Healing

August 2014

Menopausal women who lose weight eating a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables could reduce or eliminate their hot flashes and night sweats, a large new study suggests.

One reason the researchers looked at weight loss as a way of dealing with menopausal symptoms was because of long-standing research linking hormone-replacement therapy to heart disease and breast cancer.

To read the full article Diet, Weight Loss Ease Menopause Symptoms: Study, click here.

Stuck in a food rut? If you're looking to liven up your diet to satisfy both your taste buds and nutritional needs, you don't want to miss this list of healthy-but-often-overlooked foods.

To read the full article Healthy Foods That Aren't On Your Plate -- But Should Be, click here.

Doctors may be more willing to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or recommend it to their wives, than to prescribe it to their patients, a study of German gynecologists suggests.

Nearly all were willing to recommend HRT for hot flashes, a typical menopause problem, whether to a partner or a patient. But with other potential uses, there was some disconnect.

To read the full article Doctors Use Hormones More Often than Prescribe Them, click here.

Stress at work may have an adverse effect on your heart health if you're a woman.

A new study shows that women who have high-stress jobs are 67 percent more likely to have a heart attack and 38 percent more likely to have any kind of cardiovascular event than women who have more low-stress jobs.

To read the full article Women with High-Stress Jobs May Be More Likely to Have a Heart Attack, click here.

The Best Ways to Soothe Summer Bug Bites

Flirty dresses, fruity drinks…what’s not to love about summer? How about itchy, painful insect stings? New Orleans–based dermatologist Larry Millikan, M.D., explains how to identify and deal with bug bites so you can get back to the beach.

To read the full article The Best Ways to Soothe Summer Bug Bites, click here.

Salad is right up there with diamonds on a girl’s list of BFFs. But drizzling it with fat-free dressing could be drowning out your good intentions.

To read the full article The Dressing That Makes Your Salad Healthier, click here.

Research shows that one in six cell phones are contaminated with fecal matter that could contain E. coli. Not only can germs from your phone make you sick, they can also cause annoyances like pimples and irritation on your cheeks and jawline.

To read the full article The Dirtiest Thing In Your Purse, click here.

For some men, weight loss plays an important role in raising low testosterone levels, a new study finds.

In the study of overweight, middle-aged men with prediabetes, about half of those with low testosterone levels who attempted to lose weight by changing their lifestyle experienced an increase in their testosterone levels.

To read the full story Weight Loss May Boost Men's Testosterone, click here.

Health Tip: Flavor Food Without the Fat
Use high heat for more intense tastes

You don't need to add fat to get plenty of flavor from your favorite dishes.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these suggestions to spice up your food without piling on the calories:

To read the full story Health Tip: Flavor Food Without the Fat, click here.

Manage Your Brain -- It's Your Most Important Asset

What does it mean to manage your own brain?

The field of neuropsychology -- the applied form of neuroscience -- is now offering an emerging consciousness about the brain's inner workings. As with everything, it is when we know how the brain works that we can have something to say about how to work it.

To read the full story Manage Your Brain -- It's Your Most Important Asset, click here.

Everyone who has ever painted knows that bristles can fall off the paint brush and mar your new surface. It probably should not be a great surprise, then, that bristles can come off a wire brush used for cleaning an outdoor grill, get taken up by food and ingested.

To read the full story Grilling? Watch out for Wire Bristles from Cleaning Brushes, click here.

Before you soak up the sun this weekend, finish your coffee. The strong stuff can reduce your risk of developing the most common type of skin cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Research.

To read the full story The Drink that Fights Cancer, click here.

Anxiety Cranks up Activity in Women's Brains, Study Suggests

Women who worry a lot have brains that work overtime even during easy tasks, new research suggests. The findings could help in the identification and treatment of anxiety disorders, according to the Michigan State University scientists who conducted the study.

To read the full article Anxiety Cranks up Activity in Women's Brains, Study Suggests, click here.

Obese Adults Should Get Counseling, Federal Task Force Says

Under the healthcare law, insurance companies would be required to cover the panel's recommended weight-loss treatments. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the law this week.

To read the full article Obese Adults Should Get Counseling, Federal Task Force Says, click here.

Many of us don't need to be told we're more stressed than ever, but now, scientists have the data to prove it.

If the 80's seemed like a simpler time, you're right. Life's more connected and convenient now, but a 30 year study proves we're wired, tired, and maxed out.

To read the full article Who's Stressed Out?, click here.

Older adults who take vitamin D and calcium supplements c than their peers, a new research review suggests.

To read the full article Vitamin D Plus Calcium Tied to Longer Life , click here.

Video: Phone Therapy May Aid Depression Patients

Phone therapy for depression may work better than face-to-face therapy.

To read the full article Video: Phone Therapy May Aid Depression Patients, click here.

These days it’s easy to be unfaithful–just ask the 3.3 million members of AshleyMadison.com, a discreet online dating site for married parties. It’s no wonder that loyalty (to your spouse or your hair stylist) can be hard to come by.

To read the full article The Average Woman and Cheating, click here.

Possibly, there is nothing more problematic for women, then making the decision as to whether or not to have their annual pap smear.

To read the compete article Pap Smear Fear, click here.

The most common killer of women is also the most common killer of men. Just as with men, this killer is more often then not, a silent killer.

To read the full article Leading Killer of Women is a “Man’s Disease”, click here.

To Lower Your Heart Disease Risk, Get Happy

Those most content with their lives had 13 percent lower risk of heart disease, study finds that feeling satisfied with your life may be good for your heart, a new study says.

To read the full article To Lower Your Heart Disease Risk, Get Happy, click here.

Meditation And The Fear Of Death

Somewhere in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying it says (loosely) that the purpose of life is to prepare for death. A somewhat morbid statement, think about how profound a message it actually is.

To read the full article Meditation And The Fear Of Death, click here.

Want to Reduce Pain? Try Meditation

Since the 1960s, meditation has been the focus of increasing scientific research. In over 1,000 published research studies, various methods of meditation have been linked to changes in metabolism, blood pressure, brain activation, and other bodily processes. Now, meditation has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction.

To read the full article Want to Reduce Pain? Try Meditation, click here.

Not married by 40 no longer means you are a spinster, in fact it means you are part of a growing trend of those who say over 40 is the best time to say "I do."

To read the full article First @ 40, click here.

In a recent study performed at Johns Hopkins it was found that sexually active American women should be tested for a vaginal parasite STD called Trichomonas vaginalis.

To read the complete article STD’s - Women Over 40, click here.

5 Bad Habits You Don't Need to Break

Sometimes you’ve just got to be bad. You know, let a few swear words fly or doodle to your heart’s content while you’re supposed to be listening. Maybe you even chew gum in the face of a no-gum policy at work.

To read the full article 5 Bad Habits You Don't Need to Break, click here.

Are Cuddles the Key to Relationship Happiness?

Yep, you heard it right, ladies and gentlemen, the key to long-term happiness with your mate just may be cuddling…and kissing and caressing, according to a new study from the famed Kinsey Institute at Indiana University.

To read the full article Are Cuddles the Key to Relationship Happiness?, click here.

6 Best Summer Foods for Weight Loss
Lighten up your diet this summer with these refreshing foods and drinks.

You don’t need to starve yourself on a wacky fad diet if you want to look better in your shorts or swimsuit this summer.

To read the full article 6 Best Summer Foods for Weight Loss, click here.

For a great recipe for a tasty gazpacho soup, click here.

14 "Facts" about Drinking: Are You Misinformed?

CBS slide show regarding 14 facts about drinking alcohol that are either commonly misunderstood, false or lead to unexpected problems.

To read the full article 14 "Facts" about Drinking: Are You Misinformed?, click here.

Cutting Salt Might Not Help Heart, study says

Salty snackers may have reason to rejoice. A new study suggests cutting back on dietary salt intake won't cut risk of heart disease, contrary to popular belief.

To read the full article Cutting Salt Might Not Help Heart, click here.

Red wine is "exercise in a bottle," study suggests

Can red wine offset the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle? A new study suggests wine can be "exercise in a bottle."

To read the full article Red Wine is "Exercise in a Bottle, click here.

8 Scary Health Risks in Your Own Backyard

This summer your back yard can be a dangerous place. You or a family member could get hurt, so consider areas of potential danger and fix them now before they create a problem for you or your family.

To read the full article 8 Scary Health Risks in Your Own Backyard, click here.

Superstitions Boost Confidence, Performance, Study Shows the Power of Good Luck Charms

Don’t throw out that lucky rabbit’s foot or trash your lucky socks. A study shows that believing in a superstition can actually improve your performance on a task by boosting your self-confidence.

To read the full article Superstitions Boost Confidence, Performance, click here.

Will you have your mother's menopause?

Sandra Gordon is dreading menopause. The 46-year-old from Weston, Connecticut, watched her mother's memory falter in her mid-50s, due to changing hormone levels.

To read the full article Will you have your mother's menopause?, click here.

High Heel Addiction: Go High or Go Home

Whether they're Jimmy Choos, Manolo Blahniks, or Christian Louboutins, women love high heels.

To read the full article High Heel Addiction: Go High or Go Home, click here.

Sperm Gene Is 600 Million Years Old

Just as fashion changes from year to year and culture to culture, so do "sexy" genes, or genes specific to sex – with one critical exception.

To read the full article Sperm Gene Is 600 Million Years Old, click here.

Video of Chris Wragge as he moderates an Early Show Marriage Summit where couples get tips on how to have a successful relationship.

To read the full article Secrets to a Happy Marriage, click here.

Blood Pressure Adversely Affected by Diets High in Sugar

Salt has long been the enemy for people suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure), but now another white granular substance will be joining its ranks on the restriction list: sugar.

To read the full article Blood Pressure Adversely Affected by Diets High in Sugar , click here.

Olive Oil: Helping in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Something as simple as olive oil could actually make a difference when predisposed to or fighting against breast cancer.

To read the full article Olive Oil: Helping in the Fight Against Breast Cancer, click here.

The Surprising Toll of Sleep Deprivation
How skimping on rest affects your brain, your hormones, and your heart.

How much sleep is enough? Is how sleepy you feel a good judge of whether or not you are getting enough sleep?

To read the full article The Surprising Toll of Sleep Deprivation, click here.

Got Too Much Sun? How to Save Your Skin
Beauty Expert Offers Short-Term Solutions for Feeling Better After a Sunburn, and Longer-Term Answers to Fix Damaged Skin

The long holiday weekend isn't even over yet, but many people have already gotten way too much sun, and the inevitable resulting sunburn - even if they wore sunscreen.

To read the full article Got Too Much Sun? How to Save Your Skin , click here.

Summer Safety, Come Rain or Shine
Tips to Stay Safe From Heat Stroke and Lightning Strikes

With the arrival of summer home cookouts, days at the pool, camping trips and other outdoor activities, the allure of summertime pleasures often comes attached to seasonal hazards in the form of heat-related illness and lightning strikes.

To read the full article Summer Safety, Come Rain or Shine, click here.

Experts Issue Powerful Tanning Bed Warning
Journal Rates UV Light at Tanning Salon in Same Group of Cancer Risks as Tobacco and Asbestos

Paige Wood started going to tanning salons when she was 18 years old. Now at 27, she's fighting melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.

To read the full article Experts Issue Powerful Tanning Bed Warning, click here.

Remarriage Doesn't Heal All Wounds

Divorce and widowhood are bad for your health, even after you remarry. The impact of chronic illness lingers after remarriage, research at the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University shows.

