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News
Study: Tumor may be linked to cell phone use
Thursday, October 14, 2004
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- A Swedish study suggests that people who use a cell phone for at least 10 years might increase their risk of developing a rare benign tumor along a nerve on the side of the head where they hold the phone.
In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, one of the researchers behind the preliminary study, Anders Ahlbom, said the results were surprising and more research is needed.
Several previous studies have investigated whether the use of cell phones is linked to an increased risk of brain tumors. Although experiments have shown radiation from mobile phones can affect brain cells in a lab, more relevant studies on people have found no evidence that the phones pose a health risk. However, experts have said that because children's brains are developing, it may not be a good idea for youngsters to use the phones for long periods.
The three-year study by Ahlbom and Maria Feychting, professors at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, focused on 750 Swedes who had used cell phones for at least 10 years. It was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
In the study, researchers questioned 150 patients already diagnosed with acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor on the auditory nerve that takes several years to grow before being diagnosed, and 600 who did not have it, about their cell phone use.
All 750 subjects had been using cell phones for at least 10 years, nearly all early analog models that emit more electromagnetic radiation than the digital models now on the market. Digital phones emit radiation in pulses; the older analog varieties emit continuous waves. Since cell phones exploded in popularity in the late 1990s, most of those sold used digital technology.
"At the time the study was conducted, only analog mobile phones had been in use for more than 10 years and therefore we cannot determine if the results are confined to use of analog phones or if the results would be similar after long-term use of digital phones," the report said.
The risk of developing a tumor was almost double for those who started to use phones before their diagnosis. In addition, the tumor risk was almost four times higher on the side of the head where the phone was held, Ahlbom and Feychting said.
Retrospective questionnaires are not considered the most accurate method of determining a link between behavior and disease. Many links that emerge from such studies turn out not to be true under more rigorous study.
Acoustic neuroma tumors, which can affect hearing, occur in less than one adult per 100,000 people annually. The tumor pushes on the surface of the brain, but doesn't grow into the brain itself, according to the Atlanta-based Acoustic Neuroma Association.
The study was funded by the European Union and is part of the wider Interphone study coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Previous studies, including one by Finnish scientists in 2002, found that electromagnetic radiation emitted by phones can affect brain tissue, but others have said that's not the case.
The wireless industry has always maintained there is no link between mobile phones and cancer.
The Wireless Association in Washington, D.C., a trade group representing American cell phone manufacturers, urged more research. "The wireless industry agrees that more research is needed in this area to provide definitive answers to any questions that might still exist," it said in a statement Wednesday.
Ahlbom conceded more research was needed, adding the study was not an excuse to avoid using cell phones. "You could say also, of course, if that someone is concerned about these results the easy way to avoid any risk is to use a hands-free set," he said.
(Courtesy: The Associated Press)
Stitch in Time
By DAVID BJERKLIE
Monday, Oct. 25, 2004
Stomach stapling and gastric bypass surgery clearly help people shed pounds, but according to a new report, the benefits go well beyond weight loss. A review of 130 studies involving 22,000 patients showed that for most there were also dramatic improvements with respect to diabetes, hypertension and blood cholesterol levels. As with any surgery, however, there are risks, including a new one reported last week. One in six patients, a separate study found, developed nerve damage ranging from minor tingling in the feet to incapacitating pain and weakness. Malnutrition owing to rapid weight loss and vomiting is believed to be the cause. Patients enrolled in nutrition programs avoided the problem.
From the Oct. 25, 2004 issue of TIME magazine
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Health Information
Allergies
(By Mark Loury, MD )
An allergy is an immune response by the body to certain stimuli in the environment that are normally harmless.
What is going on in the body?
The immune system is made up of chemical pathways and cells within the body. When these are activated, an allergic response occurs. Allergies occur in response to normally harmless triggers known as allergens. The body of a person with an allergy responds to an allergen by attacking it.
The immune response activates certain immune cells called mast cells. Mast cells trigger the release of chemicals. These chemicals include histamine and leukotrienes. They act on tissues in the body and create the allergic response.
What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?
Allergies can affect nearly any part of the body. The nose, sinuses, eyes, lungs, and skin are most affected. Symptoms may include: · congestion of the sinuses and nose · coughing · itching of the eyes · red, itching rash · runny nose · wheezing, which is a high-pitched sound heard when the person breathes
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
No one knows for sure why some people have allergies and others do not. Family history appears to play a part in a person's development of allergies.
Some common types of allergies include the following: · allergic reactions to medications · food allergies · nasal allergies
What can be done to prevent the condition?
There is little that can be done to prevent allergies from developing. Once they have developed, flare-ups can be reduced by allergy shots. These shots decrease a person's sensitivity to the allergen.
How is the condition diagnosed?
Allergies are generally diagnosed with a medical history and physical examination. Blood tests and skin testing can be done to identify specific allergens.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
Most allergic reactions simply cause extreme discomfort. They usually do not pose any long-term risk to the body.
What are the risks to others?
Allergies are not contagious and pose no risk to others.
What are the treatments for the condition?
Medications used to treat allergies include the following: · antihistamines, which help prevent the allergic response. Many antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, are available over the counter. Terfenadine, astemazole, loratadine, ceterizine, and fexofenadine are available by prescription. · anti-inflammatory medications, which reduce inflammation in the airways. These include cromolyn, nedocromil, prednisone, beclomethasone, and hydrocortisone. · bronchodilators, such as albuterol, to open airways and reduce wheezing · decongestants, such as guaifenesin, to reduce nasal congestion (Always follow the prescription of registered phisitians!)
