Health related information and news from around the world.

TUMOR RECURRENCE AND TAMOXIFEN RESISTANCE

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:27:18 +0000

Fortunately for many women, once an initial tumor has been detected and surgically removed, there is little chance of tumor recurrence. With the use of radiation, systemic chemotherapy, or tamoxifen the risk of recurrence may be further reduced. A number of women, however, will have tumors that recur either locally (in the treated breast or breast wall) or at a distance (in the form of metastatic disease).At one time the fear of tumor recurrence led many physicians to advocate radical mastectomies or modified radical mastectomies to patients initially diagnosed with breast cancer, in the hope of eliminating the tumor totally and preventing tumor recurrence. We now know that lumpectomies or partial mastectomies often are equally effective in completely removing the primary tumor.If another breast cancer develops after a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy, it may be a recurrence of the original tumor or it may be a new and unrelated cancer. If such a tumor develops on the chest wall outside the normal breast tissue or adjacent to the mastectomy site, it is likely that the original cancer has recurred.Unfortunately, there is then a high risk that the cancer will spread to other parts of the body.*36\320\2*

CALORIE BUDGETING – DINNER

admin — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:24:26 +0000

#1 AND #21 porterhouse steak per person, approximately 16 ounces with bone, yielding approximately 8 ounces of meatLarge baked potato with sour cream and cheddar cheese and butterFrozen string beans with butter or margarine Salad (with packaged salad dressing) Tea or coffee No dessertDINNER #22 boned and skinned chicken breasts stuffed with chopped mushrooms, zucchini and mozzarella cheese (two per person) Brown riceSalad with packaged salad dressing Tea or coffee No dessertThe calorie count on Dinner # 1 is slightly over 1,400; Dinner #2 is about 700. Incredible difference for two very similar meals, isn’t it? My husband could probably lose weight by cutting out snacks and eating dinners like #2. Or I could refine Dinner #2 slightly, reducing it by 100 to 150 calories.Empty CaloriesThere are two types of calories that are so sneaky you hardly realize you are eating them: hidden calories and empty calories. Hidden calories are the ones that are in regular, everyday foods—but you don’t suspect they are there, unless you are sophisticated at calorie-counting. A steak has more calories than the average eater would ever guess. Look at Dinner # 1 and Dinner #2, and see the difference those hidden calories can make.*62/243/1*

SKIN DURING PREGNANCY: STRETCH MARKS

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:29:45 +0000

Stretch marks, which are the telltale sign of pregnancy, usually appear on the abdomen, breasts and thighs. There are apparently more myths about stretch marks than any other affliction of pregnancy. The exact cause of stretch marks is unknown, although they are probably due to a combination of hormonal effects, genetic tendency and rapid skin expansion. Stretch marks often appear between the fifth and seventh months of pregnancy before the major growth spurt, so are not caused exclusively by foetal growth.There is no proven method of preventing stretch marks, but avoiding excessive weight gain is helpful. Weight gain in early pregnancy is often due to food cravings, rather than foetal growth. Many women feel hungrier during pregnancy and may eat for two, even though this is unnecessary and often detrimental. During pregnancy, one only needs to consume an extra 150 to 200 calories a day for optimal foetal growth.Pregnant women often apply baby oil and vitamin creams over their stomachs to try to avoid stretch marks. This is a fruitless exercise which does not affect the stretching skin.Unfortunately, there is no satisfactory treatment for stretch marks. In time, stretch marks become less obvious, eventually becoming faint, white bands. Recent studies suggest that topical Retin-A used immediately after pregnancy may help to fade stretch marks but this requires further investigation. Retin-A can be used safely during pregnancy as it is not sufficiently absorbed. Plastic surgery and lasers cannot remove stretch marks.
*29/150/5*

