TriVita Article: Colorectal Cancer – It’s Common and Very Curable In Its Early Stages

Should you be screened?
By Dr. Samuel N. Grief

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States and the second most common cause of cancer-related death. Leading healthcare professionals realize the importance of educating the public about this deadly disease and that is why March has been designated National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Understandably, the colon and rectum are neither glamorous nor easy topics to discuss with your healthcare provider. Nonetheless, it is extremely important that you or your provider bring this topic up during one of your next medical visits to ensure you will be properly
assessed and screened for any colorectal disease.

Why should I be screened for colorectal cancer?
Most colorectal cancers arise from pre-existing polyps. These polyps occur in approximately 30% of adults age 50 years and older and occur more commonly as we age. The goal of colorectal cancer screening is to identify early cancers and polyps in order to limit the spread of disease and save lives.

How often should I be screened?
Routine screening should occur on the following basis and by one or more of the following methods:

• Annual testing of your stool for hidden blood [also known as fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years
• Colonoscopy every ten years

FOBT is the easiest to perform and can be done in the privacy of your own home. Application of a stool specimen to special testing cards on three consecutive days is the most common way of performing this test.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is done at your doctor’s office and requires brief preparation with a stool cleanser or laxative. The instrument, a sigmoidoscope, is a short, flexible tube that uses a fiber optic light to see up to about 60 cm (about 2 feet) inside your rectum and colon. This procedure will not detect any disease within the colon above this distance. Most medical societies recommend combining flexible sigmoidoscopy with FOBT every five years to enhance screening.

Colonoscopy is the best test for identifying colon polyps. Medical authorities recognize this procedure as inherently the most risky, too.
While perforation of the colon may occur, it is quite rare. Also, most physicians performing this procedure place their patients under conscious sedation, meaning you will be awake but not truly alert. This may place you at increased risk for lung and heart complications if you have underlying lung and heart disease.

What can I do to prevent colorectal cancer?
There are several things that may lessen your risk for developing disease of the colon and rectum:

• Keep the weight off – many scientific studies confirm the association between obesity and risk for colorectal cancer.
• Lower your fat intake – less fat in one’s diet may decrease the risk for developing colon polyps, the precursor to cancer.
• Eat less red meat – there is some controversy here, but red meat has very little fiber and slows up the bowel function, allowing toxins to fester within your bowels. Additionally, one scientific study confirmed an association between red meat consumption and increased colon cancer in women.
• Increase your dietary fiber – fiber is great for your overall health and improves bowel function. However, it has not been scientifically-proven to lower your risk for colorectal cancer.
• Vitamin and mineral supplements – Vitamin D and calcium have been scientifically shown to help reduce the development of colon polyps. Calcium seems to be the strong partner here, but Vitamin D assists calcium absorption within the intestines. That’s why I recommend a calcium supplement for bone health and general well-being, especially as we age.
• Other medicines, such as aspirin or its cousins, are potentially useful to lower the risk for colorectal disease, but their side effects of bleeding and kidney and liver problems make them unsuitable for most people. Lastly, cholesterol-lowering medicines known as statins have also been found in several studies to have a link to lower risk for colorectal disease.

Call a Wellness Consultant at 1-800-991-7116 to make sure you are taking a quality Vitamin D supplement. TriVita offers two excellent choices: VitaCal-Mag D and Bone Builder.

Source: TriVita VitaJournal March 2009 pg 14.

TriVita Article on Loneliness and Heart Health

Can loneliness kill you? According to medical science, yes it can!

As humans, we need each other. Children die when they are deprived of human contact and even young adults have significantly higher blood pressure if they feel lonely. This high blood pressure can follow them into middle age where they are far more likely to suffer from heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and diabetes.

Adults cope better – especially women – but the diseases of emotional famine disable many people. Conditions that have been linked to loneliness include:

• Chronic back pain
• Ulcers
• Migraine headaches

The good news is that many of these problems subside when a person feels connected to a community. Indeed, it is only in community that you can experience life in its robust diversity.

