Weekly Health Tips for the month of August
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August 1, 2004- Be Finicky About Fish
If you're eating fish in a bid to help make your heart healthier, skip the fish sandwich and choose a baked filet.

A recent study revealed that people who ate baked or broiled fish at least once per week had a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation, a heart condition characterized by irregular heart rhythms. People who ate fried fish or fish sandwiches did not experience any reduction in risk.

If you eat fish, be careful to choose fish that tend to be lowest in mercury. Frequently eating certain kinds of fish may increase a person's exposure to mercury, a toxic substance that fish may absorb from the environment. Long-lived fish, such as swordfish, shark, tilefish, king mackerel, red snapper, and orange roughy, tend to have the highest mercury levels.

Source: Circulation, ©2004

August 8, 2004- Sweet on Overeating
Quenching your thirst with sweet drinks may stimulate your appetite.

Too much fructose in the diet could stimulate a person's appetite and encourage them to overeat, according to a recent study. Fructose is a form of sugar found in corn syrup, and corn syrup is commonly used to sweeten beverages such as soda, bottled iced tea, and fruit cocktails. Choose unsweetened beverages to wet your whistle.

Look for the words "high fructose corn syrup," "fructose corn syrup," or "corn syrup." If any of these terms is listed high in the ingredients list of beverages, consider other options. Unsweetened bottled iced tea or diet drinks may be a better choice. You'll consume fewer calories and also may avoid the appetite stimulation that research suggests could result from too much fructose in the diet. In addition to sweet sodas and sugared drinks, fruit also contains fructose in its natural state. However, fruit consumption has not been linked to an increase in appetite. In fact, fruits that are high in fiber, such as apples and pears, may help to control your appetite when eaten before a meal.

Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, ©2004

August 15, 2004- Beat Low Back Pain
Although patients in a study reported no immediate decrease in their back pain after a 10-week exercise program, down the road they experienced important rewards. The 2-and-a-half-year follow-up revealed that the people who had completed the exercise program tended to need less prescription pain medication than the group that had not exercised.

Some back pain patients saw immediate benefits to exercising. During a 10-week exercise intervention, they experienced improvement in their moods. A positive attitude may help people better deal with difficult situations, such as chronic pain or lifestyle limitations. See your chiropractor for advice on exercise programs that are gentle on the back.

August 22, 2004- Fiber Crunch
High-fiber breakfast cereals may be better for you than you think.

High-fiber foods not only help regulate digestion, but they also help keep insulin levels in check. In a study, men who ate high-fiber cereal experienced lower peak insulin levels than men who consumed low-fiber cereal. Insulin control is an important part of type 2 diabetes prevention.

Aim to include in your diet at least 25 grams of fiber each day. You can do this by eating high-fiber foods such as whole grains, broccoli, and dried peas. Fiber is the indigestible part of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that helps you to feel full and regulates digestion. It helps control blood sugar levels by slowing absorption in the digestive tract. In a study, a group of men with hyperinsulinemia, a condition that indicates insulin resistance and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, did not experience the same insulin spike with high-fiber cereal as they did when they had eaten low-fiber cereal.

Source: Diabetes Care, ©2004

August 29, 2004- A Smile Fizzler
Fizzy diet sodas that are better for your waistline may still hurt your bones and teeth.

The acid in fizzy drinks, even diet varieties, may contribute to early bone loss and enamel erosion that can weaken teeth, according to research. Enamel is the hard, outer layer that protects teeth. Rinse or chew sugar-free gum after you drink soda to neutralize acid and minimize damage to your pearly whites.  Phosphoric acid also depletes the calcium from your bones causing them to become weak which can lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Phosphoric acid is deliberately added to soft drinks to give them a sharper flavor. It also slows the growth of molds and bacteria, which would otherwise multiply rapidly in the sugary solution.

Acid found in carbonated beverages erodes bone and enamel, stripping teeth of calcium and minerals. This exposes the dentine, the soft, living tissue underneath the enamel. Enamel erosion can lead to tooth pain, sensitivity, and an increased risk of decay. In a study, high consumption of carbonated beverages was associated with a greater than 250 percent increased risk of tooth erosion. Light-colored soft drinks were more harmful to teeth than darker carbonated beverages, such as colas. Canned iced tea and citrus beverages also caused significant enamel erosion. While plain water is your best beverage choice, diet root beer was deemed the safest soft drink for tooth enamel.

As for the skeletal bones, they become weaker with all phosphoric acid beverages.  It's best to decrease your intake of the acidic beverages and your increase milk consumption as well as adding a good calcium supplement to your daily routine.

Source: General Dentistry and General Chemistry, ©2004

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