For Boomers, Cats Can Help

If you’re experiencing empty nest syndrome, the grief that follows a grown child’s departure from home, the answer may be adopt a cat. According to the June 2005 issue of Cat Fancy, “cats may protect baby boomers against high blood pressure and stress.�
Makes sense. Kid grow up and leave; cats grow old and stay. And boomers, according to a National Pet Owner Survey represent nearly half of the cat owners in the United States. Sixty-two percent of whom view their cats as children.
“In many cases, parents have been accustomed to taking care of their young for years and may long for another ‘child’ to nurture,� says a North Carolina-based therapist quoted in the article. It also helps couples reconnect after years of focusing on child rearing rather than romance. “Couples often grow closer when they adopt a new pet. When spouses refer to each other as ‘Mommy’ or ‘Daddy,’ as in ‘Go to Mommy, she’ll feed you,’ waves of affection are ignited.�
In regards to lower blood pressure and lower stress, the research suggested “the owners didn’t need to make physical contact with their pets to received health benefits. The cat’s presence in the room was enough.�
If you’re thinking about adopting a stray from the shelter, the same issue offers tips on how to “rein in your indoor cats outdoor desires.� Everything from spaying and neutering to leashes and window trees is covered.

Maybe Doctors Should Decide

Doctors Take Issue With Bextra Withdrawal
Some believe the decision to use the drug should stay with physicians
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) — Medical professionals expressed surprise and concern at Thursday’s FDA announcement that the prescription painkiller Bextra would be withdrawn from the market, and that a host of other effective analgesics will now come with tough “black box” labeling warning of their potential cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks.

As physicians lose another tool in helping patients fight pain, some practitioners wondered if the decision to prescribe Bextra would be better left to individual doctors instead of a federal agency.

“The FDA is taking away doctor-patient decision-making,” said Dr. Gerard Varlotta, director of sports rehabilitation at New York University Medical Center in New York City.
“I think they could allow Bextra to be sold with warnings and it would then be a doctor-patient decision. We have warning labels on everything, even plastic bags.”

“I’m not second-guessing the FDA… but, by the same token, the average consumer is going to be confused and the average physician, myself included, is somewhat confused,” added Dr. David A. Peura, professor of internal medicine and associate chief of gastroenterology at the University of Virginia Medical School and incoming president of the American Gastroenterological Association.

Less than two months after expert advisory panels recommended that the cox-2 drugs Celebrex and Bextra stay on the market — albeit with enhanced warnings — the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday asked Pfizer Inc. to remove Bextra from the market. The agency also mandated strong black-box warning labels for Pfizers’s Celebrex, the only drug in the cox-2 class still available to consumers.

Traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as prescription dosages of naproxen and prescription dosages of ibuprofen — will also adopt these tough new warnings.

In addition, the agency took the step of asking all manufacturers of over-the-counter NSAIDs such as Advil, Aleve, Motrin and generic ibuprofen to revise their labeling to include more specific information about cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks and the risk for a rare but potentially fatal skin reaction.

The cox-2 inhibitors, a subclass of the group of NSAIDs medications, have been embroiled in controversy since Merck & Co. voluntarily withdrew its blockbuster drug Vioxx from the market last September. That action was prompted by reports of cardiovascular side effects. Since then, all three cox-2 inhibitors came under scrutiny, culminating in a highly visible joint meeting of two FDA advisory committees in mid-February.

The FDA said Thursday that it would consider “carefully” any proposal from Merck for putting Vioxx back on the market.

The cox-2 inhibitors were originally developed to provide pain relief without the gastrointestinal side effects associated with traditional NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

Life is now going to be more complicated for patients requiring treatment with NSAIDs, Peura said. Depending on their risk for heart and gastrointestinal problems, they could be on several drugs at once, he said.

For example, a person with cardiovascular risk who needs Celebrex may have to take aspirin to counteract potential heart risks. But then aspirin reintroduces the risk of gastrointestinal problems, Peura explained. In that case, a proton pump inhibitor, such as Prevacid or Nexium, may be required, as well, he said.

