May 2011 Archives

Courtesy cbsnews.com:

Do mobile phones cause cancer? After reviewing details from dozens of studies, an international panel of experts says they might.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer issued a statement to that effect in Lyon, France, on Tuesday after a weeklong meeting. The experts reviewed possible links between cancer and the electromagnetic radiation associated with mobile phones (cellphones), microwaves, and radar.

The group gave cellphones a "2B" classification, meaning they are possibly carcinogenic in humans. Other substances given that designation include the pesticide DDT and gasoline engine exhaust.

Last year, a large study found no clear link between cellphones and cancer. But some advocacy groups said the study raised concerns because it hinted at a link between heavy phone use and glioma, a rare but often deadly brain tumor. The study was controversial because it began with people who already had cancer and asked them to recall how often they used their cellphones more than a decade ago.

In about 30 other studies done in Europe, New Zealand, and the U.S., patients with brain tumors have not reported using their cellphones more often than cancer-free people.

Because cellphones are so popular, it may be impossible for experts to compare cellphone users who develop brain tumors with people who shun the devices. A survey released last year showed that the number of cellphone subscribers worldwide has hit 5 billion. That's nearly three-quarters of the global population.

Since many cancerous tumors take decades to develop, experts say it's impossible to conclude that cellphones have no long-term health risks. The studies conducted so far haven't tracked people for longer than about a decade.

Cellphones signal nearby towers via radio frequency waves, a form of energy similar to FM radio waves and microwaves. But the radiation produced by cellphones cannot directly damage DNA and differs from stronger types of radiation like X-rays or ultraviolet light. At very high levels, radio frequency waves from cellphones can heat up body tissue, but that is not believed to damage human cells.

According to Cancer Research U.K., the only health danger firmly connected to cellphones is a higher risk of car accidents. The group recommends that children under 16 use cellphones only for essential calls because their brains and nervous systems are still developing.

A recent NIH study found that cellphone use can speed up brain activity, but it is unknown whether that has any dangerous health effects.

The CDC has answers to frequently asked questions about mobile phones and health.

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Obesity rates are on the rise, making maintaining a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family more important than ever. You may know the benefits of monitoring what you eat - but how about what you drink? With the average American drinking 400 calories a day and warmer weather here, watching the calories in beverages is especially crucial. Taking what you eat and drink into consideration is vital to a balanced diet and lifestyle.

Staying healthy is particularly important during the summer - with vacations, camp and the great weather, there is a lot you do not want to miss out on. Incorporating healthy eating and drinking habits into this summer's routine can be easy - and rewarding. A few quick tips for you and your family:

* Replace one 12-ounce sugared beverage per day with water, such as Nestle Pure Life, to trim more than 50,000 calories a year from your diet.

* Sip on water with snacks to stay hydrated (and help stave off hunger) throughout the day.

* Choose baked or air-popped treats over fried chips and pack trail mix for lasting energy.

* Encourage your children to drink water instead of sugary beverages to improve mental focus, performance and concentration, whether at camp or on the playing field.

Healthy hydration is especially important during summer when you and your kids are active - and drinking water is a smart, zero-calorie way to quench your thirst.

"Keeping well-hydrated throughout the day - with beverages like Nestle Pure Life water, that don't pour on the calories - is critical to staying healthy and fit," says registered dietitian Victoria Shanta Retelny, a nutrition expert and mom. "Don't wait until you're thirsty. Drink water throughout the day to maintain good hydration."

The new dietary guidelines encourage Americans to be aware of their beverage consumption to achieve a healthy lifestyle and balanced calorie intake. Providing families with quick and easy - yet meaningful solutions is important to help families follow the guidelines.

"Nestle Pure Life is committed to helping families live healthy, active lifestyles," says Retelny. "If you go to nestle-purelife.us and pledge to swap one sugared beverage a day for water, you can cut up to 50,000 calories from your family's diet a year. By joining the Hydration Movement, you'll unite with thousands who pledged last year and cut millions of calories from their diets."

For more information, and to join the Hydration Movement, visit www.nestle-purelife.us. When it comes to healthy living, making simple adjustments to what you and your family are already doing can have a big impact.

Courtesy USAToday:

Allergies are on the rise, and ragweed and molds top the list as the biggest culprits, says a study by one of the USA's largest labs.

In the Quest Diagnostics study, results of close to 14 million blood tests from more than 2 million patients taken over a four-year period were evaluated. The tests looked for high levels of sensitivity to 11 common allergens, including ragweed, mold, two types of house dust mites, cats, dogs and five foods.

Sensitization to common ragweed increased 15% from 2005 through 2008, and mold increased 12%. Sensitization to the 11 allergens combined increased 5.8%, says study author Stanley Naides of Quest Diagnostics' Nichols Institute in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

"The level of sensitization to these common allergens is increasing. These kinds of studies where we have access to large databases are very helpful in defining questions for further studies," he says. Numbers may be even higher since many people with allergies never get tested, says Naides.

The researchers also ranked the 30 most populated cities for sensitization to ragweed. Phoenix and Las Vegas top the list. "The highest areas are in the Southwest, and one has to raise the question of whether weather is contributing to this," says Naides. "We believe this is the first large national study to show that the growing prevalence of allergies, suggested by other studies, is largely due to increases in environment-based allergens previously associated with climate change." He says more research is needed to confirm such theories.

A study published in March in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the ragweed season was nearly a month longer in 2009 than in 1995 in northern areas of North America, possibly as a result of climate change.
"It's hard to say that it's 100% climate change," says Princess Ogbogu,, assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at The Ohio State University. She says a decades-long study would shed more light on the question. She also notes that the researchers did not test for tree pollen and grass sensitivity.

