• New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

    New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

    A recent study explained that a new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease is very reliable. Specifically, it determined with 96% accuracy elevated levels of beta amyloid. It also accurately identified tau protein, another Alzheimer’s marker, with 97%. The original research study was published at JAMA … [Read More...]

  • Living with the Aging Process

    Living with the Aging Process

    The following article describes living with the aging process. Older adults undergo the process of aging between the ages of 50 and 80. This is a complex process affecting various systems parallel. There are hormone factors that are particularly prominent in women during menopause. Joints are affected by … [Read More...]

  • Ashwagandha’s Benefits

    Ashwagandha’s Benefits

    Medical news today had an article in October 2023 that reviewed ashwagandha’s benefits. I thought it would be useful to discuss this topic in an abridged version. Often things get distorted on the Internet and a reality check helps to separate facts from fiction. Ashwagandha (botanical name: Withania somnifera) is a … [Read More...]

  • Beef and Dairy May Cause Cancer and MS

    Beef and Dairy May Cause Cancer and MS

    New cancer research suggests that chronic virus particles in beef and dairy may cause cancer and MS (multiple sclerosis). The Medical journal Medscape.com had a review article that summarized this line of research. Papillomaviruses and cervical cancer Harald zur Hausen, M.D., D.Sc., a German virologist, detected … [Read More...]

  • Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Benefitting Cardiovascular Health

    Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Benefitting Cardiovascular Health

    A crossover study showed that a fasting-mimicking diet is benefitting cardiovascular health. This new study was done by Dr. Valter Longo et al. from the University of Southern California. It compared the effect of two diets. They were the fasting-mimicking diet versus an unrestricted diet. In other studies Dr. Longo … [Read More...]

  • Backup your New Year’s Resolutions by looking at short-term Consequences

    Backup your New Year’s Resolutions by looking at short-term Consequences

    In the New Year it pays to backup your New Year’s resolutions by looking at short-term consequences. An article in “the conversation” explains how you can keep yourself motivated to stick to healthy habits. The alternative would be to fall back into unhealthy habits, which lead to various disease conditions. … [Read More...]

    Apr
    01
    2006

    Back Pain Improves With Acupressure

    This article is about “back pain improves with acupressure”. Generally, lower back pain can be a frustrating condition for patients. In addition, it is a major cause for disability and a source of depression. In particular, for the physician it becomes a vexing problem to find successful therapies. Pain medications and their side effects are often not acceptable for long-term use, and surgery very frequently will not be an option at all.
    Additional therapies, which have been frequently used, are chiropractic treatment, massage therapy and physiotherapy. Frequently, the results can vary a great deal depending on the condition. Acupuncture has gained a solid position in the therapeutic approach of back pain, however the modality of acupressure treatment has not received much attention in conservative circles.

    Conservative physiotherapy versus acupressure treatment

    So far conservative voices could dispute the efficacy of acupressure due to a lack of research data, but new studies are now available coming from the National Taiwan University in Taipeh. Specifically, under the leadership of Professor Tony Hsiu-His Chen and a team of specialists, a randomized controlled trial with 129 patients suffering of chronic low back pain has been conducted. To clarify, the patients received physiotherapy or acupressure for one month as a modality of treatment.

    At the end of treatment, the group treated with acupressure showed significantly less disability than the group treated with physiotherapy. The improvement in the disability score of patients treated with acupressure remained at six-month follow up examinations. Pain scores also remained reduced after treatment and at 6-month follow-up in the acupressure group.

    Back Pain Improves With Acupressure

    Back Pain Improves With Acupressure

    These results point to the use of acupressure treatment as a very promising therapy for patients suffering of chronic low back pain.

    More information on:

    1. back pain: http://nethealthbook.com/arthritis/lower-back-pain/

    2. Electro-acupuncture: https://www.askdrray.com/electro-acupuncture-twice-as-effective-as-conventional-acupuncture/

    Reference: BMJ 2006; 332:696-700 (25 March, 2006)

    Last edited Oct. 31, 2014

    Apr
    01
    2006

    Sleep Medication Unlocks Eating Disorder

    A sleep disorder may drive people to use sleeping pills on a regular basis. Even though all efforts are made to minimize harmful side effects, emerging medical case studies are uncovering disturbing findings with the use of the sleeping pill Ambien (zolpidem). While many users report no incident with the use of this medication, others are developing a sleep-related eating disorder. They rummage through their fridges and indiscriminately consume calories ranging into the thousands. The night eaters have no recollection of their nocturnal foraging, but thy will find telltale signs of food leftovers and snacks on counters and even in their beds. Dr. Mark Mahowald, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis is one of the sleep experts researching the problem. He and his team are not the only ones. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. have made similar findings. Sanofi-Adventis, the French company that makes the drug, has defended its safety in 13 years of use in the U.S. A company spokesperson however has conceded that the package insert for Ambien carries a warning about a sleep-related eating disorder that could occur. Several sleep specialist and a number of patients tell a more specific story. Sleep-eating is one of the varieties of unusual reactions to the drug. Other reactions range from fairly benign incidents of sleepwalking to hallucinations, violent outbursts, and the most troubling one of all driving while asleep.

    Sleep Medication Unlocks Eating Disorder

    Sleep Medication Unlocks Eating Disorder

    Dr. Carlos H. Schenck, a sleep disorders expert in Minneapolis believes that two basic instincts, sleeping and eating, become linked and two instinctive behaviors become intertwined in the sleep stage.

    More about eating disorders: http://nethealthbook.com/mental-illness-mental-disorders/eating-disorders/

    Reference: NY Time Digest, Tuesday, March14, 2006, page 5

    Last edited Oct. 30, 2014

    Mar
    01
    2006

    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.

    Daily Tea Lowers Ovarian Cancer Risk

    Daily Tea Lowers Ovarian Cancer Risk

    The tea was primarily black tea. Each additional cup of tea was associated with an 18% decreased risk of ovarian cancer.

    More information on ovarian cancer: http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/ovarian-cancer/

    References: The Medical Post, February21, 2006, page 23.

    Last edited Oct. 30, 2014

    Mar
    01
    2006

    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.

    Knowledge Needed For Herbal Remedies

    Knowledge Needed For Herbal Remedies

    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.

    Reference: The Canadian Journal Of Diagnosis, January 2006,page 35 and 36

    Last edited December 6, 2012

    Mar
    01
    2006

    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.

    Cystic Fibrosis Patients Benefit From Inhalation

    Cystic Fibrosis Patients Benefit From Inhalation

    For more info on treatment of CF: Treatment of cystic fibrosis

    Reference: National Review Of Medicine, January 30,2006, page 5

    Last edited October 30, 2014

    Mar
    01
    2006

    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.

    Dementia Prevented With Diet And Exercise

    Dementia Prevented With Diet And Exercise

    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.

    More info about:

    1. Research that has revealed a number of causes for Alzheimer’s disease: http://nethealthbook.com/neurology-neurological-disease/alzheimers-dementia-and-delirium/alzheimers-research/

    2. Fitness:  http://nethealthbook.com/health-nutrition-and-fitness/fitness/

    The Medical Post, January 24,2006,page 39.

    3. Blog showing that exercise delays onset of Alzheimer’s: https://www.askdrray.com/regular-exercise-will-delay-onset-of-alzheimers-or-dementia/

    Last edited October 30, 2014

    Mar
    01
    2006

    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.

    Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery Helps Body Image

    Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery Helps Body Image

    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.

    More information about pelvic floor laxity leading to anterior or posterior repairs including hysterectomies: http://nethealthbook.com/gynecology-obstetrics/ 

    Reference: National Review Of Medicine, January 30, 2006, Pages 1 and 5

    Last edited October 30, 2014

    Feb
    01
    2006

    Macular Degeneration Risk Less With Vitamins

    Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the more frequent reasons for loss of vision in the ageing population. The disease is also the most prevalent reason for blindness in developed countries.
    A group of researchers from the Netherlands made it their mandate to investigate, in which proportion antioxidants were useful in the prevention of AMD. Supplementation with vitamins C, D and E was used and also beta-carotene and zinc. The observations were made using questionnaires from the Rotterdam Study (1990-1993).

