CROSSFEED 4-96
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
ANOTHER BENEFIT OF VITAMIN E - this antioxidant may be as good for your brain as it is for your heart. A recent study indicated that taking vitamin E daily may help protect your brain from deteriorating as you get older. The brains of elderly mice who had been given high doses (about 400 I.U.) each day showed much less deterioration from free radicals (damaging oxygen molecules) than the brains of those who weren't fed the vitamin E. "The brain-tissue protein in mice is very similar to our own, so these results are definitely applicable to humans," says lead researcher Marguerite Kay, M.D., of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. Though this antioxidant may not reverse damage, as little as 200 I.U. a day may stave off some of the degenerative effects of time. Men's Health 10/96
Health Fact No. 1 - Just 40 minutes of moderate exercise a week may cut a person's risk of diabetes in half. (Men's Health 10/96)
HOT TIP FOR SORE THROAT - when you feel your first sore throat this season, try something different: hot pepper. Cayenne pepper, say researchers at the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California, is a good home remedy for a sore throat. They recommend pouring three-quarters of a teaspoon of honey in a tablespoon, top it off with lemon juice and add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Swallow this brew. The pepper won't cure what's causing the soreness, but it may help to subdue one of the body's pain chemicals so swallowing won't hurt as much. Men's Health 9/96
HERBAL HEALTH - lots has been written about the potential health benefits of garlic. Nutritionists at Pennsylvania State University, while trying to quantify these health benefits, discovered that another Mediterranean herb, rosemary, contains a number of potent antioxidants. The researchers fed rats meals containing varied amounts of powdered rosemary, as well as saturated fats. After two weeks, the animals were injected with a powerful cancer-causing agent. The rats who consumed rosemary were twice as likely to escape the chemical's adverse effects as those who went without the herb.. Even rats who ate a lot of fat - long thought to promote tumors - seemed to get some protection. Besides all these apparent benefits, this seasoning tastes wonderful on salads and roasted potatoes. Health 9/96
DO CARROTS REALLY HELP EYESIGHT? - For many years, it has been known that certain foods, one's that contain plenty of vitamin A, can help relieve night blindness. Now researchers have discovered that carrots and their colorful kin also may help prevent age-related blindness.
Any vegetables rich in carotenoids - usually those that are deep orange or dark green, like squash or spinach - are helpful, because the body converts the carotenoids to vitamin A. Eyes need the vitamin to make a light-sensitive pigment called rhodopsin. When exposed to light, rhodopsin trips a switch that sends a signal along nerves to the part of the brain responsible for sight.
Each time rhodopsin does its job, it burns up a bit of vitamin A. People who don't get enough vitamin A are less able to detect light and can end up with night blindness. However, vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States; it is usually found only in alcoholics and other undernourished people.
But much less severe lack of vitamin A have been also been linked to vision loss, at least in older people. Last year researchers found that elderly people who regularly ate at least five servings of vegetables a week cut by half their risk of suffering macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in older Americans. This disorder arises when cells die off in a section of the retina - the light-sensitive back wall of the eye where rhodopsin plays its role.
Researchers believe this cell death is the result of free radicals (destructive oxygen molecules). The antioxidants abundant in vegetables can tie up these free radicals and prevent the damage. In last year's study, mustard and collard greens, kale, and spinach seemed to offer the most protection. And though the benefit increased the more people ate, as little as one serving a week was enough to lower risk. Health 9/96
KIDS' OBESITY LINKED TO TUBE TIME - percent of children who are overweight ranked by the hours per day they spend watching television:
hours of TV percent overweight
0-2 12
2-3 23
3-4 28
4-5 30
>5 33
So turn off Barney and engage in physical activities with your child. Health 9/96
BETTER THAN PEANUTS - now that raisins are just as common on our flights as peanuts, did you know that raisins contain generous amounts of iron, potassium, fiber, and B vitamins? But brush your teeth after eating them: they contain an acid that eats away tooth enamel faster than most foods. If you can't brush, just drink water after eating them, the water will wash away some of the residual acid. Rinsing with water reduces decay-causing bacteria by 30 percent. This is also good advice if you drink soft drinks, as they leave acids in the mouth that can harm tooth enamel. Men's Fitness 9/96 and Men's Fitness 10/96
A FIRM REASON TO USE IT - last issue we reported on the herb Ginkgo Biloba which increases blood flow to the brain thereby improving memory and alertness. New research suggests that this herb may make male erections firmer by also increasing blood flow to the penis. Plaque may buildup in the arteries to this organ, restricting bloodflow. Ginkgo may dilate the arteries and capillaries to increase bloodflow to all organs throughout the body.
