The Tao of Politics

2007-02-09T11:29:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today (with links) at The Tao of Health:

This study says one in three children will develop type 2 diabetes. That’s pretty grim isn’t it? What’s wrong? Have we suddenly been hit with the diabetes virus that is causing a diabetes pandemic? Nope, I don’t think so. I think it has a lot to do with our lifestyle in this country. Anyway, the study I mention above goes on to say that exercise is crucial in fighting diabetes.

For more information about diabetes: the CDC has lots of information. There are a lot of links, including something on physical activity and health. Here is something on exercise and diabetes. Here is something on groups affected by diabetes. Here are diabetes FAQs. Here is something on preventing diabetes. Here is an overview of diabetes in children and adolescents. The section on statistics is particularly revealing. Apparently the proportion of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has increased from about 5 percent before 1994 to between 30 and 50 percent now? Good Lord! This is an epidemic that we need to stop.

I knew we weren’t through talking about eating disorders. Recent discussions have tried to blame families for anorexia, bulimia, etc, while other discussions have said that’s all wrong. This article reports on research that suggests that fathers may somehow influence their daughters to become bulimic. So the discussion continues. Stay tuned for further developments because we’re still not through talking about eating disorders.

This article says that you don’t need to drink eight glasses of water per day. Read the article for further discussion. A lot of the water you need is in the food you eat. I agree. You can really upset your daily routine by adopting a new routine like drinking a lot of water. For example, I decided a few months ago that I needed to drink a lot of water. I found that I couldn’t venture far from a bathroom because I needed to go very often. When I stopped drinking all that water, a lot of my problems went away. Besides, I eat a lot of soups and vegetables, which contain a lot of water. I’m glad this person agrees: eight glasses of water is too much.

2007-02-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today (with links) at The Tao of Health:

There seems to be a lot of interest in the new diet drug Excalia. Here is a recent article about Excalia and another new diet called Contrave. Excalia contains bupropion and zonisamide. Contrave contains bupropion and naltrexone. And let us not forget Qnexa which contains topiramate and phentermine. You know, if I had a serious weight problem I suppose I would consider taking something like this. So far I’ve been lucky, though. Usually I’ve been able to lose weight by eating less and exercising more.

I guess I’ve known for some time that particulate matter in air pollution can contribute to heart disease. I remember being in New York City one day a few years ago and I didn’t want to get out of my car because it was hot and hazy outside, and I didn’t want to breathe that obviously polluted air. Now there is a new study apparently linking heart disease with small particle air pollution. Shouldn’t somebody do something about this? I mean it’s pretty hard to live the American Dream when you can’t breathe.

How much of what you believe about heart disease is true, and how much of it is false? This article explains the truth about some heart disease myths.

According to this article there are a lot of good reasons to eat sunflower seeds. I’m not a big fan of sunflower seeds. I don’t claim there’s anything wrong with them. I do think you have to watch what the seeds are cooked in or roast them yourself. We already get too much omega-6 fatty acids in our diet, and sunflower seeds contain some I suppose, especially if they are cooked in sunflower oil. Plus, some that I bought awhile ago contain like 18g of fat per serving, so you can’t really eat a lot of them. Rather, I prefer foods like nuts and pumpkin seeds. Pistachios contain a lot of monounsaturated fats. I cook the pumpkin seeds myself in the microwave with some organic soy sauce. I love them.

2007-02-07T13:31:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today (with links) at The Tao of Health:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a really bad condition, but now there is a new diagnostic model that may make it easier to predict who may develop the disease and who may not. On a similar subject, why does this article say that people with rheumatoid arthritis should avoid food with high water content? Also, this article says green tea might help with RA. And I hate to say it, but this article says alcohol might help too.

Here is an article about passive smoke, the workplace, and lung cancer. Can we please ban smoking in public now?

This article says, “Acupressure may be able to calm the aggressive behavior that often results from dementia.” It goes on to say, “the simple act of human contact . . . might explain the benefit.” Why am I reminded of the touches between a mother and her child? Of course human contact is important, for the very young and for the very old; for human beings whenever they are locked inside their bodies, frustrated and unable to communicate. I do wonder, however, if we will see more acupressure applied in this country to those with dementia.

Don’t believe in global warming? Not worried about its consequences? This is a pretty grim assessment for the year 2050. Of course I’ll be dead by then, but they’re making predictions about conditions that will impact our children and grandchildren. Can’t we be responsible adults, look ahead, and do something for them? Stop global contributing to global warming before it’s too late?

In New Zealand they are still using a pesticide, endosulfan, that has been linked with breast cancer, as well as neurological and immune system damage. It has even shown up in human breast milk. Can you imagine anything any worse than that: feeding your baby, and your breast milk may contain poison? I’m sorry, I just can’t think about it. Oh, and in case you thought endosulfan is solely a problem in New Zealand, I think it is still being used in the United States. (If I’m wrong, please tell me.) I try to wash all my fruits and vegetables. And I eat organic as much as possible.

2007-02-05T14:17:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today (with links) at The Tao of Health:

Would one of our major multinational corporations engage in subliminal advertising? Of course not, right?

I guess we’ve mentioned conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) before. In some cases I think it has been used as a weight loss/fat loss supplement. But now there are some questions regarding its safety, and here is another article. See, if I wanted to lose weight or fat I’d just do it the old fashioned way, by exercising and eating less. But hey, that’s just me, I guess.

Hmmm. Interesting thing about functional foods: they may not always be the healthiest things I could eat. Note to self: don’t be deceived or unduly influenced by the addition of functional foods to your grocery items.

Interesterified fat may be replacing trans fat in some cases. Is it really all that great a substitute? Would we be better off using interesterified fat? Thanks, but I’ll pass.

This is good news: a safer prenatal test for Down Syndrome.

Here is an article about grape seed extract as it may relate to the health of your skin. I don’t know, I think I’m a little skeptical about this. Besides, there are a lot of things attacking our skin from without, things like sun, wind, cold, pollution. I think I’d concentrate on protecting myself from those. But hey, I doubt taking grape seed extract would hurt. And who knows, it might have some positive health benefits?

Here is an article about how a mother’s diet may impact the health of her baby, even into adulthood. I don’t know if I believe all this. Read the article and see what you think.

2007-02-04T11:58:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today (with links) at The Tao of Health:

Binge drinking may lead to osteoporosis. High doses of vitamin D, or drugs like Boniva, may prevent some alcohol-related bone loss. Read the article for fuller discussion.

I thought this was interesting: there is a new website called sharpbrains.com. It is said to be like joining a physical fitness gym where you engage in a series of exercises, but it’s all online, and it’s for your brain fitness. Interesting concept.

This article attempts to explain why some people have a difficult time sticking to New Year’s Resolutions. The gist of the article, to my best understanding, is that we all have something like two minds. One mind is emotional, doesn’t deal well with uncomfortable challenges, and tends to give up. The other is something like the Executive mind which helps a person do a task anyway, even if it is uncomfortable for awhile. People with better Executive control are better at sticking to their resolutions, quitting smoking, etc. They talk a lot about the Stroop Test, which you can try for yourself here.

According to this article, “The rapidly climbing obesity rates in the United States have created a higher risk of esophageal cancer linked to reflux disease.” Apparently there has been a 350 percent increase of adenocarcinoma in the past thirty years, which seems to be closely related to an increase in gastroesophageal reflux and Barrett's esophagus, which, as they say, may be related to increased obesity in this country. It seems to me that it would be a good idea for us maintain a healthy weight and to not overeat if we want to avoid conditions like these.

Oligo fructose, a natural fiber found in some foods, may someday help prevent obesity. There seems to be more information here at Wikipedia. And of course you can always search Google for other articles. (There seems to be some disagreement about the spelling of this term. Google spells it all one word, Oligofructose.)

I walk an hour per day. It has helped me lose weight, and I think it is just good for me otherwise. This article seems to agree. It extols the virtues of walking over aerobics, or gym workouts. I’m all for a good bargain. Walking seems to me to be the best bargain around.

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2007-02-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today (with links) at The Tao of Health:

This article says that older people who eat whole grain foods may reduce their risk of developing metabolic syndrome, i.e. diabetes and heart disease. I think it is a matter not only of eating food that is good for you, like whole grains, but also of not eating food that is bad for you, such as some refined food. This is just another reason to eat whole grain.

Brown algae polyphenols may have reduced the number of skin tumors in mice by up to sixty percent, according to results of Ohio State University research published in International Journal of Cancer.

This article has some really good ideas about the importance of fiber, and how to get more of it in your diet. Just the fact that they are discussing all this is great. I would like to take a moment to extol the virtues of pistachio nuts. I eat at least a handful of them at night while watching TV, plus a bunch of roasted pumpkin seeds, among other healthy things, and I think they are very good for me in the fiber department.

There really is a connection between food, health, and politics. This article touches on them all. For example, during World War II, when meat and dairy products were scarce, rates of heart disease declined in the country? I’m not surprised.

Too much folate can be bad for some older people? I think the key is that when you take folate, you need to be sure you get enough vitamin B12. Otherwise you might have anemia and some cognitive impairment. Please read the article for a full understanding of what they’re getting at. Before I leave this, though, let me say a word or two about “intrinsic factor,” a concept that was mentioned in this article and which I had never heard of before. Intrinsic factor is a substance that helps people absorb vitamin B12 in the intestines. If it’s not present, then it won’t happen. There are other ways of getting B12 though. I’m a vegetarian, and I take a liquid supplement that has

To further complicate this discussion, however, this article says that taking folate supplements may improve cognitive function as well as lower homocysteine levels. If you’re thinking about taking any supplements, please talk to your doctor. Also, please do your own research and inform yourself. The more information you have, the better decisions you will be able to make.

Three quarters of the people (in Canada) who are taking statin drugs “don’t have evidence of occlusive vascular disease?” That’s interesting, although I suppose some people take them to lower their cholesterol, not necessarily to treat a heart condition. But statins can be dangerous, possibly leading to muscle breakdown, kidney damage, or peripheral neuropathy, and this study says these drugs do not reduce deaths in women, so the risks might outweigh the potential benefit in some cases. Furthermore, it seems to me that the article questions whether statins should be given to women at all. Read the article for a fuller discussion and understanding.

2007-01-31T12:27:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:

What does everyone think about the new food pyramid? In some ways I don’t like it at all. When I plug in my age, sex, etc, it comes back and tells me I should drink three cups of milk a day, and eat 6.5 ounces of meat and beans. I’m fine with the beans, but I’m a vegetarian, and there’s no way I’m going to eat the meat. And there’s no way I’m going to drink three cups of milk either. I would really gain weight if I did that. It does have some good things, though. For example it makes suggestions about how much and what kinds of vegetables to eat per week, so that’s good. The new food pyramid is ok, I guess, if it gets people to eat a healthier diet. But they should really do a version for vegetarians, or even vegans.

Has anyone ever heard of Modified Fruit Pectin (MCP)? I don’t think I had until today. According to this article pectin “is generally not absorbed by the bloodstream.” That’s why it has been “modified,” so it can be absorbed. Scientists are using MCP supplements in an attempt to treat prostate cancer. They say that “MCP may block an important substance that enables cancer to grow and spread.” Of course it would be great if it did that. Read this article. It is very interesting.

Can chronic inflammation promote cancer? According to this article, there is plenty of evidence that says yes, although the relationship between the two is not understood. In any event, I don’t think inflammation in the body is good, and I try to reduce it or eliminate it whenever I can.

This article has tips on how to have a healthy heart. For adults the suggestions include: Don’t smoke, exercise, maintain a healthy weight, maintain a healthy cholesterol level, maintain normal blood pressure, take omega-3 fatty acids, get regular check-ups, and take any medications as recommended by your doctor. For children: Limit watching TV to one hour per day, get outside for physical activity at least 30 minutes per day, eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, avoid fast food and fried food, don’t smoke, report any unusual physical feelings to an adult, and see your pediatrician regularly.

