Health Care

Beta Carotene and Smoking

2008-08-07T00:40:00.002-07:00

Recent studies have shown that smoking and taking Beta Carotene supplements do not go together. Beta Carotene is an antioxidant, which means that it inactivates free radicals in the body. In the process it oxidizes and can become a kind of pro-oxidant or form oxidized by-products. Normally we don't have to worry about the by-products of Beta Carotene's antioxidant behavior. If you maintain a healthy diet with a variety of antioxidants they will work in combination to protect one another from oxidizing.

It appears that smokers on the other hand do have something to worry about. Two studies ending in the nineties found that people who smoked at least one pack a day or drank higher than average amounts of alcohol and took Beta Carotene or Vitamin A supplements were at a higher risk for developing lung cancer and a higher risk of dying. Each of these trials showed that Beta Carotene wasn't helping many of its smoking participants and was in fact hurting some of them. The first trial called The Alpha-Tocopheral, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Trial showed eighteen percent more lung cancer and eight percent more deaths in male smokers who took 20mg of Beta Carotene. The second trial called the Beta Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) initial results showed that there was twenty eight percent more lung cancer in the group of smokers and former smokers it had taking Beta Carotene and Vitamin A and seventeen percent more deaths. These results were so similar to the Cancer Prevention Trial final results that they told the participants to stop taking the supplements before the trial was scheduled to end.

Why is this so? Well, since it's thought that anti-oxidants protect each other from oxidizing scientists suspect that smokers don't have enough of the other types of antioxidant vitamins in their systems to prevent this from occurring. It has been found that smokers have low levels of Vitamin C in their blood stream-and that's' one of the antioxidants. So the Beta Carotene oxidizes in the body after it uses up its antioxidant properties an in effect becomes a free radical damaging or exacerbating damage done to the cells of smokers lungs which leads to abnormal cell growth and cancer. With low levels of other kinds of antioxidants in their bodies there's nothing to stop it. Scientists believe that the two antioxidants that work together to protect the body from Beta Carotene pro oxidant damage are Vitamins E and C.

If you are a smoker you should by no means try to avoid Beta Carotene or Vitamin A in your diet. These trials seem to show that all anti-oxidants work together to prevent cancer and isolating one or the other for consumption, especially in a non-natural form, simply negates its effects and sometimes causes problems. What you should be doing is focusing on eating a lot of foods with antioxidants in combination. There is no evidence as of current that suggests eating foods with Beta Carotene in them can increase the risk of cancer in smokers.

Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com

Author Vincent Platania represents the Stanley Home Products. Stanley Home Products has been in business since 1936, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean. Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com

Vitamin E deficiency

2008-08-07T00:40:00.001-07:00

A deficiency of vitamin E is rare in humans. Vitamin E is present in many of the foods we eat on a daily basis, Wheat, Sunflower seeds, Hazelnuts, Soybean oil (Soy is present in just about every packaged product on the market), Broccoli and etc. Though studies indicate we don't get the full recommended daily intake of vitamin E, which is twenty-two and a half international units. Since these studies came out many people began to worry that they weren't getting enough of the vitamin and began taking mega doses of vitamin E. While in some cases its certainly true that people need supplementation, such as pregnant or lactating women its not entirely necessary for the general population. Vitamin E deficiency has never been proven in a healthy human. It's been shown in other species and in those with medical conditions that limit the body's ability to absorb Vitamin E. It may be possible to develop a deficiency if you maintain a very strict and limited low fat diet for a period of time, but other vitamin deficiencies will show up as well. A deficiency can occur in people with an inability to absorb fat, because some fat is needed in the digestive tract for the absorption of vitamin E. Someone with a genetic abnormality in their alpha-tocopherol transfer protein will have a deficiency of vitamin E. Lastly premature babies will be deficient in the vitamin or low birth weight babies because of a poor vitamin E transfer from the mother via the placenta to the baby or in the case of preemies simply a lack of time to transfer the vitamin. A vitamin E deficiency also seems to be connected to Zinc deficiencies. The body may use zinc in absorbing or making use of vitamin E or the diet could be lacking in multiple vitamins and nutrients. Other conditions that can result in a vitamin deficiency are various intestinal disorders. Those suffering from Crohn's disease often experience diarrhea and subsequent inability to absorb vitamins. If you lack the ability to secrete bile you may need a special form of water soluble vitamin E since bile helps with the absorption of fats in the digestive tract. Some symptoms of vitamin E deficiency are sometimes nerve degenerations in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, eventual blindness. In infants you may notice irritability and edema. While adults can develop anemia, which is a lack of red blood cells, so you may notice fatigue, weakness, and paleness. The problem with vitamin E deficiency is that anyone who develops it will likely have a disease that is the underlying cause, such as Crohn's disease or gallbladder problems. So before diagnosing yourself as having a vitamin E deficiency you should get to a doctor and have them take a look at you for a proper diagnosis. In many cases treatment of the disease will naturally stop the symptoms. Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com

Author Vincent Platania represents the Stanley Home Products. Stanley Home Products has been in business since 1936, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean. Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com

Vitamin C Supplements Found To Aid In A Variety Of Ailments

2008-08-06T23:30:00.000-07:00

Its common these days to see people buying up vitamin C tabs, pills, and chewables at the beginning of cold and flu season. While some swear by the immune system boosting properties some still question whether these supplements really help. There are many studies that definitively show Vitamin C is needed by the body for production of collagen and without it you will eventually die of scurvy. Other studies have found benefits of the vitamin in other areas, making use of its antioxidant properties. While some claim the vitamin can be used in high doses to cure the common cold or lessen the degree and severity of illnesses. First off Vitamin C has been studied as an aid in fighting cancer. One exciting, but preliminary study was performed on live cancer cells in a test tube environment. Scientists administered infusions of Vitamin C to a set of nine cancer cell cultures and four normal cell cultures. The cancer cells had a fifty percent decrease in survival rate, while the normal cells appeared to be unaffected. The vitamin C appeared to kill cancer cells in a laboratory environment. While this is promising it should be noted that this is not a study that was performed in humans and many things can be promising in the laboratory but some things just don't work out in the real world trials. Diabetics may be interested to know that Vitamin C is being studied as a way to increase the body's receptiveness to insulin. The disease is partly characterized by the blood vessels inability to respond Nitric Oxide (NO) which is secreted by the walls of the blood vessel and encourage the muscles to relax increasing blood flow to the areas of the body. The vessel walls don't relax and thus contribute to the body's insulin resistance. It's been confirmed that injections of vitamin C have been shown to improve vessel wall reaction to NO in diabetic patients. The new study is going to observe the effectiveness of oral vitamin C in Diabetic patients. There were many, many studies performed to try and determine whether vitamin C can indeed prevent the common cold. In the seventies there were a series of trial run by a team headed by a Dr. Terrence Anderson at the University of Toronto. His studies found the same results as many other studies, that vitamin C though necessary in the body doesn't prevent the common cold. It does seem to lessen the length of time you have a cold by half a day on average and there is no need to take really high doses to achieve this. It appears that you can get the same effect as a very high dosage of vitamin C in a higher than usual dosage of 250mg during a cold when the cold ends you should return to the recommended daily value of 60mg. Visit http://www.stanleybeautycare.com

Author Vincent Platania represents the Stanley Beauty Products. Stanley Beauty Products has been in business since 1936, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean. Visit http://www.stanleybeautycare.com

Summer Health Tips

2008-08-06T23:28:00.001-07:00

So the summer has finally arrivedâ€¦ The time of BBQâ€™s, lounging in the park with friends and unfortunately for some, the itchy, puffy, swollen eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat that are all associated with hayfever. How can you help yourself to get through this trying time? We asked CNM Naturopath Debbie Cotton to give some adviceâ€¦

Inhaled and ingested irritants can add together to create that lovely hay-fever effect in the body. The mucous production that your nose and eyes creates is only to protect the body from a perceived threat. So in turn the body is only doing its job, buts its being a bit hyper vigilant about it. The trick is to find out why.

One of the biggest tools that we have as Naturopaths in reducing and alleviating hay-fever is looking at diet. Removing irritants from someoneâ€™s diet takes a lot of stress off the body, and it slows down the hyper immune reaction. Wheat and diary are often highly implicated for being irritants to the mucosal membranes in the gut wall, which in turn affects the mucous membranes in the nose and eyes, but every person is different so you may need to find out what food is slightly irritant to you. Once you have worked out what it is in the diet that is affecting you, try removing it for a while to give your body a break and see the difference. To do this you may want to see a Naturopathic Nutritionist to tailor a diet for your needs.

Probiotics (acidophilus and bifidus) have been shown to reduce the immune response in the gut wall by mediating certain inflammatory pathways and chemical messenger release in the body. Taking a course of probiotics in a good dose range may help to get the immune reaction down.

The contingent nutrients Rutin and Quercertin along with Vitamin C have been shown to have a regulatory effect on inflammation and histamine release. Supplementing with these may also help to alleviate some of the nasty symptoms associated with hay-fever, and regulate the immune and inflammatory response.

There are many herbs that can help minimise the immune reaction of hay-fever, but it is always best to get a herb prescribed for your specific needs. Homeopathic remedies also often have great results in clearing up hay-fever. There are many complexes available at health food stores, but these sometimes might be a bit â€˜hit and missâ€™ in their actions, as they are not formulated for you personally.

Alleviating some of the symptoms of hay-fever this summer may still be possible if you get on top of it now. Otherwise, start a plan now with the long term goal of having a hay-fever free summer next year!

STOP PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE

2008-08-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

Allergic rhinitis is absolutely no fun. There is nothing good about the congestion, the fatigue, the sneezing fits, runny nose, sinus infections, asthma, or general misery that allergies bring into our lives. For some it is a seasonal problem, but for many it is year round. Pollen, grass, dust and animal dander cause inflammation in the lining of the nose that affects our eyes, our sinuses, and our lungs. Worse yet, this misery affects more than our physical health.

The financial impact of allergies is worse than the discomfort. Two billion dollars is spent on allergy care each year in the United States. Medications, doctor visits, allergy tests, shots, and lost work make up the bulk of this cost. Much of the financial burden falls on the patient and these dollars add up. Medications alone are not cheap: OTC meds can cost at least $300 a year, and prescription meds average $1200 a year. We are literally paying through the nose for allergy care.

There is an effective way to cut down on these numbers. It is a simple but increasingly well-known technique called nasal washing. Not nasal sprays, which can actually send sniffed particles up further into the nose, but nasal washing - to flush out the irritants from the lining of the nose. And when you wash the nose with the right solution, it acts as a natural decongestant â€“ opening the nasal passages and allowing you to breathe without a drug.

Doesnâ€™t this make sense? The nose is the primary filter for all the air we breathe. Impurities are caught in the little hairs inside the nose. If allowed to stay there these impurities cause a runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion commonly known as â€˜allergic rhinitisâ€™. But if the nose is washed clear of these irritants, we are much less likely to suffer with allergies.

I have spent the past 20 years teaching my patients how to wash comfortably and safely. I have seen that successful nasal washing depends on good technique, which is easy if you use the right system. It helps to have a well-designed wash bottle and it is essential to mix the solution properly. Nasal wash kits are available in many stores but after trying several different systems (including the â€˜neti potâ€™), I realized we needed something better: Dr. Hanaâ€™s Nasopure Nasal Wash System. As a pediatrician, I designed the patented user-friendly bottle to be convenient and safe for children as well as their parents. This non-breakable travel friendly bottle is designed for use in the shower, there are premixed packets for mixing exactly the right solution, and each kit comes with full instructions. Nasopure is the most effective, convenient, and economical system available today. With Nasopure and a little practice, daily washing can become a pleasurable habit.

