Although a majority of smokers want to quit smoking, many delay making a plan to quit until the last minute, according to a recent ACS survey. 22% of smokers surveyed planned to quit within 24 hours, while 30% said they planned to quit within a week or two.

The online survey, conducted via the Great American Smokeout Website at www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans, also found that 77% of smokers surveyed have never used the available telephone hotline for smoking cessation counseling from a tobacco cessation coach, and 76% did not know that it was available at no cost to smokers who desire to quit.

Most of the smokers surveyed were interested in customized websites to help them quit and to receive professional advice by email. About 1/3 of respondents were not interested in using prescription medications for quitting, which the ACS feels is due to a lack of education on how nicotine replacement therapy and other smoking cessation medications can at least double the chance of quitting for good.

“Our survey findings show that there is much work that still needs to be done in educating smokers about the most effective ways to quit,” said Elizabeth T.H. Fontham, M.P.H., Dr. P.H., president of the American Cancer Society. “Smokers wishing to quit should seek out support from tobacco cessation coaches at state quitlines, from friends and family, and should understand the benefits of using medication to decide if it is right for them. The American Cancer Society hopes that smokers will use the Great American Smokeout on November 19 as the day to commit to a tobacco-free life. Doing so will help people stay well and celebrate more birthdays.”

The American Cancer Society stresses the importance of planning ahead to quit smoking as research shows that preparing for quitting by allowing enough time to get nicotine replacement therapy, and planning how to deal with cravings and tempting situations, greatly increases the likelihood of succeeding.

The American Cancer Society created the Great American Smokeout in 1976 as a way to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for a day, and to encourage the commitment to a long-term plan to quit smoking for good. Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States, approximately 443,000 each year.

The Great American Smokeout Website contains user-friendly tips and tools to help smokers create a smoke-free life. The site also offers downloadable desktop helpers to assist with planning to quit and succeeding in staying tobacco-free. The Quit Clock allows users to pick a quit day within 30 days, then counts down the selected day with tips for each day; and the Craving Stopper helps smokers beat cravings by offering a fun distraction.

Quitting smoking is one of the most important steps towards a healthier life. 30% of cancer deaths, including 87% of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to tobacco use. In addition, researchers have found that quitting smoking can increase life expectancy – smokers who quit at age 35 gain an average of eight years of life expectancy; those who quit at age 55 gain about five years; and even long term smokers who quit at 65 gain three years. The study can be found in the American Journal of Public Health [1]

Smokers who want to quit can call the American Cancer Society Quit For Life® Program operated and managed by Free & Clear® at 1-800-227-2345 for tobacco cessation and coaching services that can help increase their chances of quitting for good. The American Cancer Society website is www.cancer.org.

Journal reference:
[1] Taylor DH et al., Benefits of smoking cessation for longevity. American Journal of Public Health 92:990-996 (2002)

The study, which was published in Science Translational Medicine, involved the use of humanized mice, which means scientists were able to recreate the environment of the human gut in the laboratory animals. This allows researchers to control the many variables that are involved in studying obesity and nutrition in humans.

In this study, the researchers selected a group of mice and fed them low-fat, plant-rich diets in the weeks before they underwent the transplant that would turn them into humanized mice. The mice continued to consume the same diet after the transplant as well. Stool samples were collected and analyzed one day, one week, and one month after the transplants took place.

One month after the transplants, half the mice were switched to a high-fat, high-sugar diet, resembling the “western” way of eating. Stool samples were collected and analyzed from all the mice 24 hours after the diet change and then again weekly for two months. The researchers noted a change in the microbial environment of the mice on the high-fat, high-sugar diet as soon as 18 to 20 hours after their exposure to the western diet.

Compared with the mice who continued to eat the low-fat, plant-based diet, mice on the western diet had a significantly greater proportion of two types of gut bacteria that belong to a group (phylum) called Firmicutes. They also noted a reduction in bacteria in another phylum known as Bacteroidetes. These are changes found in earlier studies to link obesity in mice and humans.

Further analysis revealed that the mice on the western diet had more microbial genes devoted to breaking down and processing simple sugars and other factors found in a high-fat, high-sugar diet. They also discovered that these genes were activated in the mice consuming the unhealthy diet.

