Daily Health and Medicine News

Cancer Treatment News

Anti-Estrogen Drugs May Be Effective Lung Cancer Treatment

New research has found that a long-known drug to help treat breast cancer may also be used to reduce death risks from lung cancer as well. The drug is an anti-estrogen and has been known for nearly 30 years.

The study can be found in Cancer, a journal published online.

The drug, called tamoxifen, was shown to decrease lung cancer death risks in women with breast cancer. Researchers claim the results may be premature to use this drug as a treatment option for lung cancer patients, however.

Researchers believe this drug may be instrumental for lung cancer patients as lung cancer is believed to be caused at least somewhat by estrogen.

Another finding experts have explained is that in previous studies, lung cancer risks were shown to increase during menopause as women underwent hormone replacement therapy. Based on that, researchers believed the use of an anti-estrogen might be an effective treatment option for lung cancer as well.

For this study, researchers examined health records of 6,655 women. Each woman had a breast cancer diagnosis, and nearly half of the women were treated with an anti-estrogen drug, primarly tamoxifen.

For women receiving anti-estrogen treatment, lung cancer death risks were nearly 90 percent lower than in women who did not receive treatment.

Limitations on this study could have been the sample size, as only 40 women developed lung cancer.

Additionally, some studies involving mice have explained that tamoxifen may increase lung cancer risks.

Compiling all information, researchers firmly believe additional studies need to be performed.

New blood test key to future of cancer treatment

A new cancer test that performs a liquid biopsy in patients garnered widespread headlines last week, but it’s not going to immediately transform treatment of the disease.

In some ways the most significant aspect of the test may be that it highlights the promise of both early cancer detection and personalized medicine, two key areas of medical research that may, one day, combine to end much of the menace of cancer.

“I’m pretty optimistic about the future of cancer treatment,” said Dr. Kent Osborne, director of the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

“I think right now we’re just at the tip of the iceberg with the problem, but we now have the tools to work through them. It’s an exciting time.”

The new blood test, developed by Boston scientists and to be brought to market by Johnson & Johnson, is driven by something akin to a hairbrush with 78,000 tiny bristles.

Blood passes through the bristles, which are far enough apart to let red and white blood cells pass through but can trap larger tumor cells. In addition, there are biological particles on the bristles — antibodies – that stick to cancer cells. The goal is to capture stray cancer cells shed by tumors as they spread through the body – no easy thing as fewer than 1 out of billion cells in the blood may be cancerous even with an aggressively spreading disease.

Initially, scientists say, the test will be used on cancer patients who have undergone therapy to determine if the cancer has come back, and if so, how the resurgent cancer cells have mutated.
Tests for mutations

This is one of the areas that Massachusetts General Hospital, Sloan-Kettering, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston will study with a $15 million grant from the Stand Up to Cancer telethon, run by the American Association for Cancer Research.

“A tumor may shrink after initial treatment,” said Dr. John Heymach, an associate professor at M.D. Anderson who will be involved in the clinical trials in Houston.

“But afterward, individual cancer cells often develop secondary mutations. We want to know if we can use this test to identify those secondary mutations because, if so, we have different drugs that may be able to treat secondary mutations,” Heymach said.

The test, in essence, combines both cancer detection and personalized medicine in a tidy bundle. This may provide a glimpse into the future of cancer therapy.

In terms of detection, scientists have a ways to go. Indeed, it may never be possible to detect very early cancers from a single blood test, Heymach said.

Whereas a spreading cancer may not shed that many tumor cells, it produces hundreds to thousands times more cells than an early cancer.

For now the best way to detect tumors early is a CT scan, which can find tumors as small as a sugar cube.
Researching proteins

But in Houston labs and across the country, scientists are trying to develop an array of technologies to sniff out cancer in its early stages, when it’s most vulnerable.

In addition to looking for cancer cells in blood, scientists have also turned to identifying proteins associated with tumors as well as small bits of RNA – material like DNA that contains genetic information – that appear to correlate with cancer.

“A lot of groups are looking at different biomarkers,” said Osborne, the Baylor physician, who is working with RNA material. “You can see the potential if we find some markers that tell us there’s a cancer there before we can see it on an X-ray.”

The blood test, with its ability to capture cancer cells for analysis, extends the potential of personalized medicine, the notion that by better understanding the biological nature of a person’s illness, a better treatment can be tailored to the patient.

On average, drugs work in about 50 percent of patients, said David Gorenstein, associate dean for research at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Doctors want to do much better.

The classic example of personalized medicine comes from the drug Herceptin.
Complex challenge

Clinical trials initially showed the drug had only a mild beneficial effect on patients. Then scientists discovered that women whose breast cancer tumors produced an excessive amount of a certain protein, about one-quarter of patients, responded very well to treatment with Herceptin. Patients who didn’t produce large amounts of the protein saw no benefit.

The promise of personalized medicine is that, by understanding the genes and proteins involved in various cancers, doctors can gain a much better understanding of how to attack a disease with various drugs.

But the personalized medicine successes such as Herceptin are so far the exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to pinpointing the right drug for a disease.

“Biology is very, very complex,” Gorenstein said. “We have 20,000 genes, half a million proteins, and they all interact through signaling. We have mapped the human genome, but we don’t understand what all the genes are doing, nor all of the networks and pathways of protein interactions that constitute life.

“There’s a huge amount of unknowns. But the technologies that have developed over the last 10 years have rapidly accelerated the process by which we can understand these things.”

Acne Treatment Today

Acne Treatment – Simple Steps to Treat Acne That Works

John Appleby, the founder of AcneTreatmentAdvice.org has been helping people cure their acne problems for a number of years now.

He recently undertook a study of a few young adults who were unable to get rid of their acne despite trying the most popular acne products and medications on the market and prescribed by doctors.

This confused John because he had done a lot of research into the acne problem and has seen how acne treatments can help. When he had enough people with so called untreatable acne he decided that he would look into each case individually and see if there was something that he could do.

What surprised John was that in each case the doctors had not given them some basic advice that he thought was essential. There was a sense that the doctors had looked at the problem and prescribed a medication and that was that. This struck him as being a bit of a one dimensional view on acne and he realized that he might just know what the issue was.

In the spirit of good research he decided that he would set up a test to see if what he thought was correct. So he told the acne sufferers to keep to their current routine but use these two tips as well and in one month’s time he would contact them again to see if there had been a marked improvement.

These two tips were:

– Drink plenty of water. This is such a simple tip and John couldn’t believe that the doctors where not asking the sufferers how much water they were drinking. Being constantly hydrated is essential to good skin health and every single one of the acne sufferers he spoke to were not drinking enough. So he said drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, every day.

– Don’t pick, squeeze or even touch your acne. Appreciating that this is difficult he gave them some advice on how to train their mind to not do it as he found that many were playing with their acne without even noticing they were doing it.

When the month was up and the results were in, every single acne sufferer had experienced at least some improvement. Some were even amazed at the difference this made to their condition.

