Could a Lung Cancer Drug Work Better With Coke?

FRIDAY, Feb. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with the leading form of lung cancer may be able to look to Coca-Cola Classic to solve a common medicinal challenge, new research suggests.

As the Dutch scientists explain it, the effectiveness of the powerful lung cancer drug Tarceva (erlotinib) depends on the pH level of the stomach. But many people on Tarceva must also take a proton pump inhibitor heartburn medication — such as Nexium or Prilosec — which raises stomach pH to more alkaline levels.

That higher pH can lower the absorption rate for Tarceva, cutting its effectiveness in fighting non-small-cell lung cancer, research suggests.

One prior study involving healthy volunteers found the use of Prilosec lowered blood concentrations of Tarceva by 61 percent.

What to do? In the new study, researchers led by Dr. Roelof van Leeuwen, of Erasmus MC Cancer Institute in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, wondered if the solution might be to reverse stomach pH “by taking Tarceva with the acidic beverage cola,” namely Coca-Cola Classic.

The study focused on 28 people with non-small-cell lung cancer who were taking Nexium plus Tarceva. For two weeks, half of the patients took about 8 ounces of water with their meds for the first seven days, and then the same amount of Coca-Cola Classic for the next seven days. The following two weeks, the patients took the beverages in the reverse order.

The result? “Cola intake led to a clinically relevant and statistically significant increase” in the absorption of Tarceva for patients taking Nexium, van Leeuwen’s team reported online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The study authors believe that asking patients to drink less than a can of cola may be an “easy-to-implement” way to maximize the effectiveness of Tarceva when a heartburn medicine must also be taken by the patient.

One lung cancer expert agreed that some patients do need a way around the problem.

“Unfortunately, many patients requiring Tarceva also need proton pump inhibitors to decrease stomach acidity caused by gastritis” — an irritation of the stomach lining — or by the drugs they are taking, such as certain painkillers, said Dr. Alan Mensch of Northwell Health’s Plainview Hospital, in Plainview, N.Y.

“The result is less stomach acid and less absorption of Tarceva, making the drug less effective in treating the cancer,” he explained. The use of cola to counteract the effect is interesting, added Mensch, who is chief of pulmonary medicine at the hospital.

“Coca-Cola Classic was chosen because it increased stomach acid temporarily and was more acidic than other beverages, such as orange juice, 7-Up and Dr. Pepper,” Mensch noted. The study authors said, however, that more research is needed to see if other types of acidic drinks can work as well as Coca-Cola Classic in this context.

And what did the patients think? “In the current study, 250 milliliters [8.4 ounces] of cola was well-tolerated,” van Leeuwen’s group wrote.

The researchers also believe that the strategy may work to boost the effectiveness of other, related cancer drugs that also depend on an acidic stomach pH for their “bioavailability.”

Those drugs include dasatinib [Sprycel], gefitinib [Iressa] and nilotinib [Tasigna], the team said. However, they stressed that cola’s use in boosting the effectiveness of those medicines “remains to be evaluated in future studies.”

More information

Find out more about lung cancer treatment at the American Cancer Society.

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The New Balance Moto Jacket We’re Obsessed With Right Now

Photo: New Balance

The word athleisure may have just been added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but you already knew that studio-to-street is the hottest thing going. The faux-leather pick we’re coveting right now: New Balance’s Shadow Jacket ($140; newbalance.com), a fitness take on the popular moto style (hello, oversize collar and asymmetrical zip!). You’ll want to wear this cozy, versatile piece everywhere.

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6 Moves That Flatten Your Belly Better Than a Waist Trainer

Photo: Getty Images

You’ve probably heard about the latest trend in belly-trimming, and maybe even considered trying it. That’s right, I’m talking about none other than waist training. These devices, which wrap tightly around the waist and lower ribs, promise to actually coach your body to shed inches off your midsection. But if they seem too good to be true, that’s because they are. The reality: there’s no such thing as quick, magical fixes for your trouble spots. If you’re looking for a legit way to whittle your middle, try this “waist training” exercise routine. Repeat the series below three times, resting for one minute between sets.

RELATED: What You Should Know About Waist Training

Side Plank w/ Twist

Get into a side plank position on your left forearm with your feet either stacked or staggered. Place your right hand behind your head and keep it there while you try to bring your elbow towards the floor. Be sure to contract your obliques during this motion. Raise back to starting position. Repeat for 15 reps, then switch sides.

