New Cough Guidelines Recommend Against OTC Medications
by American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)

New evidence-based guidelines issued by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) provide the most comprehensive recommendations for the diagnosis and management of cough in adults and children, including specific recommendations for the prevention of whooping cough in adults. Diagnosis and Management of Cough: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines is published as a supplement to the January issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the ACCP.

OTC COUGH MEDICATION
"There is no clinical evidence that over-the-counter cough expectorants or suppressants actually relieve cough," said Dr. Irwin. 
 
PEDIATRIC RECOMMENDATIONS
"Cough is very common in children. However, cough and cold medicines are not useful in children and can actually be harmful,” said Dr. Irwin. “In most cases, a cough that is unrelated to chronic lung conditions, environmental influences, or other specific factors, will resolve on its own.”
Of the estimated 829 million visits to office-based physicians in the United States, approximately 29.5 million are for cough.  
 
CHEST is a peer-reviewed journal published by the ACCP. It is available online each month at chestjournal.org
 
Dr. Nykwest's Advice: Common sense rules with a cough. Cover your mouth to reduce the risk to others. Stay home if you can, get more rest, and drink more water. Drying of the mucous membranes caused by winter heating systems and summer air conditioning cause some coughs & is helped if you will drink 5 glasses of water a day. The vitamins A & E can help your immunity and healing. A warm pack around the neck, appropriate massage of that region and chiropractic adjustment's can enhance lymphatic drainage, the method by which your body removes infectious and inflamatory waste from an area of illness may ease symptoms & speed recovery. When you have a cough, give us a call.
 
 
The In-effectiveness of Screening for Prostate Cancer
by John Concato, MD, MPH; Carolyn K. Wells, MPH

ABSTRACT
Background Screening for prostate cancer is done commonly in clinical practice, using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests or digital rectal examination (DRE). Evidence is lacking, however, to confirm a survival benefit among screened patients. We evaluated the effectiveness of PSA, with or without DRE, in reducing mortality.

Methods We conducted a multicenter nested case-control study at 10 Veterans Affairs medical centers in New England. Among 71 661 patients receiving ambulatory care between 1989 and 1990, 501 case patients were identified as men who were diagnosed as having adenocarcinoma of the prostate from 1991 through 1995 and who died sometime between 1991 and 1999. Control patients were men who were alive at the time the corresponding case patient had died, matched (1:1 ratio) for age and Veterans Affairs facility. The exposure variable (determined blind to case-control status) was whether PSA testing or DRE was performed for screening prior to the diagnosis of prostate cancer among case patients, with the same time interval for control patients. The association of screening and overall or cause-specific (prostate cancer) mortality was adjusted for race and comorbidity.

Results A benefit of screening was not found in our primary analysis assessing PSA screening and all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.64; P = .72), nor in a secondary analysis of PSA and/or DRE screening and cause-specific mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.63-2.06; P = .68).

Conclusions These results do not suggest that screening with PSA or DRE is effective in reducing mortality. Recommendations for obtaining "verbal informed consent" from men regarding such screening should continue.
Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:38-43. 
 
Dr. Nykwest's Advice: I lost my dad to prostate cancer, and a good friend also. While the disease it is nothing to dismiss, there is also danger to men from over zealous treatment as well as an unjustified anxiety over the disease. A large majority of men, deceased from non prostate related causes, demonstrate cancer in the prostate that never extended and caused no illness elsewhere in the body. The prostate is an organ the function of which a man can comfortably live without, but removing it surgically can cause considerable damage, distress & suffering. Men should take positive action steps to help assure healthy prostate function. Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) is a condition of prostate enlargement that causes urinary difficulties and might encourgae later cancerous changes. Saw Palmetto, an herb, has been shown to be "an effective treatment for the symptoms of BPH. It appears to be as effective as finasteride and is better tolerated, less expensive, and less likely to decrease PSA levels." (reference: http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030315/1281.html ). "Saw palmetto is also one of the eight herbal ingredients that make up PC-SPES, a Chinese herbal treatment for prostate cancer that is gaining popularity in the West". (reference: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/SawPalmettoch.html )
 
 
The Role of Vitamin D in Cancer Prevention
b y Cedric F. Garland, Frank C. Garland, Edward D. Gorham, Martin Lipkin, Harold Newmark, Sharif B. Mohr, Michael F. Holick

Abstract
Vitamin D status differs by latitude and race, with residents of the northeastern United States and individuals with more skin pigmentation being at increased risk of deficiency. A PubMed database search yielded 63 observational studies of vitamin D status in relation to cancer risk, including 30 of colon, 13 of breast, 26 of prostate, and 7 of ovarian cancer, and several that assessed the association of vitamin D receptor genotype with cancer risk.

The majority of studies found a protective relationship between sufficient vitamin D status and lower risk of cancer. The evidence suggests that efforts to improve vitamin D status, for example by vitamin D supplementation, could reduce cancer incidence and mortality at low cost, with few or no adverse effects.
American Journal of Public Health, 10.2105/AJPH.2004.045260
 
Dr. Nykwest's Advice: I feel that the "RDA" values for vitamins and minerals are falsely low. Perhaps they are acceptable as minimum levels to sustain life, but they are not adequate to sustain a robust strength of health. I take 2-4 times the RDA values and have 27 years of experience watching patients do so, none of whom developed any apparent ill effects from this and all of whom have sustained above average health. There is abundunt research showing increases in diseases from low levels of vitamins and minerals in the average person. There is no eveidence of disease causation from high levels of vitamins and minerals at the doses I advised. For example, the RDA for vitamin C is only 50mg, the average amount in one orange or a large glass of orange juice. What do you think is more hazardous to your health, inadequate vitamin C, or eating 4 oranges a day? Which risk will you take? To quote the folks at Nike, "just do it!" Some good advice from the Harvard School of Public health is in this new food Pyramid. Learn more at hsph.harvard.edu.

 

And now, just for fun, Go Bananas! 
 
Bananas containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
 
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.  No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
 
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit.  It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
 
Depression - According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
 
PMS - Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect   your mood.

Anemia - High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
 
Blood Pressure - This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
 
Brain Power - 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.  Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
 
Constipation - High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
 
Hangovers - One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.  The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
 
Heartburn - Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
 
Morning Sickness - Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
 
Mosquito bites - Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin.  Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
 
Nerves - Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
 
Overweight and at work - Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
 
Ulcers - The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.   It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
 
Temperature control - Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers.  In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
 
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
 
Smoking - Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6 & B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
 
Stress - Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.  When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
 
Strokes - According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
 
Warts - Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
 
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.  When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.  So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase to, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

 

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE