A Publication of NewsmaxHealth Get Healthy No Matter What Your Age

By Vera Tweed
B
y far, the most popular New
Years resolution is to lose weight
and get in shape. Many of us make
this vow year afer year and we fail
year afer year.
The reason? Weve been
indoctrinated with bad information
about dieting and exercise that kills
whatever chance we might have
of getting thinner and healthier,
says Jonathan Bailor, author of a
groundbreaking new book, The
Calorie Myth.
Weve received so much
contradictory, damaging advice
over the years ofen resulting in
frustration and extra pounds, he says.
Its high time for us to make a better
choice.
Here is weight loss conventional
wisdom that can actually stop you
from getting in shape.
Myth: You need to count calories to
lose weight.
In his book, Bailor notes that our
ancestors never counted calories.
They didnt even know what a calorie
was.
Yet, somehow, very few people
were obese before food started
becoming mass produced in the early
part of the 20th century.
Studies show that 95.4 percent of
the time, counting calories does not
keep of body fat over the long term,
Bailor observes.
Counting calories is like
frantically zigzagging through a
mindeld. Instead, if we stick to
healthy, natural foods and stop
worrying about calories, our bodies
will naturally settle at a healthy
weight.
Myth: We can eat anything in
moderation.
For years weve been told that its
not what we eat that matters, its
how much. Bailor says this common
advice is doing nothing but keeping
us fat. In reality, it is the quality of
the food that is important, not the
quantity.
By eating plenty of higher-
quality food, we unconsciously avoid
overeating and provide our body
with nutrition that reprograms the
body to behave more like a naturally
thin person, he says.
Quality foods mean those that
are unprocessed, low in sugar, with
Contents
Vol. 4, Issue 1 / January 2014
4 Dr. Mehmet Oz and
Dr. Michael Roizen
Diet that stops cancer
5 Blood Pressure
Simple hand exercise
eases hypertension
6 Supplements
SAMe: Powerful relief for
depression
7 Kidney Disease
Protect yourself against
the silent epidemic
8 Ask the Doctor
Help for Graves disease
9 Brain Health
Are medications wrecking
your memory?
10 Infectious Disease
The right way to use
antibiotics
11 Latest FDA Approvals
Device stops epileptic
seizures
13 Breaking News
Chocolate ghts obesity
15 Skin Care
7 things you never want to
see on a skin care label
16 Breakthroughs
Stanford researchers:
Bleach reverses aging
Everything You Think
You Know About
Weight Loss Is Wrong
Health Radar
Page 2 / January 2014
COVER STORY
healthy oils such as coconut and
olive oil.
Myth: All calories are created
equal.
Some foods dont satisfy, even
if theyre high in calories. You
crave calories but you also crave
nutrients, says Andrew Larson,
M.D., medical director of the
Bariatric Wellness and Surgical
Institute at JFK Medical Center in
Lake Worth, Fla.
He recommends eating foods
that are lling, low in calories,
and high in nutrients, such as
salads, because they will be more
satisfying than the same number
of calories from low-nutrient
foods. Taking a multivitamin can
also help. In Canadian studies
published in the British Journal
of Nutrition, those who took
multivitamins during a diet and
exercise program were less hungry
and lost more weight.
Myth: Sex burns lots of calories.
The average session of
lovemaking burns a paltry 21
calories according to a recent study
in the New England Journal of
Medicine. So its best not to think
of a bedroom romp as a substitute
for exercise.
Myth: You burn as many calories
walking a mile as you do running a
mile.
On the surface, this sounds
logical because it takes much
longer to walk a mile than it does
to run it. So the calories burned
should be equal, right? Only
theyre not.
A study in Medicine & Science
in Sports & Exercise showed that
women burned an average of 91
calories running a mile. Walking
burned only 43.
Myth: Bariatric surgery brings
patients down to their target
weight.
The surgery really does make
people less hungry and think
about food less, Dr. Larson told
Health Radar. But that doesnt
mean all the excess weight will
disappear. Most people, he says,
lose between 50 and 65 percent
of their excess weight afer gastric
band, gastric bypass, or similar
procedures. For example, where
a 100-pound loss would be ideal,
the actual long-term loss is more
likely to range between 50 and 65
pounds, depending upon the type
of surgery.
Myth: The new weight-loss drugs
are game-changers.
Two new drugs approved
recently by the FDA might get
your attention but they dont
replace the need for diet and
exercise. They produce relatively
small weight loss and both have
disturbing side efects.
Belviq: In studies, people
taking the drug for a year, along
with a diet and exercise program,
lost 3 to 4 percent more weight
than those taking a dummy pill.
Belviq works on serotonin in
the brain, somewhat like some
antidepressants. Side efects
include nausea, fatigue, dry mouth,
dizziness, agitation, muscle spasms,
hallucinations, suicidal thoughts,
health
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January 2014 / Page 3
COVER STORY
changes in blood pressure
and heart rate, and possibly a
painful erection lasting for hours
(priapism).
Qsymia: Pronounced
kyoo-SIM-ee-uh, the drug is a
combination of phentermine,
an appetite-suppressant, and
topiramate, which is used to treat
epilepsy and migraines but also
reduces the urge to eat.
In studies, in combination
with a year-long diet and exercise
program, weight loss with Qsymia
was 7 to 9 percent greater than
with a dummy pill.
Side efects include heart
palpitations, constipation, dry
mouth, insomnia, tingling in the
toes and ngers, altered taste,
problems with mood and memory,
and increased risk for glaucoma,
kidney stones, low blood sugar,
and birth defects.
I dont think there are any
current weight loss drugs that are
likely to improve the quality of
life, says Dr. Larson. And for most
people in their 50s or 60s, risks of
all these drugs generally outweigh
the potential benets.
Myth: Exercise is all you need.
Diet plays a much bigger role
than exercise in weight loss. One
study, published in the journal
Obesity, compared results of
year-long lifestyle programs that
involved changes in diet only,
exercise only, or a combination
of both, among 399 obese
postmenopausal women.
These were the results, on
average:
Diet alone: lost nearly 16
pounds (8.5% of initial weight)
Exercise alone: lost nearly 4.5
pounds (2.4% of initial weight)
Diet plus exercise: lost nearly 20
pounds (10.8% of initial weight)
Myth: Working out on an empty
stomach burns more fat.
Actually, its the opposite:
Eating before exercise will help
you burn more fat.
A study in the International
Journal of Sport Nutrition and
Exercise Metabolism found that
those who ate before a workout not
only burned more calories, but they
continued to burn more calories
for hours afer the exercise session.
Eat a small snack before a workout
to get the fat-burning benets.
Misinformation Abounds
A study funded by the National
Institutes of Health evaluated
various weight-loss myths against
science.
Published in the New England
Journal of Medicine, debunked
myths included these:
Small changes produce big
weight loss. Not so. For example,
burning an extra 100 calories daily
(or eating 100 fewer calories daily)
might produce a 10-pound weight
loss in 5 years, averaging 2 pounds
per year.
