Pine Bark Bull

This story isn't what you think. We can't speak on the whether or not pine bark works or doesn't work we can say that our Los Angeles Times said this last year:

"Pine bark extract holds promise (but the proof isn't all in) - To our surprise, there are studies suggesting that Pycnogenol, extracted from French maritime pine bark, is better than a placebo in making blood vessels more flexible (Hypertension Research, September 2007), improving blood-sugar control and reducing cardiovascular risk factors (Nutrition Research, May 2008) and reducing knee pain from osteoarthritis (Phytotherapy Research, August 2008). Any uses for skin care or asthma and allergy relief still seem fairly speculative. Side effects are uncommon." - PEOPLE'S PHARMACY (October 12, 2009)

We can't fault the researchers we have to fault the reporters and the editors that didn't take the time to challenge the facts or the research that reached the results that it did. We do not doubt that "chemical alternatives" or prescription medicines are far superior than any old wives remedy. Even pine bark extract has to be thought of as a medicine, just the "over the counter" variety. Science doesn't intentionally lie and we don't necessarily believe that the latest research is faulty beyond what we suspect. Some of the early research for instance found:

"In this double-blind trial, 61 children with ADHD were randomized 2:1 to receive 1 mg/kg/day pine bark extract or placebo for 4 weeks. ...The pine bark extract group had a significant reduction in hyperactivity and improved attention, visual-motor coordination, and concentration, whereas there were no positive effects noted in the placebo group. One month after pine bark extract treatment ceased, patients had recurrence of symptoms. Treatment was not significantly effective for girls in contrast to boys, but there were only 6 girls in the pine bark extract group." - European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (May 13, 2006)

This research isn't by any means conclusive. The numbers are small and the subjects young. We've made this point many times before that the challengers aren't always of clean hands. Unfortunately that old argument might not hold in this instance. We maintain that under the circumstances tested and from our understanding of the both pine bark extract and the results revealed in this new study some things aren't quite correct. For instance:

"Hayfever symptoms - The researchers looked at levels of birch pollen specific IgE in 60 people with birch-related hayfever. Participants were assigned to receive the pine bark extract supplement (100 mg per day of Pychnogenol) or placebo throughout the allergy season. Results showed that IgE levels increased by 32 per cent in the placebo group, compared with only 19 per cent in the pine bark extract group... “Our findings suggest that taking Pycnogenol in a timely manner does substantially contribute to better symptom relief,” stated the researchers. “Unfortunately, the small cohort of eight best responding subjects, those who took Pycnogenol 7 to 8 weeks prior to birch pollen exposure was too small to provide statistical relevance." - NutraIngredients (Pine Bark)

That's not the only instance in which pine bark extract was found to be effective. We admit that this a bit of a misdirection of information in that it does not specifically address the specifics mentioned in the news and Los Angeles Times article. It's on point in that the extract shows results. It's not ineffective. Another case on point of its effectiveness is the following:

"Natural Pine Bark Extract Relieves Muscle Cramp And Pain In Athletes And Diabetics - ...all the participants were given 200 mg of Pycnogenol once a day for four weeks. After the treatment phase, participants' symptoms and cramping episodes were recorded for one week without any Pycnogenol supplementation." - Medical News Today (June 2006)

More to the point of the research is the following research that talks about the amount of pine bark extract given and the results received. Still we admit the cite is not directly on the specifics of the research that we dispute. We don't say that the report is incorrect. We say that we see some flaws and in that instance we offer this more recent information.

"Pine bark extract may benefit blood pressure-related kidney health - Dr Belcaro and his co-workers recruited 55 hypertensive patients to participate in the randomized, controlled study. Subjects were assigned to receive Ramipril (10 mg per day), and 29 of these people were randomly selected to also receive Pycnogenol (150 mg per day)." - NutraIngredients (March 2010)

We admit that this cite is suspect in that it's not the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The problem is with that is journals of medicine don't generally provide research on non-prescription medications. That does not mean that they never provide such research only that research is largely sponsored by large corporations. That we do not challenge either. They have the money and get the tax deductions to do it. It is what it is and institutions of high learning often insulate themselves from improprieties. With that in mind we offer another successful use of pine bark extract.

"Effect of pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) on symptoms of knee osteoarthritis - 100 patients were treated for 3 months either by 150 mg Pycnogenol per day at meals or by placebo. Patients had to report any change of use of previously prescribed antiinflammatory medication during the study period. Patients filled the Western Ontario and Mc Masters University (WOMAC) questionnaire for osteoarthritis every 2 weeks and evaluated weekly pain symptoms using a visual analogue scale for pain intensity. RESULTS: Following treatment with Pycnogenol patients reported an improvement of WOMAC index (p < 0.05), and a significant alleviation of pain by visual analogue scale (p < 0.04), the placebo had no effect. The use of analgesics diminished in the verum group but increased under the placebo. Treatment with Pycnogenol was well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Results show that Pycnogenol in patients with mild to moderate OA improves symptoms and is able to spare NSAIDs." PubMed.gov (Aug 2008)

We order from American Nutrition because of their low prices and especially when they offer free shipping. They're hard to beat. When searching for verification we were going to use their site to justify the report and any possible action by the Federal Trade Commission until we read this:

"Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement take 1 to 3 capsules daily with a glass of water and food or as directed by a health care professional. Take consistently each day for best results." American Nutrition (Pine Bark Extract)

We believe that pine bark extract is effective and does work. We offer that belief based on not just the following but what the other cites that will follow discovered. We readily admit that the numbers of the studies are small which makes their conclusions less valid than a larger study. We offer the other cites as indications of why the news worthy study was or might have been as ineffective as the results were.

"Pycnogenol or Pine Bark Extract Reduces Jetlag by Nearly 50 Percent - The study, conducted at the G. D'Annunzio University in Pescara, Italy, consisted of 133 passengers who took flights that were seven to nine hours in length. Fifty (50) mg of oral Pycnogenol was administered three (3) times daily, for seven (7) days, starting two (2) days prior to the flight." - Elements4Health (November 2008)

What's the final word on the subject we'd say that Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center  (MSKCC) words on Pine Bark just about says it all:

"Pine bark extract has been studied in humans for various conditions. Preliminary research suggests that it reduces menopausal symptoms in peri-menopausal women (8), relieves symptoms of dysmenorrhea (27), and improves osteoarthritic symptoms (9) (10). It is also used to treat skin disorders such as hyperpigmentation (11), erythema (12), endometriosis (13), and systemic lupus erythematosus (14). Pine bark extract can improve endothelial dysfunction (2) and chronic venous insufficiency (5). Chewing gum containing pine bark extract may reduce gingival bleeding and plaque accumulation (19). When used in conjunction with L-arginine, Pycnogenol is effective in improving symptoms of erectile dysfunction (18) (29). Pycnogenol supplementation also enhanced memory in elderly participants (7). Studies of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults and in children yielded mixed results (3) (4)." - For Health Care Professionals (Pine Bark Extract)

Hypertension is something that affects many of us though it was not something that affect PearlieMae. Using the Sloan Kettering source for consumers you can see why the latest news report dismissing Pine Bark Extract leaves much to be desired:

"Treatment of hypertension - This clinical trial involved 58 patients with hypertension. Patients were given a combination of 5mg nifedipine and placebo or 5mg nifedipine and 100mg pyncogenol daily for 12 weeks. All patients were given 20mg of nifedipine before the study began. The dosage of nifedipine was adjusted (increased or lowered by 5 mg) according to measured blood pressure values every two weeks. Researchers found that most patients had normal blood pressure after the 12 week period with 10mg nifedipine and pycnogenol. They concluded that pycnogenol is effective in treating mild hypertension." - Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (Consumer)

We are not scientists and neither are the reporters and writers generally that bring your news to you. What we are is curious and critical. So when the news reports says something doesn't work we seek to see if we can verify their words. We challenged the report when we found this bit of information:

"Fasting blood glucose was lowered dose dependently until a dose of 200 mg Pycnogenol was administered. Increasing the dose from 200 to 300 mg did not further decrease blood glucose. Compared with baseline, 100–300 mg lowered fasting glucose significantly from 8.64 ± 0.93 to 7.54 ± 1.64 mmol/l (P < 0.05). Fifty milligrams of Pycnogenol lowered postprandial glucose significantly from 12.47 ± 1.06 to 11.16 ± 2.11 mmol/l (P < 0.05). Maximum decrease of postprandial glucose was observed with 200 mg to 10.07 ± 2.69 mmol/l; 300 mg had no stronger effect." - American Diabetes Association (March 2004)

What's that mean? If you take too much then nothing happens if you take just the right amount something does. The amount tested and disclosed in the latest news story was not the right amount. When mixed with other drugs pine bark extract works more effectively without the side effects normally associated with treatment. Admitted the cite refers to diabetes the results might be the same. Yes, we said might. We aren't scientists remember.

"Pine Bark Can Treat Side Effects Of Hypertension Medication - The study of 53 patients, published in the journal of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/ Hemostasis, found that Pycnogenol(R) reduced ankle swelling by over a third in patients taking ACE inhibitors and nifedipine, medicines commonly used to treat hypertension. These findings are important as more than 35 percent of patients taking antihypertensive medications are believed to suffer from painful and swollen legs (oedema) as a side-effect." - Medical News Today (January 2007)

PearlieMae suffered from swelling of the legs and some of us suffer from ankle swelling. When headlines like todays are released that aren't quite like the research but cry that research was flawed its easy to see how wrong the reports are without much examination of the research. So lets look at their conclusions again:

"This pine bark extract (at a dosage of 200 mg/d) was safe but was not associated with improvement in cardiovascular disease risk factors. Although variations among participants, dosages, and chemical preparations could contribute to different findings compared with past studies, our results are consistent with a general failure of antioxidants to demonstrate cardiovascular benefits." - Archives of Internal Medicine (Original Investigation)

The wrong dosage given the wrong amount of times without the right medicine and it's generally harmless. That pine bark extract won't harm you is what the investigation discovered. That's whats news worthy. We do offer this tidbit of information.

"The study was funded by Toyo Shinyaku Co. of Japan, which makes pine bark supplements." - LA Times

Most noticeable and we admit is complete speculation on our part is that the type of pine bark extract from Japan and California isn't of the French or Italian variety thats been tested and founded to be effective. Maybe that doesn't matter but upon further speculation maybe it does. After all there is gold and then there's fools gold.

The Breast News We've Heard

The doctors want you to know that links aren't "cause and effect." Just because when the women stop doing one thing "en masse" that something else happened does not mean there's a connection. That's why we exist! You see we don't care that there's no direct cause and effect - we think a link IF its reasonable, is good enough for us.

"New study links breast cancer to hormone therapy - The study by the Canadian Cancer Society found there was a significant decrease in the rate of new breast cancers among post-menopausal women between 2002 and 2004 -- coinciding with a huge drop in the use of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. Many Canadian women stopped taking hormones in 2002 after a massive U.S. clinical trial -- the Women's Health Initiative -- suggested the risks of taking HRT outweighed the benefits. That study suggested taking hormones appeared to increase the risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots in the lungs." - Canadian TV News (CTV)

We want you to know that we'll take an indication or a general trend and go with that. When we do we'll tell you and won't just make it up. The bigger story was from "Sweden" and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. There IS a Scandinavian Journal of Sports Medicine but we didn't find the research. Actually it was more of a review of previous studies rather than any real new research. You'll probably see it or saw it in the news reports on all of the channels and in all of the newspapers.

"Conclusions - The availability of screening mammography was associated with a reduction in the rate of death from breast cancer, but the screening itself accounted for only about a third of the total reduction. (Funded by the Cancer Registry of Norway and the Research Council of Norway.) - The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)

More than two years ago when the federal government got together with the people "who know" who came up with the following recommendations that individuals not in the know disagreed with as too lenient. The recent review tends to reaffirm their suggestions and makes their recommendations valid. Or at least more so than the nay sayers.

"Women over 40 responded to changes in mammogram recommendations - Lisa Calvocoressi, Ph.D., of Yale University, and colleagues interviewed 1,451 women who received screening mammograms at 1 of 5 hospital-based clinics from October 1996 to January 1998, a period that intersected with the recommendation changes. After asking how often they believed women their age should have screening mammograms, the team found that the percentage of women aged 40 to 49 who endorsed annual screening increased from 49 to 64 percent. Further, 31.6 percent of women in the 40 to 49 age group who did not originally endorse annual screening changed their opinion and supported it in follow up interviews. Although women in their 40s said they supported annual screening mammograms, the researchers were not able to examine the link between belief and action. However, other studies have shown that after 1997, women in their 40s were less likely to have screening mammograms than women in their 50s and 60s. This study was funded in part by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality." AHRQ (July 2008)

The numbers from "Norwegian breast-cancer screening program" were added to other international numbers to equal a group that was forty-times (40) larger than the those interviewed in the US in 2008. We included the above information because of the differences between women under 40 and those over who "did not endorse" screening. Three (3) stories on breast and cancer prevention that were specific to PearlieMae's history and behavior prior to her illness.

"Sexual Function after Breast Cancer - The BUPA Foundation Health and Wellbeing after Breast Cancer Study is a prospective cohort study of 1,684 women recruited within 12 months of their first diagnosis with invasive BC. Each participant completed an enrollment questionnaire (EQ) and first follow-up questionnaire (FQ1) 12 months post-EQ... Of the 1,011 women in the analyses, 70% experienced sexual function problems and 77% reported vasomotor symptoms." - The Journal of Sexual Medicine (JSM)

OK that makes it four (4) stories but the last story is actually more of a "Duh!" than any real revelation or surprising truth. We've always been a little shy about the s-e-x talk. Well the women among us feel that way, the men on the other hand have a completely different point of view - naturally! We just wanted you to know more than a headline. BC (breast cancer) is to women what PC (prostrate cancer) is to men.

