UAB now hosts the better Breathers’ Club, a project of the American Lung Association for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. the better Breathers’ Club provides support, education and socialization for people with COPD, their family members, and their caretakers.

The club will meet 3:30-4:30 p.m. every other month at UAB Highlands Hospital in the first floor board room. the first meeting is scheduled for June 13 and the topic is oxygen delivery devices. Meeting dates through the end of 2013 can be found at uabmedicine.org/conditions-and-services/copd-patients.

COPD is a slowly progressive disease of the airways that is characterized by a gradual loss of lung function. COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema or a combination of these conditions. there are effective treatments for COPD, particularly if the disease is diagnosed while still in the early stages. the symptoms of COPD can range from chronic cough and sputum production to severely disabling shortness of breath. in America, the most important risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking. the most important measure for preventing COPD — and for slowing disease progression — is to quit smoking.

The Earth Times aims to provide you with current environmental news coverage and green blogs to give you the background information needed to better understand what can sometimes be enormously complicated and controversial environmental issues.

Our encyclopaedia or guide to environmental issues and to some extent environmental concerns, is a relatively new addition to the site that we hope will give you the knowledge to understand these global environmental issues in the rapidly changing world around you.

Written to be understandable, without the need to hold a degree in climate change science on the effects of global warming, biology or ecology, The Earth Times Encyclopaedia tries to make sense of these environmental problems, conservation topics and environmental issues that more and more people are becoming engaged and familiar with as they try to make a difference to our planet.

From untangling climate change to helping you find an environmental organization you can be happy supporting we do hope you find The Earth Times Encyclopaedia on environmental issues a useful resource to highlight environmental sustainability for a greener life.

We will be constantly adding to the contents of the encyclopaedia and hope it will complement our environment news when covering any issue relating to nature and the environment. If you do have any suggestions on environment related topics you would like to see added, we would love to hear from you.

The Earth Times – Serving the Planet.

A Corona del Mar woman who has lived with lupus for 25 years has been included in a newly released video to promote Lupus Awareness Month.

Bridget Hood, 42, has been in remission, but she struggled to control her disease for years after diagnosis, eventually receiving a kidney transplant in 2006.

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Facts about Lupus:

• Symptoms, and the course of the disease, vary widely. some people develop kidney problems, while others get premature heart disease, suffer from strokes, or develop lung inflammation.

• Diagnosis can be difficult. There is no single laboratory test that can determine if a person has lupus. Because many symptoms are vague, it sometimes takes years for a diagnosis to be made.

• no good treatments or a cure – yet. no new treatments have been approved for lupus in 50 years, and the ones that are FDA-approved often cause toxic and unwanted side effects.

Information from lupusla.org.

“I was so honored that I was asked to take part in the filming of this video,” she said in a recent email interview. “I really didn’t have a role model when I was younger and very sick, but I somehow just believed that I could get better, and I want to show people that they too can get better and live a normal life. People need to know that there is hope.”

As part of patient advocacy, Hood contributed to a video that went live last week to mark World Lupus Day and Lupus Awareness Month. the goal of the video and online campaign is to encourage people with lupus to speak “out loud” about their symptoms – a movement inspired by a survey that found that 52 percent of lupus patients report minimizing their symptoms when speaking to their doctors. the survey also showed that 87 percent of patients minimize their pain and worries to avoid upsetting family members.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 million Americans. About 90 percent of people diagnosed with lupus are women, and the disease is more common in women of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent than in Caucasian women. the disease’s symptoms affecting many parts of the body, range from mild to severe and come and go, and diagnosis can take years.

Hood was diagnosed quickly after her first symptoms appeared during high school in the late 1980s, but her symptoms were not controlled for years, and in June 2005, she suffered complete kidney failure. her brother, Corona del Mar High School graduate Nick Hood, donated a kidney; she had a successful transplant on Jan. 27, 2006.

Today, Hood says she is “feeling great,” and that reaching out to other lupus patients is an important part of her life. Besides filming the video and speaking at conferences, she also leads a family support group at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at University United Methodist Church in Irvine.

“I know what it’s like to be scared and uncertain about having a chronic illness. Helping others with this disease is my life’s work,” Hood said.

