CROSSFEED 2-96
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
HEALTH NEWS
by L. Kline
DOES SIZE MATTER? - yes it does when concerning food portion amounts. According to the U.S. government, the average American is eight pounds heavier than a decade ago. One third of us are obese, up from 25% ten years ago. We are eating less fat, but getting fatter. Why?
According to registered dietitian Josephine Connolly-Schoonen, "People have tuned out portion size . . . the current obsession is with fat." At the beginning of this decade, much was publicized showing that if people simply cut back on fat in their meals, they'd lose weight, reduce heart disease and cancer. But there was no consideration on portion size - folks simply binged on low fat. People gain weight by eating too many calories, not just by eating fat.
One portion of fish or meat is the size of a tape cassette, a portion of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes is the size of your fist, a salad portion is the size of a baseball, french fries, potato chips, nuts, or candy would be one small fistful for a portion.
The conventional wisdom now is to maintain the low-fat diet, but couple that with a committed exercise program and moderate portions including good fresh fruits and vegetables. Health 3/96 and 5/95, Self 4/96
Healthfact No. 1 - produce with the highest pesticide residues:
1. strawberries
2. bell peppers
3. spinach
4. cherries
5. peaches
Solution: buy these organically grown (Health 3/96)
MEDICALS AND EKG'S - when your AME takes an EKG, it is faxed directly to the FAA's EKG center in Oklahoma City. There, a computer reads the data received. If the computer reads something that is out of normal range, an FAA doctor reviews the tracing. Then, if it is considered "clinically significant" (a true heart problem), your AME may get a call. If it is only suspicious, the agency will probably write you requesting that you have the EKG repeated. In this case, the AME already has signed you off, so you won't be grounded. But the FAA expects you to comply with its request for another test.
Electronic interference during transmission is easily detected by the FAA, since interference is usually very different from the signal put out by the heart. If a faulty transmission occurs, there is often an immediate alarm in Oklahoma City, and the FAA will attempt to call the AME before you leave the office for a retest. Business & Commercial Aviation 1/96
FINALLY A MEDICAL REASON TO DRINK "WILD TURKEY" - research from the Netherlands suggests that a drink or two of alcohol a day may keep the brain sharp as you age. When they reviewed the drinking habits of a group of elderly men, the researchers were surprised to find that those who drank one or two alcoholic beverages a day were half as likely to have poor thinking ability as teetotalers were. Men's Health 5/96
COMBATTING MENTAL AGING: ANOTHER BENEFIT OF EXERCISING - every cell in the body requires a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients to run at its peak. No cells need this more than the brain, which comprises only two percent of body weight, but uses fully one quarter of all the glucose and oxygen that we take in. Slip out of shape, and the supply of oxygen and nutrients also suffers. Blood flow to the capillaries that feed brain cells may slow to a trickle. When this happens, neurons get less of the nourishment they demand and can't move electrical signals as fast. The mind slows. A recent study even found that high blood pressure, a common fallout of aging, can lead to memory problems.
But getting older doesn't necessarily mean getting mentally slower. Regular workouts and exercising may offer an antidote. In one study, 60 male volunteers, half in their twenties and half in their sixties, were tested for mental speed. As expected, the younger group showed more mental speed. But when the over-60 group were examined, it was found that the most active and aerobically fit men had retained much of the quick-wittedness of youth. In fact, the older men in good condition scored just as well as men 30 to 40 years their junior!
As you exercise, sections of the brain that control movement and balance are constantly sending signals back and forth along the nerves from brain to muscles. Eye, inner ear, and other sensory nerves all get involved. Exercising your "sub-systems" can keep them in good working order far beyond a sedentary person's.
