April 2012 Natural Health Newsletter « FeelGood Natural Health Food Stores

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IN THIS ISSUE:

iPad Health and Fitness Apps
You can lounge with your iPad but you can also use it to get into shape and eat a healthy diet.
Men May Benefit from Cocktails After a Heart Attack
Moderate, not heavy, drinking may help men reduce their risk of dying from heart disease.
Unroasted Coffee Beans Could Help with Weight Loss
Unroasted green coffee beans may be able to help obese people with their weight loss efforts.
Balanced Fish Intake to Limit Mercury Concerns
Fish is a healthy source of protein and studies have shown fish can provide a variety of health benefits, but consumption must be balanced to reduce mercury intake .
Snacking at Night: Good or Bad?
While fatty chips and ice cream may be a pre-bed no no for everyone, some people may benefit from a healthy night snack.
Foods, Supplements, and Drugs that Don’t Mix
If you are on a prescription or over the counter medication, you should be aware of potential food or supplement interactions with the drug.
Plastics Linked to Obesity
Chemicals in plastics may be contributing to the rise in obesity and diabetes.
Diet Can Determine Cancer Risk
Maintaining a healthy weight and eating phytonutrient-rich foods can help lower the risk of developing cancer.

iPad Health and Fitness Apps

Posted April 3, 2012

With its high-resolution display and access to thousands of games, movies and TV shows, the third-generation iPad offers plenty of excuses to laze on the couch.

For the more health-conscious among the 3 million users who picked up a new iPad last weekend, however, there are many free and paid apps that can incorporate Apple’s latest tablet into a fitness routine or diet regimen.

Currently, there are more than 3,700 iPad entries in the App Store’s Health & Fitness section. Want to know what to eat or desire a custom workout routine for achieving beach-worthy abs? Yeah, there’s an app for that.

[Note: Although iPhone/iPod Touch apps will work on the iPad -- albeit in an expanded form -- this list is limited to native iPad apps that take advantage of the device's increased screen real estate.]

GENERAL FITNESS

All-In Fitness HD

–Developer: Arawella Corp.

–Price: $1.99.

–Who needs it: Those with access to a gym or a home exercise machine who want to lose weight and tone or build muscle.

–Why it’s worth it: A custom workout generator provides programs tailored to users’ needs. Each exercise includes narrated videos to demonstrate proper technique and an illustration of which muscle groups are being worked. The database includes hundreds of activities, from yoga positions to free-weight exercises.

–Alternate apps: “Navy SEAL Fitness” ($1.99).

CALORIE TRACKER

“Calorie Counter–”

–Developer: About Inc.

–Price: Free.

–Who needs it: Those interested in an app for keeping track of eating habits and analyzing nutritional intake.

–Why it’s worth it: “Calorie Count” is free, simple to use and has a searchable database with entries for popular restaurant chains and brands. The app also includes exercise and weight logs and an analyzer for breaking down daily nutritional intake and showing areas that could use improvement.

–Alternate apps: “Calorie Counter by FatSecret” (free).

NUTRITION/FITNESS ANALYSIS

“Diet & Fitness Fracker by SparkPeople”

–Developer: SparkPeople.

–Price: Free.

–Who needs it: Any statistically minded person who is motivated by visual metrics and wants to lose weight.

–Why it’s worth it: Like many fitness apps, “Diet & Fitness” offers logs for food, exercise and weight and bases daily goals on users’ target weight loss. What sets it apart is its conversion of that data into colorful charts and graphs that visually depict dietary choices and exercise habits.

–Alternate apps: “Food Scanner: Good Food or Bad Food?” ($2.99).

YOGA

“All-in Yoga HD”

–Developer: Arawella Corp.

–Price: $1.99.

–Who needs it: Anyone with an interest in practicing yoga, from novices to gurus, who wants the motivation of a coach without the cost of a class.

–Why it’s worth it: After inputting age, weight, level of expertise and the goal of your session (flexibility, de-stressing, etc.), the app creates a customized, narrated workout from a database of more than 300 positions. The app will also sync data online to keep track of your workout calendar, and videos are available to demonstrate proper form.

–Alternate apps: “Daily Yoga” ($2.99).

RUNNING

“Couch to Half”

–Developer: Uncaged Confidence.

–Price: $1.99.

