Hypertension

Hypertension is called the silent killer. While there are many medications that can help get blood pressure under control, it can be difficult for a person and her health care provider to find one without distressing side effects. A natural approach uses the DASH diet plus exercise to achieve weight loss as well as lowering blood pressure. How well does it work?

Before any surgery or medical intervention, a patient has to learn about the benefits and risks to give informed consent. What should we know about this process?

Listen to this http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/02/20/759-health-news-update/

Can Curry Spice Soothe Psoriasis?

Back in the dim days of black-and-white television, one over-the-counter product that was frequently advertised claimed to help "the heartbreak of psoriasis." The phrase is no longer heard in commercials, but the heartbreak is still there.

For reasons that are still somewhat mysterious, an inflammatory immune reaction triggers rapid skin cell turnover in some people. This results in reddish raised plaques with silvery scales.

Knees and elbows are common hot spots, but plaques of psoriasis may develop on the scalp, back, genitals or other places on the body.

There are many treatments, but there is no cure. And surprisingly, some medications may actually trigger a psoriasis outbreak or make an existing situation worse. Powerful immune-system modulating drugs like Enbrel and Remicade used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can set off a new attack of psoriasis. Paradoxically, such drugs are sometimes prescribed for hard-to-treat psoriasis cases.

People with psoriasis often receive a smorgasbord of therapies. Moisturizers, coal tar creams and topical steroids are cornerstones of treatment. Light therapy (PUVA) can also help and in tougher cases, oral medications like methotrexate are frequently added to the regimen.

Patients sometimes get frustrated with the cost or the complications of standard therapies. That's why we often hear from readers who have experimented with alternatives:
"In 2007 I developed psoriasis on about 30 percent of my body. I felt overwhelmed at the age of 47.

"My internist was open-minded when I told him I did not want drugs making my condition worse. Nothing he did helped.

"My psoriasis was painful, with raised and flaky patches. He wanted to try steroids and lots of other drugs. I said no and tried turmeric and bromelain three times a day.

"Within a short time all my psoriasis was gone. I was tested to make sure I had psoriasis and it was confirmed both before and after I took turmeric that I had psoriasis.
"The doctor was shocked, and now this is what he uses first on his patients with psoriasis. I only need to take turmeric once or twice a week now."

Not everyone will benefit so dramatically, and many may get no response. Some readers have reported that the effects of turmeric eventually wear off.

There is science to support this natural approach (Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, Feb., 2009). There are, however, some potential side effects to this remedy.

Turmeric is generally considered safe, since it is a spice commonly used in Indian cooking. It is the yellow spice in curry and is also part of the formula for yellow mustard. Nonetheless, some people develop allergies to this spice. When used medicinally, it may affect liver enzymes. If they begin to rise, turmeric should be discontinued.

We are also concerned about the potential for interaction with anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin). Several readers have reported a dramatic increase in INR (a measure of blood clotting) when they started taking turmeric as well as warfarin. This could lead to a dangerous or even lethal bleeding episode, so no one on warfarin should take turmeric or its active ingredient curcum

13 Minutes for Health

Vitamin D is surprisingly versatile. It is critical for bone health, and also for muscle strength. Vitamin D helps keep the immune system in shape to fight off infection and cancer. At adequate levels, it also reduces the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis.

But how to get enough vitamin D? New research shows that just 13 minutes of sun exposure a day three times a week in the summer is enough to bring vitamin D blood levels of light-skinned people into the adequate range. The British investigators predict that in North America fair-skinned people would need between nine and 16 minutes for a comparable beneficial effect. People with darker skin need more time in the sun. People at high risk of skin cancer should avoid even short periods of sun exposure. They may need supplements to get their blood levels up to the optimal point of 30 ng/ml of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.

[Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Jan. 2010]

Categories:

• Health News

Sodas Raise Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

Sugary soft drinks may pose a risk of pancreatic cancer. That preliminary finding comes from a large epidemiological study in Singapore. More than 60,000 adults were tracked for 14 years. Those who drank at least two sodas a week raised their risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly 90 percent. Pancreatic cancer is considered relatively rare and quite deadly.