In a German study, 20 impotent men were asked to take an 80 mg. capsule three times a day. After 9 months, all were able to have spontaneous erections. Men's Health 10/96
THE HERBAL MEDICINE CHEST: Valerian
This is "nature's Valium" prepared from the root of a European plant now spread throughout the northeastern United States. Valerian is taken to provide temporary relief from anxiety and to prevent insomnia. It can also help relieve headaches, stomach and menstrual cramps, and constipation or indigestion from nervous tension. Some studies have found it is as effective as some barbiturates for reducing the time needed to fall asleep, though it is stimulating instead of calming to some people. It is safe when taken in moderate doses, but should not be used for an extended period of time. Ask your family doctor about taking Valerian. Many doctors are recommending Valerian to improve sleep quality and reduce morning sleepiness. It is sold in most drugstores, where the recommended dosage is 200 to 300 milligrams of the extract containing 0.8 percent valerianic acid. Valerian is sold dried and in tablets, capsules, concentrated drops, tinctures, and extracts. Men's Health 9/96 and Natural Health Handbook 1996
THE BEST EXERCISE MACHINES - lots of folks hitting the gym these days looking for a good cardio-workout. Which machine gives the best cardio-bang for the time? The first laboratory study comparing the calorie-burning potential of different exercise machines found the treadmill was the most efficient of six types tested, including stair-climbers, rowers, and cross-country skiers. The results of the test, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concluded that the treadmill workouts burned 40 percent more calories per hour than the least effective machine, the stationary bicycle. Please note, however, that calories burned during machine workouts vary widely depending on age, body weight, fitness level, and possibly, the model of the machine used,( your mileage may vary!). Also consideration must be given that some machines involve high-impact movements that may cause or contribute to long-term injury, whereas others utilize low-impact motion that may enable users to avoid injuries associated with high-impact exercise. Men's Fitness 9/96
Machine Calories Burned per Hour
Treadmill 705
Stairclimber 627
Rower 606
X-Country Skier 595
Airdyne (moving handles cycle) 509
Stationary bicycle 498
Healthfact No.2 -THINKING ABOUT QUITTING? - smoking that is. It doesn't take long to reap some health benefits by stopping: - 20 minutes after smoking your last cigarette, your blood pressure returns to its normal level.
- after 48 hours, your senses of taste and smell improve.
- one to nine months later, coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia, the hairlike structures in the air passages that help clear your lungs of foreign materials, begin moving normally.
- five years later, the risk of lung cancer death is half what it was.
- after 15 years, the risk of cardiovascular disease or of dying from lung cancer is almost the same as a nonsmoker's risk. (Men's Fitness 10/96)
IMPROVE GOLF BY BEING FIT - golfers who engage in fitness programs can improve their golf game considerably. According to Wayne Westcott, PhD, a fitness researcher for the YMCA, a group of golfers who engaged in an eight-week strength and flexibility program (10 minutes of hip and shoulder stretches in addition to 30 minutes of weightlifting three times a week) were studied. The participants improved their swing speed by 5 mph (equivalent to 15 to 20 more yards off the tee), their leg strength by 56 percent and their joint flexibility by 24 percent. Westcott says regular stretching gives golfers a quicker payoff on the greens than strength training does, but he adds that serious players really need both, especially as they get older.
For strength training, Westcott recommends crunches (abs); back raises (lower back); bench presses (chest); lat pulldowns (upper back); lateral raises (shoulders); curls and pressdowns (arms); leg presses, extensions and curls (thighs); and calf raises (lower legs).
