“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/
