Acetaminophen Use Could Trigger Liver Damage
by HealthDay.com – Amanda Gardner

Even high-normal doses of the painkiller in Tylenol might be harmful, study suggests

TUESDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- In a new study, people who repeatedly took the maximum recommended daily dose of acetaminophen developed abnormalities in blood tests that can be a signal for liver damage.

The study researchers said they first noted the potential for liver toxicity in patients treated for pain with a combination of the opioid hydrocodone plus acetaminophen. But, before this study, the scientists had assumed the threat came from the hydrocodone.

So, the new findings came as a somewhat of a shock, the researchers said.

Dr. Grossman's Comments: It has long been known that excessive doses of acetaminophen are associated with liver damage, but this study shows that even normal doses can also elevate liver enzymes suggesting some degree of damage.

The toxicity of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen are well known: risk of gastritis or ulcers. The COX-2 drugs like Celebrex and the now-discontinued Vioxx can create another set of problems. So, for simple pain, there appear to be few safe options from the pharmaceutical world.

In our experience at Frontier Medical Institute, large doses of fish oil (Mega EPA/ DHA) can help. We have seen good effects with Kaprex, a natural COX-2 inhibitor that isn’t associated with the side effects seen with the prescription drugs.

Read more... Acetaminophen Use Could Trigger Liver Damage

Stem cells offer brain damage hope
by The Guardian – Alok Jha, science correspondent

Scientists have found a way to make the brain reverse the damage it suffers after a stroke, raising hopes for treatment able to exploit the body's ability to heal itself.

Their experiments used rats whose brains had been starved of oxygen to simulate the effects of a stroke. Strokes kill brain cells and affect the way the body works, with paralysis common... Receptors known as "notch", on the stem cells were found caused reactions that produced new brain cells. Compared with untreated rats, fewer of the rodents that had a stroke and the stem cell therapy were left paralysed.

Read more... Stem cells offer brain damage hope

Study shows strong link between obesity and depression
by Newswise

Obesity is associated with a 25 percent increase in the risk of developing mood and anxiety disorders and a 25 percent decrease in likeliness for substance abuse, according to a paper in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

About 31 percent of all U.S. adults were obese in 2000, an increase from 23 percent in 1990, according to background information in the article. Obese adults are at higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other harmful conditions. Previous studies have suggested a link between obesity and depression, but little research has examined the associations between obesity and other psychiatric disorders.

Read more... Obesity Associated with Psychiatric Disorders, Decreased Odds of Substance Abuse

New test could help answer questions about Alzheimer's
by Randolph E. Schmid – Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A new test may help scientists answer a perplexing "which came first" question about the development of Alzheimer's disease, possibly pointing the way to earlier diagnosis or even treatment.

Brain deposits of a small protein known as amyloid beta long have been associated with Alzheimer's. But scientists have been unable to determine whether the body begins producing too much of the protein or loses the ability to clear it away.

Now, a research team led by Dr. Randall J. Bateman at Washington University in St. Louis is poised to find that answer with a test that for the first time can monitor the protein.

Dr. Grossman's Comments: A specific protein called amyloid beta has been associated with the development of Alzheimer's, and, recent findings suggest accumulation in the body of the dietary amino acid, leucine, leads to increased production of almyloid beta production.

Does this mean one strategy for prevention of Alzheimer's might include reduction in consumption of dietary leucine-rich foods such as beef, dairy products, poultry, fish and eggs? This might be particularlyy appropriate for individuals who possess copies of the Apo E4 gene.

Other tips for "Maintaining Your Brain":

• Keep reading, take adult continuing education classes
• Engage in intellectual projects
  
  
• Express your creative or artistic urges
  
  
• Learn to play a new musical instrument or get better at one you already play
  
  
• Learn to paint, sculpt or sing
• Take up a new hobby
  
  
• Stay connected to others. Make new friends and continue to maintain your longstanding interpersonal relationships.
  
  
• Avoid substance abuse

Lifestyle Choices for Brain Health

• Stimulating mental activity throughout life helps preserve brain function.
• Proper diet, a physically active lifestyle, stress management, adequate sleep and targeted nutritional supplementation are all important

  “Smart” Nutrients

The following nutrients have been shown to assist in maintenance of brain function.

• Phosphatidylserine
  
  
• Acetyl-l-carnitine
  
  
• Gingko biloba
  
  
• EPA/DHA
  
  
• Phosphatidylcholine
  
  
• Vinpocetine

Read more... New test could help answer questions about Alzheimer's

Executive Health: Longevity Evaluations Available at Frontier Medical Institute

Take Advantage of the Ultimate in Preventive Medicine ... Not only can you avoid illness, you can achieve optimal wellness. You can be the healthiest person possible no matter what your age, and either reverse or prevent the negative effects of aging.

We are entering a new frontier of medicine wherein you can now take control of your health, discover your genetic tendencies, and make INDIVIDUALIZED lifestyle choices that will extend your life. Dr. Grossman, our medical director, developed our longevity program after working with thousands of patients from all over the world during the past 10 years.

