| ||
Our constitutional right to liberty is systematically being attacked by government agencies flanked by anti-competitive forces in the food industry. Nowhere is this more obvious than on the raw milk issue. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently vetoed SB201, a bill to preserve consumers’ rights to access farm fresh milk while guaranteeing its safety. The governor, who likely consumed raw dairy in his rise to stardom as a body builder, thwarted the freedoms of the over 40,000 raw milk devotees in his state. He ignored the will of the people in favor of the milk processors and the government regulators bent on crushing the raw dairy producers in their state — two of which are the most successful in the nation. The California Department of Food and Agriculture, whose officials repeatedly refused to appear at hearings on the legislation, pushed The Terminator’s pen on a bill that received populist support and nearly unanimous approval by both houses of the legislature. Similar backroom politics killed the Farm Fresh Milk Act in Maryland last year, which would have reinvigorated struggling small dairy farms by recognizing their right to sell milk direct to consumers at the farm gate. Hundreds of Maryland families participated in lobbying efforts in support of the bill, and yet it was killed in committee (by a very close vote) because of the bureaucrats’ dire warnings of an imminent threat to public health. In Pennsylvania, an aggressive anti-raw milk stance has created a hostile atmosphere for over 100 family farms. Pennsylvania raw milk farms practice humane animal husbandry and consequently offer a superior product to thousands of consumers, many of whom consume raw milk for its healing qualities. Bill Chirdon, the director of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, is spearheading a pathogen witch hunt that appears to be aimed at chilling consumer demand for raw dairy. Through stepped up inspection schedules and a flurry of negative press releases warning of pathogens in raw milk in 2008, Chirdon has managed to damage farmer’s livelihoods, thus raising the ire of consumers and farmers alike. Taking a guilty until proven innocent attitude toward one dairy farmer in a recent case, he even issued a press release pinning blame for several illnesses on the dairy, prior to the return of official test results. When the test results came back negative, he proceeded to withhold the release of the results to the media. At the same time, he disseminated another press release, which claimed a pathogen was found in an opened milk container from a sick household. Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund board member, Ted Beals, M.D., a pathologist and former laboratory chief says that the testing of an opened container, especially from a sick household, is an unacceptable test. An opened container may be cross-contaminated, and this is even more likely to happen in a home where there is illness. Releasing these unorthodox test results to the media totally eclipsed the PDA’s subsequent announcement that the official test results for pathogens came back negative. The dairy had been exonerated, yet the public’s perception remained that it was risky to buy raw milk. Consumer choice and the survival of family farms, particularly those who practice traditional and sustainable farming methods, are under siege by government policies informed by institutional bias against unprocessed milk. Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation www.westonaprice.org and the nation’s leading champion of raw dairy for its nutritional benefits, www.realmilk.com has a dire warning of her own. “The right to produce and consume raw dairy is vital to the health of the family farm and our citizens. The future of sustainable agriculture and the health of our nation depend on a new paradigm that respects the essential liberties of farmers and consumers.” Bureaucrats and Big Business with wanton disregard for our freedoms, may stir up such resistance that they end up stimulating demand for raw dairy, rather than curbing sales. Their campaign of oppression may be just what we need to bring that new paradigm about. Kimberly Hartke is a raw dairy consumer in Virginia. Virginia outlawed retail and farm sales of raw milk, so her family had to buy a share of a cow in order to have access to farm fresh milk. She is now the publicist for the Weston A. Price Foundation, which suggests raw dairy from pasture-raised cows can heal many health problems. Visit her blog: www.hartkeonline.blogspot.com. |
Learning God's Healthy way to a better Life!
Personal Liberties at Stake in Raw Milk Issue
5 Ways to Keep Bisphenol A, or BPA, Out of Your Food
With studies stacking up against the chemical, here's what you need to know to lower your exposure
With yesterday's study linking bisphenol A—a chemical in hard plastics and the linings of food and beverage cans—to diabetes and heart disease, you may be wondering what you can do to minimize your exposure. The Environmental Working Group last year conducted an analysis of BPA in various canned foods and found the amount varies widely depending on the food. Condensed milk, for instance, has relatively little BPA, while infant formula has a lot more—about one fifth the safe dose limit set by the Food and Drug Administration. Of course, the potential risk also depends on how much you consume. Canned soda has less BPA per serving than some other foods, but if you're having a six pack a day...
Here are some good rules of thumb for reducing your intake of BPA.
1. Buy your tomato sauce in glass jars. Canned tomato sauce is likely to have higher levels of BPA because the high acidity of the tomatoes causes more of the chemical to leach from the lining of the can. Think beyond plain tomato sauce to any canned pasta—like ravioli and those fun-looking kids' meals.
2. Consume frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables instead of canned. In addition to their BPA-free benefit, fresh and frozen produce usually have more nutrients, which often get lost in the process of canning. Eden Foods does offer canned beans that are BPA-free.
3. Purchase beverages in plastic or glass bottles. Canned soda and juice often contain some BPA. You don't need to worry, though, about disposable plastic water bottles. Most don't contain bisphenol A, and those that do are usually marked on the bottom with a number 7 recycling code.
4. Use powdered infant formula instead of ready-to-serve liquid. A separate assessment from the Environmental Working Group found that liquid formulas contain more BPA than powdered brands.
5. Think in terms of moderation. You don't need to avoid all canned foods. Just consult the chart below and follow a sensible approach, eating less of those foods that are high in BPA. Click here for the full report on canned foods.
Even Occasional Smoking Harms Arteries
Even occasional cigarette smoking can impair the functioning of your arteries, according to a new University of Georgia study that used ultrasound to measure how the arteries of young, healthy adults respond to changes in blood flow.
“Most people know that if they have a cigarette or two over the weekend that it’s not good for their arteries,” said study co-author Kevin McCully, a professor of kinesiology in the UGA College of Education, “but what they may not be aware of—and what our study shows—is that the decrease in function persists into the next week, if not longer.”
Previous studies have shown reductions in the arterial health of people who smoke regularly, McCully said, but what’s surprising about his finding is that the study subjects were occasional smokers (less than a pack a week) who had not smoked for at least two days before their ultrasound. The study, which appears in the early online edition of the journal Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, found that the arteries of occasional smokers were 36 percent less responsive to changes in blood flow than non-smokers. ....More
Also See: Thank You for Smoking
Get 2 1/2 Hours of Exercise Each Week
Adults should aim to get in 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week and children should run and play for at least an hour a day, according to new exercise guidelines issued by the U.S. government on Tuesday.
The guidelines, meant to be akin to the "Food Pyramid" nutritional advice, are based on studies that show clear health benefits from regular, moderate exercise.
"More than 59 percent of adults don't get enough physical activity and a quarter of adults aren't active at all in their leisure time," Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said in a telephone interview. ....more
Warning Highlights Dangers of Microwaving
 |
OMAHA, Neb. -- Zapping frozen meals in the microwave may be fast and easy, but it also can make you sick if it's not done properly.