Acne Treatment Toronto – having flawless skin

20th January 2011 – Every woman in this world thinks of becoming beautiful and dreams of having flawless skin. This is just because they are not satisfied with what they have and there is nothing wrong in asking for the above as it is in the human nature to do the same. There are many facilities all round the globe where doctors and experts are working at the same and trying to make you look beautiful.
It is to be noted that Acne Treatment Toronto has made quite a name in the last decade or so. They are certainly your help at hand as they would provide with the right complexion and flawless skin that you always dreamt of. One method of curing the problem of pimple and acnes is laser treatment which helps you get rid of the problem. Once you start searching the net you would get endless cure for the same, some of which would be temporary while others permanent. There is always a possibility of acne growing back if you do not take proper care of your skin and use harsh creams and chemicals.
Acne occurs because of bacterial growth and laser treatment can indeed help you solve the underline menace. This generally happens because of bad food habits and poor metabolism. When the acne is exposed to a specific wave length of light they get destroyed. Hence this prevents the future growth of acne on that part as well. However, you should remember taking food rich in nutrients and water of a substantial amount.
When the LuxV dual band emits a ray of light of around 400 to 700 nm and 870 to 1200 nm it removes the acne permanently. This beam of light falls under the blue spectrum and has a cooling sensation that destroys the same. People are at times apprehensive about this laser treatment however they should note that this laser treatment does not damage their skin. At times people report of minor side effects but they actually do not occur in the majority of people.
Acne Treatment Toronto has thus found many takers. It should be noted that the treatment is indeed very effective although that it requires a bit of money. You may report of acquiring scars but they can be removed quite easily by medication and ointments. Thus you can stop worrying now and rush for the treatment since the treatment is at hand.

Diabetes News and Treatment

Coffee Can Curb Diabetes Risks

UCLA — Researchers at UCLA have discovered that coffee’s protective effects against Type 2 diabetes may be attributed to a protein that regulates sex hormones.

Sex hormone-binding globulin, or SHBG, regulates and biologically activates male and female sex hormones, which are commonly thought to play a crucial role in the development of Type 2 diabetes. By increasing coffee consumption, SHBG levels increase, lowering the subject’s risk of developing diabetes.

In a press release, UCLA professor of epidemiology Simon Liu and doctoral student Atsushi Goto reported that women who consumed four cups of coffee each day were 56 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes compared to nondrinkers. The coffee-drinkers were found to have higher concentrations of SHBG in their blood than those who abstained from the caffeinated beverage.

According to Goto, the study’s findings are not correlated to decaffeinated coffee.

“Consumption of decaffeinated coffee was not significantly associated with SHBG levels, nor diabetes risk, so you probably have to go for the octane!” Goto said in a press release.

Old Drug Helps Alcohol Addicts

UC San Francisco — A group of scientists at UC San Francisco recently published a study of an FDA-approved drug that could potentially treat alcoholism.

Chlorzoxazone, commonly prescribed as a muscle relaxant, has been confirmed to decrease alcohol consumption in heavy-drinking rats. According to lead author Woody Hopf, an assistant adjunct professor of neurology at UCSF, the drug could reduce neuronal excitability in a region of the brain’s reward system known as the nucleus accumbens, which perpetuates cravings for alcohol or other addictive substances.

In their current study, Hopf and his colleagues discovered that rats that drink heavily have fewer SK channels — ion channels that allow potassium to pass across a cell membrane — in their neurons than rats that do not drink heavily. Chlorzoxazone was found to activate those SK channels, resulting in a loss of excitability of the nucleus accumbens, which plays a large part in addiction and pleasure as well as the suppression of alcohol consumption in heavy-drinking rats.

“Chlorzoxazone might be exactly the kind of drug to take the edge off that craving, without side effects.” Hopf said in a press release.

According to Hopf, the next step is clinical trials, which he said can be expected to begin immediately, as the drug has already been approved by the FDA.

Geneticists Gaze Into Gut Genome

UC Berkeley — Scientists at UC Berkeley have sequenced the genomes of microbes that exist within the gut of prematurely born infants in order to achieve a better understanding of the intestinal problems that commonly plague the population.

Researchers are still unsure if the diseases, including deadly necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, are caused by bacterial pathogens or imbalances within the population of organisms that live within the gut of premature infants.

As infants mature, the populations of organisms that reside in their gut change dynamically as various microbes compete for biological dominance. Babies born prematurely may have eccentricities in their cycle that lead to the proliferation of disease-causing bacteria, possibly resulting in illness.

According to assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Michael J. Morowitz, in order to gain a better understanding of the microbe populations, an analysis of normal, healthy microbial population dynamics is needed before disease-causing factors can be found.

“It’s become very apparent that there are some fundamental unanswered questions just about the colonization process under normal circumstances,” Morowitz said in a press release. “It’s really important to get a handle on what the normal process is first, and then, eventually, we can look closely at babies with NEC and see if they deviate from what appears to be the normal colonization process.”

Jill Banfield, a professor of earth and planetary science and of environmental science, policy and management at UC Berkeley, said in a press release that a full genome sequence is needed due to the possibility of even a few genes having strong implications for the character of the bacteria.

“We already know that just a few genes can make one strain a pathogen and one beneficial or commensal,” Banfield said. “We expect that a lot of the issues with the colonization process in the gut that leads to disease may be tracked to subtle differences in strains.”

Glaxo Sets Aside Over £2bn to Cover Legal Fees

18 January 2011 – The global pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline has set aside £2.2 billion during the fourth quarter of 2010 to cover possible legal fees related to its diabetes drug Avandia.

The European authorities banned Avandia during 2010 while its use has been restricted in the United States due to a suspected link to heart disease, according to news reports.

The drug giant said in a statement that the £2.2 billion charge primarily relates to “additional provisioning” which is related to a US state investigation into the group’s US sales, promotional activities and product liability cases related to Avandia.

Such legal fees are an occupational hazard for large drug groups operating in the complex pharmaceuticals market which has weathered the global economic downturn relatively well.

Outside the US, the Asia Pacific region is emerging as the fastest growing pharmaceutical industry in the global arena, according to a new report, entitled “Asia Pacific Pharma Sector Analysis”.

The region’s low labor and manufacturing costs have attracted huge investments from the global giants, including GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer among other companies.

In combination with increasing disposable income of regional consumers and the increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases, these factors will help the market to grow at double digit growth rate during the forecast years, according to the report which provides a comprehensive overview of the sector in the region.

Research and Markets: China Diabetes Management Devices Market Opportunity, Growth Trends & Forecasts Till 2016

The Market Intelligence report provides critical market data for China diabetes management devices market and its product categories. The data includes market size in terms of value and volume; average selling price for each product type, growth trends and market shares of companies at sector and category level. Its vital cross category comparison and cross sub-category comparison section makes analysis very handy for company professionals. The report helps professionals in mapping market size, competition, understanding historic and future growth trends. It covers important categories such as blood glucose monitoring systems and insulin delivery devices.
Market size in terms of value ($) and volume (units), for each level of segmentation from 2005 to 2010 and forecast till 2016.
Market growth in terms of value ($) and volume (units), for each level of segmentation from 2005 to 2010 and forecast till 2016.
Competitive Analysis: Market share (%) of companies is covered at sector and category level for 2010.
Pricing Analysis: Average selling price ($) for each product type from 2005 2010 and forecast till 2016.

Cross category comparison and cross sub-category comparison Forecast and historic market growth and market size comparison for various categories and sub-categories from 2005 to 2010 and 2010 to 2016.

We update this product from time to time in order to provide you with the most recent information. This process may take 24 to 36 hrs.