OTHER PEOPLE’S PAIN: THE PROFESSIONALS OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS

admin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:28:17 +0000

Medical, dental and veterinary schools were set up to purvey the principles of their profession. The cause of disease and fundamental cures were the main target. Symptoms such as pain were mere signposts on the road to the main aim. Symptom control was historically not worthy of the attention of serious men so this task was assigned to denizens of the depths of the hierarchy, such as nurses and physiotherapists. Even dying was not a worthy subject because, by general medical agreement, there was nothing more to be done.In the past twenty-five years, pain has regained a status worth consideration in these professions. However, there are new powerful, justified claims on the strictly limited time available for medical education. The hugely tempting developments of molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics have considerable new claims on the time of the students and on the interests of the faculty. To make time, traditional subjects such as gross anatomy have been condensed to a wizened nugget of the former two-year absorption of medical students in the dissecting room. Despite the obvious fact that pain is the most common complaint and the reason why patients visit their doctors, the subject as such has made little progress in capturing jealously guarded class time. In the preclinical years, pain can be ‘explained’ in fifteen minutes by mouthing the hundred-year-old myths that there are pain fibres in the peripheral nerves and a pain tract in the spinal cord with a pain centre in the thalamus. A few hours of lecture have been inserted to cover the whole of psychology. The pharmacologist may give a one-hour lecture on analgesics. In the clinical years there may be just a single session on pain. This means that the fully qualified doctor usually emerges with only three to four hours of tuition on pain.Deans and professors ritualistically regret the lack of time devoted to pain, but there has been little progress. It is true that elective courses on pain appear and are attended with enthusiasm by psychologists and pharmacologists as well as medical students. If the table is so bare in the medical school, it is not surprising that nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and psychologists fare little better in their need to understand the subject which will take up so much of their working life.*82\219\2*

OTHER VITAMINS: VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)

admin — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:03:49 +0000

Functions: Growth; healing; detoxification; dealing with free radicals; immune system; wound healingSources: Most fruit and vegetablesCauses of Poor diet, smoking, stress, injury, pollution, Deficiency: contraceptive pillDeficiency Signs Lack of energy, aches and pains, swollen gums, and Symptoms: spontaneous bruising, slow healing of wounds, repeated infections, poor colour, anaemia. Severe deficiency: Scurvy – swollen bleeding gums, internal bleeding, weak bones.Note: can be used in quite large doses for specific effects, such as detoxifying, boosting the immune system, helping constipation, as a stimulant, and to neutralize food intolerance reactions. It is also a good hangover cure. If it is taken regularly in large doses, a good multimineral supplement should be taken as well, as vitamin C washes minerals out.Free Radicals: these are delinquent oxygen molecules found in blood and tissue which are strongly suspected of causing degeneration and cancer. Some are released as part of the immune defence of the body, and some come from sources outside the body, such as tobacco smoke, organic solvents, food additives, pesticides, heavy metals, radiation.When fats combine with oxygen they become rancid and cannot be fully digested, and this releases more free radicals. When the body fights bacteria it makes its own free radicals and it also makes a substance, derived from what we eat, to neutralize them. This is why it is so important to eat the substances that provide the raw material for this job. They include: vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene (the vegetable form of vitamin A), the minerals selenium and zinc, and the amino acids L-cysteine and L-methionine. It is also important to keep intake of animal fats low.*141\326\8*