Photo: Jen Cohen

RELATED: How to Shape Your Waist With Yoga

Heel Grabbers

Lie on your back with your feet flat on the ground and your arms by your sides. Crunch up by raising your chest towards the ceiling. From here, reach for your right heel with your right hand. Then reach for your left heel with your left hand. Continue alternating for a total of 15 reps per side.

Photo: Jen Cohen

Jack Knife

Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms over your head. From here, bring your right arm and left leg up towards each other using your abs, and touch your foot. Come back to starting position and repeat with your left arm and right leg. Continue alternating until you’ve completed 15 reps on each side.

Photo: Jen Cohen

RELATED: 5 Ab Exercises That Blast Belly Fat

V-Ups or Knee Hugs

Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms over head. Take both arms and both legs towards eachother so that they meet above your waist. Squeeze your abs in as you slowly lower down to the floor. Repeat for a total of 15 reps. If this is too difficult, you can try knee hugs. For this variation, do the same movement, except with bent knees.

Photo: Jen Cohen

Triangle Crunch

Start by kneeling on your left leg with your right leg straight to the side. Place your left arm on the floor and your right arm behind your head. From here, crunch your obliques by bringing your right knee towards your right elbow. Repeat for 15 reps, then switch sides.

Photo: Jen Cohen

RELATED: 11 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Belly Fat

Bicycle Crunch

Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your feet raised. Your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle. Start the movement by bringing your right elbow towards your left knee and straightening your right leg. Hold for 1 second, then switch sides. Alternate between left and right for a total of 15 reps per side.

Photo: Jen Cohen

Looking for more ways to target your abs? Check out these 4 Ab Exercises You’ve Never Seen Before

Jennifer Cohen is a leading fitness authority, TV personality, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of the new book, Strong is the New Skinny. With her signature, straight-talking approach to wellness, Jennifer was the featured trainer on The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, mentoring the contestants to lose hundreds of pounds before their big day, and she appears regularly on NBC’s Today Show, Extra, The Doctors, and Good Morning America. Connect with Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, G+ and on Pinterest.

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Gene Discovery Could Point to New Lyme Disease Test: Study

FRIDAY, Feb. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A distinctive genetic signature in people with Lyme disease could lead to new ways to diagnose the illness, scientists report.

This gene signature occurs in the white blood cells of people infected with the tick-borne bacteria that causes Lyme disease, according to the researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Although 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many cases go undetected. With more accurate tests, the number of Americans diagnosed with the disease could be 10 times higher, the researchers said.

“Improved diagnostics are urgently needed for Lyme disease,” lead investigator Dr. Charles Chiu, an associate professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF, said in a university news release.

“The tick that transmits Lyme also harbors many other pathogens, and early diagnosis is critical in guiding appropriate treatment and preventing later complications of the illness,” he explained.

While most people with Lyme disease recover quickly with antibiotic treatment, up to 20 percent have persistent symptoms. The illness has also been linked with arthritis, meningitis, facial palsy and even heart muscle damage that can cause sudden death.

In this study, the researchers found that Lyme disease patients had distinctive gene signatures in blood cells that lasted for at least three weeks, even if they took antibiotics.

“To our knowledge, this study is the first to document changes in gene expression occurring even after a bacterial infection has been treated with appropriate antibiotics,” senior investigator Dr. John Aucott, an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, said in the news release.

The study was published Feb. 12 in the journal mBio and is scheduled for presentation Saturday at an American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting, in Washington, D.C.

Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings, the researchers said.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about Lyme disease.

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Women With Asthma May Be Prone to Fertility Problems: Study

FRIDAY, Feb. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women with asthma may take longer to get pregnant and have a lower pregnancy rate than those without the lung disease, new research suggests.

The study included 245 women, aged 23 to 45, who had unexplained fertility problems and were undergoing fertility treatment. Ninety-six of the women had been diagnosed with asthma.

The women were followed until they had a successful pregnancy, stopped treatment or the study ended. The median time for women without asthma to get pregnant was about 32 months compared to more than 55 months for those with asthma. Median means half took more time to conceive; half, less.

About 60 percent of women without asthma got pregnant, compared with just under 40 percent of those with asthma, the findings showed. The gap between the two groups increased with age, according to the study published Feb. 12 in the European Respiratory Journal.

