REPORTING POINT 02-05
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 4337/email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net
(Past issues of AHealth 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
STEAMING VS BOILING – when it comes to cooking vegetables, researchers in Spain found that boiling broccoli on a stove or in the microwave causes most of the vegetable’s health-promoting phytochemicals to leach out into the cooking water. However, 3 ½ minutes of steaming the veggie caused hardly any nutrient loss. Health 4/04.
NUTRITIONAL QUIZ 15 – prunes, now officially known as dried plums, are rich in: a) antioxidants, b) vitamin D, c) fiber, or d) a surprising range of minerals? Answer is below.
DISCRIMINATING DISEASES – certain diseases are more prevalent in the African-American population than similar white populations.
Type-2 diabetes is one disease where the odds are 1 in 23 for white men and 1 in 15 for black men to acquire the disease.
By drinking milk, Harvard researchers found that a daily glass may reduce the risk of early-stage diabetes by up to 72 percent. However, it is estimated that up to 60 percent of black men are lactose-intolerant. If that is the case, using a product like Lactaid (which adds an enzyme that helps digest the lactose sugar in milk) before consuming a glass of milk may enable you to receive the benefits of milk. Also, exercising regularly appears to be one of the best ways to avoid diabetes.
Prostate cancer strikes 1 in 6 white men; it strikes 1 in 5 black men. To help avoid prostate cancer keep insulin levels steady. Finnish researchers found that men who lifted weights three times a week improved their insulin sensitivity by 23 percent, thereby lowering their overall insulin levels and decreasing their prostate cancer risk. A low fat diet and avoiding sugary foods also will aid in reducing prostate cancer risk.
Brazil nuts as a healthy snack may also provide protection. Each nut contains about 90 milligrams of selenium, the amount of the mineral that has been shown to reduce prostate cancer risk by as much as 60 percent.
High blood pressure impacts 1 in 4 white men; 1 in 3 black men. Black men are more likely to be deficient in magnesium, a mineral that may help lower systolic blood pressure (top number) by as much as 5 points and the diastolic pressure by 3 points. It is recommended to take 250 milligrams twice a day.
Lung cancer strikes 1 in 13 white men; 1 in 12 black men. To improve your odds of avoiding lung cancer, quit smoking and eat an apple a day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that just half an apple a day could reduce the risk of lung cancer by 60 percent. Men’s Health 11/03.
LACK OF SLEEP AND YOUR HEART – a Harvard study reports that skimping on sleep can damage the heart. Two groups slept either 8.2 or 4.2 hours for 10 consecutive nights. The latter group experienced a fourfold increase in their C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, an inflammation marker linked to heart disease. The spikes that sleep deprivation causes in the stress response may increase CRP. If you feel that you aren’t getting sufficient sleep, a diagnostic sleep study may be warranted – visit www.aasmnet.org/listing.asp to find a sleep clinic. Men’s Health 6/04.
NUTRITIONAL QUIZ ANSWER: a), c), and d) The fiber in dried plums (3.5 grams in six plums) is the soluble kind, which helps lower blood cholesterol. They are among the top antioxidant foods and are high on the list of foods that may protect against cancer, plus they offer a little magnesium, potassium, boron, and copper. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/03.
GRAB A COLD ONE – German scientists have found that people who drink 17 ounces of cold water increase their metabolic rate by 30 percent for up to an hour and a half. Part of the increase came from thermogenesis, a process in which the body burns calories in order to digest food or liquid – cold consumables require more energy. The rest of the increased metabolism is a result of the nervous system’s response to a full stomach – and stored fat provides the fuel for the heightened metabolic rate. Men’s Health 5/04.
THE PILL AND MENOPAUSE – women who continue on the birth control pill into their 40’s may be entering menopause and not be aware of it. The only way to know for sure is to go off the pill and see if the period resumes (it could take a few months). In this case, though, ignorance could be bliss. For most women, the hormones in oral contraceptives curb hot flashes, irregular bleeding, and other symptoms that surface as menopause approaches. The menopause experience is very different for women on the pill. Some women in their 40’s start taking the pill just to minimize the symptoms of menopause. Health 4/04.
