Editorial
Aerobic Exercise and Fibromyalgia
Exercise and Cold
Humming
Men, Monkeys and Mice
Smoking
Asthma distinguishes
between Males and Females
Aspirin may reduce Cancer
Whole Grains
Whole Grains and Type 2 Diabetes
Alzheimer's and your diet
Sleep and Learn
The Stroke
New Addiction
Hobbies
Aging of the Human Retina
Broccoli Pill
Nutritional Value Of Water
Studied
Honey
Almonds
Sun Flower Seeds and Hypertension
Coffee and Cancer
Women should lift weights - heavy weights
For Breast Feeding Mothers
Recipes
Sweet Potato Salad
Carrot Muffins
This month’s journal covers wide range of topics from Fibromyalgia to sweet potato salad.
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of symptoms without specific known cause or cure. It is a medical term for the patients’ symptoms in general. In medical terminology ‘fibrous’ means ‘tight and band like’. ‘Myos’ means muscle. Algos means pain and ‘algia’ means painful condition. All the above put together it means tight band like or tense aching muscles. This is what the patients present with and if we don’t find any cause for the symptoms we put the same complaints into a medical name and call it Fibro-myalgia. Typically, this condition is diagnosed if and when more than specific number of trigger points (exquisite tender points in the muscles reproduced by manual palpation) are present in specific locations in the body. Women are affected 3 times more than men are. Incidence in USA is 3 in 100. Pain that improves by moderate physical activity is characteristic of Fibromyalgia. This is again confirmed by the study quoted. Stress also increases the perception of the pain in these patients. I think it is good to combine both relaxation techniques along with mild to moderate graded aerobic exercise. Yoga or Tai Chi are age-old techniques, which have both relaxation and graded physical stretching built into them along with activating actual energy channels.
It is very interesting to note that humming is an effective way to increase ventilation in your sinuses. Some of the yoga techniques that claim potential benefits with respiratory system and sinuses are just that. For example ‘ujjay pranayama’ is slow exhalation after deep inhalation with a partially closed glottis. Humming is a mild form of that. Ujjay Pranayama needs some practice to learn to do properly under teacher’s guidance. Ayurvedic techniques like ‘jala neti’ (passive flow of luke warm salt water from neti pot from one nostril to the other) and ‘sutra neti’ (cleaning of sinuses by passing medicated thread from each nostril through the oral cavity and cleaning) are prescribed for preventing sinusitis and ventilating sinuses more than 5000 years ago. These techniques need supervision and practice and learning from a practitioner.
Among the other things, report about honey is quite interesting. However, it is important to know something that Ayurveda says about honey before embarking on eating any thing that contains like honey roasted peanuts, honey glazed doughnuts etc. Honey once it is heated or cooked becomes poison or toxin. So, if you want to take advantage of any natural benefits take honey raw. In fact many ayurvedic medicines are prescribed with honey to take orally.
Like wise, study with almonds is very interesting, confirming some of
the praises and benefits Ayurveda makes. Even though almonds raise total
cholesterol the ratio of bad to good cholesterol is favorable. I don’t
know how it is prescribed here in this study but Ayurveda prescribes almonds
to be soaked in water overnight and be eaten (a few) early morning to have
multiple beneficial effects in general.
KVR
Aerobic Exercise and Fibromyalgia
Prescribed graded aerobic exercise is a simple, cheap, and effective
treatment for people with fibromyalgia (medically unexplained chronic muscular
pain and joint tenderness), finds a study in BMJ of last week July.
Researchers identified 132 patients with fibromyalgia who were attending
a hospital rheumatology clinic between January 1997 and June 1998. Patients
were then randomly assigned to either aerobic exercise classes or relaxation
classes, twice weekly for 12 weeks. The classes were carried out by personal
trainers with no special experience in providing exercise for people with
ill health. Compared to relaxation, exercise led to significantly more
participants rating themselves as much or very much better at three months.