That message has been slow to catch on, despite a spate of illnesses last year from improperly microwaved frozen foods. On Sunday, the government issued a new warning urging consumers to thoroughly cook frozen chicken dinners after 32 people in 12 states were sickened with salmonella poisoning.
"Given how people use microwaves, it's great for reheating, but maybe not so good for cooking," said Doug Powell, scientific director of the International Food Safety Network based at Kansas State University. ....more
Red Wine Cuts Lung Cancer Risk
| ||
Enjoying a glass or two of red wine daily may slash your risk of developing lung cancer by 60 percent if you’re a smoker. A study published in the October issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, found that moderate consumption of red wine lowered the risk of lung cancer in men. “An antioxidant compound in red wine may be protective of lung cancer, particularly among smokers,” said Chun Chao, Ph.D., a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Department of Research and Evaluation in Pasadena, California. The study collected information on over 84,000 men aged 45 to 69 years old in California’s healthcare system. Scientists measured the effects of beer, white wine, red wine and liquor on the risk of developing lung cancer. Factors such as race, education, body mass index, and smoking history were also considered. The researchers found that for every glass of red wine consumed each month, the risk of developing lung cancer dropped by two percent. The biggest reduction was seen in smokers who drank one or two glasses of red wine daily. Their risk was reduced by 60 percent. Beer, white wine and liquor had no measureable effect. “Red wine is known to contain high levels of antioxidants,” said Chao. "There is a compound called resveratrol that is very rich in red wine because it is derived from the grape skin. This compound has shown significant health benefits in preclinical studies.” Researchers warn that their findings shouldn’t encourage heavy drinking and
also noted that even smokers who drank red wine had a higher risk of lung cancer
than non-smokers. www.newsmax.com |
Putting a fan in baby's room might fight SIDS
Having your baby sleep on his back is still the best way to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, but a new study suggests that using a fan in the room can help, too.
The study, published in October's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that running a fan appears to reduce the risk of SIDS, the leading cause of death for babies 1 month to 1 year old.
The cause of SIDS remains unknown. But re-inhaling exhaled gases, such as carbon dioxide, during sleep has been identified as a possible cause.
"It is conceivable that increasing room ventilation by using a fan helps to disperse accumulated carbon dioxide ... around the nose and mouth," the study authors wrote.
Nationally, deaths from SIDS have dropped by more than half since 1992, with parents heeding doctors' recommendation to place babies on their backs to sleep. Still, an estimated 2,500 infants nationwide die each year.
The study found that, in rooms where the temperature was above 69 degrees, having a fan on lowered the odds of SIDS by 94 percent.
The research was based on a survey of 185 mothers of infants with a confirmed diagnosis of SIDS and mothers of more than 300 randomly selected infants.....more
Young Kids Shouldn't Have Hamsters, Exotic Pets
That's according to the nation's leading pediatricians' group in a new report about dangers from exotic animals.
Besides evidence that they can carry dangerous and sometimes potentially deadly germs, exotic pets may be more prone than cats and dogs to bite, scratch or claw — putting children younger than 5 particularly at risk, the report says.
Young children are vulnerable because of developing immune systems plus they often put their hands in their mouths.
Asian/White Couples Face Specific Pregnancy Risks
Pregnant women who are part of an Asian-white couple face an increased risk of gestational diabetes as compared with couples in which both partners are white, according to a new study from Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine.
The researchers also found that Asian women whose partners are white are more likely than white women with Asian or white partners to have a caesarean delivery, as part of a broad analysis of perinatal outcomes among Asian, white and Asian-white couples.
The study will be published in the October issue of American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The findings, the authors say, could benefit clinicians working with an increasingly diverse patient population.
"There's great heterogeneity in our country; there are people of many different races and backgrounds," said co-author Yasser El-Sayed, MD, a Packard Children's Hospital obstetrician and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the medical school. "Gaining better insight into the risks facing specific populations provides for better counseling and better prenatal care."
It's difficult to estimate the prevalence of Asian-white couples, but 14.3 percent of Americans reporting Asian race in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2000 survey also reported being of mixed Asian-white ancestry. Although past studies have looked at ethnic differences in perinatal outcomes, the majority of research has focused on white- African-American couples. Few studies have focused specifically on Asian-white couples, said El-Sayed, who is also associate chief of maternal-fetal medicine.
To learn more about outcomes and risks in this population, the researchers looked at data from white, Asian and Asian-white couples who delivered at the Johnson Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Services at Packard Children's from 2000 through 2005. (During that time period, 5,575 white, 3,226 Asian and 868 Asian-white couples delivered babies at the hospital.) The team recorded the type of delivery - caesarean vs. vaginal - and examined perinatal outcomes including gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery and birth weight.
El-Sayed and his colleagues found, as noted in their paper, that Asian- white couples "represent a population with distinct perinatal risks that differ depending upon which parent is of Asian race."
More specifically, the researchers found that white mother/Asian father couples had the lowest rate (23 percent) of caesarean delivery, while Asian mother/white father couples had the highest rate (33.2 percent). Because birth weights between these two groups were similar, the researchers say the findings suggest that the average Asian woman's pelvis may be smaller than the average white woman's and less able to accommodate babies of a certain size. (Asian couples had babies with the lowest median birth weight, so caesarean delivery was less common among those women.)
It's important for clinicians to know which women may have an increased risk of caesarean delivery, so they can conduct proper counseling prior to childbirth, El-Sayed said.
El-Sayed and his colleagues also found that the incidence of gestational diabetes was lowest among white couples at 1.61 percent and highest among Asian couples at 5.73 percent - and just under 4 percent for Asian-white couples. These findings weren't altogether surprising: past studies have shown an increased risk of diabetes among Asian couples, which researchers attribute to an underlying genetic predisposition. But the interesting finding, El-Sayed said, was that the risk for interracial couples was about the same regardless of which parent was Asian.
Based on their findings, El-Sayed said clinicians should consider both maternal and paternal race when determining a patient's risk for perinatal complications. "One has to factor in as many relevant variables as possible when you counsel a patient about pregnancy," he said. "We've shown in this paper that if you have an interracial couple, depending on which parent is of which race, there may be different relative risks of certain outcomes that could inform and enhance clinical management."
Anti-obesity drug bites the dust
The search for anti-obesity drugs got a setback with Merck's announcement Thursday that the company has ended obesity research on its experimental drug taranabant. According to a statement from the company, though phase three results showed it did help people lose weight, it also had too many side effects. Here's the company's Oct. 2 statement.
Taranabant is a chemical that blocks a receptor in the brain that is activated by THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. (Readers may be aware that partaking of marijuana stimulates the appetite; conversely, blocking the brain receptor through which this effect occurs might be expected to have an anti-munchie effect.) But the receptor blocked by taranabant is widely distributed in the brain and presumably involved in a variety of brain processes. Plus it's also found in certain other tissues of the body, including fat cells and the adrenal, thyroid and pituitary glands. So it's not surprising the drug would have other effects unrelated to appetite.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, "The company said Thursday that both effectiveness and side effects are dependent on dose levels, with higher doses producing greater effectiveness but more adverse events. Essentially, Merck wasn't able to find a dose level that adequately minimizes risk while helping people lose weight to a significant degree."