Brain cancer is a growth of abnormal cells in the brain. The National Cancer Institute estimates that brain and other nervous system cancers will account for 13,700 deaths this year. Approximately 22,910 new cases will be diagnosed. Brain cancer survivor Gus Kingman believes that patients recently diagnosed with brain cancer should know that “although the condition is rare, they are not alone.”

CausesNormal cells can acquire DNA mutations that cause the cells to multiply and expand disproportionately to the brain’s need. These abnormal cells outlive normal cells and eventually accumulate into a tumor.

A primary brain tumor begins in the brain or its surrounding tissue. this can include the pituitary gland, pineal gland, cranial nerves or meninges (protective membranes). The Mayo Clinic explains that the type of cells afflicted by the initial cancer determines the exact type of cancer. Ependymoma, germ cell tumor, medulloblastoma and oligodendroglioma are examples of different brain tumors.

Secondary brain tumors begin elsewhere in the body (breast, colon, lung or elsewhere) and metastasize to the brain.

SymptomsThe National Brain Tumor Society reports that warning signs may include seizure, imbalance, numbness in extremities, vision and hearing loss, speech difficulty and double vision. they also noted nausea, vomiting and disorientation as possible symptoms.

DiagnosisJennifer Clarke, assistant clinical professor of neurological surgery at UCSF’s Brain Tumor Research Center, said that brain cancer diagnosis “requires quick action to get patients set up for appropriate care. The insurance system in the US is not set up to move as quickly as we should, and in this disease days can really matter.”

If someone exhibits warning signs related to brain cancer, he or she should contact a health care professional. Proper diagnosis necessitates a full neurological examination.

If the patient lags behind in any of these tests, an MRI, CT scan or PET scan will be administered. With computer technology, the doctor will produce images of the brain. These will highlight any abnormalities in the brain tissue.

If a brain tumor is likely, a surgeon will be forced to perform a craniotomy, the removal of a fraction of the skull to access the brain.The surgeon then completely (or partially) removes the tumor in a biopsy, for a pathology report, which will determine whether the tumor is malignant or benign. The surgeon immediately returns the piece of skull back to its previous position. if the tumor is hard to reach, the surgeon may drill a small hole in the skull and remove a sample of tissue from the tumor with a needle.

TreatmentTreatment varies based on the tumor’s type, location, grade and size. Treatment is often a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, radiosurgery, chemotherapy and more.

Vikram C. Prabhu, a neurosurgeon at Loyola University Medical Center, recommends finding “a surgeon who is board certified in neurosurgery, and has sub-specialty fellowship training in neuro-oncology.”

Brain surgery is performed when the patient is heavily sedated. Along with the aforementioned craniotomy and biospy, the American Brain Tumor Association reports that there are many common procedures: craniectomy (like craniotomy but without replacing skull), debulking (reduction of tumor), partial removal (to avoid neurological damage), shunt (establishment of a drainage system to rid the brain of excess fluid), ommaya reservoir (small container inserted into scalp to remove fluid, deliver chemotherapy and more), skull base surgery and transphenoidal surgery.

Prabhu also explained that surgery is only one part of treatment. he suggested, “Seek care at a center that offers a multi-disciplinary team approach that includes neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and neuroradiologists.”

Radiation therapy uses powerful X-rays to destroy cancer. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a kind of radiation that uses high-focused X-rays to target specific spots, to avoid harming healthy tissue.

Costeroids (a type of steroid) may be used to reduce fluid buildup surrounding the tumor, effectively lowering swelling. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancerous cells, but treatment is replete with challenges.

Clarke explained that because the tumors are located in the brain, surgery and radiation are extra challenging with regard to not creating new symptoms. She added, “The tumors are behind the blood-brain barrier, also, which makes it harder to get chemotherapy drugs to the right place.”

May 7, 2012 12:06 am by Pohla Smith / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

About a year ago, Jean Magazzu was diagnosed with bronchitis, but after two courses of different antibiotics, her symptoms remained. by June, she had extreme shortness of breath.

“I couldn't get up and walk across the room without having to rest,” said Ms. Magazzu, 44, of Mt. Lebanon. a single mother and the office and development coordinator for Outreach Teen and Family Services, she went to St. Clair Hospital's emergency room, where a scan showed she had blood clots in her lungs.

