Health News

REPORTING POINT 12/13

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

PROTECT YOUR SMILE – after your morning coffee, wait 30 minutes to brush your teeth.  Acidic foods and beverages weaken enamel, and brushing immediately after consuming them can cause further damage.  Men’s Health, 05/13.

GLUTEN FACTS – there has been much in the media about gluten-free dieting…from Dr. Oz to diet books touting its benefits. Gluten is a protein found in wheat.  Just 0.71 percent of Americans experience an abnormal immune system reaction to gluten.  If eating wheat products seems to cause gastrointestinal discomfort, canker sores, or a rash, try keeping a food log when these symptoms occur, listing what food was consumed and when.  If gluten is the common factor, go without it for two weeks while keeping up with the dietary diary.  At the end of this washout period, revert to the former diet with your normal gluten intake for two more weeks.  If you react to the inclusion of gluten in the diet, you may wish to eliminate gluten foods permanently. Your physician can order blood tests that can detect some of the antibodies associated with celiac disease. Remember to keep eating gluten foods before the test to obtain accurate test results. Men’s Health, 04/13.

EXERCISE FOR ALLERGY RELIEF? – According to a study from Thailand, exercise can help relieve allergy symptoms.  After allergy sufferers ran for 30 minutes, their sneezing, runny nose, and nasal itching and congestion all decreased by more than 70 percent.  One theory is that cardio exercise decreases inflammatory proteins in the nasal passages.  The scientists recommend a moderate pace (65 to 70 percent of your heart rate reserve - calculated by subtracting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate).  Maximum heart rate is your age multiplied by 0.7 and then subtract the result from 207. Men’s Health, 04/13.

SUNSCREEN USE SLOWS SKIN AGING – an Australian study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine provides compelling evidence that daily sunscreen use reduced photo-aging (the visible signs of aging caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays) by 24 percent.  The study’s test subjects used a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15.  Besides reducing the visible effects of aging on the skin, the study’s subjects also reduced their risk of skin cancer.  USA Today, 6/4/13.

MINIMIZING PROSTATE CANCER RISK – “maintaining a healthy weight is good for preventing chronic disease,” states a researcher who is an expert in the epidemiology of prostate diseases at the Washington University School of Medicine.  Research from Europe showed that men with the most visceral fat (the belly fat that surrounds the organs in your core) also had the highest risk of prostate cancer.  That is because visceral fat produces inflammatory substances that disturb the metabolism and promote the growth of cancerous cells.  To aid in reducing weight, increase your intake of fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidant flavonoids, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, onions, and greens.  The fiber can fill you up while the flavonoids may lower our risk of aggressive prostate cancer.  Besides eating a healthier diet, increasing workouts, especially with high-intensity interval training is a proven way to reduce visceral fat. 

Green tea has long been touted by the Chinese for its medicinal value. The green tea health benefits could include cutting a man's risk of advanced prostate cancer by half. How much do you need to drink? In a study, men who drank 5 or more cups of green tea per day had half the risk of advanced prostate cancer compared with men who sipped less than a cup a day. Another way to ensure a healthy prostate: Avoid a diet high in saturated fat and include plenty of fruits and veggies in your diet. Men’s Health, 03/13, Real Age 07/31/13.

MAGNESIUM-RICH FOODS MAY REDUCE RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER – a study and research analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that this potential benefit was only valid in overweight or obese people over 55.  In the analysis, which included data from nine previous studies, each 100-milligram daily increase in dietary magnesium was associated with a 12 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer.  That is the amount in four ounces of fish, a cup of beans, two ounces of peanuts, or half a cup of cooked spinach.  Most other studies have confirmed these results.  Magnesium-rich foods also have healthful benefits for the heart, bones, and blood sugar control.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 01/13.

WARNING: DO NOT MIX – even the most common supplements can have surprising interactions with drugs and other supplements.  Below are just a few:

            FISH OIL- Taking fish oil with blood pressure-lowering drugs can increase the effects of these drugs and may lower blood pressure too much.  Taking high doses of it with herbs that slow blood clotting (including ginkgo) may cause bleeding.

            CALCIUM- Calcium can reduce the absorption of many medications, including certain prescription osteoporosis drugs; antibiotics in the tetracycline and quinolone families (like Cipro); and levothyroxine, which treats hypothyroidism.

            ECHINECEA- Echinacea’s alleged ability to stimulate the immune system may interfere with drugs that decrease the immune system, such as the steroid prednisone.

            MELATONIN- Since melatonin may make you drowsy, taking it with sedative drugs may cause too much sleepiness.

            VITAMIN D- High doses of vitamin D combined with a diuretic medication may result in too much calcium in the body, which can cause kidney problems.  Health, 12/10.

MERCURY AND DIABETES – studies in animals suggest that mercury can damage the pancreatic cells that produce insulin.  Now scientists have found a link between mercury and diabetes in people. 

            Researchers followed adults aged 20 to 32 in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.  All supplied toenail clippings when they entered the study.  Those with the highest levels of mercury in their toenails had a 65 percent greater risk of diabetes over the next 18 years than those with the lowest levels.

            People with the higher mercury levels were healthier – they were less likely to be overweight, had smaller waists, did more exercise, and were less likely to smoke.  They were also more educated and consumed more magnesium, omega-3 fats, and fish (which is probably where they got the mercury).

            Yet when the researchers took those and other factors into account, the high-mercury group still had a higher risk of diabetes.

            This study does not prove that mercury causes diabetes, but to protect the developing nervous system, health authorities already advise children and some women (those who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant) to avoid mercury.  These groups should eat no albacore tuna, shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish, and should limit light tuna to 2 ounces a week (half that amount for children under 55 pounds).  Other adults can eat up to 3 ounces of albacore, or 12 ounces of light tuna a week. 

            Everyone should aim for two servings of fish a week.  Low-mercury fish include salmon, freshwater trout, catfish, and tilapia.  Diabetes Care 2013.