Key Topics Covered:

Introduction

Scope of the Report

Chinese Market for Diabetes Management Devices (2005-2016)
Definitions
Diabetes Management Devices
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems
Insulin Delivery Devices
Diabetes Management Devices Overall Revenue ($ mn) by Category, (2005-2016)
Diabetes Management Devices Overall Company Shares, 2010

Chinese Market for Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems (2005-2016)
Definitions
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems
Blood Glucose Meters
Blood Glucose Test Strips
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Revenue ($ mn) by Sub-Category, (2005-2016)
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Volume (Units) by Sub-Category, (2005-2016)
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Average Price ($), (2005-2016)
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Company Share (%), 2010

Chinese Market for Insulin Delivery Devices (2005-2016)
Definitions
Insulin Delivery Devices
Insulin Pens
Reusable Insulin Pens
Disposable Insulin Pens
Insulin Syringes
Insulin Pumps
Insulin Delivery Devices Revenue ($ mn) by Sub-Category, (2005-2016)
Insulin Delivery Devices Volume (Units) by Sub-Category, (2005-2016)
Insulin Delivery Devices Average Price ($), (2005-2016)
Insulin Delivery Devices Company Shares (%), 2010

Appendix
Research Methodology
Contact us
Disclaimer

Companies Mentioned:
Abbott Laboratories
Animas Corporation
Apex Biotechnology Corp
ARKRAY, Inc.
AViTA Corporation
Bayer HealthCare AG
Becton, Dickinson and Company
BIONIME Corporation
Eli Lilly and Company
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
LifeScan, Inc.
Medtronic, Inc.
Novo Nordisk A/S
San Meditech(Huzhou)Co.,Ltd
Sanofi-Aventis
Smiths Medical
Terumo Corporation

Arthritis Treatment Today

Tylenol issues another recall, but says products are safe for consumers

The maker of Tylenol is recalling several of its Tylenol products — as well as some cases of Benadryl, Sudafed and Sinutab products — because they were made in a Pennsylvania plant that has been shut down.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Tylenol 8 Hour, Tylenol Arthritis Pain and Tylenol upper respiratory products that were distributed in the United States, the Caribbean and Brazil.

The products, which also include some lots of Sudafed PE, Sinutab and Benadryl, were manufactured at the McNeil plant in Fort Washington, Penn., before April 2010, when production at that plant was suspended because of insufficient cleaning procedures.

The company says that the recall is a precautionary measure taken after the company reviewed its quality procedures.

The company says that consumers do not need to take any action and may continue to use the products. “It is very unlikely that this impacted the quality of these products,” the company said in a statement.

In addition, McNeil also has recalled certain product lots of Rolaids Multi-Symptom Berry Tablets distributed in the United States, in order to update the labeling. The company initiated the recall after determining that the product labeling does not include the language “Does not meet USP” as required by regulation.

A USP label means that the product meets the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia, a non–governmental authority that sets standards for prescription and over-the-counter medicines and other healthcare products manufactured or sold in the United States.

Johnson & Johnson, which owns McNeil Consumer Healthcare, has come under scrutiny in the past year because it has recalled about 288 million items, including about 136 million bottles of liquid Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl for infants and children.

The problems stem from quality-control issues in multiple factories. Last year’s recalls were sparked because some of its consumer products contained bits of metal, while others came in bottles with a moldy smell.

McNeil, meanwhile, is conducting a comprehensive review of records at its U.S. manufacturing facilities.

Consumers can access full product details and other information about the recall on the http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com website or by calling its Consumer Care Center at 1-888-222-6036 (available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time).

Master switch that triggers arthritis found

LONDON: In what may pave the way for an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis , scientists have identified what they claim is a “master switch” which triggers the condition .

A team at Imperial College London has, in fact, found a protein, called IRF5, that acts as a switch, telling immune system cells, called macrophages , to promote or stop inflammation , the Daily Express reported . “This is really exciting ,” lead researcher Irina Udalovasaid .

Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable immune system disease where joints are swollen by inflammation. The body uses inflammation as a defence against infection and tissue damage, but too much is harmful .

Blocking the production of IRF5 could help in a range of diseases including RA, lupus and even MS , say the British scientists .

Petpals – Treating canine arthritis

Like humans, dogs can also get arthritis due to old age, joint infections, traumatic injury to joints, dietary imbalance, autoimmune diseases and hormonal imbalance. Genetic factors, breed susceptibility, being overweight and lack of exercise can act as predisposing factors for arthritis.

On an average, a dog’s skeletal system has 319 bones regardless of the breed type. The structure comprises of different kinds of bones and joints which undergo several changes due to environmental challenges during lifetime.

The first seven to eight months are very important in pup’s life as this is the period of rapid growth and development. Proper supplementation of essential minerals like Calcium and Phosphorous is important during this period. Along with oral supplementation, proper exercise for the dog is also needed to keep the body in proper shape and to ensure a strong skeletal system.

The most common form of arthritis in dogs is osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease)

Symptoms

Favouring a particular limb

Hesitancy to jump, run or climb the stairs

Behavioural changes like prolonged sleeping

Reduction in alertness

Stiff, sore joints & lameness

Reluctance to play or work

Joint enlargement or swelling

Weight gain

Physical examination and an x-ray are required to diagnose arthritis.

Treatment:

Regular exercise

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) supplementation to reduce pain and inflammation, although with side effects.

Dietary provision of nutrients like Glucosamine, Chondritin sulfate and Hyaluronic acid salt formulations are very effective as they provide structural support

Therapy including NSAIDS , Glucosamine, Chondritin and Hyaluronic acid

Proper diet can be used as a preventive major for control of canine arthritis in older dogs.

(The author is CEO– Provimi Animal Nutrition India. He can be reached at sandeepkarkhanis@provimi.in.)

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HERO OF THE WEEK Deepa nominates her father for rescuing a weak, hurt puppy. The pup was named Chotu and was then adopted by a friend who takes good care of him.

TAKE ME HOME This serene, handsome 2-month-old Indian puppy has been vaccinated and is very healthy. To adopt him, call 9283390693

A snow white kitten with a cheerful temperament is in search of a nice place to call home. To adopt her, call 9840634986

Weight Loss Today

Biggest Loser Ashley Johnston promotes Rite Aid weight plan

She set the record for the most weight loss by a woman on the NBC-TV show “The Biggest Loser.” Now Ashley Johnston, the runner-up on season 9, is teaming with Rite Aid to promote the drugstore chain’s Rite Weight Plan.

One appealing feature is the cost: It’s free.

Here’s what it includes: a 12-page guide containing weight-loss tips and techniques; access to a medical weight-control program called Lindora for help losing up to 10 percent of your body weight in 10 weeks; online seminars, weight tracking tools and supportive daily e-mails. The website also includes recipes, healthy snack suggestions, a body mass index calculator and tools to decipher food labels.

In addition, pharmacists at the stores can answer questions about diet trends, drug therapy for weight loss, myths and medications used to control weight-related diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and stroke.

Pharmacist Shauna Morat, of the Rite Aid at 1820 Teall Ave. in Syracuse, says some people who resolve to lose weight this time of year struggle with popular myths about dieting.

One of the most popular: The less you eat, the better.

While portion control is important, Morat says, “that doesn’t mean if you skip a whole meal that you are controlling your portions.” That can backfire, she says, by messing up your body’s metabolism, which can cause you to gain weight.

Another popular myth: Low-fat means it’s good for you.

Morat cautions to read food labels closely. “Many that are marked ‘low-fat’ may be high in sugars, and calories.”

She reminds us that the average woman needs about 1,200 calories per day; the average man, about 1,500.

