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Each month we feature one full
article from the current issue of the WELLNESS LETTER, plus our
Ask the Experts column, in addition to brief summaries of the
other articles, listed below.
Are You an Apple
or a Pear?
If you are overweight, do you carry most of your extra pounds around your waist
or your hips? Of course, being significantly overweight is unhealthy, but it’s
important where the fat is stored. In recent years research has shown that having
an “apple-shaped” body (a lot of abdominal fat) increases the risk
of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, several types of cancer,
and possibly other disorders. A “pear-shaped” body (fattest in the
hips, buttocks, and thighs) is less risky, and may be protective in some ways,
especially in women. Full
Story
LASIK: Reading the Fine Print
LASIK surgery for presbyopia, as the farsightedness of aging is called, was
approved by the FDA last year for people who are also nearsighted. Presbyopia
makes it hard to focus on near objects, such as a book or computer screen.
It develops after age 40, and until recently could be managed only with reading
glasses or, in some cases, contact lenses. If you already wear glasses or
contacts for other vision problems, the onset of presbyopia may mean bifocals,
which are sometimes hard to get used to. So LASIK for presbyopia has a ready
market. As a treatment for presbyopia in nearsighted people, the surgery
results in one eye that sees close up, while the other eye sees at a distance—this
is called monovision. Your brain adjusts to the different input from both
eyes. But this procedure certainly isn’t for everyone.
Quercetin Mysteries
Plant foods are also rich in compounds known as phytochemicals, which may affect
human health. Among them are a large group known as polyphenols, some of
which are flavonoids. Among these, one of the most frequently studied is
quercetin. It’s in apples, red and yellow onions, hot peppers, red
grapes, grape juice, citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, raspberries,
and cherries, as well as black and green tea and red wine—an appetizing
line-up. Quercetin—in foods and supplements—has been under study
for its potential health benefits. How bioavailable is quercetin—that
is, how much of it can the body absorb and use? No one knows for sure. However,
it is an antioxidant, and if it is absorbed, it might help reduce cell-damaging
free radicals. Quercetin could theoretically reduce the oxidation of LDL
(“bad”) cholesterol in blood vessels and thus help prevent heart
disease. And yet, findings about quercetin, while sometimes encouraging,
have been far from clear.
Body Oddities
Ever wonder why you yawn, get goose bumps, get “ice cream headaches,” sneeze
at the sun, creak and twitch, or do other odd things? Here are some explanations.
Test Your Summer Savvy
Here’s a quiz to help you stay safe this summer—in your backyard,
at the sea, on the road, or wherever else you may be.
Shoulders in Motion
The shoulder is a complicated mechanism, consisting of three bones—the
collarbone (clavicle), upper arm bone (humerus), and shoulder blade (scapula).
It is your most flexible joint, with a wide range of motion. You can rotate
your arm 360 degrees and put your hand almost anywhere in a wide arc. Your
shoulder enables you to catch a ball, hit a ball with a racquet or golf club,
lift a box, and propel yourself through the water. A trained athlete can throw
a ball with enormous speed and accuracy. This versatility and range of motion,
and the complex structure it takes to provide them, helps explain why the shoulder
is so easily injured—and why it pays to think about protecting it.
ASK
THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Our
readers ask: Will moderate alcohol consumption (a drink a day)
reduce the risk of heart disease as much as daily exercise? Why
is some produce in the supermarket sprayed with water, and is this
safe? What is prolotherapy, and does it work? Will calcium supplements
increase calcium deposits in my arteries and thus make a heart
attack more likely? What is jicama? Full
Story
WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Why older people usually latch on to the positive. . . Corn
chip chat . . . Managing your microwave.
WELLNESS TIPS
• Prospective
fathers should consume more folate, suggests a new study from
the University of California, Berkeley. Men with a high intake
of this B vitamin had significantly lower rates of chromosomal
abnormalities in their sperm, compared to men with moderate or
low intake. Women need adequate folate before and after conception
to protect against birth defects, but this is the first study
to show that folate may also be key for dads-to-be.
• Black tea
may help prevent Parkinson’s disease, according to a new
study in the American Journal of Epidemiology that followed
more than 63,000 middle-aged and older people for about seven
years. No association was seen for green tea.
• Don’t
assume that omega-3-fortified foods supply the same heart-healthy
fats found in fish. There are two different sources of omega-3s.
The types from fish—eicosapentenoic acid and docosahexenoic
acid—have known heart benefits. But most fortified foods
contain the related omega-3 fat found in plants called alpha-linolenic
acid, which may have some health benefits of its own, but can’t
replace the fats in fish.
• Another good
reason to keep your blood pressure under control: This may help
prevent, or at least limit, age-related cognitive decline, suggests
a recent study.
• Oats improve
blood cholesterol levels, a new review of research has confirmed.
Oats are rich in a cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber called
beta glucan. Still, it takes several servings of oats a day to
get a significant effect. And you can also get soluble fiber
from many other plant foods including beans, barley, apples,
oranges, and carrots.
• Don’t
buy “drugs” on the Internet that claim to prevent
or cure sexually transmitted diseases. The FDA has issued an
alert against a number of products that are being marketed illegally
for use against herpes, chlamydia, HIV, and human papillomavirus.
No pill, ointment, or dietary supplement can prevent STDs.
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