Bad Breath Busters

By On · Add Comment · In bacteria, bad breath, halitophobia, halitosis, odor, toothpaste, triclosan
Afraid of bad breath–yours, not somebody else’s? If so, you suffer from halitophobia. Halitophobia is the fear of halitosis, or severe bad breath. Up to 25% of people claiming to have halitosis actually don’t; they are simply halitophobic.

But bad breath is a problem. 25% of all adults have chronic bad breath, while the numbers might be as high as 50% in older adults. Fortunately, scientists think they may have found a solution. A group at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine have found that brushing twice a day with a toothpaste containing triclosan and scraping the tongue surface eliminated halitosis. The researchers tested people before and after using they toothpaste and tongue scraper by measuring mouth air levels of odor-causing bacteria and analyzing tongue scrapings for 20 species of bacteria known to cause bad breath. They found odor levels to decrease by 75%.

Nice. Let’s all let out a big shout for the Bad Breath Busters. We all know some people who can use a little triclosan, and we all know some that we’d like to send a barrelfull. But for now we can rest assured that some very serious scientists are on the halito-patrol. And I can go have that garlic omelet in peace.

Losing Weight is a Lifestyle Choice

By On · Add Comment · In anxiety, appetite, chiropractic, depression, energy, fad diet, fat, grehlin, hormones, leptin, lifestyle choices, lose weight, sleep, sleep deprivation, weight
If I had to guess the lazy man’s ultimate fantasy, I would have to say that it’s probably a “lose weight while you sleep” program. How does that sound? Do absolutely nothing and shed pounds while you snooze. Ooh, I like the sound of that: Losing weight while sleeping. Well, now your dreams can become reality. So says a study out of Europe showing that lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. Hey, that’s not the same thing. I know, but I had to get your attention somehow.

According to French scientists, sleep deprivation has an effect on two principle appetite-controlling hormones, grehlin and leptin. Grehlin makes people hungry, slows metabolism and decreases the body’s ability to burn body fat, and leptin, a protein hormone produced by fatty tissue, regulates fat storage. In the study, sleep deprived people (only four hours sleep two nights in a row) showed an 18% loss of the appetite-cutting leptin and a 28% increase of appetite-causing grehlin. The people also showed about 25% increased hunger. according to lead author, Karine Spiegel, this translates into an additional 350 to 500 kilocalories a day, “which for a young sedentary adult of normal weight could lead to a major amount of added weight.”

Add to this a second study which discloses that children who lack adequate sleep (and those who watch more television, but that’s another story) have double the chance of being overweight, raises the chances of later anxiety and depression. Looking at 915 children in Massachusetts, researchers at the Harvard Medical School found that those who slept less than 12 hours a day in the first two years of life were twice as likely to be overweight at age 3 than children who slept longer.

These stories bring out two predominant thoughts for me: First, when it comes to weight management, it really is all about lifestyle choices. It’s not solely about genes or foods–it’s about how we choose to live our lives. I push the principle that sleep is absolutely necessary to a well-functioning mind and body. I see the effects of sleep deprivation every day in my patients, and I’ve got plenty of my own experience, and I know, it’ll kill you.

But it will also lead to poor energy utilization and, as a result, more weight gain. Think about it: You don’t sleep, you are tired, your body get discombobulated and starts using your stored energy rapidly to keep you going. You secrete the appetite-stimulating hormone, grehlin–your body’s way of saying, “more food, more fuel”. The hormonal imbalance leads you to crave foods heavy in fats and sugars–foods that are high in energy and efficiently stored as fat. And on your way to the bulge.

The second predominant thought is that losing weight for the long-term isn’t often correlated with following a particular fad diet. It really is about the lifestyle changes one makes, like:

  • eating healthy, wholesome foods
  • exercising regularly
  • getting sufficient sleep
  • getting rid of pain that prevents exercise–try chiropractic, it rocks!
  • balancing one’s perceptions

These are the true tricks to trimming down. It’s not rocket science, but it can be hard work. I tell you though, it is worth the effort. Start today by getting enough sleep, and your lazy fantasies can become reality. Isn’t it great to know that not all healthy habits are a pain in the rear?

Stress in Pregnancy Doesn’t Increase Complications

By On · Add Comment · In fetus, gestational hypertension, high blood pressure (HBP), hypertension, postpartum depression, preeclampsia, pregnancy, proteinuria, stress

Preeclampsia and gestational hypertension are two disorders taken very seriously during pregnancy. Both disorders can lead to and might even cause the death of the unborn fetus. Many women who suffer from these maladies blame themselves and their stress levels; they think that if they just weren’t as stressed-out during their pregnancies, they could have probably prevented the disorders and the subsequent deaths. A recent study, however, shows otherwise.

Dutch researchers have found that a woman’s stress levels during pregnancy do not increase the chance of developing either of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Although increased psychological stress is not great during pregnancy–it can wear a woman down and lead to postpartum depression–expecting mothers should not fear getting preeclampsia or gestational hypertension.

