New Drug Shown to Preserve Bone

A new drug increases bone density and reduces the number of fractures in men fighting prostate cancer and in elderly women with bone loss, researchers report in two studies appearing August 11 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The results of these clinical trials might clear the way for approval of the drug, called denosumab, by the Food and Drug Administration.

"This certainly goes a long way toward fulfilling the criteria the FDA uses," says Sundeep Khosla of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Denosumab prevents old bone from being dissolved faster than it can be replaced. While bone mineral removal and replacement is a natural balancing act, the loss of hormones -- as in postmenopausal women lacking estrogen and men with prostate cancer who are being treated with androgen-deprivation therapy -- can put it out of sync.

Never Too Late to Battle Osteoporosis

Diet and exercise -- even at later dates in life, can help avoid the hazards of osteoporosis, says British health expert Jane Clarke.

She recommends exercising three times a week, 20 minutes each time, and laying off the smoking. And, she says, "men and women should ensure that their diet is rich in calcium --- around 800 milligrams a day," or 1-1/2 pints of milk or 3-1/2 ounces of cheese.

Other important nutrients that could help reduce the effects of osteoporosis, Clarke says, include vitamin D (found in oily fish as well as sunlight), vitamin K (mainly produced in a healthy digestive system) and magnesium (from wholegrain cereal and nuts). Other necessities are zinc (in shellfish and liver) and boron (peas, cabbage, apples and grapes).

Neck Pain? Think Physical Therapy

The American Physical Therapy Association is urging U.S. patients with musculoskeletal pain to consider treatment by a physical therapist.

Lead researcher and APTA spokesman Michael Walker says a 2007 survey indicated that more than one-third of the 32,000 U.S. adults, and nearly 12 percent of children, use alternative medicine -- with back and neck pain as the top reasons for treatment.

The survey results were released by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

"This study, demonstrating the efficacy of physical therapy for a condition as widespread as neck pain, is particularly relevant in today's challenging economic environment," Walker said in a statement.

Natural Relief for Arthritis Pain

Catherine Meeks was overweight and out of shape. Her joints were often so stiff, a walk that would take the average person five minutes took her half an hour.

She was afraid she was on her way to being a wheelchair user.

Meeks, 64, who has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since she was in her 40s, had a choice to make when she was diagnosed in the early 1990s.

She could take prescription medications with potentially harsh side effects, or embark on a diet and fitness routine to combat her aching, inflamed joints.

She opted to get moving, to eat right.

"My legs were so stiff and so painful," she says. "I was highly motivated to try to find a way out of that."

Natural Relief for Arthritic Hands

QUESTION: What can I do when my hands get tight and painful? Is there a good medication to relieve the pain?

ANSWER: It is interesting to me that you would start off by asking about medication, which is usually my last suggestion. My approach is more natural.

I would first suggest that you try an elimination diet and detoxification program. I would also suggest that you try a supervised fast with juices, herbal teas, pure water, vegetable juice and soup.

Another suggestion would be to visit your local beauty shop and have a manicure that includes having your hands dipped in a warm paraffin bath; the heat markedly helps pain and tightness in the hands.

Natural Foods Fight Flu

Keeping your immune system as strong as possible is vital when battling colds or flu -- and just any food simply won't do, says London health expert Oona Mashta.

Mashta says the wrong diet can harm the immune system and may reduce energy levels. "Avoid junk food," she says. "Choose hot, tasty soups, which will wash out the virus and help to thin out mucus secretions from the nose and airways, soothing inflammation."

Sugar should also be avoided because it reduces the system's effectiveness and is conducive to building up mucus. She also recommends avoiding coffee because "it will sap your energy." As for alcohol, "It depletes the body's levels of vitamin C and strips the body of nutrients it is likely to be craving after fighting off a virus".

'My Body Is Starting to Freak Me Out!'

Q: There is something strange going on with my body and it is really starting to freak me out. A couple of weeks ago, I started secreting a small amount of fluid (milk?) from my breasts. I just started going through menopause, so I don't think I could be pregnant. What could this be?

A: There are one of three possibilities. I will list them in order of likelihood:

1. You are pregnant. I know you said that you don't think this is the case, but pregnancy is by far the most likely cause of lactation. Just because you have started missing periods does not mean you are fully menopausal and can't get pregnant. A home pregnancy test would be a good start, though they are not infallible. I would strongly recommend seeing a gynecologist and getting a blood test.

My Bargain Facelift

After cleansing my face and applying a lactic acid solution as an exfoliant, my facialist, Lola, uses what looks like a metal “spatula” with a low electronic current to scrape off dead skin cells. I feel a little buzz that is the ceramic/quartz tip vibrating 27,000 times a second as it pushes skin impurities to the surface, where they are wiped off.

