TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Patients suffering from a strain of E. coli that produces Shiga toxin, which can be deadly, appear to respond to the antibiotic azithromycin (Zithromax), according to German researchers.

Starting in May 2011, an outbreak of Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli infected nearly 4,000 people in Germany, more than 800 of whom had confirmed cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes red blood cells to break apart, resulting in kidney failure.

Current treatment discourages using antibiotics for Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli because it could increase the risk for HUS, the researchers note.

"The successful decolonization of long-term carriers of the German outbreak strain is an important finding, as the legal authorities in many countries restrict long-term carriers in their social or working life," said lead researcher Dr. Johannes Knobloch, of the institute of medical microbiology and hygiene at the University of Lubeck. "However, decolonization by azithromycin should be investigated in further studies for other E. coli strains."

E. coli can cause persistent diarrhea, and it can be spread by those infected through person-to-person contact.

The German outbreak was a mix of E. coli strains O157 and O104 (or enteroaggregative E. coli), both investigated in the new study, which was published in the March 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "For the treatment of one strain -- enteroaggregative E. coli -- azithromycin is one of the antibiotics of choice," Knobloch said.

The study reports on 65 infected patients -- some with HUS -- who were followed for almost 40 days after showing initial symptoms. Among these patients, 22 were treated with azithromycin starting almost 12 days after their symptoms began; the others were not.

Knobloch's team found that there were significantly fewer carriers of E. coli among those who took azithromycin, compared to those who didn't.

Twenty-one days after starting treatment, nearly 32 percent of those taking azithromycin still carried the bacteria, compared with almost 84 percent of those not treated, they found.

After about one month, only 4.5 percent of those who received azithromycin still had the bacteria, compared with more than 81 percent of those who were not treated, and at 35 days none of the patients in the treated group had the bacteria.

In addition, all the treated patients remained bacteria-free after two weeks of antibiotic treatment, the researchers noted. However, 25 of the 43 untreated patients still carried the bacteria 42 days after their symptoms started.

Based on the successful use of azithromycin, it was decided to provide the drug to the 15 patients who still had symptoms.

After receiving azithromycin treatment, these patients no longer carried the bacteria. Moreover, there were no signs of HUS among any of the patients who took the antibiotic, the researchers said.

"This is a small study, but since other antibiotics activate the Shiga toxin, this is a revealing study," said Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at New York University in New York City. "Azithromycin may well be the preferred antibiotic when you suspect an aggressive E. coli or a toxic E. coli."

Another expert, Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, is more cautious.

This finding is "not surprising, but relevance to E. coli O157 is far from certain," he said. The O157 strain of E. coli is particularly severe and also produces the Shiga toxin that often leads to hemolytic uremic syndrome.

"Neither does it help much regarding the issue of antibiotic use increasing the frequency of hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by E. coli O157," Pennington said. "The issue here, of course, is not whether antibiotics help after hemolytic uremic syndrome has developed, but whether they help to induce it. The jury is still out."

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- There may be a link between H. pylori bacteria and type 2 diabetes in adults, according to a new study.

In some people, an H. pylori infection of the stomach acquired in early childhood becomes persistent and can lead to ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. These bacteria have also been associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.

In this study, researchers analyzed data from people who took part in two U.S. National Health and Nutrition Surveys and found that the presence of H. pylori bacteria was consistently associated with elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), an indicator of blood glucose levels and diabetes.

This association was strongest in obese people, according to the study published March 14 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

H. pylori may affect the levels of two stomach hormones that help regulate blood glucose, New York University School of Medicine researchers Yu Chen and Dr. Martin Blaser said in a journal news release. They suggested that using antibiotics to eliminate H. pylori in some older obese patients could prove beneficial.

An expert not involved with the study said that while it did not show a cause-and-effect relationship between the bacterium and diabetes, the findings suggest certain possibilities.

"This associative data serves as a foundation for future research, possibly even to examine whether eradication of H. pylori may be beneficial from a glucose tolerance standpoint," said Dr. Minisha Sood, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Further research is needed to evaluate the health impact of H. pylori and the effects of eradicating it in people of different ages and weights, the researchers noted.

In an accompanying editorial, Dani Cohen, of Tel Aviv University in Israel, and colleagues said that if the study findings are confirmed, they "could have important clinical and public health implications."

Type 2 diabetes causes about 3.8 million adult deaths worldwide each year.

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- People who eat white rice on a regular basis have a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, a new international analysis contends.

