20 Search Results for ""chronic disease""
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Fast Walkers Fast Walkers
- From: Julie_Stansfield_MD
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Description:
Fast Walkers
When you come from a big family like I do you get used a certain amount of teasing. My family is made up people from different jobs, religions and political parties. As children we rarely held back comments about each other. Age has softened our edges but none of us is known as shrinking violets. The criticism my family gives me can sometimes be tough to take, but it also helps to keep me grounded. They will tell me honestly what they think when other people either wouldn’t care or wouldn’t dare tell me their thoughts. However if you criticize you are inviting debate in my family. When you are young it is called arguing.
So what did I do??? Well… I am a fast walker. The family joke. You can imagine when I came across an article that shows that fast walkers are healthier, I almost framed it. The author must come from a large family as well. He had to justify his habits just like me.
The Article is in this month’s Archives of Internal Medicine, not the 2010 Sibling’s Guide to Improving Your Mother’s Other Children.
What the study did was look at women from age 60 to age 70. During those years it compared women that aged “successfully” compared to those that did not. Successful aging was defined as being free of most chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, strokes and many others. This could be just another study that shows once again, those people that are active age well and don’t see their doctors much. But it has a twist. No matter what your weight, fast walkers seemed to have fewer problems than slow walkers.
Another article in the same issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that resistance training (weight training) once or twice a week for one year, improved mental functioning. Test results showed improved memory, brain volume, gait speed, attention, and conflict resolution.
So science seems to show fast walkers as less likely to have chronic health problems and to have bigger brains. Gym rats that lift weights can walk faster than their siblings that don’t lift weights. However I am not sure how they define “conflict resolution”.
Gotta go, Mom’s on the phone… oops.
Physical Activity at Midlife in Relation to Successful Survival in Women at age 70 Years or Older. Archives of Internal Medicine 2010; 170(2):194-201
Resistance Training and Executive Functions, a 12 Month Randomized Controlled Trial. Archives of Internal Medicine 2010; 170(2):170-178
- Blog post
- 8 months ago
- Views: 111
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Cranberries & UTI's Cranberries & UTI's
- From: LeGreta_Hudson_MS_RD_CDE
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Description:
In my early 20’s I was plagued with chronic Urinary Tract Infections. Someone turned me on to cranberry juice. At the time, I didn’t understand how and why it worked…but it did!
Can you say …Proanthocyanidins? This is a compound found in red, purple fruits and vegetables ….like grapes, red wine and apples. You probably know where I’m going with this. But yes…it’s good for you!
WIKIPEDIA’s explanation… A class of flavoniods… Proanthocyanidins can be found in many plants, most notably apples, cinnamon, grape seed, cocoa, grape skin, and red wines. Apples contain on average per serving about eight times the amount of proanthocyanidin found in wine, with some of the highest amounts found in the red delicious and granny smith varieties.
Proanthocycnidins may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and help protect against internal and environmental stresses….like smoking and pollution. But let’s get back to the great CRANBERRY!
Who knew that the proanthocyanidins in cranberries were different from the ones in other foods? The proanthocyanidins in cranberry’s has an anti-adhesion effect…says Amy Howell a researcher from Rutgers University. “The proanthocyanidins in cranberries can prevent bacteria from sticking to the surfaces of cells”…she states in the latest issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter.
It’s simple…E-coli have little hair tips that will attach themselves to the bladder so they can multiply….STICK, MULTIPLY, & SPREAD = UTI! The proanthocyanidins in cranberries form a compound that can bind to the little hair tips of E-coli…which prevents the little nasty bacterial bugs from adhering to the bladder wall. According to Howell, you can avoid infections by stopping the bacteria from sticking to cells in the bladder, and instead just… wash them out with your urine.
Cranberry juice has been a staple in my home for many years. I buy the light cranberry juice cocktail (reduced sugar, sweetened with Splenda) variety. To lower risk of UTI’s the researchers suggest 8 to 16 oz of cranberry juice cocktail a day. I drink on average about 4 oz a day. It’s hard to eat a fresh cranberry…it’s too harsh…the taste is too sharp…which is why they make juice cocktails. Cranberry cocktails should have ~ 25% real cranberry juice. ..which is said to be enough to reduce your risk. I don’t trust the cranberry blends…because you can’t tell how much real cranberry juice they’ve used. The researcher says that dried cranberries (craisins), even cranberry sauce works well too. The one thing she mentioned that doesn’t appear to work is …cranberry pills…or supplements!