Programmed Salmon

When man doesn't act science fills the gap. It'll be more than the price of fish that critical ingredient to health according to every research known to man. We love all things natural but there are consequences and repercussions for our actions. Remember that 3rd law of Newton that we're so fond of. (Hey we're on a theme!)

"Tuna on the endangered list - Illegal fishing has depleted global stocks of tuna and governments must take bold action to save some critically endangered species, the conservation group WWF said Monday as a conference on the topic opened in Japan. Japan's insatiable appetite for tuna has been a key factor behind the threat to stocks, and now increasing demand from other countries is adding to the pressure." - NY Times (January 22, 2007)

One of the consequences of our OVER fishing and depletion of food supplies means more than shortages and high prices. It can result in the repercussion of poor health and diseases of old and conditions long since cured and eliminated. That however is negative doomsday thinking and while some of us live to think it others of us feel as though its too much of a downer. So with that in mind lets go to professionals.

"Continued mismanagement could force some tuna populations to quickly go the way of cod, a highly threatened fishery that once helped shape economies of whole nations, leading scientists said in the symposium “Last Best Chance for Tuna: Learning from the Cod Collapse” at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting in Boston on February 18." - World Wildlife Fund (Feb 19, 2008)

Okay so you say that's tuna and not salmon. We wish!. You see the fish that are tuna, are in the sea, well, ocean but you get our drift. Unfortunately close to home things are not that much better either. Indeed they have not been that way for some time now. So before you get all high and mighty we call your attention to this bit of historical information.

"Currently populations of salmon, steelhead, trout, and rockfish are listed as endangered or threatened in the state of Washington." - Municipal Research and Services Center (March 1999)

We don't really NEED fish to survive do we? We that depends on what you mean by survive. You've heard that we have this health care thing going on haven't you? Fish isn't important if your in great health and you exercise regularly and we've got enough stored vitamins and nutritional supplements for the next millennium.

"Some fish (such as salmon, trout, and herring) are high in a type of PUFA called “omega-3 fatty acids.” The omega-3 fatty acids in fish are commonly called “EPA” and “DHA.” There is some limited evidence that suggests eating fish rich in EPA and DHA may reduce the risk for mortality from cardiovascular disease. (EPA is eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA is docosahexaeonoic acid.)" - USDA (MyPyramid)

In any event we haven't heard the last word on the subject of genetically modified (GM) salmon eggs that grow faster than the naturally farm grown variety. Unfortunately Canada has said that their GM salmon has escaped into the wild and you know how indiscriminate those fish are. They've probably already mixed their scientific genes with those natural ones - except among the tank raised variety! Gives a whole new meaning to the term farm fresh doesn't it!

Candy Science

We weren't very good at physics but we do remember Newton's third (3) law of motion that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In these trying economic times while the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tries to further weaken the California economy by reducing the market share of the POM juice monopoly with their complaint:

Nestle will plow some $500 million into expanding its medical nutrition business over the next decade, in a bid to capture a slice of the growing market for foods to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity, the Swiss consumer company said Monday. Nestle SA said it wants to "pioneer a new industry between food and pharma" by creating a medical nutrition institute in Switzerland and a stand-alone subsidiary called Nestle Health Science SA.

It'll be hard, unless you're the Small Business Administration (SBA), to consider POM a privately held company a "small business."

 "The Office of Advocacy defines a small business for research purposes as an independent business having fewer than 500 employees. Firms wishing to be designated small businesses for government programs such as contracting must meet size standards specified by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Size Standards." - Small Business Administration (About)

POM's little $34 million dollars in research pales in comparison to Nestle's offshore $500 but the damage is done. Nestle wouldn't be considered small and it's not privately held either. An offshore investment means jobs and money going somewhere else. Regardless of the company we'll have to wait and see what claims are made by Nestle and what actions the FTC takes against them.

We certainly never thought of Nestle (the chocolate company) as "one of the world’s leading health, wellness and nutrition companies." We doubt you did either but that hasn't stopped the company from making such a claim. We can't think of a single product that the company makes that would have any nutritional value unless you added milk to it. We allow that that's probably more about our ignorance of the many products that the company makes and markets rather than any disbelief in their claims.

"Jenny Craig is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestlé." - Jenny Craig Corporate Profile (Stock)

We didn't know! N-E-S-T-L-E-S Nestles makes the very best! Chocolate! That's what we remember! We learn something new everyday and now so can you - unless you already knew and in that case. Why didn't you tell us!

POM Oil

Juicy Fruit - It always helps to read the bottom line. We extol the virtues of CNN Money, NY Times, the Los Angeles Times in their reporting. The LA Times does the stories that other mainstream publications miss. In this case the headline and story was:

"FTC: POM Wonderful health claims are bogus -POM Wonderful isn't quite as wonderful as it claims, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday, after filing a complaint that challenges the company's statements that pomegranate can prevent and treat everything from heart disease to erectile dysfunction." - LA Times

To us that means that POM isn't wonderful. But the end of the story and gist is that the Federal Trade Commission says that POM isn't a super food. We say POM is a super food. We say that because its the right color and its served cold. We constantly show the research and data that says the stuff POM is made of is better food than anything you can buy at your local fast food restaurant. We maintain this inspite of our friends at the FTC. We do agree that it might not be THE prevention medicine for heart disease or ED but that it comprises the items that help maintain a healthier life and lifestyle.

"Among the advertising claims the FTC is challenging are that the product has "super health powers," that drinking an 8 ounce glass of POM Wonderful slows the rate of prostate cancer, that the juice can treat erectile dysfunction and that it has been proven reduce arterial plaque by 30 percent." - LA Times 

We agree that POM isn't a silver bullet but that it made of the stuff that research has proven. Mostly we think that POM is over priced and beyond our means but if and when we're out and about and we need some juice IF POM is available and we HAVE to spend our money we'll spend it on the liquid.

 "POM Wonderful pomegranate products have been the subject of over 50 published studies, which span a number of important health areas. These studies were conducted by leading researchers, including a Nobel Laureate, who are affiliated with top universities around the globe. This vast body of published research was conducted exclusively on POM products, all of which come from our own Wonderful variety pomegranates and are processed using our custom-designed, proprietary extraction equipment. Since 1998, we have provided over $34M in funding to support scientific research on POM products at top institutions around the globe." POM (World Class Science)

We've seen the ads for the products which we admit we crave though we can't see (well some of us can't) paying full price for the product and its never really on sale. We like it though it isn't sweet and taste more like medicine than a refreshing beverage. It is admittedly an acquired taste. It's better to drink it than to try and eat the fruit and suck the same amount of juice out of the seeds.

"The administrative complaint does not mean the company has violated the law, the FTC said. A hearing has been scheduled for eight months from now before an administrative law judge." - LA Times

What we hope the complaint will do is make POM hype the research instead of their product. The problem is then we'll discover that we don't need POM. Or that other companies can make a similar product and cut into their profits. Or even worst that we can make a similar substance for much cheaper and of a much higher quality. That of course would be the death of POM. Whatever the case we will be watching the complaint results carefully.

