Don't Stress About Cholesterol

A plan for reducing stress may be the perfect complement to your cholesterol-lowering strategy.

In a recent study, researchers discovered that acute stress temporarily raised cholesterol levels in the study participants. And those with the greatest stress-induced spikes were most likely to have high cholesterol 3 years later. Use strategies such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation to minimize stress.

In a study, researchers asked participants to perform stressful computer tasks while having their cholesterol levels measured. They discovered that the study participants' cholesterol levels temporarily rose in response to stress. Moreover, participants' cholesterol stress response was highly variable -- some experienced a higher jump in cholesterol levels in the face of stress than others. Participants who had the greatest cholesterol stress response were most likely to have high cholesterol 3 years later. Although the relationship between cholesterol and stress levels needs more research, other factors have a clear impact on cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. These include advanced age, a family history of high cholesterol, smoking, a lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet. If you have risk factors for high cholesterol, ask your healthcare provider what you can do to lower that risk and protect yourself from heart disease.

Reference
Associations between acute lipid stress responses and fasting lipid levels 3 years later. Steptoe, A., Brydon, L., Health Psychology 2005 Nov;24(6):601-607.

Build Better Bones through...Gardening?

If you'd like to build strong bones without joining a gym, consider planting a garden.

In an analysis of several different physical activities, only yard work and weight lifting turned out to be good bone builders. In fact, raking mulch, planting bushes, and pulling weeds -- or doing whatever your green space takes -- were even better for bones than jogging. Researchers suspect that the digging, squatting, lifting, and pushing that yard work entails easily equals a weight workout.

One of the proven keys to not only starting an exercise routine but also sticking with it is to pick an activity that you love. And as any mad gardener can tell you, creating a beautiful peony border or eating a salad from your own lettuce patch is so satisfying that you don't mind the physical labor involved. Not into gardening? Dancing, cycling, walking and aerobics all did more for bones in this study than running, swimming, and calisthenics did.

Reference
Influence of yard work and weight training on bone mineral density among older U.S. women. Turner, L. W., Bass, M. A., Ting, L., Brown, B., Journal of Women & Aging 2002;14(3-4):139-148.

Tips for Healthy Grilling

If you're throwing a bevy of kabobs on the grill this weekend . . . make them meatless, or mostly.

A growing number of studies suggest that eating red meat does DNA damage to colon cells, which increases your risk of colon cancer. Happily, virgin olive oil has the exact opposite effect -- it protects colon cells. So skewer a medley of veggies -- or a bit of fish -- instead and baste with a zesty olive oil marinade.

What is it about red meatthat invites cancer? Bad chemistry. Researchers believe that N-nitroso compounds, which form in the large intestine after eating red meat, combine with DNA and make cells more susceptible to changes that can turn them cancerous. In contrast, the chemistry with virgin olive oil is good. Apparently, its abundance of phenols -- compounds known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions -- help block colon cancer's development and spread. Because virgin and extra-virgin olive oil are the least processed, they're likely to be the richest in protective phenols. Nice to know as we kick off salad and marinade season.

Reference
Red meat enhances the colonic formation of the DNA adduct O6-carboxymethyl guanine: implications for colorectal cancer risk. Lewin, M. H., Bailey, N., Bandaletova, T., Bowman, R., Cross, A. J., Pollock, J., Shuker, D. E., Bingham, S. A., Cancer Research 2006 Feb 1;66(3):1859-1865.

Potential anti-cancer effects of virgin olive oil phenols on colorectal carcinogenesis models in vitro. Gill, C. I., Boyd, A., McDermott, E., McCann, M., Servili, M., Selvaggini, R., Taticchi, A., Esposto, S., Montedoro, G., McGlynn, H., Rowland, I., International Journal of Cancer 2005 Oct 20;117(1):1-7.

Is Your Mirror Lying to You?

Do you see yourself as fat or frumpy? Blame it on your brain.

Here's why: Your brain routinely maps your body using visual cues and signals from your skin, joints, and muscles. But snags in this system can distort the image and make you mentally overestimate or underestimate your actual body size. So if you want an objective view of your body, don't rely on only your eyes; use your bathroom scale and the way your clothes fit as well.

Researchers know that people with anorexia and other eating disorders have problems seeing their actual body size. The problem may be in a specific portion of their brain.

Although only a small percentage of people have a diagnosed eating disorder, many other people struggle with body image issues. These can lead to unhealthy, aging behaviors like extreme dieting, emotional overeating, compulsive exercise, abuse of weight-loss or muscle-building products, heavy smoking, or excessive caffeine consumption.

If any of this sounds uncomfortably familiar, instead of letting body image issues push you off your healthy lifestyle, try to focus less on how you look and more on how you feel. Use your eating habits, exercise patterns, and other lifestyle choices to help you feel strong and energized. And keep reminding yourself of all the things your body can do when you are fit and well nourished.