By washing the nose regularly, we could save thousands of dollars in health care costs. Allergy medications alone can cost an average of $50 a month. By rinsing the problem particles out of the nose, many people find they have no need for any medication at all! Thatâ€™s a savings of $600 a year and a whopping $6,000 over ten years. And this is not even counting the cost of doctor visits or medications needed for asthma, ear or sinus infections, sinus surgery â€“ common problems caused by allergies.

Nasal washing has no significant side effects. It sweetens the breath, improves our ability to smell sweet flowers, and gives us an overall sense of well being. Why didnâ€™t we think of this a long time ago? If you are spending more than you like on allergy care, and want to feel better without side effects, visit www.nasopure.com to read about nasal washing.

Less money spent and no side effects - a win/win solution to a persistent and costly problem. Your nose and your wallet will both benefit.

Quotes from a Nasopurist:

â€œI had my first treatment after dinner last evening and for the first time in a long time I awoke without a dry and scratchy throat. I estimate my savings on Kleenex will allow me to buy a new car.â€

One month later:
â€œMy breathing is better and congestion much less. It is now a part of my daily hygiene. Some of my Kleenex boxes are getting cob webs.â€

One month later:
â€œI'm waiting for the new fall models to buy my new car. Nasopure is continuing to do a good job for all of us. I use it twice a day without fail. Yesterday I was glad I still had a box of Kleenex by my chair in the family room because my shoes needed cleaning.â€

How to Relief with Allergies ?

2008-08-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

What are Allergies?
An allergies is an abnormal reaction to ordinarily harmless substance or substances. These sensitizing substances, called allergens, may be inhaled, swallowed or come into contact with the skin.Substances that cause allergic reactions, such as certain foods, dust, plant pollen, or medicines, are known as allergens.
What are the Symptoms of Allergies ?
An allergy is actually a malfunction of the immune system, which attacks invaders or antibodies.Allergic reactions can be mild, like a runny nose, or they can be severe, like difficulty breathing.Allergic asthma caused by allergens such as mites and pollens, and stinging insect allergy.Allergic reaction to something that is breathed into the lungs in a person who is susceptible.
What Medications to Treat Allergies?
Medications such as pills or nasal sprays are often used to treat allergies.Many effective medications are available to treat common allergies. AANGAMIK DMG:
AANGAMIK DMG is the only pure DMG product that contains no fillers or binders and is therefore pure and non-allergenic.
Allercetin Allergy & Sinus:
Allercetin is a Bio-Aligned Formula that utilizes natural homeopathic remedies for the treatment of allergies.
Allergiemittel AllerAide:
Allergiemittel AllerAide temporarily relieves minor allergic symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose, watery eyes, eczema, wheezing, and shortness of breath caused by allergies.
How to care with Allergies?
1.Wear a mask whenever dusting or mowing a lawn Stop smoking.
2.Keep family pets out of certain rooms, like your bedroom, and bathe them if necessary.
3.Avoid using aspirin, which has been reported to allow food allergens to be more effectively absorbed by the body.
4.Remove carpets or rugs from your room.Install an air-purification system at home.
More Detail About Allergies Relief

Understanding Breast Cancer Risk

2008-07-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

All women are at risk for getting breast cancer. As you get older, your risk increases. Assuming you live to age 90, your risk of getting breast cancer over your lifetime is about 14%. That might sound scary, because it means that an average of about one out of every seven women will get breast cancer over a 90-year life span.

You can also look at it another way: A 14% risk means there's an 86% chance that you WON'T get breast cancer.

How Much Do Risk Factors and Preventive Factors Change Your Risk?

Knowing what factors can increase or decrease your risk for breast cancer is important. But you probably want to know just HOW MUCH those factors change your risk.

If you hear that a certain treatment can reduce your risk by 40%, what does that mean?

To understand what the numbers mean about YOUR risk for breast cancer, the key terms to know are relative risk and absolute risk.

Relative risk is the number that tells you how much something you do, such as taking a pill, can change your risk, compared to your risk without taking that pill. Relative risk can be expressed in percentages and in "hazard ratios." If you do nothing new, your hazard ratio is 1.0—this means that your risk doesn't change. If you do something and your risk decreases by half, or goes down to 0.5, then you are half as likely to have the risk. But if your risk goes up, from 1.0 to 1.88, then you are 88% more likely to encounter the risk. If your risk goes up to 3.0, then you have a threefold (300%) increased risk of having the problem.

Absolute risk is the size of your own risk. Absolute risk reduction is the number of percentage points by which your own risk changes if you do something, like taking a pill. The size of your absolute risk reduction depends on what your risk is to begin with.

Example of Risk Going Up for a Woman with No History of Breast Cancer

Smoking is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer as well as other diseases.

Suppose your risk of breast cancer is 14%. If you smoke, your risk goes up by 32% (about a third higher risk). That means your risk of breast cancer from smoking is 32% higher than the 14% risk if you don't smoke. That's the relative risk increase from smoking.

But how big a difference does a 32% increase really make for you? To figure out the change to your absolute risk, see what happens when you make your risk of 14% go up by a third:

Multiply your risk of 14% by the relative risk increase of 32%. You get 4% (14% x 32% = 4.48%, or 4%). 4% is the size of the increase in risk.
Add the 4% increase to the 14% risk you started out with, and you end up with 18% risk (14% + 4% = 18%),

That means your absolute risk for breast cancer is 18% if you have no history of the disease and you smoke.