Susan Schuval, a pediatric allergist at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., says the study is impressive in size and scope, and confirms what allergists are seeing -- a rise in all types of allergic diseases. "No one really knows quite why this is happening," she says.

She cautions that the study looks only at blood testing, which she says has about a 15% to 20% false positive rate. "Another way to test is skin prick testing, which is sometimes more accurate than blood testing," she adds.

Worst cities for ragweed
1 Phoenix
2 Las Vegas
3 Kansas City
4 Riverside-San Bernardino
5 Dallas
6 Chicago
7 Sacramento
8 Philadelphia
9 Denver
10 Washington, D.C. (tied)
10 Minneapolis/St. Paul (tied)
12 New York
13 Cincinnati
14 Baltimore
15 Cleveland
16 St. Louis (tied)
16 Detroit (tied)
18 Atlanta
19 Boston
20 Pittsburgh
21 Orlando
22 Los Angeles (tied)
22 San Antonio (tied)
24 Houston
25 Seattle
26 San Diego
27 Tampa
28 Portland
29 San Francisco
30 Miami

Source: Quest Diagnostics; ranking based on percentage of patients tested who showed sensitization to common ragweed over a four-year period in the 30 most populous U.S. cities.

Allergies no longer have to prevent pet ownership. By taking a few simple precautionary steps, it is possible to comfortably live with both pets and allergies. Here are a few helpful tips:

* Shut the door.
Keep cats or dogs from your bedroom - and not just when you are sleeping. If you keep the door closed, it will prevent cat or dog hair from drifting in during the day. This also applies to a guest room if you are hosting a guest with allergies.

* Keep pets off the furniture.
You can do this by placing a plastic cover on the furniture or by placing pieces of aluminum foil on areas where pets settle. They find the noise disturbing. Or you can try orange peel; cats dislike the smell.

* Ditch the carpets.
Pet hair tends to stick to carpets, especially soft, shaggy carpet. Try area rugs on tile or wood floors. They are convenient because they are portable and usually machine washable.

* Bathe pets.
Use an allergen-reducing shampoo and clean dogs at least twice a week.

* Clean the air.
Remove irritants with an air cleaner that has a HEPA filter.

* Vacuum and dust frequently.
Use a vacuum designed especially for pet owners. These include features such as an odor-absorbing filter and powerful suction for pet hair, while still retaining the dust and dirt that can trigger allergies and asthma.

The recently-introduced Cat & Dog vacuum, by Miele, the creators of the first HEPA-certified vacuum cleaner, is built with a sealed system designed to prevent dirt, dust and allergens from escaping back into the air. The vacuum provides the powerful suction and airflow necessary to remove stubborn pet hair and includes a versatile brush roller that automatically adjusts when transitioning from hardwood to carpet. For more information about Miele, visit www.mieleusa.com or call (800) 843-7231.

The summer sun is returning and calling us all outside. The outdoor lifestyle of spring and summer keeps skincare on many people's minds and few go to the beach or water park without a bottle or two of sunscreen. But high SPF shouldn't be your only skincare concern - think back to the colder season to see where your skin might need a helping hand.

Cold weather does more than send a chill through to your bones - it can contribute to the aging process. Winds outside, coupled with the dry, warm air inside our homes, tend to draw moisture from your skin over the months. This causes damage that's hard to fight, as anyone who has struggled to find a strong enough moisturizer can tell you. And the loss of moisture can accelerate the aging process.

For most women, it can take a long time to get skin back into shape. But there are some smart solutions for getting your skin sunshine-ready in a shorter amount of time, such as aesthetic treatments like the new ePrime (TM) Energy-Based Dermal Remodeling treatment, now available at many dermatologist and plastic surgeon offices. Consider these ways to revive your skin for the coming season.

* Get your vitamins. Taking vitamin supplements can have plenty of benefits for your health, and vitamins A, C, E and K have attributes that can help improve skin's appearance. But don't just reach for the bottle (and talk to your doctor before you do). Remember that eating vitamin-rich foods can have just as great an effect - so think of the produce section of your grocery store as a new skincare emporium.

* New ways to rejuvenate. Giving your skin back what it has lost might seem impossible, but there are solutions that can help improve skin tone and volume - two of the most notable features of youthful skin - in a single treatment. One new minimally invasive technology, ePrime, is an alternative therapy to surgical options like facelifts. "For people who have ruled out a surgical facelift, but for whom more basic skin surface treatments aren't enough, ePrime is a good solution to rejuvenate the skin," says renowned New York Derm-Scientist(R) Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas. This minimally invasive aesthetic device, administered by a doctor, delivers measured radio frequency (RF) energy directly into the deep dermis to boost volume and tone, turning back the damage that's been done to your skin.

* Don't be afraid of oil. It might not be so spooky to those with naturally dry skin, but oil-based treatments and cleansers shouldn't send those with oily skin running. In fact, for those with oily skin, problems can arise from using over-drying treatments. There are plenty of product options, from oil cleansers to oils that can be used as a moisturizer, or in combination with creams, for those who need even more of a moisture punch.

* Turn down the temperature. A long, hot shower certainly feels great - there's no denying that. But it can lead to not-so-great feelings later, when your skin is dry, itchy and flaky because the heat dried it out. Luckily, as the seasons heat up, it's more tolerable to take cooler showers, but keep in mind that you should turn down the heat when washing your face, too.

It's inevitable that your skin will take its knocks through the seasons. Luckily, if you didn't do enough to prepare your skin, you can focus on repairing it with these tips. For more information about ePrime, visit www.syneron.com, or to find a practitioner near you, call 866-787-4980. And when your skin's back to its best, don't forget to grab the sunblock as you head out to soak up the sunshine.

