Weekly Medical Tips

Did You Know That Your Lipstick Can Be Toxic?

Lipstick has many ingredients that can be quite harmful when ingested. Ingestion occurs while licking lips and eating while wearing lipstick. Lipstick contains lead (Pb), dyes, fats, oils, pigments, waxes, silica, alumina, titanium dioxide, carmine (scale insects, cochineal beetle to make red and pink colors)http://www.allnaturalcosmetics.com/articles.php?article_id=3  and minerals the FDA (Federal Food and Drug Administration) allows 20ug/Pb/gna of lead (Hepp, Mindak & Cheng, 2009). Lipstick consumption and systemic lupus erythematosus have been linked. The amount of lipstick consumed 60 mg. per day according to the European Commission regarding safety of cosmetics. Ingredients of lipstick and the free radicals create cell damage, and induced papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas when tested on rats and hamster (Kurien & Scofield, 2008).
Chat Me More takes this very seriously and would like to give alternatives I have included a link to make your own lipstick http://www.ehow.com/how_6173205_make-red-lipstick-beet-juice.html 

(Hepp, N.,  Mindak W., & Cheng, J. 2009). Determination of total lead  in lipstick: Development and validation of a microwave-assisted digestion, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric method. J. Cosmet. Sci., 60, 405-414  (July, August, 2009). Retrieved March 25, 2009, from  http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2009open/cc060n04/p00405-p00414.pdf 

 Kurien, B., & Scofield, H. (June, 2008).  Lipstick consumption and systemic lupus erythematosus: nothing to gloss over. Clin Rheumatol (2008). 27:1339-1340 DOI 10.1007/s10067-008-0962-5 retrieved March 25, 2011, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/a5403506k31405r6/

Weekly Medical Tips

Iodine Deficiency and why it is important to have in your diet
Iodine deficiency is a leading cause mental retardation in children (1-3) and preventable measures should be consider by increasing products with iodine or supplements. A Goiter which is abnormal enlarged thyroid gland is the first visual sign of  iodine deficiency or thyroid disease. Other disorders associated with iodine deficiency:
* decrease in fertility
* increase in perinatal mortality
* retarded growth and impairment of mental development
(Delange, F. Benoist, B., Pretell, E., & Dunn, J. (2001)
The major source of intake of iodine in the United States is in iodized salt. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recommends 60-100 mg kl/kg salt equal to 46-76 mg 1/kg salt. All U.S. iodized salt contains 45 mg 1/kg stated on the label, but when tested the amount was sufficiently less. The storing of the salt may have  an impact on iodine loss. High humidity storage of iodized salt decreased in iodine levels. Humans need iodine in order for the thyroid to produce hormones. Due to hypertension in the United States eliminating salt intake is on the rise which leaves many at a great risk of becoming iodine deficient. In young children milk/dairy were the major source of iodine. Levels of iodine in milk are seasonal, winter being the highest amount. Japan is one of the few countries that don't require their food to supple iodine due to their diet of seaweed, which is high in iodine. Thyroid conditions are not prevalent in Japan. A study reported that the average urinary excretions in Japan had levels of iodine ranging from 700 and 3200 ug/d this is  considered maximum levels in the  U.S.. A moderate iodine deficiency is a widespread cause of maternal hypothyroxinemia. Learning disabilities in children can be prevented when iodine supplements are giving during pregnancy (Dasgupta, P., Liu, Y., & Dyke, J., January 2008).

Dasgupta, P., Liu, Y., & Dyke, J. ( January 2008). Iodine Nutrition: Iodine Content of Iodized Salt in the Unite States. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry: University Of Arlington, Texas. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2008, 42 (4), pp 1315-1323. retrieved march 18, 2011, from http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es0719071

Delange, F. Benoist, B., Pretell, E., & Dunn, J. (2001). Iodine deficiency in the World: We do we Stand at the Turn of the Century. Vol. 11, Number 5, 2001. Retrieved March 18, 2011, fromhttp://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/105072501300176390

Dasgupta

Weekly Medical Tips

Why are Sudden Deaths in Athletes occurring and what can be done to prevent it and what are the warning signs? Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) can be a predisposition to athletes sudden cardiac arrest (Furlanello, F., Bertold, A., Dallago, M., Furalanello,  C., Fernando, F., Inama, C., Pappone, S. & Chierchia, S.).
 A study of 134 athletes who had cardiovascular reason for death were 120, (90%) MALE, (52%) WHITE, (44%) BLACK. The most prevalent sport was basketball 47 cases, football 45 cases.  Combined together 68% of sudden deaths. Out of 121 athletes (90%) 78 cases, collapsed  during or immediately after training. Formal athletic contest 43 cases "with 80 deaths (63%) occurred between 3 PM and 9PM." The most common cardiac disease that was diagnosed is hyperthrophic cardiomyopathy (48% athletes) (Maron , B., MD; Jamshid Shirani, MD; Liviu C. Poliac, MD; Robert Mathenge, MD; William C. Roberts, MD; Frederick O. Mueller, PhD)

What should be done to assure that our young athletes don't have an underlying heart condition that puts them in the risk of dying. 
*Must be aware of family history
*Complete physical  before playing competitive sports
If there is any doubt in your child's health have the following test done: 
*ECG (electrocardiograph), EKG
*Ultra Sound of the heart
Signs to look for:
*Chest pain
*Fainting
*Shortness of breath
Ask if the coach has CPR experience and if it is current,  also if they have a heart defibrillator on hand? 




abcNews. (March 7, 2011). Spotting Heart Issues in Young Athletes. Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Marc Gillinov discusses the warning signs. Retrieved arch 10, 2011, from
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/spotting-heart-issues-young-athletes-13080228

F. FURLANELLOA. BERTOLDIM. DALLAGOC. FURLANELLOF. FERNANDOG. INAMAC. PAPPONES. CHIERCHIAAll (Jun. 2006). Cardiac Arrest And Sudden Death in Competitive Athletes
with Arrthythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology. Vol.21 Iss. 1, (pgs.  331-335). Retrieved March 10, 2011, from  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-8159.1998.tb01116.x/abstract

Barry J. Maron, MD; Jamshid Shirani, MD; Liviu C. Poliac, MD; Robert Mathenge, MD; William C. Roberts, MD; Frederick O. Mueller, PhD. (1996). Sudden Death in Young Competitive Athletes. Clinical, Demographic, and Pathological Profiles. Retrieved march 10, 2011, from http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/276/3/199.abstract

Weekly Medical Tips

Does your Over The Counter Omega oil  Supplement Contain Mercury?
For at least a decade omega fish oils had positive results for decreasing the risk of coronary artery disease. Fish carry mercury which may be harmful when consumptions is daily by humans. Mercury that reaches high levels can "promote atherosclerosis by increasing free radical production or by inactivating several antioxidants mechanisms (Foran, Flood, Lewandrowski).  "Studies  involved  toenail clippings to test for mercury levels associated with acute myocardial infarction (New England Journal of Medicine)".  "Fish that are carnivorous have large levels of mercury primarily (methylmercury) are sword fish and shark. Whereas, tuna, pike, trout and bass have changeable amounts of concentration (Foran, Flood, Lewandrowski)." The study did not include all supplement brands, but it did contain these brands. "No mercury was detected in Nordic Ultimate, Sundown and Kirkland. The Omega Brite and CVS brand did contain mercury."

Foran S., MD, PhD, Flood, J., PhD., Lewandrowski, K., MD. (2003). Measurement of Mercury Levels in Concentrated Over-the-Counter Fish oil Preparation. Is Fish Oil Healthier than Fish? Arch Pathol Med-Vol 127. Retrieved March 1, 2011, fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14632570

The New England Journal of Medicine ( 2002). Mercury, Fish Oil, and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction.
N Engl J Med 2002; 347: 1747-1754. Retrieved March 1, 2011, from Mercury, Fish Oils, and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction — NEJM