Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091029
An ounce of prevention … often adds up to a pound of malarkey. Whether it’s a tablet to take with alcohol to prevent a beer belly, or a chocolaty, sweetened breakfast cereal that’s fortified to “support” your child’s immune system, experts say most preventive health products are of little, if any, value. “If there were ‘prevention’ products they’d be bottled and sold by drug companies,” said Canadian obesity expert and family medicine physician Yoni Freedhoff. “The only one I know is diet and exercise.”
There’s no shortage of products where you should think twice before laying out money, but here are 10:

RESVERATROL CAPSULES The claim: Slows the aging process and may help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Buyer beware: The evidence is mixed on resveratrol, a chemical that is found in grapes, peanuts and blueberries and is abundant in red wine. Though it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties in lab animals, the benefits haven’t been proved for humans.

Oddly, the chemical sometimes acts as an estrogen-like agent — possibly raising the risk of certain cancers — while at other times it has anti-estrogen properties, according to the University of California at Berkeley’s Wellness Letter. Resveratrol also can either protect cells from oxidative stress or harm them, depending on the circumstances.

“It appears, so far, to be safe, but its long-term effects are an open question,” wrote Wellness Letter editors. “Until more is known, get your resveratrol from your diet” or a glass of wine.

FLU FIGHTERS The claim: Supplements, pills, inhalers, lozenges, vitamins, air sterilizers, ultraviolet lights, etc., ward off swine flu.

Buyer beware: Only two prescription antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, are approved for use in people at risk of contracting swine flu. Some knockoff versions marketed on the Internet lack a crucial active ingredient, oseltamivir, or contain insufficient levels, according to the FDA, which recommends using “extreme care” when buying any purported flu-fighting products online.

The government has warned dozens of Internet outfits to stop selling products that promise to prevent swine flu without any backup proof. Scams will likely continue throughout the flu season, warns the Federal Trade Commission, which is also monitoring the situation.

The best way to ward off swine flu is to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus. Also, avoid contact with sick people, wash your hands frequently and follow healthy practices: Eat well, drink lots of liquids and get plenty of sleep.

VITAMIN E The claim: Can help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Buyer beware: Experts no longer believe supplementing diets with Vitamin E might protect against heart disease and cancer after studies failed to show benefits and noted possible harms, such as a slightly higher risk of death.

It’s possible that certain subgroups — for instance, older adults — may be aided by Vitamin E supplementation, but that isn’t clear yet.

For that matter, taking any single vitamin isn’t such a good idea, said Linda Van Horn, professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. The body needs a finely tuned balance of vitamins and minerals; taking just one can disrupt the metabolic system and lead to unanticipated health consequences. Of course, people with vitamin deficiencies may need supplementation and should consult their doctors, Van Horn said.

COLON CLEANSING The claim: Flushing warm water — sometimes infused with herbs, probiotics or coffee — through the lower bowel removes stagnant, toxic waste and can enhance overall health, preventing a variety of conditions.

Buyer beware: For starters, the colon doesn’t need cleansing. Specialized forms of colonic irrigation might be used before bowel surgery. And there’s some graphic evidence that colonics rid the bowel of stool. But while you might feel better after a colonic, it’s a pretty invasive therapy to treat what’s probably constipation, said gastroenterologist Linda Lee, director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center.

“Claims that colonics rid the body of toxins have not been proven,” said Lee, adding that there’s no evidence yet that colon cleansing has health benefits.

If you really think your colon is slacking, get more fiber into your diet — Americans eat woefully low levels — or take a laxative “to stimulate movement in the direction your bowel was designed to move in,” Lee said.

DETOXIFYING FOOT PADS The claim: Wrapping a special detoxifying patch on the soles of your feet at bedtime will help unleash toxins from your body to prevent disease and “promote better health and longevity.” The patch also claims to improve quality of sleep, enhance blood circulation and strengthen the immune system.

Buyer beware: Consumers seem impressed that the Kinoki foot pads turn brown or black after being worn on the soles of the feet overnight; however, they also change color when exposed to water, and pads tested have contained no toxins.

As with cleansing diets, products that promise to remove toxins are pointless, and some can be dangerous if used for long periods, experts say. The body comes equipped with a liver, kidneys and a gastrointestinal tract that can eliminate toxins within hours, even as environmental assaults increase.

The FTC has accused the marketers of the foot pads of deceptive advertising, but the products are still widely available.

ANTIOXIDANT BEVERAGES The claim: Exotic drinks from fruits with high levels of antioxidants, including goji berry, mangosteen, acai, aronia, yumberry and pomegranate, will keep cell-damaging free radicals in check.