Benefits were also maintained or improved one year later.
Exercise and Cold
A regularly active person has a lower risk of getting a cold.
Researchers who report this also say people don't have to put in an athletic
performance to get the benefit. Matthews and his colleagues of the University
of South Carolina looked at 12 months of data on 547 healthy men and women
who had taken part in a broader study of health behaviors. The men and
women, whose average age was 48, reported regularly on their physical activities
and the number of colds they got. At the higher end, the activities were
enough to fit into the U.S. Surgeon General's recommended minimums. Those
federal guidelines call for 30 minutes of brisk walks, lawn mowing or other
moderate activity on most days of the week. At the lower end, the participants
were doing nothing more intense than light dusting, which is below the
recommended level. Over the year, the more active people averaged
one cold, which was 23 percent lower than the average for the least active
group, said the report in the August issue of the journal Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise.
Humming
Humming is an extremely effective way to increase ventilation in your
sinuses, according to research published in the second issue for July 2002
of the American Thoracic Society's journal American Journal of Respiratory
and Critical Care Medicine. As a result of their findings, the scientists
hope to study whether daily episodes of humming can reduce the risk for
sinusitis in patients susceptible to upper respiratory infection.
Men, Monkeys and Mice
Three physiological measures associated with long-term caloric restriction
have been linked to longevity in men, according to scientists at the National
Institute on Aging (NIA). It is the first finding to suggest a relationship
between well-established biomarkers of caloric restriction in animals and
extended longevity in humans who apparently do not stringently limit their
caloric intake. The short correspondence appears in the August 2, 2002
issue of the journal Science. The NIA investigators compared
more than 700 healthy men, ages 19 to 95, who participated in the Baltimore
Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) with 60 rhesus monkeys, ages 5 to 25.
The men were divided into two groups, based on whether they were in the
upper or lower halves of the population for each of the three biomarkers
-- body temperature, blood insulin levels, and blood levels of dehydroepiandrosterone
sulfate (DHEAS). The monkeys also were divided into two groups. One group
was allowed to feed freely, typically consuming between 500 to 1,000 calories
daily. A second group was fed a diet composed of at least 30 percent fewer
calories than consumed by the unrestricted monkey. In previous work,
calorically restricted mice and rats, which can live up to 40 percent longer
than usual, have consistently had lower body temperatures and blood insulin
levels than their freely fed counterparts. These two biomarkers also have
been found in calorically restricted monkeys. Caloric restriction also
slows the decline of DHEAS, a steroid hormone that diminishes in monkeys
and humans during normal aging. These three biomarkers suggest that caloric
restriction causes metabolic shifts that may affect the rate of aging.
Smoking
Smoking cessation was associated with significant reductions in fatal
or nonfatal cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease among participants
in the 5-year Lung Health Study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Researchers revealed that smoking among the 5,887 participants, as shown
at their annual follow-up visit, was associated with a 50 to 70 percent
higher hazard rates for death, cardiovascular disease, and coronary disease
than were rates for non-smokers. The study appears in the first issue
for August 2002 of the American Thoracic Society's American Journal
of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Asthma distinguishes
between Males and Females
Asthma presents in two different forms: early-onset asthma, which occurs
early in childhood, and late-onset asthma, which occurs during or after
puberty. The age at which people develop asthma is the main determinant
for their prognosis. People with early-onset asthma have, on average,
a shorter duration of the disease and a much higher remission rate than
people with late-onset asthma (68% vs. 25%). If asthma does not remit in
the first four to seven years after it develops, it tends to become chronic.
Early-onset asthma occurs in childhood, affects mainly boys and has a good
prognosis while late-onset asthma occurs during or after puberty, affects
mainly women, and has a poor prognosis, according to a study in the August
Journal
of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI). The American Academy of
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates that about 5 million U.S. children
are currently affected by asthma, which is marked by wheezing, shortness
of breath, coughing and tightness of the chest. Black children were
affected disproportionately, and the racial gap widened throughout the
period, rising to 26 percent higher than whites in 1995-96, the CDC found.
