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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.
The Raw vs. the Cooked
The belief in the benefits of raw foods—sometimes called "living foods"—is nothing new. Sylvester Graham, for whom the cracker is named, promoted raw foods 150 years ago, just as some chefs, cookbooks, celebrities, and websites promote them today. Among other claims, raw food diets are said to eliminate headaches and allergies, improve memory and immunity, ease arthritis, and reverse diabetes. Proponents say that cooking destroys nutrients, enzymes, and the "life force" of the food itself. Here are the basics, the benefits, the drawbacks, and the bottom line. Full
Story
The Scoop on Petroleum Jelly
Many websites promote the idea that petroleum jelly is dangerous. It is no secret that petroleum jelly, also called petrolatum (trade name Vaseline), is a derivative of petroleum. While unrefined petrolatum from an oil well does indeed contain impurities that might be carcinogenic, refined white petrolatum is free of these chemicals. There are some instances when you shouldn’t use petrolatum, however.
How to Shake the Salt Habit
A year ago the CDC declared that nearly 70% of American adults should restrict their sodium intake to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day. (who are more prone to hypertension), and people who already have hypertension. Because people are accustomed to eating processed and fast foods, it’s hard enough to get down to the 2,300-milligram-a-day limit set for healthy younger adults, let alone to this lower limit. To stay within a 1,500-milligram sodium limit, you must eat whole fresh foods and cook from scratch nearly all the time—you can eat out (or bring home takeout food) only on occasion. That’s a tall order for even the most motivated and health-conscious person. Here’s how to make the transition to a lower-sodium lifestyle.
What Can’t Exercise Do?
Exercise is good for you in so many ways, some obvious, some not. It can help you lose weight, gain strength, and fight mild depression. The benefits also include better cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, improved blood sugar control, stronger bones, less arthritis pain, and a more efficient heart and brain. Recently at least ten major studies on the benefits of exercise appeared. Here’s a sampling, all from the Archives of Internal Medicine. They are part of the accumulating evidence showing that "physical activity may be the most effective prescription for promoting successful aging."
Focus on Eye Drops
If you have dry, red, or itchy eyes and are looking for over-the-counter relief, there are many eye drop products to choose from—so many, in fact, that the choice can leave you bleary- eyed. Here’s what you’ll find on drugstore shelves, for dry eye relief, to get the red out, and for itchy eyes due to allergies.
ASK
THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Are caffeinated beverages dehydrating—and do they count towards your eight-a-day glasses of water? What causes bloodshot eyes? Should you wash raw poultry before cooking it? Do calcium supplements cause dangerous calcium deposits in coronary arteries? Full
Story
WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
A workout for your funny bone . . . Will nearly half of Americans be obese by 2020?
WELLNESS TIPS
• Another reason to keep your blood pressure under control: hypertension increases the risk of dementia, according to accumulating research. Even moderately elevated blood pressure can damage small blood vessels in the brain, resulting in damage to the surrounding white matter that increases the risk of dementia as well as stroke.
• Try to limit the amount of time you spend sitting, whether at a desk or in front of the TV, or at least get up and take frequent breaks. Studies have linked long bouts of sitting and lack of movement with obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic disorders.
• If you are over 70, being overweight—that is, carrying an extra 10 to 30 pounds—but not obese, may actually be healthful, according to a recent Australian study. People who were obese or underweight face the greatest risk. This suggests that guidelines defining overweight for younger people may not be appropriate at older ages.
• To reduce the risk of cavities, add raisins to unsweetened cereal yourself, instead of buying raisin bran cereal, suggests a recent study at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
• Don’t count on TENS (transcutaneous electrostimulation) devices to treat osteoarthritis of the knee or chronic low-back pain. These devices apply low-voltage electrical current to the skin to stimulate the nerves and presumably relieve pain. Despite more than 20 years of research, however, there is no convincing evidence to support these uses.
• If you think you have a splinter in a finger, but aren’t sure, here’s an easy way to find out. In a dark room, put a small flashlight directly against the finger. You should be able to see, from the side, how deep and how large the splinter is. This makes removal easier.
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