EXPERIMENTAL ALZHEIMER’S TREATMENT

by | Aug 5, 2024 | Health

60 MINUTES REPORT on a NEW EXPERITMENTAL TREATMENT for ALZHEIMERRS

60 Minutes is the greatest television program ever. There are many good reasons why it’s been a Sunday evening standout for the past 56 years. Last night, I watched one of the most amazing reports ever. It was about an experimental treatment for Alzheimer’s and people who are seriously addicted to drugs.

The star of the report last night was a neurosurgeon, Dr. Ali Rezai, who came up with a new technique for treating Alzheimer’s. Anyone who knows somebody with this horrific disease, understands the devastation this can causes for the individual and his or her family members. It also eventually causes death.

Anyone who reads medical reports on a regular basis, knows scientists and drug companies spent huge amounts of time and money, the past 30 years or so, trying to find a cure for the disease. Obviously, that hasn’t happened, at least not until now.

The new technique designed by Dr. Ali Rezai, does not utilize devastating brain surgery, which requires months of rehab. It is a painless procedure which uses MRI and Ultrasound. Once the procedure is over, the patient literally walks out of the operating room and goes home.

This is a summary of how the procedure works, written by me, someone who has no medical knowledge or expertise. But I’m going to try and explain how this works in simple, basic terms.

The brains of people with Alzheimer’s are filled with Amyloid Plaques. When using an MRI, doctors can sit at a computer screen and actually see the  massive Amyloid Plaque Buildup in the brain.

During this procedure, a million-dollar electronic hat is placed on the patient’s head. A team of doctors, sitting outside the operating room, can then use Ultrasound to try and destroy the Amyloid Plaques in the brain. Apparently, this is much harder than it sounds, and they can only destroy plaques a little bit at a time. In other words, the patient must undergo repeated procedures, and they aren’t always successful.

Last night, they interviewed a couple where the husband was suffering badly from Alzheimer’s, which was destroying his life. The wife said he couldn’t even dress himself properly.

After several procedures, an interview with the husband revealed he isn’t completely normal again, but he’s vastly improved. As the husband said last night, he has his life back. His wife was of course thrilled by the results of the ultrasound procedures.

Dr. Ali Rezai pointed out this is not yet a permanent cure. He said the patient would have to come back for periodic treatments, and they’re still in the experimental stage. He also pointed out there are serious risks to this kind of treatment, but he believes the rewards are worth the risk. But please remember, they are still in the early stages of this experimental technique, so they have a lot to learn, and who knows what will happen over the next few years?

In addition to Alzheimer’s patients, Dr. Ali Rezai decided to try the procedure on long-term, seriously addicted drug addicts. Apparently, long-term addicts develop something in their brains which makes it impossible for them to resist drugs. Dr. Ali Rezai thought they could treat that drug related part of the brain with Ultrasound, just as they do with Alzheimer’s patients.

They interviewed a man who was seriously addicted to drugs all of his life. He said, if exposed to drugs, he had zero resistance. After multiple ultrasound treatments, he can finally resist the temptation and is now drug free for the first time in his life.

If I remember correctly. Dr. Ali Rezai said they used ultrasound on 16 seriously drug addicted patients, and it worked for 12 of them

Obviously, this is still an experimental technique, but I think it’s one all of us should know about and monitor the progress, or lack thereof. For the first time in our lives, it appears as if we might find a cure for the devastating disease called Alzheimer’s. It certainly appears as if this will turn to be, at the very least, a viable treatment for the disease. Obviously, this would be critical for anyone who has a loved one in their family who is a serious drug addict, or they’ve been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Can You Prevent Certain Types of Cancer?

by | Jul 13, 2024 | Health, Life

CAN YOU PREVENT CERTAIN TYPES of CANCER?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America. There are many different kinds of cancer, so the first question we should ask ourselves, is there something we can do to prevent some, or possibly all cancers? Obviously, we cannot prevent all cancers, but a new clinical study teaches us, there are numerous things we can do to avoid many types of cancer.

One of the leading causes of cancer deaths is colon cancer. Guess what? This is essentially almost 100% preventable, by having a colonoscopy at least once every 5-7 years.

Colon cancer starts with polyps in your colon. It takes approximately 8-10 years for a polyp to become cancerous. If you get regular colonoscopies, the doctor will remove those polyps before they become cancerous. Hence, you just virtually eliminated one of the biggest causes of death in America.

A new study by the American Cancer Society revealed that many types of cancers can be eliminated via lifestyle choices.