Reference

Neural substrate of body size: illusory feeling of shrinking of the waist. Ehrsson, H. H., Kito, T., Sadato, N., Passingham, R. E., Naito, E., Public Library of Science Biology 2005 Dec;3(12):e412.

Take Your Heart for a Walk

Wondering if your walking routine is robust enough to really help your heart? Wonder no more.

Research has revealed that walking can do as much to keep you out of heart trouble as more vigorous forms of exercise, such as running, playing tennis, or doing pretty much anything that makes you break a sweat. In one study, women who walked briskly for 2.5 hours per week reaped the same heart disease protection benefits as women who did more intense exercise for the same amount of time.

When it comes to walking and heart health, speed and frequency count. Yes, strolling is better than sitting, but you get the most benefits if you really step out -- ideally for 30 minutes a day, most days. Exercise lowers heart disease risk in many ways. Walkers and other regular exercisers experience less cardiovascular aging: they have fewer heart attacks and strokes, they have lower blood pressure, and they have higher blood levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol. And the benefits add up fast. In as little as 90 days, doctors can actually measure the age-reducing effects.

Reference
Walking compared with vigorous exercise for the prevention of cardiovascular events in women. Manson, J. E., Greenland, P., LaCroix, A. Z., Stefanick, M. L., Mouton, C. P., Oberman, A., Perri, M. G., Sheps, D. S., Pettinger, M. B., Siscovick, D. S., New England Journal of Medicine 2002 Sep 5;347(10):716-725.

Healthy Bones the Chinese Way

The news for your bones is good if you don't consome much dairy but get a frequent hankering for Chinese food.

Stir-fry dishes often include staples like broccoli, bok choy, and edamame (soybeans) -- popular veggies that are bursting with bone-strengthening calcium. Even better, these and other Chinese stir-fry favorites have a chemical makeup that allows your body to easily absorb the calcium. Just go easy on the soy sauce -- which is essentially liquid sodium -- because the more salt you take in, the more calcium you're likely to lose.

As you've probably heard, other green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach and Swiss chard, contain calcium, but they also contain a certain acid, called oxalate, that limits how much of the calcium your body can absorb. In fact, you'd need to eat more than four spinach salads to get the amount of calcium in one made with Chinese spinach (and it's not even a top veggie, calcium-wise). Not a Chinese-food fan? Some beans -- particularly white cannellini, a staple in Italian cooking -- are also a good source of calcium. But they're the exception. Many dried beans are rich in phytate, another acid that also interferes with calcium absorption.

Reference
Choices for achieving adequate dietary calcium with a vegetarian diet. Weaver, C. M., Proulx, W. R., Heaney, R., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999 Sep;70(3 Suppl):543S-548S.

SAE Softball Team Posts Loss in First Game

In its Marshall Township co-ed softball league debut Wednesday at Knob Field, the SAE softball team suffered a 13-2 loss to defending league champion American Eagle.

SAE fell behind early, giving up three runs in each of the first two innings. It then settled down to hold AE to one run over the next three innings. However, a five-run sixth inning effectively put the game out of reach.

SAE, which was held to six hits, avoided a shutout with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Doug Shymoniak got things started by reaching base on one of his two hits and later moved to third on a single by Matt Monaghan. With two outs, SAE-newcomer Amanda Badini singled to drive in Shymoniak. Tom Gayliardi kept the inning alive with a run-scoring double, but AE got the final out when Badini was called out on a close play at third.

George Hoffman contributed SAE’s other hit.

Rhonda Buzard pitched a complete game and struck out two.

SAE will again look for its first win May 30 against a team from Marshall Township.

The 2006 SAE Softball team schedule:

• May 30
• June 15
• June 23
• June 29
• July 5
• July 12
• July 17
• July 27
  

All games are at Knob Field.

Photo by Megan Sigler

Some Good News About Caffeine

Here's another plug for green tea -- and coffee, too. A large Japanese study has found that sipping away on six cups of green tea each day may shrink type 2 diabetes risk, especially among women and overweight men. Why? Researchers aren't sure yet, but caffeine may play a role. Even though green tea's not loaded with the stuff, other studies have found that the caffeine in coffee seems to guard against diabetes.

Green tea has only about 30 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, versus coffee's 100 mg. So if caffeine was behind the diabetes protection seen in the study, that explains why it took so much green tea to have an effect. However, other compounds in green tea could deserve the credit. Or heavy green tea drinkers could have other lifestyle habits that defend against diabetes. Even if the caffeine is responsible, obviously it can't guarantee your diabetes protection. But it may help, because caffeine positively affects the way your body processes sugar. And flaws in sugar processing (glucose metabolism) are the core problem with diabetes. The risky result is high blood sugar levels, which can lead to frightening health problems, from blindness to heart disease. Although there are treatments, prevention is obviously the real deal. It includes working out regularly, controlling your weight, eating a healthful diet -- and now, maybe, dropping by a coffee house. Whether you order a medium latte or a large green tea, well, that's your call.