Summertime means outdoor fun at weddings, graduations, festivals and picnics. But uninvited guests ranging from stinging insects to grass pollen can ruin the fun for the millions of Americans with allergies and asthma.

Allergies and asthma can lead to sneezing, wheezing and itchy misery - and sometimes more serious reactions - turning a joyous occasion into agony.

"By planning ahead, people with allergies can still enjoy outdoor events," says Dr. Myron Zitt, past president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

ACAAI and its allergist members suggest following a few simple tips to make summer soirees more enjoyable:

* Treat before you go. Take allergy medication before walking out the door. If you wait until symptoms kick in, the medication won't be nearly as effective.

* Go undercover. Big, wrap-around sunglasses help keep pollen from getting into your eyes.

* Avoid bees. If you're allergic to bees or other stinging insects, avoidance is your best bet. Keep your distance from uncovered food, be cautious of open soft drink cans and resist wearing bright clothing or perfume, all of which attract bees. If someone near you gets stung, move away - some bees give off a chemical after they sting that can attract other stinging insects.

* Be cautious at the food table. Avoid foods in which nuts, dairy and other common allergens can be lurking, such as mixed salads, barbecue sauces and salad dressings. If grilling is involved, have your portion cooked on aluminum foil to avoid cross-contamination with other foods.

* Stick to the middle. Poison ivy can lurk in bushes and other foliage, so stay in open areas where you're less likely to brush up against it.

* Pay attention to ozone alerts. High temperatures mixed with pollution can pose a problem for people with asthma. Carry a quick relief inhaler.

Visit www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org for more information about allergies and to find an allergist near you. Allergists have expertise to select the most effective treatment options and also can determine if you should consider allergy shots (immunotherapy) which are effective for seasonal and stinging insect allergies. The treatment involves periodic injections with tiny amounts of an allergen so that your reactions become milder or disappear completely, curing your allergy. Allergy shots also can help prevent the development of asthma.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that the controversial diabetes drug Avandia will no longer be sold at retail pharmacies beginning this November, due to the cardiovascular risks it poses to patients.

According to the new rules, which will go into effect on Nov. 18, the medication will only be available to patients who've been safely using the drug, those who have had no success in controlling their blood sugar with other diabetes medications or patients who have been informed of the risks and still choose to take Avandia (rosiglitazone).

These patients must be enrolled in a special program to qualify to receive the drug, according to the FDA.

"Under the Avandia-Rosiglitazone Medicines Access Program, rosiglitazone medicines will only be available to enrolled patients by mail order from certified pharmacies participating in the program," the agency said in a statement released Wednesday. "The drug manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, will withdraw rosiglitazone medicines from the current supply chain and will provide pharmacies with instructions on returning the medicines."

Rosiglitazone is also sold under the names Avandamet (where the drug is combined with metformin) and Avandaryl (rosiglitazone plus glimeperide). The new rules apply to those combination drugs as well.

According to Bloomberg News, GlaxoSmithKline said it plans to inform pharmacists and doctors about the new access program over the next two months, company spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne said. In the meantime, patients should discuss their options with their doctors before making any changes to their diabetes treatment.

The withdrawal of Avandia and related products from drugstore shelves comes eight months after the FDA severely restricted use of rosiglitazone to those patients with type 2 diabetes for whom other medications do not work.

"It's like a decade-long nightmare coming to an end," Dr. Steven Nissen, chief of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, told USA Today. "Eleven years after this drug was introduced, it will be so restricted in access that virtually no one will be able to get it."

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REPEAT AFTER ME:
1. I don't have to be part of the 35% in America who are overweight or obese

2. I can save that 5 dollars a day that the average American spends on a combination of soda, candy, chips and/or fast food. (that's over 1800 dollars a year for each person!!)

3. I don't need to be one of the 7 out of every 10 Americans that don't exercise at all each day

BETTER YET.......I DON'T NEED TO MAKE ANYMORE EXCUSES!

Its time to be firm. There is no reason why this blog should ever need to be read. It really isn't that hard to get up and move a little each day. It should not be that difficult to keep driving on not hit that fast food, day after day after day. Really, when it comes down, I know what busy is. A dad, a husband, a business owner, a son, who drives 100 miles a day to support a wife, a mother, who is a teacher, a friend, a daughter who homeschools her children who are kids, that need to go to gymnastics, and baseball, and dance....AND ON AND ON AND ON!

I know the problem isn't that people don't want to get get better, live longer, be happier and healthier. NO...it isn't that. If it was that, then there would not be 3.2 billion prescriptions written by doctors in America each year. I mean, I know that's what we are trained to do. From the time that we are children, if you play doctor, you are the one with all the answers, plain and simple. I mean a traditional reaction to a student doing well in school is "Keep that up and one day, you will be a doctor."

"Yea, one day, my beautiful daughter, you are going to go to medical school. You will keep working harder and harder to help people. You will have their lives in your heart. Everyone that comes before you, YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE THEM BETTER."

The problem isn't that our doctors aren't compassionate or that they aren't intelligent but that they really aren't given the tools to help us out the way we need it most.
As consumers of health we the people need to understand that medicine and health are not the same thing. We need to understand that medical school is funded by "Medicine." No one can argue that the femur is connected to the acetabulum. (OK...maybe you can. But think of the song..."the leg bone is connected to the hip bone." Same thing.) What can be argued, how do we treat common symptoms.

