While trendy, this fashion statement poses a number of potential oral and overall health care risks. It’s also important to note that oral piercings most commonly involve the tongue, and also the lips, cheeks, uvula or a combination of sites. Oral piercings have been implicated in a number of adverse oral and systemic conditions.

“Anyone considering an oral piercing should consult a dentist to discuss the possible adverse effects,” says Dr. George Koumaras, DDS, dental director for Delta Dental of Virginia, “or if you already have an oral piercing, make sure to schedule routine dental exams so a dentist can check for potential problems.”

Known complications of oral piercings include:
Pain - People who have oral piercings cite pain as the first thing they notice after the procedure.
Swelling - Piercing may cause swelling of the tongue. According to the American Dental Association, in extreme cases, a severely swollen tongue can actually close off the airway and restrict breathing.
Prolonged bleeding - A blood vessel punctured during piercing may cause severe bleeding.
Damage to the sublingual salivary glands - An improperly placed tongue piercing may damage the sublingual salivary glands (salivary glands under the tongue), which produce five percent of saliva entering the oral cavity.
Aspiration (choking) - Jewelry may become loose in the mouth, creating a choking hazard.
Plaque buildup - Plaque may build up on piercings, requiring more frequent cleanings.
Damage to the teeth and gums - Jewelry may come in contact with both the teeth and gums, causing chipped or cracked teeth or gingival (gum) recession.
Allergic reaction - Jewelry containing certain metals may cause an allergic reaction.
Nerve damage - A piercing that penetrates a nerve may cause nerve damage, leading to numbness or loss of sensation at the piercing site.
Infection - The wound from the piercing, coupled with bacteria in the mouth, creates an increased risk of infection.

“If you decide to get an oral piercing and complications arise, schedule an appointment with your dentist,” says Dr. Koumaras. “Dentists are trained to monitor and manage oral health problems and will work with a physician to manage more serious conditions.”

Also, make sure to follow any home-care instructions, including cleaning, provided by your dentist or piercing specialist. This may help prevent immediate, short-term or long-term complications. Your dentist can prescribe an antimicrobial rinse to help keep the pierced site and jewelry clean.

“Whether a piercing is through the cheek, lip or tongue, proper oral hygiene measures are critical,” continues Dr. Koumaras, “and may help reduce the risk of some damaging adverse effects of oral piercing.”

Source: ProAct Public Relations LLC

What is lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system is unbalanced, causing inflammation and tissue damage to virtually any tissue or organ in the body. Its health effects include skin lesions, heart attacks, strokes, seizures, miscarriages, and organ failure.

What are the symptoms of lupus?

The most common symptoms include severe joint pain and swelling, overwhelming fatigue, fevers, skin rashes, pain in the chest on deep breathing, hair loss, and sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Symptoms come and go and can change over time, and range from mild to life-threatening.

What are the different forms of lupus?

There are several forms of lupus, the most common being cutaneous and systemic. Cutaneous lupus is limited to the skin and is often identified by a rash or skin lesions that appears on sun-exposed areas of the body, such as the scalp, face, neck, hands, and arms. Cutaneous lupus accounts for approximately 10% of all cases. Systemic lupus is usually more severe and can affect almost any organ or system of the body, including the skin, joints, lungs, kidneys, heart, nervous system, and brain. Approximately 70% of lupus cases are systemic. In about half of these cases, a major organ will be affected.

Who develops lupus?

Ninety percent of the people with lupus are women. The disease develops most often between the ages of 15 and 44, although males and females of any age can be affected. Lupus is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, and Asians, than among Caucasians. Based on several nationwide telephone surveys, the LFA estimates that approximately 1,500,000 Americans have a form of the disease.

What causes lupus?

