SMARTHEALTH YO U R G U I D E TO H E A LT H Y L I V I N G JANUARY 12, 2011
BIKE COMMUTING ON A ROLL Hope For Kids With
PEANUT ALLERGY
MAXIMIZE YOUR DIET SUCCESS
SMARTHEALTH
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GREEN TEA PROSTATE CANCER SILVER BULLET?
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ENERGY INDEPENDENCE HIGH-ENERGY FOODS ON THE GO
HOPE FOR KIDS WITH
PEANUT ALLERGY
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BIKE COMMUTING ON A ROLL
MAXIMIZE YOUR DIET SUCCESS SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP YOU STAY ON TRACK
TRAINING YOUR BRAIN The information in this publication does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to be a substitute for proper medical care provided by a physician. Entire publication Š Digital Access 2009. All rights reserved. Any reference to other organizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorsement or warranty of the services, information or products provided by them.
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GREEN TEA PROSTATE CANCER SILVER BULLET?
The study, conducted at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and published in Cancer Prevention Research, an American Association for Cancer Research journal, found capsules made using green tea extracts called polyphenols lowered levels of proteins that tumors use to grow.
Drinking green tea has long been considered to have health benefits ranging from easing arthritis to lowering cholesterol to fighting infections to preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Now, researchers say that the active ingredients in green tea may indeed slow down the progression of prostate cancer. The disease is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men.
Twenty six already diagnosed prostate cancer patients, aged from 41 to 68, each took four capsules a day containing Polythenon E — equal to a dozen cups of green tea — for about a month before they had their prostates removed. The scientists found that levels of three proteins associated with the spread of prostate cancer fell. For some, the drop was as much as 30 percent. Researchers warn that we are still in the early stages of discovery, that the LSU study is a small one, and that there is lots of work still to be done. Still, they say that green tea and other plant-derived substances are showing the potential for helping prevent certain cancers and for slowing the growth of certain cancers, if not actually being able to shrink tumors. The American Cancer Society projects prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year in 192,280 men. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA SMARTHEALTH 5
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE Summertime and the living is easy. Not! In these last dog days of Summer, and as we turn toward Fall, Americans are working harder and playing harder than ever. And we’re looking for healthy foods to fuel our energy needs for the long day’s (and night’s) activities. Overall, the goal is to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and a nice mix of carbohydrates and proteins. HERE ARE SOME GREAT, PORTABLE, HIGH-ENERGY FOODS THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GO:
PEANUTS AND NUT BUTTERS Speaking of peanut butter… nuts and nut butters provide fuel and sustained energy. They combine protein and carbs, while their healthy heart fats keep you energized.
BANANAS This is a triple play. Bananas are simple, high-energy, and easy to digest. Along with having serious nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, bananas are a good source of carbohydrates. A plain banana makes the perfect pre-workout snack, straight up or in a smoothie, and especially with peanut butter or honey. LEARN HOW TO MAKE A BANANA SMOOTHIE 6 SMARTHEALTH
OATS AND OATMEAL Oats are digested slowly and give sustained energy. A packet of instant oatmeal is a good choice for a quick and easy energy boost. For more substance, pump it up with dried or fresh fruit, milk, and nuts.
BEANS A powerful source of proteins and carbs, beans are also heart-healthy and affordable. Toss them into salads, soups, stews, chilis, and pasta dishes, or serve with brown rice. Hummus, a mixture of mashed chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice and garlic, is a terrific combination of legumes, healthy fats, and carbs.
DRIED FRUIT Admittedly, this snack packs a lot of calories. But their portability, nutrient density, and easy-to-access carbs make them healthy choice for extended activities such as hiking and biking.
THE GOOD FATS Be careful with too much fat in your diet. But a modest amount of the good stuff, like olive oil, fish, avocados, nuts, and seeds, can protect your heart and provide sustained energy.
MILK AND DAIRY
CROSS-OVER SALADS This kind of informal, cross-section of all good things, salad can combine beans, corn, beets with chicken, fish or beef to give you some lean protein for sustained energy and muscle repair, with some carbs for a complete high-energy meal. It’s an all-in-one fuel-filled treat.