This isn't the first anti-obesity drug developed that acts on cannabinoid receptors. Another, Sanofi-Aventis' rimonabant (Accomplia), is available in some countries in Europe but hasn't received FDA approval in the U.S.; in 2007 an FDA advisory committee recommended against approval because of side effect concerns.
-- Rosie Mestel
Be Careful Which Breakfast Cereals Your Kids Eat
It is important for parents to pay attention to the report, set to be published in the November issue of Consumer Reports.
The report looked at 27 different brands of cereal, and found that 11 were loaded with sugar, as much as a glazed doughnut in just one serving.
Cereals which were found to have more than 50% sugar by weight included Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, Kraft Foods Inc’s Post Golden Crisp, as well as others.
Other cereals loaded with sugar included Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Rice Krispies, Apple Jacks, and Cocoa Krispies.
Cereal has been touted as a great source of carbs, vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc, but not with this much sugar.
The cereals which rated the best were General Mills’ Cheerios, Kix, Honey Nut Cheerios, as well as Quaker Oats’ Life.
Rodent of the week: When mice overeat
Previous research has shown that over-nutrition causes an inflammatory response in many tissues in the body. This inflammation can lead to diseases like diabetes. A particular molecular compound called IKKbeta/NK-kappaB is known to promote this inflammation. But by giving mice loads of sugar or fat, the same molecular compound was activated in their brains. That, in turn, caused dysfunctions in the way they handled nutrition, such as changes in the important metabolic hormones insulin and leptin. Insulin lowers blood sugar while leptin controls appetite.
Researchers think that this normally inactive pathway in the brain may have been important in our evolutionary past, perhaps by boosting the body's immunity. But it's definitely something modern-day humans want to avoid. So go easy on that never-ending pasta bowl.
"In today's society, this pathway is mobilized by a different environmental challenge -- over-nutrition," said Dongsheng Cai, the lead author of the study. "The pathway leads to a number of dysfunctions."
The study also found that treatments that prevent the activity of IKKbeta/NF-kappaB in the animals' brains protected them from obesity. Scientists now hope they can create treatments to block this pathway in humans. The study was published in the journal Cell.
-- Shari Roan
Top Psychiatrist Didn’t Report Drug Makers’ Pay
One of the nation’s most influential psychiatrists earned more than $2.8 million in consulting arrangements with drug makers from 2000 to 2007, failed to report at least $1.2 million of that income to his university and violated federal research rules, according to documents provided to Congressional investigators.More...
Toxic Chemicals Common in Baby Products
The study, “Killer Cribs: Protecting Infants and Children from Toxic Exposure,” found that these toxic chemicals, called halogenated fire retardants, appear in a high percentage of baby products, including portable cribs, strollers, car seats and infant carriers. Due to their prevalence in common household products, these chemicals have been found in breast milk and in children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to the health effects of these chemicals as they impact development at critical stages of growth.
“We’re poisoning our children, one crib at a time,” said Russell Long, Vice-President of Friends of the Earth. “Given the clear links to learning disorders and reproductive problems, this is beyond foolish. Fortunately, there are fire-safe alternatives, but the chemical industry is fighting hard to keep its profits at the expense of our kids.”
Friends of the Earth’s Sara Schedler, the report’s lead author said, “We sampled a wide variety of children’s products, and what we found was alarming. Toxic chemicals are being put into products that children and babies interact with on a regular basis, endangering their health. The government must act now to limit these chemicals’ use, and companies should immediately phase them of their products.”
The largest state in the nation may soon enact safeguards. A bill sponsored by California Assemblyman Mark Leno (AB 706) would end the use of these dangerous chemicals in many products and has already passed the California Assembly. Action is pending on the California Senate floor.
“Kids shouldn’t have to sleep on or play with toxic products that could cause long-term damage to their health,” Leno said. “Our bill would help ensure they don’t.”more..
Overeating Makes Brain Go Haywire
Overeating makes the brain go haywire, prompting a cascade of damage that may cause diabetes, heart disease and other ills, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.more..
Saliva Ingredient Helps Heal Wounds, Report Says
Human saliva contains a compound that greatly speeds wound healing, according to scientists from The Netherlands.
The scientists' report, published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org), may offer hope to people suffering from chronic wounds related to diabetes and other disorders, as well as traumatic injuries and burns. In addition, the fact that the compound can be mass produced means it has the potential to become as common as antibiotic creams and rubbing alcohol.
"We hope our finding is ultimately beneficial for people who suffer from non-healing wounds, such as foot ulcers and diabetic ulcers, as well as for treatment of trauma-induced wounds like burns," said Menno Oudhoff, first author of the report.
Specifically, scientists found that histatin, a small protein in saliva previously believed to kill only bacteria, was responsible for the healing. The researchers used epithelial cells that line the inner cheek and cultured in dishes until the surfaces were completely covered with cells. Then they made an artificial wound in the cell layer in each dish, by scratching a small piece of the cells away.
In one dish, cells were bathed in an isotonic fluid without any additions. In the other dish, cells were bathed in human saliva.
After 16 hours the scientists noticed that the saliva-treated "wound" was almost completely closed. In the dish with the untreated "wound," a substantial part of it was still open.
This proved that human saliva contains a factor which accelerates wound closure of oral cells. Because saliva is a complex liquid with many components, the next step was to identify which component was responsible for wound healing. Using various techniques the researchers split the saliva into its individual components, tested each in their wound model, and finally determined that histatin was responsible.
"This study not only answers the biological question of why animals lick their wounds," said Gerald Weissmann, MD, editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal, "it also explains why wounds in the mouth, like those of a tooth extraction, heal much faster than comparable wounds of the skin and bone. It also directs us to begin looking at saliva as a source for new drugs."
High rate of C-section births is health concern for women
Both the law and respect for women's humanity require that every pregnant woman be fully informed of the risks of all forms of labor and delivery in a language she can understand; that she be supported in her decisions about how to bring her children into the world, whether it be in a hospital, a birthing center or at home; and that she not be penalized for those decisions either medically or legally.
In addition to the potential health risks of the surgery, women who have C-sections face consequences that even conscientious health care providers may not recognize or discuss with their patients.
In many parts of this state, having one C-section delivery will require another at a subsequent birth, even over the objection of the pregnant woman and her doctor. Several Washington hospitals refuse to allow doctors to provide labor and delivery services to pregnant women who have had a previous C-section unless those women submit to a second C-section delivery.
Those hospitals claim they cannot allow those women to have the same care they provide to all other pregnant women because the small additional risk of uterine rupture requires an anesthesiologist on staff 24 hours per day. It is difficult to credit this claim, given that most if not all of those hospitals have emergency departments open 24 hours per day, and that other pregnant women are also at risk of complications during labor and delivery that may necessitate emergency surgery.
