Archived News of the Week

Emergency Health Alert!, Sarcopenia, The Flu Shot, Recycling, Baby Aspirin and lots more

Emergency Health Alert!! It's my day off (Wednesday, October 21, 2015) and I just finished watching Dr. Oz talking about bacon. I like bacon and I know you do too, so I listened up. 60-80% of pigs in the US of A are fed ractopamine which is an adrenaline-type drug which accelerates their growth which translates into bigger hogs and more money for the farmer. Ractopamine has been banned in Europe, China and Russia, but of course, not here. The hogs develop tremors, stumble about and are often so weak that "the hogs fall down and can't get up." (quote from an organic pig farmer). Here's the rub, at least the one I am interested in:

No one knows if the ractopamine pigs can transmit side-effects to us, (because it has just come out of the closet, I suppose) and although the National Pork Producers Council says it's just fine to eat ractopamine... why don't I believe them?

So far, the ractopamine issue has not hit the fan, so you will not currently see "ractopamine-free" on any packaged labels, but there is a way to know now which bacon will not contain this drug. If it says "certified organic", it is free, also if it says "pastured", it is free . Ask the butcher about it if you are buying bacon per the slice from the case. The best and most healthy bacon has very few ingredients. On the ingredient label, look for pork, water, sea salt, sugar and maybe celery salt. This should be O.K. Anything else, try another brand and read the labels carefully. I think that Pederson's bacon is OK. Get it at Vitamin Cottage.

Sarcopenia: AKA "a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength" in the age 50's group and over. We can't help it for many reasons. Just by adding birthdays, our systems slow down, everything drops - as a matter of fact, not only breasts, eyelids, chins and tummies - but also our ability to make the necessary cells that make our muscles taut, bulge-y and worthy of Michelle Obama's sleeveless dresses.

There is a wonky protein called ATF-4 which causes reduction of muscle protein synthesis, strength and mass. And it happens with everyone. (This is not karmic retribution for hitting Jimmy Creech in 3rd grade because he had green moss on his teeth.) Researchers have found two foods that tend to preserve muscle by counteracting the effects of ATF-4: Green tomatoes and apples. At least it worked with the elderly mice. There are also a few supplements which may help, including CoQ 10, D-Ribose and L-Carnitine. These three products will assist our ailing ATP (gasoline for the muscles) production which slows down after age 50.

(Wait for it... here comes the usual fall flu shot lecture.) You know, if the flu shot were any good, I wouldn't be so darned opinionated about it. But, the flu shot is just jiggery-pokery and the research is dodgy and full of smoke and mirrors plus it's just not worth it to get shot up with formaldehyde and mercury for a prevention rate that's insignificant. "The flu vaccine has been around for over 30 years and there is not one single study showing that any flu vaccine has helped prevent the flu in the majority who receive it. Nor has it been shown to prevent complications from the flu such as pneumonia, hospitalizations and death in well over 90% of those who receive it." (Dr. David Brownstein, M.D.)

(But what about us poor, doddering seniors, Dr. Bea? Don't we need that extra protection?) Well, yes, with a good diet, supplements and high vitamin D levels, but flu shots? A resounding "NO." As you have probably noticed by now, we seniors are practically chased down the street by maniacs in white coats trying to stab us with fully armed hypodermic needles. "Although seniors are especially urged to get the flu shot, some experts say they don't protect older people and the government knows it. (Quel surprise...)

A 10 year old study revealed that after decades and billions of dollars spent promoting flu shots for the elderly, the mass vaccination program did not result in saving lives. In fact, the death rate among the elderly increased substantially. (Sharyl Attkisson, investigative reporter). "There are no good studies showing that the flu vaccine is effective in seniors. When you take apart and break down a recent study that the government uses to promote the flu vaccine to seniors, you find that 217 elderly people had to take the high-dose flu vaccine to prevent a single case of the flu and that is a 99% failure rate." (Dr. Brownstein, M.D. )

I don't know about you  but I for one - will not be getting a flu shot. And of course, it's your choice, but if you are worried about your immunity, make an appointment. I have lots of cool stuff to take to boost all that.

The Recycling Uproar: I am a very proud recycler and have all my plastics, metals and paper ready for pick up every Friday like the environmental Goody Two-Shoes I am. The act of recycling is something that allows me to feel very virtuous, as in "I", (a great and wonderful person) am contributing to the cleanliness and orderliness of the world and God knows, someone's got to do it so why not me. Or something like that. However, I was struck right between the eyes of my smug self a couple of Sundays ago, as I was reading a NY Sunday Times article on Recycling. (Review section, 10/4/2015.)

