REPORTING POINT 10-04
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 4337/email: livehealthy-livewell@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
DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST – a recent Harvard study has added to the growing body of evidence that eating breakfast every day reduces risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease by 35 to 50 percent.
Eating breakfast daily, especially whole-grain cereals and fruits, may help keep the body’s metabolism and hormones at optimal levels for controlling appetite and minimizing disease risk. Men’s Health 6/03.
VITAMINS REDUCE INFECTION RISK – subjects with type-2 diabetes who began eating more vitamin-rich foods reduced their risk of minor infections by 75 percent. Men’s Health 6/03.
NUTRITIONAL QUIZ #11 – to select the best tasting, most nutritious oranges or grapefruits:
a) avoid any with green-tinged skin.
b) select the largest and most expensive
c) make sure the fruit feels heavy for its size
Answer is below.
NUTRITIONAL QUIZ ANSWER: c) A fruit that is hefty for its size means more juice and usually more flavor. A green-tinged fruit will be just as ripe as any. Warm nighttime temperatures before the fruit is picked are responsible for green tinge. Sometimes expensive fruits are best, but smaller ones can be just as nutritious. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/03.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?
by Chris Crockett RD, CNSD
Vitamins are organic compounds essential for body growth, maintenance, and function. They are very important for the metabolism of nutrients and provision of energy. Vitamin supplements are easy to obtain and can be beneficial, especially if your diet isn’t as well balanced as you would like. Before you start taking vitamin supplements, however, you should be aware that some vitamins can be toxic in high doses.
There are two types of vitamins, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins rarely are toxic as they have limited storage in the body and excess vitamins are usually excreted in the urine. Fat-soluble vitamins, however, are stored in the fatty tissues and leave the body very slowly. These can build up to toxic levels over a relatively short period of time. Here are some guidelines for use of the fat-soluble vitamins:
Vitamin A (retinol)
Function: promotes healthy skin, hair, nails, teeth and glands; acts as an antioxidant
RDI (recommended daily intake): 5,000 IU
Food Sources: fish liver oils, egg yolks, butter, cream. Beta-carotenes, found in dark green and orange vegetables, are precursors for A and are converted to retinol in the body
Signs of Deficiency: night blindness, itchy eyes, teeth and gum disorders, increased susceptibility to colds and infections, dry skin, sinus problems, acne, poor appetite, fatigue, hair loss and chronic headaches
Toxic Dose: acute: children, 300,000 I.U.’s; adults, 1 million I.U.’s = increased intra-cranial pressure and death
Chronic: 50,000 to 100,000 I.U.’s over several weeks. Signs of Toxicity: liver and kidney dysfunction, swelling over long bones, rough scaly skin, bone and joint pain, decalcification of long bones, headaches, double vision, birth defects, vomiting, and reduced Vitamin K absorption
Note: beta-carotene is not toxic in high levels except skin may turn orange
Vitamin D
Function: promotes healthy bone and teeth formation, calcium and phosphorus absorption, and is necessary for nerve and thyroid function
RDI: 400 IU
Food Sources: egg yolks, liver, fish, fortified milk
Signs of Deficiency: soft bones and teeth, tooth decay, gum disease, impaired nutrient metabolism, increased nervousness, muscular weakness, diarrhea, eczema, psoriasis, increase stiffness and arthritic symptoms, rickets (resulting in deformed bones)
Toxic Dose: 40,000 IU for children and 100,000 IU for adults
Signs of Toxicity: loss of appetite, weight loss, calcification of the soft tissues, weakness, irritability, kidney stones, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, impaired renal function, reduced vitamin K absorption
Vitamin E
Function: acts as an antioxidant, retards blood clotting, promotes good blood circulation, prostate health, capillary maintenance, healthy hair, skin, and lungs, essential in reproduction and aids in reducing LDL
RDI: 30 IU
Food Sources: vegetable seed oil, margarines, green leafy vegetables.
