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January 4, 2011
About Alternative Med: Cranberry for UTI, Nausea Relief, Valerian
Mind Your R's and V's to Control Your Blood Pressure
| 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 4, 2011  In This Issue...
 Arthritis Vanishes So Fast I Am in a State of Shock! Free Recipe Requires Just Two Ingredients... Huh? How can a recipe for gin-soaked raisins qualify as the arthritis remedy of the century? Hey, this was your decision! In the past few months, savvy readers like yourself have been writing in stunned with amazement about their personal results from the Wilen Sisters' secret raisin remedy. But we can understand your skepticism. So, rather than tease you any longer, we're reproducing a short version of the recipe right here... Blood Pressure Medication Breakthrough People who take blood pressure medications may not realize how unscientific doctors have been in their approach to finding the right drug or drugs for their condition -- in fact, the expression, "Throw enough mud at the wall and some is bound to stick," seems an apt description. Commonly, drugs for hypertension are prescribed on top of others in the hope that the growing pile will keep blood pressure under control. As a result, many patients end up taking three or even more different drugs daily to manage their blood pressure. Drugs aren’t the only tool that people can use to get blood pressure under control, of course. Many patients find that losing weight, exercising and making other lifestyle changes can do the trick. But for those who do require blood pressure medication, scientists have now developed a more precise method of predicting which drug will control hypertension in a particular individual -- and this could be very good news for drug-saturated blood pressure patients! ABCs of HBP Let me start by introducing you to renin, an enzyme produced by the kidneys that plays a critical role in modulating blood pressure. Renin regulates blood volume and vascular resistance as the body’s needs change -- but having too much renin is one cause of hypertension. Until recently, doctors have had no way to identify the patients in whom this is the root cause of the problem. Of the two types of drugs that treat hypertension, there is one category called "R" drugs (beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors) that works to control pressure by blocking the effect of blood renin levels. The other type, called "V" drugs (diuretics and calcium channel blockers), controls pressure by reducing blood volume. Since doctors have not had any easy techniques to help them determine whether a patient would benefit more from one or the other, some people with hypertension end up taking both types. For instance, they may take a pill that combines an R and a V drug along with another that is either an R or a V on its own. This new research may dramatically reduce the need for such guesswork. Better Than a Crystal Ball Done at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, New York City, this new research was published in the August 2010 issue of the American Journal of Hypertension. Researchers measured renin levels in 945 previously untreated participants diagnosed with hypertension (a systolic, or top blood pressure, reading of at least 140 mmHg) before assigning them to either a V or R drug. A follow-up blood pressure reading was done one to three months later, and researchers found that the patients who had had high renin levels (more than 2.5 ng/mg/h) at the start of the study achieved better blood pressure control with an R drug, while those who had had low renin levels (below about 0.74 ng/mg/h) did better on a V drug. The conclusion -- renin levels can indeed be useful as a predictor of how a particular patient will respond to a particular type of blood pressure drug. A very important finding: For some patients, being on the wrong drug actually elevated their blood pressure, making the situation especially dangerous. The researchers found that 16% of patients with the lowest levels of renin who took an R drug experienced an increase of 10 or more points in their blood pressure. This rise, called a "pressor response," is not at all uncommon -- doctors have tended to assume it was caused by "noncompliance," blaming the patients for failing to take their medications. The study shows, though, that the pressor response often is caused by giving patients the wrong drug. Talk to Your Doctor I called the study author, Michael Alderman, MD, former president of the American Society of Hypertension. Based on these findings, Dr. Alderman said that he recommends that doctors measure renin levels in newly diagnosed hypertension patients as well as in those now taking multiple antihypertensive medications -- most particularly when the drugs don’t seem to be helping. Dr. Alderman told me that it will likely be a few years before testing renin levels in advance of prescribing blood pressure medications becomes a standard practice, but he expects that it eventually will. If you need blood pressure medications, ask to have your renin level tested before you get a prescription -- trial and error is not the way you want to find out what works! Source(s): Michael H. Alderman, MD, former president of the American Society of Hypertension, professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, the Bronx, New York.  Erase Tumors in 2 Months "Within two months, every tumor had shrunk, dried up and fallen off," said Tom to Dr. Gary Null about the miraculous disappearance of his rapidly spreading cancer. Tom had already gone through surgery once for skin cancer on his forehead. Unfortunately, his skin cancer was melanoma. Just 10 days after the operation, the cancer was back with a vengeance. It reappeared on his forehead, and quickly spread to his arm, upper body and chest. Four doctors all agreed: There was nothing they could do to cure this cancer. They all still wanted to operate. But Tom wanted to live -- not just get sliced up. Jewelry That Can Save Your Life Medical ID jewelry has evolved. Those simple and basic 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, 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 your medical information. Here’s a sampling of what’s available:
How to choose Daily Health News medical editor Richard O’Brien, MD, a top 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 products and especially likes the flash drive devices, since they can provide comprehensive information (such as the date of a patient’s last tetanus shot or stress test) very quickly. 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 consider and make notes on their medical history in order to have important information at the ready in the event of an emergency. At 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...
