Blow the Whistle

just watched this disturbing story about a "whistle-blower" at the Canberra Hospital
he alerted against a neurosurgeon who was injuring people and suffered greatly
you can watch it online, I am told, here

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Weight Loss

shedding the kilos may get you off cholesterol drugs?
this is very good info
remember HDL cholesterol needs to HIGH
and LDL cholesterol needs to be LOW
GREAT INFO here...

Cholesterol “ain’t” all bad


In practical terms, the bottom line is simple: The higher your HDL cholesterol, the better. But the biological reality is more complex. Research into the molecular biology of HDL is spurring new therapies.

Genes direct the body’s production of HDL. Some of us are lucky enough to inherit genes that result in a lot of HDL, while others are dealt a less favorable hand. But genes are only part of the story. Lifestyle factors and, to a smaller extent, medications can strongly influence HDL levels. Genes re-enter the picture, though, because for some people, balky genes limit their ability to boost HDL levels with exercise and other interventions.
How HDL helps
At first, scientists believed that HDL was simply a garbage collector that picked up cholesterol from an artery’s walls and delivered it to the liver for disposal. That’s still considered the main role of HDL, but research is starting to suggest that HDL can help protect the heart in many ways:

Reverse cholesterol transport. HDL latches onto LDL embedded in an artery wall, lugs it back into the bloodstream, and carries it to the liver. The liver collects cholesterol from the HDL particles, packages it into bile salts and bile acids, and dumps it into the intestines for excretion.
Antioxidant activity. LDL cholesterol in the artery wall is bombarded by oxygen free radicals, which turns it into oxidized LDL cholesterol. Oxidized cholesterol is the stuff that’s actually responsible for arterial damage — and research shows that HDL can help protect LDL cholesterol from free radicals.
Anti-inflammatory action. HDL helps to quiet the inflammation of an atherosclerotic plaque. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) reflect the inflammation of such a plaque and HDL may neutralize CRP’s tendency to perpetuate the inflammatory cycle.
Antithrombotic activity. Plaque rupture triggers the formation of an artery-blocking blood clot. By halting the flow of oxygen-rich blood, the clot kills heart muscle cells (heart attack) or brain cells (stroke). HDL reduces clot formation and accelerates the healing process that dissolves clots.
Endothelial function. Blood vessels plagued with atherosclerosis sustain other damage. In particular, the endothelial cells lining the arteries fail to produce normal amounts of nitric oxide, the chemical that allows arteries to dilate (widen) when tissues need more oxygen. HDL helps preserve nitric oxide production and protect endothelial function.
How much does HDL help?

The Framingham Heart Study was responsible for many landmark discoveries about HDL cholesterol, and the Physicians’ Health Study helped confirm that HDL was protective, reporting that various HDL subtypes are all helpful. Data continue to show that the good cholesterol is very good indeed.

Heart disease. Low HDL levels are associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, while high levels are protective. According to the Framingham Heart Study, cardiac risk rises sharply as HDL cholesterol levels fall below 40 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). In general, each 1 mg/dL rise in an HDL cholesterol level can be expected to cut cardiac risk by 2% to 3%.
Stroke. Strokes come in many forms, but the most common type, ischemic stroke, shares many risk factors with heart attack. High HDL cholesterol levels reduce the risk of stroke; in several studies, HDL cholesterol is a much better predictor of risk than LDL cholesterol, particularly in people older than 75.
Erectile dysfunction. Normal erections depend on many things, including healthy arteries that produce good amounts of nitric oxide. It’s no surprise, then, that the Massachusetts Male Aging Study found that 16% of men with low levels of HDL cholesterol had erectile dysfunction, but none of the men with the highest levels did.
Longevity. Several investigations suggest that high HDL levels are linked to longevity, particularly exceptional longevity. Other research links high levels of HDL cholesterol to preserved cognitive function in old age. More research is needed to learn if HDL deserves the credit or if other genetic factors are responsible.
Your goal

When it comes to HDL cholesterol, the higher your level, the better. Still, targets are important. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and the American Diabetes Association advise aiming for HDL levels of at least 40 mg/dL. An even more protective goal, according to the NCEP, is 60 mg/dL or higher.