  • Smoking was the leading risk factor by far, the study found, contributing to nearly 1 in 5 cancer cases, and nearly a third of cancer deaths.
  • Other key risk factors included
    • excess body weight
    • alcohol consumption
    • physical inactivity
    • diet
    • infections such as HPV

Here’s something else this new study is trying to teach us. Cancer grows because of DNA damage or because it has a fuel source. Other factors, such as genetics and the environment, can also create these biological conditions. However, modifiable risks explain a significantly larger share of cancer cases and deaths than any other known factor. For example, exposure to sunlight can damage DNA and lead to skin cancer, while fat cells produce hormones that essentially feed certain cancers.

With cancer, people usually believe they have no control, but that isn’t true. One of the key findings of this new study is the following. People need to feel a sense of control over many types of cancer.  Modifiable risk factors contributed to more than half of new cases for 19 of the 30 types of cancer evaluated in the study.

There were 10 types of cancer where modifiable risk factors could be attributed to at least 80% of new cases, including more than 90% of melanoma cases linked to ultraviolet radiation and nearly all cases of cervical cancer linked to HPV infection, which can be prevented with a vaccine.

Lung cancer had the largest number of cases attributable to modifiable risk factors. There were more than 104,000 cases among men and 97,000 among women, and the vast majority were obviously linked to smoking.

After smoking, excess body weight was the second largest contributor to cancer cases, linked to about 5% of new cases in men and nearly 11% of cases in women. It was associated with more than a third of deaths from cancer of the endometrium, gallbladder, esophagus, liver and kidney, the new study found.

Another recent study revealed the risk for certain cancers was significantly reduced for people taking popular weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

New studies are teaching us that obesity is emerging, in several ways, as just as big a risk for people as smoking.

Here’s something else the scientists want you to know about cancer prevention. It’s never too late to make these changes. Turning unhealthy behavior around, even later in life, can make a profound difference. And making lifestyle changes to minimize exposure to certain factors can reduce cancer risk relatively quickly, experts say.

There is another aspect of your life which can help prevent cancer from spreading throughout your body, and that is STRESS. Studies found that two people facing almost identical medical issues had very different outcomes, based on the level of stress in their body. Someone under severe stress has a significantly reduced ability for their body to fight off inflammation, or other types of threats which can cause the spread of cancer. If you can find a way to eliminate, or reduce the level of stress in your body, that will definitely help prevent several forms of cancer from spreading.

Cancer is something your body fights every single day as your cells divide. It’s a risk that you face every day, and that also means that a reduction of the risks can benefit you big time.

Personal Story

This little story isn’t specifically about cancer, but it’s definitely related to the premise of this article. About 3 or 4 years ago, I read about a professional basketball player who was in a very serious motor vehicle accident. The doctor who treated him, said he would probably die within 60-90 days at most.

Six months later, the basketball player was almost fully recovered. Reporters asked the doctor why his prediction never happened. The physician said, I didn’t factor in the very high level of fitness the patient had. He was so physically fit, his body was able to fight off the inflammation and other negative impacts of the motor vehicle accident. 

This is a critical lesson about the importance of being on a regular exercise program and how it can help fight off negative elements in your body. The above reminded me of a study I read about many years ago.

Once of the conclusions of that study was the following. Two people can have the same physical assault on their immune system, and one can survive, while the other persons succumbs to the attack. Why did one survive? Because they were so physically fit, just like the professional basketball player, they could fight off the inflammation and attacks on their immune system.

Finally, I have one more similar story. In the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans were dying in huge numbers. 60 Minutes did a report on the people who were dying from Covid-19 by visiting hospitals treating victims of the pandemic. Those seriously ill covid patients were placed on ventilators, in an attempt to keep them alive. The 60 Minutes reporter asked the doctors and nurses if there was any one thing most of the patients on ventilators had in common. The answer was, YES, obesity.

 

 

 

Myth: Moderate Amounts of Alcohol are Healthy

by | Apr 12, 2023 | Health

MODERATE AMOUNTS of ALCOHOL IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
That is a MYTH

Over the years, I’ve known many people who told me that drinking alcohol at a moderate level is actually good for you. I knew that wasn’t true, as I read lots of scientific research which showed the kind of damage, even moderate amounts of alcohol does to your body. Nonetheless, many people believe that myth, much of it perpetrated by a flawed study many years ago.

If you’ve been following my previous blog articles, you know that I never touched alcohol in my life. I go dancing and have tons of fun at parties without drinking. Why do people believe they need alcohol to have fun?