Signs of Deficiency: heart muscle weakness, high cholesterol, impotence, sterility, menstrual problems, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins of the legs) varicose veins, atherosclerosis, hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells), and skeletal muscle dystrophy
Toxic Doses: 1000 – 3000 IU with chronic intake (over 7 weeks)
Signs of Toxicity: prolonged clotting time, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, intestinal cramps, liver failure, headaches, double vision, reduces vitamin K absorption
Vitamin K
Function: promotes blood coagulation, healthy liver, bile absorption, and enhances cell longevity
RDI: 80 mcg
Food Sources: seaweed, green tea, greens, green leafy vegetables, lentils
Signs of Deficiency: prolonged clotting time, bruising, bleeding, prolonged menstruation, miscarriage
Toxic Doses: only the synthetic form of Vitamin K3 has been shown to be toxic at 10 mg per day in infants
Signs of Toxicity: hemolytic anemia, liver damage, jaundice,
Water-Soluble Vitamins
Although toxicity for water-soluble vitamins is not as common, some vitamins should be avoided in excess:
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): doses of over 300-500 mg/day = sensory loss, lower limb numbness, nerve damage, loss of reflexes. Chronic doses of over 2000 mg/day may cause damage that could take years to recover from or may be irreversible)
Niacin: doses of 1000 mg/day = flushing, gastric irritation, elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and increased blood glucose
Vitamin C: doses of 1000 to 2000 mg/day over several months may lead to increased risk of kidney stones, flatulence, and diarrhea
General Guidelines
Eat a well balanced diet that includes 5 servings of fruit and vegetables/day.
If unable to eat a well balanced diet, supplement the diet with a multivitamin that meets the RDI (recommended dietary intake) allowances
Check the amount of vitamins that you are getting in ALL of the supplements you take. You may come up with a larger number than you expected.
NOT JUST FOR WOMEN – osteoporosis can also afflict men. It is estimated that 2 million American men have osteoporosis compared to at least 8 million women and 3 million are on the verge of developing it. One-third of all hip fractures occur in men. Bone loss in men usually occurs more slowly than in women and at later ages. By age 70, men will have lost one-seventh of their bone mass. This loss does not usually produce symptoms in men until age 75 and older. So men, too, should take steps to prevent bone loss – consume adequate vitamin D, calcium, and other minerals, do weight-bearing exercise, and quit smoking
Also limit the intake of vitamin A since it can weaken bones. Studies have shown that large amounts of vitamin A (consuming more than 6,600 IU of vitamin A) increase the risk of fractures for both men and women. It appears that the problem is supplements. If you take a multivitamin, be sure that it contains no more than 5,000 IU of vitamin A and at least 40% of this should be in the form of beta-carotene (the label will indicate “50% as beta-carotene” under vitamin A). Beta-carotene is safe for your bones. Do not take cod liver oil and rarely eat liver, which are the richest food sources, and check labels on highly fortified breakfast cereals. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/03.
SUGAR ALCOHOLS – found in many food products labeled “sugarless,”, include sorbitol, manitol, xylitol, and isomalt. Many of these occur naturally in fruits and vegetables – sorbitol in berries, xylitol in lettuce and strawberries, for example. Their chemical structure is similar to sugar and also to alcohol.
Sugar alcohols have fewer calories per gram than sugar because the body does not absorb them well. They do raise blood sugar somewhat and have to be counted as carbohydrates in a diabetic diet. But sugar alcohols are absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly than sugar.
Most sugar alcohols taste less sweet than sucrose (table sugar), except xylitol, which is just as sweet. Sugar alcohols are less likely to promote tooth decay because mouth bacteria process them less readily. Xylitol even seems to suppress mouth bacteria, thus helping to prevent tooth decay. Xylitol can be found in some Orbit chewing gums. Over consumption of sugar alcohols can cause diarrhea, gas and cramps. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/03.
VITAMIN E TO KEEP YOU SHARP – there are many antioxidants, but natural vitamin E appears to be the best at retaining cognitive ability. Studies indicate that older people with the highest cognitive function were those who had taken vitamin E regularly.
The benefits of vitamin E may stem not only from its antioxidant value but research in France indicates that people with higher vitamin E levels had significantly more free-flowing carotid arteries, which are the main arteries supplying the brain. Men’s Fitness 9/02.
WATER LOWERS HEART DISEASE RISK – drinking lots of water can significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Loma Linda University in California.
