Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

Well, the results are in…we’re still not eating enough fruits and veggies in this country. “Enough” is a level defined by the government, and tracked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national goal is getting 75 percent of the population to eat fruit two or more times a day and 50 percent to eat vegetables three or more times per day by 2010.

Despite the fact that Americans seem to understand the health benefits of eating fruits and veggies, we are WAY below those percentages. It’s hard — other food choices are faster, cheaper and more accessible. The HealthDay report of this recent report card notes that experts are concerned about the health and disease impact of these food choices. And for good reason. I’m glad to see the concern.

Of course, we should all try to eat fresh fruits and veggies every day. But we can also ensure we’re getting a baseline of carotenoids and flavonoids (the phytonutrients that give fruits and veggies their color) through daily supplementation. That is an easy, convenient way to be sure we’re getting an “A” on the F&V report card .

A drug commonly used to treat constipation in those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) was recently pulled from the market because a recent review of studies on the drug indicated an unacceptable risk of heart attack, stroke and death from drug usage. According to the HealthDay report, specialists who treat IBS were lamenting this state of affairs, stating that many patients using the drug have found relief from IBS, which can be such a disabling disorder.

I have personal experience with IBS; I feel for those suffering. I wonder how many of these patients tried natural approaches to dealing with IBS before resorting to a drug with such dangerous side effects? I wonder how many doctors provided information about the natural approaches to dealing with IBS? Approaches that offer side benefits only…and no side effects. When drugs are necessary, I’m as thankful as the next person that they’re available. But I hope the realization is expanding that we should do all we can to work with our bodies and enable them to function properly before we resort to drugs (all of which have negative side effects).

The other noteworthy thing about this news is that the drug is being removed because its risk-to-benefit profile is no longer favorable, according to the FDA. This conclusion resulted from a review of the available studies, undertaken by the maker of the drug at the request of a Swiss health agency. I admit I don’t know the details of the FDA drug approval process, but I do find it worrisome that this agency approved the same drug earlier. Either all the studies now reviewed were not available at the time of approval or they were available, but not found to be prohibitive. Either way, I don’t feel very protected, do you?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released last week The State of Aging and Health in America 2007. The picture isn’t pretty. 80 percent of Americans 65 and older suffer from one chronic disease that could lead to premature death and disability (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.), and a full half of seniors are burdened by two chronic illnesses.

Of course, the social ramifications of these statistics are horrendous. And then there are the financial consequences. The Reuters Health report of the research cited researchers as saying: “The cost of caring for aging Americans will add 25 percent to the nation’s health care bill by 2030 unless people act now to stay healthy”. An addition we can scarcely afford.

I’m glad to see that researchers are emphasizing healthier lifestyles and prevention as key in dealing with this situation, looking specifically at physical inactivity, poor nutrition, obesity and smoking. They seem like a good place to begin. There have been many studies linking these lifestyle choices to ill health, and more are being released all the time. Consider research in the February 2007 Journal of the American Geriatrics Society concluding that “Nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease who participate in a moderate exercise program have a significantly slower deterioration than those who receive routine medical care.” (Reuters Health)

These age-related declines are NOT inevitable! But we DO have to be responsible for our own health and wellness. That means making informed decisions about regular exercise, supplementation and healthy eating. Doctors do not make us well. We can often, though, impact our wellness by the choices we make. Yes, it takes time, effort and self-discipline. But isn’t it totally worth it?

Also in the Feb. 2007 edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society is a study which found that women between the ages of 72 and 85 with completely intact mental function were less likely to have health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure (Reuters Health).

I certainly want to do all I can to live out my senior years with maximum function, both mental and physical, don’t you?

Do you remember the big news when some common big-name arthritis medications that inhibited cox-2 enzymes (those responsible for the pain response) were taken off the market because of their link to heart attacks? The American Heart Association has formally issued a statement, recently published in Circulation, according to HealthDay, confirming that these drugs do increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and stating that doctors need to prescribe the pain relievers still on the market (like Celebrex) to people with, or at risk for, heart disease only as a last resort.