"Is POM Wonderful a publicly traded company? POM Wonderful is a privately held company and has no plans to go public at any time in the future." - POM (FAQ) 

We hope that the reason for the complaint isn't because POM (a publicly traded but privately held company) challenged Minute Maid for its POM like substitute that we have purchased because of its appearance and its what we believed were health claims.

"In a related case, Mark Dreher, POM Wonderful’s former head of scientific and regulatory affairs and expert endorser, has agreed to a settlement that bars him from making any disease treatment or prevention claims in advertising for a POM Wonderful product unless the claim is not misleading and comports with FDA requirements for the claim. The settlement also prohibits Dreher from making other health claims for a food, drug, or dietary supplement for human use without competent and reliable scientific evidence to support the claim. The settlement contains a cooperation clause and reporting provisions to assist the FTC in monitoring compliance with the order." - FTC (POM)

You remember the Federal Trade Commission who last week decided to: "rescind its regulations governing the format and display of health warnings on smokeless tobacco packages and advertising... The FTC works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them."

It could just be we're feeling paranoid against anything federal. It could happen. If POM did it once they could have done it again. It just hasn't been our experience that POM has made any outlandish claims that we've seen. If POM does decide to fight this complaint then expect the professors from the University of California to be called for all their independent research. We like the idea of a super food. We also believe in magic!

Sex, Drugs Without the Rock & Roll

Sometimes when we've had a bad day, men anyway, suggest to their partners that maybe our performances can be enhanced by the use of chemical means. Our loved ones, the women anyway, never seem willing to consider using supplements. So none of us were surprised by the sex research from the University of Florida that found:

" Despite studies suggesting that erectile dysfunction drugs promote irresponsible sexual behavior, men who receive prescriptions for them are no more likely to engage in risky sex acts than men who do not receive prescriptions for the medications, according to a University of Florida study. “For this study we took the perspective of a doctor who may worry that prescribing erectile dysfunction drugs to patients could contribute to the spread of HIV,” said lead researcher Dr. Robert Cook. “The findings from this study should provide some reassurance to health-care providers that erectile dysfunction drugs appear to be prescribed responsibly and used responsibly.” - Journal of General Internal Medicine (February 2010)

Among the men who are not in exclusive relationships that do use performance enhancing supplements their behavior while sexual do not seem to many of us irresponsible. While we're high and mighty and think they should only be sexual in exclusive longterm relationships before ever being in sexual relationship. That's because we're beyond dating. So its easy for us to point fingers and make such judgments and that's wrong. For that we apologize.

Drink Tax

When we think of Florida we, since we've still got that beach glow of us, think of sun, sand and fun! When we think of the University of Florida (UofF) we think of a twenty-four / seven (24/7) spring break education - a party school where education takes the back seat to sun, sand and fun. We'd be wrong. The students or we might not take education seriously at the UofF but the professors and researchers certainly do. In the news and reported by CNN, NY Times, the Washington Post, is the following suggestions to improve the conditions of all us. Raising taxes to reduce the consumption of alcohol and thereby save lives. Or by finding ways to make tomatoes more resistant to salmonella contamination.

"Doubling the current state taxes on alcohol -- which would tack on as much as 50 cents to the price of the average six-pack or bottle of wine -- could be expected to reduce alcohol-related deaths by 35 percent, fatal car crashes by 11 percent, and the rates of sexually transmitted disease by 6 percent, according to the study. Higher taxes on booze would also lead to 2 percent less violence and 1.4 percent less crime, the researchers estimate." - CNN (Health.com)

Since alcohol isn't one of the major food groups and we've never been in an accident with someone under the influence of excessive sandwiches we might be inclined to agree with the findings. We're most a group of non-drinkers and usually we save our consumption for matters of celebration such an increase would not significantly affect our way of living. If our representatives, who also have a reputation for consuming and abusing alcohol decided to go the route of taxing sin and death we doubt it will go over well for those who are large consumers.

The University of Florida (UofF) is no stranger to alcohol research reputation or not. In January the school professors released this investigations results:

Dr. Dennis Thombs / UF health researcher: “Perhaps what is going on with the drinking and driving issue is that young adults believe that energy drinks make it safer to drink heavily so they may even plan to consume energy drinks with alcohol because it makes them think it overcomes the debilitating effects of alcohol.” - University of Florida (News)

Like any good homemaker students were either stretching their alcohol consumption dollar by using higher alcoholic contented beverages and POSSIBLY less taxed non-alcoholic beverages. However since energy drinks and sodas are also not NECESSARY food group items either we still have no real negative opinions in their restrictions either. What we would LIKE to see is that such taxations be removed IF and when they result in the desired effects in reducing obesity or deaths by whatever means chosen.

 "In a study of college-aged adults exiting bars, patrons who consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol had a threefold increased risk of leaving a bar highly intoxicated and were four times more likely to intend to drive after drinking than bar patrons who drank alcohol only." - Addictive Behaviors (April 2010)

That the University of Florida made such an investigation is important or at least possibly feel as though it was necessary for them to do so after all because:

"UF is a national leader in this area. The success of the sports drink Gatorade is well known, but it is just one of many UF products that have benefited countless people." - University of Florida (Research)

You think we just make this stuff up but we don't. Taxes to reduce use - right! That's not necessary and it'll never work you say. Higher prices DO make people consume less. We complain when its rent, mortgage, utilities, medicine, food and gas. Other than maybe the price of gas and driving less - which we never want to NOT do if it's taxes on something we don't NEED to do or use like cigarettes, alcohol or sodas. We can't really complain. We want people to smoke less, drink less, weigh less. We just don't want to HAVE to do it. We should pay MORE for the privilege IF it's a matter of life or death. OK.

"Beverages Are a Major Source of Added Sugars - Americans, especially children, eat too much added sugar. Added sugars include cane and beet sugars, honey, molasses, and corn and other syrups used for home baking and sweetening, as well as sugars commonly added to processed foods and beverages, but not the naturally occurring sugars in fruit or milk. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans specify a “discretionary calorie allowance” for diets that include and do not exceed the recommended amounts of each food group. This allowance can be consumed via any food or beverage, including those with added sugars. " - United States Department of Agriculture (Economic Research Service) 

It's not a new idea but its an oldie but goodie. Everything old is new again.

Shades of Mad Men, it seems that the UofF is becoming THE institution of higher learning for what makes people choose to do what they do.

"A new University of Florida study will take an in-depth look at the factors involved in treatment decisions made by people with colorectal cancer. The study is funded by a $1.2 million grant from the Bankhead-Coley Florida Cancer Research Program, administered through the Florida Department of Health." - University of Florida (News) 

While we wait for decisions from our legislators to act we only hope that local retailers and restaurateurs don't prematurely and in the interest of our health collude to increase beverage prices to protect us from ourselves. We only drink when we go out to celebrate and the more we can buy the better we'll feel. Maybe we just need to celebrate less - but hey we're doing it for the economy!

Sick Fees

It costs to be sick. It costs us all. The problem is that it really is extensive to be sick. As the health care debate rises the news isn't good for things that make us unwell. Whether its age related or lack of exercise or even preventable if we don't smoke or avoid second hand smoke. Sickness cost and the costs are ballooning. CBS News and many news organizations across the pond are reporting on the cost associated with Alzheimer to all of us with this "seventh (7th) leading cause of death."

While the recent news stories have focused on the cost associated with health issues our concern is with the living costs. We're dying every day. The costs to US are the loss of lives. That's the real costs. While US News & World Report focuses on financial costs associated with obesity thanks to the research from our very own George Washington University.

"For those who are overweight, the main cost drivers are direct medical costs – 66% for women and 80% for men. Conversely, while direct medical cost is the primary driver of costs for obese men, only one-third of the overall costs for obese women are medical costs." - (Heavy Burden Report)

The same researchers from George Washington told us that early man (though they don't say how early) ate like apes, monkeys and pigs. According to that research that diet was probably better than our current diet.

"...suggests that early humans consumed large, hard foods such as seeds and nuts and occasionally used high bite forces to do so. "

While this research told us what they ate, it does not say how health this seed nut diet was. It lead to us but if you're like we are we're always looking for the better. We think that (without any source of attribution) that the hard foods may have been more for dental care as well as need. Seeds and nuts don't require refrigeration that soft foods would might require. In our humble opinion.

Prior GW research found that:

"Various public agencies and private corporations have introduced measures that seek to provide financial incentives to those who reduce their weight, and to levy penalties on those who do not. Companies such as Safeway that run their own insurance programs grant up to 20 percent reductions in premiums as “bonuses” to employees who meet certain health standards, which include [4] having what is considered a healthy BMI. Alabama penalizes obese state workers through increased health insurance premiums, and North Carolina does it through moving obese employees to health care plans that cover less of their costs." - Journal of Health Communication (Oct Nov 2009)

The University researchers aren't just pointing to the problem they also offer twenty-four (24) solutions to the problem since 2009. What GW University said back in 2009 was:

"Obesity—The Facts Are Now In—Now What to Do - Currently, there is no clear consensus on a obesity prevention framework, despite the Institute of Medicine convening workshops to develop a systems approach that explicitly takes into account the social contexts in which decisions are made and the multiple interacting determinants of policy and community action." (Page 2) (PDF)

The twenty-four (24) items haven't been done. That's the sadness of their suggestions and their research. They know what to do and know how to have it done - it just hasn't been. For us the good news is - it's not our fault. You should, rather we should, exercise more and eat better. It's difficult to eat healthy in the desert or stranded at sea. Unless we've stocked up its nearly impossible and very unlikely. Thank goodness their suggestions are pointed to other causes rather than at us.

One thing that we can do (for men) - is detection - the key to prevention. However when it comes to prostate cancer this is especially so.

"Prostate cancer affects one in every six men at some point in their lives. Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer found in men. However, with almost nine out of 10 prostate cancers found in the early stages, the survival rate after five years is nearly 100 percent!" - Maryland Gazette

If we can only get men to undergo the invasive procedure that can lead to prostate cancer (PC) detection they'll be one less common cancer to worry about.

"The average age of diagnosis is 69, but men as young as 30 or 40 can also have prostate cancer. "The other major risk factors are race and family history," says Oh. "African-American men are at increased risk, as are men who have a first-degree relative with prostate cancer." Some studies suggest that diets high in animal fat also up your risk, while diets high in vegetables can cut your risk. If you fall into a high-risk category, it’s recommended that you start prostate cancer screening in your 40s. "For everyone else, it’s recommended you start discussing screening by age 50, with annual screenings thereafter." - NY Daily News

We could always return to eating like "apes, monkeys and pigs" and we MIGHT NOT have to worry about the big "PC" - men! It's something to think about before its too late. Otherwise it'll cost ya! Actually it'll cost us all.

Smoking Deaths

When the founder and his wife took a working vacation to South Carolina they did more than just sun and fun themselves. They walked, talked and researched. And if you're from the IRS they performed all the necessary functions to render their trip fully tax deductible under the current terms of the tax code. That is also why we've added a new state to our regional reporting.

Although South Carolina is a big tobacco state it was surprising to discover so many non-smoking establishments, although there was smoking and most ridiculous was the non-smoking section of the New China Buffet where the food was plentiful, cheap and delicious. We found the best (meaning syrupy sweet) sweet tea in all of the state. The section was separated by a booth divider that was waist high. Fortunately there were no noticeable smokers in the smoking section.

"Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Each year in the United States, cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke causes 443,000 or 1 in 5 deaths. Economic losses are also staggering. Smoking-caused diseases result in $96 billion in health care costs annually." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

But enough about the new addition. Let's put things into perspective by examining the winners and losers in the area of smoking health. How do we rank, meaning our region? In order of importance by how we will survive in the number one (1) spot at nineteenth (19th) is:

District of Columbia - "Among adults ages 35+ years, over 700 died as a result of tobacco use per year, on average, during 2000-2004. This represents a smoking-attributable mortality rate of 249.9 / 100,000. The District of Columbia's smoking-attributable mortality rate ranks 19th among the states."

It's all over after the District of Columbia because followed by all the over twentieth (20th) place with the others following with the great state of -

Maryland - "Among adults aged 35+ years, over 6,900 died as a result of tobacco use per year, on average, during 2000-2004. This represents a smoking-attributable mortality rate of 261.9 / 100,000. Maryland's smoking-attributable mortality rate ranks 23rd among the states."

Rounding out the twentieth (20th) level is the southern state of -

Virginia - "Among adults aged 35+ years, over 9,200 died as a result of tobacco use per year, on average, during 2000-2004. This represents a smoking-attributable mortality rate of 267.0 / 100,000. Virginia's smoking-attributable mortality rate ranks 28th among the states."

As the newcomer its certainly not the least or the last in the rankings, the very southern of the Carolinas

South Carolina - "Among adults aged 35+ years, over 6,100 died as a result of tobacco use per year, on average, during 2000-2004. This represents a smoking-attributable mortality rate of 293.4 / 100,000. South Carolina's smoking-attributable mortality rate ranks 37th among the states."

The editor has picked tobacco or at least attempted to pick tobacco as a child in the state of his birth, the most northern of the Carolinas -

North Carolina - "Among adults aged 35+ years, over 12,300 died as a result of tobacco use per year, on average, during 2000-2004. This represents a smoking-attributable mortality rate of 298.4 / 100,000. North Carolina's smoking-attributable mortality rate ranks 38th among the states."

 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released reports congratulating California for their successful handling of their whooping cough outbreak and administration of their H1N1 flu inoculations. As always if you don't want your grandchildren to fall victim to its effects you'll need a shot for that!

"Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After fits of many coughs, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breathes which result in a "whooping" sound. Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than 1 year of age. The best way to protect against pertussis is immunization." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC press release said:

New Data Show Gains in Public Health Preparedness - "Today's report indicates that our nation is better prepared to respond to a public health emergency. It also reminds us that preparedness challenges remain and our efforts need to continue," said Dr. Ali Khan, director of CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. "We must foster improvements for rapid awareness, identification, and communication of health threats; measurable preparedness goals and response plans; and ongoing support for state and local public health." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released reports congratulating California for their successful handling of their whooping cough outbreak and administration of their H1N1 flu inoculations. As always if you don't want your grandchildren to fall victim to its effects you'll need a shot for that!

