Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qKHCTsn6kFo

A new, more sensitive anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) blood test can accurate predict a woman’s last cycle.  Reproductive biologists at the University of Colorado and Harvard studied 1537 women from 42 to 63 years.

The new AMH testing doubled the investigators’ accuracy in pinpointing a woman’s last menstrual cycle compared with the conventional methods using bleeding patterns or less sensitive tests.

An accurate menopause determination tells women when they may stop birth control and permits better timing for uterine fibroid surgery.  The more sensitive AMH determination also fine-tunes the estimate of remaining eggs allowing women, postponing motherhood, a measure of freedom from that ticking clock in their minds.

Joel S Finkelstein, Hang Lee, Arun Karlamangla, etal. Anti-Mullerian Hormone and Impending Menopause in Late Reproductive Age: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2020; DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgz283

#menopause #amh #antimüllerianhormone #ovarianreserve #birthcontrol #gynecology #womensmedicine

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qKHCTsn6kFo

A new, more sensitive anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) blood test can accurate predict a woman’s last cycle.  Reproductive biologists at the University of Colorado and Harvard studied 1537 women from 42 to 63 years.

The new AMH testing doubled the investigators’ accuracy in pinpointing a woman’s last menstrual cycle compared with the conventional methods using bleeding patterns or less sensitive tests.

An accurate menopause determination tells women when they may stop birth control and permits better timing for uterine fibroid surgery.  The more sensitive AMH determination also fine-tunes the estimate of remaining eggs allowing women, postponing motherhood, a measure of freedom from that ticking clock in their minds.

Joel S Finkelstein, Hang Lee, Arun Karlamangla, etal. Anti-Mullerian Hormone and Impending Menopause in Late Reproductive Age: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2020; DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgz283

#menopause #amh #antimüllerianhormone #ovarianreserve #birthcontrol #gynecology #womensmedicine

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/S8btzVNZkdQ

High protein diets like the Adkins, Stillman, and Scarsdale drive weight loss but could also trigger life loss.  Washington University-St. Louis researchers now show why high protein diets foster atherosclerotic heart attacks and strokes.

The researchers found in mice that increasing daily protein intake from a normal 15% to 46% of calories blocked normal macrophage arterial plaque cleansing activity.  Free to accumulate, the plaques tend to break off and plug vital downstream coronary and cerebral arteries.

We’ve known that high protein diets poison arteries, but now we know why.  Lose weight with a meal plan such as Turbocharged that shuns calorie counting and is easily continued for life, a long life.

Xiangyu Zhang, Ismail Sergin, Trent D. Evans, etal. High-protein diets increase cardiovascular risk by activating macrophage mTOR to suppress mitophagy. Nature Metabolism, 2020; 2 (1): 110 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-019-0162-4

https://www.freedieting.com/turbocharged-rapid-fat-loss-diet

#proteindiets #arteriosclerosis #heartattack #stroke #adkins #stillman #Scarsdale #turbochargeddiet

proteindiets, arteriosclerosis, heartattack, stroke, adkins, stillman, Scarsdale, turbochargeddiet

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/S8btzVNZkdQ

High protein diets like the Adkins, Stillman, and Scarsdale drive weight loss but could also trigger life loss.  Washington University-St. Louis researchers now show why high protein diets foster atherosclerotic heart attacks and strokes.

The researchers found in mice that increasing daily protein intake from a normal 15% to 46% of calories blocked normal macrophage arterial plaque cleansing activity.  Free to accumulate, the plaques tend to break off and plug vital downstream coronary and cerebral arteries.

We’ve known that high protein diets poison arteries, but now we know why.  Lose weight with a meal plan such as Turbocharged that shuns calorie counting and is easily continued for life, a long life.

Xiangyu Zhang, Ismail Sergin, Trent D. Evans, etal. High-protein diets increase cardiovascular risk by activating macrophage mTOR to suppress mitophagy. Nature Metabolism, 2020; 2 (1): 110 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-019-0162-4

https://www.freedieting.com/turbocharged-rapid-fat-loss-diet

#proteindiets #arteriosclerosis #heartattack #stroke #adkins #stillman #Scarsdale #turbochargeddiet

proteindiets, arteriosclerosis, heartattack, stroke, adkins, stillman, Scarsdale, turbochargeddiet

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/CFzqNunX8z8

PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl substances, the forever chemicals used to make Teflon cookware, cosmetics, and other consumer products, contaminates your drinking water.  These chemicals are unregulated and have been linked to thyroid disease, cardiovascular problems, infertility, obesity, and cancer.  

