Health Front
News that's good for you
May 2009
Reprinted with permission from Taste For Life

Hold the salt!
Did you know?
Put the kettle on
Get out the grill!
Less meat, better health
Going gluten free
On the bright side
Keeps asthma at bay?



Hold the salt!

The driving force behind efforts to ban trans fats, Walter Willett, MD, chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, has turned his attention to another dietary concern. He wants the government to force manufacturers of packaged and processed foods to reduce the amount of salt they use, and he’s sending his recommendations to President Obama along with a suggestion to impose a hefty tax on soda and candy. “An unregulated market is doing to human health what it has done to the U.S. economy,” warned Dr. Willett in the Boston Globe.

We consume twice the teaspoon of salt a day that’s recommended, says the American Heart Association, and more is hiding in foods you wouldn’t suspect, including whole-wheat bread and cereal. Processed soups and sauces also contain high amounts.

Sodium can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, and the American Medical Association notes that if Americans cut their intake in half, as many as 150,000 premature deaths could be prevented each year.

selected sources

• “Eating a Bit Less Salt Can Be a Big Health Boon” by Tiffany Sharples, Time, 3/12/09
• “Effects of Salt Substitute on Pulse Wave Analysis Among Individuals at High Cardiovascular Risk in Rural China . . .” by J. Hu et al., Hypertens Res, 2/09
• “Goodbye Trans Fats; Now It’s Salt’s Turn” by Louisa Kasdon, Boston Globe, 3/4/09

Did you know?

Busy mothers want fresh, balanced nutrition when it comes to feeding kids, and it’s more important to them than convenience. That’s what a recent cross-cultural survey of 3,600 American moms found. Of course, they want foods that taste good and appeal to children, but they’re most interested in shaping healthy eating habits for life.

Put the kettle on

The research spotlight is shining on tea again. A study of people from various Mediterranean islands found that long-term consumption of one to two cups of green or black tea a day was linked to a 70 percent reduction in the risk for Type 2 diabetes.

In addition, a meta-analysis of data involving nearly 200,000 people suggests that drinking three cups of green or black tea daily may help prevent stroke.

selected sources

• “Green and Black Tea Consumption and Risk of Stroke: A Meta-analysis” by L. Arab et al., Stroke, 2/09
• “Long-Term Tea Intake Is Associated with Reduced Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Elderly People from Mediterranean Islands . . .” by D. B. Panagiotakos et al., Yonsei Med J, 2/09

Get out the grill!

Just clean it well before firing up. The grill will burn better, and your food will taste its best. Remove all cooking grates and soak them in hot, sudsy water. For charcoal grills, take out the coal grate and brush out the inside with a wire brush. For gas grills, remove briquettes or lava rocks to expose the burner and brush them off. Clean out ash and residue. Be sure the burner is in place correctly when you’re done. If any gas jets are clogged, replace the burner or clean carefully with a soft wire brush. Remove and scrub the drip pan clean and replace the foil grease catcher.

Next, scrub the grates that have been soaking, and then brush the tops of the cooking grills with a little oil to reseason. Clean grease splatters off the exterior and legs of the grill as well. Let everything air dry. Allow a few extra minutes of heating before you grill so any residues can burn off.

selected sources

• “Get the Grill out of the Garage,” www.napoleongrills.com, 3/09
• “How to Clean a Grill” by Derrick Riches, http://bbq.about.com

Less meat, better health

Here’s more evidence that a plant-based diet is better for you: A study of more than a half million older Americans confirms that those who regularly eat lots of red meat and processed meats (hot dogs, bacon, cold cuts) have a higher risk for heart disease and cancer than those who limit consumption of these foods. The findings support the recommendations of several health organizations to increase vegetable, whole grain, and fruit consumption and to choose fish and white meat most frequently for lean protein.

“Successfully shifting away from red meat can be as easy as increasing fruits and vegetables,” Elisabetta Politi of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, NC, told the Los Angeles Times. “Meat should be a supporting actor rather than the main character on your plate.” An added bonus: Plant-based diets help reduce global warming because livestock increase greenhouse gas emissions.

selected sources

• “Meat Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Over Half a Million People” by Rashmi Sinha, PhD, et al., Arch Intern Med, 3/09
• “Study Links High Intake of Red Meat, Processed Meats to Greater Risk of Death” by Carla K. Johnson, LA Times, 3/23/09

Going gluten free

More than three Million Americans suffer from celiac disease and other health problems related to gluten, including allergies and irritable bowel syndrome. So it’s not surprising that gluten-free foods and beverages are booming.

To meet the demands of consumers unwilling to suffer in silence, more than two hundred marketers introduced new gluten-free products to Americans last year. While those with celiac disease may be the driving force, others with health problems are also finding that going gluten free is an effective solution to numerous maladies linked to wheat and gluten consumption.

selected source

• “Malady-Stricken Consumers Find Relief in Booming Gluten-Free Food and Beverage Market,” MarketWire, 3/12/09

On the bright side

If your hours have been cut to save jobs and your company’s bottom line, consider the upside: You’ll have more time to relax—and less work may even help protect your brain. New research finds that people working more than 55 hours a week had poorer short-term memory and word recall than those who worked fewer hours.

“This study should give pause for thought to workaholics,” says Harriet Millward, deputy chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust. “We already know that dementia risk can be reduced by maintaining a balanced diet, regular social interactions, and exercising both our bodies and minds.” So enjoy that extra time: Work in the garden, take a walk, and cook a wholesome, inexpensive meal from scratch for family and friends.

selected source

• “Long Hours Linked to Dementia Risk,” BBC News, 2/25/09

Keeps asthma a bay?

More than 20 million Americans (including 6.2 million children) suffer from asthma, an inflammatory swelling of the airways that restricts oxygen flow. Dutch research suggests that a common fruit may play a role in prevention: When pregnant women eat apples, their children tend to have lower rates of asthma.

While apples’ protective effects need further study, researchers suspect the flavonoids and other antioxidants in this popular fruit may be responsible. Quercetin, one such flavonoid in apples, works much like an antihistamine, diminishing allergic reactions and helping to fight inflammation.

selected source

• “Prenatal Nutrition, Postnatal Allergy Protection” by Serena Gordon, Washington Post, 1/4/09