Frequently, there is no alternative hospital within a safe distance, or the pregnant woman's insurance (or lack thereof) limits her ability to seek care at another location. A pregnant woman must either submit to a subsequent C-section, whether she thinks it is a wise medical decision or not, or deliver her baby outside the hospital. For those women who do not want a home birth, or who cannot have one because of lack of health insurance coverage or lack of available midwives within a safe distance of home, this is coercion, not consent.
Insurance practices also harm women who have had C-section surgeries. The New York Times recently reported that health insurance companies have denied coverage to women who have had C-section deliveries, calling the surgery a "pre-existing condition." And here in Washington, midwives struggle to obtain insurance that will cover their care for women who have had a previous C-section.
Policies and practices that force pregnant women to submit to unnecessary surgery cannot be justified. We would never countenance that practice for any other patient. Pointing to potential risk to the baby does not justify ignoring the mother's decisions about her medical care.
Such reasoning inappropriately views a pregnant woman's decision about her and her baby's needs as suspect, and it ignores her legal rights as a patient. All pregnant women, whether they view birth as a natural event only rarely needing medical intervention, or whether they willingly accept medical assistance with the birth process, have the legal right to informed consent and to direct the experience of bringing their children into the world.
Amendment 48: It's dangerous to women
According to Kristi Burton, the spokeswoman for Amendment 48, it's about "the power of truth." The truth, however, is that this amendment will be devastating to pregnant women and dangerous for both maternal and fetal health.
Constitutional law ensures that people — including pregnant women — have the right to make their own health-care decisions. Yet, it is clear that if fetuses are recognized as legal persons, pregnant women could very likely lose these constitutionally protected rights. That's because laws like this one enable the state to intervene in pregnant women's lives.
For example, in Washington, D.C., doctors sought a court order to force Ayesha Madyun to have a C-section, claiming the fetus faced a 50 to 75 percent chance of infection if not delivered surgically. The court said, "All that stood between the Madyun fetus and its independent existence, separate from its mother, was — put simply — a doctor's scalpel." With that, the court granted the order. When the procedure was done, there was no evidence of infection.
In Florida, Laura Pemberton wanted to have a vaginal birth after a previous C-section. Her doctors believed that her fetus had a right to be born by a C-section. A sheriff came to her house, took her into custody while she was in active labor, strapped her legs together and forced her to go to a hospital, where they were holding a hearing about the rights of the fetus. A lawyer was appointed for her fetus but not for her. She was forced to have a C-section. Pemberton subsequently gave birth vaginally to four more children, defying the medical and court predictions of harm.
In each case, state intervention was based on the claim that fetuses had separate legal rights — exactly the ones Amendment 48 would establish in Colorado. But these forced interventions or deprivations of liberty did not actually protect mothers or babies.
If the amendment passes, Colorado's juvenile courts will have jurisdiction whenever doctors or family members disagree with a pregnant woman's medical decisions. A woman's right to bodily integrity, due process, and even life itself will disappear in the face of fetal personhood claims.
To oppose the recognition of fetal personhood as a matter of state constitutional law is not to deny the value of potential life as matter of religious belief, emotional conviction or personal experience. Rather, it is to recognize that rewriting the state constitution to include human beings from the moment of fertilization is to exclude women from the moment they become pregnant.
L. Indra Lusero is LUZ Reproductive Justice Think Tank J.D. Candidate,
University of Denver School of Law, and Lynn M. Paltrow is executive director of
National Advocates for Pregnant Women.
New Survey Reveals Women Are Unaware of the Dangers of Surgical Adhesions
Red Bank, NJ - Although more than half of the country's women will have some type of pelvic surgery and are therefore at risk for surgical adhesions, a survey released this month by the not-for-profit National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) finds that women are largely unaware of the health risks associated with adhesions.
Surgical adhesions occur when tissue in the abdominal cavity adheres, or gets stuck to other tissue. Adhesions commonly form following pelvic surgeries, such as hysterectomy, tubal ligation, cesarean section, and cyst removal. Left untreated, adhesions can cause infertility, abdominal pain, and bowel obstruction.
The survey of 1,000 women showed respondents strongly believe women should be informed about surgical adhesions prior to surgery (69%). Conversely, an overwhelming majority of women (80%) who had pelvic surgery were not informed about adhesions prior to their surgery. Of the women in the survey who suffer from adhesions, seven out of ten (70%) say they would have taken special precautions to protect themselves from getting adhesions if they had been aware of possible adhesion-related complications.
Susan Jones*, a human resources director and mother of three from McLean, Virginia, has experience with the long-term effects adhesions can have on a person's health. All of Jones's children were delivered by cesarean section. Due to adhesions caused by these three surgeries, she suffers from reoccurring abdominal pain and has been advised not to have any more children because of the increased difficulty of delivering a baby surrounded by such a large amount of scar tissue.
"My first c-section only took about 10 minutes for the doctor to get the baby out," said Jones. "My second c-section took nearly 45 minutes and my final c-section took nearly an hour and a half. My doctor had such a hard time maneuvering around the scar tissue to get to my baby."
"If I had known about adhesions," continued Jones, "I would have talked to my doctor about what can be done to reduce my risk for getting them."
Like Ms. Jones, half (51%) of survey respondents were not aware that preventative measures can be taken to lower your risk of adhesions and an even higher proportion (68%) of women that had undergone surgery did not know if their surgeon took specific steps to guard against adhesions.
"Preventive measures to reduce the incidence of adhesions are the mainstay of limiting the complications related to adhesions," stated Dr. Glenn Schattman, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. "These include using minimally invasive surgical procedures, meticulous surgical technique, keeping tissues moist, reducing bleeding and the use of adjuvant adhesions prevention barriers to keep the tissues from sticking to each other."
"It's important to understand that once adhesions form, they are hard to get rid of," continued Dr. Schattman. "Adhesions can cause blockages of the intestines, fallopian tubes causing infertility and pain."
When faced with pelvic surgery, women said they were most concerned about short-term surgical issues such as the general recovery process (60%), immediate surgical results (59%) and post surgical pain (59%).
"Along with their immediate post-surgery concerns, women need to make adhesions part of the pre-surgery dialogue with their health care provider," stated Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive vice president of the NWHRC. "We hope that this adhesion awareness campaign can give women the tools they need to understand the health risks of adhesions and how to protect themselves from this life-long internal scarring."
To provide women the information they need about ways to minimize the risk of surgical adhesions, the NWHRC has developed a one-page fast facts on adhesions and an in-depth Guide to Preparing for Gynecologic Surgery. The guide includes sections entitled:
- All About Adhesions
- Preparing for Surgery Checklist
- Choosing a Surgeon
- After Your Surgery
To download your complimentary online copy of the Guide to Preparing for Gynecologic Surgery, "Fast Facts for Your Health: Pelvic Adhesions" or to learn more about the adhesion survey, please visit NWHRC's award-winning Web site, www.healthywomen.org. The survey and campaign materials were made possible through support from Ethicon Women's Health & Urology, a division of ETHICON, Inc.
