Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:


What does everyone think about the new food pyramid? In some ways I don’t like it at all. When I plug in my age, sex, etc, it comes back and tells me I should drink three cups of milk a day, and eat 6.5 ounces of meat and beans. I’m fine with the beans, but I’m a vegetarian, and there’s no way I’m going to eat the meat. And there’s no way I’m going to drink three cups of milk either. I would really gain weight if I did that. It does have some good things, though. For example it makes suggestions about how much and what kinds of vegetables to eat per week, so that’s good. The new food pyramid is ok, I guess, if it gets people to eat a healthier diet. But they should really do a version for vegetarians, or even vegans.

Has anyone ever heard of Modified Fruit Pectin (MCP)? I don’t think I had until today. According to this article pectin “is generally not absorbed by the bloodstream.” That’s why it has been “modified,” so it can be absorbed. Scientists are using MCP supplements in an attempt to treat prostate cancer. They say that “MCP may block an important substance that enables cancer to grow and spread.” Of course it would be great if it did that. Read this article. It is very interesting.

Can chronic inflammation promote cancer? According to this article, there is plenty of evidence that says yes, although the relationship between the two is not understood. In any event, I don’t think inflammation in the body is good, and I try to reduce it or eliminate it whenever I can.

This article has tips on how to have a healthy heart. For adults the suggestions include: Don’t smoke, exercise, maintain a healthy weight, maintain a healthy cholesterol level, maintain normal blood pressure, take omega-3 fatty acids, get regular check-ups, and take any medications as recommended by your doctor. For children: Limit watching TV to one hour per day, get outside for physical activity at least 30 minutes per day, eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, avoid fast food and fried food, don’t smoke, report any unusual physical feelings to an adult, and see your pediatrician regularly.

There may not be much difference in the effectiveness of different antidepressants, but the side effects, which could include constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, insomnia and vomiting, can be rather varied. This often causes patients to try more than one medication before finding one that works for them.

Could Chinese herbs be effective in treating AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, etc? This is an interesting article on using computers and data mining to compile a database of herbs and their chemical makeup.

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:


This article says that about 50% of cancers are preventable, and some things we can do to reduce cancer risk include: find out which cancer screening tests are appropriate based on age and family history, and discuss these with your doctor; be physically active most days of the week, and strive for 30 minutes of exercise on five or more days; eat a healthy, well-balanced diet; stop smoking. I would just add that, in order to prevent cancer you should probably not start smoking in the first place. Then you wouldn’t have to stop. Cigarettes should never be a part of your life. Then they wouldn’t be a part of your death. Also, a healthy lifestyle should be what you follow your whole life, not just something you adopt when you’re fifty, after you’ve spent decades leading an unhealthy lifestyle.

This opinion piece says pretty much the same thing as the above article, and seems to suggest that we spend some money on nutrition education and healthy school meals. I’m all for that. If you have healthy, informed children, then you are more likely to have healthy adults.

I personally think vegetarian is the way to go, but the corporations probably won’t let that happen anytime soon, if ever. If, however, we make healthy choices as children and adults, then in some ways it doesn’t matter what the corporations do – as long, of course, as there are healthy choices to be made.


Ketchup is said to have about five times the lycopene per weight as a tomato, and bottled water may be no safer than tap water. Here is more about those two assertions, as well other food trivia.

The American diet contains a lot of omega-6 fatty acids, mostly from the kinds of oil we use to cook – corn oil, for example. Too much omega-6 is not good for us. (Think prostate cancer, and breast cancer) Here is an article with discussion of the various kinds of oil, healthy and unhealthy.

Apparently Los Angeles can’t ban trans fat in its restaurants like New York City did. Such authority would fall under the jurisdiction of the state of California, not the city of LA. Did you hear that, Arnold? Maybe you want to add that to your plate of proposals.

Would you rather drink your fruits and vegetables than eat them? Research suggests that pure fruit and vegetable juices are just as healthy for you as are whole fruits and vegetables. The only problem I see with that is, if you drink your fruits and vegetables, you might end up having to urinate a lot more than if you were to eat them. That could be rather inconvenient to say the least. I don’t know, is it just me or are people always trying to find ways to avoid eating their fruits and vegetables? Geez!

Health Notes

Here is what we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:

Here is an article about the potential importance of DHA omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and other B vitamins in protecting our brains as we age. The medication being studied is called Animi-3.

Only 6 percent of American adults exercise thirty minutes per day, and “nearly nine in 10 were unaware the USDA recommends 30 minutes of physical activity” per day. Amazing. And in many areas, including health and politics, we are supposed to trust the American people to be intelligent and informed? Right . . . . Here is an article that reveals more of America’s healthy (or unhealthy?) living habits.