Then Lola grips my chin and jawline between a cotton-tipped probe and what looks like a smooth metal mallet, both transmitting electrical impulses that tone and reeducate muscles. She begins pushing and my skin upwards as it is being “shocked.” The impulses are quite mild in the first 6 sessions (two a week), during which I catch myself snoring. It is not so relaxing when the current is turned up in session 7. My body has acclimated to the prickle of the current -- which creates a metallic taste in the mouth when it’s near the teeth, and more saliva, but now I feel my skin jump a little and see lightning flashes under my closed eyes. However, the 10-15 minutes of more intense microcurrent during the remaining 3 to 6 hour-long sessions produces the most visible results.

Myofascial Release Therapy for Fibromyalgia Patients

If you've tried massage as a treatment for fibromyalgia and found the results to be lackluster, maybe you should try out myofascial release therapy. A new study, conducted by researchers in the Department of Nursing and Physical Therapy at the University of Almeria, Spain, shows that myofascial release therapy can improve quality of life in patients with pain disorders, including fibromyalgia.

Myofascial release is a form of therapy that helps treat somatic dysfunction by relaxing contracted muscles, increasing blood circulation, and stimulating the stretch reflex of muscles and soft tissue. Massage therapists use their knuckles, elbows, or other tools to stretch the soft tissue.

Mounting Evidence of Fish Body Oil Benefit

Fish fillet with other ingredients

Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the incidence of cardiac events and mortality in patients with existing heart disease, U.S. researchers said.

"We now have tremendous and compelling evidence from very large studies, some dating back 20 and 30 years, that demonstrate the protective benefits of omega-3 fish oil in multiple aspects of preventive cardiology," lead author Dr. Carl Lavie, medical director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention, Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, said in a statement.

"The strongest evidence of a cardioprotective effect of omega-3s appears in patients with established cardiovascular disease and following a heart attack with up to a 30 percent reduction in cardiovascular-related death."

Mixed Messages on Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is under increasing attack by the medical establishment, but consumers are getting mixed messages on the value and safety of many over-the-counter herbal remedies.

The Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians this week drafted a resolution to ask Congress and federal regulators to halt "implied medical claims" by alternative medicine manufacturers and require such firms to market their products as being "without scientific proof of safety and efficacy."

A spokesman for the Consumer Health Information Research Institute told the academy that many such products are "antagonistic to regular medicine" and often are little more than "quackery."

Minimize Joint Damage

What You Should Know

A joint is where two bones come together. We have joints throughout our body.

Our joints have soft, gel-like tissue (cartilage) that keeps bones from rubbing against each other. Cartilage acts like a shock absorber or cushion, which prevents damage to the bones.

There are many causes of joint problems. Our joints can suffer from wear and tear, injuries and infections. Cartilage can be torn. The bones and supporting tissue near a joint can become dislocated and misaligned. Poor alignment of bones and tissue can put pressure on nerves. Young people might have "loose joints," which can become injured when joints move beyond the normal range of motion. Infections and immune problems can also inflame joints.

Maintaining Your Pre Diabetic Diet While Being Social

Anyone following a different diet than the rest of society can feel a little anxious when it comes to actually going out and being social with friends. If you're building a pre diabetic diet, then it pays to be aware of what you will need to do in order to maintain the diet even while you're doing a social activity with friends.

The most common social scenario that people have problems with when it comes to keeping their pre-diabetic diet in place is going over to a friend's house. It can feel a little awkward at first, especially if the host has taken time to prepare a very elaborate meal.

However, the best way to approach the situation without offending your friend is to offer to bring a dish that will work within your diet that can also serve any other guest that would like to sample some. If you're not able to do this, then you may simply wish to inform the host of your unique diet needs and make some suggestions of what would be suitable. Many vegetarian options are still suitable for a pre-diabetic diet, and most hosts have experience working with vegetarians anyway.

I Tried It: The World's Richest Yogurt (17 Grams of Fat!)--Worth The Splurge?

No, I have not lost my mind. Yet, I felt compelled to bring myself to blog about the richest yogurt I've ever encountered--it's available at a store near you! Should you every, in a million years, partake?

Given that most of the yogurt that women eat these days is nonfat or lowfat, I was a little more than fascinated to see a fit and svelte-looking women pile a dozen containers of Liberte Coconut yogurt in her cart at Whole Foods recently (yes, I snoop at other shoppers sometimes--it's how you discover great new food finds!). After she wheeled her cart away, I lifted one of the yogurts from the shelf and gasped: 270 calories and 17 grams of fat in the little 6 oz. container. The label said: "Our thickest, richest, fruit-bottom natural yogurt."