Great Age Guide to Online Health and Wellness (Sandy Berger's Great Age Guide)

Contents at a Glance Introduction. . . . . . . . . . 1 Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guide to Online Health and Wellness 1...

Author: Sandy Berger

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Contents at a Glance Introduction. . . . . . . . . . 1

Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guide to Online Health and Wellness

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Technology to the Rescue . . . 7 Looking Younger . . . . . . . . . . 25 Feeling Younger . . . . . . . . . . 55 Preparing For Your Doctor Visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Researching Health Concerns Online . . . . . . . . . 105 Finding Disease-Specific Information Online . . . . . . . 129 Men’s and Women’s Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Finding Others Like You. . . 177 Improving Your Medication Awareness Online . . . . . . . . 193 Your Personal Medical Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Unconventional Healthcare Options . . . . . . 235 High-Tech Medicine . . . . . . . 261

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 USA

Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guide to Online Health and Wellness

Associate Publisher Greg Wiegand

Copyright © 2006 by Que Publishing

Acquisitions Editor Stephanie J. McComb

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

Development Editor Laura Norman Managing Editor Charlotte Clapp

International Standard Book Number: 0-7897-3532-6 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2006920309 Printed in the United States of America

Copy Editor Rhonda Tinch-Mize

First Printing: May 2006 09

08

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06

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Project Editor Mandie Frank

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Indexer Tim Wright

Trademarks All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Que Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Proofreader Tracy Donhardt

Warning and Disclaimer

Teresa Reynolds

Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided is on an “as is” basis. The author and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this book.

Publishing Coordinator Sharry Lee Gregory

Bulk Sales

Designer Anne Jones

Que Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contact U.S. Corporate and Government Sales 1-800-382-3419 [email protected] For sales outside of the U.S., please contact International Sales [email protected]

Technical Editor

Page Layout Julie Parks

Table of Contents About Sandy Berger’s Great Age Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Online Health and Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 What’s Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 How This Book Is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

1 Technology to the Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Living Longer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Rewriting Retirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Medical Breakthroughs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Assistive Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Independent Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Managing Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Your Personal Health Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

2 Looking Younger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Weight Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 The Battle of the Bulge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Knowing Your Optimum Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Understanding Your Diet Pitfalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Finding Your Diet Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Dieting Resources Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

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GUIDE TO ONLINE HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Fitness for Everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 High-tech Fitness Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Searching for the Fountain of Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Antiaging Products and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Antioxidants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Creams and Lotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Cosmetic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

3 Feeling Younger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Stress Reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Internet Resources to Help You Reduce Stress . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Meditation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Breathing Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Keeping the Mind Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Laughter Is the Best Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Playing Games Can Keep you Healthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Games Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Console Video Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Games to Get You Moving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Antiaging Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Spas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

V Hormone Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Vitamins and Supplements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Sleep and Light Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 A Good Night’s Sleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Light Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

4 Preparing for Your Doctor Visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Finding Medical Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Finding Physician Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Finding a Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Communicating with Healthcare Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Asking Questions and Raising Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Bridging the Patient-Doctor Divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Be an Informed Patient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Assessing Your Symptoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Research Before You Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Resources for Understanding Medical Terminology . . . . . . . . . .101 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

5 Researching Health Concerns Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Finding Appropriate Medical Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 Government Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 Hospital and Health Care Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Not-For-Profit Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 Medical Professional Organization Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 Medical and Scientific Journals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

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Evaluating the Credibility of Websites That Provide Medical Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Finding General Health Information Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 Tips For Finding More Specialized Information . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Avoiding Scams and Snake Oil Salesmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 Effective Ways to Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 Finding Health-Related Audio and Video Information on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Health Care Information Can Also Be Found in the Form of a Podcast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

6 Finding Disease-Specific Information Online . . . . . . . 129 Arthritis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Macular Degeneration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 Diabetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Alzheimer’s and Dementia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

VII Heart Health and Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

7 Men’s and Women’s Unique Health Issues . . . . . . . . . 155 Men Are from Mars: Women Are from Venus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 Gender-Specific Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 Research and Current Studies You Can Read About Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 The Gender Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159 Heart Health in Men and Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161 Websites with Gender-Specific Information for Both Sexes . .162 WebMD: Men’s and Woman’s Health Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Medline Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 HealthWeb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 Mayo Clinic: Healthy Living Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 Men’s and Women’s Health Areas at MedicineNet.com . . . . . .165 Yahoo! Health Centers for Men and Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 BBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Finding Other Websites Dealing with Gender-Specific Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Women’s Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Breast Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Osteoporosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Men’s Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 Prostate Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175

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8 Finding Others Like You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Finding a Support Group for a Specific Disease or Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Finding Support in Chat Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 Finding Support on Message Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185 Blogs Can Contain a Wealth of Information and Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192

9 Improving Your Medication Awareness Online . . . . . 193 Researching Medication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194 Medline Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195 U.S. Food and Drug Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 AARP’s Effective and Safe Prescription Drug Site . . . . . . . . . . .196 RXList . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 PDRhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 Researching Generic or Brand Name Drugs Online . . . . . . . . .200 Purchasing Medications Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Beware of Illegitimate Prescription Drug Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . .203 Finding an Online Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205 Avoiding Adverse Drug Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210

IX 10 Your Personal Medical Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Medical Records Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212 Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214 Health Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Electronic Medical Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Security Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218 Portable Medical Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219 USB Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 Living Wills and Legal Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233

11 Unconventional Healthcare Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Complementary Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Food and Dietary Supplements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Chiropractic and Massage Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 Aromatherapy and Biofeedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249 Alternative Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253 Homeopathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253 Ayurvedic Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254 Traditional Chinese Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256 Other Nontraditional Medicines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260

12 High-Tech Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 High-tech Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262 Arthroscopic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262 Swallow a Camera? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

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Virtual Colonoscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 Cataract Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 Cancer Breakthroughs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 Heart Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265 High-tech Heart Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266 Brain Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 Amazing Laboratory Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 The Power of the Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 High-tech Bandages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269 Medicine Delivery Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269 Telemedicine and Connected Home Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270 Robots as Medical Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272 Gene Therapy Creates Dramatic Advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276 Personalized Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277 Cloning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278 The Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 Sandy’s Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

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About the Author Sandy Berger, nationally respected computer authority, journalist, media guest, speaker, and author, has more than three decades of experience as a computer and technology expert. As president of a nationally recognized computer consulting and training company, Sandy applies her unique ability to explain in easy-tounderstand language how to use and enjoy today’s technology. Her trademark, “Compu-KISS®,” which stands for “The Computer World— Keeping It Short and Simple,” represents her approach to helping others enhance life through the use of computers and technology. As primary content provider and host of AARP’s Computers and Technology website, Sandy has her finger on the pulse of the Boomer and Zoomer community. Her feature stories, product reviews, and computer tips have brought a special insight and ease-of-use to millions of people who didn’t grow up with computers. Sandy writes a monthly column in Smart Computing magazine called TechMates, which reviews two high-tech products that complement each other. She has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television shows, including NBC’s TODAY Show, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, ABC News, WGN, and WOR radio. Sandy is an excellent example of her own philosophy—use technology, but keep it short and simple. Her previous six books, How to Have a Meaningful Relationship with Your Computer, Your Official Grown-up’s Guide to AOL and the Internet, Cyber Savers—Tips & Tricks for Today’s Drowning Computer Users, Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology, Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guide to the Internet, and Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guide to Gadgets & Gizmos adhere to these principles. Sandy is a consumer advocate promoting simplicity, ease-of-use, and stability in consumer technology products. She works with hardware and software developers to help them make their products more user-friendly.

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A cum laude graduate of Chicago’s DePaul University, Sandy went on to complete intensive IBM training in computer systems, analysis, programming, system operations, and numerous computer languages. She subsequently applied her expertise within several major corporations before founding Computer Living Corp.

Dedication This book is dedicated first, to emergency personal everywhere who endure high levels of stress everyday in order to help others…with special thanks to the paramedics who saved my life many years ago in Palatine, Illinois. Also to all the courageous people who have taken control of their own health. Hats off to all who have lost weight, reshaped their bodies, investigated, controlled, and at times even overcome disease, disorder, and disability!

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Acknowledgments Millions of cells in our bodies work together tirelessly to create the many functions that allow us to breathe, walk, see, and generally to enjoy life. For the most part, when these functions work well, we usually take them for granted. We all need to stop every now and then to appreciate our bodies and our health. Today, I also want to take the time to thank the team at Que who made this Great Age Guides series and in particular, this Online Health book possible. Special thanks to Greg Wiegand, Stephanie McComb, Laura Norman, Teresa Reynolds, Mandie Frank, and Rhonda Tinch-Mize. As usual, thanks to my wonderful husband, Dave, and my family for their support and encouragement during the writing of this book.

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GREAT AGE GUIDE TO ONLINE HEALTH AND WELLNESS

We Want to Hear from You! As the reader of this book, you are our most important critic and commentator. We value your opinion and want to know what we’re doing right, what we could do better, what areas you’d like to see us publish in, and any other words of wisdom you’re willing to pass our way. As an associate publisher for Que Publishing, I welcome your comments. You can email or write me directly to let me know what you did or didn’t like about this book—as well as what we can do to make our books better. Please note that I cannot help you with technical problems related to the topic of this book. We do have a User Services group, however, where I will forward specific technical questions related to the book. When you write, please be sure to include this book’s title and author as well as your name, email address, and phone number. I will carefully review your comments and share them with the author and editors who worked on the book. Email:

[email protected]

Mail:

Greg Wiegand Associate Publisher Que Publishing 800 East 96th Street Indianapolis, IN 46240 USA

For more information about this book or another Que Publishing title, visit our website at www.quepublishing.com. Type the ISBN (excluding hyphens) or the title of a book in the Search field to find the page you’re looking for.

Introduction

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ave you ever stopped to think about the role of technology in your life? There’s no doubt that today’s younger generations will benefit from current and future technological advances, but today’s older generations are already seeing the biggest lifestyle improvements ever. We are living longer, more active lives than our parents and grandparents. Our ancestors went from youth to middle age to old age. We, with a new mentality and the help of technology, have added an entire epoch to our lives…the Great Age!

Everyone knows that the term baby boomer refers to individuals born after World War II. This group is generally recognized as encompassing everyone who was born between 1946 and 1964. The boomer’s older siblings don’t have a moniker associated with their generation, but along with the boomers, they are often referred to as zoomers because they are not ready to be relegated to a

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rocking chair. Boomers and zoomers are zooming into the latter part of their lives, zooming into technology, and zooming into everything they do. They are vibrant individuals who deal enthusiastically with all aspects of their lives. They are ready to sit back and enjoy the Great Age that they have created.

About Sandy Berger’s Great Age Series It’s about time someone addressed the issues that face those of us who did not grow up with computers. We are not technologically impaired. We are not dummies. And we are not about to be overlooked. It’s just that we didn’t learn about computers in school, so we sometimes approach the new-fangled digital world with a bit of trepidation. Can someone please tell us just what we need to know without any complicated mumbo jumbo? That is exactly what this series does. It is explicitly geared for the needs and wants of baby boomers and beyond. It will tell you just what you need to know. No more and no less. It uses the winning formula of need-to-know information, along with easy-to-understand explanations. Over the past decade, I have helped many boomers and their older siblings learn how to use computers and technology to enhance and improve their lives. I understand the needs and wants of this generation. After all, I am enjoying the Great Age myself. So I am anxious to help guide you into the world of technology where the “Great Age” is full of enjoyment and anticipation.

Online Health and Wellness Many of us have watched our parents and grandparents retire and grow old. They grew old gracefully. We want to grow old magnificently. We want our latter years to be happier, more exciting, and livelier than those of our ancestors. We realize that to accomplish those goals, we must make health and wellness a priority.

INDRODUCTION

3 To that end, we have taken health and wellness into our own hands. The Internet has become a tool of choice for finding out how to stay healthy, researching disorders and diseases, and obtaining health information. We are using high-tech tools to bring that “fountain of youth” a little closer to reality. Our goal is not to ignore our doctors and health professionals, but to work with them to make our bodies stronger and healthier. We want to look better and to feel better. We are willing to work to reach those goals. This book is filled with information to help us all in our journey to health and wellness.

What’s Inside There are no special instructions for using this book. Start at the beginning, or jump around as you please. It doesn’t matter if you are using a PC or a Mac. Much of this book pertains to both of these operating systems. If there are differences, they are noted. I’ve added a quote at the beginning of each chapter because we can always learn from others. I’ve also included several special features to help you in your quest for knowledge.

Lingo The Lingo boxes will explain any hightech terms in easy-to-understand language.

Sandy’s tip Sandy’s Tips will give you my personal tips, tricks, and shortcuts to make life in the digital world a little easier.

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Blooper Alert The Blooper Alerts will alert you to avoid some of the pitfalls. By telling you about some of the places where most people stumble, these alerts will allow you to stay out of trouble and to feel a whole lot smarter.

Health Facts The Health Facts are just for fun. They are tidbits of fascinating information: little things including today’s factoids as well as details from the good old days.

How This Book Is Organized •

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•

Chapter 1, “Technology to the Rescue”—An American born in 1900 was expected to live to the ripe old age of 47. Those born in 2001 have a life expectancy of 77 years. Each year technology and medical breakthroughs increase life expectancy and make life more comfortable. This chapter will discuss some of those breakthroughs and how they affect our lives and our independent living. Chapter 2, “Looking Younger”—We don’t mind looking a little older than we did in our twenties and thirties, but we don’t want to look wrinkled, shriveled, or old. Information on new antiaging products, as well as high-tech weight management tools and techniques, will keep us feeling younger. Chapter 3, “Feeling Younger”—Our grandparents dealt with aging in a rocking chair. Our generation is bypassing stagnation. Instead, we actively seek ways to retain our vim and vigor. This chapter shows where to find the tools and information to keep our minds and bodies active and youthful.

INDRODUCTION

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• •

• • • •

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Chapter 4, “Preparing for Your Doctor Visit”—Online resources can help you find doctors, hospitals, and clinics. They can also provide the information necessary to understand medical terminology and to communicate with your doctor to get the best possible care. Chapter 5, “Researching Your Health Needs Online”—From stopping the grinding of your teeth to soothing your aching feet, Internet resources will help you assess your symptoms and find solutions to your aches and pains. In this chapter, you will find out how to determine the quality of online medical information and how to avoid online scams and sales pitches. Chapter 6, “Special Online Health Information”—This chapter delves into some of the health problems that affect the aging population, giving specific information for heart health, arthritis, macular degeneration, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, senile dementia, and cancer. Chapter 7, “Men’s and Women’s Health Issues”—Researchers are finding that when it comes to medical issues, men and women are very different. This chapter addresses some gender-specific issues. Chapter 8, “Finding Others Like You”—The Internet is the perfect place to find others who share your condition or affliction. This chapter discusses how to find these medical soul mates, as well as how to assess their advice. Chapter 9, “Knowing and Understanding Medication”—The doctor might prescribe medication, but today’s patients want to know exactly what the medications they are taking will do, how they will interact with other drugs, and which other medications might be applicable to their condition. This chapter investigates. Chapter 10, “Your Personal Medical Records”—The many privacy concerns regarding personal medical records are discussed in this chapter. We will also investigate devices that allow emergency personnel immediate access to health records as well as documenting health records at home.

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•

•

•

Chapter 11, “Being Healthy at Home”—This chapter investigates the large variety of home health tools including blood pressure monitors, cholesterol and blood sugar monitors, high-tech scales, and stayhealthy devices such as pedometers and heart-rate monitors. It also discusses medical alert devices and caregiver information. Chapter 12, “Natural and Complementary Health”—Most of the leading chronic diseases and killer conditions are preventable. This chapter discusses resources for information on food and nutrition, herbs and vitamins, as well as where to find natural home remedies. There are many alternative health options. This chapter talks about some of these techniques and gives information regarding where to find more information on these health-related choices. Chapter 13, “High-Tech Medicine”—Techniques such as remote surgery and telemedicine are more readily available than the average person realizes. This chapter confers information on some of the high-tech medical practices already available and those poised to become commonplace in the future.

My fondest wish is that you enjoy this book and let technology make your life better!

Sandy Berger

Chapter

1

Technology to the Rescue “If I had my way, I’d make health catching instead of disease.” —Robert Green Ingersoll

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obert Ingersoll had the right idea…if only we could “catch” health. Well, we haven’t reached that lofty goal, but technology has made us able to live longer, healthier lives. Technology and high-tech resources such as the Internet also give us access to a wealth of health-related information. They enable us to find what we need to know when we are sick and to take control of our healthcare choices.

Living Longer An American born in 1900 was expected to live to the ripe old age of 47. Those born in 2001 have a life expectancy of 77 years. This means that if the predictions hold, in 2078 half of the people born in 2001 will still be alive.

In This Chapter ■

Living Longer

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Rewriting Retirement

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Medical Breakthroughs

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Assistive Technologies

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Independent Living

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Managing Your Health

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Each year, technology and medical breakthroughs increase life expectancy and make life more comfortable. The number of people in the United States who have celebrated their 100th birthday increases by 8 percent every year. Centenarians are the fastest growing segment of our population. Millions of baby boomers will become centenarians. The average life

Lingo

expectancy at birth is the age when 50% of those born in any given year are expected to have died.

We still haven’t found Ponce de Leon’s fabled Fountain of Youth, but we have found many ways to increase our life span. Technology has stepped up to the plate to find medical techniques that add years to our lives. These include diet guidelines, exercise methodology, gene therapy, disease prevention, antiaging techniques, cognitive enhancements, and drug and diagnosis breakthroughs. Luckily, technology is also finding ways to make living longer more pleasurable. After all, we all want to live to be a hundred, but we want to look and feel vibrant for the entire life voyage. Creams, lotions, and cosmetic surgery help us look better longer. Diet, vitamins, and exercise make us feel stronger. In-home gadgets and gizmos are aiding us in living independently longer. Even though technology is helping people delay the onset of disease, as people age they are more likely to develop disabilities. There has been a dramatic change in the medicines and products that can help those with disabilities. Many things determine how long you can expect to live. Because of everyday habits and environment, even the country you live in can make a difference. Men and women who live in Japan now have the longest life expectancy. French, Swiss, Swedish, and American women follow the Japanese women, in that order. For men, after the long-lived Japanese, come men from Iceland, Sweden, Hong Kong, Israel, and the United States.

CHAPTER 1 TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE

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If you want to determine how long you might live, the Alliance for Aging Research has an excellent calculator, called The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator at www.agingresearch.org/calculator, as shown in Figure 1.1. The calculator was created by Dr. Thomas Perls and the Alliance for Aging Research. All you do is answer simple questions about your lifestyle and habits, and it will tell you how long you can expect to live based on those answers. There are two nice things about this calculator. First, you are not required to register, and second, when you get the results, it explains how some of your history and/or habits will enable you to live longer or might cut your life short.

FIGURE 1.1 The Alliance for Aging Research has an excellent quiz that will help determine your lifespan.

Rewriting Retirement Unlike previous generations, baby boomers have spent much of their lives engrossed with health, vitality, and youth. Boomers were the first generation to have worn braces in record numbers. They were the first

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to have birth control pills readily available to them. They are the first to frequent health clubs on a regular basis. They not only expect to live longer, but also want to remain active until the end of their lives. The bottom line is that old bag, geezer, and old goat might not apply to the boomer generation until they are well into their 90s. Breakthroughs in the health field will also make sure that the words decrepit, feeble, and frail will not be applied to these individuals too early in their lives. Baby boomers are bringing a new slant to the retirement scenario. Some are using their added years and better health to retire later. Some are retiring earlier to pursue lifelong dreams of travel and hobbies. Some are retiring from their first career only to reinvent themselves and create new goals and new work opportunities. There’s not a rocking chair in sight as the boomer generation heads toward the latter half of their lives.

Medical Breakthroughs At the turn of the twentieth century, many people died prematurely: not from accidents, but from infectious diseases. Children were especially susceptible with many families losing one quarter of their children to disease before they were fully grown.

Health Facts Through a mass vaccination program, the World Health Organization announced in 1980 that the deadly smallpox virus had been completely eradicated. Vaccination programs are still in process to eliminate polio.

Over the years, medical breakthroughs have limited the spread of infectious diseases such as smallpox and polio. They have improved physical testing for disease and even allow those stricken by disease and disability to live better and more productive lives. Yet, these tests, treatments, and helpful devices are only useful if you know about them. Your doctor and other medical professionals can recommend these powerful new technologies, but so much is going on in the health field that not every doctor can keep up with the latest and greatest technologies.


That’s where the Internet steps up to the plate. With the Internet, you can keep up with the latest breakthroughs and bring them to your doctor for his educated opinion. For instance, did you know that Cancer Treatment Centers of America have a cutting-edge technology that offers a precise delivery of radiation to tumor sites while minimizing damage to healthy tissue? This TomoTherapy HI-ART system has a radiation beam that rotates 360 degrees to increase efficiency. For more information, see www.cancercenter.com/ conventional-cancer-treatment/tomotherapy.cfm, shown in Figure 1.2.

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Blooper Alert A family history of a genetic disease shows that you are at a higher risk for that disease. It does not mean that you will definitely get that disease, but you should be especially vigilant about screenings and tests that provide early detection of those diseases you are genetically predisposed to.

FIGURE 1.2 The Cancer Treatment Center of America’s website lists many new cancer treatment therapies.

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Another new technology is being used for heart patients who need to undergo ongoing testing. The high-tech heart chair is a NASA-like technology known as a c.cam. It is a comfortable chair with an attached gamma camera that captures images of the heart. Because of its smaller size, it brings testing from medical centers to individual doctors’ offices. Because of its comfort, patients love it and it produces better images. For more information, visit the Siemens Medical website at www.usa.siemens.com/NuclearMedicine.

Assistive Technologies Many assistive technologies are also available today. You might remember those heavy oxygen tanks of old. People with severe asthma, emphysema, obesity, or recent surgeries were often tied to them for their existence. Today the HELiOS oxygen tank, shown in Figure 1.3, is delivering supplemental oxygen with a three-and-a-half pound oxygen system that can be worn like a backpack. This system carries about 10 hours of oxygen and can be refilled from larger tanks kept at home. With HELiOS, people who are oxygen dependant can now play golf, mow the lawn, or take the kids trick-or-treating. More information on HELiOS can be found at www.heliosoxygen.com. Even the old-fashioned wheelchair may be a thing of the past. Other than some motorization, wheelchairs have changed little since the days when FDR was wheeled about in a cane-back chair with large wheels. That is, until the development of the iBOT wheelchair. iBOT is a hightech wheelchair that is FDA approved. Its full name is the INDEPENDENCE iBOT Mobility System, as shown in Figure 1.4. This wheelchair is aptly named because it gives the user an independence that was never possible before. Ibot can travel over uneven terrain including sand, grass, and gravel. It can move easily up and down stairs. One of the iBOT’s best features is that the wheels can be stacked, putting two wheels on top of the other two. This effectively lifts the chair user to the height of a person, allowing him or her to look at others eye to eye.


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FIGURE 1.3 The lightweight portable HELiOS oxygen tank is letting oxygen-dependent individuals regain their mobility. Reprinted by permission of Nellcor Puritan Bennett Inc., Pleasanton, California. HELiOS® is a trademark of Tyco Healthcare Group LP or its affiliate.

When the iBOT became available in 2003, it cost about $30,000 (about as much as I paid for my first house). In 2005, the price was lowered to about $26,000. Even that slow price reduction will make the unit available to more people. Hopefully someday soon, they will be affordable for all the disabled who could benefit from them. More information is available at www.independencenow.com. You’ve all watched those emergency room, medical dramas on television. One of the prominent pieces of equipment featured on those shows is the defibrillator that is used for a patient in cardiac arrest. “Stand back,” they holler as they pull out the paddles to place on the patient’s chest. All the drama aside, sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States.

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FIGURE 1.4 The iBOT wheelchair can climb stairs and can also raise the rider to eye-level.

Approximately 340,000 people in the United States die from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) each year. It can happen any time, any place, and nearly 80% of all sudden cardiac arrests happen at home. A defibrillator is a device used to treat the most common underlying cause of sudden cardiac arrest. For the best chance of survival, a shock from a defibrillator should be delivered within 5 minutes. For every minute that goes by without treatment, a victim’s chance of surviving SCA decreases by 7-10%. After 10 minutes, survival is highly unlikely. A few years ago, home defibrillator devices were available only to healthcare professionals and emergency personnel. Now, however, the FDA has cleared the Philips HeartStart Defibrillator for home use without a prescription. HeartStart was designed so that virtually anyone can use it to help save the life of a person who suffers a sudden cardiac arrest. It also has voice instructions that talk you through each step and


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coach you through the CPR. The device uses technology and accurate algorithms to determine whether the patient’s heart requires a shock from the defibrillator. Designed for safety, HeartStart analyzes a patient’s heart rhythm and will recommend a shock only if necessary. There’s no doubt about it: As more homes acquire the HeartStart Home Defibrillator, more lives will be saved.

FIGURE 1.5 The Philips Heart Start Defibrillator has been approved by the FDA for home use.

Independent Living Currently, there are many lifestyle aids that help with mobility, vision and hearing impairments, as well as arthritis. In the near future, however, there will also a big emphasis on telemedicine. Home devices will be capable of taking a person’s blood pressure, temperature, and other vital medical information and transmitting that data via telephone or the Internet directly to a medical professional who can monitor it. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Tags) will be placed in everything from medicine bottles to dishes to help monitor older people who live alone.

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Lingo RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Tags are small, barely detectable flakes or tags of silicon that use radio frequencies to transmit a code that uniquely identifies the tag and the item to which the tag is attached. You can consider them the bar codes of the future.

These tags will allow care givers to remotely check to see if the person being monitored has eaten and taken their medicine. They will also be able to assess if other normal living routines are being carried out. Tags of this type will also be capable of keeping an Alzheimer’s patient from straying into dangerous territory. These, plus other monitoring devices will be capable of alerting caregivers to a fall or other emergency situation.

An automated system called the Independent Lifestyle Assistant (ILSA), developed by the National institute of Standards and Technology’s Advanced Technology Program and Honeywell International, Inc., is already available. This system uses a variety of sensors to note activity level, make sure that medication is taken on time, and notify a caregiver if action is needed. More information on this project can be found at the Honeywell website atwww.htc.honeywell.com/projects/ilsa. To get a taste of the work that is being done to help people maintain their independence as they age, visit the AgeLab at http://web.mit.edu/ agelab, shown in Figure 1.6. The AgeLab is filled with innovative technologies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The AgeLab researches the way older people function and creates practical tools for their use. For instance, they are currently working on a project that concentrates on older drivers, their health concerns, driving patterns, and behind-thewheel decision making. The focus is on enhancing safety behind the wheel and using technology to allow people to drive longer. They even investigate alternative methods of transportation that might allow people to get around without an automobile. The Segway, the easy to ride and maneuver electronic scooter-type vehicle, shown in Figure 1.7, is just one of the many driving alternatives being explored.


FIGURE 1.6 The MIT AgeLab focuses on innovation to improve the quality of life for boomers and beyond.

FIGURE 1.7 The Segway is a scooter-type device that offers a viable mobility alternative.

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The AgeLab also focuses on wellness and self-empowerment to create innovative products to positively impact the independence and health of the millions of older people around the world. For instance, in collaboration with Procter & Gamble, they have created an electronic Smart Personal Advisor that attaches to a grocery shopping cart. The Personal Advisor helps with on-the-spot purchase decisions by providing guidance about the correct purchases to make based on the user’s personal diet information. The AgeLab has also created an electronic pill pet that uses play and emotion to remind older adults to take their medications. High-tech devices also help disabled people to live more normal and independent lives. The emphasis on the aging boomers will spill over to younger people who are hampered by a physical disability. All of these high-tech devices enable people to live independently much longer than ever before.

Managing Your Health While we pour through diet books, join exercise clubs, and try out the latest vitamin craze, few of us approach health with any logical methodology. Do you really have a good handle on your medical history? Did your grandfather die from a heart attack, or was it a stroke? Was he the one who had emphysema, or was that your uncle? You remember that your mother was hospitalized when you were young, but do you know what medical ailment precipitated the hospitalization? You need to do a complete family history. You might be thinking that this is something you fill in at the doctor’s office. It often is. Sometimes your doctor even goes over it with you, but how accurate is it? When you fill out such a form in the doctor’s office, you are pressed for time. You guess at the answers you are not sure of. Sometimes you even lie about something you want to keep hidden.

Your Personal Health Assessment Doing your own health assessment will eliminate all of these problems. You can take your time. Ask your relatives about their medical history. And you can be brutally honest.


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Although there is health assessment software that can help you with this project, you don’t really need to purchase anything. Just use your computer and a word processing program to keep track of your knowledge. If you are familiar with spreadsheet programs, you can use them as well. Although you don’t need a computer for this project, using one will keep you better organized and keep all your notes and research in one place.

What Information Is Important to Record? Your health assessment should include not only your family’s physical history, but also it should incorporate your own medical history. Start by listing all the operations and hospitalizations that you have had. Add the chronic diseases and ailments that you have been diagnosed with. Add any allergies that you have. Then add any symptoms that you have that you feel are weaknesses or are related to undiagnosed diseases. Create another list with medicines that you are now taking and what they are for. Now for the hard part. Add your current weight and your weight at twenty, if you know it. Add your approximate weight at each decade of your life. What did you weigh at thirty? Forty? Fifty? There are a few other things that you should add to the physical condition area of your assessment. Remember when your parents marked your height on a doorframe? Well, now you can relive your youth by measuring your current height. If it is different from the height you were at thirty, mark that down as well. Now take your BMI (Body Mass Index). This is done by a calculation of your height and weight. The U.S. Government has a BMI calculator at www.cdc.gov/ nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm. As shown in Figure 1.8, you simply input your height and weight, and the online calculator will determine your BMI and tell you if you are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. The BMI is a health risk indicator.

Lingo BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measurement of relative percentages of fat and muscle mass of the human body. It is currently the most widely used index of obesity.

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If you are overweight or underweight, it’s also a good idea to take your body measurements such as bust, waist, hips, thighs, and arms so that you can compare these measurements in the future as your shape changes. As we age, fat is often deposited around our mid-section, so the waist measurement can be a good indication of whether you are maintaining your weight.

FIGURE 1.8 This BMI calculator will help you determine your body mass index, the current standard for assessing your current weight.

Your health assessment should also contain your blood pressure and cholesterol level. You can get your blood pressure taken at most pharmacies, or you can purchase a home blood pressure monitor. Be sure to take several readings to get a good indication of your average blood pressure. When purchasing a blood pressure monitor, remember that they are not all created equal. For ease of use, I recommend a wrist monitor, but you should make sure that it has advanced technologies for greater accuracy. The Health o meter Model 7632 wrist monitor has these features and also has a memory for keeping up to 50 readings each for two different people. More information is available at the Health o Meter website at www.healthometer.com.


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Because cholesterol levels must be determined by blood tests, it might be a bit more difficult to get these readings. Although home cholesterol testing kits are available, your doctor’s office will be the best place to get your cholesterol levels tested. While you are creating your health assessment, don’t forget eye health. When was the last time you had your eyes checked? Have you recently been tested for glaucoma? Your eyes are precious; be sure that you note checkup dates and results on your health assessment and to get your eyes assessed by a professional on a regular basis. The same goes for dental health. Include a statement on your overall dental health, including any periodontal disease and the date of your last dental checkup. As I mentioned earlier, being brutally honest is important here. So be sure to include any bad habits that you might have that could affect your health. Yes, smoking is one of these, as is excessive drinking. Your health assessment can be as detailed as you like. If you feel that you are not eating properly, you will want to add information on your nutrition or lack thereof. You can also add any other health information that you feel is pertinent. Once complete, your assessment should give you an overview of your health. From simply looking at the assessment you put together, you might be able to see that you need to lose weight or that because of your family history, you are at a high risk for diabetes.

Blooper Alert Because the Body Mass Index is calculated using only height and weight, two people can have the same BMI, but a different percent of body fat. A highly muscular person can have the same BMI as a flabby overweight person.

Health Assessment Assistance Online Your detailed health assessment is a great document to take along to your next doctor’s visit. You can show it to your doctor to get his or her opinion on your weaknesses and the diseases or disabilities that you

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should look out for. You can also do your own research, either before or after your doctor visit. Technology comes to the rescue here. The massive amounts of medical data on the Internet encourage us to assess our own health. As noted later in this book, the Internet will be an extraordinary tool for your medical research.

Sandy’s tip

When creating your health assessment, you should rejoice in the fact that because you are not a twentysomething, you actually have a medical history that can become a helpful guide to your future good health.

A great place to start is with the free health assessments at the Internet Health Status website at http://www.healthstatus.com. These assessments, along with the computer health assessment you have just done, will give you some ideas of some of your health weak points. This website requires a simple registration, but its health calculators and assessments are free. Calculators are available for body fat estimator and ideal weight. There are also calculators for more specific things such as an ovulation calculator and a blood alcohol estimator. If you are a smoker, using their “Cost of Smoking Cigarettes Calculator” might be enough to start you on your way to a smoke-free life. The Health Status website also has free health assessments for General Health, Cardiac Risk, Diabetes, Fitness, General Well-being, and Health Risk. Another website that takes a different approach to the health assessment is RealAge.com, as shown in Figure 1.9. RealAge has an online health assessment that calculates your health status in years. The site requires registration, but the RealAge Test is free and comprehensive. The health questions include general health, medical history, medications, lifestyle, stress, nutrition, and physical activities. After you complete the test, RealAge will show your actual age and whether the answers to your health questions make you older or younger than your actual years. For instance, you might be fifty, but if you have healthrelated problems and you don’t take good care of yourself, your “Real Age” might be sixty-one, or even seventy. If, however, you are fit and have great health habits, your Real Age might be years younger than your chronological age.


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FIGURE 1.9 The RealAge website helps you determine your age based on how well you maintain your body.

The wonderful thing about the RealAge website is that they tell you what is making your Real Age younger or older than your actual age. So while a positive attitude, good genes, and good oral hygiene will make your Real Age younger, smoking, high levels of stress, and low vegetable intake might make your Real Age older. RealAge will also give you a plan to improve your health. The plan includes diet and nutrition, general health, fitness, weight loss, and stress reduction. Action steps such as nutritional changes and supplements, an exercise program, and things to discuss with your doctor are given. After you make a few changes, you can go back and change the information in your assessment, and the website will recalculate your Real Age. It is a proven fact.

Sandy’s tip

The RealAge website also has a newsletter that will help you keep up with the current nutritional and medical advise from the experts.

You can lengthen your life with good health habits!

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You will find that many websites will perform a health assessment for you. Some are very comprehensive and cover all aspects of your health. These assessments can be very helpful, but you need to be careful. Your health information is private, and you want to be sure that you protect your privacy. Before you enter your health information on any website, check the privacy information on the site. Try to determine who is behind the site. Make sure that they are not just trying to sell you something. I’ll tell you more about using the Internet for health-associated searches in Chapter 5, “Researching Your Health Needs Online.”

Sandy’s Summary While our longtime search for the Fountain of Youth goes on, technology is dispensing a spray of youth-enhancing products and techniques that are making the aging process easier. Early discovery and prevention of disease, innovative medications, new medical techniques, and the spread of solid health information through the Internet has allowed us to increase our average life expectancy dramatically. Luckily, we are not only living longer, but also we are enjoying more mobility and are looking and feeling better as we age. Medical breakthroughs and health aids are helping us cope with disabilities, disease, and health-related problems. We have gotten used to high-tech health gadgets and medical solutions. Instead of rocking chairs, we are reaching for treadmills, heart rate monitors, and bicycles. Because we have lived long enough to have a valid medical history, we can gather the necessary information and create a health assessment that will guide us in our quest to look and feel good. We are ready to take responsibility for our health.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

2

Looking Younger “If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old.” —James A. Garfield

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hose of us who are starting to feel the pangs of aging don’t want to sit in a rocking chair welcoming old age. Technology and medical breakthroughs are helping us live longer. We feel like vibrant individuals. We want to look as young as we feel. And we are willing to work at it. We are walking more, working out at the gym, experimenting with antiaging products and techniques, and even dabbling with cosmetic surgery—all in the hopes of looking better longer. In this chapter, we’ll take a look at how technology can help us retain our youthful looks. From weight loss to skin care, the advances in science and technology have made it easier to keep fat and wrinkles at bay.

In This Chapter ■

Weight Management

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Finding Your Diet Solution

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Fitness for Everyone

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High-tech Fitness Equipment

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Searching for the Fountain of Youth

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Weight Management One of the first things another person notices about us is our weight— “Hey look at the fat lady over there.” “He was a skinny guy.” So we all know how important body weight is to our appearance. But how can we affect this prominent (sometimes overly prominent) characteristic as we reach a more mature age? Concerns over fad diets and fast food apply to more than just the physically young. The following sections give you a great starting point if you aren’t currently working at losing weight, as well as some good tips and tools if you are and you want to see if there are better ways to win the battle.

The Battle of the Bulge Unfortunately as we age, we tend to put on weight. There are not many of us who can still fit into our high school uniform, wedding dress, or old football jersey. In today’s world of fast food and sugar infused confections, gaining a few pounds every year is easy to do. That doesn’t seem like such a bad thing, until you realize that just three pounds a year over the course of 20 years adds up to 60 pounds of excess fat. Weight is one area in which technology might have added to our problems. Our grandparents and great grandparents worked on farms and in factories. They were no strangers to physical labor. Then came television, TiVo, computers, and the Internet. Now much of our work and our lives in general is spent sitting in front of machines rather than walking and performing physically strenuous tasks. When we reach middle age, our bodies seem to start fighting against us in our battle to maintain our weight. Body composition changes and favors weight gain. As we age, our metabolism slows and the amount of muscle mass decreases. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, the less muscle you have, the fewer calories you burn and the more weight you gain. It’s a vicious cycle with your body trapped in the middle. Perimenopausal and menopausal women are also adversely affected as shifting levels of estrogen can be an added source of weight gain. The Mayo clinic website says that “On average, women gain about a pound

CHAPTER 2 LOOKING YOUNGER

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a year during the years leading up to menopause.” Experience tells me that it gets even worse after that. At this time in their lives, many women are also fighting the genetics that predispose them to gain weight around their stomachs, making it much more difficult to maintain a youthful figure. Men don’t have it any better. Their middle-age weight gain creates an increase in intra-abdominal fat, commonly referred to as “beer belly.” Most health care professionals feel that this increase in fat is directly related to the development of insulin resistance, which leads to type 2 diabetes, as well as to high cholesterol and high blood pressure. All of these factors put men at a high risk for heart disease. Some research shows that the weight gain of the early forties and early fifties begins to subside at around age 55. Yet I know many people over 55 who are still struggling to lose weight, maintain an optimum weight, or fighting that 5 or 10 pounds that keep reappearing. It’s good to intellectually understand why we gain weight, but it doesn’t always help. It is downright depressing to be constantly fighting the battle of the bulge. Weight gain with age is not inevitable. The fact is that the average American gains one to two pounds a year for most of their adult lives. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Overall, Americans are in bad shape. According to National Center for Health Statistics, less than half of U. S. adults have a healthy weight and nearly one-third of U. S. adults are obese. Whether you take that as comfort that others are in the same boat, or you are appalled by the rampant obesity of Americans, you should do something about this dreadful statistic. You can only control your own weight, so there is only one place to start. If you are overweight, the time is now.

