Monthly Archives: November 2009

A Urologist Suggests Ways To Control or Prevent UTIs

A urinary tract infection is one more thing that you can blame on menopause – or more accurately- the lack of estrogen in your body.  The decrease in estrogen, explains New York City-based Dr. Elizabeth Kavaler, causes the bladder to become less elastic, triggering an inability to empty the bladder completely. “Ultimately, not being able to empty the bladder completely can create a breeding ground for bacteria to multiply, leaving menopausal women at risk for developing a UTI.” … [Read more]

What Does “FDA Approved” Really Mean?

Women use products every day that are regulated by the FDA including cosmetics, medicines and  hormones. But does an “FDA Approved” claim mean that it’s safe and effective?  In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, “Lost in Translation- FDA Drug Information That Never Reaches Clinicians,” two researchers at Dartmouth wrote that;

“FDA approval does not mean that a drug works well.  It means only that the agency deemed its benefits to outweigh its harms.  Much of what the FDA knows about a drug’s safety and effectiveness is not included on the label. You really need to know more to see whether it’s worth the cost.”

So what does this mean for mid-life women whose physicians recommend hormone therapy to manage hot flashes, biphosphonates to prevent bone loss, sleeping pills to help with menopause-related sleep disorders and perhaps a little Zantac for heartburn?   … [Read more]

What’s the Best Exercise for Healthy Bones? It May Not be What You Think!

Like many women concerned about the loss of bone mass during the menopause transition, I’ve added resistance training and weight lifting to my three-times a week workouts at the gym.  But a recent post in the New York Times Well Blog  suggests that this approach may not be helping at all.  Instead, some medical researchers now think that simply jumping up and down may be the best exercise for long-term bone health.  Learn more about what the latest research shows and why this is so important to our future health.

Researchers To Launch Definitive Study on the Benefits of Vitamin D and Fish Oil

Do taking vitamin D and fish oil really lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and other illnesses as some research studies (and supplement manufacturers) have suggested?  Beginning in January, researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital will begin a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the gold standard of research, to find out. The new study, called VITAL (VITamin D and OmegA-e TriaL), funded by the National Institute of Health, will involve 20,000 men and women. If you qualify (women must be 65 years or older and have never had a heart attack, stroke or cancer) you can participate too.

For details about the study and eligibility to participate, visit the VITAL website.

Arkansas Woman Prevails Against Wyeth in Appeals Court

News came today that an appeals court has upheld a jury’s finding last year that Wyeth’s hormone-replacement drugs helped cause an Arkansas woman’s breast cancer.  At stake was $27 million in actual damages, an amount that was upheld by the three-judge panel.

The appeals court said “the evidence presented could allow a jury to find or infer that Wyeth was guilty of malicious conduct.”  According to the news report, Pfizer’s lawyers argued that the plaintiff received ample warning about the cancer risks tied to the company’s Prempro and Premarin drugs and chose to continue using them.

The ruling comes a week after a Philadelphia jury ordered Wyeth to pay an undisclosed amount of punitive damages to an Illinois woman who developed breast cancer after taking Prempro.   Six million women have taken Wyeth’s hormone therapy drugs for severe menopause symptoms and there are more than 9,000 lawsuits against the company. The menopause drugs are still on the market and many physicians continue to recommend and prescribe them to their patients.You can read the court’s summary of the case here.

Are You a Successful Loser?

If you’ve lost at least 30 pounds and maintained that loss for at least one year, you can participate in a research study that is investigating the characteristics of individuals who have succeeded at long-term weight loss.  The National Weight Control Registry was started in 1994  and more than 5000 individuals have enrolled, making it the largest study of its kind.  Participation requires filling out periodic questionnaires and annual surveys.

Interestingly, more than 80% of the registrants are women with an average age is 45.  Registry members have lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for 5.5 years. Duration of successful weight loss has ranged from 1 year to 66 years! According to the registry data, here’s how they did it:

• 45 %  lost the weight on their own, while the other 55%  had help from some type of program.
• Nearly all of the registry participants (98%) report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
• And, nearly all (94%) increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
• Most of the registrants continue to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity (90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day)

Even if you don’t qualify, you’ll be inspired by the weight loss success stories that are posted on the NWCR website.

If you’ve lost a significant amount of weight, what’s been your secret to success?