There may not be much difference in the effectiveness of different antidepressants, but the side effects, which could include constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, insomnia and vomiting, can be rather varied. This often causes patients to try more than one medication before finding one that works for them.

Could Chinese herbs be effective in treating AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, etc? This is an interesting article on using computers and data mining to compile a database of herbs and their chemical makeup.

2007-01-30T11:54:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:

This article says that about 50% of cancers are preventable, and some things we can do to reduce cancer risk include: find out which cancer screening tests are appropriate based on age and family history, and discuss these with your doctor; be physically active most days of the week, and strive for 30 minutes of exercise on five or more days; eat a healthy, well-balanced diet; stop smoking. I would just add that, in order to prevent cancer you should probably not start smoking in the first place. Then you wouldn’t have to stop. Cigarettes should never be a part of your life. Then they wouldn’t be a part of your death. Also, a healthy lifestyle should be what you follow your whole life, not just something you adopt when you’re fifty, after you’ve spent decades leading an unhealthy lifestyle.

This opinion piece says pretty much the same thing as the above article, and seems to suggest that we spend some money on nutrition education and healthy school meals. I’m all for that. If you have healthy, informed children, then you are more likely to have healthy adults.

I personally think vegetarian is the way to go, but the corporations probably won’t let that happen anytime soon, if ever. If, however, we make healthy choices as children and adults, then in some ways it doesn’t matter what the corporations do – as long, of course, as there are healthy choices to be made.

Ketchup is said to have about five times the lycopene per weight as a tomato, and bottled water may be no safer than tap water. Here is more about those two assertions, as well other food trivia.

The American diet contains a lot of omega-6 fatty acids, mostly from the kinds of oil we use to cook – corn oil, for example. Too much omega-6 is not good for us. (Think prostate cancer, and breast cancer) Here is an article with discussion of the various kinds of oil, healthy and unhealthy.

Apparently Los Angeles can’t ban trans fat in its restaurants like New York City did. Such authority would fall under the jurisdiction of the state of California, not the city of LA. Did you hear that, Arnold? Maybe you want to add that to your plate of proposals.

Would you rather drink your fruits and vegetables than eat them? Research suggests that pure fruit and vegetable juices are just as healthy for you as are whole fruits and vegetables. The only problem I see with that is, if you drink your fruits and vegetables, you might end up having to urinate a lot more than if you were to eat them. That could be rather inconvenient to say the least. I don’t know, is it just me or are people always trying to find ways to avoid eating their fruits and vegetables? Geez!

2007-01-29T12:11:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:

Here is an article about the potential importance of DHA omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and other B vitamins in protecting our brains as we age. The medication being studied is called Animi-3.

Only 6 percent of American adults exercise thirty minutes per day, and “nearly nine in 10 were unaware the USDA recommends 30 minutes of physical activity” per day. Amazing. And in many areas, including health and politics, we are supposed to trust the American people to be intelligent and informed? Right . . . . Here is an article that reveals more of America’s healthy (or unhealthy?) living habits.

Those with diabetes should probably exercise regularly – it’s something good they can do for themselves -- and yet “only 39% of surveyed adults with diabetes engaged in regular physical activity, compared with 58% of adults who did not have the disease.” I know exercise is often not easy. But if your health literally depended on it, you would think more people would do it. It’s too bad that people don’t always do what is good for them.

If you need to have surgery, it is important to find a good surgeon. It is also important that the surgeon operate on the correct body part. It might help reduce the number of wrong-site surgeries if the surgical team at least briefly discussed the upcoming operation before getting started. I am sure there are other strategies available that could reduce these needless errors.

I guess they are saying that three cups of coffee a day won’t hurt your baby if you’re pregnant, but I still have my doubts. Eight cups might increase the risk of stillbirth, so we know that at some point coffee is not good for a fetus. And I know it is hard to give up coffee, maybe even as hard as giving up cigarettes. I quit drinking coffee a few years ago and it was one of the most difficult things I ever tried to do, so I fully sympathize with anyone who is also trying to quit. I do think that if you’re trying to quit doing something and you find that you can’t do it, then that might be an indication that there is something wrong with it. And pregnancy aside, I wonder if drinking three cups of coffee is good for people anyway. I don’t think so. That’s why I quit.

This study, at least, found no connection between prostate cancer and a number of viruses.

We mentioned recently that gum disease might increase one’s risk of getting pancreatic cancer. Now other experts are saying that “poor dental hygiene is unlikely to increase the risk of cancer.” It is interesting to me how there is so much dispute in the medical community about issues that should be beyond dispute. Either gum disease leads to cancer or it doesn’t. At least that’s how it seems to me.

2007-01-28T12:52:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here are articles we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:
For people who are obese: adopting a health lifestyle and losing weight can improve cardiovascular function, but particularly losing weight.

Fruit is really good. It has lots of vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and it may help avoid heart disease.

This research says, “Eating less and exercising more are equally good at helping take off the pounds.” So if you want to lose weight, according to this article, neither approach is better than the other. I lost about ten or twelve pounds recently, from 152 down to about 140. I did it by eating less AND exercising more. I changed my evening snacking, adding more nuts, seeds, and fruit; and I doubled my exercising. I now walk about an hour a day. So far, so good. As I mentioned before somewhere, I actually lost weight over the holidays, which was something new for me. For those of you who are trying to lose weight, good luck. For those who need to lose weight but are not trying, good luck.

Revisiting the discussion of eating disorders, here is an article that says “Genes play a bigger role than environment in anorexia,” and here is the article I mentioned yesterday that says, “Forcing children to clear their plates could lead to eating disorders.” I guess we’re going to continue discussing this for awhile. I have a feeling that genes and environment both contribute to anorexia.

I think it is interesting that so many Americans use complementary and alternative medication. If you tune in to the evening network news you might get the impression that the medical establishment and the pharmaceutical industry both have monopolies in this country. It’s a little refreshing to find out that indeed is not the case.

FYI, here are three articles about the role estrogen plays in breast cancer: emaxhealth, Earth Times, and Bio.com. I think this kind of research is very interesting, and I like to read about current developments.

Do apples protect brain cells and help keep them from aging? Don’t apples contain tannins? Didn’t we talk about tannins recently in red wine that help protect the heart?

There is new research suggesting that taking folic acid early in pregnancy may reduce the risk of cleft lip. Reducing cleft lip would be good.

This article says more women die from lung cancer than die from breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers combined. That doesn’t mean we should forget about these other cancers, but neither should we forget about lung cancer.

2007-01-27T13:38:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

This article says, “The most effective diets cut back on carbohydrates and saturated fats, while adding unsaturated fats,” i.e., apparently not the Atkins diet. Moderation is important. “They recommend a diet that includes nuts and seeds, avocados and olive oil, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.”

It seems to me that with something like birth control pills you would want to have all the information about possible side effects that you could get. And yet drug companies are reluctant to do further studies because the results might make them look bad? What about the women who are taking these drugs? Don’t they matter?

Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in this country. That I did not know. We should all probably test for radon in our homes.

They are cutting trans fat from Crisco, which is great, although apparently 0.5 grams per serving will still remain. That reminds me that if you eat a lot of something that has a little trans fat, then you end up consuming a lot of trans fat. It all adds up.

We have discussed eating disorders recently. Gisele Bundchen says families might contribute to the problem of anorexia. Some scientists say that she’s wrong. This article seems to suggest that Gisele could be right. Some eating disorders have to do with power struggles, according to lead researcher Dr. Linda Gilmore. "Parents should not turn mealtime into a struggle for control” she says, “because some evidence suggests that eating disorders such as anorexia stem from a desire to take control over one's own body. If children are forced to 'sit at the table until they eat it' this turns into a struggle for who has power over the child's eating habits which could well set the scene for later eating problems." Anyone else care to weigh in on this now?

I’m sure I’ve mentioned vitamin D and advanced prostate cancer before. Apparently the name of the medication is Asentar. Hopefully it will prove to be very effective.

This study seeks to eventually reactivate the p53 gene in humans to help fight cancer. So far the results are somewhat promising. Here’s another article.

Hysterectomy is not always the answer for uterine fibroids. Sometimes they try uterine artery embolization.

If you have chronic prostatitis or pelvic pain syndrome, aerobic exercise might help.

The prescription drug varenicline has proven to be very effective in helping people stop smoking. I stopped smoking 23 years ago, without drugs. That is the preferred way to do it, I would think. There is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from overcoming nicotine addiction. Of course smoking is so bad for you that whatever it takes to quit is probably ok.

Officials say we are not as worried about a bird flu pandemic as we should be.

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2007-01-26T10:57:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

The recent stories that cancer death rates have declined for the second straight year was good news for some, but what about for blacks?

Is dichloroacetate (DCA) a cure for cancer? Here is an article.

In a recent study, women who ate 30 grams of fiber per day may have had 50 percent less chance of getting breast cancer than women who ate less than 20 grams per day. How does one eat 30 grams of fiber? “To eat 30g, a person would need to eat a high-fiber cereal for breakfast, switch from white or brown bread to wholemeal and ensure they have five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.” Looks like we need to make a trip to the grocery store.

Women with heavy menstrual periods don’t always need a hysterectomy. Here is an article which says “Too many women are having hysterectomies when other treatments are available.” Of course these two articles are from British sources. I don’t know what the situation is like in the US, but I present the two articles above for your information.

Having trouble identifying familiar odors may be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Here is an update on the search for an AIDS vaccine.

Can low-dose steroids prove effective against rheumatoid arthritis?

Kelly Ripa brought Regis a bowl of homemade Minestrone soup this week on their show. Regis made fun of the gesture, and was rather disparaging of the soup generally, suggesting that soup was only part of a meal, etc. Regis can act like a jerk sometimes. I eat almost nothing but soup. It can be very healthy. I certainly don’t eat meat, even in the soup. So that gives me the opportunity to get lots of vegetables. This week I have cooked red lentil soup, split pea soup, and today I am cooking mung bean soup. Anyway, here is an article about the health benefits of eating soup.

Cluster headaches may be caused by a number of things such as: Certain medications, including nitroglycerin, Frequent smoking, Changes in sleep schedule, An abnormality in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the body's "biological clock.

Is it true that statins may not prevent women from getting heart disease?

I thought this was an interesting idea: vaccine boys as well as girls against human papillmoma virus (HPV). This approach might circumvent some of the objections that people have against making just girls get vaccinated, and vaccinating everyone also means fewer cases of cervical cancer than you would have by just vaccinating girls alone. And it’s fairer.

Here is an article on oral health, gum disease, and heart disease.

How might a bird flu pandemic be spread around the world by airline passengers?

Here’s another article about Ground Zero, health, and chronic respiratory illness.

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2007-01-25T12:41:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

This is some interesting information about heart bypass surgery, whether you’re black or white. I think what you want is a bypass performed on the pump rather than off-pump, because the latter is performed by less experienced surgeons and may be associated with some risk as well. Read the article, and please talk to your doctor.

As if you didn’t have enough to worry about when going into surgery, blood taken from women and used in transfusions may sometimes cause a serious condition called transfusion-related acute lung injury. Another reason to opt for bloodless surgery if available?

This study says that Prilosec OTC may be just as effective against heartburn and acid reflux as some prescription medications, and could save the user at least a thousand dollars a year.

In this study, taking selenium may have boosted the immune systems of AIDS patients. Wow, that’s cool. We all want to boost our immune systems, don’t we? Brazil nuts are supposed to have a lot of selenium, maybe too much. I think you only need about 70 mcg per day?

While we’re on the subject of immunity, here is an article on immunity, T-cells, and autoimmune disease. Scientists are working on curing lots of diseases. That seems like cause for optimism.

I had no idea that newer birth control pills were less effective than the old birth control pills.

There is evidence that anger management might help some women avoid heart problems.

Since fruits and vegetables are often sprayed with pesticides, wash all produce before eating it, and use organic whenever possible.

Here is an article about peanut butter and partially hydrogenated oil, or trans fat. I guess the article would make me feel better about eating peanut butter, although these days I don’t eat it because it makes me gain too much weight.