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive condition with significant protein concentrations found in the urine (proteinuria). Gestational hypertension is preeclampsia without proteinuria. Hypertension is high blood pressure (HBP), and elevated blood pressure can force substances, like protein, through the kidneys and into the urine–not a good situation. Obviously, HBP can be dangerous for a developing fetus. Both hypertensive disorders are asymptomatic–that is, they have no outstanding symptoms leading to their discovery. Therefore, blood pressure must be checked regularly during pregnancy. Both hypertensive disorders can develop after 20 weeks of pregnancy, but preeclampsia is often seen after week 32. The only solution to this dangerous situation is emergency cesarean section, induced labor, or abortion. Because of the high risk to mother and fetus, one of the above options must be exercised.

I found this an important piece to do since so many pregnant women in America seem to be stressed out. According to another recent study, 20% of all new mothers in the U.S. suffer from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is linked to many risk factors including tobacco use late in pregnancy, physical abuse before or during pregnancy, partner-related stress during pregnancy, trauma during pregnancy, and financial stress.

Hey, life can be tough. And it’s hell of a lot harder to deal with when feeling big, bloated, uncomfortable, hormonal and unable to find a comfortable position to sleep in. I get it. I see my wife dealing with it now during our second pregnancy. It ain’t all fun and games. But at least when times get real tough, and the stress seems to know no bounds, please rest assured that you can “feel crazy” and not worry that you’re damaging your baby–at least not as far as it’s blood supply is concerned. Any other hypothesis regarding Mama’s stress stressing baby out is still up for analysis. But for preeclampsia–not a chance.

Thalidomide’s Gift to Public Policy

By On · Add Comment · In antidepressants, birth defects, drugs, Frances Oldham Kelsey, pharmaceutical, Thalidomide
Rah, rah, rah! Three cheers for Thalidomide! Three cheers for the morning sickness pill of the 1950’s that led to thousands of birth defects.

Three cheers? Yes, because if it were not for the tragedy of Thalidomide, we wouldn’t have the regulations we have today for new pharmaceutical drugs. And we certainly wouldn’t be aware of the practice of withholding relevant and crucial information by pharmaceutical drug companies trying to pass their products off at any and all costs. Please take the time to read the history of Thalidomide here, and of the lone voice who refused to approve the drug for sale in the United States, FDA reviewer Frances Oldham Kelsey. When you do, you’ll see how lax our earlier laws were concerning drug approval.

At that time, pharmaceutical companies needed only to show that a drug was safe, and with a little trickery, it was easy to get things through. After the Thalidomide tragedy, though, the FDA changed the rules and required drugs to be both safe and effective. That means that manufacturers had to show that the drug actually did something beneficial–this prevented drugs from being “tried” on the public, as Thalidomide was in the U.S. Although it was never approved for sale, about 20,000 Americans received Thalidomide on a trial basis, including several pregnant women. Most birth defects were seen in Europe, but there were seventeen Americans born with birth defects caused by this drug.

We also have to thank Thalidomide for keeping us on our toes today. It’s exactly what I think about when I hear of antidepressant manufacturers hiding results. If you’ve got to hide ’em, there has got to be something terribly wrong. As I’ve said a thousand times over–when there’s big money involved, don’t count on human decency to make right decisions. And if it weren’t for Thalidomide…we might not know the full extent of that statement. So thank you Thalidomide for opening our eyes.

Water Drinkers Called Fools

By On · Add Comment · In debunk, dehydrated, diuretic, evidence, hydration, hyponatremia, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, myth, urinate, water
I just love when these stories come out. You know, the ones that say a particular physiological fact is false. Take, for instance, the claim that taking vitamin supplements is unnecessary. Always the claim, “…there’s no proof.” Or how about the efficacy of chiropractic–“…no proof.”  Yeah, yeah, the proof’s there–it’s in the pudding as they say.

But back to the silly notion of claiming certain physiological facts to be untrue. A new study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology apparently “debunks” the myth that drinking lots of water is better for your health. I tell you I just love these stories. Start off with a subject matter that is fact–All living things need water to survive–add a corollary which is nonsensical, and then disprove it. Next take the faulty conclusions derived from the debunking, and use them to deflate an entire principle, one which we can easily deduce as true. The only thing I don’t get is…why? Well, let’s figure it out.

Two nephrologists (kidney doctors) out of the University of Pennsylvania have “reviewed the scientific literature” and have found no conclusive evidence that drinking more water equals better health. Oy vey. First off, the idea that drinking “lots” of water is healthy is absurd. It is quite well known that one can drink too much water. This can lead to hyponatremia–low sodium concentration–which can kill you. So there probably isn’t any credible health care practitioner recommending this practice. “Hey Vern, drink five gallons of water every day–you’ll be Superman.” It’s so stupid, it’s almost embarrassing; but clearly it has to be addressed.