“Whether patients can comply with all of that, or whether physicians will do that, or whether the pharmacy-benefits folks will allow that, remains to be seen,” Peura said.
Some doctors felt the risk from cox-2 inhibitors was minimal, he added. For one thing, the cardiovascular side effects were seen in much higher doses than are normally prescribed and for longer durations of time, he said.

Uncommon Beauty Sites

If you think buying personal care products on the recommendation of a doctor or in a natural health store are safe, you may have another think coming. I certainly did. Several years ago, my dermatologist recommended I use Cetaphil to cleanse my face. I had no idea it was an 8.8 (out of 10) on the Richter Scale of Health concern until I read
�The Ugly Side of Pretty� by Rebecca Ephraim, R.D., C.C.N. in Common Ground, the (San Francisco) bay area magazine for conscious community. She recommended pulling a custom report of the products you use from Skin Deep’s interactive website www.ewg.org/resports/skindeep, which rates toothpastes, deodorants, hair products, and more by areas of health concern. It’s eye opening to say the least, and makes one wonder about the cumulative effects of so many mysterious components. According to the article, “emerging science suggests that untold numbers of cosmetics and personal care ingredients may be silently and insidiously, promoting cancer, ravaging women’s reproductive functions and causing birth defects. Known by hundreds of long, intimidating chemical names, these ingredients are in the products we show and bathe with, rub, spray and dab on our bodies, unconsciously day in and day out.�
Europeans are actively doing something about it, requiring companies to eliminate chemicals in personal care products known or strongly suspected of causing “harm to human health�. There’s a petition to get US companies to do same. Go to www.safecosmetics.org. Other sites listed in Ms. Ephraim’s report www.avalonnaturalproducts.com , www.breastcancerfund.org, www.commonweal.org.
Evidently, we have more power than we know as consumers. We need to exercise it.

ABC – Ayurvedic herb, Barley & Carrots

Want to boost your immune system, lower both your good and bad cholesterol, and improve your memory? It may be as easy as A B C. These “newsbites� just in from April 2005 Taste for Life magazine.

The Ayurvedic herb brahmi (Bacopa monniera) is an antioxidant that protects brain cells from the toxic effects of free radicals: In case of attention deficit disorder (ADD) or in stressful work environments, brahmi appears to minimize inflammation that interferes with brain circulation—inducing calm without disrupting normal physical activity.�
Be sure and check with your herbalist or physician first. This herb shouldn’t be taken with sedatives and women taking birth control or estrogen replacement therapy are advised against it.

Barley may be better than you think. Wheat free and rich in fiber, it not only helps keep you regular, it “appears to lower both total and LDL (bad) cholesterol�. It’s “also a good source of protein, B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and a variety of minerals: calcium, copper, iron, potassium, sulfur, and zinc, to name a few.� Best to buy natural, in bulk at health food stores as most supermarket brands have refined away most valuable nutrients.

Carrots may be better than you think. “A new study suggests that a natural pesticide, which protects these root vegetables from fungi, may be one way that carrots benefit our immune systems.� Best to eat more often, rather than eating large quantities, and with a little fat, especially if you’re eating them raw. For example, “when you’re grating carrots for a salad … add a slice or two of avocado or make sure your dressing contains olive or another healthy oil.�

Cherry Alternative

He was on Celebrex for arthritis but experienced side effects. He tried Brownwood Acres tart cherry juice and then wrote a letter to the People’s Herbal Pharmacy. “It took four weeks to kick in, but at the ripe age of 79 I’m tap-dancing again. It worked for me.� The Pharmacists responded that “it might ease joint pain from gout� as well. They printed the website and the toll-free number for those who’d like to try it. I am. Pass it on. www.brownwoodacres.com or toll free 877 591-3101.

Energy!

