PEARLIE MAE'S

TB or Not TB

2011-02-14T14:16:00.000-05:00

That's not really the question. The question is if you're like PearlieMae are you going to do whatever it takes to not get tuberculosis this year or the next. If you're a regular reader of PearlieMaes you know whatever it takes is going to be all that stressful physically or otherwise. We aren't interested in making you sweat or work up a sweat. We do admit that sweating and things that make you move til you sweat are the way to better health.We just have never believed that its the only information you should be provided. We support a two pronged method of attack.

"In 2009 there were 11,545 new cases of tuberculosis reported in the United States - Although reported TB cases reached all-time lows in the United States, there are still disproportionately high rates of TB among foreign-born persons from high prevalence countries and among U.S.born racial/ethnic minorities, especially U.S.-born blacks. Among racial and ethnic minorities, unequal distribution of TB risk factors can increase the chance of developing the disease." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Current Features)

Our focus has been on protecting yourself from the H1N1 (swine flu) and not so much from the old standbys. The reason being this is season for that kind of infection is so obvious and easily prevented. Though our own actions wouldn't be a very good indication of that practice. Which is another reason why we haven't been showing the "swine table of death" that we usually show and will return to shortly. We're still at risk each and all of us even though we've had some technical difficulties keeping our stories.

"Tuberculosis - Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not especially easy to catch. You're much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live with or work with than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who've had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious." - Mayo Clinic (Causes)

The reason we haven't focused on TB is because it's not "easy to catch." It's the difficulty that doesn't need an injection for protection. Avoid the sick and don't get sick which is a good tactic for all contagious diseases. If you hear that a co-worker, family member or friend has TB and you've been especially close to that person then you might want to seek treatment. Do not self treat because whatever medications you receive has to be taken completely even when you feel better.

Feeling Poorly To Excess

2011-02-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

When you saw a distended belly of an African child surrounded by flies in his mother's arms you certainly don't think that to be a symbol of obesity. Historically when you saw a painting of a Rubensian figure in art it meant a sign of good health and great wealth. Currently such a size on an individual in reality indicates poor health and now poverty according to researchers.

“Social Context May Be a Better Indicator of Obesity Disparities than Race - In a national sample not accounting for race differences in social context, black women had twice the chance of being obese as compared to white women,” Sara Bleich, PhD, lead author and assistant professor in the Bloomberg School's Department of Health Policy and Management. “To date, efforts to explain the disparity in obesity prevalence have primarily focused on individual level factors and little research has focused on social context as a possible explanation. When we examined poor, urban women exposed to the same environment, race disparities in obesity virtually disappeared.” - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (May 6, 2010)

We've long maintained that eating properly and exercising as solutions to individual illnesses that often lead to premature deaths isn't the answer to the problem. While social inequities are becoming more prevalent by the current economic climate solutions, we suggestion, need to be more proactive. Which we admit is as contradictory as the research.

"Obesity, Poverty, and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs - Poverty, as measured by household income, is associated with obesity in some population groups. One review of 144 published studies shows a strong inverse association between socioeconomic status and obesity in women, and an inconsistent relationship in men and children. The panel concluded that it is necessary to separate the effects of poverty and socioeconomic status from the potential effects of food assistance to determine the relationship between obesity and program participation. The research challenge, however, is that poverty is highly correlated with program participation, making it hard to separate their independent effects. " - USDA Food and Nutrition Service (February 2005)

The poor who appear to be eating to excess by the physical appearances when in reality their bulk can and often is the result of the opposite. It's where you are in both location and along the economic scale that determines not only your wealth but also your health. Departments of Health in our region and the nation need to be prepared for not only moments of prosperity as well as poverty when they're least likely to afford the services needed by our communities.

"New Flu Vaccine Option for Adults 65 Years and Older - Adults 65 years of age and older are among the groups hardest hit by influenza, and annual vaccination remains the best protection, particularly for this population. However, as people age, their immune function tends to decrease, which makes older adults not only more susceptible to infections, but also less responsive to vaccination." - American Lung Association (Top Stories)

We at PearlieMaes also believe that age is another significant factor in both health and well being of individuals. One of PearlieMaes biggest complaint was that as a senior no one, meaning doctors, would speak to her directly. Physicians often directed their answers, comments and or suggestions to whomever ferried her to her appointments. While priority should be given to the patient in the case of relatives or transporters secondary or supplemental information should be given. Unfortunately doctors are too often too pressed for time to give the information twice.

Obviously Obese

2011-02-07T12:37:00.000-05:00

You're ugly. You ain't go no alibi. You're ugly. You're ugly. You're U-G-L-Y! Goes the cheerleader chant. When you're rooting for your team and want to psyche out the other team your cheerleaders "trash talk" their opponent. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isn't acting like an opponent. It's obvious that our children, grandchildren and all of us are fat. Yes, we're fatter than we were in 2007 and unless something else changes we'll be fatter in 2014. We're probably fatter than we were in 1807. The CDC's solution:

"More than one third of U.S. adults are obese. Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than your body uses. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight will help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. The key is FINDING A BALANCE in your lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular physical activity." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Finding Balance)

We don't support that as a regional or national alternative. We didn't gain weight as a national mission. We gained weight all the while trying to improve our economy, keep our jobs, saving our investments and stay alive. Unless we can embark on a national mission that will improve our economy, save our jobs, increase our investments all the while keeping us better alive we don't support it. We can't support it.

"Mean Body Weight, Height, and Body Mass Index, United States 1960–2002 - During the last 2 decades the prevalence of obesity and overweight has increased in the United States (1–3). This is in part due to a shift in the distribution of BMI (BMI, weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of the entire population. This report presents the changes in mean bodyweight, height, and BMI for the entire U.S. population from 1960 to 2002." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (October 27, 2004)

Gaining weight is what we do if not as American then as people in a civilized society. We get tall and we get wider. "Finding balance" is a humorous way of being absurd by the federal government that hasn't been either effective or reasonable for today's current lifestyles. We know what you want to know - how fat are we? We just don't want to be as overweight as our neighbors. "At least we're not as fat as the Jones." Or are we? The information in the CDC report comes from telephone surveys of some 405,102 people.

We conclude that since the information was collected by telephone and all the respondents we telephone owners then if you own a telephone it will make you gain weight. The solution is to rid ourselves of our telephones and if anyone asks say you're ten (10) pounds lighter than your actual weight. That way when the researchers call they'll think the country or at least the region has lost weight even though we've gotten taller. We think our suggestion would be more effective than the federal governments. Besides our suggestion, like a folk remedy, wouldn't hurt you, unless you actually believe your untruth.

Back That Thing Up

2011-02-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

We don't and we didn't. We should have and our position is that you should. We're from our parents do as I say and not as we do school of thought. Our parents would constantly contradict themselves and we as young brash smart alecs would constantly say to them but Mommy/Daddy you do/say that! Unlike our parents we have to suffer the consequences of our actions. We also don't learn from the mistakes of others as indicated by this very old post:

"Drive one is dead, most likely in some liquidation load and I replaced it with another drive of the exact same model at best buy. Well, that one failed too!" - DTSL Williams (June 12, 2007)

Learn from our mistakes and we should take our own advice. In some ways we are backing up. Our excuse was we replaced the drive with another of the exact same model but NOT from BestBuy but ours actually we couldn't even format it. We've learned through further reading that when you create a "brick" using two (2) terabyte (TB) hard drives to create four (4) terabyte hard drives. Someone in our office who shall remain nameless thought to flip the switch to make the two (2) drives into a single huge drive. It made the information unavailable to us. The fix we learn all too late was to re-initialize the drives rather than formatting them again. That way the information is not lost.

The following articles we recovered or discovered. At the time they were timely. They might be old but the information while not current is at least still true. We're mostly proud of the new story from our family member about their hospital experience. It's funny and informative. We hope you enjoy it!

Piling on the Roids

2010-11-21T14:11:00.001-05:00

When a couple suffer from the same malady it makes you concerned that there's something in the food, water or environment that affects or has affected them both. When two (2) different colonoscopies on two (2) different weeks produces the same diagnosis we get concerned. Again the instinct is more reactionary than scientific but we had to investigate. We can't recall whether it was ever known if PearlieMae suffered from the "piles" as its sometimes called by the "ole folks." We only thought we'd do the investigation our selves.

"Hemorrhoids are swollen, inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum. They are either inside the anus or under the skin around the anus. They often result from straining to have a bowel movement. Other factors include pregnancy, aging and chronic constipation or diarrhea. Hemorrhoids are very common in both men and women. About half of all people have hemorrhoids by age 50. The most common symptom of hemorrhoids inside the anus is bright red blood covering the stool, on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl. Symptoms usually go away within a few days." - MedlinePlus (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

What we found out was that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH) suggestion for treatment was surgical and the alternative to surgery is the nature or homeopathic treatment called horse chestnut but only the prepared variety. It's not a do it yourself treatment, unless you buy the pills and take them. What concerns is is that surgery is an external solution to a largely external problem from the government. We thought made the "alternative" suggestion would be a cream like petroleum jelly or aloe vera gel to be applied directly to the inflammation.

"If you have rectal bleeding you should see a doctor. You need to make sure bleeding is not from a more serious condition such as colorectal or anal cancer. Treatment may include warm baths and a cream or other medicine. If you have large hemorrhoids, you may need surgery and other treatments." - MedlinePlus (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

We were looking for a cream applicable solution to the "roids" problem. When we found the horse chestnut under "Alternative Therapy" that's what we believed it to be. "Over-the-counter creams and suppositories may temporarily relieve the pain and itching of hemorrhoids. These treatments should only be used for a short time because long-term use can damage the skin." Which was the federal recommendation and again confuses us. Surgery can not only damage the skin but on such a sensitive area we would imagine would be really uncomfortable. Banding might not usually be painful. We just can't imagine how putting a rubber band around a painful infection would not be painful.

"If at-home treatments do not relieve symptoms, medical treatments may be needed. Outpatient treatments can be performed in a doctor’s office or a hospital. Outpatient treatments for internal hemorrhoids include the following:
* Rubber band ligation. The doctor places a special rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid. The band cuts off circulation, causing the hemorrhoid to shrink. This procedure should be performed only by a doctor.
* Sclerotherapy. The doctor injects a chemical solution into the blood vessel to shrink the hemorrhoid.
* Infrared coagulation. The doctor uses heat to shrink the hemorrhoid tissue.
Large external hemorrhoids or internal hemorrhoids that do not respond to other treatments can be surgically removed." - National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse (Medical Treatment)

Warm baths always feel good to us as they're warm baths. Unfortunately you usually have to sit on your roids to treat them in a bathtub. We admit we can't imagine everything that is possible in the world. Its just that if we treat ourselves with a warm bath won't the drying no matter how tend we are inflame the infections? Why not pure aloe vera gel as a cool treatment for an inflamed area? The problem we believe (again without scientific substance) is a cool natural compress that won't spread the infection or cause greater inflammation. That's our speculation based on nothing more than our own experiences.

"Pycnogenol relieves symptoms of acute hemorrhoids - A study published in a recent issue of Phytotherapy Research revealed Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract, from Natural Health Sciences, has important anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic properties that may be beneficial in patients with hemorrhoids, both for acute and chronic treatment, and in preventing new attacks. The randomized, controlled study conducted by G D'Annunzio University in Italy investigated 84 patients suffering from an acute episode of external hemorrhoids, lasting 24 to 48 hours prior to inclusion in the study. The most frequently observed signs and symptoms, including hemorrhoidal bleedings, severe perineal pain and intravascular intravascular thrombus, were evaluated during the study period of two weeks." - Nutraceuticals World (Mar 1, 2010)

You might remember how we championed the idea of French pine bark extract and how it should be differentiated from the Japanese variety that failed in test showing its effectiveness in other uses and treatment. We love the idea of combining cream and pills that the "study indicates that Pycnogenol, both in oral and in topical form, is effective for controlling this common, disabling health problem. The application of Pycnogenol eases the management of acute hemorrhoidal attacks and help avoid bleedings." We thought so and we told you we thought so. The Japanese might have found that pine bark extract might not be the "be all to end all" for every disease but it sure beats, in our opinion, surgery or banding. We admit that the results were from a study of less than one hundred (100) individuals but come on - how many results do you need when the alternative is surgery or a rubber band around your infections?

Cancer's End

2010-11-16T15:50:00.009-05:00

Don't they know it's the end of the world.... Skeeter Davis sings in one of our favorite songs of loss and heartbreak. The End of the World can also be considered a song about end of life care. The headlines about the new report from Dartmouth University looks at the records of over two hundred and thirty thousand (235,821) patient records at their end of life. When its you or your loved ones. The end of the world is the end of life. It was her end of life care of PearlieMae that resulted in the creation of this site. What PearlieMae didn't want was to die in a nursing home or a hospital unfortunately that fear was realized to our great regret.

"Most patients with serious illness prefer to be at home at the end of life, in familiar settings and close to family. However, across the United States, about 29% of cancer patients who died during the period from 2003 to 2007 did so in a hospital." - The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care (Percent of Patients Dying in Hospital)

PearlieMae was like most patients. Unfortunately where she lived determined where she'd die. We knew this but she succumbed to her cancer before relocating to the region's least likely areas (Asheville, NC area). The Carolinas are also the areas most know for producing tobacco long considered responsible for cancer. The region's most likely areas (Columbia, SC area) to succumb to the disease in a hospital. The metropolitan area is often considered the "tri-state." However for the purposes of the Dartmouth data the District of Columbia is composed of a different "tri-state." For the purposes of this study, rather than as it's residents, DC's data is drawn from Annapolis to West Virginia but excludes Virginia.

"The use of health care resources in the United States is highly localized. Most Americans use the services of physicians whose practices are nearby. Physicians, in turn, are usually affiliated with hospitals that are near their practices. As a result, when patients are admitted to hospitals, the admission generally takes place within a relatively short distance of where the patient lives. This is true across the United States. Although the distances from homes to hospitals vary with geography – people who live in rural areas travel farther than those who live in cities – in general most patients are admitted to a hospital close to where they live that provides an appropriate level of care. Data for all Dartmouth Atlas regional data reflect the experience of Medicare patients living in the region, regardless of where the care was actually delivered." - The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care (Data By Region)

PearlieMae's older sister, Alice, did live and use the services of a physician nearby her in North Carolina. Alice was able with family and community support to receive care at her home where she was able to succumb to her non-cancerous illness. The concern with cancer is the use of sufficient pain relieving medications. In this time and in this current atmosphere of drug abuse the concern for receiving medications that can and often are abused is more of a concern than insuring that patients have enough to "succumb" comfortably in their home. That's more speculation than the results of the research from the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care.

Losing Snacking Weight

2010-11-16T15:36:00.001-05:00

It was a story we could not ignore. We don't believe it and it's not so much research as it was a single person trial. Unfortunately its much todo about nothing because as wonderful as all the stories make it appear.

"PROFESSOR USING SNACK CAKE DIET TO COUNTER POPULAR HEALTH BELIEFS - His special four-week diet started Aug. 25. It includes products like peanut butter-chocolate bars, chocolate cake rolls, breakfast pizza, donuts and sugared cereal. Within the first four days of the diet, Mark Haub, associate professor of human nutrition, had lost seven pounds by eating foods high in saturated fats and sugar while maintaining his calorie goal of 1,800 kilocalories a day. "It's portion controlled. I'm eating foods that are deemed by many to be unhealthy; we will see if they are," he said." - Kansas State University (News Services)

You're hooked and ready to jump on the trial and be test subject number two (2) understand that it includes vegetables by the can, a fresh tomato and the dreaded exercise of over an hour to actually result in actual weight loss. Just when you thought you could eat your weight in snacks and actually lose weight. It is more like a commercial for eating snack food using the right portions. For how unreasonable that is read the back of your snack package and determine how many serving are actually in the pack.

"Many think increased weight gain leads to diabetes, heart disease, mortality and more. But associate professor Haub said research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found overweight people have lower mortality rates and health care costs. Haub said his diet also is easy on a budget. "It's very inexpensive and I get all of my calories for about five bucks a day," he said. "I am not promoting this or recommending it; it's just an exercise in nutrition." - Kansas State University (News Services)

The story was more a come on than an actual fact based account. Not that the associate professor is being dishonest or that the story isn't true - actually the headline from all the news services and Kansas State University is misleading. It's not so much the foods that you eat as it is in the calories you burn when you eat whatever you eat. Less calories and more burning of the whatever is left results in weight loss. Thankfully the YouTube video fills in all the gaps in the both the news stories and KSU website.

