Look Before You Leap

[Daily Health News]

December 28, 2004

In This Issue... Look Before You Leap -- Statins are not all they're hyped up to be 2,107 Powerful New Cures for Everything from Heart Disease to Cancer, Alzheimer's and Diabetes... Fatten Up -- How good fats can ease symptoms of PMS Purge "Impossible" from Your Vocabulary LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP If you believe the drug manufacturers, you might think that statins are the best thing since sliced bread. Recent studies suggest that not only do they lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke, they also may cut Alzheimer's risk... help prevent glaucoma... ease macular degeneration... and reduce the inflammation and scarring of the Myelin sheath (a fatty covering that protects nerve fibers) and underlying nerve that cause multiple sclerosis. The response overall has been so positive that an over-the-counter version of one statin has been made available in the UK. (See Daily Health News, October 7, 2004.) Now a new study reports that people who take statins experience another unexpected benefit -- a reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer. Other research suggests that statins offer protection against prostate and kidney cancer, breast cancer and melanoma. Should we all start popping statins? DON'T LEAP TO CONCLUSIONS The answer to that question is an emphatic no, according to Jay S. Cohen, MD, associate professor (voluntary) of family and preventive medicine at University of California, San Diego, and author of What You Must Know About Statin Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives (Square One). He told me that the side effects of statins are drastically underestimated by pharmaceutical companies. Even researchers who conducted the latest cancer study caution that it is too soon to leap to that conclusion, noting that findings are preliminary and that statins have potentially serious side effects. Not only that, there are far less risky ways to prevent colorectal cancer, including healthy diet, regular exercise and screening tests for early detection. ABOUT THE RESEARCH The study was observational and based on questionnaires rather than strict scientific controls. It involved nearly 4,000 Israelis with an average age of 70. Approximately half had colorectal cancer, and the other half were disease free. Researchers found that those who used statins for five or more years experienced a 51% reduction in the risk for colorectal cancer. Even when other risk-lowering factors were taken into account (aspirin use, diet, exercise, cancer-screening practices and family history), use of statins for at least five years was associated with a 46% reduction in risk. Most of the people in the study took pravastatin (Pravachol) or simvastatin (Zocor), the most commonly used statins in Israel. However, researchers believe that all statins probably have the same protective effect. Statins may reduce colorectal cancer risk by interfering with the action of cancer-related genes. Other cholesterol-lowering drugs (such as fibrates) do not appear to offer similar protection. Because this study was observational, based on questionnaires rather than on strict scientific controls, further research is needed. The results were announced at the annual meeting of American Society for Clinical Oncology. TAKING A SECOND LOOK Dr. Cohen is concerned that in the rush of enthusiasm for all things statin, we fail to fully take into account the impact of their side effects. While drug companies report that these affect only 1% to 2% of statin users, Dr. Cohen says that published data show that some 15% to 30% of people who take these drugs experience muscle pain, joint pain, abdominal discomfort or cognitive or memory problems. About 60% of people who are prescribed statins quit taking them, notes Dr. Cohen, often because of intolerable side effects. In other cases, even though the effects can be severe, statin users fail to make the connection and do not attribute them to statin use. Unfortunately, doctors often make the same mistake. There are reports of people with statin-related confusion, altered mood, impaired memory or debilitating muscle pain, whose complaints are dismissed by their physicians because they fail to associate them with statins. Or worse, additional drugs are prescribed to control these symptoms, leading to even more side effects. Dr. Cohen says that we also need to take a second look at why statins have become so popular. More and more scientists believe that inflammation is the key to understanding and controlling not only heart disease but all major age-related diseases as well. Statins have a positive impact on these diseases because they reduce inflammation. But, Dr. Cohen asks, why isn't anybody asking why we are so inflammation-prone in the first place? He believes that drug companies should invest more of their research dollars into learning the answer to that question rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars finding new ways to market best-selling drugs. For example, Dr. Cohen points out that Americans consume far too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s, which creates an inflammatory climate in our bodies -- yet this is not a profitable avenue of research for drug companies, and so it is neglected. HOW TO PREVENT COLORECTAL CANCER According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), doctors must be certain that cancer protection outweighs the risk for possible side effects before prescribing statins to people for any reason other than lowering cholesterol. The ACS notes that regular screening tests are a better option for preventing colorectal cancer, which is in fact one of the most preventable cancers. With regular screening after age 50, noncancerous tumors, called polyps, can be found and removed early to stop cancer from starting. Beginning at age 50, both men and women at average risk of developing colorectal cancer should follow one of these five testing schedules... Yearly fecal occult blood test (FOBT) (the take-home multiple sample method should be used) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years. Yearly FOBT or FIT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years (this combination is preferred over either of these options alone). Double-contrast barium enema every five years. Colonoscopy every 10 years. All positive tests should be followed up with colonoscopy. People should begin colorectal screening earlier and/or undergo screening more often if they have any of the following colorectal cancer risk factors... A personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps. A strong family history of colorectal cancer or polyps (cancer or polyps in a first-degree relative younger than 60 years old or in two first-degree relatives of any age). Note: A first-degree relative is defined as a parent, sibling or child. A family history of an hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer). In addition to screening, the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention recommends lifestyle changes... Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Maintain a healthy weight. Eat no more than two to three servings of red meat a week. Take a multivitamin with folate every day. Drink less than one alcoholic drink a day. Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Don't smoke. Once again, the answer is not a magic pill. A healthy lifestyle is your best and safest bet to prevent cancer and other diseases that grow more common as we age. 2,107 POWERFUL NEW CURES FOR EVERYTHING FROM HEART DISEASE TO CANCER, ALZHEIMER'S AND DIABETES... These cures are so... NEW your doctor may not hear about them for years. POWERFUL they are curing cancer and erasing heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis pain, allergies, plus dozens more. FAST they often work within hours and end a lifetime of suffering. SAFE they will soon make drugs and surgery obsolete. SIMPLE you often can make one small change and experience the biggest cure of your life. Read on... FATTEN UP Fatigue, irritability, mood swings, insomnia, tender breasts, bloating, food cravings, weight gain, joint or muscle pain, headache and depression. An estimated 70% to 90% of women experience one or more symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in the days preceding their monthly period. Now word comes from Udo Erasmus, PhD, author of Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill (Alive), that a diet too low in healthy fats can contribute to symptoms of PMS. He believes that we have succumbed to a kind of "fat phobia," in which we try to cut all fats out of our diet. However, essential fatty acids (EFAs) are healthy fats that are necessary for the body's normal function, and in their absence, women are more likely to experience PMS symptoms. HOW FATTY ACIDS IMPACT WOMEN'S BALANCE According to Dr. Erasmus, numerous research studies by pioneer fats researcher, David Horrobin, MD, have shown the connection between assorted symptoms of PMS and a lack of EFAs... Bloating and weight gain: EFAs enable the kidneys to dispose of excess water. Inadequate levels of EFAs can lead to bloating and weight gain. Moodiness: Proper brain structure and function require EFAs. It is thought that inadequate levels cause neurotransmitters to function suboptimally, making a person more likely to feel angry, sad or depressed. Achy joints and muscles and cramps: In your body, EFAs are converted into hormone-like prostaglandins, which help reduce inflammation that often is related to aches and pains felt in joints and muscles. EFAs similarly help ease menstrual cramping. Fatigue and food cravings: EFAs make red blood cells more flexible, which enables them to move through capillaries more easily. This helps the cells to receive and deliver nutrients and oxygen more efficiently. This increases energy levels and reduces food cravings, which can be the result of not getting all the nutrients you need. Breast tenderness: The proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6, the fatty acids in foods, allows the body to produce the right balance of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that participate in a wide range of body functions, such as the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle and the modulation of inflammation, easing breast tenderness. RICH SOURCES OF EFAs Americans eat too much saturated fat, which contributes to inflammation, and not enough of the healthy fats that naturally counter it. To make sure that you get your share of healthy essential fatty acids... Incorporate more cold-water fish (such as salmon, lake trout, sardines, mackerel and herring), seeds and nuts into your diet. In addition, use healthy plant oils, such as flaxseed, olive and canola. Some women find that naturally anti-inflammatory evening primrose oil, which contains the good fat gamma linoleic acid (GLA), relieves premenstrual discomfort. If you are taking any prescription medication, talk to your doctor before using this or any other dietary supplement. Dr. Erasmus recommends blended oils made from organically grown seeds, stored carefully in dark glass, which can be poured over salads and steamed vegetables. These oils (including "Udo's Choice," Dr. Erasmus's proprietary blend of oils) can be found in quality health-food stores. Dr. Erasmus recommends one tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight per day. He adds that EFAs should be taken daily -- not just for PMS, but for the optimal functioning of every cell, tissue, gland and organ in your body. Be well, Carole Jackson Bottom Line's Daily Health News PURGE "IMPOSSIBLE" FROM YOUR VOCABULARY Everything is possible when you have the will and the way. For you, that can mean gaining access to medical breakthroughs that might not reach the general public for decades... or gliding to the head of the line in airports... or driving a luxury car at a price you never dreamed possible. It's all possible, when you have access to those in the know... Read on... Sources... Look Before You Leap Jay S. Cohen, MD, associate professor (voluntary) of family and preventive medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Cohen is author of What You Must Know About Statin Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives (Square One) and Over Dose: The Case Against The Drug Companies (Tarcher/Putnam). Visit his Web site at www.medicationsense.com American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health, www.hsph.harvard.edu/cancer Fatten Up Udo Erasmus, PhD, author of Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill (Alive). To learn more about Dr. Erasmus's work, visit his Web sites at www.rightfatdiet.com and www.udoerasmus.com You received this free E-letter because you have requested it. You are on the mailing list as [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or... a friend forwarded it to you. You can easily subscribe at this link... http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/e2/e2_signup.html You can easily unsubscribe at this link... http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/e2/e2_unsub.html To change your E-mail address, click here... http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/cust_service/email_prefs_combo.html Help your friends live more healthfully -- forward this E-letter to them. Bonus: It gives you more to talk about -- more constructive talk. This is a free E-mail service of BottomLineSecrets.com and Boardroom Inc. Need to contact us? 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