Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
March 2nd, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
In a recent study, obese participants on low-fat diets lost more weight long term than those on a low-carb plan. In fact, those on low-carb diets had gained back nearly all their weight after three years, while those on low-fat diets continued to lose.
The reason for these findings, the researchers speculated, was that low-carb diets are more difficult to follow long term. They require drastic changes in the way people typically enjoy their food. Eating a sandwhich without the bread, for instance, is very difficult to follow long term. Whereas in low-fat diets, all food groups are allowed with certain important changes, such as switching from mayonnaise to mustard or from whole to skim milk.
Also in the study, rapid weight loss lead to rapid regains. Those who lost the most in the beginning were more likely to gain the weight back, and those who achieved weight loss by doing it in a slower manner, were more likely to keep it off.
SOURCES: M Vetter, M.D., R.D., medical director, Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; L Sandon, R.D., assistant professor, clinical nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; Annals of Internal Medicine, March 2, 2010,
Source: “Low-Fat Diets Beat Low-Carb Regimen Long Term”, HealthDay, March 1, 2010
February 21st, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
This is a consumer advisory warning from the FDA, released February 20, 2010:
Ear Candles: Risk of Serious Injuries
FDA is notifying consumers and healthcare providers of its warning not to use ear candles - a hollow cone about 10 inches long made from a fabric tube soaked in beeswax, paraffin or a mixture of the two - because they can cause serious injuries, even when used according to the manufacturer’s directions. According to advertised claims, a burning ear candle draws ear wax and “impurities” or “toxins” out of the ear canal. Other claims for ear candles include relief from sinus and ear infections, headache and earache, as well as improved hearing, “blood purification,” improvements in brain function, and cure cancer. FDA has found no valid scientific evidence to support the safety or effectiveness of these devices for any medical claims or benefits. FDA has received reports of burns, perforated eardrums and blockage of the ear canal which required outpatient surgery from the use of ear candles.
FDA is especially concerned because some ear candles are being advertised for use in children. Children of any age, including babies, are likely at increased risk for injuries and complications if they are exposed to ear candles. Small children and infants may move during the use of the device, increasing the likelihood of wax burns and ear candle wax plugging up the ear canal. Also, their smaller ear canal size may make children more susceptible than adults to injuries.
Ear candles are sold and promoted in a variety of locations, including health food stores, flea markets, health spas and salons, as well as on commercial web sites.
Consumers and health care professionals are strongly encouraged to report injury related to the use of ear candles to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including a link to the FDA Advice for Patients, at:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm201108.htm
November 13th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
A flu vaccine finder service is being provided by Google at google.com/flushot, which is designed to locate facilities that offer H1N1 and seasonal flu shots.
The flu-shot finder service will soon be available at flu.gov, as well as the website of the American Lung Association.
November 10th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Rinsing sinuses with a saline solution tends to have soothing short-term benefits, removes the bad mucus, and helps treat sinus infections. But a recent study found that chronic rinsing with saline can actually make a person more likely to get infections in the long run by stripping the nose of good mucus needed for immune protection.
The researcher’s advice is to avoid using nasal saline irrigation on a long-term basis, limiting its use only to when an infection is present. This study is to be presented Sunday in Miami Beach at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Source: “Sinus Rinses May Do More Harm Than Good” Health Day, Yahoo News, November 9, 2009
October 30th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Parents should always consult their pediatrician before giving any medication to their child, but the labels on cough and cold remedies have historically stated that these medicines should not be given to children under age 2.
Cough and cold remedies are coming under fresh scrutiny and drug manufacturers have voluntarily decided to change their labels stating that cough and cold medicines should NOT be given to children younger than age 4. Products with the old labels will not be removed immediately from store shelves but will be gradually replaced with newly-labeled products.
A booming, and rapidly growing, multimillion dollar industry, herbal drugs as well as other over-the-counter drugs, line the shelves of grocery stores and pharmacies. People often assume that they are safe if they are sold in their neighborhood grocery store. This is not necessarily true. Every year, thousands of children under age 12 end up in emergency rooms after taking over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. Most of these children were unsupervised when they took the medicine.
Read more:
Source: CDC, October 2009 http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PediatricColdMeds/
October 7th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Most of us depend on caffeine to get us through the day, and we especially look forward to that first cup in the morning. It helps us wake up, and gets us through a long hard day. But unfortunately the bad side effects of caffeine can be unpleasant and sometimes even harmful.
Excess caffeine can cause a fast heart rate, palpitations, tremors, restlessness, anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, irritable bladder, excessive urination, stomach irritation, peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), nausea and vomiting.
Caffeine is notorious for interfering with much-needed sleep. Many people get in a viscious cycle of using caffeine to mask their sleep deprivation, but then the excess caffeine keeps them from falling asleep the following night. The best way to break this cycle is to avoid all caffeine eight to ten hours before your desired bedtime. Individual sensitivity to caffeine varies however. People who are more sensitive to caffeine may need to avoid it 10 to 12 hours before bedtime, while others can drink it 4 hours before falling asleep.
So how does one keep working for long hours, and stay awake and alert until it’s time to go to bed? Exercise is a great way to wake up–it wakes up your body and your mind. A brief 5-minute break of floor exercises, once every hour or so, can stretch stiff muscles and keep your mind alert and until it’s time to go to bed.