The Environmental Working Group, EWG, compiled data on tap water from 44 locations in 31 states.  The definition of a safe level keeps dropping.  Fifteen years ago when the Dupont West Virginia poisoning dramatized in the movie Dark Waters  came to light, the EPA said 500 ppt but WVA went with 150,000.  Now the EPA says 70, VT says 20, but NJ wants 14.  The EWG says 1.  Many far northern and southern states never dropped their limits. 

The most polluted water was from NC, IA, NJ, Phillie, Louisville, New Orleans, Charleston, Decatur, and DC.  The safest came from Meridian, Tuscaloosa, Seattle, Memphis, LittleRock, CO, and here in New York City.  Look for the summary charts in my YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TicToc, and LinkedIn videos.

When the EPA last tested in 2013-2015, they reported that 36/43 water systems had no detectable PFAS, but they tested for only 6 compounds rather than the the 30 that EWG tested.  Even 30 is just the tip of the iceberg as there are 600 actively used by industry.

There are ways to purify the water, but they require expensive reverse osmosis and the newer ion exchange.  Granulated charcoal filters are used in Iowa with obviously poor results.

What can you do? First, find out the PFAS levels in your tap water.  If they are high, buy safe bottled water but beware since not all of it IS safe.  The FDA sets no PFAS limits for bottled water.  

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) requires its members to test for 14 PFAS compounds and sets a limit of 10.  The first results showed that all samples were below 70, faint praise, and 97.3% were below 2, much better.  There are no published results for individual bottled water manufacturers but Nestles and FreshPure are said to be safe.

If you want to have safe tap water for your family at home, you can buy a 5 stage reverse osmosis system on Amazon for $200-300.  One last water warning: pregnant women and babies should avoid higher PFAS water like the plague.  It triggers preeclampsia and interferes with glucose and lipid metabolism or worse.

But wait, there’s more.  These chemicals are in carpets, clothing, cookware, microwave popcorn bags, fast food wrappers, as well as waterproof and stain-resistant clothing.  Check out the excellent EWG fact sheet and learn how to avoid these poisons.

https://www.ewg.org/research/national

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/CFzqNunX8z8

PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl substances, the forever chemicals used to make Teflon cookware, cosmetics, and other consumer products, contaminates your drinking water.  These chemicals are unregulated and have been linked to thyroid disease, cardiovascular problems, infertility, obesity, and cancer.  

The Environmental Working Group, EWG, compiled data on tap water from 44 locations in 31 states.  The definition of a safe level keeps dropping.  Fifteen years ago when the Dupont West Virginia poisoning dramatized in the movie Dark Waters  came to light, the EPA said 500 ppt but WVA went with 150,000.  Now the EPA says 70, VT says 20, but NJ wants 14.  The EWG says 1.  Many far northern and southern states never dropped their limits. 

The most polluted water was from NC, IA, NJ, Phillie, Louisville, New Orleans, Charleston, Decatur, and DC.  The safest came from Meridian, Tuscaloosa, Seattle, Memphis, LittleRock, CO, and here in New York City.  Look for the summary charts in my YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TicToc, and LinkedIn videos.

When the EPA last tested in 2013-2015, they reported that 36/43 water systems had no detectable PFAS, but they tested for only 6 compounds rather than the the 30 that EWG tested.  Even 30 is just the tip of the iceberg as there are 600 actively used by industry.

There are ways to purify the water, but they require expensive reverse osmosis and the newer ion exchange.  Granulated charcoal filters are used in Iowa with obviously poor results.

What can you do? First, find out the PFAS levels in your tap water.  If they are high, buy safe bottled water but beware since not all of it IS safe.  The FDA sets no PFAS limits for bottled water.  

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) requires its members to test for 14 PFAS compounds and sets a limit of 10.  The first results showed that all samples were below 70, faint praise, and 97.3% were below 2, much better.  There are no published results for individual bottled water manufacturers but Nestles and FreshPure are said to be safe.

If you want to have safe tap water for your family at home, you can buy a 5 stage reverse osmosis system on Amazon for $200-300.  One last water warning: pregnant women and babies should avoid higher PFAS water like the plague.  It triggers preeclampsia and interferes with glucose and lipid metabolism or worse.

