Cranky Yankee May Newsletter
Nutrition is a key factor in health. Over half of doctor's visits are nutrition related, most degenerative diseases can be cured or at least prevented by proper nutrition, and a well-nourished body is more capable of defending itself against infections. And old joke says,"If I am what I eat, I must be cheap, fast and easy." On my Herbalife shakes, I've lost 25 pounds, and, for 2 meals a day, my total cleanup is washing out a large cup and my blender jar. It does take a couple of minutes to blend 2 scoops of shake mix, 1 scoop of protein powder, 8 oz. of soymilk, some fresh fruit , and a few ice cubes. Fast, easy, satisfying and VERY nutritious.
Extra fat around your middle can be a killer
Abdominal fat is such a typical characteristic of middle age that many people simply regard it as part of the middle age package.
But a new study shows that those who are diligent in finding a way to reduce abdominal fat may also help reduce the risk of one of the most serious health problems facing middle-aged and elderly people. Coincidentally, another study published this month demonstrates how a simple dietary change may help get rid of abdominal fat.
--------------------------------------------
Revealing ratio
--------------------------------------------
Study number one, from Tel-Aviv University in Israel, examines a potential link between the distribution of body fat and stroke risk.
During the 1960s, Tel-Aviv researchers recruited more than 9,000 male subjects over the age of 40 who were free of cardiovascular disease. Distribution of body fat was determined by comparing two measurements for each subject: skinfold thickness in the abdomen and skinfold thickness of the triceps. These measurements provided a ratio for trunk versus peripheral distribution of fat.
Over a 23-year follow up period, 316 subjects died of stroke. Researchers found that subjects with the highest ratio of trunk versus peripheral fat (in other words; those with excessive abdominal fat) were found to be one and a half times more likely to have a stroke compared to subjects with the lowest ratio.
In an interview with Reuters Health, lead author of the study, David Tanne, M.D., noted that excessive abdominal fat also raises the risk of other factors associated with metabolic syndrome, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
--------------------------------------------
Baggage claim
--------------------------------------------
When it comes to reducing abdominal fat, regular exercise is a must. There's no way to duck this one: To get rid of that extra baggage around the middle, you're going to have to get up and get moving.
But once you do get moving, there are other ways to help the cause.
Research shows that an intake of a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may provide a boost when it comes to getting rid of excess body fat, especially in the abdominal area. CLA is available in supplement form and from protein-rich dietary sources such as meat and dairy products.
This association between protein intake and a trimmer waist is confirmed in a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers from Canada's Population Health Research Institute recruited more than 600 male and female subjects with a variety of ethnic backgrounds. After subjects completed food frequency questionnaires they were measured to determine waist-hip ratio (WHR). Energy intake from protein averaged less than 16 percent in subjects with the highest WHR (indicating excessive abdominal fat). Those with the lowest WHR averaged 17.4 percent energy intake from protein.
In their conclusion the authors wrote: "Substituting a modest amount of protein for carbohydrate may reduce abdominal obesity."
The key word here is "modest." For many people, a slight dietary adjustment away from carbohydrates (especially simple carbs from refined food products) may help tuck in that middle-aged spread.
------------------------
How to prevent bladder cancer, by Dr. Mindell (via UPI)
The American Cancer Society reports that 60,000 people will be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer this year alone. For some, genetics may be to blame. For others, the cause will be from smoking. So, if you are a smoker, please quit today. It?s one of the best things you can do not only to reduce your risk of bladder cancer, but to improve your health overall. A new study has also recently reported the promising roles of two nutrients in reducing the risk of developing bladder cancer: vitamin E and folate.
Research out of the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas has shown that individuals with a higher intake of vitamin E (15 milligrams a day) showed a 42-percent reduced risk in bladder cancer. It is important to note that foods containing high levels of the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E offer better protection because they can reduce DNA damage. Those foods include red and green bell peppers, spinach, mustard greens, almonds, sunflower seeds, and vegetable oils. On the other hand, walnuts, pecans, and garbanzo beans contain a different form of vitamin E and don't offer the same protection against bladder cancer.
