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Have It
Ear
Candling
Back
Walking
Inner
Clean Diet
The Water Cure
For
Women Only
Reflexology
Chart
Vegetarian
Recipes
Food
Ads vs. Reality
What
About Ear Candling
What
About Detox Foot Pads
What
Your Optician Needs To Know
Another
Side of The Soy-Protein Story
Is
The Preservative
Benzoate of Soda
(Sodium Benzoate)
Bad For You?
Diet
Coke will drop additive in DNA damage fear.
By
Colin Fernandez
May
26th - Diet Coke to drop additive in DNA damage fear. May be linked
to hyperactivity and DNA damage
Coca-Cola is phasing out a controversial additive that has been
linked to damage to DNA and hyperactivity in children.
Sodium benzoate, also known as E211, is used to stop fizzy drinks
going moldy.
Coca-Cola said it had begun withdrawing the additive from Diet Coke
in January in response to consumer demand for more natural products.

By the end of the year no can or bottle will contain E211.
The company plans to remove it from its other products as soon as
possible, but said that at present it had not found a satisfactory
alternative to replace the additive in some soft drinks with a higher
juice content, including Fanta, Dr Pepper, Sprite and Oasis. The
chemical is not used in regular Coke.
While sodium benzoate occurs naturally in some fruits, it is used
in greater strengths by the soft drinks industry.
But research by Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology at
Sheffield University, found that the additive could switch off parts
of DNA, the genetic code in the cells of living creatures, that
could be linked to cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson's disease.
However, the Government-backed Committee on Mutagenicity has dismissed
the research.
It argues that while sodium benzoate has been shown to be harmful
to yeast cells, human cells are stronger.
Research by Southampton University found that sodium benzoate was
one of seven additives - the six others are food colors - that can
lead to hyperactivity in children.
The Food Standards Agency has called for the six colors to be withdrawn
from products but not sodium benzoate.
The Daily Mail has campaigned for a ban on harmful additives.
A Coca-Cola spokesman said: "We are continuously listening
to our consumers' thoughts about ingredients."
The firm stressed that E211 was approved as an additive by many
bodies around the world including the European Food Standards Agency.
BUTTER
IS BETTER
FOR YOUR HEALTH

DO
YOU KNOW?
The differences between Margarine and Butter.
Margarine
was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the
turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research
wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out
what to do with this product. It was a white substance with no food
appeal, so they added some yellow coloring and sold it to people
to use in place of butter. Then, they came out with some clever
and different flavorings.
Read
on ... it gets interesting!
Both margarine and butter have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared
to 5 grams.
But eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 50%
over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard
medical study.
But eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients
in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits, whereas margarine has only
a few, but only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine, and it can enhance the
flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries, whereas margarine has been
around for less than 100 years.
MORE ABOUT MARGARINE
Margarine is very high in trans fatty acids.
Margarine triples the risk of coronary heart disease.
Margarine increases total cholesterol and LDL, the bad cholesterol,
and lowers HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol.
Margarine increases the risk of cancers up to five fold.
Margarine lowers the quality of breast milk.
Margarine decreases the immune system response.
Margarine decreases insulin response.
WHAT‘S REALLY DISTURBING
Margarine is only ONE MOLECULE away from being all PLASTIC.
This fact alone is enough to make anybody avoid margarine for life
and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added,
changing the molecular structure of the substance).
Try this:
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded
area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things:
No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near margarine
(this should tell us something).
Margarine does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional
value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weenie microorganisms
will not a find a home to grow in margarine. Why, because it is
plastic.
Would
you melt some Tupperware and spread it on your toast? --
The
History of Butter How
To Make Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Health
Facts About
Honey And Cinnamon

It's
been found that a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures many diseases.
Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists
today also accept honey as a very effective medicine for all kinds
of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any
kind of diseases.
Today's scientists say that even though honey is sweet, if taken
in correct dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.
Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, on its issue dated January
17, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured
by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by some scientists:
HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead
of jelly or jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces
the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart
attack. Also, those who have previously had an attack, if done daily,
will prevent future heart attack.
Regular use of this combination relieves shortness of breath and
strengthens heartbeat. In America and Canada, some nursing homes
have treated patients successfully with honey and cinnamon, having
found that it revitalizes the arteries and veins.
ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of
hot water with two spoons of honey and one spoon of cinnamon powder.
This can cure even chronic arthritis. In research conducted at the
Copenhagen University, it was found that when patients were treated
with a mixture of one Tablespoon honey and half a teaspoon of cinnamon
powder before breakfast, out of the 200 people so treated, 73 patients
were relieved of pain within a week, and within a month, most patients
who could not walk or move around because of arthritis, were walking
without pain.
BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two Tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey
in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. This destroys the organisms
in the bladder.
TOOTHACHE:
Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons
of honey and apply on the aching tooth. This may be applied 3 times
a day till the tooth stops aching.
CHOLESTEROL:
Two Tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder
mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient,
is found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10%
within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken 3
times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. Pure honey taken
daily with food relieves elevated cholesterol.
COLDS:
Those suffering from common cold symptoms should take one Tablespoon
lukewarm honey and water with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for
3 days. This process will cure most chronic cold symptoms, and clear
the sinuses.
UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears
stomach ulcers.
GAS:
According to studies done in India and Japan, if honey is taken
with cinnamon powder the stomach gas is relieved.
IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system
and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists
have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts.
Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to
fight bacterial and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two Tablespoons of honey taken before
food, relieves acidity and helps digest the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has found that honey contains a natural ingredient
which kills the influenza germs and prevents the flu.
LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests
the ravages of old age. Take 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon
powder and 3 cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4
cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft.
PIMPLES:
Three Tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste.
Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and remove it next
morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes
the pimples.
SKIN INFECTIONS:
Regular application of honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts
to the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm, and all types of skin
infections.
WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning 1/2 hour before breakfast on an empty stomach
and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled
in one-cup water. If taken regularly it curbs the appetite and reduces
the weight of even the most obese person. Also, the frequent drinking
of this mixture does not allow fat to accumulate in the body even
though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced
cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients
suffering from these kinds of cancer should take one Tablespoon
of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily 3 times a day
for 40 days.
FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more
helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body.
Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts,
are more alert and flexible. One researcher says that half a Tablespoon
of honey in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder,
taken twice daily, increases the vitality of the body within a week.
--
The
Miracle of Hydrogen Peroxide
These
are the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% hydrogen
peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store.
Most
doctors don't tell you about hydrogen peroxide. Have you ever smelled
bleach in a doctor's office? Why? Because it smells, it's toxic,
it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices
about it.
Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine!
And it was used to kill many people.
Peroxide
was invented during WWI in the 20's. It was used to save lives and
help cleanse troops and hospitals.
Try
these:
Take one capful (the little
white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for
10 minutes daily, then expel it. (Do it when you bathe.) No more
canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes.
Use it instead of mouthwash.
Let toothbrushes soak in a
cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.
Clean counters and table tops
with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put
a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.
Pour peroxide on your wooden
cutting board after rinsing it off to kill salmonella and other
bacteria.
Spray a 50/50 mixture of peroxide
and water on any foot fungus (especially the toes) every night and
let dry.
Soak any infections or cuts
in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. Combat
troops have seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine,
but was healed by soaking in peroxide.
Fill a spray bottle with a
50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom
to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach and
many other disinfectants will.
Tilt your head back and spray
this 50/50 mixture into your nostrils whenever you have a cold or
plugged sinuses. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold
for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.
If you cannot get to a dentist
right away with a toothache, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your
mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain
will lessen greatly.
Spray the 50/50 solution on
your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have
the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but more
natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, faddish, or dirty
blonde. It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.
Put half a bottle of peroxide
in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.
Add a cup of peroxide instead
of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If
there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot.
Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water.
Repeat if necessary.
Use peroxide to clean mirrors.
There is no smearing. --
Operating
Blind
Courtesy
of Prevention Magazine
Every
year, nearly 2.5 million people go under the knife unnecessarily,
often with devastating consequences. Make sure you're not one of
them.
Two years ago, when Leah Coppersmith went in for back surgery, she
expected to be lacing up her running shoes within days. She's been
in pain ever since.
A car accident in 1991 left this mother of four with nagging lower-back
pain--annoying, but not bad enough to keep her from running 5-Ks.
But in 2005, the nag grew to a scream.
An MRI revealed that two disks -- the gel-filled cushions between
the vertebrae -- were badly worn. Coppersmith expected the doctor
to recommend a diskectomy, in which part of a troublesome disk is
removed to relieve pressure on the nerve; the low-risk surgery had
helped her once before. But this time, the surgeon wanted to replace
a disk with an artificial one. The procedure was getting great results,
he said. Coppersmith was skeptical until he told her she'd be back
running 5-Ks again in no time. She laughs bitterly at the memory.
Pain is now the defining feature of her life. She can't sit down
to family dinners. She quit her job because she can't work at a
desk. Her misery has company: While looking for help online, she
found a study showing that 64% of people who received the disk,
called the Charité, still needed narcotic painkillers 2 years
after surgery.
