NIH Report Finds Cancer Incidence Has Declined.
A report by the NIH found that "the incidence in men of cancers of the prostate, lung, oral cavity, stomach, brain, colon and rectum has declined." However, "rates in men continue to rise for kidney/renal, liver, and esophageal cancer, as well as for leukemia, myeloma and melanoma," the agency said.
Heavy Margarines May Be Increasing Their Risk Of A Painful Inflammatory Bowel Disease,
People who eat lots of red meat, cook with certain types of oil, and use some kinds of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-heavy margarines may be increasing their risk of a painful inflammatory bowel disease, a study in more than 200,000 Europeans shows.
These foods are high in linoleic acid and the study have found that people who were the heaviest consumers of this omega-6 PUFA were more than twice as likely to develop ulcerative colitis as those who consumed the least.
But eating more eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and fish oils, was associated with a lower risk of the disease.
To investigate the role of fatty acids and ulcerative colitis, a life-long disease characterized by inflammation of the lining of the large intestine, investigators analyzed the problem. Their analysis included 203,193 men and women 30 to 74 years old. During follow-up, which ranged from about 2 to 11 years, 126 people developed ulcerative colitis.
People in the top quartile of linoleic acid intake (they were consuming around 13 to 38 grams a day) were 2.5 times more likely to have developed the disease than people who consumed the least, about 2 to 8 grams daily.
While a Western-style, red-meat-heavy diet is high in this fatty acid and low in omega-3s, a more Mediterranean style eating pattern -- with plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, and nut oils -- would be low in linoleic acid and high in omega-3.
It is estimated that if omega-3s do help prevent ulcerative colitis, eating a couple of servings of fish a week would probably be protective.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
High coffee, tea intake may reduce chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
According to a study spublished in the Archives of Internal Medicine, "drinking four cups of coffee, decaf, or tea daily can reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes by about 25 percent to 35 percent." Harvard University "researchers reviewed 18 studies of almost 500,000 people" and discovered that "for each cup of coffee people drank, their likelihood of getting diabetes dropped by seven percent."
"Even better results were found for bigger coffee and tea consumers -- drinking three to four cups a day was associated with about a 25% reduced diabetes risk, compared with those who drank between none and two cups day.. In addition, investigators found "positive results with decaf coffee and tea." Specifically, those "who drank more than three to four cups of decaf a day had about a one-third lower risk than those who didn't drink any," while "tea drinkers who consumed more than three to four cups a day had about a one-fifth lower diabetes risk than non-tea drinkers."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
"Even better results were found for bigger coffee and tea consumers -- drinking three to four cups a day was associated with about a 25% reduced diabetes risk, compared with those who drank between none and two cups day.. In addition, investigators found "positive results with decaf coffee and tea." Specifically, those "who drank more than three to four cups of decaf a day had about a one-third lower risk than those who didn't drink any," while "tea drinkers who consumed more than three to four cups a day had about a one-fifth lower diabetes risk than non-tea drinkers."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
Osteoporosis prevention and nutrition
Although calcium and vitamin D have been the primary focus of nutritional prevention of osteoporosis, recent research has clarified the importance of several additional nutrients and food constituents. Further, results of calcium and vitamin D supplementation trials have been inconsistent, suggesting that reliance on this intervention may be inadequate. In addition to dairy, fruit and vegetable intake has emerged as an important modifiable protective factor for bone health. Several nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, several B vitamins, and carotenoids, have been shown to be more important than previously realized.
Rather than having a negative effect on bone, protein intake appears to benefit bone status, particularly in older adults. Regular intake of cola beverages shows negative effects and moderate alcohol intake shows positive effects on bone, particularly in older women. Current research on diet and bone status supports encouragement of balanced diets with plenty of fruit and vegetables, adequate dairy and other protein foods, and limitation of foods with low nutrient density.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Rather than having a negative effect on bone, protein intake appears to benefit bone status, particularly in older adults. Regular intake of cola beverages shows negative effects and moderate alcohol intake shows positive effects on bone, particularly in older women. Current research on diet and bone status supports encouragement of balanced diets with plenty of fruit and vegetables, adequate dairy and other protein foods, and limitation of foods with low nutrient density.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Radiation overexposure from CT scans may be more widespread than previously estimated.