Buyer beware: Marketers are trying to capitalize on antioxidants and have co-opted a method used to measure them: the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

It is true that plant-based foods contain phytochemicals with antioxidant properties, and people who eat large amounts have a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

However, “just because a food or beverage scores well with the ORAC test doesn’t guarantee that it can cure, treat or even prevent disease, though it certainly warrants further investigation,” said Diane McKay, an antioxidant researcher at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

The ORAC assay “appears to have no direct relevance to the health effects of the products,” she added. “Even if one beverage ranks higher than all the others, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will increase the antioxidant capacity of your cells, for example.”

FULL-BODY CT SCANS The claim: Computed tomography (CT) scans, or three-dimensional pictures of the inside of the body, can help detect a disease early enough to be managed or cured.

Buyer beware: In healthy people, CT scans have no known benefit and can be potentially dangerous, according to the FDA. They deliver high doses of radiation — several hundred times the amount of a chest X-ray — and the tests aren’t standardized, meaning they can deliver varying amounts of radiation. The American Heart Association has urged limits on use of the scans because of cancer risk.

Then there are the potential results: Normal findings may be inaccurate or carry false reassurance. Or, the tests can find apparent abnormalities when there’s really nothing wrong, leading people to undergo expensive and invasive follow-up tests.

“We know people are bombarded with radiation exposures and it’s cumulative, ratcheting up your risk of developing cancer,” said cardiologist Michael Ozner, head of prevention at Miami’s Baptist Hospital. “Unfortunately, there’s not a shred of evidence that getting scans will prevent future heart attack or prolong your life. These tests show people down that slippery slope leading to more and more unnecessary intervention.”

BRAIN TRAINERS The claim: Brain-training software and books can help keep your noodle young and prevent memory loss .

Buyer beware: The more active your brain is, the better. Puzzles such as Sudoku “can help you get good at a specific skill, like memorizing grocery lists or hand-eye coordination,” said Dr. Sam Wang, an associate professor of neuroscience and molecular biology at Princeton University.

But “most evidence suggests that practicing a task only helps you get better at the same or very similar tasks,” said Wang, the co-author of “Welcome to Your Brain.”

If you really want to improve your mental acumen, it’s better to move your body rather than sit in front of a computer. Regular fitness training is good for everyone’s brain, but it’s “especially effective in the elderly, who may suffer from gradual problems with executive function,” including planning ahead and abstract thinking, said Wang. Juggling has also been shown to boost brain function.

Wang’s recommendation? “A sound (and engaged) mind in a sound (and active) body.”

ABDOMINAL TRAINERS The claim: Prevents belly bulge by strengthening ab muscles.

Buyer beware: Strong abs can help prevent injuries, ward off back pain and improve your posture. But no exercise — or machine — will prevent you from gaining weight in a targeted area if you’re eating more calories than you’re burning, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Using popular ab equipment such as the Ab Rocket is among the least effective ways to train your abs, in part because “they won’t prepare the muscles to generate the force they actually need during the dynamic movements of walking or running,” said Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.

In addition, he said, “the potential result from strengthening your abs from the shortened ‘crunched’ position could be a hernia or sports hernia — which is a tear of the ab at the attachment to the pelvis.”

To really work your core, get in a push-up or plank position and hold it for a minute.

Preventive Health Care Week Sunday: Changing the system

Monday: Screenings for seniors

Tuesday: Boosting immunity

Today: Buyer beware

Thursday: Healthy families

Friday: Making changes stick

Saturday: A local initiative

Full coverage at chicagotribune.com/preventivehealthcare

On TV: Julie Deardorff cautions consumers about preventive health products at 11:15 a.m. on WGN-Channel 9’s Midday News, and on CLTV at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The Medical Watch Team reports on the best sources of vitamins and nutrients on WGN’s News at 9.

jdeardorff@tribune.com; jegraham@tribune.com

—–

To see more of the Chicago Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.chicagotribune.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, Chicago Tribune

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091029
U.S. researchers say they have determined a form of the protein that causes blood clotting might also become a new biomarker for aggressive cancers. University of Cincinnati researchers, members of an international team of scientists, said the recently discovered protein — called “Tissue Factor” — might play a key role in the molecular mechanisms leading to the growth of certain metastatic cancers. The protein is present in various tissues, but it’s most prominent in vascular structures such as blood vessels. Previous studies showed alternatively spliced Tissue Factor contributes to cancer growth, but the molecular events leading to that were unknown.
In a preclinical study, Vladimir Bogdanov of the University of Cincinnati and Henri Versteeg of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, described in detail how the protein contributes to cancerous cell growth.

The scientists said their study is the first to report the specific mechanisms of action that lead to increased angiogenesis when alternatively spliced Tissue Factor is present.

“This is an important breakthrough in cancer research because we are able to draw a more complete molecular picture of how Tissue Factor contributes to cancer growth,” Bogdanov said. “This will help translate basic research into real-life for therapies targeted to stop angiogenesis.”

