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March Vol. 8 No. 3
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
Author Unknown
“Some people make things happen.
Some people watch things happen.
Some people wonder what happened.
Author Unknown
Table of Contents:
The Three “P”
Overweight and Obesity Among Adults
More Evidence That Fish Oil Helps Heart Disease
Berries: A Great Source of Plant Antioxidants
Vitamin E Contains Eight Important Compounds
Vitamin D Treats Congestive Heart Failure
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition
Great Websites to Protect Consumer Rights
Symptoms of Low Thyroid
Severe Wheat Intolerance Fifty Times More Common Than Previously Thought
Book Reviews
The three “P”
At our Hilton Head Conference this past weekend [thank you for the wonderful turnout], one of our nutrition presenters [ Teri Gentes] discussed one of the ways to be healthier is to avoid the three “P” when preparing and purchasing foods. It is worth mentioning:
“Prepackaged [unless frozen with no additives], Processed, and Preservatives”
Overweight and Obesity Among Adults
Recent results of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999 indicate that an estimated 61 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more.
Among U.S. adults aged 20-74 years, the prevalence of overweight (defined as BMI 25.0—29.9) has increased an estimated 2 percent since 1980, increasing from 33 percent to the 35 percent of the population in 1999 (based on NHANES II and NHANES 1999 data). In the same population, obesity (defined as BMI greater than or equal to 30.0) has nearly doubled from approximately 15 percent in 1980 to an estimated 27 percent in 1999. For full research article check this website: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm
More Evidence That Fish Oil Helps Heart Disease
Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids–found in oily fish and fish oils–protects against cardiovascular disease in people in developed countries. Researchers found that omega-3 oils stop the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries, which is why oily fish and fish oils protect against heart disease and stroke.
Fatty acid deposits can block key routes to the heart or brain triggering an attack or stroke, but evidence continues to grow that consuming oily fish or taking fish oil supplements decreases the risk of such blockage. One study involved 162 patients who were waiting to have surgery to remove fatty build-up or plaques in their arteries. The patients were divided into three groups and took either omega-3 fish oil capsules, sunflower oil capsules or a placebo capsule six times a day for an average of 42 days.
After the patients’ surgeries, doctors examined their plaques and found that there were far fewer inflammatory cells in the plaques of patients who had taken the omega-3 fish oil capsules, leaving them less likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Researchers said that increasing consumption of omega-3s will have protective effects, even among those who are not ill, and can reduce the risk of heart-related death.
Although the patients in the study took large amounts of omega-3 (about 1.6 grams per day), prolonged consumption of smaller doses of omega-3 might have a similar effect. The average amount of omega-3 in most Western diets is less than 0.3 grams per day, but other studies have found omega-3 fats are beneficial at even a modest level of dietary supplementation.
Increased consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, such as linoleic acid found in vegetable oils like sunflower oil, did not have much effect, possibly because patients often already consume substantial amounts of linoleic acid in their diets. Past studies have suggested that linoleic acid could actually promote adverse events, such as inflammation. Past research has already pointed out the numerous health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, however further research is needed to determine how much omega-3 should be taken. The Lancet February 8, 2003; 361(9356);477-485
Summary
1) Most Americans, young and old, are highly deficient in omega-3, and one of the best things you can do for yourself and your children is routinely consume fish oil in warm months and cod liver oil in cool months, as they are high in the best kind of omega-3.
2) You should cut out or reduce the oils and foods high in omega-6 fats, as Americans get far too many of them. This includes corn, sunflower, soy, canola and safflower oil, margarine, vegetable oil and shortening.
Berries: A Great Source of Plant Antioxidants
Berries may fight cancer and heart disease by increasing levels of flavonoids in the blood.
Flavonoids are found in certain fruits and vegetables and are thought to fight the cell damaging effects of oxidation. Eating berries such as lingonberries, which are related to cranberries, blueberries, bilberries and black currants led to higher levels of a flavonoid called quercetin in the blood. Quercetin is a potent dietary antioxidant that may protect against cardiovascular disease and possibly cancer.
In the study, 40 60-year-old men were split into two groups. One group of 20 ate 100 grams a day of blackcurrants, lingonberries and bilberries for eight weeks, while the others ate as normal. The blood quercetin levels of the men eating berries increased from 32 percent to 51 percent compared to men eating their normal diet. Further, after eight weeks, men eating berries took in about 12 milligrams of quercetin per day compared with about 5.8 mg per day for the control group.
