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November Health Testing News
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It Is Good To Be Thankful
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Giving
thanks is what November's major holiday is about and nothing is more
important than good health when it comes to being grateful. Even when
your health is compromised, new medical advancements are making huge
differences in the outcome for you and your family.
A healthy
lifestyle coupled with appropriate laboratory testing can screen for and
minimize many diseases before they affect your overall health.
In
this month's newsletter, we'll cover one of the more chronic diseases
that strike Americans - diabetes - as part of American Diabetes Month.
We'll explain how eye disease can result from diabetic conditions, and
provide the latest news on multi-vitamins and cholesterol.
The
Great American Smokeout, which occurs in November, is designed to
discourage smoking, especially among youth, and we'll list a few fun
facts on iconic "Turkey Day," America's foremost celebration of giving
thanks.
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November is American Diabetes Month
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The Statistics are Sobering
More
than 25 million American children and adults are diagnosed each year
with Type I and Type II diabetes. Type I usually strikes the young while
Type II is more often associated with older age, obesity, family
history and other variables. Type II, the more common type, accounts for
between 90 - 95 percent of diagnosed cases.
Diabetes is actually
a group of diseases that result from defects in insulin production,
insulin action, or both. Untreated, it can lead to kidney failure,
vision problems and circulatory disorders. That's the bad news. The good
news is that while still a serious disease, diabetes is no longer a
lifelong ticket to poor health. Today, it can be controlled and
well-managed, especially if diagnosed early. Go to the American Diabetes Association for answers to commonly asked questions about the disease.
Diabetes Can Cause Vision Loss and Blindness
One
of the complications from diabetes is a group of eye problems that
people with the disease can face, some of which can cause severe vision
loss or even blindness. According to the National Institutes of Health
and the National Eye Institute, diabetic retinopathy is the most common
eye disorder in diabetic patients and a leading cause of blindness in
American adults.
In this disease, vision problems result from
damage to blood vessels in the retina. It has four stages, from mild to
advanced stage and can affect anyone with diabetes, both Type I and Type
II. For details visit www.nei.nih.gov/health/
diabetic/retinopathy.asp.
Early Detection and Management Is Important
At Health Testing Centers you can measure your insulin levels and insulin resistance. We also offer a complete Diabetes Screening for $149 to check for the different components of the disease. This convenient screening includes:
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) - provides information about different organ systems of the body including blood glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN).
Hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c)
- measures blood glucose levels over a six to 12-week period. This test
can be used to determine how well diabetes is being controlled.
Diabetic patients should get the test every three to six months.
Random Microalbumin, Urine
- checks for the presence of the protein albumin to help determine if
the kidneys are working properly. Diabetes can affect kidney function.
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Multivitamin Use Linked to Lowered Cancer Risk
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Can Taking a Daily Multivitamin Really Reduce Your Risk For Cancer?
A randomized, double-blinded clinical trial (considered the most
rigorous type of study) says YES, by slightly more than eight percent!
It
was one of the largest and longest studies of its type in relation to
questions about vitamin usage. The trial included nearly 15,000 older
adult male physicians followed for more than a decade. Since only
doctors - a generally healthy group compared to other segments of the
population - were included, it limited the study's impact, some contend.
Others say that while the effect was statistically small, it's still an
important study from a public health standpoint. Besides not smoking,
what else has been shown to reduce cancer risk between eight and ten
percent?
Findings were recently presented at the American
Association for Cancer Research conference on cancer prevention and
published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
One
of the study's lead authors, a cardiologist, says that since it's a
modest reduction, taking multivitamins should not replace other measures
that have been shown to improve good health and reduce cancer. "Don't
make the mistake of taking a multivitamin instead of quitting smoking,
maintaining a good diet, or getting exercise," he said. "Keep wearing
your sunscreen."
Supported by the National Institutes of Health
and a grant from chemical company BASF, with Pfizer providing the
multivitamins, the study was shown to have no effect on the incidence of
prostate cancer, the most common cancer diagnosed in the study
participants.
The American Cancer Society recommends eating a
balanced diet and - for those who take supplements - choosing a balanced
multivitamin that contains no more than 100 percent of the daily value
provided by most nutrients. (Source: www.nytimes.com, 10/17/2012)
Health
Testing Centers recognizes that vitamins are crucial to maintaining
good health, but only in proper amounts. That's why we offer a full Vitamin Profile that provides a baseline for determining your body's vitamin levels and any need for supplements. Our panel includes:
Vitamin A - acts as a growth factor and plays a role in supporting functions of the immune system.
Vitamin E - supports healthy skin, involved in immune function and contains antioxidant properties.
Beta Carotene - an antioxidant that promotes cell and reproductive health and plays a role in anti-aging.
