REPORTING POINT 11/09

HEALTH NEWS

“Live healthy…Live well”

by Larry Kline

KEEPING THE POUNDS OFF – if you have been successful at losing weight and want to keep the results permanently, exercise for about an hour most days of the week.  This advice was recently confirmed by a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which involved sedentary overweight or obese test subjects who went on a calorie-restricted diet and followed various exercise regimens.  Those who burned about 1,800 calories a week in physical activity were most likely to maintain a 10 percent weight loss over two years.  How much exercise is that?  It takes, on average, 275 minutes a week to burn that many calories, the researchers estimated, or just under an hour of exercise five days a week.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 11/08.

CAN YOU SHRINK YOUR STOMACH? – The only permanent way to reduce your stomach size is through bariatric surgery, which is generally reserved for the morbidly obese.  But you can trick your stomach into feeling full.  The stomach gets used to the same weight of food every day to feel satisfied, so the key is to maintain the volume but reduce the number of calories involved.  To do this, eat lots of low-calorie foods, like soups, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – they will take up the bulk of the space in the stomach.  Health 6/09.

DIOXIN DANGERS –Recently, we have received emails from some readers containing information from the internet warning of the dangers of plastic use in microwaves.

Dioxins are chemical compounds which have been shown to cause cancer in animals and also may produce medical complications in humans exposed to high doses.  Soldiers in Vietnam exposed to Agent Orange, which contains high amounts of dioxins, as well as workers in chemical plants producing herbicides during the 1970’s and 1980’s, had increased incidence of thyroid dysfunction, lipid disorders, neurotoxcity, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

In view of the risks involved with exposure to dioxins, questions have arisen regarding the safety of using plastics in microwaves as some plastics contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorine which, when exposed to very high heat, can form dioxins.

Research conducted by McGill University in 2003 and a study sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2003 “Exposure and Human Health Reassessment of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and Related Compounds,” found that most of the plastics used in microwavable containers do not have any dioxins, PVC or chlorine. (Saran Wrap and Ziploc bags, for example, do not contain any dioxins, PVC, or chlorine.) Plastics that do contain PVC or chlorine have to be heated to a minimum of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit before dioxins can be formed   Even though this temperature may occur with incineration; no microwave is capable of reaching any temperature even close to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Other concerns for dioxin exposure have been brought up primarily in regards to the use of dioxin containing herbicides on plants and then either breathing the air which contains the spray, or eating plants that contain the herbicide, or by consuming  animal products from animals who have eaten plants exposed to these herbicides.  Of note, a human would have to be repeatedly exposed to these sources before any side effects of dioxin exposure could occur.    Also, an environmental study regarding dioxin exposure found an 89% reduction between 1987 and 2000 in dioxin use in products.    This use of dioxins in herbicides or other similar products continues to decline and current risk for exposure to the general public is rare.

Summary

Dioxin can be harmful to humans and animals; however, the risk of exposure is very rare in the environment.   Plastic bags can also be safely used in microwave without risk of releasing dioxins.  Christine Kline, R.D.

MORNING SICKNESS? – a large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that pregnant women who suffer morning sickness are not risking harm to their babies if they take the anti-nausea drug metoclopramide.  No drugs are currently approved in the U.S. for morning sickness in the early months of pregnancy.  USA Today 6/11/09.

TURN OFTEN WHEN MICROWAVING – to prevent food poisoning when microwaving, follow the oven manufacturers’ cooking directions carefully.  Unlike conventional cooking, microwaving can leave cold spots where harmful bacteria can survive.  That is why directions call for rotating or stirring food and certain intervals.  Cook at the recommended power and for the full time, and check the temperature of cooked meat at different spots.  Even if the food looks cooked, it may still harbor bacteria.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 10/07.

AVOID THE TANNING BED – cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, jumped by 50 percent among young women last year.  People ages 35 and younger who use tanning beds regularly have a melanoma risk eight times higher than that of people who have never used one.  Health 6/09.

A PROVEN LIFESAVER – screening for colorectal cancer, via colonoscopy is an easy way to minimize the risk of succumbing to this disease.  Yet research from the CDC shows that only about half of Americans over 50 have ever had a test.  One problem is lack of health insurance: compared to those who are insured and have a regular source of health care, only about half as many people without insurance are screened.  Those with less education and less income also tend not to get tested.  Medicare covers screening for those over 65.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 11/08.

CANCER FIGHTERS IN THE KITCHEN – try these tips that, according to the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, can help reduce cancer risk:

1. CALCIUM: a study from the National Institutes of Health found that people who got 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day lowered their risk for colon cancer by 28 percent.  Dairy products (including yogurt and cheese) and calcium-fortified orange juice are good sources.

2. MODERATE ALCOHOL USE: for women, just one drink a day (wine, beer, or liquor) increases the risk of getting breast cancer by 12 percent, and the risk rises with every additional drink.

3. CUT FAT: researchers at Purdue University say a high-fat diet might make cancer spread.  An easy way to lower fat intake is to use cooking sprays instead of oils when preparing food.  Health 7/09.

6-PACK SECRET – eat six or seven small, low-calorie meals a day, basing them around a lean protein source like chicken or fish, fiber-rich carbs such as a salad or a side of vegetables, and healthy fats in the form of nuts, olive oil, or seeds.  The body burns about 10 percent of the calories it consumes just digesting food.  Therefore, the more often you eat, the more your metabolism races.  Men’s Fitness 7/09.

HOT FLASHES? – women with hot flashes may be at higher risk of osteoporosis.  A study in the journal Menopause found that women of all ages who suffer from frequent bouts of hot flashes and night sweats have lower bone density, increasing their risk for osteoporosis.

Talk to your doctor about a bone-density test and ways to boost bone strength, like consuming proper amounts of vitamin D and calcium (and engaging in weight-bearing exercises-LK.)  Health 7/09.

JUST ONE SPLURGE CAN HURT – the holiday season can bring many dietary temptations.  Everyone knows that a diet high in calories and saturated fat is unhealthy over the long haul, but can one meal be that bad?

Saturated fat (found chiefly in meats and dairy products) contributes to high blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.  Mono- and polyunsaturated fats (found primarily in vegetable oils, fish, and nuts) seem to counteract some effects of saturated fat.  It has been assumed that these bad and good effects happen only over the long haul.

Recent research shows that the short haul can be risky, too.  Studies in Australia and Sweden had healthy young volunteers eat a meal consisting of carrot cake and a milkshake, both made to be especially high in saturated fat.  Three hours later, the ability of their blood vessels to dilate was found to be impaired, and after six hours the protective qualities of their HDL (good) cholesterol were reduced.  A month later they ate the same foods, but prepared with unsaturated fats.  This time there were no adverse effects.  This is not the first study to find that one big meal high in saturated fat can have an immediate harmful effect on blood vessels.

People with diabetes or heart disease, or those at high risk for heart disease, should not splurge at holiday meals.  At festive meals, concentrate on the fruits and vegetables and keep portions small.  University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 12/06.