If you’re having trouble sticking to an exercise routine, the suggestions in this article might help.

Drinking fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 76 percent.

Recent studies suggest that continuing to learn new things, or even just stimulating your brain, might ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

This article talks about strengthening the synapses of your brain and improving your memory. Some of the suggestions offered include:

1. Reduce stress: Make time for leisure activities. Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation. Cut down on unnecessary responsibilities and avoid over-scheduling.

2. Stimulate your brain: Avoid routine. Enjoy new sensory experiences. Challenge your mind and body with new situations.

3. Exercise: A brisk walk or other cardiovascular workout oxygenates the brain and promotes brain growth factors.

4. Challenge your mind: Tackle puzzles, games and demanding intellectual tasks. Make an effort to learn new information through classes or reading

5. Stay healthy: Eat a nutritious diet, get adequate sleep, avoid smoking, and if you use alcohol, drink in moderation.

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2007-01-24T12:36:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Here is research about the mechanism that might cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Is it safe to give antipsychotic medication to Alzheimer’s patients?

A vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease is said to have possibly cleared plaque from the brains of mice. The vaccine was delivered in a patch. This is one reason I like to blog about health: often there is good news like this that tends to give one hope.

Apparently Gisele Bundchen blames anorexia on family influences, not the fashion industry. A group of researchers says she is wrong, at least, I guess, about the family part. I wouldn’t necessarily blame families, but I do know that some mothers can be very supportive, and some mothers can make things worse. Maybe Gisele is not right in her position, but she may not be all wrong.

Judith Wurtman and Nina Frusztajer Marquisin their book The Serotonin Power Diet say that we need carbohydrates for a variety of reasons, but especially to help make serotonin and to give the body energy.

Some supplements may harm the eyes, including chamomile, ginkgo biloba, licorice, vitamin A and Echinacea.

Here is an article about how the body deals with fat intake and exercise.

Taking calcium supplements may help people who have had noncancerous colorectal tumors, called adenomas. And if you are a woman who is dieting to lose weight, taking calcium and vitamin D may have a beneficial effect on your cholesterol. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

Do some SSRI antidepressants increase the risk of bone fractures in older adults?

Zonisamide has been mentioned lately, mainly because it is a component of the anti-obesity drug Excalia. Now they are saying that Zonisamide (Zonegran), an anticonvulsant, might help treat binge eating.

Do you want to keep your child healthy in winter? Don’t wash his or her hair just before bedtime.

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2007-01-23T14:02:00.000-05:00

Bill and Hillary ‘08
The Democratic ticket I wouldn’t mind seeing in 2008 would be Bill Richardson for president and Hillary Clinton for vice-president. I think that should satisfy Hillary. She would still get to establish a first in American history: first female vice-president; she would be a heartbeat away from the oval office (I like Richardson, but he doesn’t look all that healthy to me – overweight, etc – I hope I’m wrong); and as vice-president she would undoubtedly be able to accomplish some things that are important to her, not to mention solidifying Democratic control of the Senate. So here’s to Bill and Hillary in ’08, a ticket I could support.

PS, I think that if a woman is to capture the presidency, she needs to enter the campaign with a lot less baggage than Hillary has, maybe as an unmarried woman, although I hope I’m wrong about that too.

news, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, 2008, politics, women,

2007-01-23T12:11:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

About four billion people are infected with herpes. Here is an article about the possibility of creating a vaccine against herpes simplex and genital herpes using genetic engineering.

Antidepressants are said to protect the brain from physical changes that occur when we are depressed.

Here is research on attempts to switch off tumors so they stop growing.

Anastrozole, a drug used to treat breast cancer, may also help prevent it.

Here is an article that says chronic fatigue syndrome is not all in the mind.

I didn’t know that phenylpropanolamine (PPA) was used in some diet pills. I remember when the FDA issued a public health advisory on PPA in 2000. I thought that was the end of that. Now, are women still having strokes because of PPA? Is it still being used? If so, the public needs to be aware of that.

I had no idea that so many aging men were using testosterone creams, gels, and patches. Isn’t that risky?

If you are an older woman with type 2 diabetes, supplementing with soy may help cut insulin and cholesterol levels, which would be a good thing.

If you don’t have type 2 diabetes, adopting a lifestyle of exercise and healthy eating may be at least as effective in lowering the risk of developing it as taking drugs.

For baby boomers, here are ways to increase your longevity and quality of life: eat more fruits and vegetables, be physically active, and plan something to do after you retire.

Do you want to be healthier? Eat more beans.

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2007-01-22T11:25:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

If you have breast cancer, carefully choosing a highly experienced surgeon may make a big difference. (Jan. 20 issue, Journal of Clinical Oncology)

Vitamin D may actually lower a person’s risk of developing some cancers. It also may help people have healthy lungs. High levels of vitamin D may also help people who have surgery for lung cancer. And now scientists have developed a vitamin D pill to treat patients with advanced prostate cancer.

There is a new pancreatic cancer vaccine that may help patients survive longer.

A non-invasive test that analyzes genes in a person’s sputum may one day be available to look for lung cancer.

I think olive oil is very good for our health. Now even the FDA seems to agree. Here’s an article that discusses some of the benefits.

We may be exposed to more toxins in our homes than we realize. (Think arsenic, lead, and mercury.) You may want to read this article before you spray those herbicides and pesticides, or before you eat that fish, or before you take those supplements.

Taking folic acid is supposed to help older adults with their memory and other cognitive functions. But you have to watch out for a B12 deficiency. I supplement B vitamins, mainly because I’m vegetarian. But you know, Silk brand soy milk and Cheerios together have a lot of Bs.

Does your baby cry a lot? You may want to talk to a doctor about that instead of ignoring it.

Besides possibly reducing inflammation, heart and vascular disease risk, decreasing insulin resistance, assisting with weight management, and helping brain function, it is now suggested that walnuts may improve bone health. Walnuts are a kind of miracle food, aren’t they? I eat some as a mid-morning snack, but I really like pistachios.

Regarding bone health, a new form of vitamin D may stimulate bone growth.

I am dismayed but not surprised that nicotine levels in cigarettes have risen 11% in recent years.

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2007-01-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Two antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, have apparently proved effective in reducing the spread of flu virus. That’s good.

There is a very interesting article on the 1918 flu that killed 50 million people.

Most of us should be thankful we don’t live near the Houston Ship Channel in Texas. Children who live within two miles of that port are thought to have a 56 percent greater chance of getting acute lymphocytic leukemia than children who live ten miles away.

I feel bad for the people who responded to the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11/2001. Their conscientiousness and sense of duty may have cost them their health. I visited ground zero at Christmas 2001. I was struck by the metallic and electrical odors that were in the air, and this was three months after the attacks. I sort of regret going. Ground zero may have still been dangerous when I went, but it was definitely dangerous in the days immediately after the attacks. I am afraid that all the victims of 9/11 have not died yet.

Scientists may have figured out how to genetically engineer certain plants so that they produce vaccines in abundance, and thereby cut the cost of manufacturing the vaccines. I hope there are plenty of safety measures in place. I just don’t trust genetic engineering all that much.

People who eat a lot of carbohydrates and sugar may have low levels of HDL cholesterol, which is not a good thing.

A consumer group tested 21 brands of multivitamins and found that less than half “met the stated claims on their labels or satisfied other quality standards.” One vitamin even contained lead. You might want to try and get your vitamins from actual food.

All breast cancer patients may not be treated equally. That’s one reason why women should try to avoid breast cancer in the first place.

This article says, “If you're trying to trim your waistline, you have to count your calories, and take in fewer than you use.” I agree with that.

Genes may not be the major reason for obesity, as some people would like to believe. I go back to the importance of counting calories.

And while we’re on that subject, if a person consumes a lot of calories and doesn’t burn them off, that may increase his or her risk of cancer.

Can blood pressure medications increase someone’s risk of developing diabetes?

What is the greatest medical breakthrough since 1840? I thought it would be penicillin, but I was wrong, although antibiotics did come in second in this poll.

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2007-01-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Women of childbearing age should probably reconsider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that 20 out of 52 women who used statins while pregnant had babies with severe birth defects.

Statins can be useful, however, in certain circumstances. In this study, for example, they were used to help kill brain cancer cells.

A vaccine against lung cancer would be a great thing. Stimuvax might be a step on the road to developing one.

Has anyone heard about the deadly wheat disease that is killing crops in Africa and which is now spreading eastward? They say that stem rust has the potential to devastate world wheat crops. I would just like to remind people that this very situation is one reason why we shouldn’t play around with genetic engineering. You might genetically engineer a crop, plant it, and think that you can control it, but Nature has a way intervening by spreading seeds and pollen virtually to the four winds. If we can’t control a disease like stem rust – if it spreads from country to country, even across oceans – then we can’t control GMOs. I don’t mind using science to fight disease and improve living conditions for people. Too often, however, I feel that the main motivation behind genetic engineering is money and not altruism.

Chlorine is used to sanitize a lot of our water. Chlorine might cause cancer.

Here is an article about the health benefits of almonds. Too bad I don’t really like them all that much. A one ounce serving supposedly contains “the same amount of antioxidants as a serving of cooked broccoli or a serving of brewed green or black tea.” I’m really big into pistachios, and I am eating walnuts as I write this. I’m not crazy about walnuts either, but I chop up a bunch of them in the soy milk left over from my breakfast Cheerios. They’re pretty good that way.

Eating ginger might help with inflammatory problems like arthritis. I’ve been eating some ginger candy recently, but I don’t know if it is doing me any good.

Here are five diet myths discussed, including the question: does eating grapefruit burn fat?

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2007-01-19T11:49:00.001-05:00

Health Notes

Those who have drug coated stents may need to continue taking anti-clotting drugs like Plavix and aspirin.

Congestive heart failure is serious. You should see a doctor right away if you have: Chronic coughing or wheezing, Fatigue or weakness, Shortness of breath, especially when at rest, Increased heart rate, regardless of current activity.

It is possible that patients who have coronary bypass surgery and carotid endarterectomy at the same time have a significantly greater risk of death or stroke than those who have the two operations separately. The fact that combining the two operations has been carried out for years, on thousands of patients, does not greatly increase my confidence in doctors.

In that same vein, using the anesthetic isoflurane could possibly have serious consequences, including “the death of brain cells and the production of amyloid-beta plaque.” Doctors have been using this drug “for years for all ages of patients.” Feeling better yet?

FYI, undergoing chemotherapy may adversely affect bone health.

Here’s a new tomato that contains some of the same healthy anthocyanins as red wine, and apparently it was bred, not genetically engineered.

Divorced, widowed or remarried women may be more likely to develop heart disease than women who have been married continuously.

Those with kidney disease may be at greater risk of developing peripheral artery disease.

Does having low cholesterol increase your chance of getting Parkinson’s disease? Does that have implications for cholesterol-lowering statins?

The leukemia drug Glivec may help against prostate cancer.

Can bacteria cause stomach cancer? Can antibiotics help?

Taking calcium may reduce you risk of getting colon cancer.

Here’s more discussion of omega-3 fatty acids.

2007-01-18T14:15:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

Are vitamin supplements safe? Harmful? It’s a lot to think about. I think you would do well to get your nutrition from food.

In a related story, can vitamin A cause esophageal cancer (not to mention the harm it might do to fetuses)? And talking about vitamin A, what about Golden Rice? Aren’t they trying to genetically engineer vitamin A into the rice people eat? Is that a good idea?

I guess you have to be careful what kind of supplements you take. In Canada Kang Da (for erectile dysfunction) and Qing Zhi (for weight loss) are two supplements that might have some potentially serious side effects.

However some Chinese herbs may be useful in treating AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, arthritis, etc. (We’ve spoken before about the Chinese herb Huperzine A. It may help with Alzheimer’s. Here is another article.)

Apparently scientists have talked for some time about using mushrooms to fight cancer. Here is a recent article on the subject. Other articles are accessible through Google and Google News.

