Learning A Lesson From the Movie CLICK!

October 12, 2006

imagesfghj.jpgOnes desire to succeed in career is healthy as long as ones personal health and family life are kept a PRIORITY!

One movie I found surprisingly good was the movie CLICK that I happened to see while on the plane back to the Philippines.  This is a movie that tells about a workaholic advertising executive Michael Newman played by the comedian Adam Sandler who came across an eccentric salesman who offered him a universal remote control that controlled his life.  The remote control eventually overruled his choices that went fast forward to his desires in the future… to the point that he saw his future being overruled by selfish desires to succeed in his career to the point of neglecting his family resulting in divorce and poor family relationships.  The worst things he regretted were not having the time to spend supervising his kids while growing up, no time for his loving wife and not having the time to spend with his father.  He regretted not having the time to even say and express his love to his family!

I definitely recommend everyone to watch this movie… anyone who may have wandered in path and have put more time in career than personal life…to the point of putting ones personal health and family life as nothing more than supporting roles.

My brother in law’s personal motto says it all:

 “I maybe a learned scholar, a succesful business man or a good father and husband…but until I am all three…I am not successful”

Posted in Personal Thoughts | 4 Comments »

Tips To Address Childhood Obesity

October 11, 2006

imageslp.jpgAs parents… we work for our future and the future of our kids.  Sometimes though we neglect the fact that spending little time with our children can have a lasting impact on their future.  So I thought of writing this post after a 10 day hiatus while in the US.

I’ve been very busy combining fun with education while attending 2 big conventions on Diabetes- The World Insulin Resistance Conference in Las Vegas and A Postgraduate Clinical Endocrinology Update in San Francisco.  It is only now while waiting for my flight back home in the NW Lounge that I got the time to sit down and write one highlight of the meeting.

It is really sad to note that sleeping is the second activity children most often do after watching TV!  It is likewise amazing to know that one burns more calories sleeping than watching TV! Other facts that bring about childhood obesity basically are in front of us but we neglect to assign importance to them.

  • 7 to 12% of children ages 6 to 8 skip breakfast.  We know that skipping breakfast is tantamount to gaining weight.
  • 56% of 8 year old in one survey drink a soda per day and 1 in 4 drinks soft drinks. A 12 oz soda can result in a 18 to 19 lb weight gain per year!
  • By the time our children reach the higher grade… PE time decreases when in fact this is the age of 10 to 14 that you see a rise in obesity prevalence.
  • There is a strong correlation between fitness and academic performance.

These facts are so true that you start to think about your own kid.  And start doing something to address the issues that will confront you later on.

Here are some tips I got from our meeting:

  1. When we discuss about weight with our child… we discuss about HABITS rather than the HABITUS. Don’t say “you’re gaining weight” but rather “Let’s do this walking and swimming daily”
  2. A New food especially vegetables must be introduced 10x before that food is accepted.  So don’t be frustrated if you’re child refuses to eat the brocolli …just make sure you introduce the food again later.
  3. Children learn by example just like when the child learns a new language! So make sure you do what you preach.
  4. Bribery and Masking are discouraged because they decrease the child’s food preference.  Masking a vegetable to look like meat will still defeat your purpose of trying to let your child learn to like veggies.

It was one lecture that I enjoyed most and I thought of sharing with you the things I learned that we can all practice to help curb childhood obesity. It is not our child’s fault if they gained weight… sometimes we just love them too much that we give them too much freedom to choose what they want to eat!

Again… Your child learns BY EXAMPLE!

Related Articles:

  

Posted in The Truths on Obesity | 1 Comment »

Be Careful…Flu Spreads with Air Travel

October 3, 2006

images.jpgWhether you’re in business or leisure, air travel has been part the way to get things done.  As an educator and clinician, air tavel has always been a way of updating myself in the ever changing medical field. This time, Ill be traveling again to attend the World Insulin Resistance Meeting in Las Vegas and then proceed to San Francisco for the annual Clinical Endocrinology Update.  This will definitely entail a lot of air travel and again the possibility of catching air infection like flu.  .

In a study done by the group from Harvard- and MIT , published in the Public Library of Science- Medicine, the researchers concluded that indeed flu spreads easily during air travel.  When air traffic fell after the Sept. 11 attacks, this resulted in a drop in the number of people flying internationally and fell by around 27 percent.