Popular Supplements Glucosamine and Chondroitin No Good for Arthritis
Popular dietary supplements – glucosamine and chondroitin
sulfate – proved no better than placebos in treating people suffering from
osteoarthritis, a two years study published in the journal Arthritis &
Rheumatism revealed.
The study is a follow-up to a large 2006 National Institutes
of Health-funded study, which was designed to look whether supplements did a
better job than sugar pills or the arthritis pain medication Celebrex in reducing
pain in osteoarthritis patients. But the study found no improvement in those
given supplements. The study was called GAIT (Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis
Intervention Trial) and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in
2006.
At the end of the study, the researchers continued to watch
572 volunteers for another 18 months and found the supplements did not appear
to slow the loss of cartilage, taken either alone or together. More exactly,
arthritis worsened in 24 percent of participants taking both, similar to those
taking placebo.
“We don’t have good evidence that it (glucosamine and
chondroitin sulfate combination) slows (disease) progression,” rheumatologist
Allen Sawitzke, professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah
and head investigator, said.
The study comes like a slap in the face of supplements’
makers. The combination glucosamine – chondroitin sulfate is the sixth-top-selling
dietary supplement in the United
States, with annual sales of $831 million
last year, according to the “Nutrition Business Journal.”
However, Dr. Sawitzke said he would neither encourage nor
discourage patients from taking the supplements.
"We didn't run into safety issues, so if a patient
wants to try them, I don't see a reason to say no. But I can't recommend it;
there's no supportive data that says it works," he said.
According to the most recent figures made public by the Arthritis
Foundation, osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, currently
affects 27 million of the 46 million people in the United States with arthritis. In
addition, one in two Americans are at risk for knee osteoarthritis over their
lifetime.
Osteoarthritis
(OA), also called osteoarthroses or degenerative joint disease, is the most
common type of arthritis. OA is a chronic condition characterized by the
breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that
cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The
breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing
stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint. OA typically affects only
certain joints, such as the hips, hands, knees, low back and neck. After the
age of 50, women are more often affected by OA than men. There are not known
cause of OA but certain factors such as heredity, overweight, joint injury,
repeated overuse of certain joints, lack of physical activity, nerve injury and
aging increase the risk of developing OA.
Arthritis and related conditions, such as OA, cost the U.S. economy nearly $128 billion per year in medical care and indirect expenses, including lost wages and productivity.
© 2007 - 2008 - eFluxMedia
FDA: No Lou Gehrig's disease risk with statins
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it reviewed 41 long-term controlled clinical trials after receiving a higher- than-expected number of reports of Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in patients who were treated with the cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Millions of people around the world take statins, including Pfizer Inc's Lipitor and AstraZeneca Plc's Crestor.
FDA researchers found that nine out of about 64,000 patients treated with statins were diagnosed with ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disease, during long-term clinical trials. That compared with 10 of 56,000 patients who got placebos.
"The results show no increased incidence of the disease in patients treated with a statin compared with placebo," an FDA statement said.
Dr. Mark Avigan, director of pharmacovigilance in the FDA's drug center, said the finding was "reassuring," but added that "given the extensive use of this class of drugs and the serious nature of ALS, continued study of this issue is warranted."
Results from another study by researchers at Stanford University and the health insurer Kaiser Permanente should be available in six to nine months, the FDA said. The agency also is considering additional studies of its own.
The FDA analysis was published in the journal Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.
AstraZeneca spokeswoman Donna Huang said the company's own monitoring and reviews of medical literature "has not identified a causal relationship between ALS and the use of Crestor." More than 13 million patients worldwide have been prescribed the drug, she said.
Pistachios are Heart Healthy
Going green may be heart healthy if the green you choose is pistachio nuts, according to researchers at Penn State who conducted the first study to investigate the way pistachios lower cholesterol.
"We investigated mechanisms of action to explain the cholesterol-lowering effects of the pistachio diets," says Sarah K. Gebauer, recent Penn State Ph.D. recipient, currently a post-doctoral research associate, USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center.
The researchers conducted a randomized, crossover design, controlled feeding experiment to test the effects of pistachios added to a heart healthy moderate-fat diet on cardiovascular disease risk factors. Controlled feeding experiments provide all the food eaten by study subjects for the duration of the study segment.
The participants began the study by eating a typical American diet consisting of 35 percent total fat and 11 percent saturated fat for two weeks. They then tested three diets for four weeks each with about a two-week break between each diet. All three diets were variations on the Step I Diet, a cholesterol-lowering diet in general use. The diets included, as a control, a Step I Diet with no pistachios and about 25 percent total fat and 8 percent saturated fat. The pistachio enhanced diets were Step I Diets with 10 and 20 percent of the energy supplied by pistachio nuts, respectively. The 10 percent pistachio diet had 30 percent total fat and 8 percent saturated fat and the 20 percent pistachio diet had 34 percent total fat and 8 percent saturated fat.
The participants ate half their pistachios as a snack and the rest incorporated into meals.
The researchers report in the most recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that "Inclusion of pistachios in a healthy diet beneficially affects cardiovascular disease risk factors in a dose-dependent manner, which may reflect effects on Stearoyl CoA Desaturase (SCD). " The researchers used the ratio of two fatty acids, 16:1 and 16:0 in plasma as a marker for SCD, an enzyme that is involved in the body's synthesis of fatty acids.
"SCD is an important enzyme involved in cholesterol metabolism," says Gebauer.
They found the ratio of 16:1/16:0 was significantly lower, suggesting a decrease in SCD activity, after eating the 20 percent energy pistachio diet compared to the control diet which had no pistachios. Also, the change in the 16:1/16:0 ratio was correlated with the change in cholesterol, suggesting that SCD activity may contribute to the lipid-lowering effects of pistachios. That, accompanied by the dose-dependent effects of the pistachios, begins to unravel the way in which pistachios improve cardiovascular health.
Compared to the control diet, the 20 percent pistachio diet lowered LDL cholesterol -- bad cholesterol -- about 12 percent and the 10 percent energy pistachio diet lowered LDL cholesterol by 9 percent that suggests a 9 to 12 percent decrease in coronary heart disease risk. The relationships of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol may be more powerful predictors of cardiovascular risk. The effects of the 10 and 20 percent energy diets showed a dose dependent effect on these ratios.
However, the researchers note that the reduction in LDL cholesterol observed was seven times greater than would be expected from only the fatty acid profile of pistachios. They suggest that the lipid lowering effects not only reflect the fatty acid profile of the diet, but also are the result of other bioactive substances in pistachios, perhaps phytosterols and fiber.
"Our study has shown that pistachios, eaten with a heart healthy diet, may
decrease a person's CVD risk profile, says Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished
professor of nutrition and primary investigator of the study."
Melamine found in sauce packets from Taiwan's Pizza Hut
Statins Harm Skeletal Muscles
A new study confirms that cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) have adverse effects on skeletal muscles, which are the muscles that allow the body to move. The study, conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, found that statin drugs cause muscle cramping, fatigue, and potential myopathy (weakness).More..
