Does Health Care Have To Be Complicated?

A study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found aspirin reduces the risk of early stage breast cancer spreading and of breast cancer death. Of the 4,164 nurses in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study, those taking aspirin 2-5 times weekly experienced a 60% lower risk of their cancer spreading and a 71% lower risk of dying from the disease. Nurses taking aspirin 6-7 times weekly lowered the risk of spreading by 43% and the risk of dying by 64%. Although most were taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks, the aspirin was simultaneously battling cancer with "breastworks".

Beer might also have health benefits. An analysis of 100 commercial beers found that beer may be good for bones. The beers contained silicon ranging for 6.4 mg/L to 56.5 mg/L and silicon is a key ingredient for bone health. According to the National Institutes of Health, this soluble silicon could be important for the growth of bones and connective tissue. A past study suggested moderate beer consumption might fight osteoporosis. A 2009 study of approximately 1,700 women showed that light to moderate beer drinkers had much better bone density than non-drinkers. For beer drinkers this is good news - no bones about it.

Happiness, a state of mind, may decrease heart attack risk. In 1995 researchers at Columbia University rated the happiness levels of more than 1,700 adult Canadians who had no history of heart problems. Happiness was measured on a 5-point scale, which was adjusted for things like age, gender and smoking. Ten years later the researchers examined the 145 people who'd developed heart problems and found that happier people were less likely to be affected. Each point on the scale represented 22% less chance of heart problems - that's literally a scale after my own heart.

Finally, even placebos can make us healthier. Research published in the British medical journal Lancet found that although placebos don't help patients' conditions improve, patients' belief in placebos can help. There's increasing evidence that a positive doctor-patient relationship plus the expectancy of recovery can have actual biological effects - enough to change a patient's brain, body and behavior. For example, placebos given to Parkinson's patients led to their brains releasing the feel-good chemical dopamine. Also, for patients with mild anxiety or depression placebos have worked as well as established treatments. It seems placebos do have an active ingredient - the power of positive thinking.