To reduce your risk for Urinary Tract Infections or UTI’s …EAT CRANBERRIES in as many edible forms as you can find! I’ve been UTI free for 8 years…let’s EVERY ONE..KNOCK ON WOOD!
Le Greta
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 251
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Vaccines for Adults Vaccines for Adults
- From: Julie_Stansfield_MD
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Description:
Adult Vaccinations
An important part of staying healthy is making sure you have had all your vaccinations. Getting your “shots” isn’t just for little kids. When you make the time to get your vaccines you are taking an important step to stay healthy, to avoid costly medical bills, stay at work and keep other people healthy. Even if you do get sick, a vaccine can keep you from getting horribly sick. Some vaccines last a lifetime. A few vaccines need to be repeated every few years. There are many vaccines that require at least two doses to give a person full protection.
One of the most important vaccines you should get is a yearly flu shot. The medicine to treat the flu doesn’t work well; it is expensive and must be started soon after symptoms start. It is cheaper and more effective to get a yearly flu shot. It is important for all pregnant women to get their flu shot. Anyone that cares for elderly, very young or ill people should get this shot as well. People with asthma or emphysema or other lung diseases especially need flu shots.
“Tdap” is a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis shot. Everyone needs a tetanus diphtheria shot every 10 years. Conveniently pertussis is now available in combination with a typical tetanus and diphtheria shot. A pertussis or whooping cough shot is a relatively new shot for adults. Whooping cough has been a rising health problem and it makes children quite ill. The best way to prevent young children from getting very ill is to vaccinate adults. Adults that get whooping cough can cough for a very long time but they may not get horribly sick. However they may not feel well for months. They do feel well enough to leave home and spread it around. Tetanus or “lock-jaw” is still difficult to treat, despite many medical advancements. Getting a shot and preventing tetanus and diphtheria is best. Prevention of these diseases is much more successful than trying to treat these diseases. One “Tdap” as an adult is enough, then a regular “Td’ is needed every 10 years.
If you are a smoker there are new recommendations for vaccines. A pneumonia or pneumococcal shot after age 18 and again after the age of 65 is important to avoid getting a severe form of pneumonia. Yearly flu vaccines as well are very important for smokers.
People with many other chronic health problems should consider a pneumonia vaccine. Once they turn 65 they should then repeat the vaccine. Anyone over age 65 needs a pneumonia shot. Usually two shots in a lifetime are enough.
Sexual activity can place a person at risk for many diseases. Some of these diseases can be vaccinated against. Condoms are needed to protect against other diseases. Vaccination against hepatitis A and B is a good idea. These vaccines protect against viral diseases to the liver. Gardisil is a fairly new vaccine that can protect against cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is caused by a virus that is spread by sexual contact. It is a true wonder of modern medicine that cervical cancer can be prevented with a something as simple as a vaccine.
Blood exposure for any reason puts a person at higher risk for Hepatitis B. Three vaccinations complete the series. Hepatitis A can be vaccinated at the same time. A minimum of two hepatitis A shots are needed to complete this series.
Chicken pox has been considered a childhood disease. Most children are vaccinated against chicken pox. For the very few adults that have not been vaccinated or haven’t actually had a case of chicken pox it is very important that these people get a shot against chicken pox. Two shots finish this series. Chicken pox as an adult disease can cause severe illness. Pregnant women should not get this vaccine; they should wait until after they deliver the baby.
Once an adult has had chicken pox they never quite get rid of the virus, it lives in a nerve. If the virus is triggered to become active it causes the disease shingles or herpes simplex. Shingles can be prevented with a vaccine called Zostavax. Zostavax is recommended for people older than age 60, even if they don’t remember having chicken pox. One shot is enough. It is a “live” vaccine and should only be given to people that are basically healthy. If a person is taking medicine that suppresses the immune system they should not get a Zostavax shot.
Meningitis is a disease no one wants. Luckily this important vaccine has been available for years. It is recommended for everyone from age 11 to 18. It is important that people at high risk (those living in dormitories, in the armed services or traveling to high risk countries) get vaccinated against this disease. It is approved for use up to age 55. It is reasonable for anyone to be vaccinated against meningitis only because they wish to vaccinated.
If someone has not started or had two MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations they should go ahead and get these shots. Pregnant women should delay getting this vaccine until after they deliver.
Minor illnesses are not a reason to skip a vaccination. A cold or cough will not interfere with a vaccine
Here is a website with the 2009 adult vaccination recommendations. http://www.immunize.org/shop/views/adultsched_pg2.pdf
Occasionally people have unusual health problems that require special vaccination schedules. The final selection of vaccines should be done during your visit to the office.
Adults need to think about vaccines just like children do.