"Deakin in the news - a new snack food developed by Dr Keast who also happens to be a qualified chef. Consisting of a parmesan cheese cracker and organic mashed potato, the snack also contained natural additives – such as an antiinflammatory agent, oleocanthal, and omega 3 fatty acids – and a natural appetite suppressant. Dr Keast said it was the first time oleocanthal had been included in a manufactured food and research was continuing into its flavour and health promoting properties. ‘Overall, the snack is a vehicle for these health promoting compounds ... while it is not a natural food it is an innovative food,’ he said. A senior lecturer in the area of sensory science, Dr Keast’s research has also helped reduce bitter taste in pharmaceuticals with particular emphasis on paediatric formulations." - Media buzz PDF (April 2, 2008)

The magical properties of oleocanthal was going to make snack food more tasty and better for us. The miracle ingredient was going to allow us to eat all the junk food we wanted as cheesy, greasy and tasty as we love and have been so far unable to resist. Oleo, the olive oil based ingredient (that makes us think of Oreo) would make our weaknesses palatable, pleasurable and make portion control possible. We could eat the whole container and our bodies would tell us that its time to stop.

"The SENECA (Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly: a Concerted Action) study, developed from 1988-89 to 1999, showed that the food pattern of southern European elders appeared to be the healthiest, since it was rich in grain, vegetables, fruit, lean meat and olive oil; however, a sufficient energy intake seemed to be necessary for an adequate micro nutrient intake. ...Nutritional status of free-living people in Palma de Mallorca is defined by a high prevalence of overweight and obesity and a low risk of undernutrition. This elderly population showed an imbalanced dietary intake, mainly characterized by low energy intake, too much energy derived from fats and proteins and poorly derived from carbohydrates, low dietary fibre intake, risk of atherogenic potential, and inadequate mineral and vitamin intake. An increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures may be expected, due to their high animal protein intake and low calcium and vitamin D intake. An increase of dietary complex carbohydrate and fibre, a decrease of fats, mainly SFA, and a balanced intake of animal/vegetable proteins and fats is recommended. Dietary supplementation, especially with calcium, vitamin C and E, and occasionally vitamin D, may be useful to improve nutritional and health status of freeliving elderly people in Palma de Mallorca." - University of Navarra (05 TUR e/c/7)

Why is this Spanish research important? We want you to live longer, stronger and better lives. We also think to be successful you should first see who is and emulate them which is the what the European Survey did. We'll admit that less than two hundred and fifty (250) people aren't a substantial population. We don't dismiss their findings. The "freeliving elderly people" from the now Palma, Spain are apparently "fat and happy." Since they have long life and health even they could have better lives with some supplementation. When science helps us to enjoy our lives of excess we're all for that kind of research.

Opportunity Is Here

2010-11-12T14:04:00.000-05:00

If you have to be anywhere sometimes it just pays to be here. Maybe pays isn't the right word maybe its in your best interests or rather better for your health if you're in our region. Two stories made its way to our attention. One concerning health and health care for the older generation and one from a business / employment opportunities point of view. We ignored the story of the rich concerning not being able to buy better health and not getting their children vaccinated.

"While poorer people are more likely to die sooner than their more well-off counterparts, researchers say their finding supports the view that the primary pathway between health and wealth is that poor health leads to a depletion of household wealth, rather than being poor causes one's health to decline. Researchers found that the substantial changes in wealth that occurred in the years 1992 and 2002 in the United States through increases in stock prices and housing prices did not alter the probability of subsequent death." - Rand Corporation (News Release)

The issue isn't about wealth as it is about health, that's our concern. We don't understand why the researcher ignored the segment between ages 65 and 70. Since we don't have access to the full study we're not certain why there is that gap between the group. Neither the abstract nor the Rand Corporation press release mentions an explanation for the age gap.

“If you get sick at older ages, you will die sooner in England than in the United States,” James P. Smith (RAND co-author) said. “It appears that at least in terms of survival at older ages with chronic disease, the medical system in the United States may be better than the system in England. The study expands upon an earlier analysis by Banks and Smith that found that Americans aged 55 to 64 suffered from diseases such as diabetes at rates up to twice those seen among similarly aged people in England. The trend was observed across all socioeconomic groups. Researchers analyzed information from two comparable surveys of people age 50 and over in the United States and England — the Health and Retirement Survey and the English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing — funded by the National Institute on Aging in the United States."- Rand Corporation (News Release)

The information published in this month's DEMOGRAPHY magazine reported "evidence using a long panel of American respondents that their subsequent mortality is not related to large changes in wealth experienced during the prior 10-year period." What years that covered also isn't part of the record. So if money doesn't matter BUSINESSWEEK pointed to our regions as the:

"Best Place to Start Over No. 1: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.V., MSA - D.C. offers diverse opportunities for people looking to start over. It may primarily be a spot for government, which has stabilized local employment, but other industries such as defense, IT, biotech, energy, and hospitalities also contribute significantly to the economy, according to the Greater Washington Initiative. The region ranks No. 1 globally for government research and development spending per capita, and its 50 federal labs and institutes are more than in any other region of the U.S., according to the organization." - Bloomberg BusinessWeek (No1)

In the second place position isn't a city but a region which if things were better in Richmond would stretch from North to South. Unfortunately it doesn't and doesn't include the newest addition to our view, South Carolina. Coming in second place if you had to start over is:

Best Place to Start Over No. 2: Raleigh-Cary, N.C., MSA - Businessweek.com previously ranked Raleigh among the country's strongest job markets. A large percentage of Raleigh's economy is devoted to government, education, and health care, according to Raleigh Economic Development. Using Research Triangle resources, the area hopes to expand its electric vehicles, photonics, IT, medical, and biotech industries. - Bloomberg BusinessWeek (No2)

It's good to be an American. At least for today and until the next study comes out contradicting this research. Just for today if you have to be somewhere this is the place to be. In the nation, at this time, in this region - for now. If you have to be somewhere here is where you should be. Now if we could just be happier, healthier and wiser.

Exercise It Well

2010-11-12T13:55:00.000-05:00

There's a new OLD NAVY commercial featuring mannequins where the end line of the commercial is "Walk it off son!" That was going to be the headline for this story as a way to combat the flu among those who are healthy and want to stay healthy. The research has been fairly consistent and indeed many people believe that you can jump start your immune system when you're sick by "walking it off" with exercise. Or if you're a running by running it off though the research for that isn't supportive.

"Upper respiratory tract infection is reduced in physically fit and active adults - For more than 20 years, Dr. David Nieman and his colleagues at Appalachian State University have studied the effects of exercise, diet, weight, gender and education levels on one’s health. His work shows exercise has the most influence on a person’s health. “Exercise is probably the most powerful thing you can do to reduce your sick days this winter,” Nieman said. Nieman is a professor in the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science in the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University. He also is director of the university’s Human Performance Laboratory located in the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis." - Appalachian State University (University News)

We're not big advocates of exertion of the sweaty kind. We know its value and don't ignore its usefulness but we're constantly in search of alternatives to exercise. We admit that we are carrying more weight than our frames should effectively and efficiently maintain. We admit that our health and wellbeing would only improve with such habits and that they are indeed good. We just think that its better to find another way and save the exercise for rehabilitation rather than recreation.The news is a review of the efforts of the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS) and from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health directed us to further and current research on a smaller group but its holds the hope and promise we're constantly searching for to validate our slothful intentions.

"UW study wonders: Can exercise or even meditation ward off the flu? - Scientists know meditation reduces stress and exercise can prevent chronic diseases. But they don't know if either activity makes the immune system better able to fight respiratory infections, said Dr. Bruce Barrett, a UW Health family physician heading up the research." - Wisconsin State Journal (October 30, 2009)

The study deals with the age group of us and their feelings, much like our, do not particularly enjoy exercising but when you add the very enjoyable meditation to the mix. Then we're interested in this type of research. The group is less than one hundred and fifty (150) men and women fifty (50) years of age and over. That meditation might also be or offer some protection against the flu is a wonderful, if proven true, benefit that we wholeheartedly support. If proven true. We're hopeful and remain so we also know that if the research is proven they'll be another study that would find the findings to be faulty or wrong. Until then we'll get our shots once they're available and take our vitamin D until they are.

Pneumonia Prevention

2010-11-11T16:48:00.006-05:00

Stay warm, keep your head and feet covered, to stay healthy. That's the advice from our newest contributing writer. That's the way to stay healthy and avoid getting ill from pneumonia. Not that the research agrees with that assessment. However just as there are studies, three (3) on the issue of cold catching illnesses. Only the oldest Army study says that heat is released mostly through your head hands or feet. The biggest current stories on the disease are concerning Montana sheep, catching a virus from a monkey (in 2009) and Zyvox (Linezolid) from Pfizer to treat pneumonia.

"FWP will let Pneumonia Run its Course in Anaconda Bighorns - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) reports that the pneumonia outbreak it confirmed in Anaconda area bighorn sheep on August 19th has spread beyond management control, and wildlife officials say they will let the disease run its course. FWP killed sick sheep this fall in an attempt to eradicate the infection before it spread to healthy sheep. But, officials decided last week to cease further culling efforts after evidence mounted that the pneumonia was already widespread." - Montana's Office State Website (News Article)

That's not the only animal story concerning a virus. Though it isn't in our region and is on the other side the country. It's an old story in that the incident occurred in 2009 and there was only one person affected and only one animal involved and none other. The incident is interesting in that the impossible appears to have become possible. Illness have either passed from animals to humans. Though even those at the University of California at Davis doubt the finding. Who are we to argue.

"New virus caused 2009 outbreak at California National Primate Research Center - This would be the first time an adenovirus had been shown to jump species, (UC San Francisco virologist Charles) Chiu said. His findings have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. An adenovirus is a type of virus that commonly causes respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. The employee had experienced a flulike illness around the same time that the monkeys fell ill. The employee recovered uneventfully without medical treatment. No other employees who worked with the Titi colony were found to have developed antibodies showing that they had been exposed to the virus. Nor did any monkeys outside the colony." - University of California, Davis (News and Information)

What are the federally sanctioned ways to preventing pneumonia? There are medications that can be taken but even that information is disputed by professionals in the field. That the research is disputed without the research to support their conclusions means to us that they have to be ignored. Our concerns to to keep people alive and well and if the suggestions or disputes do not advance that reality its not of much use. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) how do you prevent pneumonia?

"Pneumonia Can Be Prevented – Vaccines Can Help - Reduce Your Risk - Pneumonia can be prevented with vaccines. Following good hygiene practices can also help prevent respiratory infections. This includes washing your hands regularly, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops), and coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve. You can also reduce your risk of getting pneumonia by limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes and HIV/AIDS." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Current Features)

PearlieMae died from a respiratory failure as a result of complications to her cancer. She was in an institution before being revived to succumb within the nearby hospital. When you're in an institution its difficult too not follow good hygiene practices. It's certainly important for the institution's personnel to practice good hygiene. Indeed it is critical and a matter of life and death. For prevention within an institution we found this information from local John Hopkins University Hospital (JHUH) for the prevention of infection. What we didn't expect to find as a preventive measure against pneumonia was the suggestion of the simple act of coughing and breathing deeply.

"Incentive Spirometry: You will be expected to do some very simple breathing exercises to help prevent respiratory infections by using an incentive spirometry device (these exercises will be explained to you during your hospital stay). Coughing and deep breathing is an important part of your recuperation and helps prevent pneumonia and other pulmonary complications. " - Johns Hopkins University (WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SURGERY)

We do remember the urban legend email that you'll see every now and then claiming that coughing can prevent a heart attack. Fortunately almost every debunking website has discredited the claim and though we haven't searched for the actual research or study to disprove the claim we do know that the information isn't "endorsed by Rochester General Hospital and Mended Hearts" as the message claims.

"This coughing technique to maintain blood flow during brief arrhythmias has been useful in the hospital, particularly during cardiac catheterization. In such cases the patient's ECG is monitored continuously, and a physician is present." American Heart Association (Cough CPR)

John Hopkins is also our source for research on the issue of vaccination to prevent pneumonia. Which while presenting the information and research on the effectiveness of vaccination isn't the source that physicians tend to quote. While the myth is that the vaccines are more effective, often doubling the effectiveness percentages even among their own physicians. Even on their very own website. What's true today isn't necessarily true tomorrow. Taking that into consideration we'll allow that what was thought to be true then isn't statistically true today.

"PREVENTABLE PNEUMONIA - One vaccine, developed 20 years ago, is ninety per cent effective against these afflictions. Yet for some reason only about 30 per cent of people who ought to get the pneumococcal vaccine actually do. Johns Hopkins professor of International Health Dr. Mark Steinhoff says it could be because people assume antibiotics will clear up any health problems, especially pneumonia. But that's a mistake." - The Johns Hopkins University InteliHealth (Health Newsfeed # 941)

The most current research from a different wing of the largely same institution has found that the most recent studies are substantially different. Again we think that the sites differ only because the information that might have been considered true at the time the information was release was true at the time of publication. So while the information from the same institution differs in content and contradicts the earlier info we attribute it to time and more research.

"Pneumococcal Vaccine: Vaccinate! Revaccinate?? - It should be noted that vaccination does NOT reduce pneumonia. A meta-analyses shows no decrease in pneumonia incidence as a result of vaccination, however it has been shown to be about 60-70% effective in preventing invasive disease (meningitis, bacteremia). Only one study by Riley et al (Lancet. 1977 Jun 25;1(8026):1338-41) has demonstrated decreased mortality (by 44%). Other studies to date have not been powered to do so or have not shown a statistically significant difference. There are 40-50,000 cases of bacteremia plus 3-6,000 cases of meningitis. Maybe half of these would be vaccine preventable." - Johns Hopkins Medicine (Pneumococcal Vaccination)

Internally we found that the John Hopkins staff was given this set of instructions which we also believe is probably outdated mostly replaced by mroe recent memos. If not one of the problems with a research institution is that the facts that always replace the procedures:

"Preventing Infections - To prevent pneumonia, carefully follow instructions about breathing treatments." - John Hopkins Medicine (National Patient Safety Foundation 2003)

While research sponsored by the Pfizer corporation found that the medication Crestor is more effective than previous thought. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the corporation a "new indication" based on the February research from the Justification for the Use of statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluation Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) trial. What the February research and FDA gave to one (1) drug a new study taketh away from another.

"Popular antibiotic may not be best for pneumonia - The study was recently published in the Critical Care Medicine Journal. Dr. Andre Kalil, an infectious disease specialist at UNMC, found that the antibiotic linezolid is not superior to two other common antibiotics used to treat patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia. Pfizer manufactures the drug. Dr. Mark Kunkel, an executive director in a unit for the company, said other recent international research shows that the drug is superior to its counterparts. People get hospital-acquired pneumonia, or nosocomial pneumonia, from prolonged hospitalization and more resistant germs, Kalil said." The North Platte Telegraph (State News)

So if you're in the hospital recovering you might want to keep warm wearing a hat, gloves, warm socks, cough and breath deeply to prevent pneumonia. Remember our newest contributor and suggestions from John Hopkins University. It's good to know what doesn't work and what does work. It helps to know that there are drug that we can take to give us more protection but not unfortunately full protection.

"Excess heat loss in the hatless - As temperatures drop, hats and caps flourish. Even the US Army Field manual for survival recommends covering your head in cold weather because “40 to 45 percent of body heat” is lost through the head. If this were true, humans would be just as cold if they went without trousers as if they went without a hat. But patently this is just not the case." British Medical Journal (December 2008)

Though the information was mostly published in the British Medical Journal the research and information is from American institutions. The facts are from the seasonal myth busters of science. Disproving other seasonal misstatements of science that are more like medical myths than actual facts. Even if there are researchers that challenge the study not on their techniques so much as their conclusions. We suggest a study to study the study. Until there is research to contradict their conclusions we'll take the Indiana University School of Medicine professors words just like we accepted the US Army Field manual information until now.

If you want and need a prescription to address your pneumonia concerns then Pfizer is here for you thanks to researchers at the University of Virginia (UVA). The study was first revealed in September 2008 concerning the effectiveness of the medication. While any medication, indeed any treatment can have side effects, the purpose of the drug is to prevent an infection that could lead to death. If we or our loved ones can survive the side effects, no matter how uncomfortable, it beats the alternative.

"Study Shows Higher Rates of Success for Zyvox Versus Vancomycin in MRSA Nosocomial Pneumonia - Investigators from 156 centers worldwide randomized 1,225 patients, of whom 448 patients had proven MRSA nosocomial pneumonia (modified intent-to-treat group); 339 patients also met key protocol criteria at the end of study (per-protocol group) and were included in the primary analysis." Infection Control Today (Oct 26, 2010)

So you can take the drug or follow the dictates of our federal government. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers their prevention tips to survive the cold weather season. We support any and all ideas to help us survive until tomorrow. We're also willing to do anything other than exercise more and lose weight. Stop smoking, we don't smoke so sure we're all for it. So what does our FDA suggest we do to get ready:

"Get Set for Winter Illness Season - Certain people are more at risk for developing complications from flu; they should be immunized as soon as vaccine is available. These groups include:
people 65 and older
residents of nursing homes or other places that house people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease
adults and children with heart or lung disorders, including asthma
adults and children who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes), kidney dysfunction, a weakened immune system, or disorders caused by abnormalities of hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen)" - FDA (Prevention Tips)

We're concerned that there is something about "certain people" who are "more at risk." Why and what is it about these people that makes them "more at risk?" We know that pneumonia is much like cancer not a single one of a kind infection. What causes it isn't. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH) the solution to prevention for the elderly and those "more at risk" is vaccines. According to the University of Virginia the best vaccine if you're hospitalized or in an institution is Pfizer's Zyvox.

