and chronic pain.

The Gout & Uric Acid Education Society have a website dedicated to education for gout sufferers on the disease itself, treatments and lifestyle changes to assist the gout sufferer with regaining quality of life.

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men over 40 and women past menopause.

For information and education about gout, visit the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society.

Practicing Tai Chi Chih, the Westernized version of Tai Chi, has been shown to boost immunity against shingles in older adults.

Over 50% of shingles cases occur in people over age 60. Shingles, a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox, can be painul and in some cases, leave the suferer with a chronic pain condition known as PHN (post herpetic neuralgia).

A 25-week study conducted by UCLA showed that participants who practiced Tai Chi alone boosted their shingles immunity to the level of those who had received the shingles vaccine.

Tai Chi Chih consists of 19 movements and one pose. The movements are slow and gentle and can be adapted for persons with disabilities. It can even be done while sitting. Learning and practicing Tai Chi Chih does not require physical fitness.

Researchers believe that the results of the shingles study could have implications for boosting immunity in older adults when it comes to other infectious diseases, such as influenza.

Practicing Tai Chi Boosts Immune System in Older Adults

Exercise holds many benefits in terms of enhanced health and outlook. Exercising our bodies also has a beneficial effect on our brains. Researchers have known for a long time that people who exercise do better on memory tests and now they know why.

Evidence shows that exercise causes the growth of new neurons in the brain. Imaging the brain using MRI, researchers were able to see neurogenesis in the dentate gyrate following exercise. The dentate gyrate is a region in the hippocampus that has previously been linked to age-related memory loss.

Keeping active is the key to good health for our bodies and our minds. For more information read NEW REASON TO HIT THE GYM: FIGHTING MEMORY LOSS.

It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine. Norwegian researcher Sven Sveback says he’s got the data to prove it.

Sveback, of the medical school at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, has released a study of 54,000 individuals whom he tracked for seven years after they filled out a questionnaire on how much humor they found in life. He found a direct correlation between having a sense of humor and longevity.

According to Sveback’s research, humor cut the chances of death for cancer patients by 70%.

“Humor works like a shock absorber in a car,” he says. “You appreciate a good shock absorber when you go over bumps, and cancer is a big bump in life.”

A Laugh A Day May Help Keep Death Further Away