To read the full article Remarriage Doesn't Heal All Wounds, click here.

Can Good Bacteria Really Fight the Flu?
Probiotics May Fight Against Common Cold, Flu

Cold and flu sufferers, there may be a way to head off those irritating symptoms before they cause you to miss work or school.

To read the full article Can Good Bacteria Really Fight the Flu?, click here.

Can Certain Foods 'Arouse' Your Brain?

Expert: Abnormal Brain Activity Linked to a 'Helpless' Overeating

Wendy Wessler, who is divorced and lives on New York's Long Island, lost 150 pounds after gastric bypass surgery, but the weight is creeping back. She says she just can't understand why she can't say no to food.

To read the full article Can Certain Foods 'Arouse' Your Brain?, click here.

No-Fat Meals and Other Diet Mistakes
Nutritionists Say Dieters Can Miss the Point, and Flavor, When Eating Healthy

Grocery stores offer a myriad of ways for shoppers to think they are buying healthful food -- low-fat dressing, vitamin-infused cereals, or the trendy sports drink.

To read the full article No-Fat Meals and Other Diet Mistakes, click here.

Tossing Out the Diet and Embracing the Fat

Five-foot-nine and 184 pounds, Kathryn Griffith, a retired teacher in Oakland, Calif., counted calories for decades, trying everything from the grapefruit diet to a regimen based on cabbage soup. She also did Weight Watchers — 27 times. “I knew it wouldn’t be successful, but I went back anyway,” she said.

To read the full article Tossing Out the Diet and Embracing the Fat, click here.

Heavy Drinking Linked to Prostate Cancer

Although current research regarding the relationship between alcohol consumption and prostate cancer is still inconclusive, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, led by Zhihong Gong Ph.D., found that men who reported regular heavy drinking -- more than four drinks a day on more than five days per week -- were twice as likely to be diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer.

To read the full article Heavy Drinking Linked to Prostate Cancer, click here.

Marriage thrives despite our evolving sex lives
Most women tie the knot by 40, statistics show — so why all the fretting?

It may have worked as a plotline for “Sex and the City,” but according to new government figures, very few American women need fear being an “old maid.”

To read the full article Marriage thrives despite our evolving sex lives, click here.

The Earliest Fetal Memory?
Dutch Doctors Say the Unborn may Have Memories by the 30th Week of Pregnancy

Like any prospective mom, as 21-year-old Angela Morton goes through her first pregnancy the family stories of her own baby years begin to emerge -- including her mother's trick of calming her with Aerosmith's 1988 song "Angel" anytime she was a fussing as an infant.

To read the full article The Earliest Fetal Memory?, click here.

Top Five Crucial Medical Tests for Men
Find Out Which Exams Are a Must to Maintain Good Health

Many men aren't proactive when it comes to their personal health care needs. A Men's Health magazine and CNN survey found one-third of men would not go to the doctor, even if they were experiencing major health problems, such as severe chest pains or shortness of breath -- both of which are signs for heart disease.

To read the full article Top Five Crucial Medical Tests for Men, click here.

A Prescription That Can Give You Paws

Caring goes both ways. People who take good care of their pets protect them -- and the whole household -- by preventing diseases from entering the home.

To read the full article A Prescription That Can Give You Paws, click here.

Just how bad are your health vices?
What's forgivable, what's regrettable and how to get healthier

If you feel guilty about certain less-than-healthy habits — either from your past or present — you're in good company.

To read the full article Just how bad are your health vices? , click here.

Proposed Tylenol restrictions worry patients
FDA is considering reduced maximum dose, ban on Vicodin and Percocet

Proposed limits on Tylenol, a painkiller as common as pain itself, have left many consumers fearful, confused and wondering where to turn for relief.

To read the full article Proposed Tylenol restrictions worry patients, click here.

Internet-Based Therapy Shows Promise for Insomnia
Can't sleep? Computer-based therapy shows promise for insomnia

Sleepless people sometimes use the Internet to get through the night. Now a small study shows promising results for insomniacs with nine weeks of Internet-based therapy.

To read the full article Internet-Based Therapy Shows Promise for Insomnia, click here.

Foods Face Tougher Path From Farm to Table
Government Rules Aim to Prevent Salmonella in Eggs, E. Coli in Beef

The Harvest Lane Farm in Pennsylvania is the vanguard in the fight to keep salmonella out of eggs.

To read the full article Foods Face Tougher Path From Farm to Table, click here.

5 Ways to Master Your Emotions

A sound body deserves a sound mind. But if you're feeling blue, seeing red or seeking refuge from the proverbial skies of gray, you can't enjoy the optimal health you work so hard to achieve.

To read the full article 5 Ways to Master Your Emotions, click here.

Study: Some Doctors Don't Talk About Abnormal Results

The old saying 'no news is good news' might not necessarily be true when it comes to your doctor.

To read the full article Study: Some Doctors Don't Talk About Abnormal Results, click here.

Cholesterol-Lowering Therapy Shows Big Gains

The percentage of patients who lowered their elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) "bad" cholesterol to within target levels has nearly doubled in the last decade, according to a recent survey.

To read the full article Cholesterol-Lowering Therapy Shows Big Gains, click here.

Active Social Life May Slow Signs of Aging

Less frequent participation in social activity among older adults is associated with a more rapid rate of motor function decline, according to a recent report.

To read the full article Active Social Life May Slow Signs of Aging, click here.

Teens who move a lot have twice suicide risk
Moving 3 or more times can contribute to feelings of isolation, study says

Parents may be so distracted by the details of a move that they don't notice what a big impact.

To read the full article Teens who move a lot have twice suicide risk, click here.

Memo based on early, unpublished data; other studies show no danger

The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer.

To read the full story Cancer center director warns of cell phone risks, click here.

Prostate cancer therapy tied to cognitive decline

Study: Men on hormone therapy had trouble concentrating, multi-tasking

Up to 69 percent of men who receive hormone deprivation therapy for prostate cancer will experience some degree of cognitive impairment, such as in the ability to concentrate, a review of published data suggests.

To read the full story Prostate cancer therapy tied to cognitive decline, click here.

Regimen is just as effective as statins, new research suggests

A regimen of supplements and lifestyle coaching is just as effective as statin medication for reducing levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol, and more effective in helping people lose weight, new research shows.

To read the full story Red yeast rice, fish oil fight high cholesterol, click here.

10 Healthy Aging Tips From Centenarians

Relationships, An Active Mind, Humor Make The List In Centenarian Poll

Staying close to family and friends, keeping your mind active, and having a sense of humor are keys to healthy aging, centenarians say in a new poll.

To read the full story 10 Healthy Aging Tips From Centenarians, click here.

Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Shows Early Promise

Experimental drug halts Alzheimer's progression in midstage study; 'fantastic' one expert says

For the first time, an experimental drug shows promise for halting the progression of Alzheimer's disease by taking a very new approach: breaking up the protein tangles that clog victims' brains.

To read the full story Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Shows Early Promise, click here.

'Red Flags': 10 Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore
For Some Symptoms, Best Bet Is to See Doctor Immediately

"Time is brain." The phrase is repeated like a mantra in the halls and classrooms of medical schools and hospitals throughout the country. The reminder to young trainees is that time is of the essence; the faster a diagnosis is made and treatment initiated, the less damage will have occurred.

To read the full story 'Red Flags': 10 Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore, click here.

Lowering Fats in Your Diet

There are at least four great reasons to eat less fat:

It can assist you in losing weight or maintaining your present weight because you will be eating fewer unnecessary calories.
It can help reduce your risk of heart disease by reducing saturated fat. This will help lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attack or stroke..
It can help you reduce your risk of cancer.
Eating fewer high-fat foods means more room for fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans which means overall better health and well-being.

Reducing Fat In Your Diet

Here are a few suggestions to help get you started in reducing fat from your diet. These same suggestion can also help you to keep fat out of your diet in the future. Try one or two of these suggestions immediately and as you are successful increase until you have all of them covered.

Eat smaller portions of lean meat, fish, and poultry.
Cut off all visible fat before cooking.
Use low-fat cooking methods: baking, poaching, broiling, BBQ, or use a George Foreman Grill.
Remove skin from poultry.
Eat less processed meats and when you do eat processed meats, purchase only low-fat luncheon meats, such as sliced turkey or chicken breast, lean ham, lean sliced beef.
Use reduced-fat or nonfat salad dressings or use no dressing at all.
If you must use a salad dressing consider using Balsamic vinegar, lemon alone, salt and pepper or salad seasoning. If you must use an oil-based dressing, use olive or canola oil only.
Use a little lemon juice, dried herbs, thinly sliced green onions, or a little salsa as a non-fat topping for vegetables or salads.
Use non-fat or lower fat spreads, such as jelly or jam, fruit spread, apple butter, non-fat or reduced-calorie mayonnaise, non-fat margarine, or mustard.
Use high-fat foods as little as possible, choose more low-fat and non-fat foods.
Top your baked potatoes with plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt, non-fat or reduced-fat sour cream, non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese, non-fat margarine, non-fat hard cheese, salsa or vinegar or eat it dry.
When absolutely necessary, use only small amounts of high-fat toppings, for example, use only 1 tsp butter or mayonnaise, or 1 tbsp sour cream, or 1 tbsp regular salad dressing.
Switch to 1 percent or skim milk and other non-fat or lower fat dairy products (low-fat or non-fat yogurt, non-fat or reduced-fat sour cream).
Cut back on cheese as much as possible. If you must have cheese then use only small amounts (1 oz or less) on sandwiches and in cooking or use lower fat and fat-free cheeses (part-skim mozzarella, 1 percent cottage cheese, or non-fat hard cheese).
Try small amounts of these low-fat treats: fig bars, vanilla wafers, ginger snaps, angel food cake, jelly beans, gum drops, hard candy, puddings made with low-fat (1 percent) skim milk, non-fat frozen yogurt with a fruit topping, or fruit popsicles. Try pretzels or popcorn without butter or oil for an unsweetened treat.
Better still eat more fruits and vegetables, they are healthy and can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Eliminate french fries and other fried foods as much as possible. If you have to have them limit them only to special occasions and have small servings.
Save high-fat desserts (ice cream, pastries) for special occasions; have small amounts; share a serving with a friend.

Which are the leanest cuts of meat available to lower fat in my diet?

What Is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is an allergy disease affecting the digestive system. It causes damage to the elements of small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People with celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten. Gluten is mainly found in foods especially in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten however, may also be found in some products we use every day and even some medicines.

When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. Tiny, finger-like protrusions lining the small intestine called villi are damaged or destroyed. Villi normally allow the predigested nutrients from food to be absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person can become malnourished regardless of the quantity or the quality of the food they eat.

Because our own body's own immune system causes damage to our villi celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disorder. It is also classified as a disease of malabsorption because of the injury to the villi nutrients are not absorbed. Celiac disease is also known by a few other names: celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. These are descriptive names which have been given to this condition over the years. Currently the favored name is simply Celiac disease.

Since Celiac disease is a genetic disease, it often passes from one member of a in family to another. Celiac disease may lie dormant until it is triggered or activated by having surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress. It occurs more frequently in women but also occurs in men. It can occur as early 6 to 24 months of age after the introduction of weaning foods however, the majority of people who become symptomatic will do so during late childhood or adulthood. One in every100 whites of Northern European ancestry are at risk, Yet only 10% of these people will during their life be diagnoses with celiac disease. This suggests that most people with Celiac disease either remain undiagnosed or are asymptomatic.