Harvard School of Public Health researchers reviewed the findings of four previous studies conducted in the United States, Australia, China and Japan. None of the participants had diabetes at the start of the studies. Overall, the trials included more than 350,000 participants tracked anywhere from four to 22 years.

Researchers led by Qi Sun found a strong association between eating white rice and type 2 diabetes, and the link was stronger in women than in men, according to the study published online March 15 in the British Medical Journal.

The more white rice a person ate, the greater his or her risk for diabetes. For example, for each serving of white rice (assuming 158 grams/6 ounces per serving) there was a 10 percent increased risk of diabetes, the Harvard team estimated.

Compared to brown rice, the white variety has lower levels of nutrients such as fiber, magnesium and vitamins, the team noted. Intake of some of these nutrients are also associated with lowering a person's risk of diabetes, the researchers said.

White rice -- the main type of rice eaten worldwide -- also scores high on the glycemic index (GI), a measure of how foods affect blood sugar levels. High GI diets are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, the research team said.

"These findings are very significant," says registered dietitian Karen Congro, director of The Wellness for Life Program at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, in New York City. She agreed with the researchers that, "because it is a simple carbohydrate, white rice is also a high glycemic food and can be responsible for high spikes in blood sugar, even for people without diabetes."

Another expert said lifestyle changes, including food choices, are key to warding off diabetes.

"In our developed societies, we are exercising less and eating more, causing the profound increases in obesity and diabetes that are associated with increased morbidity and mortality," said Dr. Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Our research should focus on how to eat less, consume foods of lower glycemic index and exercise more to prevent diabetes and obesity," he said.

According to Congro, there are healthier alternatives to white rice.

"When you eat white rice often, you are missing an opportunity to have fiber in your diet," she said. "You are also missing a variety of vitamins that are stripped away in the process of making white rice."

Whole grains, including barley or quinoa, may be healthier options. "Buckwheat is [also] delicious and high in antioxidants, including Rutin, which is linked to improved circulation and prevention of blood vessel blockage due to LDL cholesterol," Congro said. "There is a whole world of whole grains that people should consider exploring."

The study found a link between white rice consumption and diabetes, but it did not prove that the food causes the blood-sugar disease.

---

From: Russell Farris <russ@...>
To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 11:41 AM
Subject: Re: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

 

Hi Tely,

On page 103 of The Perfect Health Diet there is a section called Safe Starches. The subsections are entitled:

• Taro (book doesn't say where you can buy taro--I haven't seen it anywhere in the U.S.)
• Sweet Potatoes, Yams, and Potatoes
• White Rice

        Under the White Rice heading it says: ". . . . We prefer white rice; there may be toxins in rice bran."

        Somewhere in the book the toxins in rice bran are named, and the Jaminets explain that one of them cannot be destroyed by cooking. I can't find the name of the toxin because the book, for all of its many virtues, does not have an index.

        If you want to read a provocative diet book with 600+ citations, I highly recommend The Perfect Health Diet.  Russ www.polymicrobial.com

----- Original Message -----

From: tely49

To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 9:12 AM

Subject: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

Wow, Russ.  Why does the book recommend white rice over brown?


--- In infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com, "Russell Farris" <russ@...> wrote:
>
> Several of you recommended Paul & Shou-Ching Jaminet's book The Perfect Health Diet to me. The name annoyed me greatly, but I bought it. I like the fact that the Jaminets say that most diseases are caused by infections, and their "perfect" diet boosts the immune system. Still, the book is so full of contrarian information that reading it makes my head spin like Linda Blair's head in the movie The Exorcist. After a few minutes I have to lay the book down and start re-reading one of my Louis L'Amour westerns.  :-)
>         Contrarian doesn't mean wrong, so I plan to read all of The Perfect Health Diet, and I will probably read it again. I've already started putting some of the book's recommendations into practice. For instance, I've started eating white rice instead of brown rice.
>         The article below is definitely not contrarian, and it strongly supports the idea that brown rice is better for us. Who's right?  Russ www.polymicrobial.com
> ====================

[article deleted]

---

From: Russell Farris <russ@...>
To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 4:11 PM
Subject: Re: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

 



Hi Judy,

I'm living on the northern fringe of Los Angeles now, and I haven't seen any Asian markets. There must be some in Los

Angeles.