Knowing Your Optimum Weight The first place to start is to evaluate your body and determine your optimum weight. Although the old-fashioned height and weight charts can still be found, governmental health authorities seem to lean toward the BMI, body mass index as a truer indication of a person’s weight

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status. We looked at this briefly in Chapter 1, but it bears repeating here. The BMI chart shown in Figure 2.1 can be found at www.cdc.gov/ nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm. It allows you to determine your BMI by height and weight. A BMI between 20 and 25 is considered normal. Between 25 and 30 is overweight, and over 30 is obese.

FIGURE 2.1 The BMI chart will help you determine how far or close you are to a healthy weight.

If you want an easy way to keep track of your BMI as well as your weight, try a high-tech scale such as the Health o meter Body Fat Monitoring and Body Fat Scales (www.healthometer.com). They can track your weight and body fat at the same time, and the large display is perfect for aging eyes. If you feel more comfortable using a height and weight chart, see the WeightWatchers website at www.weightwatchers.com/health/asm/ calc_healthyweight.aspx, where you can find a chart that includes the maximum recommended weights for adults over 45 based on your height. Besides making you look bad, remember that any weight that you are carrying over the optimum weight for your height can also be detrimental to your health. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney


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Diseases (NIDDK) has a web page at http://win.niddk.nih.gov/ publications/health_risks.htm that shows the health risks of being overweight. These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, and fatty liver disease. This is an excellent website to visit not only for information on diabetes and kidney and digestive diseases, but also for information New governmental on weight control. The Weight Loss for weight assessments also Life web page at http://win.niddk.nih.gov/ indicate the importance of publications/for_life.htm shows benefits waist circumference as an from weight loss. indication of weight-related

Health Facts

Not surprisingly, excess weight can also damage your joints. It has been estimated that the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knees requiring surgery increases threefold in overweight individuals.

health risk. Men with a waist measurement of more than 40” and women with a measurement of more than 35” might have a higher risk of disease because of where their fat is situated.

When determining your ideal weight, BMI, height and weight charts, and a tape measure are good indicators. Yet, since you have some personal life history to work with, you can also use that as an indication of ideal weight. Many people can look back at the amount they weighed at about age 25 as their best weight. Understand that you will add a few pounds as you age, and allow yourself that leeway. The American Institute for Cancer Research has a long-standing recommendation that adults should gain no more than 11 pounds after reaching adulthood. So adding 11 pounds to the ideal weight Just 5–10 pounds of your youth should give you a ballpark can put women in a smaller figure to work with. dress size and can mean at

Health Facts

If you have put on a little too much weight in the past few years, you can probably instinctively come up with the

least one notch on a man’s belt.

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number that showed on the scale when you feel that you looked and felt your best. Let that number plus the numbers on the charts be your guide.

Understanding Your Diet Pitfalls One of the most important factors contributing to weight gain is poor eating habits. There is no doubt that changing the way and the amount you eat will help change your shape and improve your appearance as well as your health. The only way to truly gain control over your weight is to change your eating habits.

Health Facts

Even a small amount of excess weight can adversely affect your health. One study showed that for every 10 pounds a man gained, his risk of developing diabetes in the next 10 years went up by more than 7 percent. The same study showed that the men who had increased their waist measurement by one inch during 10 years had a 20 percent increase in new diabetes cases.

We are creatures of habit. We are able to do many things without having to think about them. In many cases, this is very beneficial. For instance, we walk without thinking about which leg goes first and where our foot is placed. This happens because we are able to make walking habitual. When it comes to eating, habits learned over the years can be detrimental. Some of us habitually snack too much. Some of us frequent fast food restaurants, eating hamburgers, french fries, and other foods that are filled with excess fat and calories. Eating also has many emotional triggers. Some of us, myself included, have the habit of eating when we are stressed. Many of us use food as a source of comfort rather than a source of energy. So once you decide to lose weight, you need to investigate your habits and emotions, as well as the type and amount of food you eat. There is much to learn about dieting and weight loss. Luckily, there are abundant Internet resources to help you. If you start your search by gathering general nutritional information, you will be better equipped to actually choose the type of diet that you need.


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Online Resources Have you ever been confused by the news media and its coverage of nutritional issues? First you are told that eggs are bad for you. Then you are told that they are good. Well, if you really want to get to the nitty-gritty, The Food and Nutrition Information Center (www.nal.usda.gov/fnic), shown in Figure 2.2, is a great place to learn the basics of nutrition. This website will also give you information and links if you need to track things such as choline, flavanoid, isoflavone, or oxalic acid content of foods. This governmental website is a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service. It is partners with the University of Maryland’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science and Howard University’s Department of Nutritional Sciences. They have information about food composition, the food guide pyramid, and food safety.

FIGURE 2.2 The Food and Nutrition Information Center is a premiere site for nutrition information.

This website’s food composition database provides some extremely detailed information. It allows you to look up any type of food and get more information than you ever thought possible. For instance, look up

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an egg, and you will get its water, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and individual fructose, glucose, and other sugar content as well as detailed mineral, vitamin, lipid, and amino acid content. For more generalized information, the U. S. government also publishes new Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years. The most current guidelines were released on January 12, 2005. They can be downloaded at HealthierUS.gov at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines, as shown in Figure 2.3.

FIGURE 2.3 At HealthierUS.gov, you can print the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Baby boomers grew up seeing the Food Guide Pyramid in school. This is the guide that basically separates the different types of foods and tells you how many servings of each you should consume to have a healthy diet. If you look at this pyramid today, you will see that because of new research, quite a few of the recommendations have changed over the years. If you are interested in seeing how and why they changed, look at the Historical Food Guides Background and Development website at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/history/index.html. Although governmental guidelines and information can be valuable, your quest for nutritional information should go even further. There is much


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to learn when it comes to nutrition. The American Dietetic Association’s website has a food and nutrition web page for the public at www.eatright.org. Some of the information on this site is available only if you register, but the site is filled with wonderful data. The site’s Nutrition Fact Sheets are especially informative. In this area, I found an article on Fat Facts, which was the first time I was able to understand the difference in the various types of fats and the difference between blood cholesterol and dietary cholesterol. If you want to learn more about various foods, sweeteners, and vitamins, these Nutrition Facts will fit the bill.

Be Aware of Hunger Hunger tells us when our bodies need food. Today, we often eat when we are not hungry. Our fast-paced lifestyles often lead to overeating because the body’s natural hunger signals have been confused. Some of us eat whenever we see a fast food restaurant. When we see someone with a nice big ice cream cone, we must have one whether we are hungry or not. When we snack constantly, we don’t need hunger pangs to indicate when it’s time to eat. Look around the So eventually our hunger pains subside. Web, and you are Eating then comes in response to other sure to find more imporstimuli, including emotions, sights, and tant nutritional informasmells. This, for obvious reasons, is not a tion. One story that I good thing. It only encourages overeating found very interesting was and eating the wrong foods. on the MSNBC website at

Sandy’s tip

No matter which type of diet you choose, an important part of getting back on track nutritionally is to get back in touch with your own body. In order to get back in touch with your hunger, you need to slow down and try to feel the bodily sensations of that moment. In our chaotic fast moving world, this is not always easy.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/96 18540. It explains how cutting too many calories can slow down a body’s metabolism. There certainly is a wealth of information on the Web.

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If your hunger has shut down, you might need to ask yourself, “Am I hungry?” many times a day. Experts say that after a full meal, real hunger will not return for at least three hours. While you don’t want to starve yourself, if you feel no hunger, you should not eat. Your hunger pangs will slowly return. Remember that you need to stop eating when you are full rather than stuffed!

Finding Your Diet Solution Experts suggest that losing weight gradually will give you the best chance of safe, healthy weight loss. They recommend losing about two pounds a week. They also urge you to see your doctor before you start any program and discuss your weight loss goals and plan. If you have any serious health problems, or you plan to lose weight more rapidly, you should be under a physician’s supervision during your entire diet period.

Dieting Resources Online When looking for diet information, the Internet will come through like a champ. Some sites, such as Diet information.com (www.dietinformation.com), focused solely on diet information. Some, such as Only Slimming (www.only-slimming.com) and Fat Loss 4 Idiots (www.fatloss4idiots.com), had cute names as well as data on dieting. Be aware that many sites exist only to sell you their weight-loss products. Here are just a few of the popular diets. All have online information. Some have their own websites, as well as online diet tools.

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Atkins—www.atkins.com—Atkins is a very popular low carbohydrate diet. There are several Atkins diet books as well as special Atkins foods. Bill Phillips’ Eating for Life—www.eatingforlife.com—This diet is based on the New York Times bestseller, Eating for Life. It includes eating six times a day with permission to cheat one day a week. It has individualized weekly meal plans.


•

•

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Blood Type Diet—www.dadamo.com—This diet is based on Dr. Peter D’Adamo’s bestseller, Eat Right 4 Your Type. Dr. D’Adamo believes that the four different blood types—A, B, AB, and O—developed from four different types of people. He believes that people who share a blood type also share certain physical traits, such as digestion. Therefore, different foods are suggested for each blood type. Glycemic Impact Diet—www.gidiet.com—A program that chooses food by glycemic index (see Figure 2.4). It balances unrefined complex carbohydrates with lean protein and healthy fat. It aims at stabilizing blood sugar levels to avoid sugar highs and lows.

FIGURE 2.4 The Glycemic Impact Diet website describes how the diet works and even gives sample recipes.

•

Jenny Craig—www.jennycraig.com—Jenny Craig has been a popular program since its inception in 1983. It is a comprehensive weight management program that provides food as part of the program. Jenny Craig provides a variety of plans that are each priced differently. They also have an online section called myJenny that provides online weight loss tracking, menu plans, and other helpful tools.

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• •

•

•

•

•

The Mediterranean Diet—www.mediterraneandiet.gr—Follows a diet including the foods traditionally found in countries surrounding the Mediterranean. Includes plenty of fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet—www.nvperriconemd.com—Based on The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet book by Dr. Nicholas Perricone, this diet follows an “anti-inflammatory lifestyle.” Dr. Perricone believes that excessive inflammation causes premature aging and weight gain. His diet focuses on salmon and other omega-3–rich foods with lowglycemic index. It also includes dietary supplements. Dr. Phil’s shape Up! Diet—www.drphil.com/articles/category/7— Television’s famous Dr. Phil McGraw’s book Ultimate Weight Solution: 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom is the basis for this diet. It offers a balanced approach to weight management and limits portion size. It also takes into account the many emotional triggers to eating. The South Beach Diet—www.southbeachdiet.com—This diet teaches you to change the balance of food you eat. It focuses on low carbs and low fat. There are several South Beach Diet books. Their online plan costs $5 a week and includes diet advice, a meal planner, community support, and an automated shopping-list generator. Kraft is also a supporter of this diet and now labels many of its food products with South Beach Diet logos to make them easy to locate on the grocery shelf. The Weigh Down Diet—www.wdworkshop.com—This diet is based on The Weigh Down Diet book by Gwen Shamblin. It is a Christianbased diet based on sensible eating habits, such as “eat when you are hungry” and “stop when you are full.” The online component of this diet is one of the priciest with a startup fee of $59.99 plus $24.99 monthly. However, it includes two special features not found in other online diet sites. It has 24/7 audio and video plus 24/7 Weigh Down Web radio programming. Special online classes are also available. Weight Watchers—www.weightwatchers.com—Weight Watchers uses a point system to help you manage its fat and calorie controlled system


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(see Figure 2.5). It also has a newly added no counting plan. Like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers has neighborhood meetings. If you prefer, you can You can’t change follow the program online without the past, but you can going to meetings. Many dieters find control the future. that the “support group” method of dieting works better for them than just going it alone. You can also find Weight Watchers friendly menus at some restaurants. For example, Applebee’s has an entire section of its menu dedicated to Weight Watchers approved food selections with everything from appetizers to desserts—each of which includes the corresponding number of “points” that the meal is worth.

Health Facts

FIGURE 2.5 Weight Watchers has an information-filled interactive website.

You can always go out and purchase a diet book, but in order to have a fuller, supportive dieting experience, some of the preceding programs— such as Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers—also offer meetings in person. If you don’t want to meet people in person or you don’t have time to run to a meeting, the Internet provides you with dieting information as well as support.

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From the preceding list, you can see that several of these diet plans have their own online programs. I’d have to write a separate book to be able to cover them all; however, I’ll explain one of them in depth here as an example of what you’ll find when you start to investigate the online diet products. Weight Watchers has excellent online weight loss tools. I’ve used Weight Watchers Online without attending any personal meetings and was able to peel off a few pounds myself. The Weight Watchers website is very comprehensive. The cost to join the online plan is about $60 for three months. This gives you a full explanation Blooper of the plan and complete access to the online tools. The Weight Watchers idea is simple. All Alert foods have a points value based on the fat, caloIf you sign up for ries and fiber they contain. If you stay within your a free trial period on points range, you will lose weight.

a diet or fitness website and want to cancel, you need to notify the company before the trial period ends. Many of the diet and fitness websites that charge a fee will also renew automatically and charge your credit card, so be sure to keep track of the dates you signed up and when the fees are due and cancel before your time runs out.

The weightwatchers.com website is a pleasure to use. It is well-organized and attractive. A variety of online tools help you keep on track. You monitor what you eat with the online Journal. The computer calculates the points for you automatically. You chart your progress with the Weight Tracker tool. The website has hundreds of recipes and meal ideas. It will even give you complete meal plans. You can also create and save your own recipes and get complete point information with the Recipe Builder.

The Weight Watchers site offers plenty of support. Message boards and chats are available for 24hours a day, where you can get support and motivation from others. There is even a panic button to shore you up when temptation rears its ugly head. The Weight Watchers On-the-Go service gives you all the tools you need to stay on your diet track while you are away from your computer. On-the-Go has a points tracker, restaurant and grocery information,


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and calculators. If you own a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) all of this is available for download and the information syncs with your online Weight Watchers account so that you are always up to date. Many other websites have similar online tools that can help you lose weight. For a more robust summary of each program mentioned here, see Weight Loss Program Reviews at www.dietprogramreviews.com. For a detailed overview of each of the programs, visit that program’s website.

Sandy’s tip

Another approach to dieting that you can If you are the type find on the Internet is promoted through of person who needs a prominent website called eDiets at a little push, choose an www.ediets.com, shown in Figure 2.6. online diet program that eDiets features news and information on has support groups, chat everything from diet supplements to rooms, or mentor motivation. The eDiets website is massive programs. with fitness information, a recipe club, and medical information. Where eDiets differs from others is that it supports a large variety of diet programs. It covers all the latest diets including Atkins, Bill Phillips, the Mediterranean Diet, and more. It also has low fat, heart smart, high fiber, vegetarian, and lactose-free plans. Not surprisingly, the site has its own eDiets weight loss plan as well. All that said, there were a few things that I didn’t like at eDiets.com. There is a free assessment to help you determine which type of diet is right for you. My trials indicated that the site almost always recommended its own eDiet plan. On top of that, at the end of the assessment are multiple free e-newsletters and offers that the site tries to get you to subscribe to. Last, but not least, the charge is $2.99 a week, with a 12 week commitment, but the charges are a little ambiguous on the sign-up page, so be sure to read the fine print. If you use eDiets, I suggest that you investigate the plans yourself from each plan’s website. You will be asked to choose your preferred diet plan when you sign up.

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The eDiets program also has some great features. You can switch programs at any time with no extra charge. The support is excellent. The site has support groups, a mentor program, an ask the experts program, chat rooms, and success stories.

FIGURE 2.6 eDiets has a large variety of diet programs and tools.

Fitness for Everyone If you want to look and feel better, exercise is a must. The activity that you get from moving your hand from the table to your mouth doesn’t count. If you are a couch potato, it’s time to get off that couch! For general health purposes, it doesn’t take much. Scientific evidence shows that as little as 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity such as brisk walking will provide substantial health benefits for adults. So you don’t have to go to the gym or do aerobic exercises; you just need to get moving. For some simple ideas on how to become active and get a little encouragement, look at the President’s Challenge at www.presidentschallenge.org. Although this program is well-known in the ranks of school-age children, it is also a viable program for adults.


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The President’s Challenge Active Lifestyle program encourages you to stay active. The awards program provides an incentive to stick with the program. The Active Lifestyle program has online tools so that you can do everything, except the exercise, right from your computer. Here’s a brief overview of the program:

1 2 3 4

Choose an activity that uses large muscle groups and burns energy. Brisk walking, aerobics, basketball, and tennis are just a few such activities. Get active. Thirty minutes a day is recommended for adults. Track your activity. Keep a log of all the exercise you get. There is an online form you can use as well as a printable activity log form. Order your award. When you reach you goal as noted on the activity log, you can order your award online. You can keep earning awards in this program or move up to the Presidential Champions program.

Although simple activity might be valuable, your fitness goals might be more lofty. If you want to burn off excess pounds, flatten your stomach, tone up your muscles, or reshape your body, you might be looking for a more intensive fitness program. The ACE, American Council on Exercise, has a wonderful area called Get Fit. The Get Fit website is shown in Figure 2.7 can be found at www.acefitness.org/getfit. This website is chock full of free fitness information. Its exercise library is divided into sections such as agility/balance, arms, back, chest, and so on. Each exercise has an explanation and pictures. ACE also has health and fitness tips, as well as informative fitness questions and answers. The site’s Fit Facts are especially informative. Fit Facts are one-page printable information sheets on topics related to nutrition as well as exercise. Just a few of the Fit Facts that I found interesting were: Strength Training, How Women Build Muscle, and Calorie Burners: Activities that Turn Up the Heat.

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If you are looking to get serious about your fitness training, the ACE website also has lookups for fitness centers, personal trainers, group fitness instructors, and lifestyle and weight management consultants.

FIGURE 2.7 The American Council on Exercise provides a variety of tools to help you on your road to fitness.

The Internet offers a lot of different fitness information, as well as individualized training. A quick web search is sure to yield information on weight training, aerobics, stretching, and floor exercises that you can do to keep your body in shape.

Sandy’s tip

Exercises to firm muscles are important, but don’t forget to include stretching, agility, and balance exercises in your daily routine.

You might also be interested in digital fitness programs. These are online programs that will assess your physical well-being, help you choose fitness goals, and schedule and track your fitness information.

GetFit.com at www.getfit.com has a typical digital fitness program based on your fitness goals, your fitness level, and the exercise equipment that you might have available to you. Recommended exercises are shown in video or still photos from both front and side. You can see a male or female model perform the exercise. You can personalize your fitness


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program and take it to the gym or work from home. There is online help and reports to track your progress. GetFit.com charges $10 a month for its basic service, and this is typical of other fitness websites of this type. The Personal Fitness Planner (www.fitnessmagazine.com) gives detailed instructions and animated exercise demos. The site also has customized workout routines and daily personalized meal plans. The Personal Fitness Planner charges $17.97 for the first three months. A nice feature is the 10-day free trial.

Sandy’s tip Experts agree that a varied diet is best. Anything in excess might be bad for you. They also state that it is best to vary the type of exercise you choose to avoid boredom and give your body a well-balanced workout routine.

Fit Forever with Denise Austin at www.DeniseAustin.com is geared toward women and includes personalized exercise routines, meal plans based on caloric intake, weight-loss tips, online journals, and message boards. Morning emails from Denise provide inspiration to start each day right. The Fit Forever online program costs $3 a week. As you see, many of these charge a fee for their services. If you are a self-motivator, you can find the information you need on the Internet and create a do-ityourself program. Those of you who need a little daily hand-holding and encouragement might find the online tools and communities worth the price.

Blooper Alert When you join an online diet or exercise program, you might be committing to membership for a certain number of weeks or months. Read the fine print.

When you are thinking about fitness, don’t forget to investigate sports and alternative exercises. You can play basketball, volleyball, or tennis to get a good workout. You can find information on all of these sports and how they relate to fitness on the Internet.

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New research has even shown that yoga can help people shed excess weight. So don’t rule out yoga, Tai Chi, and other martial arts and techniques as good additions to your fitness program. And don’t forget to kick up your heels once in a while. Dancing is also good exercise.

High-tech Fitness Equipment If you have visited a health club recently, you know that exercise equipment has gone high tech. Many machines now have a computer chip that controls the various functions. LCD screens and bright lights provide the users with information on the progress of their workout, as well as their heart rate and other pertinent information. Certainly these high-tech wonders make exercising easier. If you belong to a gym, you can enjoy them, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money for exercise equipment at home. There are, however, two small and inexpensive pieces of high-tech equipment that I would recommend for home exercise. The first of these is a small device called a pedometer. A pedometer senses the impact of your step and counts the number of footsteps to determine the distance traveled. When you first get the pedomeWhen you purter home, you will adjust it to the length of your chase a pedometer, stride and the mechanism will do the rest. A make sure that the screen pedometer is a great motivational tool for exercise is large enough to see and and weight loss. You can set a goal for each day’s is clearly visible in the walk, and the pedometer will tell you when you sunlight. reach your goal. Many pedometers have additional features such as estimates of calories burned, clocks, timers, stopwatches, and speed estimators. Some pedometers will even graph your data for you. The Oregon Scientific (www.oregonscientific.com) pedometer that I use also has a panic alert. If I pull the cord hanging from the pedometer, a loud screeching sound will alert those in the area to my need for help.

Sandy’s tip

Most pedometers are worn around the waist with either a strap or belt clip. Most experts recommend walking 6,000 steps a day for health and


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fitness and 10,000 steps a day for weight loss. Some pedometers have a memory, so you can track your weekly workouts. A quality pedometer is priced between $10 and $25. If you plan on walking for your daily exercise, you will also want to check out About.com’s Walking area at http://walking.about.com. The site offers information on how to walk off weight, how to choose walking shoes, and how to make the most of your walk. It also has information on treadmills, race walking, and power walking. The 10 Walking Mistakes to Avoid (http://walking.about.com/cs/beginners/a/ 10mistakes1.htm), shown in Figure 2.8, is a must read for people who are taking up walking as an exercise.

FIGURE 2.8 The About.com website lists 10 Walking Mistakes to Avoid.

The second high-tech tool for home exercisers is a heart rate monitor. Exercise is good when you push yourself a little, but you don’t want to push yourself into a heart attack. When you exercise, your heart beats faster to pump more blood and oxygen to the muscles that are being used. As

Sandy’s tip If you are just beginning an exercise program, you should use the low end of the target heart rate as your intensity guide.

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Blooper Alert If you have any health problems or are taking medication that can alter the heart rate, you should consult your physician about your exercise plan as well as about use of the heart rate monitor.

the intensity of the exercise increases, your heart rate also increases. You can easily determine your target heart rate so that you know when your heart is working hard enough to be beneficial without working too hard. A heart rate monitor is generally a band that is worn around your midsection. The small device attached to the band transmits your heart rate data to the visual device that comes with the monitor. This is generally a wristwatch type device. Instructions on positioning the device will be included with the monitor. There will also be instructions for determining your target heart-rate zone during exercise.

Our hearts start to beat slightly more slowly as we age, so the heart rate should be partially based on age. Generally, your maximal heart rate is found by subtracting your age from the number 220. The target heart rate is generally in a range from 50–80% of your maximal heart rate. You can use this number as a guideline of how far you should be exercising.

Searching for the Fountain of Youth In 1513, Ponce de Léon, a Spanish explorer, searched for the fountain of youth. He found Florida, but he never found the restorative waters. The words “Fountain of Youth” have now become a metaphor for anything that will restore our youth or increase our longevity. It is not surprising that our youth-oriented society prizes smooth unwrinkled skin, svelte bodies, and supple movements. Everyone would like to retain those traits for as long as they can. Unfortunately, magic elixirs do not exist. While there have been no dramatic new breakthroughs in antiaging medicine, there have been many new antiaging products and techniques from anti-wrinkle creams to Botox to cosmetic surgery.


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Antiaging Products and Techniques We now understand a lot more about the aging process than ever before. It is a proven fact that good diet and exercise will keep us young longer. We know that the ultraviolet rays of the sun cause the skin to age and also cause skin cancer. We know that oxidative stress and free radicals cause aging throughout the body. And we have instituted ways to use this knowledge to help us look younger longer.

Sun Protection I can remember going to the beach as a teenager with a group of girlfriends. We slathered our bodies with oil and laid in the sun hoping to turn our bodies lusciously brown. Sometimes we even added iodine to the oil to make the sun work more quickly. Many of us are now paying the price for those escapades with aging skin and cancerous lesions. The truth is we just didn’t know any better. Over the years, though, research has proven that the ultraviolet rays of the sun cause skin damage, premature aging, and skin cancer. Several of the dermatologists that I consulted indicated that the sun might be responsible for about 90% of skin aging.

Sandy’s tip Most sunscreen is only good for a few hours, sometimes less. When you are in the sun, you need to carry some with you and reapply often.

With this knowledge, we can now keep our skin looking younger by using sunscreen at all times in the sun. Also, be aware that the sun’s rays can often penetrate through normal clothing and damage your skin. If you are Blooper out in the sun a lot, it is advisable to wear sun protective clothing. This is speAlert cial clothing that is either very tightly The suns rays can woven or created with a sun protective be damaging even on chemical right in the cloth. Coolibar a cloudy day.

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(www.coolibar.com), as shown in Figure 2.9, is just one company that specializes in sun protective clothing. Its line includes sun hats, sun protective swimwear, blouses, shirt, slacks, and other sun protective clothing. Be sure that any sun protective clothing you purchase blocks at least 97% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

FIGURE 2.9 Coolibar provides sun protective clothing to help block those harmful rays.

Antioxidants If you have followed recent medical research, you will probably be familiar with the term free radical. You even hear this phrase being bantered about in commercials for antiaging creams and lotions. Oxidation is the process that rusts metal, so it is not surprising that the same process within the human body causes it to age. Free radicals are produced during metabolic oxidation, and much medical research is now focused on how to eliminate the free radicals in our bodies to retard aging. There are vitamins that you can take to ward off the accumulation of free radicals. The most common are Vitamin E and Vitamin C. These have shown a wide range of health benefits with few, if any, negative side effects. Although the American Heart Association doesn’t directly


recommend taking antioxidant vitamin supplements, much research has recently focused on how antioxidant vitamins might reduce cardiovascular disease. (More on vitamin supplements is shown in Chapter 3, “Feeling Younger.”) The American Dietetic Association says that antioxidants might help increase immune function and possibly decrease the risk of infection and cancer, as well. It advises eating foods rich in antioxidants, including the carotenoids that give fruits and vegetables such as apricots, broccoli, pumpkin, cantaloupes, spinach, and sweet potatoes their deep rich colors. It also recommends the lycopene in tomatoes and any foods containing Vitamin C, Vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and zinc. You will also find that antioxidants are also being added to face and body creams and lotions to fight the free radicals in our skin.

Creams and Lotions

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Lingo An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation which causes chemical changes. Rust is a form of oxidation. Vitamins such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and beta carotene are thought to be powerful antioxidants.

Lingo Free Radical— Oxidation is a natural metabolic process that leads to the formation of free radicals. These are electrically unstable molecules that can damage the DNS and proteins in our bodies, causing aging.

Remember when soap, cold cream, and Noxzema were the only skin care products readily available? Times sure have changed. Now, every drug store has rows and rows of skin creams. Look up “antiaging cream” or “anti-wrinkle cream” on any search engine, and you will get thousands of different creams and lotions that propose to stop aging and eliminate or prevent wrinkles. There are skin care products with alpha lipoic acid, lycopene, copper peptides, alpha hydroxides, Vitamin C, Argireline, and much, much more. How do you know what works and what doesn’t?

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This is a difficult question. As new products with new ingredients come on the market, commercials and testimonials boast the wonderful properties of these new antiaging and wrinkle-preventing products. Through the beauty of the Internet, however, you can research new products and get others’ opinions before you buy. A website called Smart SkinCare (shown in Figure 2.10) at www.smartskincare.com is a web portal for skin care products. The site does not endorse or sell skin care products, but it does have good information on skin care research and treatments.

FIGURE 2.10 The Smart SkinCare website provides a massive amount of skin care information.

The site’s list of the current efficacy of topical treatments is as follows: Clinically Proven Topical Treatments:

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids

Estrogens

Tretinoin (also known as Retin A, Renova)

Vitamin C

Retinoids

Vitamin C derivatives


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Possibly Effective Topical Treatments

Furfuryladenine (also known as Kinetin, Kinerase) Copper peptides Palmitoyl pentapeptide Alpha lipoic acid

Coenzyme Q10 Idebenone Lycopene DMAE MMP inhibitors

Active retinol Popular but Unproven Topical Treatments:

Collagen (cream) Beta-hydroxy acids Acetyl hexapeptide-3 (also known as Argireline) The Smart Skincare website has forums, polls, and surveys on skin care products. It also has helpful product reviews by individuals. You might also want to try other websites that allow users to post their reviews of the products. Some of these websites cover skin care items, as well as many other products. Here are just a few of them:

• • •

Epinions at www.epinions.com PriceGrabber at www.pricegrabber.com HSN (Home Shopping Network) at www.hsn.com

Some of these websites have an amazing number of products. For instance, at epinions there were 53 different eye treatments for antiaging. Although the selection is more restrictive at HSN, the site not only offers product reviews by individuals, but it also has a 30-day return policy. When trying out new skin care products, you might want to purchase from a store or website that will let you return the product if you are not completely satisfied.

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Cosmetic Surgery Who hasn’t heard of Botox, facelifts, and liposuction? Not only have most of us heard of these procedures, but also most of us have seen at least portions of these medical procedures on The Today Show, The Early Show, or the evening news. The popular Extreme Makeover television show features everything from breast augmentation to cosmetic dentistry in Although not extreme detail. The reason that these procedures advertised openly, get so much coverage on television and other media most department store is their extreme popularity.

Sandy’s tip

cosmetic counters allow you to return the product if you are not fully satisfied.

Health Facts The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that in 1997, there were 2.1 million cosmetic procedures performed. By 2004, that number increased dramatically to 11.9 million.

Years ago, the facelift was the main method of making someone appear younger. This entailed an invasive cutting and lifting procedure to eliminate sagging, wrinkled skin. Today’s youth-restorative medical procedures include many less invasive actions that have equally youthful results. Botox is one of the most popular. Botox is a neurotoxin called Botulinum. It is injected into facial skin with very small needles. It paralyses facial muscles, eliminating frown and smile lines that tend to accumulate with age. As usual, the Internet provides a wealth of information on Botox, which is also used for other select neurological conditions. Check out the BOTOX website at www.botox.com. Other fillers and injectables are used to plump up facial areas, especially the lips.

Laser technology, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion are used to smooth the skin and eliminate spots and irregularities. The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2004 were

• • •

Botox injection (2,837,346, up 25 percent from 2003) Laser hair removal (1,411,899 up 53 percent from 2003) Chemical peel (1,110,401, up 54 percent)


• •

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Microdermabrasion (1,098,316, up 28 percent) Hyaluronic acid (Hylaform, Restylane) (882,469, up 659 percent)

Even with the popularity of non-surgical procedures, cosmetic surgical procedures are also showing across-the-board increases. In 2004, the top five surgical cosmetic procedures were

• • • • •

Liposuction (478,251, up 24 percent from 2003) Breast augmentation (334,052, up 19 percent) Eyelid surgery (290,343, up 8 percent) Rhinoplasty (166,187, down 4 percent) Facelift (157,061, up 25 percent)

Only plastic surgery of the nose (rhinoplasty) showed a slight decrease. Perhaps this means that baby boomers don’t want to change their faces, but they do want to see them age as slowly as possible.

Health Facts Americans spent just under $12.5 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2004. Not surprisingly, in 2004, 70% of people having cosmetic surgery were between the ages of 35 and 64.

Sandy’s Summary One of the biggest compliments that anyone can pay us is to say, “Gee, I would have taken you for at least 10 years younger.” The quest to look younger is a helpful pursuit. In order to look younger, we must keep our weight in control and take good care of our bodies. This means that we will be healthier and feel better, as well. As we age, almost all of us are confronted with the battle of the bulge. The latest research and Internet resources can help us determine our optimum weight, as well as to find a diet solution

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that will work. A myriad of diets are available today. Some are fad diets. Others are nutritionally sound. The Internet provides great resources for assessing these diets, as well as support once you choose a diet. Fitness is for everyone, and to look and feel better, exercise is a must. Again, the Internet can help you find the right exercise program and can even give you a personalized exercise program and workout routine demonstrations. You can also use simple, inexpensive high-tech equipment such as pedometers and heart rate monitors to keep you on track with your exercise program. The search for the Fountain of Youth goes on as we embrace antiaging products and techniques. We know a lot more about the necessity of sun protection and aging than we used to. We also have plenty of research on antioxidants and antiaging creams and lotions. Even cosmetic surgery and non-invasive cosmetic procedures have dramatically improved, leaving us with numerous options for looking younger. The Internet does not hold the key to looking younger—that comes with the actions you choose to take in the areas of diet, exercise, and antiaging products. However, it does hold a treasure trove of information and resources to help you take control of your aging process.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

3

Feeling Younger “You’re never too old to become younger.” —Mae West

O

ur grandparents dealt with aging by reaching for a rocking chair. Today, boomers and their older siblings are bypassing the rocking chair. We are rallying against stagnation by actively seeking ways to retain our vim and vigor. Technology is providing us with tools and information we need to keep our minds and bodies active and youthful.

In This Chapter ■ ■

■ ■

Stress Reduction

■

Do you ever come home and plop in a chair almost unable to breath from the stresses of the day? Well, you are not alone. Millions of people today are over stressed. Stress speeds up biological aging. Chronic stress drains your energy. You simply cannot feel youthful when stress is wrecking havoc in your life.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Stress Reduction Internet Resources to Help You Reduce Stress Keeping the Mind Active Laughter Is the Best Medicine Playing Games Can Keep you Healthy Nutrition Antiaging Medicine Spas Hormone Replacement Vitamins and Supplements Sleep and Light Enhancements

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Stress has been described as America’s #1 health problem. It has been linked to muscle tension, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, high blood pressure, obesity, and sleeplessness. In 1983, Time magazine ran a cover story in which it defined stress as “The Epidemic of the Eighties.” Since then, stress has become even more widespread. According to estimates from The American Institute of Stress at www.stress.org, 75% to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.

Lingo

Stress is a physical response to the environment. Too much stress occurs when internal and external pressures exceed our ability to cope with those pressures.

We are working longer hours, so we have less time to relax. Juggling everyday priorities can be overwhelming. Multitasking leaves us exhausted. Our fast-paced world adds constant pressure to our everyday lives. The jerk in the blue car who just cut us off, the boss who wants that report by 3 p.m., the rude clerk in the store—it all adds up to stress. How can we feel young and carefree when we encounter so much stress?

Internet Resources to Help You Reduce Stress As usual, the Internet can help. Many websites give ideas on how you can deal with, as well as lessen, the stresses in your life. The American Institute of Stress (AIS) is a nonprofit organization that was founded by notables including Linus Pauling, Alvin Toffler, Bob Hope, Michael DeBakey, Herbert Benson, and Ray Rosenman. The AIS website (www.stress.org) , shown in Figure 3.1, has information on stress and related issues. They also produce a wonderfully informative monthly newsletter. Unfortunately there is a yearly $25 charge for the email edition and a $35 charge for the print edition. The Track Stress website at www.trackstress.com is filled with useful tools for managing stress, including a stress diary, an analysis tool, and an organizer. This is a free site, and although I could not discern who is actually behind the site, all that you need to register and use the site is an email address.

CHAPTER 3 FEELING YOUNGER

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FIGURE 3.1 The American Institute of Stress website explains the role of stress in health and illness.

For information on how to battle stress, surf over to the Better Homes and Gardens website at www.bhg.com, shown in Figure 3.2. Just type the word “stress” into the search box, and you will find many useful articles related to stress. One article, “10 All-Natural Stress Busters,” recommends these 10 tricks for overcoming stress.

FIGURE 3.2 The Better Homes and Gardens website has some useful information about overcoming stress.

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None of the ideas are earth shattering. All are simple. Yet, we often need to be reminded about performing simple tasks that can make us feel better. Simple things such as this can improve our health and wellbeing and truly make us feel younger and more vibrant. At the Better Homes and Gardens website, you can also sign up for their free Stress Busters Blooper Newsletter. This is a free 17-week email course that Alert gives tips and tricks for dealing with stress. This When signing up course includes stress-reducing ideas for your for websites, don’t health, for family finances, for men, for women, for use your main email address. entertaining, and so on. They even devote one Instead, get a free alternaweek to stress busters for road rage. tive address like those offered through Hotmail at www.hotmail.com. Then, if the website sells your address or uses it for advertising, all the spam and unwanted email will be kept out of your main email box.

Yoga Traditionally, yoga, stretching, breathing and meditation have been successfully used to control stress. There is a wealth of information on all of these topics on the Internet. Yoga instructors and students who have found these techniques helpful are more than willing to share their experiences with others.

As you may know, there are many different types of Yoga to investigate. You will find them all represented on the Internet—usually free. Free courses and yoga poses can be found on these two websites.

•

•

The Kundalini Yoga website (www.kundaliniyoga.org), shown in Figure 3.3, has a free online course for beginners. Kundalini Yoga is very esoteric and deals with the union of the individual’s consciousness with the universal consciousness. It’s emphasis on harmony is stress reducing. The course includes 25 lessons that are somewhat tedious reading, but will give you a good overview if you are interested in this type of Yoga. Ava’s Animated Yoga Lesson at www.hathayogalesson.com, focuses on Yoga as a stress relief program. Her animated hatha yoga postures show you exactly how to move into the positions correctly. Her “Stretch of the Day” is also worthwhile.


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FIGURE 3.3 The Kundalini Yoga website has 25 free lessons.

Meditation Of course, there is also plenty of information on meditation on the Internet. The Learning Meditation website (www.learningmeditation.com), as shown in Figure 3.4, is a good introduction to meditation. There are more than a dozen meditations with audio in their Meditation Room. Using a pair of headphones that attach to your computer and sitting in a comfortable chair can make these meditations relaxing experiences. My only complaint about this site is a blatantly obvious, brightly colored, flashing ad across the top that ruins the wonderful serene feel of the site. As I write this, the Learning Meditation website just opened a store with added meditations, meditation aids, jewelry, and so on. If you purchase anything, be sure to send them an email (click on comments/feedback) telling them that you have purchased something in support of their website and in hopes that they will remove the flashy ads. Experts agree that Yoga and meditation can calm your mind and body. Both take advantage of the mind-body connection and use tried-andtrue breathing techniques to control the body.

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FIGURE 3.4 The Learning Meditation website has more than a dozen meditations for you to try.

Breathing Techniques We all realize that breathing is important. The way we breathe, however, is more important than most people suspect. The systems of your body need an adequate supply of oxygen in order to function properly. Shallow breathing, which often comes with stress, lowers the amount of oxygen that is supplied to the body. This lowers your vitality and can make you feel as if you are over-the-hill. You can breathe your way to calmness with many different techniques. The Pegasus NLP’s Mind-Body Health website has an entire area dedicated to breathing at www.pe2000.com/breathe.htm. They have several exercises that show you different breathing techniques that can help you manage anxiety by altering your breathing. Several new high-tech gadgets will also help you relax and control your stress by breathing properly. The RESPeRATE is a $299 device that can help you breathe correctly. Not only that, but it has also been clinically proven and FDA approved to help lower blood pressure. This small handheld computerized breathing sensor comes with a flexible strap, a


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pair of headphones, and explicit instructions. You simply place the strap across your chest and put on the headphones. The machine analyses your breathing and leads you through therapeutic breathing exercises. Musical tones guide your breathing. Just 15 minutes several times a week can help you lower your blood pressure and control your stress. The RESPeRATE website (www.resperate.com) is shown in Figure 3.5.

FIGURE 3.5 The RESPeRATE is an FDA approved device that can lower blood pressure.

An even more unusual, but useful device called the Journey to the Wild Divine (www.wilddivine.com) will also help you conquer stress. The Journey package combines computer software and hardware to let you practice breathing and meditation in a very unique way. The hardware is a small set of three finger sensors that track your body’s heart rate variability. The software turns your computer into an interactive computer adventure. You travel through lush gardens and temples using the power of your mind and breathing to start fires, open doors, and control other items on the screen. It is truly a unique experience. There will be three installments in the Journey to the Wild Divine series. The first one, called the Passage, comes with the finger sensors for $159. The second, called the Wisdom Quest, is $59.95. The third program is yet to be released.

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The StressEraser (www.stresseraser.com) is a small handheld device that uses biofeedback to calm your mind and relax your body. As you hold the StressEraser, you put your index finger in the finger sensor clip. The screen then shows the activity of your nerves by displaying symbols on the screen. With the help of the enclosed booklet, you learn to decode the screen symbols. You can change the screen by relaxing your body. Deciphering the codes takes a little work at first, but after a few trial runs, this $399 device can definitely relax your body.

Keeping the Mind Active When someone forgets something, they often joke about it saying, “You know when you are over the hill,” or “I’m having a senior moment.” If you want to feel younger, you need to stay away from those “senior moments,” and you certainly can. As the brain ages, neurons die from old age and are not replaced. This loss of neurons means that the brain gets smaller and lighter with age and the messages sent between neurons travel at a slower speed. This doesn’t necessarily mean that our brain functions slow down. An older brain can creNeurons are speate new connections between neurons. cialized cells that conThe trick is to keep the brain as active as duct electrical impulses to possible and to stimulate it with new and from the brain. activities. The old “use it or lose it” adage is very appropriate here. You must stimulate the brain to create new neural connections. If you just sit around watching television, you will turn into a couch potato and your brain might turn to mashed potatoes. For great information on how the brain works as well as ideas on how to keep it active, be sure to check out the Human Brain area of the Franklin Institute Online at www.fi.edu/brain/index.htm. One of their suggestions for exercising the brain is to switch the hand you are using to control the computer

Lingo


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mouse. Although you might think of this as a physical change, it is actually a change for the brain. By using the hand you normally do not use, your brain is learning new skills and building new neural pathways. There are many ways to keep your brain active. You can read newspapers, magazines, and books. You can do crossword puzzles, play Scrabble, learn a language, or take a class. Computers and technology will aid you in all of these endeavors. As a matter of fact, just using a computer will help you keep your mind active. No matter what task you want to perform on the computer, you have to do some heavy-duty thinking. You must remember which software program you need, where it is located on your computer, where the files you want to use are located, and what they are called. The computer is a wonderful tool and a phenomenal device, It is estimated that yet you are the one who must tell it what the human brain has over you want it to do. That alone will keep 100 billion neurons. your brain neurons popping.

Health Facts

Even the simple act of reading the news becomes more brain stimulating when you do it on the Internet. As you read stories, you are presented with links that you can click on for more information. You can use a search engine such as Google to get other news stories about the same subject. All of this makes reading the news an interactive experience. To make your computing and Web searching even more of an interactive learning experience, you can download a free program such as 1Click Answers. This program allows you to press and hold the Alt key („+Option+G for Mac users) and click on any word to get more information about that word. Click on George Washington, and information about him will pop up on the screen. Click on pandemic, and you will get the definition plus pronunciation. Click on Nigeria, and you will get a map and information. You can download 1-Click Answers at www.answers.com/main/product_info.jsp. As shown in Figure 3.6, it is for both PC and Mac users.

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FIGURE 3.6 The Answers.com 1-Click Answers software puts information at your fingertips.

Nothing is more invigorating than learning something new. Research confirms that new activities are particularly stimulating to the brain. You are never too old to try a new endeavor. Albert Einstein started playing the violin very late in life. Winston Churchill took up painting. So choose a new hobby to try or a new area to investigate. You computer will help you with your new endeavor. You can use your computer and the Internet to research any subject. When searching on the Internet, you need to figure out which search terms to put in the box to get the computer to display the proper results. The computer does the work of finding the information, but you do the work of telling the computer what to look for. If you have any experience with searching on the Internet, you know that is not always easy. In fact, I’ll give you another mind-expanding activity. Learn more about the search engine that you are using. In my book Great Age Guide to the Internet, I have included an entire chapter on learning to search properly. It is something that will give you myriad benefits.


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If you want to do this on your own, just find the Help menu in your search engine. For instance, in Google, you can access the Google Help Center at http://www.google.com/help/basics.html. This area, as shown in Figure 3.7, explains all the essentials of a good Google search.

FIGURE 3.7 The Google Help Center will help you learn some mind-expanding things about using the Google search engine.

Today, just about every college and university has online classes, and many of these are adult education classes. Whether you want to learn more about computers, accounting, or pet grooming, you’ll find it on the Internet. If you haven’t yet earned a degree, remember that it’s never too late. Websites such as TheModernDegree at www.themoderndegree.com list the top schools that specialize in online degrees. At many of these online schools, you can even attend lectures online and interact with teachers and other students.

Sandy’s tip

If you want to take college courses, check out your local community college. Most now have learning programs that you can access from home with your computer.

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Laughter Is the Best Medicine Years of working, making weighty decisions, and raising children can actually dull a person’s ability to have fun. Fortunately, it is never too late to enjoy yourself, and doing so might be beneficial to your health. More than 25 years ago, Dr. Norman Cousins documented how laughing aloud to Marx Brother movies helped him recover from a life-threatening disease. After this victory, Dr. Cousins dedicated his life to studying the impact of positive emotions and attitudes on the body, immunity, and immune-mediated disease. His work is continued through the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, shown in Figure 3.8, at www.cousinspni.org. This website has many programs that advance the understanding of how the mind and body interact and how they impact health.

FIGURE 3.8 The UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology studies the effects of behavioral influences on immunity.

This and other programs have confirmed that laughter is the best medicine. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have linked laughter to the healthy function of blood vessels. Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the


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University of Maryland Medical Center, talks about the study on laughter at the UMM website (www.umm.edu/features/laughter.htm): “We don’t know yet why laughing protects the heart, but we know that mental stress is associated with impairment of the endothelium, the protective barrier lining our blood vessels. This can cause a series of inflammatory reactions that lead to fat and cholesterol build-up in the coronary arteries and ultimately to a heart attack.” “The ability to laugh—either naturally or as learned behavior—may have important implications in societies such as the U. S. where heart disease remains the number one killer,” says Miller. “We know that exercising, not smoking, and eating foods low in saturated fat will reduce the risk of heart disease. Perhaps regular, hearty laughter should be added to the list.” I am not sure that optimists and happy people live longer than grouchy pessimists, but I do know that I would rather be around the happy folks. I also have a sneaky suspicion that happy people feel better about themselves and feel and act younger and more vibrant.

Playing Games Can Keep you Healthy A clown is like an aspirin, only he works twice as fast. —Groucho Marx It’s not surprising that research shows game playing invigorates the mind. When you play games, you must use your brain to keep track of the game play and to formulate strategies. Since games have been traditionally the realm of youngsters, just playing games can make you feel younger. Add that to the fact that playing games can help keep your mind youthful, and gaming can be a real winner for everyone. Everyday you see kids flocking to video game rooms and playing games on their computers and on video consoles. Teenagers and even twenty and thirty-somethings are not embarrassed to play games. Gaming is part of their everyday lives. It’s different with baby boomers and older

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folks. They often feel that playing games is wasting time that could be better spent on more useful endeavors. Well, it is time to change that old-fashioned attitude. Gaming has been proven to be beneficial. It keeps your mind active. It makes you feel younger. So let’s get gaming! Remember the good old days when the family gathered around the table to play Monopoly, Scrabble, or card games? Poker and Canasta were the two favorites in my family. Why not bring back those days of yesteryear? Get the family or friends and neighbors together to play games.

Sandy’s tip A little attitude adjustment might help you feel younger and live longer. Studies have shown that people with positive attitudes toward aging live longer than those who are pessimistic about aging. So perk up and enjoy the Great Age.

If you want to add a little pizzazz to some of the old favorites, you can purchase computerized versions of the old standards. Boggle, Chess, Backgammon, Parcheesi, Yahtzee, Monopoly, Scrabble, and Poker all have fun computerized versions. One of the best things about computerized games is that if you don’t happen to have anyone else interested in playing, you can play alone. Or you can find online opponents. You can play chess with a friend in a different state or play Monopoly with an opponent in another country.

Games Online Besides the traditional games that have been computerized, there are many online gaming websites where you can get your brain in gear while having fun at the same time. Here are some of the popular online game sites that you might want to investigate:

• • • • •

GameHouse—www.gamehouse.com Mini-Clip—www.miniclip.com MSN Gaming Zone—http://zone.msn.com Pogo.com—www.pogo.com Yahoo! Games—http://games.yahoo.com


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All of these websites have free games as well as games that you pay for. While all have interesting games, the GameHouse website, as shown in Figure 3.9, is especially geared to be attractive to older users. They have word games, puzzle games, card games, jigsaw games, casino games, and action games. They also have Sudoku, a grid game that is both fun and challenging.

FIGURE 3.9 The GameHouse website has hundreds of games for mature players.

There are also other websites that are not dedicated gaming sites, but have free gaming areas. Two of these are the KISS-Gamers area of the Compu-KISS website (www.compukiss.com/kissgamers/index.cfm) and the Games and Puzzles area of the AARP website at www.aarp.org/fun/puzzles.

Console Video Games Don’t be afraid to get into the video gaming arena as well. The video game hardware and software sales are worth about $10 billion annually. While much of this is fueled by the younger crowd, game manufacturers are starting to realize that older generations are also interested in playing games. Current trends show that women over 40, previously a

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non-gaming segment of the population, are now playing games more than ever before. Although the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation are excellent gaming consoles, I find that the Nintendo products offer more games for family play. The Nintendo GameCube is a $99 device that attaches to the television. The Nintendo DS (dual screen) is a $129 handheld gaming device with a touchscreen that allows for less dependency on the buttons and that many adults find more fun. Nintendo has baseball, football, golf, and other sporting games. It also has several series of games that are suitable for the entire family, such as Kirby, Donkey Kong, and Mario. Some of the new games for the DS machine are wonderful. The Nintendog game lets you adopt and train a virtual dog. The Electroplankton game lets you create melodies and investigate music making. Many older people find the shoot-em-up type of video games that the youngsters play to be very frustrating. Yet, it might be worthwhile to learn to like these types of games as well. Scientific research also shows that playing video games might be good for your vision. Researchers at the University of Rochester say that action game players react to fast-moving objects more efficiently and can track 30% more objects than non-gamers. Fast-paced video games are the best for your vision as they can actually help players train their visual attention. One German neurobiologist quoted in Nature, a weekly scientific journal, indicated that he thought nerve cells might actually shift shape from playing these types of games, which he says would help the nerve cells communicate more effectively with each other. Fast-paced video games can also be beneficial for manual dexterity. Some surgeons are now using video games before surgery to get their fingers nimble. So if you want to keep your hands moving, video games might be for you as well.

Games to Get You Moving Most of you know video games as toys that you work by pressing buttons, but many of the newer video games are allowing alternative input


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devices. We have already talked about the Nintendo DS, which uses a stylus and touchscreen for input. Some games, however, have gone beyond that. There are games that use specialized cameras and computer chips to get your whole body moving. The EyeToy by Sony (www.eyetoy.com) is a gaming device that attaches to your television and uses a camera to detect full body motions. You stand in front of the television and actually see yourself in the game. As you move your body, your movements are transferred to the television screen where you can interact with the game. Games include Boxing, Dance Dance Revolution, and Beach Volleyball. The $50 Anti-Gravity game lets you race on a hoverboard by using hand and body motions to leap, duck, and maneuver through the race course. All are guaranteed to get both your mind and body moving. The XaviX games will also keep you from being a couch potato. They use traditional sporting games such as golf, bowling, fishing, and tennis. The $80 XavixPORT attaches to the television. Pop in a $50 game cartridge, and you’re ready to play. The games are realistic, and they are fun. In baseball, you actually swing the included bat or pitch the ball. Make a good hit, and you see the ball set in play on the screen. You watch your “Xavix” image run bases to the roar of the crowd and the explosion of the scoreboard. The XaviX games can be found at www.xavix.com and many electronic and game stores. So get out there and have some fun. Whether on your computer, with your television, or on handheld game consoles, high-tech games can keep your mind active. What a great excuse to have some fun!

Nutrition In Chapter 2, we talked about losing weight and dieting in order to look younger. Of course, losing weight will also make you feel better. The proper nutrition can make you feel younger, as well as give you more energy. The problem is in deciding what you should and shouldn’t eat. For quite a few years, we heard that eggs were very bad for you. They gave you high cholesterol. Then suddenly, television and radio reports

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and commercials indicated that eggs were in fact good for you. The fact of the matter is that medical research reported that eating eggs did not increase your cholesterol levels as much as previously thought, so the egg producers created a big campaign to promote eggs.

Sandy’s tip

Even small changes such as eating smaller portions and reducing sugar intake can be beneficial.

That’s the problem with learning about things like nutrition from the traditional media. Television, radio, and even newspapers are heavily influenced by commercial entities. Not only can they purchase advertising, but they can also influence the press quite easily. As a journalist, I am inundated with news stories and story ideas. Many of these are initiated by public relation firms who are trying to spread their client’s products and/or ideas.

On the Internet, you can get more accurate nutrition information because you can use websites that don’t necessarily have ulterior motives. Or when you do visit a website, you can usually easily find out if the information will be slanted. To do this, you will need to see who is behind the website you are visiting. For example, The Egg Nutrition Center at www.enc-online.org is filled with great information about eggs. Click on ENC Staff, and you will see an impressive list of medical specialists. When you click on History & Mission, you will immediately find that the Egg Nutrition Center is a cooperative agreement between the American Egg Board and United Egg Producers. Balance your caloThis tells you that although you might find some rie intake with your great information about eggs at this website, it activity level. Eat more might be prone to present eggs from the viewwhen you are very active, point of egg producers and sellers. less when your activity

Sandy’s tip

level drops off.

You must also realize that, especially when dealing with nutrition, we are constantly learning more about how the body uses and metabolizes food. So nutrition information and guidelines, even from unbiased authorities, can be contradictory and confusing.


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Here is a good example. Let’s look at what two reputable websites have to say about the cholesterol in eggs. The Harvard School of Public Health website says that “Although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn’t nearly the villain it’s been portrayed to be. Cholesterol in the bloodstream is what’s most important. High blood cholesterol levels greatly increase the risk for heart disease. But the averIf you don’t get age person makes about 75% of blood enough sleep at cholesterol in his or her liver, while only night, take a short nap. about 25% is absorbed from food. The Research shows that even biggest influence on blood cholesterol a 10-minute nap can level is the mix of fats in the diet.” improve alertness and cog-

Sandy’s tip

nitive performance…and it The Mayo Clinic website says “Eggs do can make you feel better. contain cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, saturated fat and cholesterol in the foods you eat increase your blood cholesterol level. Although saturated fat is the main culprit, cholesterol also plays a role. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level. Some research suggests that dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol in some people. But in others, it has a big effect. If you have high blood pressure or a family history of cardiovascular disease, it makes sense to limit eggs in your diet. Talk to your doctor about what’s appropriate in your specific situation.”

Although talking to your doctor is always good advice, you will obviously have to do some research if you want to accurately determine if eggs or any other food is good or bad. Fortunately, there are several things on which everyone agrees. The first is that natural fresh foods are better than processed foods with the many additives that have become commonplace.

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The second thing on which most health advocates agree is that anything in excess can be detrimental to your health. It makes perfect sense that moderation is the key, but varying our eating is not always easy. Humans are creatures of habit. When we find something we like, we tend to eat it over and over again. Are you hooked on cofExperts agree fee, diet soda, or chocolate candy? Have you ever that skipping one sat down and eaten a whole pie or an entire carmeal might make you ton of cookies? Well, you are not alone, but perovereat at the next. So haps it is time to reign in those bad habits. don’t skip meals. Eat sensi-

Sandy’s tip

ble portions at each meal, and have small low calorie and low fat snacks.

There is no doubt that varying your diet and eating in moderation is the key to feeling healthier. While the Internet cannot remove the fork from your hand or the coffee from your cup, it can provide nutritional guidance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides dietary guidelines and information at their website at www.mypyramid.gov, as shown in Figure 3.10.

FIGURE 3.10 The MyPyramid.gov website helps you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you.


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You can also get information directly from dietitians like that found at Joanne Larsen’s Ask the Dietitian website at www.dietitian.com. At the American Society for Nutrition’s website at www.nutrition.org, you can also find nutrient information as well as current and Blooper back issues of its journal of nutrition. For Alert good nutritional information, you might A recent Parade also want to visit the American Dietetic magazine poll Association website at www.eatright.org, showed that only four perwhere you will find solid consumer cent of the respondents resources and better eating information. avoid preservatives,

Antiaging Medicine

processed, and fast foods. Yet most nutrition experts say that these things are detrimental to our health.

The search for the Fountain of Youth goes on, but instead of a Spanish explorer, scientific and medical teams lead today’s hunt. Instead of using ships, sailors, and geographic charts, the groundwork is now done by medical researchers, computers, and human genome maps. The aging of millions of baby boomers has given a big boost to a medical branch that many call antiaging medicine. Some medical professionals consider aging a treatable condition, and they do everything they can to slow down this condition just as they would a disease. Although this might or might not be a good way to look at aging, research in this area is sure to benefit everyone. We cannot turn back the clock, but many of us will be able to use the nutritional, hormonal, and pharmacological therapies involved in antiaging medicine to our advantage. Most antiaging programs include diet and exercise to reduce body fat and tone sagging muscles, but they also focus on using vitamins, supplements, and medicine to strengthen the immune system. Many revolve around the mitochondrial theory of aging. This theory proposes that

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free radicals in the body damage mitochondrial DNA, which accelerates aging. Antioxidants are now thought to be free radical scavengers. They bind with the unpaired electrons in free radical cells and eliminate these nasty atoms that age our bodies. Eliminating free radicals in the body is said to stimulate the body’s maintenance and repair The mitochondrial processes, which slows down the aging process.

Lingo

theory states that free-radical atoms in the body damage mitochondrial DNA leading to organ failure and accelerated aging.

Although the American Heart Association’s findings on antioxidants are incomplete, they recommend eating a variety of foods that contain Vitamins E, C, and beta carotene (a form of Vitamin A), which are the three most widely identified antioxidants. Although there is no definitive proof that taking supplemental antioxidants is beneficial, the American Heart Association reports that up to 30 percent of Americans are already taking antioxidant supplements.

Blooper Alert Although many people are now taking supplemental antioxidant vitamins, the Mayo Clinic warns that smokers who take beta carotene supplements might actually increase their risk of lung cancer.

Several medical facilities offer specialized antiaging programs. The Los Gatos Longevity Institute in California is one of them. Their website at www.antiaging.com explains their program and gives plenty of information on nutritional medicine and hormone replacement.

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine website at www.worldhealth.net has a wealth of articles and medical research on antiaging medicine. This website will give you everything from simple articles such as “Daily Dog Walks Work off the Pounds” to “Important DNA Repair Mechanism Linked to Premature Aging.” It also has a comprehensive list of physicians and spas that specialize in antiaging. See Chapter 3, “Feeling Younger,” for some additional information on antioxidants and how they affect the aging process.


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Spas Spas are also finding increasing popularity with baby boomers who want to look and feel younger. Most hotel and connoisseur spas offer antiaging treatments. There are also medical spas that offer the comfort and luxury of a spa along with conventional and complementary medical procedures and treatments. The Spa Finder at www.spafinder.com, shown in Figure 3.11, will help tell you everything you want to know about spas and will also help you locate the perfect spa for you. The popularity of Spas has also made Spa-type healthy cooking popular. I use a Sunbeam (www.sunbeam.com) blender to create some fantastic healhy spa-type drinks and sauces right in my own kitchen. Recipes can be found at www.sunbeam.com/recipes.aspx. At-home Spa treatments and simple equipment can bring the healthy benefits of a Spa right into your own home.

FIGURE 3.11 The Spa finder will help you find many different types of spas.

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Hormone Replacement You’ve probably heard the teen years referred to as a time when hormones run wild. Raging hormones are blamed for everything from acne to adolescent behavior. We all know that hormone levels balance out in the latter half of the teen years, but many of us don’t realize that hormone levels begin to decrease by the mid-thirties. Since hormones wane as we age, hormone replacement often plays a big part in antiaging medicine. Although this therapy is often prescribed for menopausal women, similar therapies are also available for men. This therapy uses testosterone and adrenal androgens for men and estrogen and progesterone replacement in women. It is estimated that more than 10 million American women are using estrogen replacement therapy to look and feel younger. Although widely accepted and substantially effective, some feel that hormone replacement therapy has deleterious side effects. In fact, this is one area where you will find avid supporters as well as staunch opponents. As usual, the Internet is filled with useful information. Websites such as Medline Plus at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hormonereplacementtherapy.html and the Women’s Health Center of Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com/health/womens-health/WO99999), as shown in Figure 3.12, have informative articles and information that will help you make a decision about hormone replacement. After you complete your research, you should check with your physician for his or her knowledgeable opinion and advice. No one offers a fountain-of-youth elixir, but as you can see, a large variety of herbs, medicines, and vitamins are geared toward making you retain your youthful looks longer. Expect to see more and more breakthrough research in this area. Many baby boomers who find themselves aging more quickly than they would like are leading the cutting-edge research. Insurance companies and strained health care systems are encouraging and, in some cases, funding research.


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FIGURE 3.12 The Women’s Health Center at MayoClinic.com will give you information on hormone replacement therapy.

Antiaging research is going on in college and university medical facilities, hospitals, and high-tech labs around the world. The quest for knowledge about what causes bodily aging and how to slow it down has become a priority for many of these labs. There are also other entities that are promoting such research. The Methuselah Foundation is one bold example. Methuselah Foundation is a nonprofit organization of professional and non-professional volunteers looking for ways to promote research into new technologies to slow and even reverse the aging process. These visionaries are offering the Methuselah Mouse Prize to the scientific research team who can successfully develop a method of extending the life of the common laboratory mouse from three years to five years (see Figure 3.13). The goal is to eradicate agerelated diseases and apply these techniques to humans to expand the human life span to 150 years or more. This Foundation has already raised over $1 million for the Mouse Prize. More information can be found at www.methuselahfoundation.org.

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FIGURE 3.13 The Mprize, a scientific competition to extend human life spans, is now over $3,000,000.

Vitamins and Supplements Lack of certain vitamins has long been known to cause certain disease and bodily malfunction. Once a disease called scurvy was a leading cause of death among Europeans. It devastated English sailors in the 1700s. Lack of vitamin C created weakness, anemia, internal hemorrhages, skin Most experts reclesions, and loose teeth. In 1795, the British Royal ommend choosing a Navy provided a daily ration of lime and/or lemon high-quality multivitamin juice for their sailors to bolster their vitamin C rather than trying to put intake and prevent scurvy. British sailors have together an assortment been called Limeys ever since. Rickets is also a of individual vitamin well-known vitamin deficiency. Lack of vitamin D supplements. causes rickets whose symptoms include bowed legs, fractures, and impaired growth.

Sandy’s tip

Vitamins are essential for life. They cannot be stored in the body. Although some vitamins are manufactured by the body, they need special building blocks. For instance, vitamin D can be created by the body when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin A can be created from carotenes


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that are eaten. Most vitamins, however, cannot be created by the body. We must get them from food that we eat or supplements that we take. We know that we must have certain types and amounts of vitamins to stay healthy. You are probably familiar with the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins, which is set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences National Blooper Research Council. It has been used for Alert years. As you age, The RDA is gradually being enhanced. The new standard is called the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). These ratings include the RDA, an estimated average requirement (EAR) or the adequate intake (AI), plus upper intake level (UL).

metabolism slows and the effect of vitamins and medicines might be intensified. This should be taken into consideration when taking vitamins such as vitamin A, which can be toxic in levels that are too high.

Nutritional and dietary guidelines for Americans can be found at Nutrition.gov, www.nutrition.gov, as shown in Figure 3.14. The Food and Nutrition Information Center at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000039.html, has links to the Canadian food and nutrition guidelines as well as the guides for Australia, Greece, Finland, Britain, Germany, and other countries.

Sandy’s tip

Here’s one more reason to give it up: Smoking interferes with the absorption of several vitamins, including Vitamin C.

It is obvious that people around the world realize that eating properly balanced and nutritionally sound meals will help you look and feel younger. Nutritional research is fairly unanimous in its advice to choose fresh, healthy fruits, grains, and vegetables and to avoid eating too much sugar and fried foods. Most doctors and nutritionists advise getting the necessary nutrients from a healthy diet. Many, however, also admit that the typical American diet does not provide enough of the proper nutrients.

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FIGURE 3.14 The Nutrition.gov website has practical tips for a healthier lifestyle.

Again, there are differing opinions. A number of medical and nutritional experts recommend that adults take a multivitamin everyday. Others say that most people do not need additional vitamins. It seems that many Americans side with the vitamin advocates. surveys say that more than 30% of Blooper Most Americans take at least one vitamin or mineral Alert supplement a day. That’s why manufacturing and The Journal of sales of nutritional vitamin and supplements has the American become a multibillion dollar a year industry.

Dietetic association suggests that often people who use supplemental vitamins exceed the safe nutrient levels. Check the maximum safe levels of any vitamin before you take it.

You can easily use Internet resources to determine what benefits each vitamin and mineral provide for your body. MyVitamin Guide.com (shown in Figure 3.15) at www.myvitaminguide.com will give you an alphabetical listing of all the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and supplements. When you look up any of these substances in its database, you are told what it is, where it is found, what it is helpful for, and the amount you should take. The database also lists valuable information, side effects, and possible drug interactions. You can also


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determine if you are deficient. The VitaminInsight website at www.vitamin-insight.com is another site that has information on many different vitamins. This site gives natural food sources, main functions, deficiency symptoms, toxicity symptoms, and the DRI for each vitamin.

FIGURE 3.15 The MyVitaminGuide.com website will give you details on Vitamin B12 and many other vitamins, minerals, and supplements.

As you research vitamins, you will find that there are many different types of the same vitamin. For instance, vitamin C is available as ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid with bioflavonoid, calcium ascorbate, sodium ascorbate, and ester C to name just a few. Many of these come in different forms such as capsules, tablets, and powder. Further investigation and some discusNot all supplesion with your doctor might be wise to ments are created determine the form and type of vitamins equal. Be sure to purchase you should be taking. top-quality vitamin

Sandy’s tip

supplements. In general, you, along with your doctor, will have to decide if you need supplements and which ones to take. Supplements will never fully compensate for not eating properly, but taking the proper supplements can help you look and feel younger.

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Sleep and Light Enhancements Nature knows best. Rest at night and natural light during the day do much to keep our bodies healthy and happy. Yet getting a good night’s sleep and the proper amount of sunlight is not always easy. Luckily, technology is here to help us out.

A Good Night’s Sleep If you have ever had one of those restless nights when you laid awake counting sheep, you know how adversely lack of sleep can affect your life. The bottom line is simple: You can’t feel good when you don’t sleep well. After a good night’s sleep, you sometimes feel like a youngster again. If you are over fifty, that feeling might not last long, but it is obvious that sleep is a natural energizer. Of course, there are many reasons that you might not be sleeping well, and you obviously should discuss these with your medical doctor. Your sleeplessness might be caused by a physical or emotional ailment that requires medication. If, however, you simply need a little help getting to sleep, there are many high-tech aids that can come to your rescue.

Sandy’s tip Respect your need for sleep. An adequate amount of sleep will produce of feeling of well-being. Get all the zzzz’s you need at night or take a quick nap during the day.

Although it is commonly believed that eight hours is the optimum amount of sleep needed by the human body, a study by the university of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the American Cancer Society showed that people who get only six to seven hours of sleep have a lower death rate.

It is also commonly believed that you need less sleep as you age, but the Mayo Clinic dismisses that myth. They say that as you age, you will probably need the same amount of sleep—give or take 30 minutes—that you needed when you were younger. As you age, you might, however, find that you sleep less soundly, needing to spend more time in bed to get that same amount of sleep.


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Relaxation aids such as those mentioned in Chapter 2 can be beneficial for bringing on sleep. There are also many special pillows that can make you more comfortable. Chiropractors have been recommending specially contoured pillows for years. I use a Visco-Elastic Memory Foam pillow made of a special material that helps me sleep so well that I often drag it along when I travel. Visco memory foam was developed by NASA to absorb the powerful forces that astronauts experience during blast-off. This unique foam molds and adjusts to the shape of your body, reducing stress on pressure points. It is now available in mattresses and bed pads as well as pillows. A simple sound machine might also do the trick. One of my favorites is the Sharper Image Sound Soother Fifty. It has 50 selections such as brass chimes, song birds, crickets, buggy ride, rain forest, brook, steam train, and clothes dryer. My granddaughter falls asleep listening to the white noise. I use the rain and storm sounds to get to sleep quite easily. At about $149, this is a premium sound machine with stereo sound and remote control. Many others are available with less sounds and fewer bells and whistles at a cheaper price. If you need help sleeping, you can find a wealth of information on the Internet. MedicineNet.com at www.medicinenet.com/sleep/index.htm, as shown in Figure 3.16, has on online Sleep Health Center, which contains just about everything you ever wanted to know about sleep, why you need it, and how it affects you. There is even a section that lists all the sleep related medications.

Health Facts

MedicineNet.com

There is also some new high-tech gear to says that the average male help you sleep, or in this case to wake adult sleeps eight hours you at the right time. A unique $149 while the average female watch called the SLEEPTRACKER is sleeps nine hours. available from Innovative Sleep Solutions at www.sleeptracker.com. The SLEEPTRACKER is a wristwatch with an alarm. You set the alarm for the approximate time that you want to wake up. The watch monitors your

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sleep patterns and wakes you at a time near the alarm time when you are in an almost-awake moment. The idea here is that waking up from a deep sleep as you often do when you use a regular alarm clock will make you drowsy and grouchy. However, if you are awakened at a time when you are not in a deep sleep, you will wake in a perkier state. This high-tech watch will also log the times during the night when you were almost awake.

FIGURE 3.16 The Sleep Health Center at MedicineNet.com explains the details of sleeping.

Light Therapy Light therapy is often used to help people sleep and feel better overall. People who get the winter blues from lack of sunlight are often helped by supplemental light as are people who experience jet lag. Research suggests that certain light wavelengths affect the serotonin levels in the body. Since serotonin helps regulate sleep, replicating those wavelengths in supplemental lighting often helps people sleep better. Old light boxes were often large boxes of fluorescent lamps, but new technology has created new light boxes that are more focused and that use serotonin-triggering wavelengths.


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The $279 Litebook (www.litebook.com) uses a specific combination of wavelengths to safely bring the sun indoors year round. The Litebook is really high tech. It emits no UV radiation, generates no heat, and uses about 1/10 the power of traditional light boxes. There is also a portable model. Although not yet FDA approved, some people swear that the Litebook products make them feel more vibrant and youthful.

Sandy’s Summary Today’s fast-paced world and multitasking mentality creates stress that can make you feel older than the calendar might show. The Internet provides many stress-busting techniques including information on age-old methods of stress reduction like Yoga. There are even high-tech gadgets to lower stress. You will definitely feel younger if your mind and body are both working at their peak. Learning new things can keep those brain synapses crackling, and your computer and the Internet are just the tools you need to start a new learning experience. Don’t forget to have some fun in your quest to feel younger. Laughter truly is the best medicine. Also, remember to use your computer to play games and have fun. Keep in mind that as you feed your brain and keep it happy and active, you must also learn about good nutrition because good eating habits are essential to keeping both your mind and body in tip-top shape. The Internet can help you make good decisions about what you should eat, and it will also lead you through the maze of antiaging medicine, hormone replacement therapies, vitamins, and supplements. Don’t worry: Technology has you covered. It will even

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provide gadgets to make sure that you get a good night’s sleep and plenty of natural light. We can’t turn back the clock, but we can enjoy the Great Age by using all of today’s knowledge and technology to bring back some of the joyful feelings of youth.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

4

Preparing for Your Doctor Visit “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” —Mickey Mantle

T

oday’s active boomers want quality medical care, and they also want to actively participate in medical decisions and in their own medical care. They don’t just go to the same old family doctor and listen to his health declarations. Instead, they search out qualified medical personnel, ask questions, and do everything necessary to research and understand any diseases or dysfunctions that their bodies might encounter.

Finding Medical Help In the good old days, each small town had only one or two doctors, and residents were happy to visit those doctors, usually general practitioners, for all their medical needs. Our parents and their parents never questioned their doctor’s advice. At that time, a doctor’s pronouncements

In This Chapter ■

Finding Medical Help

■

Communicating with Healthcare Professionals

■

Be an Informed Patient

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were authoritative and uncontested. Back then, doctors were only called upon for physical ailments. Improving health and seeking out wellness was unheard of. Well, times have certainly changed. Maintaining good health has become of prime importance to everyone. Many physicians are willing to help people maintain good health. People now use the Internet to seek out medical information, and they search out the best medical care they can find using specialists whenever necessary. Whether you are looking for a specialist or a general practitioner, online resources can help you find doctors as well as hospitals and clinics. They can also give you information about doctors, their credentials, and their specialties. Many websites can also lead you to a doctor in your local area or a nearby specialist. WebMD has a physician finder at www.WebMD.com/ physician_finder/home.aspx. Or just enter the words “find doctor” into any search engine for a list of websites that give doctor referrals. You can also search by specialty. For example, if you are looking for a plastic surgeon, enter that specialty in the search box and then check the search results for doctors in that area of expertise. Two other valuable websites to help you find a doctor are MedlinePlus (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/directories.html) and www.MyElectronicMD.com (http://myelectronicmd.com/find_doc.php), as shown in Figure 4.1. Both sites allow you to look up a doctor directly by ZIP Code. Both of these websites also have long lists of links including links to other websites where you can find a neurologist, a rheumatologist, an allergist, a podiatrist, a chiropractor, and many, many more. MedlinePlus also has links to other healthcare providers such as midwives, nutritionists, and psychologists as well as links to hospital and clinic directories. If you are looking for a doctor, these two website will be valuable aids.

CHAPTER 4 PREPARING FOR YOUR DOCTOR VISIT

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FIGURE 4.1 MyElectronicMD will help you find many different types of physicians.

Finding Physician Information Everyone wants to find the best physician they can. If you live in America, a good place to start is the American Medical Association at www.ama-assn.org. At this site, you can see if the doctor you are considering is an AMA member. If so, you will find a list of specialties, medical schools, place of residency, major professional activity, and American Board of Medical Specialties Certifications. If you live in Canada, you will want to contact your province’s medical association because most of them have a “find a doctor” section for doctor information. Links to all the provinces medical

Sandy’s tip You will get the most out of a visit to a new doctor if you have your medical records forwarded to him or her before your visit. This can also save you the effort and expense of repeating lab tests.

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associations can be found at the Canadian Relocation System’s Find a Doctor website at http://relocatecanada.com/findadoctor.html. HealthGrades at www.healthgrades.com (shown in Figure 4.2), is one website that lets you search for hospitals and nursing homes, as well as physicians. You can look up doctors by specialty and by location. This website gives you some in-depth information on physicians. You can search for physicians who are free of professional misconduct actions, physicians who are board certified, and/or choose male or female physicians. In addition, the HealthGrades website rates hospitals and give reports on physicians. Much of the information is free, but some extensive reports require payment. This is typical of the many websites that list physicians.

FIGURE 4.2 HealthGrades.com lets you search for physicians, hospitals, and nursing homes.

You can also find information on doctors in some states at the Administrators in Medicine website at www.docboard.org. This website is run by a group of state medical board directors. It offers a free physician database that contains data from state government licensing boards and gives licensing information. Although not all states are covered, the website gives links to state licensing boards around the country.


Any doctor you consider using should be licensed. Board certification is another way to assess a doctor’s skill, but although board certification is a plus, a doctor does not necessarily have to be board certified to provide quality care. Be sure to do a little investigation about a doctor before you consider using him or her. Most physicians are well-trained professionals, but there’s always the possibility that one is not. You should be sure to do your research before making that appointment.

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Lingo Board certified means that a physician has completed extra training beyond that necessary for a medical practice license and has passed an exam (board) to assess his or her knowledge and skills.

Finding a Hospital Unfortunately, after a visit to the doctor, you sometimes find that you will need further care in a hospital. There are many times when the hospital is so important that you will choose a specialty hospital first and then look for a doctor who works with that hospital. First, you will probably ask your doctor which hospital he recommends. You can then use the Internet to get details on his or her choice or to find a hospital yourself.

Health Facts

One out of every 100 physicians has received a disciplinary action for professional misconduct.

If you need to look up local hospitals, you can use the HospitalLink.com website at www.hospitallink.com, which lists more than 6,000 hospitals and has hot links to 1,700 hospital websites. The HospitalLink database can be searched by city, state, hospital name, and/or ZIP Code. If your procedure is more complicated or unusual, you might be willing to travel to get the best hospital care available. If that is the case, you will want to look at hospital details such as

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•

Hospital Accreditation—which is give by an agency called the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). You can search the JCAHO accreditation list at its Quality Check website at www.jcaho.org/quality+check, as shown in Figure 4.3.

FIGURE 4.3 The Quality Check website is a source for accreditation information.

• • • •

The Medical and Surgical Mortality—This is the percentage of patients who died within 30 days of having been admitted to the hospital. In general, these statistics are adjusted for selected types of cases and severity of the case. The Physicians’ Rating—This is the percentage of doctors who rated the hospital “very good” or “excellent.” The Accreditation Score—This is the score given by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The Hospital Specialties—Many hospitals specialize in certain types of procedures and care of certain diseases.

The Internet will also help you find the top hospitals. A good place to start is the U.S. News & World Report website, which gives a detailed


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ranking of hospitals each year. Their Best Hospitals for 2005 list can be found at www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/tophosp.htm, as shown in Figure 4.4. This is a comprehensive list of 176 medical centers. Their Honor Roll lists the top hospitals for breadth of excellence and high rankings in at least six specialties. The top five Honor Roll recipients for 2005 were Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; and UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. If you are looking for a hospital with a specific specialty, they also have rankings for hospitals that specialize in cancer, digestive disorders, ear, nose & throat, geriatrics, orthopedics, neurology, urology, and many more.

FIGURE 4.4 The U.S. News & World Report lists the best hospitals in the country each year.

