Patient Advocates

Your HealthCare Safety Net

Author: Karen Mercereau

Hepatitis C – and many people can now be cured

Healthy Body Herald #1 – Brain Tumor, Possible Cure for Hepatitis C and Forever Chemicals

(formerly known as Mercereau Reports) Worried that you or someone you love may have a brain tumor? Brain tumors may not always be metastatic; some can be benign.  You can learn more about this and some signs and symptoms: The Most Common Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Tumor A tumor is a growth of abnormal cells that forms when the genes that regulate cell growth do not function normally. A brain tumor is a tumor that develops in the...

Brew Up a Healthier You: Black Tea's Surprising Benefits

MERCEREAU REPORT # 10 – Winter COVID Update, CoEnzyme Q10 Boost for Hearts and Brains

[ez-toc] Latest Update on COVID Hospitalizations and Winter Incidence of COVID and Flu The CDC has issued the most recent prediction of COVID for the winter. “According to CDC’s respiratory disease outlook, the agency expects a “moderate” COVID-19 wave with about as many peak hospitalizations as last winter. Last winter’s COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked at about 44,500. While it’s a significant number, it is less than a third of the all-time peak in January 2022 of more than 150,600 weekly hospital admissions.” ...

Clip Art - Cartoon showing wide-eyed doctor with 'Oh No - I made a medical mistake' look.

MERCEREAU REPORT #9 – Stay Healthy in Today’s World, Medical Errors, Hearing Aids & Cognitive Decline

Want to stay healthy? Science News Helps You to Stay Safe! Free of charge The more you know, the safer you can be Karen Mercereau, RN, RN Patient Advocate karen@patientadvocates.com   Table of Contents: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) – Where is it most concentrated and what does it have to do with inflammation and…hearing aids? Diabetic Ulcers – new approach to healing them! PFAS – We keep hearing about these, but what are they? Why do we need to understand how...

MERCEREAU REPORT Vol. 8 – Regular Napping, Heat, Neuroquant MRI, Harmful Chemicals In Ice Cream

Regular Napping can be good for your brain! Regular napping can be good for your brain! We are not kidding. What great news……People with a genetic disposition for taking naps have a larger brain volume than others, according to new research. Now, as we age our brain volume tends to shrink. So, taking that little nap can help to slow that down.  Maybe the Mediterranean habit of an afternoon “siesta” is not so crazy after all.  Want to know more?...

Woman fully dressed sitting on bed thinking about how chronic illness is often connected with a microbiome

MERCEREAU REPORT Vol. 7 – Danger of Artificial Sweeteners, Probiotics, Prebiotics and Fecal-Microbiome

Many of us have used artificial sweeteners for years as part of our effort to cut calories and reduce sugar intake. Unfortunately, research has now shown that one of them, Sucralose, can be harmful for us. It can break up DNA! Really? Read on and see what you think………. Chemical Found In Artificial Sweeteners https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230531/Chemical-found-in-widely-used-sweetener-breaks-up-DNA.aspx The chemical is also found in trace amounts in the sweetener itself, and the finding raises questions about how the sweetener may contribute to health...

Mercereau Report Vol. 6 – Inflammation, Pesticides, Heart Health & Exercise

Heart disease inflammation is the number one killer of men and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 697,000 Americans died of heart disease in 2020–that’s 1 in 5 deaths overall, reports the CDC. Why should those statistics—or a heart-healthy diet matter to you?     The Best Diet For Heart Health Eating these foods could decrease your risk of a cardiovascular event such as heart attacks and strokes. https://www.singlecare.com/blog/heart-healthy-diet As...

Nursing Shortage USA Map

United States is Projected to have a Shortage of 200,000 to 450,000 Registered Nurses by 2025

Attention everyone! Did you know that by 2025, the United States is projected to have a shortage of 200,000 to 450,000 registered nurses available for direct patient care? That’s a significant gap of 10 to 20 percent, and it places a huge demand on the nurse graduate pipeline over the next three years. To make matters worse, the International Council of Nurses has declared this shortage as a global health emergency (May 12, 2023). Let’s work together to raise awareness...

Chlormequat Toxin in Cheerios

Mercereau Report Vol. 5 – Chemicals in Popular Children’s Foods, PFAS What They Are

Toxins and Chemicals In Our Foods That Can Harm Our Health  The Environmental Working Group is doing excellent work informing us of dangerous chemicals in our water and food. Now it’s something called chlormequat in oats! See what you think…  Chlormequat exposure in animal studies has caused a host of reproductive and other health problems, suggesting the potential for harm to human health. Unless and until federal regulators act to get chlormequat out of our food, buying organic can help...

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Melanoma – what do we really need to know? Is it curable? Is it always caused by overexposure to the sun?

Martha Grout, MD, reports that: “Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. If recognized and treated early, it is nearly 100 percent curable. When not caught early, a melanoma spot the size of a dime can spread to other parts of the body where it becomes hard to treat.”  Melanoma arises from a type of cell called melanocyte, present in the deep in the epidermis, the top layer of the skin. Who is most vulnerable?  Half of all...

mineral-decline-in-apple

Do you really need a multivitamin? The American Medical Association announced in 2002 that all adults should take a multivitamin to prevent chronic illness.

Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Oz also recommend taking a good multivitamin each day.  This, along with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, will help to maintain you optimal level of health.  Your diet should include at least 5-7 servings of vegetables and fruits each day – preferably fresh ones.  If not fresh, work with frozen rather than canned (lower in nutrients). What if you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables already?  Isn’t that enough?  Modern intensive agricultural methods...