General
Can Chocolate Make You Slimmer?
WELLderly News
People who eat chocolate more often tend to be thinner.
The Wall Street Journal from the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that people who eat chocolate more frequently tend to be thinner than those who eat chocolate less frequently. The Journal notes that participants who ate more chocolate did not consume more calories than those who ate chocolate less often—antioxidants and other compounds in chocolate may deliver a metabolic boost that can offset its caloric downside.”
Dr WELLderly note—Chocolate more FREQUENTLY not FREQUENTLY, MORE CHOCOLATE.
Taste vs. Healthy Choices
WELLderly News
Survey finds taste drives healthy living decisions.
The Los Angeles Times (5/24), reports on findings from an annual poll indicating that food purchases are driven by taste (87%), price (73%), healthfulness (61%), and convenience (53%). Nearly one quarter of the survey respondents said their diets were “extremely” or “very unhealthful,” although most were trying to improve their diets. “Less than 20% meet national guidelines for activity.
Dr. WELLderly note—Taste is driven by the addiction to FAT, SUGAR and SALT. Which promotes diseases—of—heart, brain, joints etc. etc. etc.
The four food groups are NOT sugar, salt, grease and a beverage.
If, OW think this mantra often—”I USED to eat lots of sweets—BUTT that’s all behind me now!” BUTT with exercise, I can—move it, use it and LOSE it!
WELLderly News: April 2012
WELLderly NEWS
Doctored and Dispense by Dale Anderson, MD
Researchers taking increasing interest in massage therapy.
Wall Street Journal (3/13) Massage may improve immune function in breast cancer patients, asthma in children, and osteoarthritis. Researchers are currently studying massage as therapy for generalized anxiety disorder.
WELLderly note—Here’s a touching story. We can be rubbed the RIGHT way. Needing, Kneading appears to be beneficial. Staying in touch is healthy.
CDC: Children consume too much added sugar.
Chicago Tribune (3/28) “Children and teens are consuming too much added sugar in their diets. Nearly one in every six calories they eat and drink comes from some type of added sugar.—consumption of added sugar rose steadily as kids got older. For instance, preschool-age boys got an average of 218 calories from added sugar, while those in the 6-to-11 age bracket got 345 and those in junior and senior high got 442.”
WELLderly note—Remember the visits to Grandpa’s—always with candy in his pockets and Grandma with “just made” cookies—”especially for you”. Now we know that a sweet treat may lead to unwanted health TREATments.
Popcorn a good choice as a whole-grain snack.
USA Today (3/26) hull of popcorn has some good nutritional qualities – assuming it’s not smothered in butter, oil and salt.” “the amount of polyphenols in popcorn was up to 300 milligrams (mg) per serving compared with 114 mg per serving of sweet corn and 160 mg per serving for all fruits.
WELLderly note—Movie popcorn oil is likely “saturated”Cocanut oil. This oil is getting some press as a brain benefactor and for raising the good HDL cholesterol. Stay tuned-the jury’s still out on this one.
People who eat chocolate more often tend to be thinner.
Wall Street Journal (3/27, The Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that people who eat chocolate more frequently tend to be thinner than those who eat chocolate less frequently. The Journal notes that participants who ate more chocolate did not consume more calories than those who ate chocolate less often—antioxidants and other compounds in chocolate may deliver a metabolic boost that can offset its caloric downside.
WELLderly note—Chocolate more FREQUENTLY not FREQUENTLY, MORE CHOCOLATE.
Scientists find neural highways crisscrossing the brain.
Boston Globe (3/30) a simple, grid-like pattern, much like ordered city streets that intersect at right angles–study used MRI technology to look in fine detail at the connections in the brain.
WELLderly note—NEUROBICS more paths, streets, intersections, highways are mapped out in the brain grid. Built and maintained by self construction BUT without brain UP-keep the “roads less traveled” become unuseable and perhaps overgrown with AZ amyloid plaques and “tangles”.
Campaign seeks to cut down on unnecessary medical procedures.
New York Times (4/4) a group of nine medical specialty boards recomends that doctors perform 45 common tests and procedures less often, and urges patients to question these services if they are offered. For instance, “The American College of Cardiology is urging heart specialists not to perform routine stress cardiac imaging in asymptomatic patients. The American College of Radiology is telling radiologists not to run imaging scans on patients suffering from simple headaches. Tthe American Gastroenterological Association is urging its physicians to prescribe the lowest doses of medication needed to control acid reflux disease.” the entire list of 45 (often) unnecessary tests and procedures is online at choosingwisely.org.”
WELLderly note—to cut costs, health care providers needs to cut profitable tests, patient’s need to shun “placebo” tests that offer only peace of mind, and litigators willl need to revisit the idea that “no stone should be left unturned.”
Melanoma Rates Keep Rising.
www.amednews.com/2012/hlsa0409 The greatest increase seems to be occurring among adolescents and young adults, particularly in females, says a study in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. “There is no such thing as a healthy tan, because you can’t get tanned without damaging your skin first. That damage is what makes you more likely to get skin cancer later in life.
WELLderly note—the best way to maintain healthy skin is to have “a shady past” and perhaps supplement with the “sunshine vitamin”—D-3.
CDC: Most Americans get enough vitamins, some need more.
WebMD (4/3) When it came to deficiencies for vitamins, the highest deficiencies were found for vitamin D, which “is important for strong muscles and bones, and it may help protect against certain cancers and type 2 diabetes.
WELLderly note—to D or not to D—that is (no longer) the question.
WELLderly News: March 2012
WELLderly New Health News
Doctored and Dispense by Dale Anderson, MD
Differences widespread among nation’s communities in care cost, quality.
Los Angeles Times (3/14) “the Commonwealth Fund, a New York foundation that studies the US healthcare market, ranked 306 communities nationwide on key areas of health system performance, such as whether patients are getting timely preventive care and avoiding unnecessary hospital stays and whether healthcare is affordable.”—if all local areas could do as well as the top performers it would save billions of dollars on preventable hospitalizations and readmissions.” St. Paul ranked first in the nation; Dubuque, Iowa, second; Rochester, third; and Minneapolis, fourth.
WELLderly note—Lucky, indeed are those who live in MINNESOTA, also rated in the top three USA states for longevity and happiness. GO Gophers!
Sugary drinks linked to increased heart attack risk.
MedPage Today (3/13) participants “who consumed the most sugary drinks — a median of 6.5 per week — were 20% more likely to have a myocardial infarction (MI) during follow-up than those who never drank them— researchers “also found that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was linked to inflammation and higher levels of harmful fats in the blood.”
WELLderly note— the big problem with too much sugar, isn’t sweet.
CDC to sponsor $54 million anti-smoking media campaign.
New York Times (3/15,) “For the first time, the federal government will directly attack the nation’s tobacco addiction with a series of advertisements highlighting the grisly toll of smoking.
Boston Globe (3/15) aimed at encouraging smokers to quit and preventing children from starting to smoke. $54 million, 12-week campaign featuresTV, radio, and print ads, and billboard and bus stop signs, —the campaign also includes “an up-close, voyeuristic look at victims of disease” using patients with conditions such as throat cancer.
WELLderly note—youth who start smoking early have harder time stopping.
Research shows daily walk may help beat “obesity genes.”
Los Angeles Times (3/15)people who are genetically prone to obesity can offset that influence by half by walking briskly one hour a day.”
WELLderly note—the best way to be slim is to NEVER become overweight in the first place. Once obese, it becomes “hormonal torture” to loose.
Study shows sleep deprivation leads to increased calorie consumption.
ABC World News (3/14) When sleep was reduced by a third each night, the subjects ate 550 more calories each day than the participants whose sleep was great. Research showed that sleep-deprived tend to eat more high-fat foods and especially ice cream.”
WELLderly note—good reason to buy ice cream by the pint rather than by the gallon. Out of sight, out of mind
Opioid use after minor surgery may lead to long-term use.
Los Angeles Times (3/13) oxycodone given “after simple operations” may be at greater risk for addicted. Researchers “looked at 391,139 people age 66 or older who had a short-stay surgery for something minor like cataracts, laparoscopic gallbladder removal, prostate tissue removal or varicose vein stripping. “Patients who received opioids within seven days of surgery were 44% more likely to be using opioids a year later,”
WELLderly note—pain meds after surgery can HOOK some into addiction. Endorphins are the internal opioids—try hard to put on an UP-beat ACT and dispense from the INNER PHARMACY!
Vitamin D may be linked to fewer stress fractures in girls.
Reuters (3/6) young women and girls consuming high levels of vitamin D were less likely to suffer from stress fractures.
Doctors recommends screening for vitamin D deficiency.
New York Times (3/13 of individuals with bone disease, chronic kidney disease, liver failure, malabsorption syndromes (resulting from cystic fibrosis, irritable bowel disease, weight-reduction surgery or abdominal radiation), overactive parathyroid and granuloma-forming disorders.” Individuals “taking drugs like anticonvulsants, glucocorticoids, antiretrovirals, antifungals and cholestyramine also should be tested, as well as older adults with a history of falls or non-traumatic fracture.”
WELLderly note—Some physicians skip the lab tests for low/no risk folks and recommend D3 up to 4000iu/day, especially in the low/no sun months.
Produce consumption may add more red, yellow skin tone.
Boston Globe (3/9 Three servings a day” of fruits and vegetables “to their diet developed color changes to their skin that made them look healthier and more attractive.” Attributed the changes “to the impact of carotenoids,” skin color reflects better health, the researchers said.” Within 6 weeks.
WELLderly note—WOW! a natural complexion —“touch of red”. And YES, wearing “a bit of red” proves to be a high-LIFE/light in sports, success and romance.