If you head to the doctors office, what happens? You got a symptom, say a headache and you make a complaint. The doctor, listens, pulls out a pad of paper and a pen, and writes the answer on a piece of paper. You dash to the pharmacy and get something to swallow that you cant pick from a tree or never had a face at any point in time.
Anyone that has suffered from headaches knows that this isn't a one time event. You are likely to back in near future, over and over again to get more pills.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and
expecting different results. "

Now it isn't the fault of the doctor. I mean this what he is trained to do. He read the research, he has seen the work done.....it is what he knows. Scientific journal after scientific journal, our medical professional our given evidence to treat symptoms.

I really hate to break the news but a great deal of that research is funded by the same source that would defend it. That's right, most of the scientific research is funded by one of 824,180 pharmaceutical companies which compete with one other for the right to sell their product. Our medical professionals must put their trust into a guy in a lab coat somewhere who created something in a test tube to cure our symptoms.

Ok, so what they do know is skewed, what about, what they don't know?

Hold on...back up a second. Do you like to make multiple trips to the doctor? Maybe you like to sit in the lobby, with the rest of us who are coughing and sneezing all over the place. NOT ME....I don't like to go there AT ALL!! Personally, I would have to take a good guess and say that most of us would choose to never go for the first visit.

So wouldn't it be great if we could just skip the whole SYMPTOMATIC part of the equation? Wouldn't it be great if just figured why something was happening and address that, and never have to worry about heading out to the doctor again. Wouldn't it be great if we just learned the ROOT of our problem?

The thing is, is that headache could be caused by a forward head carriage. This means, that those hours on the road looking through your drivers window, followed by the hours looking at your computer screen, and followed up by the 35 hours the average Amercian watches TV a week, is catching up with them. This is easily seen by performing a postural assessment. You need to check for proper joint alignment, here is an easy way:
Find a wall to stand against. Have your heels, touch the wall as you try to stomach squeezed in real tight so that your lower back is flat. Try to tighten your shoulders together as you move the back of your head against the wall. If you cant do this or it is uneasy, then there some possible areas that need to addressed through corrective exercise. If you are able to this, then try walking forward a few steps and see what happens to your body. If there any postural changes, there are some areas that need to be addressed properly.

OK..ok..ok, maybe it isn't that. Maybe that is too easy to be the ROOT of the problem. It could be something else. What about nutrition? There are a whole host of diet/headache, cause and effect relationships. It could be too much sodium or too little vitamin D, but would your doctor address that? Most likely not because what isn't included in a Medical School education, is nutritional education. Go ahead and ask for yourself. MOST DOCTORS WILL RECEIVE THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE NUTRITIONAL COURSE for their education.

That can't be good. Just think about how much food we eat. I mean we cant deny the influence that food has on our bodies. Diabetes, for instance, really wouldn't exsist if we didn't eat way too many processed foods.

Just don't be a victim.

If you go to the doctor, ASK MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROOT OF YOUR PROBLEM. Don't just have your hand out waiting for a pill.

Start reading food labels. If there are like 1000 ingredients in a tortilla, IT PROBABLY ISNT A GOOD CHOICE.

DON'T JOIN A GYM! If exercising at gym is not for you, don't sign up. Find something you enjoy and do it consistently. Start with what you like.

WE HAVE TO TAKE A STAND. WE HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES. WE HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES.

Many of us know someone - a co-worker, relative or neighbor - who has been affected by the recession. Unfortunately, lost jobs haven't been the only casualty during these tough economic times. In fact, new results from The Commonwealth Fund's Biennial Health Insurance Survey reveal that 9 million Americans lost their health insurance during the past two years on account of losing their jobs. According to the survey, this data suggests that nearly 52 million American adults were uninsured at some point during 2010.

Without the ability to pay for needed medical care, uninsured individuals are less likely to receive preventive care, are more likely to be hospitalized for chronic conditions that could have been prevented, and are more likely to die in the hospital than insured Americans. Information from the Biennial Health Insurance Survey highlights this assertion, indicating that 75 million adults skipped doctors' visits, prescriptions, specialist care and recommended tests or treatments in 2010 because of cost, up 60 percent over the past decade.

Fortunately, there is relief for uninsured Americans struggling to pay for their prescription medicines. Pfizer Helpful Answers, Pfizer's family of patient assistance programs, helps eligible uninsured and underinsured Americans get access to Pfizer medicines for free or at a savings. In the last five years (2006-2010), Pfizer Helpful Answers helped nearly 4.5 million uninsured and underinsured patients get access to more than 44 million Pfizer prescriptions, equaling more than $5.6 billion.

Nearly two years ago, Pfizer expanded its family of patient assistance programs by launching the MAINTAIN program, which helps eligible patients who have recently lost their jobs continue receiving their Pfizer medicines for up to 12 months, or until they become insured again, whichever comes first. Since the program's inception in 2009, MAINTAIN has proved to be a valuable resource for the recently unemployed and uninsured. For example, when Stuart Tathwell lost his job in Nashville, Tennessee, he looked to MAINTAIN to help him get access to his Pfizer medicines.

"Prescription medicines can be a significant cost to someone who is unemployed," said Tathwell, when Pfizer asked about his experience with the program. "Pfizer's MAINTAIN program has allowed me to continue taking my Pfizer medicines at the recommended dosage."

To help meet the continued need for such programs, Pfizer recently extended MAINTAIN to accept applications through December 31, 2011.

"We launched the MAINTAIN program in an effort to meet the changing needs of Americans without health insurance coverage," explained Gary Pelletier, Director and Team Leader of Pfizer Helpful Answers. "This new data from The Commonwealth Fund affirms that programs like MAINTAIN are still highly important to uninsured Americans. Now that MAINTAIN is accepting applications through the end of 2011, we have the opportunity to help even more eligible uninsured and unemployed patients in need access their Pfizer medicines."

