wellness weekly

Treating Pain: The article I read for the blog is about rebound headaches and the like from over reliance or over use of pain medications in regards to treating migraines. It can be said of pain medications in general however. Many people rely on pills instead of ice, heat or physical therapy to treat pain and for some issues that can prolong the pain instead of ameliorating it. With regard to migraines there is not a lot of literature on prevention but of avoiding triggers. These can include certain foods and stress. There are medications that work to halt the migraine and though they have side effects, they are right for some people. The caution on rebound headaches, whether from over the counter or prescription meds is highest with narcotics and barbiturates. For muscle and joint pain, there is treatment outside of medications and that might be a wiser first action.
Drug Combo Dangers: Never one to overlook news on medications because I DO feel they are over used and misused, I read this week about a concern of poly pharmacotherapy with the 57-85 year old age group. (isn’t that an odd age range?) Anyway, it was found by the University of Chicago, that 50 % of that age group takes at least five medications on a daily basis. There are some medicines, especially noted in this research, that increase the risk of bleeding. Excess bleeding or thin blood can interfere with clotting. The problem is exacerbated by over the counter medications and supplements. Only 4 % of the study group did take drugs in combinations that were alarming, but if your one of them or love someone who is, the percent doesn’t matter. It is the doctors, pharmacists and patients responsibility to share information on ALL meds taken. Interestingly, one of the supplements that was taken by a large number of persons was Ginkgo biloba which we know was recently found ineffective in preventing memory loss. Taking an aspirin a day which is often recommended to persons over 50 becomes an issue when persons take supplements that also thin blood. Keep the lines of communication open, but also, try to get nutrients in your food where it is most generally considered safe. (ironically though, people on coumadin for example also have to watch what they eat).
Mega Nutrition: At the local farmer’s market last weekend I purchased a bunch of swiss chard. I also bought canned pumpkin last week and have made many dishes with both since then. I like to use the USDA nutrient website to see what is in my foods and WOW, both of these are jam packed with vitamins that can help our immune systems and our antioxidant activity. A tasty pumpkin spread I make includes plain canned pumpkin, fat free cream cheese, splenda, cinnamon and ground cloves. A delicious swiss chard side dish can be made by simply roasting the chard (stem first, leaves later) with garlic and parmesan cheese. (no cream, no oil needed). Calcium, iron, vitamin C, A, K and more can be found in abundance in the chard. (vitamin K can affect the INR of someone on coumadin). Pumpkin is great for potassium and beta carotene and vitamin A. Both of these are very low in calories, so if you remember the Volumetrics lessons, these are low density foods.
Lung Protection: I read this report of a research study with some ambivalence. The study found that a certain gene, when expressed, was protective for COPD. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is a killer and the majority who die from it are smokers. COPD can also be triggered by air pollution. The gene in question, which may also protect against lung cancer, is called Nrf2. It actually turns on other genes which do the work. The work is cleaning up the damage. This is where antioxidants can clear free radical residue and reduce inflammation and disease or as the makers of CDDO-lm hope, detoxify the harmful particulates. My concern is that people might think that this drug, once developed, could be something to take in order to keep smoking. Also, it could be used as a way to limit clear air measures by alleging to obviate them. Pollution and cigarette smoke do more than damage the lungs and I hope people do not consider this potential drug to be a panacea.
Diet Danger: Probably the things I speak out against the most are tobacco, pills and diets. An FDA alert gives me the opportunity to speak against two at once. The FDA recently reviewed some weight loss products that are for sale on the internet. These substances do not have to be approved by the FDA because they are not medications, but they have to answer to the FDA if they are caught doing inappropriate things, such as having medications in them and or causing adverse health events. The companies have restrictions on what they can advertise as well. Some products reviewed are contaminated, some have cancer causing agents in them and some have medications that have been found to cause adverse health outcomes. My thought though is that people want so badly to take a pill and lose weight that they will take these unproven and often dangerous concoctions at their own peril. These same desperate persons will not eat well and move more and I do not understand why this is so.
CHF: Chronic Heart Failure kills 300,000 persons a year according to an article I read this week. I am used to telling people that smoking kills 438,000 a year and I think that is a staggering number, so too, I was shocked by the CHF number. In that article the lifestyle factors associated with CHF were noted to include being overweight and not exercising enough. It is the end of the year and many people may start 2009 with a desire to improve their health and their active longevity. To do so, again I say, eat well, move more.

Happy Weekend.

Ps. My sister made an awesome Christmas meal for us and our dessert was fruit kabobs, with a yogurt based sauce. REALLY fresh fruit on a stick, strawberry, grapes and apples. Is that creative or what?!?