Your Doctor in a Twitter

If you are not familiar with online social networking sites like Facebook, Friends Reunited and Twitter, this may come as a bit of a shock. Most people use these sites to contact their friends and post photos of themselves and information about what they are doing. However, it now emerges that doctors in the US are also using them to find information about difficult cases.

If they get a patient with symptoms that confuse them, or they haven’t seen before, then they are asking questions on the web of other doctors in the hope they can help. Sounds sensible, but given the way that such sites are vulnerable to invasion and piracy I am not sure I want my doctor asking an unknown faceless person on the web what he thinks of my rash. Given the way people hide behind false identities on the web, they may not be talking to other doctors at all.

Astrological health profiles – Aries

Aries 21 March – 20 April

Courageous, fast-moving and highly motivated, this sign can also be hot-headed and impulsive, good in some situation, but not so great for your health. Watch out for:

* Being accident prone leading to cuts, scalds, burns and bruises * Unusually severe and frequent stress-related headaches * Short temper and extreme tiredness due to surges of adrenaline * Teeth are vulnerable, so have regular check-ups

Sounds like some stress management or mood calming therapies might be helpful. Some Buddhist mindfulness around being present might help eliminate some of those careless accidents where your mind is somewhere else and those surges of adrenaline might be caused by too many stimulants such as coffee, sugar or chocolate. A more balanced diet with plenty of carbohydrates to even out your blood sugar should help.

Bad memory? Pop a pill

Let’s face it we all get ‘senior moments’, I was regularly having them in my 30′s but then I always was ahead of myself. Lists help some people, a rubber band around the wrist is also an alternative, but now there is news of a possible ‘memory pill’ that could make forgetfulness a thing of the past.

Originally developed to treat Alzheimer’s, they are now being promoted to help with exam revision and memory loss – which of course is a much bigger, and more profitable, market. AstraZeneca is ahead in the race to get this product to market as an over the counter item as what they term a ‘lifestyle pill’. And here was me thinking it was something you only got in Sunday supplements.

This isn’t the first such drug to catch the eye of the consumer, and students have apparently been trying a drug called Provigil, used to treat narcolepsy, to help them stay awake. Whether for studying or partying isn’t known yet, but there is some evidence that ADD drugs like Ritalin are being used to help promote concentration – which they would certainly need if they are regularly using drugs to keep them awake beyond their own body’s tolerance.

It isn’t illegal to buy these drugs over the Internet, but there are risks as there are with all medicines. In particular these drugs can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels but not all clinicians agree. Barbara Sahakian is professor of clinical neuropsychology at Cambridge and she has likened these new cognitive drugs to products like Red Bull and other drinks that stimulate with caffeine and sugar, seeing them as not so different.

Not sure I agree, there is a limit to the number of soft drinks you can down to get a stimulant effect, but with drugs it is all too easy to just take another dose and we just don’t know what the cumulative effect in the system might be.

Your online doctor will see you now

I know it can be tedious hanging around the doctor’s surgery – no matter what time the appointment it’s rare you get in there on time isn’t it – but a new trend from the USA could make that a thing of the past. We are now internet savvy; from banking to shopping online we are used to remote contact – but how do you feel about expanding that to include your doctor?

What do you do when you feel a cough, cold or sore throat coming on? Head to the pharmacy or make an appointment to see the Doctor. If you are a busy New York casting director you do a Star Trek and have the doctor beamed into your office. No, really! This chap just switched on his laptop where he has an account at something called hellohealth.com which is a ‘virtual’ doctor’s office. There, for a monthly fee, you can ‘visit’ by video link with a doctor to ask questions, get diagnosed, and have a prescription phoned to your nearest pharmacy to collect.

The doctors communicate in the modern way and you can connect via the internet, email or mobile, and it is certainly catching on in busy New York. Obviously the amount of diagnosis is limited over a video link, but as a first call to pick up any problems it does have its advantages. You get an appointment at your time of choosing and can talk online via video, e-mail a question or visit a Web site where, for a small fee, a doctor will answer your medical questions instantly.

The future is here … Ever pop into Asda? Well their American parent, Wal-Mart has set up clinics in some of their stores in Texas where patients speak via videolink to a physician who works in a central office. The doctor can see a patient’s throat and ears via a camera at the end of medical instruments. Emergency medical technicians at the clinics operate the instruments and do hands-on tasks such as taking blood pressure and temperature. A basic office visit costs $59. Got a medical question? If you need information on your medication or symptoms for measles then there are online sites that have various specialists on hand to give quick answers. Current charge is around $16 – roughly £9.81 per answer, so you might do better to use a great free service here in the UK. I find that NHS Direct does a good job for answering questions for free, and they are very helpful. If you want to try them they are on 0845 4647

PMS Relief

I know many women suffer greatly from a variety of physical, mental and emotional symptoms with PMS (Pre Menstrual Syndrome) and their partners usually also suffer the fallout with monthly regularity. There are some very simple, natural, tips that can help and before you next lock yourself in a dark room with a hot water bottle and some painkillers, it might be worth trying some of these ideas first:

** Get your mineral balance right in particular calcium and magnesium. Just 400 mg of calcium carbonate daily has been shown to help with mood swings, bloating, and headaches. Several large studies have shown that women with PMS have lower calcium levels than women with a good intake from food sources who had very few symptoms.

** Calcium is best taken with magnesium for the best effect and a supplement of 200mg a day can significantly improve PMS mood changes and reduce weight gain, swelling of the hands and legs, breast tenderness, and abdominal bloating.

CAUTION: Anyone with heart or kidney disease should not take magnesium supplements without consulting their doctor.

** Herbal relief comes from taking agnus castus, which was reported in the British Medical Journal to significantly reduce PMS symptoms such as irritability, depression, headaches, and breast tenderness. Other popular remedies include Black Cohosh which is available in supplement form and used extensively in Germany for the treatment of PMS. Ginkgo Biloba extract can be helpful as well when you take 80 mg twice a day from day 16 of one menstrual cycle to day 5 of the next cycle.

** Eating well can make all the difference, so eat little and often rather than a large blow out meal twice a day. This will help stabilize your blood sugar, particularly if you suffer from bloating and swelling of the hands and feet, breast tenderness, and dizziness. You want to reduce your sugar and salt intake and increase potassium-rich foods such as fish, beans, and broccoli. Give up caffeine, including tea, and switch to something milder and herbal like Green Tea. Avoid alcohol as it can affect hormone metabolism which means that high levels of alcohol can make symptoms like anxiety, depression, and breast tenderness worse.

** Vitamins that have been used include vitamin E (300iu) and vitamin B6 around 100-200 mg per day and both can help reduce your overall symptoms.

** Get moving, even – and especially – when you least feel like it. The benefits of gentle exercise will help with your mood swings or depression and it’s the frequency of your exercise regime that will make all the difference. Again, little and often is best. In China, a study was conducted on women who increased their consumption of tea and found that the more of the caffeinated drink they consumed, the higher prevalence of symptoms.

Vicks Vapour Rub – Stop rubbing?

I am afraid I am revealing my age when I recall childhood colds being resolved with a horny handed rub from my mother of Vicks VapoRub on my chest and a firm covering of a red flannel liberty bodice. It did my chest a world of good, though not so brilliant on the rubber buttons, and I still use a few drops under my nose if it is stuffy and blocked in the winter.

Alas, this popular over-the-counter treatment has come under the scrutiny of the American College of Chest Physicians and they sound a warning that it may stimulate mucus and airway inflammation. This applies particularly to infants and toddlers and they suggest it could dangerously interfere with their ability to breathe.

The study was carried out at Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Pediatrics Department as a result of treating an 18-month-old girl who went into severe respiratory distress after the salve was rubbed under her nose. Now obviously you can’t test this on children, so the researchers used ferrets to study mucus production as well as the build up of fluid in the lungs.