By undergoing one of our Executive Health: Longevity Evaluations, you will join individuals who have come to visit us from all parts of the U.S. and around the world to gain the knowledge and tools to live longer, healthier, and younger lives.

Read more... Longevity Evaluations Available at Frontier Medical Institute

Warmth increases West Nile threat
by Laramie Boomerang – Nate Green - Boomerang Staff Writer

“If it continues to be warm and dry, I would expect to see more West Nile than we’ve seen in the previous two years. It’s all driven by temperature,” said Terry Creekmore, the state’s West Nile surveillance coordinator.

The last two summers had average or below average temperatures, which kept the spread of West Nile relatively low, he said.

The past months have been warmer than usual, and if the warming trend continues, more mosquito eggs will hatch and the adult mosquitoes will live longer — with more time to contract the virus and spread it to birds, horses or humans. The Culex tarsalis mosquito, which carries West Nile, is most active when temperatures are about 80 degrees.

Dr. Grossman's Comments: Although the likelihood of anyone ending up with a serious case of brain infection called encephalitis is less than one percent,you can protect yourself by following the guidelines set forth by the CDC.

Although insect repellents containing DEET are very effective, I consider it to be toxic to insects -- and humans too! However, if you do choose to use DEET, you should apply it to your clothing and never directly to your skin. You may want to try products containing geraniol, a plant-based oil, which maybe equally effective.

The health and economic consequences of climate change will prove to be enormous in the decades ahead. Increased incidence of West Nile virus is but one example. Some scientists have even begun to speculate that bird flu may itself be a consequence of global warming. There is no doubt that global warming occurring. Whether you feel the increase in temperature worldwide is due to human intervention or simply part of a natural cycle, I strongly suggest you see Al Gore’s recent film An Inconvenient Truth.

Read more... Warmth increases West Nile threat

First cases found of avian flu caught from wild
by The Guardian UK – David Adam and James Meikle

Four people have died after catching avian flu from infected swans, in the first confirmed cases of the disease being passed from wild birds, scientists have revealed.

Read more... First cases found of avian flu caught from wild

Tattoos Linked to Deadly Infection
by Jennifer Warner – WebMD Medical News

A potentially deadly, drug-resistant type of staph infectionstaph infection has been reported among unlicensed tattoo artists in at least three states.

A new report from the CDC shows that the antibiotic-resistant superbug known as MRSAMRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has been found in 44 people associated with illegal tattoos from 13 unlicensed tattoo artists in Ohio, Kentucky, and Vermont from 2004 to 2005.

In these cases, CDC officials say the infections were caused by the unlicensed tattoo artist failing to use gloves; masks; sterilized needles; or single-use equipment, including needles, tattoo guns, and ink supplies.

Dr. Grossman's Comments: Buyers (of these services) beware!! If you are considering getting a tattoo, you should at least observe an actual session to see if proper sterile techniques set forth by the CDC are implemented by the tattoo artist.

Read more... Tattoos Linked to Deadly Infection

Study shows Parkinson's disease link to pesticides
by Times Online UK – Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

New evidence that exposure to pesticides may be linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease has come from a study in the US.

A team from Harvard School of Public Health found that people who said in 1992 that they had been in contact with pesticides were 70 per cent more likely to develop Parkinson’s within the next 10 years.

The finding, published in Annals of Neurology, carries more conviction than earlier claims because the participants were questioned about their exposure to pesticides long before they developed the disease.

Dr. Grossman's Comments: We have known for sometime that presticides are toxic to the human nervous system. After all, pesticides kill pests by destroying their nercous systems!

I am in total agreement with Georgina Downs of the UK Pesticides Campaign, "The government and the EU must take immediate action. The only way to protect public health and prevent any illnesses that could be associated with presticides is to avoid exposure altogether through the widespread adoption of truly sustainable non-chemical natural methods."

It has been our experience at Frontier Medical Insitite to notice that we seem to get a large number of patients with severe neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, ALS, MS from rural, largely agricultural areas. In today's world, living in the city may be safer!

Read more... Study shows Parkinson's disease link to pesticides

Human 'Mad Cow' Could Cause Eventual Epidemic
by CBC News – Health & Science

(HealthDay News) - Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human form of "mad cow disease," has an incubation period of half a century, and could cause an eventual epidemic, British researchers report.

In findings published in the June 24 issue of The Lancet, they looked at a similar disease - linked to cannibalism - to better understand the impact such an epidemic might have.

Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is caused by misfolded brain proteins called prions, which cows contract through contaminated feed. Humans can catch the human form of the disease, vCJD, by eating contaminated beef. So far, the fatal degenerative illness has infected about 160 people in the United Kingdom. More cases have been confirmed in six other countries, including the United States.

Now, researchers at University College London have determined, through the study of a similar disease, that BSE has an incubation period of more than 50 years before it actively becomes vCJD.

Read more... Human 'Mad Cow' Could Cause Eventual Epidemic