BMJ 2007;335:631 (29 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.39349.383194.DB
News
Annual check-ups aren't needed, US study says
Janice Hopkins Tanne
New York
Annual physical examinations, a staple of medical care in the United States for decades, cost too much and are not necessary for conveying messages on preventing illness, says a new study.
Patients get most messages on prevention through other visits, explains the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2007;167:1876-83). But annual gynaecological exams may be helpful for women, it says.
Ateev Mehrotra and colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center examined data from 2002, 2003, and 2004 from the US national ambulatory medical care survey and the national hospital ambulatory medical care survey, which record visits made by patients with health insurance to office based physicians and to hospital outpatient departments for annual check-ups and gynaecological examinations.
Dr Mehrotra, the lead author and an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh Centre for Research on Health Care, said that no major North American clinical organisation recommends check-ups and no medical organisation specifies what should be included in one. "Physicians need to reach a consensus on whether patients should have annual physicals and what the exam should consist of," he said.
During 2002-4 about 44 million US adults had an annual preventive physical check-up and about 19 million women had a preventive gynaecological examination each year. The authors say that that's about 21% of US men and 18% of women, for a cost estimated at $5.2bn (£2.6bn; {euro}3.7bn) for general check-ups and $2.6bn for gynaecological examinations. The total amount nearly equals all spending on care of breast cancer patients in 2004, they report.
Check-up visits accounted for one in 12 adult care visits. Almost every check-up included a blood pressure measurement. People in the north east of the US were 60% more likely than those in the west to have a physical check-up.
Most preventive examinations were done by general and family practitioners, general internists, and gynaecologists. Preventive physical check-ups lasted an average of 23 minutes, preventive gynaecological visits averaged 20.5 minutes, and visits for other reason averaged 18 minutes. The average cost was $116 for a physical check-up and $136 for a gynaecological examination, including tests.
Many tests are unnecessary and in total cost more than $350m a year, the authors say. A complete blood count, serum electrolytes test, urinalysis, and an electrocardiogram are often ordered as part of an annual check-up but are not necessary unless there is a reason to request them, Dr Mehrotra said. However, during gynaecological examinations women were likely to receive or be sent for evidence based tests such as mammography or cervical smear tests.
The study looked at whether patients had received preventive or counselling messages about mammography, prostate specific antigen testing, cervical smear testing, cholesterol testing, stopping smoking, weight loss, and exercise and nutrition. Although advice on prevention is sometimes given as a reason for annual check-ups, the researchers found that almost 80% of preventive messages were given when a patient visited for another problem during the same year.
Making annual examinations available to all US residents is unrealistic, the authors say. Instead US doctors should offer advice on prevention when they see patients for other reasons.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Study finds that men with deep voices have more children
September 26, 2007 -- Men who have lower-pitched voices have more children than do men with high-pitched voices, McMaster researchers have found.
And their study suggests that for reproductive-minded women, mate selection favours men with low-pitched voices. The study, published in Biology Letters, offers insight into the evolution of the human voice as well as how we choose our mates.
And their study suggests that for reproductive-minded women, mate selection favours men with low-pitched voices. The study, published in Biology Letters, offers insight into the evolution of the human voice as well as how we choose our mates.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Rita's Fall Designer Extravaganza
Check it, Yo!
Old City This weekend Rita has been working around the clock for this sensational event
Philly Designers Expo will be on Septamber 29th from 1 to 5 213 New Street in Old City. Check out HTTP://philldesignexpo.blogspot.com for more details.
Rita you are stylin'
High Five
Old City This weekend Rita has been working around the clock for this sensational event
Philly Designers Expo will be on Septamber 29th from 1 to 5 213 New Street in Old City. Check out HTTP://philldesignexpo.blogspot.com for more details.
Rita you are stylin'
High Five
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Nothing Dietary About Diet Soda
How About Some Artificial Sweeteners?
"Saccharin (through taste) appears to elicit parasympathetic (insulin release) and sympathetic (hepatic glucose production increase) reflexes in lean and obese rats.
Taste-induced changes in plasma insulin and glucose turnover in lean and genetically obese rats. Diabetes. 1988 Jun;37(6):773-9.
Comment:
Insulin release starts with taste and when no glucose reaches the gut and bloodstream, a drop in blood sugar surely ensues from the already released insulin, triggering hunger to offset the resulting deficit. Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight
For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
–
36.5% for up to 1/2 can each day
–
37.5% for 1/2 to one can each day
–
54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day
–
57.1% for more than 2 cans each day.
For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
–
26% for up to 1/2 can each day
–
30.4% for 1/2 to one can each day
–
32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day
–
47.2% for more than 2 cans each day.
Fowler, S.P. 65th Annual Scientific Sessions, American Diabetes Association, San Diego, June 10-14, 2005
Comment: If you want to lose weight, you're better off with sugar than artificial sweeteners!
The Stevia Question
The combination of stevioside and soy supplementation appears to possess the potential as effective treatment of a number of the characteristic features of the metabolic syndrome, that is, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
Stevioside exerts beneficial effects in type 2 diabetic Zucker diabetic fatty rats. We did not detect any effect on insulin or glucagon responses.
Metabolism. 2005 Sep;54(9):1181-8.
Comment: It appears that stevia is a viable alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar without negative side effects. More information is needed, but stevia is a natural substance rather than artificial. "
I just chopped a couple chunks of the insulin article. Here is a second bit. Plan to put these in pt. newsletter.
"Use this glycemic index tool to select the right types of carbohydrates. High glycemic foods metabolize to glucose faster and produce undesireable effects. David Mendoza's website is an impressive source of information on the impact of various foods on glucose.
"Saccharin (through taste) appears to elicit parasympathetic (insulin release) and sympathetic (hepatic glucose production increase) reflexes in lean and obese rats.
Taste-induced changes in plasma insulin and glucose turnover in lean and genetically obese rats. Diabetes. 1988 Jun;37(6):773-9.
Comment:
Insulin release starts with taste and when no glucose reaches the gut and bloodstream, a drop in blood sugar surely ensues from the already released insulin, triggering hunger to offset the resulting deficit. Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight
For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
–
36.5% for up to 1/2 can each day
–
37.5% for 1/2 to one can each day
–
54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day
–
57.1% for more than 2 cans each day.
For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
–
26% for up to 1/2 can each day
–
30.4% for 1/2 to one can each day
–
32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day
–
47.2% for more than 2 cans each day.
Fowler, S.P. 65th Annual Scientific Sessions, American Diabetes Association, San Diego, June 10-14, 2005
Comment: If you want to lose weight, you're better off with sugar than artificial sweeteners!
The Stevia Question
The combination of stevioside and soy supplementation appears to possess the potential as effective treatment of a number of the characteristic features of the metabolic syndrome, that is, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
Stevioside exerts beneficial effects in type 2 diabetic Zucker diabetic fatty rats. We did not detect any effect on insulin or glucagon responses.
Metabolism. 2005 Sep;54(9):1181-8.
Comment: It appears that stevia is a viable alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar without negative side effects. More information is needed, but stevia is a natural substance rather than artificial. "
I just chopped a couple chunks of the insulin article. Here is a second bit. Plan to put these in pt. newsletter.
"Use this glycemic index tool to select the right types of carbohydrates. High glycemic foods metabolize to glucose faster and produce undesireable effects. David Mendoza's website is an impressive source of information on the impact of various foods on glucose.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Chiropractic for better Sleep
Abnormal Sleeping Patterns Helped With Chiropractic - A Case Study
A case study published in the July 2006 issue of the peer-reviewed, scientific publication, the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (JCCP) documented the effects of chiropractic care on a nine month old infant girl with a history of disturbed sleep. The JCCP is the official publication of the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics of the International Chiropractors Association.
The study article starts off by noting that the average 9 month old should sleep approximately 14 hours per day. In this case study a nine month old infant girl was presented for chiropractic care with a history of severely disrupted sleep and fussiness. Additionally, the infant was refusing to breastfeed on one side and exhibited, what was called a generally unsettled behavior. It was also noted that the child would not turn her head to the left. These problems had been occurring since birth.
The examination confirmed a reduced range of neck motion to the left and significant muscle tension in the left and upper neck. Upon touching the neck the child exhibited signs of being in pain by crying and moving away. It was determined that subluxations were present, and an appropriate course of adjustments was initiated.
The results in this case were very impressive. The study noted that on the afternoon after the infants first adjustment the baby girl fell asleep for 5 hours. This was followed by nighttime sleep of 2 periods of 6 hours each. Over the next three weeks of care the daytime sleep got shorter, but the nighttime sleep remained between 6 and 8 hours.
In addition to the dramatic sleep improvement, the child also improved her range of neck motion and was able to turn her head to the left in response to sound on the left side. Additionally the infant began to feed freely and comfortably.
In their conclusion, the authors of the case study noted that the dramatic improvements after just one adjustment indicated that the vertebral subluxation found in this case was at least in part responsible for the disrupted sleep pattern.
A case study published in the July 2006 issue of the peer-reviewed, scientific publication, the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (JCCP) documented the effects of chiropractic care on a nine month old infant girl with a history of disturbed sleep. The JCCP is the official publication of the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics of the International Chiropractors Association.
The study article starts off by noting that the average 9 month old should sleep approximately 14 hours per day. In this case study a nine month old infant girl was presented for chiropractic care with a history of severely disrupted sleep and fussiness. Additionally, the infant was refusing to breastfeed on one side and exhibited, what was called a generally unsettled behavior. It was also noted that the child would not turn her head to the left. These problems had been occurring since birth.