The study appears in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091029
Aging can be tough. Ailments like osteoporosis, diabetes and memory loss plague many individual’s golden years. While there is nothing any of us can do to turn back the hands of time, maintaining a proper diet can help to make life better for senior citizens.
Jackie Carr, a registered dietician at the Brunswick hospital of Southeast Georgia Health System, points out that, as we age, many factors impact nutritional needs.

“Diseases and condition can have impact on nutritional health. Four out of five people over 65 have some sort of chronic disease that may be impacted by diet,” she said.

Confusion, memory loss and depression can have an impact on how one eats. Carr also says that changes in appetite, digestion and even dental health have an effect.

“Many things can impact how they eat. Tooth loss or mouth pain and even dentures, if they don’t fit well, can make it hard to eat,” she said.

Finances are another problem. For many older adults, budgeting can determine how they buy food and what they purchase. Cheaper items are often less nutritional than some that are more expensive, like meats.

“Forty percent of older adults have an income of less than $6,000. With a budget of $25 to $30 a week to spend on groceries, that can make it really hard to get a balanced diet,” Carr said.

Within that balanced diet, there are some areas seniors should focus on, including protein, calcium and fluids.

Hillary Johnson, wellness program coordinator at Marshes’ Edge Retirement Community on St. Simons Island, says that older adults still require the same amount of nutrients as they did at a younger age. Some times they even need a little more.

“A diet rich in the proper nutrition is always a good idea for bone, body and brain health. Plenty of vegetables, fruits, proteins and whole grains do the trick, easily,” she said.

“Additionally, limiting snacks to health conscience ones and making sure plenty of water is included is very important. Try limiting salt and high cholesterol foods, as well.”

Johnson also encourages senior citizens to be aware of supplemental nutrients. She says that most often all required nutrition comes directly from food rather than pills.

“The need for calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 can increase as we age and some people find it difficult to get adequate amounts from food alone, especially when calorie needs go down,” she said.

“Some people may need to discuss this potential need with their health care providers. However, I continue to emphasize that most of the nutrients an older adult consumes should come from food rather than supplements.”

Older adults who are trying to maintain a healthy diet may want to consider these guidelines from Hillary Johnson, wellness program coordinator at Marshes’ Edge Retirement Community on St. Simons Island:

–Whole, enriched and fortified grains and cereals, such as brown rice and 100 percent whole wheat bread.

–Brightly colored vegetables, such as carrots and broccoli.

–Deeply colored fruit, such as berries and melon.

–Low- and non-fat dairy products, such as yogurt and low-lactose milk.

–Dry beans and nuts, fish, poultry, lean meat and eggs.

–Liquid vegetable oils and soft spreads low in saturated fat and trans fat.

–Adequate fluids.

—–

To see more of The Brunswick News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.thebrunswicknews.com/.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Brunswick News, Ga.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091029
Vitamin D Deficiency - linked to significantly higher rates of most cancers, heart disease, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and even flu - affects 97 per cent of Canadians. Yet fewer than 3 per cent of Canadians say they know their vitamin D blood levels. The world’s most renowned vitamin D researchers will be joined by public health officials from across Canada on November 3 for “Diagnosis and Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency” - a symposium hosted by Grassroots Health and the University of Toronto School of Medicine. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Toronto’s Faculty Club.
Vitamin D spokesperson available for comment:

Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Associate Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at University of Toronto, and Director of the Bone and Mineral Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital.

The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency and to encourage all Canadians to have their vitamin D blood levels tested annually. Optimal vitamin D blood levels are 100-150 nmol/L as measured by a calcidiol blood test.

(c) 2009 Canada Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091029
A study published online today and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet provides evidence that intensive lifestyle changes aimed at modest weight loss and increased physical activity continue to reduce the rate of developing type 2 diabetes after 10 years. Results from the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) indicate that lifestyle intervention reduced the onset of type 2 diabetes by 34 percent compared with placebo. According to the study, participants initially randomized to the lifestyle intervention group also had more favorable cardiovascular risk factors, such as lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels, even though they were taking fewer drugs to control their risk for heart disease.
Additionally, participants randomly assigned to take the oral diabetes drug metformin during the original study reduced the rate of developing type 2 diabetes by 18 percent over 10 years compared with placebo. Participants in the lifestyle changes group were able to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by about four years on average while the metformin group delayed the disease by two years compared with placebo.

DPPOS is the long-term follow-up study to the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a randomized clinical trial that found the lifestyle intervention reduced the incidence of type 2 diabetes in high-risk adults by 58 percent over 2.8 years while metformin reduced the risk by 31 percent compared with placebo. In DPPOS, the investigators examined the persistence of these effects over the next 10 years.