After spending the night at St. Clair, she was transferred to Allegheny General Hospital, where she was immediately put on blood-thinning medication. During her stay of about a week, doctors conducted tests that found that the blood pressure in her lungs was three to four times above normal; the right side of her heart also was enlarged. They placed a filter in the large vein that brings de-oxygenated blood from the lower part of her body into her heart's right atrium to prevent any more clots from reaching her lungs.

Ms. Magazzu had a rare disease called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, better known as CTEPH. It's a condition that eventually would have killed her if she had not undergone a complex surgery at Allegheny General on Feb. 9.

This delicate surgery called pulmonary thromboendarterectomy removes the clots from the pulmonary arteries and restores blood flow. it is done at about 10 medical centers across the United States, and Ms. Magazzu was the first patient to undergo the procedure at Allegheny General. to become proficient, a team led by cardiothoracic surgeon Robert Moraca underwent six months of training under David McGiffin at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. McGiffin was present for Ms. Magazzu's operation.

Before Ms. Magazzu's case, Dr. Moraca said, Allegheny General sent such patients to Birmingham, one of the two best-known centers for the surgery in the nation. The other is the University of California, San Diego, where the procedure was developed.

The condition is caused when a clot breaks off in the legs (or, sometimes, the upper extremities), travels through the circulatory system, on through the right side of the heart and gets lodged in the lungs. If the body doesn't dissolve it, more can form on top of it, causing a network of scar tissue. “So it propagates itself,” said AGH cardiologist Raymond Benza.

“The body's response to that is to try to seal off that artery so no more clots can form there, so the vessel closes down,” he said. The result is not unlike a plugged-up drain, creating a tremendous back pressure in the right heart,” he said.

As the pressure builds, the right heart tries to keep up by getting larger and larger. “When it does, it loses its elasticity” and its ability to pump blood to the lungs. “People are dying … from a type of heart failure,” Dr. Benza said.

Most times patients and their doctors do not know clots are traveling to the lungs, so it goes undiagnosed. “It's only recognized when people start to develop early symptoms of heart failure — swelling in their ankles, edema in their bellies, fatigue, shortness of breath, and then, when the disease becomes more prominent, they start passing out when they try to do things,” he said. “That's because no circulation is going beyond these clots.”

The first line of treatment is to try to dissolve the clots with anticoagulants. If that doesn't work, surgery follows. without surgery, Dr. Benza said, “it's uniformly fatal,” with patients living less than a year once heart failure becomes prominent.

Drugs are being developed to help those with inoperable disease that may prolong survival, he said, but they are not a substitute for the surgery in those who qualify for it.

The surgery involves opening the chest and can take from four to 10 hours. The patient is put on a heart-lung machine, and the body is cooled down to about 68 degrees. “The reason we do that is we need to shut blood supply off to the body and lungs and open up the right and left pulmonary arteries and begin to take off their scar tissue,” Dr. Moraca said.

“We work very quickly and efficiently to remove the scar tissue, so we do it all at once in sort of one long block,” he said.

Once it's removed, doctors restart the heart, re-warm the patient and close up the surgical area.

Ms. Magazzu, who has a congenital condition that causes the blood clots, said she could tell her breathing had improved within a couple days, although she was still exhausted from the surgery.

She went back to work part time the last week of March and two weeks later reported feeling very well.

“My breathing is great,” she said. “My stamina could use a little improvement — I haven't been real active over the last nine months. … I can walk up a flight of steps now without having to stop.”

The survival rate can be more than 95 percent in patients who have the surgery done at experienced centers, Dr. Benza said.

To prevent further problems, Ms. Magazzu will have to take anticoagulants for life and keep a filter in the vein leading to her heart.

Her prognosis is “to live a normal life expectancy for a young woman,” Dr. Benza said. “Her heart is healed. her right ventricle is normal now, and she's going to have an amazing prognosis.”

People with the lung disease COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) who overdo it on bacon, salami, and other cured meats may be at greater risk for experiencing a flare-up that lands them back in the hospital.

