Archive for the 'General Health Tips' Category

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Just A Plate A Meal…To Make You Lose Weight

August 27, 2007

I’ve been counseling my patients with regard to a meal that they should only eat the foods that can fit in a plate and that’s it! I have written about it here in my website: The Will Power To Stop the Urge To Eat suggesting that the food should consist of rice, 2 slices of meat, 2 cups of vegetables and a fruit.  I was actually happy to know that a August 2007  article in the Harvard Health Letter recommends the same concept:

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Balance your plate

Balance Your Plate

A balanced plate helps you reduce your total calories, reduce the saturated fat and carbohydrates in your diet, and increase heart-healthy nutrients like antioxidants, B vitamins, and fiber.

It’s also important to make sure you’re getting all the important nutrients your body needs. Here’s an easy way to see if you’re eating a well-balanced meal. As you prepare or serve your food, think of a three-section plate.

In the big section (half of the plate), serve yourself two different vegetables or a vegetable and a fruit. In one of the two smaller sections (a quarter of the plate), put a serving of fish, poultry, beans (like black, pinto, or kidney beans), or another healthy protein. Fill the remaining section with a whole grain, such as brown rice or a whole-wheat roll, or another healthy carbohydrate.

As you divide your plate, keep in mind that vegetables are not all the same. Starchy vegetables-sweet potatoes, peas, corn, and winter squash-have about triple the amount of calories and carbohydrates as nonstarchy vegetables. So reserve the vegetable section for the likes of broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, and green beans. And put starchy (but nutrient-filled) vegetables in the carbohydrate quarter.

A balanced plate helps you reduce your total calories, reduce the saturated fat and carbohydrates in your diet, and increase heart-healthy nutrients like antioxidants, B vitamins, and fiber.

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Simple and Balanced… Easy to remember.  It is the concept and remembering it that counts.  I have been sticking to this simple formula for a long time and I myself is doing this to limit and balance my meals.  Likewise this is one way to limit intake and therefore lose weight.

BUT on very important maneuver to do to make this diet a success is to avoid further visual stimulation by leaving the table after consuming the food in the plate!  Otherwise the temptation to eat more will overcome the discipline to eat the balanced meal prepared on the plate!  Guilty? 

A Balanced Diet In A Plate For Health!

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Nutrition Health Tips, Weight Loss Tips | 1 Comment »

The Importance of An Annual Check Up

August 25, 2007

2713261149.jpgDo we need annual physical exam? Why and How soon?

Actually there is still an ongoing debate as to whether annual exam is necessary or helpful.  Several institutions have abandoned the requirement of subjecting healthy subjects to this annual routine.  But in a recent survey published in the Archives of Internal Medicine … majority of the doctors and patients alike i.e. 9 out 10 surveyed out of the 800 still believe that annual physical exam do more benefits than harm.

In a recent publication from the Annals of Internal Medicine, Feb 2007 issue, a study was done to determine if indeed it is beneficial to have one:

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Data Synthesis: The best available evidence assessing benefits or harms of the Physical Health Exam or PHE consisted of 21 studies published from 1973 to 2004. The PHE had a consistently beneficial association with patient receipt of gynecologic examinations and Papanicolaou smears, cholesterol screening, and fecal occult blood testing. The PHE also had a beneficial effect on patient “worry” in 1 randomized, controlled trial but had mixed effects on other clinical outcomes and costs.

Conclusions: Evidence suggests that the PHE improves delivery of some recommended preventive services and may lessen patient worry. Although additional research is needed to clarify the long-term benefits, harms, and costs of receiving the PHE, evidence of benefits in this study justifies implementation of the PHE in clinical practice.

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This study has showned that one or more well visits per year may actually be beneficial to patients and doctors alike by improving patient- doctor relationship as well as alleviate patient’ worries.

By having an annual exam, one is able to check the onset of certain conditions where the abnormality will not show symptoms but may manifest initially with a biochemical or laboratory abnormality.  Healthy subjects specifically with a family history of known inherited conditions like diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol will definitely benefit by having one.  More so with patients whose parents have a history of tumors or cancers of whatever organ should have routine annual exam.

Routine tests that have been shown to be beneficial in screening includes a fasting blood sugar, liver function tests, lipid profile to check cholesterol, occult blood and urinalysis.  Certain procedures like pap smear and breast exam for women are also beneficial since early detection and diagnosis of cancer have a big impact in terms of disability and survival.  What’s more, there did not appear to be any harm associated with period health exams, including undergoing inappropriate tests or excessive costs.

So when should one have an annual health exam? 

  • If you have a family history of chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease … I would recommend to do the exam ealrier after the age of 30.  Majority of heart attacks is due to diabetes and the early a diagnosis of diabetes is done the better is the outcome in terms of control and prevention of complications. 
  • Between the age of 40 to 50 if you have a family history of certain tumors where occult blood testing or flexible sigmoidoscopy would be helpful
  • Otherwise after the age of 50 should be a reasonable age to do the annual exam for an otherwise healthy individual.

As the saying goes: 

It Is Better To Be Early Than Sorry…

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts | 5 Comments »

Grapefruit and Your Medications…

August 24, 2007

2592766622.jpgIt is very important that one should be careful with food to drug or drug to drug interactions.  It is for this reason that as physicians, we are so careful in allowing our patients to take any medications without our knowledge.  Chinese medications for example can be a headache because patients can just buy them anywhere.  They work BUT what do they contain and what are the side effects?

Similar problems can be encountered with foods like fruits.  Take grapefuit as an example. I was asked this question several times so I thought of sharing this information to all.