Small, realistic goals are best.
Studies show that more ambitious
goals lead to greater weight loss.
Fast weight loss wont last. In
fact, very slow weight loss can be
discouraging and thwart eforts.
Eating more fruits and
vegetables always produces weight
loss. Not necessarily; it depends on
what else you eat.
Important
As a subscriber to Health Radar, you may have opted to get this newsletter
with our Convenient Automatic Renewal program. If you decide not to
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How Many Calories Can You Burn?
Here are the number of calories burned by common activities in one hour.
Activity 130-lb person 155-lb person 205-lb person
Gardening 236 281 327
Shoveling snow 354 422 490
Walking the dog 177 211 245
Walking slowly at 2 mph 148 176 204
Walking briskly at 3.5 mph 224 267 311
Walking uphill at 3.5 mph 354 422 490
Playing ping pong 235 281 327
Bowling 177 211 245
Ballroom dancing, slow 177 211 245
Ballroom dancing, fast 325 387 449
Running at 5 mph 472 563 654
Page 4 / January 2014
XXXX
Diet That
Stops Cancer
T
he most-feared health risk in North America is
the big C, but in one recent survey, not even half
of all adults were hip to the do-it-yourself steps that
can help wipe out an estimated 400,000 new cases a
year. The great news: Theres a bushel basket of fresh
reports that reveal how a delicious, disease-ghting
diet can protect you and your family from becoming
one of those 400,000.
A peanut butter habit in tweens and teens lowers
risk for benign breast disease (BBD) by 39 percent.
BBD is a common problem that raises breast cancer
risk later in life by as much as 56 percent. Since one
out of every four women develops BBD, this is big
news.
Nuts are breast-friendly, too (peanuts are actually
legumes), and girls who eat some every day are a
whopping 68 percent less likely to have BBD. So
make it a habit to put peanut butter (its got be 100
percent peanuts with no added sugar or bad oils!)
and tree nuts (we love walnuts and almonds) on your
daughters plate and yours.
Fruits and vegetables slash a womans risk for
estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer and cut
bladder cancer risk 65 percent for women and for
men who smoke. (Half of all bladder cancers are
associated with smoking).
Phytochemicals found in vegetables and fruits may
protect bladder cells by mopping up damaging free
radicals. Your best cancer-ghting choices are yellow-
orange vegetables (carrots, winter squash), crucifers
(broccoli, kale, cabbage, mustard greens) and citrus.
Commit to having nine servings a day of fruit and
veggies.
Less-sugary food plus a healthy weight equals 59
percent less endometrial cancer. When our friends at
the American Institute for Cancer Research weighed
the evidence, they concluded that 29,500 of the
50,000 cases of endometrial cancer diagnosed each
year could be avoided if women made food choices
that helped them maintain a healthy weight and
kept blood sugar levels low and steady. Extra pounds
double or triple the risk of endometrial cancer. The
link? Fat cells store estrogen, which fuels tumor cells
in the lining of the uterus.
The best diet choices: Choose 100 percent whole
grains over processed grains and foods. Remember,
if it doesnt say 100 percent whole grain, its not the
choice you want to make. And skip any food with
added sugar or any sugar syrup.
Low-fat, calorie-moderate choices may slash your
risk for pancreatic cancer. A lab study showed that a
high-fat, high-calorie diet boosts precancerous cell
changes that lead to the development of this super-
aggressive cancer.
In other words, weight gain causes an increase in
inammation within the pancreas. This is the most
direct evidence yet of a link between food choices
and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias; lesions that
precede this cancer. But fortunately, lesions take a
long time to develop, giving you time to change what
you put on your plate at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
So your smart step is to show saturated and trans
fats the door. Choose lean proteins such as beans,
tofu, skinless poultry, and proteins that are loaded
with healthy fats, such as salmon and ocean trout.
Meanwhile, if youre sipping your morning java
while reading this column, youre of to a good start.
Cofee, it turns out, also helps your body fend of
cancer of the colon, prostate, mouth, and lining of
the uterus by switching on your bodys defenses and
helping to keep your bodys sugar-processing system
humming.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is host of The Dr. Oz Show and a
professor in the Department of Surgery at Columbia
University. Dr. Mike Roizen is chief medical ofcer at the
Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen
are co-authors of the best-selling You book series.
2013 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Making YOU Live Healthier
with Mehmet Oz, M.D. & Michael Roizen, M.D.
DR. OZ & DR. ROIZEN
January 2014 / Page 5
HYPERTENSION
Researchers: Simple Hand Grip
Exercisers Lower Blood Pressure
By Shana Aborn
H
igh blood pressure is one of
the most pervasive health
issues in this country one out
of every three Americans has been
diagnosed with hypertension,
which increases risk of stroke,
heart attack, and other serious
health problems.
If you have been diagnosed with
high blood pressure, you know
that lifestyle changes can help keep
your numbers under control. A
low-sodium diet, regular exercise,
and stress reduction are the usual
measures suggested by doctors.
Now, researchers have added a
new weapon to the arsenal: an
isometric handgrip.
Getting a Grip
Researchers at Canadas
McMaster University recently
asked volunteers with
hypertension to spend several
minutes three times a week
squeezing a spring-loaded
handgrip device (similar to the
kind you can nd in any sporting-
goods store).
Afer just eight to 10 weeks,
and without any change in their
diet or exercise habits, the patients
saw their systolic blood pressure
the higher number, reecting
the pressure in the blood vessels
during a heartbeat drop by 15
points.
Their diastolic number
the pressure in between
beats fell by three points.
These are considered large
drops, comparable to what is
accomplished by medications.
Additional research found
that handgrip exercises make the
walls of the carotid artery and
other blood vessels more exible,
allowing for greater blood ow to
the heart.
Mystery Mechanism
Why does this work? We
are still not sure of the exact
mechanisms that result in
reduced blood pressure, but
its likely related to the nervous
system regulation of the heart
and blood vessels, explains
Maureen MacDonald, professor of
kinesiology and the lead author of
the study.
Her studies are based on
original ndings from the 1960s
using pilots who used handgrip
exercises to increase blood ow
to the brain and avoid G-force-
induced blackouts during high-
speed ights. Researchers found
that pilots blood pressure was
lowered afer using the grips.
Doctors caution that handgrips
dont seem to cure hypertension,
which is usually diagnosed when
readings are 140/90 or higher.
However, isometric handgrips can
be an easy and safe addition to
high blood pressure treatment.
Although the McMaster
researchers used a special
ergonomic handgrip in their
studies, Dr. MacDonald says that
other varieties of grip exercisers
would produce the same results.
Handgrips can be found for less
than $10 in department stores,
on-line, and in sporting-goods
shops. Look for a grip that ts well
in your hand and that you can
squeeze easily, but not too easily.
By the end of two minutes,
the grip should be quite difcult
to hold, says Dr. MacDonald. In
some studies, we had participants
use only one hand, but we
recommend using both hands and
alternating contractions.