Loneliness and the heart
Emotional turmoil causes an inflammatory reaction in the circulatory system. The blood vessels stiffen and your heart has difficulty pumping blood. Blood pressure increases and the increase damages delicate organs, such as the lungs, kidneys, eyes, and especially the blood vessels themselves. That’s why heart attacks and strokes are so common among lonely people.

Interestingly, the illnesses suffered by lonely, bored, and emotionally starved people are the same as those experienced by people under great emotional stress, such as those engaged in active combat in war. Both extremes – too much stimulation and too little – trigger the “fight or flight” mechanism. This emergency/survival mechanism interferes with the enzymes that block inflammation. Inflammation is like a heavy burden on an over-taxed system: the weakest link is sure to break!

Many people in North America have weakened their hearts with high salt/high fat foods, a sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep, and chronic stress. Loneliness adds a burden that is just too much for the human body to take – the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back – and a heart attack, stroke, or other crisis becomes inevitable. That’s the medical description for the impact of loneliness. How can we prevent this chain of events from killing us?

Women save humanity – again!
Interestingly, the amount of time spent alone does not determine the degree of loneliness. For instance, undergraduate students rated their loneliness and then reported on their social interactions and other habits throughout the school year. Those most lonely and those least lonely did not spend significantly more or less time in social contacts with others. The lonely students did, however, perceive that their social contact made demands of them that they simply could not meet.

The same report shed light on an interesting phenomenon: spending time talking with women – for both sexes – provided protection from feelings of loneliness. Many theories have been advanced to explain this but consensus from scientists appears elusive. Communication styles differ between men and women. Men seem to prefer transactional conversations while women typically exemplify negotiation, compromise, empathy, and forgiveness.

When feelings of loneliness are eliminated, high blood pressure is reduced. For instance, normal systolic blood pressure is about 120 mm/hg. Chronically lonely people typically experience an increase in blood pressure that may take them above 150 mm/hg (the “danger” zone is any systolic pressure above 140 mm/hg). Social integration yields a reduction in blood pressure of 10 to 30 mm/hg. As a comparison, achieving a weight loss of 25 pounds or more for the obese can reduce their blood pressure by 5 to 20 mm/hg and regular physical exercise reduces blood pressure by 4 to 9 mm/hg.

It is even as Robert McAfee Brown noted, “How does one keep from ‘growing old inside?’ Surely only in community.”

Source: TriVita VitaJournal February 17, 2007

TriVita Asks What’s The Connection Between Mental, Dental Health & Your Heart

by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

Previously, we discussed the effect of loneliness on heart health. Powerful chemicals from the brain alter the way the heart functions. The heart and blood vessels respond with inflammation. Arteries harden, the efficiency of the heart muscle is reduced as the heart enlarges, and heart failure results.Heart health, dental health
Coronary artery disease (CAD) usually progresses slowly over many years. The first sign of CAD is often a fatal heart attack. Because CAD is silent, it becomes imperative to practice preventive medicine such as testing for C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as blood pressure and cholesterol. However, another form of heart disease progresses quite rapidly. It is called “single-artery disease.”

Other triggers of heart disease are related to dental health. Curiously, dental health and mental health are also strongly related. How does this happen? Which comes first in this triad of triggers for heart disease?

 

Single artery disease clogs a single artery while all or most other blood vessels remain clean. It can happen when injury or infection creates inflammation in the absence of disease:

• Dental infection: One of the most common bacteria comes from a dental infection. Bacteria from inflamed gums can escape into the bloodstream and attack a single blood vessel in or near the heart.
• Inflammation: Inflammation in the gums attracts white blood cells by means of protein messengers called cytokines. Some of these messengers leak into the bloodstream and attract white blood cells. White blood cells infiltrate the infected area because of the messenger cytokines. Cytokines that leak into the bloodstream and enter the heart may send the wrong message. It may also result in white blood cells attacking an artery in the heart. This is the beginning of single artery disease: white blood cells attracted by cytokines penetrate a single artery in the heart and cause blockage.

Smoking increases the number of bacteria in the mouth and causes LDL cholesterol to become stickier. This bad habit also increases inflammation in the entire body. Bacteria, LDL and inflammation make for a lethal combination for CAD and single artery disease.

Dental health, mental health
Mental illness comes in a variety of different forms: from anxiety and bipolar disorder to depression, schizophrenia and beyond. Among the common manifestations of these disorders is lack of attention to dental care. Irregular brushing and flossing will lead to a buildup of potentially lethal bacteria. As a result, cardiovascular disease is a common companion of mental illness.

Other aspects of personal care suffer from this same inattentiveness, including diet, exercise and rest. As you know, these habits are foundations for physical and mental health. Without these essentials in place, the health spirals downward and heart failure is one of many possibilities.

Conclusion
It seems that illnesses such as CAD and heart failure are much more complex than we ever imagined. Emotional distress, dental neglect, smoking and inflammation may all combine to create vascular disease. Constant attention to the 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness and normal biological needs like dental care can help us avoid many triggers for CAD and heart failure.

Essential #4 concerns nutrients that every body needs. Essential fatty acids like those found in TriVita’s OmegaPrime can help protect against inflammation. Vitamin C can also help reduce inflammation by cooling oxidative stress and TriVita Sublingual B-12, TriVita HCY Guard helps reduce inflammatory homocysteine. I especially like TriVita Adaptogen 10 Plus because it helps reduce the impact of stress while providing antioxidant protection. Nutrients and nurturing – including proper dental care – give us the best foundation for a life of meaning and purpose.

Take Control of Your Health

• Practice good dental hygiene
  • Brush at least twice daily for two minutes
  • Floss after meals
  • Get dental cleanings and checkups twice a year
• Take Healthy Aging nutrients
  • A multiple vitamin/mineral supplement
  • TriVita Omega-3 supplement
  • A Sublingual Vitamin B-12
  • A Vitamin C supplement
• Reduce stress and use adaptogens when needed
• Learn and live TriVita’s 10 Essentials!

Source: TriVita Weekly Wellness Report February 28, 2009

Eat Your Way To a Healthier Heart

By Christa Orecchio, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Counselor

Nothing matters more than taking good care of your heart. We can keep ourselves in shape by getting regular exercise, not smoking and controlling stress. Just as important: eating a variety of nutritious, heart-healthy foods that make up a healthy diet.

Where to start? Increase these “super foods” to eat your way to a healthier heart.

Blueberries: They top the list as one of the most powerful disease-fighting foods. That’s because they contain anthocyanins, the antioxidant responsible for their dark blue color. These delicious jewels are packed with fiber, Vitamin C and heart-healthy potassium. Regularly add them into your diet in yogurt, trail mix, salads, cereal, in your favorite Leanology® shake or just by themselves.

Salmon: This cold-water fish is a great source of protein and is also packed with heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association advises eating salmon and other Omega-3 rich foods twice a week for benefits that go beyond heart health. Make sure your salmon is wild caught to avoid toxic heavy metals and lack of nutrients that can be found in farm-raised salmon.

Recipe Idea: Marinate salmon in a lime, onion, garlic and soy sauce mixture for 15 minutes before grilling for a delicious fish taco or grilled fish sandwich.

Oatmeal: Oats are nourishing whole grains and a great source of vitamins, minerals and cholesterol-lowering fiber. Research shows that oats lower cholesterol levels, keep you regular and may help protect against certain cancers.

Recipe Ideas: Add oats whenever you bake. Substitute oat flour for white or wheat flour in pancakes, muffins, quick breads, cookies and coffee cakes for an added dose of fiber. Or try oats in place of bread crumbs in dishes such as meatloaf, meatballs or breading on poultry.