The examination confirmed a reduced range of neck motion to the left and significant muscle tension in the left and upper neck. Upon touching the neck the child exhibited signs of being in pain by crying and moving away. It was determined that subluxations were present, and an appropriate course of adjustments was initiated.
The results in this case were very impressive. The study noted that on the afternoon after the infants first adjustment the baby girl fell asleep for 5 hours. This was followed by nighttime sleep of 2 periods of 6 hours each. Over the next three weeks of care the daytime sleep got shorter, but the nighttime sleep remained between 6 and 8 hours.
In addition to the dramatic sleep improvement, the child also improved her range of neck motion and was able to turn her head to the left in response to sound on the left side. Additionally the infant began to feed freely and comfortably.
In their conclusion, the authors of the case study noted that the dramatic improvements after just one adjustment indicated that the vertebral subluxation found in this case was at least in part responsible for the disrupted sleep pattern.
Infertility and Chiropractic
Several recent published case studies have highlighted the benefits and miraculous results of chiropractic care for patients who were unsuccessful in their attempt to have children. In three successive issues of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, (JVSR), case studies were published of women who were having trouble with infertility, and who were helped by chiropractic care.
The December 8, 2003 JVSR reported on a case study of a 32-year-old female with a history of infertility, who had attempted to become pregnant since August 1999, with no success and sought chiropractic care in November of 2001. Prior to the chiropractic care, she had received unsuccessful conventional medical treatment, including detailed fertility testing, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and treatment with the fertility drug Clomid. She sought chiropractic care on November 3, 2001. Chiropractic analysis and correction were performed over the next six weeks and during this time, the patient’s secondary complaints of low back pain and headaches improved dramatically. Additionally, the patient’s fertility specialists noted that her estrogen levels, endometrial thickness, and cervical mucus levels were all at more favorable levels than at the time of the first in vitro attempt. A second attempt at in vitro fertilization was made on February 17, 2002, and the patient had a positive pregnancy test on March 2, 2002.
The second case was that of a thirty-four year old woman who presented for chiropractic care on January 10, 2000. Her concerns listed a variety of conditions, including a history of infertility. This patient made no other alterations in her lifestyle or clinical situation besides the addition of chiropractic care. Approximately 4-5 weeks into the care program the patient conceived naturally.
The third case was interesting because the woman was not trying to conceive. This case was that of a 65-year young female who presented with agonizing low back pain and severe lumbar degeneration. After four weeks of care she began spotting and was diagnosed as having a normal menstrual cycle. What was really interesting about this case was that she had experienced a severe fall at 13 years of age which resulted in a complete cessation of her menses at 18. She was diagnosed as infertile.
In each of these cases the chiropractic care was specific for correction of vertebral subluxations that were determined to be interfering with the normal function of the nervous system. This in turn disrupted the reproductive system of the patients. The conclusion of one of the studies sums up the process by saying, "The human body is designed to be healthy and to reproduce. Impairment of this ability indicates dysfunction on a fundamental level. Subluxations of the spine and the associated nervous system dysfunction can hinder proper function of body systems."
The December 8, 2003 JVSR reported on a case study of a 32-year-old female with a history of infertility, who had attempted to become pregnant since August 1999, with no success and sought chiropractic care in November of 2001. Prior to the chiropractic care, she had received unsuccessful conventional medical treatment, including detailed fertility testing, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and treatment with the fertility drug Clomid. She sought chiropractic care on November 3, 2001. Chiropractic analysis and correction were performed over the next six weeks and during this time, the patient’s secondary complaints of low back pain and headaches improved dramatically. Additionally, the patient’s fertility specialists noted that her estrogen levels, endometrial thickness, and cervical mucus levels were all at more favorable levels than at the time of the first in vitro attempt. A second attempt at in vitro fertilization was made on February 17, 2002, and the patient had a positive pregnancy test on March 2, 2002.
The second case was that of a thirty-four year old woman who presented for chiropractic care on January 10, 2000. Her concerns listed a variety of conditions, including a history of infertility. This patient made no other alterations in her lifestyle or clinical situation besides the addition of chiropractic care. Approximately 4-5 weeks into the care program the patient conceived naturally.
The third case was interesting because the woman was not trying to conceive. This case was that of a 65-year young female who presented with agonizing low back pain and severe lumbar degeneration. After four weeks of care she began spotting and was diagnosed as having a normal menstrual cycle. What was really interesting about this case was that she had experienced a severe fall at 13 years of age which resulted in a complete cessation of her menses at 18. She was diagnosed as infertile.
In each of these cases the chiropractic care was specific for correction of vertebral subluxations that were determined to be interfering with the normal function of the nervous system. This in turn disrupted the reproductive system of the patients. The conclusion of one of the studies sums up the process by saying, "The human body is designed to be healthy and to reproduce. Impairment of this ability indicates dysfunction on a fundamental level. Subluxations of the spine and the associated nervous system dysfunction can hinder proper function of body systems."
Philly Hot List Results
Much to our disappointment, Triune did not receive the honors as most popular spa in Philadelphia. We believe we came in 2nd place, just behind a spa in Skippack, PA.
Go figure?
But, we are still so grateful for everyone who voted for our therapists and facility.
A major factor that makes us feel that we are the best is our clients and patients.
Without you smiles and spirits, it would be a struggle to create such a warm and healing environment. So on behalf of everyone at Triune. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Peace and Blessings : -)
Go figure?
But, we are still so grateful for everyone who voted for our therapists and facility.
A major factor that makes us feel that we are the best is our clients and patients.
Without you smiles and spirits, it would be a struggle to create such a warm and healing environment. So on behalf of everyone at Triune. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Peace and Blessings : -)
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
MDs Don't Issue Pregnancy, Drugs Warning
By JOANN LOVIGLIO
Associated Press Writer
Doctors aren't doing a good job of warning young women to avoid
getting pregnant when they're taking prescription drugs that can cause
birth defects, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal
Medicine.
The study of nearly 500,000 women found that nearly half of the women
taking the medicines didn't get counseling from their doctor about using
contraceptives or other birth control measures, while researchers noted
that the study might overestimate the problem because the data is from
health plan billing codes, which don't have the same detailed medical
histories as patient medical charts, reported the Associated Press. Even
with the study's limitations, it is clear that many women aren't getting
the message about avoiding pregnancy while taking certain drugs that may
cause birth defects, including some antibiotics, acne medications,
cholesterol reducers, anti-seizure drugs, sleep aids and blood thinners,
the Associated Press added.
Associated Press, September 17, 2007
Read on...
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RISKY_DRUGS_PREGNANCY?SITE=PAPIT&SECTION=HEALTH&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Associated Press Writer
Doctors aren't doing a good job of warning young women to avoid
getting pregnant when they're taking prescription drugs that can cause
birth defects, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal
Medicine.
The study of nearly 500,000 women found that nearly half of the women
taking the medicines didn't get counseling from their doctor about using
contraceptives or other birth control measures, while researchers noted
that the study might overestimate the problem because the data is from
health plan billing codes, which don't have the same detailed medical
histories as patient medical charts, reported the Associated Press. Even
with the study's limitations, it is clear that many women aren't getting
the message about avoiding pregnancy while taking certain drugs that may
cause birth defects, including some antibiotics, acne medications,
cholesterol reducers, anti-seizure drugs, sleep aids and blood thinners,
the Associated Press added.
Associated Press, September 17, 2007
Read on...
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RISKY_DRUGS_PREGNANCY?SITE=PAPIT&SECTION=HEALTH&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Monday, September 24, 2007
Foods to Keep You Cool By Anita BrikmanJuly
14, 2006 - What you eat and drink can help you keep cool during the summer heat.
First off, we all know to drink plenty of water and other fluids in a heat wave. But how much? Chiropractor Jeffrey Sklar of the Triune Wellness Center, uses a simple rule of thumb.
Jeffrey Sklar, D.C./Triune Wellness Center: "Take your weight, divide it in half and drink that many ounces of water."
So a 130 pound woman should drink about 65 ounces, which equals about 8 cups. Gurneet Singh, an acupuncturist with the practice, says according to traditional Chinese medicine, the most cooling summer foods also have a higher water content.
Gurneet Singh, RAC/ www.Lotus-Healing.com (her office is located in the Triune Wellness Center): "Think about fruits that when you bite into them they are very juicy, very tasty."
Items like that are apples, peaches, nectarines and oranges and other citrus fruits. As for vegetables, eat more leafy greens, tomatoes and celery. Those are all easy for the body to break down.
"You're also getting a lot of great vitamins, mineral, micronutrients and antioxidants, which are going to help protect your skin a little bit."
Singh advises cutting back on meats, which are harder to digest, and getting more protein from beans. And surprisingly, spices, like ginger, or hot peppers boost the body's own cooling mechanism.
"Add a pinch, sweat a little bit, but then cool off afterward."
Another surprise, limit super-cold foods, like ice cream or ice cold drinks. Those things actually make you feel more sluggish.
"Your digestive system actually likes things to be a little bit warm, so if you can choose it's probably a little better that your liquids are at room temperature."
Two other cooling pieces of advice: don't stop exercising on hot days, but maybe switch to a more gentle type, like walking or yoga. And try some herbal teas like chrysanthemum, mint or chamomile. Add ice and a little honey, for a healthy ice tea without caffeine.
First off, we all know to drink plenty of water and other fluids in a heat wave. But how much? Chiropractor Jeffrey Sklar of the Triune Wellness Center, uses a simple rule of thumb.
Jeffrey Sklar, D.C./Triune Wellness Center: "Take your weight, divide it in half and drink that many ounces of water."