There’s no question that grapefruit juice provides many nutrients, such as vitamin C and lycopene or fiber that can help lower cholesterol and triglyserides.  But  the pulp and the peel can also contain chemicals that can affect the actions of certain medications by interfering with the enzymes that break down the drugs in your digestive system. This interaction can be deleterious as the patient can have an excessively high levels of the active drug compound resulting in an increased risk of serious side effects.

This caution includes dietary supplements that contain grapefruit bioflavonoids – because in itself…it can also interact with certain medications. So be sure to read labels of your viatmins that may contain this compound.

Below is the list of drugs that one should avoid if you are a fan of grapefruit or better still take caution with these drugs if you eat grapefruit.  The list came from the Mayo Clinic Health Site.

Grapefruit and drug interactions
The following drugs are known to have potentially serious interactions with grapefruit products, tangelos and Seville oranges.
Drug name Type of drug
Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol) An anti-seizure medication
Buspirone (BuSpar), clomipramine (Anafranil) and sertraline (Zoloft) Antidepressants
Diazepam (Valium), triazolam (Halcion) Tranquilizers
Felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular) and possibly verapamil (Isoptin, Verelan) Calcium channel blockers used to treat high blood pressure
Saquinavir (Invirase) and indinavir (Crixivan) HIV medications
Simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev) and atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin-ezetimibe (Vytorin) HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors used to treat high cholesterol
Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), tacrolimus (Prograf) and sirolimus (Rapamune) Immunosuppressant drugs
Amiodarone (Cordarone) A drug used to treat and prevent abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
Methadone Pain relief medication
Sildenafil (Viagra) Erectile dysfunction medication

Other sources of Vitamin C like oranges, and lemons are okay to eat and have not been shown to affect drug levels.

Remember, the effect of this food to drug interaction can last from 1 to 3 days so please advise your doctors especially if you are taking certain drugs whose level if they go up can have serious effects like the blood thinning medication warfarin or coumadin.

The bottom like is: … dont take anything without checking!  Please be very cautious in taking supplements or chinese medications. Check with your doctors first.  Dont believe your friends or the advertisers that they’re safe!

I guess it’s the same thing in business and personal relationships … dont get into something that you are not sure of because trouble will hit you and hit you HARD!!!!

Better To Be Sure Than SORRY!

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Nutrition Health Tips, Personal Thoughts | 2 Comments »

Foods To Avoid If You Have Migraine

August 23, 2007

249069055.jpgMigraine is not an uncommon complaint among friends and patients.  It is pretty bothersome, and can make your day irritating and stressful.  It can occur anytime if a a trigger food is ingested.  These headaches usually start  within 20-25 minutes after consuming these products.  You may notice it coming if you start complaining of  pressure in the chest and in the face, sometimes burning sensation in the chest, neck or shoulders accompanied by facial flushing and dizziness.  The headache can occur across the front or sides of the head.  Some patients may complain of feeling nauseated due to the associated dizziness.  Treating this headache can also be challenging as simple paracetamol may not do the trick.  Preventing the occurence of this headache is therefore of paramount importance to avoid having a bad day ahead!

So which specific food triggers have been shown to be the culprits and therefore should be avoided:

  • Tyramine containing foods found natu.rally in aged cheeses, and also found in red wine, alcoholic drinks, and some processed meats.
  • Food additives/preservatives like nitrates and nitrites found in hot dogs, ham, sausage, and other processed or cured meats.
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG) in Chinese food.
  • Alcohol — specifically the impurities in alcohol or by-products your body produces as it metabolizes alcohol.  Culprits include red wine, beer, whiskey and champagne
  • Caffeine: coffee, chocolate, tea, colas, sodas
  • Pepperoni, hot dogs, luncheon meats
  • Bread and other baked goods and crackers
  • Dried fruits
  • Smoked or dried fish
  • Potato chips
  • Pizza, peanuts, peanut butter
  • chicken livers, and other specific foods and

Likewise for my diabetics…artificial sweeteners like aspartame can be bad triggers of headaches.  Also to be avoided are any COLD beverages especially after an exercise. Sensitivity to ice cream has been reported among migraine sufferers so avoid the temptation!

Trigger Free To Be Migraine Free!

Posted in General Health Tips, Medical News Bits | 31 Comments »

Why You Should Not Take Supplements….

August 22, 2007

imagesghy.jpgSupplements are always promoted as healthy alternatives to the usual medications doctors prescribe.  The marketeers are always advertising the products as devoid of any side effects because they come from “natural sources” of which the labeling may not actually tell us what they are and where they come from.  But almost always our patients are “tricked” into buying them because of the ads on TV or radio based on testimonials that they can cure a variety of ailments or based on the “convincing” strategy of the expert sellers. 

The US FDA and local BFAD have been very lenient with this multi-billion dollar industry in terms of limiting their exposure to the public lest their products can harm.  Instead you see them proliferating with seals of aproval from these agencies as” approved by BFAD”.  Although there is always a label ” No Therapeutic Claim” but who reads them when all the patients hear are the blubbering testimonials and ads on TV and radios….

One recent example of what can happen if these products go undetected is the recent warning of a supplement which actually contained an Anticholesterol agent.  Although the product is approved for use as a drug…but if it is present in a supplement, the patients taking them may not mind checking for possible side effects trusting the sellers of the product as side effect free!

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FDA Warns Consumers to Avoid Red Yeast Rice Products Promoted on Internet as Treatments for High Cholesterol


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to buy or eat three red yeast rice products promoted and sold on Web sites. The products may contain an unauthorized drug that could be harmful to health. The products are promoted as dietary supplements for treating high cholesterol.