Then there’s the idea of drinking “more” water. More than what? Do the esteemed researchers mean more than necessary? Well then, of course one doesn’t need to drink more. Is it too much to ask of our scientists but to pose viable questions? Because if we are talking about the average American, the one that imbibes soda more than any other beverage, then the notion of more water probably means “more than what you’re drinking now.” As even the two medical investigators point out in their paper: people who live in hot, dry climates, athletes, and people with certain diseases do better with increased fluid intake. So, basically, we can extrapolate these facts to anybody who exercises, sweats a lot, takes meds that make them urinate (diuretics), drinks beverages that make them urinate (coffee, tea, alcohol), or in other words…just about everybody.

Wait Campos. That’s not true. No evidence.

What evidence do we have? That they haven’t done any significant studies on hydration levels of populations; nor have they done any looking at the effects of water replenishment in people who are subclinically dehydrated (read my book); nor have they done any measurements on organ function or dysfunction at different hydration levels. But they have looked at hydration levels and endurance in athletes. Did the two doctors look at these studies? I know, I know, those are athletes. But I think it applies to everyone–we just don’t have the studies showing it, yet. And because it would simply be dangerous (and thus unethical) to knowingly deprive humans of water (can you guess why?), we probably will never see those studies.

So here’s my problem: Why even publish such rubbish? I mean, even the authors admit that, “If someone enjoys it…that’s wonderful, keep doing it. They’re not doing anything that’s going to hurt them.” Bingo! So why bother? If what they say is true, then why go through the trouble of debunking a so-called myth. I really don’t know; but I can tell you one thing: the doctors who wasted their valuable grant money putting together this deficient drivel didn’t really think about water’s full role in the body, or in life itself. They certainly didn’t ask any revealing questions. All they did was ask if certain beliefs about water had been studied, and found that they had not–that’s all. They didn’t prove or disprove anything about this elixir of life. But, unfortunately, they are passing their findings off as an unveiling of great truth; and I just don’t think they’ve come anywhere close.

Tai Chi’s Miraculous Health Benefits

By On · Add Comment · In blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, helper T-cells, high blood pressure, immune function, interleukin, lose weight, metabolic syndrome, Tai Chi Chuanmartial arts, type 2 diabetes

Anyone familiar with the martial art Tai Chi Chuan knows the many physical benefits it provides. But now the rest of us have proof. New studies coming out of Australia and Taiwan show that the ancient martial art lowers weight, helps curb type 2 diabetes, and increases immune function. Wow! It does all that? Yup. Check it out.

In the Aussie study, conducted at the University of Queensland, researchers led middle-aged and older participants through 12 weeks of Tai Chi. The program consisted of three 1.5 hour sessions per week, and participants were also encouraged to practice on their own at home. At the end of the study period, participants were found to have lost an average 6.5 pounds, and their blood glucose levels improved (all had metabolic syndrome–a triumvirate of medical conditions including diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure). Participants also showed significant decreases in blood pressure, more than what could be accounted for by simple weight loss.

In the Taiwanese study, participants were also taken through 12 weeks of Tai Chi. Researchers found an increase in both helper T-cells (important immune system cells) and interleukin levels (immune system mediators) in the participants. And as an added benefit, researchers found a decrease in levels of glycated hemoglobin–excess sugar carried by red blood cells–in participants that had diabetes.

These findings are huge. By doing moderately paced exercise–as Tai Chi Chuan is–one can significantly decrease their chances of developing type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome; or even improve one’s chances of managing the disorders if already affected. Excellent. I studied Tai Chi myself very briefly about 15 years ago (the school I attended in San Francisco and, in my opinion, the very best). I found it a stupendous form of exercise. However, I do wish to point out, just as the authors of the Australian study have, that any form moderate exercise will accomplish the same results. It’s just that the benefit of Tai Chi Chuan come from its slow, flowing pace and wide sweeping, rhythmic motions. These types of movements, I think, connect us to a Universal rhythm, which have deeper, spiritual effects on us. Other than that, though, doing Tai Chi should also help you kick a little ass–and that never hurts now does it?

Sleepy Teens

By On · Add Comment · In circadian rhythms, computers, drowsiness, health, internal clock, melotonin, rhythms, sleep, teens

Hey parents: Give Junior a break! He’s tired all the time for a reason. Don’t knock him for napping until you’ve read this: Most teens don’t get enough sleep and suffer in their school work because their internal clock makes them night owls. So says an Australian study showing that the average teenager misses up to an hour of sleep at night and wakes up 2.5 hours earlier than their naturals rhythms dictate.

According to researchers, a teenager secretes melatonin–the hormone responsible for causing drowsiness–later in the evening than adults and children do; and they are thus more alert during the evening hours, leading to their greatest productivity. Furthermore, ambient light–the type of light given off by computer screens–actually decreases melatonin secretion causing even less drowsiness. So teenagers working at night on computers will be even more likely to stay up late.