The exact causes of lupus are unknown. Researchers believe that certain environmental factors play a role in triggering the disease in people who are genetically susceptible to developing lupus. These environmental triggers include infections, ultraviolet light, extreme stress, antibiotics and certain other drugs, and hormonal changes. Hormonal factors may explain why lupus occurs more frequently in females than in males. Despite some statements in the media recently, there is no known connection between childhood abuse and lupus. Lupus is NOT infectious, rare, or cancerous. It is not related to or like HIV/AIDS.

Source: Lupus Foundation of America

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) announced results of a national survey that reveals the inability to pay for cancer care is among Americans’ top fears about the disease. Seven out of ten report being very concerned about paying for cancer treatment if they developed the disease (69%), the same proportion who are very concerned about dying of it (68%). Only the cancer consequences of having a poor quality of life (75%) and being in pain (72%) evoke slightly more concern.

COA commissioned Opinion Research Corporation to survey a statistically representative sample of 1,022 adult Americans 18 years of age or older. The survey was conducted June 26-30, 2009.

These Americans speak from experience: 79% of the survey respondents reported having a family member or friend diagnosed with cancer. Other top concerns regarding a cancer diagnosis include being unable to work (61%) and leaving their families in debt (59%).

“The need for healthcare reform is especially critical for cancer care,” explained Patrick Cobb, M.D., president of COA and managing partner of Hematology-Oncology Centers of the Northern Rockies in Billings, Montana. “The increasing cost of drugs, declining Medicare reimbursement, and current financial crisis have created a ‘perfect storm’ that jeopardizes community cancer clinics, where most Americans with cancer are treated.”

The survey reveals a lack of confidence in the cancer healthcare payment system, including both private insurance plans and the Medicare system. Less than half (45%) believe their private insurance plans would cover the full cost of cancer treatment, while only 25% believe Medicare would cover treatment costs. Only 41% believe they would be covered for care in a community cancer clinic, where 84% of cancer treatment actually occurs.

Dr. Cobb continued, “Though the U.S. has the best cancer care delivery system in the world, the system is now in first-stage crisis because Medicare has substantially cut payments for cancer drugs and essential services. Oncologists are spending an inordinate amount of time dealing with patient financial issues, including trying to find ways of navigating the insurance maze and identifying drug and co-payment assistance for patients in need. Community cancer clinics have had to close satellite facilities and cut staff. Smaller clinics are struggling to operate and more will close.”

The survey found that most Americans say they could not afford the typical monthly cost of cancer treatment not covered by insurance plans. Only a third (37%) say they could pay up to $1,000 per month towards their cancer care not covered by insurance plans. And only 16% say they could pay up to $2,500 per month towards cancer care.

“Monthly out-of-pocket costs for cancer care and treatment, not covered by private insurance plans or Medicare, can easily run to $1,000 or more,” explained Dr. Cobb. “For many cancer patients, the costs of diagnostic imaging, surgery and expensive cancer medications, especially in the first few months of treatment, can add up to well beyond $2,500 per month.”

To pay for cancer care, Americans report they would take a variety of dire steps. Nearly seven out of ten (66%) report they would go on government assistance to pay the cost of cancer treatment. Four out of ten or more would sell their cars (48%) or their homes (38%), would borrow the money (44%) or declare bankruptcy (40%). Fully one third (33%) say they would simply stop the cancer treatment.

Most (85%) of Americans believe a government-run health plan would have significant disadvantages for cancer care, compared to their own current insurance plans. They see higher taxes as the mostly likely disadvantage of a government-run health plan (74%), while more than half cite negative impacts on treatment and quality of care: longer wait for medical appointments (62%), less coverage of expensive cancer medications or treatments (60%), less coverage of cancer detection and diagnostic tests (54%) and lower quality of care in general (56%).

“The need for healthcare reform is especially critical to cancer care,” said Ted Okon, executive director of COA. “However, the proposals currently under consideration by Congress and the Administration to reform the healthcare payment system do not take into account the special circumstances and requirements of cancer care. What is needed is a substantive program developed with the involvement of oncologists to enhance the delivery of quality cancer care.”

