FLU Shots and increased health risks: Lungs and Asthma Worse

> Flu shots can make lung function worseIn 1998, a study of 262 adults in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial evaluated the effect of flu shots in asthma patients. Subjects kept a record of daily respiratory symptoms, medications, doctor visits and peak expiratory flow (PEF) before and after the vaccination. PEF readings measure of how well the lungs are functioning - an increase in PEF means lung function has improved, and a decrease means that lung function has gotten worse. Of the 255 patients with paired data, approx. 7% had worse lung function after they got a flu shot. In fact, 11 saw a reduction in PEF greater than 20% and 8 had a decline of >30%. > Flu shots don't protect children with asthmaVaccinating asthmatic children against influenza is unlikely to protect...

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Posted in: asthma,flu shot,lung health

Best of CHG: November 2009

As to be expected, November ’09 was a tad Thanksgiving heavy, but it was also notable for some pretty solid recipes, a gaggle of informative posts, and uncharacteristically restrained Yankee bashing. So … without further ado, here’s a third baseman on steroids.Er, I mean November’s highlights.NOVEMBER RECIPESBasic Tomato Soup Butternut Squash GnocchiGrandma’s Apple PieMaple-Ginger ApplesauceRoasted Winter Squash and KaleSlow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Sweet PotatoesSourdough Sausage StuffingVegetable Lo MeinNOVEMBER ARTICLESWe asked the internet: what about Eating Healthy at Conferences? And for that matter, Wedding Beer?Whether you're a Kosher vegan or diabetic Muslim, you might have found Dietary Restrictions 101, Part I: Allergies, Diabetes, and Beyond and Dietary Restrictions 101,...

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Posted in: Links

Health Bill: Good or Bad?

Clear evidence of GRAFT in Health Bill DebateThe cost of just getting the health care bill passed is raising eyebrows on Capitol Hill. Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu eventually voted yes to debate the bill, but only after the Senate apparently added $300 million dollars in federal spending for her state. And she is a Democrat. It turns out getting support from Republicans may cost billions of dollars. Could one particular tax loophole benefiting one state have anything to do with a potential “yes” vote? (source: ac360)West Va. Chamber of Commerce Plays Dirty With Health Care ReformThe West Virginia Chamber of Commerce is playing dirty with health care reform. It's pressuring its homestate Democratic senators, Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, to block health care legislation unless the Obama...

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Posted in: health insurance debate,health insurance reform

Longterm Damage from Thimerisol

"Now, a new study shows that administration of thimerosal leads to long lasting neurological impairment in rats, specifically by altering the neural process of handling noxious stimuli.Analysis also shows that significant amounts of mercury from thimerosal accumulates in the rat brain and remains long term. The mercury is not readily cleared, as was previously believed.  Though mercury readily leaves the blood stream, it does not leave the body. It is now recognized to accumulate in brain tissue." High body burden of mercury and other toxic metals from vaccinations and environmental exposures has been increasingly given more attenti...

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Posted in: adverse vaccine effects,chelation,mercury and CFL light bulbs,raising the bar when it comes to vaccines,thimerosal

What I can do to counteract electromagnetic field exposure

How to Block EMF Expos...

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Posted in: counteract EMF,electrical sensitivity,EMF,protect your health from EMF

Exercise - An effective treatment for mild to moderate depression

By Felicia K. Wong We’ve all heard it before - “Exercise is good for you”. As holiday eating can lead to unwanted pounds, “Getting more exercise” will be a common New Year’s resolution. However, did you know that exercise has the potential to do wonders for your mental health? Studies have found that regular exercise can be just as important as medication and therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Exercise causes the body to release endorphins, natural chemicals that can reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins can trigger positive feelings and improve your mood quickly. Regular exercise has been shown to relieve the symptoms...

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Posted in: depression,exercise

Basic Tomato Soup: Like Sands Through the Hourglass

Today on Serious Eats: Meringue Cookies, fat-free sweets for under a buck per batch. Mama likes.When I was little, there were two kinds of sick days. The first involved contracting some hideous childhood disease, toughing out the equally traumatic remedy, and missing seminal chunks of my education. (See: third grade chicken pox, oatmeal baths, and long division. I only learned what a remainder was yesterday.)But then there were the other kind of sick days. The good ones. The ones when you’d puke once, and then never again. The ones when your parents couldn’t send you to school in good conscience, even though you felt fine thereafter. Those kind...

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Posted in: Soups and Stocks,Vegetarian

Making Sense of "Green Living"?

As some one who has been teaching and writing about Green Living since 1989 it seems funny that all of a sudeen there is a raft of writers who fancy them selves to be active greenies.I usually get quite a laugh when I read some of the articles because they generally are too shallow and give too few facts.  Either the writer did not delve far enough into the data before coming up with their article, or they really have no actual experience with that about which they are writing.This particular UK article got a "2 thumbs up" from the little ol'GL critic, "moi".Top 10 green living my...

