Popular Weight Loss and Diabetes Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Rare Form of Blindness

Popular Weight Loss and Diabetes Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Rare Form of Blindness

Claremont Colonic Clinic Newsletter
People who take Ozempic or Wegovy may have a higher risk of developing a rare form of blindness, a new study suggests. Still, doctors say it shouldn’t deter patients from using the medicines to treat diabetes or obesity.
Last summer, doctors at Mass Eye and Ear noticed an unusually high number of patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a type of eye stroke that causes sudden, painless vision loss in one eye.

The condition is relatively rare — up to 10 out of 100,000 people in the general population may experience it — but the doctors noted three cases in one week, and each of those patients was taking semaglutide medications.

A look back at six years of medical records showed that people with diabetes were more than four times more likely to be diagnosed NAION if they were taking a prescription semaglutide, and those who were overweight or obese were more than seven times more likely to experience the condition if they were taking the medication. The risk was found to be greatest within the first year of receiving a prescription for semaglutide.

The study, published Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA Ophthalmology, cannot prove that semaglutide medications cause NAION. And the small number of patients — an average of about 100 cases were identified each year — from one specialized medical center may not apply to a broader population.

Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of the only semaglutide medications in the US, emphasized that the data in the new study is not sufficient to establish a causal association between the use of semaglutide medications and NAION.

“Patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk, and we take all reports about adverse events from the use of our medicines very seriously,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email to CNN.

Semaglutide prescriptions have soared in the US, which could raise the number of people at risk for a potential side effect. And NAION is the second-leading cause of optic nerve blindness after glaucoma.

But even with an increased risk, the condition remains relatively uncommon.

“The use of these drugs has exploded throughout industrialized countries and they have provided very significant benefits in many ways, but future discussions between a patient and their physician should include NAION as a potential risk,” lead researcher Dr. Joseph Rizzo, director of the neuro-ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and a professor at Harvard Medical School, said in a news release. “Our findings should be viewed as being significant but tentative, as future studies are needed to examine these questions in a much larger and more diverse population.”

Experts agree that the potential risk of NAION should not deter the use of semaglutide medications to treat diabetes or obesity.

“In the ever-changing landscape of systemic therapies, being vigilant for potential new disease associations is a duty we all share on behalf of patients,” Susan Mollan, an ophthalmologist with the University Hospitals Birmingham in the UK wrote in a related commentary. But the large number of people who are taking semaglutide should raise confidence that the absolute risk of developing NAION as a result is rare.

The ways that semaglutides interact with the eyes are not entirely understood. And the exact cause of NAION is not known either. The condition causes damage to the optic nerve, but there is often no warning before vision loss.

Changes in blood sugar levels can affect the shape of an eye’s lens and may affect vision, said Dr. Disha Narang, an endocrinologist and director of obesity medicine at Endeavor Health in Chicago. She was not involved in the new study.

And the use of semaglutides, which prompt the body to create more insulin to reduce blood sugar, has been previously linked to temporary vision changes — new or worsening cases of diabetic retinopathy, or damage to blood vessels at the back of the eye — likely related to the rapid improvement of blood sugars.

The US Food and Drug Administration-approved labels for both Ozempic and Wegovy include vision changes among potential side effects, and Novo Nordisk is exploring the link between semaglutide use and diabetic retinopathy in a trial which they expect to complete 2027.

“Patient safety is paramount at the FDA and we continuously review available sources of data and new information on potential risks of drugs, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, and update labeling as needed to communicate new information on potential risks to healthcare providers and to patients as soon as possible,” Chanapa Tantibanchachai, a press officer with the FDA, told CNN over email.

While there is a “biologically plausible mechanism” for a potential interaction, “‘association is not causation’ and diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for NAION,” Dr. Andrew Lee, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, told CNN in an email. He was not involved in the new study.

For now, patients who are taking semaglutide or considering treatment should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctors, especially those who have othe

r known optic nerve problems such as glaucoma or preexisting visual loss, experts say. “It is important to consult with ophthalmology if patients experience visual changes,” Narang said. “It is important to make sure patients are consulting with physicians who are also comfortable prescribing semaglutide and talking through what may be clinically relevant versus irrelevant, and discussing benefits versus risks of long-term therapy.”


Contributor: Deidre McPhillips – CNN

If You Think You Can’t Focus for Long, You’re Right

If You Think You Can’t Focus for Long, You’re Right

Claremont Colonic Newsletter
I’ve been working steadily for hours but feel as if I haven’t even started. My attention is being pulled from my assigned task — writing this story — by a myriad of what I believe are necessary work interruptions. (OK, a couple were from my cat, who also firmly believes in their necessity.)
My kids and I call days like this “squirrel days” in honor of Dug, the talking dog in (squirrel !!) the 2009 Pixar movie “Up,” who (squirrel !!) was constantly distracted by well, just about (squirrel !!) …

Unfortunately, all too many of us are having “squirrel” days, according to Dr. Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, who studies how digital media affects our lives. In her book “Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity,” Mark explains how decades of research have tracked the decline of the ability to focus.

