WHAT IS "THE WELLNESSWISE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL"?

It is a new health journal that is being distributed without charge via Internet E-mail once every other week. Each issue includes three to four scripts of my daily syndicated radio program, "WellnessWise." Also included in each issue are selections from Phylis Austin's "Science/Health Abstracts."

What subjects are covered? The WellnessWise radio program focuses on topics of preventive medicine and lifestyle medicine. So, of course, the scripts I'm posting here have the same focus. The emphasis is on what listeners can do for themselves--not on the latest high tech surgical procedures or drugs.

Although I originally attempted to tailor different "editions" of this newsletter to different groups (e.g., posting scripts dealing with "nutrition" to diet and health related forums and news groups, etc.), I am now only producing one "edition" of the newsletter. Some weeks we will have material on exercise and fitness, other weeks on nutrition, other weeks on other healthy lifestyle related issues, etc.

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Can cranberry juice really help a bladder infection? I'm Dr. David DeRose, we'll have an answer in a moment on WellnessWise.

Bladder infections are a very common female problem. And mothers have told their daughters for years that Cranberry juice can help heal those infections. Well, recent evidence suggests that Mom was probably right again.

Dr. Mark Monane of Harvard Medical School and his colleagues, randomly assigned 153 women to two groups. One group got about 10 oz of cranberry juice cocktail. The other group got a beverage that appeared identical but had no cranberry in it.

When studied over 6 months, Those who received the cranberry juice had a 42% decrease in the risk of bladder infection.

Perhaps more impressively, the cranberry juice group was more likely to have early signs of bladder infection that cleared up on their own. This suggests that cranberry juice may be of more value in treating an early infection rather than in preventing it altogether.

The new research confirms the helpful role of cranberry juice. However, it doesn't mean we can treat all our bladder infections with juice on our own. Infection symptoms can leave even though the infection remains--and a bladder infection can spread to the kidneys or blood. So, if you have symptoms of a bladder infection make sure you work with a health professional--but don't forget what mom told you about those cranberries.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

Ref. Emergency Medicine July 1994, p. 83 reporting on JAMA vol. 271, p. 751, 1994.

SMOKING AND DIABETES

A healthy lifestyle can improve diabetes control. I'm Dr. David DeRose. In a moment we'll look at that subject on WellnessWise.

Diabetes is a common and serious disease in America. Kidney failure is one particularly devastating complication of the disease. However, recent research indicates that careful control of blood sugar can decrease the risk of diabetic complications like those affecting the eyes, nerves, or kidneys.

Another powerful way to prevent or delay diabetic kidney problems was reported in 1994. In that study, nearly 100 individuals with Type I diabetes, high blood

pressure and diabetic kidney problems were studied for one year. Blood pressure was carefully and effectively controlled in all the subjects. But well over one third of them were smokers.

Over the next 12 months, kidney function worsened in over 50% of the smokers. However, only 11% of the lifetime nonsmokers had kidney function deterioration.

That means the smokers had over 4 times the risk of further kidney worsening. Those who were ex-smokers also did significantly better than the current smokers.

The message is clear. If a young person is a diabetic, not smoking can make a profound health difference. If a diabetic already smokes, "kicking the habit" should be strongly encouraged.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

HIV AND EXERCISE

Can exercise benefit a person who is HIV positive? I'm Dr. David DeRose, and we'll find out in a moment on WellnessWise.

Moderate exercise improves immune function. However, there is evidence that athletes undergoing rigorous training actually weaken their white blood cell function. Affected cells include the all-important T-lymphocytes.

Because of this, researchers have been interested to understand how exercise affects HIV positive individuals.

A 1990 study found that HIV positive men experienced improved immune function after 10 weeks of aerobic exercise. The exercisers were better able to fight off latent viral infections. And their immune enhancing helper T cells increased.

Other studies of HIV-positive individuals including those with AIDs have shown similar encouraging results, with no harmful effects, after participating in moderate amounts of supervised exercise.

