REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 12-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
HIGH CHOLESTEROL IS GOOD - if it is HDL, that is. A researcher for the University of Texas Health Science Center found in a review of almost a thousand autopsies of young people between the ages of 15 and 34, that one in five had already developed a dangerous heart blockage; one that included a fatty arterial blockage that would have killed them by the time they were 45 or 50. Further study revealed that those with the largest blockages had a common risk factor that proved to be statistically more dangerous than smoking: the victims had low levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol. This beneficial type of cholesterol removes harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles from the cardiac arteries before they can choke off the bloodflow.
When blood is drawn for analysis, be sure to take into account the total cholesterol picture - total cholesterol, LDL and HDL levels. One third of men at risk of dying of heart disease have perfectly normal levels of LDL cholesterol. If there is not enough HDL cholesterol in your blood cleaning the arteries, even low amounts of LDL cholesterol can form dangerous blockages.
Current guidelines indicate that 35 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dl) is normal, but most cardiologists would prefer HDL levels twice that amount - a level over 60 mg/dl is a strong positive factor in avoiding heart disease.
It is estimated that the risk of developing heart disease decreases by 2% for every 1 mg/dl increase in HDL above 35 mg/dl. There are many different ways to increase your HDL levels:
DRINK OJ - drinking three glasses of orange juice each day can increase the HDL by up to 21 percent within 4 weeks. Researchers believe this is due to a flavonoid in orange juice (hesperidin).
AEROBIC EXERCISE - aerobic exercise also seems to increase HDL cholesterol levels. If you burn 1,200 to 1,600 calories weekly in aerobic exercise sessions, moderate increases in HDL levels can be expected.
LOSE WEIGHT - losing 10 pounds can cause a 6 to 10 point rise in HDL cholesterol levels. Researchers believe that for every pound of fat lost, a corresponding increase in HDL of 1 point can be expected.
DRINK RED WINE - the antioxidants in red wine can slow down the oxidation of HDL and LDL cholesterol. This is desirable as oxidation can lower the HDL levels and seems to increase the formation of arterial plaques. Cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and merlot all have similar antioxidant properties.
HAVE SOME GOOD FAT - monounsaturated fats have shown to lower triglyceride and LDL levels, while maintaining HDL levels. Olive oil, canola oil, pecans, almonds, and peanuts are all good sources of this heart-healthy fat.
EXERCISE BEFORE THAT FATTY MEAL - a university study found that those who regularly exercised before eating high-fat meals had the highest HDL counts. Exercise stimulates a fat-clearing enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which cuts triglycerides and helps produce more HDL cholesterol. Lipoprotein lipase levels peak about 12 hours after exercise, so the best strategy is to work out in the morning in preparation for dinner, which is usually the fattiest meal of the day.
LIFT WEIGHTS - resistance training causes cellular damage to the muscles, which may force them to burn more fat for energy during aerobic exercise, and fat-burning has a strong effect on raising HDL levels.
QUIT SMOKING - just one week after quitting smoking, subjects at Vanderbilt University increased their HDL levels by 15 percent.
EAT LOW-GLYCEMIC FOODS - low-glycemic carbohydrates, which do not cause an insulin spike during digestion, seem to raise HDL levels. High-glycemic foods like white bread, instant potatoes, and white rice appear to reduce HDL levels. A British study revealed that those with a diet rich in low-glycemic foods had the highest levels of HDL cholesterol. Cut down on refined starches like white bread, instant potatoes, and white rice. Men’s Health 11/00.
GINSENG STRIKES OUT - herbals are not regulated by the FDA, and medical claims do not have to be substantiated. Many marketers of herbal ginseng claim that it boosts your mood and peps you up. A recent study at Wayne State University in Detroit compared the herb to a placebo in 83 healthy, young people over an eight-week period and found that ginseng provided no psychological benefits. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/01.
ANTIDOTE FOR A FATTY MEAL? - if you have consumed a fatty meal, the negative effects may be somewhat lessened if oats or vitamin E is also consumed. Researchers at Yale University gave 50 healthy nonsmokers fat-laden milkshakes made of ice cream, cream of coconut, and eggs, followed by either oatmeal, wheat cereal, or 800 I.U. of vitamin E. Those given the wheat cereal had a 13 percent reduction in their blood flow, but there was no artery constriction among the volunteers given the oatmeal or the vitamin E. The soluble fiber in oatmeal, also contained in apples, dried beans and other foods has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and a recent study indicates that it may slow the absorption of fat in the bloodstream. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that reduces cell damage caused by free radicals and may provide protection for the heart. Men’s Fitness 8/01.
PVD TO PHX FLIGHT? - sitting for long times in the same position can place great stress on the spinal disks. Relieve this stress by standing and bending backward, with the hands pressed against the small of the back. The real value of back-bending is that it relieves the spine, which doesn’t like prolonged static positions. Men’s Health 9/01.
PREVENTING PROSTATE CANCER - after lung cancer, prostate cancer is the biggest cancer killer of American men. In recent years the incidence has started to drop, and survival rates are rising. Here are possible ways to lower the risk:
AVOID A HIGH-FAT DIET, especially one rich in red meat and other sources of animal fat.
EAT A DIET HIGH IN FRUITS, GRAINS, AND VEGETABLES. Plant foods are rich in vitamins and various phyto-chemicals that may be protective, and plant-based diets tend to be low in fat.
EAT TOMATOES AND TOMATO PRODUCTS - the carotenoid lycopene appears to help prevent prostate cancer, and tomatoes contain the most lycopene. Cooked and processed tomatoes have more absorbable lycopene than raw ones. Watermelon and pink grapefruit are other good sources.
CONSUME SELENIUM - fish, whole grains, and Brazil nuts are good sources. Multivitamin/mineral supplements also supply this potent antioxidant. If you opt for a selenium supplement, try to find one that comes from yeast, and do not take more than 200 mcgs a day.
VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENTS - especially those containing “mixed tocopherols” may help. This vitamin also works well with selenium.
VITAMIN D - may also be helpful. The body makes this vitamin when exposed to sunlight. Fortified milk and multivitamins also contain it.
FATTY FISH - a recent Swedish study found that men who ate little or no fish were more than twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as those who ate moderate to high amounts. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 8/01.
AIR DISASTER - shoes with air cells in the soles are supposed to protect the ankles when engaged in high impact events. According to an Australian study, basketball players who wear shoes with air cells in the heels are 4.3 times more likely to injure their ankles. The air cells appear to decrease heel stability, making the ankles more vulnerable to injury, the study found. The researchers suggested using preformed, pull-on ankle braces to counteract the instability. Men’s Health 9/01.
LYCOPENE - THE FACTS - lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family, is a vitamin-like substance abundant in tomatoes that makes them red. Recent research suggests that it is an even more potent antioxidant than beta carotene, and that it may help prevent cancer, notably of the prostate, and cardiovascular disease. Here are some other facts:
-Many population studies suggest that people who consume lots of lycopene-rich foods have a lower risk of not only prostate cancer, but also cancer of the cervix, skin, bladder, breast, lung, and digestive tract. These findings have been confirmed with animal studies.
-Lycopene may reduce the risk of cancer in several ways. It seems to stimulate the immune system to battle cancer cells. As an antioxidant, it helps block the destructive effects of free radicals in the body, especially when there is enough vitamin E present. It seems to interfere with certain growth factors that stimulate cancer.
-It may help protect LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation, and thus may lower the risk of coronary artery disease.
-Approximately 85% of the lycopene in the U.S. diet comes from tomatoes and tomato products. Watermelon, pink grapefruit, papaya, and guava also have small amounts.
-Ounce for ounce, processed tomato products (such as sauce, puree, juice, or even catsup) or cooked tomatoes contain 2 to 8 times as much available lycopene as raw tomatoes. Processing makes lycopene more available and more easily absorbed by the body.
-Lycopene is fat-soluble; it is better absorbed when consumed with a little fat in the same meal (make it a monounsaturated fat like olive oil).
-Deep red tomatoes have more lycopene than pale ones or yellow or green tomatoes. Vine-ripened tomatoes have more than those picked green and allowed to ripen later. Also, those grown outdoors in the summer have more lycopene than tomatoes grown in greenhouses. University of California Berkelely Wellness Letter 9/01.
Saturday, December 1, 2001
Thursday, November 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 11-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
ASK FOR THE “SILVER BULLET” - men have a one-in-four chance of being stuck with a urinary catheter during a hospital visit. That can lead to a urinary-tract infection - the most common infection men contract in the hospital. University of Michigan researchers have found that silver-coated catheters are less likely to cause urinary-tract infections, because of silver’s antibacterial properties. According to the study, doctors don’t always use silver catheters, so ask for one if you are going to have surgery. Men’s Health 4/01.
WINE OR BEER? - many studies suggest that moderate drinking - one or two drinks a day - may help prevent heart disease. But different alcohol sources can affect that risk differently. If you desire to raise your good cholesterol levels (HDL), make red wine your beverage, as it is very good at raising blood HDL levels. If you desire to reduce levels of homocysteine, beer is much more effective.
Scientist at the Nutrition and Food Research Institute in the Netherlands gave a group of men wine, beer, gin, or water with dinner, switching beverages every three weeks. The wine and gin raised homocysteine levels a bit; the beer did not. The beer increased the level of heart-protective vitamin B6 by 30 percent - twice the increase caused by wine and gin. Men’s Health 11/00.
DON’T HOLD THE ONIONS - avoiding onions because of the effect on your breath may be a disservice to your health. The sulfur compounds that give the vegetable its pungent characteristics also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Onions also contain a powerful antioxidant called quercetin, which can protect the body from cataracts, heart disease, and cancer. A recent Dutch study conducted at the Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences in Holland found that onions have twice as much quercetin as tea and three times as much as apples, two foods full of the antioxidant. Other cancer-fighting compounds found in onions include allicin, sulphurophane, and vitamin C. (Fried onion rings don’t count!) Men’s Fitness 7/01.
BRAVE NEW WORLD - genetic engineers from Bayer Thompson Institute at Cornell University have developed an edible vaccine against potentially deadly diseases. They combined genes from bacteria and viruses with potato cells and produced a spud with protective power. In developed countries, the benefit of the technology will be a more convenient way to administer vaccines - no needles. But in poor countries, it has far more dramatic implications. It is much less expensive than normal vaccines and will be more readily available. The first edible vaccine protects against diarrhea. Vaccines for hepatitis B and cholera are being developed. Men’s Health 11/00.
DIABETES PRIMER - just about everything we eat is digested and turned into glucose, also called blood sugar. The glucose is then carried to the body’s cells, where it is burned as fuel. One crucial element makes the entire process possible: insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that allows glucose to penetrate the cell walls. Think of insulin as the key that opens the door to the cell. Glucose is surging around in the blood, looking to be absorbed by the muscles, but it needs to get through a receptor in the cell wall. The receptor is the lock; the insulin is the key. Once the insulin unlocks the receptor, the glucose can flow into the cell.
Diabetes occurs when there is a breakdown in the glucose stream. It can happen two ways: first, the pancreas can malfunction and stop producing insulin. The cause is a virus that tricks the immune system into wiping out the cells that manufacture insulin. This is type-1 diabetes (formerly known as juvenile diabetes, when it was thought to show up only in children). In other cases, the pancreas produces plenty of insulin, but for some reason the insulin does not unlock the receptors, so the glucose cannot be absorbed by the cells - this is type-2 diabetes. Approximately 95 percent of all people with diabetes have type-2.
No one knows exactly how type-2 diabetes is acquired, but recent animal research has revealed that fat cells secrete a hormone called resistin. Resistin acts like rust in the lock, somehow jamming the works and preventing insulin from opening the receptors so glucose can surge into the cells. The more fat cells there are, the more resistin there is, and the greater the chance of diabetes.
Type-1 and 2 diabetes affects the body about the same way. The body keeps converting food into glucose, but because the glucose cannot enter the cells, it starts building up in the blood. Some of this excess glucose is converted into fat; the rest turns toxic and produces poisons that can destroy the heart, kidneys, and retinas. The vision becomes blurry, breathing is labored, and the body becomes dehydrated as the body tries to excrete the excess glucose as urine. Extreme cases can result in coma, heart attack or stroke. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, but it may take even more lives than what is statistically shown. One prominent diabetes researcher states that 80 percent of diabetics will die of cardiovascular events. These deaths are listed as heart attack, although it was actually the diabetes that caused the death.
As the blood levels of glucose increase in diabetics, the cells are glucose-deprived. Up to 70 percent of diabetics suffer nerve damage, which can lead to amputations, blindness, and coma. While men and women develop the disease about equally, men suffer slightly harsher consequences. Men are twice as likely as female diabetics to lose a foot or a leg. 20 percent of male diabetics are left impotent - including 60 percent of those over the age of 50.
Type-2 diabetes appears to have some relationship to diet. Those that are genetically predisposed to diabetes (those related to a diabetic or Blacks, Latinos, or Native Americans) seem more susceptible to storing fat. When the body stores fat around the stomach, the body seems more prone to acquire diabetes. According to the head of the CDC, obesity-rates for Americans are on the rise, and it is very likely that diabetes rates will also rise.
Once diagnosed, diabetes is fairly simple to treat. The main strategy is to lose weight, exercise more frequently, and eat meals that won’t dilute the blood with too much glucose. If this does not work, the next step is “diabetes pills.” There are three classes of these pills: those that stimulate the beta cells in the pancreas to release more insulin; those that make the body more sensitive to the insulin already produced; and those designed to slow the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose. Some side effects of these therapies include diarrhea, hypoglycemia (too low blood sugar), and liver damage.
To minimize your risk of acquiring this disease, watch your weight. If you tend to store fat in your mid-section, you are more at risk. Aerobic exercise, particularly walking, is one of the best ways to get rid of visceral fat. One study found that those who walked the fastest and longest had reductions in visceral fat that cut their risk of diabetes in half. Another study in Finland found that subjects (aged 40 to 65, with impaired glucose tolerance) who got individual counseling about diet and exercise lost an average of nine pounds during the first year - and by the end of three years had reduced their risk of diabetes by more than half, compared to similar people who took no steps.
Eating low-glycemic carbohydrates slows the rate that glucose is released into the bloodstream. One Harvard study showed that subjects who ate foods with the lowest indexes, like whole-wheat bread, were 37 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who ate high-index foods such as white rice.
Moderate alcohol consumption may also reduce the risk of diabetes. According to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, light to moderate alcohol consumption - three to six drinks a week - are 42 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who drink occasionally or not at all. It is possible that alcohol may improve insulin sensitivity.
400 milligrams of vitamin E, taken daily, may also reduce diabetic risk. A Finnish study found that those with the highest vitamin E intake had a 22 percent lower risk of diabetes than those with the lowest. Vitamin E may also prevent the free-radical damage that plays a role in the complications caused by diabetes. Men’s Health 9/01, University of California Berkeley Letter 9/01.
WEAK ABS CAN KILL YOU - a Canadian study of more than 8,000 people discovered that over the 13 years of the study, those with the weakest abdominal muscles had more than two times the death rate of those with the strongest midsections.
A study at Springfield College in Massachusetts found that athletes who did abdominal and lower-back exercises on an exercise ball had much better midsection strength and overall balance than those who did crunches and back extensions on the floor. Men’s Health 9/01.
MORE OFTEN IS BETTER - dividing your food intake into smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day can be a highly effective way to keep your energy levels up and improve your health at the same time.
In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, two groups ate the same type and amount of food, but one group had three meals a day and the other spread those meals out across 17 snacks. After just two weeks, the nibblers had reduced their blood-cholesterol levels by more than 15 percent, their cortisol levels by more than 17 percent (evidence that their bodies were under less stress than those of the non-nibblers), and their blood-insulin levels by almost 28 percent (indicating a more constant blood-sugar level, which helps eliminate wild energy swings as the day progresses).
Since eating 17 times a day is very difficult in our profession, it appears that eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day that distributes your caloric intake evenly will yield roughly the same benefits as those who were able to have the 17 mini-meals. It may even be possible to lose some fat in the process (assuming total caloric intake does not increase), because the metabolic rate will be kept high. Men’s Fitness 8/01.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
ASK FOR THE “SILVER BULLET” - men have a one-in-four chance of being stuck with a urinary catheter during a hospital visit. That can lead to a urinary-tract infection - the most common infection men contract in the hospital. University of Michigan researchers have found that silver-coated catheters are less likely to cause urinary-tract infections, because of silver’s antibacterial properties. According to the study, doctors don’t always use silver catheters, so ask for one if you are going to have surgery. Men’s Health 4/01.
WINE OR BEER? - many studies suggest that moderate drinking - one or two drinks a day - may help prevent heart disease. But different alcohol sources can affect that risk differently. If you desire to raise your good cholesterol levels (HDL), make red wine your beverage, as it is very good at raising blood HDL levels. If you desire to reduce levels of homocysteine, beer is much more effective.
Scientist at the Nutrition and Food Research Institute in the Netherlands gave a group of men wine, beer, gin, or water with dinner, switching beverages every three weeks. The wine and gin raised homocysteine levels a bit; the beer did not. The beer increased the level of heart-protective vitamin B6 by 30 percent - twice the increase caused by wine and gin. Men’s Health 11/00.
DON’T HOLD THE ONIONS - avoiding onions because of the effect on your breath may be a disservice to your health. The sulfur compounds that give the vegetable its pungent characteristics also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Onions also contain a powerful antioxidant called quercetin, which can protect the body from cataracts, heart disease, and cancer. A recent Dutch study conducted at the Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences in Holland found that onions have twice as much quercetin as tea and three times as much as apples, two foods full of the antioxidant. Other cancer-fighting compounds found in onions include allicin, sulphurophane, and vitamin C. (Fried onion rings don’t count!) Men’s Fitness 7/01.
BRAVE NEW WORLD - genetic engineers from Bayer Thompson Institute at Cornell University have developed an edible vaccine against potentially deadly diseases. They combined genes from bacteria and viruses with potato cells and produced a spud with protective power. In developed countries, the benefit of the technology will be a more convenient way to administer vaccines - no needles. But in poor countries, it has far more dramatic implications. It is much less expensive than normal vaccines and will be more readily available. The first edible vaccine protects against diarrhea. Vaccines for hepatitis B and cholera are being developed. Men’s Health 11/00.