So a 130 pound woman should drink about 65 ounces, which equals about 8 cups. Gurneet Singh, an acupuncturist with the practice, says according to traditional Chinese medicine, the most cooling summer foods also have a higher water content.
Gurneet Singh, RAC/ www.Lotus-Healing.com (her office is located in the Triune Wellness Center): "Think about fruits that when you bite into them they are very juicy, very tasty."
Items like that are apples, peaches, nectarines and oranges and other citrus fruits. As for vegetables, eat more leafy greens, tomatoes and celery. Those are all easy for the body to break down.
"You're also getting a lot of great vitamins, mineral, micronutrients and antioxidants, which are going to help protect your skin a little bit."
Singh advises cutting back on meats, which are harder to digest, and getting more protein from beans. And surprisingly, spices, like ginger, or hot peppers boost the body's own cooling mechanism.
"Add a pinch, sweat a little bit, but then cool off afterward."
Another surprise, limit super-cold foods, like ice cream or ice cold drinks. Those things actually make you feel more sluggish.
"Your digestive system actually likes things to be a little bit warm, so if you can choose it's probably a little better that your liquids are at room temperature."
Two other cooling pieces of advice: don't stop exercising on hot days, but maybe switch to a more gentle type, like walking or yoga. And try some herbal teas like chrysanthemum, mint or chamomile. Add ice and a little honey, for a healthy ice tea without caffeine.
Getting a flu shot this year?
'Proof still needed' for flu jab
There is not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of immunising older people against flu, fresh research in the US has concluded.
Researchers from George Washington University, Washington DC, say the benefits in reducing deaths among over 70s have been "greatly exaggerated".
The findings echo a controversial 2006 British Medical Journal study.
But the latest study, in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, nonetheless urges vaccination to continue for the moment.
Most rich countries recommend vaccinating the old and the weak against flu annually in time for the winter.
As well as preventing flu, it is also thought to prevent deaths from other underlying chronic conditions.
In many studies, flu-related deaths are considered to be all those above the expected winter baseline. This is known as winter excess mortality.
Researchers from George Washington University, led by Dr Lone Simonson, say that in the US - despite an increase in vaccination coverage from 15% to 65% since 1980 - excess mortality among elderly people actually increased during the 1980s and 1990s.
The effectiveness of this strategy is under debate
Dr Lone Simonson
They also cited an Italian study, which found no decline in flu-related mortality rates, even as vaccine coverage rose from 5% to 65%.
The study also deplored what it saw as a lack of placebo-controlled randomised clinical trials (RCTs) among those over the age of 70.
They accepted that such trials were, however, unlikely as they would involve denying some participants access to a treatment which it is recommended they receive, and as such would not pass ethical review.
As an alternative, the team recommended that future studies should use "more specific endpoints" than just overall winter deaths.
This should include "vaccine effectiveness against the highly-specific outcome of laboratory-confirmed influenza virus, which although labour intensive and expensive, is more likely to obtain more realistic estimates of vaccine efficacy".
But despite its reservations about the quality of the available evidence, the team nonetheless recommended that people over the age of 70 should continue to be vaccinated until better data could be collected.
Trials call
Dr Tom Jefferson, of the Cochrane Library - a body that determines the relative effectiveness of health interventions - welcomed the study, which repeated many of his own assertions made in a paper published a year ago.
Writing in an editorial, he said it was time to carry out a placebo-based trial in which some participants are denied the jab.
"Head-to-head comparisons with other types of influenza vaccine will not allow direct assessment of absolute vaccine effectiveness," he wrote.
"Could governments be courageous and honest enough to reassess their cherished policies?"
It costs about £115m to vaccine the vulnerable against flu in the UK each year.
This study acknowledges that, whilst waiting for an improved evidence base, vaccination with flu vaccine in this group should continue
Department of Health
"The aim of our influenza policy is to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness or death should they develop influenza," a spokesperson for the Department of Health said.
"UK policy is constantly under review to take into consideration all available evidence. This study acknowledges that, whilst waiting for an improved evidence base, vaccination with flu vaccine in this group should continue."
The Royal College of GPs said it endorsed current policy and suggested that the study was lacking.
"There is a widely-held view that many respiratory virus infections cause mild, self-limiting disease and this is true," it said in a statement.
"But it is equally true that the relatively infrequent serious outcomes from this apparently minor illness add up to a major public health problem.
"Routine annual influenza vaccination of the elderly and persons with co-morbidity remains a vital element in this attack."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7010717.stm
Published: 2007/09/25 00:34:18 GMT
There is not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of immunising older people against flu, fresh research in the US has concluded.
Researchers from George Washington University, Washington DC, say the benefits in reducing deaths among over 70s have been "greatly exaggerated".
The findings echo a controversial 2006 British Medical Journal study.
But the latest study, in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, nonetheless urges vaccination to continue for the moment.
Most rich countries recommend vaccinating the old and the weak against flu annually in time for the winter.
As well as preventing flu, it is also thought to prevent deaths from other underlying chronic conditions.
In many studies, flu-related deaths are considered to be all those above the expected winter baseline. This is known as winter excess mortality.
Researchers from George Washington University, led by Dr Lone Simonson, say that in the US - despite an increase in vaccination coverage from 15% to 65% since 1980 - excess mortality among elderly people actually increased during the 1980s and 1990s.
The effectiveness of this strategy is under debate
Dr Lone Simonson
They also cited an Italian study, which found no decline in flu-related mortality rates, even as vaccine coverage rose from 5% to 65%.
The study also deplored what it saw as a lack of placebo-controlled randomised clinical trials (RCTs) among those over the age of 70.
They accepted that such trials were, however, unlikely as they would involve denying some participants access to a treatment which it is recommended they receive, and as such would not pass ethical review.
As an alternative, the team recommended that future studies should use "more specific endpoints" than just overall winter deaths.
This should include "vaccine effectiveness against the highly-specific outcome of laboratory-confirmed influenza virus, which although labour intensive and expensive, is more likely to obtain more realistic estimates of vaccine efficacy".
But despite its reservations about the quality of the available evidence, the team nonetheless recommended that people over the age of 70 should continue to be vaccinated until better data could be collected.
Trials call
Dr Tom Jefferson, of the Cochrane Library - a body that determines the relative effectiveness of health interventions - welcomed the study, which repeated many of his own assertions made in a paper published a year ago.
Writing in an editorial, he said it was time to carry out a placebo-based trial in which some participants are denied the jab.
"Head-to-head comparisons with other types of influenza vaccine will not allow direct assessment of absolute vaccine effectiveness," he wrote.
"Could governments be courageous and honest enough to reassess their cherished policies?"
It costs about £115m to vaccine the vulnerable against flu in the UK each year.
This study acknowledges that, whilst waiting for an improved evidence base, vaccination with flu vaccine in this group should continue
Department of Health
"The aim of our influenza policy is to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness or death should they develop influenza," a spokesperson for the Department of Health said.
"UK policy is constantly under review to take into consideration all available evidence. This study acknowledges that, whilst waiting for an improved evidence base, vaccination with flu vaccine in this group should continue."
The Royal College of GPs said it endorsed current policy and suggested that the study was lacking.
"There is a widely-held view that many respiratory virus infections cause mild, self-limiting disease and this is true," it said in a statement.
"But it is equally true that the relatively infrequent serious outcomes from this apparently minor illness add up to a major public health problem.
"Routine annual influenza vaccination of the elderly and persons with co-morbidity remains a vital element in this attack."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7010717.stm
Published: 2007/09/25 00:34:18 GMT
Alzheimers-Fix it before it breaks
Jun 19th, 2007 by Dr. Michael Merzenich
An article in the New York Times published about two weeks ago mirrored by an article in the AARP Bulletin bumptiously extolled the wonderful energies in the pharmaceutical industry directed toward medical strategies for more effectively treating or ‘curing’ Alzheimers Disease. The NYT science writer focussed on Wyeth Laboratories, because they are putting down most of their chips on an AD play. Both articles pointed out, quite correctly, that there is a tremendous effort and substantial treasure being expended in this drug development arena, and that almost every major manufacturer is working hard to crack this nut. The marginally effective drugs now available for AD patients have been highly profitable for their producers; new proprietary drugs that could actually arrest the AD pathology should be of extraordinarilly high value. It would appear to be highly likely that several such drugs shall soon come down the pike.
A drug that can effectively arrest the progression of AD pathology would be a great boon to just about everyone I can think of — possibly excepting all of those folks who own and run long-term care facilities! Sorry, guys and gals, but it would be a sweet thing, indeed, to see YOUR business take a big hit!
At the same time, I have three alternative reactions to this rosy picture.
First, why, exactly, would anyone want to have their pathology arrested in the first stages of AD?! That’s just a little bit like being sent to Limbo! An individual is not exactly in tip-top mental shape when their doctor dubs them with the AD label. On the other hand, to the extent to which drugs do not merely arrest decline, BUT ALSO HELP ENABLE a brain plasticity-driven rejuvenation in this population, they really COULD be the kind of ‘wonder drug’ described in these articles.
Second, when we have intensively trained individuals who are in a pre-AD medical status, their cognitive decline appears be arrested — and, in fact, significant functional rejuvenation is recorded. These practical studies combined with a growing number of animal studies indicate that brain fitness exercises can, by themselves, prophylactically sustain brain health over an extended epoch. Training (like that provided by Posit Science’s Brain Fitness Program) has at least five significant advantages over drugs. a) It holds the promise of prophylactically preventing the onset of the changes that themselves lead to AD onset. (A precaution: Studies measuring these prophylactic values of training are in progress. They are not yet definitively determined.) b) Training is organic. By its nature, undesired side effects just don’t come into play. c) Training strategies are inexpensive — in total, a small fraction of the cost of any proprietary AD-targeted drug. d) Training can provide a basis for continuous patient performance monitoring (through automated self-assessments and an Internet communication like) that helps ASSURE a ’safe’ patient status across future time. Finally, e) if you’re as far down the path of decline as an early-AD patient, you an already make very good use of brain fitness exercises, in any event!
