Health Bubble Blog

Pregnant Ladies: Your Medication Guide to Allergy and Cold Symptoms

May 8, 2013

By Dr. Sarah G. Khan, a retail pharmacist and resident pharmacist at DietsInReview.com.

By this point in your life, you probably know what to take when you get the sniffles. When you’re pregnant, it’s a whole different ballgame. Many mommies-to-be are nervous about the kinds of medications they can take, while some will go without entirely and just grin and bear it.

I am an advocate to any pregnant women because I don’t think anyone should have to suffer if there are treatment options available. Your obstetrician, or OB, will provide you with a list but it’s probably not all inclusive. My OB gave me a list and I found that there were lots of things I could add that would be safe.

When I recommend something it’s important for me to know what pregnancy category it is. There are five different pregnancy categories: A,B,C,D and X.

Category A is shown to be safe in humans and animals. It’s not very common because clinical trials are normally not conducted in pregnant women to determine safety.

Category B is what most drugs fall under and are safe in the animals they are tested on.

Category C is only to be given if the benefit of being on the drug outweighs the potential risk it could have to the fetus.

Categories D and X are the two categories that will mostly likely have risks and effect the mom or fetus.

Personally, I always recommend Bs, but encourage you to contact your OB if you want to take something from category C. Most pharmacists would call even if your doctor sent us a prescription that is category C. We like to be extra cautious with the precious cargo you have on board! continue reading »

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STD Sharing App Qpid.Me Spreads the Love, Nothing Else

April 29, 2013

The mobile age and all of its instant gratification technology is playing a huge role in the increased prevalence of teenage STDs. The youth population is finding sexual satisfaction easier than ever, and are contracting sexually transmitted diseased faster than you can say “retweet.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly half of all high school students are sexually active, and 1 in 3 still don’t know how to use a condom.

Young people between the ages of 15-24 represent a small fraction of the sexually active population, but are responsible for half of the 10 million new STDs each year. Since technology is partly responsible for allowing youths to effortlessly hook up, a new website called Qpid.me is taking that to task.

Founded by Ramin Bastani after an STD inquiry during a one night stand got him a slap in the face, Qpid.me strives to navigate the murky waters of soliciting honest sexual health information from a potential partner. Qpid.me is a technology that empowers the user to access their health records. Working in conjunction with HIPAA—the government agency that protects our medical records—Qpid.me helps you get your STD results released in an incredibly simple way. Results appear to you in an email or text message, which you can choose to share with a potential partner or keep private. continue reading »

5 Ways to Manage Back Pain Without a Prescription

March 28, 2013

Back pain is one the most common health ailments. While statistics vary, most point to the vast majority of us experiencing it at some point in our adult lives. While prescriptions may sometimes be unavoidable, there are a number of ways to manage most back pain naturally. Here are some of the most effective steps that you can take:

Chiropractic care. This hands-on approach involves adjusting and manipulating the musculoskeletal system, and the spine in particular, in order to align it properly. Spinal manipulation can reduce pain and muscle tightness and enable damaged tissue to heal faster.

Massage therapy. Massage, especially relaxation massage and deep tissue massage, can be very helpful, soothing the muscles in your back and increasing blood circulation, which in turn speeds healing. A recent medical study revealed that massage therapy can provide long-term relief for individuals suffering from chronic lower-back pain. continue reading »

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Dr. Oz’s Insomnia Cure Lands Him a Lawsuit

March 26, 2013

Dr. Mehmet Oz, once beloved as “America’s doctor,” is back in the news this week with a new lawsuit. On his popular day time television program, The Dr. Oz Show, he recently touted an insomnia cure called the “Knapsack Heated Rice Footsie.” While it sounds more like a close relative of the Snuggie than a legitimate medical treatment, many of his loyal viewers were quick to try it. The “cure” involves heating up uncooked rice in a sock and slipping them on for twenty minutes before bed. Hot feet lower the body’s core temperature, which in turn lulls you to sleep.

A 76-year-old New Jersey man, Frank Dietl, found this out the hard way. According to a lawsuit he filed with the Manhattan Supreme Court, the “footsie” Dr. Oz recommended left him “sick, sore, lame and disabled.” Though Dr. Oz warned viewers not to fall asleep with the footsie on, the treatment apparently worked so well that Dietl quickly drifted off, and in turn, suffered third-degree burns to both of his feet.

Fortunately for Dr. Oz, the lawsuit might not have a leg to stand on. In consulting with our resident pharmacist Dr. Sarah G. Khan, she said, “I think the current lawsuit filed against Dr. Oz will not hold up in court. The patient fell asleep with the socks on and Dr. Oz gave instructions to only use it for 20 minutes. Also, the patient is diabetic and has neuropathy.” continue reading »

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Study Findings Support Nutrisystem Heart Health Benefits for Women

February 24, 2013

By Jason Knapfel

For some reason, the perception that heart disease is a male-dominated health issue persists to this day. It’s a myth with potentially deadly consequences, since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in postmenopausal women. Fortunately, a recent study has found a potential effective means for combating the menopause-heart disease connection. Published last month in the American Journal of Hypertension, the study’s authors came to the conclusion that a hypocaloric (low calorie) diet could not only reduce obesity in women, but also arterial stiffness associated with menopause.