Looking at data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the years between 1996 and 2005, they noticed that the 2001-2002 flu season was highly aberrant: there was a delay in the peaking of flu season as well as a delay in the apparent spread of the flu season across the US.  The data suggest the impact of the change in the air traffic due to the drop in passengers after the September 11 attacks.  However in regions where there was no flight restrictions like France, there was no delay in flu activity during the 2001-2002 flu season.

“The more domestic travel, the faster the spread of flu, and the more inbound international travel, the earlier the influenza season begins.”

With the rainy season therefore, it is expected that the rate of flu infection will increase.  I therefore advise travelers to be more cautious especially if your seatmate starts sneezing and coughing.   It is also important to note that influenza is caused by a variety of viruses and usually the mix changes slightly from year to year thus flu vaccine is given yearly.  Likewise I recommend that flu vaccine should be given to all after the age of 50 and those with chronic illnesses like Diabetes and Heart Disease.  People whose daily activities require meeting people that entails a lot of hand shaking and document exchanges should also get vaccinated.

The best way however to avoid Flu in our day to day lives is plain and simple: FREQUENT HADWASHING… specifically to avoid spreading and catching the bug!

Enjoy Air Travel… Get Vaccinated!

Posted in Lifestyle Measures | 1 Comment »

What Is A Living Will…

October 2, 2006

We seldom discuss about a Living Will because we believe we’re healthy enough that nothing is going to happen to us.  Wikipedia defines a Will as a human trait that produces conscious choices.  But have you ever wonder…what happens if we are sick enough to make those choices…..

116782631.jpgJust heard the news from a friend regarding the sudden passing of her father complaining only of abdominal pain before collapsing.  This sudden death again is almost always heart attack which has been shown not to be sudden but should have manifested signs and symptoms prior to the event.  And this weekend I was in Dumaguete to pay my respect to my uncle who passed away after several months of being bed ridden due to a lung disease secondary to chronic smoking.  Even the movement of eating caused him to be short of breath.  This prompted me to write something about advance directives so our loved ones will know what we want if cases of life decisions come in but we as patients are no longer capable of giving.  Any competent individual 18 years old and above can write these directives.

Part of our training at the Mayo Clinic is talking to patients about this right of the patient.  The following information is sourced from the Mayo Clinic protocol with the sole purpose of public information:

Living will. “This written, legal document spells out the types of medical treatments and life-sustaining measures you do and don’t want, such as mechanical respiration and tube feeding.”

Medical power of attorney (POA).” the medical POA form is a legal document that designates an individual to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you’re unable to do so. The medical POA document is different from the power of attorney form that authorizes someone to make financial transactions for you. If you don’t appoint a medical POA, the decisions about your care default to your spouse. If you aren’t legally married, decisions fall to your adult children or your parents.”

It is also possible to combine these two types of advance directives with a conversation with your loved ones.  Every situation may be different because there are medical conditions where long term prognosis will be good and others not.  

It is therefore best that we talk about what’s in our living will and explain how our values shaped our decisions.

Planning option What does it do? Benefits Limitations
Living will Details your feelings on certain medical treatments and interventions. Gives your doctors and loved ones an idea of the care you’d prefer if you can’t speak for yourself. You can’t possibly plan ahead for all situations. In those instances, your doctor and loved ones would use this as a guide.
Talking with your loved ones Lets you elaborate on your feelings about medical treatment. Helps your family better understand your wishes. Gives a greater understanding of your approach to each situation. A conversation isn’t as legally binding as written instructions.

 If You Love Your Family…

Have A Living Will.

Related Posts:

Posted in Medical News Bits | 2 Comments »

The Truth About ENERGY Drinks!

September 29, 2006

69318754.jpgThose working overtime or late nights may resort to the so called Energy Drinks to hopefully boost their energy level and keep them awake.  However recent research has shown otherwise. 

The findings of a rersearch done in Sleep Center in University of Loughborough in UK published in Human Psychopharmacology found that one hour after drinking a high-sugar, low-caffeine drink… ” people had slower reaction times and experienced more lapses in concentration than if they had consumed a caffeine- and sugar-free beverage.”

It was noted that majority of these energy drinks actually contain lots of sugar around 8 teaspoons that can induce sleepiness around 70 minutes after consumption rather than boosting ones energy.  The short “sugar rush” effect also disappears right away within minutes.

My advise is… if you have to use energy drinks… choose one with caffeine in them because it is actually the caffeine that counteracts sleepiness.  But keep in mind that a dose of caffeine large enough to have an energizing effect like the one present in 1 regular soda or cup of coffee can only last for 3 hours… which should be good enough.