MEASURING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 13:44:59 +0000

How is blood pressure expressed?Standard blood pressure readings are expressed in figures representing the force required to raise a column of mercury (Hg) to a certain height, measured in millimeters (mm). Readings are expressed in numbers that look like fractions but are not. The pumping pressure, or systolic pressure, is stated first, and the resting pressure, or diastolic pressure, is stated second. For example, your blood pressure may be 120780. This would be expressed verbally as “one hundred twenty over eighty”.
What is considered normal blood pressure?Normal blood pressure varies from moment to moment within each individual. Your blood pressure may be higher at one time than another. It goes up when you exercise or are under stress and goes down when you rest or sleep. In an otherwise healthy adult, however, the generally recognized normal range of systolic (pumping) blood pressure is from 90 to 120 mm Hg; the diastolic (resting) blood pressure ranges from 55 to 90 mm Hg.In determining whether you have high blood pressure, your physician will be concerned with the usual pressure in your system. Your physician may measure your blood pressure more than once during a visit. For example, if you have hurried to the office, you may feel out of breath, which could contribute to a high reading. Later during the visit, as you relax, your blood pressure may go down. Also, your physician may consider the average of several readings taken at different times before making a diagnosis of high blood pressure. If your blood pressure reading is high on only one occasion, your physician will want to measure your blood pressure again under other circumstances to see if drug treatment is necessary.
*15/151/5*

BACH FLOWER REMEDIES: RED CHESTNUT – MRS. MALHOTRA’S CASE

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:26:33 +0000

Once I was treating one Mrs. Malhotra, aged 48 years, for shifting pains in nerves. She was a peculiar AGRIMONY type, very suave, cultured and ever smiling, although very tortured inside by a very belligerent BEECH TYPE husband.I tried my best to give the patient permanent relief out of sympathy for the patient and because the case looked quite challenging but the indicated remedy could only give temporary relief.One day while discussing Red Chestnut in the manuscript of this book, the light dawned on me that I was myself guilty of negative Red Chestnutism in the case of Mrs. Malhotra in showing over-anxiety for her, and may be that was the cause of the patient not responding to treatment.Thence forward I ceased taking special care of this case, and as if a road block had been cleared, there was considerable change for the better in the progress of the case after that.*164\308\8*

FISH OIL FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: DOSAGE AND SAFETY ISSUES

admin — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:08:15 +0000

DosageFor fish oil, the daily dose should supply about 1.7 g of EPA and 0.9 g of DHA. Depending on the product, this may be 6 capsules (1 g each) of fish oil or more a day. Fish oil takes as long as 6 to 12 weeks for the full effect to be noticed.Some fish oil products contain vitamin E to prevent the essential fatty acids from going rancid. Others are actually sold in oxygen-free capsules to provide the same protection.Omega-3 oils are abundant in the flesh of cold water marine fish, like salmon, mackerel, and herring. Cod liver oil is another source of omega-3 oils. It is less expensive than the fish oils, but it has the disadvantage of tasting worse. While an emulsified variety of cod liver oil overcomes this problem to some degree, there are still some safety issues as described in the next section of this chapter.Many people object to the fishy taste and “fish burps” caused by fish oil. Some natural medicine authorities have recommended flaxseed oil as an alternative. Flaxseed oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acid called alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which, as we’ve seen, can be converted into EPA in the body. However, in one clinical trial flaxseed oil was found to be ineffective in reducing symptoms or in raising the participants’ levels of EPA and DHA. The explanation may be that the conversion from ALA to EPA is very slow and may be impaired in some individuals.
Safety IssuesFish oil appears to be quite safe. In most of the clinical studies, an upset stomach and other GI symptoms like belching and flatulence were the only side effects. While these reactions may sound rather unappealing, they may be preferable to pain.However, cod liver oil supplies a great deal of vitamins A and D, two vitamins that can be toxic when taken in excess. Warning: Pregnant women particularly must be careful not to take more than 4,000 IU of vitamin A daily because of risks of birth defects.Because fish oil can “thin” the blood slightly, it may not be safe to combine fish oil with blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin), heparin, and perhaps even aspirin. It is even conceivable that fish oil could cause problems if combined with natural products that slightly thin the blood themselves, such as garlic, ginkgo, and high dose vitamin E.If you are taking any of these medications, seek medical advice before using fish oil. There have also been reports that fish oil can raise cholesterol levels in diabetics, but these have been disputed.*68/306/5*