The problem of too much radiation during CT scans may be more widespread than anyone thought." In fact, "new research...found a wide variation in radiation dose for the most common CT scan like abdomen, pelvis, and chest. A survey of four hospitals found some patients received 13 times more radiation than others for the same type of scan." "Depending on the part of the body being scanned, each CT exposes a patient to an amount of radiation equal to between 30 and 440 chest X-rays." But, in a separate study, "researchers calculated that 72 million CT scans are performed in this country a year and concluded that could lead to 29,000 excess cancers and 15,000 excess deaths a year in the future." In that study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers at the National Cancer Institute "found that people may be exposed to up to four times as much radiation as estimated by earlier studies.
Meanwhile, the second study, appearing in the same journal, of over 1,000 patients at four hospitals, showed that one woman out of 270 and one man out of 600 would suffer from cancer after undergoing a single heart scan at age 40. Researchers noted that the differences in radiation doses may be due to a lack of standardized settings and disparities in technology use.
Ian accompanying editorial, it was noted that "the articles...make clear that there is far more radiation from medical CT scans than has been recognized previously because even many otherwise healthy patients are being subjected to the radiation...because emergency [departments] are often sending patients to the CT scanner before they see a doctor."
The authors predicted that lung cancer will be the most common radiation-related cancer followed by colon cancer and leukemia." For its part, the FDA "issued interim regulations requiring closer monitoring of CT scans after more than 250 cases of exposure to excess radiation were reported since October."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Meanwhile, the second study, appearing in the same journal, of over 1,000 patients at four hospitals, showed that one woman out of 270 and one man out of 600 would suffer from cancer after undergoing a single heart scan at age 40. Researchers noted that the differences in radiation doses may be due to a lack of standardized settings and disparities in technology use.
Ian accompanying editorial, it was noted that "the articles...make clear that there is far more radiation from medical CT scans than has been recognized previously because even many otherwise healthy patients are being subjected to the radiation...because emergency [departments] are often sending patients to the CT scanner before they see a doctor."
The authors predicted that lung cancer will be the most common radiation-related cancer followed by colon cancer and leukemia." For its part, the FDA "issued interim regulations requiring closer monitoring of CT scans after more than 250 cases of exposure to excess radiation were reported since October."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Americans living longer than ever
Americans are living a record 77 years and 11 months on average...according to two studies that led researchers to suggest raising the retirement age." The first study, from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, found that in the "US in 2007, the latest year for which figures are available," the "0.76 percent death rate is the lowest ever," driven by "a decline in deaths from heart disease and other ailments." Meanwhile, a second study published Dec. 14 in the health journal Milbank Quarterly, found that "every year that gets tacked on to the average life expectancy costs an extra trillion dollars in expenditures by Social Security and Medicare."
Overall, the 2007 data "show continued improvements in life expectancy for all Americans, although women are faring better than men, and whites fare better than other racial groups" by a "race differential" of about "4.6 years." But, even amid this progress, vast geographical discrepancies remain -- with people in southern states still facing higher death rates than those living in other parts of the country."
And, "even though Americans can expect to live longer than their parents, life expectancy in the" US "is still lower than in many other industrialized countries, including Canada and Japan. Even so, the "dramatic improvements in the health of Americans over the last 20 years" will "have unforeseen effects on the country. The Social Security and Medicare "programs weren't designed to support people for that long."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Overall, the 2007 data "show continued improvements in life expectancy for all Americans, although women are faring better than men, and whites fare better than other racial groups" by a "race differential" of about "4.6 years." But, even amid this progress, vast geographical discrepancies remain -- with people in southern states still facing higher death rates than those living in other parts of the country."
And, "even though Americans can expect to live longer than their parents, life expectancy in the" US "is still lower than in many other industrialized countries, including Canada and Japan. Even so, the "dramatic improvements in the health of Americans over the last 20 years" will "have unforeseen effects on the country. The Social Security and Medicare "programs weren't designed to support people for that long."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Concerned About Switching From A Brand Name To A Generic?
For many people, generic drugs work very well. But if you are concerned about switching from a brand name to a generic, or among different generics, then you need to keep tabs on your meds and how they are affecting you.
Here’s some guidance:
1. KEEP THE PACKAGING If you take a generic medication or are switched to one, keep the label.
Most state laws require that the manufacturer’s name be on the label, according to Kathleen Jaeger, chief executive of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.
If the label does not state the name of the maker, ask your pharmacist to add it or write it down for you. You can also look up the pill at Drugs.com or RxList.com (click on pill identifier) to find the maker.
