Mercury and High Blood Pressure

October 7, 2009 (Dallas, Texas) — An association seen between mercury levels and blood pressure (BP) in a recent analysis [1] has researchers warning physicians and consumers about the need to weigh the risks and benefits of fish consumption and to choose with caution the type of fish they eat.
"Our results suggest that eating large quantities of species containing a high mercury content and low omega-3s such as big predator fish--tuna, swordfish, marlin, sharks, etc--is not a good idea for our health," study coauthor Dr Eric Dewailly (Centre de Recherche du CHUQ) commented in a press release.

In the same release, however, the AHA, which recommends people eat oily fish two times per week, tries to put the results in perspective. "Many Americans can safely enjoy eating fish as a regular part of their diet to achieve the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, and this includes canned light tuna, which is significantly lower in mercury than white tuna," the release quotes Dr Penny Kris-Etherton (Pennsylvania State University, University Park), of the AHA's Council on Nutrition Metabolism and Physical Activity Nutrition Committee.

While children and nursing mothers should steer clear of fish with the highest mercury contamination (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish), the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) has said that the benefits of fish consumption outweigh the mercury risks in middle-aged and older men, plus postmenopausal women, the AHA notes.

Flu Vaccine and Guillian-Barre Syndrome

There appears to be a connection between flu vaccines and the neurologic syndrome called Guillian-Barre. Below is the article from Medscape:

Report New Cases of Guillain-Barré After H1N1 Flu Vaccine

Allison Gandey

September 1, 2009 — Neurologists should be vigilant in tracking any new cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome after patients have received the H1N1 flu vaccine, say officials. The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is teaming up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make sure doctors remain alert.

Guillain-Barré has been linked to several vaccines, including the preparation for the 1976 swine flu. In a statement issued by the AAN, experts said that although they do not expect the 2009 H1N1 vaccine to increase the risk for the autoimmune disease, this is a concern with any pandemic vaccine. "The active participation of neurologists is going to be critical for monitoring for any possible increase in Guillain-Barré following 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination," AAN spokesperson Orly Avitzur, MD, said in a news release.

The H1N1 vaccine is currently in production. High-risk groups will be encouraged to receive the vaccine this fall. Infants, children, young adults, pregnant women, adults 25 years and older with underlying health conditions, and healthcare workers are considered good candidates for the vaccine.

Doctors are being asked to report adverse events using the standard CDC and US Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

Guillain-Barré affects 1 to 4 people per 100,000 annually around the world. It causes respiratory failure requiring ventilation in an estimated 25% of people, and between 4% and 15% die.

WEIGHT LOSS DRUG, ALLI

The FDA is looking into reports of liver damage in people who took the weight loss drug, Alli. As of yet, there is no direct connection, but people who have used this drug may want to contact their doctor.

Signs of liver damage are nausea, vomiting, fatigue and fever.

The spokesperson for GlaxoSmithKline said "there is no evidence the company's drug causes liver injury, noting that it primarily acts on the intestinal tract..."

I would encourage people to not try to take the "easy" route to weight loss and aim for a generally healthier lifestyle.

Dementia Predictors!

This was published today in the daily nurse's newsletter I receive. The bottom line is that people who smoke, have high blood pressure or have diabetes have a greater chance of dementia in their later years. However, when cardivascular risk factors are measured in middle life, it is a better predictor of dementia than those measured in later life. Therefore, people in their younger and middle age should pay attention to the cardiovascular risk factors: smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes, and make positive changes before it is too late.

"Current smokers were 70% more likely than those who had never smoked to develop dementia. People with high blood pressure were 60% more likely than those without high blood pressure to develop dementia, and people with diabetes were more than twice as likely as those without diabetes to experience cognitive impairment."

"Investigators studied more than 11,000 people who were part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Participants were aged 46 to 70 years and underwent a physical examination and cognitive testing. Patients were followed up for more than a decade to see how many would later develop dementia.

Researchers identified 203 patients hospitalized with dementia. Smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes were all strongly associated with this diagnosis."

Other researchers found a correlation between high cholesterol levels and dementia, even when you factor in genetic markers.

"During an interview when the Solomon study was first released, Robert Stewart, MD, from King's College London in the United Kingdom, said that the data are convincing and consistent with those from other studies that have screened community populations for this disorder."

"In general," Dr. Stewart said, "there is now a large body of evidence which indicates that what is bad for the heart is bad for the brain — that is, that the well-known risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke are also risk factors for dementia."

So, please be smart! If you have any of these risk factors, now is the time to change your lifestyle. Exercise, eat healthier, and stop smoking!

More Mercury News!

More confirmation today in the Boston Globe regarding mercury contaminating the fish supply.

"WASHINGTON - Mercury contamination was found in every fish tested at nearly 300 streams across the country in the most comprehensive look at the spread of the toxic element in streams and rivers. All fish had traces of contamination, and about a quarter had mercury levels exceeding what the Environmental Protection Agency says is safe for people eating average amounts of fish."

"Mercury consumed by eating fish can damage the nervous system and cause learning disabilities in developing fetuses and young children."

"All but two states - Alaska and Wyoming - have issued fish-consumption advisories because of mercury contamination. "



I think this is very discouraging news, especially for people who really love fish. Fortunately, there are other ways to get these healthy Omega 3s.

WebMD says:
"ground flaxseed is a much better choice (than flaxseed oil) because it also contains 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon, as well as healthy phytoestrogens. Other sources of omega-3s include canola oil, broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, and walnuts."

"About an ounce -- or one handful -- of walnuts have about 2.5 grams of omega-3s," says Sandon. "That's equal to about 3.5 ounces of salmon."

And, just in case you don't like walnuts, or ground flaxseed, or even if you do, you can take an ultra-pure, pharmaceutical grade supplement of fish oil, like Shaklee's Omegaguard. Just remember that there is a general concensus that our cardiovascular system benefits from the omega 3s, no matter where you get them!

Confirmed evidence of Benefit of Omega 3s fish oil!

Well, I just couldn't stop myself from putting up a second post on the very first day of my blog, but then I got an email from Medscape Daily News written by Lisa Nainggolan, regarding Fish Oil! So, here it is, directly from them:

"August 10, 2009— A new review concludes that there is extensive evidence from three decades of research that fish oils, or more specifically the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) contained in them, are beneficial for everyone [1].

This includes healthy people as well as those with heart disease — including postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients and those with heart failure, atherosclerosis, or atrial fibrillation — say Dr Carl J Lavie (Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA) and colleagues in their paper published online August 3, 2009, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."

"Mirroring recommendations from the AHA, European Society of Cardiology, and the World Health Organization (WHO), Lavie and colleagues recommend that healthy people consume at least 500 mg per day of EPA/DHA — equal to around two fatty-fish meals per week — and that those with known CHD or HF get 800 to 1000 mg per day EPA/DHA."

"Asked by heartwire whether people should try to consume more fish or alternatively take supplements, Lavie says: "If somebody really were eating salmon and tuna and mackerel and sardines, and they were doing that several times a week, then they wouldn't need to be taking a supplement. But in the US, at least, very few people are going to eat the therapeutic doses of fatty fish.""

Dr. Lavie also said, "I would tend to think that most people are getting very little omega-3 PUFAs in the diet. There's no harm in taking extra — the only negative of extra is the calories. I don't think anyone thinks now that fish oil is doing any harm."

This is really pretty exciting news as many people have hesitated to supplement with fish oil believing that they have a healthy diet. Just make sure that the supplement you take is pharmaceutical grade and PURE!!

Vitamin D deficiency and supplementation

Just back from the annual Shaklee Global Conference in St. Louis! Many clinical study results were shared, but one of my favorite was the study on Vitamin D. So many people have been diagnosed Vit. D deficient and apparently, contrary to previous scientific thinking, supplementation with Vit. D increases blood levels. This is very good news for people who live north of Atlanta (!), since it's been shown that they can't get enough Vit. D from the sun in the winter months, due to the its angle.

Recent studies have also linked Vit. D to bone and cardiovascular health, including HDL (good) cholesterol levels. There are also studies being done that may show a link between Vit. D and Alzheimer's. Increased levels of Vit. D show a decreased risk for all causes of mortality.

So, pay attention to your dietary and environmental intake of this important vitamin. Get your level checked if you have any concerns.