Guest guest Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > No Buts About It > Mon, 30 Aug 2004 09:34:28 -0400 > > No Buts About It > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 30, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > When it comes to the last word in health care, > here's an easy acronym > to remember: ART. > > A... Ask questions. > R... Research > T... Take control of your health care. > > State-of-the-art health care requires the input of > an experienced and > conscientious doctor, of course. But the recent > experience of a friend > of mine illustrates just how important it is to stay > alert, ask > questions, and ultimately rely on yourself for > important health care > decisions. > > And in this case there's one essential question that > everyone should > be aware of. > > --------------------------- > > ART of the Deal > --------------------------- > > > My friend Sarah is in her late 30s and has been > having some > gastrological problems. Her doctor referred her to a > specialist whom > he described as " widely recommended. " So far so > good. > > Sarah liked the doctor well enough. He examined her > and ran some tests > and was surprised when one of the tests came back > positive; a fecal > occult blood test (FOBT) to determine the presence > of blood in the > stool. He explained that most people her age don't > test positive to an > FOBT and that it could be a false positive. But he > was concerned > enough to recommended a colonoscopy. He also assured > her there is no > risk to the procedure. > > Over the past decade, colonoscopy has become the > renowned standard > procedure for detecting cancer or precancerous > polyps in the colon. > But even though we may be familiar with the > usefulness of colonoscopy, > it's still an invasive procedure, requiring sedation > while a flexible, > tubular instrument is inserted into the colon. > > In short, it's no day at the beach. But this highly > regarded doctor > felt it was necessary, so Sarah set a date to have > it done. > > --------------------------- > > Positive feedback > --------------------------- > > > Even though she had resigned herself to having a > colonoscopy, Sarah > went home and kept hearing, " It could be a false > positive, " in her > head. She spoke to her other doctor and found that > there are several > reasons an FOBT sometimes brings back false positive > results. This > made her start to think a colonoscopy might actually > be unnecessary. > So she asked her doctor to refer her to another > gastrologist for > another test and a second opinion (since the first > also wasn't able to > determine the cause of her original complaint). And > when she called > the second doctor to schedule an FOBT, she got a > shock. > > The doctor's assistant gave her a list of things she > should avoid for > three to five days before the test in order to > prevent a false > positive result: > > * Eating red meat, fish, broccoli, potatoes, > mushrooms, cantaloupe, > grapefruit, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, > Jerusalem > artichokes and turnips. > > * Eating iron-rich foods or taking iron supplements. > > > * Taking acetaminophen or nonsteroidal > anti-inflammatory drugs > (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. > > In addition, a daily supplement of 200 mg or more of > vitamin C can > cause a false NEGATIVE result, which could > potentially be even more > dangerous. > > Sarah was amazed (not to mention quite angry) that > the first " widely > recommended " gastrologist would: A) Have her take > the test without > informing her of the very common things that can > alter the result, and > B) recommend an invasive procedure based on what she > now regarded as > an extremely suspect test result. > > Previous to her first FOBT, Sarah had not only eaten > some of the foods > on the list, but her multivitamin contained about > six times the amount > of Vitamin C that could alter the outcome. > > She sees the second opinion next week, but feels > confident that her > positive was a false one based on the list above and > her relative > health. > > --------------------------- > > ART for ART's sake > --------------------------- > > > Sarah's story illustrates an important rule of > thumb: If your doctor > suggests a test of any kind, ask him to be specific > about foods, > medications or other factors that might affect the > results. For > instance, a blood test to determine cholesterol > levels requires nine > to 12 hours of fasting before the blood is drawn. > Without the fast, > levels could easily be high enough to prompt many > doctors to prescribe > a statin drug. > > By applying a little ART, Sarah took control of her > health care, just > as we all should do. Because you never know when a > highly regarded > doctor might be rushed or inexperienced or simply > overly comfortable > with a procedure, then end up taking a short cut at > your expense. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > Most cigarette smokers eventually realize that if > they ever want to > attain optimal health, the cigarettes have to go. > > But until the day comes when that last pack of > cigarettes gets tossed > away, there's something smokers can do that may help > reduce their risk > of lung cancer: get plenty of antioxidants. > > Previous studies have indicated that high intake of > the antioxidant > beta-carotene (which the body converts into vitamin > A), may put > smokers at greater risk of lung cancer. But a study > published last > month in the American Journal of Epidemiology puts a > new spin on the > question of smokers and beta-carotene intake. > > Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine > examined the medical > and dietary data of more than 27,000 Finnish, male > smokers whose > records were followed for nearly 15 years. Those who > had the highest > intake of a variety of antioxidants (vitamins C and > E, carotenoids and > flavonoids) had a 16 percent lower risk of lung > cancer, compared to > men with the lowest overall antioxidant intake. > > The implication is that a high intake of > beta-carotene alone may pose > a risk for smokers, but the drawbacks are minimized > when beta-carotene > is consumed with other antioxidants. > > The study also found that lung cancer risk decreased > by 25 percent > among male smokers who had the highest intake of > meat. > > Of course, smokers aren't the only ones who benefit > from an > antioxidant-rich diet. Previous studies have shown > that lung cancer > risk drops among non-smokers who get plenty of > antioxidants. > > Fresh fruits and vegetables generally contain good > amounts of > antioxidants. For a list of foods with the highest > antioxidant > content, just go to our web site at > www.hsibaltimore.com and check the > e-Alert " Tonight's Top 20 " (7/20/04). > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > > Sources: > > " Development of a Comprehensive Dietary Antioxidant > Index and > Application to Lung Cancer Risk in a Cohort of Male > Smokers " American > Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 160, No. 1, 7/1/04, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " New Data Finds Antioxidant Combo Decreases Smokers' > Cancer Risk " > NutraIngredients.com, 8/9/04, nutraingredients.com > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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