“In 2004, we measured the average attention on a screen to be 2½ minutes,” Mark said. “Some years later, we found attention spans to be about 75 seconds. Now we find people can only pay attention to one screen for an average of 47 seconds.”

Not only do people concentrate for less than a minute on any one screen, Mark said, but when attention is diverted from an active work project, they take about 25 minutes to refocus on that task. (Wait, what??)

“In fact, our research shows it takes 25 minutes, 26 seconds, before we go back to the original working sphere or project,” Mark said.

Why you have a short attention span

How can that be? “If we look at work in terms of switching projects, as opposed to the micro view of switching screens, we find people spend about 10½ minutes in any work project before being interrupted — internally or by someone else — and then switch to another work project,” Mark said.

Yes, but then we go back to the original work, right? Wrong, Mark said. Instead, when we are interrupted on project two, we switch yet again to a different task — call it project three. Unbelievably, her research has shown we are also interrupted on project three and move on to project four.

“And then you go back and pick up the original interrupted project,” Mark said. “But it’s not like you’re interrupted and you do nothing. For over 25 minutes, you’re actually working on other things.”

(At least I can tell my boss that when I miss my deadline.)

“However, there’s also a switch cost,” Mark added. “A switch cost is the time it takes you to reorient back to your work: ‘Where was I? What was I thinking of?’ That additional effort can also lead to errors and stress.”

How to focus

Why is all of this a problem? After all, it’s called multitasking, thought by many to be a highly prized skill for coping with the demands of the information age.

“With the exception of a few rare individuals, there is no such thing as multitasking,” Mark said. “Unless one of the tasks is automatic, like chewing gum or walking, you cannot do two effortful things at the same time.”

For example, she said, you can’t read email and be in a video meeting. When you focus on one thing, you lose the other. “You’re actually switching your attention very quickly between the two,” Mark said. “And when you switch your attention fast, it’s correlated with stress.”

Blood pressure rises. Heart rate speeds up. Psychological measures of stress also show negative outcomes, she said, such as more fatigue and mistakes and less productivity: “The more people multitask, the more errors they make.”

Who did this to us? We did, of course, with the help of tech culprits such as social media, tablets and television. But Mark blames email the most.

“To me, email is probably the worst because it’s become a symbol of work,” she said, adding that her research has found a direct correlation between email and more stress. “We cut off email for some workers in an organization for one workweek,” she said. “Using heart rate monitors, we found that they became significantly less stressed and were able to focus significantly longer.”

(I find myself pausing to look up flights to Bora Bora. Oh, right. They have email there, too.)

“There’s no way that a person can just completely cut off from technology and work in today’s world,” Mark said. “So let’s learn how to live with it in a way that maintains our positive well-being.”

How to increase your attention span

Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology, Mark said, a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.

Paradoxically, you can use technology to help, she said. Schedule rote work for the first part of the day when you’re not fully alert, then use technology to block distractions when you’re at your mental best. At night, offload tasks from your brain by writing them down and then put the list away.

Distracted by social media sites? Hide them, Mark said: “Take the icons off your desktop and bury the apps on your phone inside folders, where it takes an extra effort to find them. Leave your phone in another room or put it in a drawer and lock it.”

It’s also important to learn when to take a break. “If you have to read something more than once or if the words are just not registering, it’s time to stop and replenish,” she said.

The best break is a walk in nature: “Just a 20-minute walk in nature can help significantly relax people,” Mark said. “And we found it can help people produce significantly more ideas — it’s called divergent thinking.”

Too cold to walk outside? Do something engaging that takes no mental effort.

“I have a friend who is an MIT professor, and his favorite activity is matching socks,” Mark said. “Another friend likes to iron. Ideas can incubate and then we come back to the hard work, and we see it with fresh eyes.” br>

Contributor: Sandee LaMotte – CNN Health

9 Essential Oils That Beat Chronic Pain, Anxiety and Depression

9 Essential Oils That Beat Chronic Pain, Anxiety and Depression

Claremont Colonic and Nutrient Center
Individuals afflicted with autoimmune diseases know all too well how frustrating, painful, and life-altering these conditions can be. These illnesses, of which there are over 80 types, range from mild to severe, and the limitations and side effects of medications used to treat them leave many seeking a natural solution.
According to the United States National Library of Medicine, “When you have an autoimmune disorder, your immune system does not distinguish between healthy tissue and antigens. As a result, the body sets off a reaction that destroys normal tissues.”

