REPORTING POINT 10/08
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
RAW MAY NOT BE BEST – cooking vegetables boosts levels of some antioxidants, according to Italian research in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. This is the latest in a series of studies overturning conventional wisdom about the nutritional superiority of raw produce. The study looked at carrots, zucchini, and broccoli which were boiled, steamed, or fried. Boiling and steaming were best at preserving carotenoids or even boosting them while frying caused the greatest losses, though results varied among the vegetables. For broccoli, steaming increased a variety of potentially anti-cancer phytochemicals. Cooking helps soften fiber making certain compounds more extractable, and it also converts some of them to more active forms. Cooking does reduce some vitamins and phytochemicals, so do not overcook.
However, a British study found boiling vegetables may drain them of certain nutrients (glucosinolates – plant compounds that may help prevent cancer). The scientists determined that steaming, stir-frying, and microwaving had no impact on these chemicals while boiling reduced glucosinolate content by 90 percent as the hot water damages cells in vegetables, allowing the nutrients to leech out. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/08, Men’s Health 10/07.
LOSE THE SODA – regularly drinking just half a can of soda raises the risk of diabetes. When researchers tracked the diets of over 4,000 adults for over a decade, they found that people who drink 6 ounces of soda daily are 67 percent more likely to have type-2 diabetes than non-soda drinkers.
It may just be that people who drink sugary sodas tend to have poorer diets in general. The researchers did conclude that subjects who drink sugar-free sodas make healthier nutritional choices than those who consume the sodas with sugar. Men’s Health 10/07.
SELENIUM AND DIABETES – selenium supplements appeared to raise the risk of diabetes in a large study designed to test whether selenium could prevent skin cancer.
The study gave test subjects either selenium (200 micrograms) or a placebo each day. After nearly eight years, the diabetes rate was 50 percent higher among those taking selenium than the placebo. Researchers have not yet published data on selenium and skin or other cancers nor are results available from this trial, which is testing selenium and vitamin E on the risk of prostate cancer.
Until more studies are complete, stick to a multivitamin that has no more than 55 mcg, the recommended level of selenium. Nutrition Action Healthletter 9/07.
THE COST OF SMOKING – a pack of cigarettes in the U.S. costs nearly $5 on average. A pack-a-day smoker who quits will save about $1,800 a year – over 30 years, that is $54,000, not allowing for price increases, medical bills, and higher life insurance costs. The tax burden on U.S. citizens from smoking –related government spending (including Medicaid/Medicare payments) is $71 billion a year or $630 per household. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/08.
BREAST CANCER-GENE TEST – an annual mammogram can save your life, but you probably do not need a breast cancer-gene test. National Cancer Institute researchers confirmed that mammograms reduce deaths by detecting the disease early enough to treat it. Another group of scientists indicates most women do not require screening for breast cancer-susceptibility genes. No more than 1 in 300 women has the genes, so only about 2 percent of women need the test. The most likely candidates fit one of these four scenarios: they have at least two close relatives who had breast cancer (one before age 50), three relatives with the disease (regardless of age), a combination of breast and ovarian cancer among close relatives, or a mother or sister with cancer in both breasts. All women 40 and older should have a mammogram every one or two years. Health 3/06.
LOW-BACK PAIN? – try acetaminophen first. In a review of more than 65 studies including over 11,000 people with back pain, acetaminophen (like Tylenol) is as effective as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) – aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin), naproxen (like Aleve), or prescription Celebrex – and has fewer side effects. Limit Tylenol to 4,000 mgs. a day and do not take alcohol when using acetaminophen as the combination can cause liver problems.
If you take pain relievers regularly, discuss your options with your doctor since all of them, including acetaminophen, have some risks. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/08, Men’s Health 5/08.
CINNAMON AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY – cinnamon does have properties that improve the cells’ ability to respond to insulin and absorb glucose. Researchers at the USDA have found that an antioxidant in cinnamon called proanthocyandin enables fat cells to metabolize 20 times the amount of glucose they normally would. Cinnamon has also been found to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, which qualifies it as a deterrent to metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. To reap the benefits of this powerful spice, just soak a cinnamon stick in tea to release the bioactive material or add cinnamon to pancakes or French toast. Men’s Health 6/06.
