Screening for Prostate Cancer Not Recommended for Elderly Men

NEW YORK - Doctors should stop routine prostate cancer screening of men over age 75 because there is more evidence of harm than benefit, a federal task force advised on a hotly debated topic.

The U.S. Preventive Services, which made the recommendation Monday, reported finding evidence that the benefits of treatment based on routine screening of this age group “are small to none.” However, treatment often causes “moderate-to-substantial harms,” including erectile dysfunction and bladder control and bowel problems, the task force said.

The new guidance is the first update by the task force on prostate cancer screening since 2002. Its last report concluded there was insufficient evidence to recommend prostate screening for men of all ages.

In recent years, there has been a growing debate about the value of the somewhat imprecise PSA blood test to detect cancer, as well as the value of treating most prostate cancers. A positive result from the test must be confirmed by a biopsy. And even then, there is no foolproof method of identifying aggressive tumors from slow-growing ones. A number of experts contend patients are being over treated.

“The issue of screening for is frankly an area of medicine that remains somewhat unsettled,” said Dr. Durado Brooks, a prostate cancer specialist for the American Cancer Society. “While it’s clear there is benefit to a significant number of men, it’s equally clear that many men end up being diagnosed and treated for cancers that would likely not have caused them any significant harm.”

Most major U.S. medical groups recommend doctors discuss the potential benefits and known harms of prostate screening with their patients and make individual decisions. And most agree such testing shouldn’t occur before age 50.

The federal task force, which sets the nation’s primary care standards, reviewed past research in reaching its conclusion and “could not find adequate proof that early detection leads to fewer men dying of the disease,” task force chairman Dr. Ned Calonge of Denver said in a statement.

The cancer society’s advice for screening differs from the task force’s because it doesn’t set a fixed age to stop screening, Brooks said. It suggests that men shouldn’t be offered screening if they aren’t expected to live another 10 years.

“That’s because every 75-year-old is not created equal,” said Brooks.

While some have health problems and aren’t likely to live long, others are “very active, very vigorous and have minimal health issues, and many of those men are going to live into their late 80s or 90s,” Brooks said.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men — about 220,000 cases will be diagnosed this year. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. But most tumors grow so slowly they never threaten lives.

Earlier this year, a study found that older men who already had early-stage prostate cancer were not taking a big risk by not treating it right away. The vast majority were alive 10 years later without significantly worrying symptoms or had died of other causes.

Prostate cancer treatments are tough, especially on older men. Some doctors instead recommend “watchful waiting” to monitor signs of the disease and treat only if they worsen, but smaller studies give conflicting views of the safety of that approach.

The new guidelines from the Preventive Services were published in this month’s Annals of Internal Medicine.

http://www.annals.org/content/vol149/issue3/

UVBI - Ultra Violet Blood Irradiation

Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation (UVBI) is a treatment that involves a three-step process. A patient’s blood is first withdrawn. The blood is then exposed to a stream of ultraviolet light (UV). Lastly, the blood is slowly reintroduced back into the body. I have had this proceedure and it is nothing to fear. Ultra violet blood irradiation has it’s critics but I am not among them. I believe blood irradiation can be a safe and effective treatment to kill disease and allow the body to heal naturally.

Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation - My Experience

Unlike most Health related sites, this site HealthSynergyRx is about my own personal experiences with a procedure or my own research into a procedure or “modality” that I thought might help me recover from a long term serious illness. After 11 physicians and a full year I finally found a Naturopathic Physician that works with many treatments the established USA Allopathic Medical community either ignores or is in a state of complete apathy towards. Many of these treatments the Allopathic community would label as “Alternative” have been with us for a century or more and have proven their effectiveness long before the big Pharmaceutical Companies and their governmental lobbyist pushed them aside. These treatment modalities have helped many individuals to completely recover from illness without the side effect of drug therapy or surgery.