Through Jan. 22, enter a sweepstakes at www.riteaid.com/weight for a chance to win a trip for two to The Biggest Loser Ranch in Los Angeles, where the reality show is filmed. Johnston lost 183 pounds on the show last year, dropping 48.93 percent of her weight. She placed second behind a man who lost 50.19 percent of his body weight, going from 526 pounds to 262 pounds.

100-pound weight loss

Adam Reitz, a teacher at Liberty High School, gets ready for his evening run on the steps of the school. Adam has lost over 100 pounds in the last three years simply by running and watching his eating habits. He runs every day, mornings before work and evenings, no matter what the weather conditions. (Douglas Kilpatrick, SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL / December 20, 2010)

When Adam Reitz doesn’t feel like waking up at 3:30 a.m. for his daily run, he reaches out for his phone and looks at the picture that changed his life.

Most days he doesn’t need to reach for the phone. The image of himself 100 pounds heavier is engraved in his mind, as are the feelings associated with that picture.

It was three years ago and two months before his wedding. He had just returned from a trip to Hawaii with his students and colleagues from Liberty High School in Bethlehem. The school nurse had taken the picture and left it in his mailbox for him to remember their trip. It was a pleasant image of him posing with his now-wife, Tara, who is also a teacher at Liberty.

Wayne L. Westcott: How do TV weight-loss shows work?

You may have watched television shows that feature people who have lost large amounts of weight in relatively short periods of time. For example, contestants are frequently reported to lose about 60 pounds of body weight in 12 weeks.

Let’s take a look at the math and physiological changes necessary to attain such a huge weight loss, at a rate of 5 pounds per week.

Most Americans have enough stored fat to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, which requires cutting 3,500 to 7,000 calories per week. Some very heavy adults may be able to lose 3 to 4 pounds of fat per week, which requires cutting 10,500 to 14,000 calories per week. But it would be almost impossible for someone to lose 5 pounds of fat per week, which requires slashing 17,500 calories.

What would it take for someone to achieve a 17,500-calorie deficit within a week? If a person normally eats 2,500 calories a day, a total food fast would produce a 17,500 weekly calorie deficit. Or, if a person continued to eat normally, he or she could burn 17,500 extra calories by running 175 miles a week (25 miles each day). Obviously, both scenarios are unlikely.

If a person loses 5 pounds a week, then the weight isn’t totally fat. A significant percentage of the weight loss is muscle, composed of about 75 percent water and 25 percent protein.

Losing muscle, which is always unwise and unhealthy, inevitably results in metabolic rate reduction and a rapid regain of fat weight. Research confirms that those who lose body weight rapidly will regain the lost weight almost as quickly. In fact, physiologically, there is no alternative. Ask veteran dieters how many times they have lost and then regained large amounts of weight. Almost all of the people who participate in our weight-loss program have previously succeeded and failed with at least a half of a dozen diet plans.

So what is the secret to losing fat and keeping it off? The same secret that makes you look better, feel better and function better. Namely, a purposeful exercise program that restores muscle, recharges the resting metabolic rate and reduces fat.

It is essential to understand that as we age, we lose about 6 pounds of muscle every decade, unless we do strength training. As a result, our resting metabolism decreases about 3 percent per decade. Unless we eat less food, our lower metabolism leads to increased fat stores, averaging about 16 pounds per decade.

The 6-pound muscle loss combined with the 16-pound fat gain shows up as a 10-pound-per-decade weight gain on the bathroom scale. However, it really represents a 22-pound-per-decade, undesirable change in body composition, personal appearance and physical function because of 6 pounds less muscle and 16 pounds more fat.

The solution to this problem is not just dieting. Dieting can reduce fat, but it routinely results in muscle loss and metabolic rate reduction. Likewise, the solution is not endurance exercise alone. Endurance exercise like walking, jogging, cycling and stepping can reduce fat, but it does not replace muscle or recharge resting metabolism. The solution is a sensible combination of strength exercise, endurance exercise and nutrition, with or without calorie restriction.

Consider the results of almost 3,000 participants in our fitness research program. After 10 weeks of performing 20 minutes of strength exercise and 20 minutes of endurance exercise two or three days a week, the participants averaged a 3-pound muscle gain and a 4-pound fat loss, along with reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

In another study, we divided about 100 overweight women into two groups for the purpose of fat loss and cellulite reduction. Both groups performed our basic exercise program, but one group followed a modestly reduced calorie plan of 1,600 calories per day.

After eight weeks of training, all of the women made excellent improvements in body composition and personal appearance. However, those who combined exercise and diet lost twice as much fat weight (11 pounds versus 5 pounds) and twice as many inches off their hip measurement (2 inches versus 1 inch) than those who only exercised.

My first recommendation to reverse the negative effects of the aging process is a basic fitness program that includes both strength training and endurance exercises. In addition to improving musculoskeletal fitness, strength training replaces muscle, recharges metabolism and reduces fat by burning extra calories during the exercise session and throughout the day. In addition to improving cardiovascular fitness, endurance exercise reduces fat by burning extra calories during the exercise session.

My second recommendation is a sound nutrition program that includes enough protein for muscle and bone building and a reasonable reduction in caloric intake. That is, a diet that provides enough energy for your activity sessions and keeps your metabolism from slowing, which is always counterproductive.

Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., teaches exercise science at Quincy College in Massachusetts and consults for the South Shore YMCA. He has written 24 books on physical fitness, and has been a featured speaker at Harvard Medical School’s International Conference on Practical Approaches to the Treatment of Obesity.

Anxiety News

Amid anxiety and hope, southern Sudanese vote in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan. 9 (UPI) — The shriek echoed down the line and everyone turned. The shriek didn’t come from fear or anger. Instead it was filled with laughter, tears and happiness. Then, all the southern Sudanese women in the line joined in with ululations, jubilant changing and a chorus of “Hallelujah!”

Some carried the Christian cross, others waved the flag of southern Sudan,. A pregnant woman massaged her stomach to attract the cameras’ attention to what is written on her T-shirt: “The Mighty Moment: Go Southern Sudan. Go.”

More than 2,000 registered voters were expected to cast their ballots at just one of the polling places set up in Nairobi. Voters started queuing at 3 a.m., bracing against a chilly night, but everyone trying to be the first one to vote. There were pregnant women, mothers carrying babies, disabled people leaning on walking sticks, sons and daughters holding the hands of elderly parents. A blind woman chanted excitedly as she was led down a corridor.

“I am so excited,” said Ruot Chawgath Kai, who works with the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission in Kenya. “When God opens that door today, no one will be able to stop Southern Sudan from seceding.”

The 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum is giving the people of southern Sudan the opportunity to vote for secession from northern Sudan. If the vote is affirmed, then the world will get its newest state on July 9.

The voting will last a week, until Saturday, and will require a turnout of 60 percent. This means that more than 2.3 million out of the 3.9 million registered voters must vote for the referendum to count.

The SSRC, a body that is independent from the governments of Sudan or Southern Sudan, alongside the International Organization of Migration is running the Out-of-Country Voting and Registration.

The OCV will also take place in eight countries — Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom — in addition to Sudan.

The Referendum Commission said those eight countries were chosen because they are densely populated by communities of South Sudanese outside Sudan.

“It is a possibility that the referendum result will be accepted, given the successful voter registration, and this gives the commission high hope,” said Achuoth Philip Deng, the commission’s representative in Kenya.

About 4 million people are registered to vote in the referendum, he said. Kenya leads the way for out-of-country voting, with more than 15,000 southern Sudanese registered.

