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Each month we feature one full
article from the current issue of the WELLNESS LETTER, plus our
Ask the Experts column, in addition to brief summaries of the
other articles, listed below.
The
Flintstone Diet
Stone Age diets are the rage again. The notion that we should return
to early-human eating habits resurfaces about once in a generation.
In the 1980s the book was The Paleolithic Prescription. Now
there’s The Paleo Diet and Neanderthin, among
other books. These books rely on a form of evolutionary/genetic
determinism, claiming that humans were "designed" to eat
lots of meat and that we’re overweight and suffer from heart
disease and diabetes because we’ve strayed from this ideal
diet. The fact is, we can’t go back, particularly since scientists
aren’t even sure what our early ancestors ate. In any case,
today’s neo-Paleolithic programs offer highly questionable
dietary advice. Full
Story
Full-Body Scans—Peace of
Mind at a Price?
Full-body CT (computed tomography) scans obtain cross-sectional
images of the heart, lungs, liver, and other organs, as well as
soft tissues, bones, and blood vessels. They can look in nearly
every crevice and cranny. The technology is, of course, already
in wide use for diagnosing specific ailments. But full-body scans
for the "worried well" have become an industry these days.
Radio and TV ads abound, sometimes sponsored by your local hospital,
and feature people testifying that their lives were saved by full-body
scans. You may also have heard that the medical profession is opposed
to these scans because you don’t need a doctor’s referral
to get one. The test typically costs $1,000 or more, and insurance
won’t pay for it. But if you can afford it, isn’t it a
good investment? We tell you why not.
Good Seeds
Seeds, like nuts, have seen their nutritional reputation rise in
recent years. Ounce for ounce, they’re high in calories, but
also rich in healthy fat, as well as a variety of nutrients. Any
seed consists of an outer layer that covers stored food, along with
the embryo of a new plant. Besides healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fats, seeds are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They also
contain phytochemicals, some of which may have cardioprotective
or anticancer effects. Since they come from plants, they contain
no cholesterol. Some seeds, notably sunflower, are among the best
sources of vitamin E. Flaxseeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid,
a fat similar to the omega-3s in fish.
The Cold Front
American adults average two to four colds per year, and children
six to eight. Colds are the No. 1 cause for visits to the doctor
and for lost days from school and work. Here are some tips for the
cold season.
What to Do About Heartburn
There is no shortage of remedies for heartburn—old standbys
such as Alka-Seltzer and Tums, the newer acid blockers such as Pepcid,
Axid, and Zantac, plus a dozen others. Acid indigestion is a billion-dollar
business. But before you try any of these drugs, or switch from
one to another, you should understand what heartburn is and how
these products differ.
Hepatitis A, B, Cs
Hepatitis C has been much in the news. Naomi Judd, Pamela Anderson,
and Larry Hagman have announced that they are infected with it;
Mickey Mantle died of complications from it. About 4 million Americans
are infected, and the number of deaths, mostly among those infected
more than a decade ago, is rising dramatically every year. The good
news is that the number of new infections has dropped just as dramatically.
It’s easy to be confused about the various forms of viral hepatitis—A,
B, and C (not to mention D and E)—which differ in important
ways. There are ways to protect yourself—and others.
Shoulders in Motion
Your shoulder is your most flexible joint, with a wide range of
motion: you can rotate your arm 360 degrees and put your hand almost
anywhere in a wide arc. You can catch a fly ball, lift a heavy box
that’s been left on your doorstep, and swing a small child
all around—at least in theory. This enormous range, and the
complex structure it takes to provide it, is probably why the shoulder
is so easily injured. Anybody can have shoulder problems, which
include bursitis, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries,
and frozen shoulders.
Shedding Those Disinhibitions
Why do some people gain pounds steadily while others (a minority
these days) keep their weight at healthy levels? Researchers at
ASK
THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask:
What is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam, and which
is more nutritious? Does yoga build strength? Do arnica preparations
really ease sore muscles? Answers
WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Researchers discover which kinds of exercise will stay with you
for life . . . News about smoking keeps getting worse.
WELLNESS TIPS
• Reconsider canned
corn. The heat processing used to prepare canned corn actually
boosts levels of antioxidants and other healthful phytochemicals
in sweet corn, according to new research.
• Drink as much
in the cold as in the heat. It’s easy to become dehydrated
when exercising in cold weather because of the water you lose
from sweating and breathing.
• Buy extra fresh cranberries
and freeze them. You can use them in recipes just as you would
use fresh.
• If your teeth hurt when exposed
to heat, cold, brushing, or acidic foods, try a desensitizing
toothpaste such as Sensodyne. These toothpastes contain compounds
that can reduce the painful nerve response, though it often takes
at least two weeks of regular use for this to occur.
• Flavored nonfat
milks are a good way to get kids to drink more milk and thus get
more calcium. Many parents worry about the added sugar in such
milks. But a recent study found that kids who drink flavored milks
do not have a higher intake of added sugar compared to other kids.
• About 5% of
men, especially those with curly hair, find that shaving causes
red bumps.
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