To Your Health

EPA cancels water delivery to drilling-tainted Dimock - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

2012-01-08T14:52:00.000-05:00

EPA cancels water delivery to drilling-tainted Dimock - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Small Business: Doctors going broke - Jan. 5, 2012

2012-01-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

Small Business: Doctors going broke - Jan. 5, 2012

A Follow-Up to Dr. Mercola's Recent Television Appearance

2012-01-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

Beautyberry Banishes Bad Biting Bugs

2011-10-13T13:16:00.000-04:00

Beautyberry Banishes Bad Biting Bugs

Sign Dick Durbin's Open Letter to the House and Senate Republican Conferences

2011-09-25T16:48:00.000-04:00

Sign Dick Durbin's Open Letter to the House and Senate Republican Conferences: Tell the House and Senate Republican Conferences to stop playing politics with disaster relief funds.

WHAT’S REALLY IN YOUR FOOD?

2011-08-31T16:28:00.000-04:00

http://www.thedoctorstv.com/main/show_synopsis/863?section=synopsis

Fats

2009-10-26T23:46:00.007-04:00

In recent years, too much negative attention has been focused upon fats. The average American diet contains too many fats lacking in nutrients and dietary fiber complicated by excessive stress and lack of exercise. The outcome is a profoundly negative impact on health resulting in numerous health disorders. Nevertheless, correct types of fats are vital for good health.

Until the age of two, the body requires small amounts of fat for normal brain development. Fats are indispensable for they distribute the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Throughout life fats are important for providing energy and supporting growth.

Interestingly fats are the most concentrated source of energy for the body. Just one tablespoon of oil, which is liquid fat, contains 120 calories of pure fat and energy. Moreover fats are a more efficient energy source than either carbohydrates or protein.

Actually fats have the highest calorie density of all foods containing 9 calories per gram compared to carbohydrates and proteins 4 calories per gram. Fats produce around 4,000 calories of energy per pound compared to carbohydrates and proteins less than half creation of 1,800 calories per pound. Complicating this, our body also converts carbohydrates, and protein into fat for storage into our something like 35 billion fat cells to be drawn upon later for energy.

Consuming excessive amounts of fat can contribute to poor health. Accordingly the 40-50% fat consumed in the typical American diet is too much. Regrettably most diets contain too much of the wrong type of fats. To be able to understand the relationship between fat intake and health disorders, it is necessary to understand the different types of fats and how they act within the body

The foundations of fats are simple lipid triglycerides. All ingested fats are broken down into fatty acids, glycerin, and water. Fatty acids are classified according to the number of hydrogen atoms in the chemical structure of fatty acids molecules as either saturated or unsaturated. The three groups of fatty acids are:

monounsaturated,
polyunsaturated, and
saturated.

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

Mostly found in vegetable and nut oils, but not in red meats, monounsaturated fats are desirable. Research indicates these seem to reduce blood levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) without affecting “good cholesterol” the high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Sorry to say they only have a modest positive impact on undesirable LDL. Consequently, the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines recommend between 10 to 15 percent of total caloric intake should be monounsaturated fat. Good sources include:

Almonds
Avocado
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Olive oil
Peanut oil and
Pecans.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Studies show polyunsaturated fats actually lower total blood cholesterol. Unfortunately large amounts of polyunsaturated fats also adversely reduce the levels of the “good cholesterol” high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Since all fats are high in calories, the NCEP guidelines recommend polyunsaturated fats should not exceed 10 percent of total caloric intake. Sources of polyunsaturated oil include:

Corn oil
Fish
Safflower oil
Sesame oil
Sunflower oil
Wheat germ oil

Trans Fats

Another ingredient to be aware of so as to avoid them are trans fats. Confusingly most of these are made when polyunsaturated oils are corrupted through hydrogenation creating a new type of fat not found in nature. This process hardens liquid vegetable oils for longer shelf life. The resulting oil is usually labeled partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Additional examples include solid products such as margarine and shortening. The bottom line is trans fats are unhealthy and contribute to health problems such as heart diseases. In 1994, Harvard health experts found trans fats contribute to at least 30,000 premature deaths each year meaning 82 deaths per day.

Studies have found trans fats behave much like saturated fats and raise undesirable LDL cholesterol levels while they reduce desirable HDL. By 2005 the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans warned to ”keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.”

In fact Ban Trans Fat, a group started in 2003, has been successful in researching this problem to the point legislation has passed in California to remove the problem from their market as of 2010 and 2011. As a result this has had a trickle down effect with other states and companies beginning to review this harmful product and encouraging businesses to make an oil change. Ban Trans Fat has very interesting facts and figures about trans fat consumption of Americans. No doubt as the public becomes more aware of these changes we will eventually see a nationwide trend develop.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Whether manufactured in our livers or absorbed from food by our intestines, the fatty compound cholesterol or saturated fatty acids are necessary for production of blood plasma and cell membranes, vitamin D2, bile acids, and is a precursor of many steroid hormones such as estrogens or testosterone. Unfortunately saturated fatty acids can significantly raise blood cholesterol levels especially “undesirable” low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The NCEP recommends daily caloric intake of saturated fats should be kept well below 10 percent. People with severe high blood cholesterol problems are warned this level may even be too high.

Primarily found in animal products such as in dairy products, fatty meats, and processed meats such as hot dogs, or bologna these saturated fats are usually solid at room temperatures. To illustrate this the fat marbling in fatty meats is mostly cholesterol and saturated fat. Hence, food sources to minimize in a healthy diet include:

Cheese,
Beef,
Ham,
Lamb,
Pork
Processed meats,
Veal, and
Vegetable shortening.

Most food products contain a combination of all three groups of fatty acids but usually one type predominates. This is why the food label will say “saturated” or “high in saturates”. Likewise products made of mostly polyunsaturated fatty acids are called “polyunsaturated” or “high in polyunsaturated fats”, while oil mostly made of monounsaturated fatty acids is called “monounsaturated”. To further illustrate all the above explanations let’s review the label of my own organic first cold pressing extra virgin olive oil. One tablespoon (15mL) contains:

Calories 120 grams
Total fat 14 grams or 21%
Saturated fat 2 grams or 9%
Trans fat 0 grams
Polyunsaturated fat 1.5 grams
Monounsaturated fat 10 grams

As research continues on and on, it is wise to have a goal of lower cholesterol particularly through less consumption of undesirable saturated and trans fats products. Better choices are products with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Protect Your Heart – Lower Your Blood Cholesterol recommends consumption of a heart-healthy diet to include:

beans,
bread,
cereals,
corn,
low-fat dairy,
fish,
pasta,
poultry,
lean cuts of meat, and
fruits and vegetables.

