SOY, ESTROGENS, and PEOPLE

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SOY, ESTROGENS, and PEOPLE

Recently a great number of questions have been raised about whether

soybeans have chemicals in them that act like estrogens in people.

Estrogens and their Effects

Estrogens are hormones that promote the development of female

features in people. The usual source of estrogen is the human ovary.

Any estrogen-like substance could have an impact in people, too.

But the key point to make is that even a change of one atom in an

estrogen molecule can render that hormone completely inert to the

human body.

Consider the difference between testosterone and estrogen.

We all know that testosterone causes the body to look and act male,

and that estrogen causes the body to look and act female.

Could any two substances have a dramatically more different impact?

And yet the actual physical difference between testosterone and

estrogen comes down two atoms of the entire molecule!

Do estrogens in soybeans have an impact on people?

So what about estrogens in soybeans? These are called phytoestrogens

(meaning, plant estrogens). These phytoestrogens are chemically quite

different from our own human estrogens, so it could be they have no effect

on people, or act like estrogens, or act like other hormones.

The only way to know is to look. So some researchers in St. Paul, MN

looked at dozens of published studies where dozens of researchers

looked at what happened to men who ate soy products. The question

they asked was: will eating soy products change their testosterone or

other hormone levels, and did they develop any female physical features?

The answer is resounding no.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19524224?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed

ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

So at this time, the evidence strongly suggests that eating soy,

soybean, edamame, tofu, soy milk, soy vegetable protein, or

other soy products, has no hormonal impact on people.

Dr. Lavin

*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

POLIO ALERT

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POLIO ALERT

For more than a decade, the Western Hemisphere (including the US) has been officially declared polio free. This wonderful freedom from the risk of catching polio is now in danger.

In a recent New York Times article, a quite disturbing outbreak of polio has been documented across much of Africa.

Not too long ago, polio was happening in only one country in Africa, Nigeria. Suspicions on the part of some African Islamic leaders led to a drop in the use of polio immunization, and now polio is raging across a broad swath of the continent.

(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21glob.html)

My concern is that one day a person infected with live polio virus will travel from Africa to somewhere in the United States.

With the rise in the number of infants not immunized against polio, the chance that someone might catch this virus here in the US is once again imminent.

So please, if you have decided to not immunize your child for polio, give that decision a fresh look. The US was once polio free, but may not be for long.

Unimmunized children can get the full polio illness, including paralysis, even here in Ohio.

Please call us if you have any questions, we would be glad to discuss.

Dr. Lavin

*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

Gum Might Prevent Cavities

Gum Might Prevent Cavities

Recently the possibility that xylitol might prevent cavities has come to light.

In the published study, people who ate 6gm or more a day of xylitol had 50-75% fewer cavities in their teeth.

The easiest way to deliver this benefit, believe it or not, is with sugarless gum.

Check the ingredient section of the gum, because only if you get 6gm or more of xylitol a day do you get the benefit. This typically will require chewing at least 6 sticks of gum a day.

The only down side appears to be that xylitol can cause stools to be looser.

Dr. Lavin

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*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

H1N1 Influenza (swine flu): In Sharp Decline

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H1N1 Influenza (swine flu): In Sharp Decline

For all those worried about this summer's flu epidemic, there is

now very good news to report.

According to the most recent posting from the CDC, the early hints

that the number of infections by the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) virus might be

in decline have now been confirmed by data from the week ending

July 4, 2009.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

According to this report, this virus is now in very sharp decline, with

numbers the lowest reported of the epidemic.

If these trends continue, the summer flu epidemic may soon be over.

However, stay tuned, since this unusual virus does have the potential

to re-appear, perhaps as early as this fall.

For now, however, a great relief may very well be in sight.

Dr. Lavin

*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

Scam Alert

SCAM ALERT

A company or individual has been found to be calling at least one family at Advanced

Pediatrics pretending to represent our practice, and asking people to send payments

for overdue balances to a post office box.

The only organization that currently is authorized to help us with billing is GlobalNet

Physician Services. So if you get a call asking for payment from anyone else but GlobalNet

or us, please do the following:

1. Note the phone number you were called from if you have caller ID
2. If they left a message, do not erase it.
3. Do not send them any money, they can use your check to begin identity theft.
4. Get as much information about the organization you can, such as, who is calling, numbers.

We have reported this incident to the police, but do not expect there to be many such

incidences. Only one has occurred in my experience in the last 24 years.

But, just in case, do let us know, and never send a payment to anyone but our office or our

authorized billing agency, GlobalNet Physician Services.

Thanks once again,

Dr. Lavin

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*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

H1N1 Influenza (swine flu): First signs of decrease

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H1N1 Influenza (swine flu): First signs of decrease

Good news! For the first time since the H1N1 Influenza (swine flu) virus first appeared this year,

the number of cases reported to the CDC has dropped significantly.