Let me begin with my introduction to Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation. As noted I have been seeking help for an incompletely diagnosed condition. I will not describe my condition only to say it has many elements and symptoms from chronic infection and inflammation. While most standard blood work was returned normal my viral load and potential bacterial/fungal load is not off the charts but “high”. So I have been receiving IV Drip treatments of vitamins and various natural antibiotic agents. I do not know the exact agents so I can not report about them yet. As I recover perhaps I will learn more from the nurses and be able to share more with you.

The process was quite simple for my UVBI treatment. I was already hooked up to the Vitamin IV Drip and was taken into another room where a small electronic box with an ultraviolet tube and standard IV tubing was sitting on a small table. The nurse connected the tubing to my IV Drip and used a syringe to withdraw 60cc slowly through the box where the blood was irradiated. The blood was then slowly returned to my body by pushing it back through the syringe. The nurse then repeated this procedure. During this time I was talking and completely alert.

Upon completion of the procedure I suddenly felt faint (You would have thought that the sight of all my blood in the tube would have effected me, but it did not). My nervous system (which is beyond conscious control - I do not know exactly which nerves are involved only that I was told the “Vagas Nerve) just momentarily reacted. I started to sweat and felt light headed. I was told to place my head on the desk, relax and just breathe and the sensation would pass. I was given a small amount of orange juice to drink. I was also advised that it would be a good idea for me to eat before the next procedure. Unfortunately as a result of my condition I have little appetite.

10 minutes after the Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation procedure I was able to stand and walk back to the IV room and continue my drip. At this point I was extremely tired. I finished my IV drip and returned home. As of this writing (6 hours later) I am still very tired. I may be experiencing some “die off effect” as the toxins released by the dead viruses and bacteria are still in my body. I have been drinking all kinds of water and urinating frequently and hope to feel more energy tomorrow.

I was told everyone reacts a little differently to the ultraviolet blood irradiation based on there condition and their own body. I asked other patients in the IV Drip room their experiences and some did not get light headed at all. This procedure is easy, fast, and PROVEN effective in killing viruses and bacteria in the blood. Please read the next small section for a little background.

Ultraviolet light Irradiation Background Information

Ultraviolet light has been used as a disinfectant for many years and is, in fact, still used for that purpose. If the late 1900’s, Niels Ryberg Finsen used this knowledge for a new application and started using external ultraviolet treatment in skin and mucus membrane diseases, for which he was awarded a Nobel prize in 1903. By the mid-1930’s ultraviolet treatment was well-accepted for erysipelas and other skin infections, as well as mumps.

One of the first pioneers to use ultraviolet light on blood rather than externally was Emmett K. Knott, who irradiated the blood of his first human subject in 1928. The patient had a case of sepsis (bloodstream infection) following an abortion. She had been declared beyond help by the attending physicians, but responded dramatically to the irradiation, recovering and being able to bear other children.

Other researchers followed, showing the effectiveness of ultraviolet blood irradiation (UVBI) in treating both bacterial and viral infections. Hancock and Knott demonstrated that ultraviolet light could be used effectively in the treatment of bloodstream infections. By June of 1942,520 patients had been treated successfully with ultraviolet therapy without harmful effects.

Dr. George Miley was a clinical physician who practiced UVBI extensively in the 1930’s. His work demonstrated an increase of oxygen absorption by the blood following ultraviolet exposure. Dr.Miley also reported on 151 consecutive unselected cases of acute infection treated by UVBI. In those cases that were treated early, 100 percent of the patients recovered fully. In moderately advanced cases, 98 percent recovered; and even patients who were near death experienced a 42 percent recovery rate.

With such phenomenal success, why is UVBI almost unknown today? With the debut of antibiotic therapy, it’s ease of treatment and it’s success in treating infections, it became the treatment of choice, and UVBI fell by the wayside. However, with the advent o multiple drug-resistant infections and an increasing population who cannot tolerate drugs, this treatment has found a rebirth and is again showing it’s effectiveness.

Some of the proven effects of UVBI are:

• Inactivation of toxins and viruses
• Destruction and inhibition of growth of bacteria
• Enhancement of the immune system’s ability to fight infections
• Increase in oxygenation of the blood
• Activation of steroids.
• Increased cell permeability
• Activation of cortisone-like molecules, called sterols, into Vitamin D

Other effects and much more information are listed in the book Into the Light by William Campbell Douglas, M.D., available at our office.