For a look at hospitals from the perspective of service to those who are over 50, the AARP Magazine has a list of the top 50 hospitals at www.aarpmagazine.org/health/Articles/a2003-01-17-tophospitals. The AARP list also includes 10 leading cardiac care hospitals, 10 leading knee-hip orthopedic hospitals, 10 leading pulmonary care hospitals, 19 leading cancer hospitals, and more.

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Communicating with Healthcare Professionals A trip to the doctor’s office can be intimidating and, in some cases, even overwhelming. The stress of the visit combined with the compressed time frame that most doctor’s work under can easily result in anxiety that thwarts the purpose of the visit.

Asking Questions and Raising Concerns Medical diagnosis and treatment today depends on a thorough physical examination and laboratory testing, but it also relies on gathering information from the patient about the patient. So before your doctor’s visit, be sure that you create Blooper the comprehensive health assessment detailed in Alert Chapter 1. This will be an excellent starting point. No question is It will also be a valuable tool for you to take to the too stupid. Do not doctor’s office. If your doctor asks you to fill out hesitate to ask your doctor his own health summary form, you can use your anything you feel you would assessment as a basis for answering his questions. like to know. It will also ensure that your answers are thoroughly researched and accurate. The more organized your presentation of the facts surrounding your physical problems and your medical history, the easier it will be for the doctor to incorporate these important details into his or her diagnosis.

Sandy’s tip If you like, instead of making a list of medications for your doctor, you can “brown bag” it by bringing each of your medications and supplements along when you go to the doctor’s office.

In order for your doctor to correctly assess your medical status, he or she needs to know what medications you are currently taking. So write down the names and doses of all medication. Also make a list of over-the-counter medications and supplements that you are taking. You can find an excellent medication form to fill out at Dr. Stall’s Geriatric website at www.acsu.buffalo.edu/ ~drstall/ptmedlst.html. Make a list of all the things you want to tell the doctor. Remember that any information you give


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him can help him make a good diagnosis. Be as specific as possible, especially with regard to your symptoms and concerns. You can create your own symptom list so that you are sure you won’t forget anything. Dr. Stall’s Geriatric website also has a good symptom list that you can fill out at www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~drstall/ptsympt.html (shown in Figure 4.5).

FIGURE 4.5 Dr. Stall’s Patient Information Sheet and Symptom Checklist can be a valuable tool for your doctor’s visit.

It is also important to create a list of questions that you might have for the doctor. Once you are in the examination room, you might feel uncomfortable. Stark surroundings and lack of clothing can contribute to your uneasiness. It can be difficult to articulate your questions when the doctor seems to be rushing to the next patient. Having a list of questions will assure that you get all the answers you need. Never be embar-

Sandy’s tip

Once you are face to face with the doctor, keep the discussion as focused as possible. Be honest. It does no good to keep information from your doctor and in

rassed to ask for clarification or to just say, “I don’t understand.”

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the end, it might even harm you. So if you smoke, have a history of alcohol or drug use, or a sexual history that the doctor should know about, just say so. Make sure that you understand any follow up. If the doctor prescribes a treatment plan, be sure that you understand the pros and cons of the treatment and the expected results and timeframe. For instance “If my symptoms worsen, what should I do? How bad should I let it get before I contact you? and so on.” Make sure that the doctor Diagnosis is what explains any possible side effects that could occur is wrong. Prognosis is from any medicine he prescribes.

Lingo

what happens next.

Even if your memory is excellent, you might want to take a pencil and paper, or tape recorder, along to take notes as the doctor explains things or answers your questions. These notes can prove valuable for your follow-up research and treatment. Things that you will want to jot down are the doctor’s diagnosis and prognosis. You might also want to document details of any medication that is prescribed or recommended, when you should return, and how you will get test results.

Bridging the Patient-Doctor Divide Internet-savvy patients are asking more questions, bringing their own research, and actively participating in their own health. They are often looking to have an emotional connection to their health care providers. Many doctors are welcoming that interaction and providing that connection.

Sandy’s tip

It is always a good idea to repeat in your own words what the doctor has told you to make sure that you have understood him correctly.

Although today’s doctors are often rushed, tired, and overworked, many are making the effort to change the traditional relationship between themselves and their patients. Savvy doctors realize that poor doctor-patient communications are one of the root causes of medical errors. A caring doctor will also realize that a newly diagnosed patient might be depressed, sad, and angry and will do his


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or her best to help the patient deal with those emotions. If your doctor is not willing to listen to your findings, answer your questions, or offer support, find one who will. Some doctors are also using the Internet to bridge the patient-doctor divide. Right now, less than half the doctors and medical groups have websites, but that number is steadily increasing as doctor’s try to accommodate their growing numbers of Internetsavvy baby boomer patients. Doctors with a Web presence often allow patients to make appointments, order prescriptions, and get referrals to specialists online. Some truly Internet-connected physicians also answer questions and communicate directly with their patients online.

Sandy’s tip If you have several doctors, you should identify one, with his approval, as your primary doctor. This is the doctor you call for emergencies, new or changing symptoms, or to clarify and coordinate the advise of the other doctors.

Today many baby boomers are looking to create a bond with their doctors. If they are ill, they want to feel that the doctor is on their team and is fighting for their recovery.

Be an Informed Patient With the Internet to help us there is no reason to visit the doctor without having any idea of our problem. We are willing to let a trained professional make the diagnosis, but we also want to be sure that we can assess our own symptoms and research possible causes. The Internet can even help us be an informed patient by helping us to understand some medical terminology.

Assessing Your Symptoms If you have symptoms that disturb you, it is always best to be checked out by a physician, but sometimes you just want to get an idea of what your symptoms mean, how serious they might be, or to help you decide if you need the help of a doctor. If that’s the case, the Internet will give you the resources you need.

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AllRefer.com (http://health.allrefer.com/health/symptoms.html), as shown in Figure 4.6, has an excellent symptom guide. You can look up more than 300 specific symptoms, such as headache, anxiety, heart palpitations, skin rash, and sore throat. Each symptom has a definition, a picture, and an overview that gives details such as the most common causes of that symptom.

FIGURE 4.6 AllRefer.com lets you look up more than 300 specific symptoms.

You will also want to check out the Symptoms & Signs area of the MedicineNet.com website at www.medicinenet.com/ symptoms_and_signs/article.htm. They have over 70 symptoms that can be searched by alphabetical listing or keyword. There is also a list of symptoms by conditions. This allows you to easily look up the symptoms of cancer, herpes, menopause, depression, and many other diseases and disorders. Information that you find at these websites can also be useful in contributing to the discussion that you will have with your doctor the next time you visit.


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Research Before You Go If you already know the disease or condition that you are dealing with, you can do a little research before you head off to the doctor. You can look up the recent developments in treatment options so that you can be prepared to discuss them with your physician. More information on how to research medical topics on the Internet is given in the next chapter.

Sandy’s tip One of the best way to use the medical information that you find on the Internet is to discuss what you learn online with your doctor.

Resources for Understanding Medical Terminology In order to have a better relationship with your doctor and to understand exactly what he or she is saying, it is essential that you become somewhat familiar with medical terminology. If you think that the technology industry is filled with acronyms, abbreviations, and complex terminology, you will find that dealing with a doctor or researching a disease will plunge you into a world of medical prattle that far exceeds the world of techno-babble. The Internet will be a good friend when you are trying to understand medical terminology. You can simply enter the term into any search engine, and you are sure to get results. There are also several medical websites that explain medical terminology and the abbreviations that doctors often use. MedicineNet.com, as shown in Figure 4.7, has a complete dictionary of medical terminology at www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp. If you simply want to look up a common medical term in a medical dictionary, there is no need to go out and purchase a book. You can just surf over to the FamilyDoctor.org website at http://familydoctor.org and use its dictionary of medical terms. You might also want to spend some time perusing this useful website, which has a wealth of health information.

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FIGURE 4.7 The MedicineNet.com website has a comprehensive MedTerms Dictionary.

Lingo If you have ever wondered what the “a.c.” scribbled on the bottom of a prescription means, you will realize how important medical abbreviations are. The MedicineNet website also has a complete list of medical abbreviations. BTW (that’s a technology abbreviation for “by the way”), “a.c.” is from the Latin ante cibum, which means before meals.

Often when you need to look up medical terminology, it is because you need information on a disease or a condition. The MayoClinic not only has collections of information and tools on various diseases and conditions, but it also provides an A to Z list in which you can look up any disease. You can find it at www.mayoclinic.com/health/DiseasesIndex/DiseasesIndex. WebMD at www.webmd.com also has a complete list of A to Z Guides. You can look up health topics to find common diseases and conditions. You can also use its separate alphabetical lists to find detailed information on what various symptoms might mean and how to handle them. WebMD provides useful alphabetical lists of the large number of medical tests that are often ordered by doctors. Its database explains what the tests are and why they are ordered. WebMD also has an alphabetical list of drugs that will give you information on each drug, its


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use, side effects, precautions, and what to do in case of possible overdose. WebMD’s alphabetical listing of Medical Tools includes quizzes, calculators, self-assessments, and guides to manage your health. Hospitals and universities often have excellent information on medical terminology online. The Des Moines University is one such university. It provides a free online educational course for learning medical terminology. Its Short Course in Medical Terminology at www.dmu.edu/ medterms is shown in Figure 4.8. The course includes an overview and basics. Then it divides the terminology by bodily system such as nervous, digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems. It is very educational in that it gives the meanings of the roots and portions of words that you can then use to decipher medical terminology. For instance, MYO means muscle, CARD means heart, and ITIS means inflammation. So myocarditis means that the muscle layer of the heart is inflamed. A cardiologist is a physician specializing in the heart. If you spend a little time at this website, you are sure to absorb a lot of extremely useful information about medical terminology.

FIGURE 4.8 The Short Course in Medical Terminology at the Des Moines University website explains medical terminology.

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Sandy’s Summary Finding medical help is easier than ever with computers and the Internet. You can not only find a physician, but you can also look up credentials and check affiliations. You can also find information on hospitals and nursing homes. When it comes time for a trip to the hospital, you might want to choose a local hospital or use Internet resources to choose a quality hospital that specializes in the type of medical procedure that you are facing. It’s not your father’s doctor-patient relationship anymore. Boomers and tech-savvy doctors are bridging the patient-doctor divide, working together to research and solve medical problems and to keep individuals as healthy as possible. Once you find a quality physician, you should spend some time preparing for your visit with the doctor. Be sure to create a list of medications and supplements, a list of questions for the doctor, as well as a comprehensive health summary. The better you communicate with the doctor, the better chance he will have of giving you the proper diagnosis and prognosis. Internet resources can also help you learn the medical lingo that is necessary to understand your medical conditions and to interact with your physician. The time you spend learning medical terminology can contribute greatly to understanding your medical needs and assuring your health.

Sandy Berger

5

Chapter Researching Health Concerns Online “God helps those who help themselves.”

—Proverb

F

rom stopping the grinding of your teeth to soothing your aching feet, Internet resources will help you assess your symptoms and find solutions to your aches and pains. Internet resources can also be invaluable to the discerning Web surfer who has been diagnosed with a disease or disorder. To make the most of your Internet research, you have to remember that you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet. You must determine the quality of online medical information and learn how to avoid scams and sales pitches. This chapter guides you through those murky waters and provides you with examples of reputable websites where you can find information to improve your health, online.

In This Chapter ■ Finding Appropriate Medical Websites ■ Evaluating the Credibility of Websites That Provide Medical Information ■ Finding General Health Information Websites ■ Tips For Finding More Specialized Information ■ Avoiding Scams and Snake Oil Salesmen ■ Effective Ways to Search ■ Finding Health-Related Audio and Video Information on the Internet ■ Health Care Information Can Also Be Found in the Form of a Podcast

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Finding Appropriate Medical Websites Many people have already discovered that in just a few minutes on the Web, one can find information about medical conditions and treatments. In fact, a recent Harris Poll showed that nearly 70 percent of Web goers have used the Internet to research health-related information. Yet, although the Internet puts health information at your fingertips, the wide array of information is often overwhelming. And, it is important that you are using websites that contain accurate information. The accuracy and quality of medical information is dependant on the source of the information. So you should always pay close attention to where the information on the site came from. There are several good sources of medical information:

• • • • •

Government websites Hospital and health care facility websites University or medical school websites Not-for-profit groups whose focus is research and public education Medical and scientific journals

Government Websites You can recognize government websites by the .gov extension. For instance, the National Institutes of Health website is found at www.nih.gov. It provides a wealth of information on health-related issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, has its website at www.cdc.gov. It has everything from information on diseases and conditions to vaccines and immunization information. HealthFinder is another government website, found at www.healthfinder.gov, as shown in Figure 5.1. This website is a service of the National Health Information Center, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Not only is this website

CHAPTER 5 RESEARCHING HEALTH CONCERNS ONLINE

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filled with great health information, but also it will lead you to many other federal organizations that provide consumer health information. Just use its search at www.healthfinder.gov/search/about.asp to search for consumer health information from more than 1,000 government agencies, clearing houses, nonprofits, and universities. They also have a directory of organizations that can be browsed alphabetically or by type of organization; that is, federal agencies, federal clearing houses, health and human services clearing houses, state agencies, nonprofit agencies, and professional organizations. Using a website similar to this that provides links to other governmental websites that are medical in nature will go far to help you find accurate health information online.

FIGURE 5.1 The Healthfinder website can help you find accurate governmental websites with medical information.

Hospital and Health Care Sites Websites from hospitals and health care facilities are often great sources of medical information. Each of the top five hospitals that were on the Honor Roll of the U.S. News & Report Best Hospital list that I talked about in the Chapter 4 have websites that are filled with great medical information.

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• • • • •

Johns Hopkins Hospital—www.hopkinsmedicine.org Mayo Clinic—www.mayoclinic.com Massachusetts General Hospital—www.mgh.harvard.edu Cleveland Clinic—www.clevelandclinic.org UCLA Medical Center—www.healthcare.ucla.edu

Each of these websites contains a wide range of health information. Some, such as the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, also have detailed information about their hospitals. The Mayo Clinic is especially comprehensive in its consumer information. Its website, at www.mayoclinic.com, offers complete tools for healthy living, disease and condition centers, as well as drug and supplement information and other health tools.

Not-For-Profit Sites Websites of not-for-profit groups can also be excellent sources of medical information. You can recognize them by the extension .org in their Internet address. Examples are the American Cancer Society whose address is www.cancer.org and the American Diabetes Association whose website is www.diabetes.org.

Medical Professional Organization Sites An easy way to find medical professional organizations is to use a search engine that allows you to search by category. The Yahoo! Health Directory is excellent for health information. It can be found at http://dir.yahoo.com/Health. You will see links to many medical websites here. Click on Medicine, Organization, Professional (as shown in Figure 5.2), and you will be presented with more than 100 associations. Be sure to look through the other health offerings at this search engine to help you find the medical information that you are interested in.


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FIGURE 5.2 The Yahoo! Health Directory has links to more than 100 medical associations and societies.

Another way to find health organizations is to use the National Health Information Center at www.health.gov/nhic. This is a health information referral service that puts consumers with health questions in touch with the organizations that are best able to answer those questions. You can search the site by title or keyword. Even better, you can download a 25-page document that lists each agency with address, telephone number, email address, and website. By looking through this list, you might find agencies that are pertinent to the information that you need. Just a few of these agencies are the National Institute on Aging Information Center A Clearing House (www.nia.nih.gov), the National Center for is an agency that colComplementary and Alternative lects and disseminates inforMedicine Information Clearing house at mation and often acts as a http://nccam.nih.gov, and the National referral service. Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Health Information Center at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

Lingo

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Medical and Scientific Journals Another place to look for good solid medical information is in medical and scientific journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, which can be found at http://content.nejm.org and the Journal of the American Medical Association http://jama.ama-assn.org.

Sandy’s tip

When you read through these types of medical websites, you will want to keep your eyes open for links to other sites. Many of these sites provide links to other reputable groups where you might be able to find even more information on the topic you are researching.

Some of the major journals provide some free information and then charge for archived material. If you want to stick to the totally free journals, try some of the many listings at The FreeMedicalJournals.com at www.freemedicaljournals.com (shown in Figure 5.3). This website lists many free journals that you can spend hours perusing. Many of these scientific journals are written for medical professionals and might be a challenging read for the layman, but they might provide key medical information especially for getting the latest research on diseases and cutting edge treatments.

FIGURE 5.3 The FreeMedicalJournals.com website has listings of free, full-text medical journals.


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Evaluating the Credibility of Websites That Provide Medical Information You will find a wealth of health information on the Internet, but all of it might not be credible. It can be difficult to judge the accuracy of medical information that you read in books, newspapers, and journals that you see on television. It can be even more difficult to access information that you find on the Internet. Here are a few ways to check the accuracy and validity of health information on the Internet:

•

•

• • •

What organization or person is supplying the information for the website? This information should be clearly displayed on the website. If an organization is behind the website, you will want to check out the validity of the organization. The source of the content should be established, respected, and dependable. A good solid medical website will have information on who has developed the website and will often offer a list of advisory board members, consultants, and content providers. Is the information on a website fact or opinion? If it is opinion, the source of the data is very important. The opinion of a credible doctor who is known for medical research might be worthwhile, whereas the opinion of someone who is trying to sell a product could be questionable. Are there links to other credible sites? Most credible websites will link to other credible sites. Those that are promoting only their own products or way of thinking will generally not have many links. Does the site’s content compare the information that you find with other websites and with other medical literature? Don’t forget to also ask your doctor for his or her advice. Is the purpose of the site to promote a specific product or service? If the purpose of the website is to sell a product or service, remember that whether the product is valuable or worthless, the information might be skewed to promote the product.

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Here are a few other important things to watch out for:

• •

Be wary of information that sounds too good to be true. It usually is. Medical information changes often. Outdated information can be misleading. Check the article that you are reading to see if it gives a date.

•

Sandy’s tip When you are sick and looking for health information, your emotional state might lead you to believe in a miracle cure. Take a deep breath, and reassess the information several times before you bite.

• •

•

Watch out for any website recommending that you to take immediate action. If a website urges you to buy something, to send personal information, or to send money, you should reassess the website no matter how wonderful the proposal sounds. Remember that reporting on the Internet is just like reporting in newspapers and magazines. Even good reporters can misrepresent medical findings because they don’t fully understand them or they can embellish the facts to sensationalize the story. Medical information is especially susceptible to these types of problems.

Be on guard for medical information on websites whose main focus is selling products. That information might be slanted to make the products more appealing. Look for websites that explain things clearly. If you don’t completely understand the information, look for other websites that explain it better. You need to have a good grasp of all medical information. Misunderstanding health information can be dangerous.

If the information you find on the Internet seems to contradict what your doctor told you, take it to your doctor and let him or her help you sort it out.

Finding General Health Information Websites When researching medical and health information, you often need a starting point. Let’s say that you are looking for information about cancer. Using a search engine to find information on this disease will


produce an overwhelming number of websites. A recent search for the work “cancer” on Google (www.google.com) resulted in a list of 265 million websites.

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Blooper Alert Watch out for websites that use quasi-scientific terminology— words such as “detox,” “balance,” and “harmonize.” Generalizations are not substitutes for scientific facts.

You can reduce that number by refining your search to a specific type of cancer, yet often it is better to start with a few good general medical websites. The general information that you find will be valuable in giving you a solid information base. Most of these websites also have specific information on many diseases and conditions. Additionally, they can be valuable tools to lead you to other even more specific websites. Here are a few of the major medical and health-related databases that you will want to peruse:

•

MedlinePlus (http://medlineplus.gov), which was already mentioned as an excellent governmental site, is a “not to be missed” informational website. It is a service of the U. S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. It covers more than 700 topics on conditions, diseases, and health issues. MedlinePlus is a perfect example of As you look why a general health site can be a through these general good starting point for medical medical websites, be sure research. It has more than 17,000 links to bookmark them or add to authoritative health websites, and them to your Favorites so information from more than 1,250 that you can easily return. organizations. MedlinePlus has a comprehensive medical encyclopedia and medical dictionary. It also provides more than 165 interactive tutorials with sound and pictures. Although not for the faint-of-heart or those who are squeamish of bloody procedures, this website even has videos of common surgical procedures including brain tumor surgery, rotator cuff repair, hernia repair, and heart bypass surgery. Much of the MedlinePlus information is also available in Spanish.

Sandy’s tip

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•

•

•

•

PubMed at http://pubmed.gov and the associated PubMed Central website at http://pubmedcentral.nih.gov are the companion websites to MedlinePlus. They are also created by the U. S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. These websites are slightly more difficult to understand and navigate than MedlinePlus, but they are also filled with great information. The PubMed database contains over 15 million articles covering all aspects of biomedicine and health and literature from 1951 to the present. Many articles are free, but some are by subscription only. MayoClinic.com (www.mayoclinic.com) is an excellent tool when researching medical conditions and health information. Mayo offers information on cancer, allergies, digestive problems, nutrition, and other medical topics. I also like their special features, which are always informative. Recent monthly topics have included everything from weight control to the problems of aging. America Online is one of the oldest health information resources on the Internet (http://health.aol.com). Their information used to be available only to AOL subscribers, but it is now available to all at no charge. It is a good resource whether you are researching a disease or want information on staying healthy. The AOL Health Center is nicely laid out and easy to navigate. Another good starting point for your search is MedHunt (www.hon.ch), a medical search engine offered by Health On the Net Foundation. This is a foundation based in Switzerland whose participants come from all over the world. It is a not-for-profit portal for medical information. You can search by medical terms, diseases, anatomy, viruses and drugs, and psychiatry and psychology.

For years, C. Everett Koop, former surgeon general of the United States, has devoted himself to consumer education. Today, the eighty-something doctor’s opinions reach millions of people on the Internet. The Dr. Koop website (www.drkoop.com) offers a wide range of information, including a health encyclopedia, a drug-interaction database, and an area with tools to keep you healthy (see Figure 5.4). You won’t want to miss the


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wonderful video library at this website. It includes videos on some interesting and unusual topics such as Magnetic Stimulation for Stroke and Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis. There are videos for many diseases such as Fibromyalgia, ADHD, Cancer, and Alzheimer’s.

FIGURE 5.4 The DrKoop.com website has health quizzes, drug information, and even a video library.

WebMD (www.webmd.com) is another excellent source of health-related information that should not be overlooked. It is a guide to medical information, tools, and services. WebMD has information on diseases and conditions, and much, much more. Two unique areas are the Today’s News area and Ask an Expert. WebMD also has a free e-newsletter on about 30 different An RSS (Real topics, including asthma, arthritis, cancer, Simple Syndication) chronic pain/back pain, diabetes, heart feed allows Internet users to health, hypertension, and men’s and subscribe to a news feed women’s health.

Lingo

In your surfing, you will probably find several medical and news-related websites that, like WebMD, offer RSS feed. You

and receive news articles as soon as they become available.

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can get more information about RSS feeds and a free RSS reader at Bloglines (www.bloglines.com) or Newsgator at http://newsgator.com. Mac users who have the Safari web browser will find that it has an RSS reader built-in. Another great website sponsored by an educational institution is the InteliHealth site at www.intelihealth.com. A joint venture of Aetna U.S. Healthcare and Johns Hopkins University and Health System, this partnership has become one of the leading health information companies in the world. Its award winning site includes very effective reference tools, databases, and search tools. It has a physician locator, an index of common diseases and conditions, an excellent drug resource guide, and current medical news. InteliHealth also has an Ask the Expert area and many interactive tools. The Internet gives us the convenience of being able to search for information at any hour of the day. Even mainstream news agencies have embraced the Web. Now many of these entities are creating health channels and health areas for the many Web searchers who are looking for health-related information. The Yahoo!News area, which can be found by clicking the Health tab at http://news.yahoo.com, as shown in Figure 5.5, will give you the latest health information. The Yahoo!News Health area has sections for Weight Loss, Sexual Health, Medications/Drugs, Parenting/Kids, Seniors/Again, and Diseases/Conditions. Google News at http://news.google.com also has a Health area. Simply click on Health from the left menu, and you will see the latest in health news. Both Yahoo!News and Google News bring you the latest health-related news stories that are congregated from newspapers and news agencies around the world. When you click on one of their stories, you will be transported to the website of the news entity. As always, be discerning when you read these news stories and be aware of the type of newspaper that is giving you the story.


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FIGURE 5.5 The Yahoo!News website is a great place to find the latest health-related information.

Tips For Finding More Specialized Information Once you have found your favorite general websites, it’s time to get down to some specific websites. If you are interested in a specific condition or disease, the general websites mentioned previously have many links and much information for your search. Here are a few more specific websites where you can find information that might be to your liking.

Lingo

•

ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov). This is an information service of the National Institutes of Health developed by the National Library of Medicine. It provides consumers with access to clinical trials on a wide number of diseases and conditions. It gives information on

Clinical Trials are research studies done to evaluate new drugs and medical devices. The Food and Drug Administration requires strict clinical trials for approval of new drugs and therapies.

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understanding clinical trials and news of the studies currently in process. It also provides numerous ways to search for and participate in these trials for the evaluation of new treatments.

•

OR-Live at www.or-live.com shows live Internet broadcasts of surgeries (see Figure 5.6). You will need a broadband connection such as cable or DSL Internet to take full advantage of these broadcasts. You will also need a strong stomach. Don’t watch if you are at all queasy.

Lingo

Genetics is the branch of biology that deals with heredity. It studies how the predisposition to certain diseases can be transferred from parent to child.

•

Genetics Home Reference, at http://ghr.nlm. nih.gov, is another National Library of Medicine’s website for consumer information. It gives information about many genetic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, and cystic fibrosis. It also explains genes and how they work, how genetic diseases and conditions are inherited, and the current gene therapy and the human genome project.

FIGURE 5.6 At OR-Live, you can see doctors performing surgery just as if you were in the operating room.


•

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Senior health information is thoroughly covered at the National Institutes of Health SeniorHealth.gov website. This website (http://nihseniorhealth.gov/), as shown in Figure 5.7, was developed by the National Institute on Aging and the U.S. National Library of Medicine to give older Americans access to quality The Human health information. It includes speechGenome Project was an activated text and easy-to-use text international research effort enlargement and contrast control for to determine the sequence low-vision Web visitors. It also has of the human genome and information on clinical trials and other identify the genes that it studies for new drugs and treatments. contains. The project forNot only is this an information-filled mally began in 1990 and was website, but also it is an excellent completed in 2003, two example of an easy-to-use website that years ahead of its original is enhanced to accommodate those schedule. with vision difficulties.

Health Facts

FIGURE 5.7 The SeniorHealth.gov website was developed specifically for older adults.

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•

•

•

•

The Health Compass website at www.healthcompass.org is another excellent source of information on health and aging. This site was created by the collaboration of two nonprofit organizations—the American Federation for Aging Research and the Merck Institute of Aging & Health. Its focus is on helping people find and evaluate online information as well as helping them make informed decisions about health and lifestyle issues. Health Compass allows you to enlarge the text size by clicking on the A at the top of the website. It also includes a glossary of terms, tips, and additional resources and website links. You might also want to take the Health Compass quiz that evaluates whether you will live to be 100. The Medicare site, at www.medicare.gov, is another not-to-be-missed website when you are searching for health and aging information. Whether you are looking for Medicare information for yourself, a parent, or a friend, this is one site that is often overlooked, but shouldn’t be. The site gives information on prescription drug coverage, billing, plan choices, and preventative services. The My.Medicare.gov area can be accessed directly at http://my.medicare.gov. Once you register for this service, you can get personalized information regarding your Medicare benefits and Medicare. The National Guideline Clearinghouse at www.guideline.gov is an authoritative health-related website for those who like to plunge right into medical guidelines and information. As expected, this website is text based and can be difficult to navigate, but it will give you the latest clinical practice guidelines for a large variety of conditions. Treatment recommendations are based on the latest scientific evidence. You can visit the Guideline Clearinghouse’s “What’s New” area for the latest guidelines, or you can search for information by disease, condition, and type of treatment. If you enjoy detailed research, the CHID, Combined Health Information Database at http://chid.nih.gov, as shown in Figure 5.8, is a great resource. It is a bibliographic database produced by agencies of the federal government that deal with health-related issues. At CHID, you will find links to online governmental health publications


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including titles, abstracts, and educational resources. They also have national and international rare disease patient support organizations. The CHID website gives leads to educational resources such as other websites, books, and brochures on selected topics. This website is the place to go if you are looking for contact information. It lists names, telephone numbers, and email addresses for many governmental agencies and sponsors.

FIGURE 5.8 The Combined Health Information Database allows you to search a database of health-related agencies of the federal government.

Avoiding Scams and Snake Oil Salesmen In the days of the Wild West, an enterprising young white man created a tonic made of an American Indian medicine plant and generous amounts of white man’s whiskey. He then traveled in a covered wagon touting his concoction as a cure-all. It was called snake oil as it was purported to treat rattlesnake bites, bee stings, fevers, and other maladies. The spirit of snake oil salesmen lives on, and they have found that the Internet is the perfect venue for their worthless products. You will find them flaunting products of all types, including vitamins, medicines,

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lotions, and devices. These salesmen peddle their products doing everything they can to give you the illusion that their product will make you feel better, improve your life, and cure all your ailments. Snake oil salesmen present their products as a ray of hope for those with incurable diseases or aggravating conditions. Often they use consumer testimonials to show the benefits of their products. Remember that health-related products are a multi-billion dollar industry. There will always be someone out there who is looking for your money rather than your well-being. Every year, the number of people who go online increases, and so does the number of charlatans who are ready to take your money.

Blooper Alert

Beware of website testimonials. Although sometimes they are accurate comments from real users, they can be fictitiously created.

Even the honest individuals and companies who are selling health-related products often try to convince us that they have new and improved vitamins, lotions, and other products. They must keep us buying in order to keep their profits up.

So when you are looking for health information online, it is always advisable to be at least slightly wary of websites that sell products. Not all of them are snake oil salesmen. In fact, many have beneficial products. Just be sure that you understand that health information on these website might be slanted to ensure that you make a purchase. Quackwatch, Inc. is a nonprofit organizationwhose purpose is to combat health-related frauds. The Quackwatch website, found at www.quackwatch.org, and shown in Figure 5.9, tries to expose myths, fads, and fallacies by presenting information that might otherwise be difficult to find. The site was founded and is run by Dr. Stephen Barrett. Quackwatch has several companion websites including the Dental Watch, www.dentalwatch.org, which keeps an eye on the dental market, and the MLM Watch (www.mlmwatch.org), which follows and assesses multilevel marketing schemes.


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FIGURE 5.9 The Quackwatch website will help you spot myths, fads, and fallacies.

The Canadian Quackery Watch at www.healthwatcher.net/ Quackerywatch focuses on Canadian scams; however, these are often the same world over, so it is a great source of information. They have a very nice list of diet frauds, magnetic scams, and sunbed hazards to name just a few. Looking through these quackery sites can be eye opening, but, as previously mentioned, you can also check out the validity of a website by finding out who is behind the site. There are also a few other things you should look for when assessing the validity of a health website:

Sandy’s tip

• •

Check for a contact name and address. Sites that provide fraudulent information and/or products often do not reveal their contact information. Any website that was found by clicking on spam or any unsolicited email is suspect.

Just because a doctor runs a website doesn’t mean that his or her information is completely accurate. As usual, look at every website with a discerning eye.

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•

References given on the website should be capable of being checked for validity. If the website says “Seen on Oprah,” it should give you a date and a link to the Oprah information.

Blooper Alert A money-back guarantee is worthless if it is from an untraceable company that won’t be around when you want your money back.

•

•

•

Although some medical journals and research areas charge for their content, any general health-related website that requests money to get added information should be looked at carefully. Websites that promote bogus products and information often use scientific terms and quote scientific references. Sounding educated and scientific does not make the product more viable.

Be wary of remedies that claim to be effective for multiple diseases and conditions. Products that claim to be a cure-all are often similar to snake oil.

Effective Ways to Search Searching for health-related information on the Internet is easy. Just surf over to any search engine and type what you are looking for into the search box. For example, if you are looking for information on Fibromyalgia, you can find it at any search engine. One of the most popular search engines is Google, which can be found at www.google.com. Once you are at the Google website you simply type the A search engine is word Fibromyalgia into the search box. Then click a Web-based program the Search button.

Lingo

that searches for anything. Basically, you tell the search engine what you are looking for, and the search mechanism finds it for you.

Google will give you a list of websites that deal with Fibromyalgia. Click on the underlined link for any of the listings, and you will be taken to a website with more information about Fibromyalgia. You don’t even have to be exact in your spelling.


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If you are looking for more specific information about Fibromyalgia, just type a few more words into the search box. For instance, if you want information about support groups, type Fibromyalgia support groups. If you want to see if there are any chat rooms that you might be interested in, type Fibromyalgia chat room. When I say that there is a wealth of health-related information, a search such as this will confirm that this is true. My Google search for Fibromyalgia chat room yielded 163,000 websites. Although Google is the most popular search engine right now, there are many other search engines that you can use. Often, you will get different results at various search engines. So feel free to try out a few different search engines. Here are a few Don’t let the numothers for you to try:

Sandy’s tip

• • • • •

Yahoo!—http://search.yahoo.com/ MSN Search—http://search.msn.com/ Ask Jeeves—www.ask.com Lycos—www.lycos.com

ber of websites that a search engine gives you be overwhelming. The most relevant results are usually found on the first page or two.

InfoSpace—www.InfoSpace.com

There are many tips and tricks to using a search engine effectively. For more information on search engines and how to make them work for you, see my Great Age Guide to the Internet book.

Finding Health-Related Audio and Video Information on the Internet As the Internet matures, it is presenting us with different ways to absorb that content. Everyday, more health information is available on the Internet in audio and video format. On top of that, you can get information from all over the world. One example of this is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s About Radio National website.

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This Australian radio programming is about science, health, the arts, religion, social history, and current affairs. The health area is especially impressive, presented by some of Australia’s leading broadcasters and backed by detailed research. Their Health Report is presented at www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/default.htm. It covers hot health topics in an audio format. You can even subscribe to the programming as a podcast that will automatically download the program to your computer (or iPod, if you have one) every time a new program is posted.

Health Care Information Can Also Be Found in the Form of a Podcast Podcasting is becoming more popular with thousands of podcasts now available on the Web. Anyone can create a podcast, so similar to other information on the Web, you must be discerning about the information presented. However, listening to podcasts can be fun and after doing serious text-oriented health research, they can give you health information in a lighter format.

Lingo

A podcast is an audio broadcast created to be distributed over the Web. You can listen to a podcast with your computer speakers or can download it to an iPod or other portable audio player.

If you already use iTunes, you can simply click Podcasts from the main Music Store to get a list of podcasts, many of which are health related. If you don’t use iTunes, you can download it free from www.itunes.com. iTunes is a music software program that will allow you to copy your own CDs to your computer and/or purchase music. The beauty of podcasts is that they are free. You do not have to purchase anything to play a podcast on your computer.

You can also find podcasts without downloading any software. There are many podcast directories that you can use to find health-related podcasts. The PodcastDirectory.com at www.podcastdirectory.com, the Podcast News Podcast Directory at www.podcastingnews.com/forum/ links.php, and the Podfeed podcast directory at http://podfeed.net are


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just a few of the available podcast directories. All of these have health areas where you can find podcasts that interest you. Some are general health or fitness podcasts, but many are specific to detailed health ailments, product, procedures, and diseases. In my podcast search, I found podcasts with the latest research on breast cancer, a podcast on cleft lip and palates, as well as podcasts on diabetes, arthritis, autism, and smoking cessation.

Sandy’s Summary In years past, finding information about health, disease, and dysfunction was a tedious, time-consuming task. With all the wonderful health resources on the Internet, the ability to access health information any time day or night, and the fact that you can research any health topic anonymously, it is no wonder that the Internet has become so popular for researching health-related topics. It is truly a wonderful tool that can help everyone who wants to get healthy and stay that way. In fact, the Web gives us so much information that it is sometimes overwhelming. The task at hand for online health information seekers is to sift through the myriad of information to determine what is appropriate and accurate. Because anyone can post information to the Web, it is important to be a discerning Web searcher as well as to identify good solid information and differentiate it from false information that might be projected to sell an unproven idea or a questionable product. It is easy to make sure that health information is accurate by determining who is behind the information. Governmental, hospital, health care, and university websites often provide good, solid information and can be a great place to start any health-related

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research. There are many substantial general health-related websites, and these can lead to more sites that are of a more specific nature. With a little knowledge and a discerning attitude, anyone looking for health information and products can be successful in avoiding scams and snake oil salesmen and finding accurate information. If you are patient and stick to it, you can find a wealth of information on the Internet. Today’s computer technology makes it easier than ever for people to track down medical and health information.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

6

Finding Disease-Specific Information Online “The greatest wealth is health.” —Virgil

O

ur bodies tend to age in predictable ways. Wrinkles appear, eyesight wanes, and aches and pains become an everyday occurrence. Certain diseases and conditions have a higher incidence in an aging population. When one of these conditions strike, your doctor is the best person to consult for information and advice. However, the additional information that the Internet provides can also be valuable. Often when you are interested in researching specific diseases or conditions, you look for websites that pertain only to that ailment, which is great, but you might be missing some valuable information.

In This Chapter ■

Arthritis

■

Macular Degeneration

■

Diabetes

■

Cancer

■

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

■

Stroke

■

Heart Health and Disease

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One way to expand your research is by signing up for electronic health newsletters that give you information on the health topic or disease you are interested in. I have initiated my own e-Health Newsletter that you can also sign up for. Just surf over to my e-Health Newsletter website (http://sandyberger.privatehealthnews.com), as shown in Figure 6.1, to sign up for this free newsletter.

FIGURE 6.1 Sandy Berger’s free e-Health Newsletter gives you personalized health information from leading medical resources around the world.

This is not just an ordinary newsletter; it is personalized. You choose the topics that you are interested in such as allergies, alternative medicine, blood pressure, breast cancer, diabetes, diet, heart disease, pain management, skin health, and weight management. Then each month, you will get informative articles about current breakthroughs

CHAPTER 6 FINDING DISEASE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ONLINE

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or happenings in just the areas you are interested in. These articles are selected from hundreds of publications and journals. They are medically reviewed. They are current medical news items with each one published within the last 60 days.

Arthritis Arthritis is a chronic, painful disease that affects more women than men. Although young people can also be stricken, arthritis becomes more prevalent after age 40. In fact, in women older than 45, arthritis is the leading cause of limitation of activity.

Lingo Arthritis is the common name given to a group of diseases and conditions that affect the movable (synovial) joints of the body causing pain.

There are various types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and several others. Because arthritis is so common, there is plenty of information about it on the Internet. A good place to start is the Arthritis Foundation website at www.arthritis.org, which is shown in Figure 6.2.

The arthritis.org website holds a wealth of information for arthritis sufferers. There are questionnaires to assess your risk as well as to assess your symptoms. The drug and supplement guides list possible helpful products. Two “don’t miss” sections are 51 Ways to Be Good to Your Joints and Tips for Living with Arthritis. Both can be found by clicking the Conditions and Treatment tab, as shown in Figure 6.2. The Arthritis Foundation website states, “The pain and disability accompanying all types of arthritis can be minimized through early diagnosis and appropriate management, including diet and nutrient supplements, weight control, physical activity, self-management, physical and occupational therapy, and joint replacement therapy when indicated.”

