Health News

REPORTING POINT 6-06

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

CHECK IT ALL – malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, can appear anywhere on the body, even parts rarely exposed to the sun, such as the buttocks, armpits, and soles of the feet. It is very important to examine your entire body on a regular basis. Any moles that change shape, color, or size, any sore that does not heal, or any persistent patch of irritated skin may be a sign of cancer and needs professional evaluation without delay. There are advantages to a professional screening as a dermatologist is more likely to find early melanomas, which are treatable, especially on less visible parts of the body. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/05.

(Flight crewmembers seem to be especially prone to skin cancers, as revealed in the 20-year Lufthansa study which found a higher than normal rate of skin cancers among cockpit and cabin crews. Perhaps long-term exposure to radiation at altitude (exposure is dependent on altitude and latitude – the higher, the more exposure) may account for the increased skin cancer rates. A dermatologist should check all crewmembers thoroughly annually. – LK.)

STRESS + SUN = TROUBLE – a report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology shows there may be a connection between stress and skin cancer, similar to the link that has already been established between stress and many other ailments.

Tests with lab animals showed a link between skin cancers, stress and sun exposure. Other skin diseases, like psoriasis, are exacerbated by stress, so it is possible the same is true of skin cancer. Both stress and chronic exposure to UV light suppress immunity, and a suppressed immune system can lead to cancer.

If you are at high risk for the disease (burn easily, are fair-skinned, or have a family history of cancer), consider at least an annual check by a dermatologist for skin cancer. Health 7/05.

CRYO PROSTATE TREATMENT – surgeons can now treat prostate tumors without the risk of side effects associated with other treatments, according to a study presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s annual meeting. The new technique had test patients receiving focal cryosurgery in which surgeons freeze just the tumor, sparing nearby nerves. 95 percent of the subjects were later cancer-free. While 60 percent of men reported impotence after radical prostatectomy surgery, only 20 percent of the men had erection problems after cryosurgery.

10 percent of men undergoing radical prostatectomy surgery suffered incontinence as a result of the surgery, however none of the cryosurgery subjects did. Men with early-stage prostate cancer are the best candidates for cryosurgery. Men’s Health 7/05.

PROSTATE THERAPY CONSIDERATION – many prostate cancer patients who delay radiation treatment are prescribed hormone therapy while waiting. Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center analyzed the medical records of 1,500 patients and determined that men who receive hormone therapy to treat prostate cancer before radiation have the same recovery rates as those who skipped the hormones. If your physician insists on hormone therapy, get a second opinion. Men’s Health 3/05.

A DIET TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL – experts have long thought that diet alone can’t do much to lower cholesterol, but it turns out they were looking at the wrong diet. Stanford University researchers recently found that a plant-heavy menu around vegetables, whole grains, and beans slashed LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol), by almost 10 percent. The thinking is that fiber and plant chemicals may prevent cholesterol absorption, while foods like soy and garlic may keep the body from producing excess amounts of LDL. Combined with weight-loss and exercise, the diet could make cholesterol-reducing drugs unnecessary for many people. The plant-based diet is also known to fight high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. (A sample dinner: soba noodles with parsley pesto, spinach and mandarin salad, carrot juice, and tea.) Health 7/05.

ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE – food scientists are finding that moderate amounts of chocolate seems to have a beneficial effect on health, thanks to the powerful antioxidant family flavonols. Italian researchers are investigating to see if eating dark chocolate could lessen the risk of developing diabetes. One short-term study had subjects eat one candy bar’s worth of dark chocolate once a day for 15 days. The subjects had their levels of a marker for insulin resistance drop by nearly half. Flavonols increase nitric oxide production that helps control insulin sensitivity. Choose a chocolate that is high in flavonol-rich cocoa.

However, chocolate is still candy. Fruits and vegetables give several times the benefit of the antioxidants found in chocolate. Men’s Health 7/05, 3/05.

PROTECTING YOUR TEETH – after consuming a sports drink like Gatorade or Powerade, follow it up with a swish of water to protect the teeth. A new study in the journal General Dentistry reports that drinking 12 to 24 ounces of the sports drinks a day (about a water bottle’s worth) will give you nearly double the enamel erosion that tea will, likely leading to more cavities. The water swish rinses the acidic liquids away from the vulnerable tooth enamel. This also applies to soft drinks, which are quite acidic and can damage tooth enamel. Health 7/05.

AN APPLE A DAY – Japanese scientists discovered that rats that were fed apple polyphenols for three weeks lost 27 percent more fat than rats on an ordinary diet. Since polyphenols are already known to repair oxidative damage in the body, the scientists are exploring how this function might help mice – and humans – lose body fat. Men’s Health 3/05.

HOT TUB/SPA ROULETTE – when on the road, try to unwind in a hot shower instead of a hot tub. More than half of public hot tubs may violate health codes, putting bathers at risk of rashes and infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed over 5,000 inspections of hot tubs and whirlpools in hotels, gyms, and clubs. Half had health infractions, and one in ten tubs was dirty enough to shut down. Protect yourself with a sniff test; the strong odor in spas is not chlorine, it is other chemicals mixing with chlorine – mostly urine. Men’s Health 11/04.

