Although there have been many studies showing
possible adverse effects of BPA. BPA, or bisphenol-A is a plastic used
in may cans and plastic bottles. Although some products are BPA free,
there are many which have not yet changed their composition.
In a recent well designed study, researchers found that when adults
drank from 2 BPA containing cans their blood pressure rose significantly
as opposed to when they drank the same substances from glass bottles.
Clearly we need to stay away from BPA. I think it is another product that should no longer be used in our foods.
The "back to sleep" campaign, advising parents
that babies should sleep on their back on firm mattresses, has
decreased the incidence of SIDS, which was already rare, by over 50%.
But many babies seem
to sleep better on their stomachs, leaving parents with a dilemma. This
has created a niche for devices that have breathing alarms and claim to
allow babies to sleep on their stomachs.
However, these
devices are sold as consumer devices, NOT medical; and therefore are not
subject to FDA regulation and approval. Their claims have not been
proven or studied.
Here's what you need to know:
• These devices are not regulated by the FDA and may be marketed with the vague enticement of “keeping babies safe.”
• One device is a sock that measures heart rate and oxygen
concentration. Other monitors provide various data; for example, an
ankle monitor tracks heart rate and temperature.
• These devices do not have alarms; they are sold as consumer products rather than as medical devices.
• In addition to wearable monitors, smartphone applications are
available for parents to monitor heart rate, oxygen concentration, and
skin temperature.
• Although the product materials state that they
are not intended to prevent SIDS, safety is being emphasized in the
marketing materials. No published data are offered to support safety
claims.
• Some devices are marketed at costs of US$200 to US$300.
Although they may be justified and effective in some cases, parents should not rely on these completely.
In Europe, one of the most popular smoking
cessation medications is actually a plant derived substance called
cytisine. This inexpensive herb has been found, in a recent study,
to be more 30% effective than nicotine patches or gum. Why is this
product not used more in this country? Perhaps checking the profits and
sales of the nicotine replacement therapy would be a clue.
You
may have recently read that the FDA withdrew recommendations for a
procedure known as morcellation which was a technique used to remove
fibroids. It involved an expensive new machine. In its initial approval
the FDA relied on a report from a physician on its panel who said the
adverse effects were not as bad as reported. This doctor had received
over $150,000 in speaker fees from the manufacturer.
Indeed,
the Wall Street Journal reported that of 122 FDA advisers who evaluated
cardiologic, orthopedic, and gynecologic devices from 2012–2014, one
third had received compensation (e.g., money, research grants, food, or
travel) from device companies, and nearly 10% overall had been
compensated by companies whose device they were assessing. The FDA
disclosed almost none of these relationships.
I rarely
recommend new treatments or devices unless they are a dramatic
improvement or have been in use for a significant time. I have seen too
many of these adverse events being reported long after approval; perhaps
this again is part of the reason.
Family Dinners - Important Psychological Effects
In today's fast moving and electronic society, we may have lost the
tradition of a family dinner where everyone can talk about their day and
obtain support our family.
Researchers studied cyber-bullying
(Internet bullying) found a 30% or more decrease in mental health or
substance abuse problems in those children who had at least four family
dinners a week.
The psychological support of a teens family should not be forgotten!
Irritable Bowel, or IBS, is characterized by
constipation or diahrrea, often associated with cramps; as well as being
associated with certain foods.
Physicians often prescribe anti-spasmotic
drugs. The diagnosis is most often one of exclusion; where we rule out
all other causes. But many in the medical community believe this is a
psychological and not physical disease.
However, in a recent
study, researchers found that, in patients with IBS, certain foods
induced microscopic changes in the wall of te intestine, with increased
permeability (leakiness) and migration of inflammatory cells.
We can expect this confocal laser endomicroscopy technique to become
more common and help establish which foods IBS patients are actually
sensitive to. This may also be useful in gluten intolerance (as compared
with real antibody induced celiac disease).
The flu vaccine, which is generally very good
at preventing disease, is formulated 6-12 month before flu season, and
is based on the best guess of researchers and what viruses are
circulating in the far East.
The flu virus is composed of several strands of RNA (like DNA), and
there are up to about 12 different variations of each strand. Some
combinations can result if a more severe strain (like Bird Flu), some in
a more contagious but less dangerous variety. It is when all factors
combine to make a potent virus which spreads more easily (as in 1918)
that we have a dangerous epidemic.
This is one of the reasons
we need an annual vaccine; to account for changes in the virus. This
years "guess" by researchers was less accurate than usual. The virus
that was predominating in September of this year was found to be
different from the H3N2 strain used in the vaccine (created in
February). The strain this year is a slightly different H3N2 variety;
but is a potent variety that may be associated with more severe illness.
The CDC recommends that anti-viral medications (such as Tamiflu) be
used early in the diagnosis; even before confirmation cultures are back,
especially in high risk individuals. If you fall into that group seek
medical care as early as possible if you think you have the flu. You can
check this web site to help you make that decision.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/testing.htm
A couple of recent studies have emphasized how important parenting is to the health and habits of our children.
Many parents believe that introducing alcohol in a controlled manner can influence future
responsible drinking. However studies do not support any change in the
behavior of our children and their response to peer pressure. Teaching
proper attitudes and not allowing underage drinking seems more
appropriate.
In another interesting study, researchers
examined the nutritive content of lunches sent from home and compared
them to the current guidelines of the National School Lunch Program.
They found that the home lunches had substantially more sodium, and less
vegetables than recommended. Similar to our problems with fast food in
this country we need to educate our society on better eating habits.
My daughter Jodi is a nutritionist, and we often comment on how
difficult it is to obtain our daily balance of fresh fruits and
vegetables.