Sometimes people aren’t able to get all their vaccines on time. However that doesn’t mean the shot series has to be restarted. It can be as easy as just taking the remaining shot. There are people with special situations like people who don’t have a spleen. The final decision to receive a vaccine for special cases or diseases should be made during an office visit.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 211
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A Dose of Walking? A Dose of Walking?
- From: Jan_Swaney_MD
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Description:
Walking as a medication? Or even better than a medication?
When it comes to keeping pounds off from as we age, walking is better than any pill out there. We’ve known for a long time that runners keep their weight off as the years progress, but what about walkers?
Until recently, there really hadn’t been any research that demonstrated the effect of walking on weight gain age-related weight gain, but a recent study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that a regular walking can have significant effects on preventing the weight gain associated with aging.
Participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development for Young Adults (CARDIA) Study were 18-30 years old when the study began and were re-examined after 2, 5, 7, 10 and 15 years. After accounting for calorie intake and other factors, there was a strong association between walking and the prevention of weight gain; people who walked were less likely to gain weight, and there was predictable dose-response. The more that people walked, the more likely they were to keep off the pounds; two hours of walking per week was better than none, and four hours of walking per week was even better.
There isn’t a pill out there that can even come close to showing that kind of benefit. Commercial weight loss pills are associated with a risk for significant, serious adverse events and their effect seems to plateau at around 3-5 lbs. of weight loss, even when taken over an extended period of time. Walking is free, safe, and the more you do of it, the more benefit you derive. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you walk in a safe place, wear a good pair of shoes that fit you well, and take appropriate precautions with sunscreen, a water bottle, and reflective clothing for nighttime conditions.
Our bodies are literally made to walk and perhaps that’s the reason walking is the exercise of choice for 70% of people. How does walking make you feel? Let me hear from you. And if you aren’t sure, then I’d like to have you strap on a comfortable pair of shoes and let me know.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 426
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Jennifer
- Views: 282
- Since: 1 year ago
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Genetic Science NOT the Holy G Genetic Science NOT the Holy Grail in Disease Prevention
- From: tracy_korman
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Description:
Genetic Science Not the Holy Grail in Disease Prevention
I was recently at a health conference in Boston where some cutting edge health and life science technologies were being shared with the business and investment community. Incredible presentations were made in social health networking by people like patientslikeme.com as well as some promising medical devises and molecular breakthroughs. There was a lot of hype and sizzle around several genetic ventures that promised an individual road map for avoiding, preventing and erasing chronic disease. That sounded pretty cool, but when I saw the reports, it became clear that these services cost a lot and offered very little beyond common sense and conventional wisdom. Today’s article in The New York Times talks about a series of commentaries in the New England Journal of Medicine that largely reach the same conclusion.
One of the presenters touted the ability to “pinpoint risk” but the risk they cited could be easily identified without spending hundreds of dollars. For example, they showed a genetic pathway and marker linked to heart disease. Well, we can easily identify risk for heart disease and other conditions in the metabolic cluster by asking about family history, measuring blood pressure, measuring body mass index and/or waist circumference and doing a simple blood test. All this for a fraction of the cost of the gene test.
And then you have to ask does the genetic test offer a different “so what?” Whether I have the marker or not, the only realistic options I have to reduce my risk for heart disease are to exercise more, eat more sensibly, stop smoking if I haven’t already and stay on my blood pressure or cholesterol medicine if it has been prescribed by my doctor. It isn’t like there will be a genetic fix to my risk – indeed there are so many pathways and markers to disease that we will all show up on the risk for many, many diseases. To quote David B. Goldstein, a Duke University geneticist whose commentary on the subject appears in the current New England Journal of Medicine;
“In pointing at everything, genetics would point at nothing.”
And what if the test showed no risk for heart disease? Does that mean my being 30 pounds overweight, sedentary and a heavy smoker are now OK? Or will by good genes be trumped by my bad lifestyle? You know the answer there!
I came away from the conference concluding that the genetic approach is useful for simply demonstrating that an individual is a human being and that human beings carry many risk factors for disease. An incontrovertible proof, but one hardly worth the price of the test.
Don’t get me wrong, if you suspect that you carry a genetic marker for aggressive breast cancer or other rare but deadly conditions, a gene test might be best to help you make difficult and critical decisions. But for most chronic conditions, most of us can assume that we have risk, we can even measure and rank that risk and most importantly, we can do something about that risk. While our gene story is interesting, it is not that clinically relevant. To quote Dr. Goldstein again;
“With only a few exceptions, what the genomics companies are doing right now is recreational genomics, the information has little or in many cases no clinical relevance.”
