CCH Health Review
Ideas & Strategies to Improve Your Health
March 2005
Prescription Drug Use at Record High for Americans
Americans, among the most medicated peoples in the world, are swallowing more pills than ever, according to a report released by the U.S. government.
A total of 44% of Americans had taken at least one prescription drug in the prior month when surveyed in 1999 and 2000, compared to 39% during the 1988-1994 period, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
One in six adults was taking three or more drugs at the end of the decade, compared to about one in 10 in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The popularity of antidepressants, anti-inflammatories and drugs designed to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels helped fuel increased prescription use among all adult age groups.
In the case of antidepressants, prescription use among adults nearly tripled between the 1988-1994 and 1999-2000 periods. 10% of adult women and 4% of men now take these drugs.
There is growing concern about the safety of prescription drugs. The blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx was recently withdrawn from the market after a study showed it increased the risk of heart of heart attack and stroke in some people. And, a recent analysis by the US Food and Drug Administration suggested a link between some antidepressants and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and teenagers.
There are fears in public health circles that the growing tendency of Americans, especially seniors, to have more than one prescription in their medicine cabinet could lead to a surge in unfavorable drug interactions. Almost half of those 65 years and older take three or more prescription medicines.
The continued rapid increase in drug consumption is alarming. You would think that since we are by far the most heavily medicated country in the world, we would also be the healthiest. Yet the U.S. is not even close to being the healthiest country. People in other countries consume far fewer drugs yet those people are as healthy or healthier than Americans.
Whether we actually need all the drugs we are taking is an open question. If you're taking drugs on a regular basis, we think it's time to ask yourself, "why am I taking these drugs?"
You need to understand that virtually all drugs have "side effects", meaning that they do potential harm as well as good. Are the drugs you're taking doing more good than harm? How do you know? If you're taking more than one medication, do you know if they are interacting with each other?
If you don't want to take so many drugs, what can you do? Dietary and lifestyle improvements are well-known ways to reduce dependence on drugs. In some cases, nutritional supplements without side effects are just as effective as prescription medications.
Call one of our clinics if you would like to explore ways to make changes to your diet or lifestyle that may allow you to reduce your dependence on medications.
Source: Health, United States, 2004, With Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans, December 2004, US Dept. of Human and Health Services
Obesity in Women Linked to Brain Tissue Loss
Women who are consistently overweight or obese during adulthood may be at increased risk for reduced volume of certain areas of their brain.
Obesity is associated with poor blood flow, high blood pressure, and cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases -- which contribute to a higher dementia risk.
In this study, 290 Swedish women (born in the early 1900s) were followed throughout adulthood and evaluated every five years. In 1992, when they were between 70 and 84 years old, head CT scans were performed to assess any shrinkage in brain volume.
The researchers found that women with losses in their temporal lobes -- the areas of the brain associated with hearing as well other functions -- had body mass index (BMI) measurements throughout adulthood that were 1 to 1.5 points higher than women without any loss in brain volume. BMI is a measurement of how overweight you are.
The researchers calculated that for every 1-point increase in BMI, the risk of losses in the temporal lobes rose by 13% to 15%.
The results suggest that losing excess weight will help protect your brain and minimize problems such as dementia.
Source: Gustafson, D et al, A 24-year follow-up of body mass index and cerebral atrophy. Neurology. 2004 Nov 23;63(10):1876-81
Antioxidants May Curb HPV Persistence
Women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) may reduce the odds that the virus will persist by increasing the amount of certain carotenoids. Carotenoids are plant pigments with antioxidant and other beneficial properties.
A recent study found that increasing dietary intake of vitamin C and carotenoids found in papaya appeared to lower the risk of persistent HPV infection.
There are more than 100 different types of HPV, including some that cause genital warts. About 30 varieties of HPV can be sexually transmitted. It is believed that certain "high-risk" HPVs are a primary cause of cervical cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease. It's estimated that at least 20 million people are infected.
In the current study, researchers assessed the diets of 433 Brazilian women. They also performed lab tests to determine that 248 of the women had transient (occasional) HPV infection, while 185 had persistent HPV infection.
On average, women with transient HPV infection had higher daily intakes of carotenoid nutrients than women with persistent HPV infection.
The study suggests consuming foods rich in natural antioxidants and carotenoids will diminish the risk of recurrent HPV infection. Most vegetables and fruits are good sources of carotenoids. You can also get excellent carotenoid nutritional supplements from our clinics. If you're not eating 4-6 servings of vegetables and fruits every day, we think a carotenoid supplement would be wise. Call us today.
Giuliano, AR et al, Dietary intake and risk of persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection: the Ludwig-McGill HPV Natural History Study. J Infect Dis. 2003 Nov 15;188(10):1508-16. Epub 2003 Nov 3.