DIABETES PRIMER - just about everything we eat is digested and turned into glucose, also called blood sugar. The glucose is then carried to the body’s cells, where it is burned as fuel. One crucial element makes the entire process possible: insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that allows glucose to penetrate the cell walls. Think of insulin as the key that opens the door to the cell. Glucose is surging around in the blood, looking to be absorbed by the muscles, but it needs to get through a receptor in the cell wall. The receptor is the lock; the insulin is the key. Once the insulin unlocks the receptor, the glucose can flow into the cell.
Diabetes occurs when there is a breakdown in the glucose stream. It can happen two ways: first, the pancreas can malfunction and stop producing insulin. The cause is a virus that tricks the immune system into wiping out the cells that manufacture insulin. This is type-1 diabetes (formerly known as juvenile diabetes, when it was thought to show up only in children). In other cases, the pancreas produces plenty of insulin, but for some reason the insulin does not unlock the receptors, so the glucose cannot be absorbed by the cells - this is type-2 diabetes. Approximately 95 percent of all people with diabetes have type-2.
No one knows exactly how type-2 diabetes is acquired, but recent animal research has revealed that fat cells secrete a hormone called resistin. Resistin acts like rust in the lock, somehow jamming the works and preventing insulin from opening the receptors so glucose can surge into the cells. The more fat cells there are, the more resistin there is, and the greater the chance of diabetes.
Type-1 and 2 diabetes affects the body about the same way. The body keeps converting food into glucose, but because the glucose cannot enter the cells, it starts building up in the blood. Some of this excess glucose is converted into fat; the rest turns toxic and produces poisons that can destroy the heart, kidneys, and retinas. The vision becomes blurry, breathing is labored, and the body becomes dehydrated as the body tries to excrete the excess glucose as urine. Extreme cases can result in coma, heart attack or stroke. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, but it may take even more lives than what is statistically shown. One prominent diabetes researcher states that 80 percent of diabetics will die of cardiovascular events. These deaths are listed as heart attack, although it was actually the diabetes that caused the death.
As the blood levels of glucose increase in diabetics, the cells are glucose-deprived. Up to 70 percent of diabetics suffer nerve damage, which can lead to amputations, blindness, and coma. While men and women develop the disease about equally, men suffer slightly harsher consequences. Men are twice as likely as female diabetics to lose a foot or a leg. 20 percent of male diabetics are left impotent - including 60 percent of those over the age of 50.
Type-2 diabetes appears to have some relationship to diet. Those that are genetically predisposed to diabetes (those related to a diabetic or Blacks, Latinos, or Native Americans) seem more susceptible to storing fat. When the body stores fat around the stomach, the body seems more prone to acquire diabetes. According to the head of the CDC, obesity-rates for Americans are on the rise, and it is very likely that diabetes rates will also rise.
Once diagnosed, diabetes is fairly simple to treat. The main strategy is to lose weight, exercise more frequently, and eat meals that won’t dilute the blood with too much glucose. If this does not work, the next step is “diabetes pills.” There are three classes of these pills: those that stimulate the beta cells in the pancreas to release more insulin; those that make the body more sensitive to the insulin already produced; and those designed to slow the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose. Some side effects of these therapies include diarrhea, hypoglycemia (too low blood sugar), and liver damage.
To minimize your risk of acquiring this disease, watch your weight. If you tend to store fat in your mid-section, you are more at risk. Aerobic exercise, particularly walking, is one of the best ways to get rid of visceral fat. One study found that those who walked the fastest and longest had reductions in visceral fat that cut their risk of diabetes in half. Another study in Finland found that subjects (aged 40 to 65, with impaired glucose tolerance) who got individual counseling about diet and exercise lost an average of nine pounds during the first year - and by the end of three years had reduced their risk of diabetes by more than half, compared to similar people who took no steps.
Eating low-glycemic carbohydrates slows the rate that glucose is released into the bloodstream. One Harvard study showed that subjects who ate foods with the lowest indexes, like whole-wheat bread, were 37 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who ate high-index foods such as white rice.
Moderate alcohol consumption may also reduce the risk of diabetes. According to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, light to moderate alcohol consumption - three to six drinks a week - are 42 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who drink occasionally or not at all. It is possible that alcohol may improve insulin sensitivity.
400 milligrams of vitamin E, taken daily, may also reduce diabetic risk. A Finnish study found that those with the highest vitamin E intake had a 22 percent lower risk of diabetes than those with the lowest. Vitamin E may also prevent the free-radical damage that plays a role in the complications caused by diabetes. Men’s Health 9/01, University of California Berkeley Letter 9/01.
WEAK ABS CAN KILL YOU - a Canadian study of more than 8,000 people discovered that over the 13 years of the study, those with the weakest abdominal muscles had more than two times the death rate of those with the strongest midsections.
A study at Springfield College in Massachusetts found that athletes who did abdominal and lower-back exercises on an exercise ball had much better midsection strength and overall balance than those who did crunches and back extensions on the floor. Men’s Health 9/01.
MORE OFTEN IS BETTER - dividing your food intake into smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day can be a highly effective way to keep your energy levels up and improve your health at the same time.
In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, two groups ate the same type and amount of food, but one group had three meals a day and the other spread those meals out across 17 snacks. After just two weeks, the nibblers had reduced their blood-cholesterol levels by more than 15 percent, their cortisol levels by more than 17 percent (evidence that their bodies were under less stress than those of the non-nibblers), and their blood-insulin levels by almost 28 percent (indicating a more constant blood-sugar level, which helps eliminate wild energy swings as the day progresses).
Since eating 17 times a day is very difficult in our profession, it appears that eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day that distributes your caloric intake evenly will yield roughly the same benefits as those who were able to have the 17 mini-meals. It may even be possible to lose some fat in the process (assuming total caloric intake does not increase), because the metabolic rate will be kept high. Men’s Fitness 8/01.
Monday, October 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 10-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
GREEN TEA, THE DIET DRINK? - new studies indicate that green tea, the antioxidant and anti-cancer beverage, may even have applications in weight loss. A much-quoted 1999 study conducted at the University of Geneva and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition monitored the effects of green tea extract on healthy test subjects. The researchers discovered that catechin polyphenols, chemical compounds in green tea that prevent oxidation and mutation of cells, may be responsible for boosting calorie expenditure. Thermogenesis, the natural energy burning that occurs as a result of the body’s metabolization of nutrients, usually end when the hormone norepinephrine degrades. The combination of the antioxidant EGCG and caffeine can actually prolong the life of norepinephrine. The result is sustained calorie burning - 4% more calories burned per day. The Swiss researchers concluded, “...oral administration of the green tea extract stimulated thermogenesis and fat oxidation and, thus, has the potential to influence body weight and body composition.”
The researchers stressed, however, that the increased energy expenditure is not likely to be caused by EGCG alone, but rather a combination of the polyphenol and caffeine. Study subjects who were treated with caffeine alone showed no appreciable increase in thermogenesis.
Scientists from the University of Chicago conducted their own study, and they too believe there are several chemicals, in combination, responsible for green tea’s benefit. They found that the EGCG in green tea was linked to weight loss, possibly due to reduced food intake, because there seems to be an indication of appetite suppression with consumption of green tea. A similar Japanese study found that green tea powder was reported to suppress lipid metabolism, resulting in decreasing fatty accumulation and body weight.
Most experts agree that drinking 1 to 3 cups of green tea daily may be beneficial. Green tea does contain caffeine, so consideration must be given to its use for pregnant and nursing women. Let’s Live 5/01.
WINTER TIP - warming your feet may help you fall asleep faster. Swiss researchers found that 18 men fell asleep quickest when their hands and feet were warmest. This happens because warm feet and hands cause blood vessels to enlarge, allowing more heat to escape the body, which in turn lowers the core temperature faster and causes you to fall asleep sooner. Simply putting on socks at night may help you fall asleep in half the time it normally takes. Men’s Health 4/00.
ALLERGIC TO YOUR COMPUTER? - get a headache while sitting at your computer? A Stockholm University study found that a flame retardant used in most computer monitors can trigger allergic reactions. After testing 18 popular monitors, researchers found that 10 emitted levels of the allergen TPP that were high enough to cause headaches, itchy skin, and nasal congestion. TPP escapes from plastic monitor moldings when they heat up. These allergens burn off over time, so older monitors should be fine. Keep new monitors turned on at night so they can burn off excess TPP when you are not there. Men’s Health 4/01.
Advice for the day: If you have a lot a tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: "Take two aspirin" and "Keep away from children."
BEER FOR BONES? - a study at Creighton University in Nebraska found that moderate alcohol consumption leads to stronger bones when you are older. Alcohol reduces the factors that cause bone loss. The researchers found that seniors with the highest bone density drank two to four servings of beer or wine each week.
Also, this amount of alcohol consumption lowered the risk of heart attack by 60 percent. Light alcohol use may improve cholesterol profiles and reduce the formation of blood clots. Men’s Health 4/01, Men’s Health 1/00.
HEAVY DRINKING RESULTS - if you tend to pound more than a few down every day, here is what you may expect by long-term overindulgence.
Cirrhosis - a major loss of liver function. The liver is responsible for cleaning toxins, including alcohol, out of the blood. Taxing the liver regularly results in it becoming fatty and inflamed. The more and longer you drink, the more scarred and useless the liver becomes. Abuse of this organ results from averaging at least five drinks a day for 10 years. Quitting drinking altogether before it gets this damaged can allow the liver to fully recover.
Heart failure - the heart grows bigger and weaker. Chronic heavy drinking progressively enlarges and damages heart muscle, and interferes with its repair. This impending heart failure is characterized by the body swelling up because of fluid retention; trouble breathing, and general muscle atrophy. This disease is reversible if the alcohol abuse stops (generally an average of five drinks per day for 10 years) and a comprehensive exercise and diet program is started and followed faithfully.
Heart attack. Researchers in Finland found that men who typically downed six or more beers in one sitting had six times the risk of dropping dead from a heart attack as men who drew the line at three beers.
Driving while intoxicated - (six drinks in 3 hours for a 180-pound man; seven drinks in 3 hours for a 200 pounder). Nearly 40 percent of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 (the new nationwide legal limit) makes you 10 times more likely to bite the dust than a sober driver.
Murder. Alcohol is a factor in 4 out of 10 violent crimes. A recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology states that just one bout a month of heavy drinking increases the risk of dying - of any cause - by 70 percent compared with non-bingeing drinkers. Men’s Health 4/01.
"The problem with the designated driver program; it's not a desirable job. But if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house." ‑ Jeff Foxworthy
TAKE WHOLE-WHEAT OVER WONDERBREAD - a higher intake of whole-grain foods may lower the risk of stroke by 43 percent, according to research at Brigham and Williams Hospital in Boston. Replacing refined grains with whole grains by even one serving a day may have significant benefits in reducing the risk of ischemic stroke. More than 400,000 ischemic strokes occur in the United States annually.
The conclusion was drawn for the vast Nurses’ Health Study which has followed 75,000 participants since 1984. While the greatest statistical difference was measured between those with the most whole grains in their diet (2.7 servings) and those with the least (0.12 servings), there appeared to be a direct relationship between whole-grain intake and stroke risk.
The American Dietetic Association recommends three servings of whole grains per day - six times the average American’s daily intake. A single serving would consist of one slice of whole-wheat bread, or one ounce of whole grain cereal, or a half-cup of brown rice. Men’s Fitness 1/01.
CONFIRM YOUR PRESCRIPTION WITH YOUR DOCTOR - if you cannot decipher the writing, the pharmacist may not either. If the pharmacist is confused, you are more likely of becoming one of the 7,000 people who die every year due to prescription-drug errors. Men’s Health 5/00.
HAVE A SODA AFTER WORKING OUT? - craving a Coke after a good workout is not a good idea. According to the Georgia Tech Sports Medicine & Performance newsletter, the feeling of throat burn and fullness caused by consuming a soda after a vigorous workout may diminish your desire for fluid intake, just when you need it the most. Water (or sports drinks) are still the best way to replenish fluid lost during exercise. Men’s Fitness 7/01.
20 MINUTES 2X TIMES A WEEK - if you are sedentary now, you can reap major health benefits by just this exercise commitment. All it takes is two brisk 20-minute walks a week or four brisk 10-minute walks to start enjoying the benefits that committed exercisers enjoy. The important thing is consistency, start being active and make it a part of your lifestyle - you will feel better, have more energy, and have reduced risk for many diseases related to sedentary living. Men’s Health 9/01.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
GREEN TEA, THE DIET DRINK? - new studies indicate that green tea, the antioxidant and anti-cancer beverage, may even have applications in weight loss. A much-quoted 1999 study conducted at the University of Geneva and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition monitored the effects of green tea extract on healthy test subjects. The researchers discovered that catechin polyphenols, chemical compounds in green tea that prevent oxidation and mutation of cells, may be responsible for boosting calorie expenditure. Thermogenesis, the natural energy burning that occurs as a result of the body’s metabolization of nutrients, usually end when the hormone norepinephrine degrades. The combination of the antioxidant EGCG and caffeine can actually prolong the life of norepinephrine. The result is sustained calorie burning - 4% more calories burned per day. The Swiss researchers concluded, “...oral administration of the green tea extract stimulated thermogenesis and fat oxidation and, thus, has the potential to influence body weight and body composition.”
The researchers stressed, however, that the increased energy expenditure is not likely to be caused by EGCG alone, but rather a combination of the polyphenol and caffeine. Study subjects who were treated with caffeine alone showed no appreciable increase in thermogenesis.
Scientists from the University of Chicago conducted their own study, and they too believe there are several chemicals, in combination, responsible for green tea’s benefit. They found that the EGCG in green tea was linked to weight loss, possibly due to reduced food intake, because there seems to be an indication of appetite suppression with consumption of green tea. A similar Japanese study found that green tea powder was reported to suppress lipid metabolism, resulting in decreasing fatty accumulation and body weight.
Most experts agree that drinking 1 to 3 cups of green tea daily may be beneficial. Green tea does contain caffeine, so consideration must be given to its use for pregnant and nursing women. Let’s Live 5/01.
WINTER TIP - warming your feet may help you fall asleep faster. Swiss researchers found that 18 men fell asleep quickest when their hands and feet were warmest. This happens because warm feet and hands cause blood vessels to enlarge, allowing more heat to escape the body, which in turn lowers the core temperature faster and causes you to fall asleep sooner. Simply putting on socks at night may help you fall asleep in half the time it normally takes. Men’s Health 4/00.
ALLERGIC TO YOUR COMPUTER? - get a headache while sitting at your computer? A Stockholm University study found that a flame retardant used in most computer monitors can trigger allergic reactions. After testing 18 popular monitors, researchers found that 10 emitted levels of the allergen TPP that were high enough to cause headaches, itchy skin, and nasal congestion. TPP escapes from plastic monitor moldings when they heat up. These allergens burn off over time, so older monitors should be fine. Keep new monitors turned on at night so they can burn off excess TPP when you are not there. Men’s Health 4/01.
Advice for the day: If you have a lot a tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: "Take two aspirin" and "Keep away from children."
BEER FOR BONES? - a study at Creighton University in Nebraska found that moderate alcohol consumption leads to stronger bones when you are older. Alcohol reduces the factors that cause bone loss. The researchers found that seniors with the highest bone density drank two to four servings of beer or wine each week.
Also, this amount of alcohol consumption lowered the risk of heart attack by 60 percent. Light alcohol use may improve cholesterol profiles and reduce the formation of blood clots. Men’s Health 4/01, Men’s Health 1/00.
HEAVY DRINKING RESULTS - if you tend to pound more than a few down every day, here is what you may expect by long-term overindulgence.
Cirrhosis - a major loss of liver function. The liver is responsible for cleaning toxins, including alcohol, out of the blood. Taxing the liver regularly results in it becoming fatty and inflamed. The more and longer you drink, the more scarred and useless the liver becomes. Abuse of this organ results from averaging at least five drinks a day for 10 years. Quitting drinking altogether before it gets this damaged can allow the liver to fully recover.
Heart failure - the heart grows bigger and weaker. Chronic heavy drinking progressively enlarges and damages heart muscle, and interferes with its repair. This impending heart failure is characterized by the body swelling up because of fluid retention; trouble breathing, and general muscle atrophy. This disease is reversible if the alcohol abuse stops (generally an average of five drinks per day for 10 years) and a comprehensive exercise and diet program is started and followed faithfully.
Heart attack. Researchers in Finland found that men who typically downed six or more beers in one sitting had six times the risk of dropping dead from a heart attack as men who drew the line at three beers.
Driving while intoxicated - (six drinks in 3 hours for a 180-pound man; seven drinks in 3 hours for a 200 pounder). Nearly 40 percent of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 (the new nationwide legal limit) makes you 10 times more likely to bite the dust than a sober driver.
Murder. Alcohol is a factor in 4 out of 10 violent crimes. A recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology states that just one bout a month of heavy drinking increases the risk of dying - of any cause - by 70 percent compared with non-bingeing drinkers. Men’s Health 4/01.
"The problem with the designated driver program; it's not a desirable job. But if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house." ‑ Jeff Foxworthy
TAKE WHOLE-WHEAT OVER WONDERBREAD - a higher intake of whole-grain foods may lower the risk of stroke by 43 percent, according to research at Brigham and Williams Hospital in Boston. Replacing refined grains with whole grains by even one serving a day may have significant benefits in reducing the risk of ischemic stroke. More than 400,000 ischemic strokes occur in the United States annually.
The conclusion was drawn for the vast Nurses’ Health Study which has followed 75,000 participants since 1984. While the greatest statistical difference was measured between those with the most whole grains in their diet (2.7 servings) and those with the least (0.12 servings), there appeared to be a direct relationship between whole-grain intake and stroke risk.
The American Dietetic Association recommends three servings of whole grains per day - six times the average American’s daily intake. A single serving would consist of one slice of whole-wheat bread, or one ounce of whole grain cereal, or a half-cup of brown rice. Men’s Fitness 1/01.
CONFIRM YOUR PRESCRIPTION WITH YOUR DOCTOR - if you cannot decipher the writing, the pharmacist may not either. If the pharmacist is confused, you are more likely of becoming one of the 7,000 people who die every year due to prescription-drug errors. Men’s Health 5/00.
