Health experts sent out the first warning flares nearly a year ago that various forms of bacteria were becoming resistant to old-school antibiotics, so you can't complain about this latest report in The Lancet Infectious Diseases (free report link) about the latest superbug -- the wide-spread infiltration of the NDM 1 gene that passes between various kinds of bacteria making them drug-resistant -- spreading from southern Asia to Europe catching you by surprise.

Or, maybe you can. According to Time.com's Wellness blog, news agencies reported panic about the study in some parts of the world. And, Sarah Boseley, award-winning health editor for the British newspaper the Guardian, predicted the death knell of antibiotics era the day after the study appeared.

Amid the gloom and doom, however, there are some positives to take away from this news. For one, our medical world just got a lot smaller. Considering how quickly this NDM 1 gene moved from Asia to Europe, more expert eyes will be watching, and that's a good thing.

What's more, there's an important role for laymen (that's you and me) to play in this fight to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and it's literally -- pun intended -- in our hands. Wash your hands before and after meals, going to the beach, playing with your pets and working out at the gym.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases August 11, 2010 Free Full Text Study/Registration Required

Time: Wellness August 16, 2010

Guardian.co.uk August 12, 2010

I wouldn't be surprised one little bit if you were shaking your head at the headline of today's blog post. Believe me, I was just as stunned reading the various headlines related to this much-discussed and joked-about British study that proposed handing out free statin drugs with fast food purchases in real time when it hit the news too.

After comparing a meta-analysis of seven trials and some 43,000 patients using statins to prevent coronary artery disease to the health risks associated with eating high-fat fast foods, British researchers concluded taking most any statin drug daily was more than enough to offset the extra fat associated with eating a 7-ounce hamburger with cheese and a small shake. It was this finding that prompted Dr. Darrel Francis and his colleagues at Imperial College London to recommend access to free statins -- swimming in plastic bins full of ketchup, mustard and other condiments -- as a "rational modern means to offset the cardiovascular risk" associated with eating high-fat foods.

No question, there was an uproar on both sides of the pond over this study. I can imagine Moms panicking all over the world at the thought of their young daughters being handed a statin drug in Little Mermaid wrappers. Or, perhaps, buying my grandson a Transformers 3-themed Happy Meal with a low dose of Crestor lodged conspicuously on the head of Optimus Prime. Neither one would be a pretty sight…

Rather than doing the easy thing -- reaching for a drug -- wouldn't it be a lot smarter, healthier and cheaper to consider incorporating realistic lifestyle changes like more exercise or better eating habits?

American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 106, No. 4, pp. 587-592, August 15, 2010

Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots August 13, 2010

insciences.org August 12, 2010

Guardian.co.uk August 12, 2010

Just as it's harmful for women who take a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) like fluouxetene (Prozac) and paroxetine (Paxil) or a cardiac or antipsychotic drug along with the breast cancer drug tamoxifen, the results of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test may be altered by the use of common drugs, like statins, thiazide diuretics and non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The effect of 10 drugs in these three categories had on lowering serum PSA levels among more than 1,850 men (age 40 and older) with no history of prostate cancer was slight but noticeable after one year, with a high of 6 percent for thaizide diuretics (drugs used to treat edema and hypertension). Real change came at the five-year mark, however, when the use of any one kind of drug artificially and exponentially lowered PSA levels anywhere from four to six times below normal. For example, the use of thaizide diuretics reduced PSA levels by a surprising 26 percent.

The drop in PSA levels was even more pronounced after five years among men who took a diuretic along with a statin drug by 36 percent, although using a calcium channel blocker to treat high blood pressure inhibited that effect. And, because many older patients use at least one, if not more, of these medications at the same time, researchers estimate their effect on artificially lowering PSA levels among far greater numbers of men could be huge.

But there's one more tantalizing possibility scientists are considering: This trio of drug classes may create a protective effect against cancer, not at all a pipe dream, considering statin drugs and NSAIDs are already being studied for that reason.

Journal of Clinical Oncology August 2, 2010

Drugwatch.com August 9, 2010

healthfinder.gov August 6, 2010

A theme we emphasize on this blog a lot: Working closely with your doctor BEFORE and WHILE you're taking a supplement to ensure your health isn't being harmed by any unexpected interactions. It's one of the important tenets of our Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts, and a really smart thing for you to do. If your doctor is eager and willing to help, consider yourself among the lucky ones…

Based on observational research conducted by the FDA and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, cardiologists and specialists in training play the "don't ask, don't tell" game very effectively with patients when it comes to their use of supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. How "well" did doctors play the game? Of the 78 patient interactions with 21 cardiologists that researchers observed, physicians failed to ask about OTC drugs and supplements 98 percent of the time.