The referendum is taking place in eight centers around Kenya. Two centers are in Nairobi, one each in Eldoret, Nakuru, Kitale, one in the Dadaab refugee camp, and two more centers in Kakuma refugee camp.

Deng said Kenyan police officers will be deployed at the eight voting stations around the country during the seven-day process of voting.

At Blue Springs Hotel, one of the two voting centers in Nairobi, people were ecstatic.

As voters trickled into the center on time, there was mismanagement as to how they were supposed to line up. As disorder affected the queuing process, officials from the SSRC were at a loss on how to control the crowds, as voters started pushing each other for space.

Even so, voters were determined to stay in line until they vote.

“People are eager to vote” said Oliver Bakata Frazer, head of the Consideration Committee at the voting station. “They came here at 3 in the morning, and they are determined to finish the process.”

Electoral observers arrived early to witness the referendum kickoff at 8 a.m. Representatives from the Institute for Education, Sudan Council of Churches, All Africa Conference of Churches, the Carter Center and Kenya’s Interim Independent Electoral Commission were all in attendance.

“I believe us, the youth in Kenya, more than others, will change the future of southern Sudan,” said Stephen Duol, who was draped with a Southern Sudanese flag as he voted. “It is a change we believe in. Yes, we can.”

Wiederer: Duke turns anxiety into momentum in crunch time

If you’re looking for the time period of Sunday night’s ACC clash during which No. 1 Duke turned its anxiety into momentum, let me save you the research. It started with 17:23 left against Maryland with a peculiar substitution by coach Mike Krzyzewski and ended 6 minutes and 22 seconds later with any nerves the Blue Devils had been feeling replaced with a winning combination of aggression and positive energy.

So who’s to credit for the surge that allowed Duke to surface from a wild scrum at Cameron Indoor Stadium with a 71-64 win? Freshman Tyler Thornton.

Yes, that Tyler Thornton, the young guard who sat out Duke’s entire ACC opener against Miami last weekend and remained cemented to the bench for the entire first half Sunday.

Common sense said Thornton would be in his warm-ups for the entire night against Maryland. How could Coach K possibly feel comfortable throwing such an untested rookie into a game more feisty than any Duke had played this season?

Yet sometimes instinct overrules common sense. Which is why Krzyzewski gave Thornton a point with 17:23 remaining, sent him into the game to replace Andre Dawkins, then sat back for the next 6:22 and watched something special happen.

With a grin on his face as he played defense, Thornton delivered exactly the kind of focus and hustle that will make Duke so darn tough to beat this season.

Using his greatest asset, his fundamentally sound and spirited defense, Thornton lit a fire under the Blue Devils. He showed his teammates he was fearless, ready for all the chaos Sunday night’s game had to offer.

He made a steal from Terrapins guard Pe’Shon Howard and converted it into a pretty floater on the other end. He drew a charge against Howard.

He clapped his hands. He pumped his fists.

“We call Tyler ‘The Bulldog,” Dawkins said. “We put him into the game and we sic him on the other point guard. He was playing defense for 94 feet. He gave our entire team energy. You can’t put into words the boost he gave us tonight.”

Immediately after Thornton entered, Duke delivered a 14-2 run that turned a six-point deficit into a six-point lead.

“He was a difference maker,” Krzyzewski said. “How would you ever predict that?”

The initial surge of the second half had gone miserably for the Devils. Not only had they gone to halftime with plenty to worry about, up just 32-31 and digesting a first half in which they missed nine of 10 3-point attempts, but Maryland began the second half by scoring seven points in the first minute, staggering the defending national champions and leaving Krzyzewski looking for answers.

That the Hall of Fame coach got such a bold performance from Thornton seemed to surprise even him.

In 12 minutes, Thornton contributed four steals, drew two charges and had a strip of Maryland star Jordan Williams on a putback try with 4:00 left.

What’s more, on a night where the Terrapins harassed Nolan Smith all over the floor, Thornton’s ability to lighten Smith’s load by taking over point guard duty for significant stretches steadied Duke.

“Having not played in the first half and really not being part of that seven-man rotation (we have), for Tyler to play as well as he did tonight is really one of the things that make you love coaching,” Krzyzewski said.

Krzyzewski knew from the first day he recruited Thornton that the kid had something special. His big-game experience playing at Gonzaga High in Washington and with D.C. Assault in the AAU ranks has given him an obvious basketball maturity.

It would be an exaggeration to label Duke’s win season-changing. But it would be similarly naïve to dismiss the possibility that such a determined comeback fueled by Thornton’s hustle will propel the Blue Devils to be a more complete team.

“This is a great win for us. Are you kidding me?” Krzyzewski said. “We’re not this great basketball team. We’re a good basketball team that has to gain experience, gain maturity and learn.”

Mental Health News

Families worry mental health cuts will send kids spiraling

A week before Christmas, Judy Powelson was awaiting her son’s first visit home in nine months with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Earlier in the year, the 17-year-old’s mental illness had spiraled out of control to the point that he attacked her, kicked a teacher in the groin and was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment. But since he entered residential treatment funded in part by the state, she’d seen him go through marked improvements — getting a 3.11 GPA and being voted MVP in soccer.

Now Powelson’s son, identified in court papers as T.G., is one of 20,000 students across California whose mental health services may be in jeopardy in the new year because of a line-item veto by the governor. In October, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger slashed $133 million in funding for what are known as AB 3632 services, a 25-year-old program that requires state and local education and mental health agencies to jointly provide education-related mental health services.
Families with children who suffer from mental illnesses ranging from depression to schizophrenia and who depend on these services have been thrown into chaos, parents and advocates say. Several counties, including Orange and Alameda, have sent out notices indicating that the services will be discontinued in January, attorneys representing the parents said.

“If my son loses this treatment, I will lose my son,” Powelson said, her voice quivering. “I will lose him to mental illness, I will lose him to the criminal justice system, to drug abuse, to suicide.”

She has filed a declaration about her son’s situation as part of a federal class-action lawsuit seeking to block cutbacks to or discontinuation of the services. This month, a federal judge in Los Angeles heard arguments from attorneys representing the families and various state and local agencies but said he would wait until the new year before considering whether to issue an injunction.

U.S. District Judge George Wu said it wasn’t immediately clear what would happen come Jan. 14, when a temporary order restoring the funding for the services is due to expire. He said he also wanted to wait for the outcome of a separate state court case in Sacramento challenging the governor’s veto, which is scheduled to be heard in early January.

“I understand that the state agencies are pointing the finger and saying, ‘It’s your problem, it’s your problem, it’s your problem,’ ” Wu said at the hearing, adding that each agency was “waiting for somebody to blink.” But he said it wasn’t the right time for him to issue an order because “it’s a complicated situation…. Bad things have not happened, but may happen in the future based on how these agencies act.”

Attorneys representing various state and county agencies said they were trying to determine where the funds would come from, not dodging their responsibilities. They also said the four named plaintiffs in the case were currently receiving the necessary treatment and had not been notified that it would be taken away.

“They’re here prematurely,” said Supervising Deputy Atty. Gen. Jennifer M. Kim, representing the governor’s office and the California Department of Mental Health.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs contended that a statewide court order was immediately necessary because vulnerable children were at risk of being harmed while the case was being litigated.

“Every day, a new county is saying they can’t provide the services,” said Laura Faer, an attorney for Public Counsel, which filed the class-action lawsuit along with Disability Rights California and the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

David Campos, whose son is the lead plaintiff, said he felt his child was being left behind while government agencies passed the blame.