The bottom line, based on this study and previous ones, appears to be that gut bacteria have a powerful effect on how the body digests food and breaks it down into energy. Research results indicate that Firmicutes, which thrive in a high-fat, high-sugar environment, rapidly populate the gut when the diet is changed from a healthy low-fat, plant-based approach to a western diet.

According to Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, director of Washington University’s Center for Genome Sciences and senior author of the study, additional research could lead to a better understanding of how the body is likely to respond to calories. Gordon and his colleagues are already using the humanized mouse model to find ways to fight malnutrition in children. “By analyzing the microbial communities, we hope to identify the microbial deficiencies that explain why some children and not others suffer from malnutrition,” he said in the University’s news release.

SOURCES:
Time magazine Nov. 12, 2009
Washington University in St. Louis, Nov. 11, 2009 news release

The Tanda anti-aging light therapy system is portable, and plugs into the wall. Average retail price is $338. In addition to treating acne, light therapy smoothes the skins, improves texture, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

The blue LED light kills acne causing bacteria without irritating the skin. The Tanda anti-aging light therapy can be upgraded as new skin therapy treatments are developed.

The temperature sensor automatically shuts off so there is no risk of burn. According to the manufacturers, Pharos Life Corporation, the Tanda anti-aging light therapy device will not dry out your skin unlike other acne and anti-aging skin care treatments.

The Tanda light therapy treatments can be used on the road, with a cordless option. It fits in your purse, and can be easily packed for travel. The blue light is used for acne treatment, and the red light is used to reduce wrinkles at home, on the road, and anywhere in between. Acne treatments have gained a lot of attention over the years. The Tanda light therapy system might help clear acne, and could improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles when used as directed. Laser treatments are also available to treat acne at home and for facial rejuvenation.

http://www.tandaskincare.com/clear.shtml#

The beauty of the area makes the Biggest Loser Ranch in Utah a perfect place for hiking, Educational classes designed to instill lifestyle changes in eating habits, cardio aerobic activity, stretching, and group support could help anyone in a rut get a jump on fitness goals, even if the stay is short.

The Biggest Loser Ranch at Fitness Ridge offers healthy cuisine, some of the “best hiking in the world”, massage, acupuncture, facials, free bike rental, classes in Yoga, Pilates, strength training, and personal training for $45 per hour. Private hiking is $35 per hour and personal training classes are $45 per hour.

The Biggest Loser Ranch is touted as one of the most affordable weight loss programs in the country. A one week stay is just under $2000, and offsite accommodations yield a lower price. Prices are broken down into weekly increments and can be spread out to accommodate you schedule and personal goals.

Children and teens, age 14 to 17 can also visit the Biggest Loser Ranch in Utah, located in St. George, if accompanied by an adult. If you tune in to the Biggest Loser tonight you can get a first hand glimpse of The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge.

For anyone serious about weight loss and fitness, the Biggest Loser ranch in Utah might be well worth a consideration for your next vacation. Cutting disease risk and finding a lifetime of good health at the resort is driven by the same principles as the popular TV show the Biggest Loser. Weight loss and fitness is available to anyone, and is attainable for those who have no desire for publicity and cameras.

http://www.biggestloserresort.com/

During the last century, more than 19,000 studies have been conducted on the health pros and cons of coffee. In a 2006 study conducted at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, Tomas DePaulis, PhD, a research scientist, noted that one reason “coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful” is the presence of the antioxidant trigonelline, which also gives coffee its bitter taste and aroma.

According to one of the Texas AgriLife Research authors, nutrition scientist Dr. Clinton Allred, trigonelline is a natural compound that is used in traditional Indian culture for post-menopausal women. Its chemical structure is not similar to estradiol (a type of estrogen), so Allred did not believe the coffee compound would demonstrate estrogenic effects. But it did.

Just because trigonelline has a link to cancer “in the sense that we are looking at estrogen-dependent cancer cells,” noted Dr. Allred in the news release from Texas A&M University, “that doesn’t suggest that it would actually cause the disease.” He does not believe consumers should be worried about drinking coffee. “It is way too early to say that drinking a cup of coffee is exposing you to something that is definitely going to be estrogenic.”