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 227
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Too Much Business Too Much Business
- From: Julie_Stansfield_MD
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Description:
Too Much Business
Ever hear a doctor complain of too much business? Internal Medicine doctors like me are trained to take care of chronic illnesses in adults. The short list includes diabetes, emphysema, high blood pressure heart disease and asthma.
These are diseases I can manage with a pile of pills and a longer list of tests. Sometimes when I read the back of a shampoo bottle “lather, rinse and repeat” and think of my day. “Chat, prescribe and repeat”. No problem I can treat your diabetes, your lung disease and all those other things. The problem is, it seems like there isn’t enough of me to go around. The number of people calling my office that don’t have a doctor is increasing. When I’m visiting with medical students and high school students I am painfully aware of the long time between thinking about medical school to completion of a residency in Internal Medicine. For years I’ve tried to mentor and groom students to be Internists. But my experience locally mirrors what I see nationally, we are headed for trouble. Less than 1% of medical students want to be General Internists like me. It used to be closer to 40%. Then we have all these baby boomers, they are just getting ready to really need us. Too much business, what a pickle.
Part of the solution has to be prevention of disease, not just treatment. This must happen because of the exploding population, the exploding cost of medical care and because medically speaking, it is the right thing to do. Just one example is smoking. The treatment of smoking related illnesses is never as good for people as convincing them to quit before they have problems. Keeping the equipment you have in good shape is always better than trying to fix it.
No gimmicks, no voodoo, scientific research has clear guidelines with proven ways to keep people healthy:
- Don’t smoke
- Exercise every day
- Keep your weight down.
If you need help to do these three things, you are not alone. Visit with your doctor, consider getting a health guide, but make a plan to change.
You have to do your part, I’m getting older and I can’t find enough students that want to do what I do.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 110
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Exercise routines...don't work Exercise routines...don't work!
- From: LeGreta_Hudson_MS_RD_CDE
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Description:
An exercise routine is like being on a diet…
A good friend came to me excited about the new routine they were going to embrace for the next 6 months. Problem is… I didn’t share the excitement. I see routines…the ones that are advertised in muscle magazines…and on the back of supplements…as something you start… with some end in sight. Gym rats (my friend)…love these…abs, back and bi’s on Monday …gluts and quads on Tuesday and on day three, Wednesday…aahhh… a day of rest!
My friend’s routine called for 2 days of exercise and 1 day off. What if, on day two you had to work late or you had to entertain clients. These types of routines work only if exercise is your J.O. B.! For most people that work for a living…there needs to be room for flexibility in any plan or routine…whether it’s physical activity or food.
Mixing up exercise activity is an important aspect of conditioning, BUT…what I’ve seen (especially with this friend) is a mindset regarding exercise much like when someone is on a diet. When you’ve finished the diet plan or routine… what now? Can you do this exercise routine, or diet plan for the rest of your life? Obviously NOT!
I’ve seen more than 40 different exercise routines from this friend. My question is…why do you need a different routine? What happened to the one you told me about last year?
It appears to me…that once the exercise routine ends (for this friend…anyway) a person may stop engaging in meaningful exercise. I’ve seen my friend go 2 to 3 months without a routine, therefore without any exercise.
Diets don’t work…Exercise routines don’t work either…in my experience. I asked my friend if it would be better to set a goal of exercising daily…the routine for exercising different body parts could still be part of the plan. When your body gets tired…take a day off. Our bodies are excellent at telling us when it’s time to rest. The only routine I endorse …is the routine of daily exercise! SO… when you fall short…you’re still in the game.
The American College of Sport Medicine, the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published guidelines for physical activity and public health:
“To promote and maintain health, all healthy adults aged 18 to 65 yr need moderate-intensity aerobic (endurance) physical activity for a minimum of 30 min on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 20 min on three days each week. Combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity can be performed to meet this recommendation. For example, a person can meet the recommendation by walking briskly for 30 min twice during the week and then jogging for 20 min on two other days. Moderate-intensity aerobic activity, which is generally equivalent to a brisk walk and noticeably accelerates the heart rate, can be accumulated toward the 30-min minimum by performing bouts each lasting 10 or more minutes. Vigorous-intensity activity is exemplified by jogging, and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate. In addition, every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance a minimum of two days each week. Because of the dose-response relation between physical activity and health, persons who wish to further improve their personal fitness, reduce their risk for chronic diseases and disabilities or prevent unhealthy weight gain may benefit by exceeding the minimum recommended amounts of physical activity. (Circulation. 2007;116:1081-1093.)”
