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.