So who are the CDC's top ten states that are making great strides? They are in order of success:

Percentage of Recommended Tobacco Control Investment, 2007 - Maine, 1, 85.5%; Delaware, 2, 79.4%; Wyoming, 3, 78.2%; Alaska, 4, 70.7%; Hawaii, 5, 66.6%; Vermont, 6, 61.8%; Montana, 7, 57.3%; Colorado, 8, 48.7%; North Dakota, 9, 47.1%; Arkansas, 10, 44.3% - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

There are other rankings at the same site where you our region can do much better than published in other categories. Think of it as those other categories in the beauty pageant that have nothing to do with beauty. That's for the really desperate who wants better news than you've lost! You can go there find better news if you must and we're certain that our leaders will.

Not So Handy Sanities

We were in a public government building today and discovered that all the hand sanitizers on three (3) floors we were at the entrance by the elevators were all out of hand sanitizer. One elevator rider told us the story of having an automatic dispenser at home that was emptied by friends on the very first day. When we found the story from the researchers at University of Virginia saying that hand sanitizers weren't effective at preventing colds or flu we went searching for the source.

We could not find the information at the of the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) website where the researchers from the University of Virginia (UofV) announced their findings. We could not find the story or the researchers quoted in the article. But we did find these stories which we thought were indirectly related.

"Rubbing hands together after washing them increases the danger of contamination, scientists warn - Although hand-dryers are more environmentally friendly than paper towels researchers found that bacteria levels increased when people rubbed their hands together while using them. They concluded that paper towels were the most effective means of reducing the risk of infection after washing. " - Microbe World (Sept 12, 2010)

When you call people and ask them about washing their hands they say they do so more than used to according to research reported at the ICAAC. Men do better at home than at the ballgame women are always better than men anywhere. Overall the results were:

"In a 2010 telephone survey of 1,006 American adults, Harris Interactive's survey for ASM and ACI found the vast majority of us say we always wash our hands after using the bathroom at home (89%). More Americans now report that they always wash their hands after changing a diaper (82%), an increase from 2007 (73%). Women are better than men at this practice: 88% of the ladies say they always wash their hands after diaper duty, compared to 80% of the guys." - Microbe World (Sept 13, 2010)

On the very bad side in three (3) states (none in our area) there is a superbug. A super infection that can't be killed or stopped. Now that's scary. It's in the United States, Canada, Britain and India already. Hopefully by the time it reaches us it we might be able to stop it or have a way infect against it. Just in time for flu season!

"An infectious-disease nightmare is unfolding: A new gene that can turn many types of bacteria into superbugs resistant to nearly all antibiotics has sickened people in three states and is popping up all over the world, health officials reported Monday. ...The U.S. cases occurred this year in people from California, Massachusetts and Illinois, said Brandi Limbago, a lab chief at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three types of bacteria were involved, and three different mechanisms let the gene become part of them." - Microbe World (Sept 13, 2010)

Now you're going to think we made this up (we didn't!). The solution for the new super bug might be the lowly cockroach's brain. According to researchers from the University of Nottingham (London):

"...they have in their brain up to nine molecules from which antibiotics could be produced. These molecules apparently have the capacity to fight more than 90 percent of resistant bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus and E. coli, said researchers from the Universities of Nottingham." - Prensa Latina (Sept 7, 2010)

Superbugs, cockroaches, and hand sanitizers oh my! What was the original story - we didn't forget. It's just not at the ICAAC website though mentioned in all the news stories. It is at the University of Virginia's Health Center website. Funded by the Dial (soap) corporation the study found:

"In the study, volunteers who used an antiviral hand sanitizer every three hours had 42 rhinovirus infections per 100 subjects compared to 51 infections per 100 subjects in volunteers who used no special intervention. Similarly, volunteers who used the sanitizer had 12 influenza infections per 100 subjects compared to 15 infections per 100 subjects in the control group. Researchers also found that hand sanitizer did not significantly reduce the frequency of illnesses caused by these viruses. " - UofV (Health System)

What's not mentioned in any of the articles or in the University of Virginia's press release is the earlier research from the same school with the same sponsor that found hand sanitizers were more effective than soap and water.

"Hand sanitizers that contain ethanol are more effective at removing some cold germs than washing your hands with soap and water, a new study says. Researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Dial Corporation looked at sanitizers containing both ethanol and organic acids and found they prevent the return of the rhinovirus up to four hours after applied to hands. " - Toronto Sun (March 24, 2010)

So soap and water is not as effective as hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers don't prevent flu and a super infection is on its way that nothing stops. The good news is researchers have stop killing your roaches because cockroach brains may hold the key to the cure or treatment against the new super bug. Is this a crazy world or what?

Whatever! The University of Virginia's website doesn't give much credence to the reports because at their own Health System site they do not suggest anything more than hand washing which according to their own research isn't as effective as hand sanitizing which they call "also helpful." Not according to their very own professionals! That's the real story.

Fat Funds

It's not what you say - it's what you don't say! That was how one of our favorite game shows ended their programming. We think it's a great metaphor for life and politics. We think if we don't tell you to watch out then we're responsible for what we thought could hurt you - hurting you. We're responsible if we didn't warn you. If we warn you and you don't heed our warning then that's on you. We'll sound the alarm when the alarm needs sounding. We say this because our favorite government agency, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's "Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) currently funds 25 states to address the problems of obesity and other chronic diseases through statewide efforts." So if your state (and ours are not) isn't addressing the problems that face it for whatever reason - it might be time for you to consider new representation. Not that we're telling you to do that because sometimes its "the devil you know" that's better than one you don't.

"North Carolina's estimated 2007 total population is 9 million, roughly 7 million are adults. Of those adults, 36% are considered overweight and another 29% are considered obese, according to 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Problems are also seen in factors related to obesity and other chronic diseases.

1. Approximately one quarter of adults report no leisure time physical activity in the past month.
2. Only 22% of North Carolinians report eating fruits and vegetables at least five times a day." - CDC (Overweight & Obesity)

Neither DC, Maryland or Virginia received funding from the federal government to address the issue in their states.Nor are they scheduled to receive any future funds either. The money comes from:

"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 states that “$650M shall be provided to carry out evidence-based clinical and community-based prevention and wellness strategies authorized by the Public Health Service Act that deliver specific, measurable health outcomes that address chronic disease rates.” The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed an initiative in response to the Act. The goal of this initiative – Communities Putting Prevention to Work – is to reduce risk factors and prevent/delay chronic disease and promote wellness in both children and adults. The initiative was launched by HHS in a press briefing held on September 17, 2009. - CDC (Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)

We asked the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) why weren't they selected and if they even applied for the funds (they meaning our jurisdictions) . We'll keep you abreast of their response if and when we receive it. We'd like to modify our favorite game show quote to: "It's not what you do it what you don't do!" That's about as political as we'll get in this season of flu and politics. Again we say it's up to to you to do. What happens when you've got the information is on us all. We're responsible. Each and everyone of us.

