Orthomolecular News Blog

Heart-Pacing Devices Hold Promise for Heart Failure

2012-02-09T15:17:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- New research provides more evidence that a new type of pacemaker/defibrillator technology may be a good option for patients with mild forms of heart failure.

An international team of researchers reports that the kind of heart "pacing" provided by new defibrillators and pacemakers can help these patients. But the research still needs to be confirmed before doctors begin embracing its findings, said a cardiologist familiar with the research.

The technology in question "is expensive, resource-intensive, and associated with increased risk of complications compared with less complex devices," explained Dr. Jeptha Curtis, an assistant professor of medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Heart failure occurs when the heart fails to pump blood properly, often as a result of heart attacks, and affects an estimated 5.7 million Americans. "Patients often feel fatigue, as well as shortness of breath from fluid building up in the lungs and swelling of the legs from fluid building up there as well," said Dr. Kevin Heist, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Read more...

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Study Compares Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Methods

2012-02-04T18:38:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- A less-invasive method of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair reduces the short-term risk of death, according to a new U.S. study.

The interim findings are from a nine-year multicenter trial comparing patient outcomes after endovascular and open surgical repair of AAA. The report included postoperative outcomes of up to two years (average 1.8 years of follow-up) for 881 patients, aged 49 or older, who had endovascular repair (444) or open repair (437).

Endovascular repair is performed through a catheter inserted into an artery. Open repair involves an abdominal incision. Of the 45,000 patients in the United States who undergo elective repair of an unruptured AAA each year, more than 1,400 die in the perioperative period -- the first 30 days after surgery or inpatient status. There's limited data available about whether short-term survival is better after endovascular repair compared to open repair. Read more...

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Higher vitamin A intake cuts stomach cancer risk by half

2012-01-31T18:38:00.000+07:00

A report published in the February, 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition described the finding of researchers in Sweden that men and women who have a higher intake of vitamin A from food and supplements have half the risk of developing stomach cancer than that experienced by those whose intake is low.

Susanna C. Larsson of the Karolinska Institute and colleagues evaluated data from 82,002 adults aged 45 to 83 enrolled in the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men. Participants in both studies completed identical dietary questionnaires in 1997 and were followed through June, 2005. Questionnaires were analyzed for preformed vitamin A (retinol from animal sources and fortified foods), provitamin A carotenoids alpha and beta-carotene, and other carotenoid levels. Read more...

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Alfalfa proven to lower cholesterol and shows promise in healing lupus

2012-01-27T11:31:00.000+07:00

by: Donna Earnest Pravel

Alfalfa (medicago sativa L.) is probably one of the most widely recognized foods in the natural health community. Alfalfa sprouts are found in practically every grocery store in the U.S., and alfalfa grass powder is well known as a green superfood. Alfalfa is an antipyretic, which means it is a fever reducer. It is a diuretic, meaning it increases urination. It is an appetite stimulant, and is a hemostatic, which means it helps to stop bleeding. Alfalfa is mineral and vitamin rich. It is very high in the macro-nutrients calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. Alfalfa has a high chlorophyll content, and contains almost every known vitamin. It has been clinically proven to reduce LDL cholesterol and shows promise in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Read more...

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Garlic Good For Stomach and Colon Cancers

2012-01-22T17:54:00.000+07:00

A meta-analysis of 18 studies reporting a relative risk estimate for consumption of garlic (Allium sativum) and cancer risk concluded that high consumption of raw or cooked garlic may be associated with protective effects against stomach and colorectal cancers. In the studies analyzed, the lowest consumption of garlic ranged from none to 3.5 g/week, while the highest consumption category ranged from any consumption to more than 28.8 g/week. Read more...

