Prevention, Screening and The Real Story

Medical journals, newspapers and TV news reports publish story after story about advice that people can wait longer periods of time to have cancer screening tests. These articles often suggest that regular screening and preventive testings can be postponed for years, or even entirely avoided for both men and women.

Sadly there is another truth, one not often seen or presented as part of these stories. In recent years you may well remember reading stories regarding the practical risks and lack of benefits now being attributed to yearly routine cancer screening tests. The Annual Pap Smear was a regular event. Most women would go annually to see their primary care medical doctor or their gynecologist for a pap smear, breast exam and referral for their annual mammogram. Now the media tells us that prestigious medical committees or organizations are publishing studies that tell women that it is perfectly acceptable to put off these exams for two, three or even five years.

While it is hard to argue with studies done by major organizations and experts, is it really the right thing to do for you? In recent years the medical professionals, have told women that breast-self exam is useless, mammography and pap smears may lead to expensive and even unnecessary painful and even dangerous post testing, false positive and bring more fear into the lives of women who participate. Each of these articles almost always contain a statement of how putting off these routine procedures can save dollars. The assumption is that it reduces health care costs, but with health care organizations making record profits, and since health care costs have not really dropped significantly, I often question where the money saved actually goes?

As a physician I want to listen to and value these studies. Most of these studies at least on the surface appear to be well done and offer some value. However, my practical reality of day-to-day medical practice and years of experience in dealing with people and not just numbers, leaves me screaming inside as to the damage these new recommendations could end up doing.

These new recommendations are heavily influencing women to postpone some potentially life saving procedures, I am very uncomfortable with this outcome. My patients specifically come to me to take care of their needs and help them not only prevent but also catch early problems that would ultimately if undiagnosed, create misery, confusion and true risk to their life and well-being. They want to trust of my expert advice and I will only give the very best advice to them, since I feel they deserve this.

I have actually started writing this article nearly 100 different times. Each time I see an article telling the world that it is okay to live in a bubble, to not worry about real risks and problems and to accept being talked out of taking care of them selves. I have no statistics to offer to prove my point or to assure my patients that I am more correct than these major academic organizations. I am not a prestigious teaching physician. I am not the head of a well-known hospital or medical center. I am in a sense a lone practitioner who simply takes the very best care of and sincerely cares about his patients as unique, valuable and deserving individuals.

I have no great words of wisdom to offer, I simply have more than 42 years of medical practice experience on the front line working with women. The vast majority of my patients choose to prevent and not to live in fear of having life changing medical conditions such as cancer of the breast, uterus, ovaries, vulva or any other organ or bodily system take over their life.

I feel fortunate that, here on the front line, I do not see a great deal of cancer or other lethal health problems in my patients, yet cancer and other major health problems are not at all uncommon.

What I do see is that the great majority of women with breast cancer often have found it by themselves. They often did so when they detected a lump in their breast that was not previously present. How do I know this, because it is the most common way we as physicians see breast cancer’s detected. The difference between those caught early which are 100% curable and those caught late which ultimately require radical mastectomies, chemotherapy and radiation is the fact that most of the women with early tumors found their cancers either randomly or during monthly breast-self exams. The other group of early cancer patients are those who did come in for yearly breast exam and/or mammography.

I cannot imagine how any articles could say that it is better to wait,. But unfortunately they do and this not only makes me angry, but it makes me question what the underlying intent of these studies and subsequent articles are. Are they to protect women or to protect the insurance companies profits? No one can tel me that waiting until cancer is in an advanced stages saves anyone any money or in fact suffering, anxiety or pain either.

I have practiced medicine long enough to know, and as my professor of Statistics told me on my first day at UCLA School of Public Health, “Tell me what you want me to prove and I will design the study to prove exactly what you want to prove for you and anyone reading it.” While I hate to say things like this, since most medical practitioners and academic organizations are honest and really care about their patients, the truth is studies are paid for by someone and as we have just seen in our last presidential election, truth is often in the eye of the person with the dollars.

I have added an article to this month’s HolisticGynPS.Com newsletter that would at first glance appear to be out of place, a story regarding the decrease in the death rate from ovarian cancer done in England. Ovarian Cancer Deaths Fall By 20%, England.

