Health Advice/Discussion

bmwracer wrote:
See what Chinese food does to you?

:rofl: Good thing I don't eat it too much or else I'd be talking in limmericks non stop.

It's now time lose the 8 pounds I gained in Winter :woot:

EstherM wrote:It's now time lose the 8 pounds I gained in Winter :woot:

Have some waffles and pommes frites avec mayo.

Tu_triky wrote:

Have some waffles and pommes frites avec mayo.

*Adds some 5 litres of Kriek (sugary cherry flavoured beer) to get all the fries down!* :mrgreen:

Summer here I roll! :rofl:

EstherM wrote:

*Adds some 5 litres of Kriek (sugary cherry flavoured beer) to get all the fries down!* :mrgreen:

Summer here I roll! :rofl:

:rofl: :hehe: :rofl:

I lose weight by shaving all the wool off my body and then I make a sweater from it and sell it online.

Tu_triky wrote:

:rofl: :hehe: :rofl:

I lose weight by shaving all the wool off my body and then I make a sweater from it and sell it online.

:rofl: :rofl: You are applying the Toyota Way ne? Principle 555641 Reduce Waste :hehe:

EstherM wrote:

:rofl: :rofl: You are applying the Toyota Way ne? Principle 555641 Reduce Waste :hehe:

Long live Just-in-time manufacturing. Toyota BANZAI!

Another money-making scam from the Pharmaceutical industry exposed.

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March 24, 2008
Prozac-Type Drugs Proven No Better than Placebo
Analysis that included recently uncovered secret trials finds that SSRIs only match or barely beat the placebo effect
by Craig Weatherby

After the solid one-two punch their products took in recent weeks, the makers of anti-depressant drugs probably feel like they need a Prozac.

Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and other members of the newest generation of anti-depressants are called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or SSRIs.

SSRI-type drugs work by reducing the amount of serotonin – a neurotransmitter associated with mood maintenance – that is reabsorbed by neurons (brain cells) after being used to transmit signals across the electro-chemical bridges between them (synapses).

Thus, SSRIs indirectly increase the amount of serotonin available to brain cells.

Key Points
British team uncovers hidden studies; Inclusion in new analysis proves Prozac-type drugs work no better than placebo pills.
Findings follow recent discovery that drug makers published positive trials at a far higher rate than negative trials.
Nutritional factors deserve more research, based on positive preliminary findings.

Prozac and its pharmaceutical competitors take a fatal credibility blow.

Just last month, we reported on the startling discovery by former FDA psychiatrist Erick H. Turner, M.D. that 94 percent of anti-depressant trials with positive outcomes (i.e., effects superior to placebo pills) had been published, versus disclosure of only 14 percent of trials with negative or unclear results.

And according to the FDAfs own study reviewers, the results of many of the gpositiveh studies were not as good as their authors claimed.

Now the other shoe has dropped hard c right on the heads of drug makers, with distressing implications for people suffering from depression.

Hard on the heels of Dr. Turnerfs discovery, researchers in Britain used Freedom of Information requests to pry loose even more previously unpublished studies with primarily negative outcomes.

They pooled all of the previously unpublished (and largely negative) trials of SSRI-class drugs with the previously published (largely positive) trials.

The results were very different from those obtained by prior gmeta-analysesh, which tended to support the efficacy of SSRIs like Prozac.

UK analysis proves devastating to Prozac and similar drugs
After including the clinical trials hidden by drug makers, British researchers at the University of Hull found that for most depression patients, Prozac-type anti-depressants produce no significant benefits, when compared with the effects of placebo pills.

The only exception to this rule is that minor, marginal benefits were detected among a small group of the most severely depressed patients.

And their analysis indicates that the slight benefits seen in some severely depressed patients stem from their relatively weak responses to the placebo effect, rather than any greater efficacy of SSRIs among this group.

Doctors urge cautious response
Psychiatrists say that patients taking SSRIs who become aware of this research should not stop taking their medication before consulting their doctor. If he or she agrees the pills are a waste, they will likely recommend a gradual, closely monitored withdrawal.

Some psychologists points out that if SSRIs provide a substantial placebo effect, this should not be discounted. But this advice presumes that a patient's drugs are cheap or cost free and produce no adverse side effects.

We take no pleasure in the failure of SSRIs drugs to exceed the benefits of placebo pills.

But we deplore the secretive sales strategies practiced by the makers of some SSRIs.