Third, waiting for that drug that’s going to save your bacon, like Waiting for Godot, can be frustrating! Maybe you won’t last long enough to reap its benefits! My advice: Don’t wait. Get thee to the Brain Fitness Center!
Sphere: Related Content
Posted in Aging and the Brain, Brain Fitness, "Chemobrain" and Related Causes of Cognitive Impairment, Brain Trauma, Injury, Cognitive impairments, Alzheimer's, Posit Science, Brain Fitness Program | 2 Comments
2 Responses to “Why not fix it BEFORE it breaks?”
on 16 Jul 2007 at 8:01 am1James (Jim) Maroney Sr
I have purchased and used your brain fitness program. I believe it is useful. Its major value is helping me and others realize that there is something we can do to get fit and stay fit. It is, of course, a software program. Software developers seem to fall into two catagories, ones who focus on keeping the software’s prices high and thus limiting its access (Apple is a good example of this-they choked themselves darned near out of the computer business and rely on their cult status to stay in business) and ones who open it up full throttle to all comers by lowering the price or giving it away free. I believe history shows the opening up process to be best for the software developers and for the people. I suggest you make a bold move (one that will shock the business world and one that will put you way ahead of others in you field) and lower your price to less than $100 or bolder yet, give it away. You will benefit mankind and probably make more money than you ever knew possible. Jim Maroney
An article in the New York Times published about two weeks ago mirrored by an article in the AARP Bulletin bumptiously extolled the wonderful energies in the pharmaceutical industry directed toward medical strategies for more effectively treating or ‘curing’ Alzheimers Disease. The NYT science writer focussed on Wyeth Laboratories, because they are putting down most of their chips on an AD play. Both articles pointed out, quite correctly, that there is a tremendous effort and substantial treasure being expended in this drug development arena, and that almost every major manufacturer is working hard to crack this nut. The marginally effective drugs now available for AD patients have been highly profitable for their producers; new proprietary drugs that could actually arrest the AD pathology should be of extraordinarilly high value. It would appear to be highly likely that several such drugs shall soon come down the pike.
A drug that can effectively arrest the progression of AD pathology would be a great boon to just about everyone I can think of — possibly excepting all of those folks who own and run long-term care facilities! Sorry, guys and gals, but it would be a sweet thing, indeed, to see YOUR business take a big hit!
At the same time, I have three alternative reactions to this rosy picture.
First, why, exactly, would anyone want to have their pathology arrested in the first stages of AD?! That’s just a little bit like being sent to Limbo! An individual is not exactly in tip-top mental shape when their doctor dubs them with the AD label. On the other hand, to the extent to which drugs do not merely arrest decline, BUT ALSO HELP ENABLE a brain plasticity-driven rejuvenation in this population, they really COULD be the kind of ‘wonder drug’ described in these articles.
Second, when we have intensively trained individuals who are in a pre-AD medical status, their cognitive decline appears be arrested — and, in fact, significant functional rejuvenation is recorded. These practical studies combined with a growing number of animal studies indicate that brain fitness exercises can, by themselves, prophylactically sustain brain health over an extended epoch. Training (like that provided by Posit Science’s Brain Fitness Program) has at least five significant advantages over drugs. a) It holds the promise of prophylactically preventing the onset of the changes that themselves lead to AD onset. (A precaution: Studies measuring these prophylactic values of training are in progress. They are not yet definitively determined.) b) Training is organic. By its nature, undesired side effects just don’t come into play. c) Training strategies are inexpensive — in total, a small fraction of the cost of any proprietary AD-targeted drug. d) Training can provide a basis for continuous patient performance monitoring (through automated self-assessments and an Internet communication like) that helps ASSURE a ’safe’ patient status across future time. Finally, e) if you’re as far down the path of decline as an early-AD patient, you an already make very good use of brain fitness exercises, in any event!
Third, waiting for that drug that’s going to save your bacon, like Waiting for Godot, can be frustrating! Maybe you won’t last long enough to reap its benefits! My advice: Don’t wait. Get thee to the Brain Fitness Center!
Sphere: Related Content
Posted in Aging and the Brain, Brain Fitness, "Chemobrain" and Related Causes of Cognitive Impairment, Brain Trauma, Injury, Cognitive impairments, Alzheimer's, Posit Science, Brain Fitness Program | 2 Comments
2 Responses to “Why not fix it BEFORE it breaks?”
on 16 Jul 2007 at 8:01 am1James (Jim) Maroney Sr
I have purchased and used your brain fitness program. I believe it is useful. Its major value is helping me and others realize that there is something we can do to get fit and stay fit. It is, of course, a software program. Software developers seem to fall into two catagories, ones who focus on keeping the software’s prices high and thus limiting its access (Apple is a good example of this-they choked themselves darned near out of the computer business and rely on their cult status to stay in business) and ones who open it up full throttle to all comers by lowering the price or giving it away free. I believe history shows the opening up process to be best for the software developers and for the people. I suggest you make a bold move (one that will shock the business world and one that will put you way ahead of others in you field) and lower your price to less than $100 or bolder yet, give it away. You will benefit mankind and probably make more money than you ever knew possible. Jim Maroney
Medication Mishap Mayhem
BMJ 2007;335:585 (22 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.39339.624711.DB
News
Number of serious adverse events doubles in seven years in US
David Spurgeon
Quebec
The number of reported serious adverse events from drug treatment more than doubled in the United States from 1998 to 2005, rising from 34 966 to 89 842, says a new study.
Over the same period the number of deaths relating to drugs nearly tripled, from 5519 to 15 107, show data from the US Food and Drug Administration's adverse event reporting system, which collects all reports of adverse events submitted voluntarily to the agency either directly or through drug manufacturers (Archives of Internal Medicine 2007;167:1752-9).
Using extracts from the system that were published for use by researchers, the study's authors—Thomas Moore and Michael Cohen, of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Curt Furberg, of the university's public health sciences division—analysed all adverse drug events and treatment errors reported to the agency from 1998, when the FDA started operating the system, to 2005.
Over the period the number of reported serious events grew four times faster than the total number of prescriptions to outpatients, which increased from 2.7 billion to 3.8 billion. In the subset of drugs associated with 500 or more reports in any year, those drugs that were withdrawn for safety reasons accounted for 26% of the reported events in 1999, this percentage falling to less than 1% in 2005. For 13 new biotechnology products, the number of reported serious events grew by nearly 16-fold, from 580 reported events in 1998 to 9181 in 2005.
A relatively small number of drugs were responsible for the overall increase in the number of adverse events reported: 298 of the 1489 drugs identified (20%) from the data accounted for 407 394 of the 467 809 events (87%).
Better systems for managing the risks from prescription drugs are needed, the authors say. But they also say that the increase may be partly due to a population increase as well as to greater reliance on intensive drug treatment. Drugs to relieve pain and those that alter the immune system were the drugs that were likeliest to result in death.
In Canada in 2006 the federal health department received reports of 10 518 cases of suspected adverse reactions to drug treatments, up by 108 from the figure for 2005. However, the country's adverse drug reactions database has been criticised for being plagued by under-reporting and for not being used optimally (bmj.com, 22 May 2004, doi: 10.1136/bmj.328.7450.1222-f).
Meanwhile, a new Canadian study has said that mixing herbal medicines with prescription drugs could pose undiscovered health risks because many negative reactions are not being reported or tracked (www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/07/23/drug-study.html).
Related Article
Canadian health ministry faces criticism for its secrecy
Barbara Kermode-Scott
BMJ 2004 328: 1222. [Extract] [Full Text]
News
Number of serious adverse events doubles in seven years in US
David Spurgeon
Quebec
The number of reported serious adverse events from drug treatment more than doubled in the United States from 1998 to 2005, rising from 34 966 to 89 842, says a new study.
Over the same period the number of deaths relating to drugs nearly tripled, from 5519 to 15 107, show data from the US Food and Drug Administration's adverse event reporting system, which collects all reports of adverse events submitted voluntarily to the agency either directly or through drug manufacturers (Archives of Internal Medicine 2007;167:1752-9).
Using extracts from the system that were published for use by researchers, the study's authors—Thomas Moore and Michael Cohen, of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Curt Furberg, of the university's public health sciences division—analysed all adverse drug events and treatment errors reported to the agency from 1998, when the FDA started operating the system, to 2005.
Over the period the number of reported serious events grew four times faster than the total number of prescriptions to outpatients, which increased from 2.7 billion to 3.8 billion. In the subset of drugs associated with 500 or more reports in any year, those drugs that were withdrawn for safety reasons accounted for 26% of the reported events in 1999, this percentage falling to less than 1% in 2005. For 13 new biotechnology products, the number of reported serious events grew by nearly 16-fold, from 580 reported events in 1998 to 9181 in 2005.
A relatively small number of drugs were responsible for the overall increase in the number of adverse events reported: 298 of the 1489 drugs identified (20%) from the data accounted for 407 394 of the 467 809 events (87%).
Better systems for managing the risks from prescription drugs are needed, the authors say. But they also say that the increase may be partly due to a population increase as well as to greater reliance on intensive drug treatment. Drugs to relieve pain and those that alter the immune system were the drugs that were likeliest to result in death.
In Canada in 2006 the federal health department received reports of 10 518 cases of suspected adverse reactions to drug treatments, up by 108 from the figure for 2005. However, the country's adverse drug reactions database has been criticised for being plagued by under-reporting and for not being used optimally (bmj.com, 22 May 2004, doi: 10.1136/bmj.328.7450.1222-f).
Meanwhile, a new Canadian study has said that mixing herbal medicines with prescription drugs could pose undiscovered health risks because many negative reactions are not being reported or tracked (www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/07/23/drug-study.html).
Related Article
Canadian health ministry faces criticism for its secrecy
Barbara Kermode-Scott
BMJ 2004 328: 1222. [Extract] [Full Text]
Friday, September 21, 2007
Reduce your hospital stay risk
Hospital Medication Errors: Reducing Your Risk
WebMD Medical Reference
Medication errors plague all of health care, says Dale Bratzler, DO, MPH, medical director at the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality in Oklahoma City. Hospital medication errors are especially scary. How would you even know if a nurse is giving you the wrong medicine or the wrong dosage?
But experts say that you can help prevent hospital medication errors. Here are some tips.
*
Bring in your medicines. Your health care team at the hospital needs to know about every medicine you take, whether it's prescription, over-the-counter, or an herbal supplement. One easy way to do this is to bring in all of your medicines in a bag and show them.
*
Find out if you should continue taking your regular medicines when in the hospital. If you're currently taking a daily medicine -- for high blood pressure or heart disease, for instance -- find out whether you should continue taking it when you're in the hospital. Don't assume that the hospital doctors and nurses will already know the medicines prescribed by your family doctor. You need to tell them explicitly; especially confirm with them the dosage of the medication you take.
*
Always ask. When a nurse comes in to give you a medicine, ask questions. What does this medicine do? How much do you need? How often do you need it? Asking questions is a key way of lowering the risk of hospital medication errors.
*
Make sure the medicine is for you. Another way to avoid a serious hospital medication error is to ask your nurse to compare your ID with the name on the prescription before you get it.
*
Keep notes. Before surgery, start up a list of the medicines you'll probably be taking, along with doses and details about why you take the medicine (indication). Bring it with you to the hospital and keep it up to date. This way, you're more likely to notice any changes to your regimen.
*
Ask your family to help out. "Since you might be drowsy and forgetful after surgery, it's great to have a family member or friend who's keeping track of your medication for you," says Griffin.
WebMD Medical Reference
Medication errors plague all of health care, says Dale Bratzler, DO, MPH, medical director at the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality in Oklahoma City. Hospital medication errors are especially scary. How would you even know if a nurse is giving you the wrong medicine or the wrong dosage?
But experts say that you can help prevent hospital medication errors. Here are some tips.
*
Bring in your medicines. Your health care team at the hospital needs to know about every medicine you take, whether it's prescription, over-the-counter, or an herbal supplement. One easy way to do this is to bring in all of your medicines in a bag and show them.
*
Find out if you should continue taking your regular medicines when in the hospital. If you're currently taking a daily medicine -- for high blood pressure or heart disease, for instance -- find out whether you should continue taking it when you're in the hospital. Don't assume that the hospital doctors and nurses will already know the medicines prescribed by your family doctor. You need to tell them explicitly; especially confirm with them the dosage of the medication you take.
*
Always ask. When a nurse comes in to give you a medicine, ask questions. What does this medicine do? How much do you need? How often do you need it? Asking questions is a key way of lowering the risk of hospital medication errors.
*
Make sure the medicine is for you. Another way to avoid a serious hospital medication error is to ask your nurse to compare your ID with the name on the prescription before you get it.
*
Keep notes. Before surgery, start up a list of the medicines you'll probably be taking, along with doses and details about why you take the medicine (indication). Bring it with you to the hospital and keep it up to date. This way, you're more likely to notice any changes to your regimen.
*
Ask your family to help out. "Since you might be drowsy and forgetful after surgery, it's great to have a family member or friend who's keeping track of your medication for you," says Griffin.
Causes of Dizziness Same in Young, Old
Sept. 19, 2007 -- Dizziness is one of the most common complaints of the elderly, but its causes are no different in older people than in any other age group, new research shows.
As many as one in three people over age 65 experience frequent dizziness, according to one study. Because the condition occurs so often, it has been suggested that a specific syndrome linked to aging is a major cause.
But in one of the largest studies ever to examine the question, a researcher who has studied dizziness for more than two decades found no evidence in support of such a syndrome.
"I saw no hint of any special type of dizziness exclusive to aging," Montreal Dizziness Clinic Director Athanasios Katsarkas, MD, tells WebMD. "The diseases which cause dizziness in the elderly are exactly the same as in other age groups. But dizziness is often a more serious problem in older people because they are frail or because there is more than one cause."
Dizziness in the Elderly
Katsarkas presented findings from his study in Washington, D.C., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF).
He reviewed the cases of 3,427 patients who were over 70 years old when they sought treatment for dizziness at the Montreal clinic. Roughly one out of six patients in the clinic was in this age group.
Sixty-one percent of these elderly patients treated at the clinic were women; the average age was 76.
No definite diagnosis was found to explain dizziness in roughly a quarter of the elderly patients included in the study.
Most patients were diagnosed or strongly suspected of having benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), an inner ear problem characterized by brief bouts of dizziness and nausea following certain head movements. BPPV is more prevalent in the elderly.
Other causes of dizziness included medications, Meniere's syndrome -- characterized by hearing problems, ringing in the ears, and dizziness -- and other diseases.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The message, Katsarkas says, is that the cause of dizziness can be identified in most elderly patients, but a diagnosis often takes time and careful follow-up.
"Dizziness is not inevitable with aging, and telling older people that they just have to live with it is unacceptable," he says. "A diagnosis is usually possible when the physician takes the time to get a good patient history and follows up with the patient."
Finding the cause or causes of dizziness is essential for treating the condition in elderly patients. A good first step in diagnosis is careful evaluation of the drugs a patient takes, Katsarkas says.
Drugs used to treat high blood pressure are a common cause of dizziness in the elderly.
"When the medication is changed, the dizziness often goes away," he says.
Other treatments include antidepressants or antianxiety medications if a psychological cause is suspected.
Or treatment may be as simple as getting out of bed on a particular side, Katsarkas adds.
"If a person who has vertigo in the right ear gets out of bed on the left side, that can make a big difference," he says.
As many as one in three people over age 65 experience frequent dizziness, according to one study. Because the condition occurs so often, it has been suggested that a specific syndrome linked to aging is a major cause.
But in one of the largest studies ever to examine the question, a researcher who has studied dizziness for more than two decades found no evidence in support of such a syndrome.
"I saw no hint of any special type of dizziness exclusive to aging," Montreal Dizziness Clinic Director Athanasios Katsarkas, MD, tells WebMD. "The diseases which cause dizziness in the elderly are exactly the same as in other age groups. But dizziness is often a more serious problem in older people because they are frail or because there is more than one cause."
Dizziness in the Elderly
Katsarkas presented findings from his study in Washington, D.C., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF).
He reviewed the cases of 3,427 patients who were over 70 years old when they sought treatment for dizziness at the Montreal clinic. Roughly one out of six patients in the clinic was in this age group.
Sixty-one percent of these elderly patients treated at the clinic were women; the average age was 76.
No definite diagnosis was found to explain dizziness in roughly a quarter of the elderly patients included in the study.
Most patients were diagnosed or strongly suspected of having benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), an inner ear problem characterized by brief bouts of dizziness and nausea following certain head movements. BPPV is more prevalent in the elderly.
Other causes of dizziness included medications, Meniere's syndrome -- characterized by hearing problems, ringing in the ears, and dizziness -- and other diseases.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The message, Katsarkas says, is that the cause of dizziness can be identified in most elderly patients, but a diagnosis often takes time and careful follow-up.
"Dizziness is not inevitable with aging, and telling older people that they just have to live with it is unacceptable," he says. "A diagnosis is usually possible when the physician takes the time to get a good patient history and follows up with the patient."
Finding the cause or causes of dizziness is essential for treating the condition in elderly patients. A good first step in diagnosis is careful evaluation of the drugs a patient takes, Katsarkas says.
Drugs used to treat high blood pressure are a common cause of dizziness in the elderly.
"When the medication is changed, the dizziness often goes away," he says.
Other treatments include antidepressants or antianxiety medications if a psychological cause is suspected.
Or treatment may be as simple as getting out of bed on a particular side, Katsarkas adds.
"If a person who has vertigo in the right ear gets out of bed on the left side, that can make a big difference," he says.
Chiropractic and Pregnancy
Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain of Pregnancy: A
Retrospective Case Series
Anthony J. Lisi, DC
Journal of Midwifery & Womens Health
January 2006;51:e7-10.
ABSTRACT
Low back pain is a common complaint in pregnancy, with a reported prevalence
of 57% to 69% and incidence of 61%. Although such pain can result in
significant disability, it has been shown that as few as 32% of women report
symptoms to their prenatal provider, and only 25% of providers recommend treatment.
Chiropractors sometimes manage low back pain in pregnant women; however,
scarce data exist regarding such treatment.
This retrospective case series was undertaken to describe the results of a group of pregnant women with low back pain who underwent chiropractic treatment including spinal manipulation.