Another natural helper is folate, which studies show can cut the risk of bladder cancer nearly in half by assisting with DNA repair. Folate, a B vitamin that is found in nutritional supplements as folic acid, has received much attention over the past years for its beneficial use in reducing the risk of certain serious and common birth defects. To get enough folate each day, be sure to eat fruits, dark-green leafy vegetables, and dried beans and peas; eat folic acid-fortified enriched cereal grain products and breakfast cereals; and take a vitamin supplement containing folic acid.
----- To learn more about how Dr. Mindell can help you get into the best shape of your life, visit: http://freelife.com/Sites/keith/Redir.cfm?page=/info/nutrition/nu tritionhome.cfm
Source: United Press International
Eye disease-common complication of diabetes
LOS ANGELES (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A study has found U.S. senior diabetics have high rates of untreated eye disorders -- even among those who had seen their doctors in the past year.
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles said the findings suggests the need for identifying ways to improve the management of eye care for older diabetic patients.
In the study, which appears in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, the researchers examined 418 patients 65 or older with type 2 diabetes -- 311 with managed care health insurance and 107 with fee-for-service health insurance. Both groups had high rates of untreated eye disease, but the managed care patients had higher rates of cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
The researchers noted the majority of study participants had been seen by an eye-care specialist in the previous 12 months, which suggests there may be a problem with the quality of eye care seniors receive.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
-------------------------
From Dr. Douglas: Are you getting enough magnesium in your diet?
Government "of the people?" I hope not...
I spend a lot of time and spill a lot of ink railing about the government, I admit it.
It's for good reason, though. Every year, the Fools on the Hill waste billions of dollars of YOUR money while they pass endless stacks of nonsensical laws and regulations that are drafted not in your best interests, but solely to increase the flow of cash into their coffers. And while this is hardly a revelation, it bears repeating every so often so we don't forget who's really putting up the roadblocks that prevent us from living the lives and enjoying the rights our Founding Fathers envisioned.
Just the other day, I came across something in a years-old stack of papers that really served to hammer home the point that our government has lost touch with us - that they are no longer a government "of the people." It was a printed copy of an un-attributed e-mail that was making the rounds among us dissenters about the personal lives of the members of Congress, circa 2000. Here's what I mean:
According to the dispatch, of the 535 elected officials sitting on the 106th Congress...
117 had bankrupted at least 2 businesses
71 had credit issues so severe they couldn't get a charge card
21 were in the midst of lawsuits against them
19 had been accused of kiting checks
8 had been arrested for shoplifting
7 had been arrested for fraud
14 had been arrested on drug-related charges
3 had been arrested for assault
29 had been accused of spousal abuse
84 had been stopped for drunk driving IN 1998 ALONE!
If these statements are true (and I have no reason to think they aren't), it means that if this is a representative sample of our citizenry, 21% of us have been bankrupt twice, 13% of us aren't creditworthy in the least, and nearly 16% of us get pulled over for driving drunk every year. See what I mean about the folks we elect not being like us? To look at it another way, would you WORK for a company whose board of directors acted like this?
Now, in all fairness, I haven't verified this information. I'm just too busy, and I wouldn't know where to start anyway. But let's face it - based on the high jinks we see them pulling every day up on The Hill, would such a sordid history of rampant financial irresponsibility and arrogant disregard for the law among our Congress-persons really surprise us?
It doesn't surprise me at all. What DOES surprise me is the fact that the mass media doesn't seem to uniformly report on their foibles and legal troubles either before they're elected or after. With the exception of the credit info, everything on the list above should be public record for journalists or anyone else to see, if only they'd look.
But no, they're too busy looking the other way all the time...
Ahead of the curve, once again
Perhaps we'd all remember a little more of our elected officials' shenanigans (at least the precious few we actually HEAR about) if we were getting enough of one of my favorite minerals: Magnesium. At least, that's the gist of some exciting new research out of MIT.