Milk, yogurt and lean cheeses are a top-flight source of carbohydrates and protein, plus calcium to help build strong bones. Generally, stick to low-fat or skim milk products for easier digestion and to limit saturated fat. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF DAIRY
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HOPE FOR KIDS WITH
PEANUT ALLERGY
Some children luckily outgrow peanut allergy, but others have had to live with fear. There is promising new research, though, that offers hope for treatment and prevention.
Peanut allergy can be lifethreatening, as any parent of an allergic child knows. There is always the danger of accidentally eating something that contains traces of peanuts, which can be enough to trigger a serious reaction. And although peanut allergy is not exactly common, it affects about 1.5 million people in the US, and has recently increased among children at an alarming rate. One survey showed the allergy doubled among children between 1997 and 2002.
One study, released at the March conference of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, gave small, gradually increasing amounts of peanuts to severely allergic children ages 2-5. Over about 9 months, 9 out of 33 children were able to build up a tolerance. 2-1/2 years after the study began, five of the children are eating peanut butter sandwiches with no allergic reaction. Another study focused on prevention and may give a clue as to why peanut allergy has increased. Published in the November, 2008 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the study suggests that eating peanuts in infancy will actually decrease a child’s chance of becoming allergic. This goes against the common wisdom. U.S., U.K. and Australian doctors have recommended against consuming peanuts during pregnancy, breastfeeding and babyhood. But this study, which compared children in Israel and the U.K., found that the British children were 10 times more likely to develop an allergy because they don’t eat peanuts early in life, whereas most Israeli children do. Experts are cautious about these results and call for more research, but both studies shed light on a mysterious problem and offer encouraging news to parents. ONLINE RESOURCE FOR PEANUT ALLERGY SMARTHEALTH 9
STARTING A WEIGHT LOSS DIET IS THE EASY PART. We’ve all done it dozens of times! But the real challenge is to keep going when the going gets tough. And here is a key point: it’s not your body that lets you down, but your head. So that means setting up a simple structure, upfront, that will keep you focused, help avoid the dreaded diet burnout, and set yourself up for success. Here are some simple tips for creating the right framework to lose pounds and to stay on track. FIND THE DIET THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU ZONE DIET COOKIE DIET FEEL FIT DIETS TO GO
M A X I M I Z E YOUR DIET SUCCESS 1. MAKE A CONTRACT.
pair of shoes. For men, tickets to a ball Decide on your weight loss goals, write them game, a fishing trip, that new video game, down, sign it, and put it on the refrigerator a sports coat that makes you look good. and or bathroom mirror. Keep a copy in 5. BE PREPARED. your briefcase or purse. Show it to your This is the motto of the Boy Scouts, and spouse and children. There is nothing as it should be yours as well. Always think binding and goal affirming as a contract. ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 2. DON’T GO IT ALONE. Prepare meals in advance and put them Grab a friend and make them your diet in the refrigerator, stick to the carefully buddy. Comraderie and competition feed crafted list at the grocery store, get rid of off one another; they can pick you up in the junk food snacks filling your closet to times of trouble and you them. Maybe that avoid late night binges. person is not in for the whole diet, but just 6. DO NOT BE A PERFECTIONIST. for the workouts, the walks, a once-a-day A diet is not an all or nothing process, and healthy coffee klatsch. A buddy matters. it is a journey rather than an event. Accept NEED HELP FINDING A BUDDY? that you will sometimes eat that piece of CLICK HERE birthday cake and that this will not destroy 3. MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR. everything. Plan for missteps to occur, beIn the same spirit, explain to your family cause they will. Instead of beating yourself members why this diet is important to you up, use the experience to plan better for and enlist them in the process. Have them the next time you are in a similar situation. remind you to exercise, to skip the fast7. KEEP YOUR FOCUS. food visit, to encourage healthy home When your willpower wanes — and it will — cooked meals. It’s irritating sometimes, work hard to remember why you began a but its worth it. weight loss diet. Is it to live longer, to have 4. YOU DESERVE A TREAT. energy for your children, to wear shorts or When you meet various goals — pounds a bathing suit again? A great method to or inches, for example — give yourself a keep your focus in front of you is a Focus reward. Think pampering. For women, a Board, which keeps motivating thoughts spa, hair salon visit, mani-pedi or a new and pictures around you of your goals. SMARTHEALTH 11
BIKE COMMUTING ON A ROLL
Bike commuting in the United States is on the verge of a boom. A common method of getting to work in Europe, China and India, the practice took a back seat in America to driving during the mid-20th century, and by 1990, the Federal Highway Administration dubbed bicycling and walking "the forgotten modes" of transportation. While the biking resurgence has been led by economic and environmental factors — think gas prices and air pollution — the health advantages are now coming to the fore as well. Bicycling is simply one of the best forms of exercise, combining a good aerobic workout with low-impact on the body, and a bike commute often provides just the right recommended daily exercise for people who don't work their muscles on the job. Indeed, the National Institute for Health’s suggested amount of exercise, ranging from half an hour to an hour a day, fits neatly into the average bicycle commute. Further, by integrating the exercise into a daily routine with a practical purpose, riders often find it easier to maintain the regimen. Experts suggest that the regular bike ride to work at a moderate pace can protect the body against heart disease, obesity and its many related problems, and even some cancers. Bicycle Magazine has reported that the average bike commuter loses 13 pounds in their first year. The advantages also extend to the mind: commuters who are deskbound are also said to enjoy greater productivity and emotional balance during the workday. Yet another advantage: bicycling a few miles on a regular basis helps you avoid the “weekend warrior” syndrome, so you’re fit for weekend fun and games.