Caffeine Content:
An eight ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee contains about 85 mg of caffeine, whereas eight ounces of black tea only has about 45 mg of caffeine and 12 ounces of Coke contains 35 mg of caffeine. Many of the so called Sports/Energy Drinks on the market are loading up on caffeine for that extra jolt and may contain over 150 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine is also present in chocolate and some over-the-counter pain relievers, cold medications, and diet pills. These products can contain as little as 16 milligrams or as much as 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Caffeine and Alcohol Don’t Mix:
Contrary to the popular belief that coffee will sober you up after drinking too much alcohol, it can actually worsen the problem. A recent study found that a high caffeine energy drink mixed with vodka actually reduced the participants’ perception of motor coordination compared with vodka alone. This could obviously lead to disasterous consequences in a person who is drinking heavily away from home and has several cups of coffee to sober up before driving home.
October 7th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Are you wondering if you have the swine flu and need to see a doctor? Microsoft has recently unveiled an interactive Web site which may help you decide.
Go to http://www.h1n1responsecenter.com . Type in your age and answer questions about your current symptoms and general health.
August 6th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Self-neglect by seniors increases their risk of death by nearly sixfold. And those who are abused physically, emotionally, financially or through withdrawal of care don’t live much longer. Their risk for dying more than doubles, the researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago report.
Self-neglect includes inadequate food, water, clothing, shelter or necessary medications. Also simply not following basic hygiene practices falls under the experts’ definition of self-neglect which could increase the chances of an imminent fatal decline.
“Whether it was some decline in medical function that led to self-neglecting behavior, or the other way around, these people are in crisis, and social services and medical services need to have more communication and interaction,” the researcher said.
Signs of self-neglect include a sudden change in weight, hygiene, or worsening medical conditions. More difficult to detect are signs of abuse, but unexplained bruises or sudden change in doctors could be clues. An older person who starts running out of money, when they never did before, frequently signals impending trouble. Items suddenly missing from their home is a familiar red flag social workers see in abuse cases.
Financial abuse and exploitation are probably getting worse in the recession experts say.
The incidence of elder abuse, in general, is on the rise. The 500,000 to 1,000,000 reports of elder abuse recorded by authorities every year are only the tip of the iceberg, according to HelpGuide.org.
The Administration on Aging, broadly defines abuse as:
- Emotional Abuse - Inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder person through verbal or nonverbal acts. Behavior such as belittling, threats, and other uses of power and control by spouses or caregivers are indicators of verbal or emotional abuse.
- Exploitation - Illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a vulnerable elder.
- Neglect - Refusal or failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care or protection for a vulnerable elder.
- Physical Abuse - Inflicting, or threatening to inflict, physical pain or injury on a vulnerable elder, or depriving them of a basic need.
- Sexual Abuse - Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind.
- Abandonment - The desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person.
“In every state, physical, sexual, and financial abuses targeting elders that violate laws against assault, rape, theft, and other offenses are punishable as crimes. With some variation among states, certain types of emotional elder abuse and elder neglect are subject to criminal prosecution, depending on the perpetrators’ conduct and intent and the consequences for the victim,” according to HelpGuide.org.
If you suspect abuse, neglect or explotation: http://www.aoa.gov/AoAroot/AoA_Programs/Elder_Rights/EA_Prevention/WhatToDo.aspx
Sources: XinQi Dong, M.D., associate professor, medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago; Karin Ouchida, M.D., assistant professor, medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, and medical director, Montefiore Medical Center Home Health Agency, New York City; Aug. 5, 2009, Journal of the American Medical Association
Sources: “Elder Abuse, Neglect Make Early Death Far More Likely”, HealthDay, August 4, 2009
May 6th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
The ongoing outbreak of swine flu (H1N1) continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Currently the CDC continues to report only 400 cases confirmed, with another 700 probable cases in 44 states. But does the CDC’s running tally truly represent the number of swine flu cases in existence?
Apparently not. Some state labs are ramping up testing but reports are surfacing that authorities are far from having enough resources to test everyone. In fact some labs are limited to testing as few as 2 swabs per day while the remaining specimens are put on hold, adding to the backlog of untested samples. The Federal Government is working to expand capacity for testing around the country, but at this point the full extent of the outbreak is not being reported.
The Federal Government and manufacturers have begun developing a vaccine against the H1N1 swine flu virus. Making a completely new influenza vaccine can take five to six months, according to the WHO.
Source: “Reporter tries to get tested for swine flu“, Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2009
Source: CDC Press Briefing May 5, 2009 1:30pm
April 29th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
The World Health Organization has raised the global alert level for swine flu to Phase 4, indicating that the
virus is becoming more adept at spreading among humans. The increase in the pandemic alert phase indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.
The CDC has issued a travel warning recommending that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. Health officials are urging people to follow important, common sense preventive measures:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze, before eating or touching your face, mouth or nose. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
- Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. Carry a small bottle with you at all times to use when a sink is not available.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. It is not spread by eating pork because cooking to an internal temperature of 160 F (71 C) kills the virus. So eating properly cooked pork is safe. Swine flu is spread like any other respiratory disease, via droplets from sneezes and coughs. You can breathe in these droplets or become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes or mouth.
If you get sick, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Call your doctor or health care provider for further recommendations. An important note for children, always check with your pediatrician before giving your child any cold medicines. Do Not Give Aspirin To a Child or Teenager Who Has the Flu or Flu-like symptoms.
Read more:
Source: CDC, April 28, 2009