Ways to raise your HDL

Exercise. Exercise is an important way to boost HDL levels. On average, sedentary people who start to exercise regularly can expect their HDL levels to rise by 3% to 20%. The benefit can occur with as little as one mile of walking or jogging a day, but the more you do, the better your result. Brisk walking for 40 minutes a day is a good target, but if you need more help, aim higher.
Watch your dietary fats. Saturated fat won’t affect your HDL cholesterol, but it will raise your LDL cholesterol. The latest American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines call for limiting saturated fat to less than 7% of your total daily calories. Reduce your intake of trans fats to less than 1% of your total daily calories. Trans fat lowers HDL cholesterol and raises LDL cholesterol, a double whammy to health. But unsaturated fats like virgin olive oil may boost HDL levels, and the omega 3 fats in fish, nuts, and canola oil may promote cardiac health even if they don’t affect your HDL reading.
Watch your carbs! Or at least the types of carbs you’re eating. Diets that provide large amounts of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates are clearly linked to low levels of HDL cholesterol. Avoid highly refined carbohydrates in favor of coarsely ground, whole grain, unrefined carbs like whole grain bread, oatmeal, and beans.
Alcohol. Moderate drinking will raise HDL levels by about 4 mg/dL, which should cut cardiac risk by about 10%. This translates to one to two drinks a day for men, and one drink a day for women. For this “prescription,” count 5 ounces of wine, 1½ ounces of liquor, or 12 ounces of beer as one drink.
Weight control. Obesity is linked to low HDL levels, but weight loss can help. Exercise and diet are the dynamic duo for weight loss, but shedding excess pounds will boost HDL levels over and above the independent effects of regular exercise and a healthful diet.
For more information on healthy cholesterol levels, order our Special Health Report, What to Do About High Cholesterol, at www.health.harvard.edu/HC.

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Dirty Secret

which secret do you think they'll listen to most?
my "secret", or Barrett's??
RIP quackwatch...
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more "manipulation kills...."


http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1026012007&format

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VICTIMS OF CHIROPRACTIC ABUSE

this cant be real?
am i dreaming?
joe

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/08/prweb549561.htm
Hi Joe,
How hard has it been to get a positive postage stamp for the profession in the US?
They have been working at it for years.
Now, in a few months this negative one is going to be released.
US Chiro's are going to get slammed.
Donald

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/08/prweb549561.htm


NOT REALLY: LOOK...
It appears they have created
the stamp using the Web site Stamps.com:
http://photo.stamps.com/Store/?source=si00001331. Anyone can use this
site to create a personalized stamp.

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Dont forget this one...
Thanks Dr Richards.

Coulter I, Adams A, Coggan P, Wilkes M, Gonyea M. A comparative study of
chiropractic and medical education. Altern Ther Health Med 1998;4:64-75

School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA.

BACKGROUND: Chiropractic is the largest of the alternative/complementary health professions in North America. However, little attention has been given in the health sciences literature to the formal curriculum of chiropractic education or to its similarities to and differences from the curriculum of allopathic medical education. This lack of information precludes extensive referrals and interaction between the 2 professions, even when historical and political barriers can be overcome.

METHOD: This is a descriptive, comparative study of the curriculum Content of North American chiropractic and medical colleges, supplemented by in-depth data obtained through site visits with 6 institutions (3 chiropractic and 3 medical).

DISCUSSION: Considerable commonality exists between chiropractic and medical programs. Regarding the basic sciences, these programs are more similar than dissimilar, both in the types of subjects offered and in the time allotted to each subject. The programs also share some common areas in the Clinical sciences. Chiropractic and allopathic medicine differ the greatest in clinical practice, which in medical school far exceeds that in chiropractic school. The therapies that chiropractic and medical students learn are distinct from one another, and the settings in which students receive clinical training are different and isolated from one another. With these similarities and differences established, future studies should examine the quality of the 2 educational programs in detail.
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People in Pain: How Do They Seek Relief?

Little is known about how people with pain seek relief.
To estimate the proportion of the population reporting recent pain, to identify ways people seek pain relief, and to report the perceived effectiveness of pain relief methods, we conducted a secondary analysis of results from a nationwide survey of the general U.S. population.

Of the 1204 respondents, 31% had experienced moderate to very severe pain within the past 2 weeks and 75% of these had sought medical attention.

Only 56% of those who sought medical attention got significant pain relief. Although seeking medical attention was the primary pain relief strategy, almost all of those with pain had tried multiple alternative methods for pain control, with 92% of pain sufferers having tried 3 or more alternative strategies.

People who did not seek medical attention were more likely to report pain relief from prayer and going to a chiropractor than were those who sought medical attention. Factors leading to inadequate pain relief included difficulty communicating with a health professional and lack of health insurance. People who perceive that their pain is not understood by medical providers and those without health care insurance coverage are at greater risk for poor pain control.

Shi Q, et al. The Journal of Pain. August 2007; Vol. 8, Iss. 8, pp. 624-636.
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should this read "birth centres SAFER than hospitals"?
its good news at any rate
email me for the paper

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/midwife-centres-safe/2007/09/02/1188671797076.html
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STROKE ONE

this could be groundbreaking stuff.....

http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/25/20/05.html
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Doctor questions higher dosage of cancer drugs
Christian Catalano
September 1, 2007

CANCER sufferers are taking doses of expensive and potentially toxic treatments that may be well in excess of what they need, a leading oncologist says.