FAST FOOD CHOICES – do not assume that a salad at a fast-food restaurant is less fattening than a burger. A McDonald’s Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad has 370 calories and 21 grams of fat. Add a serving of ranch dressing and the meal totals 660 calories and 51 grams of fat. A Big Mac has 600 calories and 33 grams of fat. There are much better salad choices, such as the Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad. Topped with low-fat balsamic vinaigrette, it has only 290 calories and 13 grams of fat. All fast-food restaurants have nutritional information to help you make good choices for quick dining. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/04.

GREEN TEA TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE – a ten-year study of more than 1,500 people by scientists in Taiwan found that drinking four ounces of green tea or oolong tea daily can cut the risk of high blood pressure by 46 percent, and consuming 20 ounces cuts the risk by 65 percent. Authors of the study surmise that the amino acid theanine in green tea may help keep pressure low by preventing blood-vessel constriction, although the mechanism isn’t entirely understood. Men’s Health 11/04.

AN APPLE A DAY- PART TWO…- new research hints the fruit can help keep breast cancer away, too. Cornell University scientists fed rats a substance known to cause breast cancer along with apple extracts, and they found that cancer rates were reduced by 17, 39, and 44 percent in rats fed the equivalent of one, three, or six apples a day; the number of tumors was cut by up to 61 percent. Although the findings are preliminary, the researchers say apples should be one of the most powerful cancer-fighting foods because of their balanced combination of chemicals known as phenolics and flavonoids. Apples are easy to take on a trip and keep reasonably well without refrigeration. Health 7/05.

PROTECTING YOUR ANKLES – your calf muscles are key to protecting your ankles. Research at the University of North Carolina indicates that training the calf muscles can protect the ankles from injury. Researchers studied athletes and found that those who roll or sprain their ankles do not have the same range of motion in their ankles as those who stay healthy. Tight gastrocnemius and soleus muscles (two muscles of the calf) limit ankle range of motion.

Try calf raises with the knees slightly bent to strengthen the soleus. Stretch the gastrocnemius by leaning against a wall with one leg in front of the other, then repeat with the back knee bent for the soleus. Men’s Health 11/04.

USE ANTACIDS? – if you regularly take antacids, especially drugs that suppress stomach-acid production (such as Zantec or Tagamet), you are at higher risk for food poisoning. Stomach acid usually kills, or at least greatly reduces, food borne bacteria that can make people sick. These drugs can reduce that natural defense. If this applies to you or someone you know, this is a good reason to not only avoid raw oysters but also to clean up well after handling raw poultry. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/04.

PREVENTING A HEART ATTACK- Lipitor may be one of the best drugs for preventing heart attacks, according to research from Harvard University. The researchers studied cardiac patients for two years and found that those taking Lipitor experienced a greater reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammation marker, than those subjects using Pravachol. By lowering both CRP and cholesterol, Lipitor reduced the risk of a second heart attack by 60 percent. Scientists believe to prevent a heart attack, you also have to treat the immune system. Men’s Health 5/05.

WET T-SHIRT CONTEST? – UV protection is or should be on everyone’s mind these days. Just how much protection do you get?

Car windows – regular windows screen out close to 100 percent of UVB rays but do not protect against UVA . Films that can be factory-applied to windows in new cars block over 99 percent of both UVB and UVA rays. These window films are made of transparent high quality polyester and ultra thin metal and cost $200-$300. Log on to www.uv-shield.com to find out more.

T-shirts – a typical T-shirt has an SPF of 8 (less if it is wet). But you can boost the sun protection factor of any of your clothing up to a SPF of 30 or more by washing it with Rit SunGuard treatment ($20). Add the product during the wash cycle, and the clothing will provide extra protection for up to 20 washes.

Awnings and umbrellas – if you are sitting on a reflective surface like sand and the rays are bouncing up to you, an awning or umbrella provides little protection. But if it is made of dark, tightly woven fabric and shades your exposed skin completely, you may be getting up to SPF 30. Health 7/05.

NO INCENTIVE PASSES FOR THEM – about 20 percent of passengers catch a cold after a two-hour plane flight, according to a study last year by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco. People often blame poor ventilation, especially the recirculation of cabin air, but the study found that the infection rate was the same in planes that used 100 percent fresh air for ventilation and those that recirculated cabin air. Simple human proximity is the real culprit; people get sick on planes by sitting near people who are sneezing or coughing, and probably even more by hand-to-hand contact via contaminated objects. Best defense? – wash your hands frequently. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 9/03.

PLASTICS NOT GOOD FOR THE PROSTATE – it is not just the foods that you eat that can raise the cancer risk, but also what you cook the food in. Scientists at the University of Cincinnati recently discovered that a chemical used to treat polycarbonate plastic containers causes prostate cancer cells to multiply. Lab exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) increased the number of cells responsible for prostate-cancer recurrences. If you are a prostate cancer patient or survivor, avoid microwaving meals in hard plastic containers as the heat could cause BPA to leach into food. Men’s Health 5/02.