INTRODUCTION - The Health News has been published in various forms by SWAPA since January 1992.  As the opening banner indicates, our desire is to provide pertinent information on health, fitness, and nutrition to foster a culture of wellness among Southwest Airlines flight crews and their families.  With mandatory retirement looming in early 2014 for me, I will gladly climb out of the “left seat” of the Health News.  Captain Billy Combs has generously volunteered to continue to provide this valuable information to you. He will assume this responsibility starting in March, 2014. Billy shares my passion for health and fitness and I am confident that you will enjoy his contribution in continuing to provide this information to you. I would also like to thank those of you who have provided positive feedback on our efforts to provide a quality, concise, pilot-oriented product to help you make good decisions about your health and wellness. May you enjoy all of life’s blessings and thank you for enriching this experience.  LK

Health News

REPORTING POINT 11/13

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

CHEESE FOR YOUR SMILE – it’s no replacement for your toothbrush, but cheese may help prevent cavities.  In a study published in the journal Caries, people who ate cheese (just 1/3 ounce) after rinsing with a sugar solution had a rapid decrease in acidity, which lowers the risk of cavities.  Older studies have found a similar protective acid-buffering effect.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 03/09.

CAUTION WITH AYURVEDIC MEDICINES – these traditional Indian remedies come in two types – herbal-only and rasa shastra.  In the latter type, the herbs are combined with lead, mercury, or arsenic, which Ayurvedic practitioners claim are safe and effective.  A study from the Boston Medical Center recently found dangerously high levels of these heavy metals in many products, whether made in the U.S. or India.  About 40 percent of the rasa shastra products had high levels, but so did 17 percent of the herbal-only products.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 01/09.

USE A SECOND COAT – applying two layers of sunscreen may be the best way to avoid a burn.  A Japanese study found that people who applied sunscreen used only about 60 percent of the amount needed to achieve the promised SPF.  When they added a second coat, they got 100 percent of the sunscreens’ SPF protection.  The extra layer will thicken the UV barrier and also covered spots missed on the first application.  Men’s Health, 05/13.

TEA WITH YOUR MEAL? – when mice were fed EGCG, an antioxidant found in green tea, along with a starchy meal, the rise in their blood glucose was 50 percent lower than the rise experienced by mice given starches only.  The study authors say EGCG may reduce the activity of an enzyme that helps break down starches, blunting blood-sugar spikes as a result.  Future studies may yield similar results in humans.  Men’s Health, 04/13.

FAT FACTS – WHERE DOES THE FAT GO?  When you enjoy a fatty treat, like a milk shake, the fat gets broken down in your mouth and stomach, and then goes to your small intestine.  There, it mixes with bile salts to form emulsion droplets, then enters the bloodstream.  The fat molecules, now called chylomicrons, are sent to the liver, and then shipped to other body parts, where they may either:

a.    Be used for energy. (They may also stay in the liver to be used for fuel there, if necessary.) Or, if your body’s cells already have all the energy they need, the chylomicrons can…

b.    Go to build biological components, such as cell membranes (omega-3 fats are especially likely to be used for this). They may also…

c.    Be stored for later use as fat. But this happens when you eat carbs and protein, too.  Anytime you have excess calories, regardless of what kind of food they come from, the liver converts them to fat.

GOOD FATS – Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), found in plant foods like nuts, avocados, olive oil, and canola oil, and in poultry.

MUFAs can actually lower cholesterol levels, and in doing so, the risk of heart disease.  A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that replacing a carb-rich diet with one high in monounsaturated fats can do both, and reduce blood pressure, too.

            Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), found in fatty fish such as mackerel and salmon, and corn and soybean oils.

            Like MUFAs, PUFAs have been shown to improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease risk.  One type is the omega-3 fatty acid, which is plentiful in some kinds of fish-not to be confused with omega-6 fatty acids, found in meats, corn oil, and soybean oil.  Some research finds that Americans eat about 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3; we should be only getting 4 times as much.  To do this, substitute fish for meat occasionally in your diet.

            USE-IN-MODERATION FATS – Saturated fat, found in meat and dairy products such as cheese, butter, and milk.

            Consuming saturated fat raises “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.  The link to increased risk of heart disease and stroke from consuming large amounts of saturated fat is well documented.  However, some saturated fats do seem to have healthful benefits.  Lauric acid, a type of saturated fat abundant in coconut oil appears to lower heart disease risk in some studies. 

Many dieticians now recommend that most of the fat that we consumed be unsaturated and that you reduce your weekly intake of red meat and use olive oil instead of butter when possible.

BAD FAT – Trans-fat, found in some fried foods, shortening, and packaged snacks like crackers and desserts.

Trans-fat – found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, raises LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL cholesterol.  A high LDL/low HDL combination can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.  Partially hydrogenated oil remains a fairly common ingredient in processed foods, in part because adding hydrogen to vegetable oil gives it a longer shelf life.

            Experts agree that trans-fat should be cut from your diet altogether.  Limiting your intake of processed foods, commercial snacks, and fast food will aid you in avoiding trans-fats.  (Read food labels…any mention of “hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils” means that you are getting trans-fats.  Food manufacturers are allowed to show “zero trans fats” if the food product contains 0.5 grams of trans-fat per serving or less.- LK)

EAT FAT-LOSE WEIGHT – Fat has 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates or protein.  However, consuming good fats may increase a sense of satiety, which means you will consume less of it and will likely be less tempted to snack later. Some studies have also indicated that certain fats work to help you stay slim – Harvard researchers found that people who ate nuts regularly gained less weight over a four-year period than those who did not.  Foods labeled “reduced fat” or “fat-free” can actually contain more calories than their full-fat counterparts, because the fat has been replaced with sugar, starch, and other fillers with little or no nutritional value.

Most of the dairy you consume should be of the reduced-fat variety to lower saturated fat and calorie intake. 

However, three foods that you should consider buying full-fat are peanut butter (reduced fat peanut butter tends to have sugar, salt, and corn syrup added while the full-fat version contains the good fats), cheese (full-fat cheese in moderation seems to result in greater satisfaction and fullness than the reduced-fat version), and salad dressing (the oil in salad dressing tends to be soybean, canola, or olive-all good fats.)

The American Heart Association recommends that unsaturated fats make up 18 to 28 percent of the calories in our diets, with no more than 7 percent of our daily calories coming from saturated fat.  The best food sources of dietary fat should be from vegetable oils, fish, and plant-based foods.  Health, 04/12.

