Dear Health-Conscious Friend,
The change of seasons has sent the mercury rising in thermometers across the country. And if youre a woman experiencing menopause, these high temperatures are the LAST thing you want to feel as you deal with your private summers!
In this weeks Monday Edition of Health News Weekly, Ill reveal some nutrition tips to help you manage some of your symptoms and discomfort.
And for men who may be dealing with the pain and discomfort of a swollen prostate gland, Ill tell you about a surprising cosmetic treatment some doctors are using to provide relief
Plus, Ill tell you why the FDA recently requested the scary black box warnings for some popular diabetes drugs
So lets not waste another minute!
FDA Memo Proves Agency Knew of
Avandia® Danger Five Years Ago
An internal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) memo issued in July 2002 proves the agency was aware of an increased risk of congestive heart failure (CHF) associated with the diabetes drug Avandia®. It leaves many folks wondering why the American public has been informed only recently of the drugs link to heart problemsand why the FDA ignored the warnings of its own scientists.
Nearly five years ago, scientists in the FDAs Division of Drug Risk Evaluation recommended that labels for the class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs) be revised to mention reports of heart failure. This class of drugs includes the Eli Lilly & Co. drug Avandia® and Actos®another commonly prescribed diabetes drug made by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. A third drug in the class, Rezulin®, was banned in 2000 because of liver toxicity.
Data from this case series provides evidence that TZDs may be associated with CHF (congestive heart failure) to an extent not clearly defined in the product labels, the FDA scientists wrote. A study released in May 2007 by the New England Journal of Medicine showed a 43 percent increase in heart attacks in people using Avandia®.
The FDA recently asked the two diabetes drug makers to put black box warnings about the risk of congestive heart failure on their labels. The FDA has set a July 30 advisory panel meeting to discuss heart attack and other heart-related risks of Avandia® and Actos®
Doctors Use Wrinkle Remedy to
Relieve Swollen Prostates!
If youre one of the 20 million men worldwide with an enlarged prostate, you might be all too familiar with some of the painful symptoms. You might need to make frequent nightly bathroom visits experience a burning sensation as you relieve yourself or even see blood in your urine!
If youre searching for sweet relief from painful prostate problems, researchers say a popular wrinkle remedy may provide a surprising cure. A study conducted at the Chang Gung University Medical College in Taiwan found that 75% of study participants suffering from excess prostate growthor benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)experienced partial symptom relief when doctors injected Botox® directly into their swollen glands.
Dr. Michael B. Chancellor, lead study investigator and professor of urology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said a single Botox® injection can provide symptom relief for an entire year. Botox® does not change the size of the prostate glandbut it does relax the nerves and muscles in the prostate to make urine flow easier
A healthy prostate is a walnut-sized gland surrounding your urethra (urinary tube). Your prostate experiences some growth during puberty. But as early as your mid-20s, the gland begins to grow again. A combination of hormonal changes diet and environmental factors can cause this second growth spurt.
A healthy prostate should remain the size of a walnut. Even with a modest amount of growth, your prostate shouldnt become larger than the size of a small plum. If your prostate grows larger than thisyou can begin to experience discomfort and urination problems.
According to the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse, BPH usually occurs in men over age 50. The group says more than half of all men over age 60 develop this condition. In addition to problems with urination, some men experience urinary tract infections and in more severe cases bladder and kidney damage.
Millions of men take alpha-blocker drugs to help relax muscles near the prostate. This relieves pressure and allows urine to flow more freely. But these drugs include a disturbing list of side effects. Alpha-blockers can produce headaches dizziness fatigue even sudden fainting!
The effect of Botox® on the prostate gland is similar to what the alpha-blocker drugs do. But, Chancellor and his colleagues say, more research on the effectiveness of Botox®as a prostate remedy is needed. At the very least, doctors say the 5-minute procedure is a minimally invasive approach for prostate relief.
Fast Fact
Heres a soothing balm for broken blisters: Dab a few drops of mouthwash on a blister that splits. It acts as a powerful antiseptic to help heal your skin and soothe the pain!
Health E-Hints
Foods to Help You Beat Menopause Heat!
If youre a women experiencing menopause madnessyou might not be able to escape the mood swings and irritability that are common to this phase of life. But WebMD diet expert, Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, says you can make food choices to help relieve some of the symptoms and discomfort.
Magee says try a few of these nutrition tips if youre experiencing hot flashes:
- Steer clear of spicy foods around your prime time for hot-flashes.
- Avoid eating hefty meals, which can increase your body temperature.
- Chew on ice chips or sip an ice-cold, no-calorie beverage when you have hot flashes to help decrease your body temperature.
- Take a cold shower before you tend to get hot flashes; this can help decrease your body temperature for hours afterwards.
- Try a daily serving or two of a phytoestrogen-rich food, like soymilk, tofu, edamame, papaya, or a daily tablespoon of ground flax seed.
Magee says you should also avoid hot-flash trigger foods and drinks before bedtime. Your dinner meals are what youll be digesting around bedtime.
A final tip is to make exercise part of your daily routine. It helps you sleep soundlyand may help you sleep through some of the milder night sweats!