COA Offers Aggressive Solutions

Recently, H.R. 2872, the “Medicare Quality Cancer Care Demonstration Act of 2009,” was introduced into the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Artur Davis (D-AL), Steve Israel (D-NY) and Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH). H.R. 2872 is a bill that will authorize Congress to direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement the Quality Cancer Care Demonstration (QCCD) project. The QCCD, a landmark initiative to transform the payment system for cancer care, will focus on patients covered by Medicare (approximately 45% of cancer patients), involving the collection of data and implementation of a patient-centric program that enhances quality cancer care while controlling costs.

“The Quality Cancer Care Demonstration project offers a means of moving forward immediately, and an architecture for a solution to the current crisis in cancer care,” said Dr. Cobb.

Earlier this year, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) introduced into the U.S. Senate S. 1221, “The Medicare Prompt Pay Correction Act,” as the companion to the H.R. 1392. Both seek to address problems with Medicare reimbursement for cancer drugs and help alleviate a national problem affecting the delivery of cancer care treatment to patients, almost all of whom are treated in community oncology clinics close to their homes.

Source: Community Oncology Alliance

On the eve of President Obama’s visit to Ghana, Global AIDS Alliance executive director Dr. Paul Zeitz called on the President to honor his campaign promises on U.S. responses to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and on education of the world’s children. “The President’s visit to Ghana is a perfect opportunity for him to reflect on the impact of his broken campaign promises on global AIDS and education, especially in Africa, and to honor those promises made to the American people, and to the world,” said Zeitz.

Broken Promises on Global HIV/AIDS

“When President Barack Obama released his US$3.6 trillion budget on May 7, he broke two campaign promises and created a total shortfall of US$3.3 billion in U.S. support for global AIDS funding through U.S. bilateral AIDS programs, including PEPFAR, and for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria,” said Zeitz. “Unless the U.S. Congress steps up and fully funds the President’s campaign promises, which seems unlikely, millions of people will suffer,” he said.

GAA estimates that as a consequence of President Obama’s broken promises on AIDS:

• One million people around the world will not receive treatment for AIDS.
• 2.9 million women won’t receive services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
• 27 million people will not access sexual disease transmission prevention programs.
• 1.9 million orphans and other children affected by or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS will not receive care and support services.

Broken Promises on Education for the World’s Children

During his campaign, Mr. Obama promised that his Administration would take a leadership role by providing at least $2 billion to establish a Global Fund for Education, which would enable a coordinated, global approach to meeting the education needs of the world’s children. “The President and his Administration have been silent on this promise since his election, leaving millions of children without hope of educational attainment,” said Zeitz.

Worldwide, 75 million children are unable to attend school, 226 million adolescents are not enrolled in secondary school, and 770 million adults remain illiterate. In over 50 countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, half of all children never complete primary school. Yet literacy is widely considered a prerequisite for economic development, and education the key to breaking inter-generational cycles of poverty.

“It is the most vulnerable children, including those orphaned by AIDS, who are most likely to be excluded from accessing a safe and quality basic education,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Honorary Chair of the Global AIDS Alliance Advisory Council. “We call on the G8 to support President Obama to fulfill the [promise] he made during his campaigning for president to set up this Global Fund for education and call on his colleagues, especially the British prime Minister, to join in giving the world’s children real new hope,” said Tutu.

“Underfunding these critical health and education priorities will have grave consequences, especially during the current global economic crisis,” said Zeitz. “President Obama’s visit to sub-Saharan Africa should be a reminder of the promises he made to people around the globe to be a model of leadership and action-oriented policy on health and education,” he said.

