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August 2004 Vol. 9 No. 8

“It often takes more courage to change one’s opinion
than to stick to it”
Gorg Christoph Lichtenberg

  

Table of Contents:

AFPA has become an affiliate of the National Board of Fitness Examiners
New Study Explodes Myth About Vegetarian Diet
Magnesium-Rich Foods Lower Diabetes Risk
Iron Can Have Devastating Effects on Your Health
The Toxicity of Acetaminophen
The Connection Between Diet and Endometriosis
Cough Medicines Found Not Effective
Fast Food Fuels Childhood Obesity
Subject: FW: The American Flag

AFPA has become an affiliate of the National Board of Fitness Examiners  

Read more about the NBFE at:
http://www.afpafitness.com/NBFEtimeline.htm

New Study Explodes Myth About Vegetarian Diet Transition to Heart-Healthy, Plant-Based Diet Easily Achieved  

WASHINGTON-In a new study appearing in the summer 2004 issue of the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Neal D. Barnard, M.D., and his colleagues show that patients easily transition from a standard omnivorous diet to a low-fat, vegetarian diet that helps people lose weight, lower blood pressure, and otherwise improve their health. Many doctors are aware that a low-fat vegetarian diet can reverse heart disease and provide other benefits; however, they mistakenly think that patients will not make the transition. Now, there are at least four studies published in scientific journals showing that patients can and do adapt to a “strict” diet that dramatically improves their health. The new paper is titled, “Acceptability of a low-fat, vegan diet compares favorably to a Step II diet in a randomized, controlled trial”.

“For people battling overweight and heart disease, a vegetarian diet can be a life-saving prescription,” says Neal D. Barnard, M. D., lead author of the article and president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “This new study shows that patients transition smoothly to a plant-based diet that allows them to eat to satiety and yet still lose weight. Patients are willing to make major changes in their eating patterns because they get major results such as lower cholesterol and reduced hypertension.”

The study group was composed of well-educated, postmenopausal, overweight women. They were divided into two groups: one was assigned to the low-fat vegetarian diet, and the other group followed a control diet. In addition to losing significantly more weight, 89 percent of the women assigned to the low-fat vegetarian diet said they were feeling mostly or completely used to the diet at 14 weeks and 86 percent said they could continue with the vegetarian diet at least most of the time in the future.

A study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that a vegetarian diet emphasizing almonds, soy, and other healthful foods was essentially as effective at lowering cholesterol as a statin drug (Jenkins et al 2003; 290:502-510).
For a copy of the new paper, or an interview with one of the authors, please contact Jeanne S. McVey at 202-686-2210, ext. 316, or jeannem@pcrm.org

agnesium-Rich Foods Lower Diabetes Risk  

Men and women who consumed the most magnesium were least likely to develop diabetes, according to researchers at Harvard Medical School. They evaluated the diets of about 85,000 female nurses and about 42,000 male health care professionals over a period of 18 and 12 years, respectively. The benefits of magnesium-found in beans, green vegetables, whole grains, and nuts-were still apparent after adjusting for age, family history, exercise, alcohol consumption, and other factors that may influence the disease.
Lopez-Ridaura R, Willett WC, Rimm EB, et al. Magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women. Diabetes Care 2004; 27:134-40.

Iron Can Have Devastating Effects on Your Health  

The human body has the ability to naturally store iron, however, too much iron in the body may be linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases.  In a recent study of elderly Americans, 13 percent of participants had high serum ferritin (SF), or iron stores, which were defined as SF levels of over 300 µg/L in men and over 200 µg/L in women. Dietary factors, including consuming iron-containing supplements, were significant risk factors.  

Fruit or fruit juice and red meat were also associated with a risk of high iron stores. Participants who consumed three or more servings of fruit/fruit juice a day had a much higher risk of high iron stores than those who consumed two servings a day.
Moreover, those who consumed more than four servings of red meat a weak had three times the risk of high iron stores than participants who ate four servings a week. Eating light meat, such as poultry, and seafood did not affect the risk.

An increased risk of high iron stores was also found among participants who chronically took high amounts of iron supplements (30 mg a day) intended for short-term clinical treatment. However, an increased risk was also found among those who consumed between 12 and 30 mg of iron a day, an amount commonly found in multivitamins. Researchers note that these findings suggest the use of supplemental iron, when not prescribed; by Americans who consume a Western-type diet (typically high in red meat) is unnecessary.
Conversely, the consumption of whole grains was found to decrease the risk of high iron stores. Those who consumed more than seven servings of whole grains per week had a 77 percent lower risk of high iron stores than those who did not eat whole grains. The association may be due to the inhibitory effect of fiber on the absorption of non-heme iron, researchers say.
American Journal Clinical Nutrition December 2002 76:1375-1384

The Toxicity of Acetaminophen   

Liver failure brought on by acetaminophen overdose has been responsible for over 450 deaths in the United States and with each passing year that number is expected to rise.  Doctors are debating over whether or not acetaminophen is related to liver failure.  Some doctors believe the FDA needs to get more involved and enforce stricter regulation policies for acetaminophen, as a way to cut down on the number of deaths caused by overdose. In addition, doctors explained that in the cases of unintentional overdoses, people aren’t usually aware of the dangerous effects of acetaminophen until after they seek care for toxicity reactions and then are already in poor shape.