The above article had some information that I found interesting about other healthy foods, including carrots, onions, avocadoes, broccoli, watermelon, and green tea:

• Carrots contain a natural pesticide, falcarinol. The substance protects carrots from fungal diseases, such as liquorice rot, which causes black spots on the roots during storage. It is toxic in very large amounts, but scientists believe it may help humans fight the disease in liberal doses.
• Onions contain flavonoids and sulphurs. Researchers have found that moderate consumption appears to reduce the risk of colorectal, laryngeal and ovarian cancers.
• Avocados contain nature's largest source of the antioxidant lutein. Lab tests show it can inhibit rates of prostate cancer growth by up to 60%. They are also rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid, which have been shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer.
• Broccoli contains a compound called I3C, which can boost DNA repair in cells and may ultimately stop them becoming cancerous.
• Watermelons contain higher levels of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. The substance is thought to help in the fight against prostate, oesophageal and breast cancers and has been linked to a reduced risk of cervical cancer.
• Green tea is rich in polyphenols, which can inhibit an enzyme required for cancer cell growth. Scientists believe they kill cancer cells with no ill effects on healthy cells.

Does obesity impair heart function? Apparently the heart muscle thickens as body weight increases, making it more difficult to function normally? It’s something to think about.

This article says that maintaining a health weight is the “key to avoiding chronic disease.” More reason to lose weight? Of course.

2007-01-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

Health Notes

This is not a pleasant thought: gum disease might lead to pancreatic cancer.

Is prostate cancer caused by a virus?

Valcyte, an antiviral drug, might help people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Patients with heart failure may want to consider undergoing a bypass operation or angioplasty. According to this article, “mortality rates among those who had the procedures were half that of those who did not.”

Taking growth hormone may not make you live longer, and it may have some negative side effects.

One way to avoid skin cancer: try to identify moles that look suspicious.

“A newly discovered “peptide” molecule (a chain of amino acids smaller than a protein) increases the effectiveness by 350 per cent of drugs used to kill breast cancer cells,” giving new hope to women with advanced breast cancer. That’s pretty good news, isn’t it?

Here is an article, with information about ovarian cancer.

Does lemon grass tea kill cancer? Apparently some people in Israel think so, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot about this on the internet. Sure, lemon is really healthy, I think, but kill cancer? We’ll see.

This article argues that there is no epidemic of autism.

If you have restless leg syndrome, taking iron might help?

2007-01-16T11:34:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have developed a new cholesterol drug blocks LDL before it leaves the liver.

Can dried plums help with osteoporosis?

Can strawberries slow cancer cell growth?

We talked yesterday about the pros and cons of soy. Here is another lengthy discussion.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the US. Much about this disease may be related to lifestyle, which of course can be changed.

Here’s something else to worry about: metabolic syndrome. To avoid getting it, lifestyle changes might include: lose weight, increase physical activity, stop smoking, and avoid a high-carbohydrate diet. In a related article, resveratrol, the polyphenol found in red wine, might offer some protection against some metabolic diseases.

Can mindfulness meditation from Buddhist philosophy help women who have eating disorders?

Here’s another reason why fat and obesity are not good: fatty tissue secretes a protein called Resistin. When Resistin levels in the blood are high, the hearts of heart attack victims may recover only about 68% of their previous ability to contract, compared to about 90% when Resistin levels are not high.

I’m all for making it possible for people to lose weight when it is needed. Maybe this new product, based on a hunger-related hormone, will help.

DIM, or diindolylmethane, is a natural compound derived from vegetables like broccoli, that could prove very effective in fighting some cancers, such as breast, pancreatic, colon, bladder and ovarian.

While we’re talking about broccoli, we have mentioned before that tomatoes and broccoli, when eaten together, might help fight prostate cancer. Now there is new research that says pretty much the same thing.

2007-01-14T11:36:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Women, here are symptoms of ovarian cysts.

Men, here are some symptoms of low testosterone.

Um, this is kind of important: at least one treatment for prostate cancer might cause a man’s penis to get shorter. No joke, really.

Women, eating trans fats might lead to infertility.

And nursing mothers should probably try to get enough calcium in their diet to avoid bone loss around their teeth.

Here is an article about too much body fat and inflammation. Bottom line: neither is good for you, regardless of your weight.

Apparently older obese adults can benefit from changing their lifestyle, i.e. exercise and cut calories.

The good news: having a certain Alzheimer’s gene affects you little if any during adulthood. The bad news: if you live long enough the effects become more likely to show up much later in life.

There are some people in North America who really have to worry about mercury pollution. You know, somehow I don’t think that’s in the spirit of the American Dream. I mean, in some ways this kind of pollution is more dangerous than terrorism, and it is given by Americans to Americans. You would like to think that where you are living is safe. That is not always the case. And the threats are not always obvious, nor are they always external. Lord save us from ourselves.

Apparently women are more likely to survive lung cancer than men are.

If you have kidney cancer, there are two drugs that might help. One is called sunitinib (Sutent), and the other is sorafenib.

And those pesky viruses create such havoc and misery in the world, maybe they could be made to do some good for a change, like helping to fight cancer.

news, aging, Alzheimer's disease, body mass, bone loss, body fat, breastfeeding, calorie restriction, calcium, cancer, dieting, elderly, diet, exercise, fat, health, kidney cancer, infertility, inflammation, virus, longevity, lung cancer, men, mercury, obesity, ovarian cyst, prostate cancer, pollution, penis, sorafenib, Sutent, sunitinib, trans fat, testosterone, treatment, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2007-01-13T11:23:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Can increased folate intake reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease?

Being obese may increase your risk of getting age-related macular degeneration.

Cough and cold medicines can kill infants if they are given too much. Talk to your doctor.

There is some discussion about using vitamin C to treat cancer. But this article says, among other things, that cancer cells actually feed off vitamin C. I guess we’ll have to see what the results are of this latest experiment.

Do you want to lose weight? Count calories.

Strawberries and other berries may be effective in slowing the growth of cancer cells. And as we’ve mentioned before, they also may be effective against Alzheimer’s disease.

What would happen if we ate more like our ancestors did thousands of years ago, cutting out saturated fat and processed food? This article explores that question.

Arthritis is an expensive condition for our health care system that cost $128 billion in 2003. Losing weight would probably help. And I wonder, could we prevent arthritis in the first place?

I am always fascinated by the attitudes of people in this country toward breastfeeding, as well as the fact that some of those attitudes are fueled by ignorance.

Here is an interesting article about a controversy over those stents that doctors sometimes put in patients’ arteries. When it comes to medical treatment, I would rather not have any controversy, so I hope this gets resolved soon.

news, aging, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, vitamin C, berries, breastfeeding, calorie restriction, cancer, children, health care, cranberries, diet, dieting, fat, folate, health, heart disease, fruit, macular degeneration, obesity, pseudoephedrine, research, strawberries, stent, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2007-01-12T12:14:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
We need to be sure to get enough zinc. Too little of the nutrient can lead to reduced cardiovascular fitness. This can impact your ability to exercise, among other things.

It may be the case that only 60 to 90 minutes of exercise per week is enough to significantly lower someone’s blood pressure.

Are men who use the computer a lot at risk of developing glaucoma? I certainly hope not.

Is autism related to a brain inflammation?

Can taking certain Chinese herbal remedies lead to liver inflammation?

Dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in over the counter cough medicine, may help reduce the pain of fibromyalgia, although I’m not sure we want to be taking a lot of cough medicine.

Sunitinb and sorafenib are two new drugs that may be effective against kidney cancer.

This is an interesting website on natural ways to fight cancer. I haven't explored this site extensively, but a new concept for me is the possibility that cancer and fungus may be linked? There is a lot you can deal with when you’re doing research on cancer.

Scientists, of course, are seeking to develop a vaccine that is effective against genital herpes.

It is good to be informed. Comparing one hospital to another could be valuable in helping us gain information. This article says we may soon be able to use the internet to compare the heart attack death rates among various hospitals throughout the US. Some information is already available at this website, Hospital Compare. I checked it out. It seems to be a really good resource.

A lot of people say they would like to lose twenty pounds, but not very many are actually dieting. That’s not too surprising, what with the growing number of obese people in this country.

news, autism, brain, hospital, natural, liver, blood pressure, cardiovascular, Chinese medicine, death, cancer, sorafenib, children, sunitinb, genital herpes, diet, exercise, herpes, fungus, health, heart disease, heart attack, inflammation, hypertension, fitness, nutrition, dieting, obesity, kidney cancer, glaucoma, herbs, Dextromethorphan, fibromyalgia, pain, zinc, vaccine, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2007-01-11T11:29:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Stuttering is painful, frustrating, and embarrassing. I know from personal experience. Maybe you’ve heard of the SpeechEasy device, maybe not. It’s like a little hearing aid that fits into the ear. It is supposed to help a stutterer stop stuttering. Here is an article about it. The device may be expensive, I’m not sure, but it might work.

I spoke recently about vitamin A and pregnancy. I guess too much may lead to birth defects. But you need some vitamin A. Otherwise your baby's kidneys might not develop as they should. Talk to your Ob/Gyn.

It is very important to protect ourselves and our children from skin cancer.

Apparently one way to keep our children from becoming obese is to have more family meals around the dinner table. It makes sense. Family meals by nature are healthier, aren’t they? And here is another article on helping your teenagers with weight problems.

Here is an article on the biochemistry of overeating. Apparently the endocannabinoid system is activated by some foods, which leads to overeating? Read the article. Research is ongoing.

Is having mononucleosis associated with later developing multiple sclerosis? It’s something to think about.

Here are some easy things you can do for your health.

A new and inexpensive test that tracks certain amino acids in the blood may help assess a person’s risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

Those who have had a heart attack would probably do well to faithfully follow their doctor’s recommendations. Those who don’t may have a greater risk of dying than those who do.

What kinds of diets work? Counting calories, restricting intake of certain foods, eating smaller portions (or at least not eating bigger portions) exercising regularly, eating breakfast, and weighing yourself often, are strategies that have worked for a lot of people.

Those who jog too much might get arthritis? Bummer.

Does glyceollin, a soy compound, promise to be an effective treatment for ovarian and breast cancer tumors? Let us hope so. But as of now l do not find that there are any clinical trials going on involving it. Too bad. You know, if you have heard of a possible new treatment for cancer, and you want to take a chance and be part of the clinical trials, you can use this site to find out where the trials are being conducted. Too often I think cancer patients take whatever treatment is available rather than seeking a possibly more effective treatment. That is too bad.

LA could be the next to ban trans fats? Cool.

news, arthritis, amino acids, trans fats, birth defects, breast cancer, calorie restriction, cancer, children, clinical trials, dieting, diet, exercise, fat, family, health, heart attack, jogging, glyceollin, LA, mononucleosis, multiple sclerosis, obesity, ovarian cancer, skin cancer, overeating, stroke, stuttering, treatment, vitamin A, weight control, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2007-01-10T12:20:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
This article talks about child development and autism. And this website goes into more detail about child development milestones, etc, for various disorders including autism, mental retardation, hearing loss, and ADHD.

Here is an article that speculates that bulimia might be caused by an imbalance of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.

This article talks about Dr. Mark Hyman’s book Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss. Some of his ideas include eating more protein, eating smaller meals more often, and drinking green tea.

Stress management training may be good for your heart.

The antiviral drug valganciclovir may be helpful in treating chronic fatigue syndrome.

This article says that spicy foods might help protect us against cancer. They are talking mainly about capsaicin here, a compound found in hot chili peppers. I don’t think this is really new news.

Here is an article on surviving pancreatic cancer.

Is caffeine better than aspirin and ibuprofen in reducing muscle pain after a workout?