HAVE A SODA AFTER WORKING OUT? - craving a Coke after a good workout is not a good idea. According to the Georgia Tech Sports Medicine & Performance newsletter, the feeling of throat burn and fullness caused by consuming a soda after a vigorous workout may diminish your desire for fluid intake, just when you need it the most. Water (or sports drinks) are still the best way to replenish fluid lost during exercise. Men’s Fitness 7/01.
20 MINUTES 2X TIMES A WEEK - if you are sedentary now, you can reap major health benefits by just this exercise commitment. All it takes is two brisk 20-minute walks a week or four brisk 10-minute walks to start enjoying the benefits that committed exercisers enjoy. The important thing is consistency, start being active and make it a part of your lifestyle - you will feel better, have more energy, and have reduced risk for many diseases related to sedentary living. Men’s Health 9/01.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 09-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
PROSTATE PROTECTOR - selenium is a potent antioxidant. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that men whose diets were high in selenium experienced a 60% reduction in clinically significant prostate cancer. Recommended dosage is 200 mcg per day. Let’s Live 5/01.
NOT FOR MEN... - if you are a male, be sure to check your daily multivitamin. Multivitamins with added iron should not be taken by men, unless recommended by your physician. Excess iron can contribute to the formation of free radicals, harmful substances that damage the arteries and may lead to cardiovascular disease. Most men’s diets already contain sufficient iron; none is needed in supplement form. Men’s Health 1/00.
CRANBERRIES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HEART - a recent study from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse found that cranberry juice contains just as many heart-healthy flavonoids as found in grape juice and red wine. According to the study’s author, the antioxidants in cranberry juice can prevent arterial clogging. The study recommends drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cranberry juice each day, or alternating between grape and cranberry juice for maximum protection. Men’s Health 4/01. (Be aware that there is usually a great deal of added-sugar in most cranberry juice products sold. LK)
BEING YOUR SHARPEST WHILE ON DUTY - an American Heart Association study found that eating a light meal and drinking an hour before a flight can increase circulation within the body by 20 percent, and double the amount of blood flowing to the brain. Men’s Health 4/01.
DON’T WAIT TOO LONG TO “GO” - do not wait too long to “visit the ‘wc’” when on long flights. Holding urine in a full bladder can increase your heart-attack risk, according to a study from the American College of Cardiology. After studying subjects, researchers found that the stress of having a full bladder and not being able to relieve it increases heart rate by an average of nine beats per minutes, and ups bloodflow to the heart by 25 percent. Both of these symptoms could be enough to trigger a heart attack, concludes the study’s author. Men’s Health 4/01.
SLOWER IS BETTER - hit a plateau with weight training? According to Dr. Wayne Wescott, slowing down repetitions can produce larger increases in muscle and strength. There are two ways to do slow repetitions: take 10 seconds to raise the weight and 4 seconds to lower it, or take 4 seconds to lift the weight and 10 seconds to lower it. Each technique produced big strength gains in experienced lifters. Men’s Health 1/00.
CHOLESTEROL SKIN TEST - Cleveland Clinic Foundation researchers are currently developing a test to measure cholesterol levels in the skin. Three minutes after a few drops of chemical solution are placed on a patient’s palm, a monitor detects changes in the color of the solution - changes that correspond to different cholesterol levels. Trials have indicated that this procedure is more accurate than standard blood tests at predicting heart disease risk. This test - called Cholesterol 1,2,3 may be available in a home version by early 2002. Men’s Health 4/01.
LOSE WEIGHT GRADUALLY - dropping weight too fast on a low-calorie diet, besides being stressful on the body and usually not leading to permanent weight loss, apparently causes pesticides locked away in the body’s fat to be released into the bloodstream. Researchers living in the Biosphere in Arizona lost a great deal of weight when they were forced to live on a reduced calorie diet. As they lost weight rapidly, blood samples revealed levels of PCP’s and DDT, not used since the 1960's. Because the liver is slow to detoxify certain fat-soluble pesticides - an influx of which could theoretically cause organ damage, slower weight loss likely equals safer weight loss. Men’s Fitness 4/01.
COLD SORE REMEDY? - wake up with a cold sore? - try drinking a glass or two of red wine. According to a study published in Antiviral Research, resveratrol, a compound found in grapes, stopped the herpes simplex-1 virus from multiplying in the lab. Researchers aren’t sure if this will work as effectively in humans, but the research has been promising. Men’s Health 5/00.
THIS FRUIT MAY CUT SMOKER’S RISK - a recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, subjects who frequently at grapefruit cut their cancer risk in half. Grapefruit, especially white grapefruit, contains naringin, a phytochemical that may help lower levels of a cancer-causing enzyme. Be sure to check with your pharmacist first if you are taking any medications; grapefruit juice can interact with many drugs. Men’s Health 5/00.
From the Flight Surgeon:
"WHAT? I HAVE TO DO THE DRIVING AGAIN?"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication-LK)
It just occurred to me that I haven’t repeated the article on alcohol-related moving vehicle violations in several years. It is reported that during the past holiday season, more than 2,000 of our fellow citizens were ticketed for alcohol/driving-related offenses. Even though no airman has been proven guilty of this sort of violation since the Battle of Hastings, one should always consider the possibilities! Besides, the allowable legal limits for alcohol consumption (DUIs) have recently been reduced.
Several months ago one of my airline guys came in and told me about a mistake in judgment he had made. (Actually, he said, “I stepped on my ...”)
He had acquired a “drinking while driving” ticket sometime prior to the due date for his medical. He had squared all his incurred obligations with the police and judicial system and he had cleared the issue with his airline. He was not taken off active flight duty. The offense had occurred on his “own time.”
To be on the safe side, he even checked with some doc at ALPA to further reassure himself in the matter of his airman’s certificate. That doc said that, as long as he reported the problem appropriately on his next medical application, there shouldn’t be a problem.
I know and trust this pilot, He’s a straight shooter. I forgot to add that his previous driving record was clean. We went through our usual physical, and I issued his First Class Medical - of course.
OK. Fine.
No. Not fine!
A relatively short time later, he received a letter from the FAA Civil Aviation Security Division telling him he had violated a federal reg by not reporting the incident to them within 60 days of the occurrence...and he was in trouble.
The airman in question brought me the letter he had receive. We shall call him “Jack” for that is his name. (Joke. Of course it’s not his real name!) I got on the phone to a young lady in OK City who was handling Jack’s “case.”
I am required as a designated AME to have knowledge of all the regs pertaining to the issuance of airmen medical certificates, so I sat there like a good little boy and took my medicine while she told me “all about it.” At the time of our conversation, he did not know what action her agency proposed to take. For one of the few times in my life, I kept my cool.
I know, “ignorance of the law is no excuse.” I know that “the law is the law,” etc. I also know that my sense of fair play was outraged at the time.
Jack and I awaited further communication from the agency. I guess they gave weight to his honest, multiple attempts to clear the matter because no punitive measures were forthcoming, beyond what amounted to a letter of reprimand.
It is my belief that many individuals under given circumstances could flunk a breathalyizer test. Sometimes, it might take a lot less than one thinks. It is also true that when I was a young sailor (sometime shortly after the Civil War), several of my shipmates and I went on liberty and did not concern ourselves so much with whether we were drinking too much, but rather that we were drinking too little.
My personal judgement has also lapsed on occasion since those early days. I don’t mean to say that any of that was wise or good, but that it is possible for humans to make human errors. The key is not to repeat them.
The point of this long story and personal confession is to advise you that, should you experience an unfortunate situation like Jack’s, you must within 60 days report the event to: Federal Aviation Administration Aeromedical Certification Branch AAC-700 Mike Monroney Aeromedical Center
P.O. Box 26080
Oklahoma City, OK 73126
Attn: Civil Aviation Security Division
To conclude, I’m forced to add that while drinking and driving exposes one and everyone else to greater statistical danger, any guy who drinks and drives has got to be too dumb to find his own rear with both hands and the help of a friend!
As for this column, I sincerely hope that it will be of absolutely no value to you.
Best,
Joe
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
PROSTATE PROTECTOR - selenium is a potent antioxidant. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that men whose diets were high in selenium experienced a 60% reduction in clinically significant prostate cancer. Recommended dosage is 200 mcg per day. Let’s Live 5/01.
NOT FOR MEN... - if you are a male, be sure to check your daily multivitamin. Multivitamins with added iron should not be taken by men, unless recommended by your physician. Excess iron can contribute to the formation of free radicals, harmful substances that damage the arteries and may lead to cardiovascular disease. Most men’s diets already contain sufficient iron; none is needed in supplement form. Men’s Health 1/00.
CRANBERRIES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HEART - a recent study from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse found that cranberry juice contains just as many heart-healthy flavonoids as found in grape juice and red wine. According to the study’s author, the antioxidants in cranberry juice can prevent arterial clogging. The study recommends drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cranberry juice each day, or alternating between grape and cranberry juice for maximum protection. Men’s Health 4/01. (Be aware that there is usually a great deal of added-sugar in most cranberry juice products sold. LK)
BEING YOUR SHARPEST WHILE ON DUTY - an American Heart Association study found that eating a light meal and drinking an hour before a flight can increase circulation within the body by 20 percent, and double the amount of blood flowing to the brain. Men’s Health 4/01.
DON’T WAIT TOO LONG TO “GO” - do not wait too long to “visit the ‘wc’” when on long flights. Holding urine in a full bladder can increase your heart-attack risk, according to a study from the American College of Cardiology. After studying subjects, researchers found that the stress of having a full bladder and not being able to relieve it increases heart rate by an average of nine beats per minutes, and ups bloodflow to the heart by 25 percent. Both of these symptoms could be enough to trigger a heart attack, concludes the study’s author. Men’s Health 4/01.
SLOWER IS BETTER - hit a plateau with weight training? According to Dr. Wayne Wescott, slowing down repetitions can produce larger increases in muscle and strength. There are two ways to do slow repetitions: take 10 seconds to raise the weight and 4 seconds to lower it, or take 4 seconds to lift the weight and 10 seconds to lower it. Each technique produced big strength gains in experienced lifters. Men’s Health 1/00.
CHOLESTEROL SKIN TEST - Cleveland Clinic Foundation researchers are currently developing a test to measure cholesterol levels in the skin. Three minutes after a few drops of chemical solution are placed on a patient’s palm, a monitor detects changes in the color of the solution - changes that correspond to different cholesterol levels. Trials have indicated that this procedure is more accurate than standard blood tests at predicting heart disease risk. This test - called Cholesterol 1,2,3 may be available in a home version by early 2002. Men’s Health 4/01.
LOSE WEIGHT GRADUALLY - dropping weight too fast on a low-calorie diet, besides being stressful on the body and usually not leading to permanent weight loss, apparently causes pesticides locked away in the body’s fat to be released into the bloodstream. Researchers living in the Biosphere in Arizona lost a great deal of weight when they were forced to live on a reduced calorie diet. As they lost weight rapidly, blood samples revealed levels of PCP’s and DDT, not used since the 1960's. Because the liver is slow to detoxify certain fat-soluble pesticides - an influx of which could theoretically cause organ damage, slower weight loss likely equals safer weight loss. Men’s Fitness 4/01.
COLD SORE REMEDY? - wake up with a cold sore? - try drinking a glass or two of red wine. According to a study published in Antiviral Research, resveratrol, a compound found in grapes, stopped the herpes simplex-1 virus from multiplying in the lab. Researchers aren’t sure if this will work as effectively in humans, but the research has been promising. Men’s Health 5/00.
THIS FRUIT MAY CUT SMOKER’S RISK - a recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, subjects who frequently at grapefruit cut their cancer risk in half. Grapefruit, especially white grapefruit, contains naringin, a phytochemical that may help lower levels of a cancer-causing enzyme. Be sure to check with your pharmacist first if you are taking any medications; grapefruit juice can interact with many drugs. Men’s Health 5/00.
From the Flight Surgeon:
"WHAT? I HAVE TO DO THE DRIVING AGAIN?"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication-LK)
It just occurred to me that I haven’t repeated the article on alcohol-related moving vehicle violations in several years. It is reported that during the past holiday season, more than 2,000 of our fellow citizens were ticketed for alcohol/driving-related offenses. Even though no airman has been proven guilty of this sort of violation since the Battle of Hastings, one should always consider the possibilities! Besides, the allowable legal limits for alcohol consumption (DUIs) have recently been reduced.
Several months ago one of my airline guys came in and told me about a mistake in judgment he had made. (Actually, he said, “I stepped on my ...”)
He had acquired a “drinking while driving” ticket sometime prior to the due date for his medical. He had squared all his incurred obligations with the police and judicial system and he had cleared the issue with his airline. He was not taken off active flight duty. The offense had occurred on his “own time.”
To be on the safe side, he even checked with some doc at ALPA to further reassure himself in the matter of his airman’s certificate. That doc said that, as long as he reported the problem appropriately on his next medical application, there shouldn’t be a problem.
I know and trust this pilot, He’s a straight shooter. I forgot to add that his previous driving record was clean. We went through our usual physical, and I issued his First Class Medical - of course.
OK. Fine.
No. Not fine!
A relatively short time later, he received a letter from the FAA Civil Aviation Security Division telling him he had violated a federal reg by not reporting the incident to them within 60 days of the occurrence...and he was in trouble.
The airman in question brought me the letter he had receive. We shall call him “Jack” for that is his name. (Joke. Of course it’s not his real name!) I got on the phone to a young lady in OK City who was handling Jack’s “case.”
I am required as a designated AME to have knowledge of all the regs pertaining to the issuance of airmen medical certificates, so I sat there like a good little boy and took my medicine while she told me “all about it.” At the time of our conversation, he did not know what action her agency proposed to take. For one of the few times in my life, I kept my cool.
I know, “ignorance of the law is no excuse.” I know that “the law is the law,” etc. I also know that my sense of fair play was outraged at the time.
Jack and I awaited further communication from the agency. I guess they gave weight to his honest, multiple attempts to clear the matter because no punitive measures were forthcoming, beyond what amounted to a letter of reprimand.
It is my belief that many individuals under given circumstances could flunk a breathalyizer test. Sometimes, it might take a lot less than one thinks. It is also true that when I was a young sailor (sometime shortly after the Civil War), several of my shipmates and I went on liberty and did not concern ourselves so much with whether we were drinking too much, but rather that we were drinking too little.
My personal judgement has also lapsed on occasion since those early days. I don’t mean to say that any of that was wise or good, but that it is possible for humans to make human errors. The key is not to repeat them.
The point of this long story and personal confession is to advise you that, should you experience an unfortunate situation like Jack’s, you must within 60 days report the event to: Federal Aviation Administration Aeromedical Certification Branch AAC-700 Mike Monroney Aeromedical Center
P.O. Box 26080
Oklahoma City, OK 73126
Attn: Civil Aviation Security Division
To conclude, I’m forced to add that while drinking and driving exposes one and everyone else to greater statistical danger, any guy who drinks and drives has got to be too dumb to find his own rear with both hands and the help of a friend!
As for this column, I sincerely hope that it will be of absolutely no value to you.
Best,
Joe
Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 08-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
BEING FIT BEATS BEING SLIM - an 8-year study of 22,000 men by the National Institute on Aging found that men who were thin but not aerobically fit had a higher death rate from heart disease than overweight men who exercised regularly. According to the study’s author, Steven Blair, P.Ed., of the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, “Leanness is no guarantee of good health. Being fit is more important in predicting mortality...” Men’s Health 5/00.
GLUCOSAMINE WORKS - a study recently published in Lancet found that people with mild-to-moderate knee arthritis who took 1,500 mgs of purified standardized glucosamine once a day for three years had, on average, 20 to 25% less pain and disability than those taking a placebo. X-ray exams showed that in those taking glucosamine, arthritis progressed slowly or not at all, while the placebo group continued to lose cartilage at the expected rate. Glucosamine produced no adverse effects.
This well-designed study, lasting three years, showed that glucosamine helped slow deterioration of cartilage and relieved pain. At this time, the study did not recommend taking chondroitin sulfate for arthritis. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/01. (Note: a recent Aviation Medical Bulletin [4/01] stated that both glucosamine and chondroitin were effective for pain relief of osteoarthritis, and one study actually indicated that chondroitin was superior to glucosamine for relieving arthritis pain.)
EAT TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY - a study at Tufts University in Boston found that a diet rich in blueberries, strawberries, and spinach improved short-term memory. Did we mention it helps improve your memory? Men’s Health 5/00.
PULL A WEED, SAVE A BONE - gardening may be more effective at combating osteoporosis than some forms of cardio-exercise. Researchers at the University of Arkansas surveyed 3,300 women aged 50 and older what they did to stay active. They discovered that regular gardeners - people who hit the garden at least once a week - had higher bone-density readings than women who swam, jogged, walked, or did aerobics. Health 9/00.
SOUNDS LIKE A TYPICAL SWA DUTY DAY - eating under stress can cause a dangerous spike in cholesterol levels. When French researchers had people eat meals under various conditions, they found that cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased and, in some cases, doubled when the people were most stressed. The lead researcher has stated that stress slows down the rate at which fats are broken down, causing them to stay in the bloodstream longer. Since these fluctuations can increase the risk of heart disease, keeping stress levels in check during mealtimes could effect coronary risk. Men’s Health 4/00.
EATING VEGGIES MAY SAVE YOUR VISION - age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55. There are few effective treatments, but studies suggest diet may help prevent it. Researchers writing in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science examined the tissues of donated eyes and found that those with the highest lutein and zeaxanthin levels had the lowest incidence of ARMD. These two yellow carotenes - abundantly found in yellow and orange vegetables - are thought to protect the macula from oxidative damage. Let’s Live 5/01.
GOT FLAT FEET? - if you already have flat-feet, you know that the fallen arches can cause joint and lower-back pain. Now new research shows that flat feet, or even just lower arches can increase the risk of exercise-related stress fractures. In a Mayo Clinic study of 449 Navy SEALS, the men with lower arches were two times more likely than those with normal arches to develop stress fractures in their feet or legs. According to the study’s author, this is the first evidence that suggests that flatter feet can cause stress fractures. Arch supports (orthotics) can help relieve this risk. Men’s Health 4/00.
ANOTHER PROSTATE CANCER RISK DEFINED - how old was your father when he had you? According to a Boston University study, men born to older fathers may have a greater risk of prostate cancer. Researchers studied 2,200 men over a period of 20 years and found that those born when their fathers were age 38 or older were 70 percent more likely to have prostate cancer than those born to younger dads. The study’s authors speculates that older men’s sperm may contain DNA abnormalities that cause prostate cancer. The study recommends that sons of older dads get screened for prostate cancer starting at age 40. Men’s Health 4/00.