Symptoms of Celiac disease may include one or more of the following symptoms:

•    Recurrent problem with excessive gas
•    Recurring abdominal bloating and pain
•    Chronic diarrhea
•    Pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool
•    Weight loss / weight gain
•    Fatigue
•    Unexplained anemia (a low count of red blood cells causing fatigue)
•    Bone or joint pain
•    Osteoporosis, osteopenia
•    Behavioral changes
•    Tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage)
•    Muscle cramps
•    Seizures
•    Missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss)
•    Infertility, recurrent miscarriage
•    Delayed growth
•    Failure to thrive in infants
•    Pale sores inside the mouth, called aphthous ulcers
•    Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
•    Itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis

Does Everyone Have These Symptoms?

No! Many persons with celiac disease may have no symptoms. People without symptoms are still at risk for the complications of Celiac disease, including malnutrition. The longer a person goes undiagnosed and untreated, the greater the chance of developing malnutrition and other complications. The body is just not getting enough nutrients. Malnutrition is a serious problem for children because they need adequate nutrition to develop properly. Anemia, delayed growth, and weight loss may be indications of malnutrition.

Celiac Symptoms May Vary From Person To Person?

Celiac disease clearly seems to affect people differently. Some people develop symptoms as children, others as adults. Some people with Celiac disease may have no symptoms at all or may be unaware of their symptoms. In many people the undamaged part of their small intestine may keep them will, while other may not be able to absorb enough nutrients to prevent symptoms.

The length of time a person is breast-fed, the age a person started eating gluten-containing foods, and the amount of gluten containing foods one eats are three factors that are thought to play an important role in when and how sever Celiac symptoms may be when they do appear. The longer a person was breast-fed, the later the symptoms of Celiac disease will likely appear and the less severe their symptoms.

How Is Celiac Disease Diagnosed?

Recognizing Celiac disease can be difficult because some of its symptoms are similar to those of other diseases. In fact, sometimes Celiac disease is confused with irritable bowel syndrome, iron-deficiency anemia caused by menstrual blood loss, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, intestinal infections, and chronic fatigue syndrome. As a result, celiac disease is commonly under diagnosed or misdiagnosed.

In order to make the diagnosis, if symptoms suggest it, certain autoantibodies are tested. Antibodies are protective proteins produced by the immune system in response to substances that the body perceives to be threatening. Autoantibodies are proteins that react against the body's own molecules or tissues. Abnormal levels of Immunoglobulin A (IgA), anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA) or IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA) can help your doctor rule in or rule out Celiac disease. A referral to a GI specialist may be helpful.

What Is the Treatment?

The only treatment for Celiac disease is to follow a gluten-free diet. For most people, following this diet will stop symptoms, heal existing intestinal damage, and prevent further damage. Improvements begin within days of starting the diet. The small intestine is usually completely healed in 3 to 6 months in children and younger adults and within 2 years for older adults. Completely healed means a person now has villi that can absorb nutrients from food into the bloodstream.

In order to stay well, people with Celiac disease must avoid gluten for the rest of their lives. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can damage the small intestine. The damage will occur in anyone with the disease, including people without noticeable symptoms. Some people will not improve and may even get worse in spite of watching what they eat. In such situations a specialist should be consulted.

To learn more about a Gluten Free Diet, click here.

Restaurants Offering Gluten-Free Options

When Barbara Bonavoglia, 65, learned about four and a half years ago that she and her daughter, Lisa Mackie, 33, had celiac disease, she realized they would never eat regular pasta again. It was not an easy adjustment for Ms. Bonavoglia, who grew up on her family’s Italian-American fare.

To read the full article Restaurants Offering Gluten-Free Options , click here.

Active Image How to Treat the 5 Most Common Headaches

Health.com shares a cheat sheet to identifying and treating your pain

It's critical to identify which type of headache you suffer from so that the correct treatment can be prescribed. In one 2004 study, 80 percent of patients with a recent history of self-described or doctor-diagnosed sinus headache — but none of the signs of sinus infection — actually met the criteria for migraine. And two-thirds of those patients expressed dissatisfaction with the medications they were using to treat their headaches. Health.com has a cheat sheet to help you put a name to your pain and how to treat it.

To read the full article How to Treat the 5 Most Common Headaches, click here.

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The Healthiest Time to Toss it

From pills and pillows to mattresses and shampoo, here's a reality check on when to replace 14 common household items.

To read the full article The Healthiest Time to Toss it , click here.

Stroke Risk Higher In Women Who Sleep More Than 9 Hours Or Less Than 6 Hours Per Night

Getting too much sleep may be a more serious sign of stroke risk among older women than not getting enough sleep, according to a new study.

To read the full article Older Women's Stroke Risk Linked To Sleep, click here.

Study Shows Removal Of Ovaries During Hysterectomy Is Risky, Often Unnecessary

There is not enough evidence to justify the routine removal of the ovaries during hysterectomy - a common practice that may convey as many risks as benefits for premenopausal women, a new analysis suggests.

To read the full article Weighing Risks Of Removing Ovaries, click here.

Dr. Mallika Marshall Offers Tips Beyond The Obvious "Eat Less And Exercise More"

Eating less and exercising more - but still having trouble shedding those excess pounds?

To read the full article Surprising Secrets Of Slimming Down, click here.

There are statin alternatives -- but check with a doctor first

Few things annoy a doctor as much as a patient making a decision to stop a medication without consulting the physician. That's just what happened, repeatedly, to Dr. David Becker, cardiologist at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "I saw dozens of people in my practice. I'd run the cholesterol panels, and I'd say, 'Good job. You're staying on the Lipitor or Zocor,' " he says. But it turns out their good results weren't because of the cholesterol-lowering statins he had prescribed.

To read the full article There are statin alternatives -- but check with a doctor first, click here.

Active Image Lowering cholesterol in kids starts with diet, exercise

But according to guidelines recently released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, statins may be needed to prevent harmful plaque buildup.

At first blush, the new guidelines on cholesterol control in children were shocking. Statins, one of the most frequently prescribed drugs for adults worldwide, could be prescribed for some children as young as 8, according to recommendations released last week by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

To read the full article Lowering cholesterol in kids starts with diet, exercise, click here.

Study: As Gas Prices Go up, Auto Deaths Drop

Researchers say today's high gas prices could cut auto deaths by a third as driving decreases
lifesaver for teens.

High gas prices could turn out to be a some drivers. The authors of a new study say gas prices are causing driving declines that could result in a third fewer auto deaths annually, with the most dramatic drop likely to be among teen drivers.

To read the full article As Gas Prices Go up, Auto Deaths Drop, click here.

FDA, Pfizer Told of Chantix Safety Concerns a Year Ago

A physician and top smoking cessation researcher says U.S. regulators and a drugmaker brushed aside his concerns a year ago about possibly dangerous side effects from longer-term use of the stop-smoking drug Chantix.

To read the full article Chantix Safety Concerns, click here.

Active Image Losing an Old Friend: Goodbye to Ciprofloxacin?

New Warning on Popular Antibiotic Affecting Patient Decisions

As you may have read, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it will require manufacturers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics — the group that includes ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, among others — to add a black box warning on the product label cautioning doctors and patients about the risk of tendon rupture with these agents.

To read the full article Goodbye to Ciprofloxacin? , click here.

Active Image Are you gonna eat that? How to curb food waste

We throw away about 14 percent of the grub we buy, studies suggest. Amidst growing concerns about rising food prices and global warming, many Americans are taking a closer look at what they do — and don’t — eat.

To read the full article Are you gonna eat that? How to curb food waste, click here.

Money May Give People The Incentive To Work Harder, But Their Personal Relationships May Suffer

Money may make the world go round, as the song goes, by encouraging the type of hard work and resourcefulness that leads to economic success. But money might also put a strain on personal relationships, a new study shows.

To read the full article Study: Money Affects Human Interaction, click here.

What I Wish I’d Done Differently

Looking back on the last few years of my mother’s life, with 20/20 hindsight and the belated knowledge that came from four years of reporting about aging for The New York Times, my single biggest mistake was not finding a doctor with expertise in geriatrics to quarterback her care and attend to the quality of her life, not merely its length.

To read the full article What I Wish I’d Done Differently, click here.

You are What Your Mom Eats

What you eat during pregnancy may determine if your child stays disease-free, recent research suggests.

To read the full article You are What Your Mom Eats, click here.

Kids playing outside in summer sure can work up quite an appetite.

And what better way to satisfy it between meals than with snacks that are not only healthy, but that you and they can enjoy creating -- and having -- together?!

To read the full article Healthy, Fun Summer Snacks For Kids, click here.

Study Fuels Debate Over The Best Vaccination Strategy

Teenage girls who are sexually active and those who are not eventually all have the same risk for infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), new research suggests.

To read the full article Early Sex Doesn't Predict HPV Infection, click here.

Tiny grins light up reward centers that lead to quality care, study says

Any mother who's ever felt a jolt of joy at her baby’s first grin knows how intoxicating that can be.

Now, scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine say there’s more to the baby buzz than just a rush of happy feelings. Turns out that seeing your own child smile actually activates the pleasure receptors in the brain typically associated with food, sex — and drug addiction.

To read the full article Baby's first smiles give mom's brain a buzz, click here.

More Than Three in Four Patients Don't Understand What They're Told in the ER

More than three in four emergency room patients do not fully understand the instructions that doctors give them after their visits, new research suggests.

To read the full article ER Patients Don't Understand Doc's Orders, click here.

Men's Fertility Plummets in Late 30s, Early 40s

A new study shows that a man's fertility starts to fall in his mid 30s, providing more evidence that like women, men, too, have a kind of biological clock that can play a big role in a women's chances of getting pregnant.

To read the full article Biological Clocks Tick for Men Too, click here.

Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic. Over time, however, too much pressure in your arteries can make the walls thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. This process is called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

To read the full story Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis, click here.

Study Shows Portable Device Can Zap Migraine

A lightweight, handheld device helps migraine sufferers zap away pain, sometimes within two hours, according to a new study.

Called a transcranial magnetic stimulation device (TMS), it transmits magnetic pulses that interrupt the "hyper-excitability" of neurons in the brain, which some experts believe is to blame for launching the migraine.

To read the full story Magnetic Pulses May 'Zap' Migraine Pain, click here.

More and more doctors believe that health insurance companies are taking medical decisions out of their hands by dictating the medications a doctor can prescribe to patients.

To read the full story Doctors complain about increasing reliance on generics, click here.

For older adults, motivation to stay active comes in many forms

Age is no excuse for inactivity — and neither are heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, bad knees or strokes, say folks over age 65 who responded to my recent column (Your Health, June 16) on lack of exercise among most older adults.

To read the full story For older adults, motivation to stay active comes in many forms, click here.

At 5 months old, Marty Lesner isn't quite ready for aerobics.

But his mom has led him through a daily workout since he was 2 weeks old.

To read the full story For strong babies, make playtime 'tummy time', click here.

Dr. Mallika Marshall Looks At Fast-Growing Health Problem In U.S. And Abroad

The incidence of asthma is on the rise, both in the United States and elsewhere - and at an alarming rate.

More than 20 million adults and children have it, federal statistics show.

To read the full story Spotting And Treating Asthma, click here.

Ever whacked your thumb with a hammer, or wrenched your back after lifting a heavy box, and blamed the full moon? It's a popular notion, but there's no cosmic connection, Austrian government researchers said Tuesday.

Robert Seeberger, a physicist and astronomer at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said a team of experts analyzed 500,000 industrial accidents in Austria between 2000 and 2004 and found no link to lunar activity.