To find out more about the MAINTAIN program and other Pfizer Helpful Answers programs, or to check your eligibility status, call 1-866-706-2400 or visit www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com.

Courtesy WebMD.com:

Young adults who carry a so-called Alzheimer's risk gene show disruption in their brains as early as their 20s, according to new research.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles used a special MRI scan that maps brain connections to examine 398 healthy young adults. Some carried the variant of the gene linked with Alzheimer's risk and some did not.

"The people who carry this gene have severely impaired wiring in most of their brain, even when they are young," says researcher Paul M. Thompson, PhD, professor of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine.

Even so, they don't notice symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, such as memory loss at this time, he tells WebMD. Following a healthy lifestyle early can offset the genetic risk, he says.

The study is published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

Genetic Link to Alzheimer's Disease

For late-onset Alzheimer's disease, which appears in old age, scientists know there is a strong genetic link.

In 1993, scientists discovered the gene known as ApoE4, carried by about 25% of people. It triples the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Then, in 2009, scientists found more ''risk'' genes. One is called clusterin or CLU. Those who have the CLU gene form known as CLU-C have about a 16% higher risk of Alzheimer's disease than those who have the CLU-T gene form.

However, the experts who discovered the new risk gene could not say why it boosted the risk. "This is the first clear evidence of what it does," Thompson tells WebMD.

About 88% of whites carry the CLU-C variant, Thompson says.

He used a special MRI scan to look closely at the brain's connections. Among the 398 people scanned, some had one copy of the CLU-C variant, some had two, and some had none.

"We basically wanted to see how the people who carry this gene differ," Thompson tells WebMD.

They found the CLU-C carriers had what scientists call lower ''fractional anisotropy." This is a measure of white matter brain tissue integrity. ''The white matter integrity was about 10% lower in the carriers of the gene compared to the ones who didn't have it," he says. Those who carried two copies of CLU-C had even lower white matter integrity, he says.

The findings suggested that the change in the white matter was due to reduced integrity of the myelin, the protective coating covering the brain cells.

The study suggests the gene variant ''does its work very early," Thompson says. And it does so, he says, not by forming the plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease but by damaging the myelin, the protective coating on the brain's nerve cells.

It's known that in Alzheimer's disease, the white matter pathways deteriorate due to impaired myelin and other factors.

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Courtesy Skin Cancer Foundation & cbsnews.com:

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, with more than 3.5 million cases affecting more than two million people each year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Early detection and treatment are key, which is why it's vital to pay attention to moles and other marks on your skin (and to see a dermatologist once a year for a skin exam).

There are three main kinds of skin cancer: Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, the most lethal form (shown at left). In addition, there are "precancers" called actinic keratoses, along with iffy moles (dysplastic nevi) that could be worrisome. Keep clicking as Dr. Michele Green, a skin cancer expert in New York City, walks us through photos showing the things you should be looking for. The images are graphic, but looking at them just might save your life, or that of someone you love.

View a gallery of skin cancer photos

WHAT: The Network for a Healthy California--Desert Sierra Retail Program and Stater Bros. Markets will host the fifth annual Fruit and Veggie Fest at Stater Bros. Market in Redlands, as part of a month-long, statewide effort to empower families to be Champions for Change by making healthy, active living a priority. Free to the public, Fruit and Veggie Fest in Redlands will include a variety of fun and educational activities designed to give shoppers the tools and tips they need to bridge the nutritional gap by packing a healthy snack.

WHY: As California continues to battle an obesity epidemic, events like Fruit and Veggie Fest help encourage shoppers to become part of the solution by eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Fruit and Veggie Fest activities show consumers in Redlands, and across California, that even small steps, like snacking on fruits and vegetables between meals, can help them reach their nutritional goals and lead to big health improvements. Fruits and vegetables not only taste great, they help lower the risk of obesity and other serious health problems.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 17, 2011
3:00pm - 6:00pm, Store Tour, Apple Raisin Graham Cooking Demo, and Physical Activities

WHERE: Stater Bros. #18, 11 E. Colton Ave., Redlands, CA, 92374
Cross streets: Orange St. and E. Colton Ave.

WHO:
· Retail Program and Stater Bros. Markets
· Local students from Boys & Girls Club of Redlands and Franklin Elementary School

VISUALS:
· Kids and adults blending Paradise Freeze smoothies on a stationary bike
· Children's Power Play! Campaign staff leading store tours and sharing tips and ideas to help kids and moms pack a healthy snack
· Sampling and preparing nutritious snacks featuring in-season fruits and vegetables that cost less and taste great and offering healthy tips to students and community members

CONTACT: Maureen Medina, Network for a Healthy California--Desert Sierra Retail Program, at (909) 387-9196

Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent certain hepatitis viruses and diseases in the human body. Many people with hepatitis A, B or C do not know they are infected and/or have the disease. Awareness is the first step in protecting yourself and others against hepatitis.

Hepatitis is a disease that harms the liver and is caused by several different viruses. The liver is an important organ because it helps digest food, store energy, and remove poisons from the body. Hepatitis causes the liver to swell or inflame which stops it from working properly.

Hepatitis A, B, and C are the three most common types of viral hepatitis found in the United States. Hepatitis is a major public health concern in the United States and around the world because the disease is spread from person to person. Symptoms of hepatitis can include yellowing of the skin and/or eyes, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, tiredness, pain in muscles, joints and stomach, and loss of appetite. County residents can protect themselves and prevent the spread of hepatitis to others.

