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

As a kid, I used to weigh my toys on our bathroom scale—I was slow—but now, a new study in Journal of Adolescent Health claims adolescents who weigh themselves at least once a week are more likely to exercise or eat less junk food and more fruits and vegetables. Experts surveyed 130 teens that were overweight, but slimmed down over the past two years, finding 43% of kids reported weighing themselves once a week; Reuters explains.

This is good news, especially since nowadays many pediatricians fail to diagnosis weight problems in children. As kids continue to eat horrible diets—just like their parents—they are developing adult health problems, such as kidney stones and even heart disease.

In related news, previous reports show overweight teenagers are more likely to commit suicide and obese kids, ages 2 to 19, are 26% more likely to develop some sort of allergy.

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Appearing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, scientists believe a positive association exists between obesity and allergies. Research involving 4,000 children, ages 2 to 19, revealed antibodies for specific allergens, such as indoor, outdoor and food allergens, were higher in overweight or obese children. Data revealed obese kids were 26% more likely to have some kind of allergy and the rate for food allergies was 59% higher among obese children; Reuters investigates.

The CDC now claims 3 million kids have food allergies. According to Dr. Fuhrman breastfeeding is major-preventer of allergies. Antibodies derived from mother’s milk help maximize immune system function. Now, allergies are bad enough, but overweight kids, even as young as 3 years old, can start showing signs of heart disease, for real!

In related news, a study of 3,000 children found kids spending two or more hours watching television per day, were twice as likely to develop asthma as kids watching less.

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• Paulie walnuts was onto something. Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting, a new study in claims women eating a handful for walnuts each day have a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Experts link the walnuts omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols for slower cancer growth; Reuters reports.

• Speaking of breast cancer, upcoming research in the International Journal of Cancer suggests lifetime exercise reduces death risk from breast cancer. Data on over 1,200 women with breast cancer exercising 4 hours per week over 8.3 years were 44% less likely to die from breast cancer; from Reuters.

• Lifestyle is also being tied to diabetes. New research in the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, smoking and alcohol consumption are independently linked with the incidence of diabetes. For the study, 4,883 men and women, ages 65 and older, eating a good diet and exercising had 46% less risk of diabetes and not smoking and drinking contributed to an 82% lower risk; HealthDay News explains.

• And earlier this year, a study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism claims stronger quadriceps, i.e. your thigh muscles, protects against cartilage loss in the knee, contributing to arthritis. The study involved 265 patients with knee osteoarthritis and those with the highest quadriceps strength had less knee pain and better physical function than people with weaker quads; Med Page Today reports.

• As for asthma, findings in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine show inadequate levels of vitamin D maybe associated with asthma severity and allergies. Scientists examined 616 children, ages 6 to 14 years, discovering sufficient vitamin D was inversely related to inflammation leading to asthma; via Booster Shots.

• Here’s an unsightly side effect of obesity. Discussed during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association, experts link morbid obesity with higher risk of urinary tract infections (UTI). After evaluated nearly 100,000 insurance claims over a 5 year period, analysts learned greater BMI boasted the odds of being diagnosed with UTI; News Wise investigates.

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Good news mommies. New findings in the upcoming May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology claim mothers who breastfed were 10% percent less likely to develop heart disease or suffer a stroke than women who had never breastfed. The study, which involved nearly 140,000 postmenopausal women, also showed women who breastfed for at least one month had less diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol; from EurekAlert!

The benefits of breastfeeding are innumerable. Previous reports pin breastfeeding to breast cancer prevention, less likelihood of children becoming obese and reduced risk of allergies. Last year, it was reported 77% of new moms are breastfeeding. Not too shabby.

But some breastfeeding news can be icky. A Swiss restaurant was told no, they can’t serve human breast milk. Although, the story about the Chinese cop who breastfed infants in need during the rescue effort following last year’s deadly earthquake is heartwarming.

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• I guess squirrels don’t get peanut allergies. But kids don’t have to get them either! A new study in the journal Allergy claims kids fed increasing amounts of peanut flour over a period of six weeks actually built up higher thresholds to peanuts over time; via FoodNavigator.

• Cinnamon is already an aphrodisiac, but now new research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests eating 3 grams of cinnamon per day could also help control blood glucose levels, by lowering insulin response after a meal; NutraIngredients reports.