"The full moon does not unfavorably affect the likelihood of an accident," Seeberger said.

To read full article Study debunks full-moon injury beliefs, click here.

Big Rise in Age-Related Eye Diseases Expected

Few aging baby boomers are aware of their risk of age-related eye diseases or are doing what they need to do to protect their future vision.

This was the finding from a national survey released today by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) to coincide with new eye disease screening recommendations for adults and the launching of a nationwide public education campaign.

To read full article Aging Baby Boomers Unaware of Eye Risk, click here.

A single cannabis joint could damage the lungs as much as smoking up to five tobacco cigarettes one after another, scientists in New Zealand have said. The research, published in the journal Thorax, found cannabis damaged the large airways in the lungs causing symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.

To read full article Cannabis harm worse than tobacco, click here.

Fatigue, usually described as feeling tired, weak or exhausted, affects most people during cancer treatment. Cancer fatigue can result from the side effects of treatment or the cancer itself. For some people, cancer fatigue is mild and temporary. For others, cancer fatigue lasts months after treatment and makes going about daily activities impossible.

To read full article Cancer fatigue: Why it occurs and how to cope, click here.

Is it true that anesthesia isn't safe for people with obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause significant complications during recovery from anesthesia. For this reason, it's important to tell your anesthesiologist that you have OSA before surgery so that he or she can take precautions to minimize the risks.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax during sleep. When these muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in and your breathing is momentarily interrupted. This may reduce the amount of oxygen supplied to your brain. Your brain senses that you've stopped breathing and briefly rouses you from sleep so that you can reopen your airway.

To read full article Obstructive sleep apnea and anesthesia, click here.

Breaking up an exercise session, by adding a rest period in between, may boost a workout's fat-burning efficiency, a team of Japanese and Danish researchers reports.

When men exercised for two 30-minute stretches, taking a 20-minute rest break in between, they burned more fat than when they exercised for a single 60-minute session, and then rested afterward, Dr. Kazushige Goto of the University of Tokyo and colleagues found.

To read full article Breaking up workouts may burn fat faster, click here.

After exhaustively compiling a list of the 237 reasons why people have sex, researchers found that young men and women get intimate for mostly the same motivations.

It's more about lust in the body than a love connection in the heart.

College-aged men and women agree on their top reasons for having sex

Research Shows You're More Likely To Gain Weight If Your Family And Friends Become Obese

New research on obesity shows that obesity may be contagious - but don't get the wrong idea about that.

The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, have nothing to do with bacteria or viruses.

To read the full story Is Obesity Contagious?, click here.

Going into a doctor's visit armed with a checklist, or even some pre-visit coaching, might help patients ask the right questions to get the information they need, a research review suggests.

Studies have shown that people often don't get all the information they want from their doctors. So researchers have looked at a number of ways to help them ask the right questions.

To read the full story Prepping for doctor visit may help patients, click here.

Editors Note:

There is one piece of advise I give every patient, before you see your doctor have a clear picture of the problems you want to work on and they symptoms that are causing you problem. Too often patients come into the office and have no idea why they are there. "I have a headache." How long have you been having pain? I don't know!" "Where does it hurt? "Everywhere!" "Do you have spots before your eyes?" "Am I supposed to?" Often it is like pulling teeth to get answers to simple questions. If you think about your problem and your symptoms before seeing your doctor you can save a great deal of time and effort and leave more time to find out how to prevent problems rather than just treat them. Another tip, bring in ALL of your medications. Too often patents have no idea which medication they are taking nor the dosages. This makes it difficult to provide superior care.

To read the full story

Physical problems often accompany PTSD, click here.

People who develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing a disaster may also face an increased risk of physical health problems, Dutch researchers report.

Among 896 men and women who survived a 2000 explosion at a fireworks depot that killed 23 people and injured about 1,000, those who developed PTSD symptoms were more than twice as likely to have vascular problems years later, such as atherosclerosis, varicose veins and swelling, Dr. Anja J. E. Dirkzwager of the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research in Utrecht and her colleagues found. The patients also rated themselves as having worse overall health.

Nearly 1 in 5 had headaches, vascular problems, study found

To read the full story

Talking With Kids About Sex, click here.

Many parents dread talking with kids about sex. They are unsure what to say or how to act. They may feel insecure, afraid of saying the wrong thing or somehow feel they are giving their kids permission to have sex. If you fall into this category of parents, relax! Talking with kids about sex does not have to be a big deal at all. You teach your kids about the world every day, and there is no reason that you should not be able to talk about sex in the same relaxed manner.

How to talk about sex with your kids.

There has been a continuing decline in the number of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases following the initial drop that occurred after parents were urged to avoid placing their infants face down to sleep. Researchers suggest that this continuing decline is due to a further change from the side to back positioning of infants before bed.

There was an initial 50 percent fall in SIDS rates from the mid-1980s to 1993, at which time nearly no infants were placed on their stomachs to sleep. Dr. Edwin A. Mitchell and colleagues from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, hypothesized that the continued decline is because fewer infants are being placed on their side to sleep.

To read the full story

One of the worlds healthiest foods, olives

To read the full story
One of the worlds healthiest foods, olives, click here.
Olives are harvested in September but available year round to make a zesty addition to salads, meat and poultry dishes and, of course, pizza.
Olives cannot be eaten right off of the tree; they require special processing to reduce their intrinsic bitterness.

Study tracks 'learning curve' in prostate surgery

To read the full story
Study tracks 'learning curve' in prostate surgery, click here.
The more times a surgeon has performed prostate surgery, the better the odds are for the patient, researchers said Tuesday in a study that validates common-sense advice to get an experienced surgeon.
They tracked success rates of a procedure to remove the prostate gland in men with prostate cancer and documented the "learning curve" doctors face as they perform operations over and over.
Previous research has shown a surgeon's level of experience can be important in influencing an operation's success. In this study, experience was measured not by age or years as a surgeon but by the number of times doctors performed this operation.

Communication now part of the cure

To read the full story
Communication now part of the cure, click here.
Retired Boston physician Jonathan Fine became a patient advocate in 2004 when he realized communication between doctor and patient is often the first casualty of a major illness.
Miscommunication puts patients at greater risk of becoming victims of preventable medical errors, according to a report this year by the Joint Commission, a national hospital accreditation organization. And the Institute of Medicine reports that medical errors cause up to 98,000 deaths a year.

Study: Diet Soda May Carry Heart Risks

To read the full story
Study: Diet Soda May Carry Heart Risks, click here.
People who drank more than one diet soda each day developed the same risks for heart disease as those who downed sugary regular soda, suggests a large but inconclusive study.
The results surprised the researchers who expected to see a difference between regular and diet soda drinkers. It could be, they suggest, that even no-calorie sweet drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and that people who indulge in sodas probably have less healthy diets overall.
Researchers Surprised To Find Diet Sodas Carry Same Risks As Regular Sodas

More Vitamin D Can Put More Pep in Seniors' Steps

To read the full story
More Vitamin D Can Put More Pep in Seniors' Steps, click here.
Declining physical performance among some Dutch seniors may not be a simple consequence of aging, it may actually be due to a vitamin D deficiency, results of a new study suggest. "Physicians and the general public should be made more aware of the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, and more effort should be concentrated on the early detection and treatment of people with suboptimal levels of vitamin D," study co-author Dr. Paul Lips, of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, and his colleagues write.

Can cholesterol go too low? Study sees cancer link

To read the full story
Can cholesterol go too low? Study sees cancer link, click here.
Lowering cholesterol as much as possible may reduce the risk of heart disease, but with a price: taking it too low could raise the risk of cancer, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
Patients who took statin drugs to lower their cholesterol had a slightly higher risk of cancer, although the study did not show that the statin drugs themselves caused the cancer.
The researchers found one extra case of cancer per 1,000 patients with the lowest levels of LDL -- low density lipoprotein or so-called bad cholesterol -- when compared to patients with higher LDL levels.

Workplace factors predict long-term disability risk

Along with treatment severity, other factors help predict whether a person who files a disability claim for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) will be out of work long-term, a new study shows.
The strongest predictor of whether or not a person was able to return to work was his or her expectation of recovery; those who declined to rate their expectations were more than four times as likely as those with high expectations of recovery to be disabled long-term, while those who had low expectations had three times the risk of chronic disability.

To read the full story Workplace factors predict long-term disability risk, click here.

Healthy Defiance is Good for Kids

Do what your mother says! Or not. New research shows defying mom may be a healthy step in the right direction for young children.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor videotaped 119 mothers as they interacted with their 14-month to 27-month-old children. The mothers were mostly middle-class. Moms were asked to have their children steer clear from enticing toys and when play time was up, kids had to clean up another group of toys they had been allowed to play with. Researchers coded the children's behavior as defiant, ignoring requests or being willingly compliant.

To read the full story Healthy Defiance is Good for Kids, click here.

HRT: Revisiting the Hormone Decision

It was the summer of 2002 when the news about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) shook us to the core.
In what felt like a bomb dropped on all womankind, the U.S. federal government halted the hormone trial of the Women's Health Initiative early

Adding blood thinners doesn't prevent heart attack

To read the full story
Adding blood thinners doesn't prevent heart attack, click here.
Two drugs are not always better than one when it comes to using blood thinners to treat clogged arteries in the legs, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.
They found that adding a blood thinner such as warfarin to daily clot-preventing drugs such as aspirin is no better -- and sometimes more dangerous -- for preventing heart attacks, strokes and other circulatory problems in people with peripheral artery disease.
About 1 in 16 people over 40 have some degree of clogging in the arteries outside their heart. The 8.5 million in the United States who do face a higher risk of death from heart disease.

Veggie Overload No Help For Breast Cancer

To read the full story
Veggie Overload No Help For Breast Cancer, click here.
Healthy diet and exercise may help women survive breast cancer, but eating more than five daily servings of fruits and vegetables doesn't offer extra benefit.
The disappointing finding comes from a seven-year study of more than 3,000 women successfully treated for early breast cancer.
University of California, San Diego cancer researcher John P. Pierce, Ph.D., and colleagues urged half the women to eat the "5-A-Day" servings of fruits and vegetables recommended by the National Cancer Institute. The other half of the women underwent intensive training to get them to eat even more of these healthy foods.
Study On Survivors Shows No Benefit To Eating More Then Recommended Servings Of Fruits And Vegetables

CDC: 2 Million In U.S. Have Chlamydia

To read the full story
CDC: 2 Million In U.S. Have Chlamydia, click here.
More than 2 million people in the U.S. are infected with chlamydia and 250,000 have gonorrhea, according to a government prevalence estimate for the two sexually transmitted diseases.
Rates of both STDs were disproportionately high among adolescents and African-Americans and among people who had been previously infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea.
Rates Highest Among African-Americans And Teenagers

Green Alternatives To Bottled Water

'Tap Water' Movement Touts Saving Money And Resources By Carrying Refillable Containers
To read the full story
Green Alternatives To Bottled Water, click here.
Carrying a water bottle these days is like carrying a cell phone, house keys and a wallet: You don't leave home without it. But few of us stop to think about the long-range impact of all those bottles we empty over the course of a year.
Environmental activists are encouraging people to find alternatives to bottled water

11 Companies To Restrict Food Advertising

Self-Imposed Rules Meant To Limit Marketing To Children Under 12
To read the full story
11 Companies To Restrict Food Advertising, click here.
Eleven of the nation's biggest food and drink companies will adopt new rules to limit advertising to children under the age of 12, a move that restricts ads for products such as McDonald's Happy Meals and the use of popular cartoon characters.
The companies, including Campbell Soup Co., General Mills Inc. and PepsiCo Inc., announced their new rules ahead of a Federal Trade Commission hearing Wednesday that steps up pressure on the companies to help curb the growing child obesity problem through more responsible marketing.