Now, I've always been a big fan of magnesium for overall health - it's a great boon to bones and bodily tissues of all types, plus it helps release stored energy from your muscles. I've also recommended it for a myriad of more specific medical issues, like osteoporosis. I've also long known of magnesium's powerful effects on the brain. As far back as the 1970s, I used magnesium in emergency medicine to help limit brain damage in stroke victims - a practice which has since been validated by scientific studies.
But a new study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has discovered that magnesium also helps to regulate brain receptors that play a crucial role in learning and memorization, according to a recent HealthDayNews article. The research shows that a deficiency of the mineral contributes to an impaired ability to learn and memorize, while an abundance of magnesium may actually boost cognitive function.
Apparently, the mineral enhances the plasticity (changeability) of synapses, the neural connections between brain cells. This action makes it a powerful ally in the war against cognitive decline and memory degeneration, the study's authors conclude.
It's currently estimated that more than half of Americans don't get enough magnesium...
That number must include every member of Congress and all of the mainstream media - it seems like none of them can remember what they're really supposed to be doing.
Always representing - and always remembering, too,
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
More on magnesium from www.americanheart.org
If you’re not getting enough magnesium, you may be a candidate for coronary artery disease. Researchers at Northwestern University School of Medicine recently found that calcium levels in coronary arteries, an indication that arteries may be narrowed or blocked, are higher when magnesium intake is low. Nearly 3,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 participated in the study. The researchers assessed the subjects’ coronary artery calcium levels at the start of the study and again 15 years later. They also collected information about the participants’ magnesium intake. The investigators concluded that the lower your magnesium intake, the greater your chances of having high coronary calcium levels that could lead to blocked arteries. The study results were scheduled to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in April 2005. Dark green leafy vegetables are the best dietary source of magnesium.
Source: www.americanheart.org
--------------------------
Ad space available, reasonable rates. newsletter@crankyyankee.biz
---------------------------
Is diabetes damaging your nerves?
Nerves send messages to and from your brain about pain, temperature and touch. They tell your muscles when and how to move. They also control body systems that digest food and pass urine. About half of all people with diabetes have some form of nerve damage. It is more common in those who have had the disease for a number of years. Nerve damage from diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy (new-ROP-uh-thee). It can lead to many kinds of problems. Controlling your blood sugar is essential to keeping this damage to a minimum.
What types of nerve damage can occur?
There are two common types of nerve damage. The first is sensorimotor (sen-so-re-MO-tor) neuropathy, also known as peripheral neuropathy. This can cause tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in your feet and hands.
The second is called autonomic neuropathy. This type can lead to:
digestive problems such as feeling full, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
problems with how well your bladder works
problems having sex
dizziness or faintness loss of the typical warning signs of a heart attack
loss of the warning signs of low blood glucose
increased or decreased sweating
changes in how your eyes react to light and dark
People with diabetes can also have what is called focal (FOH-kal) neuropathy. In this kind of nerve damage, a nerve or a group of nerves is affected, causing sudden weakness or pain. It can lead to double vision, a paralysis on one side of the face called Bell's palsy, or pain in the front of the thigh or other parts of the body.
People with diabetes also are at risk for compressed nerves. Something in the body presses against a nerve preventing it from sending a signal. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of numbness and tingling in the fingers and can lead to muscle pain and weakness as well. Nerve damage can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Symptoms can be very mild. Knowing the symptoms to look for and reporting them to your health care team can help. Make a list of your symptoms or use the checklists in this brochure. Your doctor will give you an exam and a number of tests to check for nerve damage.
What You Can Do If You Have Diabetic Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
There's a lot you can do to prevent or delay nerve damage. And, if you already have diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), these steps can prevent or delay further damage and may lessen your symptoms.
Keep your blood glucose levels in your target range.