SODAS = CHILD OBESITY? - all it takes is one serving of soda or sugar-sweetened drink daily to increase your child’s risk of obesity by 60%, according to a new study published in The Lancet. Researchers studied more than 500 ethnically diverse school children ages 11 and 12. They found that for every can or glass of sugar-sweetened beverage children drank daily, both their body-mass index and their odds of becoming obese increased measurably - the risk of obesity increasing by 60%. Soda is the leading source of sugar in American adolescent diets. Let’s Live 5/01.
CLUSTER HEADACHE RELIEF - know someone who suffers from cluster headaches? New research shows that a cool bedroom can prevent cluster headaches. Researchers interviewed 200 patients and determined that 75 of them had an increase in body temperature less than an hour before the onset of the headaches. The researchers speculate that the headaches occur when heat causes blood vessels to dilate. Men’s Health 1/00.
OLIVE OIL - NOT JUST FOR YOUR HEART - researchers in Greece report that eating olive oil may reduce the risk of arthritis. When the diets of 333 subjects were evaluated, the researchers found that those who consumed olive oil the most had a 62 percent lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis than those who ate it infrequently. It appears that the oleic acid in olive oil may combat the inflammatory changes that contribute to rheumatoid arthritis. To realize these benefits and improve your good-to-bad cholesterol ratio, substitute olive oil for a few of the other fats in your diet at least every other day. Men’s Health 4/00.
PREVENTING MUSCLE PULLS - proper warm-up of the muscle is the single most effective way of preventing pulled muscles. Jogging for 10 minutes gets blood pumping to your legs so they are better able to handle sudden stop-and-start moves. And it’s more effective than stretching. Two recent studies showed no difference in injury rates between those who stretched before a workout and those who did not.
Also, be sure to hydrate yourself before strenuous exercise. If you are not hydrated properly, your body will steal water from your muscles, leaving them vulnerable to pulls. Men’s Health 4/00.
HEART SAVER - heart disease is the number one killer of men. There is now evidence that taking CoQ10, an antioxidant, may reduce this risk. Atherosclerotic plaque is the major initiator of a heart attack. The journal Atherosclerosis reported that CoQ10 not only reduced plaque size, but also helped prevent plaque rupture. Let’s Live 5/01.
From the Flight Surgeon:
"A BURNING HEART"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication-LK)
The latest in the Harlequin series of sweaty “romance” novels? Something worse? (How could there be?) No, I want to talk about the “heartburn” that some pilots might experience that might or might not scare the heck out of them when first experienced, or when sensations of discomfort become quite severe.
A little review: mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach. The cells lining the stomach are resistant to digestive acid. Otherwise, of course, the stomach would start the digestive process on its own tissue!
The esophageal cells are not acid resistant. A valve at the juncture of the esophagus and stomach tends to separate the two areas, allowing food to pass, but at the same time preventing stomach acids from backing up through the valve and attacking the cells of the esophagus. Simple enough, but common enough that over-the-counter sales of meds to alleviate the pain and discomfort that arises from heartburn is estimated at $1 billion dollars each year.
So why an article on a condition that can be fixed with a shot of Maalox, Pepto, Tums, or whatever? Why, because, although a textbook account of how a doc can differentiate between heart disease and “heartburn” sounds relatively cut and dried, it ain’t always that easy in the real clinical world.
If I ate six burritos, loaded them with real salsa and washed them down with a six pack of Dos Equis, maybe. If I were sweating, had squeezing chest pain radiating to the neck, shoulder or left arm, maybe.
Even the term heartburn should suggest the possibility of confusion. Heartburn has been replaced by the acronym GERD - Gastro-esophageal reflux disease. My dad’s doc would say heartburn. GERD is much less understandable at first, therefore, a more desirable addition to medical jargon.
My message for this sermon is just the above paragraph. You rule out heart disease and find out about the nature of the gastro-intestinal disease and act to fix it.
GERD should be fairly easy to control. You may read somewhere that diet and stress aren’t involved. That’s b.s. Sadly, one prescription drug (only one) used to treat GERD caused some unpleasant effects on the heart. It is no longer used.
By checking out these symptoms, you have nothing to lose and can gain peace of mind and a relatively simple “fix.” Anyone with half a mind should recognize the fact that when his monthly bill for Tums exceeds 50 percent of his grocery costs, something ain’t quite kosher! Again, check it out.
Best,
Joe
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
BEING FIT BEATS BEING SLIM - an 8-year study of 22,000 men by the National Institute on Aging found that men who were thin but not aerobically fit had a higher death rate from heart disease than overweight men who exercised regularly. According to the study’s author, Steven Blair, P.Ed., of the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, “Leanness is no guarantee of good health. Being fit is more important in predicting mortality...” Men’s Health 5/00.
GLUCOSAMINE WORKS - a study recently published in Lancet found that people with mild-to-moderate knee arthritis who took 1,500 mgs of purified standardized glucosamine once a day for three years had, on average, 20 to 25% less pain and disability than those taking a placebo. X-ray exams showed that in those taking glucosamine, arthritis progressed slowly or not at all, while the placebo group continued to lose cartilage at the expected rate. Glucosamine produced no adverse effects.
This well-designed study, lasting three years, showed that glucosamine helped slow deterioration of cartilage and relieved pain. At this time, the study did not recommend taking chondroitin sulfate for arthritis. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/01. (Note: a recent Aviation Medical Bulletin [4/01] stated that both glucosamine and chondroitin were effective for pain relief of osteoarthritis, and one study actually indicated that chondroitin was superior to glucosamine for relieving arthritis pain.)
EAT TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY - a study at Tufts University in Boston found that a diet rich in blueberries, strawberries, and spinach improved short-term memory. Did we mention it helps improve your memory? Men’s Health 5/00.
PULL A WEED, SAVE A BONE - gardening may be more effective at combating osteoporosis than some forms of cardio-exercise. Researchers at the University of Arkansas surveyed 3,300 women aged 50 and older what they did to stay active. They discovered that regular gardeners - people who hit the garden at least once a week - had higher bone-density readings than women who swam, jogged, walked, or did aerobics. Health 9/00.
SOUNDS LIKE A TYPICAL SWA DUTY DAY - eating under stress can cause a dangerous spike in cholesterol levels. When French researchers had people eat meals under various conditions, they found that cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased and, in some cases, doubled when the people were most stressed. The lead researcher has stated that stress slows down the rate at which fats are broken down, causing them to stay in the bloodstream longer. Since these fluctuations can increase the risk of heart disease, keeping stress levels in check during mealtimes could effect coronary risk. Men’s Health 4/00.
EATING VEGGIES MAY SAVE YOUR VISION - age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55. There are few effective treatments, but studies suggest diet may help prevent it. Researchers writing in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science examined the tissues of donated eyes and found that those with the highest lutein and zeaxanthin levels had the lowest incidence of ARMD. These two yellow carotenes - abundantly found in yellow and orange vegetables - are thought to protect the macula from oxidative damage. Let’s Live 5/01.
GOT FLAT FEET? - if you already have flat-feet, you know that the fallen arches can cause joint and lower-back pain. Now new research shows that flat feet, or even just lower arches can increase the risk of exercise-related stress fractures. In a Mayo Clinic study of 449 Navy SEALS, the men with lower arches were two times more likely than those with normal arches to develop stress fractures in their feet or legs. According to the study’s author, this is the first evidence that suggests that flatter feet can cause stress fractures. Arch supports (orthotics) can help relieve this risk. Men’s Health 4/00.
ANOTHER PROSTATE CANCER RISK DEFINED - how old was your father when he had you? According to a Boston University study, men born to older fathers may have a greater risk of prostate cancer. Researchers studied 2,200 men over a period of 20 years and found that those born when their fathers were age 38 or older were 70 percent more likely to have prostate cancer than those born to younger dads. The study’s authors speculates that older men’s sperm may contain DNA abnormalities that cause prostate cancer. The study recommends that sons of older dads get screened for prostate cancer starting at age 40. Men’s Health 4/00.
SODAS = CHILD OBESITY? - all it takes is one serving of soda or sugar-sweetened drink daily to increase your child’s risk of obesity by 60%, according to a new study published in The Lancet. Researchers studied more than 500 ethnically diverse school children ages 11 and 12. They found that for every can or glass of sugar-sweetened beverage children drank daily, both their body-mass index and their odds of becoming obese increased measurably - the risk of obesity increasing by 60%. Soda is the leading source of sugar in American adolescent diets. Let’s Live 5/01.
CLUSTER HEADACHE RELIEF - know someone who suffers from cluster headaches? New research shows that a cool bedroom can prevent cluster headaches. Researchers interviewed 200 patients and determined that 75 of them had an increase in body temperature less than an hour before the onset of the headaches. The researchers speculate that the headaches occur when heat causes blood vessels to dilate. Men’s Health 1/00.
OLIVE OIL - NOT JUST FOR YOUR HEART - researchers in Greece report that eating olive oil may reduce the risk of arthritis. When the diets of 333 subjects were evaluated, the researchers found that those who consumed olive oil the most had a 62 percent lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis than those who ate it infrequently. It appears that the oleic acid in olive oil may combat the inflammatory changes that contribute to rheumatoid arthritis. To realize these benefits and improve your good-to-bad cholesterol ratio, substitute olive oil for a few of the other fats in your diet at least every other day. Men’s Health 4/00.
PREVENTING MUSCLE PULLS - proper warm-up of the muscle is the single most effective way of preventing pulled muscles. Jogging for 10 minutes gets blood pumping to your legs so they are better able to handle sudden stop-and-start moves. And it’s more effective than stretching. Two recent studies showed no difference in injury rates between those who stretched before a workout and those who did not.
Also, be sure to hydrate yourself before strenuous exercise. If you are not hydrated properly, your body will steal water from your muscles, leaving them vulnerable to pulls. Men’s Health 4/00.
HEART SAVER - heart disease is the number one killer of men. There is now evidence that taking CoQ10, an antioxidant, may reduce this risk. Atherosclerotic plaque is the major initiator of a heart attack. The journal Atherosclerosis reported that CoQ10 not only reduced plaque size, but also helped prevent plaque rupture. Let’s Live 5/01.
From the Flight Surgeon:
"A BURNING HEART"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication-LK)
The latest in the Harlequin series of sweaty “romance” novels? Something worse? (How could there be?) No, I want to talk about the “heartburn” that some pilots might experience that might or might not scare the heck out of them when first experienced, or when sensations of discomfort become quite severe.
A little review: mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach. The cells lining the stomach are resistant to digestive acid. Otherwise, of course, the stomach would start the digestive process on its own tissue!
The esophageal cells are not acid resistant. A valve at the juncture of the esophagus and stomach tends to separate the two areas, allowing food to pass, but at the same time preventing stomach acids from backing up through the valve and attacking the cells of the esophagus. Simple enough, but common enough that over-the-counter sales of meds to alleviate the pain and discomfort that arises from heartburn is estimated at $1 billion dollars each year.
So why an article on a condition that can be fixed with a shot of Maalox, Pepto, Tums, or whatever? Why, because, although a textbook account of how a doc can differentiate between heart disease and “heartburn” sounds relatively cut and dried, it ain’t always that easy in the real clinical world.
If I ate six burritos, loaded them with real salsa and washed them down with a six pack of Dos Equis, maybe. If I were sweating, had squeezing chest pain radiating to the neck, shoulder or left arm, maybe.
Even the term heartburn should suggest the possibility of confusion. Heartburn has been replaced by the acronym GERD - Gastro-esophageal reflux disease. My dad’s doc would say heartburn. GERD is much less understandable at first, therefore, a more desirable addition to medical jargon.
My message for this sermon is just the above paragraph. You rule out heart disease and find out about the nature of the gastro-intestinal disease and act to fix it.
GERD should be fairly easy to control. You may read somewhere that diet and stress aren’t involved. That’s b.s. Sadly, one prescription drug (only one) used to treat GERD caused some unpleasant effects on the heart. It is no longer used.
By checking out these symptoms, you have nothing to lose and can gain peace of mind and a relatively simple “fix.” Anyone with half a mind should recognize the fact that when his monthly bill for Tums exceeds 50 percent of his grocery costs, something ain’t quite kosher! Again, check it out.
Best,
Joe
Sunday, July 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 07-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
CARBS FOR RECOVERY - for exercise recovery and performance, the body needs carbohydrates. A study published in Sports Medicine Digest compared the effects of 25 grams of liquid carbs to 25 grams of solid carbs on cyclists. No differences were found in insulin response or blood glucose to the carbs absorbed by liquid or solids. Men’s Fitness 9/99.
KNOW A STONER? - besides being illegal, someone who chooses to indulge in marijuana use runs a much greater increased risk of lung, head and neck cancers. Marijuana smoke contains 50 percent more carcinogens than tobacco smoke.
Lab studies have found that THC, the active ingredient in pot, binds to the part of the brain called the hippocampus, and scientists suspect that this is why marijuana impairs your short-term memory even several days after use. Men’s Health 12/99.
EXERCISE TO REMEMBER - older people may improve their memory by...exercising. This not only benefits the heart by making it pump blood more efficiently, but also has a positive effect on the brain. Four months of regular aerobic exercise sharpened memory and reduced depression in a group of men and women aged 50 to 77, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
Exercising may have prevented this!
THE “JUICEMAN” MAY BE FULL OF IT - beware of promoters who sell juicing machines as the key to good health or as a cure for disease. Juice is good food, but it isn’t medicine, and it certainly is not better for you than whole fruit. Ounce for ounce, orange juice has about the same vitamin C as an orange. But the juicing machines leave behind some of the nutrients of the fruit in the solids and pulp, especially fiber and phytochemicals. A cup of carrot juice does have more beta carotene than one carrot (simply because it takes more than one carrot to make a cup of juice), but much less fiber if the juice is strained. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
BEWARE OF THE FAKE ONES! - according to a recent study, artificial fingernails harbor more bacteria than regular fingernails. Researchers studied 41 nurses and found that those wearing artificial nails were more than twice as likely to have bacteria on their hands after washing with antimicrobial cleaners as those without fake nails. Since this could increase the risk of infection, the study’s authors recommends that hospitals discourage the use of artificial nails. Men’s Health 1/00.
HOLD THE CHEESE, PLEASE - cheese is the leading source of artery-clogging saturated fat in the American diet, according to a report from the Center of Science in the Public Interest. The average American is eating three times as much cheese today as 30 years ago - on pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches and even salads. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/01.
SELENIUM - THE PROSTATE PROTECTOR? - while studying selenium’s effects on skin-cancer rates, University of Arizona researchers found that men who took 200 mcg of selenium had a 63 percent lower incidence of prostate cancer than those who did not consume the mineral.
Selenium may increase levels of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, which helps protect prostate cells. Selenium is found naturally in seafood, liver, meat, and grains. The current RDA is 70 mcg per day, but the recent research suggests that taking 200 mcg daily can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. A bottle of 200 pills (200 mcg) costs about $7. Men’s Health 1/00.
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? - human growth hormone and related products are being marketed as aiding in keeping you young. The level of this hormone tapers off as one ages, but there is no evidence that replacing it will slow down or reverse the aging process, boost muscle strength, renew energy, or keep you healthy in any way. Real growth hormone, a prescription drug that is injected, is very expensive. It can have severe side effects, including increased risk of certain cancers, and diabetes. Health-food stores and websites offer “growth hormone” products that are supposed to be precursors that are alleged to convert into the hormone, and “releasers” that are supposed to stimulate production of the hormone. You have no way of knowing what is in these supplements or what they will do in the body, since they are unregulated. (There are FDA-approved medical uses for growth hormone in children or adults with deficiencies that are caused by tumors, or damage to the pituitary gland). University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/01.
SADDLE SORE? - recent research from Israel has revealed that almost three-quarters of bicyclists with back pain found tipping their bike seats downward 10 to 15 degrees relieved their backaches. This study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, says that adjusting the saddle changes the angle between the pelvis and the spine, easing the strain on the ligaments in the lower back. Men’s Health 5/00.
HAIR ANALYSIS? - despite many claims being made on the internet or magazines, hair analysis cannot detect diseases or nutritional deficiencies. There are no vitamins in hair. Hair does contain minerals, but measuring them in this way is of no practical value, since the results vary so much depending on age, sex, hair length and color, air pollution and hair-care products. The labs doing the tests are not reliable, according to a recent study. The goal of this type of hair analysis is usually to induce you to buy nutritional supplements. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/01.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
CARBS FOR RECOVERY - for exercise recovery and performance, the body needs carbohydrates. A study published in Sports Medicine Digest compared the effects of 25 grams of liquid carbs to 25 grams of solid carbs on cyclists. No differences were found in insulin response or blood glucose to the carbs absorbed by liquid or solids. Men’s Fitness 9/99.
KNOW A STONER? - besides being illegal, someone who chooses to indulge in marijuana use runs a much greater increased risk of lung, head and neck cancers. Marijuana smoke contains 50 percent more carcinogens than tobacco smoke.
Lab studies have found that THC, the active ingredient in pot, binds to the part of the brain called the hippocampus, and scientists suspect that this is why marijuana impairs your short-term memory even several days after use. Men’s Health 12/99.
EXERCISE TO REMEMBER - older people may improve their memory by...exercising. This not only benefits the heart by making it pump blood more efficiently, but also has a positive effect on the brain. Four months of regular aerobic exercise sharpened memory and reduced depression in a group of men and women aged 50 to 77, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
Exercising may have prevented this!
THE “JUICEMAN” MAY BE FULL OF IT - beware of promoters who sell juicing machines as the key to good health or as a cure for disease. Juice is good food, but it isn’t medicine, and it certainly is not better for you than whole fruit. Ounce for ounce, orange juice has about the same vitamin C as an orange. But the juicing machines leave behind some of the nutrients of the fruit in the solids and pulp, especially fiber and phytochemicals. A cup of carrot juice does have more beta carotene than one carrot (simply because it takes more than one carrot to make a cup of juice), but much less fiber if the juice is strained. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
BEWARE OF THE FAKE ONES! - according to a recent study, artificial fingernails harbor more bacteria than regular fingernails. Researchers studied 41 nurses and found that those wearing artificial nails were more than twice as likely to have bacteria on their hands after washing with antimicrobial cleaners as those without fake nails. Since this could increase the risk of infection, the study’s authors recommends that hospitals discourage the use of artificial nails. Men’s Health 1/00.
