Health News

REPORTING POINT 07/08
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

BLOOD CLOTS AND MEAT – eating less red or processed meat and more fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of a venous thromboembolism (a blood clot that starts in a vein and travels to the heart, brain, or lungs).
In a study of nearly 15,000 healthy middle-aged men and women, those who reported eating at least 1 ½ servings of red or processed meat a day had twice the risk of blood clots compared to those who ate no more than one serving every other day.
People who ate at least four servings of fruits and vegetables a day had a 40 percent lower risk of thromboembolism than those who ate less than 2 ½ servings a day.
It is worth eating less meat and more fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. Nutrition Action Healthletter 5/07.

CLEANING RAW CHICKEN – it is increasingly important to wash raw chicken, clean your hands and utensils carefully afterward, and cook chicken thoroughly – since 2000 the chances that raw chicken contains Salmonella bacteria have increased more than fourfold, according to a USDA report. Sometimes found in raw eggs, Salmonella bacteria are a common cause of serious food poisoning. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 11/07.

INTERVAL TRAINING INCREASES CALORIE BURN – researchers in Australia have discovered a fat-burning shortcut by doing interval training during cardiovascular exercise. The scientists had test subjects use an exercise bike and do 8 seconds of intense cycling followed by 12 seconds of light cycling; repeating for a total of 20 minutes. Those who did this exercise format lost three times as much fat (especially from their legs and bottoms) as those who exercised at a steady pace for 40 minutes. The intervals help the body produce more fat-burning compounds called catecholamines. Swimming, walking, or rowing may have the same fat-burning boost. Health 9/07.

CT SCANS RISKIER FOR WOMEN – women are more vulnerable than men to the radiation from CT scans. A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women are nearly five times more likely to experience cancer-related damage from a 64-slice CT scan, possibly because breast tissue is especially sensitive to radiation. Men’s Health 11/07.

SECONDHAND SMOKE RISK – there is no safe level of secondhand smoke, states a new report by the U.S. Surgeon General. According to the report issued by the Surgeon General, “…the debate is over, the science is clear; secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard.” Nearly half of all nonsmoking Americans are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke, which increases their risk of lung cancer and heart disease by 20 to 30 percent. Even brief exposure can endanger people who have heart disease or are at high risk for it. Children of smokers face special risks – sudden infant death syndrome, lung and ear infections, and asthma attacks. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/06.

WEIGHT GAIN AND HEARTBURN – just a little weight gain can increase the risk of heartburn and acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or make it worse, according to a study of over 10,000 women in the long-term Nurses’ Health Study. It is well known that being overweight can bring on reflux disease, but this study found that even for women in the normal weight range, a gain of 5 or 10 pounds increases the risk. Once they get into the overweight category, the risk more than doubles. However, when people lose weight, the symptoms decrease. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/06.

BE FIT FOR YOUR BRAIN – people who are in relatively good physical shape have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia than less-fit people.
In a study, physical fitness was determined by tests of balance, grip strength, walking speed, and the ability to get up from a chair repeatedly. This suggests that poor physical fitness may precede dementia and that staying fit may help prevent or delay cognitive decline. Physical and mental function are connected, especially in aging, the researchers found, and when one function declines, there is an increased risk that the other will follow. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 8/06.

FLAXSEED TO PROTECT THE PROSTATE – researchers at Duke University found that prostate-cancer patients slowed the growth of the cancer cells in their prostate by 50 percent by consuming three tablespoons of flaxseed daily for 30 days. Flaxseed is loaded with a form of omega-3 fatty acid that may inhibit cancer cells from forming. Use ground flaxseed in smoothies or add some to salads or grilled meats and chicken. Men’s Health 11/07.

PSA TEST LESS RELIABLE FOR OBESE MEN – a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests the PSA test for prostate cancer may be less reliable for obese men. The test measures blood levels of a protein produced by the prostate, but because obese men have more blood, the circulating PSA is diluted. The lower-than-expected readings can be misleadingly reassuring and delay diagnosis of the cancer. This may be one reason why obese men with prostate cancer are more likely to die from it than thinner men. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/08.

