LLU Addresses Common Health Issues at Symposium

The Second Annual Loma Linda Health Symposium, presented by the Drayson Center Preventive Care Clinic and the Loma Linda University Church, came to town over the weekend with speakers who provided information on a range of health topics to the community. The speakers present at the symposium were Dr. Ryan Sinclair, who discussed the various water treatments and the importance of water, and Dr. Jerry Lee, who discussed the effects of spirituality on health. The purpose of the symposium was to inform the community about common health issues that concern the general public. Dr. Hildemar Dos Santos, director of the Drayson Center Preventive Care Clinic, stated, “We try to bring the researchers and the professors and faculty from the school to talk to the public so they have an opportunity to ask their questions and interact with the researchers from the university.” With colon cancer being the second leading cause of cancer death and the third leading cause of death in both men and women, the concern for prevention has become a priority. Dr. Michael Orlich stressed the importance of screening for colon cancer, which is recommended to begin at the age of 50. According to the results of Dr. Orlich’s research there is evidence that those individuals who follow vegetarian diets have a lower risk of developing colon cancer than those who are non-vegetarians. Dr. Ryan Sinclair focused on the problems facing clean drinking water. He presented various technologies that help in the sanitation of water and the prevention of pathogens not only in the United States, but also worldwide. The message Dr. Sinclair communicated was that there exists the possibility that tap water is much cleaner than bottled water due to the fact that the U.S Environmental Protection Agency monitors tap water multiple times a month, whereas the FDA monitors bottle water. The difference between the two agencies, according to the Dr. Sinclair, is that the FDA tends to leave regulation of bottle water companies to best management practices, which leads to the assumption that they are testing the water they bottle. Dr. Jerry Lee’s research suggested that those who attend church three to four times a month are likely to die at a younger age than those who attend church once or twice a month. Other factors have contributed to these results such as diet, cigarette use, and exercise. Overall, however, regular church attendance reduces the risk of death by almost 50 percent, he found.