Jan
01
2006

Prevent Foot Problems In Diabetics

By | Diabetes, Hormones, Prevention, Skin Disorders

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in North America. Two million Canadians (about 20 million in the US) have diabetes, and the number is expected to rise dramatically. At one time or another about 15-20% of patients with diabetes will need hospitalization with a diabetic foot complication. The conditions, which are of concern, are diabetic foot ulcers, severe infection and circulation problems in fingers and feet (peripheral circulation). Health budgets are stretched, as the cost of treating a single foot ulcer has been estimated at $2,183, so the total cost over the lifetime of current diabetics will exceed $650 million (about 6.5 billion $ in the US). Foot ulcers appear like a small item considering the fact that the need for amputation of a lower extremity is the next severe problem that can arise. The average patient who undergoes a below knee amputation will spend 84 days in hospital and another 38 days in rehabilitation.
To prevent the development of foot ulcers, it is important to screen diabetic patients for predisposing factors like the loss of protective sensation in the feet (diabetic neuropathy) as well as structural changes resulting in areas of increased pressure. A study conducted in southwestern Ontario found that only 15% of patients with type 2 diabetes were screened to identify those at risk for foot ulcers. Screening is the first step, after which a podiatrist will have to take over. Footwear prescribed by a podiatrist can be an avenue of prevention, but ongoing podiatric care as well. The small number of diabetic foot screenings shows that podiatric medicine has not been used as a tool to recognize and treat diabetic foot problems.

Prevent Foot Problems In Diabetics

Prevent Foot Problems In Diabetics

The proactive approach of seeking the input of a podiatrist early will translate into significant benefits for the patient with type 2 diabetes.

More information on complications of diabetes:  http://nethealthbook.com/hormones/diabetes/complications-diabetes/

Reference: Parkhurst Exchange, December 2005, page 162

Last edited October 30, 2014

Dec
01
2005

Jetlag Helped By Bright Lights and Melatonin

By | Health, Prevention

The effects of long distance travel can be unpleasant: once several time zones are crossed, people are struggling to adjust to a different wake-sleep pattern, and what is know as the “circadian rhythm” has to readjust.
Eating light meals, avoiding alcohol during travel and drinking plenty of water are the suggestions, which are frequently heard. The other suggestion for travelers is adjusting their sleep times before the trip, namely going to sleep one hour earlier for each hour of time difference when traveling east. This method alone is not always practical, especially when a sudden trip with time differences of more than 8 hours are involved.
Previous research has also shown that light box therapy works and that melatonin is a useful tool in people with jet lag.
Dr. Charmane Eastman (PhD) from Rush University Medical Center has authored a study that shows that light therapy in combination with melatonin works better than light therapy alone. Dr Eastman and colleagues studied 44 healthy adults who were divided into three groups. The first group received placebo (meaning” fake” pills), the second group took 0.5 mg melatonin, and the third group received 3.0 mg melatonin. All three groups were given three days of advancing sleep-dark period with a wake time one hour earlier each morning. They also got bright light on awakening, namely four 30-minute bright-light pulses alternating with 30 minutes of room light. There were significantly larger phase advancements with 0.5 mg or 3.0 mg of melatonin, as opposed to placebo. A slightly larger shift was obtained with the 3.0 mg dose of melatonin as compared to 0.5 mg, but this difference was too small to be statistically significant.
Jetlag Helped By Bright Lights and Melatonin

Jetlag Helped By Bright Lights and Melatonin

The researchers concluded, that afternoon melatonin, morning intermittent bright lights and a gradually advancing sleep schedule was able to advance the circadian rhythm almost an hour a day. It was also found, that the lower dose of melatonin would be adequate, and as melatonin is pretty harmless compared to most drugs prescribed, people should not be afraid to use it (even the higher dose) to cope with jet lag.

Reference: The Medical Post, November 22, 2005, page 49

Last edited December 6, 2012

Dec
01
2005

Food Habits Related To Asthma

By | Asthma, Nutrition, Prevention

High quality dietary data have made it possible for a research team in North Carolina to address how a diet rich in meat, salt, starches (=refined carbohydrate) and fat can have an impact on respiratory problems and asthma.
Stephanie London and her team examined the data of 52,535 people between the ages of 45 and 74 years of age. A baseline examination was started in 1993, and follow-ups were done in 1999. All of the participants lived in Singapore. After adjustments were made for age, gender, smoking and education. It was observed that dietary habits could make a difference to respiratory health. Two eating patterns emerged: one group gravitated towards dim sum, meat and noodle dishes, whereas the other group favored fruit, vegetables and soy products. The “meat and dim sum” group had a 1.43 times higher risk of developing breathing problem, new-onset cough and phlegm formation. There was also a link to chronic respiratory disease and asthma.