For example, in related news, New Scientist reported last month that US lawyers claim theyfve obtained documents suggesting that a skewed analysis of clinical trial data by GlaxoSmithKline researchers concealed suicide risks associated with Paxil (paroxetine) – for some 15 years.

These deceptions have led to false hopes, adverse effects – including weight gain, low libido, and mortal risks – and the waste of billions of dollars for prescriptions of dubious value.


Natural mood support

Needless to say, no one who feels depressed or shows signs of depression should self-diagnose or self-medicate without the guidance of a medical professional. (The signs include chronic anxiety, anger, and negative thoughts, and/or lack of energy and interest in people and normal pursuits.)



That said, it appears that it may be possible to enhance the brainfs serotonin system, via two dietary approaches:

5-HTP is the chemical our bodies use to construct serotonin (5-HT). And supplemental 5-HTP has shown some promise in animal studies and small, preliminary clinical trials, with fewer adverse effects than SSRIs (Shaw K et al. 2002). Much more clinical study is needed, however, to confirm the effects and define which classes of depressed persons may benefit most from 5-HTP.
Omega-3s are essential to the proper function of brain-cell membranes, and appear to support the serotonin system (Hibbeln JR et al. 1998). Among other effects, this could help explain the observed associations between higher omega-3 intakes and reduced risk of depression, as affirmed by the American Psychiatric Associationfs Committee on Research on Psychiatric Treatments (Freeman MP et al. 2006).
Wefll keep you posted on developments c such as the logical but decidedly unlikely withdrawal of FDA approval for use of SSRIs in depression.



In truth, patients want "magic bullets", doctors want pills to prescribe, and US law affords no easy path to approval of non-patentable nutritional factors as medicines, no matter how much evidence of benefit may exist.


Sources
Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, Davis JM, Mischoulon D, Peet M, Keck PE Jr, Marangell LB, Richardson AJ, Lake J, Stoll AL. Omega-3 fatty acids: evidence basis for treatment and future research in psychiatry. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006 Dec;67(12):1954-67. Review.
Hibbeln JR, Linnoila M, Umhau JC, Rawlings R, George DT, Salem N Jr. Essential fatty acids predict metabolites of serotonin and dopamine in cerebrospinal fluid among healthy control subjects, and early- and late-onset alcoholics. Biol Psychiatry 1998; 44: 235-242.
Hibbeln JR. Seafood consumption and homicide mortality. A cross-national ecological analysis. World Rev Nutr Diet. 2001;88:41-6.Links
Shaw K, Turner J, Del Mar C.Are tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan effective treatments for depression? A meta-analysis.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2002 Aug;36(4):488-91.
Shaw K, Turner J, Del Mar C.Tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD003198. Review.
Turner EH, Loftis JM, Blackwell AD. Serotonin a la carte: supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan.Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Mar;109(3):325-38. Epub 2005 Jul 14. Review.
Owen C, Rees AM, Parker G. The role of fatty acids in the development and treatment of mood disorders. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2008 Jan;21(1):19-24.
Virkkunen ME, Horroboin DF, Jenkins DK, Manku MS: Plasma phospholipid essential fatty acids and prostaglandins in alcoholic, habitually violent and impulsive offenders. Biol Psychiatry 1987; 22: 1087-1096.

Just give me a Xanax then. :hehe:

Eve wrote:Just give me a Xanax then. :hehe:

Just rip a bowl...it's cheaper and there's no placebo effect.

:hehe:

Top 10 Detox Foods

Posted Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 11:07 am PDT

As spring swings into gear, there's no better time to give your body a healthy, fresh start! Plus, if you're thinking about lowering your weight (and your RealAge) "eating clean" is a great first step. Add these 10 foods to your grocery cart and you'll get three terrific benefits:

1. Lots of super-healthy liquids to flush out the body while pouring in nutrients.

2. Fiber to keep your GI tract fit.

3. Foods that energize cleansing enzymes in the liver, your body's built-in detox center.

The top 10:

1. Green leafy vegetables Eat them raw, throw them into a broth, add them to juices. Their chlorophyll helps swab out environmental toxins (heavy metals, pesticides) and protects the liver.

2. Lemons You need to keep the fluids flowing to wash out the body and fresh lemonade is ideal. Its vitamin C, considered the detox vitamin, helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that's easily flushed away.

3. Watercress Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps move things through your system. And cress is rich in minerals too.

4. Garlic Add it to everything -- salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the bulb's cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes that help filter out junk.

