Weekly
Health Tips for the month of February
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February 6, 2005- Chronic Pain Hurts
Don't put up with chronic pain. Doing so could age your brain.
A small decrease in gray matter is a normal part of advanced aging.
Chronic pain appears to lead to similar declines, a new study revealed.
The longer the study participants lived with chronic pain, the greater
was their loss of neocortical gray matter, regardless of age. Seek
treatment promptly for chronic pain to help keep your brain young.
Chronic pain can be debilitating and put you at increased risk of
depression and anxiety. Now, a new study revealed that people with
chronic back pain had as much as 5-11 percent less neocortical gray
matter than their pain-free peers. They lost a little over one cubic
centimeter of gray matter for every year they suffered with chronic
pain. It is not clear what effect this loss in gray matter may have.
However, treating pain early could decrease the chance that your pain
becomes chronic and may help you avoid any complications related to
chronic pain. Nip pain in the bud by seeking a diagnosis for any muscle
aches or strains that last longer than two weeks or that interfere with
your ability to participate in daily activities.
Source: Journal of Neuroscience, ©2004
February 13, 2005- Whole-Heartedly
Healthy
New research reveals another reason why whole grains remain the best
bread choice for health.
Whole grains have long been known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular
disease, but now a new study credits the bran component for the heart
health benefits. The 14-year study revealed that men who consumed the
most whole grains, particularly bran, had the lowest rates of heart
disease.
Whole grains are packed with nutrients, such as folate and other B
vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and fiber, which help reduce the risk of
heart disease. Now a new study has revealed that the bran component of
grains may be the most important part. Most of the heart-healthy
nutrients in whole grains are found in the bran and germ components.
The starchy endosperm, the chief component of white breads and refined
flour, contains few nutrients. Avoid eating empty calories by choosing
whole-grain foods, such as barley, brown rice, oats, and rye, over
refined products that list enriched white flour as their chief
ingredient. Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease even more by
getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the
week and minimizing your intake of trans and saturated fats.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ©2004
February 20, 2005- Be Good to Your
Heart
Do your breakfast habits include yogurt or cold cereal? If so, you're
giving your heart a treat.
Regular consumption of yogurt and cold breakfast cereals was associated
with reduced homocysteine levels in a recent study. Keeping
homocysteine levels in check may help reduce cardiovascular disease
risk. Other foods in the study that lowered homocysteine levels include
milk, bell peppers, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli.
Excess weight, male gender, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking,
advanced age, inactivity, high cholesterol, and a family history of
cardiovascular disease (CVD) all increase the risk of CVD. In recent
years, new risk factors for CVD have been identified. One of these is
elevated levels of homocysteine, a protein that can damage the lining
of blood vessels, interfere with blood clotting, and oxidize LDL, the
bad cholesterol that contributes to the formation of arterial plaques.
A recent study determined that frequent consumption of milk (more than
30 times per month), yogurt (more than 15 times per month), and cold
breakfast cereal (more than 30 times per month) reduced homocysteine
levels by approximately 6 percent to 15 percent. Researchers credit the
folate and riboflavin in these foods for their homocysteine-lowering
benefits. The study determined that bell peppers and cruciferous
vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts had the
same effect as the breakfast foods. In addition to eating a balanced
diet, losing weight if you need to and exercising regularly also can
help you stave off cardiovascular disease.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ©2005
February 27, 2005- Generation Gap
Packing as many fruits and veggies as possible into your meals has
become more important than ever.
A study has suggested that although present-day agricultural practices
yield bountiful crops, the fruits and vegetables produced appear to
contain less riboflavin, iron, vitamin C, and other nutrients than they
did 50 years ago. Fill any nutrition gaps you may have by increasing
your produce intake and including a multivitamin in your diet.
On average, today's produce contains 6 percent less protein and 38
percent less riboflavin than fruits and vegetables grown 50 years ago
did. If you're worried about getting your fill of vitamins and
nutrients, eat at least 4 servings of fruit and 5 servings of
vegetables per day. Strive for diversity in your produce choices by
including many different colored items, such as red strawberries and
apples; green beans and bell peppers; orange cantaloupe and squash;
purple grapes and berries; and white mushrooms and onions. In addition,
adding a multivitamin to your daily routine can help ensure you get the
most optimum dose of many important vitamins and minerals.
Source: Journal of the American College of Nutrition, ©2005
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