How do we explain the fact that Australians are among the longest living people in the world? Do they have a good diet, a better environment, a lack of stress? What? That is a puzzle. BTW, this is not to say that they are among the healthiest people in the world, just that they live a long time. However longevity is a good start.

news, autism, ADHD, Australia, aspirin, child development, bulimia, chronic fatigue syndrome, capsaicin, cancer, caffeine, coffee, children, diet, estrogen, food, health, heart disease, hormones, ibuprofen, longevity, metabolism, mental retardation, pancreatic cancer, spice, stress, valganciclovir, testosterone, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2007-01-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
There do not appear to be any health risks associated with eating foods that contain folate. However, taking too many folic acid supplements might result in symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

The results of a recent study suggest that folate intake might reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Folate is found in lots of foods.

While we’re talking about supplements, here is some info of interest: taking vitamin E might increase the rates of congestive heart failure; beta carotene might increase the risk of lung cancer; vitamin A might increase hip fractures in postmenopausal women, and increase birth defects if too much is taken early in a pregnancy; taking calcium could lead to kidney stones; taking too much calcium could interfere with your thinking, and lead to dementia. I take very few if any supplements. It’s better to get your nutrients from food.

Here is an article on being overweight or obese and having prostate cancer. The paradox: a thin man has a greater risk of developing prostate cancer, while an overweight man has a greater risk of dying from it? Yikes! And I just lost ten pounds. Here’s another article.

If you’re trying to lose weight, what you drink could be making that more difficult. Apparently liquids, which people often forget about, account for 22 percent of the calories in the American diet.

Caseins in milk decrease catechins in tea, so if you drink tea with milk you may not be receiving any health benefits.

I doubt that anyone wants toxins in his or her body. Here is a really good article, with information collated by Leanne Pratt, on avoiding toxins. And here are some of the suggestions taken from the article, for your education purposes:

How to minimise exposure to chemicals
• Reduce your consumption of processed foods - these usually contain additives and preservatives as well as being lower in nutrients than their whole food counterparts
• Reduce your consumption of high fat meats - toxins accumulate in fatty tissue, so if you remove the fatty tissue you are less likely to consume environmental toxins
• Get rid of bad fats that contain loads of chemicals, such as cheap oils and margarine
• Microwave your food in glass or ceramic containers rather than plastic to avoid leeching of chemicals into the food
• Do not microwave food when it is covered in plastic wrap or defrost meat when it is still in it's plastic wrapping
• Do not leave plastic water bottles in the car to heat up and then drink the water

Protect yourself by
• Supporting your body with antioxidants and detoxifying herbs (such as dandelion, milk thistle, vitamins A, C & E) if you are exposed to pollutants and chemicals on a daily basis
• Increase water intake to at least eight glasses of purified water daily. Water flushes toxins and waste from the system
• Reduce excessive alcohol intake - small amounts of red wine contain antioxidants
• Reduce caffeinated drinks and replace with water and herbal teas
• Increase fibre intake by eating more grains & vegetables
• Choose organic foods to reduce intake of chemicals
• Enjoy moderate exercise for 30 minutes every day to increase metabolic efficiency and enhance elimination.

Here is a very good article on omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. We have discussed this several times, but it never hurts to remind people. We need omega-6s, but we don’t need too many of them. The American diet has too many omega-6s, leading to inflammation and, of all things, possible DNA damage. Just yesterday I was talking about DNA repair. It is important to keep our DNA healthy, and to repair any that could cause us problems. Omega-6s undercut all our efforts to remain healthy. We can’t bring everything more into balance by merely consuming more omega-3s. We must consume fewer omega-6s.

The above article is interesting not only in the impact omega-6s have on humans, but also in the impact they have on some animals, which constitute part of our food supply: cattle contain more omega-6s because they are fed an unnatural diet of corn; farm-raised salmon may contain more omega-6s because of their diet in captivity; chickens fed with corn and soy have more omega-6s in their meat and in their eggs. Interesting, isn’t it?

news, DNA, Alzheimer's disease, omega-3, omega-6, beta carotene, birth defects, calorie restriction, calcium, cancer, catechins, chemicals, dementia, folic acid, folate, diet, dieting, fat, food, health, heart failure, organic, inflammation, environment, longevity, lung cancer, milk, kidney stones, obesity, detox, prostate cancer, osteoporosis, pregnancy, supplements, toxins, tea, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B12, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2007-01-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
I suppose no one knows whether or not fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids help fight depression, but in some ways I feel like that is putting the horse after the cart, so to speak. I personally believe it is possible that taking fish oil in the first place contributes to better health and may help keep a person from getting depressed. Once a person becomes depressed it may not always be easy to become undepressed. Of course I can’t prove any of that, but here is an article on how omega-3s are becoming more prevalent in our food. I'm glad of that.

I’m not one for diet books all that much, but here are reviews of several that are available now. And speaking of diet books, the South Beach Diet folks have come out with a new book, The South Beach Heart Program. This article has information about that book, as well as an in-depth discussion of heart disease generally, the number one killer in the US. Hopefully it will open some eyes.

We’ve talked about this before, but here’s another article on seeking second opinions for medical procedures. Think about it. (And of course you can always Google second opinion to read more about it.)

When I had an ulcer a long time ago, I had to drink a lot of milk and I gained a lot of weight. Now there is this article linking full fat dairy products with lower weight gain. And it says, “only whole milk, and not low-fat milk, seemed to offer protection against weight gain.” Drinking milk PROTECTS against weight gain? Sounds counterintuitive to me. Of course, everyone has to make his or her own dietary decisions. If you think you need milk, then by all means drink it. But I just have a feeling that if I were to start drinking milk right now, that would completely blow my diet, and I would gain at least five pounds. Sorry, guys, I don’t Got Milk, and I’m glad of it.

Can one or two drinks a day lower one’s risk of heart attack? Maybe. Here is the abstract from Annals of Internal Medicine.

news, alcohol, doctors, dieting, diet books, depression, diet, fish oil, fat, food, health, heart disease, heart attack, milk, medicine, mental health, omega-3, second opinion, mortality, South Beach Diet, wine, weight loss, weight gain,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-31T11:05:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
This article says we should do large scale mental health screening of American children to identify problems with depression, etc. That actually might be a good idea. I initially thought that it might be good if parents were made more aware of what to look for, but things like depression are often difficult enough to detect. It might be possible to administer a relatively simple psychological test in the schools, sort of like the IQ tests or the PSAT that are currently administered, and that might help identify any psychological problems in our children, which is very important. One has to wonder, however, where all these psychological problems are coming from, and what is causing them? And is there anything we can do about the root causes?

This article says that breast cancer and stress are not related. This article says that stress and aging might be related. Also, stress reduction might help with high blood pressure.

Here is an article about prostate cancer, stress reduction, and a low-fat, high-fiber diet.

Pomegranate fruit extract (PFE) might help against lung cancer. Here is another article in case the first one doesn’t work. (January 2007 issue of Carcinogenesis) Oh, and pomegranate juice also might help with prostate cancer.

Here are some simple things you can do for the new year, like cutting trans fats, dealing with stress, stretching, etc.

Is it possible to reverse the symptoms of diabetes? I don’t know. Here are some articles generally, and of course there was the article at MSNBC that said adopting a vegan diet might help.

Here are five common diet mistakes.

This is a link to a simple game of Sudoku using pictures instead of numbers. Very interesting. It might help keep you mentally sharp. And the site also includes little factoids of health information.

I bought a vibrating seat cushion recently and I’m very glad I did. I spend a lot of time sitting here at the computer blogging. The cushion really helps. And it was on sale at the Discovery Channel store. Good deal.

news, aging, adolescents, Alzheimer's disease, blood pressure, breast cancer, cancer, children, depression, diet, diabetes, fat, food, health, hypertension, fiber, dieting, low fat, lung cancer, mental health, new year, prostate cancer, pomegranate, resolutions, screening, Sudoku, stress, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-29T11:22:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
This is a video which discusses the new weight loss drug Excalia. I must admit that Alison Stewart asks all the right questions in this interview. I’m not sure she got all the right answers. For example, she asks Dr. Ken Fujioka what happens when a person stops taking Excalia? The answer is that the person would regain the weight he or she had lost. That’s one answer, but what I am wondering is, what happens to a person’s brain? I know that when a person stops taking an SSRI, sometimes there are lasting and disturbing side effects. Are there any lasting and disturbing side effects when you stop taking Excalia? I’m not sure I have the answer to that.

Here is a very good discussion of the drug flibanserin, the possible new Viagra for women. I think this is somewhat controversial, and I’m not sure where I stand on it. One thing that occurs to me is that we seem to be turning into a nation of pill takers. Is that good? Ask people like Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World.

What is the best remedy for Alzheimer’s disease? So far the answer seems to be education and intellectual activity, not a pill.

Here is an article on healthy herbs and spices, including oregano, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric.

Eating too much fish might expose a fetus to too much mercury, whereas taking fish oil might be really good for fetuses. How can that be? Most any good fish oil, Carlson, for example, is free of such contaminants as mercury, lead, PCBs, etc.

Those who take Echinacea might want to think twice. Taking it seems to increase certain bacteria in the intestines, which could lead to problems.

I thought this was interesting: most Americans now would support changes in public policy that would address the problem of obesity in this country. That is really great. It makes me think there is hope for us after all. If we could support something like this, maybe we could support other initiatives that would improve our health.

Speaking of obesity, check this article on belly size, obesity, and heart disease.

I have been reluctant to mention this because I was not sure if it was a joke or if it was serious. This article, however, is published in the Sydney Morning Journal, and the discussion seems to contain a number of serious references, so I think I will just go with it. Research on the brush-tailed possum seems to suggest that this animal might help in treating enlarged prostate (BPH) in men. Apparently the possum’s prostate grows and shrinks seasonally, and if scientists could find out what causes that shrinkage, then maybe they could develop a medication that would help shrink the prostate in men. Read the article for better understanding.

Is there a link between female infertility and a reduced risk of breast cancer?

news, Alzheimer's disease, Echinacea, breast cancer, mercury, cancer, birth defects, spices, herbs, diet, Excalia, flibanserin, food, health, heart disesase, libido, medication, enlarged prostate, obesity, fish, prostate cancer, BPH, fish oil, infertility, side effects, SSRI, sex, Viagra, weight loss, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-28T11:01:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
A reader from Canada passed along this article on Açai, a Brazilian berry that purports to have ten times the antioxidants found in red grapes; boost your energy; prevent premature aging; and kill some cancer cells. Wow, that’s a lot for one little berry to do. And of course through the magic of the internet, Açai is available at places like Amazon.com. Cool.

I thought that a diet pill (Excalia) that helps you lose weight was a good idea until I did some further research. Excalia is a combination of zonisamide SR and bupropion SR. The former seems to be an anticonvulsant, while the latter looks like the ingredient found in Wellbutrin and Zyban, a really serious psychiatric medication. I can understand, I suppose, that if a person has a serious weight problem, then he or she might want to resort to serious measures to remedy that problem. Excalia, it seems, is one such option. If I was obese and couldn’t lose weight, especially if that obesity was threatening my life, then maybe I would take this. But I do think I would try a lot of other stuff first.

Can calcium intake help you control your weight?

Since we seem to be talking a lot about weight control, here’s an article about Hoodia again.

Eating fruits and vegetables can help lower a person’s blood pressure. Maybe it’s the nitrates found in those foods that do the job.

Does taking Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec cause people to have more broken hips?

While they are genetically modifying the peanut, I hope I will still be able to get some non-GM peanuts in the future.

news, aging, Acai, antioxidants, anticonvulsant, Excalia, blood pressure, calcium, calorie restriction, nitrates, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, diet, food, health, Hoodia, fruit, genetic engineering, peanuts, obesity, osteoporosis, GMO, bupropion, zonisamide, Zyban, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, Wellbutrin,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-27T11:53:00.000-05:00

News Flash
I actually lost weight over the holidays. I stepped on the scales just now and I was down about two pounds, to 140. So not only can I talk the talk, but I guess I can walk the walk. Good luck to all you health nuts out there. Let’s all get healthy. We can do it.

calorie restriction, cholesterol, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, immunity, inflammation, LDL, longevity, fruit, nuts, obesity, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss,

2006-12-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Scientists may have found a chemical that will stop alcoholics craving alcohol. Apparently there are orexin cells in the hypothalamus which regulate the pleasure derived from alcohol. It might be possible to block the action of these cells. Now if they could just do this for cigarettes.