Hepatitis A, B, and C are caused by separate viruses and spread to people in different ways:

· Hepatitis A is usually spread through contaminated food or water, which may be due to poor hand washing/personal cleanliness, but can also be spread by having unprotected sex with an infected person. Vaccine is available to protect individuals against hepatitis A.
· Hepatitis B (and in some cases hepatitis C) is spread through blood and bodily fluids when having unprotected sex with an infected person. Vaccine is available to protect individuals against hepatitis B, but not hepatitis C.
· Hepatitis B and C are spread by direct contact with blood when sharing needles (or other drug equipment) with an infected person, and can also be passed from an infected mother to her newborn child before or during birth.
· Hepatitis B and C may also be spread when sharing or coming in contact with personal objects such as razors or toothbrushes with someone who is infected.

If you are at risk and would like further information, or to make a vaccination appointment, contact your physician or the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health at 1-800-722-4777, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Courtesy of NYTimes.com:

A 55-year-old neighbor of mine was awakened in the wee hours of the morning recently with an excruciating pain in his right big toe that rendered him unable to walk. As happens in a classic attack of gout, the onset was sudden and the affected joint red and swollen.

Long regarded as a "disease of kings" for its association with a diet rich in meats and alcohol, gout in modern times has become a decidedly more plebeian disorder. More than six million adults in the United States have had it, and the numbers are rising steadily as the population ages, becomes heavier and is exposed to foods and other substances that can precipitate the disorder in susceptible people.

And while historically gout has been a male disease (three-fourths of cases occur in men), the incidence has been rising in older women, with as many as one in 20 over age 70 now afflicted.

Fortunately for my neighbor, the fiery pain in his toe subsided in a few days, and while he has no idea what brought on the attack, he said he's now "eating more healthfully." Unfortunately, although some people never experience a second attack, others can suffer recurrences several times a year.

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One-quarter of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the United States are unaware of their HIV infection. Furthermore, these individuals account for more than half of all new infections. However, studies show that people are more likely to seek care for themselves and protect others from becoming infected after becoming aware of their HIV-positive status.  Keeping these factors in mind, HIV prevention requires a collective community response that matches the severity of the epidemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established a series of recommendations to help ensure that all persons know their HIV status in an effort to help stop the spread of HIV.  The CDC recommends that all individuals ages 13-64 know their HIV status and have one HIV screening test as part of routine clinical care.  Repeat testing is recommended at least annually for those who engage in risky behaviors such as having multiple sex partners, being diagnosed with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), sharing needles for any reason, and having unprotected sex with a partner who is not aware of his or her HIV status.

For individuals who do not have access to routine medical care, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (SBCDPH) offers HIV antibody testing services through the AIDS Program and Clinic Operations.  The AIDS Program offers Rapid HIV antibody test services Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 799 East Rialto Avenue in the City of San Bernardino.  This particular test method delivers HIV results in 30 minutes or less, using a single drop of blood from a finger stick or by means of an oral swab.  It was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2002.  The Rapid HIV antibody test has been proven to be a cost-effective and accurate method for screening. As with all screening tests for HIV, positive test results require confirmatory testing, and specific procedures and quality assurance measures are followed to ensure that all clients testing for HIV receive accurate results and effective counseling and referral services.

The SBCDPH Clinic Operations provide standard HIV antibody tests in which a blood sample is drawn by a healthcare provider and submitted to the Public Health Lab for analysis.  Results are available in two weeks through SBCDPH Clinic Operations.

For more information about HIV testing services, call the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health AIDS Program at (800) 255-6560, or Clinic Operations at (800) 722-4777, or visit the website at www.KnowSBC.com .    

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health proudly launches Toddler Immunization Month in May, 2011. This annual observance highlights the importance of fully immunizing toddlers ages 1-3 years old against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Now is the perfect time to schedule an appointment with your toddler's medical provider to check that immunizations are on track with recommended immunizations. Toddlers need timely immunizations to protect themselves and their communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.

"Immunizations are among the easiest ways available to help prevent disease and death," said Dr. Ohikhuare, San Bernardino County Health Officer. "Families, health care professionals and public health officials must work together to help protect the entire community. A decision to immunize your toddler is a decision to protect them and the entire community as well."

Some of the immunizations that toddlers can receive are hepatitis B, polio and pertussis (whooping cough). Check with your toddler's medical provider or clinic to find out what immunizations are needed. Taking the time to keep your toddler on track with immunizations helps ensure a healthy family.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to talk to their toddler's medical provider to ensure that they are on track and up-to-date on immunizations. If your toddler does not have health insurance or is under insured, ask your medical provider or local health department for information about the Vaccines for Children Program which provides vaccines at low-cost. For public health clinic locations, schedules and appointments, call 1-800-722-4777, Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or visit the San Bernardino County website at www.sbcounty.gov/dph.

Courtesy of suntimes.com:

Scientists have made an alarming discovery: bedbugs that carry the staph "superbug" MRSA.

Canadian scientists detected drug-resistant staph bacteria in bedbugs from three hospital patients from a downtrodden Vancouver neighborhood.

Bedbugs haven't been known to spread disease, and there's no clear evidence that the five bedbugs found on the patients or their belongings had spread the MRSA germ they were carrying or a second, less dangerous drug-resistant bacteria. But bedbugs can cause itching that can lead to excessive scratching, and that can cause breaks in the skin that make people more susceptible to these germs, noted Dr. Marc Romney, one of the authors of the study released Wednesday by Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's not clear whether the bacteria originated with the bedbugs or the bugs picked it up from already-infected people.

