Odds and Ends

Tamiflu - an email came out this week from the nonprofit organization Public Citizen noting some research that the benefits of using Tamiflu in reducing duration, symptoms and severity of the flu is highly exaggerated by the makers of the medicine, Roche. In fact, the headline was Scamiflu - pretty funny that.

Juicers - I have heard commercials for juicers recently. I imagine that this is due to it being the holiday season. The ads are misleading in that you get the impression that juicers are really healthy. Sure making your own juice has got to be better than buying juice, but that isn't the point. Eating fruit is the healthiest option. Fruit contains fiber along with fructose and drinking juice without fiber " in its natural state" is not so wise a thing to do. You consume more calories and more simple sugar.

Fosomax - At a conference this week, some positive words were offered in regards to oral bisphosphonates like Fosomax. Two separate studies, retrospective, have shown that women who have taken these drugs for at least one year have less incidence of breast cancer than women who have not taken them. This is not a clinical study however, so no conclusion can be drawn. It is probable that people will be enrolled in a study in the future in which some are given an oral bisphosphonate and others placebo and those people followed over time. The results of the studies have not yet been published or evaluated by the medical community. The drugs do have a history of being effective in preventing bone loss, but concerns about side effects have also been raised.

Peanut Butter - I just have to say, because it is a passion - even mission - of mine, to have all the world eat Smucker's All Natural Peanut Butter, or at least that type of peanut butter - why would anyone NOT. Just remember that the peanut butter of your childhood is not good enough for your kids and not good enough for you. If the ingredient list is long and unpronounceable, it is NOT wholesome. Peanuts contain good, heart healthy fats (so reduced fat is not needed). Buy a brand that contains peanuts - or peanuts and salt - PERIOD. Trust me, the added oils are not needed and your daily dose of Omega 3s should be in grams not milligrams... Just trust me....

(Go NYG - game on!)