The trial finding adds new weight to evidence suggesting a link between asthma and fertility, lead author Dr. Elisabeth Juul Gade said in a journal news release. Gade is with the department of respiratory medicine
at Bispebjerg University Hospital
in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“We have seen here that asthma seems to have a negative influence on fertility as it increases time to pregnancy and even more so with age,” she said. “We do not yet know the causal relationship; it may be complex with different types of asthma, psychological well-being, asthma medication and hormones all playing a role.”

Gade said doctors should encourage women with asthma to become pregnant at an earlier age and step up their asthma treatment before conceiving.

“Patient education is also of paramount importance as adherence to treatment may be enhanced if patients are informed of this link,” Gade said in the news release.

While the study found an association between asthma and difficulty conceiving, it did not prove cause-and-effect.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about asthma.

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Another STD Spurs Concern

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Feb. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There’s yet another sexually transmitted infection that doctors and patients need to watch out for — Mycoplasma genitalium.

New research from England adds to evidence that the bacteria Mycoplasma genitalium, or MG, is transmitted through sexual contact. Until now, researchers weren’t sure how the often-symptomless infection, identified in the early 1980s, was spread.

But the current study of more than 4,500 British residents found MG prevalent in 1 percent of participants and linked to risky sexual behaviors, such as multiple sex partners and unsafe sexual practices in the prior year.

This finding suggests MG warrants more attention than it has received to date, said epidemiology professor Betsy Foxman, who specializes in infectious diseases at the University of Michigan.

“My impression is that MG is not on the radar of most general practitioners, [but] with a prevalence of 1 percent, this is an infection that physicians should learn more about,” said Foxman, who wasn’t involved in the new research.

The bacteria infects the mucus membranes of the urethra, cervix, throat or anus. Untreated, MG infection among men can lead to inflammation of the urethra (urethritis), the tube that carries urine and semen through the penis. In women it appears to raise the risk for infertility, preterm delivery or ectopic pregnancy (a potentially fatal pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For the new study, researchers at University College London in England analyzed urine samples from thousands of “sexually experienced” British residents between 2010 and 2012. Participants were 16 to 44 years old.

The samples revealed similar rates of infection in males and females — 1.2 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively.

No infections were seen among boys between 16 and 19. By contrast, 2.4 percent of girls 16 to 19 were infected, the highest of any female age group.

The infection rate among women steadily decreased after 19, while the highest rate of infection among men was from 25 to 34, an age group that might not be targeted in efforts to reduce STDs among young people, the study authors noted.

Few study participants had symptoms, however.

Nearly 95 percent of infected men reported none of the symptoms generally associated with a sexually transmitted disease, such as penile irritation, inflammation, discharge, pain or odor. The same was true for 56 percent of women with MG who lacked any vaginal irritation, inflammation, bleeding or discharge.

Some women, however, reported bleeding after sex.

The researchers also analyzed results of an accompanying survey and concluded that, despite few classic STD symptoms, the risk for MG infection was “strongly associated” with sexual activity.

The study “strengthens evidence” that MG should be classified as a sexually transmitted disease, the authors wrote in a recent issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Many American clinics already test for MG, said Philip Tierno, a professor of microbiology and pathology with the NYU School of Medicine in New York City.

“It used to be an organism that we couldn’t easily diagnose,” he said. “It would take days or weeks to grow, if at all, in a laboratory. But now it’s much easier.”

Currently, it’s included in the standard STD molecular analysis done when a doctor suspects a possible sexually transmitted disease, Tierno said. That means it’s tested alongside chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes simplex 1 and 2, and several other infections.

But the new study results suggest that only testing people with symptoms would miss the majority of infections, the authors said.

So what about prevention? Foxman and Tierno agreed that, as with any STD, the more sexually active you are, the greater the risk.

Tierno cautioned that condom effectiveness “is limited” — given that even handling condoms after sex can expose users to MG. But, Foxman said “using condoms and other safe sex practices are good ways to minimize risk.”

For those diagnosed with MG, the antibiotic azithromycin is the treatment of choice, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In some cases, however, antibiotic resistance has forced clinicians to try alternatives, including the experimental antibiotic moxifloxacin.

More information

There’s more on Mycoplasma genitalium at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Researchers Probe Colombia’s Claim of No Birth Defects Linked to Zika

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Feb. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — At first glance, it seems like a small ray of hope in the ongoing Zika epidemic hitting Latin America.