Resources:
1. GAA Fact Sheet on President Obama’s Four Broken Campaign Promises:

http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/page/-/PDFs/Broken_Promises_Factsheet_May_2009.pdf

2. Background on the Global Fund for Education http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/page/-/PDFs/GCE_Global_Fund_Education.pdf

3. Letter to the Heads of G8 from Mary Robinson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Prof. Muhammad Yunus calling for the creation of a Global Fund for Education http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/page/-/PDFs/G8_LETTER_ON_GLOBAL_FUND_FOR_EDUCATION_FINAL.pdf

Addiction to and abuse of prescription opioid drugs are prevalent, and they exact an immense toll on patients, physicians and society, according to Steven Passik, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, in “Issues in Long-Term Opioid Therapy: Unmet Needs, Risks, and Solutions.”

Opioid drugs have been used by humans for thousands of years and are the longest continuously used class of medications, explains William Lanier, M.D., editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Dr. Lanier and Evan Kharasch, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, authored the editorial “Contemporary Clinical Opioid Use: Opportunities and Challenges.” It summarizes the recent increased interest in this drug category.

Opioid medications are chemicals that work by binding to specific receptors, particularly in the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract; decrease perception of pain and reaction to pain; and increase pain tolerance. Side effects include sedation, respiratory depression and constipation. When opioid consumption is ongoing, physical dependence can and will develop. This, in turn, can lead to problematic withdrawal upon abrupt discontinuation of medication. Dependence, coupled with the feeling of euphoria these drugs can produce, leads to abuse.

According to Dr. Lanier, the recent growing interest in opioids stems from five sources: advances in the design of these drugs; expansion and innovation in methods of drug delivery; increased public awareness of pain management options and the appropriateness of aggressively treating pain as the “fifth vital sign” and pain relief as a fundamental human right; growing recognition of the serious consequences of opioid misuse, misadventure and addiction; and medicolegal aspects of practitioners’ prescribing practices and legal consequences for under- or overprescribing.

In addition to individuals who have chronic pain, both cancer and non-cancer related, anesthesiologists have the greatest risk of opioid dependence and abuse among health care providers. Also in the high-risk group for health care providers are nurse anesthetists and sedation nurses. Challenges specific to these groups are discussed by Michael Oreskovich, M.D., Washington Physicians Health Program in Seattle, and Ryan Caldeiro, M.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, in “Anesthesiologists Recovering From Chemical Dependency: Can They Safely Return to the Operating Room?”

Severe chronic pain includes that produced by cancer and such non-cancer conditions as back injury and surgery. Opioids are a cornerstone of pain management for individuals in these categories, according to Howard Smith, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology, Albany Medical College, N.Y. In “Opioid Metabolism,” he writes that approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of physicians will develop a substance abuse problem during their career, a rate similar to or exceeding the general population. For anesthesiologists, according to Drs. Oreskovich and Caldeiro, the increased risk is cited as an occupational hazard because of the highly addictive medications they administer to patients daily.

Health care professionals helping patients with chronic pain must balance aggressive treatment with the need to minimize the risks of misuse and abuse, according to Dr. Passik. In “A Comparison of Long- and Short-Acting Opioids for the Treatment of Chronic Noncancer Pain,” Charles Argoff, M.D., and Daniel Silvershein, M.D., both from the Department of Neurology, Albany Medical College, N.Y., write that management of chronic non-cancer pain, for example, requires comprehensive assessment of each patient; the establishment of a structured treatment regimen or program; ongoing reassessment of the pain condition and the response to therapy; and a continual appraisal of the patient’s adherence to the treatment. Their colleague, Dr. Smith, stresses the importance of understanding the metabolism of opioids in individual patients.

Keen awareness by family and friends of potential addiction is crucial for physicians and other health care providers, not to mention the general public, who might be at risk, according to “Chemical Dependency and the Physician” by Keith Berge, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic; Marvin Seppala, M.D., Hazelden Foundation, Center City, Minn.; and Agnes Schipper, J.D., Mayo Clinic Legal Department. Especially important is that family, friends and co-workers of health care providers confront any suspected addiction and abuse because of the potential harm that might befall the individual and his or her patients. Health care facilities should have written policies and procedures in place to assist when these highly emotionally charged situations involving health care providers occur, Dr. Berge and his colleagues write. Long-term recovery and sobriety can be achieved with appropriate treatment, aftercare and monitoring, they add.