This second revealing facet of the study may or may not surprise or upset you, however, as much as it did me. As doctors were consulting with their patients, a clinical pharmacist who remained silent during the encounter was observing both parties. After doctors left the room, the pharmacist asked patients about their supplement and OTC drug use. More than two-thirds of the patients monitored (54) took 45 OTC drugs and 86 supplements. By contrast, cardiologists asked patients about their use of both just seven times.

Should you be wary of any possible interaction with a supplement and your doctor hasn't discussed it with you, I urge you to do two things. First, use our extensive Health Information & Answer database to help you determine if there could be a problem with your treatment regimen.

Lastly, spend a little time "training" your doctor to be your trusted and attentive health advocate, if he or she isn't one already. Or, go look for one who will.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 153, No. 1, pp. 65-66, July 6, 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com July 7, 2010

Cancer detection may have gotten a whole lot easier, faster and cheaper, with the help of a $400 digital camera attached to fiber-optic cables that allowed researchers and bioengineers at Rice University and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to discern healthy cells from diseased ones.

Scientists captured images of three kinds of cells -- lab-grown cancer cells, tissue samples from tumors and healthy cells viewed from the mouths of patients -- with fiber-optic cables attached to an Olympus E-330 camera and a fluorescent dye that lit up cell nuclei. Even on a 2.5-inch LCD screen, the distorted nuclei of cancer cells and pre-cancerous cells were easy to distinguish from healthy ones.

Interestingly, these techniques used by researchers to spot cancer cells are the same ones used for a long time by pathologists on biopsied tissues, though never before with a device that handy, portable and battery-powered. And, how nifty would it be for your oncologist to be able to spot cancer cells immediately or to track how responsive your body is to your current treatment regimen?

All the more reason to get more knowledgeable about the technology that, one day, may be a life-saver for you and yours.

Image source: Rice University

PLOS One June 24, 2010 Free Full Text Study

Rice University June 24, 2010

CNET Health Tech June 24, 2010

If you're taking medications -- for example, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) such as fluoxetine (Prozac) or paroxetine (Paxil) -- or other antipsychotic or cardiac drugs and you're a female patient taking tamoxifen, you may want to schedule an appointment with your doctor very soon.

The problem: Some drugs suppress the presence of the CYP2DG enzyme, a critical trigger that allows the liver to convert tamoxifen into the more active endoxifen that, in turn, may prevent breast cancer or a repeat battle with this frightening disease.

Follow-up research to previous studies conducted at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine that identified fluoxetene and paroxetene as potentially harmful for breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen has expanded the list of drugs inhibiting CYP2D6 levels to include drugs that treat infectious diseases, depression, psychosis and heart problems. (Check the Medscape link below for a full list of drugs that affect CYP2DG levels and many alternatives.)

As a result of this research, the Mayo Clinic has been testing breast cancer patients for the CYP2DG enzyme before prescribing tamoxifen in excess of three years, considered a controversial practice among some experts.

Still, there's no question, avoiding drugs that interact poorly with tamoxifen is the best course of action for patients taking tamoxifen. For your own peace of mind, however, PLEASE do your homework and talk to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment regimen.

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Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol. 28, No. 16, pp. 2768-2776, June 1, 2010

Medscape May 5, 2010 Free Subscription/Registration Required

HealthCentral June 1, 2009

Did you know June is Men's Health Month? Don't feel bad -- especially if you're a guy -- if you didn't.

Guys: This is the spot in the blog post where I remind you how smart it is for you to get an annual checkup, maybe even a physical, but at the very least, a prostate cancer PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test. But that would be hypocritical.

Why? As much as I have written over the past six years about whole health issues, disease, bad drugs, prevention and, for the past year in this space, a great deal about cancer, I'm just as guilty as the next guy about scheduling an annual physical, for reasons I can't pretend to explain. For some inexplicable reason, I am driven to the point of anal-retentiveness about some things (car maintenance, football game start times and appointment TV on the DVR), yet I suffer temporary, aggravating bouts of amnesia when it comes to scheduling an appointment for my annual checkup.

It's not my doctor, a great guy who will spend all the time needed to figure out what's wrong with me. And, it's not for lack of caring about my own health either. In fact, the 20 pounds and 2 inches around my waist that I've lost over the past seven months (thanks to better eating habits and exercise) remind me every day how much work and effort it takes to feel better and be healthy. But it's all worth it.

Thankfully, I'm married to a beautiful wife who wants me to live longer than my parents did (cancer and disease took them both in their mid 50s), so she schedules our annual physicals on the same day, back-to-back. For those of you who aren't as fortunate as I am, however, consider this a personal reminder from a friend who wants you to keep reading this space for a long time.

Go get a checkup. Just do it. Today.

I can personally guarantee your next visit to the doctor won't be nearly as harrowing or funny as The Appointment, the award-winning video produced by HealthMedia.