Colombia’s president said the other day that there were no signs of brain birth defects involving nearly 3,200 pregnant women in that country who were infected with the mosquito-borne virus.

This, of course, would be good news, given that unborn babies are assumed to bear the primary risk from Zika. The virus has been linked in Brazil to hundreds of cases of microcephaly, a birth defect in which the head and brain are unusually small.

But major public health institutions — including the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the March of Dimes — say it’s too soon to tell whether the Colombia reports are accurate.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos stated last Saturday that there’s no evidence Zika has caused any cases of microcephaly in his country, though 3,177 pregnant women have been diagnosed with the virus.

CDC researchers are fanning out across Central and South America to gather data on the crisis that has been centered in Brazil, and will independently check Santos’ claim, said Dr. Edward McCabe, senior vice president and medical director of the March of Dimes.

“Hopefully, we will have information coming through CDC to confirm or not to confirm” Santos’ remarks, McCabe said. “If that statement is true, it would be good news. But then we would be left with why are they seeing microcephaly in Brazil and not in other countries.”

Since the Zika epidemic first surfaced in Brazil last spring, the virus has spread to 30 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean. The World Health Organization now estimates there could be up to 4 million cases of Zika infection — but not necessarily microcephaly birth defects — in the Americas in the next year.

Santos’ statement seems to run counter to a growing body of evidence linking Zika to microcephaly, although the connection has not been proven.

For example, traces of Zika have been identified in the brain tissue of two babies who died from microcephaly, CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden told Congress during a hearing Wednesday.

And the Feb. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reported a case in which Zika was found in the brain of an aborted fetus with microcephaly.

The case involved a European woman working in Brazil who appears to have contracted Zika 13 weeks into her pregnancy. Ultrasound at 29 weeks revealed that her baby would be microcephalic, and a subsequent fetal autopsy found traces of the virus in the brain tissue.

In a statement, the World Health Organization said it may be too soon to tell whether the children of the Colombian mothers will be affected by Zika.

“As in most outbreaks, sometimes cases cannot be detected immediately and investigators are trying to clarify data and contacts as they are reported,” the WHO statement reads. “This does not always happen quickly. In any case, Colombia is continuing its work and searching for possible cases of congenital malformations possibly associated with Zika, in case these occur.”

Different reporting standards also might complicate the detection of microcephaly, said CDC birth defects epidemiologist Peggy Honein.

“Microcephaly is a difficult birth defect to monitor in populations because there are inconsistent standards of definition and inconsistent use of terminology,” she said. “In addition, it is important to remember that surveillance systems in each country may collect their data in different ways.”

Both the CDC and the WHO said it may be too soon to tell whether Zika will lead to microcephaly in Colombia.

“The outbreak of Zika virus infection in Brazil occurred earlier than in many other countries, and it is possible that other countries will start to see microcephaly or other adverse pregnancy outcomes later,” Honein said.

Months passed in Brazil before a potential link between Zika virus and microcephaly began to show up, the WHO said. Brazil reported its first cases of Zika in May, and reported the first cases of microcephaly in late October.

However, health officials also should not rule out other potential causes for microcephaly as they assess the impact of the Zika epidemic, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior associate at the UPMC Center for Health Security in Baltimore.

“It is still unclear the exact role that Zika may or may not be playing in microcephaly,” Adalja said. “Important scientific and statistical work is needed to establish causality. Microcephaly has multiple causes and it will be important to rule out other known causes in cases associated with Zika virus. There is some data pointing to an increase in microcephaly prior to the arrival of Zika in Brazil. This will be important to confirm.”

More information

For more on Zika virus and microcephaly, visit the March of Dimes.

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Do You Really Need to Toss Your Toothbrush After You’ve Been Sick?

Photo: Getty Images

In the days after you’ve recovered from a nasty bug, you probably have a germ-ridding routine: washing your sheets and towels, scrubbing your mugs and water bottle, and likely, tossing your toothbrush.

But is getting rid of your toothbrush really necessary to keep germs from spreading?

It turns out there’s no definitive rule, says Neha Vyas, MD, a family medicine doctor at the Cleveland Clinic. Germs could potentially live on toothbrushes for up to a few days. “But there isn’t enough evidence in the scientific literature to show that, as a result, they cause disease in people,” she explains.

RELATED: 20 Things You SHould Throw Away For Better Health

The fact is, the odds that you’d reinfect yourself are slim to nil, because when your immune system fights off a bug, it develops antibodies to keep it from coming back. As for the people who share your sink? They’re probably safe as well, as long as they don’t use your toothbrush (ew) or store theirs right next to yours.

All of that said, your bout with the bacteria or virus weakened your immune system; and given the fact that there are many other types of bugs that could infect you anew, starting fresh with a pristine, germ-free toothbrush isn’t a terrible idea, Dr. Vayas says.

Toss the old one within a few days of your recovery, she suggests. “And if you are immunocompromised in any way—you’re being treated for cancer or have an underlying immunologic disorder—then it would certainly help to discard your toothbrush immediately after you recover from an illness.”

RELATED: 22 Ways to Survive Cold and Flu Season

Think about your toothpaste, too. Dirty fingers or a dirty brush could pass harmful microbes to the rim of the rube. “If someone in your family is ill, they should consider using their own tube in order to prevent cross-contamination,” she says.

In sickness and in health, toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months (or sooner, if the bristles are badly frayed or you have gum dieases, or any oral or tongue lesions or infections). And always practice good toothbrush hygiene in the meantime: “The best way to care for your toothbrush is to shake it vigorously under running water after brushing. Make sure all toothpaste and food particles are removed from the brush,” Dr. Vyas advises. “Then, place it upright in a toothbrush holder—and make sure it does not touch other toothbrushes.”

RELATED: 10 Ways to Soothe a Sore Throat

If you’ve been using a cover, ditch it, Dr. Vyas adds. Covering the bristles may make it easier for germs to settle on them; and in that dark, moist case, they are likely to thrive.

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Spa retreats in Western Australia

 

Holistic health and wellbeing experiences awaits at these top spa retreats in Western Australia.

PURE LUXE
Indijup Spa Retreat

The place: A spa retreat surrounded by national parkland, sprawling vineyards and unspoiled beaches. There are 10 luxurious villas, each with a private plunge pool overlooking a secluded beach. As well as massages, they deal in invigorating sea salt scrubs, clay body masks and detoxing baths infused with Australian native ingredients such as juniper berry, cypress and lemon myrtle.

The experience: Rather than choose a specific treatment, go in for a private consultation. The gently handed, highly skilled staff will design a treatment experience especially for you.

Details: 1 Cape Clairault Road, Yallingup, (08) 9750 1300

WELLNESS
Kalyaana SPA & Wellness Retreat

The place: This tiny boutique sanctuary with an annexed spa for guests caps its guest list at four, creating an intimate experience amid five tranquil acres of gardens including a kitchen garden and sensory herb garden.

The experience: If you want a holistic health and wellbeing experience with delicious cuisine, extensive therapies and healing modalities, rejuvenating treatments and luxurious home comforts, this is it.  

Details: Lot 705 Maslin Street, Bridgetown, (08) 9761 1420

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Top Tasmanian spa retreats to visit

For locals and visitors alike, experience a spa retreat like no other at one of these breathtaking locations in Tasmania, Australia.

PURE LUXE
Waldheim Alpine Spa At Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge

The place: The spa well and truly makes the most of its spectacular location, overlooking the Cradle Mountain and its ancient forests, snow-capped pine trees and crisp mountain streams. Drop in and ease your body after a day of bushwalking in the mountains.

The experience: There are many luxurious face and body treatments on offer, each using completely natural Tasmanian-made skincare products. Revel in treatments like Highland Healing, where your therapist will customise a 60-minute full-body massage, relieving tension in your weary legs and shoulders.

Details: 4038 Cradle Mountain Road, Cradle Mountain, (03) 6492 2100

WELLNESS
Harmony Hill Wellness & Organic Spa Retreat

The place: This 42-acre bush retreat, perched high in the hills above Hobart, draws on both Eastern and Western therapies. There are three treatment rooms, a sauna and a hot tub. Their skilled therapists will assess your condition holistically, drawing on their knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine and Asian philosophies to advise you on a rebalancing treatment.  

The experience: The five-night detox retreat, including daily yoga and meditation, massages and healing treatments including reflexology.

Details: 210 Old Bernies Road, Margate, (03) 6294 8177

 

 

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