• Now, quite the opposite, new findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reveal drinking beverages sweated with pure fructose, not high-fructose corn syrup, with food raises triglycerides in obese people after eating; back to FoodNavigator.

• Global food production may face more problems by 2050, like even higher food prices and 50% of food grain being diverted to livestock due to stagnant cereal crops. But right now, there is some good news. Organic agriculture is up 128% in East Africa; from TreeHugger.

• Video games can distract you from our food woes. But don’t play too much! Some gamers are developing painful lumps on their palms from the Sony PlayStation controller, called "PlayStation palmar hidradentitis." They’re actually skin lesions; Reuters investigates.

• Killer video games are not the only danger to young people. New data from the CDC reveals people between the ages of 18 to 29 aren’t as healthy as we assume. They smoke too much, nearly a quarter are obese and they don’t exercise nearly enough; via Fit Sugar.

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• Some health experts believe our obsession with cleanliness is making us sick. They’re even being so bold to suggest we eat some worms and dirt and, get your vomit bags ready, ingest fecal bacteria. Exposure to filth may bolster our immune system; via DiscoBlog.

• Misdiagnosed food allergies may be on the rise and in extreme cases putting children at risk for malnutrition. And reports claim avoiding certain foods for fear of mistaken food allergies may make children more sensitive when foods are eventually eaten; from Well.

• We all know antioxidants in fruits and vegetables keep you healthy. Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants. So, one company has invented cranberry dental floss and claims using it attaches phytochemicals to your teeth and prevents gum disease; via Vitamin G.

• On Tuesday, the owner of the U.S. peanut company responsible for the salmonella-peanut butter outbreak pleaded the 5th and refused to answer questions before Congress, while internal company messages show him complaining about lost profits; Reuters reports.

• Nintendo’s Wii Fit is different than other video games systems. In that it requires some moving around, rather than just sitting on your butt all day, but gaming experts call Wii Fit an exercise fad with very few people continuing to use it after a month; Forbes explains.

• Speaking of exercise, given America’s bulging weight problem, the accepted standard of 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week may not be enough for long term weight-loss. Rather, some people are in favor of 200 to 300 minutes of exercise per week; Reuters investigates.

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Breastfeeding is strong medicine! Breast milk provides babies with necessary antibodies that help ward off allergies and boost immune systems and Dr. Fuhrman blames the decrease in breastfeeding for the rise in allergies among young children.

And now, a new study in the British Medical Journal claims the fear of nut allergies is becoming overblown. Researchers suggest the food industry’s restrictions and warnings about nuts, however well intentioned, are fueling the hysteria.

Especially since a previous study in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology shows despite 69% of Israeli children eating nuts and only 10% of British children consuming nuts, kids in the U.K. were 10 times more likely to have peanut allergies; FoodNavigator reports.

Clearly, there is another factor at play here and not just nuts themselves.
 

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A new study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine claims babies born in the fall have a 30% greater risk of developing asthma than babies born at some other time. Researchers blame winter viruses, like respiratory syncytial virus; HealthDay News reports.

And a previous report suggests over-stressed moms can increase their baby’s likelihood of developing asthma or allergies later in life. So can public swimming pools. But according to Dr. Fuhrman breastfeeding reduces the risk of asthma in children. It works in mice too!
 

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And not just roaches. Mice too! New research in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology claims antibodies developed to cockroach and mouse proteins increase the risk of wheeze, hay fever and eczema in young children; from Eurekalert.

That’s creepy. Even ickier than likening trans-fat to rat poop. More reason to be mindful of your child’s living space. Dr. Fuhrman insists it’s the parent’s responsibility to ensure a safe and toxin-free environment. Eating organic food helps too!

Via TreeHugger.
 

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Last year a report claimed peanut allergies were up in children and then, just last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 3 million children have food allergies

Now, amidst nut-phobia, new research in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology claims eating peanuts in infancy is associated with a lower instance of peanut allergy; Reuters reports.

I asked Dr. Fuhrman. He said the mother has to be eating peanuts, while nursing, at the same time the food is first introduced to maximally prevent allergies. The mother’s antibodies are key!
 

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