Seventeen cases met all inclusion criteria. The overall group average
Numerical Rating Scale pain score decreased from 5.9 (range 2-10) at initial
presentation to 1.5 (range 0?5) at termination of care. Sixteen of 17 (94.1%) cases
demonstrated clinically important improvement. The average time to initial
clinically important pain relief was 4.5 (range 0-13) days after initial
presentation, and the average number of visits undergone up to that point was 1.8
(range 1-5).
No adverse effects were reported in any of the 17 cases. The results suggest
that chiropractic treatment was safe in these cases and support the
hypothesis that it may be effective for reducing pain intensity.
Retrospective Case Series
Anthony J. Lisi, DC
Journal of Midwifery & Womens Health
January 2006;51:e7-10.
ABSTRACT
Low back pain is a common complaint in pregnancy, with a reported prevalence
of 57% to 69% and incidence of 61%. Although such pain can result in
significant disability, it has been shown that as few as 32% of women report
symptoms to their prenatal provider, and only 25% of providers recommend treatment.
Chiropractors sometimes manage low back pain in pregnant women; however,
scarce data exist regarding such treatment.
This retrospective case series was undertaken to describe the results of a group of pregnant women with low back pain who underwent chiropractic treatment including spinal manipulation.
Seventeen cases met all inclusion criteria. The overall group average
Numerical Rating Scale pain score decreased from 5.9 (range 2-10) at initial
presentation to 1.5 (range 0?5) at termination of care. Sixteen of 17 (94.1%) cases
demonstrated clinically important improvement. The average time to initial
clinically important pain relief was 4.5 (range 0-13) days after initial
presentation, and the average number of visits undergone up to that point was 1.8
(range 1-5).
No adverse effects were reported in any of the 17 cases. The results suggest
that chiropractic treatment was safe in these cases and support the
hypothesis that it may be effective for reducing pain intensity.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Medical University of South Carolina - Garlic vs Brain Cancer
Garlic vs. Brain Cancer
Scientists determine for the first time that garlic compounds eradicate brain cancer cells
CHARLESTON -- Numerous studies provide evidence that garlic and its organo-sulfur compounds are effective inhibitors of the cancer process, most notably for prostate and stomach cancers.
Cancer cells are known to have an incredibly high metabolism, as they require much energy to divide cells for rapid growth. In this study, it has been shown that garlic compounds produce reactive oxygen species in rapidly growing brain cancer cells, essentially gorging them to death with activation of multiple death cascades.
"This research highlights the great promise of plant-originated compounds as natural medicine for controlling the malignant growth of human brain tumor cells," Ray said. "However, more studies are needed in animal models of brain tumors before application of this therapeutic strategy to brain tumor patients."
Scientists determine for the first time that garlic compounds eradicate brain cancer cells
CHARLESTON -- Numerous studies provide evidence that garlic and its organo-sulfur compounds are effective inhibitors of the cancer process, most notably for prostate and stomach cancers.
Cancer cells are known to have an incredibly high metabolism, as they require much energy to divide cells for rapid growth. In this study, it has been shown that garlic compounds produce reactive oxygen species in rapidly growing brain cancer cells, essentially gorging them to death with activation of multiple death cascades.
"This research highlights the great promise of plant-originated compounds as natural medicine for controlling the malignant growth of human brain tumor cells," Ray said. "However, more studies are needed in animal models of brain tumors before application of this therapeutic strategy to brain tumor patients."
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Glycemic Index - Where is your sugar
Keeping Your Body Energized
Healthy eating is more complex than adopting a low-carb, low-fat or high-fiber diet. It's important to understand how the food you eat affects your body, so you can provide balanced, sustained nutrition to keep going strong.
The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on glucose (blood sugar) levels. Glucose is assigned a value of 100, while other carbohydrates are ranked relative to glucose. Essentially, carbohydrates that break down rapidly during the digestive process have the highest GI values. The blood glucose response is fast. On the other hand, carbohydrates that break down slowly and release glucose gradually into the bloodstream have low GI values.
The GI index is an important consideration for a number of reasons, particularly with respect to the benefits of consuming low-GI foods:
Low-GI foods keep you fuller for longer.
Low-GI foods cause a smaller rise in blood glucose levels following meals.
Low-GI diets can help you lose weight.
Low-GI diets can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin.
And according to the authors of a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "sufficient, positive findings have emerged to suggest that the dietary glycemic index is of potential importance in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases."
Healthy eating is more complex than adopting a low-carb, low-fat or high-fiber diet. It's important to understand how the food you eat affects your body, so you can provide balanced, sustained nutrition to keep going strong.
The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on glucose (blood sugar) levels. Glucose is assigned a value of 100, while other carbohydrates are ranked relative to glucose. Essentially, carbohydrates that break down rapidly during the digestive process have the highest GI values. The blood glucose response is fast. On the other hand, carbohydrates that break down slowly and release glucose gradually into the bloodstream have low GI values.
The GI index is an important consideration for a number of reasons, particularly with respect to the benefits of consuming low-GI foods:
Low-GI foods keep you fuller for longer.
Low-GI foods cause a smaller rise in blood glucose levels following meals.
Low-GI diets can help you lose weight.
Low-GI diets can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin.
And according to the authors of a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "sufficient, positive findings have emerged to suggest that the dietary glycemic index is of potential importance in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases."
Stop with the Pop
Bursting the Diet Soda Bubble
Regular soda is bad for you – it's full of sugar and is packed with empty calories. What's more, consumption of soda has been linked to heart disease, among other conditions. Think the answer is switching to diet cola? Think again.
Results from the Framingham Heart Study, reported in the research journal Circulation, indicate that even diet sodas increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Of the 6,000 healthy, middle-aged men and women who participated in the study, those who drank at least one soda (diet or regular) per day had about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome (a cluster of cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors). Compared to participants who drank less than one soda per day, those who drank at least one soda also had a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese, a 30 percent higher risk of developing increased waist circumference, a 25 percent higher risk of developing high blood triglycerides and high blood sugar, and a 32 percent greater risk of low "good" cholesterol levels.
Although more research on the topic is in order, for now, experts advise that you limit your intake of all soft drinks – including diet sodas. Now that's a recommendation to take to heart.
Regular soda is bad for you – it's full of sugar and is packed with empty calories. What's more, consumption of soda has been linked to heart disease, among other conditions. Think the answer is switching to diet cola? Think again.
Results from the Framingham Heart Study, reported in the research journal Circulation, indicate that even diet sodas increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Of the 6,000 healthy, middle-aged men and women who participated in the study, those who drank at least one soda (diet or regular) per day had about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome (a cluster of cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors). Compared to participants who drank less than one soda per day, those who drank at least one soda also had a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese, a 30 percent higher risk of developing increased waist circumference, a 25 percent higher risk of developing high blood triglycerides and high blood sugar, and a 32 percent greater risk of low "good" cholesterol levels.
Although more research on the topic is in order, for now, experts advise that you limit your intake of all soft drinks – including diet sodas. Now that's a recommendation to take to heart.
Good Posture by Dr. Robert Acker
The Key to Perfect Posture / Finding the Right Balance
Your mother always told you, "Stand up straight." Although no one has perfect posture, slouching is an all-too-common state that may point to deeper spinal issues. The path to strengthening posture consists of three steps:
Step 1: Posture Consciousness
Have a friend take a picture of your posture. Alternatively, stand straight in front of a mirror with your eyes closed and then, without moving, open them. Take a conscious look at your posture. Observe what is level, what is not, and what is different from one side to the other.
Step 2: Wrong vs. Strong Posture
Here is a simple balance test you can use to test yourself: Simply stand on one foot for 30 seconds. If you cannot balance on one leg for 30 seconds, or if you flail about, your internal perception of where your body is in space does not agree with true reality. As a result, when you move or exercise, your motion is not symmetrical and you will compensate by working some muscles more and others less.
Step 3: Retrain Your Body
By strengthening your posture with 10 minutes a day of posture exercise, along with regular chiropractic care, you can stand taller, with less pain, and actually age better. Daily posture exercise creates an awareness of body placement, helps stretch shortened muscles and ligaments, and gives people the ability to stay active.
Talk to your chiropractor about how posture exercises can help you breathe deeper, reduce stress and give you more energy.
Your mother always told you, "Stand up straight." Although no one has perfect posture, slouching is an all-too-common state that may point to deeper spinal issues. The path to strengthening posture consists of three steps:
Step 1: Posture Consciousness
Have a friend take a picture of your posture. Alternatively, stand straight in front of a mirror with your eyes closed and then, without moving, open them. Take a conscious look at your posture. Observe what is level, what is not, and what is different from one side to the other.
Step 2: Wrong vs. Strong Posture
Here is a simple balance test you can use to test yourself: Simply stand on one foot for 30 seconds. If you cannot balance on one leg for 30 seconds, or if you flail about, your internal perception of where your body is in space does not agree with true reality. As a result, when you move or exercise, your motion is not symmetrical and you will compensate by working some muscles more and others less.
Step 3: Retrain Your Body
By strengthening your posture with 10 minutes a day of posture exercise, along with regular chiropractic care, you can stand taller, with less pain, and actually age better. Daily posture exercise creates an awareness of body placement, helps stretch shortened muscles and ligaments, and gives people the ability to stay active.
Talk to your chiropractor about how posture exercises can help you breathe deeper, reduce stress and give you more energy.
Deaths Blamed on Improper Painkiller Use
Deaths Blamed on Improper Painkiller Use
September 14, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The deaths of two patients prescribed a powerful painkiller as a headache treatment were among four fatalities linked to the recently approved drug, its manufacturer reported Thursday.
All four deaths apparently involved improper use of the drug, called Fentora, manufacturer Cephalon Inc. said. The Food and Drug Administration was monitoring the situation, a spokeswoman said.