“Everybody’s waiting for somebody else to take the first step,” said Campos, whose son, identified as A.C. in court papers, has been receiving counseling since kindergarten. Campos and his wife, Gail, have been trying to get help for their son ever since they adopted him at age 4 knowing he suffered the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome and had been neglected and abused.

This summer, their son twice attempted suicide — swallowing half a bottle of Tylenol and trying to hang himself — and landed in juvenile hall. Through AB 3632 funding, he is receiving residential treatment for oppositional defiant disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder in Texas.

“When I heard the news [of the cut], I felt like I had been punched in the stomach,” Gail Campos wrote in a declaration submitted with the court. “My son so desperately needs these services to get better, and I don’t want him to end up in the criminal system or homeless.”

Powelson said the treatment for her son, who has been diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and intermittent explosive disorder, had been like the “light at the end of the tunnel” for her family.

“The bad days before turned into bad weeks and bad months. My husband used to say it was like a piano falling from a tall building,” she said. “Now, in treatment, he has a safe place to fall.”

Mental health beds set to move

It has been a process almost a dozen years in the making, but come January, 31 regional, specialized beds with the Northeast Mental Health Centre will be transferred from North Bay to the former Sudbury Algoma Hospital.

Thirty-one patients to fill those spots will move Jan. 14 to newly renovated quarters at the hospital, set in a park-like setting on Kirkwood Drive.

The move has not come without controversy, with some North Bay business leaders and union members complaining about the patient moves and associated job transfers.

But the woman in charge of organizing the transfer believes it will be a good one in the long run for the 31 patients involved.

Karen Bennett is vice-president of clinical programs with the North East Mental Health Centre, an agency that didn’t exist when the Health Services Restructuring Commission recommended the beds be moved from North Bay to Sudbury in 1998.

Until then, those beds were located in one of 10 provincially run psychiatric hospitals in the province. The commission transferred care of acute mental health services to hospitals and created the North East Mental Health Centre to oversee the operation of those 31 regional beds.

The 31 beds will be transferred to the Kirkwood building, which is owned by the North East Mental Health Centre. Sudbury Regional Hospital rents space from the mental health centre for some acute mental health beds it operates at Kirkwood.

The reorganization of acute mental health services to Sudbury and North Bay hospitals, and of regional beds to North East Mental Health Centre, has been a long time coming and there have been some hard feelings along the way.

While change is difficult for most people to accept, Bennett firmly believes the 31 patients currently in the 31 regional beds will receive even better care in their new quarters.

The 31 patients will be divided into two streams — 15 of them into specialized dementia care and 16 in the adult transitional program.

The goal of professionals working in both units is to help people get well so they can return to live at home, in long-term care or in other arrangements in their home communities.

Yeast Infection Treatment News

Can a Yeast Infection Be Cured From Reading A Book?

Yeast Infection No More is the Best Candida eBook In Internet History, With A large number of Satisfied (And today Yeast Infection Free) Users In 127 Countries Worldwide for any reason…

A large number of women and men of every age have completely cured their candidiasis condition and gained complete freedom from candida related symptoms naturally, without drugs, creams or “magic potions,” by simply using the clinically proven, scientifically-accurate step by step method found inside this amazing yeast infection freedom guidebook.

Linda Allen, a certified nutritionist, health consultant and author hasn’t just pumped out another “anti-yeast program” into an already over-saturated market. Linda’s Candidiasis No More can be more accurately described as a “Candida Bible.” It is quite simply probably the most comprehensive, complete, and precise guides to candida freedom you’ll ever read. What makes it so much different than other candidiasis publications available on the market?

Well To begin with, it’s not just a “yeast infection relief” program, it’s a candida cure program. This may seem like semantics or wordplay in the beginning, but once you have read just the first chapters, there won’t be any doubt in your mind that pursuing “yeast infection relief” is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason that you’ve failed to stop and maintain your ‘candida free internal environment’. Yeast Infection No More shows you exactly why you need to fix the internal problem that’s causing your candidiasis, not just masking the symptoms or getting relief and then goes on to show you exactly how to get it done.

Secondly, what makes Yeast Infection No More different may be the amount of attention that is paid to every and every element required to achieve permanent freedom from candida albicans related symptoms. Yeast Infection No More not only thoroughly discusses the lies, myths and fallacies surrounding a very confusing subject, it is simply the most detailed ebook about yeast infection, and holistic health ever written.

The Yeast Infection No More ebook is quite extensive (250 pages of rock solid content) which focuses on 100% natural yeast infection treatment. Which means there aren’t recommendations for harsh prescription medications with nasty side effects. In yeast infection No More core formula section (The 5 step system) – There is nothing held back. In this section, Linda provides a detailed summary of each step, and then dives into the specifics inside a perfect chronological order. There’s also outstanding charts and checklists which will make it super easy to know where you are at within the program and follow it.

Because the Yeast Infection No More program isn’t a quick fix ‘fairy tale’ cure but an entire holistic solution targeted at eliminating the root cause of yeast infection and candida (no matter their severity) and ensure your will permanently be candida-free, it will take work and persistence to complete. “The dictionary may be the only place success comes before work” says Linda, as she emphasizes the “no quick fix” philosophy behind the entire ebook.

When there is any downside of the Yeast Infection No More ebook, it’s that it contains a lot information, that some readers may find it a bit overwhelming. Those who are looking for a quick start type of candida program, may be a bit intimated in the beginning. The good part however, is that even these types of readers can feel confident and assured that it will be well worth the effort as this will literally be the last book they ever need to read on the topic.

Treatments for Yeast Infection Demand Increases to Cure Condition at Home

Recent figures now suggest that 25% of the USA suffer from yeast infection related issues. People seeking home treatment for yeast infections seems to have hit an all time high. More alarmingly a yeast infection can be linked to a whole string of problems you would not normally consider.

Most of us of heard of the normal signs of a yeast infection but many don’t realize there are many less known effects including chronic, fatigue, digestive problems and more. These factors are often overlooked by most doctors, however it seems more people are starting to become aware of the problem known as ‘Candida overgrowth’. Making way for treatments for yeast infection

Luckily there are a few set of individuals who are willing to devote time into studying yeast infections further. Because of the circumstances of yeast infections, many people feel more comfortable to treat the condition themselves at home. This has made way for a guide which has become one of the top selling ebooks of its kind on the Internet.

Written by Sarah Summers a medical researcher and web master, the 12 Hour natural yeast infection treatment has made quite a stir on the Internet. It has taught countless people both male and female how to cure the condition in hours at home. In addition, unlike most drugs the treatment acts as a permanent cure of the root cause.

Flexible Spending Account Spending Spree

Last year, when you opted into your Flexible Spending Account at work, did you overestimate your spending needs? I haven’t done the childcare FSA, but I have opted into the health care FSA for years. It makes a lot of sense for me. It pulled money before taxes for me to spend on health care expenses not covered by insurance — like co-pays, over-the-counter medications, dental work.

This keeps me from having to add up the health expenses and hope they are enough to deduct at the end of the year for taxes. Usually, that isn’t enough to meet the tax deduction for health care expenses. (Thank goodness!) I overestimate though. I think “This will be the year I will get all the dental work done!” “What if I get really sick?” The past two years have been particularly troubling — leaving me to scramble lest I lose the money that was withheld. Flexible spending accounts are “use it or lose it.”

