Mrs. Cranky Yankee Says

Try something new to keep your brain young

2009-12-17T11:57:00.003-05:00

Research shows that learning new things helps keep the brain sharp. Read a book, build something, weed the garden and plan your new plantings, learn a new language or explore a subject you always wanted to know more about. Meet new people and socialize with your friends--cultivate people who disagree with you on politics, religion or other controversial topics and learn to hold your own in a civil discussion/debate. Whatever you do, DON"T VEGETATE. Use it or lose it!

Maxacaiburn keeps on TAKING

2009-08-21T15:34:00.001-04:00

It seems that hidden in the small print are trial memberships to 2 monthly subscription weight-loss support programs. I got charged by both because I didn't know to cancel them. Call BEFORE they pick your pocket.

888-332-2707 monthly charge $3.24

888-779-5303 monthly charge $7.14

Once the charge hits, it's NON-refundable.

got my refund from Maxacaiburn

2009-08-17T12:33:00.000-04:00

I called them the Monday after the Post Office confirmed delivery of my return. they checked the tracking code and issued me a refund authorization code. They said the money would take 5-10 days to arrive in my account--but I had it the next day. Case closed.

Followup on Maxacaiburn

2009-08-03T09:24:00.001-04:00

Called them this morning and gave them my post office tracking number. They see it's in transit, but won't refund my money until the post office confirms delivery. Next update when it arrives. The way they work, I can't recommend trying the product unless you are willing to pay for at least one month's supply. The "free trial" costs a lot more than $4.95 shipping and handling.

Maxacaiburn trial very expensive

2009-08-01T10:44:00.000-04:00

I tried the 14 day trial for $4.95 shipping and handling. When I called to cancel future shipments, I was told to return the unused portion (32 capsules out of 60). It had to be returned insured and with a tracking #. That cost me $3.94 at the post office. The company has since charged me $58.76 while my return is still on its way to them. This is the ONLY time I have ever tried a trial offer and been told to return the product. The recording on their cancellation toll-free # says to give your unused portion to a friend to try, but once you reach a service rep, they tell you to return the product or pay! So, a $4.95 14 day trial has now cost me $67.65 and I only used 28 capsules. They are closed for the weekend, so I'll have to wait until Monday to contact them. Will I get my money back? I'll let you know.

Dr. Frank's Pain Relief Spray

2008-08-13T10:14:00.003-04:00

I saw the ads for this homeopathic remedy and decided to try it. Unfortunately, I'm not one of the people it works on. But they were so cooperative on refunding my money--except for shipping costs--that I'm still recommending the product. If it works for you, like it works for the people in their ads, you'll wonder how you got along without it. If not, send it back for a refund. All it will cost you to try it is the shipping charge. I bought the 400 spray bottle and a 200 spray bottle. I sent back the larger bottle, and was credited for both.

How Much is YOUR Doc Being Paid to Drug You?

2007-11-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

From The Daily Dose By Dr. Douglass
Earlier this week I spilled a lot of ink on the shady goings-on between the guys who make prescription drugs and the ones who prescribe them. But it wasn't the first time I've blown the whistle. And as I've told you before, these kinds of industry ties are especially strong among the psychiatric docs.

Over the last few months, Minnesota, Vermont, and Maine have been in the spotlight — not because they're any worse than the other 47 states, but because they're actually required to document that sort of thing.

As you might expect, their record-keeping has been anything but stellar. But it's amazing what you can find when you're looking for it. Last year in Minnesota, psychiatrists who took the most money from drug makers just so happened to prescribe those drugs more often than other doctors.

And in Vermont, as drug company payments to psychiatrists doubled from 2005 to 2006, antipsychotic medications jumped to become one of the highest expenses of the state's Medicaid program.

I'm sure last year's numbers aren't any worse than any previous year's. But once the AP got wind of it — and made it national news — the Minnesota Psychiatric Society decided it needed a scapegoat in order to save face. Dr. John E. Simon was an easy target.

****************************************************
To start receiving your own copy of the Daily Dose, visit:
Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of the Daily Dose.
****************************************************

Last year, Simon received over a quarter million dollars in "speaking and consulting fees" from various drug companies (including Eli Lilly, maker of such household names as Prozac, Cymbalta, and Cialis). Now, Simon is stepping down (he says it's voluntary, I say yeah right) from a panel that advises the state on drugs for low-income families — even though he says the money he received had no bearing on the decisions he made on the committee.

In an attempt to adopt a farther-reaching solution, the Minnesota Department of Human Services is taking the first steps to keep questionable connections to a minimum. Their solution: To get the panel members to reveal any conflicts of interest and then abstain from voting on any "related matters that could come before the committee."

But wouldn't that require integrity on the part of the doctor? I'm not saying psychiatrists don't have any… but if the issue here is a question of ethics (financial ties influencing policy-making decisions), I have my doubts.

You might not ever be in front of the panel, but you do get an audience with your doc or shrink. Before you take any anti-depressant drug, ask why… Why at all? Why this one? Then take the prescription and toss it in the trash on your way out the door. There are much safer, easier ways to stay sane. For starters, try St. John's wort. It's a proven, safe herbal treatment available in almost every supermarket.

Maintaining my sanity (barely),

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

Blood Pressure Meds Are Fat Fertilizer

2007-08-25T10:38:00.000-04:00

By Shane Ellison M. Sc.

Not all prescription drugs are bad. Some are really bad, like the drugs used to lower blood pressure. Among the top 10 drugs prescribed in the U.S, blood pressure (hypertension) medications ensnare millions into the prescription drug trap. That trap kills 200,000 and injures close to 2.2 million Americans every year. Fortunately, you can beat dangerous blood pressure levels by improving your lifestyle habits and turning to natural medicine.

Like Miracle Grow on plants, drugs such as Toprol-XL, Lopressor (metoprolol), Tenormin (atenolol), and Coreg (carvedilol) serve as fat fertilizer for the human body. A family of receptors - "beta-receptors" - activates your fat metabolism. Like a lock that has been broken, many blood pressure drugs jam beta-receptors and prevent them from responding to your own fat-burning molecules (the keys to the lock). Your body then begins to store fat and use carbohydrates (sugar) as fuel.

Once sugar becomes the primary source of fuel, your body begins screaming for it. Sugar addiction sets in. Fat gain ensues. And Type II diabetes follows. Patients who "follow doctor's orders" and swallow beta-blockers and diuretics are at a 28 percent to 50 percent greater risk of suffering from Type II diabetes - the greatest health challenge of the 21st century. Diabetes can eliminate a whopping 11 to 20 years from your lifespan.

Unfortunately, taking blood pressure medications can lead to many other serious and even deadly side effects. For instance, calcium channel blockers such as Adalat, Procardia (nifedipine), and Norvasc (amlodipine) are not safe alternatives. By blocking calcium from entering the heart, users are at greater risk of dying from heart failure.

While your "numbers" might look good when you take these drugs, your heart is slowly weakening. Cancer is also a possibility. In 1996, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) warned: "Postmenopausal women who took calcium channel blockers had twice the risk of developing breast cancer than other women."

No diet, supplement, or lifestyle can save you from the deadly side effects of blood pressure meds. Fortunately, we don't need them to avoid the dangers of "high" blood pressure.

The Fabricated Illness

High blood pressure - as defined by the drug industry and medical doctors - is not an instant death sentence. The goal of maintaining a blood pressure at or near 140/80 (or, more recently, 115/75) is based on drug company hype, not science. These numbers are designed to sell drugs by converting healthy people into patients.

Rising blood pressure is a normal process of aging and does not require drug intervention - even when it reaches 140/80. Medical literature shows that blood pressure rises slightly as we age - probably to accommodate an increased need for oxygen and nutrients. And this increase does not put us at any risk of early death.

If high blood pressure were dangerous, then lowering it with hypertension drugs would increase lifespan. Yet, clinical trials involving hypertension medication show no increased lifespan among users when compared to non-users.

Minimizing sugar and eliminating artificial flavors are two of the best things you can do to maintain a relatively normal blood pressure. Replacing carbohydrate (bread, pasta, desserts, and excess fruit) consumption with healthy fats (such as coconut oil, eggs, grass-fed beef, wild salmon, avocados, seeds, and nuts) will also help control your blood pressure... plus, it can eliminate unsightly belly fat. And, finally, interval training one to three times per week is vital for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Stopping Heart Disease With Artery-Preserving Molecules

Blood pressure can rise to temporary extremes in response to stress, infection, fasting, dehydration, or simply from the anxiety of walking into a doctor's office. Of course, these temporary instances of high blood pressure do not rationalize a lifetime of drug use.