Dr. Allred also noted that the amount of trigonelline in coffee varies depending on the variety of coffee bean. The two main types of coffee beans used in the United States both contain the antioxidant. The most coffee beans are roasted, the less trigonelline remains in the bean.

The other side of the coffee compound is its possible use against colon cancer. The study’s authors are interested in exploring whether this phytoestrogen can prevent the formation of colon cancer. If it does, it may be possible to develop a drug that could target colon cancer cells only and so spare the rest of the body from any estrogenic effects. Dr. Allred noted that “It’s really important for us to come up with strategies that we can have the benefits in the colon without the risks associated with (estrogenic compounds).”

SOURCES:
Tomas DePaulis, PhD, Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies
Texas A&M University news release, Nov. 12, 2009

The Tanda anti-aging light therapy system is portable, and plugs into the wall. Average retail price is $338. In addition to treating acne, light therapy smoothes the skins, improves texture, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

The blue LED light kills acne causing bacteria without irritating the skin. The Tanda anti-aging light therapy can be upgraded as new skin therapy treatments are developed.

The temperature sensor automatically shuts off so there is no risk of burn. According to the manufacturers, Pharos Life Corporation, the Tanda anti-aging light therapy device will not dry out your skin unlike other acne and anti-aging skin care treatments.

The Tanda light therapy treatments can be used on the road, with a cordless option. It fits in your purse, and can be easily packed for travel. The blue light is used for acne treatment, and the red light is used to reduce wrinkles at home, on the road, and anywhere in between. Acne treatments have gained a lot of attention over the years. The Tanda light therapy system might help clear acne, and could improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles when used as directed. Laser treatments are also available to treat acne at home and for facial rejuvenation.

http://www.tandaskincare.com/clear.shtml#

The guidelines are published in the Nov. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The USPSTF is an independent panel of 16 government appointed healthcare experts that reviews medical research every five years and recommends ways to reduce the risk of illness and death. It is sponsored and funded by the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research, part of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The new guidelines were based on a comprehensive analysis of the medical literature, including data from more than 600,000 women from the U.S. Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. In addition, the task force commissioned a study funded by the National Cancer Institute that involved six independent teams of researchers conducting mathematical modeling studies of the risks and benefits of 20 different screening strategies, including the modalities of traditional film mammography, clinical breast exam, breast self-exams, digital mammography, and MRI.

The new guidelines state:
• Recommend against teaching women breast self-examination because the evidence does not show it reduces deaths from breast cancer.
• Not enough evidence exists to assess the value of clinical breast exams done by a health-care provider for women aged 40 and older.
• Recommend against routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49. The guidelines suggest that when women of average risk reach 40 they should talk to their doctor about the best time to start regular, every-other-year mammography. The guidelines do not apply to high risk women, such as those with a family history of breast cancer or those who test positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
• Recommend that women aged 50 to 74 years old have screening mammograms every other year rather than annually, because in most women, the tumors are slow-growing. Even for the minority of women with aggressive, fast-growing tumors, annual screening will make little difference in survival, according to the task force findings.
• There is not enough evidence to recommend digital mammography or MRI over traditional film mammography.
• Not enough data exist to make a recommendation based on benefits vs. harms for women 75 and older.

The changes may eventually affect insurance coverage for the preventative screenings for breast cancer. Private insurance plans typically base their coverage on recommendations from private groups, such as the American Cancer Society, except for the state of West Virginia, which ties its recommendations to the USPSTF guidelines. Medicare is required by law to cover one screening for women ages 35 to 29, and yearly mammograms after that. However, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services the ability to change coverage after consulting with the National Cancer Institute.

Several patient advocacy groups praised the recommendation change, saying it represented a growing recognition that more tests, exams and treatments are not always beneficial and can harm patients. Mammograms produce false-positive results in about 10 percent of cases, causing anxiety and often prompting women to undergo unnecessary follow-up tests, sometimes-disfiguring biopsies, and unneeded treatment, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

But most breast cancer experts, including the American Cancer Society and the American College of Radiology, disagree with the Task Force recommendations. Since regular mammography screenings were recommended in 1990, the mortality rate from breast cancer has decreased by 30%.

