Health

The third of 5 operations you don't want to get—and what to do instead.

Every year in the United States, surgeons perform 1.2 million angioplasties, during which a cardiologist uses tiny balloons and implanted wire cages (stents) to unclog arteries. This Roto-Rooter-type approach is less invasive and has a shorter recovery period than bypass, which is open-heart surgery. The problem: A groundbreaking study of more than 2,000 heart patients, just released this year at a cardiology conference and in The New England Journal of Medicine, indicated that a completely nonsurgical method—heart medication—was just as beneficial as angioplasty and stents in keeping arteries open in many patients. The bottom line: Angioplasty did not appear to prevent heart attacks or save lives among nonemergency heart subjects in the study.

What to do instead

Take the right meds. If the study is right, medications may be as strong as steel. “If you have chest pain and are stable, you can take medicines that do the job of angioplasty,” says William Boden, MD, of the University of Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, and an author of the study. Medicines used in the study included aspirin, and blood pressure and cholesterol drugs—and they were taken along with exercise and diet changes.

“If those dont work, then you can have angioplasty,” Boden says. “Now we can unequivocally say that.”

Of course, whats right for you depends on the severity of your atherosclerosis risks (blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides) along with any heart-related pain. The onus is also on the patient to treat a docs lifestyle recommendations—diet and exercise guidelines—just as seriously as if they were prescription medicines.

IstockphotoLast year, researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied the potential for interactions between dietary supplements and prescription meds. After reviewing surveys taken from 1,795 Mayo Clinic patients, heres how the researchers summarized what they learned:

• Despite a high prevalence of potential interactions between dietary supplements and prescription medications, the actual potential for harm is low.
• A small number of prescription medications and dietary supplements account for most potential interactions.
• Antithrombotic medications (these are anticoagulant and antiplatelet meds such as warfarin and Plavix) were most likely to interact with dietary supplements.

Potential for harm is low.
Few factors account for most interactions.
With these conclusions in mind, I was stunned to read this months report in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter titled, “Herbal Supplements: Risks to Your Health.” It warns that a few supplements “can cause life-threatening problems such as liver damage, uncontrolled bleeding, or heart arrhythmias.”

The story goes on to say that “some common herbs are known to seriously alter the effect of other drugs you may be taking and can also impact the safety of a surgical procedure.” Sounds pretty scary to me.

Which Mayo Clinic should you believe?
The contradiction begs this question: Dont the good people at the Mayo Clinic talk to each other? Whered the writers at the Health Letter get their facts, if not from their very own researchers?

Today, more than two-thirds of Americans take dietary supplements, a broad category which, according to the Food and Drug Administration, includes vitamins, minerals, amino acids, substances that supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake (e.g., enzymes or tissues from organs or glands), as well as concentrates, metabolites, constituents, and extracts, in addition to herbs. So were absolutely right to be concerned about safety, including possible drug interactions.

But as the Mayo researchers note, “Distinguishing between a real potential for harm and a purely speculative interaction is important.” What they didnt say: Distinguishing scary headlines from the facts—thats important too.

Seek wise counsel when using herbs
If youd like to treat a chronic or acute health problem with herbs, seek out a physician or licensed healer whos been trained in their use. Ask her about interactions with any drugs you may be taking, and especially ask whether concerns are based on evidence or theoretical speculation. An experienced, well-trained healer prescribing herbal medicine will know the difference, and can offer you the best advice.

Many medical schools now offer courses that cover herbal medicine, so ask your regular doc what his or her experience may be. Most licensed acupuncturists and all practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine study herbs. (Find one at acufinder.com.) Naturopaths who graduate from four-year postgraduate schools of naturopathy receive a thorough herbal education. (Find one at naturopathic.org.) And members of the American Herbalist Guild take a comprehensive exam testing their herbal knowledge; many members have advanced degrees in other healing disciplines. (Find one at americanherbalistsguild.com.)

Getty ImagesI dont know what Im complaining about. This isnt the hottest summer on record by a long stretch, at least in my neck of the woods. Compared to people who live in, say, Texas, Im practically enjoying an arctic chill. Still, its murky enough to suck the energy right out of my body.

Time for some aromatherapy!

Its the perfect solution on several fronts. Im working on a project thats had me at my computer for at least 10 hours a day for the last two months. I need something to keep me alert, upbeat, and firing on all cylinders.

Aromatherapy is a healing art that uses pure, essential oils distilled from plants. These oils are mini-chem labs that, depending on the plant, can contain scores of compounds with an infinite number of medicinal purposes. Whats more, they are pure, intense fragrance, concentrated from the specific part of the plant from which theyre distilled. You absorb these medicinal compounds through your skin and also through your olfactory system when you inhale them.

You use essential oils by diluting them, either in a neutral carrier oil (such as jojoba, avocado, almond, or olive oil), alcohol, witch hazel, or water, or in a diffuser, to fragrance the air.

Heres how I put aromatherapy against sticky summer situations:

Spritzes
Mix a couple of tablespoons of witch hazel with five drops each of lavender and peppermint essential oils. Funnel into a little spray bottle (find them here) and spritz yourself to your hearts content, avoiding your eyes, of course. Lavender and peppermint lift the spirits and feel cool on the skin.Experiment with various amounts of oil until you find the most pleasing intensity. You can also use these essential oils for different effects:

• Bergamot: Mellows nervous anxiety, eases insomnia
• Lemon or lime: Lifts mood (skin spritzed with citrus oils can become sun sensitive, so dont use these when youre outside)
• Rosemary: Enhances concentration
• Rose: Soothes the skin and is said to ease grief
• Clary sage: May help chill out hot flashes

Soaps
Lemon Grass Zen is a shower gel I recently bought at a local flea market. Its all organic and made by a father-son team at Jonathan Lyle. Its intense fragrance is such an eye-opener that I actually look forward to hopping in the shower—especially right after a workout. Another option: Buy a neutral liquid soap, like Dr. Bronners, and add your choice of essential oils. Especially chill choices include eucalyptus, pine, and fir.

Skin care
When a PR person recently sent me two aromatherapy skin treatments, I was happy to try them out. My skin tends to get oily and act out in the summer, and though I didnt think these two rich-feeling products could fix that, I was wrong.

Decleors Aromessence Ylang Ylang and Ylang Ylang Night Balm are supposed to work together to decrease the production of sebum, the substance that makes skin feel oily, and to detoxify and purify. I cant attest to the detox or purification, but I can tell you that my face is clear and feels very soft.

Plus, I love using these products—they smell heavenly and they feel great going on. Ylang ylang, an essential oil from a rare plant indigenous to Madagascar, was shown in a recent study to enhance feelings of calmness. I also love that the company has an initiative that supports native growers and replants trees.

For insect bites
A dab of lavender oil directly on a bug bite will ease the sting and reduce swelling and inflammation.

Note: Find essential oils at good health-food stores. Make sure the label says “100% pure essential oil” so you know youre not getting a perfume or synthetic product. Another good source is erbaviva.com.