The potentially harmful products are: Red Yeast Rice and Red Yeast Rice/Policosonal Complex, sold by Swanson Healthcare Products, Inc. and manufactured by Nature’s Value Inc. and Kabco Inc., respectively; and Cholestrix, sold by Sunburst Biorganics. FDA testing revealed the products contain lovastatin, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Mevacor, a prescription drug approved for marketing in the United States as a treatment for high cholesterol.

“This risk is even more serious because consumers may not know the side effects associated with lovastatin and the fact that it can adversely interact with other medications,” said Steven Galson, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

These red yeast rice products are a threat to health because the possibility exists that lovastatin can cause severe muscle problems leading to kidney impairment. This risk is greater in patients who take higher doses of lovastatin or who take lovastatin and other medicines that increase the risk of muscle adverse reactions. These medicines include the antidepressant nefazodone, certain antibiotics, drugs used to treat fungal infections and HIV infections, and other cholesterol-lowering medications.

FDA has issued warning letters advising Swanson and Sunburst Biorganics to stop promoting and selling the products. Companies that do not resolve violations in FDA warning letters risk enforcement actions, such as an injunction against continuing violations and a seizure of illegal products.

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There you go… this is only one of the many that we see patients getting complications either of the liver or the kidney arising from taking supplements. As physicians we can not go after anybody since the supplemetns are bought by patients at their own free will. 

The local BFAD however should be more careful in approving supplements and should have more teeth to penalize companies that promote these products as drugs which are now being done extensively.  Just watch your cable TV and you’ll be bombarded by ads on the numerous illnesses that these supplements can heal!

Be Smart…Know The Real From The Fake!

Read My Other Related Articles:

  1. The FDA Rules On Dietary Supplements
  2. Beware of the Weight Loss Myth
  3. What You Need To Know About Dietary Supplements
  4. The Harmless Herbs?

Posted in General Health Tips, Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts | 1 Comment »

Obesity Can Spread Among Friends….

August 20, 2007

v8chmcaa05ticcak5yizmca823xazcafcorr9cau78ovncabxtl0pcazrko7ecaf2w095ca5k5nuxca5ged70ca3tp5t0ca8cc9bocaouwo3hcazf6mzccauuysvrcahe8nawca7phliscaild0s8.jpgA family with obese children is a pretty common sight.  The family may have the same set of genes but it’s the relationship among family members that count…the way they spend time together or the way they choose the lifestyle from the kind of food to the kind of leisurely activities.  So I always counsel my patients to be extra careful with what they choose to eat or keep in the fridge because those are the choices that their kids will have for the rest of their lives…and they may have devastating outcome!

Now comes a study that proves the social networking not only affect close relatives but also friends….. A recent online publication of the Premier Journal of Medicine: The New England Journal of Medicine July 26, 2007 issue reported the effect of having friends who are obese….

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 Methods:  The authors evaluated a densely interconnected social network of 12,067 people assessed repeatedly from 1971 to 2003 as part of the Framingham Heart Study. The body-mass index was available for all subjects. We used longitudinal statistical models to examine whether weight gain in one person was associated with weight gain in his or her friends, siblings, spouse, and neighbors.

Results:

  1. A person’s chances of becoming obese increased by 57% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6 to 123) if he or she had a friend who became obese in a given interval.
  2. Among pairs of adult siblings, if one sibling became obese, the chance that the other would become obese increased by 40% (95% CI, 21 to 60).
  3. If one spouse became obese, the likelihood that the other spouse would become obese increased by 37% (95% CI, 7 to 73).
  4. These effects were not seen among neighbors in the immediate geographic location.
  5. Persons of the same sex had relatively greater influence on each other than those of the opposite sex.
  6. The spread of smoking cessation did not account for the spread of obesity in the network.

Conclusions:  Network phenomena appear to be relevant to the biologic and behavioral trait of obesity, and obesity appears to spread through social ties. __________________________________________________________________________________________________

These findings have implications for clinical and public health interventions.  It’s the social networking that really makes a difference…whether the influence is positive or negative.  Teaching kids the right way from the way they choose : the kind of food… to the kind of friends… to the kind of activities… should start from the young!

The authors’ summary of their report says it all: 

“The spread of obesity in social networks appears to be a factor in the obesity epidemic. Yet the relevance of social influence also suggests that it may be possible to harness this same force to slow the spread of obesity. Network phenomena might be exploited to spread positive health behaviors, in part because people’s perceptions of their own risk of illness may depend on the people around them.”

As the saying goes….. 

Tell Me Who Your Friends Are…And I’ll Tell You Who You Are!

Posted in General Health Tips, Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts, The Truths on Obesity | 4 Comments »

The Many Benefits of Walking…

August 17, 2007

imagesedg.jpgIs walking good? Is it enough as an exercise? Or Do we need to do more intense exercise to achieve benefit?  I love to walk…it’s my form of physical activity every afternoon after work.  I have fun doing it walking around the house or around our subdivision.  You can enjoy the view while walking… you can do it anytime and anywhere and the most important of all is that…It is FREE!

Dr James Levine who is a colleague of mine at the Mayo Clinic wrote a nice editorial at the

Mayo Clinic Proceedings based on this news report from the Mayo Clinic newsroom:

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“Getting out there and taking a walk is what it’s all about,” says James Levine, M.D., Ph.D., and a Mayo Clinic expert on obesity. “You don’t have to join a gym, you don’t have to check your pulse. You just have to switch off the TV, get off the sofa and go for a walk.”

The health benefit associated with walking is the subject of Dr. Levine’s editorial in the July issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Dr. Levine’s piece is entitled, “Exercise: A Walk in the Park?” and accompanies a Proceedings article that showcases the merits of walking as beneficial exercise.

The study, undertaken by physicians from the Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine in Matsumoto, Japan, determined that high-intensity interval walking may protect against high blood pressure and decreased muscle strength among older people.