I talk extensively about melatonin and sleep inducement in my new book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health. Since I believe that getting sufficient sleep is one of the main ingredients of great health, naturally I’m inclined to support teens in their unique circadian rhythms. An excellent solution to counter-balance poor performance in schools would be to start classes at 10am and finish at five in the evening. I’ll bet most high schoolers would welcome the later schedule and I’ll even bet some teachers would dig it too. And just think how positively it would impact big city traffic.

Without a doubt, teenager need adequate sleep. If their natural rhythms run a little later than our own, let’s honor that and start treating high schoolers like college preps. It’ll help their academics and it’ll be healthier for them–isn’t that purpose and benefit of doing research? to understand truth and then apply it? If nothing else, give Junior a break if he wants to sleep in on the weekends–it’s his rhythm.

Stress Management Chills Hypertension

By On · Add Comment · In collapse process, high blood pressure (HBP), hypertension, isolated systolic hypertension, meditation, mental balance, pranayama, stress management, working out

High stress leads to high blood pressure. You don’t say.

Stressed out? Boiling mad? About to lose your lid? Chill out, man…relax. Really, it’ll save your life if you do.

Stress management techniques have been shown to reduce hypertension, or high blood pressure (HBP), if learned and practiced regularly. And even more exciting is that reducing stress through effective techniques can reduce the need for blood pressure drugs in elderly people with a special type of HBP called isolated systolic hypertension. Nice. So says a study out of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

High blood pressure, not a disease in itself, but a warning that disease is looming, can lead to such maladies as heart attacks, stroke and kidney failure. Dang–doesn’t it make sense to learn a few stress reduction techniques? I think so. Here are the best:

  • Creating mental balance through a special technique called the collapse process (ask me about it, I’ll be glad to explain).
  • Meditation (there are many techniques to choose from–all good in my opinion)
  • Pranayama (yogic breathing technique)
  • Working out (especially hitting the heavy bag)
  • Sex

That’s right–learning a few of these powerful techniques can add years to your life by preventing some of today’s most prevalent disorders. And in the case of isolated systolic hypertension, which often afflicts the elderly and is hard to treat with medications, these findings are stupendous.

So don’t delay. Learn some stress management techniques today and you’ll find life a little easier to deal with.

Beware Fake Sushi!

By On · Add Comment · In baby crab, chefs, fish, infection, parasites, raw, salmon, sashimi, seafood, sushi
Question: you’ve caught a big salmon and you’d like to cut it up as sashimi. Upon cutting it open, you see that it is infested with worms. Can you still eat it? Does the answer seem obvious?

Eating raw fish is a delicacy, and preparing it is an art. Sushi chefs spend many years training in art of choosing the proper fish to be served raw. And as sushi restaurants have exploded in the U.S. and Europe, more an more untrained individuals are opening sushi restaurants. This can be a problem.

Not every fish is suitable to be eaten raw–many amateurs don’t know this. Many forms of seafood can cause illness if not prepared properly. Take, for instance, baby crabs. “Fake” sushi restaurants often serve them raw. Bad idea. But deep fried baby crabs are suitable for consumption. And how about salmon? Salmon is prone to parasitic infection, therefore, it should never be eaten raw. Salmon should always be cooked, marinated, or frozen before being consumed.

Heh! Who knew? That’s why sushi chefs get paid the big bucks. I’ve always had an inherent respect for sushi chefs, and I personally would never eat in a sushi restaurant that isn’t run by a top-quality, highly-trained sushi chef. But it wasn’t until I saw this great piece on 60 Minutes on the tuna trade that I really developed respect for people who make fish purchases and preparation their life’s work–just fascinating.

Here’s the bottom line: Do your research. Find sushi restaurants with properly trained artisans preparing the goods. Steer clear of fly-by-night operations attempting to capitalize on the popularity of this exotic delicacy. And never–and I mean never–prepare raw fish on your own, because “it must be easy to do.” It isn’t. If it were, would it take as long to master?

As far as the opening question is concerned: Yeah, you can eat it–throw away the infected parts and cook the rest.

Older Americans Living Longer

By On · Add Comment · In education, exercise, life expectancy, living longer, National Institute on Aging, obesity, Older Americans 2008, poverty

Older Americans are wealthier and living longer than ever before. So says the National Institute on Aging’s report titled, Older Americans 2008. According to the report, the number of older people in the U.S. living in poverty has gone down, education has increased, and life expectancy has increased.

Americans today are living on average to 84 years old–that’s seven years older than the generation that turned 65 in 1900. Despite this, some problems exist. For instance, obesity has risen significantly in the last 10-15 years. In the 2005-2006 study period, 37 percent of women aged 65 to 74 were obese, and 24 percent of women age 75+ were obese. This is up from the 1988-1994 study period, when 27 percent of women age 65 to 74 and 19 percent of women age 75 and over were obese.