Staying hydrated is apparently as important to the cardiovascular system as diet, exercise, and avoiding tobacco.
The researchers found that healthy subjects who drank 5 or more glasses of water a day have only half the risk (or less) of fatal coronary heart disease, compared with those who drink less than two glasses a day. The results indicate that several independent risk factors for CHD, such as levels of whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen, can be elevated by dehydration.
These results were valid only for water consumption; soft drinks, coffee, or alcoholic beverages did not yield the same results.
There appears to be a benefit, at least for heart healthy people, when the majority of fluids consumed are plain water and not from sodas. Water thins the blood, while other fluids draw water out of the blood to aid in their digestion. The report concludes that proper hydration could save tens of thousands of lives each year with minimal cost or effort. If other follow-on studies verify these findings, this would be the cheapest and simplest method of preventing coronary heart disease. Men’s Fitness 9/02.
SHUDDUP AND DRIVE! – using a cell phone when driving significantly increases the chances of getting into a serious accident.
Canadian researchers found that the risk of collisions resulting in driver injury rose by 38 percent overall for those using cell phones. The amount of time spent on the cell phone made a big difference; light users had similar safety rates as nonusers while heavy users more than doubled their accident risk.
Another study found that using a cell phone while driving corresponded to a 16 percent higher risk of an at-fault collision. Men’s Fitness 9/02.
GREEN TEA BURNS FAT – all green and black tea is brewed from the same plant; black tea leaves are fermented while green tea leaves are steamed and dried right after harvesting. This gives green tea a different chemical composition, including more catechin polyphenols, chemicals that act both as an antioxidant and as a metabolism booster. Green tea has about 27 percent catechins, while black tea has just 4 percent and herbal teas have none).
Swiss researchers found that subjects who consumed green tea extract with every meal had a 4 percent increase in energy expenditure over the next 24 hours, a boost the scientists attributed to the combination of catechins and caffeine. While this doesn’t sound like a large difference, if energy expenditure and food consumption remain constant, this increase in metabolic rate could yield a loss of almost nine pounds over the course of one year. The researchers also found that tea encourages the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates.
It is best to avoid adding milk to tea as the milk seems to reduce the tea’s antioxidant potential as milk proteins affect the body’s absorption of polyphenol chemicals.
Green tea has about half the caffeine of a cup of coffee. Bottled green tea does not appear to have the same beneficial properties of brewed green tea.
Supplemental green tea extract does appear to have health benefits, but consult with a physician before starting to take these supplements.
One potent antioxidant, EGCG (epogallocatechin gallate) has the greatest impact on metabolic increase. Men’s Fitness 9/02
From the Flight Surgeon:
"NEWER SURGERY TRIES TO GET AN ‘EYE RIGHT’"
by Joe Battersby, D.O.
FAA Medical Examiner
(insert picture of Joe here, please-LK)
(Margaret, Joe, and Mary Jane)
(edited for this publication from ”America’s Flyways,” 2/04-LK)
Some of our guys have been reading about new attempts to improve distant vision and have asked us about them. LASIK has been around for enough time for us to come up with some pretty solid numbers concerning the effectiveness of this procedure – i.e., depending upon the degree of myopia.
Sixty percent of those requiring a “glasses” correction of less than 7 diopters and 45 percent those with 7 diopters or more went to 20/20 uncorrected – not bad scores! So much for LASIK except to note that about 3 percent of cases are “flops” for various reasons. Proof again that “nothing is perfect!” The only F.A.A. requirements are stability of correction, meeting standards, of course, and no “flare or glare” problems. The F.A.A. approves LASIK procedures.
Now for the new stuff. PRK, CK, Intra-corneal rings and Peaky Intra-corneal Lenses. Never mind what the Food and Drug Administration thinks in terms of these new procedures. The F.A.A. strikes all the above except PRK. Since I love to snow readers with medical jargon, PRK stands for Photorefractive Keratotomy. PRK has some problems, but is OK with the F.A.A. The bottom line? – same as always. Stay away from Docs that feel some need to be the “first with the latest.” If you have any questions check with your corner AME, ALPA, SWAPA, or AOPA medical departments! That way you’ll avoid career problems before they arise. “See” you around.
Best,
Joe
