Archive for October 2008

After looking at 20 years of records, Swedish researchers found that the number of heart attacks decreased the Monday after daylight savings time ended, possibly due to the extra hour of sleep most people get. Typically, most heart attacks occur on Mondays due to the increased stress load and activity of the new week. The researchers also noted that the number of heart attacks increased throughout the week after “springing forward” an hour. This may be due to the persistence of sleep disturbance following the reduction of sleep time, which may add to the stress load of the work week.

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This week British scientists announced the production of a genetically engineered purple tomato they hope someday will help to fight cancer. The tomato is purple due to its high levels of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant found in berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants that have been shown to lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases. Not to be outdone, researchers at Rice University in Houston are working on a beer that can also be used to fight cancer and heart disease. Their secret ingredient is resveratrol, the antioxidant found in red wine that is supposedly responsible for the positive effects of the brew. The researchers believe they can make a beer that contains higher and more consistent concentrations of the cancer-fighting chemical. Learn how resveratrol works here.

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A Brown University study of European households finds an association between depression and the presence of mold in the home. The risk for depression increased by about 40 percent among people who lived in moldy homes, said lead research author Edmund D. Shenassa. It is as yet unclear what the relationship between the two is - does mold actually cause depression, or are depressed people more likely to not clean their homes and allow mold to grow? The U.S. government has not established general guidelines for acceptable levels of residential mold. And no study has conclusively linked mold exposure to mental health problems.

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After David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD was diagnosed with brain cancer 16 years ago he set out to find foods that would nourish his body in its fight against cancer. After meeting with researchers and experts and pouring himself over databases of medical journals he has come up with some foods he’s found to be great anti-cancer agents.  Says Dr. Servan-Schreiber, “I’ve learned that the anticancer diet is the exact opposite of the typical American meal: mostly colorful vegetables and legumes, plus unsaturated fats (olive, canola, or flaxseed oils), garlic, herbs, and spices.” Among this list: ginger, turmeric, green tea, pomegranate, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, shallots, chives, soy, citrus fruits, strawberries, dark chocolate. However, didn’t we already know that eating fresh vegetables and fruits is healthy for our bodies?  It seems that when it comes to food, it’s extremely difficult to change the way we eat.

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Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered an enzyme in blood vessels which produces small amounts of hydrogen sulphide, the gas responsible for the smell of rotten eggs and flatulence. The discovery is notable for the fact that the gas signals blood vessels to relax, dilate, and thereby lower blood pressure. Another gas that functions in a similar manner is nitric oxide, which is often used in the treatment of heart disease. Scientists are hoping to base future blood pressure medications on the discovery of this gas.

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The CDC reported earlier this year that approximately 32% of US children were overweight, 16% were obese, and 11% were extremely obese. With concerns about weight on the minds of most Americans these days, many food companies have voluntarily began campaigns to combat the obesity epidemic by categorizing a certain amount of their products as “healthy alternatives.” But do these wellness initiatives truly have the consumer in mind? In a recent JAMA article pediatrician David Ludwig and Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at New York University, argues that makers of popular junk foods ultimately have obligations to their stockholders to encourage children to consume more, not less. In an interview with U.S. News they outlined the top 10 things that the food industry doesn’t want you to know, including the following:

- Junk food makers donate large sums of money to professional nutrition associations.

- Less-processed foods are generally more satiating than their highly processed counterparts.

- The food industry funds front groups that fight antiobesity public health initiatives.

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One of the ways to control the spread of STDs is to notify the sexual partners of a person who has been diagnosed with one. And in the age of the internet one nonprofit group, Internet Sexuality Information Services, is doing just that through a free E-card service that can be used by anyone to contact their sexual partners. The cards, with message such as, “No one wants to be the bearer of bad news…but I got diagnosed with STDs (You might have one, too),” can be sent to up to 6 people anonymously, or they can include contact information with a personalized note. Since inSPOT’s launch in 2004, more than 30,000 people have sent more than 49,500 of the cards. No details about the senders or recipients are stored in order to protect users’ privacy. And while misuse by pranksters is a possibility, fewer than 10 recipients have complained of receiving a message in error since the launch of the service in 2004 .

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“TOGA” is the acronym for transoral gastroplasty, a new type of weight loss surgery that involves making the stomach smaller by stapling it - by way of the mouth, rather than through incisions on the outside of the body. The procedure has now been performed on 98 individuals in Europe and and Mexico and, on average, those who have passed the one year mark have lost about 40% of their excess body weight. Only a few patients have tried it so far in the US as part of a study funded by Satiety, Inc., the company which makes the staplers. They are hoping to get FDA approval for the procedure, which falls in line with a current trend to make surgery less invasive and less painful. By not making incisions, you minimize many of the risks and side effects of surgery.

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A new report from the Environmental Working Group, a public health watchdog organization, says that in the 10 brands of bottled water they tested contaminant levels in some samples exceeded industry and state standards. The group is concerned that fertilizer residue, disinfection byproducts, and even pain medication is leaching into our sources for bottled water. The group advocates drinking tap water over bottled water because tap water suppliers must provide information to consumers regarding contaminants, filtration techniques, and source water, whereas bottled water companies do not. EWG says, “Consumers should drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water. Americans pay an average of two-tenths of a cent per gallon to drink water from the tap. A carbon filter at the tap or in a pitcher costs a manageable $0.31 per gallon (12 times lower than the typical cost of bottled water), and removes many of the contaminants found in public tap water supplies.” Full story.

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A new study is challenging the notion that the human brain uses only glucose as its sole energy source. Researchers in Denmark and The Netherlands have found that during strenuous exercise the brain is able to metabolize lactate, a byproduct of metabolism. In addition they discovered that the brain can actually shift into a higher gear of activity. This may explain why the brain continues to function well even during times of high energy demand for the body.

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