Another reason to enjoy coffee while working late!

Related Posts:

Posted in General Health Tips | 4 Comments »

How To Prevent Stiff Neck

September 28, 2006

1984754273.jpgThis is the Fourth of Our Series called Healthy Practice Tips:  How To Avoid Having A  Stiff Neck.

The most common cause of stiff neck is bad posture.  And almost always patients complain of this condition upon waking up…suggesting the problem is how our head is positioned during sleep.  The problem with stiff neck is that the discomfort associated with it takes time to go away affecting the way you work and move.  It’s more annoying than scary but a condition that’s very easy to prevent.

Here Are My Tips:

1. “Be sure your pillow doesn’t force your head into an unnatural position while you sleep, resting it either too high or too low.” … as advised by the American Physical Therapy Assocciation.

2.  Look for a pillow that will mold your head when you sleep.  It may be more expensive but worth it!  Some may find feather pillows to be better but what turns me off is the occasional smell that they have. Feather pillows mold to the shape of our head thus lessens that chance of a stiff neck. Definitely this pillow is better than foam.  Specialized pillows though expensive are available in specialized stores and I find them very comfortable because they mold also to the shape of our head.

3. We have a tendency to use too many pillows once they start to flatten… Don’t compensate…instead Replace!

4. Just like back pain , it is always recommended to check your mattress.  A firm mattress with good back support is recommended.

5. Lastly and if possible try to avoid sleeping on your stomach because chances are high that you’ll get a stiff neck if you oversleep in this position.

If you have experiences with preventing stiff neck… please tell us about them….

Simple Measures To Assure A Good Night Sleep! 

Other Posts in the Healthy Practice Tips Series:

  1. How To Choose Your Vitamins
  2. When There’s Lightning, Turn Off Your Cell Phone
  3. Water Or Soap? Or Hand Sanitizer?

Posted in Healthy Practice Tips | 6 Comments »

Facts You Need To Know Before Undergoing Cosmetic Surgery

September 27, 2006

970719514.jpgThis warning comes in timely because if you read the papers you can see ads of spas or beauty centers offering different cosmetic procedures.  Am also sure you’ve heard stories of horrible outcomes among your peers or even national artists due to so called botched procedures.  It is said that cosmetic procedures that entail incisions or peeling require expertise and if done by someone who’s improperly trained can result in scarring and burning. There are even reports of deaths.

The New England Journal of Medicine reported 5 deaths related to liposuction procedure concluding that tumescent liposuction can be fatal.

But what concerns us most are the pseudo spas that offer medical procedures done by improperly trained personnel and non-physicians performing procedures such as Botox injections, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and chemical peels.  Reports include loss of pigmentation,improper setting of laser or using untested versions of materials injected into the skin to fill wrinkles.

Guidelines for the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery recommend that a physician should always perform a cosmetic surgical procedure — and should be a dermatologist, rather than a family practitioner or gynecologist.

My advise is to ask these questions before having a procedure done :

1.What procedures are in place in the case of an emergency? Cases of pulmonary embolism or blood clot after liposcution have been reported and this is manifested by shortness of breath. Do they have emergency kits?

2, Inquire about the training of a person who will perform the procedure… where and when? How many procedures have been done because the skill of the surgeon is dependent on the number of procedures done.

3.Are there comlications arising from the procedure… any side effects and how many so far? Do they resolve overtime? 

4. Ask for a before and after photographs of another patient who had a similar procedure.  The clinic should have a collection of these photos to prove their work is done properly.

The best clue is to ask around, your friends and colleagues if results of the procedure done by this clinic has been excellent based on feedback.

Be careful…

Plastic Surgery May Not Turn Out The Way You Perceived It to Be!

Posted in General Health Tips | 2 Comments »

The Harmful Effects of Skin Whitening Creams…

September 26, 2006

29856556961.jpgCant help it but overheard 2 ladies in the airport lounge while on the way to Manila for a lecture yesterday talking about how her skin became so white! I thought of asking these ladies to be careful because recently  The Food and Drug Administration proposed a ban on over-the-counter sales of skin-lightening products, saying possible health risks cannot justify their being sold without a prescription.

Yo can see these creams being marketed on TV or radio and at present there are now 135 products being sold as bleaching creams.  What the public is unaware of is that these creams have been linked to possible side effects. Specifically careful with creams that contain a drug called hydroquinone.  This substance is a possible carcinogen that has been researched to cause cancer in rodents as well as linked to a skin-disfiguring condition called ochronosis that results in darkening and thickening of the skin with occasional grayish spots. While the actual risk of the drug is unknown, the US FDA expressed that the products should be restricted to prescription use under medical supervision.