        I never noticed any problems with brown rice, but I've always thought eating it was sort of penance for my sins. :-)

 Russ

----- Original Message -----

From: Judy Kreloff

To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 2:09 PM

Subject: Re: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

as a diabetic with myriad issues, white rice merely raises my blood sugar, brown rice raises it too at a more delayed time and gives me a stomach ache.

taro can be purchased at any asian market...canned, fresh, frozen etc.  Used to get it at the large asian market near your SD home

---

From: Russell Farris <russ@...>
To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 11:41 AM
Subject: Re: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

 

Hi Tely,

On page 103 of The Perfect Health Diet there is a section called Safe Starches. The subsections are entitled:

• Taro (book doesn't say where you can buy taro--I haven't seen it anywhere in the U.S.)
• Sweet Potatoes, Yams, and Potatoes
• White Rice

        Under the White Rice heading it says: ". . . . We prefer white rice; there may be toxins in rice bran."

        Somewhere in the book the toxins in rice bran are named, and the Jaminets explain that one of them cannot be destroyed by cooking. I can't find the name of the toxin because the book, for all of its many virtues, does not have an index.

        If you want to read a provocative diet book with 600+ citations, I highly recommend The Perfect Health Diet.  Russ www.polymicrobial.com

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Daily use of antioxidants including vitamin C and vitamin E didn't improve thinking and memory skills in people with Alzheimer's disease, in a new study.

Researchers found that some patients taking antioxidants actually had faster declines in memory over the four-month study compared to those who were given vitamin-free placebo pills.

Some reports have suggested that older adults who eat a diet rich in antioxidants may have a lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, researchers explained. But the supplements haven't consistently been beneficial under more rigorous trials, including in those who already have an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

"Many, many people are taking these kinds of supplements with really very little scientific justification," said Dr. Ronald Petersen, head of the Mayo Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in Rochester, Minnesota.

Petersen, who has worked with the broader study group behind the new paper but wasn't involved in this research, said that many scientists still believe antioxidants may have a role in Alzheimer's disease and aging in general -- but maybe not after patients are already impaired.

"It may very well be that we have to intervene with these types of therapies much earlier," he said.

The current study included 78 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, seen at one of 12 different medical centers. Participants were in their early 70s, on average, and were already getting treated with anti-Alzheimer's medications.

Researchers led by Dr. Douglas Galasko from the University of California, San Diego, randomly assigned the patients to one of three different supplement groups.

One-third of them took a combination of antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid daily. An additional one-third took supplements of coenzyme Q -- another antioxidant that tends to be low in people with chronic diseases. The final group took placebo pills every day.

None of the participants knew which supplements they were assigned.

Before starting patients on the supplements, and again after 16 weeks of treatment, researchers gave them tests of thinking, memory and daily functional abilities. They also tested fluid from participants' brains and spinal cords for proteins and other so-called biomarkers known to be related to brain changes in Alzheimer's disease.

Among patients taking vitamins C and E, there was a small decrease in spinal fluid markers of central nervous system damage during the study.

But those participants also had faster declines in thinking and memory test scores -- which is something to be cautious about, Petersen said.

Otherwise, there were no differences in Alzheimer's-related measures in the three groups after 16 weeks on antioxidants or placebos, including in how well they could perform daily activities, the researchers reported Monday in the Archives of Neurology.

"We think that at the very least, these drugs... would not be likely to make a substantial contribution to the treatment of established Alzheimer's disease," Galasko told Reuters Health.

"A question is whether there are more potent antioxidants that would be worth trying," he said - though it's unclear what those would be.

Galasko noted there's some tentative evidence that very high doses of certain supplements, including vitamin E, are linked to a higher risk of disease and death.

"Just because something is 'natural,' it doesn't mean that it can't have some ill effects, especially if taken at larger doses," Petersen told Reuters Health.

However, Galasko said, it's reasonable for people to take recommended amounts of vitamins and other antioxidants for general health and still hope for a possible added thinking and memory benefit.

The antioxidants in the study were provided by Vitaline Inc, a company that markets the supplements, and some of the researchers are consultants for and have received funding from pharmaceutical companies. One is the medical director at Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, which makes products involved in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Petersen said there aren't any vitamins or other supplements that have been clearly shown to ward off Alzheimer's, or to slow disease progression in people who already have it.

"Just a regular, standard, good heart-healthy diet is probably as well as you can do right now," he said, in addition to keeping your mind and body active.

SOURCE: Archives of Neurology, online March 19, 2012.

 

http://www.doctortipster.com/8672-heart-attack-and-stroke-can-be-prevented-by-treating-psoriasis.html

.