For those who are not alcoholics, here is another article that says drinking a couple of glasses of wine per day is good for your health.

And here is an article that gives six reasons to drink wine. One big reason includes the possibility of avoiding ovarian cancer. There may be a reduced risk of 50 percent associated with moderate wine consumption. Here is an Australian study. Here is an Hawaiian study. And here are other articles. Other reasons, as if that were not enough, include possibly helping your memory and avoiding osteoporosis.

I love Indian food. As I may have mentioned before, you can make very tasty dishes using a minimum of spices. Here is an article about Indian spices. They are very healthy for you, and since I am vegetarian, they help add flavor to my meals.

Some of the supplements that are most in favor right now include: Andrographis, Astragalus, Elderberry, Honeysuckle and forsythia, Pelargonium sidoides, Probiotics, Vitamin C, and Zinc.

Here is an article about foods that may help you fight colds.

Here is an article on the health benefits of tea generally. And here is an accompanying chart that compares different teas and their benefits. It makes you want to try the various teas.

Research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (Thomas B. Shea, University of Massachusetts Lowell) suggests that eating two apples a day could help protect our memory as we age.

Research published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention suggests that men who lose weight may lower their risk of developing an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

news, aging, alcohol, Alzheimer's disease, alcoholism, Andrographis, astragalus, honeysuckle, forsythia, cancer, elderberry, diet, nutrition, food, health, Indian food, immunity, memory, longevity, osteoporosis, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, spice, tea, wine, vegetarian, weight loss, women, supplements

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-22T10:51:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Using mistletoe extract to fight cancer may not be a good idea. It may cause tumors.

Scientists are developing new drugs to fight cancer by blocking blood supply to tumors, but this time in novel ways. (Two separate reports in the journal Nature: one by Regeneron’s Dr. Gavin Thurston, and the other by Genentech’s Minhong Yan.)

As we have mentioned before, sometimes inflammation in the body is not good. Here are some suggestions for anti-inflammatory foods to eat. Some ideas include: adding flaxseed to breakfast cereal; eating more tuna and salmon; consuming omega-3 fatty acids; having a good balance between omega-3s and omega-6s; eating sweet cherries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.

This article has some suggestions for natural approaches to fight depression for those who are not doing well on their prescription medication. It mentions such things as: L-tyrosine, an energizing amino acid that helps make dopamine, a happy brain chemical. It also boosts thyroid hormone, which eases depression and fatigue; SAMe, a natural antidepressant and joint-pain reliever that has been used overseas for decades with great success; EPA/DHA fish oils as well as a good brand of 5-HTP; and St. John's wort which is very useful too, and numerous studies prove it. Please note: I do not vouch for any of these substances, but I mention them here for your information. I must say that I would like to look into some of these further myself, because I am not at all familiar with some of them.

Here are articles on the “World’s Healthiest Foods.” They include Spanish olive oil, Japanese soy, Greek yogurt (I liked this a lot when I visited Greece), Indian lentils, and Korean Kimchi. The list is interesting, but be sure to follow the links and read the individual articles on each food. They are very interesting and informative.

Political Note
So, how is New Orleans doing some sixteen months after Hurricane Katrina?

news, antidepressant, angiogenesis, cancer, cholesterol, depression, diet, fruit, food, health, inflammation, Katrina, kimchi, mistletoe, New Orleans, natural, olive oil, omega 3, soy, research, tumor, vegetables, vegetarian,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-21T11:36:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Low testosterone in men is a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Testosterone therapy might one day prevent that problem.

Men who take anti-cholesterol statin drugs may be less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer.

Here is an article on breast cancer and predicting the likelihood of its recurrence.

Also regarding breast cancer, sometimes you don’t know what to believe. Sometimes people say not to worry about fat in the diet, for older women, that is. (Here is an assortment of articles.) Now an article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute says a low fat diet may prevent recurrence of breast cancer. I remember the earlier study. There were flaws in it as I recall. I would definitely go with this most recent one.

One day they say eating a low protein diet may prevent cancer. Now this study from Harvard Medical School says a high protein diet may be good for the heart. But this is not just any high protein diet. It is one that doesn’t include a lot of meat, but does include lots of nuts, beans, and whole grain cereals. The latter approach is similar to what I eat. Don’t forget the fruits and vegetables.

Cromolyn, an asthma medication, might be effective against pancreatic cancer.

Here is an article on aging, brain exercises, and mental acuity. There is a box on the right side of this page titled “Mental Aerobics” which provides exercises with pictures, lists, and words. What I’d like to know is this: do all these exercises have to be puzzles? I mean puzzles are ok, but what if a person remains mentally active every day, learning new things, thinking about new concepts, etc? Wouldn’t that serve the same purpose as puzzles? I guess it’s all good, but I think we need to stress the importance of remaining mentally active, with or without puzzles. But hey, what do I know?

Here is an article on the flexibility of the adult human brain. And here is an article on why the teenaged brain may sometimes be so chaotic.

Apparently the herbal supplement black cohosh may not relieve the hot flashes of menopause.

Can antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals boost our immune systems and help us fight the flu?

In 2004 Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, said "the marketing of junk food, especially to kids, is out of control.'' Now that he will be chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, he may be in a position to do something about that problem.

News, aging, adolescence, Alzheimer's disease, antioxidants, asthma, Cromolyn, breast cancer, calorie restriction, cancer, commercials, children, cholesterol, pancreatic cancer, black cohosh, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, immunity, Tom Harkin, testosterone, junk food, hot flashes, menopause, obesity, prostate cancer, intelligence, protein, supplements, brain, statins, ads, vitamins, herbs, weight loss, women, politics,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-20T13:13:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Inflammation in the body is an important concern. Rosehips (or rosehip extract) may help lower inflammation. And here is an article on other anti-inflammatories.

While we’re talking about anti-inflammatories, this article says olive oil may reduce the risk of cancer. It may be the monounsaturated fats in the olive oil that reduce oxidative damage done to cells – damage that could lead to cancer. I often eat a dish called Pasta Alia Olia, which is basically garlic sautéed in olive oil, served over linguine. I always thought it was healthy, but now I’m even more convinced.

I mentioned Ibuprofen recently. I talked about how there are so many warning labels on the box. Now the FDA says that a lot of painkillers are safe if taken as directed, but they are not always taken as directed, which is very dangerous (I don’t know if you saw the story on ABC News last night) so they want more extensive warning labels on more painkillers. Now I’m really afraid to take any anymore.

And speaking of painkillers, this article advises you not to take acetaminophen to combat a hangover, because it could harm the liver if mixed with alcohol. Now you see, I don’t understand that. Of course you’re not going to take acetaminophen with a glass of wine, but you mean you should also not take one the next morning, after you haven’t had any alcohol for like eight hours? That seems bizarre to say the least. I need further clarification on that.

The residents of this town in Italy, Stocarreddo, eat anything they want, with little or no apparent ill effects, while heart attack and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death in the state of Tennessee. Of course it’s not fair, but it’s all genetics, I guess. If we could figure out what makes those Italians so healthy, maybe we could help the people of Tennessee and elsewhere. That’s one thing we should be trying to do.

Everybody’s probably heard about this by now, but vitamin D may reduce your risk of getting Multiple Sclerosis. Great!

I guess we should all think twice before beginning a fast. Here is an article with more information and discussion on fasting. I don’t really fast, but sometimes I devote a day, perhaps Sunday, to eating a lot of soluble fiber, like that found in oatmeal and bananas. Also I often try to limit my calories. And speaking of oatmeal, this opinion article touts the benefits of oat cereal. (It may lower LDL cholesterol levels and prevent heart attacks.)

For those who are trying to stop drinking alcohol, nutrition may play a part in that process. Some doctors recommend a diet of fish, high cholesterol food, and vitamins to help kick the habit.

Here’s an article that says reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages during childhood may lessen the risk of getting conditions like diabetes and heart disease in later life. Maybe somebody should feed these kids a dish of Pasta Alia Olia.

news, acetaminophen, aspirin, NSAID, vitamin D, FDA, fasting, fiber, labels, calorie restriction, pain, cancer, children, cholesterol, painkiller, diabetes, diet, hangover, fat, food, health, heart attack, heart disease, genetics, inflammation, LDL, rosehips, olive oil, ibuprofen, alcohol, liver damage, soluble fiber, wine, disease, stroke, sugar, vitamin C, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, oatmeal,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-19T10:34:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
I have talked a lot about ovarian cancer recently. I believe I can’t talk about it enough, because a lot of women die from it, and it is important that women have information. So, once again, here are the symptoms of ovarian cancer: pelvic or abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, urinary urgency (needing to get to a bathroom immediately), urinary frequency (having to urinate often), feeling full, having difficulty eating. If you have these symptoms, get to a doctor fast.

Women in this study who drank two cups of tea per day presumably had a lower risk of ovarian cancer. And here is a resource for more information on ovarian cancer generally.

Here is a resource for more information on breast cancer.

I have talked a lot about omega-3 fatty acids. I mentioned that those with heart failure should not take omega-3s. Now it seems there are other risks associated with taking too much omega-3, (more than 3 grams per day?) including increased bleeding, stroke, etc. Check this article at Wikipedia, and do more research for yourself. Anything can be overdone, I suppose, including taking omega-3.

Does everyone know what cataracts are? Here is some information. I am definitely going to wear my sunglasses more often. Maybe that will prevent my developing cataracts.

What is it with alcohol? Now they’re saying that it might actually help prevent arthritis. At least it seemed to have been effective for mice.

For alcoholics, if they stop drinking, in many cases their brain chemistry improves and they regain brain volume. This, of course, is cause for optimism.

Here is an article that wonders if we are over-diagnosing prostate cancer. I certainly think we are over-screening for it. I had a biopsy six years ago that I think was totally unnecessary. In this article Dr. Gil Welch at Dartmouth says, “What we should be doing is tell people the whole story and let different people come to different decisions.” I’m all for that.

While we’re talking about prostate cancer, here is an article on some new treatments that may be available.

Here is an article on cancer, diet, and food, including fruits, vegetables, and antioxidants.

news, alcohol, antioxidants, arthritis, alcoholism, breast cancer, bleeding, cancer, cataracts, diet, food, health, heart disease, fruit, omega-3, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, PSA, symptoms, tea, stroke, vegetables, vegetarian, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Smoking may have a negative impact on your IQ.

Eating fish, or taking fish oil, may help regulate your heart rate, and thereby lower your risk of sudden death.

A new test that focuses on a protein called EPCA may help in diagnosing prostate cancer. EPCA levels were found to be elevated in a number of men who had negative biopsies, but in whom the disease subsequently was found.

According to this report, taking aspirin neither increases nor decreases your risk of pancreatic cancer.

Don’t want to get cataracts? Eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables.

Pregnant women who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, etc, have an 80% greater chance of having a miscarriage.

news, NSAID, heart disease, cancer, health, diet, food, prostate cancer, PSA, fish, fish oil, LDL, HDL, cholesterol, omega-3, cataracts, vegetables, vegetarian, aging, mental decline, intelligence, smoking cessation, aspirin, pancreatic cancer, IQ, smoking, miscarriage, women, pregnancy,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-17T09:55:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are getting some good press these days. There was the recent article that taking them may prevent Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Now there is an article on how they may help prevent or treat cancer. I love these kinds of stories. Sometimes I feel pessimistic when I read about things in the environment that cause cancer. It is always good to read about new and promising treatments. I guess I’m an optimist at heart.

High blood pressure can be bad of course, but low blood pressure (hypotension) can be bad too.

And too much exercise is not good. Think stress fractures, insomnia, and compromised immune systems.

I hate a lot of those drug ads on TV. Now is seems that the GAO thinks the FDA should do more to regulate direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. Good luck with that. The pharmaceutical industry has a lot of clout.