In most cases, this is at the end of the calendar year. In some, your employer will allow a few extra months to spend the rest of your FSA withholding. If you leave a job (voluntarily or not), you must use ALL of your FSA money by the last day of employment.

Last year, I had a good amount left in November. I went to the dentist and spent what I could there. (And she had a list for the new year that I knew I had to withhold a ton in order to get done.) I still had about 300.00 left.

My employer had issued a handy dandy “FSA Credit Card” which made paying for items easier.

In December, I refilled every prescription med I could. I bought fiber, band-aids, over-the-counter pain relievers, yeast infection medications, and somehow we managed to spend it all but 8 cents.

This year, I left my job in September. I realized the week before the clause about using it all before the last day of employment. EEEK! I had over 1K left. I went to the dentist (again) and dropped about $450. Then we went to the pharmacy. We got heating pads, fiber, band aids, first aid items, over-the-counter pain relievers, allergy medicines, refilled prescriptions, bought enough yeast infection medicine for the whole family of women for a year (Merry Christmas Michelle! A stocking full of Monistat!; a big expense when you are a college student prone to yeast infections), bought UTI and Yeast Infection test kits. I got a flu shot. (And was VERY glad when girl child came home with the flu and everyone else got it but m — I mean, not that they had it, but that I didn’t get it.)

It took two drug stores, enough cross-checking with the approved list of FSA items online via the phone to get a captcha on Google to make sure we weren’t auto-requesting, and a lot of tired bizarre stress my last night at my old job — but we spent it. Now, we are ready for the apocalypse in over-the-counter FSA covered items.

Tips:
Check your FSA leftover amount before heading out — including things that might not have “cleared.”
Check the list of approved FSA items from YOUR insurance company before going out. Not all items are covered from year to year and they change. For example: vitamins and anti-diarrhea meds were covered in the past but weren’t this year on my plan, but other people could get these covered.
Ask the pharmacist for help. The pharmacist at our second drug store had a lot of good ideas.
Don’t forget that dental expenses, co-pays, and eye doctors count.
You can get a general idea of allowable expenses here in IRS Publication 502, but again check with your employer’s insurance company about the specifics.
ALWAYS save your receipts. The FSA issuers tend to ask for documentation at odd times and for the strangest items. (Doctor co-pays, prescriptions refilled via the insurance company prescription service, etc)

ADHD News and Treatment

Medical Minute: Vision Revision for ADHD Diagnosis

Once she starts reading, Katy Kluck can’t stop. So mom was puzzled when Katy started struggling with schoolwork.

“I couldn’t really focus because there were so many questions on the page,” says Katy.

“Once they heard that Katy could not focus immediately they said well, she has an A.D.D. problem,” says Katy’s mom, Ann Kluck.

Afraid of using meds, Ann did some research, which led her to an optometrist.

“One of the questions we ask parents is to decide whether it’s an organic attention problem or maybe more related to a vision problem,” says Daniel Press, OD., a developmental optometrist.

Exams found Katy’s eyes didn’t work well together, the words moved and turned blurry.

She kicked-off eight months of vision therapy. It’s a workout using computer gaming, training the brain to use both eyes together.

“One of the eyes sees the red target, the other one only sees the blue target so if you’re going to do this well you have to use both eyes well together,” says Daniel.

The American Academy of Pediatrics vision experts say 60-percent of kids labeled as problem learners, actually suffer from undetected vision problems. But some have doubts. The American Academy of Pediatrics says vision therapy may give parents and teachers a false sense of security that a child’s problems are being addressed.

Caroline Moore says vision therapy worked for her. “My grades skyrocketed back up!”

So did Katy’s. “It makes me feel good because I’m getting good grades.”

Lack of proof or legit solution? One mom found the answer in her child’s eyes.

Do homeopathic treatments for ADHD work?

Every weekday, a CNNHealth expert doctor answers a viewer question. On Tuesdays, it’s Dr. Charles Raison, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and an expert in the mind-body connection for health.

Question asked by Suzie

Our 8-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ADHD at age 6. We have tried several medications, stimulants and nonstimulants, and have not gotten good results. We are now looking at homeopathic treatment for our daughter, but the question is: Does it really work?

The short answer to your question appears to be no. Let’s talk about this short answer before we talk a little about a longer and more complicated answer.

Compared with studies in many thousands of children and adolescents – including studies lasting many years – as of 2007, the effects of homeopathy for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, had been studied with even minimal rigor in only four studies.

When researchers combined data from the 168 young people in these four studies, they found no evidence that homeopathic treatments were of benefit for ADHD. So at this point in time I think we have to conclude that by the standards used to assess Food and Drug Administration-approved medications, homeopathic treatments don’t work.

OK, that’s the short answer. The longer answer is that homeopathic approaches do not appear to work better than placebo treatments, so they don’t work in any specific way for ADHD. But placebos can have powerful beneficial effects for many health conditions, ranging from depression and chronic pain to Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies show clearly that when people believe they are taking an active medication but are receiving a placebo their brains activate in much the same way – but to a lesser degree – as their brains do in response to the active medication.

The internet is chock-full of treatments promising the sun, moon and stars for all sorts of medical problems. The vast majority of these have never been adequately tested.

Look for the last few lines of small print underneath all the gigantic claims made on internet sites for homeopathic ADHD treatments. You’ll always see something along the lines of “claims have not been scientifically established” or “treatment is not intended for medical purposes.” In psychiatry, we often say that a new medication works best just before it is approved for use, because its sheen has not been rubbed off by clinical experience.

Although homeopathy doesn’t work in formal studies, it does not mean it might not help certain individuals, and your child might be one of them. But I would strongly suggest that if multiple ADHD medications have failed it is possible that your daughter has been misdiagnosed and is being given medications that work for a condition she doesn’t have.

Before doing anything in terms of alternative treatments, I’d make sure you got your daughter the best mental health assessment you can find to make sure that she doesn’t have a condition such as bipolar disorder, which can often resemble ADHD in childhood but requires different types of medication.

Letter: ADHD detail

Regarding the prescription of drugs to children for ADHD which attracts the attention of health services (your report, 22 December) it is interesting to note that a strong motivator for parents to push for diagnosis and treatment is the enhancement of benefit payments they receive.
An appraisal of the proportion of families reliant on state benefit whose children are diagnosed in comparison with those not receiving benefit would be enlightening.

Parenting support in early years helps but there do appear to be parents out there who promote challenging behaviour in their children with the intention of obtaining increased benefit income from disability living allowance.

Perhaps someone has researched this or has figures to support or refute this observation.

Wellness Today

Alberta health officials sound alarm over syphilis outbreak

Syphilis is spreading fast in Alberta, and the number of reported cases have risen exponentially over the last decade. According to a report by the Alberta Health and Wellness, reported cases of the sexually transmitted infection have risen from two in 1999 to 267 in 2009. “We have a problem,” reads the first headline of the document, titled The Syphilis Outbreak in Alberta. “Alberta continues to experience a sustained outbreak of syphilis which shows no signs of abating,” the report says. The bacterial infection is transmitted through intimate sexual contact, and can be easily treated if detected in its early stages. It frequently has no symptoms, though, and if left untreated, can spread to the brain, heart, blood vessels and bones, and can eventually be fatal. Dr. Martin Lavoie, Alberta’s deputy chief medical officer of health, believes the spread of the infection is partially caused by a growing complacency about safe sex, particularly as people have come to view HIV as a treatable condition rather than a deadly infection.

$5K grant gives CJHS wellness program a boost

Student health and wellness efforts at Clinton Junior High recently got a big boost.

