REPORTING POINT 10-03
HEALTH NEWS
Live healthy...live well
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email: skyguy737@cox.net
(Past issues of Health News are available on my son's website, which includes a word-search engine - just go to the site with your browser and insert the key word to find past articles: http://home.earthlink.net/~candace_ball/healtharticles/frameset.htm) - LK
EAT YOUR VEGGIES - in a study of 18,000 men, Chinese researchers discovered that those who ate the most broccoli and cauliflower had a 36 percent lower chance of developing lung cancer. Men=s Health 1/01.
WOOD WARNING - pressure-treated lumber may pose a health hazard for you and your family - if it has been treated with a protective chemical combination called chromated copper arsenate (CCA), which is infused into the wood. This substance, which has been recently banned by the EPA, can leech from the wood and leaves residues of arsenic on its surface and in the soil below.
The EPA will ban all pressure-treated wood in homes by January, 2004. Meanwhile, the EPA suggests that you always wash your hands and clothes after coming into contact with CCA and look to available alternatives such as wood treated with ammonia, copper, and quaternary ammonia (ACQ lumber), or Trex Wood Polymer, made from waste-wood fiber and recycled plastics. Health 7/02.
VITAMIN E DEFEATS PARKINSON=S BB Harvard researchers have discovered that the more vitamin E an individual has in their diet, the less likely they are to develop Parkinson=s disease. The vitamin E needs to come from dietary sources to reduce the risk of the disease by as much as 30%. Supplements are not as easily absorbed by the body. The scientists recommend 12 and 15 milligrams of vitamin E a day, about the amount in 1/3 cup of nuts. Men=s Health 3/03.
BEER BENNIES - beer and lagers contain potent antioxidants called prenylated flavonoids that may protect the heart. In a lab study, these antioxidants kept LDL (bad) cholesterol from transforming into a artery-damaging form. However, excessive consumption of alcohol may increase the risk of heart and liver disease, as well as several forms of cancer. Men=s Health 1/01.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE RISK BB you may be able to reduce your heart-attack risk significantly in as little as three weeks. You already know that diet and exercise help fight heart disease, but a new study from the University of California shows that intense exercise and major changes to a poor diet can reduce the heart-disease risk in a matter of weeks. Test subjects were put on a low-fat, high-fiber diet combined with up to an hour a day of aerobic exercise. After just three weeks, the men=s blood pressures dropped by as much as 14 percent, while their total-cholesterol and triglyceride levels (blood fats) dropped by 20 percent and 41 percent respectively. Men=s Health 3/03.
GOOD BACTERIA FOR YOUR GUT - there are more than 500 kinds of bacteria, some good and some bad, that can reside in your digestive tract. The number of good micro-organisms, such as probiotics, in your system can determine your digestive health. You can supplement the good bacteria in your digestive system by consuming foods that contain healthful probiotics. Yogurts that contain live and active cultures like acidophilus can aid your body in remaining healthy.
Many common antibiotics like tetracycline kill both good and bad bacteria, leaving the body open to the risk of invasion of bad bacteria - and stomach problems. A study published last year in the medical journal Digestion found that adults taking lactobacillus GG (LGG), a very commonly taken probiotic, while on antibiotics, experienced significantly less bloating and diarrhea than those who went without the probiotic. There is also a well-established association between LGG and decreased incidence of diarrhea for children taking antibiotics - although the evidence of its effectiveness for adults is not as well documented.
Besides the intestinal benefits of good bacteria while taking antibiotics, other research indicates that the LGG strain shows promise in treating more serious intestinal conditions, including Crohn==s disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that results in cramps, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating.
Also, there are recent indications that probiotics may help stave off AMontezuma=s Revenge@ or traveler=s diarrhea that can occur when visiting different countries and food venues.
Those who suffer from lactose intolerance may also get some relief by consuming probiotics. Research from the Harvard University Medical School has found that most probiotics in foods like yogurt feed on lactose, the sugar molecule found in dairy products that many people are unable to digest.
Some common female problems may also receive relief with probiotics, which may provide a natural alternative to medications that combat these female dilemmas. Family doctors and OB-GYNs have been using probiotics for years to treat urinary tract and vaginal infections. The good bacteria take up residence in the vagina and release hydrogen peroxide, which produces an environment hostile to yeast and other bacteria.
There are no reported side effects for probiotics, but there is some risk associated with their use, particularly in supplement form. The industry is totally unregulated and supplements may contain foreign substances. To date, no one knows exactly what type of probiotic or which combination works best for specific problems.
As always, consult with your physician before taking probiotics.
To boost good bacteria, a healthy person should focus on foods fortified with probiotics like yogurt, sour cream, and cheese. Look for the phrase Alive and active cultures@ on the label.
If you decide to try higher amounts of probiotics or specific strains like LGG to target antibiotic-associated stomach troubles, it is suggested taking probiotic supplements throughout the course of the treatment with antibiotics and for two weeks following. Products that contain acidophilus, bifidobacterium, L. casei, L. reuteri, L. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus (brand name Probiotica and Bifa-15) may be beneficial. Health 7/02.
