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Greetings!
The tomatoes are in the ground! Does anything taste better than a homegrown tomato? I have to admit that I am really looking forward to seeing and tasting what our plants produce this year. If you enjoy growing tomatoes here is a website to check out: Tips on growing tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant. Lycopenes have been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration of the eye, cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. To activate the lycopene in tomatoes it is important that you cook them with a healthy fat such as olive oil so that the antioxidants are activated and adequately absorbed when eaten. If you live in an apartment or have a small yard consider growing tomatoes in containers- especially cherry tomatoes. There are a lot of other herbs and veggies that do well in containers. The Sunset Magazine website has some good information about growing veggies in pots.
In this newsletter I will help you decipher herb and supplement labels. I will also give you some guidance on how to judge the quality of a supplement.
You may notice that this newsletter is a bit shorter- let me know what you think. I know my readers are busy people so I have cut it back a bit! As always, I hope you find the information in this month's newsletter helpful. |
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WHH News
Join me at the Osher Center
I will be offering integrative women's health consultations at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine beginning June 2nd. You can make an appointment to see me by calling 415-353-7700. Here is a link for more information about the Osher Center.
UCSF Chronic Pelvic Pain Clinic
I am also seeing patients with chronic pelvic pain at the Women's Health Center at UCSF. In this clinic we look for all sources of pelvic pain and approach women in a very holistic manner. For an appointment in the chronic pelvic pain clinic call 415-885-7788.
Panties and Pads for Kenya
As I mentioned last month, I will be going on a medical mission to Kenya in July. Many young Kenyan girls are unable to attend school when they get their periods because they do not have sanitary pads or panties. I will be bringing a couple of duffel bags full of panties and pads to Kenya. If you would like to contribute, please contact me. It's an easy and fun way to make a difference in a young woman's life.
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Ask Dr. P
Choosing Quality Herbs & Supplements
Educate yourself.
Consult unbiased sources such as Natural Standard, The German E Commission Monographs or the American Botanical Council Web site for information about herbs and supplements. Nutraceuticals are big business and they are being marketed heavily. Don't believe everything you read. See below about how dietary supplements are regulated.
When buying herbal products, use standardized extracts when you are able. These come in liquid or solid forms, and contain a specified amount of an herb's compounds. St. John's Wort is an example of an herb that is standardized. See last month's newsletter for more info on buying herbs.
Read the label carefully. All vitamin formulations are not the same.
Make sure you understand what the "serving size" is. Multivitamins can have a "serving size" of anywhere from one to eight tablets. Do not mistakenly think that all multivitamins are "one a day". Also, notice that the ingredients listed are for the whole serving size, not one tablet.
Be sure to read the "Directions for Use". Sometimes the directions are to take your supplement 3 times a day. Will you really take them 3 times a day every day? Be sure you can take them as directed if you want to get the benefit of the supplement.
Check the expiration date. Make sure you'll use the contents before you reach that date.
Store supplements in a cool, dry, safe place--not on the bathroom counter. As with all medication, keep supplements away from children, in a locked or secure location.
Use reputable brands. Well-known brands tend to use higher standards for their handling, packaging and ingredients. Nature's Way, Jarrow, Twin Lab, Eclectic are examples of these companies.
Look for the DRI. This is the daily recommended intake of a vitamin or nutrient. Unfortunately, in many cases, these amounts do not reflect current clinical research. In addition, they are recommended doses for an "average healthy adult". As individuals, we have different dietary habits, health conditions, etc. that can lead to deficiencies in various vitamins and nutrients. This is not taken in to account in the federal guidelines. On the other hand, more than 100% of a vitamin's daily DRI is not necessarily better. Avoid the dangers that megadoses may cause by consulting the recommended tolerable upper intake levels provided by the IOM Dietary Reference Intakes Table. Notice the ND's (not determined) throughout the IOM table on upper levels. This tells you how little evidence there is for nutrition recommendations and how important it is that we support nutrition research.
Be aware of proprietary blends added to supplements. See the "Flexibility Complex" on the label below. They only list the ingredients in their proprietary blend, not the doses or other important details about the herbs. Many vitamins marketed for women contain a proprietary "herb blend for women". It is very unlikely that these herbs are added in adequate doses to be of any therapeutic value. If you would benefit from a specific herb, have your provider prescribe it for you in the appropriate dose and formulation you need.
Are your vitamins and supplements safe? Here is some information from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) you should know. The FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products (prescription and over-the-counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. The FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with the FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading. The Federal Trade Commission regulates dietary supplement advertising.
Advice on choosing a quality product:
v Choose companies that follow good manufacturing practices (GMP), this will be on the label.
v Look for the United States Pharmacopoeia Quality Verification Program seal (USP). Notice most Costco brand products have this!
v Another is the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), they certify water filtration systems around the world.
v Consumerlabs.com evaluates supplements (very similar to USP criteria) and can be found online for an annual fee of about $25.
I hope you found this information useful. Please let me know if I can help you find the herbs and supplements that are appropriate for you.
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Living Green Tip of the Month
Flush it or Crush it? Disposal of Unused Medications
An Associated Press probe reported that trace levels of prescription and OTC drugs are detectable in drinking water nationwide. Waste water contains consumed drugs that are excreted as well as unused drugs that are flushed down the toilet. After treatment, some waste water enters the drinking water supply. The AP investigation detected trace amounts of various drugs - including hormones, antibiotics, anxiolytics, anti-convulsants, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and others - in the drinking water supply of several major metropolitan areas.
Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs
In order to avoid misuse, abuse, or diversion of discarded drugs, most unused drugs should be placed into household trash as follows:
- Remove drugs from their original container.
- Mix or crush with an unappetizing substance (coffee grounds, kitty litter, dust) and place into an impermeable container, such as a jar with a lid or a sealable plastic bag.
- Place in household trash.
The only drugs that should be flushed down the toilet are those whose label or accompanying patient information explicitly specifies flushing. Patients should refer to printed material accompanying each medication for specific instructions.
The FDA advises that the following drugs should be flushed into the toilet rather than thrown into the trash: fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, and antivirals.
Some communities host pharmaceutical take-back programs that encourage the public to bring unused drugs to a location for appropriate disposal. Elephant Pharmacy offers this. These programs are a good way to dispose of unused drugs.
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Women's Health & Healing believes women want a provider that will guide them on their quest for health and healing based on experience, education and the ability to examine the scientific evidence to support recommended treatments.
With gratitude, |
Priscilla Abercrombie, RN, NP, PhD
Women's Health & Healing
415-457-1451 |
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