Despite evidence showing exercise to improve and prolong life, older Americans are just not jumping on the bandwagon. Only 25% of people 65 and over are exercising or participating in leisure-time physical activity on a regular basis. No bueno. And no surprise that health care costs rise significantly every year following peoples’ 65th birthday

So some good news and some not so great news about areas that can definitely use improvement. Overall though, I think quality of life is improving for people as they get older, and I think as health and wellness becomes more ingrained into the public consciousness, these numbers will only get better.

Pregnant Man

By On · Add Comment · In children, endometriosis, hysterectomy, man, pregnant, testosterone, Thomas Beatie, transgender
Never thought you’d see it, did you? But the planet has it’s first pregnant man. Well…sort of. Thomas Beatie of Oregon is a transgender male. For those of you who don’t know what that is, he was born with the biological equipment of a woman.

He is married to a woman, his wife Nancy. Apparently Nancy could not have children–hysterectomy due to endometriosis. So what was the next best thing? adoption? foster children? Nope, nope–Thomas got off the testosterone and within four months was inseminated (without fertility drugs) with anonymous donor sperm. Today he’s healthy, happy…and pregnant.

Ah, isn’t modern technology wondrous? Looking forward to the updated story in a couple of decades…of his manopause. Snicker

The Downfall of Science

By On · Add Comment · In Big Tobacco, cancer, economics, JAMA, lung scans, National Cancer Institute (NCI), research, science, smokers, tobacco

Well, I never thought I’d say this, but, science is becoming a sham. Yup, you heard me right: the “study of truth” is becoming an oxymoron. Hard to swallow since it’s the world in which I’ve been trained, as well as the world that I love.

Sad but true. Science, like most things that are marketable, is becoming controlled by economics. And whenever money is involved, big money that is, corruption inevitably follows. I’ve already reported in an earlier post of the practice of selective publishing by the antidepressant pharmaceutical industry, but check out the latest scandal: A recent report has disclosed hidden financing from the tobacco industry in a study that showed lung scans to help save smokers from cancer. Yikes! According to the report, this finding, “has shocked the research community and raised fresh concern about industry influence in important science.”

Although researchers insist that the funding from the parent company of a big tobacco firm had “no control or influence over the research”, most experts agree that public trust is compromised when hidden research money has industry ties. No kidding. It may be true that the tobacco company had no influence or control over the results, but when a group is at least partially responsible for researchers paychecks, it might be just a little tempting to make results look favorable, both for extending the study (means longer pay period) and for future funding (security). Further, money paid to researchers by tobacco companies often lead to their testimonies against screening in class action lawsuits which favor the tobacco companies. According to Dr. John Niederhuber, director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), scientists must maintain the trust of patients in research studies, and “any breach of that trust is not simply disappointing but, I believe, unacceptable.”

The original study, published in the medical journal JAMA, was also partially financed by the National Cancer Institute. Both groups spoke out against the financial relationship between the study and the tobacco company. According to NCI chief medical officer, Dr. Otis Brawley, the society would not have contributed to the study if it knew “Big Tobacco” was co-funding the work. And Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, editor in chief of JAMA, stated that she would not have published the paper had she known of the relationship.

Well, as I stated at the beginning, science backed by big business has a vested interest to veer from the truth. Whether or not CT lung scans actually save lives is not the point here. It’s that if we are to learn the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in matters of the universe, it’s much better to secure financing from institutions that have no vested interest in the outcomes. Unfortunately, that’s just not the world we live in.

Omega-3 Necessary for Baby Brains

By On · Add Comment · In babies, brains, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), expecting mothers, fatty acids, fish liver oil, Journal of Pediatrics, newborn, omega 3, pregnancy, pregnant, umbilical cord
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, omega 3 fatty acids are absolutely essential to good health. They’re important for adults and they’re important for children, and darn it, they’re even necessary for developing babies brains–before birth. You heard me right, pregnant mamas need to supplement with omega 3 fatty acids right away, but especially during the later stages of pregnancy.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, expecting mothers who eat their fair share of omega 3 fatty acids (300 mg/day is recommended) can actually give their babies a brain-power boost. Concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were measured in the blood of umbilical cords of newborns. The concentration in the cord blood was closely correlated to the concentration in the mother’s blood at the time of delivery. The babies were then given standard visual and memory tests at 6 months old, and the researchers found that the babies with the highest levels of DHA in their cord blood had the highest performance scores.

Omega 3s are found abundantly in fish like salmon and tuna, but also in fish liver oils, which are the most common form found in supplements. I personally take 6 capsules of omega 3s every day, and as I’ve disclosed in an earlier post, my blood panel–especially my cholesterol, HDLs, and HDL/total cholesterol ratio were stellar.