Why should we, here in America, care about what is happening in England? The answer lies in a short statement mid-way through this article, “.. the fall in deaths could be because we are getting better at detecting and treating ovarian cancer.” The author cites improvements in scanning procedures, surgery and chemotherapy treatments. The decrease in deaths in England, is occurring because they are getting better at detecting and treating ovarian cancer, not because they are delaying detection.

The takeaway here is that in order to prevent deaths from ovarian cancer we must first detect it while it is early enough. How can ovarian cancer or breast cancer for that matter, be detected if we are telling women to stay home, stop self exams and wait longer and longer to come in to their doctor to be seen, screened and checked?

Cancer is always time sensitive! Even if it may take years for some cancers to develop, during this time the cancer will likely go unrecognized until one of two things happens, 1) the woman develops signs and symptoms which could mean that her cancer has advanced, or 2) the woman or her doctor finds it early enough to start treatment before the woman’s life and well-being are at risk.

Telling women to wait for years, to not go in for regular check ups, while an early or worse advanced cancer might be allowed to grow, can only suggest that, “the inmates are running the asylum.” To me waiting seems to be a fool’s delight, it may make some people very happy and believe that this saves lots of money, but others will not fare so well. True we might spend more money offering preventive services and we are likely to get lot’s of normal test results, to which I say, Hurray!!!, For every woman I have ever known hearing the words, “Everything is normal, you are safe” almost always rings joyful in their heart and soul.

Everyone out there can believe what they desire. Too many times this doc has heard from specialists, “Sorry! It is just too late to do her any good!” This is a message I would like to never ever have to hear again. I invite my patients to come to see me or go to another doctor every year and get checked. Don’t just go for a pap smear and mammography, do make sure to also get your blood pressure checks, look for an unexpected anemia, check for skin cancers, check for blood in your stool, get a complete yearly exam and know that you are working to prevent diabetes, heart disease and cancers. Stop listening to those who can tell you that you can wait. It would be a horrible shock to be told by specialists that you did not come in soon enough.

This might ultimately break the system, but truthfully, if you care about the system why not elect representatives who can help fix this already broken system? Let’s find people who can support and improve early detection, believe in the benefits of screening and early treatment, rather than simply leave more and more lives hanging in the wind. Health issues are always time sensitive!

Moving 6,000 or more steps a day -- no matter how -- adds up to a healthier life for midlife women. That level of physical activity decreases the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome (a diabetes precursor and a risk for cardiovascular disease), showed a study published online this month in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.

To read the full article Daily Steps Add Up for Midlife Women's Health, click here.

When you wake up feeling under the weather, the last thing you’re capable of doing is thinking clearly. But if it’s a weekday, the decision you have to make—call out or head in—is as stressful and confusing as the time you had to figure out what to do with your boss’s Facebook friend request.

To read the full article 5 Times You Should Call in Sick to Work, click here.

A dramatic new study with implications for next month’s presidential election finds that offering women free birth control can reduce unplanned pregnancies -- and send the abortion rate spiraling downward.

To read the full article Free Birth Control Cuts Abortion Rate Dramatically, Study Finds, click here.

Deaths from ovarian cancer among women in England have fallen by 20% over the last ten years, says a new report from the National Cancer Intelligence Network released on 20 November.

To read the full article Ovarian Cancer Deaths Fall By 20%, England, click here.

With the book "Fifty Shades of Grey" still flying off the shelves, women are discovering the power of sexual fantasy, some for the first time.

To read the full article More Women Harness Power of Fantasy, click here.

If your goal is to lose weight, no one will tell you to drink more soda. But Pepsi Special, a new fiber-infused soda from Pepsi-Cola, has been marketed as being able to block fat and reduce hunger. And some nutritionists are calling foul.

To read the full article Can Soda Help You Lose Weight?, click here.

Give your dry skin the moisture it craves.

Flaky, itchy, dry skin can plague you all year, and it’s often worse in winter. But whenever it happens, you only want relief, and you want it fast.

To read the full article 6 Quick and Easy Dry Skin Relievers, click here.

