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April 2003 Vol. 8 No. 4
In Memory of our mother Sylvia G. Occhipinti who God decided
it was time for this good and faithful servant to go home on April 12, 2003.
“To Be Absent From The Body Is To Be Present With The Lord”. “I Love You Mom”
You may not think the world needs you, but it does. For you are unique, like no one that has ever been before or will come after.
No one can speak your voice, say your piece, smile your smile or shine your light. No one can take your place for it is yours alone to fill. If you are not there to shine your light, who knows how many travelers will lose their way as they try to pass by your empty place in the darkness.
Inspired by an old poem. Mind & Body Retreat 2001 shared by our good friend Teri Gentes
Table of Contents:
Increasing Protein Can Improve Heart Failure
Fish Provides Heart-Healthy Benefits for Diabetic Women
Belief in God Lowers Drugs in Adolescents
Fish Oil in Pregnancy Can Prevent Diabetes
Doctors Launch Ad Campaign to Counter High-Protein Hype
Meat-Heavy Fad Diets Linked to Osteoporosis, Kidney Disease, and Colon Cancer
Recipes
Book Reviews by the Editor
Increasing Protein Can Improve Heart Failure
Damage from congestive heart failure may be compensated for by increasing levels of a protein that helps to regulate levels of nitric oxide in the blood, according to a study on mice. The protein, called endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), helps regulate nitric oxide (NO), a gas produced in the lungs that helps blood vessels dilate. Past studies have shown that people with congestive heart failure have a diminished amount of NO produced by eNOS.
Congestive heart failure, which affects nearly 5 million Americans, is a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump blood through the body efficiently. Patients often suffer from shortness of breath due to congestion in the lungs, swelling in the legs, fatigue and fluid retention. In the study, genetically altered mice were used as models for congestive heart failure. The eNOS production of the mice was altered to be 10- to 12-fold greater than normal.
The survival rate of mice with greater-than-normal eNOS production increased some 43 percent, according to researchers. Although this was an animal study, researchers suggest that increasing eNOS levels may be an effective way to treat heart failure.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences April 2003;doi/10.1073/pnas.0837428100
Modify Your Diet so You Feel Terrific http://www.mercola.com/2003/feb/26/metabolic_typing.htm
Fish Provides Heart-Healthy Benefits for Diabetic Women
Women with diabetes, who are at an especially high risk of cardiovascular disease, can benefit from a diet rich in fish, according to research. The study found that the more fish these women ate, the less likely they were to develop heart disease over a 16-year period.
According to the American Heart Association, adults, except pregnant women, should eat at least two servings of fish each week. For those at high risk of cardiovascular disease, supplementing fish in the diet with fish oil capsules may also be advisable.
In the study, women who ate fish at least five times per week showed the largest reduction in risk; they were 64 percent less likely to develop heart disease compared to women who rarely ate fish. Over 5,000 women with type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, participated in the study. The women filled out questionnaires regarding their eating habits and lifestyles every two years from 1980 to 1996.
Women who ate fish one to three times a month were 30 percent less likely to develop heart disease than women who ate fish less than once per month. Women who ate fish between two and four times per week had a 36 percent lower risk. Higher fish consumption was also associated with a significantly lower death rate. Other research also supports the recommendation of eating fish, especially fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon and sardines, as they contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 has been found to lower the risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm and blood clots, and reduce levels of fat in the blood known as triglycerides, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. Additionally, consumption of omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to a reduction in arterial hardness and blood pressure.
Other researchers say that while many studies suggest omega-3 improves heart health, more studies are needed. For example, the quality of omega-3 found in over-the-counter fish oil supplements needs to be examined. Although the study focused on women, study authors suspect that male diabetics would also benefit from fish consumption. Circulation March 31, 2003;107:1852
Related Articles
Increase Intake of Omega-3 Fats in Fish Oil to Protect Against Disease http://www.mercola.com/article/omega3.htm
Defeating Depression: as Easy as Omega-3 http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/30/depression.htm
Dietary Fats and the Cause of Heart Disease http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/6/dietary_fats.htm
Fish Oil Can Lower Your Bad Cholesterol http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/6/fish_oil.htm
Belief in God Lowers Drugs in Adolescents
Adolescents who consider religion to be an important part of their lives may be less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink heavily and use marijuana, according to a study. Researchers surveyed 1,182 adolescents on four different occasions from 7th grade through 10th grade. The adolescents’ drinking, cigarette smoking, marijuana use and perception of religion were tracked.
To determine importance of religion, participants rated basic questions such as “To be able to turn to prayer when you’re facing a personal problem” on a scale from “Not at all important” to “Very important.”
It was found that adolescents who saw religion as a meaningful part of their life and a way to cope with problems were half as likely to use drugs than adolescents who didn’t value religion. This was particularly true when facing stress, such as having an unemployed parent or suffering from an illness.
