Gluten Free Living: Helpful or Harmful?

By now, you have probably heard the term “gluten free” or GF, from your co-workers, restaurant menu, grocery store, or favorite TV show. But a decade ago if you were to mention the word “gluten”, not a head would turn in a crowd. Gluten free diets have developed rapidly over the past few years and are becoming increasingly popular. Can eliminating gluten in your diet really make you healthier?

Gluten is a storage protein found in foods like wheat, barley, and rye. When the body cannot digest this protein correctly, it can cause major health issues depending on the severity of the intolerance. Celiac disease is the diagnosis for those with the most severe intolerance. When people with Celiac disease ingest gluten, it causes their bodies to produce antibodies that attack the intestine. If it is not treated properly, it can lead to a variety of autoimmune disorders, weak bones, and in some cases even infertility. About 1% of the population falls into this category.

Others may have a gluten intolerance that is less severe and may just need to avoid gluten to free themselves of the side effects. Some of the side effects of those with gluten intolerance include bloating, fatigue, IBS symptoms, nausea, acid reflux, and vomiting. It is estimated that about 6% of Americans today have some sort of gluten intolerance. So if this number is so small, why are so many jumping on the GF bandwagon?

Some say it’s a losing weight fad. Today, it is estimated that about 25% of Americans are concerned with the consumption of gluten. In college towns, more and more gluten free options are becoming available. Health food stores have stocked their shelves of gluten free products and more restaurants are having gluten free options on their menus. It is mentioned in the media frequently as a healthy way of living. For example, stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Miley Cyrus, Dr. Oz, and Oprah have claimed that they owe their healthy lifestyle to gluten free decisions. But does eliminating gluten from your diet make you a healthier person?

Yes and no. By eliminating foods that have gluten, your eating options become slim which forces you to choose more foods like fruits and vegetables. Monitoring everything that you eat will become normal, reading nutrition labels will be customary, and most all fast foods and processed foods will be off limits. Yet, if you do not follow a gluten free diet in the correct way, it can be very unhealthy.

Many have self-diagnosed themselves with gluten intolerance or just simply choose to eat gluten free for one reason or another. If it is not properly researched, gluten free diets can cause issues. For example, when you are cutting many foods from your diet that you once had, you may be cutting yourself short on essential vitamins that your body needs. Bones can even become fragile if you are not replacing the correct nutrients in your diet. What most people don’t know is that many processed gluten free products can be fattening. Production companies, often times, rely on fattening components to replace the gluten in a product and to provide the product with any sort of flavor and texture.

So why has General Mills created over 300 gluten free cereals and Amazon.com advertise thousands of gluten free cookbooks? Maybe it’s a “get skinny” fad? Maybe gluten intolerance is finally getting the attention it deserves? Whatever the answer may be, the knowledge of gluten free diets should be one that is not taken lightly and a decision that should not be made without the consultation of your doctor.

For more information about this topic, or other health related topics, check out our A.D.A.M. Interactive Health library at http://www.franciscanphysicians.org/.

Myths vs. Facts: What is true about cancer?

Different myths about cancer have existed as long as the illness itself. Different information from the internet, word of mouth, and other forms of media scares us into believing false claims about cancer and what causes it. Before worrying too much about your health, let’s take a closer look at some of the more popular cancer myths that exist.








Myth: Cancer is contagious.

Fact: You cannot “catch” cancer from someone who has it through any kind of physical contact. However, there are some contagious viruses that can affect the risk of developing cancer. Some of them include Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).



Myth: Injuries can cause cancer later in one’s life.

Fact: This myth dates back to the 1920’s when doctors still had their suspicions about cancer being caused by trauma. The truth is, an injury is almost never the cause of cancer. Sometimes a tumor is discovered on a patient when they are visiting the doctor for an unrelated injury. But the injury itself did not cause the tumor. In a few rare cases, very severe injuries had increased cancer risk which is why this myth still circulates.



Myth: Deodorant and Antiperspirants can cause breast cancer.

Fact: According to the National Cancer Institute, there is no evidence proving that these products can cause cancer. Some have suggested that deodorant and antiperspirant contain harmful components that can be absorbed into your skin. Yet, these have not been proven to cause cancer. If you are concerned with this, you can choose products that do not contain these chemicals.




Myth: Pollution causes the greatest risk of lung cancer.

Fact: Although dirty air does contribute to lung cancer, the greatest risk of lung cancer is smoking. Smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoking, your risk of getting cancer in life is higher than anyone living in a polluted area. It is estimated that 87% of people with lung cancer is a result of smoking or exposure to smoking.





Before you believe what you hear from peers or read on the internet, check with your doctor about the validity to rumors about cancer. It is important to know your risks and further your knowledge about cancer, however believing everyday misconceptions can cause unnecessary worry about your health.

