REPORTING POINT 11/07
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
TRAMPOLINES - those who have backyard trampolines are spending more time injured than in the air. A report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states that there are about 90,000 annual E.R .visits for trampoline-related injuries. Bad bounces cause lower-body fractures and dislocations. Men’s Health 9/05.
COFFEE HELPS – coffee contains soluble fiber, the kind that helps lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar. A 6-ounce cup of filtered coffee has slightly less than a gram of soluble fiber; ounce for ounce, espresso and instant coffee have a little more. That is more fiber than in wine, most orange juice, or nearly any other beverage, but much less than in most fruits or vegetables. Still, coffee can contribute to the 30 daily grams of fiber recommended for someone consuming 2,000 calories a day. Coffee is also rich in beneficial antioxidants.
However, drinking three cups of coffee or more each day could cause heart trouble. Greek researchers measured coffee consumption and aortic stiffness and found that those who consumed the most caffeine displayed twice as many signs of abnormal arterial pressure as their less-caffeinated counterparts. It appears that caffeine may interfere with the metabolism of adenosine, a substance that relaxes arteries. The scientists recommend limiting your coffee consumption to two cups a day or using decaffeinated coffee if more coffee is consumed. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 7/07, Men’s Health 10/05.
ASTHMA WARNING – a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that adults with asthma may need to be vaccinated against pneumonia. After studying the health records of 7,000 people, researchers discovered that having asthma more than doubles the risk of contracting streptococcus pneumonia, a strain of bacteria that causes everything from meningitis to pneumonia. The scientists suspect that the increased mucus secretion caused by asthma keeps bacteria lodged in the respiratory system longer. Men’s Health 9/05.
AVOID SITTING ON YOUR WALLET – when seated for any long period of time, sitting on any bulky object can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. Over time, this can contribute to sciatica, characterized by pain that begins in the lower back or buttocks and radiates down the leg. Regular exercise may help prevent sciatica by improving posture and strengthening the muscles in the back and abdomen. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/06.
CLA’S AND FAT-LOSS – conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in beef may help heavy people drop pounds and keep the weight off. Scientists from Norway supplemented test subjects’ diets with 3.4 grams daily of the beef-fat extract. These participants dropped 9 percent of their body fat in a year without diet restrictions or extra exercise. Those who continued taking CLA for another year maintained the loss. Others in a control group also lost weight, but regained the weight after a year. CLA does not reduce lean body mass, so it keeps people’s metabolic rates stable. It is not clear how CLA might work, but it may reduce the number and size of fat cells or cause fat cells to self-destruct. Other studies suggest CLA works better at preventing body fat from accumulating than at reducing the fat one already has.
Humans do not produce significant amounts of CLA. Supplements are synthesized from safflower or sunflower oil and typically contain a mix of different CLA forms. No supplements have been found to mimic the test results of those found naturally in food. There is some concern that CLA supplements may increase blood sugar, create or worsen insulin resistance, cause unfavorable changes in blood lipids, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and harm the liver.
If you are a beef eater, grass-fed beef has two times more CLA than conventionally raised (corn-fed) beef. However, consider that CLA-containing foods are rich in undesirable saturated fats. CLA may lower body fat slightly, but the risk and benefits of supplementing are not known in the long-term. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 10/05, Men’s Health 9/05.
SKIN CANCER BASICS –
Three types of skin cancer:
BASAL CELL CARCINOMA: the most common and fortunately the least dangerous type of skin cancer. Usually appears on the face as a red bump that turn into a sore and scabs over. This cancer is easily removed by outpatient surgery or topical medications. It is slow to develop and primarily is caused by sun exposure early in life.
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: This cancer is very common. It is almost as curable as basal cell, but it is more dangerous since it can spread. Squamous cell cancers develop slowly from sun exposure early in life. Actinic keratoses (a type of skin lesion) can be the forerunner of squamous cell cancer. If you have skin lesions that do not heal right away, see your physician or a dermatologist for an evaluation.
MELANOMA: This skin cancer is less common but far more dangerous than basal or squamous cell cancers. It sometimes starts from an existing mole, or as a new, dark skin patch. It may develop from blistering sunburns early in life, rather than repeated daily sun exposure. Melanoma may appear on body parts seldom or never exposed to the sun. Melanoma incidence is rising faster than any other cancer in the U.S.
SUNSCREENS
Sunscreens primarily absorb ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation, which causes sunburn. SPF ratings pertain only to UVB. Most sunscreens offer less protection against ultraviolet-A (UVA), which may be more important in causing wrinkling and melanoma. For the broadest protection, choose a product containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, or avobenzone, also called Parsol 1789. Look for an SPF rating of at least 15. The slightly greater protection offered by SPF 30 and higher may be useful for children and very fair-skinned people. The important thing is to use a lot of sunscreen and to reapply it frequently. A 4-ounce tube contains only enough for four applications for an average-size adult.