Individuals vary in their sensitivities to UVBI. Sensitivities may be modified by certain drugs such as sulfanilamide. Over-dosage with ultraviolet light produces depression, lessened resistance to bacterial infections, and reduced bacteria-killing potency of the blood with a fall in hemoglobin. The level of exposure required for an overdose is not approached in proper clinical practice.

The method of UVBI used in our office involves withdrawing the patient’s blood into a tube (treated with heparin to prevent clotting), passing it into a crystal tube as it is drawn past the ultraviolet light and drawn into a 60cc syringe. Then it is slowly pushed back into the body. This passes the blood through the ultraviolet light twice–coming out and going in. This process is generally done twice, to irradiate approximately 120 cc of the blood. The irradiated blood can then emanate secondary irradiation to the rest of the blood.

We frequently combine this therapy with IV hydrogen peroxide therapy, as each therapy enhances the effect of the other.

Possible uses for UVBI could include colds, viral syndromes, influenza, acute and chronic sinusitis, acute and chronic bronchitis, emphysema, other acute or chronic infections, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. With the theory that rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases are caused by toxic reactions to chronic bacterial infections, we are anxious to try this therapy on these frustrating diseases, as UVBI is effective against both bacteria and toxins. This treatment is experimental in many other diseases, and it’s use can be discussed with your physician.

With an acute infection such as a cold or the beginning of the flu, generally one treatment is adequate for a reduction of toxic symptoms in 12 to 48 hours. Serious or chronic bacterial or viral infections may require more treatment, as recommended by the physician.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia generally show improvement with about ten treatments, with two treatments a week for the first week or two, then weekly thereafter.

Characteristics of Ultraviolet

Physical:

• Ultra-violet has a chemical and bacteriocidal action on the blood and tissues of the body. It breaks down the bacterial toxins and helps the white blood cells in their phagocytic action.

• Ultra-violet’s chemical reaction depends upon its vitamin reaction in the system. Vitamins A, B, C, D and E are affected by the ultra-violet light.

• Ultra-violet plays a great part in the calcium phosphorus balance and in iron and iodine fixation.

• Ultra-violet accelerates the lymphatic and circulatory activities.

• Ultra-violet normalizes all metabolism and glandular activities.

• Ultra-violet stimulates antibody production and immunizes the body against disease.

• Ultra-violet has a stimulating action on the Sympathetic System. It, however, acts as a sedative to pain.

• Ultra-violet is good for the heart and the lungs.

Source: healthychristianliving.com

Sinusitis Treatment

I’ve become well acquainted with Sinusitis because it’s another of the many diseases the medical profession can treat, but can not seem to cure. So how can you get help?

I’ve had chronic sinusitis for years. I am currently investigating dietary changes that eliminate fugus organisms from the body. Changes to strengthen the immune system. It’s all very hard because of my chronic neck problems - herniations and degenerative disc disease. As I recover (if I recover) I’ll post the results of my dietary experiences. It’s tough to batter one chronic condition let along two.

What is Sinus Disease by Dr. Grossan

Please see source notes at the end of this article. Dr. Grossan is Board Certified in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery

Sinus problems are most on the minds of my patients these days. No wonder! In Los Angeles we have smog and pollution which adds to symptoms when a person has allergies too!

Today we know that most sinus disease is caused when the cilia - the very tiny “hairs” in the nose and chest stop beating. These wonderful machines act like oars, moving 16 strokes each second to propel bacteria, dirt, and cancer causing poisons out of the nose and chest, before they have a chance to enter the body. Many cancers form where there are few cilia, emphasizing their importance. The treatment of choice for sinus disease is to have the body return the cilia to their normal function, beating 16 times per second.