Kale: Even mightier than spinach, kale is the powerhouse of the vegetable kingdom. Its rich, dark color comes from the multiple phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals (especially folate and iron) it contains that fight disease, protect the heart and preserve your eyesight. To top it off, kale is also the “king of calcium” – it delivers the highest absorbable form of calcium possible.

Recipe Idea: Mix kale with pine nuts and raisins, then stuff into winter squash and bake for a colorful, delicious main or side dish. Even easier – saute with garlic and olive oil.

Flaxseed: Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, phytoestrogens and fiber, this powerful seed is most effective when it is ground up and stored away from light, heat and air. Studies suggest that flaxseed lowers the risk of blood clots, stroke and irregular heartbeat. It may also help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.

Menu Idea: Ground flaxseed works easily in all sorts of foods – on top of salads or soup, in yogurt parfaits, smoothies or morning cereal.

Almonds and walnuts: These nuts are high in plant Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, magnesium, folate, fiber, heart-favorable monoand polyunsaturated fats and phytosterols.

Menu Idea: Mix a few almonds (and berries) into low-fat yogurt, trail mix or fruit salads, and add walnuts to salads, pastas, cookies, muffins and even pancakes for a flavorful crunch.

Brown rice: Contains high levels of B-complex vitamins and magnesium, which nourish our central nervous system. Vitamin B-12 (folate) and Vitamin B-6 protect against blood clots and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Niacin (Vitamin B-3) helps increase HDL (good) cholesterol.

What about when eating out?
Many restaurants do not yet offer things like kale, flaxseed or brown rice. However, there are many choices you can make to support your heart and your health. When dining out, ask that your food be steamed, poached or baked instead of sauteed or fried. Ask for a side of olive oil and lemon to dress it yourself with the “good” fat. When eating salads, request your dressing on the side and choose oil and vinegar whenever possible. Get an extra serving of veggies (broccoli, carrots, spinach) and forego the white rice or potato. Choose lighter sauces vs. cream-based sauces. Also, it’s important to think outside the box. If there is nothing on the menu that speaks to you, make up your own meal from the appetizers and sides that are offered.

By choosing heart-healthy foods, the “bad” fats naturally find their way out of our diet and life. Steer clear of margarine or anything labeled trans-fats or fractionated palm kernel oil. Moderate other high cholesterol foods like butter, cheese, ice cream, red meat and other highly dense animal foods. With only a few simple changes, you will be well on your way to lowering your cholesterol, having more energy and taking care of that amazing heart that beats for you, every second of every single day.

Source: TriVita VitaJournal February 2009 pg 9.

Preventive Measures That Can Improve Your Heart Health

by Dr. Brazos Minshew, TriVita Chief Science Officer

Around 700,000 people in North America die from heart attacks each year. The most common cause of heart attacks is a blood clot caused by coronary artery disease (CAD). Yet, as bad as CAD is, heart attacks from narrow arteries and blood clots are not the only conditions that cause heart disease. Many heart diseases exist and are preventable with just a little care.

Common conditions

High blood pressure
The most common cause of heart disease in North America is high blood pressure; it affects 73 million people in the U.S. alone. High blood pressure may be caused by:

• Disease in the blood vessels that cause them to narrow
• Imbalances in the kidneys, lungs and liver
• Cardiomyopathy – a disease of the heart muscle

How to help: Keys to reducing high blood pressure are found in the 10 Essentials. Some people can reduce their high blood pressure simply by practicing deep breathing. Other techniques include increasing fruits and vegetables, and increasing fiber and water while reducing sodium.

Coronary artery disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when plaque builds up inside a blood vessel of the heart. CAD affects over 16 million people in the U.S. It leads to angina pectoris – pain caused by poor blood flow to the heart muscles – and is associated with heart attack.

How to help: Coronary artery disease responds well to a low-fat, high-fiber diet of mainly fruits and vegetables. Stress reduction and daily exercise are also effective therapies in combating CAD. Almost all heart specialists recommend Omega-3 oils such as those in OmegaPrime as effective tools in combating CAD.

Congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) and related forms of heart failure may affect over five million people in North America. It is strongly related to diabetes and obesity. Among the most common triggers in CHF is obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea builds up blood pressure in an attempt to get oxygen to critical tissues such as the heart and brain.

How to help: Most people with CHF respond to treatment for sleep apnea, treatment with CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10), and the other suggestions already mentioned.

Common remedies

Body weight and blood sugar control
Achieving and maintaining optimum body weight and blood sugar control are two suggestions that always top the list of remedies for all forms of heart disease. The Leanology program can help you meet those objectives. Leanology is much more than a “diet plan” – it helps you make the necessary lifestyle adjustments through nutrition and activity to help you reach and maintain a healthier weight.

Nutrients

1. OmegaPrime can help reduce the “stickiness” of blood to protect against clots and may slow down the process of plaque formation. One or two grams are enough to help protect against heart disease, but much more is needed if the heart is already diseased.
2. CoQ-10 offers significant benefits to the heart. It should be taken at bedtime to reduce the impact of sleep apnea on the heart and brain.
3. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C and resveratrol (found in Super Antioxidant Complex) are also best taken at night, then again in the morning.
4. Special proteins found in garlic and other antioxidants such as bilberry (found in VisionGuard) can help improve lipids such as cholesterol while opening the tiniest blood vessels in the legs, hands, eyes, ears and brain.

In the end, many of the problems with heart disease can be protected against or even solved with the tools we have readily at hand (always follow the advice of your healthcare provider for your personal condition). What about the impact of emotions on heart health? Can the 10 Essentials assist us here as well? Next week our Wellness Report will address the connection between mental/dental health and your heart.

Take Control of Your Health

• Exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week
  • More is better!
  • Both aerobic and resistance training
• Eat the appropriate number of fruits and vegetables daily
  • 5 for children
  • 7 for women
  • 9 for men
• Focus on foods that are:
  • Low fat
  • High fiber
  • Low sodium
• Use the Healthy Aging program as a foundation
  • Increase OmegaPrime if recommended
  • Add garlic for cholesterol control
  • Add antioxidants such as resveratrol for heart health
  • Add CoQ-10 with CHF or if you take statin medications
  • Add blood-vessel specific antioxidants such as VisionGuard

To find out where you can get the recommended products, visit TriVita for more information.

Source: TriVita Weekly Wellness Report, February 21, 2009.

Taking Care of Your Heart

by Michael R. Ellison, CEO & Founder of TriVita, Inc.

February is Heart Health Month. Because of the significant rise in heart disease, Congress passed a resolution on December 30, 1963 that each year the President would declare February our National Heart Health Awareness Month.

Heart disease is still the number one killer in 2009. With 64 million Americans, plus millions more in Canada being affected by cardiovascular disease, we want to inspire you to take action to create a lifestyle that will give you a healthy heart. Your heart health is also crucial to your overall health and well-being.

While your heart is a small organ about the size of your fist, it has major responsibilities. Every 60 seconds it must pump two gallons of blood through an entire cycle: from the heart, through the arteries, veins and capillaries, and back to the heart. Every cell in your body relies on the blood to carry oxygen and the nutrients your body needs to function properly as well as resist disease.

With us being so dependent on our heart functioning properly, isn’t it wonderful that the decisions we make can determine if we have a healthy heart. Some people act as if their heart is a machine that either works or doesn’t work – and there is nothing they can do about its health. Well, there is good news for all of you who care about your heart and want better health.

The American Heart Association and the world-renowned Mayo Clinic have much to say about improving heart health by choosing a lifestyle that promotes heart health. Basically, it comes down to three things you can do:

1. Think smart
2. Eat well
3. Move more

That provides a simple guideline to the daily decisions we must make.