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Experts Urge Public Action to Aid Cancer Prevention

2012-01-18T16:41:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Community support is essential for healthy behaviors that can reduce cancer risk, according to updated guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention released this week by the American Cancer Society.
"Our guidelines have always stressed what people can do themselves to lower their risk of cancer, and that's important," report co-author Colleen Doyle, director of nutrition and physical activity, said in a society news release.
"But we must also take public action to make those behaviors easier for all Americans. We can't just tell people to eat more fruits and vegetables and get more exercise when there are so many forces working against them being able to do that easily, and on a regular basis," she added.
"We've got to work together to ensure that worksites and schools have healthy food options; that our neighborhoods are designed so that our children can safely ride their bikes or walk to school; that people have the information they need to help them make healthier food choices, whether at the grocery store or when eating out," Doyle explained. Read more...

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Normal Pregnancies May Be Misdiagnosed as Ectopic

2012-01-14T21:55:00.001+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Women with normal pregnancies that were misdiagnosed as ectopic who were treated with methotrexate in the first trimester either miscarried or gave birth to a severely deformed baby, the results of a small study suggest.

An ectopic pregnancy is one where the egg begins to develop outside the womb, which means that the fetus cannot grow normally and will not survive. The drug methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall), which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain types of cancer, is also known to be dangerous to developing fetuses and can end an ectopic pregnancy.

Researchers affiliated with the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) cautioned that their findings, published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, may be a red flag for a larger problem. They said more effective tools are needed to properly diagnose ectopic pregnancies. Read more...

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Colon Cancer Prognosis Worse for the Obese, Type 2 Diabetics

2012-01-09T21:21:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- People who have been diagnosed with colon cancer have a poorer prognosis if they're obese or have type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

Two new studies that looked at the impact that body-mass index (BMI) and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes had on survival rates after a colon cancer diagnosis found that both factors influence whether or not someone survives colorectal cancer. In addition, both studies found that deaths from any cause, including heart disease, were also increased in those who were obese or had type 2 diabetes.

Results of the studies were published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

"The message here is to avoid obesity and type 2 diabetes because they have negative health outcomes. We don't know for sure that losing weight or increasing physical activity will help, but we know they're good for trying to avoid other diseases, like cardiovascular disease, that can come up down the road," said Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt, author of an accompanying editorial in the same journal, and an associate professor of medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Read more...

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Prostate cancer risk linked to a diet high in red and processed meats

2012-01-05T20:18:00.000+07:00

by: John Phillip

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer and second most common cause of cancer related death in men in the United States. Nearly one in five men will develop the disease during their lifetime. New research demonstrates that increased consumption of ground beef or processed meat is positively associated with aggressive prostate cancer, according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Researchers found a strong correlation between well cooked, grilled or barbequed red meat and processed meats and the development of prostate cancer. Health-minded individuals will want to severely limit and review cooking methods for red and processed meat consumption to limit this prostate cancer risk factor. Read more...

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Are you allergic to fluoride? Physicians' Desk Reference say

2012-01-01T11:44:00.000+07:00

Are you allergic to fluoride? Physicians' Desk Reference says millions of Americans experience hypersensitive allergic reactions from exposure to toxic chemical
by: Ethan A. Huff

Repeated exposure to the toxic fluoride chemicals added to water supplies across the US is responsible for causing many long-term health conditions, which include things like dental fluorosis, kidney disease, brain damage, endocrine disruption, thyroid disorders, bone disease, gastrointestinal damage, cancer, and tooth decay (http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/). But in the short term, some individuals that are hypersensitive to fluoride will experience immediate and severe allergic reactions upon exposure, according to the respected Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR). Read more...

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Obese People at Higher Risk of Infection After Colon Surgery

2011-12-27T21:14:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Obese patients are at a significantly increased risk for surgical site infections after undergoing partial or full removal of the colon, a new study finds.

It included 7,020 patients, aged 18 to 64, who had either partial or total colectomy for colon cancer, diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease between 2002 and 2008. Of those patients, 1,243 were obese.

The overall rate of surgical site infections was 10.3 percent, but the rate was higher in obese patients (14.5 percent) than in non-obese patients (9.5 percent). After adjusting for a number of factors, the researchers calculated that obese patients were 60 percent more likely to develop surgical site infections than non-obese patients.

The average cost of colectomy for all the patients was $16,399, but the average cost for obese patients was about $295 more than for non-obese patients.

