Health Newsletter:June 2005
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Contents |
Lose Fat With Omega-3 Fish Oil And Exercise
Omega-3 fish oil has been recognized to have significant benefits for healthy blood vessels and heart health. Ideally fish, which is rich in omega-3 fats, should be eaten several times per week, and salmon, mackerel or sardines are excellent choices. Some individuals are not fond of these choices and do not get enough of omega-3 fats. There is still the alternative to take fish oil. Most people would cringe at the idea of swallowing a spoonful of cod liver oil, but fish oil, which can be taken encased in a gelatin capsule is no longer a "yuck" experience. It is certainly worthwhile to take a closer look at omega-3 fish oil, as new research from Adelaide, Australia has come into the forefront, associating fish oil with health benefits. Dr. Peter Howe, PhD from the South Australian University's School of Health Sciences supervised research on patients with metabolic syndrome. They were overweight, had high blood pressure, a high insulin level and high blood fat or triglyceride levels. The patients participated in a 12-week program, which not only included moderate aerobic exercise three times per week, but also the intake of fish oil or sunflower oil. A control group received sunflower oil combined with exercise. The difference was quite significant: those on a regimen of exercise and fish oil supplementation lost more body fat mass than those who were using sunflower oil and adhered to an exercise program.
Exercise alone and fish oil alone did not produce these effects. It was the combination that made the difference! The researchers state that omega-3 fatty acids cause a switch to enzymes that burn fat, but exercise is the driver, which increases the metabolic rate, so fat loss becomes possible. It was also found that the winning combination of fish oil and exercise promoted a decrease in blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Dr. Howe noted that not only did it reduce body fat (weight loss mostly noticeable in the abdominal area), but also it was beneficial to the patients' general health. It is the protective effect of omega-3 fish oil on blood vessels, which is making them more elastic and more efficient in transporting nutrients to the muscles.
The Medical Post, May 3, 2005, page 15
Smoking During Pregnancy Linked To Adult Asthma
Smoking during pregnancy has been found to be harmful to the unborn child, and secondary smoke has long been recognized as a health risk for children. Doctors and health care providers keep on pointing out the hazards: aside the risk for the mother-to-be there are the consequences for the children: low baby birth weights, respiratory problems for children. In the meantime there is another good reason for the pregnant woman (and other household members) to quit. Passive smoking for the unborn child and in childhood seems to have a lasting effect on the airways. There is an increased risk for adult respiratory problems and asthma, reports Dr.Trude Duelien-Skoge, who is a respiratory physician at the University of Bergen, Norway. A long-term study was concluded between 1985 and 1996 involving 2,819 adults. Those participants, who had been exposed to tobacco smoke as unborn babies, were three times more likely to develop adult asthma than individuals whose mothers were non-smokers. Exposure to tobacco smoke in childhood alone was associated with a two-fold risk for adult asthma.
The worst consequences were born by the group that was exposed to tobacco smoke as unborn children and during childhood: they were three-and-a-half times more likely to develop asthma as adults. Several studies pointed to the fact that there are structural changes in the airways of children who had prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke. This does not come as a surprise, as many toxic chemicals from cigarette smoke pass freely across the placenta, and prenatal smoke exposure has been associated with a host of childhood illnesses. From early changes the road is paved to either slow progression of disease or inducing vulnerability in the airways, which only becomes evident with later exposures. Due to the far-reaching health risk it is all the more important to be aware of prevention: neither should the unborn child be exposed to cigarette smoke, nor should the growing child be subjected to it, and all efforts should be made to convince the adult smoker of the benefits of quitting smoking.
The Medical Post, May 3, 2005, page 25
Epstein-Barr Virus Responsible For Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease, which is dreaded by patients and a puzzle to researchers. While there are MS treatments that control the disease, it remains crucial to treat the early onset. So far the triggering factors have been an unsolved puzzle. Genetic traits and poor nutrition have been implied, yet there has been no conclusive evidence. For a long time there has been the suspicion amongst researchers, that a "multiple sclerosis virus" could be the culprit.
New research, which has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the truth is not far off.
Between 1988 and 2000 blood samples have been taken in a study among medical personnel of the United States. Special attention was paid to the group that was granted a permanent disability due to chronic illness. Amongst those who had Multiple Sclerosis, positive blood tests for Epstein Barr virus titers were prominent. The affected individuals were young adults, and the infection with the Epstein-Barr virus had occurred several years before the onset of the illness (the average time between the collection of the blood specimen and the onset of MS was 4 years.) There was also a correlation between the age of the patient and the occurrence of illness. The risk at age 25 was three-fold higher than at age 20 to contract Epstein Barr viral infection. Another strong indicator was an elevated serum level of IgG antibodies to EBNA complex or EBNA-1. This finding was associated with a three-fold risk for the development of MS.
This result would be of interest to young adults who were infected with mononucleosis, as the Epstein-Barr virus, which triggers the seemingly harmless and self-limiting "kissing disease", seems to entail a higher risk for the development of MS in a younger adult population.
JAMA Vol293, Nr.20, 2496-2501, May 25,2005
Mixing Medications With Herbs Spells Trouble
It is generally accepted that prescription medications may have side effects, and there is also the belief that herbal medicines are more desirable, as they cannot possibly have dangerous side effects. An anonymous survey of rheumatology patients in the United Kingdom shed some light into the use of over-the-counter herbal remedies: nearly half of the patients (40%) had used herbal remedies in the past six month in the hope of enhancing their health. Trouble started for one in ten patients who took an herbal remedy that could negatively interfere with their traditional medicines. Dr. Wendy Holden of the Nuffield Orthopedic Center in Oxford, the author of this study, reported that the risk is especially high for rheumatology patients who take anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with herbs. The traditional medicines do have a risk for gastrointestinal bleeding, however the additions of herbs like ginkgo biloba, ginger, devil's claw and even garlic can increase the anticoagulant effect and bleeding may be the consequence. Some patients who reported the use of Echinacea were increasing the risk of a liver disease. Of those patients who took a potentially harmful treatment combination 92% were unaware of the risk. Less than half had mentioned to their physicians that they used herbal medications in combination with their prescription medications.
Herbal medicines are powerful and their effects and side effects have to be taken into consideration. It is important for the patient to mention every medication, even the seemingly harmless over-the-counter herbal remedies, to the treating physician, as the mix may be not a winning combination, but one that is hazardous.
The Medical Post, May 10, 2005, page 8
Pancreatic Cancer And Processed Meats
A large multi-ethnic study analyzed data from 190,545 men and women at the Cancer Research Center at the University of Hawaii. In an average follow-up time of 7 years there were 482 incidents of pancreatic cancer, and it became obvious that processed meats play a role in the increase of pancreatic cancer. After taking other risk factors into consideration like a positive family history, age, smoking and diabetes mellitus, those patients who consumed the largest amount of processed meats had a 67% increased risk for pancreatic cancer as opposed to those who had the lowest intake of these foods. A diet rich in red meats increased the risk by about 50%.
Poultry, fish, dairy products and egg intake showed no pancreatic cancer risk factor, nor did it matter how much fat, saturated fat or cholesterol was consumed over the 7 year observation period. The lead investigator of the study, Dr. Ute Noethlings, observes that the risk increase is a consequence of the meat preparation with carcinogens. The main culprit would very likely be sodium nitrite, which is a preservative that also enhances the meat color. For the consumer it means taking a critical look at processed meats before picking up sausages with your next shopping. Read the labels, avoid sodium nitrite. Your pancreas will thank you for it!
The Medical Post, May 17, 2005, page 50