During the third trimester of pregnancy, when fetal brain development accelerates, omega 3s–most importantly DHA–are crucial to the growth and development of the brain and eyes. Unfortunately, western diets are notoriously deficient in omega 3 fatty acids.

But that doesn’t have to be you. Pick up a jar of omega 3 fatty acids today. I promise you, it’ll be one of the most powerful health habits you’ll ever do–guaranteed.

Brain Fitness is the Future

By On · Add Comment · In Alzheimer's, brain stimulation programs, brain-fitness, Cogmed Working Memory Training program, dementia, memory, mentally fit, technology
Want to know what the next “big thing” in health will be? Brain-fitness games, software and other technology. You guys know that because you remember some of my earlier blogs, right? Of course you do. But if you don’t, let me refresh your memory.

Studies have shown that people who stay mentally fit have a significantly lower probability of developing dementia disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. How can people stay mentally sharp? I like the old tried and true, like studying calculus, or learning a new language, or memory puzzles (my favorite).

But a number of companies are producing brain stimulation programs, like the Cogmed Working Memory Training program (pictured left), which uses a sequence of flashing lights that need to be replicated by the player, much in the fashion of the old Simon game of my youth.

According to experts, the brain stimulation industry has more than doubled between 2005 and 2007 to $225 million in sales. I imagine it will continue to grow, as baby boomers seek out ways to beat mental decline. Cool, I like it. Technology will always try to improve upon what’s already available, and there are currently many ways to keep the mind fit. But, hey, I’m all for any outlet which stimulates the mind. We think, therefore we are…right? The brain-fitness industry is definitely taking a step in the right direction.

Antibiotics for Viruses: Overprescribed and Useless

By On · Add Comment · In antibiotic resistant bacteria, antibiotics, bacteria, bacterial infections, common cold, health, medical, medicine, overprescribe, prescriptions, sinusitis, symptoms, viral infections, viruses
Something must be wrong with me–I love to see people squirm. Not just anybody, mind you, but mostly people who have lied, cheated, or acted hypocritically in one way or another. And I especially love to see it in people, or groups, that act arrogantly. C’mon, you know you love it too. We all get a sense of satisfaction when the chickens come home to roost, and these people have to squirm and lie some more to rationalize themselves. Pure comedy.

Take, for instance, the latest study to be published in the medical journal, The Lancet, which has reported that doctors routinely overprescribe antibiotics for viral infections. You don’t say? Really? Wow. Seems like that same idea was reported right here in this blog back in October. According to the study, 80% of sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses) cases in the U.S. are prescribed antibiotics despite the fact that the majority are due to the common cold virus. And just like I said in my October post: Antibiotics don’t do diddly against viruses–they’re meant exclusively to fight bacterial infections.

OK, here’s the good part: The study’s authors then attempt to explain the inordinate amount of antibiotics prescriptions by stating that when the patient has had the symptoms for a long time, doctors assume it’s due to a bacterial infection….(Pause…silence)

Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha….what a joke. Do any of you buy that baloney? Let me tell you the real deal (and this information comes straight from a medical doctor who taught me in chiropractic college): Doctors prescribes medications at nearly every doctor’s visit regardless of the situation because, and I quote, “the patient expects it”. That’s the truth in a nutshell: Doctors prescribe antibiotics full well knowing they’re useless against viral infections, precisely because the patient expects something, not because it’s the right thing to do, but because they know the patient wants it and will go somewhere else to get it. In other words, there ain’t much of a market for non-prescribing M.D.s, period.

The only reason this study has come out at all is because of the explosion of antibiotic resistant bacteria that have penetrated our world, otherwise, trust me, the practice would continue. Antibiotic resistant bacteria is a growing and severely dangerous phenomenon. There is no longer time to play around, so now the medical community is asking how. But, unfortunately, you’ll never get to the truth by hiding it, or in the case of these authors’ conclusions, by asking the wrong questions.

I’m going to end this by being as fair as I can to my medical brothers and sisters–it’s not totally their fault. Overprescribing antibiotics really is a consequence of what the public wants, and demands–like most things–and people really do yearn for a magic bullet. But what makes the medical clinician at least equally responsible is that they know better. It may be true that a medical business which doesn’t prescribe medicines will soon have to close its doors; however, it may be time to start pushing a more health-responsible agenda, which would be to teach patients that their bodies have everything necessary to fight the common cold virus, and that antibiotics are unnecessary, and useless, in these cases. Still–I just love to see them squirm.

Breast-Fed Babies Have Less Diabetes

By On · Add Comment · In baby, breast milk, breastfeeding, children, healthy, type 2 diabetes

Ah to breastfeed or to not breastfeed…is that still a question? I’m always amazed when I hear people speak out against breastfeeding. Honestly, I thought everybody did it; I thought it was as natural as, well…breastfeeding. But I guess I should have figured when I first noticed Family Feud giving away a year’s supplies of Similac that not everybody is deft of breast. And since breastfeeding requires an exposed bosom (although my wife is a pretty nifty nipple-hider when she needs to be), I guess some people feel uncomfortable around the practice. I never did understand uneasiness around bare breasts, but hey, that’s just me.

