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/