If you go to the CDC tracking website (http://cdc.gov/flu/weekly/) you will see that the number of cases of illness from H1N1 Influenza (swine flu) virus has

dropped quite a bit in the week ending June 24, 2009.

We do not yet know if this decrease will persist, but as of June 24, this virus is less likely to cause illness in the US.

Dr. Lavin

*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

ADVANCED PEDIATRICS and MEDICATIONS

ADVANCED PEDIATRICS and MEDICATIONS

It seems that every day, and certainly every month, a new drug that we once thought was safe turns out to have a surprise list of possibly dangerous side effects.

The trend is so striking, that many families in our practice are beginning to lose trust in the whole notion of a safe prescription drug.

We at Advanced Pediatrics think this is an important time to emphasize our stance in this unsettling time.

We Listen to Your Concerns

The most important point to make is that we truly share your perspective. The way we put it is that all interventions potentially harmful, all carry some risk. This includes not just medications, but lab tests, X-rays, consultations, even holistic or alternative medicine interventions.
Anytime you take a person and subject them to an intervention, unanticipated consequences are possible.
Therefore, we try to take a very hard and close look at any intervention we suggest you consider.

The Test

The best test for whether an intervention, any intervention, is a good idea is a two question test:

1. Does it work?
   
2. What harm can it cause?
   

If it does not work, that is make your child's life actually better, we do not recommend it.
If it works, but the risks outweigh the benefit, we do not recommend it.

Manufacture v. Marketing


When it comes to prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the pharmaceutical industry does a exceptional job in manufacture. That is, a pill that claims to have 20mg of a particular drug in the US, almost certainly does contain 20 mg of that drug. Manufacture in the US is extremely reliable.  However, when it comes to marketing, we all know that medications have become very much like cars. They are both very aggressively marketed. A tremendous effort is expended to try to have you take a large number of drugs.
This aspect of the US drug industry is actually fairly useless. Marketing pressures have no role to play in answering the two key questions of whether to take a medicine: does it work, will it cause harm?

Sticking to the Facts and Avoiding Marketing Influence

To keep our attention on the key questions- does it work, and what harm can it cause- Advanced Pediatrics works hard to stick to the facts.  We read current medical literature published weekly. We are conversant with literature searches on the National Library of Medicine. We listen to families who find leads on stories of concern about particular drugs and other interventions.

Just as importantly, we try to shield ourselves from marketing influences as completely as possible (although we do still see the same commercials you do).


To that end, these have been our policies as long as this office has been open:

• prohibit any representatives of any pharmaceutical industry from physically entering our office
  
• discard any marketing materials from the pharmaceutical industry mailed to the office
  
• buy our own pens, pads, and calendars
  
• accept no gifts from the pharmaceutical industry
  
• do not review, or quote articles funded by the pharmaceutical industry
  

THE BOTTOM LINE


We share your worry that so many drugs are turning out the be potentially harmful.  Our office is here to help you keep your children healthy, not mainly to prescribe medications or order tests.  Our goal is to make sure advice we give you is based on the facts.  The key facts we seek about any drug is what it is supposed to do, and what harm can it possibly cause.  We try to avoid distractions that would keep us from sharing the actual facts with you.

Please feel free to call us with questions that you have, it's the best way to learn together.

*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

SINGULAIR MAY CAUSE CHANGES IN BRAIN FUNCTION

SINGULAIR MAY CAUSE CHANGES IN BRAIN FUNCTION

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In mid-June of 2009 the FDA issued an official recommendation that the label for Singulair warn people that it might alter how their moods and thinking work.

Specifically, the FDA believes there is enough evidence for the following side effects from Singulair, that manufacturers have to print them in their label:

• Agitation
• Aggression
• Anxiousness
• Dream abnormalities
• Hallucinations
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Suicidal thinking
• Behavior abnormalities
• Tremor

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm166246.htm

Please note that these are possible side effects.

From our point of view this means that we should no longer consider Singulair a completely harmless medication, it can cause these potentially very troubling and even dangerous side effects.

As a result we make the following new recommendations:

1. Everyone should now know that Singulair may cause these side effects.
2. We will no longer be starting people on Singulair unless their situation demands taking that risk.
3. For everyone who is currently taking Singulair, people experiencing any of these severe side effects will be re-evaluated to see if we can stop the medication without endandering their well-being from a worsening of their asthma or allergies.
4. If you are taking Singulair now and having none of these side effects, we will discuss the risk that these may still occur, but consider still using the medication if it is helping control asthma or allergies.

BOTTOM LINE

• Be aware now that the FDA deems Singulair capable of causing significant changes in mood and thought function.
• We will limit new prescriptions to those who need the medication despite these potential risks
• New refills will now require at least a conversation with Dr. Lavin, Dr. Hertzer, or Ms. Muldoon Rieger
• If your child is taking Singulair, see if any of these side effects is possibly happening and if so, let us know ASAP.

*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.