How Stress Erases Your Exercise Gains

When It Comes to Fitness, Your Own Stress Could Be Holding You Back
Let's talk. If you are reading this, you may have either finally made the decision to get back into shape or you are already in decent physical shape but experience any of a number of stress-related health issues

How to Handle Extreme Heat

Scorching temperatures in many parts of the nation are a reminder that sky-high mercury levels are not only uncomfortable

Kids' Bones At Risk From Low Vitamin D

Hours of playing video games and drinking sodas instead of milk may be putting children's bones at risk from low vitamin D levels.
A new study shows more than half of otherwise healthy children have low vitamin D levels in their blood, which may put them at risk for bone diseases, like rickets.
To read the full story Kids' Bones At Risk From Low Vitamin D, click here.
Not Enough Milk And Sunlight May Put Children's Bones At Risk Of Disease, Study Shows

Obese Survive Heart Attacks Better

While being fat increases your chances of a heart attack, some studies suggest a puzzling paradox: Obese people seem to have a better chance of surviving one. Scientists are stumped over why that seems to be the case and pose several theories.
There may be physiological differences in the hearts of obese and normal-weight people. Or perhaps it depends on where the fat is on their bodies.
To read the full story Obese Survive Heart Attacks Better, click here.
Puzzling Paradox: Obese More at Risk for Heart Attacks, but Seem to Survive Them Better

Selenium Supplements May Raise Diabetes Risk

In the Quest to Fend Off Cancer, Some May Be Opening Door to Diabetes
While selenium supplements have been touted as a preventative measure for conditions ranging from cold sores to cancer, those who take the pills daily may be getting more than they bargained for when it comes to diabetes.
Specifically, people taking selenium supplements daily over a period of years may be putting themselves at a 50 percent higher risk of developing type II diabetes than those who do not, new research suggests.
To read the full story Selenium Supplements May Raise Diabetes Risk, click here.

Anti-Smoking Pill May Help Curb Drinking

Researchers Say Anti-Smoking Pill Shows Promise in Curbing Drinking Addiction
To read the full story Anti-Smoking Pill May Help Curb Drinking, click here.
A single pill appears to hold promise in curbing the urges to both smoke and drink, according to researchers trying to help people overcome addiction by targeting a pleasure center in the brain.
The drug, called varenicline, already is sold to help smokers kick the habit. New but preliminary research suggests it could gain a second use in helping heavy drinkers quit, too.

Brain can quickly warn us of potential errors

Mind takes less than a second to prevent repeated mistakes, scientists say
Researchers have pinpointed an area in the brain that alerts us in less than a second of an impending mistake so we don

Just 2 Kisses a day can lower blood pressure

A tiny bit of dark chocolate is enough to reduce heart risks, study suggests
Here

ATVs Not Only Off-Road Risk For Kids

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) get lots of attention when it comes to off-road safety for children, but so should motorized dirt bikes, go-carts, and other vehicles, a new study shows.
The researchers estimate that from 1990 to 2003, more than a million kids and teens visited U.S. hospital emergency rooms because of accidents involving nonautomobile motorized vehicles including ATVs, dirt bikes, mopeds, go-carts, scooters, golf carts, riding lawn mowers, boats, dune buggies, mini bikes, trail bikes, farm vehicles, and snowmobiles.
To read the full story ATVs Not Only Off-Road Risk For Kids, click here.
More Than 1 Million Kids Were Hurt From 1990-2003 In ATV, Dirt Bike, And Other Motorized Vehicle Accidents

Blood pressure drugs may keep arteries clean: study

Blood pressure drugs beta-blockers can help keep arteries from clogging up, researchers said on Monday in a report that helps explain how the drugs prevent heart attack and sudden heart death.
The drugs are cheap and most are generically available, although studies show they are not prescribed as often as recommended.
To read the full story Blood pressure drugs may keep arteries clean: study, click here.

Poison Ivy Getting Worse, Researchers Say

That's the conclusion of researchers at Duke University and the United States Department of Agriculture. They say it's growing more quickly, with larger leaves

Finding Eyeglasses At Discount Prices

Marketwatch: You Can Discover Deals On Visionwear Online, If You Know Where To Look
Mass-produced eyeglasses cost roughly $2 a pair to make, according to a 2005 MIT report, but Americans regularly shell out hundreds of dollars for a single fancy pair. What are we paying for exactly? Some of that money goes toward eye exams, of course, but a significant portion can be seen as a convenience tax.
To read the full story Finding Eyeglasses At Discount Prices, click here.

Driving Is Safe For Some With Alzheimer's

Experts Say Frequent Monitoring Is Key; Older Drivers As A Group Have Good Record
Many people in the early stages of dementia

Alcohol Problems Plague 1 Out of 3 Americans

Abuse, Dependency Affect Many but Few Seek Treatment
Whether it's binge drinking or addiction to alcohol, Americans have a real problem with the bottle.
So says new research released Monday, which found that nearly one out of three Americans can expect to have a problem with alcohol at some time during their lives.
To read the full story Alcohol Problems Plague 1 Out of 3 Americans, click here.

Prior Rest Can Improve Blood Pressure Measurement

Before patients' blood pressure is measured in a doctor's office, having them seated and at rest for at least 10 minutes appears to give more reliable results, Italian researchers report in the American Journal of Hypertension.

For more information click here on Prior Rest Can Improve Blood Pressure Readings in the Doctors Office.

Comments by Dr. Allen Lawrence, M.D.:
Many people have what is commonly referred to as "White Coat Syndrome," their blood pressure goes up when they come to the doctors office. When an individual has had elevated blood pressure readings in the doctors office on prior visits they may experience anxiety and nervousness while waiting to be seen by the doctor. When they are finally taken into the back office their blood pressure may be elevated. In this article we see that simply by either asking to wait 10 minutes before having your blood pressure taken, or if your blood pressure is elevated when first taken, ask if you can have it retaken again in 10 minutes. Then rest and relax for the next 10 minutes.
When a patient has a blood pressure cuff at home, I often ask them to record their blood pressure several times over the two to three days prior to their office visit. It is not unusual for blood pressures taken at home, on the job or during daily living to be entirely normal, even when the patients blood pressure is elevated in the office. In such cases I consider the home blood pressures above the office blood pressure and if they are normal suggest that they individual is not really hypertensive, but reacting to the "White Coat Syndrome."

If you have been diagnosed as having high blood pressure, it may well pay to purchase a simple blood pressure cuff to use at home. Take your blood pressure several times a day, record the values, the time taken, and what was going on in or around you at the time they were taken. It pays to take your blood pressure after you have rested, during a stressful event, if angry, and if happy. Notice whether your mood or what is happening around you, affect your blood pressure. Bring these recording with you so your doctor can review them. Often it is an interesting learning experience.

To read more about High Blood Pressure, click here.

About Drs. Lawence

About Drs. Allen and Lisa Robyn Lawence

Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D.

Lisa Robyn Lawrence, MS., Ph.D.

Allen Lawrence, M.S., M.D. Ph.D.

In 1966 Dr. Lawrence graduated from U.C. Irvine School of Medicine. He performed his internship at U.S.C. County General Hospital in Los Angeles, California. Upon completion of his internship he entered the U.S. Air Force as a Medical Officer. He spent the next two years on the island of Guam working both with military personnel and their wives. Upon discharge from the Air Force he joined a General Practice in Los Angeles for one year. In 1970 he entered a residency training program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

Upon completion of my training Dr. Allen Lawrence went into private practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the West Los Angeles-Beverly Hills area. He practiced OB-Gyn for the next 11 years. During that time he performed thousands of deliveries. These deliveries not only in the hospital but many hundreds as home deliveries and in later in a non-hospital based birthing center. Throughout this period he never lost a single mother or baby, my C-section rate was a low 5%.

In 1983 he left the practice of OB-Gyn in 1983 after developing a severe and incapacitating heart irregularity. After trying many different combinations of medication he ultimately recognized that his problem was primarily stress-related. Dr. Lawrence spent the next ten years learning about stress, healing, comparative healing systems. Eventually, this quest lead to the realm of prevention and healing people instead of waiting until they became sick to then treat them. In 1980 he earned a Master's Degree in Nutrition and in 1984 a Ph.D. in Psychology.

For a complete resume for Allen Lawrence, M.D., click here.

For a complete list of Publications for Drs. Allen and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, click here.

Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D.

Lisa Robyn Lawrence has spent most of her adult life working in the medical profession. In the early 1980's Lisa's Premenstrual Syndrome became a major problem. Lisa, working with Dr. Allen Lawrence, researched the field of PMS. After learning its causes she was able to completely eliminate all of her symptoms. Using this work as her thesis, she was granted a Master of Science in Nutrition in 1984. In 1994 Lisa earned a Ph.D. in Human Ecology.

As Director of Nutritional Counseling Services at Reseda Woman's Center and later at Diversicare Medical Group, Lisa has worked with more than 3,000 women. For more than fifteen years Lisa has had a nutritional practice helping people with problems such as PMS, menopause, pregnancy nutrition, weight reduction, high blood pressure, diabetes and many other nutrition problems.

Besides her nutritional practice Dr. Lisa Lawrence works with men and women counseling them on alternative and natural healing techniques and treats, Stress, Stress-Related Disorders, illnesses either created by stress or made worse by it.

Today Drs. Allen and Lisa live and work together in Desert Hot Springs, California and are Co-Directors of Health Education Associates and Desert Wellness and Healing Seminars providing health education through lecturing, seminars, publishing and the internet. Dr. Allen Lawrence, no longer practice standard Western medicine. They now work with alternative medicine techniques and educate and counsel men and women in wellness and illness prevention. Their work is based on Integration of Mind, Body and Spirit and problem solving to prevent and heal illness, nutrition and lifestyle transformation.

The Lawrences are coauthors of six books, A Doctor's Proven Nutritional Program for Conquering PMS published by Simon and Schuster, Stress Related Disorders, Illness an Intelligent Act of the Body published by ALLME Publishing Co., Huna, Ancient Miracle Healing Practices and the Future of Medicine Published by Hanover House, 30-Days to No More PMS, 30-Days to No mOre PMS, The PMS Cookbook and 30-Days to No More Iron Deficiency Anemia pblished by ALLCO Publishing

For a complete resume for Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D., click here.
For a complete list of Publications for Drs. Allen and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, click here.

Seasonal Allergies

In the past 20 years, the percentage of Americans suffering from seasonal allergies has more than doubled from 10% to approximately 25%. Allergy experts explain that as modern medicine has developed more antibiotics and vaccines, our immune systems have fewer infections to fight. According to the one theory, referred to as the hygiene hypothesis, the "bored" immune system stimulates itself by turning harmless substances into allergy-causing substances (allergens) that it can fight. Still another theory suggests that the immune system is not bored, but rather confused and is sensing that the person is under attack. This occurs mostly for two reasons: 1) Americans are under extreme stress almost all the time, 2) people are living confusing and frustrated lives wishing for an wanting more than they have hence they often feel under attack from things outside of them, hence in both situations the immune system is simply responding to vague and unclear attacks and strikes out at anything that enters into the body space including what we breath in and what we eat.