The investigators speculate that the sugar in soda causes a rapid increase of insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Insulin may act as a growth factor for cancer cells, and some scientists believe that sugar itself acts like fertilizer for the growth of tumors. This is not the first time sugary drinks have been linked to a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Nevertheless, the findings are controversial. The American Beverage Association maintains that there are flaws in this epidemiological study and other research has not shown a link with cancer. Fruit juice consumption was not associated with a risk of pancreatic cancer in this investigation.

[Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, February 2010]

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is one of the most common complaints that bring patients to a doctor's office. Why do sinuses cause so much trouble, and what can be done to prevent sinus infection and inflammation?

Guests: Harold C. Pillsbury, MD, FACS, is Thomas A. Dark Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Executive Director of the Carolina Children's Communicative Disorders Program.

Ronald W. Gerbe, MD, is founder of Chapel Hill Ear, Nose and Throat and Facial Plastic Surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy and the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Rhinological Society. Please follow the links.


http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/02/13/758-sinusitis/

Life After Death. (Why I am a Possibilian)

This is one of my favourite subject, because I had been brought up thinking that ethics, morals and religious teachings of the church should be consistent, and yet I was seeing inconsistency. I didn’t believe they had a lock on the truth any more so than any other religion. For example take the case of astronomer Galileo in 1616( ie. just 400 years ago) he was imprisoned by Pope Paul V because he claimed that the earth was not flat but a sphere. Just imagine, how far we have come now viz. DNA, Dark Matter, Quantum Mechanics, Size of the Cosmos, Vaccines, MRI, Man on the Moon, Neuro Science, etc. “Agnosticism is not knowing whether the guy with the beard in the cloud is real or not."

Possibilianism' is going out and making up a bunch of new stories, because we know so much more now than those people who came up with those stories thousands of years ago.” There are 2000 religions and everyone believes just as fervently in theirs as you do in yours. Uncertainity is uncomfortable position but certainity is absurd position. I do not want to shake your faith but according to the Bible, if you do not accept Christ to be your Saviour there is no place in heaven. But I want to ask you what would be the fate of millions and millions of pious Muslims, Hindus and Buddhist etc. Are they all going to hell, because they did not accept Christ as their Saviour. Socially its kind of uncomfortable to say that you are an Athiest nor an Agnostic but I would say that I am in the middle like David Eaglemen as a Possibilian. Lets come out of our relegious constrains and explore our vast ignorence and the possibilities that exists in life after death. Now lets listen to David Eaglemens interview on the Coast to Coast Radio Show on You Tube. Please note that there are 8 episodes. Let me know what you think about it.

How to fight against cancer

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, the doctor recommends treatment: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods. But when the treatment is over, what can a person do to prevent a recurrence?

Dr. David Servan-Schreiber faced this question himself when his brain cancer recurred. He went to the medical literature to find the evidence on ways to strengthen the immune system and prevent cancer. And he found a great deal of science to back up the recommendations in his book, Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life. The book has become an international bestseller, published in 35 languages, and it has just come out in a revised edition. What did Dr. Servan-Schreiber add to this wonderful resource, making it even better?

Guest: David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, is a neuroscientist and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He co-founded the Center for Integrative Medicine there. He is also a founding member of Doctors Without Borders. His newly revised book is Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life.Please follw the link and listen to the whole show.
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/02/06/757-anti-cancer/

Mediterranean Diet Reduce Risk of Stomach Cancer

The Mediterranean diet continues to demonstrate diverse health benefits. Not only does it reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, but it also appears to protect against Alzheimer's disease and certain cancers. A new study adds to the anticancer evidence. Nearly 500,000 European men and women were followed for nine years. Those who ate a diet most similar to traditional Mediterranean fare were one third less likely to develop stomach cancer. Please follow the link to see the complete study.

[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online Dec. 9, 2009]

Categories:

• Health News

Canned Food Presents Plastic Predicament

It's invisible, tasteless and odorless and yet it is found in many of the foods and beverages that we consume. It is BPA, short for bisphenol A.