Those with diabetes should probably exercise regularly – it’s something good they can do for themselves -- and yet “only 39% of surveyed adults with diabetes engaged in regular physical activity, compared with 58% of adults who did not have the disease.” I know exercise is often not easy. But if your health literally depended on it, you would think more people would do it. It’s too bad that people don’t always do what is good for them.

If you need to have surgery, it is important to find a good surgeon. It is also important that the surgeon operate on the correct body part. It might help reduce the number of wrong-site surgeries if the surgical team at least briefly discussed the upcoming operation before getting started. I am sure there are other strategies available that could reduce these needless errors.

I guess they are saying that three cups of coffee a day won’t hurt your baby if you’re pregnant, but I still have my doubts. Eight cups might increase the risk of stillbirth, so we know that at some point coffee is not good for a fetus. And I know it is hard to give up coffee, maybe even as hard as giving up cigarettes. I quit drinking coffee a few years ago and it was one of the most difficult things I ever tried to do, so I fully sympathize with anyone who is also trying to quit. I do think that if you’re trying to quit doing something and you find that you can’t do it, then that might be an indication that there is something wrong with it. And pregnancy aside, I wonder if drinking three cups of coffee is good for people anyway. I don’t think so. That’s why I quit.

This study, at least, found no connection between prostate cancer and a number of viruses.

We mentioned recently that gum disease might increase one’s risk of getting pancreatic cancer. Now other experts are saying that “poor dental hygiene is unlikely to increase the risk of cancer.” It is interesting to me how there is so much dispute in the medical community about issues that should be beyond dispute. Either gum disease leads to cancer or it doesn’t. At least that’s how it seems to me.

Health Notes

Here are articles we are discussing today at The Tao of Health:
For people who are obese: adopting a health lifestyle and losing weight can improve cardiovascular function, but particularly losing weight.

Fruit is really good. It has lots of vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and it may help avoid heart disease.

This research says, “Eating less and exercising more are equally good at helping take off the pounds.” So if you want to lose weight, according to this article, neither approach is better than the other. I lost about ten or twelve pounds recently, from 152 down to about 140. I did it by eating less AND exercising more. I changed my evening snacking, adding more nuts, seeds, and fruit; and I doubled my exercising. I now walk about an hour a day. So far, so good. As I mentioned before somewhere, I actually lost weight over the holidays, which was something new for me. For those of you who are trying to lose weight, good luck. For those who need to lose weight but are not trying, good luck.

Revisiting the discussion of eating disorders, here is an article that says “Genes play a bigger role than environment in anorexia,” and here is the article I mentioned yesterday that says, “Forcing children to clear their plates could lead to eating disorders.” I guess we’re going to continue discussing this for awhile. I have a feeling that genes and environment both contribute to anorexia.

I think it is interesting that so many Americans use complementary and alternative medication. If you tune in to the evening network news you might get the impression that the medical establishment and the pharmaceutical industry both have monopolies in this country. It’s a little refreshing to find out that indeed is not the case.

FYI, here are three articles about the role estrogen plays in breast cancer: emaxhealth, Earth Times, and Bio.com. I think this kind of research is very interesting, and I like to read about current developments.

Do apples protect brain cells and help keep them from aging? Don’t apples contain tannins? Didn’t we talk about tannins recently in red wine that help protect the heart?

There is new research suggesting that taking folic acid early in pregnancy may reduce the risk of cleft lip. Reducing cleft lip would be good.

This article says more women die from lung cancer than die from breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers combined. That doesn’t mean we should forget about these other cancers, but neither should we forget about lung cancer.

Health Notes

This article says, “The most effective diets cut back on carbohydrates and saturated fats, while adding unsaturated fats,” i.e., apparently not the Atkins diet. Moderation is important. “They recommend a diet that includes nuts and seeds, avocados and olive oil, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.”

It seems to me that with something like birth control pills you would want to have all the information about possible side effects that you could get. And yet drug companies are reluctant to do further studies because the results might make them look bad? What about the women who are taking these drugs? Don’t they matter?

Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in this country. That I did not know. We should all probably test for radon in our homes.

They are cutting trans fat from Crisco, which is great, although apparently 0.5 grams per serving will still remain. That reminds me that if you eat a lot of something that has a little trans fat, then you end up consuming a lot of trans fat. It all adds up.

We have discussed eating disorders recently. Gisele Bundchen says families might contribute to the problem of anorexia. Some scientists say that she’s wrong. This article seems to suggest that Gisele could be right. Some eating disorders have to do with power struggles, according to lead researcher Dr. Linda Gilmore. "Parents should not turn mealtime into a struggle for control” she says, “because some evidence suggests that eating disorders such as anorexia stem from a desire to take control over one's own body. If children are forced to 'sit at the table until they eat it' this turns into a struggle for who has power over the child's eating habits which could well set the scene for later eating problems." Anyone else care to weigh in on this now?