Not an fitness fanatic? No problems. It is never too late to start. The researchers found that just an hour of brisk walking or jogging three times a week had beneficial results. Test subjects that were over 55 and sedentary increased their aerobic capacity by 25 percent and did much better on mental speed test after just four months of the walking/jogging regime. Becoming fit later in life still reaps tremendous health benefits. Another study conducted by the Cooper Clinic in Dallas showed that unfit men who became fit within five years had half the risk of dying from any cause as those who stayed out of shape. Their death rate dropped as much as the death rate for men who quit smoking during the five-year study. Health 3/96 and Men's Health 12/95
Healthfact No. 2 - Tea:an antioxidant - researchers who studied 39 food-derived antioxidants found that polyphenols, a powerful class of phytochemicals found in tea, were the best at inhibiting the process that makes LDL cholesterol so bad for arteries. (Men's Fitness 5/96)
CALCULATING THE ODDS - a new investigation of 1,000 men at Washington University in St. Louis confirms that men with a history of prostate cancer in their families are more likely to get the disease. They found that risk increases fivefold if he has an affected brother and 3 1/2 times if he has an affected father. Yearly screening (PSA blood test and DRE-digital rectal exam) is recommended commencing at age 40 if one is within this group. Otherwise, screening is recommended to start at age 50 if no immediate relatives have had prostate cancer. Men's Health 5/96
Healthfact No. 3 - "the caffeine kick" - some athletes use caffeine to enhance their workouts and performance. This effect has been studied by the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. They have found that exercisers who had consumed caffeine used less oxygen to pump more blood at lower blood pressure. They believe that the caffeine dilates blood vessels enabling them to move blood easier. Before trying caffeine, though, consult with your physician, as some heart disease problems may be made worse by caffeine consumption. (Men's Fitness 5/96)
THE HERBAL MEDICINE CHEST: Ginseng
The Chinese have used ginseng for more than 3,500 years as an herbal medicine. It has been purported to "quiet the spirit", "enlighten the mind" and increase the libido, among other things. It has been regularly used in this country by over 6 million people. It is taken to improve memory and concentration, increase energy, slow the aging process, improve vision and hearing, regulate sleep cycles, lessen stress, and alleviate menopausal hot flashes.
Herbally speaking, ginseng is considered a general health enhancer, not taken to combat specific problems. Taken as an "adaptogen" it normalizes physical functioning regardless of direction (meaning it will lower high blood pressure, but raise low blood pressure). There are no long-term studies on humans in this country. According to Varro Tyler, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacognosy at Purdue University, there is pretty good evidence that ginseng increases stress endurance in small animals, but there have been only three or four well-designed studies on humans. He believes that ginseng may have an effect on humans as a kind of hormonal stimulant. One study showed that two polysaccharides that could be isolated from ginseng stimulated the proliferation of CD4 cells in response to a disease-causing agent. Ginseng may act as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage by radiation and toxic substances.
The Chinese herbalists traditionally give ginseng in cycles with a rest period - two months on the herb - one month off. Ginseng may be taken in teas, tablets, extracts, capsules, and the root itself. Extracts and teas are said to elicit more immediate effects. If taken in tablet or capsule form, 250 to 500 mg. are the recommended daily dosage. Problems with ginseng are rare, but it is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, people with blood-clotting difficulties, asthmatics, and those with cardiac or high blood pressure problems. Self 3/96 and 1996 Natural Health Handbook
TRUTH IN LABELLING - researchers at Columbia University's Obesity Research Center report that the locally prepared "health" or "diet" foods they gathered and tested contained an average of 85 percent more calories than was claimed on the label. Regionally distributed foods were fully 25 percent off the mark; national brands were on the money. The FDA allows for a 20 percent margin of error on products. Self 3/96
Healthfact No. 4 - illness and workouts - should one exercise when fighting a cold or the flu? "The Physician and Sportsmedicine" recommends a "neck check": if the symptoms are all above the neck-runny nose, sneezing, sore throat-it should be safe to exercise. But if the symptoms go lower-muscle aches, chills, hacking cough or high temperature-better fight the illness first, recover, and then start into your routine. (Men's Fitness 5/96)
INCREASING VITAMIN C DOSE IS URGED - Americans should get more than triple the daily amount of vitamin C now recommended, a team of researchers reported.
The data suggests that 200 milligrams is the best dose, compared with the 60 mg now contained in most multivitamin supplements. Above 400 mg won't help, as the body is unable to absorb these higher doses - it passes through the body and is excreted.
This amount of vitamin C may be attained simply by eating five fruits and vegetables daily.
Additionally, vitamin C interacts with vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other antioxidant vitamins. Tuft's University found that people who boosted their intake of vitamin C to 220 mg a day retained 18 percent more vitamin E and 13 percent more beta-carotene in the blood than folks who got just 120 mg of vitamin C. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Arizona Republic) 4/16/96 and Men's Health 4/96
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES - natural-healing techniques are largely unregulated and unstudied in the Western world. However, as acceptance of unconventional medicine grows (a 1993 survey published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that one-third of Americans had used such a health therapy within the past year), so does the amount of information available to the public. Here are some alternative medicines many are considering.