5. Green tea This antioxidant-rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity.

6. Broccoli sprouts Get 'em at your health-food store. They pack 20 to 50 times more cancer-fighting, enzyme-stimulating activity into each bite than the grown-up vegetable.

7. Sesame seeds They're credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that's a staple of Asian cooking.

8. Cabbage There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver; this potent veggie helps activate both of them. Coleslaw, anyone?

9. Psyllium A plant that's rich in soluble fiber, like oat bran, but more versatile. It mops up toxins (cholesterol too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast.

10. Fruits, fruits, fruits They're full of almost all the good things above: vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and all kinds of antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, fresh berries, or a perfect pear.

More BS from the Pharmaceutical Industry....when will ppl ever learn.

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Doctors Wary After Cholesterol Drug Flop
Sunday March 30, 1:26 pm ET

By Marilynn Marchione, AP Medical Writer

Doctors Become Leery of Prescribing Cholesterol Drugs Vytorin, Zetia After Key Study Flops

CHICAGO (AP) -- Full results of a failed trial on Vytorin, a medicine taken by millions of Americans to lower cholesterol, left doctors stunned that the drug did not improve heart disease even though it worked as intended to lower three key risk factors.
Use of Vytorin and a related drug, Zetia, seemed sure to continue to fall after the findings reported Sunday and fresh questions about why drugmakers took nearly two years after the study ended to give results.

"A lot of us thought that there would be some glimmer of benefit," said Dr. Roger Blumenthal, a Johns Hopkins University cardiologist and spokesman for the American Heart Association.

Many doctors were prescribing Vytorin without trying older, proven medications first, as guidelines advise. The key message from the study is "don't do that," Blumenthal said.

Doctors have long focused on lowering LDL or bad cholesterol as a way to prevent heart disease. Statins like Merck & Co.'s Zocor, which recently became available in generic form, do this, as do niacin, fibrates and other medicines.

Vytorin, which came out in 2004, combines Zocor with Schering-Plough Corp.'s Zetia, which came on the market in 2002 and attacks cholesterol in a different way.

The study tested whether Vytorin was better than Zocor alone at limiting plaque buildup in the arteries of 720 people with super high cholesterol because of a gene disorder.

The results show the drug had "no result -- zilch. In no subgroup, in no segment, was there any added benefit" in terms of reducing plaque, said Dr. John Kastelein, the Dutch scientist who led the study.

That happened even though Vytorin dramatically lowered LDL, other fats in the blood called triglycerides and a measure of artery inflammation called CRP.

Results were presented at an American College of Cardiology conference in Chicago and published on the Internet by the New England Journal of Medicine.

The journal also published a report showing that Vytorin and Zetia's use soared in the United States amid a $200 million-marketing blitz. In Canada, where advertising drugs to consumers is not allowed, sales were four times lower.

Congress and state officials in New York have been investigating why results were not released for nearly two years after the study ended.

The drug appeared safe in the study, and patients should not discontinue using it or any heart drug without talking with their doctors, heart specialists stressed.

However, doctors prescribing Vytorin in the mistaken belief it always works "should be thinking twice," said Duke University cardiologist Dr. Robert Califf.

He is co-leader of an even more pivotal study of the drug that was expanded to include more patients because early signs suggest it will be harder than anticipated to see if Vytorin is any better than Zocor alone.

Califf himself takes the drug because he cannot tolerate the high dose of statins he otherwise would need.

"It will be 2012 -- ten years after the drug was introduced -- before we know the answer," said Dr. Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist who has no role in the Vytorin studies and has criticized the drugmakers' handling of the one reported Sunday.

Dr. James Stein, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said Vytorin "has always been a second- or third-line drug," after trying statins and other recommended medicines first.

Stein believes Zetia and Vytorin are safe and will prove effective, "but the reason we do research us so we don't have to rely on our "beliefs" -- we can rely on data."

Merck is based in Whitehouse Station, N.J.; Schering-Plough, in Kenilworth, N.J.

