Fish Oil – How good is it

Over the last several weeks we’ve received news that Fish Oil Supplements do not appear to help Age-Related Macular Degeneration http://huff.to/17LwRy7 and that they do not help in preventing Heart Disease http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/803798. I do take a Fish Oil Supplement and was quite taken back by this new information. However, I still believe there is a benefit to taking a daily dose of Fish Oil which is recommended to be about 1-3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day. As you know, Fish Oil is an omega-3 fatty acid which “is important for the production of prostaglandins, a hormone like substance that is needed for such things as the control of smooth muscle contraction. It also helps to lower blood pressure and body temperature as well as reducing inflammation. Other physiological functions that are regulated by prostaglandins are blood clotting, nerve transmission, kidney function and inflammatory and allergic responses”.

Although, not conclusive some other health benefits of Fish Oil-3 are,
• Reduction in blood triglyceride levels
• Improvements in mood and cognitive ability
• Mild anti-depressant effects
• Improved memory
• Improved immune function in infants
• Anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis or neck, back and joint pain

I am disappointed that there is no longer a Heart Disease benefit in taking Fish Oil. However, I still believe the risks of not taking the supplement does not outweigh the benefit of taking the supplement especially since most of us cannot consume the necessary amount of fish daily and the toxic levels of contaminates in fish gives us reason to pause before revising our daily diets.
This a quick snapshot, there is a lot of detailed information on Fish Oil supplement that you can obtain. I would recommend obtaining this information so that you can make an informed decision regarding the benefits for you to take a Fish Oil Supplement.

Vitamin E

There are many people who are believers in taking a daily supplement of vitamin E and I am one of them. The recommended daily dose for adults is 15mg or 22.5IU; the recommended daily dose for children is much lower, children 1-3 years, 6 mg/day (9 IU/day), children 4-8 years, 7 mg/day (10.5 IU/day)and, children 9-13 years, 11 mg/day (16.5 IU/day) however, it is probably not necessary for a healthy child to take an additional supplement of vitamin E if they are already taking a multivitamin. Additionally, vitamin E is safe for most and side effects are rarely experienced when taking the recommended doses.

It is important to note that some people take vitamin E to treat vitamin E deficiency which is rare. “people with fat-malabsorption disorders are more likely to become deficient than people without such disorders. Deficiency symptoms include peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, skeletal myopathy, retinopathy, and impairment of the immune response. People with Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, or an inability to secrete bile from the liver into the digestive tract, for example, often pass greasy stools or have chronic diarrhea; as a result, they sometimes require water-soluble forms of vitamin E, such as tocopheryl polyethylene glycol-1000 succinate.

Some people with abetalipoproteinemia, a rare inherited disorder resulting in poor absorption of dietary fat, require enormous doses of supplemental vitamin E (approximately 100 mg/kg or 5–10 g/day). Vitamin E deficiency secondary to abetalipoproteinemia causes such problems as poor transmission of nerve impulses, muscle weakness, and retinal degeneration that leads to blindness. Ataxia and vitamin E deficiency (AVED) is another rare, inherited disorder in which the liver’s alpha-tocopherol transfer protein is defective or absent. People with AVED have such severe vitamin E deficiency that they develop nerve damage and lose the ability to walk unless they take large doses of supplemental vitamin E”

Foods that contain vitamin E include eggs, fortified cereals, fruit, green leafy vegetables, meat, nuts, nut oils, poultry, vegetable oils such as, corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower, olive oil, wheat germ oil, and whole grains.

There is conflicting information about the positive effects of taking a vitamin E supplement however, we have been told that the supplement should not be used if you have the following;
• Low levels of vitamin K
• If you have Retinitis Pigmentosa
• Any type of blood clotting disorder
• Head and Neck Cancer
• High doses of vitamin E may be harmful if you have had a stroke, heart attack or if you have diabetes.
• If you have undergone an angioplasty
• If you have a bleeding disorder

*Vitamin E may increase the risk of bleeding, therefore, it is recommended that you stop taking vitamin E about two weeks before any surgery.