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Posted in: Green Living,green living expert,Green Living myths

Better to Rethink Mammogram

UPDATE: 1 DecemberThe US Government has known since the 1960s and perhaps before that mammogram causes breast cancer, they just failed to tell you so an industry could be created on false findings.Mammogram Radiation May Put Some Women at RiskBy Julie SteenhuysenReutersCHICAGO Low-dose radiation from mammograms and chest X-rays may increase the risk of breast cancer in young women who are already at high risk because of family history or genetic susceptibility, Dutch researchers said on Tuesday. They said high-risk women, especially those under 30, may want to consider switching to an alternative screening method such as magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, which does not involve exposure to radiation."Our findings suggest that low-dose radiation increases breast cancer risk among these young,...

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Posted in: ACS,breast self exam,Larry King,Lisa Masterson,mammogram,mammogram causes breast cancer,natural regression breast cancer,Sheryl Crow,thermography

Who Really Benefits in the Health Overhaul

Some questions and answers on the House-passed bill and the version the Senate will begin debating in the week ahead; both measures were written by Democrats  - for the full article...Health overhaul: Understanding the pros and consBy Associated Press Writer Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, Sat Nov 28WASHINGTON – Maybe you've been reading the health care bill in your spare time. Then perhaps you can answer this question:If Congress makes history and puts a bill on President Barack Obama's desk by Christmas, how long before the uninsured get medical coverage?If you said three years or more, you'd be right. Yet many people don't realize that...

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Posted in: health reform

38 Cheap, Healthy Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

This post was originally published in November 2008. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!Every year, I suspend my healthy diet for one heralded November day. No, not Election Day, during which I’m usually too queasy to eat – but that most glorious of bird-based holidays, Thanksgiving.Then, 24 hours later, I enter an equally magical shame spiral, since I’ve just consumed enough calories to keep me alive for eight years without ever having to eat again.This year, I’m going to desperately try to avoid all that, hopefully by using at least 25 of the following 38 inexpensive, frugal leftover recipes. (Well … okay, 24.) I found them via a thorough, highly scientific search-and-paste process, not unlike previous Beef, Party Food, and Salad Dressing searches. In this case, here’s what determined a dish’s...

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Posted in: Mains,Meat and Fish,Sides,Vegetarian

This one is for my mother

By Gariane Phillips Gunter, M.D.During my year as Mrs. United States and daily as a psychiatrist I am fighting to eliminate the negative stigma of mental illness. The presence of mental illness has been very real to me since I was a child. After many years or suffering without a clear cause, my mother was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder when I was in elementary school. Frequent hospitalizations, medication adjustments, ECT were part of a typical day in our household. Nevertheless, my mom is my mom, not “crazy”, “psycho” or a “freak”. As an adult and now as a psychiatrist, the presence of stigma toward those suffering from a mental illness has...

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Posted in: bipolar disorder,mental illness,stigma

Happy Thanksgiving

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Senate health care bill: MUST READ

UPDATE: 31 March, 2010 - A comment: "Approved by the FDA a class II implantable device is an “implantable radio frequency transponder system for patient identification and health information.” The purpose of a class II device is to collect data in medical patients such as “claims data patient survey data standardized analytic files that allow for the pooling and analysis of data from disparate data environments electronic health records and any other data deemed appropriate by the Secretary.”----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Since 2006 I have posted 24 + articles here at Natural Health News regarding electronic health records.  Some recent articles include:http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/11/electronic-health-records-your-data-at.htmlhttp://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/06/electronic-records-and-data-mining-and.htmlhttp://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/11/microchip-included-in-health-bill.html*******************************************************Buried...

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Posted in: electronic records,microchip,microchip in health bill,Senate health reform

What We Have in Common: An Unremittingly Warm and Fuzzy Post of Thanksgiving Squishiness

Liberals avoid fast food and love ethnic dishes.Conservatives choose fattier meals and don’t eat much fruit.While these statements may sound like stereotypes, they actually come from “How Food Preferences Vary by Political Ideology,” the results of an eight-month survey conducted by Hunch.com. Thousands of self-identified left- and right-wingers participated, answering questions about everything from pizza toppings to apple corers. And with few exceptions (hot dogs: uniters, not dividers), findings were pretty much what we’ve been conditioned to expect. Essentially, conservatives appreciate traditional, mainstream, and unhealthy foods, while...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good

Vitamin A deficiency

"What our research shows is that many women are simply not getting enough of this vital nutrient because their bodies are not able to convert the beta-carotene."These researchers are proving that what we have said for years and years is factual.  To be able to realize the full benefits of vitamin A you must beable to convert betaCarotene to A, and a high percentage of folks cannot.This is particularly important now with the flu cases in process as vitamin A will boost your immunity and protect your lungs.We have always preferred a betaCarotene and fish oil blend with food extracts high in A and the A components.   In a presentation at the 2nd Hohenheim Nutrition Conference this month in Stuttgart, Germany, Dr Georg Lietz of England's Newcastle University reported that many women...