"University of Virginia Study Reveals Promising Method for Reducing MRSA Infections in Hospital Intensive Care Units - In a study published in the September 3, 2008 issue of Surgical Infections, UVA researchers report that switching between two antibiotics, linezolid and vancomycin, every three (3) months in the surgical ICU decreased the MRSA infection rate from 1.9 to 1.4 patients per 100 admissions. In-hospital mortality from surgical ICU-acquired MRSA infections fell from 3.8 patients per year to none." - University of Virginia Health System (Medical News)

That's been true since 2008 and to date is the best hope for surviving pneumonia. It's certainly better than it to have been a sheep with pneumonia under the previous care of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) before they decided to "cease further culling efforts." Better to suffer and survive than to be "culled." However the infection is spread complete protection is still years away. This is a constantly changing world and researchers are constantly making and releasing new information each day and when they do we'll bring the information to you. Because staying alive and keeping you alive is our reason for every season.

Man Cancer - COMMENTARY

2010-11-05T02:45:00.001-04:00

We've done cancer stories especially this month. We've done stories on how PearlieMae allowed her cancer to so advance that it spread to her bones and back. What we haven't done stories on is the unusual cancer conditions. We haven't because there isn't a real concern for their affect. That are many types of the disease and for PearlieMae the big "C" was considered the deadliest of the deadly. PearlieMae considered cancer the disease of death. Once you were so pronounced it was just a matter of time and nothing could dissuade her from that. While hospitalized it was discovered that her cancer was treatable, while she would not be healed her condition could have been arrested. For her mentally and emotionally it was too late. And it was.

Now comes this CBS story that isn't inconsistent with our speculation and suggestions that cancers are a result of several factors, in our opinion, most predominantly location and diet. A man whose wife succumbs to breast cancer develops breast cancer. If we believe that there are methods we all can and should use to prevent and retard the development and spread of the disease. Which we do believe. Then we also believe that cancer can spread in families more so than as PearlieMae believed that you'd get if you go for treatment. That doctors don't know how to cure you so that say you have cancer so they can get you to die.

Information should breed assurance and not fear, in our opinion. Man cancer is not something as men we should be afraid, not something that we should be very very afraid. We don't wish to down play either the disease or the condition. Indeed we believe that in the current condition with the lack of health care and the reluctance within the African-American community to seek immediate care the future looks bleak. Not because of the reluctance which with education and health care can be eroded or reverse. We think a more progressive and beneficial approach, though wholly optimistic, would be a change toward prevention than treatment. The future of treatment is overwhelming expensive.

We came to this story with the news that not all hospitals in our jurisdiction provided an expensive IV treatment for strokes. The research determined that while effective the treatment is only useful in a small (less than 10%) of the affected population. To even be effective with that subset individuals have to be treated quickly which for the African-American and Hispanic population is not their behavior. Rather than having hospital invest in more expensive treatment that is less likely to substantially reduce the number stroke deaths. That's our goal to reduce deaths and encourage treatment.

In our research for the success of expensive IV treatment we discovered how Vitamin D was more effective in the prevention in what the federal government would consider mega-doses. When we say more effective we mean that the population would be larger than without the side effects than in the subset of the more expensive treatment. We will list, in the future, which hospitals are prepared with the more expensive IV treatment for the smart and quick to receive treatment individually. We encourage everyone to become part of that population. PearlieMae was blessed enough to have friends who rushed her to the emergency room when she was not so inclined.

Even more frightening is the public service announcement (PSA) created, we assume, by the US government showing a family moving into a new home and the Realtor telling the father figure that he won't be around to enjoy the new home with the family. The PSA ends with the tag to go the website http://ahrg.gov to to find the test that men should have and the father didn't have. Talk about fear tactics - late at night it'll scare you to death - just in time for Halloween. See it with the lights on!

We did and went to the "Get Preventive Tests" page and other than a BMI, Cholesterol, Blood Pressure and a full battery of cancer tests that you and your doctor should discuss there are no "secret" or special tests that you need as implied by the ad. So if you see it and couldn't find it we just thought we'd let you know!

Dying To Live Here

2010-11-01T21:53:00.000-04:00

The numbered dead and dying. You would think that the largest states would have the most dead and while people die in any state in the United States we were surprised that there are some states where the dying isn't consistent with the population. Since 2007 to 2009 there hasn't been a census to change the total population numbers we've been using. The most populace state in our region from 2007-2009 is North Carolina, followed by Virginia then Maryland and South Carolina. Washington DC though not a state is larger in population than Wyoming. If DC were awarded statehood it would number fiftieth (50th) out of the fifty (50) states making Wyoming fifty-first (51st) state in size of population.

If location didn't matter then tenth most populated state North Carolina should be tenth in number of deaths. Instead if you reside NC you'll be in the state that ninth (9th) in deaths for the past three years. Twelfth (12th) place Virginia has fluctuated between thirteenth last year, eleventh the year before and where you'd predict the state to be were all things equal twelfth (12th) in 2007. Maryland though nineteenth (19th) in size has maintained twenty-first (21st) in deaths for the same three (3) year period. The twenty-fourth (24th) state of South Carolina was only so in 2007 and since has only been the twenty-fifth (25th) state in deaths. Only the District of Columbia has improved since 2007 and every year since to the fifty-first (51st) from forty-ninth (49th) in 2007.

Location Location Location isn't as important as staying alive but it's more like location, diet and stress or location, location, diet, exercise and or stress. We get the number of deaths from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We want to focus and have been like the government agency, on prevention. Let's stay alive and while they're cities and communities that are doing better than others it's all so true that we all are pretty much feeling the same thing. Or at least we have over the last three (3) years.

Good To Be The King!

2010-11-01T21:52:00.000-04:00

"It's good to be the king!" When you're in charge you can make a decision and whatever you decide will be done or heads will roll. If you're ruled by the king its not so good. We say this because we read that "(l)eading public health and infectious disease experts have issued a framework for achieving elimination of (HAIs) healthcare-associated infections." Unfortunately for our region HAIs aren't even in the top ten (10) causes of death. When you're sick and or dying it doesn't matter if what you're suffering from isn't popular. What matters is that you get well and whatever your condition its the most important condition in the world.

"The framework is detailed in a white paper co-published today in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology and the American Journal of Infection Control. The white paper, titled “Moving toward Elimination of Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Call to Action,” was jointly authored by representatives from the leading public health and infectious diseases groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and Pediatric Infectious Disease Society. " - The Infectious Diseases Society of America (October 7, 2010)

Now if we could only get the king to be dead or dying from the top ten (10) illnesses maybe we could all have a chance to be king. We're not saying that progress is bad. Progress isn't bad we also agree that it's easier to do the easy job first before you tackle the really difficult tasks. We just think that by the time you get to the really tough tasks you might be a little tired and lighter in the E-wallet. While it is true if you don't have the resources to do the really hard or expensive job it neither gets finish or do you receive the satisfaction of completing a tasks. Which is true unless you're king.

“Progress towards the elimination of HAIs is real,” said Dr. Denise Cardo, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion and lead author of the white paper. “Now is the time to build on this momentum and investment made at the federal, state, and local levels." - The Infectious Diseases Society of America (October 7, 2010)

It's good to be the king! If its good to be the king then it must be bad to be the peasants. Bad to be ruled by the king. It's good to be healthy and not need medical coverage, insurance and treatment. Good but not realistic, likely, logical or even possible at a certain age. At our age medical treatment is a requirement for longer life if you live a peasants life. What would be great if it's good to be the king is to be the prince or princess. All of the benefits without any of responsibility are what makes it great to be children of the king. By accident of birth there can only be one king.

"IDSA Comments on HHS Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections - Based on the experience of healthcare systems such as Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC), BJC Healthcare, and the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), implementation of multifaceted mandatory influenza vaccination programs lead to rapid and sustained increases in influenza vaccination rates."New At IDSA (page 12)

We support the programs that make it better to be the peasants of the king. We support any and everything that makes us healthier, wealthier and give us all longer lives. That's more of the story than the results from this small study from one (1) hospital. Infections are especially important in secondary care facilities for the elderly. PearlieMae was often sent to recover there and while changes made in primary care facilities are important and an improvement we urge all facilities to elect to improve. Where ever there is a hole in the health care wall infections will seep through.

Green Tea Isn't Useless

2010-11-01T21:50:00.000-04:00

The study said inconclusive and when compared to one (1) cup or ten (10) there did not appear to be a difference in the number of cases of breast cancer among Japanese women. Our question is that there are items in tea green or otherwise that has been shown in studies to be useful in the fight against cancer. Our question to the researchers is when has green tea been considered the only tool you'd need in the fight against breast cancer?

"Green tea drinking and subsequent risk of breast cancer in a population to based cohort of Japanese women - Although many in-vitro and animal studies have demonstrated a protective effect of green tea against breast cancer, findings from epidemiological studies have been inconsistent, and whether high green tea intake reduces the risk of breast cancer remains unclear. ...In this population-based prospective cohort study in Japan we found no association between green tea drinking and risk of breast cancer." Breast Cancer Research (October 28, 2010)

Essentially this study reflects the data found in the smaller 2009 study presented at the Experimental Biology 2008 conference in San Diego California. Since we don't have access to the full details of the research we're speculating based on the introduction and conclusion presented. What would make the information from the research more persuasive would be if attention was made and presented that disproved the results of the 2008 study.

"Effects of a Green Tea Intervention on Anthropometrics, Intake, and Glucose Levels in Breast Cancer Survivors ...results suggest that daily intake of 4 cups green tea did not significantly change anthropometrics or glucose in overweight breast cancer survivors, although these markers did move in a favorable direction. Future studies should include higher EGCG exposure and a larger sample size of breast cancer survivors who demonstrate insulin resistance at the time of study entry." Experimental Biology 2008 (April 2008)

While the 2008 researchers focused on a specific type of survivors (overweight). They also used half as much tea than the current study which ignored the leading indicators of the specific that might have impacted on those who might wish to survive breast cancer and focused on all women. The current research ignored the disease and focused specifically on all the women and not those impacted. We should be happy because our focus has been on ways to prevent cancer. Protecting PearlieMae from the ravages of the disease to which she succumbed.

The antioxidant found in green tea EGCG worked in female mice but not in female women has been found to be effective. Again we only have the abstract to go on then and now. At the same Experimental Biology conference evidence was presented to that conclusion.

"Oral Administration of EGCG, an Antioxidant Found in Green Tea, Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis and Growth of Breast Cancer in Female Mice ...(mouse breast cancer) cells were injected in 4th mammary gland of the mice. Tumor size was monitored by measuring tumor cross section area (TCSA)." - Experimental Biology 2008 (April 2008)

This wasn't a case where mice were just observed and some were given EGCG and some were not. These mice were cancer infected and then treated with the EGCG and were compared to those not so lucky. Rather than focusing on the actual working part of the green tea the research focused on the tea itself. For us that's the flaw in the study. Not that we're always consistent in our support for the chemical over the naturals. Except in this case we have to go with the chemical.

"Green Tea and Its Catechins Inhibit Breast Cancer Xenografts - A major shortcoming of the vast majority of the antiangiogenic drugs is the fact that they require intravenous or subcutaneous administration. This is particularly problematic, since antiangiogenic drugs need to be given on a long-term basis to control cancer growth. Furthermore, many of these agents are complex peptides that are difficult and expensive to produce in the quantities and purities required for human use. Thus an antiangiogenic drug that can be administered orally and inexpensively, such as green tea, would be clinically very useful." - Nutrition and Cancer (November 2009)

The Nutrition and Cancer research conclusion is why we support tea in the prevention of cancer. We're not big supporters of green tea but EGCG and possibility of either treating or preventing cancer. The future is still not predetermined by the very large study results (53,793 women during 13.6 years) over such a large period. We believe in the possibility in spite of the results. We're hanging our hopes on this statement in their conclusion: "We also found no association of oolong tea, black tea, coffee and canned coffee intake with breast cancer risk."

It's weak we know - about like a cup of green tea. It's still something to hang our hopes upon. We found the full study results in the PDF. "Although we found no association, we cannot deny the possibility that changes in green tea intake during the follow-up period influenced the findings, particularly considering that the questionnaires used in the baseline and five-year follow-up surveys were different." See were not totally delusional. There are flaws in the study and we're going to exploit them.

Vitamin D and P

2010-10-29T14:06:00.005-04:00

Not that there's a vitamin called "P" but more along the lines of urinary issues. More pee than the letter "P." We found more research that would verify our speculation that the amount of vitamin D that the government suggests as a maximum and the actual need that has been demonstrated beyond the recommended maximum. Toxicity is the government's concern yet researchers and the Canadian government exceeds the US levels.

"Syracuse gynecologist shows how vitamin D deficiency leads to urinary incontinence - ...found that women of all ages with pelvic floor disorders or urinary incontinence had significantly lower levels of vitamin D. Women age 20 and older, with high levels of vitamin D, had a significantly lower incidence of pelvic floor disorders; and women age 50 and older, with high levels of vitamin D, had a significantly lower incidence of urinary incontinence. Given the increase in the number of patients with pelvic floor disorders, further evaluation of the role of vitamin D is warranted, particularly future research to assess the relationship between vitamin D levels and pelvic muscle strength in women of all ages and racial/ethnic groups," he writes in his summary. Dr. Samuel Badalian says vitamin D levels should be checked annually. Taking 2,000 international units per day of vitamin D3 can provide healthy levels for most people, but those who are elderly, obese or who have renal insufficiency need more." - SYRACUSE.COM (April 20, 2010)

We're including the additional information on Vitamin D because the researchers claim that African-Americans are vitamin D deficient. While Dr. Badalian only suggests more he doesn't really say how much that much more is. The Vitamin D Council goes as far as suggesting 5,000 international units of Vitamin D per day. While the New York State law prevents home test kits for vitamin D deficiency and we couldn't find them at the Council's website if you're African-American it'll save you the costs of a kit. Whether legally available for sale or not.

"Are you vitamin D deficient? Your health could be at risk, but it's easily fixed - Almost without a doubt, the vast majority of African Americans are vitamin D deficient," says Susan Brown, a clinical nutritionist and director of the Center for Better Bones in East Syracuse. She says people with dark skin require about six (6) times the amount of sun exposure as light-skinned people to make vitamin D." - SYRACUSE.COM (August 6, 2006)

We haven't found the studies that says you can get more the 2,000 international units of vitamin D with a suntan. However, if we exercised we'd probably need less supplement and less sunlight. It's just that everyone can't get out but I guess that could be placed in the sunlight with shades. Of course our future would have to be "so bright that we'd have to wear shades." Then again we haven't really researched sunlight and its healthy benefits. However we have to admit George Hamilton doesn't look all that weathered. We do wonder what this millenniums George Hamilton would be. Who among today's youth consider the benefits of the tan - maybe Jersey Shore's Snooki?

FDA Recalls

2010-10-26T17:32:00.000-04:00

A new service we will provide is one on the specific recalls from the specific companies in our region from the USDA. If a company is in our region and has food products that are part of a recall we'll notify you as well as what you'll hear in the mainstream. Sometimes recalls can affect the distributors in our area as well as the producers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.These products were cooked on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7, 2010, packed between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12, 2010, then distributed to wholesale and retail establishments throughout North Carolina. These products were not involved in the National School Lunch Program or Department of Defense sales.

"FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers (including restaurants) of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. Consumers and media with questions regarding the recall should contact Josh Whitley, the company's Owner/President, at (919) 496-6054. - USDA (FSIS)

If you're eating processed foods you'll always going to have to be concerned with your food choices and how they're manufactured. Once you're targeted by the USDA you can expect that they'll be back and they'll find something else to charge you with. Once they get you the USDA is like a dog with a bone. We were a little suspicious when we discovered that the recall concerned not named soy products. We've just written on the benefits of soy and couldn't see the problem.

"North Carolina Firm Recalls Pork Barbecue Products Due to an Undeclared Allergen - The Murphy House, a Louisburg, N.C., establishment, is recalling approximately 2,850 lbs. of pork barbecue products because they may contain an undeclared allergen, soy flour, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Soy flour is a known potential allergen, which is not declared on the label." USDA (February 5, 2010)

Soy flour does produced allergies to our surprise. These allergies can be severe and there are cases when the children and teens have died. According to the independent organization called the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN).

"Symptoms of soy allergy are typically mild, although anaphylaxis is possible. Soybean allergy is one of the more common food allergies, especially among babies and children." - The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (Education)

While the concern is that death is possible its not likely in adults according to all the research we could discover. We also discovered that there is research that has found that children can outgrow these allergies. Most interesting is that allergies appear as symptoms similar to other illness. Some of the research can be found at the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) with links to many of the abstracts.