So…I told my friend that I believed the K.I.S.S. principle would work best…
Keep It Simple Sweetie!
Le Greta
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 378
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Resilience Resilience
- From: Jan_Swaney_MD
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Description:
Resilience
Have you seen our new video on overcoming Breast Cancer? If not, then check it out. You’ll meet Jackie, an amazing and inspirational woman whose story is one of resilience in the face of this scary, chronic condition. She makes the point of saying she’s not a survivor, she’s an overcomer; a word that conveys more hope and power in dealing with her illness than does surviving. She even says that having cancer has done her some good. Ponder that a while.
I admire the resilience it takes to say that, and am reminded of a recent news blurb I read in “The Week” about Michael J. Fox, star of “Family Ties” and the “Back to the Future” movies, who has severe Parkinson’s Disease. Nowadays, at some point virtually every day, his limbs go entirely slack, his speech slurs, and he suffers from spastic tremors. Yet despite this, he manages to remain active and credits his disease with bringing him closer to his wife and children. “I really love my life. For everything that’s worse, there’s something that’s better. Yes, it’s a horrible condition. But it’s part of an amazing life. And not an ‘otherwise amazing life.’ It’s part of what makes my life amazing.”
It sounds a bit like Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life." Resilience in the face of hardship. We know it when we see it. Watch Jackie’s video and you’ll spot it. How does it develop? Can it be learned? If so, can it taught or shared? I want to hear your thoughts on this.
Jan - Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 409
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Estrogens and Menopause Estrogens and Menopause
- From: Julie_Stansfield_MD
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Description:
Are estrogens safe for treating the symptoms of menopause?
Probably, yes.
http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/online/journal/supplement/menopause/HodisAltsuppl4_08.pdf
The above link is to a wonderful article that I have summarized below.
In 2002 part of a study called the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) was published. It linked hormones to an increase in heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer and leg clots. It also showed that hormones made bones stronger and decreased osteoporosis. However the 2002 results applied to women that were, on average, 10 years past menopause and about 60 years old when they started hormones. Many of these numbers did not reach statistical significance, that means they could have occurred by chance alone. That also means the “proof” that bad effects occurred was not clearly established. Nonetheless many people were quite worried by the results.
However the study was not fully completed in 2002. Part of the study continued, the “observational trial”. Some of these results were published in 2007 but more complete analysis of the data was published in 2008. Those results showed that women who start hormones within 10 years of menopausal symptoms have no clear increase in heart disease. The number of strokes are not increased. Importantly no clear increase in breast cancer was found. (Actually no randomized study has shown in an increase in breast cancer rates from hormone use). It is worth noting that the incidence of diabetes was reduced by hormone users, but this effect may have only occurred by chance. Also surprising was that the number of leg clots that were seen was not significantly elevated. Once again they found that hip fractures rates were reduced. Fractures were reduced by 33% in hormones users, this is a very impressive number. No other medication can claim such good results for bone strength.
Why such different results? It seems that younger women respond differently to hormones than older women. Younger women that take hormones for hot flashes seem to have very few problems from hormones. The study that was published in 2002 looked not only at older women, but at women that were also much heavier. So it could be that weight gain in menopause increases a women’s risk for breast cancer. But it looks like it is fairly safe to say that estrogens do not clearly cause breast cancer in young women suffering from the symptoms of menopause.
It also looks like women that start estrogen at the time of menopause and continue hormones for at least 5 years may actually decrease their risk for heart disease by at least 25 percent. This is very important because far more women die from heart attacks than from breast cancer.
There have been many studies that support the health benefits of estrogens for women. So many have been published that the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists issued a position statement in 2008 supporting the use of estrogens for menopausal women less that 60 years old. The benefits of estrogen use for these women exceeds the risks.
Menopause is a real problem for many women. The hot flashes disturb their sleep and consequently cause problems with functioning the next day. These are typically women with many responsibilities, chronic sleep deprivation is not a recipe for an effective, happy day. Hormones continue to have the FDA approval for the treatment of symptomatic menopause. Scientific studies show that hormones are quite safe for this purpose. These are prescription drugs with clear benefits and some minor risks. A proper visit to a physician to be examined and discuss individual health is very important prior to using all prescription drugs. Science changes rapidly. Any single study cannot apply to all people.
Are estrogens safe for treating the symptoms of menopause?
Probably, yes.
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) position
statement on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and cardiovascular
risk. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Web site.
www.aace.com/pub/pdf/guidelines/HRTCVRISKposition_
statement.pdf. Accessed March 5, 2008.
Heiss G, Wallace R, Anderson GL, et al, for the WHI investigators.