I’m sure I’ve mentioned vitamin D and advanced prostate cancer before. Apparently the name of the medication is Asentar. Hopefully it will prove to be very effective.

This study seeks to eventually reactivate the p53 gene in humans to help fight cancer. So far the results are somewhat promising. Here’s another article.

Hysterectomy is not always the answer for uterine fibroids. Sometimes they try uterine artery embolization.

If you have chronic prostatitis or pelvic pain syndrome, aerobic exercise might help.

The prescription drug varenicline has proven to be very effective in helping people stop smoking. I stopped smoking 23 years ago, without drugs. That is the preferred way to do it, I would think. There is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from overcoming nicotine addiction. Of course smoking is so bad for you that whatever it takes to quit is probably ok.

Officials say we are not as worried about a bird flu pandemic as we should be.

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Health Notes

The recent stories that cancer death rates have declined for the second straight year was good news for some, but what about for blacks?

Is dichloroacetate (DCA) a cure for cancer? Here is an article.

In a recent study, women who ate 30 grams of fiber per day may have had 50 percent less chance of getting breast cancer than women who ate less than 20 grams per day. How does one eat 30 grams of fiber? “To eat 30g, a person would need to eat a high-fiber cereal for breakfast, switch from white or brown bread to wholemeal and ensure they have five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.” Looks like we need to make a trip to the grocery store.

Women with heavy menstrual periods don’t always need a hysterectomy. Here is an article which says “Too many women are having hysterectomies when other treatments are available.” Of course these two articles are from British sources. I don’t know what the situation is like in the US, but I present the two articles above for your information.

Having trouble identifying familiar odors may be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Here is an update on the search for an AIDS vaccine.

Can low-dose steroids prove effective against rheumatoid arthritis?

Kelly Ripa brought Regis a bowl of homemade Minestrone soup this week on their show. Regis made fun of the gesture, and was rather disparaging of the soup generally, suggesting that soup was only part of a meal, etc. Regis can act like a jerk sometimes. I eat almost nothing but soup. It can be very healthy. I certainly don’t eat meat, even in the soup. So that gives me the opportunity to get lots of vegetables. This week I have cooked red lentil soup, split pea soup, and today I am cooking mung bean soup. Anyway, here is an article about the health benefits of eating soup.

Cluster headaches may be caused by a number of things such as: Certain medications, including nitroglycerin, Frequent smoking, Changes in sleep schedule, An abnormality in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the body's "biological clock.

Is it true that statins may not prevent women from getting heart disease?

I thought this was an interesting idea: vaccine boys as well as girls against human papillmoma virus (HPV). This approach might circumvent some of the objections that people have against making just girls get vaccinated, and vaccinating everyone also means fewer cases of cervical cancer than you would have by just vaccinating girls alone. And it’s fairer.

Here is an article on oral health, gum disease, and heart disease.

How might a bird flu pandemic be spread around the world by airline passengers?

Here’s another article about Ground Zero, health, and chronic respiratory illness.

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Health Notes

This is some interesting information about heart bypass surgery, whether you’re black or white. I think what you want is a bypass performed on the pump rather than off-pump, because the latter is performed by less experienced surgeons and may be associated with some risk as well. Read the article, and please talk to your doctor.

As if you didn’t have enough to worry about when going into surgery, blood taken from women and used in transfusions may sometimes cause a serious condition called transfusion-related acute lung injury. Another reason to opt for bloodless surgery if available?

This study says that Prilosec OTC may be just as effective against heartburn and acid reflux as some prescription medications, and could save the user at least a thousand dollars a year.

In this study, taking selenium may have boosted the immune systems of AIDS patients. Wow, that’s cool. We all want to boost our immune systems, don’t we? Brazil nuts are supposed to have a lot of selenium, maybe too much. I think you only need about 70 mcg per day?

While we’re on the subject of immunity, here is an article on immunity, T-cells, and autoimmune disease. Scientists are working on curing lots of diseases. That seems like cause for optimism.

I had no idea that newer birth control pills were less effective than the old birth control pills.

There is evidence that anger management might help some women avoid heart problems.

Since fruits and vegetables are often sprayed with pesticides, wash all produce before eating it, and use organic whenever possible.

Here is an article about peanut butter and partially hydrogenated oil, or trans fat. I guess the article would make me feel better about eating peanut butter, although these days I don’t eat it because it makes me gain too much weight.