BPA is a synthetic estrogen that has measurable biological effects. What is it doing in our food?

The December issue of Consumer Reports (CR) revealed that many common products, including some brands of canned green beans, vegetable soup and chicken noodle soup, contain levels of BPA that are surprising. Experts for CR calculated that an adult eating just one serving of canned green beans from the sample would get about 80 times more BPA than the recommended daily upper limit.

Vegetables don't come with BPA in them naturally. The compound is presumably leaching out of the linings of metal cans. Cans are usually lined with an epoxy that uses BPA in its makeup. Although some soft drink and beer cans may also have such linings, CR did not report testing the beverages.

Many people are aware of a controversy over BPA in hard plastic (polycarbonate) water and baby bottles. Infants are more sensitive to environmental exposures, and there is concern that being exposed to synthetic estrogen at an early age could lead to developmental problems. Canada banned BPA-containing baby bottles from the market, and many manufacturers in the U.S. now offer BPA-free alternatives.

In animals, even low-level exposure to BPA in utero or early infancy can lead to genital abnormalities. It makes female animals more likely to develop breast cancer (Reproductive Toxicology, Nov/Dec., 2008) and male animals more susceptible to prostate cancer (Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Feb., 2008). Exposed animals may also have higher cholesterol levels and are more likely to be fat and to develop diabetes (Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis, Vol. 14, No. 5, 2007).

Deliberately exposing human babies to this hormone disruptor to see what effects it has would be unethical. And yet we are all exposed. About 92 percent of Americans who have been tested have measurable amounts of BPA in their urine.

Although some skeptics have expressed doubt that this has relevance for health, a recent report from China demonstrates that adult men exposed to relatively high levels of BPA on the job were four times more likely than non-exposed workers to report sexual difficulties such as lowered libido, reduced satisfaction and erectile dysfunction (Human Reproduction, online Nov. 10, 2009).

The Chinese research is very recent, but we have been tracking reports of trouble with BPA for some time. Anyone who would like to hear some of the country's leading experts on estrogen discuss their concerns and recommendations about BPA may be interested in our hour-long interview on Sex Hormone Disruption. It can be downloaded as an MP3 at www.peoplespharmacy.com.

It is possible to reduce levels of BPA in food packaging. The Japanese removed it from cans several years ago and found that BPA levels in people dropped dramatically. Choosing foods and beverages carefully may reduce our exposure as wel

Reducing Salt Could Save Hearts

A national effort to reduce salt intake could reap huge health benefits. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that if Americans cut their salt consumption by about one third they could lower new cases of heart disease by up to 120,000. Anywhere from 54,000 to 99,000 heart attacks might be prevented and as many as 66,000 strokes could be averted.

The authors of the study use a computer-simulation model to project such numbers, so the data are somewhat speculative. Nevertheless, they conform to other analyses of sodium restriction. The investigators suggest that public health initiatives to reduce dietary salt intake could be as beneficial as efforts to stop smoking, lose weight, reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Of course such strategies are likely to run into resistance. When New York City's mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed cracking down on salt in packaged and restaurant foods by 25 percent there was an outcry, especially from food manufacturers and chefs

Can Fish Oil Prevent Psychosis?

Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil may help prevent mental illness from progressing. Researchers in Vienna, Austria identified ultra high-risk patients between the ages of 13 and 25. These individuals had symptoms of psychosis that predisposed them to develop schizophrenia.

The investigators assigned subjects to receive either 1.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily or look-alike pills containing coconut oil for 12 weeks. At the end of a year, only 5 percent of the patients who received the fish oil were diagnosed with full blown schizophrenia. Nearly 30 percent of those on placebo had progressed to psychosis.

The researchers urge caution in interpreting their results because the study was relatively small. Nevertheless they conclude that their study strong suggests that a natural substance, fish oil, offers a viable prevention and treatment strategy with minimal associated risk in young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis

Aggressive Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Deadly

In the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, children learn that too much and too little are not good. We all need to strive for just right. The same may be true for the management of type 2 diabetes.