2. KEEP A DIARY Or at least make notes about any side effects you experience when taking a new drug.
Generic drugs are allowed to contain different inactive ingredients from the brand drug — like flavors, fillers and dyes — which could potentially cause side effects.
3. BE CHOOSY If one generic version works better than another, shop around for it.
“Don’t assume your pharmacist will continue to carry a specific product indefinitely,” said Joe Graedon, who runs a consumer advocacy Web site, the People’s Pharmacy (peoplespharmacy.com). “Call ahead and ask.”
4. ENLIST YOUR DOCTOR If you are convinced that only the brand name of a drug works for you, discuss the issue with your doctor.
You can ask him or her to write “DAW” — dispense as written — on your prescription. This will usually ensure that the pharmacist gives you exactly what the doctor ordered.
If your insurer balks, ask your doctor to make a phone call for you or write a letter explaining why only the brand name is appropriate for you. Sometimes this actually works.
5. REPORT PROBLEMS If you do have side effects or reactions to a specific drug, tell your doctor and then report it to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Web site and post a message on the People’s Pharmacy Web site.
If enough people complain about a specific medication, there’s a good chance the F.D.A. or an independent group will investigate it.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Here’s some guidance:
1. KEEP THE PACKAGING If you take a generic medication or are switched to one, keep the label.
Most state laws require that the manufacturer’s name be on the label, according to Kathleen Jaeger, chief executive of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.
If the label does not state the name of the maker, ask your pharmacist to add it or write it down for you. You can also look up the pill at Drugs.com or RxList.com (click on pill identifier) to find the maker.
2. KEEP A DIARY Or at least make notes about any side effects you experience when taking a new drug.
Generic drugs are allowed to contain different inactive ingredients from the brand drug — like flavors, fillers and dyes — which could potentially cause side effects.
3. BE CHOOSY If one generic version works better than another, shop around for it.
“Don’t assume your pharmacist will continue to carry a specific product indefinitely,” said Joe Graedon, who runs a consumer advocacy Web site, the People’s Pharmacy (peoplespharmacy.com). “Call ahead and ask.”
4. ENLIST YOUR DOCTOR If you are convinced that only the brand name of a drug works for you, discuss the issue with your doctor.
You can ask him or her to write “DAW” — dispense as written — on your prescription. This will usually ensure that the pharmacist gives you exactly what the doctor ordered.
If your insurer balks, ask your doctor to make a phone call for you or write a letter explaining why only the brand name is appropriate for you. Sometimes this actually works.
5. REPORT PROBLEMS If you do have side effects or reactions to a specific drug, tell your doctor and then report it to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Web site and post a message on the People’s Pharmacy Web site.
If enough people complain about a specific medication, there’s a good chance the F.D.A. or an independent group will investigate it.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Friday, April 15, 2011
DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS OF OSTEOPOROSIS DRUGS
The FDA sent out a nationwide announcement about "the potential side effects of osteoporosis drugs like Fosamax [alendronate]." the agency "said in their announcement...physicians need to watch for the possibility of possible risk of femur fractures. And this didn't just apply to Fosamax, this applied to all four drugs that are in this group Fosamax, Actonel [risedronate], Boniva [ibandronate], and Reclast [zoledronic acid]."
Studies show the bones of some post-menopausal women who take bisphosphonates...to ward off osteoporosis can stop rejuvenating and become brittle after long-term use." Researchers found that "the drugs are effective initially in slowing bone loss," but "the quality of the bone diminished after long-tern bisphosphonate use." A separate study indicated that "bone densitometry (DXA) scans show a buckling potential in the femur area of the hip in patients being treated for osteoporosis with bisphosphonates."
The FDA is now examining whether long-term use of the drugs increases the risk of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures, but so far, the agency said the data it "has reviewed have not shown a clear connection."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Studies show the bones of some post-menopausal women who take bisphosphonates...to ward off osteoporosis can stop rejuvenating and become brittle after long-term use." Researchers found that "the drugs are effective initially in slowing bone loss," but "the quality of the bone diminished after long-tern bisphosphonate use." A separate study indicated that "bone densitometry (DXA) scans show a buckling potential in the femur area of the hip in patients being treated for osteoporosis with bisphosphonates."
The FDA is now examining whether long-term use of the drugs increases the risk of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures, but so far, the agency said the data it "has reviewed have not shown a clear connection."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
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