Example of Risk Going Down for a Woman with Breast Cancer History

Suppose you have had breast cancer and had lumpectomy with clear margins (meaning no cancer was found between the tumor and the edge of the surrounding tissue that was removed along with it).

After lumpectomy with clear margins, your risk of the breast cancer coming back in the same breast is about 30%. But if you choose to have radiation therapy after your lumpectomy, you can reduce your risk of the cancer coming back by two-thirds or 66%. This is the relative risk decrease.

But how much of a difference does radiation's 66% drop really make? To figure out the change to your absolute risk, take two-thirds off your risk of 30%:

Multiply your risk of the cancer coming back (30%) by the relative risk decrease from radiation therapy (66%), and you get a decrease of 20% (30% x 66% = 19.80% or 20%).
To figure out your remaining risk of recurrence after radiation, subtract the 20% from the 30% risk of recurrence that you started out with (30% - 20% = 10%). So your absolute risk of the cancer coming back falls to 10% if you have radiation therapy.

Now, after lumpectomy and radiation, is there something else you can do to knock down the 10% risk further? You may also choose to take hormonal therapy (for example, tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor) for five years. Learn more about hormonal therapy choices. If you do that, you can reduce your risk by another 50%. By taking hormonal therapy for five years, you lower your relative risk of the cancer coming back in the same breast by half or 50%. To see how big a difference hormonal therapy makes in your absolute risk, take half off your risk:

Multiply your risk by the relative risk decrease from tamoxifen (10% x 50% = 5%).
Then subtract that 5% from your risk (10%–5% = 5%).

Now your absolute risk of the cancer coming back is 5%. So by having radiation therapy and taking hormonal therapy for five years, you have reduced your risk of the breast cancer recurring from 30% to 5%.

Knowing how much your breast cancer risk changes with lifestyle changes and treatment options can help you and your doctor make the best decisions for YOU.

Kanker Payudara. Pengertian dan Penyembuhan

2008-07-02T01:38:00.001-07:00

Keberadaan ‘kanker payudara’ menimbulkan rasa takut yang luar bisa bagi kaum perempuan, selain keganasannya yang tanpa ampun, kanker ini kerap datang tiba-tiba tanpa permisi.

PayudaraNamun dengan semakin meningkatnya kesadaran para perempuan untuk melakukan pemeriksaan rutin terhadap payudaranya. Maka, kian hari tingkat kematian akibat kanker ganas ini semakin bisa dikurangi. Terutama pada penderita yang berusia di bawah 30 tahun. Tetapi jika ternyata kanker ganas ini ternyata telah bersemayam dalam tubuh Anda, mengingat perkembangannya yang sangat cepat dari stadium 1 hingga tak tertolong hanya memerlukan waktu kurang dari lima tahun. Maka Anda harus rela untuk melakukan berbagai macam tes, menjalani rangkaian pemeriksaan dan perawatan yang super intensif. Semua ini dilakukan agar perkembangan sel liar kanker dapat diketahui tingkat penyebaran. Inilah yang disebut dengan ‘stadium’. Tak perlu panik, karena kemajuan teknologi kedokteran yang semakin berkembang dari hari ke hari. Maka masih banyak kemungkinan bagi Anda untuk lolos dari penyakit mematikan ini.

Nah, ingin tahu lebih detil tentang stadium dan aneka ragam istilah perawatan medis yang harus dilalui oleh penderita kanker payudara? Berikut catatannya:

Stadium 1
Pada stadium ini, benjolan kanker tak lebih dari 2 cm dan tidak dapat terdeteksi dari luar. Perawatan yang sangat sistematis akan diberikan pada kanker stadium ini, tujuannya adalah agar sel kanker tidak dapat menyebar dan tidak berlanjut pada stadium selanjutnya. Pada stadium ini, kemungkinan sembuh total pada pasien adalah 70%.

Stadium 2
Pada stadium ini, kemungkinan sembuh penderita adalah 30 - 40 % tergantung dari luasnya penyebaran sel kanker. Biasanya besarnya benjolan kanker sudah lebih dari 2 bahkan bisa sampai 5 cm dan tingkat penyebarannya pun sudah sampai daerah ketiak. Atau bisa juga ukuran kanker sudah mencapai 5 cm tapi belum menyebar kemana-mana. Biasanya dilakukan operasi untuk mengangkat sel-sel kanker yang ada pada seluruh bagian penyebaran, dan setelah operasi dilakukan penyinaran untuk memastikan tidak ada lagi sel-sel kanker yang tertinggal.

Stadium 3A
Menurut data dari Depkes, 87% kanker payudara ditemukan pada stadium ini. Benjolan kanker sudah berukuran lebih dari 5 cm dan sudah menyebar ke kelenjar limfa.

Stadium 3B
Kanker sudah menyebar ke seluruh bagian payudara, bahkan mencapai kulit, dinding dada, tulang rusuk dan otot dada. Selain itu juga penyebarannya juga sudah menyerang secara tuntas kalenjar limfa. Jika sudah demikian tidak ada alternatif lain selain pengangkatan payudara.

Stadium 4
Sel-sel kanker sudah merembet menyerang bagian tubuh lainnya, biasanya tulang, paru-paru, hati atau otak. Atau bisa juga menyerang kulit, kelenjar limfa yang ada di dalam batang leher. Sama seperti stadium 3, tindakan yang harus dilakukan adalah pengangkatan payudara.

Berikut beberapa istilah tindakan medis yang dilakukan dokter untuk menghentikan laju pertumbuhan sel kanker:

Lumpectomy
Istilah awamnya adalah ‘pengangkatan benjolan’. Biasanya pengangkatan ini disertai sedikit (sangat minimal) jaringan yang sehat. Dengan cara ini, diharapkan jaringan yang tersisa dan masih sehat akan dapat membentuk kembali payudara secara alami.