There was a time when tight blood sugar control was considered highly desirable. This often meant treating type 2 diabetes quite aggressively in an attempt to achieve as close to normal blood glucose levels as possible. The hope was that this strategy would lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other complications of diabetes.

A new report published in The Lancet, however, suggests that such an approach may produce unexpected complications. In this European study patients who used insulin to bring blood sugar levels close to normal had a 49 percent higher risk of dying than those who just used oral medications to manage their diabetes. The results confirm those of a large U.S. trial that was stopped prematurely because there were one fifth more deaths in diabetes patients who were treated aggressively than among those treated more cautiously. The message seems to be that blood sugar should never be too high or too low

Rebound Symptoms Keep Many on Drugs

When people take certain drugs for anxiety, insomnia, heartburn or headache, they are trying to ease their discomfort. They surely don't intend to make things worse, yet sometimes that is what happens when they go off the medication.

It seems hard to imagine that stopping a medicine could trigger the same symptoms it was supposed to treat. Sometimes the reaction is actually more severe than the original problem.

Doctors occasionally have difficulty recognizing this rebound effect. That is because they may assume that the patients' difficulties are simply the return of the original symptoms.
During the 1970s, Valium and Librium were two of the most commonly prescribed drugs in America. These popular tranquilizers eased anxiety and helped people get to sleep.

When they were stopped abruptly, however, some people developed withdrawal symptoms that included severe anxiety, agitation, poor concentration, nightmares and insomnia. Many doctors just couldn't imagine that such symptoms might persist for weeks, since these drugs are gone from the body within several days. Nowadays the withdrawal syndrome from benzodiazepines like Ativan (lorazepam), Valium (diazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam) is well recognized.

Other drugs may also cause unexpected withdrawal problems. Quite a few people have trouble stopping certain heartburn drugs: "I have been taking Protonix for heartburn for about six months. After learning of potential ill effects from long-term use, I tried to stop taking it. After about a week, I had to start taking it again due to severe heartburn--the rebound effect, I suppose. I asked my provider how I should go about discontinuing its use, but she did not know."

Many physicians assumed that severe heartburn upon discontinuation was the reappearance of the underlying digestive problem. In the case of medications such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec or Protonix, however, an innovative study demonstrated that perfectly healthy people suffer significant heartburn symptoms they'd never had before when they go off one of these drugs after two months of taking them (Gastroenterology, July, 2009).

In addition to benzodiazepines and heartburn medicines, other drugs can cause this type of rebound phenomenon. Decongestant nasal sprays are notorious for causing rebound congestion if used longer than three or four days. We have heard from people who got hooked and used them several times a day for years.

Another class of medications that can trigger withdrawal includes antidepressants such as Celexa, Effexor, Paxil or Pristiq. Many people who quit these drugs experience "brain zaps," dizziness or the sensation of having their "head in a blender," along with shivers, high blood pressure or rapid heart rate.

All these medications have two things in common: stopping suddenly triggers a rebound with symptoms similar to those of the original problem; and providers have very little information on how to ease their patients' withdrawal difficulties.

Patients deserve a warning before starting a drug that it may be difficult to stop. Providers should learn how to help patients stop a medication when they no longer need it

Harnissing the Power of the Placebo

Placebos drive drug companies crazy. Before they can market a new medicine they have to prove that it works better than an inactive sugar pill, also known as a placebo. In Europe they frequently call placebos "dummy pills."

The FDA won't approve a medicine until clinical trials demonstrate effectiveness. To rule out the power of expectation or suggestion, neither the investigator nor the volunteers taking the medicine know which subjects are getting the real deal and which ones are taking the dummy.

For reasons that are not completely understood, placebos are powerful medicine. They can banish warts, relieve depression, ease heartburn, calm a cough and help people with insomnia get a good night's sleep. They can even ease pain.

The very act of taking a pill--even a placebo pill--can recruit the brain's own chemical messengers to block pain receptors. This response has been known for years, ever since a nurse in World War II ran out of morphine and noticed that the soldiers who got a saline shot she offered as a pain reliever seemed to do surprisingly well.