    The group on which the research concentrated consisted of inhabitants 55 years of age or older living in a middle class suburb of Rotterdam. Of 5836 at the baseline with a risk of AMD 4765 had reliable data of their dietary habits. At the end of the study 4170 participated in the follow up.
    Dietary intake of vitamin E and zinc was inversely associated with the development of AMD: the group with an intake of vitamin E and zinc had less macular degeneration than those whose diet was deficient. A higher than median intake of all the four nutrients, vitamin E, zinc, vitamin C and beta-carotene showed even more benefit. The risk to develop macular degeneration was reduced by an impressive 31 %.

    Macular Degeneration Risk Less With Vitamins

    Macular Degeneration Risk Less With Vitamins

    These results are of importance to the ageing population and the elderly. A high dietary intake of the four nutrients is important in the risk reduction of age related eye diseases like AMD.

    Reference: JAMA. 2005; 294:3101-3107; Vol. 294, No. 24, December 28, 2005

    Last edited December 6, 2012

    Feb
    01
    2006

    Chronic Pain A Cancer Risk

    Chronic pain can be an undermining force in people’s well being. Often it is more perceived as a nuisance or an inconvenience. How serious it really is as a health risk, has been emerging only in more recent observations.
    Two well designed, population based studies in the UK are showing that there is an increased risk in people with chronic pain to die prematurely or to develop cancer.
    In a study by J. Mc Farlane, MD individuals with chronic back pain or patients suffering of fibromyalgia show an increased risk for premature death and cancer. Often pain sufferers have not only one pain condition but also multiple ones. Mc Farlane quoted an excess risk of 30% for premature mortality in pain patients. At the same time he states that the risk is “relatively modest”. Another study noted that patients who suffered of widespread pain over a 10-year period had a 50% increased risk of developing cancer than those who were pain free at the baseline. Statistically it means that 2.5% of patients with widespread pain over a time of 10 years will develop cancer, which remains a small percentage.
    The author notes that there is no reason to feel overly threatened by these results. More research will tell more. For the practical application the results point to the need for effective treatment and pain control before chronic pain patterns become detrimental to the patient’s health.

    Chronic Pain A Cancer Risk

    Chronic Pain A Cancer Risk

    More information on:

    Pain can affect many areas:  http://nethealthbook.com/neurology-neurological-disease/pain/

    Cancer risks: http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/overview/epidemiology-cancer-origin-reason-cancer/

    Reference: The Back Letter, December 2005,Vol.20, Nr.12, page 139

    Comment on Nov. 11, 2012: Chronic pain can indicate that the patient may be hormone deficient. When hormones are tested, some patients may be hypothyroid, others may lack steroid hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone or DHEA as is normal with the aging process. In these cases often restoration of the hormone balance with bio-identical hormones can treat the pain condition successfully and can prevent cancer by restoring normal immune function.

    Last edited October 30, 2014

    Feb
    01
    2006

    Lubricants May Suppress Fertility

    Surprising results from a prospective controlled study of vaginal lubricants were presented at a meeting of the American Society For Reproductive Medicine and the Canadian Fertility And Andrology Society in Montreal.
    Four products, FemGlide, Replens, Astroglide and Pre-Seed have been routinely recommended to couples that are trying to get pregnant. Dr. Ashok Agarwal and colleagues from the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio took a closer look at the effects of the four products and their influence on donor sperm. It turned out, that FemGlide, Replens and Astroglide all reduced the sperm motility and integrity. When mixed in vitro (in a test tube) quality and movement of the sperm showed a sharp decline. Activity in untreated sperm amounted to 66%. A presence of only 10% Astroglide led to a rock bottom 2% mobility. The other product, Pre-Seed, did not slow the sperm down.
    A second test measured DNA damage in sperm that had been exposed to lubricant solution for four hours. Again, only Pre-Seed had the lowest impact. It showed 7% more chromatin damage than untreated sperm. KY had 10% more damage and FemGlide showed 15% of damaged sperm.

    Lubricants May Suppress Fertility

    Lubricants May Suppress Fertility

    The researchers caution that problem lubricants are likely to cause additional hurdles for couples struggling with infertility, as chances for fertilization decrease with certain lubricants.

    More information on infertility: http://nethealthbook.com/womens-health-gynecology-and-obstetrics/infertility-php/

    Reference: Parkhurst Exchange, page 31,Vol.14, Nr.1 January 2006

    Last edited October 30, 2014