If you’re having trouble sticking to an exercise routine, the suggestions in this article might help.

Drinking fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 76 percent.

Recent studies suggest that continuing to learn new things, or even just stimulating your brain, might ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

This article talks about strengthening the synapses of your brain and improving your memory. Some of the suggestions offered include:

1. Reduce stress: Make time for leisure activities. Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation. Cut down on unnecessary responsibilities and avoid over-scheduling.

2. Stimulate your brain: Avoid routine. Enjoy new sensory experiences. Challenge your mind and body with new situations.

3. Exercise: A brisk walk or other cardiovascular workout oxygenates the brain and promotes brain growth factors.

4. Challenge your mind: Tackle puzzles, games and demanding intellectual tasks. Make an effort to learn new information through classes or reading

5. Stay healthy: Eat a nutritious diet, get adequate sleep, avoid smoking, and if you use alcohol, drink in moderation.

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As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes

Here is research about the mechanism that might cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Is it safe to give antipsychotic medication to Alzheimer’s patients?

A vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease is said to have possibly cleared plaque from the brains of mice. The vaccine was delivered in a patch. This is one reason I like to blog about health: often there is good news like this that tends to give one hope.

Apparently Gisele Bundchen blames anorexia on family influences, not the fashion industry. A group of researchers says she is wrong, at least, I guess, about the family part. I wouldn’t necessarily blame families, but I do know that some mothers can be very supportive, and some mothers can make things worse. Maybe Gisele is not right in her position, but she may not be all wrong.

Judith Wurtman and Nina Frusztajer Marquisin their book The Serotonin Power Diet say that we need carbohydrates for a variety of reasons, but especially to help make serotonin and to give the body energy.

Some supplements may harm the eyes, including chamomile, ginkgo biloba, licorice, vitamin A and Echinacea.

Here is an article about how the body deals with fat intake and exercise.

Taking calcium supplements may help people who have had noncancerous colorectal tumors, called adenomas. And if you are a woman who is dieting to lose weight, taking calcium and vitamin D may have a beneficial effect on your cholesterol. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

Do some SSRI antidepressants increase the risk of bone fractures in older adults?

Zonisamide has been mentioned lately, mainly because it is a component of the anti-obesity drug Excalia. Now they are saying that Zonisamide (Zonegran), an anticonvulsant, might help treat binge eating.

Do you want to keep your child healthy in winter? Don’t wash his or her hair just before bedtime.

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As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

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Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Bill and Hillary ‘08
The Democratic ticket I wouldn’t mind seeing in 2008 would be Bill Richardson for president and Hillary Clinton for vice-president. I think that should satisfy Hillary. She would still get to establish a first in American history: first female vice-president; she would be a heartbeat away from the oval office (I like Richardson, but he doesn’t look all that healthy to me – overweight, etc – I hope I’m wrong); and as vice-president she would undoubtedly be able to accomplish some things that are important to her, not to mention solidifying Democratic control of the Senate. So here’s to Bill and Hillary in ’08, a ticket I could support.

PS, I think that if a woman is to capture the presidency, she needs to enter the campaign with a lot less baggage than Hillary has, maybe as an unmarried woman, although I hope I’m wrong about that too.


news, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, 2008, politics, women,

Health Notes

About four billion people are infected with herpes. Here is an article about the possibility of creating a vaccine against herpes simplex and genital herpes using genetic engineering.

Antidepressants are said to protect the brain from physical changes that occur when we are depressed.

Here is research on attempts to switch off tumors so they stop growing.

Anastrozole, a drug used to treat breast cancer, may also help prevent it.

Here is an article that says chronic fatigue syndrome is not all in the mind.

I didn’t know that phenylpropanolamine (PPA) was used in some diet pills. I remember when the FDA issued a public health advisory on PPA in 2000. I thought that was the end of that. Now, are women still having strokes because of PPA? Is it still being used? If so, the public needs to be aware of that.

I had no idea that so many aging men were using testosterone creams, gels, and patches. Isn’t that risky?

If you are an older woman with type 2 diabetes, supplementing with soy may help cut insulin and cholesterol levels, which would be a good thing.

If you don’t have type 2 diabetes, adopting a lifestyle of exercise and healthy eating may be at least as effective in lowering the risk of developing it as taking drugs.

For baby boomers, here are ways to increase your longevity and quality of life: eat more fruits and vegetables, be physically active, and plan something to do after you retire.

Do you want to be healthier? Eat more beans.

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes

If you have breast cancer, carefully choosing a highly experienced surgeon may make a big difference. (Jan. 20 issue, Journal of Clinical Oncology)

Vitamin D may actually lower a person’s risk of developing some cancers. It also may help people have healthy lungs. High levels of vitamin D may also help people who have surgery for lung cancer. And now scientists have developed a vitamin D pill to treat patients with advanced prostate cancer.