Can a low calorie diet help with Parkinson’s disease? Maybe so, according to a new study, by Mark P. Mattson of the National Institute on Aging, which is being reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Here are two articles about diet and breast cancer. (CNN, AP) The idea, I think, is that a low fat diet may help prevent the recurrence of some breast cancers, but only those that are not driven by hormones. The evidence for this, however, is not conclusive.

news, NSAID, Parkinson's disease, prostate, cancer, blood pressure, calorie restriction, hypotension, fat, injury, health, weight loss, diet, prostate cancer, Prescription drugs, FDA, GAO, aging, inflammation, exercise, breast cancer,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Here is a list of ten medical treatments that are currently being tested, and that could revolutionize the fight against certain diseases, like lung cancer, Alzheimer’s, and HIV.

Here is an article about the drug Avastin that may act to cut off the blood supply to lung cancer tumors.

Some of the adverse effects that smoking has on the cardiovascular system may disappear soon after one quits. That’s good news.

It may be better to treat prostate cancer than to just wait and watch.

Here is an article about breast cancer and the effectiveness of tamoxifen in treating it.

I’m sure that a colonoscopy is not a very pleasant procedure. If you want to avoid having to get one, you might want to eat less meat and more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Do antidepressants increase the risk of suicide? This is something you might want to think about. Here is another article from International Herald Tribune.

Here is a discussion of diet and healthy food, including spinach, tomatoes, red wine, cinnamon, etc.

Vegetarians who eat a diet low in protein may have less risk of developing cancer.

I feel bad for people who have trouble sleeping. Here is a discussion of treating insomnia.

This is interesting: the flu vaccine does not need to be a perfect match for the strain of influenza that is going around. The vaccine will probably still work anyway. This may also be true for the bird flu.

Is mercury pollution increasing in the Arctic? Some scientists fear that it might be. I’m worried about mercury pollution in the environment too.

news, medicine, heart disease, cancer, Avastin, health, diet, food, prostate cancer, tamoxifen, antidepressants, suicide, vegetables, vegetarian, protein, Alzheimer's disease, insomnia, flu, bird flu, colonoscopy, colon cancer, lung cancer, smoking, breast cancer, smoking cessation, pollution, mercury, H5N1,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-14T11:12:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
I don’t know why doctors have to work such marathon shifts. Of course they are more prone, at times of great sleep deprivation, to make more mistakes. It seems to me, really, to be a scheduling problem: how can we best schedule our doctors for the benefit of all? (There was also a discussion of this on NPR)

I think making the information public on how effective heart surgeons are is a great idea, although I’m not sure what good it would do for the majority of people. If I needed heart surgery, I have a choice basically between two hospitals. One is about a mile away, so I think I would be more likely to go there in an emergency, regardless of who the doctors were.

Here are ten warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This is a very good, detailed list of symptoms.

Scientists may have developed a test that can accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, although sticking a needle in my spine is not exactly my idea something good.

Can having olive oil as part of your diet help prevent cancer? The January 2007 issue of FASEB Journal discusses that question. And here’s another article.

Here are six warning signs of ovarian cancer. This is an important disease, and we can never talk about it enough.

Exercise might help prevent breast cancer.

Here is an article that asks if breast cancer might be transmitted sexually. It seems that researchers may have found the human papillomavirus (HPV) in some breast tumors. In a related story, might oral cancer result from having oral sex? I guess the point here is that one of the best tools we have for fighting disease is information. Armed with information, we can alter our behavior and hopefully catch things before they become problems.

Circumcision may reduce the risk of getting or transmitting the AIDS virus? I wonder how many African men are going to take advantage of the opportunity to get circumcised.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a serious condition. It causes thousands of people per year to lose one or both legs. Checking to see if you have PAD is rather simple, but treating it is a little more complicated.

New treatment options may eventually be available that would stop the decay from osteoporosis and stimulate bone formation.

If children eat whole grains and fish, that might cut their risk of having asthma.

news, atherosclerosis, heart disease, medical mistakes, cancer, ovarian cancer, doctors, medicine, sleep deprivation, surgery, surgeons, health, olive oil, diet, food, Mediterranean diet, STD, sexually transmitted disease, human papillomavirus, HPV, cholesterol, oral cancer, oral sex, AIDS, HIV, peripheral artery disease, circumcision, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, exercise, children, women,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
You know, you hear a lot about how this vitamin does this, and that vitamin doesn’t do that. My attitude about vitamins is this: any particular vitamin may or may not help prevent a certain disease. But if we eat a varied, healthy diet with lots of nutrients, then in all likelihood we will be healthy.

We eat a lot of soup. The soups we eat are mostly vegetarian, in some cases vegan. Here is an article on how eating soup might help you lose weight. Eating a lot of creamy, high calorie soups, however, might not help anyone lose weight.

Eating vegetables might limit the mental decline associated with aging.

Is it harder for women in their 40s to lose weight than women in their 20s? Here is an article with tips on avoiding weight gain during the holidays. And here is another really good article on healthy eating and weight gain during the holidays. A lot of this information is good if applied at other times of the year too.

Cancer patients, particularly those with breast cancer, need to watch their alcohol consumption.

Here is a good discussion of dietary fat. One thing it says is that monounsaturated fat lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL. That’s great. I eat quite a few pistachio nuts, which contain a lot of monounsaturated fats.

After giving antibiotics to all those kids with ear infections, now they say that most ear infections may heal on their own. Thank you.

In my experience, pharmacists offer to explain medical prescriptions to patients who need help, but I guess some people still get it wrong. “Nearly half of adult Americans have trouble understanding and using basic health information, and dosage error is the most common medical mistake associated with low health literacy.”

The dark side of living in a developed country? More than a million people die prematurely each year due to air pollution. This pollution includes “gases such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide, as well as tiny particles found in air,” which are thought to lead to respiratory infections, lung cancer, and heart disease.

Is there really a link between losing height as we age and developing heart disease?

Here is an article on exercise and fitness for people who are overweight.

People who watch their calories but don’t exercise may experience bone loss as well as weight loss. (December 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine)

Here are some exercises for people who don’t have time to exercise.

news, air pollution, heart disease, vitamins, cancer, testosterone, women, calorie restriction, medicine, fat, obesity, health, weight loss, diet, food, prescriptions, soup, acid reflux, fitness, LDL, cholesterol, HDL, antibiotics, ear infections, otitis media, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, aging, Alzheimer's disease, eating, cooking, osteoporosis, exercise, drugs, lung cancer, medicine, breast cancer, alcohol, wine, medical mistakes, children,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-12T11:29:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Symptoms of ovarian cancer are often ignored because they are thought to be indicative of something else. Closer attention to these symptoms might lead to earlier diagnosis, and might result in more lives saved. For example, "Any complaint of pelvic/abdominal pain, increased abdominal size/bloating, or difficulty eating/feeling full that is present more than 12 days per month and for less than one year was 57 percent sensitive for early disease and 80 percent sensitive for advanced cancer; and 90 percent specific for women over 50 years of age and 86.7 percent for women under 50 years of age." Research is being published in the January 15, 2007 issue of CANCER, a journal of the American Cancer Society.

This is important, ladies. It may be that nothing is more important than listening to your bodies.

Here is an article about a heart stent that dissolves.

Just a reminder: eating a calorie restricted diet seemed to have improved the immune systems of a group of monkeys, and may have helped them live longer.

It is possible for a person to appear slender, and yet have a lot of bad fat hiding inside his body. Here’s another article with good graphics.

Is there a better way of detecting prostate cancer than by giving the PSA test, followed up by a painful biopsy? A new test that measures the amount of HAAH [human aspartyl (asparaginyl) beta-hydroxylase] in the blood may be the answer. Read this article. It is very good.

Two points at least from this article: almonds may help lower LDL cholesterol; cranberries may help protect against heart disease and some cancers.

Teenagers who use cannabis may be twice as likely to develop a psychotic disorder. Using cannabis may not only make existing mental health problems worse, but may also trigger new problems such as schizophrenia.

Here is an interesting article on sweeteners, artificial and otherwise. This article is a few years old, so you might want to do further research, like reading this article on sucralose (Splenda) for example.

Is too much fat in our diets causing an increase in number of asthma cases? Apparently asthma is an inflammatory condition. I personally would do everything I could to reduce inflammation in my body. That includes losing weight.

This article says that an hour of exercise per day may reduce our risk of colon cancer. And this article says that women who smoke might be able to reduce their risk of lung cancer by exercising, although quitting smoking is still preferred.

Here is new research on breast cancer. Here is new research on blood cancer.

Would you believe that having an epidural during childbirth may affect how long a woman breastfeeds her baby?

News, longevity, heart disease, stent, cancer, ovarian cancer, women, calorie restriction, immunity, fat, obesity, health, weight loss, diet, food, prostate cancer, PSA, almonds, cranberries, LDL, cholesterol, cannabis, marijuana, psychosis, schizophrenia, mental health, vegetables, vegetarian, aging, Alzheimer's disease, sugar, artificial sweeteners, asthma, inflammation, exercise, colon cancer, lung cancer, smoking, breast cancer, blood cancer, childbirth, breastfeeding, children,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-11T10:09:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer may not have to wait two years to get pregnant.

Is it true that radiation from breast cancer screening may cause cancer in some cases?
As I’ve mentioned before, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer may want to seek a second opinion. Here is an article that may be helpful.

Aspirin and other Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) (such as Advil) may be effective against the prostate condition benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). I personally would never take aspirin again. I really don’t want to get tinnitus. But has anyone bought a bottle of Ibuprofen recently? It has been awhile since I have. I picked up a bottle the other day and was surprised at all the warnings on the box. Three-fourths of the box was taken up with warnings and directions. I remember I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder about eighteen years ago. My doctor prescribed for me 800 mg of Ibuprofen, to be taken several times per day for a long time. That is equivalent to four Advil, Motrin, or generic Ibuprofen taken several times per day. There must have been some controversy about this recently that I missed. But now with all the warnings on the box, I’m reluctant to take even one tablet.

As far as prostate health goes, I wish I had gotten a second opinion, or even just considered other options, before I let my doctor give me a biopsy in 2000.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help with weight loss.

The Mediterranean Diet may help against Alzheimer’s disease.

There was an article in the Raleigh News and Observer yesterday about the Hallelujah Diet. (I hope this link works for you. If not, the link below has all the information you need about this diet.) It sounds very interesting. Basically it is a vegan raw food diet that draws its authority from the book of Genesis. The founder of the diet, George H. Malkmus, who lives in Shelby, North Carolina and operates Hallelujah Acres, says he had a tumor that went away after he stopped eating processed food and started eating the same food that would have been available in the Garden of Eden. Religion aside, any diet that gets us away from the standard American diet is great. Since I am essentially vegan myself, I certainly have a lot of sympathy with the Hallelujah Diet. I wish more people would follow it. I personally find it difficult to not eat cooked food. The Hallelujah Diet, however, is supposed to be a healing diet. I think it may have a lot of validity. I wish Malkmus and his followers all the best.

Is there a link between heart disease and certain kinds of air pollution? (current issue of Particle and Fibre) I’m not sure this is real big news, although the study conducted on North Carolina State troopers was just recently released. It probably just confirmed what we already knew: yes, air pollutants can contribute to heart disease.

This is one reason why you want to try and remain healthy and not take medicine unless it is really necessary: people who stop taking the drug Heparin might develop blood clots several weeks after they stop taking it. Gosh, how awful!

If we don’t want to gain weight, we all must watch our caloric intake. That is especially true during the holidays.

And what is holiday heart syndrome? It is drinking too much alcohol during the holidays, which can cause an abnormal heart rhythm, including rapid, irregular heartbeat, prompting some people to end up in the emergency room of the hospital.

