November 2003 

Julie Feldman MPH RD, Clinical Dietitian

 While most CF patients are conscious of how lucky they are to share every day with the ones that they love, Thanksgiving is a time for all of us to say a special thank you to all of the people that enlighten and brighten their lives everyday.  Unfortunately it often takes a life-altering event for us to take pause and say thank you and express how much you love the people around you.  But you don't have to wait for that special moment.  Take a minute to write down and express in words how much you cherish the ones that you love.  I guarantee it will make you feel even more thankful than before.

Cruising for CF

The COO of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises Jack Williams raised $600,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by running in the NYC marathon.  A long time supporter of the CF Foundation, he has raised more than $30 million in his fundraising efforts.  Mr. Williams is already planning his next fundraiser entitled Shine Miami, a two-day star-studded event.  You can check out this wonderful event at www.shinemiami.org.  Thanks to Mr. Williams for all of his hard work.

     According to new research published in New Scientist last month, there may be new treatments in the form of the pill for several genetic diseases including CF.  According to this article, many genetic diseases are caused by a gene mutation called a premature stop. This means that there is a mutation in the middle of the gene sequence that stops the gene from the making a protein it was intended to make.  This new drug called PTC124 binds to an important part of the irregular gene allowing the RNA to read beyond the premature stop and continue to make the protein.  COOL!

Conference Highlights

Highlights from the North American 17th Annual Cystic Fibrosis Conference are now available on the CF foundation website at http://www.cff.org/highlights.  The meeting included 3,000 leading professionals in the fight against CF.  This web link will give you insight into the numerous advances being made every day.

New enzyme options may be just around the corner.  At the national meeting in Anaheim, Altus Biologics Inc. announced their Phase I clinical trial results with TheraCLEC, a new pancreatic enzyme supplement that is designed to have improved stability and potency compared with current enzyme treatments.  What is new about this enzyme?  TheraCLEC is the first pancreatic enzyme using Altus' patented technology in delivering protein therapeutics orally using a special protein crystallization technology.  Phase II trials are to begin soon.

Adding Antioxidants

The cells in our bodies are vulnerable to a process called oxidation.  Oxidation is a damaging process that has been shown to lead to cancer and heart disease and premature aging.  Thankfully there are antioxidants, particles produced by the body, and also obtained in the food that we eat, that help fight the oxidizing compounds.  Antioxidants are prevalent in fruits and vegetables, red wine, and green tea just to name a few.  So the question is...are you getting enough antioxidants in your diet?

Making sure that you are eating the recommended minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day is a good start on the road to better health.  Have a soothing cup of green tea instead of coffee is a good step, and why not try a new product called POM.  POM is the first refrigerated pomegranate juice.  POM is packed with antioxidants at levels twice that in red wine and green tea.  For more information visit www.pomwonderful.com.