Vitamin E may have a positive effect on immune health which is why I take it. Also, some people take it to protect themselves against heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and some types of cancers.

Vitamin E is a critical vitamin required for proper functioning of several organs in the body. Therefore, it is important to understand how it works and the safety concerns. For more information regarding vitamin E refer to the NIH fact sheet found on their website at, http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/

Superbug

Imagine being hospitalized for one thing and hearing that you have an infection that is resistant to antibiotics. The good news is, what you entered the hospital for has been treated and the prognosis is good but the bad news is, while in the hospital you were infected with this commonly called superbug which does not respond to antibiotic medication such as, methicillin,, amoxicillin or other commonly prescribed antibiotic medication; is your worst nightmare!

What is the Superbug?

The Superbug is Staphlococcus aureus (Staph), a bacteria that is becoming increasingly resistant to most of the antibiotic medications, http://www.emedexpert.com/lists/antibiotics.shtml and in some cases, even to Vancomycin, a powerful antibiotic which is usually used as a last resort. Specifically, superbugs are “strains of bacteria that have become resistant to common antibiotics. This makes them extremely difficult to treat and can turn simple infections into life-threatening illnesses”; to better understand why the medical community is sounding the alarm, go to an article featured in USA Today a few months ago. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/05/superbugs-infections-hospitals/1965133/

Superbug Prevention

It appears that the superbugs “cannot be removed from hospitals via adherence to normal sanitation protocols and they are resistant to nearly every antibiotic. These characteristics make it very difficult to prevent the spread of superbugs, and make infections extremely difficult to treat. A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6209a3.htm?s_cid=mm6209a3_w puts the mortality rate of superbug bloodstream infections at 40 percent”. A simple practice of frequent hand washing by medical staff and family members can reduce the rate of transmission and also, the medical staff following infection control recommendations. Another important matter for patients to be aware of, is inappropriate use of antibiotics and not finishing your prescribed course of treatment can contribute to resistance.
Another article worth reviewing because it provides statistics although, the focus is England http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/majornews/2009026/Superbugs-MRSA-and-Clostridium-difficile-killing-record-numbers-of-patients.html

The Superbug certainly makes me want to swear off hospitals, a minor surgery can end up being a life threating event. What is Pharma’s incentive to invest in discovering new antibiotics especially since the pipeline has dried up?

Obamacare – 2013

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) commonly known as Obamacare was signed into law on March 23, 2010. The primary objective of the Act is to decrease the number of uninsured Americans and reduce the overall costs of health care. On June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the majority provisions of PPACA, much to the surprise of many. There was an article written several years ago entitled One Pill, Two Pill, Red Pill, Blue Pill: Top 10 Reasons Obamacare Is Wrong for America; go to http://www.fixhealthcarepolicy.com search Top 10 Reasons Obamacare Is Wrong for America to read the details.
As you are aware, PPACA includes several provisions which will take effect over the next several years. In my opinion, the most important provisions are the “Guaranteed issue which will require policies to be issued regardless of any medical condition, and partial community rating which will require insurers to offer the same premium to all applicants of the same age and geographical location without regard to gender or most pre-existing conditions excluding tobacco use.” Another provision worth noting is the “Health insurance exchanges which will commence operation in each state, offering a marketplace where individuals and small businesses can compare policies and premiums, and buy insurance (with a government subsidy if eligible. Also, The Food and Drug Administration is now authorized to approve generic versions of biologics and grant biologic manufacturers 12 years of exclusive use before generics can be developed.
Provisions effective in 2013
• “Income from self-employment and wages of single individuals in excess of $200,000 annually will be subject to an additional tax of 0.9%. The threshold amount is $250,000 for a married couple filing jointly (threshold applies to joint compensation of the two spouses), or $125,000 for a married person filing separately In addition, an additional Medicare tax of 3.8% will apply to unearned income, specifically the lesser of net investment income or the amount by which adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 for a married couple filing jointly; $125,000 for a married person filing separately.
• Beginning January 1, 2013, the limit on pre-tax contributions to healthcare flexible spending accounts will be capped at $2,500 per year.
• Most medical devices become subject to a 2.3% excise tax collected at the time of purchase. This tax will also apply to some medical devices, such as examination gloves and catheters, that are used in Veterinary Medicine.