COPD is the umbrella term for chronic lung diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. People with COPD often experience a worsening of their breathlessness and other symptoms (exacerbations) throughout the course of their disease. these flare-ups can result in hospital stays.

New research in the European Respiratory Journal suggests that people with COPD who ate more than one slice of ham or the equivalent of another type of cured meat each day were more likely to have a flare-up that sends them back to the hospital, when compared with their counterparts who did not eat as much cured meat.

Nitrates and nitrites are added to cured meats to enhance their flavor and color, and to extend their shelf life. Nitrates can be converted in the body to nitrites, which have been linked to increased cancer risk in animals. some studies have also linked nitrites to an increased risk of stomach cancer in humans, but the evidence has not been conclusive.

Previous studies have suggested that eating cured meat may make a person more likely to develop COPD in the first place. The new study, however, shows it may also worsen disease in people who already have it.

Exactly how it may do so is unclear. The study authors suggest nitrites can damage lung tissue. “Our findings provide the first evidence that an excessive intake of cured meat can worsen progression of COPD,” says researcher Judith Garcia-Aymerich, MD, of the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, Spain. “We believe that adherence to current dietary guidelines, which recommend a moderate or occasional intake of cured meats, will be sufficient in order to avoid this excess of risk.”

What Is It about Cured Meats?

In the study of 274 people with COPD, participants ate about 23 grams of cured meat per day — which is about one slice of ham — on average. during more than two years of follow-up, 35% had at least one hospital readmission. Those who ate more than the equivalent of one slice of ham per day were more likely to be rehospitalized, and to be hospitalized sooner in the course of the study, than those who ate fewer cured meats.

Barry make, MD, says it could be the salt, not the nitrites, that is driving this. he is a pulmonologist at National Jewish Health in Denver. these meats are loaded with salt. “COPD patients can have heart problems and may need to be cautious about their salt intake, which could lead to readmission,” he says.

These meats may be attractive to people with COPD. “They don’t have to be prepared so if you have trouble cooking, like many people with COPD do, they are easy and accessible.”

Len Horovitz, MD, is not a surprised by the findings. he is a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in new York. “Nitrites are pro-oxidants that damage tissues, and we are now seeing this in the lung,” he says. “We are what we eat and it matters to organs beside our gastrointestinal tract.”

Along with quitting smoking and other lifestyle changes, not overdoing it on cured meat is good advice for people with COPD, Horovitz says.

Neil Schachter, MD, says more study is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn about how cured meats affect COPD risk or its progression. he is a professor of pulmonary medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in new York City. “We are a long way from proving that cured meats have a role in COPD, and that modifications to the diet will change that risk factor,” he says.

SOURCES:De Batlle, J. European Respiratory Journal, published online March 9, 2012.Barry make, MD, pulmonologist, National Jewish Health, Denver.Neil Schachter, MD, professor, pulmonary medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, new York City.Len Horovitz, MD, pulmonary specialist, Lenox Hill Hospital, new York City.

A woman has died 40 years after hugging her asbestos-exposed father. Picture: Angelo Soulas Source: The Daily Telegraph

• Woman dies of mesothelioma after hugging dad
• was breathing in his asbestos-ridden clothes
• Also washed his clothes as mother had lung disease

A MOTHER-of-two who used to welcome home her shipyard worker dad with a hug has died of lung cancer after breathing in his asbestos-ridden clothes.

Annette Bhatti, who was just 49, also helped her ill mother to scrub her father’s work uniform by hand more than 40 years ago.

They did not know at the time that they were breathing in deadly dust particles from his asbestos-ridden clothes.

Mrs Bhatti, a housing officer, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in June 2010. she married her long-term partner Bal Bhatti a month later.

Just 18 months later, in December last year, she lost her battle with the lung disease at her home in Southampton, Hampshire.

Her death has left her surviving father, now a pensioner, devastated and inconsolable.

Mesothelioma is normally associated with people over 50 and more commonly among men who worked at shipyards.

Mrs Bhatti’s father Lawrence Ramplee, now a pensioner, was exposed to asbestos while employed by Hills Construction in Hampshire, England.

He was later further exposed to asbestos during shifts at ship repairers Harland and Wolff at the city’s docks when Annette was just a toddler.

