Issue date: August 11, 2008
Regular Walking Cuts Elderly Disability Risk [CMT Exercise]
If someone told you that you could increase your likelihood of maintaining independence by 41 percent by participating in a simple walking program, would you do it? For older adults with CMT who are able to walk without pain or difficulty, there is mounting evidence that a walking program is one of the most beneficial exercise routines out there. Not only that, but is one of the cheapest, most low-tech activities available.  More...

Issue date: July 30, 2008
HNF Member Melinda Lang: Living with CMT [Personal Profiles]
This week we received a story from Melinda Lang of Cohoes, NY.  Melinda wrote about the process of getting diagnosed with CMT and how her life has changed now that she is living with the disease.   We hope that some of you will relate to Melinda’s experiences.  Here, in her own words, is her story:   More...

Issue date: July 25, 2008
Williams College Biologist Lara Hutson Wins $220,000 NIH Grant to Study CMT [Research Reports]
In July, we caught up with Williams College Assistant Professor of Biology Lara D. Hutson, the winner of a two-year grant of $220,076 to support her research on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or CMT from The National Institutes of Health (NIH).  More...

Issue date: July 15, 2008
Caffeine & Carb Combo Helps Refuel Muscles [Research Reports]
Here’s another good excuse to drink your morning java and wolf down a bagel while you’re at it. According to a recent report in the Journal of Applied Physiology, a jolt of post-exercise caffeine paired with carbohydrates helps muscles recover more quickly after exercise.  More...

Issue date: July 9, 2008
Umbilical Cord Blood Cell Transplants May Help ALS Patients (and Ultimately, CMT Patients) [Research Reports]
Though Charcot-Marie-Tooth may not be as familiar to most people as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Parkinson's disease, all are neurodegenerative diseases that eventually cause dysfunction and kill particular neurons in either the brain or the peripheral nervous system.  More...

Issue date: July 1, 2008
New Discovery Nudges Nerve Stem Cells To Mature [Research Reports]

In a serendipitous turn of events, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center literally stumbled upon a valuable discovery during another experiment—creating a small molecule that stimulates nerve stem cells to begin maturing into nerve cells.
Why is this discovery important to people with CMT? This finding might someday allow a person's own nerve stem cells to be grown outside the body, stimulated into maturity, and then re-implanted as working nerve cells to treat various diseases, the researchers said.

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Issue date: June 25, 2008
To Preserve Muscle Mass, Eat More Fruits and Veggies [Research Reports]

We all know that fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that are key to good health. But here’s one more reason to stock up on fruits and vegetables: These healthy foods actually help preserve muscle mass in older adults, which is crucial for people suffering CMT.

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Issue date: June 18, 2008
New Pen Makes Handwriting Comfortable Again for CMT Sufferers [Product/Serv. Reviews]

Recently on our forums, an HNF member wrote, seeking help for his struggle with his handwriting due to neuropathy-related weakness:  “My handwriting has become very slow. My thumb muscles are weak and I am having difficulty writing. Are there any products out there to improve my writing?”

In our search, we found the incredible PenAgain which makes ergonomically designed pens and pencils with rubber gripping forked finger indentation for comfort. In addition to helping reduce stress on fingers, the writing utensils also help with writers’ cramp by supporting the fingers comfortably.

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