But wait, there’s more.  These chemicals are in carpets, clothing, cookware, microwave popcorn bags, fast food wrappers, as well as waterproof and stain-resistant clothing.  Check out the excellent EWG fact sheet and learn how to avoid these poisons.

https://www.ewg.org/research/national-pfas-testing/

Cordner A, De La Rosa VY, Schaider LA, Rudel RA, Richter L, Brown P. Guideline levels for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water: the role of scientific uncertainty, risk assessment decisions, and social factors [published correction appears in J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2019 Mar 29;:]. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2019;29(2):157–171.

https://www.bottledwater.org/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas-and-bottled-water

https://www.consumerreports.org/bottled-water/regulators-concerned-bottled-water-may-contain-pfas-contaminants/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6327470/

https://static.ewg.org/ewg-tip-sheets/EWG-AvoidingPFCs.pdf

#tapwater #pfas #teflon #foreverchemicals #reverseosmosis

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/NFAUtHE-P0I

Reporting from NYC, here are this weeks health news capsules as of January 26, 2020.

They include medical, health, and wellness news and urgent bulletins as well as recalls of drugs, medical devices.

Many thanks to the health news aggregators: ScienceDaily, Reuters, Medical News Today, Medical News Bulletin, MedScape, NewsMax Health, Medical Express, Insider Health, the FDA, and the CDC.

• 5 FDA RECALLS + One
• #Coronavirus Update
• #TapWater Is Poisoning You
• Revised #CDCVapingGuidelines
• #ClimateChange Unleashes New Germs And Triggers Heat-Related Deaths
• #23andMe In Financial Trouble
• #Flint Residents Can Sue State Over Water Contamination
• Dead #SpermDonors
• Good News: #Cigarette Smoking At An All-time Lo
• More Good News: Kids Having Fewer Sick Visits and More Well Checks

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/NFAUtHE-P0I

Reporting from NYC, here are this weeks health news capsules as of January 26, 2020.

They include medical, health, and wellness news and urgent bulletins as well as recalls of drugs, medical devices.

Many thanks to the health news aggregators: ScienceDaily, Reuters, Medical News Today, Medical News Bulletin, MedScape, NewsMax Health, Medical Express, Insider Health, the FDA, and the CDC.

• 5 FDA RECALLS + One
• #Coronavirus Update
• #TapWater Is Poisoning You
• Revised #CDCVapingGuidelines
• #ClimateChange Unleashes New Germs And Triggers Heat-Related Deaths
• #23andMe In Financial Trouble
• #Flint Residents Can Sue State Over Water Contamination
• Dead #SpermDonors
• Good News: #Cigarette Smoking At An All-time Lo
• More Good News: Kids Having Fewer Sick Visits and More Well Checks

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qvb61MWakWM

Not one of the 12 tests routinely ordered by big ticket executive screening programs at top US cardiology programs are recommended for generally healthy individuals by specialty societies or the US Preventive Services Task Force.  A review of such programs by cardiologists at Washington University and St. Louis Schools of Medicine.

These programs are cash cows for the hospitals.  They charge from about $1,000 to 25 times that amount, and most insurance plans won't cover a penny.  The unnecessary testing including extensive lipid panels, cardiac stress tests, and heart CT scans that keep hospital facilities full and profitable.

Even if you can afford it, don’t be a sucker.

Ge A, Brown DL. Assessment of Cardiovascular Diagnostic Tests and Procedures Offered in Executive Screening Programs at Top-Ranked Cardiology Hospitals. JAMA Intern Med. Published online January 13, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.6607

#executivehealth #cardiacscreening

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qvb61MWakWM

Not one of the 12 tests routinely ordered by big ticket executive screening programs at top US cardiology programs are recommended for generally healthy individuals by specialty societies or the US Preventive Services Task Force.  A review of such programs by cardiologists at Washington University and St. Louis Schools of Medicine.

These programs are cash cows for the hospitals.  They charge from about $1,000 to 25 times that amount, and most insurance plans won't cover a penny.  The unnecessary testing including extensive lipid panels, cardiac stress tests, and heart CT scans that keep hospital facilities full and profitable.

Even if you can afford it, don’t be a sucker.

Ge A, Brown DL. Assessment of Cardiovascular Diagnostic Tests and Procedures Offered in Executive Screening Programs at Top-Ranked Cardiology Hospitals. JAMA Intern Med. Published online January 13, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.6607

#executivehealth #cardiacscreening