POLYCARBONATE BOTTLE WARNING – do not wash polycarbonate drinking bottles with very hot water or store hot beverages in them since that can greatly increase the release of bisphonel A (BPA) into liquid subsequently stored in them. BPA is a hormone-like chemical that has been linked to health problems in animal research.
Researchers tested new and used bottles containing cool or room-temperature water and found they released minute amounts of BPA. But after being briefly exposed to boiling water, the plastic released 15 to 55 times more BPA. The longer fluid stays in the bottles, the more BPA it will contain. Wash polycarbonate bottles with mild detergents and warm water – not in the dishwasher. Keep them out of the heat, and discard them if they start to discolor or develop spider cracks. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 5/08.
FIBER FOR YOUR ‘ROIDS – long considered a good way to prevent hemorrhoids, fiber intake may be an ideal way to treat them, too. A comprehensive review of studies found that most people can get better by taking about three tablespoons of a fiber-powder like Metamucil or Benefiber daily for 2 or 3 days. Hemorrhoids are usually caused by constipation and fiber makes it easier to be “regular.” To help avoid the problem, get at least 20 grams a day of fiber from food (check labels) and drink 6 to 8 glasses daily of nonalcoholic beverages, preferably water. Avoiding fast foods also helps as most fast foods are very low in fiber, but high in sugars and fats. Health 3/06.
BREAST SYMMETRY AND BREAST-CANCER RISK – no woman’s breasts are perfectly symmetrical. Beyond a certain point, a size difference can be a warning sign. The more asymmetrical a woman’s breast is, the higher the risk of breast cancer, according to research published in the British journal Breast Cancer Research. For every 100 milliliters of difference, the risk is 50 percent higher. A typical breast is about 500 milliliters in volume, so that is a 20 percent difference.
GREEN TEA FOR YOUR BRAIN – green tea protects the memory. Japanese scientists found that people who drank one cup of green tea daily were up to 37 percent less likely to suffer age-related cognitive decline than those who consumed less. Researchers credit a compound in the tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which may help prevent the buildup of plaque on brain cells, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s. To get the most benefit, steep the tea for at least 3 minutes, as any less results in lower amounts of EGCG. Men’s Health 6/06.
YOGURT TO PREVENT GUM DISEASE – a Japanese study in the Journal of Periodontology found that people who routinely consumed yogurt and other foods containing live bacteria (such as Lactobacillus) were less likely to develop serious gum disease than those who did not. The Lactobacillus bacteria in yogurt may prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth, which may prevent gum disease, which has been linked to heart disease and stroke. Previous research has linked dairy products in general, and especially the calcium they supply, to improved dental health, but this study did not find a benefit from milk. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/08, Men’s Health 5/08.
AGING AND METABOLISM – not surprisingly, it is harder to maintain weigh as one ages, even if exercising is maintained.
Researchers discovered that men who logged the same weekly mileage year after year – regardless of the amount – gained weight. Even those who ran more than 40 miles a week were susceptible. Metabolism slows a little more every year, so you need to increase activity levels as you age. But the researchers found most people do the opposite. Additional research suggests that regular running improves the body’s exercise efficiency, meaning the same amount of activity burns fewer calories. The scientists calculated that to avoid weight gain, runners need to boost their weekly mileage by 1.7 miles every year. Men’s Health 6/06.
MORE ON VITAMIN D – recently we published an article about the benefits of vitamin D. New information has since been published further explaining the benefits of consuming adequate amounts of this vitamin:
-Women who consume higher amounts of vitamin D, along with calcium, have a reduced risk of breast cancer before menopause.
-Women over 55 who were given high doses of vitamin D and calcium had a 60 percent lower overall risk of cancer than a placebo group.
-Vitamin D may help people over 65 maintain physical performance. People with low blood levels of vitamin D were in worse shape to start and had a greater decline over the next three years of a Dutch study.
-Vitamin D, with calcium, may help control blood sugar and thus possibly reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes.
-the Canadian Cancer Society recently stated that all Canadian adults should take 1,000 IU a day of vitamin D during fall and winter, and older and darker-skinned people should take this much year round (current government recommendations in Canada and the United States are 200 to 600 IU daily).
-Recently fifteen leading nutrition researchers called on the government to increase its recommended intakes of vitamin D, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The evidence is getting stronger that vitamin D may play a part in reducing the risk of some cancers, diabetes, and frailty in the elderly. Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and supplemental vitamin D (from multivitamins or calcium/vitamin D pills) is recommended for most older people. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/07.
