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

According to a new study in The Lancet salt may be more harmful for patients with metabolic syndrome, a major predicator of heart disease and type-2 diabetes, increasing risk of high blood pressure. Researchers examined over 1,900 Chinese people, ages 16 and up, they were fed either a high or low-sodium diet for 7 days and their blood pressure was checked regularly. Results showed participants with metabolic syndrome were more likely to be sensitive salt and had higher blood pressure; HealthDay News reports.

Salt gets a bad rap. But it’s warranted. A recent report found reducing salt helps lower systolic blood pressure by helping blood vessels relax. And in September, experts at American Heart Association claimed cutting salt helps control high blood pressure. Salt also contributes to heart disease and stroke.

As for metabolic syndrome, previous studies show red meat increases the risk of metabolic syndrome but eating some mixed nuts everyday lowers risk by 13.7%. Nutty!

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According to a new study presented at this year’s American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference, people who live in communities full of fast-food restaurants are more likely to have a stroke. Researchers examined stroke data on residents of Nueces County, Texas, where fast food restaurants are heavily concentrated, between January 1, 2000 and June 2003, and discovered stroke risk was 13% higher and risk increased 1% for each fast-food place in a neighborhood; Reuters reports.

Don’t forget. In December, it was determined students whose school is within walking distance of fast food restaurants are less likely to eat fruits and vegetables and more likely to drink soda and be obese.

Okay, hopefully you don’t need reasons not to eat fast food, but in case you’ve had a stroke and forgot, fast food has been linked to organ damage and its packed with trans-fat and lots of salt. Yuck!

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• In the Netherlands, a third person has died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, the human form of mad cow disease. Humans can contract mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, by eating meat from infected cows. Since 2005, two people have died from mad cow in the Netherlands; via Reuters.

• Investigators reveal the chopped peanuts, imported to the Blakely, Georgia plant, responsible for the salmonella-peanut butter outbreak contained a putrid substance later identified as metal fragments. And officials claim the FDA failed to adequately analyze the adulterated peanuts; from the Associated Press.

• Bad news for mushrooms too! A Pennsylvania farm has recalled enoki mushrooms because they may be contaminated with Listeria. The mushrooms were shipped to retailers in the U.S. and Canada. Listeria is not normally fatal, but can be in people with weakened immune systems; FoxNews reports.

• A British mother was given a suspended sentence after her 3-year old was filmed smoking. In the video the kids puts a cigarette into his mouth, lights it with a lighter and draws smoke into his lungs and does it with some accomplishment. He puffs away while his mother babbles on her phone; CNN investigates.

• Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is imploring America’s food processors to willingly cut sodium in foods by 25% over the next 10 years or NYC will impose laws on salt similar to those on smoking and calorie-content; via The New York Times.

• Speaking of New York City, a bakery in Greenwich Village started selling racist cookies in honor of our new president called “drunken negro head” cookies, igniting a firestorm of angry customers. The dope who knows the place said he is not racist, it’s all for fun and the cookies are art; from the Gothamist.

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A new study in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests the benefits of reducing salt may extend beyond heart health. Australian researchers examined 29 overweight and obese men and women with normal blood pressure. Participants were randomly assigned a low-salt diet or an American diet for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, they switched to the other diet, followed by 2 weeks of no intervention. Findings revealed people on a low-salt diet had lower systolic blood pressure and improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is blood vessels ability to relax; FoodNavigator investigates.

Salt is not part of a healthy diet. According to Dr. Fuhrman, salt increases the body’s excretion of calcium, leading to bone loss and osteoporosis. And salt is very dangerous for vegans and vegetarians. It boosts risk boosts their risk of hemorrhagic stroke risk.

But a different kind of salt was recently named healthy! Salt Lake City, Utah is the fittest city in the United States. Sorry, shameless tie-in!

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