STOP SNACK CRAVINGS –a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reports that antioxidants in coffee may help the body stave off hunger by increasing the levels of peptide YY, a stomach hormone that regulates appetite.  The report indicates that black coffee was effective at appetite-suppression; milk may reduce the effectiveness of the antioxidants.  Men’s Health, 04/13.

           

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

PREVENTING CANCER – 20,000 cases of cancer could be prevented annually if half of all Americans ate one extra serving of produce daily.  Men’s Health, 03/13.

HOW “GOOD” CHOLESTEROL REALLY IS GOOD FOR YOU – you probably know that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good for your heart.  Recent research has found that it may help fight cancer risk as well.  Published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, the study found a 36 percent lower risk of cancer for every 10 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) increase in HDL.

            The traditional view of how HDL benefits heart health is that it transports excess cholesterol from cells in the artery walls to the liver for reprocessing or excretion.  The data relating to cancer come from an analysis of 24 randomized controlled trials, including more than 145,000 participants, and held true even when other variables related to cancer risk – such as smoking, age, body mass index, and LDL (the carrier of “bad” cholesterol) levels – were considered.

            While the study does not prove cause and effect, there are some possible mechanisms that might give HDL anti-cancer properties.  The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of HDL may help protect against free radical damage and inflammation, which are both important in cancer.

            The exact health benefits associated with HDL cholesterol may also help improve mobility.  According to one study, high HDL levels were associated with significantly better knee extension and walking speed among adults aged 65 and older.  Women with higher levels of HDL experienced notable improvement; however, men in particular with HDL levels greater than 55 mg/dL had a three-times-greater probability of belonging to the “best group” when it came to lower-extremity performance and knee extension.

            Under most circumstances, higher levels of HDL (above 60 mg/dL is ideal) are associated with multiple health benefits.  HDL particles help remove cholesterol buildup in blood vessels.  They also help limit the effects of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and prevent blood clots in arteries.

            Research has shown that individuals with HDL levels higher than 60 mg/dL are less likely to have heart attacks and strokes than those with lower levels of HDL cholesterol.  Conversely, low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

            Natural methods of increasing HDL levels are good for your health in general, and it is a good idea to try to embrace these lifestyle habits.  These include exercise, weight loss, smoking cessation, and consuming monounsaturated (olive, peanut, and canola) oils.  UCLA Division of Geriatrics-Healthy/Years volume 10C-R.

SINUSITIS/HEART LINK – scientists in Japan have a new clue about what causes atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm abnormality in men.  They found that people with chronic sinusitis were seven times as likely as those without it to suffer from A-fib.  The researchers believe the chronic inflammation of sinusitis disrupts the heart’s electrical signals.  Men’s Health, 03/13.

THE DATING GAME – is it ok to use medication after its expiration date – does it become less effective or dangerous?

            Required on all drugs, expiration dates guarantee that a medication is potent and safe through the date.  Most are one to three years after manufacture; some may be extended up to five years.  Expiration dates do not mean that the medication is not effective or safe afterward.  In many cases, drugs are stable longer than the expiration date, but that is under ideal situations.  Consumers often do not store drugs under optimal conditions.  Government testing of stockpiles of military drugs found that most remained stable for at least a year after their expiration dates (some for 10 or 15 years, with an average of 5.5 years) when sealed in their original packaging.  Drugs begin to break down after the bottles are opened and when exposed to heat, humidity, light, and temperature fluctuations.

            Except for medication intended for occasional use, you either must finish a prescription (such as antibiotics) in order to fully treat a condition or you should take a drug every day, long term, which means no leftovers.  Do not self-treat with old medication you may have lying around unless you are certain that it is the right drug for your current condition.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 05/07.

HOW LONG IS A COLD CONTAGIOUS? – as a general rule, adults with a cold will be able to infect others one day before symptoms appear and up to five days or so after becoming sick.  Infants and children are able to transmit these viral infections for seven days or longer.  The precise number of days for transmission can vary from person to person and also depends on the length of the illness.  Those in poor health tend to get infected more easily.  Children are also more likely to catch and transmit colds.

            Cold viruses, abundant in nasal secretions, are mainly transmitted via hands.  When you blow your nose, touch your face, or wipe your eyes, the virus transfers to your hands and then to whatever or whomever you touch.  If you contaminate a telephone, the next person who uses it may catch your cold.  To avoid spreading or catching a cold the most important precaution is to wash your hands often and well.  Hand sanitizers are a good option when you are not near a sink.

            Coughing and sneezing can also spread germs.  If you do not have a tissue, instead of sneezing or coughing into your hand, do it into your arm or shoulder, thus avoiding contaminating your hand.

            If you think you are getting sick, limit your contacts.  Do not hug and kiss.  If you are around someone who is sick, stay at least three feet away.  Airborne cold viruses cannot travel much farther than that.  Do not share drinking glasses, utensils, phones, or towels.

            Flu viruses may not travel in exactly the same way as cold viruses, but your best bet is to take these same precautions to avoid transmitting or catching the flu.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 02/09.

GOOD-FOR-YOU FOODS

TOMATOES – this juicy fruit is the best dietary source of lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red hue.  Lycopene was found to stop endometrial cancer cell growth in a study in Nutrition and Cancer.  Endometrial cancer causes nearly 8,000 deaths a year.  Lycopene also fights lung, prostate, and stomach cancers.  The biggest benefits come from cooked tomatoes (like pasta marinara sauce), since the heating process increases the amount of lycopene the body is able to absorb.

WALNUTS – the phytosterols (cholesterol-like molecules found in plants) have been shown to block estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, possibly slowing the cells’ growth.  These compounds can aid in reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancers.  Consuming one ounce of walnuts a day may give the best benefit for cancer reduction.

GARLIC – eating garlic may offer protection against digestive cancers.  Phytochemicals in garlic have been found to halt the formation of nitrosamines, carcinogens formed in the stomach (and in the intestines) when you consume nitrates, a common food preservative.  The Iowa Women’s Health Study found that women with the highest amounts of garlic in their diets had a 50 percent lower risk of certain colon cancers than women who ate the least.  Garlic consumption was found to be beneficial in reducing the risk of breast, colon, esophageal, and stomach cancers. 