There is a new pancreatic cancer vaccine that may help patients survive longer.

A non-invasive test that analyzes genes in a person’s sputum may one day be available to look for lung cancer.

I think olive oil is very good for our health. Now even the FDA seems to agree. Here’s an article that discusses some of the benefits.

We may be exposed to more toxins in our homes than we realize. (Think arsenic, lead, and mercury.) You may want to read this article before you spray those herbicides and pesticides, or before you eat that fish, or before you take those supplements.

Taking folic acid is supposed to help older adults with their memory and other cognitive functions. But you have to watch out for a B12 deficiency. I supplement B vitamins, mainly because I’m vegetarian. But you know, Silk brand soy milk and Cheerios together have a lot of Bs.

Does your baby cry a lot? You may want to talk to a doctor about that instead of ignoring it.

Besides possibly reducing inflammation, heart and vascular disease risk, decreasing insulin resistance, assisting with weight management, and helping brain function, it is now suggested that walnuts may improve bone health. Walnuts are a kind of miracle food, aren’t they? I eat some as a mid-morning snack, but I really like pistachios.

Regarding bone health, a new form of vitamin D may stimulate bone growth.

I am dismayed but not surprised that nicotine levels in cigarettes have risen 11% in recent years.

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes

Two antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, have apparently proved effective in reducing the spread of flu virus. That’s good.

There is a very interesting article on the 1918 flu that killed 50 million people.

Most of us should be thankful we don’t live near the Houston Ship Channel in Texas. Children who live within two miles of that port are thought to have a 56 percent greater chance of getting acute lymphocytic leukemia than children who live ten miles away.

I feel bad for the people who responded to the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11/2001. Their conscientiousness and sense of duty may have cost them their health. I visited ground zero at Christmas 2001. I was struck by the metallic and electrical odors that were in the air, and this was three months after the attacks. I sort of regret going. Ground zero may have still been dangerous when I went, but it was definitely dangerous in the days immediately after the attacks. I am afraid that all the victims of 9/11 have not died yet.

Scientists may have figured out how to genetically engineer certain plants so that they produce vaccines in abundance, and thereby cut the cost of manufacturing the vaccines. I hope there are plenty of safety measures in place. I just don’t trust genetic engineering all that much.

People who eat a lot of carbohydrates and sugar may have low levels of HDL cholesterol, which is not a good thing.

A consumer group tested 21 brands of multivitamins and found that less than half “met the stated claims on their labels or satisfied other quality standards.” One vitamin even contained lead. You might want to try and get your vitamins from actual food.

All breast cancer patients may not be treated equally. That’s one reason why women should try to avoid breast cancer in the first place.

This article says, “If you're trying to trim your waistline, you have to count your calories, and take in fewer than you use.” I agree with that.

Genes may not be the major reason for obesity, as some people would like to believe. I go back to the importance of counting calories.

And while we’re on that subject, if a person consumes a lot of calories and doesn’t burn them off, that may increase his or her risk of cancer.

Can blood pressure medications increase someone’s risk of developing diabetes?

What is the greatest medical breakthrough since 1840? I thought it would be penicillin, but I was wrong, although antibiotics did come in second in this poll.

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As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

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Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes
Women of childbearing age should probably reconsider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that 20 out of 52 women who used statins while pregnant had babies with severe birth defects.

Statins can be useful, however, in certain circumstances. In this study, for example, they were used to help kill brain cancer cells.

A vaccine against lung cancer would be a great thing. Stimuvax might be a step on the road to developing one.

Has anyone heard about the deadly wheat disease that is killing crops in Africa and which is now spreading eastward? They say that stem rust has the potential to devastate world wheat crops. I would just like to remind people that this very situation is one reason why we shouldn’t play around with genetic engineering. You might genetically engineer a crop, plant it, and think that you can control it, but Nature has a way intervening by spreading seeds and pollen virtually to the four winds. If we can’t control a disease like stem rust – if it spreads from country to country, even across oceans – then we can’t control GMOs. I don’t mind using science to fight disease and improve living conditions for people. Too often, however, I feel that the main motivation behind genetic engineering is money and not altruism.

Chlorine is used to sanitize a lot of our water. Chlorine might cause cancer.

Here is an article about the health benefits of almonds. Too bad I don’t really like them all that much. A one ounce serving supposedly contains “the same amount of antioxidants as a serving of cooked broccoli or a serving of brewed green or black tea.” I’m really big into pistachios, and I am eating walnuts as I write this. I’m not crazy about walnuts either, but I chop up a bunch of them in the soy milk left over from my breakfast Cheerios. They’re pretty good that way.