The FDA approved the drug in September for use only by cancer patients already taking morphine or other prescription narcotics for their pain. Fentora contains fentanyl, which is similar to morphine, but far more potent.
Besides the two headache patients, the other deaths involved a suicide and a patient administered the drug outside the recommended dosing.
"None of the reports were in cancer patients, which leads us to believe they were inappropriate candidates for the product," Cephalon spokeswoman Candace Steele said.
Cephalon reminded doctors and pharmacists, in letters dated Monday but released Thursday by the FDA, of who should take the drug, and in what quantities and how often. The company also warned not to substitute Fentora on a one-for-one basis for another, older fentanyl drug called Actiq that it also makes, because the newer drug is stronger.
"The FDA takes this very seriously, and is working with the company to assure the safest possible use of this medication," agency spokeswoman Susan Cruzan said.
Steele said the deaths were not linked to allegations subject to investigation that Cephalon engaged in improper promotion of Fentora and other drugs for uses other than those outlined in their FDA-approved labels. While it's not illegal for doctors to prescribe drugs for so-called "off-label" uses, companies are prohibited from marketing medicines for those purposes.
Last month, Frazer, Pa.-based Cephalon said it was cooperating with the investigations by Congress, the U.S. attorney's office in Philadelphia and Connecticut attorney general.
Doctors have written about 78,000 prescriptions for Fentora tablets since October, Steele said.
September 14, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The deaths of two patients prescribed a powerful painkiller as a headache treatment were among four fatalities linked to the recently approved drug, its manufacturer reported Thursday.
All four deaths apparently involved improper use of the drug, called Fentora, manufacturer Cephalon Inc. said. The Food and Drug Administration was monitoring the situation, a spokeswoman said.
The FDA approved the drug in September for use only by cancer patients already taking morphine or other prescription narcotics for their pain. Fentora contains fentanyl, which is similar to morphine, but far more potent.
Besides the two headache patients, the other deaths involved a suicide and a patient administered the drug outside the recommended dosing.
"None of the reports were in cancer patients, which leads us to believe they were inappropriate candidates for the product," Cephalon spokeswoman Candace Steele said.
Cephalon reminded doctors and pharmacists, in letters dated Monday but released Thursday by the FDA, of who should take the drug, and in what quantities and how often. The company also warned not to substitute Fentora on a one-for-one basis for another, older fentanyl drug called Actiq that it also makes, because the newer drug is stronger.
"The FDA takes this very seriously, and is working with the company to assure the safest possible use of this medication," agency spokeswoman Susan Cruzan said.
Steele said the deaths were not linked to allegations subject to investigation that Cephalon engaged in improper promotion of Fentora and other drugs for uses other than those outlined in their FDA-approved labels. While it's not illegal for doctors to prescribe drugs for so-called "off-label" uses, companies are prohibited from marketing medicines for those purposes.
Last month, Frazer, Pa.-based Cephalon said it was cooperating with the investigations by Congress, the U.S. attorney's office in Philadelphia and Connecticut attorney general.
Doctors have written about 78,000 prescriptions for Fentora tablets since October, Steele said.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Let The Sun Shine On
Sunshine: It does you more good than harm
06 September 2007
Think of sunshine and you're likely to think of skin cancer. But the sun's rays – the main source of vitamin D – are vital for our health and wellbeing, and do far more good than harm.
Even when we're developing in the womb, a vitamin D deficiency in the mother can cause us growth problems, skeletal deformities, and an increase in the risk of hip fractures later on.
When we grow up, a vitamin D deficiency can trigger osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and heart problems.
Without the vitamin, only about 10 per cent of dietary calcium and 60 per cent of phosphorus gets absorbed by the body, and these are nutrients that are vital for bone mineral density.
People who live at high altitudes, where the sun's rays fall at such an angle that they cannot produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, are more likely to develop Hodgkin's lymphoma, and cancers such as colon, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian and breast.
Dr Michael Hollick, from the Boston University School of Medicine, recommends that the recommended daily intake of vitamin D should be increased to 1000 IUs.
He believes the best strategy to achieve this is a combined one of sunshine – but only so that it slightly reddens the skin – more oily fish in our diet, and supplements.
(Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 2007; 357: 266-81).
06 September 2007
Think of sunshine and you're likely to think of skin cancer. But the sun's rays – the main source of vitamin D – are vital for our health and wellbeing, and do far more good than harm.
Even when we're developing in the womb, a vitamin D deficiency in the mother can cause us growth problems, skeletal deformities, and an increase in the risk of hip fractures later on.
When we grow up, a vitamin D deficiency can trigger osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and heart problems.
Without the vitamin, only about 10 per cent of dietary calcium and 60 per cent of phosphorus gets absorbed by the body, and these are nutrients that are vital for bone mineral density.
People who live at high altitudes, where the sun's rays fall at such an angle that they cannot produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, are more likely to develop Hodgkin's lymphoma, and cancers such as colon, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian and breast.
Dr Michael Hollick, from the Boston University School of Medicine, recommends that the recommended daily intake of vitamin D should be increased to 1000 IUs.
He believes the best strategy to achieve this is a combined one of sunshine – but only so that it slightly reddens the skin – more oily fish in our diet, and supplements.
(Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 2007; 357: 266-81).
Clearing your arteries Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., Preventive Medicine Consultant, Cleveland Clinic
More talk about clearing those arteries.
If you are interested in hopeful, real outcomes, watch this:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/561806_print
you will have to login, I think, but this accompanies the video:
Although heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States for men and for women, it can be prevented and even reversed. In my 21-year Cleveland Clinic nutritional study,[1] I arrested and reversed advanced coronary artery disease in patients who had already undergone bypasses and angioplasties; some had even been told by their cardiologist that they had less than a year to live.
This study builds from epidemiological evidence in plant-based cultures, such as rural China, the Papua Highlanders, central Africa, and the Tarahumara Indians, where the inhabitants are virtually free of coronary disease.
The goal was for patients to achieve and maintain a total cholesterol less than 150 mg/dL and an LDL-cholesterol less than 80 mg/dL through plant-based nutrition. At this cholesterol level, the body does not deposit fat and cholesterol into arteries.
Results were published at 5, 12, and 16 years, and updated beyond 20 years in the book.[1-4] Compliant patients' angina diminished and largely disappeared; they achieved and maintained cholesterol goals; and angiographic evidence showed their disease had selectively reversed. Most importantly, they survived.
My recent book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, updates the study beyond 21 years, making it the longest of its type. Those patients told by expert cardiologists 20 years ago that they had less than a year to live who are alive and well in 2007 are a particularly compelling story.
Patients are empowered when they know they can control their disease, rather than rely on risky expensive inconsistent drugs, stents, or bypasses. Patients can maintain profound lifestyle changes when they recognize huge benefits.
Plant-based nutrition can eliminate some diseases. This is a clear message medicine must embrace and share with the public.
That's my opinion. I'm Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., Preventive Medicine Consultant, Cleveland Clinic.
If you are interested in hopeful, real outcomes, watch this:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/561806_print
you will have to login, I think, but this accompanies the video:
Although heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States for men and for women, it can be prevented and even reversed. In my 21-year Cleveland Clinic nutritional study,[1] I arrested and reversed advanced coronary artery disease in patients who had already undergone bypasses and angioplasties; some had even been told by their cardiologist that they had less than a year to live.
This study builds from epidemiological evidence in plant-based cultures, such as rural China, the Papua Highlanders, central Africa, and the Tarahumara Indians, where the inhabitants are virtually free of coronary disease.
The goal was for patients to achieve and maintain a total cholesterol less than 150 mg/dL and an LDL-cholesterol less than 80 mg/dL through plant-based nutrition. At this cholesterol level, the body does not deposit fat and cholesterol into arteries.
Results were published at 5, 12, and 16 years, and updated beyond 20 years in the book.[1-4] Compliant patients' angina diminished and largely disappeared; they achieved and maintained cholesterol goals; and angiographic evidence showed their disease had selectively reversed. Most importantly, they survived.
My recent book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, updates the study beyond 21 years, making it the longest of its type. Those patients told by expert cardiologists 20 years ago that they had less than a year to live who are alive and well in 2007 are a particularly compelling story.
Patients are empowered when they know they can control their disease, rather than rely on risky expensive inconsistent drugs, stents, or bypasses. Patients can maintain profound lifestyle changes when they recognize huge benefits.
Plant-based nutrition can eliminate some diseases. This is a clear message medicine must embrace and share with the public.
That's my opinion. I'm Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., Preventive Medicine Consultant, Cleveland Clinic.
Lactic Acid is a Fuel not a Foe by Al Sears, MD
Finally, the old theories of aerobic training are crumbling under the weight of new evidence. At the center of the breakthrough is lactic acid. You've probably heard of it, especially if you've ever had a coach or a trainer. Conventional wisdom said you had to avoid lactic acid because its build up in your muscles caused pain, fatigue and the soreness you feel after "over doing it".
We were told to exercise aerobically and not cross the dreaded lactic threshold. To do so would mean an-aerobic (without oxygen) exercise, which created the damaging lactic acid. That sparked the aerobics craze that reached its peak in the 1980's.
But this theory never jived with my real world experience of the benefits of exceeding your aerobic threshold (which would build lots of the dreaded lactic acid.) It turns out lactic acid is not only not your enemy. To the contrary, it's fuel for your muscles.
Dr. George Brooks from the University of California at Berkeley recently found that lactic acid is taken up and burned for energy by your mitochondria – the energy factories in your muscle cells.1 What's more, it can not create the after workout soreness because it is rapidly removed as you burn it for fuel. In other words, it's long gone before you get sore.