It is to be recalled that in 1990, the FDA also declared another skin-bleaching drug ammoniated mercury as unsafe.

 The NIH website mentions that under the proposed FDA rule, “all skin-bleaching products — prescription and over-the-counter — would be considered new drugs. Manufacturers would have to seek FDA approval to sell them, and only then with a doctor’s note.”

So my friends… who are into vanity and skin whitening regimen…it’s about time for you to take a second look at those creams and reconsider and weigh the risks and benefits you’ll get from using them!

Protect Your Skin From Harm!

Posted in General Health Tips | 81 Comments »

Your Faith Can Hasten Your Recovery

September 23, 2006

2012785724.jpgI always tell my patients who have chronic illnesses to look at their illness as a challenge to live and not as a threat to life.

I draw my inspiration to one patient of mine who is a diabetic who suffered from a lung cancer.  She was given 6 months to live by her pulmonologist here in Cebu.  But her faith to live and her trust in God made her through her disease.  She looked at chemotherapy as a way to kill the bad elements in her body, as a result she is excited to go and have chemotherapy sessions because she really wants to live longer.  She just asked God for strength. And her approach to her illness really made a difference and now 10 years after… she still visits me regularly!

And now comes this new research published in NIH website done on 300 subjects from the University of Washington presented in the Annual convention of the American Psychological Association that proved the concept of faith in overcoming an illness is true and can really help people recover from major illnesses including major surgery like a heart bypass.  

It was shown that “positive religious beliefs and resources gave people a sense of hope and social support.”However, faith struggles, religious doubt and resentment against God and other bad stressful thoughts — may hinder recovery. 

One very important note to remember in the study is that the perceived social support and the feeling of more hope for recovery due to their spiritual beliefs resulted in less post-op depression and anxiety.

So don’t lose hope even if you are told of the impossibility because… I strongly believe that having a positive outlook due to your beliefs and your hope to recover  can boost your immune system and your body’s will to fight the disease!

Ones Faith Indeed Can Move Mountains!

Posted in Medical News Bits | 1 Comment »

Stress Can Shrink Your Brain

September 22, 2006

imagesa.jpgWe may be working overtime lately, we may be doing a lot of things at the same time, we have kids and family problems…they can be work related etc…all contribute to “stress”.  It is inevitable…we cant escape from it but we should know how to handle it!  Especially with this new research that showed that stress can SHRINK your brain and prematurely age your immune system.

Essentially, the study mentioned in the NIH website presented at the 2006 Annual convention of American Psychological Association emphasized that “stress can addle your mind and make you older.” The study involving rats showed that stress causes neuron in the brain to shrink resulting in memory impairment and this may be happening to humans too. 

With stress, our body starts to produce the so called ” stress” hormones like steroid, catecholamines that have been shown to cause some changes in the brain which result in poor memory with less ability to remember and learn.  The same mechanism may be true why stress in one study can affect one’s mood and result in depression.  Likewise the immune system of a stressed individual tend to age faster due to the shortening of the chunks of DNA which make cells work properly.

But there’s a upside to this news according to the researchers: Exercise has been shown to reverse the defect.  And, in the case of the brain at least, “time might heal the wounds caused by stress.”

So what do we need to do: My Threesome Rules Of Stress Relief!

1. Get sufficient sleep most days of the week,

2. Make an effort to be active throughout life, and

3. Have a healthy diet 

My Practical Tip: solve a problem right away once it crops up.  Delaying action on one issue while analyzing another endeavor will contribute to unnecessary stress. So while seeing a patient in my medical clinic, and if a problem crops up in my research clinic… I pause first, excuse myself from my patient and settle the research problem.  In so doing I am now free to listen and deal with the problems of my patient! And I tell you…it works to lessen the stress! Again it’s how you handle the stress!

Take Good Care of Your Brain…Beat The Stress!

Related Articles:

Posted in General Health Tips | 9 Comments »

How To Get The Vitamins By Eating The Right FOOD

September 21, 2006

1252098707.jpgIf you eat a proper balanced diet, there’s really no need to take any vitamins because these nutrients are present in most foods that we eat. We already know that fruits and vegetables are considered essential servings to our daily meal plan.  Now a large study has confrimed that most nutrients that we need can be taken in by eating these vegetables.