Fruits & Veg

How fat are we? Not us but we the region. When we say fat we don't mean overweight we mean obese. How obese are we? Compared to other regions and in this nation of these United States how obese are we? When you get the call you might want to keep that in mind. It's not just our size it's our health and welfare. In our case its what makes us happy. We've said before: "The top destroyers us are: cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and accidents." Our weight makes us a candidate for death for all four (4).

If the region has no plans for the future there would not appear to be any future for change if there are no plans to change the future. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for this week said:

"A diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk for many leading causes of death (1--3) and can play an important role in weight management (4). Healthy People 2010 objectives for fruits and vegetables include targets of increasing to 75% the proportion of persons aged ≥2 years who consume two or more servings of fruit daily and to 50% those who consume three or more servings of vegetables daily.* To assess states' progress over the past decade in meeting these targets among adults and to provide an update of the 2005 subgroup estimates (5), CDC analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)." - CDC (MMWR)

Their (the BRFSS) telephone survey doesn't indicate a very bright future for region using figures from 2000 to 2009. If our area hasn't announced plans which might indicate changes that might offer a healthier future for we the people of the area (and as far as we can determine they have not) it's not likely they'll be improvements. You won't have to wait for any news reports of good news for this year or the next. If changes are needed and are not made it's not looking very rosy in our futures.

"No state has yet met the Healthy People 2010 goals, (Dr. Jennifer) Foltz said. In fact only one state, Idaho, rose in the amount of fruits and vegetables ate while 10 states saw a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption. The 10 states where significant decreases in fruit and vegetable consumption were seen are Arizona, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia, according to the report." - US News & World Report (Health News)

Of course it's just the government talking. They're not really trying to sell you anything. But how fat are we? One of the complaint people have is not having access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Local area farmers markets and larger grocery stores carry fresh fruits and vegetables and while we may complain about the costs and the variety the basics are their. Many onsite stores like SAFEWAY, GIANT, ALDI, PIGGY WIGGLY, WINN DIXIE, HARRIS TETTER, FOOD LION and even WAL-MART offer recipes along with their choices of fresh produce for sale that week.

"...a diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for maintaining a healthy weight because they are high in fiber and in water. It also reduces the risk of leading causes of death, such as heart disease, some cancers, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes." - Dr. Jennifer Foltz (researcher with CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) LISTEN

Listen to the government if you want to live! There are things that each of us needs to do to stay well but then their are things your government needs to do to keep us well as well. Clean air, clean water, nuclear free and disease prevention are all things that the government could or should do for its citizenry. In this case the government first gives you the data for you to decide for yourself. The information is provided by you and your neighbors so trust it if you trust the source.

We placed the numbers in an excel spread sheet because the table isn't very friendly and of course the numbers come with all sort of caveats in this case the "(r)esults presented are weighted for age, race/ethnicity, and sex." Some show significant increases and others show significant decreases in rates and per centages. For specifics check the CDC website (do you really care that much about the specific numbers?) We just use the numbers to verify the news stories. When the facts don't match we let you know and ask the questions why.

"In 2009, an estimated 32.5% of U.S. adults consumed fruit two or more times per day, with the highest percentage in DC (40.2%) and the lowest in Oklahoma (18.1%). The percentage of adults who consumed vegetables three or more times per day was 26.3%, with the highest percentage in Tennessee (33.0%) and the lowest in South Dakota (19.6%). Thus, no state met either of the Healthy People 2010 targets related to fruit and vegetable consumption among adults. Twelve states (12) and DC had 35%--45% of adults who consumed fruit two or more times per day, compared with no states that had 35%--45% of adults who consumed vegetables three or more times per day." - CDC (MMWR)

What about the rest of the region? Maryland was sixth (6) in 2009 for fruit, Virginia was sixteenth (16) and North Carolina forty-third (43). For vegetables in 2009 Washington DC maintained its second (2) place ranking, Virginia placed second (2) in the region but sixth (6) place nationally with Maryland not far behind with a tenth (10) place rank and then North Carolina finishing fourth in the region but nineteenth (19) overall in the nation. What might be a good ranking in the region is still no cause for celebration. It's hard to celebrate saying you're better than the worst especially when the worst have federal funding to improve their condition.

VitaMazing D

How We Got Here - Sometimes its not a mistake. The men among us think nothing of taking the wrong turn that might lead us to discover a new route. Were always looking for a better route to where we want to go. The same can be found in medical research.

"In a study of Japanese schoolchildren, vitamin D supplements taken during the winter and early spring helped prevent seasonal flu and asthma attacks. The idea for the study, study chief Dr. Mitsuyoshi Urashima, told Reuters Health, came from an earlier study looking at whether vitamin D could help prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. The researchers in that study noticed that people taking vitamin D were three times less likely to report cold and flu symptoms." - Reuters Health (Mar 19, 2010)

The vitamin dujour is vitamin D. Whether its treating asthma, cancer, the flu, schizophrenia or brittle bones in the elderly the focus seems to be on the hormone vitamin and its curative effects in the news and in research. The hormone status hasn't been settled. There is still some disagreement with the Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes conclusion. (PDF)

Unless you're sick enough seems to be enough. Actually enough might be too much if you're looking for preventive measures.

“Historically the amount of sunshine which people have typically been getting was adequate, certainly up until the mid twentieth century when we started to do silly things like sunbathing and wearing bikinis, and before that time people were already sourcing enough vitamin D from everyday foods like fish, mushrooms and eggs.” - ScienceAlert (April 24, 2009)

Whether accidental or not a discovery that makes us better even when science is looking in the wrong direction or for something completely different is still a good thing. Usually the result is hair growth or something involving the male organ. Like going to see if you've got email and discovering its about that drug or something to enhance your maleness. These kind of scientific discoveries are so much better.

It's NOT Back!!!!!

News of how to fight the flu and that the flu has already returned (it is that time you know!). What we can take heart in knowing is that those who know how to fight it and what the effects of the tools we have to fight it are and can be. We love vitamin therapy. We believe in vitamin therapy treatments in spite of the research for and against it. It's cheap and easy - that's why we love it.

"Cases have already been reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means flu is striking early this year—the season doesn't officially start until October. Flu activity usually peaks in January, February, and March, and winds down in May, says Henry Bernstein, a professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' infectious diseases committee." - US News & World Report (August 26, 2010)

The deaths have already begun for this season (2010) though not in our jurisdiction or even in this country, as far as we know. We do know this - Dr. Edward Belongia is again apart of the research team bringing us the good news. You may remember Dr. Belongia from his earlier research in the area of vaccine:

"In the largest population-based study to date of the safety of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in young children, there were very few medically attended events, none of which were serious, significantly associated with the vaccine. This study provides additional evidence supporting the safety of universally immunizing all children 6 to 23 months old with influenza vaccine." - Journal of the American Medical Association (Oct 25, 2006)

The news reports are getting as detailed as we normally make them. No where in the "analysis" is vitamin D mentioned but researchers are so familiar with the apparent success of the others reviews that they mention the therapy even though a connection is not as scientifically asserted. Indeed the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) discusses the matter more in their Letters to the Editor section than they do in actual research data. Its the analysis that is much at odds. We don't present it here because it's not free to see but your doctor's office or clinic may have a copy you can peruse.

