THE BOOMER'S GUIDE TO PLANET
RETIREMENT
DR. MARILYN BRUNO
WWW.GYNOSAPIENS.COM
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 2
FEBRUARY 2015
IN THIS ISSUE: Page 1: Global Warming - What You Can Do About It
Page 2: Curb Population Growth!
Page 3: We are Exposed
Page 4: For us Ladies: Post-Menopause
Page 5: Abra Cadabra – New Ways to Lose Weight
Page 5: Immunotherapy – Nip Cancer in the Bud
Page 6: Bye Bye Hair Club for Men; Hello Stem Cells
Page 7: Avoid Higher Dementia Risks
Page 7: Medicare Update: An Ounce of Prevention
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters, in the end.
-- Ursula Le Guin, American writer
Global Warming - What You Can Do About It
No, I am not going to lecture about why, but Mother Earth’s temperature is rising. Scientists are renewing the
alarm bells. As featured in the New York Times on 1/17/15, 2014 was the hottest year on record since scientists
started logging temperatures in 1880 – and 2014 was a year that did not have a strong El Nino. The 10 warmest
years have all occurred since 1997: (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/science/earth/2014-was-hottest-yearon-record-surpassing-2010.html?_r=0. Here are the well-known impacts:
--melting land-based snow – which causes extreme weather: floods, vicious storms, extreme temperature
swings, wild fires. (The only exception is Antarctica, which enjoys unusual air and water currents that whisk
away heat.)
--rising sea levels –with impacts on habitats and species (including human)
--pandemics
What you can do about it:
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--go solar: energy bills will only go higher. Get the tax rebates and get those panels. (I pay $0 for
electricity/month and actually get an email telling me how many trees I saved.)
--save water: Here is California, drought is a crisis already and water bills are going through the roof. Most of
my neighbors are replacing lawns with astroturf, landscaping with native plants, and lots of pathways, pebbles,
boulders, ground covers, mulch, and concrete “hardscapes.” I hate to do it, but I am looking at landscaping
designs for my big front yard, including a maze, Japanese pebble sea, etc... Bye bye lawnmower.
But, will that make a dent? Let’s hope so. Meanwhile, our very own Department of Energy (DOE) has
advanced a program to “sequester” CO2 – by capturing it and burying it underground! One of the largest
carbon sequestration projects in the U.S., the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP), has reached its goal of
capturing 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and injecting it deep underground in the Mount Simon
Sandstone formation, a Deep Saline reservoir.
The project was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of carbon capture and storage, with the goal of slowing
global warming trends. According to DOE, there are currently more than 100 active carbon sequestration
projects in the U.S. Who knew? Similar projects are also under way in Algeria, Australia, Canada, Norway,
China, South Africa, South Korea and other locations.
At the IBDP, the CO2 is captured from the ethanol production facility at Archer Daniels Midland Company. It
is then dehydrated and compressed to 1,400 psi for injection into a well that is 7,000 feet deep. The CO2 enters
the rock formation through a set of perforations in the well that isolate the injection zone from the rest of the
environment. The CO2 is stored in the pore spaces of the sandstone and sealed in place by a cap layer of
impermeable shale. All this requires extensive monitoring using geophysical technology to confirm the position
of the CO2 underground and wells to monitor groundwater and soils.
Other methods of carbon sequestration include Coalbed Methane and Enhanced Oil Recovery (stored in oil
beds), according to the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium. Carbon dioxide can also be stored at the
bottom of the ocean, and in soils, crops, and other plants.
Will this make a dent? For context, three million tons are emitted annually from a typical medium-sized, coalfired power plant. Will it result in one huge KABOOM? For more: http://www.kurzweilai.net/one-millionmetric-tons-of-co2-stored-underground-inillinois?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=29c8654823-UA-9467421&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_147a5a48c1-29c8654823-282020441
Curbing Population Growth!
Whether or not you are Catholic, this is big news: Pope Francis recently visited the Philippines, where the
Philippine government only recently approved contraceptive access against forceful opposition from Catholic
bishops. Pope Francis said that it is not true that, to be a good Catholic, "you have to be like rabbits." Instead,
he said, "responsible parenthood" requires that couples regulate the births of their children.
Wow. No political or religious leader has said anything like that! No, the Pope didn’t bash the church's ban on
artificial means of birth control or give a nod to abortion, but he did cite the case of a woman he met who was
pregnant with her eighth child after seven Cesarean sections. "That is an irresponsibility." The woman might