PREVENTION
First, limit sun exposure. Do not sunbathe or try to tan; try to stay out of the sun from 1000 to 1600, especially in warm, sunny climates. Never use a sunlamp or go to a tanning salon. Use sunscreens, but remember that other methods of sun protection are even more effective: long sleeves, long pants, wide-brimmed hats, umbrellas, sunglasses. A thin white t-shirt offers little protection; dark sleeves are better, tight weaves are best. Be sure to wear sunscreens when flying as crewmembers receive a great deal of sun radiation during the daytime.
Sunscreens do protect against sun-induced lesions called actinic (solar) keratoses, and thus against squamous cell cancer. Sunscreens may not protect against basal cell carcinoma or melanoma. There seems to be some link between intense sunburns experienced by children and later risk of skin cancers, but scientist do not fully understand the relationship between sunburns early in life and later skin cancers. It is best to protect children from getting sunburns at all. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/06.
AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR – see a dermatologist for a skin-cancer screening. If you were sunburned occasionally as a child or adolescent, you are at risk. It takes about 20 years for a skin cancer to develop. Screening should start at least in your 30s and 40s. Also, professional pilots seem to be at greater risk, especially with exposure to radiation at higher altitudes and latitudes.
Wear sunscreens every day to help protect yourself. Men’s Health 9/05.
HAND SANITIZERS HELP – alcohol-based hand sanitizer gels can reduce the spread of some gastrointestinal infections according to a recent study of families with children in daycare. Half were given hand sanitizers and educational materials on hand hygiene and told to use the gels in the bathroom, kitchen and child’s room. Over the next five months they had about 60 percent fewer infections than the families who received no gel and no hygiene instructions. Alcohol gels kill most bacteria and viruses on the skin, do not require water and, unlike antibacterial soaps, do not promote drug-resistant bacteria. Make sure the gels contain at least 60 percent alcohol. Hand washing with plain soap and water is just as effective at getting rid of germs, but when you do not have access to a sink, alcohol gels are a convenient and effective option. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/06.
CHEWING GUM FOR YOUR SMILE – chewing gum after eating and drinking helps fight cavities, removes food particles, and neutralizes plaque acids. The simple action of chewing increases saliva flow and raises alkaline levels, washing away plaque and neutralizing acids on the teeth. Also, gum with calcium and phosphate can actually fight tooth decay. Some sugarless gums contain calcium derived from milk and phosphate. Men’s Health 4/07.
HOW TO HEAT YOUR OLIVE OIL - No doubt about it, olive oil is one of the healthiest fats around. But overheating kills the health benefits of olive oil. It can become rancid and generate toxic chemicals if overheated. One solution; instead of heating the oil in the pan, just spritz some on veggies, meats, or potatoes before cooking them.
It's fairly easy to overheat both olive oil and cold-pressed canola oil, because they have relatively low smoking points (the point at which they begin to burn). You'll know if you've overheated the oil, because it leads to that burned, charcoal flavor.
Different Temps, Different Tastes
Semi-refined sesame oil, peanut oil, grape-seed oil, and virgin olive oil may be your best choices for cooking, because they contain mainly unsaturated fat and have relatively high smoking points; all of the oils can be heated in excess of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Extra-virgin olive oil starts to burn at about 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Unrefined canola and sunflower oils are even more delicate, burning at about 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Once oil has been overheated, you end up canceling out the major benefits. But treat the oils right and they'll treat your body right, too. Real Age 8/20/07.
POLYUNSATURATED FATS AND PROSTATE CANCER – a study shows that eating more polyunsaturated fats may slow the growth of prostate cancer. When the scientists measured levels of dietary fats in prostate-cancer patients, they founds that men with less advanced tumors had higher concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids than men with more advanced tumors. The good fats block some of the cancer cells’ chemical signals for growth. These good fats are found in nuts, avocados, and olive and fish oils. Men’s Health 9/05.
HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS FOR WOMEN – are different than those for males. Unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, a feeling of intense anxiety, and/or pain in the jaw, neck, shoulder, back, or ear are symptoms of heart attack that are more likely to occur in women. Nearly half of women having a heart attack do not experience chest pain, which is usually the first symptom in men. Women often fail to recognize their symptoms and thus delay getting medical help. Prompt treatment means a better prognosis. Do not drive yourself to the hospital; it is dangerous to yourself and others on the road. Call 911 for an ambulance and chew a whole adult aspirin. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/06.