Who would have guessed it, but apparently ferrets have an airway anatomy and cellular composition similar to people – so no more stuffing them down your trousers as they are somewhat distantly related to us. Perhaps not kissing cousins, but you get the idea. The ferrets were regularly anointed with Vicks Vapour Rub and the results showed their mucus secretion rose significantly and that mucus clearance decreased. When relating this to children, the problem is that they have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely.

This is not just Vicks Vapour Rub, but any similar product as some of the ingredients can cause irritation. These include camphor, menthol, Eucalyptus oil, turpentine and petrolatum, made from petroleum. Such products are not meant to be used on children under age 2, but with the best intentions some parents use it to relieve their child’s cold and flu symptoms. Unfortunately, there is a common misconception that anything you can buy over the counter is safe, but you must always read the label carefully for any warnings, and ask the pharmacist if you are in any doubt. Dr. Rubin, the chief researcher goes further and points out that cough and cold medicines and decongestants are dangerous and neither effective nor safe for young children. American College of Chest Physicians also agree, and Dr Rubin makes the case that natural therapies are a much better alternative and suggests a very old remedy indeed for congestion: using a warm water salt solution to wash out the nasal passages and some good old fashioned chicken soup to boost the immune system (home made from organic chicken of course).

If you still have a jar in the medicine cabinet, there is an alternative use for it in killing toenail fungus, as recommended by an old-fashioned doctor.  Just apply on the top, all around the toenail and as much under the nail as you can get. In a few days you will see the nail start becoming darker, which means the fungus is being killed off.

Astrological health profiles – Pisces

Pisces 20 February – 20 March

Pisces is a very sympathetic and sensitive sign, which absorbs others atmosphere and moods. Watch out for:

* Pisceans who need surgery are likely to recover more slowly from the anaesthetic
* Feet are a critical area and you are prone to corns, athletes foot, and veruccas
* Addiction patterns with drugs, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine to which you are commonly also allergic
* More prone to food poisoning than the other signs and can be seriously allergic to fish and seafood

Seems very unfair that those born under the sign of the fish should potentially have an allergy to seafood and most of the stimulants we are exposed to, but prevention is better than cure. So Pisceans need to be ‘body aware’ and see which foods upset you – and you know which they are – and eliminate or drastically reduce them from your diet. Make 2009 the ‘be kind to your feet’ year and invest in some plastic jelly sandals when swimming in public baths and forget fashion and go for comfortable shoes that won’t give you corns – there is nothing beautiful about a face pinched with pain.

Free way to boost immune system

Now I am a great believer in having the strongest possible immune system to combat illness, and in particular to prevent colds and flu in winter. To this end I have seasonal acupuncture and take Echinacea and vitamin C as well as juicing daily to get my ‘live’ vitamins and antioxidants.

Now I find I could cut my expenditure radically by just making sure I get a decent night’s sleep. I know this now, because Sheldon Cohen, who studies the effects of stress on health at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University has researched the effects of lack of sleep on health.

We already know from previous research that sleep boosts the immune system at the cellular level, but this new research shows that even the smallest reduction in your sleep can make you more susceptible to illness by reducing the effectiveness of your immune system to combat it.

If you are someone who tosses and turns at night between dozing and sleeping then you are more 5 times more likely to get sick than someone who sleeps undisturbed. If this is you, and you get more than the average number of colds in winter, then you need to spend some time working out what causes your sleeplessness and tackle it.

At this time of year you really cannot avoid being exposed to the cold virus unless you do a Michael Jackson and travel in your own portable isolation tent and oxygen mask. On the bus, train or office there is always someone who is sneezing, or incubating the cold virus to pass on to you so the most sensible plan is to do all you can to improve your ‘cold armour’ by keeping your immune system in peak condition.

I have had a sleep pattern of a couple of hours under and then awake and then back for another couple of hours for a number of years and although I manage to stay fairly healthy, I think I will try a lavender bath to relax me before bed and five drops from the handy bottle of Bach Rescue Night which I have found effective in the past.

Natural progesterone and prostate cancer

When I was running the Natural Progesterone Advisory Service I would hear many reports of the cream being used for other purposes than the recommended use for osteoporosis or hormone management. Most of these claims were anecdotal, and interesting but not verifiable. Over the years there has been research on the benefits of natural progesterone, but the most powerful advocates are still its users.