Health risks and benefits 3 years after stopping randomized treatment
with estrogen and progestin. JAMA 2008; 299:1036–1045
Estrogen and progestogen use in peri- and postmenopausal women:
March 2007 position statement of The North American Menopause
Society. Menopause 2007; 14:168–182.
- Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 403
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What's your family history? What's your family history?
- From: LeGreta_Hudson_MS_RD_CDE
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Description:
While reading the work of the students in my class... “Diet Therapy for Health Professional’s”, it reminded me that perhaps everyone could benefit from doing this assignment. How much do you know about your predisposition to chronic disease?
A part of the class is set up to assist nursing, physical therapy and pharmacy students in better understanding their own personal health habits. It’s designed to help students recognize and hopefully improve their health options. They are asked to identify their predisposition to chronic disease, and analyze food and physical activity behavior. If they are able to shed light on their personal path, they may be able to avoid or stave off disease later in life, as well as be good counselors for their future patients.
In 2007 the acting surgeon general declared Thanksgiving the national family history day. Whenever family is gathered the surgeon general suggests we Americans talk about and write down the health issues that run in our families.
“Health care professionals have known for a long time that common diseases - heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - and even rare diseases - like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia - can run in families. If one generation of a family has high blood pressure, it is not unusual for the next generation to have similarly high blood pressure. Tracing the illnesses suffered by your parents, grandparents, and other blood relatives can help your doctor predict the disorders to which you may be at risk and take action to keep you and your family healthy.“
This semester the students used Labor Day weekend to interview family members. I’m recommending you take the advice of the surgeon general. Over Thanksgiving talk about illnesses that may run in your family with your loved ones. The Surgeon General has also given us a screening tool to make it easy. It’s the same one I have my students use. The site is below…it’s a computerized tool that helps you to create a portrait of your family’s health.
https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/
HAVE FUN!
I invite you to try the assignment on for yourself. Create a family health portrait…to determine your risk for chronic disease. Secondly, you can analyze your food by using the site below to create a dietary analysis. Keep a record of your food intake for one day. Include all foods and beverages with calories and be sure to record the amount eaten. Use the following web site http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/ click on Assess Your Food Intake , to get started.
The dietary assessment above provides an evaluation by comparing your food intake to current nutrition guidelines for calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and most vitamins and minerals. It is fun and easy, and both sites are FREE!
Putting these two pieces of information together helps you see how dietary habits and physical inactivity may predispose you to the ailments that have familial patterns. When I did this assignment 15 years ago….it changed my life. I thought I ate healthy, afterall I was a vegetarian..…only to discover that my sodium intake was very high and my fiber was low. My family’s chronic disease health portrait was grim. I found that hypertension, diabetes and cancer (colon) were widespread.
It was my wakeup call and gave me the motivation to clean up my act!
Maybe it can help you too!
LeGreta
- Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 272
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There's Something About Mary There's Something About Mary
- From: Jan_Swaney_MD
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Description:
There’s Something About Mary
Mary won’t be coming to spend the weekend with me, after-all. We won’t be climbing the bleachers to find our seats and gaze out on the spectacle of a Big 12 college football game. Instead, she’ll be in round 3 of chemotherapy for a tumor that has no business being there.
I am angry, chagrinned and amazed.
- Angry because Mary couldn’t have lived a life more devoted to promoting health. She is a cracker-jack Physician’s Assistant and has spent her entire career helping people function better in the face of what are often devastating illnesses. She has always taken extremely good care of herself, eaten well, and maintained a very high level of fitness. Her cancer is unjust -- doesn’t it realize that she is not deserving of this assault?
- Chagrinned because her vulnerability makes me confront my own. Mary and her husband have been friends of ours since we were in our 20’s, and though our paths have led us to alternate geographies, we’ve traveled in parallel universes and our reunions quickly strip away differences in our communities and life circumstances. If this could happen to her, it certainly could happen to me.
- Amazed because Mary is strong, in general and in the particular. Here’s what I mean. When I called her last weekend during the final few days of her first 3-week cycle of chemotherapy, she had just run a 5K a few hours earlier. In characteristic style, she deflected my gushes of amazement and praise with a self-effacing, “Well I didn’t really run…I just jogged.”
In point of fact, her time bested mine for the only 5K race I ever “ran” when I turned 40. Listen carefully to her wisdom, a woman who has spent her life helping people cope with illness, “Well you know why I do it. I do it as much for my mental health as my physical.”