Unintentional overdoses make up nearly half of the cases that develop liver failure, with 30 percent of these cases resulting in death. On the contrary, other doctors suggested that therapeutic doses of the drug do not put patients’ health in jeopardy and stated the majority of the acetaminophen-related injuries and deaths might be the result of intentional overdose.

Doctors in favor of acetaminophen also stated that the cases of unintentional overdoses could in all actuality have been suicide attempts.  In 2002, the FDA considered changing the packaging of acetaminophen to include a warning regarding consumption of excess quantities and the risk of liver damage however never followed through with the commendation.
Science Blog July 21, 2004

The Connection Between Diet and Endometriosis  

A recent study of Italian women uncovered a link between a woman’s diet and her odds of eventually suffering from endometriosis, a painful disease that affects the ability to conceive. Researchers found women who ate more fresh fruit and green vegetables had a lower risk of endometriosis. Conversely, women who eat red meat increased their odds.

The study compared the diets, medical history, lifestyle and reproductive history of 500 Italian women who suffer from endometriosis with an equal number who had no history of the disease. Physicians were particularly interested in the diet history of the women polled, asking about portion sizes and the frequency of selected dietary items, including sources of carotenoids in the Italian diet, and alcohol and coffee consumption.

After dividing their intake into portions, researchers found the risk of endometriosis dropped by 40 percent when women ate more green vegetables and fresh fruit.  Those who ate high amounts of red meat, beef and ham increased their risk between 80-100 percent.  However, scientists found no significant link between the consumption of milk, liver, carrots, cheese, fish, whole grains, coffee or alcohol and no association with butter, margarine or oil and endometriosis.

Because endometriosis affects 5 percent of Italian women, scientists believe they could cut the incidence of the disease by 1 to 2 percent and that could mean up to 200,000 fewer cases in Italy alone. Taking Europe into consideration, researchers estimate, that number could jump to 800,000 cases.

Researchers believe the links between the consumption of meat, vegetables and meat wasn’t a fluke because they analyzed several items. Nevertheless, they theorized the higher intake of green vegetables; fruit and fish could be general indicators of healthier lifestyles, meaning women who monitored their health more closely and likely to have their endometriosis diagnosed.
Science Blog July 14, 2004

Cough Medicines Found Not Effective  

Two active ingredients in many over-the-counter cough syrups work no better than a placebo syrup, a study has found. The ingredients, dex-tromethorphan–often abbreviated as DM–and di-phenhydramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine, did not alleviate nighttime cough or improve sleep quality in children with upper respiratory tract infections any better than a non-medicated syrup.

The study, conducted from June 2002 to May 2003, involved 100 children with symptomatic upper respiratory infections aged 2 to 18. Each child received a medication that contained either DM (33 patients), diphenhydramine (33 patients) or placebo syrup (34 patients). Doctors and parents were unaware of which medication each child received. Parents were told to give their child the medication 30 minutes before bedtime.

After the study, all three groups, even the non-medicated syrup group, showed dramatic improvement in cough frequency, impact on sleep for child and parent, and severity of the cough.  Further, there was no significant improvement for the children who took the syrups with active ingredients, but the placebo group reported a 2.24-point improvement for cough frequency (the active ingredients group reported only a 1.97-point improvement).

The study also looked at whether parents’ sleep was affected. Parents’ sleep did not improve when their child received an active ingredient–and neither did the child’s. Researchers pointed out that overall there was no significant difference between treatments. In terms of improvement:

  •  The diphenhydramine group improved an average of 11.79 points
  •  The dextromethorphan group improved 10.06 points
  •  The placebo group improved 10.85 points

Researchers concluded that since there was a significant improvement in symptoms among all three groups, the natural tendency for upper respiratory infections is to resolve over time. They question whether over-the-counter medications truly have a place in the treatment of these types of illnesses in children.
Pediatrics July 2004; 114(1): e85-90

Fast Food Fuels Childhood Obesity  

A new study from the Children’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School supports the idea that fast food contributes to obesity in children. In a sample of 6,212 children and teens, nearly one-third ate fast food on any given day, and this one-third consumed more sugar, calories, and saturated fats and less fruits and vegetables than their peers.

In 1970, fast food accounted for 2 percent of total calories for this group compared to 10 percent by the mid-1990s, an increase accompanied by rising obesity rates in youngsters.

Bowman SA, Gortmaker SL, Ebbeling CB, Pereira MA, Ludwig DS. Effects of fast-food consumption on energy intake and diet quality among children in a national household survey. Pediatrics 2004; 113:112-8.

Subject: FW: The American Flag  

I thought this was very interesting, so am passing it on to you.
Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?

Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!

  • The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
  • The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
  • The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
  • The 4th fold represents our weaker nature; for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.
  • The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.
  • The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
  • The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
  • The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
  • The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
  • The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
  • The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
  • The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
  • The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nations motto, “In God We Trust.”

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.
There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you’ll see flags folded and now you will know why.
Share this with the children you love and all others who love the symbol of “Liberty and Freedom”

Selected segments are reproduced from Dr. Mercola’s excellent website: http://www.mercola.com/index.htm