Brits Say No Ritalin for Tots
Parents should be taught how to cope with hyperactive youngsters and Ritalin should only be prescribed as a last resort and never given to the under-fives, a health watchdog said Wednesday.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued new guidelines on how to cope with unruly youngsters suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The disorder affects 365,000 children in Britain, and youngsters with ADHD are easily distracted, forgetful and have difficulty keeping still.
Doctors have prescribed Ritalin -- which can cause insomnia, weight loss, nausea and an erratic heartbeat -- to 37,000 children, but NICE says parents should instead be taught how to create a structured home environment, encourage attentiveness and deal properly with misbehaviour.
NICE -- which examines the cost-effectiveness of particular treatments by the NHS -- said drugs still remain the first option for children over five with severe ADHD, but only as part of a broad treatment plan.
"Quite commonly, people tend to revert to offering methylphenidate or atomoxetene...because the child has got what appears to be ADHD and that's what's available," said Tim Kendall -- the joint director of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health which assisted NICE in framing the new guidelines.
"Its easier to prescribe a drug when other options like parent training programmes are not available," he added.
The ADHD charity ADDISS questioned the new guidelines.
"Parenting programmes are extremely important, but they need to be specific for ADHD. The ones that NICE are recommending were designed for the parents of children with conduct disorder, which is completely different from ADHD," said ADDISS chief executive Andrea Bilbow.
Copyright AFP
Chlorinated Pools Boost Asthma Risk 5 Times
Swimming in outdoor chlorinated pools appears to increase the odds a child will develop asthma, Belgian researchers said on Thursday. ..more...
Herbal Remedy May Be Natural Viagra
Move over, Viagra! Researchers in Italy report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as “horny goat weed” shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The study, which provides scientific evidence supporting the herb’s well-known use as a natural aphrodisiac, is scheduled for the October 24 issue of ACS’ Journal of Natural Products, a monthly publication.
In the new study, Mario Dell’Agli and colleagues point out that Viagra (sildenafil) and several other prescription drugs are now available for ED, or male impotence. ED affects an estimated 18 million men in the United States alone. Studies show, however, that these drugs may cause side effects such as headache, facial flushing, stomach upset, and visual disturbances.
To find better treatments, the scientists studied herbal extracts reputed to
improve sexual performance. Scientists exposed the substances to an enzyme that
controls blood flow to the penis and whose inhibition results in an erection. Of
the extracts tested, “horny goat weed” was the most potent inhibitor of the
enzyme. By chemical modification of icariin, the active ingredient purified from
the extract, the scientists obtained a derivative with activity similar to
Viagra and a potential for fewer side effects because it targeted the protein
more precisely than sildenafil.
source: www.newsmax.com
Why God Wants Us To Fast on the Day of Atonement
Why would God want us to fast, and is fasting any good for us even to do? God commanded HIS people to fast at least once a year on the Day of Atonement, but are we do follow the old Law? Does fasting, and the Day of Atonement apply to modern Christians today?
The benefits of fasting:
Almost every expert admits that fasting of some sort is good for the human body and many studies make a claim that persons that fast live longer, healthier and happier lives. The physical exhilaration during the fasting, produces a sensation of delight in most sections of the body. A person feels more pleasure in fasting than in eating food. One begins feeling a dislike for food. So, people that fast appear calm, contented and happy from the start of their fasts, because they feel restful. Most individuals feel very little to no pain during fasting. There are some patients that fasting could be harmful for. They are the weak, elderly and sick. God wants us all to fast, but accepts any type of fast that we can do. GOD READS OUR HEARTS and not our bellies. Do the best you can do for your condition and God will reward you.
However, many researches have shown that weak persons should not be afraid of fasting, because their weight will increase rather than decrease. The weight of such persons can be increased by giving them a little food during the fasts. Therefore, it is incorrect to infer that fasting benefits just obese persons. Occasionally, weakness is experienced during the fasts, because the ordinary bodily processes that are slightly blocked. The organs and the tissues of the body have an chance to rest during the fasting. Therefore, they, too, work slowly. The heart throbs at a slower rate, blood circulation is slower, breathing is less, and the muscles of the body reduce their work. Especially, the tired, sick body feels relief and rests. This is the desired condition. The body regains its full strength, after it is cleansed. The feeling of energy is experienced after the fasts, long before the food intake is started. This is why, a little weakness for a few days should not be considered when compared with the physical advantages accrued through the fasts. Your doctor can help you on this. (Source:www.healthguidance.org/authors/371/Krishan-Bakhru)
Persons that are addicted to alcoholic drinks or smoking and those who always take very spicy foods, feel many more troubles in the early days of fasting. In the absence of such things which they have to skip, they feel nervous, angry, etc. Furthermore, they vomit and do not sleep well. Uneasiness and pain is felt in the body. They suffer from severe headache. This painful situation does exist for some days. Therefore, it is not proper to be apprehensive about it and break the fast. After some days the situation changes and the patient returns to his normal condition.
Herbert Armstrong wrote some sixty years ago: "First, its connection with PHYSICAL HEALTH. Most people have come to believe today that it is NATURAL for people to be sick. THAT IS NOT TRUE! Sickness and disease is not natural, or accidental, but caused in every case by destructive habits. Sickness and disease cannot be eradicated until good habits -- living according to NATURE'S LAWS as set in motion by Creator -- are substituted for bad ones. Bad habits of thought may be a contributing cause to sickness and disease or impaired health. Insufficient exercise, lack of drinking enough pure water, lack of deep breathing of fresh air, lack of sunshine, lack of sleep, faulty elimination, often contribute to poor health. But above all WRONG FOOD is the great outstanding cause. Few people realize this. Doctors seldom tell people this vital truth. Yet the nation's most famous physicians and surgeons -- men like Dr. McCollum of Johns Hopkins, the famous Mayo brothers, Dr. Sherman -- later Senator Sherman of New York, Dr. Kellogg and others -- estimate that from 90 to 95 of all sickness and disease are caused by faulty diet. Dietitians have exclaimed that the average American table is a dietetic horror! People eat things they would never thing of feeding their cows or their dogs. God has revealed to us which animal meats He created to be properly digestible in the human stomach, Leviticus 11. Some day we will learn to our astonishment that the eating of filthy swine's flesh has been a major cause of cancer, fast becoming the nation's number one killer! I want, as soon as we can enlarge The PLAIN TRUTH to 16 pages or more, to have an interesting, vigorous article every month on FOOD, and on sickness, disease, and the laws of health. We can SIN physically as well as spiritually. We sin physically by breaking nature's laws -- the laws of God established for physical health. The penalty of this physical sinning is sickness, suffering, pain, and often the first death. The penaltyfor spiritual sin -- the transgression of God's great spiritual Law, summed up in the Ten Commandments -- is ETERNAL death -- the second death. Jesus continually HEALED THE SICK. When He healed, He said "Go and SIN NO MORE." He was speaking of violating the physical laws of health. Just as the repentant sinner who is converted thru Christ is commanded to turn away from sin and quit sinning (transgressing God's Law), so if we look to God for healing we should try to learn in what manner we have been violating God's physical health laws, and CORRECT OUR LIVING! It is BECAUSE men for untold generations have been living incorrectly, violating these precious health laws. And increasingly so these past four or five generations, that we are a degenerate generation today"
In the beginning of the fasts, some physical changes do occur, depending in each individual. Some times a heaviness in tongue is felt, bad smell may be given out from the mouth or breathing, teeth may be sticky. Symptoms of fever may be felt in the mouth, tongue, breathing, etc. Usually this occurs in fast longer than 24 hours. Many Christians fast for two days, sometimes three days at a time, but unless you are Moses, or Jesus, I would limit the time to a day or two at most if you choose not to drink water. I know some Christians who fast for a week at a time, but they do take in water, and some even vitamin waters.