Eating ginger might help with inflammatory problems like arthritis. I’ve been eating some ginger candy recently, but I don’t know if it is doing me any good.

Here are five diet myths discussed, including the question: does eating grapefruit burn fat?

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes

Those who have drug coated stents may need to continue taking anti-clotting drugs like Plavix and aspirin.

Congestive heart failure is serious. You should see a doctor right away if you have: Chronic coughing or wheezing, Fatigue or weakness, Shortness of breath, especially when at rest, Increased heart rate, regardless of current activity.

It is possible that patients who have coronary bypass surgery and carotid endarterectomy at the same time have a significantly greater risk of death or stroke than those who have the two operations separately. The fact that combining the two operations has been carried out for years, on thousands of patients, does not greatly increase my confidence in doctors.

In that same vein, using the anesthetic isoflurane could possibly have serious consequences, including “the death of brain cells and the production of amyloid-beta plaque.” Doctors have been using this drug “for years for all ages of patients.” Feeling better yet?

FYI, undergoing chemotherapy may adversely affect bone health.

Here’s a new tomato that contains some of the same healthy anthocyanins as red wine, and apparently it was bred, not genetically engineered.

Divorced, widowed or remarried women may be more likely to develop heart disease than women who have been married continuously.

Those with kidney disease may be at greater risk of developing peripheral artery disease.

Does having low cholesterol increase your chance of getting Parkinson’s disease? Does that have implications for cholesterol-lowering statins?

The leukemia drug Glivec may help against prostate cancer.

Can bacteria cause stomach cancer? Can antibiotics help?

Taking calcium may reduce you risk of getting colon cancer.

Here’s more discussion of omega-3 fatty acids.

Health Notes

Are vitamin supplements safe? Harmful? It’s a lot to think about. I think you would do well to get your nutrition from food.

In a related story, can vitamin A cause esophageal cancer (not to mention the harm it might do to fetuses)? And talking about vitamin A, what about Golden Rice? Aren’t they trying to genetically engineer vitamin A into the rice people eat? Is that a good idea?

I guess you have to be careful what kind of supplements you take. In Canada Kang Da (for erectile dysfunction) and Qing Zhi (for weight loss) are two supplements that might have some potentially serious side effects.

However some Chinese herbs may be useful in treating AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, arthritis, etc. (We’ve spoken before about the Chinese herb Huperzine A. It may help with Alzheimer’s. Here is another article.)

Apparently scientists have talked for some time about using mushrooms to fight cancer. Here is a recent article on the subject. Other articles are accessible through Google and Google News.

The above article had some information that I found interesting about other healthy foods, including carrots, onions, avocadoes, broccoli, watermelon, and green tea:

• Carrots contain a natural pesticide, falcarinol. The substance protects carrots from fungal diseases, such as liquorice rot, which causes black spots on the roots during storage. It is toxic in very large amounts, but scientists believe it may help humans fight the disease in liberal doses.
• Onions contain flavonoids and sulphurs. Researchers have found that moderate consumption appears to reduce the risk of colorectal, laryngeal and ovarian cancers.
• Avocados contain nature's largest source of the antioxidant lutein. Lab tests show it can inhibit rates of prostate cancer growth by up to 60%. They are also rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid, which have been shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer.
• Broccoli contains a compound called I3C, which can boost DNA repair in cells and may ultimately stop them becoming cancerous.
• Watermelons contain higher levels of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. The substance is thought to help in the fight against prostate, oesophageal and breast cancers and has been linked to a reduced risk of cervical cancer.
• Green tea is rich in polyphenols, which can inhibit an enzyme required for cancer cell growth. Scientists believe they kill cancer cells with no ill effects on healthy cells.

Does obesity impair heart function? Apparently the heart muscle thickens as body weight increases, making it more difficult to function normally? It’s something to think about.

This article says that maintaining a health weight is the “key to avoiding chronic disease.” More reason to lose weight? Of course.

Health Notes

This is not a pleasant thought: gum disease might lead to pancreatic cancer.

Is prostate cancer caused by a virus?

Valcyte, an antiviral drug, might help people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Patients with heart failure may want to consider undergoing a bypass operation or angioplasty. According to this article, “mortality rates among those who had the procedures were half that of those who did not.”

Taking growth hormone may not make you live longer, and it may have some negative side effects.

One way to avoid skin cancer: try to identify moles that look suspicious.

“A newly discovered “peptide” molecule (a chain of amino acids smaller than a protein) increases the effectiveness by 350 per cent of drugs used to kill breast cancer cells,” giving new hope to women with advanced breast cancer. That’s pretty good news, isn’t it?