BEANS – a study from Michigan State University found that black and navy beans significantly reduced colon cancer incidence in rats, because a diet rich in the legumes increased levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which in high concentrations has protective effects against cancer growth.  Another study found dried beans particularly effective in preventing breast cancer in animals.  Consumption of legumes several times a week can be effective in reducing the risk of breast and colon cancers.

WHAT NOT TO EAT – while researchers continue to determine which foods have the most cancer-fighting benefit, the following foods seems to increase the risk of cancer:

            ANIMAL FATS- meat, cheese, and butte can be rich in saturated fat, which has been linked to obesity – a big cancer predictor.  Opt for leaner protein sources, such as fish, low-fat dairy, and beans.

            PROCESSED MEATS – an occasional hot dog or a few slices of bacon once in a while will not kill anyone, but they should not be a regular diet staple.  Some cured meats tend to be high in nitrites, and nitrates, preservatives that can, in large amounts, potentially increase the risk of stomach and other cancers.

            EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL – more than two drinks a day for men and one for women is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and breast.  Health, 11/10/

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

RUN LONGER, SLEEP BETTER – a good workout can aid in quality of sleep.  A Dutch study found that people who burned 2,500 calories a day spent more time in bed sleeping (not just lying awake) than those who burned 1,500 calories.  The higher intensity workouts diminish the body’s energy stores which lead to better sleep efficiency.  Men’s Health, 03/13.

FRUCTOSE AND YOUR BRAIN – high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar are roughly half fructose and half glucose.  But fructose (which is found only in sugars) and glucose (found in sugars and digested starches) may have different effects on the brain.

            Researchers took MRI images of the brains of normal-weight volunteers before and after they drank a beverage that contained 75 grams (300 calories) of either fructose or glucose.

            Glucose reduced cerebral blood flow, which reflects brain activity in key areas of the brain that regulate appetite and reward, while fructose did not.  Likewise, glucose increased the participants’ feelings of fullness and satiety, but fructose did not.

            Cut back on all added sugars.  This study did not prove that fructose leads people to overeat, but it adds to the evidence that sugary beverages promote obesity.  Journal of the American Medical Association, 309:63, 85, 2013.

ENERGY DRINKS BUSTED – a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reports that noncaffeine ingredients in energy drinks do not enhance athletic performance.  Cyclists who downed Red Bull consumed as much oxygen and felt just as tired as athletes who drank a beverage that contained the same amount of caffeine but lacked ingredients like taurine or B vitamins.  In other words, a cup of coffee provides the same athletic boost as energy drinks that are filled with extra ingredients.  Men’s Health, 03/13.

MILK AND THE PROSTATE – only whole milk, not low-fat or fat-free, may be linked to a higher risk of fatal prostate cancer.

            Scientists tracked over 21,000 men in the Physicians’ Health Study for 28 years.  Those who drank at least one serving of whole milk a day were twice as likely to die of prostate cancer than those who rarely consumed whole milk.  Men who drank at least one service of fat-free or low-fat milk had a 19 percent higher risk of localized or low-grade prostate cancer, but no higher risk of advanced, high-grade, or fatal cancer.

            Drink low-fat or fat-free milk instead of whole.  The saturated fat in whole milk raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and adds calories that most people do not need, and appears to increase the risk of fatal prostate cancer.  Nutrition Action Healthletter, 03/13.

75 MINUTES A WEEK – the number of minutes of moderate exercise you need weekly to add nearly 2 years to your life. PLoS Medicine.

GO LIGHT TO GROW BIG – high weight, low reps is the classic way of adding size and strength to muscles using resistance exercises.  But a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that lifting lighter weights for more reps (3 sets of up to 30) can boost growth as much as lifting heavy weights in the 8- to 12-rep range.  As long as the muscles reach fatigue, the researchers found that the muscles will grow.  Men’s Health, 03/13.

SLEEP AND DIETING – dieters lose more fat and less muscle is they get enough sleep.  Researchers put sedentary overweight middle-aged men and women on a lower-calorie diet.  For two weeks, roughly half were allowed to sleep for 5 ½ hours a night, while the other half got to sleep for 8 ½ hours.  After a three-month break, they switched.

            Sleep had no impact on how many pounds the participants lost, but when they were sleep-deprived, they lost 55 percent less fat and 60 percent more lean body mass (mostly muscle) than when they were allowed to sleep for 8 ½ hours a night.

            The participants also had a lower metabolic rate, felt more hunger, and had higher ghrelin levels when they were sleep-deprived.  Ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates appetite.  Annals of Internal Medicine, 153:435, 2010.

WHOLE GRAINS AND BELLY FAT – people who eat more whole grains have less visceral belly fat, the kind that is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.

            Scientists measured both subcutaneous (below the skin) fat and the deeper layer of visceral fat in more than 2,800 middle-aged participants in the Framingham Heart Study.  People who reported eating at least three servings of whole grains a day had 10 percent less visceral fat than those who said they ate less than a serving per week.

            However, whole grains were not linked to less visceral fat in people who also consumed at least four servings of refined grains per day.  Whole-grain eaters also had smaller waist sizes than refined-grain eaters. 

            The Framingham participants got most of their whole grains from bread, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, oatmeal, popcorn, and brown rice.  Pasta, English muffins, white bread, pizza, and white rice were the major sources of refined grains.  Nutrition Action Healthletter, 11/10.

NOT MUCH TIME FOR A WORKOUT? – if you do not have time for long workouts, short bouts of exercise can be just as good.  A British study found that 10 three-minute bouts of brisk walking over the course of about five hours were as effective in lowering triglycerides (fats in the blood) and resting blood pressure as one 30-minute exercise session.  Most studies on short bouts have compared three or four 10-minute sessions to a single 30- or 40-minute session, and found that the repeated short bouts can be just as healthful as longer ones.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 02/09.

POTASSIUM POWER – potassium seems to affect the body very differently than sodium.  While sodium is linked to hypertension, potassium helps lower blood pressure.  Sodium tends to be found in junk food, while potassium is mostly found in very nutritious foods.  A simple test for urinary potassium levels (which closely follows dietary potassium intake) provides an accurate picture of how good a person’s diet is.  The higher the potassium level, the better the diet tends to be (accompanied by lower blood pressure and body weight as well). 