What words would you associate with being old? I asked a few people recently, and here are just some of the words they used: fuddy-duddy, not fresh, decrepit, sad, wrinkly, tired, stiff, brittle, unhappy, invisible, obsolete, diminished, fat, fragile, cranky, and marginalized.

To read the full story Are Your Thoughts Making You Old?, click here.

President Obama's re-election guarantees that the health reform law will continue rolling out.

A WebMD survey after the election found that many readers want to know what impact the law will have on their health care costs.

To read the full story Will Health Reform Cost Me More?, click here.

One Big Winner in Tuesday's Vote: Health Reform

One of the biggest winners Tuesday night was health reform. Now that President Barack Obama has won a second term and kept a Democratic majority in the Senate to back him up, Republicans have lost any chance at repealing his biggest domestic initiative.

To read the full story One Big Winner in Tuesday's Vote: Health Reform, click here.

Now that President Barack Obama has won a second term, the Affordable Care Act is back on a fast track. Some analysts argue that there could be modifications to reduce federal spending as part of a broader deficit deal; for now, this is just speculation. What is clear is that the law will have sweeping ramifications for consumers, state officials, employers and health care providers, including hospitals and doctors.

To read the full story A Consumer's Guide to Health Reform, Post-Election, click here.

Genital Harm More Common Than Dental Injuries, Study Shows

Think twice before making fun of your friend for going to the hospital after getting hit in the crotch with a soccer ball.  According to a study published in the Journal of Urology, these accidents are more common than you’d imagine.

To read the full story Genital Harm More Common Than Dental Injuries, Study Shows, click here.

Thanksgiving, GratitudeSaid to Boost Emotional Outlook

Giving thanks on Thanksgiving sounds like a cliche. But evidence is mounting that counting your blessings can make you happier. Think of it as an emotional reset button, psychologists say - especially in tough times like these.

To read the full article Thanksgiving, gratitude said to boost emotional outlook, click here.

Coffee May Protect Against Endometrial Cancer

Ladies, here's another reason to defend that coffee habit you just can't kick. A new study found that java may protect against endometrial cancer, which begins in the lining of the uterus. It is the most common type of uterine cancer.

To read the full article Coffee May Protect Against Endometrial Cancer, click here.

Thankfulness Linked to Positive Changes in Brain and Body

Grateful? Write it down. Think about it. Talk about it. 'Tis the season of thanking, and not only will you spread those positive vibrations to those around you, your health will benefit, too.

To read the full article Thankfulness Linked to Positive Changes in Brain and Body, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Sugary Drinks: A Health Risk for Women

Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman’s waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to this study.

To read the full article Sugary Drinks: A Health Risk for Women, click here.

 












Foods That Make You Glow from Head to Toe

While we want to look good at the beach, it's important to feel good too. Here, experts tell us the best foods to make us glow from head to toe (hint: they'll also help you shed a pound or two!) to make putting on a bathing suit a fun experience.

To read the full article Foods That Make You Glow from Head to Toe, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Women More Likely to Have 'Broken Heart Syndrome'

Females are seven to nine times more likely to suffer "broken heart syndrome," when sudden or prolonged stress like an emotional breakup or death causes overwhelming heart failure or heart attack..

To read the full article Women More Likely to Have 'Broken Heart Syndrome', click here.

One of the more uncomfortable and problematic conditions women might face, atrophic vaginitis. As menopause approaches, estrogen levels fall and the lining of the vagina begins to thin creating an easily solvable problem if dealt with early. For more information on Preventing and Treating Atrophic Vaginitis, click here.

Multivitamins Cancer, Heart Disease, Death

In recent years article have suggested that multivitamins may play a role in increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease or death in women. Is this true, should you stop taking multivitamins, not yet, for more information on Multivitamins Cancer, Heart Disease, Death, click here.

America's Healthiest Mall Food
   
After zooming from one end of the mall to the other, don't you deserve a quick bite? Of course. Does it have to be greasy fries, gooey cinnamon buns, or some other equally fattening, sodium-loaded calorie bomb? No way!

To read the full article America's Healthiest Mall Food , click here.