It's prudent to be concerned should you experience chronic high blood pressure - which can be dangerous. This usually occurs when blood vessels become stiff due to hardening of the arteries (heart disease), causing your blood pressure to skyrocket to 200/100. Fortunately, you don't need blood pressure drugs to handle even these worrisome levels.

In situations where high blood pressure might become life threatening, cardiovascular nutrients such as L-arginine, magnesium aspartate, and a 95 percent grape seed extract can be potent natural remedies based on Nobel Prize-winning science. These nutrients increase the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that allows for the dilation and relaxation of arteries. Using them can prevent heart attack and stroke that may result from impeded blood flow or inflammation caused by rising blood pressure.

Blood pressure medications are made to sell, not heal. They cater to fear rather than health. If you understand this, you'll avoid the deadly prescription drug trap and keep yourself safe and healthy.

[Ed. Note: Shane "The People's Chemist" Ellison is an internationally recognized authority on therapeutic nutrition and the author of The People's Chemist Foundational Health Education program.]
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit Early to Rise.

The Parrot Speaks

2007-08-22T08:48:00.000-04:00

African gray parrots are the champion talkers of the animal kingdom, and Mr. Cranky's parrot Solomon is amazing. He sounds just like Mr. Cranky when he squawks my name; he calls the dogs in my voice and whistles "Dixie". He was asking "Whatcha doing?"; now he asks "What are YOU looking at?" and tells me "Don't even think about it! "What will he come up with next? Your guess is as good as mine.

Cigarettes or Sex? You can't keep both.

2007-08-08T22:28:00.000-04:00

Smoking may make young men feel adult and sexy, but those coffin nails can kill a man's sex life according to this report:

Smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction, a U.S. report said.
The study by Tulane University, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that the more cigarettes smoked, the greater the risk.
Epidemiologist Jiang He examined the association between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction in a Chinese study involving 7,684 men aged 35-74 who did not have vascular disease.
The association between smoking and erectile dysfunction was even stronger in participants with diabetes, the university said in a release.
The study said an estimated 22.7 percent of erectile dysfunction cases among Chinese men might be attributable to cigarette smoking.
Source: United Press International.

Are you saving money on kids' clothes?

2007-04-24T13:38:00.000-04:00

Have you checked out Magic Kids yet for the best prices anywhere on new, first quality, brand name clothes? Well what are you waiting for?

Go to: http://www.magickidsusa.com and enter MK26601 as your referral code.

New "drugs"

2007-04-24T10:10:00.000-04:00

From the HSI eAlert:

Dear Reader,

Here’s a good one: Imagine vegetable juice is a drug.

Crazy thought, isn’t it? And yet, this is exactly what FDA officials are thinking. And I’m not speaking hypothetically. They really are thinking: “If vegetable juice is reclassified as a drug, it will be ours to regulate.”

“But why stop at vegetable juice?”

You can bet they’re thinking that too.

--------------------------------------------
Getting juiced
--------------------------------------------

In the e-Alert “This Is It” (4/16/07), I told you about the FDA plan to impose harsh new regulations on dietary supplements (vitamins, minerals, and herbs), and even food products that might be used to treat health problems.

The proposed guidelines appear in a document posted on the FDA web site. And here’s what the document has to say about vegetable juice: “If the juice therapy is intended for use as part of a disease treatment regimen instead of for the general wellness, the vegetable juice would also be subject to regulation as a drug.”

Do you drink lots of orange juice when you come down with a cold? Under the new guidelines, orange juice would be considered a drug.

Do you find relief from arthritis pain when you take chondroitin and glucosamine? That would be considered drug use.

Do you take curcumin (a component of curry) to help inhibit cancer tumor growth? Again: drug use.

One of the worrying aspects of these guidelines is that they’re vague and poorly written. And fuzzy language will work entirely in favor of the FDA when it comes time to interpret the guidelines. HSI Panelist Jon Barron listed these problems that are likely to unfold if the guidelines are adopted:
More confusion
More cost
Less access to health
Denial of freedom of access
You can read all of Jon’s comments in his blog at www.jonbarron.org.

Doctor-induced Diabetes

2007-04-23T12:14:00.000-04:00

Doctors are starting to see a combination form of diabetes that seems to be a result of current treatment methods.

Type I is insulin-deficient diabetes, when the body doesn't make enough insulin.
Type II is insulin-resistant diabetes, when the cells don't use the insulin that is available.

The standard treatment for Type I is to inject insulin into the body. When this is not combined with diet and exercise, the cells can gradually develop insulin resistance.

Type II is generally treated with drugs that increase the body's production of insulin, but eventually the overstimulated insulin-producing cells wear out, creating an insulin deficiency.

There are many foods that can slow down the absorption of carbohydrates to prevent the blood sugar spikes that stress the insulin system, and, while some carbs turn into blood sugar very rapidly, others break down slowly. What and when you eat can protect you from diabetes, or help prevent further damage if you are already a diabetic.

Alzheimers is a Form of Diabetes?

2007-04-23T12:07:00.000-04:00

Watch Your Blood Sugar ... Preserve Your Brain Power

By Jon Herring

For years, we have known that diabetics have about a 65 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. And recently, Brown Medical School researchers found a new connection between these two diseases when they discovered that insulin is not only produced in the pancreas but also in the brain.

In their study of brain tissue from 45 Alzheimer's patients, they also found insulin abnormalities quite similar to those associated with advanced stages of diabetes. Furthermore, the brains of those with Alzheimer's had abnormal protein deposits similar to deposits in the pancreas of diabetics.

The team concluded that Alzheimer's is actually a new form of diabetes, which they call "Type 3." Other experts characterize the discovery differently - but one thing is clear: Abnormal blood sugar metabolism can lead to diabetes AND severe neurodegeneration.

This is just another bit of news to remind you to take your blood sugar levels very seriously. Avoid sugars, fruit juices, and refined carbohydrates ... and work out vigorously three to four times per week. You will have greater mental energy, your mood will be elevated, and your risk of ALL degenerative diseases will be much diminished.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

Old potions dressed up to cost more

2007-03-20T11:03:00.000-04:00

As we all know, the poor drug companies spend many years and many millions (or billions) of dollars creating a new drug. Then as soon as a patent is granted and the product is launched, all these upstart generic drug companies come along, and like circling sharks they wait for the patent to expire. As soon as it does, the generics hit the market and undercut the price until they start selling more of the product than the former patent holder does.

At that point what do the drug giants have to show for all their efforts? Just a few billion dollars in profits and a drug they can no longer call their very own. But before you start to feel too sorry for them... There's a nice little loophole they can put to use that extends the life of a drug's patent for two and a half years. And when the drug is a popular, high-profile product, that can mean a very lucrative final run at huge profits before the final bell rings.

Playing dress up
The loophole is simple and effective: Claiming that their drug has a new use or a newly added chemical property, the drug company applies for a patent extension. Now that may sound reasonable, but consider this: the patent can even be extended if the only change is a new packaging of the drug.

When the extension is granted the "reformulated" drug has 30 additional months of peak earning power before the generics close in for the kill and bring the price down to earth. Of course, patents can be extended only if the FDA approves the reformulated drug. But this would appear to be a mere rubber-stamping formality. Just look at the numbers.

Between 1989 and 2000, a full two-thirds of all the prescription drugs approved by the FDA were nothing more than modified versions of existing drugs. And some of them weren't even modified - they were identical to drugs already on the market.
Meanwhile, only a scant 15 percent of the drugs approved during that period could be considered genuinely "new."
Naming names!
Among the popular reformulated drugs currently on the market there are some brand names I'm sure you'll recognize. The allergy drug Claritin, for instance, was reformulated to become Clarinex. Prilosec, an ulcer medication, became Nexium - the purple pill. And (this is my favorite) Sarafem, prescribed for relief of premenstrual irritability, is a pink and lavender capsule that is otherwise identical to one of the true celebrities of prescription drugs: Prozac. Prozac! So they made the pill prettier and got a new slogan, forcing users to pay patent prices for two and a half more years. (I wonder how these irritable women would react if they had any idea they were actually being given Prozac.)

All of this information comes from a 2002 research report from the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes improvements in health care access, management and quality. The report also found that the so-called "new" drugs with modified formulas were priced much higher than the drugs they replaced. In other words, the drug giants take their star performers, dress them up in their Sunday best, and then jack up the prices - all with the formal blessing of our friends at the FDA.

If you must rely on a prescription drug, ask your doctor about the specific history of the drug. Otherwise you might get Prozac, renamed and dressed up in a colorful new and more expensive package. ..