Even more important is flexibility. Before playing a round or hitting a bucket at the range, take a few minutes to stretch your major muscles. Focus particularly on the hamstrings (bend over from the waist until you feel a gentle stretch in the rear thighs); the lower back (hold a golf club across the shoulders, slowly twisting to the right, hold 15 seconds, then slowly twist to the left and hold another 15 seconds); and chest and shoulders (grasp your hands behind you and straighten your arms.) Men's Fitness 9/96
S-T-R-E-T-C-H FOR HEALTH - "80 percent of lower back pain, which is plaguing the nation, could be alleviated with proper stretching," claims Ann Frederick, a flexibility specialist in Phoenix, Arizona, who designs stretching programs for both world class athletes and clients seeking to feel better. Falling somewhere in between massage therapy and chiropractic work, Frederick's sport-specific stretching routines have begun to gain a reputation in sports circles nationwide. She has worked with athletes at Arizona State University and traveled with the U.S. Olympic team to Atlanta during the Summer Games. Frederick's objective is to increase the range of motion, improve agility, speed, muscular endurance, strength, and prevent injuries. According to U.S. wrestling coach Zeke Jones, Frederick's stretching helped the Olympic wrestlers recover and gave them a crucial component to doing well. Stretching is not a new concept for athletes, but using a specialist to fine tune the stretch is new territory. She also believes that her stretching program may help sedentary aviation types who spend 8 to 12 hours a day in the front end of orange LUVjets. We seem especially prone to back problems, and stretching may be an antidote to preventing future back problems as well as relieving present ailments.
Frederick's system uses a massage table and custom-made restraints that enable her to isolate the muscles better. The program manipulates the connective tissue, making the muscle more pliable.
She says proper stretching is the "missing link" to improving overall fitness and believes professional athletes would do well with her program. She also states that many of her clients are baby boomers fighting the aging process. "Stretching will increase your range of motion, hence, improve your golf game, tennis game and your quality of life in general."
Even if you are not contemplating a professional athletic career now, stretching appears to have benefits for just about everyone who wants to enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle.
(Editor's note: Ann Frederick may be reached at A & F Flexibility Systems, Tempe, Arizona, (602-731-3101 or fax 602-592-0205) - LK
HAMSTRING STRETCH MAY EASE LOWER BACK PAIN - sometimes, just bending to tie a shoe can cause a sharp spasm in the lower back. This occurs because the hamstrings, which run up the backs of the thighs, are too tight, and they make the pelvis inflexible. "When you bend forward at the hips, the pelvis can't tilt you," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., codirector of the sports-medicine center at the Mayo Clinic. "This increases the stress on the lower back." The muscles may spasm to keep you from doing further damage. Loosening your hams may prevent back pain. A good hamstring stretch: lying on your back,, draw your right knee up to your chest while keeping the left leg on the floor, then loop a belt around the sole of your right foot. Straighten your right leg, pushing your foot toward the ceiling, then use the belt to gently pull your outstretched leg toward your head, while keeping the left leg flat on the floor. Repeat it a few times, then switch legs. Men's Health 11/96
Healthfact No. 3 - potatoes are high in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. But don't keep the raw ones in the refrigerator - the starch will change into sugar. If potatoes are boiled, leave the skin on so that they will retain more nutrients advises the Idaho Potato Commission. (Self 6/96)
THE RIGHT STRETCH - by now you know to stretch before exercise. But, in fact, more people get hurt from stretching incorrectly than from not stretching at all. Stretch too quickly or too far, and you may injure your ligaments. Do it slowly and carefully, and you can extend your muscle flexibility by 20 percent, says fitness expert Kathy Kaehler. She says to stretch to the point of light tension, not to the point of pain. Muscles contract sharply when stretched too far. (Called the stretch reflex). By gentle stretching, the muscles are more limber all the time. By holding the stretch for 30 seconds, the stretch reflex will stop, the tension will dissipate, and you'll be able to stretch a little farther, a little easier, the next time. Never bounce during a stretch. Bouncing vigorously during a stretch throws your limbs into what are called ballistic stretches. These can overpower the muscles' tenancy to contract when stretched too far. This will result in torn or frayed ligaments.
Lastly, it is more important to stretch after most exercises than before. Some sports that use steady motion can serve as their own warm-up, but exercises that utilize explosive movements require stretching before exertion. Post-exercise stretching allows warm muscles and tissues to be stretched and the products of exercise (like lactic acid) to be removed more easily by the body. This all aids in injury prevention. Health 11/95
From the Flight Surgeon:
"AUNTIE OCCIDENT'"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication-LK)
[insert Battersby article here]
(I will fax Battersby article to you later - LK)
