John Fodor’s Health Corner

The internet provides a vast amount of information and resources about health, disease and prevention. Indeed it is an outstanding resource for the general population as well as for health professionals. However, while there is much “good” health information on the Internet, there is also a lot of “bad” or misleading information. So how do you sort out the good from the bad?

One thing you can do is to check out the sources of information that you find. Some of the more reliable sources are research institutes and universities; schools of public health; medical and dental schools; official public health agencies; health maintenance organizations, clinics and hospitals; professional health organizations such as the American Medical Association, the American Dental Association and the American Dietetic Associations; and recognized national and international health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization. Information from these sources is generally well documented with supportive research and scientific references.

But even here you can be fooled. Recently there was an email circulated that was labeled “Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins Hospital.” Now Johns Hopkins is considered to be a world leader in research and education in medicine and public health. What could possibly be wrong with information from this highly regarded institution? The problem was that the email was an attempt to dupe the public into believing that the information was put out by Johns Hopkins, when it was not.

While some of the email had bits of correct information, it was out of context and incomplete. Most of the information would be classified as pure quackery. The entire email and its contents were completely denounced by Johns Hopkins. The following was their response to this hoax:

John Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Office of Public Affairs March 2007

Email Hoax Regarding Cancer

“An email falsely attributed to Johns Hopkins describing properties of cancer cells and suggesting prevention strategies has begun circulating the Internet. Johns Hopkins did not publish the email, entitle “Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins,” nor do we endorse its contents.”

THE MORAL HERE IS THAT IF YOU ARE SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR HEALTH INFORMATION, DOUBLE CHECK THE SOURCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY FROM A VIABLE AND RELIABLE SOURCE.

You can usually do this by logging on to Snopes (http://www.snopes.com/) and putting the title or key words of the title in the search window.

Additional Web sites for evaluating health information on the Internet include:

The National Institutes of Health provides a list of resources for evaluating health information. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/evaluatinghealthinformation.html)

National Human Genome research Institute. Finding Reliable Health Information Online
(http://www.genome.gov/11008303)

National Cancer Institute. How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet
(http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/information/internet)

National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus Guide to Healthy Web Surfing
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthywebsurfing.html)

National Library of Medicine. How Do I Evaluate the Information I Find?
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/guide.html#six)

Food and Drug Administration. How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet
(http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/evalhealthinfo.html)

Eating eggs has been a no, no for a number of years. After all eggs do contain cholesterol and too much cholesterol (LDL the bad kind) can cause coronary arteries to clog up. The result could be a heart attack. So the recommendation has always been to cut down on the number of eggs you eat, perhaps no more than 1 or 2 a week.

But the thinking has changed, and eggs might have gotten a “bad rap.”

Recent research suggests that eating eggs is not only good for you they have little to do with increasing your cholesterol levels and causing coronary artery disease. In fact, one study found no difference in heart disease risk between those who ate one egg a week and those who ate more than one egg a day.

The American Council on Science and Health suggests that “. . . the consumption of eggs — up to an intake of one egg per day — has no detectable effect on heart disease risk in healthy people. Experts no longer consider it necessary for healthy people to limit their intake of egg yolks to a set number per week.”

However, the council cautions that an egg a day might not be acceptable for everyone. The recommended amount of cholesterol for a healthy individual is approximately 300 mg/day. So if your daily diet is already high in cholesterol (closing in on 300 mg/day), one egg a day might put you above the daily recommended amount of cholesterol. (http://www.acsh.org/publications/pubID.507/pub_detail.asp)

In addition, for people who have coronary artery disease and are on a restricted cholesterol diet, eating one or more eggs a day might not be a good idea. For those people it would be wise to follow their doctor’s recommendation regarding how many eggs they should eat or whether they should eat eggs.

The bottom line is that eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. They are not only an excellent source of protein; they provide you with several vitamins and minerals, such as, vitamins A, B6 and B12; folate (another B vitamin); iron; phosphorus; and zinc. In fact, eggs are included in the protein-rich food group of the Department of Agriculture’s “Food Guide Pyramid” along with poultry, fish, dry beans, and nuts. Two to three servings from this group are recommended each day.
(http://www.mypyramid.gov/)

And the good news is that eggs are relatively inexpensive and can be eaten in a variety of ways; as a separate food item, or they can be included as a wholesome part of numerous recipes, including a variety of salads, soups and casseroles. Eggs also contain very little fat and are low in calories - it is estimated that one large grade-A egg would make up less than 4% of the daily calorie intake of someone eating 2,000 calories a day.

