Aspirin Therapy Works

In 2003, my rheumatologist was amazed, almost flabbergasted, when he ran into my waiting room with a revelation. He was all excited and happy to tell me he now knew why I had not had another heart attack. "It’s the aspirin," he exclaimed. Each visit, I would give him my computer read-out of the regimen of over-the-counter medications I was using. He liked that. The nurse would simply ask if I had any stomach problems and I responded, "No." I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was, what I refer to as a "marker." Whenever some life altering event takes place in my life - I call that a "Marker!" Dr. Argen said, "I knew you were smart, but not this smart." He had read my many editorials over the years and was very curious about my writings. Well to get to the crux of the story, my lipid profile came back and he couldn’t believe what I had accomplished in less than two months: Triglycerides from 1374 to 76; Cholesterol from 274 to 133 and 55 pounds melted away. What about the aspirin? Oh well, he had just learned that it was aspirin that had protected my heart from inflammation. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the FDA, AMA and the Pharmaceutical Industry had known all about this miracle drug that works with the body. When I was first diagnosed with RA I read everything I could on the subject, attended seminars and studied the Arthritis Foundation’s research. There was only one thing that worked in 1981, and that was aspirin. Many pain killers masked the symptoms but didn’t get to the causal relationship. As early as 1983, our country knew the many benefits of "aspirin therapy." Well, the many efforts to hide this information from the public had failed and the truth had to be told. And so you can imagine my joy at reading the report in the March issue of "UCLA DIVISION OF GERIATRICS" HEALTHY/YEARS, Helping older adults lead happier, healthier lives. These major centers of research have given me special discounts because they are aware of my writings in my blog: http://eatinghealthy.blogspot.com . I have been dealing with the gradual deterioration of my muscles, joints and organs for more than 30-years. The picture in the upper right hand corner of the March issue shows a life preserver with a rope and the word "ASPIRIN" displayed on the ring. Very appropriate for a life saver that is confirmed to help prevent colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, stroke and heart attacks. A large study was published in the December 7, 2010 issue of The Lancelot. Although I am not in agreement with the recommendation of a low dose (81mg) aspirin - I do agree with the progress we have made towards studying the mechanism of naturopathic medicine that reduces the attack on the human body. After a 20 year follow-up, the study found that your risk of dying within 5 years from certain cancers is reduced as much as 21 percent. At 20 years’ follow-up, aspirin users had 20 percent fewer deaths from solid tumor cancers compared to nonusers. The breakdown for specific cancer risk reductions was 30 percent for lung cancer; 40 percent for colorectal cancer; and 60 percent for esophageal cancer. Study data, which was drawn from eight large clinical trials involving more than 25,000 patients, did not indicate any protective effects from aspirin for other types of cancer, such as brain and pancreatic. Arash Naeim, MD, an oncologist with the Johnson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA says that aspirin’s ability to combat inflammation is likely to be part of the explanation. Chronic inflammation, for example, may push the immune system to respond in such a way that cancer cells can form and flourish, he suggests. "There may not be a single reason," Dr. Naeim says, "There is a lot of data that suggest a connection between inflammation and cancer and we know aspirin can help reduce inflammation.." Aspirin’s mechanism. Aspirin works in two primary ways in the body. The drug interferes with the activation of two forms of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme in the body: COX - 1 and COX - 2. COX-1 plays a role in the how platelets form in the blood stream and aspirin can help make platelets less sticky and reduce the risk of clot formation. But COX- is related to inflammation throughout the body. Interestingly, COX-1 is active only in the stomach, but COX-2 is active at the site of the inflammation, such as the location of a wound. Dr. Naeim notes that in the Lancet study, the protective results were realized after five years of daily aspirin therapy. He suggests that if a patient’s life expectancy is less than five years, aspirin therapy may not be worth any of the risks. "You have to have some longevity for you to get some benefit from aspirin therapy," he says. "Plus, you have to take the aspirin every day for five years. That takes commitment." Note: I have been taking aspirin therapy without doctor’s recommendation for over 30-years. My family has a history of colorectal cancer and aspirin is an added benefit to the longevity factor. Every day for 30 years I have kept a daily log of my intake of aspirin so that it could be used for research sometime after my passing. He adds that some studies have shown that stopping aspirin therapy may create a rebound effect and actually start to raise your risk of heart disease and stroke. I agree and have confirmed that with my pharmacist. I had suspect that thinning out the blood was beneficial, but there was the counter to that if I were to stop taking aspirin. Thick blood can cause a stroke and all hell can break loose. Always weigh the risks and benefits before beginning an aspirin therapy. Also, remember to do other things for your health, such as stop smoking, staying away from trans fats, sugar, salt and using a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise such as tennis, swimming, badminton, walking, biking and getting enough vitamin D from your exposure to the outdoors. Consider your foods as medicine and your lifestyle, as well.