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Health
Newsletter
new
every month
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March
2006
HEALTH
TOPICS:
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| Health
and Fitness |
| (health
information and |
| your
personal health) |
| Vol.5,
No.3, March. 7, 2006 |
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Vaginal
Reconstructive Surgery Helps Body Image
Plastic
surgery in the vaginal area is not a new procedure. It has been
performed for decades to help patients with medical conditions
like urinary incontinence due to weak vaginal muscles or uterine
prolapse.
Recently female genital enhancement surgery has come into the
forefront and as many as 15 purely cosmetic procedures are on
the list at a Toronto-based clinic. Dr. Robert H. Stubbs has
been pioneering in this particular area of plastic surgery.
Women who lost a lot of weight frequently request pubic liposuction
and reduction of the labia majora. Another procedure, vaginal
tightening, involves stitching the muscles of the vaginal wall
and creating a smaller circumference. Most of these surgeries
are done in private clinics, which do not have to report to
the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. As
a result no numbers are available, but these surgeries are definitely
on the rise.
Probably the most controversial procedure of them all is the
hymenoplasty. Dr. Bruce Allen, who recently incorporated cosmetic
genital procedures into his gynecology practice, reports, that
there is not a large demand for them. However, women from certain
cultures turn to the physicians for help. In some groups of
Middle Eastern descent the loss of virginity is considered a
disgrace, and as a result the young female may be shunned and
maybe even killed. When desperate women turn to the specialist
for protection, they need help. In a safe and simple half hour
procedure the ends of the ruptured membrane can be stitched
together or patched with tissue from the vaginal wall.
Some flashy advertising for a Los Angeles based clinic promises
good sex. What those billboards don't tell is the fact that
no scientific proof exists that any of these surgeries actually
enhance sexual pleasure. Nevertheless patients have cited a
better sex life as a very common bonus. The reason is the fact,
that the patient is more comfortable with her body. Patients
with relationship problems due to self-consciousness about the
genital appearance will experience a sense of emotional relief
as soon as the procedure is over.
Dr. Stubbs also noted, that vaginal enhancement procedures are
no different from any other type of cosmetic surgery. It is
the job of the specialist to explain the risks, after which
the woman can make an informed decision.
National
Review Of Medicine, January 30, 2006, Pages 1 and 5.
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Dementia
Prevented With Diet And Exercise
According
to an Australian review a low-fat diet along with physical and
mental activity is the best way to avoid dementia late in life.
The Australian team looked at numerous studies and concluded
that many drugs and supplements promoted as treatments do not
work. They did find that maintaining healthy blood pressure
levels and an ideal body weight, staying physically and mentally
active and consuming a low-fat diet reduces the risk of developing
dementia. Dr. Michael Woodward, lead researcher of the report
"Dementia: Can It Be Prevented?" states a very simple
fact: any advice that is good for the heart is also good for
the brain. A number of dietary supplements and medications have
been suggested as being useful in the prevention of dementia,
but none of them have been conclusive. One small study from
Portugal suggested that even coffee could prevent dementia.
It made headlines in the media, especially in the American press.
However this was a small study involving only 54 people in Portugal.
Another study a few years ago claimed that hormone replacement
therapy for menopausal women reduced the risk of dementia. Again,
this study got a lot of coverage. The study had a strong selection
bias: these women were generally more health conscious, in better
physical health and from a more socioeconomically privileged
background.
The results
of this review are further confirmed by Australian and American
researchers led by Dr. Ralph Martins of the Center for Aging
and Alzheimer's disease in Joondalup, Australia and Dr. Samuel
Gandy of the Farber Institute of Neurosciences in Philadelphia.
They found that overweight and obese people are having a higher
risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than normal weight individuals.
Increased body mass index and higher levels of plasma amyloid-beta,
which is a key substance in the development of Alzheimer's,
go hand in hand. Experts in the area of dementia caution that
we cannot count on drugs and supplements, instead prevention
is the key with dementia, which comes in the form of a healthy
lifestyle.
The Medical
Post, January 24,2006,page 39.
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Cystic
Fibrosis Patients Benefit From Inhalation
Inhaling
has been a humble home remedy for patients who were suffering
of cough or nasal congestion and it has not made big headlines
in medical treatments.
Scientists from the University of Carolina and the University
of Sidney have found, that there is more to old remedies than
what meets the eye. In a collaborative study the researchers
looked at 188 patients with cystic fibrosis (=CF) for a period
of a year. The patients were given saltwater by aerosol to inhale.
It turned out that this treatment keeps lung damage at bay.
It appears to restore the very thin five to 10 micron layer
of water that is missing from the lungs of CF patients, and
it facilitates clearance of mucus . All it takes is a little
water and ordinary NaCl (table salt). Patients must inhale this
inexpensive saltwater solution for 10 to 15 minutes twice daily.
This treatment does not constitute a cure of CF, but it s definitely
enhancing the treatment and control of this disease.
National
Review Of Medicine, January 30,2006, page 5.
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Knowledge
Needed For Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies
have stood the test of time, and today roughly 80% of the world's
population relies on traditional medicines for primary health
care needs. Herbal remedies and their efficacy have been confirmed
in research, but nevertheless caution is necessary.
Not all herbal preparations are equal. Herb potency can differ
due to growing and storage conditions. Toxic contaminants can
be present in herbal preparations, and the best way to ensure
a quality product is to purchase a product from a quality controlled
source.
Anybody using
herbal products should bear in mind that "natural" does
not mean "harmless". Many plants like catnip, juniper,
lobelia, jimson weed, wormwood and nutmeg can inhibit the parasympathetic
nervous system significantly and cause severe hallucinogenic effects.
Patients with
allergies to asters, chrysanthemums and ragweed should avoid teas
from goldenrod, marigold, yarrow, St. John's Wort and chamomile,
as there is the possibility of cross-reactivity. Comfrey, which
is a commonly used folk remedy in Europe and North America, has
been shown to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which causes liver
damage and cancer in animals and in humans.
There is a common notion that herbal teas that are used as laxatives
would be entirely safe. Unfortunately it is not as simple as that.
The continued use of cathartics (herbs that are laxatives) can
be dangerous, as they cause a dependency or the so-called lazybowel
problem.
If herbs are used it is important to be vigilant to negative interactions
with medications. St. John's Wort interferes with cyclosporin,
digoxin, epileptic drugs and indinavir. Gingko should be used
with caution by patients who are on warfarin (a blood thinner)
because it can cause excessive bleeding. Deaths have been associated
with the use of ephedra.
It is also of importance that herbal remedies should not been
taken during pregnancy, unless the safety of taking them has been
assured. To get qualified information the consumer should beware
of flashy headlines promising miracle cures and seek the advice
from a licensed health professional who is properly trained in
the prescription of herbs. It is also of importance to mention
the use of herbal medications along with other medications that
are used in order to assure the therapeutic benefits for the patients
who uses them.
The Canadian
Journal Of Diagnosis, January 2006,page 35 and 36.
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Daily
Tea Lowers Ovarian Cancer Risk
Due to the
fact that ovarian cancer is silent and as a result often diagnosed
at a later stage, it is one of the killing cancers in women.
New treatments have made a big difference in the survival rate
of patients, but the need for prevention remains an important
point. Studies have shown that alcohol consumption represents
a risk factor for ovarian cancer. It is also true that healthy
lifestyle habits in the form of healthy eating and exercise
are very useful for prevention.
Swedish research has come up with more news. They examined the
association of tea consumption as a risk-lowering factor in
61,057 women 40 to 76 years of age. These participants completed
a validated 67-item food frequency questionnaire between 1987
and 1990. They were followed for cancer incidence through December
2004.
The researchers found a 46% lower risk of ovarian cancer in
women who drank two or more cups of tea a day, compared to those
who did not drink tea. The tea was primarily black tea. Each
additional cup of tea was associated with an 18% decreased risk
of ovarian cancer.
The Medical
Post, February21, 2006,page 23.
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