Gardasil

I was watching Anderson Cooper's 360 when I saw that he had a segment about Gardasil. Gardasil is a vaccine against cervical cancer...and it has just been approved by FDA. WoW! This marks a very important step forward in women's health.

Eversince I became an oncology nurse, my eyes opened on the importance of cancer prevention. I have seen enough of cancer victims that every night I pray that they would find a cure for cancer... And the emergence of Gardasil is a blessing.

Gardasil is a vaccine that helps protect against diseases cause by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). HPV causes cervical cancer, genital warts and abnormanl/precancerous cervical,vaginal and vulvar lesions. Their primary target population for this vaccine would be predominantly females between the ages of 11-13. But Merck and Co. is saying that the vaccine could also help those people who has HPV.

Now, this has set up a clash between health advocates who want to use the shots aggressively and social conservatives who are citing fears that it could send a subtle message of encouraging sexual activity before marriage.

I don't know but I think the vaccine is great. It would help prevent a cancer that kills a large number of women each year....and that having your pre-teen vaccinated with this could also be an avenue for you too to talk about sex.

National Cervical Cancer Coalition likened the vaccine to wearing a seat belt. As they say,"Just because you wear a seat belt doesn't mean you're seeking out an accident,".

No one could have said it better.

Low salt and low sodium diet

You may have heard your doctor or nurse talk about a low-sodium or a low-salt diet and may wonder whether they are different diets. There is actually no difference between the two. Doctors and nurses usually use the terms sodium and salt to mean the same thing.

It is important to decrease the amount of sodium you eat when you have heart failure, because heart failure causes the body to hold on to extra sodium. The sodium causes extra fluid to build up in your body. The extra fluid makes your heart work harder. That's why you have those heart failure symptoms - because of excess water.

Here are some tips to lower your salt and sodium intake:

1. Be aware when you are grocery shopping. READ THE LABEL. Look for foods that are labeled "low-sodium," "sodium-free," "no salt added," or "unsalted." Check the total sodium content. Be especially careful of canned, packaged, and frozen foods.

2. Don’t cook with salt or don't overdo. Try pepper, garlic, lemon, or other spices for flavor instead. Be careful of packaged spice blends as these often contain salt or salt products (like monosodium glutamate, MSG).

3. Avoid foods that are naturally high in sodium, like anchovies, meats (particularly cured meats, bacon, hot dogs, sausage, bologna, ham, and salami), nuts, olives, pickles, canned meats, sauerkraut, soy and Worcestershire sauces, tomato and other vegetable juices, and cheese.
Take care when eating out. Stick to steamed, grilled, baked, boiled, and broiled foods with no added salt, sauce, or cheese.

4. Use oil and vinegar, rather than bottled dressings, on salads.

5. Eat fresh fruit or sorbet when having dessert.

Other conditions that may benefit from a low-salt diet include Ménière’s disease, migraine, gastritis, ulcers and kidney stones to name a few. Some researches also suggests that restricting dietary salt may play a role in the prevention of certain types of cancer including stomach, colorectal, and head and neck cancers.

Restrict high-sodium foods to a tiny corner of your pantry, and use the new wide open space to stock up on food that’s good for you. It's just a matter of getting used to. Soon, your taste buds will perk up, and your health risks will go down.

Heart Failure

I know the term "heart failure" doesn't sound real good but what heart failure means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal. It is NOT cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest means the heart actually stops beating. Heart failure is also called congestive heart failure, or CHF. "Congestive" means fluid is starting to build up in the body because the heart isn't pumping properly.

There are different causes of heart failure. It could be one of the following:

-High blood pressure (hypertension)
-Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart )
-Heart muscle problems(known as cardiomyopathy)
-Alcohol abuse
-Congenital heart disease (a heart problem you were born with)
-Diabetes
-Thyroid problems

What do we need to watch out for?

1. Rapid weight gain
2. Shortness of breath with any activity at all
3. Shortness of breath when laying down
4. Swelling of the legs or ankles
5. Waking up in the night suddenly breathless

With these symptoms, it is best to go to your doctor. He would usually order an EKG or an Electrocardiogram to determine your heart's functioning ability. Heart failure can't be completely cured (it's like hypertension). An important part of treatment is taking care of any underlying problems first. It also includes lifestyle changes and medicines.

Your medicine would depend on the symptom that you are manifesting. Your doctor might give you the following meds:


ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors help open your arteries and lower your blood pressure thus improving blood flow.
Diuretics. Diuretics or "water pills". This medication would make you urinate more often and help keep fluid from building up in your body. They can also decrease fluid that collects in your lungs, which helps you breathe easier.
Beta blockers. Beta blockers can improve blood flow and may help prevent some heart rhythm problems.
Digoxin. Digoxin (also called digitalis) helps the heart pump better.

Lifestyle changes includes:

1. Limit salt and sodium intake.
2. Don’t smoke.
3. Exercise. Stay active. Your doctor can provide a safe and effective exercise plan based on your degree of heart failure and how well you do on tests that check the strength and function of your heart. DO NOT exercise on days that your weight has gone up from fluid retention or you are not feeling well.
4. Lose weight if you are overweight.
5. Get enough rest, including after exercise, eating, or other activities. This allows your heart to rest as well.

Heart failure can be frightening. It has no cure, but one can live a full and enjoyable life with the right treatment and active attention to your lifestyle.

In Charge With Diabetes

Everybody has sugar in our body. Sugar is use for energy... But too much sugar is not good. It can mean diabetes. Normally, your body breaks food down into sugar. Then, your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. Its main function is to help get the sugar from the blood into the cells to be used for fuel and energy. Insulin helps keep blood sugar in check.

According to the American Diabetes Association, more than one out of every three individuals in the United States have diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. There are three types of Diabetes - Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes

In type 1, the pancreas stops making insulin. Without insulin, the cells in your body can't use food properly. Because glucose can not enter the cells, it builds up in the blood and the body's cells literally starve to death hence, there is extreme hunger but loss of weight in these individuals.

In type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use insulin correctly. It usually begins gradually and progresses slowly. Often than not, you are asymptomatic - meaning you don't know that you already have diabetes.

Gestational is a type of diabetes that some women develop during pregnancy. When pregnant, your hormones make it tougher for your body to use insulin, so your pancreas needs to produce more of it. As your need for insulin increases, your pancreas secretes more of it. But when a woman's pancreas can't keep up with the insulin demand and her blood glucose levels get too high, the result is gestational diabetes.

I remember when my mom was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes a few years back. She was in denial at first which is understandable. When she was told that she has diabetes, what she pictured was that she will be reprimanded from eating her favorite - chocolates! The first year was hard. I had to talk to her several times. She hated it with passion. She had a hard time checking what she eats.

People with diabetes can eat the same foods as the rest of the family. They key is choosing foods properly and eating reasonable portions to keep your blood sugar on track and reach your target weight. There are lots and lots of food right now in the market that targeted for the diabetic population. You can even have desserts!

Read food labels carefully! Sugar-free does not always mean carbohydrate-free. This also goes with fat free foods. Fat-free foods can be higher in carbohydrate and contain almost the same calories as the foods they replace. One good example of this are fat-free cookies.


Exercise is a biggie. People with diabetes need to be active. Activity helps keep your blood sugar levels down. Regular exercises can help your body respond to insulin and is effective in managing blood glucose. It can lower blood glucose and possibly reduce the amount of medication you need to treat diabetes, or sometimes, even eliminate the need for medication.

You can be healthy and happy with diabetes.

You just have to be in charge.