Mr Ramplee’s jobs involved cutting up 10ft corrugated asbestos sheets by hand, coroner Keith Wiseman heard.

His work clothing was worn home where mrs Bhatti was "exposed to the dust fibres in the air" at a very young age. she helped to wash his clothes by hand because her mother was ill with lung disease.

"The clothing worn during the week was taken home to be cleaned at home," Mr Wiseman said.

"Somewhat tragically, Mr Ramplee recalls occasions giving his daughter a hug when he got home before he changed."

He said there was never any warning about working with this particular substance.

"One doesn’t have to be working oneself in industry to die in this way," he said.

"There was significant asbestos exposure during a long period of time."

Speaking after the inquest, her brother Stuart Ramplee said his sister "was so full of life" and travelled extensively the year she died, visiting Hong Kong, new York, Australia, the Seychelles and Dubai.

Recording a verdict of death due to an industrial disease, Mr Wiseman said: "The way in which events happened in this case is not in my experience uncommon, but perhaps it is uncommon for someone quite so young.

Her brother Stuart said despite her condition, mrs Bhatti, whose daughters Luci and Rachel, are both in their 20s, "never complained".

Lawyers are hoping to secure compensation for Annette’s family.

Compensation for relatives of asbestos victims in ‘landmark’ UK ruling

The UK’s Supreme Court decided that liability was "triggered" when employees were exposed to asbestos dust – not when symptoms of mesothelioma emerged sometimes decades later.

Solicitors said the ruling meant that victims were covered by policies in place when asbestos fibres were inhaled – and employers’ insurers would have to meet compensation claims.

Families said they hoped that the decision by a panel of five Supreme Court justices in London would end years of litigation and lead to speedy insurance payouts.

Judges said industrial diseases which could lie dormant for long periods raised "peculiar" legal difficulties – and liability for deaths caused by mesothelioma, a "hideous" and "inevitably fatal" cancer of lung linings, had pre-occupied courts in recent years.

"This is a landmark ruling which will affect thousands of victims of asbestos," said Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union.

UK solicitor Carol Ann Hepworth, whose firm John Pickering and Partners represents hundreds of victims’ families, estimated that some payouts could top $150,000.

“Ike is not contagious, is not taking any medication for his condition and does not currently exhibit any of the outward symptoms associated with Valley Fever,” the statement continued. “However, Ike has been instructed to avoid extreme fatigue. No additional tests or examinations are pending, but Ike will have a follow-up exam when the team returns to NYC in early April.”

Valley Fever is caused by breathing in a fungus that exists in dry desert areas, according to the website WebMD. Davis lives in Phoenix, where the disease is much more familiar to people there than it is on the East Coast.

Symptoms, the website said, include feeling like you have a cold or the flu, fever, chills, chest pain, a dry cough and a rash. Many people who have it never exhibit any symptoms, and most people with the disease get better without treatment.

but people with weak immune systems are more vulnerable to the disease spreading to the skin, bones, lymph nodes and organs, which can lead to bigger problems, such as meningitis, “a very serious infection of the coverings around the brain and spinal cord,” the website said.

A person close to Davis said, “I can tell you he’s not concerned, and everyone around him isn’t concerned. He’s never been symptomatic and he feels great.”

It’s unclear now what impact — if any — this might have on Davis’ season, in which he is trying to come back from last year’s serious ankle injury. he certainly seemed just fine on Saturday, participating in a full pregame workout before going 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI in an intrasquad game. Afterward, Davis, in a jovial mood, kidded with reporters and slyly reminded them that one of his hits was a double.

February is American Heart Month and consumers will be bombarded with advice to keep their ticker healthy—whether it’s from the American Heart Association’s go Red For Women or the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s The Heart Truth.

Doctors may suggest a screening test to make sure cardiovascular health is in top shape. But if a person lacks symptoms—like chest pain or shortness of breath—they might want to hit pause for a second and look closer at the costs and benefits.

The fact is, there is no good evidence that any of the common tests are that helpful if a person is symptom-free.

“If you do a test like a stress test in someone who doesn’t have any symptoms, then you are more likely to get a false-positive test than a true positive,” said Dr. Malissa Wood, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.

Such false alarms trigger more unnecessary tests, which often carry significant risks.