I was always particularly interested in its use for men, and the late Dr John Lee – the pioneer of natural progesterone usage – told me he often prescribed it for men with osteoporosis as, although there had been no research done, his patients showed consistently good results and higher bone density.

A similar situation has now come to my attention, with men using natural progesterone cream as part of their own treatment/self help programme for prostate cancer. Trevor Taylor runs Wellspring, a company that imports natural progesterone, and I am passing on information he gave me and which I think will be of interest to anyone with a family member at risk. I stress this is an anecdotal story, not medically verified, and I have let Trevor tell it in his own words:

I want to tell you about the experiences of a personal friend who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007. He has had a poor medical history and is 70 years old and in 1996 was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus; which was operated on in 1996, 2000 and 2003. In 2003 he also had a double hip replacement operation. He then learned of his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2007.

Over the years we have had several women customers who have recounted to us how natural progesterone had helped their husbands or partners who were suffering from prostate cancer. I of course was aware of this but was reticent to publicise these reports, but when my friend told me of his diagnosis I asked him if he would like to try it as well as his prescribed treatment, on the basis that it would do him no harm and might well help.

He was first diagnosed in October 2007 and eight sample biopsies showed a PSA level of over 4000. The ideal is less than one. His treatment is 3 monthly Zoladex injections and he used natural progesterone cream daily. In January 2008 his PSA level was checked and had dropped from 4,000 to 100. At the next check in April 2008 it had dropped from 100 to 20. The next check in August 2008 showed a drop from 20 to 6. Checks and treatment have been extended to 4 monthly and I am pleased to say that my friend looks in good health, is very active; married in August 2008, and is thoroughly enjoying life.

Now Trevor Taylor does not claim that this remarkable drop in PSA levels from over 4000 to just 6 in just eleven months is due entirely or in part to his friend’s using natural progesterone, but it is certainly food for thought. If you want to know more about using natural progesterone you can contact Wellsprings for a free booklet and more information on 01481 233370 or via their website at www.progesterone.co.uk

Worldwide attitudes to regulating health

I know we often feel ‘nannied’ by the Government in many areas and health is certainly a prime one. There is the ‘no operation’ unless you lose weight/give up smoking lobby and the imposition of rules around tobacco and alcohol are no longer questioned. But we are not alone in facing new and increasing government interference in what was once nobody’s business but our own?

I reported last year on the new proposal in the US for government workers to have to pass a monthly medical or they get their health insurance cover paid, and what if the Government insisted on regularly checking your waistline once you hit 40?

Personally, I stopped checking it years ago and I don’t see what business that is of the Government’s but it is being proposed in Japan. Anyone deemed too fat would be forced to have dietary counselling and if they didn’t shift the weight there would be penalties both for them, and for their community. The Japanese government’s argument is similar to that of the public employee one in the US, in that it has to have an input of how people live because bottom line is that the Government pays for the consequences of their lack of health care. eg that it must regulate citizens’ lifestyles because it is paying their health costs.

In 2007 in the UK censorship for health reared its head over a TV ad when The Egg Information Service wanted to screen an advert, which featured comedian Tony Hancock, to celebrate its 50th birthday. The offending item came in an iconic series of ads made in the 1950′s and whose slogan encouraged viewers to ‘go to work on an egg’. The advertising watchdog said went against the principle of eating a varied diet and refused to allow it to be shown.

Oh, and if you are fed up with all this and thinking of emigrating, I wouldn’t put New Zealand on your list unless you are healthy and slim, or willing to diet. Their government banned an overweight man and his wife from entering the country on the grounds that their obesity would “impose significant costs … on New Zealand’s health or special education services.” It had the right effect as he lost weight and was allowed in, but his wife couldn’t stick to the regime and had to stay home.

If you don’t watch your weight in Germany you are named as being “antisocial” for the amount of money you are costing the state in medical treatment.

If you know of a nice country that allows you to take responsibility for your own health then let me know and I will compile a list.

Next Page »