support research on sleep apnea

[bmd]

Fellow sleep apnea patients:

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (the federal agency that funds research on sleep disorders in the US) is asking for public input on what their research priorities should be during the next 10 years. They have created an online forum webpage to crowdsource ideas and allow anyone to vote on them. I submitted an idea for research on preventing sleep apnea. Please check out my research idea at the link below and consider voting in favor of it. Thanks! (Voting continues through May 15, 2015, and to vote you will need to create an account on the forum by entering your name and email address.)

http://nhlbistrategicvisioning.ideascal ... 0728-32287

[Julie]

Good idea alright, but that article bothers me a bit when talking about 'abnormalities' in facial structure... the fact is that having a smaller jaw, little overbite, etc., are normal variations unless they're at extremes, and I don't think Pappers should be made to feel they're abnormal because of genetics, etc. Cpap may see differences as abnormalities from a scientific viewpoint relative to some ideal, but that's within that community for research purposes, measuring anatomical stuff to set out parameters for studies, and shouldn't actually label the differences as abnormal for daily life.

[chunkyfrog]

The mask designers do plenty to make many of us feel abnormal.
The DME's are even worse, by not informing us about nearly enough mask alternatives.

[bmd]

Sorry, Julie. I certainly did not mean to make anyone feel abnormal. The point is that much of the variability in jaw structure is not actually caused by genetics. It is caused by early childhood diet, and is therefore preventable. There are societies in which malocclusion is rare and sleep apnea is almost unheard of, and they are not genetically different from societies like ours in which many people have sleep apnea. The difference is that they eat a different diet. If we could figure out exactly which components of diet make the most difference, we might be able to achieve freedom from sleep apnea in our own society as well. See the links in the comments section for more details on that. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every child could grow up with a perfect jaw and never have to develop sleep apnea or worry about using a CPAP machine? This is possible in the future, but we will need research to get there. Sleep apnea is a preventable condition, so we as a society should strive to do a better job of preventing it.

[palerider]

the fact is that having a smaller jaw, little overbite, etc., are normal variations unless they're at extremes, and I don't think Pappers should be made to feel they're abnormal because of genetics,

the fact is, we *are* abnormal. otherwise, we wouldn't need cpap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH97lImrr0Q

[Wulfman...]

You are totally full of equestrian excrement and have no clue what you're talking about!



Den

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[Kiano]

Can this include genetic risk factor of Apoe4 ? This E4 allele occurs in 10-25% of the population. Studies have confirmed that those with e4 are at risk for OSA, at a lower body weight. Also, this E4 strongly elevates heart and Alzheimer's disease risk. Later this year, NYU will conclude if OSA causes Alzheimers or vice versa.

[bmd]

That is very interesting, Kaino. I wonder what the mechanism could be. (I think that is probably a different cause of sleep apnea than the one I was talking about, though.)

[bmd]

Perhaps it bears mentioning that this topic is most relevant for non-overweight individuals with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea in people who are not overweight is most commonly caused by structural features that narrow the airway (such as by not providing enough room for the tongue, so that the back of the tongue is crowded up against the airway). This makes the airway more vulnerable to becoming obstructed during sleep.

Although genetics certainly plays a role in determining who is most vulnerable to having these structural features, most of the available evidence indicates that the main factor causing them is consumption of a diet during early life that does not provide enough exercise to the muscles of the jaw to promote proper jaw structure. For example, breast feeding provides the right kind of sucking exercise, and consuming tough foods after weaning (like nuts and raw fruits and veggies) provides "chewing stress", both of which are important for jaw development.

Because modern society has reduced the use of breast feeding, and the consumption of tough foods, compared to what was normal through out most of human history, we have more problems with jaw structure than was normal through out most of human history. And this is part of the reason why many of us get sleep apnea.

[bmd]

There are ten days left to have your say in US medical research priorities by voting on the NHLBI forum. Here (again) is the link to the research idea I posted on preventing sleep apnea:
http://nhlbistrategicvisioning.ideascal ... 0728-32287
I hope you will think of your children and grandchildren when deciding whether to vote. Research now can prevent them from getting sleep apnea in the future.

There are also a lot of other sleep related research ideas on the forum that need public support. Here is a list of all the research ideas that contain the word "sleep".
http://nhlbistrategicvisioning.ideascal ... uery=sleep
If you want there to be funding for sleep disorders research in the coming decade, you should get on the forum and vote. Since the users of this message board are expert sleep disorder patients, your input on this is important.

[Julie]

Human ancestor jaw designs may have evolved because of availability of certain food with respect to chewiness, etc. millions of years ago, but at today's point in history/evolution, genetics is what determines our jawlines and eating e.g. a paleo diet or doing some other thing or not will not affect that in the reasonably foreseeable future. Get real!

[BlackSpinner]

Perhaps it bears mentioning that this topic is most relevant for non-overweight individuals with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea in people who are not overweight is most commonly caused by structural features that narrow the airway (such as by not providing enough room for the tongue, so that the back of the tongue is crowded up against the airway). This makes the airway more vulnerable to becoming obstructed during sleep.

A lot of over weight is caused by sleep apnea. Sleep deprivations changes your hormones.

For example, breast feeding provides the right kind of sucking exercise, and consuming tough foods after weaning (like nuts and raw fruits and veggies) provides "chewing stress", both of which are important for jaw development.

A lot of us were breast fed.

Because modern society has reduced the use of breast feeding, and the consumption of tough foods, compared to what was normal through out most of human history, we have more problems with jaw structure than was normal through out most of human history. And this is part of the reason why many of us get sleep apnea.

Unless you plan to go pre agriculture you are out of luck.
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot. ... Uk_eNevgb8

Even suggesting kids have healthy diets to prevent obesity will get you run out of town.

[Wulfman...]

There are ten days left to have your say in US medical research priorities by voting on the NHLBI forum. Here (again) is the link to the research idea I posted on preventing sleep apnea:
http://nhlbistrategicvisioning.ideascal ... 0728-32287
I hope you will think of your children and grandchildren when deciding whether to vote. Research now can prevent them from getting sleep apnea in the future.

There are also a lot of other sleep related research ideas on the forum that need public support. Here is a list of all the research ideas that contain the word "sleep".
http://nhlbistrategicvisioning.ideascal ... uery=sleep
If you want there to be funding for sleep disorders research in the coming decade, you should get on the forum and vote. Since the users of this message board are expert sleep disorder patients, your input on this is important.

You are one, dumb SOB.
The vast majority of "research" money is wasted by stupid people who live off of other peoples' money. "Global Warming" and "Climate Change" are two prime examples. The researchers go into these projects with preconceived notions (like your comments indicate about OSA), so, the data is skewed, falsified and misapplied.

NO THANK YOU!!!


Den

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[Julie]

Oh Den... really? I know you're in one of 'those' states, but...

[Wulfman...]

Oh Den... really? I know you're in one of 'those' states, but...

State of confusion?
State of denial?

State of __________??? (fill in the blank)




Den

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