Moreover, first cold pressing extra virgin or expeller-process oils are better to purchase instead of chemical extraction methods such as hydrogenation. In closing both the USDA and NHLB government agencies now warn your total calories from fats should be between 20 to 35 percent of daily calories.

Proteins

2009-10-17T13:01:00.003-04:00

All living creatures from the tiniest microbe to the largest animals are composed of protein. Next to water, protein is the next largest portion of our bodies. Vital for development and growth, proteins carry out most of the chemical processes and make up the majority of body tissues, muscles, skin, and organs. In addition, proteins are necessary for the manufacture of our antibodies, enzymes, and hormones, plus maintenance of our bodies’ acid-alkaline stability. Good nutritional sources of protein include:

beans,
eggs,
fish,
meat,
nuts, and
seeds.

There are about twenty-eight commonly known amino acids combined in various ways to create hundreds of different proteins in all living things. Our bodies assemble amino acids building blocks for various processes coming either from our food intake or from our bodies’ reserves. The human body produces about 80 percent of its needed amino acids in the liver. The other 20 percent are obtained from the food intake. Our needed twenty-five amino acids are misleadingly classified as:

essential or
nonessential.

These terms just refer to how we process our necessary amino acids. The nine essential amino acids we require mean our bodies cannot combine them so they must be obtained by dietary intake. Confusingly the other sixteen nonessential means they are combined by our bodies from ingested amino acids.

There are two different groups of amino acid supplying food:

Complete protein: containing a variety of essential amino acids, and
Incomplete protein: foods without as many amino acids.

People inaccurately think protein has to come only meat and fish. However, because of problems with antibiotics, heavy metals, and other chemicals, these foods should be eaten in moderation. A better strategy, mutual supplementation, combines partial protein foods to make complementary protein supplying adequate amounts of all essential amino acids. Such as when beans and rice are combined a complete protein is formed which is a high quality substitute to meat/fish. Combining beans with one of the following can assemble a complete protein:

corn,
brown rice,
nuts,
seeds, or
wheat.

Or combine brown rice with any of:

beans
nuts
seeds or
wheat.

A variety of grains, nuts, seeds, and mixed vegetables will make a complete protein. Don’t forget nut butters with bread. In addition, fermentation yields more beta-glucan, glutathione, b-vitamins, and other nutrients than average products. Fermented soy products such as miso, tempeh, and tofu are widely available. Unsweetened milk products such as yogurt and kefir are the only animal derived complete protein recommended for daily use. Cultured from curdled milk, these contain friendly bacteria, vitamins A and D, plus B-complex vitamins, and prevent health disorder such as candidasis.

Given the fact we eat a lot of meat and dairy products, the American diet usually contains too much protein. Nevertheless 50 grams of protein should be consumed per day so be sure to eat various combinations of protein rich foods. In closing, for a balanced healthy diet try different sources of protein available.

Dietary Fiber

2009-10-16T01:39:00.006-04:00

Found in many foods, dietary fiber is a form of carbohydrate referred to in the past as “roughage”. Even though low in nutrients, this very important dietary fiber is the plant part resistant to our body’s digestive enzymes. Actually very little of fiber is actually digested. Instead the bulk of it moves through the stomach and intestine stimulating intestinal peristalsis. Absorbing water in our intestines, fiber increases the bulk of stools and causes them to move quickly through the colon. The seven basic classifications of fiber each with their own unique function are:

bran,
cellulose,
gum,
hemicellulose,
ligin,
mucilages,
and
pectin.

Dietary fiber is classified as:

insoluble or
soluble.

Insoluble fiber has passive water-attracting properties. Examples of insoluble fiber include corn bran, flax seed, whole wheat, and vegetables such as celery, prune skins, and potato skins. An example of soluble fiber is the inside pulp of prunes.

Even though most fiber is not digested, several important benefits are obtained. In view of the fact fiber retains water, bulkier stools prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. Thus, a higher fiber intake reduces colon cancer risk. Moreover binding with materials, which would result in cholesterol production, these substances are instead eliminated. Thus, a higher dietary fiber helps lower blood cholesterol levels, thereby reducing heart disease risk. In addition it stabilizes blood sugar levels. Yet another additional benefit is fiber is reputed to remove certain toxic metals from our bodies.

A recent study in Journal of Nutrition found more fiber intake not only keeps you from gaining weight but also keeps you from gaining fat tissue. Every extra gram of dietary fiber rendered less body weight and reduced body fat percentage. This study found women regardless of activity level, age and so on, who consumed more fiber weighed less than people who consumed less fiber.

Unfortunately due to the refining process most of the natural fiber has been removed from our foods thus the typical American diet is deficient in fiber. However, intake of excessive amounts of fiber supplements will interfere with absorption of certain minerals. A better choices is to increase intake of high fiber food:

agar agar,
beans,
any bran,
brown rice,
fresh fruit,
dried prunes,
lentils,
nuts,
peas,
seeds,
vegetables, and
whole grains.

The American Dietetic Association recommends the average healthy adult should have between 20-35 grams per day of fiber. Unfortunately, the average Americans intake of dietary fiber is only 12-18 grams. Daily consumption of several different high fiber foods can change this. Complex carbohydrates are also excellent sources of fiber. When eating organic produce, leave on the skin of apples and potatoes. Baked chicken can be coated with bran or oats. In closing, dietary fiber manages weight, avoids disease, and eases chronic conditions symptoms.

Water

2009-10-15T17:18:00.005-04:00

Water covers all four corners of the Earth. This clear, colorless, odorless, tasteless, most widely used liquid solvent, is essential for most plant and animal life. As one of the four essential basic nutrients of a healthy diet, water makes up at least two-thirds of our bodies physical composition.

Water is essential for every one of our body systems. It is crucial for absorption, circulatory, excretory, and digestive processes. Furthermore, water is also essential for managing an appropriate body temperature and assimilation of water-soluble vitamins. Moreover, high quality water is beneficial for almost all health disorders.

Do you know human beings can survive almost five weeks without food? In contrast, without water death is eminent within three to five days. Even though water content varies from person to person and even within body parts, the average person’s body contains about 70 percent water.

You can make certain your body has all the water it needs to maintain good health by drinking at least ten 8-ounce glasses of water every day. Make sure you start your day with a glass of water. Drink throughout the day to keep a balanced body water level. It is important to replace water lost throughout the day through sweating and elimination.