Seems like a no-brainer to me. It’s good to have the official AHA position. I just wish it included recognition of the non-drug option for a cox-2 inhibitor!

My local newspaper reported that FDA-required warnings on pain pills will now include the sometimes deadly risks. Recommended doses of aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs carry a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney injury, which are also linked to cases of death. Wow! Another eye-opener.

The FDA does continue to say these over-the-counter pain pills are safe and effective when used as directed, with the serious risks being rare. But it makes much more sense to me to use natural pain relief options if possible!

This is an encouraging little piece of news recently reported by Reuters Health. Researchers have identified a natural painkiller in human saliva that is “several times more powerful than morphine” (at least when used in rats). Researchers now hope to study what triggers the natural release of this substance, called opiorphin (what a fun name , and its possible applications. I’m always glad to see research directed at working with our bodies (amazing creations that they are)!

I’m sure you’ve heard news reports of the recent E-coli contamination of spinach and lettuce. What are you missing if you choose to avoid spinach and other greens?

Spinach and other greens are rich in B-vitamins and Vitamin K, as well as being reasonable vegetarian options for providing iron and calcium. Also, spinach has become a favored green vegetable in recent years because of its lutein content. Lutein has been shown to help maintain eye health.

What to do? Be sure to supplement with a baseline of foundational nutrients, including those in spinach, and add the clinically relevant amount of lutein to your daily regime. “Clinically relevant” is important, because you cannot get enough lutein to provide the benefits demonstrated from research in a multi-vitamin. A carotenoid-only supplement is the only way to get adequate amounts.

Have you seen the October 2006 edition of National Geographic? It highlights the prevalence of every-day chemicals in our blood streams! PBDEs, phthalates, pesticides, PFAs, dioxins, bisphenols, metals and PCBs…this is not alphabet soup, but a toxic brew of chemicals, some well-known and some newer ones with unknown effects, that are building up in our bodies. The author of the article, “The Chemicals Within Us” on pages 116 – 135, had a battery of tests done on himself to identify his own toxic load and describes his findings as “unsettling”. You can visit an online interactive graphic of our Toxic Homes from National Geographic here.

Maybe big business can be blamed for some of the “pollution within”, but many of these substances are in the products we willingly bring into our homes every day. Whenever possible, avoiding products that contain these substances has been part of my wellness routine. I was very happy to learn that there ARE alternatives out there – personal care products, household cleaners, air quality and water quality products that work and do not contain these harmful ingredients.

The American College of Clinical Pharmacology recently heard that the use of the herb echinacea reduces the incidence by more than a half and the duration by almost two full days of the common cold, according to the Reuters Health report of the news. This effectiveness of echinacea is recorded when the herb is used before the onset of full-blown symptoms. So, when the throat first begins to tickle, or you feel the first twinge of ache or the nasal passages just start to seem full.

Now, the manufacture and production of over-the-counter herbal supplements is not subject to the same regulations as drugs, even if we purchase them from the pharmacist or at a drug store. What that means to us, as consumers, is that we have to be able to rely on the company offering the product. Believe it or not, what it says on the label is NOT always what’s in the bottle. There may be more or less of the active herbal ingredient that produces the desired effect. There may be extra contaminants that came along for the ride when the herbs were imported. I look for a company that guarantees 100% purity, potency, and label truth.

If trying to get pain free doesn’t kill you, it might mess up your liver!

So, the researchers were looking at a combination drug to determine why those taking the drug experienced elevated liver enzymes; they expected the interaction of the drug components to be at fault. One of the drug components happened to be acetaminophen, the common pain killer in Tylenol.

And guess what they found? It was the acetaminophen (Tylenol) — and that alone that was responsible for the alarming liver test results! Study participants were taking the upper level of recommended amounts, but still… it would surely be preferable not to take any.

Thankfully for those with chronic pain, there is a non-drug alternative for pain relief!

Study Source: Journal of the American Medical Association