Meal planning, physical activity and medications, if needed, all can help you reach your target range. There are two ways to keep track of your blood glucose levels:
Use a blood glucose meter to help you make decisions about day-to-day care
Get an A1C test (a lab test) at least twice a year to find out your average blood glucose for the past 2 to 3 months
Checking your blood glucose levels will tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working or whether changes are needed.
Report all possible signs of diabetic neuropathy.
If you have problems, get treatment right away. Early treatment can help prevent more problems later on. For example, if you take care of a foot infection early, it can help prevent amputation.
Take good care of your feet. Check your feet every day. If you no longer can feel pain in your feet, you might not notice a foot injury. Instead, use your eyes to look for problems. Use a mirror to see the bottoms of your feet. Use your hands to feel for hot or cold spots, bumps or dry skin. Look for sores, cuts or breaks in the skin. Also check for corns, calluses, blisters, red areas, swelling, ingrown toenails and toenail infections. If it's hard for you to see or reach your feet, get help from a family member or foot doctor.
Protect your feet. If your feet are dry, use a lotion on your skin but not between your toes. Wear shoes and socks that fit well and wear them all the time. Use warm water to wash your feet, and dry them carefully afterward.
Get special shoes if needed. If you have foot problems, Medicare may pay for shoes. Ask your health care team about it.
Be careful with exercising. Some physical activities are not safe for people with neuropathy. Talk with a diabetes clinical exercise expert who can guide you.
Dairy has it's benefits for diabetes prevention.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Consumption of dairy foods, especially low-fat varieties, may cut the risk of type 2 diabetes in men, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine for May 9th.
Previous reports have shown an inverse relationship between dairy intake and the risk of insulin resistance syndrome in young obese adults, but it was unclear if dairy intake had a similar association with type 2 diabetes.
To investigate, Dr. Hyon K. Choi, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from 41,254 men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The subjects were free from diabetes, cancer, and heart disease at enrollment and were followed for 12 years.
A total of 1243 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were diagnosed during follow-up, the investigators point out.
After adjusting for BMI, physical activity, and dietary factors, men in the highest quintile of dairy intake were 23% less likely to develop diabetes than those in the lowest quintile (p = 0.003), the findings indicate. Each serving-per-day rise in total dairy intake was linked with a 9% reduction in diabetes risk.
Further analysis showed that the possible benefit of dairy intake was confined to low-fat items. Each serving-per-day increase in low- fat dairy intake cut the risk of diabetes by 12%, whereas intake of high-fat items had no significant effect.
"Our findings are most directly generalizable to men 40 years old and older with no history of type 2 diabetes," the authors state. Further studies are needed to determine if they apply to men with diabetes or to women.
In a related editorial, Dr. Janet C. King, from Children's Hospital Oakland in California, notes that the "role of dairy foods in health is very complex and probably varies with the genotype and phenotype of the individual. The study by Choi et al. is a further reminder of the potential importance of dairy intake and the continuing value of research in this area."
------------------------------------
New service from the Cranky Yankee: Proofreading.
Your ads, webpages, and other written work tell the world a lot about you. Though a lot of people nowadays can't tell if your spelling and grammar are correct, there are many who DO notice, and aren't so sure they want to do business with you. Reasonable rates. Guaranteed performance. proofreader@crankyyankee.biz
-----------------------------------
RECIPE: BROCCOLI WITH LEMON SAUCE ~*~* INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds fresh broccoli, trimmed
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons milk(use skim to reduce fat)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup slivered almonds(almonds sliced thin-buy them already sliced)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the broccoli with a small amount of water in a 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium high heat for 7 minutes or until tender crisp; drain. Arrange the broccoli in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine the cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, ginger and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium high speed until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. Spoon over the broccoli. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Saute the almonds in the butter in a small skillet until golden brown. Sprinkle over the broccoli. Yield: 6 Servings
BROCCOLI COOKING TIPS Broccoli is available all year, with a peak season from October through April. Select a bunch that is dark green with tightly closed flowerets. The stalks should be firm, without leggy branches. The buds should be tightly closed and the leaves crisp. Also the stronger broccoli smells, the older it is. Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic bag, for up to four days. If you peel the tough fibrous outer layer off broccoli stems, it cooks faster, makes it esier to digest, and is more attractive. Broccoli stems can be cooked in the same length of time as the flowerets if you make "X" incisions from top to bottom through stems.