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Statin drugs, which are used to lower cholesterol, might reduce a bit the risk of developing pneumonia, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed data from a large international study that looked at the efficacy of rosuvastatin (Crestor) in preventing heart disease. The trial included almost 18,000 adults aged 50 or older who had no history of heart disease or diabetes. Participants were randomly selected to receive Crestor or an inactive placebo.

"These data from a major randomized trial support the hypothesis that statin treatment may be associated with a modest protective effect against some infections," said lead researcher Dr. Victor Novack, head of the Clinical Research Center at Soroka University Medical Center in Israel.

"We consider this analysis to be an additional step toward a definite trial that will specifically investigate the statin effect on infection," he said.

The researchers also found a decrease in some other types of infections such as soft tissue infections, gynecologic infections and fungal infections, Novack said.

In the past, statins such as Lipitor and others have been touted by some researchers for protecting brain function and lowering the risk for multiple sclerosis. However, they have also been linked to memory loss, depression and an increased risk for developing diabetes.

The new study was published March 19 in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Novack's group found that during roughly two years of follow-up, 214 of those taking the statin developed pneumonia, compared with 257 of those receiving the placebo.

While the study uncovered an association between statin use and a decrease in pneumonia, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

One problem with the finding may be that people taking statins take better care of themselves, the so-called "healthy user effect."

However, Novack discounts this explanation. "The randomized nature of our trial of more than 17,000 men and women -- study participants were not aware whether they are treated with statin or placebo -- excludes this possibility," he said.

"The effect observed in our trial is modest as compared to the observational studies, but appears to be robust," he added. "These results can be used as a basis for the further investigations."

Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said that "this study shows a very modest, maybe minimal decrease in pneumonia in people who use statins. It's hard to say this is significant."

Horovitz added, "I don't think you would start somebody on statins just because it might reduce their possibility of pneumonia. You would give them a vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia. But you don't put them on a statin if you want to reduce pneumonia."

And Horovitz noted, the study doesn't take into account whether or not any of the participants had been vaccinated, which could throw the figures off.

"If somebody is on a statin and they have a slightly less chance of getting pneumonia that's great, but it wouldn't be a reason to initiate statins," he stressed.

Another expert, Dr. David Friedman, a cardiologist at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., commented that "there has been some thought that statins act as an anti-inflammatory above and beyond cholesterol lowering."

However, statins aren't benign -- they do have some side effects. "So it's premature for anyone to start taking statins to prevent pneumonia," Friedman said.

Two study co-authors have received consultation fees and funding from AstraZeneca, the makers of Crestor.

---

From: jeweltoo2002 <nzjewel@...>
To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 5:24 PM
Subject: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

 

Hi,

I assume that the issue with brown rice could be the phytates in the bran, which binds to minerals, preventing absorption... Soaking/fermenting reduces phytates.

Funny that in the article they say that because white rice is associated with diabetes folk should eat brown rice - but it appears that they didn't didn't even research whether brown rice intake was associated with diabetes. More likely IMHO the association is probably due to higher intake of carbohydrates in general... if you are eating lots of white rice you will be eating less fat & protein I guess.