HOLD THE CHEESE, PLEASE - cheese is the leading source of artery-clogging saturated fat in the American diet, according to a report from the Center of Science in the Public Interest. The average American is eating three times as much cheese today as 30 years ago - on pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches and even salads. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/01.
SELENIUM - THE PROSTATE PROTECTOR? - while studying selenium’s effects on skin-cancer rates, University of Arizona researchers found that men who took 200 mcg of selenium had a 63 percent lower incidence of prostate cancer than those who did not consume the mineral.
Selenium may increase levels of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, which helps protect prostate cells. Selenium is found naturally in seafood, liver, meat, and grains. The current RDA is 70 mcg per day, but the recent research suggests that taking 200 mcg daily can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. A bottle of 200 pills (200 mcg) costs about $7. Men’s Health 1/00.
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? - human growth hormone and related products are being marketed as aiding in keeping you young. The level of this hormone tapers off as one ages, but there is no evidence that replacing it will slow down or reverse the aging process, boost muscle strength, renew energy, or keep you healthy in any way. Real growth hormone, a prescription drug that is injected, is very expensive. It can have severe side effects, including increased risk of certain cancers, and diabetes. Health-food stores and websites offer “growth hormone” products that are supposed to be precursors that are alleged to convert into the hormone, and “releasers” that are supposed to stimulate production of the hormone. You have no way of knowing what is in these supplements or what they will do in the body, since they are unregulated. (There are FDA-approved medical uses for growth hormone in children or adults with deficiencies that are caused by tumors, or damage to the pituitary gland). University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/01.
SADDLE SORE? - recent research from Israel has revealed that almost three-quarters of bicyclists with back pain found tipping their bike seats downward 10 to 15 degrees relieved their backaches. This study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, says that adjusting the saddle changes the angle between the pelvis and the spine, easing the strain on the ligaments in the lower back. Men’s Health 5/00.
HAIR ANALYSIS? - despite many claims being made on the internet or magazines, hair analysis cannot detect diseases or nutritional deficiencies. There are no vitamins in hair. Hair does contain minerals, but measuring them in this way is of no practical value, since the results vary so much depending on age, sex, hair length and color, air pollution and hair-care products. The labs doing the tests are not reliable, according to a recent study. The goal of this type of hair analysis is usually to induce you to buy nutritional supplements. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/01.
Friday, June 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT EXPRESS 06-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
INTERNET INFORMATION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - reliable, easy-to-read information on more than 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter drugs is available at the National Library of Medicine’s consumer website, MedlinePlus, at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html. The site tells you about dosing, side effects, drug interactions, precautions, and storage for each drug. This site also has links to other health-related websites. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/01.
PROSTATE CANCER UPDATE - in the near future, researchers may begin scanning for a defective gene during prostate-cancer biopsies. A UCLA study found that about half of men with advanced prostate cancer have a defective PTEN gene, which controls the growth of prostate cells. Blocking this gene with drugs may provide a new treatment in a few years, according to Charles Sawyers, M.D., director of UCLA’s prostate cancer program. Men’s Health 12/99.
VITAMIN B6 - vitamin B6 plays a number of crucial roles in the body, including hormone production, protein digestion and brain function. It is also critical for the immune system, as recently revealed in a study published in the British journal Lancet. This study showed that people who consumed adequate amounts of B6 suffered fewer infections and had stronger overall immune systems than the placebo group. The RDA for adult males is a mere 2 milligrams, but a more therapeutic dose - especially for active men who eat a lot of protein - ranges between 25 and 50 mg. B6 is also a natural antidepressant. It is abundant in bananas, red kidney beans, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Men’s Fitness 9/99.
EVERY 10 YEARS - you should have a tetanus booster - actually a combined tetanus and diphtheria (Td) shot every 10 years. Because immunization is so widespread, relatively few cases of tetanus (just 30 to 60 annually) occur in this country. Most tetanus infections occur in people over 50, who are least likely to be adequately immunized. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/01.
WEIGHT LIFTING + 1 MINUTE OF STRETCHING = 20% MORE MUSCLE GAIN - a recent study has revealed that stretching worked-muscle groups between sets can yield strength gains of 20 percent greater than those not stretching between sets. The test subjects were novice lifters, but the study’s leader says that experienced lifters in another related study also experienced similar strength gains.
For 20 to 30 seconds between sets, stretch the muscle just worked to a comfortable range, release, and commence another set. Men’s Health 1/00.
“A good sweat, with the blood pounding through my body, makes me feel
alive, revitalized. I gain a sense of mastery and assurance. I feel
good about myself. Then I can feel good about others.”‑‑ Arthur Dobrin
SKIN DOOMSDAY MACHINES - the term dermatologists refer to tanning booths. One noted dermatologist indicated that if he were asked to design a machine that would intentionally destroy human skin, this is the contraption he might come up with.
Any amount of tan means some damage has been done to one or more layers of the outer epidermis. A tan can only result because of damage. This is particularly important to those individuals with fair skin or freckles. Any kind of prolonged exposure to the sun can result in premature wrinkling and even skin cancer.
Also, the surfaces of tanning booths may harbor skin fungi, herpes, and bacterial infections. Men’s Fitness 9/99.
THE MUSICAL FRUIT - many of the pigments that make fruits and vegetables colorful are known to be powerful antioxidants that may help protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Now food scientists have found similar healthful pigmented compounds (called flavonoids) in the coating of beans, which makes up about 10% of the bean and is also the main source of its fiber. From navy beans to red kidney beans, the different colors all contain healthy flavonoids besides fiber and a great source of protein. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/01.
PREVENTING SWIMMER’S EAR - to prevent bacteria in the water from causing the painful infection called swimmer’s ear, follow this quick routine after swimming: first, dry your ears with a hair dryer set on “low” for a minute or two. Second, using a clean eyedropper, carefully put a few drops of a therapeutic solution in the ear - half white vinegar, half rubbing alcohol. This mixture dries the inner ear and prevents any bacterial growth. Men’s Health 12/99.
CELL PHONE DANGER? - when cell phones are held against the ear and head, they transfer energy to the water molecules they encounter, much like a microwave oven. The radio frequency waves transmitted by cell phones are of very low intensity and thus produce far less heat than microwave ovens. Also this energy is not ionizing radiation like that of X-rays.
Three new studies, one in the New England Journal of Medicine, one in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and a third in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, have found no link between cell phones and brain cancer. The first two studies compared cell phone use in people with and without brain cancer. The third checked for cancer in a group of 420,000 cell phone users: cell phone users actually seemed to have a decreased risk. But these are relatively short term studies - there are more studies underway, some with oversight by the FDA and the World Health Organization, with results due in three years.
For now, there is only one reason to be concerned with cell phone use: they have been very causal in increasing motor vehicle accidents by distracting drivers.
Also, cell phones interfere with pacemakers, but all that is needed is to keep the phone at least eight inches away from the pacemaker. It is ok to talk on the phone, but don’t carry it in the breast pocket. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
DRINKING AND YOUR LIVER - whenever you have at least 4 drinks in one sitting, some cells in the liver fill with fat and turn yellow, a condition known as “fatty liver.” If you abstain for a while, the liver generally will return to normal after a few days. But if you drink heavily and often, more and more cells fill with fat; some die and are replaced with scar tissue. Luckily, you don’t need them all.
Once the liver cells die, you cannot resurrect them. But you can protect those you have left by having a hepatitis B vaccination and watching your diet. Animal studies show that alcohol consumption coupled with a high-fat; low-carbohydrate diet may increase the risk of liver damage.
Bottom line: if still engaged in heavy drinking, it is time to lighten up! Research suggests that those who down two or more drinks a day have nearly double the death risk from heart disease and cancer as do those with only two to six drinks a weeks. Men’s Health 12/99.
THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION - investigating human immunity, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley recently discovered that older women (70 to 80) who regularly played bridge together showed improvements in immune response (as seen in numbers of certain white blood cells) after the game. The scientists demonstrated this by taking blood samples before and after the game. The specific area of the brain that controls bridge playing also regulates immune response, and immunity reacts positively to mental stimulation. The researchers speculate that positive attitudes and mental activity, besides contributing to good general health, may enhance the body’s ability to fights diseases. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
INTERNET INFORMATION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - reliable, easy-to-read information on more than 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter drugs is available at the National Library of Medicine’s consumer website, MedlinePlus, at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html. The site tells you about dosing, side effects, drug interactions, precautions, and storage for each drug. This site also has links to other health-related websites. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/01.
PROSTATE CANCER UPDATE - in the near future, researchers may begin scanning for a defective gene during prostate-cancer biopsies. A UCLA study found that about half of men with advanced prostate cancer have a defective PTEN gene, which controls the growth of prostate cells. Blocking this gene with drugs may provide a new treatment in a few years, according to Charles Sawyers, M.D., director of UCLA’s prostate cancer program. Men’s Health 12/99.
VITAMIN B6 - vitamin B6 plays a number of crucial roles in the body, including hormone production, protein digestion and brain function. It is also critical for the immune system, as recently revealed in a study published in the British journal Lancet. This study showed that people who consumed adequate amounts of B6 suffered fewer infections and had stronger overall immune systems than the placebo group. The RDA for adult males is a mere 2 milligrams, but a more therapeutic dose - especially for active men who eat a lot of protein - ranges between 25 and 50 mg. B6 is also a natural antidepressant. It is abundant in bananas, red kidney beans, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Men’s Fitness 9/99.
EVERY 10 YEARS - you should have a tetanus booster - actually a combined tetanus and diphtheria (Td) shot every 10 years. Because immunization is so widespread, relatively few cases of tetanus (just 30 to 60 annually) occur in this country. Most tetanus infections occur in people over 50, who are least likely to be adequately immunized. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/01.
WEIGHT LIFTING + 1 MINUTE OF STRETCHING = 20% MORE MUSCLE GAIN - a recent study has revealed that stretching worked-muscle groups between sets can yield strength gains of 20 percent greater than those not stretching between sets. The test subjects were novice lifters, but the study’s leader says that experienced lifters in another related study also experienced similar strength gains.
For 20 to 30 seconds between sets, stretch the muscle just worked to a comfortable range, release, and commence another set. Men’s Health 1/00.
“A good sweat, with the blood pounding through my body, makes me feel
alive, revitalized. I gain a sense of mastery and assurance. I feel
good about myself. Then I can feel good about others.”‑‑ Arthur Dobrin
SKIN DOOMSDAY MACHINES - the term dermatologists refer to tanning booths. One noted dermatologist indicated that if he were asked to design a machine that would intentionally destroy human skin, this is the contraption he might come up with.
Any amount of tan means some damage has been done to one or more layers of the outer epidermis. A tan can only result because of damage. This is particularly important to those individuals with fair skin or freckles. Any kind of prolonged exposure to the sun can result in premature wrinkling and even skin cancer.
Also, the surfaces of tanning booths may harbor skin fungi, herpes, and bacterial infections. Men’s Fitness 9/99.
THE MUSICAL FRUIT - many of the pigments that make fruits and vegetables colorful are known to be powerful antioxidants that may help protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Now food scientists have found similar healthful pigmented compounds (called flavonoids) in the coating of beans, which makes up about 10% of the bean and is also the main source of its fiber. From navy beans to red kidney beans, the different colors all contain healthy flavonoids besides fiber and a great source of protein. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/01.
PREVENTING SWIMMER’S EAR - to prevent bacteria in the water from causing the painful infection called swimmer’s ear, follow this quick routine after swimming: first, dry your ears with a hair dryer set on “low” for a minute or two. Second, using a clean eyedropper, carefully put a few drops of a therapeutic solution in the ear - half white vinegar, half rubbing alcohol. This mixture dries the inner ear and prevents any bacterial growth. Men’s Health 12/99.
CELL PHONE DANGER? - when cell phones are held against the ear and head, they transfer energy to the water molecules they encounter, much like a microwave oven. The radio frequency waves transmitted by cell phones are of very low intensity and thus produce far less heat than microwave ovens. Also this energy is not ionizing radiation like that of X-rays.
Three new studies, one in the New England Journal of Medicine, one in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and a third in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, have found no link between cell phones and brain cancer. The first two studies compared cell phone use in people with and without brain cancer. The third checked for cancer in a group of 420,000 cell phone users: cell phone users actually seemed to have a decreased risk. But these are relatively short term studies - there are more studies underway, some with oversight by the FDA and the World Health Organization, with results due in three years.
For now, there is only one reason to be concerned with cell phone use: they have been very causal in increasing motor vehicle accidents by distracting drivers.
Also, cell phones interfere with pacemakers, but all that is needed is to keep the phone at least eight inches away from the pacemaker. It is ok to talk on the phone, but don’t carry it in the breast pocket. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
DRINKING AND YOUR LIVER - whenever you have at least 4 drinks in one sitting, some cells in the liver fill with fat and turn yellow, a condition known as “fatty liver.” If you abstain for a while, the liver generally will return to normal after a few days. But if you drink heavily and often, more and more cells fill with fat; some die and are replaced with scar tissue. Luckily, you don’t need them all.
Once the liver cells die, you cannot resurrect them. But you can protect those you have left by having a hepatitis B vaccination and watching your diet. Animal studies show that alcohol consumption coupled with a high-fat; low-carbohydrate diet may increase the risk of liver damage.
Bottom line: if still engaged in heavy drinking, it is time to lighten up! Research suggests that those who down two or more drinks a day have nearly double the death risk from heart disease and cancer as do those with only two to six drinks a weeks. Men’s Health 12/99.
THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION - investigating human immunity, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley recently discovered that older women (70 to 80) who regularly played bridge together showed improvements in immune response (as seen in numbers of certain white blood cells) after the game. The scientists demonstrated this by taking blood samples before and after the game. The specific area of the brain that controls bridge playing also regulates immune response, and immunity reacts positively to mental stimulation. The researchers speculate that positive attitudes and mental activity, besides contributing to good general health, may enhance the body’s ability to fights diseases. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/01.
Tuesday, May 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT 05-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
COCOA IS GOOD - researchers at the University of California at Davis report that cocoa may help prevent a heart attack or stroke by preventing blood clots from forming. Just like aspirin, cocoa is believed to work its magic by interfering with the normal functioning of platelets, tiny blood cells that can clump together inside your arteries. Health 10/00.
TOO MUCH ZINC CAN DISTRESS THE PROSTATE - Harvard researchers conducting a 3-year study found that taking extra zinc could increase the risk of developing an enlarged prostate. The men who consumed more than 15 mg of zinc daily were three times more likely to have enlarged prostates than those who took less. Zinc may raise testosterone levels, which can spur prostate growth. The study’s leader recommends avoiding supplements containing zinc. He feels that it is easy to get your daily limit of 15 mg by eating lean meat. Men’s Health 12/99.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR TEETH AND GUMS CAN SAVE MORE THAN YOUR SMILE - a study conducted by the University of Buffalo found that those with gum disease had triple the risk of heart attacks over a 10-year period. The researchers believe that oral bacteria (there are 350 different types in the mouth) enter the bloodstream through small tears in the gums. The bacteria may infect the liver and cause it to produce artery-clogging proteins or the bacteria may directly infect the heart arteries and cause blockages. Although the exact process is not understood, porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria have been found in fatty arterial blockages that cause heart failure. To minimize the risk of spreading oral bacteria during dental work, those with heart disease may consider taking an antibiotic.
Men with gum disease have also been found to be at higher risk of stroke. The researchers found that those with the most severe gum disease were twice as likely to have had a stroke. Oral bacteria may cause fatty accumulations in the carotid arteries of the neck, causing blockages. When these blockages break apart, they can lodge in the brain, causing a stroke.
If one has diabetes - one in 17 Americans has this disease - a gum infection can make managing the disease much tougher. The researchers found that diabetic with severe gum disease had the most trouble controlling their blood-sugar levels. That’s what eventually causes the kidney disease, heart disease, and blindness that plague diabetics.
Finally, almost every breath you take, you inhale bacteria, including chlamydia pneumoniae and pseudomonas aeruginosa, two types of bacteria known to cause respiratory diseases. These bacteria are introduced to your body via the plaque buildup around your teeth. The immune system usually destroys these bacteria, but a weakened immune system, such as during an illness or after surgery, can allow the lungs to be infected and cause bacterial pneumonia. 83,000 people die every year from this infection in the United States. Men’s Health 12/99.
IN A HURRY? - if you must have a fast-food meal, choose a roast beef sandwich instead of a hamburger. Roast beef is usually much leaner...also use mustard instead of mayonnaise, Russian dressing or any other fatty toppings. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/01.
ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? - in the 19th century, before the Internet and late night television, the average American slept more than nine hours per night, which is one hour more than sleep experts say humans generally need. But today, only one-third of people get even the recommended eight hours and the average American gets fewer than seven. Many people cut back on their sleep to keep up with work and family obligations, others cannot sleep because of stress, biological changes that accompany aging, or various health problems. This sleep-maintenance insomnia includes a variety of patterns - sleeping only a few hours, waking up and not being able to get back to sleep; having a lot of brief awakenings during the night; waking up too early; or feeling half-awake when sleeping.
Causes of Sleep-maintenance Insomnia
-Anxiety - people often wake up feeling anxious; daytime stress increases the likelihood of abrupt awakenings.
-Conditional mental arousal - when people wake up, instead of going right back to sleep, they may quickly become anxious because they are not sleeping and worry that they will feel terrible the following day - a self-fulfilling prophecy.
-Depression - it is common for people who are experiencing major episodes of depression to have lighter sleep, some early-morning awakenings, and difficulty falling asleep.
-Alcohol consumption - alcohol may have a sedative effect for the first few hours of sleep, but it metabolizes quickly, causing a rebound-alerting effect that contributes to lighter, fragmented sleep.
-Medical problems - these include arthritis and sleep apnea (pauses in breathing that reduce the quality of sleep), and restless leg syndrome (an uncomfortable sensation in the legs that causes people to want to move them to get relief).
-Menopause/hot flashes - insomnia may be hormonally related, with a significant number of women treated with hormonal replacement therapy experiencing some relief from sleep-maintenance insomnia.