HERE ARE TEN TIPS FOR A SAFE BICYCLE COMMUTE: 1. Before you begin, have a check up with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to bike. 2. Make sure your bicycle is in good working condition; take it for regular checkups. 3. Wear bright and comfortable clothing, as much as your workplace permits. 4. Scout out a safe, realistic and pleasant route. 5. Identify secure and sheltered bike parking options inside or outside the workplace. 6. Locate a shower and changing place in or near your workplace. 7. Ride with others in your neighborhood for fun and safety. 8. Organize a BUG (bicycle users group) with other cyclists at work to advocate for bike-friendly conditions. 9. Stay in touch with your local government to advocate for bike-friendly conditions. 10. Take a bicycle riding safety course. COMPANIES GET INTO GEAR BIKE COMMUTING GAINS TRACTION READ THE ARTICLE NOW SMARTHEALTH 13
TRAINING THE
BRAIN
Aging takes its toll on the brain's functions and memory; research has shown that brain health begins to lag as early as age 25. For centuries, people have accepted this deterioration as inevitable. Now researchers are finding ways to improve cognitive processing and slow down memory loss as we get older. The three cornerstones to keeping your brain healthy and helping you avoid the dementia are Diet, Exercise and the newest recommendation — Training The Brain. The first two factors, diet and exercise, are based on common sense and have been known for generations. Overweight people, and especially those with spreading middles, are at risk for dementia. The solution is healthy eating and weight loss. Think vegetables and salads. Similarly, the more physically fit a person is, the larger the gray matter or the hippocampus section of the brain. It is this section which controls crucial types of memory functions such as where you met someone or saw something. Physical exercise, here, is the key. It is the third, and newest, cornerstone that is sparking tremendous excitement: Brain Training and Gaming. Researchers are finding that people can actually improve the brain function by exercising and stimulating it in certain ways. The goal is to increase the connections between brain cells which improve the five major cognitive brain functions — memory, concentration, language, executive functions such as logic and reasoning, and visual-spatial skills. The brain, so the theory goes, can create new neural connections and pathways at any age. Do these experts know what works? It’s too early to tell for sure, but games, puzzles and other mental challenge are thought to help. Learning a lan-
guage, taking a class, working on a crossword puzzles or sudoku are among the promising activities. Several companies see the opportunity and are moving quickly to develop consumer brain fitness software on line or in CD form. PositScience’s Brain Fitness Program reportedly has led to improvements in memory, reasoning, and processing speed after a 10-week brain training session. Lumos Labs uses game designers to develop cognitive fitness programs. They also have an iPhone app to help improve processing speed and reaction time. Vivity Labs in Canada has created FitBrains.com, a new online brain fitness platform that hosts fun, casual games specifically designed to exercise the brain and improve the major brain functions. Several of the games can be played for free, with daily and weekly brain fitness leader boards, a Brain Fitness Blog with top brain fitness tips, and a 30-day brain fitness chart for players looking to track their brain games progress and develop a competitive edge. A premium section of the site offers additional features like in-depth brain tracking charts and the ability to play against family and friends.
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