The researchers also found that surgical site infections greatly increased the cost of the procedure. The average total cost for patients who developed surgical site infections was $31,933, compared to $14,608 for patients without infection.

Patients with surgical site infections also had longer average hospital stays (9.5 days vs. 8.1 days) and a much higher rate of hospital readmission (27.8 percent vs. 6.8 percent). Read more...

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How to Maintain Your pH Balance in an Acidic Lifestyle

2011-12-22T22:57:00.000+07:00

People are living longer today. The reason isn’t due to increased health, but more medical intervention. More than ever before, our bodies are under attack from a variety of cultural shifts, including highly processed foods, increased stress, fast-paced lifestyles, and pollutants. These threats are creating highly acidic environments within our bodies and killing the cells we need to survive.

The human body needs an oxygenated environment to remain healthy. The pH (potential of Hydrogen) measures the ratio of acidity or alkalinity in a solution. Balance occurs when the pH slightly favors the alkalis. Acid excess stresses the organs. Over-acidification, or acidosis, results when there is more acid than the body can neutralize and detoxify. The more acid we have, the harder the organs – like adrenals, thyroid, and liver – have to work, which stresses the systems.

Eating fast and processed foods – and eating them on the run – is a major contributor to excess acid. Diets that are heavy with red meats, caffeine, soda, snacks filled with carbohydrates and sugar, and artificial sweeteners and additives lead to acidosis. Read more...

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Diabetes, Obesity After 60 May Drive Up Breast Cancer Risk

2011-12-18T17:51:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- A woman's risk of developing breast cancer appears to rise if she has diabetes or is obese after age 60, a new study indicates.

Previous research has linked obesity and increased breast cancer risk, but "the diabetes link had not been clearly shown," said researcher Dr. Hakan Olsson, a professor of oncology at Lund University in Lund, Sweden.

He is scheduled to present his findings this week at the 2011 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

The diabetes link held even after he accounted for obesity and levels of blood lipids, such as cholesterol. It is an association, however, not proven cause and effect.

A strength of the study, Olsson said, is that it looked at the population as a whole, not only women with breast cancer. He studied the medical records of more than 2,700 patients for up to 10 years before they developed breast cancer and also records for about 20,500 patients who never developed cancer. Read more...

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Productivity Takes a Hit From Obesity, Diabetes

2011-12-14T22:00:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Obese workers with diabetes are less productive than their normal-weight co-workers, says a U.S. study.

Researchers surveyed 7,338 working adults about missed work time, reduced work effectiveness and impairment of daily activities. The results showed that people who were obese and had type 2 diabetes lost 11 percent to 15 percent of work time (about 5.9 hours a week) because of health problems, compared with 9 percent of work time (about 3.6 hours a week) lost by normal-weight people.

The survey also found that obese people with type 2 diabetes reported impairment during 20 percent to 34 percent of their daily activities, such as taking care of children, shopping and exercising.

The findings are in the May/June issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion. Read more...

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Blood Thinner May Cause Skin Lesions

2011-12-10T21:05:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Heparin, a common blood thinner, can cause skin lesions that are harmless in most cases but could indicate a life-threatening condition induced by the drug, a new study suggests.

Researchers examined 320 people who were given heparin injections at a German hospital. Of those, 7.5 percent developed skin lesions as a result of the treatment. That's higher than the 2 percent rate the researchers had anticipated.

"During the study, we were surprised by the high number of patients with heparin-induced skin lesions," the study authors wrote. "For most patients, the diagnosis was made because of our study."

The researchers found that in most cases, the lesions resulted from an allergic reaction. Women were more likely to have the reaction, and three factors -- pregnancy, obesity and long-term heparin use -- resulted in a higher likelihood of the condition, the study found. Read more...

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Fast food nutrition facts - mystery ingredients are industrial chemicals

2011-12-05T10:42:00.000+07:00

Many people think occasional junk food indulgence can be balanced out by skipping meals later in the week or by putting in some extra time on the treadmill. The truth is that the consequences of this type of eating can turn up in unexpected ways, often years later as toxins accumulate in your body and cause serious illnesses like cancer or diabetes.