The Mental and Physical Results of Inadequate Sleep
Sleeping just half an hour less than you need can make you feel less alert the next day; sleeping an hour less can impair mental and physical performance as much as two alcoholic drinks can. Without enough sleep, the ability to learn, solve problems, communicate, reaction times, and stamina can all decline significantly. Lack of sleep increases the likelihood of moodiness and tension. This fatigue cannot only be unpleasant; it can also be dangerous. It contributes to as many as 200,000 auto accidents each year and may also harm health in more insidious ways.
Several studies have found that people who report daytime sleepiness have worse overall health and higher mortality rates than well-rested individuals. Research suggests that inadequate sleep may weaken the body’s immune system and even moderate, chronic sleep debt may increase the risk of developing insulin resistance, a condition that predisposes people to diabetes, as well as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, and possibly cancer. Lack of sleep may also inhibit nocturnal surges of growth hormone and may contribute to weight gain and reduction in muscle mass.
What Is Adequate Sleep?
Approximately 5 percent of people claim they only need 5 or 6 hours a night and don’t feel tired during the day. But getting so little sleep may harm your health even if it doesn’t impair your performance.
Good indicators of sleep deprivation are habitually needing an alarm clock to wake up in the morning; also sleeping longer on weekends (or days off) and vacation than on working days. (Toward the end of vacation, when you’ve snoozed off your sleep debt, the number of hours you sleep per night represents the amount you probably need all the time.)
Sleeping less now than when you were younger doesn’t necessarily mean you need less sleep now. The amount that people sleep at night drops by an average of about half hour a decade, starting around age 40. People over age 60 typically sleep an average of barely five hours per night. It is the ability to sleep that diminishes with age, not the need.
Older people sleep less mainly because they have a more difficult time staying asleep, not falling asleep. In healthy individuals, sleep normally progresses from light sleep to deep sleep to rapid eye movement (REM), or dream sleep; repeating this cycle every 90 minutes. With age the amount of deep and REM sleep drops dramatically and the amount of light, easily disturbed sleep increases.
Some of these sleep disturbances can be minimized by limiting the amount of liquids consumed in the hour before bedtime; avoiding caffeinated beverage for at least six hours, or alcoholic beverages for at least three hours before sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant, and alcohol disrupts sleep, especially REM sleep, although it does seem to help you fall asleep. Both substances promote urination. Also useful: blocking out disturbances by closing the curtains, wearing a sleep mask, maintaining a comfortable room temperature, turning off the radio and TV, and using a “white noise” device. Also exercise and warm baths may help, too. Exercise promotes wakefulness by causing the release of nerve-stimulating hormones and elevating the body’s core temperature. It is hard to fall asleep soon after working out. The more energy you expend during the day, the sleepier you’ll be at bedtime and the better you will sleep. Body temperature normalizes about three hours after exercising, helping you fall asleep.
Warm baths does not elevate the body temperature nearly as much as exercise does, so you cool down and get sleepy much faster - usually within an hour or so. Also the warm bath promotes relaxation, which assists in falling asleep.
Do Naps Help?
If you have a hard time sleeping at night, it is best to avoid napping, as you will fall asleep faster and sleep longer and better if you can consolidate your sleep in one chunk, which is more restorative than fragmented sleep. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier at night for a week or so to see whether that eases your daytime sleepiness. If you cannot sleep enough at night, a brief nap at the same time each day - preferably in the early afternoon when your energy level tends to drop - can make up for much of the sleep debt.
Herbals and Dietary Supplements for Sleep
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate sleep. A few small trials have found that taking melatonin pills soon before bedtime may hasten sleep, but the effect is modest at best. Melatonin does not seem to lengthen total sleep time, nor does it appear to improve sleep quality nor sharpen alertness the next day. Melatonin has performed no better than placebos at treating sleep problems caused by jet lag, night work, or a forward shift in the sleep cycle.
Limited research suggests that valerian root and kava could act as mild sedatives. Though side effects of each herb are mild, kava can interact with several medications and can impair coordination and blur vision in some people. Optimal dosage of these products is unclear, and herbal supplements are not regulated; there is no guarantee of purity or potency.
Sleeping Position
Studies have not validated any certain type of mattress as being superior to another - just go with whatever feels comfortable to you.
Sleep posture research also is vague, although it is generally understood that infants who sleep on their stomach are more susceptible to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If you have heartburn at night, sleeping on your left side may help keep stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus. Elevating the head of the bed or mattress can have the same effect.
Summation
Most Americans, especially older people, don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can dull the mind, making you unproductive and accident-prone. It may also harm health, by weakening the immune system, promoting insulin resistance, and decreasing growth-hormone production. People who snore loudly should be checked for sleep apnea, which not only disturbs sleep, but also increases cardiovascular risk. Mild apnea symptoms may improve if you lose weight, quit smoking, avoid alcohol and tranquilizers for at least four hours before bedtime, and try not sleeping on your back. Severe apnea may require medical appliances or surgery to correct.
Napping briefly can partly make up for insufficient sleep the night before. But you are better off trying to sleep more at night (making you more efficient during the day). Exercising at least three hours before bedtime, avoiding drinks before bedtime (especially with caffeine or alcohol), and blocking out disturbances may help you sleep better.
If you do find yourself awake and you are not back to sleep within 20 to 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something monotonous (got a PC coming up?) - when you get sleepy, go back to bed. What you shouldn’t do is get out of bed and do something you love to do - if you love to read a novel, don’t get up in the middle of your sleep cycle and read them. When it comes to anxiety, experts recommend writing down troubling thoughts before going to bed. Consumer Reports on Health 11/00, USA Today 3/27/01.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
COCOA IS GOOD - researchers at the University of California at Davis report that cocoa may help prevent a heart attack or stroke by preventing blood clots from forming. Just like aspirin, cocoa is believed to work its magic by interfering with the normal functioning of platelets, tiny blood cells that can clump together inside your arteries. Health 10/00.
TOO MUCH ZINC CAN DISTRESS THE PROSTATE - Harvard researchers conducting a 3-year study found that taking extra zinc could increase the risk of developing an enlarged prostate. The men who consumed more than 15 mg of zinc daily were three times more likely to have enlarged prostates than those who took less. Zinc may raise testosterone levels, which can spur prostate growth. The study’s leader recommends avoiding supplements containing zinc. He feels that it is easy to get your daily limit of 15 mg by eating lean meat. Men’s Health 12/99.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR TEETH AND GUMS CAN SAVE MORE THAN YOUR SMILE - a study conducted by the University of Buffalo found that those with gum disease had triple the risk of heart attacks over a 10-year period. The researchers believe that oral bacteria (there are 350 different types in the mouth) enter the bloodstream through small tears in the gums. The bacteria may infect the liver and cause it to produce artery-clogging proteins or the bacteria may directly infect the heart arteries and cause blockages. Although the exact process is not understood, porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria have been found in fatty arterial blockages that cause heart failure. To minimize the risk of spreading oral bacteria during dental work, those with heart disease may consider taking an antibiotic.
Men with gum disease have also been found to be at higher risk of stroke. The researchers found that those with the most severe gum disease were twice as likely to have had a stroke. Oral bacteria may cause fatty accumulations in the carotid arteries of the neck, causing blockages. When these blockages break apart, they can lodge in the brain, causing a stroke.
If one has diabetes - one in 17 Americans has this disease - a gum infection can make managing the disease much tougher. The researchers found that diabetic with severe gum disease had the most trouble controlling their blood-sugar levels. That’s what eventually causes the kidney disease, heart disease, and blindness that plague diabetics.
Finally, almost every breath you take, you inhale bacteria, including chlamydia pneumoniae and pseudomonas aeruginosa, two types of bacteria known to cause respiratory diseases. These bacteria are introduced to your body via the plaque buildup around your teeth. The immune system usually destroys these bacteria, but a weakened immune system, such as during an illness or after surgery, can allow the lungs to be infected and cause bacterial pneumonia. 83,000 people die every year from this infection in the United States. Men’s Health 12/99.
IN A HURRY? - if you must have a fast-food meal, choose a roast beef sandwich instead of a hamburger. Roast beef is usually much leaner...also use mustard instead of mayonnaise, Russian dressing or any other fatty toppings. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/01.
ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? - in the 19th century, before the Internet and late night television, the average American slept more than nine hours per night, which is one hour more than sleep experts say humans generally need. But today, only one-third of people get even the recommended eight hours and the average American gets fewer than seven. Many people cut back on their sleep to keep up with work and family obligations, others cannot sleep because of stress, biological changes that accompany aging, or various health problems. This sleep-maintenance insomnia includes a variety of patterns - sleeping only a few hours, waking up and not being able to get back to sleep; having a lot of brief awakenings during the night; waking up too early; or feeling half-awake when sleeping.
Causes of Sleep-maintenance Insomnia
-Anxiety - people often wake up feeling anxious; daytime stress increases the likelihood of abrupt awakenings.
-Conditional mental arousal - when people wake up, instead of going right back to sleep, they may quickly become anxious because they are not sleeping and worry that they will feel terrible the following day - a self-fulfilling prophecy.
-Depression - it is common for people who are experiencing major episodes of depression to have lighter sleep, some early-morning awakenings, and difficulty falling asleep.
-Alcohol consumption - alcohol may have a sedative effect for the first few hours of sleep, but it metabolizes quickly, causing a rebound-alerting effect that contributes to lighter, fragmented sleep.
-Medical problems - these include arthritis and sleep apnea (pauses in breathing that reduce the quality of sleep), and restless leg syndrome (an uncomfortable sensation in the legs that causes people to want to move them to get relief).
-Menopause/hot flashes - insomnia may be hormonally related, with a significant number of women treated with hormonal replacement therapy experiencing some relief from sleep-maintenance insomnia.
The Mental and Physical Results of Inadequate Sleep
Sleeping just half an hour less than you need can make you feel less alert the next day; sleeping an hour less can impair mental and physical performance as much as two alcoholic drinks can. Without enough sleep, the ability to learn, solve problems, communicate, reaction times, and stamina can all decline significantly. Lack of sleep increases the likelihood of moodiness and tension. This fatigue cannot only be unpleasant; it can also be dangerous. It contributes to as many as 200,000 auto accidents each year and may also harm health in more insidious ways.
Several studies have found that people who report daytime sleepiness have worse overall health and higher mortality rates than well-rested individuals. Research suggests that inadequate sleep may weaken the body’s immune system and even moderate, chronic sleep debt may increase the risk of developing insulin resistance, a condition that predisposes people to diabetes, as well as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, and possibly cancer. Lack of sleep may also inhibit nocturnal surges of growth hormone and may contribute to weight gain and reduction in muscle mass.
What Is Adequate Sleep?
Approximately 5 percent of people claim they only need 5 or 6 hours a night and don’t feel tired during the day. But getting so little sleep may harm your health even if it doesn’t impair your performance.
Good indicators of sleep deprivation are habitually needing an alarm clock to wake up in the morning; also sleeping longer on weekends (or days off) and vacation than on working days. (Toward the end of vacation, when you’ve snoozed off your sleep debt, the number of hours you sleep per night represents the amount you probably need all the time.)
Sleeping less now than when you were younger doesn’t necessarily mean you need less sleep now. The amount that people sleep at night drops by an average of about half hour a decade, starting around age 40. People over age 60 typically sleep an average of barely five hours per night. It is the ability to sleep that diminishes with age, not the need.
Older people sleep less mainly because they have a more difficult time staying asleep, not falling asleep. In healthy individuals, sleep normally progresses from light sleep to deep sleep to rapid eye movement (REM), or dream sleep; repeating this cycle every 90 minutes. With age the amount of deep and REM sleep drops dramatically and the amount of light, easily disturbed sleep increases.
Some of these sleep disturbances can be minimized by limiting the amount of liquids consumed in the hour before bedtime; avoiding caffeinated beverage for at least six hours, or alcoholic beverages for at least three hours before sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant, and alcohol disrupts sleep, especially REM sleep, although it does seem to help you fall asleep. Both substances promote urination. Also useful: blocking out disturbances by closing the curtains, wearing a sleep mask, maintaining a comfortable room temperature, turning off the radio and TV, and using a “white noise” device. Also exercise and warm baths may help, too. Exercise promotes wakefulness by causing the release of nerve-stimulating hormones and elevating the body’s core temperature. It is hard to fall asleep soon after working out. The more energy you expend during the day, the sleepier you’ll be at bedtime and the better you will sleep. Body temperature normalizes about three hours after exercising, helping you fall asleep.
Warm baths does not elevate the body temperature nearly as much as exercise does, so you cool down and get sleepy much faster - usually within an hour or so. Also the warm bath promotes relaxation, which assists in falling asleep.
Do Naps Help?
If you have a hard time sleeping at night, it is best to avoid napping, as you will fall asleep faster and sleep longer and better if you can consolidate your sleep in one chunk, which is more restorative than fragmented sleep. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier at night for a week or so to see whether that eases your daytime sleepiness. If you cannot sleep enough at night, a brief nap at the same time each day - preferably in the early afternoon when your energy level tends to drop - can make up for much of the sleep debt.
Herbals and Dietary Supplements for Sleep
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate sleep. A few small trials have found that taking melatonin pills soon before bedtime may hasten sleep, but the effect is modest at best. Melatonin does not seem to lengthen total sleep time, nor does it appear to improve sleep quality nor sharpen alertness the next day. Melatonin has performed no better than placebos at treating sleep problems caused by jet lag, night work, or a forward shift in the sleep cycle.
Limited research suggests that valerian root and kava could act as mild sedatives. Though side effects of each herb are mild, kava can interact with several medications and can impair coordination and blur vision in some people. Optimal dosage of these products is unclear, and herbal supplements are not regulated; there is no guarantee of purity or potency.
Sleeping Position
Studies have not validated any certain type of mattress as being superior to another - just go with whatever feels comfortable to you.
Sleep posture research also is vague, although it is generally understood that infants who sleep on their stomach are more susceptible to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If you have heartburn at night, sleeping on your left side may help keep stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus. Elevating the head of the bed or mattress can have the same effect.
Summation
Most Americans, especially older people, don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can dull the mind, making you unproductive and accident-prone. It may also harm health, by weakening the immune system, promoting insulin resistance, and decreasing growth-hormone production. People who snore loudly should be checked for sleep apnea, which not only disturbs sleep, but also increases cardiovascular risk. Mild apnea symptoms may improve if you lose weight, quit smoking, avoid alcohol and tranquilizers for at least four hours before bedtime, and try not sleeping on your back. Severe apnea may require medical appliances or surgery to correct.
Napping briefly can partly make up for insufficient sleep the night before. But you are better off trying to sleep more at night (making you more efficient during the day). Exercising at least three hours before bedtime, avoiding drinks before bedtime (especially with caffeine or alcohol), and blocking out disturbances may help you sleep better.
If you do find yourself awake and you are not back to sleep within 20 to 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something monotonous (got a PC coming up?) - when you get sleepy, go back to bed. What you shouldn’t do is get out of bed and do something you love to do - if you love to read a novel, don’t get up in the middle of your sleep cycle and read them. When it comes to anxiety, experts recommend writing down troubling thoughts before going to bed. Consumer Reports on Health 11/00, USA Today 3/27/01.
Sunday, April 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT 04-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
ALMOND JOY FOR YOUR HEART - according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, eating almonds can help reduce cholesterol levels. Forty-five people with equal cholesterol levels were placed on an almond-rich diet, a diet high in olive oil, or a diet rich in dairy products. After four weeks, the almond eaters had low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels an average of 16 mg/dl lower than the olive-oil group, and an average of 33 mg/dl lower than the dairy group. According to the study’s leader, plant compounds, fiber, monounsaturated fat, and protein all play a part in the reduction of LDL cholesterol levels. He suggests eating half a handful of almonds five times a week. Men’s Health 10/98.
GUM FIGHTS TOOTH DECAY - gums containing xylitol, a sweetener usually made from birch bark, has been shown in recent studies to suppress the growth of cavity-promoting bacteria in the mouth. Chewing any sugarless gum will help somewhat, by stimulation saliva flow, which reduces the harmful acidity produced by the bacteria. Chewing also helps squeeze saliva into the spaces between the teeth. To get the most benefit from gum, chew the gum within five minutes after eating and chew it for at least five minutes. Gum chewing, of course, does not replace brushing and flossing. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 1/01, Health 10/00.
DRINK MILK, LOSE WEIGHT - in a study of 54 subjects, those who took in at least 1,000 mgs of calcium a day (about 3 cups of skim milk) gained 6 to 7 fewer pounds over 2 years than those with low-calcium diets. Calcium probably prevents weight gain by increasing the breakdown of body fat and decreasing its formation. According to the study’s author, calcium worked best when taken from dairy foods rather than through supplements or leafy greens. Men’s Health 12/99.
CHECKING UP ON BAD DOCS - you can find out about your prospective physician online with these tools. A search of www.certifieddoctor.com, maintained by the American Board of Medical Specialties, can confirm if a physician really is board-certified (meaning he actually passed extra competency exams) in his specialty.
A visit to DocFinder at www.docboard.org offers biographical and disciplinary notes with some malpractice information.
Questionable Doctors by the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group lists doctors nationwide who have been fined, suspended, or defrocked, and the reasons. Many libraries have this book or call 202-588-7780 or click on www.citizen.org.
Remember that a few malpractice suits doesn’t necessarily mean the physician is bad - maybe he takes risky cases. But numerous complaints should be a red flag to the patient. Men’s Health 9/98.
AVOIDING HEART SURGERY - a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that heart patients who lowered their cholesterol fared better than those who had angioplasty. Those heart-disease who had taken the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin needed a third fewer follow-up treatments (such as bypass surgery) over the next 18 months than the patients who had undergone angioplasty, in which a balloon is used to unblock arteries. According to the study’s author, “If you have mild heart disease, ask your doctor if you should lower your cholesterol before you undergo angioplasty.” Men’s Health 12/99.
CHRONIC SINUSITIS - a new finding may give the 37 million sufferers of incurable sinusitis song relief. Mayo Clinic researchers mucus samples from test subjects and found most cases of chronic sinusitis may be caused by a fungus. When these people breathe in an airborne fungus, their immune cells attack and cause the symptoms of sinusitis. New treatments may be available within a year or so. Men’s Health 12/99.