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FIGURE 6.2 The Arthritis Foundation website has information about everything related to arthritic diseases and conditions. The Conditions and Treatments area is especially information filled.

Sandy’s tip I’ll cover more about finding support groups, message boards, and chat rooms in Chapter 8, “Finding Others Like You.” After you read that chapter, you will be armed with information on how to find information and support from others.

Because the symptoms of arthritis are manageable, this is one disease for which message boards and chat rooms are especially valuable. These are resources that you can use to find out how others are dealing with the disease and to give you ideas on what treatment options you might try. When it comes to support for arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation’s Communities area at www.arthritis.org/communities, as shown in Figure 6.3, is the place to go. This area of the website has message boards and chat rooms, as well as information on forums, events, and support groups in your local area.


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FIGURE 6.3 The Arthritis Foundation Communities area has links to many arthritis support groups.

For more support on arthritis issues, visit ArthritisSupport.com at www.arthritissupport.com. Although this website has a large store that will try to sell you arthritis-related products, it has active chat rooms and message boards. The site also has coping tips and drug news. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at www.niams.nih.gov also has excellent information on arthritis. This website is part of the National Institutes of Health. Although the website is done in a dry, text-book style, a little searching will reveal much pertinent information. As you search the Internet, you will find many other excellent arthritis websites. The Arthritis.com website, at www.arthritis.com, has an extensive list of Arthritis resources. Just click the Arthritis Resources link on

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Health Facts Nearly 50% of persons 65 years of age have arthritis.

the menu to find links to other informative websites, as well as links to hospitals and medical professionals who specialize in arthritis. The arthritis.com website, which was created by Pfizer, also has several animations that explain arthritic conditions. The animation on osteoarthritis is found at www.arthritis.com/animation_understanding_oa.asp and is shown in Figure 6.4.

FIGURE 6.4 The Arthritis.com website has an interesting animation that will help you understand what osteoarthritis does.


Macular Degeneration There are several types of macular degeneration, but age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most prominent. In fact, it is the leading cause of blindness in Americans who are over 65. The list of famous people with macular degeneration include Don Knotts and Dabney Coleman, as well as Olympic track star Marla Runyan.

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Lingo Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease of the retina that affects central vision and can lead to blindness.

AMD.org, at www.amd.org, is a good place to start your quest for information on macular degeneration. This website has information on what this disease is and what it does. It also has a free electronic newsletter and links to many other resources. The site’s animation at www.amd.org/images/Areds_Study_Flash.html, as shown in Figure 6.5, shows the stages of AMD and gives information on a recent clinical trial. Like arthritis, living with macular degeneration is no picnic, but patients can learn from each other. The MD Support website at www.mdsupport.org will give you Internet support groups, as well as real-time chats and local support groups. This website also has links to more than 1,600 macular Some forms of degeneration resources. AMD are inherited.

Sandy’s tip

Once you start you search for macular degeneration information, you will be amazed at the resources you will find. I’ll list just a few to get you started:

• •

Be sure to check with your family doctor if there is macular degeneration in your family.

The Macular Degeneration Foundation’s Eyesight.org—http://www.eyesight.org/ The Foundation Fighting Blindness Macular Degeneration Home Page—www.blindness.org/MacularDegeneration/

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• •

All About Vision.com’s Macular Degeneration area— www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/amd.htm EyeMDlink.com’s Macular Degeneration area— www.eyemdlink.com/Condition.asp?ConditionID=55

FIGURE 6.5 The animation at AMD.org show the stages of age-related macular degeneration.

Diabetes In 2005, statistics from the National Diabetes Fact Sheet showed that 20.9% of people over 60 have diabetes. One and a half million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people over 20 years in 2005. These are staggering numbers, making diabetes a disease that many baby boomers are already, or will be, facing.


There are basically two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called insulin-dependent or juvenileonset diabetes. Although it can strike anyone, most cases are seen in children and young adults. Only 5–10% of diagnosed cases are type 1. Type 2 diabetes, which is also called noninsulin–dependent diabetes or adultonset diabetes, is the type that baby boomers have to worry about—90% to 95% of the diagnosed cases are type 2.

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Lingo Diabetes is a disease characterized by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both.

The American Diabetes Association website at www.diabetes.org has information on all things related to diabetes, as shown in Figure 6.6.

FIGURE 6.6 The American Diabetes Association website has tips, recipes, news, and other information to help people cope with diabetes.

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Diabetes is a disease that can have serious, sometimes life-threatening, complications. People with diabetes must take steps to control the disease in order to lower the risk of complications.

Health Facts According to 2005 statistics, of the 20.8 million people in the United States who have diabetes, 6.2 million have not yet been diagnosed.

According to the National diabetes fact sheet, the complications of diabetes are Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart disease is the leading cause of diabetesrelated deaths. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2–4 times higher than adults without diabetes. The risk for stroke is 2–4 times higher among people with diabetes.

About 65% of deaths among people with diabetes are because of heart disease and stroke. High Blood Pressure

About 73% of adults with diabetes have blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or use prescription medications for hypertension. Blindness

Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults 20–74 years old.

Sandy’s tip If you have type 2 diabetes, every ounce you lose will decrease fat cells that cause insulin resistance and contribute to the disease.

Kidney Disease

Diabetes is the leading cause of treated end-stage renal disease, accounting for 43% of new cases. Nervous System Disease

About 60–70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage. The results of such damage include impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion of


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food in the stomach, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other nerve problems. Severe forms of diabetic nerve disease are a major contributing cause of lower-extremity amputations. Amputations

More than 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations in the United States occur among people with diabetes. Dental Disease

Almost one-third of people with diabetes have severe periodontal diseases with loss of attachment of the gums to the teeth measuring 5 millimeters or more. Other Complications

Uncontrolled diabetes often leads to biochemical imbalances that can cause acute life-threatening events, such as diabetic coma. People with diabetes are more susceptible to many other illnesses and, once they acquire these illnesses, often have worse prognoses than people without diabetes. For example, they are more likely to die with pneumonia or influenza than people who do not have diabetes. Exercise reduces

Sandy’s tip

blood sugar, so it can

The complications of diabetes are indeed help prevent diabetes in serious, yet many people are not even those at risk. aware that they have the disease until they develop one of its serious complications. Diabetes is diagnosed by a blood test. You should be tested regularly, especially if you have several of the following risk factors:

• • •

You are over 45. You are overweight. A parent or sibling has or had diabetes.

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• • • •

You are of African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino descent. You had gestational diabetes or gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds. You have high blood pressure. You are inactive.

If you or a loved one has already been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor has probably told you to watch your weight, exercise more, and possibly to take medication. Yet, you might not get all the data that you need from your doctor. The Internet has information that will help you understand diabetes and what changes you need to make to avoid complications. The Diabetes Self-Management, at www.diabetesselfmanagement.com, is a great website that covers all aspects of diabetes treatment and self-care. As shown in Figure 6.7, it includes information on controlling your blood sugar, improving your lifestyle, monitoring, and using alternative medicine and herbs. Although this website will try to sell you a magazine and books on diabetes, it is worth a good look just for its news and lifestyle management advice.

Health Facts

It always pays to watch websites for current news about your disease. This year, the FDA approved inhaled insulin for diabetes, which will free some diabetics from having to endure insulin injections. A lot of research is currently being done on diabetes, so use the Internet to get the latest news so that you can ask your doctor about new testing and treatment options. Here are a few more diabetes-related websites that can help you:

Diabetes puts much stress on the body. Heart attacks and strokes kill 2 out of every 3 people with diabetes.

• •

BD Diabetes.com— www.bddiabetes.com/us/ National Diabetes Education Program— www.ndep.nih.gov/


• •

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The Canadian Diabetes Association—www.diabetes.ca The Defeat Diabetes Foundation—www.defeatdiabetes.org

FIGURE 6.7 The Diabetes Self-Management website gives you tools for adapting to a lifestyle that will help control your diabetes.

Cancer Cancer is a dreaded word. No one wants to hear it in their diagnosis. Yet, the good news is that age-adjusted mortality continues to fall for both heart disease and cancer—the top two causes of death.

Lingo Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells spread and grow uncontrollably.

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Health Facts With cancer, the sooner it is found, the better. Early stages are the most treatable, giving the patients the greatest chance of survival.

Some cancers are preventable. All cancers caused by cigarette smoking and heavy use of alcohol could be prevented. The American Cancer Society says that “scientific evidence suggests that about one-third of the 564,830 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2006 will be related to nutrition, physical inactivity, and overweight or obesity, and thus could be prevented.”

However, we have not yet figured out how to prevent many common cancers such as breast, prostate, colon, and uterine cancer. So the American Cancer Society advises early screening for these cancers. It recommends

• • • •

Breast Cancer—Yearly mammograms for women over 40 and monthly self exams for all women. Colon and Rectal Cancer—For men and women over 50, yearly fecal occult blood tests. Additional testing every 5 years, and a colonoscopy every 10 years. Prostate Cancer—PSA test and digital rectal examination annually for men over 50. Uterine Cancer—Regular Pap testing.

The American Cancer Society’s website provides information about 70 different kinds of cancer. It also has wonderful support programs for both cancer survivors and cancer patients, as shown in Figure 6.8. When you or a loved one has cancer, you want to do everything possible to keep up with the latest drugs, treatments, and breakthroughs. The Internet will help you do just that. Many general health-related websites have cancer information and cancer news, but the Cancer News website at www.cancernews.com/default2.asp focuses on just cancer news.


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FIGURE 6.8 The American Cancer Society’s website has a wealth of information, including links to support groups.

For more information about cancer, you might want to try the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The website has information on the various types of cancers, as well as treatment, testing, and clinical trials. It also has an informative section on coping with cancer. More than 10 mil-

Health Facts

Because cancer is such a widespread disease, there are many online resources. The CancerCare website gives you the latest on cancer research, as well as

lion Americans are currently living with, through, or beyond cancer.

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active online support groups where you can interact with and get information from others. If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, the Cancer.com website is a good place to visit. As shown in Figure 6.9, this website’s theme is “Strength in Knowledge.” It has comprehensive information on the types of cancers, as well as therapies, side effects, and coping information.

FIGURE 6.9 At Cancer.com, cancer patients can get information about treatments and side effects.

Another website where they believe that knowledge is power when treating cancer is the LIVESTRONG site at www.livestrong.org (shown in Figure 6.10). This website was created by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which believes that in your battle with cancer, “Unity is strength, knowledge is power, and attitude is everything.” Many of you know Lance Armstrong as a champion cyclist and seventime winner of the Tour de France, but his determination and heroism is displayed best in his story as a testicular cancer survivor. The LIVESTRONG website is filled with Lance’s spirit, as well as the needed information. This is a “don’t miss” website that will give cancer patients the courage to take control of their disease, just as Lance did.


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FIGURE 6.10 The LIVESTRONG website gives you the tools you need to take control of your health when dealing with cancer.

When researching cancer, you will also find many resources for each individual type of cancer. These resources will lead you to others. Here are a few links to websites for several different types of cancer that will get you started:

• • •

Skin Cancer Foundation—www.skincancer.org/ Colon Cancer Alliance—www.ccalliance.org/ Lung Cancer Online—www.lungcanceronline.org

Remember that you don’t have to currently have cancer to get something out of these websites. They all have information on the prevention of cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation website, at www.skincancer.org, is one that everyone over 40 should visit in order to learn how to recognize skin cancer and how to examine yourself for it.

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Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are extremely difficult to deal with. Because Alzheimer’s involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, as the disease progresses, normal activities are completely curtailed.

Lingo

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia, a brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.

The risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases with age. The number of people with the disease doubles every five years after the age of 65. Scientists believe that this disease currently affects as many as 4.5 million Americans. As the baby boomers age, it will affect even more Americans.

As with many other diseases, early detection makes a significant difference in effectively treating the disease. The Alzheimer’s Disease Education & Referral Center, which can be found at www.alzheimers.org, lists the seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease as

1 2 3

Asking the same question over and over again Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again Forgetting how to cook, how to make repairs, or how to play cards—activities that were previously done with ease and regularity

Health Facts About five percent of men and women between the ages of 65 and 74 have Alzheimer’s disease. Almost half of those age 85 and older might have the disease.

4 5 6 7

Losing one’s ability to pay bills or balance one’s checkbook Getting lost in familiar surroundings, or misplacing household objects Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean Relying on someone else, such as a spouse, to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves


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The Alzheimer’s Association, at www.alz.org, has more information on warning signs. It also has information on treatment, stages, and related disorders. The site also offers an interesting and informative interactive slide show that illustrates how the brain works and how Alzheimer’s affects it. This interactive tour can be found at www.alz.org/brain/ overview.asp and is shown in Figure 6.11.

FIGURE 6.11 The Alzheimer’s Association website has an interactive tour of the brain and how Alzheimer’s disease affects it.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be difficult and frustrating. This is certainly a time when interacting with other’s who are in the same situation is extremely beneficial. The Alzinfo.org website (www.alzinfo.org) has chats and forums where you can meet with others who have a good understanding of what you are dealing with (see Figure 6.12).

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FIGURE 6.12 At the Alz.org website, the Community area has chats, forums, and an Ask Alzheimer’s Experts section.

The Alz.org website is one that anyone interested in this disease will want to spend some time investigating. This website has the latest news and treatment options as well as care giving information. On top of that, it has links to additional websites with even more Alzheimer’s information.

Stroke Stroke is the number 3 cause of death in America behind heart disease and cancer. Not only does it take many lives, but it is also the leading cause of major disability in the United States. You are at higher risk for stroke if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or if you smoke. Also, African Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk for stroke.


To lessen the damage caused by a stroke, it is imperative that the warning signs are recognized and help is called immediately. The American Stroke Association (www.strokeassociation.org) lists the warning signs of stroke as

• • • • •

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

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Lingo Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease that occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is interrupted. It can result in sudden numbness or sudden difficulty seeing, speaking, or understanding.

Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

The American Stroke Association website (www.strokeassociation.org) has a wealth of information that will help you learn about stroke and also about how to deal with life after a stroke. As shown in Figure 6.13, it also has a Heart & Stroke Encyclopedia that can help you understand the medical lingo relating to strokes. Another informative website is the National Stroke Association website at http://info.stroke.org. It has information for stroke recovery, for stroke survivors, and even for caregivers. It also has current news on treatments, risks, and other stroke-related articles. The site also has a free StrokeSmart magazine for stroke victims and their family, which can be ordered from the website.

Health Facts On average, every 45 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke.

Sandy’s tip Get your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure puts extra strain on the blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke.

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FIGURE 6.13 The American Stroke Association website has an informative Heart & Stroke Encyclopedia.

The Stroke Association is an organization in the UK, where stroke is as widespread as it is in the United States. Their informative website at www.stroke.org.uk states that “almost one in four men and one in five women aged 45 can expect to have a stroke if they live to 85.”

Heart Health and Disease Diseases and dysfunctions of the heart are the leading cause of death in Americans. The prevalence of heart disease increases with age. So we all need to do whatever we can to learn about heart disease and guard against it.


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The American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) provides information on everything related to the heart, as shown in Figure 6.15. It will High blood presalso give you the tools that you need sure is defined as systo monitor your heart health. At tolic pressure of 140 mm Hg www.s2mw.com/AHA/usercentral.aspx, you or higher, or diastolic preswill find a blood pressure tracker, a blood sure of 90 mm Hg or higher. glucose tracker, and a cholesterol tracker. These are free tools that will help you gain control of your heart health. With a home blood pressure monitor and home cholesterol monitor, you can track these vital statistics as often as you like.

Lingo

FIGURE 6.14 The American Heart Association website will tell you all you ever wanted to know about heart health and disease.

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As with stroke, the faster you act in the event of a heart attack, the better. The American Heart Association lists these as the main symptoms of a heart attack:

• • • •

Chest discomfort—Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body—Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath—This might occur with or without chest discomfort. Other signs—These might include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Sandy’s tip Couch potato alert! A healthy lifestyle—including weight control, exercise, and a good diet—will decrease the risk of heart disease. So right now is a good time to get your healthy lifestyle on track.

They also warn, however, that women’s heart attack symptoms might be different. “As with men, womens’ most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.” If you are interested in heart health and disease, be sure to see the many differences between men and women that are listed in Chapter 7, “Men’s and Women’s Unique Health Issues.”

Because blood pressure and cholesterol are linked to heart health, you might want to use the Internet to do a little investigating into understanding what these terms are and how blood pressure and cholesterol can be controlled. The HeartCenterOnline’s Blood Pressure Center, at http://heart.healthcentersonline.com/bloodpressure, explains the details about blood pressure, types of high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and blood pressure medication. You might also want to visit their main web page at


http://heart.healthcentersonline.com. As shown in Figure 6.15, this website is filled with good heart health information. The National Cholesterol Education Program’s Live Healthier Live Longer website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd explains the role of cholesterol in heart disease. It also gives information on how to understand cholesterol levels and how to lower them, if necessary.

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Health Facts About 69 percent of people who have a first heart attack, 77 percent who have a first stroke, and 74 percent who have congestive heart failure have blood pressure higher than 140/90.

Approximately 350,000 coronary artery bypass surgeries are performed in the United States each year. These and other heart surgeries are becoming safer and easier because of new procedures and new devices. Heart surgeons are even getting robotic helpers. (See Chapter 12 for more information.)

FIGURE 6.15 The HeartCenterOnline website has lists of Conditions & Diseases, Procedures & Tests, Drugs & Medications, and Prevention & Wellness.

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If you are facing heart surgery, you will find many resources on the Internet. Medline Plus even has videos of surgical procedures, including more than 30 heart surgeries. The faint of heart (pun intended) might find these videos a little too much to handle. If that is the case, you can look up information on each procedure at Medline Plus’s Heart and Circulation Topics at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartandcirculation.html. You will also find information on cholesterol, blood pressure, pacemakers, and many other heart-related topics here.

Sandy’s Summary To start your quest for specific medical information, be sure to check out generalized health websites. They often have information about specific diseases. Also be sure to subscribe to health-related newsletters. Since these appear in your inbox on a regular basis, they can be advantageous in keeping you updated on the topics that you are interested in. You can then focus your efforts on finding Internet resources for whatever ails or interests you. In this chapter, you found information on some of the more common and often crippling diseases that plague baby boomers and their older siblings. These include arthritis, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and heart disease. If you or a loved one has one of these diseases, you are sure to be interested in finding more information, but consider looking at all of these diseases—even if you are healthy. Many of these diseases can be delayed and/or avoided with the proper care. The Internet resources mentioned in this chapter, and throughout this book, are sure to get you on the road to better health and keep you there.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

7

Men’s and Women’s Unique Health Issues “Let us not be blind to our differences.” —John F. Kennedy

I

f you look at an x-ray of a human hand, you can’t tell whether that hand belongs to a man or a woman. The same is true of many other body parts. In fact, physiologically, the sexes have more similarities than they have differences. There are obvious differences in the sex organs, and those differences alone pose differing health concerns. Yet, recent research shows that there are differences in the way the heart and brain work in each of the sexes. Researchers are finding that the aging process differs for each sex. Some diseases manifest differently in women. Even the way the body processes medications is different for men and women.

In This Chapter ■

Men Are from Mars: Women Are from Venus

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The Gender Differences

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Heart Health in Men and Women

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Websites with Gender-Specific Information for Both Sexes

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Women’s Health Issues

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Men’s Health Issues

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Men Are from Mars: Women Are from Venus The scientific-based medicine of the Western world was built entirely on the male body. Physicians and researchers just assumed that medical tests and scientific studies done on men would have the same results if done on women. For the most part, this was done for convenience. It was easier to focus only on one sex. In the traditional families that existed when scientific testing began, males were more readily available to take part in clinical studies. Also, because of the possibility of pregnancy, childbearing age women were banned from participating in safety tests for new drugs. Many scientists excluded women from other studies, fearing that the changes in their bodies because of their monthly cycles might interfere with test results.

Gender-Specific Studies The “one size fits all” type of medicine that has routinely been practiced in this country is slowly being thrown out the window. In light of recent findings on the difference between the sexes and the immense progress in genetics, a new field of scientific study, sex-based biology, has come to the forefront. Scientists and researchers are finding differences that go well beyond the obvious. They are discovering variations between the sexes at the system, organ, tissue, and even cellular levels. These findings are leading to new studies that look at the sometimes subtle, but important, differences—such as the differences in drug reactions, the differences in symptoms, and the differences in responses to various diseases and conditions. Studies on the disparities between the sexes and how they affect medical diagnosis and treatment are available for your study on the Internet. Two good starting points are the American Medical Association’s featured report on sex and sex-based differences in health and disease, at www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13607.html, and the FDA’s article, “Does Sex Make a Difference?” that is found at www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2005/405_sex.html and shown in Figure 7.1.

CHAPTER 7 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S UNIQUE HEALTH ISSUES

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FIGURE 7.1 The FDA’s “Does Sex Make a Difference?” article lists some of the many differences in disease risk between men and women.

The more scientists look at the differences between men and women, the more they understand how important these differences are in the way that the women are diagnosed and treated. They are realizing that we need to learn about the differences and adapt medical practices to reflect the variations between the sexes when dealing with both health and disease.

Lingo Sex-based biology, sometimes called gender-based biology, is a scientific field that studies the biological and physiological differences between the sexes.

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Lingo Genetics is a branch of biology that deals with the mechanism of hereditary. Genetic diseases and conditions are passed down from generation to generation.

The U. S. government has responded to this information by developing guidelines for the inclusion of women in federally funded clinical studies. In 1990, it established the Office of Research on Women’s Health (http://orwh.od.nih.gov), which is a part of the National Institutes of Health. At the Office of Research on Women’s Health, you can get information on being included in clinical research. The FDA’s Office of Women’s Health (www.fda.gov/womens) also has information on clinical trials as well as other women’s health initiatives.

It will take some time before the treatment of men and women becomes that specialized, but there is another area where the differences in men and women is currently obvious. Vitamin companies are now specifically formulating two sets of vitamins—one for men and another for women. Even better, some are making four different formulations for men under 50, women under 50, men over 50, and women over 50. Differences in saliva production and composition might, in the future, give us toothpastes that are specifically made for each of the sexes. If such sex-specific products work better, they might become the wave of the future.

Research and Current Studies You Can Read About Online If you are interested in the medical differences between the sexes that are currently under investigation, check out the Society for Women’s Health Research at www.womenshealthresearch.org. As shown in Figure 7.2, it has information on sex-based biology, corresponding medical research, and details on the differences between the sexes regarding medical conditions. Their consumer fact sheets at www.womenshealthresearch.org/hs/ healthfacts.htm explain what you need to know about the differences in men and women regarding certain conditions and diseases. Their fact sheets include information on conditions such as addiction, asthma, autoimmune disease, brain and degenerative disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, diet, obesity and eating disorders, eye health, hearing, menopause, mental health, musculoskeletal health, oral health, pain, pharmaceuticals, sleep, AIDS, and urinary tract health.


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FIGURE 7.2 The Society for Women’s Health Research website has information about sex-based biology and how it affects health and wellness.

The Gender Differences According to my research, there are an amazing number of differences between men and women that specifically indicate a difference in medical analysis and treatment. First, women and men are predisposed to different diseases:

• •

Women are two to three times more likely to suffer from depression. Women are more likely to develop lung cancer when exposed to the same amount of smoke as men.

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• • • • •

Women who smoke are up to 70 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than male smokers. Women are two times more likely than men to contract a sexually transmitted disease. Men are more likely to develop renal failure and to have a faster progression of kidney disease. Seventy-five percent of those who suffer from an autoimmune disease such as lupus, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis are women. Eighty percent of the people affected by osteoporosis are women.

Here are a few more differences that recent research showed:

• • • • • • • • • •

Women are more likely than men to suffer a second heart attack within a year of the first attack. In almost all societies, women live longer than men. Women wake up faster from anesthesia than men. Pain medications and other drugs can react differently in women and men. Women produce less of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the stomach and, after consuming the same amount of alcohol, will have a higher blood alcohol level than men. Language centers are positioned in different areas of the male and female brain. Channels in the cardiac cell membrane are different in men and women. Men’s brains are larger. Women’s brains contain more neurons. Women often feel a milder discomfort rather than the sharp pain men experience in response to a heart attack.


• • •

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Use of oral contraceptives might affect the action of many other drugs. While aspirin therapy cut the incidence of stroke in women, it did not do so in men. While aspirin therapy cut the incidence of heart attack in men, it did not do so in women.

These and many other differences can result in the two sexes reacting differently to the same treatment and having different general and side effects for the same medication. These findings indicate that women might even require a different means of keeping healthy or preventing diseases.

Heart Health in Men and Women Our society has the misconception that heart disease exists only in the male domain. The truth of the matter is that heart disease is also an overwhelming problem for women. In fact, most people are surprised to find that heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. Here is an amazing statistic that should wake us all A woman is more up to the severity of heart disease in than ten times as likely to women: Since 1984, more women have die of cardiovascular disdied from cardiovascular disease each ease as she is to die of year than men.

Health Facts

breast cancer.

Heart attack is not always recognized in women because they do not usually have the same symptoms as a male having a heart attack. The classic male symptoms of a heart attack include a sharp squeezing pain and uncomfortable pressure or fullness in the center of the chest. Women, in sharp contract, often experience more subtle symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, discomfort, nausea, dizziness, or pain in unlikely places such as the jaw.

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Certain differences between men’s and women’s hearts and the way these differences affect heart care have already been discovered:

• • •

Women’s hearts beat faster. Women have smaller hearts and smaller arteries than men. Some common diagnostic tests for heart disease are less accurate in women.

Health Facts Cardiovascular disease now claims more women’s lives than the next seven causes of death combined.

These and other conditions result in these startling facts about women and heart disease:

• • •

Women have a 50 percent greater chance of dying during heart surgery than men. Women are more likely to die after their first heart attack than men. Forty percent of women do not survive their first heart attack.

Luckily, these unfortunate statistics have propelled the medical community to start searching for some answers about how to understand and promote women’s heart health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Women’s Health Initiative recently launched an extensive study of 140,000 postmenopausal women with the express purpose of studying the hearts of women, how they might be different from men’s hearts, and what different methods for detection and treatment of heart disease might be needed. This particular study will last for 14 years, but other shorter-term investigations are also underway.

Websites with Gender-Specific Information for Both Sexes Besides the subtle differences between men and women, obvious anatomical differences cause them to deal with diverse health issues


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and diseases. Many men are struggling with prostate diseases, testicular cancer, and erectile dysfunction, whereas women are dealing with breast and uterine cancer, menopause, and osteoporoses. Many excellent health-related websites divide these and other sexrelated issues by having separate Web areas for men’s and women’s health. You might have to do a little searching to find these areas, but they are almost always worth a visit.

WebMD: Men’s and Woman’s Health Centers At the WebMD website (www.webmd.com), you have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find a link to the Men’s Health Center and the Woman’s Health Center. WebMD’s men’s health area has excellent information on heart disease as well as plenty of tips on staying healthy. The WebMD’s women’s health area has excellent menopause and osteoporosis facts, plus much more.

Medline Plus At Medline Plus (http://medlineplus.gov), an excellent health resource that is a joint service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the men’s and women’s health issues are also found under Health Topics, as shown in Figure 7.3. Medline Plus has a wealth of information in this Health Topics area, which covers more than 700 topics on wellness, conditions, and diseases. After you have looked at the men’s and women’s issues areas, you might also want to peruse the Seniors’ Health Topics area, which has information on macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, heart disease, osteoarthritis, dementia, shingles, diabetes, urinary incontinence, and Parkinson’s disease, as well as many sex-related issues such as prostate diseases, menopause, and erectile dysfunction.

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FIGURE 7.3 Men’s and women’s health areas can be found in the Health Topics area of the Medline Plus website.

HealthWeb HealthWeb, at http://healthweb.org, is another website containing articles and information about men’s and women’s health issues. HealthWeb is a collaborative project of the health sciences libraries of the Greater Midwest Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and those of the Committee for Institutional Cooperation. As you can see in Figure 7.4, the HealthWeb has more than 70 areas. Each of these areas will give you links to other information. This is a great place to find statistics on various conditions, general resources, and information on clinical trials, conferences, and events.

Mayo Clinic: Healthy Living Centers Mayo Clinic also has Healthy Living Centers that feature both men’s and women’s issues. The Men’s Health Living Center is at www.mayoclinic.com/health/mens-health/MC99999; the Women’s


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Health Center is at www.mayoclinic.com/health/womens-health/ WO99999. Both websites have excellent information and feature the “Ask a Mayo Clinic Specialist” section, which features often asked questions and their answers from a Mayo specialist.

FIGURE 7.4 The HealthWeb gives you links and information men’s and women’s health and many other topics.

Men’s and Women’s Health Areas at MedicineNet.com The MedicineNet.com website also has an extensive Men’s Health Area at www.medicinenet.com/mens_health/focus.htm. Besides the typical topics related to men’s health, the site also features other interesting articles. Some of those listed when I last visited the site were “Will I go Bald?” and “Anger Can Harm Your Health.”

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The MedicineNet.com Women’s Health Area, at www.medicinenet.com/ womens_health/focus.htm, is also chock-full of solid information. This includes highly medical topics such as a tilted uterus and ovarian cysts, as well as slightly lighter topics such as tanning beds and a summer beach survival guide for women.

Yahoo! Health Centers for Men and Women Yahoo! Health also has separate health areas for men and women. The men’s health resource area is at http://health.yahoo.com/centers/mens/, and the women’s resource area is at http://health.yahoo.com/centers/ women. Both Yahoo! health centers have multimedia video clips related to the topics. These are listed under “Related Resources,” where you can also find men’s and women’s groups and message boards.

BBC Another great website for men’s and women’s health issues comes from a somewhat unexpected source, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). Their Men’s Health area, at www.bbc.co.uk/health/ mens_health, includes information on male menopause, testicular cancer, obesity, hair loss, snoring, premature ejaculation, and color blindness to name just a few. The BBC’s Women’s area, at www.bbc.co.uk/health/womens_health, is also impressive, featuring women’s health issues such as breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers, endometriosis, fibroids, osteoporosis, and iron-deficiency anemia. The BBC health section also has health-related message boards and a monthly health newsletter.

Finding Other Websites Dealing with Gender-Specific Health Issues As mentioned previously, you can research just about any disease or condition by putting the name of that disease or condition into any


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search engine. You can also use a directory such as the Yahoo!Health Directory. This differs from the Yahoo! Health areas in that instead of information, the directory gives you links to more information. For instance, the Men’s Health area of the Yahoo!Health Directory, at http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Men_s_Health, has links to information about prostate and testicular cancer, male breast cancer, premature ejaculation, and much more. The Yahoo!Health Directory Women’s Health area at http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Women_s_Health is even more comprehensive with links to more than 200 websites that will give you information on women’s issues such as mammograms, pap smears, ovarian cysts, osteoporosis, and gynecologic cancers.

Women’s Health Issues Women’s health issues are sometimes complex. There are many issues that span a wide range of concerns from birth control to motherhood to menopause. Many diseases such as cancer of the uterus and cancer of the ovaries affect only women. In addition, there are many diseases and conditions, such as breast cancer and osteoporosis, that affect more women than men. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Office of Women’s Health at www.fda.gov/womens has information on these and many other women’s health issues. The Women’s Health Topics area of the FDA website has information on women’s diseases, conditions, and concerns. Another website on women’s health issues is the National Women’s Health Resource Center’s HealthyWomen.org website, which can be found at www.healthywomen.org. Figure 7.5 gives just a small snapshot of the many areas this website has and the topics it covers. This website has a wonderful decade-by-decade health guide, featuring the main issues that face women for their particular age group. It also has information on more than 100 conditions, diseases, and women’s health issues, as well as interesting polls and free newsletters.

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Look at the bottom of the home page that is shown in Figure 7.5 to see a list of newsletters. I especially like the Healthy Women Take 10 newsletter that gives pertinent tips and advice to keep you on a healthy track.

FIGURE 7.5 The HealthyWomen.org website comprehensively covers women’s health topics.

Many of you know the iVillage website as a website that focuses on women’s issues such as style and beauty. iVillage also has an excellent health area that can be found at http://health.ivillage.com. This area is focused on women’s health and wellness with plenty of information on breast cancer, autoimmune diseases, and women’s heart diseases. iVillage also has health-related message boards and videos.


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Breast Cancer Breast cancer is, of course, a major concern for all women. Many of the websites mentioned in the cancer section of Chapter 6, “Special Online Health Information,” have information on breast cancer, but there are also many breast cancer specific websites where you can gather a wealth of information.

Sandy’s tip Monthly self breast exams and regular mammograms are worthwhile endeavors for every woman who wants to lessen her chance of dying from breast cancer.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation at www.komen.org is one of those special websites. Many of you will know the Komen Foundation because of its pink ribbon campaign to raise money for breast cancer. In the last 25 years, this Breast cancer is foundation has raised $630 million for the most common type of breast cancer research, education, cancer in women in the screening, and treatment. So it is not surUnited States and is the prising that the website is a wonderful leading cause of death in center for patients, survivors, and co-surwomen 40-59. vivors. The site have message boards, We are now finding 80 pernews, and free newsletters. You won’t cent of breast cancer in want to miss the interactive Anatomy of early stages, and early Breast Cancer program. This visual prodetection is saving thougram is accompanied by both audio and sands of lives each year. text. One of the screens is shown in Figure 7.6. This wonderful educational tool explains the development and risk factors of breast cancer, as well as how the disease is diagnosed. Even treatment options are explained.

Health Facts

Another useful website is breastcancer.org at www.breastcancer.org. It has free ask-the-expert online conferences, message boards, and chat rooms. Breastcancer.org also has information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery and renewal.

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FIGURE 7.6 The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation website has information that every women should know about breast cancer.

Osteoporosis

Health Facts While women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, men can also suffer from this disease.

A recent Surgeon General’s report shows that osteoporosis is a major public health threat. Although osteoporosis affects many more women, millions of people—both men and women—are at risk. Each year, osteoporosis in the United States leads to over 300,000 fractures, usually in people age 65 and older. Because the disease is so widespread, it is wise to get information about how to prevent it before it strikes.


The National Osteoporosis Foundation at www.nof.org (shown in Figure 7.7) gives basic facts about bones and bone density. It also has information on how this debilitating disease can be prevented, as well as the medication that can control the disease. At this website, you can also download a short and informative brochure (www.nof.org/osteoporosis/ web_SG_broch.pdf) that includes steps you can take to keep your bones healthy.

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Lingo Osteoporosis is a silent disease that often goes unnoticed. Osteoporosis causes bones to become more fragile. With this condition, a simple fall or even a sneeze or cough can cause a bone fracture.

The National Institutes of Health also has an informative website on Osteoporosis and related bone diseases at www.osteo.org. This website has fact sheets on osteoporosis, as well as an area where you can order the full U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on osteoporosis.

FIGURE 7.7 The National Osteoporosis Foundation has downloadable brochures, as well as great information.

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Men’s Health Issues When researching sex-related diseases, disorders, and health information for men, you will not find as many respectable websites as those you will find on women’s issues. Many of the socalled men’s health sites have little medical information and quite a bit of borderline pornographic The 109th U.S. information.

Sandy’s tip

Congress is considering the creation of an Office of Men’s Health that would correspond with the Office of Women’s Health that I just talked about. You can get more information about this process at www.menshealthoffice.info.

While that initiative is being developed, one of the best governmental websites for men’s health is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) men’s health website at www.cdc.gov/men. The CDC website has information on many topics including heart disease, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and vasectomy. Although the main page of this website is dull and unenticing, if you dig through the website, you will find information such as the Men’s Health Topics A-Z (www.cdc.gov/ men/az.htm), as shown in Figure 7.8. There are also plenty of great articles, such as “Tips for a Healthy Life for Men,” and a printable list of questions and answers about men’s health.

Prostate Cancer Prostate health is of concern to millions of men. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in the United States. It strikes one in six American men. The Internet is filled with good solid information about prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer Foundation, at www.prostatecancerfoundation. org, is a good place to start your search for information on this disease. This foundation funds research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. It offers information on PSA Screening, which is a blood test that can uncover prostate problems, as well as information on symptoms, treatment, and nutrition.


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FIGURE 7.8 The CDC Men’s Health Topics A-Z has information on everything from aging to ulcers.

The National Cancer Institute website at www.cancer.gov is an excellent place to find information about prostate and other cancers. Also, don’t miss the Medline Plus prostate cancer area at www.nlm.nih.gov/ medlineplus/prostatecancer.html. It gives overviews, symptoms, and treatments, as well as links to the latest news and information on nutrition and coping. The Prostate.com website, at www.prostate.com, has information the prostate cancer, prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland, and benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is an enlargement of the prostate that can cause difficulty in urinating. This website is sponsored by TAP, a company that manufactures drugs used for treating prostate

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conditions. Be sure to visit the site’s resource page (www.prostate.com/ Resources/Resources.asp) for links to other excellent resources on prostate cancer. Also, if you or someone you know has prostate cancer, be sure to visit the Us TOO website at www.ustoo.com. Us TOO is a not-for-profit international prostate cancer education and support network that was started by prostate cancer survivors. As shown in Figure 7.9, this site helps survivors of prostate cancer and their families. It has online communities, support groups, a monthly newsletter, and plenty of information on prostate cancer.

Health Facts An American man is 33 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than an American woman is to get breast cancer.

FIGURE 7.9 The Us TOO website was started by prostate cancer survivors for prostate cancer patients, survivors, and their families.


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Sandy’s Summary You’ve heard that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, and this idea of how different the sexes are seems to hold true even in medical circles. Although physiologically, the sexes are very similar, research seems now to show that men and women differ in many previously unsuspected ways. They react differently to some medications. They sometimes have different symptoms for the same disease. They even age differently. Men have traditionally been used for scientific and medical studies, but now women are being studied as well. These studies will lead to better diagnosis and treatments for women. They could also potentially lead to different products for men and women. Of course, there are certain diseases and conditions that are exclusive to each of the sexes. There are also conditions and diseases that one of the sexes show a greater propensity toward. The Internet has a wealth of information on both men’s and women’s health issues. General men’s and women’s health websites can provide a wealth of information on general health, but they also delve into information that is appropriate for each of the sexes. After you begin to research men’s and women’s health issues, you will see the many differences between them. You will also find a wealth of information about women’s health issues, such as breast cancer and osteoporoses, and men’s health issues such as prostrate cancer. All of these sex-oriented Internet health resources can lead you to other information on men’s and women’s health, including issues such as testicular cancer, impotence, cervical cancer, and menopause.

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My hope is that you would never be affected by any of these, but if you are, or you know someone who is, you can now confidently research online to improve your understanding and knowledge of the diseases and conditions that affect both men and women.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

8

Finding Others Like You “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” —Albert Schweitzer

H

uman beings learn in a wide variety of ways. We learn things in educational environments. We learn from research and from reading. We even learn from watching television and movies. Personal experience and experimentation also teaches a lot. Yet, one learning experience is often overlooked. We learn from each other. We gain insight and strength from each other. Nowhere is this more important than when you have a medical problem or disease. There are times when you feel that no one else in the entire world can understand what you are going through. That’s when the Internet steps up and gives you a comrade. You can almost always find someone on the Internet who has encountered your condition and can commiserate with you, give you advice, and

In This Chapter ■

Finding a Support Group for a Specific Disease or Condition

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Finding Support in Chat Rooms

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Finding Support on Message Boards

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Blogs Can Contain a Wealth of Information and Experience

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share experiences. Even an online experience of this type can rekindle our flame and help us to fight the health battles that need to be fought.

Finding a Support Group for a Specific Disease or Condition When you find that you have a symptom, disease, or condition that you would like to know more about, the Internet is the place to go for information. It is also a great place to find support groups and people who can relate to what you are experiencing, give opinions, and share special concerns.

Lingo

Support groups are groups of individuals who come together either virtually through online resources or personally to share information and experiences regarding a common experience.

The Internet can give you links to face-to-face support groups in your local area and can also provide electronic or “virtual” support groups in which you can interact with others from all over the world. Although real life support groups are usually led by a professional counselor, online groups are often just a group of people who come together for information and support.

Finding a support group that deals with the specific disease or condition you have is fairly easy. Just go to Google at www.google.com, Yahoo! at www.yahoo.com, MSN at www.msn.com, or any other search engine. Type in the name of the disease or condition along with the words “support group.” For example, entering the words cancer support group at the Google search engine led me to many supportive websites, including one called Cancer Hope Network at www.cancerhopenetwork.org. This website, shown in Figure 8.1, has free one-on-one support from trained volunteers who have themselves undergone a similar experience.

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FIGURE 8.1 The Cancer Hope Network website has one-on-one support for people with cancer, as well as for their families.

If you type in different conditions, you will, of course, be presented with different types of support groups. Here are just a few

• • • • •

Prostate Cancer Education & Support—http://www.ustoo.com/ Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self Help and Support Group— http://www.ibsgroup.org/ Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Online support group— http://www.adders.org/

Blooper Alert Remember that testimonials and personal stories are based on one person’s experience rather than on objective facts or proven medical research. Assess all such stories carefully.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance— www.dbsalliance.org/Info/findsupport.html Cancer Index links—http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks6a.htm

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Whether you have a common problem or an unusual affliction, the Internet is sure to present you with some of the support that you need. Another way to find support groups is from those websites discussed in Chapter 5, “Researching your Health Needs Online,” that congregate links to the various support groups available. One such website is ThirdAid, www.thirdaid.com, as shown in Figure 8.2. Thirdaid.com was created by Sarah Frost, a 27-year old who was left with a spinal injury from a skiing accident. She created the site to help those with similar physical and medical challenges come together.

FIGURE 8.2 At ThirdAid.com, you can sign up to meet others in this patient-to-patient health community.

Although meeting people who have undergone similar health experiences through the Internet can be highly beneficial, sometimes there is nothing like an up close and personal hug. There are local community support groups around the country, and the Internet can help you find them. Many search engines are now creating local sections to help you find resources in your local area. In most cases, you simply enter your ZIP Code and what you are looking for to get results.


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When I entered “cancer support group” into the Google Local search along with my ZIP Code, I was presented with support groups in my area for many different types of cancer. Along with the text entries giving addresses and weblinks, Google also came up with a map showing the exact locations of the groups, as shown in Figure 8.3.

FIGURE 8.3 At Google Local, you can find health resources close to home.

Besides Google Local, there are several other local searches that you can use to find support groups in your area.

• • • • •

Yahoo!Local—http://local.yahoo.com AOL Local Search— http://localsearch.aol.com MSN City Guides— http://local.msn.com Ask Jeeves Local— http://local.ask.com/local Local.com—www.local.com

Sandy’s tip When looking for local resources, use several local search engines as the results can vary greatly.

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Finding Support in Chat Rooms When you use the Internet as a resource for health-related information, you join a large, active group of individuals. A recent Harris Poll showed that nearly 70% of those online have used the Internet to research a disease or medical problem. It is human nature to want to talk things over with others. So chat rooms have become a popular place for meeting with others to talk about health issues. Some chat A chat room is a rooms revolve around certain topics. Some revolve virtual room where around certain diseases or disorders. Some are people gather to have an established to feature a medical professional and online discussion about a allow people to ask questions.

Lingo

specific topic.

Sandy’s tip If you miss a chat, some websites provide transcripts of chats that will let you read all the postings that occurred. Be sure to look for links to past chats.

Chat rooms are held in real time. So when you visit a room, any number of people might be present. Generally, a list of people who are currently in the room shows onscreen, and you can see when people enter or leave the room. To participate in the chat, simply type your comments and click on the Send or Post button. Your comments are then available for everyone in the room to see.

Some chat rooms are only available at certain times and days. A chat with an expert as a moderator might only be held once at a specific time and for a certain duration. However, many chat rooms are available 24/7. Often people gravitate to the same chat rooms over and over again, so you can easily get to know and feel comfortable with some of the chat room visitors. Some chat rooms have leaders or moderators. Some do not. Some have specific rules that are religiously upheld. Others do not. When you start visiting a chat room, it is always a good idea to read the chat rules before you join the room. If bad language is tolerated, but it bothers you, just move on to the next chat room.


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Many chat rooms are dedicated to health and disease-related issues. Many of the good general health websites have chat Be sure to assess rooms. For instance, you can find a large the quality of the variety of WebMD Chat rooms at chat room and its particiwww.webmd.com/member_services/ pants before you join the boards_events/chat_rooms/default.htm. As conversation. you can see in Figure 8.4, WebMD has chat rooms dedicated to Alzheimer’s, breast cancer, heart disease, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, prostate cancer, and several other conditions and topics.

Sandy’s tip

You can also find health-related chat rooms through sites such as Yahoo! Chat at http://chat.yahoo.com. As shown in Figure 8.5, just click on Health & Wellness to find health-related chat rooms. MSN Chat at http://chat.msn.com/ also has a Health & Medicine area that will link you to many health-related chat rooms.

Sandy’s tip When you create a username for a chat room, be creative; however, for security purposes, don’t use your real name.

FIGURE 8.4 WebMD has many chat rooms where visitors can share information and experiences.

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FIGURE 8.5 Yahoo! Chat lists many different chat categories, including one for health and wellness.

You can also find chat rooms about specific topics by looking up those topics. For example, a quick search for Alzheimer’s Chat Rooms led me to an AlzheimerSupport.com chat room at www.alzheimersupport.com/chat. This website also has plenty of other information on Alzheimer’s disease. A search for chats about women’s health issues led me to About.com, which has Women’s Heath Chats at http://womenshealth.about.com/ mpchat.htm. Looking for information on specific can give you a lot of chat resources, Blooper diseases especially if you are researching a common disAlert ease such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.

Be careful to never give out your address, telephone number, or other personal information in a chat room. You never know for sure who is in that room with you.

A website called SupportPath.com at www.supportpath.com (shown in Figure 8.6) is also an excellent place to find chats and other online events on health issues. They have an extensive weekly chat calendar giving the topic, day, and time of the chat, as well as a link to the chat itself.


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FIGURE 8.6 The SupportPath.com website provides links to many health-related chats.

When visiting chat rooms, remember that the opinions of others who have had similar health experiences can be beneficial. The validity of the medical information you receive in a chat room will need to be carefully weighed and judged for veracity. Yet even simple suggestions for how to hanMessage boards dle situations, where to put the hot pack, are online areas where or how to lie comfortably after surgery people can post questions, can be extremely beneficial.

Lingo

Finding Support on Message Boards Message boards are similar to chat rooms, except they are not done in real time. Instead, you can access the board and ask a question or post a response to someone else’s question at any time

answers, and comments. In technology terms, posting something means sending it to the Internet to be posted in some public place such as on a message board. This is usually accomplished by typing your comments and clicking Post or Send.

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Health Facts The first Computerized Bulletin Board System (CBBS) was developed in 1978. To use this precursor to today’s message boards, participants used computers with very slow 300-baud modems to call the message board number in order to post or read messages.

rather than having a real-time “conversation” the way you do with a chat room. Everyone’s posts are listed on the board, showing the name of the person who submitted the comment and the time that it was submitted. You are not able to see the names of other participants who are online at any given time as you can in a chat room; however, you can still interact with each participant by making a comment about his or her post. Message boards have several advantages. You can use them anytime, day or night. All the posts are available for anyone to read at anytime. Also, most message boards are searchable. Just type what you are looking for into the search box, and you will see all the pertinent posts.

As with chat rooms, it is never advisable to post your email address or any personal information on a message board. Some general health websites, such as WebMD, have both general and specific health message boards. Their Health Café is a general board billed as a place to meet your neighbors. It has featured discussions that change on a regular basis. One week the focus might be on the Avian Flu, but the next it might be on vitamin C.

Lingo

A caregiver is an individual who attends to the needs of someone who is dependent because of physical or mental limitations. This term is being used more and more to pertain to children and other individuals who care for the aging.

Along with the Health Café, WebMD also has a wide range of message boards for specific health topics. Among them are message boards on everything from allergies and Alzheimer’s disease to urology and weight loss. They also have an active aging message board and a message board for caregivers. You can access the complete list of WebMD message boards at http://boards.webmd.com/ .bebc200/. As shown in Figure 8.7, you can search the message boards alphabetically, by category, or by a text search.


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FIGURE 8.7 The WebMD website has a Message Board center where you can find message boards on many different topics.

You might also want to search for a message board at a website that has a comprehensive listing of health-related boards. HealthBoards.com at www.healthboards.com is one such website. It lists message boards for more than 140 diseases, conditions, and health topics. It even has a message board called Research Help Board that will help you if you are doing your own research on a health issue. Many other message board sites have links to health message boards. Here are just a few:

• • • •

Big Boards—http://www.big-boards.com/kw/health/ Medicine.net Message Boards— http://www.medicinenet.com/forum/boards.asp?b=0 Message Boards from Forbes— http://www.forbes.com/bow/b2c/category.jhtml?id=181 BBC Health Message Boards—http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbhealth/

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• •

MedHelp.org Message Boards— http://www.medhelp.org/forums.htm ProHealth Message Boards and Chat Rooms— http://www.prohealth.com/

You might also find health message boards in some more-or-less surprising areas. For instance, iVillage, a website that deals exclusively with issues that affect women, has a comprehensive list of message boards at http://health.ivillage.com/messageboards, as shown in Figure 8.8. As you would expect, these boards focus on women’s issues such as breast cancer and eating disorders. However, they also have message boards on topics such as vision and hearing, migraine headaches, and hypertension, which are topics that affect both sexes. The AARP website is another place that you might not think of going for health-related information; yet it is filled with great health resources, and all the information is geared toward those over 50.

FIGURE 8.8 The iVillage message boards cover many health topics.


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Their health message board at http://community.aarp.org/rp-health/start is an active community board containing For more informaa lot of health-related information. The tion on using chat AARP health area at www.aarp.org/ rooms and message health is also filled with information on boards see my book, Great medicare, prescription drugs, and staying Age Guide to the Internet. healthy. You don’t need to belong to AARP to use their website resources. They are available to everyone free of charge.

Sandy’s tip

Blogs Can Contain a Wealth of Information and Experience If the word “blog” sounds to you like the name of a swampy area in central Florida, you might be missing a very valuable and popular communication method on the Internet. A blog is a new form of journalism. It allows any individual to post his or her opinions and experiences on the Web. A blog can be created by any individual who has a connection to the Internet. Software is available that allows that person to type his or her personal thoughts and post them to the Web. Most blogs are simply lists of text comments. Most blogs focus on a certain subject. There are blogs about travel adventures, blogs about food, and political blogs.

Lingo A blog is a personal journal posted on the Web. The word blog comes from web log.

An example of an interesting personal blog is the Prostate Cancer Survivor Blog at www.healthdiaries.com/cancer/prostate-cancer-survivor. You can find a personal experience blog by typing the disease and/or condition and the word blog into any search engine. For example, if you are interested in diabetes, just go to Google (www.google.com) and type in “diabetes blog.” You will find many different blogs written by people who are living with diabetes.

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You can also find health-related blogs by searching general blog sites, such as Bloglines (www.bloglines.com), that provide lists of many blogs, as shown in Figure 8.9. Other places to search for blogs include Blogger at www.blogger.com, Blogwise at www.blogwise.com, and Blog Catalog at www.blogcatalog.com.

FIGURE 8.9 At Bloglines, you can search for blogs by topic.

The Health Diaries website at www.healthdiaries.com is an even more specific blogging website, as shown in Figure 8.10. They publish health and fitness blogs that cover topics from aromatherapy to Wilson’s Syndrome and everything in between. Although you can read interesting health blogs at Health Diaries, they also provide an easy way for you to post your own blog. Creating a blog at Health Diaries is easy to do and it’s free. You simply fill in your email address, a title, byline, location, and topic. Then you write your first post. It couldn’t be easier. You can create a diary for a short period of time or create an ongoing diary. There is no commitment. Another medical site that has several interesting blogs is the MedicineWorld.Org Blog page at http://medicineworld.org/health-newsmain.html. Here you will find blogs on heart health, diabetes, prostate,


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ovarian and breast cancer, infectious diseases, and more. They even have a new blog geared to Ophthalmology that can give you news on glaucoma and macular degeneration.

FIGURE 8.10 At the Health Diaries website, you can create your own blog without muss or fuss.

Recently another area of medical blogs has sprung up. These are blogs in which health care professionals share their views, news, and work experiences. While these blogs don’t give day-to-day experiences of living with a disease, they do offer information from the unique viewpoint of a professional who deals with health issues everyday. You can access some of these expert blogs at the Yahoo! Health Expert Blogs at http://blogs.health.yahoo.com/experts. They have blogs by a Yoga expert, a sports medicine and exercise doctor, and a nutrition expert, to name just a few. WebMD also offers blogs by experts at www.webmd.com/community/ default.htm. At this website, health experts write blogs about arthritis, allergies, asthma, and other medical topics. The same area also has very popular member logs.

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Sandy’s Summary Whether your motivation is pursuing a healthy lifestyle or using the Internet as a source of information on medical conditions and treatments, once you hop on the Web for health information, you join a large and active group. A recent Harris Poll revealed that nearly 70 percent of web users have researched a disease or medical problem on the Internet. With millions of people researching health issues on the Web, it becomes a natural place to meet others who have similar conditions. You can use chat rooms, message boards, and blogs to learn how others are handling their health challenges. Some of these wonderful online tools also feature medical experts who answer consumer questions and share medical information. Although information you get from these sources can be helpful, it shouldn’t be the basis for making decisions about your care. In fact, no health information you find on the Internet should replace a doctor’s medical advice. Instead, it should help you learn about your problem and treatment options so that you can work better with your doctor to get the best care possible. Meeting and reading about others who are undergoing experiences similar to your own can be extremely beneficial. Not only can you gather information and learn about new techniques from others, but also they can often be a wonderful means of support whether you are trying to lose weight or cope with a vicious disease.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

9

Improving Your Medication Awareness Online “For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” —Lily Tomlin

M

any people hate to take medication. Yet, we realize that there are times when we need it. At those times, we are thankful that we live in a world of advanced technology where many of our ailments can be controlled and even cured by drugs. Knowledgeable doctors prescribe medication, but today’s patients don’t simply go home and take it. Instead, we want to know exactly what the medications we are taking will do, how the new medication will interact with other drugs we might be taking, and whether the medication is the best to help our condition.

In This Chapter ■

Researching Medication

■

Researching Generic or Brand Name Drugs Online

■

Purchasing Medications Online

■

Avoiding Adverse Drug Interactions

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Researching Medication When your doctor prescribes medication, be sure to ask questions. You want to know exactly what the medication does, when and how often you should take it, and what side effects it might have. You should also find out how long the doctor expects you to be taking this medication and what improvements he or she is looking for.

Health Facts

People between ages 65 and 69 have an average of 13.6 prescriptions filled per year. Those 80–84 have 18.2 prescriptions filled.

Lingo CMI is the Consumer Medicine Information leaflet that comes with prescription medication. The CMI is geared to the consumer in non-technical terms and large type. It contains the essential information about the medication’s usage and warnings.

After your doctor’s visit, your next stop is often the pharmacy. You should look at your pharmacist as a source of information about any drug. He or she is trained to work with drugs every day, and a good pharmacist can give you information on any drug. Every prescription drug comes with an important CMI (Consumer Medicine Information) leaflet. This is a one or two page information sheet that explains many details about the drug. Ask the pharmacist to let you look at the CMI for information about the drug. After you have your prescription filled, you should keep the CMI for future reference. Once you get back home to your computer, you can do a little research of your own about the drug that has been prescribed. Then you can compare the CMI leaflet with your own research. After you have accumulated your own information on the drug, you can ask questions of the doctor and the pharmacist until you are satisfied that you understand all the drug’s directions, implications, and side effects.

After you have the addresses of a few good websites, getting information about medications is fairly easy. You will want to know exactly what the drug is normally prescribed for, what it does, and the side effects it

CHAPTER 9 IMPROVING YOUR MEDICATION AWARENESS ONLINE

might have. You might also want to learn about similar medications that might be possibilities for you. Last, but not least, you might want to read current research and news about the drug in question. There are several good websites that should be on your short list for learning about medications.

Medline Plus

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Blooper Alert Over the counter drugs are still medications. Don’t forget to tell your doctor which ones you are taking, and be sure to check out their usage and warnings as you would any other drug.

Medline Plus, as noted previously, is a service of the U. S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Its drug information area can be found at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ druginformation.html, as shown in Figure 9.1. This website covers both brand name and generic drugs and gives excellent information, including why the medication is prescribed, how it should be used, alternative uses, special precautions, and side effects. It also spells out what you should do if you forget to take a dose, what to do in case of overdose, and proper storage for the medication.

FIGURE 9.1 Medline Plus has information on drugs, supplements, and herbs.

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Another nice thing about this website is that it lists over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin and Tylenol and also lists herbs and supplements such as ginko and melatonin. The only drawback to the Medline Plus drug information is that there is no search box, so you have to look up the drug alphabetically. Although this may require a lot of scrolling, the resulting information is usually worthwhile.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration When it comes to American drugs, no one has more drug information than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the governmental agency that oversees and approves drugs sold in the United States. The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has information on all the products regulated by the FDA, including drugs. The As a scientific, regCDER site (www.fda.gov/CDER/drug/default.htm) ulatory, and public health has information on new prescription drug agency, the U. S. Food and approvals, as well as data on prescription and Drug Administration overover-the-counter drugs. They also have informasees products accounting tion on all the “hot” drug topics, such as drugs that for 25 cents of every dollar are currently under investigation, drugs that have spent by consumers. been pulled from the market, and counter terrorism drugs.

Health Facts

AARP’s Effective and Safe Prescription Drug Site iAnother place to look for information about medications is AARP’s Effective and Safe Prescription Drug site at www.aarp.org/health/comparedrugs. Not surprisingly, since AARP has 35 million members who are 50 and over, many of the drugs listed here are in use by this demographic. This AARP web area gives drug information like many other drug information sites. One nice additional feature is that it also enables you to compare prices, as shown in Figure 9.2. The AARP Effective and Safe Prescription Drug website is a comprehensive site with a good list of medications. You can look up a specific


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drug or drugs for your health condition. Once you find the drug you are interested in, the website gives you an overview of the drug. Like most other websites, it also talks about the effectiveness of the drug and side effects. AARP goes one step further in that it also provides an independent review and assessment of the drug by the Drug Effectiveness Review Project of Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Evidence-based Policy.

FIGURE 9.2 The AARP website has a plethora of health information, including an Effective and Safe Prescription Drugs area.

Although the AARP site has some great features, it is limited in the number of drugs that are listed. So you might want to search a few other places to find the drug you need or to compare information.

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RXList

Health Facts

The RXList at www.rxlist.com has information on hundreds of drugs. The site is a little difficult to navigate; however, after you choose the drug you Before a manufacare interested in, you will be taken to a descripturer can bring a drug to tion page. As shown in Figure 9.3, it is easy to market in the United States, overlook the other tabs that give clinical pharmathe drug must first be cology, Indications & Dosage, Side Effects & Drug approved by the Food and Interactions, Warnings & Precautions, Overdosage Drug Administration (FDA). Contradictions, and Patient Information. Be sure to click each tab to view the different pieces of information related to the drug you are researching.

FIGURE 9.3 You have to click on the tabs at the RXList website to get additional information on each drug.

The RxList website also lists the top 200 prescriptions and the number of prescriptions written for each drug during the past year at www.rxlist.com/top200.htm. You might or might not find this information useful, but it is very interesting to see that doctor’s write almost a million prescriptions a year for some drugs.


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PDRhealth PDRhealth at www.pdrhealth.com is a site run by Thomson Healthcare, which has published the Physicians’ Desk Reference of medications for more than 50 years. Thomson also creates other publications, drug databases and e-solutions for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and health care providers and organizations. The PDRhealth website is filled with information on health and wellness, as well as drugs and diseases. Their drug information area, which can be found at www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info, is shown in Figure 9.4. Although Thomson specializes in information for the health care industry, the PDRhealth website is written in layman’s terms and gives plain English explanations. You can search for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, as well as herbal medicines and nutritional supplements. You can search alphabetically or by entering the drug name in the search box.

FIGURE 9.4 At PDRhealth, you can get important information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as herbal medicines and nutritional supplements.


Researching Generic or Brand Name Drugs Online When looking for information on medications, drug names can be very confusing because generic drugs with the same active ingredient have different names than their brand name counterparts. Here is a brief summary of how this works so that you can get a better grip of the naming conventions.

Lingo

Generic drugs are those that are sold without a brand name or trademark.

When a new drug is developed, patented, marketed, and tested, the manufacturer gives it a “brand name.” Most new drugs have patents that last about 11 years after they are approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration). During the time the patent is in effect, the drug is sold and promoted only under the brand name.

After the patent expires, the drug can be produced by other manufacturers. They often name the drug after the active ingredient, which is different from the brand name that was used by the original manufacturer. More than one company might be offering generic drug, and each company might give Blooper the that drug a different name. So the same generic Alert drug might be sold under several names. At the The pharmacist same time, it will usually still be sold under its cannot substitute a brand name.

generic drug for a brand name unless the substitution is approved by the prescribing physician.

To complicate things even more, there can also be generic drugs with different delivery systems. So if the generic drug is produced with an extended release formula, it can have the suffix XL or ER. Prescription drugs can also be composed of several active ingredients. In this case, they will be named differently from the original drug with only one active ingredient. It is easy to find information on some brand name drugs because many have their own websites. These websites are run by large


pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Searle, Merck, and GlaxoSmithKline. Although they may be geared toward selling their product, these websites are usually created to give consumers information on the drug. This means that they are chock full of information about the drug and often also about the condition that the drug treats.

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Sandy’s tip Generic drugs might have minor differences, such as flavoring and color, but the FDA assures that the active ingredients are the same as those in brand named drugs. Generic drugs can cost 50 percent or less than brand name drugs.

The manufacturers want to make you understand that you must take their medication correctly and for the proper conditions. Therefore, some of their websites are very detailed and give much information on using the drug. For instance, as shown in Figure 9.5, at the Pfizer Zoloft website at www.zoloft.com, you can learn about depression and anxiety, learn how to manage your condition, and get free newsletters and advice. At the time I looked at the site, it also featured a $10 coupon on your next Zoloft prescription. As I said, they are trying to sell you something. Since the drug manufacturers choose the names of the brand name drugs, you will often find that they will choose a name that just happens to have an available Internet address ending with .com. So if you are looking for a certain brand name drug, just type www.thenameofthedrug.com in the address bar of your browser, and you will often find what you are looking for. Here are a few examples: Ambien—www.ambien.com Celebrex—www.celebrex.com Levitra—www.levitra.com Lipitor—www.lipitor.com Viagra—www.viagra.com Zocor—www.zocor.com

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FIGURE 9.5 The Zoloft website gives free patient information on the drug Zoloft.

Purchasing Medications Online Millions of Internet users search for health information. Many of these information seekers also shop online. So purchasing drugs online seems a logical step. There are many advantages to obtaining medications from the Internet. Purchasing drugs online lets you order from the privacy and convenience of your own home. It offers great convenience for those who don’t have transportation, can’t leave home, or don’t have a pharmacy in the area. It also

Sandy’s tip A good online pharmacy will have either an email address or a toll-free number permitting users to ask questions of their pharmacists.


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offers an easy way to compare prices and get the best price for prescription medications. Some online pharmacies even allow you to view and print your prescription history so that you can better understand and control your medications. Legitimate online pharmacies are licensed to sell prescription drugs by the state in which they operate. With an outof-state license, they can also sell to people in other states. Most online pharmacies require that you establish an account by giving your name and other information, a valid credit card, and insurance information.

Blooper Alert Although some prescription drugs are cheaper online, this is not always true. Be sure to compare prices before making your purchase.

For prescription drugs, a valid prescription must be submitted. The prescription can be called in or faxed by the doctor, or users can send it in by mail. Some states allow doctors to email the prescription. Some online pharmacies distribute products from a central distribution spot and can arrange for overnight shipping. Some even allow you Some online pharto pick up the prescription at a local macies don’t charge drugstore.

Sandy’s tip

Beware of Illegitimate Prescription Drug Sites

for regular shipping. Some do. Be sure to check before you order.

The FDA says that dozens of websites are legally questionable in their drug selling practices. Some websites sell prescription drugs without any face-to-face interaction with a doctor. This is dangerous. Unscrupulous websites sometimes sell prescription drugs after their expiration dates, which can negate the drugs efficiency and/or cause unexpected results. Contaminated and counterfeit drugs are sometimes sold at these websites. Drug websites in other countries might

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also have similar problems with the drugs they sell. In addition, drugs ordered from other countries might also be different from those approved in the United States. In order to find a good website for prescription drugs, the FDA offers these tips at their website, http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/ 100_online.html:

Health Facts The FDA grew from a single chemist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1862 to a staff of approximately 9,100 employees and a budget of $1.294 billion in 2001.

Blooper Alert Prescription drug spam plagues many internet users. Don’t ever buy prescription drugs from unsolicited email. Instead, purchase from a reputable website.

•

•

• • • •

Check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to determine if the site is a licensed pharmacy in good standing. (Visit the website at www.nabp.net, or call 847-698-6227.) Don’t buy from sites that offer to prescribe a prescription drug for the first time without a physical exam, sell a prescription drug without a prescription, or sell drugs not approved by the FDA. Use sites that provide convenient access to a licensed pharmacist who can answer your questions. Avoid sites that do not identify with whom you are dealing and do not provide a U.S. address and phone number to contact if there’s a problem. Beware of sites that advertise a “new cure” for a serious disorder or a quick cure-all for a wide range of ailments.

Be careful of sites that use impressive sounding terminology to disguise a lack of good science or those that claim the government, the medical profession, or research scientists have conspired to suppress a product.


• •

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Steer clear of sites that include undocumented case histories claiming “amazing” medical results. Talk to your health-care practitioner before using any medication for the first time.

Although the FDA website has tiny print, as shown in Figure 9. 6, it is filled with tons of information on the drugs, drug products, and medical devices that it oversees. It has an FDA News area that lists current approvals, as well as recalls, alerts, and warnings. There is even a free FDA newsletter that will keep you abreast of current FDA-related events.

FIGURE 9.6 The FDA website has many different areas to investigate.

Finding an Online Pharmacy A good place to start your investigation of online pharmacies is to look at the websites of brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Most of the larger entities now have excellent online pharmacies. Here are just a few of them:

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CVS—www.cvs.com Eckard—www.eckerd.com Wal-Mart— www.walmart.com/pharmacy Walgreens—www.walgreens.com/pharmacy (shown in Figure 9.7) There are also several pharmacies that are only online, but have been around for quite a while and garnered a good reputation. Drugstore.com at www.drugstore.com might be a good one to try in that area.

FIGURE 9.7 The Walgreens online pharmacy lets you order new prescriptions or refill or transfer old ones.


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Avoiding Adverse Drug Interactions Drugs can provide welcome relief for many symptoms. However, certain food and drugs used together can deliver undesired results. Although doctors and pharmacists watch out for potential drug interaction problems, it is estimated that approximately 100,000 people die each year from drug reactions and interactions.

Sandy’s tip

With that in mind, the Internet becomes useful as an additional check for drug interactions. Many of the medical websites listed throughout this book have areas where you can easily check for drug interactions.

If you suspect that a website is selling drugs illegally, you can report it to the FDA at www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/ buyonlineform.htm.

Most of these websites let users fill in their medications and then click View Interactions, Create Report, or a similar button to read the results. Here are a few of the websites that will help you check for potentially dangerous drug interactions: The Dr. Koop website—www.drkoop.com Drugstore.com— www.drugstore.com/pharmacy/drugchecker/default.asp Wal-Mart —www.walmart.com/pharmacy/drug_search.jsp Figure 9.8 shows a list of medications and the View Interactions button that you must click to see the report at Drugstore.com. Most websites that check for drug interactions will have terms and conditions limiting their liability that you must agree to before you use their drug interaction tool.

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FIGURE 9.8 Drugstore.com tells you if there are any negative drug interactions for the medications you are taking.

Sandy’s tip Always find out whether your medication is best taken with food or on an empty stomach.

Many of the websites that have a drug interaction tool will also alert you to possible adverse reactions that medications can have with food and drink, as well as with other medications. Some common foods and herbs also have potential problems with certain drugs. As always, you should confirm the veracity of these findings with your physician and/or pharmacist.


As we age, our bodies become more sensitive to medications. In fact, there are pharmacists who specialize in taking care of aging patients in need of medications. The SeniorCarePharmacist.com website at www.seniorcarepharmacist.com/inappropriate (shown in Figure 9.9) gives a list of 20 medications that people age 65 or over should never take.

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Health Facts Hippocrates who lived around 400 B.C., left records of a pain relief treatment made from the bark and leaves of the willow tree. This was the precursor to today’s aspirin.

FIGURE 9.9 The SeniorCarePharmacist.com lists several inappropriate medications for people over 65.

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Sandy’s Summary Walk into any drug store, and you are sure to be amazed at row after row and aisle after aisle of over-the-counter medications. Add that to the number of prescription medication found in the pharmacy, and it is obvious that there are an overwhelming number of choices in medications. Although physicians and pharmacists are there to help us make medication decisions, the Internet is also available to help us learn everything we can about the medications that we choose, as well as those our physicians prescribe. The Internet can help us learn about both over-the-counter and prescription medications. It can give us information about why a medication is prescribed, how it should be used, alternative uses, special precautions, and side effects. Online resources can also help us check the medications that we are taking to make sure that they don’t adversely interact with each other or with any food or drink that we might consume. We can also save time and money by shopping for medications online as long as we are careful to make our purchases at reputable websites. As we age, our bodies become more sensitive to medication, and, of course, we also tend to need more medications as we age. So using the Internet to check out medications is a smart move for boomers and beyond.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

10

Your Personal Medical Records “Whatsoever things I see or hear concerning the life of men, in my attentance on the sick or even apart therefrom, which ought not be noised abroad, I will keep silence thereon, counting such things to be as sacred secrets.” —Hippocrates

T

he Hippocratic oath has been passed on through our medical systems for thousands of years. We are thankful for this because we all truly believe that our personal medical condition is a sacred secret. We often feel that our diseases or conditions should remain private. Even though physicians abide by the Hippocratic oath, in today’s fast-paced hightech world, there are many new ways to store medical records, and there is a real concern about the security of our personal medical information. We should also be concerned enough about medical records to make sure that they are accessible in case of emergency and that we have the proper legal paperwork completed to make our wishes known in case we are incapacitated.

In This Chapter ■

Medical Records Explained

■

Electronic Medical Records

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Medical Records Explained Each person’s medical records can be maintained by that individual and/or by health care professionals who the person consults with.

Lingo Medical records are the health history that is maintained on each person by that person, medical professionals, and insurance companies.

Health Facts Your physician has an obligation to keep your medical records for a prescribed length of time, usually about 10 years from your last visit. If he or she dies, his or her estate must retain your records.

• •

Your medical records document your entire medical history. They include

•

• •

• •

Medications and allergies—lists of medical allergies and the current medication being taken. It should also include past medications taken and the results obtained from those medications. Family history—lists diseases, illnesses, medical tendencies, and causes of death of immediate family members. Surgeries and hospitalizations—dates, treatments, and outcomes of all hospitalizations, as well as the dates of operations, operative reports, and a detailed narrative of the exact extent of the operation. Test results—results of medical tests that have been done over the years, including blood tests, stress tests, mammograms, and all other tests. Immunization history—a complete history of vaccinations and any blood tests showing immunity.

Office visits—a list of individual medical encounters, including the reasons and results from visits to health care professionals. Diseases and illnesses—this area is often chronicled in the office visit section. It includes information on diseases, as well as major and minor illnesses.

CHAPTER 10 YOUR PERSONAL MEDICAL RECORDS

• • • • •

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Obstetric history—dates of pregnancies and their outcomes, including complications and details of the births. Social history—often, the medical history also includes the person’s current marital status and chronicles relationships and living conditions, including career and schooling. Habits—includes habits that impact health, such as tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, as well as diet and exercise routines. Forms—living wills, medical power of attorney forms, and consent to treat forms can all be a part of your medical records. Other important documents—photos, fingerprints, emergency contacts, and medical images can all be a part of the medical health records.

The days of the old country doctor who took care of you from birth to death are long gone. With the popularity of doctors who specialize in certain areas, it is not uncommon for people today to have several doctors. Also in today’s mobile society, it is not unusual for people to change health care professionals often. Unfortunately, unless you have created your own comprehensive health history or have a primary care physician who has accumulated all of your records, your current medical records can reside in the file cabinets and computers of a variety of doctors you have seen over the years. Baby boomers have lived long enough to have accumulated decades worth of scattered medical records. Even if these records were to be consolidated, much of the information would be obsolete, redundant, or indecipherable. For information on medical records, visit one of the trusted medical websites that we talked about earlier in this book. The Medline Plus website (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/personalmedicalrecords.html) has a plethora of information on Personal Medical Records, as shown in Figure 10.1.

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FIGURE 10.1 The MedlinePlus website has an entire section that gives detailed information on medical records.

Ownership

Health Facts The ownership of medical records varies from country to country. In the United Kingdom, records from the National Health Service, the country’s publicly funded health care system, are owned by the Department of Health.

In the United States, the data contained in medical records belongs to the patient. However, the physical form that the data takes belongs to the entity responsible for maintaining the records. So the actual computer data file or paper file folder belongs to the health care professional who created it or keeps it. This often creates a problem when people want to access their own records. Although an individual should be able to know what is in his or her record and to correct factual mistakes, in the past, gaining access to the information was not always easy; however, new laws are making it easier.


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Health Legislation If you have visited a doctor in the past two years, you have probably been asked to fill out several forms relating to the privacy of your medical records. That’s because when the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was written in 1996, it required that health care providers be compliant to the new privacy rules by April 14, 2003. HIPPA required the overhauling of many medical record-keeping systems. HIPPA initiated certain requirements that health care professionals must meet regarding patient accounts, medical records, medical billing, documentation, handling, and privacy. It was created to ensure patient rights and privacy especially when dealing with medical records. Many ethical and legal issues surround the use and access of medical records. The current U.S. rules regarding access and security of medical records are all found under the guidelines set forth by HIPAA. Under the HIPAA rules, health care providers can share your medical records for several purposes:

• • •

To treat you, which means, for example, that they can share your records with an anesthesiologist who will put you to sleep during your surgery To process your insurance claim To respond to requests from public-health authorities, law enforcement, and your employer if you were hurt at work

Because of new rulings by this act, a patient’s right to access their own medical records have been specified. A patient can now access his or her medical records, correct errors or omissions, and be informed how personal information is shared and used. A patient may grant consent for any person or entity to evaluate his or her health record and may, of course, have that record available to any health care provider who treats him or her. If you are into some heavy reading, visit HIPAA.org, at www.hipaa.org, where you can access the entire HIPPA regulation, as shown in Figure 10.2.

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FIGURE 10.2 You can read the entire HIPAA act at this website.

For a more concise explanation of HIPAA and how it might affect you and your medical records, see the “HIPAA Rules Explained” article at the WebMD website at www.webmd.com/content/article/64/72204.htm.

Electronic Medical Records Medical records are crucial. Each body has a different predisposition to disease. Each person reacts differently to medications and has a distinctive medical history. Each has different ailments, diseases, and conditions including allergies. Medical records are a great aid to physicians and medical personnel in diagnosing symptoms, prescribing drugs, and assessing the benefits and risks of possible treatments. In fact, lack of medical records can lead to medical decisions that are not in the best interest of the patient. If a drug is given that the patient is allergic to, the lack of records can even lead to death.


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While HIPAA has improved the handling and security of medical records, it has only provided minimal help in creating a comprehensive health record for each person. Almost everyone over 40 has medical records that are scattered and fragmented. The only way to solve this dilemma is to move to electronic medical records. The use of electronic medical records is fast approaching. Some foundations, health maintenance organizations, and hospital chains have already taken a stab at the creation of such a system. Some are already operational. The federal government is working to create a national system of electronic health records that will electronically make all patients’ health records available to health care providers, insurers, pharmacies, and medical laboratories.

Lingo Electronic medical records are health records that are stored electronically. This is generally taken to mean a comprehensive health record that has been gathered from various sources.

Having our health records organized and available electronically will save thousands of lives and billions of dollars, but has some implications that have privacy advocates balking. The advantages to an electronic system are easy to see. An organized system of electronic health records would

• • • • • •

Create better organized and more legible medical files Allow doctors to provide better care Lower the incidence of deadly drug reactions and interactions Eliminate duplicate tests and exams, saving time and money and, in some cases, saving the patient from unnecessary pain Save time and money on faxes and phone calls for medical information that is needed for treatment Allow health officials to quickly spot epidemics

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• •

Have your health records immediately available when traveling Have your health records available in case of emergency

Health Facts Hurricane Katrina led to the tragic loss of over one million medical records.

The importance of electronic records was especially felt in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which flooded New Orleans in 2005. Paper documents were lost or rendered unusable, leaving thousands without the necessary records needed to treat their diseases and ailments.

Security Issues The minuses of an electronic system of health records really revolve around only one—the fear that digitizing records will create a lack of security and interfere with privacy. Fears are that privacy could be breached, leading to

• • • • •

Hackers who could break into computers and sell information or leak it onto the Internet Denial of insurance or loans because of medical conditions Marketers and drug companies who want to sell a drug to someone with a newly diagnosed disease Fund raisers that could target a person because of his or her diagnosis Employers who could learn of conditions or diseases that might jeopardize a person’s job or potential employment

There is also a fear that electronic records might lead to more people who would have access to such records. A physician code of conduct has protected patients’ privacy for generations by their adherence to the Hippocratic oath that we started this chapter with. Yet, over the years, many others who do not necessarily adhere to the Hippocratic oath have begun to have access to medical records. This includes insurers, government program administrators, and others. Certainly,


governmental regulatory protections are already in place to cover many of the circumstances in which our highly sensitive personal medical information is involved. As we move more toward an electronic network of health records, even more privacy safeguards need to be implemented and the security of the system needs to be of utmost concern.

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Sandy’s tip If you are concerned about the lack of strong legislation regarding privacy of medical records, you should contact your state and federal legislators.

No system, electronic or otherwise, is perfectly secure. Some people believe that electronic records might actually be more secure than paper records. Anyone can steal or copy a paper record without leaving a trace. Although that might be true, electronic records make us more vulnerable to mass record theft.

Portable Medical Records We are experiencing the start of tremendous changes in the collection, storage, and use of health information. It is obvious that if our health records were more easily accessible and if we could carry them with us or access them from anywhere, we could get better health care. We will, without a doubt, have a comprehensive plan to create and store everyone’s electronic medical records in the future. That, howYou can obtain a ever, could take years.

Health Facts

In the meantime, many people who make health a priority are finding ways to make health records more portable. The portable medical record system currently in place consists of a person who has a severe allergy or medical condition wearing a bracelet to alert medical personnel to the person’s condition. These medical

copy of your medical records for a small fee from the Medical Information Bureau (617/426-3660). This is the agency that insurance companies use to calculate financial risk.

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bracelets have saved many lives. As people realize how many more lives could be saved if even more medical information were available in an emergency, they are looking for technology to help them make more of their medical records portable.

Online Services One way to make your health records more readily available in case of an emergency is to put them on the Internet. Of course, as just discussed, there are many security implications to doing this. You don’t want your medical records available for everyone to see, so you must be especially careful if this is the route you choose.

Health Facts Although the number is small, some people have had computer chips implanted into their arms to provide access to their electronic medical records. Such chips have been approved by VeriChip Corp (www.verichipcorp.com).

You will find a few forward thinking companies that are already offering services and tools that will help you create and store your electronic health records. All have some security measures in place, but as usual, you need to investigate who is behind the website. In this case, you should also thoroughly investigate the type of security the companies have in place. You will also want to read the website’s privacy statement. At this time in the development of electronic medical records, I would recommend that you thoroughly investigate the company to which you entrust your records, even if it is listed here or in another book, article, or website.

Also, with the current state of electronic records, if you have sensitive information in your health history that you would rather not be broadcast to others, you might want to keep your medical history off the Internet right now. Instead, you can try one of the other methods of making your records portable that I give you later in this chapter. For those of you who might be ready to take the plunge to fully electronic health records, the first thing to do is to check with your doctor, Health Maintenance Organization, and/or insurance company and see if


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they already have an electronic repository in place. Even though only a handful currently provide this service, it is always advisable to investigate this avenue first. Also ask your doctor if he is aware of any such service that he recommends. There are a few scattered services that cater to unique groups. For instance, a website called Via (www.vwsvia.org) stores medical records for migrant Mexican vineyard workers. You might just find a group such as this that you can use, or you might be led to a reputable service by your physician. If your doctor or insurance company does not provide access to an electronic health record service, you will have to look elsewhere. Following is a listing of some of the websites that offer this as a free service. You can also find others who do a similar thing on a fee basis. Remember, I am listing these websites to make your search for these types of service providers easier. You will still have to check the quality of the service and company involved.

• • • • • • • •

Sandy’s tip If you order your records from the Medical Information Bureau and you detect an error, you can contact the bureau to have it corrected.

Dr. I-Net—www.drinet.com eCureMe—www.ecureme.com iHealthRecord—-www.ihealthrecord.org iValley—www.siouxvalley.com Medicompass—www.medicompass.com MyMedicalRecords.com—www.mymedicalrecordsonline.com Personal Health Diary on the Web—www.phdtogo.com Telemedical.com—www.telemedical.com/records.html

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To assess a website where you will put private information, there are a few things you should look for.

1 2 3 4 5

Finding the Policies—A link to the website’s security and privacy policies should be clearly displayed. Reading the Policies—The security and privacy policies should be in readable sized type and are at least, fairly easy to understand. Who’s Behind It—The website should be run by a reputable organization. Information about who is behind the website can often be found in an area labeled About Us. Other places to look are in the Contact Us area, the Press Room, and the Partner area. Purpose—The website should clearly state its purpose and give you details about how it works before you sign up. Charges Clearly Stated—The website should clearly state its fees.

Let me tell you a little about how these websites work and how your information is collected. I will use the iHealthRecord website as an example. While I’m at it, I’ll tell you how iHealthRecord stacks up against the preceding checklist. At the main page of iHealthRecord, you will see a link to the website’s privacy policy, as shown in Figure 10.3. That’s a good thing we can mark off our checklist. When you click on the Privacy Policy, you are taken to a privacy policy that is well-laid out and easy-to-read. That’s number 2 on our list of things to look for. At the side of the privacy policy, it states that the privacy and security of the site is governed by the iHealth Alliance. A link leads you to another page where you find out more, including the fact that the Health Alliance is a not-for-profit organization and some impressive health professionals are on its board. The Contact Us link on the front page sends you to more information, including the fact that a company called Medem, founded by the American Medical Association, provides the technology and customer support services for iHealthRecord. This information gives us a lot of insight into number 3 on our list—Who’s Behind It.


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FIGURE 10.3 The iHealthRecord’s privacy policy and Contact Us link is listed on the front page.

After looking through the website, I also found that it is a way for physicians to communicate to their patients and that over 100,000 physicians are already using the Medem services. With a little reading, I was able to cross number 4 off the checklist. The iHealthRecord’s purpose was clear.

Lingo

The iHealthRecord website failed on the number 5 checkpoint. I had to search through the entire website before I could find that it was a free service. In the FAQ section, I found this question and answer:

FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. This is the place where you can get answers to the questions that are asked most often.

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Question: “How can the iHealthRecord be free to patients? Do you sell patient data or sell advertising?” Answer: “The iHealthRecord does not sell patient data nor use advertising. The service is funded by physician and hospital groups who license the service for their patients, through transaction fees paid when physicians offer Online Consultations for their patients, through integration fees paid for by software companies and by customized software fees paid for by health plans and medical manufacturers.” Well, that answered my question, but I really had to search for that information. Because the iHealthRecord website is making money from the physicians, it would obviously prefer that the physician lead people to the website rather than having them find it on their own.

Sandy’s tip

You can tell that you are on a secure web page when you see a closed lock on the bottom toolbar and the website’s address lists https: rather than the ordinary http:.

Sandy’s tip Your Social Security number is the key to your identity; you should never give it out over the Internet.

Now that the checklist is out of the way, let me tell you a little more about how this website works. To sign up for the service, you simply click the Sign Up Now button on the front page. You are then taken to a secure page where you choose a username and password and fill out your name, address, email address, sex, phone number, and date of birth. iHealthRecord also has a field for your Social Security number, but it is not a required field. At the top of the form, you will see a link that will take you to the security and privacy statements.

Once you have completed that form, you will be taken to a page such as the one shown in Figure 10.4, where you fill in your medical information. Of course, this form has many different pages for you to fill out. If you created the personal health assessment that was recommended in Chapter 1, “Technology to the Rescue,” you can use it to help you fill out this medical information form.


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FIGURE 10.4 This is one of the information entry forms found at iHealthRecord.

All of the information you enter at iHealthRecord can be printed. You can also print an emergency medical card to carry in your wallet. When filling out the form, you are asked for a third party who will act as your emergency contact, and his or her contact information will be listed on the card. If your doctor belongs to the Medem group, he or she will have immediate access to your records. In case you are incapacitated and your doctor does not belong to the group, your emergency person will be contacted for access to your records. It isn’t perfect, but it is better than encountering an emergency without any records at all. One extra feature of iHealthRecords is that you are sent quarterly reminders to update your medical records.

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Offline Medical Records

Sandy’s tip No matter where you keep your medical records, be sure to update them at least quarterly or whenever you start taking a new medication or encounter a medical problem.

If you decide not to put your medical records online, you still have other options to make your records portable. Both paper-based and computerized choices are available. You can create your own Medical Identification wallet card from the personal health assessment that you did in Chapter 1. An example of a Medical ID Card is shown in Figure 10.5. This card is from the Medical Profiles Online website at www.medid-card.com, where you can create the card electronically for $10 a year.

FIGURE 10.5 This is an example of a Medical Identification Card.


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At the Merck Source website—at www.mercksource.com in the You and Your Doctor section—you can also find many forms, as shown in Figure 10. 6, that will help you create your own comprehensive health record.

FIGURE 10.6 The Merck source website has many different health forms.

When you decide to create your own personal health record, the personal health assessment that you did in Chapter 1 will be a great starting point. However, to be a comprehensive health record, you will want to gather even more information. This will require that you contact physicians who have treated you, fill out authorization forms, and accumulate the information.

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All the information you need, as well as a step-by-step guide to creating your personal health records, can be found at the myPHR Personal Health Record website at http://myphr.com/your_record/guide.asp, as shown in Figure 10.7.

FIGURE 10.7 The myPHR Personal Health Record website gives you a seven-step guide for creating a personal health record.

USB Drives If portable health records for emergency situations is your goal, a small device called a USB drive might be just what the doctor ordered. A typical USB drive is less than three inches long, about a half inch wide and a quarter inch thick. Some are even smaller. They weigh next to nothing, making them extremely portable, and they are becoming less expensive.


You can purchase a good one for around $30. You can keep one on your keychain, wear it around your neck, or even tuck it in your wallet. Most of these drives have small covers or slide mechanisms that can be opened to reveal the small USB connector that can be inserted into the computer. Every computer created in the last five years or so has a USB connection, so these devices can be used on just about any computer. After you create your personal health records on your computer, you simply insert the USB drive. It will show up in My Computer like another hard drive. Simply copy your personal health records onto the USB drive and carry it with you. One way to make your records portable, yet secure, is to create two files on the USB hard drive (see Figure 10.8). The first would be a general emergency file that would be available to anyone with a computer. That file would contain name, blood type, medications, allergies, emergency contact, major medical conditions, and other vital information that would be needed for emergency treatment.

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Lingo USB drives are small devices that plug in to the computer’s USB port. They are like portable hard drives that can be used to carry data. They are also called flash drives, USB keys, and pen drives.

Sandy’s tip If you use a USB drive for your medical records, be sure to label it so that in an emergency, it can be easily identified by medical personnel. Also keep a card in your wallet indicating that your records are on that drive, which is also on your body or among your possessions.

A second password-protected file could be created that would contain your complete medical history. Your emergency contact would have the password that would allow medical personnel access to that information.

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FIGURE 10.8 A USB drive is a perfect device for carrying your medical records with you. The FujiFilm drive shown here is available in a variety of memory capacities and prices ranging from $30 to $340.

Some companies are making it easy to consolidate your personal health records and put them on a USB drive. They will do it for you. A company named PinnacleCare, at www.pinnaclecare.com, has recently announced that it will help you create a USB drive for the entire family’s medical records. After authorization, PinnacleCare will contact all doctors’ offices and hospitals, arrange for transmission of the records If you are putting and their review by medical personnel.

Sandy’s tip

your own portable medical heath records on a USB drive, create them with common program such as Microsoft Word to ensure that they can be read by medical personal from any computer.

This takes all the work out of creating the personal medical histories of family members and puts all the information on the USB drive in a format that is easy for doctors and medical emergency personal to use. This service is pricey with a one-time initiation fee of $6,000 and an annual fee of $4,000. Hopefully other services such as this will appear in the future with more reasonable fees.


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Living Wills and Legal Stuff The highly publicized Terry Schiavo case in 2005 brought living wills to the forefront. Ms. Schiavo’s condition did not allow her to articulate her wishes, and she did not have a living will. For months, her family waged a complex court battle about whether she should be kept alive by artificial means, which was her parents’ wish, or allowed to die, which her ex-husband claimed was her personal desire prior to her A living will is a illness. legal document in

Lingo

which the signer gives This sad story made everyone realize the explicit instructions about importance of having a living will. In a livwhat medical treatment is to ing will, you get to choose the types of be administered in case he medical care you want or don’t want if or she becomes permayou become incapacitated. There are nently incapacitated and many websites where you can find a livcannot physically make his ing will form, but one of the widest used or her wishes known. templates is available from Aging With Dignity (www.agingwithdignity.org), shown in Figure 10.9, a nonprofit organization that safeguards the rights of the sick, aging, and dying. The Five Wishes costs $5 (bulk orders cost less) and can be ordered at Aging With Dignity’s website or by calling 888-594-7437.

As stated at the Aging With Dignity website, The Five Wishes are

1 2 3 4 5

Which person you want to make health care decisions for you when you can’t make them. The kind of medical treatment you want or don’t want. How comfortable you want to be. How you want people to treat you. What you want your loved ones to know.

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FIGURE 10.9 The Aging With Dignity website provides a Five Wishes living will form.

The Five Wishes form is known to be easy to understand and handles sensitive issues with dignity. It meets legal requirements in most states, but a few states Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, and others require their own forms for the living will to be legally binding. If your state has a special living will form, you can contact a lawyer or the state website to receive a copy. My Five Wishes has become so popular that a group called MyHealthDirective.com, at www.MyHealthDirective.com, now provides electronic storage of completed Five Wishes forms. The $5 that you pay for the Five Wishes form includes the first year of storage. After that, the cost is $2 a year. Hospitals and physicians can access your documents free of charge.


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The U.S. Living Will Registry (www.uslivingwillregistry.com) will keep an electronic version of your living will and other health care directives. When a health care professional needs a copy of your documents, the Registry can provide them by Internet connection or fax, 24 hours a day. You must sign up for the service through a health care provider, lawyer, insurance agent, bank, or other organization. The companies that acquire this service for their clients pay all fees, so the service is free to the end user. Once you have created a living will, people have to know its location so that it can be implemented, if needed. Family members should always be made aware of the fact that you have a living will, and they should know where you keep it. Both MyHealthDirective.com and the U.S. Living Will Registry will provide you with a wallet card telling how to access these documents. Talk to your lawyer to make sure that any forms you download from the Internet are legally binding. Also talk to him or her regarding other health-related forms that he or she deems necessary. Another common form is a health care proxy, which is also called a durable health care power of attorney. This is a legal document stipulating the person you want to make decisions about your health care if you become incapacitated. You can have both a health care proxy and a living will. The proxy will name the person you want to make the final decisions, and the living will can be used to guide that person’s decisions.

Sandy’s Summary Medical records should contain the entire gamut of our medical history so that physicians and medical personnel who take care of us can understand our bodies and provide customized treatment. Unfortunately, today most medical records are fragmented and disorganized. In the future, electronic health records will make

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our health records more complete, more organized, and ultimately more accessible. For the next few years, we will struggle with how to create electronic health records while maintaining the security of the records and also maintaining each person’s privacy. While this major transition is underway, people can accumulate and organize their own personal health records. There are many ways to do this both online and off. People can also use various technologies that are currently available to make their health records portable so that they can be easily accessed in case of an emergency. The Terry Schiavo case showed many people the benefits of having a living will. The Internet can help you create and even store your living will and other health care related legal documents.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

11

Unconventional Healthcare Options “The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.” —Zeno

M

ainstream medicine doesn’t always have all the answers. There are other places to look. These options are generally called complementary and alternative medicines. They are a group of assorted health care methods outside the realm of the conventional medicine in general practice in the United States. Sometimes these two terms are lumped together to indicate any type of medical therapy that is not accepted as conventional medicine. Strictly speaking, however, complementary medical practices are those that can be used together with conventional medicine, and alternative practices are those that are normally used in place of conventional medicine.

In This Chapter ■

Complementary Medicine

■

Alternative Medicine

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Although some consider complementary and alternative medicines unconventional, unorthodox, and unproven, others swear by them, calling them therapeutic, innovative, and curative.

Complementary Medicine Many different types of complementary medicine are in use today. Complementary medicine includes everything from commonly used dietary supplements to more unusual techniques such as magnetic therapy. Some of these therapies, including chiropractic care and acupuncture, require application by a professional. Others—such as the use of food and supplements as dietary aids, yoga, and meditation—can be self-guided.

Lingo Other terms for conventional medicine include Western, mainstream, orthodox medicine, and biomedicine.

Blooper Alert High doses of some supplements can be dangerous, so always make sure that you are taking a safe amount.

Complementary medicine often includes the use of natural products and can even include deep breathing exercises. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) even considers prayer as a complementary medical therapy.

Food and Dietary Supplements Food and dietary supplements are the most popular form of complementary medicine used today. Surveys show that more than half of American adults take a dietary supplement daily. Everything that we put into our mouths is possessed by the body. Both food and dietary supplements are used either favorably or adversely. As more of us take responsibility for our own health, we begin to think a lot more about food and dietary supplements.

Most nutritionists suggest that Americans take a vitamin supplement because they don’t get all the recommended vitamins and nutrients in their daily diet.

CHAPTER 11 UNCONVENTIONAL HEALTHCARE OPTIONS

However, deciding which supplements we need and even which foods are good for us can be a challenging task. There is a good deal of controversy today over which foods are beneficial and which should be limited or avoided. The same holds true for the many supplemental extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, and powders that are currently available as dietary supplements. Will melatonin help you sleep? Will Echinacea reduce the symptoms of your cold? Is soy a super food? Is sugar bad for you?

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Lingo Dietary supplements—Congress defined this term as “a product (other than tobacco) taken by mouth that contains a ‘dietary ingredient’ intended to supplement the diet including vitamins, minerals, and herbs.”

There is no better place to look for the answers to these questions than the Internet. You can research each item and assess its potential benefits. Then you can get your doctor’s opinion and form your own decision before you waste money on a product that won’t be helpful. The NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), which is a division of the National Institutes of Health, is a great The National place to start any investigation on dietary Center for Complementary and herbal supplements. Their Dietary and Alternative Medicine and Herbal Supplements area at reports that when megavitahttp://nccam.nih.gov/health/supplemin therapy and prayer are ments.htm is shown in Figure 11.1. included, 62% of Americans NCCAM has information on understanduse complementary and ing supplements, as well as research on alternative medicine. many popular supplements. The site also offers links to other governmental and organizational information. This site has recent information on Echinacea for the prevention of colds, Coenzyme Q10 for heart health, and many other supplements. It also covers some foods, such as cranberry and soy, that are commonly researched for potential health benefits.

Health Facts

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FIGURE 11.1 The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has information and research on all the popular dietary and herbal supplements.

Another great place for dietary supplement information is the Office of Dietary Supplements website at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ DietarySupplements.asp. This site explains how dietary supplements and food products are labeled and how the FDA regulates dietary supplements. This is interesting information because the FDA handles dietary supplements quite differently than drugs. In order for a drug to get FDA approval to be sold in the United States, the drug manufacturer must provide trials and convincing evidence to the FDA that the substance in


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question is both safe and effective. In an opposite manner, dietary supplements can be sold in the United States without FDA approval, so manufacturers do not have to provide any evidence of their products being safe or effective. Once the dietary supplement is on the market, it can only Blooper be restricted or removed from the marAlert ket if the FDA proves that the product is The term natural not safe. doesn’t necessarily

The Office of Dietary Supplements webmean safe. Some natural site also has excellent information in their herbal products have been Health Info area. Just surf over to found to be toxic. http://ods.od.nih.gov and click on Health Information. This website has dietary supplement fact sheets that give information on everything from melatonin (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/melatsum.htm) to information on tea and cancer prevention (www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/tea). The Health Information section of this website also has some excellent links called Informed Decision Making. When I viewed this site, they had articles such as “Tips for Older Supplements Users” and “The Savvy Supplement User.” Although the subjects might change, there is plenty of good information on this website. While you are at the Office of Dietary Supplements website, be sure to peruse its many databases, research resources, and nutrient recommendation reports. You can also use the search box for a quick link to information on any particular food or supplement. While U.S. governmental agencies are great places to find health and nutritional information, sometimes it’s good to look at things from another perspective. Nutra Ingredients.com, at www.nutraingredients.com, presents breaking news on supplements and nutrition from Europe, as shown in Figure 11.2. It has a comprehensive list of nutritional articles plus European news on products such as antioxidants, plant extracts, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals. It also gives product-related news on health conditions such as bone and joint health, diabetes, eye health, and skin health. This website is very news oriented and is a good place to visit if

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you are looking for the latest information on claims of food and/or supplement benefits. Just a quick look brought up some interesting information on lutein for eye health, tomato extract to lower blood pressure, and tumeric as a possible cancer preventative.

FIGURE 11.2 The Nutra Ingredients.com website gives current news on supplements and nutrition in Europe.

Nutra’s North American sister site is called Nutra Ingredients.com USA and can be found at www.nutraingredients-usa.com. It has similar information with the focus on American supplement and nutrition information. Both websites have a large variety of free e-newsletters that you can sign up to receive.


Great information on dietary supplements is available at many different types of websites. For instance, Prevention.com at www.prevention.com is a website based on the magazine of the same name. It provides health, fitness, and weight loss information. Of particular interest is the Food & Nutrition area, which has some excellent information on vitamins and supplements.

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Blooper Alert If you are having surgery, inform your doctor of any dietary supplements that you are taking. Some supplements can produce changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and bleeding that can adversely affect the body during or after surgery.

Be sure that you include different types of websites in your food and dietary supplement research. Once you decide which supplements are best, you might also want to visit some websites that give you information on the quality of the supplements. Many people go to Consumer Reports when they really want to get the scoop on the viability of a product. Consumer Reports is well known as a testing center for a large variety of products such as automobiles, televisions, and washing machines. ConsumerLab.com (www.consumerlabs.com), shown in Figure 11.3, does similar testing for nutritional products. In addition to the testing, ConsumerLab has background information on the product being tested, including consumer tips and dosage and usage information. Although this testing won’t give you the effectiveness or efficacy of the product, it will give you plenty of information. It will also rate similar products from a variety of manufacturers. Under the Dietary

Health Facts

Because dietary supplements are not always tested for manufacturing consistency, the composition might vary considerably. ConsumerLab.com tests each product to make sure that the product contains the amounts of ingredients stated on the label. ConsumerLab.com

Supplement Health and Education Act, dietary supplements are considered foods, not drugs. They have special requirements for labeling.

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tests vitamins, minerals, herbs, and several other products. Recent tests covered multivitamins, progesterone cream, probiotics, hoodia, CoQ10, black cohosh, and nutrition bars. They also cover recalls and warnings.

FIGURE 11.3 ConsumerLab.com tests vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other dietary supplements.

Although some of the information on ConsumerLab.com is free, you must subscribe in order to access the full reports. Currently, the subscription rate is $27 a year. They have over 50 reports on more than 800 products. I especially like the ability to search the site by type of supplement, brand, or health condition.


Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Several complementary therapies are based on the manipulation and movement of the body parts to stimulate or enhance health. Chiropractic medicine and massage therapy are the best known of these.

Chiropractic Medicine

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Lingo Chiropractic medicine focuses on the relationship between bodily structure (primarily that of the spine) and function of the body’s muscular and nervous systems. The word chiropractor comes from the Latin chïro, which means hand and the Greek praktikos, which means practical.

There is no doubt that chiropractic medicine is popular in the United States. It has been practiced here for more than 100 years. Statistics from the American Chiropractic Association show that currently over 30 million Americans are receiving chiropractic care from more than 50,000 chiropractors in the United States.

Although it is still considered a complementary medicine, chiropractic care has become so mainstream that most insurance plans will now cover chiropractic office visits and x-rays. Instead of drugs and/or surgery, chiropractors use manipulative therapy as their main tool to restore and maintain health. The noninvasive chiropractic procedures are appealing to many. Chiropractors and many under chiropractic care believe that realignment of the vertebrae and other skeletal parts can alleviate muscle and organ dysfunction and other imbalances. Although most people see a chiropractor for neck and back pain, they can also treat TMJ (a condition that affects the temporomandibular joint of the jaw), the sciatic nerve that extends down your legs, and many other problems such as asthma and fibromyalgia. My chiropractor has been able to give me relief from headaches and wrist pain. Do you need a chiropractor? Why not use the Internet to help you decide? ChiroCommunity.com (www.chirocommunity.com) tells you all about chiropractors, chiropractic terms, and conditions that

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chiropractors can treat. This website, shown in Figure 11.4, will even help you find a chiropractor.

FIGURE 11.4 The ChiroCommunity.com website has information on chiropractors, chiropractic terms, and conditions that chiropractors treat.

Acupuncture Many people swear by the health benefits provided by acupuncture. There must be something to it, since the healing art of acupuncture has been practiced for more than 2,000 years. While acupuncture is generally thought of as a Chinese healing therapy, today’s American practices of acupuncture can incorporate methodology from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries.


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Many people turn to acupuncture for chronic or reoccurring pain, but it can be used to treat hundreds of differing conditions. The Acupuncture.com website has an area called Syndromes A–Z. It can be found at www.acupuncture.com/conditions and is shown in Figure 11.5. This web page lists more than 140 different conditions that can be treated with acupuncture. This list contains everyday ailments such as heartburn, headache, sore throat, and tooth ache. It also lists many diseases and more serious conditions such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and arthritis. Be sure to click on a few of these because you will find a wealth of information on each condition, including how the disease is viewed by both Western and Eastern medical practitioners.

FIGURE 11.5 The Acupuncture.com website provides detailed information regarding many different diseases and conditions.

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Lingo Acupuncture procedures stimulate the anatomical points of the body by a variety of techniques. In the most commonly known method, thin metallic needles are inserted into the skin and manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.

To get more information about acupuncture, visit the NCCAM Get the FACTS web page about Acupuncture, which can be found at http://nccam. nih.gov/health/acupuncture. This website is shown in Figure 11.6. It includes detailed explanations of what acupuncture is and how it works. It also gives you information on what to expect from a treatment and how to find a licensed acupuncture practitioner. Acupuncture is being seen more frequently in the United States. Because acupuncture is a recognized medical treatment, some insurance companies will pay for acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture is becoming so popular that some high-end spas are even promoting cosmetic acupuncture for facial rejuvenation.

Massage Therapy Did you know that there are more than 150 different types of massages? You can find 65 types and many of their variations listed at MassageResource.com (www.massageresource.com/ref/massage-types.htm). Some other popular massage types are deep tissue massage, Shiatsu, and Lomilomi, which is a traditional Hawaiian massage. Each type of massage has a different goal. Some are meant to treat physical problems. Others focus on restoring normal body alignment or reducing pain. According to the American Massage Therapy Association Massage is a non(AMTA), the most common type of massage is a invasive, hands-on Swedish massage, which is specifically meant to therapy that manipulates relax and energize. muscles, connective tissue,

Lingo

tendons, ligaments, and joints to enhance function and promote relaxation and well-being.

The stroking, kneading, and rubbing done by a masseuse is known to stimulate circulation. The increased blood flow helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles so that they can eliminate


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waste products such as lactic acid, which can collect in muscles, causing stiffness and pain.

FIGURE 11.6 The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has an entire area dedicated to acupuncture information.

Reflexology is a type of massage manipulation and pressure done on the hands and feet. Reflexology is based on the idea that specific points on the feet and hands correspond with organs and tissues throughout the body. With fingers and thumbs, the practitioner applies pressure to these points to treat a wide range of stress-related illnesses and ailments.

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Health Facts The Shiatsu massage has been used in Japan for more than 1,000 years.

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)’s website at http://www.amtamassage.org/ represents more than 54,000 massage therapists in 27 countries. The consumer area of the website (www.amtamassage.org/consumers.html), shown in Figure 11.7, gives you information on the massage therapy industry, how to find a qualified massage therapist, and what to expect from a massage session.

FIGURE 11.7 The American Massage Therapy Association website has a special section for consumers.


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Aromatherapy and Biofeedback Don’t knock the effect that the sense of smell has on our minds and bodies. The scent of fresh apple pie can transport us back to grandma’s kitchen. The scent of the ocean makes us remember our last wonderful beach vacation.

Lingo Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils from plants, flowers, seeds, and other natural botanicals to promote health and well-being.

On a recent trip to Las Vegas, I found the entire first floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel infused with a luscious tropical scent. I found myself wanting to return just because the scent offered a calmness that I didn’t find in other Vegas hotels.

Aromatherapy Millions of people who use aromatherapy as a healing treatment understand the importance of the sense of smell, but they also understand much more. They use the chemical properties of essential oils for therapeutic purposes. Aromatherapy has been used to treat insect bites, muscle aches, bruises, bronchitis, arthritis, and many other ailments. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with massage, but essential oils can also be added to baths, applied to the skin, and used for inhalations. Essential oils can be Blooper placed on a tissue or inhaled in steam. Alert There are also aromatherapy diffusers Some essential that diffuse the oils into the air. I regularly oils should not be use peppermint and lavender to lessen used directly on the skin. Be the symptoms of a migraine headache sure to read product infor-

Aromatherapy is worth investigating, and mation before using. the Web will help you do just that. A great place to start is Aroma Web at www.aromaweb.com, shown in Figure 11.8. This site offers more than 250 informational articles about aromatherapy. It also has detailed profiles on 90

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essential oils. In addition, their Recipe Box includes blends for everything from reducing depression to dealing with insomnia. Aroma Web also has an aromatherapy business directory that will help you find aromatherapy-related products, books, organizations, and practitioners.

FIGURE 11.8 The Aroma Web website is an excellent resource for everything related to aromatherapy.

Another good aromatherapy website is A World of Aromatherapy at www.aworldofaromatherapy.com. This website has a list of essential oils and their uses as well as information on which oils can transform your spirit and which can help heal your body. A World of Aromatherapy lists their top 10 essential oils as

1 2 3 4 5 6

Chamomile—calming Eucalyptus—antiseptic Geranium—mildly astringent Lavender—mildly analgesic Rose—antiseptic Rosemary—mild stimulant


7 8 9 10

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Sandalwood—antiseptic Marjaram—mildly analgesic Jasmine—antidepressant Neroli—mildly sedative

A World of Aromatherapy even has an Aromatherapy Room discussion area where you can ask questions and learn more about aromatherapy.

Biofeedback Biofeedback is a complementary medicine that is also a form of physical and psychotherapy. Similar to physical therapy, biofeedback is often suggested or prescribed by a physician. The biofeedback techniques are taught to the patient by trained professionals. In a biofeedback session, one or more sensors are put on the patient’s body. These can be finger sensors or belts, but most commonly, they are stickers that adhere to the skin. The sensors contain electrodes that are connected to a base station. Once the sensors are in place, the patient is instructed to use relaxation, meditation, visualization, and other techniques to achieve the desired result. For someone suffering from TMJ, that result might be to ease the tension in the jaw muscles. For someone with high blood pressure, that result might be a lowered heart rate. Biofeedback is particularly helpful for stress-related conditions and muscle dysfunction. It is commonly used to help

Lingo Biofeedback is a type of training that teaches the patient to consciously change and control bodily functions—such as breathing, heart rate, and muscle contraction—that are normally controlled unconsciously.

Health Facts Biofeedback began in the 1960s stimulated by the ability of some Eastern yogi masters to use their minds to alter their breathing and heart rates.

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people with headaches, high blood pressure, TMJ, muscle injury, incontinence, and asthma. It is also sometimes used for pain relief. Biofeedback is a treatment in which the patient plays an active role. It requires intensive participation to learn to control bodily functions that are normally involuntary. Biofeedback is, however, the ultimate self-help therapy. More information about biofeedback can be found at the Holistic online.com website at www.holistic-online.com/Biofeedback.htm. The Mayo Clinic has excellent information on biofeedback at www.mayoclinic.com/health/biofeedback/SA00083, as shown in Figure 11.9. You can also read about other’s biofeedback experiences at the Yahoo! Biofeedback & Neurofeedback Health Group at http://health.groups. yahoo.com/group/biofeedback.

FIGURE 11.9 The MayoClinic.com website shows that biofeedback is used for a wide variety of conditions.


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Alternative Medicine There are many different types of alternative medicine, including both Eastern and Western disciplines. Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda come from the East. Other alternative medicines, such as homeopathic and naturopathic therapies, are based mostly on Western traditions. Most alternative medicines treat disease as an imbalance of the whole person and use the body’s own healing power, Holistic is the along with specific treatments, herbs, and term often used to natural supplements, to return the body indicate that the body, mind, to balance and to health. Whereas our emotions, spirit, and envitraditional American medicine is based ronment are all considered on scientific studies and treats the sympin the medical treatment. toms of disease, alternative medicine treats the whole person. So alternative medicine usually deals with mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental aspects of the condition, as well as the physical aspects.

Lingo

Homeopathy Homeopathic medicine uses plants, herbs, minerals and other substances to stimulate a person’s natural defenses. This is done by giving the patient small quantities of the substances that would actually cause the person’s symptoms to increase if given in larger quantities. The idea that “like cures like” is the basis for homeopathic medicine. It is also seen in traditional medicine. The use of allergy shots to lessen allergic symptoms and immunizations to protect from disease are two common examples. Homeopathic medicine is holistic in nature in that it takes emotional and mental symptoms into consideration

Health Facts Homeopathy became very popular in the 1800s when European royalty embraced it.

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along with physical symptoms. A homeopathic practitioner formulates the correct medications after assessing the entire person. One remedy is formulated to target all the symptoms. While homeopathic medicine has a good foothold in the United States, it is particularly popular in France, England, Germany, and Greece, as well as India, Pakistan, South America, and Mexico. It is used for a wide variety of conditions and diseases including osteoporosis, depression, arthritis, and sinusitis. It is not surprising then that some of the best information on homeopathy comes from European and Indian countries. Luckily, the Internet has no boundaries, and you can access these sites just as easily as you can access U. S. websites. The ABC Homeopathy website (shown in Figure 11.10) at www.abchomeopathy.com/homeopathy.htm is based in the UK and it is a good place to visit for information on homeopathy. Although the website sells many products, it also has a wealth of information on homeopathy and how it is used.

Ayurvedic Medicine The ancient therapies of the Ayurvedic traditions form a comprehensive and fairly complex system of medicine. Patients are classified by constitution type. The three main doshas, or types, are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each type is believed to have its own particular strengths and weaknesses or susceptibilities. Disease is an imbalance in the doshas, and Ayurvedic treatment is aimed at restoring harmony and, therefore, health. According to Ayurvedic principles, everything that you do and everything that surrounds you affects your health including diet, work, family, and environment. For a student of Ayurvedic medicine, true health is more than the absence of disease. It is the balance of mind, body, and spirit. Treatments includes massage, herbal compounds, dietary advice, cleansing, yoga, meditation, and other techniques. In Ayuveda, good digestion is considered a key to good health, so many treatments are aimed at improving digestion.


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FIGURE 11.10 The ABC Homeopathy website has a wealth of information on homeopathic medicine.

Ayurvedic medicine is often used to treat gastro-intestinal problems, as well as circulatory and nervous disorders. It is also used to treat anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches, and other common disorders. To the American public, Deepak Chopra is one of the most recognizable Ayurvedic proponents. His website at www.chopra.com, although aimed at selling tickets to his seminars and services at

Lingo Ayurveda is an ancient East Indian tradition that includes diet and herbal remedies. It is a holistic medicine that treats the body, mind, and spirit in conjunction.

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his spa, has very good information about Ayurvedic medicine. There is even an Online Dosha Quiz that can help you determine which Dosha you are. You can take the test at www.chopra.com/doshatest.asp.

Health Facts It is said that Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. It is rooted in the Vedic civilization of ancient India.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine also has great background information on Ayurvedic medicine at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ayurveda. There is much to learn about Ayurvedic medicine. The National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine website gives a good explanation of the important Ayurvedic concepts and treatments at www.niam.com/corp-web/basicstoc.html.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Traditional Chinese medicine is the current name for the type of medicine that has been practiced in China for centuries. It is based on the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”). This is the vital energy that is believed to flow through the entire body. Balanced qi results in health. According to traditional Chinese medicine, a person’s qi is influenced by yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Unbalanced qi produces illness and disease.

Health Facts

The roots of Chinese medicine go back to Bian Que, who lived about 500 years B.C.

This ancient Eastern type of medicine uses a systematic approach and unique diagnostic methods, including an intense evaluation of the tongue. Practitioners must study for years to perfect the techniques, which include herbal and nutritional therapies, meditation, acupuncture, acupressure, massage, and restorative exercises.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong are components of traditional Chinese medicine that use a combination of movement, meditation, and breathing techniques to enhance health by improving the flow of qi.


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The Healing People Network (www.healingpeople.com) has an excellent area with articles and information about Chinese medicine, as shown in Figure 11.11.

FIGURE 11.11 The Healing People Network has great information on Chinese medicine.

You can gather even more information on Chinese medicine at the QIJournal website at http://qi-journal.com. While at this website, you can also pick up information on Chinese culture and philosophy.

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Other Nontraditional Medicines Although I have named a few nontraditional medicines for you to investigate, there are many more. Chelation therapy, detoxification, Reiki, Naturopathic, Therapeutic Touch, and Osteopathy are just a few. Energy therapies such as biofield and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies are also gaining in popularity as is magnetic therapy.

•

• •

• •

Osteopathic Medicine—Osteopathic medicine is a form of conventional medicine that focuses on how disturbances in the musculoskeletal system affect the entire body. Osteopathic can include hands-on manipulative techniques. Although this is often thought of as an alternative medicine, such as chiropractic therapy, it is often used in conjunction with conventional medicine. Magnetic Therapy—This type of alternative medicine uses magnets placed in strategic places on and around the body to relieve pain and positively affect healing. Naturopathic Medicine—Naturopathic medicine, or naturopathy, is based on natural remedies. It uses the body’s own healing power to establish, maintain, and restore health. Treatments include diet, massage, dietary supplements, supplemental sunlight, medicinal plants, exercise, and homeopathy. Reiki—Roughly translated, Reiki is a Japanese word meaning “universal life energy.” This therapy believes that the energy, which is channeled through a Reiki practitioner, can heal the patient’s spirit, which in turn will heal his or her body.

Therapeutic Touch—Like Reiki, this therapy is based on the ancient technique called “laying on of hands.” Practitioners identify energy imbalances and use their healing energies to balance the energies in the patient.


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These are all interesting techniques that, depending on your circumstances, might be beneficial. Luckily, they can all be researched on the Internet. The HealthWorld website at http://www.healthy.net is a good place to start gathering information on any of these different types of medicine. As shown in Figure 11.12, their front page lists alternative therapies, as well as health conditions and other information.

FIGURE 11.12 The HealthWorld website has a comprehensive list of alternative therapies with detailed information about each.

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Sandy’s Summary While traditional Western medicine helps millions of people each year, there are times when additional or alternative help is needed. That’s when some people turn to the corral of complementary and alternative medicines that might be needed. Complementary medicines are normally used in addition to traditional medicine, whereas alternative medicines are normally used in place of traditional therapies. The range of complementary therapies is extensive. It includes chiropractic care, massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and biofeedback. Alternative options include Ayurvedic, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, Reiki, and magnetic therapy. While these medicines and therapies may not be for everyone, it is good to have alternatives and it is good to know that all of these methodologies exist in case you ever need them.