People who consume plenty of salads, or raw vegetables like carrots, cauliflower are more likely to take in sufficient amounts of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins that is 15% higher than those who dont eat vegetables.  Likwise vegetable eaters were more likely to meet the daily requirement for Vitamin C. 

The study published in The September issue of The American Dietetic Association Journal found that even one serving of raw vegetables a day is sufficient to getting the recommended amounts of vitamins A, E, B6 and folic acid. Meaning the more raw vegetables you take in, better levels of the vitamins C and E, folic acid and several carotenoids will be seen in your blood.

One important point to remember though is that Water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C and many B vitamins, are heat-sensitive, and therefore it’s better to get them through eating raw vegetables.   But antioxidants: carotenoids, tend to be better absorbed if vegetables are cooked.

How many of us take salads before the main meal?  Now we know we’re doing the right thing in keeping ourselves fit and healthy!

Take Your Greens…Your Passport To  a Healthy Living!

Posted in Lifestyle Measures, Nutrition Health Tips | 1 Comment »

Tai Chi For Better Mobility and Balance

September 20, 2006

2374902333.jpgOsteoporotic fractures are prevalent among our elderly diabetic patients. This is mainly attributed to a low trauma event due to loss of balance preceding the fracture. This can be explained also by the impaired mobility among older adults due to their low muscle power which results from their inability to contract their muscles quickly.

In a study of older obese adults with type 2 diabetes published in the Septemeber issue of the Diabetes Care, showed that older obese type 2 diabetics can benefit from low-intensity, low-impact Tai Chi exercises as well as from regular stretching and calisthenics.

This study involved 38 men and women with type 2 diabetes aged 65 were randomly assigned to Tai Chi exercises or seated calisthenics and stretching which included a 55-minute exercise sessions twice a week for 16 weeks.

The Findings at the end of the study period:

1.Participants in both exercise groups whether Tai Chi or calisthenics had improvements in their balance and walking speed.

2, Patients who participated in Tai Chi exercises also showed improved mobility.

3. The improvement in balance was most noted among those with poorer quality of life at the start of the study.

4.Those participants who had better health, muscle function and exercise capacity at the start of the study, had improvement in walking speeds by the end of the study.

Likewise, what I found significant in the study was the finding that:  it is very important for patients to have good sugar control since lower levels of blood glucose and less body fat at the start of the study were factors associated with improved walking speeds over time.

There you go…we will get definitely grow old but now we know that over time, increase physical acitivity and its effects can have lasting impact in our quality of life.

Better Mobility: Another Reason To

Take Care of Your Sugar and Exercise!

Posted in Exercise and Activity Tips | Leave a Comment »

Lessons Learned While in Copenhagen

September 19, 2006

Just came back from the convention in Denmark where a lot of good things came p9140651.JPGout especialy regarding prevention of diabetes and its progression (aside from the sightseeing tour we had…like this little mermaid of Hans Christian Anderson’s famous tale). We all know about lifestyle changes as the best way to prevent the diseases but now an early mild form of abnormality in blood sugar has been shown to be prevented from progressing to a more serious form using medication.  The so called DREAM study was one highlight in the convention and the result of which will definitely have an impact on how we approach and treat mild forms of diabetes.

I believe Copenhagen was the best place to have this study presented because this is a place that is inhabited by beautiful people that  are physically fit. They go to work using their bikes. p9160713.JPGThey have their own bike lanes and parking area.  Likewise, Copenhagen as a city also is small enough that everything can be reached by foot or by bicycle. As a result seldom do I see obese individuals. This place tells us that being physically mobile can mean economic savings: no need to buy cars and gasoline, and by being physically healthy therefore results in less risk to suffer from diabetes and lifestyle diseases.

p9140639.JPGI believe the concept of biking as a means of transportation is feasible in our city. This will result in less polution and therefore less respiratory diseases like asthma, more benefits can be derived from this policy and a very good way to help curb obesity that is now prevalent in our region.  Look at how the Danish people are already dressed for work and using their bikes to get them to places of work.

Few days in Copenhagen have been very fruitful…learned new things both scientifically and learned best by observing how the people live and practice their way of life.

You Learn Best by Traveling!

Posted in Personal Thoughts | 2 Comments »

The Benefit of Drinking Fruit and Vegetable Juice

September 13, 2006

fruit-juice.jpgI am on my way to Copenhagen, Denmark for the annual convention of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes till the 18th of this month… and for this reason I may not be able to update my blog daily for the next few days.  But let me share with you this new data which I thought of sharing because while waiting in the lounge, I realized that my colleagues were drinking diet coke while I opted for a freshly squeezed orange juice.  I am a diet coke drinker but now I’m giving juices a second look.

Just yesterday while scanning through the different articles that would interest me…I came across this new data published in the September issue of the American Journal of Medicine that has somehow changed the way I look at juices. This involved at participants who drank fruit or vegetable juices for the 10 year period and determined the incidence of dementia among those who drank and those who did not.  This involved 1800 subjects and their mental function were tested every 2 years.

The results are great news for fruit and vegetable juice drinkers:

  1. The incidence of Alzheimer’s was 76 percent lower for those who drank juice three or more times a week than for those who drank juice less than once a week.
  2. Dementia was 16 percent lower for those drinking juice once or twice a week

It is theorized that the benefit is due to a strong antioxidant present in both fruit and vegetables called polyphenols which is present in the outer skin or the peel. So when you process the whole fruit or vegetable, these substances are incorporated into the juice. It is believed that the polyphenols may prevent the deposition of proteins in the brain that can lead to Alzheimer’s.

The authors however concluded that more research need to be done whether there is a specific juice that has more beneficial effect than others. 

I like the way the authors summed up their data that if you like to drink juice, there’s another reason why you should BUT not to the point of saying: ‘If I drink orange juice in the morning, I don’t have to do anything else. ”

A Juice a Day May Keep You Healthy All The Way!

Posted in General Health Tips, Nutrition Health Tips | 15 Comments »

How To Choose Your Vitamins

September 12, 2006

imagesxc.jpgThird of Our Series: Healthy Practice Tips…

In general if a person is healthy enough to be able to take a balance nutrition, there’s really no need for vitamins.  But ask any of my patients …and majority will tell you they take either 1 or 2 vitamins just to feel good. But any pill is an additional intake of drugs for the body to metabolize. 

In medical practice we are taught that not anybody should take a vitamin… but again almost anyone you know does! 

So who really needs dietary multivitamins?

  • Those that cant receive all of the nutrients they need from their diet because they either can’t or don’t eat enough due to an illness.
  • Those who can’t or don’t eat a variety of healthy foods due to habit or not used to like eating veggies.
  • Those on specific diets due to stomach disease or other diseases involving the intestine or digestion.
  • Pregnant women who require additional nutrients and
  • Older adults who have altered nutrient needs or poor dentition. 

Tip on How To Choose The Vitamins We Need?

  • Check The Content. There should be a label that tells you the serving size and the nutrients they contain.
  • Avoid ‘megadoses’ I recommend that you choose a multivitamin that provides about 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV)of all the vitamins and minerals.  Avoid pills that give too much of the DV for one vitamin and too little of the DV for another.
  • Make Sure Of The Quality. Check the USP label in the bottle because “this ensures that the supplement meets the standards for strength, purity, disintegration and dissolution established by the testing organization U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP).”
  • Avoid Marketing Strategies like” Natural”. There is no such thing as the source being “natural” and if this word is in the bottle it costs more! The same goes to added herbs and other stuff likely to attract buyers without any additional benefit!  Likewise as I’ve said before…the additional herbs may interact with other meds you’re taking.
  • Are They Expiring? Because they lose their quality and efficacy over time.

And the most important tip of all is to store all meds properly .  It should be a dry and cool place to prevent losing potency.

So if you really like buying vitamins…might as well do it properly by following my tips!

A Toast To Those Who Practice The Healthy Way!

Read My Other Healthy Practice Tips Series:

  1. Water or Soap? or Hand Sanitizer?

  2. When There’s Lightning, Turn Off Your Cell Phone 

Related Article:     Where Do You Keep Your Drugs?

Posted in Healthy Practice Tips | 7 Comments »

Air Fresheners and Your Lung May be A Bad Combination

September 11, 2006

23863564961.jpgAir fresheners are a commonplace in our cars. Unknowingly we may be damaging our lungs in the process.  What this new research has found is that the same chemical compounds that are used in air fresheners can also be found in toilet bowl cleaners as well as mothballs.

The study done by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, published in the August issue of Environmental Health Perspectives showed that this compound called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB) can cause modest reductions in lung function.

The Findings included:

1.  Of the different compounds emitted as gases, only the compound 1,4 DCB was associated with reduced pulmonary function.  This compound is the one used in most of our household products inlcuding room deodorizers, urinal and toilet bowl blocks, and as an insecticide fumigant for moth control.