            Like sodium, potassium helps control blood pressure, among other vital functions.  While Americans consume far too much sodium, they get too little potassium.  In developing countries where diets tend to be relatively rich in potassium and low in sodium, high blood pressure is nearly nonexistent.             

            The U.S. government recommends at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium a day – well over double the maximum daily recommendation for sodium.  Most Americans get only half that much potassium and most consume less potassium than sodium.

            An easy way to cut down on sodium is to choose more potassium-rich foods.  As one mineral consumption goes up in the diet, the other tends to go down.  Vegetables (especially leafy greens and potatoes), bananas, citrus fruits, and beans are rich in potassium.  Dairy products, fish, and nuts are also good sources.  Do not take potassium supplements, unless prescribed by your physician.  Supplements can supply dangerous amounts , resulting in abnormal heart rhythms.

            People with impaired kidney function or taking certain medications may need to limit their intake in order to prevent potentially dangerous arrhythmias.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 03/07.

Health News

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

EXERCISE AND THE BODY – from about age 40 to 50 on, we start to lose 1 to 2 percent of our muscle every year.  Retaining muscle strength and function is critical for healthy aging and avoiding disability.  There is no pill for that goal.  Physical activity is about the best thing current science knows for maintaining physical function.  If you do not use it, you will lose it!

EXERCISE FOR STRENGTHENING BONE

            We lose bone as we age, and we lose the strength of the bone.  The more weight and stress you put on the bone, the more it grows.  Physical activity is a tremendous way to maintain bone strength.

EXERCISE AND THE BRAIN

            Exercise is a very good treatment for depression, to lower anxiety and stress levels, to feel energized, and to improve sleep.  A physically active lifestyle may be one of the most important things for preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

            Exercise has been proven important in preventing both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, which is caused by clogged blood vessels in the brain – another form of cardiovascular disease.  Exercise lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and also lowers blood sugar.  There is evidence that high blood sugar increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.  The same risk factors that increase the chances of cardiovascular disease also increase the risk for diseases of the brain as they both are dependent of blood flow.

DIABETES

            Diabetes, high levels of insulin, and lack of blood sugar control are bad for the heart and the brain.  Diabetes and heart disease go hand in hand.  Exercise is a great way at keeping blood sugar and insulin lower.

            Diabetes is a failure of the body to control the amount of sugar in the blood.  It is also a disease of the muscle because skeletal muscle is the biggest consumer of sugar in the body.  When muscle is healthy, it is consuming blood sugar constantly – when it is not healthy, sugar is not consumed and remains in the blood.

            If a person with diabetes does a session of physical activity, for the next 48 hours their muscles will be consuming more blood sugar.  So it is not just the exercise, but the exercise aftermath that is beneficial.  If one starts stringing together those 48-hour periods together, you get long-term benefits.  Physical activity is central for preventing and controlling diabetes.

            Exercise also makes the muscles more active in pulling sugar out of the blood and it makes the body more sensitive to insulin.

EXERCISE AND THE HEART

            Most people know that physical activity has benefits when it comes to cardiovascular disease.  Exercise improves the health of the blood vessels.  It allows them to open up more and improves the effect of the nervous system on the heart.  When you exercise, the nervous system shifts from the sympathetic tone, which is the stress tone, to the parasympathetic tone, which is the rest tone.  That is why people who are physically active have lower heart rates.  If you have more of the stress tone and you have a heart attack, you are more likely to go into deadly arrhythmia – a loss of the regular heartbeat.  The calm and relaxation that comes with being physically active helps both the head and the heart.

            Additionally, those with stronger rest tones tend to sleep better with fewer sleep problems.

            Exercise increases the density of capillaries – the smallest blood vessels – as well as the number of receptors on cells, the number of channels in cells to let blood sugar in, and the number of mitochondria, which burns blood sugar for energy in cells.  The blood volume expands as you exercise, which is also beneficial.

            Blood pressure may also benefit from consistent exercise, although genetics also plays a major factor in determining blood pressure, which may be difficult to override.  It is important for people not to focus on one risk factor, but to consider multiple indicators of health.

            Certainly heart function declines as people age – there is a natural degradation, but exercise can reduce that decline.  There is never a point when exercise no longer helps.  Studies on 70-to-90-year-olds who were sedentary when started showed a benefit for markers of disability.

WEIGHT

            Physical activity can contribute to not putting on weight and to losing weight, but if you want to lose a fair amount of weight, it will take both being physically active and eating less.  Remember that it is not just what you weight, but where you weigh.  Weight in the abdomen is particularly dangerous and physical exercise helps decrease belly fat.  This is why one can achieve the benefits of physical activity without substantial weight loss (the weight loss that does occur is in the abdomen).

            Belly fat is dangerous because it is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.  Fat cells in the abdomen are different that fat cells in the thigh or arms.  Abdominal fat cells produce more harmful substances.  Second is the plumbing in the abdomen. Abdominal fat drains directly to the liver.  Any harmful substances that belly fat produces go directly to the liver, rather than circulating around the body and degrading.

EXERCISE Rx

            As of 2008, there have been federal physical activity guidelines which recommend 150 minutes a week of brisk walking.  If you are a runner or jogger, the goal is 75 minutes a week.  Additionally, it is recommended to get at least two days a week of weight/resistance training.

            While 150 minutes/week is the goal, if that is too much, even 80 to 100 minutes/week is capable of considerable benefit.  Anything is better than nothing. 

            While walking is the most popular form of exercise, biking or swimming or even dancing – whatever you like to do – yields tremendous benefit.  Just not being sedentary is the main goal…be active and healthy.

            Weight training should not take more than about 20 minutes – enough for one circuit of about eight different exercises – one for each major muscle group.  You can do two sets of 10 to 12 reps per machine or muscle group. Start with 10 reps.  As soon as you can do two sets of 12 reps, increase the weight or resistance.  Lower weights are recommended for beginners, with higher reps to reduce the risk of injury. With weight training, it is a good idea to have a fitness instructor or instructional video for beginners to help ensure good form and reduce the risk of injury. 