Urination during the fasts is routine but the color of the urine may change after a few hours and some hardship may be felt in passing the urine. The urine of some patients is dark in color and foul-smelling. From this change in urination, it can be concluded that the kidneys have to overwork for cleansing the accumulated waste. This waste is being thrown out through the urine. When the cleansing is complete, the urine assumes its normal color and form. Important cells of the body have to utilize the nutritive substances stored in advance. They get energized from these substances only and cleanse the body quickly. As the unwanted cells are destroyed, the excess weight of the body, is reduced quickly. This weight loss is also considered as a cleansing programme. At the same time symptoms of health improvement are also observed. (source:http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4803/1/Benefits-of-Fasting.html)
The physical excitement during the fasting, creates a feeling of joy in most parts of the body. A person feels more pleasure in fasting thanin taking food. He starts feeling a natural dislike for food. Therefore, these types of patients appear calm, contented and cheerful from the start of their fasts, because they feel very restful. Most people feel very little pain during the fasts. (source:http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4803/1/Benefits-of-Fasting.html)
People who are addicted to alcoholic drinks or smoking and those who always take very spicy foods, feel many more troubles in the early days of fasting. In the absence of such things which they have to skip, they feel nervous, angry, etc. and they vomit and do not sleep well. Uneasiness and pain is felt in the body. They suffer from severe headache. This painful situation does exist for some days. Therefore, it is not proper to be apprehensive about it and break the fast. After some days the situation changes and the patient returns to his normal condition. (source:http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4803/1/Benefits-of-Fasting.html)
Some people start worrying about fasting in advance. Such people imagine the pain, produced during the cleansing of the body during the fast, to be far greater than the real one. But all these troubles do not occur in all the stages of fasting. Very few such examples of pain are seen. There is no rule about it. Most of the people are not found suffering from such little troubles. Sometimes, the cleansing process of the body is completed without any trouble. If some painful situation arises sometime, it should be welcomed warmly, because it is surely for the well-being of the patient.
Sometimes, some boils or pimples are seen on the skin during fasting, but it should also be considered as a result of the cleansing process. Sometimes giddiness is felt and may result in swooning. The heart-throbs increase and other such symptoms are seen but we should not be frightened. There is no danger in this situation. (Source:www.healthguidance.org/authors/371/Krishan-Bakhru)
Finally, I will allow our readers to think for themselves about fasting and following the Day of Atonement. Know this, the early church fasted often and always on the Day of Atonement : Acts 27:9
Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast.SoPaul warnedthem, (THE FAST means Day of Atonement!) It is a personal decision, so get your Bible out and look at these verses. In fact, I put quick links in most of the to make it easier!
Isaiah 58:6
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
1 Kings 21:9
In those letters shewrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people.
2 Kings 18:6
He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses.
Isaiah 58:4
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Matthew 4:2
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matthew 6:16
[ Fasting ] "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 9:14 [Jesus Questioned About Fasting ]Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
Luke 2:37
and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Luke 5:35
But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."
Acts 13:2
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Acts 13:3
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
Does Monthly Fasting Help Your Heart?
 People who skip meals once a month are 40 percent less likely to have clogged arteries as those who do not fast regularly, according to Utah researchers.About 70 percent of Utah’s population are Mormons, who fast during the first Sunday of each month. Religion, however, was not behind the benefits of fasting. Even non-Mormons who skipped food occasionally were less likely to have clogged arteries. The study came about after researchers discovered that only 61 percent of Mormons had heart disease compared with 66 percent of non-Mormons. After surveying 515 people about Mormon’s typical religious practices, which included a weekly day of rest, not drinking alcohol or smoking, donating time and money to charity, avoiding tea and coffee, and monthly fasting, only fasting made a significant difference in heart risk. Only 59 percent of those who skipped meals regularly were diagnosed with heart disease, compared with 67 percent of non-fasters. The researchers suggested that periodic fasting forces your body to burn fat and also gives it a break from making insulin to metabolize sugar. Fasting may therefore help to resensitize insulin-producing cells and make them work better. |
Statins Raise Risk of Postoperative Delirium
The use of statins is associated with a 28% increased risk of postoperative delirium in elderly patients, found University of Toronto professor Dr. Donald Redelmeier and colleagues in a retrospective cohort analysis involving more than 280 000 patients.
Ontario's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) looked at elderly patients who underwent elective surgery in Ontario and who had received 2 or more prescriptions for statins in the year before surgery, including at least one prescription in the 90 days preceding surgery. Many patients took multiple medications, underwent abdominal, musculoskeletal or urogenital surgery which had a mean duration of about 115 minutes.
Delirium, in addition to causing anxiety in patients and families, contributes to longer hospital stays, a prolonged need for intensive care, and can disrupt and delay care.
They found that 1 in 14 elderly patients were taking statins before surgery and 1 in 90 experienced delirium. Longer surgeries and age over 70 years increased the risk of delirium.
"Our results suggest that this association was more than a coincidence, particularly among patients who received higher doses of statins and had longer duration noncardiac surgeries," state Dr. Redelmeier and colleagues. "The association between statins and risk of delirium was distinct and was not observed with other lipid-lowering medications, cardiovascular medications or common drugs that reflect underlying chronic diseases but have no major effects on the cardiovascular system."
The researchers suggest patients temporarily stop taking statins before
surgery to lower their risk. If needed, restarting statins after surgery might
provide their heart protecting benefits without the risk of delirium.
www.newsmax.com
Five Home Remedies That Really Wo
• Honey for coughs. Not only has honey been
proven a good cough suppressant, a 2007 study indicated that honey
worked better than over-the-counter cough medicines at relieving the
coughs of children with upper respiratory infections.
• Cranberries for urinary problems. American
Indians first discovered the ability of cranberries to fight infections
and passed the remedy along to early settlers. Modern scientists have
found that cranberries are unique in their ability to keep bacteria
from sticking to bladder walls. A daily glass of cranberry juice or
cranberry capsules reduces bladder infections, especially in women who
have them often.
• Saltwater for the nose. Nasal saline
irrigation, in which salt water is used to rinse the nasal passages,
has long been a remedy to relieve the misery of a stuffy nose.
Twenty-first century medicine has scientifically proven it to be a
cheap, safe and effective remedy for clogged noses caused by sinusitis,
allergies and other maladies.