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health proudly launches Toddler Immunization Month in May, 2011. This annual observance highlights the importance of fully immunizing toddlers ages 1-3 years old against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Now is the perfect time to schedule an appointment with your toddler's medical provider to check that immunizations are on track with recommended immunizations. Toddlers need timely immunizations to protect themselves and their communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.

"Immunizations are among the easiest ways available to help prevent disease and death," said Dr. Ohikhuare, San Bernardino County Health Officer. "Families, health care professionals and public health officials must work together to help protect the entire community. A decision to immunize your toddler is a decision to protect them and the entire community as well."

Some of the immunizations that toddlers can receive are hepatitis B, polio and pertussis (whooping cough). Check with your toddler's medical provider or clinic to find out what immunizations are needed. Taking the time to keep your toddler on track with immunizations helps ensure a healthy family.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to talk to their toddler's medical provider to ensure that they are on track and up-to-date on immunizations. If your toddler does not have health insurance or is under insured, ask your medical provider or local health department for information about the Vaccines for Children Program which provides vaccines at low-cost. For public health clinic locations, schedules and appointments, call 1-800-722-4777, Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or visit the San Bernardino County website at www.sbcounty.gov/dph

Courtesy NPR.org:

Makers of over-the-counter medicines for kids have agreed to stop producing infant-only liquid painkillers containing concentrated acetaminophen.

Some painkilling drops for infants contain as much as 80 milligrams of acetaminophen per milliliter. Acetaminophen liquids for older children typically contain 32 milligrams per milliliter.

Parents can wind up giving children too much acetaminophen by using the infant-strength drops in large quantities. Soon only the lower-strength version will be available -- 160 milligrams of acetaminophen per 5 milliliters. (A teaspoon is about 5 milliliters.)
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the change, said there were 14 hospitalizations caused by pediatric versions of medicines containing acetaminophen in 2009, citing data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade group for makers of OTC medicines, said in a statement that the voluntary change will make it easier for parents and caregivers to use the right dose of medicine. The shift to a uniform strength of acetaminophen will begin by the middle of this year, the group's statement said.

How much medicine to use depends on a child's age. Consult the instructions on each medicine to be sure.

And check the ingredients, too. As a recent study found, most people didn't know which active ingredient was in their preferred painkiller.

The Foundation for Community and Family Heal is offering immunization and TB Skin tests on a walk in basis Monday's only from 8am - 4pm and by appointment Tuesday - Friday from 8 a m- 4 p m at Children's Center, 815 W. 6th Street, Suite 110, Corona. Information: 951-270-0522

The program is also available on May 14 from 10:00 a m - 12:00 p m

Funded in Part by:
First Five of Riverside
San Manual Band of Indians
Corona-Norco United Way
CDBG Corona

One-quarter of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the United States are unaware of their HIV infection. Furthermore, these individuals account for more than half of all new infections. However, studies show that people are more likely to seek care for themselves and protect others from becoming infected after becoming aware of their HIV-positive status.  Keeping these factors in mind, HIV prevention requires a collective community response that matches the severity of the epidemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established a series of recommendations to help ensure that all persons know their HIV status in an effort to help stop the spread of HIV.  The CDC recommends that all individuals ages 13-64 know their HIV status and have one HIV screening test as part of routine clinical care.  Repeat testing is recommended at least annually for those who engage in risky behaviors such as having multiple sex partners, being diagnosed with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), sharing needles for any reason, and having unprotected sex with a partner who is not aware of his or her HIV status.

For individuals who do not have access to routine medical care, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (SBCDPH) offers HIV antibody testing services through the AIDS Program and Clinic Operations.  The AIDS Program offers Rapid HIV antibody test services Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 799 East Rialto Avenue in the City of San Bernardino.  This particular test method delivers HIV results in 30 minutes or less, using a single drop of blood from a finger stick or by means of an oral swab.  It was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2002.  The Rapid HIV antibody test has been proven to be a cost-effective and accurate method for screening. As with all screening tests for HIV, positive test results require confirmatory testing, and specific procedures and quality assurance measures are followed to ensure that all clients testing for HIV receive accurate results and effective counseling and referral services.

The SBCDPH Clinic Operations provide standard HIV antibody tests in which a blood sample is drawn by a healthcare provider and submitted to the Public Health Lab for analysis.  Results are available in two weeks through SBCDPH Clinic Operations.

For more information about HIV testing services, call the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health AIDS Program at (800) 255-6560, or Clinic Operations at (800) 722-4777, or visit the website at www.KnowSBC.com .    

Good news for family and friends who are caring for older adults...support is on the way! Riverside County Office on Aging's new "Care Pathways" pilot program begins May 10, providing a series of weekly workshops at the San Jacinto Community Center, designed to offer information and support to family caregivers who face challenges managing their caregiving responsibilities for a friend or loved one, 60 years of age or older.

This series of six workshops will cover subjects such as: Living with Dementia, preventing Caregiver Burnout, Managing Medications, Talking to the Doctor, Understanding Legal Issues, Stress Prevention and Relief and Communicating in Challenging Situations. The workshops are conducted in a supportive setting, with facilitators who understand the challenges that caregivers face, and who can provide powerful tools to assist caregivers to manage their tasks with confidence, increase their self care, and thrive. To register for the series of workshops call the Riverside County Office on Aging at (951) 867-3800 or (800) 510-2020.

Home care can be arranged for the care recipient; request respite assistance at the time of registration.