  Eating Too Much Salt Can Be Dangerous!

You or someone you love may have a problem with salt. If it is you, than pay attention to the recommendations in this article. If it is someone you love, then recognize that you can protect them by going Easy on the Salt!, click here for more information.

Osteoporosis is a major health problem but many women are unaware of the risks they face and the problems these risks can offer up to them if they do not prepare for and prevent osteoporosis. For more information on what you should but do not know: Women Unaware of Risk for Debilitating Fractures, click here.

Study Finds Vitamins E and C Don't Reduce Cataract Risk in Men

Long-term use of vitamin E and C supplements doesn't reduce the risk of age-related cataracts in men, a new study finds.

To read the full article Vitamins E and C Don't Reduce Cataract Risk in Men , click here.

High Cholesterol in Middle Age May Not Raise Dementia Risk for Women

For years, doctors have been saying that keeping your cholesterol levels in check as you age is good for your brain as well as your heart, but a new study suggests the connection between cholesterol and dementia later in life isn't quite so clear-cut.

To read the full article High Cholesterol in Middle Age May Not Raise Dementia Risk for Women, click here.

Childhood Abuse Increases Risk Of Adult Diabetes

Were you the victim of physical or sexual abuse as a child? If so, you may have a 26 to 69% greater risk of type 2 adult diabetes, according to an article today on HealthFinder.gov.

To read the full article Childhood Abuse Increases Risk Of Adult Diabetes, click here.

12 Signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder

The time of year is approaching that people may begin to experience the symptoms of seasonal depression, commonly known as season affective disorder with the appropriate acronym of SAD.

To read the full article 12 Signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder, click here.

Wandering Mind May Lead to Unhappiness

Researchers Say People Are Most Happy Having Sex, Exercising, Socializing, Mainly Because Such Activities Help Keep the Mind From Wandering

To read the full article Wandering Mind May Lead to Unhappiness, click here.

One year ago a government panel changed the recommendations for breast cancer screening, from yearly to ever two years. Most professional organizations have disagreed with this and most have not followed suit. The question now being asked is where does this leave women? Should they change what they do, or should they stay with the older, more well entrenched, recommendations and continue to have yearly mammography?

It is now Autumn and the weather is turning colder and dryer, if you have dry and unsightly skin you will want to read this article. Along with fall and winter often comes dry, irritated and unsightly, skin. Now even though the worst of the winter you won’t have to suffer unsightly and uncomfortable skin. In the following article we will tell you how to banish dry skin and give your autum-winter skin care regimen a boost.

There are times when not feeling good is clearly caused by something we ate, the weather, or too much physical activity. But what happens when symptoms are caused by more significant health problem? When should symptoms not be ignored because they herald major health issues. Here are ten symptoms women should never ignore and why they should not be ignored.

Prevention Is Really An Act of Love

So you feel healthy and you want to stay healthy. What is it that you need to do to maintain excellent health and well-being? Certainly diet, exercise and lifestyle are important but equally as important is early diagnosis of possible life or at least, well-being threatening conditions.

The doctorsand media has been misleading women about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for years, and they are going to do it again.

Brace yourselves, another round of misleading information about Estrogen and Progesterone Hormone Therapy is about to hit the media. Before you get upset, before you get too confused, don’t stop using HRT read this article, first before doing anything.

Experts: Alcohol More Harmful Than Crack or Heroin
Substance Abuse Ranked According to Harm to User and Society

Alcohol abuse is more harmful than crack or heroin abuse, according to a new study by a former British government drug advisor and other experts.

To read the full article Experts: Alcohol More Harmful Than Crack or Heroin, click here.

Dr. Marie Savard Responds to Viewers' Questions After Oct. 19 Study Results

An ongoing Women's Health Initiative study released results last week showing postmenopausal women who took a combination of estrogen and progestin therapy had a higher chance of getting aggressive forms of breast cancer and may even be at a higher risk of death because of the disease.

To read the full article Getting Answers After HRT Linked to High Cancer Risk , click here.

Another opinion on this topic Misleading Information, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oral cancers in women rising, HPV sometimes a factor

Pat Folsom, 54, knows the importance of preventive medicine. As a health care worker, she goes for scheduled checkups.

