Health News

REPORTING POINT 11-00

AEROMEDICAL NEWS

“Live healthy...live well”

HEALTH NEWS

by Larry Kline

SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net

STILL NOT GETTING IT - fewer than one-third of American women of child-bearing age take daily supplements of the B vitamin folic acid, as recommended by the government to help prevent neural tube birth defects. Fortification of grain products with folic acid, in effect since 1998, has helped raise Americans’ blood levels of this vitamin, but not enough to prevent birth defects. Thus all women who might become pregnant should take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid. It is important to start building up levels of folic acid at least four weeks before becoming pregnant. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/00.

JUST THINK ABOUT IT - according to researchers at the University of Bristol (England), each cigarette a man smokes shortens his life by 11 minutes! Men’s Fitness

6/00.

NEW DRUGS TO FIGHT CANCER - a new class of drugs has been shown to slow tumor growth by selectively killing cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. Researchers studied 96 patients who had prostate-cancer recurrences after prostatectomy and found that Exisulind, a selective apoptotic anti-neoplastic drug (SAAND), acted like a cancer-cell “off” switch. According to the lead researcher, Exisulind makes cancer cells undergo apoptosis-programmed cell death. He believes that SAANDs, which should be available early next year, will make surgery, hormone therapy, and radiation therapy more effective. Men’s Health 10/00.

HOSTILITY AND ANGER CAN KILL...YOU - researchers at Ohio State University have found a link between hostility and the chemical homocysteine. High levels of the chemical may damage the inside of arterial walls, leading to plaque formation. Hostility and stress temporarily elevate homocysteine levels. Foods containing folic acid (beans, spinach, orange juice) help control homocysteine levels. Men’s Health 10/00.

NEWS FROM “DOWN UNDER” - 48,000 men will die from colon cancer this year. Colonoscopy examination will verify your status and colon health. Drinking milk and at least consuming 300 milligrams of calcium daily seems to decrease the recurrence of precancerous polyps. Men’s Health 10/00.


CHEATING DIABETES - the adult-onset type will claim 65,000 Americans this year. Those who exercise regularly seem less likely to acquire this type of diabetes. Also, eating more insoluble fiber (vegetables, fruit, and wheat bran) and soluble fiber (fruit, beans, oats, barley, and rye). According to the New England Journal of Medicine, those who consumed 50 grams of both soluble and insoluble fiber daily reduced their glucose by 10 percent and insulin by 12 percent. Men’s Health 10/00.

ANALYZING BLOOD TEST RESULTS - by now, you should be getting an annual blood test and keeping the results for baseline comparison. Here is a partial analysis and interpretation of some of the most telling blood tests.


TEST NORMAL RESULTS EXCELLENT

______________________________________________________________________Total cholesterol 180 milligrams/deciliter 140-150 mg/dl


HDL cholesterol-cleans arteries >40 mg/dl >70 mg/dl


LDL cholesterol-clogs arteries <120 mg/dl <80 mg/dl


VLDL cholesterol-soft chunks of <15 mg/dl <10 mg/dl

cholesterol that are very likely to

cause blockages


Fasting triglycerides-fat globules in the 150-250 mg/dl 90 mg/dl

bloodstream; the higher the count, the

higher the risk of heart attack/stroke


Fasting blood glucose-the closer to the 70-110 mg/dl 85-105 mg/dl

midrange, the less chance of develop-

ing hypoglycemia or diabetes


Liver bilirubin-gradual alcohol damage 1.2 mg/dl <1 mg/dl

to the liver causes this to increase


Serum ferritin-amount of iron in blood; 250 nanograms/dl <200 ng/dl

too much can cause heart damage


Thyroid T4(free thyroxine)-gauges the 1.3-3.8 ng/dl 2.5 ng/dl

function of the thyroid gland; a midline

score is ideal


Men’s Health 10/00

THE PIERCING TRUTH - body piercing in many forms is very popular today. Health experts are concerned that this fad will bring a rise in serious health complications. One oral surgeon has declared that piercing is “a portal entry to potentially killing viruses...”

Body piercing is largely an unregulated industry - practitioners don’t have to answer to any licensing authority. State health departments don’t check piercing establishments regularly; usually only after a customer complaint. Piercers learn through apprenticeships; there is no school for the trade.

The risk of infection depends on how sterile the equipment is and how well the pierced person cares for the laceration. Many piercing shops are becoming more aware of blood-borne pathogens, so they are posting safety guidelines on websites, such as www.piercing.org, including questions and answers for those interested.


Besides personal care, getting the piercing done in the right studio is key. Shopping for the cheapest price may yield a nasty infection. Prices should range from $35 for smaller piercings, such as the nose, to $100 for more elaborate work, such as the navel.

Finally, to avoid serious infections such as HIV or hepatitis, make sure that everything is cleaned in an autoclave, which uses extreme heat to sterilize surgical instruments. Ask the piercer questions about aftercare, cleanliness, and equipment. Academy of General Dentistry.

AJ CAN LOWER BAD CHOLESTEROL - researchers at the University of California have determined that drinking apple juice can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation - the process that causes cholesterol to breakdown into its artery-clogging form - by 34 percent. Apple juice contains phenols, the same plant-based compounds found in red wine. Men’s Health 7/99.

HERPES SPREADS WITHOUT SIGNS - people with genital herpes are capable of spreading the virus even when there are no signs of infection, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It is estimated that as many as one in four American adults may carry the sexually transmitted HSV-2, but only 10 to 25 percent of carriers will get outbreaks of small, genital lesions. Men’s Fitness 6/00.

OLIVE OIL IS GOOD FOR YOUR COLON - a diet rich in olive oil appears to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer rates for subjects given olive oil were lower than for those given safflower oil and nearly as low as for those given fish oil, which has already been linked to reduced cancer risk. Other studies have shown that olive oil can also improve the ratio of good-to-bad cholesterol. Men’s Fitness 6/00.