Here is an article, with information about ovarian cancer.

Does lemon grass tea kill cancer? Apparently some people in Israel think so, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot about this on the internet. Sure, lemon is really healthy, I think, but kill cancer? We’ll see.

This article argues that there is no epidemic of autism.

If you have restless leg syndrome, taking iron might help?

Health Notes
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have developed a new cholesterol drug blocks LDL before it leaves the liver.

Can dried plums help with osteoporosis?

Can strawberries slow cancer cell growth?

We talked yesterday about the pros and cons of soy. Here is another lengthy discussion.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the US. Much about this disease may be related to lifestyle, which of course can be changed.

Here’s something else to worry about: metabolic syndrome. To avoid getting it, lifestyle changes might include: lose weight, increase physical activity, stop smoking, and avoid a high-carbohydrate diet. In a related article, resveratrol, the polyphenol found in red wine, might offer some protection against some metabolic diseases.

Can mindfulness meditation from Buddhist philosophy help women who have eating disorders?

Here’s another reason why fat and obesity are not good: fatty tissue secretes a protein called Resistin. When Resistin levels in the blood are high, the hearts of heart attack victims may recover only about 68% of their previous ability to contract, compared to about 90% when Resistin levels are not high.

I’m all for making it possible for people to lose weight when it is needed. Maybe this new product, based on a hunger-related hormone, will help.

DIM, or diindolylmethane, is a natural compound derived from vegetables like broccoli, that could prove very effective in fighting some cancers, such as breast, pancreatic, colon, bladder and ovarian.

While we’re talking about broccoli, we have mentioned before that tomatoes and broccoli, when eaten together, might help fight prostate cancer. Now there is new research that says pretty much the same thing.

Health Notes
Women, here are symptoms of ovarian cysts.

Men, here are some symptoms of low testosterone.

Um, this is kind of important: at least one treatment for prostate cancer might cause a man’s penis to get shorter. No joke, really.

Women, eating trans fats might lead to infertility.

And nursing mothers should probably try to get enough calcium in their diet to avoid bone loss around their teeth.

Here is an article about too much body fat and inflammation. Bottom line: neither is good for you, regardless of your weight.

Apparently older obese adults can benefit from changing their lifestyle, i.e. exercise and cut calories.

The good news: having a certain Alzheimer’s gene affects you little if any during adulthood. The bad news: if you live long enough the effects become more likely to show up much later in life.

There are some people in North America who really have to worry about mercury pollution. You know, somehow I don’t think that’s in the spirit of the American Dream. I mean, in some ways this kind of pollution is more dangerous than terrorism, and it is given by Americans to Americans. You would like to think that where you are living is safe. That is not always the case. And the threats are not always obvious, nor are they always external. Lord save us from ourselves.

Apparently women are more likely to survive lung cancer than men are.

If you have kidney cancer, there are two drugs that might help. One is called sunitinib (Sutent), and the other is sorafenib.

And those pesky viruses create such havoc and misery in the world, maybe they could be made to do some good for a change, like helping to fight cancer.


news, aging, Alzheimer's disease, body mass, bone loss, body fat, breastfeeding, calorie restriction, calcium, cancer, dieting, elderly, diet, exercise, fat, health, kidney cancer, infertility, inflammation, virus, longevity, lung cancer, men, mercury, obesity, ovarian cyst, prostate cancer, pollution, penis, sorafenib, Sutent, sunitinib, trans fat, testosterone, treatment, weight loss, women,


Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes
Can increased folate intake reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease?

Being obese may increase your risk of getting age-related macular degeneration.

Cough and cold medicines can kill infants if they are given too much. Talk to your doctor.

There is some discussion about using vitamin C to treat cancer. But this article says, among other things, that cancer cells actually feed off vitamin C. I guess we’ll have to see what the results are of this latest experiment.

Do you want to lose weight? Count calories.

Strawberries and other berries may be effective in slowing the growth of cancer cells. And as we’ve mentioned before, they also may be effective against Alzheimer’s disease.

What would happen if we ate more like our ancestors did thousands of years ago, cutting out saturated fat and processed food? This article explores that question.

Arthritis is an expensive condition for our health care system that cost $128 billion in 2003. Losing weight would probably help. And I wonder, could we prevent arthritis in the first place?

I am always fascinated by the attitudes of people in this country toward breastfeeding, as well as the fact that some of those attitudes are fueled by ignorance.

