Two arthritis drugs increase cancer risk
Arthritis patients can't catch a break when it comes to prescription drugs. First we learned that Vioxx increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. Now a recent study has shown that two drugs intended for rheumatoid arthritis patients could increase your risk for cancer.
The study showed that rheumatoid arthritis patients who take the injectable drugs Humira or Remicade face triple the risk of developing several kinds of cancer (including skin and lung cancer) than people not taking these medications.
What's so scary about this news is that hundreds of thousands of patients have been treated with these two drugs, which block production of a protein that's linked to inflammation. And while inflammation is generally a bad thing, the way these drugs suppress inflammation also suppresses your immune system's defenses against cancer and disease.
Now I know that these drugs are being used to treat more severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis, which can be a horribly disabling disease. Unfortunately, many doctors -- including arthritis specialists -- are so entranced by these big gun drugs that they don't pay more attention to safer, useful interventions like exercise, relaxation techniques, good nutrition, and safe supplements and herbs.
For information on natural remedies for treating arthritis, check out the April 2006 issue of America's Country Doctor. If you're a subscriber you can download it for free from my Web site, www.AmericasCountryDoctor.com.
Sleepless nights
We live in a world where there's always something to do -- all the time -- whether it's surfing the Internet, reading the newspaper, or watching your favorite late night talk show host.
But the results of a recent major survey show that our 24-hours-a-day culture is taking a bigger toll on our sleeping habits than we might realize. Then there are the things that actually physically prevent you from sleeping -- like too much caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Stress is also a big factor.
According to the survey, about one in six Americans get fewer than six hours of sleep every night -- that's a good deal less than the recommended eight hours.
Too little sleep has been linked to all sorts of illnesses -- obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, just to name a few. The poll also linked poor sleep habits to relationship troubles, car accidents, and poor work performance.
The only way to prevent any of these things from happening to you is to find the root of your insomnia problem and deal with it. But while you're figuring out what the problem is, it couldn't hurt to try valerian root. This is one of my favorite natural sleep remedies, one that I recommend to a lot of my patients. It's safe, non-toxic, and non-habit-forming.
It's not your typical over-the-counter sleeping pill though, so one dose won't be the answer to all your problems. You should plan on taking it every night for at least two weeks to get the full effect. Once you're sleeping better, you can start to taper off over the course of a week or two. This prevents withdrawal symptoms like confusion or rapid heart beat. Try it for a month or two. This should be enough to put your insomnia at rest.
I recommend Nature's Way Standardized Valerian Extract. Take one to three capsules taken 30 minutes before bedtime.