Over five months, the Japanese researchers studied 246 adults who engaged in either no walking or moderate to high-intensity walking. The group who engaged in high-intensity walking experienced the most significant improvement in their health, the researchers found. In his editorial, Dr. Levine says the study lends credence to the notion that walking is a legitimate, worthy mode of exercise for all people. Dr. Levine says it’s a welcome message for his patients, who fight obesity and appreciate that a walk is one way to improve their health.

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It is therefore a package deal…you walk…you exercise as well as keep your health in control. There is no way I will accept any patient of mine telling me he has no time to exercise because walking can be done anywhere and anytime!

Do it now and this very minute… after reading this article…turn off your computer or TV for a while and take a stroll.  In simple terms…Just move.  It is much better than staying put and be sedentary.

Life is too short…enjoy your surroundings and walk because once you get the dreaded complication of obesity and diabetes which is a stroke or heart failure…you will end up in bed for the rest of life anyway…by then…you will miss walking!

Take A Step Forward Now For Health!

Posted in Exercise and Activity Tips, General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts, Tips To Protect Your Heart, Weight Loss Tips | 6 Comments »

Alcohol Lowers Blood Pressure and Heart Attack Risk…

August 14, 2007

3161158791.jpgAfter a hectic schedule or meeting or after a stressful event …one gets invited for a drink!  And one of the common questions I get from friends or patients alike is the question of how BAD is alcohol to one’s body Or how much alcohol can they take.

Alcohol for a diabetic patients is a no-no if one is poorly controlled BUT once the blood glucose is well controlled… alcohol can be made part of the total caloric load as long as it doesnt exceed 2 drinks a day! And this is true to patients with hypertension or cholesterol problems as well.

I came across a very good article from the Harvard Health Letter which I want to share.  Aparently, drinking alcohol can have beneficial effects on one’s blood pressure and the risk of heart attack!

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Lay off alcohol is one of the first things people with newly diagnosed high blood pressure are told. Alcohol can cause high blood pressure as well as contribute to it. Abstinence, though, might not be necessary, and may even deny some folks a pleasurable way to ward off heart attacks.

A long-term study of male health professionals suggests that responsible, moderate drinking may benefit people with high blood pressure. In a study published in the January 2, 2007, Annals of Internal Medicine, only 4.9% of the men with high blood pressure who classified themselves as moderate drinkers (one or two drinks a day) had a heart attack during 16 years of follow-up, compared with 6.7% of nondrinkers. That’s about a 25% reduction in heart attack risk. The results are similar to a study of male doctors, which showed fewer deaths due to cardiovascular disease among moderate drinkers than nondrinkers over a five-year period.

Keep in mind that this work shows the average response to alcohol. How it affects you depends on your genes, metabolism, diet, and medications, as well as you and your family’s relationship with alcohol.A drink a day won’t help your blood pressure. (If you are concerned about it, use a home blood pressure monitor that’s been checked at your doctor’s office to make sure it is accurate.) But along with a healthful lifestyle, moderate drinking could protect you from one of its feared effects — a heart attack.

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Again…. the old cliche…

 

Be Safe…Drink in Moderation!

 

 

 

 

Posted in General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, Personal Thoughts | 1 Comment »

How To Keep Family Safe From HARM…

August 7, 2007

Safety is of paramount importance to us especially our kids.  With the news surrounding us regarding safety concerns of products made in China from too much formalin in certain package foods to lead content in kids toys…it is but prudent to also be vigilant with regard to food safety in our own homes.

Here are some tips that I got from the Harvard Health Letter that I want to share and hopefully help us make our home safer. Here is a summary of some of the problematic bacteria you want to protect your family from include:

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E. coli. This bacterium, found mainly in ground beef, causes an estimated 25,000 cases of food poisoning in the United States each year and kills about 100 people. Some people infected with E. coli suffer permanent kidney damage. Contamination occurs during meat processing, when E. coli from the animals’ intestines becomes mixed in with the meat.

Salmonella. This bacterium is found mostly in meat and eggs. But it spreads to other foods, such as ice cream and fruit, when they are shipped with contaminated meat or eggs.

Campylobacter. This bacterium is especially common in poultry. Antibiotic-resistant strains are becoming more prevalent because of the widespread use of antibiotics in chicken feed. In a 2001 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, 17% of chickens sampled in supermarkets in four states had campylobacter strains that were resistant to antibiotics.

You can prevent most cases of food poisoning in your household by preparing and storing your foods safely.

  • Rinse foods. Rinsing can wash off some germs from meat, poultry, and fish and pesticide residues from produce. Rinse all meat, poultry, and fish under running water before cooking. Rinse all fruits and vegetables under running water before cooking or serving them.
  • Wash your hands. Frequent handwashing helps prevent you from passing germs from one food to another. Use soap and water to wash your hands each time you handle a raw food. Don’t wipe your hands on a dishtowel without washing them first.
  • Use separate utensils. Don’t prepare meat and fish on the same surface that you use for other foods — otherwise, you risk contaminating those foods with bacteria from the meat and fish. Use one cutting board for meats and fish and a second one for produce. Be sure to wash the cutting boards with soap and water after each use. Use different knives to cut different foods to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Cooking. Cook all meat, poultry, eggs, and freshwater fish. Don’t rely on color alone to indicate whether meat is fully cooked. The USDA recommends that everyone use a meat thermometer. Different temperatures are required to kill off germs in different kinds of meat. It’s also important to cook hot dogs and other precooked meats and fish, to destroy bacteria that may have contaminated them in the processing plants.
  • Storing. Don’t leave any foods, before or after cooking, at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F). Put them in the refrigerator or freezer. The temperature inside your refrigerator should be 40° F or below; your freezer should be at 0° F or below.
  • Divide The Leftovers. If you have large amounts of leftovers, divide them into small batches when you put them away in the refrigerator or freezer. That way, the temperature of each batch will reach a safe level faster. Keep in mind that freezing does not necessarily kill bacteria; wash meats and poultry thoroughly after thawing, and handle them the same as you would fresh meats. 