The school was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation for use by its health council. Bonnie Brown, computer discovery teacher and member of the school’s health council, applied for the funds.

“Healthy students are able to achieve their full academic potential, full physical and mental growth and lifelong health and well-being,” Brown said. “Nutrition, physical activity and learning well are all linked components. We want our students to be informed and productive citizens, today and in the future.”

CJHS uses the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, a school health and wellness program created by the National Football League and the National Dairy Council. Students can log into the program’s Web site and keep track of what they’re eating and how much physical activity they’re getting.

Brown has also held educational meetings to discuss nutrition and the importance of exercise.

With the grant money, she said, the program can be expanded to more students. Currently there are 15 students on the panel, but Brown said she’d like to include all seventh-graders.

“If we get the seventh-graders on board, they can continue the program next year here at Clinton Junior High,” Brown said.

Incentives will be awarded in each Fuel Up to Play 60 challenge, such as jump rope, hula-hoop and running competitions, she said.

Sheila Grogan, executive director of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, said her agency’s focus is on making Mississippians healthier.

“The grant request submitted by Clinton Junior High School proposed a project that will encourage students to eat healthier and exercise,” she said. “This aligns with the vision of our foundation. Students across our state are becoming more active and learning lifestyle choices that will support a healthy lifestyle now, and in the future.”

Clinton Junior High’s grant will allow the purchase of jump ropes and other PE equipment as well as educational materials about health and wellness.

“We’re also looking for restaurants interested in providing students with healthy selections from their store menu,” she said. “They can come during our school lunch periods.”

Seniors May Need A Push To Use Free Wellness Exam

Fewer than 10 percent of seniors took advantage of the “Welcome to Medicare” physical exam paid for by Medicare, according to the government.

So what does that mean for how seniors will use the new, more comprehensive preventive health exam benefits that kick in by 2011?

“I don’t think people will be running to do this,” said Judith Stein, executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. While she applauds the new benefit, she said seniors may not see the value without a strong recommendation from their doctor.

The wellness visit, which was included in the new health law at a projected cost of $3.6 billion over next 10 years, has several advantages over the “Welcome to Medicare” exam.

The new benefit can be used every year and it is free. Medicare patients had a 20 percent co-pay on “Welcome To Medicare” exam — although that is eliminated starting Jan. 1.

The exam would include the usual checks of vital signs, height, weight, establish a schedule for screenings for patients and seek to identify cognitive impairment, functional ability and depression.

Aside from improving patients’ health, doctors have another reason to promote the wellness exam — a bigger reimbursement. They will get an average of $172 for it compared to the $136.80 they got for the “Welcome to Medicare” physical, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. Roland Goertz, president of the academy, said most doctors have found ways to provide preventive care during patient sick visits in the past. “You had to be creative, but with this new benefit it will give more status to the value of prevention,” he said.

Nonetheless, patients may not understand the need for checkup when they’re feeling well, he said. “It will take a culture change,” he said.

Dr. Barry Straube, chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he’s confident more seniors will take advantage of the new wellness exam. But he wonders whether busy doctors will promote it.

New grants help promote wellness in Fall River

Fall River —

If you live in Fall River, you’re more likely to smoke, suffer from substance or mental illness and to die of cancer than people living in other parts of the ccommonwealth. In most cases, Fall River residents are twice as likely to experience these conditions when compared with others in the state. While there are many factors that contribute to these rates, including our high unemployment rates and stress associated with poverty, the most important question to ask is what are we doing about it. In the last month, three major grants have recently been announced that specifically target these conditions and, in time, could begin to bring these high numbers down.

On Nov. 1, the city of Fall River announced that it was one of only three cities in the country to be awarded a grant of 1.4 million dollars per year for the next four years by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for substance abuse prevention, mental health promotion, and short-term therapies for depression and anxiety. Led by staff from Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, the grant will provide screenings for people who may be in the early stages of substance use or who show early signs of depression or other mental illnesses. These conditions are well known to be associated with unemployment and poverty, but few efforts have been funded to head off the conditions early enough to prevent people from developing more chronic conditions that are more difficult to treat.

“We think we have the ability to prevent brief periods of drinking, drug abuse or depression from becoming life-long conditions if we intervene early,” commented Nancy Paull, executive director of SSTAR. “The focus of our efforts over the next four years will be to identify people with early symptoms and to get them into brief treatment,” she said. “A lot of people we see in treatment have sought help years after problems first developed,” she added, “ when it’s much more difficult to turn around.” Substance abuse, including the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and depression not only create substantial health problems on their own, they often lead to the development of other health problems when people fail to attend to their physical health.

A second grant to address one of these conditions in Fall River and other nearby communities was announced on Nov. 18. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health began a new media campaign that targets smokers in the Southcoast region of the state. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funds will address the high smoking rate with positive ads that encourage smokers to seek help with quitting.

Ads in newspapers, on billboards and on SRTA buses, as well as on radio stations, in Fall River and New Bedford feature local people who have quit smoking. Their stories encourage smokers to speak with their physicians about medicines and counseling covered by their insurance, as well as the use of the free Smokers’ telephone Quitline (1-800-Quit-Now or 1-800-784-8669). Southcoast Hospital has already been recognized by DPH for their efforts to encourage smokers to quit through the use of the Quitworks program for health care providers.

“There has never been more help available to help smokers quit,” commented Judith Coykendall, who runs the Partners for Clean Air program for the Southcoast out of Seven Hills Behavioral Health. “We are hopeful that our smoking rates, which are double that of the rest of the state, will start to come down as people take advantage of these resources.”
A third new major prevention grant was also recently announced by DPH to address the health of SouthCoast residents. The Massachusetts Cancer Prevention Policy Initiative brings $750,000 over the next five years to address the some of the environmental and lifestyle factors that frequently lead to the development of cancers.
Rates of lung, stomach and colon and other cancer have been higher in Fall River and other SouthCoast communities for years. Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Massachusetts, surpassing heart disease several years ago. The higher rates in Fall River can be attributed to greater rates of smoking and alcohol use, while factors such as diet and sedentary lifestyle have also been implicated in research studies over the past decade.
In order to lower the rates of cancer in our area, project staff will be working closely with participants in VOICES for a Healthy Southcoast, a coalition of seventeen towns from Swansea to Wareham that is focused on policy and environmental changes that will encourage healthier lifestyles. The goals of lowering rates of smoking, increasing physical activity and eating healthier diets will be achieved by changing laws and regulations that affect these behaviors and by making it easier for people lead more active lives by increasing opportunities for walking and purchases of fruits and vegetables.

“Years ago we thought that educational programs would motivate people to change certain behaviors for a positive impact on their health,” suggested Maria Evora-Rosa, the DPH staff member who will be coordinating the project. “Now we realize that we have to make the healthy choice the easy choice; we have design our communities in ways that provide convenient and cost-effective opportunities for healthier living. We also know that making the unhealthy choice the more difficult choice through local legislative change has worked in many communities, especially pertaining to the access of tobacco products. Through local initiatives, we can have a significant impact on our community’s health.” she added.

“We now see some cancers – lung, skin, colorectal and some breast, just to mention a few, as more of a chronic disease that may develop over a lifetime,” said Gail Merriam, director of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Control Program. “In order to prevent these diseases from occurring, we have to address the environmental and behavioral factors that lead to their development,” she said.

Clearly, the combination of these three major grants in Fall River and nearby communities has the potential of beginning to bring our numbers down.