DIABETES AND YOUR EYES

admin — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:56:36 +0000

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which the small blood vessels supplying the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye become damaged. Eventually they can no longer supply nutrients and the starved retina releases an unknown factor which encourages proliferation of new vessels. Unfortunately these grow forwards away from the retina into the clear jelly or vitreous through which we see. The new vessels can tear and bleed into the vitreous, obstructing vision.Such severe proliferative retinopathy is uncommon. Generally the only sign that the diabetic process is affecting the eye is what is called microaneurysm formation, when tiny red dots can be seen on or near the damaged blood vessels. These very early changes can be seen through an ophthalmoscope (a magnifying torch shone through the pupil of the eye) and warn of the development of retinopathy. Microaneurysms do not affect vision, but hemorrhages and fatty deposits (exudates) may also start to form on the retina. If these exudates lie over the area of best vision, which is called the macula (see the diagram opposite), sight may be impaired.
Diabetic retinopathy1 Can be detected at an early stage2. Can be treated successfully3 May be prevented by careful attention to glucose control.
*30/102/5*

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS (HSV)

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:54:48 +0000

These infections can be caused by two serotypes: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Although HSV-1 more commonly infects the oral mucosa, it also causes up to 30% of genital infections. Almost all HSV-2 infection is sexually acquired.
Clinical FindingsIn one large study following HSV seronegative patients, approximately 70% of patients developed symptoms when they became infected with HSV-1, whereas about 40% of patients infected with HSV-2 developed symptoms. Clinicians should suspect HSV whenever an ulcerating genital lesion is noted. Most patients with symptomatic primary infections will have painful genital lesions, itching, and inguinal adenopathy. The classic presentation of genital HSV is a cluster of vesicles on an erythematous base. But these classic lesions are present in only 60% to 70% of symptomatic cases. About one half of patients will have fever, and one third will report photophobia and headache.
DiagnosisClinical diagnosis should not be relied upon because it is insensitive and nonspecific for serotype. Serotyping is important to properly counsel patients, since HSV-2 is much more likely than HSV-1 to recur. Tests that can distinguish serotypes include viral culture, direct fluorescent antibody tests, and serum antibody titers. Tzanck smears and some HSV antigen tests do not distinguish between serotypes of HSV. Viral culture becomes less sensitive as lesions heal, so false-negative results are common. Type-specific serologic testing should be considered in such cases. Antibodies to HSV develop within the several weeks of infection and persist indefinitely. Polymerase chain reaction may replace culture as the test of choice for herpes.
TreatmentTreatment with antiviral medications can minimize symptoms and shorten the course of both primary and recurrent episodes of herpes. Three drugs – acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir – have all been found to be effective therapy for HSV. The recommended regimens are different for primary and recurrent episodes.
RecurrenceAbout 90% of patients with HSV-2 infection will have at least one recurrence within 1 year. The median number of recurrences is four, and more than one third of patients will have more than six episodes per year. Frequent recurrence is more likely if the primary infection was severe. The recurrence rate is much lower in patients with HSV-1 infection. Infrequent recurrences can be treated by patient-initiated therapy. Patients should be given a supply of medication and instructed to start the medication within 1 day of lesion onset. Often, patients will notice a tingling or burning sensation 1 to 2 days before lesions appear.Frequent recurrences (more than five per year) can be treated using suppressive therapy. Suppression requires daily antiviral medication, but this can reduce recurrences by 70% to 80%. Patients taking suppressive therapy report an improved quality of life. Suppressive therapy lowers, but does not eliminate, viral shedding. It is unknown whether suppression affects HSV transmission.
CounselingThe psychological effect of herpes is often more substantial than the infection itself. Herpes is a lifelong, recurrent infection, and patients need time and guidance to deal with it properly. It is often helpful to counsel couples together. Abstinence or condom use during recurrences can help prevent transmission to partners. But patients should know that viral shedding and transmission also occur during asymptomatic phases. Pregnant women in their third trimester should avoid sexual contact with men who have a history of herpes.*147/348/5*