I would like to add that thinking smart is being aware of what we are thinking; many people do not realize the thoughts and feelings they dwell on are also a part of their daily diet for heart health. Every thought and emotion triggers a chemical reaction that is either good or bad for the heart. For example, when you have an angry thought or a fearful, anxious thought, your body releases significant adrenaline to help stimulate the muscles and mind for the fight or flight response needed.

That was great for our ancient ancestors when faced with a saber-toothed tiger, but where I live in Scottsdale, Arizona that is not likely to happen. However, there are plenty of opportunities for adrenaline rushes from rude drivers, snarled traffic, construction delays, or the fear of a poor economy that seems to be impacting many people. Thoughts and feelings from all kinds of issues we face create chemicals that are not healthy for the heart when they bombard us on a daily basis.

I would encourage you to read the article by Dr. Lundell on pages 4 and 5 [ of this issue of the TriVita VitaJournal]. Here is a viewpoint of one of the most outstanding heart surgeons who spent much of his career performing thousands of heart surgeries and consulting with his patients about heart health. We are pleased to bring this information to you as it gives another view as to what really will bring healthy hearts to those of us in the U.S. and Canada.

I am very excited about the development and introduction of our new product line Sonoran Bloom™, which we have been working on for the last two years. In fact, I am so enthusiastic about the wellness benefits of these products, that we are going to 30 cities in a pre-launch campaign to introduce the product to our Members. We will be giving a 32-ounce bottle of the delicious Opuntia liquid concentrate FREE to each person who attends. We want to hear about the amazing results our Members will experience from the product. This product has helped people with arthritis, joint and back pain, foot pain, muscle soreness, and overall aches and pains that are caused by inflammation.

This product addresses the hottest issue in medical research today: inflammation. Inflammation is being linked to many diseases. It weakens the body and enables disease to set in. You will learn a lot about what you can do to reduce and monitor inflammation. Our mission is to inspire people to experience wellness and create wealth for their life purposes! Helping people live a vibrant and healthy life is why TriVita was founded. Let us help you!

There will also be a brief introduction of the income opportunity for Affiliates who want to share information with those they know and care about. TriVita is proud of the way we do business with our customers in that we provide opportunities based on the desires of each Member: opportunities to simply purchase products for their own wellness as well as the chance to be involved with the sharing opportunity. It is simple and rewarding to help someone enjoy and experience greater wellness with TriVita products.

If you want to know more about this product in our prelaunch campaign and our mission of helping people experience wellness, please plan to join us in a city near you. On page 30, you will find a listing of some of the cities we will be visiting.

Make 2009 your year of experiencing greater wellness and take someone with you on your wellness journey!

Source: TriVita VitaJournal February 2009 pg 2.

TriVita Article: Alzheimer’s Disease (Alzheimer’s Dementia)

Definition
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. It is a progressive condition that destroys brain cells. People with Alzheimer’s disease slowly lose the ability to learn, function, and remember.

Areas of the Brain Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease

© 2008 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc

Causes
The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not yet known. Studies suggest that two main mechanisms may result in the clinical picture of the disease:

• Plaques—abnormal deposits of a substance called beta amyloid in different areas of the brain
• Neurofibrillary tangles—twisted fibers within nerve cells

Risk Factors
A risk factor increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.

Risk factors include:

• Age: 65 and older
• Previous serious, traumatic brain injury
• Lower educational achievement
• Down’s syndrome
• Down’s syndrome in a first-degree relative
• Women under 35 who give birth to a child with Down’s syndrome
• Smoking
• Family history of Alzheimer’s disease
• Presence of a certain variety type of apolipoprotein (APOE-e4)
• Depression
• Elevated levels of homocysteine
• Heart disease.

Researchers are studying the following to see if they are related to Alzheimer’s disease:

• Poor nutrition and vitamin deficiency in childhood
• Exposure to electromagnetic fields
• Excess metal in the blood, especially zinc, copper, aluminum, and iron
• Certain viral infections
• Diabetes
• High Cholesterol.