            The combination of aerobic exercise and weight training results in both cardio-health and retaining muscle-mass for mobility and a better, longer life. Nutrition Action Healthletter, 12/12.

Vitamin D Levels Decreasing - Women with health issues such as arthritis, hypothyroidism, cancer, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis are much more likely to have inadequate levels of vitamin D during seasons with decreased daylight. 28 percent of women had deficient levels and 33 percent had insufficient levels of vitamin D. Women taking supplements were able to significantly elevate their vitamin D levels. American Society for Clinical Pathology, 11/12.

           

Health News

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

SOLUBLE FIBER TO LOSE BELLY FAT – soluble fiber may help reduce abdominal fat, suggest a study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in the journal Obesity, which followed more than 1,000 African Americans and Hispanic Americans for five years.  Though waistlines tended to expand over time in everyone, those who consumed more soluble fiber accumulated less visceral fat.  Previous research has linked low total fiber intake to weight gain, but this study suggests that soluble fiber, in particular, may have a specific effect on abdominal fat deposits.  Good sources of soluble fiber are fruits (such as apples, oranges, and pears), vegetables (such as peas, carrots, and Brussels sprouts), oats, barley, beans, and lentils.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/12.

Just A Few Minutes - Participants who peddled a stationary bike as hard as possible at the highest resistance for 30 seconds, followed by 4 minutes of peddling at slow speeds with little resistance (5 rounds), burned as many as 200 calories despite only vigorously exercising for 2.5 minutes. For many people who want to be in better shape, a large chunk of time spent in an effort to work out is an annoying turn-off. This new finding could make exercise reasonable for potential fitness buffs by squeezing intense efforts into a smaller time slot. Integrative Biology of Exercise VI meeting, October 10-13, 2012

APPLY ONE BEFORE THE OTHER – when using both sunscreen and an insect repellant containing DEET, apply the sunscreen first, use a generous amount, and then reapply it often. A concentration of 30 percent DEET spread on top of a sunscreen with SPF 15 decreases the effectiveness of the sunscreen by about 40 percent, according to studies, probably because DEET is a solvent.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/12.

BENEFITS OF INTERVAL TRAINING – Norwegian research found that people who ran four 4-minute intervals at 85 percent of their maximum heart rate (with three minutes of active recovery between each interval) showed more than double the improvement in endothelial function (the endothelial lining controls blood-flow and blood pressure by triggering a series of chemical reactions that relax or constrict blood vessels) compared to those who ran at a moderate intensity.  Men’s Health, 03/12.

PREVENTING KIDNEY STONES – dehydration is a major risk factor for kidney stones.  Many urologists recommend 6 to 8 glasses of liquids a day, with at least one glass being lemonade that contains at least 10 percent lemon juice.  The citric acid helps prevent stone formations.

Also, eating more calcium-rich foods (notably dairy products), drinking plenty of fluids, and limiting your sodium intake can reduce the risk of kidney stones.  It used to be thought that calcium increased the risk because most stones contain the mineral, but research has shown that dietary sources are actually protective.  In contrast, calcium supplements (especially taken without food) may increase the risk slightly.  Men’s Health 11/12, University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 08/12.

Cancer and Aging - Why does our risk of developing cancer increase as we age? By the time we stop growing in our teens, we accumulate a large percentage of the mutations we will have during our lifetime. There's a mismatch between the mutation curve and the cancer curve, meaning that if cancer is caused by reaching a tipping point of mutations, then we should see higher cancer rates in 20-year-olds, as this is when the mutation rate is highest. The body's healthy cells function best in healthy, younger tissue; however, in older tissue, cancerous cells may adapt better in that environment than healthy cells and more easily propagate. Oncogene, 06/12.

FISH FOR YOUR HEARING – to reduce the risk of age-related hearing loss, eat fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fats.  The findings published in the Blue Mountains Hearing Study found that people over 50 who reported eating at least two servings of fish a week had a 42 percent lower risk of developing hearing loss (presbycusis) over five years compared to those who rarely ate fish.  The higher the omega-3 intake, the lower the risk.  Omega-3s may help preserve microcirculation in the cochlea (the auditory portion of the inner ear), among other benefits, the researchers suggested, similar to how these fats help cardiovascular function.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/10.

MOLDY DILEMMA – if one slice of bread has mold on it, is it safe to eat another slice from the same loaf?  According to the NYU Medical Center, it is best to toss the loaf and start fresh.  Bread is very porous, so mold can spread quickly and easily, particularly in organic products that do not contain preservatives.  Also, mold has roots which could be growing below the surface, even after the surface mold is scraped away.  The same advice applies to meats, jams, and fruits or vegetables – when you see mold, it is time to discard that food. Eating a small amount of moldy bread is not likely to cause serious illness, though it could cause stomach distress.

Individual fruit such as strawberries that has come in contact with moldy pieces can simply be washed and eaten.  The mold in blue cheese is considered safe, too, unless you are pregnant.

            To avoid mold, store food in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator.  Also, always check the expiration dates and eat any leftovers within three or four days.  Health, 09/08.

EARLY MENOPAUSE RISKS – women who go through early menopause are at higher risk for osteoporosis, according to a Swedish study that followed middle-aged women for three decades.  Of those who went through menopause before age 47, 56 percent developed osteoporosis compared to 30 percent of those who went through menopause later.  The recommended age for most women to start bone density screening is 65, but researchers advise testing within the first decade of menopause.    Earlier studies have been mixed as to whether age at menopause predicts osteoporosis risk.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 08/12.

Belly Fat and Sleep Quality - Losing weight can directly aid in improving sleep quality among obese or overweight people. Sleep quality was meaningfully associated with weight loss, either from changes in diet or a healthy diet combined with exercise. Sleep quality improvement was also observed with a loss in belly fat. With an average loss of 15 pounds and 15 percent belly fat, sleep scores improved by 20 percent. Chronic sleep disruptions can elevate the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and stroke. American Heart Association, 11/12.