“Not screening all women in their 40s and every other year in their 50s is an opportunity to miss some cancer and miss saving lives,” said Dr. Elizabeth Fontham, dean of the Louisiana School of Public Health and the national volunteer president for the American Cancer Society. “I certainly think it is going to confuse women, and that’s unfortunate.”

Dr. Otis W. Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said in a statement that the organization “continues to recommend annual screening using mammography and clinical breast examination for all women beginning at age 40.”

The American College of Radiology called the guidelines “a step backward,” and added that they “represent a significant harm to women’s health.” “Screening mammography saves lives”, said Dr. Carol Lee, chair of the Breast Imaging Commission for the American College of Radiology. Her organization, she said, also stands by its recommendation that women of average risk for breast cancer should begin routine mammography screening at age 40 and do it every year.

All experts tend to agree that more research is necessary to more accurately capture an individual woman’s risk of breast cancer. Most acknowledge that mammography is imperfect and that women do not always have accurate information about the procedures. “We have oversimplified the message in a way that misrepresents the biology of the disease,” says Barbara Brenner, executive director of Breast Cancer Action, a San Francisco-based advocacy group that has long questioned the emphasis on mammography.

About 39 million women undergo mammograms each year in the United States. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. More than 192,000 new cases and 40,000 deaths from the disease are expected in the U.S. this year.

At the time of the press conference, 70 doctors and 125 nurses had volunteered to staff the free health care clinic which is being operated by the nonprofit National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC). Those doctors and nurses are only a small part of the more than 800 volunteers who have registered to work at the free health-care clinic.

Organizers would like to have at least 120 doctors and 150 nurses to care for the expected crowd of 1,000 plus patients. The Little Rock C.A.R.E. Clinic will provide medical treatment for uninsured Arkansans between the ages 6 to 65. Clinic hours will be from noon to 7 p.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center.

Potential patients are encouraged to reserve an appointment by calling 1-877-236-7617. Operators working with the National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) are fielding the toll-free calls. The NAFC, a Virginia-based non-profit organization, will operate the free clinic. Walk-ins are not guaranteed care.

Kimberly K. Garner, MD, will serve as the clinic medical director. Dr. Garner is a geriatrician/researcher at the Geriatrics Research, Education and Clinical Center of the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock and an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

“We are extremely gratified by the tremendous support from people across the state. Volunteers are signing up in big numbers,” Halter said. “Our emphasis now is getting the word out to uninsured Arkansans so they will call the toll-free patient hotline and come to the clinic for immediate treatment as well as for information about where to access medical care in the future.”
Anyone wishing to volunteer can register with the NAFC on-line at www.regonline.com/LittleRockCARE or at www.freeclinics.us. Potential volunteers also can call the toll-free patient number to register.

The NAFC operates as an advocate for more than 1,200 free medical clinics and the people they serve nationwide. Recently, the non-profit received more than $1.2 million from people responding to a call from MSNBC news anchor Keith Olbermann for free medical clinics in six states, including Arkansas.

Lieutenant Governor Halter helped the NAFC secure 80,000 square feet of space at the Statehouse Convention Center for the free clinic. Halter’s office has since connected the NAFC with an Arkansas team of health-care providers, non-profit associations and government offices to help gather volunteers and otherwise prepare for the free clinic.

This team includes to date Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Arkansas Heart Hospital, Arkansas Surgical Hospital, Baptist Health, Harmony Health Clinic, Mountain Home Medical Clinic, St. Vincent Health System, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Association of Charitable Clinics, Arkansas Black Nurses Association, Arkansas Health Care Access Association, Arkansas Hospital Association, Arkansas Medical Society, Arkansas Minority Health Commission, Arkansas Nurses Association, American Red Cross of Greater Arkansas, Arkansas Interfaith Alliance, Catholic Charities of Arkansas, City Connections, River City Ministry, the City of Little Rock, the City of North Little Rock, Community Health Centers of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Health.

