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

 

Increasing Fiber - Only 1 percent of adolescents consumed the recommended daily intake of fiber, 28 grams for females and 38 grams for males. On average, they consumed only one-third of the recommendation. Those who don't eat enough fiber tend to have bigger bellies and higher levels of inflammatory factors in their blood, both major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 06/12.

KEEPING KITCHEN SPONGES CLEAN – to kills germs in kitchen sponges, microwave them at full power for two minutes.  This reduces microbes by more than 99 percent.  Sponges are a common source of microbes, including Salmonella, especially when they remain wet.  Air-drying sponges does not significantly reduce germs, and though putting them in the dishwasher cleans them, it does not sufficiently decontaminate them.  To guard against fire, make sure sponges contain no metal and are wet before you microwave them.  Be careful when removing them, since they will be very hot.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 07/12.

PROTECT YOUR HEART – nearly half of Americans do not consume enough magnesium, according to USDA data.  Low levels of magnesium have been linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  Increase your intake by snacking on almonds and adding almond slivers into side dishes and salads.  Men’s Health 06/12.

Live Longer - Exercise & Diet - According to a recent study, women aged 70-79 who exercise and eat healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables have a longer life expectancy than those who do not. What makes this study unique is that it looked at these two factors together. Researchers found that the women who were most physically active and had the highest fruit and vegetable consumption were 8 times more likely to survive the 5-year follow-up period than the women with the lowest rates of exercise and healthy eating. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 06/12.

FLOSSING FIGHTS STOMACH CANCER – New York University researchers found that people with precancerous gastric lesions were nearly three times as likely to report that they flossed infrequently as people who did not have the lesions.  The study’s author explains that in those with poor oral hygiene bacteria may build up in the mouth and eventually migrate to the stomach where they can trigger cancer-causing inflammation.  Men’s Health 04/12.

LIVE LONGER BY DIETARY CHANGES – eating less red meat helps reduce the risk of dying prematurely, especially from cardiovascular disease and cancer, suggest an analysis from a long-term study of more than 120,000 health care professionals, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. People who ate the most red meat (averaging two servings a day) were 30 percent ore likely to die over a two-decade period than those eating little or none.  That included processed meats such as hot dogs and bologna. This was true even when the researchers adjusted the findings for major lifestyle factors and other dietary variables.  In contrast, people who ate fish, poultry, nuts, beans, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products instead of meat had a reduced mortality rate.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 07/12.

LIFT TO LOWER BP – weight training may help lower high blood pressure.  When a group of people with hypertension stopped their blood pressure medication and lifted weights three days a week for twelve weeks, their blood pressure dipped 11.5 percent.  The study’s lead scientist believes that weightlifting directly improves blood vessel or nervous system function.  The test subject’s blood pressure stayed lower for four weeks after they quit weight training, showing that lifting provided more than just a temporary benefit.  Men’s Health 04/12.

STROKE RISK – even if your blood pressure is only mildly elevated, you are still at high risk for a stroke and should take steps to lower it.  An analysis in the journal Neurology combined data from 12 studies involving more than 500,000 people and found that those in the upper half of “prehypertension” – systolic blood pressure between 130 and 139 and/or diastolic pressure between 85 and 89 (hypertension starts at 140/90) – have an 80 percent higher risk of having a stroke than those with normal blood pressure (below 120/80).  People at the lower half of prehypertension (120-129/80-84) were not at elevated risk.  Previous studies have found that prehypertension greatly increases the risk of heart attacks. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 02/12.

Lose To Gain - People who are overweight or obese could gain ten year’s worth of health benefits by simply losing 20 pounds. Modest weight loss (average 14 lbs) reduced the risk of individuals developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. Weight loss of just 10 percent of a person's body weight has been shown to have long-term impact on sleep apnea, hypertension, quality of life, and to slow the decline in mobility that occurs as people age. American Psychological Association, 07/12.

Bad BBQ News -Barbecue can sabotage your waistline. A 20 ounce T-bone steak can weigh in at 1,540 calories, with 124 grams of fat. A cheeseburger has 750 calories and 45 grams of fat. Pork or beef ribs come from the fattiest part of the animal. Healthier options include pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, and lean ground beef. American Heart Association

 

Sleep and Stroke Risk - Adults (in the normal weight range) who sleep less than 6 hours per night have a much greater risk of stroke symptoms during middle age and old age than their peers who sleep more than 6 hours per night. University of Alabama, 08/12.

 

MORE ON THE PSA TESTING DEBATE – in the August, 2012, issue of the Health News we wrote about the controversial findings of recent research concerning PSA testing and that many health professionals question the validity of PSA testing since many false positives can result in needless invasive testing. 

            However, having a family history of prostate cancer is the strongest indicator of your risk of developing the disease.  If you have a brother or father who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you should have a PSA test and digital rectal exam at age 40.

            An elevated PSA does not necessarily indicate a cancer diagnosis.  Depending on your result, your doctor may repeat the test every six months to distinguish a false positive from an upward trend.

            If you do not have a family history of the disease, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force actually advises against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer.  Only 25 percent to 35 percent of men with elevated PSA scores have prostate cancer, and many of them undergo unnecessary biopsies that can cause erectile dysfunction and incontinence.  Ultimately, men should discuss all the risk factors and screening options with your physician.  Men’s Health 09/12.

 

Cancer Prevention In Your 50s - Cancer is more likely to show up in men over 50 years old. That's why the majority of cancer screening exams begin at age 50. Finding and treating cancer as early as possible is one of the best ways to beat this disease. In the case of prostate cancer (the most common cancer in men), treating the disease at an early stage means men may be less likely to experience long-term side effects, like impotence. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 11/11.