The rate increased dramatically among Hispanics, though they generally
had fewer asthma attacks than whites or blacks. In 1985, there were
60 asthma cases per 1,000 children among blacks, 51 among whites and 31
among Hispanics. In 1999, rates were 74 per 1,000 among blacks, 50 among
whites and 44 among Hispanics. hile asthma deaths are rare, the mortality
rate increased by an average of 3.4 percent per year through 1998, though
declining in 1997, the CDC data showed. In 1998, the overall death rate
was 3.5 per 1 million children. Death rates were similar in whites and
Hispanics but were more than four times higher among blacks by the late
1990s.
Aspirin may reduce Cancer
In recent years reports of the benefits of aspirin, already widely
used by people hoping to ward off a heart attack, have increased, including
modest reductions in the polyps that can lead to colon cancer. University
of Minnesota researchers report in August 7th issue of the Journal of
the National Cancer Institute an apparent association between taking
aspirin and reducing rates of often-deadly pancreatic cancer by as much
as 43 percent.
Whole Grains and Type 2 Diabetes
As part of a long-term community-based study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, McKeown et al. examined the associations
between whole-grain consumption and metabolic indicators of disease risk.
The study suggest that high intakes of whole grains may reduce the risk
of type 2 diabetes and CVD and may have particular benefits for overweight
or obese individuals with diabetes, and certain cancers through their favorable
effects on risk factors such as high cholesterol and insulin resistance.
Whole Grains and Type 2 Diabetes
Daily consumption of whole grains has been associated in a number of
studies with reductions in risk for ischemic stroke, coronary artery disease,
and type 2 diabetes. The cereal fiber found in whole grains slows
digestion, producing a greater feeling of fullness and helping to prevent
obesity, a major risk factor for type 2
diabetes. In a long-term study of male health professionals published
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Fung et al.
found that men who ate several servings of whole grains per day over a
period of years had a substantially reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes,
and that some risk reduction occurred even in men who were obese. Male
health professionals, age 40-75 years without a history of diabetes or
cardiovascular disease were recruited in 1986 and followed for 12 years.
The 42,898 participants provided information on diet, health and lifestyle
using questionnaires that were mailed to them every 2 years. The classification
of
"whole grains" included brown rice, dark breads, whole-grain ready-to-eat
cereals, and other cereal foods. The subjects were divided into quintiles
of whole grain consumption, with the lowest quintile eating 0.4 servings
of whole grains per day and the highest quintile averaging 3.2 servings
per day. Subjects with higher whole grain intakes tended to be leaner
and more physically active, to consume less fat, and were less likely to
smoke or have hypertension (indicating that they were more health conscious).
The Dietary Guidelines for American 2000 specifically recommend choosing
several servings of whole grains from among the recommended 6-11 servings
of grains per day.
Alzheimer's and your diet
What you eat may play a role in your risk for Alzheimer's disease.
A study published in the Archives of Neurology links a diet high
in fat and calories to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's in certain
people. The four-year study involved 980 people in New York, whose
average age was 75 and who were on Medicare. Researchers had the
participants keep track of their food intake for the first year of the
study and gave them annual exams. By the end of the study, 242 people
had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The researchers found
that among people who had a gene variant, apoE e-4, that made them prone
to Alzheimer's, those whose diets were highest in fats and calories had
twice the risk of the disease compared with those whose diets were lowest
in fats and calories. These findings add to the evidence that both
lifestyle and genetic factors play a role in Alzheimer's disease. AP
Sleep and Learn
A German study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, suggests that how much sleep you get affects how well
you can recall learned motor skills. Earlier studies have shown that
getting enough sleep is important for memorizing facts. This study
looked at sleep's effects on the brain's ability to store memories of training.
In the study, researchers taught different finger-tapping sequences to
a group of healthy young students. The students were then either
allowed to sleep or else kept awake for eight hours. The next day,
the students were re-tested in the motor skill they'd been taught. The
well-rested students performed their sequences 35 percent faster and with
30 percent fewer errors than the sleep-deprived students. This gap
in ability persisted a day later, after both groups had gotten a good night's
sleep. This suggests a critical window of time during which sleep
is important to learning new motor skills, the researchers say. AP
The Stroke
People with a low amount of potassium in their diet may have an increased
risk of stroke, according to a study published in the August 13 issue of
Neurology,
the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The
observational study involved 5,600 men and women over age 65 who were free
of stroke when they started the study. The participants were followed for
four to eight years to record the number and type of strokes that occurred.
The people with the lowest amount of potassium in their diet were 1.5 times
more likely to have a stroke than those with the highest amount of potassium
in their diet. Low potassium intake was defined as less than 2.4 grams
per day; high intake was more than four grams per day. Does a banana a
day keep the stroke away?
New Addiction
Promoted by a slick and many-tentacled advertising campaign, gutka,
an indigenous form of smokeless tobacco, has become a fixture in the mouths
of millions of Indians over the last two decades. It has spread through
the Indian continent, and even to South Asians in England. NY
Times
Hobbies
Hobbies provide pleasure and diversion from the boredom, tedium and
hectic work patterns that many people experience. Hobbies can serve
as a way of bringing family members together in a common endeavor. Learning
some new and different skills can provide family members with an enjoyable
and pleasant time, as well as open avenues of communication that may not
be used during other times of the day. Family camping or backpacking trips
are excellent means of diversion. Play with your kids. This is a
good exercise, chasing your kids around your yard or home brings the family
close together. You also get your kids to exercise. Most children are sedentary
in America, this will help them as well as you. An often neglected
topic in the area of stress management is the use of hobbies as an aid
in helping individuals relax and find an escape from their hectic pace.
Some people who are perfectionists never develop a hobby they enjoy because
they expect their hobby to lead to an end product equal to van Gogh, Beethoven
or even Julia Child. They set a goal of being No. 1 in work and in play.
But
a hobby should be something that we enjoy whether it produces accolades
form anyone else or not. If a hobby ends up feeling like work,
it probably isn't a hobby at all. Although a hobby may eventually
become a source of economic gain, the approach to finding one should be
for pleasure. The more a hobby interests you, the more pleasure you will
derive from it. A good rule of thumb to follow is to try to
develop a hobby that is completely different from your line of work. For
example: A physician might find that building fences, riding a tractor,
or plowing a field are relaxing diversions from the day to day practice
of medicine. Those who work in relative isolation may find being around
groups of people enjoyable and choose to become Dancing keeps your
body toned and helps keep your heart in good condition. It's a sociable
form of exercise. Gardening is now the number one hobby of North
Americans over the age of 35. Gardening and yard work contributes
to healthy active living, and are part of all three types of physical activity
- endurance, flexibility and strength activities. Heavy yard work like
raking and carrying leaves contributes to both endurance and strengthening
activities, while all those stretches and contortions in the garden can
help increase and maintain your flexibility. Studies reveal that
gardeners consume most kinds of vegetables more frequently than do non-gardeners.
Any hobby that requires you to move around is a good exercise alternative.
If you don't have a hobby or interest, this might be a good time to find
one.
Aging of the Human Retina
Aging of the human retina is accompanied by distinct changes in gene
expression say researchers of the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Centre.
Using commercially available DNA slides, a team of researchers directed
by Anand Swaroop, have established the first-ever gene profile of the aging
human retina, an important step in understanding the mechanisms of aging
and its impact on vision disorders. In the Journal of Investigative
Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Swaroop and colleagues show that
retinal aging is associated, in particular, with expression changes of
genes involved in stress response and energy metabolism. The term gene
expression means that in any given cell, only a portion of the genes is
expressed or switched on. For example, a person's pancreas and retina have
the same genes, but only the pancreas can turn on the genes that allow
it to make insulin.
Broccoli Pill
In the future, a "broccoli-pill" a day may help keep breast cancer
at bay. Researchers have developed a new compound, designed from a known
anticancer agent found in broccoli, that shows promise as a breast cancer
preventive. Their findings were described at the 224th national meeting
of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
Called oxomate, the synthetic compound works like its natural counterpart,
sulforaphane, which was recently identified as a cancer-preventive agent
in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and Brussels
sprouts). Both compounds boost the body's production of phase II enzymes,
which can detoxify cancer-causing chemicals and reduce cancer risk.
Nutritional Value Of Water
Studied
Now the group that sets the nation's nutrition standards is studying
the issue to see if it's time to declare a daily fluid level needed for
good health - and how much leaves you waterlogged. Until then, "obey your
thirst" is good advice, says Dr. Heinz Valtin, professor emeritus at Dartmouth
Medical School, whose review of the eight-glass theory appears in this
month's American Journal of Physiology. Valtin, who has spent 40
years researching how the body maintains a healthy fluid balance, determined
the advice probably stems from muddled interpretation of a 1945 Food and
Nutrition Board report. That report said the body needs about 1 milliliter
of water for each calorie consumed - almost 8 cups for a typical 2,000-calorie
diet - but that "most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods."
That language somehow has morphed into "at least" 64 ounces daily, Valtin
says. (One Web site's "hydration calculator" even recommends a startling
125 ounces for a 250-pound couch potato.) And aside from the American Dietetic
Association's advice, few of the "drink more water" campaigns targeted
to consumers mention how much comes from food. Valtin couldn't find
any research proving the average person needs to drink a full 64 ounces
of water daily. Also, contrary to popular opinion, he cites a University
of Nebraska study that found coffee, tea and sodas are hydrating for people
used to caffeine and thus should count toward their daily fluid total.
Myth: That thirst means you're already dehydrated. That can be true
of the elderly, and studies of marathon runners and military recruits in
training have found that some focus so intently on strenuous exercise that
they block thirst sensations until they're in trouble. But Pennsylvania
State University nutritionist Barbara Rolls, a well-known expert on thirst,
did hourly hydration tests to prove that drinking when thirsty is good
advice for the rest of us.
Myth: That water blocks dieters' hunger. Studies show water with food
can help you feel full faster, but that just drinking water between meals
has little effect, Rolls says. AP
Honey
Honey contains about the same level of plaque-fighting antioxidants
as the leafy green stuff. And according to research presented at the
national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest
scientific society, the range of antioxidants in honey is comparable to
that in apples, bananas, oranges and strawberries. A five-week study of
blood from 25 men between the ages of 18 - 68 indicates that drinking a
mixture of water and honey, about four tablespoons per 16-ounce glass,
improved the antioxidant levels in their blood. Nicki Engeseth, Ph.D.,
of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who conducted the study,
says this means the sweet stuff may have the potential to protect against
heart disease.
Almonds
Almonds significantly lowered bad cholesterol levels in a study of
people with high cholesterol reported in the rapid access issue of Circulation:
Journal of the American Heart Association. Some previous research has
suggested that nut consumption reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.
Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fat and potentially other
beneficial compounds. The American Heart Association recommends eating
an overall balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains
and nuts. Nuts do not have cholesterol and are a good source of protein,
according to the American Heart Association. However, the association stresses
that the potential benefits of nuts may be negated if they are added rather
than substituted for foods like meat, poultry and diary products in the
diet. While nuts and seeds tend to be very high in fat and calories, most
of the fat is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated (e.g. almonds, pecans,
walnuts).
Sun Flower Seeds and Hypertension
This year, about 600,000 Americans will have a stroke and 160,000 of
them will die. Many strokes are the consequence of atherosclerotic plaques
that occur in one or more of the feeder arteries to the brain. The plaque
activates a mechanism that triggers the clotting of the blood, a clot develops
and blocks the artery, thereby leading to acute loss of brain function
in a localized area. The simple sunflower seed may hold the key to reducing
hypertension and associated loss of cognitive ability, and preventing debilitating
strokes. The author of the study, "Effects
of early nutritional supplementation of linoleic acid in Hypertension,"
is Vallie Holloway PhD, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL.
She presented her findings at "The Power of Comparative Physiology: Evolution,
Integration and Application," an American Physiological Society (APS)
intersociety meeting, August 24-28, 2002, at the Town & Country
Hotel, San Diego, CA.
Coffee and Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers in the United States.
The American Academy of Dermatology estimates about a million cases will
be diagnosed in the country this year. Among them will be more than
88,000 new cases of melanoma, the disease's deadliest form caused by exposure
to sun. Skin cancer generally is preventable by wearing clothes with long
sleeves that cover the body and sun screen for the exposed parts of the
body! It is curable by cutting, burning or freezing the tumor cells,
but left untreated it can be deadly. Dr. Allan Conney, a professor of cancer
and leukemia research at Rutgers University, said a skin lotion spiked
with caffeine or with another compound found in green tea reduced by more
than half the number of skin tumors on hairless mice that had been exposed
to high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Caffeine, heavily consumed in
coffee, tea and some cola drinks, has been shown in other studies to prompt
mental alertness in many people. Some studies have suggested caffeine aggravates
symptoms of menopause or intensifies the side effects of some antibiotics.
Heavy caffeine use has been linked to miscarriage. Some studies also have
suggested that some people can become addicted to caffeine and can experience
headaches and other symptoms when deprived of their morning coffee or cola.
AP
Researchers at the University of London have found that caffeine can
block the action of an enzyme involved in cell signalling, growth and death.
The enzyme PI-3 kinase is a 'master molecule' which orchestrates various
cell functions, such as cell growth, blood clotting and inflammation. The
researchers have discovered that caffeine, and its related compound theophylline,
can block PI-3 kinase. Though caffeine is not known to have many health
benefits, its ability to block the kinase enzyme could be turned to good
use. Caffeine or related molecules could be used to block cell growth in
cancer or to inhibit blood clotting in heart disease. Meanwhile, theophylline
- which is found in chocolate and cocoa -is already used to treat asthma.
"Its ability to 'damp down' inflammation may be related to its ability
to block PI-3 kinase", scientists were quoted by Health and Age
as saying. (The Times of India)
Sweet Potato Salad
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 cups cubed cooked sweet potatoes
1 apple, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8-opunce) can juice-pack pineapple tidbits, drained
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
* Combine sweet potatoes, apple, celery, mandarin
oranges, walnuts and pineapple in bowl; mix well.
* Stir in mixture of sour cream, milk and salt.
* Chill, covered, until serving time. Spoon onto
lettuce-lined salad plates.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:
Calories, 154; Protein, 3 grams; Carbohydrates, 24 grams; Total Fat,
6 grams (35 percent of calories from fat); Cholesterol, 2 milligrams; Fiber,
2 grams; Sodium, 198 milligrams.
Exchanges: Bread 1/2; Fruit 1/2; Fat 1/2. (Arthritis Foundation)
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon powdered egg replacement
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
Direction:
Sift the dry ingredients together. Toss the carrots with the orange
juice, applesauce and oil. Dissolve the egg powder in the water and
stir into the carrot mixture along with the raisins. Fold the wet ingredients
into the dry until just mixed. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray and
spoon the batter in filling each cup about 3/4 full. Pour a small amount
of water in the empty muffin cups and place the pan carefully on the middle
rack of a preheated oven. Bake until the muffins are golden and the
top springs back to the touch. It is best to rotate the pan halfway through
the baking process
Nutritive Information: Amount Per Serving: Calories 160, Fat
3.4 g, Cholesterol 4.6 mg, Sodium 281 mg. (namita@womenfitness.net)