"In an analysis of data from a population-based active surveillance study of influenza cases in Wisconsin, Belongia and colleagues compared clinical characteristics of pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) with illnesses caused by other influenza A strains. Among the authors’ findings were that individuals with 2009 H1N1 infection were younger than those with 2007-2008 (H3N2) infection (median age, 10 years and 25 years, respectively) and that the risk of most serious complications was not elevated among adults or children infected with 2009 H1N1 compared with other recent seasonal influenza A strains." - Journal of the American Medical Association (Sept. 8, 2010) 

The numbers are small but not insignificant to reach the conclusions they have (and before you go and say: "that I took the vaccine and still got the flu!") the idea is to stay alive. If you didn't die the fact that it was hard to get, or that you had to stand in a long line, all might be inconvenient but the best thing, at least for us is that we're still here with you and for you.

"545 2009 H1N1, 221 seasonal H1N1, and 632 H3N2 infections ..individuals with 2009 H1N1 infection were younger than those with H3N2. The risk of most serious complications was not elevated in adults or children with 2009 H1N1 compared with recent seasonal strains." - JAMA

What the most recent study suggest is that vitamin D did work or rather boost the effect of the vaccine that:

"The reduction in influenza A was more prominent in children who had not been taking other vitamin D supplements" - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (March 10, 2010)

If that says anything then it says don't go hog wild on taking vitamins (which is what we've known all along). If your body can't use what you're taking it in it discards it or in this case can make you less able to receive the effectiveness that can come using what you need and only what you need. We also feel that about exercising. Why do it unless you're going to get the maximum effect from it? We're going to work on that.

Surviving Cancer

PearlieMae was afraid of the disease that eventually, through complications, took her life. She knew of neighbors who suffered from breast cancer and rather than call the condition to the attention of her doctors she hid the smell of the disease as it ravaged her body. PearlieMae was of the same generation as that neighbor whose religion prevented her from seeking help that might have prolonged her life. We can't speak of PearlieMae's opinion of the neighbor. We do know that she knew of the woman and knew of her condition and her passing.

Cancer is again much in the news due to actor Michael Douglas' treatment. The son to noted actor and stroke survivor Kirk Douglas is considered "cancer-stricken" and like his father shares his' father's fatherhood regrets when career came before family. Now this is a stretch but we included the Douglas' with the neighbor in our story to highlight how knowing information and actually being able to utilize the information are often very difficult tasks.

Michael who may or may not have had to watch his grandfather suffer and die from smoking must have known that his father (Kirk) wasn't a smoker until:

"Hollywood started me smoking, literally putting a cigarette in my hand. Who knows how many moviegoers have started smoking because of what they have seen on the screen? Too many movies glorify young people smoking. It doesn't have to be this way. I have done at least 50 pictures where I avoided smoking. In one film, ''The Brotherhood,'' I played a Mafia character and chewed on a cigar. In a scene from a film I just did, ''The Illusion,'' when offered a cigarette, I say: ''I don't smoke. I have cancer.'' " - New York Times

That is unless career kept father Kirk Douglas from imparting to his son Michael the suffering his grandfather endured and the strength that fueled his ability to quit. The story of which the elder Douglas wrote of and was published in the New York Times.

"After many years of smoking, my father was told by his doctor that he would die of cancer if he did not stop smoking. So he quit cold turkey. Here's how he did it: he always carried one cigarette in the breast pocket of his shirt. When he felt the urge to smoke, he'd take the cigarette out and look at it fiercely. With a growl, he would say, in his Russian accent, ''Who's stronger? You -- me?'' He would glare at the cigarette: ''I stronger.'' And he'd put the cigarette back in his pocket. He did that for a few years, but it was too late. He died of cancer at age 72." - New York Times (May 2003)

Neglect doesn't lead to cancer and we're not trying to suggest such a connection but we are trying to suggest that neglect can lead to repeating what can be avoided and can have disastrous and long term affects that can be repeated in families broken or otherwise. Sometimes stories should be discussed in polite company if only to learn how individuals feel about detection and treatment. Sometimes its just good to know that people, even those whom we see on screens big and small, suffer and prevail.

Jefferson Thomas a "Little Rock nine" member was much younger than PearlieMae. While Mr. Thomas was only briefly on the small screen his passing from pancreatic cancer caught our eye when we read of the latest report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). While nothing is written in the story on his cancer struggle it got us to thinking about cancer, secrets, treatment and prevention.

That's when the memory of PearlieMae and the neighbor returned to our memory. We can't rewrite what has been written. Like sharks that can only swim forward, life is a forward journey that each of us must make. Though sharks can only swim forward they, like each of us can also move in a circle. (Thanks to PBS we've learned that sharks don't have to "move or die" some varieties can stand still. We keep mentioning sharks because since 1970 sharks and cows cartilage has been considered for the treatment and/or cure for cancer. While none of the research has been considered successful enough to be commercial viable. The hope still remains. With the big "casino" (cancer) for many hope is all there is.)  We should move forward and forward or upward and onward. We should seek to go where we've never been before. Or so we guess.

The JAMA research found that women having elective mastectomies and

"...women with a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer may consider preemptively removing their fallopian tubes and ovaries. “Early intervention” can also save the lives of people predisposed to certain types of kidney and thyroid cancers." 

There is a drug for the treatment of prostate cancer, in its early stages or think of it as elective surgery. The down side of treatment is possible hair growth for thinning hair, decreased desire or possible pain in the region.

 "In 2003, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT), involving more than 18,000 patients, found that finasteride cut the incidence of prostate cancer by 25 percent -- the first drug to do so." Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF)

The down side is doctor's don't prescribe the drug because they were poorly informed about the drug. While admitted the physicians in the study were in the Veteran's Administration (VA) it is a stretch to assign ignorance to all physicians in every walk of life. However if you learn or suspect prostate cancer a good place to start is with a question concerning the drug treatment before considering surgery especially if caught early.

Early detection whether or not you'd like to go to the extreme and have elective surgery is the key to survival at the very least. While we doubt such an extreme could extend to elective prostate cancer surgery or elective skin removal surgery we're amazed that so much focus has been placed on elective mastectomies. If there was a family history the women stated they'd consider it. The men have a different point of view altogether.

"Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men." - American Cancer Society (2010) 

Again it just might be this generation or our generation. As for PearlieMae's generation who knew what they considered that makes a woman a woman. Is it because she has her breasts or is she less of a woman if she's had a hysterectomy? As our younger family members deal with their own bouts with the big "C" we'll keep reviewing the research and sharing what we find and what isn't being shared. May the disease never be a part of your family and your life.

The American Cancer Society (ACS)suggests you can prevent cancer by:

1. Eat an abundance of foods from plant-based sources.
2. Limit fat. 
3. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.