–Who needs it: Beginning runners with an eye on completing the 13.1 miles of a half-marathon who need help setting a schedule and maybe a bit of extra motivation.

–Why it’s worth it: Certified personal trainer Trish Blackwell guides users through a 12-week program. Each week has training tips, a workout schedule and videos for motivation and cross training. Blackwell also provides consistent encouragement and tips for beginners.

–Alternate apps: “WalkJogRun Running” ($4.99).

BODY BUILDING

“iMuscle — (Nova series)”

–Developer: 3D4Medical.com.

–Price: $4.99.

–Who needs it: Those without access to a personal trainer who want to know how to strengthen or tone muscles.

–Why it’s worth it: Using an interactive, detailed 3-D rendering of the body, “iMuscle” allows users to zoom in on specific areas, identify each muscle and get a list of exercises that will develop it. There are more than 400 exercise animations with tips for proper execution. Users can string these together to create customized workouts.

–Alternate app: “Get Ripped” ($4.99).

Visit the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.) at www.timesfreepress.com

With its high-resolution display and access to thousands of games, movies and TV shows, the third-generation iPad offers plenty of excuses to laze on the couch.

For the more health-conscious among the 3 million users who picked up a new iPad last weekend, however, there are many free and paid apps that can incorporate Apple's latest tablet into a fitness routine or diet regimen.

Currently, there are more than 3,700 iPad entries in the App Store's Health & Fitness section. Want to know what to eat or desire a custom workout routine for achieving beach-worthy abs? Yeah, there's an app for that.

GENERAL FITNESS

All-In Fitness HD

--Developer: Arawella Corp.

--Price: $1.99.

--Who needs it: Those with access to a gym or a home exercise machine who want to lose weight and tone or build muscle.

--Why it's worth it: A custom workout generator provides programs tailored to users' needs. Each exercise includes narrated videos to demonstrate proper technique and an illustration of which muscle groups are being worked. The database includes hundreds of activities, from yoga positions to free-weight exercises.

--Alternate apps: "Navy SEAL Fitness" ($1.99).

CALORIE TRACKER

"Calorie Counter--"

--Developer: About Inc.

--Price: Free.

--Who needs it: Those interested in an app for keeping track of eating habits and analyzing nutritional intake.

--Why it's worth it: "Calorie Count" is free, simple to use and has a searchable database with entries for popular restaurant chains and brands. The app also includes exercise and weight logs and an analyzer for breaking down daily nutritional intake and showing areas that could use improvement.

--Alternate apps: "Calorie Counter by FatSecret" (free).

NUTRITION/FITNESS ANALYSIS

"Diet & Fitness Fracker by SparkPeople"

--Developer: SparkPeople.

--Price: Free.

--Who needs it: Any statistically minded person who is motivated by visual metrics and wants to lose weight.

--Why it's worth it: Like many fitness apps, "Diet & Fitness" offers logs for food, exercise and weight and bases daily goals on users' target weight loss. What sets it apart is its conversion of that data into colorful charts and graphs that visually depict dietary choices and exercise habits.

--Alternate apps: "Food Scanner: Good Food or Bad Food?" ($2.99).

YOGA

"All-in Yoga HD"

--Developer: Arawella Corp.

--Price: $1.99.

--Who needs it: Anyone with an interest in practicing yoga, from novices to gurus, who wants the motivation of a coach without the cost of a class.

--Why it's worth it: After inputting age, weight, level of expertise and the goal of your session (flexibility, de-stressing, etc.), the app creates a customized, narrated workout from a database of more than 300 positions. The app will also sync data online to keep track of your workout calendar, and videos are available to demonstrate proper form.

--Alternate apps: "Daily Yoga" ($2.99).

RUNNING

"Couch to Half"

--Developer: Uncaged Confidence.

--Price: $1.99.

--Who needs it: Beginning runners with an eye on completing the 13.1 miles of a half-marathon who need help setting a schedule and maybe a bit of extra motivation.

--Why it's worth it: Certified personal trainer Trish Blackwell guides users through a 12-week program. Each week has training tips, a workout schedule and videos for motivation and cross training. Blackwell also provides consistent encouragement and tips for beginners.

--Alternate apps: "WalkJogRun Running" ($4.99).

BODY BUILDING

"iMuscle -- (Nova series)"

--Developer: 3D4Medical.com.

