In the News: Tamiflu resistance, Hot dogs and cancer, Euthanasia & Quebec, Heart disease

Tamiflu resistant H1N1 virus?

Canada and many other countries are stockpiling the anti-retroviral drug Tamiflu - considered the first line anti-retroviral drug against H1N1. Though not a reason to worry, there are now reported cases of Tamiflu-resistant-H1N1 in both Quebec, Canada and in Japan. There's only been 5 reported cases thus far.

Hot dogs with cancer warning labels?
Cancer Project, a national cancer awareness group in the U.S.A is suing hot dog manufacturers in an effort to force them to issue warning labels on their products. It is already well known that processed meats that contain nitrates, such as cold cuts & hot dogs increase the risk of certain cancers (ie. colon cancer) with regular consumption.

Cardiovascular disease is Canada's #1 Killer
In Canada, rates of high blood pressure was up 77 per cent between 1994 and 2005, diabetes was up 45 per cent over the same period, and obesity rates rose 18 per cent.

Euthanasia - the debate?
The Quebec College of Physicians have suggested that euthanasia could be an acceptable form of treatment for some terminally ill patients with no hope of recovery. This would be quite a change. Switzerland is currently the only country in the world where foreigners can be assisted with euthanasia.

In other countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, terminally ill residents are able to receive a doctor's assistance to die.

Yours in health,

Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"

Important Updates: OTC lice shampoos, Colon cancer home screening kits, Pear juice recall

Lice and over-the-counter treatments:
Lindane, an agricultural pesticide has been banned in California lice products since 2002 because of concerns it was showing up in the state's water systems. California estimated that one treatment of a lindane-based product resulted in 22 million litres of contaminated water and brought contamination levels above the limit of 19 parts per trillion. Adverse side effects such as skin irritation, neurologic effects, dizziness, headaches and, in some extreme cases, convulsions and death were also seen in people.

The Canadian Paediatric Society is currently reviewing its position on lindane based products and recommends that they not be used on infants and children under 17 years of age. Pyrethrin or permethrin, are considered safe substitutes for lindane.

Colon Cancer Screening Kits:
In the first program of its kind, the Ontario government is offering free take-home screening kits for residents 50 years and older in an attempt to catch colon cancer. The program beings April 1, 2008 and the test is called a Fecal Occult Blood test where laboratories check for traces of blood in your stool. Blood in the stool is a sign that there could be other problems and further tests such as a colonoscopy will have to be done. In general, I recommend that anyone turning 50 get a colonoscopy. Colon cancers tend to develop slowly so if polyps are found, they are removed during the colonoscopy procedure right away. It can take over 10 years to develop colon cancer so some doctors and researchers say that if your colonoscopy results are clear, then you probably will not need to do another one for the rest of your life. So if you're 50 or over, don't delay, get screened!

Pear Juice Recalled:
Two products being recalled in Canada are the one-litre President's Choice Organics Pear Juice from Concentrate for Toddlers and the 128mL Beech Nut Pear Juice from concentrate with Vitamin C added. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has warned consumers that these juices may contain arsenic, which is carcinogenic and poses developmental risks to children.