How to Do It
To start, hold the grip in your
right hand, squeeze it and hold
for ve seconds, then release.
Repeat as ofen as you can for two
minutes, then rest for two minutes.
Switch to your lef hand
and repeat the squeeze-and-
hold pattern for two minutes.
Continue until you complete
four sets for each hand (for a total
of 16 minutes of squeezing). As
the exercise becomes easier, try
holding your contractions for a
few seconds more on each hand
until you build up strength.
Aim to do handgrip exercises
at least three days a week. Dr.
MacDonald says that no research
has yet been done to determine
whether adding more sessions
reduces blood pressure even
further, but the exercises have
other benets, too.
Strengthening your grip
improves dexterity, builds the
muscles in your forearms, and
makes it easier to perform
activities like opening jars and
lifing heavy bags.
Page 6 / January 2014
SUPPLEMENTS
SAMe: Powerful Supplement Fights
Depression, Osteoarthritis
By Vera Tweed
D
epression, osteoarthritis, and
liver disease are distinctly
diferent conditions, so it may
seem odd that one dietary
supplement, SAMe (pronounced
sam-EE) can help all three. But it
does and research proves it.
SAMe inuences our health
in multiple ways because it is
prevalent throughout our bodies.
It supports the liver, joints, and is
used in making neurotransmitters.
And, it is a building block for our
internal antioxidant production
an essential mechanism that keeps
us in good shape as we age.
Not found in food,
SAMe is an abbreviation for
s-adenosylmethionine, a substance
made by our bodies.
The SAMe Story
SAMe was originally discovered
in 1952 in Europe and used as a
treatment for depression. But in
studies of depression, people who
also sufered from osteoarthritis
found that it helped their joints,
and later, liver benets were also
observed.
In 1999, the supplement became
available in the United States
and caused quite a stir, making
headlines for relieving depression
and arthritis.
Afer a three-year review of 102
studies, the Department of Health
and Human Services published
a report in 2002 that found the
supplement worked as well as
pharmaceutical drugs to treat
depression and osteoarthritis.
Depression: Compared to
treatment with conventional
antidepressant pharmacology,
treatment with SAMe was not
associated with a statistically
signicant diference in outcomes,
the report concluded.
Osteoarthritis: Compared
to treatment with nonsteroidal
anti-inammatory medication,
treatment with SAMe was not
associated with a statistically
signicant diference in outcomes.
Nonsteroidal anti-inammatory
medications (NSAIDs) include
aspirin, Advil (ibuprofen), Aleve
(naproxen), and prescription drugs
such as Celebrex.
With liver disease, the benets
were not as clearly dened, but
later studies have discovered more
evidence that SAMe helps the liver.
Conrmed Benets
In studies of depression, SAMe
has been efective when pitted
against SSRIs (selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors) and tricyclic
antidepressants. But it doesnt have
the side efects of those drugs.
Sexual problems, including
erectile dysfunction, are a side
efect of antidepressants for up to
73 percent of men.
One recent study, at
Massachusetts General Hospital
and Harvard Medical School
in Boston, found that among
men taking the drugs, SAMe
signicantly improved their ability
to have sex.
For the liver, SAMe may help
with diferent diseases, including
hepatitis, but research is still
developing. For alcoholic liver
disease, one review of earlier
studies with 1,239 patients found
that 500 to 1,200 mg of SAMe
daily improved the condition.
SAMe is not a dietary vitamin or mineral, so there is no minimum daily
requirement. Studies have often used 400 mg, three or four times daily,
but some integrative physicians recommend starting with a lower dosage.
Although studies have found no signicant side effects, some people do
experience stomach upset, anxiety, restlessness, or sleep problems with
higher dosages.
Since individual responses vary, recommended starting doses range from
50 to 200 mg, once or twice daily. If you dont experience any relief in a few
days, gradually increase the dose, up to 400 mg, three or four times daily, if
necessary.
SAMe builds up in your system over time, so once you feel improvement,
gradually start cutting back until you nd the lowest dose where benets are
maintained. Take SAMe on an empty stomach. Vitamin B12 and folic acid
are building blocks for our internal SAMe production, and can be taken in a
multivitamin.
How to Use SAMe
January 2014 / Page 7
KIDNEY DISEASE
Kidney Disease: Protect Yourself
From the Silent Epidemic
By Rick Ansorge
W
e usually dont give much thought to our
kidneys. Most of us just take it for granted
that the bodys lters will continue to function as
efciently as the paper lters in our cofeemakers.
Yet, kidney disease is the nations eighth-leading
causing of death. And it can sneak up on you before
you even realize you have it.
Kidney disease tends to be
a silent disease until its very
advanced, says Beth Piraino, M.D.,
President of the National Kidney
Foundation.
Its very much associated
with an increased risk of dying,
particularly from a cardiovascular
cause.
Lifetime risk of kidney disease is
a surprisingly high 60 percent. And
if it is advanced, treatment options
are ofen limited to life-changing
options: dialysis or a kidney
transplant.
You can be walking around and
think youre just perfectly ne, but
you could have advanced kidney
disease and not know it, Dr.
Piraino tells Health Radar.
Then all of a sudden somebody
can say that you need to go on
dialysis, which can be a bit of a
shock.
Even less-severe forms of kidney
disease can lead to bone disorders, anemia, and a
reduced quality of life.
Although kidney disease receives little publicity
compared to other major killers, most experts are not
hesitant to describe it as an exploding epidemic.
Most kidney disease comes from high blood
pressure and diabetes, says Dr. Piraino.
Because so many people are overweight, obese,
and even morbidly obese in the United States, we
have a lot more of these problems. So were getting
more kidney disease.
Experts agree that the toll of kidney disease can
be drastically reduced with early detection. Thats
why the National Kidney Foundation has issued a
new recommendation that all Americans ages 60 and
older not just those with diabetes or hypertension
undergo annual kidney screenings.
The screening is a simple blood
test that is used to estimate your
glomerular ltration rate
or GFR. A rate of less than 60
milliliters per minute may indicate
kidney disease.
If a blood test shows a low
GFR, a urine test can be given
to check for leakage of albumin,
a protein that ordinarily does
not pass through the kidneys.
A measurement of at least 30
milligrams of albumin per gram
may conrm kidney disease.
High levels of albumin a sign
of a condition called proteinuria
are also associated with
cardiovascular disease and a more
rapid progression of kidney disease.
People dont know they have
these things unless they have
the blood testing and the urine
testing, says Dr. Piraino.
If you have proteinuria and high
blood pressure, its essential to take
either an ACE inhibitor or an ARB
for hypertension.
Those drugs have been shown to decrease the
proteinuria and slow the progression of the kidney
disease, says Dr. Piraino.
In general, she adds, anything that protects the
heart also protects the kidneys. That includes a well-
balanced diet, regular physical activity, and good
control of conditions such as diabetes and high
blood pressure.
The two most important things
you can do to protect your kidneys
are to get your blood and urine
tested for signs of kidney disease,
and appropriately managing
chronic conditions such as
diabetes, hypertension, and high
cholesterol.