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Watch the things we buy…Plan ahead the meals we’ll serve and be sure to follow simple rules of home safety. 

Remember as mentioned in my previous post to avoid storing your leftover foods in take- away plastic containers because they have been shown to be harmful if reused! 

Just a simple reminder to keep us all from harm….

Plan and Ban The Harm! 

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Personal Thoughts | Leave a Comment »

Adding TAX on Mc Donald’s Burger and Fries…

August 6, 2007

imagessdfert.jpg

I came across a very unique study that has probably never been done before.  How about adding extra tax everytime we take unhealthy fast foods ? Everytime we hear about being FAT and unhealthy…it has always been associated with Mc Donalds because of the way the place used to cook meals using high saturated fat or trans fat products.  Likewise the marketing strategy of UPSIZING french fries and burgers with unlimited soft drinks have been blamed as culprits for the majority of the Obesity epidemic in America and probably in the world as Mc Donalds has crossed barriers and invaded every nation in the world!

 The study was published recently in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health and looked at the assumption of extending vlaue added tax to unhealthy foods and what could be its impact in terms of health and economic costs : Could targeted food taxes improve health?  J. Epidemiol. Community Health, Aug 2007; 61: 689 – 694.
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Data: Consumption patterns and elasticity data were taken from the National Food Survey of Great Britain. The health effects of changing salt and fat intake were from previous meta-analyses.

Results: (1) Taxing only the principal sources of dietary saturated fat is unlikely to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease because the reduction in saturated fat is offset by a rise in salt consumption. (2) Taxing unhealthy foods, defined by SSCg3d score, might avert around 2300 deaths per annum, primarily by reducing salt intake. (3) Taxing a wider range of foods could avert up to 3200 cardiovascular deaths in the UK per annum (a 1.7% reduction).

Conclusions: Taxing foodstuffs can have unpredictable health effects if cross-elasticities of demand are ignored. A carefully targeted fat tax could produce modest but meaningful changes in food consumption and a reduction in cardiovascular disease.

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Probably based on this study…it can work! and most likely as a last resort to our continuing battle against the BULGE!   But again it may not plainly because people will still look for things they’ve been used to liking.  Just look at cigarettes and alcohol.  Even with the so called SIN taxes on these products, people continue to splurge and enjoy them no matter the consequences.In short… everything boils down to DISCIPLINE and CHARACTER if we have to change the habit of EATING of every individual and the country as a whole.  And to be successful… this should be shaped during childhood! 

Remember if you’re child is obese by 6 years old…his likelihood of becoming obese for life is 40% and if he is obese by 12 years old… his chances of becoming obese for life is 80%!

Tax or No Tax… The Discipline Starts at HOME!

Posted in General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, Personal Thoughts, The Truths on Obesity | 1 Comment »

Are You FAT But FiT?

August 4, 2007

3283079462.jpgYou maybe Fat but Fit and as a result your risk to develop heart disease is actually lower than your counterpart who Fat and Unfit!  This according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Mediciane, July issue. 

Below is the summary of the study as published in heart.org:

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“Arsenault et al studied 169 asymptomatic men with diabetes mellitus who were participating in the Quebec Family Study, a population-based study of French Canadian families living in and around Quebec. They measured abdominal adipose tissue accumulation, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and indexes of plasma glucose-insulin homeostasis and lipoprotein-lipid profiles.  

After matching individuals with similar BMIs, men with low CRF were characterized by more visceral adipose tissue accumulation than men with high CRF (mean 114.4 cm2 vs 87.8 cm2; p<0.007) and by a poorer metabolic profile. When matched for visceral ( Abdominal) adipose tissue accumulation, however, such differences were no longer significant.

“This study underlines the importance of visceral (abdominal) adipose tissue or fat accumulation in the previously reported association between CRF and metabolic complications predictive of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus” .

“Our results suggest that visceral abdominal tissue accumulation could be a key confounding factor when the relationship of CRF, coronary heart disease risk, and metabolic syndrome is examined.”

Physical activity should be promoted, irrespective of age, sex, or degree of obesity as a measure to reduce adiposity, to increase energy expenditure, and to potentially decrease atherogenic visceral adipose tissue mass, they conclude. “

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There you go… being fat may not actually mean poor health risk RATHER it’s the cardiovascular fitness level or the Physical Activity that counts.

The more active we become…the less evil is our fat and the less likely we develop the outcomes of the disease of obesity!

Being FIT Matters….

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, The Truths on Obesity | Leave a Comment »

The Protective Effect of Mediterranian Diet

August 3, 2007

imagesafg.jpgA diet that’s high-fat… because of the large amounts of monounsaturated fatty-acid-rich olive oil used in Mediterranean cultures—may be a useful tool against blocking of the arteries, particularly in individuals at high risk of developing heart disease.

A new study looking at High Mononunsaturated Fat( MUFA) diet has finally proven the proponents of this diet to be protective was recently published in the June 11, 2007 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Interventions: Participants were assigned to a low-fat diet (n = 257) or to 1 of 2 Mediterranean diets. Those allocated to Mediterranean diets received nutritional education and either free virgin olive oil, 1 liter per week (n = 257), or free nuts, 30 g/d (n = 258). The authors evaluated outcome changes at 3 months.