Dr Ian Haines said that because pharmaceutical companies were the only group who could afford to fund trials of expensive drugs, they had enormous control over the scientific evidence that dictates how they should be used.

Writing in the world's foremost cancer journal, he cites an emerging body of evidence that many of these new and expensive cancer drugs may be just as effective - and produce fewer side-effects - if taken over shorter periods and in lower doses."It would seem that pharmaceutical companies, understandably, are attracted to studies looking at the maximum- tolerated dose of any treatments," he says in the Journal of Clinical Oncology article.

"I urge that we make the search for minimum effective doses of these treatments one of the key goals of our research."

Dr Haines lists three Government-approved cancer therapies - Herceptin, Avastin and Mabthera - to show that the gap between the "minimum effective" and "maximum tolerated" doses may already be vast.

For the drug Avastin, which is used for colon and lung cancers, the dose that is being tested is 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Other research shows it may work with just three milligrams per kilogram.

Dr Haines was joined by several other cancer experts who said this week that both state and Federal Governments must spend more on analysing drug data after a new medicine is made available.

Not only was our health system's acquiescence in industry- manipulated trials wasting taxpayers' money, they said, but the failure to link electronic data could be risking patients' lives.

The health economist Jeff Richardson said Australia was "absolutely primitive" in the way it collected electronic health data.

"It's criminally scandalous. People are dying because we are not allowed to use the evidence."

The frustration, he said, was that Australia was positioned to set up a thorough analysis of how all drugs performed after they received Government subsidy.

"We've got Medicare data on the use of all these services, we've got the hospital data on what goes on there and we could link all of this to the mortality statistics," said Professor Richardson, who is the director of Monash University's Centre for Health Economics. "What it means is that, whenever someone gets ill, we can get a profile over time of what happens to that person."

Dr Haines has proposed that continuing Government subsidy for a new drug would depend on whether the patient outcomes matched the evidence the drug company presented to the Government for approval. "That way the drug companies won't put any spin on the data.".

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Without Footlevelers pelvic stabilizers my wife would not be able to walk. This is not an endorsement, but mere truth.
This study forwarded by Donald to me, supports the supports.

Prevention of sports injuries: systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Arch Intern Med. 2007 Aug 13-27;167(15):1585-92.

Aaltonen S, Karjalainen H, Heinonen A, Parkkari J, Kujala UM.

Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

Increased participation in sports has led to more sports injuries.
Evidence-based methods to prevent sports injuries are needed. A systematic review was conducted of the effects of randomized controlled interventions to prevent sports injuries.
A systematic search was performed of various databases and the reference lists of articles and reviews. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the methodological quality of the included trials. Thirty-two trials (24,931 participants) met the inclusion criteria. We found evidence of the preventive effect of 3 types of injury prevention interventions. In 5 trials including 6 different comparisons (2446 participants), custom-made or prefabricated insoles reduced lower limb injuries compared with no insoles in military recruits (risk reduction > or =50% in 4 comparisons).

All 7 studies investigating external joint supports (10,300 participants) showed a tendency to prevent ankle, wrist, or knee injuries (risk reduction > or =50% in 5 studies).

All 6 multi-intervention training programs (2809 participants) were effective in preventing sports injuries (risk reduction > or =50% in 5 studies). Various interventions may prevent sports injuries.

A decreased risk of sports injuries was associated with the use of insoles, external joint supports, and multi-intervention training programs.

More high-quality randomized controlled trials in different sports and populations are needed.
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Gasp at this one:

Bronchitis: Inhaled steroids are likely to land you in hospital

06 September 2007
Many elderly people with bronchitis or emphysema, known collectively as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), are likely to end up in hospital – but it's because of the drugs they're taking, not the disease.

Researchers have discovered that 70 per cent of COPD patients who take an inhaled corticosteroid – the common treatment to control the problem – end up in hospital. But it's the drug that has caused the need for hospital care, not the bronchitis.

A research team from McGill University in Canada discovered just how dangerous corticosteroids are when they looked at the histories of 175,906 COPD patients living in Quebec between 1988 and 2003.

During that time, 23,942 of them ended up in hospital – and there was a direct link between the doses of corticosteroids and the need for hospital care. Conversely, the risk receded when the dose was lowered.
Overall, 53 per cent of the patients died within 30 days of being admitted to hospital, and while pneumonia is blamed, the real culprit may well be the drug.

Inhaled corticosteroid use for COPD increased from 13.2 per cent to 41.4 per cent in the USA between 1987 and 1995.
Pneumonia-related complications are the third major reason for a hospital stay, and now it's reckoned it's more down to corticosteroids than the disease itself.

(Source: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2007; 176: 162-6).