Here is an interesting article about a controversy over those stents that doctors sometimes put in patients’ arteries. When it comes to medical treatment, I would rather not have any controversy, so I hope this gets resolved soon.


news, aging, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, vitamin C, berries, breastfeeding, calorie restriction, cancer, children, health care, cranberries, diet, dieting, fat, folate, health, heart disease, fruit, macular degeneration, obesity, pseudoephedrine, research, strawberries, stent, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women,


Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes
We need to be sure to get enough zinc. Too little of the nutrient can lead to reduced cardiovascular fitness. This can impact your ability to exercise, among other things.

It may be the case that only 60 to 90 minutes of exercise per week is enough to significantly lower someone’s blood pressure.

Are men who use the computer a lot at risk of developing glaucoma? I certainly hope not.

Is autism related to a brain inflammation?

Can taking certain Chinese herbal remedies lead to liver inflammation?

Dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in over the counter cough medicine, may help reduce the pain of fibromyalgia, although I’m not sure we want to be taking a lot of cough medicine.

Sunitinb and sorafenib are two new drugs that may be effective against kidney cancer.

This is an interesting website on natural ways to fight cancer. I haven't explored this site extensively, but a new concept for me is the possibility that cancer and fungus may be linked? There is a lot you can deal with when you’re doing research on cancer.

Scientists, of course, are seeking to develop a vaccine that is effective against genital herpes.

It is good to be informed. Comparing one hospital to another could be valuable in helping us gain information. This article says we may soon be able to use the internet to compare the heart attack death rates among various hospitals throughout the US. Some information is already available at this website, Hospital Compare. I checked it out. It seems to be a really good resource.

A lot of people say they would like to lose twenty pounds, but not very many are actually dieting. That’s not too surprising, what with the growing number of obese people in this country.


news, autism, brain, hospital, natural, liver, blood pressure, cardiovascular, Chinese medicine, death, cancer, sorafenib, children, sunitinb, genital herpes, diet, exercise, herpes, fungus, health, heart disease, heart attack, inflammation, hypertension, fitness, nutrition, dieting, obesity, kidney cancer, glaucoma, herbs, Dextromethorphan, fibromyalgia, pain, zinc, vaccine, weight loss, women,


Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Health Notes
Stuttering is painful, frustrating, and embarrassing. I know from personal experience. Maybe you’ve heard of the SpeechEasy device, maybe not. It’s like a little hearing aid that fits into the ear. It is supposed to help a stutterer stop stuttering. Here is an article about it. The device may be expensive, I’m not sure, but it might work.

I spoke recently about vitamin A and pregnancy. I guess too much may lead to birth defects. But you need some vitamin A. Otherwise your baby's kidneys might not develop as they should. Talk to your Ob/Gyn.

It is very important to protect ourselves and our children from skin cancer.

Apparently one way to keep our children from becoming obese is to have more family meals around the dinner table. It makes sense. Family meals by nature are healthier, aren’t they? And here is another article on helping your teenagers with weight problems.

Here is an article on the biochemistry of overeating. Apparently the endocannabinoid system is activated by some foods, which leads to overeating? Read the article. Research is ongoing.

Is having mononucleosis associated with later developing multiple sclerosis? It’s something to think about.

Here are some easy things you can do for your health.

A new and inexpensive test that tracks certain amino acids in the blood may help assess a person’s risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

Those who have had a heart attack would probably do well to faithfully follow their doctor’s recommendations. Those who don’t may have a greater risk of dying than those who do.

What kinds of diets work? Counting calories, restricting intake of certain foods, eating smaller portions (or at least not eating bigger portions) exercising regularly, eating breakfast, and weighing yourself often, are strategies that have worked for a lot of people.

Those who jog too much might get arthritis? Bummer.

Does glyceollin, a soy compound, promise to be an effective treatment for ovarian and breast cancer tumors? Let us hope so. But as of now l do not find that there are any clinical trials going on involving it. Too bad. You know, if you have heard of a possible new treatment for cancer, and you want to take a chance and be part of the clinical trials, you can use this site to find out where the trials are being conducted. Too often I think cancer patients take whatever treatment is available rather than seeking a possibly more effective treatment. That is too bad.

LA could be the next to ban trans fats? Cool.


news, arthritis, amino acids, trans fats, birth defects, breast cancer, calorie restriction, cancer, children, clinical trials, dieting, diet, exercise, fat, family, health, heart attack, jogging, glyceollin, LA, mononucleosis, multiple sclerosis, obesity, ovarian cancer, skin cancer, overeating, stroke, stuttering, treatment, vitamin A, weight control, weight loss, women,


Note: links that look good today often are no longer good in the future. I make every effort to create good links. When I discuss a topic, I also attempt to provide enough pertinent information so that readers won’t have to rely solely on the link at hand for their understanding, or for their further research.

BUY MY BOOK

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.