Not only do berries contain many flavonoids, but also fiber, vitamin C and other phenolic compounds. Not all berries contain equal amounts of nutrients, however. The best sources of quercetin are cranberries, lingonberries, bilberries and black currants, researchers said. Ideally, berries should be eaten raw as heating and freezing destroy many antioxidants. However, some antioxidants will remain even after heating or freezing.
Juices contain less of the beneficial compounds because processing does not completely release them from the berry skin, researchers said. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 2003;57:37-42
Vitamin E Contains Eight Important Compounds
Some vitamins consist of a single compound. Other vitamins consist of more than one compound but the body converts the others to a single form. For example our body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A. Not so for vitamin E! Eight different compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols make up the vitamin E family. Our food contains all eight compounds. Most vitamin E supplements contain only alpha-tocopherol!
First the tocopherols - their first names are the four letters of the Greek alphabet:
* alpha-tocopherol
* beta-tocopherol
* gamma-tocopherol
* delta-tocopherol.
Tocotrienols also have the same Greek first names:
* alpha-tocotrienol
* beta-tocotrienol
* gamma-tocotrienol
* delta-tocotrienol.
Are the differences of the eight members of the vitamin E family a big deal? Real big deal. The eight members of the vitamin E family have some functions that are similar and other functions that are completely different. Also where they go in our body is different especially for alpha-tocopherol versus the others. This is because our body has a mechanism to tell alpha-tocopherol from the others. The team works better than the alpha-tocopherol alone!
HOW ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL SEIZED THE FAMILY NAME
Mention vitamin E and many people in the food and nutrition business will think alpha-tocopherol. Even most scientists will make the same connection. It is only recently that scientists have been reminded that there is more to vitamin E, seven more members that have long been ignored. Why the delayed attention? Strong research evidence indicates that the long ignored members are not the black sheep of the vitamin E family. They have important functions, some of which are different from those of alpha-tocopherol.
Why did alpha-tocopherol become synonymous with vitamin E? For two main reasons.
* It is the most abundant of the eight in our body (and also in animals.)
* It is by far the most effective of the eight for what we thought was its main function — to support reproduction. It was measured with the classical vitamin E assay.
Dr. Papas - Senior Scientific Advisor of the Cancer Prevention Group, Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens School of Medicine - is a nutritional biochemist, professor and best selling author. Antioxidant Status, Diet, Nutrition, and Health by: Andreas M. Papas, Ph.D. 656 pages ISBN: 084938009X CRC Press
The Vitamin E Factor by: Andreas M. Papas, Ph.D. 416 pages ISBN 0060984430 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
Vitamin D Treats Congestive Heart Failure
A lack of vitamin D may contribute to congestive heart failure, as researchers found that patients with chronic heart failure have lower levels of the vitamin in the blood. Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart fails to pump blood around the body efficiently and organs are not able to get enough nutrients and oxygen.
Previous animal research has indicated a link between vitamin D and heart failure, which spurred researchers to conduct the study on humans. Fifty-four patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) were compared with 34 healthy people, and it was found that CHF patients had vitamin D levels that were up to 50 percent lower than healthy patients. The more severe the vitamin D deficiency, the worse the heart failure symptoms were.
According to researchers, vitamin D may play a role in regulating calcium concentration in cells of the heart muscle. If calcium concentration is not controlled, muscle cells cannot expand and contract properly, which means that blood will not be pumped efficiently around the body.
Humans make vitamin D, but the majority is synthesized from sun exposure. Lack of sun exposure, which is an increasing problem as people spend long hours in offices or in front of television sets, can result in vitamin D deficiency. Future studies will determine whether CHF patients benefit from increasing levels of vitamin D. Journal of the American College of Cardiology January 2003;1;41(1):105-12
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition www.pcrm.org
PCRM is pleased to provide fact sheets on several preventive medicine and nutrition topics:
Arthritis
* Arthritis and Foods
Calcium
* Calcium and Strong Bones: Protecting Your Bones
Cancer
* Breast Cancer
* Colon Cancer
* Hormone Replacement Therapy and Cancer
* Prostate Cancer
* Foods for Cancer Prevention
* Foods for Cancer Survival
* La Comoida Vegetariana Poderosa Para la Salud
* For more information, please visit www.CancerProject.org
Cholesterol
* Cholesterol and Heart Disease
* Controlling Cholesterol
Diabetes
* Diabetes and Diet
Neurological Diseases
* Alzheimer’s Disease
* Multiple Sclerosis: Treating MS with Diet
* Parkinson’s Disease
Healthy Living
* How to Eat Right to Reduce Stress
* Permanent Weight Control
* Quitting Smoking
Heart Disease
* Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke: Research on the Major Killers of Americans
High Blood Pressure
* High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Foodborne Diseases
* Foodborne Illness
* Mad Cow Disease: The Risk to the United States
Hypoglycemia
* Hypoglycemia and Diet
Men’s Health
* Prostate Cancer and Diet
* Prostate Problems: A New Approach
Migraines
* Migraines: A Natural Approach
Osteoporosis
* Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis
Excerpted from PCRM’s Nutrition Education Curriculum
* Calcium and Strong Bones: Protecting Your Bones
Renal Disease
* Nutrition and Renal Disease
Excerpted from PCRM’s Nutrition Education Curriculum
Women’s Health
* Endometriosis
* Hormone Replacement: The Risk of HRT
* Update on HRT
* Menstrual Pain: Using Foods Against Menstrual Pain
* A Natural Approach to Menopause
* Pregnancy and Smoking
Great Websites to Protect Consumer Rights
California Citizens for Health Freedom www.citizenshealth.org
Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine http://www.faim.org
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine www.pcrm.org
Excellent website recently reformattted.