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Posted in: beta Carotene,eye health,mucous membrane health,vitamin A

Flu vaccine put on hold in Canada

Higher than usual number having anaphylactic reactions with Swine Flu Vaccine.  Anaphylaxis is a serious reaction.GlaxoSmithKline has advised doctors in Canada to stop using a batch of its swine flu vaccine, amid reports of severe side-effects in some patients. The batch of some 170,000 doses was put on hold because of the reported higher than usual number of patients having anaphylactic reactions. This may include breathing problems, raised heart rate and skin rashes. The pharmaceutical company said it was investigating the reports, which could lead to the withdrawal of the batch. The reports say one in 20,000 people suffered adverse reactions to the batch of GlaxoSmithKline's Aperanix vaccine.         This is five times the expected number. None...

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Posted in: anaphylactic reaction to H1N1,Canada holds flu vaccine

No flu shot mandate for doctors

Dcotors no being mandated to take H1N1 vaccine.  A good move, but not sure I agree with the reliance on hand sanitizer.  Soap and Water washing frequently is vital.AMA meeting: No flu shot mandate for doctors; hand sanitizer pushedThe AMA will study if there's any benefit from requiring all health professionals to receive influenza vaccine.By KEVIN B. O'REILLY AND DAMON ADAMS, amednews staff. Posted Nov. 23, 2009. Houston -- The AMA House of Delegates rejected a proposal to mandate vaccinations for health care professionals but approved other policy to prevent the spread of seasonal flu and influenza A(H1N1). A resolution by the Infectious Diseases Society of America said the AMA should back universal seasonal and H1N1 flu immunizations unless health professionals have medical contraindications...

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Posted in: AMA,H1N1,hand sanitizers,swine flu

Veggie Might: Grandma’s Apple Pie

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian. It's a little early and slightly unhealthier than usual because ... well, hey ... it's Thanksgiving.This Thanksgiving, I’ll be making my first real apple pie. It’s a dessert I’ve never attempted because a) it seemed too hard, and 2) my Grandma made the best apple pie ever. But, it’s been at least 20 years since I’ve had my grandma’s apple pie, and that’s what I want for Thanksgiving dessert, so I called my mom for the recipe. My maternal grandmother, or Plain Grandma, as I called her to distinguish her from my Great-Grandmother, was not at all...

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Posted in: Desserts and Snacks,Vegetarian

Might limiting our exposure to TV make us happier?

By Roberto Blanco, M.D.Do you ever find yourself feeling hopeless during the evening news? According to a recently published study by University of Maryland Sociologists Robinson and Martin, it appears that it is not just the evening news that is contributing to our unhappiness. The study, conducted over the last 30 years, showed that self-reported unhappiness was closely linked to the amount of time spent watching TV. The people who reported to be the happiest spent more time reading and socializing instead of sitting in front of the TV.These results suggest that even when we can “escape” the news to lighter programming, we are still receiving...

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Posted in: happiness,television

Dear Diary: Sourdough Sausage Stuffing

Today on Serious Eats: Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing. Because you can never have enough stuffing. And you can never say the word “stuffing” enough times in a blog post. (Also: stuffing.)This year, in preparation for our Thanksgiving posts, I cooked and ate two 9x13 trays of stuffing, all by myself. It was grueling, tongue-bending work. But somebody had to do it. And somebody had to keep a diary of the ordeal.DAY 1Dearest Diary,Thanksgiving is nigh! Oh, such joy and contentment the holiday brings to myself and my kin! What delightful provisions shalt we partake in this annus mirabilis? I do find stuffing particularly pleasing, and a lighter,...

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Posted in: Meat and Fish,Sides

MS breakthrough

UPDATE 11/27: Multiple sclerosis 'blood blockage theory' tested US scientists are testing a radical new theory that multiple sclerosis (MS) is caused by blockages in the veins that drain the brain. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8374980.stm**********What Paolo Zamboni, a professor of medicine at the University of Ferrara in Italy, learned in his medical detective work, scouring dusty old books and using ultra-modern imaging techniques, could well turn what we know about MS on its head: Dr. Zamboni's research suggests that MS is not, as widely believed, an autoimmune condition, but a vascular disease.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/researchers-labour-of-love-leads-to-breakthrough-in-treating-ms/article13724...

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Posted in: MS,MS a vascular disease,Paolo Zamboni

Morphine Could Encourage Cancer Spread

Morphine 'might spread cancer' Laboratory tests suggest morphine could in fact encourage the spread of cancer, for which it is routinely prescribed to relieve pain from surgery and tumours. US scientists say the opiate promotes the growth of new blood vessels which deliver tumours oxygen and nutrients. Speaking at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Boston, they also claim to have found a drug which counters this effect. Cancer Research UK said more tests were needed before any changes in treatment. Dr Patrick Singleton from the University of Chicago told the meeting of experts that in laboratory tests, morphine not only strengthened blood vessels but also appeared to make it easier for cancers to invade other tissues and spread. But he said this could be overcome...

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Posted in: Cancer,morphine