Avoidance therapy involves removing or reducing exposure to allergens. For example, problematic foods can be identified and avoided. Air cleaners and hypoallergenic covers on mattresses can reduce nasal allergies.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
Antihistamines may cause drowsiness. Decongestants and bronchodilators can cause wakefulness.
What happens after treatment for the condition?
Treatment of allergies is generally lifelong.
How is the condition monitored?
Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the healthcare provider.
(Courtesy: Discovery Health)
The Truth About Stay-Young Strategies:
Which Ones Work, Which Are Worthless
(By Tamar Nordenberg)
"Growing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you haven't committed"-British author Anthony Powell in Temporary Kings, 1973
Done right, aging needn't feel like a punishment.
Studies show that people who live to age 100, as a rule, feel fine into their 90s. But commit crimes against your body - the body you're stuck with for as long as you survive - and the passing years can wreak havoc on your health before you're 50.
Some survival strategies require little elaboration:
Maintain a healthy weight.
Avoid coronary heart disease and other killer conditions associated with being overweight by keeping your weight in check: Eat fruits and vegetables and limit your intake of fat and calories. And work out regularly, being sure to combine stretching for flexibility, aerobics for endurance and weight training for strength.
Don't smoke.
Quitting reduces your risk of heart disease almost immediately, and over the years also reduces your chance of getting lung diseases, including cancer.
Protect yourself from the sun's deadly rays. Age is a risk factor for skin cancer, a sometimes deadly condition that is diagnosed in more than a million Americans each year. To lower your risk, try to avoid unnecessary sun exposure, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. And when you are outdoors, wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.
Don't drink .
While studies have shown that a single drink each day might not harm health - and might even have some beneficial effects - too much alcohol can damage almost every organ in the body and weaken the immune system.
Other strategies in the quest to stay forever young are not so simple, but are also within your power to affect.
"Until recently, we thought the best recipe for a long life was to have long-lived parents," says Daniel Perry, founder and executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research. "Now we know that a vast amount is up to us, by our choices, our behaviors and the environment we live in."
To help you age with ease, Discovery Health Online has uncovered the most up-to-date answers to these critical questions:
What kinds of food and dietary supplements can help you live longer and stronger? End the confusion about which kinds of food can add years to your life, and which can actually harm health. Plus, which dietary supplements might help stave off illness, and which entail more risk than reward?
Can extreme dieting and other new-fashioned habits lengthen your life span? Get the last word on a calorie-restriction diet that some people swear by and whole-body scans that promise to catch cancer while it's curable.
When does forgetfulness become a cause for concern? Sometimes forgetting is normal and sometimes it's not. From expected memory lapses to those that might signal Alzheimer's, what steps can improve brain health?
Staying happy, staying young. What has new research revealed about religion's effect on health and longevity? And how do marriage status, stress levels and other matters of spirit influence how long you'll live?
Studies show that people who live to age 100, as a rule, feel fine into their 90s. But commit crimes against your body and the years can wreak havoc on your health before you're 50.
Until recently, we thought the best recipe for a long life was to have long-lived parents-Daniel Perry, founder and executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research.
(Courtesy:Discovery Health)
The Proven Health Benefits of Staying Young at Heart
(By Tamar Nordenberg)
"Nothing makes one grow old as fast as hardening of the heart."
The saying refers not to the physical phenomenon of clogged arteries, but to the age-accelerating health harms that can come from losing faith in life's goodness.
Research confirms the health advantages of a positive state of mind, connection to others and belief in some sort of higher power.
"With all of the emphasis on diet, exercise and other health behaviors, the real marker of long life seems to be mental even more than physiological," says aging expert Daniel Perry, noting that those who reach very old age "have a certain toughness of spirit about them and an ability to roll with life's punches and keep plugging away with a sense of purpose."
Religion is among the factors that have been extensively studied. People who attend religious services are healthier, live longer and become less depressed as a result of illness, according to most studies, and they handle stress better.
Because studies are generally done on groups of people who attend worship services, it is not clear whether the healing power of religion is based on greater hope (which in turn boosts immunity); a calm that decreases muscle tension and slows the heart rate; or the social support systems that can go hand-in-hand with involvement in a religious group.
Other factors that have been shown to slow the aging process include:
A happy marriage or long-term relationship
A satisfying job
A regular work/daily routine
Fun hobbies
A feeling of financial security
The ability to express feelings openly
Close friends
The ability to laugh easily
A satisfactory sex life
An optimistic outlook on the future
If choosing a pet seems simpler than searching for a spouse, take heart. Scientific studies have revealed that pet companionship, like human fellowship, has health benefits: lower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and decreased incidence of depression and anxiety.
"Don't worry, Be happy" is more than just an expression, says cardiologist and anti-aging doctor Stephen Sinatra, M.D. It's simple, he adds: "If you're an optimistic person, you'll live a healthier and longer life."
A happy marriage or relationship helps to slow the aging process.
If you're an optimistic person, you'll live a healthier and longer life—Stephen Sinatra, M.D., cardiologist and anti-aging expert
(Courtesy: Discovery Health)
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