Well, there’s plenty of evidence showing breastfeeding to be the best bet for a healthy baby, and the benefits extend far into adolescence. Take, for example, the latest study out of the University of South Carolina, Columbia that showed breastfed babies to be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The study looked at approximately 250 people aged 10-21–80 with type 2 diabetes, and 167 without–and recorded whether they were breastfed as babies or not. The breastfed group had significantly lower incidences of type 2 diabetes regardless of race.

With type 2 diabetes on the rise and reaching epidemic proportions in American children, adolescents and young adults, it would seem to me that breastfeeding as a prophylactic practice would be advisable. Throw in breast milk’s high nutritional value and immune boosting properties, and really, it can’t be beat. But no matter the evidence to support breastfeeding, there will always be those who act squeamish around a breastfeeding mother and child. Oh well, you can’t please everyone, so…please your baby first.

More Benefits to Vitamin D

By On · Add Comment · In amputations, blindness, children, high blood sugar, insulin, kidney failure, type 1 diabetes, vitamin D

You’ve probably read my earlier post on vitamin D and therefore know how important I think it is to the overall health of an adult. But new findings show that supplementing vitamin D early on is also very healthy for children. According to a British study, giving infants extra vitamin D (that is, above and beyond what they are getting from milk and sunlight) reduced the risk of children developing Type 1 diabetes by almost 30%.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body is unable to produce enough insulin to bring sugar into the cells. As a result, sugar builds up in the blood and damages various tissues and organs. Along with regular tobacco and alcohol use, high blood sugar is one of the most damaging conditions known to man–it leads to many diseases and disorders including amputations, blindness, kidney failure, and the list goes on and on and on…

Once a person develops Type 1 diabetes, they have it for life, and they’ll have to give themselves insulin shots forever. Isn’t it comforting to know that by just supplementing with a little vitamin D, your child stands a greater chance of warding off this dreaded disease? It does to me. So guess whose little angel is getting daily vitamin D supplements?

Jail for Belgians who Reject Vaccine

By On · Add Comment · In Belgium, Centers of Disease Control (CDC), chicken pox, children, mandated vaccinations, measles, mumps, parents, polio, prison, rubella, vaccinated
Just another step in the wrong direction this week. Officials in Belgium report that two sets of parents were given prison sentences for not having their children vaccinated against polio–a mandated inoculation in this western European nation. I believe it’s only a matter of time before we see the same punishments meted out in the good ol’ US of A.

According to a recent report, the parents were given five month jail sentences and fined $8,000 each couple for violating a mandatory Belgian law that requires all its citizens to vaccinate their children against polio. Wow! That’s serious. Apparently in Belgium, you’d better do what Big Brother says…or else. And you thought I was just being alarmist in my previous post.

As it stands, some governments feel that it’s a serious public health issue to reject any required vaccination. What’s next? Jail terms for cancer patients who reject chemo? The guillotine for families that pull the plug on a brain-dead loved one. Do we really need government to tell us what to do with our own bodies?

What makes this especially scary is that we still don’t know the full implications of many drugs (can you say Vioxx or Thalidomide, anyone), let alone every vaccine. Take for instance the Centers of Disease Control’s (CDC) latest retraction of its preference for American children to get the quad-combined mumps, measles, rubella (German measles), and varicella (chicken pox*) vaccine after it has learned of an increased risk of seizure in children getting the shot. Oops–we didn’t figure on that one. Let’s release the irresponsible parents we’ve jailed. Just a matter of time, people, I’m tellin’ ya.

But it won’t happen if concerned parents and citizens stay informed (like you guys who read this blog every week!). Keep your eyes and ears open, and demand our right to do with our bodies what we will. Like I always say, there will be plenty of people who opt for the vaccine. Great! They should have it if they want it–that’s the advantage of having modern medicine. But to force it upon people who aren’t sure is a crime against our liberties. Stay tuned–it ain’t over yet.

*Writer’s note: Who the hell hasn’t had the chicken pox? Probably every adult in this country has caught it, and we’re still kickin’ it healthy and strong. Sometimes modern public health policy baffles me.

Pharmaceutical Era’s Most Lasting Impact

By On · Add Comment · In anti-convulsants, antibiotics, drinking water, IMS Health, mood stabilizers, over-the-counter, pain medications, Pharmaceutical Age, pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs, sex hormones

The 20th century could definitely be called the Pharmaceutical Age; it was teeming with breakthroughs–vaccines, life-saving surgical procedures…Viagra! Advancement seemed to have no bounds. Heart disease? Take this. High blood pressure? Take that. Sniffle? Have an antibiotic. There’s a pill for every ill.

