VOLUME 5, ISSUE 11
DR. KENNETH S. WHITE
H EA LT H
A N D
W E L L N E S S
NOVEMBER 2007
THE PERFECT WAISTLINE, IN THE NOT-SO-PERFECT PAST
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
THE PERFECT WAISTLINE
1
OMEGA 3’S AND THE PROSTATE
1
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
2
GETTING OLDER
3
NUTRITION TIDBITS
3
NEW FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN D
4
TIDBITS • Red peppers have 9 times as much vitamin A, and twice the vitamin C, as their green cousins! • To see how well a vitamin is absorbed, drop it in a glass of vinegar. If it doesn't break down in 30 minutes, try another brand. • Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting it in the refrigerator - it will keep for weeks. • Parsley is an excellent thing to munch on in between meals. Not just is it good for you in terms of vitamins, but it is also a perfect way of making your breath fresher.
Most people wouldn’t look to their college days for insights into improving their health. But maybe there is something those of us in middle age can learn from our 2 0 - y ear- old s elv es . What did you weigh at age 20? As it turns out, that’s when your body probably settled into its ideal weight. By 20, almost everyone has stopped growing, and the pounds gained in the years following are mostly fat, says Dr. Walter Willett, a nutritional epidemiologist at Harvard University. . For most of us, what you weighed at age 20 is a far better gauge for judging your ideal weight than the standard weight and body mass index charts. Most of those tables cover such a wide range of weights that
they can be misleading. According to many of them, the perfect weight for a wom a n w ho is 5 -fo ot -7 could range anywhere from 118 to 159 pounds. But what if that same woman weighs 159 pounds today, at age 40, but weighed 120 pounds in her early 20’s? That means her body has packed on 39 pounds — a gain of more than 30 percent, or about two pounds a year. The charts may say she’s healthy, but studies show that even a modest weight gain in adulthood is associated with a higher mortality . risk. In one Harvard analysis, women who gained eight to 22 pounds had a 15 percent higher risk of dying during the 24-year study period. Excess fat predicts
many health problems, according to Dr. Willett, including heart disease, diabetes, many cancers, arthritis and even cataracts. Ideally, he adds, none of us should gain more than five pounds after the age of 20. Obviously people who had serious weight problems or eating disorders in their 20’s, or someone who has bulked up from muscle building, can’t use their weight at 20 for predicting their ideal weight. And unfortunately, the weight-at-20 rule may not apply when the next generation reaches middle age. “An increasing part of the population is arriving at age 20 already overweight,” said Dr. Willett. “But even for these people, the first goal is to not gain more weight.”
OMEGA-3’S AND THE PROSTATE
Prostate Health: A diet higher in omega-3 fatty acids may improve the prognosis in those who are genetically prone to developing prostate cancer, according to a recent report. . To study the effect of fatty acids on prostate cancer, scientists utilized mice with a genetically determined susceptibility to the disease. Omega –3 fatty acids reduced prostate tumor growth, slowed progression and increased survival, while omega-6 fatty acids had opposite effects. “Diet can tip the balance toward a good or a bad outcome,” noted one of the scientists. “Our data imply a beneficial effect of omega3 (Fatty acids) on delaying the onset of human prostate cancer.” . Omega-3’s, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found in cold water fish and fish oil supplements. The pres ent study adds to a growing body of evidence that omega-3’s are protective against cancer.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON!
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Page 2
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
“ Wh at is Acupuncture?” “Does it hurt?” These and other similar questions is someth ing that is heard quite frequently here at CLC. So we’ve decided to share some of the questions and answers regarding your acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture is a healing technique involving the inserting and manipulation of sterilized filiform needles into "acupuncture points" on the body with the aim of restoring health and well-being, e.g. treating pain and diseases. These acupuncture points comprise the Merid ians, the twelve pathways associated with organ systems, i.e. heart, liver, lungs, stomach, and the kidneys. . Acupuncture is practiced in several ways; Traditionally, which includes the additional utilization of herbs; through Cookbook Acupuncture where certain conditions are treated by specific points for organ and disease disorders; and lastly as a pain control system by stimulating specific points
in order to release your own endorphins and enkephalins, your body’s natural pain relievers, aka. opiates. . Acupuncture is thought to have originated in China and is most commonly associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Different types of acupuncture are practiced and taught throughout the world. Acupuncture may also involve a non-insertive technique with utilization of a device called a Teishin or electrical stim ulat ion t o the same areas of treatments or acupuncture points. Scientists are studying the mechanisms and efficacy of acupuncture. Researchers using the protocols of evidence-based medicine have found good evidence that acupunc-
ture is effective in treating nausea and chronic low back pain and moderate evidence for neck pain and headache. The WHO, NIH, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the American Medical Association (AMA) and various government reports have also studied and commented on the efficacy of acupuncture. There is general agreement that acupuncture is at least safe when administered by welltrained practitioners, and that further research is warranted. . In the next issue we will discuss the specific conditions that we’ve been helping our patients deal with for the past 26 years.
"There is evidence that acupuncture influences the production of and distribution of a great many neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, and that this in turn alters the perception of pain."
-David Eisenberg, M.D., Clinical Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School
“Does acupuncture hurt?” Not really, because we utilize special, fine point needles. However, on occasion, there may be a “pinching” sensation, or rarely like a bee sting on insertion of the needle. . “How long does each treatment take?” Medical acupuncture may take up to 20 How minutes, while Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturists may take over an hour. . Treatment time will vary depending on the needs of the patient. “How often and how many times will I need to be treated?” For acute conditions. How Treatments usually take an average of 2-3 times in one week to be gone. For chronic conditions, treatment may take longer to resolve. .
VOLUME 5, ISSUE 11
Page 3
GETTING OLDER? BECOMING MORE TIRED?