"Hidden” allergens in foods - One clear message from the literature is that most fatal and near-fatal reactions happen when eating away from home. Individuals with severe food hypersensitivity should probably avoid processed foods. If it is necessary to purchase these foods, they should be made by a reliable manufacturer. Parents and children can learn to scrutinize food labels carefully. Unfortunately, the multiplicity of possible names for any one ingredient may let a hidden allergen slip by. If possible, hypoallergenic formulas should be tested in each case before being prescribed for children sensitive to cow’s milk. The very sensitive individual should wear a Medic Alert bracelet and carry an epinephrine (adrenaline) self-injector at all times. Less sensitive individuals may need to carry antihistamines with them. Fortunately, many individuals lose their reactivity to foods over time, albeit not completely in some." The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Preventative Measures)

While soy allergies are real there are many food allergies found in other processed products as well. While processing makes life more convenient for families on the go there is a health cost that may be too expensive for us to live with. In any event we do have to strongly suggest not giving pork barbecue to children under any circumstances. Who knew that there would be a food category "for adults only!"

"North Carolina Firm Recalls Brunswick Stew Products due to Undeclared Allergens - recalling 414 lbs. of Brunswick stew products because they contain cracker meal with undeclared allergens, wheat and milk, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Wheat and milk are known allergens, which are not declared on the label." USDA (April 29, 2010)

It's the date of above recall that lead us to see that the second recall was more USDA due diligence after the wheat and milk recall from months before the soy recall. The problem isn't with the product from the Murphy House. We're familiar with the company nor its products and news reports tend to be more headlines than in depth stories.

"Virginia Firm Recalls Imported Prosciutto Products Due To Potential Listeria Contamination - International Gourmet, a Springfield, Va., establishment, is recalling approximately 70 pounds of prosciutto products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced..." USDA (May 5, 2010)

International Gourmet is more of a distributor than manufacturer and the recall stems from problems at the factory that got caught too late. We're not blaming them but since we've started this section and Springfield Virginia is in our region we had to include it. Again if living a long life or a better life is of concern to you - you might want to give up the processed meats. If you want to know what to eat and what not to eat there's plenty of research to support the list from Dr. Susan Merola McCoon, Fayetteville, NC.

Aspirin Prevents Bowel Cancer

2010-10-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

We've always supported the use of aspirin and we've also spoken on how scientific research can be misused to mislead and aspirin was our example. Aspirin has been found to be successful for reducing heart damage or high blood pressure but not heart attacks, and now cancer of the colon. Aspirin has not been found effect in stopping stab wounds or automobile accidents. It's not meant to. Research into such things would not be useful except to disparage or discourage aspirin use. It's affordable, available and well tested.

"Aspirin taken for several years at doses of at least 75 mg daily reduced long-term incidence and mortality due to colorectal cancer. Benefit was greatest for cancers of the proximal colon, which are not otherwise prevented effectively by screening with sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy." - The LANCET (Interpretation)

We also spoken on the amount used. In the recently release study more aspirin has been more effective. In the past we talked about governments recommend use levels but also the effects and concerns of toxicity in exceeding recommended amounts. Indeed in the studies the researchers spoke on this very issue of the twenty (20) year over fourteen thousand (14,032) Brits, Dutch, and Sweds participants:

"High-dose aspirin (≥500 mg daily) reduces long-term incidence of colorectal cancer, but adverse effects might limit its potential for long-term prevention. The long-term effectiveness of lower doses (75—300 mg daily) is unknown. We assessed the effects of aspirin on incidence and mortality due to colorectal cancer in relation to dose, duration of treatment, and site of tumour." - The LANCET (Background)

We know its more of a review of one specific study on the power of the aspirin. Aspirin works and if you're concerned about colorectal cancer you might want to add it to your medical regime if you FIRST discuss your intention with your primary care physician. According to the current research in the British Journal THE LANCET. So we do mention the publication in some of our stories but there is a caveat. Well there is now. The World Health Organization (WHO) finds some flaws with the publication:

"WHO disputes Lancet's report on number of malaria deaths in India - The World Health Organization has disputed the findings of a study on malaria that claimed the number of Indians dying from the mosquito-borne disease each year 13 times higher than the United Nations health agency's estimate. The study was published in the British medical journal Lancet. The research claimed that malaria causes 200,000 deaths in India every year. However, the WHO estimates that 15,000 malarial deaths take place each year in India." - OneIndia (ANI)

We don't often quote OneIndia either. We do so to say that the review of the review shouldn't be considered the final word on the subject. Neither we nor the Lancet are the final words on the matter. Aspirin - GOOD. Bowel cancer - BAD. The final word on the subject may come from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREEE) international study.

"This research study is the largest international trial ever funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and is being conducted in partnership with over 21 clinics and universities across the United States." - ASPREE (English Brochure)

While the study won't really affect or apply to us (God willing and the creek don't rise) if we live to a ripe old age the results might be useful to us. Prior research has already demonstrated the success of aspirin and taking a low dose a day has shown to be more useful than not. What the study doesn't do that we have concerns with is that it doesn't appear to be focusing on interactions among the elderly. We know of no cases where seniors are NOT on multiple medications. Nor do we support giving any senior a placebo for five (5) years when aspirin has proven to be so effective.

"Women's Health Study Researchers Publish Landmark Findings - Nancy Cook, ScD served as the lead investigator on the low-dose aspirin and cancer analyses, and I-Min Lee, MBBS, ScD was the lead investigator of the vitamin E and cardiovascular and cancer analyses. “As a result of our findings, we do not suggest doctors recommend low-dose aspirin therapy for primary prevention of cancer,” Cook said. WHS analyses could not rule out benefits of higher doses of aspirin, and Cook and her colleagues recommend additional study. Lee's analyses debunked a common misconception that vitamin E helps prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer in healthy women. “At present, a healthy lifestyle and regular screening for cardiovascular health and cancer are a woman's best choices for disease prevention,” she said. The study, however, did show that vitamin E reduced cardiovascular mortality rates, a finding that is not consistent with data from other studies prompting WHS researchers to recommend additional exploration." - BWH Bulletin (July 15, 2005)

The study contradicts the American research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston. The twelve (12) year forty-thousand (40,000) women study. Except it doesn't. The BWH Women's Health Study (WHS) concerns low dose aspirin and "breast, colorectal and other site-specific cancers." The results from that study which included the use of Vitamin E and cancer. It's the contradictions in the findings that makes the study so interesting. Vitamin E doesn't work says the researchers.

"Lee's analyses debunked a common misconception that vitamin E helps prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer in healthy women. “At present, a healthy lifestyle and regular screening for cardiovascular health and cancer are a woman's best choices for disease prevention,” she said. The study, however, did show that vitamin E reduced cardiovascular mortality rates, a finding that is not consistent with data from other studies prompting WHS researchers to recommend additional exploration." - BWH Bulletin (July 15, 2005)

I-Min Lee is, in our humble opinion, wrong. The research says the researchers are wrong. Rather, the research indicates that its not completely correct in their assessment. While vitamin E and aspirin do NOT prevent cancer or disease. Yet, if we take aspirin and vitamin E we won't be among those numbers of the dead and dying that do not. Research shows that as well.

Soy Safe Breasts

2010-10-23T23:19:00.001-04:00

We disagree with the American Heart Association's (AHA) conclusions on soy. It's not that they're wrong or that their statements are incorrect. The AHA conclusions are misleading. Our newest associate editor accused us of trying to kill him because we fed him vegetables. He claims he's allergic to vegetables, jokingly. The American Heart Association (AHA) will later conclude that soy is not bad for you. We think that's not strong enough in support of soy.

"AHA Comments to FDA on Soy Protein and Coronary Heart Disease Health Claim - at this time the totality of evidence linking soy protein consumption with reduced risk of coronary heart disease is not sufficient to meet the standards of significant scientific agreement (SSA). Thus, AHA strongly recommends that FDA revoke the soy protein and CHD health claim. We understand that if the FDA decides to revoke this SSA health claim, the Agency could consider allowing its use as a qualified health claim. We urge FDA not to do so. Consumer research conducted by AHA, FDA, and others has repeatedly shown that despite the presence of qualifying language, consumers do not understand qualified health claims and do not understand that they are based on limited and varying degrees of evidence. Therefore, AHA does not support the use of qualified health claims; only health claims meeting the SSA standard should be permitted." - American Heart Association (May 1, 2008)

Headlines don't help and the news reports you read or view don't have the time to accurately explain the research results. The American Heart Association (AHA) is accurate saying that soy protein doesn't prevent cancer. Neither does beef or pork prevent cancer or heart disease. If you have to eat a soy burger, hamburger or pork chop you'll be better off eating the soy than any of the alternatives. While soy protein might not be heart healthy processed soy is better than processed meat as an alternative. It might not make you live forever it would be better if you ate tofu, cooked soy beans with your unprocessed soy milk that you made yourself. That's more likely to keep you alive than any of the processed alternatives.

"Effect of soy isoflavones on breast cancer recurrence and death for patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy - Of the original 524 patients, we were able to contact 508 directly for follow-up in July 2008. Among the 16 patients who could not be contacted directly, the mortality registry revealed 10 deaths. For six patients there was no match in the registry, and we assumed that they were still living. The total number of deaths was 154, and 132 of these were due to breast cancer. The other causes of death were cardiovascular disease (12 patients), respiratory disease (5), other cancers (2) and other causes (3)." - Canadian Medical Association Journal (October 18, 2010)

How can soy be good for you two (2) years ago but good for you now? The answer is in the processing of food as compared to unprocessed food. Soy protein is processed soy isoflavones is unprocessed and actually part of the waste product from processing soy. It's like comparing apples to cinnamon sweeten applesauce. It's not all soy and soy is better and healthier for you than any meat alternatives. Soy is as a vegetables the lowest in fats. Meats can't compete.

"In this study, high dietary intake of soy isoflavones was associated with reduced risk of recurrence of disease among postmenopausal patients with estrogen- and progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer and those who were receiving anastrozole as endocrine therapy. This finding is potentially important in terms of recommendations for intake of soy isoflavones in conjunction with endocrine therapy. Large multicentre clinical trials and other observational epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm these findings." - Canadian Medical Association Journal (October 18, 2010)

While the American Heart Association (AHA) may not be convinced we think there is more than ample evidence that soy is heart smart and healthy. While this might not apply to all soy processed products we maintain that the research is clear and getting clearer all the time. There were earlier stories that indicated the contrary but again those stories results often contradicted the studies. For instance the evidence might not have made soy the superfood that on its own was miraculous. We think soy in combination with the basics recommendations of the AHA was more healthful than previously thought.

"Dietary Soy and Increased Risk of Bladder Cancer, the Singapore Chinese Health Study - We caution that our novel finding of a positive association between soy and bladder cancer risk is based on a relatively short period of follow-up and a modest number of cancer cases. If this provocative observation is confirmed by others, laboratory studies to delineate possible mechanisms will be needed. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (December 2002)

There are other items in nature and health that if you don't want to be bothered with soy have been scientifically effective. We're convinced of the effectiveness of soy but can understand if you aren't convinced. You don't need to take our word or the word of the above mentioned organizations and institutions. Just because an institution isn't based in the United States of America doesn't mean their facts or rather research should be ignored. Often the off-shore universities work in cooperation and collusion with US institutions of higher learning to share methods and methodologies.

Bitter Melon Extract Attacks Breast Cancer Cells - Early Research Points to Promising Area of Research - The extract from a vegetable that is common in India and China shows promise in triggering a chain of events that kills breast cancer cells and prevents them from multiplying, a Saint Louis University researcher has found. Ratna Ray, Ph.D., professor in the department of pathology at Saint Louis University and lead researcher, said she was surprised that the extract from the bitter melon she cooks in stir fries inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells. "To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the effect of bitter melon extract on cancer cells," Ray said. "Our result was encouraging. We have shown that bitter melon extract significantly induced death in breast cancer cells and decreased their growth and spread." - Saint Louis University (February 23, 2010)

One of the weaknesses in much of the research is in the reporting to researchers. The individuals reported their behavior to researchers. While this might be significant in a small study history has shown the success of soy in both animals and human trials. While much of the research has centered on breast cancer research specifically in girls and women soy has other benefits as well. You might not trust soy be we're soy believers. We think that more unprocessed soy is digested the more effective its health benefits would be felt on the human body.

"A New Frontier in Soy Bioactive Peptides that May Prevent Age-related Chronic Diseases - Soybean proteins can be a source of bioactive peptides with diverse and unique health benefits that can be used in the prevention of age-related chronic disorders such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and decreased immune function. Bioactive peptides are released from proteins by either food processing or by GI digestion. Indirect evidence also suggests that these peptides can be absorbed by the GI system thus exerting their action on specific target organs. Other peptides do not need to be absorbed and act at the intestinal level. However, understanding whether digestion of food proteins in vivo releases the same peptide fragments as the ones in vitro experiments is an important question. Also, the effective plasma levels of bioactive peptides are unknown and need to be determined. In comparison with milk, research on bioactive peptides from soybean is far from complete." - Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (November 20, 2006)

If we didn't convince you - you just might want to try soy and we looked for the specifics in the research that we might personally duplicate for better health. Well try anything as long as its not exercise. We're not allergic to exercise we just remember the quote from Mark Twain. "Whenever we feel the urge to exercise we lie down until it goes away." Since that kind of thinking can lead to an early death we look for foods we can consume to keep death at bay. We look to soy and all the soy research that leads us to that conclusion.

"Soy Peptide Lunasin Has Anti-Cancer, Anti-Inflammatory Properties - "We confirmed lunasin's bioavailability in the human body by doing a third study in which men consumed 50 grams of soy protein--one soy milk shake and a serving of soy chili daily--for five days. Significant levels of the peptide in the participants' blood give us confidence that lunasin-rich soy foods can be important in providing these health benefits," said Elvira de Mejia, a U of I professor of food science and human nutrition." - University of Illinois and the Champaign-Urbana (December 2, 2009)

Our focus because of PearlieMae has been breast cancer. Soy's benefits aren't new neither are results that say its so. We wish that more of the bigger more familiar institutions of higher learning we more in the research of soy. We will admit that many of the smaller, meaning less trust worthy institutions are sources for much of the information. We don't admit that their research is any less trust worthy only that when you think of the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico you don't immediately think of as scientific worthy of award and acclaim.

"Children’s Hospital Oakland Scientists Discover Soy Component May be Key to Fighting Colon Cancer - Soy has long been touted as protective against colon cancer, but Dr. Saba’s team made the groundbreaking discovery that SDs naturally found in soy may underlie the benefits of soy products. Dr. Saba and her team first identified SDs in the fruit fly, an organism that is sometimes used to study the genetics of human diseases. Further investigation indicated that elevated SDs actually induced the death of mutant cells in the fly, revealing SDs to be cytotoxic compounds (toxic to cells). Preventative colon cancer strategies often focus on cell death—a normal process the body uses to remove unhealthy or mutant cells, like cancer cells. Coupling this discovery with the finding that soy is a rich source of SDs, researchers made an innovative connection." - Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland (November 24,2009)

We aren't fruit flies and again this is the only study on soy and cancer. We still think its better to eat your way to health than sweat your way to health. We don't deny the benefits from exercise. We're just reminded of the TV commercials for the Biggest Loser and the woman contestant who said that her workout "was harder than giving birth." TV trainers who proclaim: "You thought the other person was hard you ain't seen nothing yet." We imagine passing out from the sweat and strain of working out. That's before we even begin to exercise.

"Diet Can Provide Protection against Development of Certain Cancers, New Studies Show - With cancer, researchers don't believe "you are what you eat" -- that disease is always a direct result of what is, or what isn't, on your dinner plate. But studies into the association between diet and cancer show that food can have an impact in preventing cancer, or in reducing the aggressiveness of the disease. At the American Association for Cancer Research's Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting, investigators have found that eating fish regularly as an adult, or soy as a young girl, or using a specific vitamin if you are a smoker, can help to protect against development of certain cancers. Another study found that blood cholesterol, some of which comes from eating animal fats, doesn't control whether a man develops prostate cancer, but lower levels of these lipids may help protect against aggressive forms of the disease. The researchers say these studies provide some of the strongest links found to date between diet and cancer." - American Association for Cancer Research (November 14, 2006)

The implication from this earlier research are clear. While later conclusions are that you can't eat your way to good health it appears from earlier research is that to survive the leading indicators of death requires a proper diet as well as exercise. We tend to place our focus on food rather than work. We'd rather add soy and "gold pepper" to our diet with the proper supplements to intensify the effectiveness of all than to grunt and strain under the watchful eye of a scowling trainer. However it is better to workout with a buddy than alone. We support that as well. Soy and a buddy for better breast health.

