In This Issue...
Did you know that lowering your blood sugar with drugs can be deadlier and more dangerous than not taking the drugs at all? Diabetes drugs actually make Type 2 diabetes worse FASTER... and will eventually cause your pancreas to stop producing insulin!
Let The 30 Day Diabetes Cure help you return to a normal, drug-free life. Dr. Stefan Ripich’s patient-proven program represents a real cure for Type 2 and prediabetes. Now you can forget about finger-sticking, blood sugar monitoring, and all those sickening, fattening diabetes drugs. Discover the real cure for Type 2 here...
Alert on Mosquito-Borne Illnesses, Including Dengue Fever
Mosquito season is around the corner. While no one I know has ever found this cause for rejoicing, right now there is more reason than ever to dread the arrival of these bloodsuckers. Last summer, Florida’s Key West was hit with an outbreak of dengue fever, a tropical mosquito-borne disease seldom seen in this country. It generally isn’t deadly, but it does make people very, very sick. Dengue fever joins a list of other mosquito-borne illnesses in the US, some of which are far more serious, including West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and LaCrosse encephalitis. All are caused by viruses transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. I called Roxanne Connelly, PhD, associate professor at the University of Florida and president of the Florida Mosquito Control Association, to discuss what Daily Health News readers need to know to protect themselves from this array of illnesses as the buggy season kicks in...
Dengue Fever in the US
Although dengue (pronounced den-gay) is found primarily in tropical climates, there have been occasional outbreaks here in the US. Dengue is the most common virus transmitted by mosquitoes worldwide and also often the cause of fever in people who return ill from vacations in the Caribbean and Central America.
Where it occurs: Rarely in the US, outside of occasional outbreaks (recently in Florida and isolated cases reported in Texas since 1980).
When you may get sick: Four to seven days after you are bitten.
Watch out for these symptoms: Headache, high fever and muscle, bone and joint aches, nausea and vomiting. The virus usually causes mild illness -- with any luck, you’ll never even know that you were infected. But, because of the potential for severe aches and pains, dengue is also known as "breakbone fever." In the worst-case scenario, you may develop dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal. This is rare -- occurring, for instance, when a person is infected with two different strains of the virus -- and it occurs most often in children. What to watch for: After several days of being sick, the patient becomes irritable and sweaty, then goes into a shocklike state. Sudden bleeding (from the gums or nose) or bruising may appear. Be alert for tiny spots of blood on the skin and larger patches of blood pooled beneath.
The treatment: There are four strains of the virus. Once you have been infected with one strain, you are at risk for more serious disease if you are bitten by a mosquito carrying a different strain. Treatment is to relieve symptoms, which usually resolve on their own within a few weeks. The hemorrhagic form is a medical emergency and requires hospitalization.
West Nile Virus
The first case of West Nile virus in the US was documented in 1999, when an epidemic hit New York City. Most people who are bitten by an infective mosquito don’t get sick, but if you’re over age 50, your odds of getting sick are higher -- and the older you are, the sicker you’re likely to get. There’s a mild form called West Nile fever that is usually uncomfortable at worst (only 20% of people who are infected even have symptoms), but there’s also a more severe form, West Nile encephalitis or meningitis, that affects a small percentage (less than 1%). This form may result in seizures and even death.
When you may get sick: Two to 15 days after you are bitten.
Watch out for these symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches and a skin rash (characterized by large red patches with a varied surface, both raised and flat) are signs of West Nile fever, which lasts several days to weeks. The severe and potentially fatal form, West Nile encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain), strikes in one in 150 cases and causes neck stiffness, disorientation, muscle weakness, paralysis, convulsions and coma. Severe symptoms may last for months, says Dr. Connelly.
The treatment: Treatment focuses on symptom control (e.g., acetaminophen to lower fever and oral fluids to prevent dehydration). People with West Nile encephalitis may require hospitalization for intravenous fluids, respiratory assistance and other support.
St. Louis Encephalitis
As with West Nile, most people bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus that causes St. Louis encephalitis do not fall ill. The first known epidemic of the disease broke out in St. Louis in 1933.
Where it occurs: Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a problem only in Missouri -- it occurs throughout the country, though most outbreaks have been concentrated in the southeastern and midwestern states. See a state-by-state state map at
www.cdc.gov/sle/technical/epi.html#casesbystate.
When you may get sick: Four to 21 days after you are bitten.
Watch out for these symptoms: Fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and tiredness for several days to a week. Severe disease attacks the central nervous system and often involves encephalitis -- which may cause a stiff neck, disorientation, lethargy, and, very rarely, coma, convulsions, paralysis and death.
The treatment: As in the case of West Nile virus, treatment consists of supportive care to relieve symptoms. In rare cases, long-term disability or death can result. The risk for death increases with age.
How to Mount an Aggressive AntiMosquito Defense
Doctors do not always think to check for a mosquito-borne virus, especially when the symptoms are so similar to other illnesses such as the flu. If no major outbreak has been publicized in the news, it is a good idea to ask your doctor if your flulike symptoms could be from such a mosquito-borne virus. But in the meantime, the best way to protect yourself from mosquito-borne illnesses is to take precautions to limit mosquito bites. Here’s how...
- Use mosquito repellent. Choose an EPA-approved mosquito repellent, advises Dr. Connelly, one that contains DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Apply a light layer to exposed skin and clothing. Caution: Do not use repellent near or in your eyes or mouth, under clothing or on cuts or irritated skin, and use sparingly on your ears (making sure that it does not get down inside the ears). Do not use products that combine sunscreen and repellent. Since sunscreen must be applied often and liberally, you can potentially get too much repellent -- even a toxic dose. When you return indoors, wash treated skin thoroughly to avoid spreading repellent. (For more on safe use of repellents, see Daily Health News, "What Mosquitoes Hate Most," June 1, 2010.)