2. A 4 percent decrease in the test which measures forced expiratory volume in 1(FEV1) second between the highest and lowest levels of exposure. FEV1 is a pulmonary function test that is a commonly used index for assessing airway function and obstruction.

This research data suggest that 1,4-DCB may exacerbate respiratory diseases.  As such, a decline in lung function no matter how small may be a big factor among patients especially our children who already have allergic cough or asthma. Chronic exposure of this substance can definitely result in harmful effect to their lungs.

Therefore, if you plan to stay indoor for the day…make sure you avoid any deodorizing agents in cleaning your house.  And if you do…be somewhere else at that time.  Likewise, if you ride the car with the kids with the air-conditioner on, throw away the air freshener…

Protect Your Lungs…Anyway Fresh Air Is Better!

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Posted in General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits | 2 Comments »

When There’s Lightning, Turn Off Your Cell Phone

September 9, 2006

images122.jpgWe’re into the rainy season… we get thunderstorms and lightning then we get the flooded streets. While in the traffic because of the congested road, we use the cell phones to pass the time. But you’re in actual danger of being hit by lightning if it strikes.

The June issue of the British Medical Journal reported a case of a  15-year-old girl struck by lightning while using her cell phone in a London park last year. The girl survived, but is now considered disabled suffering from not only physical injury but traumatic emotional problems.  She is presently confined to a wheelchair, has lost some hearing in the ear she was holding the phone to and can’t recall the moment she was hit by lightning because she had cardiac arrest then. 

The journal reports that ” this phenomenon is a public health issue, and education is necessary to highlight the risk of using mobile phones outdoors during stormy weather to prevent future fatal consequences from lightning-strike injuries related to mobile phones.“

It is important to note that according to the National Weather Service statistics: around 400 people are struck and approximately 67 are killed each year by lightning.  This number actually is more than deaths caused by hurricanes or tornadoes. What is significant is the life long disability that results after one is hit by lightning.

It is theorized in the report that normally: ” the high resistance of human skin means that if lightning strikes, it is conducted over the skin without entering the body, resulting in a low death-rate phenomenon known as “flashover.” But conductive materials such as liquids or metallic objects — i.e. cell phones — disrupt the flashover and result in internal injury with greater death rates”.

For Our Healthy Practice Tips Series 2: Here are some accepted guidelines in the use of appliances during bad weather:

  • Do not use metallic objects like cordless or mobile phones during a thunderstorm.
  • Don’t use a land-line telephone. Lightning can come through the telephone line and hit you.
  • Avoid electrical appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers or take a shower because lightning can travel through water pipes.

These guidelines are there for us to consider and follow.  Even if the jury is still out on whether mobile phones are really a hazard for use during bad weather is still being refuted by some… arguing that the metal content of mobile phones is so small to be a factor… but rather… being hit by lightning is a matter of being in a wrong place at a wrong time.

For now, it is still prudent that the next time you are stuck in traffic because of the rain… before you answer your mobile phone… Just make sure

Don’t Use Your Phone When Lightning Strikes!  

Posted in Healthy Practice Tips, Medical News Bits | 9 Comments »

Tired Of Your Low Back Pain? Try The Acupuncture!

September 8, 2006

imagesqwe.jpgChronic Back Pain is considered one of the frequent reasons for doctor’s visits. The word chronic in itself tells us that majority of these complaints remain as back pains for a long time with transient relief of symptoms in between.  This is one setting in our medical practice where patients then resort to alternative medicine.

One of these alternative routes of therapy is acupuncture.  Before I left the Mayo Clinic after my fellowship, the center was setting up an Acupuncture Unit for research into this ancient Chinese way of treating diseases.  The mere fact there’s an interest in doing studies means there’s truth to the curative aspects of acupuncture that needs to be studied thoroughly to be accepted in the Western world.

imagesdfghj1.jpgNow comes the largest study to date of acupuncture for chronic low back pain published in the Sept 1 issue of American Journal of Epidemiology.The study looked at whether acupuncture can ease the pain, and improve back function and involved around 11,630 patients with chronic low back pain. Patients received up to 15 treatments over a three-month period, and were followed for an additional three months.

The Findings seem promising:

1. Accupunctrue treated patients showed significantly better back function: 52.6 percent responded to treatment while

2. Non acupuncture treated patients: only 26.8 percent responded to treatment.

3. Those who initially did not receive acupuncture then later were given the treatment had similar equal response in terms of relief of pain.