A high output, anaerobic workout is exactly what your body needs to increase your lungpower, build reserve capacity in your heart and melt away your fat stores.
To move your workout into the anaerobic range, the key feature I use is this: Create an "oxygen debt." Simply exercise at a pace you can't sustain as in a short sprint. Ask your lungs for more oxygen than they can provide. The difference between the oxygen you need and the oxygen you get is your oxygen debt. This will cause you to pant and continue to breathe hard even after you've stopped the sprint until you replace the oxygen you're lacking.
Let's say you pedal as fast as you can on a bike for 15 seconds. When you stop, you continue to pant. This is the kind of high-output challenge I'm talking about. You have reached a supra-aerobic zone. This is very different from doing an aerobic workout for 45 minutes.
Aerobic exercise is low to medium output held for an extended period. Anaerobic or supra-aerobic exercise is high output, but short in duration. Why is this important? For one thing, it restores an element of your native environment. Our ancestors lived in a world where our food fought back. Predators attacked without notice. They had to run or fight – fast and hard. These short bursts of high-output activity fine tuned our ancient ancestors and kept them fit. We still have the same physiology.
By making small changes in the same direction, your workouts can produce remarkable results. And you only need 12 minutes to achieve the desired effect.
In a matter of weeks, you can:
Lose pounds of belly fat
Build functional new muscle
Reverse heart disease
Build energy reserves available on demand
Strengthen your immune system
Reverse many of the changes of aging.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1 Kolata G. Lactic Acid is Not Muscle's Foe, It's Fuel. The New York Times. May 16, 2006
We were told to exercise aerobically and not cross the dreaded lactic threshold. To do so would mean an-aerobic (without oxygen) exercise, which created the damaging lactic acid. That sparked the aerobics craze that reached its peak in the 1980's.
But this theory never jived with my real world experience of the benefits of exceeding your aerobic threshold (which would build lots of the dreaded lactic acid.) It turns out lactic acid is not only not your enemy. To the contrary, it's fuel for your muscles.
Dr. George Brooks from the University of California at Berkeley recently found that lactic acid is taken up and burned for energy by your mitochondria – the energy factories in your muscle cells.1 What's more, it can not create the after workout soreness because it is rapidly removed as you burn it for fuel. In other words, it's long gone before you get sore.
A high output, anaerobic workout is exactly what your body needs to increase your lungpower, build reserve capacity in your heart and melt away your fat stores.
To move your workout into the anaerobic range, the key feature I use is this: Create an "oxygen debt." Simply exercise at a pace you can't sustain as in a short sprint. Ask your lungs for more oxygen than they can provide. The difference between the oxygen you need and the oxygen you get is your oxygen debt. This will cause you to pant and continue to breathe hard even after you've stopped the sprint until you replace the oxygen you're lacking.
Let's say you pedal as fast as you can on a bike for 15 seconds. When you stop, you continue to pant. This is the kind of high-output challenge I'm talking about. You have reached a supra-aerobic zone. This is very different from doing an aerobic workout for 45 minutes.
Aerobic exercise is low to medium output held for an extended period. Anaerobic or supra-aerobic exercise is high output, but short in duration. Why is this important? For one thing, it restores an element of your native environment. Our ancestors lived in a world where our food fought back. Predators attacked without notice. They had to run or fight – fast and hard. These short bursts of high-output activity fine tuned our ancient ancestors and kept them fit. We still have the same physiology.
By making small changes in the same direction, your workouts can produce remarkable results. And you only need 12 minutes to achieve the desired effect.
In a matter of weeks, you can:
Lose pounds of belly fat
Build functional new muscle
Reverse heart disease
Build energy reserves available on demand
Strengthen your immune system
Reverse many of the changes of aging.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1 Kolata G. Lactic Acid is Not Muscle's Foe, It's Fuel. The New York Times. May 16, 2006
Maybe it's time to get that hands free set
Cell Phones, Microwaves and Your Brain
Recent reports suggest that cell phones may cause cancer. Yet 1.5 billion people in the world use them. What’s the truth?
In today’s Health Alert, we’ll look at the latest research on cell phones and their dark side -- one that goes far beyond the cancer connection.
Cooking Your Brain with Microwaves
Cell phones contain power transmitters near the phone’s antenna. The phone sends out (even in standby) an encoded signal through the antenna that a receiver in a cell phone tower picks up. This encoded signal contains electromagnetic radiation, specifically RF radiation (radio frequency). In addition to traveling to the mobile receiver, RF travels through your skull and into your brain.
Depending on how close the cell phone antenna is to your head, studies show that as much as 60% of the microwave radiation penetrates your skull, reaching an inch and a half into your brain.
While the FDA claims, “the available scientific evidence does not demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of mobile phones” the research is accumulating to show exactly the opposite.
For instance, we know that cell phone RF exposure makes the temperature in exposed tissues rise; we call this the “thermal effect.” Body tissues heat up by the same mechanism that heats food in your microwave. This increases free radical formation and oxidative damage to DNA, damage linked to aging, cancer and impaired brain function.
A four-year study in seven European countries found mobile phone radiation harms human cells and irreparably damages DNA. A ten-year study in Sweden directly linked mobile phone use with a rise in tumors. In that study, heavy mobile phone users were twice as likely to suffer cancerous and benign tumors in the ear and the brain. These tumors were also four times as common on the side of the head where the user held the phone.
Studies are also linking RF radiation from cell phones to other health problems, including higher blood pressure, infertility and Alzheimer’s disease. A German study found mobile phone use during a 35-minute call increases resting blood pressure between 5 and 10mm.
How to Protect Yourself from Cell Phone Radiation
You should attempt to minimize your exposure to RF radiation. First, you should find out the level of RF emissions of your cell phone. If you have a higher rating, think about replacing it with a phone with a lower rating. They rate cell phone emissions in specific absorption rates (SAR). They range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (Watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue).
The 10 Worst Offenders:
Maker/Model
SAR level
Motorola V120c
1.55
Motorola V265
1.55
Motorola V70
1.54
Motorola P8767
1.53
Motorola ST7868
1.53
Motorola ST7868W
1.53
Motorola A845
1.51
Panasonic Allure
1.51
Treo 650 GSM
1.51
Sony Ericsson P910
1.50
Your 10 Best Bets:
Maker/Model
SAR level
Audiovox PPC66001
0.12
Motorola MPx200
0.2
Motorola Timeport L7089
0.22
Qualcomm pdQ-1900
0.2634
T-Mobile Sidekick
0.276
Samsung SGH-S100
0.296
Samsung SGH-S105
0.296
Sony Ericsson Z600
0.31
Mitsubishi G360
0.32
Siemens S40
0.33
*Source Wireless Watch/ CNet
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
Recent reports suggest that cell phones may cause cancer. Yet 1.5 billion people in the world use them. What’s the truth?
In today’s Health Alert, we’ll look at the latest research on cell phones and their dark side -- one that goes far beyond the cancer connection.
Cooking Your Brain with Microwaves
Cell phones contain power transmitters near the phone’s antenna. The phone sends out (even in standby) an encoded signal through the antenna that a receiver in a cell phone tower picks up. This encoded signal contains electromagnetic radiation, specifically RF radiation (radio frequency). In addition to traveling to the mobile receiver, RF travels through your skull and into your brain.
Depending on how close the cell phone antenna is to your head, studies show that as much as 60% of the microwave radiation penetrates your skull, reaching an inch and a half into your brain.
While the FDA claims, “the available scientific evidence does not demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of mobile phones” the research is accumulating to show exactly the opposite.
For instance, we know that cell phone RF exposure makes the temperature in exposed tissues rise; we call this the “thermal effect.” Body tissues heat up by the same mechanism that heats food in your microwave. This increases free radical formation and oxidative damage to DNA, damage linked to aging, cancer and impaired brain function.
A four-year study in seven European countries found mobile phone radiation harms human cells and irreparably damages DNA. A ten-year study in Sweden directly linked mobile phone use with a rise in tumors. In that study, heavy mobile phone users were twice as likely to suffer cancerous and benign tumors in the ear and the brain. These tumors were also four times as common on the side of the head where the user held the phone.
Studies are also linking RF radiation from cell phones to other health problems, including higher blood pressure, infertility and Alzheimer’s disease. A German study found mobile phone use during a 35-minute call increases resting blood pressure between 5 and 10mm.
How to Protect Yourself from Cell Phone Radiation
You should attempt to minimize your exposure to RF radiation. First, you should find out the level of RF emissions of your cell phone. If you have a higher rating, think about replacing it with a phone with a lower rating. They rate cell phone emissions in specific absorption rates (SAR). They range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (Watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue).
The 10 Worst Offenders:
Maker/Model
SAR level
Motorola V120c
1.55
Motorola V265
1.55
Motorola V70
1.54
Motorola P8767
1.53
Motorola ST7868
1.53
Motorola ST7868W
1.53
Motorola A845
1.51
Panasonic Allure
1.51
Treo 650 GSM
1.51
Sony Ericsson P910
1.50
Your 10 Best Bets:
Maker/Model
SAR level
Audiovox PPC66001
0.12
Motorola MPx200
0.2
Motorola Timeport L7089
0.22
Qualcomm pdQ-1900
0.2634
T-Mobile Sidekick
0.276
Samsung SGH-S100
0.296
Samsung SGH-S105
0.296
Sony Ericsson Z600
0.31
Mitsubishi G360
0.32
Siemens S40
0.33
*Source Wireless Watch/ CNet
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
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