Vitamin D Prevents

2010-10-19T12:32:00.005-04:00

Back in the "gold pepper" story we suggested, based on our experiences, that we all use Vitamin D in combination to make the effects more efficient. Today we found what we thought was the story concerning the effectiveness of Vitamin D in the prevention of breast cancer. The story wasn't from a well-known or respected news source, though we thought it was. We found the story but the research seemed to say something different and we got so excited we didn't know what to do:

"Serum Vitamin D and Cancer Mortality in the NHANES III Study (1988-2006) - Vitamin D has been hypothesized to protect against cancer. We followed 16,819 participants in NHANES III from 1988 through 2006, expanding upon an earlier NHANES III study (1988-2000). Using Cox proportional hazard regression models, we examined risk related to baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) for total cancer mortality, in both sexes, and by racial/ethnic groups, as well as for site-specific cancers. Because serum was collected in the south in cooler months and the north in warmer months, we examined associations by collection season ("summer/higher latitude" and "winter/lower latitude"). We identified 884 cancer deaths during 225,212 person-years." - Cancer Research (OnlineFirst)

That's all we can afford, the free abstract, so we don't know the best part that works, for instance, how much worked or needed. The information that we would need to speculate might be in the parts of the research to which we didn't have access. We don't need to access the full research and we will admit that we sometimes miss crucial information that won't be found in the abstract. Which is why we often go to the source institution to find their plain English press releases on their research that often isn't in either the headlines or the story.

“Vitamin D Status Is Not Associated With Risk for Less Common Cancers - We did not see lower cancer risk in persons with high vitamin D blood concentrations compared to normal concentrations for any of these cancers,” said Demetrius Albanes, M.D., NCI, one of the study investigators. “And, at the other end of the vitamin D spectrum, we did not see higher cancer risk for participants with low levels.” - National Cancer Institute (News)

Its hard to ignore a thirty-three (33) year study even if it is from a US government agency. We don't generally question the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the US National Institutes of Health. We don't also take their word at face value. We question. We doubt. We check and we verify. Consider it checked, doubted and verified.

"Researchers and clinicians have looked to the possibility that vitamin D might be used for cancer prevention. Some evidence indicates that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer, though the evidence is inconsistent. Through the Vitamin D Pooling Project, researchers had access to a geographically and demographically diverse group of men and women, including participants from the United States, Finland, and China." - National Cancer Institute (News)

That's the doubting part that we talked about. The US found one results and the Chinese found another with a more diverse albeit smaller group. We think the difference is in the amount of Vitamin D used to achieve a different result than in America. We aren't scientists and we didn't have access to the full US results but we speculate that since the US minimums are substantially different than levels recommended by US doctors and even Canadian doctors that matters. It is speculation. We also admit that. We're not ready to dismiss the power of Vitamin D which is and has been shown to be effective.

"There appear to be many health benefits associated with adequate intake of vitamin D, including suggestive evidence with colorectal and breast cancers. While the available data are promising, we need to learn a lot more about vitamin D and its potential health effects. We plan continued study of this remarkable nutrient, which will help resolve the many remaining questions." - Nurses' Health Study Newsletter (2008)

Not our opinion but the opinions reached by those with more information and education that all of us combined. We know. This is for those who say the news says one thing one day and another thing the next - you just don't know what to believe. We say you can and you should know what to believe. The news can't give you the nuances that you need to be able to discern your beliefs. We says its in the math. Number of years, number of participants and amounts given thats the math you need to know to firm up your beliefs. If you want to be in the know.

"Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren - This study suggests that vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of schoolchildren." - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (March 2010)

That's the power of vitamin D just in time for those with grandchildren or children, if you're so blessed, flu season and fears that the vaccine could harm them. We say don't be afraid and that your fears are largely unfounded - but we will admit what's true for the majority isn't true for everyone. You have to do what's right for you and your situation. Vitamin D seems to be, if you're not overly supplementing yourself and family now, the answer to vaccine fears.

The amounts given to the children exceed what the government says is the safe high limit for the vitamin. Though the amount given the children didn't exceed the government limits plus the "safe upper limit." While vitamin D can be toxic what the government considers recommended levels aren't the same amounts that professionals recommend.

"Can vitamin D be harmful? - Signs of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. And by raising blood levels of calcium, too much vitamin D can cause confusion, disorientation, and problems with heart rhythm. Excess vitamin D can also damage the kidneys. The safe upper limit for vitamin D is 1,000 IU/day for infants and 2,000 IU for children and adults. Vitamin D toxicity almost always occurs from overuse of supplements. Excessive sun exposure doesn't cause vitamin D poisoning because the body limits the amount of this vitamin it produces." - National Institutes of Health (Consumer Fact Sheet)

We're not comfortable recommending exceeding levels beyond what the researchers used in their research. We are curious as to their intentions of the researchers in exceeding the levels in trying to achieve their findings. Again since we can't afford to access the entire study we can't speculate as to what their motivations might have been. We can speculate that researchers don't expect government recommended levels to contribute to our overall health. That's what we'd like to see researched.

"Osteoporosis guide to help treat brittle bones - Take 400 to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D per day for those aged less than 50, and 800 to 2,000 IUs daily for those 50 and older." - CBCNews (Oct 12, 2010)

We weren't comfortable recommending exceeding the US government's levels but the Canadian government feels comfortable doing so for those older than 50. The research shows that illnesses and age can be a time where we get comfortable with what we eat which probably doesn't include a wide variety of fresh foods nor much sunlight all of which decreases our vitamin D levels. When we made our prior suggestions it was without full knowledge of the current research though there was plenty of prior studies that made the suggestion more than likely.

"A recent review article published by Loyola's nursing school researchers concluded that adequate intake of vitamin D may prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and reduce complications for those who have already been diagnosed." - Loyola University Health System (Newswire)

When we buy vitamin D we go for the cheapest price rather than for any concern for its form. Until the most recent research we bought by the International Unit rather than whether its natural or synthetic. We didn't even realize until we made a recent purchase of the supplement that it was available in two (2) forms. When we sought information from the purchaser we discovered conflicting information than that available from our government.

"Vitamin D is found in supplements (and fortified foods) in two different forms: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Both increase vitamin D in the blood, but the D3 form may do it better and keep levels raised for a longer time. Many supplements now provide vitamin D3 instead of D2." - National Institutes of Health (Consumer Fact Sheet)

What excited us even further was that the vitamin was good at reducing children's chances of contracting the flu. We'd like to speculate that what would work with children would also work with teens and seniors. That isn't quite what the study says. The indication is that prior use might even work against you in the protection department.

"Vitamin D better than vaccines at preventing flu, report claims - Altogether 354 children took part in the trial, which took place during the winter of 2008-09, before the swine flu epidemic. Vitamin D was found to protect against influenza A, which caused last year's epidemic, but not against the less common influenza B." - The Sunday Times (March 15, 2010)

The same way we suggested adding Vitamin D to "gold pepper" to make its health effect work efficient and effective when it comes to the maximum amount of Vitamin D protection combining D with calcium has a more profound and health effect as well. We know you're going to tell us the headline that calcium use can hurt you but if you read the specifics you'll discover the following:

"Calcium pills may raise heart attack risk - A recent study suggested a link between calcium and heart attacks, so researchers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, reviewed 11 studies of people taking calcium, without also taking vitamin D, which included almost 12,000 people." - CDCNews (July 30, 2010)

That's true that calcium is bad for your heart if you don't take it in combination. Would we speculate that you should add calcium to "gold pepper" and vitamin D? No, not just yet. We need more research to make us take that step. After all we aren't doctors and review the news on health and not the science as much as what's behind the science. Even if we were doctors its doubtful that we'd still be likely to make or take the step of making that speculation. We've been concerned about reactions from combinations and regardless of the source of the supplements they're still chemicals. Reactions are still a major concern.

Boils and Troubles

2010-10-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

We got a call today from a family member who'd been hospitalized and asked if we could do a story on their condition. As always we research the illness by finding the most recent studies and in the "blogosphere" there's a blog for everything. Unfortunately there isn't much science or medicine behind the suggestions or treatments. What we did like is the personal "points of views" addressing their own issues.

"Boils are often caused by poor hygiene or diseases and conditions that cause a weakened immune system or a low resistance to infection. A boil can also be a complication of folliculitis. Symptoms of a boil include swelling or a reddened lump that develops in the skin. The swelling eventually emerges to the skin's surface and comes to a head of pus. In some cases a boil can lead to potentially serious complications, such as septicemia." - Wrong Diagnosis (Boils)

The problem is that people are nasty and need to be better at taking care of themselves. Really that's the problem? Suppose you're not physically able to take care of yourself. Suppose you have a health issue that makes it either painful or impossible for you to take care of yourself. Or suppose you're old or just dependent upon someone else for your personal care for some reason.

"Hospitalizations of the elderly for bloodstream infections rose sharply in the early to mid-1990s - Elderly people are at particular risk of developing septicemia (bloodstream infection) and dying from it. Unfortunately, during the 1990s, there was a substantial, unexplained increase in the rate of elderly men and women in this country who were hospitalized for septicemia, according to William B. Baine, M.D., of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Dr. Baine and his colleagues William Yu, M.A., and James P. Summe, M.S., used Medicare claims data for hospital discharges from 1991 through 1998 to study nearly 76,000 hospitalizations for septicemia or bacteremia in patients aged 65 or older." - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (Health Care for the Elderly)

When the problem happens in an institution other than a nursing facility, say maybe like a hospital is the problem that a hospital is nasty? This major problem in 2005 is still with us some five (5) years later especially in this age of budgetary restraints. While the bodies haven't been counted in our region (we'll start counting next week). The trend has been spotted in other cash strapped areas (California).

"The number of Americans treated in hospitals for septicemia—potentially deadly bacterial infection of the blood stream also known as blood poisoning—increased from 666,000 cases in 1993 to over 1 million cases in 2003, according to the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality." - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ News and Numbers)

We understand the "blame the victim" mentality that exist in science research. We don't support it but we do understand it. For example when skin diseases were starting to be discovered in greater and more deadly numbers among young athletes know for their skills as well as their strict hygienic requirements. The matter had to be addressed and the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) who issued this statement in the Journal of Athletic Training:

"National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Skin Diseases - The nature of athletics exposes the skin of its participants to a wide variety of stresses. Trauma, environmental factors, and infectious agents act together to continually attack the integrity of the skin. Combined with the close quarters shared by athletes and generally poor hygiene practices, it is not difficult to see why skin infections cause considerable disruption to individual and team activities." - Journal of Athletic Training (July/August 2010)

The problem is that athletes don't clean themselves well enough according to the National Athletic Trainers' Association. Ignoring the facts that the athletics use what's available to them. Fortunately CBS News and no other news outlet was fooled. They all saw the report differently than the NATA.

"Don't Let Germy Gyms Get You Sick - Gyms Are Crawling With Germs, Experts Say, but There Are Things You Can Do to Keep Them From Making You Ill - A recent paper on skin diseases published by the National Athletic Trainers' Association says it's imperative that you wipe down those machines and mats if you want to guard against infection. The report covers everything from the towels to use and when to shower." CBS News (August 2010)

Some people even suggest that its another reason to avoid going to the gym altogether. Which is something we can agree with because it means not working out or paying for the privilege of paying for it. We think of our gym membership as preventative health care. Now as we consider looking for ways to cut our personal budget we'll consider eliminating our membership - all in the interest of saying money, you understand? We're doing it to fiscally responsible.

"Folliculitis is often caused by an infection that occurs after shaving, waxing, tweezing and other types of hair removal methods. Folliculitis can also be caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which may be growing in hot tubs that are not properly maintained. Making a diagnosis of folliculitis begins with taking a thorough medical history, including symptoms, and completing a physical examination. Folliculitis can generally be diagnosed based on symptoms, history of hair removal or hot tub use, and a physical exam." - Wrong Diagnosis (Introduction)

So you can wash those hands and feet as much as you'd like and as often as you'd like the facts are the facts. Soap isn't as good as anti-bacterials and communal towels (paper or cloth) are better than electric hand-dryers. You know the kind found only in institutions those kind of electric hand dryers.

We speculate that the problem is one that many men here suffer from. We have favorite clothing that we should have long discarded. The clothes while comfortable have become breeding grounds for bacteria and germs. We need to discard items long before they become "comfortable" our athletic clothing, socks and shoes, especially shower slides or sandle thongs. Again its just speculation based on the causes CBS and others have other suggestions that might work as well.

Genetic Shapes Of Us

2010-10-13T13:42:00.008-04:00

"It's not my fault" that "I'm big boned," "it runs in my family." We remember hearing this from all of our larger than us friends. We didn't believe it then but the current news gives us cause for pause. Not just because we were so insensitively wrong but hopeful because its consistent with our there's got to be another way other than exercising. We admit we need to not be idle and that activity is good.

"‘Apple and pear shapes: partly down to genes - Understanding biology through finding genes is just a first step in a long journey towards treatment, but it is a vital one. As efforts to tackle obesity through changes in lifestyle or by different treatment options have proved extremely challenging, the potential to alter patterns of fat distribution may offer an alternative for future drug discovery,' says Dr Cecilia Lindgren of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University, senior researcher on the waist-to-hip ratio study and who was involved in both papers." - University of Oxford (Media)

"Extremely challenging" is a nice way of saying raging failure in the effort of getting us smaller. It reminds us of the old Steve Martin joke about "getting small." In it instead of taking drugs to expand your mind or alter your consciousness you'd take a pill to become physically smaller. That would be the real fun! What would not be real fun is that the solution is looking toward a chemically traditional solution rather than what we would like.

"‘These two studies are the beginning of new insights into to biology of obesity and body shape, which in turn may lead to more targeted approaches to obesity prevention and potentially to the development of new drugs. But we should not forget that, while the genetic contribution to obesity is substantial, a large part of obesity susceptibility remains down to our lifestyle.’" - University of Oxford (Media)

What they've found isn't all there is and that the solution even if yours, and we're not saying that you're fat, gene issue isn't among the ones found there are more to be discovered. Its not all your fault but its not all your lot either. Large sibling can have smaller siblings and share the similar genetic strains. There is hope and you should never feel hopeless. Once a drug solution is found a natural alternative has to be just around the corner.

"The studies were carried out by the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium, an international collaboration of more than 400 scientists from 280 research institutions with support from many funding agencies worldwide. The papers, Meta-analysis identifies 13" new loci associated with waist-hip ratio and reveals sexual dimorphism in the genetic basis of fat distribution and Association analyses of 249 796 individuals reveal 18 new loci associated with body mass index, are published today in Nature Genetics." - Medical Research Council (MRC)

Is it a medical fact? No not yet but it is a medical certainty. The hope it offers is to those who have struggled with their weight but have not given up regardless of their results. It's not all your fault and it is largely where you live, who were your parents, what you eat and what you do (employment). There are things we can do to reduce those risks and we should and teach our next generations as well.

Cause and Effect

2010-10-13T13:42:00.005-04:00

Genetics isn't the final word for medicine and medical breakthroughs. It is one of the many futures available to us and to our tomorrows. The Medical Research Council (MRC) is on the right path is our opinion and we support most of what they seek to do. We say most and not all. The MRC seeks to do research is several areas:

"New strategy advocates joint approach to ageing research challenges - Researchers need to find ways to help people live healthier, more independent lives as they age, not just to improve individual quality of life, but to ease the economic strain of an increasingly older population. " - Medical Research Council (MRC)

We're not so much concerned about the economic strain of social security because we're on the other side of the debate. We see an older population as a contributing factor and under utilized societal resource. Rather than an economic strain we see them as economic resource more asset than strain.

"Genetic cause for migraine found - A genetic defect that is a key cause of migraines has been identified by researchers funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC). The new study offers researchers new hope for finding better treatments for the common form of migraine. Scientists at the MRC Functional Genomics Unit based at the University of Oxford and colleagues in Canada have identified a specific gene called TRESK found in a family suffering from migraines. This gene was found to be directly attributable as a cause and could be a significant result for the one in five (5) women and one in ten men worldwide who suffer from migraines. " - Medical Research Council (MRC)

When MRC makes these kind of discoveries we're more than happy with them. We agree with the Medical Research Council though their concern is primarily with the United Kingdom (UK). "Ageing is inevitable, but it is not uniform. It is influenced by a variety of factors including genetics and socioeconomic circumstances and average life expectancy varies ..." Specifically there are difference between the UK and the USA but we would argue not significant genetic differences. Therefore the solutions found there or anywhere would not be significant.

Arthritis Gold Pepper

2010-10-13T13:30:00.000-04:00

Arthritis is back in the news and we immediately went to available treatments for this affliction especially since when combined with obesity is a larger problem for everyone. Gnarled bones and appendages does not make exercise either desirable nor comfortable. The more pain you have the less likely you are to move the body to reduce the pain. Your first desire is to simply reduce the pain.

