| Don't miss any of Bottom Line's Daily Health News. Add our address, dailyhealthnews@edhn.bottomlinesecrets.com, to your Address Book or Safe List. Learn how here. January 11, 2011  In This Issue...
 Is Your Fish Oil Supplement Slowly Killing You? There’s a shocking secret the government doesn’t want you to know. The FDA inspects a mere 2% of the 5.2 billion pounds of seafood that enter the food supply annually. Is your fish oil supplement actually a pill full of pollution? With the recent pollution that has entered our waterways, learn how to protect yourself from toxins and contaminants yet still benefit from all that fish oil has to offer. Keep Reading... When Hemorrhoids Rupture Hemorrhoids can make life miserable... and that’s especially so if you have the ones that are internal, because these can cause problems that range from being very uncomfortable to actually being dangerous. Some people who have internal hemorrhoids don’t even realize it (they may be found during a colonoscopy or blood in the stool may reveal their presence), but other people experience a great deal of pain. Internal hemorrhoids may cause constipation, pain, itching, bleeding and even soiling. If they get large enough to extend through the anus (a condition called prolapse), they sometimes rupture and bleed. This type of hemorrhoid can be difficult to treat, but a new technology uses infrared energy to shrink them. Michael Epstein, MD, a gastroenterologist in Annapolis, Maryland, and one of the founders of the company that makes the medical device, MAX Endoscopy, told me how it works. New & Improved Technology Face it, there’s nothing pleasant about having hemorrhoids and the typical treatments are pretty awful, too. Most commonly, doctors treat internal hemorrhoids with a procedure that involves putting a tight rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid inside the rectum, cutting off blood flow so that it shrinks and withers away. Since this is quite painful, it requires a local anesthetic and sometimes general anesthesia (which carries the usual risks). There also is a risk for excessive bleeding, and patients often have to stay overnight in the hospital for monitoring, which is expensive and inconvenient. Other treatment options include injection with a chemical solution (sclerotherapy), which shrinks up the bulging vein and also requires anesthesia... or surgical removal, which is usually reserved for larger, more serious hemorrhoids. Dr. Epstein told me that the new form of treatment for internal hemorrhoids is easier for both doctor and patient. It’s a procedure performed with a fiber optic tool (with a lamp and a tiny video camera) that gets passed into the rectum, where it delivers bursts of infrared light to the tissue above the vein, coagulating the blood and thereby shrinking the tissue. The patient feels some heat and sometimes some minor discomfort, but it’s over in just a few minutes. This can be done as outpatient surgery, even in the doctor’s office (or as part of a colonoscopy, if the hemorrhoids are discovered that way and/or a patient is scheduled to have one), and the patient can go home immediately afterward and resume normal activities. Treatment typically costs about $300 and usually is covered by Medicare and most insurance companies. New research sponsored by MAX Endoscopy found that 53 patients whose internal hemorrhoids were treated with the Infrared Coagulator experienced an average 87.6% reduction in six symptoms -- pain, bleeding, itching, burning, prolapse and soiling. Natural Hemorrhoid Treatments Daily Health News medical editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, wanted me to point out to readers that while the new device may indeed work quite well, it doesn’t solve the root problem -- why a particular patient suddenly has developed a problem with internal hemorrhoids. He said that it’s important to recognize that even a small change in the digestive environment -- like taking antibiotics, experiencing an unusual amount of stress or even dental issues that mean you aren’t chewing well -- can indirectly lead to hemorrhoids. Simply removing them without addressing the cause is merely a temporary fix. For comparison’s sake, I asked Dr. Rubman to tell me how he treats patients suffering from this particularly troublesome type of hemorrhoid. He explained that he would likely start by trying to determine the cause and then would advise dietary changes and perhaps supplements to correct the imbalance in intestinal flora or inflammation that likely started the process ... then he often prescribes a botanical suppository (he likes the ones manufactured by Earth’s Botanical Harvest), which can be very soothing... and only then, if that doesn’t resolve the complaint, proceed to treat the tissue with either electrical current or ultrasound (the appropriate therapy depends on the particulars of each situation) if needed. So there you have it. While hemorrhoids are a pain in the you-know-where, there are solutions to be had that will have you sitting pretty again quickly -- it’s a matter of choosing the treatment approach that would be comfortable for you. Source(s): Michael Epstein, MD, a gastroenterologist in Annapolis, Maryland, and a founder and board member of Macedonia, Ohio-based MAX Endoscopy, www.MaxEndoscopy.com. Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut. www.SouthburyClinic.com.  Delicious 'Wonder Drug' for High Blood Pressure Praised by Harvard Researchers According to recent estimates, nearly one in three American adults has high blood pressure. But for the Kuna Indians living on a group of islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama, hypertension doesn't even exist. In fact, after age 60, the average blood pressure for Kuna Indian islanders is a perfect 110/70. So what makes these folks practically "immune" to hypertension -- and lets them enjoy much lower death rates from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cancer? Harvard researchers were stunned to discover it's because they drink about five cups of cocoa each day. That's right, cocoa! Learn more...Researchers Uncover New Risk for Stroke Prediabetes sounds like just a warning that bad health is headed in your direction... but don’t let that "pre" fool you. A study shows that even before you’re officially diabetic, you are at increased risk for a life-threatening stroke. And all the while, you may have no symptoms. Researchers focused on insulin resistance, a well-known precursor to type 2 diabetes that often is referred to as prediabetes. Published in a recent issue of Archives of Neurology, the study followed 1,509 nondiabetic participants in New York City for an average of 8.5 years. Researchers found that participants with the highest level of insulin resistance were most likely to have suffered strokes, including fatal ones. The study also confirmed that insulin resistance is linked to heart attacks and atherosclerosis. When I spoke with the lead researcher, Tatjana Rundek, MD, PhD, at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, she explained that insulin resistance is an early sign that your body’s ability to metabolize sugar (essential for maintaining healthy cells and energy levels) is breaking down. Not only will this damage the heart and blood vessels, but when and if you actually develop diabetes, you’ll also be likely to face serious problems with bones, ears, eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves and skin. Men may also suffer erectile dysfunction, and both genders are at greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease as well. Dr. Rundek told me that the relationship between insulin resistance and the risk for stroke was greater in men than in women. Some theories about why insulin resistance boosts stroke risk: Though there’s no definitive information as yet, Dr. Rundek said that one theory behind the connection is that insulin resistance weakens cells in the walls of blood vessels. Another possibility is that insulin resistance speeds up arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries), which is a risk for stroke. These results are yet another argument for people to exercise, which helps their entire health profile. Dr. Rundek explained that regular exercise can help to regulate insulin levels by improving sugar levels in the blood, boosting levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol and reducing other risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure and high triglycerides. Are You Insulin Resistant? Though insulin resistance can be identified with a blood test, there are no symptoms, Dr. Rundek said -- adding that people who are overweight, even only slightly, can assume that they are at risk. Source(s): Tatjana Rundek, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology and director of the Clinical Translational Research Division at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Florida. Be well,
90-Second Dizziness Cure Since suffering from a two-week dizzy spell three years ago (brought on by a week-long cruise), I've been shocked at how many other people I know suffer from dizzy spells. I'm thinking about this now because in the past two weeks, I have successfully helped two suffering friends with the method that cured me: the Epley maneuver. Read on... You received this free E-letter because you have requested it. You are on the mailing list as healthwellness82@gmail.com. Or... a friend forwarded it to you. Click here to easily subscribe. You can easily unsubscribe by clicking here. To change your e-mail address click here To update your e-mail preferences click here Important: Help your friends live more healthfully -- forward this E-letter to them. Better: Send it to many friends and your whole family. This is a free e-mail service of BottomLineSecrets.com and Boardroom Inc. Need to contact us? Boardroom Inc. Privacy Policy: Required Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well-being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. Bottom Line's Daily Health News is a registered trademark of Boardroom, Inc. Copyright (c) 2011 by Boardroom Inc. |
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