The hygiene hypothesis.

I’ve definitely written/spoken about this before, but a good friend (thanks Elizabeth!) sent me this article and it got me to thinking about the Western obsession with hygiene again: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

“In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with ‘dirt’ spur the development of a healthy immune system.”

More here: nytimes.com/health. Now go eat some dirt.

A tale of statistics.

Particularly in the world of health, we are often so tied to statistics that we neglect to see the bigger picture in terms of what are often times merely false associations.* With that in mind, and knowing that my one of my brothers just found out the sex of his new baby, this story definitely caught my eye: Does Bran Make the Man? What Statistics Really Tell Us

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this too. Happy Tuesday!

*Statistically, who would think a 29-year-old who has been through heart and lung surgery would be working a 50+ hour a week job, doing triathlons, surfing, and snowboarding?

Humira, Crohn’s and remission.

This one is short and easy—Humira seems to be working for many patients. More here: Humira Has Advantages Over Remicade

(And for what it’s worth it’s working for me.)

Approval for Stem Cell trial.

Tied to the new administration or not, many patients with severe spinal cord injuries see a massive ray of hope in the clearance of a clinical trial announced by Geron, the biotechnology company that initially applied to the Food and Drug Administration to conduct the trial last spring.

“Because the cells can turn into any type of cell in the body, the theory is they may one day be able to provide tissues to replace worn-out organs or nonfunctioning cells to treat diabetes, heart attacks and other diseases. The field is known as regenerative medicine. The Bush administration restricted federal financing for research on embryonic stem cells because creation of the cells entails the destruction of human embryos.” (even the stem cells from donated cord blood)

More here: nytimes.com/business and good luck Geron!

Jungle fever.

I heard Daphne Miller, M.D. on Forum (KQED) yesterday and was fascinated. Dr. Miller has traveled the world in search of healthy indigenous diets and wrote a book—The Jungle Effect—about her findings. In The Jungle Effect (and on the show) Miller shares the healthy secrets of authentic cuisines and explains why she thinks diet is such an important part of fighting many of the chronic illnesses she sees in her patients.

Check out her site and get the book.

Rubber Side Down.

Remember those totally crazy guys—Greg + Vin—that rode their bikes across (all of) Canada to raise money and awareness for a cure for Crohn’s disease and colitis? Well, they’re working on a documentary about their journey and were kind of enough to send me the poster today (left).

Visit rubbersidedownmovie.com for a trailer and check out their site poweredbycommunity.org for more info on the long, hard journey. Look for the movie in April of this year.

A doc’s opinion on fertility and Crohn’s disease.

Dr. Paul Donahue of “To Your Good Health” weighs on in on the future for a young woman wondering about her prospects as a mother: “Controlled Crohn’s disease shouldn’t affect fertility”

More here: southcoasttoday.com

Economic health care triage or...

...“Health Care You Can’t Afford Not To Afford.” Considering cutting back on a dose of medicine or skipping it altogether? Ignoring symptoms/markers you should be telling a doctor about? Feeling so out-of-control that you can’t even maintain your most crucial and regular routines? I hate to tell you this but...you‘re normal. Get your general well-being together and read this: nytimes.com

Obama’s healthcare plan has arrived.

No plan has been cemented in stone just yet, but the House moved on Wednesday to pass legislation to expand State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) which will cover 4 million children+. The Senate will work on it’s version this week as well. This will likely be one of the first bills President Obama signs.

Read more here: forbes.com

Wegener’s + RA treated without Cytoxan.

I found this case report — and was stoked — while seeking some information about Wegener’s diagnoses combined with other auto-immune issues (Crohn’s specifically): “Limited Wegener’s granulomatosis presenting as lung nodules in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis”

The short of the long here is that the doctors learned to treat this patient differently (less caustically) as her Wegener’s symptoms were present only in the lungs. Weekly methotrexate and low dose prednisone found the patient with considerable improvement. More here: 7thspace.com

The state of health.

When you consider the fact that America’s healthcare spending accounts for 16 percent of our gross domestic product — it’s not hard to see how costs are projected to rise to 20 percent in less than 10 years. Did I mention that most of this spending is related to preventable illnesses and health problems?

It’s no wonder that Barack Obama’s incredible state of health is not seen as “average” here in the US. Check out Michelle Andrews’ (great) piece on health reform efforts that focus on prevention: The State of America’s Health as Obama Takes Office

Dolphins help treat Crohn’s disease.

