Dear Health-Conscious Friend,
Your body is designed to heal itself naturally. But sometimes you might look for outside help to try and speed the process. Sounds like a good idea, but
sometimes you can choose products that might do more harm than good.
For instance, thousands of people use common drugstore medications to relieve stomach indigestion. In todays Monday Edition of Health News Weekly, read about new research that shows why this could spell trouble for your mental health!
If you want to protect your brainand discover a few secrets for keeping your body as young and healthy as possiblelets get started
Can Antacids Cause Brain Damage?
Pepcid®, Zantac®, Tagamet® and other popular antacids used by millions of Americans may be associated with cognitive impairment in older African-Americans, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute say elderly patients risk of cognitive impairment is 2.5 times greater with long-term use of the class of antacids known as histamine2 receptor antagonists (H2A) drugs.
These acid blockers, including ranitidine and famotidine, are among the most popular medications prescribed in the United States.
More than 16 million prescriptions were dispensed in 2005 and many of these medications are also available over-the-counter. The antacids are used to treat ulcers, acid reflux and other gastrointestinal disorders.
The five-year observational study included 1,558 cognitively normal African-Americans aged 65 and older. After controlling for other possible factors, nearly 18% of study participants exhibited signs of cognitive impairment.
Taking these medications continuously appears to put older African-Americans at greater risk for the development of cognitive impairment, said Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine and lead author of the study.
Dr. Boustani said the team needs to continue research to determine how acid blockers might be causing or creating this effect and whether it occurs only in African-Americans.
Safety Concerns Prompt Tougher State
Examinations of Retail Store Clinics
More states are scrutinizing the quality of care offered by clinics in retail stores such as Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Target. This is in response to a campaign launched by the American Medical Association campaign and physician groups that asked states to investigate in-store clinics, the Wall Street Journal reports.
According to the Journal, some states that once gave the clinics extensive waivers from hygiene and safety restrictions are beginning to crack down as the facilities grow in number nationwide.
There are more than 730 retail clinics throughout the U.S. Several retailers, including CVS Caremark Wal-Mart Stores Walgreens and Target, all have plans to expand their number of clinics this year. Some states have established new restrictions on in-store clinics while others ban them altogether.
Florida requires clinics to post a sign stating whether a doctor is on site. They must also disclose staffers credentials to patients. California has mandated that retail clinics be owned by a physician.
Some states, such as Texas and Wyoming, have reduced restrictions on the treatments that nurse practitioners can administer in the clinics, the Journal reports.
CVS Caremark has been working to demonstrate that its clinics properly administer appropriate treatments within the scope of services provided. The Journal states company officials cite a study to be released later this year in the American Journal of Medical Quality finding that for sore throatsthe most common condition treated at in-store clinicsthe facilities gave proper treatment 99.15% of the time.
According to a survey conducted by Forrester Research, patients at retail clinics use them because of conveniencenot quality. It is of note that 7% of survey respondents thought the care they received was better than that at a typical visit to a doctors office, the Journal reports.
Fast Fact
Did you know a common garden weed is a natural diuretic acts as a laxative and even helps soothe arthritis symptoms? The leaves from those pesky dandelions can provide all those benefits! Try adding some dandelion leavesfrom the health food store, NOT your gardento your salad!
Need Lasting Relief for a Swollen,
Stuffy Nose?
Do allergies or sinus problems give you a clogged nose that leaves you gasping for breath? Well, try giving your nose a regular bath!
A report in the current issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews says washing your nasal passages with slightly salty water can improve symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitisthat is, inflammation of the nasal mucus membranes and sinuses.
Saline irrigations are not just a feel good treatment, Dr. Richard Harvey, at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, told Reuters Health. Dr. Harvey said using nasal saline improves clinical outcomes for people suffering with chronic rhinosinusitis and can be included in the treatment plan. Harvey and his associates reviewed the study findings published on the clinical effectiveness of topical saline therapy.
They found that saline irrigation was better than no treatment in improving symptoms. In one study, the saline treatment improved the disease-specific quality-of-life when added to oral antihistamine therapy.
Dr. Harvey said there are currently several studies focused on the effectiveness of different delivery techniques. There are several varieties on the market, including pump sprays, squeeze bottles, nebulizers and pressurized sprays.
He further notes that while this is an area of ongoing research, his experience suggests squeeze bottles, and pressurized sprayswhich can deliver high volumes under positive pressureare probably the most effective.
Health E-Hints
Green Tea: A Health Superhero!
Did you know that tea is the second most common beverage in the worldsecond only to water? In addition to a pleasant taste and aroma, the antioxidant properties of green tea offer numerous health benefits too. If youre wondering what green tea can do for youcheck out some of the benefits published in the November/December 2006 issue of Explore:
- Helps fight cold, flu and other nasty viruses.
- Helps lower bad LDL cholesterol levels.
- Helps prevent or improve abnormal cells in the lymph nodes breast cervix colon lungs and more!
- Helps build endurance.
- Promotes weight loss.
If youre concerned about or sensitive to caffeine you can always drink a decaffeinated brand. So raise a glass of green tea and drink to your health!