Health ShortsJune 2003A Handful of Nuts for Good Health
The Physicians' Health Study, using data from more than 21,000 males collected over 17 years, found that those eating nuts at least twice a week had a 47 percent reduced risk of dying of a sudden heart attack or stroke. According to the authors, substances in nuts such as alpha-linolenic acid, magnesium, potassium and vitamin E may help stabilize heart rhythms. Other large epidemiological studies have found an association between cardiovascular health and consumption of nuts. The Nurses Health Study, involving 83,000 subjects, found a 35 percent reduced risk of total heart disease among women eating nuts five or more times a week. The Adventist Health Study and the Iowa Women's Health Study found similar benefits from frequent consumption of nuts.
[SOURCE: Christine M. Albert, et al, "Nut Consumption and Decreased Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Physicians' Health Study," Archives of Internal Medicine, June 24, 2002; "Nuts for Your Heart," Harvard Heart Letter, September, 2002; "Nuts Cut Coronary Heart Disease Risk," Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week, June 9, 2001] For Some, Nuts Are Life Threatening
Only about three percent of Americans are allergic to nuts, but for these individuals accidental consumption of even traces of nuts can be life-threatening. The most common nut allergy is to peanuts, a legume rather than a tree nut, but allergies to other nuts are also common. Producers must exercise care in processing and labeling to guard against cross contamination.
[SOURCE: Julie B. Hirsch, "Crazy for Nuts: Consumers Love Their Taste and Nutritional Benefits, But Nuts-Like Other Food Allergens-Present Unique Challenges to Processors," Food Processing, March, 2003] Getting Your Daily Magnesium
Magnesium plays a key role in controlling blood pressure, preventing heart arrhythmias and maintaining strong bones and teeth. Yet surveys indicate that Americans get only about 80 percent of the magnesium they need. Nutritionists say this shortage is probably due to the growing percentages of processed foods in the American diet. Magnesium is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, beans, seeds and nuts as well as meat, fish and chicken. One ounce of almonds (about 22) provides 82 milligrams of magnesium-about 20 percent of the adult daily requirement. A half cup of cooked spinach gives 78 milligrams, a cup of low-fat yogurt 43 milligrams and a half cup of cooked brown rice, 42 milligrams.
[SOURCE: "Magnesium: Are You Getting Enough?" Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, June, 2003] Be Alert for Kidney Problems
The kidneys are hard-working organs, filtering about 200 quarts of blood each day. The filtering process gathers about half a gallon of waste and excess water that is then passed from the body as urine. Signs of kidney failure don't begin to show up until the kidneys are working at only 20 percent of normal capacity. These include prolonged flu-like symptoms, headaches, nausea and vomiting, itching over the entire body, fatigue, swelling in the extremities, low urine output, cramps and darkened skin. Routine urine and blood tests can detect kidney problems at an earlier stage. When kidney function drops to only 10 percent of normal, end stage renal failure occurs, necessitating either dialysis or a kidney transplant.
[SOURCE: "Kidney Failure," Mayo Clinic Health Letter, October, 2000] Double Transplant Sometimes an Option
Some type 1 diabetics with end-stage kidney failure are considered for a double transplant of both pancreas and kidney. The dual transplant eliminates the need for dialysis and for daily insulin injections. (The pancreas is the organ that supplies insulin to the body.) Success rates for the dual transplant are good-about 82 percent after one year with a patient survival rate of 92 percent. The one-year success rate for a kidney transplant is 94 percent with a five-year success rate of 75 percent. Deaths in kidney transplant patients are most often due to related health factors such as heart disease.
[SOURCE: "Pancreatic and Islet Transplants," The Johns Hopkins White Paper: Diabetes, 2003] Talking about Organ Donation
The field of organ transplantation has changed rapidly as a result of improved surgical techniques and more effective immunosuppressive drugs. The biggest drawback is a lack of donor organs. There are currently at least 78,000 Americans seeking organ transplants. Medical professionals are frequently faced with an accident victim who has signed a donor card, but the family is reluctant to give the necessary consent. Discussing the issues and making a decision in the absence of a traumatic event simplifies the emotional process for a family if a tragedy does occur. And although the thought of having organs taken from a deceased loved one may be difficult, many families find that gift of life to others a source of comfort in their grief.