Cheers Jewel

--- In infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com, "Russell Farris" <russ@...> wrote:
>
> Several of you recommended Paul & Shou-Ching Jaminet's book The Perfect Health Diet to me. The name annoyed me greatly, but I bought it. I like the fact that the Jaminets say that most diseases are caused by infections, and their "perfect" diet boosts the immune system. Still, the book is so full of contrarian information that reading it makes my head spin like Linda Blair's head in the movie The Exorcist. After a few minutes I have to lay the book down and start re-reading one of my Louis L'Amour westerns. :-)
> Contrarian doesn't mean wrong, so I plan to read all of The Perfect Health Diet, and I will probably read it again. I've already started putting some of the book's recommendations into practice. For instance, I've started eating white rice instead of brown rice.
> The article below is definitely not contrarian, and it strongly supports the idea that brown rice is better for us. Who's right? Russ www.polymicrobial.com
> ====================
> As White Rice Intake Rises, So May Your Risk for Diabetes
> Study suggests a link, and healthier whole grain alternatives are out there, experts say
>
> By Robert Preidt Friday, March 16, 2012 Diabetes Type 2 Nutrition
> FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- People who eat white rice on a regular basis have a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, a new international analysis contends.
>
> Harvard School of Public Health researchers reviewed the findings of four previous studies conducted in the United States, Australia, China and Japan. None of the participants had diabetes at the start of the studies. Overall, the trials included more than 350,000 participants tracked anywhere from four to 22 years.
>
> Researchers led by Qi Sun found a strong association between eating white rice and type 2 diabetes, and the link was stronger in women than in men, according to the study published online March 15 in the British Medical Journal.
>
> The more white rice a person ate, the greater his or her risk for diabetes. For example, for each serving of white rice (assuming 158 grams/6 ounces per serving) there was a 10 percent increased risk of diabetes, the Harvard team estimated.
>
> Compared to brown rice, the white variety has lower levels of nutrients such as fiber, magnesium and vitamins, the team noted. Intake of some of these nutrients are also associated with lowering a person's risk of diabetes, the researchers said.
>
> White rice -- the main type of rice eaten worldwide -- also scores high on the glycemic index (GI), a measure of how foods affect blood sugar levels. High GI diets are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, the research team said.
>
> "These findings are very significant," says registered dietitian Karen Congro, director of The Wellness for Life Program at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, in New York City. She agreed with the researchers that, "because it is a simple carbohydrate, white rice is also a high glycemic food and can be responsible for high spikes in blood sugar, even for people without diabetes."
>
> Another expert said lifestyle changes, including food choices, are key to warding off diabetes.
>
> "In our developed societies, we are exercising less and eating more, causing the profound increases in obesity and diabetes that are associated with increased morbidity and mortality," said Dr. Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Our research should focus on how to eat less, consume foods of lower glycemic index and exercise more to prevent diabetes and obesity," he said.
>
> According to Congro, there are healthier alternatives to white rice.
>
> "When you eat white rice often, you are missing an opportunity to have fiber in your diet," she said. "You are also missing a variety of vitamins that are stripped away in the process of making white rice."
>
> Whole grains, including barley or quinoa, may be healthier options. "Buckwheat is [also] delicious and high in antioxidants, including Rutin, which is linked to improved circulation and prevention of blood vessel blockage due to LDL cholesterol," Congro said. "There is a whole world of whole grains that people should consider exploring."
>
> The study found a link between white rice consumption and diabetes, but it did not prove that the food causes the blood-sugar disease.
>
> SOURCES: Karen Congro, RD, CDN, director, The Wellness for Life Program, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York City; Spyros Mezitis, M.D., endocrinologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; British Medical Journal, news release, March 15, 2012
>
> http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123031.html
>

---

From: jeweltoo2002 <nzjewel@...>
To: infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 7:29 PM
Subject: [infection-cortisol] Re: Diabetes & White Rice

 

Hi again :o)

I did a google on this book & found their website - where they have written a short article/critique on this rice - diabetes study:

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/

They show that diabetes goes down in countries with higher white rice consumption....

At a quick glance, the recommended diet is how my family mostly eats - nice to have 'someone' agree with me :o)

Cheers Jewel

--- In infection-cortisol@yahoogroups.com, "Russell Farris" <russ@...> wrote:
>
> Several of you recommended Paul & Shou-Ching Jaminet's book The Perfect Health Diet to me. The name annoyed me greatly, but I bought it. I like the fact that the Jaminets say that most diseases are caused by infections, and their "perfect" diet boosts the immune system. Still, the book is so full of contrarian information that reading it makes my head spin like Linda Blair's head in the movie The Exorcist. After a few minutes I have to lay the book down and start re-reading one of my Louis L'Amour westerns. :-)
> Contrarian doesn't mean wrong, so I plan to read all of The Perfect Health Diet, and I will probably read it again. I've already started putting some of the book's recommendations into practice. For instance, I've started eating white rice instead of brown rice.
> The article below is definitely not contrarian, and it strongly supports the idea that brown rice is better for us. Who's right? Russ www.polymicrobial.com
> ====================
> As White Rice Intake Rises, So May Your Risk for Diabetes
> Study suggests a link, and healthier whole grain alternatives are out there, experts say
>
> By Robert Preidt Friday, March 16, 2012 Diabetes Type 2 Nutrition

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- The northeastern United States may see a significant increase in cases of Lyme disease this spring, an expert warns.

The reason is that oak trees produced relatively few acorns this year, part of a normal cycle of boom and bust years for the acorn crop. But the small crop means trouble for the white-footed mouse, which feeds on the acorns.

"We had a boom in acorns, followed by a boom in mice. And now, on the heels of one of the smallest acorn crops we've ever seen, the mouse population is crashing," Richard Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., said in an institute news release.

What does that have to do with Lyme disease?