Every year, upward of 15 million Americans go under the knife --
and for most of them, surgery provides relief or a new lease on
life. Joints are replaced, organs are transplanted, lives are saved.
But Congress has estimated that surgeons perform 2.4 million unnecessary
surgeries a year in the United States, with a cost of roughly $3.9
billion--and a toll of about 11,900 deaths. The reason isn't simple.
"The majority of surgeons who perform these procedures are
actually very enthusiastic about their benefits," says Mark
Chassin, MD, chair of the department of health policy at Mount Sinai
School of Medicine. "It's not like they get up in the morning
and ask themselves, How many unnecessary procedures can I do today?
But there's a lot of financial incentive to do surgery that may
not benefit the patient, and very little oversight."
So how do you know when someone is suggesting surgery you don't
need -- and what can you do to prevent it? Your first line of defense
is to become your own advocate. One study showed that when patients
and doctors share the decision making, rates of surgery drop by
as much as 44%. Here, we explain what's behind four of the procedures
most often done unnecessarily and give you expert advice on the
best alternatives.
BE SKEPTICAL: SPINAL SURGERY
The waiting room of Charles Rosen, MD, a spinal surgeon and an associate
professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California,
Irvine, was filled with patients who, like Coppersmith, had failed
disk implants. "In my 20 years of orthopedics, I'd never seen
so many people in such a severe state of constant pain," he
says. So Rosen examined the evidence backing the Charité
disk. He was shocked to see that the researchers had compared patients
who got the disk with those who received a type of fusion surgery
with a particularly high failure rate -- 60%. (Even before the study's
publication, that procedure had been largely abandoned.) Then he
discovered that researchers on other Chariti studies were paid consultants
for the device maker. Outraged, Rosen founded the Association of
Ethical Spine Surgeons. Members agree not to take money from device
makers or form partnerships with the companies.
The spine is ground zero for unnecessary surgeries partly because
back pain is incredibly common and notoriously tough to treat. More
than 1 million sufferers opt for surgery each year, and spinal fusion
-- the use of bone grafts, screws, and other devices to secure one
or more vertebrae -- is one of the most popular choices. Between
1996 and 2001, the number of spinal fusions skyrocketed 113%, while
the number of knee- and hip-replacement surgeries rose just 15%
and 13%, respectively. But unlike those procedures, spinal surgeries
often fail -- instead of relieving pain, they can turn it into agony.
According to Aaron Filler, MD, PhD, director of the Peripheral Nerve
Surgery Program, Institute for Spinal Disorders, at Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center in Los Angeles, there are tremendous rewards for
spinal surgeons who do aggressive procedures: Because of the hardware
involved, an operation on the spine can pay a surgeon 10 times as
much as one on the brain. Yet the moneymaking back surgeries help
in only a small proportion of cases. What's more, back surgeons
are rarely held accountable if the operation fails. "The referring
doctor has low expectations," Filler says. "So does the
patient, because everyone thinks of back problems as so difficult
to treat."
Protect Yourself
Pinpoint the pain: If your doctor labels your back pain as "nonspecific,"
it means he doesn't know the cause; if he suggests surgery, alarm
bells should go off, says Filler. Spinal fusion is most beneficial
when vertebrae slip out of place and press on the ones below, which
is easily detected on an x-ray. "When properly done for the
right reasons, spinal surgery can be extremely effective,"
says Filler.
Make lifestyle adjustments: A 2003 study compared spinal fusion
surgery with a lifestyle approach to back pain: Docs taught patients
how to protect their backs, by bending at the knees when lifting,
for instance. They also encouraged exercise, like water aerobics.
A year later, the nonsurgical approach reduced pain and increased
mobility just as much as surgery did. Alternative treatments such
as chiropractic and acupuncture can also pay off, studies show.
For more info on finding alternative treatments, go to prevention.com/links.
Consider a helpful shot: A nerve-blocking injection called an epidural,
given by a surgeon or a rehab specialist like a physiatrist, may
quiet the pain for up to a year; it helps in about 50% of patients.
Skip the hardware: If surgery seems like the right approach, get
the simplest procedure possible. There's a much smaller chance of
complications if you have a diskectomy, for example, than if you
have an artificial disk implanted.
BE SKEPTICAL: HYSTERECTOMY
Lori Jo Vest was 36 when three doctors told her a hysterectomy was
the only fix for her heavy bleeding caused by uterine fibroids.
Terrified that she'd be thrust into early menopause--in half of
all hysterectomies, surgeons end up removing the ovaries, too--Vest
went online and discovered myomectomy, in which the surgeon cuts
out the fibroids, sparing the uterus. But her doctors nixed the
idea; after all, they said, Vest, who had a toddler, didn't want
more children. Then Vest called the nearby University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor--and nearly leaped through the phone when she heard they
had a clinic for women seeking alternatives to hysterectomy.
"The doctor said I was a perfect candidate for myomectomy,"
Vest says. She also told Vest that many surgeons dislike the surgery
because it's more difficult than a hysterectomy. Now 44, Vest no
longer is troubled by heavy bleeding, but she still has her uterus
and ovaries. *"I don't want to go through menopause until my
body is ready," she says.
Hysterectomy is second only to C-section as the most common surgery
performed on women in the United States. Each year more than 600,000
Americans have the procedure--twice the rate as in England. A 2000
study found that 70% of the hysterectomies performed in nine Southern
California managed-care organizations were recommended inappropriately.
"The most common mistake we saw was that doctors didn't try
safer, less-invasive approaches first," says lead author Michael
Broder, MD, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology
at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.
Hysterectomy can be warranted if a woman has cancer, and it can
be the right choice in other cases, too--for instance, if medical
treatment didn't get your bleeding under adequate control, and you
don't want to try a surgery like myomectomy because of the risk
of recurrence. But unless you have cancer, "having a doctor
say, 'You absolutely need a hysterectomy,' is akin to a waiter at
a restaurant saying, 'You've got to have the steak,'" says
Malcolm G. Munro, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at
UCLA. "A good doctor should give you a menu of choices."
Protect Yourself
Try hormones or drugs first: Most hysterectomies are done on women
under age 45, but if you can manage symptoms of fibroids with medication
until menopause, symptoms usually ease naturally. Birth control
pills or other drugs help control irregular bleeding. Also check
into getting a progestin-releasing IUD (Mirena): It can dramatically
decrease bleeding caused by fibroids.
Consider a less drastic procedure: Like myomectomy, uterine fibroid
embolization (UFE) preserves the uterus: An "interventional"
radiologist carefully closes off blood vessels feeding the fibroids,
starving them. A woman may need more treatment after either procedure
if the fibroids come back, and both cause a fair amount of discomfort.
(UFE can require serious pain meds, although recovery is quicker
than after a hysterectomy, and the risks are lower.) For more info
on hysterectomy alternatives, go to prevention.com/links.
BE SKEPTICAL: ANGIOPLASTY
When Irwin Melnicoff, a forensic engineer in Boynton Beach, FL,
felt a stabbing chest pain at age 45, he went straight to the cardiologist.
The diagnosis? A narrowed artery. The answer? Angioplasty. But Melnicoff
was scared of surgery; even when the doctor told him he'd die without
the artery-opening procedure, he chose drug therapy instead. (He
also chose a new doctor.) That was 25 years ago. With the help of
daily heart medications, his chest pain vanished. He walks 30 minutes
a day, 7 days a week, and feels great.
He made the right choice. Though angioplasty has been hailed by
some as a wonder fix for decades, it now turns out that most of
the time, the procedure doesn't help. Angioplasty can save your
life if it's done during or right after a heart attack. But in other
circumstances, it may not do you much good.
"Doctors used to think of heart disease as a plumbing problem--that
arteries were like drainpipes gradually being clogged by plaque
made up mostly of cholesterol," says Arthur Agatston, MD, a
preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Heart Program.
So it seemed to make sense to use angioplasty, in which a small
balloon is inflated in the artery, to get that gunk out of the way
by squashing it against the vessel wall. However, research has since
shown that problematic plaque actually forms within the delicate
inner lining of artery walls.
What does cause a heart attack? If the plaque within the wall ruptures,
it injures the artery, producing a blood clot as part of the healing
process. Unfortunately, the clot can close off the entire artery--that's
a heart attack, and you need angioplasty or bypass surgery immediately.
If you have angioplasty, the doctor may also insert a stent, a mesh
scaffolding, to hold open the artery.
But if you're not having a heart attack, angioplasty (with or without
a stent) won't help and may even do some harm. That's the news from
a large trial published in April in the New England Journal of Medicine.
People with "stable" heart disease--they weren't having
a heart attack, but a vessel was at least 70% closed--fared no worse
if they received medical therapy, such as aspirin, blood thinners,
and cholesterol-lowering drugs, than if they got angioplasty. During
the next 4 1/2 years, neither group was more likely to have a heart
attack or stroke or die.
