Guest guest Posted September 13, 2004 Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Waiting to Exhale > Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:33:50 -0400 > > Waiting to Exhale > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > September 13, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > If your doctor recommends that you use inhaled > steroids to treat > chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), take a > deep breath and > say... Let’s talk about it. > > COPD is an umbrella term, commonly used to refer to > asthma, emphysema, > chronic bronchitis, or any combination of the three. > These conditions > are quite different from one another, but their > effect is the same: > long-term deterioration of the respiratory system. > > One of the most common ways to treat COPD is with > the use of an > inhaler, also known as inhaled corticosteroids > (ICS). But for the > millions of people who suffer from COPD, the use of > ICS has one > noteworthy side effect that can create more and more > problems as time > goes by. > > --------------------------- > > Now for the men... > --------------------------- > > > Doctors have known for some time that taking > steroids in pill form > contributes to bone loss in both men and women. But > until recently, > research on the association of inhaler use and bone > loss has been less > revealing. > > In the e-Alert " Could Your Asthma Inhaler Cause > Osteoporosis? " > (10/3/01), I told you about a Harvard study that > showed how the > regular use of inhaled steroids causes bone loss at > the hip in women > between the ages of 18 and 45. The more " puffs " > taken each day, the > greater the rate of bone loss. And while the study > specifically > focused on premenopausal women, it noted that > continued ICS use after > menopause could contribute to even more bone > deterioration and greater > risk of fracture. > > That study didn’t address the risks for men who use > inhaled steroids, > so I promised to keep an eye out for information > about the effects of > ICS on bone health in men, and now I’ve found it. > > Earlier this year, researchers at an Illinois > Veterans Administration > hospital reported on a review of medical records for > more than 40,000 > subjects diagnosed with COPD. Almost 95 percent of > the subjects were > male, and the average age was 63 years. The VA team > identified about > 1,700 cases of COPD patients with nonvertebral > fractures, and matched > them with more than 6,800 control subjects. > > After a one-year follow-up, general ICS use was not > associated with a > higher fracture risk compared to patients who didn’t > use inhalers. But > fracture risk was found to be significantly elevated > among those who > used the highest dosages of ICS. > > In their conclusion, the authors of the study wrote: > “Evidence from > this and other epidemiologic studies of ICS dose and > the risk of > fractures indicate that providers should consider > prescribing the > lowest effective dose of ICS in the management of > COPD. " > > --------------------------- > > Lung-loving nutrients > --------------------------- > > > The Illinois VA study found no fracture risk from > normal doses, but > further testing will need to be done to determine > possible long-term > risks. Nevertheless, the basic message from these > two studies is > clear: The less ICS used, the better. Fortunately > there are > alternative treatments and supplements that can be > used to address > COPD symptoms. > > In the e-Alert “Heavy Breathing " (5/19/04), I told > you about a > condition called dyspnoea, characterized by > shortness of breath or > labored breathing, and is a typical symptom of COPD. > Researchers in > Taiwan conducted a study to examine the effects of > acupressure in > treating dyspnoea, and found pulmonary function and > dyspnoea symptoms > were considerably improved after just four weeks of > acupressure. > > And these improvements might be enhanced if patients > take the right > supplements. HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., sent > me the information > about the VA study along with a note that read: > “Pity we can't get all > the asthmatics on food-allergy rotation diets, > magnesium, and vitamins > B-6, B-12, and C! " > > In the e-alert " C-ing Stars " (6/12/02) I told you > about a Nottingham > University (UK) study that investigated the > relationship between lung > function and the intake of magnesium and vitamin C. > Researchers > surveyed more than 2,500 subjects to assess the > relationship between > diet and COPD. After nine years of follow-up, > subjects who consumed > higher amounts of vitamin C had better lung function > than those with > lower levels of C intake, and higher amounts of > vitamin C and > magnesium intake were associated with significantly > improved lung > function in the cases of those suffering from COPD. > > --------------------------- > > Inhale this > --------------------------- > > > COPD symptoms can also be managed with the use of a > nebulizer, an > apparatus that produces an ultrasonic mist that > moisturizes the > respiratory system. > > In the August 2002 issue of his Nutrition & Healing > newsletter, > Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., discusses COPD at length, > and states that > nebulized, inhaled glutathione is “the No. 1 natural > treatment for > COPD in my practice. " Regular e-Alert readers will > recognize > glutathione as the powerful antioxidant and amino > acid molecule that > I've written about many times. > > Dr. Wright cautions that by the time a COPD > diagnosis is made, lung > tissue is usually so badly damaged that nutritional > treatments alone > can't cure most cases of COPD. But he adds, “I can > safely say that > this type of therapy usually stops and at least > partially reverses the > progression of the disease. Often, improvement can > be quite > significant. " > > Dr. Wright's article (available online to his > rs at > wrightnewsletter.com) contains a 13-point checklist > of the vitamins > and nutrients essential to treating COPD-related > disorders. And it’s > not a surprise that his list parallels Dr. Spreen’s > recommendation and > the Nottingham University research with suggested > daily doses of both > vitamin C and magnesium. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > More news from the pyramid reconstruction project... > > > The pyramid in question, of course, is the USDA Food > Guide Pyramid, > which is undergoing its required five-year review > and revision. > > Last week, in the e-Alert “Sugar Coating It " > (9/2/04), I told you > about the recommendations from the Dietary > Guidelines Advisory > Committee (DGAC) concerning intake of foods with > added sugars. > > This week it’s grains. > > In the past, the DGAC has been transparently > influenced by two > powerful food lobbies: sugar and grains. But as > people become more > savvy about what constitutes good nutrition, the > DGAC is forced to > perform an almost comical balancing act, trying to > create something > close to " realistic " nutrition recommendations, > while kowtowing to > these hugely influential, deep-pocket special > interest groups. > > The new DGAC recommendations state that more whole > grains should be > eaten in order to increase fiber intake. Okay – so > far we’re with them > all the way. Whole grains are very important for > promoting heart > health, among other things. But you know the grain > issue can’t end > there. > > Eric Hentges – the executive director of the USDA's > Center for > Nutrition Policy and Promotion, told The Associated > Press (AP) that > it's important to get a “balance of enriched grains > and whole grains. " > Ah, there it is! And the good folks over at the > grain lobby must be > congratulating each other on another job well done. > > " Enriched grains " is another way of saying “grain > products that have > been so thoroughly processed that they need to be > ‘enriched’ in order > to have any nutrients at all. " > > Mr. Hentges also unveiled a startling new concept > that appears in the > DGAC recommendations: discretionary calories. Here’s > the idea: After > you’ve eaten the foods that deliver the required > amounts of nutrients, > if you haven’t overeaten and you’re not overweight > or obese, then you > may have a reward: discretionary calories. In other > words: calories > you can go nuts with – ice cream, cheese dip, > KitKats, whatever! > > Here’s how the AP puts it: “Discretionary calories > could be considered > treats calories, because they don't have to be from > nutrient-rich > foods. " > > " Treats " calories! You’ve got to love it. It’s a > " nutrition " concept > that only the USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory > Committee could have > dreamed up. (With a little help from their pals at > the sugar lobby, no > doubt.) > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > Sources: > > " Fracture Risk Associated with Inhaled > Corticosteroid use in Chronic > Obstructive Pulmonary Disease " American Journal of > Respiratory and > Critical Care Medicine " Vol. 169, No. 7, 4/1/04, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Panel Issues Final Recommendations for Food > Pyramid " The Associated > Press, 8/27/04, cnn.com > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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