EAT THE REAL THING – broccoli sprouts have five times as much cancer-fighting power as the supplements made with them, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.  Broccoli in its natural form (sprouts and florets) contains an active form of an enzyme that may help the body extract beneficial compounds called isothiocyanates.  Eat the broccoli raw or lightly cooked as heat reduces the enzyme’s activity.  Men’s Health, 03/12.

Yoga - Yoga stretches all of the soft tissues of your body such as ligaments, tendons, and the fascia sheaths that surround your muscles. No matter your level of yoga, you most likely will see benefits in a very short period of time. Yoga participants had 35 percent improvement in flexibility after only 8 weeks. American Council on Exercise, 10/12.

HEALTH NEWS

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

BEVERAGES THAT CAN HARM YOUR TEETH – energy drinks (such as Red Bull) and sports beverages (such as Gatorade) can damage your teeth.  Highly acidic, they cause irreversible erosion of your teeth’s enamel and underlying dentin.  A study in General Dentistry tested 22 of these drinks on samples of tooth enamel and found that while sports drinks were erosive, energy drinks were twice as damaging.  Acidity levels varied among brands and even among flavors of the same brand.  Rinse your mouth with water after consuming such beverages, the researchers advised, but do not brush within an hour, since that can actually worsen the damage cause by the acids.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/12.

Take A Hike For Your Heart - Going for a hike, a jog, or taking a brisk walk every day could reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 50 percent. Researchers found that people who jog or who walk briskly have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who lead more sedentary lives or who walk at slower speeds. British Heart Foundation, 10/12.

STRONTIUM FOR BONE HEALTH – found in small amounts in the soil, drinking water, and food, this chemical element is not classified as a nutrient, but the human body can absorb it and use it as if it were calcium.  One form, strontium ranelate, is sold as a prescription drug for osteoporosis in Europe and elsewhere, but not in the United States where the FDA considers it an “investigational new drug.”   Clinical trials have shown that it can reduce bone breakdown and promote bone growth as well as reduce fractures in older women.  Though short-term studies suggest that strontium is safer than bisphosphonates (such as Fosamax), not enough is known about its long-term safety.

            Strontium is sold in the U.S. as a dietary supplement.  These products contain different forms of strontium (usually citrate) that have been less studied and are not standardized, so it is not known if they have the same effects as strontium ranelate.

            Strontium as a prescription treatment or as a supplement for osteoporosis is promising, but more research is needed.  For now, if you have osteoporosis, keep taking calcium and vitamin D, along with any drug your doctor may have prescribed.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/12.  

BEER FOR YOUR BONES - Twelve million older American men have bones that are getting thinner and more brittle each day. The bone-saving secret in beer is silicon, a chemical that stimulates collagen production. Collagen is a protein that makes your bones denser and your joints more flexible. Brews with the most hops and malted barley are the richest in silicon.  Bananas and brown rice also are silicon-packed. Other good food sources of silicon include cereals, apples, oranges, cherries, raisins, almonds, peanuts, raw cabbage, onions, carrots, pumpkin, cucumber, fish, honey, oats, unrefined grains/cereals with high fiber content, nuts and seeds.

 Men with osteoporosis are often also low in zinc, which is used in the bone-building process. If you don't eat zinc-rich foods like oysters, beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products, consider a 15 milligram zinc supplement. Add a bone-strengthening combo supplement with 600 milligrams of calcium, 1,000 international units of vitamin D3, and 200 to 300 milligrams of magnesium. Weight-bearing exercises like push-ups and hiking toughen up bones as well as muscles. Dietary calcium from green vegetables like broccoli, bok choy, and edamame (soybeans) also helps keep your bones from becoming brittle, but limit dietary salt as it flushes calcium out of the body.  Real Age, 11/09/12, Article Alley, 04/07.

Cherries and Gout - Eating cherries over a two-day period reduced the risk of gout attacks by 35 percent. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 10/12.

ANATOMY OF STARBUCK’S BEVERAGES – the fancier the beverage, the higher in calories, fat, and added sugars:

            CAFFE AMERICANO (espresso, water)

                        15 cal /0 g fat/ 0 g sugar

            CAFFE LATTE (espresso, 2% milk)

                        190 cal/ 7 g fat/ 17 g sugar

            CAFFE MOCHA - no whip (espresso, 2% milk, mocha sauce)

                        260 cal/8 g fat/ 34 g sugar

            CAFFE MOCHA - with whip (espresso, 2% milk, mocha sauce, whipped cream)

                         330 cal/ 15 g fat/ 35 g sugar

            ICED PEPPERMINT MOCHA (espresso, 2% milk, mocha sauce, whipped cream, peppermint syrup, chocolate curls

                        390 cal/ 17 g fat/ 49 g sugar. Men’s Health, 03/12.

COFFEE REDUCES CANCER RISK – another potential benefit of coffee is that it may reduce the risk of head and neck cancers.  In a summary of nine previous studies on neck and head cancers, regular drinkers of caffeinated coffee had a lower risk of cancers of the mouth and pharynx (part of the throat behind the mouth), while there was no effect on cancer of the larynx (voice box). Data on decaf were too sparse to draw conclusions; teas had no effect on any of these cancers.

A German study of 42,000 found that people who consumed at least three cups a day of regular or decaffeinated coffee were about 25 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over the nine-year period than those who drank little or no coffee.  Other studies have found comparable protection against diabetes, as well as Parkinson’s disease and gallstones. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/10, University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 08/12.

LASIK RISK – the FDA has reported complaint letters from recipients of LASIK eye-surgery.  The complaints ranged from blurred eyesight, poor night vision, and other problems.  (About 5 percent of people are dissatisfied with the procedure, which uses a laser to permanently reshape the cornea). Further clinical evaluations are scheduled to investigate the quality of life post-LASIK.  Health, 09/08.

LACK OF SLEEP = WEIGHT GAIN – lack of sleep can cause weight gain.  A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found a new explanation for this via MRI scans.  When subjects slept only four hours a night for six nights and were then shown images of food, their brain activity (especially in areas that respond to pleasurable activities) increased much more than when they slept nine hours.  That would increase the likelihood of overeating, the researchers said.  Previous research suggested that lack of sleep can cause weight gain by affecting appetite hormones.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 08/12.