NOT VERY RELIABLE – most home pregnancy tests are not very reliable on the first day after a missed period. According to University of New Mexico researchers, only First Response Early Result detected 95 percent of pregnancies on the first day. Men’s Health 6/04.
GOT VITAMIN D? – not only does vitamin D help keep bones strong, it also helps prevent falls in older people by maintaining muscle function, according to recent analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In those over 70, a vitamin D shortfall may show up as muscle weakness, especially in the lower legs, that causes fatigue, limits walking, and increases the risk of falls. The RDA for people over 70 is 600 IU of vitamin D a day, but the researchers suggested that 800 IU is a better target. Most people will need to take supplements to meet this goal. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 7/04.
SILENT NIGHTS – surgeons in Taiwan have used a new surgery to reduce patients’ sleep apnea by 82 percent. The procedure removes more of the uvula than conventional treatments do, and eliminates some fat under the soft palate. The process, which also cuts down on snoring, could move to America in a few years. Men’s Health 6/04.
BONE-LOSS QUANTIFIED – bone-mineral density tests reveal how much bone one currently has. The NTx test is particularly useful for women at high risk for osteoporosis. This test shows the rate of bone-loss mass. The procedure, which is covered by some insurance companies, measures the presence of N-telopeptide, a substance that is released in the urine when bone breaks down. Based on the results, the physician may decide to start therapy to prevent further bone loss. Health 4/04.
STETHOSCOPE SURPRISES – harmful bacteria can be transmitted in very innocent ways – a recent survey of 200 stethoscopes taken from four hospitals and clinics revealed that 80 percent were contaminated – mostly with staph bacteria. If you have any open sores or wounds, make sure the health care professional has sanitized the instruments that are used to examine and evaluate your condition. Men’s Health 11/03.
YET ANOTHER REASON TO EXERCISE – exercise lowers blood estrogen levels in overweight postmenopausal women, according to a study of 175 sedentary women from the Seattle area. That’s desirable, since overweight women tend to have a high estrogen level, which increases the risk of breast cancer after menopause. For one year the women did moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as brisk walking or stationary cycling, five days a week for 45 to 60 minutes. Estrogen levels dropped most in those who lost weight via exercise (their calorie intake remained the same). University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 7/04.
IS ALL FAT THE SAME??
by Chris Crockett RD, CNSD
Obesity is one of the most rapidly growing problems we face today. Adding excess fat leads to greater medical complications. Where fat is located predicts some complications more than total amount added.
Body fat is defined as adipose tissue, a connective tissue that acts as a storage site primarily for triglycerides. Providing heat insulation and an energy source, fat also acts as a cushion for our vital organs. There are two types of adipose tissue, Brown Adipose Fat (BAT) and White Adipose Fat (WAT). BAT is rich in mitochondria, giving it its brown color, and able to release high amounts of energy (heat).
Found in humans at birth, BAT comprises about 5 percent of body fat, primarily located at the base of the neck and shoulders. As baby grows, this fat fades. Research shows children with unexplained weight loss retain areas of active BAT, requiring higher calories to maintain weight. Animal research shows that WAT can be converted to BAT when needed, as when an animal is exposed to severe cold. Studies are being conducted to see if there are ways to convert the WAT in humans to BAT, leading to weight and fat loss and reduction in obesity.
Fat may be stored under the skin or as visceral fat, deep fat surrounding organs. Greater amounts of visceral fat create more metabolic complications than people with increased subcutaneous fat, even if they have less total percent body fat.