argue that she should trust in God. "But God gives you methods to be responsible," he said.
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On the flip side, to appease African bishops who have long complained that Western ideas about birth control
and gay rights are being imposed on the developing world by groups, institutions or nations, often as a condition
for development aid, Francis also said no outside institution should impose its views on regulating family size,
blasting what he called "ideological colonization" of the developing world.
But, Francis’ statements show that he does not have his head in a hole as we all face a future of dwindling
water, food and clean air to support the 10 billion people expected by 2030. Let’s see what our own Supreme
Court is being lobbied hard by the new Congress to overturn Roe v. Wade
(thinkprogress.org/health/2015/.../house-gop-abortion-vote)!
For the full article on Francis: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/01/19/pope-birth-controlcomments/22017365/
WE ARE EXPOSED!
Even the FDA is warning that exposure to a chemical found in plastic bottles and drink cans could be bad for the heart, a
new study has claimed. Researchers exposed mice from birth to bisphenol A (BPA) and found heart function and blood
pressure are affected differently in males and females, with females at greater risk of damage from stress.
BPA is widely used as a lining for cans and plastic bottles.
The research, published in the journal Endocrinology, showed that in young BPA-exposed female mice, the heart is more
sensitive to stress-induced ischaemic (restricted blood supply) damage in a way not seen in untreated female mice.
Numerous previous studies have linked BPA – which is also a common contaminant of many packaged foods and drinks
– to neurological defects, diabetes and breast and prostate cancer.
Lead researcher Scott Belcher, professor of pharmacology and cell biophysics at the University of Cincinnati in the US,
said: “The results of this study find heart and blood pressure effects in male and female mice, with females seemingly at
greater risk of harm.
“We used a model that in some ways mimics damage that can occur during a heart attack. For female mice exposed to
BPA, there was a severe increase in the sensitivity to cardiotoxic damage. This effect was especially striking because
females are typically protected.”
He added: “The overall aim of the study was to determine whether there were effects of BPA on cardiac function. We
chose a very specific and broad range of BPA exposures that span levels below those considered safe in humans up
through a high dose, an approach aimed at making the findings useful for assessing public health risk.”
In the study, mice were given different doses of BPA in their food, with exposures ranging from four to 5,000
micrograms per kilo of bodyweight per day.
Prof Belcher said: “What we did in our studies was to expose mice to BPA in a way similar to how humans are exposed.
Humans are continuously exposed to BPA throughout life.
“The exposure in mice was in the diet and from conception all the way through adulthood.”
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Changes in the control of heart rate and blood pressure were detected in both male and female BPA-exposed mice,
according to the study.
However, decreased systolic blood pressure (when the heart is contracting) was detected in male mice exposed to BPA
throughout their lifespan, while a lowering of pressure was noted only in female mice exposed to the very highest
amounts of BPA. For more: http://www.scotsman.com/news/health/heart-risk-in-bottles-and-women-most-vulnerable1-3664280
Dr Belcher pointed out that there are, of course, differences between mice and humans, but said the findings from
experimental models were informative and instructive about human heart health.
He added: “The reality is everything from what we have seen from this study and a number of previous studies suggests
that BPA likely worsens heart health in women, who have unique risks compared to men.”
For us Ladies: 6 Ways to Deal with Post-Menopause
Of course, menopause has a lot to do with genetics, your Mom’s history and ethnicity (Hispanic and AfricanAmerican women reach menopause a little earlier than 51 – the average age, according to the NIH). But women
past menopause may still experience one or more of the symptoms associated with the loss of estrogen: hot
flashes, insomnia, weight gain, lowered libido, hair loss/thinning, wrinkles, etc!
Here are 6 actions you can take to slow down/reduce symptoms:
Stop using old pans: Older non-stick pans are covered with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid
(PFOA), which can disrupt hormone levels – so much, in fact, that US studies revealed women with
higher levels of the chemical in their blood went through menopause earlier.
Eat low-fat dairy: Studies from the U.S. once showed that women who ate skimmed milk products,
including low-fat cheeses and yoghurts, went on to delay the onset of menopause by over three-and-ahalf years. It’s thought that enzymes in the milk of cows can boost estrogen levels, and hence boost the