Editor's note: I've closed out my account on the mailer I was using, so I'm sending this letter manually. To continue receiving this letter, please log onto http://www.crankyyankee.biz and re-subscribe through the sign-up box. This newsletter will also be posted at:
http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com where there is a link to add the site feed to your Yahoo page if you have one. URL to add it to your RSS feedreader is: http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com/atom.xml
To contact me: newsletter@crankyyankee.biz
Extra fat around your middle can be a killer
Abdominal fat is such a typical characteristic of middle age that many people simply regard it as part of the middle age package.
But a new study shows that those who are diligent in finding a way to reduce abdominal fat may also help reduce the risk of one of the most serious health problems facing middle-aged and elderly people. Coincidentally, another study published this month demonstrates how a simple dietary change may help get rid of abdominal fat.
--------------------------------------------
Revealing ratio
--------------------------------------------
Study number one, from Tel-Aviv University in Israel, examines a potential link between the distribution of body fat and stroke risk.
During the 1960s, Tel-Aviv researchers recruited more than 9,000 male subjects over the age of 40 who were free of cardiovascular disease. Distribution of body fat was determined by comparing two measurements for each subject: skinfold thickness in the abdomen and skinfold thickness of the triceps. These measurements provided a ratio for trunk versus peripheral distribution of fat.
Over a 23-year follow up period, 316 subjects died of stroke. Researchers found that subjects with the highest ratio of trunk versus peripheral fat (in other words; those with excessive abdominal fat) were found to be one and a half times more likely to have a stroke compared to subjects with the lowest ratio.
In an interview with Reuters Health, lead author of the study, David Tanne, M.D., noted that excessive abdominal fat also raises the risk of other factors associated with metabolic syndrome, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
--------------------------------------------
Baggage claim
--------------------------------------------
When it comes to reducing abdominal fat, regular exercise is a must. There's no way to duck this one: To get rid of that extra baggage around the middle, you're going to have to get up and get moving.
But once you do get moving, there are other ways to help the cause.
Research shows that an intake of a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may provide a boost when it comes to getting rid of excess body fat, especially in the abdominal area. CLA is available in supplement form and from protein-rich dietary sources such as meat and dairy products.
This association between protein intake and a trimmer waist is confirmed in a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers from Canada's Population Health Research Institute recruited more than 600 male and female subjects with a variety of ethnic backgrounds. After subjects completed food frequency questionnaires they were measured to determine waist-hip ratio (WHR). Energy intake from protein averaged less than 16 percent in subjects with the highest WHR (indicating excessive abdominal fat). Those with the lowest WHR averaged 17.4 percent energy intake from protein.
In their conclusion the authors wrote: "Substituting a modest amount of protein for carbohydrate may reduce abdominal obesity."
The key word here is "modest." For many people, a slight dietary adjustment away from carbohydrates (especially simple carbs from refined food products) may help tuck in that middle-aged spread.
------------------------
How to prevent bladder cancer, by Dr. Mindell (via UPI)
The American Cancer Society reports that 60,000 people will be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer this year alone. For some, genetics may be to blame. For others, the cause will be from smoking. So, if you are a smoker, please quit today. It?s one of the best things you can do not only to reduce your risk of bladder cancer, but to improve your health overall. A new study has also recently reported the promising roles of two nutrients in reducing the risk of developing bladder cancer: vitamin E and folate.
Research out of the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas has shown that individuals with a higher intake of vitamin E (15 milligrams a day) showed a 42-percent reduced risk in bladder cancer. It is important to note that foods containing high levels of the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E offer better protection because they can reduce DNA damage. Those foods include red and green bell peppers, spinach, mustard greens, almonds, sunflower seeds, and vegetable oils. On the other hand, walnuts, pecans, and garbanzo beans contain a different form of vitamin E and don't offer the same protection against bladder cancer.
Another natural helper is folate, which studies show can cut the risk of bladder cancer nearly in half by assisting with DNA repair. Folate, a B vitamin that is found in nutritional supplements as folic acid, has received much attention over the past years for its beneficial use in reducing the risk of certain serious and common birth defects. To get enough folate each day, be sure to eat fruits, dark-green leafy vegetables, and dried beans and peas; eat folic acid-fortified enriched cereal grain products and breakfast cereals; and take a vitamin supplement containing folic acid.
----- To learn more about how Dr. Mindell can help you get into the best shape of your life, visit: http://freelife.com/Sites/keith/Redir.cfm?page=/info/nutrition/nu tritionhome.cfm
Source: United Press International
Eye disease-common complication of diabetes
LOS ANGELES (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A study has found U.S. senior diabetics have high rates of untreated eye disorders -- even among those who had seen their doctors in the past year.
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles said the findings suggests the need for identifying ways to improve the management of eye care for older diabetic patients.
In the study, which appears in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, the researchers examined 418 patients 65 or older with type 2 diabetes -- 311 with managed care health insurance and 107 with fee-for-service health insurance. Both groups had high rates of untreated eye disease, but the managed care patients had higher rates of cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
The researchers noted the majority of study participants had been seen by an eye-care specialist in the previous 12 months, which suggests there may be a problem with the quality of eye care seniors receive.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
-------------------------
From Dr. Douglas: Are you getting enough magnesium in your diet?
Government "of the people?" I hope not...
I spend a lot of time and spill a lot of ink railing about the government, I admit it.
It's for good reason, though. Every year, the Fools on the Hill waste billions of dollars of YOUR money while they pass endless stacks of nonsensical laws and regulations that are drafted not in your best interests, but solely to increase the flow of cash into their coffers. And while this is hardly a revelation, it bears repeating every so often so we don't forget who's really putting up the roadblocks that prevent us from living the lives and enjoying the rights our Founding Fathers envisioned.
Just the other day, I came across something in a years-old stack of papers that really served to hammer home the point that our government has lost touch with us - that they are no longer a government "of the people." It was a printed copy of an un-attributed e-mail that was making the rounds among us dissenters about the personal lives of the members of Congress, circa 2000. Here's what I mean:
According to the dispatch, of the 535 elected officials sitting on the 106th Congress...
117 had bankrupted at least 2 businesses
71 had credit issues so severe they couldn't get a charge card
21 were in the midst of lawsuits against them
19 had been accused of kiting checks
8 had been arrested for shoplifting
7 had been arrested for fraud
14 had been arrested on drug-related charges
3 had been arrested for assault
29 had been accused of spousal abuse
84 had been stopped for drunk driving IN 1998 ALONE!
If these statements are true (and I have no reason to think they aren't), it means that if this is a representative sample of our citizenry, 21% of us have been bankrupt twice, 13% of us aren't creditworthy in the least, and nearly 16% of us get pulled over for driving drunk every year. See what I mean about the folks we elect not being like us? To look at it another way, would you WORK for a company whose board of directors acted like this?
Now, in all fairness, I haven't verified this information. I'm just too busy, and I wouldn't know where to start anyway. But let's face it - based on the high jinks we see them pulling every day up on The Hill, would such a sordid history of rampant financial irresponsibility and arrogant disregard for the law among our Congress-persons really surprise us?
It doesn't surprise me at all. What DOES surprise me is the fact that the mass media doesn't seem to uniformly report on their foibles and legal troubles either before they're elected or after. With the exception of the credit info, everything on the list above should be public record for journalists or anyone else to see, if only they'd look.
But no, they're too busy looking the other way all the time...
Ahead of the curve, once again
Perhaps we'd all remember a little more of our elected officials' shenanigans (at least the precious few we actually HEAR about) if we were getting enough of one of my favorite minerals: Magnesium. At least, that's the gist of some exciting new research out of MIT.
