REPORTING POINT 06/09
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
BLACK TEA MAY HELP PREVENT PARKINSON’S DISEASE – according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology that followed more than 63,000 middle-aged and older people for seven years, those who drank the most black tea (averaging 23 cups a month, which works out to about 6 ounces a day) had a dramatically reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease, compared to tea abstainers. While coffee and caffeine have also been linked to reduced Parkinson’s disease risk, the protective effect of black tea in this study was due to ingredients other than its caffeine. No association was seen for green tea. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/08.
COMBO THERAPY FIGHTS PROSTATE CANCER BETTER – a recent study shows that combining hormones and radiation therapy cuts the number of deaths from a particular type of prostate cancer in half. Some cancer-treatment experts believe that the results from this study will change the way prostate cancer patients are treated where this combination is not standard practice, especially outside the United States.
Swedish researchers focused on nearly 900 men with locally advanced prostate tumors, which have emerged beyond the edge of the prostate gland but have not yet invaded the lymph nodes or other organs.
About half of the men were randomly selected to get only hormone therapy, which cuts off the testosterone that fuels prostate tumors. The other half got hormones plus radiation treatments.
After ten years, 12 percent of the men on combination therapy died of prostate cancer, compared with 24 percent of the men who got hormones alone. In the same time period, 30 percent of the men given combination therapy died of any cause, compared with 39 percent of the men who got hormones alone. USA Today 12/16/08.
MORE BENEFITS OF LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE – keeping blood pressure under control may help prevent or limit age-related cognitive decline. According to Archives of Neurology, lowering high blood pressure is probably as good for the brain as for the heart. Previous studies have found that lowering it with medication significantly reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while another study found that controlling blood pressure helped younger people maintain mental function. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/08.
ANOTHER “MILK” – milk from cows is a good source of protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. “Milk” can also be made from nuts, rice, soy, oats, and even hemp. These beverages are not nutritionally equivalent to dairy milk, but each has something to offer, especially if fortified. They can be good choices for those who are lactose-intolerant.
SOY MILK: made by soaking, crushing, cooking and straining soybeans, some soy milks provide as much protein as dairy milk, as well as B vitamins, phosphorus, iron copper, magnesium, potassium, and often some fiber (dairy milk has no fiber). Soy milk also contains isoflavones, potentially healthful plant chemicals. The FDA allows health claims that soy protein lowers blood cholesterol, but recent studies have found little effect.
NUT MILK: often made from ground almonds or hazelnuts, nut milks have little protein, but are relatively low in calories and provide nutrients found in nuts including vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, and copper. The small amount of fat in nut milk is unsaturated and thus heart-healthy.
RICE MILK: consisting mostly of carbohydrates, rice milk is low in protein and fat (some have added vegetable oil). Though usually made from brown rice, the “milk” has no fiber and is thin in consistency. It is naturally sweeter than other nondairy beverages and least likely to cause allergies.
OAT MILK: made from oat groats (oats that have been cleaned, toasted, and hulled), oat milk contains about half the protein of dairy milk. Oat bran may be added as a source of fiber. It is slightly sweet with a thin consistency, similar to skim or 1% milk.
HEMP MILK: from the seeds of the industrial hemp plant, hemp milk supplies protein, omega-3 fats similar to those in flaxseeds, and other healthful unsaturated fats. The crop is banned in the U.S., but processed hemp foods can be imported legally, mostly from Canada. Hemp is considered eco-friendly because it needs little water and no pesticides.
If you drink nondairy beverages in place of cow’s milk, look for ones with added calcium and vitamin D. Many are also fortified with B12 (an advantage for vegans who do not get much B12 in their diets) and other nutrients.
Most nondairy beverages are sweetened with sugar (such as evaporated cane juice, rice syrup, or barley malt), which increases calories. Chocolate and other flavored beverages have even more sugar than plain or original varieties – the equivalent of as much as five teaspoons a cup and up to 170 calories. Compare labels as unsweetened versions have as few as 35 calories a cup.
Though the fat in these beverages is heart-healthy unsaturated fat, nonfat versions have fewer calories.
Coconut milk, made from grated and squeezed coconut “meat” is a super-high-calorie, high-fat nondairy beverage. It is not recommended for drinking straight up or for cereal, but can be used in small amounts in cooking. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 10/08
BIRTH CONTROL PILLS AND OVARIAN CANCER – researchers at the University of Hawaii confirmed that the longer a woman takes the Pill, the greater the reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, and that the effect lasts at least three decades after use is stopped. Women known to be at high risk for ovarian cancer because of family history may be advised to take the Pill as a preventive. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 7/08.
EXERCISE FOR ARTHRITIS – exercise stimulates cartilage to take up more nutrients and repair itself. Physical activity appears to help people with osteoarthritis to reduce pain and stiffness and to cope better with daily activities.
A study published in Arthritis Care and Research looked at several hundred older people who started range-of-motion exercises. These gentle exercises enabled these arthritis sufferers to become more active with less pain.
Any kind of low-impact exercise such as walking, cycling, or swimming is beneficial. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 7/08.
APPLE MAGIC – an apple’s skin is one of the very best food sources of a substance called quercetin. This antioxidant is very good at reducing free radicals in the body and helping to fight inflammation (which can cause signs of premature aging and may lead to some chronic diseases). Large doses of quercetin have also been shown to possible help prevent upper-respiratory infections in those who work out strenuously.
Those who eat apples regularly are much less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome – a group of ailments including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and excess abdominal fat – which can boost the risk for heart disease and type-2 diabetes. Regular apple consumption also reduces levels of C-reactive protein in the blood, which may also increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, as well as increasing the likelihood of high blood pressure.
Studies show that apples contain a group of beneficial compounds that help prevent the proliferation of cancer cells in places like the lungs and pancreas, while helping to prevent the formation of tumors.
One medium apple with skin supplies about five grams of fiber. In addition to contributing to regularity, fiber also promotes weight loss, lowers cholesterol, and helps the body store glucose (energy) in the bloodstream. More than half an apple’s fiber is in the peel.
Apples are about 85 percent water – eating one medium apple is like drinking about five ounces of water. Be sure to leave the skin on as the skin supplies the majority of the fiber and the phytonutrients. Men’s Fitness 10/08.
THE BREAKFAST INGREDIENT OF CHAMPIONS - Wish you didn’t get so winded when hiking up the stairs or that last hill on your jog? Then start your day with oats, bran, or anything high in fiber. It may not give you the lung capacity of Michael Phelps, but fiber could help you breathe easier. New research shows that dietary fiber may improve lung performance.
Breathe Easier: In a study, people who ate at least 27 grams of fiber per day had better lung capacity than people who got less than 10 grams. The high-fiber eaters were also 15 percent less likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an irreversible lung condition that makes it hard to breathe. Fiber may protect lungs by reducing tissue-damaging inflammation. The antioxidants in fiber probably help protect lung cells, too
Fiber is also good for your waistline. Want to lose a few pounds before Speedo season? Fiber helps fill you up, so you munch less. A high fiber diet may also lower blood pressure.
Increasing fiber intake may also aid your bowels. It’s no secret that fiber helps keep you regular. Consider popcorn for a snack, as it is low in calories and fat and very high in fiber. Real Age 12/08.
