Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

• Having no stress would be great! And there’s an added perk for cancer patients. New research in Cancer claims reducing stress, by exercising and eating healthfully, can help prevent relapses and fight cancer; via NewScientist.

• China’s food safety has drawn intense scrutiny, prompting the FDA to open an office in Beijing. According to a spokesperson it will enhance the regulatory cooperation between the United States and China; CNN reports.

• A new study in Envrionmental Health Perspectives reveals women exposed to higher doses of hairspray increase their baby’s risk for a birth defect called hypospadias. Researchers blame phthalates, a chemical most often found in plastics; via the BBC News.

• Great Britain wants to ban happy hour. Health officials claim low-priced drink specials entice young adults to imbibe and this has caused an increase in liver-related deaths among young people; the Associated Press reports.

• Here’s another ban idea. Research in the Journal of Law & Economics suggests banning fast food commercials could cut childhood obesity by 18%. Findings reveal fast food ads have helped triple the rate of obesity; via the Associated Press.

• Diabetic women, younger than aga 65, have worse cardiovascular risk profiles than diabetic men of similar age. The findings in Heart claim women’s lower risk of heart attack than men vanish when they’re diagnosis with diabetes; Reuters explains.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reveals city kids living in greener neighborhoods were thinner. Researchers found a relationship between “greenness” and slower increase in body mass index over time; HealthDay News reports.

Putting kids to bed helps too. Oh, and keep them away from cockroaches!
 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

At the American Heart Association's annual meeting researchers revealed LDL cholesterol levels in U.S. adults have dropped since 1980, but triglyceride levels are 5 times higher. Scientists cite increased awareness of the dangers of high-fat diets and statins for the drop in LDL and the surge in obesity for the jump in triglycerides; Reuters reports.

Okay, it’s good to hear people are getting wise to high-fat diets. Diets rich in saturated fat are linked to heart disease, but statins are no saving grace. They have serious side effects and only offer a band aid solution. However, plant-based diets lower cholesterol, improve triglycerides, reverse cardiovascular disease and promote healthy bodyweight.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

About 40 million Americans don’t get enough sleep. Not cool, especially when you consider a recent report linking insufficient sleep with greater risk of cancer. Even when adjusted for age and exercise of level of participants, sleep played an important role in cancer; Reuters explains.

Skipping sleep is a nasty habit too, I’m guilty of it, but I don’t watch very much television. Good thing, because a new study in Social Indicators Research claims people that watch a lot of TV are unhappy. Unlike people who don’t and are involved in activities, they’re happier; via LiveScience.

Obesity is also a major risk-factor for both cancer and depression.
 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

That’s Burlington, Vermont and it’s the healthiest city in the United States. The CDC reports Burlington, with 95%, has the largest percentage of people in good or great health. The population is younger, more affluent and very active in outdoors. They eat better too, enjoying plenty of vegan restaurants and co-ops; from the Associated Press.

Seems to agree with other reports, previously researchers from Harvard University's School of Public Health in Boston determined people living in neighborhoods with good walking environments and easy access to healthy foods were leaner than those living in less desirable communities. I guess Las Vegas is bad then. Because it was named the fattest city, twice!
 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

We’re a fat country. We love horrible food! We eat it blindly. So to buck the trend, New York City started requiring fast food joints to post calorie-content on their menus. And it helped, New Yorkers like it. As a result, the legislation is gaining popularity in congress. Soon, calories-on-menus laws could be national; Reuters reports.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

New research in the New England Journal of Medicine claims waist-to-hip ratio is better at predicting obesity-related death than body mass index (BMI). Reuters explains:

When they calculated the waist-to-hip ratio by dividing a person's waist size, measured at the navel, by the biggest part of their hips, the team led by Dr. Tobias Pischon of the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke found that the risk of death increased by 34 percent for men and 24 percent for women every time that ratio increased by 0.1.

This backs up previous reports highlighting BMI’s inaccuracy in evaluating obesity in older folks and people with a lot of muscle, like me! My BMI says I’m a dead man.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Not good. New research in Pediatrics claims more and more kids are taking medications for chronic conditions, like hypertension, diabetes, depression and high cholesterol. No surprise, but childhood obesity is being blamed; via Booster Shots.

Actually, we’ve seen this before. In fact, some people want to prescribe statins to kids. Sure, heart disease starts in youth, but instead of stuffing pills down their throats. Why not teach kids the importance of healthy eating and NOT the easy way out!
 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

I know, sounds weird. But a new study in Psychiatric News claims compulsive eating and substance abuse share the same neurological pathways and chemicals in the brain. Analyzing this relationship could yield better treatment options for both; via Booster Shots.

No doubt, we’ve all had moments where overeating, or eating something we shouldn’t, made us feel better. Dr. Fuhrman calls this emotional eating and it’s a serious impediment to health. Good news, cutting junk foods and eating healthier can eliminate the problem. Hooray!
 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (3)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Apparently, the news that milk does NOT work for weight-loss really peeved the National Dairy Council. Because they’ve just unleashed a new study, that they funded, claiming dairy foods boost fat-burning.

The “research” appears in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism. Reuters reports:

The study didn't find that eating the recommended three servings of dairy food each day made any difference in helping people keep off the weight that they had lost, but it did show that they were able to consume more calories without gaining weight compared with people who consumed less than one dairy serving daily.

Wow! Eat MORE dairy and you’ll be okay. Clever ploy National Dairy Council, if that is your REAL name! That’d be like Atkins publishing a study saying their dangerous diet is healthy. Oh wait, that happened.

So I guess we’re supposed to ignore the fact that dairy promotes Crohn’s disease and cancer, burdens the environment and harbors deadly bacteria!

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Because a 32-year study has concluded children consistently getting a good night's sleep were LESS likely to become obese as adults.

The research appears in the October 31st issue of Pediatrics. Reuters reports:

Even with a range of other factors considered -- like childhood weight and TV habits, and adulthood exercise levels -- there remained a link between sleep deprivation during childhood and obesity risk later in life.

All of this supports the idea that early sleep habits have a direct effect on weight in the long term, according to Dr. Robert John Hancox, the study's senior author.

This supports a previous study revealing sleep helps LOWER body mass index (BMI) in children.

Clearly, sleep is important. Even an extra hour once a year can save your life!

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link