Researchers suggest that religion has a “buffering effect” that serves to protect adolescents from the impact of stressful events. The effect was seen across all participating ethnic groups (African-Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians). Religiosity may offer coping techniques and provide meaning and purpose in life. It may also create more healthy social networks, which makes it less likely that adolescents will turn to drugs, according to researchers.
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 24-31 March 2003
Science Blog April, 2003
Fish Oil in Pregnancy Can Prevent Diabetes
Babies born prematurely are typically given a nutrient-enriched form of infant formula to help them grow. However, a study found that these infants are more likely to have a pre-diabetic condition in adolescence. On the contrary, researchers have also found that pre-term infants who are given extra nutrition during the rapid growth period of the first few weeks of life, helps to develop the brain and bone.
Researchers say that the risks of developing diabetes or problems in the brain and bone are likely different in individual infants. Since the evidence is conflicting, they say it’s probably wise to continue feeding premature babies a nutrient-rich diet.
Additionally, researchers stressed that while the study points to risks of feeding premature infants too much, infants should not be underfed. The study followed 216 people born prematurely and 61 people born full-term from birth until their teenage years. Half of the teens born prematurely had been fed a standard diet consisting of un-supplemented breast milk and standard, non-enriched infant formula while the others were fed a nutrient-enhanced formula designed for premature infants.
Teens born prematurely who received the nutrient-enriched diet tended to have higher levels of pro-insulin than teens born prematurely who received a standard diet. High levels of pro-insulin may indicate that a person has insulin resistance, a condition that often leads to type 2 diabetes, which is associated with obesity. Further, teens, whether born prematurely or not, who gained weight more quickly than others during the first two weeks of life also tended to have high pro-insulin levels.
The reason why rapid growth during the early life of premature infants may potentially increase the risk of diabetes remains unclear, however researchers noted that factors employed during early life can have long-term effects. The Lancet 2003;361:1089-1097
Meat-Heavy Fad Diets Linked to Osteoporosis, Kidney Disease, and Colon Cancer
Washington, D.C.—To counter the current flood of misinformation surrounding high-protein fad weight-loss diets, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is launching a TV ad in Houston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., this week. The ad, entitled “Safe Diets,” warns that meat-heavy diets put people at risk for osteoporosis, kidney disease, and maybe even colon cancer. In addition, a print ad will appear in USA Today during the week of 24 February.
“For weight loss, studies show that high-protein diets do not work any better than other diets, but they do lead to a quick loss of calcium and, very likely, an increased risk for colon cancer,” says Neal D. Barnard, M.D., president and founder of PCRM. “PCRM is countering the flood of misinformation about fad diets.”
A study recently published in American Journal of Kidney Diseases shows that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets, such as the Atkins Diet, cause a rapid and pronounced loss of calcium in the urine, while studies of vegetarian diets have shown safe, effective weight loss. Groundbreaking studies published in Lancet (1990) and Journal of the American Medical Association (1998) show that a low-fat vegetarian diet can reverse heart disease. Each year, there is additional scientific evidence that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is best in terms of long-term health. Visit PCRM’s new Web site at www.safediets.org for further information.
Recipes
Instant Falafel (Makes 12 falafels)
A falafel is like a Middle Eastern taco in which pita bread (or pocket bread) takes the place of a tortilla. The pita bread is filled with spicy garbanzo patties, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Packaged mixes for falafel patties are sold in natural foods stores and many supermarkets.
* 1 package falafel mix
* 6 pieces pita bread
* 4 cups shredded lettuce
* 1 cup sliced cucumber
* 1 medium tomato, diced
* 2 green onions, sliced
Prepare falafel patties according to package directions.
Warm pocket bread until it is soft. This may be done by placing individual pieces in a vegetable steamer over boiling water, or by wrapping it in foil and heating it in the oven.
Cut warm pita bread in half and carefully open the pocket. Fill it with two falafel patties. Garnish with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, green onions, and mustard. Repeat with remaining pita bread.
Per falafel: 146 calories; 7 g protein; 27 g carbohydrate; 2 g fat; 5 g fiber; 319 mg sodium; calories from protein: 19%; calories from carbohydrates: 70%; calories from fats: 11% Recipe from Healthy Eating for Life for Women by Kris Kieswer
Book Reviews by the Editor:
Brain-Building Nutrition 2 Ed: The Healing Power of Fats and Oils, By Michael Schmidt ISBN 1583940480.
An outstanding review and discovery of the importance of essential fatty acids in the development and health of the brain and central nervous system, and the harm that trans fatty acids causes in the brain. Well referenced, easy read and a must for all nutritionally conscious individuals.
The Metabolic Typing Diet, William Wolcott, ISBN-0-7679-0564-4
Interesting concept of metabolic typing for using and choosing foods to enhance health. I am not endorsing this book-just found it interesting reading with some helpful information and a lot more questions than answers afterward.