“We really want to go based on symptoms,” Wood said.

The government-backed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also advises against routine screening for heart disease for people at low risk.

Even for those at higher risk—like smokers, diabetics and the obese—there is insufficient evidence to support routine screening, according to the USPSTF, which bases all of its advice on rigorous science.

Still, groups with ties to drug and heart device makers often recommend the tests routinely, and several companies promote them, to the chagrin of experts in the field.

“There are no ‘heart tests’ that any asymptomatic man or woman should get,” said Dr. Patrick O’Malley, an internist at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. “There are many that are done which they shouldn’t get.”

Here’s a brief guide to the common heart tests:

Test 1: ECG (EKG)

What is it? an electrocardiogram, or ECG, is simply a readout of your heart’s electrical activity recorded by electrodes placed on the chest. it can pick up abnormalities that might, or might not, signal heart disease in the making.

Does it work? ECGs are used to study irregular heart rhythms, heart attacks and other problems. They’re also used before some types of surgery, but no trials have looked at whether ECGs help stave off disease in people without symptoms.

What’s the harm? an ECG typically costs about $50. Because it’s not invasive, the test itself is safe. What someone should worry about is what happens if the results look abnormal. a patient might end up with another test that carries more risks, like a CT scan or a coronary angiogram, during which a catheter is threaded into the heart.

Test 2: Carotid Ultrasound

What is it? a carotid ultrasound allows doctors to see if the arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain, called the carotids, are clogged by cholesterol buildups, or plaque. that is considered a risk factor for stroke.

Does it work? This test is used to check the blood flow to the brain. there is no evidence that carotid plaque screening, which is becoming increasingly popular, saves lives. The USPSTF says the harm of routine scans outweighs the benefits.

What’s the harm? an ultrasound of the carotids costs between $200 and $300. Routine scans produce more false alarms than “true positives,” and may lead to invasive imaging or carotid surgery or stenting. between one and three percent of patients who get carotid surgery die due to the procedure, and even more suffer strokes from it.

Test 3: Echocardiogram

What is it? an echocardiogram is a moving ultrasound picture of the heart. it allows the doctor to test how well the heart pumps out blood and whether it has structural problems.

Does it work? While the test might help doctors diagnose conditions like heart failure and atrial fibrillation, it hasn’t been proven to help people without symptoms. one recent study found screening for heart disease with echocardiography and other tests didn’t change what drugs doctors prescribed, nor people’s diet and exercise habits or whether they smoked.

What’s the harm? an echocardiogram costs between $200 and $300. Ultrasound scans are generally safe, but can trigger false alarms and may lead to more-invasive tests and treatments later.

Test 4: Stress Test

What is it? To spot signs of pumping problems, a doctor will stress the heart by putting a person on a treadmill or stationary bike while doing an echocardiogram or an ECG. in a nuclear stress test, radioactive dye is injected into the bloodstream to create a better picture.

Does it work? Stress tests can help diagnose heart problems but haven’t been shown to be helpful screening tools. some studies have shown they may miss signs of heart disease.

What’s the harm? a stress test may cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1,000. it carries the usual risks of exercise, but largely for people with heart problems — including very rare cases of heart attack. some tests will result in false alarms, meaning further procedures with possible complications will be done unnecessarily.

Test 5: Cardiac CT Scan

What is it? CT (computed tomography) scans use high-dose x-rays to get a detailed picture of the heart. in a coronary calcium scan, the doctor looks for calcium deposits in the heart’s arteries, which have been tied to an increased risk of heart disease. Patients may also have a dye injected to make it easier to spot blockages.

Does it work? CT scans may help separate women at moderate risk of heart disease into those who would benefit from aggressive treatment and those who wouldn’t. But for people without symptoms, CT scans still haven’t proved more valuable than medical advice based on well-known risk factors like diabetes and obesity.

What’s the harm? The radiation from CT scans, which may cost several hundred dollars, may increase one’s cancer risk slightly. When dye is used, about one in 10 people develop kidney damage and some may get thyroid problems, too. False alarms may lead to invasive tests, which carry more risks.

HEALTHY LIVING, NOT TESTS

Experts say the best way to prevent heart disease has little to do with technology and everything to do with lifestyle.