Should you or a loved one require oncology or hematology services, The Franciscan Oncology Center provides relief not only through personal understanding, but through the timely ability to see patients. The Franciscan Oncology Center is here to understand and care for patient’s individual needs and answer any questions that you may have. For more information call 219-922-4081.

Summer Edition of Franciscan Focus is Now Available!

The Summer 2012 edition of the Franciscan Focus magazine is here!

In this issue:

• The Heart of the Matter - Top Cardiac Services, Close to Home  
• New NICU in Dyer
• The Fab 5 - Orthopedic Surgeons Give Patients Options  
• Sweet Dreams - How to Get a Good Night's Rest

About the digital edition

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Paul Jones, M.D., Presents at German Seminar

Paul A. Jones, MD, is known regionally for taking on high complexity cardiovascular cases with success. As the first performer of an FDA-approved carotid stent procedure, his work is known worldwide.

Most recently, Jones’ medical knowledge took him to the Leipzig Interventional Course, held in Leipzig, Germany. This four day course appeals to a large number of medical professionals, with 2012 attendance at 3,607 persons from more than 60 countries. Held January 23-26, Jones was one of 42 from the United States.


Dr. Jones presents at a hospital health fair

Speaking under the category ‘Innovative Technologies for Complex SFA Occlusions,’ Jones provided a presentation on endoluminal bypass in-stent renosis: put simply, treating blockages in arteries of the legs with a percutaneous (non-surgical) bypass.
Topics like Jones were promoted not only through speaking presentations. The Liepzig Interventional Course provides a quite different hands-on experience with live case transmissions shown throughout the course. These video transmissions provide coverage of different interventional approaches and techniques.
Jones, chief of cardiovascular services at Mercy Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Center and medical director of cardiovascular services at Franciscan Physicians Hospital, pioneered the stenting procedures now commonly performed in northwest Indiana.
Procedures done in local catheterization labs save the patient trips to Chicago and beyond.

“I’ve provided over 1,000 carotid stenting procedures and over 10,000 cardiovascular procedures in my career. If you look at the success rate in the population of endovascular cases compared to conventional open surgery, my outcomes compare quite favorably,” says Jones.

Jones medical knowledge comes from not only years of education and experience, but from a drive to pursue clinical excellence.

“When I was in academic medicine, it was clear that the traditional or standard medical treatment strategies for cardiovascular disease all too often fell short of offering optimal care to patients,” states Jones.

“Since I developed the first successful graft stent approximately fifteen year ago, I’ve continued to be active in various clinical research products primarily involving the management of cardiovascular disorders. Through these efforts, I’m able to focus on developing hospital as well as office-based clinical cardiovascular programs.”

Jones believes these programs will shape the future of cardiovascular procedures.

“We’ve revolutionized how we manage cardiovascular disease and we are again rapidly shifting away from conventional surgery. Management of cardiovascular disease is evolving to an almost completely nonsurgical approach and conventional surgery as we know it will become almost obsolete.”

Training and organization of these programs will be central to managing a population of individuals with cardiovascular conditions. Jones and others are working to provide a template in which those programs find success. Jones, seeing early on the need for these programs, started the Jones Endovascular Institute.

Says Jones, “I developed the Jones Endovascular Institute ten years ago for the primary purposes of focusing on and developing clinical practices, and providing services to high risk patients who are ideally not surgical candidates.”

The path is paved for comprehensive care provisions through his program, notes Jones.

“We’ve developed a group of physicians focused on these same initiatives. I ensure that they’re properly trained so that clinical and technical skill sets are at a level providing the best possible cardiovascular service.”

With ground work set and efforts under way, patients in the next decade and beyond will receive a higher level of cardiovascular care through Jones’ approach.

“I’m trying to develop a model that will have a sincere impact on clinical outcomes in terms of bridging the gap for access of services,” states Jones. “Once you do that, you can have a true impact on the natural prevalence of the disease and the economy.”

Hopes are high and work is still under way, but Jones and partnering providers know that continued education will eventually break the cycle of limited accomplishments.

Jones states, “If we can be successful with this venture, we will have a sustainable impact on cardiovascular disease states.”

Distinguishing Honors

In 1999, Dr. Paul Jones was featured in Chicago Magazine’s “20 World Class Doctors.” He was recognized by the American Heart Association in 2002, receiving the “Chicago Heart Award.” Jones was named one of the Top Doctors of Chicago in 2011, and U.S. News and World Report honored him for Revolutionized Cardiovascular Physician for Care and Treatment of Carotid Artery Disease in 2005.

In 2000, Dr. Jones founded the Peripheral Vascular Intervention Preceptorship; an extensive, two day hands-on physician training program for vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists and interventional radiologists. These programs and others train physicians for the future cardiovascular medicine.