Center for Science in the Public Interest http://www.cspinet.org
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a nonprofit education and advocacy organization that focuses on improving the safety and nutritional quality of our food supply and on reducing the carnage caused by alcoholic beverages. CSPI seeks to promote health through educating the public about nutrition and alcohol; it represents citizens’ interests before legislative, regulatory, and judicial bodies; and it works to ensure advances in science are used for the public good. Outstanding website with a wide variety of articles, links and helpful information.
Symptoms of Low Thyroid
Fatigue (most common)
Skin can become dry, cold, rough and scaly
Hair becomes coarse, brittle and grows slowly or may fall out excessively
Sensitivity to cold with feelings of being chilly in rooms of normal temperature
Difficult for a person to sweat and their perspiration may be decreased or even absent even during heavy exercise and hot weather Constipation that is resistant to magnesium supplementation and other mild laxatives is also common
Difficulty in losing weight despite rigid adherence to a low-grain diet, especially in women
Depression and muscle weakness http://www.mercola.com/2003/mar/1/hypothyroidism.htm
Severe Wheat Intolerance Fifty Times More Common Than Previously Thought
Celiac disease, which has been associated with conditions ranging from diabetes, anemia, short stature, infertility, Down syndrome and diarrhea, is more common in the United States than previously thought.
According to a screening of more than 13,000 people in 32 states, more than 1.5 million Americans suffer from celiac disease. Despite this, few people in the United States had heard of the disease. People with celiac disease, a digestive disorder, should not eat foods that contain gluten, such as wheat, barley and other grains. Those foods can trigger an autoimmune reaction in the intestines and prevent the proper absorption of nutrients.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. To get the disease, you must have a genetic predisposition and an environmental factor must trigger the disease. While the environmental triggers of other autoimmune diseases are not known, celiac disease is triggered by gluten.
Symptoms vary widely and can range from anemia and osteoporosis to diarrhea and constipation, though some people do not have any symptoms at all. Many experts believed that the condition was relatively rare in the United States, and preliminary studies found celiac disease in about one out of every 150 people.
However, research from the largest multi-center, epidemiological study on the prevalence of celiac disease in the United States found that among “at-risk” participants, celiac disease was present in one out of 22 people who had first-degree relatives with the disorder.
Among adults with associated symptoms, the disease was present in one out of every 68 people, while one out of every 25 children with symptoms was affected. Among study participants who were considered “not at-risk,” celiac disease was found in one out of every 133 people. Though there is no cure for celiac disease, people with the disease can lead healthy lives by following a gluten-free diet, restricted of all products derived from wheat, rye, barley, oats, and a few other grains. Researchers hope that the study will raise awareness about the disease and increase the likelihood that physicians will test patients for it. Archives of Internal Medicine February 10, 2003;163:286-292
Contacts
* University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research: (800) 492-5538
* Web site: www.celiaccenter.org
* For help on starting a gluten-free diet visit www.inside-story.com
* UK Web site for sufferers of celiac disease: www.coeliac.co.uk
* A good U.S. Web site: www.celiac.com
* University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program (UCCDP): (773) 702-7593
Book Reviews
[Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy] Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter C. Willett, M.D., with P.J. Skerrett; contributions by Edward L. Giovannucci, M.D., D.Sc.; and recipes by Maureen Callahan
Drawing on the latest nutrition research, Dr. Willett and his colleagues have written Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy as an alternative-and antidote-to the flawed USDA Pyramid
Total Health and Restoration: A 80 Day Journey, by Terry Dorian, Ph.D. Revitalize Your Body, Mind & Spirit. Rebuild Strength & Restore Mobility. Embrance the Power of Faiith for Healing. Siloam Press ISBN 0-88419-883-9