--Price: $4.99.

--Who needs it: Those without access to a personal trainer who want to know how to strengthen or tone muscles.

--Why it's worth it: Using an interactive, detailed 3-D rendering of the body, "iMuscle" allows users to zoom in on specific areas, identify each muscle and get a list of exercises that will develop it. There are more than 400 exercise animations with tips for proper execution. Users can string these together to create customized workouts.

--Alternate app: "Get Ripped" ($4.99).

Visit the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.) at www.timesfreepress.com

Tags: Body, Body Building, Building, Fitness, Food, Strength, Stress, Weight, Weight loss

Unroasted Coffee Beans Could Help with Weight Loss

Posted April 2, 2012

There’s a new ally in the war on weight: Green coffee beans.

Scientists at the American Chemical Society convention reported Tuesday that green, or unroasted, coffee beans can cause the obese to lose more than 10 percent of that unwanted weight in less than five months.

The best news of all: There were no side effects, said study leader Joe Vinson. However, Vinson, a professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, Pa., cautioned that the results need to be confirmed.

“This is a benign, natural material that was used in this study, and it remains to be seen in a larger study whether we can still get that large weight loss,” Vinson said at a press conference at the convention, held this week at the San Diego Convention Center.

The study, conducted in India, involved 16 overweight people aged 22 to 26 years. All cycled through three six-week regimens of taking either a high or low dose of an extract from green coffee beans, and a placebo, for 22 weeks.

The low dose consisted of 700 mg of the coffee extract, and the high dose was 1,050 mg. They were administered in capsules.

Participants lost an average of 17 pounds during the 22 weeks of the study. It included an average of a 10.5 percent decrease in overall body weight and a 16 percent decrease in body fat, Vinson said.

By ensuring that each person took a placebo along with a low and high dose in turn, the individual effects could be studied more precisely, Vinson said.

Although previous studies have shown weight loss with green coffee beans, Vinson said this study tested the highest level of the substance, and also was the first to test two doses.

It’s unclear how green coffee bean extract causes weight loss, Vinson said. But it is known that the extract doesn’t suppress appetite like other weight loss drugs, he said. Calorie intake didn’t change during the study.

‘”We believe it has to do with glucose absorption, fat absorption and perhaps a decrease in insulin levels,” Vinson said.

Vinson said the weight-loss effect is probably caused by a substance called chlorogenic acid present in unroasted beans. Roasting breaks down this chemical, in addition to giving coffee its unique flavor and smell.

Call staff writer Bradley J. Fikes at 760-739-6641.

Visit the North County Times (Escondido, Calif.) at www.nctimes.com

There's a new ally in the war on weight: Green coffee beans.

"This is a benign, natural material that was used in this study, and it remains to be seen in a larger study whether we can still get that large weight loss," Vinson said at a press conference at the convention, held this week at the San Diego Convention Center.

The study, conducted in India, involved 16 overweight people aged 22 to 26 years. All cycled through three six-week regimens of taking either a high or low dose of an extract from green coffee beans, and a placebo, for 22 weeks.

The low dose consisted of 700 mg of the coffee extract, and the high dose was 1,050 mg. They were administered in capsules.

Participants lost an average of 17 pounds during the 22 weeks of the study. It included an average of a 10.5 percent decrease in overall body weight and a 16 percent decrease in body fat, Vinson said.

By ensuring that each person took a placebo along with a low and high dose in turn, the individual effects could be studied more precisely, Vinson said.

Although previous studies have shown weight loss with green coffee beans, Vinson said this study tested the highest level of the substance, and also was the first to test two doses.

It's unclear how green coffee bean extract causes weight loss, Vinson said. But it is known that the extract doesn't suppress appetite like other weight loss drugs, he said. Calorie intake didn't change during the study.

'"We believe it has to do with glucose absorption, fat absorption and perhaps a decrease in insulin levels," Vinson said.

Vinson said the weight-loss effect is probably caused by a substance called chlorogenic acid present in unroasted beans. Roasting breaks down this chemical, in addition to giving coffee its unique flavor and smell.

Call staff writer Bradley J. Fikes at 760-739-6641.

©2012 the North County Times (Escondido, Calif.)