It is only in the past several decades that the abundance of toxic chemical ingredients in food, have made the consequences of dietary indulgences so lethal. In order to boost profits, food purveyors use chemicals which have a similar effect to the tobacco industry's addition of nicotine to tobacco, making a substance at once more addictive and more deadly.

Mystery Ingredient #1
Take this quiz to help you to see how much you know about the real results of fast food snacking: What was concocted in a laboratory in 1908 and is present in nearly every non-dessert item on KFC's menu? Read more...

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Men More Likely to Skip Cancer Screenings: Study

2011-12-01T18:42:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Men are less willing than women to be screened for cancer, even though men have higher cancer death rates, a new study shows.

Researchers conducted a telephone survey of nearly 1,150 adults in New York City, Baltimore, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, who answered questions from the Cancer Screening Questionnaire. Most of the participants were aged 30 to 59, and 35 percent of them were men.

"This study examined beliefs and attitudes held by men and women about cancer screening. Our aim was to gain insight for improving existing cancer health promotion practices," study corresponding author Jenna Davis, of the department of health outcomes and behavior at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., said in a center news release.

"Our findings indicate that there is a need for better health and cancer screening promotion among men," she said.

The researchers suggested several reasons why men are less willing than women to undergo cancer screening: most cancer awareness campaigns in the media are for women's breast cancer; there is a lack of government-sponsored men's cancer awareness campaigns; and studies indicate that women see their primary care doctor more often than men. Read more...

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Scientists announce amazing findings: chocolate offers huge

2011-11-26T21:01:00.000+07:00

Scientists announce amazing findings: chocolate offers huge protection from heart disease and stroke

All regular readers of NaturalNews know that researchers have discovered chocolate (especially the organic, not junked up with additives and sugar type) contains phytochemicals which appear to promote good health. But no one has had much of a clue about the specifics of some of those benefits on the cardiovascular system -- until now. Scientists at the European Society of Cardiology Congress currently underway in Paris just announced that chocolate provides huge protection from heart disease as well as stroke.

That's great news because, despite the billions of dollars spent on mainstream medicine's drugs and surgical interventions, the battle against cardiovascular disease obviously needs some serious help. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2030 nearly 23.6 million people will die yearly from heart disease.

So just imagine the fluttering of hearts in Big Pharma offices if they found a no side effect, easy to produce drug that actually worked to lower the risk of developing heart disease in the first place by almost 40 percent. The demand and profits to be made would be enormous. While there is no such medication, it turns out that eating chocolate regularly appears to accomplish what pills can't. Read more...

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Sugar-Sweetened Drinks May Pose Heart Risks to Women, Study Suggests

2011-11-21T17:39:00.000+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may boost a woman's risk for developing heart disease and diabetes -- even if this habit isn't causing her to pack on extra pounds, a new study says.

Sugary sodas and other sweetened beverages are frequent targets in the war on obesity. Many efforts, such as taking these drinks out of vending machines in schools, are aimed at reducing exposure to these beverages and the empty calories they provide. However, the new study suggests that the risks posed by sugar-sweetened sodas and flavored waters may be independent of weight gain.

Middle-aged women who drank two or more sugary beverages a day were close to four times as likely to have high levels of dangerous blood fats called triglycerides and impaired blood sugar levels (known as "prediabetes'), when compared with women who drank less than one sugar-sweetened beverage a day.

What's more, women who drank two or more sodas a day also had more belly fat, but not necessarily more weight. Belly fat, or abdominal obesity, poses greater health risks than fat in other areas of the body because it lies deep inside and can produce hormones and other substances that negatively affect blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin production. Read more...

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Getting the Most from Your Vitamins and Minerals?