Religious organizations that were given an extra year to implement the contraceptive mandate are no longer exempt. Certain non-exempt, non-grandfathered group health plans established and maintained by non-profit organizations with religious objections to covering contraceptive services may take advantage of a one-year enforcement safe harbor (i.e., until the first plan year beginning on or after August 1, 2013) by timely satisfying certain requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.” This provision has stimulated discussion with the Catholic Church.
There are augments for Obamacare and thus, an article which is also worth reading. Go to http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/28/5-reasons-obamacare-is-already-good-for/#ixzz2MgPuNo61

This is indeed a thirty foot view of the Act; I’ve only scratched the surface. The Act is by no means perfect and many revisions are needed but in my opinion it is a start in the right direction.

Bone Health

Two nutrients that are particularly important in bone health are calcium and vitamin D. As you are aware, good sources of calcium are dairy products, green leafy vegetables, sardines, nuts (almonds) and calcium fortified foods such as, orange juice, cereal, bread and tofu products. It is recommended that you consume 800-1200mg of calcium per day, of course, this depends on your age and health. Good sources of vitamin D are dairy products made from milk; also, salmon, tuna fish, eggs, liver, sunlight and vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium (this is why milk is fortified with vitamin D). The recommended daily dosage of vitamin D is based on age; for those 1-70 years of age, 600 IU daily; for those 71 years and older, 800 IU daily; and for pregnant and lactating women, 600 IU daily. It has also been noted that for “fall prevention, more than 200-1,200 IU of vitamin D has been taken by mouth daily. For fracture prevention, 400-1,100 IU of vitamin D has been taken by mouth daily, 100,000 IU of vitamin D2 has been taken by mouth every four months for 36 months, or 10 micrograms of vitamin D3 has been taken by mouth daily for 24 months. For fracture prevention, 300,000 IU of vitamin D2 every 12 months has been used intramuscular for 36 months”.
Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis where the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage in one or more joints is noted. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. “Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. Osteoarthritis usually has no known cause and is referred to as primary osteoarthritis” which occurs more frequently in women after the age 55. “Investigators at the National Institutes of Health have found that taking glucosamine did not significantly improve symptoms of osteoarthritis compared to placebo. Studies are underway to look at whether some glucosamine formulations may have advantages over others.”

“Research scientists have found that doxycycline, a tetracycline drug, has been shown to slow the progression of cartilage degeneration in the knees of patients with osteoarthritis. This effect seems to be a result of the drug’s affect on enzymes that destroy cartilage rather than on their properties as antibiotics. More studies are needed to determine the significance of this early but interesting work.” For further information go to http://www.niams.nih.gov , search osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis prevention may be impossible but there are life style factors such as, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, diet to include foods that reduce swelling and inflammation and rest.

Bone Health is particularly important as we age; that being said, you should take the time today to do your research and start a prevention program as necessary since osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are diseases which we should pay attention to.

Breast Health

In my opinion, when we think of Breast Health we automatically think of breast cancer prevention. Breast cancer prevention certainly focuses on mammograms. A yearly mammogram is a stressful experience for many women including myself but it is a necessary exam to address good breast health and perhaps, early detection of Breast Cancer. The American Cancer Society issued Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer and thus, prevention; The American Cancer Society recommends the following.

• Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health
• Clinical breast exam (CBE) about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over
• Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care provider. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.

Some women – because of their family history, a genetic tendency, or certain other factors – should be screened via an MRI in addition to mammograms. (The number of women who fall into this category is small: less than 2% of all the women in the US.
“Hologic, Inc. , a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, announced that a groundbreaking new study published in Radiology, the Radiological Society of North America scientific journal, found that the addition of three-dimensional (3D) mammography (breast tomosynthesis) screening technology along with a 2D breast screening exam significantly increased cancer detection while reducing the number of false positives”.
3D mammography was approved for clinical use for breast cancer screening and diagnosis in the U.S. in February, 2011 and has been available in countries recognizing the CE mark since 2008. Hologic’s 3D mammography technology is in use in 47 states and 30 countries outside the U.S. Unlike a screening 2D digital mammogram, which involves a single X-ray image of the breast, 3D mammography captures multiple, low-dose images from multiple angles around the breast”.

I found this encouraging statement on http://www.cancer.gov
“We will use our rapidly increasing knowledge in the fields of cancer genomics and cell biology to develop more effective and less toxic treatments for breast cancer and to improve our ability to identify cancers that are more likely to recur. Moreover, we will use this knowledge to tailor breast cancer therapy to the individual patient. For example, gene expression analysis has led to the identification of five subtypes of breast cancer that have distinct biological features, clinical outcomes, and responses to chemotherapy. This knowledge can be exploited in the development of treatment strategies based on the specific characteristics of a woman’s tumor. Furthermore, a patient’s response to chemotherapy is influenced not only by the genetic characteristics of their tumor but also by inherited variations in genes that affect the body’s ability to absorb, metabolize, and eliminate drugs. Our growing knowledge should enable prediction a of tumor responses to individual chemotherapy drugs or classes of drugs, as well as the likelihood of severe adverse effects from them. This knowledge should also aid in the development of more individualized treatments which may promote the design of more effective and less toxic chemotherapy agents.”

Breast Cancer is the second most common type of cancer for women, second only to skin cancer. I did not intend for this blog to turn into a Breast cancer discussion but watching the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer http://www.avonwalk.org commercial on TV and thinking of so many survivors, as well as the brave women who have circum to the disease made me very aware of this continued threat and how important prevention/early detection is.

Clean Water

Before the Clean Water Act of 1972 it was common practice in the US to discharge raw sewage into harbors, rivers and other waterways. The Clean Water Act (CWA) “established the goals of eliminating the release of high amount of toxic substances into water, eliminating water pollution and ensuring that surface waters meet the standards necessary for human sports and recreation”. In addition to the Clean Water Act, water quality criteria were implemented which defined goals for surface water and its uses, drinking water standards, health and water including chemical and microbial risks. You can find detailed information on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website at http://www.epa.gov click on “learn the issues” and “science & technology”. There is a National Water Quality Inventory Report submitted to the EPA by states and jurisdictions every two years that describes the quality of the water, problems and sources that may contribute to the poor quality; this report is also conveyed to Congress.

Interesting world news about our clean water supply; check out http://www.water.org

“A study revealed that the world’s fresh water supply is facing a major crisis. The world’s population is going to increase from 7 billion now to over 8 billion by 2025, fresh water scarcity will pose a major threat to the human existence. Seametrics, a growth research and manufacturing company, stated that the world’s population has doubled in just 40 years, while the fresh water use has quadrupled in the same period. Today, some major steps are being taken to deal with the persisting water crisis. Through the Unilever Foundation, in partnership with PSI (Population Services International) announced the launch of Waterworks, a not-for-profit program that will provide safe clean drinking water to communities in need around the world. Unilever Launches Water Initiative on Facebook. Similarly, Procter & Gamble (P&G) recently announced a milestone in their effort to save one life every hour through sharing clean drinking water.

Nearly a decade ago P&G began providing clean drinking water in developing countries through its P&G Purifier of Water technology, and has just shared its 5 billionth liter – saving an estimated 26,000 lives and preventing over 200 million days of illness. The 5 billionth liter was delivered in Malawi, through a partnership with the University of North Carolina (UNC). Earlier, P&G announced that more than 350 bloggers participating in its social purpose Internet campaign, the GIVE HEALTH Clean Water Blogivation, have reached the company’s goal of providing 100,000 days of clean drinking water to people in developing countries. Can Bloggers Provide Clean Drinking Water?

Recently, former President Bill Clinton announced at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting that legendary artist Smokey Robinson is aggregating celebrity social media feeds into a global Smoke Alarm.The aim is to raise funds and share clean drinking water through the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program. Bill Clinton to Use Social Media for P&G Water Program”