Grapes - Grape consumption is linked to healthier diet habits and higher intake of nutrients. Individuals who consume products made with grapes also have higher intake of the following: dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. Grape consumption is associated with higher vegetable, whole grain, seed, and nut intake, as well as a decreased intake of cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat, compared with adults who did not consume grape products. Grapes can assist in lowering blood pressure, strengthen blood flow, and lower inflammation in men suffering from metabolic syndrome. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food, 10/12.

ADDING GREEN = LEANER – according to Penn State University researchers, people who added a salad to their entrée consumed 11 percent fewer calories than when they ate no greens with their meal.  Eating a salad increases the body’s satiety levels without packing on significantly more calories since most healthy salads have a high-water content.  Men’s Health, 03/12.

Health News

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

email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

STROKE 101 – every 40 seconds someone in the United States suffers a stroke which mean that almost 800,000 Americans a year experience strokes, and this number does not count invisible “silent” strokes.  Every four minutes, someone dies of a stroke which means that more than 137,000 Americans are killed by stroke each year.  Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in this country.

A typical stroke is essentially a heart attack in your brain.  Nine out of 10 strokes are ischemic, meaning they occur when arteries in or on the way to the brain get blocked by a blood clot.  This is usually triggered by ruptured plaque in blood vessels in the brain or neck or near the heart, or a clot in the heart, that travels to the brain.

The clot can block the blood vessel or it can break into little pieces that go all over the body, including the brain.  If the clot cuts off the blood supply to the brain, oxygen-starved brain cells near the blocked vessel die.  Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke, causing brain damage, disability, or death.

Six months after having an ischemic stroke, a fifth of survivors aged 65 or older have trouble speaking, a third cannot walk without assistance, and a quarter are in a nursing home.

Hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts, accounting for 13 percent of strokes in the United States, but 30 percent of stroke deaths.

One drug has revolutionized the treatment of ischemic strokes.  In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) to break up clots and restore the brain’s blood supply.  The catch is that you do not have much time.

The FDA’s approval is for three hours, but the national guidelines allow its use to 4 ½ hours in selected patients.  The sooner you get treated, the more likely that the drug is going to be a benefit.  That does not mean you have three hours to arrive at the hospital.  The current national goal is one hour from arrival to treatment but that if often difficult to do.  Patients arriving in emergency rooms must have a CT scan and blood tests and other potential reasons for the symptoms have to be excluded, and the patient has to agree to take the drug.  Getting to the hospital quickly so that stroke victims may be treated with intravenous tPA is the most important factor to minimizing the stroke effects.  If you are too late, there are no treatment options available.

Even if the warning signs disappear, call 911.  The symptoms may have been from a TIA or transient ischemic attack.  A TIA is one of the greatest predictors of having a true stroke – one that can cause permanent damage.  A TIA victim may not need anti-clotting medication, but treatment is still needed, often with drugs to lower blood pressure or prevent clots.  A TIA is an opportunity to prevent a damaging-stroke.

SIGNS OF A STROKE

1. Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
2. Sudden trouble speaking or understanding, confusion
3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Sudden headache of no known cause

SILENT STROKES

In a silent stroke, people can speak normally and have normal power and feeling in their limbs. Silent stroke victims do not get the warning signs of stroke so they often do not go to the hospital.  Silent strokes can still cause brain cells to die.  Silent strokes are probably precursors of dementia.  People become cognitively impaired as the burden of silent strokes increases.

There is a big overlap between vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease with most patients showing signs of both.

PREVENTION

People who follow a healthy lifestyle have a dramatically lower risk of stroke.  A study that tracked 44,000 men and 71,000 women for 16 years identified five aspects of lifestyle that reduced stroke risk: not smoking, not overweight, not drinking alcohol in excess, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet have about an 80 percent lower risk of a first stroke.  (A healthy diet means higher intakes of vegetables, fruits, nuts, soy, grain fiber, chicken, and fish and lower intakes of red meat, saturated fat, and trans fat).

The single most important risk factor for a stroke is high blood pressure.  Nutrition Action Healthletter, 11/12.

FAT AND YOUR AGING-BRAIN – a diet high in saturated fat may impair cognitive function and memory, while one rich in monounsaturated fat seems to improve them, according to a study of about 6,000 older women, reported in the Journal of Neurology.  Saturated fat comes largely from animal foods, such as meat and butter, while monounsaturated fat is found in olive and canola oil, nuts, and seeds.  This confirms other observational studies, suggesting that a heart-healthy diet is also good for the brain.  Some previous research has linked polyunsaturated fat (other oils are the main sources) with brain health as well.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/12.

IS YOUR COMPUTER KEEPING YOU AWAKE? – exposure to light through the eyes helps regulate the body’s sleep/wake cycle by affecting the pineal gland’s secretion of melatonin.  This hormone is produced at night and promotes drowsiness, exposure to light, notably blue light, suppresses it.  This is one way sunlight contributes to alertness, and why lack of light at night helps increase sleepiness.

            The potential problem is that LED screens produce enough blue light that, when the devices are used close to bedtime, they can greatly reduce melatonin, increase alertness, and thus delay the onset of sleep and reduce deep sleep. Blue light is emitted from the LED-backlit screens now on most computers, including tablets (such as the iPad and Kindle Fire) and smartphones, as well as many flatscreen TV’s.  The less sunlight you get during the day, the more sensitive you become to the melatonin-suppressing effects of light at night. Bright LED screens have the biggest effect on melatonin production, alertness and/or sleep onset and quality.

            Research on blue light and its effect on sleep is in its infancy and more needs to be done to determine which LED screen variables affect sleep most-brightness and size of the screen, distance from the screen, and when and how long the device is used and the individual’s sensitivity to blue light can all affect the blue light/melatonin relationship.

            If you are having sleep problems and use a device with an LED screen before bedtime, try using it earlier, or at least dim it as much as possible.  Try to reserve the hours before bedtime for calming, low-key activities such as reading a paper book.  Low-dose melatonin at bedtime may also help, but only for occasional use.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, 09/12.

Exercise and Cancer Recovery - Studies have shown the powerful effect exercise can have on cancer care and recovery. For patients who have gone through breast or colon cancer treatment, regular exercise has been found to reduce recurrence by up to 50 percent.Mayo Clinic, 09/12.