When asked about what may explain the reason for heart disease risks in women being overlooked, Anthony Fabricatore, Vice President of Research and Development at Nutrisystem, told Diets in Review that “I think when people think about serious diseases that affect women, the first place their minds go is cancer – breast cancer in particular. So heart disease may be perceived as primarily a men’s health issue almost by default.” The study used Nutrisystem as its hypocaloric diet and a low intensity exercise program to examine results with and without fitness in overweight and obese postmenopausal women. Three groups were studied: diet and fitness, diet alone and fitness alone. What they found was that the hypocaloric Nutrisystem program was all that was needed to see reduction in arterial stiffness, but the addition of the low-intensity exercise helped maintain lean muscle mass. continue reading »

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Dr. Oz Features The MELT Method for Drug-Free Pain Relief

February 15, 2013

Be sure to catch today’s episode of the Dr. Oz Show. The doctor will be revealing free and simple techniques to help ease pain without medication. Author Sue Hitzmann will be discussing her book on pain relief, The MELT Method.

The MELT Method refers to a self-treatment technique that is intended to prevent pain, heal injuries, and remove the negative side effects of aging and active lifestyles. Manual therapist Sue Hitzmann has released a book discussing this process so all can benefit in what’s being called the secret to healthy pain-free living.

Hitzmann will discuss with Dr. Oz how MELT is a neurofascial technique that claims it can restore the body to an ideal state by enhancing body awareness, rehydrate tissues, and even relax the nervous system.

On the MELT website, Hitzmann says “a little proactive self-care goes a long way toward keeping your pain-free and active for a lifetime.”

Be sure to to tune in today and learn more about this new self-care technique that says it’ll alleviate pain and enhance quality of life.

You can find out what time Dr. Oz is on television in your area by checking his web page for listing times.

Also Read:

A Holistic Approach to Gestational Hypertension

Marijuana is the Gateway Drug for Cancer and Diabetes Treatment

Yoga May Ease Pain of Fibromyalgia

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Caterpillar Cells to Host Growth of New Flu Vaccine

February 11, 2013

Recent approval of a new type of flu vaccine means another step forward with vaccinations, as well as better preparedness in the case of a pandemic. The drug, called FluBlok, is made using a different process than current vaccinations, thus speeding up its manufacturing process.

Current vaccines are made by injecting flu strains into millions of chicken eggs, where they grow before being extracted and inactivated. The process can take up to nine months, and those with egg allergies may have a reaction to it; it’s also avoided by vegans.

FluBlok uses virus proteins injected into army worm cells instead of chicken eggs. It boasts very quick production time, about three weeks from isolating the genetic code of the virus to manufacturing into vaccines. It also protects against 44.6 percent of all circulating influenza strains, not just the few strains for which it was produced.

“The push for a cell-based vaccine began in 2006 as part of a plan to prevent a worldwide epidemic,” said Dr. Sarah G. Khan, a retail pharmacist and pharmaceutical expert for DietsInReview.com, who recommends FluBlok for those with an egg allergy. “Cell based vaccines can be frozen and saved for later use and there is also potential to create vaccine in times of an epidemic or a shortage.” continue reading »

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Earlier Detection of Alzheimer’s a New Effort by FDA

February 8, 2013

This week the FDA announced a new element in Alzheimer’s research that may help unlock some of the mysteries about the disease. The organization has issued a proposal designed to help companies that develop Alzheimer’s treatments. Specifically, they are wanting to assist those companies who target patients for clinical trials as they develop new medications.

Within “Guidance for Industry, Alzheimer’s Disease: Developing Drugs for the Treatment of Early Stage Disease,” they explain what the FDA is thinking in terms of how to best select patients for trials, as they are now hoping to focus on those who are in the very early stages or even in the at-risk category.

Dr. Russell Katz, M.D. is the director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. He provided a statement in the FDA press release about this new process of evaluation.

“The scientific community and the FDA believe that it is critical to identify and study patients with very early Alzheimer’s disease before there is too much irreversible injury to the brain. It is in this population that most researchers believe that new drugs have the best chance of providing meaningful benefit to patients,” said Dr. Katz. continue reading »

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Natural Ways to Tackle Indigestion after a Football Food Fest

February 1, 2013

Have you ever had a feeling in your stomach where you were in discomfort? You don’t know whether to run to the bathroom or just to sit around waiting for the tummy troubles to go away. Well, you could be feeling indigestion, which is pain or discomfort in the stomach associated with difficulty in digesting food.

Indigestion can be easily avoided for some people or others might have a weak stomach where digesting food is harder for them. Consuming certain types of food can increase your chance of indigestion as well. Alcohol, chocolate, spicy foods, fried/fatty foods, and acidic foods are known to cause this digestive discomfort. Also avoid eating too much, eating too fast, and eating high-fatty foods because they cause these symptoms as well. Drinking too much alcohol, smoking cigarettes, stress and fatigue are also culprits.

With the biggest football game of the year on the calendar this weekend, and Sunday’s Super Bowl known as the second biggest eating day of the year in the U.S., cases of indigestion are bound to be more abundant than bad calls and painted fans. continue reading »

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1 in 8 American Women are Binge Drinkers

January 29, 2013

By Jason Knapfel

Binging issues of various kinds have made headlines in recent weeks, including the growing problem of drunkorexia and odd food concoctions used by binge eaters. Now a recent report shows the prevalence of binge drinking, specifically among women.

According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eight women in the U.S. is a binge drinker. It’s even worse with high school girls, who binge drink at a rate of one in five.

The implications of binge drinking are so much more than a massive headache the next day. The CDC estimates it is responsible for about 12,000 deaths each year. Excessive alcohol as a whole is responsible for about 23,000 annual female deaths in the United States.

CDC director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden says binge drinking is “the most common and dangerous form of drinking,” and Dr. Richard Brewer, head of the CDC’s alcohol program, says it’s “not a new problem for women and girls, but it is an under-recognized problem for women and girls.” continue reading »

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