[SOURCE: "Number of Patients Awaiting Kidney Transplants Exceeds 50,000 for the First Time," Health Care Strategic Management, November, 2001] Steroids Put Teens at Risk
About two to three percent of American adolescents have taken anabolic steroids, and a recent survey found that regular use among teenaged boys increased 25 percent from 1999 to 2000. Anabolic steroids are most commonly used in an effort to improve athletic performance, but many youth surveyed-both males and females-indicated that they didn't play sports but used the substances to improve appearance. In addition to being illegal, steroids can have severe and lasting effects, including permanently short stature and damage to the liver, heart and other body organs.
[SOURCE: "Steroid Use Rising among Non-Athletes," Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, December 16, 2002; Steven Ungerleider, "Steroids: Youth at Risk," Harvard Mental Health Letter, May, 2001] Sugar-Free Cookies May Be No Treat
Which is the healthy choice: a regular cookie or a sugar-free one? Even if you have diabetes, nutritionists say there is little if anything to be gained from choosing the sugar-free version-which is probably less tasty and more expensive. Most sugar-free cookies contain about the same number of calories and carbohydrate grams as their regular counterparts. For diabetics, blood glucose is determined by the carbohydrate rather than the sugar content of foods. If you're watching your weight, calories are most important. Sugar-free versions of soft drinks, pancake syrup and jello, on the other hand, usually offer significantly fewer calories and carbohydrates.
[SOURCE: "Sugar-Free Shortcomings," Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, June, 2003] Injection plus Therapy Hastens Recovery
A randomized controlled study of patients with frozen shoulder found that subjects given a single corticosteroid injection, with or without physical therapy, had quicker improvement of symptoms than those treated with physical therapy alone or placebo. The greatest improvement was shown in the group getting combination therapy, but the difference was not statistically significant.
[SOURCE: S. Carette, et al, "Intraarticular Corticosteroids, Supervised Physiotherapy, or a Combination of the Two in the Treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: A Placebo-Controlled Trial," Arthritis Rheum, March, 2003; Allan S. Brett, Journal Watch, May 1, 2003] Corticosteroids Increase Glaucoma Risk
Increased pressure within the eye is a possible complication of corticosteroid medications prescribed to treat asthma, arthritis, allergies or skin rashes. About 5 percent of patients are "high responders" and another 30 percent are "moderate responders" to corticosteroids, experiencing increased intraocular pressure that can lead to glaucoma.
[SOURCE: J.W. Stokkermans, "There More to Steroids than Meets the Eye," Review of Optometry, March 15, 2002] Early Action Can Save Vision
Glaucoma, caused by pressure inside the eye high enough to threaten the health of the optic nerve, is a major cause of blindness. Three to six million Americans are at risk, but they can take early action to protect themselves. Doctors recommend screening for glaucoma every two years after age 50. For persons with abnormally high pressure within the eye, a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology [June, 2002] found that taking eye pressure lowering medication reduced the five-year risk of getting glaucoma to 4.4 percent, compared to 9.5 percent for those not taking medication.
[SOURCE: "Glaucoma: Prevention Is the Best Medicine," The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter, June, 2003] Keep Working on Knees
A two-year study comparing arthroscopic knee surgery to treat osteoarthritis with sham surgery concluded that the actual procedure was no more effective than the placebo. That doesn't mean, however, that there's no treatment for osteoarthritic knee pain. A Dutch study of 100 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee found that those who exercised and stayed active had greater muscle strength and mobility than those with sedentary lifestyles. Suggested activities include swimming, walking and bike riding. Other strategies such as injections of hyaluronic acid that increase joint elasticity, nutritional supplements aimed at repairing cartilage cells and physical therapy can all help maintain flexibility and reduce pain.
[SOURCE: "Joint Council," Men's Health, November, 2002] Turn off TV To Fight Fat
A recent study confirmed what many couch potatoes suspected but didn't want to admit: too much television watching makes you fat. Data from the Nurses' Health Study showed that for every two-hour increase in time spent watching television, the risk for becoming obese increased by 23 percent. But the damage can be undone. If you start walking, you'll decrease your risk of obesity by 24 percent for every one-hour increment of brisk walking daily.
[SOURCE: F.B.Hu, et al, "Television Watching and Other Sedentary Behaviors in Relation to Risk of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Women. | 