UNDERHAND GRIP FOR MORE GAINS - next time you do an overhead pull-down, try using an underhand grip instead of the usual palms-forward grip. Changing how and where you place your hands can affect the range of motion and the number of muscle fibers that are activated. The underhand grip allows you to get more squeeze at the end of the pull-down and hit the targeted muscles more thoroughly. Men=s Fitness 9/00.
GET THE IRON OUT B if you happen to find an old iron pot at the local garage sale BB pass. Research conducted at Cornell University has provided proof that iron cooking pots are a dangerous source of dietary iron and can lead to hemochromatosis, a condition that can cause cirrhosis, arthritis, and even impotence. The study showed that foods cooked in iron pots had higher levels of iron than foods cooked in pots made with other materials. Also, more iron leeched from the pots when acidic foods were cooked, such as tomatoes, asparagus, and corn, which can pick up four to six times more iron than they normally contain. Men=s Health 3/03.
TALE OF THE SCALE - if you have been working out, especially using weights to build muscle mass, use a body-fat monitor instead of a scale to monitor your progress. Muscle weighs nearly twice as much as an equal volume of fat so your fat loss will be detected by the body-fat monitor while the scale indicates an increase in total weight. Men=s Fitness 9/00.
ATKINS= DIET REVIEW - this high protein/low carbohydrate diet offers quick results, but this may only be water loss. There are other dangers associated with this long-term diet.
When the body is forced to use protein for energy instead of carbohydrates, it strips nitrogen from amino acids. This results in boosted levels of uric acid and ketones (ketosis), which can lead to dehydration and kidney damage. Blood volume, muscle strength, and sweat rates drop, making workouts on hot days risky unless you drink plenty of water - 10 to 12 glasses.
Other hazards include decreased alertness, bad breath, and constipation. Fiber supplements can help with bowel regularity and even Atkins recommends vitamin and mineral supplements (he offers his own brand for those on his diet) to compensate for the lack of total nutrition for those trying his diet plan.
You will lose weight on this diet plan, but it is not a good diet to embrace for long-term health and fitness. Atkins is correct that Americans consume too much processed carbohydrates in the form of white flour, rice, and sugar. Eliminating these calorie sources will foster weight-loss as these foods are heavy in calories with little nutritional value. But carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables and whole-grain foods pack the energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that contribute to a healthy diet. Men=s Fitness 2/01.
GOT FEVER? B a fever below 103 degrees F. may be uncomfortable, but usually isn=t dangerous. But when you hit 103 degrees, you have a high-grade fever, which is usually caused by a virus or bacteria. Bacterial infections can be treated by antibiotics, but regardless, see you doctor if you hit 103 degrees or if any fever lasts for several days. Men=s Health 3/03.
MELLOW YELLOW - THE COLOR OF SAFETY BB in a recent Spanish study, yellow vehicles are the least likely to be involved in accidents than vehicles painted any other color BB hard to miss those school buses in front of you! White and green vehicles were slightly more likely than yellow to be involved in a collision, followed by brown, beige, and blue. Orange, red and gray vehicles were at greater risk to be hit with black being the most likely to be involved in a mishap. Men=s Health 3/03.
WEIGHT, SUPPLEMENTS, AND ADOLESCENTS - strength-training for children and adolescents can be beneficial for development and maintenance of muscular strength, as well as for enhancement of endurance, flexibility and injury prevention. Many medical organizations, such as the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics, endorse supervised strength-training programs for adolescents.
Some concern has been expressed that weight-resistance training prohibits bone growth. However, there is no medical evidence that weight-training has caused a growth arrest, misalignment or angulatory deformity of bones in adolescents.
Skeletal maturity in adolescents can occur as early as 13 years of age, but some children take much longer, especially males, where maturity may occur at 17 or 18.
Adolescents should avoid doing ballistic or maximal lifting, as joints are not fully developed at the age. However, resistance training as part of a well-balanced fitness program that includes endurance training is desirable. Strength-training should emphasize light weights and high reps, with a focus on multiple-joint exercises.
Supplements are not recommended for adolescents. While supplements may be effective at enhancing strength, the long-term effects of these supplements (such as creatine or human growth hormone) are not known. A multi-vitamin would be safe for adolescents to consume, as part of a healthy diet which restricts sugary and processed foods. Men=s Fitness 9/00.
BEST SLEEPING POSITION TO AVOID BACK PAIN BB there isn=t one position that is best for everyone. However, you can do something to make your favorite sleeping position easier on your back.
Pillows are the answer: if you sleep on your side, draw your legs up toward your chest and place a pillow between your knees. This removes the stress from the hip joints and the lower back, which may be causing your back pain. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to reduce stress on your back. If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, place a small pillow under your abdomen to keep your lower back from sagging. Men=s Health 3/03.