Then came the 21st century and pharmaceutical innovation leapt into new territory. Normal physiology acting up?–have a statin. How about an H2 blocker? Or tranquilizer? We do physiology better than the human body does. Yes, progress.

Then, of course, came performance enhancing drugs–steroids for athletes, steroids for cattle, Ritalin for medical students. Woohoo! Top of the world, Ma!

According to IMS Health, U.S. prescriptions have risen 12% to 3.7 billion over the last five years. 3.7 billion? With prescription drug use skyrocketing, is it any wonder that an AP investigation this week found a vast array of pharmaceutical drugs contaminating the drinking water of 24 major metropolitan areas? It isn’t to me. Check it out: 41 million Americans are drinking water laced with antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, as well as a load of over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. And here’s the best part of it all: The drugs are remnants of non-metabolized pharmaceuticals passed through the urine of our over-medicated countrymen. Pretty gross, eh?

Now to be fair, the concentrations of said drugs are minuscule; however, many experts admit that we do not fully know the health implications of the widespread contamination yet. And to make matters worse, evidence shows that chlorine, a commonly added chemical used to treat water, can react with many pharmaceuticals making them more toxic.

Here’s what stands out the most for me regarding this frightening story. We have become a society so obsessed with quick fixes, especially pharmaceutical drug treatments that I can’t imagine any other scenario than this one happening. Duh! Medications aren’t fully absorbed by the body (thank goodness!) and so they’ve got to go somewhere. We’re taking pharmaceutical drugs by the boatloads–their concentrations in our water supply only reflect our consumption habits. That should speak loudly about what we’re doing to ourselves. Truth is, if you’re a medication junkie, this story probably doesn’t phase you–that would seem rather contradictory. But if you’re not, and you actually care about what goes into your body, then this story has got to creep you out a little; it sure did me.

Anyway, on the lighter side: The report did list some drug concentrations of various city water supplies, and I couldn’t help but see the comedy in it all. Check it out and chuckle:

  • New York, the city that never sleeps–tranquilizers
  • Philly, home of the cheesesteak–cholesterol drugs
  • L.A., where narcissism & cocaine share the spotlight–anti anxiety drugs
  • San Francisco, no explanation necessary–sex hormones

I guess our drinking water says a lot about our culture.

Prescription Party at College

By On · Add Comment · In college students, controlled substances, drug abuse, drugs, NSAID, opiods, prescription painkillers, Ritalin, sedatives, sleeping pills, stimulants, Vicodin
Guess which drugs twenty percent of all college students are taking with frightening regularity? Cocaine? Nope. Heroin? Nope. Marijuana? Uh…no. Give up? Prescription painkillers, stimulants, sedatives, and sleeping pills–booyah!

According to a recent study out of the University of Michigan, about one-fifth of U.S. college students are taking prescription pills to get high. And getting them is easy, much easier than getting other illicit “street drugs”. The research findings come from a survey that was conducted looking at over 3,600 college students with an average age of 20 or younger. Students were asked if they took any of the four types of prescription drugs: opioids; stimulants; sleeping pills; and sedative or anti-anxiety pills. 60% admitted to taking these drugs for medical reasons, while a whopping 20% admitted to taking the drugs non-medically.

The students were also asked whether they had done anything illegal to get drugs, whether they had blackouts due to drug use, felt guilty about drug use, or felt sick after stopping taking the drugs. A “yes” answer to three or more of these questions classified them as having a drug abuse problem. Apparently getting the drugs was as simple as going to the dentist for wisdom teeth extractions and getting thirty Vicodin along with one refill. Add a little alcohol and what have you got? A potential habit on your hands.

With the use of ADHD stimulant drug Ritalin on the rise among all teens and this becomes a very scary notion. The problem is that many people see these drugs as OK, since they come from a medical doctor. And if the MD prescribes it, it’s got to be OK, right? Well these drugs are all controlled substances–that is, you can’t buy them over the counter; you need a scrip to get ’em. They’re controlled substances for a reason: They have a high potential for abuse and they can be dangerous if taken improperly.

I think that the real warning here needs to go out to parents, and especially doctors. Parents can’t control everything their kids do, but a doctor can limit what goes out to these youngsters. The truth of the matter is that humans are incredibly resilient, so I’m not sure that 60 Vicodin are needed by many–if any–young tooth extraction patients. I had a cracked tooth and subsequent root canal myself back in January, and I survived on a weeks supply of Motrin (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory [NSAID]). No chance to get high there, and the NSAID did the trick as far as getting me over the hump; so, 60 Vicodin?

I think it’s high time docs started discriminating a bit more before passing out scrips. There’s plenty of other stuff kids can get high on, so why add fuel to that fire. Prescription drugs are dangerous, just ask Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith–oh wait, you can’t. Well, that’s just my humble opinion, anyway.

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