You can ensure easy digestion and elimination by drinking enough water every day. Water is a natural appetite suppressant and flushes out sodium and toxins. A study by German researchers found subjects increased their metabolic rates by drinking water.

To increase your water consumption, eliminate all caloric drinks from your daily intake including:
sodas,
juices,
and alcohol.

The CDC conducted an interesting study on sugar sweetened beverages and caloric intake finding a correlation between sugar-sweetened consumption and increased weight in America over the last couple of decades. Instead of caloric laden drinks wiser choices are to drink:

water,
sparkling water,
unsweetened juices,
or unsweetened tea.

If you don’t care for the taste, try slices of lemon or lime in your glass of water.

Debby Bolen RN

Nutrients

2009-10-15T17:14:00.003-04:00

Four Essential Basic Nutrients

All food is composed of various combinations of nutrients. The four essential basic nutrients of a healthy diet are
carbohydrates,
fat,
protein, and
water.
These four shape the foundation of a healthy nutritional regime. Proper nutrition enables optimal health and well being.

The main component of our food intake is carbohydrates. Supplying energy, they are usually found in plant foods such as:

beans,
fruits, and
vegetables.

There are two groups of carbohydrates:
simple and complex.

Simple carbohydrates are sometimes referred to as simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches. With the exception of fiber, most carbohydrates are converted into glucose providing energy for the body’s cells, brain cells, and red blood cells, or stored for future use in the liver, or in body fat.
Sixty percent of daily calories should come from mainly complex carbohydrates. Although unrefined whole foods should be chosen over refined processed foods. Undesirably a diet high in refined simple sugars is also high in fat and after a long period of time can lead to health disorders such as diabetes.

Fats are the most concentrated source of body energy. In recent years, too much negative attention has been focused upon fats. Too many fats are consumed in the American diet. However, fats are necessary to support growth and provide energy. Unfortunately, consuming excessive amounts of fat can contribute to poor health.

Vital for development and growth, proteins are the building blocks making up body tissues, muscles, skin, and organs. When consumed, protein is broken down into amino acids providing the body with energy for various vital functions. Misleadingly amino acids are classified as:
essential or nonessential.

Amino acids are necessary but these terms refer to how the body obtains them. Essential means our bodies cannot synthesize them therefore the must be obtained from our diets. The term nonessential is confusing because all it means is they can be synthesized by our body from other amino acids. Good sources of protein include:

beans,
eggs,
fish,
meat,
nuts, and
seeds.

Water

Making up at least two-thirds of the composition of our bodies, water is the most necessary of the four essential basic nutrients of a healthy diet. Water is vital for every one of our body systems. It is crucial for absorption, circulatory, excretory, and digestive processes. Furthermore, water is also necessary for sustaining an appropriate body temperature and assimilation of available nutrients.

Micronutrients

Yet another misleading term is micronutrients, which are the vitamins and minerals. They are referred to as micronutrients because they are needed in smaller amounts compared to the basis four nutrients. Nonetheless, vitamins and minerals are so crucial for optimal health the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formulates consumption levels for these key nutrients call Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).

On the other hand, there is much controversy about these findings and the amount needed to maintain optimal health. Some of the complains are these levels only maintain borderline health and only the amount needed to prevent deficiency diseases. Additional problems include numerous factors not accounted for including level of activity, medicines being taken, and so on. Still other criticisms include when people are suffering from health problems they require more nutrients and the person’s size ad body weight are not figure into the RDAs equations.

Regrettably, health ailments develop when you consume too much or too little of any nutrients. A better plan is to consume a variety of foods to ensure you consume a variety of nutrients. In summary, for a healthy well balanced diet make it a habit to choose an assortment of unrefined whole foods.

Debby Bolen RN

10 Simple Rulesfor a Healthy Balanced Diet

2009-10-14T01:45:00.014-04:00

For better health follow these simple healthy rules to cut down on your daily calories:

1. Don’t skip breakfast.
One the major mistakes people make is to skip breakfast thereby setting their body systems and hormones into chaos. By starting your day with a meal you will have energy to function and will kick your metabolism into high gear to burn calories throughout the day. No one leaves on a car trip with an empty gas tank. Make sure your “tank” has fuel in the morning too.

The CDC Improving Your Eating Habits warns skipping meals is one of the common eating habits leading to weight gain. When your body has been fasting over night and you don’t eat, your metabolism thinks food is unavailable and powers down. On the other hand, by eating breakfast this indicates to your body food is plentiful and it has as many calories to burn as it can. However, ingesting a big meal at the end of the day sits on your body over night.

Learn to live by this maxim: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, and dinner like a pauper.”

2. White don’t bite.
Instead of bleached white, think brown as in: whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole-wheat tortillas. Brown is food’s natural form packing fewer calories, more vitamins, and more fiber thus taking your body longer to digest. The results are you eat less, and feel better with less health problems. Start your children out eating brown multi-grains so they will prefer them throughout their lives.

3. Go with green.
When you go with green vegetables you can’t go wrong: salad, spinach, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, peas, kales, and so on. Go for the greens and eat plenty of them. They are loaded with fiber, minerals, and vitamins but are low on calories. Fill your stomach up with greens first such as a salad. Yet go light on the dressing, which is high in calories. A better choice is olive oil and vinegar.

4. More veggies please.
Discover how easy it is to fill up with veggies first. Discover different ways to serve vegetables. For example, some of the many different ways vegetables can be prepared is baked, braised, raw, roasted, or steamed.

5. Do snack.
Modify your view of a snack and load up on fruits and veggies as a replacement to processed foods. Munch throughout the day on healthy snacks of carrots, celery sticks, raw veggie crudités like red pepper strips and broccoli florets, or fruits instead. This lets your body know food is readily available and there are accessible calories to burn. With a full stomach you will eat smaller portions at meals. Eating healthy snacks throughout the day is the best way to control overeating and weight problems.

6. Water far and wide.
Do you know your body is made up of two-thirds water? Water is an essential nutrient involved in every level of functioning in our bodies. Eliminate all caloric drinks out of your diet including sodas, juices, and alcohol. For example, Elisa Zied, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, warns women there are 10 teaspoons or 40 grams of sugar in an average serving of soda pop. The average woman consumes 2000 calories daily and 50 grams of sugar should be the maximum allowed. When women drink one average size soda, they have consumed almost their entire allowable sugar intake for the day. Wiser choices are to drink water, juices, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea. If you don’t care for the taste, try slices of lemon or lime in your glass of water.