Having said that, everyone I know drinks. Unfortunately, it is embedded in our culture as socializing and celebrating are all associated with drinking.  I do not expect anyone to stop drinking, nor do I expect cultural habits to change. My goal in this article is to ensure you know the belief that moderate drinking is good for your health is in fact a myth. Drinking negatively impacts a number of health-related issues such as:

  • Cancer
  • Blood pressure
  • Atrial Fibrillation / Irregular Heartbeats
  • Weakened Heart Muscles
  • Heart Attacks
  • Strokes

I don’t expect people who enjoy a glass of wine with their dinner to stop. But I want them to know that even moderate levels of alcohol can be unhealthy and/or dangerous. Once you are aware of the impact and danger occasional drinking can have, you can make an informed decision.

For over 30 years, I’ve been following Dr. Mirkin, who used to have a radio show in the DC-MD area, which I frequently listened to. Dr. Mirkin carefully follows medical research from around the world and reports it to his followers on his website. Therefore, when you’re reading one of his articles, you are not reading one person’s opinion, you are reading about the latest scientific research.

At the end of the article, Dr. Mirkin then inserts his personal opinion and recommendations. Earlier this week, he uploaded an article reference the latest research on alcohol and its impact on your body. Here’s the article and the link.

Link to Dr. Mirkin’s Article:
https://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/no-amount-of-alcohol-is-healthful.html

No Amount of Alcohol is Healthful

April 7, 2023

Low-volume alcohol drinking is not associated with protection against death from all causes (JAMA Netw Open, Mar 2023;6(3):e236185). An analysis of 107 studies involving more than 4.8 million participants found no significant reductions in death rates for those who drank fewer than 25 grams of alcohol per day (two standard drinks) compared with lifetime nondrinkers. The death risk was increased in women who drank 25 or more grams per day and among male drinkers who drank 45 or more grams per day. The study found no increased risk for occasional drinkers.

The World Heart Federation reported that taking one drink a day does not help to prevent heart attacks (Clinical Nutrition, Feb 1, 2022;41(2):348-355). A study of 371,463 individuals found that no amount of alcohol helps prevent heart disease, and the more you drink, the greater your chance of suffering a heart attack (JAMA Netw Open, March 2022;5(3):e223849).

Flaws in Studies Showing that Light Drinking Reduces Heart Attacks
For many years, the alcoholic beverage industry has promoted studies showing that moderate drinkers live slightly longer than non-drinkers, but the non-drinking groups in these studies have included people who gave up alcohol on their doctors’ instructions: those with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, some types of cancer, diseases of the heart, kidney, liver or lungs or other health problems, as well as recovering alcoholics. A study with a 20-year-follow-up of 4,028 18-to-64-year-old adults found that when the people who had stopped drinking for medical reasons were removed from the control group, moderate drinkers did not live longer than non-drinkers (PLoS Medicine, Nov 2, 2021;18(11):e1003819). An analysis of 45 earlier studies showed that those associating moderate drinking of alcohol with reduced heart attacks rates needed better control groups (J Stud Alcohol and Drugs, May 17;78(3):394-403).

Alcohol and Heart Damage
Alcohol intake has been linked to increased heart rate, high blood pressure, weakened heart muscle and irregular heartbeats, all of which can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes (Alcohol Clin Exp Res, Dec 2015;39(12):2334–2344). Drinking any amount of alcohol is associated with increased risk for irregular heartbeats or atrial fibrillation (European Heart J, March 21, 2021;42(12):1170-1177). A study of 79,000 Swedish adults, aged 45-83, followed for up to 12 years, showed that those who drank any amount of wine or liquor daily were at increased risk for atrial fibrillation, an abnormally fast heartbeat that can cause clots, strokes and heart failure (J American College of Cardiology, July 14, 2014).

People who take just one drink a day are at increased risk for heart disease (J American College of Cardiology, December 5, 2016) and enlarged upper heart and irregular heartbeats that cause clots and strokes (J Am Heart Assoc, Sep 14, 2016;5:e004060; J Am Coll Cardiol, 2016;68(23):2567-2576). Binge drinking, defined as having five or more drinks in a single bout, increased risks even more. Data from six studies including more than 12,500 cases of atrial fibrillation showed that each additional drink per day of any type of alcohol boosted risk of irregular heartbeat by eight percent (J Am Coll Card, July 14, 2014). Many other studies have associated drinking alcohol with atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, heart failure and strokes. Association is not cause, but I believe that these studies give reason for caution.