Whether it is recorded on a flash drive, a bracelet, an index card or elsewhere, putting this information together and keeping it 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(s): Richard O’Brien, MD, spokesperson, American College of Emergency Physicians, associate professor, The Commonwealth Medical College of Pennsylvania, Scranton. Be well,
Lost and Found in My Address Book It's the New Year, and my head is clearly in organizational mode. I'm cleaning up my desk at work... and, with my family, cleaning up the accumulated clutter around our home. Last week, I blogged about not losing leftovers in my refrigerator. This week, I'm writing about not losing people in my address book. 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. |
January 2, 2011
The Sibling Paradox
| 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 3, 2011 In This Issue...
The 10 Biggest and Deadliest Heart Myths The number of heart attacks has increased by 27 percent over the past 20 years, in spite of all the supposed advances of modern medicine. What's going on here? Could we be mistaken about some things? Perhaps we're under some major misconceptions about heart disease. Like... Myth #1 -- Heart disease and heart attacks are an inevitable part of aging. Myth #2 -- Cholesterol is the main cause of heart disease and heart attacks. Myth #3 -- Blood pressure drugs help you avoid heart problems and live longer. Myth #4 -- Aggressive, "type A" behavior increases your risk of a heart attack. Myth #5 -- Low-fat, low cholesterol diets are good for you and your heart. Can You Heal Your Family? Anyone who grew up with brothers and/or sisters can attest to the sometimes turbulent nature of the sibling relationship. As it happens, I’m close to my brother and sister, but as a result, people often tell me how "lucky" I am, and they generally follow with a story about their own familial difficulties. Tales may center on the annoying spoiled baby of the family... the bossy oldest one who still acts like the top dog... the middle child who snuck out of doing chores and is still seen as irresponsible. Whatever the details, it’s worth noticing how dynamics from years ago continue to intrude on present-day feelings, sometimes to the point where people just opt out of relationships with some or all of their adult brothers and sisters. What a loss that is, says Lauren Zander, life coach and regular Daily Health News contributor. Zander is a staunch believer in actively healing family rifts -- she says these present a profound opportunity for personal growth and a way to potentially heal other problems in your life. After all, she points out, there’s often some basis for the gripes siblings have about one another -- and the complaints usually go both ways. Whatever It Takes! Zander speaks from experience on this point. Years ago, her wedding plans brought to the surface simmering childhood grievances with a sister, she told me. Her sister felt like the neglected middle child and also that Lauren, as the youngest, was acting entitled. Uncomfortable as it felt, the two chose to work through their differences, focusing on what had gone before... why they were disappointed with one another... and what they now wanted to be different. The gratifying result: Zander told me that she "started to participate in the family in a more mature way," while her sister learned to value her own ambitions and to appreciate that she, too, has an important place in the family and the world. Opening up to one another about their feelings -- and, yes, apologizing for letting one another down -- bridged their differences. "We both made changes that then began to change our lives in other ways," Zander said. Sharing their vulnerabilities helped the sisters see that they were both suffering. Whatever it takes to sort out sibling problems, Zander is adamant that working to become closer is worth the effort. "Your siblings are some of the best loves you will ever find," she pointed out. Don’t write off your family as being "people you did not get to pick."... Instead, "turn that around and ask what these relationships can teach you about yourself," she suggests. In families with deep problems that are ignored or protected by a pact of silence, it is possible for one brave person to put healing in motion... and Zander encourages you to be that person. "My own proudest moments are the times I’ve cared enough to try to fix what’s wrong in a relationship," she said. This takes deep listening and a commitment to doing whatever it takes to make things better. Peacemaking Advice Wondering how to make this happen? Take these steps, Zander says... Start by approaching your sibling to discuss the discomforts and frustrations in your relationship. If there has been a rift, the place to start is with the emotions that are at its base. "Usually these are feelings on someone’s part of being rejected and unloved," says Zander, noting that these feelings must be accepted and understood by the other before healing can begin. To