“These results clearly advance our reasons to make lifestyle intervention a high priority for people who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes,” commented R. Paul Robertson, MD, President, Medicine & Science of the American Diabetes Association. “It is our hope that health care professionals will translate the findings of this study to further motivate patients make changes in their diet and physical activity to lower their risk.”

Lifestyle changes have long been recommended by the American Diabetes Association, which provided research funding co-support to the NIH-funded DPP and DPPOS, to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. These changes include being mindful about healthy food choices, reducing fat and calorie intake to reduce weight by 5-7% if you are overweight, and being physically active, such as by walking for 30 minutes a day 5 or more times per week. For people who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, the following steps are especially important to consider when making these lifestyle changes:

– Are you at risk for diabetes? — Are you ready, able and willing to change your lifestyle habits? — What lifestyle habits are you ready, able and willing to change? — What are realistic expectations for each goal that you have set? The American Diabetes Association also provides a Diabetes Risk Test to calculate an individual’s personal risk for type 2 diabetes at www.diabetes.org/risk.

Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, a group of serious diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin. Diabetes can lead to severely debilitating or fatal complications, such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, and amputations. It is a leading cause of death by disease in the United States. More than 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition of high risk for diabetes, and could potentially benefit from prevention efforts.

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.

Contact: Christine Feheley 703-253-4374 cfeheley@diabetes.org

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091029
EB Sport Group, a market leader in the creation of personal exercise and fitness products, has announced the availability of the Men’s Health “Ultimate Total-Body Workout” and Women’s Health “Lean Body Workout” — two branded fitness kits designed to get people back in shape quickly. These are the first of many planned exercise products to be developed by EB Sport Group, a division of EB Brands, and Rodale Inc., publisher of Men’s Health and Women’s Health magazines. Both kits are available now for $49.99 at www.GETFITKIT.com and at a variety of sporting goods and nutrition retailers nationwide.
Specially designed by the editors and staff at Men’s Health and Women’s Health, the “Ultimate Total-Body Workout” and “Lean Body Workout” kits combine carefully selected fitness equipment with cutting-edge exercise programs that strengthen, sculpt and tone the entire body over the course of six weeks and are tailored to the male and female body respectively.

“Our research shows that while many people desire to get in shape, they frequently struggle with exactly what products to buy and then what to do with them. These kits eliminate that confusion and deliver a clear path to success for individuals of all fitness levels — and at a very reasonable price,” said Brian Anderson, president of EB Sport Group. “Men’s Health and Women’s Health have provided millions of people with the best fitness content available. Now, consumers will also have the tools they need in these two powerful kits.”

“These workout kits offer consumers a uniquely affordable fitness solution,” said Adam Campbell, Fitness Director, Men’s Health and Women’s Health. “It not only provides the convenience of a home gym, but a complete workout program designed by the experts at Men’s Health and Women’s Health.”

The Men’s Health “Ultimate Total-Body Workout” includes select equipment, as well as a customized six-week workout program. It also includes a free one-year digital subscription to Men’s Health and a three-month free trial offer to Men’s Health “Personal Trainer,” a customized fitness and nutrition premium content Web site.

The Women’s Health “Lean Body Workout” includes select exercise products, as well as a customized six-week workout program. It also includes a free one-year digital subscription to Women’s Health and a three-month free trial offer to Women’s Health “Fit Coach,” a subscription-based online fitness and nutrition program.

About EB Brands Holdings Inc.

EB Brands, headquartered in Yonkers, NY, develops, manufactures and markets a comprehensive range of consumer products through numerous retail distribution channels in the U.S. and across 70 countries worldwide. EB Sport Group, a division of EB Brands, is a leading global fitness product innovator and the owner and operator of the Sportline and Valeo brands. Its collection of company-owned and licensed brands and product portfolios are distributed to every major sporting goods retailer nationwide and can be found throughout all classes of trade including Internet, catalog and television-based retailers. For more information, visit www.ebbrands.com.

About Rodale Inc.

Rodale is a global media company with a heritage, mission, and authority dedicated to the health and wellness of the individual, community, and planet. Through a broad portfolio of leading media properties, Rodale reaches more than 70 million people around the world through multiple distribution channels, including magazines, books, online, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, and video. The company publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men’s Health, Prevention, Women’s Health, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Mountain Bike, Running Times, and Organic Gardening, and is the largest independent book publisher in the United States, with a collection of bestselling titles, including Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, The South Beach Diet, Eat This, Not That!, and Flat Belly Diet! Rodale is also a leader in direct-response marketing and has more than 25 million active customers in its database. For more information, visit www.rodaleinc.com.

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091025

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091025

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091025

Source: Foot.com
Publication date: 20091025