Kidney disease can also be
prevented by:
u Cutting back on salt to 1,500 mg
per day
u Eating a heart-healthy diet
u Limiting alcohol
u Exercising
u Losing weight if you are
overweight
u Quitting smoking
u Reducing or eliminating over-
the-counter pain relievers
acetaminophen, naproxen, and
ibuprofen.
Keeping Kidneys Healthy
Page 8 / January 2014
ASK THE DOCTOR with Richard L. Shames, M.D.
Graves Disease:
Alternative Therapies Can Help
Q: What is Graves disease?
A: Graves disease is named afer Dr. Robert J.
Graves, a famous Irish surgeon who lived in the
1800s. It is a disorder that causes the thyroid gland
to secrete higher than normal
amounts of thyroid hormone,
resulting in hyperthyroidism,
or overactive thyroid. The excess
hormone production is caused
by the overstimulation of this
important gland by antibodies of
a patients own immune system.
The condition strikes seven times
more women than men. It is very
common, afecting about three
million Americans. Typical onset
is between 20 and 40 years of
age, and we believe it is caused
by a combination of genetic
tendencies ofen triggered by
environmental factors.
Q: What are the symptoms?
A: Symptoms can include fatigue,
low stamina, sweaty skin, swelling
of the lower legs and ankles, and
weight loss. Other signs include
muscle tremors and weakness,
back pain, heart palpitations,
shortness of breath, diarrhea, gas, and bulging eyes.
Lef untreated, Graves may cause cardiac, skin, eye,
and mental complications.
Q: What is the standard treatment?
A: Your physician may prescribe antithyroid
medications that interfere with the thyroids use
of iodine to produce hormones. These include
propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole
(Tapazole). Sometimes surgery is needed to remove
the gland. Another treatment is radioactive iodine
that is taken orally and destroys the thyroid gland.
Since the body still needs some thyroid hormone
to function optimally, thyroid pills are generally
prescribed aferward.
Q: Are there any nondrug treatments that are
effective?
A: I have found that many
alternative therapies work well
to complement standard anti-
thyroid prescription medication.
Among these are acupuncture,
homeopathy, vitamin and
herbal supplements that slow
the action of the thyroid gland,
and relaxation techniques that
can calm an overactive immune
system. Its also important to
eliminate as many chemicals as
possible from the diet.
Q: Is Graves curable?
A: Most people with Graves
disease live fully functional and
normal lives. But treatment
is ofen, although not always,
lifelong. When the disease is
well-managed, lifestyle and
lifespan is not greatly afected, if
at all. Some accomplish this by
removing the gland with surgery
or using radioactive therapy and
going on thyroid hormone replacement therapy
such as Armour or Nature-Throid. Others may
avoid surgery or radioactive ablation and get the
same results with a personalized mix of alternative
therapies combined with anti-thyroid medicine.
Richard L. Shames, M.D., is a
Harvard-trained physician and former
researcher with the National Institutes
of Health. His practice is based in San
Rafael, Calif. Dr. Shames has published
a number of books and his latest is
Thyroid Mind Power.
FIT AFTER 50 FACT
Retirement means
improvement in health and
tness for many people, a
new study suggests. Older
adults who maintain a level of
physical activity and were
not talking about marathon
running, just brisk walking
three or four times a week
do much better over the
long term with their health,
said Stephen Kritchevsky, who
heads the Sticht Center on
Aging at Wake Forest Baptist
Medical Center in Winston-
Salem, N.C. Researchers
found that when people
retire, they often get healthier
because they devote more
time to exercise and better
diet.
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Vitamin B12 in Present Knowledge in Nutrition, 1996. [6] Eur J Pharm. 1993; 241:1-6. [7] Neurosci Lett. 2000; 288:191-4. [8] Clin Nutr. 2012; 1-7. [9] Ann Pharmacother. 2000; 34:57-65. [10] http://www.AHAF.com [11] PLoS ONE.
5(9): e12244. [12] Neurology. 2012; 78(4):241-249. [13] Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 71:514-22. [14] Annu Rev Nutr. 1999; 19:357-77. [15] Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2000; 14:651-68. [16] J Royal Soc Med. 1992; 85:686-7.
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Natural Solutions for a Longer, Healthier Life
D
eclining energy, brain fog, irritability, diffculty sleeping,
hearing and vision loss these are just normal signs of
aging, right? WRONG. More often than not, theres an
easily remedied vitamin defciency underlying these symptoms. Yet
it frequently goes undetected until it manifests as a neurological dis-
order, dementia, chronic fatigue, heart disease, cancer...or worse.
[1]
What Im talking about here is vitamin B12 defciency, which sad-
ly, affects nearly 50% of older adults.
[2]
If youve experienced any
of the symptoms I described above, its imperative that you take
action NOW before irreversible damage occurs. The good news is
that a B12 defciency can be remedied easily, quickly and inexpen-
sively. But its crucial that you take the right kind of vitamin B12.
Im Joshua Corn, Editor-in-Chief of the Live in the Now natural
health newsletter. My passion for natural health drives me to spread
the word about simple, safe and effective health solutions.
What You Need to Know About Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential to life itself its one of the building
blocks of DNA. It also keeps your immune system functioning op-
timally,
[3]
regulates sleep cycles,
[4]
and is crucial to energy produc-
tion, which is why its often called the energy vitamin.
[5]
It also
protects your brain by keeping nerves communicating in an optimal
manner.
[6,7]
And studies are beginning to show that B12 helps to
lower levels of stress hormones, making it vital to heart health.
[8,9]

B12 Keeps Your Brain From Shrinking
Scientists now understand that age-related cognitive decline is
linked to a process that involves a decrease in brain mass.
[10]
Thats
right, your brain actually shrinks as you age! Research shows that
B12 supplementation slows the accelerated rate of brain shrinkage
and declining cognitive scores in older individuals.
[11,12]
B12 Defciency: The Silent Epidemic
Recent studies have shown that 1 in 2 older adults have danger-
ously low levels of B12.
[13]
The older you are, the higher your risk,
but younger people arent exempt. In a recent Tufts University
study, researchers found that 1 in 4 people over age 26 are border-
line defcient in B12 and may already be experiencing symptoms.
[14]
The reason that most people end up B12 defcient has nothing to do
with their B12 intake, but rather, their ability to absorb B12 from
food. As you age, the lining of your stomach loses its ability to pro-
duce hydrochloric acid, which you need to absorb B12 from food.
The use of certain drugs can also lower stomach acid secretion.
[15]
WARNING: Some B12 Contains Cyanide
The form of B12 that youll fnd in most B12 products is cyanoco-
balamin, which is comprised of a cyanide molecule attached to a
cobalamin (B12) molecule. Cyanide is a toxic poison that the body
January 2014 / Page 9
BRAIN HEALTH
Are Medications Wrecking
Your Memory?
By Lynn Allison
W
hen people diagnosed with
Alzheimers die and they
undergo autopsies, researchers
have found that almost half of
them never had the disease at all.