Low fat dairy promotes infertility

2007-03-20T10:52:00.000-04:00

According to a new study that followed more than 18,000 subjects for eight years, risk of infertility increases among women who consume two or more servings of low fat dairy daily. The study also found that infertility risk drops when women consume one or more servings of high fat dairy daily.

We've been told for years that fat is BAD, and we should drink low fat or skim milk. Now we find out that low fat dairy consumption increases the risk of infertility. If I were one of those who sees malicious conspiracies everywhere, I'd be wondering if there was a connection between the anti-fat warriors and the environmentalists who want to save the earth by removing man from most of it.

Ginseng shown to moderate colds

2006-12-22T08:27:00.001-05:00

Ginseng root extracts "have been found to have the potential to modulate both natural and acquired immune responses." That quote appears in the opening of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Western Ontario and the University of Alberta. To test this potential against the common cold, researchers recruited nearly 280 subjects between the ages of 18 and 65. To qualify for the study, subjects had to confirm that they'd experienced at least two colds in the year before the trial began. Subjects were divided into two groups: 130 received 200 mg of ginseng extract two times each day, and 148 received placebo. At the conclusion of the four-month trial (which started at the beginning of flu and cold season), 10 percent of the ginseng group reported two or more colds. That percentage was more than doubled in the placebo group. Two other key results:
Average number of days in which cold symptoms were reported was less than 11 in the ginseng group, but more than 16 in the placebo group
Using a four-point scale to score symptoms, those in the ginseng group had a significantly lower overall score compared to the placebo group
--------------------------------------------
Rooting around
--------------------------------------------
There are three types of ginseng: oriental ginseng (cultivated in China and Korea), Siberian ginseng and North American ginseng. A standardized extract of the latter ginseng type was used in the Canadian study. And in the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that the extract used was a supplement called Cold-fX, produced by CV Technologies, a company that's associated with the University of Alberta. But this isn't the first trial to demonstrate ginseng's benefits against seasonal viral infections. In a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, researchers enrolled nearly 200 elderly subjects to receive either 200 mg of North American ginseng extract or a placebo twice each day during flu season. At the end of the season, researchers found the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza to be considerably higher in the placebo group than among those treated with ginseng. They also noted that the treatment was well tolerated. Native Americans commonly used North American ginseng to reduce fevers and boost immune function and energy. This ginseng variety may also be helpful in relieving hot flashes in menopausal women. Talk to your doctor or an experienced herbalist before using ginseng on a regular basis. Ginseng may have an adverse effect on patients who use blood thinners. Infrequent side effects include headaches, insomnia, nervousness, rash, and heart palpitations. Women are advised to avoid ginseng use in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Tuna for eyesight?

2006-12-22T08:27:00.000-05:00

Yes! The omega-3 fatty acids in tuna help prevent dry eye syndrome which can damage the cornea, according to this article:
"Tears contain a precise balance of water, salt, proteins, mucus, and oil. Throw off the balance of those components and you could develop dry eye syndrome (DES), a condition that creates an irritating, sometimes gritty sensation under the eyelid. Chronic DES can damage the cornea and lead to vision loss. A team of researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Schepens Eye Research Institute conducted a DES study using data collected from the Women's Health Study. Dietary intake was assessed for more than 32,000 women between the ages of 45 and 84. About 1,500 subjects had been diagnosed with DES. Analysis of the data produced these findings:
Women who had the lowest intake of omega-3 fatty acids were 20 percent more likely to develop DES compared to women with the highest intake
A higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a significantly higher risk of DES
Omega-3 from tuna provided the most impressive prevention of DES: Women who ate five or more tuna servings per week reduced DES risk by more than 65 percent compared to women who had only one serving of tuna per week
DES affects eight to 10 million people in the U.S. - mostly women. "

Get more info on natural healing and health maintenance in the Cranky Yankee Weekly Newsletter. Sign up at: http://www.crankyyankee.biz and get a bonus gift.

Mr. Cranky can save you money on kids' clothes

2006-09-22T00:28:00.000-04:00

Now YOU can save BIG on kids' clothes.Magic Kids buys overstock brand name first quality children's clothes and sells them for a fraction of what the big retailers charge. Log on to their website at: http://www.magickidsusa.com and click the log in link at the top left of the page. Create your account and type MK26601-B4-000 where it asks for a discount code. Then you can shop and save to your heart's content. Never again will keeping your kids clothed stress your budget!

A Vaccine for Cervical Cancer?

2006-06-22T18:45:00.000-04:00

From the HSI E-Alert

I'm sure you heard the big news in health care a few days ago: The FDA approved the first cervical cancer vaccine.

Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn't it? After all, Dr. Carolyn Runowicz, president of the American Cancer Society, calls it "one of the most important advances in women's health in recent years."

What Dr. Runowicz doesn't mention is that this advancement is completely unnecessary.

--------------------------------------------
The transmission factor
--------------------------------------------

The vaccine is called Gardasil, and it's been shown to offer 100 percent protection against strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause the overwhelming majority of all cervical cancers. (I've read various estimates stating that anywhere from 70 to 95 percent of cervical cancers are prompted by HPV infection.)

But here's the wrinkle: HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. (In fact, it's the most common STD.) So the vaccine is only effective when given to females between the ages of nine and 26 who are not sexually active. But this sexual element has opened up a contentious debate over whether or not the vaccine should be mandatory for young girls.

Although almost nothing gets under my craw more than the words "mandatory" and "medication" in the same sentence, I'm not going to open that can of worms today. Perhaps the most important fact that's being widely overlooked (deliberately?) is that HPV is easily detected and treated when women have regular gynecological exams. And as every woman knows, regular exams will still be necessary after receiving the vaccine. So why bother with a vaccine?

Well, I can think of one reason to bother. According to the Associated Press, industry analysts predict that Gardasil may exceed $1 billion in yearly sales for Merck, the maker of the vaccine.

--------------------------------------------
Making it moot
--------------------------------------------

I asked HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., his take on Gardasil, and he didn't mince words: "I'm not buying the vaccine for cervical cancer one bit. We're experimenting on women. Look at all the drugs that have been pulled after being advertised (and FDA approved) as a 'wonder drug.'

"Another reason I'm negative about such a 'preventive' is that I believe this cancer can be prevented anyway. I've had several women with bad Pap smears revert to normal after using L. acidophilus intra-vaginally (after all, that's all Doderlein's Bacilli are in the first place - the medical people just change the name of the bugs in the vagina to make it sound scientific), along with high-dose B-6, magnesium and folic acid orally, and B-12 sub-lingually (along with getting off the Pill)."

Dr. Spreen also steered me to a cervical cancer study that Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., wrote about in his Nutrition & Healing newsletter in May of 2000.

The study was conducted by Maria Bell, M.D., a women's cancer specialist who tested a substance called indole-3-carbinol (I 3C) extracted from Brassica (cruciferous) vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and bok choy.

Dr. Bell recruited 30 patients who had either stage two or three cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia. (Stages two and three involve cancer that's somewhat developed, with possible local lymph-node involvement.) Diagnosis and follow up was conducted with Pap smears, colposcopy exams and biopsies.

For 12 weeks, 10 subjects took 400 mg of I 3C daily, 10 took 200 mg of I 3C, and 10 took a placebo. After three subjects dropped out of the study, Dr. Bell reported these results:
In the 400 mg group, 4 of 9 patients had complete regression
In the 200 mg group, 4 of 8 had complete regression
In the placebo group, no subjects had complete regression
Dr. Wright adds: "It's also a reasonable prediction that regular eating of these vegetables and/or taking I 3C or di-indolylmethane will prevent a significant proportion of cervical cancers; this has already been shown to be the case for Brassica consumption and prostate cancer."

Di-indolylmethane (DIM) is another substance found in cruciferous vegetables and is also available in supplement form.

So let's not consider forcing this vaccine on our nine-year-old girls when there are so many other safe, effective options.

More health and nutrition news @ The Cranky Yankee

Just write another prescription, Doc.

2006-05-29T03:18:00.000-04:00

Here are a few interesting tidbits about the worldwide rise of pharmaceuticals from a recent Forbes.com article:
In 2005, prescription drug sales broke the $600 billion mark for the first time in history - a leap of 7% over the year before.
Sales in the nine biggest markets (the U.S. included) grew by 5.7%, while sales in developing nations like Russia, Mexico, China and South Korea averaged a blistering 81% growth year over year!
Approximately 2,300 purely experimental drugs are currently being tested on humans worldwide, while 212 more are in late-stage human trials.
So-called "biotech" drugs (protein-based, injected) grew 17% to more than $50 billion in sales.
Think drugs are taking over medicine, or what?

No wonder control of the FDA is such a pivotal advantage for either political party. Holding the reins to the domestic approvals of tomorrow's prescription medications spells hundreds of billions of dollars into the pockets of drug companies - and into the government's coffers...

Only one thing is missing: Any kind of objective oversight or accountability.

You go to see the doctor, and what do you usually get? Another prescription! My mother was feeling drugged out, so she went through her prescriptions and sidelined all but one drug per ailment. Now she's starting to feel human again. It's a lot easier for a doctor to write a prescription than it is to really listen to the patient.

Is Obesity Inherited?

2006-05-08T14:42:00.000-04:00

Yes, but not so much in the genes as in the eating habits. If the parents regularly take seconds, snack on junk food, and serve large potions--"Super-size me" sound familiar?--then the children will follow in the parent's unhealthy habits. One of the best things we can do for the next generation is to model good habits. Life-styles and beliefs are usually caught, not taught. "Do as I say, not as I do" usually fails.

Get Moving for the Sake of Your Heart

2006-04-13T14:52:00.000-04:00

Studies have shown that a majority of U.S. adults fail to get adequate amounts of exercise, or a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity per day. In a new study, researchers find that the consequences of that lack of fitness may be especially dire for adult women. According to research conducted by the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, even women who are otherwise healthy experience significantly reduced heart health than their peers if they fail to engage in regular exercise and physical activity. Researchers tracked data from nearly 30,000 women nationwide, finding that those who lived sedentary lifestyles were up to 50% more likely to suffer from the risk factors of heart disease, including high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. The study also estimated that women nationwide are more likely to be overweight or obese than men.

HSI: Frankenfruits?

2006-03-30T10:51:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Ah, if only apples were crispier, tastier and more nutritious."

No? Neither have I.

Of course, no one enjoys a mealy, tasteless apple. But when you take a moment in the produce section to pick your apples carefully, you'll usually end up with flavorful, crisp apples filled with plenty of nutrients.

Why am I obsessing about apple quality? Because I like my apples just the way they are.

The other day I came across an article from NutraIngredients-USA about genetic research of apples. It seems that a team of scientists at a New Zealand company called HortResearch has made a breakthrough in understanding the DNA of the apple. This is significant because when the puzzles of apple gene function are solved, the genes can then be manipulated to create new and "improved" apples.

According to NI-USA, the lead scientist at HortResearch, Dr. Ian Ferguson, told a recent gathering of fruit geneticists that this new research unlocks the "true potential" of nature. The result: "We are able to...present industry with products that meet consumer demand for attractive, novel, exciting new fruits that taste great, are healthy, convenient, safe and sustainably produced."

Consumers are demanding novel, exciting new fruits? Did I miss something? I don't remember hearing any of those demands.

As for the attractive, healthy, convenient and safe parts - I've got fruit in my refrigerator that already meets that description. No need for genetic engineering there.

Believe me, I'm all for scientific inquiry. Genetic research? Bring it on. I believe genetic research has the potential to revolutionize health care in this century - all for the better if applied responsibly.

What I DON'T need are novel new Frankenfruits, no matter how "exciting" they are. And consumers are not demanding them. Produce industry executives may demand new and unique products to sell, and if new products are developed I'm sure millions of dollars will be devoted to advertising campaigns that will try to convince us we need them.

Here's all I'm getting at: Please don't mess with our apples. They're not broken. Don't fix them.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

Don't fool with Mother Nature

2006-03-15T12:40:00.000-05:00

From the HSI eAlert:

"Remember the TV ads for Chiffon margarine? (Oops. We're dating ourselves.) Aware she'd been duped by the non-butter, Mother Nature would scold: "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature." Then she'd toss a lightning bolt. Little did the guys on Madison Avenue realize how right they got it. For decades, consumers have been spreading margarine on their morning toast and evening dinner rolls, consuming trans fats by the bucketful. The result: increased risk of heart disease, cancer, etc.

Will this new way to fool Mother Nature also backfire? It's hard to imagine it won't.

Maybe you've seen the commercials for a relatively new contraceptive called Seasonale. When taken as directed, Seasonale promises to reduce the number of menstrual cycles from 12 per year to four. This is easily achieved. Instead of the conventional birth control pill regimen (taking one hormone pill per day for 21 days, followed by inert pills for seven days), Seasonale users take hormone pills for 84 consecutive days, followed by seven days of dummy pills.

But don't expect immediate results. Reading the fine print on the Seasonale web site we find out: "During the first year, total bleeding days are similar to a traditional Pill." And: "You are also more likely to have spotting and breakthrough bleeding (which varies from slight spotting to a flow much like a regular period) than with a traditional monthly birth control pill." But this is common, we're told, and should decrease over time.

Maybe that's Mother Nature's way of saying, "Not a good idea."

When I started researching this e-Alert I expected to find plenty of information about Seasonale because it's already been available in the U.S. for a couple of years. What I wasn't prepared for was Anya.

Seasonale, it seems, is already passé. Or it will be when Anya hits the U.S. market later this year. Anya contains the same basic ingredients as most other contraceptive pills (including Seasonale), but it's meant to be taken daily. That's right: EVERY day. In other words: no more periods. Period.

I'm speechless. So I'll turn to an article that appeared in Macleans magazine late last year. It's written by Lianne George who discusses the use of birth control pills that can effectively put an end to menstruation. Ms. George quotes evolutionary biologist Margie Profet who notes that a monthly period flushes pathogens and bacteria out of the reproductive system. And Dr. Susan Rako - author of the book "No More Periods" - states that during a normal menstrual cycle, blood pressure is naturally reduced two weeks every month. Menstruation also rids the body of excess iron, "a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes."

And of course, these potential health problems don't take into account the known birth control pill risks, which include blood clots and breast cancer.

Fool Mother Nature if you like. But beware the lightning bolts. "

That blood pressure effect is one I'm not surprised about. Pre-menopause, my pressure was almost borderline low. Now it's edging up into the high normal range.

Just Discovered a Great Site

2006-03-08T10:58:00.001-05:00

low carb luxury
It's a non-commercial site with tons of information on low carb lifestyles.
They also offer an online magazine. I just took a quick look--I'll be going back to explore as soon as I get a spare minute. It really looks interesting.

Are YOU Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables?

2006-03-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

In 1992 the National Cancer Institute started the campaign to encourage everyone to eat five servings of fruits or vegetables each day to promote good health.

So...have you succeeded in getting five-a-day? If so...do you think you could step it up to maybe seven or nine?

Researchers at the University of London recently reviewed eight dietary studies and concluded that three to five portions of fruit and vegetables daily may cut stroke risk by 11 percent, while more than five cuts risk by 26 percent. They credit the preventive effect to an increased intake of antioxidants, folate, potassium and fiber.

One of the researchers - Dr. Feng He - told Net Doctor that increased intake of fruits and vegetables was also shown to reduce the risk of some cancers and cardiovascular disease.

The average fruit and vegetable intake in developed countries is three servings per day.

Happy couples heal faster

2006-01-02T11:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a prescription with no adverse side effects, and it's free. Imagine what the drug companies would charge if they could put THIS in a bottle.

From Dr. Douglass:

Love (cures) hurts

It's been a while since I talked about the cure-all doctors can't prescribe: Love.

I was tempted to save this column for Valentine's Day - but I consider the subject matter so important that I could not in good conscience wait to tell you about it. Of course, I've written in the past about the healing power of love and close relationships, but some new studies point to an even more dramatic effect these kinds of intimacies can have on your health.

Here's the first bit of news: According to recent research conducted by scientists from Ohio State University, a happy, low-conflict marriage can speed the healing of injuries and wounds by as much as 40%!

The study, published in the December 2005 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, focused on 84 married subjects whose ages ranged from 22 to 77. In each, identical blisters were raised on their arms using a vacuum pump. The researchers found that couples with higher levels of marital hostility healed from these wounds at an average rate of 60% as quickly as those who enjoyed smoother matrimonial sailing.

The study also measured higher levels of residual cytokines - proteins produced by white blood cells that initially spur healing, but can become harmful if systemically prevalent in the blood - in couples that were feuding instead of canoodling. These cytokines have been linked to a host of age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even certain cancers.

In further news that love is a life-and-death boon to your health, UK scientists from the University of Birmingham claim they've found evidence suggesting that happily married folks - especially couples in their golden years - fight flu better than their lovelorn counterparts.

According to a recent BBCNews.com article, the British research focused on 180 volunteers over age 65. Their findings revealed that higher levels of flu-fighting antibodies were present in the blood of the matrimonially blissful than in those who were widowed, divorced, or unhappily married.

Looks like all we need instead of the worthless, hazardous flu vaccine they dole out every year is a good dose of marital harmony, huh?

But this isn't all that's new on the affection-as-medicine front...

****************************************************
To start receiving your own copy of the Daily Dose,visit here
****************************************************

Cuddling your way to heart health

Have you ever noticed that "huggy" couples seem happier and healthier?

Well, there's a reason for that, according to some University of North Carolina researchers. They studied the stress response and hormone levels of 38 couples before and after having them watch an excerpt from a romance film and share a 20-second hug.

As it turns out, this scientist-induced "happy moment" resulted in a lowering of stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine and a spike in oxytocin, a hormone associated with love (especially the motherly, nurturing kind). The result of these combined reactions lowered blood pressure and reduced stress in the test's subjects.

According to the study's authors, these hormonal benefits to cardiac health are likely what's responsible for the statistical boost in longevity and overall health that longtime marriage confers - and also the root of why divorce is linked to higher mortality rates.

So if you want a healthy ticker for yourself and your spouse, scoop her up (or him, for you ladies) and dole out a big old dose of "snuggle medicine" every day. This type of "prescription" is the kind you can safely take multiple times a day, all year 'round.

Prescribing "snugs" over drugs - and loving every minute of it,

William Campbell Douglass II, MD

HSI e-Alert: Don't overdose the Tylenol (acetaminophen)

2005-12-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a New Year's Eve scenario that's all too easy to imagine.

A woman comes down with a bad cold. She begins taking daily doses of an over-the-counter cold medication that contains acetaminophen. Her congested sinuses are causing headaches, so for a few days she also takes several tablets of extra-strength Tylenol (active ingredient: acetaminophen). On New Year's Eve she drinks a little too much alcohol. To head off a hangover she swallows three or four Tylenol tablets before bed. She wakes up on New Year's Day with symptoms that seem to indicate a severe flu. In the emergency room, doctors discover that she's suffering from acute liver failure (ALF).

The problem? Her liver has been severely stressed from several days of acetaminophen overdose combined with excessive alcohol intake. If she's lucky she'll survive. But the chances that she'll need a liver transplant are higher than most people might ever suspect according to a new study that reveals this disturbing trend: Cases of ALF due to unintentional acetaminophen overdose are on the rise.

--------------------------------------------
Acetaminophen nation
--------------------------------------------

Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in more than 200 over-the-counter painkillers, fever-reducers and cold medicines. A 2003 FDA review estimated that there are more than 14,000 unintentional overdoses of acetaminophen every year, with about 100 of those cases resulting in death.

A study published in the December 2005 issue of the journal Hepatology offers new insight into those statistics.

Anne M. Larson, M.D., of the University of Washington Medical Center, led a team of researchers from 22 medical facilities that perform liver transplants. The medical records and acetaminophen use of more than 660 patients with ALF were followed over a six-year period (1998-2003).

Analysis of the data produced these results:
More than 40 percent of ALF cases were the result of acetaminophen overdose
Of these, nearly half were caused by unintentional overdose
Almost 40 percent in the unintentional overdose group took two or more medications simultaneously that contained acetaminophen
About 45 percent of the acetaminophen overdose cases were the result of suicide attempts
Perhaps the most troubling statistic is the steady upward trend of liver damage due to acetaminophen intake. In 1998 less than 30 percent of ALF cases were related to acetaminophen overdose. By 2003 that percentage was more than 50 percent.

The suggested maximum safe intake of acetaminophen is four grams daily (that's eight tablets of extra-strength Tylenol). In the University of Washington study, the average acetaminophen overdose was 24 grams. But you don't have to take a whole handful of tablets to cause problems. Dr. Larson told the Associated Press that just doubling the maximum daily dose is all that's necessary to prompt ALF, and even death.

--------------------------------------------
To the rescue
--------------------------------------------

For most of us, the liver can easily assimilate low amounts of acetaminophen. But when an overdose occurs, the liver begins to malfunction, and immediate treatment is called for. Studies have shown that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an effective antidote for acetaminophen poisoning and is especially effective within 8 hours of ingestion of the overdose.

In the e-Alert "Storm of the Eye" (10/9/02), I told you about NAC, an invaluable amino acid that stimulates production of glutathione, one of the most potent antioxidant enzymes. This ability to infuse the liver with antioxidants, coupled with excellent anti-inflammatory properties, makes NAC an effective liver crisis treatment. Research shows that NAC treatments may significantly decrease the chance of mortality in patients suffering from acute liver damage.

Milk thistle also provides excellent liver support and is often used to help protect the liver from alcohol damage and to treat liver diseases. Turmeric root, like NAC, is reputed to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that promote healthy liver function.

Dr. Douglass--Junk Food?

2005-12-26T12:31:00.000-05:00

Milk maligned, Cheetos cheered

As you know, I've been a vocal supporter of some school districts' efforts to remove junk foods from schools. Of course, many of the ways some of these school systems are going about this goal is all wrong...

Especially when their goal is clearly wealth instead of health.

Case in point: A couple of weeks ago, Illinois Governor Rod Blagoyevich called upon his state's legislature to enact a new ban on junk food in the Prairie State's public elementary and middle schools - under the auspices of raising the bar for kids' health. A worthy goal, right? Not so fast...

According to the Chicago Tribune and other sources, the proposal calls for the school board's definition of "junk food" to be revised. And under the new guidelines, cartons of whole white milk would be disallowed - but one-ounce bags of baked Cheetos, potato chips and other snack foods would be hunky-dory! This ridiculous transformation would be managed by re-writing the guidelines that the state school board uses to classify the relative healthfulness of foods. (Yes, I know the pasteurized, homogenized milk is a bilk but that's another story.)

By all outward appearances, the Governor of Illinois thinks that essential animal fats and vitamins from whole milk are more dangerous to kids' health than the chemicals, colorings, vegetable oils, trans-fats and soy by-products most of the vending machine fare he wants to allow are loaded with. Such snacks are banned by the school's current definition of "junk food," so enacting this new ban would take more or less rewriting the rules...

At first glance, you might simply thank the powers above that you don't have a pre-adolescent kid in Illinois public schools. You'd also conclude that Governor Blagoyevich is simply a well meaning, yet misguided buffoon in public office (an all-too-common phenomenon). But if you dig a little further into the story, you'd discover that it's all just a snow-job - the REAL AIM of this proposal is clearly to open the door to greater vending machine revenues in the state's high schools.

Under the Gov's new plan - which does not include high schools - more of the chips and crackers currently identified as junk foods will be exonerated from that classification and will be saleable in revenue-generating vending machines. THAT's why high schools are exempted, you see. Kids in grades 9-12 actually have jobs or substantial allowances that provide them with money to spend on vending machine food while in school...

Free Marketing Course

2005-12-16T04:02:00.000-05:00

Ever wanted to make a few bucks on the internet?
Here's a free marketing course to get you started!

Click here

Dr. Douglass on fast food and personal responsibility

2005-12-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

In America, bigger is ALWAYS better

Nowhere is this _expression more true than in our food consumption. And restaurants - especially fast-food chains - know it. Their portion sizes have steadily increased for years, and people are eating it up with no end in sight.

But my question has always been: Why?

Why do people eat more than they should, more than they need, and more than they're even HUNGRY for? I've always thought it was simply a matter of marketing. After all, America is a value-minded culture - look at the success of Wal-Mart. In America, we want more for our money, and bigger is better. One can hardly blame fast-food makers for capitalizing on this cultural norm. Whether this is in some way human nature or strictly a result of cultural programming, I can't say for certain. However, some new evidence sheds a little light on the subject...

According to 3 studies of eating habits released in various obesity forums in October:
Test subjects always ate more when presented with more food - except in the case of vegetables
When offered the same quantity of a food in one large helping or several smaller ones, subjects invariably selected the larger portion
Subjects were LESS LIKELY to over-consume foods if they served themselves rather than simply accepting the portion they were offered
The mental link between overeating and larger portions starts as early as age 2
Hmmm. Apparently, the tendency to overeat has at least something to do with how foods are presented to us. If we're offered more food (or enticed to buy it for "just 39 cents more!"), we eat more.

The solution, of course, is knowledge. If we KNOW we're being marketed to in a way that exploits our predispositions - whether they're natural or otherwise - it follows that it might make it easier to resist the urge to overeat. But NOOOO! Another unfortunate American cultural phenomenon is that nobody's to blame for their own waistline. These people would rather sue McDonald's and friends - legal, free-market enterprises (albeit unhealthy ones) - than merely forcing them out of business with their self-discipline and good sense.

But it looks like this might not be able to happen much longer.

Standing up for freedom - to get fat!

Loathe as I am to defend the fast-food joints of the world, enough is enough.

Fast-food restaurants (or candy-makers or soft-drink manufacturers, for that matter) are not holding guns to our heads and forcing us to buy, eat, and drink their products. We do that all by ourselves...

That's why it's so ridiculous to me that some people out there are suing purveyors of junk foods for their deleterious effects. Last year, a California man sued Kraft foods because Oreo cookies are fattening. Numerous folks have sued McDonalds and other restaurants for "making" them fat - one of these cases is still pending.

But it might soon be erased form the dockets, if a new bill before Congress is passed. The measure, informally known as the "Cheeseburger" bill, would make obesity-related lawsuits illegal under federal law (20 states already have such laws on the books).

Though I'm staunchly anti-fast-food, I would consider the passage of this law a victory for personal freedoms. And it would be a welcome sea-change for the courts, who several years ago bastardized the very free-market system they are charged with protecting by forcing tobacco companies to pony up an obscene amount of damages to several states for cigarette-related liability claims.

Bottom Line: It is not the government's job to protect us from ourselves. The free market is comprised of all manner of things - some good for us, some not - and it's up to us to choose wisely from among them...

And it's nobody's fault but our own when we don't.

Eschewing, not suing,

William Campbell Douglass II, MD

Have YOU been tested?

2005-10-27T12:30:00.000-04:00

20.8 million Americans now have diabetes, up 14 percent since 2003
Newly released statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) illustrate that diabetes has risen by over 14 percent in the last two years. The CDC estimates that 20.8 million Americans -- 7 percent of the U.S. population have diabetes -- up from 18.2 million in 2003. Nearly a third of these Americans are undiagnosed. According to the American Diabetes Association, the new numbers highlight the growing diabetes epidemic in the United States and reinforce the need for increased research and prevention. The CDC's report also demonstrates the need for all Americans with diabetes to have access to affordable and adequate health care.

"This study confirms what we already know; diabetes is one of this country's most prolific and deadly diseases," said Robert A. Rizza, MD, President of the American Diabetes Association. "Diabetes touches all of us in some way, which is why we must continue to work together to find a cure for diabetes and to improve the lives of the nearly 21 million Americans affected by diabetes."

From the American Diabetes Assn. newsletter-email:news@diabetes.org

Dr. Douglass on Cholesterol Education Month

2005-09-16T10:32:00.000-04:00

An "awareness month" nobody's aware of - thankfully

Did you know that September is National Cholesterol Education Month? Well, it is.

And just for your information, it's also National Head Lice Prevention Month, Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month (I'm not making this up, I swear), National Chicken Month, Humor in the Workplace Month, National "Please Your Mate" Month - and week one of September is Be Nice to New Jersey Week. But I digress...

We were talking about cholesterol education.

Personally, I didn't know until relatively recently that September is designated as National Cholesterol Education Month. I suspect the vast majority of Americans don't know it, either. And thank goodness they don't. The ones who founded and promote the "awareness month" - the NIH-affiliated National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - wouldn't know proper cholesterol management advice if it came to them carved on stone tablets.

Yes, a quick search of the NHLBI Web site reveals the same tired, outdated cholesterol management advice the misguided mainstream's been spewing for years: A low saturated fat and low-cholesterol diet, lots of exercise, and blah, blah, blah. And for those with what they consider "high" cholesterol (anything over 200 or so), prescription drugs are the solution, of course.

Haven't they read the latest findings? Don't they read my newsletter?

According to a 2004 study conducted by scientists at the State University of New York and reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, healthy, non-exercising adults who followed an ultra low-fat diet (19% of total calories) saw their levels of blood HDL - the "good" cholesterol that prevents heart disease - drop significantly. When these same subjects were then placed on 3 weeks worth of a high-fat diet (50% of calories from fat), their healthy HDL zoomed upward...

But WITHOUT raising LDL beyond levels they maintained on their normal diets.

Hmmm. Less dietary fat and cholesterol, less heart-healthy HDL. More fat, more HDL, with no difference in LDL. So what's this mean? Keep reading...

HDL: Hoodwink, Deceit, and Lies

Since it doesn't jive with the "facts" issued to them by drug companies, the simple correlation between low-fat diets and low HDL must be unfathomable to mainstream and government-affiliated sources like the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. To their way of thinking, who'd know MORE about cholesterol than the makers of cholesterol drugs, the best-selling prescription medications in the world?

After all, they're the ones paying the bills with their corporate and sales tax revenues!

But this newest State University of New York study isn't the only one plainly showing this relationship. Evidence of the dietary fat/HDL link has been around for years, though you wouldn't know it from reading the paper, watching TV "health minutes," or listening to most doctors. Heck, I've been saying (and writing) this exact thing since before the dawn of the Disco age.

Bottom line: If you really want to make sure your heart's as healthy as it can be, consume plenty of fats from sources as close to natural as you can get. Meats, cheeses, heavy cream, butter, and most importantly - eggs. This will help maintain the high HDL levels your ticker needs. Also, don't buy into the mainstream's mania over cholesterol numbers or "ratios" of HDL to LDL...

And for Pete's sake, avoid nutrition-free starches, breads, pasta, and sugar-saturated sodas and desserts. They're what's driving the need for what SHOULD be Cholesterol Education Month - 30 solid days of meats and fatty foods, with HDL tests given before and after.

Not that we'll ever get this. It would rock the drug-biz revenue machine too badly.

Raising awareness of the hearty truth,

William Campbell Douglass II, MD

Delightful blog--another Erma Bombeck?

2005-09-01T09:05:00.000-04:00

A Rich Tapestry of Barbara-isms
Click here

You have to read this to appreciate it. I got introduced to this blog while surfing blogs at Blogazoo.
The current post at the time was a hilarious piece on missing socks--maybe we need a dating service to match them back up? I added her RSS feed to my Yahoo homepage so I don't miss a post. Definitely worth your time!

Direct TV is not very direct

2005-08-13T19:46:00.000-04:00

We got an ad from Direct TV, offering us $29.99 a month for the first 3 months and a DVD player if we'd get their service. I called and found out that their package comparable with the one we had at Dish Network would run us a few dollars less per month than we'd been paying, so for 3 cheap months and the DVD player, I signed up, paid the $20 S&H for the equipment and figured I had a good deal. They installed the system on schedule and everything was fine---until I got the first bill. They had signed me up for an NFL package that was $69.99 a month. When I called to protest, they took that off, moved me to the package I'd originally selected--and then categorically refused to honor their offer of $29.99 per month for the first 3 months. When we called Dish Network, they were willing to bend over backward to get us back. They waived the $25 reconnect fee, gave us half price on having a technician out to put the dish back up and align it (Direct put theirs up on the old Dish bracket), and were totally helpful and cooperative. So, as of Monday, we'll be back on the Dish and I will deliver Direct's equipment back to a local dealer. They'll be getting a copy of their ad with my payment for half a month at the price they advertised. If they want any more, they'll have to sue me.

Diabetes spurred by adult lifestyles

2005-07-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

They used to tell us that childhood risk factors were the key. Now they've gone a little further and found that adult lifestyles are the bigger factor. Action recommendation: Good nutrition from the start is important, but if you didn't start off right, you can still cut your risk by eating right as an adult.
Here's the article:

Source: HealthDay

(HealthDay News) -- Adult behaviors have more influence on type 2 diabetes risk than childhood risk factors such as birth weight and nutrition, according to a British study.

The findings run counter to long-held beliefs that fetal development predisposes individuals to diabetes in later life.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne examined long-term data on 412 women and men, and concluded that overweight and obese adults were more likely to have increased insulin resistance, a risk marker for type 2 diabetes. The data came from the Thousand Families Study, which has tracked the health of individuals born in Newcastle in 1947 throughout their lives.

Childhood factors -- which were previously believed to have a significant effect on diabetes risk -- were found to have only a limited impact, the researchers report in the current issue of Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews.

"Previous studies have suggested that the risk of poor health in later life is programmed by impaired development in the womb, and that poor growth in fetal and infant life is associated with impaired insulin secretion and sensitivity," study leader Dr. Mark Pearce, of Newcastle University's School of Clinical Medical Sciences, said in a prepared statement. "However, not all of these studies have had access to complete data on late life."

"Our study, which has examined people from birth to adulthood, suggests that the life you lead as an adult has the biggest influence on your health, in terms of diabetes risk, in later life," Pearce said.

----

For the latest health news & Health-Life Services like tools, calculators, & a physician locator, go to www.healthday.com.
Copyright Â© 2005 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Overweight has been shown to be a significant factor in developing Type 2 diabetes.
For a personal consultation on a diet plan customized for you, fill out the survey at:
http://www.great2losewt.com Let us know when to contact you, and we will call you back.

Added a Photo

2005-07-08T21:30:00.000-04:00

I added a photo to my profile. It's not as recent as it could be. Just add a little grey, and cut the hair about collar length and you can probably recognize me if we ever meet. I'm working on the July Cranky Yankee Newsletter. Just finished Judge Roy Moore's book "So Help Me God" and I'm meditating on an article on judicial tyranny to submit to Info-Go-Round. I checked out their categories and I'll probably have to put it in the Religion/Philosophy category under the theme of your final authority determines how you live your life. If you need fresh content for a website, check them out!

Overweight is Increasing Health Costs

2005-07-01T07:03:00.000-04:00

Americans' widening waistlines are the main force behind rising U.S. health care costs, a new study shows.

Between 1987 and 2002, the proportion of private health spending attributable to obesity increased more than tenfold, researchers report, from $3.6 billion to $36.5 billion.

In the year 2002, obesity-related medical care spending accounted for 11.6 percent of all private health care spending compared to just 2 percent in 1987, concludes an article published today in Health Affairs.

"We can focus on obesity and we should be," said study lead author, Kenneth Thorpe, the Robert W. Woodruff professor and chair of the department of health policy and management at Emory University in Atlanta. "We need to have the same type of societal attention on this issue that we gave to smoking 20 years ago," Thorpe added.

There's been no question that health care costs in this country are soaring. The question has been, "Why?"

"You can break health care spending into two things," Thorpe explained. "One is that we're treating more people who are sick, and second is that it costs more to treat those patients."

To find out which factor was predominant, Thorpe and his colleagues looked at data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey and the 2002 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, both nationally representative samples. Specifically, they were concerned with spending among privately insured adults aged 18 to 64 for the top 20 medical conditions.

As it turned out, more than half of the growth in health care spending was attributable to increased prevalence of disease rather than an increase in how much it cost to treat each person.

"We found overwhelmingly that the rise in private insurance spending was traced to the fact that we were treating more and more people with a variety of chronic health conditions," Thorpe said.

In other words, more people are sick now than before; predominantly with conditions linked to obesity such as diabetes and high blood pressure. This means that in 2001, obese adults with private health insurance spent $1,244 more per person per year on health care than normal-weight adults. Back in 1987, that number was just $272.

Obese individuals are being treated for more conditions, too, the study found. In 2001, for example, 15.5 percent of obese adults were treated for six or more medical conditions, nearly double the 1987 percentage.

There have also been changes in the way clinicians treat patients. "They're more likely to give you a blood pressure pill today at a lower threshold than 15 years ago," Thorpe said.

Finally, new, expensive technology is also driving costs upwards, the study found.

"Obesity is a very expensive health problem and, unlike some other health problems, doesn't appear to be topping out. It appears to be accelerating," said Dr. Tom Farley, co-author of Prescription for a Healthy Nation and professor of community health sciences at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.

"We all pay for these costs," Farley pointed out. "It's not just people who are obese. All of us have higher premiums, higher taxes. This is a society-wide problem and we need society-wide solutions."

Unfortunately, the debate on how to curb this growth in obesity and its related expense is focusing on the wrong issues, Thorpe said.

"The private insurers are doing nothing to deal with this issue," he said. "They're looking at consumer-driven plans, increasing co-pays. If you think about it, those are going to do nothing to affect the 60 percent increase in diabetes."

Rather than trying to decrease the cost per case, we need to look at the bigger picture, he said.

"We're looking under the wrong light here," Thorpe said. "We need to fundamentally focus our attention on how to control costs."
From www.healthday.com.

Herbalife has diet plans that can be customized to your tastes and lifestyle. For more information and to request a consultation, fill out our diet survey at http://www.great2losewt.com

Raisins may be good for your teeth

2005-06-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

Have you ever heard that raisins are bad for your teeth? Turns out the opposite may be true.

Any food that's sweet and sticky might seem like a potential cavity culprit, even if it's a whole food like raisins. But researchers with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have produced evidence that raisins contain phytochemicals that kill bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Chemical analysis by the UIC team identified five phytochemicals in Thompson seedless raisins. Three of the phytochemicals inhibited the growth of two types of oral bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, which is known to cause cavaties.

Another phytochemical prevented S. mutans from adhering to the surface of teeth. Bacteria must be able to stick to teeth in order to form plaque.

Christine Wu - lead author of the study - told NutraIngredients.com that just because a food is sticky sweet doesn't mean it will cause cavities. She said, "It is mainly the added sugar, the sucrose, that contributes to the problem."

From the HSI e-Alert: HSIResearch@healthiernews.com

Eating habits are established early, study finds

2005-06-08T09:19:00.000-04:00

How we feed our children can determine their lifelong eating habits. This study found that the way 2 year olds ate correlated more with their adult dietary preferences than any other factor.
Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

Dijon, France (dpa) - If you are a fast-food junkie with little variation in your diet, the chances are that you ate the same way when you were two years old, according to a 20-year French study made public on Wednesday.

The first part of the study, which was carried out by the University of Burgundy in Dijon, took place between 1982 and 1999, when the researchers recorded the food selection of 418 children between the ages of 2 and 3.

Then, between 2001 and 2002, a doctoral candidate from the National Institute of Agronomic Research, Sophie Nicklaus, looked up 341 of these children, now aged 4 to 22, and compared their diets with those they had when they were young.

The study found that choices made in infancy determined their future preferences. To their surprise, researchers also found that other factors such as body weight or the profession of their parents had no effect on eating preferences.

According to Vincent Boggio of the University of Burgundy: "There has been little work on the evolution of eating preferences, because they are hard to study over the long term. Our results have made waves, all the way to the United States."

Copyright 2005 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH

Healthy diet and nutrition can prevent many diseases and metabolic disorders. Check out the nutrition info, health news, and recipes at http://www.crankyyankee.biz

Yogurt for bad breath? From the HSI e-Alert

2005-06-01T10:54:00.000-04:00

Yogurt Tic-Tacs anyone?

A Japanese study suggests that bad breath may be reduced by eating a little yogurt every day - if it's the right kind of yogurt.

Researchers at Tsurumi University (TU) in Yokohama started their study by instructing 24 subjects with halitosis to avoid eating yogurt and any other foods with living cultures for two weeks. For the following six weeks all subjects ate 45 grams of yogurt (about two ounces) twice daily: once between breakfast and lunch, and again between lunch and dinner.

At the end of the trial 80 percent of the saliva samples collected were found to have lower levels of sulfide compounds (which can cause halitosis) compared to saliva samples taken at the outset of the study. Subjects also considerably reduced plaque and gingivitis. The mechanism that creates these benefits is unknown, but the results complement another study that found a lower risk of cavities among people who regularly eat yogurt.

The yogurt used in the TU study was sugar-free and fermented with living lactobacilli and streptococci cultures. At the International Association for Dental Research annual meeting, the TU team noted that yogurt made with sugar or without the living cultures would not produce the same beneficial effects.

These benefits can only be expected in cases where bad breath is related to dental conditions. Halitosis can also be caused by sinus or lung infections and even cirrhosis of the liver.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

http://www.crankyyankee.biz
http://tinyurl.com/ds8ey
http://tinyurl.com/a52c3
http://tinyurl.com/9btmp
http://tinyurl.com/7oelu

A Couple of Health News Items

2005-05-25T08:06:00.000-04:00

We aren't just what we eat--what we DRINK counts too.

* Sodas Keep Child Obesity Soaring *

WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The ballooning weight of American
youth may be driven, at least in part, by the sugary fizz of soda pop.

A new review of data and expert opinion suggests soft drink consumption
greatly increases the risk of childhood obesity, according to researchers
reporting in the May issue of the Journal of Pediatrics.

(Click here for complete news story)
STORY

* Milk May Help Keep Diabetes Away: Study: 2 to 3 Cups of Low-Fat Dairy
Lowers Diabetes Risk by 20% *

May 10, 2005 --There is mounting evidence that milk can lower your risk of
developing type 2 diabetes.

Men who drank 2 to 3 cups of low-fat or nonfat milk a day were found to be
20% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes in a study by researchers from
Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health in
Boston.

(Click here for complete news story)
STORY

New Sales Pitch for Prescription Drugs?

2005-05-18T21:21:00.000-04:00

From the Health Sciences Institute:
Now they're selling drugs to treat drug side effects...And what are the side effects of the new treatment that will then require another drug to treat them?

"Here's a new way to sell drugs.

"Interview" the quintessential Mom and Pop. They're a little past retirement age. They've been married forever. They complete each other's sentences. She's sassy. He's deferential. It's like a scene out of "When Harry Met Sally."

When they appear on your television screen they seem to be responding to an interviewer, but at the same time they seem to be speaking directly to you, as if you'd just stopped by for a friendly visit and asked how they were doing.

Glad you asked! It seems Mom has been taking over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control pain. But her doctor (who Pop describes as "a very smart man") is concerned that she might develop an ulcer from the NSAID use, so he prescribed Nexium to help prevent an ulcer.

In a typical drug commercial, this is where a voiceover would hurry us through a scary list of possible side effects. But that's not necessary for Mom and Pop; they casually run down the inventory of Nexium's side effects as part of their conversation. ("Oh, remember, your doctor also said it could cause stomach upset.")

But the casting and script aren't the only things that set this ad apart from other drug ads.

Drug commercials pitch products that treat health problems. What's most unusual about this pitch is that it's selling Nexium to prevent the possible side effects of another drug. I'm not certain but I think this may be a first in drug advertising.

Furthermore, this ad is also selling the IDEA that if you're taking a drug that poses unhealthy side effects (and what drug doesn't?) the healthy thing to do is to take an additional drug. Remember, Mom's doctor is "a very smart man."

If drug companies can convince enough people that treating drug side effects with drugs is a logical and reasonable thing to do, there will be no end to the medicating. Or the profits.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute "

Add this blog to your Yahoo homepage

2005-04-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

Now it's as easy as clicking on a link--like this one:

The Cranky Yankee is getting a facelift

2005-03-26T18:13:00.000-05:00

The Site Studio website builder on my webhost is so great that I've decided to redesign the home page at http://www.crankyyankee.biz . I've gotten resale rights to a whole lot of ebooks and marketing software and will be adding a Software Store and a Marketing Center. There will be tutorials available for safelists, ad tracking, traffic exchanges, pay-to-read sites, etc, with helpful tips and ratings. I'll post the opening date when I get it up and running. In the meantime, the cookware and cookbook departments are still open, and the ccoking class is still in session. You can still get the best nutritional products available, and the newsletter is still going out. Get the newsletter by filling out the form below.

Got a line on 2 fantastic limited-time deals

2005-03-19T12:06:00.000-05:00

Hi
Quick question for you here...
What if I offered you a brand new product that will show you
in great depth, with personal examples, how to handle your
powerful emotions, to find inner peace and true happiness?
It's a bold claim; but I know it is true. So do several
other delighted readers.
Why? Well, it's a scientific fact. I'll prove it, but first
another question:
If I could show you three simple techniques that in 5 minutes
are guaranteed to make you feel happier, calmer and positive,
would you try it out?
What if I had a collection of these techniques that took
years to test and perfect, would you want to use them?
Of course, and that's why people are going crazy about this.
No other person has ever revealed information this powerful.
Even Dr.Mani kept this information quiet - until John Harricharan,
award-winning author of the bestselling ebook POWER PAUSE -
http://www.EmotionPrism.com/powerpause/ - asked him to write
about it.
Surely you heard the buzz when "THE EMOTION PRISM"
first was released to the public?

Joe "Mr.Fire" Vitale, master copywriter and the world's
first 'hypnotic' marketer said this about "The Emotion Prism":
"A riveting book reminding us that happiness is a choice
and each moment is a gift."
Well-known author and programmer Ben Prater agreed:
"Immersive, powerful, touching. I never put it down -- Dr. Mani
will touch your heart while helping you to see the world in
a powerful new light.
"If today, right now -- you feel like your "glass" is half-full, you
owe it to yourself to add The Emotion Prism to your own personal library
-- You will never be the same again.
Dr.Tony Alessandra, author of "The Platinum Rule" and "Charisma"
called it:
"A compelling story and an easy, shortÊread that leads to a
powerful three-step payoff."
And affiliate program specialist Glenn Sobel put it in a nutshell:
"Self-help books and pop psychologists are a dime a dozen. They're
all full of theories that don't hold up under scrutiny.
'THE EMOTION PRISM' is different. It's not only easy and enjoyable
to read but it's honest, logical and smart. The most valuable 2
hours of reading I could invest in my future. It has already helped
me and I just finished reading it."

I'll say it again: These simple techniques will increase your
inner peace and true happiness levels by at least 3 times. Or
I'll give you your money refunded... that's a promise.
How can I do this?
Well, it's quite easy to use and purely scientific.
These aren't just theories and guesses - these are *specific*
things you can do right now that will help you manage your
emotions. And each of these techniques have been *scientifically*
proven.
It reveals the results of years of insight and experience showing
*exactly* the simple techniques experts use.
If I could reach out and grab you through this monitor
I'd shake you to make you realize how important what I'm about
to show you is.
Anyway, here's the favor I want to do for you.
This book *normally* sells for $79 (and at this price, it's a
steal - think about it - how much will this info be worth to you?),
but for the next few days (this offer expires as soon as the limited
995 copies are sold - obviously I can't give this away at this price
for long... I might even increase the price further) here's
what I'm going to do:
Get THE EMOTION PRISM with our "no questions asked" refund
promise if you aren't delighted with it, for:
*** Only $9.95 *** (NOT $79)

If you want to see my sales letter again for this incredible book,
go here:
http://www.ezinemarketingcenter.com/ezGprodurl.php?offer=crankyyank&pid=45

Imagine... you could order the Manuscript, ask for a refund, and
you'd have these bonuses absolutely free. There's nothing I could
do to stop you.
Not one single person who purchased this book has been
disappointed with it, though.
People are eager to pay $79 for this *without* the bonuses;
because, they know how much this information will be worth to
them over the years.
Why am I selling it for $9.95 with the bonuses this weekend?
Because I'm feeling generous :)
Also, Dr.Mani's letting his friends - including me and many ezine
owners - help promote it and wanted to give us a chance to offer
you, my special subscriber, a special incentive... but the fact
is, this offer *will* expire soon: bottom line.
This book could be exactly what you need to turn your life
around. Just try it out risk free today:
http://www.ezinemarketingcenter.com/ezGprodurl.php?offer=crankyyank&pid=45

If you're ready to buy right now and get access to the free
bonuses, just click here:
http://www.ezinemarketingcenter.com/ezGprodurl.php?offer=crankyyank&pid=45

Do it now -- and become a PRISM for your EMOTIONS!
Remember, I'm giving you my *iron clad* guarantee:
1. If you're not happy for any reason, just ask for a refund
and we'll issue one - no questions asked. You even get to
keep the bonuses.
http://www.ezinemarketingcenter.com/ezGprodurl.php?offer=crankyyank&pid=45

There's a reason people are going crazy for this book. Don't
you want to know why?
All the best,
Mrs. Cranky Yankee
http://www.crankyyankee.biz

P.S. Here are just a couple of the rave reviews Emotion Prism
is getting:
John Harricharan, best selling author and inspirational guide
to stars like Muhammad Ali said:
"Your book is a great way to bring "Universal Truths" to the reader.
Using the method of an "extended allegory" holds readers' interest
and makes it possible for them to remember more than by just
reading a how-to manual. As you recall, "PowerPause" uses a story-
telling method (nonetheless a true story) to explain the three
principles. Congratulations, Mani! You have produced a very helpful
book."
-- John Harricharan, award winning author of bestseller "Power Pause"
And here's what heart specialist Dr.Rich Fogoros says:
"Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book.
While the ideas you present are not new, what is new is that your
clear presentation (the story in which you package these ideas is
wonderful,) and your brevity make these ideas easily digestible. Your
concepts are less mysterious, less philosophy-laden, and more real than
I've seen them portrayed before - and the 3-step process you outline for
facing emotion-laden crises is intuitively compelling. This is a
beautifully written and powerful book, and I believe it will be a great
help to many, many people."
-- Rich Fogoros, Heart Disease Guide, About.com
Remember, you have no risk in trying... and you get to keep the
bonuses even if you ask for a refund:
http://www.ezinemarketingcenter.com/ezGprodurl.php?offer=crankyyank&pid=45

AND

7 day sale of a fantastic audio library with ebook bonuses. $19 today 3/19, price goes up $10 per day. After 7 days, sale closes. Vendor says Nevermore!

E-Mail
First Name