Many allergies have a genetic (hereditary) basis. A child with one allergic parent has an estimated 30% to 50% risk of developing allergies over the course of his or her lifetime; with two allergic parents, the risk jumps to 50% to 70%. The genes from mom and dad may program a child's immune system to overreact to substances that don't bother other people.

Whenever a person comes in contact with a substance that might trigger an allergy (an allergen), the immune system generates excessive amounts of the allergy antibody (commonly immoglobulin E (IgE)) to fight the offending allergen. This IgE binds to certain cells in the body called "mast cells," which are found in great numbers in the eyes, nose, skin, lungs, and intestines. Whhen IgE binds to these mast cells they release a chemical called "histamine," which is an inflammatory chemical. It is this histamine release which causes most of the symptoms we gernally refer to as an "allergy attack."
While the exact same type of reaction occurs in the nose, eyes, lungs, intestinal tract or skin, the symptoms will vary greatly depending on which of these organ systems are actually involved. When we are discussing seasonal allergies we are usually relating to the eye, nose, sinuses, throat and occasionally, the lungs. While food or medication allergies more often affect the intestinal tract and/or the skin, but can also affect the nose, throat, sinuses, and lungs as well.

Antihistamines As Pre-Treatment

With seasonal allergies, when we block the inflammatory action of histamine using a class of medications called "antihistamines" we can often prevent or at least minimize sneezing, runny nose, and itching, but only if you use them before the worst part of the allergic reaction sets in.

Over-the-counter (nonprescription) antihistamines such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), chlortrimiton and others are effective but may cause drowsiness. A second newer group of more sophisticated antihistamines called H₁ antagonists: Allegra, Claritin, Clarinex, Zyrtec and Alavert, to name only a few, are now also available without a prescription and they don't have this drowsiness drawback. If over-the-counter antihistamines don't work for you, your doctor may prescribe a stronger preparation, preferably a non-sedating antihistamine or a topical antihistamine and/or topical corticosteroid.

Decongestants-And Combos
Decongestants shrink tiny vessels to reduce the amount of fluid that flows through them, and thereby the fluid that leaks into the nasal tissues. This relieves congestion and improves breathing. Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) for example, is a weak and sometimes effective nonprescription decongestant, Chlortrimiton, Drixoral, Dimatapp, Sinutab, Dristan are examples of stronger more effective medications.

Claritin-D, Allegra-D and Zyrtec-D and others which combines an antihistamine with a decongestant are sometimes helpful and are also available as over-the-counter product.

Next Stop, Sprays And Drops

When oral medications don't work or only work slightly, nasal sprays or drops may then be helpful. Nasalcrom (cromolyn sodium) is an over-the-counter antihistamine spray; Astelin (azelastine) is a prescription preparation. Both can be used for the long-term prevention of symptoms.

An over-the-counter decongestant spray such as Afrin (oxymetazoline), on the other hand, can be used for only 2 or 3 days. Longer use may lead to "rebound" nasal swelling and worsening congestion and causing an addiction-like affect.

Prescription corticosteroid nasal sprays can also safely relieve inflammation and open nasal passages. Nasonex (mometasone furoate monohydrate) is approved to both relieve and prevent nasal allergy symptoms. You'll have to use such sprays for a week before they're effective.

Itching eyes may benefit from prescription antihistamine eyedrops, particularly if used preventively. For example, you can start using Optivar (azelastine) or Patanol (olopatadine) for a week or two before you expect pollen problems to strike; the drops can also be used throughout the allergy season. Corticosteroid eyedrops may he used in severe cases, but only sparingly. And when they're used, you should be followed closely by an ophthalmologist.

The Role of an Anti-Leukotriene
Another powerful set of chemicals are often released during an allergic episode, these are called, "leukotrienes." This prescription drug blocks the allergic reaction: One Singulair (montelukast) tablet a day may relieve sneezing and a stuffed or runny nose.

A Little Prevention Does Along Way

Limit your exposure to seasonal allergens. Listen to broadcasts describing local allergens air levels. When they are high, try to stay indoors, windows closed. It helps, too, to shower at night to wash away the days pollens.

For more information regarding Allergies, click here.

Obesity Is Now a Critical Public Health Issue

Obesity is a national epidemic, and evolving research has demonstrated that it increases the risk of a variety of diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, colon cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoporosis, and obstructive sleep apnea.

Obesity Rate Rises Over Past 20 Years - The Total Number Of Obese Adults Has Risen From 12% to nearly 18% of Total U.S. Population

The number of Americans who are thinking about dieting and losing weight is probably at an all-time high. But surprisingly, so too are the number of Americans who are overweight. The medical profession defines a person as being over weight if their Basal Metabolic Index (BMI) is greater than 25. A person is considered to be obese if their BMI greater than 30). The number of people who are either overweight or obese now represents at least 30% of the U.S. population. The percentage of children and adolescents who are overweight has also doubled since the early 1970's. This bodes a raising concerns for long-term health effects as these children and adolescents become adults. Being overweight and obese increased ones risk for heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. By mid-1999, there were 7.1 million physician visits related to weight concerns. It s estimated that today there is likely more than 10 million office visits aa year related to health conditions created by being overweight or obese.

Who Is Obesity?

Obesity has increased in all levels of the American population men, women and children. It has moved across all social groups. The largest increases have occurred in the younger age groups and those with higher educational levels.

Among Hispanic men, the prevalence of obesity increased from 10% in 1991 to 18.3% in 1997 and in Hispanic women from 13.2% to 23.4%. In 1991, 4 out of 45 states surveyed had obesity rates of 15% and higher. By 1998, 37 states had rates higher than 15%.

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

It has long been known that obesity is linked to the metabolic syndrome, a precursor of type 2 diabetes. A recent study concluded that individuals in the upper-normal-weight, overweight or obese having an elevated BMI greater than 25 is in the range of having an increased risk for metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is said to occur if any 3 out of the 5 criteria of health are met:

Central abdominal obesity that is excess fat distributed around the waist, the so-called "spare tire." In men, a waist size greater than 40 inches, and in women, a waist size of 35 inches or more.

Elevated fasting blood triglyceride levels, greater than 150 mg/dl.

Low fasting blood HDL-Cholesterol levels, less than 50 mg/dl.

Blood pressure greater than 140/90

Elevated fasting blood sugar, greater than 110 mg/dl.

These abnormal levels of fat cell proteins in the bloodstream are thought to contribute to insulin resistance, which then increases fasting blood sugar levels, which then appears to lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and eventually heart disease. Many researchers believe that screening individuals with normal or slightly elevated BMI (greater than 25) is important in the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Because of the heightened awareness of obesity and its link to disease we make available to you two web sites where you , the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provides a science-based information website on weight control, physical activity, obesity, and related nutritional issues for consumers as well as health professionals. The Web site is www. niddk.nih.gov/ health/nutrit/nutrit.htm.

Diet and Inactivity

There appear to be two main reasons for the increased in overweight and obese people. 1) Refined food diet and 2) lack of exercise.

While diet is a major reason for obesity, all obesity does not occur from too much sugar or fat in the diet. While fat and sugar do appear to cause some and even substantial weight gain they are not the only factors. Another major factor is that the American (and most industrialized countries around the world) are eating almost entirely refined and processed food diets. Clearly this type of diet is high in refined sugars and fats, but also low in many important nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace minerals and nutrients. The food most Americans are eating is seriously deficient in many essential nutrients. Hence many people are actually starving and this means that they are more hungry and hence eat more refined and processed foods seriously increasing total calorie intake and further depleting the body of much needed nutrients.

The other reason for the increase in overweight and obesity persons is a decline in physical activity. In addition to inactivity. The human body developed over millions of years and during this many formative years life was generally much more physical than it is now. People walk less, less manual work is done, people drive instead of go by horse back and hence our muscles the largest fat burning organ in our body are smaller and less well developed hence burn considerably less fat.

Many physicians believe we are dealing with an "epidemic" of excess weight and obesity. We urge the public to chose much better and more balanced food intake. Meals higher in fresh fruits and vegetables. We also urge a significant reduction of refined and processed foods. Another request is for increased physical activity, and more interest in weight maintenance and weight reduction programs and alerting more people to the negative health consequences of obesity.

Am I Obese? Today we catagorize obesity in four groups:

The Preobese: those individuals with a BMI of 25-29.9

Classes 1 Obesity: those individuals with a BMI of 30-34.9

Classes 2 Obesity: those individuals with a BMI of 35-39.94

Classes 3 Obesity: those individuals with a BMI which is greater than 40

Obesity Is Now a Critical Public Health Issue

Obesity Is Now a Critical Public Health Issue

Obesity is a national epidemic, and evolving research has demonstrated that it increases the risk of a variety of diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, colon cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoporosis, and obstructive sleep apnea.

Obesity Rate Rises Over Past 20 Years -- The Total Number Of Obese Adults Has Risen From 12% to nearly 18% of Total U.S. Population

\The number of Americans who are thinking about dieting and losing weight is probably at an all-time high. But surprisingly, so too are the number of Americans who are overweight. The medical profession defines a person as being over weight if their Basal Metabolic Index (BMI) is greater than 25. A person is considered to be obese if their BMI greater than 30). The number of people who are either overweight or obese now represents at least 30% of the U.S. population. The percentage of children and adolescents who are overweight has also doubled since the early 1970's. This bodes a raising concerns for long-term health effects as these children and adolescents become adults. Being overweight and obese increased ones risk for heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. By mid-1999, there were 7.1 million physician visits related to weight concerns. It is estimate that today there is likely more than 10 million office visits aa year related to health conditions created by being overweight or obese.

Who Is Obesity?

Obesity has increased in all levels of the American population men, women and children. It has moved across all social groups. The largest increases have occurred in the younger age groups and those with higher educational levels.

Among Hispanic men, the prevalence of obesity increased from 10% in 1991 to 18.3% in 1997 and in Hispanic women from 13.2% to 23.4%. In 1991, 4 out of 45 states surveyed had obesity rates of 15% and higher. By 1998, 37 states had rates higher than 15%.

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

It has long been known that obesity is linked to the metabolic syndrome, a precursor of type 2 diabetes. A recent study concluded that individuals in the upper-normal-weight, overweight or obese having an elevated BMI greater than 25 is in the range of having an increased risk for metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is said to occur if any 3 out of the 5 criteria of health are met:

Central abdominal obesity that is excess fat distributed around the waist, the so-called "spare tire." In men, a waist size greater than 40 inches, and in women, a waist size of 35 inches or more.

Elevated fasting blood triglyceride levels, greater than 150 mg/dl.

Low fasting blood HDL-Cholesterol levels, less than 50 mg/dl.

Blood pressure greater than 140/90

Elevated fasting blood sugar, greater than 110 mg/dl.

These abnormal levels of fat cell proteins in the bloodstream are thought to contribute to insulin resistance, which then increases fasting blood sugar levels, which then appears to lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and eventually heart disease. Many researchers believe that screening individuals with normal or slightly elevated BMI (greater than 25) is important in the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Because of the heightened awareness of obesity and its link to disease we make available to you two websites where you , the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provides a science-based information website on weight control, physical activity, obesity, and related nutritional issues for consumers as well as health professionals. The Web site is www. niddk.nih.gov/ health/nutrit/nutrit.htm.

The Picture Gets Darker and More Compelling to Lose Weight

Almost every month, a new reason for obese people to be concerned arises. Recent research has found a higher risk of leukemia among older overweight women. University of Minnesota researchers concluded that being overweight or obese could more than double the slight risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in women 55 years of age and older. AML is one of the deadliest leukemias and accounts for one third of the 33,000 leukemia cases diagnosed annually in the United States. According to the study, a 5-foot, 4-inch woman who weighs between 146 and 174 pounds is considered overweight; if she weighs more than 175 pounds, she is considered obese.