Turns out that recycling is not all it's cracked up to be and that I should remove my tarnished brass halo right now. What?! For one, research is showing that recycling has almost nothing to do with our carbon footprint: "To offset the greenhouse impact of one passenger's round-trip flight between New York and London, you'd have to recycle roughly 40,000 plastic bottles, assuming you fly coach." It boils down to this: Recycling is really expensive, cities are running out of money for recycling and the recycling effort is in crisis. But, we are not running out of space in which to throw and/or bury our trash.

The huge reason for stepping up the recycling efforts (to zero waste ultimately) in years past, was because we were told that our landfill space is allegedly running out. Well, this isn't true and is no longer a reason for recycling: "That media-inspired fear was never realistic in a country with so much open space... all trash generated by Americans for the next 1,000 years would fit on 1/10 of 1% of the land available for grazing." Then when that landfill runs out (apparently never), we can always just put grass on top of the landfills and create things like Foster City outside of San Francisco or the stadium grounds where the US Open is played every year. And now, Staten Island has converted a huge landfill to parkland, oddly and forebodingly named Freshkills Park.

However, there is one thing I was left with after reading the article, i.e. other than confusion and depression - that you and I can start acting upon immediately. First, it seems that we have plenty of land to keep dumping trash and burying garbage on, so don't recycle for that reason but this one: The fact that recycling helps to reduce the effects of the Greenhouse Effect on the planet. This is agreed upon by everyone.

Yet there are only three recyclables that really make a difference, and those are paper, cardboard and metals like the aluminum in soda cans. Not so much glass and plastic. It takes too much money to convert those last two to useable products. So, in the future, when you shop, think about purchasing in paper, cardboard and metal as much as you can and avoid the glass and plastic when you can. (Tell Whole Foods to stop using those wasteful clamshells for salad greens, for one)

The Dilemma around Baby Aspirin: I'm asked all the time about taking a baby aspirin a day. Everyone knows it helps prevent heart attacks, strokes and colon, breast, esophageal and stomach cancer, so why not take it? Well, among more than 16,000 deaths each year linked to bleeding associated with use of NSAIDS, about 1/3 of these deaths occur in those who take low-dose (81 mg. ) aspirin. So the baby aspirin thing is not to be taken lightly. Here are some guidelines: If you have had a heart attack, ischemic stroke (blood clot stroke) or have had heart surgery (bypass, stent) taking the baby aspirin is probably wise.

If your goal is to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, the research is not as clear cut but the current usual and customary recommendation is this: Male patients over 45 should be taking a baby aspirin a day for primary prevention as it could reduce heart attacks in men age 45 and older by 32%.(JAMA) And, in women, research has found that the greatest benefit - for reduction in ischemic stroke and heart attack  occurs for those women ages 65 and older.

Marvelous Magnesium: Everyone gets a bottle of magnesium in my office! Here's why: It is actually the 4th most abundant mineral in your body and is least accessible from the food you eat. (So you really do have to supplement with the mag pills.) More than ½ of the magnesium found in your body is found in your bones which makes it extremely important for bone health. It is responsible for more than 300 biochemical reactions in all the different part of your body and it contains an enzyme which helps metabolize proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Muscles love magnesium and prefer to store an extra bit for those uncomfortable moments when you feel a cramp or a spasm coming on. Those of you waking up with foot or calf cramps in the middle of the night? Take 3 magnesium (300-400 mgs.) before bed.

How do we know if we need extra magnesium? Muscle weakness, middle-of-the-night cramps, twitches, lack of appetite, insomnia, osteopenia or osteoporosis, imbalanced blood sugar levels, constipation, elevated blood fats, inability to be comfortable in noisy places, or "difficulty in phasing out background noise". Heart symptoms of a magnesium deficiency would be arrhythmias, irregular contraction and tachycardia. Health conditions that could be improved by taking magnesium regularly are heart attack, alcoholism, autism, congestive heart failure, asthma and diabetes. Then there is CHD, glaucoma, epilepsy, hypertension, IBD and multiple sclerosis.

You can increase your magnesium a bit through foods like spinach, broccoli, flax seeds and almonds, but I wouldn't count on that being enough. You must take a 3 or 4 of my brand of pills every day. I think that I carry the best magnesium in the biz which is Perque's Magnesium Plus Guard. Buy a bottle, start taking it at 3, maybe 4 a day and watch little annoying symptoms in your body disappear, just like that.

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