New opioid formulas designed to minimize abuse are now in late-stage development and could help, Dr. Passik says. These drugs are chemically designed to diminish euphoric effects, thus possibly reducing problematic use. For now, responsibility coupled with expertise, insight, diligence and compassion are among the components that can meet the challenges of opioid use in pain management, the authors agree.

A peer-review journal, Mayo Clinic Proceedings publishes original articles and reviews dealing with clinical and laboratory medicine, clinical research, basic science research and clinical epidemiology. Mayo Clinic Proceedings is published monthly by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research as part of its commitment to the medical education of physicians. The journal has been published for more than 80 years and has a circulation of 130,000 nationally and internationally. Articles are available online at www.mayoclinicproceedings.com.

Source: Mayo Clinic

“Cutting funds for HIV programs would be a clear disaster for the four million people already on treatment, the seven million people who need treatment and millions more who need effective HIV prevention programmes,” said Aditi Sharma, coordinator of the Treatment Monitoring and Advocacy Project of ITPC. “We call on the G8 to commit their fair share towards meeting the Universal Access target — a first step would be to plug the $5 billion funding gap for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.”

Reacting to a new report from UNAIDS and the World Bank(1), which found that the global economic crisis has already disrupted AIDS treatment programmes in eight countries and is expected to impact programs in an additional 21 countries by the end of this year, activists from around the world called on all governments to ensure sustained funding for HIV programmes and put in place early warning systems that alert them to impending drug stock-outs and treatment interruptions.

“Let us be completely clear about what this report is saying,” said Gregg Gonsalves, co-founder of ITPC. “People living with HIV/AIDS, who are now receiving treatment, are in danger of losing their drugs because of cutbacks and funding reallocations. Many of those people will die. We cannot allow AIDS backlash or the current economic situation to be used as excuses for failing to meet commitments.”

“We must continue to scale up and sustain AIDS treatment and prevention programmes in Eastern African countries,” said Rose Kaberia of the Network of African People Living with HIV/AIDS, and a member of ITCP from Kenya. “Scaling back these programmes would have a devastating impact on individuals who need treatment, on the health system, which could be overwhelmed by AIDS-related illnesses, and on the progress made in reducing the number of new HIV infections in the region. In addition, national food security programmes need to be supported as a matter of urgency to safeguard treatment adherence for people living with HIV in Eastern Africa.” In Eastern and Southern Africa, where the economic downturn is having a devastating impact on already meager family incomes, many women find themselves forced to choose between antiretroviral drugs and food for their families. Drugs that were once affordable may be out of reach due to currency devaluations or other economic factors.

“Women should not have to choose between lifesaving drugs and food,” said Lillian Mworeko, regional coordinator for the International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, East Africa and coordinator of the HIV Collaborative Fund for Women & Families in Africa, from Uganda. “A decade ago, many people said that it was impossible to provide AIDS treatment to millions of people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. We’ve proven that it can be done and we must now show that it can be sustained, even through this global economic crisis.”

ITPC’s Missing the Target reports have documented the effects of drug stock-outs, supply chain problems and other issues that cause interruptions in HIV treatment and can lead to a rise in drug resistant strains of HIV, treatment failure, and death. The UNAIDS/World Bank report notes that the health of millions of patients may be threatened even by short-term treatment interruptions.

“People living with HIV/AIDS should not have to bear the burden of the global economic crisis,” added Aditi Sharma. “Governments and donors can and should find innovative ways to ensure that people already on treatment stay on treatment and that those who need treatment will have access to it. Universal access to AIDS treatment must not be sacrificed.”