Mastectomy Radikal
Pengangkatan payudara sebagian atau seluruhnya termasuk otot dada di bawah payudara untuk mencegah penyebaran kanker yang lebih luas. Sekarang, metode ini sudah jarang digunakan karena teknologi kedokteran sudah semakin maju.

Chemotherapy
Adalah terapi yang diberikan berupa pemberian obat-obatan tertentu yang sangat kuat efeknya (anti kanker). Terapi ini bisa diberikan lewat mulut atau berupa suntikan pada pembuluh darah. Pengobatan ini harus diberikan secara berulang-ulang dengan siklus yang berlangsung antara 3 sampai 6 bulan.

Terapi hormon
Metode pemberian hormon yang berfungsi sebagai penghambat laju perkembangan sel kanker.

Terapi radiasi
Pengobatan ini biasanya diberikan bersamaan dengan lumpectomy atau masectomy, fungsi terapi ini adalah untuk menghancurkan sel-sel kanker agar tidak merembet ke bagian tubuh yang lainnya.

Vonis kanker payudara bukanlah akhir dari segalanya, dokter adalah manusia yang bisa mengatakan apa saja. Namun, tetap Tuhanlah penentu segalanya termasuk umur manusia!

Tips Berhenti Merokok

2008-07-02T01:35:00.000-07:00

Ada bermacam-macam strategi yang dapat digunakan untuk menolong diri sendiri membuang kebiasaan merokok, seperti membuat tangan tetap sibuk mengunyah wortel, menghela napas panjang di udara segar, minu air putih, atau bahkan menghadiahi diri sendiri.

Kendatipun demikian berikut ini beberapa cara yang dapat meningkatkan peluang Anda untuk berhasil berhenti merokok dan tidak kembali lagi ke kebiasaan semula selama minggu-minggu pertama yang sangat kritis :

1. Catat kemajuan Anda. Bila Anda mencoba berhenti merokok secara pelan-pelan tetapi mantap, yang penting Anda perbuat adalah menetapkan kapan Anda akan betul-betul meninggalkan rokok. Akan tetapi sementara itu, catat setiap batang rokok yang Anda isap-di mana dan dalam kondisi apa, saran Don R. Powel, Ph.D. ketua American Institute for Preventive Medicine di Farmingto Hills, Michigan, yang juga seorang mantan perokok. Ini akan memudahkan Anda mengidentifikasi situasi-situasi yang menyebabka Anda merokok lalu menentukan perilaku alternatif sebagai pengganti merokok.

2. Tahan keinginan Anda. Apabila Anda berhenti merokok secara bertahap, tiap kali Anda merasakan dorongan untuk merokok’ tunggu lima menit sebelum menyalakannya’, kata Dr. Powell. Setelah beberapa hari, perpanjang penundaan itu hingga 10 menit. Beberapa hari kemudian, perpanjang lagi menjadi 15 menit, dan seterusnya. "Anda akan menemukan bahwa dorongan untuk merokok semakin lama akan menghilang semakin cepat," katanya.

3. Cari pertolongan. Entah Anda ingin berhenti secara mendadak atau secara bertahap dengan pelan-pelan mengurangi banyak rokok yang Anda isap, alangkah baiknya bila ada orang yang memberikan dukungan. Dengan dukungan dari beberapa orang, hasilnya akan
jauh berbeda. Mintalah dukungan dari teman-teman dan keluarga, atau dari perkumpulan yang sama-sama ingin berhenti merokok.

4. Minum sari jeruk. Bagian paling sulit dari cara berhenti langsung dan menyeluruh, yang paling populer (tetapi bukan paling menjamin keberhasilan), adalah ketika Anda harus mengatasi reaksi-reaksi akibat hilangnya asupan nikotin, dan ini bisa berlangsung selama satu atau dua pekan. Akan tetapi Anda akan lebih mudah mengatasi reaksi-reaksi seperti mudah tersinggung, cemas, bingung, sulit konsentrasi, dan sulit tidur akibat penghentian asupan nikotin secara jauh lebih cepat apabila Anda banyak meminum sari jeruk selama masa itu. Itu karena sari jeruk membuat urin Anda lebih asam, jadi lebih cepat mengusir nikotin dari tubuh Anda, kata Thomas Cooper, D.D.S., seorang peneliti ketergantungan nikotin dan dosen ilmu kesehatan mulut di University of Kentucky di Lexington.

Selain itu rasa jeruk dalam mulut bisa membuat Anda merasa bahwa rokok tidak enak. Akan tetapi, bila Anda berhenti merokok dengan bantuan permen karet atau plester mengandung nikotin dari dokter, hindari minum sari jeruk dan minuman-minuman asam lain, karena dengan obat itu Anda ingin agar nikotin tetap ada dalam sistem Anda.

5. Bayangkan bahwa Anda sedang flu. Sebelum memberikan permen karet atau plester mengandung nikotin, ada dokter yang biasan meminta pasien yang ingin berhenti merokok agar membayangkan bahwa mereka sedang sakit flu.

Menurut Douglas E Jorenby, koordinator kegiatan klinis di Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention di University of Winsconsin medical School, gejala-gejala ketergantungan ini mirip dengan flu. Anda mudah tersinggung, sulit berkonsentrasi, lesu. Dan seperti ketika sedang flu, tidak banyak yang dapat Anda perbuat selain menunggu sampai mereda dengan sendirinya. Akan tetapi Anda akan mampu melewatinya. Selama Anda tidak menyerah dan kembali ke kebiasaan semula, reaksi ketergantungan itu akan hilang dalam seminggu atau dua minggu."