So what is the problem? Why
were these people mentally
impaired near the end of their
lives? Many doctors believe
prescription drugs were causing
their confusion, and dementia.
Nearly 90 percent of those
65 and older take at least one
medication, and many of these
drugs can cause cognitive
problems.
Its crucial to look at the
risks versus the benets of many
common medications given to
older people, Jacob Teitelbaum,
M.D., author of the best-selling
book Real Cause, Real Cure, tells
Health Radar. Physicians need to
be more careful when prescribing
drugs that can cause loss of brain
function.
The common drugs listed below
are associated with memory loss
and confusion. If you are taking
one or more of them the
mental efects are ofen more
severe when they are taken in
combination talk to you doctor
about alternatives.
Benzodiazepines such as the
popular antianxiety drug Xanax
can cloud areas of the brain
that afect both short- and long-
term memory. Nonprescription
alternatives include herbal
remedies such as lemon balm and
iberogast, a plant-based mixture.
Tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs
directly afect brain chemistry
and have not been proven to be
efective for people with mild to
moderate depression. Their use
should be reserved for severe cases
of depression. Some 35 percent of
people taking these drugs report
memory loss. If you are taking a
TCA, ask your doctor if a lower
dosage would be safe.
Narcotic painkillers used to treat
chronic pain from rheumatoid
arthritis, back pain, or injury
afect the chemical messengers
to the brain that are involved in
cognition. Ask your doctor if you
can take a non-narcotic painkiller
such as Tramadol.
Beta blockers, commonly used
to lower blood pressure, have
been associated with cognitive
problems. They may block key
chemical messengers in the brain.
Examples include propranolol
(Inderal), bisoprolol (Zebeta),
nadolol (Corgard), and nebivolol
(Bystolic). Try a diferent class of
drugs to treat hypertension such
as an ACE inhibitor or calcium
channel blocker.
Older antihistamines used to
treat or prevent allergy symptoms
Dimetane or Chlor-Trimeton
are examples afect the memory
and learning centers of the brain.
Substitute newer antihistamines
such as Zyrtec or Claritin.
Dopamine agonists are ofen
prescribed to treat restless leg
syndrome (RLS) or Parkinsons
disease. Major side efects include
memory loss and confusion. Work
with your healthcare practitioner
or pharmacist to see if your RLS
is being triggered by another
medication you are taking. Dr.
Teitelbaum says sometimes RLS
is caused by iron deciency and
will improve or go away if ferritin
blood levels are raised with diet or
iron supplements.
Nonbenzodiazepine sedative
hypnotics or Z drugs used for
insomnia can not only cause
short-term memory loss, they can
also cause full-blown amnesia
or bizarre behavior. These
medications include zolpidem
(Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta),
and zaleplon (Sonata).
Anticholinergics to treat female
overactive bladder block the brain
messenger acetylcholine, which in
turn slows activity in the brains
memory and learning centers.
First, have your doctor rule out
possible bladder infections. Cut
back on cafeine and alcoholic
beverages and practice Kegel
exercises to tighten the muscles
around the bladder. Also, ask your
doctor about a new device called
InTone that treats incontinence
and may be able to help you.
Antiseizure epilepsy medications
are formulated to suppress
certain brain functions, which
can cause memory loss. Ask your
doctor if you can try Dilantin,
an antiseizure drug that has less
impact on memory. And if you
havent had a seizure in more than
a year, Dr. Teitelbaum suggests that
you try a lower dose.
Page 10 / January 2014
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Antibiotics: The Right Way to Use Them
By Rick Ansorge
B
est practice then: You caught
a bug, went to the doctor, and
walked out with a prescription for
an antibiotic.
Best practice now: You catch a
bug, go to the doctor, and walk
out with nothing except some
common-sense advice on how to
manage your symptoms.
Thats because todays best-
informed doctors recognize that
the widespread use of antibiotics
especially broad-spectrum
antibiotics which wipe out a wide
range of microorganisms has
been a horrible mistake that has
led to two grave consequences:
Development of antibiotic-
resistant bacteria, which ofen
cause lethal disease.
Destruction of benecial
bacteria, particularly in the gut,
which are essential for overall
health.
Despite growing awareness
that antibiotics should be a
treatment of last resort, old habits
die hard. In hospitals and clinics,
about 50 percent of all antibiotic
use is either unnecessary or
inappropriate, says Lauri Hicks,
medical epidemiologist and
Director of the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) program Get
Smart: Know When Antibiotics
Work.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria
now account for more than 2
million illnesses each year and
23,000 American deaths.
This is actually considered a
conservative estimate, Dr. Hicks
tells Health Radar. We think the
numbers may be quite a bit higher
than that.
The most urgent threats come
from C.dif, a serious diarrheal
infection, drug-resistant gonorrhea,
and methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus, commonly
called MRSA.
Many doctors needlessly
prescribe antibiotics against colds,
u, and other viral infections.
Other viral conditions that do not
warrant antibiotic therapy include
most cases of bronchitis, coughs,
ear infections, sore throats, and
stomach u.
Bacterial conditions that ofen
warrant antibiotic therapy include
severe sinus infections, some ear
infections, strep throat, bladder
infections, and some wound and
skin infections, especially staph
infections.
Narrow-Spectrum Antibiotics
Are Best
Current research suggests that
broad-spectrum antibiotics the
big guns such as azithromycin,
amoxicillin plus clavulanate, and
ciproaxin are most likely to
contribute to antibiotic-resistant
bacteria and the destruction of
friendly bacteria in the gut.
Whenever possible, choose
narrow-spectrum antibiotics such
as amoxicillin, which is ofen
prescribed for ear infections and
bacterial sinusitis; cephalexin,
which is ofen prescribed for skin
infections, and penicillin, which is
ofen prescribed for strep throat.
Its best to treat the symptoms
of common infections with
remedies such as nasal saline
sprays, warm compresses, and
over-the-counter pain relievers,
says Dr. Hicks. To prevent bugs
from spreading, she recommends
staying home when youre sick. In
better economic times, that used
to be a no-brainer. Now that so
many people are terried of losing
their jobs, workers ofen report to
work when theyre sick, she notes.
I should take my own advice,
says Dr. Hicks, who admits she
has sometimes gone to work sick
under deadline pressure.
Immune-Boosting
Supplements
By boosting the immune
system, some supplements can
be an alternative to antibiotics,
according to the National
Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine.
Zinc: Research shows zinc helps
to reduce the length and severity
of the common cold when taken
within 24 hours afer symptoms
start.
Vitamin C: In ve trials in
people who were exposed to
extreme physical stress (marathon
runners, skiers, and soldiers
training in subarctic conditions),
taking vitamin C cut the number
of colds in half.
Probiotics: A major review
of clinical trials involving more
than 3,000 people indicated that
probiotics might help to prevent
upper respiratory tract infections,
such as the common cold. Most
people can use probiotics without
experiencing any side efects or
with only mild gastrointestinal
side efects such as gas.