WATCH OUT FOR LICORICE - genuine black licorice, which contains real licorice root, raises blood levels of the hormone cortisol, which increases blood pressure. Even a small amount can significantly raise blood pressure.
Real licorice root is also present in some dark beers and herbal teas, which generally list the product on the label.
Finally, don’t eat real licorice when taking a laxative. The combination can cause potassium levels to dive, which can lead to irregular heart rhythms, or muscle weakness and twitches. Health 10/00.
PICKING A “WONDER” BREAD - pick a bread made from whole grains. It must say “whole-wheat flour” or other whole grains to be the most beneficial. “Wheat flour”, is refined wheat. Whole grains means that all three components of the grain - the bran, germ, and endosperm - remain in the mix. Other flours (not whole grain) remove the germ and the bran.
Several studies have confirmed the benefit of whole grains. One ten-year study of 34,000 subjects found that those who ate less than one serving of whole grains per day were 50 percent more likely to die of a heart attack than those who got two or three servings per day. (One slice of whole wheat bread or one cup of cereal is one serving).
The researchers also found that those who ate whole grains have about a 20 percent lower chance of developing Type 2 diabetes (adult onset), lowered cancer rates for some types of cancers, lower blood pressure and hypertension rates, and finally, lower rates of bowel conditions like diverticulitis.
Recent studies have diminished the effect of the high-fiber in whole grains. The positive results of consuming whole grains might be attributed to the combination of elements: folate which helps prevent heart disease and birth defects, selenium - an antioxidant essential for heart health and normal fetal development, lecithin - a nutrient that keeps cell membranes from drying up, and magnesium - a mineral essential for bones and muscles. Whole grain products also offer calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, potassium and iron.
According to officials at the Harvard School of Public Health, kernels eaten whole are better than coarsely ground ones, which are better than those finely milled. Research shows that intact, unmilled grains slow the rate at which carbohydrates are digested and absorbed as sugar into the bloodstream. By slowing the rate of glucose release, the pancreas doesn’t have to send out as much insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. Insulin spikes, over time, can lessen the body’s sensitivity to insulin, heightening the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Yet with all this information available, only about 1/3 of Americans are eating the recommended amount of whole-grains daily. To ensure that you are getting yours, read the labels - the first ingredient should be whole grain (look for the word whole). If it is bread you are examining, there should be 2 or 3 grams of fiber per slice. Health 10/00, University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 1/01.
EXERCISE TO MINIMIZE LUNG CANCER RISK - moderate exercising may help prevent lung cancer. Researchers who examined data collected from test subjects over 16 years found that those who burned roughly 3,000 calories or more a week (about 6 to 8 hours of moderate exercise) were 39 percent less likely to develop lung cancer than less active men. They concluded this even after controlling for other factors, such as smoking. Exercise strengthens the immune system, making it easier to fight cancer and other diseases. Men’s Health 12/99.
FROM THE FLIGHT SURGEON
“”
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication - LK)
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
ALMOND JOY FOR YOUR HEART - according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, eating almonds can help reduce cholesterol levels. Forty-five people with equal cholesterol levels were placed on an almond-rich diet, a diet high in olive oil, or a diet rich in dairy products. After four weeks, the almond eaters had low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels an average of 16 mg/dl lower than the olive-oil group, and an average of 33 mg/dl lower than the dairy group. According to the study’s leader, plant compounds, fiber, monounsaturated fat, and protein all play a part in the reduction of LDL cholesterol levels. He suggests eating half a handful of almonds five times a week. Men’s Health 10/98.
GUM FIGHTS TOOTH DECAY - gums containing xylitol, a sweetener usually made from birch bark, has been shown in recent studies to suppress the growth of cavity-promoting bacteria in the mouth. Chewing any sugarless gum will help somewhat, by stimulation saliva flow, which reduces the harmful acidity produced by the bacteria. Chewing also helps squeeze saliva into the spaces between the teeth. To get the most benefit from gum, chew the gum within five minutes after eating and chew it for at least five minutes. Gum chewing, of course, does not replace brushing and flossing. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 1/01, Health 10/00.
DRINK MILK, LOSE WEIGHT - in a study of 54 subjects, those who took in at least 1,000 mgs of calcium a day (about 3 cups of skim milk) gained 6 to 7 fewer pounds over 2 years than those with low-calcium diets. Calcium probably prevents weight gain by increasing the breakdown of body fat and decreasing its formation. According to the study’s author, calcium worked best when taken from dairy foods rather than through supplements or leafy greens. Men’s Health 12/99.
CHECKING UP ON BAD DOCS - you can find out about your prospective physician online with these tools. A search of www.certifieddoctor.com, maintained by the American Board of Medical Specialties, can confirm if a physician really is board-certified (meaning he actually passed extra competency exams) in his specialty.
A visit to DocFinder at www.docboard.org offers biographical and disciplinary notes with some malpractice information.
Questionable Doctors by the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group lists doctors nationwide who have been fined, suspended, or defrocked, and the reasons. Many libraries have this book or call 202-588-7780 or click on www.citizen.org.
Remember that a few malpractice suits doesn’t necessarily mean the physician is bad - maybe he takes risky cases. But numerous complaints should be a red flag to the patient. Men’s Health 9/98.
AVOIDING HEART SURGERY - a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that heart patients who lowered their cholesterol fared better than those who had angioplasty. Those heart-disease who had taken the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin needed a third fewer follow-up treatments (such as bypass surgery) over the next 18 months than the patients who had undergone angioplasty, in which a balloon is used to unblock arteries. According to the study’s author, “If you have mild heart disease, ask your doctor if you should lower your cholesterol before you undergo angioplasty.” Men’s Health 12/99.
CHRONIC SINUSITIS - a new finding may give the 37 million sufferers of incurable sinusitis song relief. Mayo Clinic researchers mucus samples from test subjects and found most cases of chronic sinusitis may be caused by a fungus. When these people breathe in an airborne fungus, their immune cells attack and cause the symptoms of sinusitis. New treatments may be available within a year or so. Men’s Health 12/99.
WATCH OUT FOR LICORICE - genuine black licorice, which contains real licorice root, raises blood levels of the hormone cortisol, which increases blood pressure. Even a small amount can significantly raise blood pressure.
Real licorice root is also present in some dark beers and herbal teas, which generally list the product on the label.
Finally, don’t eat real licorice when taking a laxative. The combination can cause potassium levels to dive, which can lead to irregular heart rhythms, or muscle weakness and twitches. Health 10/00.
PICKING A “WONDER” BREAD - pick a bread made from whole grains. It must say “whole-wheat flour” or other whole grains to be the most beneficial. “Wheat flour”, is refined wheat. Whole grains means that all three components of the grain - the bran, germ, and endosperm - remain in the mix. Other flours (not whole grain) remove the germ and the bran.
Several studies have confirmed the benefit of whole grains. One ten-year study of 34,000 subjects found that those who ate less than one serving of whole grains per day were 50 percent more likely to die of a heart attack than those who got two or three servings per day. (One slice of whole wheat bread or one cup of cereal is one serving).
The researchers also found that those who ate whole grains have about a 20 percent lower chance of developing Type 2 diabetes (adult onset), lowered cancer rates for some types of cancers, lower blood pressure and hypertension rates, and finally, lower rates of bowel conditions like diverticulitis.
Recent studies have diminished the effect of the high-fiber in whole grains. The positive results of consuming whole grains might be attributed to the combination of elements: folate which helps prevent heart disease and birth defects, selenium - an antioxidant essential for heart health and normal fetal development, lecithin - a nutrient that keeps cell membranes from drying up, and magnesium - a mineral essential for bones and muscles. Whole grain products also offer calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, potassium and iron.
According to officials at the Harvard School of Public Health, kernels eaten whole are better than coarsely ground ones, which are better than those finely milled. Research shows that intact, unmilled grains slow the rate at which carbohydrates are digested and absorbed as sugar into the bloodstream. By slowing the rate of glucose release, the pancreas doesn’t have to send out as much insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. Insulin spikes, over time, can lessen the body’s sensitivity to insulin, heightening the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Yet with all this information available, only about 1/3 of Americans are eating the recommended amount of whole-grains daily. To ensure that you are getting yours, read the labels - the first ingredient should be whole grain (look for the word whole). If it is bread you are examining, there should be 2 or 3 grams of fiber per slice. Health 10/00, University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 1/01.
EXERCISE TO MINIMIZE LUNG CANCER RISK - moderate exercising may help prevent lung cancer. Researchers who examined data collected from test subjects over 16 years found that those who burned roughly 3,000 calories or more a week (about 6 to 8 hours of moderate exercise) were 39 percent less likely to develop lung cancer than less active men. They concluded this even after controlling for other factors, such as smoking. Exercise strengthens the immune system, making it easier to fight cancer and other diseases. Men’s Health 12/99.
FROM THE FLIGHT SURGEON
“”
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(edited for this publication - LK)
Thursday, March 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT 03-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
LESS REST = GREATER STRENGTH - a study conducted by Oklahoma State University found that shorter rest intervals during weight training produce greater strength gains. The researchers measured the strength of both men and women test subjects both before and after they completed a 12-week resistance training program. The subjects who took 30-second breaks between sets gained 6 percent more strength than those who rested for 90 seconds. Less rest may force different muscle fibers into action, resulting in improved overall strength. Men’s Health 10/98.
HOW TO KEEP IT HARD - peak bone mass is reached between the ages of 20 and 30. After that, we start losing bone. By age 70, nearly 50% of American women have had at least one brittle bone fracture.
Antidote?...get at least 1,300 mgs. of calcium a day, get regular exercise and don’t smoke. Hope Health Letter 12/98.
REASON SWA CREWS SELDOM HAVE KIDNEY STONES - in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers calculated that each daily glass of beer men drank lowered their kidney-stone risk by 40 percent. The hops may help keep calcium from accumulating in the kidneys. Men’s Health 9/00.
WHEAT BRAN IS BEST - wheat bran may be a better colon-cancer fighter than oat bran or corn bran. Ideally, the fiber in bran should stay in the colon long enough to attach to and move out any cancer-causing compounds, but not so long that it causes gas and bloating. Lab tests performed with corn, oat, and wheat brans showed that wheat bran was the best at colon cleansing and digestive comfort. Kellogg’s All-Bran and Post Raisin Bran cereal are good sources of wheat bran. Men’s Health 1/99.
FATIGUE CAN KILL YOU - a recent study indicated that exhaustion may impair the body’s ability to breakdown blood clots. When researchers screened the blood of rested test subjects and compared those results with subjects classified as chronically fatigued, they noted levels of PAI-1 (a chemical that stops clots from being dissolved) were twice as high in the fatigued subjects. This is significant as most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot in one of the coronary arteries, as well as increasing the risk of a stroke. If you know of someone who is chronically tired and fatigued, a physician can recommend a blood test to have PAI-1 levels measured. Men’s Health 10/98.
CUTTING DIGESTIVE CANCER RISK - a 14-year study found that men whose daily diets were highest in fruits and vegetables had a 70 percent lower risk of digestive tract cancers. Yet according to a National Cancer Institute survey, only 23 percent of Americans consume the recommended five-a-day goal.
Also, regular exercise has been shown to reduce risks for a number of cancers, including those of the prostate and colon. One Harvard study of nearly 48,000 subjects founds that those who ran a total of 4.5 miles a week at a 10-minute/mile pace had about half the colon-cancer risk of sedentary subjects. Your goal should be at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. Men’s Health 9/98.
A BETTER COLONOSCOPY PREP - there is a new way to clear your colon prior to a colonoscopy exam, the most effective form of early colon cancer detection. Instead of chugging a gallon of laxative before the colonoscopy; you can now down three pills every 15 minutes with an 8-ounce glass of water or apple juice for 90 minutes the night before the procedure, then the same number the next morning. A lower dose is promised within a year. Men’s Journal 2/01.
GETTING ENOUGH CALCIUM? - THEN CHECK YOUR ZINC - if you have been good about consuming calcium to minimize your colon cancer risk and osteoporosis risk, be aware that calcium may cut zinc absorption in half, according to researchers at Tufts University in Boston. When trial participants took a 600-mg calcium supplement with a meal supplying 7.3 mg of zinc, zinc absorption was greatly decreased. A zinc deficiency may weaken the immune system and cut sexual drive and potency. Researchers don’t know yet if extra calcium will reduce zinc levels in the body over the long haul. To safeguard your health eat plenty of foods rich in zinc, such as lean meat, or take a supplement containing about 8 mg of zinc. Men’s Health 1/98.
CHECK IT ALL - malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, can turn up on parts of the body rarely exposed to the sun, such as the buttocks and soles of the feet. Thus, it’s important to examine your entire body on a regular basis. Any mole that changes shape, color, or size, any sore that doesn’t heal, or any persistent patch of irritated skin may be a sign of cancer and needs professional evaluation. There are advantages to a professional checkup, including early detection of thin melanomas, which are most treatable, especially on less-visible parts of the body. University of California Wellness Letter 1/01.
USE “A” AGAINST MELANOMA - a Brown University study suggests that vitamin A supplements may help treat malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer that strikes more than 40,000 people a year. According to researchers, high doses of vitamin A encapsulated the cancerous tumors of mice and made the tumors easier to remove through surgery. Future studies will attempt to replicate the findings in human beings. Men’s Health 1/98.
Healthfact - 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)
HEARING LOSS? - a drug under development may speed the ear’s recovery from noise-induced hearing loss. Loud noises spur the production of free radicals in the inner ear. In response, the body boosts production of the antioxidant glutathione. The drug, R-PIA, helps this process along by increasing the activity of glutathione. Researchers tested the drug on chinchillas, whose auditory range is similar to that of humans. Men’s Health 1/98.
PREVENTING INCONTINENCE - as many as one in four men who undergo radical prostatectomy loses some bladder control. But doctors say that a simple procedure can prevent urinary incontinence in men who undergo removal of the prostate. When the prostate is removed, the bladder can fall into the newly created cavity, causing incontinence. Doctors using this new technique tie tissue to the bladder and lift it back into place. The procedure adds about 10 minutes to the prostatectomy. Men’s Health 1/98.
RELIEF FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE - sufferers of osteoarthritis, a painful joint disease, don’t always find relief through therapy and traditional painkillers. A new synthetic fluid injection seems to relieve osteoarthritic pain, without side effects. Synvisc, now FDA approved, works by replacing a natural lubrication fluid in the knee that is damaged through osteoarthritis. A treatment course of three injections may protect the joint for more than eight months. Men’s Health 1/98.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
LESS REST = GREATER STRENGTH - a study conducted by Oklahoma State University found that shorter rest intervals during weight training produce greater strength gains. The researchers measured the strength of both men and women test subjects both before and after they completed a 12-week resistance training program. The subjects who took 30-second breaks between sets gained 6 percent more strength than those who rested for 90 seconds. Less rest may force different muscle fibers into action, resulting in improved overall strength. Men’s Health 10/98.
HOW TO KEEP IT HARD - peak bone mass is reached between the ages of 20 and 30. After that, we start losing bone. By age 70, nearly 50% of American women have had at least one brittle bone fracture.
Antidote?...get at least 1,300 mgs. of calcium a day, get regular exercise and don’t smoke. Hope Health Letter 12/98.
REASON SWA CREWS SELDOM HAVE KIDNEY STONES - in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers calculated that each daily glass of beer men drank lowered their kidney-stone risk by 40 percent. The hops may help keep calcium from accumulating in the kidneys. Men’s Health 9/00.
WHEAT BRAN IS BEST - wheat bran may be a better colon-cancer fighter than oat bran or corn bran. Ideally, the fiber in bran should stay in the colon long enough to attach to and move out any cancer-causing compounds, but not so long that it causes gas and bloating. Lab tests performed with corn, oat, and wheat brans showed that wheat bran was the best at colon cleansing and digestive comfort. Kellogg’s All-Bran and Post Raisin Bran cereal are good sources of wheat bran. Men’s Health 1/99.
FATIGUE CAN KILL YOU - a recent study indicated that exhaustion may impair the body’s ability to breakdown blood clots. When researchers screened the blood of rested test subjects and compared those results with subjects classified as chronically fatigued, they noted levels of PAI-1 (a chemical that stops clots from being dissolved) were twice as high in the fatigued subjects. This is significant as most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot in one of the coronary arteries, as well as increasing the risk of a stroke. If you know of someone who is chronically tired and fatigued, a physician can recommend a blood test to have PAI-1 levels measured. Men’s Health 10/98.
CUTTING DIGESTIVE CANCER RISK - a 14-year study found that men whose daily diets were highest in fruits and vegetables had a 70 percent lower risk of digestive tract cancers. Yet according to a National Cancer Institute survey, only 23 percent of Americans consume the recommended five-a-day goal.
Also, regular exercise has been shown to reduce risks for a number of cancers, including those of the prostate and colon. One Harvard study of nearly 48,000 subjects founds that those who ran a total of 4.5 miles a week at a 10-minute/mile pace had about half the colon-cancer risk of sedentary subjects. Your goal should be at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. Men’s Health 9/98.
A BETTER COLONOSCOPY PREP - there is a new way to clear your colon prior to a colonoscopy exam, the most effective form of early colon cancer detection. Instead of chugging a gallon of laxative before the colonoscopy; you can now down three pills every 15 minutes with an 8-ounce glass of water or apple juice for 90 minutes the night before the procedure, then the same number the next morning. A lower dose is promised within a year. Men’s Journal 2/01.
GETTING ENOUGH CALCIUM? - THEN CHECK YOUR ZINC - if you have been good about consuming calcium to minimize your colon cancer risk and osteoporosis risk, be aware that calcium may cut zinc absorption in half, according to researchers at Tufts University in Boston. When trial participants took a 600-mg calcium supplement with a meal supplying 7.3 mg of zinc, zinc absorption was greatly decreased. A zinc deficiency may weaken the immune system and cut sexual drive and potency. Researchers don’t know yet if extra calcium will reduce zinc levels in the body over the long haul. To safeguard your health eat plenty of foods rich in zinc, such as lean meat, or take a supplement containing about 8 mg of zinc. Men’s Health 1/98.
CHECK IT ALL - malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, can turn up on parts of the body rarely exposed to the sun, such as the buttocks and soles of the feet. Thus, it’s important to examine your entire body on a regular basis. Any mole that changes shape, color, or size, any sore that doesn’t heal, or any persistent patch of irritated skin may be a sign of cancer and needs professional evaluation. There are advantages to a professional checkup, including early detection of thin melanomas, which are most treatable, especially on less-visible parts of the body. University of California Wellness Letter 1/01.