The Riverside County Office on Aging, serving as the Aging and Disability Resource Connection, received Prevention and Early Intervention funding through Riverside County Department of Mental Health/Mental Health Service Act, for these caregiver support groups in the Western and Mid-County Regions of Riverside County. The workshop series will be scheduled in upcoming months, in other targeted communities, throughout the regions.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Contact Mary Hrinko at Riverside County Office on Aging
at 951-867-3800 or 800-510-2020, by mail at 6296 Rivercrest Drive, Suite K, Riverside, CA 92507.

Good news for family and friends who are caring for older adults...support is on the way! Riverside County Office on Aging's new "Care Pathways" pilot program begins May 10, providing a series of weekly workshops at the Moreno Valley Senior Center, designed to offer information and support to family caregivers who face challenges managing their caregiving responsibilities for a friend or loved one, 60 years of age or older.

This series of six workshops will cover subjects such as: Living with Dementia, preventing Caregiver Burnout, Managing Medications, Talking to the Doctor, Understanding Legal Issues, Stress Prevention and Relief and Communicating in Challenging Situations. The workshops are conducted in a supportive setting, with facilitators who understand the challenges that caregivers face, and who can provide powerful tools to assist caregivers to manage their tasks with confidence, increase their self care, and thrive. To register for the series of workshops call the Riverside County Office on Aging at (951) 867-3800 or (800) 510-2020.

Home care can be arranged for the care recipient; request respite assistance at the time of registration.

The Riverside County Office on Aging, serving as the Aging and Disability Resource Connection, received Prevention and Early Intervention funding through Riverside County Department of Mental Health/Mental Health Service Act, for these caregiver support groups in the Western and Mid-County Regions of Riverside County. The workshop series will be scheduled in upcoming months, in other targeted communities, throughout the regions.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Contact Mary Hrinko at Riverside County Office on Aging
at 951-867-3800 or 800-510-2020, by mail at 6296 Rivercrest Drive, Suite K, Riverside, CA 92507

Courtesy USAtoday.com:

The American Heart Association encourages people to consume no more than 1,500 milligrams a day of sodium to reduce their risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease. This is less than half of what people consume now.
One reason for this advice: Elevated blood pressure is a major public health problem approximately 90% of all Americans will develop hypertension over their lifetime, the heart association says.

But a new European population study coordinated in Belgium raises questions about sodium and its effect on the heart.

Researchers followed 3,681 people, average age 40, for about eight years, testing sodium excretion in the urine. They found that systolic blood pressure (the top number) was slightly lower in those who excreted less sodium, but this didn't translate into a lower risk of cardiovascular death -- in fact, those with lower sodium excretion had an increased risk of cardiovascular death. The findings were consistent in participants younger and older than 60 years.

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Courtesy LAtimes.com:

Grape tomatoes found in a variety of salads at some western U.S. grocery stores may be contaminated with salmonella, the grower has warned. So check that chef salad, Cobb salad, orzo salad, seafood salad, Greek salad, mozzarella salad or chicken salad, among others, in the refrigerator. It may have been recalled.

No illnesses have been reported, so there's little need to panic. But the recall of the tomatoes -- and thus, the salads -- highlights, once again, the number of products that can be affected by one instance (or possible instance) of contamination.

Taylor Farms Pacific is recalling salads containing grape tomatoes that it prepared for Albertsons, Raley's, Safeway, Savemart, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart, according to a press release by the company. See the full list of stores, states and salads here.

The products were packaged for stores in Arizona, Oregon, California, Nevada, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Utah.

The tomato grower, Six L's of Immokalee, Fla., voluntarily recalled one lot of grape tomatoes on Friday after a distributor in New York found that a random sample tested positive for salmonella. The lot was packaged on April 11 and sent to North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Georgia and Canada. That recall has led to the recall of the salads.

Desert Women for Equality's We Care Program has scheduled eight (8) free mammogram clinics in the Coachella Valley for the remainder of 2011. Each clinic expects to provide over 100 free mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women who are at least 40 years old with no implants.

Clinics are held between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome but limited. To ensure availability, it is recommended that participants schedule an appointment well in advance by calling 760-325-4701 between the hours of 10 am and 1 pm (M-F).

Schedule clinic dates and cities are as follows: May 16 - Coachella, June 16 - Cathedral City, July 14 - Indio, August 18 - Desert Hot Springs, September 17 - Palm Springs, October 20 - Coachella, November TBA - Thermal (Flying Doctors), December 15 - Cathedral City.

Complete information is available at www.desertwomenforequality.com.

Approximately 59,000 children 0-11 years of age, and 198,000 adults 18 years and older have asthma in San Bernardino County. Asthma is one of the most common serious childhood diseases. In addition, asthma is a leading cause of hospital emergency department visits and school absenteeism. As part of Asthma Awareness Month, the Coordinated Asthma Referral and Education (CARE) program is outreaching to County residents, the medical community and schools.

Asthma poses a serious public health burden to County residents, particularly for children and their families," said Maxwell Ohikhuare, M.D., Health Officer with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health. "Asthma can't be cured, although treatment options and tools exist to manage the diseases and its symptoms."

Asthma affects people of all ages and ethnicities, but it occurs at disproportionately higher rates among African Americans. Asthma triggers vary depending upon the person and environment, but some known triggers include cigarette and other smoke, mold, pollen, dust, animal dander, exercise, cold air, household and industrial products, air pollutants, and infections.

The CARE program provides free home visits to families with children 18 years and younger, who have a diagnosis of asthma in San Bernardino County. During the home visits, the families receive home assessments and asthma education. In addition, they receive materials and community referrals to help manage their child's asthma triggers.

For more information about asthma, ask your doctor or call the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, CARE program at 1-800-782-4264. You can also visit the Department of Public Health website at http://www.sbcounty.gov/dph