Although it seems wise for all individuals with AIDS or HIV to exercise regularly, a medical evaluation before starting an exercise program is wise. It helps to prevent aggravating any unrecognized physical problems.

Furthermore HIV positive individuals should be cautious about overtraining. Especially if a person has AIDS, it seems wise to avoid exhaustive, competitive or other strenuous exercise.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

Ref.- AIDS and the athlete: Does competition carry a risk? Janis E. Blair, M.D. Family Practice Recertification May 1994, Vol. 16, No. 5.

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SCIENCE/HEALTH ABSTRACTS

Phylis Austin is an experienced medical research librarian and author. She allows us to reprint portions of back issues of her bimonthly periodical called, "Science/Health Abstracts." Phylis spends hundreds of hours reviewing medical literature from a preventive medicine/lifestyle medicine perspective--that research finds its way into her "Abstracts." For each WEJ issue, I select from Phylis' material abstracts that I feel shed light on areas that are not getting much current coverage (even though the articles in some cases may have first been published some time ago).

A group of Alzheimer's disease patients ranging in age from 60 to 87 years, were placed on a structured exercise program in which the patients walked with a partner for 30 minutes three times a week for ten weeks. The exercise group was compared with a similar group who were talked with for 30 minutes three times a week. After ten weeks the exercised patients had a significant improvement in their ability to communicate.

Progressive decrease in ability to communicate is a common problem with Alzheimer's patients.

Earlier studies showed an improvement in working memory, reasoning ability, reaction time and cognitive reasoning with exercise.

About 15,000 new patients each year develop trigeminal neuralgia, a severe burning or stabbing pain over the course of the trigeminal nerve, found on the side of the face. The pain may appear suddenly, persist for about a minute, then quickly subside. Chewing, smiling, talking or touching the face may induce the pain.

The cause is not understood, nor is treatment entirely satisfactory. Many patients are subjected to surgical procedures, which may lead to loss of motor control or facial sensation.

Diabetics often suffer associated kidney disease. Earlier studies have shown that a high protein diet accelerates the development of kidney damage. A recent study suggests that a vegetarian diet may be adequate to slow the progression of the disease.

Apparently vegetable protein does not have the same adverse effect that animal protein does. (Diabetic Medicine 8:949-953, 1991)

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INTRODUCTIONS TO THE WEJ EDITOR AND SPONSORS

Hello, I am David DeRose, MD, MPH, the current editor of The WellnessWise Electronic Journal. I want to welcome you as a new subscriber to our e-newsletter. My goal is to share sound health information that will make a difference in your life and the lives of those you love.

I am a board certified Internal Medicine specialist who also holds a Masters degree in Public Health (MPH). My MPH specialization in health education and health promotion complements my current medical practice which is focused on preventive medicine--particularly nutritional and other non drug therapies. I also serve as the Vice President for Medical Affairs at Living Springs Lifestyle Center in Putnam Valley New York. I continue to function as the writer/host of the WellnessWise radio program.

The sponsors for WEJ include Living Springs and The WellnessWise radio broadcast.

For 15 years, Living Springs Lifestyle Center has helped people attain a higher level of personal health and fitness. The Center offers residential health programs of various lengths, but our most popular are our 7 day live-in lifestyle change programs. In addition to our 7 day stop smoking program, individuals come to make lifestyle changes to control stress, lose weight or improve their blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, etc. In view of its 70 acres with lake front footage and beautiful forests, the Center is surprisingly located within only a one hour drive of midtown Manhattan. Further information about Living Springs is available in a free information packet that can be obtained by calling 1-800-SAY-WELL or by sending your "snail address" to me via E-mail.

The WellnessWise Radio Program airs daily (Monday through Friday). Each day it features a 90 second preventive medicine broadcast along with a 30 second commercial slot for local or national sponsors. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Audio tapes feature 20-40 programs each and can be purchased. (E-mail address: docderose@aol.com).

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

We continue to distribute The WellnessWise Electronic Journal free of charge via Internet E-mail to all subscribers. Please address subscription requests and any other correspondence to the address below.

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