So, what is the evidence that physical exercise improves mental health in cancer and in non-cancer states? Has it been scientifically shown? A recent review article discusses the preponderance of evidence for the benefits of exercise.1 If exercise were a drug that could be marketed by a pharmaceutical company - let’s just call it Excervia, for fun - here is what the television ad would say:
"If you have cancer, ask your doctor about Excervia. It improves physical fitness, cardiovascular fitness, sleep, quality of life, psychological and social well-being, and self-esteem while decreasing symptoms of fatigue, anxiety and depression. There are no known side-effects when taken in moderate doses."
"If you don’t have cancer, Exercervia has been shown to improve physical fitness, cardiovascular fitness, social function, self-esteem, body image, sleep, chronic pain, mood, and stress response while decreasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and anxiety. There are no known side-effects when taken in moderate doses."
Quick, write me a prescription! But wait, what does it cost? The bad news is that your insurance carrier won’t pay for it. The good news is that it is free. Walking is a great form of exercise and other than a good pair of shoes, it won’t cost you anything. It is available right outside your front door, at your place of work, in a city park, or along one of your favorite by-ways. Find a buddy, a book on tape, or your favorite music and strap on your shoes.
I’m no runner, but I’m going to find an upcoming 5K and walk it briskly for Mary. Every step along the way I'm going to celebrate Mary and the other friends who have enriched my life and made it whole. I'm going to cherish my health and not take it for granted. I'm going to do what I can to be here tomorrow, for friends and family, aging parents who need me, and grandkids not yet born. How about you?
Jan
- Krobp MT, Musanti K, Dorwood J. Exercise and Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients with Cancer. Seminars in Oncologic Nursing, 2007; 23(4):285-296.
- Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 591
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Zen and the Art of Personal He Zen and the Art of Personal Health Maintenance
- From: Jan_Swaney_MD
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Description:
Zen and the Art of Personal Health Maintenance
Breast cancer survivor: "The information that you get at your doctor’s office is focused, it is objective, it is unattached emotionally, it is not at all comforting… and none of those things are going to get you through it. The things that are going to get you through it…are to be encouraged by others and maybe be shown how, like how the hell am I going to get this wig on and not look like I’ve got a mop on my head?”
Several years ago I did a series of long interviews with women who had breast cancer, exploring where they found the information that had been useful to them in deciding upon treatment and coping with the condition. Conducting this research gave me a chance to slow down, sit in an unhurried fashion and listen to women tell their stories as they talked about such a major transformative event in their lives. This leisurely conversation was far from the 15-30 minute office visit I had grown used to, one loaded with questions I directed to the patient about new symptoms, medication side effects, and evidence-based guidelines on screening and prevention.
Looking back on it, I suppose these long interviews were the beginning of something that has proved transformative for me. The transcripts from those conversations say much about the challenges people face as they sift and sort through information they need to cope well in the face of chronic illness. Clearly, the role of the doctor is secure and often decisive in helping individuals select what they feel is the best course of therapy. Making this judgment requires a comprehensive understanding of how to categorize and stage the disease as well as working knowledge of an extensive literature on clinical response to various treatments. For many, especially older adults, they trust their doctor to know best and will do what s/he recommends.
But when it comes to the day-to-day coping with the enormity of a life forevermore changed by a diagnosis - waking up with the anxiety that this could be the day a recurrence rears its ugly head, or the frustration of wanting one’s original body back, thank you very much - the doctor’s office is not a place to find answers or much comfort. I wish it were otherwise. For this, women found helpful their connections with others – women (and men) who had themselves experienced cancer, friends, family, ministers and other practitioners.
I am reminded Robert Pirsig’s, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” which explored of the tug between rational thought based on the Greek tradition vs. the eastern way of knowing through being, and who asserted that humans need both types of wisdom to make the most of their experience.
Discussions of the art and science of medicine are not new, but in the brave new (and improved) world of patient empowerment, let’s think anew of the art and science of patient-hood. Individuals are gaining access to the quantitative and rational information needed to make their own decisions while also finding a ready source of common wisdom through social health networks like myhealthvillage.com. The two opportunities are complementary and not in competition with one another. Let’s use the village to help use them both to their maximal good!
Jan
- Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 474
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Serving up Trans Fat? Serving up Trans Fat?
- From: LeGreta_Hudson_MS_RD_CDE
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Description:
Serving up Transfat
While giving I lecture a few days ago on the types of fats in the foods we eat, I confessed my use of powdered non-dairy coffee creamer. I love the rich, heavy mouth-feel it gives my coffee. As I continued to demonized “Trans Fats” (partially hydrogenated soybean oil)… saying that the increase of vascular disease has risen proportionally with the increase in the use of stick margarines and shortening, I thought, the time to change my evil ways is NOW!