The researchers concluded also, that the habits observed in the Singapore study are very much in keeping with dietary habits in western countries, where one group consumes foods high in starch, fat, meat and sodium and a second group has a more health conscious approach preferring, vegetables, fruit, legumes, fish, poultry and whole grains.
As a result the same recommendations are applicable to in western countries: stick to food choices with a low glycemic index and skip the noodle dishes. Stay away from trans fats and limit the saturated fats, which means turning away from deep-fried foods and limiting meat intake. Choose fish, vegetables and legumes, and avoid the high sodium content, which is common in many premixed and prepared foods. If you are doing the cooking, go easy on salt, and ban the saltshaker from the dining table.

Food Habits Related To Asthma

Food Habits Related To Asthma

A lot has been said about good food habits and a reduction in cancers and heart disease. What is new is the fact that food habits also have an impact on the health of our respiratory system.

More on inflammation as a cause of arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease and cancer: http://nethealthbook.com/about/overview/

Reference: Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005

Last edited October 29, 2014

Dec
01
2005

Hospital Cafeterias Need Healthier Food

By | Health, Nutrition, Prevention

Cafeterias and fast food restaurants have come under scrutiny for offering food choices that are not compatible with healthy living. In a place where healthcare is the prime concern, like in the cafeteria of a hospital, one should hope that promoting good health should be the norm.
A U.S. wide survey tells another story: hospitals are falling short of providing meals that are healthy and heart-friendly. There are some trends, such as the availability of fresh fruit and wholegrain products, but the overall picture points to an urgent need for improvement. The survey was conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM, for short). This advocacy group for ethical and preventive medicine distributed questionnaires, inquired about sample menus as well as recipes for one of the “healthiest menu items available from the hospital’s main eating establishment”. It turned out that sixty-two percent of the “healthiest entrée” choices derived more than 30% of calories from fat, and a few derived more than 50% of calories from fat.

Although at least 80% of responding hospitals offered wholegrain products, sugar-free snacks and fresh fruit, less than a third offered a daily salad bar. Artery-clogging fats in hospital food also prevailed. Fried chicken was the top selling item in 24% of the hospital cafeterias and hamburgers in 12% of the surveyed cafeterias. Other top sellers included pizza, enchiladas and meatloaf. Less than one third offered non-dairy options or soymilk.
The recommendations to promote more health conscious food were very much common-sense: food services should offer daily salad bars, use fresh rather than canned vegetables, incorporate organic ingredients and hearty vegetarian soups daily. Fatty or cholesterol-laden add-ons such as bacon, mayonnaise, croutons and sour cream should be optional. Beans should also be offered as well as healthy items from other countries’ cuisines.

Hospital Cafeterias Need Healthier Food

Hospital Cafeterias Need Healthier Food

In the meantime it is up to the consumer to be prudent in making the better choices. This may involve turning a cold shoulder to cafeteria food and seek healthier choices elsewhere. For the visitor it may mean that bringing a brown bag or a take-away with a salad would be more appropriate than bringing a bunch of flowers for a loved one in the hospital.

More on processed foods: https://www.askdrray.com/caution-processed-food-ahead/

Reference: The Medical Post, October 25, 2005, page 15

Last edited October 29, 2014

Dec
01
2005

Lycopene For Bone Health

By | Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Prevention, Women’s Diseases

The tomato pigment Lycopene in the diet has been demonstrated to be a beneficial agent in reducing age-related diseases, cardio-vascular disease and even prostate cancer. A new aspect has now been investigated.
Consuming more lycopene in the diet is of significant benefit to post-menopausal women, as it reduces oxidative stress and bone turnover. The findings come from head researcher Erin Collins from the University of Toronto. The study results also suggest, that dietary lycopene is readily absorbed, particularly in combination with vitamin C. These results are encouraging, as lycopene may be one of the main agents important for the prevention of osteoporosis.” We found that women who consumed more tomato products on a daily basis had a lower bone turnover and lower oxidative stress than women of the same age group who did not consume as much”, reports Ms. Collins. The participants of the research project were between 50 and 60 years. Lycopene levels in the blood were analyzed, and a seven-day food record was completed. The lowest quartile of estimated lycopene intake was 1.8 mg per day, and the highest was 8 mg per day. Lab tests also showed that higher levels of lycopene were associated with a lower level of protein oxidation and cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen, for short NTx. The latter one is a marker of bone turnover. The intake of vitamin C appeared to work together with lycopene, but it only showed to have a correlation, if 500 mg per day or more of vitamin C was consumed. The effect was not observed among the volunteers who consumed less than 500 mg per day of vitamin C.
An intervention study will begin shortly, which will be the first of its kind. It will assess the bone parameters in women treated with different doses of lycopene pills.