2011-11-17T10:21:00.000+07:00

Q: What is the optimum time of day to take vitamin and mineral supplements? Are there certain foods that interfere with absorption? -- Carole P.
A: There are no rules about the best time of day to take supplements. My advice is to take them when they agree with you most. Many people find taking pills of any kind as part of a morning routine makes it easier to remember, so taking them with breakfast is a popular option. Vitamin and mineral supplements can cause nausea, heartburn, and other gastric disturbances, especially when taken on an empty stomach. For best absorption and the least irritation to the stomach, I generally suggest taking your supplements with a meal containing fat. This is particularly important for the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E). Experiment with taking your supplements with lunch or dinner, if they cause you problems with breakfast. Read more...

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C-Sections Linked to Doubled Risk for Blood Clots

2011-11-13T17:47:00.001+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- The risk of thromboembolism -- a potentially fatal condition in which blood clots block blood flow causing damage to the organs -- is higher during pregnancy, experts warn.

And having a Caesarean section nearly doubles that risk, according to experts at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. As a result, the group issued a new recommendation that all women having a C-section wear inflatable compression devices on their legs at the time of delivery to prevent clots from forming. In more risky cases, the group advised that women also receive anti-clotting medications (anticoagulants).

"VTE [venous thromboembolism] is a major contributor to maternal mortality in this country. The risk of VTE is increased during pregnancy and the consequences can be severe," Dr. Andra H. James, who helped develop the guidelines, said in a college news release. "It's important for ob-gyns to adopt these recommendations to help reduce maternal deaths."

VTE in pregnancy usually affects the deep veins of the left leg. Most women who develop clots in their lower legs will experience pain or swelling there, the authors noted. Read more...

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Successful Biological Treatment of Vascular Diseases

2011-11-09T09:12:00.001+07:00

Arteriosclerosis - in particular cardiovascular – is one the most frequently suffered diseases. These are considered «diseases of civilization» which means they are caused by our lifestyle.
Thus, prophylaxis is indicated – a diet according to the recommendations given in Thomas Rau’s (MD) books, regular physical exercise, as well as a sufficient supply with antioxidants (vitamins, trace elements) and omega-3 fatty acids.

Usually, patients will not seek help before conditions such as «angina pectoris» appear. This also applies to a man aged 54 years, who – according to a cardiologist’s diagnosis – should have had to undergo invasive examination (coronary angiography etc.). However, the patient decided to allow himself a few months time for trying an alternative treatment and contacted us. Read more...

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Flaxseeds can reduce cholesterol and blood lipid levels

2011-11-04T10:00:00.000+07:00

Folk stories had it that flaxseeds were blessed - that they could bring good fortune, restore health, and protect from the evil witchery. Nowadays, it's really no different. Bringing flaxseeds into your diet will definitely bring you good fortune, restore health, and protect you from the evils that your own body can produce.

There is a little gender-related controversy regarding the lowering of cholesterol levels via flaxseed consumption. In a study conducted by ISU professor Suzanne Hendrich of Iowa State University's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC), it was found that men's cholesterol levels can fall much faster than that of a woman's, upon the consumption of about 150 milligrams of flaxseeds (about three tablespoons) a day. Read more...

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Many Women Can Have Cervical Cancer Test Every 3 Years: Study

2011-10-30T16:43:00.002+07:00

(HealthDay News) -- Women 30 and older who have good results from each of the two cervical cancer tests available today can safely wait three years for their next screening instead of just one year, according to new research.

The finding is not likely be controversial, said Dr. Charles Capen, chief of gynecology/oncology at Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, Texas, given that most current guidelines already recommend that women 30 and over who are otherwise healthy be screened with both a Pap smear and a test for a virus linked to cervical cancer every three years as long as the initial tests are both negative.

Unlike some cancers, cervical cancer is usually slow-growing, and it is curable if detected early, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

"This [new research] confirms the latest guidelines," agreed Dr. Therese Bevers, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "That is fabulous as it can give clinicians and women everywhere a lot of reassurance."

Hopefully, it will also spur more doctors to actually follow these guidelines, added Bevers, as recent research has revealed that most doctors are giving the Pap test more often than recommended -- i.e., once a year. Read more...

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Many Women Can Have Cervical Cancer Test Every 3 Years: Study

2011-10-30T16:43:00.000+07:00