(1)UNAIDS/World Bank report, “The Global Economic Crisis and HIV Prevention and Treatment Programmes: Vulnerabilities and Impact,” June 2009

Source: International Treatment Preparedness Coalition

Consumers struggling to re-build retirement funds, are concerned with controlling risk. When reviewing risks associated with the market, interest rates and inflation, often overlooked can be the potentially more devastating health risks. In fact, the cost of extended nursing care could wreak serious damage on a retirement fund.

Ironically, as consumers’ need for long-term care (LTC) insurance has increased, the recessionary environment has prompted insurance companies to re-assess their own risk levels, making the coverage more difficult and expensive to obtain. “While an annual health insurance review is always helpful, today’s risk-adverse environment makes the evaluation imperative,” says Lisa Dickholtz of Dickholtz Wealth Management, suggesting weighing the trade-offs between the peace of mind a LTC policy might bring and the cost of premiums. “The review process needs to begin around age 50,” says Dickholtz. “Waiting until you’re 70, especially as insurance companies tighten their underwriting guidelines, may be too late.”

In fact, a recent American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) report indicates risk adverse consumers are purchasing LTC insurance sooner rather than later. Of the 400,000 individuals who purchased long-term care insurance protection in 2008, 84% were younger than age 65.

Why the rush? The younger the applicant, the greater the chance of preferred health discounts that can reduce the cost of long-term care insurance by 10 to 20 percent each year, amounting to hundreds of dollars a year in savings for the average couple. In 2008, according to AALTCI, of the applicants between the ages 40 to 49, 63.2% were granted a preferred health discount. However, 45% of those age 70 to 79, and 70% of those over 80 were denied any kind of coverage for individual policies.

“The ideal LTC policy should factor in age, health, family history, income from wages, pensions for each spouse, Social Security benefits, real estate and other assets, and your income needs,” says Dickholtz. “In addition to traditional pay-as-you-go policies, the industry offers cash value life or annuity policies that allow you to retain the entire investment value for use in your lifetime whether you use it for LTC or not, or that will pay to your beneficiaries as a death benefit.” To further complicate choosing a policy, insurance companies seem to introduce new riders on a daily basis and contract language is often ambiguous.

Cost has been the reason for putting off purchasing LTC insurance until a decade or two before retirement. However, in this financial environment, the reasons for acquiring LTC coverage earlier in life are compelling. A recent large loss of principal in a retirement account doesn’t necessarily require taking uncomfortably higher risks to recoup losses. A less risky alternative could be adding a LTC policy to provide inflation-adjusted, guaranteed income for healthcare needs later in life. Guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

“Ask your financial advisor for help in designing a policy that meets your unique needs and coordinating your LTC coverage with other insurance,” recommends Dickholtz. “Evaluating LTC and disability insurance can be complicated — and emotional. The task will be easier if you view the products as risk management tools, similar to homeowners or auto insurance.” Above all, remember that, like investments, health insurance needs are individual.

Source: Dickholtz Wealth Management

“There are a number of studies linking Omega-3 EPA/DHA found in oily fish to thinking, reasoning, and remembering abilities - our cognitive functions - in infants and the elderly,” said Ocean Nutrition Canada’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Jon Getzinger. “We know that Omega-3 EPA/DHA is a critical nutrient for these age groups, but studies like this demonstrate that Omega-3 EPA/DHA from fish oil is important for our bodies and minds not just when we’re young or older, but throughout our lives. In addition to validating the essential need our bodies have for Omega-3 EPA/DHA, such studies highlight its deficiency in our diets, a deficiency easily addressed by eating fatty fish, by taking Omega-3 EPA/DHA dietary supplements, and by consuming Omega 3 EPA/DHA fortified foods. And, given how difficult it can often be to get younger children and teens to eat fatty fish - many of them just don’t like the taste - Omega-3 EPA/DHA enhanced foods are an easy way to incorporate this nutrient into their diets.”

The study, called Fish intake of Swedish male adolescents is a predictor of cognitive performance, examined fish consumption in healthy teenage Swedish boys at age 15 to see if was associated in any way with intelligence at age 18.