For decades, scientists thought of this placebo response as a quirk of "mind over matter." They even suspected--wrongly, as it turns out--that placebo responders were a little weird, either neurotic or particularly suggestible.

Now, though, drug companies need a better understanding of the placebo effect. It has been getting in their way. That's because it can be hard to prove a new medicine really does work significantly better than a dummy pill.

Take antidepressants, for example. When Prozac first received approval from the FDA, it was a new type of medicine to combat depression. The drug was heralded as an important advance in fighting mental illness. A cover story in Newsweek magazine reflected the popular opinion that Prozac was a wonder drug.

Many years later, however, researchers uncovered a puzzling secret. They looked at both published and unpublished data submitted to the FDA for six popular antidepressants (Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone, Paxil and Zoloft). They found that these highly successful and pricey antidepressants worked barely better than placebos in clinical trials (PLoS Medicine, Feb., 2008). The authors concluded, "the overall effect of new-generation antidepressant medications is below recommended criteria for clinical significance."

Part of the problem was that the placebo response was so strong. In some trials, 80 percent of the improvement could be attributed to the placebo effect.

Drug companies have found that it is becoming more difficult to demonstrate that their new medicines actually work better than dummy pills. It's not just drugs that affect mood. New medications for Parkinson's disease and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's) have failed to establish their superiority over placebo.

Doctors and drug companies may need to rethink their understanding of placebos. If the human body can respond so convincingly to suggestion, then perhaps healers should be using that innate human capacity. Rather than consider such responses as a problem to be overcome in the course of drug development, perhaps it is time to look at new ways to harness the power of the placebo response.

Kids And Grown-ups Missing Out On Vitamin D

Parents can't win. Dermatologists tell them to keep their kids out of the sun or slather them with sunscreen to prevent skin cancer later in life. But now scientists say that an astonishing number of children are deficient in vitamin D, in part because they are not getting enough sunshine on their skin.

A new study in Pediatrics (online, Aug. 3, 2009) shows that 9 percent of the 6,275 children tested had vitamin D deficiency. That translates to over 7 million American youngsters. Equally alarming, the researchers project that roughly 50 million children have inadequate levels of vitamin D.

The consequences could be devastating. Children in this sample who had low vitamin D levels had higher blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. This could set them up for heart disease later in life. In addition, low vitamin D is linked to weak bones, diabetes, cancer and other diseases.

Children used to play outside in the summer. These days they are more likely to spend time in air-conditioned comfort in front of a computer. If they do go outside to swim or play a sport, they probably wear a high SPF sunscreen that blocks vitamin D formation.

A multivitamin is unlikely to supply all the vitamin D a growing child would get from sun exposure. In fact, the recommended daily intake for children was recently doubled from 200 International Units to 400 IU. The study in the journal Pediatrics showed that only 4 percent of the children were taking supplements with that amount of vitamin D.

Kids aren't the only ones who are low in vitamin D these days. There is a growing realization that many adults are also deficient in this crucial nutrient. Research suggests that up to half the population have low vitamin D levels (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Dec. 9, 2008).

This epidemic of vitamin deficiency could be contributing to a host of serious health problems, from diabetes and heart disease to cancer and osteoporosis.

It may also be contributing to arthritis and muscle pain, especially for people who are taking statin-type cholesterol-lowering medicine (Clinical Endocrinology, July, 2009). Researchers suspect that many of the people who are complaining about muscle and joint pain while taking drugs like Crestor, Lipitor or simvastatin (Zocor) might be low in vitamin D.

Another reason to be concerned about low levels of vitamin D is the coming flu season. Public health officials are worried about the potential pandemic of H1N1 influenza. Vitamin D deficiency appears to make many people more susceptible to the flu.

People who get 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure at one time can convert that into at least 10,000 International Units of vitamin D. In the winter, a supplement of 2,000 IUs daily will provide most people with adequate amounts of vitamin D.

For more information about the dangers of vitamin D deficiency and how to treat it, we offer a one-hour podcast of our radio interview with vitamin D experts, Drs. Michael Holick and James Dowd. Show #672 is available for $2.99 at www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Perhaps it's time for parents to take their kids outside to play. Not only will the children benefit, but the parents may reap health dividends themselves.