- Eliminate standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Reduce mosquito populations around your house by eliminating their breeding grounds. Your job: Get rid of unnecessary buckets, flowerpots and other items that hold water. Change water in birdbaths once a week. Don’t let rain gutters get clogged. (Many people think about their gutters only in autumn when leaves are falling, but they can become clogged any time of year.)
- Avoid peak mosquito hours. Steer clear of outdoor activities around dusk and dawn. If you have to go out at these times, use insect repellent (on exposed skin only) and wear repellent-treated protective clothing such as long sleeves and pants. Don’t waste your money: Gimmicks like antimosquito bracelets and necklaces that claim to have repellent qualities don’t work, says Dr. Connelly. Likewise, there is no evidence that sound-emitting devices will keep you from getting bitten.
- Repair damaged window and door screens, or install new ones. Only tight, well-fitting screens will keep mosquitoes outside when your windows are open. Do it yourself: For advice on how to make simple screen repairs inexpensively, visit http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy811.
Source(s):
Roxanne Connelly, PhD, president, Florida Mosquito Control Association, associate professor of medical entomology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach.
Shocking #2 Cause of Cancer
An official at the American Cancer Society said that it's easy to avoid half of all cancers.
However, an adviser to the American Institute for Cancer Research was even more optimistic when he said that nine out of 10 cancers are related to factors we control.
Of course, their #1 piece of advice is "stop smoking." We all know that. But I bet you don't know the #2 cause of cancer. It's something totally under your control -- it's much easier than quitting cigarettes -- and it's the last thing you'd ever expect. I'll tell you about it in a moment.
Keep reading...
The 4-Letter Cell-Phone Safety Trick
Cell phones have become integral to everyday life, and no one (including me!) is in the mood to hear that they are really unsafe.
But I’ve read a few things lately that make me think twice about how much time I spend on my cell phone. I believe this issue merits some serious consideration and perhaps some changes in our habits. For one thing, brand new research demonstrates that when an active cell-phone antenna is held against the head, it brings a measurable change to brain activity in that area. While the researchers of this study are careful to say that this doesn’t show that cell phones harm the brain, it’s clear that it’s not only the substance of the conversation that affects our brains when we’re on our cell phones -- there’s something else going on, too, and we need to learn more about what that means to our health.
That research was published after I had just finished reading a book that revealed
other alarming news about cell-phone safety (or lack thereof). I was sufficiently dismayed by all of this -- so I called the author to learn more. The book is called
Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It and How to Protect Your Family, by Devra Davis, PhD, MPH, an epidemiologist and toxicologist and founder of the Environmental Health Trust, a nonprofit organization devoted to providing research and education about environmental health hazards and promoting policies to remedy them. I asked Dr. Davis to share some of her research and insights with
Daily Health News readers...
Admitting that she continues to use a cell phone herself, Dr. Davis told me she believes that, for our health, we all need to become more cautious about how and when we use them. Her goal is to give people the information they need to make smarter decisions about cell phones. She also believes that we haven’t been getting the full story -- by a long shot -- from the cell-phone industry or from the government.
For instance, said Dr. Davis, few people realize that more than a decade ago, Lloyd’s of London and other secondary insurance companies stopped writing policies to indemnify cell-phone manufacturers against health problems that people might experience due to cell-phone use. She told me she found it worrisome that national governments in other countries -- specifically, Britain, Finland, Israel, France and China -- were succeeding in sounding alarms about cell-phone radiation dangers but not so here in the US. At the beginning of March, the UK Health Department advised that all persons text rather than talk on cell phones and confirmed its earlier recommendation that teenagers generally not use cell phones next to their heads or bodies. What do they know that we don’t -- or perhaps don’t want to hear -- here on this side of the pond?
Cell-Phone Hazards
Dr. Davis explained that it is important to realize that a cell phone is actually a two-way microwave radio that constantly sends and receives signals through its symmetrical antennas as long as the cell phone is turned on -- and, she said, if the antennas are facing your body, signals will go through you to reach from the phone to the nearest tower -- so effectively your body becomes part of the antenna. This means our bodies are exposed to radiation whenever we are carrying -- not just using -- cell phones that are "on."
Cell-phone safety standards for radiofrequency (RF) absorption were created nearly two decades ago -- long before cell phones were in regular use -- and were based on a model "head" from a heavy-set man over six feet tall and weighing more than 210 pounds. This model consisted of a plastic fluid-filled ball that was equipped with sensors to measure how much RF energy was absorbed in key regions of the ball during a conversation that lasted only six minutes. But, said Dr. Davis, "this is preposterous! We now have billions of much smaller people, including children, using cell phones. Children’s heads can absorb twice as much radiation and most people talk on their phones for hours a month."
Don’t Call Home...
According to Dr. Davis, the take-home advice is that the safest way to use your cell phone is to text, not to make calls -- which is precisely what the UK now also recommends. Other options include...
Keep calls short. Use a landline -- and a corded phone -- for longer conversations. (See
Daily Health News, "Cordless Phones May Be As Risky As Cell Phones... But We Just Don’t Know,"
January 8, 2009, to learn more about the radiation risks from the cordless landline phones that many of us have in our homes.)
Choose a phone with a low Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is a measure of the amount of the radiation absorbed by the body from the phone. In the US, the maximum allowed SAR level is 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/Kg) -- but optimally, you should aim for a cell phone with the lowest SAR you can find. You can check your phone’s SAR level at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/sar.
You can get more information on how to use your cell phone safely from the Environmental Health Trust Web site,
www.ehtrust.org.
Be well,
Carole Jackson
Bottom Line's Daily Health News
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