January 2014 / Page 11
LATEST FDA APPROVALS
New Help for Epilepsy
Compiled exclusively by Health Radar, here are the
most signicant new drugs and medical devices
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Epilepsy
A new implanted device stops seizures in people
with epilepsy.
The neurostimulator detects abnormal electrical
activity in the brain and responds by delivering
electrical stimulation intended to normalize brain
activity before the patient experiences seizure
symptoms, said Christy Foreman, director of the
FDAs Ofce of Device Evaluation.
Kelly OBrien, 28, has epilepsy and said the device
called the RNS Stimulator has been life-
changing. It has given me an independence I did not
have before, said OBrien, who lives in Columbus,
Ohio. Since getting the device, my seizures have
stopped. Im now able to drive again.
Smaller and thinner than an implantable heart
debrillator, the battery-powered, programmable
device is placed just under the skull during surgery.
These are patients who have no other resort for
treatment of their epilepsy, and this device ofers new
hope for them, said Dr. Dileep Nair, an epileptologist
at the Cleveland Clinic.
Meanwhile, the FDA has also approved the drug
Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate) to help treat adults
with partial epileptic seizures. So-called partial
seizures are the most common type of seizure among
people with epilepsy.
Lymphoma
Imbruvica (ibrutinib) has been approved to treat
mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a rare but aggressive
form of blood cancer. MCL represents about 6
percent of non-Hodgkins lymphoma cases. By the
time its usually diagnosed, it has spread to other
areas such as the lymph nodes or bone marrow.
Imbruvica, designed to inhibit an enzyme that
cancer cells need to spread, was granted the FDAs
rare breakthrough therapy status as a drug that
promises to ofer a substantial improvement over
available therapies for patients with serious or life-
threatening diseases, the agency said.
Thyroid Cancer
Approval for the anticancer drug Nexavar
(sorafenib) has been expanded to include late-stage
diferentiated thyroid cancer, the most common type
of thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer is diagnosed in an estimated 60,000
Americans a year, and some 1,800 die annually from
the disease.
Nexavar is designed to inhibit proteins that
prompt cancer cells to divide and grow. The new
approval is meant for people with diferentiated
thyroid cancer that no longer responds to radioactive
iodine treatment.
Hepatitis C
Olysio, also known as simeprevir, has been
approved as a treatment for chronic infection
with the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus. Olysio,
a protease inhibitor that blocks a specic protein
needed by the virus to replicate, is to be used in
combination with interferon, given by injection, and
ribavirin, another pill.
Hepatitis C afects about 3.2 million Americans,
killing more than 15,000 people each year, mostly
from associated illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver
cancer.
The ofen-undiagnosed virus is transmitted
through contaminated blood. Infection rates have
dropped since the early 1990s, due in part to the
introduction of blood and organ screening. Olysio
was shown in clinical trials to cure patients with a
shorter duration of treatment.
Heartburn
The rst generic versions of the anti-GERD drug
AcipHex (rabeprazole sodium) have been approved.
Gastroesophageal reux disease (GERD), also known
as chronic heartburn, is a very common disorder
characterized by backward ow of stomach acid to
the esophagus. This process could damage tissue in
the esophagus, the tube that connects the throat and
stomach.
The drug is among a class called proton-pump
inhibitors, which are designed to reduce the amount
of stomach acid produced.
Page 12 / January 2014
BREAKING NEWS, STUDIES & MEDICAL UPDATES
MOLD TIED TO PARKINSONS
A compound emitted by mold
may trigger Parkinsons disease.
The neurological condition,
which interferes with the brains
ability to send messages from one
nerve cell to another, occurs when
the brain stops making dopamine.
Scientists at Rutgers University
found that the compound, 1-octen-
3-ol, also known as mushroom
alcohol, attacks the two genes
responsible for the production
of dopamine and causes them to
malfunction.
The cause of Parkinsons is still
a mystery, but considering the new
ndings it makes sense to x any
areas of dampness in your home
and remove mold.
MAGNETS ERASE
AUTISM SYMPTOMS
Magnetic stimulation can boost
the social skills of people with
autism, according to a study at
Monash University in Australia.
Researchers used a technique
called repetitive transcranial
magnetic stimulation to deliver
magnetic impulses into a part of
the brain called the dorsomedial
prefrontal cortex (dmPFC).
The dmPFC lets people
understand others feelings, and it is
less active in people with autism.
Study volunteers with Aspergers
syndrome, a common form of
autism, who were given 15 minutes
of magnetic stimulation for 10
days showed a signicant increase
in social skills compared to the
placebo group that didnt get the
treatment.
BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS
CAN DAMAGE KIDNEYS
ACE inhibitors, commonly
prescribed for high blood pressure,
can cause deadly kidney problems,
according to new research.
Scientists at Cambridge
University found a link between
popular hypertension drugs
benazepril, enenalapril, lisinopril,
and other ACE inhibitors and acute
kidney injury.
This condition is fatal in about
30 percent of patients. The British
researchers tied a 16 percent
increase in prescriptions for ACE
inhibitors to a 52 percent rise in
hospital admissions for kidney
failure during a four-year period.
One in 7 cases of acute kidney
injury could be due to these drugs,
which are taken worldwide by
more than 40 million people, the
scientists warned.
GRAPES MAKE CANCER
TREATMENTS WORK BETTER
Resveratrol, a chemical found
in grape skins and red wine, makes
cancer cells more susceptible to
radiation treatment, according to a
study at the University of Missouri.
When treated with resveratrol,
44 percent of melanoma cells were
killed, but when the cancer cells
were treated with the compound
followed by radiation, 65 percent of
the tumor cells died.
Resveratrol could potentially
be very important in treating a
variety of cancers, said researcher
Michael Nicholl, M.D. Resveratrol
supplements are available in health
food stores.
HPV SCREENING BEATS
PAP TEST
A study in the journal Lancet
found that screening for the
human papillomavirus (HPV) was
more efective than Pap tests in
diagnosing women with cervical
cancer.
Pap (smear) tests examine cells
from the cervix to detect changes,
while HPV screening examines
cervical cells for the presence of
HPV, a viral infection that can cause
cancer.
A team of Italian researchers
analyzed data from more than
175,000 women and found that
HPV screening provided 60 to 70
percent greater diagnostic accuracy
than the Pap test.
OXFORD: FRIENDS PROVIDE
BRAIN BOOST
People with lots of friends have
bigger brains, according to an
Oxford University study. Researchers
found that certain regions of the
brain are signicantly larger in
people who are sociable. The more
friends, the larger the brains. Brain
size is generally associated with
greater intelligence and cognitive
skills. Researchers believe that
friendships cause people to use
certain areas of the brain more
ofen, causing them to grow.
FIT AFTER 50 FACT
Feel like youre losing your
hearing? Its important to
see a doctor before you start
looking for a hearing aid or
amplier, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration says.
Despite poor hearing, you
may not need a hearing aid.