We looked closer into turmeric treatment for arthritis and discovered that our suggestion to add the spice to your food, while it couldn't hurt, doesn't offer enough relief though it is a good, in our minds, way of thinking "brown." The research in 2006 found:

"Efficacy and mechanism of action of turmeric supplements in the treatment of experimental arthritis - ...before turmeric supplements can be recommended for medicinal use, clinical trials are clearly needed to verify/determine whether treatment with adequate doses of well-characterized turmeric extracts can indeed prevent/suppress disease flares in RA patients, as well as to explore any potential benefits of turmeric dietary supplements in the prevention or treatment of more common forms of arthritis in the general population." - Arthritis & Rheumatism (November 2006)

The researchers tested administering the turmeric in rats with injections. When you add piperine to curcumin and feed them to rats or human volunteers the amount that was absorped was greatly increased. It seems that piperine has an affect of making the effects much more effective. Called "bioavailability" adding spices can add life to your living. Spices are the key to life:

"Black pepper and its pungent principle-piperine: a review of diverse physiological effects - Piperine has been documented to enhance the bioavailability of a number of therapeutic drugs as well as phytochemicals by this very property. Piperine's bioavailability enhancing property is also partly attributed to increased absorption as a result of its effect on the ultrastructure of intestinal brush border. Although initially there were a few controversial reports regarding its safety as a food additive, such evidence has been questionable, and later studies have established the safety of black pepper or its active principle, piperine, in several animal studies. Piperine, while it is non-genotoxic, has in fact been found to possess anti-mutagenic and anti-tumor influences." - Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (2007)

We're going to be adding black pepper, curcumin, turmeric allspice blends to all of our meals. While it isn't the "Big 10" doing the research and indeed few institutions of high learning in the US are doing the studies either. Most of this we can understand as very few school can afford to provide the necessary funding when there isn't a payoff to the institution in funding. Since above mentioned study is India based and a major source of the turmeric or curcumin for the country and possibly for the institution. We'll take the benefits where we can. Now what should we call this concoction of ours? We're thinking gold pepper!

"Vitamin D, curcumin may help clear amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer's - UCLA scientists and colleagues from UC Riverside and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute have found that a form of vitamin D, together with a chemical found in turmeric spice called curcumin, may help stimulate the immune system to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease." - UCLA Newsroom (July 2009)

Add vitamin D supplement to make everything work better. Take a vitamin D pill just before we add the "gold pepper" to our meals and we're protected or better off than we were before the day began. We're healthier and stronger than we would be without it. It's not exercise but its a good start. Making everything work more effectively seems so efficient.

Take 2 Aspirins & Exercise

2010-10-07T16:27:00.001-04:00

This is not the story we wanted to write. If it says that exercise is good for you and you need to exercise then who really needs to read that again and again. Besides the information isn't recent its kind of old. It's being repeated by the Caregiver's Home Companion and called to our attention. We don't care to know what we already know. The good news is it doesn't take much exercise and there is a way to super-size the effects of the exercise. We just don't like the way to make the exercise more effective.

"Elderly Restore Muscle with Painkillers while Exercising - Elderly men and women who lift weights for exercise experience a substantial increase in their muscle mass when they take the daily recommended dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen, according to Ball State University researchers." - Caregiver's Home Companion (June 2008)

We went to the source to verify the information and we include the report and the research directly from Ball State University (BSU) website after we found the information presented at the Experimental Biology 2008 conference in San Diego. The techno babble is what we look for before we find the plain English. There the researchers said:

"This study examined the influence of chronic consumption of ibuprofen or acetaminophen during 12 weeks of knee-extensor resistance training in the elderly. Thirty-six (36) individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups and consumed the drugs in double-blind placebo-controlled fashion... These results suggest that chronic consumption of ibuprofen or acetaminophen during resistance training induces intramuscular changes that enhance the metabolic response to resistance exercise, which promotes additional muscle hypertrophy and strength gains during resistance training in the elderly." - The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2008)

At the BSU website we found what it all meant. Our concern was what was meant by the term chronic consumption. We take the occasional low dose of aspirin for daily health the same as we go for the dark chocolate each evening as a health regiment. We recommend that all the time. Science says its good for you so that's good enough for us. We find all we can that says we can do something other than sweat and grunt.

"Combining pain relievers with weight training may increase muscle strength, mass - Thirty-six men and women, between age 60 and 78 years, were randomly assigned to daily dosages of either brand versions of ibuprofen, acetaminophen or a placebo. The dosages were identical to those recommended by the manufacturers and were selected to most closely mimic what chronic users of these medicines were likely to be taking. Subjects participated in three months of weight training that included 15- to 20-minute sessions three (3) times a week in the Human Performance Laboratory." - Ball State University NewsCenter (April 2008)

If you're going to exercise you can increase the benefits of your workout but taking either aspirin or acetaminophen. That's the good news. We're including the story because we were told to and because we discovered that tumeric is considered "Asian aspirin." Which makes us speculate that adding the spice to your daily diet prior to exercising with offer the same or comparable results as well. We admit that this is speculation based on the results. We also can't ignore the size of the study it's not a large group studied.

"Exercise but not Diet Induced Weight Loss Decreases Skeletal Muscle Inflammatory Gene Expression in Frail Obese Elderly - Many obese elderly persons have impaired physical function due to increased body fat relative to strength. We evaluated 12 weeks of exercise (aerobic and resistance, E) or 12 weeks of weight loss (WL) on skeletal muscle... ...exercise in frail obese elderly individuals had a beneficial effect on markers of muscle anabolism and inflammation while weight loss had no effect." - The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2008)

The above information from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO is included simply because it was found at the same FASEB conference attended and presented by Ball State University. Did you know that David Letterman graduated from BSU? We don't know Mr. Letterman beyond viewing him on his late night program but we thought about that bit of trivia when we started doing this story.

Exercise works better than anything else including eating the right among of food. You have to do what works and doing the most effective way to exercise. It's not quite an exercise pill but it's a way of doing less and getting more from what you do.

Arizona Spice - Asian Aspirin

2010-10-07T14:21:00.001-04:00

Arizona is not the most beloved state in the union and while you might disagree with their politics or you might not. When the University of Arizona Health Science Center found a way to double a person's chances of survival that wasn't the story as much as how ineffective traditional CPR is. We give credit where credit is due. If the research shows it then either find fault in the research or proclaim it what it is. We proclaim it what it is.

This independent authority released two startling pieces of information. One on improving CPR with CCCPR and the other on the value and effectiveness of tumeric on stroke and for stroke patients. Since heart attacks and stroke are pretty high up on our list of most popular ways to die we're paying attention.

"The spice that flavors curries may have double benefits for stroke patients. Leslie Ritter, PhD, RN, FAAN, a professor in the UA Colleges of Nursing and Medicine, explains ischemic stroke and why turmeric may be protective." - The Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC)

We love natural solutions to medical conditions. We absolutely love them. Not just because they tend to be cheaper, safer, have higher survival rates, more effective - OK none of that might be true but we live and hope.

"Arizona Health Sciences Center researchers are discovering that turmeric, a cousin of the ginger plant and a spice used in cooking, is effective against some inflammatory diseases. UA College of Medicine Associate Professor Janet Funk, MD, discusses the spice and takes a look at turmeric supplements." - The Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC)

It's only because University of Arizona reached the conclusion that they did that we didn't challenge their finding. We like the videos very much. However, facts are facts and as much as we love what they had to say and the way that they say it we must admit this. We haven't seen the data that got them to reach their conclusions. The first (1st) video shows us the what and the second (2nd) video shows us the how much. It seems like a dangerous way to self medicate and we certainly don't ever recommend that you do that.

"Medical Breakthroughs - UCLA researchers have isolated an ingredient in curcumin that may help the immune system clear amyloid beta that forms the plaques found in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin is a natural substance found in the tumeric root that is frequently used in Indian curries. " - University of California at Los Angeles (2007)

Tumeric has a research history of showing promise and even if you're suspicious of anything Arizona you'll at least be happy to learning that UCLA found some value in in the same spice even if its for a possible other symptom. A symptom that's near and dear to our hearts and all things PearlieMae.

""We hope that vitamin D3 and curcumin, both naturally occurring nutrients, may offer new preventive and treatment possibilities for Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Milan Fiala, study author and a researcher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System." - UCLA (July 2009)

We couldn't find the specific research in the July issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease but UCLA says it's there. We just couldn't find the specifics. We do, like UCLA, hope that the "naturally occurring nutrients" offer new treatments as well. We'll keep watching and keep reporting what we find to you.

We're Not Doctors But We're Here To Help You

2010-10-07T14:07:00.009-04:00

While other editors got it right the editors at TIME magazine didn't quite get it right. We felt that if you can walk away from any health advice then that's good advice. In this case its not what you can do for yourself its what you can do for someone else. This Sunday this editor's wife observed someone who passed out in church. Her concern was that the person was no longer with us and that enough wasn't done to aid them. The news articles and research indicates that something is always better than nothing.

"The Case Against Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation - The study measured survival by hospital discharge: 13% heart patients who received chest-only compressions were discharged from the hospital, compared with 7.8% of those who received conventional CPR. Of those who received no resuscitation whatsoever, only 5.2% left the hospital, showing that whether you do mouth-to-mouth or not, doing something is better than doing nothing." - TIME (Healthland)

When you go to the source of the most current research even they don't give the source of their information though we're certain that it's just a matter of math. You know the kind from your school days where A is to B as B is to C. For instance Arizona Health Science Center said:

"Every three (3) days, more Americans die from sudden cardiac arrest than the number who died in the 9-11 attacks. " - The Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC)

That's not what the headline would indicate in the TIME article. We've got some experience, as should anyone with a loved one, with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training. What we learned and were told is that we should first do no harm and we're taught how and when giving aid - to do no harm. We were told that the first few minutes were crucial to the individuals survival.

"You can lessen this recurring loss by learning this hands-only CPR method that doubles a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. Watch physician researchers Gordon A. Ewy, MD, and Karl Kern, MD, demonstrate the easy, life-saving method that they developed at the University of Arizona College of Medicine." - The Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC)

Change is a good thing but if you're unwilling to take a chance on this non-mouth to mouth method you can always become certified by the American Red Cross who still teaches the old fashion cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) just like we did. However we're going to make the switch. Better is better to us and it's less to remember, not as intimate nor as personal.

"Prepare for Emergencies with American Red Cross First Aid, CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Courses - American Red Cross first aid, CPR and AED programs are designed to give you the confidence to respond in an emergency situation with skills that can save a life. Additional training in bloodborne pathogens, oxygen administration and injury prevention can be added to CPR and first aid training to prepare you to prevent and respond to life-threatening emergencies." - American Red Cross (Taking A Class)

There are a lot of statistics given about the risk of heart disease or heart attacks without sufficient indication of what specific research, by whom and what was used to get these numbers. If we're certain of one thing its that things change.

"Less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive." - American Heart Association (AHA)

What's true today, if you make a change those same things, won't be true tomorrow. If you've not made any changes then yes what was true yesterday can be true today. To be honest, even if you make changes what was true yesterday can still be true today. If you make a change then its not unusual to see a change reflected but nothing is guaranteed.

"Heart Attack Risk Assessment - It's essential that you measure your risk of heart disease and make a plan for how to prevent it in the near future. Use this tool to help you assess your risk of having a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease in the next 10 years. It will also check to see if you may have metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that greatly increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes. This Risk Assessment can be use by people age 20 or older who do not already have heart disease or diabetes." - American Heart Association (AHA)

This tool might not change anything for you but like Continuous Chest Compression CPR - when you're in need sometimes a little can mean a lot. It can save a life and if you see a situation we hope you'll have the proper instructions. At the very least you'll view what you can - and do no harm.

The parishioner survived, did not suffer a stroke or heart attack but tests are still being performed. His condition is stable.

Preventing Breast Cancer

2010-10-04T19:01:00.000-04:00

We're very concerned about this topic because of how it affected us through our families and the women in our lives and on our staff. PearlieMae's death was a result of her fear of breast cancer. The cancer spread from there to her back and into the bone . This being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month we thought we should contribute to its success. PearlieMae might have wanted it that way though we know she would shudder knowing we've revealed her "Big C" condition.

"The Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, a large, population-based cohort study of 5042 female breast cancer survivors in China. Women aged 20 to 75 years with diagnoses between March 2002 and April 2006 were recruited and followed up through June 2009. Information on cancer diagnosis and treatment, lifestyle exposures after cancer diagnosis, and disease progression was collected at approximately 6 months after cancer diagnosis and was reassessed at 3 follow-up interviews conducted at 18, 36, and 60 months after diagnosis. Annual record linkage with the Shanghai Vital Statistics Registry database was carried out to obtain survival information for participants who were lost to follow-up. Medical charts were reviewed to verify disease and treatment information." - Journal of the American Medical Association (December 9, 2009)

We're believers in soy products yet we're not certain that removing the other nutritional factors from the above equation makes it a wonder drug. Genetically Asian women suffer less from breast cancer than European and women of African descent. The results aren't new in 1998 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition drew a connection between soy and breast cancer. It's worth noting during this "Pink Month" because its use might be prevented.

"The following may reduce breast cancer risk: kelp; forsteronia refracta compound; oleic acid in olive oil restricted calories; apple, Danggui Longhui Wan ( chinese medicine); moderate exercise; turmeric, fish oil, weight loss, omega-3 fatty acids, cabbage and sauerkraut; Artemisinin; vitamin D, soy, garlic, grape juice, whole wheat, pro-vitamin E, low-protein diet, doing home work, high dietary fiber, broccoli, breastfeeding, grapes, green tea and mushroom, vitamin c, and sun exposure. Those factors that may boost risk are: high GI diet, alcohol, adipose fat, Bisphenol A; cleaning chemicals, hormone therapy, french fries, omega 6 fatty acid linoleic acid found in corn and soybean oil; mamograms, dietary fat, red meat and processed meat, barbecued meat, grapefruit, western diet, aluminum salts, radiation, iron, antibiotics, calcium, living in a large, metropolitan area, and acrylamide." - Food Consumer (Pink Tips)

Missing from that list is the desire to seek care until its too late. Both men and women suffer from that same condition of fear if our personal experience is any indication of having cancer and seeking immediate medical treatment. We don't want to know, believing ignorance is bliss and that we can't die if we don't know for sure. How's that for research. We believe that nothing "boost risk" more than fear and trepidation whether you're male or female.

"Although not all experts are convinced that it's safe to begin advising women to add soy to their diet, they agree that there is no need to avoid soy altogether. "What I've been telling my patients right now is that soy as part of a healthy balanced diet is safe. But I would avoid trying to eat a totally soy-based diet or taking a soy supplement. You have to be careful in not extrapolating beyond the study," says Dr. Richard Lee, medical director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston." - Time (December 2009)

We'd have to agree. The nutritional solution isn't a one (1) item choice. Variety seems to be what all the experts agree upon. The Pink Tips given offer a variety of items that together might be the super fuel that would be a preventative against breast cancer. Though finding a lump and leaving it rather than calling attention to it to your physician is a mistake that can cost you your life and your family much pain and suffering. Unfortunately we have too much experience with the latter than we care to admit or ever care to see repeated.

Free Government Cash

2010-10-01T20:45:00.000-04:00

Money money money money! Money! The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been doling out the grants for prevention lately. Some this region has received and most it has not. The CDC hasn't been making grants all "willy nilly." The money goes to:

"CDC Awards $1.9 Million for State and Local Sodium Reduction Initiatives - Building on existing community policies to improve nutrition and lower blood pressure, each funded project will support implementation of at least one major sodium reduction policy as well as evaluation activities. Activities could include working with restaurants and food service suppliers, grocery stores, schools, hospitals and government facilities to develop low sodium food policies, and media campaigns to help raise awareness of the dangers of too much sodium in the diet. CDC will provide technical assistance to the awardees and help them evaluate programs and policy efforts." - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The region does get some of the big bucks. The little petty amounts don't get our legislators up in the morning. Big states only accept large awards for even larger amounts problems. Say $30 million will be split between the big twelve (12) but for purposes of this story only the District of Columbia and Maryland will be stuffing their coffers with federal funding.

"HHS announces $30 million in new resources to support the National HIV/AIDS Strategy - Under this program, each funded jurisdiction will work with CDC to determine what mix of HIV prevention approaches can have the greatest impact in the local area – at the individual, population, and community level - based on the local profile of the epidemic and by assessing and identifying current gaps in HIV prevention portfolios. While the exact combination of approaches will vary by area, efforts funded under this program will follow a basic approach of: intensifying prevention for individuals at greatest risk, along with testing those individuals to reduce undiagnosed HIV infection; prioritizing prevention and linkage to care for people living with HIV; and directing these intensified efforts to communities with the highest burden of HIV. " - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

But wait there's more. "More money, more problems," more funding, more and more problems that can only be solved on a national level with a national agenda. When our area representatives cry poor and broke with no cash from our Uncle Sam we can say: "Hey what about the big grants to pay for our "whatever" the feds gave us the cash to do?" The problem with that comment is that most of "the cash" will go to keep existing projects going. In order of dollars received:

In a way its a reward for a job well done or a job "well doing." If you think of it that way our Uncle isn't leaving us hanging when we're just making progress. It's not a buy yourself a new car kind of money but it is you don't have to fire your part-time staff but you will have to still make some cutbacks.