With old-school antibiotics and common disinfectants losing their disease-fighting power, science may be taking a more natural path to fight superbugs with the help of essential oils, concentrated liquids containing volatile, aromatic compounds derived from plants, according to a pair of studies.

Thyme was the most effective of the eight essential oils Greek researchers tested in one study, as it virtually eliminated bacteria within an hour. Extracts of thyme and cinnamon were very useful in battling various species of Staphylococcus too.

In a second study on essential oils conducted at Brighton University (at the behest of a UK company), a food-grade version of thyme eliminated the ever-popular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA (a strain of infection that's resistant to broad-spectrum antibiotics), in two hours with no adverse effects on skin.

Learn more about the array of safe and healthy cleaning alternatives you can use in your own home -- for example, mix a few drops of essential oils with water for a clean and natural difference -- by reading How to Deep Clean Your Home, Naturally in our latest newsletter.

ScienceDaily April 4, 2010

News.Scotsman.com March 31, 2010

University of Brighton March 12, 2010

Folks who take supplements generally follow smarter, better health habits, like scheduling regular visits with their doctors, one of the many positives we gleaned from the most recent report issued by the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Interestingly, working with a doctor to determine the right medical decisions is more important to you than ever now, according to a survey produced by a trio of researchers with the National Cancer Institute.

Surprised doctors still command such great attention, even in this immersive-to-the-neck media world in which we live? Don't be...

Probably, the most interesting finding in this survey of 16,000 patients: Despite the overwhelming reach of the Internet into our daily lives and our use of this medium to research health issues that concern us (which is why we're glad you steal a few minutes from your busy weekday to read this space), it hasn't replaced our reliance on doctors to help us make important medical decisions.

In fact, these findings suggest the model of preventative care may be evolving in a good way, researchers say, from the doctor as the be-all, end-all expert to a medical "coach" helping more tech-savvy patients, who are generally smarter about their health and more motivated to do the right things.

New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 362, No. 9, pp. 859-860, March 4, 2010 Free Full Text Article

healthfinder.gov March 3, 2010

Many of you who read this space religiously -- we don't thank you often enough for following our daily musings -- enjoyed learning more about the growing flirtation in the field of medicine with nanotechnology as a potential weapon to fight cancer as much as I did sharing it. Unfortunately, we may be a minority, at least in America, according to a recent joint study from the University of Wisconsin and Arizona State University.

Researchers believe the knowledge gap is widening between those who know nothing about nanotechnology (those without high school degrees) and folks who stay on top of things (people with college educations), and will keep growing over time. Like many subjects, however, the Internet is fast becoming a critical and effective equalizer that is expected to close that divide.

A recent British report funded by the UK's Food Standards Agency about the use of cloning, irradiation and nanotechnology in our daily lives provides more reasons why Americans ought to be more concerned about these scientific breakthroughs. Although awareness about nanotechnology across the pond was low too, attitudes about it were positive. There was skepticism by the Brits, however, when it came to medicine and food. The use of nanotech in the arena of food packaging was okay but not so much in foods.

To the good, some agencies of the federal government are stepping into the breach, by taking the necessary budgetary steps, hopefully, to better regulate the development and safety of nanotechnology. For example, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a federal agency that's taken the lead on developing more stringent standards for handling nanomaterials in the workplace, has requested an appropriation that would nearly double its current budget in 2011.

The moral of the story: There's no better time than right now to become more responsible and wiser about the world and the technology that surrounds us. Steal a couple of minutes away from your daily Facebook time to get up to speed. Believe me, you can afford to miss Farmville once in a while...

2020 Science February 18, 2010

FoodQualityNews.com March 5, 2010

Nanotechnology Now January 13, 2010

Much like acupuncture and tai chi have emerged from the realm of alternative medicine to take their rightful places as valuable mainstream treatments, so has biofeedback, a mind-over-body technique that trains patients to control typically involuntary bodily processes like blood pressure, stress, muscle tension and blood flow.

One expert describes biofeedback as "internal exercise, much like the physical exercise you perform at the gym. It's done with the head instead of the muscles." That's certainly been a very successful treatment option for Canadian skier Alexandre Bilodeau, who credited one form of biofeedback (bioneurofeedback) for helping him win his country's first Olympic Gold Medal at the recent Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Despite the mainstream acceptance, however, a 2008 American Cancer Society study that polled more than 4,000 cancer survivors found biofeedback, acupuncture/acupressure and hypnosis were rarely used by cancer patients.

An sidenote to readers of our daily blog: In the very same study, taking a supplement was a far more popular choice among cancer survivors.

healthfinder.gov February 4, 2010

WebMD June 27, 2007

Wish your internist was a little less boring and a bit more telegenic, like the brilliant and often venomous Dr. Gregory "Crankypants" House? In the real world, it's far safer to rely on a trained medical professional to treat real health problems, like seizures.

Canadian researchers came to that very logical conclusion after screening more than 300 episodes of medical dramas aired on American TV (Grey's Anatomy, House, M.D., ER and Private Practice) over the past five to seven years for the proper treatment of seizures, a popular problem that cropped up 59 times (all but eight occurring in a hospital setting). Most were of the tonic-clonic variety (also referred to as grand mal seizures) that many associate with epilepsy and affect the whole body.

Nearly half the time, a doctor or nurse improperly treated seizures, either by holding patients down or putting something in their mouths. In the real world of medicine, however, both options have the rare potential to be far more harmful, as in patients breaking bones or choking on blood or a broken tooth. Only about a quarter of the time was a seizure properly treated.

A reality check from Dr. Lisa Sanders, a New York Times columnist, faculty member at the Yale University School of Medicine and technical adviser for House, M.D., as told to CNN: It's very clear to anybody who watches House and has ever been in a hospital that House is not a close representation of the truth at any level.

So, the next time a relative or co-workers tries to "cure" you based on a medical license they've earned by proxy after watching years of TV shows like House or ER, you have my permission to tell them to cut it out. For good...

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CNNHealth February 15, 2010

The Vancouver Sun February 15, 2010

ScienceDaily February 15, 2010

Image source: NBC Universal

Because simple solutions are often the best ones, no doubt, premenopausal women with irregular menstrual periods will like the results of this small study that could change the timing of their breast MRI scans, provide clearer images and significantly reduce repeat scans.

Typically, physicians pay no attention to scheduling a premenopausal woman's breast MRIs in relation to her irregular menstrual cycles, a practice that often leads to multiple scans and non-diagnostic tests, according to scientists, although research has demonstrated performing these scans during the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle reduces breast tissue enhancement and improves results.

Based on blood work taken from patients with irregular periods, determining a woman's serum progesterone concentration with simple blood testing optimizes the scheduling of breast MRIs. In fact, among the 11 women who participated in the study, none needed a second scan.

American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol. 193, No. 6, pp. 1738-1740, December 2009

ScienceDaily November 20, 2009

healthfinder.gov November 20, 2009

An interesting piece in the New York Times raised some very different opinions about the real need for yearly mammograms for women under age 50 from experts in the field.

The American Cancer Society seems to want it both ways. In an interview with the Times, its chief medical officer claimed the practice of medicine had exaggerated the real benefit of mammograms. Later on, citing seven studies that showed how mammograms lowered the mortality risks of women, the organization suggested that women over age 40 should still keep having them even though these exams can "miss cancers that need treatment, and in some cases finds disease that does not need treatment."

The conversation began after a Journal of the American Medical Association report questioned whether medicine should rethink its guidance on mammograms, noting such screenings are ideal for finding slow-growing tumors that don't need treatment, but not for spotting deadly and aggressive variations of breast cancer before they spread. Yet, mammograms pick up tumors that grow at a medium rate, and women may benefit the most from this.

On the other hand, however, an article posted on rt-image.com is a worrisome reminder about two studies conducted this year that found many female cancer survivors were skipping their annual mammograms. And, in one such study, childhood cancer survivors were avoiding them despite being at a greater risk of breast cancer.

To our wonderful readers, if you're female north of 40, or a cancer survivor of any age, what say you?

New York Times November 2, 2009

Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 302, No. 15, pp. 1685-1692, October 22, 2009

Image, the source for radiology professionals November 2, 2009

Image source: Dr. Dwight Kaufman, division of cancer treatment/National Cancer Institute

Older antibiotics -- polymyxin drugs derived from Bacillus polymyxa -- that were developed almost a half-century ago have begun to show the first signs of bacterial resistance, according to a recent study presented during the 47th annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (ISDA).

Although the polymyxin class of drugs had lost some of their past appeal over the past 20 years due to kidney toxicity, these antibiotics have been making a recent comeback as a weapon to treat infections patients acquired in hospital settings that had been resistant to other antibiotics.

After comparing samples of bacteria taken from 1,041 patients in a New York hospital from 2005-08, 6 percent were resistant to polymyxin B and E drugs. And, the prevalence of resistance to polymyxin, according to the study, had exploded by some 50 percent over a two-year period.

Even more alarming, more than 30 percent of samples taken from patients were resistant to five classes of antibiotics, says lead author Dr. Jason Kessler, meaning that polymyxin may be the only treatment alternative.

The greatest fear, according to UCLA professor and ISDA expert Dr. Brad Spellberg, is fast becoming a reality. "Antibiotic development is dying, and we are running out of drugs. We have organisms that are already resistant to every antibiotic we can throw at them."

U.S. News and World Report/Science News October 30, 2009

healthfinder.gov October 30, 2009