The second ingredient in the non-dairy coffee creamer that I like is “partially hydrogenated soybean oil”. Most sources of trans fat are in foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils…like commercially baked goods, snack foods and some fast foods. However, many manufactures are attempting to decrease the amount of partially hydrogenated oils in food. There is strong evidence that suggests that these bad fats raise cholesterol levels. It may put some individuals at risk for chronic disease. So, the lifestyle recommendation is to keep trans fat intake as low as possible.
Easier said, than done!
I’ve known the truth about trans fats for sometime now…my rational for my continue used was, I’m not using that much creamer. Yesterday morning I watched as I dumped a minimum of 2 tablespoons of powdered creamer into my first cup of coffee. The serving size is 1 teaspoon…that means I had 6+ servings. According to my “professional” observation, that would mean I had ~3 grams of partially hydrogenated fat…or trans fat, and did I say it was only my first cup (Oh, I conveniently forgot to mention…the first ingredient in my beloved creamer is corn syrup solids). O.M.G... h … I’ve got to STOP NOW! The voice within screamed, “Practice What YOU Preach!”
While purchasing a few things to finish dinner yesterday, I picked up a soy milk coffee creamer. My coffee experience this morning was not what I had hoped for, but I will get use to it. I announced to my husband that I would no longer purchase powdered creamer. Now I’ve made my BOLD statement for the entire world to see. My environment has changed and so shall this undesirable habit. I’ll keep you posted.
Remember, we are all a work in progress.
- Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 771
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Julie_
Stansfield_ MD - Views: 995
- Since: 2 years ago
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Live Better Longer Live Better Longer
- From: tracy_korman
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Description:
Live Better Longer
Healthcare sites, blogs and resources have never been more available and well trafficked on the web. While still well below levels that we would all like, healthcare literacy is actually improving as we all have easier access to quality information, health information technology, peer support and expert guidance from a growing number of quality sites and resources. A leading driver of internet activity is the large volume of consumers searching health related subjects on general and specifics sites.
While it is great to see our culture getting more interested in health, fitness and wellbeing, there is much evidence that that interest is not translating into better outcomes. We spend more on healthcare than any nation on earth, and yet on many measures, we are far behind countries that spend far less.
Clearly, there are a number of culprits including wasted treatment, under-treatment and over treatment. Part of the blame can be placed on our toxic lifestyles that make it too easy to eat poorly, exercise infrequently, smoke cigarettes, drink excessively and manage stress unproductively. Part of the blame can be placed on a healthcare industry that favors specialty medicine and under-rewards primary care and preventative medicine. Together, our culture and our healthcare system condition us to worry about health only when it fails us and to shop specialists and procedures looking for episodic care.
It appears that much of what passes as preventative medicine today is no better. Fully body scans and batteries of tests that do not adhere to evidence based guidelines are expensive and even dangerous as their extreme sensitivity can lead to false positive results and risky follow up procedures. Early detection is a great concept, but not if it continues to drive a care regimen based on specialists and procedures.
Equally unproductive is the focus on longevity at all costs. Episodic, after-the-fact medicine leaves us to cope with more chronic conditions for more of our lifespan. The standard of care then becomes even more procedure intensive, more expensive and more detrimental to our quality of life.
But isn't it best for all of us to avoid chronic conditions and their array of co-morbidities that so tax our health and well being? C ompressed morbidity is the fashionable term, but the concept is really simply living better longer.
Living better longer includes means true disease avoidance as opposed to expensive vigilance and early detection. Living better longer means working with a primary care physician and achieving a truly collaborative and coordinated level of care that avoids waste, duplication and under-treatment. Living better longer means understanding how chronic conditions and their co-morbidities are closely tied to our modifiable lifestyle choices. Living better longer means being empowered to make the right decisions that reduce our health risks and improve our quality of life and well being.
The MyHealthVillage.com community is here to help us all achieve the goal of living better longer. Like any village, it is only as strong as the commitment of its inhabitants. Our professional HealthGuides are here to help but we hope that you will make the village your village. Share your opportunities and your challenges. Reach out to help with your expertise, passion and experience. Seek out other villagers who can share their expertise, passion and experience with you. Together we can all live better longer.
- Tracy - Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 485
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Making Sense of a Low Salt Die Making Sense of a Low Salt Diet
- From: webmasterMHV
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Description:La Greta Hudson, MS, RD, CDE and blogger host with MyHealthVillage.com shares easy approaches to reducing salt in what we eat. This is especially important for people with hypertension and heart disease.
- 2 years ago
- Views: 499