7. Be done after one.
Instead of counting calories simply don’t go back for seconds. Americans have a bad habit of quickly shoveling down a meal while Europeans and other cultures make mealtime an occasion of communication and enjoyment. Sit back and relax for 15 minutes to contemplate if you really need more food.

8. Discard dessert.
Change the way you view dessert. Don’t eat it late in the day when your body will convert it to fat. Break the dessert habit and replace it with healthy options or walking. Fresh smoothies or fruit can be eaten as an alternative.

9. Don’t super size.
When you are dining out, bigger is not better. Resist the temptation to get extra food for an additional price. The CDC warns over the last 20 years portion size, as well as waistlines are expanding. Even Atkins now advises its clientele to eat smaller steaks. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has an interesting Portion Distortion Quiz showing how portion sizes of some of our common foods have changed in the last 2 decades.

10. Split meals and desserts.
When dining out, most restaurants will graciously give you another plate to split the meals with others. Savor the flavors with your friends and loved ones. In addition, you can ask your meal server to put half of the meal in a take out container to be consumed later or the next day.

~ Debby Bolen RN

Kids' school nutrition key to lifelong health

2008-12-13T16:06:00.000-05:00

Great article by Rep Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), representing the 4th Congressional District, who is chairwoman of the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and Labor. Article discusses children's nutrition, costs of school meals, and reauthorizing of the Child Nutrition Act and National School Lunch Program.

Kids' school nutrition key to lifelong health

Alert: Diabetic Insulin Syringes Recalled

2008-11-11T01:51:00.002-05:00

Product name: ReliOn® Insulin Syringes 31-gauge, 1cc
Lot number: 813900
Product identification number: 38396-0403-02

Adding to the long list of recent recalls, people with diabetes using ReliOn® insulin syringes should check their boxes. On November 5, 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Website publicized notice of the ReliOn® Insulin Syringe Recall. The syringes being recalled from lot number 813900 are labeled as “ReliOn® 1cc, 31-gauge, 100 units for the use of U-100 insulin”. Tyco Healthcare Group LP, (Covidien) the manufacturer, ceased distribution of these possibly defective insulin syringes on October 8, 2008.

On October 9, 2008 ReliOn® issued a voluntary recall of the syringes. These sterile, single-use, syringes with permanently affixed needles are being recalled for the reason some are mislabeled and have a potential for overdose risk. Somehow during their production process, syringes labeled for U-40 insulin use were packaged with syringes labeled for U-100 insulin and then distributed.

The questionable insulin syringes were manufactured by Tyco Healthcare Group LP, distributed by Can-Am Care Corporation, and sold exclusively at Sam’s Clubs and Wal-Mart stores under the ReliOn® Insulin Syringe brand name. Around 4,710 boxes each containing 100 syringes, for a total of about 471,000 syringes, were distributed by Can-Am Care Corporation to Sam’s Clubs and Wal-Mart stores under the ReliOn® name between August 1 to October 8, 2008. However, they could have been sold even after this date. Around 16,500 customers who purchased the syringes in stores and on line from their websites have been notified to return the recalled syringes to their local Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart Pharmacy.

The FDA has advised patients and healthcare providers to carefully check for these recalled syringes. Unfortunately, use of a flawed ReliOn® syringe could deliver a two and a half times larger dose than ordered, resulting in hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Initial signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

· Confusion

· Dizziness

· Hunger

· Heart palpitations

· Sweating

· Nausea

· Headache

· Tremors

· Anxiety

If a person is left untreated, it can rapidly progress into:

· Disorientation

· Seizures

· Loss of consciousness

· Coma

· Death

Regrettably, the manufacturer has reported one such incident to the FDA. A month ago, Shirley Payne, of Virginia, was stabilized and recovered after she fell victim to the faulty syringes. Healthcare workers and consumers are urged to report serious adverse side effects, or product quality problems from the use of this product to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program by mail, FAX, online, or phone. Either call 1-800-332-1088 or go to www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm. For further information, consumers can call Covidien at 1-866-780-5436 or go to http://www.relion.com/recall/.

Even though consumers are assured a replacement package, several attorneys are evaluating individuals who suffered adverse reactions or serious injury, and are investigating for potential lawsuits. They caution although Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart Pharmacies are exchanging the insulin syringes from the recalled lot, individuals who have suffered injury who intend to pursue the syringe recall lawsuit should preserve their remaining syringes until their case has been reviewed. They caution any needles not returned should be stored and marked in a way to prevent against their usage.

All things considered, who knows how many people this affected and whether we will ever know the truth. In any case, it makes one question what happened to this company’s quality assurance department. When lawsuits are started, hush money keeps us from knowing the extent of the truth. In conclusion, this incident is just another example of our country’s deteriorating structures.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01911.html

http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm

http://www.relion.com/recall/

http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/home/headlines/30541819.html

http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2008/11/06/walmart-relion-insulin-syringe-recall-lawsuits/

http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/relion-insulin-syringe-recall-1643/

Easy Ways to Get Your Five Per Day

2008-11-06T00:27:00.003-05:00

We have repeatedly heard how we should eat more fruits and vegetables for optimum health and to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately although it sounds simple, research data shows the majority of people simply do not consume enough fruits and vegetables. Instead they continue to eat only two servings of fruits and vegetables per day even though they should consume a minimum of five. Hopefully this article will inspire you with numerous ways to include more fruits and vegetables into your pattern of eating every day.

First, positive belief goes a long way. Begin your day optimistic, thinking about how you can include fruits and vegetables in your eating habits. Develop a positive expectation this is easy to do because canned, dried, fresh, frozen, juiced, and liquidized fruits and vegetables all count towards the minimum goal of five.

Starting with breakfast, add in bell peppers, mushrooms, salsa, and/or spinach into eggs for an omelet or to be wrapped up in pita bread or a tortilla. Happily top off your bagel with your favorite berries or a slice of tomato. Don’t forget to consume fruit like apples, applesauce, grapefruit, oranges, and/or juice. Complement your cereal, granola, pancakes, toast, waffles, or yogurt with bananas, blueberries, or strawberries.

Next, instead of single servings, eagerly think of combinations of two different vegetables to serve for lunch and dinner. Are you content with peas and carrots, or corn and beans? Remember to complete your sandwich with cucumber, lettuce, onion, and/or tomatoes. Enthusiastically replace white potatoes with nutritious sweet potatoes. Make sure to keep bags of your favorite frozen fruits and vegetables, which can be heated or thawed in minutes.

Instead of snacking on chips or pretzels throughout the day reach for nutritious raw vegetables. Balance your nutritional regime with baby carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber spears, or red pepper strips dipped in hummus or salad dressing for satisfying crunchy alternatives. Munch on grapes or raisins for a change. Consider a banana or fruit snack. Nibbling on dried fruits like apricots, cherries, cranberries, dates, and figs, will complement any day.

Make sure you keep fruits and vegetables visible and easily accessible. When you open your refrigerator door, have a cleaned prepared portions of your most consumed fresh produce at eye-level. Have available on your kitchen countertop or table a bowl of your family’s preferred fresh fruit.

Don’t neglect leftover vegetables to grow moldy in the back of the refrigerator. Passionately heat them together in a pan to make vegetable soup broth. When you have more time, strategize to use these when you make and freeze casseroles, lasagnas, primavera, soups, and/or stews for use on the days when you are pressed for time.

Banish the thought this can be too time consuming by tossing together several fruits for a fruit platter. To complete your eating habits mix apples, coconut, bananas, blueberries, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, and/or mangos with a little orange juice for a fruit salad. Appreciate how well some fruits freeze. Wash off your fresh bananas, blueberries, grapes, or strawberries, and toss them into a freezer bag or container to be popped into the freezer. To balance your fruit intake, once frozen you can add them to drinks, ice cream, pudding, smoothies, yogurt, or just eat them plain as refreshments.

When dining out at restaurants, start with a salad. Substitute vegetables for the fries, or order stir-fried vegetables. When you go to the buffet, first head for the fresh fruits and vegetables before moving on to other selections.

Last but definitely not least, don’t forget to harmonize your nutritional intake with shakes and smoothies. With or without ice, ice cream, yogurt, kefir, banana, blueberries, oranges, papaya, pineapples, strawberries, or more, spiced with or without cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mint, or more. Put in some of your frozen fruit for savored tang. Gratefully throw your favorite combination of fruit, juice, spices, or more in a blender, select liquidize, and pour into your favorite glass or mug for a satisfying meal on the go.

In fact in March 2007, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) became so concerned about increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables by all Americans they launched a public private partnership, the National Fruit & Vegetable Program. The partnership maintains Fruit & Veggies – More Matters encouraging us to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. This website is loaded with all types of information and recipes with the goal to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. I particularly enjoy their pictures of what a daily serving of 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables actually looks like. The CDC in partnership with Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) maintains
www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org with the goal of encouraging families to achieve increased daily consumption of fruits and vegetables. They even have an interactive children’s area www.foodchamps.org for learning with age appropriate materials, games, and recipes.

Hopefully you are now empowered with the knowledge of the unlimited choices available so you have the freedom to balance your food intake with more fruits and vegetables every day. In summary, when you start your day thinking positive about how you can add fruits and vegetables into your pattern of eating, you will appreciate finding them abundantly available everywhere in your life. Always remember to include a full serving of love, mixed well with joy and laughter in your life.

©Debby Bolen

Empowered to Overcome Diabetes

2008-11-03T01:14:00.026-05:00

An example of a disease requiring careful attention to diet is diabetes is diabetes mellitus. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2007 23.6 million people or almost 8% of Americans have diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. Both principal types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type2, are characterized by abnormalities in production and use of the pancreatic hormone insulin.

In either case, diabetes results in the body not producing or not properly utilizing insulin, which regulates the amount and the rate cells absorb blood glucose or blood sugar. Glucose, one of our main sources of energy for blood cells, circulating in our blood stream is formed from digestion of carbohydrates. Furthermore, since glucose is the brain's only food, proper minimum levels have to be maintained for normal brain function.

Throughout every day each person has varying blood sugar levels. After food consumption, our blood sugar often rises between 120-130 milligrams per decaliter (mg/dL) triggering pancreatic beta-cells to release insulin. Then glucose is allowed to enter mainly body fat, liver, and muscle cells. As a result, the blood sugar level falls back to normal and insulin secretion diminishes until the next meal is ingested.

People with diabetes have insulin levels too low resulting in blood sugar levels too high, or hyperglycemia. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include dry skin, frequent urination, thirst, vision changes, weight loss, and reduced resistance to infection. Persistent hyperglycemia results in injury to the nervous system, and blood vessels particularly of the eyes, and kidneys, leading to greater risk for Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular problems, infections, and stroke. The two major types of diabetes are Type 1 insulin dependent (IDDM) and Type 2 non-insulin dependent (NIDDM).

Affecting 5-10 percent of diabetics, physicians consider Type 1 IDDM an autoimmune disease since insulin producing pancreatic beta-cells are destroyed by the body's own immune system. Typically striking before the age of 20, it is also referred to as juvenile-onset diabetes. Scientific research suggests contributing factors include nutrition or viral infection. Theoretically several insulin injections per day are required for sufferers to survive.

Often striking middle-aged and older people, the more common form Type 2 NIDDM affects 90-95 percent of diabetes sufferers. Researchers do not completely understand how Type 2 NIDDM develops but it results from a combination of reduced production of insulin from beta-cells and a decrease in the body's ability to use insulin, referred to as insulin resistance. However, several factors have been identified which increase a person’s risk for developing this syndrome including obesity or excess body weight, and lack of exercise.

Between the US lifestyle of consuming larger portions of high-calorie food complicated by lack of exercise, the incidence of Type 2 diabetes has significantly risen especially among the ethnic groups of:

African,
Asian/Pacific Islander,
Latino, and
Native Americans.

Consequently, a large industry has emerged around traditional
diabetic research and treatment including oral diabetic medicine, pumps, surgery, and injectable rapid, intermediate, and long-lasting insulin. Regrettably, diabetic medicine puts people at risk for blood sugar levels too low, resulting in hypoglycemia. Initial signs of hypoglycemia are confusion, dizziness, hunger, palpitations, and sweating. If a person is left untreated, it can rapidly progress into disorientation, seizures, loss of consciousness, and they could lapse into a coma.

The cost of money and the suffering of people with this long-term ailment is staggering. The American Diabetic Association stated in their Economic Costs of Diabetes in the US in 2007, direct medical costs of diabetes care, chronic diabetes-related complications, and general medical costs, plus indirect costs including disability and work loss, now total $174 billion. Even though the American Diabetes Association Website states diabetes is an incurable disease, apparently there are countless numbers of people managing this malady with diet and exercise. The CDC acknowledges this in their 2007 fact sheet. In fact, some individuals are very public figures. For example, last November actress Halle Berry shocked the country by stating she had weaned herself off her insulin and was managing her health with diet and exercise, which she shouldn't be able to do with Type 1 diabetes. This caused an entire flurry of debates within the medical community. In a state of disbelief some stated this wasn't possible, while other physicians stated she had been initially misdiagnosed.

But what if diabetes expense and suffering is not necessary? What if the American obsession with alcohol, caffeine, dairy, fast ood, nicotine, processed food, soda, and sugar are causing more health problems and suffering than we realize? Dr. Gabriel Cousens, the well-known holistic medical physician specializing in alternative healing and raw living food nutritional therapies, produced a very enlightening documentary Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days chronicling six diabetic Americans who went to the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona. Here they embarked on a 30-day health regimen of diet change to vegan, organic, uncooked foods to reverse disease and get off of pharmaceutical medication. Each participant struggled with exercising, learning about food selection and preparation, and practicing yoga and meditation. Some adapted to the new diet and new lifestyle more easily, while others felt deprived and frustrated. To tell the truth, I was amazed a group of diabetics could get such obvious results in as little as 30 days and it left me reviewing my own diet, lifestyle, and willpower.

To say the least, the cliché: you are what you eat may have more meaning than we realize. In summary, perhaps our American lifestyle and diet have more to do with the growing diabetes problem than we are aware of or care to admit. In the final analysis, if a change in diet and lifestyle can free people from suffering with diabetes, maybe other illnesses can be managed this way also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v="bzdhBo4pbgE"

www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2007.pdf

www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp

www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics.jsp

abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=3822870&page=1

www.rawfor30days.com/

www.treeoflife.nu

High Food Costs are Challenging

2008-10-09T21:57:00.003-04:00

Today, I read this interesting article about inflation and how it is negatively impacting our society. Many who say it is too expense have completely nixed eating out. Gives statistics and exact details about why people are turning to processed foods but how we are even more at risk for chronic illnesses.

High food costs make eating healthy meals a challenge

A steady rise in food prices has pushed consumers to their wits' end and changed shopping habits. Eating out has been nixed by many who say it's too expensive. But they can't avoid the grocery store and the sticker shock from prices that jumped 7.5 percent in the past year.

Debby Bolen

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Healthy Snacks

2008-10-02T16:42:00.006-04:00

Healthy Snacks

Almost everybody does it every day: Snack! Found very good information on one of our favorite things to do: snack. Since we are all doing it, they might as well be: healthy snacks.

Healthy Snacks That Taste Great

This first video is excellent. The first half of the video is about healthy snacks. The second half of the video is a real eye opener about how we consume too much sugar in our diets. Sometimes we can read and read and read but there is nothing like seeing the reality of what it really looks like. They discuss the relationship of daily amounts in teaspoons and grams. Thank you Parents.tv, Juli Auclair, and ADA's Eliza Zied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugLesV47xiE

Parents.tv Juli Auclair and ADA's Eliza Zied shows you how snacks can be healthy and taste great.
6:39 minutes

How to Choose a Healthy Snack

Here is another excellent video on snacks and treats with specifics on types and amounts. In this clip Dawn Jackson Blatner, myLifetime.com's Nutritionist, recommends sticking to 2 healthy snacks per day between meals. Each snack should have about 100 to 200 calories. Some good options are pistachios, granola bars, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf67TlFRQws
3:30 minutes

Healthy After School Snacks

Great video about kid tested foods from Good Housekeeping Magazine. Trade in the cookies and chips for healthy snacks that kids will actually want to eat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX41hm4WVSU
1:17 minutes

Healthy Snack Ratings

Good advice from Better.tv, Robert Murray, MD, of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and SnackWise.org about children’s snacks. Movies, video games and music are rated based on their content. So, why not snacks? A new Web site does just this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noK-ataKaTM
57 seconds

Top Ten Healthy Vending Snacks

NutriPals Fruit Bars, Strawberry
CLIF Kid Organic Z Bar, Peanut Butter
Quaker Oatmeal To Go for Kids, Apple Cinnamon
NutriPals Snack Bars, Peanut Butter Chocolate
Herbalife Protein Bar, Chocolate Fudge
Power Bar Pria Complete Nutrition Bar, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp
VitaMuffin VitaTops (all flavors)
Solo Nutrition Bar, Chocolate Charger and Mint Mania
South Beach Living Cereal Bars, Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Raisin, Cranberry Almond, Maple Nut, Chocolate
South Beach Living Snack Bar Delights, Chocolate Raspberry

From SnackWise

http://www.snackwise.org/home.cfm

- Debby Bolen

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Nutrition Data Website

2008-09-29T21:27:00.006-04:00

For the last half decade, one of my favorite Websites to obtain nutritional information from is Nutrition Data. Their continuing goal is to provide the most accurate and comprehensive nutrition analysis available, and to make it accessible and understandable to all. They haven’t lost any of their authoritative status either since being acquired by CondéNet in 2006.

Their database information comes from the USDA's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and is supplemented by listings provided for by restaurants and food manufacturers with source footnotes. While they caution they cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of every listing, they state they make every possible attempt to ensure the quality of their data. Even though Nutrition Data's interpretations represent opinion, they are based on calculations derived from Daily Reference Values (DRVs), Reference Daily Intakes (RDIs), published research, and recommendations of the FDA.

Besides their food composition data, they have interesting proprietary tools to use to analyze and interpret data. Among their numerous search selection tools include Compare Foods, Nutrient Search Tool, and Food Category Explorer. Moreover, Nutrition Data provides a variety of information from how to read a label, to a wide selection of nutritional topics, in addition to recipes. Among their numerous topics includes Better Choices Diet, Glycemic Index, Food Additives, and Effects of Processing Food. What is more, they have a couple of blogs with even more information.

Under their Help function includes a Quick Start, Search Tips, and several Help sections for each tool. They also have Nutrition Management Tools for BMI, Track, Analyze Recipe, Input Food and Foods by Nutrient. They even have a Unit Conversion widget for numerous calculations.

Furthermore, earlier this month they launched a My ND with a My Foods function to save your entries for easier access to the nutritional content of your favorite foods, My Recipes to create and analyze foods, and a My Tracking section. So now you can search through their information, see their detailed information, and save your favorites for easy retrieval. Clearly, with all the information they have, this function comes in handy.

All things considered, Nutrition Data is a very complete Website for learning a lot about numerous nutritional related topics. In brief, it’s like getting lost in another world of surprising facts and figures. In conclusion, you will know a lot more about what you eat after visiting Nutrition Data.

Debby Bolen

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Healthy Diets are a Key to Wellness

2008-09-25T15:34:00.004-04:00

If you are interested in your health and well-being, healthy diets are of prime importance. The science of dietetics is concerned with feeding groups or individuals. Specializing in this area are dietitians, the health professionals with training to provide safe, factual dietary advice and interventions. Additionally, the science of nutrition examines the relationship between health and diet.

Actually, in relationship to food the word diet has two different meanings. Ordinarily, diet is the usual daily food and drink consumed. On the other hand, someone can also be dieting by following one of numerous diets regulating selections of food usually for cosmetic or medical reasons for gaining or losing weight.

Theoretically, the energy value of food and the energy spent in daily activity are measured in units of heat called kilocalories, which are referred to as calories. Consequently, diets for gaining or losing weight are based upon calories taken in and calories used in activity. When people take in more calories than they use, they gain weight. If they take in fewer calories than they use, they will lose weight. Unfortunately, dieting to loose weight is usually a mistake resulting in the person “finding” the weight they “lost”. As a matter of fact, sometimes even more weight is gained aggravating the situation even further. Clearly a much better plan would be life style changes for weight management including exercise and better food choices aimed at maintaining optimal health. Always seek a doctor’s advice before beginning any diet program.

As a rule, special diets may be prescribed for health reasons. Accordingly, diabetic diets are ordered to limit sugar intake, while low-salt diets are prescribed for heart and kidney conditions. What is more, people can have allergic reactions to many foods including eggs, milk, nuts, seafood, strawberries, and wheat. Hence, these foods cannot be consumed in their diets. Sometimes these allergies are difficult to pinpoint and should be diagnosed by a physician.

Moreover, some people choose to limit certain foods for environmental, health, morality, religious, or other reasons. For one thing, people eliminating animal products to varying degrees include plant-based diets of fruitarians, living foods, raw foods, vegetarians, and vegans. Be this as it may, careful attention should be paid to not developing dietary deficiencies, for instance of Vitamin B12. Furthermore, some religious cultures restrict unacceptable foods from their diet. Examples include Halal foods for Islam, and Kosher food allowed in Judaism.

Usually, a normal balanced diet containing all the food nutrients necessary to keep a person healthy by building and maintaining tissues and regulating bodily functions includes carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, vitamins, certain fats, plus water. However, dietary habits or habitual choices defining cultures and religions may affect health resulting in dis-ease and mortality. Briefly, calcium, iron, and vitamins A, B, C and D, are often eaten in smaller than recommended amounts. Examples of deficiency diseases include scurvy from a lack of vitamin C and anemia from a lack of iron. In addition to these, some other ailments resulting from deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances of diets eventually producing negative impacts upon an individual’s health include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, or psychological and behavioral problems.

In the final analysis, human nutrition is complex and a healthy diet varies widely depending on environment, genetic make-up, and health condition. On the whole, a person’s diet varies according to activity, age, climate, health, and weight. Ultimately, healthy diets result in optimum health and well-being.

Debby Bolen
Mary Constante

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Consequences of the American Processed Foods Diet

2008-05-07T15:20:00.003-04:00

Regrettably, the processed food industry wastes over $33 billion per year in advertising to lure people to consume sugar-laden, fast, junk foods. These processed foods are overloaded with hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats. While lacking in necessary nutrition, processed foods main ingredients are nutrient empty sugar, water, fat, flour, starch, artificial colorings and flavors. In 2002 alone, the processed food industry sold over $174 billion worth of this adulterated combination by fabricating thousands of cookies, crackers, puddings, cakes, soft drinks, and other concoctions.

The ensuing outcome is America has become a factory of wide spread obesity and chronic disease where a huge number of Americans are then sent on to the highly profitable pharmaceutical industry. In 2007, John Hopkins University School of Bloomberg School of Public Health warned if not halted the ever-increasing obesity crisis will explode by 2015 to 24% of children and adolescents being overweight or obese, and 75% of adults being overweight with 41% being obese.

Currently over fifty percent of people with severe weight problems have diabetes alone. At this time, the CDC and NIH have estimated over 7% of our population has a form of diabetes for a total of over 21 million people but nearly a third are undiagnosed. In 2007, indirect and direct medical cost of diabetes is estimated at over $174 billion. Presently these numbers are exploding daily and tangible statistics are difficult to obtain to keep up with the reality of our diabetes epidemic.

It is very distressing American society has chosen this lifestyle in view of the fact 1970’s nutritional experts research data revealed patterns of eating influence illnesses. By the 1980’s publicized research revealed populations consuming more fruits, vegetables, and high fiber foods experienced lower disease rates. Two well-researched examples are the whole grains, nuts, seeds, fresh fruits and vegetable, and olive oil rich Mediterranean diet, and the South Pacific diets with copious amounts of coconut oil. Even something as simple as water has a profound affect on health. Last year, Loma Linda University research revealed something as uncomplicated as 5 glasses of water per day reduces the risk of our number one cause of death heart attack by 50%. Since we have three decades worth of proven research on the benefits of a healthy diet, but are not applying this knowledge, one has to contemplate just what our goals are as a society.

Experts have estimated twice the current acreage would have to be planted for farms to grow the amount of fruits and vegetables necessary for Americans to consume healthy diets. Deplorably, American politicians stubbornly continue to pander to lobbied interests and subsidize the processed foods industries while blatantly disregarding the health and well being of American citizens. The ever mutating Amended H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act, otherwise known as the Farm Bill, is supposed to provide for the continuation of our country’s agricultural programs through 2012. For months the Senate and House have been wrangling over our country’s next five-year plan but when they finally agree on it, President Bush will probably veto it due to disagreements regarding crop subsidies. The Citizens Against Government Waste states there is no significant reform in HR 2419 and are encouraging the President to stick with his veto threat. The result of all this, is our nation has completely out of balance healthcare and agricultural economics policy which is now affecting the rest of our planet.

©
Debby Bolen, RN

Processed Food, Pharmaceuticals Contribute To Declining Health

2007-10-15T14:44:00.002-04:00

In the United States, our modern society is so preoccupied and overwhelmed with every day activities of living we have lost contact with what is important. Have you ever contemplated the miracle of the human body functioning in harmony with lungs breathing, heart beating, senses sensing, muscles moving, healing and regenerating itself? Few have the time to think about this until problems develop.

Up until recently people believed each subsequent generation entering into its retirement years would be in better physical shape than the preceding generation. Then in March 2007, Health and Retirement Study research published by the nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), revealed the disturbing trend of Americans in their early to mid-50s reporting poorer health, more pain, and more trouble doing every day physical tasks than their older peers reported when they were the same age in recent years.

How can American pre-retirees be reaching retirement age in not as good health as their predecessors? Regrettably, the public is not educated enough about how our food and medical systems work together to keep us ill, thereby making money for themselves at our expense. Undesirable ingredients used in processed foods are part of the reason toward declining health in America. Disappointingly, the pharmaceuticals the medical system uses are no longer fully tested and many times contribute to further health decline instead of curing us while they become wealthy at our expense.

Earlier analyses, including an NIA-supported study suggests America’s obesity epidemic, which is contributing to higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, could be threatening the decline of our health. Furthermore, some of the today’s common diseases didn’t even exist 40 years ago. In this same time frame, we have made enormous advances in medical technology: we have more doctors, more pharmaceutical drugs, and more hospitals. In conclusion, all we have to show for all this is the sickliest generation of Americans in history with ever increasing disease rates.

©

Debby Bolen

How Antihistamines Work

2007-07-15T15:24:00.000-04:00

For millions of us allergy sufferers, antihistamines ease the annoying discomfort accompanying allergic reactions. Being an allergy sufferer myself, through the decades I have taken both over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines, some of which have been discontinued. Allergic reaction symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, headache, and itching indicating sensitization to certain allergens such as pollen, mold, dust, or insect venom. Repeated exposure results in allergic reactions due to antigen-antibody interactions.

First, antigens come into contact with lung, gastrointestinal tract, and/or skin tissue, and enter into the bloodstream. Next, mast cells and white blood cells misidentify these as invaders and inappropriately respond by releasing histamines causing tissue injury. The severity of the allergic reaction is directly proportional to the amount of histamine released.

Histamines dilate small blood vessels and capillaries, but contract smooth muscles. Responses include decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, constipation or diarrhea, heartburn and nausea, and proteins and fluids leaking from capillaries. Nasal mucous membrane capillaries leaking, result in nasal congestion. Skin capillaries leaking produce hives and swelling resulting in pain and itching.

Thankfully all antihistamines block most of histamines effects by competing at histamine receptor sites thereby preventing them from producing an effect on the tissues. Antihistamine drugs prevent, but can’t reverse, histamine responses. Some of the general uses of antihistamines include relief from nausea and vomiting, relief from motion sickness, and relief from coughs. Usually antihistamines are administered orally since they are well absorbed in the intestinal tract, or topically, although a few can be given intravenously. To maintain a therapeutic dose, these medicines are given two to four times per day because the liver rapidly metabolizes them.

First generation antihistamines, which can be used interchangeably, include chloropheniramine (Chlortrimeton®), diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), and promethazine (Phenergan®). Some of the side effects include nose and mouth dryness, and drowsiness. Some antihistamines are also used as local anesthetics because they depress sensor nerve activity. When taking these antihistamines, it is advisable to not drive or perform hazardous tasks, and not to use alcohol or other drugs.

Second generation antihistamines include cetirizine (Zyrtec®), and Loratidine (Claritin®), and third generation antihistamines include fexofenadine (Allegra®), claim to be more selective for histamine receptors and cause less drying or sedating. However, these are contraindicated in patients with hepatic dysfunction, and when taking certain antifungal, antibiotic, and serotonin release inhibitors due to unfortunate deaths. My personal experience with these antihistamines is I did not find the relief I needed.

Because of the sedative effect, antihistamines are used in sleep aids like Nytol®, or Tylenol PM®. Because of the drying effect, antihistamines are found in over‑the‑counter skin ointments/sprays/creams, cold remedies, and cough syrups.

However, people with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, urinary retention, increased intraocular pressure, narrow-angular glaucoma, peptic ulcer, or prostatic hypertrophy should not use antihistamines. They are also contraindicated in dehydrated children, nursing mothers, newborn or premature infants.

Nonetheless, antihistamines are widely used successfully by millions. In conclusion, antihistamines work by providing us allergy sufferers much needed: relief.

What is an allergy?

2007-07-13T17:13:00.000-04:00

Many people think of allergies as nothing more than sniffles. However, nothing could be more far from the truth. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States affecting the productivity and quality of life of 40 to 50 million people, or more than 20 percent of the population.

Actually, an allergy is an adverse immune system response induced by exposure to a substance, named an allergen, resulting in harmful tissue injury upon subsequent exposures. Normally immune systems identify foreign invaders and send white blood cells to destroy infections. Unfortunately for us allergy sufferers, our immune systems incorrectly identify nontoxic substances as invaders and our white blood cells overreact causing more damage to our bodies than invaders would. These inappropriate hypersensitive responses vary from sneezing, watery eyes, stuffy sinuses, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, itching, hives/skin rashes, headaches, and fatigue, to potentially life-threatening situations. In addition, secondary bacterial infections can set in including sinusitis, and ear infections.

Upon initial exposure to an allergen, symptoms may not even be experienced even though the immune system becomes sensitized to it. First, immune cells called macrophages engulf the allergen and link up with toxin-fighting white blood cells. Next, other white blood cells produce a protein called IgE, which is programmed to react to the allergen. Then, the allergen-specific IgE antibodies attach to mast cells in the digestive tract, skin, or in mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, throat, or upper airway. These cells store allergy-producing chemicals including histamines, which are responsible for the allergic reaction. When allergen particles fit in between two IgE proteins creating linked pairs, the mast cells break open and release histamine and other chemicals, such as eosinophils, causing inflammation, increased secretions, itching, or airway spasms.

Anything breathed in, eaten, or touched is a potential allergen. Common types of allergens include dust mites, pollens, metals, cosmetics, animal dander, latex, food, insect venom, medicine, food additives, chemicals, and mold. In addition, many sufferers react to multiple substances.

Allergy reactions are categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. Mild reactions affect a specific area of the body but do not spread and are similar to a cold, for example, watery eyes, and sneezing. However, moderate reaction symptoms spread to other body areas for instance a spreading rash or difficulty breathing. A severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis which is a rare, life-threatening emergency affecting the entire body. Anaphylaxis progresses rapidly to serious upper airway swelling resulting in difficulty swallowing and breathing, accompanied by dizziness and mental confusion due to a rapid drop in blood pressure.

When allergy symptoms reoccur or occur longer than a couple weeks, make an appointment to be medically evaluated. Some sufferers obtain relief over longer periods of time with immunotherapy, named allergy shots. In conclusion, allergies cannot be prevented but are treated by making changes in your environment, and by taking over-the-counter or prescription medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal sprays.

©
Debby Bolen
Registered Nurse