Sandy Berger

Chapter

12

High-Tech Medicine “The march of invention has clothed mankind with powers of which a century ago the boldest imagination could not have dreamt..” —Henry George

I

n the seventeenth century, less than 50% of all children born lived past the age of ten. Influenza, cholera, and the plague killed millions. Tetanus, pneumonia, tuberculosis, polio, and smallpox attacked people the world over. Fast-forward to today, and you can appreciate the enormous strides we have made. Life spans have been greatly expanded for both children and adults. Immunizations have been developed for diseases such as smallpox, diphtheria, influenza, and polio. Some of these vicious diseases have been completely eliminated. Others have been dramatically reduced. In the past 50 years, ultrasound and magnetic resonance machines have made it easier to diagnose disease. Kidney dialysis has become

In This Chapter ■

High-tech Procedures

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Amazing Laboratory Feats

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Telemedicine and Connected Home Health

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Robots as Medical Aids

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Gene Therapy Creates Dramatic Advances

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commonplace. Transplant and heart surgeries have saved the lives of millions. Diseases that would have been fatal 50 years ago are now treatable or curable. While these improvements have been dramatic, we are now poised on the cusp of medical advances that will make the progress of the last hundred years seem insignificant.

High-tech Procedures When you think of technology, you often think of computers and digital equipment. Certainly computers, games, MP3 players, and other digital equipment have made improvements in our lives over the last few years. We should, however, think of technology and medicine as the area that has had the most spectacular discoveries and the biggest impact on our lives and will continue to do so over the next several decades.

Lingo Arthroscopic surgery is surgery performed by a small endoscopic device that is inserted through a tiny incision. This scope allows the surgeon to see inside the body.

Arthroscopic Surgery Many amazing medical breakthroughs are already in common use. I have a six inch scar across my belly from a gallbladder operation that I had 20 years ago. My husband recently underwent the same operation that is now routinely done with a scope. He had a much faster recovery, and his small scars are almost undetectable. Arthroscopic surgery of this type is also commonly used for knee surgery, prostate surgery, and other types of operations.

Swallow a Camera? There are also many other high-tech procedures that you might not yet be aware of. For example, a new type of test is being commonly done to look at a patient’s intestines. If your doctor ever ordered a lower GI,

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you know what an uncomfortable test that can be. Technology comes to the rescue! Last year, the FDA approved a camera that can be swallowed to show the doctor exactly what he or she wants to see as it travels through the patient’s digestive tract without any discomfort for the patient. Only slightly larger than an aspirin, this capsule, called M2A, contains a single-use video camera, a light source, batteries, a transmitter, and an antenna. Once swallowed, it travels through the digestive tract and transmits pictures to a device worn around the patient’s waist. Once the camera finishes its journey, it is naturally excreted. More information and a picture of the M2A pill can be found at the ETMC Digestive Disease Center website at www.etmc.org/page.php?pageID=476, as shown in Figure 12.1.

FIGURE 12.1 The ETMC Digestive Disease Center explains the M2A pill in detail.

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Virtual Colonoscopy It has long been known that a colonoscopy is beneficial as a routine test to diagnose colon and bowel disease, including cancer. Yet people have avoided the test because it is notoriously uncomfortable. The traditional test requires several days of liquid diet, sedation, Colonoscopy is a and an uncomfortable examination that can take procedure that allows up to an hour.

Lingo

the doctor to look inside the large intestine.

Lingo A CAT (Computer Axial Tomography) scan is a series of x-rays that show the human body in slices (tomograms). A computer turns these slices into pictures. They are also called CT scans.

Health Facts Colonoscopy scans can help detect colorectal cancer in its early stages, and statistics show that 90 percent of these colorectal cancers can be cured when found early.

Now there is an alternative called virtual colonoscopy. Air is pumped into the patient’s colon, and images are created by a CAT scan that can be manipulated into a 3D representation of the colon and rectum. The virtual colonoscopy requires no sedation and only takes 10–15 minutes.

Cataract Surgery Doctors have been performing cataract-removal surgery for many years. It is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the United States. New advancements include a new lens removal technology called the AquaLase Liquefaction Device. Instead of using a metal probe, a doctor can now dissolve a patient’s clouded lens with pulses of warm naturally balanced solution to ‘wash away’ the lens layer by layer.

Cancer Breakthroughs Although an actual cure for cancer remains elusive, treatment options are improving. One of the latest is the TomoTherapy HI-ART System. This new technology provides radiation from 360 degrees to provide a more precise delivery method to tumor sites while minimizing damage to


healthy tissue. This treatment is an option for some who were previously considered untreatable. More information is available at the Cancer Center at www.cancercenter.com and TomoTherapy at www.tomotherapy.com. Another new technology for cancer treatment is a treatment called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). While older radiation procedures radiated normal tissues around the tumor as well as the tumor itself, this technology can wrap a dose of radiation around the tumor, focusing the radiation just where it is needed. This therapy is being used for breast and prostate cancer, as well as some cancers of the head and neck. More information can be found at the RadiologyInfo website at www.radiologyinfo.org/content/therapy/imrt.htm.

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Lingo A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens that can cause vision problems and can lead to blindness when left untreated.

Health Facts Cataracts are the number one cause of blindness around the world. More than half of all Americans age 65 and older have a cataract.

Heart Movies You’ve heard of x-rays, CAT scans, angiograms, and other imaging techniques that produce pictures of the inside of the body, but this new technolCoronary heart ogy can actually show a motion picture of disease is the single leading the heart as it is working in your body. cause of death in America. This gives doctors the ability to see the heart as it is functioning and to see subtle abnormalities that might otherwise be missed.

Health Facts

Dr. Alexander Tsiaras developed this technology to show people how their hearts work and make them want to keep them healthier. However, it is slowly developing into a diagnostic tool for heart disease.

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While this technology is already available, it is not yet in common use. More information can be found at the InVisionGuide.com website at www.invisionguide.com, as shown in Figure 12.2.

FIGURE 12.2 Alexander Tsiaras’ website is filled with heart healthy information, including a video of a real human heart at work.

High-tech Heart Surgery Heart surgery has become commonplace. Even heart transplants are now possible with several thousand operations of this type performed in the United States each year. Thanks to technological advances, we are now finding ways to fix some heart problems without invasive surgery. Holes between the upper chambers of the heart are fairly common. A device called AcuNav allows surgeons to close such holes without invasive surgery. AcuNav is an ultrasound catheter that guides the surgeon.


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The patients don’t even need general anesthesia. More information is available at the Siemens cardiology website at http://cardiology.usa.siemens.com.

Brain Imaging An MRI is a typical diagnostic tool for brain imaging; however, a new cutting-edge technology, called Diffusion Tensor Imaging, is now offering even more information about the brain’s functionality. Getting a DTI is similar to getting an MRI, but the results are different. The images look like bundles of Magnetic colorful wires. The DTI shows the moveResonance Imaging ment of water in the brain and shows (MRI) is an imaging techwhere normal flow is disrupted or nique that uses magnets and obstructed. DTI does a better job of pulses of radio waves to detecting epilepsy and other abnormalimanipulate the natural magties than the regular MRI scans.

Lingo

Amazing Laboratory Feats Many high-tech discoveries have already been made in the laboratory. Many of these tests and discoveries will positively impact our health in the future. The following sections provide some details about just a few of the recent laboratory breakthroughs that are sure to change many lives both now and in the future.

netic properties in the body to create images of the inside of a body.

Lingo Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a new type of MRI.

The Power of the Mind Researchers at Brown University have successfully harnessed the power of a monkey’s brain to control the movement of a cursor on a computer screen. Three monkeys were taught to play a computer game using a joystick to move the cursor and chase a moving target on the

268


screen. Then a very small, thinly-wired device was implanted into each monkey’s brain. This thumbnail-sized device uses a tiny array of electrodes to record, interpret, and reconstruct brain activity that controls hand movement. After the implants, the monkeys still moved the joysticks with their hands. The joysticks, however, had been completely disconnected, and the monkeys were actually controlling the cursor on the computer screen with their thoughts. The monkeys’ brains rather than their hands moved the cursor. Researchers reported that the monkeys’ hands-free cursor control was almost as fast and accurate as the hands-on cursor control. Imaging the implications of this type of research for persons who are paralyzed and those with missing limbs is extremely exciting. More information can be found at the Brown University website at www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2004-05/04-035.html, as shown in Figure 12.3.

FIGURE 12.3 The Brown University website relates tests in which monkeys were able to move a cursor on a computer screen with mind power.


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High-tech Bandages Impedimap is a new system that can be used to provide instant, accurate feedback on wounds such as venous leg ulcers, diabetic ulcers and sores, burns, and surgical wounds without removing the dressing. An Ireland-based company called Sensor Technology & Devices, Ltd. (www.std-ltd.com), which specializes in sensor technology, is developing a system that can monitor a wound without removing the bandage. A system of electrodes in a system called Impedimap will be capable of giving information on how the healing is progressing from within the bandage. Data about the wound is transmitted from the wound to a specially developed monitor. On a recent trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab, which specializes in high-tech research, I spoke to a group who was working on a bandage that could take your blood pressure and measure other bodily functions, as well. These types of devices could easily be used in the future for home health monitoring from a different location. For example, your doctor could check on your vitals and other pertinent information from his or her office while your are resting comfortably at home.

Medicine Delivery Systems New drugs and new methods of delivery are constantly being discovered. The FDA recently approved insulin that could be inhaled, freeing many diabetics from their constant need for insulin injections. Belgian chemists (as reported in the Jan. 9, 2006, print issue of the American Chemical Society’s journal) are developing a self-exploding microcapsule that can precisely release drugs and vaccines inside the body even months after injections. This could change the way vaccines and other medications are given. So a vaccine and the boosters that now must be administered separately could be combined into one injection. The drugs would be released inside the body at the correct time even though that might be months from when it was administered.

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Telemedicine and Connected Home Health Telemedicine uses both wireless and wired technologies to provide health care to individuals who are not in the same location as the health care providers. Physicians and patients no longer need to be in the same room for examinations and diagnoses. They can be miles apart. This extends care beyond the traditional walls of health care institutions and doctor’s offices.

Lingo

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications to provide health care services remotely.

Telemedicine has been a boon for people situated in remote locations. For several years, it has been used for the underserved and isolated. Now it is going mainstream, providing care for people from all walks of life.

The instant communications that telemedicine provides can help give faster access to a specialist when needed. X-rays and other tests can be transmitted quickly and easily, and even real-time videoconferencing is possible with doctors able to see results of tests as they are performed. Telemedicine is also being used to monitor those with chronic conditions who would otherwise have to make multiple visits to doctors and hospitals.

Health Facts NASA propelled telemedicine to the forefront in the 1960s with development for human beings on space missions.

The biggest new application of telemedicine is for home health care. Monitors and equipment installed in the home send test results to facilities where they can be accessed by a health professional who has been assigned to monitor the patient. This type of monitoring will save time and money and often results in better health care.

Insurance companies about to be overwhelmed by the health care of aging baby boomers are leading the research into devices and methods to allow for home monitoring. Colleges, universities, hospitals, and other research facilities have all joined the quest. Companies such as Sensor Technology & Devices are already working on home-based monitoring devices.


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Some devices are already in use. The Honeywell HomMed equipment includes a cuff for taking blood pressure, a footpad for weight, and other telemonitoring equipment that is put in the home. The unit reminds the patient when it’s time for a blood-pressure, weight, heartrate, or oxygen check. The equipment coaches the person through the tests. Then the device transmits the data to the Central Station, where clinical personnel monitor and track the data. If any of the readings are abnormal, the doctor or nurse calls or visits the patient. More information and a brief demo is available at the Honeywell HomMed website (www.hommed.com), shown in Figure 12.4.

FIGURE 12.4 The Honeywell HomMed equipment monitors a patient from his or her home.

While home health monitoring might take the next 10 years to fully develop, it will develop, and it will be beneficial to all as the quality of health care improves while the costs are lowered. Studies show that home health monitoring could cut the number of visits to doctor’s offices in half and reduce the costs of the treatment of many diseases. The biggest advantage will be to older people, as it will help them to remain independent in their homes longer.

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Robots as Medical Aids In science fiction books and movies, robots are used for every imaginable task. In Star Wars, R2-D2 and other robots are commonplace. In Minority Report, miniature robots are used to search for people.

Health Facts

In 1996, Belgiumbased surgeon Luc Vanderheyden made medical history by using a robotic arm and joystick controlling the tiny fiberoptic camera that was developed by NASA to diagnose a hernia in a patient 140 miles away.

Sandy’s tip For more information about robotic surgery, visit the How Stuff Works website at http:// electronics.howstuffworks. com/robotic-surgery1.htm, where robotic surgery is described in detail.

Perhaps those looks into the future are accurate, and robots will be a part of our daily lives. In the meantime, they are fast becoming the trusted companions of medical professionals. Robots are already used for many medical-related tasks. They are being employed efficiently for preoperative planning, as well as for complex surgical procedures. A robotic assistant called Acrobot is currently being used for surgeries such as partial knee replacements. Acrobot helps the surgeon line up the replacement parts with the existing bones. With Acrobot’s assistance, surgeons have achieved greater precision and better outcomes. A picture of Acrobot at work can be found at the Acrobot Company, Ltd. website at www.auvf78.dsl.pipex.com, as shown in Figure 12.5.

Robotics also provides a way for surgeons to perform surgery without actually putting their hands into the body. The Siemens Axiom Artis Magnetic Navigation System is a robotic aid that allows surgeons to use magnetic forces and computer controls to navigate remotely during the surgery. They no longer have to stand over a patient for up to 10 hours at a time trying to manually direct a catheter. Instead, they use a joystick and the robot, which results in better precision in a shorter amount of time.


273

FIGURE 12.5 The Acrobot robot helps surgeons in a partial knee replacement surgery.

The da Vinci Surgical System has already been used to perform heart surgery. The surgeon uses two robotic arms to maneuver inside the patient’s chest. Instead of an 8–10 inch incision, the small robotic arms can perform the surgery without opening the chest. More information on da Vinci can be found at the Intuitive surgical website at www. intuitivesurgical.com. Robotic equipment is already installed in many hospitals that aid in many different types of surgeries. My local hospital in Moore County, NC has just added a robot to aid in prostate operations. The use of robots is spreading even to heart surgery as tests are currently underway to use robotic technology for heart bypass operations. Robots can be used in many different medical scenarios. The National Institute for Medical Informatics medical media lab website, at www. imedi.org/docs/references/mr.htm (shown in Figure 12.6), gives several examples saying that robots can be used for

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FIGURE 12.6 The Nation Institute for Medical Informatics website has a wealth of information on medical robots.

• • • • •

Sterilizing floors Delivering lab specimens Pulling patients on stretchers to rooms Performing perfect CPR Performing basic aspects of the physical exam (looking at pupils, listening to lungs and heart)

Several of these robots are available today. The Roomba is a fully functioning floor-cleaning robot that can be seen at the iRobot website at www.irobot.com. The Roomba is being used not only to keep homes clean, but also to sanitize hospital areas.


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The ER1 robot, which can be seen at the Evolution Robotics website (www.evolution.com/er1), is shown in Figure 12.7. ER1 is a robot that has vision, hearing, speech, networking, gripping, and mobility. It can be customized to many different tasks.

FIGURE 12.7 The ER1 Personal Robot System has both medical and personal applications.

An automated trackless robotic courier called Pyxis can be used to transport medications, lab samples, supplies, and equipment. Pyxis can be seen at the CardinalHealth website at www.pyxis.com. If you think that performing basic physical exams might be beyond the scope of a robot, you haven’t yet met Honda’s new robot, named ASIMO. This small white humanoid robot can walk along with you while holding your hand, push a cart, and deliver drinks on a tray. More information can be found at the Honda website at http://world.honda.com/ASIMO, as shown in Figure 12.8.

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FIGURE 12.8 The ASIMO robot is a humanoid robot that can perform tasks in a real-life environment.

As these and other robots gain even more functionality, they will also become cheaper and will start appearing in many different applications. There will probably be a household robot in your future. If you happen to face hospitalization or surgery, you might also meet your first medical robot, as they are quickly spreading to medical institutions around the world.

Gene Therapy Creates Dramatic Advances The mapping of the human genome has set the stage for the most dramatic changes in medicine and medical care that the world has ever seen. Radical changes are coming in the treatment of disease, as well as disease prevention and life extension. Armed with genetic information, doctors will be able to customize treatment and to present patients with personalized lifestyle regimens.


277

Personalized Treatment In the not-to-distant future, your medical record will include your complete gene analysis. As genes and DNA sequences that influence drug response are identified, this analysis will give doctors the ability to more accurately predict your responses to drugs, as well as recommend treatments. The risk of developing many disorders— such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, muscular dystrophy, and heart disease—might well be influenced by our genetic makeup. Genetic analysis will predict your susceptibility to specific diseases, allowing you to make constructive lifestyle changes and to possibly be treated before the onset of the disease. Now that the human genome has been mapped and the genes identified, researchers will go on to research the vast array of protein molecules encoded by the DNA. These genetic findings will create the knowledge that we need to make tremendous breakthroughs in the health field.

Lingo A gene is a segment of DNA that contains the chemical information necessary for the creation of proteins. Genes govern both the structure and metabolic functions of the cells. They are passed from generation to generation.

Health Facts The Human Genome Project was an international research effort to determine the sequence of the human genome and identify the genes it contains. The Human Genome Project formally began in 1990 and was completed in 2003—two years ahead of its original schedule.

The Human Genome Project is already having a significant impact on today’s medicine. The fruit fly, the latest organism to be sequenced, is already being used to study human diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. The implications for the future are incredible, as we will use genetic material and knowledge to learn more about human health and disease.

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Cloning Cloning is a fascinating scientific adventure. As you probably know, Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, was born in 1996. The Internet has an abundant amount of information on cloning. For specific information on Dolly, check out the Science Museum website at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna/dolly, as shown in Figure 12.9.

FIGURE 12.9 The Science Museum website has information on Dolly, the first cloned mammal.

Besides cloning entire animals, scientists have successfully added human genes to animals including cows, fish, pigs, sheep, rats, and rabbits. We can produce designer animals, even a cow that could produce human breast milk. We will, no doubt, in the future be able to clone human organs. Although successful cloning of complex organs such as the heart or


liver might be in the distant future, clones of simple organs will appear much sooner. Human clones could be produced just to grow organs. Computerized chips and genes will be able to create bionic organs and possibly even bionic men and women.

279

Lingo A clone is an organism descended from and genetically identical to a single common ancestor.

You can see that recent medical research, including the Human Genome Project, has had, and will continue to have, tremendous positive impacts. Some negatives start to appear when we talk about cloning. The vast powers that gene technology gives us will need to be controlled. Legal and ethical issues will abound as new techniques raise large, looming, ethical dilemmas. Would the person cloned have any rights to his or her clone? Will people be able to design their own babies? Would a being that is half human and half cow have human rights? Will we ever reach the point at which we could purchase genes on the Internet? These are just a few of the many questions that will take the forefront as cloning and manipulating genetic material becomes more commonplace. As science and technology progress, we will have the power to alter every aspect of life, even to redesign the human race. Imagine the implications of that!

The Future Some of the things already talked about in this chapter will start appearing in the future, but there will also be other important medical breakthroughs. Most experts agree that a new generation of smart drugs will start to appear in the near future. These drugs will improve sex lives and increase intelligence. They might also be used to slow down aging as we come one giant step closer to the elusive fountain of youth.

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Nanotechnology is expected to help produce nano particles and cells that could be injected into the bloodstream, traveling directly to the problem area to make corrections. Talk even exists of nanobots or very small robotic particles that could eat cancer cells before being harmlessly excreted.

Lingo

Nanotechnology is the science of developing materials at the atomic and molecular levels.

As more people face the aches and pains of age, pain relief measures will improve dramatically.

Special in-home monitors will expand to be capable of measuring whatever particulars of a patient’s care need monitoring. For example, monitors could measure the trembling of a Parkinson’s patient to determine the proper amount of medication to dispense. These monitors could even be developed to test a patient’s blood and determine the amount of medications and/or vitamins to be dispensed. It is also possible that the Internet will turn into an even more useful tool for medical help, where a doctor would be available 24 hours a day. With in-home monitors, for minor emergency help, we could transmit data to the Internet and talk to a doctor to determine if an emergency room visit is necessary. The Internet could become our medical help line. There is no doubt that high-tech medicine is here to stay and that it will greatly affect us in the future. There might be wonder drugs to help us live longer and special procedures to cure our ailments. There is no doubt that technology will help us all live longer and healthier lives. While medical researchers are doing their part, let’s do our part. Let’s use the Internet and the technology that we already have at our fingertips to exercise, eat right, manage our weight, and manage our health to the best of our abilities. The goal of optimal health is not only worthwhile, it is achievable!


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Sandy’s Summary High-tech health breakthroughs have already changed the way medicine is practiced today. New techniques are making tests and surgeries more comfortable for the patient and easier for the physician. A revolution in health care is in the works. Telemedicine is bringing health care to remote patients, but it is also creating home health monitoring that will lower health costs and also allow people to remain independent longer. Robots are already playing a big part in preoperative and operative procedures. Their participation in these events is sure to increase, and we will also find them carrying trays and transferring medications and supplies in hospitals around the world. Before long, they might even be performing some of the basic parts of physical exams. Advances in genetic technology will have a huge impact on all health-related processes as medical care can be tailored to a person’s physical makeup. This new technology will result in better care, make better use of our drugs, and also produce a plethora of new medications. While genetics will improve our health, there will also be ethical and moral questions to face as cloning and creating new life forms becomes more commonplace. Keep your eye on the progress of the medical world. Many wonderful developments are in process that are sure to change your life for the better.

Sandy Berger

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Index NUMBERS 1-Click Answers, 63

A A World of Aromatherapy website, 250 AARP Effective and Safe Prescription Drug website, 196-197 ACE (American Council on Exercise), 41

alternative medicine Ayurveda, 254 homeopathy, 253-254 traditional Chinese medicine, 256-257 Alzeimer’s Association website, 147 Alzheimer’s disease, 146-148 AMA (American Medical Association) website, 91

Acrobat, 272

AMD (age-related macular degeneration), 135

acupuncture, 246

America Online, 114

Acupuncture.com website, 245

American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine website, 76

Administrators in Medicine website, 92

American Cancer Society website, 142

adverse drug interactions, avoiding, 207-209

American Diabetes Association website, 137

AgeLab, 16-18

American Dietetic Association website, 33, 75

Aging With Dignity website, 231-232 AIS (American Institute of Stress) website, 56 Alliance for Aging Research, Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator, 9 AllRefer.com website, 100

American Heart Association website, 151 American Society for Nutrition website, 75 American Stroke Association website, 149

284

AMTA

AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) website, 248

Ava’s Animated Yoga Lesson website, 58

antiaging medicine, 75 American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, 76 antioxidants, 76 Los Gatos Longevity Institute website, 76

average life expectancy, 8

antiaging products antioxidants, 48-49 creams and lotions, 49 sun protection, 47-48

Ayurvedic medicine, 254

antioxidants, 48-49, 76

bandages, Impedimap, 269

AquaLase Liquifaction Device, 264 Aroma Web website, 249

BBC website, gender-specific health information , 166

aromatherapy, 249

beer belly, 27

arthritis, 131 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website, 133

Better Homes and Gardens website, 57-58

Arthritis Foundation website, 131

blogs, 189

Arthritis.com website, 133 ArthritisSupport.com, 133

blood pressure monitors, purchasing, 20

arthroscopic surgery, 262

Blood Type Diet, 35

assessing symptoms, 99

BMI (Body Mass Index), 19, 27

Atkins diet, 34

board certification, 93

audio/video information locating on Internet, 125-126 Podcasts, 126-127

Botox, 52

avoiding adverse drug interactions, 207-209 illegitimate prescription drug sites, 203-205

B

biofeedback, 251 StressEraser, 62

brand name drugs, researching, 200-201 breast cancer-related websites, 169

INDEX COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

breathing techniques, 60 Pegasus NLP’s Mind-Body Health website, 60 RESPeRATE website, 60 buying medications online, 202-205

C c.cam, 12 calculating maximal heart rate, 46 Canadian Quackery Watch website, 123 cancer, 142 American Cancer Society website, 142 LIVESTRONG website, 144-145

cataract surgery, 264 CBBS (Computerized Bulletin Board System), 186 CDER (Center for Drug Evaluation and Research), 196 chat rooms, 182 as support group, 182-184 WebMD, 183 CHID (Combined Health Information Database) website, 120 Chinese medicine, 256 ChirCommunity.com website, 243 chiropractic medicine, 243

Cancer Hope Network, 178

cholesterol home testing kits, 21 sources of, 73

Cancer News website, 142

Chopra, Deepak, 255

Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 11

ClinicalTrials.gov website, 117

CancerCare website, 143

CMI (Consumer Medicine Information, 194

cardiovascular disease, 154, 161-162 American Heart Association website, 151 heart surgery, 266 HeartCenterOnline website, 152 stroke, 149 caregivers, 186 CAT (Computer Axial Tomography) scan, 264

cloning, 278-279

communicating with your doctor, 96, 99 complementary medicine, 235-236 acupuncture, 246 aromatherapy, 249-251 biofeedback, 251 chiropractic medicine, 243

285

286

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

food and dietary supplements, 236, 241 massage therapy, 246-247 complications from diabetes, 138-139 Compu-KISS website, 69 consolidating health records, 230 ConsumerLab.com, 241 Coolibar, 47 cosmetic surgery, 52 Cousins, Dr. Norman, 66 credentials of physicians, researching, 91-93 credibility of websites, evaluating, 111-112

Diabetes Self-Management website, 140 dietary supplements, 236-237, 241 dieting, online resources, 37 Dr. Phil’s Shape Up! Diet, 36 Eating for Life website, 34 eDiets website, 39 Glycemic Impact Diet website, 35 Mediterranean Diet website, 36 Weight Loss for Life website, 29 Weight Watchers height and weight chart, 28 On-the-Go service, 38 diseases, researching, 101 doctors. See physicians

D

doshas, 254 Dr. Phil’s Shape Up! Diet, 36

D’Adamo, Dr. Peter, 35

Dr. Stall’s Geriatric website, 96

da Vinci Surgical System, 273

Dr.Koop.com website, 115

defibrillators, 14

DRI (Dietary Reference Intake), 81

dementia, 146-148

drug interactions, avoiding, 207-209

dental health, assessing, 21

DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging), 267

diabetes, 136 American Diabetes Association website, 137 complications from, 138-139 non-insulin dependent, 137 risk factors, 139

E Eating for Life website, 34 eDiets website, 39 electronic health newsletters, 130

INDEX GENDER-SPECIFIC HEALTH INFORMATION

electronic medical records, 216-218 offline services, 226 online services, 220-224 iHealthRecord, 224-225 security issues, 218-219

fitness Personal Fitness Planner, 43 President’s Challenge Active Lifestyle program, 41 walking, pedometers, 44

essential oils, 249

food and dietary supplements, 236, 241

ETMC Digestive Disease Center website, 263 evaluating credibility of websites, 111-112 Evolution Robotics website, 275 exercise, 71

Food and Nutrition Information Center, 31 Food Guide Pyramid, 32 Franklin Institute Online website, 62 free radicals, 48, 76

EyeToy, 71

FreeMedicalJournals.com website, 110

F FamilyDoctor.org website, 101 FDA (Federal Drug Administration) website, Office of Women’s Health, 158 finding blogs, 189 online pharmacies, 205 support groups, 178, 181 blogs, 191 chat rooms, 182-184 message boards, 185-189 HealthBoards.com, 187 Fit Forever with Denise Austin, 43

Frost, Sarah, 180

G gaming, online, 67-70 gender-specific health information BBC website, 166 HealthWeb website, 164 Mayo Clinic Men’s Health Living Center, 164 medical analysis and treatment, gender differences in, 159-161 MedicineNet.com, 165 Medline Plus website, 163 researching, 166

287

288

GENDER-SPECIFIC HEALTH INFORMATION

WebMD website, 163 Yahoo! Health centers, 166 gender-specific studies, 156-158 gene therapy, 277

HealthBoards.com, 187 HealthGrades website, 92 HealthWeb website, genderspecific health information, 164

general health information websites, locating, 112, 115

HealthWorld website, 259

generic drugs, researching, 200-201

heart attacks, symptoms of, 152

genetics, 118, 277

heart movies, 265

Genetics Home Reference website, 118

heart surgery, 266

Get Fit website, 41-42

HeartCenterOnline website, 152

Glycemic Impact Diet website, 35

height and weight chart, 28

Google, 124-125 Help Center, 65

HELIOS oxygen tank, 12

government websites health-related information, researching, 106-107 Medicare.gov, 120

high-tech procedures arthroscopic surgery, 262 cataract surgery, 264 heart movies, 265 heart surgery, 266 IMRT, 265 MRI, 267 TomoTherapy HI-ART System, 264 virtual colonoscopy, 264

H Healing People Network website, 257 Health Cafe, 186 Health Compass website, 120 Health Diaries website, 190 Health o meter scale, 28 health records, portability of, 228-229 health self-assessment, performing, 18-22

HealthyWomen.org website, 167-168

heart-related health issues, 161-162

high blood pressure, 151

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), 215-216 Hippocrates, 209 Holistic online.com website, 252 home cholesterol testing kits, 21

INDEX LITEBOOK

home health care, 270-271

InteliHealth website, 116

homeopathy, 253-254

Internet Health Status website, 22

Honeywell HomMed website, 271

iPod, Podcasts, 126-127

Honeywell website, 16 hormone replacement, 78-79 hospital and healthcare websites, researching health-related information, 107 HospitalLink database, 93 hospitals accreditation, researching, 94 locating, 93-95 top five, 95

J–K–L Jenny Craig, 35 Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 82 Journey to the Wild Divine website, 61 juvenile-onset diabetes, 137

Human Genome Project, 119, 277 hunger, causes of overeating, 33

Koop, C. Everett, 114 Kundalini Yoga website, 58

I iHealthRecord website, 222 signing up for, 224-225

Lance Armstrong Foundation, 144

illegitimate prescription drug sites, avoiding, 203-205

Learning Meditation website, 59

ILSA (Independent Lifestyle Assistant), 16 Impedimap, 269 IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), 265 insomnia, 84-85 insulin resistance, 27 insulin-dependent diabetes, 137

laughter, effect on health, 66-67 legislation, HIPAA, 215-216 licensing board certification, 93 physician credentials, researching, 91 life expectancy, determining, 9 light therapy, 86 Litebook, 87

289

290

LIVESTRONG WEBSITE

LIVESTRONG website, 144-145 Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator, 9

massage therapy, 246 reflexology, 247 maximal heart rate, calculating, 46

living wills, 231-232

MayoClinic website, 114

locating audio/video information on Internet, 125-126 blogs, 189 general health information websites, 112, 115 search engines, 124-125 hospitals, 93-95 physicians, 89 MedicinePlus website, 90 MyElectronicMD website, 90 WebMD website, 90 podcasts, 126 specific health information websites, 117-119

MD Support website, 135

Los Gatos Longevity Institute website, 76 lower GI examinations, M2A pill, 263

M M2A pill, 263 macular degeneration, 135 magnetic therapy, 258

Medem, 222 MedHunt search engine, 114 medical breakthroughs cloning, 278-279 gene therapy, 277 Impedimap, 269 mind power, 267 nanotechnology, 279-280 robotics, 272 da Vinci Surgical System, 273 Evolution Robotics website, 275 telemedicine, 270-271 Medical Information Bureau, 219 medical records, 212 and HIPAA, 215-216 electronic, 216-218 offline services, 226 online services, 220-224 iHealthRecord, 224-225 obtaining, 219 ownership, 214 security issues, 218-219 medical terminology, researching, 101-102

INDEX NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SENIORHEALTH.GOV WEBSITE

Medicare website, 120

MIT AgeLab website, 16

medications delivery systems, 269 generic, 200-201 purchasing online, 202-205 researching, 194 AARP, 196-197 Medline Plus, 195 PDRhealth, 199 RXList, 198 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 196 sleep-inducing, 85

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), 267

MedicineNet.com website, 100-101 gender-specific health information , 165 MedicinePlus website, 90 MedicineWorld.org, 190 meditation, 59 Mediterranean Diet website, 36 Medline Plus website, 113, 195 gender-specific health information, 163 men’s health issues, 172 prostate cancer, 172-174 Men’s Health Living Center, 164 Merck Source webite, 227 message boards as support group, 185-189 Methuselah Foundation, 79

multivitamins, 82-83 MyElectronicMD website, 90 MyHealthDirective.com website, 232 MyPHR Personal Health Record website, 228

N nanotechnology, 280 National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, 204 National Cancer Institute website, 173 National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website, 256 National Guidelines Clearinghouse website, 120 National Institute for Medical Informatics website, 273 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website, 133 National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine website, 256 National Institutes of Health SeniorHealth.gov website, 119

291

292

NATIONAL OSTEOPOROSIS FOUNDATION WEBSITE

National Osteoporosis Foundation website, 171 National Stroke Association website, 149

offline medical records, 226 online education, TheModernDegree website, 65 online gaming, 68-69

naturopathic medicine, 258

online pharmacies, locating, 205

neurons, 62

online support groups, 178, 181 blogs, 191 chat rooms, 182 message boards, 185-189 SupportPath.com, 184

news websites, health areas, 116 NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases), 28 non-insulin dependent diabetes, 137 nontraditional medicines, 258-259 not-for-profit websites, researching health-related information, 108 Nutra Ingredients website, 239 nutrition, 71, 75 cholesterol, sources of, 73 DRI, 81 Egg Nutrition Center website, 72 multivitamins, 82-83 RDA, 81

optimum weight, identifying, 27 OR-Live website, 118 Oregon Scientific pedometer, 44 osteopathic medicine, 258 osteoporosis-related websites, 170 overeating, causes of, 33 ownership of medical records, 214 oxidation, 48

P

Nutrition.gov website, 81 PDRhealthwebsite, 199

O obtaining your medical records, 219 Office of Dietary Supplements website, 239 Office of Research on Women’s Health, 158

pedometers, 44 Pegasus NLP’s Mind-Body Health website, 60 performing health self-assessment, 18-22 Perls, Dr. Thomas, 9

INDEX REDUCING STRESS

Perricone Weight-Loss Diet website, 36

privacy and electronic medical records, 218-219

Personal Advisor, 18

professional medical organization websites, researching healthrelated information, 108

Personal Fitness Planner, 43 Philips HeartStart Defibrillator, 14 physicians board certification, 93 communicating with, 96, 99 credentials, researching, 91 locating, 89 MedicinePlus website, 90 MyElectronicMD website, 90 WebMD website, 90

prostate-cancer related websites, 172-174 Prostate.com website, 173 PubMed website, 114 purchasing medications online, 202-205

Q–R

plastic surgery. See cosmetic surgery

qi, 256

PodcastDirectory.com website, 126

QI-Journal website, 257

Podcasts, 126-127

quackery sites, avoiding, 122-124

polio, eradication of, 10

Quackwatch, Inc. website, 122

portability of health records, USB drives, 228-229 prescriptions, researching, 194 AARP, 196-197 Medline Plus, 195 PDRhealth, 199 RXList, 198 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 196 President’s Challenge Active Lifestyle program, 41

RDA (Recommended Daily Allowances), 81 RealAge.com website, 22 reducing stress AIS website, 56 Better Homes and Gardens website, 57-58 breathing techniques, 60

293

294

REDUCING STRESS

games, 67 online gaming, 68-69 video games, 69-70 Journey to the Wild Divine website, 61 laughter, 66-67 meditation, 59 nutrition, 71, 75 Egg Nutrition Center website, 72 Stress Eraser, 62 Track Stress website, 56 yoga, 58 reflexology, 247 Reiki, 258 researching diseases, 101 symptoms of, 100 gender-specific health information , 166 health-related information, 106 using government websites, 106-107 using hospital and healthcare websites, 107 using not-for-profit websites, 108 using professional medical organization websites, 108 using scientific journals, 110

hospital accreditation, 94 medical terminology, 101-102 medication, resources, 194 AARP, 196-197 generic/brand names, 200-201 Medline Plus, 195 PDRhealth, 199 RXList, 198 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 196 physician credentials, 91 board certification, 93 RESPeRATE website, 61 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, 15-16 risk factors for diabetes, 139 robotics Acrobat, 272 Evolution Robotics website, 275 RSS (Real Simple Syndication), 115 RXList website, 198

S scams. avoiding, 123-124 Schiavo, Terry, 231 Science Museum website, 278 scientific journals, researching health-related information, 110

INDEX SUPPORT GROUPS

search engines, 124 Google, 124-125 MedHunt, 114 security and electronic medical records, 218-219 Segway, 16 SeniorCarePharmacist.com website, 209 Sensor Technology & Devices, Ltd., 269 Siemens cardiology website, 267 Siemens Medical website, 12 sleep, 84-85 light therapy, 86 Sleep Health Center, 85 SLEEPTRACKER watch, 85 Smart SkinCare website, 50-51 snake oil salesmen, avoiding, 124

breathing techniques, 60 Pegasus NLP’s Mind-Body Health website, 60 RESPeRATE website, 60 games, 67 online gaming, 68-69 video games, 69-70 Journey to the Wild Divine website, 61 laughter, 66-67 meditation, 59 nutrition, 71, 75 Egg Nutrition Center website, 72 Stress Eraser, 62 Track Stress website, 56 yoga, 58 StressEraser, 62

South Beach Diet website, 36

stroke American Stroke Association website, 149 National Stroke Association website, 149

Spa Finder website, 77

sudden cardiac arrest, 13

spas, 77

Sudoku, 69

specific health information websites, locating, 117-119

sun protection, 47-48

stress reduction AIS website, 56 Better Homes and Gardens website, 57-58

support groups chat rooms, 182 SupportPath.com, 184 locating, 178, 181

Society for Women’s Health Research website, 158 Sony EyeToy, 71

Sunbeam, 77

295

296

SUPPORT GROUPS

message boards, 185-189 HealthBoards.com, 187

U–V

surgical cosmetic procedures, 52-53

U.S. Department of Agriculture website, 74

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation website, 170

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 196

symptoms assessing, 99 of heart attack, 152 researching, 100

U.S Living Will Registry website, 233

SupportPath.com, 184

T

U.S News and World Report website, 94 UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, 66 USB drives, health record portability, 228-229

telemedicine, 15, 270-271 home health care, 270-271 TheModernDegree website, 65

Vanderheyden, Luc, 272

therapeutic touch, 258

video games effect on health, 69-70 Sony EyeToy, 71

ThirdAid, 180 Thomson Healthcare, PDRhealth website, 199 TomoTherapy HI-ART system, 11, 264 TomoTherapy website, 265 top five hospitals, 95 Track Stress website, 56

virtual colonoscopy, 264 vitamins, 81-83

W

traditional Chinese medicine, 256

waist circumference as health-risk indicator, 29

Tsiaras, Alexander, 265

walking, pedometers, 44

type 1 diabetes, 137 type 2 diabetes, 137

INDEX YOGA

WebMD website, 90, 102 chat rooms, 183 gender-specific health information, 163

X–Y–Z XaviX games, 71

Weigh Down Diet website, 36 weight loss online resources, 37 overeating, causes of, 33 Weight Loss for Life website, 29 weight management, 26 height and weight chart, 28 Weight Watchers height and weight chart, 28 On-the-Go service, 38 website, 38 wheelchairs, INDEPENDENCE iBOT Mobility System, 12 women’s health issues, 159-161, 167 breast cancer, 169 cardiovascular health issues, 161-162 HealthyWomen.org website, 167-168 osteoporosis, 170 women’s healthcare issues, 158

Yahoo! Health centers for men and women , 166 yoga, 58

297

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