Visit the North County Times (Escondido, Calif.) at www.nctimes.com

Tags: Body, Weight, Weight loss

Balanced Fish Intake to Limit Mercury Concerns

Posted March 30, 2012

Dear Doctor K: I enjoy eating fish, and I know that doing so can keep me healthier. But how worried should I be about mercury and other pollutants in fish?

Dear Reader: Fish ranks way up there on the list of healthful foods we should be eating. It is an excellent source of protein, and its healthy oils protect against cardiovascular disease. A diet rich in seafood benefits the brain and the heart.

But depending on the species and the water it was harvested from, fish comes with a catch. Nearly all fish and shellfish do contain traces of mercury, and mercury is a toxic metal. If too much gets into your body, it can be damaging — particularly to the brain. In other words, like a lot of things in life, fish is a mixed blessing. You get some bad with the good, but you can minimize the bad and maximize the good. Here is how.

As small fish are eaten by larger fish up the food chain, concentrations of mercury increase. Thus large, predatory, deep- ocean fish tend to contain the highest levels. Examples include shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. Please don’t misunderstand me: I am not saying it is unhealthy to eat a meal of these fish. But I am careful about how often I eat these fish, in contrast to those with less mercury.

Most adults can safely eat about 12 ounces (two 6-ounce servings) of a variety of cooked seafood a week. This advice doesn’t include the large, predatory ocean fish mentioned above, which should be enjoyed only occasionally. Also, pay attention to local seafood advisories about contamination.

In my judgment, this advice doesn’t apply to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and children ages 12 and younger. That is because more caution is needed to avoid potential harm from mercury to a fetus or a young child’s developing nervous system.

And it may be that a few sips of tea or coffee with your fish could lower the likelihood that any mercury you consume will harm you. Canadian researchers have shown that the combined effect of eating cooked fish and drinking tea or black coffee makes your body far less likely to take in mercury. It is an intriguing idea. But before I believe it, I would need to see other studies that come to the same conclusion.

Dear Doctor K: I enjoy eating fish, and I know that doing so can keep me healthier. But how worried should I be about mercury and other pollutants in fish?

But depending on the species and the water it was harvested from, fish comes with a catch. Nearly all fish and shellfish do contain traces of mercury, and mercury is a toxic metal. If too much gets into your body, it can be damaging -- particularly to the brain. In other words, like a lot of things in life, fish is a mixed blessing. You get some bad with the good, but you can minimize the bad and maximize the good. Here is how.

As small fish are eaten by larger fish up the food chain, concentrations of mercury increase. Thus large, predatory, deep- ocean fish tend to contain the highest levels. Examples include shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. Please don't misunderstand me: I am not saying it is unhealthy to eat a meal of these fish. But I am careful about how often I eat these fish, in contrast to those with less mercury.

Most adults can safely eat about 12 ounces (two 6-ounce servings) of a variety of cooked seafood a week. This advice doesn't include the large, predatory ocean fish mentioned above, which should be enjoyed only occasionally. Also, pay attention to local seafood advisories about contamination.

In my judgment, this advice doesn't apply to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and children ages 12 and younger. That is because more caution is needed to avoid potential harm from mercury to a fetus or a young child's developing nervous system.

Tags: Attention, Body, Cardiovascular, Children, Concentration, Food, Gain, Heart, Nervous system, Women

Snacking at Night: Good or Bad?

Posted March 26, 2012

HOW TO … EAT SMART AFTER DARK

Forget the common myth: nighttime eating isn’t a diet downfall in itself. “In general, eating after 7 or 8 p.m. isn’t really a problem unless you’ve already eaten too much during the day,” says Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Some advice:

If you’re trying to lose weight, focus on how much you eat all day, not when you eat. Don’t worry if you’ve eaten healthfully before and need to have dinner after 7. If you’ve eaten a lot already, however, have a smaller dinner or snack so you don’t blow your calorie budget for the day. Pigging out on fatty, salty or sugary foods isn’t good any time of day.

If you have frequent heartburn, keep your evening meal small and low in fat. Fat relaxes the valve that blocks painful stomach acid from getting into your esophagus. Having big, heavy meals shortly before you lie down to sleep – when gravity also works against you – is a common recipe for discomfort.

If you have trouble falling asleep, have a small, carbohydrate-rich snack such as a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal, fruit or air-popped popcorn. Carbohydrates help the body make tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes deep sleep. Another option is tart dried cherries, which contain a hormone called melatonin that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Note: Avoid alcohol, which can disrupt sleep.

If you need to stay awake or alert, steer away from carbohydrates and focus on healthy proteins such as lean meat, chicken or fish instead.

If you just worked out, make sure your meal has a combination of protein and healthy carbohydrates for muscle growth and recovery. Two examples: spaghetti and mini meatballs or grilled chicken over mashed sweet potatoes.

HOW TO ... EAT SMART AFTER DARK

Forget the common myth: nighttime eating isn't a diet downfall in itself. "In general, eating after 7 or 8 p.m. isn't really a problem unless you've already eaten too much during the day," says Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Some advice:

If you're trying to lose weight, focus on how much you eat all day, not when you eat. Don't worry if you've eaten healthfully before and need to have dinner after 7. If you've eaten a lot already, however, have a smaller dinner or snack so you don't blow your calorie budget for the day. Pigging out on fatty, salty or sugary foods isn't good any time of day.

If you have frequent heartburn, keep your evening meal small and low in fat. Fat relaxes the valve that blocks painful stomach acid from getting into your esophagus. Having big, heavy meals shortly before you lie down to sleep - when gravity also works against you - is a common recipe for discomfort.

If you need to stay awake or alert, steer away from carbohydrates and focus on healthy proteins such as lean meat, chicken or fish instead.

Tags: Body, Carbohydrate, Food, Gain, Heart, Heartburn, Muscle growth, Pain, Sleep, Snack, Weight

Foods, Supplements, and Drugs that Don’t Mix

Posted March 23, 2012

Think of your stomach as one big test tube. Maybe you drop in a vitamin or herbal supplement each morning. Maybe a cholesterol-lowering statin or a blood-pressure drug. Perhaps an infection-fighting antibiotic or allergy-relieving antihistamine. And you wash it down with fruit juice or milk or coffee.

That may not always be a good thing because some foods and beverages – from chocolate and caffeine to dairy and alcohol – as well as dietary supplements (vitamins, herbals, etc.) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can interact with prescription drugs when they land in your gut. Those interactions may affect the ability of the drug to work as it should. Or that mix may cause unwanted side effects.

With some tetracyclines, for example, you may need to avoid dairy products at the time you take the drug. If you take digoxin for your heart, you may need to steer clear of St. John’s wort and large amounts of black licorice (that contains glycyrrhizin). Take ACE Inhibitors to lower your blood pressure? Go easy on high potassium foods such as bananas, oranges and green leafy vegetables. And depending on the statin you’re taking – there are many different types in this class – you may need to avoid grapefruit.

Such drug, food and supplement interactions become especially important as the number of drugs taken increases.

Shiew Mei Huang, acting director, office of clinical pharmacology at the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, cites a survey published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found in the population 57 and older in the U.S., “at least 80 percent use at least one prescription drug. Half of them use OTC drugs. And some use dietary supplements.”

Says Huang, “What is important in that report is that almost 30 percent use more than five drugs. And among those who take a prescription drug, half of them take either OTC or dietary supplements.

“It is the dietary supplements we have to be very careful (about),” she adds, and doctors need to be told about them.

Hartmut Derendorf, a professor who heads the pharmaceutics department in the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy in Gainesville, might agree about the role dietary supplements play.

“Sometimes they look alike and patients think they are medications like normal medications. But dietary supplements are not required to be investigated and tested with the same rigor,” he says.

Because your age, gender, medical history, etc. can affect how a drug interacts with other substances in your gut, “there are no general rules,” says Derendorf. “The key is for patients to be very open, to work with their pharmacist and physician and tell them about the use of supplements and also look for the specific food interactions that are known for the medication that they are using.”

That’s crucial because guidelines can change. The FDA regularly releases food-and-drug interaction consumer updates that are prompted by a variety of factors, Huang explains, including the recent grapefruit juice-statin update issued last month. So what should you use to help the medicine go down? Stick to a plain glass of water, say experts.

Points to remember:

Keep a record of all drugs (prescription, over-the-counter), vitamins and herbal supplements that you take. This FDA chart can help www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou (type “my medicine record” in the search field).

Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all drugs (prescription, OTC) and supplements you take.

If a doctor prescribes a new drug, ask the doctor or pharmacist if there are food interactions.

Read drug information from the pharmacist; don’t discard.

The following websites offer guidelines, but check with your doctor: www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou (type “avoid food and drug interactions” in the search field; nclnet.org/health/146-food-drug-interactions druginteractioncenter.org and webmd.com/drugs.

That may not always be a good thing because some foods and beverages - from chocolate and caffeine to dairy and alcohol - as well as dietary supplements (vitamins, herbals, etc.) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can interact with prescription drugs when they land in your gut. Those interactions may affect the ability of the drug to work as it should. Or that mix may cause unwanted side effects.

With some tetracyclines, for example, you may need to avoid dairy products at the time you take the drug. If you take digoxin for your heart, you may need to steer clear of St. John's wort and large amounts of black licorice (that contains glycyrrhizin). Take ACE Inhibitors to lower your blood pressure? Go easy on high potassium foods such as bananas, oranges and green leafy vegetables. And depending on the statin you're taking - there are many different types in this class - you may need to avoid grapefruit.

Such drug, food and supplement interactions become especially important as the number of drugs taken increases.

Shiew Mei Huang, acting director, office of clinical pharmacology at the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, cites a survey published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found in the population 57 and older in the U.S., "at least 80 percent use at least one prescription drug. Half of them use OTC drugs. And some use dietary supplements."

Says Huang, "What is important in that report is that almost 30 percent use more than five drugs. And among those who take a prescription drug, half of them take either OTC or dietary supplements.

"It is the dietary supplements we have to be very careful (about)," she adds, and doctors need to be told about them.

Hartmut Derendorf, a professor who heads the pharmaceutics department in the University of Florida's College of Pharmacy in Gainesville, might agree about the role dietary supplements play.

"Sometimes they look alike and patients think they are medications like normal medications. But dietary supplements are not required to be investigated and tested with the same rigor," he says.

Because your age, gender, medical history, etc. can affect how a drug interacts with other substances in your gut, "there are no general rules," says Derendorf. "The key is for patients to be very open, to work with their pharmacist and physician and tell them about the use of supplements and also look for the specific food interactions that are known for the medication that they are using."

That's crucial because guidelines can change. The FDA regularly releases food-and-drug interaction consumer updates that are prompted by a variety of factors, Huang explains, including the recent grapefruit juice-statin update issued last month. So what should you use to help the medicine go down? Stick to a plain glass of water, say experts.

Points to remember:

Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all drugs (prescription, OTC) and supplements you take.

If a doctor prescribes a new drug, ask the doctor or pharmacist if there are food interactions.

Read drug information from the pharmacist; don't discard.

The following websites offer guidelines, but check with your doctor: www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou (type "avoid food and drug interactions" in the search field; nclnet.org/health/146-food-drug-interactions druginteractioncenter.org and webmd.com/drugs.

Tags: Cholesterol, Food, Gain, Heart, Information, Vitamins

Plastics Linked to Obesity

Posted March 22, 2012

Man-made chemicals present in homes, schools, offices, cars and food are probably contributing to the sharp rise in obesity and diabetes in western societies, according to a review of scientific literature published today.

Until now lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise and poor diet were thought to be the main causes of the increase in both conditions.

Now the review of 240 scientific papers by two leading experts, Professor Miquel Porta of Spain and Professor Duk-Hee Lee of South Korea, suggests chemicals in plastics and other surfaces play an important and avoidable role.

Many are endocrine disruptors, which can change human hormones, including the stimulation of appetite and fat storage and regulation of sugar.

CHEM Trust (Chemicals Health & Environment Monitoring Trust), the British pressure group which commissioned the research, urged the UK Government and the EU to press industry to find safer alternatives.

Until now lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise and poor diet were thought to be the main causes of the increase in both conditions.

Many are endocrine disruptors, which can change human hormones, including the stimulation of appetite and fat storage and regulation of sugar.

Tags: Diabetes, Food, Pain

Diet Can Determine Cancer Risk

Posted March 18, 2012

Eating better and getting more physical activity can lower cancer risk, the latest studies show, and the American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its prevention guidelines to reflect the new research.

With North Carolina having one of the nation’s highest obesity rates, the ACS is hoping to change habits in the Tar Heel state — starting with school children.

The focus is on weight control through nutrition and staying active. Obese people change their body chemistry with higher levels of insulin and estrogen, the ACS said, which raises the risk of cancer, said Colleen Doyle, ACS director of nutrition and physical activity — and North Carolina’s traditional menu of fried and grease-laden food doesn’t help.

“As we age, we often go back to those comfort foods that we were given as a child,” said Doyle. “So it’s a diet that we’ve adopted over a course of time that’s harder to break.”

“Research shows that there may be a link with eating healthy foods and reducing the risk for cancer,” said Richmond County Cooperative Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, Sarah Mammarella. “There are cancer-fighting components, called phytochemicals and antioxidants, that are found in whole grains, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals and antioxidants can protect us from cancer by neutralizing free radicals and/or preventing cancer causing agents from forming.”

Curbing the problem of obesity starts in the school system, Doyle said, where one in three North Carolina children from ages 10 through 17 are obese.

“We are encouraging the Legislature to adopt increased health standards for foods sold outside the school lunch program in all North Carolina schools,” said Doyle.

“The Richmond County Health Department has an excellent partnership with Richmond County Schools Grades K-3 through our Operation Healthy Kids Initiative,” said Richmond County Health Department Director Tommy Jarrell. “This curriculum based initiative includes physical activity components. It has been in place for the past five or six years and recent results indicate very positive results with reduced BMI for students in grades K-3. We certainly work to encourage regular physical activity for all age groups as a way to improve our health and well being. This is done through a variety of methods including Health Education Programs, Clinic Education, etc.”

Excessive weight is a factor in 14 percent to 20 percent of U.S. cancer deaths, according to the cancer society, adding that those who follow the new recommendations for diet and exercise also will also reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

Some of the new guidelines are lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a lifelong healthy weight, being physically active, limiting alcohol consumption and consuming a diet rich in plant-based foods. The ACS also recommends limiting processed and red meat.

“The American Cancer Society’s new guidelines focus on all aspects of leading a healthy lifestyle. In addition to decreasing cancer risk, these guidelines could also be used to decrease the risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” said Mammarella.

An overview of the new guidelines is online at cancer.org.

— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.

Visit the Richmond County Daily Journal (Rockingham, N.C.) at www.yourdailyjournal.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services

With North Carolina having one of the nation's highest obesity rates, the ACS is hoping to change habits in the Tar Heel state -- starting with school children.

The focus is on weight control through nutrition and staying active. Obese people change their body chemistry with higher levels of insulin and estrogen, the ACS said, which raises the risk of cancer, said Colleen Doyle, ACS director of nutrition and physical activity -- and North Carolina's traditional menu of fried and grease-laden food doesn't help.

"As we age, we often go back to those comfort foods that we were given as a child," said Doyle. "So it's a diet that we've adopted over a course of time that's harder to break."

"Research shows that there may be a link with eating healthy foods and reducing the risk for cancer," said Richmond County Cooperative Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, Sarah Mammarella. "There are cancer-fighting components, called phytochemicals and antioxidants, that are found in whole grains, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals and antioxidants can protect us from cancer by neutralizing free radicals and/or preventing cancer causing agents from forming."

Curbing the problem of obesity starts in the school system, Doyle said, where one in three North Carolina children from ages 10 through 17 are obese.

"We are encouraging the Legislature to adopt increased health standards for foods sold outside the school lunch program in all North Carolina schools," said Doyle.

"The Richmond County Health Department has an excellent partnership with Richmond County Schools Grades K-3 through our Operation Healthy Kids Initiative," said Richmond County Health Department Director Tommy Jarrell. "This curriculum based initiative includes physical activity components. It has been in place for the past five or six years and recent results indicate very positive results with reduced BMI for students in grades K-3. We certainly work to encourage regular physical activity for all age groups as a way to improve our health and well being. This is done through a variety of methods including Health Education Programs, Clinic Education, etc."

"The American Cancer Society's new guidelines focus on all aspects of leading a healthy lifestyle. In addition to decreasing cancer risk, these guidelines could also be used to decrease the risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease," said Mammarella.

An overview of the new guidelines is online at cancer.org.

-- Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.

Visit the Richmond County Daily Journal (Rockingham, N.C.) at www.yourdailyjournal.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services

Tags: Antioxidant, Body, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Children, Diabetes, Food, Heart, Information, Tension, Weight


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APRIL 2012 NATURAL HEALTH NEWSLETTER