Results:  Compared with the low-fat diet, the 2 Mediterranean diets produced beneficial changes in most outcomes. Compared with the low-fat diet, the mean changes in the Mediterranean diet with olive oil group and the Mediterranean diet with nuts group were –0.39 mmol/L (95% CI, –0.70 to – 0.07 mmol/L) and – 0.30 mmol/L (CI, –0.58 to – 0.01 mmol/L), respectively, for plasma glucose levels; –5.9 mm Hg (CI, –8.7 to –3.1 mm Hg) and – 7.1 mm Hg (CI, –10.0 to –4.1 mm Hg), respectively, for systolic blood pressure; and –0.38 (CI, –0.55 to – 0.22) and – 0.26 (CI, –0.42 to –0.10), respectively, for the cholesterol–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. The Mediterranean diet with olive oil reduced C-reactive protein levels by 0.54 mg/L (CI, 1.04 to 0.03 mg/L) compared with the low-fat diet.

 Conclusion: Compared with a low-fat diet, Mediterranean diets supplemented with olive oil or nuts have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors.

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In short… participants in the two Mediterranean-diet groups had significantly lower mean plasma glucose levels, lower systolic blood pressure, and lower total-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratios than those in the low-fat-diet group… which may explain the protective effects of this diet to develop heart disease.  

So what diet Do I recommend to my Patients? 

Ive been proponent of a 40% of total calorie diet to be from fat with 20% of total calories from MUFA.  Ive been pretty successful with this diet in terms of regulating my patients Blood sugar and lipids while maintaining their weight!  This study really proves me right. 

You will not go wrong having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and supplemented with virgin olive oil and nuts…it’s a diet proven to  improve cholesterol ratios and the effects on blood pressure and inflammation.   One option to Olive oil that we can use daily in our cooking is Canola Oil which is also rich in MUFA and PUFA.  Likewise taking walnuts or cashew nuts for snacks as healthy alternatives to burgers and fries!

As The Saying Goes…GO NUTS!

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, Personal Thoughts, Tips To Protect Your Heart | 1 Comment »

How To Exercise The Right Way

August 2, 2007

4143585627.jpgWe know we need to exercise.  We are often told to be active most days in a week if we want to lose weight or just 20 to 30 mintues 3 x a week for cardiovascular workout.

BUT what’s the BEST way to do it?… do we exercise 1 hour straight? or is it better to have a rest period in between activities to burn fat effectively?

Excerpts from the Study of Dr Goto published in the Journal Of Applied Physiology…. 

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This study compared the fat metabolism between “a single bout of prolonged exercise” and “repeated bouts of exercise” of equivalent exercise intensity and total exercise duration. Seven men performed three trials: 1) a single bout of 60-min exercise (Single); 2) two bouts of 30-min exercise, separated by a 20-min rest between exercise bouts (Repeated); and 3) rest.  In the Repeated trial, serum free fatty acids (FFA), acetoacetate, and 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations showed rapid increases (P < 0.05) during a subsequent 20-min rest period. During the second 30-min exercise bout, FFA and epinephrine responses were significantly greater in the Repeated trial than in the Single trial. 

The relative contribution of fat oxidation to the energy expenditure showed significantly higher values (P < 0.05) in the Repeated trial than in the Single trial during the recovery period.

These results indicate that repeated bouts of exercise cause enhanced fat metabolism compared with a single bout of prolonged exercise of equivalent total exercise duration.

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In simple terms… it’s better to rest in between exercise activity than a single prolonged activity.  The rest period most likely made the tissues and body more efficient in burning more fat especially during the repeat exercise after the rest!

Meaning Rest in between activities is a good way to burn more calories and have time to take a breathier in between workouts!

My advise?  Exercise for 30 minutes then take a rest for 10 to 15 minutes then take a plunge to more activites again before heading back home….

What A way To Rest and Burn More Calories!

Posted in Exercise and Activity Tips, General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts, The Truths on Obesity | 3 Comments »

Orange Juice Can Prevent Kidney Stones

July 31, 2007

imageserty.jpgGood news for orange juice drinkers.  More benefits come your way than just taking the extra Vitamin C with this new study looking at extra help of orange juices in prevnting kidney stones.

It is known in the medical community that potassium citrate found in most citrus juice can slow down formation of kidney stones BUT are all citrus fruits the same?.

In a recent study by a team from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, published in Oct. 26 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that components found in orange juice can affect a juice’s ability to prevent stones.  In the study the volunteers drank 13 ounces of orange juice, lemonade or distilled water three times a day with meals. They were also put on a low-calcium, low-oxalate diet, which also helps cut stone formation.

The Results:

One possible explanation as to why OJ is better than Lemonade is that the citrate in orange is accompanied by a potassium ion ( the same goes with Grapefruit) while the citrate in lemonade and cranberry juice is accompanied by a hydrogen ion.  The problem with hydrogen ions is that they counteract the beneficial effects of high citrate content while potassium ions do not!!!

So…. for those with risks to develop Kidney stones, here’s one that we can incorporate in our diets!  One that we can enjoy every morning with our breakfast!

An OJ Each Day May Prevent Stones Today!

Posted in General Health Tips, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips | 2 Comments »

Dark Chocolate for Hypertension? Anyone?

July 30, 2007

22173473171.jpgWe have long heard about the good news of enjoying dark chocolates.  The mere thought of eating one makes your tummy growl for food! Just recently while browsing my JAMA journal noted another study on dark chocolate which is really good news to chocolate lovers.

The July 4, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported a new study to show the benefits of cocoa in dark chocolate long-term — the study lasted 18 weeks.  

