Mouthing off to COVID-19
It’s hard to believe that even today some folks think washing a kid’s mouth out with soap for sassing off is a good idea. The American Academy of Pediatrics considers it a form of child abuse. But as recently as this year, a Florida teacher was suspended after she declared a talkative student needed to be punished like that and proceeded to put hand sanitizer (the modern version) into his mouth. In contrast, using mouthwash to rinse your mouth — voluntarily — can be a healthy step, according to a study in the Journal of Medical Virology. It KO’s the virus that causes COVID-19.
Researchers tested a wide range of mouthwashes, such as Crest Pro Health (active ingredient cetylpyridium chloride — safe and effective but shouldn’t be used for more than seven days according to a 1994 FDA report) and Listerine Antiseptic (active ingredients eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate and thymol). They also looked at hydrogen-peroxide-based mouthwashes. They found Crest Pro Health killed off at least 99.9 percent of the virus in the mouth; Listerine Antiseptic killed more than 99.99 percent and peroxide brands knocked out slightly less. Overall, the researchers say, “Most of the common over-the-counter mouthwashes/gargles tested demonstrated at least a 90 percent reduction in infectious virus at one minute of contact time.” And the longer you rinse the more KO power they have.
So if you’re looking to make sure you’re doing all you can to keep COVID-19 at bay, here’s one more effective technique to complement mask wearing and social distancing.
The life-saving benefits of mammograms for older women
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan was 66 years old when she underwent a unilateral mastectomy to remove an early adenocarcinoma. According to The New York Times, “The cancer, seven millimeters in diameter, was about the smallest doctors can detect on a mammogram.” In the years that followed, she was dedicated to promoting routine mammograms for women, even later in life.
Recently, however, experts have questioned whether the benefits of mammography outweigh the risks of overtreatment for older women. Twenty-eight percent of women ages 65 to 74 skip the diagnostic scan, while 44 percent of those over 75 do. That may not be smart.
Now, a new Swedish study that analyzed data on thousands of cases of breast cancer has found that breast cancer death rates are 27 percent lower in women 70 to 74 who opt to continue routine mammography compared to those who stop at age 69.
Here in the states, the United State Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammography every two years for women 50 to 74 years old. That’s because if you are at average risk for breast cancer, those are the years the screening offers the most benefits, especially if you’re in good health. Older than that? Today, women on average live to 81, so you still have a lot of living to do! Getting mammography regularly increases the chance of detecting breast cancer early when, even late in life, it is treatable or curable. So talk with your doctor about your individual situation.
Beating back Type 2 diabetes complications one sip at a time
In 2012, a Brooklyn bagel maker offered a special beverage called Larry King Sunrise Coffee to honor the broadcast journalist, who served as the company’s spokesman. King, who has Type 2 diabetes, could certainly use some coffee to make it through his early-morning and late-night broadcasts, but his cup of java may have helped fight off diabetes complications too.
A new study, published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, followed nearly 5,000 adults with Type 2 diabetes for a median duration of 5.3 years. Folks who drank one cup of coffee a day lowered their risk of death over the course of the study 12 percent; drinking two or more cups lowered it 41 percent. Green tea was also powerful: Two to three cups daily lowered it by 27 percent and four or more cups, by 40 percent.
People who drank both beverages — wow! They lowered their risk of death during the study by 51 percent with two to three cups of green tea plus two or more of coffee a day.
The researchers think it’s the beverages’ anti-inflammatory powers from several potent polyphenols that are key. Type 2 diabetes causes widespread inflammation, putting a person at risk for potentially fatal cardiovascular and kidney disease, dementia and more. Tea and coffee may tamp down inflammation and help prevent resulting disorders. So, if you have Type 2 diabetes, enjoy some daily coffee and/or green tea. But steer clear of syrupy flavorings, sugar and high-fat dairy. Drink ’em straight or with sugar-free, nut, oat or soy milk.
Pedometers provide added incentive over fancy fitness trackers
You may “Walk Like an Egyptian” (The Bangles), “Walk Right In” (New Christy Minstrels) or be “Walking on Sunshine” (Katrina and the Waves). But however you do it, you want to know how many steps you’re taking and have incentive to take more!
It’s true, fitness trackers not only count your steps, they can tell you your sleep time and quality, sun exposure, calories burned and where you are in space and time (in case you’ve left the planet). Seems great — except — according to a new study, folks who use them log significantly fewer steps daily than folks using a simple step-counting pedometer.
Maybe it’s because you have to stop walking to read their screens, but whatever it is, new-fangled fitness trackers aren’t boosting your dose of daily exercise. According to the study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, “newer devices … are less advantageous than simpler pedometers.”
When the researchers looked at data on step-counting folks, they found that after four-plus months of daily use, people with body-worn trackers and smartphone apps took 834 fewer steps a day than those using a straightforward pedometer. And how about non-counters? A 2007 a study in JAMA found folks with a pedometer walked 2,491 more steps daily than folks who never counted steps.
So, if you’re serious about getting in 10,000, life-changing steps a day, download a well-rated, free pedometer onto your phone or buy a simple step counter. You’ll find (with apologies to Nancy Sinatra) that “Your Feet Are Made for Walking.”
The importance of saying nay to NSAIDS when pregnant
A lab study out of Sweden indicates our brains are wired to make us contrarians. The researchers found that when it comes to choosing between go and no-go, we’re more inclined to just say “nay.” That’ll come in handy for pregnant women who get a headache or sore muscles and need to pass on taking an NSAID for pain relief.
The FDA has revised it warnings to pregnant women about taking drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and celecoxib. The watchdog says to limit use of NSAIDs between weeks 20 to 30 and to avoid NSAIDs entirely after 30 weeks. (Low-dose 81mg aspirin isn’t included in this advisory.)
That’s because NSAIDs are associated with fetal kidney problems that can lead to low levels of amniotic fluid, which can in turn trigger complications such as limb contractures and delayed lung maturation, as well as damage to fetal blood flow.
What about earlier in pregnancy? A study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found using NSAIDs around conception quadrupled the risk of early miscarriage.
So what should you do for pain during pregnancy?
■ Exercise: Work with your doc/exercise therapist to create an individualized routine.
■ Adopt relaxation techniques: One study found combining meditation and yoga eases lower back pain more effectively than drugs or surgery.
■ Eat a non-inflammatory diet: no added sugars, syrups, simple carbs or red meat, and get plenty of olive oil.
■ Use heat and cold packs: Heat increases blood flow to stiff joints and muscles; cold reduces inflammation and swelling.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.
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