ACUPUNCTURE - like other elements of traditional Asian medicine, acupuncture works to restore the body's healthful flow of energy, called qi, rather than just targeting specific symptoms. An acupuncturist will insert needles at certain points in the body to disperse or activate the qi; in some cases, they will also use pressure or electric current at those points. Western researchers have noted that stimulating these areas affects the body's chemistry, which may explain acupuncture's effects. Acupuncture has been used to treat chronic pain, tension, nausea, and behavioral problems such as alcoholism and drug addiction.
Reliable practitioners of acupuncture should be graduates of colleges approved by or in candidacy with the National Accreditation Commission for Schools and Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and be state licensed or registered, if required. Many medical doctors, naturopaths, and chiropractors also occasionally incorporate acupuncture into their practices (some states only allow MD's this option). Check to ensure that your practitioner uses disposable needles. Further information may be obtained from the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists in Washington, D.C. (202-232-1404) or the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture in Los Angeles (800-521-2262), who offers referral to MD's who also practice acupuncture.
CHIROPRACTIC - spinal manipulation, involving moving a joint in the back, neck, or pelvis beyond its normal range of motion, is used to relieve pain and improve certain body functions. A report in The New England Journal of Medicine states that patients who see a chiropractor for back pain get relief as quickly as those who see a medical doctor, and that they are more satisfied with the care they get. Chiropractic may help relieve other health problems in addition to pain and stiffness, including high blood pressure to body infections, but these claims are controversial, and there is little scientific proof to validate these claims.
Chiropractors attend a four year accredited chiropractic college and should be state licensed. Most state's have a Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which can furnish information on individual chiropractors, any disciplinary actions, and whether they have kept up with continuing education requirements.
Additional information may be obtained from the American Chiropractic Association (800-368-3083).
HOMEOPATHY - homeopathic medicine is based on the principle of "like cures like"; a substance which would induce certain symptoms when given to a healthy person can eliminate those same symptoms in someone who is sick. Homeopaths give these substances, derived from naturally occurring plant, animal and mineral sources, in highly diluted doses. The usefulness of these remedies is widely debated in medical circles, many regarding this discipline as practically superstition, others giving some credence due to some recent scientific support.
Homeopathy may be practiced by MD's, dentists, naturopaths, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistance. Currently, only three states have separate licensing boards for homeopathic physicians (Arizona, Connecticut, and Nevada), other states may require certification by a national examination board.
Further information may be obtained from Homeopathic Educational Services (510-649-0294), or the National Center for Homeopathy (703-548-7790), or the American Institute of Homeopathy (505-989-1457).
NATUROPATHY - naturopaths are holistic doctors who treat patients using a wide variety of natural therapies. Although they cannot prescribe drugs or perform surgery, they can diagnose illnesses and act as primary care physicians in certain states. Most naturopaths combine some of the same techniques as standard physicians, such as physical exams and blood tests, with acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, and special diets. Some also deviate into radical fringe treatments, such as crystal healing or colonics.
Training for naturopaths includes studies in anatomy, biology, nutrition, physiology, and other conventional disciplines in addition to alternative therapies. Only eight states license naturopaths (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Montana, Connecticut, and New Hampshire).
More information may be obtained from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (206-323-7610).
SPIRITUALITY - spiritual healing has been investigated in the last several years. In a 1995 comprehensive review of data related to religion and health, the National Institute of Healthcare Research found that out of 146 studies, 77 percent demonstrated religion's positive effect on health. Only 6 percent showed a negative effect. The studies shoed that religious beliefs helped counter addiction, high blood pressure, depression and low self-esteem.
In a controversial 1988 study in a San Francisco coronary care unit, strangers were asked to pray for the recovery of half of the heart patients. Ten months later, the "blessed" patients had suffered fewer heart attacks, congestive heart failures and bouts of pneumonia than those who weren't the objects of prayer. Other attempts at quantifying this phenomena have had similar results.
No matter where your beliefs lie, it appears that a positive attitude and outlook enhances the chances of a healthy recovery. Men's Fitness 5/96 and Self 5/96
PREVENTING SKIN CANCER - researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found that eating a low-fat diet may help prevent skin cancer. They found that people whose daily diets contained 38 percent fat were more likely to develop recurrences of skin cancer than people limited their intake to 20 percent fat. Mens's Health 4/96
Healthfact No. 5 - PMS cure? - several studies in Denmark have found that foods rich in both vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids have been linked with a lack of symptoms such as headaches and cramps. A great source of these nutrients is salmon teriyaki. (So take her out for a great dinner - it'll make you both feel better!) (Self 3/96)
From the Flight Surgeon:
"DE' NILE IS A RIVER IN AFRICA"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
[insert Battersby article here]
(I will fax Battersby's article to you this week-LK)