6. Jauhi bar dan kafe. Godaan terbesar untuk merokok lagi adalah ketika Anda pergi ke bar atau kafe, kata Dr. Jorenby. "Bagi banyak orang, kalau tangan yang satu memegang minuman, tangan yang lain harus memegang rokok. Oleh sebab itu jauhi dulu bar atau kafe selama setidaknya dua minggu pertama setelah berhenti merokok." Sebaliknya, sering-seringlah pergi ke perpustakaan, tempat ibadah, dan tempat-tempat umum lain yang melarang orang merokok. "Orang yang berhenti merokok tidak usah bersumpah tidak akan ke bar atau ke kafe lagi, tetapi berdasarkan pengalaman kami, tempat itu mengundang risiko tinggi bagi Anda, kecuali bila Anda telah berhasil mengatasi keinginan untuk merokok."

7. Tulis surat kepada istri tercinta. Ketika ketergantungan nikotin menyerang Anda, alih-alih mengambil rokok dan korek api, angkatlah pena kemudian tulis surat kepada istri Anda yang menerangkan mengapa merokok sangat penting dalam hidup Anda, kata Robert Van de Castle, ‘ Ph.D., profesor emeritus di University of Virginia Medical Center di Charlottesville. Dalam surat itu, cobalah menerangkan mengapa Anda meneruskan kebiasaan itu walaupun tahu bahwa itu akan mengurangi umur Anda dan mungkin tidak akan dapat menyaksikan putra Anda lulus dari perguruan tinggi, menikah atau peristiwa penting lain.

Waspadai Pengapuran pada Sendi

2008-07-02T01:32:00.001-07:00

Jika jari terasa pegal, paling enak memang menarik jari-jari hingga berbunyi gemeretuk. Begitupun ketika pinggang terasa pegal, langsung memutir tubuh hingga bunyi gemeretuk. Setelah itu, pegal rasanya hilang seketika. Tetapi benarkah demikian?

Karena menurut dokter spesialis tulang (orthopedik) RS Siaga, dr Lukman Shebubakar, jari-jari atau sendi kaki yang suka mengeluarkan bunyi gemeretuk merupakan pertanda bahwa seseorang menderita pengapuran pada sendi atau osteoarhritis.

"Berbeda dengan osteoporosis yang berarti pengapuran pada tulang, maka osteoarhritis adalah pengapuran pada sendi," kata dr Lukman Shebubakar dalam sebuah seminar tentang osteoarhritis, di Jakarta, belum lama ini.
Dijelaskan, tubuh manusia terdiri atas 206 tulang dan 230 sendi. Osteoartritis adalah suatu penyakit sendi menahun yang ditandai dengan adanya kemunduran pada tulang rawan sendi dan tulang di dekatnya, yang bisa menyebabkan nyeri sendi dan kekakuan.

"Pengapuran sendi pasti akan dirasakan setiap orang, terutama oleh orang yang sudah berusia lebih dari 40 tahun. Akan tetapi, hal itu dapat terjadi lebih dini," ujarnya.

Osteoarhritis bisa dialami orang dewasa yang pernah mengalami kecelakaan, infeksi pada sendi, atau bisa juga pada bayi yang mengalami kelainan bawaan.
"Osteoarhritis bisa terjadi hampir pada semua sendi. Biasanya terjadi pada sendi yang biasa menahan beban berat dan juga pada sendi yang sering digunakan, misalnya lutut, pinggul, punggung atau tulang belakang, tangan, dan kaki," tuturnya.
Gejala yang ditimbulkan dari osteoarhritis datang secara bertahap. Biasanya diawali dari satu sendi, adanya nyeri sendi, kesulitan naik dan turun tangga, sulit berdiri setelah lama duduk atau jongkok.

Orang-orang yang rentan dan berisiko tinggi terkena penyakit itu adalah orang yang pekerjaannya menimbulkan penekanan berulang pada sendi. "Penyakit yang timbul jika terjadi pengapuran pada sendi bisa sampai mengakibatkan berubahnya bentuk sendi," ucapnya.

Mengapa terjadi pengapuran?

Dr Lukman menjelaskan, sendi lutut merupakan sendi dengan beban kerja yang cukup berat. Saat berdiri tegak, sendi itu dalam posisi mengunci agar posisi tubuh stabil. Sedangkan saat berjalan, sendi ini berperan laiknya engsel, sehingga gerakan kaki menjadi fleksibel.

"Saat kita berlari, atau berolahraga, sendi harus dapat menahan beban putaran dan daya saat kaki menekuk, melompat atau saat berlari. Hal itu menunjukkan bahwa sendi lutut memegang peranan penting dalam setiap posisi atau gerakan tubuh," katanya.

Dijelaskan, dalam sendi lutut, terdapat tiga komponen tulang. Ujung tulang paha (femur), tulang tungkai bawah (tibia) dan tulang lutut (patella). Pada bagian ujung dari tulang, terdapat komponen yang disebut dengan tulang rawan.
Tulang rawan berperan melapisi ujung tulang di persendian. Dengan adanya tulang rawan, ketiga tulang tersebut bertemu, namun tidak terjadi gesekan, dan gerakan sendi menjadi mulus.

"Sesuai perjalanan usia, pada orang tua akan terjadi kerusakan pada tulang rawan (kartilago) sendi. Selain faktor usia, ada juga faktor lain yang dapat mempercepat proses kerusakan. Misalnya saja infeksi, trauma, aktivitas yang tinggi atau berat badan berlebih," katanya.

Jika terjadi kerusakan, maka tulang rawan menjadi tipis dan permukaannya tidak rata. Akibatnya terjadi gesekan diantara tulang, menimbulkan nyeri. Selain itu pengapuran sendi lutut, juga dapat disebabkan oleh bentuk sendi yang tidak normal.
Ia menyebutkan tindakan menekuk keluar (valgus), atau menekuk ke dalam (varus). Kondisi ini mengakibatkan beban tubuh tidak lagi berada pada tempat yang ideal, melainkan bergeser ke arah luar atau ke dalam. Bagian yang mengalami beban berat akan lebih cepat mengalami pengapuran dibanding bagian yang tidak mendapat beban.