Drug Discard Date Create Discord

The question is common and it seems so simple. Do we need to worry about medicines going bad if they are used beyond their expiration date?

The answer is a bit more complicated than you might think. We recently received the following question from a reader of this column: "When I picked up a prescription from the pharmacy, the pharmacy label had a 'use before' date of 09/04/10. The manufacturer's label, under the pharmacy label, had an 'expiration' date of Dec 2012. Why is this?"

We pointed out that the one-year "use by" date is legally required in many states. It is also convenient, since computers can easily generate a date one year from the dispensing day when printing the label. This date rarely coincides with the manufacturer's actual expiration date.

Our answer generated controversy, especially among pharmacists. Several were offended by the suggestion that convenience would play any role. A few pointed out that the one-year discard date is mandated by state law.

One gentleman objected to any idea of paying attention to the manufacturer's expiration date: "I have been a pharmacist in New Jersey for 50 years, and I think your explanation is off-base. The manufacturer's expiration date assumes that the drug remains sealed in the original bottle under carefully controlled conditions.

"Once the patient opens the bottle and stores it in a bathroom or kitchen, those conditions don't apply. The heat and humidity will cause rapid deterioration. People may assume that it is all right to use a drug up to the manufacturer's expiration date, and that would be a mistake!"

Drug companies do test their drugs for stability under controlled conditions. Most drugs have an established shelf life of one to five years, but research shows that they often last much longer.

Extreme conditions can lead to problems, though this is not always due to improper storage by the patient. Mail order prescriptions are frequently exposed to extreme temperatures even before the patient receives them. When pills sit in a mailbox for hours they may bake or freeze depending on the time of year.

Many people worry that medication past its expiration date will morph into something dangerous that could be harmful. Fortunately, a new review from The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics (December 14/28, 2009) lays that fear to rest. There are no reports of harm from taking a medicine that has exceeded its expiration date. In many cases, drugs retain their potency for up to five years after the manufacturer's expiration date.

One important exception is injectable epinephrine found in EpiPen. This medicine is used to reverse a life-threatening allergic reaction. Patients are taught how to give themselves injections in an emergency. Once it is past its expiration date, it may not be potent enough to do its life-saving job. Consequently, EpiPens should be replaced regularly.

Liquid medicine should never be allowed to freeze and medicine should be stored away from heat and humidity. That means not in bathroom medicine cabinets.
If you want to know the manufacturer's expiration date for your medicine, ask the pharmacist to put it on the label when you hand in your prescription

Are Your Pills Poisoning You With Plastic?

Plastic is convenient, lightweight, unbreakable and inexpensive. But controversy rages over its potential health risks.

BPA (bisphenol A) has become a target for criticism. It is used in everything from water bottles and football helmets to baby bottles and eyeglasses.

The FDA recently revised its formerly nonchalant attitude to the chemical, a potential hormone mimic. The agency now admits there may be some concern over BPA's effects on brain development in fetuses, babies and young children. Since BPA acts like estrogen, it might also influence breast and prostate development. The agency has called for additional research to be conducted by the National Toxicology Program.

In the meantime, the FDA suggests that consumers take steps to protect themselves and their children by not heating foods or liquids in hard plastic containers in the microwave, and by not putting hot liquids into sippy cups or bottles that contain BPA. The chemical is also found in the lining of metal cans. An article in Consumer Reports (December 2009) revealed that a surprising amount of BPA had leached into some canned goods.

New data from the Environmental Working Group show just how thoroughly BPA has made its way into our tissues. Scientists for the nonprofit advocacy group found BPA in nine of ten samples of umbilical cord blood they tested, suggesting that exposure begins in the womb.

If consumers carefully avoid food from cans and hard, clear containers, they might minimize the amount of BPA they take in. But what about those soft, bendable containers at the take-out counter? Are they a safer alternative?

Unfortunately, they might not be. Many soft plastics contain different types of plasticizers, called phthalates, to keep products flexible. And there are growing concerns about phthalates as well.

Like BPA, phthalate compounds may sometimes act like hormones. Some researchers consider them endocrine disruptors, although the American Chemistry Council disagrees. Parents have been warned not to allow babies to chew on phthalate-containing soft plastic toys and to choose phthalate-free baby powder and lotions.

Another hidden source of phthalates can be pill coatings. Both over-the-counter and prescription drugs may be covered with phthalate-containing plastic. Every time you swallow such a pill your exposure increases dramatically. Researchers have found that phthalate levels can rise as much as 100 fold after a few months of taking such a medication (Environmental Health Perspectives, Feb. 2009).

Both BPA and phthalates can migrate from plastic containers into the food inside. No one knows for sure whether this poses a significant risk for adults, but it seems prudent to minimize the exposure of infants and pregnant women.

Here are some guidelines that will help:

* Never use plastic containers (hard or soft) to heat food in the microwave.

* Look for canned food or beverages that do not have BPA in the lining.

* Do not use BPA-containing baby bottles or pacifiers that contain phthalates.

* Avoid pills that have plastic coatings containing phthalates. Ask your pharmacist to check with the manufacture

Stem cells and brain tales

Another ABC interview by Natasha Mitchel about stem cell from our skin cells, please listen to the whole interview and make a comment. click here to listen

David Eagleman The afterlife synesthesia and other tales of the mind

Check this out, David Eagleman being interviewed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation host Natasha Mitchel; please click here

Nerve Problem with Lipitor and Crestor: Ann's Story

The following comment was posted to this Web site on Dec. 29, 2009 by Ann H. We found it so powerful that we wanted to make sure others have a chance to read it, vote and comment if so inclined.

A couple of cautions first. Some folks at very high risk of heart disease may have to continue taking statins regardless of side effects. No one should ever stop taking a statin without medical oversight. That being said, however, the quality of one's life is important. Exercise, for example, is crucial for good health. This person's experience puts a lot of things into perspective. We welcome your feedback.

The People's Pharmacy

++++++++++++++++++++
Date: December 29, 2009

I am 63 and have struggled with high cholesterol for years. It seems to be a hereditary problem in my family for the most part as I follow a healthy diet. I have been on and off Lipitor for years and at different dosages. At one time, I was put on Crestor and after taking 13 pills could barely walk!

A year ago, I was back on Lipitor and began to experience numbness and tingling in my hands and feet. Just before Christmas, I discovered that I could not feel hot and cold but did have all sorts of itching, burning and shooting pains in my feet that were making it hard to sleep or even tolerate shoes.

I went to a neurological center for testing. A pin prick test showed that the problem was present half way to my knees in both legs and in both hands. Initially they felt strongly that I was probably an undiagnosed diabetic. Blood work ruled out diabetes and other scary stuff, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ALS and MS. An EMG [electromyogram] ruled out neuropathy in spite of the symptoms. I asked if it could in any way be from Lipitor and they said there was a "documented connection".

I chose to stop the Lipitor again. When I returned to them a month later, I reported an improvement in the symptoms and retesting with a pin proved it. We agreed on a wait and see stance for two months. After that time passed I felt that I was 85% back to normal! My regular physician finally agreed that I should not take Lipitor or any statin again.

One year later, I still have some very minor nerve damage but am elated by the turnaround. My energy level has soared and now I actually feel like walking for exercise and do so regularly. I feel younger, more flexible. Next I tried not taking an anti-anxiety medication that had been prescribed for the heart palpitations and breathing issues that I also had experienced while taking Lipitor. To my surprise those symptoms were also gone.

I am a different person today from one year ago. I am so glad that I decided that my quality of life was more important than being afraid of dying because of the high cholesterol issue.

I had read a little suggestion in People's Pharmacy in the newspaper that made me question if the Lipitor was causing my problem. One would expect that a problem would become evident in a short period of time. Not so with me. Looking back, I now believe that the problem was coming on slowly for at least two years.

Thank you and your newspaper column for setting me on the right path to true health.

Ann H.


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