Now, I've always been a big fan of magnesium for overall health - it's a great boon to bones and bodily tissues of all types, plus it helps release stored energy from your muscles. I've also recommended it for a myriad of more specific medical issues, like osteoporosis. I've also long known of magnesium's powerful effects on the brain. As far back as the 1970s, I used magnesium in emergency medicine to help limit brain damage in stroke victims - a practice which has since been validated by scientific studies.
But a new study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has discovered that magnesium also helps to regulate brain receptors that play a crucial role in learning and memorization, according to a recent HealthDayNews article. The research shows that a deficiency of the mineral contributes to an impaired ability to learn and memorize, while an abundance of magnesium may actually boost cognitive function.
Apparently, the mineral enhances the plasticity (changeability) of synapses, the neural connections between brain cells. This action makes it a powerful ally in the war against cognitive decline and memory degeneration, the study's authors conclude.
It's currently estimated that more than half of Americans don't get enough magnesium...
That number must include every member of Congress and all of the mainstream media - it seems like none of them can remember what they're really supposed to be doing.
Always representing - and always remembering, too,
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
More on magnesium from www.americanheart.org
If you’re not getting enough magnesium, you may be a candidate for coronary artery disease. Researchers at Northwestern University School of Medicine recently found that calcium levels in coronary arteries, an indication that arteries may be narrowed or blocked, are higher when magnesium intake is low. Nearly 3,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 participated in the study. The researchers assessed the subjects’ coronary artery calcium levels at the start of the study and again 15 years later. They also collected information about the participants’ magnesium intake. The investigators concluded that the lower your magnesium intake, the greater your chances of having high coronary calcium levels that could lead to blocked arteries. The study results were scheduled to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in April 2005. Dark green leafy vegetables are the best dietary source of magnesium.
Source: www.americanheart.org
--------------------------
Ad space available, reasonable rates. newsletter@crankyyankee.biz
---------------------------
Is diabetes damaging your nerves?
Nerves send messages to and from your brain about pain, temperature and touch. They tell your muscles when and how to move. They also control body systems that digest food and pass urine. About half of all people with diabetes have some form of nerve damage. It is more common in those who have had the disease for a number of years. Nerve damage from diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy (new-ROP-uh-thee). It can lead to many kinds of problems. Controlling your blood sugar is essential to keeping this damage to a minimum.
What types of nerve damage can occur?
There are two common types of nerve damage. The first is sensorimotor (sen-so-re-MO-tor) neuropathy, also known as peripheral neuropathy. This can cause tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in your feet and hands.
The second is called autonomic neuropathy. This type can lead to:
digestive problems such as feeling full, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
problems with how well your bladder works
problems having sex
dizziness or faintness loss of the typical warning signs of a heart attack
loss of the warning signs of low blood glucose
increased or decreased sweating
changes in how your eyes react to light and dark
People with diabetes can also have what is called focal (FOH-kal) neuropathy. In this kind of nerve damage, a nerve or a group of nerves is affected, causing sudden weakness or pain. It can lead to double vision, a paralysis on one side of the face called Bell's palsy, or pain in the front of the thigh or other parts of the body.
People with diabetes also are at risk for compressed nerves. Something in the body presses against a nerve preventing it from sending a signal. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of numbness and tingling in the fingers and can lead to muscle pain and weakness as well. Nerve damage can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Symptoms can be very mild. Knowing the symptoms to look for and reporting them to your health care team can help. Make a list of your symptoms or use the checklists in this brochure. Your doctor will give you an exam and a number of tests to check for nerve damage.
What You Can Do If You Have Diabetic Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
There's a lot you can do to prevent or delay nerve damage. And, if you already have diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), these steps can prevent or delay further damage and may lessen your symptoms.
Keep your blood glucose levels in your target range.