Symptoms
The disease begins as mild memory lapses but moves to profound loss of memory and function. Alzheimer’s disease is divided into three stages:

• Early
• Intermediate
• Severe.

Symptoms include:

Increasing trouble remembering things, such as
• How to get to familiar places
• Names of friends and family members
• Where common objects are kept
• Simple math
• How to perform tasks (eg, cooking, dressing, bathing)
• Trouble concentrating on tasks
• Trouble completing sentences due to lost or forgotten words (progresses to a complete inability to speak)
• Difficulty with daily life tasks such as bill paying and housekeeping
• Inability to remember the date, time of day, season
• Mood swings
• Withdrawal, loss of interest in usual activities
• Slow, shuffling walk
• Poor coordination
• Slowness and then loss of purposeful movement.

Diagnosis
There are no tests to definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history and do a physical exam. The doctor will ask many questions to rule out other causes.

Tests to rule out other medical conditions may include:

• Neurological exam
• Psychological and mental status testing
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of the brain
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of the brain
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) —a test that measures electrical currents in the brain
• Blood tests and urine tests
• Lumbar puncture —to test for levels of certain brain proteins that increase with Alzheimer’s disease and to rule out other disorders.

Treatment
There are no treatments to cure Alzheimer’s disease and no certain ways to slow its progression. Various drugs are being studied to see if they can manage the symptoms or slow its course.

Medications for Symptoms and Disease Progression
Medications being studied include:

• Cholinesterase inhibitors
• NMDA receptor antagonist (eg, memantine)
• Antioxidants (eg, vitamin E)
• Estrogen
• Anti-inflammatory agents
• Ginkgo biloba (herbal supplement).

Lifestyle Management
Managing the disease includes:

• Creating an environment in which you can receive the care you need
• Optimizing your quality of life
• Keeping yourself safe
• Helping yourself learn to deal with the frustration of your uncontrollable behavior
• Providing a calm, quiet, predictable environment
• Providing appropriate eyewear and hearing aids, easy-to-read clocks and calendars
• Playing quiet music
• Light, appropriate exercise to reduce agitation and relieve depression
• Encouraging family and close friends to visit frequently.

Caregiver Support
Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease is extremely difficult and exhausting. The primary caregiver needs emotional support, as well as regular respite.

Prevention
There are no guidelines for preventing Alzheimer’s disease because the cause is unknown.

Source: TriVita Article Alzheimer’s Disease (Alzheimer’s Dementia) November 1, 2008.

TriVita Topic On Meniere’s Disease

Summary of Topic: Meniere’s Disease
By Dr. Brazos Minshew

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the labyrinth in the inner ear. The labyrinth is a system of cavities and canals in the inner ear that affects hearing, balance, and eye movement.

© 2008 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc

Causes
An increase in the volume or pressure of fluid in the labyrinth can result in Meniere’s disease. The cause of these fluid changes is unknown. Possible causes may include:
* Part of the labyrinth ruptures, allowing fluid in different compartments to mix
* Scar tissue causes a blockage in the labyrinth
* Inner ear injury due to:

• Viral infection
• Syphilis, a sexually-transmitted disease
• Autoimmune disorders
• Blood vessel problems
• High cholesterol or other fats in the blood
• Hormonal disorders
• Medications, such as antibiotics and chemotherapy agents.

Symptoms
The intensity of symptoms can vary from one person to another. Symptoms usually come on suddenly. They typically involve only one ear, but may involve both. Symptoms may include:
*Episodes of vertigo (spinning sensation), often accompanied by:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Sweating
• Paleness of the skin
• Weakness or falling
• In some cases, headache or diarrhea

* Hearing loss may worsen during attacks of vertigo
* Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
* Feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear
* Poor sense of balance
* A tendency for symptoms to worsen with movement.