do this, invite your brother or sister to go first in the conversation about what hurts and why, with the goal of creating a list of grievances. This may feel terrible for you, Zander cautions. Just know, she said, that your very willingness to stand there and listen will serve as a striking demonstration of your love and how important the relationship is to you. For now, your job is to hear what’s said without responding (though it is okay to ask a question or two for clarification). Then you’ll need to be able to repeat these points to your sibling, so he/she feels truly heard. "No getting mad or justifying," cautions Zander. "You are reflecting a version of reality, and there’s no right or wrong at this point! The important healing factor is that two experiences can exist and even contradict each other -- and both can be right at the same time." Then it’s your turn to talk. "It’s the same drill," says Zander. "The goal is for both people to feel heard and understood and loved for their honesty -- only then can resolution be achieved." It’s Not Always So Bad ... This is not to say that all sibling relationships, even tense ones, are so fraught with negativity. Sometimes there is separateness among siblings that isn’t particularly deep or difficult, just neglectful. And when neglect sets in, guilt and excuses follow. If that sounds like your family, Zander urges you to see these feelings and behaviors for what they are -- just feeble attempts to cover up being lazy. Resolve to set the wheels of change in motion by putting yourself in charge of letting your brothers and sisters know that you care by calling twice a month. Do that for three months and see what happens. She predicts that you will be amazed at how good it feels and will find yourself well on the way to a meaningful change that brings happiness to your life and to the rest of your family as well. Forever Young Getting old can be awful. Aches... pains... illness... constant bouncing from doctor to doctor. We all dread it. You can't stop the clock, but you can banish the miseries that sometimes come with it.
Do Night-Lights Make You Fat? Falling asleep to the glow of a muted bedroom TV or night-light is a common practice that seems benign... but it might be making you fat! Researchers at Ohio State University (Columbus) compared a group of juvenile mice that spent their eight nighttime hours in dim light (the equivalent of having a TV on in a dark room) with a group on a normal dark-night schedule. After just one week, mice from the slight-light environment had gained much more weight -- and the extra weight piled on so fast that at the end of the eight-week study the mice that had slept in dim light had gained 50% more than those kept in nighttime darkness. Glucose tolerance (related to, and a common companion of, insulin resistance) was impaired in the light-at-night group as well. A Circadian Upset Laura K. Fonken, a graduate research associate in the school’s department of neuroscience and psychology, filled me in on the findings, which were recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She speculated that dim light at night may have disrupted the normal circadian clock in the mice, affecting the genes that prepare the body for predictable events, including eating. She said that the dim-light mice did not ingest more calories than the other mice, nor did they become less active -- the problem was a result of eating more frequently at times when they were normally inactive, when their metabolisms burned fuel less efficiently. In a second experiment, the researchers withdrew access to food during inactive periods. The mice took in the same amount of daily calories overall, and this time the mice in a dim-light group did not gain weight. While rodents are nocturnal and humans are not, Fonken told me that light affects both species similarly, which is why the study findings have implications for us. We know, for instance, that there is a correlation between shift work and higher body mass index. It may be because their schedules make it necessary for shift workers to eat when their metabolisms are at low points. But, said Fonken, it also may be that low light at night triggers the desire to eat at off-hour times -- which would also explain people’s propensity to reach for after-dinner snacks in front of the TV or to get up during the night to eat. At present, these are merely hypotheses, she said, further research is needed. In the meantime, for our own bedtimes, Fonken advises turning off the TV, the computer and the light in the bathroom and avoiding night-lights and lighted clock radios. A darkened room may indeed dampen the desire to eat at the wrong times, and it may come with a bonus as well -- better rest. Source(s): Laura K. Fonken, BS, graduate research associate, department of neuroscience and psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus. Be well,
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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