4. The relief of pain persisted up to 6 months after acupuncture treatment.

A safe alternative approach to back pain especially if conventional forms of therapy have so far not offered any relief.  Finding a good practitioner however can be a challenge! But if you find one.. I would say… Go for it!

Acupuncture May Be Worth It…For The Pain!

Posted in General Health Tips, Personal Thoughts | 10 Comments »

The Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life!

September 7, 2006

34767223.jpgThe latest issue of Circulation, a Journal of the American Heart Association had this interesting article on symptoms which should not be taken for granted.  These symptoms actually occur among patients prior to their Sudden Cardiac Death!  This study interests me because a close friend of the family apparently died of sudden cardiac death… but this new study refutes the notion that Sudden Cardiac death is actually not sudden after all!

The study involved analyzing data surrounding the circumstances among 400 patients who suffered sudden cardiac arrest. They looked at what were the symptoms preceeding the apparent death.

These are the symptoms that should warrant immediate attention…meaning if you have them, seek medical help!

  1. 22 percent of patients had experienced angina (chest pain) for 120 minutes.
  2. Dyspnea (difficulty breathing) was present in 15 percent of patients for 30 minutes
  3. Nausea or vomiting in 7 percent for 120 minutes
  4. Dizziness or fainting in 5 percent for 10 minutes

There are however 25 percent of the patients with no warning symptoms at all. The investigators likewise noted that in 90 percent of cases, symptoms lasted for at least 5 minutes and longer before the patient collapsed.

Apparently the authors concluded that “These symptoms are misinterpreted, suppressed, or denied despite the presence of a preexisting cardiac disease or cardiac risk factors”.

It is very important that the above symptoms should be addressed immediately especially if you have a history of heart disease and other risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking, and chronic lung disease.  These are the associated conditions in more than half of the patients studied.

A mere chest pain may already be a red flag for a worst scenario.  Likewise if you have risk factors… persistent nausea and vomiting may herald the onset of an impending heart attack!

It’s Better To Be Cautious Than Be Sorry!

Posted in General Health Tips, Tips To Protect Your Heart | 6 Comments »

The Social Impact of Wanting A Baby Boy

September 6, 2006

imagesdfghhj.jpgChinese tradition calls it that the first born be a boy…. however recent studies have shown that cultures that favour male babies may result in a surplus of men. It is theorized that once this happens these men will struggle to find sexual partners and could find themselves marginalised in society based on t he findings of a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by the University College London.

The social impact is intriguing and let me quote what the paper emphasized as the possible implication of this practice:

“As more men discover their lack of marriage prospects, this could lead to antisocial behaviour, violence and possibly more opportunities for organised crime and terrorism, threatening the stability and security of many societies.”

Likewise as quoted from Dr Therese Hesketh, of the UCL Institute of Child Health:

“The ratio of men to women in most populations is remarkably constant if left untouched. The tradition of son preference, however, has distorted these natural sex ratios in large parts of Asia and North Africa. Sex-selective abortion and discrimination in care practices for girls have led to higher female mortality. Although health care for women is generally improving, these advances have been offset by a huge increase in the use of sex-selective abortion, and there are now an estimated 80 million missing females in India and China alone.”

“Over the next 20 years, in parts of China and India there will be a 12 to 15 per cent excess of young men. These men will remain single and will be unable to have families, in societies where marriage is regarded as virtually universal and social status and acceptance depend, in large part, on being married and creating a new family.”

“This trend could lead to increased levels of antisocial behaviour and violence, as gender is a well-established correlate of crime, and especially violent crime. Gender-related violent crime is consistent across cultures. Furthermore, when single young men congregate, the potential for more organised aggression is likely to increase substantially, and this has worrying implications for organised crime and terrorism.”

The above scenario is pretty worrisome indeed.  But apparently certain measures with regard to sex preference have been made in terms of educating the public with some progress. In a recent national survey, 37 per cent of Chinese women surveyed claimed to have no gender preference, and 45 per cent said the ideal family consisted of one boy and one girl. Almost equal numbers of the women expressed a preference for one girl as for one boy.

So there you go… to the newly married…No sex preference please….

Just for fun…let me do a quick survey… of  my friends and readers who are getting married or are going to have a baby… How many would prefer having a baby boy versus a baby girl?

A Baby Boy? Dream for A Healthy Baby Instead!

Posted in Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts | 4 Comments »

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