"HHS awards nearly $100 million in grants for public health and prevention priorities - The Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund grants will support state and community efforts to fight obesity, increase HIV testing, promote tobacco quit lines, expand mental health and substance abuse programs and track, monitor and respond to disease outbreaks... CDC Grants -$67.7 Million - $21.6 million to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and testing ... $3.8 million in support of tobacco prevention and control... $26.4 million to strengthen epidemiology, laboratory and health information systems capacity... $6.8 Million for Capacity Building Assistance to Strengthen Public Health Infrastructure and Performance... $9.3 million in support of obesity biometric efforts... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at HHS awarded more than $26.2 million in grants to support and promote better primary care and behavioral health services for individuals with mental illnesses or substance use disorders... HRSA GRANT - $5 Million to Address Obesity... " - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The next time we see Matthew Lesko on late night TV, where has he been by the way, we'll think of the agencies rather than the individuals who depend on these government bailout or pork to keep us all healthy, wealthy and wise. Considering that the District of Columbia has no real voting power in Congress we have to be amazed at the rewards received and dismayed when none are not. We get what we pay for!

Conventional Weight Loss

2010-10-01T01:52:00.001-04:00

Conventional wisdom while conventional might not always be wise. Were constantly being told that exercise and weight loss is the way to a healthier life. The research that we seek out or are directed to discover is when the research is correct and how that research is reported incorrectly. The founders wife asked us to look into a report that people with type 2 diabetes didn't have to exercise to loss weight. Our kind of story. That's not what we found. Instead we found that "Intensive lifestyle intervention can produce sustained weight loss" which is the traditional party line. Exercise and lose weight - there is no other way that takes it off and keeps it off according to the four (4) year study. We did find this information.

"Lower Fat Diet in Diabetes - There are today three distinct views concerning the proper diet in diabetes. One group of workers believes that carbohydrates should be kept at a point believed to represent glucose tolerance of the patient. The second group advocates a high fat, non-ketogenic low carbohydrate diet. The third group, holding the most recent views, advocates what seems like a very high carbohydrate and low fat diet. All agree upon the desirability of avoiding ketosis, meeting caloric needs and supplying the patient with a physiologic diet. - Annals of Internal Medicine (December 1930)

Conventional wisdom from the best minds of their time. To that end we offer you this latest information from the best minds of our time. Think of information and research as more round earth theory than flat earth theory. We think that if you're still alive at the end of the day you're ahead of the game. This doesn't mean that we think that the idea of exercising to lose weight is a flat earth theory we don't. We can hope and pray but we know that that won't necessarily make it so.

"Low-Carbohydrate Diets and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality - A low-carbohydrate diet based on animal sources was associated with higher all-cause mortality in both men and women, whereas a vegetable-based low-carbohydrate diet was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality rates." - Annals of Internal Medicine (September 2010)

What a difference twenty-three (23) years and over one hundred twenty-nine thousand seven hundred and sixteen (129,716) people later. We know more today than we did eighty (80) years ago. We know more or do we? The research numbers are difficult to dispute when they're so large and comprise two (2) studies and not one (1). What a difference a millennium and computers make.

"...a doctors group seeks to compel the agency to alert patients to safe dietary alternatives to Avandia and other diabetes drugs that may increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and death. The nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is filing the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit targets FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D., for failing to act on a PCRM administrative petition urging the FDA to require that diabetes drugs carry warning labels telling patients that low-fat plant-based diets can effectively treat type 2 diabetes without dangerous side effects associated with oral medications." - Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) July 2010

When we reported on the pine bark extract research were news reports cited its supposed ineffectiveness we call your attention to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs that are dangerous and deadly rather than possible useless. We maintain that while the Japanese pine bark extract might have been useless in the application tested that misuse of any medication generally renders it ineffective.

"AVANDIA may increase the risk of heart problems related to reduced blood flow to the heart. These include possible increases in the risk of heart-related chest pain (angina) or "heart attack" (myocardial infarction). This risk seems to be higher in patients who took AVANDIA with insulin or with nitrate medicines. Most people who take insulin or nitrate medicines should not also take AVANDIA. If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, get medical help right away, no matter what diabetes medicines you are taking. Patients with diabetes have a greater risk for heart problems. It is important to work with your doctor to manage other conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol." FDA (February 2008)

We reported on the complaint that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had against POM the "pomegranates and pomegranate-based products" company and we were against it. We support the FDA in it's efforts to protect "the public health" we just think that going after this one privately held company isn't necessarily in that interest. We could be wrong and POM might have been asking for it since they did sue Minute Maid. Not that there's anything wrong with it! We just don't like lawsuits.

"Protecting the food supply, making it safe, making it nutritious, is one of the most fundamental duties of government," says Michael R. Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods at the FDA. He explains that for a hundred years the public has really depended upon FDA to prevent foods from being contaminated and to set standards for labeling foods to help people know what they are buying and hopefully choose healthy diets. But the Office of Foods, created in 2009, came into being as a response to new challenges involving the food supply. The new emphasis, says Taylor, is on implementing "common sense measures" to prevent problems before they occur." - FDA Basic Video (Food Safety and Nutrition)

You can watch the video of DC Michael R. Taylor in his own words describing the Food and Drug Administration's position and purpose. The FDA is the last line of federal defense against hucksters and snake oil salesmen that seek to separate you from your money and can endanger your health. We worry like the PCRM agency gives too much levy way to big businesses at the expense of the individual. Not always and not as a matter of policy. Sometimes lives are put at risk and when they are we're here to say: "Don't Do It!" If and when necessary - which we presume will be few and far between. Mostly we're here to say don't wait for the dead and dying.

"24-Week Phase 3 Study Found Investigational Drug Dapagliflozin Improved Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) When Added to Glimepiride in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - The study also demonstrated that dapagliflozin plus glimepiride achieved reductions in the secondary efficacy endpoints of change in total body weight, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels from baseline at week 24 compared to placebo plus glimepiride." - AstraZeneca (September 20, 2010)

Okay this is awkward. We've said what we said and then we drop this bit of news on you. So let's just say it now. That the preceding statement has little to do with the aforementioned quotation. It's just where it fit into the story. We will however include both good news and bad news about the "less exercising better results" product simply as a matter of information. We aren't making any judgments on the product. Twenty-four (24) weeks and almost six hundred (597) patients discovered that "dapagliflozin plus glimepiride" achieved reductions and this is an amazing research revelation revealed at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Stockholm this week. Now if someone decides to test the new drug WITHOUT glimepiride which should result in no reductions that will mean it's ineffective. Unlike pine bark extract which is relatively harmless while the new drug dapagliflozin is anything but harmless.

"New Diabetes Drug Dapagliflozin Closer to Approval - Generally, the occurrence of side effects was about equal across all four groups. Rates of genital infections were higher among patients treated with dapagliflozin than those taking placebo, but the infections were mild and did not cause any patients to withdraw from the trial." - Emax Health (October 2009)

We are not anti-perscription drug. Remember what we said earlier. If you're still alive at the end of the day you're ahead of the game. We want you ahead - not dead. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs can put your tomorrows at risk. Sometimes this federal organization has to be forced by lawsuit to do what's best for you and we. Given the choice of treatment between Dapagliflozin, pine bark extract or bariatric (weight loss surgery) operations we'd choose the first two (2) rather than the latter.

"Risk of Suicide after Long-term Follow-up from Bariatric Surgery - Compared with age and sex-matched suicide rates in the US, there was a substantial excess of suicides among all patients who had bariatric surgery in Pennsylvania during a 10-year period. These data document a need to develop more comprehensive longer-term surveillance and follow-up methods in order to evaluate factors associated with postbariatric surgery suicide." - The American Journal of Medicine (September 2010)

Weight loss surgery might seem to be the easiest solution to the problem of obesity because you just lie back and let the surgeons cut away while dreaming dreams of sweetness and light. You awaken and hopefully be lighter while feeling so much better ignoring the ugly scars that indicate the procedure. There's a real couch potato feeling to it with one research demonstrated downfall. It could be that Pennsylvanians are more susceptible than other citizens but when the surgeries are in excess of sixteen thousand (16,683) the numbers are difficult to dispute or ignore.

Pine Bark Bull

2010-09-29T19:50:00.002-04:00

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

2010-09-29T18:58:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-28T16:52:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-27T17:56:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-27T16:03:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-27T15:53:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-22T20:32:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-22T20:12:00.000-04:00

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)

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

2010-09-14T00:55:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-10T13:23:00.000-04:00

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.
Approximately one quarter of adults report no leisure time physical activity in the past month.
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

2010-09-10T12:55:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-08T16:45:00.002-04:00

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!!!!!

2010-09-08T16:28:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-06T20:30:00.002-04:00

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:

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

Dementia All Too Soon

2010-09-02T02:35:00.001-04:00

The way you wear your hat
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that
No THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME - George And Ira Gershwin

They CAN take that away from me. According to the research published in the American Academy of Neurology entitled "Brain Exercises May Slow Cognitive Decline Initially, But Speed Up Dementia Later" states:

"...once they are diagnosed with dementia, people who have a more mentally active lifestyle are likely to have more brain changes related to dementia compared to those without a lot of mental activity. As a result, those with more mentally active lifestyles may experience a faster rate of decline once dementia begins." - Rush University Medical Center (Chicago)

There is hope from the same source that brought us the bad news. You aren't protected but you can find some protection. We talked about it before and we encourage you to do the right thing when it comes to hearing the news. We think the story is, again we haven't read the full research only the press release, that after age 65 your chances of suffering from Alzheimer is reasonably assured.

"The nearly 4,000 participants in this study included black and white adults aged 65 and older. They were given a battery of cognitive tests which were assigned scores and then a clinical interview. Those who ranked in the highest in terms of following such a Mediterranean-type diet were more protected from cognitive decline. The adults were given these cognitive tests every three years for 15 years." - RUSH University News (May 3, 2010)

Cancer, AIDS, alzheimer are the "boogeymen's" diseases of the last few generations. Are they substantial killers? Yes, they are. Are there treatments for the diseases - yes but no real cures. Dementia and its affects are horrible - devastating on individuals and their families. When we read the top ten (10) signs of Alzheimer they read more like symptoms of old age. Before we get to those facts and figures, that haven't substantially changed. Let's look at the results of this latest research.

"...researchers evaluated the mental activities of 1,157 people age 65 or older who did not have dementia at the start of the nearly 12-year study. People answered questions about how often they participated in mental activities such as listening to the radio, watching television, reading, playing games and going to a museum; for this five-point cognitive activity scale, the more points scored, the more often people participated in mentally stimulating exercises" - American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

In the study released in May the number of participants exceed the almost 1,200 people by more than three (3) times. While the information in the most recent research shouldn't be ignored it's not a cause for alarm. We've never been a big support of those mind games and brain trainers offered by hand held gamers and iPhone users. Obviously they offer some benefit but no where near the benefit provided by dietary changes.

"During the next six years, the study found that the rate of cognitive decline in people without cognitive impairment was reduced by 52 percent for each point on the cognitive activity scale. For people with Alzheimer’s disease, the average rate of decline per year increased by 42 percent for each point on the cognitive activity scale." -American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

So were comparing the numbers from May to September from 4,000 compared to 1,200 participants and 3 to 15 years to 6 years. There are more key facts and figures courtesy of the Alzheimer's Association. Top Ten (10) Warning Signs as compared to symptoms of old age. All available at their website where they encourage you to join their Memory Walk and start a team. We're just surprised that they left the date of the "Walk" on the site or in their video. Which might just be because the walk never ends - much like the fight against the disease. They can't take that away from you but like the old Flip Wilson joke said: "Just leave that alone and it'll fail off by itself!"

Eggs Not Us

2010-09-01T02:18:00.002-04:00

While the attention is again focused on local egg farmers and the problems of the recall. We would like to remind you as SAFEWAY has posted on the sliding doors as you enter their stores - the recall does not refer to our jurisdiction. So from DC to North Carolina - we're unaffected. We accept for the continuing reports that seem to miss the bigger questions.

There are other questions that need to be asked. You might not remember this but PBS broadcasted a special about our region and pollution runoff. It's how our water supply and how we handle waste, industrial or otherwise, can affect our health. As we become more concerned about the weather, as hurricane Earl approaches and tropical storm Fiona passes water is in our future.

When SAFEWAY addressed the issue finally on their website they didn't just restrict their statement to their Lucerne brand eggs but extended to include all recalls. While the information still isn't on their front page but is pasted old school style on their front doors- it is available.

"One-half to two-thirds of American farmers already inoculate their flocks, according to industry estimates, and that number is likely to increase. While the new federal rules do not require vaccination, they do require testing for salmonella. If henhouses are found to be contaminated, then eggs must be tested. If eggs are tainted, then they would have to be broken and pasteurized, which would mean producers would get much less money for their eggs" - New York Times.(Business)

Poisoned Waters the PBS program is almost two (2) hours in length. It's difficult to view because it addresses our dirty little secret. To get fresh eggs the most efficient and most cost effective businesses get our hard earn income. In times of feast little cottage industries spring up and can challenge the stronghold of the larger businesses. In times of famine, like now, it becomes more and more difficult to be cost effective. Businesses suffer and so sometimes do we, the paying public.

"Low-cost vaccines that may help prevent the kind of salmonella outbreak that has led to the recall of more than a half-billion eggs haven't been given to nearly half the nation's egg-laying hens. The vaccines aren't required in the U.S., although in Great Britain, officials say vaccinations have given them the safest egg supply in Europe." - Associated Press (AP)

The program doesn't deal with any of the businesses affected by the recall nor are our comments specifically directed to the financial decisions made by Hillandale Farms of Iowa nor Wright County Egg.

This isn't an anti-SAFEWAY story. It's a story about processed foods and the dirty little secret that we don't like to admit. To get us the items we need to live someone has to do what we don't want to do. For meat, someone has to kill an animal. For vegetables, someone has to put their hands in manure. We don't like to think about it or talk about it. We certainly don't want to hear it. To provide us with the items we need costs someone money. Which we will gladly pay to get what we want. Men want cheap bargains and women want what they want (if our staff is any indication).

"...vaccinating hens and testing barns regularly for bacteria, has essentially wiped out salmonella on California farms, industry officials say. Yet only nine other states have enacted similar government-sponsored efforts. One reason ... California farmers contend, is cost. Injecting chickens and swabbing cages takes money — not a fortune, but enough to send egg distributors searching for lower-cost sources." - LA Times

We love the Los Angeles Times newspaper but even they don't always answer the most obvious question but for California residents they don't have to. Our question would be what are the other nine (9) states that have testing. Local governments and legislators could prevent the sale of these cheaper and more "risky" foods by making the sale of such product illegal to be sold in our areas. Matters of safety might stand the test of a legal challenge especially during these times of uncertainty.

"Many of the cheapest eggs are produced in the Midwest, where energy, farmland and feed cost less and where regulations are less onerous.

As a result, Iowa egg operators can undercut the competition. Last month it cost Midwest farmers 53.5 cents to produce a dozen eggs, about 16% less than in California, according to Iowa State University's Egg Industry Center.

Fullerton wholesaler Michael Sencer, whose company supplies food service firms and chains including Ralphs, Costco and Trader Joe's, bought inventory from Wright County Egg. His customers, he said, liked the low prices and ready supply.

"It drives the demand for Iowa eggs here in California and everywhere," said Sencer, executive vice president of Hidden Villa Ranch. Those same customers are now scrambling. Wholesale egg prices have jumped 20% in California since the recall, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One key reason: There are 7.5 million Midwest laying hens currently not producing eggs for the nation's breakfasts. But in the Golden State, there are only 19 million hens — enough to meet just 56% of California's demand." - LA Times

Consumer Reports as reported on local WUSA-9 TV in Washington says that the discount chains are considered the best place for bargains by consumers. If you bought your recalled eggs from COSTCO (and we know you didn't) you can always return them for some non-recalled eggs. We personally don't prefer Costco but only because all of us don't have access. We think we can do better than the retailer when it comes to bargains but we must admit. When it comes to food items we've been tempted by the low prices.

"The Food and Drug Administration decided not to mandate vaccination of hens — a precaution that would cost less than a penny per a dozen eggs." - NY Times (Business)

As the PBS program indicates eggs aren't the only problems in these times of financial scarcity that might affect our health and welfare We'll have to be careful and because our concerns will be both costs versus profit what we chose must be fully considered. It just might be a matter of life or death.

Flood Water

2010-09-01T01:01:00.004-04:00

There are other questions that need to be asked. You might not remember this but PBS broadcast Poisoned Waters a special about our region south and pollution runoff. It's about our water supply and how we handle waste (industrial or otherwise). How that can affect our health. As we become more concerned about the weather, as hurricane Earl approaches and tropical storm Fiona passes, water is in our future. When Katrina hit the Louisiana leaving "water water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink." Like every major flood disaster the problems that result for the survivors and their ability to recover has much to do with finding fresh water supplies.

