Summer Health Scares

Summer has arrived with more health scares in the national press. The two most recent: that anti-inflammatory drugs have been linked to an increase risk of heart attack and that immoderate consumption of red meat is associated with a higher incidence of bowel cancer. How seriously should we take these reports and, more importantly, are there any safe alternatives?

The reports that ibuprofen, one of a group of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), was linked with heart attacks followed hot on the heels of the announcement that the drug company Merck had withdrawn Vioxx its best-selling NSAID because it, too, was linked with heart attacks.

In a study reported in the British Medical Journal, a team at Nottingham University identified 9,218 patients aged from 25 to 100 who had suffered a first heart attack. After adjusting for other risk factors such as smoking, age, and arterial disease, they found that those taking ibuprofen in the three months before their attack had a 24% increased risk. With Vioxx the increased risk was 32%.

The EPIC study, a major European investigation into cancer and nutrition which monitored the diets of people in ten countries for five years, found that those who ate two portions a day of red meat, such as beef, lamb, pork, or veal, increased their risk of bowel cancer by 35% over those who ate just one portion per week.

Statistics can distort

Statistics like these can be alarming, particularly when shown as percentages. Percentages can give a distorted view of health risks which would be seen in a more realistic perspective were the natural frequency of a disease examined. The 24% increased risk of heart attacks is only one more case in just over a thousand people than would occur anyway.

Expressed in this way the outcome may not seem quite so scary but the fact that a risk exists in the first place should make us question the wisdom of using NSAIDS particularly when one considers the other side effects, such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Red meat, too, apart from its bowel cancer correlation, is associated with a greater incidence of arterial disease and rheumatism.

Safer alternatives?

Many people have become dependant on NSAIDS to get them through the day. A lot also believe they need a daily serving of animal protein, particularly if they follow some of the fashionable weight loss diets, such as Weight Watchers or Atkins. Are there safe alternatives for people eager to reduce their risk of heart attack or bowel cancer?

Well, it so happens that one answer could help both concerns. By cutting down your consumption of red meat you will not only lower your risk of bowel cancer but reduce the likelihood of pain and inflammation in your joints and muscles. Some years ago a Swedish study showed that a vegetarian diet was more effective in controlling rheumatoid arthritis. Meat is very high in arachidonic acid, an amino acid that encourages the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals, known as prostaglandins, in the body. So, less meat in your diet could mean less aches and pains, and almost certainly less risk of bowel cancer.

For those who are not yet ready to face a vegetarian diet, the good news from the EPIC study is that eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, and wholegrain cereals, lessens the risk of eating meat and that fish eaten regularly is also protective.

Alternatives to pain-killers and red meat?

Apart from your diet there are other natural measures that can be helpful. Supplements of fish oils can protect against joint inflammation and heart disease (vegetarians may use flax seed oil, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds to obtain the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids). There are various herbal medicines, such as Curcumin and Devil’s Claw, that have been found to be beneficial.

Osteopathy and acupuncture, especially when combined, are safe and well tried treatments for muscle and joint problems while simple home hydrotherapy is often more effective than many drugs in relieving stiffness and pain. Click on Health Tips for advice on how to use these.

R Newman Turner
June 2005