• Staying warm to ward off colds. Mom always told
us to bundle up in winter, but scientists always chuckled. They’ve
stopped laughing since a 2005 study indicated that being cold might
actually lead to developing a cold. Researchers believe that when a
person’s extremities are chilled, the blood vessels in the nose narrow,
limiting the amount of disease-fighting white blood cells in the nose,
the body’s first defense against viruses.
• Chicken soup for colds. Mom was right on
target; chicken soup really does fight the common cold. Studies show
that mom’s favorite home remedy may be slightly anti-inflammatory,
helping fight the worst of a cold’s symptoms. Steam from the hot soup
also helps drain sinuses, prevent dehydration and calm sore throats.
source www.Newsmax.com
Trans Fatty Acids Linked to Fetal Death
Trans fatty acids, the much maligned 'solid' fats implicated as artery-clogging contributors to cardiovascular disease, may also increase the risk of fetal death during pregnancy, study findings suggest.
Dr. Charles J. Glueck, of Jewish Hospital Cholesterol Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and colleagues found a higher percentage of fetal loss among women who consumed higher levels of trans fatty acids. ..more....
Regular Acetaminophen Use Triples Asthma Risk
| ||
People who regularly use acetaminophen triple their risk for developing asthma. A study by the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network asked 521 people with asthma and 507 without about their use of painkillers. They found that those who use paracetamol (known as acetaminophen in the U.S. and sold under brand names such as Tylenol) on a regular basis triple their risk of asthma. Researchers suggest that acetaminophen reduces levels of glutathione in the lungs, a chemical necessary to protect airways from the damage of air and smoke pollution. “Epidemiological evidence is growing that shows a link between paracetamol and asthma,” study author Dr. Seif Shaheen told London’s Telegraph. “Since 2000, several publications have reported this association in the UK and the USA. We have also shown that asthma prevalence is higher in children and adults in countries with higher paracetamol sales.” The use of acetaminophen only once a week increased the risk of developing asthma. Other painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen had no effect. © 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved. |
Egg Carton 101
Now they can be cage free and free range, vegetarian and omega-3 fortified, organic, “certified humane” or “American humane certified.” The incredible, edible egg is becoming unintelligible.
Some claims on egg cartons are regulated by the federal government, some by the states and some not at all. Some affect consumers’ health, some touch upon ethics and some are meaningless.
All purport to describe how the hens were raised, or what they were fed, or what extra benefits their eggs might provide. more..
Food Makers Skimp on Ingredients in an Effort to Fatten Their Profits
Hershey’s, as one example, is using vegetable oil for a portion of the cocoa butter traditionally used in some of its chocolates, a move which has led to some complaints.
Spice maker McCormick & Co. is now supplying food companies with cheaper spices. They are providing Mexican oregano instead of the pricier Mediterranean variety, and garlic concentrate instead of garlic cloves, which are heavier and costlier to ship.
Feeling the pain from rising gas prices, more and more U.S. consumers are taking steps to compensate for the price of their commutes. According to recent research from The Nielsen Company, 63 percent of consumers are now reducing their spending on other consumer goods, including food. Their research also found that 78 percent of consumers are combining shopping trips; 52 percent are now eating out less, and 51 percent stay home more often than before.
But consumers aren’t the only ones trying to squeeze more out of each dollar.
Not only has gas been “watered-down” with 10 percent ethanol without showing a noticeable decrease in price, but food manufacturers have also adopted new ways of reducing their spending and increasing profits.
Honey, They Shrunk Our Groceries
You may not have realized this, but many food products are mysteriously shrinking in content – some while increasing the size of the package at the same time! – in an effort to trick you into believing prices have remained the same, or worse; that you’re actually getting a better deal than before.
It’s a phenomenon that consumerist.com has dubbed "the grocery shrink ray.”
Mouseprint.org, a web site devoted to "exposing the strings and catches buried in the fine print," has also caught on, listing examples of products that are now smaller than previously, while price remains the same (or higher).
Rather than raising prices, many companies opt for the less obvious route of reducing content. But you’re still spending more money for what you’re getting.
Oftentimes these changes are small enough that you won’t notice them unless you actually read the labels. A quick glance at mayonnaise jars, for example, may not immediately reveal a size difference, but some are now sold in 30-ounce jars, slightly less than the standard 32-ounce containers without being visibly smaller.
Fill ‘Er Up!
In September of 2007 I ran a story about the industry campaign to allow vegetable oil to be substituted for cocoa butter and still be called chocolate. About a dozen food industry groups pushed to change the long standing federal standards to allow cocoa butter to be replaced with up to five percent of another vegetable fat, which can save chocolate manufacturers millions of dollars. (The European Union has already used a five percent vegetable oil ceiling in their chocolate since 2003.)
America’s largest candy maker, Hershey’s, known for their Hershey’s chocolate bars, bite-sized Kisses, and Reese’s peanut butter cups are now substituting a portion of their cocoa butter with vegetable oil. But they’re also raising wholesale prices by 11 percent, their second increase this year.
Hershey’s claims the increases are necessary to offset the rise in cost of raw materials like sugar, cocoa and peanuts, which have risen as much as 45 percent since the beginning of the year.
Other cheap fillers finding their way into more and more of your packaged foods include soy protein and rice bran.
According to Michael Considine, an executive at the Minnesota grain company CHS Inc., their company has increased the volume of soy protein sales to major food companies by 10 percent just in the last two years.
And another ingredient supplier, NutraCea Inc., has reported an increased demand from food makers for its rice bran. Rice bran is a rice-milling byproduct that, until about 20 years ago, was considered fit only for animal consumption.
Despite the increased use of inexpensive filler materials, most of your processed foods still cost the same, if not more. In fact, data from AC Nielsen show that food companies raised prices across 35 key product categories by 7.3 percent over the 12-week period ending Aug. 9.
Restaurants, too, are fiddling with the ingredients of their dishes. Sysco Corp., America’s largest food-service company by sales, has been working with restaurants to make cost-saving changes like replacing butter with oil/butter blends.
A Cheap Steak By Any Other Name is Still a Cheap Steak
Other companies are dressing up their lower-end products to make them seem more appetizing. For example, Cargill Inc. introduced cheaper cuts of meat with fancy-sounding names to supermarkets in July; with names like Maranada steak (flank steak), Marbello steak (skirt steak) and Cordelico sirloin (flap meat), these less tender cuts suddenly have a gourmet flair.
How to Avoid Being Deceived in the Supermarket
Most of these alterations can only be spotted in the fine print of the package's ingredient’s list, so as I’ve said on many occasions, you simply must read the labels of the products you buy.
Your best bet however, is to avoid most all processed foods entirely. They’re mostly devoid of nutrients, and loaded with fillers and artificial ingredients. In the end, they end up costing you more, not just in grocery bills, but in future medical expenses as well as they will inevitably destroy your health.
For more information on where and how to purchase truly healthy foods, how to plan healthy meals and save money in the process, please review my Related Articles below.
Read More...