Health News

REPORTING POINT 03/08
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

THE pH THEORY OF HEALTH – recently I have received quite a bit of correspondence from a very good friend touting the benefits of eating a pH-friendly diet to minimize cancer risk and eliminate a whole host of potential health problems. Besides trying to get regular exercise, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and good fats, does he need to consider the acid/alkaline balance of foods consumed? There are a number of websites and ads that claim that an acid-boosting diet is unhealthy – perhaps even the cause of most diseases, from cancer and arthritis to depression and diabetes. The ads claim that consuming certain supplements may keep the body from becoming too acidic.
As with many of these claims, there is a kernel of truth within them. Claims that we must look at the acid base balance in our diet as it affects the pH of the body’s fluids can be very misleading. Acidity and alkalinity are measured by the pH scale, which goes from 0 to 14, 7 being neutral, and lower numbers indicate increasing acidity, higher numbers alkalinity. pH can be measured in body fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva. Blood measurements are the most critical measurements in terms of the body’s state of health. Even the slightest variation of this blood acid/base balance would make you extremely ill or result in death. The lungs and kidneys are responsible for keeping the blood pH within a very narrow range at all times. Acid products may be excreted by the kidneys in the urine and these products may also be reduced by the lungs via exhalation of carbon dioxide. The blood pH measurements are made from an arterial sample of blood which must be done only by experienced medical staff. This can be very painful and is usually only used in intensive care situations. It would not be warranted to test a person’s blood in this manner for a noncritical situation.
The pH of urine and saliva can vary widely due to multiple factors and do not correlate directly with blood pH. Altered acid base balance of the urine may affect kidney stone production and incidence of some urinary infections. Some companies direct-market testing strips to consumers to check saliva and urine pH. Most of these tests are unreliable and not pertinent. The same companies are marketing expensive supplements that will allegedly correct pH indications from these questionable self-administered tests.
Research has shown that certain foods in the diet may add acid or alkaline components to the blood. These components are then neutralized or buffered by the lung and /or kidneys. One particular nutrient in food – protein – when digested, releases acid components into the blood. These acid components come from the amino acids that digested-protein release. The kidneys then neutralize these components to normalize pH by adding more calcium into the blood. This results in a higher calcium excretion in the urine, which some physician believe can lead to bone loss. Dietary protein is needed for bone growth and strength, especially for the elderly, but eating a very high protein diet can cause some calcium loss in the body, unless extra calcium is consumed to allow the kidneys to use this extra calcium to normalize blood pH.
Fruits and vegetables reduce blood acidity making it more alkaline. It is not that meat is acidic, but rather that it contains acid-forming compounds, such as amino acids and phosphorus. Similarly, fruits and vegetables have alkaline-forming compounds (even though many of them taste acidic). Other foods also affect the body’s acidity include nuts, legumes, some grains (such as rice, pasta, and corn flakes), hard cheeses, and eggs increase acidity while milk and yogurt do not. Sodas, because of the phosphorus they contain, are also high on the acid scale, which is why some studies have linked high soda consumption to weaker bones.
A study done in 2007 with over 14,000 men and women found that between the highest and lowest protein intake, there was only a 2 percent difference in bone density tests in women. No statistical relationship was found for bone fractures. No difference was found at all with protein consumption and bone loss in the male test subjects. Most healthy adults do not experience calcium loss with normal protein consumption.*
Many factors affect bone health, including genetics, physical activity, and many nutrients. Now if Mountain Dew were a health drink, my friend would live forever! University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/06, Christine Crockett R.D., Dr. Ed Tokatlian, *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 4/07 and 4/02.

REST PERIODS FOR INTERVAL TRAINING – depending on your fitness goal, longer recovery periods between sprints (or any intense interval-type training) provide greater speed gains, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Researchers had fit test subjects complete a set of cycling sprints with either 10- or 30-second rest periods. The longer rest resulted in a 26 percent increase in power and a 16 percent decrease in fatigue, compared with the 10-second group. The shorter recovery did not allow the heart rate to return to normal, so the session became an endurance workout. Use long recovery periods to build speed and short recovery periods to improve endurance. Men’s Health 5/06.