reproductive system.
Lose the clingfilm: Plastic impacts our body’s hormone levels. Many experts believe that pliable
plastics, like clingfilm, have harmful chemicals that can alter our hormonal systems – see previous
article.
Use non-chemical beauty products: Check the labels on anti-aging moisturizers, deodorants, etc. that
contain fragrances or parabens. You could be encouraging earlier menopause because many contain
chemicals that upset hormone balance. Check out more natural cosmetics and toiletries
(www.naturalhealthpractice.com).
Eat fish: Scientific studies have shown women who consume fish two or more times a week tended to
start their menopause later than those who didn’t, thanks to essential Omega 3 fats that help ‘oil' the
body by lubricating the joints, skin and tissues. Omega 3 fats help balance hormones, boost your
metabolism and help with weight loss. If you are not crazy about eating a diet of oily fish like salmon
and mackerel, take an Omega 3 supplement.
Do puzzles: Keeping an active mind can help ward off many things, and now experts say it can ward
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off (for a little bit anyway) the onset of menopause! Active minds keep the mind sharp and help increase
hormone concentrations. Or take a supplement like NHP’s Brain and Memory Support.
For more info: http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/6-surprising-ways-to-postpone-the-menopause11363955029552
Abra Cadabra – New Way to Lose Weight
Remember the old joke from the 60s: Take a Metrical shampoo for a fat heat?!? Anyway, forget Metrical,
SlimFast, NutriSystem, etc. The Director of the Salk Institute’s Gene Expression Laboratory, has developed a
compound called fexaramine that acts like an imaginary meal: it “tricks” the body into reacting as if it has
consumed calories.
The compound effectively stopped weight gain, lowered cholesterol, controlled blood sugar, and minimized
inflammation in mice, making it an excellent candidate for a rapid transition into human clinical trials. Unlike
most diet pills on the market, fexaramine doesn’t reach the bloodstream, so it is also likely safer in humans than
other drugs. Ideally, the drug, administered under a doctor’s guidance, would work in conjunction with diet and
lifestyle changes, similar to weight-loss surgeries or other obesity or diabetes drugs.
For more info: http://www.kurzweilai.net/imaginary-meal-tricks-the-body-into-losingweight?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9b51d9ad51-UA-9467421&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_147a5a48c1-9b51d9ad51-282020441
Immunotherapy – Nip Cancer in the Bud
Some wisdom from my friend and financial counselor, Richard Ina. Now that we are all exposed to carcinogens, we need
to diligently folllow early-screening schedules. Under Obamacare, Seniors have free yearly screenings – so take
advantage of them!
Nest, know what remedies are available to fight the Big C. Cancer cells are not foreign bodies, like bacteria, that drugs
can easily target. Since our own bodies’ cells make them, they can easily “camouflage” themselves. The cancerous cells
have no chemical thumbprint that signals them as “different” or “dangerous.” So immune cells pass by the cancer cells
and read them as normal. There are downsides to the trifecta of standard care for cancer – surgery, radiation, and
chemotherapy. Surgery and radiation are not “systemic.” They only attack what the surgeon or the radiation beam
focuses on. Since cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, only chemotherapy so far has been able to go after those
wayward cells and kill them. However, when chemotherapy drugs attack cancer cells, they burst those cells open –
releasing a flood of the tumor-specific antigens that stimulate the immune system.
Therefore, “Immunotherapy” is seen as another remedy to add to the mix to stimulate the immune system to wage war on
the cancer cells wherever they may be. Immunotherapy aims to stimulate different parts of the immune system to
effectively get your body to fight its own cancer cells. It needs to be introduced early to bolster the patients’ immune
system. There are three main types of cancer-targeted immunotherapy.
1) Nonspecific immunotherapy. Drugs in this class activate your immune system as a whole instead of targeting the
attack. These include the interleukin and interferon drugs, which have mixed results.
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2) Monoclonal antibodies (or mAbs for short). Antibodies, just like those your body produces in response to the flu
vaccine, can be made in a lab and specifically tailored to fight almost any kind of protein marker. The man-made
antibodies have special chemical coding in the Y branch of their structure. This allows them to find and latch onto the
special proteins on cancer cells. This either shuts down the cell through a chemical chain reaction or signals your other
immune cells to come and kill those cells. Antibody-focused immunotherapy operates in 3-steps:

an antigen receptor in our T-cells “reads” the surface antigens of tumor cells.

a surface molecule called CD28, a “co-stimulatory” receptor, puts the T-cell into action.

cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, or CTLA-4 puts the brakes on the T cell’s killing once the tumor is gone.
Researchers have created ipilimumab -- an antibody targeted to shut off CTLA-4. When used in combination
with another receptor on the surface of activated T cells, PD-1 (Merck’s MK-3475 antibody), tumor size was
reduced 72% of the patients. Only 8% of the patients experienced side effects. The FDA fast-tracked approval of
MK-3475 in September 2014.
3) cancer vaccines that are either preventive (like the one for human papilloma virus, or HPV) and a few cancer-fighting
vaccines (such as Sipuleucel-T, which is used to treat prostate cancer). Preventive vaccines focus on stopping certain
viruses known to cause cancer, like HPV, HIV, and Hepatitis B & C. Cancer-fighting vaccines are still in the early stages of
development. In principle, they work by taking the patient’s immune cells (usually T cells) out of their body, exposing
them to chemicals or to a modified virus, then injecting the “reprogrammed” T cells back into the patient. The only
approved cancer-fighting vaccine right now is Sipuleucel-T. To make this vaccine, a patient’s own immune cells are
collected then exposed to chemicals that induce the cells to respond to a prostatecancer- specific protein called PAP. The
modified cells are injected back into the patient. Those cells then begin an immune response to PAP. This process, called
adoptive T-cell transfer, is being studied in new trials for cancers like leukemia.
SIDE EFFECTS - One of the common misperceptions is that immunotherapy is a “natural” cure for cancer without any of
the side effects you have with chemotherapy or radiation. On the contrary, the high stimulation of T cells can make them
run rampant on other body systems. While they attack the cancer cells, but they can also attack the skin, intestines, liver,
thyroid, and other organs. There have been reports of severe intestinal inflammation that could lead to death if not
treated immediately.
CLINICAL TRIALS: You can find more about immunotherapy clinical trials at:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 866-408-3324 www.dana-farber.org/Research/About-Clinical-Trials.aspx
Memorial Sloan Kettering
212-639-2000 www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/clinical-trials
MD Anderson Cancer Center
877-632-6789 www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancerinformation/cancerinformation/clinical-trials/clinical-trials-at-md-anderson/index.html
For more: Dr. David Eifrig’s book: The Living Cure. Email me and I will send you a .pdf copy.
Bye Bye Hair Club for Men – Hello Stem Cells
I once sat in a meeting with a bald man who had just received a halo of hair plugs – which looked red and
painful. That is hopefully a treatment in the past for the 40 million men and 21 million women are affected by
hair loss in the U.S. alone. The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute successfully grew human hair
using pluripotent stem cells, which they coaxed to become dermal papilla cells — a unique population of cells
that regulate hair-follicle formation and growth cycle. (Human dermal papilla cells on their own are not suitable
for hair transplants because they cannot be obtained in necessary amounts and rapidly lose their ability to
induce hair-follicle formation in culture. The Institute is seeking partnerships for commercialization.
For more info: PLOS One (open access) Tuesday (Jan. 27).
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Avoid Higher Dementia Risk
Take heed Benedryl, Nyquil, Zquil, etc. users. A large study links a significantly increased risk for developing dementia,
including Alzheimer’s disease, to taking commonly used medications at higher doses or for a longer time -- like nonprescription diphenhydramine (Benadryl), tricyclic antidepressants, first-generation antihistamines, and bladder
antimuscarinics.
It’s been known for some time that memory or concentration problems in the elderly might be caused by common
medications used to treat insomnia, anxiety, itching or allergies. The study, however, used more rigorous methods,
longer follow-up (more than seven years), and better assessment of medication use via pharmacy records (including
substantial nonprescription use) to confirm this previously reported link. It is the first study to show a dose response:
linking more risk for developing dementia to higher use of anticholinergic medications like Benedryl. And it is also the
first to suggest that dementia risk linked to anticholinergic medications may persist and may not be reversible — even
years after people stop taking these drugs.
Anticholinergic effects happen because some medications block the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine in the
brain and body, causing many side effects, including drowsiness, constipation, retaining urine, and dry mouth
and eyes. Over time, they turn off our brains.
For more info: http://www.kurzweilai.net/higher-dementia-risk-linked-to-more-use-of-commondrugs?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=e45177102f-UA-9467421&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_147a5a48c1-e45177102f-282020441
MEDICARE UPDATE
An Ounce of Prevention ...
Remember that Medicare Part B covers screenings and preventive care:
http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/preventive-and-screening-services.html. Ask your doctor about them
when you go for your free annual “Wellness Check-up.”

Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening

Alcohol misuse screenings & counseling

Bone mass measurements (bone density)

Cardiovascular disease screenings

Cardiovascular disease (behavioral therapy)

Cervical & vaginal cancer screening

Colorectal cancer screenings

Depression screenings

Diabetes screenings
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
Diabetes self-management training

Glaucoma tests

Hepatitis C screening test

HIV screening

Mammograms (screening)

Nutrition therapy services

Obesity screenings & counseling

One-time “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit

Prostate cancer screenings

Sexually transmitted infections screening & counseling

Shots

Flu

Hepatitis B

Pneumococcal shots

Tobacco use cessation counseling

Yearly "Wellness" visit
And, for your loved ones, below are screening guidelines recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
(USPSTF) -- a group of non-federal experts in prevention (stopping disease before it starts). USPSTF
recommendations are evidence-based. This means that science supports USPSTF screening guidelines. The
USPSTF is made up of primary care providers (such as internists, pediatricians, family physicians,
gynecologists/obstetricians, nurses, and health behavior specialists).
Screening tests
Screening tests
Blood pressure test
Ages 18–39
Ages 40–49
Ages 50–64
Ages 65 and older
Get tested at least
Get tested at least
Get tested at least
Get tested at least
every 2 years if you
every 2 years if you
every 2 years if you
every 2 years if you
have normal blood
have normal blood
have normal blood
have normal blood
pressure (lower than
pressure (lower than
pressure (lower than
pressure (lower than
120/80).
120/80).
120/80).
120/80).
Get tested once a
Get tested once a
Get tested once a
Get tested once a
year if you have
year if you have
year if you have
year if you have
8
blood pressure
blood pressure
blood pressure
blood pressure
between 120/80 and
between 120/80 and
between 120/80 and
between 120/80 and
139/89.
139/89.
139/89.
139/89.
Discuss treatment
Discuss treatment
Discuss treatment
Discuss treatment
with your doctor or
with your doctor or
with your doctor or
with your doctor or
nurse if you have
nurse if you have
nurse if you have
nurse if you have
blood pressure
blood pressure
blood pressure
blood pressure
140/90 or higher.
140/90 or higher.
140/90 or higher.
140/90 or higher.
Bone mineral
Discuss with your
Get this test at least
density test
doctor or nurse if you
once at age 65 or
(osteoporosis
are at risk of
older.
screening)
osteoporosis.
Talk to your doctor or
nurse about repeat
testing.
Breast cancer
Discuss with your
Starting at age 50,
Get screened every 2
screening
doctor or nurse.
get screened every 2
years through age
years.
74.
(mammogram)
Age 75 and older,
ask your doctor or
nurse if you need to
be screened.
Cervical cancer
Get a Pap test every
Get a Pap test and
Get a Pap test and
Ask your doctor or
screening
3 years if you are 21
HPV test together
HPV test together
nurse if you need to
(Pap test)
or older and have a
every 5 years if you
every 5 years if you
get a Pap test.
cervix.
have a cervix.
have a cervix.
If you are 30 or
older, you can get a
Pap test and HPV test
together every 5
years.
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Chlamydia test
Get tested for
Get tested for
Get tested for
Get tested for
chlamydia yearly
chlamydia if you are
chlamydia if you are
chlamydia if you are
through age 24 if you
sexually active and
sexually active and
sexually active and
are sexually active or
at increased risk,
at increased risk.
at increased risk.
pregnant.
pregnant or not
pregnant.
Age 25 and older, get
tested for chlamydia
if you are
at increased risk,
pregnant or not
pregnant.
Please let me know how topics you would like covered in our next
Newsletters! E-mail:DrBruno@gynosapiens.com.
All previous Newsletters are posted online on the homepage of
www.gynosapiens.com
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