Know what the BEST treatment is for early morning sneezing? If you start sneezing on awakening, it is because the nose is trying to get rid of the particles that accumulated there at night. If the nasal cilia are working properly, they beat at 16 beats a second and get rid of these particles and then you don’t need the sneezing. The best treatment in breakfast in bed! You see, by drinking hot tea before you get out of bed, the body gets warmed up, the cilia speed up and the sneezing, hacking is avoided.

In the nose and chest are millions of tiny “oars” or cilia. They act in coordination to move out the dust and bacteria from the nose to the back of the throat where it can be swallowed and disposed of in the stomach. In the chest, the cilia beat to move the germs and dust out of the chest, up the windpipe to the throat where it is swallowed. When this system works you don’t get sinus disease. When the system fails in the chest you get a cough, the cough takes over to get rid of the dirt and germs in the bronchial passages.

Protection from infection is achieved by the presence of lysozymes, immunoglobulins and phagocytes in the mucus solution. Movement of the bacteria by mucus flow reduces opportunity for penetration of the cell. Dilution of bacterial products makes them less toxic. Mast cells and globulins are carried in the mucous layer. If the cilia don’t move the blanket, then the cells and defense can’t be delivered where they are needed.

Thus, the mucociliary defense system consists of cells that transport mucous and cells that secrete mucous. Both are essential to health.

Remarkably, the ciliary movement is coordinated so that an effective wave propels the mucus in a specific direction.

Sinus cilia beat toward the natural sinus opening. Nasal cilia beat backward . Nasal mucus propels into the nasopharynx and is swallowed for disposal into the stomach. In the child this course directs the mucus with its bacteria, debris and foreign matter over the adenoids where lymphocytic defenses can act. The deep crypts and rugae of the adenoids create a larger surface area for greater effect in order to defend the body

With a virus infection, the cilia are slowed down by the virus chemicals. This allows bacteria that normally would be swept away by the cilia to enter the body. Therefore, anything you can do to encourage good cilia movement is helpful. Hot chicken soup works! Hot tea is good. Compresses to the sinus/nasal area helps. Enhanced Nasal/Saline Moisturizers, formulas based on the Locke-Ringer’s formula, have been shown to aid cilia better than regular saline. (See article by Boek.) It has an advantage over saline in that there are no preservatives such as benzalkonium and the mixture is buffered to avoid any burning sensation. The refillable spray bottle it comes with can be used for spray, drops or to irrigate or wash. Without the burning, this solution can be used regularly by kids.

When you feel a sinus infection coming on, rest, hot soup and tea, hot compresses applied to the sinus area: above the eyes for the frontal sinuses, between the eyes for the ethmoid sinuses, and below the eyes for the maxillary sinuses.

If this is not effective, pulsatile nasa/sinus irrigation can be used to restore nasal cilia, remove nasal pus, and thin the secretions. With a proper pulsatile irrigatin device, the irrigation pressure is adjusted to just the right value of 5 PSI - the water stream is about an inch high. The saline, or better yet, enhanced moisturizing solutinon, goes in one side of the nose and out the other. This is a natural way of healing the sinus condition. Even children as young as 5 years find this a pleasant treatment.

Some people get symptoms after exposure to downtown smog or dust at work. I advise them to use this irrigator much like washing the hands to remove dirt. By irrigating in this manner, the nose doesn’t have to do the work. I find it especially useful for Firefighters to use after the smoke of a fire.

Cilia are generally activated by increasing temperature up to 40 C, so hot compresses over the sinus area are beneficial. However above 40 C cilia are inactivated and hence the deleterious effects of hot steam nasal inhalation. Long term dry steam inhalation, (sauna), is suspected of being harmful.

For people with serious sinus disease, pulsatile irigation has proven extremely useful . For example, patients with Cystic Fibrosis have very poor ciliary action and so develop serious sinus disease. The pulsating saline irrigator can remove the pus and act like a normal cilia.

A good medication for nasal congestion is Sudafed Long Acting, 120 milligrams every 12 hours.

For more information on Sinus disease please visit Dr. Grossan’s website where this information was sourced. If you are in the Los Angeles Area his contact information is:

Board Certified: American Board Of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers
8631 W Third St. Suite 440 East
Los Angeles, Ca. 90048
Phone (310) 659-1006 Fax (310) 652-9906

Dr. Grossan’s site is a fabulous resource. As a Chronic Sinusitis sufferer I am trying everything I can to break the cycle and get my sinusis functioning like there used too. I’ve tried the Nasal Steroids and the Anti-histimines. These are stop-gaps to treat symptoms not cure the problem. I have other health problems which lend me to believe that they are intertwined with my sinuses and once the sinus problems are cured like a domino effect my overall health will improve. Definitely check out Dr. Grossan’s Nasal Irrigation device. It’s like a Waterpik for the nose (Waterpik actually makes a Nasal Irrigation Device - I know I bought it!). It’s the best way to rinse out your sinus cavities. I’ve tried nasal sprays and drops and they only moisten my nose but they don’t rinse everything out. The Waterpik attachment actually works very well with prepackaged Saline Packets.

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Acute vs. Chronic Sinusitis

Acute Sinusitis lasts less than 6 months, Chronic Sinusitis is inflammation of the Sinus Cavities (as few as one as many as all four sets) for more than 6 months.

What Causes Sinusitis and How Do You Get Rid of it?

Genetics and exposure to a Viral, Bacterial, or Fungal disease that your immune system can not fight off causing the Sinuses to become inf lammed.

What is the difference between Bacterial, Viral, and Fungal Sinusitis

Bacteria respond to anti-biotics, and viruses do not. Bacteria look like cells under a microscope while viruses look like crystals with many surface edges. That’s simplistic but if you have had the chance to look at them under an electronic scanning microscope (Most universities have these, and I was a Zoology Major so I had the opportunity to look at these types of diseases) you can clearly see the differences. Fungus are organisms that are nucleated, achlorophyllous, typically reproduce sexually and asexually by spores, and whose somatic structure is composed of filamentous branched or yeast, which are surrounded by cells walls composed of chitin.

How is Sinusitis Treated

Usually Sinusitis is treated with anti-biotics and rest and then the hope that your own body will fix the problem. If the Sinusitis is not caused by bacterial infection the anti-biotics are useless, but many ENT’s don’t take time to culture and just prescribe away!

Unfortunately surgery usually isn’t very effective. And CT Scans are the “Gold Standard” as an analysis tool and subject you to large doses of ionizing radiation (Usually a bad idea). Supposedly you can fix the problem with a very specific diet that starves the fungus from the foods it needs to survive, while still providing your own body and immune system the nutrients it needs to flourish disease free.

Often the treatments the Doctors will prescribe simply do not work! Try Dr. Grossan’s device, improve your diet, and hope for the best! I wish I knew a better answer.

Geobiology - Geopathic Stress - Electromagnetic Stress is Your Home Making You Sick? Is Your Environment Making You Sick?

Are you unable to explain why you have an illness? What happens when all the tests come back and you have no answers? Perhaps your illness is caused by Environmental Sources. Geopathic Stress is caused by energy fields created by movement of running water, living near fault lines, etc. Many of you may have heard of the dangers of radon gas but few take into account the natural occuring microwaves and evergy fields created by nature.

Geobiology explores the relationship between life and the Earth’s physical and chemical environment. The term was adopted many years ago by some German dowsers, ‘geobiologists’ who specialized in surveying houses for both geopathic and electromagnetic stress using both dowsing and scientific instruments.

This is a fascinating field of study.

You can learn more about…

• Geopathic Stress
• Electromagnetic Stress
• Geobiology

here… Geopathic Stress - Electromagnetic Stress Information by professional geobiology experts.

Candida Albicans (Yeast Infection) Symptoms & Treatment

Candida symptoms in individuals may go undetected by simple blood tests and your Doctor may not have any idea how to diagnose. Do you feel achy, tired, sleepless, nausea, joint pain for no reason? Do you have a family history of yeast infections? Don’t jump to conclusions. but don’t rule out this often misdiagnosed condition. Many doctors do not believe this is a real disease. Read on…

Candida Infection- More than a simple Yeast Infection

Candida Albicansis the name of the yeast. Candida Infection - yeast infection, is both digestive and systemic; a health problem for which definitive answers to its elimination are far and few between. Literally millions of men and women have a potential yeast infection that is causing, directly or indirectly, a significant number of health problems or conditions.

Candida Albicans is a destructive yeast infection that begins in the digestive system and little by little spreads to other parts of the body. Candida is present in all of us not long after birth. Typically, this yeast remain in a healthful balance with the other bacteria and yeasts within the intestinal tract. Under certain conditions, such as excessive stress, lowered immunity or the long-term use of steroids, the candida yeast can multiply, thus disrupting the gastrointestinal “terrain”. Candida overgrowth may also be a consequence of antibiotic treatment, as antibiotics not only kill pathogens but also a large number of those bacteria that are part of a healthy gastrointestinal flora. With the depletion of the beneficial protective flora in the intestinal tract and a weakened immune response, this opportunistic yeast can then spread and multiply beyond the intestinal tract affecting every organ in the body.

Candida Symptoms

In babies, an overgrowth of Candida appears as diaper rash. Candida infection can be found on the body as jock itch or athlete’s foot. Candida infection can appear in the mouth as thrush or in the vaginal tract, known by many women as a yeast infection. Systemic yeast is now being associated with a variety of conditions ranging from mental disorders, deranged immune system, food intolerance, gastric upsets, premenstrual tension, infertility, ovarian failure, sexual function difficulties and fatigue.

Candida can manifest with a multitude of symptoms including constipation, diarrhea, colitis, headaches, bad breath, mood swings, canker sores, muscle and joint pain, congestion, severe itching, PMS, fatigue, kidney or bladder infections to name a few. It is estimated that 30% of the population suffer from health issues directly related to yeast. In fact, the majority of people who have Candida do not realize they have it until become seriously ill.

If you think you might have candida, or would like to find out if you do, take this simple self-scoring Candida Questionnaire located at http://www.soulhealer.com/yeast.htm. If you score over 140 points on this test, you might want to follow the Recommendations for Wellness listed below to begin down the road of better health.

Treatment for Candida Albicans Infection

Avoid all yeast containing foods: Yeast breads, fermented beverages (beer, wine, brandy, scotch, etc.) moldy cheeses, fermented vinegars, salad dressing, peanuts, biscuits, canned citrus fruit juices, cake mix, ice cream, all dried fruit, oranges, pickles, tomato sauce, sugars, yeast powder, processed and smoked meats, malt products, barbecue sauce, olives, mayonnaise, chili peppers.

Avoid all refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, hidden sugars such as those found in soft drinks, pastries, canned fruits and vegetables.

Rotate between at least 3 different anti-fungal herbs every 4 days to kill the Candida yeast in the intestinal tract. These herbs can include Garlic, Caprylic Acid and Pau d’ Arco (Taheebo tea).

Supplement with Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidophilus daily. This helps to reintroduce the good bacteria back into the intestinal tract.

Take 1 tablespoon of Flax seed or olive oil daily to improve healing and prevent the fungus from destroying cells.

Incorporate Echinacea to help strengthen the immune system.

Multivitamin & mineral complex with vitamin A to provide all the nutrients needed for proper immune function and for repair of intestinal lining. Try to select a vitamin complex that includes zinc.

Treat any skin yeast or fungal infection with tea tree oil.

About The Author

© Copyright 2001 Body, Mind & SoulHealer, All Rights Reserved. (Editors Note: Republished intact with Permission.)

Dr. Rita Louise of Body, Mind & SoulHealer helps people rediscover their wholeness, working with individuals on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. The author of the book entitled “The Power Within” and editor or the SoulHealer newsletter, Dr. Louise is a Naturopath, Medical Intuitive, Clairvoyant, Vibrational Healer, teacher and Lecturer. She can be reached by calling (972) 475-3393 or you can visit her web page at http://www.soulhealer.com

Books you may want to investigate on curing Candida Infections