Health News

REPORTING POINT 09/07
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy...live well”
Dedicated to providing pertinent information on health, fitness, and nutrition to foster a culture of wellness among Southwest Airlines flight crews and their families.
by Larry Kline
SWAPA Voice Mailbox 4337/email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net
Past issues of “Health News” are available at http://health.theballfamily.org. It includes a search engine; just enter a key word to find past articles. LK

WHEY TO LOSE – consuming a whey-protein shake after a workout builds calorie-burning muscle. Another benefit whey-protein shakes may help maintain your desired body is the whey-protein can help prevent overeating. Scientists at the University of Toronto allowed test subjects to browse an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. Those who had consumed a whey-protein drink two hours earlier ate about 200 fewer calories than the men who had taken a soy- or egg-based protein shake. It appears that ingestion of whey results in the release of several gut peptides involved in the feeling of food satiety. Men’s Health 4/05.

KEEPING KITCHEN SPONGES CLEAN – to kill germs in kitchen sponges, microwave them at full power for two minutes. A study in the Journal of Environmental Health found that this reduces microbes by more than 99 percent. Sponges are a common source of microbes, including salmonella, especially when they remain wet. Air drying sponges does not significantly reduce germs, and though putting them in the dishwasher cleans them, it does not sufficiently decontaminate them. To guard against fire, make sure sponges contain no metal and are wet before you microwave them. Be careful when removing them since they will be very hot. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/07.

CANCER RISK AND BEING OVERWEIGHT – researchers in the U.K. tracked 17,000 subjects for nearly 30 years and found that increases in body-mass index were directly proportional to the likelihood of dying of cancers of the gut – specifically rectal, bladder, colon, or liver cancer. Eating too many calories may lead to an increase in insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), a hormone that encourages tumor growth. Taking in less sugar and processed carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, and pasta is the best way to control IGF-I levels, as well as aid weight loss. Men’s Health 1/06.

MORE CALCIUM = LESS BREAST CANCER – a Canadian study adds to growing evidence that calcium and vitamin D may help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Researchers found that premenopausal women who got at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D every day for a year, from food or supplements, had 9 percent lower breast density than those who did not consume these amounts of these nutrients. Breast cancer often starts in dense tissue like glands and ligaments. So in theory, a modest density reduction could dramatically cut cancer risk. Also less-dense tissue makes tumors easier to identify on mammograms.
The researchers found that only 30 percent of the study participants consume the recommended amount of vitamin D and calcium. Most premenopausal women should get at least 1,000 mg of calcium daily – the amount typically in a cup of plain yogurt, a cup of fortified orange juice, a half-cup of spinach, or a slice of pizza. A serving of canned tuna or salmon provides a full day’s vitamin D (200 IU). Many common multivitamins provide twice the recommended amount of vitamin D and about half the calcium that is needed for the added protection. Health 12/05.

ANOTHER CASE FOR STRENGTH TRAINING AND WEIGHT LOSS – Ball State University researchers put overweight men on a 1,500 calorie-a-day diet and divided them into three groups – one that did not exercise, another that performed aerobic exercise three days a week, and a third that did aerobic exercise and weight training three days a week.
Each group lost nearly the same amount of weight – about 21 pounds. But the lifters lost five pounds more fat than those who did not pump iron. The weight loss was almost purely body fat where the other two groups lost just 15 pounds of fat and several pounds of lean body mass – muscle. Men’s Health 4/07.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION TRAP – chronic sleep deprivation may accelerate the aging process. A study showed young test subjects who slept only four hours per night for one week metabolized glucose 40 percent more slowly than their usual rate. The diminished rate is similar to the one seen in elderly people. Also the patients had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to memory loss. Glucose metabolism quickly returned to normal levels after getting a full night’s sleep for one week.
Besides getting proper rest, exercise helps return the body and mind to normal alert levels. In fact, exercising actually can boost energy levels. A recent analysis by University of Georgia researchers of 70 studies concluded that a regular exercise program increases energy and reduces fatigue, compared to a sedentary lifestyle – and may be even more effective than stimulant drugs. Besides healthy adults, exercise can benefit those with medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
And finally, three studies have linked less sleep with a higher BMI (body mass index). It seems lack of sleep may affect appetite-regulating hormones. Bottom Line Health 6/00, University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 4/07, Men’s Health 10/05.

FLAX BOOSTS IMMUNITY – researchers at Harvard University compared the diets of almost 40,000 people over a 10-year period and found that a one gram increase/1 in daily intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) can reduce the risk of developing pneumonia by 31 percent. ALA is an omega-3 fat that helps decrease infection risk by decreasing inflammation and regulating blood sugar.
Good sources of this extra gram of ALA are found in a tablespoon of canola oil (use over vegetables or a poultry sauté, or by mixing two teaspoons of ground flaxseed into a protein shake. Men’s Health 1/06.

ANOTHER REASON TO EXERCISE REGULARLY – regular exercise reduces blood levels of C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation associated with heart disease and diabetes). A Finnish study in the European Heart Journal found that sedentary people with high CRP had a 24 percent reduction after 20 weeks on a three-day-a-week moderately intense exercise program. This could significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/06.

GREEN TEA, COLON CANCER AND MILK – drinking just one cup of green tea a day may cut the risk of colon cancer in half. University of Minnesota researchers examined the eating habits and cancer rates of Chinese test subjects covering their entire lifetime. The colon-cancer rates in China are twice as low as in the United States. The scientists believe that certain antioxidants in the tea inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
To maximize the health benefits of any tea consumption, do not add milk. German scientists tested people after they drank either regular tea or tea flavored with milk by measuring blood flow to the participants’ hearts. Those who drank their beverage black exhibited enhanced blood vessel function, a well known cardiovascular benefit of drinking tea. Those who mixed milk with the beverage saw no improvement.
The proteins in milk may bind to the heart-healthy compounds in tea, called catechins, preventing the beneficial effects. Men’s Health 4/07.

NONFAT YOGURT TO LOSE WEIGHT – a study from the University of Tennessee