Vitamin B1 - provides nervous system support by helping to relay messages between nerves and muscles. Commonly referred to as thiamin.
Vitamin B6 - supports nervous system activity and synthesizes essential molecules.
Vitamin B12 and Folate
- working together, this vitamin along with folic acid, promotes
healthy nerve cell development and provides nervous system support.
Vitamin C - acts a protective antioxidant and helps the body absorb iron.
Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy - bolsters the immune system, regulates insulin activity, and supports cognitive function.
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Cholesterol is Falling in Adults
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 Now
for some really good news: a National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that
thousands of Americans over the last two decades have lower cholesterol
levels, some by as much as 10 points. While LDL (bad) cholesterol
decreased, there was a slight increase in HDL (good) cholesterol, which
is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Why? No one
is really sure. The study's authors believe the answers may lie in the
popularity of cholesterol-lowering drugs, changes in the amount of trans
fats in American diets, and perhaps widespread public health campaigns
aimed at getting rid of trans fat foods. In addition, declines in
smoking and less carbohydrate consumption may contribute to the lower
cholesterol numbers.
The study's results were published in The
Journal of the American Medical Association in October, 2012 and have
been celebrated by health authorities. (Source: www.nytimes.com, 10/16/12).
However,
with one third of the American population obese, no real changes in
physical activity levels and saturated fats still an unhealthy
percentage of calories in our diets, work remains to be done and
cholesterol levels should be carefully monitored, especially for those
at risk of cardio-vascular disease.
Keep Up The Great Work - Know Thy Numbers We
offer a number of blood tests at Health Testing Centers that provide
accurate measurements of cholesterol and triglycerides, including our:
Lipid Profile
- a critical $39 blood test that measures the amount of cholesterol in
your body including HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol) and
triglycerides. Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to hypertension,
stroke and heart disease.
Essential Health Screening
- a series of blood tests that include a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel,
Complete Blood Count (CBC), Lipid Profile and a Urinalysis.
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| World Kindness Day is November 13
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Introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness
Movement in Japan, World Kindness Day evolved from a series of
conferences which brought together groups of people interested in
expressing acts of compassion around the globe.
Commit A Random Act of Kindness The goal is to build "a kinder and more compassionate world and to overlook boundaries, race and religion."
That
means taking more opportunities to be nice to family, friends,
neighbors, and even strangers. The kindness might just rub off and keep
growing!
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Great American Smokeout is November 15
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First
held in 1977 in San Francisco's Union Square, the Great American
Smokeout was promoted by the California Division of the American Cancer
Society as a way to help people give up cigarettes for at least one day.
Now
in its 37th year, the annual event is celebrated on a national level,
with November 15 set aside each year to encourage smokers to make a plan
to quit. Not smoking for even one day is often the first step in giving
up a habit that is still the single largest preventable cause of
disease and premature death in the U.S.
About 45 million
Americans smoke cigarettes, with 13.2 million cigar smokers (as of 2010)
and 2.2 million who smoke pipe tobacco. Though quitting is difficult,
the American Cancer Society offers many ways to help. Contact them today
about the steps to quit smoking, available resources and support. Call
1-800-227-2345 or visit them online at www.cancer.org
Stop Smoking And Get Tested
If you're worried about lung disease, Health Testing Centers has a cancer test that is quick, easy and affordable.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
- a protein associated with certain types of cancer that when elevated
in the blood, can be a general indicator that cancer is present.
Elevated levels of CEA are found in a variety of cancers, including
lung, pancreatic, ovary and breast.
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Bet You Didn't Know...
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Fun Facts About Thanksgiving
- The first Thanksgiving lasted three days and was celebrated by Plymouth Pilgrims in what is now Massachusetts.
- Not
on the menu for the first Thanksgiving feast: mashed potatoes, pumpkin
pies, corn on the cob or cranberries. What was most likely eaten were
lobster, rabbit, chicken fish, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, eggs and
goat cheese.
- Pilgrims didn't use forks. They ate with spoons, knives and their fingers.
- It was Benjamin Franklin who wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States.
- Abraham
Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November as
Thanksgiving Day, even though former president Thomas Jefferson was
quoted as saying the concept was "ridiculous."
- It
wasn't until 1941 that Congress passed a law making Thanksgiving a
unified national holiday on the 4th Thursday of November each year.
- Today, about 280 million turkeys are sold each Thanksgiving.
- The average American eats between 16 - 18 pounds of turkey a year.
- The largest consumers of turkey in the U.S. live in California.
- The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.
- Turkeys
can have heart attacks and drop dead. The U.S. Air Force proved it
during test runs. When the sound barrier was broken, nearby turkeys fell
over and died.
- A large group of turkeys are called flocks.
Wishing You A Happy Thanksgiving
From Your Friends At Health Testing Centers
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