My Recommendations
Many people have the mistaken belief that it is safe for women to take up to one drink per day and for men to take up to two drinks per day. Almost 30 percent of North Americans drink more than that. Most studies of alcohol consumption show that no amount of alcohol is “safe” or beneficial. Whatever you decide about your own consumption of alcohol, do not base your decision on bad information from the alcoholic beverage industry. Occasional drinking probably will not harm you, but repeated drinking increases your risk for many different cancers, heart attacks and strokes. See:
Alcohol Increases Risk for Heart Attacks and Cancers
Alcohol Does Not Appear to Prevent Heart Disease
Alcohol At Any Dose Can Increase Cancer Risk

Do Your Own Research on Obamacare

by | Feb 5, 2023 | Health, Politics

Ignore Fox Propaganda, Do Your Own Research on Obamacare

Today, intelligent people are used to non-stop propaganda and lies coming out of right-wing media. The volume and nature of their lies are literally mind boggling.  Unfortunately, millions of low IQ, Fox/Trump supporters incredibly believe virtually everything they’re told. Today, Trump World is buried under so much propaganda, it’s become an alternate reality where facts, the truth, and/or proof, are totally irrelevant. However, if you will recall, this kind of propaganda and non-stop lying started to become commonplace when Obama was President. Back in 2010, when Obamacare became the law, we saw the precursor of right-wing propaganda on a mass scale.

Do you remember the lies perpetrated by right-wing media, who didn’t want Obama to receive any credit for this major bill, which transformed how healthcare is administered in America?

  • It’s a government takeover of healthcare.
  • You won’t be able to keep your doctor.
  • Death Panels!
  • Healthcare costs are rising because of Obamacare.
  • etc.

I’m sure some of you will remember the national surveys administered after the law was passed. If you recall, when asked if you approve of the “Affordable Care Act”, something like 59% of Americans were in favor of it. However, when the same exact survey went out, but instead described the law as “Obamacare”, the percentage of Americans who said they were in favor of the law, dropped to something like 47%. I think this is a good example, which illustrates how powerful propaganda can be.

During the Trump Administration, Republicans tried everything under the sun to destroy Obamacare and failed. One of the reasons they failed, despite promises from Trump every two weeks, for a fabulous new healthcare program, they literally had no alternative plan. As Trump said, I didn’t realize healthcare was so complicated.

As of early 2023, approximately 35 million Americans get their critical healthcare via Obamacare, the program Trump and the Republican Party tried to destroy. Man, this is a lifesaver for a huge number of Americans. What would they do if Obamacare didn’t exist?

I’m going to talk more about the law, but I want to pause for a brief story about a woman I met in early 2013. She was an accountant for a small company which had only 7 employees. This very small company could not afford to provide health insurance, so she was living without coverage. I asked her why she was taking such a huge chance on having her life destroyed by one unexpected, major health crisis. She told me that she wanted to get health insurance, but she couldn’t afford the exorbitant cost for one individual. I told her about Obamacare, she researched it, and several weeks later, she had a very good health insurance plan, which cost about $145 per month.

Before I get into the huge benefits of the law and how it changed healthcare in America, I want to point out that all insurance companies, such as Blue Cross and Aetna, who participate in the plan, are private companies. These companies go on the 50-state healthcare exchanges and compete with other private companies for the business of American consumers. That is the free market at its best. This is not a government takeover of healthcare.

There are other benefits from the law, but I’m going to highlight only what I believe are the big ones.

Thanks to the law,

  • You can no longer be turned down for health insurance because of pre-existing conditions. It’s estimated that 35-40% of Americans have pre-existing conditions.
  • If you’re self-employed, you can now buy quality health insurance.
  • If you lose your job, the unemployed can buy quality health insurance.
  • Women can no longer be charged more than men for their health insurance premiums.
  • Medicaid was expanded.
  • Preventive care is free to the patient.
  • Your policy can no longer be terminated because you are using up the benefits. For example, before Obamacare, if you got cancer and your treatments were very expensive, after a certain point, the insurance company could legally terminate your policy. However, under the Affordable Care Act, you cannot be denied coverage for any reason, other than your failure to pay the premiums or fraud. This is called a guarantee issue.

Wow! That is an incredible list of enhancements to how healthcare is administered in America. Remember, before Obamacare became the law, around 35-40% of Americans could be turned down because they have a pre-existing condition. Women could be charged more than men. Really? Yes!

Before the law was passed, if you got cancer and your medical costs skyrocketed, insurance companies could literally drop you. And I love the fact the preventive care is now free. That means your annual physical doesn’t cost you one penny! This component of the law should motivate millions to sign up for an annual physical, where they can discover health issues while they’re minor ones, before they become dangerous and expensive to treat.

I don’t want to imply that Obamacare is perfect. It still has several flaws which need to be corrected. But overall, it’s the best thing which happened to healthcare in our lifetime. And don’t let anyone hit you with a bogus argument about subsidies. Everyone in America, who has employee sponsored healthcare, is being subsidized by the federal government.