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to your Address Book or Safe List. Learn how here. | July 10, 2011 | |  |  | Jewelry That Can Save Your Life | | | Arthritis Vanishes in Minutes | | | Supplements for Sore Muscles | | | New INSTANT Cure for Extra High Cholesterol—Cholesterol Drops 100 Points or More | | | Fascinating Facts | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | | Jewelry That Can Save Your Life Editor’s note: When I showed my new gold bracelet (an anniversary gift from my husband) to my coworker, Carole Jackson, she said, "What a lovely piece of jewelry! And it reminds me of some important information you should share with your readers." Carole is the editor of Bottom Line’s Daily Health News, another free e-letter that we publish—and she recently ran an article about jewelry that can actually save lives. I invite you to check out Carole’s special report below... and to visit www.BottomLinesDailyHealthNews.com to sign up for Daily Health News. —Tamara Carole writes... Medical ID jewelry has evolved. Those simple necklaces and ID bracelets that people used to wear to alert others to medical problems (such as a heart condition or a seizure disorder) have gone high-tech, now offering an array of data-sharing options so emergency responders can gain instant access to your comprehensive medical information. The new generation of medical-emergency bracelets and tags uses portable computer memory devices (typically a USB drive) or an Internet component to store and share needed information. Here’s a sampling of what’s available... - The CARE medical history bracelet is basically a USB drive that you wear strapped to your wrist. It alerts emergency personnel that you have a medical condition and, once plugged into a computer (it works on both PC and Mac), it downloads a detailed medical history. The waterproof bracelet comes in five colors. Info: www.MedicalHistoryBracelet.com, 866-798-4531, $19.99.
- Similar in appearance to a traditional dog tag, the American Medical ID is a USB drive that carries a summary of medical information. It is easy to use and to update. The tag can be engraved with four lines summarizing your critical medical info, such as food or drug allergies. Info: www.AmericanMedical-ID.com, 800-363-5985, $29.95 and up.
- Invisible Bracelet, a Web-based service supported by the American Ambulance Association, assigns each wearer a personal identification number (PIN) that first responders use to trigger a text message detailing critical medical information and emergency contacts. How it works: Your $10 annual membership buys a wallet card, two keychain fobs and four stickers showing the PIN (to be displayed in convenient places, such as on your driver’s license) that allows medical personnel to access your information. Info: www.InvisibleBracelet.org, 918-592-3722.
- Road ID Interactive is an ID band, tag or pouch. It is engraved with two lines of personal information (name, address) and a toll-free phone number, Web address and PIN that responders can use to get more details. Info: www.RoadID.com, 800-345-6336, $15.99 to $29.99, including free online access for a year, then $9.99/year thereafter.
- MedicAlert is the classic line of jewelry, now in an updated variety of attractive styles (for instance, made with Swarovski crystals or sterling silver), including bracelets, necklaces, sports bands, shoe tags (which attach to shoelaces, keeping hands free) and even a watch. These pieces can be engraved with medical info. They also offer phone access to a 24-hour emergency service that provides more detailed information... and notifies anyone you designate that you’ve had an emergency and lets them know where you’re being treated. Info: www.MedicAlert.org, 800-432-5378, $39.95 for first year enrollment and $35 per year thereafter... jewelry starts at $9.95.
HOW TO CHOOSE Richard O’Brien, MD, an emergency room physician and associate professor at The Commonwealth Medical College of Pennsylvania in Scranton, told me that only about 20% of the patients he sees come in with any sort of information at all. He’s quite enthusiastic about these jewelry products and especially likes the flash drive devices, since they can quickly provide comprehensive information (such as the date of a patient’s last tetanus shot or stress test). This is especially helpful for patients with chronic conditions. But Dr. O’Brien said that even healthy folks would be well-advised to take a few minutes to make notes of their medical history in order to have important information at the ready in the event of an emergency. At a minimum, he suggested writing down your information on an index card, having it laminated (you can do this at many office-supply stores) and storing it in your wallet, as EMTs know to look there. I asked Dr. O’Brien if he had a "wish list" of information that emergency physicians would like to get from every patient in order to deliver the best possible emergency care. Here’s what he suggested... - Your name, date of birth, address and phone numbers.
- Identifying features—moles, tattoos, scars, etc.—that can positively distinguish you from other people.
- Contact information for your next of kin or significant other.
- Contact information for your primary care physician and relevant specialists, including names, phone numbers and locations.
- A list of all known allergies.
- An up-to-date list of any medications and supplements you take.
- Information on previous surgeries or any planned elective surgery (such as an upcoming gallbladder operation or scheduled biopsy).
- Current immunization information, including flu and other vaccines, along with the date of your most recent tetanus shot.
- List of other medical problems, such as diabetes, cancer, etc.
- List of any medical devices that you have or use, such as a pacemaker, prosthesis or cochlear implant.
Whether it is recorded on a flash drive, an index card or elsewhere, keeping this information with you can make all the difference—at the very least, by expediting treatment in the event of an emergency... and quite possibly even saving your life. Source: Richard O’Brien, MD, is an attending emergency physician at Moses Taylor Hospital and an associate professor of emergency medicine at The Commonwealth Medical College of Pennsylvania, both in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He also is a spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians.
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 | | Supplements for Sore Muscles
Q: Can any supplements help minimize or relieve muscle soreness from exercise?
A: First, understand that a sore muscle is an injured muscle. When you push a muscle past its capacity, its cell membranes rupture... substances from within the cells pour into the bloodstream, triggering an inflammatory response... and inflammation causes pain. If you are always very sore after exercise—too sore to do normal daily activities—you may be pushing yourself too hard or working out incorrectly. If that is the case, a better approach than taking supplements is to reduce the intensity and/or duration of your workouts and ask a professional trainer to review your technique. Also, always stretch and rehydrate immediately after exercising. That said, if you are prone to occasional soreness—for instance, after an especially challenging day of bicycling or a new exercise class that works your muscles in unaccustomed ways—supplements may provide some relief. Important: Ask your naturopathic physician whether any or all of the following supplements are appropriate for you and discuss whether the typical dosages should be modified. To use as needed for post-workout muscle soreness, consider... - Turmeric, a spice whose active ingredient, curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Studies suggest that turmeric eases other inflammation-related discomforts, such as arthritis, morning stiffness and minor sprains—so although there isn’t much research on whether turmeric relieves acute muscle soreness, it makes sense that it might... and anecdotally people say that it helps. Typical dosage: 400 mg of curcumin three times daily (as used in arthritis studies).
- Fish oil, another anti-inflammatory. Typical dosage: 2,000 mg daily.
- Vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps tissues heal. Typical dosage: 1,000 mg daily. Even more effective: A combination product, such as Emergen-C (original formula), www.EmergenC.com, that replenishes vitamin C as well as the electrolytes and B vitamins lost during exercise.
Source: JoAnn Yanez, ND, is a naturopathic physician and medical consultant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a past board member of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education and the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians. www.DrYanez.com
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| | | Fascinating Facts 18%... Four-year-old Americans who are obese. Source: The Ohio State University College of Public Health 82%... Obese women in the US who underestimate their weight... compared with 43% of overweight women and 13% of normal-weight women. Source: American Heart Association 250%... Degree to which obesity increases a person’s risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease (chronic heartburn). Source: American Journal of Gastroenterology
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 | |  Tamara Eberlein, the editor of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line, has been a health journalist for nearly three decades. An award-winning author or coauthor of four books, she is committed to helping other women in midlife and beyond live healthy, fulfilling lives. Her latest book is the updated, third edition of When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads (HarperCollins). She is also the "chief health adviser" to her husband of 26 years and three college-age children. | |  | | Bottom Line Publications | 281 Tresser Boulevard, 8th Floor | Stamford, CT 06901
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