The problem might be as
simple as a wax impaction
blocking the ear canal, which
is easily treated, or at the
other end of the spectrum,
it could be something as
serious as a tumor pressing
on the hearing nerve, said
Dr. Eric Mann, clinical deputy
director of the FDAs division
of ophthalmic, and ear, nose
and throat devices.
January 2014 / Page 13
BREAKING NEWS, STUDIES & MEDICAL UPDATES
NONTOXIC LUPUS
TREATMENT
Researchers at Northwestern
University have developed a
nontoxic therapy for lupus that puts
the disease in remission without
the side efects of some current
treatments.
Lupus is an autoimmune
disease that causes the body to
create antibodies and attack
itself, producing pain and tissue
damage to vital organs. The new
therapy uses peptides small
bits of protein to generate
special regulatory T cells that stop
the production of autoimmune
antibodies, thus blocking the lupus
disease process.
Current standard therapies,
which include steroids and Cytoxan,
can be toxic even in small doses.
CHOCOLATE FIGHTS OBESITY
Far from being a diet buster, a
study from Spains University of
Granada found that chocolate can
actually help keep you thin.
An analysis of European teens
found that those who ate chocolate
regularly had lower levels of body
fat, including abdominal fat, than
those who didnt eat it. The study
conrms earlier research which
found that adults who ate chocolate
frequently had a lower body mass
index.
MUSIC EASES PAIN
Music reduces the agony of
chronic pain, according to new
research. A survey of people who
live with chronic pain found that
41 percent of them found relief
by listening to music. The most
popular tunes for pain relief?
Simon & Garfunkels Bridge Over
Troubled Water and Elton Johns
Candle in the Wind.
YOU AGE HOW YOU EAT
How you eat in your late 50s and
early 60s determines how healthy
youll be in old age. Those are the
ndings of a new study from the
French Research Center INSERM
which showed that women in late
middle age who followed a healthy
diet, such as a Mediterranean diet,
were 40 percent more likely to live
into their 70s.
Furthermore, women with the
healthiest diets were also less likely
to sufer from chronic diseases,
physical impairments, mental
problems, or problems with
memory. The healthy agers were
also more likely to have exercised in
midlife.
JAPANESE SUPERFOOD
STOPS FLU
A traditional Japanese turnip
pickle called Suguki, which has
been known for generations in
Japan as a superfood, prevents u,
say researchers.
In a study, mice were given the
bacteria that occurs naturally in the
pickle and then exposed to the u
virus.
The bacteria increased the
production of u antibodies. A
probiotic drink made from Suguki
is being tested in humans.
SODA CAUSES ALZHEIMERS-
LIKE BRAIN DAMAGE
Australian scientists have found
that sof drinks cause changes in
the brain similar to those seen in
Alzheimers disease. Rats were fed
sugary water containing the same
sugar concentration as sof drinks.
Afer 26 days, their brains showed
profound changes, researchers
said, especially in the area of the
brain that makes decisions.
Diferences included alterations
in 290 diferent proteins, as well as
long-lasting changes in behavior,
including hyperactivity.
About 30 percent of the altered
proteins are associated with
Alzheimers, Parkinsons, cancer,
and schizophrenia.
FIBROMYALGIA PAIN
MYSTERY SOLVED
Fibromyalgia patients process
pain signals diferently, according
to a study in the online journal
Arthritis & Rheumatism. Thats why
they feel pain more keenly and
dont respond well to painkillers.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic
condition characterized by muscle
and joint pain along with other
symptoms such as fatigue. MRI
brain scans found that people
who dont have bromyalgia can
experience more pressure on their
muscles before feeling pain.
In addition, when non-
bromyalgia patients know pain is
imminent, sections of the brain are
activated that release pain-relieving
dopamine.
The activated areas also
allow people to ease pain by
mentally preparing themselves. In
bromyalgia patients, those brain
areas dont activate, leaving them
vulnerable to pain and unable to get
relief from pain medications, even
powerful opioids.
ALMONDS CURB APPETITE
Although many people trying
to lose weight ban nuts from their
diets, a randomized study from
Purdue University shows that is
a bad move. Almonds have been
found to curb appetite.
People who added 1.5 ounces of
dry-roasted, lightly salted almonds
(about 3 tablespoons) to their daily
diets for a month didnt gain weight
and reported feeling less hungry.
Page 14 / January 2014
NUTRITION & WELLNESS
Fructose in Fruit and Juices:
What You Need to Know
By Dieter Hogen
I
love fruit. I cant imagine living without the
wonderful variety, shapes, colors, smells, and tastes
of this fantastic natural food.
Because of its rich vitamin, mineral,
phytochemical, and ber content there is no doubt
about the health benets of fruit. It ghts cancer and
heart disease, improves digestion, and helps the body
detoxify. It is a great addition to everyones diet.
Fruit is an excellent snack any time of the day,
but it is also a great addition to many diferent
dishes. Having an apple or a banana with oatmeal;
adding berries, grapes, or other fruit to yogurt and
smoothies; and making fruit pies are very common
practices throughout the world and in diferent
cultures.
How Much Is Too Much?
There is one big problem: Fruits contain two
diferent kinds of sugar glucose and fructose.
Lately there has been a lot of discussion about
fructose, which is also known as fruit sugar, and
its detrimental efects on our metabolism. World-
renowned experts on the subject recently came up
with a very specic number of fructose 25 grams
(just under an ounce) that they say we should not
exceed in one day.
Much more fruit sugar than that on a regular basis
and we risk insulin resistance, high blood fats, high
blood pressure, unusual weight gain and chronic
inammation, so say the experts.
I thought it would be interesting to nd out
what my own daily consumption of fructose is and
did a little research. On most days I would eat one
lemon (squeezed into a drink), one orange or a half
grapefruit, plus lots of berries.
Fruit sugar content
Lemon: 1.5 grams
Orange: 8 grams
Berries (10 ounces): 11 grams
This means I get about 20.5 grams of fruit sugar on
a typical day. If I substitute a half grapefruit (5 grams
of fructose) for the orange, as I sometimes do, I get
even less sugar.
There are days when I eat grapes, pineapple,
mango, apple, or pear, all of which have more sugar
than the fruits I normally eat. But, even then, Id still
be under the 25-gram fructose limit.
So, eating good amounts of fruits on a daily basis
doesnt seem to present problems for health quite
the opposite when you consider all the pleasure and
health benets we get.
You certainly have to be more careful if youre
overweight or have blood sugar/insulin-related issues.
What about fruit juice?
Again, I did a test. I took three oranges and juiced
them to ll one small glass. The fructose in that one
serving of orange juice is about 24 grams, almost 100
percent of the daily limit.
Without going any further I think it becomes clear
that drinking concentrated fruit juice is not a good
idea.
Also, be very careful with dried fruit. It is a highly
concentrated sugar source and should be eaten in
only small amounts at a time.
Whats the solution? Eat whole fruits and use fruit
juices other than lemon or lime sparingly a few
sprinkles to avor a drink, for instance.
