Does regular aspirin use cut risk of cancer?
Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
These days aspirin is made in a lab, but extracts from the bark of the willow tree were used to treat pain in Egypt as long ago as 3000 B.C. In 400 B.C., Hippocrates prescribed willow leaf tea to ease the pain of childbirth.
Salicylic acid, the compound produced by the willow, has stood the test of time as a medicine. Today its uses have expanded far beyond treating pain and inflammation. It has been shown to help prevent heart attacks and strokes, especially for those folks at high risk. There’s also mounting evidence that it helps prevent cancer and reduces cancer-associated deaths.
Research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting explored these benefits. A Harvard study looked at data on more than 130,000 people and found that all cancer mortality risk was 7 percent lower for women and 15 percent lower for men who regularly used aspirin, compared to non-users. The strongest reduction in relative risk was for colorectal cancer: 31 percent for women and 30 percent for men who regularly took aspirin. Women who took aspirin had an 11 percent lower risk of dying of breast cancer, and men who took aspirin had a 23 percent lower risk of dying of prostate cancer. There were benefits at dosages ranging from 0.5 standard aspirin tablets weekly to seven aspirin tablets weekly.
If you take other medications, talk with your doctor before taking aspirin. Always take it with a half glass of warm water before and after.
A second opinion on second opinions
Stand-up legend Rodney Dangerfield became famous for his quips about how he got no respect from anyone. “My psychiatrist told me I’m going crazy,” went one of his jokes. “I told him, ‘If you don’t mind, I’d like a second opinion.’ He said, ‘All right. You’re ugly, too!’”
Now a new study from the Mayo Clinic shows that getting a second opinion is no joke. The researchers looked at records for nearly 300 patients who had been referred to a specialist by their primary-care doctors. They found that in 21 percent of cases, the initial diagnosis was completely changed, while a full 66 percent of second opinions led to a more specific diagnosis. Only 12 percent of diagnoses stayed the same. In this study, the conditions that were most commonly misdiagnosed were respiratory problems, mental illnesses and problems in the genital area and urinary tract.
Wondering whether to get a second opinion? Here’s a good rule of thumb: If your diagnosis means you need intensive therapy or treatment, such as surgery or chemotherapy, or taking a drug for more than seven days, or if you’re having ongoing unexplained symptoms, such as weight loss or a persistent cough that you don’t feel your doctor has explained, get a second opinion.
Ask your doctor to refer you to a physician in your network to keep costs down. Even though another visit might seem like a big hassle, you’ll save more serious hassles if it keeps you from a misdiagnosis or an insufficient diagnosis.
Question: I heard that there are magnets that can change your gut biome and make you thinner. Sounds like sci-fi to me — although I would love it if it works! What’s the story? — Patricia J., Boise, Idaho
Answer: Experimental research on obesity gets broadcast far and wide, and the stories can make it sound like there’s an instant cure — or that there will be soon. That’s a shame, because it may make you think you can put off doing the tough but rewarding work that it takes to upgrade your health as you shed excess pounds. Magnet stimulation therapy isn’t a solution now, but avoiding the Five Food Felons and getting 10,000 steps a day are proven ways to upgrade your health and help you lose weight.
That said, what we believe you’re referring to is what’s called noninvasive, deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS). In a new study presented at the Endocrine Society’s 99th annual meeting, researchers used dTMS to alter neurotransmitters and hormones, such as norepinephrine, in the brain and in the gut (yup, the neurotransmitters are there too). After giving volunteers either three dTMS or three sham sessions a week for five weeks, researchers found that those getting the real dTMS lost over 3 percent of their body weight and more than 4 percent of their fat, along with measurable changes in their gut bacteria.
Many obese folks lack the right mix of certain glucose- and weight and appetite regulating gut bacteria. It seems that those bacteria can be induced to multiply through dTMS (electronic probiotics, you might say!).
What it means for you today: Amp up your intake of prebiotics (high-fiber foods), probiotics (yogurt and kefir) and supplements (we favor Culturelle and Digestive Advantage) so your body can work to promote stable glucose levels, which will help you control your appetite and promote weight loss.
Q: I have sciatic nerve pain going down my leg, and it stops me from walking. I tried stretching my leg muscles, but it doesn’t help. Is walking good or bad for this? — Andy M., Freehold, New Jersey
A: Walking is very good for just about everything — from having a younger RealAge to protecting your cardiovascular system and brain! But if you really have sciatica, a compression of the sciatic nerve, the problem probably won’t be solved simply by walking more. You need to find out what is causing the nerve pain. The good news is that it should be fairly easily diagnosed.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body, and it branches out from your lower spine and heads down the back of your legs, passing through your buttocks. Accidents can cause problems with your spine that lead to sciatic nerve damage, but the most common triggers are prolonged sitting and not getting enough exercise. Smoking, being overweight and sleeping on a too-soft mattress also can lead to the spine problems that cause sciatica.
Ninety percent of true sciatica pain is due to a herniated or slipped disc; the rest usually is related to spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal cord in the lower back), causing compression on the nerve root. In rare cases, it can be related to the growth of a tumor. So before the problem becomes chronic, which means it lasts more than eight to 12 weeks, ask your doctor for an evaluation. Hopefully you’ll walk out with a physical-therapy referral. With physical therapy, most sciatica resolves within six weeks. After six weeks, if your pain persists, most docs will order an MRI.
We know it’s strange, almost counterintuitive, to think your leg pain stems from a problem in your spine, but that’s where sciatica usually starts. Fixing the problem there is the only thing that’ll bring you lasting relief. Luckily, a combination of physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs most likely will relieve the pain (occasionally, surgery is needed) and get you back out there, walking your 10,000 steps a day.