Generally, people with fat around the abdominal area embody higher visceral fat stores, called the barrel- or apple-shaped body vs. the pear-shaped body, with most of the fat located in the hips and thighs. Complications associated with central obesity include increased risk for dysplipidemia (lower levels of high density lipoproteins, the good ones; normal to higher low density lipoproteins, the bad ones; and elevated triglycerides), hypertension, coronary artery disease, increased insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Central adiposity has been one of the main markers defined in what is called the Metabolic Syndrome - or Syndrome X. According to Dean in Family Physician (June 2004 69 (12)), Metabolic Syndrome will take over cigarette smoking as the leading risk for heart disease in the United States. 15 to 20 percent of adult Americans have Metabolic Syndrome, with an estimate rising to 50 percent in adults over 50. (For more info: www.mayo.com.)
What are the causes of Metabolic Syndrome and central obesity and what can you do about it? The primary cause would be a genetic predisposition; however, this is not the only factor. Central obesity/adiposity comes from excess calorie intake. As overfeeding occurs, fat cells become larger; larger fat cells have more insulin resistance. Weight cycling (gaining and losing multiple times) is shown to result in more abdominal area fat. Sex, male or female, plays a part. Males tend to have more fat in their midsection. Females tend to place fat in their lower abdomen, buttocks, and upper thighs. Aging and changes in sex hormones have an influence. Postmenopausal women tend to increase trunk fat mass and total body fat. This will not occur if women are on hormones. Inactivity has shown to increase visceral fat stores at a very rapid rate. Overweight people who remain physically active have less visceral fat. High fat diets, some medications, depression in women, bipolar disorders, and low birth weight increase the incidence of this syndrome.
Sometimes it’s difficult to determine if you have central obesity, especially if not excessively overweight. Ways to evaluate presence of central obesity include a waist measurement of over 35” for females and over 40” for males. To check your waist-to-hip ratio, measure your waist at the narrowest point and divide this number by the measurement of your hips at the widest point. A ratio for females over .8 or for males over 1 supports central obesity.
To decrease central obesity, a lower calorie diet (avoid high fat or low calorie diets) and an exercise program that involves at least 30 minutes of mild exercise every day reduces total visceral and total fat and will improve your overall health.
EYE EXERCISES? - there are several programs being marketed lately that promise to improve eyesight, including books such as Improve your Vision without Glasses or Contact Lenses and Natural Vision Improvement, as well as videos such as Yoga for your Eyes. Another popular program is the See Clearly Method, which supposedly eliminates or reduces nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, eyestrain, and other vision problems.
Over a century ago, Dr. William Bates developed a “system” that was based on the belief that eye problems were caused not by the shape of the eyeball or cornea (which is the case), but by problems with the external muscles of the eye. Dr. Bates believed that eyeglasses cause vision to deteriorate, as does too much close reading. He alleged that perfect vision could be achieved by relaxing the eyes via his exercises, such as palming (covering the eyes and attempting to see blackness) and deliberately shifting the gaze from object to object.
The See Clearly Method claims to improve poor vision by performing eye exercises for 30 minutes a day for a month. The program costs almost $300 and many of the eye exercises are similar to Dr. Bates’ methods of a century ago. The advertising literature is full of the usual testimonials with absolutely no scientific data to substantiate the marketing claims.
Muscles in the socket move the eyeball. A cluster of tiny muscles known as the ciliary body focuses the lens. Refractive problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are not caused by weak eye muscles, but by the shape of the eyeball, cornea, and internal lens of the eye. These properties are mainly influenced by heredity. Presbyopia, the gradual loss of focusing ability, is an inevitable, normal part of growing older. Eyeglasses neither strengthen nor weaken the eyes; they simply correct refractive problems so that you can see well. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/04.
QUALITY WINES WORTH IT – French researchers have found that wines aged in oak barrels contain a flavonoid called acutissimin A. One of the studies found the antioxidant was 250 times more effective at fighting an enzyme linked to cancer than some drugs. Generally, wines aged longer in oak barrels are higher quality wines, which often carry a premium price tag. Men’s Health 5/04.