We're not trying to frighten you. We're trying to provide context, insight and we're also recently suffered some personal flood damage. Floods that affect our lives generally aren't of the 2012 or Noah's Ark variety. Nor are we likely to suffer a Katrina, Pakistan or Haitian flood variety. Mostly we're likely to suffer the kind of damage we've suffered. This type of loss results in damage to papers and personal effects. We can attest that even a personal loss can be devastating. The suggestions of the federal government would offer no help to survivors of a major catastrophe. But for our particular set of circumstances very appropriate.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SUGGESTIONS

Safeguard your possessions. (waterproof container)
Prepare your house.
Develop a family emergency plan. (protect your pets.) (FEMA)

We need more. You might also. We couldn't place all of our possessions in a waterproof container. A fire and the sprinkler system caused soot and water damage to our items. You can't prepare for every possible situation and maybe you shouldn't try. You should prepare for you life and family. Prepare for good health.

"General Assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right" - July 28, 2010 - UN

Just in time for World Water Week, Sept 5-10,2010 (not to be confused with World Water Day) so we're not that late unless of course you consider their 2003 announcement when:

"...the United Nations has declared that 2003 will be the International Year of Freshwater. We cannot live without water. That is why we have to make sure that everyone can get clean drinking water no matter where they live ....Although fresh water can be found all around the world most of it is either frozen in the polar ice caps, mixed in the soil or deep underground. In fact, less than 1 percent of the world's fresh water is available to be used. That is why we need to take care of it! " - Nane Annan

The nation was worried about the danger to the food supply (seafood) by the BP oil spill, tourism, as well as the damage to the eco-system. We were also concerned about the damage to health and welfare of the gulf residents as well as the nation's seafood. We discovered that while the government (USGS) has been tackling the issue of providing fresh water through desalination of salt water to the nation. No one had prepared for further chemical damage to the already fragile and dwindling nature resource.

"Women, gender equality and water resources in the context of climate change - Climate change has significant impacts on fresh water sources, affecting the availability of water used for domestic and productive tasks. The consequences of the increased frequency in floods and droughts are far reaching, particularly for vulnerable groups, including women who are responsible for water management at the household level." - UN WomenWatch (Oct 9,2009)

That the could be a gender gap in survival seems only likely because PearlieMae was wheelchair bound and dependent upon the assistance of her family. While many of the canaries from Katrina to Pakistan were PearlieMaes and to feel for these individuals means to make sure, if we can (YES WE CAN), it never happens again. Never again.

"Changes in water availability and extreme events could undermine development, affect human security and livelihoods, significantly impact agriculture and industry, and act as a push factor in population movements and migration. Water scarcity can also trigger conflict. Adaptation to climate change needs to build on conventional hard and soft interventions and may also require a major shift in planning and designing water investments." - UN Chief Executive Board (Nov 22 2007) (PDF)

The problems aren't new and the solutions aren't easy. Most are out of our reach and beyond our control. Our discomfort should be the prelude to our education on the effects and our responses. If not for us then for all of those who will follow in memory of those whom have passed on.

HPV Hope and Help

2010-08-29T23:35:00.009-04:00

What finally beat PearlieMae and many of our relatives was the dreaded "C" word (cancer). It was their generation's AIDS and struck more fear and hopelessness in them than any other condition. For them and their peers it was a sentence of death. It didn't matter how many therapies, protocols or alternative treatments there were. It meant they were going to die. Indeed in spite of the fact that her doctors didn't expect her to respond to treatment PearlieMae did. She could have survived her cancer. It would not have meant she would have been cured but she would not have had to die from the ravages of the disease. PearlieMae surrendered to her illness. She gave up hope and that's what killed her.

While the debate continues concerning the cervical cancer vaccine for teenage girls and young adults some researchers are suggesting is that as hopeful as this treatment is it isn't the be all end all cure that many would believe especially for the teenage future PearlieMaes.

"...excess of 18,000 adverse reactions recorded in the US, including 75 deaths. Adverse reactions have also been recorded in New Zealand, Canada and Australia. A US federal report in 2009 found the vaccine had a 400% higher rate of adverse reactions than another comparable vaccine, the Menactra anti-meningitis shot. The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) said it had received 10 reports of suspected adverse reactions associated with Gardasil." (Irish Examiner)

Hope springs eternal - while we know the cervix isn't a bone and PearlieMae's cancer wasn't cervical it made it into her back and into her bones. The same institution that is developing a more effective vaccine than Gardasil which only works against four (4) types of HPV (human papillomavirus) and Cervarix which only works against five (5) types with a vaccine that works against nine (9) types of the cancer. Extending the effectiveness from eighty (80) percent to ninety (90) percent effectiveness and essentially reducing the possibility of adverse reactions.

"Cancer has a greater economic impact from premature death and disability than all causes of death worldwide, according to a report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the LIVESTRONG organization. Using data from the World Health Organization (WHO), it concludes that cancer "has the most devastating economic impact of any cause of death in the world." (Medscape Today)

The Medical College of Georgia (MCG) has also identified a protein that can result in fragile bones. While PearlieMae's cancer cause her bones to be brittle and hindsight is 20/20 we believe that had she not been so depressed by her virus she might have survived to live a longer life and suffered a more prolonged death. Of course we would believe this because we miss her so much and love her so. We loved her enough to concede to her wishes to not prolong her death.

"In late-stage arthritis, the cartilage function may be completely disrupted but early in the disease process, maybe there is a window for stimulating this protein." (MCG)

Family members that haven't told their own parental units are terrified of their condition even though when discovered in the early stages treatment can be very effective. That's not just our opinion it's also the opinion of specialist in the field.

"If cervical cancer is caught very early, surgery alone may effect a cure. If the disease is more extensive, then radiation is added to the treatment mix... ...Patients with cervical cancer and, in some cases, uterine cancer first get external beam radiation under the new large bore linear accelerator at the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center. This first phase of radiation treatment lasts about five to five-and-a-half weeks. - Dr. Chris Sheils (MCG)

Yes, we're big on prevention but actionable prevention like eating dark non-milk chocolate, adding deep colored foods to your diet - the easy stuff. We even support the taking of vaccines to prevent an annual massacre. But you have to compare the upside to down and make the judgment yourself. We just want to make sure that the treatment isn't as bad as the cure.

So sweet relative of ours, please tell your momma - there is hope and you will survive.

Better Rice is Black

2010-08-29T03:56:00.003-04:00

As soon as we found this out we had to tell you. The CBS News headline called out: "New research shows that black rice packs a bigger antioxidant punch even than blueberries". Better news if you can find it. Emphasis on the word find. Black rice might be found at you local Chinatown, health food store or even grocery:

"Black rice also costs less than blueberries or blackberries, another antioxidant-rich fruit. Anthocyanin antioxidants - also found in red grapes, strawberries, red wine, red cabbage, red onion, and blood orange juice - have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer." (CBS News)

We first heard the words black rice from Tommy Tang's Easy Thai Cooking show sponsored by the Thailand board of tourism. The recipe we can't remember. The dish might have been a mock beef recipe (Mistake on the Lake #116) that was made out of fish, tofu or turkey. And to make the dish darker its called for black rice. The dish wasn't enough to compel us to seek out this "burnt" (we thought) staple but we're a sucker for science. Which means that as soon as we saw the story we knew we had to bring the news to you.

All our stories seem to have derived from the American Chemical Society (ACS) who discover better living verified by chemical science.

While the price might be cheaper than blueberries in theory in web reality the price is more than $3.59 for 15 oz a bag (plus 6.50 shipping) - not cheaper than what we could find locally for blueberries though frozen ($3.69 a pound) and not fresh.

Whenever we do a basic story we discover a basic mistake in the information provided by CBS that could have been discerned with a simple GOOGLE search. In this case black rice isn't cheaper than blueberries or red grapes that we can find locally. However what Dr. Zhimin Xu, Associate Professor at the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge, La., reported further down the page "that farmers are interested in growing black rice in Louisiana and that he would like to see people in the country embrace its use. "

The story may eventually become true for us. We will however stay on the look out for some "forbidden rice" if and when it is ever on sale. We asked Dr. Xu, as we always do when we discover a discrepancy in reported information. If and when the doctor responds we will stay on the look out for that information as well and report it to you. If and when black rice is grown and marketed locally the green (transportation and production) costs may make it more affordable. But as of today that's not what we've found to be true.

"The black rice used in our study was produced in Louisiana. However, the rice is only used for experiment, but not for commercial sale. Actually, most of black rice you found in grocery stores or websites are imported. That is reason why their price is quite higher." - Zhimin (August 27)

Emphasis added by us (always). We're just too smart for our own good - we think! We've asked how the news reports and reporters got it so wrong about the issue of price and if Dr. Zhimin Xu responds to these questions we're bring these answers to you as well.

"Actually, the cost of growing black rice is almost as same as growing brown rice, if it is produced in commercial scale in the US. So, it will be cheaper than the current price of berries. Based on the increase number of consumers, I think the commercial black rice from Louisiana will come to market soon. " - Dr. Zhimin Xu (August 30)

Retail Chemistry

2010-08-29T03:46:00.001-04:00

While we thought the egg recall was more of a story than first reported we were curious as to why the story wasn't being told. It was something that could frighten every single home with a refrigerator. It's not a time to panic when the news tries to scare you. Journalism has never been ahead of the curve. Stories don't tend to be exposes resulting from days or weeks of investigative reporting especially with cutbacks and layoffs expect more press released information. Bloggers will be the next generation of truth seekers especially those with news backgrounds. At least the leads will come from the fine print.

Chemicals that companies know aren't necessary but if they're not hiring their not making immediate changes in purchasing or investing in more expensive alternative unless forced by consumers whom they don't trust or government agencies whom consumers don't trust.

"Some paper manufacturers - including industry giant Appleton Papers Inc. - have phased out BPA in their products. And receipts from registers at Target, Starbucks and Bank of America ATMs, were BPA-free or contained only trace amounts, the study said." (SF Gate)

It's not every business and every CEO but then we found this story in the Washington Post: CEOs Aren't hiring! We'd speculate that the employees they're retaining are the non-union compliant workers who wouldn't dare suggest that the company change their receipts for the health and/or benefit of their employees. As consumers we can ask if the companies are compliant for our own concern. If we're concerned about the employees who might also look out for us we will urge the companies to comply.

"The total amounts of BPA on receipts tested were 250 to 1,000 times greater than other, more widely discussed sources of BPA exposure, including canned foods, baby bottles and infant formula. These data should not be interpreted to suggest that policymakers shift their focus from BPA contamination of food, which is widespread, to receipts. BPA exposure from food sources is ubiquitous and should remain the first priority of U.S. policymakers. However, a significant portion of the public may also be exposed to BPA by handling receipts. Since many retailers do not use BPA-laden thermal paper, this particular route of exposure is easy to correct." (USA Today)

No you shouldn't be afraid but concern can't hurt. Much like the egg recall it's not something that'll be found in dangerous quantities to seriously impact your help but it can be cumulative in its effects. We just think its interesting that the news isn't what we'd like to know as news. Two stories that show danger but little serious risk to us in our homes. The risk is when we're out and about in our local and national businesses.

"BPA, a plastic hardener and synthetic estrogen linked by researchers to a long list of serious health problems, is used to coat thermal paper used by major retailers, grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, fast-food restaurants, post offices and automatic teller machines (ATMs). The chemical reacts with dye to form black print on receipts handled by millions of Americans every day." (Environmental Working Group)

If you want to be afraid it doesn't mean you shouldn't touch your receipts, we still do. It does mean if you work in retail then you should be extra careful changing the roll and loading your register. It can cost you more than your job. Just be careful out there.

"The little printouts from grocery and big box stores, fast food joints, and other consumer outlets actually contain high levels of the chemical bisphenol-A. In lab tests, the substance has been linked to several types of health problems in animals including abnormal reproductive system development, diminished intellectual capacity and behavioral abnormalities. When handled by humans, BPA can contaminate fingers, and seep into the skin even to a point where it can't be removed, this entering the bloodstream." (Time)

There's a twenty-two (22) minute video presentation of a mostly boring presentation. Unfortunately the information is frighteningly scary and convincing. Entitled "10 Americans" its hard to contradict the information contained inside. It's not our intent to scare you but we believe that you, like we, can handle the truth! Truth is what we're about as harsh and scary as it can be. It's made by the Environmental Working Group.

"If you believe in things you don't understand then you suffer. Superstition ain't the way!" - Stevie Wonder

Sitting To Death

2010-08-29T02:48:00.000-04:00

The first story we were going to publish when we returned was going to be the story featured on ABC News which called it "Sitting Linked to Dying Early - Link Is Independent of Exercise, Obesity and Other Factors. So What Gives?"

We call it "the great wake the hell up and get you butt out of that seat now" news. It reminds us of the scene from the movie T2 (Terminator 2 where the now Governor of California says: "Come with me if you want to live!" You're scared as all get out because you're thinking this information is from the source that wanted to kill me. If you're still alive and reading this you might want to know the specifics before you "get your butt out of the seat". We know and we're still sitting but we've always been hard behind-ed. We hope you aren't but if you're like us you probably are.

We'll get up Mom, just five more minutes (actually we really mean - leave us the hell alone we're going to live forever we don't care what you say!) The facts are specifically and not generally:

"...queried by questionnaire on 53,440 men and 69,776 women who were disease free at enrollment. The authors identified 11,307 deaths in men and 7,923 deaths in women during the 14-year follow-up. After adjustment for smoking, body mass index, and other factors, time spent sitting (>6 vs. <3 hours/day) was associated with mortality in both women (relative risk = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.25, 1.44) and men (relative risk = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.24). Relative risks for sitting (>6 hours/day) and physical activity (<24.5 metabolic equivalent (MET)-hours/week) combined were 1.94 (95% CI: 1.70, 2.20) for women and 1.48 (95% CI: 1.33, 1.65) for men, compared with those with the least time sitting and most activity. Associations were strongest for cardiovascular disease mortality. The time spent sitting was independently associated with total mortality, regardless of physical activity level. Public health messages should include both being physically active and reducing time spent sitting." (American Journal of Epidemiology)

Why risk it? Why take a chance and the difference in sitting and not is most apparent in women than men but its obviously important and though its a questionnaire response its not twenty or even twenty thousand and its not a five year review or even a ten year review its over one hundred thousand and over fourteen years. We can say its not that important but the reality hard as it is to accept is that when Dr. Oz says you need to get 10,000 steps a day to maintain optimum health he's probably right and we probably need to heed his advice. As hard a pill as that might be to swallow.

Follow your doctor's advice, if you want to live. It sucks we know. But the facts are the facts. Though we sit more than six (6) hours a day whether working at our desk or sitting before the screen silver or tiny its effects can only be compounded. The only thing we can think to do is to offer to seek ways to maximize our efforts with the minimal amount of pain. It's old news but considered we haven't' posted for so long we felt this would be the story to lead with as we explain our absence from the site. We hate exercising. What should you do? Dr. Oz has some suggestions.

Flu Numbers

2010-08-29T02:08:00.001-04:00

We love flu stories and before you go and point to the latest news and tell us how we're wrong here's why we love them. The flu can be prevented. The flu has to be passed from one individual to another. It's not in the air and its not in the water so its not that it can sneak up on you. It's preventable and we're glad that the numbers for prior years aren't valid - which is what the news report should say.

"This report updates estimates of the number of influenza-associated deaths from the 1976--77 through 2006--07 influenza seasons and demonstrates the substantial variability in mortality estimates by year, influenza virus type/subtype, and age group. The estimated rates of influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths vary substantially from one influenza season to the next, depending, in part, on the characteristics of the circulating influenza virus strains (10). Because of this variability, a single estimate cannot be used to summarize influenza-associated deaths." (CDC)

"Estimates of Deaths Associated with Seasonal Influenza — United States, 1976–2007" that's the story. Three (3), count them three (3) years ago that was true. Looking back we were wrong. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says so. Or think of it this way - the prior administration was wrong! They're saying when they guessed at the figures. Not us - but the ones that came before us were using fuzzy math.

So don't gloat! It's so unbecoming of you. Remember the headlines said or rather should have emphasized that its the ESTIMATES that are rather were too high! Not the number of deaths and dead. The actual numbers were right on the money. While that is true, the actual incidences don't change. The facts are the facts. The speculation might have been off, well, they were off. While the West Nile virus hasn't made it's way south to our region the fact that a Boston woman over the age of 45 has been affected doesn't change the facts that real people die real deaths. Estimates don't kill people. Viruses kills people. The flu kills people. The wrong foods kill people. The air kills people.

When we are born there may not be an expiration date stamped on us anywhere but we are not long for this life. It's not our goal to stress you out about that. You're an adult and we think you know this. It's what we do with the time we have that matters. Enjoy your life. Enjoy your family. Enjoy your world. We just want to point out the potholes in the road. The bumps in your way so that you can navigate away from them and not be interrupted in your journey. Enjoy today and every day.