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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.
Brain Health: What to Keep in Mind
Anyone who promises you guaranteed ways to protect and preserve your mind and prevent dementia is either trying to sell you something or suffering from wishful thinking. Still, scientists all over the world have been working to solve the mysteries of the aging brain. Why do some people experience greater “cognitive decline” than others, and why do some develop dementia? Your genes clearly play a large role. One important thing researchers have learned is that what helps your cardiovascular system also seems to benefit your brain and helps protect it from disease. Here’s the latest thinking. Full
Story
Orange You Glad?
Citrus fruits—from oranges and grapefruits to lesser known tangelos and pomelos—originated in Southeast Asia (the word “orange” comes from the Hindi “narangi.”). They are noted for their vitamin C but have a lot more to offer.
Do You Need Extra Enzymes?
Your body makes and uses thousands of enzymes every day—so it may seem odd that many enzymes are sold as dietary supplements. Enzymes regulate virtually every chemical reaction in our bodies and in all living cells everywhere. Do you need to take enzymes to combat digestive problems such as a gassy stomach? To boost immunity and fight inflammation? To help your body make up a shortfall of enzymes that, according to the ads, occurs as you age? To ease arthritis or cure cancer? A score of websites urge you to buy enzymes for such reasons. But, in fact, very little is known about most other enzyme supplements.
Foot Notes: Bunions
A bunion can be both painful and unsightly. A severe one can restrict normal activity, such as walking, working, or playing a sport. Women are more likely than men to have bunions—it’s estimated that half of women eventually develop them. The conventional wisdom used to be that women bring this disorder on themselves by wearing high heels, tight shoes, and other uncomfortable foot gear, but other factors are now known to be more important in causing bunions (though ill-fitting shoes can promote them). These include slightly abnormal foot structure, flat feet, and overpronation. But the fault is not so much in our shoes as in our genes. If your grandmother and mother have (or had) a bunion, you are more likely to have one. Here’s how to cope.
Currying Favor
Bright colors in fruits and vegetables usually indicate high levels of nutrients and healthful substances. What about strong flavors? Indeed, traditional medical practice in India and China has tended to value spices, especially hot and peppery ones. If it stings and burns, it must be good medicine, or so it may seem. One spice that’s currently under extensive scientific study is turmeric, an ingredient of curry powder. Here is what recent research has shown.
If Your Cup Runneth Over
If you’re a woman with large breasts, high-impact activity can be uncomfortable—perhaps embarrassing, too. Even low- and moderate-impact activities may cause breast pain. Breasts, after all, don’t have much natural internal support. Though sports bras are supposed to minimize motion, many are not designed for large-breasted women. It can be frustrating, but taking the time to find the right bra and the right size can make all the difference.
Low Back Pain—Still a Mystery
Low back pain is an almost universal problem. It usually goes away after a few days, but in about 10 to 20% of people it becomes chronic. Among neurological ailments reported in the U.S, only headache is more common. The annual bill for our backs, including medical care and disability compensation, may run as high as $50 billion in the U.S. And besides the discomfort, back pain complicates people’s lives—it’s hard to work, exercise, or enjoy life when your back hurts . . . . In January we reported on new research on low back pain—chiefly the benefits of movement training, such as the Alexander Technique, a method for improving posture and movement. There is other news as well.
ASK
THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Do you recommend over-the-counter NSAID patches and gels for pain? Is the vitamin D you get from being in the sun or a tanning salon better than what you get from a supplement? Are headstands safe? What is UHT milk, and does it contain fewer nutrients than regular milk? Full
Story
WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Medicalese can be mix you up. . . Feeling your oats.
WELLNESS TIPS
• If you drink tea, you may be reducing your risk of stroke. Researchers from UCLA recently analyzed nine studies and found that people who drank, on average, three cups of green or black tea a day had a 21% reduced risk of stroke.
• If you’re taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, it’s still important to stick to a healthy diet and exercise program. It’s not an “either/or” decision. Studies show that diet can enhance the effects of the medication.
• If you’re a gardener, make sure you’ve had a tetanus booster. More than one-third of tetanus cases in this country occur in people who got it while gardening or doing yard work.
• If you get canker sores frequently, try a vitamin B12 supplement. In an Israeli study of people prone to canker sores, those who took B12 (1,000 micrograms a day—about 400 times the recommended dietary allowance) had fewer, shorter, and less painful outbreaks after five or six months, compared to those who took a placebo.
• If you’re a man with erectile dysfunction (ED)— particularly if you are in your forties—talk to your doctor about your cardiovascular risk factors. Research has found that ED is often a warning sign of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Recently a study from the Mayo Clinic found that the greatest risk by far was in men in their forties: those with ED were 50 times more likely to have a heart attack over ten years than their counterparts without ED.
• Don’t count on face lotions and cosmetics labeled with a sun protection factor (SPF) to give you adequate protection. You’d have to apply them thickly enough all over your face and neck, and reapply them often throughout the day, which is not how these products are typically used.
• Consuming three or more alcoholic drinks a day is never a good idea, but it is especially dangerous if you take any over-the-counter pain relievers. Combining alcohol with aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), or related pain relievers may promote stomach bleeding. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) combined with alcohol may promote severe liver damage.
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