A study published late last year helps pinpoint exactly when it's
worth getting angioplasty. That trial showed that if the procedure
was done 3 or more days after a heart attack, it didn't help. "We
were very surprised--we thought angioplasty would be beneficial
even if it was done later," says lead author Judith Hochman,
MD, director of the cardiovascular clinical research center at New
York University School of Medicine. "But that's why we do studies:
to see if the patient really does benefit."
Protect Yourself
Insist on being convinced: If your doctor says you need a non-emergency
angioplasty, ask if it will prolong your life. "That question
puts a cardiologist on the spot," says Agatston. If the procedure
isn't needed to save your life, it still may make sense if angina
(bouts of chest discomfort caused by a lack of blood flow to the
heart) interferes with daily activities. But get a second opinion--from
a preventive cardiologist, not a cardiac surgeon.
Eat right, exercise, and lose weight if necessary: You needn't avoid
fats and carbs to keep your heart healthy--just choose wisely. A
diet high in omega-3-rich canola and olive oils can actually protect
your heart. High-fiber carbs in whole grains, fruits, and veggies
also help get fats out of your blood.
Use the meds known to save lives: Many people with high cholesterol
aren't on statins, though the drugs slash the risk of heart attack
by more than 30%. Similarly, most people with high blood pressure
don't get adequate treatment, studies show. Lifestyle changes can
bring down both cholesterol and BP, but if they're not enough, medication
can be lifesaving. Your doctor may also put you on daily aspirin
or another drug to lower the risk of a blood clot.
BE SKEPTICAL: KNEE ARTHROSCOPY
Soon after Diana Aceti turned 50, the ache in her knee began to
keep her from walking and playing tennis, two activities she loved.
An orthopedist said that she had a small tear in her cartilage and
recommended arthroscopic surgery. "He said I'd back on my feet
in a few weeks," says the public relations director from Bridgehampton,
NY.
But afterward, Aceti's knee hurt worse than ever. So she got a second
opinion--and the news wasn't good. In a rare complication, her cartilage
was damaged beyond repair, and she needed a partial knee replacement.
"Doctors talk about surgery like it's getting your teeth cleaned,"
says Aceti. "If he'd told me this was a possibility, I never
would have done it."
Knee arthroscopy is most often used for people, like Aceti, who
have osteoarthritis--cartilage damaged by wear and tear. A surgeon
makes small incisions and inserts instruments to remove tissue fragments
and wash out the joint in the hopes of reducing pain. Yet in 2002,
when knee arthroscopy was put to the test in a randomized, controlled
trial, it failed royally. Osteoarthritis patients given arthroscopy
reported no more improvement than those who got sham surgery--incisions
were made but no arthroscope was inserted. Still, 5 years later,
the procedure remains among the top 10 outpatient surgeries: More
than 650,000 knee arthroscopies are performed annually.
Critics say that almost everyone has small tears in their knee cartilage
visible on MRI's, providing a never-fail excuse for surgery. "Patients
have arthroscopy for what is clearly the result of a bruise or a
bump," says Ronald Grelsamer, MD, an associate professor of
orthopedic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
"For many orthopedists it's the only way left to make a half-decent
living. Does that justify it? No."
The procedure can help in certain situations, Grelsamer says: If
a piece of cartilage is catching, like a hangnail, clipping it can
make you feel better. And some doctors still believe that for some
osteoarthritis patients, flushing the interior of the knee during
arthroscopy can ease pain, perhaps by getting rid of irritating
chemicals. Researchers can't predict who will benefit from a washout,
though--and surgeon Bruce J. Moseley, MD, who led the sham surgery
comparison, argues that any improvement in arthritis patients is
due to the placebo effect.
Protect Yourself
Wait a while: Arthroscopy is most frequently done after a twist
or fall, but those injuries often get better within a few months
with physical therapy, anti-inflammatory meds, a cortisone injection--or
just the passage of time.
Be skeptical of MRI results: Arthroscopy is most apt to help if
there's a detached fragment of cartilage or a severe tear--a 3 on
a 1-to-3 scale, as rated by a radiologist. But even a bad tear may
not cause pain, so ask whether it matches up with the area that
hurts. --


Eyes
Have It
Ear
Candling
Back
Walking
Inner
Clean Diet
The Water Cure
For
Women Only
Reflexology
Chart
Boys
Will Be Boys
Vegetarian
Recipes
Food
Ads vs. Reality
What
About Ear Candling
What
About Detox Foot Pads
What
Your Optician Needs To Know
Another
Side of The Soy-Protein Story

Your
Health By DaSign
Cleansing
Diet
Meatless Is Better
Other Views