Source
National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC)

Researchers split the participants into two types of diet – those who ate a diet largely based on whole foods, which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish, and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products.

After looking at factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic diseases, they found a significant difference in future depression risk with the different diets. In fact, those who ate the most whole foods had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who at the least whole foods. By contrast people with a diet high in processed food had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate very few processed foods.

The research is concluding what so many people seem to already know, that what we eat can affect our mood, making us feel happier. A number of people who suffer from depression, for example, improve significantly when they eat less processed/sugary foods and consume more complex carbohydrates, such as grains and vegetables. A healthy diet may reduce brain inflammation, important for improving neuron functions and reducing anxiety and depression.

The researchers suggested several reasons for the protective effects of a healthy diet against depression, from the high levels of anti-oxidants in fruits and vegetables, including folate found in broccoli, cabbage, spinach, lentils and chickpeas. Eating more fish may be protective due to high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation states “This study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health. Major studies like this are crucial because they hold the key to us better understanding mental illness.”

Margaret Edwards, Head Of Strategy at the mental health charity SANE, said; “Physical and mental health are closely related, so we should not be too surprised by these results, but we hope there will be further research which may help us to understand more fully the relationship between diet and mental health.”

Written by Tyler Woods Ph.D.
Tucson, Arizona
Exclusive to eMaxHealth

Flibanserin has been under investigation for treatment of women suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which often defies solution – until now. Lack of sexual desire in women is very common, but treatments have seemed to be lacking. The new drug, designed to boost female libido does not act like Viagra, but is being touted as “Viagra for women”. It was initially used as an antidepressant, but it was ineffective. Flibanserin acts by stimulates one serotonin receptor in the brain and blocks a second one.

Flibanserin, during its use as an antidepressant was noticed to stimulate female libido. Reports from the Phase III clinical trial show that women enrolled in the study reported increased sexual desire and satisfaction, in addition to less worry about sexual dysfunction.

According to Elaine Jolly, a Canadian gynecologist and medical researcher overseeing the trial, “By modulating the neurotransmitter system, flibanserin may help to restore a balance between inhibitory and excitatory factors leading to a healthy sexual response.”

For the study, more than 5,000 European and American women received either doses of flibanserin ranging from 25 to 100 milligram per day or a placebo. The findings, reported today at the 12th Congress of the European Society for Sexual Medicine in Lyon, France, included only women who received the 100mg dose. Lower doses of the libido enhancing drug for women had no effect.

According to the manufacturer,” Data from pooled, pivotal Phase III clinical trials demonstrate that flibanserin 100mg taken once daily at bedtime significantly increased the number of Satisfying Sexual Events (SSEs) and sexual desire while significantly decreasing the distress associated with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD).”

Flibanserin is touted as being able to help women suffering from low libido, sexual dysfunction, lack of sexual desire, or any number of other names associated with women not interested in having sex. Of interest, sexual dysfunction in women has been poorly defined – one of the reasons it is difficult to treat.

Women may or may not flock to boost their libido with the new drug that is not at all like Viagra that increases blood flow to the penis through an entirely different mechanism of action.

Background information for the study suggests, “Women with HSDD often feel a loss of intimacy and closeness that they used to enjoy. The condition can negatively impact a woman’s life and her relationship with her partner.”

The clinical trial tracked increase in sexual desire among women, measured by an online diary. As a secondary endpoint, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to gauge the success of the drug to boost a woman’s libido, and was compared to placebo that also had a powerful effect. Interestingly, a study published in the Internal Annals of Medicine, April 2008, showed that women who were post-menopausal responded equally well to testosterone spray and placebo, reporting increased sexual desire.

The only adverse effects of the flibanserin, occurring within the first fourteen days of use, were dizziness, nausea, fatigue, somnolence and insomnia. Flibanserin was studied on pre-menopausal women, age 18 to 50, who felt more in the mood for sex after taking flibanserin. It seems that female libido may get a big drug boost – but only if women are interested. The drug to increase sexual desire in women may be available in two to three years.

Boehringer-Ingelheim