Kerusakan pada tulang rawan mengakibatkan gerakan tidak lagi mulus. Ujung-ujung tulang bertemu dan bergesekan satu sama lain. Kerusakan tulang rawan merangsang pertumbuhan tulang baru di dalam sendi, dikenal dengan osteofit. Dengan adanya osteofit, nyeri bertambah parah, dan tentu saja aktivitas terganggu.
Perlu diketahui bahwa selama ini ada di kalangan kalangan awam yang salah mengartikan pengapuran dengan osteoporosis. Osteoporosis merupakan pengeroposan tulang, sedangkan osteartritis adalah kerusakan pada tulang rawan sendi (kartilago).

Untuk menentukan ada tidaknya pengapuran pada sendi, selain melakukan pemeriksaan fisik, dokter juga akan melakukan pemeriksaan penunjang. Misalnya saja melakukan foto rontgen. Pemeriksaan ini penting untuk mengetahui kondisi sendi lutut dan memperkirakan derajat kerusakan.

Jika dicurigai adanya masalah pada jaringan lunak, semisal pada ligamen (urat) atau pada tendon di daerah sendi lutut, maka akan dilakukan pemeriksaan Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Pemeriksaan itu dapat menemukan adannya robekan, atau penyakit lain, pada jaringan lunak di daerah lutut semisal otot, tendon atau ligamen. Penyebab kerusakan beragam diantaranya trauma atau infeksi.

Tentang pengobatan, dr Lukman menyebutkan ada beberapa lini terapi yang digunakan untuk mengatasi pengapuran pada sendi lutut. Tahap awal biasanya diberikan obat penghilang rasa nyeri. Obat Anti Inflamasi Non Steroid (AINS), seminal asam mefenamat,ibuprofen, piroksikam dapat digunakan.

"Efek samping obat jenis ini, terjadi gangguan lambung. Selain itu minum, dapat diberikan anti nyeri yang dioleskan langsung ke kulit. Berbentuk jel atau spray disemprotkan langsung di daerah kulit sekitar lutut," katanya.

Jenis AINS yang terbaru dikenal dengan COX-2 inhibitor. Efek samping obat ini terhadap saluran cerna lebih kecil disbanding dengan obat AINS biasa. Belakangan diketahui bahwa obat ini menimbulkan risiko jantung dan stroke. Sehingga penggunaanya pada penderita yang memiliki serangan jantung atau stroke perlu diwaspadai.

Jika pengobatan kurang mendapatkan hasil, dianjurkan bagi penderita untuk melakukan fisioterapi. Latihan dapat dilakukan dengan bantuan ahli fisioterapi,untuk mendapatkan gerak yang normal pada lutut, dan menghilangkan nyeri. Latihan yang dapat meningkatkan kemampuan otot di sekitar lutut, sehingga lebih stabil dan posisi tubuh seimbang.

Terapi lain adalah dengan menyuntikan langsung obat ke sendi lutut untuk menghilangkan rasa nyeri. Efek terapi dapat bertahan hingga beberapa bulan. Dokter akan mempertimbangkan masak-masak sebelum melakukan tindakan ini, karena jika terlalu sering malah mengakibatkan kerusakan tulang rawan sendi.
Operasi yang dilakukan bisa melalui operasi arthroscopy, osteotomy, arthtoplasty, dan arthrodesis. "Selain operasi, terdapat cara penyembuhan lain yaitu dengan fisioterapi, atau program latihan lain. Selain itu dukungan psikososial sangat perlu, bahkan dengan cara yang sederhana, yaitu dengan cara mengonsumsi vitamin glukosomin, atau dengan olahraga yang tepat," ujarnya.

Ditambahkan, selain itu pentingnya seseorang mempertimbangkan kegiatan dengan kekuatan sendi yang sesuai dengan umur.

"Untuk orang yang mengalami obesitas atau kegemukan, maka makanan yang dikonsumsi harus dijaga karena orang yang obesitas cenderung terkena penyakit ini," terangnya.

Portion Distortion: 5 Easy Ways to Downsize Your Servings

2008-06-15T04:03:00.001-07:00

What’s less likely to derail your diet: a big bowl of frozen yogurt or a small chocolate chip cookie? If you guessed the cookie, you’re right—and you’re in the minority. In one recent survey, 62% of people said that the kind of food you eat matters more than how much you eat when you’re trying to lose weight. But new research on portion control says that’s wrong. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who shrank their portions by 25% slashed 250 calories a day—enough to help them lose a half-pound a week—and still felt full. Ready to downsize? Here are five easy ways to get started.

Trim your trigger foods
Most people typically overeat two or three favorite foods—usually pastas, breads, meats, snacks, or sweets, says Stacey Nelson, MS, RD, LDN, senior clinical nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. It may be that we love the taste, nosh mindlessly in front of the TV, or just hang on to a childhood habit. Nelson’s tip: Get to know recommended serving sizes for your favorites, and stick to them as closely as you can. Butter your bread, for instance, with a pat no bigger than a large postage stamp, says Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD, professor of nutrition at New York University and author of The Portion Teller. A serving of fish (3 ounces) should be the size of a checkbook, a serving of steak should look like a deck of cards, and a potato serving should be no bigger than a computer mouse. (For more comparisons, visit EatRight.org and search for “portion sizes.”)

If those portions sound frustratingly small, start slowly. Eat a few spoonfuls less of rice and pasta, or go with half a sandwich instead of a whole. Cutting portions of foods with hefty calories helps you cut calories, period, says Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University. And fewer calories equal fewer pounds. Bonus: As long as you don’t go overboard, this simple lifestyle change lets you eat almost anything (we didn’t mention that cookie for nothing).