Prevention
There are no specific guidelines for preventing Meniere’s disease. However, to help reduce your risk, avoid the following risk factors:

• High-salt diet
• High-sugar diet
• Excess noise
• Excess alcohol
• Stress
• Smoking
• Use of drugs that can be toxic to the ear such aminoglycosides, aspirin, and quinine.

Source: TriVita Article Meniere’s Disease December 2008.

Psoriasis

Summary of Article available here on TriVita.com

Definition
Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease. Knees, elbows, scalp, trunk, and nails are the most commonly affected areas. There are several types of psoriasis.

• Plaque: inflamed patches of skin topped with silvery, white scales (most common type)
• Guttate: small dot-like lesions
• Pustular: weeping lesions and intense scaling
• Inverse: in body folds (armpits, groin, under breasts)
• Erythrodermic: intense sloughing and inflammation of the skin

© 2008 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc. Causes The cause of psoriasis is unclear. Signals from a defect in the immune system may result in an overgrowth of skin cells. Because the cells grow faster than they can be shed, they “pile up” on the skin’s surface. The excess skin cells are thought to cause the silvery white scales that are characteristic of plaque-type psoriasis. Treatment Treatment is based on: The severity of the disease The extent and location of the areas involved Responsiveness to the treatment Prevention Psoriasis cannot be prevented. Avoiding physical trauma to the skin, infections, and cold, dry temperatures may help reduce flare-ups in people with the condition. Your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods if they appear to make your psoriasis worse.

Trivita’s 10 Secrets To A Healthy Heart

Like the Tin Man, your heart is one of your most valuable possessions. But, it’s not as simple as going to the Wizard of Oz and asking for a new one. You only have one heart, and it’s your job to make sure it lasts. These 10 helpful hints will help increase your chances of having a strong, healthy heart. 1.The American Heart Association (AHA) has reported that testing levels of an enzyme called GGT may predict the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. High levels of GGT indicate an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease. The risk is even higher for people under 60. You should be able to request the test from your doctor, along with other critical heart markers such as CRP, LDL, and Homocysteine. 2. A healthy marriage reduces job-related stress, and lowers blood pressure, according to a recent report from the AHA. Keeping blood pressure low through emotional satisfaction, healthy diet, and exercise is critical in the healthy functioning of your heart. 3. Excessive body fat at a young age is an indicator of future cardiovascular problems. As a parent, grandparent, or caregiver for the young, be sure you are supporting children’s heart health by encouraging exercise and a healthy diet. 4. For adults, excessive body weight frequently leads to cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure. High blood pressure in turn increases an already risky situation for your heart. Consult your health care provider to find your best weight range, and keep your weight at that level to avoid complications from cardiovascular problems. 5. For obese or overweight men and women, the risk of heart attack and stroke was twice as high when high blood pressure was also a factor. 6. High cholesterol levels are never healthy, but the AHA has reported that men who keep themselves physically fit can cut their risk of cardiovascular-related death in half – even if they have high cholesterol. 7. Before visiting your health care provider, you may find it helpful to take a test online to calculate your risks for heart disease. The AHA offers a free quiz at www.americanheart.org/cld. 8. Men, in particular, have a well-deserved reputation for “toughing it out” whenever something hurts. When it comes to chest pain, there is no worse course of action. Particularly after age 40, all chest pains should be evaluated by your health care provider. If chest pain persists more than two minutes, or includes a feeling of heaviness in your chest, call 911 immediately. 9. Know all the signs of heart attack. Besides chest pain, symptoms can include: shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, cold sweats, and pain in the neck or arms. (Heart attacks start slowly with mild symptoms, leading to easy dismissal.) Never ignore the signs! 10. The amino acid homocysteine – which normally is an essential and good chemical in your body – can build up to harmful levels, and requires B-12, B-6 and folic acid to bring them back to safe levels. Eating whole foods such as citrus, tomatoes and other vegetables, and supplementing your diet with B vitamins is key to lowering homocysteine and protecting your heart. Source: VitaJournal January 2007 pg 11

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