January 25th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in News
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I spent a year working in a vaccine research laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. My project involved analyzing the DNA of military personnel who had died of the measles in the early 20th century. Strangely enough, the military saved small pieces of their flesh embedded in paraffin wax (and frozen) for future study. I guess that “future study” was my research project.
I must admit that I felt a little bit creepy as I cut tiny slivers of tissue out of the waxy fossils. I wondered about the lives of the tissue’s original owners. Who were these soldiers? Did their families still think of them? Did they leave wives and children behind?
Well, as it turned out, most of the tissue samples had a little piece of DNA in common and it was pretty exciting to discover what may have been a genetic susceptibility to this particular virus. Figuring out why some people survive the measles while others are overcome and die from it can be the turning point in understanding how to protect future generations from its ravages.
Today I read about some new research linking susceptibility to the influenza virus to certain family lineages. This makes perfect sense, since our body’s ability to defend itself against disease is largely based on our genetic code. However, we’re only just beginning to unwrap the subtle role of each piece of DNA code in our immune function. The complex interactions of microscopic proteins and chemicals in our bodies is much more difficult to interpret and predict than we can even fathom. Nonetheless, it’s really exciting that we’re inching closer to being able to protect ourselves from scary viruses. We’ve won a few battles, but haven’t yet won the war.
And on another front, some researchers are working on modifying the ebola virus so as to render it harmless to humans. I’m not sure I’d want to sign up for THAT research project, frankly. I have a lot of respect for those who work in labs with such risky pathogens – but let’s just say I wouldn’t want to invite those folks out for a beer.
Let’s keep an eye on scientific discoveries in the field of virology. With the bird flu and other threats looming on the horizon, our lives may one day depend on it!This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 24th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Health Tips
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I loved yogurt when yogurt wasn’t cool.
In fact, I grew up on a small dairy farm in Canada where our sole product was yogurt. My parents bought a cow (Daisy) “in an unguarded moment” and ended up having to get creative to get rid of all the extra milk that she produced for our family. One thing led to another – and I wound up as the VP of Sales and Marketing for a growing yogurt company taking Canada by storm. So when I saw today’s news release about Dannon being sued for exaggerated health claims for their yogurt, my dairy ears perked up.
First of all, if it’s true that Dannon is claiming that their yogurt has greater health benefits than other yogurts with active cultures, that’s false advertising.
I also think it’s pretty sneaky that they (allegedly) ran ad campaigns exaggerating the health benefits of yogurt, and then marked up their product by 30% to make consumers feel that they were getting added value from what was there all along. Typical big business move, right?
Secondly, yogurt bacteria do have beneficial uses (eating yogurt may decrease colon infection rates in hospitals, and can reduce the chance of vaginal yeast infections after antibiotic use). There is no conclusive evidence that yogurt treats or prevents diarrhea. However, it’s silly to extrapolate that these friendly bacteria will improve the health of your entire immune system – so you’ll never be sick – or that they will perfectly regulate your bowels – regardless of your underlying disease. As with many foods that have been shown to have some specific health benefits (green tea, blueberries, flax seeds) the media tends to blow them out of proportion.
And finally, what should you know about yogurt? Know that for those who are not allergic to milk products, it is a healthy nutritional option (especially the low fat variety without too much sugar) that may be especially important if you’re in the hospital or have received any antibiotics recently. Yogurt contains protein and calcium, which are important components of a healthy diet. But beyond this nutritional benefit (and the infection reduction in at-risk populations), I wouldn’t ascribe any particular magic powers to this tasty treat – as much as I’d like to.
1. Look for the “active cultures” sign on yogurt containers. The National Yogurt Association (NYA) established its own criteria for live and active culture yogurt in conjunction with its Live & Active Culture seal program. In order for manufacturers to carry the seal, refrigerated yogurt products must contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture. Don’t pay extra for a yogurt because they have live cultures. The majority of them do!
2. Yogurt bacteria don’t live forever in your gut, so you’ll need to eat yogurt (or take active cultures) regularly to repopulate the colonies. I can’t find any data to support an exact consumption frequency. I guess it also depends on how many bacteria are contained in the yogurt or supplement you’re taking.
3. Acidophilus pills (one of the most popular yogurt bacterial strains) are available at health food stores for those who’d rather not eat yogurt but still want the benefits of the culture. These pills must be refrigerated to keep the culture alive (kind of like keeping milk cool) – and make sure you check the expiration date too. For more information on acidophilus, check out this supplement database.