“D”-BRIEFING – because of the growing evidence about the benefits of vitamin D – for bone health, muscle function, and possibly even prevention of some cancers and other illnesses, many Americans are trying to consume more D and thus are turning to supplements.
There are two main forms of vitamin D:
-Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is typically derived from lanolin (a mixture of cholesterol and fatty acids) from sheep’s wool. Less commonly, D3 comes from fish liver oil, a concern because of mercury, PCBs, and other possible contaminants, though reputable manufacturers can remove harmful compounds in processing. D3 is the form our skin produces when exposed to sunlight and is the natural form found in food.
-Vitamin D2, or ergocaliciferol, comes from non-animal sources, such as fungi, that are exposed to ultraviolet light to convert their cholesterol-like substances, called sterols, into vitamin D.
Once consumed, both vitamins D2 and D3 are converted in the body to the active form. Recent research strongly suggests that D3 is preferable to D2. A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that D2 was less than one-third as potent as D3 and that it was shorter-acting. Another report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that vitamin D2 should not be regarded at a nutrient suitable for supplementation or fortification. Many nutritionists now believe that there is no longer any reason to use D2.
Fortunately, most vitamin D pills, multivitamins, and bone formulas contain D3, as do most milks, and other fortified foods. Some health foods store brands still contain products containing D2 – be sure to check the label.
Most health experts agree to increase the vitamin D intakes that have been recommended, currently 200 IU a day if you are 50 or less, 400 IU if you are 51 to 70, and 600 IU if over 70. Some health professionals are giving 4,000 IU a day to pregnant women and 6,000 IU a day to breastfeeding women in studies that are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and sanctioned by the FDA. To date, there have been no adverse events in the research and the scientists believe that it would take tens of thousands of units to get toxicity.
Most people should try for 1,000 IU of vitamin D a day from a combination of milk, other foods, calcium supplements, and multivitamins. It is safe to take up to 2,000 IU a day, but if you may be prone to kidney stones, check with your doctor before taking more than 1,000 IU a day. For those approaching mandatory retirement age (60), 800 to 1,000 IU is a safe, reasonable intake to maintain health. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 8/07, Health News-Reporting Points 4/07.

D.V.T. – A FLIGHT RISK – people who fly four hours or more while being seated in relative immobility have three times the risk of developing clots, referred to as deep vein thrombosis. D.V.T. occurs when a blood clot forms within the large deep veins of the body, usually in the leg. If untreated, part of the clot may break off and travel to the lungs, where it can cause a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal condition. The risk increases with the duration of a flight and the number of flights in a short period. Obesity, a person’s stature, oral contraceptive use, hormone replacement therapy and inherited blood clotting disorders also increase risk. A combination of these risk factors may increase the risk twenty- to fifty-fold.
To minimize risk, movement during the flight is beneficial. If seated in the passenger cabin, walking about (try passing out peanuts to help the flight attendants) or doing frequent seat exercises can ensure increased blood circulation. Calf stretches, ankle rotations, and knee lifts help prevent the blood from pooling as well as drinking plenty of fluids to keep properly hydrated.
Symptoms of D.V.T. typically include unexplained pain, tenderness, redness and swelling, often in the leg. Once a clot has traveled to the lung, common symptoms include chest pain and breathing difficulties. Diagnosis can be difficult as some cases are asymptomatic or can mirror other illnesses. Leg pain can be mistaken for an athletic injury or strained muscle. Chest pain is often diagnosed as a heart attack or the flu.
Aspirin is effective in preventing heart attacks and strokes, but not D.V.T. Aspirin and anticoagulant medicine, which also thins the blood, can cause uncontrolled bleeding.
The risk of D.V.T. increases during long car, train and bus trips, as well as airline flying, when cramped seating is common. There is some evidence that the low air pressure in a plane affects the complex coagulations system of the blood. When oxygen levels go down, the body may behave as if it is losing blood, making clot formation more likely. During sleep, less oxygen is taken in, another reason that sedatives are strongly discouraged for long flights for passengers. There may also be a strong genetic predisposition for D.V.T.
For the average healthy traveler, the chance of developing DVT is extremely low, especially on flights shorter than 6 to 8 hours. The risk increases most after 12 hours of flying and with multiple flights taken over a short time. New York Times 11/6/07, University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 12/07.