Lycopene For Bone Health

Lycopene For Bone Health

It is likely that follow-up studies will confirm initial findings, and dietary lycopene could become a simple, inexpensive way of helping to prevent osteoporosis.

More information about osteoporosis: http://nethealthbook.com/arthritis/osteoporosis/

Reference: The Medical Post, October 11, 2005, page 8

Last edited October 29, 2014

Nov
01
2005

Hard Liquor And Beer Hike Colon Cancer Risk

By | Cancer, Nutrition, Prevention, Substance abuse

The old adage of “everything in moderation” has become something like an excuse-me note for those who do not wish to change their lifestyle. And the little bit that supposedly does not harm is another variation in the theme of excuses. Yet the truth remains, that this does not apply to various lifestyle habits. It still matters, what you ingest in your food or drink, as Dr. Joseph Anderson found out in a study of 2,291 patients.

All of these individuals presented for screening colonoscopy. It turned out that those who had a history of consuming more than 8 drinks of spirits or beer per week for at least ten years were more than twice as likely as abstainers to have significant cancer of the colon. The group that drank beer and hard liquor (and hard liquor also applies to the category of mixed drinks) faced at least a one in five chance to have significant colorectal neoplasia (meaning cancer of the colon or rectum). This came as no surprise to the researchers, as beer and hard liquor seem equally pernicious.
Even though wine does not seem to carry the same risk, Dr. Anderson is in no position to condone counseling patients to drink wine instead.

Hard Liquor And Beer Hike Colon Cancer Risk

Hard Liquor And Beer Hike Colon Cancer Risk

His advice to other doctors is to ” counsel the patients on what they are drinking and counsel them to temper their drinking.”

More information about causes of colorectal cancer: http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/colon-cancer/food-risk-factors-colon-cancer-rectal-cancer/

Reference: The Medical Post, October 11, 2005, page 46

Last edited October 29, 2014

Nov
01
2005

Digital Mammography Superior For Some

By | Cancer, Prevention, Women’s Diseases

Mammography has been considered a reliable screening test for breast lumps. It has become a crucial diagnostic tool for the early recognition of breast cancer. Nevertheless there are situations when the test has its limitations, which is especially true for women who have very dense breast tissue.
Dr. Martin Yaffe, PhD, a biophysics professor at the University of Toronto and Women’s College Health Sciences Center has done the groundwork for digital mammography, and 20 years of research and development have finally paid off. For women who have dense breast tissue, digital mammography will be the superior diagnostic tool, as opposed to the conventional film mammography. In a study that involved 42,760 patients who were asymptomatic both film mammography and digital mammography were used for screening. In the general study population the accuracy of the two methods was found to be similar. In the group of women under 50 years of age the digital method showed significantly more accuracy (84% vs. 69%). Accuracy for women with dense breasts was also higher with the digital method (78% vs. 68%). It also was superior for premenopausal women (82%vs.67%).

The digital equipment used was still in its development stages, and the potential of the technology will become even greater with more sophisticated equipment down the road. At this point it is not cost effective to use the digital method for all women. The digital system costs between one and a half to four times as much as the film systems.

Digital Mammography Superior For Some

Digital Mammography Superior For Some

“There is certainly no indication that digital is any less accurate than film mammography, but certainly the benefit is in a defined subgroup of women at this time,” states Dr.Yaffe. For most women film mammography remains a method that works well.

More information about breast cancer: http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-diagnosis/

Reference: The Medical Post, October 4, 2005, page1, 62

Last edited November 2, 2014

Nov
01
2005

Pre-Conception Nutrition For Healthy Children

By | Health, Nutrition, obstetrics, Prevention, Vitamins and supplements

The importance for good maternal nutrition during pregnancy has been emphasized for a long time. Of course in this case it was up to the mom-to-be to avoid toxins, such as smoking and alcohol and to take prenatal supplements along with sensible nutrition. Enticing the women away from the excesses of the standard Western diet would yield handsome health benefits for the country. Dr. David Barker, a medical advisor to the British government pointed out, that this approach would reduce heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases in the mothers as well as in their offspring. This concept does not address all the aspects, which are important for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
For the past 20 years a group of around 20 British family physicians, obstetricians and researchers under the name of Foresight has been putting a program into practice, which identifies and addresses the health deficiencies in prospective parents. Almost all couples that followed the pre-conception program had previously experienced problems relating to conception, pregnancy and birth. In one follow-up study of 367 couples that followed the Foresight program from 1990 to 1992, 327(89%) of the women became pregnant and had healthy, well-developed babies. None of the babies suffered malformations and none was transferred to special care. Of the 367 couples, 217(59 %) had suffered from infertility (from 1 to 10 years) and 139 (38%) had histories from 1 to 5 previous miscarriages. Eleven (3%) had previously given birth to a stillborn child, 40 had small-for-date babies and 15 had already had a low birth weight baby (less than 2,500 g). Seven couples had a previous baby with malformations and three had lost a baby to sudden infant death.
In a larger follow-up study of 1,076 couples, almost all of whom had previous fertility or miscarriage problems, 846 conceived success rate of 78%, as reported by Belinda Barnes, who runs Foresight. There were four problem pregnancies, including one Down syndrome baby, two terminations and one child with an adhesion of the intestine, which was correctable. This is a complication rate of only 0.47 %.

Pre-Conception Nutrition For Healthy Children

Pre-Conception Nutrition For Healthy Children

As the complication rate in the general population amounts to 6.43%, the pre-conception program has only 1/7th of the complications, a strong indicator that a pre-conception program does make a difference.

More info about healthy nutrition: http://nethealthbook.com/health-nutrition-and-fitness/nutrition/

Reference: The Medical Post, September 27, 2005, page 33

Last edited October 29, 2014

Oct
01
2005

Olive Oil Combats Inflammation

By | Health, Nutrition, Prevention

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have received a lot of positive press, and so far the benefits have been credited to fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as olive oil. It has been pointed out that the bioflavonoids in fruit and vegetables are the positive forces at work. Also, the monounsaturated fatty acids of olive oil are part of a heart healthy diet.
Researchers from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Galveston, Texas have found yet another piece of evidence that olive oil has positive effects on heart health. They have found a natural occurring chemical in extra-virgin olive oil which they named oleocanthal. This substance is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, a so-called COX inhibitor. The pharmacological action is the same as in the anti-inflammatory ibuprofen.

Dr. Gary Beauchamp (PhD) stated, “Some of the health-related effects of the Mediterranean diet may be due to the anti-COX activity of oleocanthal from premium olive oils”.

More information about the concept of inflammation being at the root of many diseases: http://nethealthbook.com/about/overview/

Reference: The Medical Post, September13, 2005, page5

Olive Oil Combats Inflammation

Olive Oil Combats Inflammation

Last edited October 29, 2014

Aug
01
2005

Virtual Colonoscopy May Help Find Other Disease

By | Cancer, Gastrointestinal Disease, Prevention

California-based researchers reported in the August issue of the medical journal Radiology about a study involving CT colonography, also known as “virtual colonoscopy”. This utilizes CT scanning. Dr.Yee, from the University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, did a prospective study where 500 men were studied with an average age of 62.5 years.
200 of them had an average risk for colon cancer; the remainder was at a high risk for colon cancer. The surprising finding was that many disease conditions were found (315 patients or 63%) that were not related to the colon at all, such as renal cysts and hiatal hernias. These were considered to be clinically not important. However another 50 patients (8.4%) were found to have liver lesions, pulmonary nodules, aneurysms and renal tumors, which were largely unknown and were thought to be clinically very significant.
Dr. Judy Yee said that it takes a trained radiologist to interpret these CT scan findings, but that this method of screening would be very cost effective. Looking for the additional life threatening conditions in the routine virtual colonoscopy added only about 28 $ per CT examination and was considered to be very cost effective. The clinically important extra-findings were equally distributed between the high and low risks for colon cancer. Dr. Yee summed up by saying that she hopes that many more Americans would come in for virtual colonoscopy as part of colorectal cancer screening.

Virtual Colonoscopy May Help Find Other Disease

Virtual Colonoscopy May Help Find Other Disease

The advantage is that this is less invasive than a conventional colonoscopy procedure, but at the same time that colon cancer is screened for the radiologist may pick up other clinically relevant medical problems.

More info about colon cancer:  http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/colon-cancer/

Reference: Radiology 2005;236:519-526.

Last edited October 29, 2014