In conducting the study, researchers compared the responses of the 3972 males who took part in the study at age 15 with their cognitive scores recorded three years later when they entered compulsory military service, finding a definite link between frequent fish consumption and cognitive function. Researchers found that 58 percent of study respondents ate fish at least once a week, while 20 percent ate fish more than once a week. When the young men ate fish more than once a week, their combined intelligence scores were, on average, almost 11 percent higher than those who ate fish less than once a week. Boys who consumed fish once a week scored almost seven percent higher on their combined intelligence scores. Verbal scores were about nine percent higher than those who ate fish less than once a week and those who ate fish once a week scored about four percent higher. This same pattern was also seen in visuospatial scores, with those who ate fish more than once a week scoring about 11 percent higher than those who consumed it less than once a week.

Researchers believe this is the first large scale study to explore the benefits of fish consumption on adolescents. The findings are considered significant due to the age group of the young men who took part in it - educational achievements during these crucial developmental years often shape the rest of a teenager’s life.

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid (EFA), consisting of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). Oily fish (such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and salmon) are the only known natural sources of Omega-3 EPA/DHA. ALA is found in plants, such as flax and chia. It is important to note that only EPA and DHA contribute to the many health benefits associated with Omega-3. While the body can convert ALA into EPA/DHA, it does so very inefficiently (less than one percent), making it impossible to derive Omega-3-related health benefits from plant sourced ALA. Furthermore, although Omega-3 EPA/DHA is vital to overall good health, the human body is not able to produce it on its own, so supplementation is required, either by eating oily fish or foods fortified with Omega-3 EPA/DHA, or by taking fish oil supplements. Learn more about the health benefits of Omega-3 EPA/DHA at www.meg-3.com.

Source: OCEAN NUTRITION CANADA LTD.

At 81, Alberta Sabin’s mind is not as sharp as it used to be, and she knows it.

She frequently misplaces common items, forgets names and appointments, some of the most frustrating aspects of memory loss, she says.

“I had been looking for my cell phone for three days and would you believe I found it laying on the counter in plain sight?,” Sabin says. “There it was and I thought why didn’t I see it before?”

It is that frustration that motivated Sabin to participate in U-M sponsored research designed to better diagnose and treat dementia before it escalates.

Sabin is one of millions of Americans who experience memory loss and may eventually be diagnosed with dementia.

“This is an explosive disease,” says Sid Gilman, M.D., director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at University of Michigan Health System, who conducts research with Sabin and others in her community. “It’s a horrible disease that robs people of their humanity. They forget their families and friends.”

Roughly 50 percent of people who reach 85 will become demented, according to studies conducted by investigators at Rush Medical Center in Chicago.

By age 100, the number spikes to 60 percent. Of those who develop dementia, roughly 60 percent will prove to have Alzheimer’s disease. It’s predicted that the current number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States is roughly 5 million. By the year 2050, it will grow to about 30 million, presenting a significant financial burden to the healthcare system.

Gilman and other researchers at the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (MADRC), have a keen interest in patients like Sabin. The center first received grant support from the National Institutes of Health in 1989 and has continued to receive funding since.

Researchers at the MADRC have so far studied 80 patients in a project that has been going on for four years on the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s at the earliest sign of cognitive dysfunction. Researchers would ultimately like to evaluate 120.

One of the goals of the research is to determine the best tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: PET scans or clinical evaluations. In addition to Alzheimer’s disease, there are other possible diagnoses with early onset cognitive impairment, including multiple strokes, frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal degeneration, and the cognitive disorder associated with Parkinson’s disease, which is termed dementia with Lewy bodies.

“The earliest possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease would be to the patient’s greatest advantage,” Gilman says.

PET, or positron emission tomography, is an imaging study that allows doctors to evaluate the use of certain substances by the brain. Normally, the brain uses glucose as a fuel. Using PET scans, doctors can image the amount of glucose used by the brain to determine whether there’s a difference in brain use by the frontal lobe, temporal lobe or the parietal lobe.