4. The most common side effect of eating live yogurt cultures (in pill form or in yogurt form) is bloating and gas.
So don’t be surprised if you encounter it!
And I think that’s a nice thought to end on.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in News
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I was shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden and unexpected death of actor Heath Ledger. As fate would have it, I had watched his movie, “Candy” on the weekend prior to his death. Candy is the sad story of a young Australian couple who get involved in the drug culture, begin shooting heroin, and end up as junkies, prostituting themselves to afford their habits.
While the cause of Heath’s death is not yet known, a drug overdose is suspected and autopsy results will not be available for up to two weeks. A coworker asked me why the results would take so long, and what’s involved in an autopsy. I found a good article on the subject and will excerpt it here:
- Before the actual autopsy, as much information as possible is gathered about the person who died and the events that led to the death. Other information may be gathered by investigating the area where the person died, and studying the circumstances surrounding the death.
- Procedures done during the autopsy may vary depending on the circumstances surrounding the death, whether the medical examiner or coroner is involved, and what specific issues are being evaluated during the autopsy.
- The autopsy begins with a careful examination of the external part of the body. Photographs may be taken of the entire body and of specific body parts. X-rays may be taken to evaluate skeletal or other abnormalities, confirm injuries, locate bullets or other objects, or to help establish identity. The body is weighed and measured. Clothing and valuables are identified and recorded. The location and description of identifying marks, such as scars, tattoos, birthmarks, and other significant findings (injuries, wounds, bruises, cuts), are recorded on a body diagram.
- A complete internal examination includes removal of and dissection of the chest, abdominal, and pelvic organs and the brain. The examination of the trunk requires an incision from the chest to the abdomen. The removal of the brain requires an incision over the top of the head. The body organs are examined before removal, then removed and examined in detail.
- In some cases, organs may be placed in a preservative called formalin for days to weeks prior to dissection. This is particularly important in the examination of the brain for certain types of diseases or injuries. Tissue samples are taken from some or all of the organs for examination under a microscope.
- Completion of the autopsy may require examination of tissues under a microscope, further investigation of the circumstances of death, or specialized tests (such as genetic or toxicology tests). The tests performed may vary based on the findings at the autopsy dissection, the circumstances of death, the questions asked about the death, and the condition of the tissues and body fluids obtained at autopsy. A written report describes the autopsy findings. This report may address the cause of death and may help answer any questions from the deceased person’s doctor and family.
So it makes sense that autopsy results take as long as they do. A thorough investigation requires everything from documenting items from the scene of the death, to a careful analysis of blood toxins, to preserving tissues in formalin before viewing them under a microscope. All of the clues must be carefully weighed (Is there any evidence of a heart attack? Was there a blot clot in the lungs? Was there a brain hemorrhage?) to get the full picture and to be sure of the exact cause of death. All things considered, it’s amazing that the pathologists can render an opinion so quickly.
My heart goes out to Heath’s family as they await closure on the cause of his death.
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See also:
Mira Kirshenbaum discusses depression, suicide, and a healthy way to handle stressful life circumstances
.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Humor
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Ok, I admit it. I’m just stealing content from themommyblog.net. But this quote was too charming to miss.
My friend Mindy keeps a list of her kids’ comments on her blog and at Pear Soup (a kiddie quote aggregator). This one struck a funny bone today:
Daphne and I were talking about how much we love each other and she said:
“I love you more than 1000 centuries, more than anybody or anything like a bunny or something bigger than the whole world including China.”
Now that’s a lot of love.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Announcements
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I am very pleased to announce that this little blog of mine has won the highly coveted “Best New Medical Blog, 2007” award from MedGadget.com. Please go to the MedGadget site to check out all the other finalists and winners – I am truly honored to be counted among them.
If you’d like to peruse the best of my blog posts from this past year, simply click here.
If you’d like to check out some of my cartoons, please click here.
If you’d like to lose weight (yes, that’s right – Dr. Val is leading a weight loss group complete with activity tracker tools and a vibrant discussion board) please click here.
A heartfelt thanks to those of you who voted for me. I was touched that MedGadget mentioned that my blog provides “a human approach to medicine, balancing news and research with anecdotes and humor.” I think that sums up my style nicely.
Hope to see some of you in my weight loss group!This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
