REPORTING POINT 10-00
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
HANDS OFF - women can maximize a stepping-machine workout if they don’t hold the handrails; not even slightly. According to the journal Research in Nursing & Health, women who hold the rails have maximum heart rates up to 5% lower than women who do not. Using the handrails once in a while to regain balance is fine, the study says, but continuously gripping them lessens the workout’s effectiveness - these findings do not apply to men. USA Today 4/11/00.
GLUCOSAMINE WORKS - scientists in Belgium have hard evidence that the supplement glucosamine can stop osteoarthritis. For 3 years, 212 osteoarthritis patients were given either 1,500 mgs. of glucosamine or a placebo daily. Radiographs showed that the placebo subjects had narrowed joint space and less cartilage, but those taking glucosamine had no deterioration. The scientists believe glucosamine may block cartilage-destroying enzymes. This study relied on actual measurements of knees structure rather than self-reported knee pain. Men’s Health 3/00.
SUNSCREEN UPDATE - when purchasing a sunscreen, look for those formulas that block out both ultraviolet B (UVB), the main cause of sunburn and skin tumors, and ultraviolet A (UVA), the prime culprit behind wrinkles. Some new lotions may even reverse some skin damage.
UVB damages the DNA of individual skin cells and weakens the body’s ability to destroy or repair cells that have been damaged. It is estimated that 20% of the American population will suffer significant skin damage or skin cancer due to UVB damage.
UVA, which is responsible for the skin tanning, produces free-radical damage which effects skin cell’s DNA. This damage results in mottled splotches, wrinkles, and loose skin. The free radicals break down the skin’s elastic fibers and underlying collagen that helps keep skin smooth and firm. There is some recent evidence that UVA light may contribute to the formation of melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer.
Choose a sunscreen which will block both UVA and UVB - preferably one with zinc oxide or titanium oxide or avobenzone (Parsol 1789). Health 7/00, Men’s Fitness 7/00.
ANOTHER BENEFIT OF GREEN TEA - we’ve written before about the health benefits of green tea, including the strong antioxidants it contains. Now, research another benefit...increased metabolism and weight loss. Swiss researchers found that subjects who daily consumed green tea extract plus 50 mgs. of caffeine burned 4.5% more calories daily. The researchers speculate that caffeine interacts with the flavonoids in the green tea to alter the body’s use of norepinephrine, a chemical transmitter in the nervous system that influences the body’s metabolism - increased metabolism means more calories and fat are burned. Men’s Health 3/00, Men’s Fitness 3/00.
FIBER KEEPS THE POUNDS OFF - adding fiber may be as smart as cutting fat from your diet. Researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston report that men and women who ate a diet high in fiber gained the least weight over a ten-year period - regardless of how much fat they consumed. The people who gained the most had diets low in both fiber and fat. Health 1/00.
PROSTATE CANCER VACCINE - researchers at Johns Hopkins University are getting closer at developing a vaccine for prostate cancer. GM-CSF, a gene known to trigger immune activity, was implanted into prostate-cancer cells, which were then injected into test subjects with aggressive prostate cancer. Researchers found that the vaccine caused the men’s immune systems to produce T-cells that attacked the prostate cancer. The next step is to make the immune response strong enough to defeat cancer. Men’s Health 3/00.
ACTIVITY CUTS PROSTATE RISK - growing evidence suggest that getting regular exercise can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Most recently, a study of almost 30,000 men published in Cancer Causes & Control found that those who both walked on the job and engaged in at least moderately intense leisure activity had a 60 percent lower risk of prostate cancer than those who led a purely sedentary lifestyle. Men who were inactive at work but active during their leisure time still had 30 percent less risk than the sedentary men. Consumer Reports on Health 10/98.
CHILD ASTHMA RELIEF - Italian researchers report that eating just one orange a week can help asthmatic kids breathe easier. The researchers also found that youngsters who ate more fresh citrus fruit wheezed and coughed less. Health 7/00.
TEA FOR YOUR BONES - drinking tea may actually lead to stronger bones and lower risk of fracture. A recent English study found that tea-drinking women (age 65 to 76) had greater bone density than women who did not drink tea. Coffee had no effect on bone density. Tea contains fluoride and flavonoids, which may be beneficial to bone retention. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/00.
PAYBACK FOR SMOKING MOMS - smoking during pregnancy seems to increase the odds of having an obnoxious toddler with behavioral problems.
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that toddlers with mothers who smoked during pregnancy were four times as likely as the others to exhibit negative behavior.
Because maternal smoking narrows the blood vessels in the placenta researchers believe it might affect the structure and function of the baby’s brain. Childhood aggression has been linked to later delinquency. Health 7/00.
BLOOD TYPE HYPE - “Eat Right for Your Type” by Peter J. D’Adamo claims that your blood type determines how you metabolize food. This book lists the best foods for each blood type and makes claims for increased energy and weight loss based on your blood type (A, O, AB, etc.) According to Consumer Reports on Health (10/98), there is absolutely no scientific evidence, or even plausible theory, to support using your blood type as a guide for your diet.
HIDDEN FATS EXPOSED - trans-fats may be just as bad for your heart and arteries as saturated fat, raising cholesterol levels and blood triglyceride levels. There has been no requirement to list these fats on food labels, so you may have been consuming more harmful fat than you realized. Now, the FDA plans to start labeling trans-fats on all food products in a few years. Until this is enacted, trans-fats are found in all oils that are hydrogenated (the label will include “partially hydrogenated”) in its description. Many baked goods and especially stick margarine contain this “hidden fat”. Health 3/00.
