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

Color me healthy
Diet advice you can trust
Building a better pyramid
Protect your heart the Mediterranean way
Making food safer
Natural back pain solutions
Eating well for less
Did you know?



Color me healthy

In findings that support the current dietary recommendations to eat more brightly colored fruits and vegetables, a study of 374 adult men found that those with the highest total carotenoid intake had the lowest risk for metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of factors (linked to obesity and overweight) that increase an individual’s risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other health problems. Carotenoids, which have antioxidant properties, are abundant in red, orange, and yellow foods like tomatoes and tomato products, carrots, and squash.

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• “Dietary Carotenoid Intake Is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Middle-Aged and Elderly Men” by I. Sluijs et al., J Nutr, 5/09

Diet advice you can trust

Eating for good health isn’t rocket science. We’re advised to choose foods in their natural states, such as fresh fruits and raw or lightly steamed veggies, and foods high in protein and other nutrients and low in saturated fats and calories. We also know we should cut back on processed foods. But when you need specific advice on diet, consider visiting a registered dietitian. These credentialed specialists have extensive nutrition education. A visit, especially if prescribed by your doctor, may even be covered by health insurance.

Registered dietitian Suzanne Bogert recently offered this advice in the Los Angeles Times: “When you lay your head on your pillow at night, ask yourself how many fruits and vegetables you ate, are you getting a wide variety of foods in your diet, are you connected with your hunger, and are you active?”

For more nutrition information, check your local market for resources, and visit websites like EatRight.org, sponsored by the American Dietetic Association, and MyPyramid.gov from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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• “DIY: Meal-Planning Help Without a Dietitian,” Los Angeles Times, 4/20/09

Building a better pyramid

To reflect the deluge of new research supporting the benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet, the nonprofit group Oldways, which promotes science-based healthy diets, has updated its original 1993 Mediterranean diet pyramid. Oldways’ new pyramid lists all plant foods together to emphasize their benefits. Both fish and shellfish are given more prominence because of their advantages for the brain and reproductive health. Herbs and spices are new additions, having earned a place based on their therapeutic qualities and great flavors.

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• “Med Diet Pyramid Updated to Reflect New Science” by Lorraine Heller, www.nutraingredients-usa.com, 4/10/09
• “Traditional Diet Pyramids: Major Changes in the New Updated Mediterranean Diet Pyramid,” www.oldwayspt.org

Protect your heart the Mediterranean way

This style of eating recently received another endorsement. Canadian researchers found that the Mediterranean diet’s main nutritional components — including beta carotene, vitamin C, tocopherols, polyphenols, and essential minerals — account for its links to longer life, lower incidence of heart disease, and protection against some forms of cancer. Fresh fruits and vegetables — especially those in season and locally grown — nuts, legumes, whole grains, fish, and olive oil are important features of the Mediterranean diet, which is low in dairy, red and processed meats, and junk food.

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• “Med Diet, Vegetables, and Nuts Come Out on Top for Heart Health” by Stephen Daniells, www.nutraingredients-usa.com, 4/15/09
• “A Systematic Review of the Evidence Supporting a Causal Link Between Dietary Factors and Coronary Heart Disease” by A. Mente et al., Arch Intern Med, 4/09

Making food safer

On the heels of nationwide salmonella and E. coli outbreaks, growers and producers who lost millions of dollars when Americans stopped buying their products are taking proactive steps to ensure that produce gets to consumers in the safest condition possible. Growers of spinach, lettuce, and other leafy greens turned to legislation from the 1930s that allows an industry to set regulations for government auditors to enforce.

Programs in California and Arizona are sending state inspectors into fields and packaging plants to make sure food is grown and handled properly, and while participation is voluntary, over 95 percent of growers of leafy greens have signed on.

In other food-safety news, the almond industry has developed a pasteurization program that will be overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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• “To Fill Food Safety Gap, Processors Pay Inspectors” by Andrew Martin, New York Times, 4/17/09

Natural back pain solutions

As many as 80 percent of U.S. adults have suffered from back pain at one time or another. Many treatments are available to help provide relief for this widespread problem. But which ones work?

The Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center looked for an answer by surveying over 14,000 subscribers who experienced lower-back pain in the past year but did not have back surgery. Results showed that hands-on therapies came out on top: 58 percent said chiropractic/spinal manipulation was most helpful, 48 percent chose massage, and 46 percent preferred physical therapy.

Other survey highlights revealed that 59 percent of respondents said they were “highly satisfied” with the back pain treatment they received from their chiropractors compared with a 34 percent rating with their primary care physicians. Almost half felt that exercise was helpful, and a majority wished they had begun back-strengthening exercises sooner.

It is important, however, to see a doctor if back pain is severe, lasts more than a few days, or doesn’t respond to treatment so that disease can be ruled out.

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• “Consumer Reports Survey: Hands-on Therapies Among Top-Rated Treatments for Back Pain,” www.consumerreportshealth.org, 5/09

Eat well for less

Even though cost-conscious consumers are looking for ways to cut corners these days, good health and nutrition don’t have to be spared in the bargain. Stock up on these tasty pantry staples.

Low-salt, reduced-fat chicken and vegetable stock added to sauces is an inexpensive way to add flavor to a wide variety of foods.

Vinegars-—balsamic, red wine, white wine, and sherry—aren’t just for salads anymore. Both entrees and vegetables can be enhanced with a splash of vinegar.

Herbs and spices are centuries-old favorites to liven up the taste of foods. You’ll probably find you use less salt, helping to keep blood pressure in check. Spices and dried herbs last a long time if stored properly.

Nuts, excellent sources of protein and other nutrients, can be sprinkled on salads, entrees, and desserts to add a unique taste. Eat in moderation to keep calories within bounds.

Canned tuna, salmon, or mackerel, packed in water with no added salt, are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. All offer low-cost meals without sacrificing good taste.

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• “22 Essentials for Quick, Healthy, Cheaper Meals,” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, 1/09

Did you know ?

One in seven American teenagers isn’t getting enough vitamin D, according to a new Cornell study. Overweight adolescents and girls are twice as likely to be low in the “sunshine vitamin” compared with average-weight peers and boys, respectively, report researchers. African-American teens appear to be most at risk: 50 percent were found to be vitamin D deficient.