Mice are the preferred host for black-legged ticks, which transmit Lyme disease. Black-legged ticks need a bloodmeal at three different stages -- as larvae, as nymphs and as adults. As of the spring, the larval ticks that fed on 2011's large mouse population will be looking for their nymphal meal.

"This spring, there will be a lot of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected black-legged ticks in our forests looking for a blood meal. And instead of finding a white-footed mouse, they are going to find other mammals -- like us," Ostfeld added.

Borrelia burgdorferi is the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

Ostfeld and colleagues predict the surge will begin in May and last until July. The researchers observed a similar boom-bust cycle of acorn crops and mouse populations in 2006 and 2007. In the wake of this cycle, nymphal black-legged ticks reached a 20-year high.

The bacteria that ticks transmit doesn't affect mice. But in humans, it can cause Lyme disease, which can cause chronic fatigue, joint pain and neurological problems if it goes untreated.

By Lindsey Konkel

New York (Reuters Health) - Regular workouts can help people with diabetes rein in their blood sugar levels, and they don't need to hit the gym every day to see an effect, according to a new study.

Dutch researchers found that exercising for an hour every two days lowered blood sugar as much as daily 30-minute workouts in a group of 30 men with type 2 diabetes.

Exercise is considered a cornerstone of diabetes treatment and just a single bout of physical activity is known to have profound effects on blood sugar levels.

But the number of times a week to exercise for the best results is unclear.

"Our findings suggest that frequent short bouts of moderate exercise can be substituted for less frequent exercise bouts of a longer duration in people with type 2 diabetes, or vice versa," Luc J.C. van Loon of the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands told Reuters Health by email.

Nearly 25 million Americans are estimated to have type 2 diabetes, often a result of excess weight and physical inactivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In type 2 diabetes, the body no longer responds appropriately to insulin, a hormone that helps ferry sugar from the blood into the cells, where it's used as fuel. That means diabetics often have higher blood sugar levels, especially after meals, which can damage organs and blood vessels over time.

The men in the new study were 60 years old on average and about half of them required insulin injections to control their blood sugar. The rest managed their condition with diet and sometimes pills for diabetes.

They all participated in three experiments that lasted three days each. Throughout, the men ate a standardized diet and were asked to stick to their daily level of activity.

In one of the three experiments, they cycled for 60 minutes on the first day and then rested the next day. In the other, they cycled for 30 minutes on two consecutive days, and in the third, they didn't exercise at all.

The researchers continuously monitored the men's blood sugar during exercise and for the next couple of days.

When the men didn't exercise at all, they had high blood sugar 32 percent of the time. But when they biked, their blood sugar was in the high range only 24 percent of the time, no matter which schedule they followed.

The two exercise schedules also did equally well in terms of lowering the men's average blood sugar levels.

According to van Loon, whose findings appear in the journal Diabetes Care, women with type 2 diabetes are likely to reap the same benefits as the men in this study.

However, the participants in the current study were relatively healthy -- they didn't have heart disease and weren't extremely obese, for instance. So it's not clear whether the results apply to all people with type 2 diabetes, because many may have health problems that make them unable to exercise as often or as much as the participants in the new study.

Currently, the American Diabetes Association recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking.

"These findings set the stage for a more personalized exercise prescription, tailored to the needs and capabilities of the individual with type 2 diabetes," van Loon said.

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity is associated with reduced memory and thinking skills in adults aged 60 to 70, especially those with greater amounts of abdominal fat, according to a new study.

The study included 250 people aged 60 and older who underwent various measurements of their body fat and a test of thinking skills.

The researchers found that a high body mass index (BMI) was associated with increased risk of poor cognitive (mental) performance in people aged 60 to 70. BMI uses a person's height and weight to estimate their amount of body fat. In general, a higher BMI means more body fat.

The study also found that those with the highest level of abdominal fat tended to have worse thinking skills than those with the least amount of abdominal fat.

Among the participants aged 60 to 70, those who were obese were older, more likely to be male and more likely to have high blood pressure than those who weren't obese.

There was no association between obesity and reduced mental skills among people older than 70, according to the study in the journal Age and Ageing.

"Our findings have important public health implications. The prevention of obesity, particularly central obesity, might be important for the prevention of cognitive decline or dementia," lead author Dae Hyun Yoon, of the Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System in South Korea, said in a journal news release.

Although the study found that obese adults aged 60 to 70 tended to have poorer thinking skills, it did not prove that obesity caused people to have worse memory or mental skills.