…AND OBESITY NOT JUST AN AMERICAN DISEASE – Germany’s soldiers are more overweight than average civilians, according to a parliamentary report sent to the German Defense Ministry.
According to the report, “…soldiers are too fat, don’t do enough sports and don’t pay attention to what they eat.” This study, based on research by sports physicians at the University of Cologne, showed 40 percent of all soldiers ages 18 to 29 are overweight, compared with 35 percent of German civilians the same age.
The report emphasized that troops were fit enough to be deployed effectively, but that it would be an enormous advantage on the battlefield if they were in better shape. The sports physicians recommended the Defense Ministry to alter the military’s approach to physical fitness.
Comparing Americans with industrialized countries, 31 percent of Americans are obese whereas 15 percent of citizens of other industrialized countries on average are obese. USA Today 3/6/08, Health 9/07.

NSAID PAIN RELIEVERS AND COLON CANCER – if you are regularly taking aspirin or another NSAID pain reliever (such as ibuprofen, but not acetaminophen), you may be reducing the risk of colon cancer. A study of Medicare patients found that those with osteoarthritis were 15 percent less likely to develop colon cancer, presumably because most of them take pain relievers. Previous studies have found an even greater anti-cancer effect. The evidence concerning low-dose aspirin, however, has been inconsistent. Aspirin and its relatives can have serious adverse effects, notably gastrointestinal bleeding. Talk to your doctor before taking any of these drugs on a daily basis. It is too early to recommend such drug therapy to prevent colon cancer, unless perhaps in people with a strong family history of that cancer. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/08.

LOSE YOUR BELLY-SAVE YOUR MIND – having excess fat in your midsection at midlife can increase the risk of developing dementia decades later. About half of all Americans have excess fat that accumulates around the waist that increases the risk of developing diseases like diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Now research indicates that a fat stomach also increases the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, and incurable brain disease that will affect about 10 million baby boomers.
However, even middle-aged people can reduce their risk. Belly fat goes away with diet and exercise.
A study of over 6,000 men and women ages 40 to 45 showed that those who were obese – 30 pounds or more over a healthy weight – and had collected a lot of stomach fat in their 40s were 3.6 times more likely to develop dementia during a 30 year study. But even people who kept close to their ideal weight, but carried belly fat were at 1.8 times greater risk.
It is not just about weight, but where you carry your weight. Many people seem predisposed to carry fat in the stomach, the “apple-shaped” people, which carries a greater health risk.
Fat cells in the abdomen secrete substances including hormones that seem to play a role in a number of diseases such as heart disease and now dementia.
Deposits in the brain that lead to Alzheimer’s seem to accumulate decades before symptoms surface. This delay may represent an opportunity for middle-aged Americans to adopt lifestyle changes such as low-fat diets, and increased daily exercising. USA Today 3/27/08.

VITAMIN B6 PROTECTS YOUR COLON – a study in the Journal of Nutrition indicates colon rates are reduced by increasing intake of vitamin B6. After studying 81,000 test subjects, Japanese researchers found that consuming more than 1.1 milligrams of B6 daily decreases colon cancer risk by 30 percent. The vitamin helps protect the colon from cancerous cell mutations. Two bananas each or a bowl of enriched cereal like Total provide the extra B6 for protection. Men’s Health 11/07.

CELERY FOR A SNACK – celery can be a satisfying crunchy snack, and it adds flavor to soups, salads, and stews. A large stalk has only 6 calories, plus a small amount of potassium, vitamin C, folate, and fiber. It has 35 milligrams of sodium – not much, but more than most vegetables. Like all vegetables, it contains phytochemicals, including lutein (a carotenoid). However, chewing celery does not result in a net loss of calories, as some people have claimed. Eating celery is a good snack and vegetable choice, especially for those trying to lose weight. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 2/08.

BLUE IS BETTER – when ordering at a Mexican restaurant, a tortilla made from blue corn is a better choice. According to the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture blue corn tortillas have a significantly lower glycemic index, meaning they do not raise blood sugar as quickly as the white corn tortillas. Blood sugar spikes signal the body to store fat. A blue corn wrap contains fewer carbohydrates, 20 percent more protein, and an extra gram of fat, a combination that slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. The blue color comes from the presence of anthocyanins, a natural antioxidant that may protect against some cancers. Men’s Health 11/07.