Meal planning, physical activity and medications, if needed, all can help you reach your target range. There are two ways to keep track of your blood glucose levels:
Use a blood glucose meter to help you make decisions about day-to-day care
Get an A1C test (a lab test) at least twice a year to find out your average blood glucose for the past 2 to 3 months
Checking your blood glucose levels will tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working or whether changes are needed.
Report all possible signs of diabetic neuropathy.
If you have problems, get treatment right away. Early treatment can help prevent more problems later on. For example, if you take care of a foot infection early, it can help prevent amputation.
Take good care of your feet. Check your feet every day. If you no longer can feel pain in your feet, you might not notice a foot injury. Instead, use your eyes to look for problems. Use a mirror to see the bottoms of your feet. Use your hands to feel for hot or cold spots, bumps or dry skin. Look for sores, cuts or breaks in the skin. Also check for corns, calluses, blisters, red areas, swelling, ingrown toenails and toenail infections. If it's hard for you to see or reach your feet, get help from a family member or foot doctor.
Protect your feet. If your feet are dry, use a lotion on your skin but not between your toes. Wear shoes and socks that fit well and wear them all the time. Use warm water to wash your feet, and dry them carefully afterward.
Get special shoes if needed. If you have foot problems, Medicare may pay for shoes. Ask your health care team about it.
Be careful with exercising. Some physical activities are not safe for people with neuropathy. Talk with a diabetes clinical exercise expert who can guide you.
Dairy has it's benefits for diabetes prevention.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Consumption of dairy foods, especially low-fat varieties, may cut the risk of type 2 diabetes in men, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine for May 9th.
Previous reports have shown an inverse relationship between dairy intake and the risk of insulin resistance syndrome in young obese adults, but it was unclear if dairy intake had a similar association with type 2 diabetes.
To investigate, Dr. Hyon K. Choi, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from 41,254 men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The subjects were free from diabetes, cancer, and heart disease at enrollment and were followed for 12 years.
A total of 1243 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were diagnosed during follow-up, the investigators point out.
After adjusting for BMI, physical activity, and dietary factors, men in the highest quintile of dairy intake were 23% less likely to develop diabetes than those in the lowest quintile (p = 0.003), the findings indicate. Each serving-per-day rise in total dairy intake was linked with a 9% reduction in diabetes risk.
Further analysis showed that the possible benefit of dairy intake was confined to low-fat items. Each serving-per-day increase in low- fat dairy intake cut the risk of diabetes by 12%, whereas intake of high-fat items had no significant effect.
"Our findings are most directly generalizable to men 40 years old and older with no history of type 2 diabetes," the authors state. Further studies are needed to determine if they apply to men with diabetes or to women.
In a related editorial, Dr. Janet C. King, from Children's Hospital Oakland in California, notes that the "role of dairy foods in health is very complex and probably varies with the genotype and phenotype of the individual. The study by Choi et al. is a further reminder of the potential importance of dairy intake and the continuing value of research in this area."
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RECIPE: BROCCOLI WITH LEMON SAUCE ~*~* INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds fresh broccoli, trimmed
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons milk(use skim to reduce fat)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup slivered almonds(almonds sliced thin-buy them already sliced)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the broccoli with a small amount of water in a 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium high heat for 7 minutes or until tender crisp; drain. Arrange the broccoli in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine the cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, ginger and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium high speed until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. Spoon over the broccoli. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Saute the almonds in the butter in a small skillet until golden brown. Sprinkle over the broccoli. Yield: 6 Servings
BROCCOLI COOKING TIPS Broccoli is available all year, with a peak season from October through April. Select a bunch that is dark green with tightly closed flowerets. The stalks should be firm, without leggy branches. The buds should be tightly closed and the leaves crisp. Also the stronger broccoli smells, the older it is. Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic bag, for up to four days. If you peel the tough fibrous outer layer off broccoli stems, it cooks faster, makes it esier to digest, and is more attractive. Broccoli stems can be cooked in the same length of time as the flowerets if you make "X" incisions from top to bottom through stems.
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posted by Mrs.Cranky Yankee @ 10:14 AM
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