For more information on whether or not eggs should be included in your diet, check out the May 20, 2008 on-line issue of WebMD. It includes an excellent article on the value of eggs in your diet “Eggs: Dietary Friend or Foe.” Cautions as well as benefits are cited, and there is an impressive list of well documented sources of information. (http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/eggs-friend-or-foe?ecd=wnl_din_120307)

Osteoporosis is a crippling disease that thins and weakens bones whereby bones become less dense, more porous, and more susceptible to fractures.

A common belief is that osteoporosis affects only women. NOT TRUE!

OSTEOPOROSIS IS NOT JUST A WOMEN’S DISEASE.

In fact, more that 2 million American men suffer from this disease, and millions more are at risk. Each year, 80,000 men suffer a hip fracture and one-third of these men die within a year. one out of two women and one in four men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lives. While osteoporosis can happen at any age, the risk increases as you get older.

The first signs of osteoporosis are often losing height or having a bone break easily. If you are over 50 and think you are at risk for osteoporosis, have a family history of the disease or are losing height or having bones break easily, you should ask your doctor for a diagnostic test called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, This special diagnostic test is used to help determine whether or not a person has osteoporosis or is at high risk for getting the disease.

RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH OSTEOPOROSIS

There are a number of risk factors associated with osteoporosis that you should be aware of. They include:

• Lack of certain vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and vitamin D
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Smoking
• Asthma
• Breast Cancer
• Anorexia Nervosa (people with an irrational fear of weight gain resulting in a drastically cutting down their intake of food, which results in serious nutritional and hormonal problems)
• Celiac disease (a disease that can cause a loss of calcium, which is essential for building and maintaining healthy ones)

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS

Understanding the risk factors for osteoporosis provides may help you prevent the disease or reduce its severity, The following are some of the things you can do:

• Participating in regular weight-bearing exercise to help strengthen bones
• Making sure your diet is rich in calcium and vitamin D - a good way to help prevent bone loss
• Not drinking alcohol or drinking alcohol in moderation - excessive amounts of alcohol can damage your bones
• Not smoking - smoking causes your body to make less estrogen, a hormone that helps to protect bones
• Making sure you get adequate amounts of calcium-rich foods, such as mild and mild products

For additional information about osteoporosis and what you can do to prevent it, see (http://www.niams.nih.gov/bone/osteoporosis.htm).

See also Fodor, John T. (2007). Maintaining Your Health and Vitality: A Health Guide for Seniors and Their Families, Chapter 10, “The Bone Factory: Reducing the Threat of Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases.” Bangor, Maine: Booklocker.com

Are you just too tired to do anything? Do you feel like you have no energy and are fatigued most of the time, even if you are getting plenty of sleep? Do you feel on edge, nervous and jittery a great deal of the time? Have you lost your appetite? Do you have difficulty sleeping?

If any of these symptoms apply to you, you may be suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CSF).

The symptoms described above, however, are only a few of the complex symptoms associated with CSF. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the following additional symptoms of CSF that are also associated with unexplained fatigue (See http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/cfssymptomsHCP.htm). These include:

• cognitive dysfunction, including impaired memory or concentration
• postexertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours (exhaustion and increased symptoms) following physical or mental exercise
• unrefreshing sleep
• joint pain (without redness or swelling)
• persistent muscle pain
• headaches of a new type or severity
• tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes
• sore throat

Other common symptoms include:

• irritable bowel, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or bloating
• chills and night sweats
• brain fog (unclear thinking)
• chest pain
• shortness of breath
• chronic cough
• visual disturbances (blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain or dry eyes)
• allergies or sensitivities to foods, alcohol, odors, chemicals, medications or noise
• difficulty maintaining upright position (orthostatic instability, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, balance problems or fainting)
• psychological problems (depression, irritability, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks)
• jaw pain
• weight loss or gain

Many of the above symptoms can also be signs of other chronic disorders, such as heart disease, fibromyalgia, arthritis, an under active thyroid, vitamin deficiency, cancer and certain communicable diseases.

So if you have any of these symptoms, it would be a good idea to check with your doctor to rule out a more severe chronic condition. If it turns out that you have CFS and not some other chronic condition, there are a variety of treatment options available.

Because of the many problems associated with CFS it may be necessary for your doctor to work with several specialists to solve your particular CFS problem. According the CDC problems of coping with this condition include:

• the severe, changing and unpredictable symptoms of varying severity
• a decrease in stamina that interferes with activities of daily living
• memory and concentration problems that seriously impact work or school performance
• an uncertain prognosis that makes it hard to plan for the future
• loss of independence, livelihood and economic security
• alterations in relationships with family and friends
• worries raising children
• concerns about the potential impact of decreased sexual activity on intimate relationships
• skepticism and misconceptions about the illness

Treatment Options

To help you cope with these problems, your doctor may suggest that you see a professional counselor. Because this condition has an impact on the entire family, professional family education and counseling may also be suggested. A competent counselor may also ask what symptoms are most troublesome and disruptive and may focus on these symptoms.

There are a host of other alternative therapies that might also be prescribed, such as, muscle relaxing techniques - massage, yoga and tai chi, which might promote a sense of well being.

Support groups might also help provide the person with CFS a sense of community with others who understand what the person with CFS is going through.

Daily sessions of low-impact physical exercise, such as stretching and strengthening exercise using only body weight for resistance might also be helpful. Such exercises can be slowly increased to more rigorous strength and flexibility exercises.

For additional information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, see the CDC pamphlet Understanding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Guide for Patients. http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/brochures.htm#patients

Current research tells us that there are several important keys to maintaining your health and vitality. These include:

Eating the right kinds of food

• What are the right kinds of foods?
• How do the right foods benefit your health and vitality? What are the foods you shouldn’t eat?
• What harm can they do?

Maintaining a healthy weight

• What is a healthy weight?
• Why is it important to maintain a healthy weight?
• What guidelines are available for helping you to maintain a healthy weight?
• What are some of the problems associated with being overweight?

Staying physically active

• Why is physical activity and exercise so important?
• How does physical activity and exercise benefit your health and vitality?
• What kinds of activities should you be involved in?
• What activities can you do at home?
• What are the components of a well rounded exercise program?

Getting an adequate amount of sleep

• Are you getting enough sleep?
• What is an adequate amount of sleep?
• What health problems are associated with lack of sleep?
• What are some of the causes of sleep problems?
• Can you get too much sleep?
• What are some things you can do to improve your sleep habits?

Being able to minimize or manage stress

• When is stress beneficial?
• When is stress harmful?
• What health problems are associated with long-term or chronic stress?
• What are some of the positive ways of coping with stress?

Staying socially and menatally active

• What are some of the health benefits of staying socially and mentally active?
• What are examples of social and mental activities that can have beneficial health effects?
• How can staying socially and mentally active help reduce the the effects of stress, memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease and other chronic conditions?

Limiting your consumption of alcohol

• What is considered heavy drinking?
• What are some of the health problems associated with heavy drinking?
• Can small amounts of alcohol help reduce the threat of certain chronic conditions?

Not smoking

• So why shouldn’t you smoke?
• What are some of the health risks associated with smoking?
• Does smoking filtered cigarettes reduce the health risks of smoking?
• How hard is it to break the habit of smoking?
• Is the nicotine in cigarette smoke addictive?
• What are some successful ways to break the smoking habit?

Each of these keys not only help us feel better by improving our vitality and quality of life; they can help ward off many serious health problems, such as hypertension, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis, to name a few.

Previous postings on this blog provided more detailed information on several of these essential keys. See:

“Not Getting enough Sleep” 9/21/07

“Important Reasons To Control Weight” 10/24/07

“Don’t Throw The Nutrients Down The Drain” 10/8/07

“A Well-Rounded Exercise Program” 10/24/07

“Eating Fatty Foods Can Increase The Risk Of Cancer” 11/9/07

“What Grain Foods are Best For You?” 11/23/07

“Your Exercise Program: The Warm-Up And Stretching Phase” 12/13/07

“Your Exercise Program: Strength Exercises” 12/22/07

“Your Exercise Program: Balance Exercises” 12/30/07

“A Food Pyramid For Seniors” 1/30/08

“Are You Just Tired Or Do You Have Chronic Fatique Syndrome? 5/19/08

Additionally, the health essentials are revisited throughout my book Maintaining Your Health and Vitality: A Health Guide for Seniors and Their Families. (2007). Bangor, Maine:Booklocker.Com, Inc.

Hi to those who follow my Blog.

I’ve gotten a few inquiries as to why there haven’t been any additional postings on my site for the past couple of months.

Actually there have been two interruptions to my postings since January.

First, there was a brief hiatus after I had an accident that tore the patellar tendon completely off the knee cap. The surgery and follow-up rehabilitation laid me up for a couple of months and I was unable to do any writing.

In late February and early March I was again able to put up a couple of postings. The knee was coming along fine and I thought I could start writing postings on a regular schedule.

Then I ran into another much more serious interruption that again caused a hiatus in my postings. My wife was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a form of bone cancer. With the series of numerous diagnostic tests, radiation treatments, doctor’s appointments, follow-up CAT scans, MRIs and blood tests, my writing again had to be put on hold.

We’re not out the woods yet and we are still in the middle of treatments and follow-up tests. But my wife is making steady progress and appointments are being spread out a bit. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to find enough time to start posting again on a regular basis - perhaps a couple of times a week.

I’ll try to get another posting up by this weekend.

John