See less, eat less
“We eat whatever portion is placed before us,” says David Levitsky, PhD, an obesity researcher at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. So the trick is to avoid seeing more food than you want to eat. This strategy worked for Susan Pedersen, 40, of Wichita, Kan. By immediately putting away food after serving herself the right-size portions, she skipped second helpings and lost 35 pounds. “I’d cook only one portion of meat or serve about a cup of spaghetti and then refrigerate the leftovers,” she says. “The rest of the meal would be salad with a low-fat dressing and some fruit.”

Tweak this approach for snacks. Place a small amount of pretzels in a bowl instead of grazing from bags or boxes. And freeze tempting treats like brownies. They won’t call out from the cupboard.

Shrink your plates
Try eating dinner on smaller side plates; you’ll have less to eat. “When I eat off of a salad plate, I still feel full. It definitely works,” says Suzanne Rapp, 33, an equity trader in Boston who shed 10 pounds in less than three months.

Don’t like salad plates? Try dishware designed to keep your portions in check. Mesü ($50; 973-582-4208 ) offers a stylish six-piece porcelain set that features pastel graphics on the bottom to indicate portion sizes from ½ to 2 cups and pastel lines inside to tell you when to stop piling on the pasta (or whatever).

Create your own after-meal ritual
Brush your teeth. Chew a piece of sugarless gum. Or sip a hot drink like tea or sugar-free cocoa. These rituals can be cues to stop eating and should help curb the impulse to indulge in seconds or dessert, Nelson says.

Try practicing mind over munching
Overeating is often a psychological problem. These mind games may help.

Think of meat and pasta as side dishes. For instance, fill half your plate with broccoli and cauliflower, a quarter with chicken, and a quarter with linguine.
Imagine you’re treating your body like a trash can when you polish off morsels you don’t really want. Yuck.
Many of us are programmed to eat in “units” (one sandwich, one yogurt, etc.), notes a new study in Psychological Science. If that sounds like you, stick to small units. Chances are, you won’t go back for another—or back to your old dress size.

By Alicia Potter

Source of Contaminated Tomatoes Still Unknown: FDA

2008-06-15T03:34:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) — Even as the number of reported illnesses from salmonella-tainted tomatoes continued to climb, U.S. health officials were still grappling to find the source of the contamination.

The number of people sickened in the outbreak has risen to 228 in 23 states, with 25 hospitalizations, health officials announced Thursday. Six more states—Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New York, Tennessee and Vermont—have now reported cases.

And, officials said, the number of infections is likely to climb as more suspected cases are formally diagnosed as salmonellosis, the infection caused by the salmonella bacteria.

“The CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] considers the outbreak ongoing,” Dr. David Acheson, associate commissioner for food protection at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said during a late-Thursday teleconference. “The lag time between somebody consuming a tomato and winding up in the system could be two weeks or longer. You always see a delay between consumption and it actually appearing in a database.”

Despite assurances earlier this week that officials were zeroing in on the source of the infections, Acheson said the cause of the outbreak still hasn’t been determined.

“I understand the frustration. We were being too optimistic earlier in the week. The truth is, every time we get more information, we are getting a little closer,” he said.

“It’s true to say that we may never know what farm the outbreak started on,” Acheson added. “The goal is to trace it back to the farm and try to find out what went wrong.”

States reporting illnesses include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, the FDA said.

On Tuesday, the warning about salmonella-contaminated tomatoes was expanded to include the entire country.

So far there have been no confirmed deaths, but the death of a Texas man was still under investigation, Dr. Ian Williams, chief of the OutbreakNet Team at the CDC, said during a Wednesday teleconference. The man had cancer and consumed pico de gallo, which is made with tomatoes.

The particular type of salmonella involved, Salmonella Saintpaul, is virulent and relatively rare, accounting for only about 400 reported cases annually in the United States, Williams said.

FDA officials have said the outbreak seems to be linked to certain types of raw and red tomatoes and products containing these tomatoes. In particular, the agency said, raw, red plum tomatoes; raw, red Roma tomatoes; and raw, round red tomatoes should be avoided at this time.

Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached appear to be safe. But all tomatoes should be washed before eating, officials advised.

The FDA recommends consuming raw, red plum, raw, red Roma or raw, red round tomatoes only if you know they have been grown and harvested from these areas: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Belgium, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea in humans. Some 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States each year, although the CDC estimates that because milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be 30 or more times greater. Approximately 600 people die each year after being infected.

In related news, there were these actions on Thursday:

U.S. lawmakers voted to subpoena nine companies that are responsible for analyzing the most dangerous foods entering the country. The House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce subcommittee has been investigating for months the possibility that government import alerts were being circumvented. Potentially dangerous foods from abroad can only enter the marketplace after a laboratory has determined they are safe, according to FDA rules. But the investigators have been told that it is a routine practice for private labs to test food until a clean result is obtained, the Associated Press reported.
Congressional investigators said the FDA has failed to meet its own stated goals of protecting the nation’s food supply.The investigators for the Government Accountability Office were scheduled to tell the House Energy and Commerce Committee that the FDA has done little to implement its “food protection plan,” a risk-based inspection system of food plants, which the agency released in November, The New York Times reported.
A poll released by the Harvard School of Public Health found that, despite the number of food safety incidents in recent years, most Americans are confident that the food produced in the United States is safe. However, many have concerns about the safety of imported food produced in some other countries.

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on the current salmonella outbreak.

SOURCES: June 12, 2008, teleconference with David Acheson, M.D., associate commissioner for foods, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; June 11, 2008, teleconference with Ian Williams, M.D., chief, OutbreakNet Team, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; June 12, 2008, news release, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston