 Health Front
News that's good for you
December 2007
Reprinted with permission from Taste For Life
Breakfast of Champions
Starting the day off with whole-grain cereals may lower the long-term risk for heart failure, finds a new study of more than 20,000 men. These benefits aren’t linked to refined breakfast cereals though, say the Harvard University researchers who studied these men for almost 20 years. Eating seven or more servings of whole-grain cereals was linked with a significantly lower risk of heart failure.
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- "Breakfast Cereals and Risk of Heart Failure in the Physicians' Healthy Study I" by Luc Djousse, MD, MPh, et al., Arch Intern Med, 10/22/07
Kiss Lead Goodbye
A potent neurotoxin linked to numerous health problems, lead is in more than 33 top-brand lipsticks recently tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. “The latest studies show there is no safe level of lead exposure,” says Mark Mitchell, MD, MPH, director of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice. One-third of the lipsticks exceeded the 0.1 parts per million (ppm) lead limit that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set for candy to protect children from directly ingesting this dangerous substance. Since the average woman tends to ingest more than four pounds of lipstick over the course of her life, it’s time to get the lead out. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is calling on manufacturers, suppliers, and FDA to do just that.
The good news is that it’s possible to make lipstick without lead. Until more manufacturers do so, choose natural lip balms and lipsticks with ingredients like beeswax, iron oxides, jojoba or other plant oils, and vitamin E. Because the lips contain no oil glands, always keep natural lip balm handy, especially in dry winter weather.
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- “Lipsticks Contain Lead, Consumer Group Says," by Karen Jacobs, www.reuters.com, 10/11/07
- “A Poinson Kiss: The Problem of Lead in Lipstick," www.safecosmetics.org, 10/07
Safer Treatment for ADHD?
It may not be the first thing that you think of when you want to unwind, but new research suggests that garlic signals blood vessels to relax. This causes an increase in blood flow and boosts heart health. It seems that active ingredients in garlic cause red blood cells to release hydrogen sulfide—better known as rotten egg gas—and that’s what leads the blood vessels to relax.
If you want a quick, tasty way to eat a hefty helping of garlic, try mincing several cloves and adding them to hummus for a heart-healthy fix.
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- “Hydrogen Sulfide Mediates the Vasoactivity of Garlic" by Gloria A. Benavides et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 10/19/07
Folate for Breast Health
Postmenopausal women who eat foods high in folate—particularly leafy greens and legumes like chickpeas and lentils—have a lower risk for breast cancer, a new study suggests—but only if they also happen to be overweight. The possible link between low folate intake and the development of breast cancer in people of various sizes is sure to be the subject of further investigation.
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- “High Folate Intake Is Associated with Lower Breast Cancer Incidence in Postmenopausal Women..." by U. Ericson et al., Am J Cl Nutr, 2007
Fiber That Feeds
Prebiotic fiber is food for probiotic bacteria—the good bacteria that can boost your immune system and keep your intestinal tract in good health. As if that were not enough of a recommendation, prebiotics have also been linked with reduced colon cancer risk, improved management of inflammatory bowel diseases, and enhanced calcium and magnesium absorption. So eat those bananas, leeks, onions, garlic, artichokes, and asparagus—all good sources of prebiotic fiber—and nourish yourself with foods that work for your good health!
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- “Inulin-Type Fructans: Functional Foods " by U. Ericson et al., Am J Cl Nutr, 2007
Pregnant Women & Fish
For the health of their babies, pregnant women are advised to eat at least 12 ounces of fish per week. Oily fish like salmon, herring, and sardines are wise choices because they provide omega-3 fatty acids without potentially harmful levels of mercury.
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- “Should PRegnant Women Eat More Seafood? " New York Times, 10/5/07
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