Energy is a hot topic, hotter than sex, money, or relationship issues if you believe the headlines on consumer print, web and television magazines. And whether it’s through massage, natural herbs, holistic practices, yoga or alternative medicines, books about where and how to get energy are taking up more real estate in bookstores than ever before not to mention prime shelf space in groceries, pharmacies, and mass merchandisers.
Breath is a vital link to prana, or the energy of the universe, according to Dr. Andrew Weil who has a CD course of eight breathing exercises that promise to revitalize your health, increase energy, lower blood pressure, and more. Sleep, too, is important, as well as hydration according to performance psychologist Jim Loehr, who says energy management is more important than time management in accessing your genius on demand. He should know, he’s trained many of the world’s top performers in sports and business and he outlines how to sustain energy in his book The Power of Full Engagement.
One of the 20 ways to revitalize your life in this month’s Body + Soul magazine is to Manage Your Relationship With Your Television. In other words, be selective. “Like the smart shopper who makes a list in advance and sticks to it without lingering in the aisles, check the listings first and figure out what you really want to watch.� Not bad advice if you tend to leave the TV on or watch reruns of Law & Order without even thinking.
Energy Times devotes a whole issue to energizing your relationship. Not surprising they define energy as “the grace, fluidity, artistry, athleticism and power of DANCE — so c’mon, no better reason to get on your feet than for love.

Not milk?

In an in depth article “Life without Dairy�, Alternative Medicine magazine gives us plenty to chew on regarding milk and bone health, and milk and weight loss. What the dairy industry claims and the surgeon general seconds may need a closer look. “In a 12-year study at Harvard University of more than 77,000 middle-aged women, those who drank two or more glasses of milk each week had just as many hip or arm fractures as those who drank smaller amounts.� This comprehensive piece suggests alternative calcium and Vitamin D sources such as green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and seaweed, soy milks, sardines, herring and mackerel to name a few. The study also “raised concern about an association between prostate cancer and calcium.�

Outsmart Your Genes & Lose the Weight Forever

That’s the subtitle to a new book called Fat is Not Your Fate by nutritionists Susan Mitchell and Catherine Christie. They’ve taken the mystery out of genetic research and put together a Phenotype Quiz that will personalize an eating plan based on an individual’s family history. There are six, gene-based phenotypes: A = Addictive, B = Blood pressure, C = Cardiovascular, D = Diabetic, E = Emotional, and H = Hormonal. Each type has a detailed plan complete with recipes and personal stories that help overeaters understand not only the how but the why behind their weight problems. For more information go to www.fateisnotyourfate.com

Green Tea and Tofu

According to a recent “Soy Science Update� in Better Nutrition, it’s better for your brain and your breasts to eat soy in tandem with fish oil and green tea than eating these foods alone. A study of Asian women “showed that women who ate soy regularly with small amounts of green tea or who ate small amounts of soy and drank larger amounts of green tea both had a reduced risk of breast cancer, suggesting the food contains similar chemicals the body uses to a maximum level.�
Another preliminary study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, “showed that the omega-3 fatty acids in soy and fish eaten together can protect the brain against memory loss and cell damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease.�

In the pink

It seems that no matter who you are, if you throw a stone, it will hit someone whose been affected by breast cancer. In the last two months, two of my friends have been diagnosed. Joan, who now wears an adorable auburn wig, had a massive mastectomy. Her doctor’s thought the cancer had already spread underneath her arms to her lymphatic system. Fortunately, it didn’t. She’s undergoing chemo, and though she’s actually gained weight, she’s never looked better. She’s concentrating on her health, her self and her new attitude. Life in the now is a blessing; all other worries past or future fall away. I’ve never seen her so committed, so strong.
Sam, a triathlon athlete in her late 50s, starts radiation next week. She is tickled they’ll be no surgery, no chemo. She plans to be back on the tennis court as soon as her five weeks are up. Neither of these women have time for the pain, or the depression. No wonder they own pink yoga mats.
In her book Yoga for Depression, Amy Weintraub tells how practicing yoga daily can deepen your sense of who you are and strengthen the connection to your spiritual source. Christiane Northrup, M.D., calls this book “a godsend: beautifully written, medically accurate, and very practical.�
Yoga not only helps beat the blues, research has shown it improves the health of patients with heart disease, diabetes, asthma, chronic pain, migraines and anxiety. But what about breast cancer in particular?
According to Yoga Journal, yoga practice can help in three major ways: regulating the endocrine system and thus the balance of hormones to which you’re exposed; strengthening the immune system, especially by stimulating the flow of lymph; and providing both a philosophy and practice for creating a healthy relationship with our bodies and with the world around us.