Diet and Inactivity

There appear to be two main reasons for the increased in overweight and obese people. 1) Refined food diet and 2) lack of exercise.

While diet is a major reason for obesity, all obesity does not occur from too much sugar or fat in the diet. While fat and sugar do appear to cause some and even substantial weight gain they are not the only factors. Another major factor is that the American (and most industrialized countries around the world) are eating almost entirely refined and processed food diets. Clearly this type of diet is high in refined sugars and fats, but also low in many important nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace minerals and nutrients. The food most Americans are eating is seriously deficient in many essential nutrients. Hence many people are actually starving and this means that they are more hungry and hence eat more refined and processed foods seriously increasing total calorie intake and further depleting the body of much needed nutrients.

The other reason for the increase in overweight and obesity persons is a decline in physical activity. In addition to inactivity. The human body developed over millions of years and during this many formative years life was generally much more physical than it is now. People walk less, less manual work is done, people drive instead of go by horse back and hence our muscles the largest fat burning organ in our body are smaller and less well developed hence burn considerably less fat.

Many physicians believe we are dealing with an "epidemic" of excess weight and obesity. We urge the public to chose much better and more balanced food intake. Meals higher in fresh fruits and vegetables. We also urge a significant reduction of refined and processed foods. Another request is for increased physical activity, and more interest in weight maintenance and weight reduction programs and alerting more people to the negative health consequences of obesity.

Am I Obese?

Today we catagorize obesity in four groups:

1. The Preobese: those individuals with a BMI of 25-29.9
2. Classes 1 Obesity: those individuals with a BMI of 30-34.9
3. Classes 2 Obesity: those individuals with a BMI of 35-39.94
4. Classes 3 Obesity: those individuals with a BMI which is greater than 40

Dietary Modification Lower the Risk of Heart Attack

The question, "Does dietary modification lower the risk of cardiovascular disease?" is a question frequently asked by people and by their medical doctors. This question was put to the test in the following study.

Study Objectives: To assess the effects of providing dietary advice to a health group pf adults in order to achieve sustained dietary changes and improved cardiovascular risk profile among these healthy adults.

In one randomized study involving healthy adults comparing men and women provided with simple dietary advice. This group was compared with a similar group of people who were either given less intensive advice or no dietary advice at all. Trials involving children, trials to reduce weight or those involving supplementation were excluded.

Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Study authors were contacted for additional information.
Dietary advice reduced total serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol within 3-12 months. HDL cholesterol levels were unchanged. Dietary advice reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and the 24-hour excretion sodium in the urine within 3-36 months. Plasma triglycerides, ß-carotene and red cell folate were each measured in one small study which suggested no significant effect.
The study monitors suggested that self-reported dietary intake ming have been subject to a reporting bias. When patient who had received no advice were compared to patient told to increase their dietary intake of fruit and vegetable by more than one servings a day it was found that dietary fiber intake was increased by more than 7 grams per day, while total dietary fat as a percentage of total energy intake in the diet tended to fall by more than 6 % and saturated fat intake fell by more than 3 % in those who followed the basic advice provided.

Study conclusions: Dietary advice appears to be effective in bringing about modest beneficial changes in diet and cardiovascular risk factors over approximately 9 months but longer term effects are not known.

Comments by Allen Lawrence, M.D.: While clearly dietary advise is important and valuable, when combined with: 1) eliminating as much refined and processed foods as possible, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake, and establishing a regular exercise program, and 2) when needed, medication to lower cholesterol and control other risk factors such as blood pressure, these lifestyle modification can make a significant difference in risk and even reduce the total amount of medications needed to obtain the best possible risk lowering results.

For more information regarding Cardiovascular Diseases, click here.

For more information regarding Nutrition, click here.

Exercise

Exercise

Exercise is a most important part of prevention and maintaining health and wellness. Our distant ancestors had no automobiles, they often did hard physician work, walked long distances to accomplish anything and bent, stooped and lifted without the help of machines. Physical exercise is important to both the mechanics of our body and to its ability to maintain its well-being. Today, by comparison, we live a sedentary life style and we are paying prices we may not really ant to pay. Not only physical problems such as back pain, arthritis and obesity but also impaired immune system, depression, anxiety and other physical, mental and spiritual problems.
In this next section we will look at the role exercise can play in preventing illness and returning ourselves to a full and complete state of wellness.

Treating Allergies

Treating Allergies

If your symptoms are mild, you may not need treatment. The standard treatment for hives and angioedema is antihistamines. Antihistamines block the symptom-producing release of histamine. Therer are two groups of antihistamines. 1) Nonprescription, over-the-counter medications and 2) prescrition medicatiosn which require a physician Rx.

Nonprescription Medications:

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others)

Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton, others)

Clemastine (Tavist, others)

Loratadine (Alavert, Claritin)

Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine and clemastine may cause drowsiness. Loratadine usually doesn't cause drowsiness. All are affective in some people however, none are affective in everyone. If you have mild allergies you may want to try one or more of these medications before consulting your doctor. Read the product lable carefully: 1) make sure that it does not conflict with any other medications you are currently using nor any medical condition you are otherwise treating, and 2) make sure you are using it correctly.

Prescription Medications:

Desloratadine (Clarinex)

Fexofenadine (Allegra)

Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)

Desloratadine (Clarinex)

Desloratadine (Clarinex)
Desloratadine (Clarinex)
Fexofenadine (Allegra)

Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)

Some of these medication may also cause drowsiness and you should avoid driving or operating machinery if you are experiencing problems with your level of awareness or you ability to function.

Occasionally, if you are suffering from severe hives or angioedema, doctors may prescribe an oral or injectable corticosteroid drug, prednisone is one such oral drug used orally. Corticosteroids can help lessen swelling, redness and itching and more rapidly reverse severe allergic reactions.

Although useful in treating hives and angioedema, corticosteroids are often ineffective in treating hereditary angioedema (HAE). Medications used specifically to treat HAE on a long-term basis include certain androgens (male-based hormones), such as danazol (Danocrine), which can help to regulate levels of blood proteins.

For a severe attack of hives or angioedema, you may need an emergency injection of adrenaline (epinephrine) and a trip to the emergency room. If you have repeated attacks, despite treatment, your doctor may prescribe — and instruct you how to use — adrenaline to carry with you for use in emergency situations.

The very best way to avoid allergic reactions is to avoid those allergens that may stimulate an allergic reactions. This is especially true of food, medication, pollen and latex allergies.

Latex Allergies

Latex Allergies

It has been estimated that between 1% and 6% of all people may have an allergy to latex. Certain people, especially health care workers who wear latex gloves and individuals who have had multiple surgical procedures, are at particularly high risk for allergic reactions to latex. Individuals who already suffer from allergies are at an increased risk of developing latex allergy.

A latex allergy appears develop after an individual has had some sort of sensitizing contact with latex. Rubber gloves are the main source of allergic reactions. A component of the latex substance itself is an allergen for many people. The latex glove powder residue is an airborne allergen that causes upper airway allergic reactions in some people, as well as worsening asthma.

Sometimes severe skin rashes, hives, tearing of the eyes and respiratory irritation, wheezing, and itching of the skin are common symptoms of latex allergy. Allergic reactions to latex can range from slight skin redness and itching to much more serious symptoms. A more severe reaction can occur if there is extensive exposure of the mucosal membrane, such as during an operation or gynecologic exam.

Treatment of latex reactions begins by removing the offending latex product. Drug treatment also may be used, according to the type of symptoms developing. If you have latex allergy, it is important for you to wear a Medic Alert bracelet and carry an emergency epinephrine kit. There is no cure for latex allergy, so the best treatment for this condition is prevention.

It has been estimated that between 1% and 6% of all people may have an allergy to latex. Certain people, especially health care workers who wear latex gloves and individuals who have had multiple surgical procedures, are at particularly high risk for allergic reactions to latex. Individuals who already suffer from allergies are at an increased risk of developing latex allergy.

A latex allergy appears develop after an individual has had some sort of sensitizing contact with latex. Rubber gloves are the main source of allergic reactions. A component of the latex substance itself is an allergen for many people. The latex glove powder residue is an airborne allergen that causes upper airway allergic reactions in some people, as well as worsening asthma.

Sometimes severe skin rashes, hives, tearing of the eyes and respiratory irritation, wheezing, and itching of the skin are common symptoms of latex allergy. Allergic reactions to latex can range from slight skin redness and itching to much more serious symptoms. A more severe reaction can occur if there is extensive exposure of the mucosal membrane, such as during an operation or gynecologic exam.

Treatment of latex reactions begins by removing the offending latex product. Drug treatment also may be used, according to the type of symptoms developing. If you have latex allergy, it is important for you to wear a Medic Alert bracelet and carry an emergency epinephrine kit. There is no cure for latex allergy, so the best treatment for this condition is prevention.

Purchase Weight Loss

Instruction for Purchasing
Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program

* * PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY * *

You can now purchase the Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program right now and have it for your very own.

All you will have to do is follow these steps:

To purchase the Metamorphosis On-Line Weight Loss Manual send a check or money order for $19.95 to the address below. If you wish to sign up for the entire Metamorphosis On-Line Weight Loss program, which includes the Metamorphosis On-Line Weight Loss Manual along with all of our special Weight Loss forms which will help you to follow and tailor make a weight loss program designed only for you along with 90-days of E-mail support send $99.95 to:

Allen Lawrence, M.D.
14080 Palm Drive, Suite #D-237
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

Important: Remember, to please include your name and email address with your order.

Once we receive your check or money order we will send you by email the address where you can find the Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program. All you will need to do then is to click the Print button on your Internet program and print out the entire book.

Just make sure that you have between 80 and 100 pages of paper in your printer (the exact number of pages necessary will be determined by your printer and margin settings.

You can then get started immediately on the Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program right in the comfort of your own home.

It is as easy as 1...2...3...4...

If you have questions or want further information about the Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program feel free to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Ask us whatever you want to know and we will do our best to help you.

Lawrence Publications

Publication Credits

Allen Lawrence, M.D., M.A., Ph.D.
Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D.

Books Presently Published And Available
Special Report: A Doctor's Proven Nutritional Program For Conquering PMS©. (Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S. Simon & Schuster, Prentice Hall, Parker Publishing Co. $24.95. Released July 1993.) The Lawrences have treated more than one thousand women with PMS in the past 14 years. PMS affects 40 million women in the US alone. This is a step-by-step self-treatment program which teaches women everything they need to know in order to eliminate their PMS symptoms. It includes tables, daily diet selections and list of foods which can either worsen PMS or relieve it.

Stress-Related Disorders, Illness as an Intelligent Act of the Body© (Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph. D., ALLME Publishing.) $8.95. Stress-Related Disorders affect tens of millions of men, women and children yearly. Often many people are "allowed to get sick" because neither they nor their medical doctors are aware of how stress causes illness and how these illnesses can be recognized early. Without early recognition the underlying problems cannot be solved, stress increases and eventually permanent injury is created. This book looks at establishing a drugless approach to curing many illnesses. This book is designed for the busy reader who wants basics facts without in depth explanations.

Huna—Ancient Healing Miracle Practices and the Future of Medicine©: (Co-Author Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph. D. Released February 1995) $14.95. Physicians using modern, Western medicine, rarely cure any of their patients. The general public wants more. This study contrasts the ancient form of Hawaiian medicine known as Huna with what the authors call the Interventive medical system. The book demonstrates to physician and patient alike how the use of Huna can cure rather than merely treat illness.

30-Days To No More PMS, A Doctor’s Proven Nutritional Program©. (Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Allco Publishing. $24.95. Released July 2003.) The Lawrences have treated more than one thousand women with PMS in the past 14 years. PMS affects 40 million women in the US alone. This is a step-by-step self-treatment program which teaches women everything they need to know in order to eliminate their PMS symptoms. It includes tables, daily diet selections and list of foods which can either worsen PMS or relieve it.

30-Days To No More PMS, The Cookbook© (Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Allco Publishing. $19.95) This is a companion book to 30-Days to No More PMS, A Doctor’s Proven Nutritional Program and provides more than 70 recipes, food plans and basic information for constructing a healthy anti-PMS diet.. This is a companion book to 30-Days to No More PMS, A Doctor’s Proven Nutritional Program and provides more than 70 recipes, food plans and basic information for constructing a healthy anti-PMS diet.

30-Days To No More IDA, A Doctor’s Proven Nutritional Program©. (Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Allco Publishing. $9.95. The Lawrences have treated more thousands of men, women and children with Iron Deficiency Anemia over the past 25 years. Iron Deficiency Anemia affects million of people in the US alone. This is a step-by-step self-treatment program which teaches men and women everything they need to know in order to eliminate their Iron Deficiency Anemia and its symptoms. It includes tables, daily diet selections and list of foods which can either worsen IDA or relieve it.
Making Sense out of Ear Problems, Ear Pain and Ear Infections© (Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph. D., ALLCO Publishing, 2004 $9.95) Ear pain and ear infections are common problems. Many families men, women and children are affected and often these infections create emotional as well as physical pain. In this book we demystify this problem and look at ways to prevent and treat ear pain and infections boy medically and using alterative medical treatments

Medical Self-Help Programs
Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program©
This is a nutritionally-based patient education and a self-help program which can be used to assist patients along with appropriate office support and counseling to lose weight safely, sanely and easily. As much as 3 to 7 lbs. a week weight loss can be obtained when patients follow this program as it is written. This is a tried and proven program used by the Lawrence’s in medical practice for more than ten years. It works. It requires no medications or appetite suppressants.

Metamorphosis Low-Cholesterol, Low-Fat Dietary Program©
This is a nutritionally-based patient education and self-help program which can be used to assist patients along with appropriate office support and counseling to lose to lower their cholesterol and triglycerides sanely and easily. This is a tried and proven program used by the Lawrence’s in medical practice for more than ten years. It works.

Metamorphosis Mediterranean-Style Low Cholesterol Dietary Program©
This is a new nutritionally-based patient education and self-help program which can be used to assist patients along with appropriate office support and counseling for lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. This is a tried and proven program used by the Lawrence’s in medical practice and it works.
PMS Dietary Treatment Program©
This is nutritionally-based patient education, self-help program which can be used to assist patients with along with appropriate office support and counseling to control and eliminate PMS symptoms and long term consequences of PMS through dietary choices alone. No medication or medical treatments are necessary.

Diabetes Nutritional Program©
This is a nutritionally-based patient education and self-help program which can be used to assist patients along with appropriate office support and counseling to control type 2 diabetics not only to control their diabetes, but also to reduce total medication, reduce or eliminate use of insulin, and/or oral medication, and to control diabetes with diet alone.

Books and Series Completed or Near Ready for Publication
Health Education Programs, Audiovisuals and Slide Shows Programs

Understanding Asthma, the Basics©
A presentation discussing the basics of asthma for the Asthma patient. It discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, causes, and basic fundamentals of treatment.

Understanding Asthma, Treating Your Asthma©
Discusses the basics of treatment of asthma the whys and how to dos that patients need to know to be successful in managing their asthma and eliminating recurrent episodes.

Understanding Diabetes Mellitus, The Basics©
Discusses the basics of diabetes, who becomes a diabetic, the symptoms, diagnosis and basic fundamentals of treating diabetes, Types 1 and 2.
Understanding Diabetes, Injecting Insulin©
The step by step instructions for preparing and injecting insulin, designed to make the role of the nurse and the doctor easier in teaching patient how to self inject themselves with insulin. job easier

Breezing Through Menopause, The Basics©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about Menopause what it is, why it happens and what can be done to reduce potential problems.

Breezing Through Menopause, Making Decisions©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing the more advanced issues and decisions that must be made in the post menopausal era including osteoporosis, hormonal therapy, breast cancer, gynecologic cancers, diet and other health risks associated with the post menopausal era.

Osteoporosis, What Every Woman Should Know©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about osteoporosis, risk of fracture, prevention and nutritional considerations.

Premenstrual Syndrome©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), including what PMS is, the several basic patterns seen, the hormonal and dietary imbalances that create it and basic treatment.

Basic Stress©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about stress which includes basic information of what stress is and how it affects us and our immune system.

Stress-Related Diseases©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about illness and the process of creating illnesses caused by stress or made worse by stress.

Healing Yourself and Others©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about how illness is created, healing and wellness, how healing is created and the basics of wellness.

General Contraception©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about the basics of family planning, contraceptive methods and how to choose a contraceptive method
Huna, Integration of Mind, Body and Spirit©
A slide show program for in-office education of patients detailing basic information about the basics of Huna, Hawaiian medicine and its theories of the benefits of integration of mind, body and spirit in preventing, illness, healing and enlightening oneself. Ho’oponopono, A Traditional Hawaiian

Ho’oponopono, A Traditional Hawaiian Family Problem Solving Process©
A slide show presentation outlining the basic principles and facts of Ho’oponopono. Ho’oponopono is a traditional ritual process used for restoring physical, mental, emotional and spiritual harmony and balance between two or more individuals, a specific group or an extended family in Hawaii.

Internet Publications
Wellness on the Web©
At http://www.yourpersonalwebmd.com I have more than four hundred and fifty articles and documents, all written by the Lawrences relating to health, wellness, healing, common medical problems, women’s health issues, cardiovascular disease, stress, nutrition, exercise, Hawaiian healing systems. Wellness on the Web is linked to more than 60 other health and wellness websites around the globe.
Questions and Answers Section: Dr. Lawrence presently helps individuals from all over the world by answering questions on health, wellness, nutrition, PMS, Menopause and many other topics. Dr. Lawrence is also a regular panel member of Ask the Doctor out of Canada where he along with 70 other physicians and specialists in the medical area answer many health related questions. When questions come into The Wellness on the Web Q& A Section that Dr. Lawrence cannot answer he will contact specific specialists or practitioners on the Ask the Doctor website for their help or refer the question to the general panel.

Additional Web sites opeated by Drs. Allen and Lisa Robyn Lawrence
30daystonomorepms.com
30daystonomoreida.com
ancientmiraclehealing.com
metamorphosisdiet.com
lawrenceweighloss.com
srdbook.com
personalwebmd.com
breezingthroughmenopause.com

Wellness Programs and Books Available on the Internet
30-Days to No More PMS©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. PMS is a readily solvable problem. It is a nutritional deficiency and excess syndrome when the PMS sufferer eats the right diet for her body’s needs PMS will disappear. This on-line book teaches the PMS sufferer what PMS is and how it can be permanently eliminated. Information in the book is based on the clinical experience of Drs. Allen and Lisa Lawrence in treating more than two thousand women with PMS.
The Metamorphosis Weight Loss Program©

Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Metamorphosis is a safe and sane weight loss program. It educates the reader to the basic of eating a good healthy diet, how to chose low fat foods, foods which are low in refined and processed sugars, and foods which a re nutritionally dense, that is high in vitamins, minerals complex carbohydrates, protein, trace and micro nutrients. Sample diets are given. Lists of foods which are healthy and tips on how to avoid regaining weight once lost. It is based on sound principles of medical nutrition and common sense.

The Metamorphosis Mediterranean-Style Low Fat, Low Cholesterol Diet Program ©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. A sophisticated low fat, low cholesterol dietary program based on the now famous Mediterranean diet for people with elevated cholesterol, and risk of coronary artery disease or stroke. Sample diets are given. Lists of foods which are healthy and tips on how to further lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. It is based on sound principles of medical nutrition and common sense.
The Metamorphosis Low Fat, Low Cholesterol Diet Program©

Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. A sophisticated low fat, low cholesterol dietary program for people with elevated cholesterol, and risk of coronary artery disease or stroke. Sample diets are given. Lists of foods which are healthy and tips on how to further lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. It is based on sound principles of medical nutrition and common sense.

The Metamorphosis Good Healthy Diet Program©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Robyn Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. People ask all the time what should I eat or not eat to keep healthy. This book presents one of the most sophisticated healthy dietary program for people who are basically healthy and wish to stay healthy. Sample diets are given. Lists of foods which are healthy and tips on how to continue to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. It is based on sound principles of medical nutrition and common sense.

Stress-Related Disorders, Illness as an Intelligent Act of the Body©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Stress-Related Disorders affect tens of millions of men, women and children yearly. Often many people are "allowed to get sick" because neither they nor their medical doctors are aware of how stress causes illness and how these illnesses can be recognized early. Without early recognition the underlying problems cannot be solved, stress increases and eventually permanent injury is created. This book looks at establishing a drugless approach to curing many illnesses. This book is designed for the busy reader who wants basics facts without in depth explanations.

Healing through Huna, Ancient Secrets of Healing Mind, Body and Spirit©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. A look at what the ancients knew about healing and creating harmony and balance in mind, body and spirit. Huna adds a new and responsible dimension to the medial treatment of any illness. It teaches the reader how to use visualization, positive attitude and ancient knowledge of healing along with current medical treatment to promote faster healing and prevention of illness.

Psychoneuroimmunology, Gateway to Mind, Body, Spirit Medicine©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. A narrative about the evolving role of psychoneuroimmunology in medical practice. Designed for educating the general public. This work looks at what psychoneuroimmunology is and how it is beginning to affect the day to day practice of medicine, healing and understanding the causes of illness. It also looks at what researchers are now finding out about the interrelationship of neurochemistry, mind and spirit to the health and well-being of the physical body. Ho’oponopono, A Traditional Hawaiian Family Problem Solving Process©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. ho’oponopono is a traditional ritual process used for restoring physical, mental, emotional and spiritual harmony and balance between two or more individuals, a specific group or an extended family in Hawaii. The word ho’oponopono like most Hawaiian words has many meanings, the most common meanings are "to set right, to correct, to put in order or rectify." It has for generations been used by Hawaiians to restore and maintain good relationships among family members, neighbors, community members and supernatural powers. To the ancient Hawaiians interpersonal harmony and balance were essential. Their society, both within the village and the culture of the island system itself, depended on order and avoidance of overt conflict. Traditionally ho’oponopono was the process used to bring all parties together to find solutions which restored harmony and balance to the family and the community.
When Your Body Talks–Listen! Healing Yourself and Others©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Where does illness come from? Is it due to bad genetics, bacteria, viruses or as the Lawrence’s believe it occurs as ca consequence of the body’s own healing and repair systems becoming undermined by unresolved conflicts which cause stress and hence impair the body’s ability to defend and heal it self.

When Your Body Talks–Listen! Healing Yourself and Others©
Co-Authors Allen Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Lisa Lawrence, M.S., Ph.D. Where does illness come from? Is it due to bad genetics, bacteria, viruses or as the Lawrence’s believe it occurs as ca consequence of the body’s own healing and repair systems becoming undermined by unresolved conflicts which cause stress and hence impair the body’s ability to defend and heal it self.