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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.
Why Go Nuts
Many people avoid nuts, thinking they are “too fattening.” But research
now suggests that nuts can, in fact, help with weight control. Here’s the
latest on this, plus other news about nuts. Full
Story
How Good Are Those New Tests
for Oral Cancer?
You may have seen ads claiming there are new tests for oral cancer “as
powerful as a Pap test or colonoscopy.” This would be welcome news—if
true. The number of cases of oral cancer has actually been declining in the
U.S., perhaps because tobacco use (the main risk factor) has dropped. About
30,000 cases were diagnosed last year, two-thirds of them men. The five-year
survival rate is only about 50%, largely because oral cancer is hard to identify
and treat before it has spread. It’s encouraging that researchers are
seeking new tests. The trouble is that the new tests have never been shown
to be reliable for routine screening. None has been shown to improve detection
of oral cancer, let alone save lives.
When Niacin Is a Drug
If you’ve learned that your blood cholesterol levels put you at risk
for heart disease, your first steps have no doubt been to improve your diet,
lose weight, and get more exercise. However, these changes may not help enough.
In that case, the doctor usually prescribes a statin drug. But there is also
a vitamin, niacin, which in large doses can improve cholesterol levels. Niacin’s
beneficial effect on blood cholesterol has been recognized for at least half
a century. It does not reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol as much as
statins. But one advantage of niacin is that it raises HDL (“good“)
cholesterol substantially; statins raise HDL only modestly. It also decreases
triglycerides, fats in the blood that may increase the risk of heart disease.
Should You Be Wary of Nitrites?
Some processed meats boast of having “no nitrites” or being “naturally
cured.” Are they safer than conventionally cured meat? Sodium nitrite
is typically added to bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs, and luncheon meats to
inhibit growth of bacteria, especially those that cause botulism. It also contributes
to the characteristic flavor and pink color of cured meats. The concern is
that nitrites can combine with components of protein, called amines, to form
nitrosamines, which cause cancer in laboratory animals. And though never proven
to cause cancer in people, diets high in cured and other processed meats have
long been linked to stomach and other cancers. Thanks to improved preservation
techniques, cured meats today contain only one-fifth of what they did in the
1970s. There’s no evidence that the small amounts of nitrite-cured meat
typically consumed by Americans or Canadians pose a significant health risk.
Still, moderation is a good idea.
Wellness Guide to BPH
A common problem for older men, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous
growth of the prostate. The prostate, a walnut-sized gland below the bladder
and in front of the rectum, is important in sexual function and reproduction,
providing much of the seminal fluid that carries sperm. The gland grows slowly
as men age, pressing on the bladder, and in some men this enlargement begins
to cause symptoms by mid-life. By age 60 half of all men have trouble urinating,
and by age 70 it’s nine out of ten. Here are practical steps you can
take to limit BPH symptoms, plus medical options.
Ice vs. Heat
Should you use ice or heat if you’ve pulled a back muscle or sprained
an ankle, or have a chronic musculoskeletal condition? What you do can make
a difference in your recovery.
A New Twist on Light Bulbs
A rumor is now circulating that compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)—the
kind your electric company and the government are urging you to use instead
of traditional incandescent bulbs—are too dangerous to use. This is not
true. Switching to CFLs is a change everybody should make. These spiral bulbs
save money by reducing electrical consumption, and thus reduce greenhouse gas
emissions as well as the amount of mercury that coal-fired electrical plants
release into the air and oceans.
ASK
THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Can
taking fish oil capsules help treat psoriasis? Is it a problem
if one of my legs is shorter than the other? What is natto, and
does it have health benefits—what about natto supplements?
How dangerous is snuff? Full
Story
WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
12 ways to get more out of walking. . . Spending more on
health care but getting less.
WELLNESS TIPS
• All women
of childbearing age, not just those who know they are pregnant,
should consume at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day, since
it’s important to start building up blood levels at least
four weeks before becoming pregnant. This B vitamin greatly reduces
the risk of neural tube birth defects. To be sure you’re
getting enough folic acid (also called folate), take a multivitamin
or eat a fortified cereal that supplies 400 micrograms.
• If you have
low-back pain, try acetaminophen first. According to a new review,
acetaminophen (one brand is Tylenol) is as effective as a nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)—aspirin, ibuprofen (such
as Advil and Motrin), naproxen (such as Aleve), or prescription
Celebrex—and has fewer side effects.
• Don’t
wash reusable polycarbonate drinking bottles with very hot water
or store hot beverages in them, since that can greatly increase
the release of bisphonel A (BPA) into liquid subsequently stored
in them, according to a recent study at the University of Cincinnati.
BPA is a hormone-like chemical that has been linked to health
problems in animal research.
• If you fall for no apparent
reason, tell your doctor. Often the falls are caused by problems
that can be treated or at least minimized.
• If you’re
taking red yeast rice capsules in order to avoid a cholesterol-lowering
drug, you should be aware that this dietary supplement actually
contains the same ingredient as a statin drug—lovastatin
(brand name Mevacor). However, since supplements are largely
unregulated, you don’t know how much lovastatin they supply
(usually a low dose) or what other substances are present.
• Don’t
underestimate the effect of lack of sleep on your driving skills.
Sleeping only four hours a night for five nights, on average,
or five hours a night for a week can impair you as much as being
awake for 24 hours—or being legally drunk. Having one beer
in that sleepy condition has the effect of a six pack.
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