PET gives the ability to make predictions as to those individuals who will go on from mild impairment of memory to developing Alzheimer’s disease. These patients may then qualify to participate in clinical trials for medications that treat Alzheimer’s. Studies with glucose are being supplemented by PET scans that can image beta-amyloid, one of the abnormal proteins in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.

Sabin, whose mother and grandmother had dementia, is participating in U-M research that will help researchers diagnose and treat the illness earlier in life.

“I have trouble remembering names and the most frustrating is when they are names of people I know really well, I just can’t bring the name to the surface,” Sabin says.

“I felt I needed to do this because with my family history,” Sabin says. “I felt studies I was participating in would help other people so that they won’t have to go through what I did with my own relatives.”

Source: Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (MADRC) http://www.med.umich.edu/alzheimers/

The Highlands Health Van will bring urgently needed, affordable health care to low-income, mostly uninsured residents of Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex counties. State and local officials commemorated the launch at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Flemington.

Designed to provide primary and preventive medical services to adults and children, the 37-foot van has been customized to be the “greenest,” healthiest and most efficient vehicle of its kind.

“Our health van gives us the ability to serve a rural population — particularly those laboring in local agriculture — whose income, long work hours and lack of transportation have made quality health care unattainable,” said Eva Turbiner, president and chief executive officer of Zufall Health Center. “By taking our services on the road, we felt a tremendous responsibility to provide a mobile treatment setting that was healthy for patients and our staff while minimizing any adverse environmental impacts.”

Highlands Health Van’s “green” mission was achieved by incorporating features that address energy efficiency, indoor health, water conservation and sustainability. Powered by a biodiesel engine, the van was built using many recyclable and/or naturally grown materials, a first for a community health van. Highlights include:

• 10 rooftop solar panels to produce and store electricity
• Cabinetry, paints, wall-and-floor coverings to have low-to-no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), natural microbial resistance and/or Forestry
• Stewardship Council certification
• Foot-controlled faucets to minimize water consumption
• Greywater recycling systems to maximize water utilization
• Naturally grown materials that are plentiful, renewable, or recycled
• Building supplies and components responsibly manufactured

According to the van’s builder, Universal Specialty Vehicles of Perris, Cal., the “green” factor was considered in the selection of every component.

“We made a ‘green’ decision wherever we could, as long as the product was proven to hold up over time and could withstand the rigors of the road,” explained Andy Mills, the company’s president.

At a cost approaching $300,000, the van was funded by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Additional funding to help support its first two years of operation was provided by primary sponsor Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., a New Jersey-based global pharmaceutical company.

“Governor Corzine and I are proud that our state is supporting this health and environmental initiative,” said Heather Howard, commissioner of health and senior services, New Jersey. “For many years, Zufall Health Center has been meeting the health care needs of the under-served. This van represents an exciting, creative and valuable way for the center to expand its reach.”

“This van will provide thousands of people with critical healthcare services,” said Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. chief executive officer Joseph Pieroni. “It’s not enough to just tell people to ‘get healthy,’ we need to help ensure that they have access to the tools, resources and information to help them make appropriate behavior changes that can help them prevent and manage many of the chronic illnesses that are affecting millions of Americans each year, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.”

Resembling a standard doctor’s office, the Highlands Health Van will house two examination rooms and an intake/waiting area. Staffed by a nurse practitioner, a medical assistant, and a patient representative, it will operate six days a week, making regularly scheduled stops in each county. It is expected to treat nearly 5,000 patients with more than 7,000 visits in its first two years. Patients will receive care regardless of their ability to pay.

Both Mills and Turbiner believe this pioneering vehicle will be a model for the future.

“With a project like this, you are investing in more than the long-term wellness of patients and staff,” Turbiner noted. “It’s making our whole community a ‘greener,’ healthier place.”

Source: Zufall Health Center