Reference
The relationship between green tea and total caffeine intake and risk for self-reported type 2 diabetes among Japanese adults. Iso, H., Date, C., Wakai, K., Fukui, M., Tamakoshi, A., JACC Study Group. Annals of Internal Medicine 2006 Apr 18;144(8):554-562.

Playing (and Staying Alive) by the Numbers

Date of birth, Social Security number, PIN. You know so many numbers, but do you know the ones that could save your life?

They're your blood pressure numbers. And the lower they are, the better. Need to get yours lower? Consider buying a home blood pressure monitor (about $30 and up). Then, twice a day, write down your readings. People with hypertension who follow this simple routine are more likely than nontesters to get their blood pressure back to healthy levels.

Lowering your blood pressure boosts artery health by reducing strain on delicate blood vessels so they stay soft and supple. And because it takes a lot less pressure to force fluid through soft, flexible arteries than through stiff, hard arteries, your heart benefits, too. It doesn't have to work as hard to keep blood zooming around your body. The proven triple play for lowering blood pressure is a combo of diet, exercise, and medication. Here's where home monitoring comes in. Researchers recently found that people with hypertension who regularly test their blood pressure are more likely to follow their treatment plan, and they also check in with their doctors more often. Even better, their doctors stay more involved. So if a patient's blood pressure diary doesn't show much change, docs are more likely to add a second treatment, change the dose, or switch to a new drug altogether until the numbers improve.

Reference
Self-monitoring of blood pressure promotes achievement of blood pressure target in primary health care. Halme, L., Vesalainen, R., Kaaja, M., Kantola, I.; Home measurement of blood pressure study group. American Journal of Hypertension 2005 Nov;18(11):1415-1420.

Jog Your Working Memory

Want to have the kind of mind that can recall directions with MapQuest-like accuracy? Get moving.

Take a walk, go for a bike ride, hit the gym. Exercise makes extra space in the "scratch pad" part of your brain, also known as your working memory. It's where you jot down bits of information that you need to act on immediately, such as which street to turn onto or what the chef's daily specials are.

How much activity will do the memory-sharpening trick? It depends on what you do and how often. If you're an easy-does-it kind of exerciser, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity (brisk walking is fine) on most days of the week. However, if you prefer to push yourself -- swimming laps, lifting weights, tearing it up on a rowing machine -- three 20-minute sessions a week are all it takes. Researchers recently found that doing just this much increased working memory in a group of young adults. The reason isn't totally clear. It may simply be that exercise increases nourishing blood flow to the brain, but regular workouts also may alter brain structures in beneficial ways. In any event, you may not care why, as long as you can remember all those little things you've been trying not to forget.

Reference
The relationship between working memory capacity and physical activity rates in young adults. Lambourne, K., Journal of Sports Science & Medicine 2006 5;149-153.

Volunteer Opportunity - The Woodlands Foundation

Community Volunteer Work Day
The Woodlands Foundation
Saturday, May 20, 2006

Every year, before the summer camp programs begin, the Woodlands Foundation, located just up Route 19 on Shenot Road, seeks the invaluable assistance of various organizations/community groups to help clean and prepare their Counselor Staff dorms before they arrive for the summer. Typically, this is conducted between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. This is an ideal opportunity for SAE Volunteers. During the day, you'll be:

• Dusting, sweeping and wiping down furnature, windows, etc.
• Sweeping/raking around the dorm area
• Re-arranging furniture
• Setting up outdoor patio furniture
• Donating furnishings, games, etc. for the betterment and improvement of the lounge area

Lunch will be provide for those who participate.

Please replay by May 8th with the number of persons and their names from SAE who are interested and willing to commit to the event. Send this information to their Staffing & Volunteer Coordinator, Karen Sloaf by phone (724-935-5470) or e-mail.

To learn more about the Woodlands Foundation and the fine work they do, be sure to visit their web site.

See you there!

How Fruit Can Save Your Brain

You know how tempting all those luscious fruits and berries are at your local farmers' market? Go ahead, buy too much. It could save your brain from stroke damage.

This is good news for fruit lovers, and inspiration for everyone else, because each additional juicy apricot, wedge of cantaloupe, or bowl of strawberries you eat during the day slashes your risk of a brain-crippling stroke by 11 percent. All that fruit lowers your heart attack risk, too. Veggies help as well -- they cut stroke odds by another 3 percent -- but researchers recently found fruit the most protective.

How does fruit help squash strokes? Many studies suggest that potassium may be part of the answer. It keeps blood pressure down, and a lot of fruit is full of it. Fruit (veggies too) also is full of fiber and other nutrients that help keep cholesterol levels in check. Want the biggest potassium bang for your produce buck? Reach for bananas, apricots, melons, oranges, nectarines, strawberries, figs, sweet potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, and avocados while cruising the produce aisles. Or better yet, head to the local farmers' market for great buys on the season's freshest produce picks.

Reference
Fruit and vegetable consumption and risk of stroke: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Dauchet, L., Amouyel, P., Dallongeville, J., Neurology 2005 Oct 25;65(8):1193-1197.