“Tests do not prevent heart disease,” said Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. “To prevent heart disease, women (and men) should eat healthy diets with lots of fruits and vegetables, get regular physical activity and not smoke.”

The American Heart Association also recommends keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control, although the USPSTF says there is too little evidence to recommend cholesterol tests when women don’t have other heart risks.

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Oz Testing for Cancer

Today on Doctor Oz, we find out the warning signs of cancer and how to recognize them along with Oz approved supplements to prevent cancer. as the show opens, Oz says there are four signs we need to be able to spot that could warn us we have cancer. first, a patient says she had back pain, loss of appetite, and diarrhea and she found out she had pancreatic cancer. Oz says that greasy stools, yellowing in the white part of our eyes are symptoms we should notice and see a doctor if they persist. next, we see a patient that had chest pain, flu symptoms, and exhaustion and she was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Oz says to differentiate cancer from a regular flu we should see these symptoms lasting for more than a week. the third patient had a cough, tenderness in her shoulder, and arm pain and she was diagnosed with lung cancer. now to determine if this pain is cancer, we should see if the pain stops with our movement and doesn’t go away. Finally, we see a patient that had bloating, constipation, and bloating and she had colon cancer. Oz says that bloating for over a week, is something you need to see a doctor. he says if you are over 50 you need to have your colon checked.

The next segment is about supplements to fight cancer and Dr. Lindsey Duncan is on the show. he says diet and exercise is the best way to fight cancer. the first supplement is IP-6 and you should take 500mg twice a day and it fights lung and colon cancer. next, Selenium is a super anti oxidant and it gets rid of free radicals that cause cancer. We need 200 micro grams a day. the third supplement is Black Raspberry and you need 300 mg twice a day. This has been proven to fight cancer. Finally, vitamin D-3 fights many different cancers and we need at least 1,000 IU a day. Dr. Duncan says we should all be using vitamin d, black raspberry each day. if we have any history of colon or lung cancer in our family, then we should use the selenium and IP-6.

The third segment has Ashley Koff and she is talking about our metabolism and how to rev it up. first, Cacao nibs or powder is what chocolate is made from and it stimulates your body and will get your metabolism stimulated. you can add the powder to your smoothies. Oolong Tea is next and it prevents triglycerides from forming and it will actually cause you to burn more calories. third, GTF Chromium supplements will cause your cells to burn up the sugar in your body and you need 200 micro grams twice a day. by using the supplement and substituting the tea and cacao for another food you are already eating, you can lose those pounds and get your body burning more calories.

The fourth segment is about the best cures for cellulite. he gives a demonstration on how it is formed in our body. now the first treatment is Aminophylline cream and it gets trid of the water in the fat cells and smooths the skin. second, Retinol cream can be used to strengthen the skin and make cellulite less visible. third, caffeine and Kola nut cream will tighten the skin and smooth over the bumps. These treatments are all temporary and will not be a permanent fix.

Now we get the best ways to fix our stomach problems with Dr. Keri Peterson. for constipation, you should use a saline enema to get instant relief. This works in 1 to 5 minutes. Heart burn is a common problem and Keri says we should use any antacid that has magnesium for the fastest relief. next, gas is something we all suffer from and we should use a product like mylanta gas to break down the gas into small particles that are easy to expel. Finally, for belly cramps we should use a heating pad or hot water bottle applied to the abdomen. This is better than taking a pill.

Oz says we should start our day with a shot of apple cider vinegar in ice water to jump start our metabolism and we can use sea salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and sesame oil to make our own cellulite scrub. for more information on any of the topics discussed today, you can go to Oz’s web site by following the link below. Photo and information from: Doctor Oz

1. Dr. Oz Today: Knowing how To Spot the Warning Signs for Cancer (2/16/2012)
2. Dr. Oz 1/5/2012: Today Oz Talks about Bacteria and Stomach Cancer
3. Dr. Oz show Recap: Ovarian Cancer Warning Signs, Tests and Prevention
4. Dr. Oz show: Ovarian Cancer Warning Signs you should Know!
5. Doctor Oz Reveals New Breast Cancer Detection Technology you need To Know about!!!