Just a few examples of autoimmune illnesses include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, vasculitis, and psoriasis. These illnesses may have both genetic and environmental factors, and often come with “flare-ups”: sometimes symptoms are clear and present, and sometimes they are subdued.

One common factor in autoimmune illnesses is the presence of inflammation. Inflammation is the immune system’s natural response to an invasion (or perceived invasion). If this reaction becomes chronic, many of the body’s systems can go awry. As inflammation is an undercurrent in so many autoimmune conditions, treating the root cause of inflammation may have extremely positive effects. The US National Library of Medicine explains, “Medicines used to suppress the immune system can cause severe side effects, such as higher risk of infections.” If you or someone you know is struggling with the management of an autoimmune disease, it may be worthwhile to talk to a health professional you trust about the following essential oils.

As autoimmune diseases are so varied, there is no “one oil fits all” remedy. However, the following nine are a good start to research:

Ginger

Ginger is an essential oil that can be especially beneficial for sufferers of chronic pain, and may also help to ease the pain and discomfort of digestive disorders. Ginger’s effect on relieving many types of pain is hypothesized to have to do with its inhibition of eicosanoids, which are a type of chemical signaler involved in pain.

In a 1992 study published in the journal Medical Hypotheses, 56 individuals, afflicted with either osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or general muscular discomfort, were given powdered ginger to analyze how well this ancient spice would ease their pain. On their results, the study authors wrote:

“Amongst the arthritis patients more than three-quarters experienced, to varying degrees, relief in pain and swelling. All the patients with muscular discomfort experienced relief in pain. None of the patients reported adverse effects during the period of ginger consumption which ranged from 3 months to 2.5 years.”

Other research has found that a combination of ginger and orange essential oils reduced stiffness and pain in individuals with chronic knee pain.

Cinnamon

This sweet-smelling essential oil has some powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which make it useful for many types of pain. A 2008 study published in the journal Bioresource Technology analyzed the anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon bark and twigs, and confirmed some of its ancient uses. The study authors stated:

“In this study, chemical compositions of hydrodistilled essential oil and anti-inflammatory activities from the twigs of Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh. were investigated for the first time… These findings demonstrated that essential oil of C. osmophloeum twigs have excellent anti-inflammatory activities.”

Just a few traditional uses of cinnamon include easing the pain of arthritis, as well as other joint and muscle pain, relieving the pain and pressure of headaches, soothing skin infections, and also easing digestive discomfort.

Lavender

Lavender is a gentle essential oil famous for aiding in the relief of stress and anxiety. It is well known that stress, especially chronic stress, can lead to inflammation. This is because when you are stressed, your body secretes a hormone known as cortisol, which also raises inflammation in the body. Stress is also linked, likely for this reason, to aggravating the symptoms of autoimmune conditions.

Along with helping to alleviate stress, lavender is linked to soothing a variety of skin conditions, including acne and eczema. Individuals with autoimmune symptoms of skin rashes may find lavender quite helpful for this reason.

On top of that, a 2005 study published in the International Journal of Aromatherapy mentions lavender as an essential oil which may be useful in the treatment of musculoskeletal and rheumatoid autoimmune diseases.

Wintergreen

Wintergreen can accurately be called “nature’s aspirin,” as it is the only plant (besides the birch tree) that contains natural methyl salicylate, the main component of aspirin. A body of research has attested to the pain-relieving qualities of this plant.

When massaged into the body or applied to pressure points, wintergreen essential oil can help to alleviate muscle and joint pain (such as from rheumatoid arthritis), as well as headaches.

Cedarwood

Cedarwood essential oil has potent anti-inflammatory properties, and may also help to soothe the nervous system. Because of these properties, it may aid in the alleviation of joint and muscle pain when applied during massage, and also help to ease stress and promote restful sleep when inhaled in aromatherapy applications. Try it during your next meditation session.

This essential oil is linked to lowering blood pressure, and also has notable skin-soothing properties, and may help to clear up outbreaks of psoriasis and other autoimmune skin irritations.

Peppermint

essential oilsWhen mixed with a base oil (such as organic coconut oil) and applied to the abdomen, peppermint may help to soothe the digestive discomfort that comes with inflammatory bowel disorders. It can also help to alleviate stiff joints and muscles, as well as other types of pain when applied to pressure points or used during massage.

Peppermint essential oil is also linked to boosting circulation and relieving congestion, and can help to promote focus and mental clarity, as well.

Bergamot

This sweet citrus essential oil is a great choice for aromatherapy, as it can help to relieve stress and depression, and promote feelings of overall well-being. It is also great for skin outbreaks, such as those that come with psoriasis and eczema. Bergamot essential oil has antiseptic properties, and can help to clean minor wounds.