Researchers at Wake Forest designed a study to see if anemia in older subjects increases the risk of decline in physical . function. More than 1,140 subjects were recruited, all over the age of 71. Anemia was identified by using criteria established by the World Health Organization (WHO): hemoglobin concentration below 13 g/dl (grams per deciliter) for men, and below 12 g/dl for women. . Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells, and anemia is defined as having a low number of red blood cells. These cells are crucial for carrying oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. As the Wake Forest team reported in the American Journal of Medicine, the physical performance of each subject was followed for a period of four years. Subjects were assessed with a standing balance test, a timed 2.4-meter walk, and a timed test of five chair rises. . After adjusting for general health status and demographic features, the data revealed these results: * Overall, anemia was associated with greater decline in physical performance, compared to subjects who we r e not anem ic . . * Decline in physical performance was noted even among anemic subjects who were completely free of diseases associated with anemia (such as kidney failure and cancer) . * Subjects with borderline anemia (one g/dl above the WH O c r it e r ia ) als o had greater physical decline compared to subjects with normal hemoglobin levels. This study confirms a potential crisis that many doctors simply don't recognize: Anemia in older patients is an independent ris k fac t or fo r phys ic a l . decline. Anemia is easily diagnosed with a typical blood test, so ask your doctor to check your next blood test for a reading of your hemoglobin level - especially if you're feeling unusually fatigued. If you do have an anemic condition, the next step is to find out the cause. But if your doctor downplays anemia's importance, or if he recommends a prescription drug, seek a second opinion from a doctor who's knowledgeable about the nutritional problems that can cause an anemic condition.
NUTRITION TIDBITS FOR ATHLETES*
fatDon’t try to eat a fat-free diet! The recommended intake for athletes is about 0.5 grams fat/ lb body weight/day. This equates to 60 to 80 grams per day of dietary fat for athletes who weigh 120 to 160 pounds. That’s 15 to 20 teaspoons of butter! Preferably, the fat comes from healthful sources: nuts, peanut butter, olive and canola oil, and avocado. Athletes should eat at least 2 grams carb/lb. body weight per day. That’s a minimum of 240 gm carb (about 1,000 calories) per day for a 120 lb woman and equates to 10 pieces of fruit or 5 cups of cooked pasta. Athletes in hard training actually should eat 4 to 5 gm carb/lb. No Atkins diet here! ! Adult athletes require about 0.5 to 0.75 gram protein per pound (1.2 to 1.7 g pro/kg). Scientific evidence suggests if you eat more than 0.8 gm pro/lb (1.8 gm pro/kg), you’ll burn the excess protein for energy. In other words, eating a very high protein diet does not result in greater muscle gain, even with intense resistance training. To bulk up, eat more overall calories so you’ll have abundant energy to build muscles. . Consuming carbs during endurance exercise can delay fatigue by 30 to 60 minutes. Target about 1 gram carb per minute of exercise—equivalent to 240 calories of carbs per hour if you weigh about 150 pounds. That’s about 1 quart of Powerade per hour. . measurements— conditions— Warning: Body fat measurements—even under research conditions—can be plus or minus 3 to 4%. If you are told your body fat is 16%, it might be 13% or 19%. Just having a different person measure your body fat can significantly alter the measurement. Use body fat measurements only as a guide and give yourself a body fat range. . *The Athlete’s Kitchen. Nancy Clark, MS, RD March 2006
NEW FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN D
Recent research is finding other important functions of vitamin D including increased muscle strength, gum health and anti-inflammatory properties.1 . Until recently, ways of assessing vitamin D adequacy have been severely limited making it difficult to determine the far-reaching effects of Vitamin D. The latest research has found that the optimum indicator for vitamin D status is serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) or vitamin D3. Vitamin D 2 once thought to be equipotent to vitamin D3 exhibits substantially lower effective potency.2 Researchers are now asking if the RDA of 400-600 IU per day, set in 1997, is enough ? Th e answer is probably no. Published data indicates that higher daily doses of Vitamin D, in the range of 700 to 800 IU per day, may be more effective in preventing fractures and falls in the elderly.3,4 It is thought that vitamin D may improve muscle strength, thereby reducing fracture risk through f a l l p r e v en t i o n. . There is very little vitamin D found naturally in food, some are saying that supplementation or aggressive food fortification are necessary. Normally most of our daily vitamin D need is met by vitamin D synthesized in the skin due to sun exposure. However there are limiting factors: age, living at higher latitudes, working indoors, use of sunscreens, skin pigmentation and cultural practices that preclude exposing skin when outdoors. What should the health care professional do with this recent information? . Recommendation a daily multivitamin containing 400 IU vitamin D plus an inexpensive vitamin D supplement containing 400 IU vitamin D as a preventive measure.1
Vitamin D has long been recognized as necessary for efficient absorption of dietary calcium and has been shown to reduce the risk of bone fractures in the elderly.
2.Haney RP. Beyond calcium: isoflavones, vitamin D and omega-PUFA hold keys to bone health. Presented at: References 1.News bites. Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter. December 2005;23(10). 2. American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. October 23, 2005;St. Louis, Missouri. 3.Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Dietrich T, Orav EJ, Dawson-Hughes B. Positive association between 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels and bone mineral density: a population-based study of older and younger adults. American Journal of Medicine. May 1, 2004:116:634-9.4. 4.Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Dietrich T, Orav EJ, Hu FB, Zhang Y, 4. Karlson EW, Dawson-Hughes B. Higher 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations associated with better lower-extremity function in both active and inactive persons aged >60 y. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. September 2004;80(3):752-8.
Austin, TX 78731
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3410 Far West Blvd.
Chiropractic Lifestyles Centre
DR. KENNETH S. WHITE
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