This study is a well conducted study being a randomized, controlled, investigator-blinded, parallel-group trial with 44 adults, aged 56 to 73, with untreated mildhypertension without concomitant risk factors.  This study is well matched and the two groups compared were given either a one square (6.3 g) of a commercial brand of dark chocolate per day, constituting just 30 kcal, or white chocolate which is  polyphenol-free to enjoy for 18 weeks.

Results Are Amazingly GOOD NEWS:

From baseline to 18 weeks, dark-chocolate intake reduced mean systolic BP by 2.9 mm Hg (p<0.001) and diastolic BP by 1.9 mm Hg (p<0.001) without changes in body weight, lipids, glucose, or 8-isoprostane. Hypertension prevalence decreased from 86% to 68%.  There was  a sustained increase of S-nitrosoglutathione by 0.23 nmol/L (p<0.001) and the appearance of cocoa phenols in the plasma among the dark chocolate eaters.

Te reseacrchers explain the phenomonon: “The apparent mechanisms by which dark chocolate lowered BP suggests a chronic increase in the production of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelium… and it is likely that cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate were responsible for the observed effects on S-nitrosoglutathione and BP.”

BUT before everyone indulges on dark chocolates… it is important to remember that it should be DARK and not Milk or White chocolates…likewise keep in mind the AMOUNT because remember the CALORIES! The one square of dark choco can give you around 30 kcal per day.

A Chocolate A Day Keeps Your Doctor Away!

Posted in General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, Tips on Hypertension | 5 Comments »

How Much Salt Can We Take?

July 28, 2007

imagessd.jpgThe new recommendations from the American Medical Association should be a wake up call to all of us.   We know that salt is important for the taste of our foods but taking too much can be harmful.  As physicians weve been harping on lowering salt intake to our patients when they prepare their foods not recognizing that the culprit may actually be food in the restaurant and the processed foods we buy in the groceries!

We know from studies that populations with an average sodium ingestion of less than 1400 mg/day have virtually no hypertension BUT the average intake of salt in the world is around 4000 mg per day while Filipinos usually take in more.  This is way above the recommended daily allowance of 2000 to 2300 mg per day.   

The recently published advisory in the Archives of Internal Medicine, July issue urged the Food and Drug Administration to take a look at the standards set for salt and to limit sodium in processed and restaurant foods. It is recommneded that a minimum 50% reduction in sodium in processed foods, fast-food products, and restaurant meals should be sought in the next decade it we have to decrease the risks associated with high blood pressure. More so to address the labelling of products known to contain High Salt levels.

The AMA paper has this to say: 

“Across populations, the level of blood pressure, the incremental rise in blood pressure with age, and the prevalence of hypertension are directly related to sodium intake. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials document a consistent effect of sodium consumption on blood pressure. The majority of sodium consumption in the United States is derived from amounts added during food processing and preparation. Leading scientific organizations and governmental agencies advise limiting sodium intake to 2400 mg or less daily (approximately 6000 mg of salt). Substantial public health benefits accrue from small reductions in the population blood pressure distribution. A 1.3-g/d lower lifetime sodium intake translates into an approximately 5-mm Hg smaller rise in systolic blood pressure as individuals advance from 25 to 55 years of age, a reduction estimated to save 150 000 lives annually.

With an appropriate food industry response, combined with consumer education and knowledgeable use of food labels, the average consumer should be able to choose a lower-sodium diet without inconvenience or loss of food enjoyment. In the continued absence of voluntary measures adopted by the food industry, new regulations will be required to achieve lower sodium concentrations in processed and prepared foods.”

A Pinch Of Salt For A Healthy You!

 

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, Tips on Hypertension, Tips To Protect Your Heart | 2 Comments »

The Low Cholesterol and Cancer Link…

July 27, 2007

Lowering the cholesterol level of any patient with risk for heart disease is very important.  It is a MUST for any patient with Diabetes or Hypertension. It is sometimes difficult to convince patients to take anticholesterol meds because many are so afraid of the link to liver disease rather than be afraid of the heart disease if cholesterol is not regulated.  Likewise, patient remains asymptomatic even with elevated cholestrol so the urgency to seek treatment is not there.

Now comes another story linking low cholesterol to cancer!!!!

The increase in cancer incidence among statin users was small — about one extra case per 1,000 people, according to the study in the July 31 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Apparently the slight increase in cancer incidence was found in 13 trials among statin users who achieved the lowest LDL cholesterol levels.

Is This A Cause For Alarm?

Most likely NOT! Again this is only an observation among the 23 trials studied and NOT a Cause and Effect Situation.  This calls for more attention and further study but again just like any drug or intervention we do…If there’s an effect…there almost always a Side Effect!  If you take a drug based on a premise that it is so safe without side effects then you are in for the worst!  Most likely you were sold by the marketing strategy of the sales agent!

Remember… the economic burden of suffering from heart disease is more than the risk of getting cancer in this case.  Likewise the effect of lowering cholesterol and lowering ones risk for heart disease is PROVEN .  It is also possible that by postponing disability and death due to heart disease, we make people live longer and in population studies, the longer we live the more likely we will get other diseases and cancer is one of them!.

My Recommendation is for my patients NOT TO WORRY!

The benefits of lowering cholesterol continue to outweigh the risks! Continue taking the drugs and I will continue to implement the same strategy of aggressiive lowering of cholesterol to prevent the target organ of high cholesterol levels…The HEART!

Low Cholesterol Unlinks The Burden Of Heart Attack!

Posted in General Health Tips, Medical News Bits, Tips To Protect Your Heart | 4 Comments »

Can Diet Coke Cause Heart Disease?