Okay, that isn’t entirely true, but it’s close and really interesting.

“The same technology used to transport dolphins long distances is now being used at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis to prevent dangerous infections during surgery.”

More here: bnd.com

A pause between flossings.

I had this funny moment last night. I was upholding my new year's resolution—and flossing before I went to bed—and while I looked in the mirror with my mouth wide open and the floss mid-stride I thought, “I wish that general physicians/doctors were as rude to their patients as dentists are.”

Okay. Rude is the wrong word, but you know what I mean, right? Every time I go to to the dentist I get the “floss lecture.” The “seriously, if you would just floss we could eliminate about 2/3 of your problems here” talk where I nod in agreement but maintain my habit of flossing maybe once-a-week regardless.

Imagine if our general physicians lectured us like this. Imagine if your friend who smokes a pack a day got a stern disquisition after every visit or phone call to any physician they saw. Or if your buddy who hasn’t exercised since you were forced to wear matching gym shorts had to hear about his deteriorating muscle mass every time he went to get his Ambien prescription refilled.

I’m not saying it’s right or okay, I’m just saying consider it. Just a thought—open for discourse. Happy 2nd weekend in January.

Found: Susceptibility to Crohn's

I only know McGill from my former life as a rower — and my kitchen-counter knowledge that it is a great university. Anyway, researchers at McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) pinpointed DNA sequence variants in a gene region called NLRP3 that are associated with an increased vulnerability to Crohn's disease.

“Although the exact cause of Crohn's disease is still unknown, both environmental and genetic factors are known to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the disease,” Dr. Denis Franchimont formerly of MUHC said. Dr. Franchimont now works in Brussels, Belgium at Erasme Hospital and was a former Canada Research Chair formerly affiliated with the Gastroenterology Department.

More about the study here: physorg.com

Truly mobile healthcare.

My very talented friend Jess wrote this story about Dimagi — a “not-for-very-profit” company that is helping medical workers in developing countries to treat patients with the help of mobile phones. This kind of innovation in healthcare gives me great hope for the future.

Well done Jess and nice work Dimagi!

More here: The health-care cure: Your cell phone

The resolution to fight.

I noticed last night that there were a lot more people at my gym than just a few weeks ago. There were more trainers, more filled lockers, and less machines to use. Yep, one week in and the resolutions are still going strong. And while I think it’s great, I cynically give most of the faces I don’t recognize another week until I get my favorite treadmill back. (I know, I’m a jerk.)

Similar to a New Year’s resolution, there is an enlightenment I have often seen in people facing a baleful illness or living with a new diagnosis. The New York Times points to just this in their fitness section this week with an intriguing piece: Disease Invades a Body, and Endorphins Kick In

“Many who are faced with a chronic condition or a terminal diagnosis find a new purpose in exercise, developing regimens that leave them in the best shape of their lives.” It’s ironic, but a good thing—I think—and as Og Mandino said, “Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity.”

Happy resolution keeping and here’s to making me out to be a true cynic.

Cheers to your health.

When my body/health is up for it, I love to sip on a good glass of champagne, but am not often downing a whole bottle (for obvious reasons). Here’s what to do with the rest of the bubbles: 7 Ways With Champagne. The risotto with radicchio looks especially yummy.

Also in the interest of food & cocktails, you might want to know that in addition to prolonging your life and protecting your heart, red wine my curb fat cells. You don’t have to take my word for it though: nytimes.com/health

Cheers and happy new year!

Intestinal TB or the mysteries of Crohn's disease.

Check out this piece from Annapolis’ The Capital: Pathogens & People: Agony & Mystery of Crohn’s disease

Edward McSweegan does an exceptional job of succinctly explaning the similarities (and differences) between Crohn’s disease and the Johne’s disease causing bacteria Mycobacterium avium paraptuberculosis (MAP). Read more here: HometownAnnapolis.com

Bayer sues Abbott over Humira.

I saw this appear in my Google alerts today: “Bayer unit sues Abbott over Humira arthritis drug”

I would love to hear more about this case (if anyone knows more, please post a comment or email me). For those of you that don’t know, Humira is a TNF blocker that many of us are on for Crohn’s disease — I have been on and off of it for 2+ years now. It was originally created to help maintain rheumatoid arthritis — more commonly know as RA.