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Yogi Berra on Prevention
Testingfinds early disease. Eating, exercise, good nutrition & immunizations prevent disease.
Preventive Services Summary
Nutrition: Good choices: "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan, "South Beach" "The Omega Diet".
Physical activity: Moderate intensity (slight breathing & heart rate increase) 30 minutes 5 days or high (large increase in breathing & heart rate) intensity 3 days a week. Being inactive is more harmful to you than smoking. (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/561348)
Healthy Weight: BMI over 30 is unhealthy. (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi).
Multivitamins, Minerals: Generic "Centrum" is a good guide. Buy "silver" if over 55yo.
3-4 fruits and 5-6 vegetables daily prevent heart disease, stroke, and many cancers.
Calcium: The daily requirement is 1000mg. Foods are the best source of calcium. (http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/how-much-calcium) If a supplement is needed, calcium citrate is the best form. The current calcium heart disease concern applies to calcium supplements taken alone, taking 1000iu of Vitamin D counters this risk.
Osteoporosis: Begin bone calcium testing (densiometry) at 65yo. Before if menopausal, smoker, weight less than 127#, a parent or sibling with fracture after 45yo, not using hormone replacement, surgical or natural menopause before age 40 or significant chronic illness. (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd07/gcp2e.htm#Osteoporosis)
Tobacco in any form is harmful.
Caffeine: two per day is a sensible limit.
Alcohol: Above 7 per wk, 3 per occasion is risky.
Muscle Loss: If we don't exercise with weights, we lose 3-5% of our muscle every 10 years. "Getting old" can be the loss of strength and stamina from inactivity.
Sun protection prevents skin cancer. We should check any growing or changing spot.
Hearing loss: Protect your ears from loud noises.
Seat belts & Helmets: Wear them.
West Nile: Use DEET containing repellant during mosquito season.
Herbs and supplements, like prescriptions, change body chemistry. They are manufactured and sold without proof of safety, effectiveness, or quality. Use wisely
Blood pressure over 120/80 is unhealthy, over 140/90 needs medication.
Cholesterol: LDL is harmful and should be less than 100; HDL is healthy and should be greater than 45. Begin at 45yo; at 20yo if high risk for heart disease. (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd07/gcp2a.htm#Lipid)
Colon Cancer----is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men & women and the second leading cause of cancer death. Begin checks at 50y/o. Of the several proven effective methods, checking stool for blood is the simplest. If you have close family members with polyps and/or colon cancer, checking should start sooner. Vitamin D 1000iu daily reduces colon cancer by 50%.
(http://www.coloradoguidelines.org/pdf/guidelines
/colorectalcancer/colorectal_cancer_guideline_2009.pdf)
Breast Cancer
- Self breast exams is not proven useful. (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd07/gcp2.htm#BreastScreening)
- Mammograms benefit women 50-75yo. Their value between 40-50 years is strongly questioned. (www.aafp.org/afp/20070601/editorials.html). They reduce breast cancer deaths 0.1%. If 2,000 women have yearly mammogram for 10 years, one woman will have her life prolonged, 10 healthy women will be treated unnecessarily for breast cancer, about 200 women will undergo psychological distress and additional testing due to falsely positive mammograms. (www.aafp.org/afp/20070901/cochrane.html#c1)
- Uterine Cancer: begin exams when sexually active, then 1-3 years depending upon sexual practices. Can end at 65yo. (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd07/gcp2.htm#Cervical).
- Aspirin: One adult (325mg) ONLY if you have had a stroke, TIA, heart attack or blood vessels disease. One baby (75mg) aspirin 55-79yo at high risk for heart attack and stroke AND low risk for bowel bleeding. (http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsasmi.htm)
- Immunizations:
- Influenza shot each fall unless you are allergic to eggs. (www.immunize.org/vis/2flu.pdf)
- Tetanus-Diphtheria-Whooping Cough (Tdap) every 10yrs. At 65yo then Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td). Whooping cough (pertussis) booster for adults began in 2005. This is especially important for adults around children. (www.immunize.org/vis/tdap.pdf)
- Zostavax for 'shingles' is advised at 60yo. (www.immunize.org/vis/shingles.pdf)
- Pneumovax advised at age 65 to prevent pneumococcal pneumonia. Earlier if you have chronic illness. (www.immunize.org/vis/pneum3.pdf)
- Hepatitis B is recommended for health care workers, anyone with potential exposure to blood, intravenous drug users, people with multiple sexual partners, and household contacts or sexual partners of hepatitis B carriers. Available at Tri-County Health Dept 303-363-3042. (www.immunize.org/vis/hepb01.pdf)
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East West Health Center
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
8200 E Belleview, #220-C
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Tel 303-694-5757
Fax 303-741-1387
Email: earljc@comcast.net
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