To read the full story Oral cancers in women rising, HPV sometimes a factor, click here.

Measure for measure, a way to cut calories

The holiday season brings with it an overabundance of advice on how to avoid gaining weight in the face of all those festive meals, cocktail parties and plates of cookies brought in by co-workers.

To read the full story Measure for measure, a way to cut calories, click here.

I'm dreaming of a right-size Christmas

The daydreams start about this time every year: I imagine a Thanksgiving feast followed by post-turkey touch football on the beach; my children beside a picture-perfect Christmas tree and glowing menorah, gleeful over their gifts and good fortune; a rollicking New Year's dinner party with friends; and generally lots of togetherness and good cheer.

To read the full story  I'm dreaming of a right-size Christmas, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Predicting Heart Disease Risk

Consumers are well aware of the dangers of oxidative stress, if the number of juices and teas advertised as containing antioxidants is any indication. But what is the best way to measure oxidative stress – and to fight it?

To read the full story Predicting Heart Disease Risk, click here.

 










Bypassing the Blues

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients who were screened for depression after surgery and then cared for by a nurse-led team of health care specialists via telephone reported improved quality of life and physical function compared to those who received their doctors' usual care.

To read the full story Bypassing the Blues, click here.

Being thankful ... you’re not like mom and dad: Holidays can provide lessons about love amid quirky family dynamics

Thanksgiving  and Christmas brings the annual mix of happy anticipation and dread as we gather at the old homestead for a day of food, celebration and family politics.

To read the full article Being thankful ... you’re not like mom and dad, click here.

 

Study: Cut Global Warming, Save Lives Slashing; Carbon Emissions Would Reduce Heart, Lung Diseases, New Studies Show

Cutting global warming pollution would not only make the planet healthier, it would make people healthier too, newly released studies say.

To read the full article Study: Cut Global Warming, Save Lives, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can Food Lower Your Cholesterol?
Dr. Jennifer Ashton Tests Our Knowledge of Cholesterol and a Heart Healthy Diet

Almost 99 million adults in the United States have what is considered borderline or high cholesterol.  In time for Christmas, CBS's  Dr. Jennifer Ashton and Harry Smith talk about foods and cholesterol.

To read the full article Can Food Lower Your Cholesterol?, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treating trauma victims may cause its own trauma

They listen to tales of life's worst moments, but they can't go home and tell their spouses about what they've heard. Sometimes no amount of schooling is enough to shield them from taking on some of their patients' suffering.

To read the full article Treating trauma victims may cause its own trauma , click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Dream Interpretation: Tuneups for the Brain

It’s snowing heavily, and everyone in the backyard is in a swimsuit, at some kind of party: Mom, Dad, the high school principal, there’s even an ex-girlfriend. And is that Elvis, over by the piñata?

To read the full article A Dream Interpretation: Tuneups for the Brain, click here.

Suicides in the downturn raise worries about recession’s real cost

Coroner John White is presiding over a sad tally in this northern Indiana county, tracking rising numbers of suicides he believes are linked to the lingering recession.

To read the full story Suicides in the downturn raise worries about recession’s real cost, click here.

Do Teen Sports Increase Risk of Teen Drinking and Violence?
Young Men Who Participate in Team Sports May Be More Likely to Fight, Drink

Conventional wisdom has always been that team sports build character, cooperation, and leadership skills. But new research suggests that being on the school football team may also be hurting your teen, especially boys.

To read the full story Do Teen Sports Increase Risk of Teen Drinking and Violence?, click here.

Diet Sodas May Be Hard on the Kidneys
Women Who Drink 2 or More Diet Sodas Daily Double Their Risk of Kidney Function Decline, Study Shows

Diet soda may help keep your calories in check, but drinking two or more diet sodas a day may double your risk of declining kidney function, a new study shows.

To read the full story Diet Sodas May Be Hard on the Kidneys , click here.

Chew Away Hunger With Sugar-Free Gum

People who chewed sugarless gum in the morning reduced their calorie intake at lunch by 68 calories.

To read the full story Chew Away Hunger With Sugar-Free Gum , click here.