Ice cubes and a little lemon, lime, or orange juice
added to plain water, sparkling water, or tea makes a
tasty, refreshing drink no one must feel guilty about.
A world-renowned nutrition expert and
Olympic athletic coach, Dieter Hogen
created a nutrition and training regimen in
the 1990s that changed the elite athletes
training paradigm forever. Schooled
at Potsdam University in Germany, Dieter brings his
nutritional knowledge to Health Radar with one goal in
mind: To simply make you healthier and more energetic,
no matter your age or current physical condition.
January 2014 / Page 15
SKINCARE
7 Ingredients You Never Want to
See on a Skin Care Label
By Lynn Allison
I
f you took the skincare and
grooming section of a store and
buried it in the ground, it would
be declared a hazardous waste
dump. Thats how dangerous
many of the chemicals in these
products are.
One in eight ingredients
used in personal care products
are industrial chemicals that
include carcinogens, pesticides,
reproductive toxins, and hormone
disruptors.
Many of these chemicals are
considered safe in low doses by
themselves, Nneka Leiba, senior
analyst at the Environmental
Working Group (EWG), a
consumer watchdog, told Health
Radar.
But we are concerned about
the damage they can cause
repetitively over time and
synergistically with each other.
There is no research or data for
this.
The Food and Drug
Administration has no authority
over cosmetic manufacturers and
does not require these companies
to test products for safety.
Cosmetic companies may use
any ingredient except for certain
color additives and substances
classied as drugs.
Banned in Other Countries
More than 500 cosmetic
products sold in the U.S. contain
ingredients banned in Japan,
Canada, and the European Union.
Nationally known Palm Beach
dermatologist Kenneth Beer, M.D.,
tells Health Radar that certain
skincare ingredients should be
avoided whenever possible.
These include dioxin, triclosan,
and products with color pigments.
These can all cause potential
problems, he says.
Leiba says it is vital to be
vigilant and read labels closely.
Another option is to consult the
EWGs database of more than
80,000 popular cosmetics at www.
ewg.org/skindeep.
It rates products from 010 in
terms of increasing hazard. Any
product rated from 7 to 10 is
considered a high hazard.
Here are seven chemicals you
never want to see on a skincare
product label:
1. BHA and BHT. These closely
related antioxidants are used as
preservatives in moisturizers and
makeup, particularly lipsticks.
They are both linked to
endocrine disruption. BHA has
been linked to cancer. They have
been proven harmful to sh and
other wildlife.
2. Coal tar dyes. These are
found in dark hair dyes and
antidandruf products. They are
widely linked to cancer and also
may be contaminated with heavy
metals which are toxic to the
brain. Sometimes they are listed
on labels as p-phenylenediamine
or CI (for color index) followed by
a ve-digit number.
3. PEG compounds. These are
found in cosmetic cream bases
and can be contaminated with
1,4-dioxane, a widely known
carcinogen.
Some manufacturers use a
purication process to remove
the 1,4-dioxane, but there is no
way of knowing for sure which
PEG-containing products are safe,
which means it is best to avoid all
of them.
4. Benzoyl peroxide. Pregnant
women should stay away from
this acne medication ingredient,
advises Rebecca Baxt, M.D., a New
Jersey-based dermatologist. Also,
if you use it near your mouth, be
careful because it is harmful if
swallowed.
5. Dioxin. This ingredient is
ofen found in skin cleansers
and other bath products. Dioxin
has been linked with cancer,
reduced immunity, nervous
system disorders, birth defects, and
miscarriages.
6. Triclosan. This synthetic
antibacterial chemical is used
as a pesticide. Its got the same
molecular structure as Agent
Orange, the defoliant used
during the Vietnam War that was
associated with soldiers health
problems.
7. Parabens. Found in
antibacterial hand sanitizers,
among other products, these
chemicals are suspected endocrine
disruptors and may interfere
with male reproductive function.
Theyre commonly used in
deodorants and antiperspirants
and have also been linked to breast
cancer.
Page 16 / January 2014
BREAKTHROUGHS
Health Radar
Stanford University Researchers: Bleach
Reverses Skin Aging
Common household bleach, when greatly
diluted with water, reverses skin damage caused by
aging, sunburn, and radiation treatment, according
to ndings by scientists at the Stanford University
School of Medicine.
Doctors have used diluted bleach baths for
decades to treat eczema, a condition that causes skin
itchiness, redness, and aking. However, they didnt
know why bleach worked.
Researcher Thomas Leung, M.D., found that a
0.005 percent solution of bleach blocks a human
skin molecule called NF-kB that triggers the bodys
inammatory response.
When the solution was used on mice, their skin
began to look younger. It went from old and fragile
to thicker, with increased cell proliferation, Dr.
Leung said. Human tests are planned.
Scan Reveals If Youre Close to a
Heart Attack
A new noninvasive imaging technique can spot
patients in imminent danger of a heart attack.
Scientists at Scotlands Edinburgh University
injected a radioactive tracer called F-sodium
uoride into patients with heart disease and then
gave them MRIs.
Half had recently sufered a heart attack, and the
other half had angina, which put them at risk of a
heart attack.
Among the patients who had recently had an
attack, the tracer lit up the areas in the arteries
where blockages had caused heart attacks in 93
percent of the cases.
In the angina cases, the scanner spotted
dangerous blockages in 45 percent of patients,
indicating they were in danger of the plaque
rupturing and causing a heart attack.
Scientists believe the new technique will allow
patients in peril to be treated with medicine or
surgery to stop attacks before they occur and cause
damage.
New Test Finds Pancreatic Cancer Before
Its Too Late
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a
simple blood test that detects pancreatic cancer in
its earliest, curable stages.
The disease has a ve-year survival rate of less
than 5 percent due to the fact its usually advanced
when discovered.
But researchers identied two genes, BNC1 and
ADAMTS1, which together were detectable in 81
percent of blood samples from people with early-
stage pancreatic cancer.
The genes were not present in the blood of
people who didnt have the disease. This accuracy
rate is higher than in some current cancer tests,
such as the widely used PSA screening for prostate
cancer.
Hopkins researcher Dr. Nita Ahuja hopes the
test will soon be routinely given to those at high
risk, which include smokers, those whove had
pancreatitis, and people with a family history of
pancreatic cancer.
Nonsurgical Cure for Double Chins
Getting rid of your double chin could soon be
as simple as a few injections, according to research
dermatologists.
A randomized, controlled trial published in the
British Journal of Dermatology examined a chemical
called ATX-101, a synthetic version of bile acid.
When its injected into fat deposits under the chin,
known as submental fat, it destroys the membranes
of the fat cells and causes them to break down.
The resulting inammation sparks an inux of
microphages, a specialized cell that keeps unwanted
fat from being reabsorbed.
Afer four injections four weeks apart, 65 percent
of patients who received ATX-101 saw a reduction
in chin fat.
Researchers believe the treatment is safer and will
be less expensive than liposuction, which is ofen
used to treat double chins.
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