Tooth Regeneration May Replace Drill-and-Fill

By Alexis Madrigal 04.02.08 | 12:00 AM

Dentistry has taken the same approach to tooth decay — filling cavities — for decades, but new techniques for rebuilding teeth from the inside out could transform the profession over the next decade.
Photo: Hollingsworth/Corbis
The next time your children get cavities, they might get tooth regeneration instead of fillings.
That's because materials scientists are beginning to find just the right solutions of chemicals to rebuild decayed teeth, rather than merely patching their holes. Enamel and dentin, the materials that make teeth the strongest pieces of the body, would replace the gold or ceramic fillings that currently return teeth to working order.
"What we're hoping to have happen is to catch [decaying teeth] early and remineralize them," said Sally Marshall, a professor at the University of California at San Francisco. Marshall gave a talk last week at the spring meeting of the Materials Research Society on rebuilding the inner portions of teeth.
While regrowing your uncle's toothless grin from scratch is still a decade away, the ability to use some of the body's own building materials for oral repair would be a boon to dentists, who have been fixing cavities with metal fillings since the 1840s. Enamel and dentin are remarkably strong and long-lasting, and they can repair themselves. But as scientists are continuing to find out, dentin in particular is a remarkably complex structure.
The outer covering of teeth is enamel. The body makes it by growing tiny mineral crystals in a highly regular crystal lattice. Underneath that ceramic-like covering, dentin is like hard clay reinforced by fibers of collagen, similar to the way adobe bricks contain clay reinforced by straw fibers.
"The tooth is a beautiful structure," said Van Thompson, dentistry professor and chairman of New York University's Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics.
But teeth, because they are made from minerals, are susceptible to what is essentially erosion. Acids, like those produced by bacteria or Coca-Cola, demineralize the enamel of the teeth. Usually the body is constantly repairing small amounts of damage, Marshall said. But when the body's defenses become overwhelmed, bacteria break through into the dentin below, and you get tooth decay, commonly called a cavity.
The acid produced by the bacteria eats into the minerals in the dentin, turning it mushy and useless. Normal dentin is twice as stiff as pinewood, but damaged dentin is more like rubber, which makes it pretty hard to chew with.
Marshall's newest work, which has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Structural Biology, focuses on regrowing dentin in damaged teeth with the help of a calcium-containing solution of ions (electrically charged particles).
By putting a layer of the solution on individual test teeth, Marshall has already been able to remineralize some parts of the teeth. The challenge is to get the crystals to regrow throughout the dentin.
To heal properly, the crystals need to form from the bottom of the tooth up to the enamel. Marshall isn't sure whether that's happening yet, but she is confident that she'll find a way to restore dentin functionality over the next few years.
Stephen Bayne, professor of dentistry at the University of Michigan, noted that while many groups are working on regrowing teeth, Marshall has "incredible stature" in dentistry for her groundbreaking work helping dentists understand the structure of the tooth.
Still, even with the recent progress, the very complexity that Marshall and other researchers have discovered in the humble tooth is likely to keep her technique out of your local dentist's office for a few more years.
"We're still a ways from being able to grow back dentin and enamel," Bayne said.

Tu_triky wrote:We're still a ways from being able to grow back dentin and enamel," Bayne said.

For a second there, I had hope :shamefulcry:

EstherM wrote:
For a second there, I had hope :shamefulcry:

It sounds promising though...they think they're only some years away...can you imagine...literally regrowing a tooth...that would be awesome...instead of drilling and putting those silver amalgams with contain mercury and f*ck up your health, though many ppl don't know it.

Tu_triky wrote:
those silver amalgams with contain mercury and f*ck up your health, though many ppl don't know it.

I still have like five of those :sweat:
I count on you teeth researchers - make it happen by 2015 :fingerscrossed:

EstherM wrote:

I still have like five of those :sweat:
I count on you teeth researchers - make it happen by 2015 :fingerscrossed:

Thankfully I've never had a filling...and I won't submit to getting a silver amalgam one....

I got them remade a 2 or 3 years ago with white thingies. Silver ones seems to last 10 to 12 years or so. I don't know if they are any better for health, but at least they look better.

tabana wrote:I got them remade a 2 or 3 years ago with white thingies. Silver ones seems to last 10 to 12 years or so. I don't know if they are any better for health, but at least they look better.

Mine are from the mid-80ties - I got most replaced as well but I had so many fillings and lost so much substance that I am reluctant (and you canLt see them) ...

Tu_triky wrote:

Thankfully I've never had a filling...and I won't submit to getting a silver amalgam one....

Lucky, I have like 14 fillings and a brush my teeth thrice a day. :doh:

tabana wrote:I got them remade a 2 or 3 years ago with white thingies. Silver ones seems to last 10 to 12 years or so. I don't know if they are any better for health, but at least they look better.

you're talking about composite materials...they look better and at least they don't have any heavy metals in them :sweat: