PreDisease.com Blog

As we age and enter perimenopause, falling estrogen levels result in thinning of vaginal tissue, causing  familiar symptoms for some women: burning, itching and dryness. Vaginal dryness can be particularly problematic for women in terms of intimacy. Women may notice that, as they enter into perimenopause, their level of moisture during intercourse may dramatically decrease. Some women experience discomfort during vaginal penetration, a reduction in pleasure and even a small amount of bleeding during or after intercourse.

Vaginal dryness need not signal an end to intimacy. There are products available to ease the discomfort of vaginal dryness. Using a water-based lubricant will replace moisture temporarily and increase comfort. Vaginal moisturizers applied regularly can keep the vaginal tissues moist and supple. There are many brands available, and several may need to be tried before finding the right one. Should neither of these remedies ease the symptoms, a visit to the doctor may be in order to rule out any other problems that may be causing the symptoms, such as a urinary tract infection.

Some women prefer to use natural supplements to ease the symptoms of perimenopause, including vaginal dryness. PreMenora is an all-natural twice daily formulation of 10 different ingredients created specifically to target the symptoms of perimenopause. To learn more about how PreMenora and PreMenora+ can relieve menopausal symptoms, visit http://premenora.predisease.com/.

One minute you are comfortably cool, the next you are sweaty, hot and miserable. Sound familiar? Hot flashes are one of the most common and unpleasant of perimenopause symptoms. What can be done to cope with them? Here are a few suggestions:

• Wear appropriate clothing- wearing clothes that keep you cool and that easily absorb moisture can help you feel more comfortable when a flash hits. Cotton is your friend: avoid wearing clothes that you may overheat in, such as nylon or polyesters. Adopt the “layered look” so that you can shed unwanted clothing and still be fully dressed!
• Cool down with water- Staying well-hydrated is important, but water can have different uses here. Try applying cool compresses to your skin when you become overheated. Using key areas, such as the back of the neck, wrists, forehead and even the groin may provide some relief. Running cold water over your wrists or rinsing your face in cool water may stop a flash in its tracks.
• Don’t smoke- thin women who smoke are more likely to have more frequent and intense hot flashes, according to some studies. Quitting smoking may decrease the frequency of hot flashes.
• Avoid triggers- triggers may be different for each woman; the key is in determining what your specific triggers are. Common triggers are alcohol, spicy foods, hot tubs, caffeine and stress.
• Manage your stress- stress may trigger hot flashes, so finding ways to cope with stressful situations may help you to cope more effectively with hot flashes. Controlled breathing, meditation, massage, exercise…all are ways to help you feel calmer and more in control of your body.
• Remind yourself that menopause won’t last forever- although it may feel like forever, even the symptoms of menopause must come to an end. They will not last forever, thankfully, so remind yourself that “this, too, shall pass”.

PreMenora is a twice-daily natural botanical formula designed to relieve many of the symptoms of perimenopause, such as hot flashes.

Fosamax (alendronate sodium) is one drug in a class of drugs known as biphosponates. Biphosphonates are medications prescribed to prevent or treat osteoporosis. More and more, physicians are also prescribing biphosphonates to patients who have osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis.

There is new information coming to light that suggests that women taking biphosphonates for longer than five years may be at increased risk for bone fracture. This may seem odd, considering that Fosamax and others in this drug class are supposed to make bones stronger, but there have been several reports of women on long-term therapy experiencing fractures with little provocation.

Merck, the company that makes Fosamax, has included a warning on the drug information material stating that bone fractures are a possible effect of the drug, but there are no prescribing instructions as to how long women should take Fosamax. As a result of these reports of bone fractures, many physicians are recommending that their patients only stay on the drug for a maximum of five years.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become weak and are more susceptible to fracture. Fractures commonly occur in the wrist, spine, and hip. Older women are at the highest risk for osteoporosis. Smoking, menopause, a sedentary lifestyle and small size (being thin) can also contribute to the development of the condition. Prevention is aimed at ensuring a diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D and weight-bearing exercise. Avoiding smoking and excessive use of alcohol can also help in prevention of the disease.

PreMenora+ is a formulation of all-natural botanicals to help reduce the symptoms of perimenopause. In addition, PreMenora+ also contains oyster shell calcium and vitamin D, both of which can help to prevent osteoporosis.

Source: Osteoporosis

Fosamax: Is Long Term Use of Bone Strengthening Drug Linked to Fractures?

Part of President Obama’s health care reform plan is to increase comparative effectiveness research. This type of research can reduce health care costs by determining the most effective medications to treat certain conditions, as well as comparing drug therapy against other forms of treatment to determine which is best. This type of research is aimed at finding the most cost-effective treatments available.

Generally, pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in funding studies that show that the drug they supply is better than a drug from another rival company. Billions of dollars are spent on researching new drugs that will earn pharmaceutical companies millions in revenues, but drug companies are less interested in funding research that may not show their product in a favorable light.

Non-commercial and government entities support most of these comparative studies; 1.1 billion dollars was earmarked by Congress last year to fund comparative effectiveness studies as part of the government’s stimulus program. It has been suggested that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) should demand these studies from drug companies before granting approval of new drugs. At this point in time, this is not a requirement for gaining approval status for new medications.

Many new medications are not necessarily better but may be more expensive, a fact that is sometimes forgotten in the hype and media blitz that often occurs with the release of a new drug. People are lulled into a sense of security and may be unaware that the expensive new drug that has been hailed as the “wonder drug” of the month may not be any more effective that the “old” one that did virtually the same thing.

Is it any wonder that many cannot afford their medications? Comparative effectiveness research may be one tool in the arsenal of health care reform that can help to reduce the runaway costs of prescription drugs.

Source: Few U.S. studies compare one drug to another: report

It seems that researchers can’t get enough of vitamin D. There have been many studies in the past few years which have yielded evidence that vitamin D may provide a protective effect against heart disease, multiple sclerosis, premature birth and other conditions.

Now, researchers from Denmark have studied the effects of vitamin D on the immune system and have come to the conclusion that vitamin D plays an important role in marshalling the immune system’s defenses against infectious diseases, such as colds and influenza.

Their research has shown that vitamin D helps to signal “dormant” white blood cells to become active, in order to seek out and destroy invading organisms. White blood cells can be thought of as front-line soldiers in the immune system’s response to bugs. Specifically, vitamin D triggers T-cells, the cells that contain a memory for bugs that the body has been exposed to before. T-cells also target infectious agents that the body has never been exposed to. This research could have implications for the development of new methods to combat old enemies, such as cancer and certain auto-immune diseases.

We get most of our vitamin D from exposure the sun. Our body absorbs ultraviolet rays and converts them into vitamin D. We also obtain vitamin D from foods such as fish, milk, liver, eggs, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin D.

Source: Vitamin D crucial to activating immune defenses

The benefits of breastfeeding for infants have been well documented. These benefits include a reduction in the risk of allergies, eczema, ear infections, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory illnesses and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), to name but a few. But what of the benefits to mothers who breastfeed?

Research in the past has shown that mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing some conditions, such as ovarian and breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and postpartum depression. The latest research shows that breastfeeding can reduce amounts of abdominal fat for years after breastfeeding has ceased. Many women are aware that breastfeeding can help them to lose weight after pregnancy, but now there is proof that breastfeeding can decrease abdominal girth, and that this benefit can last for decades.

Abdominal fat is known to be a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in women, as well as contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome. Breastfeeding moms will be happy to know that breastfeeding their infants not only conveys a protective health benefit to their infant, but may also help prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes in themselves in later years.

Source: Breast-Feeding Helps Mom Stay Slimmer Later in Life

Most people would rather not think about colorectal cancer, but the fact remains that colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer in males and the fourth in females. Here’s what you need to know about this disease, which is very treatable when diagnosed in the early stage:

• Risk factors for the disease include polyps, hereditary factors and ulcerative colitis
• Colorectal cancers often arise from polyps, and removal of polyps can help prevent the disease
• Early colorectal cancer may not cause symptoms, but regular screening can catch the disease in its early stages
• Diagnosis of the disease is most often made by barium enema or colonoscopy; a biopsy confirms the diagnosis
• Surgery is often the first-line treatment for colorectal cancer
• Western diets are thought to contribute to colorectal cancer (this type of cancer is rare in Africa and Asia)
• About 20% of cases of colorectal cancer are associated with a family history of the disease
• Colon cancer can be present for many years before symptoms are noticed; weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, weakness and abdominal pain may be symptoms of colon cancer
• Anyone over the age of 40 should have yearly exams for colorectal cancer, including a digital rectal exam and testing for occult blood in the stool

Colorectal cancer is best treated by preventing the disease in the first place. When caught early, colorectal cancer can be treated and cured.

Source: Colorectal Cancer

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol, acts by carrying cholesterol out of the body. It does this by binding with cholesterol in the intestines so that it is excreted as waste. For this reason, having higher levels of HDL can mean a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

HDL also exerts its protective effects by:

• increasing blood vessel’s ability to expand, or stretch
• reducing the production of harmful chemicals which can damage blood vessels
• repairing existing damage to the walls of blood vessels

Research has shown that the protective effects of HDL are not as evident in people who have diabetes. Researchers compared 10 healthy people with 33 people who had diabetes and who were taking cholesterol-lowering medications and found that the protective benefits of HDL in the diabetic patients were not as effective.

Although this was a very small study, the research shows a possible reason why people with diabetes are also more prone to cardiovascular disease, besides that fact that diabetics often have lifestyle risk factors for heart disease.

Source: Good Cholesterol Not As Protective In People With Type 2 Diabetes

It is a well-known fact that people with the condition known as prediabetes can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition in which fasting blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance test levels are elevated but are still within “normal” range, by modifying risk factors such as weight, diet and exercise.

A new study from researchers at the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) found that almost 30% of Americans over the age of 20 had prediabetes, but only a small percentage of these individuals (7.3%) were aware that they had the condition and less than half of these had had their blood tests repeated in the previous three years.

Those with prediabetes were more likely to:

• be male
• older in age
• have a first-generation family member with type 2 diabetes
• be overweight
• have high blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease

The take-home message of the research is that there needs to be an increased awareness of what prediabetes is and greater measures to prevent diabetes from developing, including greater promotion and support of healthy lifestyle choices.

PreCrea is a twice-a-day botanical formula designed to help reduce blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.

Source: Diabetes Risk Reduction Behaviors Among U.S. Adults With Prediabetes, Geiss et al, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, April 2010

Spring is upon us, and with the reemergence of the sun and longer days comes unhealthy behavior that can increase your risk of skin cancer. Many people mistakenly believe that tanning is safe in small doses, despite evidence to the contrary.

Essentially, a tan is the result of damage to the skin. Exposure to ultraviolet light results in the darker colororation of the skin that many people seek, believing that they appear healthier or more attractive when they have a tanned appearance. The reality is that a tan is the result of damage, and damage to cellular DNA may result in melanoma or other skin cancers. Tanning beds are believed by many to be safer than the sun, a belief that is false according to cancer experts. There has been much controversy over the past few years, with tanning bed owners vigorously defending their product while scientists refute the claim that tanning beds are safe to use.

To lower the risk of skin cancer, you should avoid the sun as much as possible. If you plan to be in the sun, you should use an approved sunscreen with an SPF (sun protective factor) of at least 30. Cover your skin as much as possible, and wear a hat to shield both your head and your eyes. Children should have sunscreen applied by a responsible adult and should have sunscreen reapplied if they enter water. Using these simple measures can help you avoid both skin cancer and premature aging of the skin, which is accelerated by sun exposure.