There are also ties between this essential oil and stimulating the natural detoxification of the body.

Frankincense

Frankincense essential oil has potent anti-inflammatory properties, and is thought to aid in alleviating the autoimmune reactions that accompany lupus. It helps to heal the body on a cellular level, and is also used for soothing skin reactions. In aromatherapy applications, it can help to reduce stress and promote a more centered and peaceful mindset.

Clary sage

This is another essential oil that is great for aiding in the alleviation of stress, which can trigger or worsen autoimmune reactions. It has also been traditionally used to help center the mood and soothe both depression and anxiety, and may help to promote a more restful sleep. Clary sage essential oil may also balance hormones and can infuse moisture into dry skin.

How to use essential oils

Every essential oil is different, and they are all quite potent, so it is important to get the advice of a health professional you trust before beginning a regimen. This is especially important when using essential oils to treat an autoimmune condition, to make sure it is safe and appropriate for your individual needs and state of health.

One great way to harness the soothing powers of essential oils is aromatherapy. You can add them to a diffuser, and enjoy the healing fragrance in any room (or rooms) you wish. Diffusing these oils in a meditation room can be a highly soothing practice.

Essential oils are also great for massage and applying to pressure points, but be sure to mix them with a base oil first. Organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, and organic grape seed oil are great options. Simply combine a few drops with a handful of your base oil, and mix between your palms before massaging.

Another idea for soothing sore joints and muscles is to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil into a warm bath, along with a couple of cups of Epsom salt. This method can also help to soothe digestive pain and pressure. If your pain is localized, you can add a couple of drops of oil to a hot or cold compress.

Note: Always use high-quality, therapeutic-grade essential oils from a manufacturer that you trust. Do not take essential oils internally unless specifically recommended to do so by a health professional — some oils are safe for internal use, and others are not. If you do go this route, make sure that the oil you are using is food-grade as well as therapeutic-grade.

It is also important to mention that essential oils do not provide relief on their own. However, when coupled with a healthy lifestyle, including changes to your diet — which involve nixing processed foods and sticking to whole, anti-inflammatory foods — getting regular exercise appropriate for your condition, and getting plenty of sleep, they may just help a lot.


Contributor: Tanya Rakhmilevich – Alternative Daily

7 Common Causes of Dry Eye

7 Common Causes of Dry Eye

Claremont Colonic Newsletter
Holding Back the Tears
We all have natural tears that help keep our eyes smooth and clear, and protect them from infection. But when you have dry eye, you don’t have enough quality tears to lubricate the eye and keep it healthy. Either you don’t produce enough tears, your tears evaporate too quickly, or you have a problem or imbalance in the makeup of your tears, which includes layers of oil, water and mucus. It’s a chronic problem for many people, and there are a variety of common causes.

1. Age

A decline in the water (aqueous) component of tear production is a natural part of the aging process. By the age of 50, most people begin to experience some symptoms of dry eye.

2. Your Environment

Windy or smoky environments, as well as dry climates, can lead to tear evaporation and increase your chances of developing dry eye. Also, staring at a screen, such as a phone or computer, for a long period of time can cause symptoms because you tend to blink less often. Seasonal allergies may also contribute to dry eye.

3. Medications

Some medications have been connected to dry eye symptoms. These include antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. Medications for anxiety, Parkinson’s disease, and high blood pressure have also been known to cause dry eye symptoms.

4. Certain Medical Conditions

Several medical conditions are associated with dry eye. These include autoimmune disorders, such as Sjögren’s syndrome, lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other diseases like diabetes, thyroid disorders and vitamin A deficiency.

5. Hormones

Since hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and menopause have been linked to chronic dry eye, women are more likely than men to develop the condition. The use of oral contraceptives can also cause dry eye symptoms, as these medications affect a woman’s hormones as well.

6. Makeup

Some ingredients in your makeup can be irritating to the eyes or aggravate already-dry eyes. These include ingredients that act as preservatives, stabilizers or anti-caking agents, as well as color additives, such as kohl. And the way you apply your makeup is also important. For example, applying eyeliner to the inside of your eyelid can block the oil glands that protect the cornea. Sleeping in your makeup, especially mascara, can also clog oil glands, so make sure to wash your face before bed to keep your skin and eyes healthy.

7. Vision Problems

If you wear contact lenses, you may also develop dry eye, especially after using contacts for a long period of time. Also, refractive eye surgeries, such as LASIK, can decrease tear production and lead to dry eye symptoms, though these are usually temporary. br>

Contributor: Susan Fishman, NCC, CRC – CNN Health