News, breast cancer, cancer, pregnancy, radiation, mammogram, second opinion, NSAID, Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, tinnitus, benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH, aspirin, prostate cancer, biopsy, weight loss, conjugated linoleic acid, CLA, Mediterranean diet, Alzheimer's disease, Hallelujah diet, vegan, raw food, diet, food, healing, religion, spiritual, Genesis, Bible, Eden, Garden of Eden, George Malkmus, air pollution, pollutants, heart disease, Heparin, blood clots, medicine, calories, holidays, alcohol, blood thinner, health,

Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that the reader won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

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2006-12-10T10:42:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Scientists seem to be making progress in treating cancer. Here is news of a genetically modified bacterium called Clostridium novyi-NT that attacks and eats tumors. This, of course, is what scientists should be doing, trying to find cures for diseases instead of changing the food supply so that some corporation can make more money.

Scientists are working on a pill that could cut the risk of heart disease by 70 percent. The pill combines four existing medications – aspirin, simvastatin, and two blood pressure medicines – into what is called a polypill. It is currently being tested in India.

Some blood pressure drugs, ACE inhibitors and AT1R blockers, may keep pancreatic cancer from spreading.

The two biggest killer diseases in Africa are AIDS and malaria. When you have the two together, that is a recipe for disaster, because malaria seems to multiply the amount of HIV virus in the blood by ten times, making it easier to pass the virus to another person.

With regard to mammograms, etc, I’m just hoping that we get better diagnostic tools in the near future so that we can catch all breast cancer before it becomes a serious threat anyone at any age.

Pro-vitamin E, or alpha-tocopheryl succinate, has been shown to be effective against some breast cancer. It has “already shown promise as a potent anticancer agent in diseases such as colon cancer and mesothelioma. It induces controlled cell death or apoptosis in tumour cells." And it has “the potential to be an inexpensive, safe and selective therapy for hard-to-treat breast cancers.” Wow, that is interesting. I need to reconsider this vitamin. . . .

Is cutting down gradually the best way to quit smoking? I know it worked for me. I quit smoking in 1984. It took me about two years, beginning in 1982, but by gradually cutting down I learned how to control my smoking and my urges to the point that I was finally able to stop altogether. And that’s really what it’s all about – learning to deal with stress in ways other than by reaching for a cigarette.

If your child gets sick, should you “feed a fever and starve a cold?” Here is the answer to that and six other health myths for children. BTW, the answer to that is no, a sick person needs nutrients and liquids.

Car seats can be dangerous for infants. The important thing, of course, is to keep your child breathing. Sometimes car seats make that difficult to accomplish.

News, cancer, genetic engineering, bacteria, tumors, disease, research, medicine, heart disease, blood pressure, statins, aspirin, pancreatic cancer, AIDS, malaria, Africa, pandemic, infection, mammogram, breast cancer, screening, vitamins, Vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol succinate, colon cancer, mesothelioma, apoptosis, smoking, cigarettes, tobacco, addiction, smoking cessation, children, babies, infants, sickness, car seat, suffocation, stress, anxiety, health, colds,

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2006-12-09T11:59:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
I mentioned this yesterday, but a slightly different take on this research suggests that eating too much protein might contribute to an increased risk of cancer.

Some drugs used to treat prostate cancer may increase the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

Some articles suggest that Viagra may help fight cancer, and this may be true, but the mechanism by which it accomplishes this is rather complex. It sounds like doctors are onto something here. Let’s wish them good luck in their research.

This article asks, “Do low-fat foods make us fat?" Of course the answer is that eating too many calories makes us fat. Weight control is not an easy thing, but I don’t think it’s right to blame the food. A person needs to get the right balance of healthy food and exercise in order to maintain a healthy weight.

Of course, in order to eat a healthy diet, healthy food needs to be available. That doesn’t always seem to be the case. Have you ever tried to look for healthy snacks? They are difficult to find, to say the least. Also, did you know that the average US child sees 3000 advertisements per day? Can you say “brainwashing?” If people don’t make healthy choices as adults, there may be a connection between that and the attitudes they developed as children. There is a problem in this country when the health of our citizens seems to be less of a priority than do corporate profits.

Eating a Western diet (rich in processed meat, eggs, and butter, potatoes, processed grain products, and cheese) increases one’s risk of cancer by 39% when compared with those who ate a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and fish. (American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 162, issue 11, pages 1085-1093.)

The West Coast is nice, but pollution seems to be a big problem in California. Let’s hope they get that under control soon.

News, cancer, protein, diet, food, prostate cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Viagra, weight loss, obesity, overeating, junk food, fast food, children, advertisements, snacks, vegetarian, vegetables, fruit, organic, Mediterranean diet, California, pollution, air pollution, health,

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2006-12-08T11:06:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Chinese club moss may help against Alzheimer’s disease. The extract from this plant is called Huperzine A.

I’m not sure this is really news. An inability to identify odors has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease for some time. But I guess this article discusses new research, and new ways to diagnose neurological problems.

I’ve talked about PFOA on several other occasions. It is the substance found in Teflon and in many packaging materials like microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, etc. Here is yet another article. I can’t wait for PFOA to go away. The only problem is it may never go away.

Taking folic acid may reduce heart disease and strokes, possibly by reducing homocysteine levels. It is also recommended that people get adequate amounts of DHA (omega-3) as well as vitamins B6 and B12. Deficiencies in all these nutrients have been associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and depression.

For those who are prescribed statin drugs, if they don’t take their medication they might have a heart attack.

Drug coated heart stents are supposed to be safe when used as directed.

If you don’t want to get cancer you might consider eating less protein. Dr. Luigi Fontana of Washington University said, “People on a low-protein, low-calorie diet had considerably lower levels of a particular plasma growth factor called IGF-1 than equally lean endurance runners. That suggests to us that a diet lower in protein may have a greater protective effect against cancer than endurance exercise, independently of body fat mass." That’s cool. I eat a low-protein diet anyway. (Here’s another article)

This article isn’t telling us anything we don’t already know: food portion sizes have been increasing over the years. That, of course, is due to a number of reasons. But I must say that it is a little difficult to regulate our own portion sizes when food companies continue increasing their portion sizes. For example, the new small soft drink at Wendy’s probably used to be the large size. The new large is huge.

Here’s an interesting article on body mass, mice, cancer, and telomerase. It seems that telomerase helps a body heal, but it also contributes to runaway cell reproduction like cancer. Humans don’t produce as much telomerase as mice do because of our greater body mass.

Can we stop human influenza and bird flu in their tracks? There may be a chance, thanks to technology.

We need to be especially nice to new mothers, and we need to make sure they get all the medical care they need. Some of them (one in one thousand) get postpartum depression, or a more serious condition.

News, Alzheimer's disease, Huperzine A, Chinese club moss, flu, influenza, PFOA, Teflon, nonstick, chemicals, food, heart disease, stroke, homocysteine, omega-3, DHA, vitamins, folic acid, fast food, statins, heart attack, stents, cancer, protein, diet, calorie restriction, body mass, telomerase, bird flu, H5N1, childbirth, postpartum depression, depression, mental illness, pregnancy, arthritis, diabetes, health,

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2006-12-07T10:39:00.000-05:00

Health Notes
Do cell phone masts cause cancer in people who live nearby? Some think they do. But according to a recent study, cell phones themselves probably don’t cause cancer.

Here’s a video from CBS discussing the benefits of drinking green tea. Speaking of green tea, Enviga tea beverage may not burn calories and help with weight loss after all?

I bought a pound of organic cranberries recently. For a long time I couldn’t figure out what to do with them because I really don’t like them. They are too bitter for me. But last night I put them into a food processor and puréed them. My plan was to add sugar until they tasted better. But then I had an idea to mix raspberry jam with the cranberries, which I did. It all turned out great, and I really feel that the stuff is very healthy, with loads of antioxidants. Cranberries are good for me, and so are raspberries. In any event, this mixture will help me finish off the cranberries in the next couple of days and then I can look for some other kind of fruit to try. I’d love to have some cherries, but I haven’t seen any organic ones recently.

Here is an article on the health benefits of berries. Anthrocyanins and ellagic acid are supposed to have anti-cancer properties, and the other day I mentioned pterostilbene, which is found in blueberries. I didn’t know much about berries, but this article has really opened my eyes a little. They are very healthy. I’ll definitely check them out the next time I go to Whole Foods.

I try to eat very healthy food. I don’t eat meat. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds, much of it organic. I daresay most people don’t eat the way I do. Here are some of the things that some people do eat. (BTW, I haven't always been a health nut. I used to eat fast food every day, and at most every meal.)

Here are three articles on things employers can do to help their employees. Some companies encourage employees to exercise and eat well. Companies that offer depression screening could end up saving money in the long run. And some companies, like Wal-Mart, are making it possible for their employees to have electronic health records.

If your child needs to be sedated while visiting the doctor or dentist, please make sure everyone knows what they’re doing. Five-year-old Diamond Brownridge of Chicago didn’t wake up from her trip to the dentist.

Here are some things that may reduce the risk of a woman having a miscarriage: eating fruits and vegetables; eating dairy products; taking vitamins; eating chocolate (?).

We talked about this recently: getting a second opinion if you have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Here’s another article on that same subject.

Polysaccharide K (PSK) which is an extract of the Chinese mushroom coriolus versicolor is supposed to help against stomach cancer. (This is available for purchase, you know.) An interesting side note is the fact that about half the world’s stomach cancer occurs in China, mainly I suppose because of the food they eat.

Can some blood pressure medications reduce Alzheimer’s disease?

News, cell phones, cancer, berries, cranberries, blueberries, antioxidants, health, raspberries, fruit, vegetables, vegetarian, organic, diet, food, exercise, junk food, depression, work, miscarriage, vitamins, chocolate, pregnancy, breast cancer, medicine, doctors, dentists, blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease, sedation, anesthesia, children, anxiety, mushrooms, China, stomach cancer, fast food,

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2006-12-06T10:32:00.000-05:00

Here is a good discussion of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Those with heart failure should not take omega-3s. They could kill you. For others, taking 3000 mg of omega-3s per day can lead to excessive bleeding. Read the entire article for more in depth coverage on the difference between EPA, DHA, and ALA fatty acids.

Is it true that several hundred thousand people under the age of 65 have dementia?

Beta-carotene may protect against Alzheimer’s disease, but not for everyone?

Even though Pfizer’s drug torcetrapib has been abandoned, it may still be possible to raise HDL and lower LDL.

The average child consumes 165 calories too many per day, and some kids consume as many as 1000 excess calories, equivalent of about two Big Macs?

I’ve read, of course, that overweight women appear to have less risk of breast cancer in some cases. This article says that obesity will lead to more cancer, not less. I really don’t think I would opt to be obese, or even overweight, especially with all the controversy swirling around that condition. Did I mention that I have a body mass index (BMI) of 22? I could still lose about 20 pounds and still not be underweight. I am thankful that I have been able to control my weight to a certain extent, although at times I have gained a little too much and have had to stop eating some things like peanut butter.

Obese women may be able to improve their health not by dieting, but by eating a healthier diet and by exercising more.

Here are the warning signs of anorexia.

- Weighing less than 85 percent the expected weight for your height, or having a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 17.5.
- Excessive concern about weight or body shape.
- Yellow or dry skin, or hair loss, because of malnutrition.
- Amenorrhea - the lack of menstrual periods in women.
- Difficulty eating in social settings, social withdrawal, deceptive or secretive behavior and excessive exercise.

Could taking B vitamins protect you from heart attack and stroke? I’m not sure, but I take them anyway, partly because I’m a vegetarian and need to supplement my Bs.

Here is a discussion of some common diet myths. These myths are all mostly not true, of course.

Here’s another perspective on a calorie restricted diet: it may have a positive effect on your immune system.

News, omega-3, fatty acids, nuts, seeds, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, health, aging, antioxidants, beta carotene, Pfizer, torcetrapib, cholesterol, obesity, children, weight loss, cancer, breast cancer, diet, food, exercise, anorexia nervosa, eating disorders, vitamins, heart attack, stroke, vegetarian, dieting, calorie restriction, immunity, longevity

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