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From: Alt-health.com [hez@...]

Sent: Friday, April 28, 2000 2:52 PM

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Subject: HealthE-zine: Bone Cement May Fight Osteoporosis

HealthE-zine--Vol. 2, No. 17

April 28, 2000

Your weekly 5-minute health update, Free!

HealthE-zine is published by Alt-Health.com,

sponsored by Vitamin Discount Connection

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Our energetic staff has scoured the net to bring you interesting

articles on health issues. Enjoy HealthE-zine with our

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Editor's note:

-- New Letters to the Editor page

A recent article about soy that we summarized two weeks ago drew

an interesting response. As a result, we decided to add a Letters

to the Editor page, available on Alt-Health.com. If you would

like to share your comments on any subject covered in HealthE-

zine, or read other's opinions, please follow this link:

http://www.alt-health.com/discPost.html

>> Featured Articles <<

1. Neuroscience Finds Foggy Link Between Depression and

Memory Loss

2. Bone Cement May Fight Osteoporosis

3. Ephedra's Risks Not Clearly Defined

4. Chamomile

5. Dance Your Way to Health

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Feeling Good and Staying Sharp

-- Neuroscience Finds Foggy Link Between Depression and

Memory Loss

(CNN)

Despite common belief, memory loss in the elderly may not be

inevitable. In fact, it may be a symptom of problems related to

depression. Intriguing new research points to an area of the

brain called the hippocampus, associated with memory and

learning. Prolonged stress or depression can lead to increased

levels of cortisol, which appears to shrink or atrophy the

hippocampus. The April 2000 issue of Nature Neuroscience reports

that people taking cortisone pills (which metabolize to cortisol)

scored worse at remembering a list of words that those taking a

placebo.

Cortisol levels normally fluctuate during the day-to-day routine,

but stressful situations like a job interview or school test can

cause them to soar. Depression can have similar results, causing

cortisol levels to remain high for extended periods and wearing

down the hippocampus. But there is no strong evidence that aging,

by itself, causes the hippocampus to shrink. A recent study at

Washington University used MRI scans to measure the hippocampus

in a group of women aged 23 to 86, half diagnosed with clinical

depression. The depressed women had smaller hippocampuses and

scored worse on memory tests than the non-depressed group,

regardless of age. This article from CNN and WebMD discusses the

tests and their implications for treating depression, Alzheimer's

disease and other conditions. Here's the full story:

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/frameset.cgi?url=http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/04\

/18/stress.depress.wmd/index.html & named=CNN.com & hosturl=http://www.cnn.com/

For more information about Depression, see

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/search.cgi?searchfield=depression

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A Chance to Rise Again

-- Bone Cement May Fight Osteoporosis

(WashingtonPost.com)

Ten million Americans have osteoporosis, a deteriorating bone

disease that is blamed for 700,000 vertebral fractures annually.

A procedure called vertebroplasty, recently reported in the

Washington Post, shows promising results for some victims of this

disease, reducing the pain and disfigurement caused by

osteoporosis fractures. In vertebroplasty, a liquid cement is

injected directly into the damaged vertebrae to help seal the

fracture. Although the cement has been used for many years to

repair hip fractures and other bones, vertebroplasty has only

been performed in the U.S. for two years. However, the procedure

has been successfully used in France for over a decade. This

outpatient procedure typically allows the patient to go home

after only two to three hours. Its successes are dramatic; some

patients who were restricted to bed after a fracture are able to

stand and walk again several hours after the injection.

Only about one out of seven osteoporosis patients are eligible

for the injections. The procedure is used to treat compression

fractures of the spine that have not responded to simpler methods

such as bedrest, bracing or analgesia. Although the cement has

been approved by the FDA, vertebroplasty has not yet been given

its blessing. The procedure is new in this country, and American

doctors have only been able to follow their patients' progress

for a year or two. However, the article notes that doctors

overseas have reported no significant long-term problems or side

effects from vertebroplasty. Over 90 percent of patients who have

received the injections are enjoying greatly increased mobility.

Here's the full story:

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/frameset.cgi?url=http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/\

aponline/20000419/aponline121701_000.htm & named=washingtonpost.com & hosturl=http:/\

/washingtonpost.com/

For more information about Osteoporosis, see

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/search.cgi?searchfield=osteoporosis

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According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, 58% of

American workers want to spend more time with their families,

are concerned about their health and want less stress in their

lives. And 61% would like to earn more money -big surprise-

and work fewer hours. If this describes you, you need to go to

http://www.healthynfit.com , a HealthLinks select site.

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Is This Herbal High Worth It?

-- Ephedra's Risks Not Clearly Defined

(USA Today)

A popular herbal supplement has the FDA scratching its head.

Ephedra, also known as ma huang, is the herbal form of ephedrine,

an amphetamine-like stimulant. It has been closely watched since

1996, when national headlines publicized that a 20-year-old

college student died after its use. The FDA ended up citing about

800 reports of side effects, including 44 deaths, in their

proposal for federal regulations to limit the legal dose. But

concerted opposition from the dietary supplements industry, along

with complaints of sloppy science from the General Accounting

Office, forced the FDA to dramatically scale back their attempt

at regulation. In April, the FDA has released 273 more reports

concerning ephedra's side effects, and is planning a public

hearing this summer asking for warning labels on all products

containing the supplement.

Ephedra manufacturers say the herb is safe, pointing to the

millions of users who experience no problems, especially with the

small amounts used in sinus relief formulas. Yet, in some people,

ephedra has been linked to migraines, high blood pressure,

anxiety, irregular heartbeats, stroke, and other health problems.

On top of that, a study of 20 different ephedra-containing

supplements by the University of Arkansas found that half

contained either less or more ephedra than the label claimed.

While ephedrine is an ingredient in some FDA-regulated over-the-

counter asthma medications, herbal ephedra is an ingredient in

sinus formulas. Unregulated, it is also sold for weight loss,

muscle building, or as an " herbal high. " Some experts warn that

people with heart disease, kidney or thyroid disease, or diabetes

should avoid all stimulants, including ephedra. This report from

USA Today includes comments from both the manufacturer's Ephedra

Education Council and researchers for the FDA. Find out what you

should know about this controversial supplement:

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/frameset.cgi?url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/heal\

th/alternative/lhalt008.htm & named=USATODAY.com & hosturl=http://www.usatoday.com/

For more information about Ephedra, see

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/search.cgi?searchfield=ephedra

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" If you don't know where you are going,

you might end up someplace else. "

-Yogi Berra

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The Health Files presented by WowCoach A FREE weekly ezine

featuring holistic health, personal and life coaching, and keys

to creating a life of WOW!!! Published by Dr. Janice ,

B.Sc., M.Sc., D.C., Chiropractor, Coach, Author and Key-Note

Speaker. Subscribe by sending a message to janice@... or

visit our archives at http://www.wowcoach.com

========================================================

A Soothing Tea

-- Chamomile

(MyLifePath.com)

For thousands of years, people the world over have been brewing

tea from the leaves and white flowers of chamomile. Traditionally

used to soothe digestion and calm the nerves, no scientifically

accepted studies have yet tested the effect of chamomile tea on

humans. Chamomile's essential oil is brilliant blue, and contains

the compound azulene plus several flavonoids. The apple-scented

oil is believed to serve as a natural digestion aid, muscle

relaxant, anti-inflammatory and infection fighter. A few small

German trials showed that the extract, externally applied, may

speed the healing of wounds. An ingredient in many perfumes, the

extract sells for over $400 per pound, and is also found in

lotions, ointments and massage oils.

Chamomile tea retains only a small fraction of the oil, but still

provides beneficial flavonoids. Chamomile is generally known to

be safe, although people with hay fever may experience an

allergic reaction, as chamomile and ragweed are part of the same

family. For a helpful summary on the uses of chamomile, click

here:

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/frameset.cgi?url=http://www.mylifepath.com/topic/t\

opic13831 & named=MyLifePath & hosturl=http://www.mylifepath.com/

For more information about Chamomile, see

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/search.cgi?searchfield=chamomile

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========================================================

Time to Cut the Rug

-- Dance Your Way to Health

(AccentHealth.com)

Tired of the same old routine at the gym? Try hitting the dance

floor! Thousands of people are discovering not only how much fun

dancing is, but how good it is for their health, too. Whether you

prefer square dancing, ballet, salsa or jazz, dancing can improve

your muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, endurance,

breathing technique and mental outlook. Each type of dance has

slightly different benefits, which you can get with as little as

15 minutes of dancing. For example, ballet helps with strength

and posture, and jazz promotes flexibility. This article by Jody

Lannen Brady is a great motivator for taking that dance class

you've been putting off. She discusses everything from how to

dress comfortably to choosing the right kind of dance floor.

There are links for fitness tips, overcoming barriers to

exercising, finding the right shoes, and more. Best of all, with

dance you forget that you're even exercising. Click here to kick

up your heels:

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/frameset.cgi?url=http://accenthealth.com/hl/fitnes\

slink/2000/dancefit.html & named=accenthealth.com & hosturl=http://accenthealth.com/

For more information on Dancing and Health, see

http://www.alt-health.com/cgi/search.cgi?searchfield=dance

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