USE “A” AGAINST MELANOMA - a Brown University study suggests that vitamin A supplements may help treat malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer that strikes more than 40,000 people a year. According to researchers, high doses of vitamin A encapsulated the cancerous tumors of mice and made the tumors easier to remove through surgery. Future studies will attempt to replicate the findings in human beings. Men’s Health 1/98.
Healthfact - 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)
HEARING LOSS? - a drug under development may speed the ear’s recovery from noise-induced hearing loss. Loud noises spur the production of free radicals in the inner ear. In response, the body boosts production of the antioxidant glutathione. The drug, R-PIA, helps this process along by increasing the activity of glutathione. Researchers tested the drug on chinchillas, whose auditory range is similar to that of humans. Men’s Health 1/98.
PREVENTING INCONTINENCE - as many as one in four men who undergo radical prostatectomy loses some bladder control. But doctors say that a simple procedure can prevent urinary incontinence in men who undergo removal of the prostate. When the prostate is removed, the bladder can fall into the newly created cavity, causing incontinence. Doctors using this new technique tie tissue to the bladder and lift it back into place. The procedure adds about 10 minutes to the prostatectomy. Men’s Health 1/98.
RELIEF FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE - sufferers of osteoarthritis, a painful joint disease, don’t always find relief through therapy and traditional painkillers. A new synthetic fluid injection seems to relieve osteoarthritic pain, without side effects. Synvisc, now FDA approved, works by replacing a natural lubrication fluid in the knee that is damaged through osteoarthritis. A treatment course of three injections may protect the joint for more than eight months. Men’s Health 1/98.
Thursday, February 1, 2001
Health News
REPORTING POINT 02-01
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
MORE GOOD REASONS TO EXERCISE - a Duke University study found that intense exercise is very effective in reducing feelings of depression, tension, anger, and confusion. Also, intense exercising may be one of the best ways to combat or manage stress. Australian researchers compared people who did 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week to those who practiced progressive-relaxation techniques. Those who exercised responded better to acute stress and had lower blood pressure. Men’s Fitness 2/00.
CARBOHYDRATE PRIMER - the three calorie-providing components of foods are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Carbohydrates (the word means carbon dioxide combined with water) include all the sugars, starches, and fiber we eat. Carbs (except for fiber) are transformed by the body into blood sugar (mostly glucose), the body’s basic fuel.
Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body. Carbohydrates supply 4 calories per gram, the same as protein, while fat supplies 9 calories per gram. Fiber supplies no calories because it isn’t absorbed by the body.
Since most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, why does it matter which carbohydrates you consume? How is the energy in a teaspoonful of sugar any different from the equivalent amount of carbs in lima beans or whole-wheat bread?
Most carbohydrates come from plant-based foods - fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes (beans, peas, and lentils). Dairy products are the only animal-derived foods with lots of carbs.
There are three general types of carbohydrates:
Simple carbohydrates are sugars - glucose (blood sugar - the sugar produced when you digest carbohydrates) and fructose from fruits and some vegetables, lactose from milk, sucrose from cane or beet sugar, and others. Table sugar is pure sucrose (a “double sugar” made from one unit of glucose and one unit of fructose. All other sweeteners contain either sucrose, fructose, glucose, or some combination of those sugars).
All sweeteners-except blackstrap molasses, which contains calcium, iron, and other nutrients-essentially supply nothing but nutritionally empty calories. (Concentrated fruit juices do contain some vitamins and minerals, but the tiny amount used in juice-sweetened cookies and other products has no significant nutritional value.) Honey and syrups are more concentrated than granulated sugar, so they pack more calories per teaspoon. Syrups are also stickier than granulated sugars and thus potentially worse for the teeth. Pure fructose does have a somewhat lower glycemic index than sucrose or glucose, meaning it raises the blood-sugar level more gradually. This difference is modest and has little practical significance. More important, foods are rarely sweetened with pure fructose. The most common sources of that fructose, concentrated fruit juice, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup, typically contain nearly the same proportions of glucose and fructose as sucrose does.
Sugar now accounts for 16% of all calories consumed by Americans - 20 years ago it supplied 11%. Soda alone supplies about one-third of this added sugar.
Complex carbohydrates, which are chains of simple sugars, consist primarily of starches as well as the fiber that occurs in all plant foods. Starch is the storage form of carbohydrates in plants. Foods rich in complex carbs include grains and grain products (such as bread and pasta), beans, potatoes, corn, and some other vegetables.
Most foods high in sugar (especially sucrose and other added sugars) supply “empty calories”. By contrast, the calories in foods rich in complex carbs usually bring many nutritional extras with them, depending on the food. Dairy products and fruit contain sugars, but are important parts of a healthy diet because of the other nutrients they contain.
Some foods rich in complex carbs are better than others. White bread and french fries contain complex carbs, but there are better choices. Whole grains (such as oats, whole wheat, brown rice) are more nutritious than refined grains, since they retain the bran and the germ, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and beneficial phytochemicals. Whole grains are digested more slowly, and thus have a more modest effect on blood sugar than refined carbs or sugars. The same is true of vegetables and beans. The fiber in these foods has many health benefits. In particular, soluble fiber (found in oats, barley, and beans) may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. In fact, people whose diet is rich in whole grains and other high-fiber foods tend to have lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Dietary fiber - a term used to distinguish the fiber in food from the natural and synthetic fibers (silk, cotton, wool, nylon) used in fabrics. Like the complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber (cellulose, pectin, beta-glucans, gum) is a polysaccharide. Some kinds of fiber are derived from fructose, glucose, and galactose. Dietary fiber is not like other carbohydrates. The bonds that hold its sugar units together cannot be broken by human digestive enzymes. Although the bacteria living naturally in your intestines do convert very small amounts of dietary fiber to fatty acids, dietary fiber is not considered a source of energy.
The USDA’s food pyramid recommends 6 to 11 daily servings of grains, 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, and 2 to 3 servings of dairy products (along with small amounts of meat, poultry, and fish). Servings are small; just one slice of bread or a medium piece of fruit, half a cup of cooked rice, pasta, beans, or vegetables, or 3/4 cup of juice. A large apple or banana, a cup of broccoli, or a medium-size salad each counts as two servings.
Such a semi-vegetarian diet will derive more than half its calories from carbs. Be choosy about the kinds of carbs you pick. Try to consume as many whole grains as you can, limit your intake of highly refined, low-fiber grain products such as white bread. It is much better to get simple carbs (sugars) from fruit, milk, and juice than from cake, cookies or soda. Also, many of these processed foods contain trans-fatty acids (in the form of hydrogenated oils), which increases LDL cholesterol and acts like saturated fat in the body.
CARBOHYDRATE MYTHS:
Myth: Carbohydrates, especially sugars, are the leading cause of obesity.
Fact: Eating more calories than you burn causes weight gain. It doesn’t matter where those calories come from, as far as weight gain is concerned. Many obese people get into trouble with excessive amounts of fat, not sugar or starch. Many sweet desserts (cakes, cookies, ice cream) actually get most of their calories from fat, not sugar. There is no evidence that eating carbs stimulates appetite or leads to more or easier fat storage and weight gain.
Myth: Only refined sugar causes cavities.
Fact: Refined sugar remains the leading dietary cause of tooth decay, but sugars such as fructose in fruit and lactose in milk also promote decay, as do some foods high in fermentable carbohydrates, such as bread and rice. The most important factor: how sticky the food is, since the longer the food remains on the teeth, the more damage is done.
Myth: Sugar in fruit is good, sugar in candy is bad.
Fact: The sugar in most fruit is primarily fructose, which has few advantages over sucrose (see above).
Carbohydrates and energy: the body runs on glucose, the molecules the cells burn for energy. Proteins, fats, and alcohol also provide energy in the form of calories. Protein also can provide glucose, but it takes longer for the body to acquire it. All the digestible carbohydrates provided by food turn into glucose or sugars quickly converted into glucose. The glucose is then carried into the cells with the help of insulin, the hormone secreted by the pancreas.
Inside the cells, the glucose is burned to produce heat and adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. The transformation of glucose into energy occurs in one of two ways: with oxygen or without it. Glucose is converted into energy with oxygen in the mitochondria - tiny bodies in the jelly-like substance inside every cell. This conversion yields energy (ATP, heat) plus water and carbon dioxide - a waste product.
Red blood cells do not have mitochondria, so they change glucose into energy without oxygen. This process yields energy and lactic acid.
Glucose is also converted to energy in muscle cells. When it comes to producing energy from glucose, muscle cells can operate with or without oxygen. Muscles have mitochondria, so they can process glucose with oxygen. But if that level of oxygen in the muscle cell falls very low, the cells can change glucose into energy without oxygen (anaerobically). This stage is reached when you exercise to the point where you are breathless. When the muscles exercise anaerobically, lactic acid is produced as a byproduct, which can cause muscle soreness.
Finally, besides providing energy, carbohydrates protect muscles. When the body needs energy, it uses carbohydrates first. If none are available, the body with start using a protein source - your own muscles - for an energy source. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 8/00, Consumer Reports of Health 8/99, Nutrition for Dummies
MILK AND CEREAL FOR A HEALTHY COLON - according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, dairy products may reduce the risk of colon cancer. When test subjects, who consumed 1,000 mgs of calcium per day from dairy products stopped doing so for one week, there was a significant rise in cytotoxicity, a risk marker for colon cancer. Study leaders speculate that calcium and phosphate probably eliminate bile acids, which increases the toxicity of waste material. It is recommended that people consume at least 1,000 mgs of calcium per day from dairy products - about 8 ounces of nonfat yogurt plus 16 ounces of skim milk. Men’s Health 9/98.
NURSING AFTER INTENSE EXERCISE - for 60 to 90 minutes after intense exercise, the composition of breast milk changes. There is an increase in lactic acid, which causes a sour taste that may be unpleasant to the baby. There is also a decrease in immunoglobulin IgA - a substance important in the immune response. Hope Health Letter 12/98.
AEROMEDICAL NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
HEALTH NEWS
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
MORE GOOD REASONS TO EXERCISE - a Duke University study found that intense exercise is very effective in reducing feelings of depression, tension, anger, and confusion. Also, intense exercising may be one of the best ways to combat or manage stress. Australian researchers compared people who did 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week to those who practiced progressive-relaxation techniques. Those who exercised responded better to acute stress and had lower blood pressure. Men’s Fitness 2/00.
CARBOHYDRATE PRIMER - the three calorie-providing components of foods are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Carbohydrates (the word means carbon dioxide combined with water) include all the sugars, starches, and fiber we eat. Carbs (except for fiber) are transformed by the body into blood sugar (mostly glucose), the body’s basic fuel.
Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body. Carbohydrates supply 4 calories per gram, the same as protein, while fat supplies 9 calories per gram. Fiber supplies no calories because it isn’t absorbed by the body.
Since most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, why does it matter which carbohydrates you consume? How is the energy in a teaspoonful of sugar any different from the equivalent amount of carbs in lima beans or whole-wheat bread?
Most carbohydrates come from plant-based foods - fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes (beans, peas, and lentils). Dairy products are the only animal-derived foods with lots of carbs.
There are three general types of carbohydrates:
Simple carbohydrates are sugars - glucose (blood sugar - the sugar produced when you digest carbohydrates) and fructose from fruits and some vegetables, lactose from milk, sucrose from cane or beet sugar, and others. Table sugar is pure sucrose (a “double sugar” made from one unit of glucose and one unit of fructose. All other sweeteners contain either sucrose, fructose, glucose, or some combination of those sugars).
All sweeteners-except blackstrap molasses, which contains calcium, iron, and other nutrients-essentially supply nothing but nutritionally empty calories. (Concentrated fruit juices do contain some vitamins and minerals, but the tiny amount used in juice-sweetened cookies and other products has no significant nutritional value.) Honey and syrups are more concentrated than granulated sugar, so they pack more calories per teaspoon. Syrups are also stickier than granulated sugars and thus potentially worse for the teeth. Pure fructose does have a somewhat lower glycemic index than sucrose or glucose, meaning it raises the blood-sugar level more gradually. This difference is modest and has little practical significance. More important, foods are rarely sweetened with pure fructose. The most common sources of that fructose, concentrated fruit juice, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup, typically contain nearly the same proportions of glucose and fructose as sucrose does.
Sugar now accounts for 16% of all calories consumed by Americans - 20 years ago it supplied 11%. Soda alone supplies about one-third of this added sugar.
Complex carbohydrates, which are chains of simple sugars, consist primarily of starches as well as the fiber that occurs in all plant foods. Starch is the storage form of carbohydrates in plants. Foods rich in complex carbs include grains and grain products (such as bread and pasta), beans, potatoes, corn, and some other vegetables.
Most foods high in sugar (especially sucrose and other added sugars) supply “empty calories”. By contrast, the calories in foods rich in complex carbs usually bring many nutritional extras with them, depending on the food. Dairy products and fruit contain sugars, but are important parts of a healthy diet because of the other nutrients they contain.
Some foods rich in complex carbs are better than others. White bread and french fries contain complex carbs, but there are better choices. Whole grains (such as oats, whole wheat, brown rice) are more nutritious than refined grains, since they retain the bran and the germ, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and beneficial phytochemicals. Whole grains are digested more slowly, and thus have a more modest effect on blood sugar than refined carbs or sugars. The same is true of vegetables and beans. The fiber in these foods has many health benefits. In particular, soluble fiber (found in oats, barley, and beans) may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. In fact, people whose diet is rich in whole grains and other high-fiber foods tend to have lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Dietary fiber - a term used to distinguish the fiber in food from the natural and synthetic fibers (silk, cotton, wool, nylon) used in fabrics. Like the complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber (cellulose, pectin, beta-glucans, gum) is a polysaccharide. Some kinds of fiber are derived from fructose, glucose, and galactose. Dietary fiber is not like other carbohydrates. The bonds that hold its sugar units together cannot be broken by human digestive enzymes. Although the bacteria living naturally in your intestines do convert very small amounts of dietary fiber to fatty acids, dietary fiber is not considered a source of energy.
The USDA’s food pyramid recommends 6 to 11 daily servings of grains, 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, and 2 to 3 servings of dairy products (along with small amounts of meat, poultry, and fish). Servings are small; just one slice of bread or a medium piece of fruit, half a cup of cooked rice, pasta, beans, or vegetables, or 3/4 cup of juice. A large apple or banana, a cup of broccoli, or a medium-size salad each counts as two servings.
Such a semi-vegetarian diet will derive more than half its calories from carbs. Be choosy about the kinds of carbs you pick. Try to consume as many whole grains as you can, limit your intake of highly refined, low-fiber grain products such as white bread. It is much better to get simple carbs (sugars) from fruit, milk, and juice than from cake, cookies or soda. Also, many of these processed foods contain trans-fatty acids (in the form of hydrogenated oils), which increases LDL cholesterol and acts like saturated fat in the body.
CARBOHYDRATE MYTHS:
Myth: Carbohydrates, especially sugars, are the leading cause of obesity.
Fact: Eating more calories than you burn causes weight gain. It doesn’t matter where those calories come from, as far as weight gain is concerned. Many obese people get into trouble with excessive amounts of fat, not sugar or starch. Many sweet desserts (cakes, cookies, ice cream) actually get most of their calories from fat, not sugar. There is no evidence that eating carbs stimulates appetite or leads to more or easier fat storage and weight gain.
Myth: Only refined sugar causes cavities.
Fact: Refined sugar remains the leading dietary cause of tooth decay, but sugars such as fructose in fruit and lactose in milk also promote decay, as do some foods high in fermentable carbohydrates, such as bread and rice. The most important factor: how sticky the food is, since the longer the food remains on the teeth, the more damage is done.
Myth: Sugar in fruit is good, sugar in candy is bad.
Fact: The sugar in most fruit is primarily fructose, which has few advantages over sucrose (see above).
Carbohydrates and energy: the body runs on glucose, the molecules the cells burn for energy. Proteins, fats, and alcohol also provide energy in the form of calories. Protein also can provide glucose, but it takes longer for the body to acquire it. All the digestible carbohydrates provided by food turn into glucose or sugars quickly converted into glucose. The glucose is then carried into the cells with the help of insulin, the hormone secreted by the pancreas.
Inside the cells, the glucose is burned to produce heat and adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. The transformation of glucose into energy occurs in one of two ways: with oxygen or without it. Glucose is converted into energy with oxygen in the mitochondria - tiny bodies in the jelly-like substance inside every cell. This conversion yields energy (ATP, heat) plus water and carbon dioxide - a waste product.
Red blood cells do not have mitochondria, so they change glucose into energy without oxygen. This process yields energy and lactic acid.
Glucose is also converted to energy in muscle cells. When it comes to producing energy from glucose, muscle cells can operate with or without oxygen. Muscles have mitochondria, so they can process glucose with oxygen. But if that level of oxygen in the muscle cell falls very low, the cells can change glucose into energy without oxygen (anaerobically). This stage is reached when you exercise to the point where you are breathless. When the muscles exercise anaerobically, lactic acid is produced as a byproduct, which can cause muscle soreness.
Finally, besides providing energy, carbohydrates protect muscles. When the body needs energy, it uses carbohydrates first. If none are available, the body with start using a protein source - your own muscles - for an energy source. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 8/00, Consumer Reports of Health 8/99, Nutrition for Dummies
MILK AND CEREAL FOR A HEALTHY COLON - according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, dairy products may reduce the risk of colon cancer. When test subjects, who consumed 1,000 mgs of calcium per day from dairy products stopped doing so for one week, there was a significant rise in cytotoxicity, a risk marker for colon cancer. Study leaders speculate that calcium and phosphate probably eliminate bile acids, which increases the toxicity of waste material. It is recommended that people consume at least 1,000 mgs of calcium per day from dairy products - about 8 ounces of nonfat yogurt plus 16 ounces of skim milk. Men’s Health 9/98.
NURSING AFTER INTENSE EXERCISE - for 60 to 90 minutes after intense exercise, the composition of breast milk changes. There is an increase in lactic acid, which causes a sour taste that may be unpleasant to the baby. There is also a decrease in immunoglobulin IgA - a substance important in the immune response. Hope Health Letter 12/98.
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