July 25, 2007

212693807.jpgI usually allow my patients to drink soda as long as it is a “diet” or “light” soda…meaning, no sugar added but the sweetness is plainly due to an approved sweetener.  I usually caution them to drink only 1 can a day and not more.  The only concern I have is the amount of sodium in the soda rather than it causing harm to my diabetic patients.  It is therefore rather surprising to me that a study published in Circulation July 24 issue came up with a warning that “drinking more than one soda a day — even if it’s the sugar-free diet kind — is associated with an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

The study is not the ideal study population or method that can come up with a firm conclusion or assoiciation since this is a population based study where more than 6,000 participants in the Framingham Heart Study were followed up since 1948.  The study found that after four years of the study, “people who consumed more than one soft drink of any kind a day were 44 percent more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than those who didn’t drink a soda a day.”

Theories as to why this happen are intriguing steming from the fondness of sugary foods among people drinking soda to the caramel content of the soda promoting metabolic changes in the body.  Unfortunately, this study only proves a possible association and cannot in itself infer causality.  In other words…There is no proof that soda in itself is the culprit until further studies on causality can be done.

So if you love soft drinks then I would recommend allowing yourself to enjoy a”diet” or a “light” soda and only 1 can per day.  Overconsumption of a certain food does not allow one to prevent a disease by consuming more of a certain beverage even if it deemed safe by the medical community.

So…Can Diet Coke Cause Heart Disease? 

I doubt it.  This is only an observational study.  The same kind of method that initially suggested that Estrogen hormone therapy can lower ones risk for heart disease but eventually when a randomized prospective study was done… hormone replacement therapy actually increased ones risk for heart disease. BUT the study for me tells us only one thing: that even if it is “diet and has zero calories does not mean it is safe to over indulge!

The American Heart Association continues to recommend low calorie beverage as a good option for a healthy meal and likewise issued a statement :

“Since this is an observational study, it is important to note that the study does not show that soft drinks cause risk factors for heart disease. It does show that the people studied who drank soft drinks were more likely to develop risk factors for heart disease.

“However, it is possible that other factors could explain this relationship. Often people who drink soft drinks also eat and drink more calories, saturated fat and trans fat and less fiber and dairy products. Also, these people tend to be less physically active. This was true among the subjects in this study.”

So for me … the verdict is in:

It’s the LIFESTYLE Not The Drink! 

Read My Other Related Posts:

Posted in General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, The Diabetes Facts | 6 Comments »

Coffee Cuts The Risk To Develop Diabetes

July 24, 2007

3517174637.jpgAnything that we do as long as these activities dont harm us is worth enjoying.  If you love to drink coffee and enjoying your cup while reading your morning daily then this report is good news to you!!!

A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine involving 28,812 postmenopausal women who were followed up for 11  years where 1,418 women developed diabetes… showed that postmenopausal women who drink coffee regularly decreased their risk  of developing type 2 diabetes by 22% compared to women who never drink coffee.  The risk continued to drop as ones coffee consumption increased!!!!

The researchers stressed “in light of the popularity of coffee consumption and the high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus in older people, these new finding may be of significance from a public health point of view.”  But it is very important for us to remember that: the right diet and exercise continues to be the first line in preventing the onset of this chronic disease called Diabetes.

Is it the Caffeine? Or is it the Coffee itself that gave the protection?

The study found that the women in their study who consumed caffeine from other sources – not coffee – did not experience the same benefit as those who drank coffee.  Meaning it should be what is in the coffee that offered protection.  Likewise, women who regularly drink decaf experience an even lower diabetes 2 risk meaning it may not be the caffeine after all.

I am not depending on my coffee each morning to help me cut my risk to develop diabetes.  I do my own homework of eating right and doing my regular exercise BUT this report helps me enjoy my coffee even more!!!! And Lastly…I dont own a Coffee Shop…..

Double The Fun With Your Daily Coffee!

Read My Other Related Posts:

Posted in General Health Tips, Medical News Bits, The Diabetes Facts | 5 Comments »

How Much Exercise To Prevent Diabetes?

July 23, 2007

imageswer.jpgExercise and exercise…we know its benefits.  But one thing that really makes me exercise is my risk to develop Diabetes.  We know we can prevent this disease by behavioral therapy like taking care of ones diet and physical activity but doing the exercise for an hour can be TOO MUCH! A lot of friends buy the exercise gadget including the famous treadmill machine…but bet you, if I survey on this site how many of you out there has this machine but has no longer been used it for more than a year?  Any takers?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “one in three American children born in 2000 will develop type II diabetes!!!!” So parents take note: 1 in 3. As much as we want to pamper our kids for the lack of time we sometimes spend with them…be the parents or the grandparents who usually spoil these kids ( smile)  with candies, burgers and ice cream… Be AWARE!

But there’s hope:  new study at the University of Missouri-Columbia says that acute exercise — as little as 15 minutes a day — can have a profound influence on preventing and fighting the disease.  That’s easy!!!! 15 minutes is definitely manageable to anybody and am one of those that finds this study rewarding to all of us who feel disappointed about the need to really do the workout for an HOUR! But for guys who just dont have the time…read my other article below this…

This exercise activity is not the exercise of daily living BUT an acute form of exercise which is a bout of activity in which people Actively Participate!!!.  Activities like running, walking or biking for straight 15 minutes!

Remember there is no limit as to the impact of exercise on this disease… it has been proven to be effective at all levels.  Whether you are still trying to ward off this disease because of obesity or you are already a diabetic on medications or even if you are already on insulin for several yearts, exercise can make a difference in improving your body’s response to insulin.

A bit of good news for this week folks!

Only 15 Minutes Of Exercise Can Make A Difference!

Read My Other Related Posts:

Posted in Exercise and Activity Tips, General Health Tips, Healthy Practice Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Personal Thoughts, The Diabetes Facts | 3 Comments »

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